the Catholike or Vniuersall Church discountenancing all partiall and schismaticall combinations and meere impudency is it by those or any other wordes of Austin to challenge to the Church of Rome an authority or superiority of gouernement ouer other Churches when as wee see that both Austin and the rest of the Bishops of Africa did with one consent vtterly disclaime the same Hitherto therefore wee see no cause to attribute to the Church of Rome any such priuiledges as M. Bishop pretendeth and the lesse opinion haue wee that any such there are for that hee bringeth no shew of proofe but onely by wresting and falsifying the Authours whom hee alleageth in that behalfe W. BISHOP §. 3. HEre comes in Master Abbots second proposition but the CHVRCH of Rome is a particular CHVRCH in which is as great doubling and deceit as in the former for albeit the Church of Rome doe in rigour of speech only comprehend the Christians dwelling in Rome yet is it vsually taken by men of both parties to signifie all Churches of whatsoeuer other Country that doe agree with the Church of Rome in faith and confesse the Pastor thereof to be the chiefe Pastor vnder Christ of the whole Church Like as in times past the Roman Empire did signifie not the territory of Rome alone or Dominion of Italie but also any nation that was subiect to the Roman Emperor Euen so the whole Catholike Church or any true member thereof may be called the Roman Church à parte principaliore because the Bishop of Rome is the supreme head of their Church Wherevpon if you demand of a French Catholike of what Church he is his answere will be that he is of the Catholike Roman Church where he addeth Roman to distinguish himselfe from all Sectaries who doe call themselues sometimes Catholikes though most absurdly and to specifie that hee is such a Catholike as doth wholly ioyne with the Roman Church in faith and religion Euen as the word Catholike was linked at first with Christian to distinguish a true Christian beleeuer from an Heretike according to that of Pacianus an ancient Authour Christian is my name Epistola ad Simphorian Catholike is my surname so now adaies the Epitheton Roman is added vnto Catholike to separate those Catholikes that ioyne with the Church of Rome in faith from other sectaries who doe sometimes call themselues also Catholikes though very ridiculously because they be diuided in faith from the greatest part of the vniuersall world Out of the premises may bee gathered that the Roman Church may well signifie any Church that holdeth and maintayneth the same faith which the Roman doth whence it followeth that M. Abbot either dealt doubly when he said the Roman Church to be a particular Church or else he must confesse himselfe to be one of those Doctors whom the Apostle noteth For not vnderstanding what 1. Tim. 1. vers 7. they speake nor of what they affirme R. ABBOT HEre is a new-found distinction and I confesse my selfe to be one of those Doctors that know it not and wee see that M. Bishop as great a Doctor as he is yet can bring neither Scripture nor Father nor Councell nor Story nor any ancient writer whatsoeuer for the warrant of it but such as it is wee must take it barely vpon his owne word The Church of Rome hath abused the world vnder pretence of the name of the Catholike Church alleaging falsly of it selfe that which is truly said of the Catholike Church that without the Church there is no saluation To discouer this fraude we instruct men as truth is that the Church of Rome is but a particular Church and therefore cannot be called the Catholike that is the vniuersall Church and therefore againe that it is but a meere mockery of Popish impostours whereby they say that out of the Church meaning the Church of Rome there is no saluation To this M. Bishop answereth that in that proposition The Church of Rome is a particular Church there is doubling and deceipt And how I pray Forsooth albeit the Church of Rome in rigour of speech doe comprehend only the Christians dwelling in Rome yet it is vsually taken to signifie all Churches of other Countries agreeing in faith with the Church of Rome and confessing the Pope to be chiefe Pastor of the whole Church Where it is to be obserued how hee setteth himselfe meerely to circumuent and cosen his Reader For it being admitted that the Church of Rome is taken to signifie all Churches of other Countries agreeing in faith with the Church of Rome and confessing the Popes chiefty ouer them yet this nothing hindereth but that the Church of Rome is still a particular Church or a part only of the Church because the whole Church doth not agree nor euer hath agreed to giue to the Pope and Church of Rome that chiefty which they require For how many Churches are there not in Europe only but also in Asia and Africa that deride that claime of theirs and neither yeeld nor acknowledge any such superiority to belong vnto them Yea and his owne instance of the Roman Empire confoundeth him in this behalfe because as the Roman Empire was not the Empire of the whole world but imported only the Countries subiect to the Romans there being many other Dominions and Kingdomes that were neuer subiect vnto them euen so the Roman Church is not the Church of the whole world which is the Catholike Church but signifieth only those Churches which professe subiection to the Bishop of Rome there being many other Churches which professe no such subiection Now therefore be it so that the Church of Rome is so vsually taken to signifie other Churches submitting themselues to the Church of Rome M. Bishop for all this to his purpose is neuer a whit the nearer vnlesse he can shew that the Church of Rome is taken to signifie the whole Catholike Church of Christ For if it be not the whole Catholike Church then it is but a member and part thereof and therefore only a particular Church Tell vs then M. Bishop is it any where to be found that the Roman Church is taken to signifie the whole Catholike Church Marke I pray thee gentle Reader how it sticketh betwixt his teeth Faine hee would speake it and yet because hee knoweth it to bee an absurd lye his heart faileth him and only faintly hee telleth vs The whole Catholike Church may be called the Roman Church But M. Bishop doe not tell vs what in your foolish conceipt may bee tell vs what hath beene done The Fathers were interested in this cause as well as wee they haue told vs of the East Church and the West Church the Greeke Church and the Latin Church they haue infinite times made mention of the Roman Church but shew vs that euer they meant by the Roman Church to signifie the whole Church Here hee is blancke and can say nothing and if he would say any thing the
g Gregor lib. 6. Epist 37. Sedes Apostolorum Principis in tribus locis vnius est vnius atque vna est sedes cui tres nunc Episcopi praesident Idem lib. 4. Epist 37. Apostolicam sede regis Idem lib. 6. vt supra Petri Cathedram tenet one with Peters chaire at Rome and saith of the Patriarchs there to the one that he gouerned the Sea Apostolike and to the other that he possessed Peters chaire But Hierome in the place alleaged disclaimeth Paulinus the Patriarch of Antioch that he might ioyne himself to Peters chaire signifying that Paulinus though succeeding Peter at Antioch yet sate not in Peters chaire because he taught not the faith of Peter Now if to be Bishop of Rome where is the place of Peters chaire be infallibly to sit in Peters chaire then to be Bishop of Antioch should be so also because there also is the place of Peters chaire Which appearing by Hierome to be vntrue it followeth that to be Bishop of Rome likewise is not necessarily to sit in Peters chaire because a man may be Bishop as of Antioch so of Rome and not teach the same as Peter did Of Peters faith and confession then it is that he saith Vpon that Rocke I know the Church to be built Erasmus very well noteth thereat h Erasm in Schol. Epist ad Damas Non super Romam vt arbitror nam fieri potest vt Roma quoque degeneret sed super cam fidem quam Petrus professus est Not vpon Rome as I suppose for it may be that Rome also may degenerate but vpon that faith which Peter professed euen as Gregory himselfe Bishop of Rome expoundeth i Greg. lib. 3. Epist 33. In petra Ecclesiae hoc est in consessione beati Petri. The Rocke of the Church to be the confession of St. Peter The communion of this faith is the house wherein Christ our Paschall Lambe must be eaten the Arke of Noc wherein who so is not shall be drowned If the Bishop of Rome shall thus sit in the seate of Peter wee are ready to accord with him and so farre as he doth so we still hold communion with him but that hee shall alwaies sit there we haue no warrant and we are sure that now hee doth not sit where Peter sate Now sith M. Bishop can giue vs no warrant that the Pope and Church of Rome shall alwaies continue in the faith of Peter his conclusion is but a fond and vaine presumption that out of the communion of the Church of Rome there is no saluation and no otherwise chalenged to the Church of Rome then by the Donatists to their Church Now albeit I see that I much offend M. Bishop in making this comparison betwixt the Papists and the Donatists yet that it may more fully appeare that there was some cause why I did so I will to those resemblances that I haue already set downe adde some few more whereby it may be discerned how directly they walke in the same steps And first of Donatus the Pope of the Donatists Op tatus recordeth that k Optat. lib. 3. â—ùm super Imperatorem non sit nisi solus Dâ— qui fecit Imperatorem dum se Dâ—natus super Imperatorem extollit iam quasi bâ—minum excesserat metas vt se vt Deum non vt hominem â—stimaret c. Quamuis non sit vsus hac voce Ego sum Deus tamen aut fecit aut pasâ— siâ— est quod defectum huitu vocis impleret c. tantum sibi ipsuâ— exegit vt eum noÌ„ minori metu omnes venerarentur quà m DeuÌ„ c. Primus Episcoporum quasi plus esset ipse quà m caeteri exaltauit cor suum c. vt nullum hominem sibi comparanduÌ„ arbitraretur he exalted himselfe about the Emperour and thereby made himselfe more then man and euen as it were a God because aboue the Emperour there is none but God that made the Emperour and although he vsed not those wordes I am God yet hee either did or suffered to bee done to him that which might supply the want of those wordes requiring so much to himselfe as that all stoode in no lesse awe of him then they did of God himselfe being the first Bishop that aduanced himselfe as if he were more then the rest and did thinke no man comparable to himselfe Now is there not in this Pope of Africa a very iust and liuely description of the Roman Pope Hee hath made himselfe more then all other Bishops and no man comparable to himselfe He hath lifted vp himselfe aboue the Emperour and thereby as Optatus concludeth made a God of himselfe Hee hath not only done and suffered to be said and done to him such things as whereby in effect he hath taken vpon him to be God as namely in dispensing against the law of God and disannulling the institution of Christ but in very wordes hath yeelded to be so called and in the Glosse of his Canon law where he professeth to haue corrected such things as were amisse yet hee hath suffered this title giuen to him to stand still l Extrauag Ioan 22. Cum interim in Glossa Credere Dominum Deum nostrum Papam non potuisse c. haereticum censeretur Paris anno 1601. cum priuileg Gregor 13. c. Our Lord God the Pope He bath made men to stand in no lesse awe of him yea more then of God himselfe whilest hee hath made shew to haue Gods anger at his command to inflict it where he will Secondly the Donatists tooke vpon them that m Collat. Carthag 3. c. 165. Cum pacis Ecclesia Dei possessores semper fuerimus ac simus they had alwaies beene possessors and owners of vnity and of the Church of God in so much that they reckoned n Aug. câ—t lit Petil. l. 2. c. 92. In vestriâ— exemplis aduer 〈…〉 Imperatâ—â—es quaÌ„ plures ac Iudices vestros persecutioneÌ„ nobis facieÌ„do perijsse vt relinquam N 〈…〉 Domitianâ— TraianuÌ„ Variâ— c. Nero Domitian Traian Varius Decius Dioclesian and the rest to haue beene persecutors of their Church whereas their beginning whereby they were Donatists was after the time of those persecutions and had they beene then o Ibid. August Isti omnes vniuersalitèr Christianum nomen pro suis idolis persecuti sunt c. Vnitatem ipsam vel vnde nos sicut vos putatis vel vnde vos sicut Christus docet exijstis totam persequebantur had not suffered any thing for being partakers with Donatus but for professing the name of Christ No otherwise doe the Papists take vpon them to haue beene alwaies the Church of God and that it was their Church that was persecuted that they were their Martyrs that were slaine by the same Tyrants whereas their beginning whereby they are Papists which properly they are for worshipping their Lord God the Pope yea and that whole forme of doctrine almost which
Hymnis Psalmis canendis ipsius Domini Apostolorum habemus documenta praecepta exeÌ„pla De hac re tam vtili ad mouendum piè animuÌ„ accendendum diuinae lectionis affectum varia consuetudo est c. Donatista nos reprehenduÌ„t quòd sobriè psallamus in Ecclâ—sia diuina cantica ProphetaruÌ„ cum ipsi ebrietates suas ad canticum PsalmoruÌ„ humano ingenio compositorum quasi tubas exhortation is inslaÌ„ment Quando autem non est tempus cum in Ecclesia fratres congregantur Sancta cantandi nisi cum legitur aut disputatur aut antiâ—â—ites clara voce deprecantur aut communis oratio voce Diaconi indicitur singing Hymnes and Psalmes we haue lessons and examples and precepts of the Lord himselfe and his Apostles It is a thing profitable to stirre vp the minde to piety and to kindle deuotion and affection towards the lessons that are read from God Of the Donatists contrarywise he saith The Donatists reprehend vs for that we soberly sing in the Church the holy songs of the Prophets whereas they by singing of songs deuised by men as it were by trumpets of encouragement doe inflame and prouoke themselues to drinking vntill they be drunke Against this he saith When is it out of time when the brethren are gathered together in the Church to sing Psalmes but when there is reading or preaching of when the Ministers doe pray with loud voice or when by the voice of the Deacon warning is giuen of common prayer That the Donatists vsed those songs in the Church or before their Seruice and Sermons St. Austin saith not that is M. Bishops lye his wordes import that as their t August coÌ„t lit Petil. l. 1. c. 24. Mitto prophanas bacchationâ—s â—briâ—tâ—tuÌ„ drunken meetings and feastings which elsewhere he obiecteth to them they vsed such songs as the manner is of carnall prophane men at their meetings and merry-makings by vaine and wanton and lewd songs to cheare and sport themselues But out of St. Austins words it is easie to be gathered whether of vs in this behalfe are more like the Donatists either we that retaine the same religious custome of singing Psalmes which St. Austin commendeth and not he only but also Leo Bishop of Rome witnesseth that u Leo de collect ser 4. Psalmi Dauidici per vniuersalem Ecclesiam cum omni pietate cantantur the whole Catholike Church with all deuotion then vsed or the Papists who reproue vs for the same and haue wholly abandoned it both out of their Churches and houses and can better brooke to solace themselues with secular and prophane rimes and sonnets yea with filthy and vncleane ribawdries insomuch that some of their owne as touching their Seruice haue complained that x Cornel. Agrip de vanit scient cap. 18. Hodie cum Missa ipsius Canone obscâ—nâ— cantiunculae pares vices habènt obscene and filthy songs had their course and turne therein as well as the Canon of the Masse Very vnfortunately therefore hath M. Bishop entred into the retorting of this comparison nothing fitteth nothing serueth his turne his ball reboundeth vpon himselfe but neither in doctrine nor in manners can hee truly alleage any thing reproueable in the Donatists that can be fastened vppon vs. W. BISHOP §. 6. TO conclude this passage seing that M. Abbot went about to proue the Church of Rome to be like that of the Donatists by no one sound argument but by meere fabling and lying he must looke vnlesse he repent to haue his part with all lyars in the poole burning with Apocal. 21. v. 8. fire and brimstone And if it please the Reader to heare at what great square the Donatists were with the Church of Rome to which M. Abbot doth so often resemble them I will briefly shew it out of the best records of that time S. Augustine speaketh thus to the Donatist Petilian What hath the Church or Sea of Rome Lib. 2. cont Peâ—il cap. 51. done to thee in which Peter did sit and now sitteth Anastasius why doest thou cal the Apostolical chaire the chaire of pestilence See how friendly the Donatists saluted the Church of Rome stiling it the chaire of pestilence Optatus Bishop of Mileuitan saith thus Whence Lib. 2. cont Parmeni is it that you Donatists contend to vsurpe vnto you the keyes of the Kingdome and that you wage battaile against the chaire of Peter presumptuously and with sacrilegious audacity If they waged battaile against the Church of Rome so cruelly surely there was no agreement betweene them Wherefore as the Catholikes of Africa then so they that were taken into the communion of the Church of Rome cared little for the Donatists as witnesseth S. Augustine saying of Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage He neede not to care for the multitude August Epistola 162. of his conspiring enimies the Donatists when he saw himselfe by communicatory letters ioyned with the Roman Church in which alwaies the principality of the Apostolicall chaire flourished c. So we at this time neede as little to care for the bitter reproches and deceitfull arguments of the Protestants so we stand stable and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same Church of Rome R. ABBOT I Wish M. Bishop to take heede lest the doome which he pronounceth vpon me be returned vpon himselfe by the sentence of the Gospell a Luke 19. 22. Out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee thou euill seruant Mistake I did in a circumstance but lye I did not because b Mentiri est contra mentem ire to lye is to goe against a mans owne minde and knowledge which it is plaine I did not for that my errour was disaduantage to my selfe in that I alleaged the Papists to be like the Donatists only whereas by more perfect relation they are found to be like both Rogatists and Donatists But now to make the matter the more goodly for himselfe he for conclusion notably playeth the Skoggin and most grosly deludeth the simple Reader that hath not discretion to espie his fraude Forsooth he will shew at what great square the Donatists were with the Church of Rome But trouble not your selfe M. Bishop about that matter wee know it and will acknowledge it alwaies as farre as you only we desire to know what that maketh to the matter here in hand What because the Donatists in the time of Optatus and Austin were at great square with the Church of Rome doth it follow that there can be no cause now to compare the Papists to the Donatists When M. Bishop was clapt vp in prison at Rome there was great enmity betwixt the Seculars and Iesuits and doth it therefore follow that they are not friends now What is it M. Bishop but your legerdemaine to pretend a comparison made by me betwixt the Donatists and the Church of Rome that was of old when as my comparison concerneth only Romanists
doth not furnish me with some bookes which they haue followed in which case I may as well vse their names as Papists may vse the names of Baronius Surius Genebrard and other their owne authours as I haue d Aduertisement concerning D. Bishops Reproofe sect 6. before shewed more at large As touching the disagreement betwixt Austin the Monke and the British Bishops I referred the Reader to Beda as well as to any other and by him it appeareth that there was variance betwixt them not only in some few but in very many things c Beda hist l. 2. c. 2. Sed alia plurima vnitati Ecclesiae coÌ„traria faciebaÌ„â— Qui cum longa disputatione habita neque precibus neque hortamentis neque increpationibus Augustini ac sâ—ciorum eius ossensum praebere voluissent c. Dicibat eis quòd in multis quidem nostrae consuetudini coÌ„traria gâ—ritis tamen si in tribus his mihi obseperare vultis c. caetera aequanimitèr â—uncta tolerabimus wherein he sought by disputing by intreating by exhorting by reprouing to draw their assent vnto him Which when hee could not obtaine he made offer to beare with all other differences so that in three things they would yeeld to him to obserue Easter and to celebrate Baptisme after the manner of the Church of Rome and to ioyne with them in Preaching to the infidell Saxons M. Bishop here will giue reason why the Britans should haue yeelded to the Roman manner of Baptising because forsooth it was likely to be administred more decently and deuoutly in the most renowmed city of Rome then amongst the Britans in a corner of the world But if it must be presumed that at Rome because of the renowme of the place all things were done more decently and deuoutly then otherwhere why did Gregory aduise Austin that f Ibid. l. r. c. 27. Mâ—bi placâ—t vt siue in Romana siue in Gallâ—aru siue in qualibet Ecclesia aliquid inuemsti quod plus omnipotenti Deo posâ—it placere so 〈…〉 e â—lâ—gaâ— custodiamus consuctudines commendat whether in the Church of Rome or in the Church of France or in any other Church he should finde what might better please God he should make choise of it Surely it was an absurdity in Austin that when things might be better as g Ambros de Sacram. l. 3. c. 1. Quod alibi rectiùs seruatâ—r nos rectè Ambrose also saith in other Churches then in the Church of Rome he should notwithstanding seeke to force other Churches to the example of that Church Yea and it was a token of his ignorance that he needed to write to Gregory to be resolued as touching h Beda vt supra Cùm vna sit sides cur sunt Ecclesiarum diuersae c. the diuers customes and obseruations of diuers Churches not knowing that i Euseb hist lib. 5. cap. 23. Dissonantia ieiuny fidei concordiam difference of ceremonies commendeth the vnity of faith as Ireneus spake particularly of fasting and therefore that there was no cause for him so to labour other men to conformity to their rites Albeit it may be likely that the Sacrament of Baptisme was administred amongst the Britans with greater simplicity and lesse ceremony then at Rome and that for that cause they made choise rather to continue their old forme knowing that abundance of ceremonies breedeth commonly abundance of superstitions and k Aug. Epist 119. Quamuis neque hoc inueniri possit quomodâ— contra fidem sint ipsam tamen religioneÌ„ c. seruilibus oneribus premâ—nt c. though it be not seene how they make against the faith yet they are as St. Austin saith the clogge and burden of religion oppressing it first and then eating out the very heart of it And this we take to be the chiefe cause why they so stifly refused Austin for that albeit they acknowledged that he taught the true Christian faith yet they saw him ioyne therwith not in baptisme only but otherwise also so many humane traditions and inuentions which they held to be so many prophanations of the true Christian faith If some of them acknowledged so much as M. Bishop vrgeth out of Beda we will not sticke to acknowledge the same in such sort as they did neither will we stand to question whether Dulcitius he would say Dubricius as I take it or Dauid principall preachers of the Britans in their times were brought vp at Rome though Bale whom he citeth in his lesser worke which only I haue doe not say so much or that either of them was Legate to the Bishop of Rome but be it so yet it followeth not that all his Maiesties Auncestours both English and Britaines embraced that Roman faith that now is because it shall appeare as I haue said that the Roman faith is not the same now that it was then As touching the obseruation of Easter what reasons might moue the Britans to continue their former custome we cannot tell It may be that they were ignorant of the Nicene decree and what of that Surely Hilary a learned and godly Bishop of France protesteth that he l Hilar. de Synod adu Arian Fidem Nicenam nunquam â—â—si exulaturus audâ—â—i neuer heard of the Nicene Councell till the time that he went into banishment which as appeareth by Hieromes Chronicle was about the twentieth yeare of Constantius the Arian Emperour which was thirty yeares after the time of that Councell Now if it were so long vnknowen or so little knowen in France no maruell if in Britanny it were lesse knowen and where it had not caused a change within that time it was not likely afterwards to preuaile much specially with a nation so much afflicted and troubled with warres and inuasions as the Britans thenceforth were in which case no alteration might be likely to take place amongst them Moreouer they could remember that in the time of Lucius their King Eleutherius sent ouer some preachers hither for the conuerting and instructing of the King and his people who yet required not to haue Easter obserued after the manner of the Roman Church but left them to keepe it according to the custome that they had vsed from the time of the Apostles whereupon they might resolue that there was no cause why Austin comming from Rome should now goe about to alter that custome more then they had done In a word the Britans were not too contentious in refusing to yeeld to a sodaine alteration of things so long continued but Austin rather shewed himselfe contentious and vndiscreet in that he did so vnseasonably and without cause so strongly vrge the same W. BISHOP §. 4. THe same might as easily be proued of the Churches of Scotland who acknowledge Palladius and Patritius for two of the chiefe founders of the Christian faith in that country who both were brought vp at Rome and sent into Scotland by Celestinus Bishop of Rome to instruct
Christ her Lord and head and most entire in the faith and doctrine which shee had receiued from him Of this flourishing and best estate we must consider in the next Chapter and therefore I cease here to speake any further thereof CHAP. VII Of the flourishing and best estate of the Church of Rome and of the testimony of Theodoret concerning the fulnesse of doctrine contained in the Epistle to the Romans and that the Apostle there condemneth Popery of Idolatry in worshipping of Saints and Images ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE VVE hope you vvill not deny but the Apostle S. Paul vvas one principall pillar c. to Chap. 8. Paul saith and vve say the same that c. W. BISHOP §. 1. WHat a worthy graue Preface he vseth to assure men that we will not deny S. Paul nor his Epistle to the Romans which neuer were called in doubt by any man But good Sir whiles you muse and busie your head so much vpon bables you forget or wilfully mistake the very point of the question Was the Church of Rome at her most flourishing estate when S. Paul wrote that Epistle to the Romans was her faith then most renovvmed ouer all the vvorld as you write nothing lesse for not the ten thousand part of that most populous Citty was then conuerted to the faith and they that had receiued the Christian faith were very nouices in it and stoode in great neede of the Apostles diuine instructions Any reasonable man would rather iudge that the Church of Rome then came first to her most flourishing estate when Idolatry and all kinde of superstition was put to silence and banished out of her when the Christian religion was publikely preached and conntenanced by the Emperours authority which was not before the reigne of Constantine the Great our most glorious countrey-man wherefore M. Abbots first fault is that he shooteth farre wide from the marke which he should haue aimed at principally The second is more nice yet in one that would seeme so acute not to be excused It is that he taketh an Epistle written to the Romans for their instruction and correction as if it were a declaration and profession of their faith when as all men know such a letter might containe many things which they had not heard off before Further yet that you may see how nothing can passe his fingers without some legerdemaine marke how he englisheth Theodorets wordes Dogmatum pertractationem The handling of opinions is by him translated all points of doctrine whereas it rather signifieth some then all opinions or lessons But I will let these ouer-sights passe as flea-bitings and follow him whither he pleaseth to wander that euery man may see when he is permitted to say what he liketh best that in truth he can alleage out of S. Paul nothing of moment against the Catholike faith R. ABBOT WEe see here what great cause there was that his Maiesty should adde the wordes now spoken off And from Christ her Lord and head because it might be doubted what construction they or any other might make of the flourishing and best estate of the Church of Rome I say that St. Paul wrote his Epistle to that Church when the faith thereof was most renowmed through the world This M. Bishop denieth and will not haue that to be taken for the flourishing and best estate of the Roman Church And why First not the ten thousand part of that most populous Citty was then conuerted to the faith and secondly they who had then receiued the Christian faith were very nouices in it and stoode in great neede of the Apostles diuine instructions So then he will haue vs to vnderstand that then was the flourishing and best estate of the Church of Rome when there were in it the greatest number of Christians and they were so perfect in the faith as that they needed not the Apostles diuine instructions But when was that Not before the reigne of Constantine the Great saith he Well and was it then Nay he saith not so and we may well thinke that he knoweth not well when or what to say Certaine it is that Paganisme abounded in Rome after the time of Constantine who indeede for his time by lawes restrained the publike exercise thereof but yet a Relat. Symmach apud Ambros lib. 5. Epist 30 Diui ConstaÌ„tij factum diu non sletit that act of his saith Symmachus did not long stand good the people returning to their old superstitions and sacrifices vntill that by Theodosius and Gratian the Emperours of Rome they were repressed againe Which lawes of theirs Symmachus the Lieutenant of the city moued the next Emperour Valentinian in his owne name and in the name of the City and Senate of Rome to haue againe repealed who b Symmach vt supra Senatus me querelaruÌ„ suarum iussit esse I egatum c. Vt Praefectus vâ—ster gesta publica prosequor vt Legatus ciuium mandata commendo though he pretended a farre greater number of Senatours to ioyne with him then did as Ambrose sheweth yet cannot be doubted to haue had a great number also partakers with him beside the common multitude of the City whose affection how it stood we may gather by that that Hierome saith not much distant from that time that c Hieron in Esai lib. 16. c. 57. â—psaque Roma orbiâ— Domina in singulis insulis domibusque Tutela simulachrum cereis venerans ac lucernis quam ad tuitionem aedium isto appellant nomine Rome in euery house did with tapers and candles worship the image of Tutela whom they so called for the tuition and defence of their houses though elsewhere he testifie that d IdeÌ„ ad Marcel vt commigret Bethlehem Est ibi sancta Ecclesia c. gentilitate calcata in sublime se quotidiè erigens vocabulum Christianum Paganisme was decaying and the name of Christians arising and growing higher and higher from day to day But if it were yet growing then it was not at full growth and therefore when will M. Bishop say was the most flourishing and best time of the Church there Againe we desire to know of him when the time was that the Church of Rome stoode in no neede of the Apostles diuine instructions May we thinke M. Bishop that euer there was any such time Surely we know now what the cause is why the Apostles diuine instructions are so little set by at Rome They serued the Romans forsooth at first when they were but nouices in the faith but now they are growen ripe and haue no neede to be taught by him May we not thinke him a wise man that thus telleth vs that the Romans then stoode in neede of the Apostles diuine instructions as if there were any time since that they had not the like neede But I would aske him how it appeareth to him that the Romans were then but nouices in the faith The reason which his wordes imply is because
and subiect to perish if God deale seuerely and strictly with vs if holy men acknowledge and confesse according to truth that they haue nothing to presume of in their owne merits but that they trust only to Gods mercy if amidst our good workes it be by humble prayer and request that wee obtaine the eternall reward where is that worthinesse of workes which M. Bishop pleadeth for and what cause hath he to be angry that we say by the Apostles wordes that our good workes are not worthy of the glory that is to come Or if he will needes be angry let him be angry with Ambrose though not a member yet a neighbour of the Church of Rome who plainly expoundeth the Apostles meaning to be this that k Ambros Epist 22. Vt hortetur ad passionè adiungit quia omnia quae patimur minora sunt indigna quorum pro laboribus tanta rependatur futurorum merces benorum c. all the things that we suffer are too little and vnworthy that for the paines and labours thereof so great reward of future good things should be rendered vnto vs. Which being so we see how vainly M. Bishop dealeth to tell vs a tale how our workes attaine to so great worthinesse when as there is no such worthinesse to be found in them We receiue this dignity saith he by being made members of Christ and by the vertue of Gods grace wherewith our workes are wrought and by the promise of God Where it is wholly idle and impertinent that he mentioneth the promise of God for what hath the promise of God to doe with the merit of man God bindeth himselfe by promise where there is no merit nor any thing whereof to merit yea where there are demerits to giue him cause to forbeare from promising Thus saith St. Austin l August in Psal 109. Quicquid promisit indignis promisit vt noÌ„ quasi operibus merces promitteretur sed gratia à nomine suo gratis daretur quia hoc ipsum quòd iustè viuit in quaÌ„tum homo poâ—est iustè viuere non meriti humani sed beneficij est diuini Whatsoeuer God promised he promised to vs being vnworthy that it might not be promised as a reward to works but being by name grace might accordingly be freely giuen because to liue iustly so farre as man can liue iustly is not a matter of mans merit but of the gift of God And of this promise of God he saith againe that m IdeÌ„ in psal 88. Non secunduÌ„ merita nostra sed secundum miserecordiam illius firma est promissio it is sure not according to our merits but according to his owne mercy Why then doth M. Bishop goe about to build the merit of man vpon the promise of God which is only his free and voluntary mercy As for the grace of God giuen vnto vs by being members of Christ true it is that all our vertue and goodnesse proceedeth therefrom but to say nothing that man cannot be said to merit by that that is the worke of God so farre are we from hauing the iustice of God hereby bound vnto vs in respect of our worthinesse as that God hath rather hereby occasion of quarrell against vs for disgracing those gifts whereby he hath graced vs and for blemishing and staining with our corruptions those good workes which he hath vouchsafed to doe by vs. For as the clearest water hauing a troublesome passage through a muddy and vnwholsome ground contracteth and gathereth the corruption and filth thereof euen so the grace of God hauing a troubled passage through the corrupt nature of man which is continually casting vp the mire and dirt of noisome and sinnefull motions and desires gathereth thereof a soile and filth by reason whereof there proceedeth nothing from man that is not corrupted and defiled Thus Hilary teacheth and is therein approued by Austin that n Hilar. apud August cont Iulian. lib. 2. Memores coÌ„scij corpora nostra vitioruÌ„ omnium esse materieÌ„ pro qua nihil in nobis mundum nihil innocens obtinemus we are to remember that our bodies are the matter of all vices by meanes whereof wee haue nothing in vs innocent nothing cleane o Greg. Mor. l. 1. c. 17. Quid est quod in hac vita sine quauis tenuissimi contagij inquinatione peragatur What is there saith Gregory that can be done in this life without some defilement of secret contagion And againe p Ibid. l. 31. c. 5 Elâ—cti quâ—mdiu in hac vita sunt sine quaÌ„tulocunque culpae contagio esse non possunt The elect so long as they are in this life cannot be without some contagion of sinne Yea q Ibid. l. 32. c. 4 Nullus in hac vita ita perfectus est vt quamlibet Deo deuotus sit inter ipsa quantumcunque pia vota non peccet there is none so perfect in this life saith he howsoeuer deuoted vnto God as that he sinneth not amidst his most holy and religious desires To be short r Ibid. l. 35. c. 16. Si de his diuinitùs districtè discutimur quis inter isâ—a remanet salutis locus quando mala nostra pura malâ— sunt bona quae nos â—abere credimus pura bona esse nequaquam possunt if God doe narrowly sift our doings what place is there left for saluation when as our euill doings are meerely euill but the good things which we beleeue we haue cannot be purely good If our good workes cannot be purely good if all that we doe be polluted and defiled with the contagion of sinne and in all that proceedeth from vs there be found vncleannesse if God by the eye of his seuere iudgement doe strictly view and behold the same then cannot any good workes of ours be truly said to be worthy of the heauenly glory yea they make vs rather obnoxious to censure and punishment if God doe not mercifully remit the defaults of them Neither doe the places by M. Bishop alleaged proue any thing contrary to that we say The first saith only Å¿ 2. Thess 1. 5. That yee may be counted worthy of the Kingdome of God and it is one thing to be worthy in Gods account and acceptation which all the faithfull are in Christ another thing to be worthy by merit and perfection which no man can be Of the former St. Bernard saith t Bernard in dedicat Eccles ser 5 Nos sumus sed ipsius dignatione non dignitale nostra c. Nec dignatio locum habet vbi 〈…〉 rit praesumptiâ— dignitatis We are but it is by Gods dignation or vouchsafing vs aâ— worthy not by our dignity or worthinesse Yea dignation or vouchsafing hath no place saith he where there is a presumption of dignity or worth Of the latter Chrysostome saith u Chrysost ad Coloss homil 2. Nemo talem vitae conuersationem ostendit vt regno dignus esse
by occasion to a comparison betwixt the new that is and that that of old was the religion of the Church of Rome consisting specially of three parts In the first I shewed that neither the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans which is the briefe of the religion which they at the first receiued and containeth as I shewed out of Theodoret all manner doctrine of faith nor yet the two Epistles of S. Peter whom they make the founder of their Church doe containe any defence of the doctrine now taught at Rome but doe teach only our religion In the second I set downe sundry definitions and doctrines of the ancient Roman faith deliuered by the Bishops of Rome and other Authours that haue witnessed the doctrine of that Church wholly consonant and agreeable to that that we teach and altogether impugned by the Roman Church that now is In the third I declared that there were sundry heresies condemned of old by the Roman Church which the Church of Rome now embraceth and defendeth The points of this comparison I then set downe only positiuely the occasion requiring no more not respecting what cauillations the aduersary might bring for oppugning thereof the matter being by that light that I gaue very cleare that the Church of Rome is not now the same that it was of old This matter I afterwards thought worthy of a larger treatise and purposed when opportunity should serue a more full prosecution of it thinking it would bee a great comfort and establishment to the consciences of many men perhaps to some an occasion of better minde when they should see in that Church of Rome that now is such a plain repugnancy to that that of old was which notwithstanding taketh vpon it impudently to haue beene alwaies the same and to bee the only certaine rule and oracle of true faith In this meane time Doctor Bishop fearing lest his silence should make his cause suspicious and therefore thinking it necessary whether right or wrong to say somewhat publiâ—â—eth A Reproofe of the defence of the Reformed Catholike setting vnder this title a Gorgons head to affright all men concerning me as hauing abused Gods sacred word mangled misapplyed and falsified the ancient Fathers sentences so that whosoeuer hath any due care of his owne saluation can neuer hereafter credit me in matter of faith and religion Concerning which hideous outcry of my falsifications I referre thee to the Aduertisement which I haue added to my third part of the defence of the Reformed Catholike where thou shalt see that as hee hath laied himselfe open so I haue scourged him accordingly But in that Reproofe of his very little is it that hee hath said for iustifying what he himselfe had before written not being able indeede to defend any one point thereof only he found somewhat whereof to cauill concerning my debating of the name Catholike and the comparison which I made betwixt the old and new Roman Church and thereof as touching the matter of substance he hath framed his booke To this therefore I haue addressed my description of the ancient Roman Catholike forbearing that more orderly course which I had intended for the performance of this worke and choosing rather to follow him steppe by steppe as formerly I haue done only beginning where hee commeth to the purpose and leauing all his vagaries and affected discourses to be more briefly touched in the end of all Of this worke I haue yet finished but only one part wherin I haue at large discouered their vaine ostentation of the Catholike name and faith and shewed plainely that the Romish religion now accordeth not with S. Pauls Epistle to the Romans no nor with his other Epistles which M. Bishop calleth to assist him because he findeth nothing to helpe him in that Epistle to the Romans In all which I haue beene carefull gentle Reader to giue thee satisfaction by the cleare testimony either of some learned Bishops of Rome or of some other famously approued and commended in that Church Being now required a seruice of another kinde 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 any thing in this that is not here performed expect it in that that is to come Assist me I pray thee with thy prayers vnto almighty God by whose grace I hope in due time to supply that that is wanting now The Contents of this Booke CHAP. I. THat the Church of Rome doth vaineâ—y and absurdly challenge to it selfe the name of the Catholike Church and hath no priuiledge from God either of superiority in gouernement or stability in faith CHAP. II. The comparison betwixt the Papists and the Donatists is iustified and enlarged CHAP. III. That the name of Catholikes is abused by the Papists and is in their abuse a Donatisticall and hatefull name of faction and schisme that being in that sort substantiuely and personally vnderstood it was not vsed for three hundred yeares after Christ and therefore being abused may bee left againe that Popery properly so called is nothing but additions of latter time to our religion CHAP. IIII. That the Church before Christ euen from the beginning was a part of the Catholike Church and that the faith and religion of the new Testament differeth not in substance from the old M. Bishops proofes for Popery out of the old Testament are shewed to be ridiculous and vaine In the end is a briefe defence of the Kings supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall CHAP. V. That faith and religion cannot be safely grounded on the example of Fathers and fore-fathers and that the Popish agents and factours doe in this pretence also abuse the credulity of ignorant men CHAP. VI. That the reasons of Popery where there is not a minde preiudicate are not vrgent or forcible and that M. Bishop was iustly censured for that in repeating a rule deliuered by the Kings Maiestie for iudgement of true religion he left out some words thereof CHAP. VII Of the flourishing and best estate of the Church of Rome and of the testimony of Theodoret concerning fulnesse of doctrine contained in the Epistle to the Romans and that the Apostle there condemneth Popery of idolatry in worshipping Saints and Images CHAP. VIII That iustification before God consisteth not in proceeding from faith to workes but in the continuation of faith to faith and that this faith notwithstanding cannot be separated from charity and good workes CHAP. IX That the iustification of man before God is the imputation of righteousnesse without workes CHAP. X. That eternall life is meerly and wholly the gift of God and cannot be purchased by merit or desert CHAP. XI That concupiscence or lust is sinne euen in the very habit and first motions of it CHAP. XII Of the spirit of adoption giuing witnesse to the faithfull that they are the sonnes of God CHAP. XIII That the good workes or sufferings of this life are not meritorious or worthy
proprietas Ecclesia ea est vt Catholica nempe vniuersalis vocetur The third property of the Church is that it is called Catholike that is vniuersall or might the Catechisme say without absurdity that Catholike is Vniuersall and must I be absurd because I say The Catholike Church is the Vniuersall Church Surely when words of one language are borrowed to speciall vse in another the reddition of them in the tongue to which they are borrowed is taken with the learned as supplying the place of a definition and it is thereby made to appeare whether they be properly and rightly vsed or vnproperly abused M. Bishop and his fellowes abuse the name of Catholikes and of the Catholike Church which English men doe not so readily vnderstand Let them giue the signification of the word and call themselues vniuersals their Church the vniuersall Church and then all that haue will to vnderstand can easily see their foolery and are ready to deride them But this they hide vnder the veile and couer of a Greeke word and wee that the truth may be the better seene are necessarily to discouer and therefore iust cause had I to say The Catholike Church is the vniuersall Church and he is an absurd man to taxe it as a thing absurd Yet notwithstanding I wish the Reader duly to obserue how that taxation stand 〈…〉 with the other that the same proposition of mine is captious For why is it captious Marry because the Catholike Church doth signifiâ— both the whole body of the Church compacted of all the particular members in which sense no one pâ—rticular Church can be called the Catholike Church because it is not the whole body and secondly the Catholike Church doth also designe and note very properly euery particular Church that embraceth the true Christian faith Where we may wonder that within the compasse of so few lines the mans wits should so extremely faile him For if the Catholike Church and the vniuersall Church be one and the same thing as he hath already told vs and vniuersall be no distinct thing but the very signification of the word Catholike then how can it be which here he telleth vs that the Catholike Church signifieth both the whole body of the Church which is the vniuersall Church and doth also very properly designe and note euery particular true Christian Church If the Catholike Church be no distinct thing from the vniuersall Church then it cannot properly note or designe euery particular Church or if it doe properly designe euery particular Church then it is distinct from the vniuersall Church Tell vs M. Bishop how these things hang togither for if the vniuersall Church be the very signification of the Catholike Church then we cannot see how a particular Church can bee properly called the Catholike Church because no particular Church can properly be called the vniuersall Church As for the exception that here lyeth against vs that the Fathers in pointing to a particular assembly doubt not sometimes to vse the name of the Catholike Church I shewed it before to be no whit preiudiciall to that that wee say because they minded not in so doing to limit themselues to that particular assembly but in a particular assembly to demonstrate the vniuersall Church For to say in any Citty for distinction sake this is the Catholike Church what was it else but to say this is that Church which is vniuersally dispersed through the whole world euen as when a man to demonstrate the elements saith This is the aire this is the earth pointing to the aire or earth whereat he is present but therein intending to demonstrate the whole body of the aire or earth hauing continuation with that whereto he pointeth For as the Apostle directing his speech to the Church of Ephesus nameth l Act. 20. 28. The Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud and againe m 1. Tim. 3. 15. the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truth so speaking of a part as to conioyne it with the whole euen so no otherwise was it that in noting any particular Church it was said This is the Catholike Church the whole Church being totum similare as I said before and the whole being subiect to be designed in any part But M. Bishop here saith that this was not only because the Church is totum similare but because each of the said particular Churches hath the same faith the same Sacraments and order of gouernment Which is as wisely and discreetly spoken as if he had said that this was not only because the Church in all parts thereof hath the same faith and sacraments but because the said particular Churches haue all the same faith and Sacraments For why is the Church said to be totum homogeneum or similare a body whose parts are all of the same nature kinde and being but because in all parts thereof there are the same faith and Sacraments or to vse the wordes of the Apostle n Ephes 4. 4. One body one spirit one hope of calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all who is aboue all and through all and in vs all Surely either M. Bishop was sleepy or else his wits were a wooll-gathering when he put in this exception Now then it was not said that the word Catholike is not or may not bee directed to any particular M. Bishop doth therein but meerely calumniate but I said and shewed that it is neuer rightly applied any way or to any particular but with implication of the vniuersall Church The faith is called Catholike because it is the faith of the vniuersall Church propagated and spred by the Apostles ouer the whole world Particular Churches are called Catholike and particular persons are called Catholikes as a man would say Vniuersalists for maintayning communion and fellowship of this faith with the Church of the whole world And as the name of the aire or the earth being absolutely vsed importeth that whole element whereof we speake but yet according to distinction of places we say The aire of London the aire of Oxford the aire of Winchester c. without restraining the name of the aire to any one place more then other and only meaning that part of the aire that is in such or such a place euen so whereas the name of the Catholike Church simply and absolutely vsed importeth the whole vniuersall Church the same notwithstanding is found to be distinguished by diuersity of places the Catholike Church of such a place or the Catholike Church of such a place not limiting the name of the Catholike Church to any one place more then other and in true propriety of speech meaning nothing else but that part of the Catholike Church that is in this or that place And therefore I formerly noted and thinke not vnfit here to be repeated that as Leo wrote himselfe o Leo. epist 12. Leo
any such when they withstood Victor Bishop of Rome in the same cause and neglected his excommunication the same Polycrates alleaging for himselfe that d Ibid. Ego qui sanctam Scripturam volui ac reuolui non tâ—rbabor illis quae terrendi gratia obijciuntur Etâ—nim maiorâ—s mei Deo magis quà m hominibus obedienâ—â—â— esse dixerunt hauing read the holy Scripture ouer and ouer he would not be troubled with those things that were threatned to him because his ancestors had taught him rather to obey God then men Neither did e CoÌ„cil Carthag apud Cyprian Per totum Cyprian and his African Bishops conceiue any such when in their Councell they determined the point of the Baptisme of Heretikes professedly against the knowen iudgement of the Bishop and Church of Rome whether truly or falsly that skilleth not only hereby it appeareth that they had not learned nor did beleeue M. Bishops necessity of according with the Church of Rome Neither did the Easterne Churches imagine any such principality in the church of Rome when as Leo hauing affirmed it to be f Leo. Epist 62. Ad octauum Calend. Maiar Paschalem obseruantiam perducere nimis insolens aperta transgressio est a strange and manifest trespasse or transgression to bring Easter day to the eighth of the Calends of May he was faine notwithstanding to yeeld g Idem Epist 93. Studio vnitatis pacis malui Orientalium definitioni acquiescere quà m in tantae festiuitatis obseruantia dissidere to them therein because they would not yeeld to him Neither did Hierome beleeue any such who writing purposely in derogation of the Church of Rome saith h Hieron epist ad Euagr. Si authoritas quaritur vrbis maior est vrbe c. Quid mihi prâ—fers vnius vrbis consuetudinâ—â— quid paucitatem de qâ—a ortum est supercilium in leges Ecclesiâ— vindicas If authority be required the whole world is greater then one City what doest thou bring me the custome of one City why doest thou maintayne a paucity or fewnesse whence hath growen proud vsurping vpon the lawes of the Church Neither did Ambrose admit it who for defence of a ceremony vsed in his Church of Millan saith i Ambros de Sacram. lib. 3. cap. 1. Cupio in omnibus sequi Romanam Ecclesiam sed tamen nos homines sensum habemus I desire in all things to follow the Church of Rome but wee also are men that haue vnderstanding and therefore what is more rightly obserued otherwhere wee iustly obserue the same Neither was it acknowledged by the sixe hundred and thirty Bishops of the Councell of Chalcedon who affirming k Chalcedon Concil Act. 15. Can. 28. Antiquae Roma throno quòd vrbs illa imperaret iure patres priuilegia tribuere â—t eadem considerationâ— moâ—i centum quinquaginta Dei amaâ—tissimi Episcopi Sanctâ—ssimo noua Româ— throâ—o â—qualia priuilegia tribuere rectè iudicantes vrbem quae Imperio Senatu honorata sit c. etiam in rebus Ecclesiasticis non secus ac illam extollâ— c. the priuiledges of the Church of Rome to haue beene giuen to it by the Fathers before fâ—r that that City was the seate of the Empire did for the same consideration giue to the Church of Constantinople equall priuiledges with the Church of Rome when the City of Constantinople was honoured with the Empire and Senate as well as the City of Rome which in the l Synod 6. in Trullo Can. 36. Decernimus vt thronus Constantinopolitanus aequalia priuilegia cum antiquâ— Romae throno obtiâ—eat sixt Synode holden at Constantinople in Trullo by almost three hundred Bishops more was againe approued and confirmed Now then by the continuall practise of the Church it appeareth that the wordes of Ireneus cannot be truly applied to approue any superiority of gouernement to appertaine to the Church of Rome As little doe the wordes of Cyprian auaile to challenge thereto certaine continuance and stability in true faith who exagitating the tumultuous and disorderly courses of certaine lewd and schismaticall persons who being censured by the Bishops of Africa sought to patronage themselues vnder the fauor of the Bishop of Rome vpbraideth them that m Cyprian lib. 1. Epist 3. Nec cogiâ—â—re â—os esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est ad quos perfidia habâ—re non possit accessum they considered not that the Romans were men whose faith by the testimony of the Apostle was commended to whom perfidiousnesse can or may haue no accesse Where M. Bishop adding in his translation of the wordes or falshood in matters of faith to make the wordes serue his purpose thrusteth them quite from the purpose of him that wrote them It made nothing for Cyprians purpose that falshood in matters of faith could haue no accesse to the Romans the thing that hee aimeth at is that in matters of iurisdiction perfidious and trecherous persons iustly punished for their euill demeanours and thereupon comming to Rome with lies and tales should finde no admittance or harbour there M. Bishop though hee giue to the Bishop of Rome a priuiledge not to erre in deciding matters of faith yet will not denie but that hee may erre in cases and proceedings of iurisdiction and in examining and iudging matters of fact may giue countenance to lewde and vngracious men as hee did to the Iesuites against the Priests It beeing then impertinent here to Cyprians occasion to affirme the Church of Rome to bee free from errour in question of faith either wee must make him speake idlely or else wee must construe his wordes the other way that those lewde and euill disposed persons should finde no fauour or entertainement there Which hee saith cannot bee not as to affirme an impossibility thereof but as to signifie how farre hee presumed of their integrity in this behalfe and that they would make good the Apostles commendation of their faith one fruit whereof should bee to resist the courses of such tumultuous disturbers of Ecclesiasticall order and peace and to yeeld no accesse or â—are to their calumnious and false suggestions Gregory Nazianzene well noteth that in diuers meanings it may bee said of a thing that it cannot bee n Greg. Nazianz Orat. 5. Significata horuÌ„ posse vel noÌ„ posse coÌ„plura sunt Interdum dicuntur de virium desectu certo huius tempore respectâ— alicuius c. Interdum vsurpamus de eo quod vt plurimùm accidit c. NonnunquaÌ„ vt rationi non consentaneum c. Nonnunquam vt quod voluntas noÌ„ admittat c. Praeterea quod natâ—rae quidem respectu sieri nequit praestari autâ—m à Deo potest si is velit c. Praeter haec quod prorsus vel fieri vel contingere nequit c. First to note want of strength at a certayne time and in some respect as to say of a
rest of the Bishops there And that Councels held it not anâ—â—atter of necessity to haue the confirmation of the Bishop of Rome it is manifest both by the African Councell excluding his authority from amongst them as hath beene before shewed and by the Councell of k Chalcedon which notwithstanding the opposition of the l Concil Chalced. Act. 16. Contradictio nostra his gestis inhâ—reat c. Jâ—dices dixerunt Quod interlocuti sumus tota Synoduâ— approbauit Legates of the Bishop of Rome and l Leo Epist 51. 52. his owne reclayming thereto yet decreed to the Church of Constantinople equality of priuiledges with the Church of Rome saue only that the Bishop of Rome had precedence and priority of place as before also is declared As for M. Bishops other note it is a vaine and fond presumption that all heresies sprung vp since the Apostles daies haue opposed themselues against the Roman Sea and haue beene by it finally ouerthrowne The Church of Rome hath had nothing singular in this behalfe Yea many heresies there haue beene that haue more bent themselues against other Churches then against the Church of Rome neither hath the Church of Rome done so much in the confounding of them as other Churches haue done But yet he bringeth Austin affirming for him that that chaire obtained the top of authority heretikes in vaine barking round about it Where he dealeth very vnhonestly in falsifying the wordes of Austin who in that whole booke by him cited neuer once nameth the Roman Church or chaire nor saith any thing that may be auouched to haue any speciall reference or respect thereto Of the Catholike or vniuersall Church so apparantly to bee discerned from all hereticall combinations St. Austin there saith m Aug. de vtilit credendi c. 17. Dubitabimus nos eius Ecclesiae condere gremio quae vsque ad confessionâ—m generis humani ab Apostolica sede per successio nes Episcoporum frustra hareticis circumlairantibus c. culmâ—n authoritatis obtinuit Shall we doubt to repose our selues in the bosome of that Church which euen by the confession of mankinde from the Apostles sitting or time when the Apostles sate by successions of Bishops hath obtained a height of authority Heretikes in vaine barking round about c. In the whole processe of that booke from the beginning to this place which is almost the very end he speaketh generally of the Catholike Church without relation to any particular Church and therefore vnlikely it is that his wordes here should beare any speciall application to the Church of Rome M. Bishop will say that I mistranslate the wordes ab Apostolica sede and that Apostolica sedes is there meant the Apostolike Sea that is the Roman Church But he must giue vs leaue to vnderstand the meaning of St. Austins wordes by St. Austin himselfe who in this cause so often signifieth by that phrase of speech the time wherein the Apostles themselues sate that is wherein they liued and occupied the roomes of teaching and gouerning the Church Thus he saith in another place n Aug. cont Faust Manich. lib. 11. cap. 2. Vides in hac re quid Ecclesiae Catholicae valeat authoritas quae ab ipsis fundatissimis sedibus Apostolorum vsque ad hodiernum diem succedentium sibimet Episcoporum lot populorum consensione firmatur Thou seest how much the authority of the Catholike Church herein auaileth which from the most surely founded seates of the Apostles vntill this day that is from the time that the seates of the Apostles were most surely founded vntill this day by ranke of Bishops succeeding one another and by the consent of so many peoples is confirmed And againe o Ibid. lib. 28. cap. 2. Vniuersa Ecclesia ab Apostolicis sedibus vsque ad praesentes Episcopos certa successione perducta The vniuersall Church saith he which is deriued by certaine succession from the seates of the Apostles that is from the time that the Apostles sate vnto the Bishops that now are And in another place p Ibid. lib. 33. cap. 9. Eam sequamini que ab ipsius praesentiae Christi tempoâ—ibus per dispensationes Apostolorum 〈◊〉 ab corum â—edibus successiones Episcoporum vsque ad haec tempora peruenit Follow that authority which hath come from the time of the presence of Christ himselfe by the ministery of the Apostles and by other successions of Bishops from their seates from the time wherein they sate vntill this time Which when hee will in more proper wordes expresse hee speaketh thus q Ibid. lib 28. cap. 4. Ecclesia quae ab ipsius Matthaei temporibus vsque ad hoc tempus certa successionum scrie declaratur The Church which from the very time of Matthew vntill this time by certaine ranke of successions is declared r Ibid. lib. 32. cap. 19. Euangelica authoritas ab Apostolorum temporibus vsque ad nostra tempora per successiones certissimas commendata The authority of the Gospell commended by most certaine successions from the time of the Apostles vntill our times And in another place Å¿ Contra Aduers leg Prophet lib. 1. cap. 20. Ecclesia quae ab illorum Apostolorum temporibus per Episcoporum successiones certissimas vsque ad nostra deinceps tempora perseuerat The Church which from the times of the Apostles by most certaine successions of Bishops continueth to our times and so forward Now then sith all these speeches as by conference appeareth serue to expresse only one and the same thing it is plaine that St. Austin when hee said ab Apostolica sede meant nothing else but from the sitting that is from the age and time of the Apostles Of the Apostles I say though he speake in the singular number because hee nameth from thence not a succession as speaking of one but successions as resâ—rting himselfe to those many seates wherein Bishops had succeeded from the time of the Apostles And though wee doe vnderstand it of one Apostle St. Peter as elsewhere he saith t Cont. Epist fundam cap. 4. Tenet ab ipsa ede Petri vsque ad praesentem Episcopâ—tum successio Sacerdotum The succession of Bishops from the very seate of Peter from the very time when Peter sate vntill the Bishopricke that now is holdeth me in the Catholike Church yet doth there nothing hereby follow more to the Church of Rome then to the Church of Antioch where Peter sate as well as he did at Rome and where there had beene Bishops succeeding him vntill that time In a word let M. Bishop take those wordes as hee will yet is there nothing therein to be seene concerning the Church of Rome but only that as the principall Church and specially 〈◊〉 these Westerne parts it serued him most conueniently for instance of the succession which hee pleaded but as for the height or toppe of authority there spoken of it belongeth to
likewise hold that there is no saluation but in communicating with the Church of Rome Forsooth we must vnderstand that the Rogatists and Donatists spake falsly concerning their Church but most sure it is saith he that there is no saluation out of the true Church of Christ. It is sure indeede and will not both Rogatists and Donatists and all manner Heretiks say the some as well as he They all confesse that out of the true Church of Christ there is no saluation and therefore doe euery sort of them take vpon them to be the true Church of Christ that so they may perswade men that there is no saluation but with them But M. Bishop inferreth Wherefore whosoeuer doth not communicate with the Church of Rome which is the chiefe member thereof is out of the state of grace and saluation And would not a Donatist as well inferre Wherefore whosoeuer doth not communicate with the Church of Africa which is the chiefe member thereof is out of the state of grace and saluation Indeed he should haue said somewhat to the purpose if he had made it good that out of the communion of the Church of Rome there is no communion of the Church of Christ but if he cannot make this good then full simply doth he conclude There is no saluation out of the true Church of Christ therefore there is no saluation out of the Church of Rome But he telleth vs that the Church of Rome is the chiefe member of Christs Church Be it so and so was the Church of Ierusalem the chiefe member of the Church of the Iewes and yet the Church of Ierusalem put to death the Prophets and Christ himselfe and in that communion there could be no saluation Is not a chiefe member of the same substance as is the rest of the body and what hindereth then but as the other members so the chiefe member may be wounded and corrupted and cause annoyance to other members that adioyne vnto it Albeit we desire him to proue to vs that the Church of Rome is the chiefe member of the Church of Christ I regard not what humane estimation hath attributed vnto it for the renowme and eminency of the place but I require some diuine institution whereby it hath beene founded the chiefe member of the Church We say that with God there is no more respect of the Church of Rome then of any other Church if they will haue vs to beleeue more we put them to that for their Roman Church which St. Austin required of the Donatists for proofe of that which they said for their African Church a August de vnit Eccles c. 6 Legite nobis hoc de Lege de Prophetis de Psalmis de Euangelio de Apostolicis literis legite credimus Reade vs this out of the law out of the Prophets out of the Psalmes out of the Gospell or Writings of the Apostles reade it to vs and we beleeue it namely that Christ abideth no where heire vpon the earth but where he can haue the Pope to be b Ibid. Quare superordinatis dicendo in nullis terris haeredem permanere Christum vbi non pâ—tuerit cohâ—redem habere Donatli his fellow heire as the Donatists said of their Pope Donatus or that the Roman Church is such a chiefe member of the Church as that no man can liue but by the breath that he draweth from thence or obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes but in the society and fellowship thereof I know I trouble M. Bishop now he loueth not to be called vpon for Scripture for the proofe of this matter for hee knoweth well that the Scripture hath nothing at all to giue testimony thereof Well though hee bring nothing out of Scripture yet he hath that out of Hierome that will serue his turne c Hieron ad Damas Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae id est Cathedrâ— Petri communione consocior super illam petram aedificatam Ecclesiam scio quicunque extra hanc domum agnum comedcrit prophanus est siquis in Arca Noe non fuerit peribit regnante diluâ—iâ— I following no chiefe but Christ saith he to Damasus Bishop of Rome ioyne my selfe to your blessednesse that is to the communion of Peters chaire vpon that Rocke I know the Church to be built whosoeuer eateth the Paschall Lambe out of this house he is prophane whosoeuer is not in the Arke of Noe shall perish by the floode By these wordes M. Bishop would beare vs in hand that Hierome beleeued a perpetuall necessity of hauing communion of faith with the Bishop and Church of Rome But tell vs M. Bishop in good sooth doe you thinke that Hierome not long before would haue said the same to Liberius that here he saith to Damasus He saith of Liberius that d Idem in Catalog Liberium Romanae vrbis Episcopum pro fide ad exilium pergentem primus solicitauit fregit ad subscriptionem haereseos compulit by the perswasion of Fortunatianus he was ouercome and brought to subscribe the heresie of Arius and would he then haue ioyned in communion with him If he would in this case haue disclaimed Liberius then certainly he could not meane to Damasus that it standeth for a perpetuall rule in the Church that who so will be saued must ioyne in communion with the Bishop of Rome But Hierome dealt aduisedly by expounding himselfe in his first wordes though M. Bishop list not to take knowledge of it He professeth to giue primacy to none but to Christ himselfe to make none the Authour or Lord of his faith but only Christ Notwithstanding in communion and fellowship of faith he professeth to ioyne with Damasus But how farre or in what sort I ioyne in communion with your blessednesse that is with Peters chaire Not simply then with Damasus Bishop of Rome but with Damasus sitting in Peters chaire Now as e Mat. 23. 2. the sitting in Moses chaire importeth the teaching of the doctrine of Moses so the sitting in Peters chaire importeth the teaching of the doctrine of Peter Damasus at that time did so and maintayned against the Arians the confession of Peter f Mat. 16. 16. Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God This Hierome well knew and therefore what hee would not haue yeelded to Liberius though Bishop of Rome because hee sate not in Peters chaire that hee yeeldeth to Damasus because he did so and desireth by him to be instructed whether the vse of the word hypostasis might stand with the truth of the confession of Peter It is therefore communion with Peters chaire which Hierome commendeth that is with the faith and doctrine which therein Peter taught but he doth not tell vs that the Bishop of Rome doth alwaies and infallibly sit in Peters chaire For of Peters chaire at Rome we deeme the same as of Peters chaire at Antioch and Alexandria both which Gregory Bishop of Rome maketh
and Papists that now are who are farre departed from that way wherein that Church of old did walke Why doe you in this case alleage to vs Optatus and Austin to disproue this resemblance as if they were able so long before hand to tell vs that the Papists now in the points alleaged are not like the Donatists The Donatists of old were at square with the Church of Rome for resisting their claime of the propriety of the Church neither doe we doubt but that if they were now in being the Church of Rome would be at square with them for challenging that to Africa which they hold properly to belong to Rome but this squaring on the one side or the other hindereth not but that Papists now in their kinde are like to Donatists in their kinde each tying the Catholike Church respectiuely to their owne place and faction wherein the condemning of the Donatists of old by the Church of Rome for so tying it to Africa is an instruction to vs to condemne the Papists now for doing the like to Rome But M. Bishops purpose of cosenage doth more liuely appeare in the first citation which he here bringeth out of Austin where purposely he omitteth a part of the sentence whereby the Reader should perceiue that it maketh nothing for his purpose To Pâ—tilian the Donatist condemning all Churches saue their owne he saith c Aug. cont lit Petil. l. â— c. 51. Cathedra tibi quid fecit Ecclesiae Romana in qua Petrus sedit in qua â—odiâ— Anastasius sedet vel Ecclesiae Hierâ—sâ—lymitana in qua Iacobus sedit in qua bodie Joannes sidet quibus nos in Catholica vnitate connectimur à quibus vâ—s nefariâ— furâ—re separastis Quare appellas Cathedram pestilentia Cathedram Apostolicam What hath the chaire of the Church of Rome done to thee wherein Peter sate and wherein at this day Anastasius sitteth or the chaire of the Church of Ierusalem wherein Iames sate and in which Iohn at this day sitteth to which we are ioyned in Catholike vnity and from which you haue seuered your selues by wicked fury Why doe you call the Apostolike chaire the chaire of pestilence Now what doe these wordes make more for the Church of Rome then for the Church of Ierusalem The Donatists were then at square with the Church of Ierusalem and yet that hindereth not M. Bishop will confesse but that the Church of Ierusalem may be now Schismaticall and the Donatists were then at square with the Church of Rome what is there here to hinder but that the Church of Rome may be now Schismaticall as the Donatists were then The Church of Ierusalem is by St. Austin termed an Apostolike chaire or Sea as all the Churches planted by the Apostles are by him stiled d Aug. Epist 162. Possent Apostolicarum Ecclesiarum iudiciâ— causam suam integraÌ„ reseruare Apostolike Churches as well as the Church of Rome The Church of Ierusalem M. Bishop will not deny both might be and hath beene since St. Austins time a chaire of pestilence And doth St. Austin say any thing there to let but that the Church of Rome also may be since become the chaire of pestilence though it were then the chaire of vnity and peace Yea what he saith here concerning the Churches of Rome and Ierusalem the same he saith elsewhere of other Churches also e Ibid. Quid tibi fecit 6 pars Donati quid tibi fecit Ecclesia Corinthiorum Quod autem de ista dicâ— de omnibus â—aâ—â—bus tam longè positiâ— intelligi vâ—lâ— quid vobis fecerunt c. O yee Donatists what what I say hath the Church of the Corinthians done to you What I say of it I would haue to be vnderstood of all such and as farre distant Churches what haue they done vnto you c. with all which the Donatists were at as great square as they were with the Church of Rome and yet M. Bishop will not yeeld to any of them any prorogatiue thereby But all mention of the Church of Ierusalem and the rest he thought it behouefull for him to suppresse because if he had set it downe he knew well that the Reader would easily see that in all this great shew hee had said nothing And by the premises it appeareth that he hath said as little in producing the wordes of Optatus for be it that the Donatists did then cruelly wage battell against the Church of Rome and there were no agreement betwixt them what is that to that that I say concerning the Church of Rome now what hindereth that I say still but that there may be now a iust resemblance betwixt the Papists and the Donatists His conclusion therefore is ridiculous that because Austin saith that Cecilianus needed not to care for the Donatists so long as he saw himselfe ioyned with the church of Rome therefore they neede not to care so long as they stand in the like society of faith and religion with the same Church of Rome For seeing the Church of Rome is not the same now that it was then as in the processe of this booke God willing shall plainly appeare there may be iust cause in many things now to forsake the communion of the church of Rome though it were piety and religion to hold it then But it is not to be omitted how falsly he dealeth here againe in alleaging the wordes of Austin as if he spake of being ioyned with the Church of Rome only whereas he nameth other Churches as well as the Church of Rome f Aug. Epist 162. Qui posset non curare conspirantem multitudinem inimicorum cùm se â—ideret Romanâ— Ecclesiae in qua semper Apostolicâ— Cathedâ—â— viguit principatus câ—teris terris vnde Euangelium ad ipsam Africam venit per communicateâ—â— as literas esse coniunctum He needed not care saith he for the conspiring multitude of his enemies when he saw himselfe ioyned by communicatory letters both to the Church of Rome where the principality or chiefty of the Apostolike chaire hath alwaies flourished and to other nations whence the Gospell came into Africa What is here more for the communion of the Church of Rome then for the communion of other Churches Why doth M. Bishop thus deceiptfully appropriate to one that which St. Austin maketh to concerne many Doe we finde it in St. Austins words which he pretendeth that it shall be alwaies an infallible rule of safety to hold communion with the Church of Rome He will say that there is there attributed a principality to the Church of Rome Be it so a principality of honour not of power as I haue g Chap. 1. §. 2. before made plaine by Austin himselfe but doth it follow that because the principality of the Apostolike chaire had flourished there till that time therefore it should be necessary or safe to communicate with that church for euer vntill the worlds end These are loose and
vaine collections meere mockeries of simple and credulous persons very vnfit to stablish and resolue the conscience of any sober or aduised man CHAP. III. That the name of Catholikes is abused by the Papists and is in their abuse a Donatisticall and hatefull name of faction and schisme ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE THere was reason why Austin should be moued with the name of Catholike c. to Now as of this Catholike Church c. W. BISHOP §. 1. SAint Augustine indeede was so much moued with the name of Catholike that he alleageth Cont. Epist Fund c. 4. De vera Relig. c. 7. it to haue beene one principall cause which kept him in the lappe of the Church And elsewhere very often exhorteth all Christians To hold the communion of that Church which both is Catholike and knowne also by that very name not only to her owne followers but also to others And the selfe same reason alleaged by M. Abbot himselfe which caused that most holy wise and learned Father to esteeme so highly of that title Catholike is now of great force to perswade all reasonable men to make themselues members of the Roman Church for by ioyning in society of faith with the Church of Rome they shall communicate with the Church spred ouer the whole world because the faith and religion of the Church of Rome hath beene generally receiued all the world ouer as our aduersaries themselues doe confesse The name Catholike is by the Protestants Donatistically applied to their schismaticall congregation that neither are nor euer were scattered all the world ouer but be inclosed and confined within certaine Countries of Europe is the Donatists were within the bounds of Afrike Most sottishly then to vse his owne wordes doth M. Abbot affirme the name Catholike to be applyed by vs of the Roman religion vnto the particular Church of Rome when as we call all other Churches of what Countrey soeuer that with the Church of Rome keepe intirely the same faith Catholike And men of all other nations doe we call Catholikes as well as those who are Romans borne because they all beleeue and confesse the same one Catholike faith that is extended ouer all the world R. ABBOT THe name of the Catholike Church might iustly moue St. Austin to continue in the society thereof when vnder that name a August coÌ„t Epist Fundam cap. 4. Tenet ipsum Catholica nomen quod non sine causa inter tam multas hâ—rescs ista Ecclesia sola obtinuâ—t Catholike he saw the communion of a Church successiuely continued from the time of the Apostles throughout the world and that only communion euery where termed by that name There was reason for him to exhort men b Idem de vera relig cap. 7. Tenenda est eius Ecclesiae communicatio quae Catholica est Catholica nominatur non solum à suis verumetiam ab omnibus inimicis to hold communion with that Church which was thus Catholike or Vniuersall and so called both of the friends and of all the enimies thereof and thereby to be fortified against all hereticall distractions and separations as knowing that to draw them away from this communion should bee to draw them away from the Church of Christ The appellation of Catholikes according to the originall of it as I haue c Chap. 2. § 4. before noted importeth an interest holden by them that are so called in this vniuersall communion without renting themselues by heresie or schisme from the common society and fellowship of the Church In this only meaning is it rightly vsed and they are meere vsurpers of it who take it to themselues without this or in any other sense Now whereas M. Bishop according to that sense as he pretendeth telleth vs that that name is of great force to perswade all reasonable men to make themselues members of the Roman Church he is greatly deceiued himselfe and doth but seeke to deceiue others therein because they wholly faile in the ground of it the Church of Rome being neither Catholike indeede as St. Austin requireth nor so called by any other but only by it selfe Who is there in the world so madde as to call the Roman Church the Catholike Church but only they that are drunke by drinking of the same cup He saith that we confesse that the faith and religion of the Church of Rome hath beene receiued all the world ouer but that is both waies a lye because neither doe we confesse so much neither was it euer so And therefore whereas he saith that by ioyning in society of faith with the Church of Rome we shall communicate with the Church spred ouer the whole world hee againe abuseth his Reader there being at this day no Church in Asia or Africa that holdeth communion with the Church of Rome to say nothing of the Greeke Church and sundry other in Europe that doe detest the fellowship thereof I am not ignorant how they seeke to gull the world in this behalfe and what goodgeons they giue men by telling and writing tales from Rome of d Gentillâ—t in Exam. Concil Trident. Patriarches and Metropolitans of the Aegyptians the Assyrians the Armenians the Aethiopians and such other like comming to Rome to submit themselues and to be reconciled to the Pope these iests are now growen stale these suborned and counterfait Patriarkes haue beene discryed and were they not men absurdly impudent they would neuer practise the like cosenage againe And yet my friend e And. Eudoem adu R. Abbat Respon lib. 3. sect 6. Aegyptius Câ—phtorum Patriarcha à quâ— Aethiopia petit pracepta fidei ad communionem Catholicam nuper Clemente octauâ— Pontifice redijt Cacâ—daemon telleth vs in sadnesse of the Aegyptian Patriarch vpon whom all the Churches of Aethiopia depend his name is neither knowen to him nor me that now very lately in the time of Clement the eight he returned to the communion of their Catholike Church the wise man not considering that thereby he doth intimate vnto vs contrary to other fables and tales which they haue giuen out before that therefore before that time he was a stranger to them Thus by reason that these submissions and reconciliations are still to seeke and the world seeth no appearance nor effect of them they are euery while put to their shifts to deuise new rumours hereof and to stuffe the old coate of some Gibeonite with straw setting him vp vpon a poles end vnder the name of the Patriarch of some farre Countrey so to feede the humours and fancies of them that doe yeeld themselues content to be gulled and deluded by them But against this foolery the Catholike Bishops truly noted against the Donatists that f Collat. Carthag 1. cap. 55. Non in vnum aliquem terra locum ex alijs locis ad Deum gentes venturas esse praedictum est sed in ocis suis â—um adoraturas it was not foretold by the Prophets that the nations should
Ecclesiasticall as the King of Scots did he well knoweth they durst not As for his other tales that the country was poore and could not spare money for which the Legate came and that the charges of entertainment of such a state would be ouer great they are his owne skiruy deuices the storie mentioneth no such thing and we know the Popes authority where it is acknowledged is not wont to be put off with such slender excuses He then that considereth what I haue alleaged and what he hath answered will easily see that I said truly of them and that there is no cause to returne it vpon me They care not indeede what they say or write so that it may carry a magnificall and braue shew to dazell the eyes of them that are not acquainted with their lewd and naughty dealing THere followed here M. Bishops answere to my sharpe taxation of him for vpbraiding the Kings Maiestie with misfortune in his breeding and bringing vp which for that it concerneth no matter of controuersie I haue left to be touched otherwhere amongst other matters of like nature and proceede to that that followeth for the sixt Chapter CHAP. VI. That the reasons of Popery where there is not a minde preiudicate are not vrgent or forcible and that M. Bishop was iustly censured for that in repeating a rule deliuered by the Kings Maiesty for iudgement of true religion hee left out some wordes thereof ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE YOu talke M. Bishop of many vrgent and forcible reasons but you talke as c. to VVe hope you will not deny c. W. BISHOP TRue there is no hast indeede for M. Abbot comes faire and soft to the matter What a number of idle vaunting wordes and vaine repetitions be here as though any iuditious man were to be perswaded by bare wordes and voluntary supposals before hee see any proofe Sir I doubt not but the indifferent Reader will suspend his iudgement and deeme nere the worse of my writing for your empty censure till he see good reason to the contrary Sure I am that some Catholikes hauing read your booke doe like much the better of mine and esteeme yours a very fond peece of worke full of babble lies and foule wordes voide of sound proofes and farre from common ciuility Who are more circumspect then you your selues to keepe your followers from reading our bookes who first imprison any that will helpe to print them then set fines on all their heads that shall keep them and make very diligent search after them so that all these common wordes may most truly be returned vpon your selfe Mutato nomine de te narratur fabula You note that I subtilly left out of his Maiesties speech from Christ her Lord and head but shew no cause why and no maruaile for none indeede can be shewed they are needlesse wordes as being comprehended in the former For if the Church of Rome departed not from her selfe when shee was in her most-flourishing and best estate shee cannot depart from Christ her Lord and head wherefore to note this for a subtle tricke giueth the Reader cause to note you for a wrangler and one that is very captious where no cause is offered M. Abbot comes at length to my first reason and goeth about to disproue it thus R. ABBOT HOwsoeuer I seeme to M. Bishop to come faire and soft to the matter I make no doubt but he would haue beene very well contented that I should haue made lesse hast His vpbraiding me with idle vaunting wordes and vaine repetitions with bare wordes and voluntary suppâ—sals seemeth to me no strange thing because he knoweth it to be for his behoofe that all that I haue written be so accounted But euery man can conceiue that he is no fit man to be iudge of my writings He hath a web in his eye that troubleth his sight so as that nothing seemeth streight to him but that that is crooked What reason and proofe I haue brought for that that I say and whether my censure of him be right or wrong it resteth with the iudicious and indifferent Reader duely to consider and then to pronounce accordingly But the lest is in that that followeth Sure I am saith he that some Catholikes hauing read your booke doe like much the better of mine And doe they so indeede M. Bishop Happy man are you then and neede no longer care where you begge your bread You are certainly in the right if some Catholikes like better of your booke then they doe of mine But take heede M. Bishop that you be not deceiued by them It may be they doe but flatter you and to please you are content to say that which they do not thinke It may be they too much fauour you and you may remember what Seneca saith that a Senec. de Tranquill. animi Semper iudicio fauor officit fauour alwaies hindereth a man from iudging aright I told you before of the Prouerbe b Quisquis amat Ranam Ranam putat esse Dianam Who loues the frogge in filthy dike He thinks the frogge Diana-like As in the body so in the mind there is a corrupt disposition which maketh a man to like nothing but that that serueth for the further corrupting of him Yea and it may be they are like to children that thinke the bels sound whatsoeuer they fancy and therefore doe esteeme mine a very fond peece of worke full of babble and lyes and I know not what but yours on the other side a graue profound learned and super-learned booke But M. Bishop if they were not forestalled with preiudice and bewitched thereto with Romish inchantments surely they would see that your Epistle to the King is so farre from bringing those vrgent and forcible reasons which you pretend as that it consisteth wholly of meere cauils and calumniations such and so apparant as that you haue beene glad to let it goe because you saw it vnpossible to defend it Gladly would I know of those iudicious Readers of yours how well they like of your alleaging against vs the opinion of c See the Aduertisement concerning D. Bishops Reproofe sect 16. Proclus the Heretike You haue beene so hot and so confident in it as that hauing set forth the matter at large I would willingly heare of them whether they thinke you or me more worthy to be thrust into the Asses skinne To let passe many other matters you haue there tendered to the King diuers conclusions drawen from our doctrine within the compasse of a few lines Of that that we say that it is vnpossible in this state of mortality and corruption perfectly to fulfill the law you inferre d Epistle to the King sect 19. 20. Therefore it is in vaine to goe about it therefore it is vnpossible to haue charity therefore it is vnpossible to haue faith therefore it is vnpossible for a Protestant cleauing to the grounds of his owne religion to hope for any saluation Againe
men p Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentâ—rem principalitatem necesse est omnem conuenire Ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles in que semper abhis qui sunt vndique conseruata est ea qua est ab Apostolis Traditiâ— To this Church saith he because of her more potent principality it is necessary for euery Church to accord that is the faithfull euery where wherein the Tradition which came from the Apostles hath beene alwaies preserued Now take this reason added by Ireneus which by M. Bishop is concealed and it will plainly appeare why it was necessary for other Churches to accorde with the Church of Rome For this Church for the renowme and famousnesse of the place being then the seate of the Empire was the most eminent Church in the world and therefore continuing still in the doctrine of the Apostles without alteration or change it was most fit of all other to be propounded as a patterne to other Churches whereto to conforme themselues and with which whosoeuer accordeth not did thereby swarue from the doctrine of the Apostles But the case is now altered because the Church of Rome it selfe is now questioned for swaruing from the Tradition of the Apostles which being so that cannot be said to be necessary now which was necessary so long as shee continued in that Tradition And thus sarre we finde only a necessity of consenting then in doctrine with the Church of Rome but for her superiority in gouernement wee finde nothing Yes saith M. Bishop for Ireneus attributeth to the Church of Rome a mightier or more potent principality which what should it import will he say but a superiority of Dominion and gouernment ouer all other Churches But I answer him that principality doth not enforce soueraignty and dominion for he himselfe is holden for a principall man amongst the Seminary Priests and yet hee hath no rule or dominion ouer them Principality importeth specialty and chiefty and noteth an honour of estimation and account and thus the Church of Rome though hauing no title of dominion for ruling and gouerning yet had the honour to bee a chiefe and principall aboue other Churches Now principality is alwayes potent and they that are chiefe and eminent aboue others sway much by their example and perswasion and their very names are very auailable to induce other whom notwithstanding they haue no authority to command according to that which Hilary saith that q Hilar. Epist apud August tom 7. Plureâ— sunt in Ecclesia qui authoritate nominum in sententia tenentur aut ad sententiam transferuâ—tur in the Church there are many who by authority of names are moued either to hold still their opinion or to alter and change the same Such and no other was the potent principality of the Church of Rome and thus doth Ireneus in the same place say that that Church r Iren. vt supr scrip Sit qua est Româ— Ecclesia potentissimas literas Coâ—inthijs c. wrote most potent letters to the Corinthians namely such as were effectuall and strong to moue them and the rather for that they came from such a famous and renowmed place And that M. Bishop may vnderstand that I doe not answere him by a deuice of mine but according to the truth he shall find that Cyprian calleth the Church of Rome Å¿ Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 3. Ad Petri Cathedram Ecclesiam principalem c. the principall Church and yet in the same place he denieth t Ibid. Nauigare audent ad Petri CathedraÌ„ c. Oportet eos quibus praesumâ—s non circumcursare c. Nisi paucis dâ—speratis â—erditis minor esse videtur authoritas Episcoporum in Africa constitutorlâ— c. the authority of the Bishops of Africa to be inferiour to the Bishop of Rome And thus the African Councell acknowledgeth the Church of Rome to be u Conc. Afric cap. 6. Primae sedis Episcopus non appelletur Princâ—ps Sacerdotum aut summus Sacerdos aut aliquid huiusmodi sed tantùm primae sedis Episcopus the first or principall Sea and the Bishop thereof they terme the Bishop of the first or principall Sea and yet they denied to the Bishops of Rome to haue any authority ouer them Yea when Zozimus Bonifacius and Celestmus challenged the same by a forged Canon of the Nicene Councell those x Ibid. c. 101. Quia hic in nullo câ—diâ—â— Grâ—câ— ea poâ—â—imus inuenirâ— ex Orientalibus Ecclesijs vbi perhibetur eadem decreta posse etiam authentica reperiri magis nobis desideramus adferri African Bishops for the disprouing thereof sent to the Patriarches of Antioch Alexandria and Constantinople for authenticall copies of the said Councell wherein they found no such matter and y Ibid. c. 105. Vt aliqui tanquam à tuae sanctitatis latere mittantur nulla inuenimus patrum Synodo constitutum Quod ex parte Nicem Concilij transmisistis in Concilijs verioribus tale aliquid non potuimus reperâ—â—e Executores Cleâ—icos vestros quibusque petentibus nolite mittere c. thereupon wrote to Celestinus that he should forbeare to send his Legates to entermeddle in their matters and z Ibid. c. 92. Non prouocent nisi ad Africana Concilia vel ad primates Prouinciarium sâ—â—rum ad transmarina autem qui putauerit appellandum à nullo intra Africam in communionem suscipiatur forbad all appeales saue to their owne Councels excommunicating them that presumed to appeale to Rome and in this recusancy of subiection they continued afterwards for the space of an hundred yeares vntill Eulalâ—â—s the Bishop of Carthage if it be true which is reported of him and not coyned at Rome betrayed the liberty of that Church and submitted the same to Boniface the second who doubted not most wickedly to say of those African Bishops of whom the learned Father St. Austin was one that a Bonifac. 2. Epist ad Eulal tom 2. Concil Aurelius Carthaginensis Ecclesiâ— olim Episcopus cum collegis suis infâ—igante Diabolo superbire teÌ„poribâ— praedecessorum Bonifacij atque Celestini coÌ„tra RomanaÌ„ Ecclesiam coepit by the instigation of the Diuell they had then begunne proudly to demeane themselues against the Church of Rome As for that potent principality of the Roman Church and necessity of according therewith which M. Bishop intendeth Polycarpus knew it b Euseb hist l. 5. c. 23. Neque enim Anicetâ— suadere Polycarpâ— poterat ne seruaret c. quae semper seruauerat not when he would not be perswaded by Anicetus Bishop of Rome to keepe the feast of Easter according to the manner of the Church of Rome Neither did c Ibid. cap. 22. Episcopis per Asiam qui morem ipsis ab antiquo traditum retineÌ„dum esse affirmabant prâ—erat Polycrates Polycrates the Bishop of Ephesus with the rest of the Churches of Asia acknowledge
is properly theirs is of farre latter time and though they had beene then yet had beene persecuted only for that profession of Christ which is common both to vs and them The Donatists alleaged that p Aug. cont Epist GaudeÌ„t l. 2. c. 30. Per iustitiam non veraÌ„ sed vestram ad Imperatorum curam pertinere cause huiusmodi non deberent Emperours and Princes had nothing to doe in Church matters And q Idem Epist 48. Vos quibus crimen videtur de inimicis communionis nostra Christiono Imperatori aliquid conqâ—eri held it for a great fault in the Catholike Bishops to complaine to the Emperour of them r Optat. lib. 3. Quid est Imperatori cum Ecclesia What hath the Emperour to doe with the Church saith their Pope Donatus and so his followers Å¿ Aug. in psal 57. Quid nobis Regibus inquiunt Quid nobis Imperateribus What haue we to doe with Kings what haue Emperours to doe with vs for the teaching of the people of Israel t Idem cont Gaudent Epist l. 2. c. 26. Ad docenduÌ„ populum Israel omnipotens Deus Prophetis pr 〈…〉 ium dedit non Regibus imperauit Saluator ammarum Dominus Christus â—d insi 〈…〉 dam fidem piscatores non milites misit saith Gaudentius God gaue charge to Prophets and not to Kings and our Lord Christ the Sauiour of soules sent Fishermen not Souldiers for the planting of the faith thus vpbraiding the Emperours for condemning their Schisme and for vsing power and force of armes for repressing the infinite rage of their madde-brained Circumcellions Thus they say to Marcellinus the Tribune whom the Emperour had appointed to be Iudge in the conference at Carthage u Capit. gest collat Caâ—â—hag 3. c. 295. Si Christus non es cur de Sacerdâ—tibus iudicas Hoc iudicium Christo seruandum est If thou bee not Christ why doest thou iudge of Priests this iudgement must be reserued for Christ And another of them that x Aug. Epist 162. Non debuit Episcopus Proconsulari iudicio purgari a Bishop should not haue his purgation at a Lieutenants iudgement and therefore Donatus their Patriarch writeth contemptuously to Gregory one of the Emperours Officers y Optat. lib. 3. Adquem sic scribere minimè dubitauit Gregori macula Senatus dedecus Praefectorum caetera talia Gregory the blot of the Senate the disgrace of Lieutenants with other termes of the same kinde as Optatus hath reported Of the same humour are the Papists who make the Prince z Dist 96 Si Imperator Filius est non Praesul Ecclesia quod adreligionem coÌ„petit discere ei conuenit non docere c. Ad Sacerdotes Deê° voluit quae Ecclesiae disponenda sunt pertinere non ad seouli Potestates c. Imperatores Christiani subdere debâ—nt executiones suaâ— Ecclesiasticis Praesulibus non praeferre a sonne only and not a Gouernour of the Church who must learne and not teach what appertayneth to religion because God would haue Church matters to belong to Priests not to the secular powers and Christian Emperours are to submit their executions to the rulers of the Church Therefore they hold the Commissioners and Officers of Princes to bee incompetent Iudges in their causes they carry themselues contemptuously and despightfully towardes them they thinke it lawfull by equiuocations and mentall reseruations to abuse them because they will not acknowledge any subiection to them The Donatists a Aug. Epist 48. Multis adituÌ„ intrandi obserebaÌ„t rumores maledicoruÌ„ qui nescio quid aliud nos in Altare Deiponere iactirabaâ—t by false rumours discouraged and terrified men from comming to Church and amongst other thinges gaue out of the Catholike Bishops that some of them b Optat. l. 3. 7. Dicebatur venturos Pâ—ulum Macarium qui interessent Sacrificio vt cum Altaria solenitèr aptarentur profeâ—rent illic imaginem quam primò in Altare ponerent sic Sacrificium offerretur Hoc cùm acciperent aures percussi sunt animi c. vt omnis qui hoc audierat diceret Qui degustat de sacro gustat at the time of the celebration of the Sacrament did set an Image vpon the Altar or Communion table whereat the minds of men were greatly moued and euery one said He that tasteth thereof tasteth of a prophane thing so contrary was it holden to religion then which c Of Images sect 9. M. Bishop approueth now to set Images vpon the Altar But in this also the Papists are their followers who in the like sort deuise rumours and tales of our diuine Seruice and put strange conceipts thereof into the minds of men that without cause they may abhorre to haue any communion with vs. The Donatists alleaged their d August Epist 162. Prolata sunt à partibus vestris gesta quaedam quibuâ— recitatum est c. Temerarium Concilium quamlibet numerosissimum owne Councels assembled by their owne authority and managed wholly by themselues for defence of their cause both against the e IdeÌ„ in psal 57. Lectum est Concilium Bagaitanum vbi damnati sunt Maximianistae Et coÌ„t lit Petil. l 2. c. 43. Plenarij CoÌ„cilij vestâ—i ore damnasâ—is Maximinianists their owne Schismatikes against the Bishops and Pastors of the Catholike Church Euen so doe the Papists alleage against vs their owne partiall conuenticles wherein they themselues haue been both accusers witnesses and iudges and wherein none hath beene suffered to sit but only such as haue first been sworne solemnly to the Pope The Donatists f Aug. Epist 137. Non habendo in causa sua diuâ—sionis quod defendant non nisi hominuÌ„ crimina colligere affectant â—aipsa plura falsissimè iactant vt quia ipsam diuiâ—a Scripturae veritatem c. criminari obscurare non possunt homines per quos pradicatur adducaÌ„t in odâ—uÌ„ not knowing how sufficieÌ„tly to make good their cause and rent from the Church by argument and reason sought to make themselues the more plausible by deuising and publishing crimes and slanders against them who in the behalfe of the Church were aduersaries to them that men disliking the persons of men might consequently thinke the worse of the truth of God that was maintained and defended by them In the same steps the Papists walke with whom nothing is more common in all their bookes then to labour by strange odious imputations to blemish the names of Luther Caluin Beza and all other by whom the gospell of Christ hath beene specially defended yea generally of the Bishops and Ministers of our Church that bringing men into hatred and detestation of the men they may cause them to like the worse of the faith and religion which they did or doe teach g Collat. Cartag 3. c. 30. Dâ—natistâ—â— nos appellaÌ„dos esse credunt cum si nominum paternorum
ratio vertitur ego â—os dicere possum imò palam apertâ—que designâ— Mensurisâ—as Ceciliâ—nistas esse Petilian the Donatist being offended that they were called Donatists as iustly they were for tying themselues to Donatus as their Patriarch and h Ibid. cap. 32. Nec â—lic abnuâ— esse miâ—i PrincipeÌ„ ac fuisse Donatum Prince retorted vpon the godly Bishops the names of Mensurists of Mensurius and Cecilianists of Cecilianus as if they in like sort depended vpon them So the Papists being vexed at that name of Papists giuen to them for being wholly at the deuotion of the Pope seeke to disgrace vs with the names of Lutherans and Zwinglians and Caluinists of Luther Caluin and Zwinglius as if we were in like sort affected and deuoted vnto them The Donatists complained that i Aug. coÌ„t lit Petil. l. â— c. 43. Derebus vel locis Ecclesiasticis quos tenebatis noÌ„ tenetis querimiâ—i Et coÌ„t GaudeÌ„t l. 2. c. 28. Obijcitis nobis quòd res vestras possidere cupiamus the goods and reuennues of their Churches bestowed vpon them by their ancestors were taken from them and giuen into the hands of the Catholike Pastors and teachers of the Church vpon whom they cryed out k Cont. Gaudent lib. 2. cap. 2â— Alienarum rerum incubaetores as robbers and spoilers of them The same complaint l Epist to the King sect 31. M. Bishop and his fellowes vse that Bishopricks and Deanries and Benefices founded by men of their religion and to the vse thereof are now as they pretend by wrong and vsurpation bestowed vpon vs. The Rogatists being one part of the Donatists m Aug. Epist 48. Solos vos Christianos esse perhibetis affirmed themselues only to be Christians euen as the Donatists generally did challenge n Ibid. Vniuersi Donatistâ— se pro Ecclesia Christi supponentes Optat. lib. 2. Nitimini suadere hominibus apud vos solos esse Ecclesiam to themselues only to be the Church of Christ and so now the Papists in their faction esteeme themselues only to be Christians in so much that Bellarmines Ghost doubteth not to say that o Tort. ad Apolog resp Jacobus cum Catholicus non sit neque Christianuâ— est our King Iames because he is no Catholike of their coine therefore is no Christian The Donatists p Aug. Epist 50. 68. 122. cont Crescon Grammat lib. 3. cap. 42. c. prouoking Emperours and Kings by their intollerable outrages and villanies to make lawes for the punishing of them when the same were executed complained of q Aug. cont Gaudent lib. 2. c. 12. Propter filium hominis ac fidem c. vos persecutionem sustinere iactatis persecution and termed themselues r Collat. Carthag 3. c. 22. Apud nos est vera Catholica quae persecutionem patitur non quae facit the Church persecuted which persecuteth nâ—t and such of them as were iustly executed for murders and other vnlawfull acts they called Å¿ Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 83. Cum viuatis vt latrones mori vos iactatis vt Martyres Et Epist 166. Dementia vt latronum facta fac 〈…〉 cum iure puniminâ— marlyrum gloriam requiratis Martyrs yea such as threw themselues downe from sleep places to kill themselues that it might be thought that others killed them yea such as forced others to kil them threatning to kill them if they did not so these all I say they blazed t Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 71. Petil. Vos beati non estis sed beatos martyres facitis quorum scilicet animabus câ—li repleti sunt corporumque memoria terrâ— storuerunt Vos â—on colitisâ—ed facitis quos colamus Aug. Si dictum esset Beati qui seipsos praecipitant implerent coeum martyres vestri Et l. 1. c. 24. Praeciâ—â—tatorum vltrò â—adauerum cultus sacrilegos mitto for Martyrs and to their Relikes and dead bodies they did great deuotion and canonized them otherwise for â—â—ints in heauen Euen the same course doe the Papists take with vs who by their traiterous attempts and practises and most diuellish conspiracies giuing cause of making lawes for their punishment and restraint do vpon execution thereof cry out u Concertat Eccl. Cathol in Angl. Epist De persecutionâ— Anglicana of persecution x Epistle to the King sect 33. terrible persecutions saith M. Bishop in the late Queenes daies and doe call them Martyrs that are notoriously put to death for such horrible treasons Vnder which name they haue registred y Apolog. pro Henr. Garneto pag. 169. Garnet that wretched caitife a principall abettour of the gunne-powder practise then which there was neuer a more impious designement amongst men Yea and these thus iustly put to death they honour with great deuotion they deuise miracles of them they dippe handkerchiefes in their bloud they ioy to get peeces of their bodies they make of them Saints and z Concertat Eccl. Cathol in Angl. vers de Campian Sis mihi quaeso tuo facilis patronus alumno Nec cesses pro me saepe rogare Deâ—â— pray vnto them The Donatists though of their detestable and enormous acts Emperors tooke occasion to make lawes against them yet would not haue it thought that the Emperors did it as of their owne minde but moued and drawen thereto by the godly Bishops and Pastors that were aduersaries to them a Aug. coÌ„t lit Petil. l. 2. c. 9â— Calumniamini nobis dicentes à nobis in vos ad iracundiam Reges seculi concitari dum cos noÌ„ docemê° diuinam Scripturam sed malitiam nostâ—aÌ„ suggerimus Yee calumniate vs saith St. Austin saying that by vs Kings are incited to anger towards you for that we teach them not the Scripture of God but suggest to them our owne malice Euen so our Papists and namely b Reproofe pag. 85. M. Bishop although they know that of their owne vngodly misdemeanours the State hath taken occasion to make lawes against them and that our Princes haue had very iust cause to deale seuerely with them as Watson their owne proctor hath largely confessed yet that their owne blame may be the better hidden doe impute these proceedings to the instigations and exasperations of our Bishops and Ministers as if otherwise no cause were conceiued but that they should be moâ—â— gently intreated then now they are The Donatists albeit they knew well that it was a very small part of the world that ioyned with them yet ioyed to vse wordes as if they had had a Church throughout the world saying in their Councell of three hundred and ten Bishops that c Aug. cont CrescoÌ„ GraÌ„m lib. 3. cap. 56. Cùm Ecclesiae Catholicae Sanctitatem vir memorie vtnerabilis ab errore persidia Donatus assereret in â—ius nomen cultum mundi penè totius obseruantia â—â—trita câ—aluit when Donat 〈…〉 â—reed the
viâ—tus tempus locus operandi suppetit tantò quis operatur quaÌ„tò Deum nouerat tantuÌ„ se nosse Deum indicat quantum pro Deo bona operatur c. Vnusquisque qui in hoc vitae exercitio versatur tantum credit quantum sperat amat tantum operatur quantum credit amat sperat also Gregory Bishop of Rome We finde saith he that faith hope charity and good workes so long as here we liue are equall in vs. For looke how much we beleeue so much also we loue and how much we loue so much we presume of hope Of faith and workes also St. Iohn confisseth saying He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar For the knowledge of God appertaineth to faith the keeping of the Commandements to workes When therefore power and time and place of working serueth so much doth a man worke as he knoweth God and so much doth he shew himselfe to know God as he worketh good things for Gods sake To be short euery one saith he that is conuersant in this exercise of life beleeueth so much as he hopeth and loueth and looke how much he beleeueth hopeth loueth so much he worketh These wordes are plaine enough and yet the wordes of Sixtus the third if that bee his which they haue lately published vnder his name are somewhat more plaine p Sixt. 3. Epist de malis Doctor oper fidei c. Biblioth sanct Patrum tom 5. Intelligere noâ— norunt vbicunque fidei fructus non sit illâ—â— quoque nec ipsam fidem esse credendam Caeterùm quis prudens addubitet vbi fides sit illâ—â— esse â—â—morem vbi timor sit illic esse obedientiam vbi obedientia sit illiâ— esse iâ—stitiam sicut â— contâ—ario vbi iustitia non sit illic nec obedientiam nec timorem esse nec fidem Ita enim haec sibi inuicâ—m sociata atque connexa sunt vt diuisa penitus esse non possint Wheresoeuer is not the fruit of faith saith he it is not to be beleeued that there is faith What wise man doubteth but that where faith is there is also feare and where feare is there is obedience and where obedience is there is righteousnesse as on the contrary where righteousnesse is not there is neither obedience nor feare nor faith For so are these coupled and ioyned togither as that they cannot in any wise be diuided The collection from these testimonies is very manifest neither neede I to declare it but very plainly we see the ancient doctrine of the Church of Rome according with ours and condemning as we doe the Popish separation that now is made betwixt faith and workes Thus then M. Bishops first conclusion is fallen to the ground and as for the second it deserueth not to be stood vpon because it is no wonder that faith auailed them nought nor saued them from the wrath of God in whom it appeareth by that that hath beene said that there was no faith CHAP. IX That the iustification of man before God is the imputation of righteousnesse without workes ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE THe Apostle in expresse termes affirmeth imputation of righteousnesse without vvorkes c. to Paul teacheth that eternall life c. W. BISHOP WE hold with the Apostle that workes be not the cause of the first iustification whereof he there treateth nor to deserue it though inspired with Gods grace they doe prepare vs and make vs fit to receiue the gift of iustification neither doe the Protestants wholly exclude vvorkes from this iustification when they doe require true repentance which consisteth of many good workes as necessary thereto We hold that iustice is increased by good workes which we call the second iustification against which the Apostle speaketh not a word but doth confirme it when he saith in the same Epistle Not the hearers of Rom. 2. vers 13. the law are iust with God but the doers of the law shall bee iustified Marke how by doing of the law which is by doing good workes men are iustified with God and not only declared iust before men as the Protestants glose the matter Now touching imputation of See the place Rom. 4. vers 6. righteousnesse the Apostle speaketh not like a Protestant of the outward imputation of Christs iustice to vs but of inherent iustice to wit of faith which worketh by charity which are qualities powred into our hearts Rom. 6. by the holy Ghost so that there is only a bare sound of wordes for the Protestants the true substance of the Text making wholly for the Catholikes R. ABBOT CVrsed is the glosse they say that corrupteth the Text but more accursed is the glosse which to corrupt the text dissembleth and concealeth the wordes of it I set downe the imputation of righteousnesse without works all in a speciall letter as the wordes of the Apostle M. Bishop in that speciall letter setteth downe imputation of righteousnesse and no more but without workes he addeth in the common letter as if they were mine only and not the Apostles wordes knowing that his deuoted Reader who hee knew would not looke into the Text it selfe should hereby faile to see both the force of the words and the simplenesse of his answere And with the like fraud it is that in the margent of his answere he setteth downe see the place Rom. 4. vers 6. as to insinuate to his Reader that if he see the place he shall there see somewhat for his turne whereas hee knoweth that his Catacatholikes for whose sakes hee writeth to keepe his credit with them would hold it sacriledge for them to goe about to see the place for feare least the handling of the new Testament should make them turne Protestants neither durst hee set downe the wordes himselfe least they should euen by this text grow to suspicion of his dealing with them But I will doe that for him which he himselfe durst not doe the words of the Apostle being these a Rom. 4. 5. 6. To him that worketh not that is saith Photius b Phot. apud Oecumen in Rom. 4. Ei qui ab operibus siduciam non habet to him who hath no confidence by workes but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse euen as Dauid pronounceth the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne In which wordes wee see how the Apostle affirmeth accordingly as I said an imputation of righteousnesse without workes which he expresseth to be the reputing of faith for righteousnesse for that thereby we obtaine remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes To this M Bishop answereth that they hold with the Apostle that workes be not the cause of the first iustification nor doe deserue it though inspired
on thus h August coÌ„â— Iulian. l. 6. c. 11. Iam enim motus desiderioruÌ„ malorum non ipse operabatur quibâ— non consentiebat ad perpetranda peccata Peccati autem nomine quod in illo habitabat ipsam nuÌ„cupabat coÌ„cupiscentiam quia peccato facta est si consentientem traxerit atq illexerit conâ—ipit paritque pecoutuÌ„ For now did not he worke the motions of euill desires to which he did not consent to commit sinnes But by the name of sinne dwelling in him saith he he meaneth concupiscence because it was caused by sinne and if it draw and entice a man to consent doth conceiue and bring forth sinne Where we may obserue what a veine M. Bishop hath of racking and stretching here being no cause for him to say that Austin argueth so soundly that concupiscence is not properly sinne and although it be true the committing of sinne being alwaies vnderstood of the outward act that sinne is not committed but by the consent of the minde yet neither doth St. Austin here deliuer any such rule and though he had yet had it beene nothing to M. Bishops purpose because here is no question of committing sinne but of the roote and motions of sinne before it come to be committed Which distinction he may obserue out of that which the same Saint Austin in the very same booke answereth to Iulian the Pelagian asking i August coÌ„t Iulian. l. 6. c. 4 Explica inquis quomodo peccatii personae illi iustè possit ascribi quae peccare nec voluit nec potuit Aliud est perpetratio proprioruÌ„ aliud alienorum contagio peccatorum how sinne can iustly be ascribed to that person namely to the infant which neither hath will nor power to sinne The committing of a mans owne sinnes is one thing saith he the contagion of the sinnes of others is another thing Now the sinne whereof we speake here is the contagion and infection of Adams sinne k Rom. 5. 12. in whom all haue sinned of which St. Austin denyeth not but rather freely confesseth that as a punishment it hangeth vpon vs and presseth vs downe not only without our will but also against our will And therefore whereas in one place he had defined l August de duab animab cont Manich. cap. 11. Peccatum est voluntas retinendivel coÌ„sequâ—di quod iustitia vetat vnde liberum est abstinere sinne to be a will of retaining or obtaining that which iustice forbiddeth and whence it is in a mans liberty to abstaine as if there were no sinne but by the will he limiteth this definition in his Retractations to that m Idem Retract lib. 1. c. 15 Iâ— definitum est quod tantummodo peccatum est non quod est etiam pâ—na peccati Nam quando tale est vt idem sit pâ—na peccati quaÌ„tum est quod valet voluntas sub dominaÌ„te cupiditate nisi fortè si piaest vâ—â—ret auxiliii c. which is only sinne and is not also the punishment of sinne For in that sinne saith he which is also the punishment of sinne how little can the will doe vnder the dominion of concupiscence saue only if it be godly to pray for helpe In which words he plainly acknowledgeth that that against which the godly will and minde prayeth for helpe is not only the punishment of sinne but also sinne and therefore in the place by M. Bishop cited must be vnderstood to restraine the name of sinne to actuall and committed sinne laying guilt vpon him by whom it is committed which concupiscence as he often teacheth doth not lay vpon him that fighteth against it because to him it is already remitted and pardoned and therefore according to that construction is by the same St. Austin in sundry places exempted from the name of sinne As for the wordes of the Apostle which M. Bishop vrgeth n Rom. 7. 17. Now it is not I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me he might easily conceiue that he saith not so as to acquit himselfe absolutely from being the doer or worker but only in some sort For if he be not the doer why doth he say o Vers 14. I am carnall sold vnder sinne p Vers 15. I doe that which I hate q Vers 19. The euill which I would not that doe I and for conclusion r Vers 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I my selfe euen very I in my minde serue the law of God and in my flesh the law of sinne And if he be not the doer who shall it be said to be He saith indeede that it is sinne that doth it but is sinne a doer without the man Can the accident be an agent without the subiect This negation therefore must be vnderstood according to that whereby he would not doe that which he did according to the inner man according to that wherein he was in part renewed and desired to bee wholly that that hee was thereby But as touching this also I haue Å¿ Of Original sinne sect 3. before giuen full satisfaction and M. Bishop might well haue spared himselfe this trouble to repeate the same againe His next argument sheweth his learning in diuinity in that he plainly declareth that he knoweth not what the dominion of sinne meaneth Sinne saith he hath no dominion ouer them that are vnder grace as the Apostle teacheth But this were false if concupiscence were properly sinne Why so I pray Forsooth it hath such dominion ouer euery good body that they cannot auoid the motion and sting of it This he hath sucked out of his owne fingers ends who would haue made this argument but he Let the Apostle himselfe tell vs what t Rom. 6. 12. the dominion of sinne is who hauing said Let not sinne reigne in your mortall body addeth for exposition hereof that yee should obey it in the lusts thereof as to note that then sinne is said to reigne in vs when we giue obedience to it to fulfill the lusts thereof Hereupon St. Austin obserueth thus u August in loan Tract 41. Non ait Non fit sed Non regnet Quamdiu viuis necesse est esse peccatuÌ„ in membrie tuis salteâ— illi regnum auferatur non fiat quod iubet He saith not Let it not be but Let it not reigne So long as thou liuest sinne must needes be in thy members yet let the Kingdome thereof be taken away let not that be done which it commandeth Where we see that the dominion of sinne is then vnderstood to be when we obey and doe that which it commandeth but the deniall of this obedience and refusall to doe the lust thereof that is the taking away of the kingdome and dominion of it To the same purpose Gregory Bishop of Rome speaketh of the same wordes x Gregor Moral lib. 14. c. 9. Non ait non sit sed non regnet quia non esse non potest non autem
if thou wouldest be a iudge only and wouldest not be mercifull but wouldest marke all our iniquities and seeke after them who could endure it who could stand before thee and say I am innocent who should stand in thy iudgement Our only hope therefore is for that with thee there is mercy If then with the iust iudge there be no hope without mercy then surely it is not for merit that the iust Iudge rendereth vnto vs the crowne of iustice but according to the law of faith he crowneth his owne gifts in vs and vs in them euen for his owne mercies sake M. Bishops arguments therefore are all vanished into winde and the indifferent Reader may well perceiue that the Protestants cause is better strengthened by St. Paul then that it neede to stand in feare of such Popish deluding sophismes A blinde shift he hath vnder pretence of g 2. Pet. 3. 16. some things in St. Pauls Epistles hard to be vnderstood to colour his cauilling at those things which are professedly disputed and most plainly and clearely spoken In all his Epistles saith he being vnderstood as he meant them there is not one word or syllable that maketh for the Protestants But how I maruell should wee attaine to vnderstand them as he meant them May we learne it of M. Bishop or are we to goe to the Pope to know it of him Surely a mad meaning shall we haue of St. Pauls Epistles if we will yeeld to take them after their meaning What way hath M. Bishop or the Pope to vnderstand St. Pauls meaning that we should not vnderstand it as well as they or what reason can they giue vs why we should not by St. Pauls wordes vnderstand his meaning as well as by their words we vnderstand theirs Was St. Paul so hard of speech as that he wanted wordes to declare his meaning or was he so desirous to conceale his meaning as that he would speake one thing and meane another yea the contrary to that hee spake Would hee bee a Protestant in wordes when in meaning he intended to be a Papist They bewray hereby what they are be thou out of doubt gentle Reader that they are no welwillers to the Apostles meaning that teach so many things contrary to the Apostles wordes We see how perspicuously frequently constantly hee teacheth the same that wee teach where to giue a meaning different from that which he saith is no other but maliciously to peruert his meaning Neither doe we affirme any thing by his wordes wherein we haue not the certaine testimony of the ancient Church concurring with vs as M. Bishop in all these points seeth to his owne confusion when as in the meane time it is enough with him to cite texts but whether they make any thing for proofe of that for which he citeth them it skilleth not And this we shall see in that plenty of plaine texts which he saith he hath to produce for their vncatholike faith which when I shall haue examined it will easily appeare to the Reader whether his discourse or mine bee the more idle If the tast that hee will giue vs bee no better then that which vvee haue already tasted it will vtterly distast the Reader vnlesse hee bee such a one as hath lost his tast CHAP. XIIII That the Scriptures are loosely and impertinently alleaged by the Papists for proofe of their false doctrines as namely of Iustification before God of Free-will of the Merit of single life of Relikes and Images of the Masse and Transubstantiation and sundry other such like ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE PAul saith nothing for those points for the deniall whereof M. Bishop condemneth vs c. to Well M. Bishop let vs leaue Peter and Paul c. W. BISHOP §. 1. WE haue here a dainty dish of M. Abbots cookery a large rhetoricall conclusion deducted out of leane thinne and weake premises He assayed to make a shew out of the Apostle that there was not a little which would serue the Protestants turne and cited to that purpose certaine sentences out of him but so properly that some of them indeede seemed to sound for him though they had in truth a farre different sense others had neither sense nor sound nor sillable for him Neuerthelesse as though he had gotten a great conquest he singeth a triumph and striketh vp a braue victory that all in Peter and Paul is for the Protestant nothing for the Papist Afterward as it were correcting himselfe he addeth nothing but in shew at least serueth the Protestants turne which is one of the truest words he there deliuereth The Protestants indeede be iolly nimble witted fellowes that can make any thing serue at least for a shew of their cause and when all other things faile them Ad fabulas conuertuntur they turne their eares away 2. Tim. â— vers 4. from truth as the Apostle speaketh and fall to fables and one Robin good-fellow I woene for lacke of a better is brought vpon the stage to spit and cry out Fie vpon Peter fie vpon Paul that had not remembred to say one word for Popery but all for the Protestant Fie I say vpon such a cause that must be vnderpropt with such rotten baggage stuffe What shadow of likely-hood is there that one should tell the Pope such a tale to his face or that Erasmus who was in most points a Catholike should report it or could there be any poore Robin excepting M. Abbots himselfe so simple and poore-blinde that in all the writings of those blessed Apostles he could not finde one word that gaue any sound or shew for the Catholike cause You haue heard already that I haue to euery place picked by M. Abbot out of S. Paul in fauour of their religion opposed another out of the same Epistle that speaketh more plainly against them for vs I will here out of the abundance of testimonies which the same S. Paul whom the simple Protestants take to be wholly for them beareth to our doctrine set downe some store euen in defence of those very points which Master Abbot hath made speciall choise off to obiect against vs. R. ABBOT WE note well M. Bishop that no Cooke can fâ—t your diseased appetite but such a one as is brought vp in the Popes kitchin whilest you like better a Numb 11. 5. the fish and leekes and oinions and garlicke of Aegypt then Manna that came from heauen We see it commonly so as hath been before said that corrupt stomackes are best pleased with the most grosse and vnwholsome meates and as the horse-leach sucketh out of the body the most noisome and putrified bloud and the Spider in the garden or otherwhere gathereth that only which may be turned to venime and poison so you out of the body of the Church draw that only which is noisome and poisonfull and nothing pleaseth your humour but what serueth for the corrupting both of your selfe and other men This is the cause why my premises
who for defence of their Image-making when it was condemned obiected i Tertull. de Idololat Cur ergò Moses in eremo simulaâ—hruÌ„ Serpentis ex aere fecit scorsum figurae qua dispositioni alicui arcanae praestruebantur non ad erogationem legis sed ad exemplarium causae suae c. Benè quòd idem Deus lege vetuit similitudinem fieri extraordinario praecepto serpentis similitudmem indixit Si eundem Deum obseruas habes legem eius Ne feceris similitudinem Si praeceptum factae postca similitudinis respicis tu imitare Moysen Ne facias aduersus legem simulachrum aliquâ—d nisi tibi Deâ—tâ— iâ—sserit Why then did Moses in the wildernesse make the similitude of a brasen Serpent He presumeth that which M. Bishop vrgeth that all things befell to that people by way of figure but saith we are to set figures here aside which were appointed for some secret signification not for the prescribing of a law but for sampling the cause of the appointing of them It is well saith he that the same God did by his law forbid any image or similitude to be made and by an extraordinary charge appointed the similitude of the Serpent If thou regard the same God thou hast his law Thou shalt not make the likenesse of any thing If thou looke to the Commandement of making a similitude afterwards doe thou imitate Moyses make no image against the law vnlesse God himselfe command thee Euen so say wee to M. Bishop that the making of the Cherubins by an extraordinary commandement of God is no warrant for vs to breake the law of God We haue the law of God and that we are to follow but what God commanded for speciall vse and signification we must not draw to an example of imitation But to goe beyond the example and from the making of an image for typicall vse and construction to proceede to giue to images spirituall worship and deuotion this is a sinne inexcusable and hath no colour of defence by any example of the word of God Now as this so that which he saith for Relikes also deserueth no other but contempt The Israelites by the speciall commandement of God kept k â—xod 16. 33. a pot full of Manna that their posterity might see with what bread the Lord had fed them By the like commandement of God l Numb 17. 10. the rodde of Aaron which had blossomed and brought forth fruit was laid vp and kept for a token to the rebellious that they might not dare to murmure against Aaron and his Sonnes concerning the Priesthood By Gods commandement also m Exod. 40. 20. the tables of the Testament were put into the Arke there to be kept both that and all the rest being said to haue beene done n Vers 21. as the Lord had commanded Moses Now here I say to M. Bishop againe let him in this behalfe also imitate Moses and if God haue giuen any commandement concerning Relikes let him by vertue therof challenge deuotion to them But if God haue commanded nothing thereof why doth hee bring the example of things expresly commanded of God for warrant of those things that haue beene superstitiously deuised by men But it is worthy here to be questioned by what Chimicall tricke it is that the golden pot of Manna and Aarons rodde and the tables of the Testament are turned into Relikes and giuen vs for examples of Popish Relikes Popish Relikes are the bodies of Saints or peeces of their bodies or such things as they haue worne or haue beene applied vnto them as their coates their shirts their shoes the chaines and fetters wherwith they haue been bound the instruments of the tortures that haue beene done to them These they lay vp and keepe as matters of great deuotion and holinesse in their solemne Processions they carry them gloriously about and make the people doe great reuerence to them they shew them that the people may behold them touch them kisse them worship them pray before them offer to them they teach them to hang them and weare them about their necks with great confidence thereby towards God and the Saints whose Relikes they are to finde helpe at their hands they vow long Pilgrimages to goe to the places where these Relikes are in beleefe that God will heare their prayers rather there then otherwhere they promise to them that performe these deuotions to them large Indulgences and Pardons to deliuer their soules from Purgatory in the taking of othes they lay their hands vpon them as making the Saints their witnesses that they say truth To these Relikes they require such honors to be done vnder pretense that o Concil Trident c. de Reliq Sanct. Sanctorum Martyrâ—â— aliorum cum Christo viueÌ„lium sancta corpora quae viua meÌ„bra fuerunt Christi templa Spir. sancti ab ipso ad aeternam vitam suscitanda glorificanda à fidelibus veneranda esse c. the bodies of the Saints were the liuing members of Christ and the temples of the holy Ghost by him to be raised vp againe and glorified vnto eternall life Now I maruell how M. Bishop will apply these things to the golden pot of Manna to Aarons rodde and to the tables of the Testament Were these the members of Christ or the temples of the holy Ghost or had they any such application to the bodies of any Saints as to receiue holines from them Might hee not as well tell vs that the Arke was a Relike and the Tabernacle and the Temple and all the vtensils and implements thereof And where I maruell are the deuotions that were done to those Relikes of his Did the people bow downe to them did they worship them or pray to them or practise those abhominable idolatries to them which they doe to their Relikes What an impudent man is he to mock the vnskilfull Reader with such impertinent allegations nothing at all concerning those things for which hee bringeth them As for that which they alleage for a reason of those abhominations which they practise about their Relikes or as they terme it of the honour which they doe vnto them namely for that they haue beene the members of Christ and temples of the holy Ghost the vse of that reason was conceiued of old to serue for the burying of them in the earth not for the raking of them out of the earth to doe worship and deuotion to them And therefore St. Austin affirming that p August de Ciuitat Dei Lib. 1. Cap. 13. Nec idcòtamen contemnen da sunt abijcienda corpora defunctorâ— maximeque iustoâ—uÌ„ atque fidelium quibuâ— tanquam organis vasis ad omnia bona opera vsus est sanctuâ— spiritus c. Vnde antiquoruÌ„ iustorum funera officiâ—sa pictate curata sunt exequiae celebratâ— sepultura prouisa ipsique dum viueâ— ent de sepâ—liendis vel etiâ— transfereÌ„dis suis corporibus filijs
sensibly apprehended as appeareth by that that is said of Simon Magus that c Acts 8. 18. he saw that through laying on the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was giuen and is otherwise also plainly to be perceiued Very absurdly therefore doth M. Bishop apply this place to their Sacrament of Orders where it is manifest that no such grace is giuen yea and to proue it to be a Sacrament because here is mention of grace giuen whereas the grace of Sacraments is no temporary gift but that inuisible eternall grace of remission of sinnes and sanctification of the holy Ghost whereby the inner man is renewed from day to day and the soule prepared and furnished vnto eternall life And thus we are come to an end of his proofes of their religion out of St. Pauls Epistles He telleth vs that he should be too long if he would prosecute all but be thou assured gentle Reader that he hath made here as good choise of his proofes as his wit would serue him and thou seest what they are and maiest by these esteeme what all the rest would be impertinent idle detorted wrested strained carrying no shew no colour when they are looked into of any such matter as he pretendeth Albeit thou art also to remember that all this while he hath sitten beside the cushion the thing propounded being that of Theodoret that the Epistle to the Romans containeth in it all kind of doctrine whence I inferred that sith the doctrine of Popery teacheth so many things whereof there is nothing to be found in the Epistle to the Romans it cannot be that doctrine which was at first deliuered to the Church of Rome To this he should haue directly answered and haue shewed vs that their Popery is to bee proued by the Epistle to the Romans But from this he stealeth away and to dawbe vp this breach as well as he can he maketh a scambling shift out of the rest of the Epistles and catcheth here and there a sentence as much to the purpose as if he had said nothing But the trimmest iest of all is his answer to that which I vrged as touching St. Peter whom they haue made the founder and head of their Church that it is strange that he should forget the triple crowne that he should say nothing for Popery no not a word that nothing hindereth in either of his Epistles but that he must be taken for a Protestant What doth M. Bishop say to this Marke it well gentle Reader for it is a learned answere and such as may giue thee great satisfaction in the cause As for St. Peter saith hee I will wholly omit him because the Protestants haue no confidence in him Where I may very well vse the words of St. Austine as touching the like dealing of Petilian the Donatist d Aug. contlit Petil. lib. 3. cap. 57. Videatis quà m inuictè positum sit contra quod ille nihil tutius inuenire potuit quâ—m silentium Marke how inuincibly this is set downe against which he could finde no way more safe then to say nothing What St. Peter to be theirs so nearely so entirely and yet to say nothing for them to be wholly the same that the Papists now are and yet writing two Epistles to write nothing tending thereto to say nothing at all but what we say Looke vpon the Epistles which they attribute to the Bishops of Rome that succeeded and what a worke is there in them concerning the exaltation of St. Peter concerning the dignity and authority of the Church of Rome by him ouer all other Churches and what is it not strange that St. Peter himselfe if hee had beene of the same spirit should say nothing thereof nothing of all the religion which is now proper to the Church of Rome nothing but what wholly standeth with the Protestants religion Will M. Bishop thus ridiculously babble that the Protestants haue no confidence in St. Peter when as he can alleage nothing that St. Peter saith against them or can we be perswaded that the Papists haue any confidence in him when as they can tell vs nothing that he hath said for them M. Bishop you obiect to me in this matter shamelesse impudency but I wish the Reader to consider by this answere of yours to whom the title of shamelesse impudency doth most iustly belong As for your forked argument I doubt not but you your selfe see and know that I am out of the danger of it but I feare that the one graine of it hath already giuen you a deadly wound I am afraide that it will be found that you haue wittingly and wilfully rebelled against God I feare there is a sting in your conscience pricking and vexing you day and night which howsoeuer you for the present violently oppresse yet you are not able to pull out Take heede and beware in time if you doe not glorifie God by your conuersion and confession of his truth God will certainly glorifie himselfe in your destruction FINIS Errata PAge 18. line 24. so reade to p. 19. l. 11. for all r. for all ibid. l. 33. you r. your p. 27. l. 11. accordeth r. accorded p. 28. l. 2. in marg scrip sit r. scripsit p. 66. l. 19. in marg Part. 1. r. Chapt. 1. p. 144. l. 2. Achan only r Achan only p. 179. l. 10. in marg cedite r. incedite p. 214. l. 33. these Kings to whom haue they r. these Kings to whom they haue p. 245. l. 34. in marg creatum quae r. creatum secundum piam fidem quae p. 291. l. 21. they they r. then they p. 334. l. 19. widomes r. widowes p. 363. l. 21. a matter r. matters