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
and dignity to the King and yet preferre the things that are managed by the Priest before those things that are managed by the King Albeit I alwaies adde that to the King as without the Church belongeth the care and ouersight of those things that pertaine to the sauing of soules and to the furthering of his subiects in the grace of God and in the way to heauen so as that in this respect there is no cause why the Priest should be accounted superiour to the King And this our Princes haue done and still doe and yet the world with vs thanks be to God is not turned topsie-turuy but our state standeth vpright and prospereth maugre the hearts of all Romish malignant traitours and enemies that haue sought the ruine and ouerthrow thereof CHAP. V. That faith and religion cannot be safely grounded on the example of Fathers and forefathers and that the Popish factours notwithstanding doe in this behalfe abuse the credulity of ignorant men ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE NOw whereas he alleageth that all his Maiesties most royall Progenitours to sect 4. You talke M. Bishop of many vrgent c. W. BISHOP §. 1. PAgans and Heretikes doe now and then like Apes counterfait true Christians And no maruaile for their great Master Sathan doth transfigure himselfe sometimes into 2. Cor. 11. vâ— â—4 an Angell of light and did alwaies and yet doth labour to be like vnto the Highest but it is easie to espie their Esay 14 v. 14. apish tricks and to returne their fond subtleties vpon their owne heads Simmachus played but the part of a foolish sophister when he pleaded so with the Emperour Valentinian We are to follow our Fathers for the Emperours father and nearest Predecessors were no Pagan Idolaters but professed Christians as all men know who are conuersant in those ancient histories To the point of the proofe I answere in briefe that it is a most found inducement among vs Christians and to be dearely regarded of all To follow the foote-steps of our fore-fathers in beleeuing if they before haue not degenerated from their Ancestors The base and ground of it is this As God is more ancient then the Diuell and Christ Iesus then all Heretikes so was the true seruice of God and the right faith of Christ planted sowne and tooke fast roote before Heresie and Idolatry sprong vp which hath firme testimony from our Sauiour who teacheth That the good seede was first sowne by the Father Mat. 13. v. 24. of the houshold and the cockle after and ouersowne by the enemy Whence it followeth perspiculously that they who doe hold the same doctrine inuiolably which was embraced by them of that stocke who were first conuerted to the Christian faith are true and sincere Christians Those children then who follow the holy steps of their Catholike Progenitors ascending from Sonne to Father succâ—ssiuely till they arriue at the first Christians in that Country are true Christians and they that doe not succeede their Predecessors in their faith and religion but either are fallen themselues or doe follow others who before fell from the faith of their fore-fathers are vndoubtedly slipt into errour and infidelity By which discourse it is euident that I tendered a most reasonable request vnto his Maiesty that he would imbrace and countenance that religion which all his Progenitors euen to the first Christian among them had liued and dyed in because they were all Catholike and not one of them can be named who changed the religion of his fore-fathers yet this notwithstanding Simmachus the Pagan vsing the like argument in shew was not to be heard the difference is because his fore-fathers for whose Idolatry he pleaded had before forsaken the true and sincere worship of the one liuing God and therefore their children were not to continue in their Idolatry but to returne vnto their former Ancestors true piety So were the Donatists children of whom S. Augustine cited by M. Abbot speaketh not to follow their Fathers in that sect and heresie but to leaue their late corrupted parents in their new doctrine and to looke backe vnto their grandfathers ancient faith and religion from whose integrity their Fathers were degenerated Euen as now a-daies we exhort men that had or haue parents turned Protestants not to be led away with their erring Parents opinions but happily to receiue their forefathers ancient faith from which their Fathers reuolted vnaduisedly And so shall they returne vnto the roote and originall of our Lords tradition as S. Cyprian speaketh because they shall returne to that saith which was receiued from hand to hand euen from the Apostles our Lords most trusty and sacred messengers and cleauing fast to that shall not need to regard what any man hath thought fit to be done or said against it R. ABBOT PAgans Idolaters and Heretikes and of Heretikes the Papists namely are in this pretence of their Fathers and forefathers all alike and doe alike alleage the example of their fathers for warrant of irreligion and apostasie from God M. Bishop to make good their vse of it taketh vpon him to rectifie the rule and so to propound it as that it shall serue for a most sound inducement among vs Christians and to be dearely regarded of all And how is that Marry to follow the footesteps of our forefathers in beleeuing if they before haue not degenerated from their Ancestours Which if of his breaketh the force of his rule and is so farre from giuing a carefull man any sound inducement for setling his conscience in religion as that it casteth him rather into a further perplexity whilest he cannot but be in doubt whether those fathers whom he is wished to follow haue degenerated from their Ancestours or those Ancestours from other or those other from other that were before them In the iudgement and triall whereof if men haue not some certaine rule to be directed by they are easily blinded and led into errour whilest all Pagans and Heretikes and Papists pretend each for themselues that all their forefathers euen from the beginning were such as they are and haue their colours and shewes of antiquities whereby to perswade that they were so But yet to explicate and strengthen his rule he layeth this for the ground of it that as God is more ancient then the Diuell and Christ Iesus then all Heretikes so was the true seruice of God and faith of Christ before heresie and Idolatry Which ground of his we willingly admit and are most well content to build vpon it We hold it for certaine and infallible which Tertullian prescribeth against Heretikes that a Tertul. de Praescript Ex ipso ordine maniâ—estatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id autem extraneum â—aâ—sum qâ—od sit posterius immissum that is of the Lord and the very truth which was first deliuered that strange and false which is afterwards brought it and b Idem cont Marc.
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
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
Papa Ecclesiae Catholicâ— vrbis Romae Bishop of the Catholike Church of the Citty of Rome so doth Constantine the Emperor write p Socrat. hist l. 1. c. 6. Constantinus Catholicâ— Alexandrinorum Ecclesiae to the Catholike Church of Alexandria and Austin nameth q August coÌ„t Crescon l. 3. c. 13. Omnis Africana Catholica Ecclesia the Catholike Church of Africa and Aurelius writeth himselfe r Collat. cum Donat. cognit 1. c. 16. Aurelius Episcopus Ecclesie Catholicae Carthaginensis Bishop of the Catholike Church of Carthagâ— another Aurelius Å¿ Ibid. cap. 201. Aurelius Episcopus Ecclesiae Catholicae Macomadiensis Bishop of the Catholike Church of Macomadia Nouatus t Ibid. c. 204. Nouatus Episcopus Ecclesiae Catholicae Sitifi Bishop of the Catholike Church of Sitif And so in the fift Councell at Constantinople we reade u Conc. ConstaÌ„tinop 5. act 1. Supplicatio à Clericis Monachis Apostolici throni Antiochenae magnae ciuitatis Catholicae Sanctae Ecclesiae Dei The holy Catholike Church of Antioch and in the subscriptions of the Councell Sextilianus Bishop of the Catholike Church of Tunis and x Ibid. Act. 8. in subscript Sextâ—lianus misericordia Dei Episcopus Ecclesiae Catholicae Tuniensis Megethius gratia Dei Episcopus Sanctae Dei Catholicae Ecclesiae ciuitatis Heracleae Mâ—gethius Bishop of the holy Catholike Church of the citty of Heraclea and Pompeianus Bishop of the holy Catholike Church of the citty of Victoria and many other in the like sort Herein then standeth the error not that the name of the Catholike Church is vsed of a particular Church but because it is absurdly made a propriety of one particular Church which was neuer vsed but indifferently of all Churches and neuer but with implying the signification of the vniuersall Church Thus I am still constant in one tale what I said before I said after and I say it now againe and more cause there was for M. Bishop to haue taken another Cocke to himselfe then to put the weather-cocke to me Now he himselfe confesseth that no one Orthodoxe Church is more Catholike then other if the word Catholike be taken precisely but what it meaneth with him if it be taken precisely he telleth vs not If Orthodoxall and Catholike precisely taken be all one with him he playeth the Donatist as we shall see hereafter and in that sense amongst many Churches that may bee called orthodoxal and sound there may yet be some more sound then other If in true meaning it be taken precisely and properly then it is taken as in the Creede we professe to beleeue the holy Catholike that is the vniuersall Church and so no particular Church as hath been said and as M. Bishop hath confessed can be called the Catholike Church M. Bishop therefore vnlesse he be wilfull must also necessarily confesse that the church of Rome being a particular Church dealeth absurdly in applying to it selfe the name of the Catholike Church there where the word Catholike without all doubt is precisely and properly taken But though speaking precisely no one Church be more Catholike then other yet we hold saith M. Bishop that among all the particular Catholikes the Roman holdeth the greatest priuiledges both of superiority in gouernement and stability in true faith Hold it M. Bishop where you haue it and blinde men as much as you can in the conceipt of it but where you haue it not yee are neuer likely to obtaine it To vs it is nothing what you hold what you proue is somewhat but you may hold with Copernicus if you will that the Sunne standeth still and the earth turneth round or with Anaxagoras that snow is black So the Church of Rome according to that it was we attribute eminency of place precedence of honour authority of estimation and account but authority of power or superiority of gouernment we acknowledge none belonging thereto We reade that other Churches haue yeelded vnto it amity and loue y Rom. 16. 16. The Churches of Christ salute you but no where doe we reade All the Churches of Christ are subiect vnto you And will any man thinke it credible that such priuiledges should appertaine to the Church of Rome and yet that neither St. Paul nor St. Peter himselfe should make any mention of them The one of them wrote to the Church of Rome it selfe they both wrote to many other Churches and would they neuer haue remembrance to say any thing of the Lord God the Pope Yea St. Iohn did honor to z Apoc. 1. 4. the seuen Churches of Asia by writing to them and would he neuer speake of a Apoc. 17. 9. the seuen hils of Rome but only as the seate of the whoore of Babylon Yea of those seuen Churches of Asia it is to be noted which Gregory Bishop of Rome oftentimes deliuereth hath Austin therin agreeing with him that b Gregor in Ezech. hom 15. In â—oannis Apocalypsi septem Ecclesijs scribitur per quas vna Catholica designatur Praefat. ad exposit Iob. Per septem Ecclesiarâ—m numerum vniuersalis Ecclesia designatur Sic August Ep. 161. in them is designed or figured the Catholike or vniuersall Church And to this accordeth Optatus also when of those Churches hee saith c Optat. Mileuit lib. 2. Extra septem Ecclesias quicquid foris est alienum est Whatsoeuer is without the seuen Churches is altene and strange Now amongst those seuen Churches none had any priuiledge either of superiority in gouernement or of stability in faith There is not one Angell or one Church questioned for all as hauing charge and authority ouer all but euery Angel euery Church seuerally censured by it selfe and according to euery their works either allowed or reproued Sith then the principall must haue correspondence with the figure it must likewise be in the vniuersall Church that no one Church hath priuiledge or superiority aboue all but euery Church accordingly as it performeth fidelity vnto God either standeth or falleth either is accepted or refused And the lesse hath the Church of Rome to presume of priuiledge in this behalfe for that it hath speciall caution giuen to the coÌ„trary d Rom. 11. 20. Be not high minded but feare fâ—r if God spared not the naturall branches take heede lest he also spare not thee Behold the bountifulnes of God towards thee if thou continue in his bountifulnes or else thou shalt also be cut off This notwithstanding M. Bishop telleth vs that that which they hold of those Romish priuiledges is deduced out of the word of God But how because that Church is the Rocke according to the expositâ—on of the ancient Fathers vpon which the whole Church was built and against which the gates of hell should neuer preuaile Here is chalke for cheese we were promised a deduction out of the word of God and insâ—eede thereof he bringeth vs an exposition of the ancient Fathers But
it is all one now to say the Catholike and to say the Roman Church The Church of Rome as the most famous and chiefe Church was most fit to bee named in this case but otherwise it may euen as well be said They were Catholike Bishops that coÌ„municated with the Church of Millan where Ambrose was Bishop therefore to say the Church of Millan is all one as to say the Catholike Church As little discretion is there in his next allegation out of Hierome who mentioning the words of Ruffinus concerning some workes of Origen by him translated The Latin Reader shall finde nothing in them different from our faith demandeth thus a Hieron Apolog aduers Ruffin lib. 1. Fide suam quam vocat Eamnè qua Romana pollet Ecclesia an illam quâ— Origenis voluminibus continâ—tur si Romanam respondeâ—it ergo Catholâ—ci sumus qui nihil de Origenis errore transtulimus c. Which calleth hee his faith that which the Church of Rome professeth or that which is contained in the bookes of Origen If he answere the Roman faith then are we Catholikes who haue translated nothing of the errour of Origen For what is there here said of the Roman Church but what might likewise bee saâ—d of any other Church professing the true faith The argument followeth because the Roman Church did then maintayne the true Catholike faith so should it follow of the rest If he professe the faith of the Church of Constantinople of Antioch of Alexandria yea of the poore Church of Eugubium then is he a Catholike because al these did then professe the Catholike faith But what is this to M. Bishops purpose to proue in the Church of Rome a priuiledge of continuance and stability in the same true Catholike faith to proue that the Roman faith should bee alwaies the certayne and vndoubted patterne of the true Catholike faith In which conclusion his other Authours also doe all faile him who though it be graunted him that they did as he saith proue themselues then to be Catholikes and their Churches Catholike by declaring themselues to communicate with the Church of Rome and their aduersaries to bee Heretikes because they did not so for that the Church of Rome was then famously knowen to haue continued the same from the beginning in the points of faith then impugned by the Heretikes yet very idlely and childishly are they alleaged to proue that which M. Bishop intendeth that it should alwayes thenceforth continue so But indeede hee racketh his Authours and wrongeth them neither doe they say that which hee would haue them taken to say Tertullian appealeth to other Churches as well as to the Church of Rome and referreth his Reader to the most famous of them accordingly as they are nearest at hand b Tertul. de praescript Percurre Ecclesiaâ— Apostolicas apud quas ipse adhuc Cathedrae Apostolorum suis locis praesidentur c. Proxima est tibi Achaiai habes Corinthum Si non longè es a Macedonia habes Philippos habes Thessalonicenses Si potes in Asiam tenderâ— habes Ephesum Si autem Italâ—ae adiaces habes Romanam Runne through the Apostolike Churches in which there are Bishops still sitting in the seates of the Apostles in their places Is Achaia next vnto thee thou hast Corinthus If thou be not farre from Macedonia thou hast Philippos and the Thessalonians If thou canst goe into Asia thou hast Ephesus If thou border vpon Italie thou hast the Church of Rome What is there here for M. Bishops turne c Epiph. haeres 27. Epiphanius setteth downe a Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome but saith not a word to that effect as M. Bishop citeth him Optatus approueth his part to be Catholike not simply by communicating with the Church of Rome but for that togâ—ther with the Church of Rome d Optat. lib. 2. Siâ—icius hodie noster est socius cum quo nobis totus orbis coÌ„mercio formatarum in vna communionis societate concordant they communicated with thâ—â—hurch of the whole world Yea in the same booke hee attributeth as much in this behalfe to the seuen Churches of Asia as to the Church of Rome therby as strongly reproueth the Donatists e Ibid. Cum quibus Ecclesijs nullum communionis probamini habere consâ—rtiâ— c. Extra septem Ecclesias quicquid soris est alienum est You are proued to haue no fellowship of coÌ„munion with the seuen Churches Whatsoeuer is without the seuen Churches is stranger to the Church Austin setteth downe the succession of the Bishops of Rome and vpbraideth the Donatists that f Aug. Epist 165. In hoc ordine successionis nullus Donatista Episcopiâ— inuenitur no Donatist was found amongst them but as well doth he obiect to them that whereas g Ibid. Quile gunt in codicibus sanctis Ecclesias quibus Apostoli scripseruÌ„t nullum in eis habeÌ„t Episcopum Quid autem peruersius insaniê° quà m lectoribê° easdem Epistolas legentibus dicere pax tecum ab earum EcclesiaruÌ„ pace separare quibus ipsa Epistolae scriplae suÌ„t they read the Epistles of the Apostles they diuided themselues from the peace and fellowship of those Churches to which the Apostles wrote the same Epistles So then in all these Authors which he alleageth he doth but meerely abuse his reader which is the cause why he thus set downe their names without their wordes for that he presumed that only alleaging their names men would imagine that vndoubtedly they said somewhat for him whereas if he had set downe their wordes euery man might see that they said nothing Yea but it is greatly to be noted saith M. Bishop that there is no generall Councell of sound authority wherein the Christian truth hath beene expounded and determined but is confirmed by the Bishop of Rome Well and it is as greatly to be noted that the sentence of no Bishop of Rome was anciently holden sufficient for the deciding of a question of faith except the same were confirmed by a generall Councell Therefore doth Leo Bishop of Rome mention h Leo epist 61. Apostolicae sedis Epistola vniuersali sancta Synodi assensâ— firmata Et Epist 70. Scripta mea adiecta vniuersalis Synodi coÌ„firmatione c. his Epistle against the heresie of Eutyches confirmed by the vniuersall assent of the sacred Synode and his writings hauing the confirmation of the generall Councell added thereto And what his authority was in the Councell it may be conceiued by that he wrote to the Councell of Ephesus i Idem Epist 14. Misi qui vice mea sancto conueÌ„tui vestrae fraternitatis intersint communi vobiscum sententia qua Domino sint placitura constituant I haue sent my deputies to be present with you in your assembly and by sentence in common to decree those things which may be pleasing to the Lord where wee see that he challengeth no more but a voice in common with the
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
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
conaris solos remansisse Rogatistas qui Catholici rectè appellandi sant c. Et vos esse solos in quibus fidem inuâ—niat filius hominis cum venerat themselues only to be Catholikes and that with them only Christ at his comming should finde faith left it as consequent that none could bee called Catholikes but by communicating and ioyning with them Now they did but apply to their Schisme at Cartenna those thinges which the Donatists in common held concerning their Church in Africa who said of themselues that b Collat. Carthag 3. cap. 22. Apud nos est vera Catholica with them only was the true Catholike Church c August de vnit â—ccles c. 13. Velut pro se commemorant quod ait Dominus Filius hominis veniens putas inueniet fidem in terra that with them only Christ should finde faith whence it should remaine that in their communion only men were to beare the name of Catholikes Now whether we looke to the Rogatists for Cartenna or to the Donatists for Africa the Papists are like them both who pleade the same for their Roman Church that they did for the other two that men are Catholikes for keeping vnity of faith and agreement therewith But M. Bishop telleth vs that they doe not call men Catholikes for keeping communion with the Church of Rome if it be taken for that particular Church which is contayned within the walls of Rome Where we see how true it is which Optatus saith that d Optat. lib. 2. Memoriam custodem oportet habere mendacem a lyar needeth to haue a good holding memory for he himselfe a little before speaking of that particular Roman Church to which he attributeth the priuiledges of stability in faith and superiority in gouernement aboue all other Churches hath told vs that St. Hierome e Part. 1. § 2. affirmeth men to become Catholikes by holding the Roman faith and that Tertullian Epiphanius Optatus and Austin doe proue their Churches to be Catholike and themselues to be Catholikes by declaring that they doe communicate with the Church of Rome and did condemne their aduersaries to be Schismatikes and Heretikes because they did not communicate with that Church If it bee true which hee hath told vs thus before that men become Catholikes by communicating with that particular Roman Church why doth he here tell vs the contrary that they doe not call men Catholikes for that cause The reason is because he speaketh no otherwise then as Optatus obiecteth to Parmenian the Donatist f Optat. lib. 1. Omnis pro tempore nihil pro veritate All for the time and present shift and nothing for the truth Well let vs heare what it is for which men with them are called Catholikes Because that communicating with that Church the particular Roman Church in faith and religion they doe communicate with all other of the same faith which are spred all the world ouer So then men are not g Aug. Breuic Collat. cum Donat l. 3. c. 2. Quia communicant Ecclesiae toto orbe di 〈…〉 Catholâ—ci meritò sunt vocantur Catholikes now as of old because they communicate with the Church dispersed ouer the whole world but because in the communion of the Church of Rome they coÌ„municate with the Church of the whole world But what if the Church of the whole world doe not hold communion with the Church of Rome as when the East and West Churches haue beene diuided and when Arianisme had ouerflowed in a manner the whole world whence was the name of Catholikes to be taken then Yea to speake of later times before the Portugals and Spaniards had gotten the Indies or discouered the new world and before Ignatius Loâ—ola had hatched his cockatrices broode which braggeth of so great conuersions there attayned vnto when neither the Greeke Churches in Europe receiued the Roman faith and out of Europe scant any Church at all how could it then be said that men were called Catholikes for that in communicating with the Church of Rome they communicated with the Church spred ouer all the world And sith they say that all other Churches may erre and only the Church of Rome hath the priuiledge of perpetuall truth put case that all other Churches doe erre how shall the name of Catholikes be continued but only for holding correspondence with the particular Church of Rome Yea how is it that he seeth not that he meerely circumuenteth and ouerthroweth himselfe For if a man be a Catholike for coÌ„municating with the Church of the whole world and it be by communicating with the particular Church of Rome that he communicate with the Church of the whole world then it is by communicating with the particular Church of Rome that the name of a Catholike doth belong vnto him To be short M. Bishops former acknowledgement iustifieth the resemblance as I haue set it downe and yet the Donatists if they could haue had their way would neuer haue doubted to say of their Church as M. Bishop doth here of his that men should be called Catholikes not for communicating with their African Church as it was contayned only within the bounds of Africa but for that in communicating with that Church they communicated with all other of the same faith spred wheresoeuer in the world Neither could the one nor can the other assume to themselues that they were or are spred ouer the whole world and therefore neither could the one nor can the other take vpon them to be Catholikes but only each for communion with their owne Church W. BISHOP §. 5. FInally the fift is as false as the fourth and in the same sort to be confuted True it is that the Donatists thought that none could be saued out of their congregation which is almost a common position of euery sect and heresie but most sure it is that there is no saluation out of the true Church of Christ no more then was out of the Arke of Noe in the generall deluge wherefore whosoeuer doth not communicate with the Church of Rome which is the chiefe member thereof in society of Faith and Sacraments is out of the state of grace and saluation according to that of S. Hierome to Pope Damasus I following no chiefe but Christ ioyne my selfe to Epistola 7. tit 2. the communion of Peters chaire vpon that Rocke I know the Church to be built whosoeuer doth eate the Paschal Lambe out of this house he is prophane he that is not found within the Arke of Noe shall perish c. where there is much more to this purpose R. ABBOT THe Rogatists as touching their Church of Cartenna and the Donatists as touching their Church of Africa were of minde that howsoeuer a man beleeued he could not be saued vnlesse he did communicate with their Church This M. Bishop acknowledgeth to be true and if this be true what hindereth but that the resemblance standeth good The Papists
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
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
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
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
vnto the children of Israel and as it were confined within the limits of one land and countrey wherefore it could not be called Catholike and Vniuersall R. ABBOT MAster Bishop is fouly ouerseene to make it a question here what time it was that the Church beganne to be called Catholike it being sufficient to my purpose that the Church before the time of Christ albeit it were not then called Catholike yet was a part of that Church which hath beene so called since the time of Christ euen as the arme which comming first out of the wombe beareth not the name of the child and yet is a part of the child which is afterwards called by that name Therefore St. Austin diuiding mankinde into a Aug. in psal 61. Vna ciuitas vna ciuitas Babylonia vna Hierusalem vna Illa rege Diabolo ista rege Christo c. Illa incepit à Cain haec ab Abel two Cities the one vnder the Diuell as King thereof the other vnder Christ the one Babylon the other Ierusalem b Heb. 12. 22. the heauenly Ierusalem c Gal. 4. 26. Ierusalem which is aboue which is the Mother of vs all beginneth Ierusalem at Abel as he doth Babylon at Cain and maketh d Aug. in psal 86. Ciuis inde Propheta ciuis inde Apostolus the Prophets as well as the Apostles cittizens thereof and by another similitude calleth the Christian Church e Idem in psal 79. Quid est expectandii secundae vincae in mò eidem vineae ipsa est enim non enim altera est one and the same vineyard with the Church of the Iewes And if M. Bishop will not learne this of Austin let him learne it of Gregory Bishop of Rome saying that God f Gregor in Euang hom 19. Habet vineam vniuersalem scilicet Ecclesiam quae ab Abel â—usto vsque ad vltimum electum qui in fine mundi nasciturus est quot sanctos pretulit quasi tot palmitâ—s misit hath his vineyard euen the vniuersall Church which yeeldeth so many branches as it bringeth forth Saints from righteous Abel vnto the last Elect that shall be borne in the end of the world and againe that g Idem in Ezech hom 15. Vna est Ecclesia electorum praecedentium atque sequentium there is but one Church of the Elect both before and since the time of Christ Or if he be loth to turne so great a volume as Gregories workes let him looke into their owne Roman Catechisme where he shall finde that it is one cause why the Church is called h Catechism Roman part 1. cap. 10. sect 16. Praeterea omnes fideles qui ab Adam in hunc vsque diem suerant quiâ—e futuri sunt quamdiu mundus durabit veram fiâ—em profitentes ad eandem Ecclâ—siam pertinent Catholike because all the faithfull who haue beene from Adam till this day and shall be to the worlds end professing the true faith doe belong vnto it What hath M. Bishop beene so long a Doctor of Diuinity and yet doth he not know that the Catholike Church though it were not called Catholike till after the comming of Christ yet now is vnderstood to contayne all the faithfull from the beginning to the end Vndoubtedly he knew it well enough but my collection galled him and he saw there was no way but by cauilling to make shew to shift it of But if he did not let him haue wit to learne it now and let him take my words accordingly that as of the Catholike Church from the beginning to the end there is but one body euen as one Lord one God and Father of all so there is also but one spirit which quickneth that one body and i Ephes 4. 4. one faith whereby we are all partakers of that spirit both which the Apostle ioyneth togither when of the faithfull both of the old and new Testament he saith that they haue k 2. Cor. 4. 13. the same spirit of faith Of this one spirit Gregory saith that l Greg. in psal 5. Poenitent Sicut est vna anima quae diuersa corporis membra viuisicat ita totam simul EcclesiaÌ„ vnus spiritus sanctus vegetat illustrat as it is but one soule which quickneth the diuers members of the body so one holy spirit giueth life and light to the whole Church Whether we respect them that were before the incarnation of Christ or them that come after they both make but one body and therefore the holy Ghost as the soule is but one and the same to both So of faith Gregory telleth vs that m Gregor in Ezech. hom 16 â—adé sides â—pes charitas in antiquis patribus quae in nouis Doctoribus fuit in the old Fathers was the same faith hope and charity as in the new teachers namely the Apostles and the rest So likewise Leo Bishop of Rome saith that n Leo in Natluit Dom. ser 3. Fides qua viuimus nulla fuit aetate diuersa the faith whereby we liue was neuer different in any age but o IdeÌ„ de Pass Dom. serm 14. Vna fides iustificat vniuersoruÌ„ temporuÌ„ sanctos one faith saith he iustifieth the Saints of all times p Aug in Ioan. tract 45. Tempora variata sut non fides c. In diuersis signis eadem fides There is difference of the times saith Austin but not of the faith in diuersity of signes there is the same faith q Idem Epist 89. Sacramenta variata sunt vt alia essent in veteri Testamento alia in nouo cùm fides varia non sit sed vna sit The Sacraments are altered one sort in the old Testament other in the new whereas faith is not diuers but one still Now though the signes and Sacraments were diuers yet because there was the same faith and the same spirit therefore the effects of faith and of the spirit were the same so that what we receiue spiritually in Baptisme and the Lords Supper they also though in other Sacraments receiued the same so that they were spiritually baptized they did eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud as well as we as was before intimated in my answere and M. Bishop giueth occasion to declare further in the next section Of the originall of the name Catholike and Catholikes I haue spoken before that that may suffice and though M. Bishop haue drawen it in it is impertinent here to stand vpon it W. BISHOP §. 2. ANd M. Abbot was greatly deceiued or else goeth about to deceiue others when for proofe of communicating with the Catholike Church hee recoileth backe vnto the beginning of the world Why did he not rather shew that their new Gospell flourished in all Countries assoone as the Christian faith was planted and that it hath continued in all ages since the Apostles dayes vntill our time that had beene to haue spoken directly to the purpose
Iewish Church before receiued not But let him report my wordes as he findeth them and then they shall stand good that Christ taught no other but the same faith and religion that was deliuered by Moses and the Prophets to the former Church which is not hindered by that he instituted new Sacraments because I haue already shewed that in diuersity of Sacraments there is still the same faith Which how handsomely he hath confuted hath before appeared and I suppose by that time he hath further considered of the matter he will finde cause to seeke for a better confutation But yet taking it vpon him that he hath confuted me he goeth on saying And here I adde that then Christians may haue many wiues togither as the Iewes had and may giue their wiues vpon any displeasure a libâ—ll of diuorce Where we may well thinke that he was scant in the right that tooke the lawfulnesse of many wiues and the giuing of a bill of diuorce to a wife to haue beene matters of the Iewes faith and religion towards God I haue cited Leo Bishop of Rome saying that h §. 2. of this Chapter the faith whereby we liue hath neuer differed in any age and will M. Bishop inferre against him as he doth against me that Christians then may haue many wiues and husbands may vpon euery displeasure giue their wiues a bill of diuorcement to put them away as it was amongst the Iewes Did not his discretion serue him to put difference betwixt matters of faith and of manners betwixt articles of religion and offices of conuersation Faith and religion import that deuotion seruice which is immediately performed to God and what letteth but that in their lawfulnesse of many wiues they might yeeld to God the same deuotion that we doe and we in single marriage the same that they But haply somewhat it was that he aimed at which his troubled head serued him not to expresse I said in my answere as touching those Fathers of the old Testament According to the approued example of their life we also teach men to liue Now I imagine hereof it is that he meant to say that then Christians may haue many wiues and at their pleasure giue their wiues libels of diuorce If this were his meaning he should haue bethought himselfe where their example in these things is found any where to haue beene approued because I made mention only of approued example For our parts we hold plurality of wiues in those times to haue beene permitted but not approued tolerated by dispensation as i Gregor exposit in 1. Reg. c. 2 l. 2. Quaedam in sacra Scriptura inuenâ—untur praecepta quae dispensatâ—oâ—â— qâ—idâ—m Dâ—â— praecepta sâ—nt sed non amore Deâ— Gregory saith some things were of old but not warranted by institution And of that dispensation the same Gregory taketh an example of the Iewes giuing a bill of diuorce concerning which we see how the Pharisees alleage in the Gospell not that God ordained it but only that Moses so commanded or rather suffered and the reason thereof giuen k Mat. 19 78. because of the hardnesse of their hearts and therefore we hope M. Bishop vpon better aduice will not of vnity of faith conclude any more that it should now be lawfull for vs to doe the same As for the iudiciall law of the Iewes it is wholly without the occasion and compasse of my speech and briefly I answere him that though there be the same faith and the same rules of duty and conuersation yet it doth not therefore follow that censures and punishments or trials and legall proceedings must be the same In a word whatsoeuer the Apostles decreed in their Councell at Hierusalem for the abrogating of the law we acknowledge and obey and that more faithfully then the Papists doe who as M. Bishop confesseth doe hold it their grace still to hold a conformity with the ceremonies of the law Yet againe if the Apostles saith he were simply and nakedly to preach to the Gentiles the law of Moses he should say without ambiguity the faith and religion of the Patriarchs and Prophets stript of types and shadowes why then were they commanded to preach vnto them the sacraments of Baptisme and of the Supper of the Lord An idle question and it is already answered that in deliuering other Sacraments they taught no other but the same doctrine and faith The Sacraments are water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Lords Supper different from those of old The doctrine of faith is the death of Christ and shedding of his bloud for the cleansing of our soules and remission of our sinnes which was the same in all the Sacrifices and Sacraments of the Church since the world beganne And this one doctrine I said the Apostles by the commandement of Christ so taught as that they added nothing of their owne This saith M. Bishop is very false for many things were left by our Sauiour to their disposition Now thou must vnderstand gentle Reader that I vsed not those wordes as mine owne but did set them downe in a distinct letter quoting Tertullian in the margent as the authour of them The whole passage of those words shall giue some light to the matter here in hand l Tertul. de Praescript Nobis nihil ex nostro arbitrio indulgere licet sed ne eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit Apostolos Domini habemuâ— authores qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio quod inducerent clegerunt sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam fidelitèr nationibus adsignauerunt We may not saith he giue our selues liberty of any thing at our owne discretion nor make choise of any thing which any other man hath brought in of his owne minde We haue the Apostles of the Lord for our leaders who did not of their owne will or discretion make choise of any thing to bring in but the doctrine which they receiued of Christ they faithfully deliuered to the nations Here then M. Bishop giueth Tertullian the lye and telleth him that it is false which he saith dissembling in the meane time the sight of Tertullians name and making shew as if he spake it to me only Thou art now at thy choise gentle Reader whâ—ther thou wilt rather beleeue Tertullian or M. Bishop If thou wilt rather beleeue Tertullian in a worke generally approued then thou must say as we say that the Apostles added nothing of their owne but taught only what they receiued of Christ according to the commission giuen vnto them m Mat. 28 20. Teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer things I haue commanded you But to shew that our Sauiour left many things to the disposition of the Apostles he alleageth those wordes of St. Paul n 1. Cor. 11. 34. Other things I will dispose or set in order when I come Where I would pray him to tell vs in good sadnesse whether the meaning of those wordes be I
heauen The other points were touched before and shall be shortly againe But I would in the meane season be glad to heare where the written word teacheth vs that Kings and temporall Magistrates are ordained by Christ to be vnder him supreme Gouernours of Ecclesiasticall affaires because M. Abbot made choise of this head-article of theirs for an instance that the written word was plaine on their side he should therefore at least haue pointed at some one text or other in the new Testament where it is registred that Princes are supreme Gouernours of the Church Nay are temporall Magistrates any Ecclesiasticall persons at all or can one that is no member of the Ecclesiasticall body be head of all the rest of the Ecclesiasticall members or is the state Secular higher and more worthy then the Ecclesiasticall and therefore meete to rule ouer it though they be not of it to say so is to preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen or is it meete and decent that the lesse worthy-member should haue the supreme command ouer the more honourable where the Christian world is turned topsie-turuy that may be thought meete and expedient but in other places that will not be admitted for currant which in it selfe is so disorderly and inconuenient without it had better warrant in the word of God then that new position of theirs hath R. ABBOT THe truth of mine assertions hath hitherto appeared by my defence of them but let them no further be taken for true then he is here found to be false that is the oppugner of them He saith that my conclusion conuinceth me euen by the verdict of my selfe to fall into the foule fault and errour of the Donatists To proue this he maketh me to speake in my answere in this sort Our faith because it is that which the Apostles committed to writing is the Apostolike faith and our Church by consanguinity and agreement of doctrine is proued to be an Apostolicall Church c. and is the only true Catholike Church c. Hauing set downe all these as my words he inferreth thus see you not how he is come at length to proue their Church to be Catholike by perfection of their doctrine which was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatisticall tricks reproued by St. Austin c. But I pray thee gentle Reader to looke where thou canst finde those wordes by me set downe And is the only true Catholike Church Aske M. Bishop if thou meete with him where he found them and if he cannot tell thee aske him in sadnesse what spirit he thinketh it was wherewith he was led when he set them downe for my wordes Fie M. Bishop fie for shame doe you talke so against lying and will you in the meane time lye so wittingly and willingly so as that there is no meanes to salue it no colour to excuse it I did not say that ours is the only true Catholike Church I made no shew of prouing it by perfection of doctrine to be the Catholike Church I neuer wrote it I neuer thought it and therefore once againe I wish you to bethinke your selfe of your words whereof I remembred you before a Reproofe pag. 283. The diuels cause it is that needeth to be bolstered out and vnderpropped with lyes Surely it is beyond doating folly it is desperate fury that draweth men on to such courses To let that goe foule and shamefull as it is he telleth vs next that he liketh well of Tertullians obseruation that our faith ought to haue consanguinity and perfect agreement with the Apostles doctrine But he curtolleth Tertullians obseruation by this recitall of his because Tertullian doth not only say what our faith ought to haue but telleth vs that b Tertul. de Praescript Quae licet nullum ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis authoreÌ„ suum proferaÌ„t vt mâ—â—tò posteriores quae denique quotidiè instituiâ—tur tamen in eadem fide conspirantes non mâ—â—us Apostolicae depâ—tantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae those Churches which cannot bring any of the Apostles or Apostolike men for their authour as being much later euen the Churches which daylie are begunne yet according in the same faith are for this consanguinity or agreement of doctrine reputed Apostolike Churches no lesse then the rest Hence I concluded that our Church because it agreeth in faith and doctrine with the Apostles is therefore to be reckoned an Apostolike Church But that saith M. Bishop is not the question at this time And what then is the question Marry saith he whether our doctrine or the Protestants be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in all nations ouer the world But did not he see that the one of these directly followeth of the other for the faith of the Apostles is it that was spred ouer the whole world Our faith is the same with the faith of the Apostles because it is that which is recorded in the Scriptures of the Apostles Therefore our faith it is that was spred and beleeued through the world Abrahams faith was it that was spred ouer the whole world for Abraham is c Rom. 4. 12. 16 the father and patterne of all that beleeue both circumcised and vncircumcised Our faith is the same with Abrahams faith Therefore againe it is our faith that was generally receiued throughout the world At this M. Bishop biteth the lip it troubleth him that he knoweth not what to say to it He seeth this proofe to be most certaine and impregnable aboue all other and therefore he seeketh by all meanes to diuert and turne away his Reader from listening to it He telleth him that I doe not deale plainly and soundly that I goe about the bush that I fetch wide and wild windlesses from old father Abrahams daies But I answere him that I haue so gone about the bush as that I haue scratched him with it and my wide and wild windlesses haue so inclosed him as that he cannot finde which way to get out againe Well if my course like him not what would he haue me doe I should he saith haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiasticall histories or ancient Fathers that the Protestants religion had flourished since the Apostles daies ouer all Europe Afrike and Asia I haue done already sufficient to demonstrate that I haue astonished him and choaked him with the euidence of Scriptures Stories Councels Fathers so as that hitherto he hath left all that he hath written to the question of religion without defence I shall make further demonstration thereof in this booke euen in the Roman Church What am I the nearer with him by that that I haue done What shall I be the nearer when I haue all done for he hath resolued himselfe to a wicked course and therefore though the light shine into his eyes yet he will sweare that he seeth it not He blameth me for concluding without
That we are not to imitate our fore-fathers descendeth to the subsequent to wit That his Maiesties Progenitours Kings of England and Scotland were not of our Roman faith which he will proue hereafter at more leasure that is to say neuer For he doth not deny but that the religious and holy man Augustine sent into our country by Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome to conuert our Ancestours the Saxons and English to the Christian faith did then teach the same Roman faith which we now professe so that aboue this thousand yeares by his owne confession his Maiesties Progenitours haue beene of our Catholike Roman faith and religion and very few Kings now liuing I weene can deriue their pedegree much further Afterward he doth rake out of the chanels of Bale Iewel Hollinshead and such like Page 198. late partiall writers which any man not past all care of his reputation would be ashamed to cite for sufficient witnesses in matters of controuersie wherein they themselues were parties that there was great disagreement betweene Augustine the Italian Monke as he speaketh and the Churches of England and Scotland whereas venerable Bede a most approued authour and neare vnto those times who did as most diligently trace out those matters so record them most faithfully he I say whose authority is sufficient to put downe an hundreth late writers interessed in the cause affirmeth that there was no variance betwixt them in any one article of faith but only in some few points of ceremonie namely in these two Vpon what day the feast of Easter was to be kept Beda lib. 2. histor cap. 2. and about the rites of Baptisme For S. Augustine offered them to beare with all other their different rites if they would yeeld vnto him in these two points Vt Pascha suo tempore celebretis That yee would keepe Easter-day at the due time appointed by the Councell of Nice and minister the Sacrament of Baptisme after Euseb in vita Const lib. 3. 17. Epiphan lib. 3. Haeres 70. the manner of the Roman Apostolike Church And concerning these two points who can thinke but that the Sacrament of Baptisme was like to be administred in those daies in the most renowmed City of Rome after a more decent and deuout manner then among the Britans that liued in a corner of the world Now for the other of keeping the feast of Easter the fourteenth day of the first Moone with the Iewes It was many yeares before condemned in the first most famous generall Councell of Nice and therefore it cannot be denyed but that those Britans were either very ignorant in the Canons of the Church if they knew not so solemne a decree or else too too contentious and wilfull in refusing to yeeld vnto it A third clause was added by S Augustine that the Britans would ioyne with him and his fellowes Beda ibidem in preaching the word of God vnto the English nation which also argueth yet more strongly that they agreed together in all articles of faith or else they would not haue required their helpe in instructing others in matters of faith And this is not only registred by S. Bede that holy Historiographer but also reported by their owne late writers Hollinshead and * M. Godwine Volum 1. page 103. * Page 6. in his Catalogue of the Bishops of England S. Bede also witnesseth further in the place aboue said that the same Britan Christians euen then confessed that they did perceiue that to be the true way of iustice which Augustine did preach Furthermore the principall Preachers and most godly men that liued not long before S. Augustines arriuall among the Britans as namely S. Dulcitius and S. Dauid were brought vp at Rome and one of them the Popes Legate too as the aduersaries Iohn Bale in their liues themselues confesse Whereupon it followeth clearely that not only for these later thousand yeares but also in the former hundreths all his Maiesties Ancestors both English and Britans embraced and maintayned the same Catholike Roman faith which we now doe R. ABBOT MAster Bishop kindly threapeth vpon me that I denie not but that Austin the Monke sent hither by Gregory Bishop of Rome did then teach the same Roman faith that they now professe whereas I doe not only deny it to be so but also doe bring a Answ to the Epistle to the King sect 31. diuers instances to proue directly that it is not so Of those diuers let one only here suffice The religion brought in by Austin the Monke continuing here till the time of Charles the Great though it approued the hauing of Images yet condemned the second Nicene Councell for that it approued the worshipping of them The thing by Roger Houeden is thus reported that b Roger. Houeden Annal. p. 1. Anno 792. Carolê° Rex FraÌ„corum misit Synâ—dalem librum ad Britanniam sibi à Constantinopoli directum in quo libro beu proâ— dolor multa inconuenientia verâ— fidei coÌ„traria reperiebantur maximè quòd penè â—mnium Orientalium Doctorum non minus quà m trecentorum vel â—o amplius Episcoporum â—nanima assertione confirâ—atum fuerit Imagines adorari debere quod omninò Ecclesia Dei execratur Contra quod scripsit Albinus EpistolaÌ„â—x authoritate diuinarum Scripturarum mirabilitèr affirmataÌ„ illamque cum â—odâ—m libâ—o ex person 1 Episcoporum ac Principli nostro 〈…〉 â—rancorum 〈…〉 t. in the yeare 792. Charles the King of France sent ouer into Britaine a synodall booke or booke of a Councell directed to him from Constantinople in which booke alas for woe many things were found inconuenient and contrary to true faith specially for that by agreement of all the Easterne Doctors no lesse then three hundred Bishops and more it was decreed that Images should be worshipped which thing the Church of God wholly accurseth Against which saith he Albinus wrote an Epistle wonderfully strengthened by authority of holy Scriptures and brought it together with the booke to the King of France in the name or behalfe of our Bishops and Peeres The Roman faith which Austin brought condemned that Nicene Councell Tho Roman faith which M. Bishop bringeth approueth that Councell for so hath he done in his c Sect. 12. Epistle to the King Therefore the Roman faith which M. Bishop bringeth is not now the same that Austin brought He cannot doubt but that Austin being sent hither by Gregory did teach the same faith here which Gregory himselfe taught at Rome But the faith which Gregory taught at Rome shall be shewed if God will in this booke in many particulars to haue beene contrary to that faith that is now taught from Rome As for our writers Bale Iewell Hollinshead and such like I cite them not as sufficient witnesses in matters of controuersie as he vainly cauilleth but I name them only as recording matters of history which they haue taken out of former stories and writers when mine owne Library
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
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
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
Gospell to the Corinthians of free cost though he omitted therein a liberty which God by speciall prouision and ordinance hath yeelded in that case yet the occasion waighed where he did it he did no more then in generality of duty God requireth and commandeth who will haue his fauours so to be a commodity vnto vs as that they be no wrong to him and our liberty so to be vrged and vsed as may stand with charity that it bee not a snare to our brethren or a wound to them whom wee should seeke to heale M. Bishop therefore is yet to seeke for his workes of supererogation St. Paul will yeeld him no helpe for them and a simple man would I hold him for alleaging this text for the proofe thereof but that I know he is tyed to goe that way that other Roman Hackneis haue gone before him Next and for conclusion he commeth to the Sacraments and although he cannot bring colour for their whole fiue superadded Sacraments yet he sheweth his good will by alleaging somewhat for two of them but still hath ill happe and commeth too short of the marke that he aymeth at For marriage he alleageth the wordes of St. Paul as commonly they doe y Ephes 5. 32. This is a great Sacrament Sacrament say they out of their vulgar Latin whereas considering the vse of the word Sacrament that now is they should rather say mysterie or secret as we doe Albeit if the very word Sacrament in their vulgar translation be sufficient to proue a Sacrament in that sense wherein the number of Sacraments is questioned betwixt vs and them they may tell vs of a greater number then now they doe and adde z Ephes 1. 9. the Sacrament of the will of God a Ephes â— 9. the Sacrament hidden from the ages past b 1. Tim. 3. 16 the Sacrament of Godlinesse c Apoc. 1. 20. the Sacrament of seuen Starres d Apoc. 17. 7. the Sacrament of the woman sitting vpon the Beast and sundry other of which their interpreter vseth the word Sacrament as well as hee doth concerning Marriage But the Masters of Rhemes acquit themselues in this behalfe affirming that e Rhem. Testam Annot. Ephes 5. 32. they doe not gather this only of the word Mysterie in Greeke or Sacrament in Latin both which they say they know haue a more generall signification and that in the Scriptures also which being so how idlely doth M. Bishop deale only to bring vs the very word for proofe that Matrimony is one of the Sacraments properly so called of the grace of Christ But the greater is his fault and the fault of his fellowes also in drawing this text to that purpose inasmuch as the Apostle expresly declareth that the mysterie or secret which he intendeth is concerning Christ and his Church This is a great mysterie but I speake concerning Christ and his Church that is saith Hierome in his lesser Commentary f Hieron in Ephes 5. Ego hoc inquit in Christo intelligendum dico in Ecclesia I say that this is to be vnderstood in Christ and in the Church And thus Leo Bishop of Rome wholly vnderstandeth it saying g Leo Epist 22. Quicunque in Christo non confitetur corpus humanum nouerit se mysterio incarnationis indignum nec eius Sacramenti habere consortium quod Apostolus praedicat dicens Quia membra sumus corporis eius c. Et exponeâ—s quid per hoc significaretur adiecit Sacramentum hoc magnum est ego autem dico in Christo in Ecclesia Whosoeuer confesseth not in Christ an humane body let him know himselfe vnworthy of the mysterie of the incarnation and that he hath no participation or fellowship of that Sacrament whereof the Apostle speaketh saying for we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones for this shall a man leaue Father and Mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they two shall be one flesh and expounding what was signified hereby he addeth This is a great Sacrament but I speake of Christ and of the Church He vseth the word Sacrament as the Latin Fathers commonly doe as it extendeth to all things that are mysticall and spirituall but as touching the place is so farre from conceiuing Marriage here intended to be made a Sacrament as that he referreth the Sacrament or secret here spoken of altogether to the mystâ—â—ie of the incarnation and the spirituall coniunction and vnion betwixt Christ and his Church To the very same effect speaketh St. Austin and much more to the purpose because he toucheth the very point in hand h August in Ioan. Tract 9. Illud vnum quatum mysterium de Christo continet quod praedicat Apostolus dicens Et erunt duo in carne vna Sacramentum hoc magnum est Et nequis istam magnitudinem Sacramenti in singulis quibusque hominibus vxores habentibus intelligeret Ego aâ—tem dico in Christo c. Quod est hoc Sacramentum magnum Erunt duo in carne vna Cum de Adam Bua Scriptura Geneseos loqueretur vnde ventum est ad haec verba Propterea â—â—linquet homo patrem c. That one thing which the Apostle mentioneth saying They two shall â—e one flesh this is a great Sacrament how great a mysterie doth it containe concerning Christ And that no man should vnderstand this greatnesse of Sacrament in all men that haue wiues he saith But I speake of Christ and of the Church What is this great Sacrament saith he They two shall be one flesh Marry when the Scripture of Genesis spake that whence it proceedeth to those wordes for this cause shall a man leaue Father and Mother c. In which wordes wee see that St. Austine is so farre from M. Bishops Popish construction and application of this Text as that hee plainely denyeth the matter of Sacrament here spoken of to appertaine to the common Marriage of Men and Women and referreth the same wholly vnto Christ and his Church figured and resembled in our first Parents Adam and Eue and that in some things proper to them only Hereto belongeth that which hee saith i Ibid. Paulò pòst Dormit Adam vt fiat Eua moritur Christus vt fiat Ecclesia Dormienti Adâ— fit Eua de latere mortuo Christo lancea percutitur latus vt proâ—luant SacrameÌ„ta quibus formetur Ecclesia Adam sleepeth that Eue may be made and that the Church may bee made Christ dyeth Whilest Adam sleepeth Eue is made for him out of his side and the side of Christ being now dead is striken through with a speare that the Sacraments may issue forth by which the Church is framed Whereof Leo also addeth in the place before cited k Leo vt supr Quae de Sponsi â—arne prodijt quando ex latere crucifixi manaÌ„te sanguine aqua Sacramentum redemptionis regenerationis accepit The Church came out
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
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