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
the world for it is totum integrale to vse the schoole termes and not totum vniuersale quod dicitur de multis Secondly the Catholike Church â—oth also designe and note very properly euery particular Church that embraceth the same true Christian faith which hath continued euer since Christs time and beene receiued in all Countries not only because it is totum similare as Mr. Abbot speaketh wherefore euery true member of the Catholike Church mâ—y be called Catholike but also because each of the said particular Churches hath the same Faith the same Sacraments and the same order of gouernement all which are as it were the soule and forme of the Catholike Church which Mr. Abbot acknowledgeth and further also confesseth out of S. Augustine that Christians were called Catholikes Ex communicatione totius orbis By hauing Epistola 48. communion of faith with the whole world If then by his owne confession euery particular Church yea euery particular Christian that imbraceth and professeth that faith which is dilated all the world ouer be truly called Catholike how fondly then did he goe about to proue the Church of Rome not to be Catholike and Papists not to be Catholikes because forsooth they were particulars Yet that he may be thought not to dote outright but rather to dreame he addeth That at least the Church of Rome hath no reason to assume to her selfe the prerogatiue of that title because that euery Church where the true faith is taught is truly called Catholike and no one more then another I note first that this man is as constant and stable as the weather-cocke on the toppe of a steeple before he proued stoutly as you haue heard that no particular Church could be called Catholike now he will haue euery particular Church that receiueth the true faith to be called Catholike Neither doe we say that any one Oxthodoxe Church is more Catholike then another if the word Catholike be taken precisely though we hold that among all the particular Catholikes the Roman holdeth the greatest priuiledges both of superiority in gouernement and of continuance and stability in the same true Catholike faith which is deduced out of the word of God because that Church is the Rocke according to the Math. 16. v. 18. exposition of the ancient Fathers vpon which the whole Church was built and against which the gates of hell should neuer preuaile Againe the Bishop of Rome succeedeth lineally vnto S. Peter Whose faith Luc. 22. v. 23. through the vertue of Christs prayer shall neuer faile Wherefore S. Ireneus a most learned Archbishop of Lyons in France and a glorious Martyr of great antiquity saith That all Churches ought to agree with the Lib. 3. cap. 3. Church of Rome for her more mighty principality S. Cyprian Archbishop of Carthage in Africke affirmeth That perfidiousnesse and falshood in matters Lib. 1. Epist 3. of faith can haue no accesse vnto the See of Rome S. Ambrose taketh it to be all one to say the Catholike and the Roman Church in these wordes If he shall agree De ob Satyri with the Catholike that is with the Roman Church So doth S. Hierome when he saith of Ruffinus What Hieron in Apol. 1 cont Russi c. 1. faith doth he say his to be if the Roman faith we are then Catholikes affirming men to become Catholikes by holding the Roman faith Tertullian Epiphanius De Prascript Epiph. hares 27. Lib. 2. cont Parmeni August Epist 165 Optatus S. Augustine dâ—e proue their Churches to be Catholike and themselues to be Catholikes by declaring that they doe communicate with the Church of Rome in society of faith and doe condemne their aduersaries to be Schismatikes and Heretikes because they did not communicate with the same Roman Church And which is greatly to be noted no generall Councell of sound authority wherein the Christian truth hath beene expounded and determined but is confirmed by the Bishop of Rome And on the other side no heresie or error in faith hath sprong vp since the Apostles dayes that did not oppose it selfe against the Roman See and was not by the same finally ouerthrowne Whereupon S. Augustine had good reason to say De vtil cred cap. 17. That that chaire obtayned the top of authority Heretikes in vaine barking round about it This little I hope will suffice for this place to declare that there is great cause why we should attribute much more to the Roman Church then to any other particular Church what soeuer and yeeld to it the prerogatiue of all singular titles in a more excellent manner R. ABBOT VVHereas M. Bishop made motion to his Maiesty to accept of the Catholike faith I tooke occasion to note that the Catholike faith is so called of the Catholike Church and consequently to shew that the Catholike Church by the very signification of the word importeth the vniuersal Church so called as I noted out of Austin and Athanasius a Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. Qâ—am maiores nostri Catholicam nominarâ—t vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent quiâ— per totum est Athanas quest 71. Catholica propterea quòd per totum mundum diffusa sit Quia per totum est because it is ouer all or through all the world and is not tyed to any Countrey place person or condition of men b Aug. in Psal 56. Corput eius est Ecclesâ—â— non hâ—c aut illa â—ed toto orbe diffusa nec ea quae nunc est in hominibus qui prâ—sentem vitam agunt sed ad â—am pertinentibus â—â—iam his qui fuerunt ante nos his qui futâ—ri sunt post nos vsque in sinem seculi Not this Church or that Church as S. Austin further saith but the Church dispersed through the whole world and not that which consisteth in men now presently liuing but so as that there belong to it both those that haue been before vs and shall be after vs to the worlds end Now before I could conueniently make vse and application hereof I was to remoue the stumbling blocke that lay in the way by the absurd presumption of the Church of Rome which like c Anian fabul the Asse in the fable of Antanus that to make himselfe terrible put on him a Lions skin so being become the Asse to carry Balaam the false Prophet who for d 2. Pet. 2. 15. Apoc. 2. 13. the wages of vnrighteousnesse hath set his heart to curse and scandalize the people of God to take away the reproch hereof and to gaine to it selfe a soueraigne authority ouer other Churches hath laboured by all meanes to entitle it selfe to a propriety of the name of the Catholike Church so as none should be taken to be a member of the Catholike Church but only as he is subiect to the church of Rome Duraeus the Iesuit out of the abundance of his Catholike wit hath told vs a tale which the old Catholike
from other places come to God into any one place of the earth but that in their owne places they should worship him This they held to be enough and knew no needâ— of hunting or seeking to this place or that place either to Rome or to Africa as vnder the ouerture whereof they might haue readier accesse to God because all places were alike to him Where if M. Bishop will say that they doe not require that euery one shall come to Rome to worship God there I answer him that when the Donatists did require g August coÌ„t Crescon GraÌ„ mat lib. 3 c. 34. Tot populi quid fecerunt quicùm ista nescirent tamen à vâ—bis rebaptizandi censentur all nations to be rebaptized by them they were not so madde as to thinke that it should concerne all men personally to come into Africa but would haue thought it sufficient that though not immediately by themselues yet mediately by their rebaptizers though not in person yet in deuotion and affection they had beene there that in the meane time they did respect it as the rocke from whence in their conuerters they were digged as the roote of their Christianity the oracle of their doubts the place of their appeales the sanctuary of piety from whence by communicating with it all their Seruices and Sacrifices should ascend to be acceptable vnto God Such as would haue yeelded them this regard they would neuer haue doubted though they had neuer come into Africa to adiudge them true members of their Church and therefore the Fathers in denying any one place to which the nations should need to come that they might come to God either spake idlely against the Donatists or else must be vnderstood to deny any such one place as I haue said But the Papists not content to attribute that to their Rome which the Donatists did to Africa haue further made it a matter of so great merit and moment with God to come to Rome to doe deuotion there as that to them that doe so or doe by money redeeme the necessity of going thither thereby to be esteemed as if they did goe they haue proclaimed the full pardon and remission of all their sinnes Sith then the Catholike Church importeth the vniuersall communion of h 1. Cor. 1. 2. all that call vpon the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place through the world and the communion of the Roman Church is extremely short of being extended ouer the whole world being limited to one place and being particular and priuate only to one sect and sort of men out of the number and company whereof are innumerable Christians and Christian Churches which as the case standeth neither haue nor desire to haue any portion therein yea vndoubtedly a number that neuer haue heard either of the Pope or of the Roman Church it must needes follow that as they deale absurdly who call the Roman Church the Catholike Church so they deale as absurdly who appropriate the name of Catholikes to the communion of the Roman Church which cannot arise but from the communion and fellowship indifferently of the vniuersall Church And hereby it appeareth that though some of them had dispersed themselues into all nations yet they could no more take vpon them thereby to be Catholikes then the Donatists in the like case could haue done For as the Donatists though they had set foote into all other Countries as they did into Italie and Spaine and out of Africa particularly so called into many parts and Prouinces of Africa at large yet could not for that haue beene called Catholikes because through the whole world they should haue beene but a part of the whole Church i Aug. Epist 161. Pars vestra quae Donati dicitur c. Pars Donati Donatus his part depending vpon one man and diuided vnder his name from the common society of the Church euen so the Papists also though they should spread themselues in the same sort yet should not thereby obtayne the right of the name of Catholikes because they should be but a part of the whole the Popes part depending vpon him and vnder his name diuided from an innumerable multitude of all nations who though they disclaime the Pope yet doubt not to haue interest in the Church as well as they and therefore where they are are no other but a faction and schisme renting the vnion and communion of the Church of Christ Surely if anciently there had beene any such dependence of the Church vpon the Bishop of Rome as the Papists pretend now the Donatists being offended as St. Austin witnesseth k August coÌ„t lit Petil. l. 2. c. 39. Quia vos de parte Donati essedicimus quâ—ritis hominem de cuius parte 〈◊〉 esse dicatis that they were called Donatists or Donatus his part and seeking to entitle their aduersaries vnder the name of another part would neuer haue beene to seeke herein but being at so great square with the Church of Rome as M. Bishop hath alleaged would haue giuen them a name from the Bishop of Rome to whom as their Prince and chiefe they were as fast tyed as they themselues were to l Collat. Carthag 3. cap. 32. Petil. Nâ—c nunc abnuo esse mihi principem ac fâ—isse beatissâ—mâ— santaeque memoris Donatum their Prince Donatus But because there wâ—nted ground and occasion of so doing the Church then standing in the liberty whereunto Christ had called it and neither addicting it selfe to any one place nor yeelding it selfe seruant to any moâ—â—all man therefore they diuised otherwise as occasion and stomacke led them sundry names which they applied vnto them m Aug. Epist 164. Nos Macarianos appellatis Macarians n Collat. Carthag â— cap. 30. Petil. Palam aperteque designo Mensuris 〈…〉 cos Ceci 〈…〉 istas esse Mensurists Cecilianists of Macarius Mensurius Ceciltanus euen in the like manner as the Papists being offended that we call them Papists for tying their deuoâ—â—on wholly to the Pope seeke to returne the same obiection of partiality vpon vs by calling vs Zwinglians Lutherans Caluinists whereas we yeeld no more either to Zwinglius or Luther or Calum then we doe to all other learned men so farre only to regard them as their proofes goe yea and doe determine that whosoeuer in adhering to any one place or any one man doe affirme themselues only in that communion to be the Church of Christ they are no other but Donatists they are no other but Schismatikes meere breakers and disturbers of Christian peace Whence it followeth as I haue said that the Papists are no other who limit the name of Catholikes and of the Catholike Church only to the communion of the Pope and of the Roman Church Which M. Bishop here doth who though he say that all other Churches of what Countrey so 〈…〉 r may be called Catholike maketh restrâ—int of his â—ll in this sort that with the Church of
which he seldome vseth But hee saw that to bee a worke too hard for Hercules and therefore to delude his Reader and to leade him from the matter he flieth vp to the old farne-daies of Abel Noe Abraham c. as though they had reuealed vnto them all those particular points of faith which Christ taught his Apostles and the same religion and manner of worshipping God that wee Christians haue which is flatly opposite to the doctrine of S. Paul who testifieth That the mistery of Christ vnto Ephes 3. vers 4. other generations was not knowne vnto the sonnes of men as now it is reuealed vnto his holy Apostles and Prophets in the spirit Those ancient Patriarkes as men looking a farre off at the dayes of Hebr. 11. v. 13. Christ the light of the world did not discouer so distinctly the mysteries of the Christian faith as the Apostles who were * Ioh. 6. v. 45. taught by his owne mouth and made to know a Ioh 15. v. 15. all his Fathers secrets and had b Rom. 8. v 23. the first fruits of the spirit in best sort to vnderstand them and carry them away To be short our Sauiour hath decided this question and saith in expresse words Many Prophets and iust men haue Math. 13. v. 17. desired to see the things that you see and haue not seene them and to heare the things that you heare and haue not heard them Obserue then how absurdly M. Abbot behaueth himselfe in this matter First he vseth tergiuersation in leaping so farre backe from the point of the question seeking communion with the Catholike Church some thousands of yeares before there was any Church Catholike Secondly in auouching the ancient founders of the first world to haue beleeued clearly and particularly all the articles of faith that we beleeue or else why doth he conclude that the Roman faith is not Catholike because in that old and hoare-headed world some branches of their faith were not sprong vp and of full growth They did not saith he worship Idols and Images they did not pray to Saints c. But good Sir did they beleeue that all their children were to be baptised and that all persons of riper yeares among them were to receiue the holy Sacrament of Christs body yea can M. Abbot demonstrate that they had perfect faith of the most holy and blessed Trinity beleeuing distinctly in three Persons and one God or that the Redeemer of the world Christ Iesus was to be perfect God and perfect Man the nature of man in him subsisting without the proper person of man in the second person of the Trinity which are the most high misteries of our Christian faith I am not ignorant that albeit those ancient Patriarkes and Prophets had not cleare and distinct knowledge of many articles which we are bound to beleeue yet they beleeued some few of them in particular and had a certaine confuse and darke conceit by figures and tipes of most of the rest R. ABBOT I Was neither deceiued my selfe M. Bishop neither did I goe about to deceiue others the case being so plaine as that a man of vnderstanding cannot easily be deceiued therein If the Catholike Church be but one from the beginning to the end and of this Church from the beginning to the end there be but one faith as hath beene shewed who is so blind as that he seeth not that the Catholike faith now must be the same with the faith of all the Patriarchs and Fathers since the world beganne It was not Catholike then because it was peculiar only to some few whom God enlightened or to one only nation which he specially selected but it was the very same which afterwards became Catholike by being preached and spred ouer the whole world Now then most cleare it is that if our faith be the same with the faith of Abel of Enoch of Abraham and the rest of those times then our faith is the Catholike faith euen the faith which the Apostles preached through the world and if the faith of Popery be not the same then is Popery falsly termed the Catholike faith M. Bishop blameth me for recoiling to the beginning of the world and telleth me what it is that I should haue proued when by recoiling if I must so call it to the beginning of the world I proue that which he requireth howsoeuer he vnder pretence of calling for proofe would make his Reader beleeue that he seeth no proofe But he well enough seeth the worke too hard for Hercules as he calleth it by this proofe very readily dispatched for if there be but one faith of the Church from the beginning to the end and our faith be that which was in the beginning then is our faith that which was spred ouer the world and shall continue to the end As though saith he they had reuealed vnto them all those particular points of faith which Christ taught his Apostles and the same religion and manner of worshipping God that wee Christians haue I answere him that all particular points of faith were reuealed vnto them but not all circumstances of all particular points nor so clearly as to vs and the same religion and manner of worshipping God in substance was deliuered vnto them though in outward rites and ceremonies we differ from them Christ was a Apoc. 13. 8. the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world b Aug. Epist â— ChristuÌ„ DeuÌ„ in carne venturum morituruÌ„ resurrecturum in coelum ascensuruÌ„ c. inque illo remissionem peccatorum salutemque aeternam credentibus futuram esse omnia gentis illius promissa omnes prophetiae Sacerdotia Sacrisicia templâ— cuncâ—a omninò Sacramenta sonuerunt All the promises of that time saith St. Austin all the Prophecies the Priest-hood the Sacrifices the Temple and all the Sacraments did tell them that Christ should come God in the flesh that he should die that he should rise againe and ascend into heauen and that all that beleeue should haue remission of sinnes in him These are particular points of faith and these they beleeued albeit the manner and circumstances of the Birth the Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ were not reueiled vnto them as they are in the Gospell liuely described and set forth to vs. For as in the first draught of the painter there is to be discerned the whole feature proportion and parts of the body which he hath in hand to paint which remaine afterwards by filling and garnishing to bee brought to full and perfect forme so the whole frame of Christian faith was in the beginning made knowen to the Patriarchs and Fathers of the first world though the same remained more and more clearly to be reueiled vntill by the comming of Christ it should receiue full and perfect light It skilleth not therefore which he saith that those ancient Patriarchs did not so distinctly discouer the mysteries of Christian faith as the Apostles
testimony of Pighius one of his owne fellowes should be sufficient to choake him a Pigh Eccles Hierarch l. 6. cap. 3. Quis per Râ—manaÌ„ Ecclesiam vnquam intellexit aut vniuersalem Ecclesiam aut generale Concilium Who did euer by the Roman church vnderstand the vniuersall Church A generall Councell is holden to be by representation the vniuersal or Catholike church and who was there euer so far out of his wits as to cal a generall Councell the Roman Church The seuen Churches of Asia haue been taken to betoken the vniuersall Church as we haue seene before but who euer said or thought that they did betoken the Roman church Now whereas he telleth vs that it may be so taken I answer him that so some man may take M. Bishop to signifie a ioined-stoole For if men will take names words to signifie what they list why may not some man be as wilfull in the one as he seeth them witlesse in the other What authority haue they to impose significations vppon words and phrases contrary to the first original thereof and to the alwaies continued custome and vse of the whole Church The Church of Christ absolutely is but one dispersed and scattered ouer the whole world Of this one Church there are notwithstanding diuers parts which all being in nature alike are by the name of the whole called by the name of b Act. 15. 41. Rom. 16. 16. Churches For distinction of these Churches they haue euery of them their denomination of the places where they are The church of Antioch is called c Act. 13. 1. the Church which is at Antioch the Church of Corinth is d 1. Cor. 1. 2. the Church of God which is at Corinth the Church of Ephesus are e Ephes 1. 1. the Saints which are at Ephesus And thus when the Apostle meant to write to the Church of Rome he writeth f Rom. 1. 7. to all that be at Rome beloued of God c. For as the Church of Thessalonica is g 1. Thess 1. 1. the Church of the Thessaelonians that is of them that inhabite Thessalonica so the Church of Rome is the Church of the Romans that is of them that inhabite Rome And thus we see that in the inscriptions of the Epistles of the ancient Bishops of Rome accordingly as we haue them albeit sometimes they wrote themselues Bishops of the Catholike Church yet doe shew that they meant it no otherwise then as all Bishops wrote themselues Bishops of the Catholike Church as I haue before shewed namely with limitation thereof to the Citty of Rome whereof they were Bishops without euer dreaming of M. Bishops vniuersall Roman Church Thus we finde h Calixt Epist 1. Calixtus Archiepiscopus Ecclesiae Catholicae vrbis Romae Calixtus Archbishop of the Catholike Church of the Citty of Rome i Marcellin Epist 1. Marceilinus Episcopus Sanctae Ecclesiae Catholicae vrbis Romanae Marcellinus Bishop of the holy Catholike Church of the Citty of Rome k Marcell Epist 2. Marcellus Episcopus Sanctae Apostolicae Catholicae vrbis Romae Marcellus Bishop of the holy and Apostolike and Catholike Citty of Rome And so Leo onewhere writing himselfe l Leo. Epist 13. Leo Catholicae Romanae Ecclesiae Episcopus Leo Bishop of the Catholike Roman Church doth otherwhere plainly expresse the meaning thereof m Epist 1 2. 3. Leo vrbis Romae Epi copios Et Epist 12. Leo Papa Ecclesiae Catholicae vrbis Romae Leo Bishop of the City of Rome Leo Bishop of the Catholike Church of the Citty of Rome To bee short it is not to bee found that euer the Church of Rome was otherwise vnderstood but only for the Church of the Citty of Rome and shall wee hearken to these new vpstart Minters that thus coyne vs a Church of Rome that was neuer heard of before And therefore it is nothing to vs what they by abuse of speech teach their followers to say let their French Disciples say they are of the Catholike Roman Church we vnderstand them thereby to take part with the Church of Rome but the Church of Rome is that of Rome only whereto they addict themselues Albeit by that addition what doe they but shew themselues Sectaries and Schismatikes diuiding themselues factiously apart from the whole the Catholike Roman Church absurdly so named by themselues from that which is absolutely and therefore truly called the Catholike Church For the Catholike Church is the whole Church as hath beene said but Roman put to it is a terme of diminution and abridgeth the whole to a part the vniuersall to a particular because the whole is not Roman Therefore to say Catholike Roman is to say Catholike not Catholike and Roman Catholikes are Catholikes which are no Catholikes and of them it may be truly said which Optatus said of the Donatists n Optat lib. 2. Vultis vos solos esse totum qui in omni toto non estis You would haue your selues only to be the whole who are not in all the whole Now here we may aske them with what face they can talke of antiquity who haue brought into the Church so strange a nouelty as this is The name of Catholikes and of the Catholike Church which pleased antiquity is not enough for them Pacianus said of old o Pacian ad Simpron epist 1. Christianus mihi nomen est Catholicus verò cognomen Christian is my name and Catholike my surname but that is changed now into Roman Catholike is my surname disclaiming thereby the communion and fellowship of the Catholike Church and banding themselues in a partiall and factious confederacy with the Roman Church Thus hauing departed from the ancient faith and discipline of the Catholike Church they doe notwithstanding for colouring of their Apostasie retaine certaine names and formalities thereof but they doe it so as that by their additions and constructions they make no other but mungrels and bastards of them And this appeareth by the reason that M. Bishop giueth of their adding Roman to Catholike namely to separate them that ioyne in faith with the Church of Rome from other sectaries because Catholikes were of old so called not for ioyning in faith with this or that Church but for being members of the vniuersall Church And if that reason were sufficient it should haue waighed of old as well as now when there were so many Sects and Heresies in the Church when Schismatikes and Heretikes vsurped to themselues the name of Catholikes and yet the Catholike saw no reason to draw the whole to the name of any part or to call themselues otherwise then by the name of Catholikes as resoluing to professe no other communion or fellowship but vniuersally with the Church of the whole world Neither was it otherwise till Antichrist had exalted himselfe in the Roman Sea who challenging to himselfe and his only to bee the Church of God tooke vpon him to
ratio vertitur ego â—os dicere possum imò palam apertâ—que designâ— Mensurisâ—as Ceciliâ—nistas esse Petilian the Donatist being offended that they were called Donatists as iustly they were for tying themselues to Donatus as their Patriarch and h Ibid. cap. 32. Nec â—lic abnuâ— esse miâ—i PrincipeÌ„ ac fuisse Donatum Prince retorted vpon the godly Bishops the names of Mensurists of Mensurius and Cecilianists of Cecilianus as if they in like sort depended vpon them So the Papists being vexed at that name of Papists giuen to them for being wholly at the deuotion of the Pope seeke to disgrace vs with the names of Lutherans and Zwinglians and Caluinists of Luther Caluin and Zwinglius as if we were in like sort affected and deuoted vnto them The Donatists complained that i Aug. coÌ„t lit Petil. l. â— c. 43. Derebus vel locis Ecclesiasticis quos tenebatis noÌ„ tenetis querimiâ—i Et coÌ„t GaudeÌ„t l. 2. c. 28. Obijcitis nobis quòd res vestras possidere cupiamus the goods and reuennues of their Churches bestowed vpon them by their ancestors were taken from them and giuen into the hands of the Catholike Pastors and teachers of the Church vpon whom they cryed out k Cont. Gaudent lib. 2. cap. 2â— Alienarum rerum incubaetores as robbers and spoilers of them The same complaint l Epist to the King sect 31. M. Bishop and his fellowes vse that Bishopricks and Deanries and Benefices founded by men of their religion and to the vse thereof are now as they pretend by wrong and vsurpation bestowed vpon vs. The Rogatists being one part of the Donatists m Aug. Epist 48. Solos vos Christianos esse perhibetis affirmed themselues only to be Christians euen as the Donatists generally did challenge n Ibid. Vniuersi Donatistâ— se pro Ecclesia Christi supponentes Optat. lib. 2. Nitimini suadere hominibus apud vos solos esse Ecclesiam to themselues only to be the Church of Christ and so now the Papists in their faction esteeme themselues only to be Christians in so much that Bellarmines Ghost doubteth not to say that o Tort. ad Apolog resp Jacobus cum Catholicus non sit neque Christianuâ— est our King Iames because he is no Catholike of their coine therefore is no Christian The Donatists p Aug. Epist 50. 68. 122. cont Crescon Grammat lib. 3. cap. 42. c. prouoking Emperours and Kings by their intollerable outrages and villanies to make lawes for the punishing of them when the same were executed complained of q Aug. cont Gaudent lib. 2. c. 12. Propter filium hominis ac fidem c. vos persecutionem sustinere iactatis persecution and termed themselues r Collat. Carthag 3. c. 22. Apud nos est vera Catholica quae persecutionem patitur non quae facit the Church persecuted which persecuteth nâ—t and such of them as were iustly executed for murders and other vnlawfull acts they called Å¿ Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 83. Cum viuatis vt latrones mori vos iactatis vt Martyres Et Epist 166. Dementia vt latronum facta fac 〈…〉 cum iure puniminâ— marlyrum gloriam requiratis Martyrs yea such as threw themselues downe from sleep places to kill themselues that it might be thought that others killed them yea such as forced others to kil them threatning to kill them if they did not so these all I say they blazed t Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 71. Petil. Vos beati non estis sed beatos martyres facitis quorum scilicet animabus câ—li repleti sunt corporumque memoria terrâ— storuerunt Vos â—on colitisâ—ed facitis quos colamus Aug. Si dictum esset Beati qui seipsos praecipitant implerent coeum martyres vestri Et l. 1. c. 24. Praeciâ—â—tatorum vltrò â—adauerum cultus sacrilegos mitto for Martyrs and to their Relikes and dead bodies they did great deuotion and canonized them otherwise for â—â—ints in heauen Euen the same course doe the Papists take with vs who by their traiterous attempts and practises and most diuellish conspiracies giuing cause of making lawes for their punishment and restraint do vpon execution thereof cry out u Concertat Eccl. Cathol in Angl. Epist De persecutionâ— Anglicana of persecution x Epistle to the King sect 33. terrible persecutions saith M. Bishop in the late Queenes daies and doe call them Martyrs that are notoriously put to death for such horrible treasons Vnder which name they haue registred y Apolog. pro Henr. Garneto pag. 169. Garnet that wretched caitife a principall abettour of the gunne-powder practise then which there was neuer a more impious designement amongst men Yea and these thus iustly put to death they honour with great deuotion they deuise miracles of them they dippe handkerchiefes in their bloud they ioy to get peeces of their bodies they make of them Saints and z Concertat Eccl. Cathol in Angl. vers de Campian Sis mihi quaeso tuo facilis patronus alumno Nec cesses pro me saepe rogare Deâ—â— pray vnto them The Donatists though of their detestable and enormous acts Emperors tooke occasion to make lawes against them yet would not haue it thought that the Emperors did it as of their owne minde but moued and drawen thereto by the godly Bishops and Pastors that were aduersaries to them a Aug. coÌ„t lit Petil. l. 2. c. 9â— Calumniamini nobis dicentes à nobis in vos ad iracundiam Reges seculi concitari dum cos noÌ„ docemê° diuinam Scripturam sed malitiam nostâ—aÌ„ suggerimus Yee calumniate vs saith St. Austin saying that by vs Kings are incited to anger towards you for that we teach them not the Scripture of God but suggest to them our owne malice Euen so our Papists and namely b Reproofe pag. 85. M. Bishop although they know that of their owne vngodly misdemeanours the State hath taken occasion to make lawes against them and that our Princes haue had very iust cause to deale seuerely with them as Watson their owne proctor hath largely confessed yet that their owne blame may be the better hidden doe impute these proceedings to the instigations and exasperations of our Bishops and Ministers as if otherwise no cause were conceiued but that they should be moâ—â— gently intreated then now they are The Donatists albeit they knew well that it was a very small part of the world that ioyned with them yet ioyed to vse wordes as if they had had a Church throughout the world saying in their Councell of three hundred and ten Bishops that c Aug. cont CrescoÌ„ GraÌ„m lib. 3. cap. 56. Cùm Ecclesiae Catholicae Sanctitatem vir memorie vtnerabilis ab errore persidia Donatus assereret in â—ius nomen cultum mundi penè totius obseruantia â—â—trita câ—aluit when Donat 〈…〉 â—reed the
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
mihi cogita de similitudinibâ—s quae sâ—â—â—t in Euangelio as images and pictures doe not on all parts and in all respects fit to those things which they represent so neither doe those similitudes that are vsed in the Gospell It is sufficient alwaies in this case that the resemblance stand good in that in respect whereof the similitude is taken Now therefore albeit the name of Iew doe import a people of one race and kindred and the name of Catholike doe not so yet the name of Iew implyeth withall a certaine profession of religion and deuotion towards God according to the oracles of God deliuered vnto that people and therin it agreeth with the name of Catholike which amongst Christians hath done the like The name of Iew importing of old a prerogatiue of being the people of God and of hauing the knowledge of God and of true religion was a name of honorable respect as I haue shewed and therein the name of Catholike is answerable to it hauing beene wont to signifie the true professors of Christian faith liuing in the vnity and fellowship of one Catholike Church being thereby partakers of the honour that belongeth to the same Church The name of Iew though in it selfe a gracious and louely name yet by the infidelity and apostasie of them who for carnall propagation only continued it to themselues without regard of the spirituall duty thereto annexed became a name of curse and reproch What hindereth but that I might also say the thing being so that the name of Catholikes also though honorable and desireable in it selfe and in that vse whereto it was of old applied yet being abused by vniust vsurpers of it is in them and in their abuse a name of curse and infamie so as that when we heare such a man call himselfe a Catholike we take him thereby to be a man of shame and to carry the marke of an Apostata and an Heretike Yea but the law of the Iewes saith he was to continue but for a time and to end at the comming of Christ whereas the name of Catholike shall neuer faile It is true that the law of the Iewes as touching the outward ceremonies was to end at the comming of Christ but in the spirituall vse and doctrine thereof accomplished in Christ it was to remaine for euer Wherein if the Iewes had continued by faith their name and they themselues had continued in honour but q Rom. 11. 20. by vnbeliefe they were broken off and thereby their name grew to that detestation spoken of Euen so the faith for which men at first were called Catholikes shall remaine without end wherein if they had continued that assume to themselues that name it should haue beene to them still as of old it was a name of honour but hauing seazed vppon the name only by externall and carnall succession and hauing banished that faith which they professed who of old were called Catholikes the name according to their vnderstanding of it is odious and hatefull neither doth any faithfull man ioy to be called a Catholike lest he should seeme to be partaker with them in their perfidious apostasie from the faith of Christ For the better clearing whereof and better discouery of M. Bishops fraude who to deceiue the simple hudleth and confoundeth all it is to be obseâ—ued that the word Catholike in our common speech is taken sometimes adiectiuely and sometimes substantiuely Adiectiuely as when we say the Catholike Church the Catholike Faith the Catholike Doctors and Fathers and thus we forbeare not to vse the name but it is common in our mouthes and in all our writings neither will we make it any doubt or question with M. Bishop but that the Church hath beene from the beginning and shall be to the end called the Catholike Church But it is otherwise taken substantiuely and put absolutely to designe the persons that are stiled by the name of Catholikes as when a Papist saith that he is a Catholike and that they generally are Catholikes in which sort it was not vsed from the beginning and therefore there is no necessity of the continuance of it to the end For the space of three hundred yeares after Christ vntill the time of Constantine and the arising of the heresie of the Donatists I doe not thinke it can be shewed that Christians of true beliefe were accustomed any where to be called by the name of Catholikes I would intreate M. Bishop for my learning to bring me Tertullian or Origen or Athanasius or Clemens Alexandrinus or Cyprian or Euscbius or any other of those times by whom it may appeare that there was any such vse thereof Nay Athanasius certainly knew it not who to expresse the true professors of the faith vseth no other names but to call them r Athanas Apolog 2. Epist Sardic Concil Omnes vbique Orthodoxae fidei homines Men of the orthodoxe or right faith or more briefly to the same effect Å¿ Ibid. Ab Eusebianis contra Orthodoxos acta Epist proxima Toti in hoc sunt vt Orthodoxos eijciant The Orthodoxe or elsewhere t Ibid. Epist Iulij Ferè omnes Clericos Populos Ecclesiae Catholicae insidijâ— appeti The Clergie and People of the Catholike Church or such like and found no generall or vsuall name to that purpose but only Christians Which appoareth very plainly where arguing against the Arians from their very name of Arians he saith thus u Athanas coÌ„t Arian Orat. 2. Nunquam populus ab Epiâ—copis suis sed à Domino in quem credidit nomen accepit Certè à beatis Apostolis preceptoribus nostris ministrisque Euangelij Saluatoris nostri appâ—llationes adepti non sumus sed à Christo Christiani sumus nuncupamur Illi verò qui alâ—unde originem suae fidei deducunt meritò authorum suorum cognomenta vt ad quos pertineant praeseserunt Quaproptèr cùm omnes à Christo Christiani essemus diceremur explosus est Morcion inuentor haereseos reliqui autem qui cum Marcionis explosore remansere Christiani titulum retinuerunt qui verò secuti sunt Marcionem non iam inde Christiani sed Marcionistae appellati sunt Ita quoque Vaâ—entinus Basilides Manichaeus Simon Magus sectatoribus sua vocabula impertierunt indâ—que factum vt alij Valentiniani alij Basilidiani c vocitati sint Ita Melctius eiectus à Petro c. suos qui ipsum sequebantur non Christianos postea sed Meletianos denominauit Eadem it erum ratione Alexandro Arium eijciente ij qui Alexandro adhaeserunt remanserunt Christiani illi verò qui vnà cum Ario recesserunt nomen Saluatoris nostri Alexandro cum suis relinquentes Ariani deinceps appellati sunt Quinimò ecce â—tiam nunc post mortem Alexandri qui eiusdem communionis sunt cum Athanasio Alexandri successoâ—e quibus ipse Athanasius communione coniunctus est omnes eundem pariter characterem
habent neque ille suis nomen indit aut à suis recipit sed omnes vt antea consuetâ— more Christiani nominantur Neuer any people tooke name of their Bishops but of the Lord in whom they beleeued We haue not taken names from the holy Apostles our Masters and Ministers of the Gospell of our Sauiour but of Christ we both are and are called Christians but they who deriue the originall of their faith from any other doe worthily beare the names of their authours as to whom they doe belong When as therefore we all were and were called Christians of Christ Marcion the inuentor of heresie was worthily exploded The other which remained with him by whom Marcion was exploded retayned the name of Christians but they who followed Marcion were no longer called Christians but Marcionites And thus Valentinus Basilides Manicheus and Simon Magus gaue names to their followers and thence it came that some were called Valentinians other Basilidians other Manichees other Simonians other Cataphrygians of their Countrey Phrygia other Nouatians of Nouatus Thus Meletius being eiected by Peter a Bishop and Martyr named them that followed him not any more Christians but Meletians In the same sort when Alexander eiected Arius they who cleaued to Alexander remayned Christians but they who went away with Arius leauing the name of Christians to Alexander and his were thenceforth called Arians Moreouer euen now after the death of Alexander they who are of the same communion with Athanasius the successor of Alexander and with whom Athanasius himselfe is ioyned in communion they all still keepe the same marke he neither giueth any name to them nor they to him but all as before according to the accustomed manner are called Christians This place I haue set downe at large that the Reader may see that Athanasius here could not haue omitted the name of Catholikes there being such occasion to draw it from him if it had been then in vse and that the common names of opposition were then not Catholikes and Heretikes but Christians and Heretikes euen as Cyprian also vseth it saying of Stephanus x Cyprian ad Pompeium Qui haeretâ—coruÌ„ causâ—m contra Christianos contra Ecclesiam Dei esscrere conatur He goeth about to maintaine the cause of Heretikes against Christians and against the Church of God the word Catholike being neuer found in either of them personally taken or substantiuely as before was said but only that Athanasius mentioneth one surnamed y Athanas Epist ad solitariam vitam agentes Faustinus Catholicus homo genere Bithyâ—us opinionibus haereticus Catholicus an Arian Heretike and a persecutor of the faith We may therefore well thinke that there was little discretion riueted to M. Bishops head that would tell vs that the name so taken is so fast ioyned and riueted with Christian profession and religion as that it cannot be separated from it for if it were not so riueted then how commeth it to passe that it is so now The originall thereof was as we may well coniecture by occasion of the heresie of the Donatists who challenged the name of the Church to a part in Africa or elsewhere which were followers of Donatus against whom they that defended the Church Catholike were thereof in processe of time termed by the name of Catholikes The first vse then of the name of Catholikes stood in opposition betwixt Catholikes and Donatists albeit custome soone transported it to make a generall opposition betwixt Catholikes and Heretikes Now the name thus arising accidentally and only by occasion who doubteth but that without preiudice of Christian profession it may by occasion be let fall againe And what greater occasion can there be then the Popish abuse thereof who make a Catholike to import the same in effect now that a Donatist did then For with them a Catholike is no otherwise taken but for a Roman Catholike and because the whole Church is not Roman but a part only what is this Roman Catholike but one who vnder the false name of a Catholike diuideth himselfe from the whole Church as the Donatists did to cleaue to a part thereof What is the name of a Catholike then with them but a Donatisticall name schismaticall and factious and therefore wicked and hatefull and in their sense wholly to be abandoned out of the Church of God Hereby it may appeare how idlely M. Bishop saith that the Apostles did ascribe and appropriate the name Catholike to true Christianity for although they taught vs to beleeue the Church to be Catholike that is vniuersally extended through the world yet did they neuer teach neither was it for a long time after them accustomed that true Christians were called by the name of Catholikes and therefore without wrong to any thing which the Apostles taught we may rightly say that the name according to the Popish abuse thereof is become the proper badge and marke of Apostataes and Heretikes And therefore although if we had beene in the time of Austin we would with him z August in Ioan. tract 32. Catholico nomine fide gaudemus haue reioyced in the Catholike name and faith yet now we cannot with the Papists reioyce in the name of Catholikes and without any blasphemy we reiect it because vnder that name they haue diuided themselues from the Catholike Church and haue destroyed the true Catholike faith Who though they be no other but proud and false fellowes as M. Bishop speaketh and meere vsurping companions and their insolent and audacious folly haue beene both rebuked and conuicted yet doe still impudently and infinitely persist in their absurd claime and doe leaue vs no way but only to desist from the communion of the name which we cannot free from that abuse Now whereas I say further that a Rom. 2. 28. the Apostle denyeth the name of Iewes to them who yet according to the letter were so called because of the circumcision of the flesh and applyeth the truth of the name to them who were so according to the spirit albeit according to the letter they were not so named M. Bishop very discreetly answereth that the name Iew being taken in the Apostles sense for one of what nation soeuer that fulfilleth the iustice of the law neuer was nor shall be a name of reproch But what is this I pray to that that I say Doe my words import that the name of a Iew in that sense is or hath beene a name of reproch When I say that the Apostle applyeth the truth of the name to the faithfull would he conceiue me that the Apostle applyeth to them a name of reproch My words plainly signifie that the name in vulgar and literall construction applyed to them who by propagation of nature are the seede of Abraham is become a name of reproch and shame but that as it hath implication of spirituall circumcision and conformity with Abraham it is a name of honour though they to whom it
Resurrection of our Lord Iesus This is our religion and herein their example iustifieth vs but their doctrines of transubstantiation and reall presence and concomitancy and sacrifice propitiatory for quicke and dead with the rest of that kinde are additions of theirs whereof the institution of Christ which togither with vs they recite maketh no shew at all If they should haue disclaimed redemption and remission of sinnes by the bloud-shed and death of Christ Christian people would haue defied them therefore they left the name thereof in the Church which is our religion but they defeated the power of it by briâ—ging in a thousand other deuices wherby men should redeeme themselues and purchase the remission of their owne sinnes It is our religion to acknowledge Christ to be the Mediator betwixt God and Man and this they would neuer disauow but to Christ they haue ioyned the Saints also to be our Mediators It is our religion to teach that God is to be worshipped and all spirituall deuotion is to be done vnto him and this they cannot deny but they haue added hereto the worshipping of Saints and Saints Images and thereby haue defiled the worship of the immortall God They deny not grace which our religion teacheth but they put to it the power of nature and free will They dare not but confesse Christ to be the head of the Church which our religion teacheth but they haue added the Pope to be another head and so haue made the Church a Monster with two heads Thus in euery point of doctrine take away those patcheries and additions of theirs which are things not taught vs by the word of God and euen in their religion that which remaineth is our religion the very truth of the Gospell of Iesus Christ For these and such other propositions of true faith the Diuell could neuer abolish out of the Church only by Antichrist he suppressed the knowledge and vse of them and to this wholsome wine put such abundance of his corrupt and poisoned waters as might frustrate the power and effect thereof Wherein notwithstanding he could not so farre preuaile but that the light here and there brake forth by such chinks and lattises as were remaining which many of our forefathers in the time of that Aegyptian darkenesse did discerne and see to their euerlasting comfort and soules health Yea M. Bishop knoweth well that there were in those times both Pastors and Flocks not in one only Countrey but in many who detested those blendings and mixtures of theirs and kept themselues either wholly or for the most part to the entire truth of our religion the light whereof euen then shined vnto them out of the very darkenesse of the Church Which notwithstanding we wonder not that he pretendeth not to know who will seeme not to know that our religion hath spred it selfe into Italie and Spaine when as all the world knoweth that the Inquisition hath shed the bloud of many thousands there only for the profession of our religion Yea the principles of our religion are so residing will they nill they in the very bowels of Popery as that they are forced to vse many sinister courses to drowne and stifle them and to keepe the people from taking knowledge thereof because they see that if there be but winde to blow away the ashes our fire will straightwaies burne amongst them and the flame presently ascend to the consuming of their roofe they see that if men be but stirred a 〈…〉 awaked out of their sleepe they will be forthwith ready out of the very common instinct of Christianity to beeleeue as we doe In Greece in Africa in Asia wheresoeuer the Gospell is there is no other but our Gospell because there is no Gospell but that which the Euangelists and Apostles haue recorded in the writings of the Gospell neither is Christ any where knowen but where he is knowen by that Gospell Therein hath our Gospell beene spred ouer the whole world therein we communicate with the Church of the whole world wheresoeuer this Gospell is free there our religion is not bound but thereby euen amidst errour and apostasie b wisedome is iustified of her children and God Mat. 11. 19. according to the purpose of his grace giueth light vnto euerlasting life As for the Indians lamentable experience haue they had of the Popish Gospell Neuer any Apostle or Euangelist carryed their religion abroade as the Papists haue done thither and they haue cause to wish that the Roman Church had neuer beene so Catholike as to extend to them Vpon some few of the remainder of them they haue forced baptisme some of their ceremonies but they haue taught them nothing of religion nothing of the Gospell of Iesus Christ How otherwise their religion hath beene spred ouer the whole world enough hath beene said already in briefe I say here that they can alleage no age nor time wherein they can make good that it hath so beene We know they can talke at will but farre are they from proofe that their doctrines of the Popes Supremacy his Pardons and Iubilees of Purgatory of Transubstantiation of their priuate Masse and halfe Communion with a number of such other were euer or at any time receiued throughout the whole world 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 A BRIEFE DEFENCE OF THE KINGS SVPREMACY ECCLESIASTICALL ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE NOw as of this Catholike Church from the beginning to the end there is c. to Now whereas he alleageth c. W. BISHOP §. 1. WE agree in this that there is but one faith one baptisme one spirituall foode and one religion in the Catholike Church but M. Abbot is fouly ouer-seen about the time when the true Church beganne first to be called Catholike which was not before Christs time but afterwards according to that alleaged out of Pacianus an ancient Author who writeth of the name Catholike saying Pacian Epist ad Simphor de nomine Catholico Christian is my name Catholike is my surname For when among Christians some beganne to teach false doctrine and to draw others after them into sects they that remained sound and did cleaue fast vnto the whole body of the Church were intituled Catholikes to distinguish them from Heretikes that did not ioyne with the vniuersall corps of Christians in faith and religion which M. Abbot before did in plaine words confesse see his text afore where he beginneth to argue of the word Catholike And the reason is most perspicuous why the Iewes and their religion could not be called Catholike though it were right and according to the will of God for that time because Catholike signifieth that which is spred all the world ouer and receiued of all nations so was not the law of Moyses and the manner of seruing God therein prescribed but was peculiar
the Catholike Church as well as we what tergiuersation doe I vse or how doe I leape backe from the point in question when by affirming our communion with them I affirme consequently our communion with the Catholike Church Forsooth the Church was not then Catholike Bee it so but it was then the same Church which was afterward to become Catholike a part of the Catholike Church and in com 〈…〉 nicating with a part of the Catholike Church we communicate with the whole because of the whole there is but one and the same saith Secondly if they were Christians by the same faith whereby we are so what absurdity do I commit in saying that they beleeued all the articles of faith that we beleeue so clearly I doe not say because they beleeued them not in those particular circumstances which by the story of the Gospell are knowen to vs but yet all the same and as clearly as wee beleeue those points of faith which are of those things that are yet to come And if they did so what hindereth but that we rightly conclude that those branches of the Roman faith which were not then sprung vp are only Romish additions and not any parts of the true Catholike faith Against this M. Bishop excepteth But good Sir did they beleeue that all their children were to be baptized and that all persons of riper yeares among them were to receiue the holy Sacrament of Christs body I haue answered him before that as touching outward signes and Sacraments there is difference betwixt them and vs and I now answere him further that as touching the power and effect of Sacraments they were in their Sacraments spiritually baptized as well as we and spiritually partakers of Christs body and bloud as well as we For u Leo in Natiu Christi ser 3. Verbi incaâ—natio haec contulit facienda quae facta c. Hoc magna pietatis Sacramentum quo totus iam mundus impletus est tam potens etiam in suis significationibus fuit vt non minùs adepti sine qui in illud credidere promissum quà m qui suscepere donatum the incarnation of Christ being yet to come saith Leo yeelded the same that it doth now being done and the great mysterie of godlinesse whereof now the whole world is full was so powerfull in the significations of it as that they attamed no lesse who beleeued therein being promised then they did who haue receiued it now giuen and performed And againe x IdeÌ„ de Pass Dom. ser 13. Sanguis vnius iusâ—â— quem nobis pater donauitqui â—um pro reconciliatione mundi credimus fusum hoc contulit patribus qui similitèr credidere fundâ—â—dum The bloud of one iust one which the father hath giuen vnto vs who beleeue the same to haue beene shed for the reconciliation of the world yeelded the same benefit to the Fathers who did beleeue that it should be shed Therefore we see that the Apostle as on the one side he saith of vs that we are y Col. 2. 11. circumcised because the effect of circumcision is with vs so saith of them also that they were z 1. Cor. 10. â— baptised because the grace and effect of baptisme was with them And thus Gregory saith that a Greg. Mor. l 4. c. 3. Quod apud nos valet aqua baptâ—matis hoc eâ—â—t apud veteres vel pro paruulis sola fides vel pro maioribus virtus sacrificij vel pro his qâ—i ex Abrahae stiâ—pe prodierant mysterium circumcisionis what the water of baptisme auaileth with vs the same with 〈◊〉 old Fathers did either faith only for infants or for them of elâ—â—â— yeares the power of Sacrifice or for them that came of the stocke of Abraham the Sacrament of circumcision And thus of their Sacraments whereto now answereth our Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ the Apostle saith that therein b 1 Cor. 10. 4. they did eate the same spirituall meate and drinke the same spirituall drinke For their Sacraments and ours c August in Ioan. tract 26. Sacramenta illa fuâ—runt in signis diuersa sunt sed in re quae significatur pariâ— sunt in signes are diuers faith St. Austin but in the thing signified they are both alike They that did eate Manna aright d Idem de vtil poâ—â—it cap. 1. Quicunque in Manna ChristuÌ„ intellexerunt â—undem quem nos cibum spirituilem manducauerunt did vnderstand Christ therein and thereby did eate the same spirituall meate that we doe euen the flesh of Christ and they that did drinke of the Rocke aright did therein also drinke of Christ euen the bloud of Christ for the Rocke was Christ that is e IdeÌ„ de TeÌ„p sor 108. Petra illa typum habuit corporis Christi c. Quod vtique non ad dâ—uinâ—tatem 〈◊〉 sed ad caraâ—m relatum est quae siticntium corda populorum perenni riuâ— sangâ—â—nis sui inundauit was the type or figure of the body of Christ saith Austin againe the same not being referred to his Deity but to the flesh which watered the hearts of the thirsty people by the euer-flowing riuer of his bloud f Idem de vtilit Poenit. cap. 1. Eundem â—rgò cibum eundem pâ—tum sed intelligentibus credentibus Non intelligentibus autem illud solum Manna illa sola aqua ille cibus esurienti potus iste sitienti nec ille net iste credenti credenti autem â—dem qui â—â—â—c There was saith he the same meat and the same drinke to them that had vnderstanding and faith but to them that vnderstood not the one was only Manna the other was only Water the one foode for the hungry the other drinke for the thirsty neither the one nor the other meate or drinke for the beleeuer but he that beleeued had the same that we haue now And if they had so if by Manna they did eate the body of Christ and by the Water of the Rocke they did drinke the bloud of Christ what hindereth then but that wee may say that though not by outward signe yet as touching inward grace and effect they were partakers of the Lords Supper Whereas he further asketh Can M. Abbot demonstrate that they had perfect faith of the Trinity beleeuing distinctly in three persons and one God I answere him that it may bee to him in â—ade of a demonstration that they did so because sundry Heathen Philosophers as g Cyril cont lulian lib. 1. Ex Hermete Orpâ—â—â— Porphyrio c. Vide Phil. Morn Plessi de verit Christ relig cap. 6. Cyril at large sheweth were not ignorant of this secret of the diuine nature who had no otherwise knowledge thereof but by some kinde of Tradition from the Fathers who had beene so instructed from God himselfe For can we thinke that it could be knowen to Philosophers and Pagans and that it was vnknowen to the Patriarchs
z Aug. cont Faust Manich. l. 15. c. 2. Vetus testamentum recte intellâ—gentibus propheâ—a est noui testamenti the old Testament to them that rightly vnderstand it is a prophecie of the new that a Idem de Catechiz rudib c. 4. In veteri testamento est occultatio noui in neuo testamento est manifestatio veteris in the old Testament is the hiding of the new and in the new the manifesting of the old To be short Leo faith b Leo in Natiuitat Dom. serm 3. Quod praedicauerunt Apostoli hoc annunciauerunt Prophâ—tae c. quod semper est creditâ—m What the Apostles preached the same the Prophets haue declared and the same hath alwaies beene beleeued Now if the Apostles receiued the whole faith of the Prophets and the same haue alwaies beene beleeued if the preaching of the Prophets and Apostles be the same if the two Testaments differ in nothing one from the other and the new be contained and hidden in the old then haue I rightly affirmed that the words of St. Paul are generally true that in preaching the Gospell he said no other things but those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come In the rest of this diuision we may thinke that M. Bishop was scant sober when he wrote it or else wrote in a dreame when he neither knew what was said to him nor what he was to say The Apostle saith not that he taught any one article which the common sort of the Iewes did beleeue And what then To what end M. Bishop doe you here tell vs a tale of the common sort of the Iewes Who spake of them or gaue you occasion to make any mention of them The matter is what the Prophets taught and the elect of God beleeued not what the common sort of the Iewes beleeued who commonly beleeued not the Prophets but killed and stoned them when they were sent vnto them How many saith he beleeued that their Messias should die so shamefull a death or that Moses law should be abrogated by the same Messias or that the Gospell of Christ should be preached vnto all nations All say I that vnderstood and beleeued the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets in which they were forewarned of these things The vnbeliefe or ignorance of the rest I trow hindereth not but that these things were then contained in the faith of the Church and in the doctrine of that time vnlesse M. Bishop will say that in Popery those are no articles of faith which the common sort of their Christians doe not conceiue who haue only the Colliars faith to beleeue iust as the Church beleeueth when they neither know what the Church beleeueth nor what they themselues ought to beleeue In a word the Prophets then foretold nothing for matter of faith which was not matter of faith then as well as now W. BISHOP §. 6. MAster Abbot runneth like a wandering Planet to a third that all which the Apostles taught they committed to writing which is notwithstanding as false as any of the former for many of them who neuer ceassed to preach left not one sentence in writing behinde them and he that wrote most did not write the hundreth part of that which he taughtly word of mouth We know well that they left the Gospell in writing and many other most diuine and rare instructions in their Epistles wherfore he needed not cite Ireneus to witnesse that which no man is ignorant of but that they wrote all which they preached or all things necessary to saluation Ireneus saith not a word but plainly signifieth the contrary where he most sagely counsaileth all men when any controuersie in religion ariseth to make their recourse to Euseb 〈◊〉 Eccles lib. 5. c. 19. the most ancient Churches where the Apostles had conuersed amongst which he commendeth the Roman for principall of all the rest and from them to take their resolution he then was of opinion that the decision of all controuersies were not to be searched out of the written word but rather to be taken from the resolution of the Church Oh but Tertullian saith That beleeuing De Praescriptionibus this we desire to beleeue no more because we first beleeue that there is nothing else for vs to beleeue Beleeuing this beleeuing what the written word only nothing lesse for in that very Treatise his principall drift is to proue that Heretikes cannot be confuted out of the written word but by ancient customes and traditions which he calleth Praescriptions but saith he when we beleeue the whole doctrine of Christ both written and deliuered by Apostolicall tradition then we desire to beleeue no more of any vpstart Heretikes new deuices To S. Augustine I answere first that those be not his formall wordes which he citeth Secondly admitting the sense if it be rightly taken I say that these wordes If Galat. 1. any man or Angell shall preach any thing besides that which is written where he alludeth to the Apostles like wordes are to be vnderstood as S. Augustine himselfe expoundeth those of the Apostle that is If any man shall preach contrary to that which is written For this is his owne interpretation The Apostle saith not Aug. lib. 17. cont Faust cap. 3. more then you haue receiued but otherwise then you haue receiued for if he had so said he had preiudiced himselfe who desired to come to the Thessalonians to supply what was wanting to their faith He that supplies addeth that wanted but doth not take away any thing that was before so that you see when he saith that nothing is to be preached besides that which is written his meaning is nothing which is contrary to it allowing withall that much more conformable to it may be added for a supply to make it full and perfect R. ABBOT THe Planets though in respect of other Starres they seeme to wander because in their orbe they change their place yet in their wandering and change doe alwaies obserue a certaine and constant course I seeme to M. Bishop to wander by going from a Prosyllogisme to a Syllogisme and from a maior to a minor but yet he seeth to his griefe that I inferre a direct and certaine conclusion as I haue before briefly declared in the first Chapter I came by processe of speech to shew that our faith and not Popery is the Apostolike faith To proue this I alleaged that what faith and Gospell the Apostles taught they committed the same to writing and because ours accordeth fully with that which they wrote therefore ours is the Apostolike faith It offendeth M. Bishop that it should be said that all which the Apostles taught they committed to writing Well what is his instance to proue the contrary Forsooth many of them who neuer ceased to preach left not one sentence in writing behinde them and he that wrote most wrote not the hundreth part of that which he taught Where we see the
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