addeth in another place whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your wordes Math. 10 15. going forth out of the house and citie shake of the dust from your feet Amen I say to you it shal bee more tolerable for the land of the Sodomits and Gomorrheans in the daie of iudgment then for that city Behold how straightly wee are charged to heare and beleeue Christs witnesses the pastors and Doctors of the Catholike church If wee do otherwise wee shal bee taken to despise Christ and to despise his heavenly father and shall find no lesse intollerable iudgment then did the stinking and abhominable Sodomites Moreouer the pastors of the Catholike church are not only Christs bare witnesses and Ambassadors but they bee also our spirituall governors Act. 20.28 Posuit vos Spiritus sanctus regere ecclesiam Dei The holie Ghost hath appointed you to gouerne the church of God If they bee our governors wee must obey them Hebr. 13.17 Obedite prepositis vestris subiacete eis Obey your Prelats and bee subiect vnto them hee that resisteth power Rom. 13.2 resisteth the ordinance of God And of all governors the spirituall that do represent our Saviour in a higher degree are most to bee respected Therfore more hainous is the offence of euerie one that doth obstinatlie withstand them then of others that withstande their temporall prince Math. 18.17 Qui ecclesiam non audiverit sit tibi tanquam Ethnicus Publicanus Hee that will not heare the church let him bee taken for a heathen and a publican whervpon there is commonly in all generall councels Anathema an excommunication and curse vpon all them that shall not beleeue all and euerie article of faith in the same generall couÌ„cell declared and determined which doth most manifestly demonstrate that any man who shall refuse to beleeue any one article of faith by the church declared to bee such is worthie to bee excommunicated that is to bee depriued of the societie of Christians in this world and consequentlie of the fruition of Christ in the world to come if they do not in time repent whence I gather this short argument hee that refuseth to beleeue Gods witnesses the pastors of his church and our spirituall governours in any one article of faith deserueth to bee condemned but they that hope to bee saued in their owne religion of whom wee now speake do refuse to bâ—leeue Gods church in some article or other of the Catholike faith therfore they deserue to bee condemned For the further explication of the great conveniencie and necessitie wee haue to beleeue and obey the Catholike church in matters of faith let is bee well weighed that it doth in manner as much import vs vpon whose credit wee beleeue anie thing as what wee do beleeue for such is the weaknes and vncertaintie of our owne Iudgment that wee neede nothing more then to haue an assured guid to coÌ„duct vs safelie in the high matters of divinitie which do farr surmount our naturall vnderstanding and capacitie Because as the Apostle discourseth divinelie faith is of hearing How shall wee then beleeue Rom. 10. without a preacher and how shall any man preach vnto vs without hee bee sent which is as much to say that without the helpe of some bodie sent from God to teach vs what wee haue to beleeue wee cannot beleeue aright wherfore it doth wonderfully much import vs to make right choice of this instructer for such as our guid and director is such is our faith If our guide bee blind wee following him shall blindly fall into the ditch with him If hee see cleare if he bee well aduised staid and certaine following him wee shall be assured to walke in the streight path For example The Turks beleeue in one God maker of heauen earth as wee do yet haue they not the true faith therof as wee haue because they haue not the same guid and instructer for that article that wee haue They be led to beleeue that by the credit which they giue to the ministers of Mahomet who out of his Alcaron teach them so to beleeue in God wee beleeue the same for that the Catholike church doth so teach vs in the first article of our Creed Ours is the act of true faith because wee are directed by the true church that cannot deceiue vs. The Turkes perswasion is no act of true faith for that hee taketh it on the credit of them that may deceiue him And do without doubt in manie other points deceiue him wherfore whether they do in this or no hee is vncertaine and consequently his persuasion being vncertaine hee cannot haue anie true faith which is certaine and without all peradventure In like manner the Iewes albeit they haue the old testament for their foundation yet being destitute of an vndoubtable directer and taking for their blind guides their Talmud and Rabbins are cleane voide of all true faith because their perswasion also relieth vpon them that may and do verie often misleade and beguile them For come to some other question of faith yea to the principall and ground of all the rest that is to beleeue Iesus Christ to bee the sonne of God and the true Messias and redeemer of the world The Turke not finding that in his Alcaron nor the Iew in the old testament according to the exposition of their Sinagogue do most blindly and obstinatlie refuse to beleeue it See then of what importance the direction of a true sincere guide is in all matters of faith wherfore it hath pleased the vnsearchable wisdome of our blessed Saviour to giue vnto all his faithfull servants for a most assured guide his best beloued spouse the Catholike church 1. Tim 3. the piller and ground of truth to whom hee being to depart out of this world bequeathed the holie Ghost to teach her all truth Ioh. 14.16 and that at all times vnto the worlds end I will aske my father and hee will giue you another Paraclete that hee may abide with you for euer Ioh. 16. when the Spirit of truth cometh hee shall teach you all truth Therfore it is great reason that wee should both acknowledge our blessed maisters carefull providence over vs in providing vs such a guide and also take our selues fast bound to obey the same holie church in all her declarations made to that purpose It is not then without exceeding great cause that all good Christians even from their infancy are taught to beleeue this that they neuer afterward faile therin And that they may the better remenber the same good lesson which doth so much import all men to learne perfectly they do from thence forth make dailie profession therof when they saie in their creed I beleeue the holie Catholike church That is I do not onlie beleeue that there is one holie Catholike church but I professe to beleeue what the same church doth teach mee to beleeue all and everie article of faith
It is long sithence it pleased God of his great goodnes to grant vs in forren nations some colledges and seminaries to breed and bring vp vertuous learned priestes And within these few yeeres since the persecution at home waxed hotter diuers houses both for religious men and womeÌ„ haue bin erected for our countrimen abroad and manie worthie persons inspired by God haue retired themselues into the same Behold then the foundation laid by the prouidence and mercie of God for the erecting and building vp of Christs Catholike church amongest vs againe Now I am well assured that no man dare saie that God is to be likened to that foolish builder repreheÌ„ded in the Gospell who having laid the foundation of a tower could not bring it to perfectioÌ„ and was therfore worthily mocked of the beholders saying Luc. 14. hic homo coepit aedificare non potuit consummare this man began ro build but could not bring his worke to an end Our saviour then having alreadie as we be verily perswaded planted the foundation of that most holie Edifice he will not faile in short time to bring it to perfection Manie goodlie great stones and faire tall timber trees with other necessary furniture to build vp the walles of Ierusalem are already prepared now to rough hew square and smooth them persecution is permitted And much blood of Martirs hath bin plentifully powred out to temper the lyme and sand that must vnite and ioyne fast togither all the parts of that spirituall building It may bee that some principall peeces or workmen do yet want whom when it shall please the great maister of the worke to convert assemble with ther est what let will there bee euen in maÌ„s iudgement for the accomplishement of this heauenlie worke wherfore with comfortable confidence let vs ride out the storme and with patient longanimitie persever faith full vnto the end with earnest devoute praiers craving the aide of our most mercifull father in heaven with humble obedient behauior towards our prince and his Magistrates seeke to asswage their wrath kindled as we knowe without cause so vehementlie against vs in earth then shall we both fulfill towards others and finallie by the grace of God shall see fulfilled towards vs that which the famous ancient Doctor Origen hath recorded of the best Christians in the primitiue Church in these memorable words with which I will conclude this Chapter Orig l 2. contracâ—â— summ responsione ad 2. Cal. Christians taught not to fight against their persecutors haue by obseruing dulie the mild temperate law of their sounder Christ Iesus more preuailed then if they had receiued commission from him to haue waged warr against their enimies God almightie defending them and fighting for them and at seasonable times restrayning the persecutors of the Christian name Some noble champions of his hee suffered for their greater approbation and glorie to bee put to death that the beholders of their constant valour and sweet mildnes in that bloodie agonie might therby bee the sooner induced to embrace their religion yet God so mitigated the matter that he permitted not all that holie kind of people to be cut downe for his diuine purpose was that they should grow and that all nations should bee replenished with their godlie and saving doctrine And sometimes he gaue calmes that the weaker sort and wearied might haue respite to breath to repaire their losses and to gather new forces vntill at length it pleased his diuine Maiestie of his infinite mercie and compassion towards his faithfull seruants so to defeate all their aduersaries plotts and deuises against them that neither the king nor the presidents and Iudges nor anie other Magistrates no not the common people could bee exasperated and stirred vp to persecute them anie longer which wonderfull grace the omnipotent that hath set boundes vnto the billoes of the roaring seas saying hitherto ye shall passe but go no further out of his most tender mercies grant vnto his much afflicted yet very faithfull servants in our poore countrie Amen AN ANSVVERE TO M. ABBOTS PREface to the Reader MR Abbot to make his reader vnderstand the manner of his proceding in this booke of his relateth what he had done before in this manner First saith hee I haue challenged the name Catholike from the popish vse and proued that the papists could no more take that title to them but by meere vsurpation Afterward I entred into a comparison consisting of three partes wherof the first was to declare that neither S. Pauls nor S. Peters Epistles conteine anie defence of the doctrine now taught at Rome the second that sundrie definitions of the ancient Roman faith were wholie agreeable to that which the protestants teach and is impugned by the church of Rome that now is the third and last was to proue that sundrie heresies condemned of old by the Roman church be now defended by the same church of Rome which pointes being as euerie man seeth all and euerie one of marvellous great moment yet M. Abbot doth here confesse and acknowledge that in his answere vnto my Epistle to his Maiestie he handled them onelie positiuelie that is to saie brieflie and superficiallie the occasion then as here he saies requiring no more purposing afterwards when oportunitie should serue a longer treatise therof in the meane time saith hee Doctor Bishop published a reproofe of my defence of the reformed Catholike setting vnder this title a Gorgons head to affright all men concerning mee as having abused Gods sacredword mangled misapplied and falsified the ancient fathers sentences so that whosoeuer hath anie care of his owne salvation can never hereafter credit mee in matter of faith religion Concerning which hideous out-cry of my falsifications I refer thee to the aduertisment which I haue added to the third part of that defence where I haue scourged him accordingly this is the effect of M. Abbots entrie into this his worke W. B. THIS being but a preparatioÌ„ to make waie to that which followeth I neede not stand long vpon it that vaine and vntrue vant of his that the hath woone the name and title of Catholike from vs I passe ouer here as a vanitie because it is elswhere to be handled more at large but I maie not omit to put the Reader in mind how contrarie M. Abbot is to himself in his owne iudgment about his owne worke here he saith as you haue heard that he did sett downe in his answere to my Epistle those three branches of comparison betweene the ancient and moderne church of Rome onlie positiuely yeelding also the reason bicause the occasion then required no more yet whosoeuer pleaseth to reade his preface of the same a defense of the reformed Catholike worke to the reader shall find him there to speake in an other keie I haue saith hee there had care to giue the reader satisfaction in the questions heere discussed of which these comparisons were a great part
anie good order yet to make the matter as seÌ„sible and perspicuous as his perplexed proceeding will give mee leave I will gather into the first place what hee hath scatteringly disputed against the supremacy of the church of Rome and giue answere to that SecoÌ„dly I will confirme our part Lastly I will examine how sufficientlie hee hath answered my former argumeÌ„ts made to prove the same M. Abbots first argumeÌ„t against the primacye of the sea of Rome is taken ab authoritate negative as schollers do vse to speake from authoritie negatiuelie which kind of reasoning though among the protestants it bee holden for currant in matter of faith yet hee can not be ignoraÌ„t that wee allow not of it who hold some points of faith to bee deliuered by vnwritten tradition wherfore if hee had not wanted iudgment hee should not so confidentlie haue vsed such kind of arguments against vs. But let vs heare them such as they be S. Peter and S. Paul do make no mention of this superioritie of the churh of Rome in their Epistles therfore there is none such this is a verie vaine and insufficient argument even in the waie of protestants for albeit they would grant that if there were no warrant for it in all the old or new testament that then it were not to bee creditted yet they would not denie but that it might bee a matter of faith though there were no mention made of it in S. Peter or S. Pauls Epistles so that it bee recorded in anie other part of the scriptures for all parts of the holy scriptures are alike true wherfore anie thing written in anie parcell therof is as well to bee beleeved as if it were written in S. Peters or S. Pauls Epistles But M. Abbot vrgeth in this manner S. Paul writ an Epistle to the Romanes and therfore hee would not haue omitted that their priviledge if any such had been I answere that S. Paul writt to the Romans not of all matters but to instruct them in some importaÌ„t poiÌ„ts of doctrine and to coÌ„fort them in their tribulatioÌ„s which hee might well do without makiÌ„g any mentioÌ„ of the priviledges of their church besides neither M. Abbot not anie man els I thinke is able to shewe that S. Paul in all that Epistle doth so much as once treat of Bishops or church government wherfore he had no occasioÌ„ ministred to talke of the Roman churches supremacy Let it for this time suffice that S. Paul doth els where acknowledg S. Peter for a person of excellency and his superiour as the holie learned Doctors do gather out of these his words Then after three yeeres I came to Hierusalem to see Peter Gallat 1.18 and tarried with him fifteene daies That going vp of S. Paul to Hierusalem to visit S. Peter was not of curiosity but of dutie and by the law of faith as a Tertul. de praescrip cap. 23. Paulus sicut ipse narrat ascendit Hierosolymam cognoscendi Petri causa ex officio turc scilicet eiusdem fidei praedicationis Tertullian taketh it S. Chrysostome b Chrysostomus superillum locum Vi les quemad â—odum illis tribuit congruentem honorem neque solum non ducit scipsum illis meliorem verum ne parem quidem esse putat id quod ex ipsa profectione liquet non dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quomodo loqui solent quiinvisunt magnas vrbes vel viros sanctos out of the Energie of the greeke word collecteth that it was to see and to visit Peter as a person of excellency and maiestie And vpon S. Iohns c Chrysost hom 87. in Ioannem Petrus os erat Apostolorum Princeps vertex ipsius coetus propterea Paulus eum preter alios visùrus ascendit simul vt ei ostenderet tam ei fiduciam habendam Gospell addeth another cause of that visit to have been to certifie Saint Peter of his extraordinary coÌ„mission to preach the Gospell that he might bee creditted of the Christians which Saint Ambrose confirmeth in these words It was meete d Ambros in 1 cap. ad Galatas Dignum fuit vt cuperet videre Petrum qui primus erat inter Apostolos cui delegauerat Saluator curam ecclesiarum non vtique vt aliquid ab eo disceret quia iam ab auctore didicerit à quo et ipse Petrus fuerat instructus sed propter affectum Apostolatus vt sciret Petrus illi datam licentiam quam ipse acceperat meete that Saint Paul should covett to see S. Peter who was the chief amonge the Apostles to whom our Saviour had comÌ„itted the charge of the churches Not that hee should learne any thing of him who had before been instructed of the same maister that S. Peter was but for the qualitie of his Apostleshipp and that S. Peter might know the same comission to bee giuen to S. Paul of preaching which hee had before receiued e Hieronimi Epla 89. Denique tantae authoritatis Petrus fuit vt Paulus in Epistola sua scripserit deinde post annos tres veni Hierosoliman videre Petrum c. S. Hierome saith to the same effect S. Peter was of so great authoritie that S. Paul writeth hee went to Ierusalem to visit him f Theodoret in 1. ad Galatas Et hoc rursus Pauli virtutem ostendit etenim cum humana doctrina non indigeret vt qui ab vniuersorum deo eam ante accepisset Apostolorum principi quem par est honorem tribuit Theodoret thus when S. Paul needed no instruction of men having been taught by the Lord of all hee nevertheles deferred that honor to the ptince of the Apostles which was due g Theophilactus ibidem Paulus ad Petrum abijt non vtilitatis gratia sed solo visendi studio honoranseum maiorem se notat ibidem verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significare cum obseruatione intueri Theophilact S. Paul desired to see S. Peter as a personage greater then himself and went vp with reuerence to behold him By the record of all these ancient fathers S. Paul went vp to Ierusalem to visit S. Peter as the prince of the Apostles and as the chief governor of the church to acquaint him with his extraordinarie vocation that having gotten his approbation hee might without contradiction bee receiued of all others Now to M. Abbots second argument which is yet worse then the former S. Iohn did honour to the seaven churches of Asia Apoc. 2. 3. writing to them and yet hee would never speake of the seaven hills of Rome but as of the seate of the whore of Babylon Ergo what you please a messe of plumme pottage if you will for this pleasant Iester rather then disputer hath this sophisme so much as the shadow of a sorie argument S. Iohn in the 2. and 3. chapters of the reuelations makes no mention of the church of
church vpon him when he said to him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church these wordes would haue marred M. Abbots market therefore he did wisely to ouerskip them now that which followeth may serve rather to confirme our opinion then make anie whit for theirs for thus it may bee vnderstood Saint Peter for that his confession of faith received power and vertue from Christ to confirme others in the faith thereby to establish them to life And so by that confession of faith made by Saint Peter the faithfull are established to life Againe Saint Ambrose who elswhere often and in that verie place teacheth S. Peter to bee that rocke vpon which the church was built might make a secondarie good morall construction of those wordes teaching every man to believe as Saint Peter did and to make the like confession of their faith that they might be setled in the right way to life everlasting which moralization of Christs words doth not crosse but suppose the true litterall sence to bee as before you haue heard out of Saint Ambrose with the vniforme consent of other fathers To that which followeth in the same Author these words of the Apostle in him all the building is coopled together c. are the sense and meaning of that which our lord said vpon this rocke I will build my church I answer there is a cunning tricke vsed in cutting of the Apostles wordes in the middest with an c and making that to be the exposition of the first part of the sentence which Sainct Ambrose makes the interpretation of the last as may appeare vnto him that will see the place for his reason is fideles enim sunt superficies templi dei c. for the faithfull of holy conversation bee the walls or over parts of that temple of God which suteth well with the latter end of Saint Pauls sentence which is in whom you also are built togither into an habitation of God in the holy Ghost in brief S. Ambrose meaning in that place is no other then that the Apostle vsed the same Metaphore of building which our Saviour did when he said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church Of which spirituall building the faithfull are the over partes the Apostles the foundations amoÌ„g whom S. Peter is the rocke and Christ the head corner stone that closeth all togeather and beareth vp both peoples aswell those that went afore as those that came after his incarnation M. Abbots fourth obiection Epla Iuuenalis â—t Epist pal in Apendice Concil Cholced the whole number of the Bishops of Palaestina in the councell of Chalcedon vnderstood Christs words so vpon this confession the church of God is confirmed and strengthened ANSWERE THat whole number I find to bee but two or three and they not in the councell neither nor during the time of that councell but after they came home from the councel and their meaning is plaine for vs. They having been att the councell of Chalcedon and there heard and saw how Discorus patriarch of Alexandria was for his heresie and obstinacie censured and condemned by the sentence of Leo the great Bishop of Rome did certifie all them that were vnder their charge that the church of God was confirmed and strengthned by the confession and declaration of the Bishop of Rome S. Peters successor and how in him was verified that sentence of our Saviour vpon this rocke I will build my church and that other also Thou being conuerted confirme and strengthen thy brethren which is all as direct for vs as can bee besides what other pregnant proofe there is in that generall councell for S. Peters supremacy and that the Bishop of Rome is his successor in the same supreme authoritie shal bee heerafter declared more at large Out of these former arguments M. Abbot maketh this inference that by the exposition of the ancient fathers it maie appeare that Christ eueÌ„ the true faith of Christ for Christ is nothing to vâ— but by faith is the true rocke whervpon the church is builded to which S. Iohn accordeth This is the victorie that over cometh the world even our faith for who is hee that overcometh the world but hee that believeth that Iesus is the sonne of God what is this good Sir to the preseÌ„t purpose of the popes supremacie though faith in some good sense may bee called a rocke bicause it is the foundation and ground worke of all other Christian vertues yet how doth it follow therof that S. Peter is not that rocke vpon which it pleased Christ to build his church what because ther is an order in the frame of a vertuous life must it needes ther vpon ensue that there is no order in the government of Christs Church is not this a very strange inference For the clearer explication of this doubt â—â—t this distinction bee observed the building of Christs church as it is like to a kingdome differeth much from the building of a spirituall temple vnto the holie Ghost in our soules to the first kind of building beloÌ„g subiects and magistrates Bishops Archbishops and so forth the highest wherof vnder Christ was S. Peter To the other inward building concurre all such divine graces and qualities that serue for the reformation of our soule as faith hope Charitie humilitie and such like among which vertues faith in Christ Iesus is at it were the fundamentall stone to the argument then this is the answere that albeit faith in Christ be as it were the rocke and foundation of all Christian vertues yet that is no let but that in the order of Christian magistrates S. Peter may be the rock and haue the chief commaunding power giuen to him and to his successors the Bishops of Rome purity of faith boldnes of confession fervour of Charitie rare gifts of God bestowed on S. Peter were the principall dispositions in him to that other high dignitie and authoritie but the authoritie it self of government was not bestowed on those vertues but vpon the person of Saint Peter though in regard of the same divine qualities After these arguments M. Abbot inferreth that if Christ bee the rocke properly and truly Saint Peter cannot bee the rocke but accidently and vnproperly in respect of his doctrine and example of saith vttered in his confession As Abraham is the rocke from whâ—nce wee are hewed so is Peter the rock wheron wee are built not that either of them conferreth any thing to vs but only for that they staÌ„d before vs for patterns of imitation I answer that he should rather haue made this inference bicause Christ is the rocke of the Church most properly therfore S. Peter is the rocke therof also properly both for that Christ made him the rocke who maketh all things well and properly and also because the properties of a rocke do fitlie agree to S. Peter that is to bee constant and firme in the faith to strengthen and vphold
others as hath been before declared To imagine Saint Peter to bee called a rocke because hee is a patterne of imitation is as dull and blockish as to call a duske darke stone a cleere looking glasse Abraham was more properly by the prophet called though in another sense a rocke out of which the Iewes were hewen and a pitt out of which they were digged bicause all the Israëlites descended out of his loynes as stones are hewen or digged out of a rock 10 M. Abbot not being able to disprove S. Peter to bee the rocke bicause our Saviour Christ alone is the rocke turnes himself on the other side and will needes prove that all the Apostles were rockes and Peter therin not to haue beeÌ„ alone but that as hee spake in the person of all the Apostles so Christes wordes returned in answere to Peter should appertaine to them all for saies hee Saint Austin affirmeth that Peter answeâ—ed for all a Aug. in psal 8â— one for vnitie And Hierome by the words here spoken to Peter concludeth b Hieron in Amos l 3 c. 6. that Chrâ—st the rocke gave not to one only Apostle but to his Apostles that they also should bee called rockes And in like sort Origen conceiueth when he saith c Orig in Math. c. 16. If thou thinke that the church was built vpon Peter only what wilt thou saie to Iohâ— the sonne of thunder and to every of the Apostles c. wee must rather say that in all and evâ—rie one of thâ—m is verified vpon this rocke I will build my church and in a word hee reasoneth thus bicause that which followeth after I will giue to thâ—e the Keies of the knigdome of hâ—aven is coâ—â—on to them all therfore that going before is also coÌ„mon to them all and this the scripture confirmeth in that it saith d Ephes 2.20 the houshold of God are builded not vpon the foundatioÌ„ of Peter only but vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets e Reuelâ—t 21.14 And not Peter onlie but the lambes twelve Apostles haue their names written in the twelue foundations of the Citie of God hitherto M. Abbot Doth not this great inconstancie in answering argue plainly that there is no setled soundnesse in the protestants doctrine but that they are caried about with the wind Before you heard that no other bodie saving Christ alone could bee that rock and to make that good M. Abbot was verie earnest there now the wind blowing in an other dore not only Peter is the rocke but all the Apostles aswell as hee yea and euerie Christian man too is a rock as you shall heare heereafter And all this to make men beleeve that it is but an ordinary matter to bee that rocke vpon which Christ built his Church wee that hold it to bee one of the greatest priviledges that could bee graÌ„ted to a mortall man do notwithstanding graunt that the Apostles may be called rockes as they are called foundations after a certaine proportion that is as S. Peter was the fundamentall rock placed next vnto our Saviour over the whole Church So the Apostles were constituted principall pillers or rockes of certaine countries laying the foundation of Christian religion in them by preaching the Gospell and by ruling the severall flockes coÌ„mitted to their charges As Metropolitans primates may bee said to bee the rockes and foundations of Christian religion in their provinces bicause they do principally commaund over all Ecclesiasticall persons therin and do keepe all vnder them in vnitie of faith In like manner to preserve all Christian countries in the said vnitie of faith and vniformitie of religion there ought to bee one supreme pastor over all the world who first was S. Peter and ever since have been his lawfull Successors the Bishops of Rome All this is good doctrine but to saie that these words in S. Mathew were spoken aswell to the rest of the Apostles as to S. Peter which M. Abbot would faine haue his reader believe is flatt against the evidence of the verie text For S. Peter is there severed from the rest by all circumstances that can bee devised in so few words first by his owne proper name for our Saviour said to him happie art thou Simon then by the name of his father the sonne of Ionas thirdly by mention of a speciall revelation made to him for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee fourthly by expresse direction of this speech to him I say to thee not to all the Apostles thou art Peter none of the rest were so called Out of which it doth ensue most cleerly that the words immediatly following and vpon this rocke I will build my church were particulerly spoken to S. Peter and not to any other of the Apostles To the others afterward was given the power of binding and loosing remitting of sins and retayning yet with out any mention made of the keies of the kingdome of heaven which albeit they do signify there a supreme coÌ„maunding power yet they maie in a certaine sence bee said to bee given vnto the other Apostles as is the title of a rock though they bee not that principall rocke vpon which Christ built his church so they had not the prime vse of the keies which was appropriated to S. Peter I do also further grantâ— that the name of a rock maie bee in a good morall sence applied vnto everie constant Christian that doth confesse the true faith with S. Peter and is constant and vnmoveable in the same confession like vnto a rocke And this is all which Origen and S. Ambrose cited by M. Abbot do saie as may bee seene by him that pleaseth to read the circumstances of those places for Origen discourseth how all may bee called rockes that have this effect of a rocke And that the gates of hell cannot prevaile against them that is all that do perseuere constantly to the end in the true faith S. Ambrose exhorteth all men to endevour to bee roâ—kes that is to haue soundnes in constancie and stedfastnes of faith Origen addeth that which I before said that the Apostles and Prophets maie bee called rockes in a higher degree bicause they are the foundations of others that are builded vpon them but these expositions as M. Abbot saith bee Allegoricall or rather morall explications of these our Saviours wordes that do not destroie the prime litterall sence therof which according vnto the generall consent of the ancient fathers is that Christ built his church vpon S. Peter as the supreme governor therof as hath been alreadie proved Now to M. Abbots last evasion that the fathers in all this matter make Peter to beare the figure of the whole church and therfore that to bee applied to all and everie one in the church which was there spoken to Peter for these fathers hee alleageth only S. a August Epist 165 Idem de verb Domini ser 13. Austin and S. b Gregor expos in
vniforme in holie rites and māners should establish some one at the least to resolue infallibly all the rest in all doubtfull questions that should arise amōg them which he forsaw would be almost innumerable And to endow him with sufficient power and authority to kepe all the rest in order and due obedience This is that which wee maintaine he did for S. Peter and his successors the Bishops of Rome having his owne expresse word for our warrant being vnderstood according vnto the learned exposition and prudent practise of the most ancient holy pastors and prelates of Christs church as hath been before declared Thus much to shew how vnsoundly M. Abbot interpreteth that text of holy scripture and how vnproperly and feebly hee seeketh to shift from the most literall and vniforme exposition of the ancient Doctors Now I come to examine the exceptions that hee taketh against some sentēces that I alleaged out of the said holy fathers to the same purpose My first and principall author was the most learned and holie Archbishop of Lions S. Ireneus who with his blood sealed his doctrine 1400 yeares agoe Hee teacheth plainly that the Roman church is the greatest and most autentike and that hee and others by alleaging the traditions which the Apostles had lest to that church and their faith by succession of Bishops descending downe to his daies did confound and put to shame all wranglers who either of ignorance vaine glorie or envy did teach otherwise then they should haue done And for an vpshott addeth this reason which I did before cite to prove that wee must all ioyne in matter of faith with the church of Rome to witt For it is necessarie that everie church that is all the faith full everie where do agree with the church of Rome Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 3. Sed quoniam valde longum est in hoc tali volumine omnium ecclesiarum enumerare successiones maximae antiquissima omnibus cognitae à gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro Paulo Roma fundata constituta ecclesiae eam quam habet ab Apostolis traditionem annunciatam hominibus fidem per successiones Episcoporum pervenientem vsque ad nos indicantes confundimus omnes eos qui quoqu◠modo vel per sui placentiam malam vel vanam gloriam vel per caecitatem malam sententiam praeter quam oportet colligunt Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles in qua semper ab his qui sunt vndique conservata est ea quae est ab Apostolis traditio for her more mightie principalitie Bicause in it the traditions which descended from the Apostles hath been alwaies preserved round about Note first a most cleere proofe of that for which I cited it to witt that everie church yea everie faithfull man must not of curtesie but of necessitie accord with the church of Rome in matter of faith and religion Bicause in it as in a rich treasurie that doctrine which the Apostles taught is kept whole and sound to which M. Abbot saith that if wee take the reason added by Irenaeus but concealed by mee it will plainly appeare why it was necessarie for the other churshes to accord with the church of Rome for this church saith he for the renowme of the place being then the seat of the Empire was the most eminent church of the world I answere that I concealed nothing And this reason added by M. Abbot is wholie mistaken for there is no mention in Irenaeus of either the Emperors power or seate for that mighty principality is proper to the church of Rome for her spirituall dignitie And it is most absurd to thinke that the church of Rome in those ancient daies of S. Irenaeus when the Emperours were most deadly ennemies of the Christian name gott any reputation with other churches by the worldly renowme of those persecuting Emperors who raigned there for that their wicked glorie was rather a whetstone to hatred and contempt then anie allurement to loue and estimation This great respect then being borne vnto the church of Rome before the Emperors of Rome were converted to be Christians is a most manifest argument that the principality of the church of Rome was not gotten by the renowme of that city nor by the glorie of these heathen peesecuting Emperors but for that the best learned and most holie prelats of all countries were taught by the Apostles and their schollers that it was our blessed Saviours pleasure and ordinance that such regard and obediēce should bee yeelded vnto the church of Rome were the Emperors therof heathens or Christians good or bad It was in deed verie convenient that the prince of the Apostles and head of Christs church should be there seated where the Monarch of the temporall estate held his court to the intent that impietie being there crushed as it were in the head might the sooner decaie all the bodie over And true godlines being happely planted in the cheif place might with more facility and speed bee spred in all other nations and also that mē might bee more easily induced to yeeld religious obedience to the Bishop of that place vnto whose tēporall magistrates the whole world before had obeied in temporall affaires But this is to bee attibuted to our Saviours devine wisdome order institution Not vnto the greatnes or worldlie pollicie of anie earthly Emperors M. Abbot seing little hold to bee taken vpon the renowme of that place as the state of things went then doth acknowledg that in those daies the church of Rome was pure sound therfore fitt to be propounded as a patterne for other churches to imitate But now the case is altered as he saith bicause the church of Rome it self is now questioned for swarving from the tradition of the Apostles which being soe that cannot be said to bee necessarie now which was necessarie then This answer hath as litle solidity in it as the other For the church of Rome it self was as well chalenged in those daies for swarving from the Apostles tradition by the Mōtanists Marcionists and such like Heretikes as now by the Lutherans Calvinists and Anabaptists And neuertheles the renowmed prelates of Christs church and most firme pillers of our Christian religion did then teach all Christians to make their recourse vnto the same church for resolution of the true faith wishing them to conforme themselues therto and by avouching boldlie that doctrine which they found there maintained to confound all them that taught the contrary as yee haue heard out of Irenaeus Let vs therfore as kind children treading in the right steps of those our most laudable forfathers seeke with them vnto that same church of Rome for the veritie of that doctrine which descended from the Apostles imbrace it most willingly and professe it as constantlie though we heare our holie mother to be
tenet ab ipsa sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas ones suas dontinus commendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopatum successio Sacerdotum The successioÌ„ of Bishops from the seat of S. Peter even to this present Bishop doth hold mee in the bosome of the Catholike church Are not these words plaine enough to expound the other Let vs repose our selues in the bosom of that church which by succession of Bishops from the Apostolike sea to wit of S. Peter hath obtayned the top of authoritie Compare the bosome with the bosome the succession of Bishops of the one with the other and they will easily lead vs to take the chaire of S. Peter to be the exposition of the Apostolike sea This is so sensible that M. Abbot himself after hee had a litle wrangled against it comes to admitt of it how litle care then had he of his owne honesty that before charged mee with dishonest falsifying of those words of S. Austin and yet in the end is forced to take them euen so as I did And that you may in him behold the picture of one that will neuer yeeld to any truth that wee say be it neuer so apparant He admitting that wee ought to repose our selues in the bosome of that sea Apostolike wherin S. Peter sate yet hee saies that it doth not heerby follow that we ought rather to repose our selues in the bosome of the church of Rome theÌ„ in the church of Antioch where Peter sate aswell as hee did at Rome and where there had been Bishops succeediÌ„g him vntill that time how now good sir had you leifer send your reader to Antioch to relie on some schismatik vnder the Turk then to Rome But this is a meere cavill for though S. Peter was for a season Bishop of Antioch and of some other cities also which he first converted to the Christian faith vntill he had provided them of some others Yet he finally making choice of the city of Rome for his residence and dying there coÌ„secrating that place to God by the shedding of his blood for the Christian faith The Bishops of Rome and not of Antioch haue by consent of all antiquity been ever taken for S. Peters successors I haue before produced sufficient testimonie for this matter so that it were needles heere againe to repeat the same when it will serve for this turne to proue that S. Austin of whose words wee now treat tooke the Bishops of Rome for S. Peters successors and never the Bishop of Antioch Let M. Abbot if hee can giue meâ— therof one instance but because I know hee cannot doe that I will giue him some to the contrary S. Austin taught the church of Rome to be S. Peters chaire Aug. co literas Peril l. 2. ca. 51. and the Bishops of Rome his successors in these words what hath the church of Rome done to thee in which S. Peter sate and now sitteth Anastasius who was then Bishop of Rome Againe Idem epist 1â—5 where he expresly enquireth after S. Peters Successors and by name affirmeth Linus Bishop of Rome to haue been his successor and consequently all other Bishops of Rome to his owne time He doth in like manner declare Rome to bee S. Peters chaire and the Bishops of Rome his successors In the Psalme hee made against the part of Donate In Psal co partem don and writing against the Donatists fundamentall Epistle Finally in the tenth question of the old and new testament Con. Epist fundamenti cap. 4. to omit many other places of his workes out of the which the same may bee evidently deduced well it being manifest by the verdict of S. Austin that wee must repose our selues in the bosome of the sea Apostolike and further that the same sea is the church of Rome M. Abbot will now surely at the length to his owne eternall rest repose himself in the same holy bosome of the church of Rome beware of that in any case He hath yet bethought himself of another sorie shift Let saies hee M. Bishop take those words as he will yet there is nothing therin concerning the church of Rome but that as the principall church and specially in the westerne parts it serued most conveniently for instance of the succession But as for the height and top of authoritie there spoken of it belongeth to the Catholike or vniuersall church And meere impudency it is by those or any other words of Austin to chalenge to that church any superiority in goverment ouer other churches when as wee see both Austin and the rest of the Bishops of Africa did with one consent vtterly disclaime the same Turtull co ValeÌ„t c. 2. vinci possunt suaderi non possunt O how true is that ancient saying of Turtullian heretikes may be overcome but they will neuer be perswaded to yeeld and acknowledge it M. Abbot granting that S. Austin hauing first resolued vs to repose our selues in the bosome of the sea Apostolike that is to embrace what that church should teach vs and wholy rely vpon her definitions Secondly that the church of Rome was that sea Apostolike which had obtayned the top of authority heretikes in vaine barking round about it yet presently as if he had wholy forgotten that which stood before his eies ot els not caring what hee said to avoid a dumbe blanck he falleth to his old byas and flieth back to that which he said in the beginning albeit it had been so often before confuted That forsooth the church of Rome is only the principall church and fittest to bee taken for instance in succession in westerne churches but it hath not saith hee any superiority in goverment when as S. Austin plainly teacheth that wee must repose our selues in that churches bosome and set vp our rest vpon her decrees that is be sure to ioyne in faith and religion with the Bishops of the same and that bicause that church hath obtayned the top of Authority and highest degree in goverment M. Abbot confessing the former part of the sentence to belong to the church of Rome hath left himself no shadow of reason to dismember from it that which S. Austin doth so expresly ioyne and linke with it Heare once againe his words shall we doubt to repose our selues in the bosome of that church which ever by the confession of mankind c hath obtayned the top of authority heretikes barking round about it Do you not see even by the cleere words of S. Austin that he must confesse himself not to be a member of mankind that will deny that church which he there spoke of to haue the top of authority what then shall become of M. Abbot that granteth the church there spoken of to be the church of Rome yet will not confesse it to haue that top of authoritie Either he must be rased out of the number of men or at the least be ranked in the rew of those hereticall men that did so vainly
it be not the whole yet may very well denominate the whole And so it hath done by the consent of both friends and foes for as we tearme all of our religion Roman Catholikes so the protestantes do nickname them Papists or Romanistes both taking the name from Rome or the bishop of Rome wherfore it is manifest that that common hackney of the protestants doth not conclude the point that was in question which no man doubteth to be one of the fowlest faults that cā be in arguing I laid in a second exception against the second proposition of that argument which is But the Roman church is a particular church For that the Roman church may bee either taken precisely for the Diocese of Rome or more largly for the faithfull dispersed through the whole world that do imbrace the same faith which they of Rome do professe The Roman church so taken say I is no particular church but extends it self vnto the vtmost bounds of the whole Catholike church to which M. Abbot doth make answere in this section And in the begining confesseth verie strangley that hee is one of those Doctors that do not vnderstand this new found distinction Hee might perhaps haue said truly that hee liked it not but for a Doctor to say that hee could not reach to that which a meanewitted scholler would make no difficultie to conceiue cannot bee but a great disparagement either to his witt or to his will or to both About the first acception of the Roman church there is no manner of doubt And touching the 2. what difficutie is it to vnderstand all those to bee members of the Roman church who take the Bishop of Rome to bee their chief pastor and besides are in all articles of faith and forme of government vnited with the Roman Do not the protestāts themselues in euery countrie by nicknaming vs Romanists and Papists giue all men to vnderstand that they take all such to be members of the Roman church If then both in England France Germany and other countries by the testimonie aswell of protestants as Catholikes all they that in faith and religion agree with the church of Rome bee taken for members of the same church would any man master of his owne wits make any difficultie to grant that all such may be said to bee of the church of Rome And that therfore the church of Rome may bee taken to cōprehend all them of what nation soeuer they bee what warrant I can bring for this out of the ancient writers shal bee shorrly after shewed though this matter be in it self so sensible and almost palpable that hee must needs confesse himself to be little better then a verie blockhead that cannot vnderstand it yea M. Abbot presently after shewes himself to perceiue that well enough for better aduised he admits it for true and disputs against it in this manner Be it so that the church of Rome is vsually taken to signifie other churches submitting themselues to the church of Rome yet it doth not comprehend other churches that do not submit themselues to the same nor acknowledg her chiefty As the protestant churches in Europe and some schismaticall churches in Asia Ah sir you shew cleerly enough that you vnderstood before that distinction of mine why then did you that wrong to your owne reputation as to confesse your self to be one of those Doctors that could not conceiue it You meant then belike to make some simple foole beleeue that I to vphold my part was forced to coyne a new found distinctiō neuer heard of before but the wind being presently changed it is but an ordinary and vsuall distinstion and may bee answered in the manner that you haue endeuored to answere it To which I replie briefly and roundly that those churches which acknowledg not the chiefty of the church of Rome or do obstinatlie denie any other article of the christian faith professed by the same church be no Orthodox nor true churches at all but either hereticall or schismaticall congregations members onlie of the malignant church And therfore though the church of Rome do not comprehend them yet it doth neuertheles comprehend all Orthodox and Catholike churches That all those malignant churches and euerie member of them that either err in matter of faith defined or are by schisme deuided from the church of Rome be no true churches at all To omit diuerse other arguments because this is not a place to handle at large that question let these few testimonies suffice Saint Austin saith He that beleeueth any false thing of God or of anie part of the doctrine that appertains vnto the edification of faith Aug. l. quest in Math. q. 11. Si enim falsa de deo credit vel de aliqua parte doctrinae quae ad fidei pertinet aedificationem ita vt non quaerentis cunctatione tentatus sit sed inconcusse credentis nec omnino scientis opinione atque errore discordans Haereticus est foris est animo quamuis corporaliter intus videatur that not doubtingly with a mind to bee better enstructed but resolutely obstinately hee is an heretike and in soule out of the church though in body hee seeme to liue in it which elswhere he repeats coupling schismatiks and heretiks together and declaring both their congregations to bee no part of the Catholik church in these words we beleeue the holie church that surelie which is Catholike Idem de fide Simbolo ca 10. Credimus sanctam Ecclesiam vtique Catholicam nam haeretici schismatici congregationes suas Ecclesias vocant Sed Haeretici de deo falsa sentiendo ipsam fidem violant schismatici autem discissionibus iniqùis a fraterna Charitate dissiliunt quamuis ea credunt quae credimus Quapropter nec haereticus pertinet ad ecclesiam Catholicam quae diligit deum nec schismatitus quoniam diligit proximum for heretikes and schismatikes do call their congregations churches but heretikes beleeuing false things of God do breake their faith and schismatiks by wilfull diuisions do leape from brotherly charitie wherfore neither doth the heretike belong to the Catholike church bicause shee loues god nor the schismatike for that shee loues heir neighbor which doctrine he might haue drawen out of Saint Ciprian who vnder the name of the Novatians doth teach That heretikes be like vnto Apes who though they bee no men Ciprian epistola 73. ad Iubaianum Nouatianus simiarum more quae cum homines non sint homines tamen imitantur vult ecclesiae Catholicae auctoritatem sibi veritatem vindicare quando ipse in Ecclesia non sit imo c. yet do counterfeit men so heretikes albeit they bee out of the church yet do chalenge to themselues the truth and authority of the church with them accordeth Saint Hierom saying when you shall heare of any Christians that take not their name from Iesus Christ Hieron co lucif in fine
meant to make himself a God Optat. l 3 co Parm. Cum per solum deum soleāt homines iurare passus est homines per se iurare tanquam per deum Ibid. Omnes discipulos suam Partem appel labat etc. quasi iam populum cum deo diuiserat among the rest hee would haue men to sweare in his name as Christian men vse in lawfull causes to sweare by the name of God Besides hee tearmed all of his sect pars mea my part seuering them as Optatus takes it from the part of Christ and people of God in these points specially according to Optatus did hee aspire to bee like God what pope did euer the like they are so farre of from parting stakes with Christ as that they professe themselues to bee the seruants of all Christs seruants And who was euer yet required to sweare by the popes name so that M. Abbot by multiplying such lame halting similitudes must needs looke for little credit of either iudgment or honesty R. AB SEcondly the Donatists tooke vpon them that they had alwaies been possessors of vnity and of the church of God insomuch as they reckened Nero Domitian and the rest to haue been persecutors of their church wheras their beginning to bee Donatists was after the time of those persecutions No otherwise do the papists take vpon them to haue been alwaies the church of God and that their Martirs were slayne wheras their beginning to bee papists which properly is for worshipping their Lord God the pope is of farr latter time c. W. B. VVhat a ridiculous and lowsie resemblance is this First it differeth little from that which hath been said three times before at the least that the Donatists take their church for the true church therfore it deserues to be let passe as it comes This might haue some grace if it had been applied to the Protestants who take their beginning of a late vpstart Frier not one hūndreth yeres agoe as all the world knoweth and yet blush not to avowch that it was their church that was persecuted 1400 yeres before it was hatched as the Donatists who descending of Donatus would not withstanding haue had the church that was persecuted long before Donatus was borne to haue been their congregation As for the Roman church M. Abbot doth in this chapter as you shall see anon confesse it to haue been alwaies and therfore they may trulie saie even by his own confession that Nero Domitian the rest persecuted their church As for those papists that worship the pope for their God Dic quibus in terris eris mihi magnus Apollo If M. Abbot can tell vs where they dwell or in what land they liued and when what were their names I shall hold him if not for a great Apollo yet for as great an oracle as that of Apollo in the meane season let it run on in the reckening of his other bables and tales R. ABBOT THE Donatists alleaged that Emperors and princes had nothing to do in church matters Optat. l. 3. con Par men held it a great fault in the Catholike Bishops to cōplayne to the Emperor of them what hath the Emperor to do with the church sayd their pope Donatus Aug. con Gaudent l. 2. c. 26. For the teaching of Israël saith Gaudentius God gaue charge to prophets not to kings And Christ sent fishermen and not souldiers for the planting of the faith Thus vpbraiding the Emperors for cōdemning their schisme and vsing force of armes to represse the infinit rage of their mad-braind Circumcellians Of the same humour bee the papists who make princes to be sonnes onlie of the church but no gouernors therof Dist 96. si Imper Kings must learne of Bishops and not teach them what appertaines to Religion because God will haue church matters governed by priests and not by secular powers And Christian Emperors must submit their executions vnto the rulers of the church therfore they hold the comissioners and officers of Princes to bee no competent Iudges in their causes they cary themselues contemptuously towards them c. W. B. THE Donatists are no sure cards to trust vnto in that cause of princes dealing with ecclesiasticall persons and in ecclesiasticall causes Because they maie serue for an example on all sides For like audacious and restles wrangling spirits they did run in that cause frō one extremitie to the other First against the rules and practise of the primitiue church they would needs appeale from the iudgment of Bishops vnto the Emperor hoping by false informations to haue found some vnlawfull fauour in his court a Opt. l. 1. co Parm. Donatus appellandum esse ab episcopis credidit wherof we haue for most soūd witnesses both Optatus in these words Donate the ringleader of the Donatists thought good to appeale from the Bishops to the Emperor And S. Austin who saith of them That they wearied the Emperor with their daily appeales Againe they first of all sued vnto the Emperor then appealed vnto him Aug. ep 166. Quotidia nis interpellationibus ipsi imperatori taedium fecerunt Ibidem A iudicibius Episcopis ad constantinum appellauerūt a quo toties conuicti con fusi redierunt a pernicie furoris nō recesserūt and after all that would not stand to his iudgmēt This was their first attempt wherin they shewed thēselues kindly protestants after wards being beatē with their own rod they began like wiser children to acknowledg that it did not belong to temporall princes to heare and determyne ecclesiasticall causes as their sentēces cited by M. Abbot do declare where if they had staid the Catholike Bishops of those times would not haue blamed them as you shall heare But they fell at last to the other extremity crying out against the Emperor both for punishing their mad-braynd Circumcellians that set churches on fire robbed and murdered and also for that hee came ouer all the Donatists as schismatiks and Heretiks with a pecuniary mulct making them to pay for their obstinate folly for which they cried out against the Emperor and his officers This did the Donatists Now to the applicatiō Both the protestants and wee condēne the Donatists for denying princes to haue temporall power to suppresse seditious persons robbers and murtherers and to punish them that be by the church declared heretiks either by the purse or otherwise But wee differ in the other point The protestants do hold princes to bee supreme iudges aswell in causes ecclesiasticall as temporall and therfore must needs approue of appeales made fro the Bishops to them wee granting to them full soueraigne power in causes tēporall do affirme that they be not ordinarie Iudges in causes Ecclesiasticall I say ordinary because by cōsent of both parties as it was in some causes of the Donatists they maie bee chosen arbitrators or iudges The Donatists held both these opiniōs first that of the protestāts afterwards
ours Now it is to be cōsidered in whether they did well in whether ill To decide this cōtrouersie let vs heare the cēsure of the best Catholike Authors of those times Optatus a most worthy prelate that liued amōg the Donatists Lib 1. con Parm. blamed them greatly for appealing frō the iudgment of Bishops vnto the Emperor constantine the great relateth how the same good Emperor detesteth that their appeale breaking out into these words O furious and mad boldnes they Ad quam appellatio nem constantinus Imperator sic respondit O rabida furoris auda cia sicut in causis gentilium fieri solet appellatio nem inter posuerunt Aug. Ep. 166. Quia constantinus non est ausus de causa episcopi iudicare eam finiendam Episcopis delegauit Idem Epistola 162. Neque est ansus Christianus imperator sic eorum fallaces querelas suscipere vt de iudicio episcorum ipse iudicaret sed alios episcopos dedit a quibus ipsi rursum ad ipsum imperatorem prouocarent quam re illos quemadmodum detestetur audistis eorum peruersitatibus tandem cessit vt de illa causa post episcopos iudicaret a sanctis antitistibus postea veniam petiturus c. like the pagans haue put in an appeale which was from the Bishops to the Emperor S. Austin an other Antagonist of the Donatists in rehearsing the demeanor of the said Emperor towards the same appeale sheweth his owne opinion therabout He first recordeth that the Emperor would not take vpon him to iudge of the iudgments of the Bishops till hee was pressed thervnto by the Donatists impudencie which to represse hee finallie gaue them the hearing yet vnder the correction of the Bishops meaning afterward to craue pardon of them therfore all this that great doctor hath set downe in expresse tearmes further S. Athanasius of this matter vseth these words If the iudgmēt of this cause belōg to Bishops what hath the Emperor to do therwith if contrarywise these thinges be forged by the threates of Emperors what need is there of Bishops when was it euer heard that the iudgmēt of the church took its authority from the Emperour he relateth there this sentēcee of the great Hosius to the Emperor Athanasius epist ad solitar vitam agentes Si istud est iudicium episcoporum quid commune cum eo habet imperator sin contra ista minis Caesaris constantur quid opus est hominibus titulo episcopis quando a condito aeuo auditum est quod iudicium Ecclesiae authoritatē suā ab imperatore accepit ibidem in epistola Hosii ad Imperatorem Ne te misceas ecclesiasticis neque nobis in hoc genere praecipe sed potius ea a nobis disce tibi Deus imperium commisit nobis qua sunt ecclesiae concredidit intermedle not with ecclesiasticall causes nor cōmaund vs in that kind but rather learne those matters of vs God hath giuē you the Empire but hath cōmitted to vs the charge of the church To whō I will ioyne S. Ambrose who to the Emperor Valētinian addresseth this discourse whē haue you heard most gratious Emperor that laymē did iudge ouer Bishops in causes of faith Surely if your sacred maiesty please to pervse the course of holy scriptures or practise of former times you shall find none that deny bishops in matter of faith Ambros l. 2 epist 13. ad Aug. valentin Quando audisti clemētissime imperator in causa fidei laicos de episcopis iudicasse c. At si certe vel scripturarum seriem diuinarum vel vetera tempora retractemus qui◠est qui abnuat in causa fidei in causa inquam fidei Episcopos solere de imperatoribus Christianis non imperatores de episcopis iudicare c. Pater tuus deo fauente vir maturioris atatis qui dicebat non est meu◠iudicare inter Episcopos c. in matter I say of faith to haue been Iudges over Emperors not Emperors ouer Bishops your father being by the fauour of God a man of riper yeres did say it belongeth not to me to iudg ouer Bishops It being then most certain and evident by the verdit of S. Athanasius Hosius S. Ambrose S. Austin and Optatus that the Catholike church in that her natiue purity did mainteyne that opinion that temporall Princes had no authoritie to determyne ecclesiasticall causes The Donatists therin agreed with the true Catholike church and when they did fly from the iudgment of Bishops vnto temporall princes as supreme iudges in causes ecclesiasticall then they traced out the pathway vnto the protestants misbelief and therin were condemned and the protestants in them by the verdict of the most approued Prelats and best learned doctors of the primitiue church Let this then bee scored vp for a principall resemblance betweene the protestants and the Donatists R. AB 4. THe Donatists by false rumors discouraged men from coming to church and gaue out of the Catholike Bishops that some of them at the time of celebration of the sacraments Optatus l. 3. 7. did set an image vpon the aultar or communion table wherat the minds of men were greatly moued and euery one said hee that tasteth therof tasteth of a prophane thing so contrary was it holden to religion then which M. Bishop approueth now to set images vpon the Aultar But in this also the Papists are their followers who in the like sort devise rumors and tales of our divine service to make men abhorre to haue communion with vs. W. B. THis resemblance is more common then the high way For men of what religion soever they bee do seeke out reasons to disswade others from participation in holy rites with all other religions and specially from that which is most contrarie to their owne And neuer were any sectaries that deuised more lewd and vile slanders of any religion then the protestants haue done of the Roman And among others they do vse the verie same motiue of the Donatists to discourage men from going to masse To wit that there are Images in the churches set vpon the high aultars So that M. Abbot in multiplying his resemblances doth but multiply and increase the protestants conformity with the Donatists to the shame of their owne religion what kind of Image that was which the Donatists rumored should bee set vpon the Aultar for of the communion table or of Ministers there was no newes in the old daies of Optatus but of Aultars sacrifice and priests it is not certaine whether it were of Dragons and Leopards such as the protestants set vp in their churches or rather of some false God I cannot find in that Author Only I am assured it could not bee of any holy picture of Christ or of anie of his Saints such as Catholiks place in their churches because long before that in Tertullians daies there was engraven vpon the chalice wherin they offred vp the sacrifice of Christs
the whole face of their church being as he raileth and writeth berayed with the filth of Idolatry if the church of Rome be such a monster as hee would make her I desire him to explicate in particular which be those fundamentall points that do constitute church a the true member of the Catholike church In the meane season it is pleasant to heare how roundly hee reckeneth vp without either staggering or blushing the Iolly agreement which hee takes to bee betweene their church and ours wee do not saith hee take vpon vs to bee any other church then that which they call the old but the same church reformed wee reteyne still the same scriptures which they acknowledge true saving that you haue cut of at one clap fiue books of the old testament wee retayne the same articles of faith which they professe you should for modesties sake haue added except some twentie or thirtie wee retayne the same sacraments of Baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Iust if bread and wine bee the same with the blessed bodie and bloud of Christ Besids how do wee agree about the other five Sacraments which wee retayne and you haue cast away They finally retaine the same forme of service except that they haue cut of the best parts of it and as it were pulled out the hart and bowells of the sacrifice and consecration leaving to themselues and their miserable followers onely the paâ—ings and offals Behold the goodlie conformitie of the old and new English church of late devised and published by M. R. Abbot minister of the word and teacher of the reformed church of England Hee is so farr of as hee saies from Donatisme as that he doth teach the church never to haue perished no not in the City of Rome it self why then hath hee taken so much paines to proue the church of Rome to be turned Donatisticall vnles hee will now also in a very calme and pitifull humour allow even the Donatists church it self to haue been a part of the true Catholike church And so consequently like a good Atheisticall libertine allow all heretikes that professed Christs name to haue been true members of his church Hauing thus confuted that which M. Abbot had to obiect against their agreement in the maine point of the Donatists heresie I now come to the second resemblance that is betweene the Anabaptists an ofspring of the protestants and the Donatists who now do teach rebaptisation as the Donatists did then which M. Abbot granteth but saith my foolerie therin needeth no answere because the Anabaptists bee exploded out of all protestant churches And to that comparison which I made betweene the diuision of the protestants into Lutherans Sacramentaries and Anabaptists with the partition of the Donatists into Donatists Maximianists and Rogatists hee saith that I should rather haue devided Papists into Anabaptists secularists and Iesuists what voluntary light babling is this who ever before M. Abbot tooke the Anabaptists to bee papists when as they as stifly deny the popes authoritie the sacrifice of the Masse the reall presence the merites of good workes and most other articles of our religion as any other protestants And albeit they differ from the Sacramentaries in some few matters as the Sacramentaries do also from the Lutherans yet they bee descended from them and do agree with them in most points of religion wherfore they may bee aswell sorted and ranked with them as the Rogatists and Maximianists were with the Donatists neither will it helpe M. Abbot to say that they cast the Anabaptists out of their congregation For the Donatists did no lesse excommunicate and chace out of their churches the Maximianists and Rogatists then the Sacramentaries do the Anabaptists It was then rather a foolery of M. Abbots vpon so foolish a reason to deny the Anabaptists to belong vnto the common body of the protestants and more impudent folly is it to associate them to vs from whom they dissent further then the other protestaÌ„ts do And because wee bee now entred into degrees of comparison let it bee taken for a superlatiue folly in M. Abbot to divide all men of our religion into Anabaptists Secularists and Iesuists for to returne the Anabaptists to themselues as their owne sweet brood with whom they consent against vs in most controversies of religion Do the other names of Secularists and Iesuists comprehend all Romane Catholikes bee there no lay Catholiks at all nor any other religious persons in our church besids secularists and Iesuists what was become of M. Abbots senses when hee wrote this The Seminarists and Iesuists being compared vnto all other Catholiks both religious and lay do scarse amount as I gesse vnto the thousand part of that body So that here M. Abbot infabling fumbling and confounding rather then in diuiding surmounts the highest degree of comparison R. ABBOT THE third resemblance that M. Bishop mentioneth is this They held not the faith of the blessed Trinitie entire For some of them like the Arrians taught the sonne of God to bee lesser then the father Though as S. Austin noteth this was not marked of their followers This hee applieth to vs in this sort sundrie of their principall teachers as Melancthon Caluin and others do corrupt the sound doctrine of the holy Trinitie as I haue shewed in the preface of my second part of the reformatioÌ„ of a deformed Catholike though the common sort of their followers do not greatly obserue it In which third point hee verie wilfully belieth S. Augustin the Donatists and vs. For S. Austin doth not saie that of the Donatists but only of a second Donatus who was a follower of the first who had an vnsound opinion of the Trinity which the Donatists were so farre of from approuing that there was scarse one among them that knew that hee thought so to him only is that to bee referred which S. Austin saith If any of them haue said that the sonne is lesser theÌ„ the father yet they haue not denied him to bee of the same substance S. Austin never vpbraided the Donatists with this error Aug. Epistola 50 though Theodoret do But hee spake by hearsay How M. Bishop dealeth with Melancthon Caluin and others I haue fully declared in my answere to that preface W. B. HERE is a whot charge and a peremptory condemnation before due examinatioÌ„ as you shall heare that I haue at one clap belied S. Austin the Donatists and their good Maisters Melancthon Caluin and others But if M. Abbot can make good no one of those imputations then it must bee granted that hee hath at once let slip a leash of slanderous lies Let vs descend to the particulars I write that S. Austin reporteth some of the Donatists to haue had a bad opinion of the blessed Trinity M. Abbot taketh mee vp short auouching that hee affirmeth that of a second Donatus onely well was not that second Donatus a great famous Donatist and had hee not many followers but not
heads of virgins that were veiled drawing from them the markes of their profession which were inuented to declare that in will and professiō they were maried to Christ By these few resemblances hitting the protestants so right on the thumbes to omitt many other the indifferent reader may see whether my retorting of M. Abbots comparisons were to the purpose or no and whether of vs haue more fortunatly travailed therin §. 6. W. B. TO conclude this passage seing M. Abbot went about to prove the church of Rome to bee like that of the Donatists by no one sound argument but by diuers trifles and vntruthes hee must looke vnles hee repent to haue his part with liars in the poole burning with fire and brimstone And if it please the reader to heare at what great square the Donatists were with the said church of Rome to which M. Abbot would so fayne resemble them I will briefly shew it out of the best records of that time L. 2 co lit Petil. c. 51. S. Austin speakes thus to the Donatist Petilian what hath the church or sea of Rome in which Peter sate and now sitteth Anastasius done vnto thee why doest thou call the Apostolicall chaire the chaire of pestilence See how friendly the Donatists were wont to salute the church of Rome stiling it the chaire of pestilence That noble prelate Optate to this Issue hath thus deposed whence is it that you Donatists take vpon you to vsurpe the keies of the kingdome and that presumptuously and with sacrilegious audacity you do wage battell against the chaire of Peter If the Donatists did wage warre against the church of Rome surely there was no likelihood of any good intelligence betweene them wherfore like as the Catholiks of Africa then so they were linked in communion with the church of Rome sett light by the outcries of the Donatists against them as witnesseth S. Austin when hee said of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage Epist 162 one of the princes of the Catholike party hee needed not to care for the multitude of his conspiring enemies the Donatists when hee saw himself by communicatorie letters ioyned with the Romane church in which alwaies florished the primacie of the Apostolicall chaire c. Even so wee at this time need as litle to esteeme of the bitter reproches and deceitfull arguments of the protestants So wee stand vpright and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same church of Rome R. AB MIstake I did in some circumstance but lie I did not because to lie is to go against a mans owne mind and knowledge That the Donatists were at square with the ancient church of Rome wee confesse But what is that to the latter church of Rome which is degenerated from the old and in tying the Catholike church to her owne place and function doth rather resemble the old Donatists besids the Donatists were at as great square with all other Catholike churches some of which were also mentioned by saint Augustin in that and other places why then doth M. Bishop make that peculiar vnto the church of Rome which S. Austin leaueth indifferent to that and other churches and as other churches afterward became chaires of pestilence so might the church of Rome for ought that S. Austin there saith of it The like is to bee answered vnto Optatus who teaching the Donatists to haue been whole enemies vnto the church of Rome doth not hinder but that the latter church of Rome might agree well enough with them Finally S. Austin doth not say that Cecilianus ioyned with the church of Rome alone but ioyning with that and other Catholike churches needed not to care for the Donatists So that there is no more there for the cōmuniō of the church of Rome thē for the cōmuniō of other churches Hee will say that a principality is there attributed vnto the church of Rome I answere as before I haue done that a principality of honour may bee givē to it but not a principality of power And doth it follow that because the principality of the Apostolike chaire florished there till that time therfore it should do so ever vnto the worlds end These are loose and vaine collections vnfit to stablish the conscience of sober and advised men W. B. FOr a conclusion of this chapter M. Abbot tells vs that albeit hee mistooke somethings yet hee did not lie in any part therof and the proofe in part is very prettie because for sooth hee went not against his owne mind His mind and pleasure then being to say that the Donatists taught the true church to bee only at Cartenna Secondly That the Papists do teach now that the same true church is conteyned within the wals of Rome only 3. That no other mans Baptisme besids a papist priests is avaylable to Salvation 4. That none among the Indians bee truly converted to the Christian faith but all of them are forced to receiue baptisme with out religion when hee I say wrote these and twentie mo such like most luculent lies yet in all this hee did not once lie the reason is in readines bicause hee never went against his owne mind His mind then giving him belike that to vilify and slaunder the Papists he might tell a hundreth worse tales of them then those are Good Sir if vpon Etymologies of words you presume to deliuer such senseles and wicked doctrine it may trulie bee said to you for ought I see Domine mentiris whether you teach it against your owne mind or no. For although a man that of meere ignorance telleth an vntruth doth not properly lie yet when hee presumeth to shoote his bolt to giue his censure rashly of things commonly spoken of contrary to the truth as M. Abbot hath done then hee may bee said to lie though hee know not perfectly the contrarie Because hee might and ought to haue learned out the truth therof before hee presumed to deliuer his Iudgment theron in such absolute and peremptorie tearmes As the Donatists were at open warre with the old church of Rome So doth the moderne church of Rome as greatly as the old detest the same positions of the Donatists To wit that the church of Christ is perished all the world ouer saving in some odd corners 2. That men baptised by vnsanctified Ministers ought to bee rebaptised And so of all the rest which either Optatus or S. Austin then recorded for speciall points of the Donatists doctrine That the now church of Rome doth differ in any one article of faith from the ancient is that which M. Abbot doth often say and repeate but never yet could nor here after shall ever bee able to bring any one sufficient proofe therof wherfore by all right and reason the said church is to retaine her former good reputatiō and credit with all honest and vpright consciences For if everie man haue title vnto his good name vntill hee bee conuicted to haue committed some such
acquaintance with the same whispering spirit with which they are so haunted that they haue almost hourely new illuminations and strange revelations See I pray you into what endles dissentions this doctrine of the spirit doth lead her folowers It being then most manifest that there is such variety and so great contradiction in the way of the private spirit everie man that hath a care of his salvation will I hope take heed therof and not suffer himself to bee abused therby Hee was inspired by the true spirit of God that gaue vs this faire warning 1. Iob. 4.1 My deerest beleeue not euerie spirit but prove the spirits if they hee of God because manie falâ—e prophets are gone into the world which deceiue many And Satan that trudgeth about so busily seeking whom hee maie deuoure finding so many readie to listen to the cursed councell of his wicked spirit transformeth himself often into an Angell of light that hee may the better beguile them that giue eare to such secret whisperings wherfore they that desire not to bee misled must follow Saint Iohns counsell try the spirits whether they bee of God or no. Ibidem If the priuate spirit do not agree with the publike spirit that conducteth the Catholike church in all trueth bee well assured that it is an erring spirit sent by Satan to deceiue you and to leade you into errour To recollect this point in briefe If no man may relie either vpon his owne learning or spirit not may safely trust anie priuate teacher or preacher then the protestants best meanes to obtaine salvation be very vncertaine and consequentlie they that wil bee assured never to erre in anie one article of faith must not relie vpon them but imbrace wholie and fully the doctrine of the Catholike Roman church and hold themselues close and fast thervnto Math. 16 That church is built vpon a rocke that alwaies hath and euer shall stand firme without flitting or tottering too and fro and Christ praied Luc. 22. for her governors faith that it should never faile Ioh. 16. The holie Ghost is alwaies with her to teach her all truth And in verie common sense when a controuersie riseth about any point in faith is it not much more probable that all the learned assembling together out of all coasts and countries of Christendome to conferre thervpon should boult out the truth of that question better then some few passionate and discontented men that oppose themselues against all the rest Thus verily stands the case betweene the Protestants and vs. for when Martin Luther Iohn Calvin and others discontented men and none of the best marke ranne out of our church and cried out that therein were manie errors taught and many foule abuses maintained a generall councell was called the best learned of all Christian countries were assembled to heare and determine those controuersies The ringleaders of the new Gospell were most courteously invited thither to shew what moved them to make that alteration but their consciences telling them that they were not able to iustifie their bad cause before so many learned men they durst not appeare in the councell wee then haue very great reason to follow the iudgment of the whole corps of Christendome but small probability haue the protestants to preferre the passionate opinions of a few malecontents flying from true triall before the calme and mature acts and definitions of all the rest that were ready to haue performed it God send them grace to see it in tyme least as they haue wilfully followed them in their errors so they bee not here after against their wills forced to folow them to eternall punishment I haue staid the longer to declare the commoditie and necessitie of submitting our vnderstaÌ„ding vnto the censure of the Catholike church because without that bee ioyned to Gods word to certifie vs both which is the word of God and what is the true sense and meaning thereof wee can haue no true faith at all for the declaration of the church is necessarilie required as a condition without which our faith cannot ordinarilie bee assured of that which it is to beleeue whervpon that great light of the world S. Austin was not ashamed to saie Evangelio non crederem August co Episâ— fundameÌ„tre 5. nisi me moveret Ecclâ—siae Catholicae authoritas I for my part would not beleeue the Gospell vnles the authoritie of the Catholike church did moue mee thervnto whence it is easie to gather that they who do not take their direction from the said church as all they do not who think euery Christian may be saued in his own religion haue no assurance in their faith and coÌ„sequently no true faith at all wherfore they cannot bee saued which I do thus confirme for the Apostle teacheth that Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Hebr. 11.6 It is impossible to please God without faith which must needs bee vnderstood of the true faith because God is the God of truth and hateth all that is false but the true faith is but one onlie and of the same nature in all men which the said Apostle doth confirme when hee writeth that there is but one Lord one faith Ephes 4.5 one Baptisme but they that make account to bee saued in their owne religion bee not ordinarilie nor cannot bee all of one faith for one faith cannot teach vs to beleeue two coÌ„tradictory propositions to bee true by the same faith one may beleeue more and another lesse according to the measure of faith that it hath pleased God to bestow vpon them but one cannot beleeue cleane contrary to the other As for example That Saints are to bee praied vnto and that they are not to bee praied vnto That wee may praie for the dead and that wee may not praïe for the dead For one of those propositions must needs bee false wherfore they that beleeue men may bee saued in both these opinions haue no true faith at all because true faith cannot beleeue that which is false and one of these two must needs bee false This may bee yet further confirmed for that those men who thinke one may bee saued in any religion do want the aforesaid true and onlie meanes of vnitie and agreement in one faith for they rely not vpon the explication of the Catholike church which is the only way to hold all men in one faith no more then if they had neuer heard of that article of our Creede I beleeue the holâ—e Catholike church but take as it hath been before declared for their guides in matter of faith either their owne Iudgment skill or spirit or the advise of some of their friends which are much more like to leade them into a hundreth diverse opinions then to reduce them to vnity in faith and religion wherfore it is evident that the vniforme faith of the bodie of Christendome which alone is the true saving faith cannot dwell in one house with that
called into question by vntowardlie and degenerous Children that either wilfullie run out of her house to follow their owne pleasure and fancies or are for pure feare falne away from her and forsaken her ordinances M. Abbot admitting as it were that other churches should according to S. Irenaeus rule conforme themselues in matter of doctrine to the church of Rome yet to giue vs a tast of the subtility of his shifting witt addeth that ther is in that place of Irenaeus nothing for her superiority in goverment well that being once granted that all other churches should for matter of doctrine accord with the church of Rome it would theron necessarily follow that the church of England and consequently his maiestie ought to do the same which was all that I sued for yet over and besides Irenaeus words being well weighed do import also a superiority in goverment to be resident in that church which I proue bicause he saies that other churches must of necessity accord with the church of Rome for her more poteÌ„t principality Now if the church of Rome haue power and principality over other churches And do impose a necessitie vpon them of according vnto it it must needes haue superiority in goverment over them or els the other could not be bound of necessitie to follow it M. Abbot doth grammatically descant first vpon this word principalitie and saies that it may signâ—fie eminencie in estimation though not superioritie in goverment And that it maie bee potent also to move by example and perswasion only not by commaundement Be it so that these words maie be wrested into some such signification as what words be there that may not be diuerslie construed yet everie reasonable man will soone see that power and principalitie do properly import a commaunding superiority And will as easily graunt that the fathers words are rather to be fairly taken according to the more vsuall signification then in anie such forced sense and construction Againe seing that power and superioritie did even as S. Irenaeus expresseth impose a necessitie vpon others of conforming themselues to the church of Rome it could not bee that imagined superioritie of M. Abbots which imposeth no such necessitie wherfore it remaines evident that M. Abbot is driuen to flie from the vsuall signification true meaning of S. Irenaeus words In like manner M. Abbot to cast some better colour vpon his new devised principalitie or rather to shift over into another matter that seemes more plausible writeth thus 20 That M. Bishop may vnderstand I do not answere him by a deuise of mine Cypr. l. 1. Epist 3. but according to the truth hee shall find that Ciprian calleth the chuâ—ch of Rome the princ pall church and yet in the same place he denieth the authority of the Bishops in Africa to be inferiour vnto the Bishops of Rome M. Abbot and other Protestants cannot choose but stand in bodily feare so often as they appeale vnto the ancient fathers for support of their novelties for you shall scarse find any one of them that doth not in the verie place alledged by the Protestants giue them such a bob that everie beholder maie plainly see they do not favour their cause nor are content to be called in for their witnesses Let S. Cyprian now cited by M. Abbot serve for an example This is the sentence out of which M. Abbot picked the former words Cypr. l. 1. Epist 3. iuxta pamel Epist 55. Post ista adhuc insuper pseudo-Episcopo sibi ab haereticis constituto nauigare audent ad Petri cathedram atque ad EcclesiaÌ„ principalem vnde vnitas sacerdotalis â—rta est a schismaticis profanis litteras ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est ad quos perfidia habere non posset accessum After those things and more also after a false Bishop appointed them by Heretiks they dare saile to the chaire of Peter and vnto the principall church whence priestlie vnity hath its beginning and carrie letters from schismatikes and prophane fellowes not remembring that such are the Romanes whose faith is praised by the Apostles voice vnto whom perfidie can haue no accesse I set downe the whole passage because by and by we must treate of the later part therof as well as now of the former where is sufficientlie declared that S. Ciprian tooke the church of Rome to be principall not onlie in estimation but in order of goverment which I proue First because hee affirmes the church of Rome to be S. Peters chaire and consequently to be endued with like authoritie that S. Peter enioyed vpon whom as S. Ciprian in twentie places avoucheth the church of Christ was builded Secondly he describes it to be that principall church which is the fountaine of priestly and ecclesiasticall vnitie which could not be vnles it had power and authoritie to compell all other churches to stand to her order and therby to hold all in vnitie of faith and vniformity of religioÌ„ For as all the world now seeth there neither is nor can bee in mans iudgment any vnitie in faith or religious rites among Protestants bicause there is no one soveraigne coÌ„mauÌ„der over them all indued with authoritie to coÌ„pell the rest to agree in one And in the self same Epistle S. Cip. coÌ„firmeth this verie poiÌ„t in these memorable words Heresies haue not risen Cyprian ibidem Neque enim aliunde haereses orta sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur nec vnus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus iudex vico Christi cogitatur nor schismes sprong from any other roote then for that obedience is not yeelded to one priest and for that one priest for the time and one Iugde is not accepted of in Christs steed Do you see by S. Cyprians sentence that the only way to root out heresies and to accord schismes is to acknowledg one priest for soveraigne Iudge in ecclesiasticall cases and to obey him as Christs vicegerent on earth Such a soveraigne Iudge is hee that sits in S. Peters chaire and that principall church of Rome by S. Ciprians owne assertion in the former period or els Ecclesiasticall Discipline could not draw its originall vnitie thence Thus much here to prove that the principall church in that place of S. Ciprian is to be taken for the principall in authoritie and goverment Now to the other part S. CipriaÌ„ denieth not the Bishops in Africa to be inferior vnto the Bishop of Rome but blameth such troublesome fellowes that would not rest quiet and content with their owne Bishops iudgment but flie abroad to molest others with their brawles as though their owne Bishops had not sufficient authority or witt to compose and end their quarrells at home S. Ciprian supposeth that their churches in Afrike had no less authority then others churches to order such matters but neither names the