the body of our Lord Moreouer he speaketh of the Church of Rome being then but in her cradle most honourably saying Your faith is Rom. 1. vers 8. renowmed in the whole world and after Your obedience Rom. 16. ver 19. is published into euery place But no maruaile to the wise though he did not then make mention of her Supremacie for that did not belong to the Church or people of Rome but to S. Peter who when S. Paul wrote that Epistle was scarse well setled there neither did that appertaine to the matter he treated of R. ABBOT NOw to the Masse sâ—ith M. Bishop but there is no wise man that readeth what he hath here written but would thinke that hee had done much more wisely to keepe him from the Masse I cannot tell whether more to pitty his folly or to detest his wilfulnesse See with what a graue preface he entreth to a most ridiculous and childish proofe The same profound diuine St. Austin with other holy Fathers who were not wont so lightly to skimme ouer the Scriptures as our late new Masters doe but seriously searched them and most deeply pierced into them did also finde all the parts of the Masse touched by the Apostle St. Paul in these wordes I desire that obsecrations prayers postulations thanks-giuings be made for all men This phrase of skimming ouer the Scriptures he learned of his Masters of Rhemes who vpon those words of St. Paul alleaging by that place of Austin and some other Fathers that all those kinds of prayers were publikely vsed in the Lyturgie of the Church conclude thus a Rhem. Testam Annot. 1. Tim. 2. 1. So exactly doth the practise of the Church agree with the precepts of the Apostle and the Scriptures and so profoundly doe the holy Fathers seeke out the proper sense of the Scriptures which our Protestants doe so prophanely popularly and lightly skimme ouer that they can neither see nor endure the truth So then it seemeth we must diue very deepe to finde the Masse in the Scriptures but wee are in doubt that they which goe about to diue so deepe will certainly bee drowned and neuer finde that that they seeke for And tell vs in good sooth M. Bishop did St. Austin in your opinion finde in those wordes all the parts of your Masse Nay did he finde that at all to which the name of the Masse is by you properly referred You hold the Masse to be a proper reall sacrifice of the very naturall body and bloud of Christ offered to God for propitiation of the sinnes both of quicke and dead and doth St. Austin speake any thing to that effect or could he finde all the parts of the Masse without finding this Yea that the impudency of him and his Rhemish Masters may the better appeare doth St. Austin say any thing there but what properly belongeth to our Communion and not to their Masse Thou shalt vnderstand good Reader that Paulinus wrote to Austin to be instructed by him of the difference of those sorts of prayers which St. Paul commendeth to Timothy in the wordes aforesaid St. Austin answereth him that b Aug. Epist 59. Illa planè difficillimè discernuntur c. Aliqua singulorum istorum proprietas inquirenda est sed ad â—a liquidò peruenire difficile est Multa quippe hinc dici possunt quae improbandâ— non sint sed eligo in his verbis hoc intelligere quod omnis vel penè omnis frequentat Ecclesia vt precationes accipiamus dictas quas facimus in celebratione Sacramentorum antequam illud quod est in Domini mensa incipiat benedici orationes cum benedicitur sanctificatur ad distribuendum coÌ„minuitur quam totam petitionem ferè omnis Ecclesia Dominica oratione coÌ„cludit Interpellationes siue postulationes fiunt cum populus benedicitur Tunc enim antistites velut aduocati susceptos suos per manus impositionem miserecordissimae offerunt potestati Quibus peractis participato tanto Sacramento gratiarum actio câ—ncta concludit they are very hardly discerned that there is some propriety of euery of them to be enquired of but very hard it is certainly to attaine vnto it For many things saith he may be said hereof which are not to be disliked but I make choise to vnderstand in these wordes that which the whole Church or almost the whole accustometh to take those to be called precations obsecrations as M. Bishop termeth them out of their vulgar Latin which we make in the celebration of the Sacraments before that which is vpon the Lords table beginne to be blessed Prayers those which are vsed when the same is blessed and sanctified and broken to be distributed all which petition almost the whole church concludeth with the Lords prayer Intercessions or postulations which are made when the people is blessed for then the Priests as aduocates doe offer to the most mercifull power them whom they haue receiued by imposition of hands All which being done and after the participation of so great a Sacrament thanks-giuing concludeth all Now what is there in all this that doth concerne the Masse M. Bishop telleth vs that St. Austin findeth all the parts of the Masse here touched by the Apostle and see saith he all the parts of it very liuely painted out but can any man but thinke that he was scant sober when he looked vpon the place and therefore his eyes being troubled thought hee saw that which hee saw not Here is the celebration of a Sacrament the setting of bread and wine vpon the table of the Lord the blessing and sanctifying thereof the breaking of it to be distributed to the people the peoples participating of the Sacrament and in the meane while prayers supplications intercessions giuing of thanks the very true description of our Communion but who seeth any thing here appertaining to the Masse What M. Bishop is there no end of your trifling will yee still goe on to play the wiseman in this sort But to helpe the matter he telleth vs that though he calleth not that celebration of the Sacrament by the name of Masse yet he doth giue it a name equiualent Sacri Altaris oblatio the oblation or sacrifice of the holy Altar It is true indeede that St. Austin nameth the oblation of the holy Altar but nothing at all to M. Bishops vse For willing to giue a reason why the prayers vsed in the very act of the administration of the Sacrament are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taketh the same from the composition of the word and because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often vsed to signifie a vow therefore he saith that c Ibid. Ea propriè intelligenda est oratio quam facimus ad votum c. Vouentur autem omnia quae offeruntur Deo maximè sancti Altaris oblatio quo Sacramento praedicatur aliud nostrum votum maximum quo nos vouimus in Christo esse mansuros id est
the world for it is totum integrale to vse the schoole termes and not totum vniuersale quod dicitur de multis Secondly the Catholike Church â—oth also designe and note very properly euery particular Church that embraceth the same true Christian faith which hath continued euer since Christs time and beene receiued in all Countries not only because it is totum similare as Mr. Abbot speaketh wherefore euery true member of the Catholike Church mâ—y be called Catholike but also because each of the said particular Churches hath the same Faith the same Sacraments and the same order of gouernement all which are as it were the soule and forme of the Catholike Church which Mr. Abbot acknowledgeth and further also confesseth out of S. Augustine that Christians were called Catholikes Ex communicatione totius orbis By hauing Epistola 48. communion of faith with the whole world If then by his owne confession euery particular Church yea euery particular Christian that imbraceth and professeth that faith which is dilated all the world ouer be truly called Catholike how fondly then did he goe about to proue the Church of Rome not to be Catholike and Papists not to be Catholikes because forsooth they were particulars Yet that he may be thought not to dote outright but rather to dreame he addeth That at least the Church of Rome hath no reason to assume to her selfe the prerogatiue of that title because that euery Church where the true faith is taught is truly called Catholike and no one more then another I note first that this man is as constant and stable as the weather-cocke on the toppe of a steeple before he proued stoutly as you haue heard that no particular Church could be called Catholike now he will haue euery particular Church that receiueth the true faith to be called Catholike Neither doe we say that any one Oxthodoxe Church is more Catholike then another if the word Catholike be taken precisely though we hold that among all the particular Catholikes the Roman holdeth the greatest priuiledges both of superiority in gouernement and of continuance and stability in the same true Catholike faith which is deduced out of the word of God because that Church is the Rocke according to the Math. 16. v. 18. exposition of the ancient Fathers vpon which the whole Church was built and against which the gates of hell should neuer preuaile Againe the Bishop of Rome succeedeth lineally vnto S. Peter Whose faith Luc. 22. v. 23. through the vertue of Christs prayer shall neuer faile Wherefore S. Ireneus a most learned Archbishop of Lyons in France and a glorious Martyr of great antiquity saith That all Churches ought to agree with the Lib. 3. cap. 3. Church of Rome for her more mighty principality S. Cyprian Archbishop of Carthage in Africke affirmeth That perfidiousnesse and falshood in matters Lib. 1. Epist 3. of faith can haue no accesse vnto the See of Rome S. Ambrose taketh it to be all one to say the Catholike and the Roman Church in these wordes If he shall agree De ob Satyri with the Catholike that is with the Roman Church So doth S. Hierome when he saith of Ruffinus What Hieron in Apol. 1 cont Russi c. 1. faith doth he say his to be if the Roman faith we are then Catholikes affirming men to become Catholikes by holding the Roman faith Tertullian Epiphanius De Prascript Epiph. hares 27. Lib. 2. cont Parmeni August Epist 165 Optatus S. Augustine dâ—e proue their Churches to be Catholike and themselues to be Catholikes by declaring that they doe communicate with the Church of Rome in society of faith and doe condemne their aduersaries to be Schismatikes and Heretikes because they did not communicate with the same Roman Church And which is greatly to be noted no generall Councell of sound authority wherein the Christian truth hath beene expounded and determined but is confirmed by the Bishop of Rome And on the other side no heresie or error in faith hath sprong vp since the Apostles dayes that did not oppose it selfe against the Roman See and was not by the same finally ouerthrowne Whereupon S. Augustine had good reason to say De vtil cred cap. 17. That that chaire obtayned the top of authority Heretikes in vaine barking round about it This little I hope will suffice for this place to declare that there is great cause why we should attribute much more to the Roman Church then to any other particular Church what soeuer and yeeld to it the prerogatiue of all singular titles in a more excellent manner R. ABBOT VVHereas M. Bishop made motion to his Maiesty to accept of the Catholike faith I tooke occasion to note that the Catholike faith is so called of the Catholike Church and consequently to shew that the Catholike Church by the very signification of the word importeth the vniuersal Church so called as I noted out of Austin and Athanasius a Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. Qâ—am maiores nostri Catholicam nominarâ—t vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent quiâ— per totum est Athanas quest 71. Catholica propterea quòd per totum mundum diffusa sit Quia per totum est because it is ouer all or through all the world and is not tyed to any Countrey place person or condition of men b Aug. in Psal 56. Corput eius est Ecclesâ—â— non hâ—c aut illa â—ed toto orbe diffusa nec ea quae nunc est in hominibus qui prâ—sentem vitam agunt sed ad â—am pertinentibus â—â—iam his qui fuerunt ante nos his qui futâ—ri sunt post nos vsque in sinem seculi Not this Church or that Church as S. Austin further saith but the Church dispersed through the whole world and not that which consisteth in men now presently liuing but so as that there belong to it both those that haue been before vs and shall be after vs to the worlds end Now before I could conueniently make vse and application hereof I was to remoue the stumbling blocke that lay in the way by the absurd presumption of the Church of Rome which like c Anian fabul the Asse in the fable of Antanus that to make himselfe terrible put on him a Lions skin so being become the Asse to carry Balaam the false Prophet who for d 2. Pet. 2. 15. Apoc. 2. 13. the wages of vnrighteousnesse hath set his heart to curse and scandalize the people of God to take away the reproch hereof and to gaine to it selfe a soueraigne authority ouer other Churches hath laboured by all meanes to entitle it selfe to a propriety of the name of the Catholike Church so as none should be taken to be a member of the Catholike Church but only as he is subiect to the church of Rome Duraeus the Iesuit out of the abundance of his Catholike wit hath told vs a tale which the old Catholike
Hymnis Psalmis canendis ipsius Domini Apostolorum habemus documenta praecepta exeÌ„pla De hac re tam vtili ad mouendum piè animuÌ„ accendendum diuinae lectionis affectum varia consuetudo est c. Donatista nos reprehenduÌ„t quòd sobriè psallamus in Ecclâ—sia diuina cantica ProphetaruÌ„ cum ipsi ebrietates suas ad canticum PsalmoruÌ„ humano ingenio compositorum quasi tubas exhortation is inslaÌ„ment Quando autem non est tempus cum in Ecclesia fratres congregantur Sancta cantandi nisi cum legitur aut disputatur aut antiâ—â—ites clara voce deprecantur aut communis oratio voce Diaconi indicitur singing Hymnes and Psalmes we haue lessons and examples and precepts of the Lord himselfe and his Apostles It is a thing profitable to stirre vp the minde to piety and to kindle deuotion and affection towards the lessons that are read from God Of the Donatists contrarywise he saith The Donatists reprehend vs for that we soberly sing in the Church the holy songs of the Prophets whereas they by singing of songs deuised by men as it were by trumpets of encouragement doe inflame and prouoke themselues to drinking vntill they be drunke Against this he saith When is it out of time when the brethren are gathered together in the Church to sing Psalmes but when there is reading or preaching of when the Ministers doe pray with loud voice or when by the voice of the Deacon warning is giuen of common prayer That the Donatists vsed those songs in the Church or before their Seruice and Sermons St. Austin saith not that is M. Bishops lye his wordes import that as their t August coÌ„t lit Petil. l. 1. c. 24. Mitto prophanas bacchationâ—s â—briâ—tâ—tuÌ„ drunken meetings and feastings which elsewhere he obiecteth to them they vsed such songs as the manner is of carnall prophane men at their meetings and merry-makings by vaine and wanton and lewd songs to cheare and sport themselues But out of St. Austins words it is easie to be gathered whether of vs in this behalfe are more like the Donatists either we that retaine the same religious custome of singing Psalmes which St. Austin commendeth and not he only but also Leo Bishop of Rome witnesseth that u Leo de collect ser 4. Psalmi Dauidici per vniuersalem Ecclesiam cum omni pietate cantantur the whole Catholike Church with all deuotion then vsed or the Papists who reproue vs for the same and haue wholly abandoned it both out of their Churches and houses and can better brooke to solace themselues with secular and prophane rimes and sonnets yea with filthy and vncleane ribawdries insomuch that some of their owne as touching their Seruice haue complained that x Cornel. Agrip de vanit scient cap. 18. Hodie cum Missa ipsius Canone obscâ—nâ— cantiunculae pares vices habènt obscene and filthy songs had their course and turne therein as well as the Canon of the Masse Very vnfortunately therefore hath M. Bishop entred into the retorting of this comparison nothing fitteth nothing serueth his turne his ball reboundeth vpon himselfe but neither in doctrine nor in manners can hee truly alleage any thing reproueable in the Donatists that can be fastened vppon vs. W. BISHOP §. 6. TO conclude this passage seing that M. Abbot went about to proue the Church of Rome to be like that of the Donatists by no one sound argument but by meere fabling and lying he must looke vnlesse he repent to haue his part with all lyars in the poole burning with Apocal. 21. v. 8. fire and brimstone And if it please the Reader to heare at what great square the Donatists were with the Church of Rome to which M. Abbot doth so often resemble them I will briefly shew it out of the best records of that time S. Augustine speaketh thus to the Donatist Petilian What hath the Church or Sea of Rome Lib. 2. cont Peâ—il cap. 51. done to thee in which Peter did sit and now sitteth Anastasius why doest thou cal the Apostolical chaire the chaire of pestilence See how friendly the Donatists saluted the Church of Rome stiling it the chaire of pestilence Optatus Bishop of Mileuitan saith thus Whence Lib. 2. cont Parmeni is it that you Donatists contend to vsurpe vnto you the keyes of the Kingdome and that you wage battaile against the chaire of Peter presumptuously and with sacrilegious audacity If they waged battaile against the Church of Rome so cruelly surely there was no agreement betweene them Wherefore as the Catholikes of Africa then so they that were taken into the communion of the Church of Rome cared little for the Donatists as witnesseth S. Augustine saying of Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage He neede not to care for the multitude August Epistola 162. of his conspiring enimies the Donatists when he saw himselfe by communicatory letters ioyned with the Roman Church in which alwaies the principality of the Apostolicall chaire flourished c. So we at this time neede as little to care for the bitter reproches and deceitfull arguments of the Protestants so we stand stable and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same Church of Rome R. ABBOT I Wish M. Bishop to take heede lest the doome which he pronounceth vpon me be returned vpon himselfe by the sentence of the Gospell a Luke 19. 22. Out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee thou euill seruant Mistake I did in a circumstance but lye I did not because b Mentiri est contra mentem ire to lye is to goe against a mans owne minde and knowledge which it is plaine I did not for that my errour was disaduantage to my selfe in that I alleaged the Papists to be like the Donatists only whereas by more perfect relation they are found to be like both Rogatists and Donatists But now to make the matter the more goodly for himselfe he for conclusion notably playeth the Skoggin and most grosly deludeth the simple Reader that hath not discretion to espie his fraude Forsooth he will shew at what great square the Donatists were with the Church of Rome But trouble not your selfe M. Bishop about that matter wee know it and will acknowledge it alwaies as farre as you only we desire to know what that maketh to the matter here in hand What because the Donatists in the time of Optatus and Austin were at great square with the Church of Rome doth it follow that there can be no cause now to compare the Papists to the Donatists When M. Bishop was clapt vp in prison at Rome there was great enmity betwixt the Seculars and Iesuits and doth it therefore follow that they are not friends now What is it M. Bishop but your legerdemaine to pretend a comparison made by me betwixt the Donatists and the Church of Rome that was of old when as my comparison concerneth only Romanists
corruptible man O noble disputer and well worthy the whippe because we may not make false Gods or giue the glory of God vnto Idols may we not therefore yeeld vnto Saints their due worship might not S. Paul whiles he liued as all other most godly men be reuerenced and worshipped for their most excellent spirituall and religious vertues with a kinde of holy and religious respect euen as Knights and Lordes and other worldly men are worshipped and honored for their temporall callings and endowments with temporall worship without robbing God of his honour Is the Lord or Master dishonoured and spoiled of his due reuerence and respect if his seruants for his sake be much made off and respected yet with such due regard only as is meete for their degree This is so childish and palpable that if the Protestants were not resolued to sticke obstinately to their errours how grosse soeuer they be they would for very shame not once more name it R. ABBOT O Noble disputer saith hee and worthy the whippe Whereby he putteth me in minde that he hath before returned it vpon me to be one of the Kings horses and indeede Salomon saith that a Prou. 26. 3. to a horse belongeth a whippe but he addeth further that to an Asse belongeth a bridle and a rodde to the fooles backe I say in my answere that the Apostle to the Romans condemneth b Rom. 1. 23. the changing of the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and c Vers 25. the worshipping of the creature insteede of the Creatour I noted that the Apostle herein condemneth the Church of Rome which by her schoole-tricks teacheth men to worship God in the image of a man and by religious deuotions of prayers and offerings to worship Saints and Saints images in steede of God Where thou maiest see gentle Reader that as I cite the Apostles wordes double so I make a double application thereof Where hee condemneth the Heathens for changing the glory of God into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man I say it maketh against the Papists doing the like in teaching men to represent and worship God in the similitude and likenesse of a man Where he noteth it for sinne in the Heathens that they worshipped the creature in steede of the Creatour I say it condemneth the Papists who worship Saints and Saints Images in steed of God But M. Bishop playing the part of Danus to set all out of order taketh the former part of the Apostles wordes and putteth them to the latter part of my application making me to say thus First he condemneth the worshipping of Saints and Saints images in that he reproueth the Heathens for changing the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man Thus he slippeth by a maine point of idolatry condemned in the Pagans and yet defended and practised by the Papists as if his heart failed him and he saw no way to salue their abuse against the words of the Apostle The Apostle giueth to vnderstand that by the ancient doctrine of the Church of Rome it was accounted an abhominable wickednesse and an abusing of the Maiesty of God to transforme him into the image of man The Church of Rome therefore now transforming God in that sort and setting him forth to be worshipped in the image of an old man doth that which was holden abhominable in the ancient Church of Rome What hath M. Bishop here to answere or what will he say Will he tell vs that the Heathens were to blame for that they were false Gods whom they represented in this sort But that the Apostle excludeth in that he noteth this as a dishonour done d Rom. 1. 19. 20. 21. 23. to the incorruptible God whom they knew by the creation of the world whom they should haue glorified and were punished for that knowing God they did not glorifie him as God but turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man e Hieron in Rom. 1. Dicentes se esse sapientes quasi qui inuenissent quomodo inuisibilis Deus per simulachrum visibile coleretur calling themselues wise as Hierome saith for that they had deuised how the inuisible God might be worshipped by a visible image euen as M. Bishops wisedome hath done who though he hold f Of Images sect 7. that no image is to be made as to represent God to the quicke and as in himselfe he is yet resolueth that we may picture God and resemble him in such image as he hath appeared or in some similitude represent him by some actions or properties whereby to leade our vnderstanding to the better knowledge of him whereas the ancient true religion doth teach vs that God g Origen coÌ„t Cels l. 3. Communis sensus cogitare nos iubet non delectari Deum hoc honore imaginum quae â—ffigiem eius aut significationé repraesentent aliquam is not pleased with the honour of images which represent either shape or any signification of him or h Ibid. lib. 7. Quis sanae mentâ— noÌ„ rideat cum qui. c. Per statuarum contemplationem tanquam signi alicuius conspicui conatur animu â—rigere ad imaginationem intelligibilis numinis whereby to lift vp our minds to the cogitation of him Will he say that the errour of the Gentils was in this that they tooke the very images to be Gods But against this we must obserue that the Apostle there speaketh of them who tooke themselues to be wise euen the Philosophers and learned men who scorned to be taken for such idiots as to imagine a dead blocke to bee a God i Origen coÌ„t Cels l. 7. Quis alius nisi sit totâ—s fatâ—us haec deos credit non dijs dicatas statâ—as Who but very fooles saith Celsus take these to be Gods and not images dedicated to the Gods k August in Psal 113. Dicunt Nec simulacbrum nec dâ—monium colo sed per corporale effigiâ—m eius rei signum intueor quaÌ„ colere debâ—o I neither worship the image nor the diuell saith another but by the bodily shape I behold the signe or token of that which I ought to worship They hold them to be as it were l Athanas coÌ„t Idola Simulachra pro elemâ—ntis literarum humano generi esse quae dum legunt Dei notitianâ— condiscere possiat Alphabeticall letters which men might reade thereby to learne the knowledge of God and that m Arnob. cont Gentes lib. 5. Dicere quî conuenit ad incutiendaâ— forâ—idmes vulgo deorum 〈…〉 a simulacâ—ra they were appointed to terrifie the vulgar sort M. Bishop hath no thing to except against it but that Pagans and Papists are both alike and both condemned by the ancient Roman Church for changing the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude
himselfe notable in his art he telleth his Reader that that vow was not much vnlike to the vow of religious persons and biddeth him thereof to see the sixt Chapter of the booke of Numbers as if looking there he should finde it so to be Now for their pupils and scholers who must yeeld to enlarge their throats to swallow all their Masters googeons hee knew well enough that they would neuer nay they dare not looke the Chapter and as for others though they finde him a lyar what cares he for that He that looketh into that Chapter or any other what shall he finde that may giue him cause to thinke the vow of the Nazarites like to the vow of religious persons The vow of religious persons is a vow of perpetual pouerty chastity and obedience and what is there in the vow of the Nazarites that carryeth any semblance of these things h Num. 6. 2. 3. c. He was to forbeare wine and strong drinke and all things of the grape to suffer no razour to come vpon his head but to let the locks of his haire to grow to come at no dead body not his father his mother his brother or sister and by these ceremonies to separate himselfe to the Lord but of giuing away all his goods to liue in pouerty of forbearing marriage or the company of a wife of liuing vnder obedience to any mans rules or lawes there is nothing I say nothing to bee found Now who can thinke it safe to trust M. Bishop that is not ashamed thus wilfully to falsifie that which is so plainly reported by the holy Ghost As for Saint Pauls taking vpon him that vow of a Nazarite which Saint Luke recordeth it was but a yeelding for the time to the infirmity of the Iewes becomming i 1. Cor. 9. 20. 21 to the Iewes a Iew that he might winne the Iewes as he professeth otherwhere For although in the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ the ceremoniall law of Moses were at an end and now to be abolished yet there was a time to be yeelded for instruction and teaching of the Iewes thereby to withdraw them from the opinion of those things which so long and by so great authority euen from God himselfe both they and their fathers had obserued that the sodaine relinquishing thereof might be no scandall or offence vnto them St. Austin saith notably hereof that k Aug. Epist 19. Cum venisset fides qua priùs illis obseruationibus praenunciata post morte resurrectione Domini reuelata est amiserant tanquam vitam officij sui veruntamen sicut defuncta corpora necessarioruÌ„ officijs deducendae â—â—ant quodammodo ad sepuituram nec simulatè sed religiosâ— non autem deserenda continuò vel inimicorum obtrectationibus tanquam canum morsibus proijcienda when the faith fore-shewed by those ceremonies was after the death and resurrection of Christ reueiled they lost as it were the life of their office or vse but yet as the dead bodies of friends they were by the office or seruice of friends religiously to be brought to their buriall and not to be presently forsaken or cast to the slanders of enemies as to the bitings or gnawings of dogs But though l Ibid. Illo teÌ„pore quo primùm gratia fidei reuelata est hoc noÌ„ crat pernicioâ—â— progressu verò temporis perniciosum erat nisi obseruationes illae ab omnibus Christ aniâ— desererentur it were not hurtfull as he there saith againe that these ceremonies at the first preaching of the faith were for a while obserued yet in processe of time it had beene pernicious that they should not haue beene forsaken of all Christians yea it should haue been impious to retaine them And hath not M. Bishop then for proofe of their vowes made good choise of an example which it were pernicious and impious to retaine in the Church of Christ But hee found there the name of vow and that he thought was enough to soppe them who he knew would take any thing that he should tell them From vowes he â—larteth to praier for the dead and saith that it is not true that in St. Paul there is nothing for prayer for the dead And what is there I pray for it He teacheth saith he that some of the faithfull who haue m 1. Cor. 3. 13. built vpon the right foundation hay stubble and such like trash shall notwithstanding at the day of the Lord be saued yet so as through fire But what is this to prayer for the dead Marry the ancient Doctors doe take this to be the fire of Purgatory and if many while the drosse of their works is purged do lie in fire it will easily follow that euery good soule will pray for the release of them Thus he telleth vs what some Doctors doe thinke and what he himselfe gathereth thereof but otherwise of St. Paul himselfe he can tell vs nothing It appeareth not by St. Paul himselfe that that fire is Purgatory fire it appeareth not by St. Paul himselfe that we are to pray for the dead therfore in all this M. Bishop hath said nothing because it is not the question what some haue gathered of an obscure sentence of St. Paul but what St. Paul himselfe hath deliuered and that in the Epistle to the Romans where Theodoret witnesseth as I haue said all doctrines of faith to be contained But he dealeth here after the very manner of Heretikes who are wont to make choise of some figuratiue and allegoricall and darke speeches of Scripture which they may construe at their owne pleasure and alleage them according to their owne construction to proue their falshoods and heresies by them when as notwithstanding the plaine and euident testimonies of Scripture doe make against them St. Paul speaketh of purpose to giue instruction of our carriage towards the dead where of Purgatory or praier for the dead he teacheth nothing n 1. Thess 4. 13. I would not brâ—thren haue you ignorant saith he concerning them which are asleepe that yee sorrow not as other which haue no hope for if we beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them which sleep in Iesus wil God bring with him And then shewing in what sort God will bring them with Iesus he concludeth Wherefore comfort your selues one another with these words Is it possible that the Apostle should here omit to giue charge of praying for the dead if it were religion to pray for them Nay he telleth vs of the faithfull departed that they sleepe in Iesus and of them that sleepe in Iesus o Apoc. 14. 13. the spirit saith Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord which sleepe in Iesus for they rest from their labours and if they be blessed and at rest then they are not labouring in the restlesse fire of Purgatory and therefore neede none of our prayers for release Albeit if vve grant M. Bishop his Purgatory yet
amputatis quae superflua leuia falsa blasphema ridicula phantastica videbantur false blasphemous ridiculous n Pius 5. Offic. Beat. Mar. in Princip Huiusmodi ferè omnia officia vanis superstitionum erroribus reserta erroneous superstitious were brought into the seruice of the Church and o Liâ—dan apud Espenc vt supra Preces secretae mendis turpissimis conspurcatae the prayers thereof were filthily corrupted or when p Cor. Agripp de vanit scient cap. 17. Hodie tanta in Ecclesijs Musicae licentia est vt â—â—â—am vnà cum Missae ipsius Canone obscoenae quaeque cantiunculae interim in organis parâ—s vices habeant filthy songs had equall place or course with the Canon of the Masse And what will not M. Bishop say as all his fellowes doe that the Pastors and Doctors of all the Easterne parts haue gone astray will hee not acknowledge that all those Churches haue failed in faith What is become of the Church of Ephesus to which the Apostle wrote these words now in question What of the Church of Corinth of Colosse of Thessalonica and the rest If this the truth of the Apostles wordes reserued might befall to them what saith he for other Churches more then he doth for them If M. Bishop will say that the wordes haue some speciall reference to the Pastors and Doctors of the Church of Rome we hold him a most ridiculous man that taketh vpon him to see that which amongst so many ancient interpreters of the place neuer any man saw before him Once againe I say that Christ hath giuen Pastors and Doctors to his Church as of old q Ezech. 3. 17. 33. 7. he gaue watchmen to the house of Israel Hee hath prescribed them their office and duty and appointed the worke that they shall doe When they performe their duty faithfully and carefully they are the saluation of the people and bring many vnto glory But if they neglect their duty and leaue the worke of God vndone the people perish vnder them and they become guilty of their destruction And thus it befalleth often in the publike state of the Church euen to the ruine thereof that theeues and robbers thrust themselues or creepe by stealth into the places of Pastors who sometimes cannot sometimes will not teach and sometimes teach errour and lies in steede of truth whilest they measure their teaching by r Tit. 1. 11. filthy lucre and by Å¿ Rom. 16. 18. Thil. 3. 19. seruing their bellies in steede of seruing Iesus Christ The Apostle doth not say they cannot erre hee doth not say that the Church vnder them cannot faile in faith Only God amidst all ruines and desolations prouideth for his Elect and in the want and default of ordinary Pastors raiseth vp other spirits and vseth other meanes for the effecting of his good purpose concerning them so guiding them not as that they neuer erre in faith they erre often greeuously and are misled with the customes and superstitions of their times but so as that they neuer erre finally as touching any truth the knowledge and faith whereof hee hath made necessary to eternall life Now whereas M. Bishop concludeth out of the same place that the Church shall neuer be inuisible as which hath alwaies visible Pastors and Teachers hee therein sheweth his absurd loosenesse and carelesnesse of arguing because though the Apostle affirme Pastors and Teachers in the Church yet he doth not so much as intimate any way that they are alwaies visible What is there in the Apostles wordes whence hee should in any sort gather that there is a perpetuall visible state and succession of Pastors and Teachers Be it that there is a perpetuity of succession to be gathered from hence yet it doth not follow that there is a perpetuall visibility thereof It is enough here thus to reiect him as an idle Sophister and indeede not worthy of so much as the name of a Sophister that will bring a conclusion there where he hath no slâ—ew of footing for it otherwise of the visibility or inuisibility of the Church I haue spoken sufficiently t Part. 3. Answere to Doct. Bishops Preface sect 17. and CoÌ„futat of his Answere to M. Perkins Aduertisement sect 6. otherwhere and it were too long to dispute here His next matter is a bare recitall of a text without any collection made therefrom imagining in his blinde vnderstanding that it is a plaine assertion of that that hee would proue by it Hee maketh St. Paul to say that Priests are chosen from among men and appointed for men in those things that appertaine to God that they may offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne Where it is first to bee noted how to serue his owne turne he falsifieth the Apostles text and readeth Priests are chosen from amongst men for that the Apostle saith Euery high Priest is chosen from amongst men By saying Priests hoe would extend the wordes as to be vnderstood of their Popish Priest-hood in the Gospell whereas the Apostle by naming a high Priest appropriateth his wordes to Aarons Priest-hood in the law For euen in the Popish Priest-hood there is no high Priest the power of sacrificing being indifferently common to them all and no more belonging to Popes and Bishops then to the meanest hedge-Priest or Curate in the world Seeing then the Apostle speaketh of a Priest-hood which admitteth a high Priest which the Popish Priest-hood doth not certaine it is that the wordes can haue no reference to Popish Priest-hood Therefore the Fathers vniuersally apply this text as the drift of the holy Ghost most plainly leadeth them to the Leuiticall Priest-hood only neither did they euer dreame of any Euangelicall Priest-hood intended herein Ambrose declareth the purpose of the Apostle to be this u Ambros in Heb. 5. Vt consueto SacerdotuÌ„ more qui in lege fuit ad altius id est Christi sacerdotium eos perdâ—ceret qui adhuc infirmi fueruÌ„t propterea modum carnalis Pontificis introducit that by the accustomed manner of the Priests in the law he might bring them being weake to the higher or more excellent Priest-hood of Christ therefore saith hee doth hee bring in or set downe the manner or condition of the carnall high Priest Theodoret saith x Theodoret. ibid. DoceÌ„s quòd etiam in lege non Angelus vt pro hominibus sacerdotio fungatur electus est sed homo pro hominibus c. Haec dixit Apostolus non nobis Pontifiâ—atus regulas volens ostendere sed ad dicendum de Pontificatu Domini viam muniens He teacheth that euen in the law there was not an Angell chosen to execute the office of Priest-hood for men but a man was chosen for men and The Apostle saith he speaketh these things not to set downe rules of the high Priest-hood but to make way to the Priest-hood of Christ Wee see they both take the wordes as spoken of the Priests in the law