cap. 21. by the best Hystoriographers and other approued authors of the auncient Church for denying Priests to haue power to forgiue some sort of the more hainous crimes Our Protestants exceede the Nouatians therein for they hold that Priests haue no power to pardon any sinne at al either little or great but only to pronounce them absolued for the satisfaction of the congregation And M. Abbot doth vpon meere surmises goe about very ignorantly to colour their deceit Page 187. in saying that the Nouatians denied absolution not from any sinnes but only from the sentence of excommunication Ibidem for both Socrates and Sozomene doe affirme in plaine tearmes the Nouatians to haue taught that it lay not in the power of a Priest but in God alone Illud genus peccati ignoscere To pardon and forgiue that kinde of sinne And againe That hope of pardon was not to be expected of the Priests but of God who could remit sinnes And there is no mention of any sentence of excommunication pronounced against them but that the offendours through the enormity of their sinnes had depriued themselues of the benefit of the Priests absolution And because M. Abbot saith yet further that Nouatus denied absolution to one only kinde of sinne let vs heare how formally that most graue Doctor S. Ambrose hath 1200. yeares before confuted him these be his wordes The Nouatians say Ambros de Poenitent cap. 2. that excepting some of the grieuous sinnes they doe giue pardon vnto the lighter offences But S. Ambrose replieth thus So did not Nouatianus the authour of your errour For he held that penance was not to be injoyned to any sinne at al vpon this consideration that he would not binde that which afterwardes he could not loose least by binding he might put them in hope of loosing Therefore doe you condemne the sentence of your owne Master because you put that difference betweene sinnes that some of them may be forgiuen and other some you thinke remedilesse But God maketh no such distinction who hath promised his mercy vnto al and hath giuen licence vnto Priests to pardon without any exception Obserue how directly that auncient Father doth crosse our new Masters in witnessing that both Nouatianus himselfe denied Priests to haue power to pardon not only the greater but any sinne at al And on the other part that God gaue vnto Priests authority to pardon al sorts of sinnes without any exception of the most grieuous Hieron 〈◊〉 Epist de errorivus MoÌ„tan Niceph. lib. 18. cap. 43. Math. Paris in Henrico 3. Guido de lacobis cap. 2. The Montanists also as I rehearsed before out of S. Hierome did jump with the Nouatians in this point Afterwardes as heresies in tract of time grow more formal about the yeare of Christ 600. there sprong out of that corrupted roote certaine lewd impes called Iacobites who did teach in terminis That it was not necessary to confesse our sinnes to a Priest but it would serue to confesse them only to God Doe our Protestants differ from them any one jote therein That the Manichees among many other errours did deny Free-wil al Antiquity doth confesse The same doe the Protestants though not altogither after the same manner nor vpon the same groundes For the Manichees denied freewil aswel to sinne as to doe vvel Aug. 1. Retract 15. de duobus naturis cont Manich. for they dreamed that there vvas in a man both a good soule which they supposed to be a part of the good God and an euil soule descended of the nation of darkenesse Out of the forcible operation of the one of these two soules they imagined al good and badde deedes of man to proceede vvithout the free choise or consent of his owne wil. M. Abbot craftily to cleere their party from the infamy of the one branch of the Manichean heresie doth deny that they doe agree with them in the other True it is that the Protestants doe not deny vs free-wil to doe euil as the Manichees did yet doe they agree with them in the other part attributing the vvhole vvorking of good vnto grace as the Manichees did to the good soule without any free choise or consent of ours And albeit S. Augustine in refuting them doe most coÌ„monly insist vpon their denial of liberty to doe euil In disput coÌ„t FortunatuÌ„ in actâ—s cum Foeliâ—e cap 12. as being the more euident eminent absurdity yet doth he in sundry places intimate that the Manichees held it absurd to affirme that we had free wil to doe good The Donatists vvere of opinion that the visible Church of Christ was perished in al other parts of the world and only remained vndefiled in those coasts of Afrike where their heresie bare the sway August ad Quodvult alibi and vvere therefore by the verdict of Antiquity declared blinde Heretikes The Protestants as obstinately and more blindly doe auouch that the visible true Church was for 900. yeares togither banished out of the world and was of late restored from that long exile by Friar Luther and his followers and doth yet remaine only vndefiled in those corners of Europe where their new Gospel doth domineer they are therefore in that point Donatists It was a very preposterous shameful inuention of the Arrians yet of necessity imbraced afterwardes by other Heretikes to appeale from the judgement of their spiritual Pastors vnto the lay Magistrate thus writeth S. Ambrose of the Arrian Bishop Auxentius He being brought vnto an exigent doth flie vnto that suttle tricke of his predecessours to draw vs into the Emperours displeasure Orat. tertia cont Auxentium affirming that he being but a young-man and a Nouice in the faith ignorant also of the holy Scriptures as commonly other Princes are must notwithstanding in his Consistory determine this Ecclesiastical cause so did the Donatists appeale from the judgement of Bishops vnto the Emperour Epist 48. 162. Lib. 3. cont Iulian. cap. 1. as witnesseth S. Augustine And so the Pelagians would haue done if they could haue preuailed therein as the same most graue Father hath also recorded And is not this as it were the foundation and shot-anker of al the Protestants superstitious proceedinges Another rotten twigge of the same Pelagians heresie it was Aug. de Peccat Merit lib. 1. cap. 9. To deny children to be purged from original sinne by baptisme attributing that rather to a couenant made long since to old father Abraham most learned Protestants be of the same minde And al of them agree vvith Proclus the condemned Originist Epiph. Haeres 64. vvho taught Original sinne to be so in seperably joined with our mortal bodies that til death it is not clearely purged of it The Antidicomarianitae that is Epiph. Haeres 78. enemies of the blessed Virgin Mary were scored vp for Heretikes for denying that most holy Mother of God to be worshipped and honoured yet doe the Protestants
they seeke to deuour before they be aware of them But as S. Augustine aduiseth very prudently The sheepe must not therefore cast off his owne skinne because the wolfe doth sometime put it on no more must Catholikes forsake any branch or good circumstance of fasting because the Montanists vsed them If any man be desirous to know the true founders of the Protestant doctrine against fasting they are of record in right good authours but noted by them for very vvicked Heretikes Aërius saith both Epiphanius and S. Augustine vnto the Arrian heresie added some other errours of his owne to wit That we ought not to pray and offer sacrifice for the dead and that certaine standing fastes were not to be commanded but that men might fast when they pleased least otherwise they should be vnder the law Is not this the first part of the Protestant plea and opinion that there must be no standing and ordinary fastes Ioyne hereunto one branch of Iouinians heresie Hieron lib. 1. cont Iouin cap. 2. That there is no difference betweene abstaining from meate and receiuing of the same with thanks-giuing that is al is one before God and no more merit or satisfaction in fasting then in eating and then you haue the ful doctrine of the Protestants patched vp out of the rotten reproued ragges of two old condemned Heretikes Aërius and Iouinian The old Roman faith vvhich to this day doth remaine inuiolable walketh in the middest of these two extremities shee leaueth it not to euery mans discretion to fast when and how he pleaseth as Aërius vvould haue had it for then there vvould be little fasting with many as daily experience teacheth vs but cōmandeth certaine standing times of fasting prescribing also one vniforme manner to be obserued of al who be of age and in health which is done according to the tradition of the Apostles with that moderation of both time and diet that shee is as farre on the other side from the presumptuous and vndiscreet prescription of the Montanists as may be We can better defend our selues from Montanus errours then M. Abbot can doe the Protestants from one principal point of them vvhich was as S. Hierome reporteth that they at euery sinne almost Epist. 49. ad Marcellum de dogmate Montani did shut vp the Church dores that is did deny that there was in the Pastours of the Church power to absolue them from those sinnes And were so sterne and rough as S. Hierome saith not that they themselues did not commit more grieuous offences but because there is this difference betwixt the Montanists vs that they are ashamed to confesse their sinnes as men but we whiles we doe penance doe more easily merit and deserue pardon vvhere you see that the ancient Roman Church of which S. Hierome was an eminent Doctor did dissent from the Montanists about the Sacrament of confession The Montanists then as the Protestants now did not beleeue that Priests had power to forgiue many sortes of sinne and therefore vvould not goe to confession Contrariwise the Catholikes then beleeued as we doe now that Priests could pardon al sortes of sinne and therefore went to confession and did such penance as vvas injoyned them thereby to deserue pardon of their sinnes ROBERT ABBOT TO this heresie of Montanus the Church of Rome hath added the practise and defence of sundry other heresies which were condemned of old by the same Church Epiphan Haeres 78. Antid Idem Haeres 79. Collyrid The Collyridians were adjudged Heretikes for worshipping the Virgin Mary and offering vnto her Epiphanius calling it a wicked and blasphemous act a Deuilish worke and the doctrine of the vncleane spirit affirming that shee vvas not giuen vs to be worshipped that because men should not admire or thinke to highly of her therefore he spake to her in that sort in the Gospel Woman what haue I to doe with thee that if God vvould not haue the Angels to be worshipped much lesse a vvoman that the Sonne of God tooke flesh of the holy Virgin but not that shee should therefore be worshipped nor to make her a God nor that we should offer in her name That shee should be in honour but yet let no man worship her saith he let them not say we doe honour to the Queene of heauen Yet the Church of Rome that now is worshippeth the Virgin Mary praieth and offereth to her vnder the name of the Queene of heauen WILLIAM BISHOP Hierem. 13. WHEN the Aethiopian doth change his tanned skinne and the Leopard his speckled case as the Prophet speaketh then and not before I vveene vvil the Aethiopian blacke soule of this Tanners sonne leaue off to abuse the holy Fathers writinges and to deceiue his credulous readers Epiphanius a most holy man and a very learned Bishop in recounting confuting the heresies that vvere sprong vp in and before his time commeth at length vnto the erronious opinions which some held of the most blessed Virgin Mary the glorious mother of God which were in two extremities For some named Antidicomarianitae that is enemies to the sacred Virgin because they spake against her perpetual virginity whose blasphemy he checketh in the 78. heresie which is the first chapter cited by M. Abbot Wherein that holy Father doth most highly commend her stiling her an immaculate Virgin worthy to be made the pallace of the Sonne of God A holy pretious most excellent and admirable vessel comprehending him that is incomprehensible The Princesse of Virginity The Mother of the liuing and the cause of life preferring her before S. Iohn the Euangelist S. Iohn Baptist and Helias Adding finally That though shee were a woman and not in nature changed yet for her sence vnderstanding and other graces Honore honorata which according to the phrase of Scripture signifieth To be honoured with singular honour yea With as great as the bodies of the Saints or what else he could name more to her glory That it was affected madnesse in lieu of worshipping that holy Virgin and honourable vessel with Hymnes and glory to inueigh and raile against her Where you see that the reuerend Bishop Epiphanius doth intimate that it is the part of euery sober Christian to worship the holy Virgin Mary vsing these formal words Virginem sanctam vas honoratum colere To worship the holy Virgin and honourable vessel If M. Abbot then had not beene starke blinde with malice and madly bent to delude and beguile his vnwary reader he vvould neuer haue presumed to alleage Epiphanius vvordes against his owne declaration and meaning But what then meant he when he said that the blessed Virgin was not to be adored vvhich M. Abbot Englisheth alwaies vvas not to be worshipped marry you shal heare out of his owne discourse Euen as some Heretikes saith he declining on the left hand blasphemed the Sonne of God saying that he was not equal to his Father in nature Other walking too much on the right hand
their saying doe alleage this Canon which maketh nothing at al for them because it speaketh only of a Priest that had a wife in times past Qui vxorem habuit that had a wife not that hath a wife Such men that vvere once married after their vviues death we doe admit to be Priests and to offer sacrifice condemning the Eustachians or vvhosoeuer else vnder pretence of their former mariages doth seeke to debarre them from that sacred function Marry such sensual or weake men that cannot or wil not refraine from marriage or company of their wiues vve doe wholy exclude from the celebration of the holy misteries And verily ignorantly and sawcily doth Mathew of Paris or any other late writer reprehend Gregory the seauenth for forbidding al men to be present at their Masses For it argueth great and grosse ignorance in al learned antiquity to account it a strange thing that Priests keeping company with their wiues should be repelled from the Altar vvhen not only Gregory the great Leo the great and Epiphanius vvhose sentences I haue before recited but also euen by M. Abbots owne confession Pope Stritius with the Clergy of Rome and S. Hierome did teach the very same little lesse then a thousand yeares before Mathew of Paris daies to omit sundry other ancient Fathers and decrees of approued Councels so that it was no strange example or vnaduised act to forbidde such fleshly fellowes to celebrate Masse neither could any but loose libertines be offended at it ROBERT ABBOT THE Valentinian Heretikes and Heracleonites Irenae lib. 2. cap. 18. Epiph. Haeres 36. August de Haeres 16. were condemned by the old Church of Rome for vsing expiations and redemptions by anointing men vvhen they were about to die yet thereof hath the Church of Rome now framed to themselues their Sacrament of Extreme vnction WILLIAM BISHOP HERE are but a few lines and yet not free from some lies The Church of Rome hath her Sacrament of Extreme vnction registred in the holy Scriptures as M. Abbot knoweth wel enough in these wordes Iacob 5. vers 14. Is any man sicke among you let him bring in the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer them anoiling them with oile in the name of our Lord and the praier of faith shal saue the sicke and our Lord lift him vp and if he be in sinnes they shal be remitted him Where we see a set holy ceremony which was instituted by Christ and published by his Apostle S. Iames to be vsed ordinarily by the Priests for remission of sinnes which doth conuince it to be a true and proper Sacrament A fond fiction then was it to say that it was after the Apostles time inuented by Heretikes and that the Church of Rome hath borrowed it of them vvith which foolish deuise of theirs it hath also very smal affinity for their dreame was that by the pronouncing of certaine vnknowne Hebrew vvordes ouer the head of the sicke their soule was made inuisible and incomprehensible Epiph. Haeres 36. euen vnto the infernal spirits as M. Abbots owne authour witnesseth Briefly they differed in forme of wordes in substance of matter and in the state and intention of the Minister They vsed certaine Hebrew vvordes Messia Vphared and such like vvhich are set downe by Epiphanius We these God of his most pittiful mercy and by this holy anointing forgiue thee thy sinnes They vsed oile or some other ointment mixed with vvater We oile alone blessed by a Bishop Any lay person of their brother-hood might minister their drugs Our Sacrament is to be administred by a Priest only Their intention was to make the soule inuisible to the infernal spirits But ours is according to the doctrine of the Apostle to purge the sicke from the relikes of sinne and to giue him comfort and strength to resist the assaults of the ghostly enemy There being so great difference in al the essential points of these two anoilinges judge what a wonderful inginer M. Abbot did take himselfe to be when he conceited that he could by his fine pen shal I say or brazen fore-head make them seeme al one to the simple ROBERT ABBOT IT vvas heresie in the Pelagians with the old Church of Rome to affirme in this life a possibility perfectly to fulfil the law of God and S. Hierome as touching this point L. 1 2. 3. aduers Pelag. expresly disputeth against them but now it is heresie with the Church of Rome to affirme and teach the same that Hierome did as M. Bishop afterwardes giueth vs to vnderstand The same Pelagians were accounted Heretikes for saying that a man in this life might be anamarticos without sinne and that by baptisme he becommeth so but now the Church of Rome teacheth the same And M. Bishop in plaine tearmes telleth vs Page 32. That there is no more sinne left in the new baptized man then was in Adam in the state of innocency to vvhich state of baptisme they also equal a man vvhen he is shriuen to the Priest and of him hath receiued absolution from his sinnes I reserue the Pelagian doctrine of Free-wil and Satisfaction to their due place vvhere God-vvilling it shal appeare that therein also the now Church of Rome approueth those points as Catholike and true for which the ancient Church of Rome condemned them Yea so farre is the Pelagian heresie in request vvith the Papists as that Faustus a Bishop of France at that time a maintainer thereof Bignae Bibliot sacrae Tom. 2. Osor de Inst lib. 9. is by some of them recorded for a Saint and his booke vvhich he hath vvritten in behalfe thereof is called Opus insigne A notable worke And by some other the doctrine of S. Augustine against the Pelagians concerning Predestination is repugned which of old vvas acknowledged by the Church of Rome to be the Catholike doctrine of the Church WILLIAM BISHOP M. ABBOT comes now to make an end of his slanders and false imputations against the present Catholike Roman Church after the same sort as he hath heretofore vsed to wit with wrested and vntrue reportes of the old Heretikes opinions and the ancient Fathers refutations of them The Pelagians did teach indeed that it was possible to keepe Gods Cōmandements but therefore they were not accounted Heretikes for the same doth both S. Augustine and S. Hierome that writ against them approue and confirme in many places I wil touch some of each of them S. Augustine hauing alleaged certaine texts of holy Scripture to proue the same doth conclude thus By these and innumerable other testimonies De Peccatis Meritis Remissione lib. 2. cap. 6. I cannot doubt either that God hath commanded man any thing that is impossible for him to doe or that it is impossible for God to helpe man to fulfil whatsoeuer he hath commanded him and therefore a man holpen by God may if he wil be without sinne De Grat. l. Arbit ca. 16. And
in another place It is certaine that we may keepe Gods Commandements if we wil. Againe Grace is giuen vs not because we did good workes before but that we may be able to doe them De Spirit Liter ca. 10. that is as he expoundeth himselfe Non quia legem impleuimus sed vt legem implere possimus Not because we did before we receiued grace fulfil the law but that we may be able afterward to fulfil the law Can any thing be more manifest then that according vnto S. Augustines opinion a man indued with Gods grace may keepe al his Commandements and fulfil the law The very same doth S. Hierome confesse in that very Treatise cited by M. Abbot adding this reason We confesse that God giueth vs Commandements possible to be fulfilled least God should be authour of injustice if be exacted of vs to doe that which cannot be done so that the present Church of Rome doth herein follow S. Augustine and S. Hierome a noble paire of most learned Patrones of the ancient Church of Rome And doth nothing lesse then agree with Pelagius in his errours about that matter which were two The first That without the helpe of Gods grace a man may keepe al Gods Commandements The second That a man could keepe al the Commandements so perfectly that be needed neuer to sinne so much as venially Which two erronious branches of Pelagius doctrine we doe condemne as roundly as did the most holy Fathers and consequently that a man comming to yeares of discretion is anamarticos without sinne for if the justest man aliue say that he is without sinne that is some venial sinne he is euen thereby made a liar as S. Iohn witnesseth and therefore a sinner Al this Pelagian doctrine the present Church of Rome doth as wel reproue as did the former Marry to affirme as M. Abbot doth that Pelagius was of old cōdemned for affirming children to be made without sinne by baptisme is sauing your reuerence a starke lie confronted and confuted by S. Augustine in formal tearmes these be his wordes De Peccatis Meritis Remissione lib. 10. ca. 9. They that is the Pelagians wil not beleeue that baptisme doth cleanse Infants from original sinne vvhat a notable tale then was it to say that the Pelagians vvere therefore accounted Heretikes because they held men by baptisme to become vvithout sinne vvhen they flatly denied baptisme to cleanse them from sinne That which I said of the state of man newly baptised that there was no sinne left in him is S. Augustines and S. Hieromes doctrine word for word thus saith S. Augustine * Cont. duas Epist Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 3. Baptisme doth wash away al sinnes vtterly al of deedes wordes and thoughts whether they were originally contracted or afterward committed either of ignorance or wittingly The same he repeateth treating of the Creede De Simbol ad Catech. lib. 3. cap. 10. Omnia prorsus delicta delet sanctum baptisma originalia propria dicta facta cogitata cognita incognita omnia dimittuntur vvhich he doth inculcate in many places I wil cite but one more which containeth also an explication of that other Pelagian proposition how a good Christian may be without sinne these be his wordes L. cōt Iulian. ca. 13 15. Cōt duas Epist Pelag. lib. 10. c. 14. Multi baptisati fideles sunt sine crimine sine peccato autem in hac vita neminem dixerim c. Many of the faithful baptised are without crime that is without mortal sinne but I wil say no man to be without sinne to wit venial how much soeuer the Pelagians doe rage against vs for so saying not that anything of sinne doth remaine which is not forgiuen in baptisme but because in vs remaining in the frailty of this life there ceasseth not to be committed some-thing that is daily to be pardoned to them that pray faithfully and doe the workes of mercy In this one sentence of S. Augustine there is declared first that al manner of sinne is wholy pardoned in baptisme and that therefore a man newly baptised is as free from al sinne as were our first parents in Paradise as I said Secondly that though many of the better sort of the baptised doe continue without mortal sinne yet none at al without some kind of sinne the blessed Virgin MARY only excepted De Natur. Grat. cap. 36. Of whom saith S. Augustine for the honour of our Lord I wil haue no question when the matter of sinne is handled S. Hierome is as cleare for the vertue and efficacy of baptisme as in many other places so specially in his Epistle to Oceanus vvherein he proueth by many texts of holy writ That al manner of sinne is drowned in the water of baptisme Hieron in Epistol ad Oceanum not one being left to swimme out aliue And doth cal it the heresie of Cain To hold the woundes of our sinnes to be so venimous and incurable that the medicine of Christ in baptisme cannot heale them Thus much out of learned Antiquity to shew how ignorant M. Abbot is therein who thought that he had hit me home and giuen me some great blow vvhen he produced these my wordes M. Bishop in plaine tearmes telleth vs that there is no more sinne left in the newly baptised man then was in Adam in the state of innocency vvhereas you now see that the best learned among the auncient Fathers had 1200. yeares before maintained the same doctrine against the Pelagian Heretikes Concerning the Sacrament of Penance we in deede teach the very same touching the ful and absolute purgation from sinne and the eternal punishment due to the same which euery true penitent making his humble confession doth obtaine by the absolution of his ghostly Father which is no late inuention of ours but we learned it out of these our Sauiours owne vvordes Iob. 20. vers 23. Whose sinnes you forgiue on earth they shal be forgiuen in heauen Al antiquity hauing vnderstood thereby that Christ gaue to his Apostles as Pastors of his Church ful power to pardon sinnes and by them vnto al other Pastors that should lawfully succeede them vntil the worldes end This matter I haue handled in a Question by it selfe to which I referre the reader that desireth to heare more of it in particular As M. Abbot reserues the Pelagian doctrine of Free-wil and Satisfaction to their due place so doe I where it shal appeare that therein the now Church of Rome doth no more approue those points then it doth these which he hath here touched but that therein he is as fouly deceiued and goes about to deceiue others as here he hath done And if one D octor Bignee hath beene so much ouerseene as to commend a fauourer of the Pelagian heresie let it be inquired of the learned what thanke the present Roman Church doth yeeld him for his labour for I haue heard that it hath laid a
Israelites d Genes 48. vers 16. God c. and the Angel that hath deliuered me from al euil blesse these children The example of so religious a person is our sufficient vvarrant to pray to Angels and Saints for e Luc. 22. Saints in heauen are equal to Angels as our Sauiour himselfe assureth vs and Iob was counsailed to pray and cal for aide vnto some of the Saints f Iob. 5. vers 1. Ad aliquem Sanctorum conuerte Thirdly they of the old Testament knew good vvorkes to merit life euerlasting and had by Gods grace free-wil to doe them which I adde because by the same sentences I wil proue both togither God said vnto Cain Genes 4. vers 7. If thou doe wel shalt thou not receiue if euil thy sinne wil be at the dore but the appetite or pange of it shal be vnder thee and thou shalt haue dominion ouer it see both power giuen to the wicked to doe wel if they wil and recompence promised therefore Againe in the law Moises hauing propounded to the Israelites Gods commandements exhorting them thereunto saith Deuter. 30. vers 15. Consider that I set before you life and good and contrariwise death and euil if you loue God and wil walke in his commandements life or else death c. Vers 19. choose therefore life c. Must they not be very dul that hence cannot gather the keeping of Gods commandements to deserue and merit life euerlasting and that man hath by the aide of Gods grace free-wil to performe them Fourthly they that were skilful in the law of Moises could not be ignorant of vvorkes of supererogation that is that there vvere many good workes which men were not bound to doe yet if they did them they might thereby aduance themselues in Gods fauour because there is Numer 6. special order taken for the sanctification of any man or woman that would be a Nazarite that is any one that of deuotion would withdraw himselfe from secular affaires and for some certaine time serue God more religiously yet no man was bound therevnto Further they were allowed and encouraged to make vowes which is also a worke of supererogation against M. Abbot fift instance For not only Dauid saith Psalm 75. vers 12. Vow and render it to our Lord but in the law it is written * Deuter. 23. vers 21. When thou doest vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God slacke not to performe it because the Lord thy God doth require it c. but if thou wilt not promise thou shalt be without sinne And to leaue the word Monkery as fitter for a Monkey then for an Abbot Iosephus a graue authour among the Iewes vvitnesseth That there liued in the time of the law many thousandes called Esseni Antiquitat Iudaic. lib. 18. cap. 2. who were contemners of riches liued in common hauing neither wiues nor seruants What other thing doe Monkes professe then such pouerty and chastity sauing obedience vvhich must needes also in some degree be among the others who liued no doubt in orderly society Sixtly neither they nor vve either buy or sel pardons yet had great mercy and pardon shewed them for their fore-fathers sake as God test fieth in the first commandement And that they were on the other side to endure temporal punishment for sinne after the guilt of the sinne the eternal paine was forgiuen them is most clearely recorded both of al the people of Israel Numer 14. Whose murmuration against God was at the earnest intercession of Moises pardoned and yet were they therefore depriued of entring into the land of promise Yea Numer 20. vers 24. Moises and Aaron themselues were in like manner both pardoned for their diffidence that they did not glorifie God at the waters of contradiction and yet neuerthelesse Deuter. 32. vers 51. debarred from entring into the land of promise for the same offence so that after the mortal guilt of sinne is remitted there remaineth either some temporal satisfaction to be made on our parties or else to be forgiuen and pardoned vs by God and his Ministers Seauenthly that they made praiers and offered sacrifice for the soules in Purgatory is manifest by the fact of 2. Mach. 12. Iudas Machabeus who was a most noble vertuous and faithful Israelite as al Christians doe confesse Neither is there any neede for this purpose to auerre and proue the bookes of the Machabees to be Canonical Scripture when it serueth this turne that they be taken for a graue History and that the Protestants allow them to be of sufficient authority for instruction of manners Further al the Iewes euen to this day doe pray for the soules in Purgatory Titulo 1. Sect. 4. see the Catholike Apology out of Protestant Authours Eightly the Iewes of the male-kinde by their law vvere bound to goe as it were in pilgrimage at three solemne feasts in the yeare vnto one special place that God should choose for his seruice And King Salomon encouraged al strangers to goe on pilgrimage to the Temple builded by him vvhen he praied Deuter. 16. vers 16 that what stranger soeuer should come thither to pray he might obtaine his sute And the ¶ * 3. Reg. 8. vers 21. bones of the Prophet Elizeus giuing life by their touch vnto a dead man doth sufficiently instruct al true beleeuers that it is very profitable to goe on pilgrimage vnto the sacred bones and holy Relikes of Gods faithful seruants departed Lastly they were not wholy vnacquainted with a kinde of shrift and absolution for 4. Reg. 13. vers 21. Numer 5. Leuit. 5. they were charged to confesse the sinnes they had committed and to bring with them vnto the Priest a prescribed sacrifice to be offered by them for their pardon and absolution And as the lepers by that law were bound to present themselues to the Priests and were by them declared such or purged from that imputation so in the law of grace men infected with the soules leprosie that is mortal sinne are either to be bound and declared obstinate by the Priests if they vvil not repent or repenting and confessing the same are to be cleansed there-from by the Priests absolution Chrisost li. 3. de Sacerdot Hieron in ca. 16. Math. as both S. Chrisostome and S. Hierome doe argue This in briefe wil suffice I hope for answere vnto M. Abbots particulars I might easily adde how the sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine were both prefigured by Melchisedechs Host in bread and vvine and foretold by the Genes 14. Malach. 10. Prophet Malachy and vvhat a liuely type Manna that Angelical and delicate foode was of Christs body in the Sacrament And how the supreme authority of one head ouer al the whole Church and that to belong to a Bishop not to the lay Magistrate was not obscurely shadowed but liuely represented by the
purpose for the Apostle saith not that he taught any one article which the coÌ„mon sort of the Iewes did beleeue but such things as the Prophets said should come to passe Who knowes not that they fore-saw and fore-told many thinges that were no articles of faith in their daies and touching these very particulars how many of the Iewes did beleeue that their Messias should die so shameful a death or that Mâ—ises law should be abrogated by their Messias and that the Gospel of Christ should be preached vnto al nations al these vvere great nouels and exceeding scandalous to the body of the Iewes wherefore though some better learned among them and more religiously affected might vnderstand the Prophets speaking of those points yet vvere they farre from the common reach perswasion of that people of the Iewes from these points that the Iewes beleeued al that Christ taught and al that he coÌ„manded his Apostles to deliuer to al nations M. Abbot runneth like a vvandering Planet to a third that al which the Apostles taught they committed to writing vvhich is notwithstanding as false as any of the former for many of them vvho neuer ceassed to preach left not one sentence in vvriting behinde them and he that wrote most did not write the hundreth part of that which he taught by word of mouth We know vvel that they left the Gospel in writing and many other most diuine and rare instructions in their Epistles vvherefore he needed not cite Ireneus to witnesse that which no man is ignorant off but that they wrote al which they preached or al thinges necessary to saluation Ireneus saith not a word but plainly signifieth the contrary vvhere he most sagely counsaileth al men Euseb hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 19. when any controuersie in religion ariseth to make their recourse to the most ancient Churches where the Apostles had conuersed amongst which he commendeth the Roman for principal of al the rest and from them to take their resolution he then was of opinion that the decision of al controuersies vvere not to be searched out of the vvritten word but rather to be taken from the resolution of the Church De Praescriptionibus Oh but Tertullian saith That beleeuing this we desire to beleeue no more because we first beleeue that there is nothing else for vs to beleeue Beleeuing this beleeuing what the vvritten word only nothing lesse for in that very Treatise his principal drift is to proue that Heretikes cannot be confuted out of the written word but by ancient customes traditions which he calleth Praescriptions but saith he when we beleeue the whole doctrine of Christ both written and deliuered by Apostolical tradition then we desire to beleeue no more of any vpstart Heretikes new deuises To S. Augustine I answere first that those be not his formal wordes which he citeth Secondly admitting the sence if it be rightly taken I say that these wordes Gallat 1. If any man or Angel shal preach any thing besides that which is writen vvhere he alludeth to the Apostles like vvordes are to be vnderstood as S. Augustine himselfe expoundeth those of the Apostle that is If any man shal preach contrary to that which is written For this is his owne interpretation Aug. lib. 17. cont Faust. cap. 3. The Apostle saith not more then you haue receiued but otherwise then you haue receiued for if he had so said he had prejudiced himselfe who desired to come to the Thessalonians to supply what was wanting to their faith He that supplies addeth that wanted but doth not take away any thing that was before so that you see when he faith that nothing is to be preached besides that vvhich is vvritten his meaning is nothing vvhich is contrary to it allowing withal that much more conformable to it may be added for a supply to make it ful and perfect M. Abbot hauing in few lines run ouer 4. large questions to wit first That the Prophets and Patriarkes beleeued no principal points of the Roman faith secondly that Christ deliuered nothing but what the Iewes before hand beleeued thirdly that the Apostles preached the same and no other to the Gentiles fourthly that whatsoeuer they preached they afterwardes wrote he fiftly addeth that the Protestants receiue and beleeue al the written word Whence he wil haue it to follow finally that the Protestants are very good Iewes and doe jumpe just with them in al articles of faith and consequently are true Catholikes so that in M. Abbots reckoning before you can be a true Protestant Catholike you must first become a good honest Iewe. Behold what a round this man is driuen to walke how many brakes of thornes he is forced to breake through ere he can come to make any shew of proofe that the Protestants are Catholikes the matter is so improbable I haue already declared how false euery one of his former foure propositions be the fift is as vntrue and more if more may be then any of the other and he plaies the sophister in it egregiously to begge that which is principally in question How proues he that Protestants receiue and beleeue al the writen word hath he so litle wit and judgement as to thinke that we would freely graunt him that for to omit that they receiue not but reject diuers bookes of the old Testament because they vvere not in the Canon of the Iewes or doubted off by some in the primitiue Church by which reason they might refuse as many of the new doe they rightly vnderstand and beleeue truly al that is vvritten in that blessed booke of Gods vvord nothing lesse Doe they giue credit to our Sauiour IESVS Christ himselfe telling them a Math. 26. v. 27. 28. This is my BODY that shal be broken for you this is my BLOVD that shal be shedde for you b Iohan. 20. vers 23. Whose sinnes yee shal forgiue on earth shal be forgiuen in heauen c Math. 16. vers 18. Thou art PETER and vpon this Rocke wil I build my Church c. and the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it d Math. 20. vers 8. Cal the worke-men that had laboured in his vine-yearde and pay them their hire e Iacob 2. vers 24. Doe you see that by workes a man is justified and not by faith only f Iacob 5. vers 14. Is any man sicke among you let him bring in the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer them anoiling them with OILE in the name of our LORD c. g Ibidem 16. Confesse therefore your sinnes one to another these and an hundred more plaine texts recorded in that fountaine of life vvherein our Catholike Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse tearmes to wit The Real presence of Christes body in the Sacrament That Priests haue power to pardon sinnes That Christ built his Church vpon S. Peter That good workes doe in justice deserue eternal life That
that their roial estate cannot giue lustre and dignity to those that serue and obey them for Soueraigne and Subjects be correlatiues and the splendour of the one doth dignifie and ennoble the other And to derogate from the subject in that he is a subject is to disparage and to blemish greatly the Soueraignes Majesty M. Abbot then shewed himselfe a jolly wise-man and very acute when he would remoue the cause of basenesse from my degree and cast it vpon the respect of my subjection vvhich is common to me with al other his Majesties subjects euen of the highest dignity and most honourable calling I doe not here forget that there is incomparable difference betweene one subject and another both in degree and quality yet am I bold to say that he vvho debaseth any one subject considered as a subject as M. Abbot speaketh doth jointly offer great wrong and disgrace not only to al the rest of the subjects but euen to the Soueraigne himselfe Here I hope the courteous Reader vvil giue me leaue to say some-thing of the birth and degree of some Roman Priests being by M. Abbot so often vpbraided with beggarly basenesse neither vvil I report aught else then that vvhich by some honest men of great intelligence is recorded for very true to wit that since these times of persecution more Gentlemen borne haue beene made Roman Priests then are to be found in al the English Ministery though for euery one Priest there be more then an hundreth Ministers And touching M. Abbot himselfe I am credibly informed that he is by birth but a meane Tanners Sonne of Gilford in Surrey and was at his first comming to Oxford but a poore Scholler gladde to sweepe and dresse vp chambers and to play the drudge for a slender pittance Which I doe not vvrite as in contempt of such base beginnings from vvhich many haue proued profound Clarkes and growne to great promotion but only to admonish M. Abbot out of the remembrance of his owne condition not to carry himselfe so contemptuously towardes others vvho vvere borne his betters farre and not brought vp so beggarly but that they had as good maintainance in the Vniuersity as those vvhose shoes he was gladde to wipe and to sweepe their chambers other wise that graue sentence of the wise Poët must needes be verified in him Nil est asperius humili cum surgit in altum None carry themselues more rough currish and hawty Then these base companions once raised to dignity But setting aside both right of birth and degree of study the very sacred order of Priest-hood vnto which albeit most vnworthy vve are by the meere goodnesse of God called doth by the stile of holy Canons exempt vs from the vulgar sort and by vertue of that sacred calling adorne and dignifie vs Distinct. 5. Can. denâ—que Deniue Sacerdotes c. quos dignitas Ecclesiastici gradus exornat Againe the most ancient and reuerend Fathers haue alwaies had the holy vocation of Priest-hood in so high and singular estimation that they haue not feared to paraleel and compare it vvith the greatest temporal Majesty on earth The ground of their reason is this Priests receiue power from IESVS Christ ouer the soules of men and that in supernatural courses teÌ„ding to the most high end of euerlasting blisse and glory vvhereas the Princes of this world how puisant soeuer they be haue dominion only ouer our goodes and bodies in ciuil causes to the quiet peacible gouernement of the affaires of this life Priests then honoured vvith such high gifts vvhich were neuer bestowed vpon Angels to vse S. Chrysostomes wordes that is that had * Lib. 3. de Sacerdot fâ—om Christ authority and power to a Ioh. 20. forgiue sinnes to consecrate his blessed b Math. 26. body that are briefly c 1. Cor. 4. the dispensours of Gods holy word and Sacraments d Hebr. 5. veâ—s 1. 2. taken from among men and appointed for men in those thinges that appertaine vnto God that they may offer gifts and sacrifices as for their owne so for the sinnes of the rest of Gods people to vse the Apostles wordes if these mens heauenly function be base beggarly and contemptible it is in the conceit only of blinded worldlings e 1. Cor. 2. vers 14. That perceiue not the thinges which are of the spirit of God nor can judge of them because they be spiritually to be examined And M. Abbot the best floure of whose garland is his Ecclesiastical calling should haue left the vilifying of the order of Priest-hood to some other of the laity And so no doubt he would haue done had he beene a true Clergy-man in deede and not so called by meere vsurpation for as you know it is the part of an vncleane bird to defile her owne nest But the wel-nurtured man would perhaps out of his little good manners haue made exception of this also as he did of my degree if he had remembred it Now to that vvhich followeth to shew that he had some cause to burst out into those bigge wordes he saies That I did vpbraide my Prince with misfortune in his bringing vp which is false for I mentioned it with compassion as King Priamus calamities are by many remembred vvith sorrow yet with great affection to his person I did not write a sillable that sounded to his Majesties disgrace but did rather excuse his failing in religion laying the fault of it vpon them who in his tender yeares vvhen he was not able to judge misinstructed him signifying that if it had beene his blessed hap to haue escaped their seducing speeches til he had come to riper age he would rather haue controled and corrected them then haue giuen eare to their errours and follies I vvillingly acknowledge a most rare readinesse of wit in his Majesty and firmenesse of memory both to attaine to high litterature and to deliuer it most eloquently so much the more sorry I am that these goodly and faire gifts of nature wanted such supernatural aides and ornameÌ„ts as education in the Catholike Church and among the best sort of Catholikes might and would most willingly haue afforded him for then no doubt he would haue farre out-gone himself in al good litterature and proued most singular Let the considerate reader to judge the better of our spirits compare my speeches to my Soueraigne vvith M. Abbots of the supreme Pastour of the Church as we beleeue vvhom the Protestants doe not denie to be one of the chiefest Patriarkes of the Christian world I meane the Bishop of Rome vvhom M. Abbot doth coÌ„monly raile vpon in most vile and reprochful tearmes stiling him ordinarily nothing else but The man of sinne and perdition the whoore of Babilon Antichrist himselfe and such like betweene whose supereminent dignity and M. Abbots meane place there is no lesse difference then betweene a temporal Prince and his subject of any good sort If I then be rightly
of al Churches Item In decreto de libris sacris Ecclesiasticis tom 2. Concil Distinct 15. Sancta Romana c. That the See Apostolike takes great heede that it be not stained with any touch of peruersity or any kinde of contagion Finally Gelasius assisted with seauenty other B shops doth declare the bookes of Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Tobias and of the Machabees to be Canonical Scripture and the Epistles Decretals of the ancient Bishops of Rome to be of sacred and sound authority and to be receiued vvith reuerence al vvhich the Protestants deny ROBERT ABBOT LEO Bishop of Rome speaking of the Martirs saith Epistola 81. That although the death of many Saints hath beene pretious in the Lordes sight yet the death of no innocent person hath beene the propitiation of the world that the righteous receiued crownes but gaue none and that the fortitude of the faithful haue growne examples of patience not gifts of righteousnesse that their deaths as they were seueral persons were seueral to euery of themselues and that none of them by his death paide the debt of any other man because it is only our Lord Iesus Christ in whom al were crucified al dead al buried al raised againe from the dead But now the Church of Rome hath changed that language and telleth vs that there are superabounding passions and satisfactions of the Saints Bellar. de Indulg l. 1. c. 2. Rhem. Annot. in col 1. v. 24 wherein they haue suffered more then is due for their owne sinnes vvhich doe serue to supply the necessity and want of others and that they doe thereby pay the debt of other men that hereof is growne a treasure in the Church of Rome which is to be dispensed and disposed by the Pope and that hence his Indulgences and pardons haue their ground WILLIAM BISHOP HERE are many vvordes of a right reuerend Father cited to smal purpose for the Church of Rome hath not yet changed one sillable of the same her old language Shee doth maintaine with S. Leo That no man how holy soeuer he were hath by his death or otherwise paid the ransome of any other mans sinnes or satisfied God for any one mortal sinne either of his owne or of any other mans but that it is Christ alone who with the price of his pretious bloud hath fully satisfied his Fathers justice for al and euery such deadly offence and for the eternal punishment which was due to the same and this is al that S. Leo teacheth Neuerthelesse we hold and that vvith S. Leo that after the guilt of such sinnes is through Christ released vs yet are we on our owne partes to endure some temporal punishment for the same offences by Christes order and appointment both to apply vnto vs the vertue of his owne sufferinges as also to make vs that are members of his body like vnto him our head Whereupon the Apostle saith Rom. 8. v. 17. That we be the sonnes of God and coheires with Christ Si tamen compatimur vt conglorificemur If yet we suffer with him that we may be glorified with him of this matter see more in the question of satisfaction This to be our doctrine M. Abbot could not be ignorant Page 118. because it is word by word deliuered euen by M. Perkins himselfe in that place Now that S. Leo vvas wel acquainted with such satisfactions as we on our partes are bound to make his learned workes doe yeeld plentiful testimony I wil cite but a place or two thus he answereth vnto Nicetus vvho did write vnto him to know how he should deale with some Christians vvho being taken prisoners of the Infidels had there among them polluted them selues with eating of meates offered vp to Idols Epist 77. c. 5. Let them saith Leo be purged with satisfaction of penance which is not so much to be weighed by length of time as by compunction of the hart And againe speaking of certaine Priests that were doing of penance he saith Wherefore such men as these who haue fallen Epist 99. ad Rusti cap. 2. must relieue themselues in priuate Ad promerendam misericordiam Dei To deserue the mercy of God Vt illis satisfactio si fuerit digna sit etiam fructuosa That the satisfaction may be fruitful to them if it be worthy that is if it be correspondent to their faults alluding to that of S. Iohn Baptist Math. 3. Doe fruites worthy of penance so that by the judgement of S Leo and the ancient practise of his time men that truly repented them of their sinnes vvhereby the guilt and eternal punishment was abolished were afterwardes put to penance and to doe worthy satisfaction and that not only to satisfie the cōgregation or other men as the Protestants fable vvho haue a greater care to please men then God but to be purged of their fault and to deserue mercy at Gods hand as S. Leo doth plainly teach Now that this temporal punishment which is due to euery Christian after the eternal is through Christ forgiuen him may be released and pardoned by the gouernours of the Chuch and principally by the Pope as chiefe Pastor thereof vnder Christ and that through the superaboundant sufferings of some others is a matter so wel knowne to Antiquity that he must needs confesse himselfe a very puny therein that thinketh it to be a new deuise of the late Church of Rome For that S. Gregory the great who liued aboue a thousand yeares past D. Tho. alij in 4. sent dist 20. instituted Stations to diuers Churches in Rome and granted great Indulgences and Pardons vnto al that with due preparation visited the same is so wel knowne that few learned Protestants doe doubt of it or dare deny it S. Leo himselfe vvho vvas S. Gregories Ancestor more then an hundred yeares in the said Epistle to Nicetus doth plainely signifie as much for he leaueth that enjoined penance of the conuerted party Epistola 77. numer 6. to the discreet moderation of the Bishop to be shortned and released as he shal see cause which is properly a Pardon or Indulgence Moreouer Pope Siluester vvho vvas S. Leo his Predecessour by more then an hundred yeares Antiodor l. 4. summae cap. de relaps at the request of S. Helen Constantine the great his mother consecrated a Chappel in Rome called Sancta Croce in Hierusalem the vvhich he did both beautifie and enrich with diuers Relikes of Saints and granted large Indulgences to al that should with deuotion visit the same as the ancient Records of the same place doe testifie And that the Pastours of other Countries yet more ancient then the former were very wel acquainted with this language of this superaboundant passions and satisfactions of some Saints let that most learned Archbishop of Carthage in Afrike glorious Martir S. Cyprian beare witnesse He instructing the Christian prisoners and most noble Confessours for vvhose triumphant sufferinges the vse
then was to grant Indulgence and release of penance vnto other penitent persons that had fallen aduiseth them to be very circumspect Lib. 3. epist 15. quaest 11. apud Pamelium before they graunted the participation of their passions vnto others and to weigh wel the measure of their offences that sued vnto them for such pardon and to commend vnto their Bishop and Clergie such only and that by their proper names Quorum poenitentiam satisfactioni proximam conspicitis Whose penance you see almost ended and very neere to due satisfaction vvhence an vnderstanding man may fully gather our vvhole doctrine of satisfaction and indulgences First that due penance is to be enjoined by the Ghostly father after humble and harty sorrow and acknowledgment of the fault Secondly that the same penance may be abridged and released by the Pastours of the Church Lastly that such fauour indulgence and release is made at the contemplation of other mens superaboundant passions And he addeth further in the same booke That without doubt Epistola 18. those penitents are mâ—ch holpen towardes the release of their sinnes with God and not only with the congregation by that communication of the Martirs sufferings to them And to mount yet higher this doctrine of Satisfaction and Indulgence is confirmed by that glorious Doctor of the Gentils S. Paul who first adjudged the incestuous Corinthian to a most grieuous penaÌ„ce for his sinnes afterward strooke off some part thereof by a special pardon saying 2. Cor. 2. vers 10. And whom yee haue pardoned any thing I also in the person of Christ And else where he declareth plainely that he himselfe had a part of those superaboundant passions which might be communicated to others saying 2. Tim. 2. vers 10. I suffer or sustaine al thinges for the elect that they also may obtaine the saluation which is in Christ IESV with heauenly glory And yet more that Colloss 1. vers 24. he did fulfil in his flesh those thinges that wanted of the passions of Christ for his body the Church Seing the blessed Apostle S. Paul doth so plainely teach that his owne sufferings were auailable to other mens saluation and that he fulfilled in his owne flesh that vvhich was wanting vnto other Christians must he not be a ranke Infidel that wil not beleeue any mans sufferinges sauing Christs to be able to helpe another or to supply the want or necessity of others And if it needed I could yet ascend to the old ancient daies of that blessed man Iob who had good store of those superaboundant passions as the holy Ghost speaking by his mouth doth testifie for he saith Iob 6. Would to God my sinnes by which I deserued wrath were weighed and the calamitie which I suffer in a balance this calamity of mine would euen like the sandes of the Sea appeare the heauier and more waighty Now good reader judge whether it be such strange newes to heare of superaboundant passions and satisfactions in the treasury of Gods Church and whether it be vnfit or vnlikely that the Bishop of Rome chief gouernour thereof should carry a special hand in the disposition of the same It is not then the Church of Rome that hath changed her ancient language but I could hartily wish that M. Abbot would learne once to change his vsual language and euil custome of calumniating her and of misconstruing the holy Fathers vvordes vvhich by the grace of God he may the sooner be perswaded to doe if he wil weigh wel that Apocal. 12. vers 9. DIABOLOS calumniator the great Dragon and old Serpent cast out of heauen is called Sathan and the Deuil for calumniating and misreporting of others vvherefore if he wil not be taken for one of the Deuils disciples he must needes giue ouer this shameful practise of falsifying the ancient Doctors sentences and of cauilling against that doctrine which they taught vnder colour of some of their darke speeches ROBERT ABBOT THE same Leo did not take vpon him to cal general Councels but when occasion of the heresie of Eutiches so required Leo Epist 9.23.24.31.42 47.48.49 Made request to the Emperour Theodosius that he would command a Councel and after intreated that he would appoint the same in some place of Italy which notwithstanding the Emperour would not but commanded it to be holden at Ephesus and Martianus after that at Chalcedon And that vvhen Leo againe would haue had it deferred to a better opportunity As in deede the affaires of the Church Socrat. lib. 5. hist in proem after that the Emperours were Christians seemed to depend vpon their wil and at their liking the greatest Councels were assembled as Socrates witnesseth Secundum sanctionem Imperialem per Imperialem sanctionem Synod 6. CoÌ„stant art 1. 4. 6. as the sixt Councel in Trullo often repeateth yea and so as the Emperour at his pleasure was President of the Councel as in that sixt Synode was Constantius the fourth But now the calling and presidency and confirmation of Councels is defended to belong wholy to the Pope as for Christian Emperors and Princes they haue nothing to doe but to send vvhen he calleth and to receiue vvhat he confirmeth The same Leo professed a Leo Epist 16. 17. his obedience to the Emperours appointment and wil to Theodosius and Martianus And Agatho the Bishop of Rome b Agath Epist ad Const Syno 6. ar 4. his due obedience to Constantius the fourth and what your Majesties clemency hath commanded saith he our seruice hath obediently performed the Emperor being honoured according to the ancient doctrine of the Church c Tertull. ad scop Apolog cap. 30. as next to God and inferiour to God only But since that time the Romish doctrine is that d Decr. Greg. de maiorit obed c. solite looke how much the Moone is lesse then the Sunne so much is the Emperour inferiour to the Pope and therefore they haue vvritten him e Catol test ver the Popes man and made him to hold his stiroppe and appoint him to hold the basin to him and to doe sundry other offices of seruice And to make al sure the Pope hath made him to sweare fidelity and alleageance to him f Clement de appellat cap. Pastoralis There is no doubt saith the Pope but we haue superiority ouer the Empire who doubteth but that Priests are the Fathers and Masters of Kinges and Princes Distinct 95. quis dubitet Distinct 96. Si Imperator Is it not miserable madnesse for the children to goe about to subject their fathers or schollers their masters and therefore Christian Emperours must subject their executions to the Ecclesiastical Prelate and not preferre them WILLIAM BISHOP LET it first be considered vvhat blunt and weake tooles the poore Protestants are forced to vse for want of better vveapons to vvound simple soules withal This and it please you is one of their mightiest
they thought then it was a seruice of God I omit here to bring any further proofes because this is not the place to stand vpon the matter of fasting but only to answere to M. Abbots naked objections vvhereof the fift is as M. Abbot saith that the Montanists thought by their fasting to merit at Gods hand Good reason had they for that if they did so teach and that the rest of their doctrine had beene answerable to it for our blessed Sauiour doth teach the very same expresly in these vvordes Math. 6. When thou doest fast anoint thy head and wash thy face that thou appeare not to men to fast and thy Father who seeth thee in secret wil repay thee Whereupon that graue and holy Father S. Ambrose saith Where be these new Masters that doe exclude the merit of fasting Epistola 82. ad Eâ—cl Here here Sir saith M. Abbot If they were new sect-masters in S. Ambrose time that denied the merit of fasting then surely the ancient Church of Rome did maintaine the merit of fasting Againe Epiphanius a more credible reporter of Montanus errors then his owne disciple Tertullian hath left written Haeres 48. coÌ„t Montan. That many of the Montanists did remoue the reward of vertue and crowne of glory from fasting where fore M. Abbot doth wrongfully attribute that vnto them Besides S. Augustine doth affirme De Ecclesiast dogm ca. 68. That to equal marriage with virginity and to beleeue that they who doe abstaine from wine and flesh to chastise their bodies doe thereby merit nothing is not the part of a Christian but of a Iouinian It is then more then manifest that the ancient Church of Rome did vphold the merit of fasting and that they were of old esteemed no better then Heretikes that denied it To come now to the last fained concord betweene vs and the Montanists They taught as he auoucheth fasting to be a satisfaction or expiation of sinne and a special meanes to appease Gods wrath towards vs which if they did they had good warrant in the word of God for it For the children of Israël 1. Reg. 7. fasting with Samuël appeased God and obtained victory of their enemies so did they againe and againe in the time of Hester 4. Iudith 4. Hester and Iudith The * Ionae 3. ¶ Niniuites turned away the wrath of God by fasting Daniël also as a Ser. de laps Lib. de Vtilit Iejunij ca. 3. S. Cyprian witnesseth by fasting promeruit Deum appeased his wrath did winne his fauor S. Augustine proposeth the delicate Protestants objection shewes vs how to answere thereunto What say they is God so cruel that he taketh pleasure to see thee torment thy selfe Answere saith that most learned Doctor I put my selfe to paine that God may spare me I punish my selfe that he may succour me that I may please his eies that I may delight his sweetnesse for the Host is hampered and vexed that it may be laid vpon the Altar c. Briefly vve haue by the euident warrant of Gods vvord and by sound testimony of the Nicene Councel S. Cyprian S. Ambrose and S. Augustine no Montanists but most holy juditious Prelates of the ancient Catholike Church that by fasting God is truly serued his just indignation against vs is appeased satisfaction is made for the temporal paine due to sinne and the increase of his grace and heauenly glory is thereby also merited Whence it followeth finally that when M. Abbot assaied by these common accidents and circumstances of fasting vvhich were as wel defended by the ancient Church of Rome as by the Montanists to proue the present Church of Rome to be turned Montanist his soare eies were piteously troubled with such a defluxion either of enuy or ignoraÌ„ce that had wel-nigh blinded him But if the discreet reader for his further satisfaction desire to know wherein lay the proper error of the Montanists concerning fasting for they held besides diuers other pointes of erronious doctrine I answere in briefe out of the Ecclesiastical history Euseb lib. 5. cap. 17. Epistola ad MarcelluÌ„ de fide nostra dogmate haeretico Montanus decreed new lawes of fasting vvhich did consist partly in the time and partly in the manner of fasting S. Hierome recounting the principal points of Montanus heresie as that they held but one person in the Deity and that al second mariages were wicked commeth to the third point of fasting and saith We Catholikes doe fast one Lent or fourty daies once in the yeare according to the tradition of the Apostles at a conuenient time They that is the Montanists make three Lents in the yeare as though three Sauiours had suffred for vs not that we may not fast any time in the yeare except betweene Easter and Whitsontide but that it is one thing to doe so voluntarily and another vpon necessity So that the fiâ—st nouelty of their fast was that euery man vvas bound to fast three Lents euery yeare Other daies perhaps they might haue proper to themselues vvhich I haue not read off but the manner of their fast Tertullian in the place before cited doth signifie that it was to hold out their fast vntil the Sunne were set without tasting of any thing and then to vse that Cherophagia mentioned by M. Abbot that is to eate only dry meates that had no juyce or nourishment in them Al vvhich must needes be done according to their doctrine by the commandement of the Paraclete or holy Ghost vvhich dwelt in Montanus and was powred out vpon his disciples as they fabled farre more pientifully then vpon Christes Apostles These indiscreete lawes then of fasting that few vvere able to indure enacted also by him that had no authority to make lawes and peremptorily published in the name of the holy Ghost to be obserued of al vnder paine of damnation vvere Montanus errours touching fasting Let M. Abbot if he can shew out of Philastrius Epiphanius S. Augustine S. Hierome or any other approued Authour who haue registred Montanus heresies either in his owne name or vnder the name of Cataphriges because he was a Phrygian borne and there his heresie did most rage that his errours about fasting were That he thought fasting to please Gâ—d to be meritorious or satisfactory and then he shal beginne to speake to some purpose But any auncient sincere Authour truly taken and reported wil not serue his turne they must be Heretiks or writing at least in an heretical vaine as Tertullian then did or else they wil â—fford him no helpe or comforr The Montanists indeed the more easily to intrappe Catholikes in their snares might perhaps pretend the same end and spiritual fruites of fasting vvhich the Catholikes liked wel off as al Heretikes doe mingle and blend many truthes with their errours the better to colour their trumpery and deceit like vnto Wolues that put on Sheepe-skinnes that they may thereby the sooner catch them vvhom
censure and touch of reproach vpon the same his worke called Bibliotheca Patrum Lastly concerning the doctrine of Predestination I reade not that the Pelagians were called in question about it nor yet for Satisfaction vvherefore M. Abbot must first out of some good Authors shew their errours therein before he goe about to slander vs vvith the imitation of them but as I am vvel assured of the later so I thinke he wil not in hast performe the former ROBERT ABBOT I Omit many other matters that might here be added perswading my selfe that I said enough to trouble M. Bishop in the prouing of that that he hath so propounded that the principal pillars of the Church of Rome in her most flourishing estate taught in al points of religion the same doctrine that now shee holdeth c. only for conclusion let me aske him what Bishop of Rome there was for the space of a thousand yeares that practised or taught that concerning Pardons which is now practised and taught in the Church of Rome that the Bishop of Rome hath any authority to giue such libels of pardon or that it is in him to giue faculties and authority to others to graunt the like vvith reseruation of special causes to himselfe or that he can for saying such and such praiers or for doing this or that release a man from Purgatory for so many hundred or thousand yeares vvhat Bishop of Rome was there that did proclaime a Iubilee vvith promise that al that would come to Rome to visit the Churches that yeare should haue ful and perfect forgiuenesse of al their sinnes or that did charge the Angels as did Clement the sixt that vvhosoeuer should die in his journey thitherward they should bring his soule into the glory of Paradise Balaeus in Clem. sexto which of them did take vpon him to Canonize a Saint vvho euer beleeued or taught as it is now receiued in the Church of Rome that the Bishops blessing is the forgiuenesse of venial sinnes Sextus in proem in glossa Rhem. Test in Math. 10. vers 12. Other innouations I wil passe ouer to further occasion but concerning these matters in this place I would pray M. Bishop to let vs be satisfied how the principal pillars of the Church of Rome haue in al points taught the same that the Church of Rome teacheth now The truth is that as the name of Theseus shippe continued a long time vvhen as it was so altered by putting in of new plankes and boordes as that it had nothing left of that that was in it when it was first built by Theseus so the Church of Rome stil continueth her name and would be taken to be the same albeit by chopping and changing shee is come to that passe that shee hath in a manner nothing left of that doctrine for vvhich shee vvas first called the Church of Rome But M. Bishop taketh vpon him to proue the contrary let vs now examine what his proofes are WILLIAM BISHOP YOV doe wisely to omit many other matters that you might haue added if they be like vnto these vvhich you haue already put downe for they are proued to be nothing else in manner but falsifications of the ancient Fathers vvritinges or fond illations of your owne bolstered out with a huge and shamelesse troupe of vntruthes the more one omitteth of such baggage and paultry stuffe the more it maketh for his credit Wherefore if M. Abbot had let al this alone no doubt but he should haue saued much of his reputation which by such vnchristian like and vnhonest dealing he is like to leese with the indifferent juditious reader If he perswade himselfe that he hath put me to some paines and trouble to trace out the vntruth of his allegations he is not deceiued for he produceth them so corruptly with such additions substractions misconstructions and euil applications that euery place he cites must needes be turned vnto in the Authours owne workes before a man can repose any trust in him or shal know what answere to make I pray you good Sir if there be any sparke of Christian sincerity left in you let this admonition serue to intreate you not to put your aduersary or reader to such trouble any more Either for loue of the truth or for feare of Gods judgements and rebuke of honest men forbeare to misreport your Authours If it be a shame to bely the Deuil vvhat impudency and impiety is it to bely most reuerend holy and learned Doctors and which much increaseth that hainous crime thereby to blinde Christian people and to draw them along with him to the bottomelesse pit of hel It hath I willingly confesse more troubled me to spend my spare time in discouering vntruthes and dishonest shifts trickes then it should haue done to haue bestowed it in substantial arguing and in round debating of questions in controuersie with short and sound arguments But I hope by this the vpright reader hath seene that M. Abbot was so farre off from troubling me to proue The principal pillars of the Roman Church in her most flourishing estate to haue taught the same doctrine that the present Church of Rome no teacheth that he hath rather furthered it by ministring vnto me so fit an occasion yea omitting others which I could choose my self for my better aduantage I haue not refused to verifie and make good the present doctrine of that Church euen by the testimony of those very authours of vvhich M. Abbot himselfe made choise as of men that spake most against it If then by their verdict who are thought by our aduersaries to be most estranged from vs our cause is confirmed and proued to be most just and veritable vvho is so carelesse of his owne saluation that had rather follow a lying Master leading to perdition then to imbrace so manifest a truth drawing towardes saluation May I not here justly exclaime with the holy King and Prophet and say Psalm 4. O yee Sonnes of men how long wil you be so heauy harted why are you so farre in loue with vanity and seeke after leasing he that is the true light Iohan. 1. who doth illuminate euery man that commeth into this world of his infinite goodnesse and mercy lighten your vnderstanding and incline your harts that you may perceiue and receiue that ingrafted word that truth of Christ preached by his Apostles approued by the most honourable Senate of the ancient Fathers beleeued al the world ouer that hath also continued euer since inuiolably vvhich only and none other can saue your soules Now for a conclusion and vpshot of this matter M. Abbot would faine know What Bishop of Rome for a thousand yeares after Christ had authority to giue any such libel of pardons as are now giuen or that could graunt to others any such faculty with reseruation of special causes to himselfe c. I answere if these be the greatest difficulties that with-hold him from approuing the doctrine
no man of any other country might afterwards doubt of their so approued sanctity To M. Abbots question I then answere that euen by the order of S. Peter and S. Paul Clemens l. 8. Constit c. 39. S. Stephen was Canonized for a Martir and a festiual day kept in remembrance of his glorious death The like order was obserued for the Apostles and other Martirs And from that time downe to this time I could proue if neede were Canonization of Saints not only by the Bishops of Rome but by the testimony and practise of the best Bishops and Doctors of the Christian religion vvhat ignorance then in al antiquity doth this man bewray by this impertinent demand More impudent yet is this his next Who euer beleeued or taught as it is now in the Roman Church that the Bishops blessing is the forgiuenesse of venial sinnes He citeth in the Margent the Annotations in the Rhemes Testament vpon the 10. of S. Mathew and 12. verse vvhich being looked into doth conuince M. Abbot of vnspeakable impudency Lib. 9. in Lucam L. 22. de Ciuit Dei c. 8. He saw there S. Ambrose alleaged formally to confirme that the Bishops blessing doth remit venial sinnes He could not choose also but see S. Augustine and others quoted in the Margent in commendation of the Bishops blessing vvho else where vvith the Councel of Carthage reproueth the Pelagian Heretikes Epistola 90. for holding that the Bishops blessing was giuen to the people in vaine Seing then that both S. Ambrose and S. Augustine with other more auncient Fathers and Doctors of the Church did grounding themselues vpon Christes owne word and promise teach that the Bishops blessing vvas of great vertue and that it doth namely forgiue venial sinnes by the verdict at least of S. Ambrose that most holy and learned Bishop whose antiquity grauity and sanctity is more to be respected then a thousand of such light prophane Abbots was it not I say incredible and most shameful audacity to demand who euer beleeued or taught that when he saw before his eies such worthy Authours alleaged for it this passeth so farre al ordinary audatious impudency that I know not how to stile it Other innouations he wil of courtesie passe ouer to further occasion but for these jolly points whereof the greatest is scarce worth a pinne he requireth satisfaction vvhich being so readily and easily giuen him he wil belike become a new man if he could once be perswaded to giue ouer lying and trusting to his artificial colouring of lies In the meane season this which I haue said wil I hope serue to satisfie the indifferent reader that the principal pillars of the Church of Rome in her most flourishing estate haue in al points taught the same doctrine that the present Church of Rome doth now teach And it is one of M. Abbots truthes that is to say a most bright glistering vntruth that as Theseus shippe was in continuance of time by putting in of new plankes wholy altered so is now the doctrine of the Church of Rome For I haue before most euidently proued out of authentike recordes of the ancient Bishops of Rome that they beleeued and taught the Real presence and sacrifice of the Masse Praying to Saints Worshipping of their Relikes and Images Purgatory and praier for the dead Auricular confession Workes of satisfaction and supererogation Merit of good workes the Vowes of religious persons the Popes supremacy Briefly al the points in controuersie betweene the Protestants and vs as may more at large be seene in the reformation of M. Perkins Deformed Catholike vvherefore the similitude of Theseus shippe which M. Abbot borrowed of a Catholike treating of another subject vvil not serue his turne but may be more aptly returned vpon themselues vvho bragge and beare the world in hand that they haue reformed al the errours of the Church and brought it vnto the purity of the Apostles times vvhereas in truth they haue plucked vp most of the plankes and boordes of Christes shippe by oppugning most of the articles of the Christian faith and doe what in them lieth to build vp a rotten Thesean shippe of old condemned errours to steale away the golden fleece of Christes true shippe that is to pil and poul the true Catholike Christian of that white fleece of innocency which he receiued in baptisme or recouered by reconciliation to saile after Theseus towardes Paganisme and the infernal gulfe of hel Now because M. Abbot hath here indeauoured to staine the pure and cleane sanctity of our religion with the spots and yron-mooles of errors and heresie I wil to requite his paines giue a touch vnto some special points of erronious doctrine noted by the best Authours for such in expresse tearmes vvhich the Protestants haue as it were raked out of the dunghil of rascal and reprobate miscreants and doe now a-fresh deliuer the same nothing in manner disguised vnto their miserable followers for the purity of the Gospel Yea some of the same are so euident and cleare that they are constrained to defend the authours of them for learned and godly men though by al antiquity they vvere condemned for ignorant and infamous Heretikes and to note the most holy and best vnderstanding and juditious Fathers as lesse skilful then these other erring companions For example Aërius both a knowne and professed Arrian Heretike and also vnknowne to the world for any monument of learning or vertue and therefore likened by Epiphanius to a Beetle and Horse-flie only notorious for these his errours taught first That we ought not to offer sacrifice or to pray for the soules departed Secondly That we ought not to keepe any set times or appointed daies of fasting but when any man wil then let him fast that we may not seeme to be vnder the law For these two points specially that Arrian Aërius vvas Cronicled for a notorious Heretike both by Epiphanius a most holy learned and auncient Grecian Bishop and by S. Augustine one of the most famous lights of the Latin Church the later of whom liued 1200. yeares past Neuerthelesse the Protestants preferre the odde inuentions of that contemptible obscure and blinde Arrian before the judgement of these most renowmed Doctors of Christs Church Must he not then be a very simple or rather sencelesse creature that vnderstanding so much vvil notwithstanding follow them Againe Iouinian was so meane a scholler that he was not able to write his owne minde in good and congruous latin wherefore S. Hierome vvas faine to helpe him out with it and doth as he tearmeth it out of his darke vvorkes cast serpents as it vvere out of their holes into the light Lib. 1. cont Iouin cap. 1. that they may be seene and slaine What vvere these venimous blinde-wormes trow you you shal heare in that most zealous and learned Doctors owne words Iouinian saith first Lib. 1. cont Iouin cap. 2. That Virgins Widowes and married Women baptized if they differ not
we are justified not by faith alone but also by good workes That in extremity of sicknesse we must cal for the Priest to anoile vs with holy Oile That we must confesse our sinnes not to God alone but also vnto men these and diuers such like heades of our Catholike faith formally set downe in holy Scripture the Protestants wil not beleeue though they be written in Gods vvord neuer so expresly but doe ransacke al the corners of their wits to deuise some odde shift or other how to flie from the euidence of them Whereupon I conclude that they doe not receiue al the written word though they professe neuer so much to allow of al the bookes of Canonical Scripture Lib. 2. de Trinitate ad Const For the written word of God consisteth not in the reading but in the vnderstaÌ„ding as S. Hierome testifieth that is it doth not consist in the bare letter of it but in the letter and true sence and meaning joined togither the letter being as the body of Scripture and the right vnderstanding of it the soule spirit and life thereof he therefore that taketh not the written word in the true sence but swarneth from the sincere interpretation of it cannot be truly said to receiue the written word as a good Christian ought to doe Seing then that the Protestants and al other sectaries doe not receiue the holy Scriptures according vnto the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition they may most justly be denied to receiue the sacred vvritten word of God at al though they seeme neuer so much to approue al the Bookes Verses and Letters of it vvhich is plainly proued by S. Hierome vpon the first Chapter to the Galathians Now to draw towardes the end of this clause not only neuer a one of M. Abbots assertions whereby he went about to proue them selues and their Church to be Catholike is true as hath beene shewed before but ouer and besides his very conclusion conuinceth himselfe euen by the verdict of himselfe to fal into the foule fault and errour of the Donatists Our faith saith he because it is that which the Apostles committed to writing is the Apostolike faith and our Church by consanguinity and agreement of doctrine is proue to be an Apostolical Church c. and is the only true Catholike Church c. see you not how he is come at length to proue their Church to be Catholike Page 16. Line 5. Ex perfectione doctrinae By perfectnesse of their doctrine vvhich was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatistical tricke reproued by S. Augustine whom in that point he then approued What doating folly is this in the same short discourse so to forget himselfe as to take that for a sound proofe which he himselfe had before confuted as heretical we like wel of Tertullians obseruation That our faith ought to haue consanguinity and perfect agreement with the Apostles doctrine but that is not the question at this time but vvhether our doctrine or the Protestant be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in al nations ouer the world that is to be proued in this place M. Abbot if he had meant to deale plainly and soundly should not haue gone so about the bush and haue fetched such vvide and vvilde windlesses from old father Abrahams daies but should haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiastical Histories or of ancient Fathers vvho were in the pure times of the Church the most Godly and approued Pastours thereof that the ProtestaÌ„ts religion had flourished since the Apostles daies ouer al Europe Afrike and Asia or at least had beene visibly extant in some one country or other naming some certaine Churches in particular which had held in al points their faith and religion vvhich he seing impossible for any man to doe fel into that extrauagant and rouing discourse which you haue heard concluding without any premises sauing his owne bare word that in the written word There is no mention made of the Pope or his Supremacy nor of his Pardons c. Belike there is no mention made of S. Peter nor aught said of his singular prerogatiues It hath not peraduenture That whatsoeuer be should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen The other points were touched before and shal be shortly againe But I would in the meane season be glad to heare where the written word teacheth vs that Kinges and temporal Magistrates are ordained by Christ to be vnder him supreme Gouernours of Ecclesiastical affaires because M. Abbot made choice of this head-article of theirs for an instance that the written word was plaine on their â—ide he should therefore at least haue pointed at some one text or other in the new Testament where it is registred that Princes are supreme gouernours of the Church Nay are temporal Magistrates any Ecclesiastical persons at al or can one that is no member of the Ecclesiastical body be head of al the rest of the Ecclesiastical members or is the state Secular higher and more worthy then the Ecclesiastical and therefore meete to rule ouer it though they be not of it to say so is to preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen or is it meete and decent that the lesse worthy-member should haue the supreme command ouer the more honourable vvhere the Christian vvorld is turned topsy-turuy that may be thought meete and expedient but in other places that wil not be admitted for currant vvhich in it selfe is so disorderly and inconuenient without it had better warrant in the word of God then that new position of theirs hath ROBERT ABBOT NOw vvhereas he alleageth that al his Majesties most roial Progenitours haue liued and died in that vvhich he calleth the Catholike and Apostolike faith Ambros lib. 5. epist. he plaieth the part of Symmachus the Pagan sophister who by like argument vvould haue perswaded Valentinian the Emperour to restore their Heathenish Idolatry and abhominations We are to follow our Fathers saith he who with happinesse and felicity followed their Fathers Aug. psal 54. Thus men haue hardned themselues in their heresies saying What my parents were before me the same wil I be But his Majesty wel knoweth that in matter of religion the example of parents is no band to the children L. 2. epist 3. but the trial thereof is to returne to the roote and original of the Lordes tradition as Ciprian speaketh not regarding what any before vs hath thought fit to be done but what Christ hath done who is before al. It is not vnknowne to his Majesty that there should be a time when Apocal. 17. vers 13. the Kinges of the earth shal giue their power and kingdome to the beast vntil the word of God be fulfilled and with the whoore sitting vpon many waters Vers 14. should bende themselues to fight against the Lambe Wherein if any of his Progenitours