a Genes 14. 18. hee brought forth bread and wine and that as Ambrose and Hierome say out of the Hebrew writers b Ambros ad Hebr. cap. 7. Hieron ad Euagr Nec mirum si Melchâ—zedec victori Abraham obuiam processerit in reseâ—â—ion em tam ipsius quam pugnatorum eius panesâ—â—mumque protulerit For the refreshing of him and his souldiers in which meaning c Ioseph Anâ—iq Iudaic. l. 1. â— 11. Milites Iosephus namely Abrahami hospitalitèr habuit nihil â—is ad victum decsse passus doth vnderstand it And if M. Bishop will needes haue it translated by the word of offering as his fellowes are wont greatly to wrangle to that intent yet Ambrose so also applyeth it that d Ambros de Sacram. l. 4. c. 3. Occurrit illi Melâ—lnsedec Sacâ—rdos â—btulit ei paâ—â—e vinii he offered to Abraham bread and wine thereby excluding all necessity of construction of sacrifice to God But if yet we shall perforce take it of offering to God we conceiue of it according to that which Cyprian saith thatâ— e Cyprian l. 2. Ep. 3. Domiâ—uâ— noster Iesus Christus Sacrificium Dâ—o Patri obtulit obtulit hoc idâ—m quod Melchisedec obtulâ—rat id est panem vinii suâ—â— scilicet corpus sanguineÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ offering a sacrifice to God the Father offered the very same that Melchisedec had offered that is bread and wine euen his owne body and bloud If the sacrifice of Christ and Melchisedecke be the very same and Melchisedecke also offered the body and bloud of Christ as these words import then cannot our sacrifice be a true and real sacrifice of Christs body and bloud because Melchisedecks was not so Christ as yet not hauing taken his body and bloud and therefore must both that and this be vnderstood to be only the mysterie and signification thereof And this interpretation of the sacrifice on both sides Hierome confirmeth when of our Sauiour Christs institution of the Sacrament he saith f Hieron in Mat. 26. Assumit panem ad verum Paschae traÌ„sgreditur Sacramentum vâ— quomodo in praefiguratione eius Melchisedec suÌ„mi Dei Sacerdos panem vinii offerens fecerat ipse quoque veritatem sui corpâ—ris sanguiniâ— repraesentaret Christ taketh bread and goeth to the true Sacrament of the Passeouer that as Melchisedec the Priest of the high God in prefiguring of him offering bread and wine had done so he himselfe also might represent the truth of his body and bloud There is therefore both in the one and in the other not the very truth of the body and bloud of Christ but only a representation of the truth thereof euen as Chrysostome on the one side expresseth when he saith that g Chrys Op. imperfec hom 11 Haec vasa sactificata inquibus non â—st verii coâ—pus Christi sed mysterium corporis eius continetur in the holy vessels is contained not the true body of Christ but the mysterie of his body And vnlesse it be thus it cannot stand which Ambrose concerning this offering of Melchisedec saith that h Ambros de Sacram. l. 4. c. 3. Intellige Sacramenta quâ— accipis anteriâ—ra esse quà m sint Moysi Sacramenta c. the Sacraments which we receiue are more ancient then the Sacraments of Moses for how can that be if our Sacraments be truly and really the body and bloud of Christ which Melchisedecks were not Againe where God by Malachy saith i Mat. 1. 11. In euery place incense shall be offered vnto me and a pure offering whose eyes are so sharpe as that in those words he can discerne the Popish sacrifice of the Masse We reade here of incense and a pure offering but this roome is too little for the building of so large a house their Masse cannot stand within the compasse of this ground And when we consider how the Fathers expound the same Tertullian one where generally of k Tertul. adu ludaeos Desacrisicijs spiritualibus addit dicens In omni loco sacrificia munda offerâ—tur spirituall sacrifices another where of l Idem cont Marc. l. 4. Sacrificium mundum scilicet simplex oratio de conscientia pura sincere prayer out of a pure censcience Hierome of m Hieron in Zacha. c 8. Sacrificium mundum nequaquam in victimis veteris Testamenti sed in sanctuate Euangelica puritatis the sanctity and holinesse of Euangelicall purity Eusebius of n Euseb de demonstrat Euang lib. 1. c 6. Sacrificium quod appellaturpurum facimus per puras actiones pure and godly doings Austin of o Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 86. Viuum Sacrificium de quo dictum est Immola Deo sacrificium laudis the liuely sacrifices of praise and thanks-giuing Theodoret of p Theodoret. in Mal. c. 1. Debitum honorem praestabuÌ„t accomodatum cultum adhibebunt the due honour and conuenient worship of God exemplifying the same by the words of Christ q John 4. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth and by the words of the Apostle r 1. Tim. 2. 8. Let men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting and Hierome by the words of the Psalme Å¿ Psal 141. 2. Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense and the lifting vp of my hands as an euening sacrifice these things I say considered may we not be thought to be out of our wits if we shall beleeue them that the place must needes be vnderstood of their monstrous sacrifice That Manna was a type of the body of Christ no Christian man doubteth but that it was a type of Christs body as really in the Sacrament no wise man beleeueth and the reason wherby t Answere to M. Perkins Aduertisement sect 56. See the Confutation elsewhere he goeth about to proue it is there declared to be vaine So haue I also u Of Traditions sect 21. formerly shewed that the example of the high Priest amongst the Iewes giueth no manner warrant to the supreme authority of one head ouer the whole Christian Church that the high Priest amongst the Iewes had no such supremacy as they claime to the Pope that reason teacheth such a supremacy to be the manifest and certaine danger of the Church and experience hath found it to be the very ruine and desolation thereof As for their according with the Iewish ceremonies in consecrating of Priests and hallowing of Churches and Altars and Vestments c. it is a slender proofe for the finding of their religion amongst the Iewes because they haue borrowed many ceremonies from the Pagans also and yet they will not say that their religion was amongst the Pagans Their emuâ—aâ—â—on of those ceremonies we iustly cry out against as preposterous and absurd because they being as M. Bishop saith types and figures of the law of
proprietas Ecclesia ea est vt Catholica nempe vniuersalis vocetur The third property of the Church is that it is called Catholike that is vniuersall or might the Catechisme say without absurdity that Catholike is Vniuersall and must I be absurd because I say The Catholike Church is the Vniuersall Church Surely when words of one language are borrowed to speciall vse in another the reddition of them in the tongue to which they are borrowed is taken with the learned as supplying the place of a definition and it is thereby made to appeare whether they be properly and rightly vsed or vnproperly abused M. Bishop and his fellowes abuse the name of Catholikes and of the Catholike Church which English men doe not so readily vnderstand Let them giue the signification of the word and call themselues vniuersals their Church the vniuersall Church and then all that haue will to vnderstand can easily see their foolery and are ready to deride them But this they hide vnder the veile and couer of a Greeke word and wee that the truth may be the better seene are necessarily to discouer and therefore iust cause had I to say The Catholike Church is the vniuersall Church and he is an absurd man to taxe it as a thing absurd Yet notwithstanding I wish the Reader duly to obserue how that taxation stand 〈…〉 with the other that the same proposition of mine is captious For why is it captious Marry because the Catholike Church doth signifiâ— both the whole body of the Church compacted of all the particular members in which sense no one pâ—rticular Church can be called the Catholike Church because it is not the whole body and secondly the Catholike Church doth also designe and note very properly euery particular Church that embraceth the true Christian faith Where we may wonder that within the compasse of so few lines the mans wits should so extremely faile him For if the Catholike Church and the vniuersall Church be one and the same thing as he hath already told vs and vniuersall be no distinct thing but the very signification of the word Catholike then how can it be which here he telleth vs that the Catholike Church signifieth both the whole body of the Church which is the vniuersall Church and doth also very properly designe and note euery particular true Christian Church If the Catholike Church be no distinct thing from the vniuersall Church then it cannot properly note or designe euery particular Church or if it doe properly designe euery particular Church then it is distinct from the vniuersall Church Tell vs M. Bishop how these things hang togither for if the vniuersall Church be the very signification of the Catholike Church then we cannot see how a particular Church can bee properly called the Catholike Church because no particular Church can properly be called the vniuersall Church As for the exception that here lyeth against vs that the Fathers in pointing to a particular assembly doubt not sometimes to vse the name of the Catholike Church I shewed it before to be no whit preiudiciall to that that wee say because they minded not in so doing to limit themselues to that particular assembly but in a particular assembly to demonstrate the vniuersall Church For to say in any Citty for distinction sake this is the Catholike Church what was it else but to say this is that Church which is vniuersally dispersed through the whole world euen as when a man to demonstrate the elements saith This is the aire this is the earth pointing to the aire or earth whereat he is present but therein intending to demonstrate the whole body of the aire or earth hauing continuation with that whereto he pointeth For as the Apostle directing his speech to the Church of Ephesus nameth l Act. 20. 28. The Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud and againe m 1. Tim. 3. 15. the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truth so speaking of a part as to conioyne it with the whole euen so no otherwise was it that in noting any particular Church it was said This is the Catholike Church the whole Church being totum similare as I said before and the whole being subiect to be designed in any part But M. Bishop here saith that this was not only because the Church is totum similare but because each of the said particular Churches hath the same faith the same Sacraments and order of gouernment Which is as wisely and discreetly spoken as if he had said that this was not only because the Church in all parts thereof hath the same faith and sacraments but because the said particular Churches haue all the same faith and Sacraments For why is the Church said to be totum homogeneum or similare a body whose parts are all of the same nature kinde and being but because in all parts thereof there are the same faith and Sacraments or to vse the wordes of the Apostle n Ephes 4. 4. One body one spirit one hope of calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all who is aboue all and through all and in vs all Surely either M. Bishop was sleepy or else his wits were a wooll-gathering when he put in this exception Now then it was not said that the word Catholike is not or may not bee directed to any particular M. Bishop doth therein but meerely calumniate but I said and shewed that it is neuer rightly applied any way or to any particular but with implication of the vniuersall Church The faith is called Catholike because it is the faith of the vniuersall Church propagated and spred by the Apostles ouer the whole world Particular Churches are called Catholike and particular persons are called Catholikes as a man would say Vniuersalists for maintayning communion and fellowship of this faith with the Church of the whole world And as the name of the aire or the earth being absolutely vsed importeth that whole element whereof we speake but yet according to distinction of places we say The aire of London the aire of Oxford the aire of Winchester c. without restraining the name of the aire to any one place more then other and only meaning that part of the aire that is in such or such a place euen so whereas the name of the Catholike Church simply and absolutely vsed importeth the whole vniuersall Church the same notwithstanding is found to be distinguished by diuersity of places the Catholike Church of such a place or the Catholike Church of such a place not limiting the name of the Catholike Church to any one place more then other and in true propriety of speech meaning nothing else but that part of the Catholike Church that is in this or that place And therefore I formerly noted and thinke not vnfit here to be repeated that as Leo wrote himselfe o Leo. epist 12. Leo
vnto the children of Israel and as it were confined within the limits of one land and countrey wherefore it could not be called Catholike and Vniuersall R. ABBOT MAster Bishop is fouly ouerseene to make it a question here what time it was that the Church beganne to be called Catholike it being sufficient to my purpose that the Church before the time of Christ albeit it were not then called Catholike yet was a part of that Church which hath beene so called since the time of Christ euen as the arme which comming first out of the wombe beareth not the name of the child and yet is a part of the child which is afterwards called by that name Therefore St. Austin diuiding mankinde into a Aug. in psal 61. Vna ciuitas vna ciuitas Babylonia vna Hierusalem vna Illa rege Diabolo ista rege Christo c. Illa incepit à Cain haec ab Abel two Cities the one vnder the Diuell as King thereof the other vnder Christ the one Babylon the other Ierusalem b Heb. 12. 22. the heauenly Ierusalem c Gal. 4. 26. Ierusalem which is aboue which is the Mother of vs all beginneth Ierusalem at Abel as he doth Babylon at Cain and maketh d Aug. in psal 86. Ciuis inde Propheta ciuis inde Apostolus the Prophets as well as the Apostles cittizens thereof and by another similitude calleth the Christian Church e Idem in psal 79. Quid est expectandii secundae vincae in mò eidem vineae ipsa est enim non enim altera est one and the same vineyard with the Church of the Iewes And if M. Bishop will not learne this of Austin let him learne it of Gregory Bishop of Rome saying that God f Gregor in Euang hom 19. Habet vineam vniuersalem scilicet Ecclesiam quae ab Abel â—usto vsque ad vltimum electum qui in fine mundi nasciturus est quot sanctos pretulit quasi tot palmitâ—s misit hath his vineyard euen the vniuersall Church which yeeldeth so many branches as it bringeth forth Saints from righteous Abel vnto the last Elect that shall be borne in the end of the world and againe that g Idem in Ezech hom 15. Vna est Ecclesia electorum praecedentium atque sequentium there is but one Church of the Elect both before and since the time of Christ Or if he be loth to turne so great a volume as Gregories workes let him looke into their owne Roman Catechisme where he shall finde that it is one cause why the Church is called h Catechism Roman part 1. cap. 10. sect 16. Praeterea omnes fideles qui ab Adam in hunc vsque diem suerant quiâ—e futuri sunt quamdiu mundus durabit veram fiâ—em profitentes ad eandem Ecclâ—siam pertinent Catholike because all the faithfull who haue beene from Adam till this day and shall be to the worlds end professing the true faith doe belong vnto it What hath M. Bishop beene so long a Doctor of Diuinity and yet doth he not know that the Catholike Church though it were not called Catholike till after the comming of Christ yet now is vnderstood to contayne all the faithfull from the beginning to the end Vndoubtedly he knew it well enough but my collection galled him and he saw there was no way but by cauilling to make shew to shift it of But if he did not let him haue wit to learne it now and let him take my words accordingly that as of the Catholike Church from the beginning to the end there is but one body euen as one Lord one God and Father of all so there is also but one spirit which quickneth that one body and i Ephes 4. 4. one faith whereby we are all partakers of that spirit both which the Apostle ioyneth togither when of the faithfull both of the old and new Testament he saith that they haue k 2. Cor. 4. 13. the same spirit of faith Of this one spirit Gregory saith that l Greg. in psal 5. Poenitent Sicut est vna anima quae diuersa corporis membra viuisicat ita totam simul EcclesiaÌ„ vnus spiritus sanctus vegetat illustrat as it is but one soule which quickneth the diuers members of the body so one holy spirit giueth life and light to the whole Church Whether we respect them that were before the incarnation of Christ or them that come after they both make but one body and therefore the holy Ghost as the soule is but one and the same to both So of faith Gregory telleth vs that m Gregor in Ezech. hom 16 â—adé sides â—pes charitas in antiquis patribus quae in nouis Doctoribus fuit in the old Fathers was the same faith hope and charity as in the new teachers namely the Apostles and the rest So likewise Leo Bishop of Rome saith that n Leo in Natluit Dom. ser 3. Fides qua viuimus nulla fuit aetate diuersa the faith whereby we liue was neuer different in any age but o IdeÌ„ de Pass Dom. serm 14. Vna fides iustificat vniuersoruÌ„ temporuÌ„ sanctos one faith saith he iustifieth the Saints of all times p Aug in Ioan. tract 45. Tempora variata sut non fides c. In diuersis signis eadem fides There is difference of the times saith Austin but not of the faith in diuersity of signes there is the same faith q Idem Epist 89. Sacramenta variata sunt vt alia essent in veteri Testamento alia in nouo cùm fides varia non sit sed vna sit The Sacraments are altered one sort in the old Testament other in the new whereas faith is not diuers but one still Now though the signes and Sacraments were diuers yet because there was the same faith and the same spirit therefore the effects of faith and of the spirit were the same so that what we receiue spiritually in Baptisme and the Lords Supper they also though in other Sacraments receiued the same so that they were spiritually baptized they did eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud as well as we as was before intimated in my answere and M. Bishop giueth occasion to declare further in the next section Of the originall of the name Catholike and Catholikes I haue spoken before that that may suffice and though M. Bishop haue drawen it in it is impertinent here to stand vpon it W. BISHOP §. 2. ANd M. Abbot was greatly deceiued or else goeth about to deceiue others when for proofe of communicating with the Catholike Church hee recoileth backe vnto the beginning of the world Why did he not rather shew that their new Gospell flourished in all Countries assoone as the Christian faith was planted and that it hath continued in all ages since the Apostles dayes vntill our time that had beene to haue spoken directly to the purpose
did they did discouer them though not so distinctly they saw them though it were as it were c Hebr. 11. 13. a farre off Euen as we see those things that are taught vs concerning the end of the world the resurrection of the dead the day of iudgement and the life to come which yet distinctly we doe not see so did they see those things which since by the effecting of them in Christ are become distinct and plaine to vs. Therefore St. Austin saith d August de nat grat c. 44. Ea sides iustos sanauit antiquos quae sanat nos id est mediatoris Dei â—emiâ—um hominis Jesâ— Christi fides sanguinis eius sides crucis eius sides mortis resurrectionis 〈◊〉 The same faith saued the iust of old that saueth vs the faith of the Mediator betwixt God and Man euen the man Iesus Christ the faith of his bloud the faith of his crosse the faith of his death and resurrection hereby signifying that they beleeued all these points of faith as well as we though being things to come they were not as yet so cleare and manifest vnto them As for the Scriptures which he alleageth because they make nothing against this therefore they make nothing against vs. He bringeth the Apostle saying that e Ephes 3. 5. the mysterie of Christ in other generations was not knowen vnto the sonnes of men as now it is reueiled vnto his holy Apostles and Prophets Be it so it was knowen then but it was not so knowen as it was reueiled and made knowen to his Apostles Let him take this from Thomas Aquinas so expounding the words f Tho. Aquin. in Ephes cap. 3. lect 1. â—â—et mysteria Christi Prophetis Patriarchis fuerint reuelata non tamen it a clarè sicut Apostolis Nam Prophetis Apostolis fuerunt reuelata in quadam generalitate sed Apostolis manifestata sunt quantum ad singulares determinatas circumstantias Though the mysteries of Christ were reueiled to the Patriarchs and Prophets yet not so clearly as to the Apostles for to the Prophets and Patriarchs they were reueiled in a kinde of generality but tot he Apostles they were manifested as touching particular and definite circumstances And hereby the answere is ready to the words of our Sauiour Christ g Mat. 13. 17. Many Prophets and iust men haue desired to see the things which yee see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which yee heare and haue not heard them For h Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 37. Omnes superiorum temporum iusti Prophetae cupicbant videre coplâ—tum quod reuelante spiritu futurum esse cernebant vnde ipse Dominus ait Quoniam multi iusti c. they desired clearly and perfectly to see those things which they beleeued and with their eyes to behold the promised Sauiour in whom all their hope and ioy was fixed and to heare the gracious words that should issue from his mouth which notwithstanding they obtayned not i Iohn 8. 56. Your father Abraham saith our Sauiour elsewhere desired to see my day and he saw it and reioyced He saw it and yet still desired to see it because as yet he saw it not as he did desire to see He desired to see with his eies Christ come in the flesh but so he saw him not yet by faith he so foresaw his comming as that it was great ioy and gladnesse to him Three other Texts he quoteth not to proue his purpose but only to let vs see that he is able for a neede to cite the Scripture Two of those he appropriateth to the Apostles which appertaine to all the faithfull To shew that the Apostles were taught by Christs owne mouth he alleageth the wordes of Christ citing a sentence of Esay the Prophet k Iohn 6. 45. It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God whereas it is plaine that the words are spoken not of being outwardly taught by the mouth of Christ but of being inwardly taught by l Mat. 16. 17. the reuelation of the Father nor contayne any thing peculiar to the Apostles but common to all the Elect as both by the course of Christs speech appeareth and by the words themselues as they are set downe by the Prophet m Esa 54. 13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. So to the Apostles also he referreth the words of St. Paul of n Rom. 8. 23. hauing receiued the first fruits of the spirit whereas to be partaker of the first fruits of the spirit is the condition of euery regenerate man in which manner St. Austin generally applyeth it o August de Peccat Merit Remiss l. 2. c. 7. Nunc ei similes esse iam coepâ—mus primitias habentes spiritus Wee haue now begunne to bee like him by hauing the first fruits of the spirit and not only in the new but in the old Testament also because of vs both the Apostle witnesseth as we haue heard before that p 2. Cor. 4. 13. * John 15. 15. we haue the same spirit of faith In the third place Christ saith to his Apostles â— I haue called you friends for all things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowen to you But what will M. Bishop conclude hereof Will he argue that because Christ taught his Apostles all points of faith more plainly and clearely therefore the ancient Patriarchs knew not all points of faith Nay we will argue to the contrary that sith Christ maketh knowen to his friends all his fathers secrets as M. Bishop speaketh therefore God made knowen all those secrets to Abraham because Abraham was q Esa 41. 8. Iames 2. 23. called the friend of God and such a friend as that he saith of him r Genes 18 17. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe And seeing Abraham is called Å¿ Rom. 4 11. 12. the Father of all that beleeue as in the steps of whose faith we are to walke how can we doubt but that God reueiled vnto him all that faith which concerneth vs vnto eternall life In a word St. Austin saith againe of all those fathers and of vs t Aug. cont 2. Epist Pelag. l. 3. c. 4. Eadem sides in illis qui nondum nomine sed reipsa fucrunt Christiani in illis qui non solum sunt sed â—â—cantur in vtrisque eadem gratia per Sp. Sanâ—um There is the same faith both in them who before-time not yet in name but indeede were Christians and in them who not only are but also are called so and in both the same grace by the holy Ghost From which words it may be obserued what will become of those two absurdities which M. Bishop hath taken vpon him to obserue in me For first if those old Fathers were indeede Christians and therefore members of
heauen The other points were touched before and shall be shortly againe But I would in the meane season be glad to heare where the written word teacheth vs that Kings and temporall Magistrates are ordained by Christ to be vnder him supreme Gouernours of Ecclesiasticall affaires because M. Abbot made choise of this head-article of theirs for an instance that the written word was plaine on their side he should therefore at least haue pointed at some one text or other in the new Testament where it is registred that Princes are supreme Gouernours of the Church Nay are temporall Magistrates any Ecclesiasticall persons at all or can one that is no member of the Ecclesiasticall body be head of all the rest of the Ecclesiasticall members or is the state Secular higher and more worthy then the Ecclesiasticall and therefore meete to rule ouer it though they be not of it to say so is to preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen or is it meete and decent that the lesse worthy-member should haue the supreme command ouer the more honourable where the Christian world is turned topsie-turuy that may be thought meete and expedient but in other places that will not be admitted for currant which in it selfe is so disorderly and inconuenient without it had better warrant in the word of God then that new position of theirs hath R. ABBOT THe truth of mine assertions hath hitherto appeared by my defence of them but let them no further be taken for true then he is here found to be false that is the oppugner of them He saith that my conclusion conuinceth me euen by the verdict of my selfe to fall into the foule fault and errour of the Donatists To proue this he maketh me to speake in my answere in this sort Our faith because it is that which the Apostles committed to writing is the Apostolike faith and our Church by consanguinity and agreement of doctrine is proued to be an Apostolicall Church c. and is the only true Catholike Church c. Hauing set downe all these as my words he inferreth thus see you not how he is come at length to proue their Church to be Catholike by perfection of their doctrine which was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatisticall tricks reproued by St. Austin c. But I pray thee gentle Reader to looke where thou canst finde those wordes by me set downe And is the only true Catholike Church Aske M. Bishop if thou meete with him where he found them and if he cannot tell thee aske him in sadnesse what spirit he thinketh it was wherewith he was led when he set them downe for my wordes Fie M. Bishop fie for shame doe you talke so against lying and will you in the meane time lye so wittingly and willingly so as that there is no meanes to salue it no colour to excuse it I did not say that ours is the only true Catholike Church I made no shew of prouing it by perfection of doctrine to be the Catholike Church I neuer wrote it I neuer thought it and therefore once againe I wish you to bethinke your selfe of your words whereof I remembred you before a Reproofe pag. 283. The diuels cause it is that needeth to be bolstered out and vnderpropped with lyes Surely it is beyond doating folly it is desperate fury that draweth men on to such courses To let that goe foule and shamefull as it is he telleth vs next that he liketh well of Tertullians obseruation that our faith ought to haue consanguinity and perfect agreement with the Apostles doctrine But he curtolleth Tertullians obseruation by this recitall of his because Tertullian doth not only say what our faith ought to haue but telleth vs that b Tertul. de Praescript Quae licet nullum ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis authoreÌ„ suum proferaÌ„t vt mâ—â—tò posteriores quae denique quotidiè instituiâ—tur tamen in eadem fide conspirantes non mâ—â—us Apostolicae depâ—tantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae those Churches which cannot bring any of the Apostles or Apostolike men for their authour as being much later euen the Churches which daylie are begunne yet according in the same faith are for this consanguinity or agreement of doctrine reputed Apostolike Churches no lesse then the rest Hence I concluded that our Church because it agreeth in faith and doctrine with the Apostles is therefore to be reckoned an Apostolike Church But that saith M. Bishop is not the question at this time And what then is the question Marry saith he whether our doctrine or the Protestants be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in all nations ouer the world But did not he see that the one of these directly followeth of the other for the faith of the Apostles is it that was spred ouer the whole world Our faith is the same with the faith of the Apostles because it is that which is recorded in the Scriptures of the Apostles Therefore our faith it is that was spred and beleeued through the world Abrahams faith was it that was spred ouer the whole world for Abraham is c Rom. 4. 12. 16 the father and patterne of all that beleeue both circumcised and vncircumcised Our faith is the same with Abrahams faith Therefore againe it is our faith that was generally receiued throughout the world At this M. Bishop biteth the lip it troubleth him that he knoweth not what to say to it He seeth this proofe to be most certaine and impregnable aboue all other and therefore he seeketh by all meanes to diuert and turne away his Reader from listening to it He telleth him that I doe not deale plainly and soundly that I goe about the bush that I fetch wide and wild windlesses from old father Abrahams daies But I answere him that I haue so gone about the bush as that I haue scratched him with it and my wide and wild windlesses haue so inclosed him as that he cannot finde which way to get out againe Well if my course like him not what would he haue me doe I should he saith haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiasticall histories or ancient Fathers that the Protestants religion had flourished since the Apostles daies ouer all Europe Afrike and Asia I haue done already sufficient to demonstrate that I haue astonished him and choaked him with the euidence of Scriptures Stories Councels Fathers so as that hitherto he hath left all that he hath written to the question of religion without defence I shall make further demonstration thereof in this booke euen in the Roman Church What am I the nearer with him by that that I haue done What shall I be the nearer when I haue all done for he hath resolued himselfe to a wicked course and therefore though the light shine into his eyes yet he will sweare that he seeth it not He blameth me for concluding without
iust imputation of apostasie if to them we shall retire our selues from the religion of our fathers And see here how M. Bishop goeth a way quite contrary to St. Austin for St. Austin vsed the Scriptures to draw the Donatists to the example of their former fathers and M. Bishop vseth the example of our former fathers to draw vs away from the Scriptures But against all his vaine motiues we are setled by the charge giuen by God himselfe n Ezech. 20. 18 Walke yee not in the ordinances of your fathers neither obserue their manners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God Walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them Gods statutes are the line and rule whereby he hath appointed vs to goe we respect not therefore what our fathers haue done but we looke to the statutes of God in the word of God to the example and teaching of Christ in the word of Christ there to learne how farre we may approue the doings of our fathers To doe otherwise is as the Prophet speaketh o Ierem. 2. 13. to forsake the fountaine of liuing waters which God hath shewed and to digge to our selues broken pits that will hold no water at least no other but puddle water For conclusion strange it is to see how impudently he peruerteth the wordes of Cyprian To returne to the originall of the Lords tradition is with Cyprian to leaue the example of our fathers and to looke to the Gospell what the Lord hath there deliuered but with M. Bishop it is to returne to our forefathers and in steede of the Gospell to learne of them what it is that Christ taught Cyprian saith We are not to regard what any man before vs hath thought fit to be done but what Christ did who was before all M. Bishop saith that we are to regard what our fathers before vs haue thought fit to be done that of them we may learne what Christ did who is before all Cyprian saith We are not to follow the custome of men but the truth of God M. Bishop saith we are to follow the custome of men that we may thereby come to the knowledge of the truth of God Thus very directly he crosseth Cyprian and yet will be very angry if we say that he speaketh any otherwise then Cyprian doth W. BISHOP §. 2. NOw to that point which followeth in M. Abbot There shall be a time when the Kings of the Apocal. 17. earth shall giue their power to the beast and bend themselues to fight against the Lambe which I doe willingly admit but when that time shall be or what Kings it is very vncertaine for there shall be also a time When the Kings of the earth shall be as nurses to Esay 60. Psalm 72. the true Church and shall most humbly both obey it and also enrich and defend it to the vttermost of their power Now by the very insinuation of the Text and the vniforme consent of ancient writers the good Kings shall cherish exalt and magnifie the Church before those euill Kings shall arise who falling away from their fathers faith and from the Catholike Church will lend their aide to her professed enemies to worke her ouerthrow which is a shrewd presumption that the Kings of former ages stoode farre better affected to the true Church of God then some of later times Well this I leaue to vnderstanding mens iudgement But I may not slippe M. Abbots exceeding grosse ouer-sight or rather hainous crime in ranking his Maiesty among those Kings mentioned in the Apocalypse for albeit they shall hate Cap. 17. the whoore and make her desolate and naked and eate her flesh c. yet they shall be most wicked and impious Kings and shall adore the monstruous beast there described and fight against Christ Iesus These be the very wordes of the Text And the ten hornes c. be ten Kings c. these haue one counsell and force and their power they shall deliuer to the beast these shall fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shall ouerthrow them c. And the ten hornes which Vers 16. thou sawest in the beast these shall hate the harlot and make her desolate and naked c. so that the very same ten Kings signified there by ten hornes that did giue all their power to the beast did hate the harlot But how can it be saith one that they who hate the wicked harlot should ioyne with the beast who was as wicked as shee Yes that may well be for it is no newes that wicked men fall out among themselues so that one vngodly and wicked Prince doth sometimes with all his might aide another more wicked then himselfe and at the same instant perhaps or shortly after fight against a third the most wicked of all they doe fight against both good and euill as their owne rage passions or occasions carry them Which I say to stoppe a starting hole of the Protestants who to auoide this inconuenience say that first these ten Kings were bent to all mischiefe and then helped the beast against the Lambe but afterward repented them of their former iniquity then loe they hated the harlot and persecuted her which they would not haue done if they had beene badde Princes this is a prety shift Well say first that this sense could stand with the wordes of the text yet they cannot be applyed to his Maiesty who was not in his former time any â—ider of our religion and now is fallen of from that to the Protestants wherefore this deuice if it could stand with the text will not serue their turne But the spirit of God hath preuented and wholly cut off this vaine imagination for it saith in the next verse That the ten Kings who hated the harlot euen then and after too gaue their Kingdomes to the beast till the word of God be consummate that is till the end of all Wherefore most manifest it is euen by the warrant of Gods sacred word that those Kings mentioned in the Apocalypse were reprobates such did they liue and such shall they die Let then his most excellent Maiesty censure what reward they are worthy off who feare not to thrust his Highnesse into that list of condemned cast-a-waies and that too after they had such faire warning as in my answere to M. Perkins I gaue them to beware how they did his Maiesty that shame and despite If it please his Highnesse to take notice of it I doubt not but that he will conne them little thanke for this their commendation of him R. ABBOT IT hath beene already very gloriously fulfilled which God promised vnto his Church a Esay 49. 23. Kings shall â—e thy nursing fathers and Queenes shall be thy nourses c. The great states of the world the Emperours and Kings and Princes Constantine Theodosius Valentinian Honorius Lucius of Britaine Theodebert and Theodelind of France Reccaredus of Spaine and infinite other of the
nihilo inquit saluos faciet illos haud dubiuÌ„ qum iustos qui noÌ„ proprio merito sed Dei saluantur clementia He will saue them for nothing as who are saued not by their owne merit saith he but by the mercy of God For y Gregor Moral l. 8. c 9. Iusti perituros se absque ambiguitate praesciunt si remota pietate iudiceÌ„tur quia hoc ipsum quoque quòd iustè videmur viuâ—re culpa est si vitaÌ„ nostram cum iudicat hanc apud se diuina miserecordia non excusat iust men saith Gregory know before-hand that they shall perish without doubt if God set mercy aside in the iudging of them because euen that which seemeth our iust life is but sinne if Gods mercy when he iudgeth it doe not excuse the same Hitherto then it appeareth that I want no armour or weapons to fight against him yea who seeth not him rather to be a beggarly companion who taketh vpon him to contradict me vpon no other but only his owne word As for pouerty of spirit he sheweth his prophanenesse in iesting at it because Christ hath pronounced a blessing to it z Mat. 5. â— Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen But now before he giue ouer that text he will finde a weapon there to fight against me In the next verse saith he it is plainly shewed that God did grieuously punish all them who liued wickedly notwithstanding they held the right faith The wordes of that verse are these a Vers 18 The wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men which with-hold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Where it being manifest that the Apostles wordes haue reference to Gentiles and Heathens who had no knowledge of God but only by natures light the Apostle accusing them for suppressing and drowning euen that which they vnderstood or might vnderstand by the creation of the world I might question with what discretion it is that M. Bishop attributeth vnto them the holding of the right faith But not to trouble my selfe or the Reader further then is needfull I let that passe and looke to his inferences that he maketh out of those wordes Whence it followeth first saith he that men may haue a true faith without good workes Which though it haue no manner of sequele from the Apostles wordes there being nothing as I haue said which importeth the hauing or holding of true faith yet with great opportunity he mentioneth because he giueth me occasion to shew that though the righteousnesse of God be only from faith to faith yet that faith wherein this righteousnesse consisteth neuer is nor can be without due correspondence of good workes and godly life And to this belongeth that which the Apostle saith that b Rom. 3. 31. by faith we establish the law because we doe not by faith establish the law if we preach such a faith as may stand with the contempt of the law and wilfull neglect of the commandements of God Surely if faith may be without charity and it be by an after-supply of charity that wee haue the will to keepe Gods commandements then should not the Apostle say that by faith but rather by charity we establish the law But because without saith there is no charity and charity is the necessary sequele of the regeneration of faith therefore the Apostle rightly saith that by faith we establish the law as whereby we c Gal. 3. â—4 Ezech. 36. 26. 27 receiue the promise of the spirit of God the effect and d Gal. 5. 22. fruit whereof is charity whereby e Rom. 7. 22. we delight in the law of God as touching the inward man and are grieued at the remainder of carnall concupiscence whereby we are hindered that f Gal. 5. 17. we cannot doe the things that we would The faith which the Gospell teacheth is that and no other wherof we reade that g Acts 15. 9. by faith God purifieth our hearts which is called h Gal. 5. 6. faith working by loue of which St. Iohn saith i 1. John 3. 3. Euery one that hath this hope purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure k Ephes 3. 17. by which Saint Paul againe saith that Christ dwelleth in our hearts and l Rom. 8. 10. if Christ be in you saith he the body is dead as touching sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake As for that faith which is without workes it is by equiuocation only called faith as the picture of a man is called a man this being yeelded to custome of speech and to the conceipt of men who giue names oftentimes for semblance and shew where there wanteth the substance and truth of them To which purpose the wordes of Leo Bishop of Rome are very remarkeable m Leode Quadrages serm 7. Charitas robur fidei fides fortitudo est charitatis tunc verum nomen verus est fructus ambarum cum insolubilis manâ—t vtriusque coÌ„nexio Vbi enim non simul fuerint simu desunt quia inâ—icem sibi inuamâ—n lumen sunt donec desiderium credulitatis impleat remuneratio visionis incommutabilitèr videatur ametur quod nunc sine side non diligâ—tur sine dilectione non creditur Charity is the strength of faith and faith is the strength of charity and then is there the true name and the true fruit of both when there abideth an insâ—parable coniunction of them for where they are not both together they are both wanting because they are the helpe and light each of other vntill reward of seeing fulfill the desire of beleeuing and that be vnchangeably beholden and loued which now is neither loued without faith nor beleeued without loue Where we see a difference signified by Leo betwixt the true name of faith and that which is vulgarly termed faith so that though sometimes we speake of faith without workes applying the name of faith to the outward profession of faith as he himselfe also doth yet n Idem de Collect. eleemos serm 4. Multis quibus auserre non potuit fidem sustulit charitatem agro cordis ipsorum auaritiae râ—dicibus occupato spoliauit fructu operum quos non priuauit consâ—ssione labiorum the true name of faith is not appliable where there is not charity ioyned with it neither can there be true beleefe where there is no loue Hereto accordeth Gregor in Ezech. hom 22. Fidem Spem Charitatem â—tque operationeÌ„ quamdiu in hac vita viuimus aequales sibi esse apud nosmetipsos inuenimus c. Nam nunc quantum credimus tantum amamus quaÌ„tum amamus tantum de spe praesumimus De fide quoque operatione Ioannes Apostolus faâ—etur dicens Qui se dicit nosse Deum c. Notitia quippe Dei ad fide pertinet mandatorum custodia ad operationem Cùm ergò
be The Apostle doth not say yee shall be the sonnes of God vpon such a condition but he saith Yee are sonnes euen as St. Iohn saith d 1. Iohn 3. 2. Now are we the sonnes of God yea and because yee are sonnes saith he therefore is it that God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father which spirit yee could not be partakers of but that yee are sonnes This then being already certaine M. Bishop committeth a manifest errour to tie it to a future condition which he saith is not certaine Albeit in annexing this condition to the testimony of the spirit hee doth wilfully and manifestly falsifle the text For the Apostle doth not say as he pretendeth that the spirit beareth witnesse that we are the sonnes of God if we suffer with him but saith affirmatiuely This spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God And hauing so said he goeth on to shew what dignity we receiue by being the sonnes of God And if we be sonnes then are we also heires euen heires of God and ioynt-inheritours with Christ Now to declare how we be conioyned vnto Christ to be inheritours with him he addeth those wordes if so be we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him not as to make a doubt of the witnesse of the spirit but only to signifie what way God hath appointed to bring them to their inheritance to whom the spirit giueth witnesse that they are the sonnes of God namely by the c Phil. 3. 10. fellowship of his afflictions to be made thereby conformable to his death by f 2. Cor. 4. 10. bearing out about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus by g Col. 1. 24. fulfilling in our flesh the remainder of his afflictions And yet neither is this condition being taken so to be any vncertaine thing because what God hath determined and appointed he himselfe will effect and bring to passe and therefore the Apostle saying of them to whom that witnesse of the spirit is giuen h Rom. 8. 29. God hath predestinated vs to be made like vnto the image of his sonne we cannot in that case doubt but that the same God i Phil. 1. 29. for Christs sake doth giue vnto vs not only to beleeue in him but also if neede be and when time is to suffer for his sake We know not assuredly saith M. Bishop whether we shall suffer with him and constantly to the end beare out all persecutions But the faithfull doe beleeue and know that k 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength but together with the temptation will giue the issue that we may able to beare it l Greg. Moral l. 28. cap. 7. Inter hâ—c etiam qui redemit non relinquit c. Nouit enim conditor noster quando exurgere persecutionis procellam sinat quando exurgenteÌ„ reprimat Nouit pro custodia nostra restringe e quod contra nos egredi pro nostra excitatione permittit vt saeuiens nos diluat procella non mergat Amidst persecutions saith Gregory hereupon he that hath redeemed vs doth not forsake vs our Creatour knoweth when to suffer the storme to arise and when to stay it from rising He knoweth how to restraine that for the custody of vs which for the exercising of vs he suffereth to goe forth against vs that the raging storme may wash vs and not drowne vs. And in another place by occasion of the same wordes m Ibid. lib. 29. c. 12. Etiam tentationes aduersary dispensando modificat vt aut multae simul non veniant aut ipsae tatummodo quae ferri possunt illustratam tam à Deo anima tangant vt cum tactus sui ardore nos cruciant perfectionis incendio non exurant He so dispenseth and ordereth saith he the temptations of the aduersary as that they come not too many at once or that those only which may be borne doe touch the soule which God hath enlightened that albeit by the heate of the touch thereof they torment vs yet they may not by burning wast and consume vs. Vpon this therefore the children of God build themselues securely standing alwaies fully perswaded that n Rom. 8. 38. neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come shall separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord and bold to say with Dauid o Psal 118. 6. Heb. 13. 7. The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can doe vnto me and with St. Paul p 2. Tim. 4. 18. The Lord will deliuer me from euery euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly Kingdome And of this resolution St. Austin notably instructeth vs where saying that q August in Psal 32. Conc. 2. Secura expectans miserecorditèr promitteâ—tem miserecorditer veracitèr exhibentem Et donec exhibeat quid agamus Anima nostra patiens crit Domino Sed quid si in ipsa paticntia non durabimus Immò planè durabimus quoniam adiutor protector noster est the soule securely expecteth the Lord promising in mercy and performing in mercy and truth he further questioneth and answereth himselfe in this sort But till he performe his promise what shall we doe Our soule shall be patient to wait vpon the Lord. But what if we shall not endure or continue in our patience Yes verily we shall endure because he is our helper and defender M. Bishop teacheth the faithfull to say We cannot tell whether we shall endure or not but St. Austin instructeth them to another resolution by faith and trust in God Yes verily we shall endure because God is our helper and defender But against this he giueth instance by the wordes of Christ that there be some that for a time beleeue and in time of temptation goe away Concerning which wordes I haue answered him r Of the certainty of saluation sect 8. before and to answere him againe neede goe no further then to the very text whence he alleageth them He chargeth me with a tricke of a false merchant as if I strooke off the one halfe of the Apostles sentence that the other might seeme currant for me whether I haue so done or not the Reader is to iudge by that that hath beene said but here is a false tricke indeede committed by him in leauing out the words by which he saw and was aduertised before that his exception is made nothing worth By the seede sowen in stony ground our Sauiour describeth them Å¿ Luke 8. 13. who when they heare receiue the word with ioy but they haue no roote which for a while beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Where note first that Christ speaketh not this of the good ground but only of the stony ground and therefore it cannot be taken to appertaine to
and conclusions seeme to you so leane thinne and weake which notwithstanding are hitherto found inuincibly grounded against all those silly oppositions wherewith you haue encountred them The sentences which I haue cited out of the Apostle how simply yea how shamefully are they discharged by you only with an odious reiteration of those things which in my former answere haue beene already troden to the ground Some of them you say seemed to sound for vs though they had in truth a farre different sense but what slender and miserable shifts haue you vsed to frame them to signifie otherwise then they sound Some haue neither sense nor sound nor syllable for vs and yet it is found that both syllable and sound and sense doe wholly sauour and sound out our doctrine against you Which is so plaine both in the thing it selfe and in those iustifications which I haue vsed thereof as that I doubt not but that in your owne conscience M. Bishop I haue gotten the conquest only it is with you according to that which St. Austin saith b August de Ciuit. Dei l. 6. c. 1. Ea putatur gloria vanitatis nullis cedere viribus veritatis This is esteemed the glory of vanity neuer to yeeld to any force of truth But here I wish thee gentle Reader to obserue what a confession he maketh of that that I said that St. Paul wrote nothing but what in shew at least serueth the Protestants turne It is saith he one of the truest words he there deliuereth But if it be true that all that St. Paul hath written doth in shew at least serue the Protestants turne then my wonder is acknowledged to be iust namely that St. Paul should be a Papist and yet should write nothing but what in shew at least serueth the Protestants turne M. Bishop will haue it thought that in sense and meaning St. Paul is euery where against vs but what a strange thing is it that St. Paul in meaning should be euery where against vs and yet that in shew and appearance of wordes he should speake altogether for vs Concerning this matter I noted what the Rhemists haue said aduertising their Reader that c Rhem. Testam ArgumeÌ„t of the Epistles in generall where any thing in St. Pauls Epistles soundeth to him as contrary to the doctrine of their Church he faileth of the right sense Herein M. Bishop ioyneth with them both confessing that St. Pauls wordes are against them but bearing men in hand that the meaning alwaies is otherwise then the wordes import Thus they gull and abuse the simplicity and folly of them that will hearken vnto them perswading that that is improbable incredible impossible that the holy Apostles directed by the spirit of God should speake one thing as if they were Protestants and yet meane another as if they were Papists that in beleefe they should be Papists and yet should say nothing for iustification of Popery saue only by secret and concealed senses which cannot be â—nforced or gathered by the wordes Iustly are they giuen ouer of God to errour and lyes that vvilfully blinde themselues from taking knowledge of such delusion Now here I vvas disposed to dally a little vvith M. Bishop and to tell him my imagination that for anger that Peter and Paul had said nothing in their behalfe they might haply fare as Robertus Liciensis did in another case before the Pope spitting and crying out Fie vpon Peter fie vpon Paul c. M. Bishop being offended at this iest as d 1. Kings 18. â—â— Baals Priests vvere at the iesting of Elias telleth his Reader for vvant of matter that I turne from the truth to fables as the Apostle speaketh a text very vntowardly applyed if there vvere occasion to examine it and that for lacke of a better I bring Robin good-fellow vpon the stage Novv that Robertus Liciensis a Franciscan Friar vvas indeede a right Popish Robin good-fellow of vvhom e Erasm de rat Concionandi lib. 3. Erasmus reporteth that preaching on a time very instantly and earnestly to stirre men vp to goe against the Turkes and Paynims and comming at length to lament that none offered themselues to be Captaines and leaders in this seruice professeth in the end that rather then there should be any vvant in that behalfe he vvould not sticke to cast off his Franciscan vveede and become himselfe a Captaine or a Souldier amongst them At vvhich vvordes he cast off his vpper garment and vnderneath vvas attired and furnished as a Souldier and so prosecuted this matter for the space of halfe an houre and being afterwards questioned vvhy hee thus did confessed that he did it for his Minions sake vvho had told him that shee disliked nothing in him but his Friars vveede Whereupon he demanding in vvhat attire he should best content her and shee answering that shee could best like of him in the habit of a Souldier he bid her be the next day at Sermon and shee should see him so and then played Robin good-fellowes part in that sort as I haue said In the same place Erasmus telleth of that Liciensis the storie to vvhich I before alluded f Erasm ibid. that being on a day to preach before the Pope and his Cardinals when he saw them come in with that Princely pompe and the Pope carryed in a chaire and all men doing worship to him without any other words beginneth to cry out Fie vpon St. Peter fie vpon St. Paul spitting and turning this way and that way and so gate him downe againe leauing all astonished at him some thinking him to be fallen madde and other some imagining him to be become an Heretike or a Pagan Being afterwards examined how he fell to such horrible blasphemie he answered that he had prepared a farre other matter to speake of which he imparted to them but when I saw you saith he come in with such pompe and liue so deliciously and withall considered with my selfe how meane how painfull and vnpleasing a life the Apostles led in whose places you succeede I gathered with my selfe that either they were fooles that went so hard a way to heauen or else that you goe the direct way to hell But of you saith he who haue the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen I could not misdoubt any euill It remained therefore that I should detest the folly of them vvho when they might haue liued gloriously and pleasantly as you doe would rather through their whole life with fasting and watching and labour torment themselues Now as in this case this Robertus Liciensis cryed Fie vpon Peter and Paul for their kinde of life so vnlike to the life of Popes and Cardinals so I thought it might be likely that M. Bishop and his fellowes in their anger might cry out vpon them for their kinde of doctrine so vnlike to the doctrine of Popery and containing nothing at all for the trash and trinkets of their profession M. Bishop saith that
blindeth his Reader by compounding those things which for the discerning of the truth are to be diuided For he will not say that single life in it selfe is a caring to please the Lord and to bee holy in body and spirit for then the Vestall Virgins of the Romans and the Hierophantaes of the Athenians and all single persons of all sorts shall be pleasers of the Lord and all holy both in body and spirit If in it selfe it be not so then for it selfe it is not acceptable in Gods sight but the thing which God accepteth is our care to please him and to bee holy and vndefiled before him Now if marriage equall single life in holinesse and care of pleasing God what hindereth in this case but that marriage is as acceptable to God as single life But the Apostle noteth this to be the preferment of single life that wee are thereby for the most part better opportuned to attend the things of God and to doe him seruice being thereby freed from many burdens of cares and troubles wherwith the husband and the wife are commonly much distracted Which notwithstanding must be vnderstood where the gift of continency is had because the fire of an incontinent minde causeth much more entangling of the thoughts and withdrawing of the heart from God then doe any troubles that belong to married estate But doth it follow that because single life giueth greater liberty to serue God therefore single life it selfe is a matter of great merit with God the vow thereof the merit of heauen a worke of great perfection a satisfaction for sinnes both for a mans owne sinnes and for the sinnes of other men This is the merit of single life whereof I spake and which Popery maintaineth and will this foule taile hang to the wordes of the Apostle Are you not ashamed M. Bishop thus to dally and to tell vs one thing when you should proue another It is true that the care of pleasing God and being holy in body and spirit is much more acceptable vnto God then carking for this world and caring how to please a wife but will you hereof conclude a merit of single life Is not single life many times more carefull of the things of the world then marriage and is not the vnmarried often more busied to please his harlot then the husband is to please his wife And will you then argue so absurdly and thus wilfully delude them that are not able to vnderstand you From thence he commeth to Monkish vowes of which he saith that if I were a good Abbot I would speake more respectiuely But an Abbot whether to him good or badde I yeeld them no other respect but to say of them that as Popery hath framed and practised them they are full of sacriledge impiety blasphemie hypocrisie and one of those monstrous abhominations wherewith Antichrist hath defiled the Church of God And what hath he now to say for them Somewhat forsooth St. Paul hath of the vow of chastity which is one of their principall vowes Well let the other vowes sinke or swimme he careth not but being a chast man he will giue vs a proofe for the vow of chastity and that shall be a sure one St. Paul auoueheth saith he certaine widdowes worthy of damnation because they broke the same firmer vow of chastity But what will he thus wilfully belye the Apostle Will he set downe wordes of his owne and make the Reader beleeue that they are the Apostles wordes The Apostle speaketh of some hauing damnation because they had broken the first faith and vvill he dare to turne the first faith into the former vow of chastity As touching this place I haue giuen him such answere b Of vowes sect 7. before as that it is vnpossible for him with any good colour to reply I haue shewed that the first faith here spoken of is the faith and profession of Baptisme and that Athanasius Hierome and Vincentius Lyrinensis by allusion to this place doe so giue vs to vnderstand Moreouer that those young widowes of which the Apostle spake did by liuing in idlenesse fall to wantonnesse and in their new marriages did wholly forsake the faith of Christ I declared further by Chrysostome Ambrose Theophylact that the Apostle seeing such mischiefe to grow of choosing young vvomen to be Church-widomes did wholly disclaime all choise of such and willed that those vvho were already chosen though they had promised to continue single and vnmarried yet for eschewing all danger of the like inconuenience should betake themselues to marriage I haue shewed by Cyprian by Austin Hierome and Epiphanius tha◠they who haue vowed single life if afterwards they cannot or will not containe that it is much better for them to marry then to continue vnmarried What doth hee meane thus to alleage this text againe vvhen it so plainly appeareth by the testimony of so many Fathers that that is false vvhich they vvould gather thereby He vvould hereby proue their Popish vow of single life binding men simply and perpetually from marriage vvhich it appeareth is hereby condemned as a vvicked tyrannie and a cruell vsurpation vpon the consciences of fraile and vnstable men In the next citation hee playeth his prize For proofe of their vowes hee alleageth c Acts 18. 18. that St. Paul shore his head in Cenchris because hee had a vow As well might he alleage the Iewes sacrifices of Buls and Goates to proue their sacrifice of the Masse As well might the Turkes and Saracens alleage d Acts 16. 3. Pauls circumcising of Timothy to proue that it is still lawfull for them to circumcise As well might hee proue that euery woman after her child-birth is to offer a paire of turtle Doues or of young Pidgeons because e Luke 2. 24. the Virgin Mary did so He saith the vow of the Apostle was the vow of a Nazarite and the vow of the Nazarites vvas wholly a ceremony of the law of Moses and will hee goe about to bring the ceremonies of Moses law into the Church of Christ Hath hee not read what Tertullian saith f Tertul. de Praescript sub finem Quis nesciat quoniam Luangelica gratia euacuatur si ad legem Christū redigit Who knoweth not that the grace of the Gospell is made frustrate and voide if it bring Christ vnto the law What doth euery man know this and doth not M. Bishop know it Did he neuer reade that which St. Hierome saith and Austin confirmeth g Aug. Hieron Epist 19. Pronuncias ceremonias Iudaeorum quicunque obseru◠uerit siue ex Judaeis siue ex Gentibus eum in barathrum Diaboli deuolutum Ego hanc vocem tuam omnin◠confirmo Whosoeuer either of the Iewes or Gentiles obserueth the ceremonies of the Iewes he tumbleth himselfe into the Diuels mouth What haue wee then to doe with the vow of the Nazarites that it should bee any confirmation of vowes to be vsed amongst vs But to shew
mouth full of blasphemic a Syluest Prier cot Luther conclus 56. Indulgentiae non innotuêre nobiâ— authorâ—tate Scripturae sed authoritate Ecclesiae Romanae Romanorumque Pontificum quae maior est Indulgences or Pardons haue not beene knowen to vs by the authority of the Scriptures but by the authority of the Church of Rome and Bishops of Rome which is greater then the Scriptures b Alphons de Cast adu haer lib. 8. tit Indulgentiae Inter omnes res de quibus in hoc opere disputamus nulla est quam minùs apertè sacrae literae prodiderint de qua minùs vetusti scriptores dixerint Et post pro indulgentiarum approbatione sacrae Scripturae testimoniâ— apertum deest There is nothing saith Alphonsus de Castro which the Scriptures haue declared lesse plainly or whereof the old writers haue said lesse There is no plaine testimony of Scripture for the approuing of them And yet M. Bishop no skimmer ouer the Scriptures I warrant you but a man of great obseruation and insight into them will take vpon him to haue found where S. Paul teacheth of Pardons not obscurely or darkely but in very formall termes He citeth to this purpose the wordes of S. Paul concerning the incestuous excommunicated Corinthian now much humbled by repentance and hauing giuen thereof great satisfaction and testimony to the Church c 2. Cor. 2. 10. Whom you haue pardoned any thing I so doe also for my selfe also what I haue pardoned for your sakes I haue done it in the sight of Christ that we be not circumuented of Satan Here he saith that the Corinthians and S. Paul himselfe did giue a pardon he did release some part of the penance of that incestuous Corinthian which is properly to giue pardon or indulgence Iust as well fitted as if he had put a Goose quill to a Wood-cocks taile Hee might euen as well haue alleaged our Bishops as giuers of Popish Pardons because they doe release to men vpon occasion some parts of penance inioyned them for criminall demeanours and had he not made a great speake if he had so done What are we come to vnderstand by the Popes Pardons the releasing of Penitents from the bond of excommunication for the restoring of them againe to the communion of the Church It is true which he saith of this that if S. Paul could so doe S. Peter could doe as much and other principall Pastours of Christs Church haue the same power and authority who doubteth hereof But we speake of a power which the Pope challengeth as proper to himselfe to giue Pardons and Libels of Indulgence or to giue authority to others to giue the same out of the Church treasury of the supererogations of Saints not for absoluing Penitents in foro Ecclesiae but in foro Coeli for releasing of soules from Purgatory and for giuing of them remission for so many dayes or yeares or hundreds or thousands of yeares not only to men for themselues liuing but also for their friends dead and that for doing such and such deuotions or paying so much money for such or such vse or aiding him in his wars against Christian Princes or doing any other worke and seruice that he requireth A lewd and wicked deuise and practise of the Popes of some latter ages and as lewdly coloured by M. Bishop by pretense of that that doth in no sort appertaine vnto it For all that the Apostle intendeth in the words alleaged is that which St. Ambrose briefly expresseth thus d Ambros in 2. Cor. 2. Orat ne adhuc exulcerato aduersum illum animo durum esset illis habere cum illo coÌ„munionem Ecclesiae Hee prayeth them that they would not any longer by a minde exasperated against him bee hard to haue with him the communion of the Church This is the forgiuenesse this is the pardon that he desireth in his behalfe that inasmuch as he hath sufficiently shewed himselfe penitent for his fault they will no longer forbeare to haue Christian society and fellowship with him M. Bishop therefore would neuer haue brought vs this place for Popes Pardons but that by a resolute course of impudency he maketh choise to say any thing rather then to say the truth W. BISHOP §. 8. THe last of M. Abbots instances is That S. Paul saith nothing of traditions wherein hee sheweth himselfe not the least impudent for the Apostle speaketh of them very often Hee desireth the Romans to marke them that make dissentions and scandals Rom. 16. ver 17. contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and to auoide them but the doctrine that they had then learned before S. Paul sent them this Epistle was by word of mouth and tradition for little or none of the new Testament was then written wherefore the Apostle teacheth all men to be auoided that dissent from doctrine deliuered by Tradition And in the Acts of the Apostles it is of record how S. Paul walking through Syria and Silicia confirming the Churches Commanded Act. 15. vers 41. them to keepe the precepts of the Apostles and of the Ancients Item when they passed through the Citties they deliuered vnto them to keepe the decrees Act. 16. vers 4. that were decreed by the Apostles and Ancients which were at Hierusalem and the Churches were confirmed in faith c. Where it also appeareth that those decrees were made matter of faith and necessary to be beleeued to saluation before they were written Hee doth also charge his best beloued Disciple Timothy To 1. Tim. 6. ver 20 keepe the Depositum that is the whole Christian doctrine deliuered vnto him by word of mouth as the best Authours take it auoiding the prophane nouelty of voices and oppositions of falsly called knowledge Againe he commandeth him to commend to faithfull 2. Tim. 2. vers 2. men the things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses Was not this to preach such doctrine as he had receiued by Apostolike tradition without writing And further which suppresseth all the vaine cauils of the sectaries he saith Therefore Brethren stand and 2. Thess 2. v. 15. hold the Traditions which you haue learned whether it be by word or by our Epistle where you see that some Traditions went by word of mouth from hand to hand as well as some others were written and were as well to be holden and stood too as the written proceeding from the same fountaine of truth Gods spirit Thus much in answere vnto the instances proposed by M. Abbot which he very ignorantly and insolently auoucheth to haue no proofe or sound of proofe out of S. Paul R. ABBOT HEre M. Bishop playeth the Iugler againe and casteth a mist before his Readers eyes by altering the state of the question betwixt vs and them For the question is not whether the doctrine of truth haue beene at any time deliuered by Tradition that is by word of mouth without writing but whether
he that worshippeth his subiects offendeth not him whose they all are But M. Bishop by Christian learning should vnderstand as hitherto hath beene shewed that God admitteth no seruants of his to any such communion or fellowship with him nor can endure that any seruant accept from his fellow seruant any part of religious seruice which he requireth to be proper to himselfe alone Peter notwithstanding all his religious vertues taketh it not of Cornelius c Acts 10. 26. Stand vp saith he fir euen I my selfe also am a man The Angel though more then a man admitteth it not to be yeelded to him by St. Iohn d Apoc. 19. 10. See thou doe it not I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren worship God e Cyril cont Iulian. lib. 4. Hi docent honores adorationem non sibi sed potiùs soli summo Deo debere offerri They teach vs saith Cyril that honours and adoration or worship are not to be offered to them but only to the highest God As for M. Bishops addition as is meete for their degree it is but a verball couer of the idolaters cup. f See of Images sect 11. and the answere to the Preface of D. Bishops secoÌ„d part sect 12. They kneele to Saints to worship them they pray to them they offer to them they giue them the honour of Temples and Altars they keepe fasting daies and holy daies to them they sweare by them and what doe they not and then tell vs that they doe worship them but as is meete for their degree I may say here as Ambrose saith g Ambros in Rom. c. 1. Quasi sit aliquid plus quod reseruetur Deo As though there were any thing more to be reserued to God Surely those Christians of whom Leo Bishop of Rome speaketh who retained the superstitious custome of their Paganisme h Leo in Natiuit Dom. ser 7. NoÌ„â—ulli Christiani c. superatis gradibus quibus ad suggestum arae superioris ascenditur conuerso corpore ad nascentem se solem reflectunt curuatis ceruicibus in honorem se splendidi orbis inclinant to worship the Sunne rising turning themselues backe to it as they went vp the steps to the high Altar and bowing their heads and inclining themselues to the honour of that glorious light might well haue learned of M. Bishop to excuse and defend this heathenish superstion for that they put a great difference as no doubt they did betwixt the light and the Creatour of the light and in honour of the Creatour did worship the Sunne no otherwise then as was meete for his degree being such a glorious and goodly creature But i Ibid. Etsi quidam fortè creatorem potius pulchri luminis qâ—aÌ„ ipsum lumeÌ„ quod est creatura venerantur abslinendum tameÌ„ est ab ipsa buiusmodi specie officij c. Abijciatur à consuetudine fidelium daÌ„nanda peruersitas nec bonor vni Dâ—â— debitus corâ— ritibus qui creaturis descruiunt misceatur Dâ—cit enim Scriptura diuina DominuÌ„ Deum tuum adorabis c. though some of them saith Leo doe perhaps worship the creatour of the light rather then the light it selfe which is a creature yet the very shew of this deuotion is to be forborne let this damnable peruersity be cast away from the custome of the faithfull and let not the honour due to God only be blended with their rites who doe seruice vnto creatures for the holy Scripture saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only thou shalt serue He professeth such honour in case of religion to be due vnto God alone and therfore holdeth it vnlawfull to giue so much as the shew thereof vnto any creature and neuer was acquainted with M. Bishops distinction of worshipping creatures as is meete for their degree Neither was Hierome acquainted with it for if he were he spake fondly when he said k Hieron ad Ripar Ne solem quidem lunaÌ„ non Angelos non Archangelos non Cherubim non Seraphim omne nomeÌ„ quod nominatur in praesenti seculo in futuro colimus adoramus ne seruiamus creaturae potiùs quà m creatori qui est Deus benedictus in secula We neither worship Sunne nor Moone neither Angels nor Archangels neither Cherubim nor Seraphim nor any name that is named in this world or in the world to come least we serue the creature rather then the Creatour who is God blessed for euer Yes saith M. Bishop we worship them as is meete for their degree though not in the highest degree But either Hierome disclaimeth this or else he speaketh very idlely when he thus wholly denyeth to worship them and yet meaneth to worship them in some degree For conclusion I would gladly know how M. Bishop fitteth that last part of his speech to the Images of Saints because wee haue here to doe with them also What must we thinke that as the Saints are seruants to God and therefore to bee worshipped for Gods sake so the Images of Saints are seruants to them and to be worshipped for their sakes Let vs then say also that the Sexton is seruant to the Image because he brusheth off the dust and keepeth it cleane and therefore the Sexton is to be worshipped for the Images sake And I. S. is seruant to the Sexton and helpeth him so to doe and therefore I. S. is to be worshipped for the Sextons sake I haue derided this dotage of his l Of Images sect 11. before and thither I referre the Reader I only note here how truly the holy Ghost hauing spoken of Idols said m Psal 115. 8. They that make them are like vnto them and so are all they that put their trust in them CHAP. VIII That iustification before God consisteth not in proceeding from faith to workes but in the continuation of faith to faith and that this faith notwithstanding cannot be separated from charity and good workes ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE PAul saith and we say the same that the righteousnesse of God is from faith to faith c. to Chap. 9. The Apostle in expresse termes affirmeth c. W. BISHOP THe sentence of S. Paul is mangled his wordes are for the iustice or righteousnesse of God is reuealed therein in the Gospell by faith into faith which are obscure and subiect to diuers expositions The most common is that Christ the iustice of God is reuealed in the Gospell by conferring the faith of them that liued before the Gospell with their faith that liued vnder it the faith of them who liue in the Gospell giuing great light for the clearer vnderstanding of such things as were taught of Christ more darkely in the law and Prophets This being the literall sense of this place what is here for mans iustification by only faith where only mention is made of Gods iustice and not one word of the imputation of it to man but of the
reuelation of it in the Gospell What a foule mistaking is this alas his pouerty of spirit and want of good armour compelleth him to lay hand on any weapons how simple and weake soeuer In the next verse it is plainly shewed that God did grieuously punish all them who liued wickedly notwithstanding they held the right faith for saith S. Paul the Rom. 1. vers 18. wrath of God from heauen is reuealed vpon all impiety and vnrighteousnesse of those men that retaine or hold the truth of God in iniustice Whence it followeth first that men may haue a true faith without good workes for they held the truth of God being themselues wicked Secondly that the same faith would not auaile them ought nor saue them from the iust wrath of God if it were not quickned by good workes R. ABBOT I Am not ignorant that there are many expositions made of those wordes of the Apostle which all or the most part are to be found in the collections of a Oecumen in Rom. 3. Oecumenius and in b Tho. Aquin. in Rom. 1. Lect. 6. Thomas Aquinas his Commentary vpon that place who notwithstanding Aquinas I meane either omitteth that which is most likely and warrantable aboue all the rest or else expresseth it not in such sort as were conuenient M. Bishop telleth vs that the exposition which he hath brought is the most common whereas I am perswaded that as he hath set it downe he can bring no authour of it but himselfe only For although it be true that some construe it to be meant from the faith of the old Testament to the faith of the new yet they apply the same to farre other purpose then he doth Some will haue it that the Apostle would signifie that it is faith that iustifieth and saueth both in the old and new Testament so that the change from the old to the new is but from faith to faith that is in effect no change This Thomas Aquinas expresseth thus c Tho. Aquin. vt supra Ex side in fidem id est ex fide veteris testamenti procedendo in fidem noui testamenti quia ab vtroque homines iustificaÌ„tur saluantur per fidem Christi quia cadem side crediderunt venturâ— qua nos venisse credimus From faith to faith that is from faith of the old Testament proceeding to faith of the new because on both sides men are iustified and saued by the faith of Christ for that by the same faith they beleeued that Christ should come whereby we beleeue that he is come Some other vnderstand it of proceeding from faith whereby we beleeue the Scriptures of the Prophets and old Testament to faith whereby to beleeue the Gospell For d Theodoret. Oecumen in Rom. 3. Ex side in fidem Oportet enim credere Prophetis per illos deduci ad fidem Euangelij wee must beleeue the Prophets saith Theodoret and after him Oecumenius and by them be brought to the faith of the Gospell This I ghâ—sse it was that M. Bishop aimed at but hee peruersly applyeth it to light giuen by the new Testament to the old which was meant by his authours of confirmation giuen by the old Testament to the new This literall sense therefore of his being neither literall nor sense but a blinde conceipt of his owne skonce let vs consider what we may most truly take to be the meaning of that place The Apostle propounding that e Rom. 1. 16. the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth addeth for declaration and proofe thereof that in it or by it the righteousnesse of God is reueiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from faith to faith M. Bishop to obscure and darken the place translateth as his Masters of Rhemes haue giuen him example by faith into faith to which we may wonder how he can deuise to fit the exposition which he himselfe hath set downe But it appeareth by that which I cited out of Thomas Aquinas that the phrase which the Apostle vseth importeth a proceeding and therefore that by the one preposition must be vnderstood terminus à quo the terme of beginning and the other must determine the progression and the end to sound euen as we translate from faith to faith And this is very expresly and clearely iustified by Oecumenius out of the Greeke expositours setting downe the effect of St. Pauls wordes thus f Oecumen in Rom. 3. Ex fide in fidem quia in side incipit in fidem terminari debet It is to beginne in or with faith and in faith to be determined Hereto accord almost all the expositions that are made of that place which cannot fitly be expressed but by that forme of speech from the faith of God promising to the faith of man beleeuing from the faith of the old Testament to the faith of the new from the faith of the Preacher to the faith of the hearer from the faith of one article to the faith of another from faith present to faith to come to all which M. Bishop can as ill fit i Clem. Alexand strom l. 5. sub initio Videtur Apostâ—lus duplicem fidem annunciare potiùs verò vnam annunciat quae augmentum suscâ—pit perfectionem by faith into faith as he can to his owne sense For further manifestation hereof we are to note the like phrase in other places of holy Scripture as where the Prophet Dauid saith g Psal 84. 7. They shall goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint translate that is from strength to strength So the Apostle speaketh though by the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in steede of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet to the same effect h 2. Cor. 3. 18. We are changed into the same image 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from glory to glory where the Rhemists translating from glory vnto glory might haue learned to translate here from faith vnto faith but that they were peruersly bent for their owne aduantage to make the Apostles wordes lesse sensible then in themselues they are Now therefore as in these places the holy Ghost noteth by that forme of speech a continuation and increase of strength and glory so in the other he importeth a continuation of faith and a proceeding and growing therein to greater and stronger faith Thus doth Ciemens Alexandrinus construe it saying The Apostle seemeth to speake of a double faith but he speaketh rather of one receiuing increase and perfection k Theophyl in Rom. 1. Neque enim sat est priores fidem hanc excepisse sed erit etiam fidei huius ductu ad persectiorem credulitâ—tem progreâ—iâ—â—dum ad imâ—â—otu◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmamentâ—â— quâ—nta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is not enough saith Theophylact to receiue this faith at first but by the guiding of this faith we are to goe forward to more perfâ—ct beleefe euen to vnmoueable