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
the body of our Lord Moreouer he speaketh of the Church of Rome being then but in her cradle most honourably saying Your faith is Rom. 1. vers 8. renowmed in the whole world and after Your obedience Rom. 16. ver 19. is published into euery place But no maruaile to the wise though he did not then make mention of her Supremacie for that did not belong to the Church or people of Rome but to S. Peter who when S. Paul wrote that Epistle was scarse well setled there neither did that appertaine to the matter he treated of R. ABBOT NOw to the Masse sâ—ith M. Bishop but there is no wise man that readeth what he hath here written but would thinke that hee had done much more wisely to keepe him from the Masse I cannot tell whether more to pitty his folly or to detest his wilfulnesse See with what a graue preface he entreth to a most ridiculous and childish proofe The same profound diuine St. Austin with other holy Fathers who were not wont so lightly to skimme ouer the Scriptures as our late new Masters doe but seriously searched them and most deeply pierced into them did also finde all the parts of the Masse touched by the Apostle St. Paul in these wordes I desire that obsecrations prayers postulations thanks-giuings be made for all men This phrase of skimming ouer the Scriptures he learned of his Masters of Rhemes who vpon those words of St. Paul alleaging by that place of Austin and some other Fathers that all those kinds of prayers were publikely vsed in the Lyturgie of the Church conclude thus a Rhem. Testam Annot. 1. Tim. 2. 1. So exactly doth the practise of the Church agree with the precepts of the Apostle and the Scriptures and so profoundly doe the holy Fathers seeke out the proper sense of the Scriptures which our Protestants doe so prophanely popularly and lightly skimme ouer that they can neither see nor endure the truth So then it seemeth we must diue very deepe to finde the Masse in the Scriptures but wee are in doubt that they which goe about to diue so deepe will certainly bee drowned and neuer finde that that they seeke for And tell vs in good sooth M. Bishop did St. Austin in your opinion finde in those wordes all the parts of your Masse Nay did he finde that at all to which the name of the Masse is by you properly referred You hold the Masse to be a proper reall sacrifice of the very naturall body and bloud of Christ offered to God for propitiation of the sinnes both of quicke and dead and doth St. Austin speake any thing to that effect or could he finde all the parts of the Masse without finding this Yea that the impudency of him and his Rhemish Masters may the better appeare doth St. Austin say any thing there but what properly belongeth to our Communion and not to their Masse Thou shalt vnderstand good Reader that Paulinus wrote to Austin to be instructed by him of the difference of those sorts of prayers which St. Paul commendeth to Timothy in the wordes aforesaid St. Austin answereth him that b Aug. Epist 59. Illa planè difficillimè discernuntur c. Aliqua singulorum istorum proprietas inquirenda est sed ad â—a liquidò peruenire difficile est Multa quippe hinc dici possunt quae improbandâ— non sint sed eligo in his verbis hoc intelligere quod omnis vel penè omnis frequentat Ecclesia vt precationes accipiamus dictas quas facimus in celebratione Sacramentorum antequam illud quod est in Domini mensa incipiat benedici orationes cum benedicitur sanctificatur ad distribuendum coÌ„minuitur quam totam petitionem ferè omnis Ecclesia Dominica oratione coÌ„cludit Interpellationes siue postulationes fiunt cum populus benedicitur Tunc enim antistites velut aduocati susceptos suos per manus impositionem miserecordissimae offerunt potestati Quibus peractis participato tanto Sacramento gratiarum actio câ—ncta concludit they are very hardly discerned that there is some propriety of euery of them to be enquired of but very hard it is certainly to attaine vnto it For many things saith he may be said hereof which are not to be disliked but I make choise to vnderstand in these wordes that which the whole Church or almost the whole accustometh to take those to be called precations obsecrations as M. Bishop termeth them out of their vulgar Latin which we make in the celebration of the Sacraments before that which is vpon the Lords table beginne to be blessed Prayers those which are vsed when the same is blessed and sanctified and broken to be distributed all which petition almost the whole church concludeth with the Lords prayer Intercessions or postulations which are made when the people is blessed for then the Priests as aduocates doe offer to the most mercifull power them whom they haue receiued by imposition of hands All which being done and after the participation of so great a Sacrament thanks-giuing concludeth all Now what is there in all this that doth concerne the Masse M. Bishop telleth vs that St. Austin findeth all the parts of the Masse here touched by the Apostle and see saith he all the parts of it very liuely painted out but can any man but thinke that he was scant sober when he looked vpon the place and therefore his eyes being troubled thought hee saw that which hee saw not Here is the celebration of a Sacrament the setting of bread and wine vpon the table of the Lord the blessing and sanctifying thereof the breaking of it to be distributed to the people the peoples participating of the Sacrament and in the meane while prayers supplications intercessions giuing of thanks the very true description of our Communion but who seeth any thing here appertaining to the Masse What M. Bishop is there no end of your trifling will yee still goe on to play the wiseman in this sort But to helpe the matter he telleth vs that though he calleth not that celebration of the Sacrament by the name of Masse yet he doth giue it a name equiualent Sacri Altaris oblatio the oblation or sacrifice of the holy Altar It is true indeede that St. Austin nameth the oblation of the holy Altar but nothing at all to M. Bishops vse For willing to giue a reason why the prayers vsed in the very act of the administration of the Sacrament are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taketh the same from the composition of the word and because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often vsed to signifie a vow therefore he saith that c Ibid. Ea propriè intelligenda est oratio quam facimus ad votum c. Vouentur autem omnia quae offeruntur Deo maximè sancti Altaris oblatio quo Sacramento praedicatur aliud nostrum votum maximum quo nos vouimus in Christo esse mansuros id est
those decrees were written when they were first made Did you not reade that Iames so propounded p Acts 15. 19. 20. My sentence is that we write vnto them c. Did you not finde that it was executed afterwards accordingly q Vers 23. They wrote letters after this manner c. and namely to the brethren that were in Syria and Cilicia of whom you speake But all is one any thing will serue the turne to tell them that will neuer search whether you lie or not With as much discretion and fidelity doth he alleage the other places which follow Paul chargeth his Disciple Timothy r 1. Tim. 6. 20. to keepe the depositum that is saith he the whole Christian doctrine deliuered vnto him by word of mouth as the best Authours take it But who are those best Authours that so take it Forsooth Doctor Allen and the rest of his Rhemish Masters for other hee can name none wee should certainly haue heard of them if he could Againe Paul saith to Timothy Å¿ 2. Tim. 2. 2. Commend to faithfull men the things which thou hast heard of mee by many witnesses Was not this saith he to preach such doctrine as hee had receiued by Apostolike Tradition without writing No M. Bishop there is no necessity to take it so He receiued the doctrine of the Gospell by the preaching of the Apostle but it doth not follow that therefore he receiued it not in writing yea the Apostle euen there telleth him as I haue before alleaged t 2. Tim. 3. 15. The Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto sâ—luation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus To answere him in a word as touching that depositum and the things which Timothy had heard of Paul hee himselfe will not doubt but that those things which are written doe appertaine thereto The wordes then hauing a necessary construction of those things that are written how will he make it appeare to vs that they haue further reference also to some things that are not written They must perforce grant that a great part of those things is written and how doe they proue that not the whole The same doe I answere him and haue answered him before concerning the wordes which he citeth to the Thessalonians u 2. Thess 2. 15. Hold the Traditions the things deliuered vnto you which you haue learned whether by word or by our Epistle He calleth Traditions those things which hee had written to them in that Epistle Hee had not set downe in that Epistle all the doctrine of the Gospell which is contained in other Scriptures which all notwithstanding hee had by word preached vnto them Hee willeth them therefore to hold fast both the things which hee had written to them in his Epistle and all the things which hee had preached vnto them which are written otherwhere this we are sure of but how may we bee sure that hee meant to commend to them the holding fast of those doctrines which are neither written in that Epistle nor otherwhere Surely if the wordes may haue a sufficient meaning being vnderstood of those things which are written though not in that Epistle yet in other either Gospels or Epistles then vainely are they alleaged as a necessary proofe for receiuing of doctrines which are not written any where And therefore whereas M. Bishop inferreth You see that some Traditions went by word of mouth from hand to hand aswell as some others were written he sheweth that he himselfe seeth not what he saith because the place proueth only that the Apostle wrote not all in the Epistle whereof hee speaketh but that all otherwise is not written it proueth not and that all is written that is necessary to eternall life I haue before sufficiently proued out of the very doctrine it selfe of the ancient Roman Church Now therefore it is neither ignorance nor insolency nor impudency in me to say that the Apostle saith nothing for Popish Traditions but it is M. Bishops trechery to bring texts to that purpose to deceiue thereby simple men when as they haue plaine and cleare construction otherwise W. BISHOP §. 9. I Could were it not to auoide tediousnesse adde the like confirmation of most controuersies out of the same blessed Apostle as that the Church is the pillar and 1. Tim. 3. ver 15. ground of truth wherefore any man may most assuredly repose his faith vpon her declaration That Christ gaue Pastors and Doctors to the edifying of that his mysticall Ephes 4. vers 11. 13. body vntill we meete all in the vnity of faith c. Therefore the Church shall not faile in faith vntill the day of iudgement nor be inuisible that hath visible Pastors and Teachers Also that Priests are chosen from Hebr. 5. vers 1. among men and appointed for men in those things that appertaine to God that they may offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne That Preachers and Priests are 1. Cor. 3. vers 9. Gods coadiutors and helpers and not only idle instruments That S. Paul and Timothy did saue other 1. Cor. 9. ver 23. men and therefore no blasphemie to pray to Saints to helpe and saue vs. That S. Paul did accomplish those 1. Tim. 4. v. 16. things that want to the passions of Christ in his flesh for Christs body which is the Church therefore Christs passion doth not take away our owne satisfaction That he gloried in preaching the Gospel of free cost * Coloss 1. v. 24. which was a worke of supererogation That a Ephes 5 v. 32. Marriage 1. Cor. 9. ver 16. is a great Sacrament That b 1. Tim. 4. v. 23. grace was giuen to Timothy by the imposition of the hands of Priest-hood whence it followeth that Matrimony and holy Orders bee true and perfect Sacraments But what doe I I should be too long if I would prosecute all that which the Apostle hath left in writing in fauour and defence of the Roman faith This I doubt not will suffice to confront his shamelesse impudency that blusheth not to affirme there was not a word in S. Paul that sounded for the Catholike but all in shew at least for the Protestant As for S. Peter I will wholly omit him because the Protestants haue small confidence in him Here I may be bold I hope to turne vpon M. Abbot this dilemma and forked argument which S. Augustine framed against the Manâ—chean Adimantus Hoâ— si Lib 1. cont Adimant imprudens fecit nihil caecius si autem sciens nihil sceleratius If M. Abbot did ignorantly affirme Saint Paul to haue said nothing for the Roman Catholikes what could be more blinde then not to be able to discerne any thing in such cleare light if he said it wittingly knowing the contrary then did he it most wickedly so to lie against his owne conscience to draw after him selfe other men into errour and perdition R. ABBOT MArke here I pray
thee gentle Reader how warily M. Bishop speaketh Hee saith that he could in most controuersies adde the like confirmation willing hereby to haue thee vnderstand that as all his confirmations hitherto haue beene nothing worth so all the rest should bee starke naught And that thou maiest beleeue him herein hee taketh course presently to giue thee assurance of it St. Paul saith a 1. Tim. â— 15. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth Wherefore any man saith he may most assuredly repose his faith vpon her declaration Well but aske him hereupon Why then doe not you M. Bishop repose your faith vpon the declaration of the Church of England Not so will he say for this is the proper priuiledge and prerogatiue of the Church of Rome Wisdome and how commeth this to be proper to the Church of Rome Doth your booke tell you so Doe you not see that the Apostle vseth those wordes namely of the Church of Ephesus where Timothy was Bishop and therefore leaueth them appliable in the like sort to euery particular Church and therefore as well to the Church of England as to the Church of Rome And what exception hath he to the contrary but that as the Church of the liuing God hath beene from the beginning of the world so it hath beene from the beginning of the world the pillar and ground of truth and can hee make it good that there hath beene from the beginning a Church priuiledged thereby from being ledde into errour that all men might alwaies infallibly rest themselues vpon the sentence of that Church If not how can hee vpon this ground conclude that now which was not then and what he cannot finde to haue been in the Church of Hierusalem what likely-hood is there that it should be now found in the Church of Rome But it hath beene sufficiently declared before that b Part. 3. Confutation of Doctor Bishops Answer to Master Perkâ—ns Aduertisement c. sect 2. to be the pillar and ground of truth is the common duty of euery Church not any prerogatiue of the Roman Church and noteth what the Church alwaies by calling ought to be not what in act and performance it alwaies is Therefore this first confirmation of M. Bishops is but a paper shot it maketh a great noise but woundeth not The second is like the first c Ephes 4. 11. Christ gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors for the gathering togither of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meete together in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God c. Hence he inferreth thus therefore the Church shall not faile in faith vntill the day of iudgement nor bee inuisible that hath visible Pastors and Teachers Vrge him here a little further as touching this not sailing in faith and thou shalt see how he will goe from the Church to the Church of Rome and from the Church of Rome to the generall Councell and from the generall Councell to the Pope and all both Pastors and Doctors and Church and Councell serue but for a saddle whereon the Pope rideth in his royaltie saying as a Councell of old vpbraided him d Auent Annal l. 7. In cuius fronte nomen contumeliae scriptum est Deus sum errare non possum Synod Reginoburg I am God and cannot erre They rest the priuiledge of not erring in the Pope and may we not thinke this text well alleaged to proue that the Pope cannot erre who is in truth neither Pastor nor Doctor but a Hireling and a Theefe The wordes of the Apostle serue to instruct vs that Christ Iesus being ascended vp on high prouideth for his Church raising vp Pastors and Doctors for the ends which he there expresseth but hee doth not say that Pastors and Doctors are alwaies answerable to those ends God gaue the Priests and Leuites for the like blessing vnto Israel and it was said of them e Deut. 33. 10. They shall teach Iacob thy iudgements and Israel thy law And yet there was a time when it was said of them f Ierem. 2. 8. The Priests said not Where is the Lord and they that should minister the law knew me not the Pastors offended against me and the Prophets prophesied in Baal and went after things that did not profit And againe g Malach. 2. 7 The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes but yee are gone out of the way yee haue caused many to fall by the law c. And againe h Osâ— 9. 8. The watchman of Ephraim should be with my God but the Prophet is the snare of a fowler in all his waies and hatred in the house of his God And is it not so also many times in the state of the Church of Christ Is it not so often times that they whom he hath giuen for Pastors and Doctors to his Church become i Apoc. 6. 13. starres fallen from heauen to earth voide of true light themselues and therefore giuing no light to others Haue there not beene infinite complaints hereof in the Church of Rome of the negligence and ignorance and inability of them who haue sitten in place of Pastors and Doctors in the Church Did M. Bishop neuer reade in Matthew Paris an Epistle deuised as sent from hell k Math. Paris in Wil. Conq. Satanas omne contubernium infernorum omni Ecclesiastico coetui gratias eâ—â—sit quòd cum in nullo voluptatibus suis deessent tantum numerum subditarum sibi animarum suae praedicationis incuria paterentur ad inferna descendere quaÌ„tum secula nunquam retroacta viderunt wherein Satan and all the company of hell did send thanks to the whole Ecclesiasticall order for that whereas in nothing they were wanting to their owne pleasures they suffered by their neglect of preaching such a great number of soules vnder them to goe to hell as no ages past had seene the like Was there in this meane time no failing in faith when Clemangis as Espencaeus witnesseth complaining of the want of the knowledge and reading of Gods word said l Claud EspeÌ„c Digress in 1. Tim. l. 1. c. 11. Vbi id nec legitur nec auditur fidem perire labefactari necesse est vt hodie proh dolor omnibus ferè locis cernimus vt ad teÌ„pora propinquare videamê° de quibus Dominus putas filius hominis c. ex Clemang Where the word of God is neither read nor heard needes must faith perish and decay as now a daies alas in all places almost we see so as that we see it approcheth to the times whereof our Sauiour saith Thinke yee when the sonne of man commeth he shall finde faith vpon the earth or when things m Ibid. ex Agobert Antiphonarium correximus
amputatis quae superflua leuia falsa blasphema ridicula phantastica videbantur false blasphemous ridiculous n Pius 5. Offic. Beat. Mar. in Princip Huiusmodi ferè omnia officia vanis superstitionum erroribus reserta erroneous superstitious were brought into the seruice of the Church and o Liâ—dan apud Espenc vt supra Preces secretae mendis turpissimis conspurcatae the prayers thereof were filthily corrupted or when p Cor. Agripp de vanit scient cap. 17. Hodie tanta in Ecclesijs Musicae licentia est vt â—â—â—am vnà cum Missae ipsius Canone obscoenae quaeque cantiunculae interim in organis parâ—s vices habeant filthy songs had equall place or course with the Canon of the Masse And what will not M. Bishop say as all his fellowes doe that the Pastors and Doctors of all the Easterne parts haue gone astray will hee not acknowledge that all those Churches haue failed in faith What is become of the Church of Ephesus to which the Apostle wrote these words now in question What of the Church of Corinth of Colosse of Thessalonica and the rest If this the truth of the Apostles wordes reserued might befall to them what saith he for other Churches more then he doth for them If M. Bishop will say that the wordes haue some speciall reference to the Pastors and Doctors of the Church of Rome we hold him a most ridiculous man that taketh vpon him to see that which amongst so many ancient interpreters of the place neuer any man saw before him Once againe I say that Christ hath giuen Pastors and Doctors to his Church as of old q Ezech. 3. 17. 33. 7. he gaue watchmen to the house of Israel Hee hath prescribed them their office and duty and appointed the worke that they shall doe When they performe their duty faithfully and carefully they are the saluation of the people and bring many vnto glory But if they neglect their duty and leaue the worke of God vndone the people perish vnder them and they become guilty of their destruction And thus it befalleth often in the publike state of the Church euen to the ruine thereof that theeues and robbers thrust themselues or creepe by stealth into the places of Pastors who sometimes cannot sometimes will not teach and sometimes teach errour and lies in steede of truth whilest they measure their teaching by r Tit. 1. 11. filthy lucre and by Å¿ Rom. 16. 18. Thil. 3. 19. seruing their bellies in steede of seruing Iesus Christ The Apostle doth not say they cannot erre hee doth not say that the Church vnder them cannot faile in faith Only God amidst all ruines and desolations prouideth for his Elect and in the want and default of ordinary Pastors raiseth vp other spirits and vseth other meanes for the effecting of his good purpose concerning them so guiding them not as that they neuer erre in faith they erre often greeuously and are misled with the customes and superstitions of their times but so as that they neuer erre finally as touching any truth the knowledge and faith whereof hee hath made necessary to eternall life Now whereas M. Bishop concludeth out of the same place that the Church shall neuer be inuisible as which hath alwaies visible Pastors and Teachers hee therein sheweth his absurd loosenesse and carelesnesse of arguing because though the Apostle affirme Pastors and Teachers in the Church yet he doth not so much as intimate any way that they are alwaies visible What is there in the Apostles wordes whence hee should in any sort gather that there is a perpetuall visible state and succession of Pastors and Teachers Be it that there is a perpetuity of succession to be gathered from hence yet it doth not follow that there is a perpetuall visibility thereof It is enough here thus to reiect him as an idle Sophister and indeede not worthy of so much as the name of a Sophister that will bring a conclusion there where he hath no slâ—ew of footing for it otherwise of the visibility or inuisibility of the Church I haue spoken sufficiently t Part. 3. Answere to Doct. Bishops Preface sect 17. and CoÌ„futat of his Answere to M. Perkins Aduertisement sect 6. otherwhere and it were too long to dispute here His next matter is a bare recitall of a text without any collection made therefrom imagining in his blinde vnderstanding that it is a plaine assertion of that that hee would proue by it Hee maketh St. Paul to say that Priests are chosen from among men and appointed for men in those things that appertaine to God that they may offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne Where it is first to bee noted how to serue his owne turne he falsifieth the Apostles text and readeth Priests are chosen from amongst men for that the Apostle saith Euery high Priest is chosen from amongst men By saying Priests hoe would extend the wordes as to be vnderstood of their Popish Priest-hood in the Gospell whereas the Apostle by naming a high Priest appropriateth his wordes to Aarons Priest-hood in the law For euen in the Popish Priest-hood there is no high Priest the power of sacrificing being indifferently common to them all and no more belonging to Popes and Bishops then to the meanest hedge-Priest or Curate in the world Seeing then the Apostle speaketh of a Priest-hood which admitteth a high Priest which the Popish Priest-hood doth not certaine it is that the wordes can haue no reference to Popish Priest-hood Therefore the Fathers vniuersally apply this text as the drift of the holy Ghost most plainly leadeth them to the Leuiticall Priest-hood only neither did they euer dreame of any Euangelicall Priest-hood intended herein Ambrose declareth the purpose of the Apostle to be this u Ambros in Heb. 5. Vt consueto SacerdotuÌ„ more qui in lege fuit ad altius id est Christi sacerdotium eos perdâ—ceret qui adhuc infirmi fueruÌ„t propterea modum carnalis Pontificis introducit that by the accustomed manner of the Priests in the law he might bring them being weake to the higher or more excellent Priest-hood of Christ therefore saith hee doth hee bring in or set downe the manner or condition of the carnall high Priest Theodoret saith x Theodoret. ibid. DoceÌ„s quòd etiam in lege non Angelus vt pro hominibus sacerdotio fungatur electus est sed homo pro hominibus c. Haec dixit Apostolus non nobis Pontifiâ—atus regulas volens ostendere sed ad dicendum de Pontificatu Domini viam muniens He teacheth that euen in the law there was not an Angell chosen to execute the office of Priest-hood for men but a man was chosen for men and The Apostle saith he speaketh these things not to set downe rules of the high Priest-hood but to make way to the Priest-hood of Christ Wee see they both take the wordes as spoken of the Priests in the law
child that hee cannot wrastle which notwithstanding beeing growen hee can Secondly it signifieth that such a thing commonly or for the most part cannot bee as when it is said A Citty that is set vpon a hill cannot bee hidde which notwithstanding by interposing somewhat may bee hidden and not seene Thirdly that wee say cannot bee which is not conuenient or agreeable to reason as when it is said The children of the Bride-chamber so long as the Bridegroome is with them cannot fast meaning that so long it is not reasonable or fitting so to doe Fourthly it is said cannot bee which the will admitteth not or liketh not to doe as when the Euangelist saith of our Sauiour He could doe no great miracles there because of their vnbeliefe wherein is a relation to the former meaning the will not admitting that which is not fitting or conuenient to be done Fiftly we say that can not be which by naturall course cannot be though by the power of God it may be done And lastly we say so of that which in no sort can be and is wholly and altogether vnpossible It was farre from Cyprians meaning that it was a thing wholly vnpossible for the Romans to admit the hearing of such persons for if he had so thought what needed he so much to labour Cornelius the Bishop in that behalfe but he would note it as a thing vnfitting to that testimony which the Apostle had giuen of them and which being so vniust he assured himselfe they would by no meanes yeeld vnto Euen in the same manner as Gregory saith that o Greg. Mor. l. 33. c. 22. Iniqui si apâ—rtè malâ— essent à bonis omninò recipi non possent men openly euill cannot be receiued or entertained of them that be good and as Marcellinus saith of a Bishop that p Collat. cum Donat. 1. c. 62. Falsi crimen nec obijcere condecet sacerdotem nec committere potuisse credendum est it beseemeth him not to obiect falshood to another nor is it to be beleeued that he could commit the same himselfe and as Leo saith q Leo. Epist 52. Priuilegia EcclesiaruÌ„ Sanctorum patrum Canonibus instituta Nicena Synodi fixa decretis nulla possunt improbitate conuellâ— nulla noâ—itate mutari The priuiledges of Churches established by the Canons of the Fathers and by the decrees of the Nicene Councell cannot by any sinister practise be impeached on by any nouelty changed and as we commonly say out of the law Id tantùm possumus quod iure possumus r Aug. cont Gaudent lib. 2. c. 22. Quod non potest iustè non potest iustus We can doe that only which we can lawfully doe or as St. Austin saith to the same effect The iust man cannot doe what he cannot iustly doe agreeable to the wordes of the Apostle Å¿ 2. Cor. 13. 8. Wee can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth Where as in infinite places more wee may not vnderstand a meere deniall of possibility but a signification of improbability of vndecency or breach of duty if the thing bee done that is spoken of euen as St. Austin expoundeth the wordes of the Angel to Lot t Genes 19. 22. I can doe nothing till thou be come thither u Aug. cont Gaudent lib. 2. c. 22. Non posse se dixit quod sine dubiâ— poterat per potentiam sed non poterat per iustitiam He saith he could not which doubtlesse by power he could but by iustice he could not doe Now if M. Bishop be pecuishly wilfull against common sense to vnderstand perfidiousnesse of falshood or errour in matters of faith yet that Cyprian can be vnderstood no otherwise but according to the same meaning it is infallibly proued for that in a matter of faith he with his Councell of African Bishops as I said before determineth contrary to the Church of Rome and of Stephanus the Bishop of Rome saith expresly that hee x Cyprian ad Pompei Haereticorum causam contra Christianos coÌ„tra Ecclesiam Dei assâ—rere conatur c. Imperitè atque improuidè scripsit c. Quae ista obstinatio quaeuâ— prâ—sumptio humanam traditionem diuina dispositioni anteponere c. vnitatem veritati de diuina lege venientem noÌ„ tenens hâ—resâ—m contra Ecclesiam vindicat endeauoured to mainteine the cause of Heretikes against Christians and against the Church of God that he wrote ignorantly and vnwarily that obstinately and presumptuously he preferred the Tradition of man before the ordinance of God that not holding the vnity and truth that proceeded from the law of God he defended heresie against the Church Wherein although it be true that Cyprian did erre yet we cannot doubt but that vpon aduertisement giuen him by the Bishop of Rome he would haue reformed his errour and submitted himselfe to the iudgement of that Church if he had knowen that priuiledge of immunity from errour which M. Bishop now by his testimony challengeth thereunto In a word to shew the weaknesse of the foundation whereupon M. Bishop buildeth all this fable Cyprian where he saith as the other Fathers sometimes doe y Cypr. Epist ad Iubaian alt ad Quirin Petrus super queÌ„ Dominus aedisâ—cauit Ecclesiam suam that Christ builded his Church vpon Peter in the very same place disputeth against the sentence of the Bishop of Rome thereby plainly declaring that from Peter to the Bishop of Rome there is by his iudgement no such priuiledge deriued as these men so infinitely babble of Now though his proofes hitherto be vaine yet those that follow are more vaine beside that hee is faine to report them falsly to giue them that little colour that they seeme to haue Ambrose saith he taketh it to be all one to say the Catholike and the Roman Church Forsooth Ambrose reporteth that his brother Satyrus hauing escaped the danger of shipwracke and being come to land was destrous in token of thanks-giuing to receiue the Sacrament So it was that the heresie or schisme of the Luciferians at that time preuailed in those parts and hee was carefull by no meanes to communicate with them Therefore z Ambros de obitu Fratris Percontatus ex â—o est vtruâ—â—am cum Episcopâ—s Catholicis hoc est cum Romana Ecclesia conâ—eniret he questioned with the Bishop whom hee had sent for vnto him whether hee accorded with the Catholike Bishops that is with the Roman Church Hee held it not enough to name Catholike Bishops because Heretikes and Schismatikes doe take vpon them to be called Catholikes but because he knew the Church of Rome then retayned the Catholike faith he would take knowledge of them to be Catholike Bishops by this that they ioyned themselues in fellowship of faith with the Roman Church And is not here thinke you a goodly reason They were then Catholike Bishops that did communicate with the Church of Rome therefore
at all Whereas secondly he saith that it can hardly be shewed that the name of Iew was a name of honour he saith vntruly because the Scripture in sundry places mentioneth it with honour as the name of them with whom God did dwell a Zachar. 8. 23. Men of all languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew and say we will goe with you for we haue heard that God is with you as the name of them from whom saluation was to be deriued to other nations b Iohn 4. 22. Saluation is of the Iewes as the name of them that had receiued preferment at Gods hands c Rom. 3. 1. What is the preferment of the Iew much euery manner of way the same giuing them a preeminence aboue others d Galat. 2. 15. We who are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles as a name gloried and reioyced in e Rom. 2. 17. Behold thou art called a Iew in respect whereof the Apostle teacheth the truth of the name that they might not vainly reioyce in it f Vers 28. He is not a Iew which is one outward but he is a Iew which is one within for which cause the holy Ghost challengeth it from them who literally assumed to themselues the name for carnall propagation only without regard of inward truth g Apâ—c 2. 9. They say they are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan He againe denyeth it to haue beene a proper title of the people of God but his instances to that purpose are vaine for albeit to speake of particular men God had many good seruants of other nations Iob the Husite Naaman the Syrian the Sydonian widdow and many Proselites and conuerts as he alleageth yet there was no other nation vouchsafed the honour to be called the people of God but only the nation of the Iewes according to that of the Psalme h Psal 147. 19. He hath giuen his lawes vnto Iacob hiâ— Statutes and Ordinances vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with any other nation As for the wordes which he addeth Many Gentiles were saued without the law they are his owne the Apostle hath no such and therefore he dealeth falsly to cite them vnder the name of the Apostle Well I say then that the name of Iewes was of old a name of honour and the proper title of the people of God and yet afterwards by their Apostasie who were so called it was left for a name of curse and reproch I quoted for this the words of the Prophet Esay i Esay 65. 15. Ye shall leaue your name as a curse vnto my chosen M. Bishop hereto saith Most vncertaine it is of what name the Prophet Esay speaketh when he saith It shall be left for a name of curse But the reason of his vncertainty is because he will be certaine of nothing which he seeth in any sort to make against him Certaine we are that the prophesie hath had his effect and we see the effect thereof in the name of Iew and in no other name and therefore how should we but be certaine that the prophesie hath reference to that name It is true that the place with some vndergoeth another translation and is thereby drawen to another construction but being translated as by M. Bishop it is set downe which is according to the most proper signification of the wordes no man vnderstandeth the name there mentioned of any other but of the name of Iew only Thus Hierome according to that translation expoundeth it k Hieron in Esa l. 8. c. 65. Nomen vestrum erit in iuramentum Electis meis vt pro malorum exemple vos habeant detestentur talia suslinere iurent sic Non hac patiâ—r qua possâ—â— est populâ—â— Iudâ—â—rum Your name shall be for an oth to mine Elect so as that they shall take you for an example of euils and shall abhorre to suffer such things and shall say Let me not suffer those things which the Iewes suffered The ordinary Glosse yeeldeth the meaning thus l Gloss Ordinar in Esai 65. Vt aliqui affirmantes dicant si alitèr fecero contiâ—gat mihi sicut Judaeis Romanorum gladio occisis So as that men by way of affirmation shall say If I doe otherwise then I say let it befall to me as to the Iewes that were slaine with the sword of the Romans Lyra thus m Lyra. ibid. Christiani sic iurant aliquando si feci istud quod mihi imponitur suspendar ego per pedes sicut Iudaeus Christians sometimes sweare thus If I haue done that wherewith I am charged let me be hanged by the feete like a Iew. Osorius their owne Paraphrast vnderstandeth it in the same sort n Osor Paraphras in Esai l. 5. o. 65. Nomen relinquetis electis infaustum abhominandum quod in dirarum imprecationibus vsurpetur ita vt quise voluerit execratione deuincire exitum sibi IudaoruÌ„ imprecetur si quicquam in se contra quà m fas officium requirit admiserit c. seruos suoâ— non tudaeos appellabit Dommus c. Yee shall leaue your name to mine Elect as vnfortunate and to be had in abhomination so as that it shall be vsed in imprecations and curses and he that will binde himselfe with a curse shall wish to himselfe the destruction of the Iewes if he haue done any otherwise then right and iust The Lord shall not call his seruants Iewes but shall giue them a new more excellent name The name of Iewes then it is which is meant in the wordes of the Prophet and therefore hither to there are no impertinences in mine example but his exceptions are altogither impertinent Yet being taken for such he is content like a kinde Gentleman to remit them but telleth me that there is a grosse fault in the maine point of the comparison which he cannot pardon Doubtlesse it is some reserued case his holy Father the Pope must pardon it and none but he And what is it I pray you Forsooth the name Iew being the name of a certaine people of one race and kindred and hauing a law giuen them by Moses which should continue only for a prescript time and end at the comming of Christ is not like the name Catholike It may be M. Bishop that in all things it is not like and I suppose you are not so ignorant but that you know that it is needlesse that things compared should euery way and in euery respect answere each the other It is a common saying that o Omnis similitudo vâ—â— pede claudicat euery similitude halte thou one foote at the least and concerning the similitudes and parables vsed by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Origen noteth that p Origen in Mat. cap. 13. Quemadmodum in imaginibus statuis similitudines non omni ex parte respondentijs adquâ— conferuntur c. simititer
habent neque ille suis nomen indit aut à suis recipit sed omnes vt antea consuetâ— more Christiani nominantur Neuer any people tooke name of their Bishops but of the Lord in whom they beleeued We haue not taken names from the holy Apostles our Masters and Ministers of the Gospell of our Sauiour but of Christ we both are and are called Christians but they who deriue the originall of their faith from any other doe worthily beare the names of their authours as to whom they doe belong When as therefore we all were and were called Christians of Christ Marcion the inuentor of heresie was worthily exploded The other which remained with him by whom Marcion was exploded retayned the name of Christians but they who followed Marcion were no longer called Christians but Marcionites And thus Valentinus Basilides Manicheus and Simon Magus gaue names to their followers and thence it came that some were called Valentinians other Basilidians other Manichees other Simonians other Cataphrygians of their Countrey Phrygia other Nouatians of Nouatus Thus Meletius being eiected by Peter a Bishop and Martyr named them that followed him not any more Christians but Meletians In the same sort when Alexander eiected Arius they who cleaued to Alexander remayned Christians but they who went away with Arius leauing the name of Christians to Alexander and his were thenceforth called Arians Moreouer euen now after the death of Alexander they who are of the same communion with Athanasius the successor of Alexander and with whom Athanasius himselfe is ioyned in communion they all still keepe the same marke he neither giueth any name to them nor they to him but all as before according to the accustomed manner are called Christians This place I haue set downe at large that the Reader may see that Athanasius here could not haue omitted the name of Catholikes there being such occasion to draw it from him if it had been then in vse and that the common names of opposition were then not Catholikes and Heretikes but Christians and Heretikes euen as Cyprian also vseth it saying of Stephanus x Cyprian ad Pompeium Qui haeretâ—coruÌ„ causâ—m contra Christianos contra Ecclesiam Dei esscrere conatur He goeth about to maintaine the cause of Heretikes against Christians and against the Church of God the word Catholike being neuer found in either of them personally taken or substantiuely as before was said but only that Athanasius mentioneth one surnamed y Athanas Epist ad solitariam vitam agentes Faustinus Catholicus homo genere Bithyâ—us opinionibus haereticus Catholicus an Arian Heretike and a persecutor of the faith We may therefore well thinke that there was little discretion riueted to M. Bishops head that would tell vs that the name so taken is so fast ioyned and riueted with Christian profession and religion as that it cannot be separated from it for if it were not so riueted then how commeth it to passe that it is so now The originall thereof was as we may well coniecture by occasion of the heresie of the Donatists who challenged the name of the Church to a part in Africa or elsewhere which were followers of Donatus against whom they that defended the Church Catholike were thereof in processe of time termed by the name of Catholikes The first vse then of the name of Catholikes stood in opposition betwixt Catholikes and Donatists albeit custome soone transported it to make a generall opposition betwixt Catholikes and Heretikes Now the name thus arising accidentally and only by occasion who doubteth but that without preiudice of Christian profession it may by occasion be let fall againe And what greater occasion can there be then the Popish abuse thereof who make a Catholike to import the same in effect now that a Donatist did then For with them a Catholike is no otherwise taken but for a Roman Catholike and because the whole Church is not Roman but a part only what is this Roman Catholike but one who vnder the false name of a Catholike diuideth himselfe from the whole Church as the Donatists did to cleaue to a part thereof What is the name of a Catholike then with them but a Donatisticall name schismaticall and factious and therefore wicked and hatefull and in their sense wholly to be abandoned out of the Church of God Hereby it may appeare how idlely M. Bishop saith that the Apostles did ascribe and appropriate the name Catholike to true Christianity for although they taught vs to beleeue the Church to be Catholike that is vniuersally extended through the world yet did they neuer teach neither was it for a long time after them accustomed that true Christians were called by the name of Catholikes and therefore without wrong to any thing which the Apostles taught we may rightly say that the name according to the Popish abuse thereof is become the proper badge and marke of Apostataes and Heretikes And therefore although if we had beene in the time of Austin we would with him z August in Ioan. tract 32. Catholico nomine fide gaudemus haue reioyced in the Catholike name and faith yet now we cannot with the Papists reioyce in the name of Catholikes and without any blasphemy we reiect it because vnder that name they haue diuided themselues from the Catholike Church and haue destroyed the true Catholike faith Who though they be no other but proud and false fellowes as M. Bishop speaketh and meere vsurping companions and their insolent and audacious folly haue beene both rebuked and conuicted yet doe still impudently and infinitely persist in their absurd claime and doe leaue vs no way but only to desist from the communion of the name which we cannot free from that abuse Now whereas I say further that a Rom. 2. 28. the Apostle denyeth the name of Iewes to them who yet according to the letter were so called because of the circumcision of the flesh and applyeth the truth of the name to them who were so according to the spirit albeit according to the letter they were not so named M. Bishop very discreetly answereth that the name Iew being taken in the Apostles sense for one of what nation soeuer that fulfilleth the iustice of the law neuer was nor shall be a name of reproch But what is this I pray to that that I say Doe my words import that the name of a Iew in that sense is or hath beene a name of reproch When I say that the Apostle applyeth the truth of the name to the faithfull would he conceiue me that the Apostle applyeth to them a name of reproch My words plainly signifie that the name in vulgar and literall construction applyed to them who by propagation of nature are the seede of Abraham is become a name of reproch and shame but that as it hath implication of spirituall circumcision and conformity with Abraham it is a name of honour though they to whom it
lib. 3. Illic pronuncianda est regulae â—nteruersio vbi posteritas inuenitur that where any after-faith is found there is to be pronounced the peruerting of the rule of faith Now therefore in question of religion the triall of truth shall be to haue recourse to that which was first deliuered or as Cyprian expresseth it c Cypâ—ian l. 2. Epist 3. Ad radicem atque originem traditionis Dominicae reuertatur to returne to the roote and originall of the Lords tradition and thence to secure our selues what we are to beleeue and what to doe that we may be saued To the same purpose I alleaged other wordes of Cyprian in the same place that d Ibid. Si soluâ— Christus audiâ—ndus est non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putauerit sed quid qui ante omnes est Christ prior fecerit Neque enim hoâ—â—nis consuetudinem sequioportet sed Dei veritatâ— sith Christ only is to be heard according to that which the Father proclaimed from heauen concerning him This is my beloued sonne c. heare him we are not to regard what any man before vs hath thought fit to be done but what Christ hath done who is before all for we must not follow the custome of man but the truth of God Which wordes or the most of them as fitted my occasion being by me set downe in a distinct letter that they might be knowen to be Cyprians wordes M. Bishop in transcribing my text hath changed into his common letter that they might be thought to be but mine owne wordes knowing well enough that otherwise by the credit of the authour they would giue the Reader a preiudice against all that he hath here said We see that Cyprian teacheth vs first of all without respect what men haue done to looke to that which Christ did and thereby to iudge of all the custome of men But M. Bishop like the Crabbe that goeth backward teacheth a man to looke first what his father did and then his grandfather and then his great grandfather and so the rest that out of the custome of men he may learne what is the truth of Christ Those children saith he who follow the holy steps of their Catholike Progenitours ascending from sonne to father successiuely till they arriue at the first Christians of that Country are true Christians But what if the first conuersion of a Country be not aright as befell to the e Abb. Vrsperg in Chronico Valâ—ns Ariana persidiae saucius suae partis sautores illuc direxit praedicatores qui venientes rudibus ignaris illiâ—ò perfidâ—ae suae viruâ— insundunt Gothes whose conuersion was to Arianisme in the time of the Arrian Emperour Valens how then shall his rule stand good of ascending from sonne to father till we arriue at the first Christians of that Country Will he say that such doubtlesse beleeue aright because they beleeue as they did who first were conuerted in that Country If he alleage that he speaketh of following the holy steps of Catholike progenitors he maketh himselfe ridiculous because it is the question whether the Progenitours be Catholike and their steps holy and to be followed or not and he for triall hereof referreth vs to them that were in that country first conuerted who haply were corrupted at first by them by whom they were conuerted This case we put concerning the conuersion of our nation whereat he aimeth by Austin the Monke who though he brought hither the Christian religion yet brought it somewhat blended and sowred with the leauen of humane traditions and inuentions so that to receiue religion as he brought it is to receiue the corruption which he also brought which being growen since as in corruptions it falleth out from a little scabbe to a foule leprosie yet shall the foule leprosie be coloured and defended by the example of the scabbe This case being put M. Bishops rule is out of ioynt because we are come to the first conuerted of our nation and we doubt of some default in their conuerters which we the more suspect for that we f See the Answere to the Epistle sect 31. finde the Britaines who had beene formerly and anciently Christians refusing at that time to meddle with them Here then we are new to seeke and are forced to make further enquiry whether the faith of Christ as it was taught here first by that Romish Monke were in any such sort defiled or not But that being granted that a country is at the first rightly and truly conuerted to the faith of Christ how shall the posterity after so many generations haue infallible assurance that they hold inuiolably the same doctrine which they embraced who were first conuerted What rolles what records haue we certainly and particularly to informe vs that our fathers and fathers fathers and their fathers and forefathers from the beginning haue without adding or detracting without change or alteration either of phrase or meaning beleeued and practised thus and thus Will he send vs to the Chronicles and Stories of our country to be certified hereof To say nothing that euery one that seeketh assurance of his faith cannot studie Chronicles for the finding of it suppose a man hath read them all what is he the nearer inasmuch as Bellarmine hath taught vs to say of them all that g Bellarm. de Effect Sacram. l. 2. c. 25. Quòd historici quidam meminerint c. non potest parere fidem nisi humanam cui potest subesse falsum they breede but humane beleefe wherein there may be falshood Of the greatest matters many times they say least they deliuer things many times vnperfectly and often we may rather gather from them the priuate affection of the authour then any testimony of publike faith To the deuices of their owne times they apply the phrases of former times and corrupt the meaning of former times by speaking in the language of their owne times We finde many times differences and disagreements amongst them and that reproued by one which is approued by another Sometimes we descry lyes and tales wilfully deuised and falsly fathered vpon the times and persons that haue beene before and guilefully thrust into ancient bookes for the gracing of superstitions that haue growen of latter times and other writings and stories suppressed and made away which taxed such superstitions as they did arise Many vncertainties there are many difficulties and perplexities in this course and vnpossible it is for them that are the authors of it to set downe out of any records any perfect forme of their owne faith whereof a man can but reasonably satisfie himselfe that it hath beene vniuersally and vniformely receiued of all our fathers and continued wholly the same without alteration from the first conuerted till our time M. Bishop therefore by referring men in question of religion to their fathers forefathers doth but send them a long iourney in the darke not seeing which
for no other but a madde and frantike dreame and yet perforce must vse it because hee knew no better shift therefore he thought good to colour it the best he could by curtolling the wordes alleaged naming only imputation of righteousnesse whereas the Apostle nameth imputation of righteousnesse without workes But let him take the wordes as the Apostle setteth them downe and then giue vs his answere and we shall apparantly see him to be a most impudent man making no conscience of that he saith but studying only to blinde the Reader from seeing that truth which he himselfe knoweth not how with any probable shew to contradict Yet he telleth vs for conclusion that there is only a bare sound of wordes for the Protestants the true substance of the text making wholly for the Papists So then the sound of the wordes by his confession is for vs but inasmuch as the wordes are very plaine and cleare how may we be informed that the true substance and meaning of them is wholly for the Papists when as they containe in shew a flat contradiction to the doctrine of the Papists Wee see here the vse of that caueat which the Rhemists haue giuen to their Reader aduertising him o Rhem. Testam ArgumeÌ„t of the Epistles in generall to assure himselfe that if any thing in Pauls Epistles sound to him contrary to the doctrine of their Catholike Church he faileth of the right sense By this meanes if Saint Paul say it is white yet we must not thinke that he meaneth it to be white if it please their Church to call it blacke And therefore though here he speake of imputation of righteousnesse without works and bring testimony of ancient Scripture for confirmation thereof yet he must not be taken to meane that there is any such or any other but the imputation of the righteousnesse of workes because there is no other approued by the Roman Church Well may we thinke the iudgement of God to be fearefull vpon them who are so blinde as to be led with such fopperies and grosse deceipts CHAP. X. That eternall life is meerely and wholly the gift of God and cannot be purchased by merit or desert ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE PAul teacheth that eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ c. to Hee telleth vs againe and againe c. W. BISHOP IN the same place you had a large solution of this obiection but he that hath made a couenant with hell will not looke vpon that which might helpe him to heauen We teach with the Apostle and with his faithfull interpreter Saint Augustine That eternall life is the gift of God both originally because we must receiue grace by the free gift of God before we can doe any thing that doth deserue the ioyes of heauen and also principally the whole vertue and value of our merits doe proceede of the dignity of Gods grace in vs which doth eleuate and giue such worth to our workes that they thereby deserue life euerlasting Notwithstanding if we take not hold on Gods grace when it is freely offered vs and doe not concurre with it to the effecting of good workes we shall neuer be saued and this our working with the grace of God deserues heauen both which are prouedly this sentence of the same Apostle God will render to euery man according to Rom. 2. vers 6. 7. 8. his workes to them truly that according to patience in good workes seeke glory and honour and incorruption life eternall to them that are of contention and that obey not the truth but giue credit to iniquity wrath and indignation where you may see in expresse termes eternall life to be rendered and repaid for good workes to such men as diligently seeke to doe them and to others who refuse to obey the truth and rather choose to beleeue lies and to liue wickedly eternall death and damnation R. ABBOT WHether M. Bishop or I may bee thought more likely to flatter himselfe in an opinion of hauing made a couenant with hell I leaue it to be esteemed by the whole processe of this worke and the God of heauen shall make it one day more fully to appeare Against his solution of the obiection here propounded he knoweth well that I a Of Merits sect 8. haue returned a replication which sheweth the same to be infirme and vaine and seeing he can fortifie it no further the bare repeating of it is no other but womanish and idle talking The Apostle telleth vs that b Rom. 6. 23. eternall life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free grace or gift of God through Iâ—su Christ our Lord. We teach saith M. Bishop that eternall life is the gift of God originally and principally Thus by his shifting termes of originally and principally he limiteth the Apostles wordes and deludeth a maine Theoreme and Canon of Christian faith leauing it to be vnderstood that though eternall life be originally and principally the gift of God yet totally and absolutely it is not so Which iâ— it be true it must necessarily follow that as the Apostle saith truly that eternall life is the gift of God because in part it iâ— so so a man may truly say against the Apostle that eternall life is not the free gift of God because in part and in some sort it is not so And if no man may dare in this wise to gainsay the Apostle then wee must acknowledge that which Origen saith that c Origen in Rom. 4. Stipendia inquit peccati mors Et non addidâ—â— similitèr vt dicâ— et stâ—pendia aâ—â—â— iustitiae vita aterna sed ait Gratia autem Deâ— vâ—â—a aetâ—rna vt stâ—pend â—m quod vtique debiâ—o mercedi similé est retributionem poenâ— esse docâ—â—â—t mortis vâ—tam verâ— aternam soli gratiae consignareâ— the Apostle hauing said that the stipend of sinne is death did not adde in the like sort that the stipend of righteousnesse is eternall life but eternall life is the grace of God that he might teach that the retribution of punishment and death is a stipend which is like to a debt or wages but might assigne life eternall to grace only And thus the Apostle himselfe teacheth vs to conceiue when he saith d Rom. 11. 6. If it be of grace then it is not of workes otherwise grace is no grace For e August coÌ„t Pelag. Celest lib. 2. c 24. Gratia Dei non eriâ— gratâ—â— vllâ— modo nisigratâ—ita fuerâ—t omni modo grace saith Austin shall not be grace in any respect except it be free in euery respect f Idem Epist 120. c. 19. Haec est gratia quae gratis datur non meritâ—s operantis sed miseratione donantis That is grace saith he which is freely giuen not for the merits of the worker but by the mercy of the giuer Thus Hierome saith g Hieron Epist ad Demâ—trâ—ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non opâ—ruâ— retributio sed donamis est
worthy to be noted how M. Bishop trippeth and crosseth himselfe who hauing first told vs that the whole value of our merits whereby we deserue eternall life proceedeth of the dignity of Gods grace in vs presently altereth the case and saith that we must concurre with grace to the effecting of good works and this our working with the grace of God deserues heauen Surely if the whole value of our merits doe proceede of the dignity of Gods grace then the desert of heauen ariseth not of our working with grace or if the desert of heauen doe arise of our working with grace then it doth not wholly arise from the dignity of grace But hereby wee may see that all the wordes which they vse as touching grace are but hypocrisie and deceipt and that their true resolution is that the desert of heauen issueth out of the free will of man vsing grace as a toole or instrument for the doing of workes whereby to deserue the same Thus of gift they make no gift and turne all wholly into merit and by the free will of man doe vtterly ouerthrow the grace of God carrying notwithstanding in the meane time a conscience of shame of that they teach and colouring all with good workes as Pelagius the Heretike and his followers in the same case were wont to doe But M. Bishop will proue all that he saith by another sentence of the same Epistle to the Romans r Rom. 2. 6. God will render to euery man according to his workes c. where he saith we may see in expresse termes eternall life to be rendered and repaid for good works Where wee rather see his pertinacy in errour who rather chooseth to make the Apostle to contradict himselfe then to yeeld to the truth plainly deliuered by the Apostle But nothing can be deuised more fit for answere to him or more effectuall to stoppe his mouth then that which Gregory Bishop of Rome hath purposely set downe for satisfaction to those wordes f Gregor in Psalm Poeâ—itent 7. Quòd si illa Sanctorâ— soelicitas miserecordia est nö meritis acquiritur vbi erit quod scriptum est Et tu reddes vnicuique secundum opera sua si secundum opera redditur quomodo miserecordia a stimabitur sed aliud est secundum opera reddere aliud propter ipsa opera reddere In co enim quod secundum opera dicitur ipsa operum qualitas intelligitur vt cuiâ—s apparuerint bona opera eius sit retribut o gloriosa Illi namque beatae vitae in qua cum Deo de Deo viuitur nullus potâ—st aquari labor nulla opera comparari praesertim cùm Apostolus dicat Non sunt condignae passiones c. If the felicity of the Saints bee mercy saith he and be not obtained by merits how shall it stand which is written Thou shalt render vnto euery man according to his workes If it be rendered according to workes how shall it be esteemed mercy But it is one thing saith he to render according to workes and another thing to render for the works themselues For in that it is said according to workes the very quality of the workes is vnderstood so as that whose good works shall appeare his reward shall be glorious For to that blessed life wherein we shall liue with God and of God no labour can be equalled no workes can be compared for that the Apostle telleth vs The sufferings of this time are not comparable in worth to the glory to come that shall be reueiled on vs. Where we see how he setteth it downe as a thing without question to be confessed that eternall life is mercy only and is not to be purchased or gained by merits and that the Scripture in saying that God rendereth to euery man according to his workes doth not import that God in giuing reward vnto good workes doth any thing for the workes sake as if he regarded the merit or value thereof but respecteth only the quality of our workes as vsing the same for a marke only wherby he will take knowledge of them to whom he intendeth to shew mercy At these wordes of Gregory me thinks I see how M. Bishop biteth the lippe and chafeth in his minde to heare him thus distinguishing like a Protestant and seriously approuing that which he with scorne hath reiected being spoken by M. Perkins t Of Merits sect 17. O sharpe and ouer-fine wit saith he doth God render according to the workes and doth he not render for the workes What M. Bishop will you mocke Gregory in the same sort and twite him with a sharpe and ouer-fine wit He hath taught vs to distinguish thus he telleth vs that it is one thing to render for workes another thing to render according to workes which sith you admit not why doe you dâ—ale so impudently in chalenging to your selues a full and perfect agreement with the ancient Church of Rome I might further enlarge this matter out of Gregory by sundry speeches tending to the disabling of all humane works but that it followeth more properly to speake thereof in the thirteenth Chapter CHAP. XI That concupiscence or lust is sinne euen in the very habit and first motions of it ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE HE telleth vs againe and againe that concupiscence is sinne to lust is to sinne c. to S. Paul saith of the spirit of adoption c. W. BISHOP THe Apostle telleth vs againe and againe that our Sauiour Christ Iesus was made 2. Cor. 5. v. 21. sinne and yet no Christian is so simple as to take him to be properly sinne but the host or satisfaction for sinne so when the Rom. 8. vers 3. Apostle calleth concupiscence sinne wee vnderstand him with S. Augustine that it is not sinne properly yet so called not vnaptly both because it is the effect L. b. 1. cont duas Epist Pelag. cap. 10. Lib. 1. de Nupt Concupisc cap. 23. and remnant of originall sinne and doth also pricke vs forward to actuall sinne but if by helpe of the grace of God we represse it we are deliuered from the infection and guilt of it Which S. Paul in the very same Chapter declareth when he demandeth Who shall deliuer me Ibid. vers 25. from this body of death he answereth presently the grace of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. And againe that profound Doctor S. Augustine argueth very soundly out of the same sentence where concupiscence is called sinne but now not I worke it any more but the sinne that is in me that the Apostle could not meane sinne properly which cannot saith he be committed Lib. 6. cont Iulian. c. 23. without the consent of our minde but that had no consent of the minde to it because it was not the Apostle that did worke it Now how can that be the euill worke of a man if the man himselfe doe not worke it as the Apostle saith expresly not I doe
them of whom we speake to whom the spirit giueth witnesse that they are the sonnes of God But we are yet further to note what reason he giueth why those fall away which is namely because they haue no roote and therefore are like vnto the tree which for want of roote fastened in the ground is by euery blast of wind easily ouerthrowen Now by saying that they fall away because they haue no roote he giueth vs to conceiue that they who haue taken roote or are rooted doe not fall away But the faithfull and children of God are rooted in the predestination and grace of God they are t Col. 2. 7. rooted and grounded in Christ and stablished in the faith and therefore u Psal 1. 3. their leafe shall neuer fade because their x Prou. 12. 3. roote shall not be moued God hauing made them a promise which he will not breake y Ierem. 32. 40. I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me As for them which fall away though in respect of outward shew and profession they be said for a time to beleeue yet because their faith hath no roote therefore they neuer haue true faith And thus Gregory Bishop of Rome instructeth vs that z Greg. Moral lib. 25. c. 8. Propheta intuens tantos hoc Ecclesiae tempore specietenus credere quantos nimirunt certum est electorum numerum summamque transire c. Etiam hiad fidem specietenus regni veniunt they who are not of the number of the elect doe beleeue but in shew that they come to the faith of the Kingdome but in shew and in another place that a Ibid. lib. 34. cap. 13. Aurum quod prauis cius persuasionibus sterni quasi lutuÌ„ potuerit aurum ante Dei oculos nunquam suit Qui enim seduci quandeque non reuersuri possunt quasi habitam sanctitatâ—m ante oculos hominum videntur amittere sed eam ante oculos Dei nunquam habuerâ—t the gold which by Satans wicked suggestions commeth to be troden vnder feete like dirt was neuer gold in Gods sight that they who can be seduced neuer to returne againe seeme to lose holinesse which they had after a sort before the eyes of men but indeede neuer had it in the sight of God To be short St. Austin telleth vs that b August de Doct. Christ l. 3. c. 32. Non reuerà Domini corpus est quod cum illo non eâ—it in aeternum it is not indeede and in truth the body of Christ which shall not be with Christ for euer If they only be the true body of Christ which shall abide with him for euer they they only haue true faith whereby we become members of that body and therefore they that fall away as they are no part of the true body of Christ so are voide also of true faith in Christ Now therefore M. Bishop doth amisse in going about to shake the testimony of the spirit to the faithfull by the examples of them that fall away because of all such they learne to say with St. Iohn c 1. Iohn 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. But saith he no man doth more plainly or roundly beate downe their presumption who assure themselues of saluation then St. Paul It is true indeede that the Apostle beateth downe the presumption of them who assure themselues only by confidence of outward calling but the assurance which he teacheth and we from him ariseth from the effect and testimony of inward grace If any grow secure and proud vpon opinion that they are members of Christs Church and partakers of his Sacraments neglecting in the meane time that correspondence of duty that belongeth to such profession them it concerneth which the Apostle saith d 1. Cor. 10. 12. He that thinketh he standeth let him take heede least he fall But to true Christian soules humbled in themselues and reioycing in God only the Apostle speaketh farre otherwise e 2. Thess 2. 13. We ought to giue thanks alwaies for you brethren beloued of the Lord because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and faith of truth whereunto he hath called you by our Gospell to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now of the first sort it is true that many who haue had the outward state and calling of the Church and members thereof haue beene cut off from the state wherein carnally they haue gloried and reioyced but of them who haue stoode indeede by true faith and sanctification of the holy Ghost neuer any hath fallen away as I haue shewed but as they haue beene partakers of the beginning of the calling of God so they haue had the end also The wordes therefore which M. Bishop citeth of St. Paul to the Romans f Rom. 11. 20. Be not high minded but feare continue in his kindnesse else thou also shalt be cut off are so to be vnderstood as I haue g Of the certainty oâ— saluation sect 10. before shewed as to checke the pride and security of carnall Gospellers and hypocrites but not to impeach the hope and comfort of Gods elect Albeit they haue their vse in respect of them also because they serue God for spurres whereby to stirre vp and pricke forward our dulnesse and to awaken vs from that sleepe which by the drowsinesse of the flesh is oftentimes stealing vpon vs thus to continue the standing of them of whom he hath determined that they shall neuer fall Who because they stand not by their owne strength being in themselues and of themselues as subiect to fall as any other are terrified in respect of themselues by such caueats and admonitions that they may the more in stantly looke and so the more constantly cleaue vnto him by whom only it is that they must stand And to this effect God turneth also the fals of them that doe fall away whom when we haue seene as likely to stand as our selues and yet notwithstanding in the end to forsake Christ and vtterly to perish we are moued thereby not to trust in our selues but to depend vpon God only h Gregor Moral lib. 34. c. 13. Quorum casus vtilitate non modica electorum prosectibus seruit quia illorum lapsum dum conspiciunt de suo statu contremiscunt ruina quae illos damnat istos humiliat Discunt enim in superni adiutoris protectione considere dum plerosque coÌ„ spiciunt de suis viribus â—ecidisse Their fall saith Gregory yeeldeth no small benefit for the fâ—rtherance of the elect because whilest they see the fall of them they tremble as touching their owne state and the ruine which condemneth the one is the humbling of the other For they learne to trust in the defence of him who helpeth from aboue whilest
if thou wouldest be a iudge only and wouldest not be mercifull but wouldest marke all our iniquities and seeke after them who could endure it who could stand before thee and say I am innocent who should stand in thy iudgement Our only hope therefore is for that with thee there is mercy If then with the iust iudge there be no hope without mercy then surely it is not for merit that the iust Iudge rendereth vnto vs the crowne of iustice but according to the law of faith he crowneth his owne gifts in vs and vs in them euen for his owne mercies sake M. Bishops arguments therefore are all vanished into winde and the indifferent Reader may well perceiue that the Protestants cause is better strengthened by St. Paul then that it neede to stand in feare of such Popish deluding sophismes A blinde shift he hath vnder pretence of g 2. Pet. 3. 16. some things in St. Pauls Epistles hard to be vnderstood to colour his cauilling at those things which are professedly disputed and most plainly and clearely spoken In all his Epistles saith he being vnderstood as he meant them there is not one word or syllable that maketh for the Protestants But how I maruell should wee attaine to vnderstand them as he meant them May we learne it of M. Bishop or are we to goe to the Pope to know it of him Surely a mad meaning shall we haue of St. Pauls Epistles if we will yeeld to take them after their meaning What way hath M. Bishop or the Pope to vnderstand St. Pauls meaning that we should not vnderstand it as well as they or what reason can they giue vs why we should not by St. Pauls wordes vnderstand his meaning as well as by their words we vnderstand theirs Was St. Paul so hard of speech as that he wanted wordes to declare his meaning or was he so desirous to conceale his meaning as that he would speake one thing and meane another yea the contrary to that hee spake Would hee bee a Protestant in wordes when in meaning he intended to be a Papist They bewray hereby what they are be thou out of doubt gentle Reader that they are no welwillers to the Apostles meaning that teach so many things contrary to the Apostles wordes We see how perspicuously frequently constantly hee teacheth the same that wee teach where to giue a meaning different from that which he saith is no other but maliciously to peruert his meaning Neither doe we affirme any thing by his wordes wherein we haue not the certaine testimony of the ancient Church concurring with vs as M. Bishop in all these points seeth to his owne confusion when as in the meane time it is enough with him to cite texts but whether they make any thing for proofe of that for which he citeth them it skilleth not And this we shall see in that plenty of plaine texts which he saith he hath to produce for their vncatholike faith which when I shall haue examined it will easily appeare to the Reader whether his discourse or mine bee the more idle If the tast that hee will giue vs bee no better then that which vvee haue already tasted it will vtterly distast the Reader vnlesse hee bee such a one as hath lost his tast CHAP. XIIII That the Scriptures are loosely and impertinently alleaged by the Papists for proofe of their false doctrines as namely of Iustification before God of Free-will of the Merit of single life of Relikes and Images of the Masse and Transubstantiation and sundry other such like ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE PAul saith nothing for those points for the deniall whereof M. Bishop condemneth vs c. to Well M. Bishop let vs leaue Peter and Paul c. W. BISHOP §. 1. WE haue here a dainty dish of M. Abbots cookery a large rhetoricall conclusion deducted out of leane thinne and weake premises He assayed to make a shew out of the Apostle that there was not a little which would serue the Protestants turne and cited to that purpose certaine sentences out of him but so properly that some of them indeede seemed to sound for him though they had in truth a farre different sense others had neither sense nor sound nor sillable for him Neuerthelesse as though he had gotten a great conquest he singeth a triumph and striketh vp a braue victory that all in Peter and Paul is for the Protestant nothing for the Papist Afterward as it were correcting himselfe he addeth nothing but in shew at least serueth the Protestants turne which is one of the truest words he there deliuereth The Protestants indeede be iolly nimble witted fellowes that can make any thing serue at least for a shew of their cause and when all other things faile them Ad fabulas conuertuntur they turne their eares away 2. Tim. â— vers 4. from truth as the Apostle speaketh and fall to fables and one Robin good-fellow I woene for lacke of a better is brought vpon the stage to spit and cry out Fie vpon Peter fie vpon Paul that had not remembred to say one word for Popery but all for the Protestant Fie I say vpon such a cause that must be vnderpropt with such rotten baggage stuffe What shadow of likely-hood is there that one should tell the Pope such a tale to his face or that Erasmus who was in most points a Catholike should report it or could there be any poore Robin excepting M. Abbots himselfe so simple and poore-blinde that in all the writings of those blessed Apostles he could not finde one word that gaue any sound or shew for the Catholike cause You haue heard already that I haue to euery place picked by M. Abbot out of S. Paul in fauour of their religion opposed another out of the same Epistle that speaketh more plainly against them for vs I will here out of the abundance of testimonies which the same S. Paul whom the simple Protestants take to be wholly for them beareth to our doctrine set downe some store euen in defence of those very points which Master Abbot hath made speciall choise off to obiect against vs. R. ABBOT WE note well M. Bishop that no Cooke can fâ—t your diseased appetite but such a one as is brought vp in the Popes kitchin whilest you like better a Numb 11. 5. the fish and leekes and oinions and garlicke of Aegypt then Manna that came from heauen We see it commonly so as hath been before said that corrupt stomackes are best pleased with the most grosse and vnwholsome meates and as the horse-leach sucketh out of the body the most noisome and putrified bloud and the Spider in the garden or otherwhere gathereth that only which may be turned to venime and poison so you out of the body of the Church draw that only which is noisome and poisonfull and nothing pleaseth your humour but what serueth for the corrupting both of your selfe and other men This is the cause why my premises
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
stubble and hay is thereby consumed and brought to nought And thus Cyril saith as Aquinas alleageth him o Cyril apud Tho. Aquin. in Luc. 12. Ignem veni mittere c. Mos est sacrae Scripturâ— ignem quandoque dicere sacros diuinos sermones that it is the manner of the holy Scripture to call the sacred wordes of God by the name fire and Chrysostome one where alluding to the wordes here handled expoundeth p Chrysost de PoeniteÌ„t hom 8. Igne examinemus verbo scilicet doctrinae fire to be the word of doctrine who though they both make the application of that construction to reformation of manners yet considering what hath beene said doe both iustifie the same construction to our vse Now all these things being well waighed it well appeareth how little hold Popish Purgatory hath in those wordes of the Apostle and because in the fall of Purgatory is the fall of prayer for the dead therefore M. Bishop hath yet said nothing out of St. Paul for prayer for the dead W. BISHOP §. 4. I Come now to Images and Relikes of which he affirmeth that S. Paul saith nothing where was the goodmans memory when he wrote this or remembring the matter well enough was he so fiercely bent to deceiue others that he cared not what vntruth he vttered The Apostle maketh honourable mention of the Images of Heb. 9. v. 4. 5. the Cherubins placed gloriously in the vppermost part of the Israelites Tabernacle which for the holynesse thereof was called Sancta Sanctorum Further that within the Arke of the Testament standing in the same place were reserued pretious Relikes as the rodde of Aaron that blossomed a golden pot full of that Angelicall foode Manna which God rained from heauen and the Tables of the Testament to which if you ioyne the sentence of the same Apostle That all hapned to them in figure and were written 1. Cor. 10. v. 11. for our instruction may not we then gather thereby that Images are to be placed in Churches and holy Relikes in golden shrines And the same Apostle in the same Epistle declaring that Iacob by faith adored the Heb. 11. ver 21. toppe of Iosephs rodde which was a signe of his power doth he not giue all iudicious men to vnderstand that the Images of Saints for their holy representation ought to be respected and worshipped R. ABBOT THou maiest not wonder gentle Reader if it grow wearisome to me to follow the sent of this Fox who only casteth dust in mine eyes to stoppe me from pursuing him too fast as being afraide to be otherwise sodainly griped to death Obserue I pray thee what proofes hee hath here brought for Images and Relikes Hee doth not only omit wholly the Epistle to the Romans whence hee was required the proofe but bringeth arguments so ridiculous so idle so impertinent as that euen hereby it is easily to bee discerned that it is a desperate cause which hee hath in hand For Images hee saith that St. Paul maketh honourable mention of the Images of the Cherubims where hee putteth in the Images as thinking it should bee some grace to him that the Reader not looking the place should beleeue that the Apostle had named Images But see further how hee stuffeth this skar-crow with his litteâ— of idle wordâ—s Hee maketh honourable mention of the Images of the Cherubins placed gloriously in the vppermost part of the Israelites Tabernacle which for the holynesse thereof was called Sancta Sanctorum A simple man would thinke that this strowting tale should certainly import some speciall matter but it is like the picture of Beuis that makes a great shew and strikes neuer a stroke a Heb. 9. 5. Ouer the Arke saith the Apostle were the glorious Cherubins shadowing the mercy seate but what is this to M. Bishops purpose Marry saith he the same Apostle saith b 1. Cor. 10. 11. that all things happened to them in figure and were written for our instruction Be it so and what then May not wee then gather thereby saith hee that Images are to be placed in Churches You may indeede M. Bishop but it shall bee no otherwise then as Spiders doe which gather poison of sweet flowers It is true though it bee not proued by the wordes which hee vnduely citeth that all things happened to the Israelites in figure but did the Cherubins prefigure the hauing of Images in our Churches If they did wee desire that he make it appeare to vs which I thinke hee hath not so little wit as to vndertake If they did not what a foolish conclusion hath hee made that because there were the Cherubins in the Iewish Tabernacle figuring something for our instruction therefore wee may set vp Images in Churches c Heb. 9. 11. The Tabernacle as the Apostle teacheth vs prefigured the body of our Lord IESVS Christ The Arke was the place where God yeelded d Exod. 25. 22. Numb 7. 89. his presence to his people to dwell amongst them and from which hee spake and declared his will vnto them The Cherubins as e Of Images sect 8. M. Bishop himselfe acknowledgeth betokened the Angels prest and ready in the presence of God to doe his will What shall now the thing figured be but that God in Iesus Christ is alwaies present with vs and his Angels still assisting in his presence to receiue commandements for our behoofe being f Heb. 1. 24. ministring spirits as the Apostle saith sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation And must we now let this truth goe that ministreth strength and comfort to our faith that wee may giue M. Bishop roome for his blinde Idols But see withall how handsomely this matter is peeced together The Cherubins did represent the Angels What the shape or fashion of those Cherubins was neither M. Bishop can tell nor any man else as I haue g Of Images sect 8. before shewed They were set in the Sancta Sanctorum as he confesseth where they were wholly out of sight and whither no man came but h Heb. 9. 7. the high Priest only once euery yearâ— And doth not hee then very fitly and substantially alleage the example of these Cherubins for their Images of Men and Women to bee set vp openly in Churches not only that the people may behold them but that they may also fall downe to them worship them pray to them offer and burne incense to them according to all the abhominations of the Heathen accustomed to their Idols Doth hee finde that the Iewes tooke thereby warrant to set vp in the Temple the Images of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and other holy Fathers to doe the like to them Doth he not know that he abuseth his Reader hereby and will hee yet goe forward so to doe But for an expresse and briefe answere to him I cannot say any thing more fitly then that which Tertullian of old answered to them
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
after the old and new Testament written and the Canon of the Scriptures established and confirmed there bee any thing further to bee receiued for doctrine of faith and truth appertaining to saluation that is not contained in the Scriptures Tradition as he here speaketh thereof is confounded with Scripture because it is one and the same doctrine first preached by word of mouth and afterwards committed to writing in the Scripture but Tradition as we question it is diuided against Scripture and importeth doctrine ouer and beside that which is now taught vs by the Scriptures We know well that the doctrine of saluation vntill the time of Moses was only taught by word of mouth but is that an argument to proue that now that wee haue the Scriptures we must also receiue vnwritten Traditions besides the Scriptures Nay when it seemed good to the wisedome God to commit his word to writing hee would not doe it in part only but fully and perfectly so that a Exod. 34. 4. Moses wrote all the wordes of the Lord and said of that which he wrote b Deut. 12. 32. What I command thee that only shalt thou doe vnto the Lord thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom Therefore although the word of God were afterwards also deliuered by word of mouth in the Preachings and Sermons of the Prophets yet were they in their Sermons to preach no other doctrine neither did they but what had authority and warrant by Moses law Now their Sermons being also written for exposition and application of the law of Moses and a further supply added of the Scriptures of the Apostles and Euangelists how much more ought we to content our selues with the Scriptures without adding to them or taking from them receiuing and beleeuing only those things that we are taught thereby as being assured of that which the Scriptures themselues teach that c 2. Tim. 3. 15. the Scriptures are able to make a man wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus Hereby then appeareth M. Bishops fallacy in the citing of those texts which he hath here alleaged St. Paul willed the Romans d Rom. 16. 17. to marke and auoide them that made dissensions and scandals contrary to the doctrine which they had learned True it is and what then But the doctrine saith he which they had then learned before St. Paul sent them this Epistle was by word of mouth and Tradition for little or none of the new Testament was then written Marke what he saith before St. Paul sent them this Epistle for hereby hee in a manner acknowledgeth that St. Paul comprised in this Epistle the doctrine which they had before learned by Tradition The Apostles intendment then appeareth plainly to be this that they should shunne those which dissented from the doctrine which they had hitherto learned by Tradition that is by preaching and word of mouth the summe whereof he had now sent them written in this Epistle that they might henceforth learne to shunne them that dissented from the same doctrine deliuered to them in the Scriptures How ill-fauouredly then doth M. Bishop argue out of these wordes that we are now to receiue other doctrines then are contained in the Scriptures There can no argument be rightly framed out of that text whereof it can be any harme to vs to grant the conclusion If he will set it in due order it must be this The doctrine which the Romans had learned they had learned hitherto by Tradition but the Apostle teacheth them to auoide such as dissented from the doctrine which they had learned therefore he teacheth them to auoide such as dissented from the doctrine which they had hitherto learned by Tradition This we grant and what will he conclude thereof Surely if he will inferre any thing against vs hee must goe on and say But they learned somewhat then by Tradition which is not since deliuered in the Scriptures Which if hee will say wee require proofe of it and the text which he here alleageth will yeeld none We say that the whole doctrine which the Apostles first deliuered by Tradition and word of mouth they committed afterwards to writing ech his part as God inspired and directed for comprehending of the whole Seeing therefore they were tyed to shunne all that dissented from the doctrine receiued by the Tradition and Preaching of the Apostles wee hauing the same doctrine contained in the Scriptures are likewise tyed to shunne all doctrine that hath not testimony of the Scriptures Albeit it is here further to be noted how rashly M. Bishop saith that the doctrine which the Romans had learned they learned only by Tradition and word of mouth inasmuch as the Apostle telleth vs that the Gospell as it e Rom 1. 2. was promised in the Scriptures of the Prophets so was also f Rom. 16. 26. preached by the Scriptures of the Prophets so that St. Luke telleth vs that the noble Iewes of Berhea hearing the Apostles preaching g Acts 17. 11. searched the Scriptures daylie whether those things were so and that our Sauiour Christ when he sent them forth to preach h Luke 24. 45. opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures that so they might be enabled for their preaching I haue i Chap. 4. §. 5. before shewed out of Gregory and others that the whole faith which the Apostles preached they receiued from the Scriptures of the Prophets and therefore they deliuered not the Gospell only by Tradition but what they taught they confirmed by the Scriptures So then the Apostles admonition to the Romans will fall out to be this that they should auoide them that dissented from the doctrine which they had learned by the Scriptures though not yet by the Scriptures of the new Testament yet by the Scriptures of the old k Luke 24 27. 44. the law of Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes l Aug. cont 2. Gaudent lipist l. 2. cap. 23. Quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquam testibus suis which Christ named for his witnesses and whereof he said m John 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they that testifie of me The two next proofes which hee bringeth are such as that he iustly deserueth to be dubbed for them It is of record saith he how St. Paul n Acts 15. 41. walking through Syria and Cilicia confirming the Churches commanded them to keepe the precepts of the Apostles and of the Ancients and o Acts 16. 4. when they passed through the Cities they deliuered vnto them to keepe the decrees that were decreed by the Apostles and Ancients which were at Hierusalem and the Churches were confirmed in the faith And what hereof It appeareth saith he that those decrees were made matter of faith and necessary to be beleeued to saluation before they were written Yea were But did not you know M. Bishop that