wicked glosses wresting the words of scripture to the maintenance of their damnable errors They tooke vpon them to know more then the Apostles saying that the holy Ghost which Christ promised to send was not giuen to the Apostles but to theÌ„ so that the Montanists affirmed that i Dicunt Paracletum plura in Montano dixisse quà m Christum in Euangelium protulisse the holy Ghost spake more things in Montanus then Christ did commit to the Gospell and not onely more but greater and better things When they were vrged by the teachers of the Church with these corruptions and falsifications k Haec ipsi habent in nos retorquere à nobis potius adulteria Scripturarum expositionum earuÌ„ mendacia inferri c. they were ready to answer that the corrupting of the Scriptures and false expositions thereof were rather found with them by meanes whereof there was no end of reasoning with them because they could hold them to no certaine grounds wherupon to proceed against them Hereupon Tertullian referred men as Irenaeus did to consider the Churches planted by the Apostles and which had had continuance of Pastors and teachers from them by them to learne what faith and doctrine was deliuered by the Apostles as not doubting but what they deliuered was the truth as l Supra sect 4. who deuised nothing of their owne but faithfully assigned to the nations the doctrine which they had receiued of Christ He setteth it downe as a principle that vndoubtedly m Hoc propono vnuÌ„ certum aliquid institutuÌ„ esse a Christo quod credere omni modo debeant nationes there was some one and certaine thing appointed by Christ for the nations to beleeue that whatsoeuer that was Christ vndoubtedly deliuered it to his Apostles n Duodecim praecipuos lateri suo adtegerat destinatos nationibus magistros c. Si Christus Apostolos misit ad praedicandum praescribimus non alios esse recipiendos Praedicatores quà m quos Christus instituit whom he chose to be teachers of all nations and therefore that no other Preachers are to be receiued but whom Christ appointed that to say that either the Apostles knew not all things or did not make knowne all things to all men is o In vtroque Christum repreheÌ„sions subijcientes qui aut minus instructos aut parum simplices Apostolos miserit to reproue Christ as sending Apostles either vnsufficient or not dealing simply and plainely Taking it then for graunted that the Apostles deliuered al truth to the Church he moueth another doubt that haply the Churches had erred and forsaken that which at first was deliuered by the Apostles To this therefore he answereth that p Quid verisimile est vt tot ac tantae in vnam fideÌ„ errauerinit Nullus inter multos euentus vnus est exitus variassedebuerat error doctrinae Ecclesiarum Caeterum quod apud multos vnâ— inuenitur non est erratum sed traditum it is not likely if the Churches had erred that being so many and so great they should in error light all vpon one faith that they would surely haue varied in their error one from another because where there are many going but by hap they cannot all happen vpon the same end Therefore what with many is found one saith he it is no matter of error but that that was first deliuered vnto them He goeth on further to shew that it is the marke of truth q Ab excessis reuertor ad principalitatem veritati posteritatem mendacitati deputandaÌ„ exillius quoque Parabolae patrocinio c. Ita ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id autem extraneum falsum quod sit posterius immissum to be first and that what cometh in after is to be reputed a lye as appeareth by the Parable wherein the good seed or wheate was first sowed and then afterwards the tares Thus by the order it is so manifest saith he that that is of the Lord and true which was first deliuered but that strange and false which is afterwards come in Now if any of them would dare to challenge to themselues the antiquity of the Apostles he willeth them r Siquae audent se interserere aetati Apostolicae vt ideò videantur ab Apostolis traditae quia sub Apostolis fuerunt possumus dicere Acdant ergo originos Ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum suoruÌ„ c. to shew the originall of their Churches and the succession of their Bishops from the Apostles which if there had bene any such they might easily haue done this being very litle more then a hundred yeres after the time of the Apostles But withal he declareth that such opinions of theirs as were meÌ„tioned in the time of the Apostles Å¿ Quae tunc sub Apostolis fuerunt ab ijsdem Apostolis demonstratae deierata were by the Apostles shewed renounced wherof he giueth sundry examples of denying the resurrection of obseruing circumcision of forbidding mariage of denying the Godhead or manhood of Christ of worshipping Angels and such like condemned in the writings of the Apostles t Nâ—m sic facilitis traduceÌ„tur dum aut iam tunc fuisse deprehenduntur aut ex illis quae tunc fuerunt semina sumpsisse c. Siue ergo taedem nunc sunt aliquanto expolitiores quae sub Apostolis rudes habeÌ„t suam exinde damnationem siue aliae quideÌ„ illae fuerunt aliae autem posteà oâ—oâ—tae sunt quasdam ex illu opâ—niones vsurpauerunt habendo cum eu consoretum praedicationis habeant etiam necesse est consortium damnationis c Et si nihil de damnaticijs participareÌ„tur de aetate sola praeiudicatentur tantò magis aduiterae quantò nec Apostolis nominâ—iae Vnde fiâ—mâ—â—â— constat has esse quae adhuc tunc nunt rebantur futurae Thus saith he they shall the more easily be traduced whilest they are found either to haue bene then or to haue taken any seedes from those that were then For whether they be now the same somewhat more polished and fined which in the Apostles times were yet rude and vnfashioned they haue their condemnation from thence or whether they were one then and other haue since sprung vp which yet haue borrowed some opinions from them surely in being partakers with them in their preaching they must needes also be partakers of their condemnation And albeit they did not participate with those that were so condemned yet saith he there should preiudice be taken against them onely for their latter age being so much the rather corruptions of the truth for that they are not so much as named by the Apostles whence it is so much the more certaine that they are those which then it was foretold should be in time to come Hereupon he referreth his Reader to sundry particular churches
epistles do faithfully report the traditions of the Apostles But what tradition it was that Irenaeus meant wil appeer by that that is cited in the next place concerning Polycarpus who M. Bishop sayth by the Apostles words receiued from their owne mouthes confirmed the faithfull in truth and ouerthrew the heretickes Let his author speake and let the Reader iudge how honestly he dealeth in this citation The words are the words of Irenaeus of whom Eusebius reporteth that in certaine speeches against Florinus the hereticke he saith of himselfe hauing bene with Polycarpus when he was very yong g Euseb hist eccl lib. 5. ca. 18. Commemorare queaÌ„ sermones eius quos fecit ad multitudineÌ„ quomodo se cum Ioanne ac reliquis qui DominuÌ„ viderunt conuersatum esse dixerit sermones ecruÌ„ memorauerit quae ex illis de Domino audierant de virtutibus eius doctrina tanquaÌ„ ex ijs qui ipsi verbuÌ„ vitae viderant et cuncta sanctis Scripturis consona recensuerit I remember the sermons that he made to the people and how he told that he had bene conuersant with Iohn and others that saw the Lord and mentioned their speeches and what he had heard of them concerning the Lord and concerning his miracles and doctrine as receiued from them who themselues had seene the Word of life and reported all things agreeable to the holy Scriptures Here was then the tradition of Polycarpus containing nothing else but according to the Scripture As touching the tradition that h See the Answer to the Epistle sect 11. Irenaeus speaketh of it hath bene before shewed that it containeth nothing else but the elementall articles of Christian faith for the auouching whereof he was forced to appeale to the tradition and successiue doctrine of the Church because he had to do with heretickes that refused the triall of the Scriptures He saith rightly that if nothing had bene written we must haue rested vpon Tradition but because God knew that Tradition was too vncertaine and weake a meanes for preseruation of truth therefore as he hath before said the Apostles deliuered the Gospel which they preached in writing and that by the will of God to be the foundation and pillar of our faith In a word when he saith What if the Apostles had not writteÌ„ any thing at all must we not then haue followed the order of tradition he intimateth that now that they haue written we are to follow that which they haue written for the certaintie assurance of our faith He forceth the order of tradition in this sort vpon the heretiks because by the Scriptures there was no dealing with them but the matters whereof he treateth are cleerly taught therein as euery where he sheweth throughout his whole booke His next allegation is vaine and childish Origen teacheth that the Church receiued from the Apostles by tradition to baptize infants whereas Bellarmine himselfe proueth it to be necessary by the Scriptures as I haue shewed i Sect 12. before That of Athanasius is as little to the purpose as all the rest The thing that he hath in hand in the k Athanas lib. Quòd Nicena synod u congruis pijs verbis decreta sua super Ariana haeresi exposuerit booke cited is to giue a reason of the decree of the Nicene Councell that the Sonne of God is of the same substance with the Father He sheweth that the Fathers there assembled determined it by the Scriptures Constantine also so directing them as we haue seene before The matter was so cleared as that the heretickes for shame were content to subscribe to that which was concluded vpon Yet he declareth that afterwards they fell to cauilling that the words whereby the Councell expressed their meaning were not found in the Scriptures that they deuised them of themselues and that none of the former Fathers had vsed the same He answereth that l Cognoscet quisquis est studiosioris animi has voces tamitsi in Scripturis non reperiantur habere tamen eas eam sententiam quâ—m Scripturae volunt hoc ipsum sonaere c. Whosoeuer is of a studious mind or desirous to learne will know that those words though they be not found in the Scriptures yet haue the same meaning which the Scriptures intend and do signifie the very same Further against their other cauil he sheweth by diuers places alledged that the Fathers of former times had vsed the same words and maner of speech as the Councell did Hereupon he concludeth m Ecce nos demonstramus istiusmodi sententiaÌ„ à patribus ad patres quasi per manâ—â— traditaÌ„ esse Vos autem nouâ— Iudeâ— Cataphaeque discipuli quos verboruÌ„ vestroruÌ„ patreâ—ac maiores demonstraâ—uâ— Behold we shew that this sentence hath bene deliuered from fathers to fathers as it were from hand to hand but O you new Iewes and sons of Caiphas what fathers or auncesters will ye shew vs for your termes Now shall not we thinke that M. Bishop hath here brought vs a stout proofe for traditions vnwritten and doctrines beside the Scripture Euen as if we should say to M. Bishop and his fellowes Behold we shew you that which we say of the sufficiencie of the Scriptures deliuered from fathers to fathers euen as it were from hand to hand and he should herupon cite vs for witnesses of their traditions As much wit should he shew in this as he now doth in that The place of Basil is answered at large n Sect. 16. before He further referreth vs to the first oration of o Greg Naziâ—n contra Julian erat 1. Doctrina nostra insigâ—â—reÌ„ videus ob ecclesiae figuras quas traditioâ—e acceptas in hunc vsque dieÌ„ seruaâ—â—mus c. Idem hic cogit 〈◊〉 scholas in omnibus ciuitatibus extruere parabat sacraria se desque partim altiores partim depressiores prophaâ—â—â—um dogmatum lectiones â—xplicationes instituere tum precaâ—oâ—um alternatim caâ—â—â—arum fâ—rmam c. Gregorie Nazianzen against Iulian but was ashamed to set downe any words of his because the matters of tradition that he there mentioneth amongst the Christians which Iulian the Apostata apishly would resemble in his Paganisme were schools and formes higher and lower lectures hospitals monasteries companies of virgins singing by turnes and such other matters of external order and discipline in the Church and what are these to prooue traditions that is matters of doctrine not contained in the Scriptures We admit almost all those things which he there speaketh of and yet we condemne traditions in that sence as we here make question of them Surely M. Bishops traditions are in a miserable case that in all antiquity can find no better foundations wherupon to build them A man would not thinke that in so serious a matter he would so trifle as he hath done bringing not one place in any sort appliable to his purpose but only that of Basill
casting her with violence into the sea neuer to rise againe And you most noble King in whom God hath turned the period of time which threatned alteration and danger to our state gouernment to the further strength and establishment thereof and hath lifted your throne far aboue the thrones of your royall Progenitors and hath made you in a manner the ballance of the Christian world consider that it is vndoubtedly for some great work that in his prouidence he hath so disposed it and thereto apply those singular ornaments and endowments of the mind wherein you excell all that haue bene before you God hath made your Highnes able to espie and discerne the conicatching deuices of those bastard Catholik seducers we assure our selues that in your self in your royall posteritie it shall be found to the great aduancement of the faith and kingdome of Iesus Christ Wherein that our hope may not be frustrate we most humbly beseech almighty God to put into your Maiesties heart not to be too secure of them who account it a martyrdome to die for the murthering of Christian Princes and in the shedding of your sacred bloud would think themselues to haue gained the one half of their desires content perhaps by instructions for a while to temporize and to make shew of meaning no harme till the memory of their late villany being somewhat ouerblowne they may be the lesse suspected but hauing already giuen to vnderstand what your Maiestie shall looke for at their hands if oportunitie should second their designes The Lord auert and turne that iudgement from vs and n 1. Sam. 25.29 bind your Maiesties soule in the bundle of life with the Lord your God that your eies may long behold that noble Impe of grace the branch of our hope together with the other branches of your royall line growing before the Lord to the further dismay and terror of your enemies and the greater securitie and assurance of the church of Christ As for the seruice which according to your Maiesties commandement I haue here performed albeit it be far from that perfection which the weight of the cause requireth yet I doubt not but it is sufficient to shew on whether part the truth is to be found and to iustifie the proceedings of your Maiesty against the cauillations of wilfull men desperatly shutting their owne eyes that the light of the Gospel may not shine vnto them Whatsoeuer it is it most humbly craueth your Maiesties acceptance and royall protection and fauour whereto with all loyall duty I recommend it and your Highnesse selfe to the protection of the most high God whose cause it is that is defended thereby Your Maiesties most humble and dutifull subiect ROB. ABBOT TO THE CHRISTIAN READER GEntle Reader thou wilt I hope impute it in some part to the condition of the time that I giue thee this answer not altogether so well featured and shaped as thou haply wouldst desire it Though it be a fruite that may seeme to haue bene long in growing yet as the case standeth with me the length of time hath but serued to bring it to his greatnesse and therefore howsoeuer it commeth forth with defiance to the aduersaries yet I confesse it seemeth to me not so throughly digested and seasoned as I would haue wished it to content thee In this defence of Gods truth the things that are specially to be respected against the importunitie and aduantage of our aduersaries are strength and expedition I haue had care as the matter would permit to satisfie thee in both these respects and let my care herein obtaine pardon of thee if I seeme vnto thee to faile in some complements otherwise If thou thinke this my answer needlesse because another man hath already taken paines therein thou must remember that no mans priuate preuention could yeeld me dispensation to be free from doing that which publike authoritie required of me I doubt not but in the reading of either it shal appeare vnto thee what spirit it is wherewith these Romish factors are led in their opposition against vs and that it is not truth and sauing of soules whereto they bend themselues but onely the vpholding of their faction whether by truth or falshood by right or wrong it skilleth not so that that may be performed That thou mayst the better see and iudge of all I haue inserted the whole text of Doctor Bishops booke altogether condemning that falshood and guile which he hath vsed towards M. Perkins and they al vse in their pretence and shew of answering our books in that they neuer set downe the copie of that to which they answer Which policy serueth them to blind the Reader and to gaine libertie to themselues to conceale and dissemble what they list to peruert to vilifie to falsifie and by absurd imputations to calumniate without being controlled As our fidelitie and good conscience of the cause which we handle manifestly appeareth in that we neuer forbeare to publish our aduersaries bookes to the world when we haue adioyned an answer to them so their guilt and guile is manifest by the contrary for that they feare to put forth our bookes with their answers as doubting least the bookes being at hand should bewray and shew the vnsufficiencie of the answers As for Master Perkins booke being loth too much to increase the greatnesse of the volume I haue forborne to put it in the rather for that the substance thereof for the most part may appeare by that that Master Bishop hath set downe and where he faulteth I haue taken occasion in my answer to declare if not the words yet the summe and effect of it the booke it selfe also being easily had by any that is desirous more exactly to compare them The authors conceit for the forme and maner of that work was greatly to be approued and whereas it hath had the liking of very many for the briefe and plaine deliuery of our controuersiall grounds they shall see now that it was not without cause that they caried so good opiniō of it inasmuch as the malice of an enemie out of their many large volumes can find so little matter of waight and substance to say against it I doubt not but it had bene well that in some places he had giuen it some better strength but it is to be considered that as the midwife iudgeth better of the birth then the mother that trauelleth with it and in gaming the stander by sometimes seeth more then he that playeth so it is in writing of bookes that the Reader and examiner seeth sometimes a defect where the busied and intangled minde of the writer obserued none and therefore of welwillers and men indifferent it is to be expected that that which it somewhat vnperfectly deliuered in one place be no impeachment of that which is sufficiently fenced and fortified in another Thou shalt finde it gentle Reader to haue bene so written as that Maister Bishop is faine to vse
the light thereof Now albeit this be the true light i Ephes 5.13 which maketh all things manifest and the onely sure foundation whereupon we can rest our faith for what is it what the whole world saith if God say not the same yet against the importunitie of the aduersarie and for thy better satisfaction thou shalt see our assertions and expositions throughly munited and fenced with the acknowledgment of the auncient Church Wherein although we cannot but say that by the Fathers and Bishops of those times many things were conceiued and deliuered amisse and are not our aduersaries forced will they will they to confesse the same yet God hath so prouided that his truth ex abundanti is iustified by them and no antiquity or authoritie of humane error hath so defaced it but that still the track thereof euen by thē who somtimes haue deemed somewhat against it is plainly to be discerned Yea in sundry articles of our faith the whole streame of antiquitie runneth so oppositely directly against the doctrine and practise of the Romane church that now is as that we may wōder at their extreme impudency and wilfulnes who against so cleare and euident testimony do still persist in the maintenance thereof Which in some part thou shalt see in the treatise here following and shalt vnderstand according to the occasiō here offered that howsoeuer they cry with wide mouthes The fathers the fathers yet their crie is greater then their strength and that the Fathers haue not left vs vnfurnished either of armour to defend our selues or of weapons to conquer them And the more to secure thee hereof I haue set downe the testimonies of the Fathers for the most part in their owne words either in Latine or translated into Latine or in the Greeke tongue sometimes where I had the copie at hand and saw the Latine translation not fitly to expresse the Greeke I haue had a sincere and faithfull care to deale vprightly herein and not to trouble thee with impertinent allegations but onely such as are pregnant and cleare to that purpose for which they are alledged That God by whose prouidence this seruice hath befallen vnto me make the same profitable both to thee and me and graunt vs by writing and reading to increase in the light and assurance of his truth that we may more and more see and discerne the frauds of these Mountebanks and iuggling Sophisters who by insolent ostentation of words and casting of false and deceitfull colours take vpon them to be able to charme the world and by their wits to iuggle all other men beside their wits treading vnder foote the word of God pretending the fathers names and betraying the faith of the fathers subiecting all religion to their owne fancie and saying after the manner of wicked men k Psal 12.4 With our tongues we will preuaile we are they that ought to speake who is Lord ouer vs And thou O merciful Father who onely art the refuge and dwelling place of thy poore and maligned Church l Psal 68.18 stablish for thy names sake the thing that thou hast wrought in vs go forward with the worke which thou hast so graciously begun to dissolue the captiuity of Babylō and to free the remnant of thy Church from the yoke of the slauerie and bondage of Antichrist that all stumbling blockes of Popish prophanations and idolatries being remoued there may be a way prepared for the returne of the forlorne seede of Abraham into the societie of thy people that thencefoorth we may expect and looke for the comming of thy Sonne Iesus Christ to make an end of these euill dayes and to gather vs euerlastingly to that hope which in him thou hast set before vs. m Apoc. 22.20 Amen Lord. Come Lord Iesus come quickly The speciall Contents of this Booke THat the Church of Rome maketh Christ in effect no Christ pag. 14. c. That Rome is Babylon and the Pope Antichrist pag. 39. Of Free-will Chap. 1. pag. 86. Of originall sinne after Baptisme Chap. 2. pag. 163. Of the certaintie of Saluation Chap. 3. pag. 255. Of Iustification Chap. 4. pa. 379. in which are handled these points 1. That righteousnesse before God is imputed not inherent pag 387. 2. What manner of faith it is whereby we are iustified p. 434. 3. That Faith onely doth iustifie pag. 468. 4. How we affirme it vnpossible to keepe Gods commaundements pag. 550. 5. That our good works are not free from staine of sin p. 573. 6. That true faith cannot be without charitie good works pag. 605. Of Merits Chap. 5. pag. 629. Of Satisfaction Chap. 6. pag. 729. Of Traditions Chap. 7. pag. 839. Of Vowes and namely of the Monkish vowes of chastitie pouertie and obedience Chap. 8. pag. 992. Of Images Chap. 9. pag. 1105. THE PREFACE TO THE READER BY DOCTOR BISHOP GEntle Reader I meane not here to entertaine thee with many words the principall cause that moued me to write was the honour and glorie of God in defence of his sacred veritie then the imploying of his talent bestowed vpon me as well to fortifie the weaker sort of Catholiks in their faith as to call backe and leade others who wander vp and downe like to lost sheepe after their owne fancies into the right way I tooke in hand particularly the confutation of this booke not only for that I was thereunto requested by a friend of good intelligence and iudgement who thought it very expediēt but also because perusing of it I found it penned more schollerlike then the Protestants vse to do ordinarily For first the points in controuersy are set down distinctly and for the most part truly Afterward in confirmation of their opinion the chiefe arguments are produced from both Scriptures Fathers and reason Which are not vulgar but culled out of their Rabbins Luther Peter Martyr Caluin Kemnitius and such like though he name them not Lastly he placeth some obiections made in fauour of the Catholike doctrine and answereth to them as well as he could And which I speake to his commendation doth performe all this very briefly and clearly So that to speake my opinion freely I haue not seene any booke of like quantitie published by a Protestant to contain either more matter or deliuered in better method And consequently more apt to deceiue the simple especially considering that he withal counterfeiteth to come as neare vnto the Romane Church as his tender conscience will permit him whereas indeed he walketh as wide from it as any other noueller of this age Wherefore I esteemed my spare time best imployed about the discouering of it being as it were an abridgement of the principall controuersies of these times and do endeuour after the same Scholasticall manner without all superfluitie of words no losse to maintaine and defend the Catholike partie then to confute all such reasons as are by M. Perkins alledged for the contrary Reade this short treatise good Christian diligently for
thou shalt find in it the marrow and pith of many large volumes contracted and drawne into a narrow roome And reade it ouer as it becometh a good Christian with a desire to find out and to follow the truth because it concerneth thy eternall saluation and then iudge without partialitie whether Religion hath better grounds in Gods word more euident testimony from the purest antiquitie and is more conformable vnto all godlinesse good life and vpright dealing the infallible marks of the best Religion and spedily embrace that Before I end this short preface I must intreate thy patience to beare with the faults in printing which are too too many but not so much to be blamed if it be courteously considered that it was printed farre from the Author with a Dutch composer and ouer seene by an vnskilfull Corrector the greatest of them shall be amended in the end of the booke Before the printing of this part was finished I heard that M. Perkins was dead I am sorte that it commeth forth too late to do him any good Yet his worke liuing to poyson others a preseruatiue against it is neuer the lesse necessary R. ABBOT IF you had respected the glorie of God M. Bishop it should haue appeared by your respect to yeeld soueraigne honour and authoritie to the word of God God is in heauen and we are vpon the earth we haue no knowledge of him no acquaintance or dealing with him but by his word Therein we seeke him and find him therein he speaketh vnto vs and thereout we learne to speake to him If we haue the word of God God is present with vs if we be without the word of God God himselfe is absent from vs. Therefore by our honour and obedience to the word of God it must appeare that we truly and sincerely intend and seeke for the glorie of God Hereby it appeareth that you M. Bishop in this your booke haue not fought for the glorie of God but rather to glorifie a Extrauag Ioan 12. Cū inter in glossa Credere dominum Deum nostrum Papam sic non potuisse statuere c. haereticum censeretur your Lord God the Pope as your Glosse of the Canon law most blasphemously hath stiled him You haue in this worke of yours vsed all maner of vntruth and falshood to vphold and iustifie his wicked proceedings against the word of God Whatsoeuer God hath taught vs whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles haue deliuered all is nothing if your Lord God the Pope and your master Bellarmine his proctor generall do say the contrary Howsoeuer simply and plainly they speake yet they meane not as they speake if the Pope and Bellarmine will tell you another meaning As for your talent we take it to be greater in your owne opinion and the opinion of your fellowes then it is indeed But whatsoeuer it is you haue abused it to the wrong of him that gaue it not to edification but to destruction not to fortifie any in the faith but to nourish and harden them that depend vpon you in error and misbeleefe not to leade any into the right way but to intice men to b Prou. 2.15 crooked wayes and leud paths which c Ch. 7.27 go downe to the chambers of death and the end whereof is confusion and shame not to withdraw men from fancies but to draw them to other fancies from fancies in conuersation to fancies in religion that so being fed wholy with fancies they may perish in the end for want of true food And indeed men that wander in fancies are the subiect for your malice and trechery to work vpon Many that liue in the oportunitie of the knowledge of Christ yet neglect and despise the same The light shineth into their eyes and they regard it not God offereth himselfe vnto them and they say in their hearts We haue no delight nor pleasure in thee Therefore being emptie and voide of truth they lie open to be filled with error and lies and hauing vnthankfully withholden themselues from God God by iust iudgement giueth them ouer to the hands of impostors and deceiuers that it may be verified which the Apostle saith d 2. Thess 2 1◠Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they may beleeue lies that they may be damned which beleeued not the truth but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Your friend of good intelligence and iudgement that thought it very expedient that you should take in hand the confutation of M. Perkins booke spake thereof haply as Caiphas did of the death of Christ meaning it one way which was to fall out another way I doubt not but it will fall out to haue bene very expedient which you haue done because you giue hereby occasion of discouering your false doctrine and of iustifying the truth of Christ which M. Perkins was carefull to maintaine I doubt not but many by this occasion will take knowledge of your corrupt and trecherous dealing your patching and shifting your cosening and deluding of men and will discerne the weaknesse and absurdity of that bad cause which with glorious and goodly words you labour so highly to aduance As for your commendation of M. Perkins booke it is but the imitation of some vaine-glorious captains who to grace their owne victories do set out to the vttermost the aduersaries power and prowesse thinking their glory to be the greater by how much the greater men shall conceiue the might and valour of them to haue bene whom they haue ouercome You dreamed of a victorie here and you thought it to be much for your commendation that your aduersary should be deemed of as great strength as any is to be found amongst vs. But we would haue you to vnderstand that the Church of England neuer tooke M. Perkins booke to be a warriour in complete harnesse or a chalenger for the field but onely as a captaine training his souldiers at home where he wanteth much of that munition and defence wherewith he should endure the brunt of battell He wrote it very schollerlike indeed for an introduction onely to the true vnderstanding and iudgement of the controuersies betwixt vs and you but knew well that it wanted much that might haue bene added to giue it ful and perfect strength You haue taken hereof some aduantage as you conceiue and yet how pitifully are you distressed many times both to vphold that which he obiecteth for you and to answer that which he alledgeth for vs. Now if for the compiling of his booke he bestirred himselfe as the Bee going into other mens gardens for the gathering of hony into his hiue yet he made no Rabbines of them to take any thing for hony because it grew in the garden of such or such a man but vsed carefull and aduised consideration of that which he wrote esteeming the weight of his arguments and of his answers that he might
Church then let that little discretion that he hath serue him against another time to vnderstand that it is no preiudice to our religion that there is in some matters some diuersitie of opinions amongst vs or that some men be exorbitant from that which is commonly amongst vs approued for the truth There is an vniuersalitie of doctrine with them for which men are esteemed of their religion in the particulars whereof notwithstanding there are many differences for which they will not be thought to be one of one religion and another of another What infinite varietie of obseruation and discipline is there found amongst their Friers and Monkes and yet they take them to be all of one religion There was of old a great dissention betwixt Å¿ Euseb hist lib. 5. cap. 22.23 Polycrates the Metropolitan of the Asian Churches and Victor Bishop of Rome concerning the obseruation of the feast of Easter betwixt t Cyprian ad Pomptium cont epist Stephani et Concil Carthag apud Cyprian Cyprian and Stephanus Bishop of Rome with their Churches on each part about the rebaptizing of them that were baptized by heretikes betwixt u Socrat hist lib. 6. cap. 13. Chrysostome and Epiphanius first and after betwixt x Hieron aduer Ruffin Hierome and Ruffinus concerning the condemning of the works of Origen betwixt y Socrat. lib. 7 cap 19. Chrysostome and many other Bishops concerning the often restitution of penitents to the communion of the Church betwixt z August epist 18 Hierome and Austine concerning Peters dissimulation and yet were they neuer taken to be of diuers religions vntill this day And what are we then in worse case then all these that because there is some variance betwixt some of vs in some points of doctrine or betwixt some others in matters of ceremony and circumstance concerning the discipline of the Church therefore we must be sorted into so many Religions as M. Bishops idle head can deuise differences amongst vs This is to be contemned as a peeuish and impertinent cauil of contentious and wrangling Sophisters bewraying more malice then learning or wit making shew to the vnlearned of obiecting somewhat against vs when their obiection maketh more against themselues then it doth against vs. Now then if M. Perkins either concerning Christs descending into hell or some other like matters subiect to varietie of opinion were otherwise minded then standeth with truth or the common iudgement of our Church we do not therefore account him a man of other religion but a maintainer of our religion and we will say of him as Austine said of Cyprian a August Therefore did he not see somewhat that by him a greater matter might be seen namely that in difference of iudgement we are not to be contentious but labour with all our might to preserue the publike peace and vnitie of the Church and with modestie and loue to carie our selues towards them that in opinion dissent from vs. A notable example whereof we see in M. Caluine who when Luther vpon some matter of question behaued himselfe somewhat intemperately against him and some others alike minded as he was was wont to say b Caluin epi. 57. Though he should call me diuell yet will I do him his honour to acknowledge him an excellent seruant of God As for the imputations which here M. Bishop layeth vpon him and the rest whom he nameth we account them but as the barking of a curre dogge against a Lion they are stale and threedbare cauils and too well knowne to cause them that reproch that he desireth If Luther were licentious for marrying a wife what were their Popes and Cardinals their Bishops and Priests and Monks for keeping other mens wiues and retaining concubines and harlots of their owne If Zuinglius went armed into the field to giue encouragement to his countrymen for their iust and necessary defence is he thereupon to be taxed for a martial minister more then Iulius the second for a martial Pope who himselfe went in person against the French and going ouer the bridge of Tiber cast his crosse keyes into the riuer and tooke his sword in his hand saying c Bale in Iul. 23 Seeing Peters keyes will do no good we will try whether Pauls sword wil serue the turne or then Philip the French Bishop in the time king Richard the first for a martiall Bishop who bare armes against king Richard and was taken in battell in whose behalfe when the Pope wrote to the King requesting fauour for his sonne the King sent to him the Bishops armour with this message d Matth. Paris in Richard 1. Vide an tunica filij tui sit an non See whether this be thy sonnes coate or not Nay it is no rare matter to find examples of martiall Popes and martiall Cardinals and Bishops in the Church of Rome and therfore we need say no more to M. Bishop as touching this cauill but onely to bid him looke at home As for that which he saith of Caluins expelling of the lawfull magistrate out of Geneua it is a very malicious and false tale it being very euident that the Bishop of Geneua whom he meaneth with his cleargie perceiuing the people to be minded for the abolishing of Popish superstition and receiuing of the Gospell voluntarily fled from thence before Caluins comming to that place Last of all he calleth Beza a dissolute turne-coate but if a man should ask his wisedome why he doth so he cannot tell All the matter of this dissolutenes is that being vnder twentie yeares old or a litle aboue he wrote a booke of Epigrammes in which by imitation of Catullus and Ouid he expressed some things more licentiously and wantonly then was fit The writing thereof he afterwards when God had called him to the knowledge of his truth e Beza Confes Epist Dedicat. repented much and when he was requested that the same might be reprinted denied it vtterly and wished the remembrance thereof to be wholy buried In his conuersation otherwise he was neuer to be touched with any blemish of that lightnesse which in those poeticall exercises he made shew of And is not this a great matter that these men obiect so often to his disgrace Surely if the liues of sundry of the auncient Fathers were looked into with such eyes before they were come to Christ there would be found worse matters to vpbraid them with euen by their owne confession then this is S. Austine when the Donatists dealt with him as M. Bishop and his fellowes do with Beza gaue answer to them thus f August const lit Petil lib. 3. cap. 10. Quantum cunque ille accusâ—t vinum meum tantum ego laude medicum meum Looke how much they blame my fault so much do I commend and prayse my Phisition To which effect I haue heard that Beza himselfe answered one as touching that columniation Hic homo inuidet mihi gratiam Christi This man enuieth
of the points in question laying open the absurditie of Poperie and clearing the doctrine on our part from those lies and slaunders wherewith in corners you labour to depraue it might seeme verie likely to drawe many to the knowledge and approbation of the truth It should seeme there was some sore for that both you and your friend were so carefull to apply a plaister but your plaister by the grace of God wil make your sore a great deale worse when men shall further see how sincerely he hath dealt to deliuer truth out of the word of God and doctrine of the ancient Church and what base geere you haue brought as the marrow and pith of many large volumes for the contradicting and oppugning of it The more and greater the points are of difference betwixt the Church of Rome and vs the more doth it concerne your Catholikes if they tender their owne saluation to looke into them which if they doe they will cease to thinke basely of our religion and will begin to honour it and imbrace it as the truth of God They will see that there is in it a true reformation indeed a iust departure from the horrible idolatries and superstitions of the Romish Sinagogue and it shall grieue them that they haue so long dishonoured God by holding fellowship with him who hath no true fellowship with Iesus Christ That you thinke basely thereof M. Bishop we wonder not He that doateth vpon a harlot is wont to scorne and thinke basely of honest matrons The Scribes and Pharisees thought basely of our Sauiour Christ no maruell if you doe the like of the Gospell of Christ who liue and thriue by traditions as they did As for old rotten condemned heresies how silly a man you haue shewed your selfe in the obiecting thereof it hath appeared partly alreadie in the answer of your Epistle and shall appeare further God willing in the answer of your booke and wee will expect hereafter that you learne more wit then to babble and prate of heresies you know not your selfe what THE THEAME OF M. PERKINS Prologue And I heard another voyce from heauen say Go out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes and receiue not of her plagues Reuel 18.3 M. BISHOPS ANSWER TO M. Perkins Prologue Sect. 1. THe learned know it to be a fault Exordium Coâ—mune to make that the entrie vnto our discourse which may as properly fit him that pleadeth against vs but to vse that for our proeme which in true sence hath nothing for vs nay rather beareth strongly for our aduersarie must needs argue great want of iudgement Such is the sentence aboue cited out of S. Iohn by M. Perkins for it being truly vnderstood is so farre off from terrifying any one from the Catholike Roman Church as it doth vehemently exhort all to flie vnto it by forsaking their wicked companie that are banded against it For by the purple Harlot in that place is signified as shall be proued presently the Roman Empire as then it was the slaue of Idols and with most bloudie slaughter persecuting Christs Saints Those of the Church of Rome being as nearest vnto it so most subiect to that sacrilegious butcherie Wherefore that voyce which S. Iohn heard say Go out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes c. can haue none other meaning then that all they who desire to be Gods people must separate themselues in faith and manners from them who hate and persecute the Roman Church as did then the Heathen Emperours and now do all Heretikes Vnlesse they will be partakers of their sinnes and consequently of their plagues This shall yet appeare more plainely in the examination of this Chapter Where I will deale friendly with my aduersarie and aduantage him all that I can that all being giuen him which is any way probable it may appeare more euidently how little he hath to any purpose out of this place of the Apocalipse whereof all Protestants vaunt and bragge so much both in their bookes and pulpits Well then I will admit that in the 17. and 18. Chapters of the Reuelation by the whore of Babylon is vnderstood the Roman state and regiment which in lawfull disputations they are not able to proue the most iuditious Doctor S. Augustine and diuerse others of the ancient fathers with the learned troupe of later interpreters expounding it of the whole corps and societie of the wicked And as for the seuen hils on the which they lay their foundation they are not to be taken literally the Angell of God in the very text it selfe interpreting the seuen heads of the beast to bee aswell seuen Kings as seuen hils But this notwithstanding to helpe you forward I will grant it you because some good writers haue so taken it and therefore omit as impertinent that which you say in proofe of it What can you inferre hereunto Marry that the Roman Church is that whore of Babylon Faire and soft good Sir how proue you that Thus. The whoore of Babylon is a state of the Roman regiment ergo the Roman Church is the whoore of Babylon What forme of arguing call you me this By the like sophistication you may proue that Romulus and Remus were the purple Harlot which to affirme were ridiculous or which is impious that the most Christian Emperours Constantine and Theodosius were the whoore of Babylon because these held also the state of the Roman Empire and regiment To make short the feeble force of this reason lieth in this that they who hold the state and gouerne in the same kingdome must needs bee of like affection in religion which if it were necessarie then did Queene Marie of blessed memorie and her sister Elizabeth carrie the same minds towards the true Catholike faith because they sate in the same chaire of estate and ruled in the same kingdome See I pray you what a shamefull cauill this is to raise such outcries vpon A simple Logician would blush to argue in the parâ—â—ies so loafty and yet they that take vpon them to controle the learnedst in the world often fall into such open fallacies Well then admitting the purple Harlot to signifie the Roman state we do say that the state of Rome must bee taken as it was then when these words were spoken of it that is Pagan Idolatrous and a hot persecutor of Christians Such it had bene a little before vnder that bloudie tyrant Nero and then was vnder Domitian which we confirme by the authoritie of them who expound this passage of the Roman state The commentarie on the Apocalipse vnder S. Ambrose name saith The great whoore sometime doth signifie Rome specially which at that time when the Apostle wrote this did persecute the Church of God 〈◊〉 Cap. 178. but otherwise doth signifie the whole citie of the Diuell And S. Ierome who applieth the place to Rome affirmeth Libr. 2. cont Jâ—â—â—n that she had before his dayes
blotted out that blasphemie written in her forehead because then the state was Christian which before had bene Heathen so that vnto the partie Pagan and not vnto the Church of God he ascribeth these works of the wicked Harlot which also the very text it selfe doth conuince for it hath That she was drunk with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus Verse 6. Now the Church of Rome had not then by the confession of all men drawne any bloud of Christs Saints but in testimonie of his truth had powred out abundance of her best bloud Wherefore it is most manifest that the harlot could not signifie the Church of Rome so pure and free from slaughter but the Roman Empire which was then full gorged with that most innocent and holy bloud Againe that whoore is expounded Verse 18. To be a citie which had kingdome ouer the Kings of the earth But the Church of Rome had then no kingdom ouer the earth or any temporall dominion at all but the Roman Emperours had such soueraigne commaundement ouer manie Kings wherefore it must be vnderstood of them and not of the Church Now to take kingdome not properly for temporall soueraigntie but for spirituall Iurisdiction as some shifters do is to flie without any warrant from the natiue signification of the word vnto the phantasticall and voluntarie imagination And whereas M. Perkins saith pag. 5. that Ecclesiasticall Rome in respect of state princely dominion and crueltie against the Saints is all one with the heathenish Empire he both seeketh to deceiue and is greatly deceiued he would deceiue in that he doth apply words spoken of Rome aboue 1500. yeares ago vnto Rome as it is at this day and yet if that were granted him he erreth fouly in euery one of his particles For first touching princely dominion the Roman Empire held then all Italy all France all Spaine all England a great part of Germanie of Asia and also of Africke hauing their Proconsuls and other principall Officers in all those Countries drawing an hundred thousand millions in money and many other commodities out of them Wherefore in princely dominion and magnificall state it surmounted Ecclesiasticall Rome which hath not temporall dominion ouer the one halfe of that one kingdome of Italy more then an hundred degrees And as for persecution the Empire slue and caused to be slaine more Saints of God in one yeare then the Church of Rome hath done of reprobates and obstinate heretikes in 1600. yeares R. ABBOT WE see that M. Bishop hath some skill in Oratory but it seemeth he hath learned one precept aboue the rest of extenuation or diminution to giue semblance of making light of his aduersaries arguments and not to be touched therewith when notwithstanding hee is galled with them and wounded at the heart Of this lesson he maketh good vse throughout his whole booke but here in the beginning hauing his wits yeâ— fresh he goeth somewhat beyond it and will make his Reader beleeue that that text of the Apocalipse which M. Perkins propounded for the matter of his Prologue Go out of her my people c. is so farre from making against them as that it is an aduertisement to all men to forsake the societie and fellowship of all them that shew themselues aduersaries to the Church of Rome The Apostle telleth vs a 1. Cor. 11.19 There must be heresies that they which are approued may be knowne Because there must be heresies there must be heretickes men giue vp to reprobate sence obstinate and wilfull in their wicked fancies euen then when they are b Tit. 3 11. condemned in themselues Otherwise such is the light and euidence of Scripture in directing that admonition as a caueat against the Church of Rome at least wise to euerie mans eyes and sight there is that probabilitie thereof as that a man would not beleeue but that the handling of this point should haue made M. Bishop to tremble and feare and to surcease from going any further in the rest specially seeing that for the safeguard of his minion of Rome he is faine to go so directly contrarie to the euidence that stood against him Yet we see how gloriously hee carieth himselfe here in the beginning and maketh shew of great largesse and of giuing his aduersarie all the aduantage he can But let him remember what Solomon saith c Prou. 25.14 A man that boasteth of false liberalitie is like clouds and wind without raine His words shew more courage then wisedome and he giueth his aduersarie no aduantage at all but what hee must haue whether he will or not The question is whether Babylon and the whoore of Babylon mentioned in the Reuelation be to be vnderstood of Rome or not He alledgeth out of Austin and some other ancient though not indeed so ancient writers and out of a learned troupe of later interpreters as it pleaseth him to terme them that by Babylon is vnderstood the whole corps and societie of the wicked But his maister Bellarmine hauing mentioned that exposition for answer to our obiection leaueth it and saith d Bellarm de Aâ—tichrist cap. 13 secunâ—o dici potest meâ— iudiciomeliùs per mercâ—â—â—em intell giâ—â— mam It may be sayd and in my iudgement better that by the harlot is vnderstood Rome So had he before sayd that S. Iohn e Ibid. cap. 5. Explicat mulierem esse vrbem magnamquae sedet super septem câ—lles id est Romanâ— declareth that the woman is the citie that sitteth vpon seuen hils that is saith he Rome The verie cleere light of the truth made him to confesse that in the description of the whoore of Babylon Rome must necessarily bee vnderstood he must shift otherwise as hee might but he saw that to denie this would be no shift Yea and the exposition that M. Bishop bringeth maketh nothing to the contrarie For although we vnderstand that Babylon do import the whole corps and societie of the wicked yet we are also to vnderstand that this corps and societie hath a head from whence the name is deriued to the whole body and therefore the notification of the body specially being a body so confused must needs be by the description of the head The affirming I say of Babylon to be the whole corps and societie of the wicked doth not exclude Rome from being meant by the whoore of Babylon because the head is necessarily implied in the whole body and Rome is described and set forth vnto vs as being the head of that societie And that the head is here properly meant is inuincibly manifest because the speech is here of f Apoc. 14.8 17.2 her that maketh all nations drunke with her fornications and is therefore to be distinguished from the body of the wicked of all nations which are made drunke by her But for declaring of this point S. Austin in sundrie places diuideth the whole body of mankind by g August in Psal 26. 61.
the Church and Pope of Rome He hath alledged S. Bernard before and he is answered before Further he bringeth Irenaeus saying b Iren. lib. 3. ca. 3 Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter poteâ—tiâ—â—em principalitatem necesse est omnem conuenire Ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles â—n qui semper ab 〈◊〉 qui suâ—t vnd que conseruata est ea quae est ab Apostolis traditio To this Church by reason of the more mightie principalitie it is necessarie that euery Church that is the faithfull on all sides do agree in which the tradition which is from the Apostles hath bene alwaies preserued of theÌ„ that are about her Which words he alledgeth but drawes no direct coÌ„clusion from them nor indeed can do but by begging that which is in question betwixt vs. It was necessarie in the time of Irenaeus that euery Church should accord to the Church of Rome because therein the tradition and true doctrine of the Apostles had bene faithfully preserued but will M. Bishop hereof simply conclude that it is now also necessarie for euery Church to accord with the Church of Rome It is a question now whether she retaine the doctrine and tradition of the Apostles nay it is out of question that she doth not so and therefore her former commendation is no argument that we should approue her now Ierusalem was c 2. Chron. 6.6 the city which the Lord did chuse to place his name there She was a faithfull citie so long necessarie it was that all other cities shold conforme themselues to her But d Esa 1.21 of a faithfull citie she became a harlot and departed so farre from her former steps as that she crucified the Sonne of God and killed his Saints and in the end it was said of her by a voyce from God as Iosephus recordeth e Ioseph de bello Iudaicoâ—â— 7. c. 12 Migremus hinc Let vs depart from hence So the Church of Rome was a Virgin the chast and faithfull spouse of Christ continuing stedfastly in the doctrine by which she first became the Church of Rome and so long as she so coÌ„tinued it was necessarie for al Churches to accord with her as for her to accord with all other Churches that had done the like But she is since become an vncleane filth prostituted to all manner of fornications embrued drunken with the bloud that she hath sprit so that now the voyce of God calleth to vs in like sort concerning her Go out of her my people Neither hath M. Bishop any better helpe by that that he will further alledge that Irenaeus mentioneth a potent principalitie of that Church For that potent principalitie was not intended by Irenaeus for any supremacie of the Church of Rome but imported onely an honour yeelded vnto it in respect of the imperiall state of the citie of Rome which we know men of inferior townes are wont to yeeld to them that are of high and honorable cities only for the preheminence of the place But if the Church of Rome had had any such potent principalitie as M. Bishop intendeth in respect whereof all other Churches shold yeeld subiection and obedience vnto her then would not f Jren. apud Euseb hist eccles lib. 5. cap 23. Polycarpus the Bishop of Smyrna haue refused to yeeld to Anicetus the Bishop of Rome in matters of difference betwixt them as Irenaeus sheweth he did before his time neither would g Ibid. cap. 22. Hieron in Catal. Script Eccles in Polycrate Polycrates the Bishop of Ephesus and Metropolitan of the Asian Churches haue resisted Victor in the time of Irenaeus neither would h Cypr ad Pompeium contra Epist Stephane Cyprian haue contradicted Stephanus neither would Aurelius and Austin and the rest of the Fathers in the Councell of Carthage haue i Concil Carth. 6 Aphrican cap 101. c. withstood the claime of the Bishop of Rome for authoritie to receiue appeals made from them to him neither would those sixe hundred and thirtie Bishops in the Chalcedon Councel haue yeelded to the Patriarch of Constantinople according to a former decree of a councell of k Conc Constantinop 1. cap. 2. Constantinople an equalitie of priuiledge and prerogatiue with the Bishop of Rome The matter is very plaine l Conc l. Chaâ—cedon Act. 15. ca. 28. Antiquae Romae throno quòd vrbi ilâ—a imperaret iure Patres priuâ—legiae tribuere Et eadeÌ„ consideratione moti 150 Dei amantissimi Episcopi sanctissimo nouae Romae throno aequalia priuilegia tribuere rectè iudicantes vrbem quae imperio Senatu honerata sit aequalibus cum antiquissimo Roma priuilegijs fruatur etiam in rebus ecclesiasticis non secus ac illaÌ„ extolli magnificari secundaÌ„ post illam existentem The Fathers say they haue yeelded priuiledges to the sea of old Rome because that was the Imperiall citie And the hundred and fiftie Bishops of the Councell of Constantinople being moued with the same consideration haue yeelded equall priuiledges to the sacred sea of new Rome that is Constantinople rightly iudging that the citie which is honoured with the Empire and Senate and enioyeth equall priuiledges with old Rome should also in ecclesiasticall matters be no lesse extolled and magnified then it is being the next vnto it Thus they acknowledge the principalitie of the Church of Rome to be nothing else but in respect that that citie was the seate of the Empire and therfore Constantinople being become the seate of the Empire and in respect thereof being called New Rome they gaue to the Church of Constantinople equall dignitie and principalitie with the Church of Rome leauing to the Bishop of Rome onely precedence of name and place The Legates of the Bishop of Rome would faine haue had it otherwise but the whole Councell approued the decree Now by that that hath bene said to Irenaeus the answer is plaine to that that M. Bishop further citeth out of Hierome The true faith and doctrine of the Godhead of Christ was then maintained by the Church of Rome against the remainder of the infection and poyson of the Arian heresie Hereupon Hierome writeth to Damasus Bishop of Rome to be aduertised of the vse of some words that concerned that point He commendeth the Church of Rome m Hieron ad Damasum Apud vos solos incorrupta Patrum seruatur haereditae for that the inheritance of the Fathers that is the true faith was preserued vncorrupt with them onely For this cause doth he bind himselfe to the communion and fellowship of Damasus Vpon the rocke of that faith which the Church of Rome stil held he knew the Church to be built In respect of this faith he that went out of that house that is left the communion of that Church because thereby he renounced the truth he became prophane In the same respect he that gathered not with Damasus being
be very many of ours vvho say that all things that vve do are done by the helpe of God By this acknowledgement of grace Pelagius deluded the Bishops of the Easterne Churches before whom he was conuented and by that meanes was acquitted and dismissed as hauing taught nothing against the truth For as Augustin noteth b August epist 95. His audius verâ—is thommem Dei gratia adiunari Catholici antistitâ—â— nullam aliam Dei gratiam intelligere potuerunt nisi quam in libris Dei legere populis Dei praedicare consueuerunt When they heard him confesse the grace of God they could imagine no other grace but what they were wont to reade in the booke of God and preach to the people of God Which grace by this occasion the same S. Austin in diuerse and sundrie places defineth to be that c Ibid. Gratiae qua Christiani filij Dei sumus Et postea Qua praedesiinati vocamur iustificamur glorificamur whereby we are Christians and the children of God and being predestinate are called iustified and glorified d Epist 105. Qua iustificati sumus vt homines iusti essemus whereby we are iustified to be iust men e Epi. 107. Agnoscamus gratiam quae facit proasse doctrinam which maketh the doctrine of God profitable vnto vs f Cont. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 13. Vt non â—stendat tantummodo veritatem verumetiam impertiae charitatem whereby he doth not onely shew vs the truth but also inspireth loue g Ibid. cap. 30. Qua iustificamur id est qua charitas Dei diffunditur in cordibus nostris c. whereby we are iustified that is whereby the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs h Cont. 2. Epist Pelag lib. 4. cap. 6. Haec est gratia Dei bonos faciens nos whereby we are made good i Cont Pelag c. vt supra cap. 10. Istam aliquando fateatur qua futurae gloriae magnitudo non solum promittitur verumetiam creditur speratur nec reuelatur solum sapientia verumetiam amatur nec suadetur solum omne quod bonum est verumetiam persâ—â—ad tur wherby the excellencie of heauenly glorie is not onely promised but also beleeued and hoped for nor wisedome onely reuealed but loued and euerie thing that is good is not onely aduised but fruitfully and effectually perswaded This onely grace and no other did they vnderstand to be the grace of Christ whereby as touching the worke of our saluation God is all in all whilest of him and by him meerely by his gift we are whatsoeuer we are towards him so that although k De grat lib. arbâ—t cap. 16. Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed ille facit vt velimus c. Certum est nos facere cùm facimus sedille facit vt faciamus c we will and we worke and we walke and we runne yet it is God that worketh in vs to will and to worke and to walke and to runne and in all these things we haue nothing but what we haue of him that there may be no exception to the Apostles question l 1. Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou haue receiued it why doest thou boast as if thou hadst not receiued it But this grace Pelagius could by no meanes endure he thought it absurd that all should be ascribed to God and therefore would needes deuise a course of grace that might giue way to the Free will of man The contriuing of which course if we duly consider from point to point we shall see that it most fully correspondeth and accordeth to that doctrine of grace and Free will which is now taught in the Church of Rome onely the specialties thereof their schoole diuines haue directed them to expresse somewhat more distinctly then he hath done And first they tell vs of grace preuenting exciting and stirring vp whereby saith the councell without any desert of ours we are called that by his grace raising vs vp and helping vs we may be prepared to returne to our iustification Where we are to note M. Bishops errour in his owne principles who sundry times calleth the grace of first iustification * Of Iustification sect 32. Of Merits sect 1 c. the first grace forgetting that there is a former grace to which he himselfe referreth their workes of preparation and here bringeth the councell describing it as precedent to iustification But of this preuenting grace Costerus the Iesuite saith that m Coster de lib. arbit Haec gratia praeuenitas non est illa quae in anima nomina inhabitans usstuÌ„â—onstituâ—t filium Dei efficit sed impulsus tantùm motio sp sancti adhuc foris degentis qui stat ad ostrum eordis pulsans nondum admissus ad eius domicilium it is not that that dwelleth in the soule to make a man iust but it is onely the impulsion and motion of the holy Ghost being yet without and standing knocking at the doore of the heart not being as yet let in This he expresseth by the comparison of a friend finding a man in a deepe pit as before was sayd and perswading him by diuerse reasons to be willing to be pulled out Therefore Bellarmine saith that n Bellarm. de grat li arbit lib 6. cap. 15. Nihil est aeliud nâ—si suâ—sio quae non deterâ—t nat voluntatem sed inâ—linat per moduÌ„ proponentis obiecti it is but onely a perswading which doth not determine the will but inclineth it in manner of a propounding obiect This grace Pelagius describeth in this sort o Pelag apud a August cont Pelag. Celest lib. 1. cap. 10. Operatur in nobis velle quod bonum est velle quod sanctum est dum nos serrenis cupidit itibus deditor mutorum more animalium taentummede presentia diligeÌ„tes futurae gloriae magnitudine praeâ—â—orum pollicitatione succendit dum reuelatione sapientiae in desiderium dei stupentem suscitat voluntatem dum nobis suadet omne quod bonum est He worketh in vs to will that that is good to will that that is holy whilest finding vs giuen to earthly lusts and like bruit beasts louing onely present things note that he excludeth all former merits as the councell doth he enkindleth our minds with the greatnesse of the glorie to come and with promise of reward whilest by reuealing his wisedome he raiseth vp our astonished will to the desire and longing after God whilest he perswadeth and exhorteth vs to all good things And againe to the same purpose he saith p Ibid ca 7 Adiuuat nos Deus per doctrinam reuelationem suam dum cordis nostri oculos aperit dum nobis ne praesentibus occupemur futura demonstrat dum diaboli pandit insidiat dum nos multiformi
voluit vt homo non recedat ab eo Cyprian leaueth vs nothing wherein to glorie as our owne that he sheweth that not to depart from God is no otherwise but giuen of God in that he teacheth that it is to be begged of God for he that is not led into temptation doth not depart from God This saith he is not in the strength of Free will as now it is It was in man before his fall but after the fall of man God would not haue it belong saue onely to his grace that we come vnto him neither would he haue it belong saue onely to his grace that we do not depart from him Thus he conceiued and obserued as touching Cyprians meaning out of Cyprians owne words and bereaueth M. Bishop of Cyprians warrant for that which he would father vpon him by some words obscurely vttered in another place c Jbid cap. 6. Tâ—â—â—res viâ—â—â—us si totum Deo damus non autem nos illi ex parte nobu ex parte commutimus Quod vidit iste venerabilâ— Martyr c. Cyprian that worthy Martyr saw well enough saith he that we liue most in safetie when we ascribe all to God and do not commit our selues partly to God and partly to our selues By these three therefore M. Bishop hitherto hath gained nothing but by Cyprian whose words seeme to make most for him he gaineth least of all But now he vrgeth the confession of some of our best learned that all Antiquitie excepting onely S. Austin beleeued and taught Free will To this purpose he alledgeth a place out of the Centuries which he calleth a large long lying historie marry speaking but by roate as children do or as the clowne did of Aristides who giuing his voyce to the banishment of the same Aristides and being asked of him vnknowne d Plutarch Apophiheg whether he knew him against whom he gaue his voyce answered that he knew him not but it was trouble vnto him to heare him tearmed a iust man For so M. Bishop knoweth not the Centuries alas poore man what should he meddle with such great bookes but he hath heard that Protestants were the Authors thereof and that is enough to warrant him to giue his voyce against them But his fellowes know that they haue good cause to speake well of the Authors of those Centuries because by them they haue bin able to say more for themselues then euer they were before so faithfully did those men deale in the compiling of that storie Now they say indeed as he alledgeth from his Author that Clement Alexandrinus doth euery where teach Free will and that not onely the Doctors of that age were in such darknesse but also that it did much increase in the ages following Where taking the matter to be simply as they say and as M. Bishop doth obiect what doth he gaine more by that obiection then the Pelagians did e Prosper Epist ad August Obstinationem suaÌ„ vetustate defendunt A nullo vnquam ecclesiasticorum ita esse intellecta ve nunc sentiuntur affirmant who defended their obstinacie by antiquitie and affirmed that none of all the ecclesiasticall Writers that were before did so expound the Scriptures as Austin did namely against the Free will and merits of man and that examining the opinions of the more auncient Fathers they were found to be in a manner all of one mind against him But this he tooke to be no sufficient argument but freely professeth of his doctrine f Aug. de bono perseuer cap 18. Hoc scâ—onemineÌ„ contra istam PraedestinationeÌ„ c. nisi errando disputare potuisse I know that no man without error could dispute against it He excuseth the ancients that were before him g De Praedest sanct cap. 14. Priusquam ista Haeresis oriretur non habuerunt necessitatem in hac difficili ad soluendum quaestione versari c. vnde factuÌ„ est vt de gratia Dei quid sentirent breuiter quibusdam scriptorum suorum locis transeuntèr attingerent immorarentur vero in eis quae aduersus alios inimicos Ecclesiae disputabant c. frequentationibus aut orationibus simplicitèr apparebat Dei gratia quid valeret Non enim poscerentur à Deo quae praecepit fieri nisi ab illo donaretur vt fierent that before the heresie of the Pelagians began they had not any such need to deale much in that question and therefore what they thought of the grace of God they touched but briefly and by the way in some places of their workes but stood more vpon those things which they handled against other enemies of the Church Yet he saith that by their supplications and prayers it plainely appeared what grace doth because they would not haue asked of God those things which he hath commanded to be done but that they held that the doing thereof is the gift of God h De bono perseuer cap. 23. No oraret Ecclesia vt daritur infidelibus fides nisi Deum crederet auersas aduersas hominuÌ„ ad se conuertere voluntates nec oraret Ecclesia vt perseueraret in fide Christi nisi crederet Dominum sic in potestate habere cor nostrum vt bâ—â—uÌ„ quod non tenemus nisi propria voluntate non tamen teneamus nisi ipsi in â—oâ—is operetur velle that the Church would not haue prayed to God as it alwaies did to giue men repentance faith obedience perseuerance but that it beleeued that God so hath our heart in his power as that he worketh in vs to will the good that we cannot haue without our will He further obserueth that i Ibid cap. 20. Didicimus singulas quasque haereses intulisse Ecclesiae proprias quaestiones cotra quas diâ—igentiùs defenderetur Sâ—riptura diuina quam si nulla talis necessitas cogeret Quid auteÌ„ coegit loca Scripturarum quibus Praedestinatio commendata est copiosiùs enucientius iâ—â—o nostro libere defendi nisi quod Pelagiani dicunt c. all heresies haue brought their seuerall questions into the Church by occasion whereof as touching those points the truth of Scripture was the more diligently defended and that by occasion of the Pelagian heresie the places of Scripture concerning Predestination and grace of God were by his labour more plentifully and plainely defended then they were before And to conclude out of all Antiquitie before him he bringeth onely k Ibid cap 19. foure or fiue testimonies out of Cyprian Ambrose and Gregorie Nazianzene whereby to iustifie what he taught Now by this answer of Austin to the Pelagians M. Bishop and his fellowes must receiue their answer If it were no preiudice to him that the Fathers before him taught otherwise then he did it is no preiudice to vs teaching the same that he taught He professed himselfe l De nat gra cap. 61 to be free in the writings of any such men and that it was
no further then he approoueth vnto vs that he is a follower of Christ we tie not our selues to him but vse our liberty to dissent from him and to censure him where he hath gone awry But M. Bishop and his fellowes haue their Patriarch indeede to whom they binde themselues Antichrist the man of sinne the enemie of Christ whose dirt they must be content to eate and to brooke all the filth of his abhominations and a Dist 40. si Papae though he leade them to hell yet no man may dare say vnto him Sir why do ye so Well Caluin saith that Austine hath diligently gathered the iudgement of antiquity and what then forsooth he saith further thus that b Caluin Institut lib. 3. cap. 3. Sect. 10. betweene Austine and vs there may seeme to be this difference that he dares not call the disease of concupiscence by the name of sinne but we hold it to be a sinne that a man is tickled with any lust or desire against the law of God Whereupon M. Bishop giueth his Reader these obseruations first that S. Austines opinion carieth with Caluin the credit of all antiquity which is the cause saith he that I cite him more often against them which indeede he hath full clerkly and profoundly done so as that I presume I may assure the Reader that he hath scarsely euer read ouer one booke of his Secondly saith he that he is flatly on our side but therein he reckoneth before his host for Caluin saith to the contrary that c Ibid. sect 12. Austine differeth not so much from our doctrine as in shew he seemeth to doe and that he varieth but little from our opinion Lastly saith he learne to mislike the blind boldnesse of such maisters But if Caluin were blinde alas for poore M. Bishop what can he see and yet though he can see but little he is as bold as blinde bayard and doubteth not to vilifie him to whom he might very well be a scholler yet many yeares Caluin iustly commendeth Austines iudgment and aduiseth all men to follow it and in substance flieth not from it himselfe though in termes he somewhat differ Neither did he presume vpon shallow wits not to be espied knowing well that the whole rabble of the court of Antichrist would vse their deepest wits for the sifting of that he should write but in the conscience of integrity and faithfulnes he despised all their barkings and malitious furie and with the inuincible shield of truth beareth off all the poisoned darts of their reproches He neuer taught men to rely vpon his authority but by authority of the word of God and testimony of the auncient church he laboured to establish the faith of Christ yet making men witnesses onely not authors or dictators of the truth and therefore not doubting to censure them where they swarue from the authority of the word of truth But now because M. Bishop will perswade vs that S. Austine is wholly on their part let vs somewhat more at large examine his opinion and iudgement in this behalfe Which although it may be sufficiently perceiued by those things that haue bene scatteringly alledged already yet fully to remoue this cauill let vs here lay together what shall be found necessary for the clearing thereof And first we are to obserue that sinne is considered two manner of waies one way as it is opposed to righteousnesse another way as it is opposed to forgiuenesse of sinnes Sinne properly taken as euery mans vnderstanding giueth him is opposite to righteousnesse and so whatsoeuer is contrary to righteousnesse is sinne Thus haue we before described the nature of sinne and according to this description concupiscence in the regenerate being d Rom. 7.23 Gal. 5.17 contrary to righteousnesse is sinne neither euer came it into S. Austines heart to thinke otherwise But he considereth sinne in the proper effect of sinne as it maketh guilty so that whatsoeuer is forgiuen is no sinne because forgiuenesse taketh away the guilt of sinne So long as the guilt remaineth though the thing be past and gone whereof or whereby the man is guilty yet he vnderstandeth the sinne to remaine still If the guilt be taken away though the thing still continue the same by which the man became guilty yet he taketh it not to be in the nature of sinne because the nature of sinne is to make guilty The occasion of which construction was giuen him by the Pelagian heretickes the predecessours of the Papists who when he taught against them Originall sinne and the remainder of that blot of naturall corruption in the regenerate as we doe tooke occasion to cauill against him that he e August cont duas epist Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 13. Dicunt inquit baptisma noâ— dare omnem induldgentiam peccâ—torum nec auferre criminae sed radere vt omnium peccatorum radices in mala carne reneantur quasi â—asorum in capite capillorum vnde crescant itâ—rum risecanda peccata said that baptisme did not giue remission of all sinnes neither did take away faults but onely shaue them so as that the rootes were still sticking from whence other sinnes should grow againe S. Austine the better to cleare this matter to popular vnderstanding affirmeth that baptisme doth take away all sinne because that albeit concupiscence of the flesh were still remaining yet it did not remaine in the nature of sinne because the guilt thereof in baptisme was remitted f De nupt et concupisc lib. 1. ca. 25. Dimittitur non sit sed vt in peccatuÌ„ non imputetur It is forgiuen saith he not so as that it is not but so as that it is not imputed for sinne g Ibid. cap. 26. In eis qui regeneraÌ„turr in Christo cum remissionem accipiuâ—t prorsus omnium peccatorum vâ—que necesse est vt reatus etiam huius licet manenus ad â—uc concup sâ—entiae remittatur vt in peccatum non impuâ—â—tur Nam sicut câ—ruÌ„ peccatorum quâ— manere non 〈◊〉 sunt quoâ—â—am cum 〈◊〉 pâ—etâ—reunt 〈…〉 et â—isi remiâ—â— vt 〈◊〉 in aeterâ—um maâ—eâ—â— sic illius concupiscenâ—ic quando remittitur reatus aufertur Hoc est eâ—â—im non habere peccatum non esse reâ—ym peccati Nâ—â— si quisquâ—â— veâ—â—â— gratia fecerit adueterium etiam si nunquam deâ—â—cesâ—â— faciat 〈◊〉 est adulterij donec reatus ipsias 〈…〉 Habet ergo peccatum quamuis illud quod admisâ—â—â—am non sit quia cum tempâ—re quo factum est praetiâ—â—ijt c Manâ—â—t ergo peccata nisi remittantur Sed quomodo manent si praeâ—â—â—ta sunt nisi quia praetâ—rterunt actu manent reatu Sic itaque sâ—â—rie contraâ—â— potest vt etiaÌ„ illud maneat actâ—â—â— aetereaâ— reaâ—â— In the regenerate when they receiue forgiuenesse of all their sinnes the guilt of this concupiscence though it selfe still continue is remitted so as that it is not imputed for sinne For as of those sinnes which cannot continue because
aut aliquid huiusmodi At verò nunc si dâ—câ—ret quia nigâ—â—dinem non haberet seipsaÌ„ seduceret c. in the place of her pilgrimage with the comelinesse of her feature she wanteth not her mole or spot of blacknesse It shall be otherwise in her countrey saith he when the bridegroome of glorie shall make her to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing But now if she should say she hath no blacknesse she should deceiue her selfe and there were no truth in her And yet we see that euen now the bridegroome speaking to her saith q Cant. 1.7 O thou fairest among women r Cap. 4 1. Behold thou art faire my loue behold thou art faire She is Å¿ Ezech. 16.14 faire by his beautie which he hath set vpon her but remaineth yet still a Blacke-moore by that that she hath remaining of her selfe Therefore he saith O thou fairest but yet addeth amongst women S. Bernard telleth the meaning t Berâ—ar in CaÌ„t. ser 38 Ego te dico pulchram sed inter mulieres id est ex parte I call thee faire but amongst women that is in part or partly faire thereby giuing againe to vnderstand that partly she continueth a Blacke-moore still And what doth M. Bishop thinke it amisse to confesse so much of himselfe doth he take it in scorne to be likened to a Blacke-moore Let him be well assured that if he thinke scorne to confesse himselfe a Black-moore he shall neuer be any of them that shall be clothed in white Nay because being a Blacke-moore and very blacke he setteth nought by the white garment of Iesus Christ let him know that his shame and nakednesse lieth open and his filthinesse continueth lothsome and hatefull in the sight of God As for his exaggeration I omit it because it is but the running ouer of his vncleane mouth which ceaseth not to crie full of iniquitie full of iniquitie of him whom Christ hath begunne to purge from iniquitie and framed in conuersation to depart from iniquitie as we professe of euery one that is iustified by faith in him 8. W. BISHOP M. Perkins last reason is taken from the consent of the auncient Church and yet citeth sauing one two lines nothing out of any auncient writer nor out of any other but out of onely S. Bernard who liued 1000. yeares after Christ so that he signifieth that there is little releefe to be had in antiquity Which Caluin declareth more plainly for he commonly setting light by all other in this question reiecteth also S. Augustine saying Lib. 3. Instit cap. 11. num 15. Yeâ— not the sentence of Augustine himselfe is to be receiued in this matter who attributeth our sanctification to grace wherewith we are regenerate in newnesse of life by the spirit And Kemnitius in the first part of his examination of the Councel of Trent saith We contend not how the Fathers take iustification And a little after I am not ignorant that they spake otherwise then we do of it Therefore M. Perkins had reason to content himselfe with some few broken sentences of later writers But was S. Bernard trow you in this one point a Protestant Nothing lesse His words be these The iustice of another is assigned vnto man who wanted his owne Epist 190. man was indebted and man made paiment c. But better let his owne reason there cited serue for exposition of his former words which is this For why may not iustice be from another as well as guiltinesse is from another Now guiltinesse from Adam is not by imputation but euery one contracts his owne by taking flesh from him euen so iustice is from Christ powred into euery man that is borne againe of water and the holy Ghost In the second place he saith That mans iustice is the mercifulnesse of God that is by Gods free grace and mercie it is bestowed vpon vs. With S. Bernard in the third place we acknowledge that we haue no iustice of our owne that is from our selues but from the goodnesse of God through the merits of our blessed Sauiors passion reade his first sermon vpoÌ„ these words of the Prophet Isay Vidi DominuÌ„ c. Ser. 1. Super Isaiam There you shall see him speake plainly of inherent iustice and how it is a distinct thing from the iustice of Christ Another broken peece of a sentence In Psal 22. there is cited out of S. Augustine Christ made his iustice our iustice That is by his iustice he hath merited iustice for vs as he expoundeth himselfe Tract 27. in Ioan. What is this the iustice of God and the iustice of man The iustice of God is here called that not whereby God is iust but that which God giueth to man that man may be iust through God R. ABBOT S. Bernard may be sufficient to testifie vnto vs the doctrine and consent of the auncient Church vnlesse M. Bishop can charge him to haue departed therefrom which because he dares not do least haply he should make an heretike of him whom his holy Father hath made a Saint he must needes yeeld that antiquitie hath acknowledged the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ because S. Bernard hauing so learned of antiquitie hath giuen expresse testimonie and witnesse of it Yea but Maister Bishop telleth vs that Caluin plainly declareth that for this there is liâ—â—le reliefe to be had in antiquitie who commonly setting light by all the rest in this question reiecteth also Saint Austine Now he citeth certaine words of Caluin very lewdly falsified and wrested from the purpose to which they were spoken The thing that Caluin there speaketh of is the signification of the name of grace He taxeth the Maister of the Sentences for his misconstruction of it who he saith though taking vpon him to follow Austine yet varied from him both obscuring and corrupting him But the schoolemen that came after he condemneth much more for that they neuer gaue ouer till they were growne in a maner to Pelagianisme Hereupon he addeth a Caluin Instit lib. 3. ca. 11. sect 15. Ac ne Augustins quidem sententia vel saltem loquendi ratio per omnia recipienda est Tametsi enim egregiè homineÌ„ omni iustitiae laude spoliet ac totam Dei gratiae transcribit gratiam tamen ad sanctificationem refert qua in vitae nouitatem per spirâ—tum regeneramur And indeed the sentence of Austine or at leastwise his manner of speaking is not in all respects to be receiued For although he do notably bereaue man of all commendation of righteousnesse and do ascribe it wholy to the grace of God yet he referreth grace to sanctification whereby through the spirit we are borne againe to newnesse of life Compare these words gentle Reader with those that M. Bishop hath cited consider whether thou maiest dare hereafter to trust him vpoÌ„ his word Caluin noteth Austine only for some vnproper
is shed for the remission of the sinnes of the brethren which Christ hath done for vs and in that hath yeelded vs not any thing to imitate and follow but what to reioyce of For if any man will compare himselfe to the power of Christ in thinking himselfe to heale the sin of another man it is too much for him he is not capable thereof He is the rich man saith he who being not subiect to any debt either hereditarie or of his owne is both iust himselfe and iustifieth others euen Iesus Christ. Do not aduaunce thy selfe against him being so poore as that thou appearest in thy prayer daily a begger of the forgiuenesse of sinnes There is no forgiuenesse of sinnes then by the bloud of Martyrs there is no ablenesse in one man to heale the sinne of another or to pay anothers debt euery man is poore euery man a begger crauing from day to day the release and remission of owne debts This was S. Pauls case thus he praied daily as Christ had taught him and why then doth Maister Bishop make him so rich as that he should be able to make paiment of our debts that he should purchase a release of the punishment of our sinnes that he should take vpon him y Tho. Aquint supplem q. 12. art 2. ad 1. Satisfactio est quaedaÌ„ illatae iniuriae recoÌ„pensatio Et q. 14. Ablatio offensae art 1. in corp to make recompence for the wrongs that we haue done to God and to take away our offence towards God or Gods offence and displeasure towards vs as their name of Satisfaction doth import It was a farre other matter that the Apostle intended in that he saith that he endured afflictions for the Churches sake It was to confirme vnto the Church the truth of the Gospell of Christ to cause the greater opinion of that doctrine which he preached in that he yeelded himselfe for the testifying thereof to hazard and bestow his temporall life to encourage comfort the faithful to continue constant in the faith of Christ according to the example that they had seen in him to embolden other men to preach the word notwithstanding the opposition that was made against it And thus doth the Apostle expresse the ends and vses of his afflictions z Phil. 1.7 the confirmation of the Gospell a Ver. 12. the furthering of the Gospel b Ver. 17. the defence of the Gospell c Ver. 20. the magnifying of Christ d 2. Cor. 1.6 If we be afflicted saith he it is for your coÌ„solation and saluation which is wrought in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer Not then as to purchase any thing towards their saluation by his afflictions but as to hearten and comfort them to the patient bearing of afflictions in the enduring whereof God had intended to bring their saluation to effect Thus Thomas Aquinas where his eies were open coÌ„ceiued both of this text of that to the Colossians which is here in question who writing vpon the words of the Apostle Was Paule crucified for you vseth these words e Tis. Aquin in 1. Cor. cap. 1 lect 2. Hoc proprium est Christo vt sua passioâ—e morte nostram salutem operatus fuerit c. Sed contra hoc esse v. letur quod Apostolus dicit Gaudeo in passionibus meis pro vobis c. Sed dicendum quod passio Christi fuit nâ—bis salutifera non solum per modum exempli sed etiaÌ„ per modum meriti efficaciae inquaÌ„tuÌ„ eius sanguine redempti iustificati sumus c. Sed passio aliorum nobis est salutifera solùm per moduÌ„ exempli secundum 2 Cor. 1. Sine tribulamur c. This is proper to Christ that he by his passion and death hath wrought our saluation But it seemeth to be against this which the Apostle saith Col. 1. Now I reioyce in my sufferings for you c. But we are to say that the passion of Christ was the cause of our saluation not onely by way of example but also by way of merit and effectuall working in that by his bloud we are redeemed and iustified but the sufferings of others is furthering to our saluation only by way of example according to that 2. Cor. 1. If we be afflicted it is for your comfort and saluation c. Againe in another place propounding by way of obiection that f Idem p. 3. q. 48. art 5. arg 3. Non soluÌ„ cassio Christi sed etiam alioruÌ„ sanctorum preficua fuit ad salutem nostram vt Col. 1 Gaudeâ— in passionibus meis pro vobis c. Dicendum quod passiones sanctoruÌ„ proficiunt Ecclesiae non quideÌ„ per modum redemptionâ—â— sed per modum exempli exhortationis secundum illud 2. Cor. 1 Sine tribulamur c. not onely the passion of Christ but also of other Saints was helpfull to our saluation according to the saying of the Apostle Col. 1. Now reioyce I in my sufferings for you c. and therefore that Christ onely cannot be called our Redeemer but also other Saints he answereth thus We are to say that the passions of the Saints are helpful or profitable to the Church not by way of redemption but by way of example comfort or encouragement according to that 2. Cor. 1. If we be afflicted c. So where the Apostle saith g 2. Tâ—m 2.10 I suffer all things for the elects sake that they may also obtaine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus he asketh h In â— Tim. 2. lect 2 Sed nunquid sufficit Christi passio Dicenduâ— quòd siâ— effectiâ—â— sed passio Apostoli dupliciter expiediebat Primo quia dabat exâ—mplum perfistendi in fide Seâ—undo quia confirmabatur fides ex hoc indâ—cebantur ad salutem what was not the passion of Christ sufficient Yes saith he as touching the working of saluation but the Apostles suffering was two waies expedient First because he gaue example thereby of continuing in the faith Secondly because thereby the faith was confirmed and by that meanes they were induced and drawne on to saluation Thus then we haue example confirmation comfort encouragement in the sufferings of the Apostles and Saints but we cannot finde any satisfaction for our sinnes And that M. Bishop may know that we speake this from better authority then onely Thomas Aquinas let S. Ambrose tell in what sence the Apostles suffered for the Church i Ambrosâ—n Psal 43. Petrus pro Ecclesia multa toleraâ—â—it Multa etiaÌ„ Paulus raeterique Apâ—stoli pertulerunt cùm caederentur vâ—rgis cùm lapidarentur cùm in carceres truderentur Illa enim tolerantia amurtaruÌ„ vsu periculorum Doâ—â—ni fundatus est populus ecclesia incrementum est consecâ—â— cùm caeteri ad martyrium festinarent vilentes per illas passiones nihil Apostâ—lorum decessisse virtutibus sed etiaÌ„ propter hanc breâ—em
standing oracle of a written law to which all men at all times might resort to be informed as touching duty and seruice towards God And as in the creation of the world howsoeuer the light were at first sustained and spread abroad by the incoÌ„prehensible power of God yet when he created the Sun he conueighed the whole light of the world into the body thereof so that though the Moone starres should giue light yet they should shine with no other light but what they receiued from the Sun euen so in the constitution of the Church howsoeuer God at first preserued continued the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation from himselfe to some chosen men by whose ministerie he would haue the same coÌ„municated to the rest yet when he gaue his word in writing he conueighed into the body of the Scriptures the whole light of his Church so that albeit there should be Pastours and teachers therein to shine as starres to giue light to others yet they should giue no other light but what by the beames of the written law was cast vpon theÌ„ Which beames albeit they shined not then altogether cleare bright many things being lapped vp in obscure dark mysteries rather signified by figuratiue ceremonies then expressed in plain words yet were they not to walk by any other light nor to go without the coÌ„passe of the writteÌ„ word only what was obscure therin God by his Prophets froÌ„ time to time made more more apparent vntill by Iesus Christ in the writings of his Apostles Euangelists he set vp a most full perfect light Now then in M. Perkins meaning it is true that from Adam to Moses the word of God passed from man to man by tradition that is by word onely not by writing and thus as M. Bishop alledgeth good fathers godly maisters taught their childreÌ„ seruants the true worship of God true faith in him But it is true also which he signifieth in the second place that they whoÌ„ God thus raised vp to be teachers instructours of others receiued not the word only by tradition from others but had reuelation confirmation thereof immediatly from God himselfe Therefore there is no argument to be taken hence to giue any colour to Popish tradition nay we may iustly argue that if God would haue had the religion of Christ to be taught in any part without writing he would haue taken the course which he did then by immediate reuelation to continue and preserue the integritie and truth thereof 2. W. BISHOP His 2. Concl. We hold that the Prophets our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles spake and did many things good and true which were not written in the Scriptures but came to vs by Tradition but these were not necessary to be beleeued For one exaÌ„ple he puts that the blessed virgin Mary liued died a virgin but it is necessary to saluation to beleeue this for Helui dius is esteemed by S. Augustine an Heretike for denying it * De haeres ad Quod. hae 84. R. ABBOT It is necessary to saluation to beleeue that our Sauiour was conceiued and borne of a virgin We perswade our selues also according to the common iudgement of the Church that she so continued and died but yet we deny it to be any matter of saluation so to beleeue We say as S. Basil doth that a Basil de human Christi generat Hoc nunc suspicionem generat ne forsan posteaquam puritate sua generationi dominicae per spirituÌ„ sanctuÌ„ administratae seruiuit tum demuÌ„ nuptialia opera viro Maria noÌ„ negauerit Nos verò licet nihil hoc doctrinae pretatis â—ffiâ—eret nam donec dispensabatur Christi generatio necessaria erat virginitas quid verò postea sit factuÌ„ ad mysterij huius doctrinam non anxiè coÌ„â—ungenduÌ„ est vâ—runtameÌ„ c. it should be no whit preiudiciall to the doctrine of faith that the virgin Mary after that she had in her virginity serued for the generation of Christ should performe the office of a wife to her husband Her virginity was necessary till the birth of Christ was accoÌ„plished but what was afterwards done is not too scrupulously to be adioined to the doctrine of this mysterie But yet that no man might to the scandall and offence of deuout persons affirme rashly that she ceased to be a virgin he sheweth that the places of the Gospell which seeme to giue suspition thereof do not euict it but may well be construed otherwise And therefore Heluidius for mouing an vnnecessary question hereof to giue occasion of publike disturbance and for affirming rashly that which he had no warrant sufficiently to proue was iustly condemned reiected by the Church neither can we approue any thâ—t shall do as he did 3. W. BISHOP His 3. Concl. We hold that the Church of God hath power to prescribe ordinances and Traditions touching time place of Gods worship And touching order comlinesse to be vsed in the same mary with these foure caneats First that it prescribe nothing childish or absurd See what a reuerent opinion this man carieth of the Church of God gouerned by his holy spirit that it neuerthelesse may prescribe things both childish and absurd But I must pardon him because he speaketh of his owne Sinagogue which is no part of the true Church Secondly that it be not imposed as any part of Gods worship This is contrary to the conclusion for order and comelinesse to be vsed in Gods worship which the Church can prescribe is some part of the worship Thirdly that it be seuered froÌ„ superstition c. This is needlesse for if it be not absurd which was the first prouiso it is already seuered from superstition The fourth touching multitude may passe these be but meere trifles That is of more importance that he termeth the decree registred in the 15. of the Acts of the Apostles a Tradition whereas before he defined Traditions to be all doctrine deliuered besides the written word Now the Acts of the Apostles is a parcell of the written word as all the world knowes that then which is of record there cannot be termed a Tradition R. ABBOT The cautions set downe by M. Perkins are materiall necessary against the vsurpations of the Church of Rome which hauing forsaken the direction of the spirit of God in the word of God is now led by a 1. Kings 22.23 a lying spirit by b 1. Tim. 4.1 spirits of errour and therefore in her ordinances and traditions swarueth from the grauity and wisedome of the holy Ghost The ceremonies of the Masse are apish and ridiculous toies whereby in that which Christ instituted for a most sacred and reuerend action they make the Priest more like to a iugler or to a vice vpon the stage in his duckings and turnings his kissings crossings his lifting vp and letting downe his putting together the forefinger the
must expresly beleeue if they will be saued which distinction S. Augustine else-where doth signifie * De peccatoruÌ„ meritis cap. vlt. and is gathered out of many other places of his workes as in that matter of rebaptizing them who became Catholikes after they had bene baptized by heretikes He saith * Lib. 5. de bapt contra Donat. cap. 23. The Apostles truly haue commaunded nothing hereof in their writings but that custome which was laid against S. Cyprian is to be beleeued to haue flowed froÌ„ an Apostolicall tradition as there be many things which the vniuersall Church holdeth and therefore are to be beleeued The same saith he of the custome of the Church in baptizing infants * De genes ad letra lib. 10. cap. 23. And in his Epist 174. of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not in the holy Scripture yet neuerthelesse is defended to be vsed in the assertion of faith As also saith he we neuer reade in those bookes that the Father is vnbegotten and yet we hold that he is so to be called * Lib. 3. cap. 3. cont max. Arianum And Saint Augustine holds that the holy Ghost is to be adored though it be not written in the word The like of the perpetuall Virginitie of our blessed Ladie * Heresi 4. out of which and many more such like we gather most manifestly that Saint Augustine thought many matters of faith not to be contained in the written word but to be taken out of the Churches treasurie of Traditions R. ABBOT It is strange to see here what stutting and stammering the man vseth loth to confesse the truth and yet forced by the very euidence thereof in a manner fully to subscribe vnto it I pray thee gentle Reader to marke well the words of Austine that are here alledged a Aug. de doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. In ijs quae a pertè posita sunt in Scripturis inueniuntur illa omnia quae conâ—nent fidem mo â—esque vivendi In those things saith he which are plainely set downe in the Scriptures are found all those things which containe faith and behauiour of life He saith not barely in the Scriptures but in those things which are plainly set downe in the Scriptures nor that some speciall matters of faith are found but all those things are found which containe faith and conuersation of life Now how nicely doth M. Bishop mince the matter All things saith he necessary to be beleeued of euery simple Christian vnder paine of damnation are contained in the Scriptures as if S. Austin spake here only of simple Christians and not of those that are of learning knowledge when as his drift is in this booke to teach the Preacher how to conceiue of the Scriptures for his owne vse Then he restraineth all those necessarie things to the articles of our beleefe whereas S. Austine expoundeth himselfe as touching b Spem scilicet charitatem de quibus superiore libro traectauimus hope and charitie of which he had intreated in the former booke Then he excepteth the resolution of harder matters and many difficulties which the learned must expresly beleeue when as S Austine saith that in the Scriptures are found all those things which containe faith and conuersation of life insomuch that we haue heard him c Suprae sect 8. before pronounce a curse to an Angell from heauen who either concerning Christ or the Church of Christ or any thing belonging to our faith and life shall preach any thing but what we haue receiued in the scriptures of the Law and the Gospell But yet if they wil haue S. Austins words to be vnderstood of all things necessary to be beleeued of euery simple Christian we would gladly know why they require euery simple man vnder paine of damnation to beleeue the Popes supremacie his succession from Peter the power of his pardons the validitie of his dispensations to beleeue their doctrine of the Masse of Purgatorie of inuocation of Saints of prayer for the dead of worshipping idols and images and a thousand such other deuices when as these are not found in any plaine places of Scripture nay when as the plaine text of Scripture is cleerly and manifestly against them Thou must vnderstand gentle Reader that M. Bishop giueth not this answer in earnest but the euidence of S. Austines words being so pregnant against him somewhat he must say for the present to colour the matter howsoeuer it be otherwise contrary to his owne defence It is not for their thrift to graunt that what concerneth euery simple Christian vpon paine of damnation is plainely set downe in Scripture to beleeue so is the marring of a great part of their haruest But alas in this case what should he do if Saint Austine say it it is not for him to speake against it onely what he looseth here he must do his best to recouer other where But for this lame answer whereby he in part confesseth the truth against himselfe and yet laboureth in part to conceale it and keepe it backe he seeketh patronage from another place of Austine saying that Saint Austine elsewhere doth signifie that distinction He noteth in the margent de peccatorum meritis cap. vltimo but which booke it is of the three he noteth not nor what the words are Now in the last chapters of the first and third booke there is nothing incident to this purpose but that which S. Austine saith in the last chapter of the second booke is such as that we neede not wonder that M. Bishop did forbeare to set downe his words For hauing there in question whether the soule be ex traduce that is whether it be deriued and propagated by generation with other points thereupon depending he saith that the matter is d August de peccat mer. remiss lib. 2. cap. 36. DisputationeÌ„ desiderat eo moderamine tempe ratam vt magis inquisitio cauta lau litur quà m praecipitata reprehendatur assertio Vbi enim de re obscurissima disputatur non adinuantibuâ— diuinarum Scripturarum certu clarisquè documentis cohibere se debet humana praesuÌ„ptio nihil faciens in alteram partem declinando with such moderation to be handled as that a man may be rather commended for inquiring warily then reprooued for affirming rashly For sayth he where question is of a very obscure matter without the helpe of sure and euident testimonies or instructions of holy Scriptures the presumption of man is to withhold it selfe doing nothing by inclining either way But hee goeth on yet further e Ibid. Etsi enim quod libet horum quem admodum demonstrari explicari possit ignorem illud tamen credoquòd etiam hinc diuinorum eloquioruÌ„ clarssimae esset authoritat si homo illud sine dispendio promissa salutis ignorare non posset For albeit I know not how any of these points mentioned before may be declared and made plaine
that are far spred and are growne old are not to be set vpon in this sort because by long tract and continuance of time they haue had great oportunitie to steale the truth And therefore as touching all prophane heresies and schismes that are growne old we are in no sort to do otherwise but either to conuince them if need be by onely authoritie of Scripture or else to auoyde them being aunciently conuicted and condemned by generall Councell of Catholike Bishops Where we see that Vincentius affirmeth directly contrary to that that M. Bishop reporteth of him that heresies are not alwayes to be dealt with by those rules that he hath before set downe yea that heresies that haue continued long and haue bene farre spread are no otherwise to be conuicted but by onely authoritie of Scripture And thereof he giueth reason for that they haue had time and oportunitie to falsifie the rules of faith and to corrupt the bookes and writings of the auncient Fathers which heretikes alwaies labour to do so that the doctrine of faith cannot safely be ieoparded vpon their consent Now whatsoeuer M. Bishop and his fellowes dreame of this booke this rule doth so fit vs as if Vincentius had purposely studied to instruct vs in what sort we ought to deale against them and to iustifie the course that we haue vsed in that behalfe Antichrist hath set vp his kingdome aloft in the Church and the whoore of Babylon hath sitten like a Queene for many ages past She hath fulfilled that that was prophesied of her that h Apoc. 14.8 she should make all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornications i Chap. 17.2 The Kings of the earth haue committed fornication with her and the inhabitants of the earth haue bene drunke with the wine of her fornications She hath had k Gregor lib. 4. epist. 38 Rex superbiae propè est quod dici nefas est sacordotum est praeparatus exercitus c. an armie of Priests according to the saying of Gregorie an armie of Monkes and Friers of Schoolemen and Canonists who haue bin her agents and factors for the vttering of her merchandize and the vpholding of her state They haue vsed their endeuour to the vttermost for the corrupting l Erasm Epist ad Warram Archiepis Caniuar apud Hieron of the auncient monuments of the Church They haue made away many of the writings of the Fathers they haue falsified those that remaine they haue foisted in bastards and counterfeits vnder their names Most lewdly and shamefully m Ludou Viues de caus corrupt art Adscripta sunt Origeni Cypriavo Hieronymo Augustino quae ipsis nunquam ne per quiâ—tem quidem in mentem venerant indigna non solùm tantia ingenijs atque illa eruditione sed etiam seruis corâ— siquos Scythas habuerunt aut Seres they haue fathered vpon Origen Hierom Cyprian Austin the rest such things as they neuer dreamed of vnworthy not only of their conceit and learning but euen of their slaues if they had any that were Scythians and Barbarians By the names of such renowmed authors they haue sought to gaine credite to deuices of their owne such as the auncient Church was neuer acquainted with Now therefore Vincentius his rule standeth good on our part that inasmch as they haue had so long time and oportunitie to steale away the truth and to falsifie the Fathers writings therefore we are to conuict them by authoritie of Scripture onely knowing it to be true which Chrysostome saith that n Chrysost oper imperf in Math. hom 49. Ex quâ— heresis obtinuit Ecclesias nulla probatio potest esse verae Christianitatis neque refugium potest esse Christianorum aliud volentium cognoscere fidei veritatem nisi Scripturae diuine c Nullo modo cognoscitur volentibus cognoscere quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi tantummodo per Scripturas c. Sciens Dominus tantam confusionem rerum in nouissimis diebus esse futuram ideo mandat vt Christiani volentes firmitatem accipere fidei verae ad nullam rem fugiant nisi ad Scripturas Alioqui si ad alia respexerint scandalizabuntur peribunt non intelligentes qua sit vera Ecclesia per hoc incident in abhominationem desolationis qua stabit in sanctis Ecclesiae locis since heresies haue gotten foote in the Church there is no proofe of true Christianitie nor other refuge for Christians desirous to know the truth of faith but onely the Scriptures of God no way for them that are desirous to know which is the true Church of Christ but onely by the Scriptures Our Lord saith he knowing that there should be so great confusion of things in the last dayes doth therefore wil that Christians desirous to receiue assurance of true faith should flie to nothing but onely to the Scriptures Otherwise if they looke to any thing else they shall stumble and perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church and thereby shall light vpon the abhomination of desolation which shall stand in the holy places of the Church Now therfore we haue done nothing but that that in the course of Christianitie is iust and right to call the triall of the controuersies and questions of religion to the authoritie of the Scriptures onely and to teach men therein onely to repose the certaintie and assurance of their faith Albeit by the singular prouidence of almightie God it hath come to passe that in antiquitie as we haue the same remaining vnto vs there is yet light sufficient to discouer the apostasies abhominations of the Church of Rome to iustifie the truth of God against their falshood and lies and to make it appeare that we do rightly and truly apply the Scriptures to the reproouing and conuincing thereof as through this whole worke is most plainly and cleerly to be seene And this is so much the more manifest for that they themselues haue bene forced to complaine that they are faine o Index Expur in castig BertraÌ„ CuÌ„ in Catholicis veteribus alijs plurimos feramus errores extenuemus ex cusemus excogitato commento persaepe negemus et commodumijs sensuÌ„ affingamus dum opponuntur in disputationibus aut in conflictionibus cum aduersarijs c. to beare with very many errors as they call them in the old Catholike writers and to extenuate them to excuse them by some deuised shift to denie them and to set some conuenient meaning on them when they are opposed in disputations or in conflicts with their aduersaries In many questions we shew the antiquitie the vniuersalitie the vniforme consent and agreement of the auncient church for vs and against them and it is strange to see what poore and miserable shifts yea what impudent and shamelesse deuices they are driuen to and yet cannot auaile to suppresse the light thereof In a word it is plainly found that they haue no cause to bragge of
Church Now then the testimony of the present Church is made of equall like authority with the holy Scriptures and Bellarmine is in as pitifull a case as M. Bishop is For the testimonie of the present Church what is it but the testimony of the learned of the present Church therfore now the mindes of the learned are as good an oracle of truth as the Scriptures are If this be not so let vs heare from M. Bishop what else is to be said hereof for if traditions be to be receiued with like deuotion reuerence as those things that we are taught in Scripture then there must be somewhat or other to commend the same vnto vs with the like authority as the Scripture doth the rest and what that is we are desirous to vnderstand Now M. Bishop addeth two further exceptions against M. Perkins argument and they are such wise ones as that we may very well think them to be his own Secondly saith he they are commonly recorded of more then one of the fathers and so haue firmer testimonie then any one of their writings But what is this to M. Perkins his speech which is not restrained to any one of the fathers writings but taketh them iointly and inferreth it as an absurdity that the writings of the fathers being taken all together should be made equall in credit to the holy Scriptures Thirdly saith he a tradition being related but by one auncient father yet should be of more credit then any other of his owne inuention because that was registred by him as a matter of more estimation But what idle babling is this what maketh this to the clearing of the point in question He will haue vs to receiue traditions with the like pietie and reuerence as we doe those things that we are instructed by the Scripture He putteth a case of a tradition reported by one onely of the fathers He should hereupon haue answered how we can in that sort admit of such a tradition as Apostolicall but by yeelding the like credit to that one father as we do to the holy Scriptures But he like a man in a wood that knoweth not which way he is to go telleth vs that this tradition is of more credit then any other of his owne inuention because it was registred by him as a matter of more estimation O the sharpe wits of these Romish Doctours that can diue so deepe into matters and talke so profoundly that they themselues vnderstand not what they say To as little purpose is that which he addeth that if that tradition were not as it was termed some of the rest of the fathers would haue reproued it which when they did not they gaue it their interpretative consent to be Apostolicall tradition But let the consent be either interpretatiue or expresse what is this against the consequence of the argument which he taketh vpon him to answer that if we must receiue traditions in that sort as they require vs and haue no where to ground them but vpon the testimonie of the fathers then we must giue as much credit to the testimonie of the fathers as we do to the holy Scriptures I am forced thus odiously to inculcate the matter in question to make the ridiculous folly of this wrangler the more plainely to appeare who hauing nothing to say yet hath not so much wit as to hold his peace In this simplicity he goeth forward to answere the place of the Acts where Saint Paule is brought in saying c Acts. 26.22 I continue to this day witnessing both to small and great saying no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come In which words it is plaine that the Apostle professed in the preaching of the Gospell * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to say nothing without the compasse of those things which had beene before spoken by Moses and the Prophets M Bishop answereth that he meaneth onely of those things which he addeth That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead c. For these things saith he euidently foretold in holy writ he needed not to alledge any other proofe Yea but what other proofe doth he vse for any other doctrine Forsooth when he was to perswade them to abandon Moses law he then deliuered to them the decrees of the Apostles taught them to keepe them Yea but Paul preached a long while before those decrees of the Apostles were made as appeareth frō his conuersion in the ninth Chapter to the fifteenth Chapter where those decrees are made and all this while what other proofe did he vse but onely the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets Do we not thinke that this man hath wonderfully hardened both his heart to God and his face to men that can apply himselfe to write in this sort He well knoweth that the question is not here of new decrees but of old traditions what proofe the Apostle had or what ground of doctrine from the old testament but onely the Scriptures of the law and the Prophets The Apostle himselfe saith he had no other he taught nothing but according to the written bookes of the old testament according to that which elsewhere he saith that d Rom. 16.26 the Gospell was published amongst all nations by the Scriptures of the Prophets For a summarie briefe thereof he nameth the suffering and resurrection of Christ c. but he that saith that herewith he preached any thing but what was warranted by Moses and the Prophets maketh him to dally and to speake a manifest vntruth in that he saith that he spake nothing without the compasse of those things which Moses and the Prophets prophecied before Now the wise man for instance against this telleth vs that he deliuered the decrees of the Apostles and taught them to keepe them Which beside that it is nothing to the purpose as hath bene said doth also set forth his notable sillinesse and folly in that for proofe of traditions and doctrines vnwritten he bringeth the example of the Apostles decrees which are expresly mentioned to haue bene sent to the Churches in writing e Acts. 15.23 They wrote letters by them after this manner c. But in the height of his wisedome he goeth forward to proue the same by another speech When he instructed the Corinthians in the Sacrament of the Altar he beginneth with tradition saying I deliuer vnto you as I haue receiued from our Lord not in writing but by word of mouth Surely the mans head was wonderfull quaifie in the writing hereof or else we must thinke that he was in some traunce I deliuer vnto you not in writing but by word of mouth when notwithstanding in his Epistle he sendeth it to them in writing Or what doth he meane that the Apostle receiued it of our Lord not in writing but by word of mouth But what is that to the purpose when he deliuered
to be accounted of as those are to which Christ hath giuen witnesse by his owne word No otherwise therefore could he conceiue of the booke of Wisedome being of the same kinde and that he did so it plainly appeareth for that of that and the booke of Ecclesiasticus it was that he said that which before I mentioned that the bookes which are not in the canon of the Iewes are not alledged with so great authority against them that say against vs. And that this booke was not receiued in the Church as a booke of diuine authoritie appeareth by the very place which Maister Bishop citeth where it is shewed that Saint Austine citing a testimonie out of the said booke exception was taken against it c Aug. de praeâ—â— sanct cap. 14. Quod à me positum fratres istos ita respuisse dixistis tanquam non de libro canonico adhibituÌ„ For that it was taken out of a booke that was not canonicall S. Austine indeede pleadeth earnestly to gaine credit to it and alledgeth that of long time it had bene accustomed to be read in the Church and men had vsed to cite the testimonie of it as diuine but yet could not expresly say that euer it was reckoned for a Canonicall booke And as for those arguments M. Bishop is deceiued to thinke that they could proue it to be Canonicall because the booke of d Ruffinan exposit symb the Pastour was in like sort read in the Church as Ruffinus beareth witnesse in the place before alledged and yet was not accounted canonicall Scripture and Cyril and Ambrose cite the bookes of Esdras by the name of e Cyril cont Iulian lib. 1. Sic ait Scriptura diuinitùs inspirata c. Ambros de obitu frat Prophetico sermone dicitur c. â—epeto sacro Scriptura solatia tua de bono mort cap. 11 Ait propheta ad angelum c. holy Scripture and inspired of God and Ambrose calleth him by the name of a Prophet whereas Hierome calleth those bookes f Hieron praefat in Esdram Nehem. Nec apocryphorum tertij quarti libri sâ—mnijs delectetur dreames and wisheth no man to be delighted with them They vsed these bookes in their Sermons casually as we do thinking it not materiall to cite them for exhortation to the people howsoeuer they held them not of sufficient authority otherwise Therefore they cited them with condition sometimes g Hieron ad furiam Legunus in Iudith sicut tamen placet volumen recipere if we will receiue such or such a booke as Hierome doth the booke of Iudith and h Origen in Math. tract 30. Si recipitur liber qui dicit quoniaÌ„ sapientia est quae facta est populo columna nubis c. Origen the booke of Wisedome of which we here speake By these things therfore it is plaine enough that though Austin were not willing that authority should in that sort be detracted from any booke that was receiued publikely to be read in the Church yet that he was well able to discerne and so did which bookes were of diuine and infallible authority and which were to be accounted of inferiour and lesser worth iudging thereof in effect no otherwise then we do Now from this M. Bishop goeth to another cauill at that that M. Perkins saith that a man to come to know the Scriptures to be of God must first take and beleeue them so to be He saith that the mans wits were from home in so discoursing but the cause is because his wits serue him not to conceiue that which M. Perkins saith Very well and truly doth Saint Austine obserue that i Aug. in Ioan. tract 29. Jntellectus merces est fidei ergoâ—oli quaerere intelligere vt credas sed â—rede vt intelligas vnderstanding is the reward of faith Seeke not therefore saith he to vnderstand that thou maiest beleeue but first beleeue that thou maiest vnderstand He gathereth it from that which the Disciples say k Iohn 6.69 We beleeue and know that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God They first beleeue and in beleeuing they learne to know The beliefe of which Maister Perkins speaketh is the beliefe of a learner of whom in matters of other knowledge they are woont to say Oportet discentem credere the learner must beleeue There are in all Arts and Sciences certaine propositions and principles which the learner first accepteth vpon the word of him that teacheth him which notwithstanding afterwards he attaineth so to know as that if he that taught him should say any thing to the contrary he should thinke him beside himselfe and by no meanes yeeld to him as knowing that certainly now which he did at first beleeue Euen so is it in this case a man hauing it wrought out of his owne conscience that there is a God to whom honour and worship and seruice is due and that this God vndoubtedly hath some way reuealed wherein that honour and worship doth consist betaketh himselfe vpon the testimonie of the Church to the reading and hearing of the Scriptures and in the exercise thereof findeth and feeleth that to be true which was testified vnto him and saith l Psal 48.7 Like as we haue heard so haue we seene in the Citie of our God And as the Samaritans being drawn to Christ by the report of the woman after they had seene and heard him say m Iohn 4.42 Now we beleeue not because of thy saying for we haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeede the Messias the Sauiour of the world so this man being first brought to the Scriptures by the report of the Church and thereby beleeuing the same to be of God doth by his owne experience afterwards fully apprehend the truth and certainty of that report yea more then was reported so that he saith n Origen in CaÌ„t. hom 2. Per illos quidem audiui ad te autem veni tibi credidi apud queÌ„ muliò plura viderunt oculi mei quà m annunciabantur mihi By them I heard of thee and I came to thee and haue beleeued thee with whom mine eies haue seene much more then before was told me Therefore he resteth not his faith now vpon the Church but vpon God himselfe so that though the Church should slide backe and denie that which it hath before affirmed yet he standeth secure and chooseth rather to die a thousand times then to forgoe the comfort and hope that he hath conceiued by the Scriptures which were at first deliuered vnto him by the Church Thus Christian people haue beene woont to receiue the Scriptures of the hands of the Church wherein they haue liued without seeking any further approbation and warrant thereof because in the vse of them they haue giuen a sufficient warrant and testimonie of themselues So then we rest not the Scriptures vpon the discerning of priuate spirits as Maister Bishop idlely and vainely
stand good because nothing letteth but that Moses might commit to writting all that faith that Iob receiued by tradition Iob was g Ambros Offic. lib. 1. caep 36. Iob antiqutor Mose c. auncienter then Moses as Ambrose saith and might receiue the doctrine of faith by word and tradition of other men but yet we see that that faith is no other but what Moses after comprised in the written law Albeit what that tradition was hath bene i Sect. 1. before declared not resting in relation from one man to another but continually renewed and confirmed by reuelation and illumination immediatly from God being certainly corrupted by tradition where he did not graciously shew himselfe for the preseruation of it And as for other Gentiles whosoeuer they were that were saued after the writing of the Law they were saued onely by that faith which the scriptures of Moses and the Prophets haue described vnto vs. But M. Bishop not content to bring Moses alone for a patron of traditions telleth vs beside that not any law-maker in any country comprehended all in letters but established many things by custome therefore saith he it is not likely that our Christian law should be all written Where we may iustly hisse at his grosse and wilfull absurditie that will measure the Law-maker of heauen with the law-makers of the earth and by imperfection in the lawes of men will argue imperfection in the lawes of God No vnderstanding of man can either by laws or by customes prouide for all occurrents of the commonwealth but dayly there are arising and growing the occasions of new lawes and will he then frame the light of God to the measure of our darknesse And yet what lawmaker hath there bene or is there in the world who if he were able to comprehend an absolute perfection of all lawes would not certainly take course to set the same downe in writing as being the only secure and safe way for the perpetuating therof And if we will thus conceiue of any wise and reasonable man how much more should we attribute it to the wisedome of God that knowing the slippernesse and mutabilitie of the minds thoughts of men he would for safetie and assurance set downe in writing whatsoeuer he would haue to stand for law of worship and seruice towards him I need not to stand vpon this for the comparison is of it selfe so odious and absurd as that euery man may wonder that the mans discretion should faile him so far as to reason in this sort For conclusion of this section a toy took him in the head concerning somwhat said by M. Perkins in the sectiō before It was said that it should cal the prouidence of God in question to say that any part of Scripture should be lost M. Bishop answereth that God permitteth much euill True but he permitteth no euill iniurious to his owne glory M. Perkins supposeth out of that that was said before that all Scripture was at first written for our learning To say that it was intended for our learning and yet is now lost what is it but to call in question the prouidence of God His other answer that there should be no great losse because tradition might preserue that which was then lost is a temerarious and witlesse presumption contrary to the experience of all ages whereby it is found that nothing is continued according to the first originall which is deliuered by word only from man to man And his assertion is so much the more ridiculous in this behalfe for that he knoweth not any thing that Tradition hath preserued that was written in those bookes If Tradition haue preserued any thing thereof from being lost let him acquaint vs with it or if he cannot do so let him giue vs leaue to take him for that we finde him a meere babler giuing himselfe libertie to say any thing without feare or wit 20. W. BISHOP Now insteed of M. Perkins his fift reason for vs of milke and strong meate wishing him a messe of Pap for his childish proposing of it I will set downe some authorities out of the written word in proofe of traditions Our Sauior said being at the point of his passion * Iohn 16.12 that he had many things to say vnto his Apostles but they could not as then beare them * Acts 1. Our Sauior after his resurrection appeared often vnto his Disciples speaking with them of the kingdome of God of which little is written in any of the Euangelists * 1. Cor. 11. I commend you brethren that you remember me in all things and keepe the Traditions euen as I haue deliuered them to you * 1. Tim. 6. O Timothy keepe the depositum that is that which I deliuered thee to keepe * 2. Tim. 1. Hold fast by the holy Ghost the good things committed vnto thee to keepe which was as S. Chrysostome and Theophylact expound the true doctrine of Christ the true sence of holy Scriptures the right administration of the Sacraments and gouernement of the Church to which alludeth that auncient holy Martyr S. Irenaeus * Lib. 3. c. 4. saying that the Apostles layd vp in the Catholicke Church as in a rich treasury all things that belong to the truth S. Iohn who was the last of the Apostles left aliue said * Epist 3.13 that he had many other things to write not idle or superfluous but would not commit them to ink and pen but referred them to be deliuered by word of mouth And to specifie for example sake some two or three points of greatest importance where is it written that our Sauiour the Sonne of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the same substance with his Father Where is it written that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne as well as from the Father Where is it written that there is a Trinitie that is three persons really distinct in one and the very same substance And that there is in our Sauiour Christ Iesus no person of man but the substance of God and man subsisting in the second person of the Trinitie Be not all and euery of these principal articles of the Christian faith and most necessary to be beleeued of the learned and yet not one of them in expresse termes written in any part of the holy Bible Wherefore we must either admit traditions or leaue the highest mysteries of our Christian faith vnto the discretion and courtesie of euery wrangler as shall be more declared in the argument following R. ABBOT The messe of pap hath scalded M. Bishops mouth and he would faine put it off to M. Perkins He is ashamed of the childishnesse of this reason yet not denying it to be one of theirs but onely blaming M. Perkins his maner of proposing it whereas we imagine he would haue done it if he had knowne how to haue proposed it in better sort But because he is so desirous to passe it ouer let vs
3.15 Whatsoeuer things haue bene committed vnto thee by me keepe as the commandements of the Lord and diminish nothing thereof Now although those words haue reference to more then is written in those two epistles yet they haue not reference absolutely to more then is written because in the latter of those Epistles the Apostle plainly telleth him that q the Scriptures are able to make him wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus As for that which M. Bishop alledgeth out of Irenaeus it is nothing at all to his purpose He saith that r Iren. lib. 3. ca 4. Apostili quasi in depositoriuÌ„ dâ—ues plenissimè in Ecclesiae contuleruÌ„t omnia quae sunt veritatis the Apostles haue layd vp in the Church as in a rich treasury all things that belong to the truth but how they haue laid the same vp in the Church he hath before expressed Å¿ Ibid. cap. 1. The Gospell which they first preached they after by the will of God deliuered to vs in the Scriptures to be the foundation and pillar of our faith Thus then the Church is the treasury of truth by hauing the Scriptures which are the oracles of all truth His last authoritie is taken from the words of S. Iohn which he vseth in his two latter Epistles Hauing many things to write vnto you I would not write with paper and inke but I trust to come vnto you and speake with you mouth to mouth We see S. Iohns words but hard it is to say how we should conclude traditions from them S. Iohn wold write no more to them in that sort or in those Epistles but doth it follow hereof that he would teach them any thing that is not contained in the Scriptures He might haue many things to write vnto them according to the Scriptures and what should leade vs to presume that he should meane it of other things whereof we are taught nothing there In a word what is there in the citing of all these authorities but impudent and shamelesse abusing of ignorant men whilest for a colour he onely setteth them downe and for shame dareth not set downe how that should be inferred that is in question betwixt vs and them But to fill vp the measure of this illusion he goeth on yet further and by way of specification asketh Where is it written that the Sonne of God is of the same substance with the Father or that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne as well as from the Father or that there is a Trinitie that is three persons really distinct in one and the very same substance or that there is in Christ the substance of God and man subsisting in one second person of the Trinitie Absurd wilful wrangler where was it written which Christ said t Luke 24.46 Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name amongst all nations Where is it written in the Prophets which S. Peter alledgeth u Acts 10.43 To him giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall haue forgiuenesse of sinnes Where doe Moses and the Prophets say that which Saint Paul sayth x Ibid. 26.22.23 they do say that Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light to the people and to the Gentiles To come nearer to him he hath told vs before that the articles of our Beleefe are contained in the Scriptures But where is it written in the Scriptures that we should beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth or that we should beleeue in the holy Ghost or that there is a holy Catholike Church a communion of Saints I will say as he saith here Be not all these things necessary to be beleeued and yet not one of them in expresse termes written in any part of the holy Bible He will say that though they be not there written in expresse termes yet in effect and substance they are written there and are thereby to be declared and prooued and so he will verifie the words of our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles Peter and Paul in those citations of Moses and the Prophets Wizard and are not those other articles then written in the Scriptures because they are not written in expresse termes Did not the Fathers conceiue all those points of faith from the Scriptures and by the Scriptures make proofe of them Is it not the rule of their owne schooles which I haue before mentioned out of Thomas Aquinas that y Supra sect 12. concerning God nothing is to be said but what either in words or in sence is contained in the Scriptures What are we maintainers of traditions in saying that faith onely iustifieth that Christ onely is our Mediator to the Father that Saints are not to be inuocated nor their images to be worshipped because these things are no where written in expresse termes Let it not offend thee gentle Reader that I be moued to see a lewd man labouring by vaine cauillations to sophisticate and delude those that are not able to vnderstand his cosinage and fraud It is the cause of God and who can beare it patiently that the soules which Christ hath bought should be intoxicated with such charmes We do not say that nothing is to be beleeued but what is written in the Scriptures in expresse termes but we say that nothing is to be beleeued but what either is expressed in the Scriptures or may be proued thereby and therefore in oppugning traditions we oppugne onely such doctrines of faith as neither are expressed in the Scriptures nor can be proued by the Scriptures Let M. Bishop proue their traditions by the Scriptures and we will not reiect them for vnwritten traditions but will receiue them for written truth But of this see what hath bene said before in the twelfth section of this question and in the eleuenth section of the answer to his Epistle to the King 21. W. BISHOP The sixt and last reason for traditions Sundry places of holy Scriptures be hard to be vnderstood others doubtfull whether they must be taken literally or figuratiuely if then it be put to euery Christian to take their owne exposition euery seuerall sect wil coyne interpretations in fauour of their owne opinions and so shal the word of God ordained only to teach vs the truth be abused and made an instrument to confirme all errors To auoide which inconuenience considerate men haue recourse vnto the traditions and auncient records of the Primitiue Church receiued from the Apostles and deliuered to the posteritie as the true copies of Gods word see the true exposition and sence of it and thereby confute and reiect all priuate and new glosses which agree not with those ancient and holy commentaries so that for the vnderstanding
apparently false that y Tertul. contra Marc. lib. 4. Ascendit ad consultandos Apostolos ne fortè secunduÌ„ illos non credidisset non secundum illos euangelizaret Paul went to Hierusalem to consult with the Apostles lest haply he had not beleeued as they did or did not preach the Gospell as they did As though it were likely that the Apostle would haue continued his preaching for 17. years not knowing whether he preached right or wrong As though he knew not that which he preached to be the truth hauing receiued it as before is shewed by the reuelation of Iesus Christ That which Ierome saith must be esteemed according to the humor wherein he wrote it which was in great choler and stomacke towards S. Austin for disliking his opinion as touching Peters dissimulation mentioned in the chapter wherof we here speake His words are that z Hieron apud August Epi. 11. Ostendens se non habuisse securitateÌ„ Euangelij praedicandi nisi Petri illorum qui cum illo eraÌ„t fuisset sententia roboratum Paul had not had securitie of preaching the Gospell had it not bene confirmed by the sentence of Peter and those that were with him As though he had preached 17. yeares as before was said without warrant of preaching As though he expected confirmation now froÌ„ Peter or those that were with him who so long before had had confirmatioÌ„ froÌ„ Christ himselfe As though he became an Apostle by warrant of Peter those that were with him who in the beginning of his Epistle writeth himselfe a Gal. 1.1 Paul an Apostle not of men nor by man but by Iesus Christ with many other words before mentioned disclaiming the receiuing of any authority froÌ„ men Ieromes heat made him forget that which is before cited out of his exposition vpoÌ„ that Epistle that confereÌ„ce importeth equality therfore that the Apostle shewing that he went to confer with the rest of the Apostles importeth that he receiued of theÌ„ no warrant of authority but only by coÌ„sent As for that which is quoted out of S. Austine it maketh nothing to M. Bishops purpose b August cont Faust lib. 28. ca. 4 Si non inueniret in carne Apostolos quibus coÌ„muâ—icando cuÌ„ quibus EuangeliuÌ„ conferendo eiusdeÌ„ societatis esse appareres ecclesia illi omnino no crederet Sed cùm cognouisset eum hoc annuntiantem quod etiam illâ— annuntiabant et in eorum comunione atque vnitate viuentem accedentibus etiam per eum talibus signis qualia illi operabantur ita eam Domino coÌ„mendante â—â—ruit authoritateÌ„ vt verba illius hodie sic audiantur in ecclesia tanquam in illo Christus sicut ipse verissimè dixit lâ—cutus audiatur If there had bene no Apostles liuing that Paul in communicating with them and conferring with them of the Gospell might appeare to be of the same societie the Church would not haue beleeued him But when they knew him preaching the same which they preached and liuing in their vnity and fellowship doing also the same miracles which they did God thus commending it he obtained authority that his words are now heard in the Church as if Christ were heard speaking in him as he himselfe most truly saith In which words he attributeth to the rest of the Apostles the giuing of a testimonie that he was of the same societie and fellowship with them but importeth nothing at all of any their iudiciall power or superiority ouer him The occasion of the words will shew the purport of them Manicheus the heretike wrote an Epistle as the Apostle of Christ contrarying those things which were written by the true Apostles The Manichees vrged this Epistle as the true story of Christ alledging that the Gospels were corrupted and not true S. Austine questioneth how the Church should take him for an Apostle or admit that for truth which he wrote concerning Christ when as he liued not in the time of the Apostles nor was knowne to be one of them by hauing communion and fellowship with them For euen Paul saith he if he had liued after their times and had not bene knowne to haue society and company with them and by his preaching miracles together with them had not bene commended to the Church by God the Church could not haue taken him for an Apostle of Christ nor beleeued him vpon his owne word This is all that is said and nothing intended that the rest of the Apostles should giue him warrant as Iudges but only as witnesses testifie him to be one of them But now admit that they were as Iudges were to giue commission warrant to S. Paul what is it that M. Bishop would proue thereby Forsooth that there were some of authority for iudgement and deciding the controuersies of the Church Be it so but why doth he take paines for that which we do not denie Yea but it is that Peter may be knowne to be the Iudge Be it so that Peter amongst the rest was one yea a chiefe man amongst them because S. Paul saith that c Gal. 2.9 Iames and Peter and Iohn seemed to be pillars that is speciall and chiefe men amongst the Apostles Yea but that is not enough but Peter must be the high soueraigne Iudge and the rest only assistants helpers to him But that is apparently false because in that iudgment of which S. Paul speaketh Iames sate as the chiefe and accordingly pronounced the definitiue sentence d Chrysost in Act. hom 33. Iacobus fert non resilit illi erat principatus concreduus to him saith Chrysostome the principality or chiefty was committed Yet let vs yeeld so much that Peter was the highest Iudge in this assembly what of that Marry forsooth the Pope succeedeth in Peters place he must therefore be the one high supreme Iudge ouer all Churches This is the issue that M. Bishop driueth at but for his life cannot tell how to conueigh the Pope into S. Peters place This conclusion Bellarmine maketh out of three places that are here alledged quoting them only as M. Bishop doth froÌ„ him but citing no words saying of them that they e Bellar. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 5. Disertè affirmaÌ„t EcclesiaÌ„ noÌ„ fuisse Paulo credituraÌ„ nisi Euangelium eius à Peâ—â—o confirmatuÌ„ fuisset Ergo Petrâ— erat tunc proinde successâ—ris eius nunc de doctrina fidei expresly affirme that the Church would not haue beleeued Paul had not his Gospell bene confirmed by S. Peter Therefore it belonged to Peter then and now to his successour to iudge of the doctrine of faith Where we see him to be outright a Iesuite that is a man of a brazen face a wicked conscience for that he knew well that two of these do not mention Peter but speake generally of the Apostles the third which is Hierome nameth not Peter alone as
of the temple of the Lord. But it pitieth me to think of the sillinesse of this man in vpbraiding vs with not searching the writings of the auncient fathers of whoÌ„ I am perswaded that we may truly say that he neuer read so much as one volume of any one of the fathers had bene in pitifull case for the writing of this book had not Bellarmine bene content vpoÌ„ trust to lend him the whole stock Well he hath read them that haue read the fathers if they lie be it so he cannot tell how to help either himselfe or them Thus for the finding of a Iudge we came first to the Pope and from the Pope he hath brought vs to the councels from the councels to the writings of the fathers now froÌ„ the writings of the fathers he leadeth vs to the Church He alledgeth to this purpose two sayings of S. Austin The former vpon occasion of the question betwixt the Donatists him is thus m August cont Crescon lib. 1. ca. 33. Quisquis falli metuit istius obscuritate quaestionis candem ecclesiam de illa consulat quam sine vlla ambiguitate sancta Scripturae demonstrat Whosoeuer feareth to be deceiued by the obscurity of this question let him seeke for aduice to that same Church which without any ambiguity the holy Scripture doth demonstrate and point out We admit the condition we willingly hearken to the iudgement of that Church in obscure points which we do not readily vnderstand we highly esteeme the censure of that Church which otherwise by the Scripture is demonstrated to be the true Church S. Austine in those words hath reference to the whole Church from the time of the Apostles very rightly directeth him that was not able otherwise to discerne to presume that to be the truth which from the very originall had bene continued and practised in the Church This serueth not M. Bishops turne because it fitteth not to M. Bishops Church No more doth that other place which he citeth n IdeÌ„ cont epist funda cap. 5 Ego verò Euangelio non credereÌ„ nisi me Catholicae ecclesiae coÌ„mcueret authoritas I should not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authority of the catholike Church should moue me to it M. Bishop before hand telleth vs that S. Austin did not speak this as touching his being at first a Christian but euen now being a learned and iudicious Doctor he would not beleeue but for the authority of the Church But very lewdly doth he abuse S. Austine in making him so to say as if he had resolued that it being supposed that the Church should backslide and fall away he himselfe also would play the Apostata and fall away from the faith of Christ What was his faith built vpon men and not vpon God himselfe Did he not know that though o Rom. 3.4 euery man be a liar yet God is true What if the whole world had conspired against the booke of God as not long before by Arianisme it had against the Sonne of God when Constantius the Emperour said to Liberius Bishop of Rome concerning Athanasius p Theodoret hist li. 2. ca. 16. Quota pars tiles orbis terrarum qui solus facis â—â—m homine scelerato Liberius NoÌ„ dimnuitur solitudine mea verbum fidei Who art thou to the whole world who thus alone standest with a wicked man Liberius though afterwards he yeelded yet for that time answered well The word of faith is no whit impeached by my being alone and would not think we S. Austine beare the like minde howsoeuer all other sell away yet constantly to cleaue to that which he knew to be the truth It is not all M. Bishops foolish Rhetorick that can make vs to beleeue that S. Austin would make any such protestation to that effect Yea and were not both he his fellowes very absurdly wilfull they would well enough see as haply they do by that which goeth before and that which followeth that it can be no otherwise construed but as in the person of a man at first receiuing the Christian faith to whoÌ„ it is no small motiue thereunto that the same faith hath found credit entertainment throughout the whole world But the words themselues shall best declare to what purpose they were set down q IdeÌ„ vt supra Si inuonires aliquem qui Euangelio nonduÌ„ credit quid faceres dicenti tibi Non credo Ego verò Euangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae ecclesiae commoueret authoritas Quibus ergo obtemperaui diceÌ„tibus Credite Euangelio cur eis non credereÌ„ diceÌ„tibus mihi Noli credere Maniâ—haeo Elige quod vâ—lis Si dixeris crede Catholicis ipsi me monent vt â—ullam fidem accoÌ„modeÌ„ vobis c Si dixeris Noli Catholicis credere noÌ„ rectè facies per EuangeliuÌ„ mo cogere ad fidem Manichaei quia ipsi Euangelio Catholicis praedicantibus credidi If thou shouldest find any man who yet beleeueth not the Gospell what wouldest thou do to him saying vnto thee I do not beleeue Surely I should not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authority of the catholike Church should moue me vnto it Whom then I haue hearkened vnto saying vnto me Beleeue the Gospell why should I not hearken to them saying to me Beleeue not Manicheus Chuse whether thou wilt If thou wilt say Beleeue theÌ„ of the catholike Church they giue me warning to giue no trust to you If thou wilt say Do not beleeue theÌ„ of the catholike Church thou shalt not do well to force me by the Gospel to the faith of Manicheus because by the preaching of them of the catholike Church I haue beleeued the Gospell We see that both the propounding and the processe of these whole words do cry out against M. Bishop and as it were with loud voice do proclaime that S. Austins meaning was no other but that the consent and authority of the Church ouerspreading the whole world was at first a mighty strong inducement vnto him to beleeue that Gospell wherein all so constantly did accord because it could not be taken but to be of God which had gotten that estimation and account with so many nations and peoples of so strange and diuers dispositions Marke the words gentle Reader What wouldest thou do to him saying I do not beleeue Surely I should not beleeue vnlesse c. vnto whoÌ„ I hearkned saying Beleeue the Gospel c. By the preaching of them I beleeued the Gospel The thing is apparent vnto any man that doth not stop his owne eies that he may not see And hereof most holily deuoutly the same S. Austin speaketh in his confessions to God euen as it were to tell vs the meaning of these words r IdeÌ„ Confess lib. 6 cap. 5 Semper credidi esse te curam nostri gerere etiamsi ignorabam vel quid sentiendum esset de substaÌ„tia tua vel quae
vicious burning lust they vow not against gluttony drunkennesse Simony periurie robbery these things being of the diuell hinder not but that they may sacrifice because their r Triderit Concil sess 6 cap. 1. Oblatio munda quae nulla indignitate aut malitia offerentium inquinari potest sacrifice is so cleane as that it cannot be defiled with any indignity or euill of them that offer it only in mariage being the institutioÌ„ of God there is that impurity pollution as by no means may staÌ„d with the grauity maiesty of their Priestly function But to them belongeth that of Ignatius Å¿ Ignat epist ad Philadelp S. quis vnum dicit DeuÌ„ confitetur Iesum ChristuÌ„ corruptionem coinquinationem vâ—caâ— legitimam coÌ„mixtionem fâ—â—orum procreationeÌ„ huiusmodi habet inhabitaterem draconem apostatam If any man professe one God and confesse Iesus Christ and do call the lawfull coniunction of man and woman and the procreation of children a corruption or defilement the same hath the apostaticall dragon dwelling in him Now then of such spirits the Apostle speaketh as wherewith the Romish doctrine is now inspired not directly condemning the institution of mariage but by obliquity of words impeaching disgracing it as too base vnfitting for the eminent purity and holinesse of some sorts of men And against such spirits was that Canon made that goeth with other vnder the name of the Apostles t Canon Apost cap. 6. Episcopus aut presbyter propriaÌ„ vxorem nequaquam subobteÌ„tu religionis abijciat Si verò retecerit excommunicetur si perseuerauerit deijciatur Let not a Bishop or a Priest put away his wife vnder pretence of religion if he so do let him be excommunicated and if he preseuer let him be deposed So did the councel of Gangra decree u Concil Gangrens ca. 4 Siquis discernit presbyterum coÌ„â—ugatuÌ„ tanquam occasione nuptiarum quòd offerre non debeat ab eius oblatione ideò se abstinet anathema sit If any man make difference of a maried Priest as if by reason of his mariage he shold not minister doth therfore withhold himselfe from his ministration accursed be he This did Pope Hildebrand that firebrand of hell who x Math. Parisan Williel Conq. Presbyteros vxâ—ratos à diuino remouit officio laicis Missas eorum audire inter dixit nouâ— exemplo c. put away maried Priests from doing diuine seruice and forbad to be present at their seruice in those steps the Church of Rome still walketh hath the same curse still lying vpoÌ„ her till this day By this it appeareth how farre it is from truth which M. Bishop saith that they haue a reuerend opinion of mariage when in effect they iudge no otherwise thereof theÌ„ the Montanists did nor any otherwise at all but onely that they appropriate their opinion to some sorts of men whereas the Montanists deemed alike concerning all As for that which he saith that the Protestants hold mariage to be a moral contract only he speaketh it but according to the skil that he hath in the ProtestaÌ„ts doctrine which is very little or none at all but what his maisters haue reported of them The Protestants teach as God himselfe hath taught that mariage is y Prou. 2.17 the couenant of God and that they who are ioyned in lawful mariage z Mat. 19.6 are ioyned by God and therefore that it is more then a morall that is a ciuil and humane contract He goeth on and telleth vs what the cause is why their votaries may not marry not because mariage is not honorable saith he but because they haue solemnly promised to God the contrary But therein he lieth vnto God and talketh dissemblingly because albeit they are content to say indefinitely that mariage is honorable yet denie it to be honorable in some states of men and do therefore bind them from it by vow because they hold it dishonorable for them It is not as he fraudulently saith that therefore they may not marry because they haue vowed the contrary but therefore they make them vow because they hold that in that state of life they may not marry yea do hold it for a pollution and vncleannesse in them Whereas he saith that in vowing against mariage a man doth better then if he had maried how true it is appeareth commonly by the effects To vow against the ordinance of God which he hath appointed for an infirmitie which cannot be auoided what is it but to bid battell to God and madly to fight against him God hath said If they cannot abstaine let them marry to vow against that that God hath said that though he cannot containe yet he will not marry is to sinne desperately against God As for that which he alledgeth for his purpose out of Austin it belongeth not thereto Austine speaketh nothing there of vowing neither doth he so fully and perfectly there tell vs the meaning of the Apostles words because he examineth not the circumstances of them He accounteth virginitie and continencie of single life a superiour good to mariage and we denie it not as hath bene a Answer to the Epistle sect 8. before said as touching preferment and priority of gift but excellency of gifts is a matter of externall preheminence and preferment with men not of internall righteousnesse towards God neither is a man the better for the hauing but only for the well vsing of them Saint Austin neuer thought that either virginitie or the vow of virginity was acceptable to God for it selfe and howsoeuer we accord not with him as touching the vowing thereof yet vnderstanding virginitie and single life with that implication as he doth as hauing more commodiousnesse and oportunitie to serue God and being vsed accordingly there shal be small difference betwixt him and vs and this will be nothing for M. Bishops turne because this preferment is onely accidentall by consequence and vse not essentially belonging to virginitie for it selfe 9. W. BISHOP M. Perkins his third and last text is * Heb. 13.4 Mariage is honorable among all and the bed vndefiled The strength of this place lieth in a double corruption of the text for this verbe is is not in the text nor cannot be the course of the Apostles speech requiring a verbe of the Imperatiue Mood as both the sentences before and after do conuince Againe if you will haue the Apostle say that mariage is honorable among all men we must also needs take him to say that the bed is also vndefiled among all which was not true Also that their conuersation was without couetousnesse c. For there is no reason why this word is should be ioyned with the one more then with the other And nothing but passion doth cause them to make the middle sentence an affirmatiue when they turne both the other into exhortations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second corruption is in these
ministerio Paul is not abashed in one of his Epistles to speake to his wife which he did not lead about with him because he needed not much to be ministred vnto The words which he meaneth are to the Philippians i Phil. 4.3 I beseech thee faithfull yoke-fellow helpe those women which laboured with me in the Gospell It is true that in respect of that power that he had of himselfe for containing he saith k 1 Cor. 7.7 I would that all men were euen as I my selfe am but these authors as we see haue holden that for no necessary proofe but that Paul might be married also as the rest were Yea but all of them saith M. Bishop after their following of Christ abstained from the company of their wiues But that is more then Master Bishop can proue yea Clemens Alexandrinus against those Heretickes before mentioned condemning mariage asketh thus l Clem. Alex. vt supra An etiam Apostolos reprobaÌ„i Petrusenim Philippus filioâ— procrearuÌ„t Philiopus autem filias quoque suas viris tradidit Do they also reiect the Apostles For Peter and Philip begat children and Philip bestowed his daughters to husbands And this of Peter is confirmed by the legend of the Romane Church which amongst many notable lyes counterfeit stories lighted no doubt vpon some truth The Legend recordeth that Peter had a daughter named from his owne name giuen him in his Apostleship Petronella which in the time of the persecution by Domitian the Emperour was much desired by Flaccus a noble man and thereby appeareth to haue bene then but young whereas if she were not born after the time that Peter was an Apostle she must needes be aboue threescore yeares old it being no lesse from the time that Peter was called to the time of that persecution And to giue the more likelihood hereof we find it certaine that Peter led his wife with him from place to place where he preached as did also other of the Apostles whereof the Apostle S. Paul speaketh manifestly m 1. Cor. 9.5 Haue we not power to leade about a sister being a wife as well as the rest of the Apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas M. Bishop will say he meant it not of wiues but of other deuout women as though it were not more likely that the Apostles hauing wiues should lead about their owne wiues rather then strange women Yea and the words of the Apostle conuict it so to be vnderstood who would not be absurd in speech to say a sister being a woman and therefore must needs be taken to say a sister being a wife therfore they that take it otherwise are faine to falsifie misplace the Apostles words as the vulgar Latin doth And whereas they are wont to say that those deuout women shold go about with the Apostles to minister vnto theÌ„ of their substance as some did to our Sauior Christ it cannot be the meaning of the Apostle here because he speaketh here of a power whereby he might burden the Church with himself and his but the going about of such women with theÌ„ had bene the disburdening of the Church Yea such women should haue bin said to haue followed them not to be led about by theÌ„ neither would the Apostle haue spoken singly as of one because it could not but haue caused suspitioÌ„ obloquy to go one with one saue only with their owne wiues And thus Clemens Alexandrinus in the place before cited vnderstaÌ„deth it of the Apostles wiues sheweth the cause why the Apostles tooke theÌ„ with them n Clem. Strom. lib 3 Ministraturae apud mulieres quae â—â—mos custoâ—tebant per quas etiam in gynaecaeum alsque reprehensione malauè suspitione ingredi posset doctrina Domini to minister to women which kept the houses that by them the doctrine of the Lord without reproofe or euill suspition might enter into the closets of women This was the speciall cause of their leading theÌ„ about in that respect Clement saith that o Jbid. Non vt vxores sed vt soreres circumducebant they led them not as wiues but as sisters not in regard that they were wiues onely but for that they were also sisters in the faith of Christ in the hope of the Gospell and thereby meet for that vse which was the thing properly intended in the leading of them But hereby he sheweth that certaine it is that the Apostles led their wiues about with theÌ„ so namely the Apostle S. Peter of whom he hath before said as we haue heard that he also begat children and when afterward his wife was put to death for the faith of Christ he was there present as the same Clement also testifieth in another place did p Idem Sirom lib. 7. Cum vides sei vxorem suâ—a duci ad mortem c. exhortanis consolando proprio nomine eam compellans dixit Heus tu memento Domini Tale erat beatorum matrimonium vsque adamicissâ—ma perfecta affectio Vide Euseb hist lib â— cap. 27. exhort and comfort her and calling to her said O wife remember the Lord Iesus Such saith he was the mariage of such blessed persons and their perfect affection euen to the greatest amitie Now last of all M. Bishop for example nameth the best Christians in the purest antiquitie liuing perpetuall virgins he citeth for it Iustin Martyr and Tertullian when he taketh it indeed from the fantastical dream of his owne idle head Of the best Christians neither of them saith a word onely they say that some did liue virgins and vnmarried amongst theÌ„ to shew how far they were from the fornications incests which were vsually practised amongst the Pagans Iustin hauing said that by the doctrine of Christ he that looketh vpon a womaÌ„ to lust after her hath committed adulterie with her in his heart that not onely the committing of adulterie but also the will and desire thereof maketh a man reiected of him inferreth these words q Iust Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely many with vs both men and women of threescore or seuenty yeares who from their childhood haue learned the doctrine of Christ do continue vncorrupt and I glory that in all sorts of our men I can shew such The Translator to vncorrupt hath added coelibes vnmaried but there is no reason by the words of Iustin to vnderstaÌ„d any thing else but that they kept themselues vncorrupt froÌ„ fornication vncleannes which it was hard to find that any amongst the Pagans to such yeares had done But yet of that I will not contend onely I say that taking the words of vnmaried persons here is nothing said that either they were the best or better theÌ„ any other No more is there in the words of Tertullian who taxing the fornications incestuous filthines of the Pagans saith r Tertul. Apolo cap. 8. cap. 9. Nos ab