with his owne rodde and to shew that he careth not what he saith so that it serue his present turn howsouer it crosse him otherwhere Yet further Caluin noteth elsewhere that Christ could not get any other to be his disciples then some certaine poore fellowes of the refuse and dregges of the people Marke the text gentle Reader vpon which Caluin giueth that obseruation o Luk. 7.29 Then all the people that heard and the Publicanes iustified God being baptised with the baptisme of Iohn but the Pharisees and the interpreters of the law despised the counsell of God against themselues and were not baptised of him Heereupon hee saieth p Calu. ibid. Hoc quidem primo aspectu Euangelij gloriam valde obscurat immò deformat quòd discipulos Christus nō nisi ex faece populi quisquilijs colligere potuit qui autem sanctitate vel doctrina praestabant ipsum repudiabant sed dominus hoc initio specimen edere voluit ne vel illius aetatis homines vel posters Euangelium aestimarent humana probatione This at first sight obscureth the glory of the Gospell yea disgraceth it that Christ could get no other disciples but of the dregges and refuse of the people and that they who excelled in learning and holinesse did refuse him But God by this beginning would giue token that neither they then nor others afterward should esteeme the Gospell by humane approbation Now why doth M. Bishop dislike of this obseruation What doth he finde that Christ had Popes to be his Disciciples or that like a Pope he had Cardinals fellowes to Kings and Emperours to attend him The Pharisees could say by way of preiudice against him q Ioh. 7.48 Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeue in him but this people which know not the law contemptuously pointing at them which n Idem de bono perseuer ca. 14. Quoniam vt crederent non erat eis datum etiam vnde crederent est negatum followed him are cursed Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith to his father r Matt. 11.25 I thanke thee O father Lord of heauen earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent of this world and hast opened them to babes See heere the wise the Prudent the Rulers the Pharisees they all refuse Christ but the people the poore babes sinners ſ Matt. 9.10 21.32 publicans and harlots they are noted to receiue him And is M. Bishop offended that these are tearmed dregges and refuse or whatsoeuer they were doth not his wit serue him to vnderstand that Caluin speaketh comparatiuely according to the conceite of the world which held these to be but refuse and dregges in comparison of the other Had he neuer read the words of the Apostle t 1. Cor. 1.26 Brethren yee see your calling that not many wisemen after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty and vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to naught things that are that no flesh should reioice in his presence Harken heere M. Bishop foolish things weake vile despised things that are not what are these in account but dregges and refuse God hauing so disposed that it might appeare that the calling of his grace is not afforded according to any degrees of worldly titles What shall we then hold it but a pange of a distempered braine which M. Bishop sheweth in his censure following seeme not these execrable notes to issue from the pen of some malicious Iew or ranke Atheist Yea but these he telleth vs are but flea-bitings in comparison of those that fellow And what are those forsooth vpon the words of our Sauiour u Matt. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this cup passe from mee Caluin obserueth first that this praier of Christ was vnaduisedly made But that is first according to M. Bishops woont a meere vntruth Praier vnaduisedly made is a matter oferrour and sinne but this Caluin calleth x Caluin ibid. Votum abruptum fuisse fatemur Votum illud subitò elapsum castigat ac reuocat a desire abruptly conceiued which by and by more plainely he tearmeth a desire sodeinely passing from Christ which may be without sin and so was in Christ being drawen out of his pure and vndefiled soule only by horrour of his passion and extreme importunity of his greefe y Mat. 26 37. He began faith Saint Mathew to be sorrowfull and grieuously perplexed z Mar. 14.33 He was afraid saith Marke and in great heauinesse and said My soule is verie heauy euen vnto death Now being thus infinitely surcharged with griefe euen vnto deathes doore his agony being such and so crushing the whole power of nature as that a Luk. 22 44. his sweat was like droppes of blood trickling downe to the ground he praieth as Saint Marke speaketh that if it were possible that houre might passe from him Abba Father all things are possible vnto thee take away this cup from me O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe away from mee thus by instinct of vncorrupted nature shrinking backe from the feeling and experience of that to which notwithstanding by voluntary obedience he both before and then present did submit himselfe saying Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt be done b Caluin ibid. Eadem vehementia praesentem coelestis decreti memoriam illi abstulit vt non reputaret in ipso momento se hac lege missum esse generis humani redemptorem The same vehemency of griefe saith Caluin tooke away from him the present remembrance of the heauenly decree so that in the very moment hee did not weighwith himselfe that vpon this condition namely with condition of drinking this cup hee was sent to be the Redeemer of mankinde By which words Caluin doth not import that Christ had habitually forgotten Gods decree but that by meanes of the excesse of his griefe hee did not for the present actually fixe his minde vpon it c Ibid. sicut saepegrauis anxietas caliginem oculis obducit ne simul in mentem veniant omnia as saith he great heauinesse doth often cast a mist before the eies so that all things come not to minde at once Now M. Bishop reporteth these words as if Caluin had said that Christ absolutely had forgotten the decree then which hee intended nothing lesse and not contented therewith hee addeth another falsification that he remembred not for the time that he was sent to be the Redeemer of mankinde whereas Caluin addeth with this condition namely with condition of vndergoing that heauy burden So far was Christ heere from forgetting that he was sent to be the Redeemer of mankinde as that his words may
turpitudinem operantes c. Vide eund de Conuers ad Clericos ca. 29. being giuen ouer to a reprobate sense saith Bernard they doe the things which are not conuement for it is a shame saith he to name the things which are done in secret euen by the Bishops men with men working filthinesse and receiuing the recompence of their owne errour Of this holy Clergy Clemangis to be short saith that he was h Ibid. Nonest apud me dubiuÌ„ plures nunc latrones in ecclesia repertum iri quam veros pastores Et postea Sacrorum eloquiorum studia cum suis professoribus in risum atque lâ—â—r brium omnibus versa sunt praesertim pontificibus qui suas traditiones diuinis longè man datis anteponunt Iam illud egregium praeclarissimum praedicandi officium solis quoâ—dam pastoribus attributum eisque maximè debitum ita apud eos viluit vt nihil magis indignâ—â— aut magis suae dignitatierubescendum existiment Et post Siquis bodie desidiosus est siquis à labore abhorrens siquis in otio luxuriari volens ad sacerdotium conuolat c. out of doubt that there were more theeues than true pastours that the studies of sacred Scriptures together with the professours thereof were with them become a matter of laughter and mockery specially with their Popes or Bishops who prefer their owne traditions far before Gods commandements that the most excellent duety of Preaching which was woont onely to belong vnto the Pastours was become so vile and base with them as that they thought nothing more vnworthy nothing whereof they were to be more ashamed that if there were a lasie fellow that would not worke and did desire to liue idlely and riotously he became a Priest and being so ioyned himselfe to the other voluptuous Priests who liuing rather after the rule of Epicurus than of Christ and diligently frequenting Ale-houses and Tauernes did spend their time in drinking in feasting and banquetting in playing at tables and tennise and being full gorged and drunke did fight and brawle and tumult and with foule mouths blaspheme the names of God and his Saints and thus ordered did come from their harlots company to the altar of God Thus Clemangis two hundred yeeres ago described the state of the Popish Clergy and it were infinite to set downe what others also haue written to the same effect and may we not iustly returne M. Bishops words vpon himselfe Are not these goodly lampes of the old religion as they call it and likely men to be chosen by Christ to giue light to others As for deuout religious soules we neede not doubt to affirme that they are farre more with vs than either Clergy or Cloister euer bred with them far moe remooued from the world not by place but by affection and conuersation wherein is that true retired life which Christ hath commended vnto vs. And for their Monkish life we are not desirous to be followers or partakers of it The filthinesse thereof was such as that it might well be said of their religious which of old was said of the Canaanites i Leu. 18.25 The Land was defiled by them therefore God visited their wickednesse vpon them and the land spued them out Clemangis noteth of their Monkes that k Clemang vt supra Quanto magis inter caeteros ecclesiae filios ex votis suae religiâ—nis perfecti esse debebant c. tantò ab his omnibus rebus licet eos videre magis alienos magis videlicet tenaces â—agis auaros magis seculari rei versis retrorsum animis immixtâ—s magis insuper lubricos indisciplinatos dissolutes inquietos c. nihil illis aequè odiosum quà m cella claustrum lectio oratio regula religio Quocirca monachi sunt exteriori habitu sed vita sed operibus sed internae conscientiae spurcitia à perfectione longissimè disiuncti whereas by the vowes of their religion they should haue beene more perfect than other more withdrawen from the world more continent more obedient they were so much the further off from all these things more holding more couetous more giuen to the world as hauing their mindes turned quite backeward more wanton vnmannerly dissolute vnquiet nothing so hatefull to them as their cell and cloister as reading and praying as their rule and religion being Monkes in outward habit but in life in workes by inward filthinesse of conscience far distant from perfection Hee saith anon after that l Ibid. De monialibus plura dicere verecundia prohibet ne non de coetu virginum deo dicataruÌ„ sed magis de lupanaribus de dolis procacia meretricum de stupris incestuosis operibus prolixè sermonem trahamus Nam quid obsecro aliud sunt hoc tempore puellarum monasteria nisi quaedam non dico dei sanctuaria sed veneris execranda prosâ—ibula sed lâ—sciuorum impudicorum iuuenum ad explendas libidines receptacula vt idem sit hodie virginem velare quod publicè ad scortandum exponere of their Nunnes he was a shamed to speake lest he should make long speech not of companies of virgins dedicated to God but rather of stewes and brothell houses of the wiles and bold impudency of harlots of whoredome and incest For what else are the Monasteries of virgins saith he but the accursed stewes of Venus receptacles of wanton and vnchast yoong men for the fulfilling of their lusts so as that it is all one at this day to veile a virgin as to set her foorth to be a common whoore m Specul eccle Pont. ex Theodorico de Nâ—em Fornicantur quamplures huiusmâ—di Monialium cum eisdem suis Pralatis ac Monachis in ijsdem Monasterijs plures parturiunt filios filias quos ab eisdem Praelatis Monachis incestuoso coitu conceperunt They play the harlots saith Niem with their Prelats and Monkes and bring foorth in their Monasteries or Nunneries many sonnes and daughters which are incestuously by them begotten But let me giue ouer and not striue too long where there is such a filthy stinke If this be the extraordinary piety and deuotion which M. Bishop commendeth let him take it to him and his we will content our selues with that ordinary course and condition wherein Christ and his Apostles and the first Christians did liue And in conforming our selues to them we doubt not but that we are to God a true Christian congregation howsoeuer to M. Bishop wee seeme strange who should rather thinke strange of his owne dreame that Christ hath specially chosen them of whom he neuer spake and whose life hath beene and is no other but the dishonour of the name of Christ whose example is pernicious vnto men and whose praiers proceeding from so vncleane thoughts cannot but be lothsome vnto God Whether therefore wee consider the persons that serue God or the place where he is serued or the maner of his Diuine
and assembling of the persons for the performance of that seruice The Church may be visible the former way when it is not visible the latter because it may be seene and knownen that there are many persons of such deuotion though they be not seene in any assembly for the practise of their deuotion In this sort there haue beene alwaies some either few or moe either one where or other who to the world though with perill and losse of their liues haue giuen testimony of the truth of God If we will vnderstand visible the latter way we must consider that the church it selfe may be spoken of diuersely either as touching the title of outward vocation and calling or as touching the sinceritie and truth of profession and faith There may be a church as touching outward calling visible to the world which yet doth not preserue that integrity truth of faith whereby it first became a church There may be a people tied by couenant vnto God and by Sacraments professing in their assemblies to serue him who yet vnfaithfully peruert the seruice of God and depart from that way of religion which he hath taught them In this outward state and condition of the Church it is to be remembred which our Sauiour Christ saith k Math. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen the multitude generally taking vpon them to be called the people of God when few of them are so indeed in so much that the Prophet Esay cried out concerning the Church of Israel l Esay 10.21 Rom. 9.27 Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant shall be saued For euen in the profession of true religion and where the word of God hath publicke maintenance and state yet how few are there commonly who care to bring foorth the fruits thereof in holy conuersation Albeit it falleth out further also many times that this outward face of the church is beraied with the filth of manifold superstitions and idolatries that true doctrine is reiected and in place thereof humane traditions and inuentions are set vp and magnified whilest men neglect and forget the couenant of God and will needes vse their owne wits for seruing him Yea so far they proceed in the admiration and liking of their owne doings as that they hate the truth and become persecutours of them who continue constant therein and refuse to ioine with them to be partakers of their sinne Thus it came to passe in Israel by the sinne of Ieroboam and much more by the sinne of Ahab and in Iudah by the Apostasie of Manasses who brought abhomination into the temple of God and set vp idols there to be worshipped instead of God At which time the case so stood as that Israel and Iudah hauing both cast off the yoake of the law of God broken the bounds that he appointed them there was no publike state of true religion throughout the whole world The publike state and gouernement of the same church of the Iewes the onely visible church refused the preaching of Christ preferred their owne traditions before Gods commandement and pronunced sentence of death against the Sonne of God They onely were the people of God the Church of God but perfidiously they rebelled against God and refused to be guided by his word But yet amidst all this Apostasie and defection of the church the calling of God did not become vaine neither was his couenant of circumcision without effect but still he had a remnant in whom he was glorified m 1. King 19.18 seuen thousand in Israel though vnknowen to Elias who had not bowed their knee vnto Baal in Iudah many who continued stedfast in the testimony of God in the pursute of whom Manasses is said n 2. King 21.16 to haue shed innocent blood exceeding much and to haue replenished Ierusalem therewith from corner to corner In a word at the comming of Christ amongst a huge heape of chaffe there were some graines of wheat some few faithfull that o Luk 2.38 23.51 waited for redemption and for the kingdome of God Now then where the church importeth them only that are professours of Gods true religion there the church is sometimes visible and somtimes inuisible visible one where another where inuisible For true religion sometimes hath publike state maintenance and the assemblies and congregations for exercise thereof are apparant to all mens eies that whosoeuer will may resort vnto them But sometimes hypocrisie getteth the vpper hand and vnder the name of the Church challengeth to it selfe the places of publike assemblie driuing out from thence synceritie and truth and suffering nothing to be done there but for it owne behoofe Heere then the professours of truth are faine p 1. King 18.4 Heb. 11.37.38 to hide their heads and to keepe themselues in corners and by stealth onely to assemble and meete together It falleth out heere many times that they are forced with Elias q 1. Kin. 19.3 to flie for their liues and because they are watched and waited for to be drawen to death therefore doe betake themselues to places where so neere as may be they may saue each to other neither be knowne nor seene In this case therefore the church that is the professours of the true faith and religion of the Church are said to be inuisible not for that they are meerely to mens eyes inuisible as is the Church in the first sense before named but because it is not to bee seene in publike state and assembly in free open profession as in times of peace and liberty it is woont to be For that otherwise they are visible appeareth plainly in that they liue continually subiect to the malignity of their aduersaries to indignity and reproch to bonds and imprisonment to cruell massacrees tortures and death all which they should auoid if they were wholly out of sight But this inuisibility of the church is not to be considered onely in the church persecuting the church the worse part thereof the better r August de doct Christ l. 3. cap. 32. Corpus domini verum atque simulatum the counterfeit body of Christ as Saint Austin calleth it the true but also when by foreiners and strangers attempt is made against the whole church For so it is sometimes that the whole name of the church of God is impugned and the aduersary vseth all his might vtterly to extinguish the memoriall thereof God by this meanes making triall of his and exercising their faith and patience and bringing iust reuenge vpon hypocrites who abuse his calling and grace to the doing of their owne will Heere then God giuing way to the enemy the outward state of the church is wholy ouerthrowen the publike exercise of religion is altogether interrupted and broken off and the members of the church though they be seene and knownen as such a people yet are not seene in the condition of the
seruice M. Bishop sheweth himselfe to be a man of a leaud and dishonest tongue that will make any comparison of the Church of Rome to our Church And thus we are come to an end of his long preface wherein what mature iudgement he hath shewed concerning a matter of so great moment it remaineth for the Reader to iudge for my part I iudge he did very ill bestow his time in blotting so many papers with so much folly and vntruth But his transition is woorthy to be noted Now to the rest of his questions saith he according to his own â—â—â—der whereas of twelue questions consequently handled by M. Perkins he speaketh not a word but onely passeth to an aduertisement in the end where hee thought least harme might befall to him Heere is some want of plaine dealing which may iustly cause his Reader to bee suspicious and doubtfull of him A confutation to D. BISHOPS answer to Master PERKINS his Aduertisement W. PERKINS An aduertisement to all fauourers of the Roman religion shewing as he weeneth that the said Religion is against the Catholike principles of the Catechisme that hath beene agreed vpon euer since the daies of the Apostles by all Churches Which principles be foure The Apostles Creed the tenne Commandements the Lords praier the institution of two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper 1. COR. 11. v. 23. 1. W. BISHOP I Had once determined to haue wholly omitted this goodly post-script because it containeth in manner nothing else but an irkesome repetition of that which hath beene I will not say twice before but more than twenty times handled ouer and ouer in this former small treatise notwithstanding considering both how ready many are when they see any thing omitted to say that it could not be answered and also for that these pointes heere reiterated are the most odious that he could cull out of all the rest to vrge against vs I finally resolued to giue them a short answer And further also by prouing their new religion to be very opposite vnto those old grounds of the true religion to requite him with the like that I die not in his debt Thus he beginneth The Roman religion established by the Councell of Trent is in the principall points thereof against the very grounds of the Catechisme the Creede the tenne Commandements the Lords praier the two Sacraments THe Catholike religion embraced and defended by the Church of Rome was planted and established there by the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul fifteene hundred yeeres before the Councell of Trent and hath been euer sithence by the Bishops of Rome their lawfull successours constantly retained and most sincerely obserued and maintained some articles thereof called into question by the Heretikes of this latter age were in that most learned generall Councell of Trent declared and defined And great meruaile it were if the principall points thereof should be against the grounds of the Catechisme which is in euery point most substantially expounded by the decree and order of the very same Councell Or is it credible that the Church of Rome with which all other ancient Churches and holy Fathers did desire to agree and which hath beene euer most diligent to obserue all Apostolicall traditions should in the principall points of faith crosse and destroy the very principles of that religion that hath been agreed vpon by all Churches euer since the Apostle daies as he saith Is it not much more likely and probable that the Protestants who slander all Churches euer since the time of the Apostles with some kinde of corruption or other and who hold no kinde of Apostolicall tradition to be necessary is not not I say more credible that they should shake those grounds of faith which come by tradition from the Apostles and haue beene euer since by all Churches agreed vpon I suppose that few men of any indifferent iudgement can thinke the contrary R. ABBOT M. Bishop is desirous to seeme to haue omitted nothing because many saith he are ready when they see any thing omitted to say that it could not be answered and yet he hath cunningly omitted the handling of twelue questions as I haue already noted which are more than the third part of the booke which he vndertooke to answer In that which here he hath sent vs he taketh vpon him as to answer M. Our religion and not Popery is the old religion Perkins so by way of requitall to prooue that our new religion as he calleth it is very opposite vnto the old grounds of the true religion But if his eies were open he would easily see that that new religion and the true religion are all one our new religon as to him it seemeth being indeed no other but that onely true religion whereby all the faithfull haue been saued from the beginning and so shal be to the worlds end And if he will haue our religion to be taken for a new religion he must first impeach those grounds of antiquitie wherby we haue hitherto iustified the same against his vaine and wilfull cauilations As for that which he saith that the religion now defended by the Church of Rome was planted and established there by the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul it is the begging of the question a fond presumption an idle headed dreame who but fooles and madde men beleeue it when they see the writings of the Apostles Peter and Paul and therein finde no mention of the religion that is now at Rome neither of the Pope nor of Purgatorie nor Pardons nor Iubilies nor Masse nor Images nor any other of that filth If the successors of that See had constantly reteined the faith that by the Apostles was deliuered we should now haue that religion at Rome which is taught in the Epistle to the Romanes which now is our religion and was then the religion of the church of Rome Of that religion those heretikes whom no otherwise he so nameth but according to the a Act. 24.14 Iewish phrase called nothing into question they only questioned impugned those additions and alterations wherewith the church of Rome hath defiled and disgraced that religion The Councel of Trent a mockerie of the world The Councell of Trent which declared and defined against them was neither learned nor generall It was a base and a vile collusion and meere mockerie of the world partially assembled by the Pope guilefully managed by his Agents directed wholly by his intelligence nothing there to bee concluded but what hee first approued yet all in sine left at his will by that damnable clause neuer heard of in any former Councel b Conc. Trid. sess 7. in princip sess 25. cap. 21. de reformat Salua semper in omnibus authoritate sedis Apostolicae Sauing alwaies and in all things the authoritie of the See Apostolike Some Diuines there were of qualitie and worth who gaue their assistance in that businesse but as for the Bishops of which
points in religion to be beleeued are contained in the Creede I doe not well conceiue for my part I rather admit that the Creed is therefore called the key and rule of faith The Creed how the key and rule of faith for that it is a summary Briefe containing the principall and fundamentall points of Christian faith which doe as it weere open the doore to all the rest and by which all preaching and doctrine of faith is to be esteemed so as nothing may be admitted but what holdeth correspondence with this rule according to those vses which the Scripture teacheth vs to make of euery part therof Which the scripture I say teacheth vs to make for if we draw any article of our faith to the maintenance of any doctrine which hath no warrant or testimony of the Scripture we are corrupters of the faith and doe but abuse the name thereof to the cloaking of our owne deuice Thus M. Bishop and his fellowes corrupt the faith as touching the holy catholike church first in wresting the name of the catholike church to the particular church of Rome and secondly in challenging a certain and vndoubted credit to be yeelded to that church for the infallible resolution of all points of faith For as touching the first where hath the Scripture giuen vs any inckling that the name of the Catholike Church should in any peculiar manner be vnderstood of the Church of Rome We regard not their claime we know they haue tongue at will to speake for theÌ„selues but let them giue vs one word of God whereby it may appeare that by the name of the Church we are directed in special maner to that church We are not ignorant that amongst most ancient writers the name of Catholike church is sometimes giuen to the church of Rome but we know withall that it was no otherwise giuen to the church of Rome than to any other church euery Church being called a Catholike church as hath been a Answer to the Epistle sect 3. before shewed that communicated in true faith with the church dispersed thorow the whole world And therefore as Leo wrote himselfe b Leo epist. 12. Leo papa ecclesiae Catholicae vrbis Romae Bishop of the catholike church of the citie of Rome so doth Constantine the Emperour write c Socrat hist. li. 1. ca. 6. Constantinus Catholicae Alexandrinorum ecclesiae to the catholike church of Alexandria and Athanasius accordingly is entituled by his Clergy d Athanas Apolog 2. Theognio c. Presbyteri diaconi sub reuerendissimo episcopo Athanasio Catholicae ecclesiae Alexandrinae Bishop of the catholike church of Alexandria and Austin nameth e August cont Crescon li. 3. ca. 13. Omnis Aphricana Catholica ecclesia the catholike church of Africa and Aurelius writeth himselfe f Collat. cum Donat. cognit 1. ca. 16 Aurelius episcopus ecclesiae Catholicae Carthaginensis Bishop of the catholike church of Carthage and another Aurelius g Ibid. ca. 201. Aurelius episcopus ecclesiae Catholicae Macomadiensits cap. 204. Nouatus episcopus ecclesiae Catholicae Sitifensis Bishop of the catholike church of Macomodia and Nouatus Bishop of the catholike church of Sitif So in the fift councell at Constantinople we reade the holy h Concil Constantinop 5. act 1. Supplicatiâ— Ã Clericis Monachis Apostolici thront Antiochenae magnae â—uitatis Catholicae sanctae ecclesiae catholike church of Antioch and in the subscriptions of the Councell i Dei Act. 8. in subscript Sextiltanus in sericordia Dei episcopus ecclesiae Catholicae Tumensiu Megethius gratia Dei episcopus sanctae dei Catholicae ecclesiae ciuitatis Heracleae c. Sextilianus Bishop of the catholike church of Tunis Megethius Bishop of the holy catholike church of the city of Heracela and Pompeianus Bishop of the holy catholike church of the city of Victoria and sundry other the like By all which and many other examples it may appeare with how little discretion Dureus the Iesuit hath affirmed that k Duraeus cont Whitak li. 3. In nullum planè aliam Catholicae nomen ecclesiae quaerunque de Christiecclesia Prophetae praedixerunt quà m in Romanam conuenire possunt the name of the catholike church and those things which the Prophets haue forespoken of the church of Christ can agree to no other but to the church of Rome And with this madde and witlesse fancy they are all caried away so that there can bee no naming of the church or catholike church but it soundeth in their eares vndoubtedly to haue reference to the Church of Rome According to this fancy it is that M. Bishop heere would haue his Reader to imagine that by the beleefe of the Catholik church he is taught to beleeue the church of Rome And by the same illusion hee wresteth to his purpose the words of the Apostle that the church is the pillar and ground of truth and the promise that Christ maketh vnto his of his spirit to direct and guide them into all truth as if therein were some speciall priuiledge meant to the Roman church The Church how the pillar ground of truth But for the first place if any one church might challenge a prerogatiue therby it should be the church of Ephesus For Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus wished by the Apostle l 1. Tim. 1.3 to abide still there as specially to take vpon him the charge of that place He writeth to him purposely to instruct him how to carry himselfe in that charge m cap. 3.15 That thou maist know saith hee how thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the church of the liuing God the pillar grouÌ„d of truth The house of God then wherin Timothie was to conuerse which he was to gouern was the church of Ephesus as the church in general so this church for it own part in particular is called the church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truth Yea these two goe hand in hand to be the house of God the church of the liuing God and to be the pillar and ground of truth Now of euery church of the faithfull it is said n 1. Pet. 2.5 Yee as liuely stones are made a spirituall house o 2. Cor. 6.16 yee are the Temple of the liuing God p Eph. 2.22 yee are built together in Christ to be Gods habitation Which way then I maruell is it now brought about that to be the pillar ground of truth should be a peculiar dignity of the church of Rome more than of the church of Ephesus or of any other particular church To be the pillar and ground of truth importeth the office and duty of the whole church and euery part thereof and not a speciall prerogatiue of any one church as to bee alwaies found so in act and execution The church is the pillar and ground of truth as the
de notis eccles cap. 7. Si solae vna prouincia retineret veram fidem adhuc verè propriè diceretur ecclesia Catholica dummodo clarè ostenderetur eam esse vnam eandem cum illa quae fuit aliquo tempore vel diuersis in toto mundo if one only countrey should retaine the true faith yet the same should truly and properly be called the Catholike church so that it might cleerely be shewed to be one and the same with that which hath been at any time or times ouer the whole world For by this rule nothing hindreth but that our church though now it be not receiued generally in the greatest part of the Christian world yea if it were but in one onely country yet may truely and properly be called the Catholike church if it be prooued to be one and the same with the church which at any time heeretofore was spred ouer all the world But that our church is the same with that which at the first was spred thorowout the world it is very euident as Tertullian teacheth vs to prescribe g Tert. de praescript adu haeret In eadem fide conspirantes non minus Apostolicae deputantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae by consanguinity or agreement of our doctrine with the doctrine of that church For by the Gospell which the Apostles preached the church was founded thorowout the whole world h Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1. Quod quidem tunc praeconiauerunt postea per dei voluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum The gospell which the Apostles preached they afterwards by the will of God deliuered to vs in the Scriptures to be the foundation and pillar of our faith The same Gospel deliuered to vs in the Scriptures we receiue we adde nothing to it we take nothing from it as we finde it so we teach it Our faith therefore is the same with the faith of that church which at the first was planted thorowout the whole world There is no cause then for vs to forsake our owne church or to thinke that the same began with Friar Luther as this dreamer imagineth which by so plaine deduction is approoued to be the same with the first church and consequently to be truely and properly the Catholike Church Finally saith he they beleeue no church in all points of faith But doth his wisedome finde it in the articles of the Creed that we are to beleeue any church in all points of faith The church how farre to be beleeued in points of faith We are taught there to beleeue that there is a holy catholike Church which is the communion of Saints but nothing doe we finde there of beleeuing any Church in all points of faith We beleeue the Church in points of faith so farre as she yeeldeth herselfe like a faithfull and obedient spouse to be guided by the voice of her Lord and husband Iesus Christ But if the Church preferre her owne will before the word of Christ as the proud harlot of Rome doth it should be a wrong to Christ to beleeue the Church and a way to set vp humane errour in stead of diuine truth It is not the voice of the Church but the word of the written Gospell which God hath appointed as Irenaeus euen now hath told vs to be the foundation and pillar of our faith For the words of the Church are many times the words of errour and vntruth and therefore if we should relie our saluation vpon the credit thereof wee should indeed relie vpon an vncertaine ground and erring guide but the word of the Gospell is alwaies one and the same without any variablenesse or vncertainty and therefore safely may wee relie our saluation thereupon Now therefore it cannot be said but that wee alwaies beleeue one holy catholike Church according to the profession of faith specified in the Creed though sometimes and in some things we doe not beleeue that is credit the visible Church as touching points of faith because the Church sometimes teacheth vs to beleeue otherwise than God hath taught Which though it seeme strange to M. Bishop in that language which he hath learned to speake yet to vs it is not strange who in the Canonicall histories of the Churches both of the old and new Testament do so often see them diuerting and turning from the right way As for that hee saith that our learned masters doe commonly cashiere out of the Creed the addition of the cōmunion of saints it is but a fruit of the harnessing of his face and he is therefore bold to say it because he hath learned not to be ashamed of any thing that he list to say That by the Saints are there meant al good Christians all the faithful whether aliue or dead we will not denie Communion of Saints implieth neither Purgatorie nor praier to saints but that either praier to saints or praier for soules in purgatorie belong to this communion of Saints we neuer yet learned and are too old to learne it now For as for the Saints in heauen i Aug. de vera relig cap 55. Honoramus eos charitate non seruitute honorandi propter imitationem non propter religionem adorandi We honour them with loue as Austin saith but not with seruice to follow them by imitation not to adore them by religion and therefore not to pray vnto them Further entercourse as yet there is none betwixt them and vs because k Esay 63.16 they know vs not nor are acquainted with vs nor can we any way acquaint them what wee say vnto them Now beside the Saints triumphant in heauen wee acknowledge none but those that are militant vpon the earth because the holie Ghost diuideth the whole body of the Church into l Eph. 1.10 Col. 1.20 those that are in heauen and those that are in earth and pronounceth them all m Reu. 14.13 blessed that are dead in Christ as who rest from labours and sorrowes and thereby are discharged from all Purgatorie paines But if there be any soules in Purgatorie to which all good Christian soules should yeeld and affoord their helpe to doe them ease and this be one matter of the entercourse and communion of Gods Saints why doth the Pope violate the communion of Saints by withholding from those tormented soules that helpe and ease which he is able to affoord them Surely if he cannot doe them ease then is he an impudent liar and a notable impostour and cozener of the world If he can do it then is he a cruell wretch that without compassion suffereth poore souls to lie broiling in those fierie flames But we rather approoue the former member of this diuision and take him for a liar both for that without warrant hee thrusteth in Purgatorie into the articles of our faith and with lesse warrant challengeth the same for a iurisdiction to himselfe 13. W. BISHOP 10 The forgiuenesse of sinnes