know that the church of Rome doth not greatlie approue Erasmus censures and annotations vpon S. Hieromes and other Doctors workes yet is he one of M. Abbots alleaged Authors page 72 Now for watsons Quodlibets Anianus fables and other such like puddles out of which M. Abbot takes some dreggs to giue his gentle reader satisfaction shall I saie or rather infection I say no more but that they must needes be very kind favorable yea foolish and simple readers too that will take such base coyne for good payment And M. Abbot therby is conuinced to bee no man of his word for hauing promised nothing but taken out of Authors famously approued by vs he doth notwithstanding produce manie writers of no estimation at all in our church Thus haue I briefly runne ouer all M. Abbots preface that the whole drist of his booke might bee disclosed and that the vnpartiall reader might withall take a tast of the manner of his dealing which if it cōsist much of craking shifting and misreporting he maie cōiecture what he is to expect of him in that which followeth I haue stood here vpon the particulers to shew the reader what aduantage I might take of his words if I would do the like in his whole booke But well weighing how small profitt the reader should reape out of anie such verball contention I will vtterlie avoid it and in as short and perspicuous sort as may bee I will relate trulie the sence and substance of what M. Abbot saith and ther vnto frame my answere That the good reader may leese no time but with ease and speede trace out and find where the truth resteth God grant him grace to embrace and follow it and in his praiers to recommend vnto the father of light from whom all good giftes do descend my poore endeuors that through his heavenlie blessing they may yeeld that fruite which I desire And that both they and I may serve his divine maiestie faithfully all the daies of this life and finallie through his infinite mercie obtayne life everlasting Amen AN ANSVVERE VNTO M. ABBOTS FIRST CHAPTER The contents whether the church of Rome doth vainly and absurdly chalenge to her self the name of the Catholike church THIS first paragraff or section M. Abbot doth make to iustifie the manner of his proceeding before hee come to the matter but before all hee thought it expedient how vndecent soever it were to begin with a florish in his owne commendation thus R. AB AS for the victorie which I ominated to my self thankes be to God I haue obtayned it being become Maister of the field And M. Bishop enforced to leaue the mayne battle contented now out of a corner to thrust an ambush that hee maie make some shew that he is not quite spent I triūph over him in his owne conscience W. B. NAturam expellas furca licet vsque recurret see how hard a thing it is to driue a man from his old by as M. Abbot hath been pretilie well canvased for his vnmannerly vaunting of his owne doings yet hee cannot bee taught to leaue it custome is another nature what will you he dwelleth belike farr from good neighbors and is therfore inforced to praise himselfe well if hee will needes proue himself a wisard and one that can ominate and tell good fortunes before they fall how should I hinder him I willinglie confesse that hee doth but his dutie to thanke the Lord for his good luck and might for more complete ioy haue called in his fellowe Ministers with their wiues to haue congratulated with him But to put the censure of his triumph to his adversaries conscience seemeth to excessiue an amplification for hee was cock sure to be condemned by me for singing a triumph before the victorie that before had told him plainely inough that I scarse found anie weightie point in his booke worth the answering and that there was better proofe of their doctrine in two leaues of M. Perkins treatise In my preface of the reproofe then in ten of his yea I moreover made so bold as to tell him that his printed papers were more fitt and proper to stopp mustard potts Ibidem Page 94. then anie meane schollers mouth was there anie reason after such plaine warning given him before hand of my dislike once to imagin if hee had not been wonderfully conceited of himself that I so highlie esteemed of his writings that I would without faile giue him the prick and price But why do I exact reason of an Augurer or wiseman as they call him that will needs dine into the secrets of my conscience may not hee peraduēture by helpe of his Astronomicall skill see there that which I cannot espie my selfe In good sadnes honest sir tell mee I praie you why you saie that I left the maine battle and was content out of a corner to thrust out an ambush when as I marched in the face of your forces and encountred with the forefront of your battle setting downe your discourse even as your self had ranged it making answere to the verie first words and so continuing without interruption verie impertinently then do you charge mee with lying in ambush and setting on you out of corners These odd tearmes of an old rustie ragged soldiour may be much more properlie returned on your selfe that hath leapt ouer so manie scores of the first pages of my booke and left as many of the last vnanswered slipping over also some of the middest what is to ly in ambush and to sett on a booke out of corners if this answering of it by snatches bee not but leaving these idle speeches wherwith M. Abbots book is stiff būbasted let vs come faire and roundly to the matter which in this section is to shew whether he hath proceeded orderlie or no in his discourse that the learned reader maie the better bee able to iudge of it I will summarily rehearse how wee fell into this Question whether the Romane church bee the Catholike church or noe I in the Epistle Dedicatory of my first booke aganist M. Perkins humblie besought his Maiestie that he would bee pleased to embrace that true Catholike and Apostolike faith in which his most royall progenitors liued and died whervnto M. Abbot answered that my petition was needles bicause his Maiestie had already embraced the same true Catholike and Apostolike faith which to prove he made as it were this argument The Catholike church is that which is spred over all the world but the Roman church is not spred over all the world therfore the Roman church is not the Catholike church To which I replied that granting the maior or first proposition to bee true the minor or second was not so direct to his purpose as if he should haue subsumed but the English church the faith wherof his Maiestie embraceth is spred over all the world or at least the English church is a true member of that church which is spred over all the world
for whether the church of Rome bee the Catholike church or no the faith which his Majestie embraceth cannot bee Catholike vnles it bee that which either hath been or now is spred ouer all the world therfore no man can deny but that it had been a more direct and speedie course to have proved their owne church to bee Catholike then to goe about to disprove the church of Rome to bee Catholike for let vs suppose that which M. Abbot would have though it bee most vntrue that the church of Rome were not the Catholike church Doth it thervpoÌ„ follow that the church of England is Catholike nothing lesse for there have been and are manie erring no Catholike congregations by the consent of all men different and dissenting from the church of Rome as for example were of old the Arrians the Donatists Macedonians and att this time bee the Trinitarians Anabaptists and such like supposing then the church of Rome not to bee Catholike and that the English church doth not agree with the said church may it not neverthelesse bee some other erronious congregation that is faâ—r enough of froÌ„ being Catholike there being in the world so manie other of that bad marke and stampe It must needes then follow that M. Abbot beginning with the church of Rome neither tooke a speedie and direct nor yet a sure course to prove his maiesties faith to bee Catholike M. Abbot in his owne excuse saith that to prove his maiesties faith to bee Catholike he must needes declare what the Catholike church was bicause of the Catholike church it is that the faith is called the Catholike faith This I admitt for good doctrine and do desire the Reader to beare it well in mind that the Catholike faith must needes bee sought for in the Catholike church and cannot be found out before wee haue the Catholike church to teach it vs. because as M. Abbot affirmeth heere of the Catholike church it is that the faith is called the Catholike faith well go on good Sir I grant that you did well to declare what was the Catholike faith and what was the Catholike church too But having declared what was the Catholike church and faith why did you not go in haÌ„d to proue your English faith that his maiestie maintaineth or your English church which hee vpholdeth to bee that same true Catholick church To saie that that stumbling blocke to witt that the church of Rome was the Catholike church was first to be removed out of the way will not serve the turne for that was not necessary when as the other if it had been true might haue been performed by it self without any mention made of the church of Rome And if your fingers itched to haue a fling at the church of Rome would it not haue been more seemly and decent first to haue confirmed your owne faith to bee Catholike which you tooke in hand then having layed that fouÌ„dation to haue declared that the faith of Rome was not Catholike wherfore I did neither idly nor preposterously as you write require so much att your hands but verie preposterously do you proceede and beyond all measure extravagantly that having spoken somewhat to declare what the Catholike church was and that the church of Rome was not that Catholike church do afterwards run through seaven or eight questions more and make an end of your booke too before you come to take one chapter to prove that your English church is the Catholike church or that your English faith is the Catholike faith Is not this to forgett your self in the highest degree that is possible to institute a treatise to prove his maiesties faith to bee Catholike and to professe in the beginning of it that to find out the Catholike faith wee must first find out the Catholike church which being soone found out and agreed vpon to bee that which is spredd over all the world after wardes in all the ensuing discourse not to haue one chapter to prove the English church or faith to bee spred all the world over was not this vtterly to leese himself and to leave his reader as it were in the middle of a maze Pervse gentle reader the contents of all the chapters of M. Abbots booke which bee fowreteene in number thou shalt not find one of them so much as pretend to prove directly the faith of England to have been dilated into all countries the first is that the church of Rome doth vainely pretend to bee the Catholike church the second consisteth of a comparison betweene the Papists and the Donatists the third is about the Papists abuse of the name Catholike the fourth that the church before Christ was a part of the Catholike church and that the old and new testament do not differ in substance of faith The fift that religion cannot satly bee grounded vpon the example of fathers and forefathers the sixth that the reasons of popery are not vrgent and forcible The seventh of the florishing and best state of the church of Rome and of the fulnes of doctrine contayned in Saint Pauls Epistle to the Romanes of Idolatry in worstipping of Saints The eighth of iustification before God The ninth of iustification before man The tenth that eternall life cannot bee purchased by meritt The eleaventh the first motion of concupiscence is sinne The twelfth that the spirit giues witnes to the faithfull that they bee the sonnes of God The 13. that good workes are not meritorious of life to come The 14. that the Epistles of Saint Paul are loosely alleaged by the papists lo here is the end of the booke and as a man may well saie finis ante principium a conclusion of the worke before he begin to handle the principall point in question to witt whether that faith which his Maiestie embraceth bee the Catholike faith that is whether at any time it hath been receiued in all Christian countries so that in one word this booke of M. Abbots may bee answered with a nihil dicit as our comÌ„on lawiers tearme it that is hee hath said iust nothing to that which hee vndertooke to performe therin for having taken in hand to prove that the faith of the English congregation is Catholike and consequently that it hath been vniversally planted in all nations now to let that stand a cooling and to argue that the church of Rome is not the Catholike church but rather Donasticall and that it abuseth the name Catholike that the church in old father Abrahams daies was a part of the Catholike church and such other impertinent questions was it not rather as one maie say to lead a wild Goose chase and to wander vp and downe very strangelie then to speake to the point of the question propounded And albeit it draw some what neerer the matter to go about to proue the Protestants doctrine to be more conformable vnto the old and new Testament then the doctrine of the Catholiks yet that is a severall distinct question
and to bee handled after another manner for I doe in one chapter ioyne Issue with M. Abbot therin and doubt not to make it good against anie protestant that the Catholike Roman faith is much more sutable even vnto the verie true text of tke Bible then the Protestants and that by conference of our doctrine word by word and sentence by sentence with the verie words and sentences of holy writt But to prove our faith to bee Catholike wee take another course and do demonstrate that the chief prelates and Doctors of the Catholike church who have florished in most Christian countries since the Apostles time have taught the verie same doctrine which wee teach and maintained the same faith and served God with the same Religion that we do which M. Abbot must performe for their faith and religion if hee will haue any wise men beleeue them to bee Catholiks even by his owne explication of the name Catholike in his answer to my Epistle and by his owne confession heere when hee faith that wee cannot find out the Catholike faith before wee have found out the Catholike church of which the faith is named Catholike Now no man can find out the Catholike church but by tracing out that companie of the faithfull who have peopled all Christian nations which M. Abbot not being able to do for the protestaÌ„tes faith doth returne the same questioÌ„ to mee and would haue mee to do the same for our doctrine and namely for that point of the popes power to depose Princes which as hee saies Cardinal Bellarmine doth hold to be one of the chief points of our faith Bell. Epistola ad Aâ—b apud â—ath Toâ—um and the verie foundation of Catholike religion Albeit M. Abbot would not at my request do that honor to his own religion and right to himself as to satisfie my iust demaund hee having before also vndertaken it yet I will not refuse at his instance to demonstrate that article of faith which Cardinall Bellarmin there mentioneth to have been beleeved taught and practised in most christian countries in the most florishing time of the Catholike church And that by the testimonie of the best renowmed fathers of the verie same age I will bring him in more authentik evidence for this issue then would be the hands and seales of the moderne churches of Grecia Armenia Ethiopia Russia and such like schismaticall and erring congregations which M. Abbot here demaundeth as the reader shall see in the next paragraffe or division where that question of the supremacy shal be treated of But honest sir why do you by the way so wound your credit in misalleadging that most learned Cardinals wordes doth he in the place by you quoted saie that the supremacly of the pope for the deposing of kings is one of the chief points of the Catholike faith will no warning serve the turne to make you cite your authors sincerely if this bee the shuffling wherin your best skill consisteth the reader in deed hath great need to looke well to your fingers Card. Bellarmine both there and elswhere doth teach that the popes supremacy is one of the principalle heads of our religion But hee doth not affirme there that the popes power to depose princes is any chief article of our faith though hee taught that to bee a most probable opinion and in some sort to appertaine to the supremacie as a dependant thervpon Now to that which followeth out of an other place of Card. Bellarmin hee you saie shall free vs from need to travell for this proofe to wit that our English faith hath been spred all the world over who saith that though one only province did retaine the true faith yet the same might properly bee called the Catholike church and therfore their faith the Catholike faith so long as it could bee cleerly shewed that the same is one and the same with that which at anie time was spred over the whole world whervpon M. Abbot infers that to prove their faith to bee the Catholike faith it wil bee sufficient to prove that is was that which once was spred over all the world Now with the proofe therof M. Bishop saith hee is chooked already Behold the babling of this vaine man first the Cardinall doth not ease him anie whitt at all from proving their faith to have been spred over all the world but only saith vpon supposition Si sola vna provincia retineret veram fidem if one onlie province kept the true faith that then it might bee called Catholike yet so that it could bee cleerlie shewed to haue been spred in times past over all the world where you see that hee requires of necessitie that it must bee cleerly shewed that the same faith which wil bee accounted Catholike hath been before at lest spredd over all the world so that M. Abbot is as farr to seeke as hee was before and that hee must needes come to this stake how vnwilling soever hee bee and either shew that their faith hath been receiued all Christendome over or els confesse that it cannot bee called Catholike Come of then gentle Sir flie not from the point seek not to hide your head in a corner but performe that peece of service bravely and then hardlie talke of chooking M. Bishop but to avouch that M. Bishop is chooked already long before anie proof thereof be brought with onlie hearing you to speake of it is too too childish and full of doting vanitie I found fault with M. Abbot for shuffling and flitting from the faith and religion of the Romanes vnto the particular persons that inhabit the cittie of Rome bicause their faith maie bee Catholike and spredd over all the world albeit their persons bee confined within the bounds of one countrie or cittie hee answereth that hee hath shuffled amisse for vs for that hee hath shuffled vs from bâ—ing Catholikes and the Roman church from being the Catholike church which is not to the purpose And how true it is shal bee tried in the next chapter In the meane season it must needs bee taken for a foule fault in arguing to change the tearmes and to flitt from one thing to another and for the faith of the Romans to take the persons that inhabit Rome there being no lesse difference betweene the person of a man and his faith then there is between a fox and a fearnebrake finally M. Abbot saieth that his shuffling will yeeld vs but a bad game if I cut not wisely And if wee haue no better Cards saieth hee wee shall sâ—rely leâ—se all well gentle sir seing you confesse your selfe to bee such a cunning shuffler and giue mee so faire warning of it before hand I wil take the paine to shuffle your Cards after you or els will cutt them in such sort that your skill in packing shall stand you in litle steed If there bee no remedy but that you will needs haue about with the church of Rome bee it by
cited by himself was hee not then fowly mistaken to father such a strange vntruth vpon S. Augustin And on the other side is it not a prodigious impudent assertion to avouch that wee Catholiks do maintaine the Catholike church to be inclosed within the walls of Rome or confined in those quartiers as the Rogatists did their church to be concluded within the Coastes of Cartenna wheras we teach it to bee dispersed all the world ouer R. AB I Confesse I committed some oversight by vnderstanding that generally of the Donatists which belonged only to the Rogatists Let this be amended thus The Donatists did set vp a particular church all of them first in the south of Africa some afterward as the Rogatists at Cartenna in Mauritania And so haue the Papists done at Rome in Italy Against which M. Bishop giues two exceptions First that they do not hold the Catholike church to be inclosed within the wals of Rome as the Rogatists did theirs within Cartenna but do say that it was dispersed all the world ouer wheras the Rogatists congregation was holden to be confined within the bounds of Cartenna The first part of which answere on their behalf is false and the second part concerning the Rogatists is vayne for it is false that the Romish church is dispersed over all the world because the Greeke and Easterne churches disclaime subiection to the church of Rome and although the communion of the church of Rome be farr larger then that was of the Rogatists at Cartenna yet doth neither of them containe any more then a part And we cannot doubt but that the Rogatists would as wâ—llingly haue had the whole world to ioyne with their church as the Romans And so it was not by position of doctrine that their church was not of larger extent but forwant of better successe And the exprobration of the same mad fancy lieth vpon the church of Rome to wit that whosoeuer in the further parts of the world shal be desirous of salvation vnles hee come to Rome or into some place where hee may meete with a Popish priest he cannot be baptised or reconciled to God As touching the second exception though it bee not generally true that the Donatists placed the Catholike church at Cartenna yet it is not altogither vntrue because the Rogatists were a kind of Donatists albeit devided from them by schisme Againe although the Donatists did not place the Catholike church at Cartenna yet they designed the place therof to bee Africa for albeit they acknowledged the church by the Apostles preaching to haue been spred ouer all the world yet they held that it was perished in all other parts of the world and onlie remained with their part in Africa they did not exclude the rest of the world out of their communion so they would be of their opinion The foundation of their church was laid in Africa and from thence they would haue it dispersed all the world ouer In the same sort standeth the mattr with the Papists they tell vs that the other patriarchall seas are all either extinguished or fallen into Schisme and the Roman church only remayning whence all other churches of the world are to be reduced to the Pope They tell vs of strange wonders done amongst the Indians whither they know it vnlikly for vs to come to search out the truth but those nations pretended to be converted by them are either colonies of their owne or some Infidels forced to accept of Baptisme without religion or such as by wiles they haue surprised Thus is M. Bishop by avoyding to be a Donatist by putting the matter ouer to the Rogatists become both a Donatist and Rogatist by tying the seate of the Catholike church to one only particular place W. B. M. Abbot perceiuing well that hee had behaued himself exceeding drowsily in that comparison between the Donatists and Catholikes yet being as it seemeth over farr in loue with his owne conceit simple though it were would not so giue it ouer but to make vp the full measure of his folly will needs go forwards with it and endevoreth not only to iustify that which he had before written but doth also make some new additions If I could perswade my self that my time should bee fruitfully spent in answering him at leÌ„ght I would not desire greater advantage to be given mee to display and laie open to the view of the world his lacke of Iudgment lacke of learning and lâ—cke of honestie but considering that this coÌ„parison can be no great matter of edification to the Reader I hold it not worthy anie amplification but will abridg it as much as I may yet so that no substantiall point of it be left vnanswered M. Abbot not finding any poore meanes to vnderproppe his palpable absurdities is driven to confesse them in the very first branch and doth therfore post that over to the latter place and preposterously maketh answere before vnto the secoÌ„d part of the comparison which was that we Roman Catholiks do not tie the Catholike church to the City of Rome as the Rogatists did theirs to Cartenna For we hold that men may be baptised and saued in anie part of the world without repayring to the City of Rome or to the coastes adioyning neere thervnto wheras the Rogatists did hold that in what part soever of the world any persoÌ„ were coÌ„verted he must of necessity go vnto CarteÌ„na or therabouts to bee baptised and obtaine salvation To which M. Abbot replies that the former part on our behalf is false because our church is not spred ouer all the world and therfore saluation cannot bee gotten all the world ouer for that to obtaine salvation as he saith a popish priest must needs be fouÌ„d out This reply is not to the purpose For whether our church bee spred ouer all the world or no of which more shal be said presently yet it is certainly knowen to be in diuers great monarchies besids Italy in all which if any person be to be baptised or reconciled we send them not to Rome to receiue those sacraments but administer them in the place where the person is by the inspiration of God converted which is cleane contrarie to the doctrine of the Rogatists that exacted the personall repaire of all such convertites to Cartenna or to her confines which doth most cleerly ouerthrow M. Abbots answere Yet to bolster out his flaggy resemblance he addeth that it was not by position of doctrine that the Rogatists forced all convertits to come into that country but because they had not any Bishops of their sect els where which if they had had as no doubt they desired to haue then they who were touched with the preaching of the Gospell might haue been baptised by them in any other country where these godly prelats were To which I reioyne that had there been Rogatists all the world ouer as they desired to bee theÌ„ there had beeÌ„ no place for this braÌ„ch of the
comparison which likeneth the Roman Catholikes to the Rogatists in that they bee both of them priuate and confined within the compasse of some particular places M. Abbot therfore full wisely goeth about to vphold his former resemblance by the quite ouerthrow of it for herein said he before stands the resemblance betwene the Papists and Rogatists that both of them do restraine the vniuersality of the Catholike church to one particular place or country And now confessing the Papists coÌ„munion and fellowship to be farre larger theÌ„ the Rogatists he flies to this silly shift that the Rogatists desire to haue their church as largly extended as the Romanists that is both of them all the world ouer So that the wind being come round about and sitting now in the cleane contrary corner the resemblance is to be turned the other way to wit that as the Roman church desireth to be spred all the world ouer so did the Rogatists But good Sir tell me I pray you is it sufficient to make a church Catholike to desire to be dilated all the world ouer Then without doubt not only Rogatists but all other sectaries too were also Catholiks for none of them suerly wanted that desire yet being bastard slips and destitute of that vertue which proceedeth by the trunck of true succession from the right roote they could neuer be generally receiued all the world ouer and therfore could not bee called Catholikes wheras the Roman church ingraffed by the Apostles in to the true Oliue Christ Iesus through the force of his blessed passion and by power of the holy Ghost hath not only desired to spred her branches into all nations but hath actually performed that her holy desire for truth is strong and doth prevaile wherfore it alone hath worthily archieued the name of Catholike which all other congregations haue in vaine gaped after and desired Obserue by the way M. Abbots grosse ignorance in two points of our doctrine the former when he imagineth vs to hold that no man can be baptised to saluation without hee meet with one of our priests wheras we teach the Baptisme even of Protestants be they men be they women to bee availeable to saluation The latter in that he affirmeth vs to hold the same of reconciliatioÌ„ we teaching that any person of discretion may by true contrition and repentance obtaine saluation albeit they cannot meete with any priest Let therfore these his assertions be scored vp for an after reckening Now to the second exception albeit the Rogatists were a Cantell or fragment broken out of the Donatists yet they by their division from them forsooke the name of Donatists and tooke their owne proper name of Rogatists and in that question of the true church were at open warr with the Donatists so that it was a grosse ouersight in M. Abbot to say the Donatists held the Catholike church to bee at Cartenna Because they esteemed no better of that church at Cartennna then of a den of theeues In like manner they of Cartenna reputed the Donatists for damned creatures wherfore albeit the Rogatists in some other matter wherin they did agree with the Donatists might haue passed vnder that generall name yet they could not in that point wherin they were at so great square It is then cleere that M. Abbots error therin cannot bee excused well if he hath hitherto behaued himself like one that being half a sleepe knew not well what he said yet now being awaked by his aduersary hee will no doubt spitt on his fingers and take better hold secundae enim cogitationes sunt prudentiores To it then Iollie Sir touch the Papists home and if you cannot force the Rogatists vpon them yet driue them at the least to be Donatists and you shall do somewhat That saith M. Abbot I will easely performe by this new framed resemblance like as the Donatists held the Catholike church to haue perished in all other countries and to haue remayned only with their part in Africa and desired that from thence it might be spred into all other nations Even so the papists tell vs that the churches in all the farr parts of the world haue failed that the patriarchall seas are all fallen away and only the Roman remayneth whence the rest are to be reduced to the obedience of the pope This loe seemes to be something True it is that the Donatists did in many things things counterfeit the true Catholiks and among the rest pretended as all other heretiks coÌ„monly do that their congregation was the only true reformed church and that the readie way to saluation was to enter into their society But this is so triviall and common aswell to the true Catholike as to all maner of disseÌ„bling coÌ„gregatioÌ„s that hee who delights to enlarge himself therin shall but loose his time abuse his reader and purchase to himself the reputation of a trifler yet let vs desceÌ„d to the particulars of this new coyned comparison and see whether it will abide the touch ar noe The Roman church and the Donatists did not agree in the first point of that resemblance for wheras the Donatists held the church to haue perished all the world ouer saving in some part of Africk the Roman Catholike doth not hold the true church to haue perished all the world over saving in Italy or in some parts of Europe but teacheth that it hath alwayes continued and even in this last hundreth yeeres to haue gained more both in the East and west Indies then it hath lost in these parts of the world Secondly it is not long sithence all the patriarchall seas did opeÌ„ly agree with the church of Rome to wit in the yeare of our Lord god 1439. as may be seen in the councell of Florence and by the profession of faith which Ioseph patriarch of Constantinople Concil florent sess 25. then and there made in these words whatsoeuer the Catholike church of our Lord Iesus Christ which is of old Rome doth beleeve and worship Ioseph miseratione diuina Constan Patriarcha Quoniam ad extremum vitae mea perueni idcirco pro meo munere dilectis filijs benignitate dei meam sententiam his literis palam facio Nam quae Iesu Christi catholica Apostolica Ecclesia Roma veteris sentiat ac celebrec omnia me quoque sentire credereque profiteor at ipsis plurimum acquiâ—sco Beatissimum autem Patrum Patrem ac Summum Pontificem Romaque veteris Papam domini nostri Iesu Christi vicarium esse concedo c. datum Florentiae 8. Iulij anno 1439. all the same do I confesse my self to beleeue and thinke and thervnto do yeeld my perfect consent And I do further confesse the most blessed father of fathers the chief Bishop and pope of Rome to bee the vicar of our lord Iesus Christ To these points of doctrine and to all other of the church of Rome did at the same time subscribe the legats and deputies of the other
three patriarchall seas Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem as is recorded in the same councell In which faith continued the said three patriarchall seas till the yeare of our lord 1517 when Luther began his tragedy as stands of record in the generall councell of LateraÌ„ held vnder Leo the tenth where the obedience also of Peter Patriarch of the Armenians vnto the church of Rome was presented by his orators since which tyme as somtimes also before albeit those churches for the greater part fell often away into schisme and heresie yet there remained alwaies and do to this time continue still among them many good soules that do constantly retayne and keepe the true doctrine of the church of Rome in all points And the Greeke church hath in Rome it self a Seminary as many other nations haue at this daie to breed and trayne vp their young students as in all other vertues and pietie so principally in the true faith of the church of Rome wherfore albeit the publike face of religion be now in those churches as it is in our countrie yet there want not true Roman Catholikes in those parts no more then there do God be thanked in our country to baptise reconcile and to perfome all other christian duties appertayning to the rites of the Roman church whence it followeth that there are two vntruthes in the former part of M. Abbots new resemblance for we are so farr of from saying the Catholike church to be perished ouer all the world that wee affirme it rather to be at this present day much increased and multiplied which doth controwle the former part of M. Abbots position we say more ouer that in those verie patriarchall seas though the outward face of religion be disfigured and corrupted yet doth the Roman religion remayne there entire and sound though not openly countenanced by the state yet by the godly practised in secret Let vs now proceed to the second particularity to wit that the Donatists laide the foundation of their church in Africa and from thence would haue had all other churches to haue bene restored to their former integrity when did they begin to laie that foundation about 300 yeares after Christ in constantine the great his raigne who was he that laid that foundation One Maiorinus or Donatus of whom the rest tooke their name doth it not herehence that I go no further presently appeare a great difference between the church of Rome and the church of the Donatists The church of Rome began in the Apostles dayes and had for her chief Architects the princes of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul wheras the Donatists began their revolt from the said church of Rome 300 yeares after vnder the afore said blind guides wherfore there is no comparison to be made betweene either the foundation or founders of the one with the other But saith M. Abbot The Donatists gaue their church as gallant and braue a title as the church of Rome had for they called it the Catholike church and desired as earnestly as the Romanistes do to haue had it spred all the world ouer True for the title of Catholike true also that they had a feruent desire to haue had it spred farr and neare But their doctrine being the vaine leasings of feeble mortall men had too small force and vertue in it to disperse it self so farr abrode and not being planted by the heavenly father it did not take any deepe root so that albeit those busy fellowes laboured tooth and naile to in large the limits of their doctrine into the out most coasts of the earth that it might haue wonn the name of Catholike yet they could neuer obtaine it nor come within tenthousand mile of it wheras the doctrine and religioÌ„ of the church of Rome as a fruitfull tree plaÌ„ited by the watet side did spread her branches nto all nations and hath even since the Apostles daies even to our time continued a true part of the Catholike church by M. Abbots owne confession as you shall see heerafter in this chapter so that in fine there is left no resemblance at all in this reformed part of the comparison saving that the Donatists had a vaine desire to haue their sect dilated as amply as was the Catholike Roman faith But it began 300. years after the Roman and hath not by 1300 continued so long nor yet could for any short space of time dilate it self so largely wherfore it could not come neere vnto a shadow of the title of Catholike Touching the coÌ„uersion of the Indies it must needs grieve any good christian hart to heare how conteÌ„ptuously and prophaneliet his vnsanctified Abbot doth speake of it first he writes that we may say of their conversion what wee list because those countries are so farr of that they are not like to trauaile so farr to search whether we say true or no. They are peradventure more like to make some iournay thitherward to search out some of the IndiaÌ„ gold then to seeke after the conuersion of the poore Indian soules yet if they will not of themselues take the paynes nor vndergo the hazard to win soules let theÌ„at least afford others their good word that will refuse no paines nor perill in so blessed an enterprise If there were any sparke of Christian Charity in theÌ„ would they not rather reioyce then repine that the faith of Christ is so vniuersally embraced so religiously obserued in those most ample and rich dominions If M. Abbot hath not as hee here pretendeth inquired after the manner of their conuersion how knowes he that there bee so few and they so bad Christians should not an even mind out of commoÌ„ christian charity in cases vnknowne iudge the best and giue his sentence rather in fauour of the Christian Religion then against it but M. Abbot making out of his owne mind that bad construction may not that of the poet be iustlie cast vpoÌ„ him mala meÌ„s malus animus for vnles hee did cary a wicked affectioÌ„ towards the enlargemeÌ„t of Christs kiÌ„gdome not knowing how the case there standeth hee would neuer haue chosen to make the worst report therof that can bee imagined well he that doth not desire to remayne wilfully blind and altogither ignoraÌ„t in those happy tidings of the reducing of so many millions of soules from Idolatry to the knowledg of the true liuing God and vnto the participation of the merits of our most blessed Saviour Iesus Christ may read the histories of their coÌ„versioÌ„ coÌ„posed by men almost of all nations of whom many were eye witnesses of that they writ There shall they find manie notable monuments aswell of the holines of their preachers testifyed by miracles as of the devotion of the people newly converted and of their great sincerity If among the souldiers and marchants which went with the religious priests and preachers thâ—re were more covetousnes cruelty and disagrement then was convenient let not the disorders of those worldly and
vnrulie creatures bee brought to disgrace the good meaning godly endevors of others most godlie and religious persons who in true Apostolicall maÌ„ner haue through Gods inestimable mercy converted infinite multitudes of those heatheÌ„s vnto the Christian religion I haue staid the longer in this paragraff bicause M. Abbot by the way touched many great matters in it rather to giue the Reader reasonable satisfaction therin then that his resemblance deserued half the paines which holdeth no proportion at all in the mayne point The reader shall do well to note by the way how many vntruthes M. Abbot le ts slip in this section bicause he doth in the end of this chapter bragg that he hath not once lied in all this discourse hâ—re we haue these I. that we teach the Catholike church to be in closed within the wals of Rome and do tie the seat therof to one partâ—culer place secoÌ„dly that we hold no man can be baptised to saluation vnles he meet with a priest 3. That no man can obtaine saluation vnles hee repaire to Rome or meete with a Roman Priest wheras we hold millioÌ„â— to be saued that neuer saw Rome Againe that any true repentant soule that cannot meetâ— with a Roman priest to make his confession may nevertheles by true contrition obteyâ—e pardon of his sinnes and eternall saluation I omitt as fleabitings those other his peccadilia of taking Donatists for Rogatists and Cartenna for Africa bicause M. Abbot by coÌ„fessing that oversight hath made satisfactioÌ„ THE SECOND SECTION of the second chapter W. B. THE second branch of M. Abbots comparison between the Roman church and the Donatists is as faulty as the first Thus he proposeth it The Donatists would haue the church to be called Catholike Aug. in bre collatâ— diei 3. c. 2. not by reason of the communion therof throughout the whole world but for the perfection of doctrine and Sacraments which they falsly chalenged to theÌ„selues The same perfection doth the church of Rome arrogate to her self This halteth on both sides as the former did for the Donatists as S. Austin M. Abbots Authour relateth did not call their church Catholike for perfection of doctrine or Sacraments as M. Abbot fableth Epist 48. but for the fulnes of Sacraments and for observation of all gods commandements they were not so dull and blockish as S. Austin noteth to argue an vniuersality out of perfection which is seldome vniuersall but aymed alwaies at some kind of vniuersality On the other side there is no RomaÌ„ Catholike that would haue the church be called Catholike rather for her perfection in doctrine and Sacraments then for her communion over all the world R. ABBOT §. 2. IT is true that S. Austin chalenged vnicentius the Donatist for interpreting the word Catholike Aug. epistola 48. Idem in Breuic collat die 3. cap. 2. not for the communion of the whole church but for the obseruation of all Gods coÌ„maundements or for the fulnes of Sacraments yet I did not amisse to put perfection for fulnes because they do both signifie the same thing for is not fulnes of Sacraments the same with perfection of Sacraments and observation of all gods commaundements with perfection of observing them Collat 3. cuÌ„ donat cap. 102. like as perfection of doctrine is to teach all truth Besids Gaudentius a Donatist doth tell vs that by Catholike they vnderstood perfect when he said the word Catholike importeth Replito fulc c. 10. dem 6. that which is full in Sacraments which is perfect and which is vnspotted To the second member I say that Bristow a great Romanist granteth the church to bee called Catholike bicause she is vniuersally perfect halteth in nothing and is spred ouer all the world and Austin himself in his younger daies did so expound the same word though in his further experience and Iudgment hee abhorred from it and left it wholy to the Donatists So did Ciril of Ierusalem and also Pacianus wherfore M. Bishop sheweth himself scarce wise in denyall of it W. B. I haue M. Abbot guilty and confessing that hee changed his Authors words yet never without one idle excuse or other he hath forsooth given another word but which signifieth the same in effect If the words had been of the same signification yet it had been plainer dealing to haue kept the authors owne words but if there be great diuersity betweene them then there was litle shew of honest dealing to shift from the one to the other who but M. Abbot will say that perfection of Sacraments and fulnes of Sacraments bee all one where fulnes is referred to the compleat number of Sacraments and perfection may bee attributed to the right vse of them or to the vertue and efficacy of them For they bee two distinct controversies betweene the Protestants and vs. The one how many sacraments there bee the other of what perfection and efficacy they are That is whether they conferre grace or no. wherfore it was not well done to thrust in perfection for fulnes there being such ods betwene the nature and vse of those two words Againe betwene the obseruation of all Gods coÌ„maundements and perfection there is a notable difference in the way of our religion for it appertains to all the faithfull to obserue all Gods commaundements but the counsels of perfection are left to the free choice of them whose harts it shall please God to dispose that way wherfore if M. Abbot had had an honest good meaning he would not haue so changed his authors words but hee more like a Ioly wise politike protestant that beleeveth neither the full number of the sacraments nor thinketh it possible to keepe all Gods coÌ„maundements flieth from those tearms of fulnes of sacramentes and obseruation of all the coÌ„maundements as froÌ„ checks and reproues of their new belief and choppeth in perfection of doctrine bicause he can therin better wrangle And albeit Gaudentius did ioyne perfect and vnspotted with fulnes yet it followeth not therof that he tooke those words for all one but rather ioyned together many words of diuers significations to explicate more fully the force of the word Catholike Now to the second member albeit Doctor Bristow a man of singuler vertue and learning and some others haue taught the word Catholike to comprehend within the latitude of his signification that which is vniuersally perfect and halteth in nothing yet no one of them doth exclude the more vsuall and better allowed signification of the same which is to designe the communion and society of the whole world Nay Doctor Bristow in the very wordes cited by M. Abbot doth expresly include it and is spred over all the world and that after the example of Saint Austin euen by M. Abbots owne confession For albeiâ— that great Doctor in his youth vsed the worâ— Catholike to signifie perfection of doctrine yet growing to riper iudgment and being of better experience he abhorred that signification of the
word as Donatisticall left it wholy to the Donatists wherfore let the indifferent reader iudg who dealeth more soundly in the exposition of this word Catholike whether I that do follow S. Austin in his more advised and riper iudgment Or M. Abbot that would haue him followed in that he taught being yet young and which hee himself afterward vpon better consideration thought good to alter Is it not a signe of most wilfull blindnes to alledge that as imitable out of an Author which hee himself advisedly corrected and taught to bee abhorred THE THIRD SECTION W. B. THE third particle of the resemblance M. Abbot hath couched in these words That as from Cartenna the Donatists did send Bishops to other countries even to Rome it self so from Rome by the papists order Bishops be authorised to all other countries This is of small moment if it were true But I read not in S. Austin that the Rogatists sent any Bishops from Cartenna into other coasts but rather required men of all other places to come to their quarters if they would obteyne Saluation That then may passe for another ouersight Neither bee all Catholike Bishops consecrated at Rome and thence sent into other countries but they be ordinarily made in every Catholike countrie though to preserve vnity and good order their election bee approued by the Bishop of Rome Christs vicar generall on earth and supreme pastor of his church R. AB §. 3. PVT Africa in steed of Cartenna and then M. Bishop can say nothing against the resemblance August epist 48. I not weighing the matter so strictly did put Africa for the third part of the world and in that signification Cartenna is within Africa well let Cartenna be put out bicause Libia and Mauritania refused to be called by the name of Africa as Austin noteth and let it run thus The Donatists sent Bishops out of Africa to dwell at Rome or some Bishops out of Africa to create some other bishops of their faction at Rome So doth the church of Rome send Bishops into all other countries of their religion or if they do not send such bishops abroad yet in that Bishops made in other countries must haue the Bishop of Rome his confirmation it is all one as if hee had sent them from thence w. B. well seing the poore man acknowledgeth his error let him be pardoned Let Cartenna and the Rogatists who only raigned there bee changed into the Donatists of Africa That silly excuse that Africa contaynes the third part of the world might be to purpose if Africa had been sett for Cartenna Continens pro contento but Cartenna was set for Africa which being so obscure a part of Africa could not decently be put for the whole wherfore M. Abbot hath reason to wish Cartenna to be blotted out and so might hee haue done by all these resemblances had not his fingers itched to blase abroad his owne folly As for his reformation of it though he saw the disproportion yet could he not let it alone For he was not ignorant that most Catholike Bishops neither went to Rome to be there consecrated nor were consecrated by any Bishops that came from thence As all the Donatists were either consecrated in Africa or els by Bishops who were sent out of Africa to consecrate them what salve then hath hee for this sore Mary that it is all one to haue the popes confirmation and to be consecrated by Bishops sent from Rome Some what like hee might haue said but not all one for to approue the election of a Bishop and to elect a bishope or to consecrate him bee farr different things as every man that is acquainted with these matters can readily tell I admit Donatists would gladly haue had Bishops of their owne sect in every countrie that they might haue had no need to send Bishops out of Africa to consecrate them in other places And thervpon I do inferr that euen therby they were convinced not to bee Catholikes bicause their pastors preachers were not vniversally spred ouer all countries contrarywise the Roman church is proued to be Catholike because it had in everie country Bishops of their owne faith and communion So that M. Abbot winding and turning on both sides to get out of the briars doth still more and more intangle and fasten himself in the same §. 4. w. B. THe fourth point of M. Abbots comparison is this The Donatists would be taken to bee Catholiks for keeping communion with the church of Cartenna even so will the Papists for holding society with the church of Rome The former point of the resemblance is too too absurd for the Donatists abhorred the Conventicle of Cartenna as schismaticall as hath been often repeated And the secōd part taken as true proportion requireth is not perfect for wee should not esteeme men Catholiks for communicating with the church of Rome if that communion were closed vp within the wals of Rome or within her confines as the Rogatists were pinned vp in Cartenna but for that by communicating with the church of Rome wee do enter into communion with all other churches of the same religion which are spred over all the world R. AB I Said the Donatists I should haue said the Rogatists who expounding the word Catholike for integrity and perfection of faith as before wee haue seen and affirming themselues only to be Catholiks left it as a consequent that none could bee called Catholiks but by ioyning with them The Donatists were in the same error concerning their church in Africa The Papists are like vnto them both who plead the same for the church of Rome but M. Bishop tels vs that they do not call men Catholiks for communicating with the church of Rome if it bee taken for that particular church which is closed within the wals of Rome which is contrary to that hee taught himself a litle before For he taught before that men became Catholikes by holding the Roman faith and communicating with the church of Rome but to shift ouer this hee addeth that therfore they become Catholiks in communicating with the church of Rome bicause that by that communion they enter into societie with all other churches of the same religion which are dispersed all the world ouer But against this it may bee said that thē men do not now become Catholike as they did of old because of old it was enough to communicate with the church spred ouer the world but now it is to be added that by cōmunication with the church of Rome wee must communicate with the church spred ouer all the world what if the church of the whole word do not hold communion with the church of Rome as when Arrianisme had in a manner ouerflowed all the world and when the East and west churches were deuided from Rome and before the brood of Ignatius had converted the Indians whence was the name of Catholike to bee taken then Put the case that all other
society was established and coÌ„firmed If through the abundance of iniquitie it should come to passe that the Catholike religion should bee cleane rooted out of many countries for I make no doubt but that it shall also continue in many besids Rome vnto the worlds end yet those countries that retaine the auncieÌ„t faith shall also kepe the old title and name of the Catholike church though their faith be not then spred ouer all the world Because it was the same faith which had been in time past preached and beleeued ouer all for no man holdes it necessarie that at one and the same time it should be imbraced of all nations The Donatists I grant if they might haue had their way would haue ouersowed their tares in the fields of all countries They lacked not good will then no more then the protestants do now to sow their cockle farr neere but with all their tossing and turmoyling they were not able to infect half Africa only God sending vnto curst cowes short hornes and not yeelding such successe to the false doctrine of vaine men as to his own divine word when will M. Abbot take out this lesson that the church is called Catholike not because it desireth and wisheth to bee spred ouer all but for that it is so really and actually at one time or another which the Donatists protestaÌ„tes nor any other sectaries were yet ever able to compasse but must perforce whether they will or no leaue that singuler priviledge vnto the RomaÌ„ church THE FIFTH SECTION W. B. THe fifth branch of the comparison M. Abbot doth propose in this manner As the Donatists held there could be no salvation out of the church of Cartenna so the Papists hold there can bee none out of the church of Rome this is minced out of the fourth and in the like sort to bee confuted It is a principle receiued of both Catholiks and sectaries that there is no saluation out of the true church no more then there was life to be hoped for out of the Arke of Noe. Sectaries do attribute that salvation ech vnto their owne church But the church of Rome as hath been heertofore largly proued hath alwaies been and ever shal be a principal member of the same true Catholike church wherfore whosoeuer doth not hold communion with the church of Rome he is out of the state of salvation according to that memorable sentence of S. Hierom written vnto pope Damasus I following no chief but Christ Hieronim Epist 57. ad Damasum Papam Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudim tuae id est cathedrae Petri communione censocior super illam Petram aedificatam Ecclesiam scio quicunque extra haue domum agnum comederit profanus est si quis in arâ—ha Noâ— non fuerit peribit regnante diluuio ioyne in communion with your holines that is with the chaire of S. Peter vpon this rocke I knowe the church of Christ to bee built whosoeuer doth eate the Paschall lambe out of this house hee is profane he that is not found within the Arke of Noe shal bee drowned when the flouds do rise where is much more to the same purpose R. AB M. Bishop acknowledgeth the Donatists to haue been of opinion that to obtaine salvation one must communicate with their church what then hindreth but that the resemblance standeth good for the Papists bee of the same mind touching their church but he saith that the Donatists and all other sectaries do vntruly atttibute to their congregations that which is truly appropriated vnto the church of Rome which was and is the chief member of the Catholike church so was Ierusalem the chief member of the sinagogue and yet it put Christ to death in that communion then there was no salvatioÌ„ Is not a cheif member of the same substance with the rest of the body and what hindreth then but that the chief member may aswell as the rest bee corrupted and wounded notwithstanding I desire him to proue that it is the chiefe member I regard not what humane estimation it hath had for the eminencie of the place But with god there is no more respect of the church of Rome then of any other church If they will haue any more Aug de vnit ecâ—l cap. 6. let them reade it to vs out of the scriptures as saint Austin said to the Donatists But they loue not to bee called vpon for scriptures hee hath out of Ierome that he ioyned with the pope of Rome that is with Peters chaire bicause vpon that rocke hee knew the church of Christ to bee built and that hee was prophane and not of Christs flocke that out of that house did eate Christ the Paschall lambe and further that hee who dwelled not in that Arke should be drowned To the which I answere that albeit Ierome did ioyne with Damasus yet hee would not haue ioyned with Liberius whom hee reporteth to haue subscribed to the Arrian heresie wherfore Ierom did warely expound himself that hee gaue the primacy to none but to Christ Hiero. in Catalogo In fellowship of faith hee ioyned with Damasus yet no further then hee followed the doctrine of S. Peter which hee signifieth by adding the chaire of Peter Hee would not haue ioyned with pope Liberius because though hee were Bishop of Rome yet hee sate not in Peters chaire that is he held not the doctrine which Peter taught Of S. Peters chaire in Rome wâ— deeme the same as of S. Peters chaire in Antioch wherin then sate Paulinus yet Ierome there disclaimeth Paulinus because hee taught not the doctrine of Peter vpon Peters faith and confession it is that Ierom knew the church to be built as Erasmus vpon that Epistle verie well noteth Not vpon Rome for Rome also may hap to degenerate The communion of this faith is the house wherin Christ our Paschall lambe must be eaten And the Arke of Noe to saue vs. So long as the pope shall hold the doctrine of Peter wee will ioyne with him But M. Bishop can shew vs no warrant that the church of Rome shall alwaies continue in the doctrine of Peter and therfore his coÌ„clusion that out of the church of Rome there is no salvation is but a vayne presumption w. B. ALbeit the resemblance were true because heretikes in some things are like vnto true beleeuers yeâ— it was nought worth because it maketh the Catholiks no more like to the Donatists then vnto any other sort of sectaries nay then vnto the verie true church of Christ in whose participation only there is that salvatioÌ„ which all sectaries do vainly pretend to be found in their companie That the church of Rome is the chief and principall member of the Catholike church and that it never did nor never shall faile in matter in faith I haue already proued at large not onlie by the depositions of the most and best approued ancient fathers and Doctors both of the Greeke
they saie that all their additions ioyned and sowdered to the rest bee inspired by the holie Ghost Or can that trulie bee called a psalme of Dauid that hath one sentence in it not dictated by the holy Ghost But in their meeters manie such sentences bee added which are not assured to bee of the holie Ghost wherfore they may well marre but cannot make vp any psalmes of Dauid Besids they haue some very hereticall sentences interlarded among the rest As for example this in the inuocation of the holy Ghost before the Sermon Keepe vs from all papistry Finally there bee some whole psalmes made by by Robin woodcocke I trow or some of his fellowes no lesse Dunsticall then hereticall Take for a tast therof the first staffe of the last song in their psalter composed by R. W. which I thought good to record here that the reader may see how elegant and pleasant they bee both for meeter and matter Preserve vs Lord by thy deere word From Turke and Pope defend vs Lord Which both would thrust out of his throne Our Lord Iesus Christ thy deare sonne These must needes bee verie noble verses that haue thrice Lord in them And as for word and Lord Throne and sonne though the words do end in the like syllables yet they agree not in sound If M. Abbot would haue the simple reader beleeve that S. Austin and S. Leo when they speake in the praise of singing of Psalmes did meane Davids psalmes in meeter let him produce but one good Author to testify that they were so turned within 900. yeares of those Doctors deathes and then hardely beleeue him If hee cannot then every man may see what credit is to bee given to his allegations That S. Austins words which I alleaged are to bee vnderstood of Psalmes which the Donatists sung in their churches rather then of songs in their drunken bankets may bee gathered out of the comparison that hee makes betweene them and the psalmes that were sung in the Catholike church And S. Austin might well by a Metaphore vsuall in the holy scripture call the Donatists new mad devises against the ancient custome of grave singing in the quire their drunkennes As for the worshipfull testimony of Cornelius Agrippa of our mingling holie things with prophane it being recorded in a booke of condemned memorie I hold it not worth the answering Sure I am that M. Abbot by producing of such Authors cracketh his owne credit for hee promised in his Epistle to the reader that hee would only vse the testimonie either of some learned Bishops of Rome or of some other famously approued author and commended in that church And this booke of Agrippa de vanitate scientiarum is by name condemned by the same church in the Cataloge of forbidden books wherfore M. Abbot is no man of his word Finally like to a tatling tennis plaier that comes well beaten out of the tennis court yet to comfort himself and to saue his poore credit with his friends brags that those mates with whom he plaid were no matches for him yea that no man that daie was able to stand in his hands Even so M. Abbot having behaued himself as simply as a man of either wit or learning could doe either for defending of his owne or for offendīg his aduerse party yet cōcludeth as though hee had gotten the field and cleane foiled his adversary saying that I did vnfortunatly enter into retorting of that comparison nothing serving my turne but that hee like a nimble tēnis player had returned my owne bals vpon mee that with very great advantage well bragge is a Iolly dog and leesers must sometimes bee suffred to haue their words Let the iudicious and indifferent reader but weigh well first what kind of resemblance M. Abbot endevored to make betweene the Donatists and the Papists to wit to chalenge to themselues to bee the Catholike church To bee or rather to desire to bee dilated all the world over that out of their church there was no salvation To spred ill rumors of their adversaries To discourage men from ioyning with them with a Ragmans roll of such rotten riff raffe common to all sects and to none more vsuall then to the protestantes themselues So triviall I say that any man of ordinarie discretiō would haue been ashamed to haue put them downe in print to the view of the world Afterward on the other side let him but call to mind what resemblances I haue proposed betweene the Protestants and the Donatists and weigh how substantiall they bee in themselues and how properly they fitt the protestants The first was that the spirit and soule of Donatisme cōsisted in affirming the church of Christ not to appeare in any other part of the world visibly but to haue cleā perished saving in some few places where men of their religion liued Of the same mind were the chief protestants for many yeares Secondly the Donatists were the first among Christians that appealed from the iudgment of Bishops vnto temporall Princes though they afterwards repented themselues thereof when they saw that the said princes would not helpe them Is not this one of the chiefe heads of the protestants Gospell yea doth not the whole frame of their new religion hang vpon the supreme ecclesiasticall authority of kings Thirdly they beate downe Altars abused the blessed Sacramēt of Christs body defiled holy oiles confiscated sacred chalices and sold them togither with the vestments and other holie ornaments of the church All which are so proper to the Protestants that they blush not daily to practise it and make open profession of the same 4. The protestāts like vnto the Donatists by putting innocēt priests to death make martirs whom we may worship Finally they pulled of the veiles of religious women which were signes of their professed virginity exposing them to the hazard of the wild world In which vngodlie and irreligious practise the protestāts haue gone farre beyond the Donatists But that they maie not take too great pride therin let them heare the vpright censure of the holy prelate Optatus passed 1200. yeares agone against them in the name of their deere brethren the Donatists In this kind you haue done as great damage to god Optat. l. 6. co Parm. In hoc genere tanta damna fecistis Deo quanta lucra diabolo procurastu Conflastis impie calices crudeliter fregistis inconsulte rasistis altaria Nudastis denuo capita iam velata de quibus professionis detraxistis indicia qua contra raptores aut petitores videntur inuenta Spiritale hoc nubendi genus est in nuptias Sponsi iam venerant voluntate professione sua vt secularibus nuptiijs se renuntiasse monstrarent spiritali sponso soluerant crinem iam caelestes celebrauerant nuptias as you haue procured gaine to the devill you haue impiously melted Chalices you haue barbarously broken downe Altars c. and a litle before you haue vncouered the
Apollinarists did not swarue from the Catholiks in any other point of faith except that they maintained our saviour Christ to haue had no soule of man but that his Godhead did supplie the place of the soule Eutiches and his fellowes agreeing in the rest auouched the flesh of Christ to bee turned into the divine nature All these did professe to beleeue in Christ and to hold all the articles of the Creede So did the MacedoniaÌ„s that imagined the holy Ghost to be lesse then the sonne And the latter Grecians also that deny the same holie Ghost to proceed aswell from the sonne as from the father The Pelagians did not denie Christ or anie article of the Creed no more did the Novatians nor the Donatists at lest as they vnderstood the creed For albeit the Nouatians denied priests to haue power to forgiue some certen of the most grieuous sort of sins as the Protestants do now denie them to haue power to forgive any at all yet they denied no more then the protestants do that article of the creed I beleeue remission of sinnes For they beleeued that God could at all times forgiue all sort of sinnes though they denied priests to haue power to remit some of the most enormious So the Donatists though they taught the church to haue been decayed all the world ouer saving in Africa yet did they professe to beleeue the Catholike church But they expounded it to bee Catholike not for that it was spred ouer all but for that it reteyned all the seven sacraments or for that it professed to keepe all Gods commaundements as you haue heard before Out of these examples I frame this argument If it were sufficient to saluation to beleeue in God our Creator and in Iesus Christ our Redeemer withall other articles set downe expresly in the Apostles Creed Then were the Arrians Macedonians Pelagians and all those other aboue rehearsed heretiks notwithstanding their obstinate cleaving to their condemned heresies in the state of saluation because they refused not to beleeve any of the foresaid points But to hold that anie of the aboue named heretikes dying in their said heresies died in the state of saluation is to gainsay and reproue all pure antiquity it is to condemne the holy prelats and most learned Doctors of the primitiue church of want of learning want of Iudgment and want of charity who cast those erring men as heretikes out of their churches condemned them to the pit of hell as the profest enemies of Christ and the Devils champions Besids the best informed Christians of those times chose rather to suffer all kind of torments then to professe any one point of their condemned opinions which had been great folly if with the profession of them they might holding the other fundamentall points haue enioyed Christ his fauour and been inheritors of the kingdome of heauen Moreouer what necessity had there been for the most learned and renowmed ancient prelats to haue taken such paines either in writing so many learned volumes or in disputing or preaching against those heretikes if they might haue been all saued euery one in his owne religion Might not also the huge charges and exceeding great paines of assembling of generall councels haue been well spared if those men for whose right information they were called might haue obtâ—ined saluation though they had been let alone in their owne errours It must needs therfore bee graunted that the best Clerks and holiest personages in the purest times of Antiquity thought it enough to damnation to deny anie one article of the Catholike faith Matth. 7.15 after it was in anie generall councell declared for such Doth not our blessed Saviour when hee stileth heretikes by the name of false prophets and resembleth them to rauening wolues that devoure Christian soules cleerlie demonstrate that they haue no part in his good grace and favour but bee in his sight odious and hatefull creatures Againe when hee doth in another place compare theÌ„ to theeues and robbers Ioan. 10.1 that do breake into his fold of their owne authority and take vpon them to bee his ministers when hee sent them not scattering killing his flocke Doth hee not I say plainly intimate them to bee guiltie of death and eternall Damnation Tit. 3 11. S. Paul chargeth vs to auoide the companie of an hereticall man knowing that such bee subuerted do sinne and bee even by their owne iudgment condemned And elswhere amoÌ„g the workes of the flesh rangeth heresies sects diuisions forewarninge vs expresly that whosoeuer doth committ anie of them shall never enter into the kingdome of heauen what hope then can there bee of their saluation wherfore heretiks being by our Saviour likened vnto wolues Gallat 5.15 theeues and robbers and by his Apostles declared damnable creatures vncapable to enter into the kingdome of heauen who were also in all ancient councels held for accursed can any bodie bee either so ill aduised or so foolish hardie as to perswade them that there is any hope of saluation for them vnles they forsake their errors in season But because worldlings neuer waÌ„t false prophets to lay pillowes vnder their elbowes to vphold them in their errors some such may heere step forth and in their excuse saie for theÌ„ that seing they beleeue in Christ hold all the articles of the Apostles Creede though they erre in other points they caÌ„not bee heretiks therfore whatsoeuer is said against heretikes doth not touch theÌ„ that be not of that nuÌ„ber This excuse will not serue the turne for as I haue before shewed neither Arrians NestoriaÌ„s PelagiaÌ„s nor any other most notorious heretikes did plainly denie either Christ to bee Saviour of the world nor anie other expresse point of any article of the creed neuerthelesse they were by the true verdict of the ancient Catholike church denounced and declared for heretikes In a word if to beleeue in Christ and to hold the rest of the Apostles Creede were sufficient to preserue any Christian from the Canker of heresie then hee that would denie both the old and new Testament to bee Canonicall scriptures and the true word of God might bee no heretike because the Canon of holy scripture is not expressed in the creed So hee that would ouerthrow the whole Hierarchie of the church and send all the sacraments into banishment might escape the brand of heresie because of those points there is no particular mention in the said Creed wherfore it is most certaine that men may bee most wicked and damnable heretikes albeit they professe to beleeue in Christ and do not deny anie one substantiall point expressed in the Apostles Creed if they shall wilfully defend any other erronious doctrine contrary vnto the truth reuealed by God and so declared vnto vs by the pastors and doctors of the Catholike church For witnes wherof I will now cite only two leaving the rest for the vpshot of this question Aug l. q. in Math. q. 11.
order or bee it by disorder look you handle your weapons more handsomely then you haue done hitherto or els you are like enough to receiue the foile An answer vnto the second section of the first chapter MR Abbot to make a smoother waie to his doutie arguments by which hee striueth to proue the Roman church not to bee the Catholike church saith that hee entreth vnto them to note the absurdity implied in this comon stile of Catholiks the Catholike Roman church How now good sir have you so soone forgotten the errand wherabout you went did not you vndertake to demonstrate that his maiestie had alreadie imbraced the Catholike faith And if you will needs leave that which you professed to pursue in the suddes for a season and fall vpon the church of Rome do not stand triffling vpon tearmes and titles like an idle Caviller but as it beseemes a Doctor of the chaire prove soundly if you can that the now church of Rome doth not beleeve and professe all points of the Catholike faith whether the church of Rome may bee called absolutlie the Catholike church or no or in what sence it is so called are other by questions scarse incident at least nothing necessarie to that wee have now in hand for whether the church of Rome bee stiled the Catholike church or no so that it hold entirely the true Catholike faith then maie his maiestie lawfully and laudably receiue and defend the whole doctrine of the said church and to obtaine saluation must make himself a member therof which was all that I humblie craved of his most excellent Maiestie The issue then of this present question and the marke that M. Abbot should levell att is to shew that his maiestie embracing the faith of the church of Rome should not embrace the true Catholike faith if hee do not effect this hee doth nothing if leaving his issue hee fall to plucking of vizards as hee to excuse his vnseasonable digression doth write from I know not whose faces as though he going about this matter had mett by the waie with some maske or mummery may he not well bee resembled to a boy that sent on an errant falleth to blowing of feathers whither the wind will carrie them and lets his Masters busines alone till hee hath ended his owne sport but such is the mans humour hee must bee dispenced withall for observing anie good order well seing there is no remedy let him range at his pleasure let vs winke att the method so the matter bee tolerable thus then doth hee goe about to prove the Roman church not to bee Catholike No particuler church can bee the Catholike church but the Roman church is a particular church Ergo the Roman church is not the Catholike church Againe to the same effect No part can bee the whole but the Roman church is a part of the Catholike church therfore it cannot bee the whole Catholike church These be his arguments reviewed and put into the best frame that maie bee to avoide all disputes about the forme As I do verie willinglie also let passe his most idle bables of Balaams and Anianus Asses and his scarse sweet poem of horse balles singing in the poole Nos poma natamus bicause such scurrility becomes not divines yea is scarse tollerable in any sort of ciuil men to the Arguments then thus I answere If the conclusion were granted to M. Abbot he were no whitt the nearer to obtaine his intended purpose for what is there concluded aganist the church of Rome maie in the verie same forme bee concluded against the church of England for example no particular church can bee the Catholike church but the church of England is a particular church therfore it cannot bee the Catholike church which is soe apparant that M. Abbot cannot denie it whervpon it followeth most cleerly that this argument can serve no more for disswading his maiesty from admitting the doctrine of the church of Rome Page 13. then from entertayning the doctrine of the church of England therfore it is to be reiected as wholy impertinent to this purpose But M. Abbot saith that atleast it will serve to convince the absurditie of the papists stile who vse to coople together these two tearmes Catholike Roman which hangeth no better together saith hee here then vniuersall particular though afterward better aduised hee within the compasse of two leaves doth confesse that both these tearmes maie in good sence bee ioyned together these be his words Particular churches are called Catholike and particuler persons are Called Catholikes as a man would saie vniuersalists for maintayning communion and fellowship of the Catholike faith with the church of the whole world so that even after M. Abbots owne declaratioÌ„ a Roman Catholike is not as much to saie as a particular vniversall but a particuler man or church that holdeth coÌ„munion of faith with the vniversall church was it not then a great oversight in a man reputed to â—ee of some Iudgment to insist so vehementâ—â—e vpon trifling tearmes that were both besides the purpose and withall true in themselues as you shall heare afterwardes if they be evenlie and fairely taken Notwithstanding bicause the foresaid arguments bee as it were the coÌ„mon hackneys of protestants ever and anone in their mouthes and writings and haue not been formerly answered by any that I haue seen and for that the solution of them will serve to answere all that M. Abbot hath raked together against the church of Rome in fower paragraffes of this chapter I will more particularly and fully dissolue them I say then first the argument is mistaken and doth not conclude that which is in question the question is not whether the Roman church bee the Catholike church in vniuersall but whether the Roman church maie bee called the Catholike church or rather whether it maie bee couched togither in stile with the Catholike church M. Abbot saith no these bee his words For the pulling of this vizard from their faces I noted the absurditie that is emploied in that stile of the Catholike Roman church for the Catholike church I saie is the vniversall church the Roman church is a particular church therfore to saie the Catholike Roman church is all one as to saie the vniuersall particuler church This was M. Abbots first argument and the drift of it was to disprove that stile of ours the Catholike Roman church Now in his latter reformed argument hee is come to change the tearmes and in stead of that the particular Roman church cannot bee said called or stiled the Catholike church doth bring in his conclusion the Roman church is not the Catholike church wherin lieth a great fallacy for as the learned do well know tranfire a rebus ad voces vâ—lè contra à vocibus adres est agere sophistam hee plaies the part of a sophister that passeth either from thinges to words or from words to things which all protestants doe when they vse this kind of
Romans that he should neuer afterward be able to lift vp his head against them in any matter of faith wherin S. Hierom seemes to bee so confident that he doubts not to write to Ruffinus that which M. Abbot may take as spoken to himself Notwithstanding know you that the Romane faith by the Apostles mouth praised S. Hieron Apol. 3. con Ruffinum Attamen scito Romanam fidem Apostolico ore laudatam eiusmodi praestigias non recipere Etiam si Angelus aliter annunciet quam semel praedicatum est Pauli auctoritate munitam non posse mâ—tari doth not admit anie such deceites and tromperies yea if an Angel should preach anie other thing besids that which hath been alreadie preached yet that faith being by the Apostles authoritie fortified could neuer bee changed will M. Abbot yet be so shameles as to stand vp and to giue this graue holie doctor the lie as he must needs do if hee will yet sing his old song and saie that the Roman faith notwithstanding all the Apostles praier and prophecie is foulie changed and that in verie manie great points with the forsaid testimonies may be linked for the antiquitie of it this that standeth on record in the third generall councell holden at Ephesus S. Peter the head of the Apostles and pillar of faith c. did receiue from Christ the keies of the kingdome of heauen c. and doth vnto this daie liue in his successors and determine causes And shall alwaies liue Behold S. Peter alwaies liueth in the Bishops of Rome his successors to determin causes and gouerne the church what then shall become of M. Abbots change will he make S. Peter also a changeling This point I will close vp with this memorable sentence of S. Leo. The soundnes of that faith praised in the prince of the Apostles is euerlasting Leo in serm 2. Assumptionis suae ad sumum Pontificem Soliditas enim illius fidei quae in Apostolorum Principe est laudata perpetua est Et sicut permanet quod in Christo Petrus credidit ita permanet quod in Petro Christus instituit c. Manet ergo dispositio veritatis beatus Petrus in accepta fortitudine petra perseuerans suscepta ecclesiae gâ—bernacula non reliquit and like as that which Peter beleeued of Christ continueth for euer so doth that which Christ did institute in Peter c. Therfore the ordinance of the truth standeth fast and blessed Peter perseuering by his successors in that strength of a rocke hath not forsaken the gouernment of the church Seing the faith and fortitude of Saint Peter shall continue for euer in his successors the bishops of Rome that cuckoes song of M. Abbots that the now church of Rome is in matter of faith degenerated from the old must needs be false And what more manifest signe can one demaund therof then that all the wits of the protestants hauing travailed after nothing more for this fiftie yeeres cannot yet find out any one errour in matter in faith wherin the church of Rome hath at any time dissented from her self in former ages I know right well that they avouch boldlie that it hath changed manie articles of faith but let him that will haue credit given to him so saying name the error it self in particuler and the time when it was first receiued and by what pope it was approued which if no learned Protestant be able to performe let them be well assured that repeat it neuer so often over and ouer that the church of Rome is not the same now as it was in S. Austins time they deserue not to be beleeued Neither am I ignorant that some more hardy then their fellowes haue gone about to designe the time when the church of Rome began her Apostacy But therin they agree no better then the false Elders that accused Susanna of adulterie did of the tree vnder which the fained fact was pretended to bee done And therfore be no more worthy of credit then they were 30 M. Abbot goeth on to proue that I racked and wronged my authors and saith that Tertullian whoÌ„ I alleaged as sending to the church of Rome to learne the true doctrine doth send also to other churches as well as to the church of Rome Be it so but if he appealed vnto the church of Rome as well as to others did I him any wrong in saying that he appealed vnto the church of Rome I did not saie that he excluded all or ane ony other Doth not M. Abbot rather rack my words and wrong himself in imposing that vpon mee which I said not Besids M. Abbot doth offer great wrong to Tertullian not so much by racking his words as by chopping them quite of in the middest for where Tertullian saith If thou border on Italy thou hast the church of Rome vnde nobis authoritas presto est whence authority comes to vs. M. Abbot cuts of the latter part of the sentence which imports that men in Africk for that was Tertullians countrie did acknowledg the church of Rome to haue authority ouer them M. Abbot then hauing so cunningly conueyed the matter by cutting of that which made for vs doth afterward aske mee what was there left to serve my turne if his conueiance be no cleanlier then so it were better for him to leaue those trickes ro them that haue more nimbles fingers The Cathalogue of the Bishops of Rome set downe by Epiphanius doth serue to shew that the Bishops of Rome are S. Peters true successors which M. Abbot and the protestants sometimes when they are at a stand do not stick to deny Optatus Bishop of Milevitane S. Austins auncient did proue as M. Abbot cannot deny his part to be Catholike in that it comunicated with the church of Rome yet M. Abbot to detract some what from the see of Rome addeth that Optatus did not proue his part Catholike by communicating simply with the church of Rome but for that communicating with the church of Rome it communicated with the church of the whole world which words of Optatus are so farr of from detracting any thing from the church of Rome that they do much magnifie the comodity of her communion for he saith not that he communicated with the church of Rome and with all other churches making them seuerall parts but that in communicating with the church of Rome he communicated with the churches of the whole world thereby declaring the comunion with the church of Rome to be the meanes of communicating with all others which is the very same that we do now go about to proove His words which containe manie memorable instructions are these spoken vnto Parmenianus a Donatist Thou canst not deny but that thou knowest an Episcopall chaire to haue been placed in the city of Rome Optatus mileuit l. 2. co parmenianum Igitur negare non potes scire te in vrbe Roma Petro primo Cathedram Episcopalem esse
beleeuers as may bee gathered by that godly Historiographer Victor Bishop of vtica in Africke who relateth how locundus to diswade the cruell Arrian Theodoricus Victor vti de pers vand l. 1. the kings sonne from putting a Christian to death vsed these words If you put him to the sword the Romans will honor him for a Martir By the word Romans signifying the true Catholikes And another worthy witnes heerof is Gregory that learned and Zealous Bishop of Toures who citing these words of the Arrians Greg de gloria MartyruÌ„ l. 1. c. 25. Quia ingenium est Romanorum doth enterlace this explication Romanos enim vocitant nostrae religionis homines they do coÌ„monly call men of our religion to wit the true Catholiks by the name of Romans These ancient graue and renowmed authors may serue to convince any reasonable man that the name Roman both anciently did and now verie well maie comprehend all the true beleeuers of the vniuersall world what shall we then say to M. Abbot that in all his reading as he confesseth to the reproch of his ignorance could never light vpon any one that by the Roman church did signify the whole Catholike church He must acknowledg either that there remaineth very much in antiquity which hee hath not yet read or that passing ouer much in post was not at leasure to marke that which made against himself Hee found the East and the west the Greeke and Latin churches but hee could neuer find that by the Roman church was signified the vniuersall church Be it so good Sir bicause you will needs haue it to be so that you through the dimnes of your sight could not discerne that which stands on record in Saint Ciprian Saint Ambrose Saint Hierome and diuers others well knowen and approued Authors doth it there vpon follow that no man els could do it or that I vpon the acknowledgment of your want of reading the fathers was presently blanked and had not a word to say Alas seely man haue you neuer heard of this triviall Adage Bernardus non vidit omnia If that enlightned and Eagle eied Abbot did not see all what maruell though a poore purr-blind Abbot ouersee mistake many things Learne gentle sir by this little not to beare your self to confidently vpon your owne reading be you well assured that there bee many worthy things in antiquitie that you haue not read manie also that you do not vnderstand and not a few if I do not greatly mistake that you having both read and vnderstood yet will not acknowledge for feare of hurting your owne cause Out of the premises it followeth most manifestly that the word Roman taken in that larger signification is no tearme of diminution nor abridgeth the whole vnto a part but is of as large extent and hath the same latitude with the whole Catholike and Orthodox church So that whosoeuer is of the Roman church is a true member of the Catholike church And on the other side whosoeuer will bee esteemed a meÌ„ber of the Catholike church must not refuse to be made a member of the Roman church It only seperateth Catholikes from heretikes Epist 73. who like Apes to vse S. Ciprians tearme counterfeit the Catholike would verie fayne bee so saluted but because they will not acknowledge Epist 45. radicem matricem as the said Doctor speaketh elswhere the originall mother church of Rome they cannot bee liuely branches true children of the same Optatus l. 2. co parmen The Donatists as Optatus wisely noteth because they seperated themselues from the coÌ„munion of the church of Rome avouching their particuler sect to bee the whole church were no part of the whole but lay like rotten boughes cut of from the body of the Catholike church In the same tearmes stand protestants all other sectaries of what sort soeuer they be that after the fashion of Donatists diuide themselues from the same church of Rome and make peculier seperations And if the particular church of Rome would and could forsake their Ancestors faith and divide it self from other Catholike churches as protestants do And neuertheles avouch it self alone to be the whole church then in deed it might well incurr that censure of Optatus But because it cannot so do being by the vertue of our Saviours prayer and continuall assistance of the holy Ghost alwaies preserued from all error in matter of faith therfore it cannot bee separated froÌ„ the rest of the Catholike church as the Donatists were but be perpetually so closelie vnited inseparably associated with it that whosoeuer ioyneth himself with the church of Rome doth euen therby enter in to societie of the whole catholike church which the same ancient prelate Optatus doth teach in these most expresse wordes which I haue cited before Siâ—icius that now sitteth S. Peters successâ—r in the chaire of Rome is our coÌ„panion with whoÌ„ the whole world by enter course of formed letters agreeth with vs in one vniforme societie of comunion Behold how by societie with the Bishop and church of Rome the Bishops of Afrike entred into coÌ„munion and kept correspoÌ„deÌ„ce with the vniuersall church dispersed ouerall the whole world 4 M. Abbot would gladly learne seing that in ancieÌ„t time wheÌ„ there were very manie heresies the additioÌ„ of Catholike was taken for sufficieÌ„t to distinguish the Orthodox from all kind of sectaries why it will not now serue the turne but that RomaÌ„ must bee added thervnto The answere is readie because sectaries bee waxen more audacious now theÌ„ they were of old for in S. Austins daies Aug 〈◊〉 til cred c. 7. albeit the heretikes c ueted to be called Catholikes and so did call themselues putting names of reproch vpon the true beleeuers as Protestants vse to do now yet as the same most trustie Doctor witnesseth when any stranger came to demaund of them which was the Catholike congregation Idem de vera rel c. 7. they alwaies directed and sent them to the true Catholike not to their owne well knowing that hee who enquired after the Catholikes meant not their sect neither could they otherwise bee well vnderstood vnles they called the true church by the same name as it was called all the world ouer But the heretikes of our times having put on more brasen faces then their predecessors though there be no vniuersality neither of time place or people in their congregations yet forsooth will needs bee called Catholiks by Antiphrasis or contraries belike vt Lucus dicitur a Lucendo quia minime lucet lucus that is Latin for a wood is deriued of lumen light because in it is litle light so Protestants may be named vniuersalists bicause there is among them litle or no kind of vniuersality To the purpose then to declare what manner of Catholiks we meane wee add Roman to signifie that we vnderstaÌ„d not a counterfeit or corner catholike that lay lurking in obscurity for a thousand yeres
together and whose faith was neuer spred one quarter of the world ouer But such Catholikes as ioyne with the church of Rome whose faith and religion was first coÌ„mended in the Apostles daies and hath continued ever since vnmoveable and besids hath florishedd in all christian nations of the world and therfore is indeed truly Catholike Our coniunction therfore with the Roman church associateth vs with the faithfull not only of all Europe Afrike and Asia but also with the faithfull of the East and west Indies and of all the world besides wherfore M. Abbot was fowly deceiued when he said that the word Roman was a tearme of diminution or that it abridgeth the whole vnto a part wheras the Roman is fully as large and ample and hath the very same and no narrower limits and borders then the Catholike faith and religion excluding none of any nation of the world out of that communion but heretiks only and schismatiks and such like counterfeit Catholikes And let him and his companions that blush not to lay that imputation of sect and schisme vpon the Roman church declare if they can from what church the Roman deuided it self in what popes daies it became schismatike And in what countrie was the vnity of the true church then preserued None of all which if they bee able to declare we must needs take their words for wind if not for passionat and womanish scolding without any colour of reason I maruell where M. Abbot hath read that it is the peculiar badg of Antichrist to chalenge to him his alone to be the whole church of Christ May not Christs lieutenant on earth chalenge that truly which Antichrist by intrusion will presume to do vniustly Or is there no whole church of Christ in the world out of Antichrists tents And may he not rather be thought to rove at random then to speake in his right senses that averreth Antichrist to bee willing to stand for Christ and to professe to fight vnder Christs banner against whom as the holy scripture and ancient fathers most manifestly teach hee will proclayme open warr and do the vttermost of his most wicked endeauor to coÌ„pell all Christians openly to forsake and forsweare Christ too and that not covertly and by consequencies but in plaine and formall tearmes and to acknowledg no other soueraigne lord besids himself wherfore to conclude this section let the indifferent reader duly consider whether I haue deliuered in sufficient premises to proue that the church of Rome may be vsed to signifie any church of the world that in faith and religion doth agree with it My promises are not the practise only of Catholiks but also of Protestants who in all countries giue vs a name taken from the church of Rome as Romanists or Papists to signifie that we all be members of the same church in what countrie soever we dwell And not only men of our dâ—â—es do so commonly speake but in ancient tymes also it is as well recorded of the Orthodox fathers as by heretiks that men of all countries who imbraced the true faith were called Romans as I haue once before proued at large wherfore it is no novelty to avouch the church of Rome to comprehend all the true Christians of the world Against which it maketh nothing that heretiks and schismatiks be no members of the church of Rome for they be no better then rotten boughes cutt of from the vine like scattered sheepe out of Christs fold wherfore no part nor parcell of Christs church THE FOVRTH Paragraffe w. B. NOw to M. Abbots second sophistication The Roman church by your rule is the head and all other churches are members to it but the Catholike comprehendeth all Ergo to say the Roman is the Catholike church is to say the head is the whole body To which I saye first as I said to the former argument that it is missshapen and by the like it maie bee proued that their English church is not the Catholike church which M. Abbot is content to grant Seâ—ondly I say that it is a fault in arguing when a word is vsed Metaphorically to take hold vpon anie other property of the Metaphore besides that wherin the resemblance lieth I gaue for example that our blessed Saviour is called a Lion for his invincible fortitude Now if anie man would out of that metaphore argue that our Saviour had foure feete bicause a Lion hath so he should be not only ridiculous but also blasphemous In like manner though the church of Rome be by vs called the head church bicause of her superiority Yet doth it not follow that anie other properties belonging to a head be of necessity attributed to the same church And to our present purpose though a head cannot be called by the name of the whole it being but one part of the whole called dissimilare that consisteth of diuers parts one vnlike to the other yet might the church of Rome not withstanding that it is the head be called by the name of the whole Catholike church For that the Catholike church is totum similare a whole consisting of parts that bee all a like as the aire is every part wherof is called by the name of the whole as euery part of the aire is called the aire euery part of water is called water so every particular church that is part of the Catholike church may truly be called the Catholike church though it be not the whole Catholike church To which M. Abbot after much idle speech mingled with scornfull scoffing answereth nothing els in effect but that hee had said before these be his wordes R. AB TAke a head in what sence you will it must needs bee a distinct part from the rest of the body and then repeats his goodly argument in these tearmes The church of Rome is by their learning the head of all other churches and all other churches are as the members and body of this head But the Catholike church comprehendeth all both head and body To say then that the Roman church is the Catholike church is all one as if a man should say the head is the whole bodie After which he addeth who can speake more cleerly then I haue done where if you wil be his favorable and fast frind you must applaud him and say that no man is able to do better nor to set it out more cleerly then hee hath done A high conceit of his owne writing vttered with vanity enough Now of mee his poore Antagonist hee saith who can answere more absurdly then he hath done I haue put him to his trumps I warrant him c to omit much such trumpery which followeth without any fortification of reason or temper of modestie W. B. I am so farr of from being troubled with his trumpes which are nothing els indeed then very frumpes besids that one old halting spurgald Iade of an argument so confusedly set downe by him even there where hee crakes most of cleernes
that I will do that for him which hee blinded with self loue imagined impossible for any man to do to wit I will put downe his argument more cleerly and formerly then he hath done himself as every scholler that can Iudge of the forme of an argument may easily perceaue in this manner No part can be the whole but the church of Rome is but a part to wit the head of the church Ergo it cannot be the whole This his so often repeated argument without any new fortificatiō needs no other refutatiō than that which hath been once or twice giuen before Thus at length we come to the end of M. Abbots first chapter which was diuided into fower sections or parts and haue by the helpe of Gods good grace both defended and proued that supreme commanding power of Iurisdiction which consisteth in the chief government of Christs church vpon earth to haue been by our blessed Saviour first established and placed vpon the person of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles that there should be perfect vnity in his Ecclesiasticall kingdome then that the same might endure not for tearme of S. Peters life only but alwaies continue vnto the worlds end He ordained that S. Peters successors the Bishops of Rome should enioy the same soveraigne authority ouer the whole Catholike church vntill the worlds end which I made good specially by the confession and acknowledgment of the greatest Patriarks most learned and best approued Prelats of the East churches because the better learned Protestants do after a manner grant vnto the Bishop and pope of Rome Of this read more in the note at the end of this chapter as patriarch of the west supreme authoritie and Iurisdiction ouer all the west churches Moreouer because the protestants do all and some obiect that fact of the African Bishops wherin they seemed to deny appeales of all vnder the degree of Bishops vnto the court of Rome as an argument of great moment against the said supreme commanding power of the sea of Rome I haue produced testimonies of the most ancient and best learned Bishops and Doctors of the African church averring the Iurisdiction of the church of Rome ouer themselues and their countrie So that there can remaine no scruple in the vpright and iudicious Readers vnderstanding but that the Bishop of Romes supremacy hath been acknowledged witnessed and obeyed all the world ouer even in the pure times of most florishing Christianity And consequently that all they who desire to bee sound and perfect Catholiks must imbrace and professe the faith and religion of the same Roman church or els be content to bee reckened in the rew of hereticall or schismaticall Congregations And as in this life they willingly take part with them in their schisme and errors so they may assure themselues vnles God giue them grace to repent to bee against their wils sorted with them in the finall separation at the last day and to haue their vnlucky lott with them in the lake euer burning with fire and brimstone from which our most mercifull Lord and sweet Saviour Christ Iesus deliuer all them that professe his truth and holy name Amen M. Richard field Doctour of diuinity in his fift book of the church printed at london 1610. of the bishop and church of Rome hath these positions FIrst in the 32. chapter that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed S. Peter in the Bishoprique of the City and in the honour of being one of the prime Bishops of the world Secondly in the 34. chapter that the church of Rome was head of all churches that is first in order and honour among them but not in absolute supreme commaunding power 3 That the same church was in more speciall sort head of such churches as were within the Patriarchship of Rome as was all the west church To which effect his maiesty of England our soueraigne lord writeth to all Christian Monarches Pag 46. If there were yet question among the Patriarches for the first place I would with all my hart giue my consent that the Bishop of Rome should haue the first seat I being a westerne king would go for the patriarch of the west 4 That the Bishop of Rome had the care of all churches not as absolute supreme commaunder but as most honorable among the Bishops who were first to be sought vnto in matters requiring a common deliberation and from whom all things generally concerning the state of the whole church were either to take beginning or at the least to seek confirmation before they were generally imposed and prescribed The same Doctour in his preface to the reader teacheth that to compose variances rising between Patriarches and their Bishops or among themselues he that was in order and honour before the rest might lawfully interpose himself and in his synode iudg of such differences And in such cases as could not be so ended or that concerned the faith and the state of the whole vniuersall church there remained the iudgment and resolution of a generall councell wherin the Bishop of the first sea that is the Bishop of Rome was to sitt as President and moderatour Obserue how easily that which we teach of popes the supremacy may be gathered out of these principles for if it appertaine vnto the Bishop of Rome as prime Patriarch to compose the differences rising betwixt other Patriarches and their Bishops if he must be principally sought vnto for finall resolutions in matter of faith if care of all churches belong to him and from him all thinges generally concerning the state of the whole church were either to take beginning or els to seek confirmation let any vnderstanding man exercised in gouernment tell me how Patriarches and Bishops may be conuented to appeare without commaunding authority and how without compelling power the popes finall determinations would be of all parties obeied THE SECOND CHAPTER M. ABBOT The comparisons betweene the Donatists and Papists iustified and enlarged page 51. R. AB IT is a meere vsurpation wherby the Papists call the Roman church the Catholike church and the same that the Donatists of old did They held the Catholike church to be art Cartenna in Africk and the Papists hold it to be at Rome in Italy W. B. THis cōparison is a fond new deuise of M. Abbot wherin there is skarce one spark either of wit or learning wherfore it deserued rather to be abridged or wholy cāceld then to haue been enlarged Iustified it can never bee because it hath not many true words in it Take a tast of this first branch which is false on both sides for neither was Cartenna in Africa but in Mauritania nor did the Donatists hold their pretended Catholike church to bee at Cartenna but esteemed the Rogatists who so much magnified Cartenna to be wicked Schismatiks altogether vnworthy the name or communion of their supposed Catholik church as S. Austin M. Abbots owne author doth testifie Aug. Epist 48. in the place
churches saue the Roman do err as they say they maie how shall a man then in communicating with the Roman communicate with all other churches then must you needs saie that by communicating with that particular church of Rome you do become Catholike finally M. Bishop doth overthrow himself For if a man become a Catholike by communicating with the church of the whole world and by coÌ„municating with the church of Rome he doth communicate with the church of the whole world then communicating with the particular church of Rome the name of Catholike doth belong to him To be short if the Donatists could haue had their way they would not haue doubted to say asmuch of their church as M. Bishop doth hereof his to wit that men should bee called Catholiks by communicating with the African church not as it was contained within the bounds of Africa but for that in communicating with that church you did enter into communion with all other churches spred over all the world w. B. IN the forefront of this chapter M. Abbot ingraued this title The comparison betwixt the Donatists and Papists iustified And yet we see in the beginning of euery section an open confessioÌ„ of some fault made by himself in the same comparison I said the Donatists I should haue said the Rogatists c well though it cannot be denied but that this is a very simple kind of Iustification yet I am content it passe for some kind of satisfaction be it permitted to M. Abbot for a sory shift to flit vp and downe before from the Rogatists in Mauritania to the Donatists in Africa now back againe from the Donatists to the Rogatists who saith hee did expound the word Catholike of perfection of faith which to haue been otherwise I haue shewed in the second section of this chapter well those honest Rogatists affirmed themselues only to bee true Catholiks and by consequence held none to be Catholikes but such as ioyned with them So did the Donatists in Africa The Papists do the like for their church therfore they resemble the Donatists And do not the protestants put in the same plea for their church therfore they be also Donatists And did not the old Arrians affirme and say asmuch in favour of their church were they also Donatists Is not this then a proper resemblance betwixt the Donatists and Papists that will agree vnto all kind of sects yea vnto the true Catholike church it self to which alone in deed it doth rightfully apperteine yet it is vsuall to all sectaries that take their errors for truth to qualify and grace their sect with the title of the true reformed church This resemblance then is so triviall that a man of any sharpnes of wit would haue been ashamed to haue framed it But if M. Abbots inventioÌ„ were dry and dull when he proposed that we shall now find it fluent and acute in reproving what I answered of the church of Rome to wit If the communion of the church of Rome passed not out of the wals of Rome then by communicating with the church of Rome wee should not become Catholiks But bicause it is farr otherwise with the church of Rome then it was with the church of Cartenna and that in communicating with the church of Rome we enter into the communion of the church dilated all the world ouer therfore wee become Catholiks in communicating with the church of Rome about which M. Abbot makes a foule fumbling but in fine cannot impeach it hee saith first it is contrary to that which I had before taught viz to communicate with the church of Rome was to become Catholike But this hee saw to be so simple that hee corrected it himself presently for I never said otherwise but by communicating with the Roman church wee became Catholiks And my reason alwaies was bicause the communion of the church of Rome did reach into all the coasts of the earth He giueth the second assaut against it by averring that therof it would ensue that one became Catholike now a dayes otherwise then of old bicause then it was sufficient to communicate wâ—â—h the church dispersed ouer all and now wee must communicate with the church of Rome to communicate with the church spred ouer all Is not this a high point and a very great subtiltie when one doth communicate with the church spred ouer all doth hee not euen then communicate with the church of Rome also that is the chief of them all Or was there any time since the Apostles dayes when there was no church of Rome that one might haue communicated with the church spred ouer all and yet not haue communicated with the church of Rome Yea did not they that wrote against the Donatists I meane S. Austin and Optatus make speciall instance in the communion of the church of Rome aswell as I do now to proue their societie with the whole Catholike church S. Austin saith of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage who was principally oppugned by the Donatists that hee holding communion with the church of Rome as with the chiefest Apostolicall chaire needed not care for the conspiracy of the Donatists agâ—â—nst him And Optatus speaketh iust to the same sence that I do In the Bishop of Rome the whole world doth accord together with vs in one society of communion Note how in those old daies by coÌ„munion with the pope church of Rome the prelatâ— in Africa esteemed themselues to hold communion with the whole world M. Abbot puts forth a new case what if the church of the whole world do not hold communion with the church of Rome as it was when Arrianisme did ouerflowe the whole world Then at least by holding communion with Rome one held not communion with the church of the world M. Abbot is content to leaue the Donatists to dreame awhile and flieth for aduantage to the Arrians but they will helpe him no more then did the Donatistes For though their heresies infected many cities countries and drew many Bishops to their party yet M. Abbot I thinke can hardly name mee any one city of the world so wholy possessed with that Arrianisme that it had not at the same time many true beleeuers in it that would not ioyne in faith and religion with the said ArriaÌ„s but stuck close to the church of Rome and to all other true beleeuers The like we say of the Easterne churches when they fell into schisme and heresie that albeit the outward face of their congregations were schismaticall yet there remained alwaies in those countries as there do now in England very manie that did coÌ„stantly defend and embrace the Roman religion The Indians for the most part of late time were converted yet many millions of soules were wonne vnto Christian religion in the west and East Indies by good priests Franciscan Fryers and other religious men before any mission of Iesuits were sent into that heavenly haruest as the Indian storie doth testifie yea before their
the head of the cause and propose one similitude betwene the Protestāts and Donatists of that nature and force that if it bee verified no vpright iudge can deny the protestants to bee Donatists indeed This it is S. Austin Optatus and all antiquity do testify that the maine point of the Donatists heresie consisted in this that they affirmed the church of Christ planted by the Apostles to haue perished all the world ouer saving in those coasts of Africa where their party remayned Therfore whosoever mainteynes this error obstinatly though hee faile in no other article of belief hee is a very Donatist And whosoeuer should vphold all the branches mentioned by M. Abbot or any other that any man els can produce if hee do not maintaine this to wit that the Catholike church is perished in most parts of the world hee can neuer be come a Donatist the reason is most euident because hee doth not concord with them in that error for which they were Christned by that name As for the error of rebaptization it sprong vp before their daies and was but an appendix to the other which the donatists vndertook to currie favour in that coūtrie where it had been taught before by great personages Now then to the purpose If the Protestants do teach the true church to haue perished all the world ouer for many hundreth yeres saving that it remayned among men of their religion in certaine darke and vnknowne corners who can deny them to bee as true Donatists as ever were any which M. Abbot perceiuing to bee as plaine as Dunstable high way maketh as though the protestants never taught the true visible church to haue faild at any time but to haue alwaies euen from Gregorie the great his time downe to our daies continued visibly in all these parts of the world though blemished with some corruptions yea that the church of Rome it self was a part therof as also the ancient church of England doth not this seeme strange was it not their common doctrine that from Pope Boniface his time that is for these nine hundreth yeres at least there was a generall Apostacy from the true church and that Antichrist with his band possessed the outward visible church Gods true church lying hid all that while invisible vntill frier Luther cast of his frock coupled himself with a Nunne and began to set abroach the true light of the new Gospell If M. Abbot will not acknowledg it let him and the reader that doubts of it but turne to those Authors of our owne country To omitt others M. Parkins in his reformed Catholike page 331. M. Fulke in his answere to the counterfeit Catholike and against Stapleton and M. Martiall page 377. M. whitakers de ecclesia contra Bellarminum page 144. M. Napper vpon the reuelations page 143. 126. who with the greater parte of Protestants do openly crie out that from Pope Boniface his raigne the visible church of God Perished from the face of the earth the pope of Rome and his adherents whom they make Antichrist and his ministers having deuowred and ruined the Gospell and in steed of it brought in Idolatry According vnto this opinion of those learned and famous pillars of the new Gospell which was in times past commonly taught among them The Protestants are Donatists and worse then Donatists for first they agreed with the Donatists in the essentiall point of their heresie that the true church of Christ was perished And in this they went farr beyond them for the Donatists did not affirme the church to bee perished in all places they thēselues having for a hundreth yeares and more some face of a church in many cities of Africa and aboue 300 Bishops of their sect But the protestants ancient churches were at the first so soare beaten vtterly blasted that they cānot so much as name one prouince where their religion had any bishops or florished for any one age of the nine hūdreth yeeres of that supposed defection wherfore M. Abbot to avoide the open profession of that damnable Donatisme is faine to fall into a newe phantasie that forsooth the Roman church notwithstanding all her grosse errors and fowle faults in their imagination is a true member of Christs Catholike church because she held alwaies the foundation entire though she built hay straw and stubble theron well fare your hart gentle sir wee are much beholding vnto you for the good opinion you haue of our church and religion but how comes it then to passe that our church her self being so hart-whole and tollerable the members therof bee by you esteemed so blasphemous horrible why are the lawfull pastors therof only for being consecrated priests and for coming into England to execute the anciēt and accustomed rites of priesthod made hainous traitors why are honest and otherwise harmles men for receiuing of priests and serving God after the old accustomed manner most grieuously punished by losse of all their goods lands libertie and life how vnreasonable and conscienceles men bee you Ministers to cry out for so severe lawes and most bitter execution therof against recusants for that religion which you your selues hold to bee Catholike If there were any good nature left in you or sparke of any kindnes you should rather intreat pardon for men of our religion of whom you now chalenge yourselues to bee lineally descended and in right of which descent you enioy many high Ecclesiasticall dignities and rich benefices This in courtesy you ought rather to do then for humane tollerable faults to incense the prince and state against vs. Tollerable I say in the course of mans law if Almightie God will beare with them And if they do not exclude a Christian man out of Gods Catholike church as they do not in the way of your opiniō why should earthly potentats depriue them of the commō benefits of their dominions and not rather after the example of the soveraigne Lord of heaven and earth suffer them to liue quietly in their kingdome and to enioy their owne livings which bee rightfully descended vnto them from their predecessors men also of the same religion I cannot see how M. Abbot all they that imbrace the same opinion can in equity require any recusant to bee so highly punished for that religion which they hold to bee good in all substantiall and fundamentall points therof though they thinke it in other of smaller moment to neede reformatiō well though that their opinion bee more fauorable and indulgent to vs yet in my poore iudgment it is farre of from being true And to my slender conceite it doth seeme as it were prodigious how they can take that church to bee a true member of the right church whose head they hold to bee Antichrist whose sacrifice and common service Idolatrie whose Sacraments sacrilegious superstitions the greater part of their doctrine blasphemies their pastors beasts foxes and swine as M. Abbot here out of his litle ciuility tearmeth them Briefly
fault as meriteth the losse therof much more the church of Rome being the most honorable congregation of Christendome ought to hold her due estimation and credit and enioy all her priviledges vntill it bee lawfully proved that it hath iustlie deserved to bee deprived of them for in dubijs mel or est conditio possidentis In all doubtfull causes shee that is and hath been fifteen hundreth yeres in possession is to keepe it still I grant that when S. Austin either defended the honour of the church of Rome or magnified the society and communion with it did thervnto ioyne some other church But the mention of them not being to our present purpose what reason had I to recite that which was needlesse when as every man knowes that aswell as then so now whosoever shall recōcile himself to the church of Rome hee shall therby reenter into communion with all other Catholike churches throughout the whole world And wheras M. Abbot would haue his credulous reader suppose that S. Austin made no more reckoning of the church of Rome then hee did of any others That is flat contrary to that which S. Austin setteth downe in the very same place who to prevent that Cavill doth enterlace this Parenthesis in the honour of the church of Rome where alwaies florished the primacie of the Apostolicall chaire And in his Epistle 165. being to giue an instāce of the perpetuall successiō of pastors in the church maketh choice of the church of Rome as of the better assured and more safe and sound there doth intimate that the Bishops of Rome though they might liue amisse yet should never faile to instruct aright all that seeke vnto them for resolutions of their doubts in matter of faith wherfore M. Abbot if hee will giue credit vnto that most holy and learned Doctor whom aswell protestants as wee do esteeme for one of the soundest recorders of antiquity hee must needs yeeld vnto the church of Rome both that it is the principall of all the rest and that it shall for ever continue the most assured Oracle of the holy Catholike faith which if hee refuse to do hee leaueth apparent proofe vnto all the world that hee had rather with the Donatists raile at her and revile her then with S. Augustine and other holy prelats extoll and magnify the primacy of that Apostolicall chaire and defend the ever durable succession of her pastors as wel in truth of doctrine as in order of persons of which I haue more largly spoken in the 2. Section of the first chapter n. 29. VVHETHER EVERY CHRISTIAN MAIE BEE Saued in his owne religion albeit therein bee some errors in matter of faith BECAVSE M. Abbot in the precedent chapter granteth that the Roman church and the church of our forefathers in England were true members of the Catholike church and consequently in the state of Salvation albeit hee esteemeth them infected with sundrie grosse Errors And for that I otherwise know that verie many remarkable persons in our countrie do greatlie desire to heare this question more exactly discussed I thought it more convenient to let the ensuing chapters of M. Abbors trifling booke to rest for a season and presently to fall in hand with this matter which is no lesse longed after then it is necessarie to bee knowen For the more particular explication of this weightie difficulty whether everie one maie bee saued in his owne religion or no I leaving a full treatise therof vnto them that haue better leisure thinke good to touch these three points I. First whether hee that beleeueth aright in the one living and eternall God and liueth honestly may bee saued without expresse beliefe in Iesus Christ our Saviour II. Secondly whether beleeving aright both in God almightie Creator of heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ our redeemer with all other fundamentall points of the Christian religion hee may bee saued that doth therewith beleeve amisse in some other articles of the Christian faith III. Thirdly I will adde a word or two about the publike profession of the same Christian faith because besides an honest life and a true belief that also is necessary to salvation I tooke it not amisse to handle briefly the first point although there bee few Christians that make any doubt of it because I my self haue heard some good soules verie vertuously given but not sufficiently instructed to bee of opinion that it made no great matter what religion they professed so they feared God and led an honest life amōg their neighbors Their opinion seemed to issue out of Good nature and a great loue of honest life and vpright dealing which they saw to bee wonderfully decaied and almost perished in our miserable coūtrie The best reason that I can frame in favour of their error is this Almightie God is most mercifull full of goodnes and compassion towards all his owne creatures hee knowes our inbred ignorance and weaknes and therfore is not likely to bee highly offended against them that do their endevour to serue him accordīg to their knowledge and capacitie how slender soeuer it be Now manie there bee in the wide world brought vp among Turkes infidells that never heard of or at the least never had sufficiently declared vnto them that Iesus Christ is the Saviour of the world wherfore it seemes that such may bee saued without faith in him And among vs Christians some bee so dull of capacitie and blockish or haue been so extreame ignorantly or evilly brought vp that they haue not been well taught to beleeve in the Saviour of the world Christ Iesus may not their grosse ignorance beg their pardon att our most mercifull Lord his hands Besides S. Paul declaring what is necessarie for him to beleeve that will approach vnto God seemeth to require but two things The one that hee beleeue that God is the other that hee is a rewarder of all them that seeke vnto him Hebr. 11.6 Hee that cometh to God must beleeve that hee is and is a rewarder to them that seeke him But wee maie well beleeue that God is to wit a spirit of infinite goodnes wisdome power the Creator conserver and soveraigne ruler of heaven and earth and of all things in them also that as hee hath created all things of his inestimable goodnes and preserveth and governeth all with incomprehensible wisdome and equitie So hee will in the end as high Iudge of the quicke the dead call all reasonable creatures to an account of their dutifull behauiour towards their so good and high maker preserver ruler and out of his immense bountie most aboundantlie reward all them that haue in this life sought vnto him and diligentlie serued him And on thother side severely punish them that haue neglected their dutie towards him and transgressed his holie commaundements All this I say and much mor◠one maie beleeue without the knowledg of Christ therfore it seemes possible that some men maie obtaine saluation
addeth in another place whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your wordes Math. 10 15. going forth out of the house and citie shake of the dust from your feet Amen I say to you it shal bee more tolerable for the land of the Sodomits and Gomorrheans in the daie of iudgment then for that city Behold how straightly wee are charged to heare and beleeue Christs witnesses the pastors and Doctors of the Catholike church If wee do otherwise wee shal bee taken to despise Christ and to despise his heavenly father and shall find no lesse intollerable iudgment then did the stinking and abhominable Sodomites Moreouer the pastors of the Catholike church are not only Christs bare witnesses and Ambassadors but they bee also our spirituall governors Act. 20.28 Posuit vos Spiritus sanctus regere ecclesiam Dei The holie Ghost hath appointed you to gouerne the church of God If they bee our governors wee must obey them Hebr. 13.17 Obedite prepositis vestris subiacete eis Obey your Prelats and bee subiect vnto them hee that resisteth power Rom. 13.2 resisteth the ordinance of God And of all governors the spirituall that do represent our Saviour in a higher degree are most to bee respected Therfore more hainous is the offence of euerie one that doth obstinatlie withstand them then of others that withstande their temporall prince Math. 18.17 Qui ecclesiam non audiverit sit tibi tanquam Ethnicus Publicanus Hee that will not heare the church let him bee taken for a heathen and a publican whervpon there is commonly in all generall councels Anathema an excommunication and curse vpon all them that shall not beleeue all and euerie article of faith in the same generall couÌ„cell declared and determined which doth most manifestly demonstrate that any man who shall refuse to beleeue any one article of faith by the church declared to bee such is worthie to bee excommunicated that is to bee depriued of the societie of Christians in this world and consequentlie of the fruition of Christ in the world to come if they do not in time repent whence I gather this short argument hee that refuseth to beleeue Gods witnesses the pastors of his church and our spirituall governours in any one article of faith deserueth to bee condemned but they that hope to bee saued in their owne religion of whom wee now speake do refuse to bâ—leeue Gods church in some article or other of the Catholike faith therfore they deserue to bee condemned For the further explication of the great conveniencie and necessitie wee haue to beleeue and obey the Catholike church in matters of faith let is bee well weighed that it doth in manner as much import vs vpon whose credit wee beleeue anie thing as what wee do beleeue for such is the weaknes and vncertaintie of our owne Iudgment that wee neede nothing more then to haue an assured guid to coÌ„duct vs safelie in the high matters of divinitie which do farr surmount our naturall vnderstanding and capacitie Because as the Apostle discourseth divinelie faith is of hearing How shall wee then beleeue Rom. 10. without a preacher and how shall any man preach vnto vs without hee bee sent which is as much to say that without the helpe of some bodie sent from God to teach vs what wee haue to beleeue wee cannot beleeue aright wherfore it doth wonderfully much import vs to make right choice of this instructer for such as our guid and director is such is our faith If our guide bee blind wee following him shall blindly fall into the ditch with him If hee see cleare if he bee well aduised staid and certaine following him wee shall be assured to walke in the streight path For example The Turks beleeue in one God maker of heauen earth as wee do yet haue they not the true faith therof as wee haue because they haue not the same guid and instructer for that article that wee haue They be led to beleeue that by the credit which they giue to the ministers of Mahomet who out of his Alcaron teach them so to beleeue in God wee beleeue the same for that the Catholike church doth so teach vs in the first article of our Creed Ours is the act of true faith because wee are directed by the true church that cannot deceiue vs. The Turkes perswasion is no act of true faith for that hee taketh it on the credit of them that may deceiue him And do without doubt in manie other points deceiue him wherfore whether they do in this or no hee is vncertaine and consequently his persuasion being vncertaine hee cannot haue anie true faith which is certaine and without all peradventure In like manner the Iewes albeit they haue the old testament for their foundation yet being destitute of an vndoubtable directer and taking for their blind guides their Talmud and Rabbins are cleane voide of all true faith because their perswasion also relieth vpon them that may and do verie often misleade and beguile them For come to some other question of faith yea to the principall and ground of all the rest that is to beleeue Iesus Christ to bee the sonne of God and the true Messias and redeemer of the world The Turke not finding that in his Alcaron nor the Iew in the old testament according to the exposition of their Sinagogue do most blindly and obstinatlie refuse to beleeue it See then of what importance the direction of a true sincere guide is in all matters of faith wherfore it hath pleased the vnsearchable wisdome of our blessed Saviour to giue vnto all his faithfull servants for a most assured guide his best beloued spouse the Catholike church 1. Tim 3. the piller and ground of truth to whom hee being to depart out of this world bequeathed the holie Ghost to teach her all truth Ioh. 14.16 and that at all times vnto the worlds end I will aske my father and hee will giue you another Paraclete that hee may abide with you for euer Ioh. 16. when the Spirit of truth cometh hee shall teach you all truth Therfore it is great reason that wee should both acknowledge our blessed maisters carefull providence over vs in providing vs such a guide and also take our selues fast bound to obey the same holie church in all her declarations made to that purpose It is not then without exceeding great cause that all good Christians even from their infancy are taught to beleeue this that they neuer afterward faile therin And that they may the better remenber the same good lesson which doth so much import all men to learne perfectly they do from thence forth make dailie profession therof when they saie in their creed I beleeue the holie Catholike church That is I do not onlie beleeue that there is one holie Catholike church but I professe to beleeue what the same church doth teach mee to beleeue all and everie article of faith
aduersus illam Epiphanius Our lord made Peter the chiefe of the Apostles a firme rock vpon which hee built his church 5 Basilius super 2. cap. Esaiae Apostâ—loram vnus erat Petrus super quam petram pollicitus fuerat sâ—am se aedificaturum ecclesiam statim anima autem beati Petri nominata merito est petra sublimis quod inâ— de radices solide infixerat aduersus plagas stabiliter segesserit S. Basil One of these Apostlâ—s or mountaines was Peter vpon which rock our saviour promised to build his church for the soule of Blessed peter was worthely called a rocke for the fastnes of his faith and fortitude against tribulations c. 6 Gregor Nazianz oratione 26 de moderatione in disputatione seruanda Vide quemadmodum ex Christi discipulus magnis vtique omnibus excelsis atque electione dignâ— hic Petrus petra vocetur atque ecclesiae fundamenta in fidem suam accipiat S. Gregorie Nazianzene thousâ—est how among Chrâ—sts disciples who were all surelie great worthie pâ—rsons Peter was called a rocke and the foundation of the church coÌ„mitted to his fidelitie 7 Chrisost de laudibus Petri Pauli De Petro quid dicemus qui dulce spectaculum est ecclesiae splendortotius mudi Apostolorum doctor Angelus homo firma fidei petra semlu ecclesiae sapientia c Idem homil 1. de penit Petrum cum dico petram omnino infragilem crepidinem immobilem Apostolum magnum primum discipulum c. S. Chrysostome Peter the brâ—ghtnes of all the world an Angel and a man the Doctor of the Apostles the firme rocke of faith the grace and sage wisedome of the church c. and in an other place when I say Peter I name a rocke that cannot bee battered an vnmoveable turrett Cirill 8 Cirill Alexand. l. 2. c. 12. in Ioannem Respicit vt deum decet qui corda renes scrutatur videtque qui nihil ignorat ad quantam fidem virtutem discipulus peruenturus sit c. nec Simon fore tam nomen sibi sed Petrus pradicit vocabulo ipso commode significans quod in eo tanquam in l'etra lapideque firmissimo suam esset adificaturus ecclesiam Alex. Christ did heerby teach Peter that hee knoweth all things before they be done did tell him before hand that his name should not bee Simon but Peter whiâ—h is interpreted a rocke by the name it self fitly signifying that vpon him as vpon a rocke and most firme stone he would build his church Theodoretus libro 3. 9 Psellus apud Theodoretum lib 3 in Cantica Per hutus crura Petrum intellige Apostolorum principem in hoc enim dominus in Euangelio se Ecclesiam adificaturum promisit in Cantica doth out of ancient Psellus teach that our lord promised to build his church vpon S. Peter Prince of the Apostles 10 Evagtius in lib 2. histor ca 4. Petrus qui est petra et basis Catholicae Ecclesiae et fides Orthodoxae fundamentum resert ex Concilio Chalcedonensi Evagrius the most blessed Apostle Peter with all praise to bee extolled who is the rocke the base and foundation of the Catholike Orthodox faith 11 Damascen historia barlam cap. 10. Princeps Apostolorum Petrus fidei petra magister orbis ordinatus fuit Damascenus the Prince of the Apostles Peter the rocke of faith who as hee was made maister of the whole world so was hee a patterne of penance 12 Theophilactus in 22. Lucae ad cap 16. Math. Remunerat Petrum Dominus mercedem illi dans magnaÌ„ quod super eum aedificauit Ecclesiam Theophilact before cited Peter after Christ is the rock and fondatâ—on of the church and vpon Saint Mathew saying our lord rewarded peter bestowing on him a great recompense in that he built his church vpon him Let these twelve renowmed Grecians serve for the testimony of the Greeke church now to the Latin I will begin with a Teâ—tul de praescriptione c. 22. Latuit aliquid Petrum adificandae Eâ—clesia Petram dictum claves regni coelorum consecutum Tertullian for his antiquitie Peter was called the rocke vpon which the church was to bee builded b Cyprianus Deus vnuâ—ed Christus vnus et vna ecclesia et Cathedra vna super Petrum Domini voce fundata epist 40. Petrus supra quem aedificata ab eodem domino fuerat ecclesia epistola 55. Loquitur hic Petrus super quem aedificata fuit ecclesia epist 69. Petrus quem primum dominus elegit et super quem aedificavit ecclesiam suam etc epist 71. S. Ciprian Our lord chose Peter to bee the chief vpon whom hee built his church which hee repeateth verie often c Ambrosius serm 2. de sanctis Petrus pro soliditate devotionis ecclesiarum petra dicitur sicut ait dominus Tu 〈◊〉 Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam petra enim dicitur eo quod primus in nationibus fidei fundamenta posuerit tanquam saxum immobile operis totius Christiani compagem molemque contineat recte confortium meretur nominis qui consortium meretur et operis S. Ambrose Peter for the soundnes of his deuotion is called a rocke as our lord doth saie Thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my church he is called a rocke for that he first laid the foundation of faith amonge the Gentiles and like vnto an vnmoveable stone doth vphold and conteine the frame and waight of the whole christian worke d Hilar. in Psal 131. Petrus super quem Ecclesiam aedificaturus erat adversus quam portae inferorum nihil praualerent Idem in can 16. in Mathaeum O in nuncupatione novi nominis faelix ecclesiae fundamentum Hieronim in 2. Esaiae Vnde super vnum montium Christus fundavit ecclesiam suam loquitur ad eum Tuâ—es Petrus super hanc petram aedificâ—ho ecclesiam meam Idem in 16. Matthaei Simoni qui credebat in petram Christum Petri largitus est nomen ac secundum Metaphoâ—â—m petrae recte deitur ei aedificabo ecclesiam meam superto S. Hilary vpon peter our lord was to build his church and in another place o happie foundation of the church iâ— the imposition of a new name a rock worthie that building that should dissolue the lawes of hell Hierome in 2. Esaiae Christ built his church vpon one of the mountaines saying to him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church Agaiâ— according to the Metaphore of a rocke it was rightly said to Peter vpon thee will I build my church which hee doth confirme expresly in diuers other places August in Psal 69. Petrus qui paulo ante eum confessus erat filium dei in â—lla confessione appellatus est petra super quam labricaretur ecclesia Paulinus epistola 4. ad seuerum Christus est petra
blood the picture of Christ in the forme of a good shepheard carrying home the lost sheepe on his shoulders Tertul. de pudicitia cap. 7. 10. as witnesseth Tertulian And that the Crucifixe was set vp in churches in S. Hieroms daies Hieron epist 27. de Epitha Paulae cap. 3. he declares plainly where he recordeth how the most holy widow Paula visiting the holie places was wont to fall downe prostrate before the Crosse and to adore as if she had seen our Lord Iesus hanging on it And Gregory Nazianzene reporteth that his father built to the honor of God a stately church Naz. oratione 19. in laude prat Bas con Iulianum Imper. citatur ab Adriano Act. 2. Niconi 2. Nissen de laudibus Theodor. Chrysost in Liturgia and among other ornaments did decke it with verie goodlie Images S. Basil testifieth the same saying in all our churches wee do set vp the Images of Saints So doth Gregorie Nissene in his oration made in the praise of the Martir Theodore And in the beginning of S. Chrisostomes Liturgie translated by Erasmus it is recorded how the priest turning towards the Image of Christ was to say a certaine praier whence it followeth evidently that the Image of Christ was by the Aultar where that Liturgie or Masse was said wherfore when so many worthy Prelates and Doctors of both greek and Latin church do teach holy pictures to haue been vsuall ornamentes of ChristiaÌ„ churches in those ancient and pure times it remaineth most certaine that true Christians could not bee frighted from Catholike churches by setting any pictures of saints in the same and consequently that which the Donatists spake of must needs bee the Image of some false God or of some monster which they did so much abhorre R. AB 5. THe Donatists alleadged their owne councels assembled by their owne authority against the Maximianists their owne schismatiks August epâ—st 162. and against the Bishops of the Catholike church Even so do the Papists alledge against vs their owne conventicles W. B. HEre is falshood vpon falshood for albeit the Donatists did alleadg their owne couÌ„cels against the Maximianists that were fallen from them as the protestants do their new articles and Canons against their schismatiks the Puritans yet M. Abbot cited no place to proue that they alledged their owne councels against the Catholiks No more do wee vse to produce against Protestants any late councel of ours or any late Catholike Author otherwise then to verify what our doctrine is and what they do teach neither can hee take any iust exception against the councell of Trent if it should bee produced against them as consisting wholy of men of our religion because men of their party might haue been there present if they had so pleased For they were requested to come and safe conduct was offered them the surest that could bee devised to perswade them to haue appeared there in their liknes to haue defended their new devised religion but they like valiant men feared to shew their face before that most learned assembly They lay barking at home out of their owne kennells against it but durst not in disputation encounter with the Catholike Doctors there assembled R. AB 6. THe Donatists not knowing how to make good their rent from the church by argument August epist 137. devised crimes and slaunders against their persons that defended the Catholike partie In the same steps walke the Papists who labour to blemish the names of Luther Calvin Beza and others by whom the Gospell of Christ hath been defended W. B. THis proper resemblance is borrowed out of the common of Dunses and by none more practised then by protestaÌ„ts who litle spare the name or fame of any Catholike writer against them how high in dignity how holy and learned soeuer hee bee Nay they are not ashamed to professe openly to the world that they take a speciall pride in railing against vs. Luth. Con. Sicarium Dresdâ—nsem Let this one sentence of their great maister Martin Luther serue for a pregnant proofe therof I saith hee regard not his complaints that in my booke there are few other things then taunts reproches and devils for this ought to bee my glorie and from henceforth so will I haue it reputed of mee that I am full of revyling taunting and cursing the papists for I will exercise my self against those knaues in taunts and curses even to my graue And out of Calvins sweet workes may be piked a volume of vile railing words as big as the bible as Sieur de meres relateth Manifi n. 17. As for Luther himself Calvin and Beza to omit others because M. Abbot for honors sake nameth these three as the three worthies of their new Gospell they are euen by principall men of their owne religion so curried and reuiled that in comparison therof all that the Catholiks do say of them are but fleabitings Take a tast of these fewe First of their holy father frier Luther thus writeth his sanctified sonne Zuinglius in his answer to Luthers book of the Sacrament Resp Zuingly ad l. Luther de Sacrament Here the word of God shall obtayne the victory and not those frantike reproches wherwith thou criest out that wee bee Lutters Devils Lunatike mischievous robbers rebels dissemblers Hyppocrites and what not Thou coynest rules after which the scriptures must bee vnderstood which otherwise thou couldst not alledge for thy purpose c Then he comes to his commendation Thou canst not deny thy self seised with the passion of Anger to rage and to bee mad If thou wilt but soberly vew ouer thine owne booke such a multitude of reproches and swarme of perverse opinions could never flow out of the fountaine of charitie or any reposed premeditation In the meane season I will make it more cleere then the daie light that thou never yeâ— didst know the glittering brightnes of the Gospell Mark this censure of Zuinglius of his master Martin vnles thou hast cleane forgotten it c. Thou adulteratest and corruptest the word of God thou dost imitate the Marcionists and Arrians Thus much out of Zuinglius may serue for blasoning and displaying the armes of his reverend maister Frier Martin Luther Now let vs heare how Doctor Hunneus a very learned Lutheran doth describe and paint out the man of God Iohn Calvin I suppose HuÌ„naeus de Calvino Iudaisante fol. 181. saith hee that Angel of darknes Iohn Calvin to be sufficiently discouered who peeping out of the pitt of hell parâ—lie by his detestable frantike lust of wresting the scripture to the subversion of those fortresses which the Christian religion had against the perfidious Iewes and Arrians Partly by his writing against the sacred Maiestie of Iesus Christ exalted and in part also by his perverse opinion of the whole matter of the Sacraments Finally by his horrible paradoxes of inevitable predestination hath in these latter times darkned no small part of the
diuine sauiour to testify of himselfe that one of the principall causes for which hee was made man was to publish and declare those heauenly verities vnto mankind Ioan. 18.37 for this saith hee was I borne and for this came I into the world that I may giue testimony to the truth and for the same purpose as hee was sent himself from his heauenly father so did he send his Apostles and disciples into all coasts of the earth that they might annouÌ„ce and preach the same diuine doctrine vnto all nations Math 24 14. This Gospell of the kingdome shal bee preached to the whole world in testimonium omnibus gentibus for a testimonie to men of all countries And as it hath pleased God to make choice of some certen persons to be principall preachers to the same his diuine word so his will and ordinaunce is that none of his seruants shall bee ashamed to make professioÌ„ of anie part therof wheÌ„ it shall concerne either the honour of God or the good of his neighbor The first reason therof may bee collected out of that which went before thus if our blessed Lord and redeemer Christ Iesus was borne to giue testimony to the truth everie good Christian that is a liuely member of his misticall bodie must needs take himself also to be borne anew to the same end and purpose and therfore when time and place do require it they must either testify the truth publikely or shew themselues bastards and cowards much vnworthie the name of Christians The chosen vessell of grace S. Paul speaketh learnedly and noblie when be saith corde creditur ad iustitiam ore autem fit confessio ad salutem By harâ— wee beleeue to iustification but by mouth confession is made to saluation Like as there must bee a pious and devout inclination of the soule to bow it to the obedience of faith wherby as by the prime meanes we attaine to Iustification even so to arriue happely vnto the hauen of saluation we must by word of mouth make open professioÌ„ therof For if one should bee conuented before the magistrate and questioned about his faith if he then do not stand to the profession of it he first depriues Almighty God of that due honour which wee all do owe vnto his diuine Maiestie for we shewe our selues to feare men more then him and do besides betray his truth and make it contemptible in the estimation of the beholders For how should other men be induced to value Gods testimonies at that high rate at which king Dauid who was a most cunning spirituall Ieweller set them when hee said They are to be desired much aboue Gold and the rich pretious stone If they see them that are accounted Gods seruants wisemen to set so light by them that they are euen ashamed to make profession of them Is it not a great dishonor to Gods cause to see his followers wheÌ„ it comes to the triall to turne the shoulder and shrinke awaie from it The vngodlie do assemble together to out-countenance the truth of God to reuile and vilify his seruants to terrifie all the beholders from the embracing of his truth And Gods vnworthy and faint-harted souldiers called thither to vphold his honor and to testifie the verity therof to all the assemblie be dumbe and dare not speake one word in defence of it Shall not such men in vpright iudgment bee conuinced to haue forsaken God when hee stood in most need of their seruice and to haue betraied his cause by not defending of it at all when they were called forth to haue â—â—oken in defence of it yes verily for their inditement is already drawen and registred by that great cleark S. Iohn the Euangelist vnder the name of certaine principall persons among the Iews in these words Ioah 12.42 Of the Princes also many beleeued in Christ but for the Pharises they did not confâ—sse that they might not bee cast out of the Sinagogue for they loued the glorie of men more then the glory of God Those Princes partlie to keepe their credit with that state and partlie for fearâ— of being cast out of the Sinagogue durst not confesse Christ though they beleeued in him Is not this the very case of them that beleeue our faith and religion to bee the true Catholike faith and religion yet to keepe their credit in the world or to avoide those discommodities which by professing of the Catholike faith they should incurre dare not come to that noble act of confessing it they must needs therfore yeeld theÌ„selues guiltie of that which foloweth in the same text that they loue the glorie of men more then the glory of God They had rather please bee well thought of by poore mortall creatures for condescending to do what they would haue them to doe then to bee highlie esteemed of their most dreadfull lord and Creator as his trustie faithfull seruants They do ouer and besides wonderfullie scandalise their poore brethren that bee of the same religion wherof the weaker sort are by their ill exaÌ„ple shaken and induced to forsake their faith And the stronger cannot but greatlie grieue to see Gods cause so wretchedly betrayâ—d and their infirme brethren scandalized To say nothing of the glory and triumph which they leaue vnto Gods enimies as conquerors ouer his feeble seruantes and the occasion they giue them to harden their harts in their errors wherfore as principally for the honor of God and his holie cause so also that we giue no offence vnto his faithfull seruants or occasion of ioy to his aduersaries wee must plucke vp our spirits when wee bee called to answere in matters of religion And not regard either the shame of the world or anie temporall losse that therby may betide vs but lift our harts to heauen and consider how honorable it wil bee in the sight of Angels how gratefull to God and acceptable to our glorious blessed Saviour to acknowledg him before men not to feare or be abashed to giue testimony to his truth in the presence of his enemies which we shall the sooner and more willingly performe if wee then call to mind these his most comfortable words Math. 10 22. Every one therfore that shall confessâ— me before men I will confesse him before my father which is in heauen Behold what esteeme and great reckening Christ maketh of this out ward confession of his truth though he shall get to himself litle or nothing therby yet wee shall gaine exceeding much in that we shall purchase his extraordinary fauour against the daie of our last reckening be therfore most gratiously welcomed of him and by himselfe be presented to his heauenlie father in the presence of that most glittering and noble company of heauen as verie faithfull and stout seruants that stood valiantlie for the defence of his cause in the face of the enemie we shall then heare these most confortable and ioyfull words Euge serue bone fidelis