Finally he doth absurdly apply S. Augustines wordes spoken against the Donatists to vs they vvil much better fit the Protestants vvho imitate their errours in most points as I haue proued already who also may be more aptly resembled to children that stand in neede of a rodde because their religion is euery vvay childish as being young and of late borne phantastical and without any sound ground of mature judgement as changeable also as children according to the diuers humour of the state and time SECT 4. W. BISHOP VERY many vrgent and forcible reasons might be produced in fauour and defence of the Catholike Roman religion whereof diuers haue beene already in most learned Treatises tendered to your Majesty wherefore I wil only touch three two chosen out of the subject of this booke the third selected from a sentence of your Majesty recorded in the aforesaid conference And because that argument is as most sensible so best assured which proceedeth from a principle either euident in it selfe or else granted and confessed to be true my first proofe shal be grounded vpon that your Highnesse resolute and constant opinion recorded in the said conference Page 75. to wit That no Church ought to separate it selfe further from the Church of Rome either in doctrine or ceremony then shee hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her most flourishing and best estate from whence I deduce this reason The principal pillars of the Roman Church in her most flourishing estate taught in al points of religion the same doctrine that shee nâ—w holdeth and teacheth and in expresse tearmes condemneth for errour and heresie most of the articles which the Protestants esteeme as chiefe partes of their reformed Gospel therefore if your Majesty wil resolutely embrace and constantly defend that doctrine which the Roman Church maintained in her most flourishing estate you must forsake the Protestant and take the Catholike into your Princely and Roial protection ROBERT ABBOT YOV talke M. Bishop of many vrgent and forcible reasons but you talke as your fellowes doe like mount-bankes and juglers You haue much prating and many wordes but your reasons vvhen they are duly examined are as light as feathers before the vvinde neither vvould they seeme other to your owne followers but that you bewitch them with this principle that they must read nothing written on our part for answere to them we see your vrgent and forcible reasons in this booke vvhich you tel vs is the marrow and pith of many volumes I doubt not but by that time I haue examined the same your owne pupils and schollers if they reade the answere wil account you a meere seducer a cosener and abuser of them and wil detest you accordingly But to beginne withal you offer three reasons to his Majesty in this your Epistle for the justifying of your Romish religion for the impeaching of ours Two chosen out of the subject of this booke the third selected from a sentence of his Majesty Now if these reasons proue reasonlesse then your reason M. Bishop should haue taught you more manners and duty then thus to trouble his Majesty vvith your reasonlesse reasons To examine them in order the first reason is grounded vpon a principle most judiciously soundly affirmed by his Majesty That no Church ought further to seperate it selfe from the Church of Rome in doctrine or ceremony then shee hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her flourishing best estate and which is subtilly left out by M. Bishop from Christ her Lord and head For seeing it cannot be denied that the Church of Rome vvas once sound and vpright in faith the Apostle bearing witnesse Rom. 1. That their faith was published throughout the world it must needes follow that vvhat shee hath not since that time altered is stil vpright and sound and therefore to be embraced Now from thence M. Bishop argueth thus The principal pillars of the Church of Rome in her most flourishing estate taught in al points the same doctrine that shee now teacheth and in expresse tearmes did condemne of heresie most of the articles of our religion ergo c. but soft and faire M. Bishop there is no hast c. WILLIAM BISHOP TRVE there is no hast indeede for M. Abbot comes faire and soft to the matter What a number of idle vaunting wordes and vaine repetitions be here as though any juditious man vvere to be perswaded by bare wordes and voluntary supposals before he see any proofe S ir I doubt not but the indifferent reader vvil suspend his judgement and deeme nere the worse of my vvriting for your empty censure til he see good reason to the contrary Sure I am that some Catholikes hauing read your booke doe like much the better of mine and esteeme yours a very fond peece of worke ful of babble lies and foule wordes void of found proofes and farre from common ciuility Who are more circumspect then you your selues to keepe your followers from reading our bookes vvho first imprison any that wil helpe to print them then set fines on al their heades that shal keepe them and make very diligent search after them so that al these common wordes may most truly be returned vpon your selfe Mutato nomine de te narratur fabula You note that I subtilly left out of his Majesties speech from Christ her Lord and head but shew no cause why and no maruaile for none indeede can be shewed they are needlesse wordes as being comprehended in the former For if the Church of Rome departed not from her selfe vvhen shee was in her most flourishing and best estate shee cannot depart from Christ her Lord and head vvherefore to note this for a subtle tricke giueth the reader cause to note you for a wrangler and one that is very captious where no cause is offered M. Abbot comes at length to my first reason and goeth about to disproue it thus ROBERT ABBOT WE hope you wil not deny but the Apostle S. Paul was one principal pillar of the Church of Rome vvho there shed his bloud He vvrote an Epistle to that Church vvhen the faith thereof was most renowmed throughout the world He vvrote at large comprehending therein as * Theodor. in praefat epist Pat. li. Theodoret saith doctrine of al sortes or al kinde of doctrine Et accuratam copiosamue dogmatum pertractationem An exact and plentiful handling of al points thereof Now in al that Epistle what doth he say either for you or against vs nay what doth he not say for vs against you he condemneth the Rom. 1. v. 23. changing the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man and worshipping the creature in steede of the creatour It is for vs against you for you by your schoole-trickes doubt not to teach men by the Image of a man to worship God and by religious deuotion of praiers and offerings to worship Saints and Saints Images
be referred vnto the See Apostolike Because the Apostles by the commandement of our Sauiour haue ordained that questions of greater difficulty shal alwaies be referred vnto the Apostolike See vpon which Christ built the whole Church saying vnto blessed Peter the Prince of the Apostles thou art Peter vpon this rocke wil I build my Church c. Anacletus his immediate successor Euaristus Pope Martir writing vnto the Bishops of Africke Epistola 1. ad Eccles Africanam speaketh thus Truly your charity following the rule of the wise hath chosen rather to referre vnto the See Apostolike as to the head what ought to be obserued in doubtful matters then to presume your selues by vsurpation and writing to the brethren in Aegipt Epistola 2. doth command certaine Bishops whom he resembleth to adulterers because they had intruded into other Bishops Citties to be cast out of those places and to be made infamous and depriued of al Ecclesiastical honours adjoining That if after these thinges so dispatched they should haue further complaint against them that matter were to be enquired out and to be determined by the authority of this holy See Note how these holy Popes that vvere so nigh vnto the Apostles taught it to belong vnto the See of Rome to determine of the causes of the Bishops of Afrike and Aegipt most remote from them And because the Apostle S. Paul willeth 2. Cor. 13. vers 2. euery word to stand in the mouth of two or three witnesses I vvil take for the third Alexander the first Pope and Martir who succeeded vnto Euaristus he is as plaine and formal in this cause as any of the rest these be his wordes Epist 1. omnibus orthodoxis It is related vnto the primacy of this holy and Apâ—stolike See vnto which the disposition of the highest cases and the affaires of al Churches are by our Lord committed as to the head c. and a little after Our Lord here appointed this holy See the head of the whole Church I omit here the verdict of al others herein because this very matter must be spoken off hereafter againe and againe these three most ancient graue and Godly Martirs al successours of S. Peter and S. Paul vpon whose authority M. Abbot here only insisteth vvil suffice to certifie the indifferent reader that euen from the Apostles daies the Bishop of Rome hath beene taken for supreme judge in al Ecclesiastical causes aswel in the East as West Church To finish this passage thou maist gentle reader by this little see what shamelesse shifts M. Abbot is forced to vse to make any coulourable shew out of antiquity for the lay Magistrates superiority in spiritual causes He is first driuen to cite an vnlearned an vnlikely and an Apocriphal letter of 1400. yeares old vpon the credit of men of our owne age and those most partial too on his owne side the letter bearing date also many yeares after the death of him that is supposed to be the authour of it and when al is done in the same vvorshipful letter there is not one pregnant proofe for any part of their doctrine lastly that his owne chosen witnesses doe deliuer vp most cleare euidence against himselfe he therefore that vvil giue judgement on his side must needes shew himselfe exceeding partial ROBERT ABBOT ANACLETVS Bishop of Rome Dist 1. Episcopus 2. peracta and after him Calixtus ordained that consecration being done al should communicate or else be excommunicated For so say they the Apostles did set downe and the holy Church of Rome obserueth But the Church of Rome that now is maketh it lawful for the Priest to receiue alone the people in the meane time standing gazing and looking on and the fight only must suffice them WILLIAM BISHOP HERE is nothing in manner worth the answering only the cosening deceitfulnesse of the man is to be displaied First Anacletus hath only De consecrat dist 1. Can. Episcopus that Deacons Subdeacons and other Ministers that in solemne feasts attend in holy vestiments vpon the Bishop whiles he doth sacrifice vnto God should in the same solemne feasts communicate or else be debarred of their Ecclesiastical places where is not one word of the lay peoples communicating And therefore that Canon is wholy besides the purpose sauing that it doth teach that then Bishops vsed to offer sacrifice vnto God and that the Clarkes did in holy vestiments serue them at Masse See the Canon and vvonder at the folly of the man In like manner doth the second Canon of Calixtus speake of Ecclesiastical persons that serue at Masse for so saith the Collector De consecrat dist 2. Can. peracta Ecclesiasticis liminibus careat Minister Let the Minister or he that serueth want Ecclesiastical place With which agreeth the glosse vpon the same Canon vvhich also is euident by the very Text for the punishment set downe is Ecclesiasticis carere liminibus To be shut out of the Ecclesiastical mens seates and places vvhich vvere no punishment to a lay man that was not before admitted into any such roome And as it may be seene in the said distinction Cap. Etsi non frequentius De consecrat dist 1. and Cap. Secularis Lay men were commanded about those times to communicate but thrife in the yeare at Easter Whitsontide and Christmasse Briefly here is nothing against the moderne practise of the Church of Rome for both they that solemnely serue at Masse on festiual daies doe receiue and no lay man is denied to communicate on any day either on those feasts or at any time else vvhen he vvil prepare himselfe thereto But to debarre Priests from seruing God in that most high degree be their deuotion and preparation neuer so good vntil they can get some company of the laity to communicate with them is without just cause to robbe God of his soueraigne honour to extinguish the working of his holy spirit in deuout soules and to defraude the whole flocke of the benefit of many most holy and effectual praiers not only of the Priests but also of the people vvho doe not with vs stand gazing on at the time of communion as M. Abbot prophanely conceiteth but humbly kneeling doe then pray most deuoutly and doe in spirit and desire communicate also Briefly there is not one sillable in those Canons sounding to the Protestant sence that Priests should not coÌ„municate if the Clarke or people joine not vvith them but only that the indeuout and slugglish Clarkes should be depriued of their places if vpon high feasts they did neglect to communicate with the Bishop or Pastor ROBERT ABBOT IVLIVS the Bishop of Rome disallowed intinctam Eucharistiam De consecrat 2. cum omne the dipping of the Eucharist the Sacrament of Christs body in the cuppe Because no witnesse thereof was brought out of the Gospel but there is mentioned the commending of the bread by it selfe and the cuppe by it selfe but
hundreths al his Majesties Ancestors both English and Britans embraced and maintained the same Catholike Roman faith which we now doe The same might as easily be proued of the Churches of Scotland vvho acknowledge Palladius and Patritius for two of the chiefe founders of the Christian faith in that country vvho both were brought vp at Rome and sent into Scotland by Celestinus Bishop of Rome to instruct the Scots in the doctrine of the church of Rome euen as Augustine vvas from S. Gregory into England From which the Scots Church neuer swarued vntil of late yeares Knoxe Buchanan and such like giddy-headed and fiery spirited fellowes seduced them And M. Abbot most ignorantly or impudently affirmeth it to haue beene 1200 yeares after the incarnation of Christ ere the Popes authority could get any acknowledgment there for in the very same hundreth yeare by him named they vvere so farre off from denying the Popes authority ouer them in causes Ecclesiastical that they did acknowledge him to be also their Protectour in temporal affaires For when King Edward the third would haue giuen them Iohn Balial for their King they answered him Walsingham in vita Edw. Anno 1292. That they would not accept of him for such without the Popes consent who had their country in protection as they then pleaded And M. Abbots argument to the contrary is most friuoulous Alexander the King bade the Popes Legate to enter his country at his peril ergo he did not acknowledge the Popes authority By the like argument one might proue that King Philippe and Queene Mary did not acknowledge the Popes authority for they commanded a Legate of his to stay at Calis and to forbeare entrance into this Realme at his peril The Popes Legates then when they be sent about affaires that doe seeme to the Prince and his Councel prejuditious to the temporal state may be refused without disparagement to the Popes supreme authority in causes Ecclesiastical And the King of Scots had reason to refuse that Cardinal Legate whose special arrand was to collect mony to maintaine the warres of the holy Land vvhich was not to be spared in his country Besides the very entertainement of such a great State so accompanied was reputed as needlesse so ouer costly for that poore country If M. Abbot haue no better stuffe then this to vphold his badde cause he that best knew his owne meaning and designement hath to the life painted out himselfe where he saith They care not indeede what they say or write so that it may carry a magnifical and braue shew to dazel the eies of them that are not wel acquainted with their lewde and naughty dealing ROBERT ABBOT BVT M. Bishop being out of doubt that he should not preuaile in this first part of his sute therefore addeth the second Or if you cannot be wonne so soone to alter that religion in which it hath beene your misfortune to haue beene bredde and brought vp that then in the meane season you wil not so heauily persecute the sincere professours of the other Where you see the presumption of a base and beggerly vassal I forget here that he is a Doctor of diuinity I consider him as a subject thus to vpbraide his Prince vvith misfortune in his breeding and bringing vp whereas his Majesties bringing vp by the singular prouidence of almighty God hath serued to make him high admirable among other Princes and he hath learned thereby to be indeede a King by casting off the yoke of bondage vvhereby sundry other Princes are enthralled to a beast Yea and by his bringing vp is so wel able to defend the religion he professeth that M. Bishop must stand before him like a dumbe Asse able to say nothing but only to repeate their old cuckowes song The Church the Church The Fathers the Fathers albeit he can make nothing good neither by Church nor Fathers But his sute is that his Majesty vvil leaue off so heauily to persecute them complaining before he haue cause and intreating his Majesty to leaue off before he hath begunne And doth he like a dissembling hypocrite talke of heauy persecution only for an easie imprisonmēt and amersement of goodes vvhen they in most barbarous and cruel sort by infinite vexations and torments by rackes and strappadoes by fire and sword haue spilt and destroied the bloud and liues of so many thousandes of ours only for the profession of the Gospel of Christ but no otherwise doe they complaine of persecution then did of old the Donatists and runnegate Circumcellions And vve say of them as S. Augustine did of the others They suffer persecution Sed pro fatuitate pro vanitate but it is for their foolery Prouerb 22. vers 25. it is for vanity Foolishnesse is bound in the hart of a child saith Salomon but the rodde of correction shal driue it away from him Indeede they doe for the most part play the children it is but their wil or rather vvilfulnesse for which they suffer they can giue no reason why they doe so but what ignorance affordeth them They must follow the Church they wil doe as their fathers and fore-fathers haue done it is fit that a childes stomacke be subdued vvith a rodde and necessary that some course be taken for the subduing and reforming of their wil. WILLIAM BISHOP M. ABBOT concludeth this his clowdy and vvindy Section with a storme of railing calling me in it dumbe Asse dissembling Hipocrite base and beggarly Vassal This last name he giueth me because I shewe my selfe sorry for that it vvas his Majesties misfortune to be bredde and brought vp in the Protestants religion great cause you see vvas giuen him to burst out into so rude and bitter wordes But to qualify this clownish tricke he addeth the excuse of a country Coridon rather indeede accusing then excusing himselfe for why did he forget that I was a Doctor in diuinity or how did he forget it that euen then so wel remembred it He would not forsooth respect it here but by a metaphysical abstraction consider me only as a subject wherein he discouereth a double folly for first who seeth not that any man of neuer so great vvorship or honour may in like sort be called a base vassal if his dignity and degree be excepted Might not M. Abbot himselfe if one should forget his calling and learning be stiled in like manner a base beggarly vassal vvherefore this figure of his may rather be tearmed rustical then rethorical And had he not also forgotten himselfe to be a Doctor in diuinity yea a man of ordinary ciuility he would not haue plaied the part of a furnish and foule-mouthed butterwench by falling into such rude tearmes of scurrillity His second ouer-sight is more queasie and dangerous for if I be a base vassal in that I am a subject then is my Soueraignes honour called in question for none be base in that they are subjects vnlesse their Soueraignes be so meane and obscure
censured a base and beggarly vassal for shewing my selfe sorrowful for my Princes misfortune what stile deserues he for such outragious reproches bealched forth against the highest Bishop of Christes Church Now whereas M. Abbot boldly auerreth That thereby his Majesty hath learned to cast off the yoke of bondage by which other Princes are enthralled to a beast sauing his reuerence I answere that other Kinges nourished in countries accounted as ciuil to say the least as Scotland vvil not change that their bondage vvith his Majesties supposed liberty and freedome because they hold it farre better to enjoy the direction and assistance of the Bishop of Rome for the vniforme and peacible gouernement of their Clergy according vnto the ancient Canons of the Church then either to take it into their owne handes or to cōmit it to the discretion of Consistory Ministers or to any other sort of late deuised Ecclesiastical plat-formes Godly wise and vnderstanding Kings vvil no doubt consider that some who perswade them to cast off such yokes are very false Parasites no sound and true harted subjects because it is said of Kinges out of il counsel in the second Psalme Let vs breake their bandes and let vs cast from vs their yoke vvhereas contrariwise in the same place the spirit of God speakes thus to Princes Apprehendite disciplinam Receiue discipline that is obserue al good orders and take correction least that our Lord waxe angry with you and then you perish from the right way And if they themselues should so much forget their duty to God and respect to his holy Church as to seeke the vtter ruine and subuersion of it yet very reason teacheth them that it is farre more safe orderly and expedient that there should be one only supreme Pastour assisted with the graue counsel of some of the wiser sort of euery Christian country as the Popes holinesse is with the counsel of his most graue wise and learned Cardinals to controule and correct them then to be left to the mercy of the Ministers of euery country and to the tumultuous reformation of the rash and giddy multitude who by the cōmon consent of the best learned Protestants must take their Prince in hand and belabour him if he goe about to oppresse the Gospel as hath beene before proued To proceede is it not a rare pranke of a parasite to auouch that an ancient student in diuinity must needes stand dumbe like an Asse before his Majesty and not be able to answere him one word in his owne profession but the Church the Church the Fathers the Fathers I vvish hartily that his excellent Majesty would match me with no meaner a man then Doctor Abbot he that professeth himselfe able to stoppe al mens mouthes to alleage not only the Church and the Fathers but the Scripture the Scripture and by his Highnesse authentike judgement approue him to haue the better cause that can pertinently cite most plaine texts of Scripture for their religion I make no doubt but the Protestant part notwithstāding their common craking of the vvord of God should goe to the ground Marry vvhen vve auouch holy Scripture for vs in as expresse tearmes as can be deuised they wil not yeeld but deuise most extrauagant glosses to fly from the euident testimony of Gods most holy word whereupon we are compelled to make recourse vnto the definition of the Church of God Iob. 16. v. 13. Which is guided by the spirit of God vnto al truth and vnto the learned commentaries of the most ancient holy and juditious Fathers vvho vvere for their times appointed by the holy Ghost to rule and instruct the same his Church that seing how they vnderstood the holy Scriptures vve may by their euen and vnpartial line and square direct our judgement in the true sence of holy Scripture vvhich is the principal cause why we rely so much vpon the Church and Fathers and for vvhich he so scornefully vpbraideth vs vvith the Church the Church the Fathers the Fathers And here to returne one of M. Abbots sharpe wordes vpon himselfe vvhat a dissembling hipocrite was he to say that when al was done we could not make any thing good by either Church or Fathers Sect. 9. 10. when as he himself doth plainly confesse that S. Augustine S. Hierome Epiphanius and diuers other Fathers be flat for vs and is driuen roundly to deny their authority and to preferre the opinions of condemned Heretikes Iouinian Vigilantius and Aërius before these most renowmed Doctors and Pastors As grosse and palpable an vntruth is that vvhich followeth That the Catholikes be not heauily persecuted by the state whereas al their goodes and chattels be vvholy confiscate and two partes of their landes their bodies at pleasure subject to prison there to lie without baile or mainprise their persons daily in danger of death for receiuing or any vvay maintaining their Pastours to omit al other their oppressions which be almost innumerable but belike because al Catholikes be not by most cruel death suddainly made away this Minister of bloud accounteth their persecution light and easie And vvhereas he so enlargeth the short and smal persecution of their bretheren I doe offer to joine with him in this issue that more Catholike Priests Religious men and others haue beene tormented murthered and most despitefully slaine by men of their religion within the compasse of two Realmes France and England during the only time of Queene Elizabeth her raigne then were of Protestants and men of al other Sects for a thousand yeares before in those countries yea take to them also al Spaine and Italy The Donatists and al other sectaries doe suffer persecution as S. Augustine truly saith for their obstinate folly vvhat of that ergo whosoeuer suffereth persecution for his religion is a foole what a foolish reason in this then were the Apostles and al the best Christians fooles But M. Abbot saith We be children and can yeeld no reason for that we suffer but what ignorance affordeth vs to wit we must cleaue to the Church and follow our fore-fathers Surely that were a foule fault that we as children should obey our Mother the holy Church and follow the faith and religion of our fore-fathers But first it is most palpably false that we can yeeld no other reason for our religion as our bookes euidently doe conuince Then if we had no other reason but that one it alone were sufficient for it is an article of our Creede to beleeue the Church and S. Paul assureth vs 1. Tim. 3. vers 15. That the Church is the pillar and ground of truth vvhereupon this is receiued as a principle of faith among the ancient Fathers allowed euen by Protestants themselues That he that hath not the Church to his Mother shal neuer haue God to his Father he therefore that cleaueth fast vnto the firme pillar of the Church and followeth her precepts as of a most faithful Mother can neuer goe astray
and to the publike tranquillity of the common vveale Now let the indifferent reader consider vvhether there be any one word in this supposed letter that carrieth meate in mouth as they say to feede the Protestants faith so that here is an ancient and reuerend Fathers letter cited to no purpose But M. Abbot saith that now a-daies not the King but the Pope is Gods Vicar and his Vicar general for al Kingdomes True it is the Pope is Gods Vicar in al Christian Kingdomes Sext. proem in glossa though there be not one vvord of any such matter in the glosse cited by him but that is in Ecclesiastical matters vvhich nothing hindereth but that the King is also Gods Vicar in temporal affaires for he may be called a Vicar that doth Vicem gerere alterius that is another mans Deputy Lieutenant or Substitute One King may haue many Vicars that is substitutes or deputies to whom he committeth some principal charge King Henry the eight for example hauing giuen him by the Parliament supreme power in both Ecclesiastical and Temporal causes had one Vicar for spiritual causes and many other for the temporal so God hath the Bishop of Rome for Christes Vicar general in causes of the Church and Kinges in the administration of the common vveale And the very Canon cited by M. Abbot would haue taught him so much if he had read it vvith a minde to learne the truth rather then to sucke out some matter of cauil out of it Distinct 96. Si Imperator for therein be these wordes The Emperour hath the priuiledges of his power which he obtained of God for the administration of publike lawes Marke here the Pope acknowledgeth the Emperour to be Gods Deputy and Vicar in the administration of the common lawes vvhich in the Canon that goeth next before is confirmed for there Gelasius an ancient Pope speaketh thus to Anastatius the Emperour Ibidem duo sunt There be two thinges ô Sacred Emperour wherewith this world is principally gouerned to wit the holy authority of Bishops and the power of Princes These two then be both Gods Substitutes and Vicars the one for spiritual causes the other for temporal wherefore M. Abbot reasoneth very childishly vvhen he goeth about to proue that we deny the King to be Gods Vicar because we teach the Pope to be Gods Vicar for vve hold that they both be Gods Vicars though in distinct and different matters Neither lastly can he take any aduantage of the word gouerne if it be in that letter for King Lucius demand was for the Imperial lawes to gouerne the temporal state of his realme vvherefore it is euident that he spake there of temporal gouernement and not of spiritual Now because the maine question is whether Kings haue authority ouer Bishops in Ecclesiastical causes or Bishops ouer Kinges let vs heare some two or three of S. Peter and S. Paules Successours M. Abbots owne vvitnesses deliuer their knowledge thereof The first shal be the same learned and holy Pope Gelasius last named he affirmeth in the same Epistle vvhich vvas written to the Emperour himselfe that the authority of Bishops in spiritual causes doth extend it selfe ouer Kinges and Emperours these be his vvordes Distinct 96. Duo sunt Thou knowest ô Emperour thy selfe to depend on their judgements and that they cannot be reduced to thy wil and pleasure therefore many Bishops fortified with these ordinances and with this authority supported haue excommunicated some Kinges others Emperours And if a particular example be demanded of the persons of Princes blessed Innocentius the Pope did excommunicate the Emperour Archadius for consenting vnto the deposition of S. Iohn Chrisostome And blessed S. Ambrose though a holy Bishop yet not Bishop of the vniuersal Church for a fault that to others did not seeme so grieuous excommunicating Theodosius the great did shut him out of the Church c. Is not this plaine enough and directly to the purpose that Bishops haue power ouer Princes in Ecclesiastical causes and the authority of Gelasius is of such vvaight with M. Abbot shortly after that here he cannot gaine-say it vvith any honesty I vvil joine to him Anacletus vvhom M. Abbot also noteth the next who succeeded immediately after Clement S. Peters Scholler he saith expresly Epistola 1. prope finem That the Church of Rome receiued by our Sauiour Christes order the primacy and preeminence of power ouer al Churches and ouer the whole flocke of Christian people If then M. Abbot vvil allow that Kinges be any of Christes people the Pope hath authority ouer them S. Clement himselfe one of S. Paules Philip. 4. v. 3. coadjutors and whose name is in the booke of life hath left this vvritten among the constitutions of the Apostles Lib. 2. c. 11. Wherefore ô Bishop endeauour to excel in sanctity of workes knowing thy place and dignity thou art Gods Lieutenant and placed ouer al Lordes Priests Kinges and Princes Fathers Sonnes Masters and al Subjects joined together Ibid. cap. 33. And in the same booke touching by the vvay the dignity of Bishops repeateth these memorable wordes out of holy Scripture spoken to Moyses as a King Bishop Exod. 7. v. 1. Ecce constitui to Deum Pharaonis Behold I haue created thee the God of Pharao vvho was King of the land of Aegipt vvhere both Moyses and al the children of Israel then liued see the dignity of a Bishop aboue his owne King And the 38. chapter of the same booke of Clement is formally intituled That Priests are more excellent then Kinges and Princes And finally that the gouernement of the whole Church was committed to Bishops that vessel of election S. Paul is a sufficient witnesse vvho saith Act. 20. v. 28. Take heede to your selues and to the whole flocke wherein the holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud If then M. Abbot wil allow that Kinges be any of Christs flocke and that he purchased them with his bloud they are to be ruled by Bishops who are placed by the holy Ghost to rule the whol◠flocke of Gods Church Hitherto comparing the Bishop of Rome with temporal Princes I haue proued the prerogatiue of Ecclesiastical gouernement to appertaine to the Bishops Now a word or two of the preeminence of the Church and See of Rome ouer al other Churches vvhich shal be briefly verified euen by the testimony of some of the most ancient and most holy successours of S. Peter and S. Paul to whom M. Abbot attributes so much The afore named Anacletus who succeeded next after their owne Disciple S. Clement hauing shewed that al Ecclesiastical causes belong to Bishops euen as temporal causes doe to the temporal Magistrate Epistola 1. ad omnes Ecclesias addeth that if more difficult questions shal arise as the judgements of Bishops and greater causes let them if any appeale be made
was the true Apostolike faith about the questions then handled But forsooth because he did belike vse these curteous vvordes of obedience M. Aâ—bot that lieth at the catch and wants better stuffe is constrained to lay hold on them by which manner of arguing he might proue euery Pope to professe due obedience to euery priuate seruant of God because his ordinary stile is Seruus seruorum Dei The seruant of Gods seruants Now if one had so little wit as hence to argue and gather that the Pope professed obedience or were inferiour to al other seruants of God for if he be their seruant he is bound to obey them would not al the vvorld wonder at his folly And yet this admirable combatant and champion of the host of Ismael is faine to fly to the like miserable shifts and to imploy perforce vvordes that are vttered of custome and curtesie in al Countries for sound proofes If al Italians and French men that vvil say they are your seruants Seruitore di vostre Signoria Monsieur je suis vostre treshumble seruiteur should be taken short at his word and thereby be pressed to your obedience seruice you might soone become a great Signiour ouer many stately seruants that vvould doe what they list But that you may see how M. Abbot can scarsly borrow one weapon out of the true armory of Antiquiry vvhich vvil not serue to wound himselfe I wil here acquaint you vvith some wordes out of the very same Epistle of Pope Agatho to the Emperour Constantius the fourth vvhich doe demonstrate the Church of Rome neuer to faile in matter of faith Did you marke before in those few wordes how he esteemed Apostolike tradition and the definitions of Councels and of the See Apostolike to be the firme foundation of the Church of Christ which alone is sufficient to batter and beate flat to the earth that chiefe fortresse of the Protestants of the al-sufficiency of the vvritten word then hauing deliuered the true faith of the blessed Trinity he annexeth these wordes This is the Apostolical and Euangelical Tradition which the Apostolike Church of God the Mother of your most happy Empire doth hold this is the pure confession of piety this is the rule of the true faith holden aswel in prosperity as in aduersity by the Apostolike Church of Christ which is proued by Gods grace neuer to haue straied from the path of Apostolical Tradition nor euer was corrupted with Heretical nouelties because it was said to Peter I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not and thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren Here our Lord promised that the faith of Peter should not faile and willed him to confirme his brethren which the Bishops my predecessours as is wel knowne to al men haue alwaies done confidently and I though much inferiour to them yet for the person that by Gods goodnesse I sustaine doe desire to follow them at the heeles this out of Pope Agatho by the way in fauour of our cause because M. Abbot would haue gladly begged an almesse of him to relieue his miserable want Now that which followeth in him out of Tertullian That the Emperor is honoured according to the ancient doctrine of the Church as next vnto God inferiour vnto God only If the good man would haue bethought himselfe a little vvhat kinde of men the Emperours were in Tertullians time and before he vvould not I thinke for very shame haue once offered to proue those Emperours supreme authority in causes Ecclesiastical for they were al of them Heathen Idolaters and professed enemies to the Christian religion If then they vvere next vnder God supreme gouernours of Ecclesiastical causes it would follow thereof see the good effect of M. Abbots argument that the Christian religion vvas to be forsaken of al men and Idolatry to haue beene imbraced for that was these Emperors supreme judgement in spiritual matters What meant M. Abbots a Gods name to perswade Christians that Heathen and Idolatrous Emperours such as those were in Tertullians time vvere to be honoured followed in matter of religion before Bishops and Archbishops and next vnto God If those be Tertullians wordes euery man can apply them better then M. Abbot doth to wit that Emperours in temporal causes and in the ciuil gouernement of the common weale are vnder no man but next vnto God but in Ecclesiastical causes those Emperours had nothing at al to doe Now to those wordes which he proposeth as very odious That how much the Moone is lesse then the Sunne so much is the Emperour inferior to the Pope They be not precisely the wordes of the Canon but these That how much difference there is betweene the Sunne and the Moone so much is there betweene Bishops and Kinges The sence he doth not much alter but only sets it out more disdainfully vve allow of the sence being rightly taken to wit that the authority of Bishops is properly to be compared to the brightnesse of the Sunne because it is wholy conuersant in spiritual causes vvhich depend vpon the brightnesse and light of faith and doe formally appertaine to the heauenly Kingdome of the Sunne Christ Iesus Now who sees not that the Emperours power being properly to gouerne the temporal state by the light of natural reason which is very dimme and obscure if it be conferred vnto the light of grace may aptly be resembled to the Moone light the light of heauenly affaires as farre passing in clearenesse the light of vvorldly businesses as doth the brightnesse of the Sunne at noone daies passe the Moone-shine at mid-night Now if vve would search higher towards the most pure Antiquity we shal finde farre greater comparisons betweene the spiritual power of Bishops and the temporal of Emperours I vvil for a tast cite only the sentences of two most authentike Doctors S. Ambrose an ancient and most graue Father saith Bretheren the honour and sublimity of a Bishop Ambros initio sui Pastor citatur dist 96. cap. Si duo Greg. Oratio ad populum perturb cannot be equalled with any comparison The Majesty of Kinges and Diademes of Princes if they be compared to it are farre more inferiour then if the mettal of leade should be compered with gold And S. Gregory Nazianzene maketh no lesse difference betweene them two then there is betweene the soule the body the spiritual power of Bishops as much in his judgement excelling that of Princes as the soule in dignity doth surmount the body so that the Popes comparison alleaged by M. Abbot is very temperate in respect of these of the auncient Fathers vvhich notwithstanding vvere made vpon great judgement The lies and toies that ensue in M. Abbots text are not worth the answering First Catal. TestiuÌ„ he that reportes the Emperour to be the Popes man is an heretical and lying companion and therefore no sufficient vvitnesse Secondly if any Emperour or King out of his owne profound humility or aboundance of zeale towardes
A REPROOFE OF M. D OCT. ABBOTS DEFENCE OF THE CATHOLIKE DEFORMED BY M. W. Perkins WHEREIN His sundry abuses of Gods sacred word and most manifold mangling misaplying and falsifying the auncient Fathers sentences be so plainely discouered euen to the eye of euery indifferent Reader that whosoeuer hath any due care of his owne saluation can neuer hereafter giue him more credit in matter of faith and religion THE FIRST PART Made by W.B. P. and D oct in diuinity As Iannes and Mambres resisted Moyses so these also resist the truth men corrupted in minde reprobate concerning the faith but they shal prosper no further for their folly shal be manifest to al as theirs also was 2. TIM 3. vers 8. 9. ¶ Printed with Priuiledge Anno Domini 1608. THE PREFACE TO THE READER GOOD CHRISTIAN READER I doe voluntarily confesse that after I had seene M. Abbots answere to my Epistle vnto his Majesty I was a long time vnwilling to reply vpon it not for that I esteemed it to containe any such extraordinary learning as be too too fondly vaunteth off for I dare be bold to say that in a skilful mans judgement there are more pregnant proofes of their new doctrine in two leaues of M. Perkins booke then in tenne of his but cleane contrary I finde so little substance in his worke and so great store of impertinent and vile stuffe such superfluity of idle amplifications so many vnciuil and foule wordes that I could not thinke the time wel bestowed which should be spent in so friuolous and paine an altercation Notwithstanding being often admonished by my friendes that diuers Protestants much commended M. Abbots discourse some for the stile and his cunning and confident carriage in it others for that they saw it thicke interlaced with sundry ancient Authors sentences and thereby thought and gaue out that he refused not to deale with vs at our owne weapons Herevpon I resolued at length to afford it some answere specially for such good peoples sake who are desirous to bolt out that truth of God which only can saue their soules and are not willing to be deceiued with fine tricks nor doe wittingly suffer themselues to be carried away with faire glozing speeches or stout brags when they finde no correspondence of sound and wel grounded matter To giue the man his due I acknowledge that he inditeth not amisse if he did not defile and poison his penne with so huge a multitude of ougly venimous and vnsauoury tearmes But what account is to be made of choise picked and pleasing wordes when they be imployed not only to abuse and beguile simple soules but also to disgrace the sincere verity of Gods word surely for the debating of controuersies in religion plaine vsual speeches without painting or superfluity haue alwaies beene taken by the learned for most decent and expediēt according to that ancient Adage simplex est veritatis oratio the stile of truth is simple and plaine And where much colouring and flourishing is vsed there is no smal suspition of a badde cause and fraudulent dealing What neede bad M. Abbot to fil vp thirty sheetes of paper to giue answere vnto one sheete and halfe of mine doth it not argue to a man of vnderstanding that what he could not answere vnto directly in few wordes he would at least cloake with long circumstances and cast a mist before the Readers eies with gay glorious phrases that he might not see and discerne the truth Touching his frequent disgraceful and odious tearmes and most bitter rayling against the best sort of men on our side I would gladly learne how it can stand with Christian charity and modesty Sure I am that it consorteth ful euil with that sacred rule of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. vers 24. The seruant of our Lord must not wrangle but be milde towardes al men apt to teach patient with modesty admonishing them that resist the truth And S. Peter telleth vs that the natural property of a true Christian is 1. Pet. 3. vers 9. To be modest and humble and not so much as to render euil for euil or curse for curse so farre off was he from encouraging any man to reuile and raile at them who neuer gaue him any one foule word in al their liues yea whome he neuer saw And he further biddeth vs to follow the example of Christ our great master who did not reuile when he was reuiled but hath in expresse wordes forbidden vs to vse any contemptuous or opprobrious speeches against our bretheren assuring vs before hand that he Math. 5. vers 23. Who shal say to his Christian brother thou foole shal be guilty of hel fire This and an hundred times more to the same purpose being set downe in the diuine Scriptures against bitter and barbarous speeches yet M. Abbot a professed Diuine seemeth to take a special delight in them and to esteeme them no smal ornaments of a Diuines stile otherwise he would not so often vse them I wote wel that the most milde and sweet pen-men are sometimes through zeale of the truth or by the ouerthwart dealing of their aduersary moued to let slip now and then a hard word or two but ordinarily or vpon euery smal occasion to fal into a fit of rayling and to vomit vp most rustical and ruffianlike taunts cannot but discouer a very corrupt and venimous stomacke In this one discourse of M. Abbots a diligent scauenger may rake together wel-neare a tumbrel ful of them I doe intreate the gentle Reader not to be offended with me if I doe here for verification of what I say trouble him with the view of some few of them The Bishop of Rome is seldome called by his right name but Antichrist Page 118. 124 146. 150. 162. the man of sinne that harpie of Rome filthy harlot filthy and vnnatural strumpet the whoore of Babilon and such like Religious men he tearmeth idle lossels and filthy belly-gods swarmes of Locusts Romish vermine ful gorged Friers and so foorth My selfe and others my bretheren False harlots witlesse sophisters blind Doctors abhominable hypocrites lewd caytifs the seede of the Deuil vncleane beasts foule mouthed dogs like vnto other swine of his fraternity base fugitiues false traytors the villany of our profession and innumerable others which cannot but conuince and demonstrate M. Abbot to be one of them whome the spirit of God hath liuely described when he wrote Rom. 3. vers 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they deale deceitfully the venim of serpents is vnder their lips their mouth is ful of malediction and bitternesse their feete swift to shedde bloud destruction and infelicity is in their waies and the way of peace they haue not knowne there is no feare of God before their eies And if M. Abbot scorne to be aduised by me his aduersary to forgoe this rude rhetorike of brabling and scolding women in latin called Canina eloquentia let him follow
the Scriptures in foure seueral languages of so many seueral nations in this land whereas he signifieth the plaine contrary that the Scriptures were only in the Latin tongue among them and that therefore many of each language learned the Latin tongue that they might by the helpe thereof vnderstand meditate and study the Scriptures these be S. Bedes wordes Lib. 1. hyst Aug. cap. 1. This Iland at that time did study and confesse one and the same knowledge of truth in fiue sundry languages to vvit in the English Briton Scottish Picts and Latin tongue vvhich Latin by study of the Scriptures vvas made common to al the rest Note how for to study the holy Scriptures men of the other foure seueral languages were faine to learne the Latin tongue which they needed not to haue done if the Scriptures had beene then translated into their owne mother language as M. Abbot reporteth Another notorious vntruth and most malitious slaunder doth be cast out in the next precedent page against the blessed Bishop S. Augustine our English Apostle Page 198. That forsooth because he could not gette the Britons to obey him he therefore prouoked Ethelbert King of Kent a very good Christian to procure the death of two thousand Monkes of Bangor besides many other more innocent men whereas that holy Religious Father was dead and buried many yeares before that slaughter hapned which was also committed not by Ethelbert King of Kent Beda lib. 2. hyst cap. 2. but by Ethelfride a Pagan Prince of the North parts and that not for any quarrel of religion neither but to enlarge his Dominions and to be reuenged on his enemies Neither can M. Abbot or any other Protestant produce one ancient and approued author to justifie that S. Augustine was any way accessary to that wicked fact but is glad to shroude himselfe vnder the shrubbe of an old namelesse Cronicle and therefore Apocryphal cited by the Arch-lier and late partial writer Iewel fit witnesses for such a palbable and spiteful slander But if I would stand here to make a Catalogue of M. Abbots corruptions falsifications and other odde trickes which he vseth in alleageing of the Fathers and other approued authors I should reduce the greatest part of his booke to this place which chiefly consisteth in such paltry shifts and vnchristianlike dealing this that I haue here declared cannot but suffice to discredit him with al indifferent men For if he hath wittingly misreported such worthy authors of purpose to beguile his credulous reader as it is most like for he wil not be taken for a man that citeth the Fathers by heare-say without looking inâ—o their workes then he hath a most seared and corrupt conscience vnworthy the name of a Diuine and walking aliue is dead in conscience and consequently in credit with al men that loue the truth Sapient 1. vers 11. For the tongue that lieth killeth the soule But let vs suppose the most that may be said in his fauour that he hath not wittingly and of purpose to deceiue the simple cited the holy Fathers sentences wrongfully but taking them vp vpon the credit of some other of his companions without looking into the Doctors owne workes whether they were true or no and being deceiued himselfe doth afterwardes beguile others this I say being of courtesie admitted which is the best excuse that can be truly made for him yet no meane wise man can euer hereafter trust him that so confidently without any qualification auerreth such false tales for his vntruthes are so plaine and palbable that you neede no more but compare his reports with the authors wordes and at the first sight any meane scholler shal finde his cosenage and deceit I come now vnto the last kinde of abuse that M. Abbot offereth vnto the sacred senate of those most renowmed ancient Fathers wherein he doth more ingeniously discouer and lay open the right humour of a true Protestant which is to deny their authority flatly to controle and censure them as simple men to accuse them of error and falshood yea and finally to preferre olde rotten Heretikes opinions before the best of them To beginne with Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea a most famous Hystoriographer that liued in the daies of Constantine the great because he doth more mannerly reprehend him and saith Page 177. That we must giue him leaue to censure Eusebius of an injuditious and presumed explication of Constantines minde and purpose Truly I see no cause why we should giue him any such leaue for who can be so simple as to thinke that M. Abbot borne 1200. yeares after Constantines death should know more of his minde then Eusebius who conuersed with him most familiarly and was of his priuy Councel in such affaires and a man otherwise very learned and juditious Secondly he taxeth the most holy and reuerend Patriarke of Constantinople S. Chrysostome Page 175. for playing the orator and enforcing that in one place for true which in another place he himselfe denieth Page 176. and for reporting that of Constantines Sonne which is much different from the certaine story In like manner be standereth S. Augustine Page 54. for writing against Iouinian the Heretike whose opinions saith M. Abbot very audatiously S. Augustine knew only by heare-say and not of any certainty Secondly Page 60. Though Augustine doth not breake into those rude and vndecent speeches against marriage as Hierome did yet he was deceiued where he said that no Priests embraced Iouinians heresie I wil omit how they note S. Hierome that most vertuous zealous and learned Doctor with a blacke cole Page 57. For writing with al indignation and stomacke for railing and false doctrine because I make hast to acquaint the reader with the most shamelesse pranke of al others which is that they in expresse tearmes preferre the most infamous condemned Heretikes euen in the very points of their errors before the most juditious learned and sincere Doctors of the Church Page 73. It it manifest saith M. Abbot that Hierome one of the foure principal Doctors of the Latin Church was deceiued and that Vigilantius a loose and lewde Heretike had just cause to say as he did Againe Aërius a damned Arrian spake against praier for the dead Page 86. with greater reason then Epiphanius a most ancient learned and holy Greeke father hath defended it Iouinian a notable audatious and ignorant Heretike as both S. Augustine S. Hierome Vincent Lyr. cap. 15. doâ— ranke Iouinian in the nuÌ„ber of pestileÌ„t Heretikes and Vincentius Lyrinensis doe testifie though by reason of his later standing he was vnknowne to Epiphanius this Heretike I say Did teach as M. Abbot reports page 56. the doctrine of Paul in Rome against the superstitious conceit of the holynesse of Virginity before the holynesse in Marriage which notwithstanding was maintained by S. Augustine and S. Hierome with the whole court of Rome at those daies as be him selfe confesseth
meaning that it vvas in Ianuary past before he had seene my booke vvhich though he say not directly but that my booke was then sent to him yet he would haue his reader take it so that he might thereby and by that vvhich followeth gather vvhat expedition he had vsed in the answering of it wherein he giueth him vvrong to vnderstand For two monethes before that the booke vvas common to be had and great communication about the answering of it in the place of his abode and either he or one of his name had in short marginal notes assaied to giue answere vnto many points of the same epistle by that very Ianuary But admit that he saw not the booke before why did he not then goe in hand with it hauing receiued straight commandement from so high a personage to vse al expedition for the answering of it Forsooth the Barber-surgeon hauing his soare eies in cure would not giue him leaue to doe it Is it likely that the L. Archbishop was so euil informed of his estate that he would require him to make a speedy answere to a booke before he knew that he was in case to reade it But his Lordships letters perhaps found M. Abbot according vnto the season of the yeare frozen and could not as then vvorke in him any great resolution to answere but the spring following beganne to reuiue his drowsie spirits and in Iuly vvhen the heate of Sommer had throughly warmed him then â—â—e his affection to answere was so feruent and his disposition so fiery that he bestirred himselfe beyond al measure dispatching within three moneths not only this booke of thirty sheetes of paper but preparing also woofe and warpe as he speaketh for three hundreth more Surely this vvere vvonderful celerity if we might be so bold as to beleeue him but vntil he make better proofe of his fidelity he must pardon vs if in hast we giue not credit vnto him For vvho can perswade himselfe that M. Abbot being injoined to vse such expedition in answering would haue staied one yeare and a halfe before he published his answere vnto one sheete and halfe of paper for my Epistle containeth no more if he could haue sooner compassed it and who knowes not that a dedicatory Epistle vvhere matters are summarily touched only is none of the hardest partes of the booke to be answered But the man meaning in this Preface to commend himselfe aboue the skies saw that it was necessary to remoue this stumbling-block out of the vvay and before hand to excuse his extreame slownesse that it might not seeme strange how so admirable quicke a pen-man should be holden occupied so long time about so little I may not omit to note that vvhich now three times M. Abbot hath repeated to wit That the answering of my booke was committed â—o him from great authority vvherein he seemeth by his often reiâ—erating of it to take no smal pride that such a charge should be â—ssigned him from so high a personage But good Sir if my booke be nothing else but A fardle of baggage and rotten stuffe as you â—earme it it must needes redound rather to your shame to be â—hought a fit man to giue it answere For as euery man knoweth 〈◊〉 bald beggarly scholler is the meetest match to deale with a fardle of baggage But if there be more in my booke then you sometimes would haue people to beleeue they that haue a good opinion of it may hap to thinke that those graue wise-men in high authority fore-saw that it would hardly be answered by laying nakedly testimony of Scripture and Fathers to testimony and reason to reason vvherefore they thought it best pollicy to make choise of some jolly smooth-tongued discourser that might with a â—ufling multitude of faire pleasing wordes carry his reader quite from the matter and then blinding him vvith some colourable shew of learning lâ—â—de him into errour Proceede ROBERT ABBOT NOw the Treatise against which M. Bishop writeth is commonly knowne and entituled A reformed Catholike c. written by one M. Perkins since deceassed a man of very commendable quality and wel deseruing for his great trauaile and paines for the furtherance of true religion and edifying of the Church Against this booke M. Bishop so bendeth himselfe in his dedicatory Epistle as that with al he traduceth the whole doctrine of our Church and with such motiues and reasons as a badde cause wil afford him plaieth the part of Symmachus the Pagan Labouring vnder the name of antiquity Symmach relat ad Imp. Ambr. epistolarum lib. 5. to bring in Idolatry and to perswade his Majesty that that is Catholike religion which indeede is nothing else but errour and superstition In the due examination whereof waighing wel the sundry and slippery foundations wherevpon he buildeth I presume gentle reader that thou wilt be of my minde that he did not thinke hereby to preuaile any whit with his most excellent Majesty but only vsed the pretence of this dedication to credit his booke with them who he knew would take al that he said hand ouer head vpon his owne bare word Surely if he had not presumed of very wel-willing and friendly readers he would neuer haue dreamed to gaine any credit by writing in this sort What his Epistle is thou maist here see concerning the rest as yet I wil not say much only I aduertise thee and doe assure thee that if thou diddest like of M. Perkins booke before thou hast no cause by M. Bishop to dislike of it now Thou shalt see it assaulted with ignorance with impudency with vntruth and falshood with grosse and palpable heresie and that which he commendeth to be the marrow and pith of many large volumes thou shalt finde to be nothing else but a fardle of baggage and rotten stuffe For some tast thereof let me intreate thee to take wel in worth for the time this answere to his Epistle for the rest to haue me excused as yet both in respect of that weakenesse whereby I haue beene so long withholden from the following of this worke as also for the care I haue as wel to giue thee ful satisfaction in the questions here discussed as to stoppe the aduersaries mouth that he may haue nothing further to reply I haue propounded to my selfe the rule of Tertullian in such businesses alwaies to be obserued Decet veritatem totis vti viribus non vt laborantem truth is to vse it whole strength and not to fare as if it had much a doe to defend it selfe I am loth therefore to come hastily into the field and with mine owne sworde only to make an vncertaine fight but to take conuenient time to leuy such troupes and bandes â—as that I may not neede to doubt of the victory and it may appeare vnto thee that notwithstanding the crakes and brags of these Romish sicophants yet the truth is 2. Reg. 6. vers 16. That they that are with vs are more then they that
Majesty drewme out of the compasse of mine owne profession to treate of law causes I trust your benigne grace wil now licence me out of the same fountaine of feruency and like zeale vnto Gods truth no lesse respecting your Majesties eternal honour and heauenly inheritance some thing to say in matters of Diuinity hauing beene the best part of my study for more then thrice seauen yeares ROBERT ABBOT IT vvere a thing vvorthy to be knowne vvhat was the drift of M. Bishop and the marke vvhereat he aimed in the dedication of this his booke to the Kings Highnesse When I looke to those goodly insinuations whereby he seemeth desirous to winde himselfe into the good opinion of his Majesty and consider the motiues and reasons which he pleadeth meerely for himselfe and the rest of his faction and conspiracy me thinkes his intent should be according to his pretence to gaine some fauour at his Majesties handes for tolleration of the Romish Idolatry and superstition that vvithout contradiction of lawes they may freely if not exercise yet professe and follow the same But vvhen on the other side I consider his exceptions allegations against his Majesties proceedinges and against the Gospel of Christ and his true religion embraced by his Majesty and by lawes publikely established among vs I grow to another conceit that surely he propounded some other matter to himselfe then the obtaining of that which he seemeth so earnestly to contend for For hauing to doe with a juditious and learned Prince who is wel able God be thanked rightly to censure what he writeth without doubt if he had made this his project to compasse the obtaining of his request he vvould haue dealt sincerely and faithfully he vvould haue forborne our church al vnjust and slanderous imputations he would not haue sought by apparant vntruth and falshood to justifie his badde cause he vvould haue had care so to carry himselfe that his Majesty seing nothing but true and plaine dealing might conceiue vvhat is amisse to haue proceeded only from simplicity of errour not from any obstinate and wilful malice against the truth But he hath taken a farre other course and seeketh very leudly by lies and tales to abuse the Kinges most excellent Majesty by pretending antiquity for those thinges which by antiquity were condemned by fathering their owne bastards vpon the fathers by vvresting and forcing their sayinges to that vvhich they neuer thought yea when sometimes in the very places which he alleageth they haue taught the contrary by deprauing our religion with odious consequences of heresies impieties blasphemies whereof notwithstanding I make no doubt but he himselfe in his owne conscience doth acquite vs. Whereby it may seeme that howsoeuer he were willing to put his request to the aduenture yet being himselfe without al hope or opinion of successe in it his special respect was to lengthen the expectation of his Catacatholike followers that they might not vtterly despaire of that vvith the hope vvhereof they haue so long deluded them to settle them in those heresies and irreligions whereunto they haue so long inured them to continue them prest and ready to those intents and purposes vvhereto they thinke they may hereafter haue occasion to vse them to prouide by these meanes with Demetrius that his and his fellowes craft and occupation might be maintained vvhich vvas now in jeopardy to grow vtterly to decay and lastly to adde some grace to his booke the better to serue al turnes vvhiles it should carry the name to be dedicated to the King no man imagining the case standing as it doth that he vvould presume to offer it to his Majesty but that doubtlesse he thought some exploit to be performed by him therein and that he thought so indeede appeareth by his owne wordes in the Preface to the reader c. WILLIAM BISHOP THIS preamble of M. Abbot puts me in minde of that worthy obseruation of the most juditious Doctor S. Augustine vvho speaking of such like companions Cōt Parmen lib. 2. cap. 3. saith They doe grope like blinde men euen at noone-day as if it were at mid-night which is the property of Heretikes who cannot see that which is most cleare and set before the eies of al men What could be more plainly set downe then that which I did humbly request of his Majesty and the reasons that induced me to present my booke vnto his Highnesse are there also deliuered so distinctly and vvith such perspicuity that no man excepting them whom that prudent father noteth for very blind or most vvilfully bent to cauil could choose but see them yea M. Abbot himselfe cannot but confesse that when he considered of them he was moued to thinke that I intended thereby to gaine some fauour at his Majesties handes for our party Notwithstanding that al men may perceiue how he delighteth in wrangling he wil needs argue against that which is as cleare as the light at noone day and beare his credulous reader in hand that he must not beleeue that which he seeth set before his eies to behold but imagine with him some other hidden matter this is a farre more grieuous malady of the eies then that whereof he complaineth in his Preface Phisitions tel vs of a perillous eie-soare called in Latin Fascinatio Englished the Eie-biting it appeareth most vvhen from a cancred stomacke boiling with malice certaine venimous vapours ascend into the eies and flowing from them doe infect young and tender thinges whereof the Poët speaketh Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos I wote not what biting eie hath blasted my tender lambes This contagious eie-malady is to our purpose described more properly in the booke of Wisdome Fascinatio malignitatis obscurat bona The eie-biting of a malignant and enuious man doth obscure and depraue good thinges causing simple soules through his subtile conueiance to take them farre otherwise then they vvere meant this loe is the true disease of M. Abbots eies which he discouereth al his booke ouer Here he doth peruert my plaine meaning by his counterfait imaginations and vvith his false surmises endeauoureth so to dazel his readers vnderstanding that he should euen doubt of that which he beholdeth with his eies The manifold causes that moued me to tender my booke to his Majesty are clearely set downe in my Epistle there any man that wil may see them The reasons that gaue me hope of doing some good thereby may be gathered also thence as his Majesties wisdome that could not but fore-see that by a tolleration great contentment would grow to many and be a strong band to encrease their dutiful affection vnto al other his Majesties proceedinges his clemency and most forward natural disposition to pleasure al men not delighting in the oppression and vndoing of his subjects the good deserts of Catholikes both towardes his most blessed Mother of sacred memory and towardes his owne just Title the constant fame that was blowne farre and neare of his
And that he thought so indeede appeareth by his owne wordes in the Preface What Sir did I thinke in deede to performe some exploite with his Majesty by dedicating my booke to him then are you a very cosoner to goe about to perswade your reader to the contrary might not you haue better spared this silly and sencelesse discourse of my being out of al hope to preuaile ought with his Majesty then after you haue made it to ouerthrow it your selfe in the very same side of a leafe durst you in so short a space set downe propositions so contrary the one to the other as these be First He himselfe was without al hope or opinion of successe in his request to his Majesty And againe He thought in deede to performe some exploit that is to preuaile maruailous much with his Majesty by it If any man had a jade that did enterfeere and cut his pasternes so pittifully as this man crosseth himselfe in his owne assertions I am sure he vvould quickly cast him off for feare of a foule fal so I hope euery aduised reader wil take heed how he beleeue him that doth not beleeue himselfe or else doth luculently belie himselfe for if he had beleeued himselfe when he said that I indeed thought to doe much good vvith his Majesty by dedicating my booke to him he vvould neuer so idly haue gone about to proue that I my selfe had no hope of successe in it But let vs yet heare more of his vvorthy tale ROBERT ABBOT AND that he thought so indeed appeareth by his owne wordes in the Preface to the reader commending this Treatise vnto him in these tearmes He shal finde herein the marrow and pith of many large volumes contracted and drawne into a narrow roome By his owne conceite therefore he hath sent vs the strength of their strength the choise of their learning the flower of their argumēts so that this booke is as it were a Goliath out of the host of the Philistines sent to defie the host of Israel and to require a combatant at one fight to try the matter presuming that in al Israel is not a man to be found that dare vndertake to answere the challēge Whereby appeareth that it is but for fashion sake that he speaketh so modestly in the beginning of his Epistle excusing his slender skil and complaining that his dead and daily interrupted and persecuted studies vvil not giue him leaue to accomplish that little which otherwise he might vndertake and performe surely he neither vvanted skil nor leasure as it seemeth that could thus gather the marrow and pith of so many large volumes As for his studies if he vvil confesse the truth he must acknowledge that they haue beene more interrupted by their contentions vvith the Iesuites then persecuted by vs albeit great reason it is that he and his fellowes should be persecuted if he vvil so tearme it by restraint of body that abuse their liberty when they are abroade to the persecuting and destroying of other mens soules with-drawing them from the seruice of Iesus Christ by their illusions and enchantments bewitching them to dote vpon Antichrist extinguishing in them the true conscience of alleageance to their Prince and preparing them to the execution of their seditious and traiterous designements as hath in some part appeared to his Majesty already and I doubt not but some further experience vvil make it further to appeare WILLIAM BISHOP I Was bold in my Preface according to the common custome of writers to commend my booke to the reader that he might the more vvillingly reade it ouer with diligence and I shewed before vvhat I meant when I said That he should there finde the marrow and pith of many volumes drawne into a narrow roome For whereas diuers men haue set out vvhole volumes of one only controuersie some of the supremacy others of the blessed Sacrament diuers men of sundry questions in my booke should be treated of many great controuersies and the principal arguments of those matters comprised in them for on the Protestants side M. Perkins as I there said had collected their choise arguments vvhich al were related in my booke besides their answeres and some of the best according to my slender choise and skil proposed in defence and fauour of the Catholike party Wherefore I did not much exceede vvhen I said that the summe and substance of many large bookes should be contracted into that smal one of mine meaning aswel of the Protestant authors as of the Catholike vvherefore M. Abbots amplification of it is both idle and false for I sent them as wel the creame of their owne arguments as the flower of ours Neither did I challenge any man as he fableth much lesse did I like Goliath defie the host of Israel but doe only giue answere to an Ismaelite who counterfaiting the Israelite doth take vpon him to reforme them that are better informed then himselfe There being then no just cause why M. Abbot should vse these superfluous wordes wil you giue me leaue to aime at this vaine-glorious mans meaning In this resembling of his aduersary to Goliath vvould he not thereby thinke you haue his reader imagine that he as another Dauid was chosen out of the host of Israel to encounter with this great Goliath And what maruaile though he that durst equal himselfe to S. Paul for zeale and affection and for al sufficiency in knowledge doth exalt himselfe aboue al men taking also vpon him not to be ignorant of mens secret intentions nor of vvhat shal happen hereafter might moreouer desire to be reputed another Dauid chosen to defend the people of God against the Philistines M. Abbots stile and title then in true Herauldry may be this another Dauid for valour and resolution a second Paul for feruour in deuotion a Peerlesse disputer that wil not leaue his aduersary one word to reply a Prophet that can diue into the depth of another mans breast and fore-tel what is to come in a vvord a vaine craking jangler and a notorious lier vvitnesse euery leafe and almost euery line in his booke Is not that which followeth a strange tale That my studies haue beene more interrupted by contention with the Iesuites then persecuted by the Protestants vvhereas they haue beene rather furthered then hindred by those disputes betweene the Iesuites and vs about the gouernement of the Church vvhich gaue vs great occasion to looke better into that noble knowledge of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy then euer we did before And as in times past we had vvillingly reaped no smal commodity both in their vvel ordered schooles and out of their very learned vvriters euen so now vpon this new occasion vve vvere by them almost compelled to take a deeper insight of the Canons of the Church and to be farre better acquainted with the managing of those spiritual matters Wherefore the Iesuites did rather aduance our studies then any way persecute them whereas on the other side the
wit to take special order that God almighty be truly and sincerely serued for Kinges may and ought to doe that though they be not supreme gouernours in causes Ecclesiastical For albeit it belong not to them to declare the true sence of al questioned places of holy Scriptures nor to determine al doubts rising in diuinity nor briefly to performe such other functions as are proper to the supreme Gouernour of Christes Church yet his Majesty might haue called together the most learned of his subjects of al sides and haue heard vvhich of them could best haue proued their doctrine to haue beene most conformable to the sacred word of God to Apostolical traditions to most ancient general Councels to the vniforme consent of the most holy and best learned Doctors of the primitiue Church and accordingly to haue embraced the same himselfe and by his Princely authority to haue established the same throughout al his Dominions It remaineth then euident That his Majesty might haue taken special order for the true seruice of God notwithstaÌ„ding he haue not supreme authority in Ecclesiastical causes And most false is this assertion of M. Abbots that any law of the Pope doth inhibite him to deale so farre-forth in matters of religion that Canon which he citeth doth only forbidde lay-Magistrates Distinct 96. Si Imperator to meddle with the ordering and judging of Priests and Clarkes and such other Ecclesiastical officers as doe properly belong to Bishops But that Kinges ought to meddle in matters of religion and how farre-forth they ought S. Leo the first a most famous Pope doth in these memorable vvordes declare You must ô Emperour without doubt know Epist 75. ad Leo. August that Kingly power is giuen to you not only for the rule of the world but is principally bestowed vpon you for the defence and aide of the Church that by suppressing wicked attempts you may both defend that which is established and also pacifie those thinges which are troubled But of this point I shal haue occasion presently to speake more at large It followeth ROBERT ABBOT AS touching the reason also vvhich he alleageth why Princes should take special order that God be rightly serued Because of his meere bounty and grace they receiue and hold their Diademes and Princely Scepters The Pope denieth that they hold the same immediately from God but are to receiue them by his mediation and approbation and no longer to hold them then they conforme themselues to his lawes Bulla Pij 5. Ecce nos constituti sumus super gentes regna c. Behold saith the Pope we are set ouer nations and kingdomes to build vp and to plant to pul vp and to destroy c. And therefore what the wisdome of God saith as M. Bishop alleageth by me Kings raigne the same the Pope blasphemously applieth to himselfe Prouerb 8. vers 15. Per me Râ—ges regnant By me Kings doe raigne thus the Pope would haue Princes as very beasts as Nabuchodonoser was not to know of whom they hold their crownes and kingdomes but to thinke that al dependeth vpon him But M. Bishop acknowledgeth here the truth that of God they hold the same and therefore should make it their special care that the same God be honoured accordingly And here vnawares he justifieth our doctrine as touching the Princes supreme authority for the gouernement of our Church the effect whereof we teach to be this to prouide by lawes and to take special order that God be purely and vprightly serued that Idolatry and superstition be remoued that the vvord of God be truly and sincerely taught that the sacraments be duly administred and the Bishops and Pastors diligently performe the seruice and duty that doth appertaine vnto them that the commandements of God be not publikely and scandalously broken for these things we acknowledge the King to be vnder Christ the supreme gouernour of the church within his Dominions and this duty M. Bishop confesseth to appertaine vnto him And thus did the good Kinges of Iudah Dauid Ezechias Iosias c. thus haue Christian Emperours and Princes done thus and no otherwise did Queene Elizabeth and yet for the doing hereof shee was proscribed by the Pope and so much as in him lay depriued of her Crowne and Scepter but the hand of God was with her and shee prospered thereby and died in peace c. WILLIAM BISHOP I Doe many times much muse how men of any sort and fashion specially how professors of Gods truth such as M. Abbot would be esteemed dare put into light such odde paltry shifts and poure out together such heapes of grosse lies A lie it was that I denied to his Majesty such authority as would serue for the taking order how God might be rightly serued in his realme Another lie it is that the Popes lawes doe inbibite Kinges to meddle with matters of religion A third that I affirmed Kinges to hold their crownes immediately from God vvhich though it be true in that sence he taketh it yet is it false that I so said in that place for I meddle not with those tearmes of immediately or mediately The fourth is that the Pope denieth Princes to hold their Diademes and Princely authority immediately from God but are to receiue them by his mediation for euen in the very Canon cited last before by himselfe the Pope acknowledgeth Distinct. 96. Si Imperator That Emperours and Kinges receiue from God the prerogatiue of their power vvhereupon the Glosse plainly noteth that they did not receiue their soueraigne authority from the Pope Which was also obserued in the Canon next before EadeÌ„ distiÌ„ct out of Pope Gelasius wordes And it is further the common opinion of al our Diuines vvherefore vnlesse this counterfait Diuine did meane here to lie for the whetstone I know not what he meant to huddle vp lies so thicke together euery one lowder then the other But saith he Pius Quintus writeth Eccenos constituti sumus super gentes regna Behold saith the Pope we are set ouer nations and kingdomes to build and to plant to plucke downe and to destroy c. therefore they apply to themselues that which the wisdome of God giueth to Kinges By me Kinges doe raigne This is the fift lie that he makes within the compasse of lesse then halfe a side for albeit the Pope vse the wordes spoken to the Prophet Hieremy Ecce nos constituti sumus c. yet doth he not those by King Salomon vttered in the person of Gods vvisdome vvhich M. Abbot deceitfully shuffleth in the place of the other Now the authority committed to the Prophet Hieremy did not make the King of Iuda to hold his crowne of him as al Diuines both Catholikes and Protestants doe grant wherefore though the same be yet remaining in the Church of God as it is not only granted by al Catholike Doctors but euen by the verdict of Caluin himselfe In cap. 10. Cor. vers
the Church of Rome so cruelly surely there was no agreement betweene them Wherefore as the Catholikes of Africa then so they that were taken into the communion of the Church of Rome cared little for the Donatists as witnesseth S. Augustine saying of Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage August Epistola 162. He neede not to care for the multitude of his conspiring enemies the Donatists when he saw himselfe by communicatory letters joined with the Roman Church in which alwaies the principality of the Apostolical chaire flourished c. So we at this time neede as little to care for the bitter reproches and deceitful arguments of the Protestants so we stand stable and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same Church of Rome ROBERT ABBOT Cont. Epist. Fund cap. 4. THERE vvas reason why Augustine should be moued with the name of Catholike vvhen they that were called Catholikes had testimony of their faith from the communion society of the Church throughout the vvhole vvorld and were therefore so called Breui collat diti 3. cap. 2. Quia communicant Ecclesiae toto orbe diffusae Because saith S. Augustine they communicate with the Church spread ouer al the whole world But most sottishly it is alleaged for a motiue to vs being now Donatistically applied to one particular Church of Rome and to men bearing the name of Catholikes only for communicating vvith that Church Surely as the name of Iewes was of old a name of honour and the proper title of the people of God but afterwardes by their Apostacy who bare it was left for Esai 65. vers 15. a name of curse and reproch so the name of Catholike was an honourable name and the peculiar title of the true children of the Church but now by their abuse who haue vnjustly taken that name vnto themselues it is become a name of curse and shame vvith the people of God and the proper badge of Apostataes and Heretikes And as the Apostle Rom. 2. v. 28. denieth the name of Iewes to them vvho yet according to the letter were so called because of the circumcision of the flesh and applieth the truth of the nam◠to them vvho vvere so according to the spirit albeit according to the letter they were not so named so the name of Catholikes in deede belongeth not to the Romish faction who according to the letter take vpon them to be so called but the true meaning thereof belongeth to them vvho although they joy not in the litteral name c. yet doe follow the same faith vvhich they followed vvho first were called by the name of Catholikes Let them haue the shel so that we haue the kernel c. the name in his true vse importeth them that imbrace the faith of the Catholike that is the vniuersal Church that hath beene from the beginning of the world that is through the vvhole vvorld and shal be to the worldes end WILLIAM BISHOP S. AVGVSTINE indeede was so much moued with the name of Catholike that he alleageth it to haue beene one principal cause Cont. Epist Fund cap. 4. De vera relig cap. 7. which kept him in the lappe of the Church And else where very often exhorteth al Christians To hold the communion of that Church which both is Catholike and knowne also by that very name not only to her owne followers but also to others And the self◠same reason alleaged by M. Abbot himselfe vvhich caused that most holy vvise and learned Father to esteeme so highly of that title Catholike is now of great force to perswade al reasonable men to make themselues members of the Roman Church for by joining in society of faith with the Church of Rome they shal cōmunicate with the Church spred ouer the whole vvorld because the faith and religion of the Church of Rome hath beene generally receiued al the world ouer as our aduersaries themselues doe confesse The name Catholike is by the Protestants Donatistically applied to their Schismatical congregation that neither are nor euer were scattered al the world ouer but be inclosed and confined vvithin certaine countries of Europe as the Donatists were within the boundes of Afrike Most sottishly then to vse his owne wordes doth M. Abbot affirme the name Catholike to be applied by vs of the Roman religion vnto the particular Church of Rome when as we cal al other Churches of what country soeuer that with the Church of Rome keepe intirely the same faith Catholike And men of al other nations doe we cal Catholikes as vvel as those vvho are Romans borne because they al beleeue and confesse the same one Catholke faith that is extended ouer al the world Secondly M. Abbot is much mistaken in his comparison of the name of Iewe with the name Catholike for to omit first that such examples proue nothing but doe only serue for shew or explication and moreouer that it can hardly be shewed that the name of Iewe was a name of such honour at any time for that peoples honourable name vvas Israelites and vvere not called Iewes til towardes the declination and wane of their estate Neither was it euer any peculiar and proper title of the people of God for God had many good seruants that were neuer called Iewes as may be gathered by Iob the Husite Naaman the Sirian the widow of Luc. 4. vers 26. Sarepta a Sidonian and by a great number of Prosilites and finally by that which the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2. vers 14. Many Gentils were saued without the law Lastly most vncertaine it is of what name the Prophet Isay speaketh when he saith Cap. 65. vers 13. It shal be left for a name of curse Al these impertinencies of his example being too too many I doe remit him but cannot pardon his grosse fault in the maine point of the comparison for the name Iewe according to the vsual signification of the word being the name of a certaine people of one race and kindred and hauing a law giuen them by Moises which should continue only for a prescript time and end at the comming of Christ is not like the name of Catholike which is no special name of the people of any one country but is attributed and doth agree to al sortes of men of what country or nation soeuer that doe embrace the true Christian faith And is inseparably linked and so fast joined and riueted with the Christian profession and religion that it shal neuer faile fal or be separated from it so long as Christs faith standeth nor euer be contemned of the faithful whiles Christs true religion flourisheth vvhich is proued inuincibly out of the very Etimology of the name Catholike and that according to M. Abbots owne interpretation in the same place who doth expound it to signifie that Church which is through the whole world and shal be to the worldes end If the name Catholike shal continue to the worldes end the true title of
desolate and naked and eate her flesh c. yet they shal be most vvicked and impious Kinges and shal adore the monstruous beast there described and fight against Christ IESVS These be the very vvordes of the Text And the tenne hornes c. be tenne Kinges c. these haue one Councel and force and their power they shal deliuer to the beast these shal fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shal ouerthrow them c. Vers 16. And the tenne bornes which thou sawest in the beast these shal hate the harlot and make her desolate and naked c. so that the very same tenne Kinges signified there by tenne hornes that did giue al their power to the beast did hate the harlot But how can it be saith one that they vvho hate the vvicked harlot should joine with the beast who was as wicked as shee Yes that may wel be for it is no newes that vvicked men fal out among themselues so that one vngodly and wicked Prince doth sometimes with al his might aide another more vvicked then himselfe and at the same instant perhaps or shortly after fight against a third the most wicked of al they doe fight against both good and euil as their owne rage passions or occasions carry them Which I say to stoppe a starting hole of the Protestants who to auoide this inconuenience say that first these ten Kings were bent to al mischief◠and then helped the beast against the Lambe but afterward repented them of their former iniquity then loe they hated the harlot and persecuted her which they would not haue done if they had beene hadde Princes this is a prety shift Wel say first that this sence could stand vvith the vvordes of the text yet they cannot be applied to his Majesty who was not in his former time any aider of our religion and now is fallen off from that to the Protestants wherefore this deuise if it could stand with the text wil not serue their turne But the spirit of God hath preuented and wholy cut off this vaine imagination for it saith in the next verse That the tenne Kinges who hated the harlot euen then and after too gaue their Kingdomes to the beast til the word of God be consummate that is til the end of al. Wherefore most manifest it is euen by the warrant of Gods sacred word that those Kinges mentioned in the Apocalipse were reprobates such did they liue and such shal they die Let then his most excellent Majesty censure what reward they are worthy off who feare not to thrust his Highnesse into that list of condemned cast-a-waies and that too after they had such faire warning as in my answere to M. Perkins I gaue them to beware how they did his Majesty that shame and despite If it please his Highnesse to take notice of it I doubt not but that he wil conne them little thanke for this their commendation of him M. Abbot hauing acquited himselfe so Clarke-like in the precedent part of his answere That we are not to imitate our fore-fathers descendeth to the subsequent to wit That his Majesties Progenitours Kinges of England and Scotland were not of our Roman faith which he wil proue hereafter at more leisure that is to say neuer For he doth not deny but that the religious and holy man Augustine sent into our country by Gregory the great Bishop of Rome to conuert our Ancestours the Saxons and English to the Christian faith did then teach the same Roman faith vvhich vve now professe so that aboue this thousand yeares by his owne confession his Majesties Progenitours haue beene of our Catholike Roman faith and religion and very few Kings now liuing I weene can deriue their pedegree much further Afterward he doth rake out of the chanels of Bale Page 198. Iewel Hollinshead and such like late partial vvriters which any man not past al care of his reputation would be ashamed to cite for sufficient witnesses in matters of controuersy where in they themselues were parties that there was great disagreemēt betweene Augustine the Italian Monke as he speaketh and the Churches of England and Scotland vvhereas venerable Bede a most approued authour and neare vnto those times vvho did as most diligently trace out those matters so record them most faithfully he I say whose authority is sufficient to put downe an hundreth late writers interessed in the cause affirmeth that there vvas no variance betwixt them in any one article of faith but only in some few points of ceremony namely in these two Beda lib. 2. histor cap. 2. Vpon what day the feast of Easter was to be kept and about the rites of Baptisme For S. Augustine offered them to beare vvith al other their different rites if they would yeeld vnto him in these two points Vt Pascha suo tempore celebretis That yee would keepe Easter-day at the due time appointed by the Councel of Nice and minister the Sacrament of Baptisme after the manner of the Roman and Apostolike Church And concerning these two points vvho can thinke but that the Sacrament of Baptisme vvas like to be administred in those daies in the most renowmed citty of Rome after a more decent and deuout manner Euseb in vita Const l. 3. 17. Epiphan l. 3. Haeres 70. then among the Britans that liued in a corner of the world now for the other of keeping the feast of Easter the 14. day of the first Moone with the Iewes It was many yeares before condemned in the first most famous general Councel of Nice and therefore it cannot be denied but that those Britans vvere either very ignorant in the Canons of the Church if they knew not so solemne a decree or else too too contentious and vvilful in refusing to yeeld vnto it A third clause was added by S. Augustine that the Britans vvould joine with him and his fellowes Beda ibidem in preaching the word of God vnto the English nation which also argueth yet more strongly that they agreed together in al articles of faith or else they vvould not haue required their helpe in instructing others in matters of faith And this is not only registred by S. Bede that holy Historiographer but also reported by their owne late vvriters Hollinshead Volum 1. page 103. and * Page 6. M. Godwine in his Catologue of the Bishops of England S. Bede also witnesseth further in the place aboue-said that the same Britan Christians euen then confessed that they did perceiue that to be the true way of justice which Augustine did preach Furthermore the principal Preachers and most Godly men that liued not long before S. Augustines arriual among the Britans as namely S. Dulcitius and S. Dauid vvere brought vp at Rome and one of them the Popes Legate too Iohn Baal in their liues as the aduersaries themselues confesse Wherevpon it followeth clearely that not only for these later thousand yeares but also in the former
that their roial estate cannot giue lustre and dignity to those that serue and obey them for Soueraigne and Subjects be correlatiues and the splendour of the one doth dignifie and ennoble the other And to derogate from the subject in that he is a subject is to disparage and to blemish greatly the Soueraignes Majesty M. Abbot then shewed himselfe a jolly wise-man and very acute when he would remoue the cause of basenesse from my degree and cast it vpon the respect of my subjection vvhich is common to me with al other his Majesties subjects euen of the highest dignity and most honourable calling I doe not here forget that there is incomparable difference betweene one subject and another both in degree and quality yet am I bold to say that he vvho debaseth any one subject considered as a subject as M. Abbot speaketh doth jointly offer great wrong and disgrace not only to al the rest of the subjects but euen to the Soueraigne himselfe Here I hope the courteous Reader vvil giue me leaue to say some-thing of the birth and degree of some Roman Priests being by M. Abbot so often vpbraided with beggarly basenesse neither vvil I report aught else then that vvhich by some honest men of great intelligence is recorded for very true to wit that since these times of persecution more Gentlemen borne haue beene made Roman Priests then are to be found in al the English Ministery though for euery one Priest there be more then an hundreth Ministers And touching M. Abbot himselfe I am credibly informed that he is by birth but a meane Tanners Sonne of Gilford in Surrey and was at his first comming to Oxford but a poore Scholler gladde to sweepe and dresse vp chambers and to play the drudge for a slender pittance Which I doe not vvrite as in contempt of such base beginnings from vvhich many haue proued profound Clarkes and growne to great promotion but only to admonish M. Abbot out of the remembrance of his owne condition not to carry himselfe so contemptuously towardes others vvho vvere borne his betters farre and not brought vp so beggarly but that they had as good maintainance in the Vniuersity as those vvhose shoes he was gladde to wipe and to sweepe their chambers other wise that graue sentence of the wise Poët must needes be verified in him Nil est asperius humili cum surgit in altum None carry themselues more rough currish and hawty Then these base companions once raised to dignity But setting aside both right of birth and degree of study the very sacred order of Priest-hood vnto which albeit most vnworthy vve are by the meere goodnesse of God called doth by the stile of holy Canons exempt vs from the vulgar sort and by vertue of that sacred calling adorne and dignifie vs Distinct. 5. Can. denâ—que Deniue Sacerdotes c. quos dignitas Ecclesiastici gradus exornat Againe the most ancient and reuerend Fathers haue alwaies had the holy vocation of Priest-hood in so high and singular estimation that they haue not feared to paraleel and compare it vvith the greatest temporal Majesty on earth The ground of their reason is this Priests receiue power from IESVS Christ ouer the soules of men and that in supernatural courses teÌ„ding to the most high end of euerlasting blisse and glory vvhereas the Princes of this world how puisant soeuer they be haue dominion only ouer our goodes and bodies in ciuil causes to the quiet peacible gouernement of the affaires of this life Priests then honoured vvith such high gifts vvhich were neuer bestowed vpon Angels to vse S. Chrysostomes wordes that is that had * Lib. 3. de Sacerdot fâ—om Christ authority and power to a Ioh. 20. forgiue sinnes to consecrate his blessed b Math. 26. body that are briefly c 1. Cor. 4. the dispensours of Gods holy word and Sacraments d Hebr. 5. veâ—s 1. 2. taken from among men and appointed for men in those thinges that appertaine vnto God that they may offer gifts and sacrifices as for their owne so for the sinnes of the rest of Gods people to vse the Apostles wordes if these mens heauenly function be base beggarly and contemptible it is in the conceit only of blinded worldlings e 1. Cor. 2. vers 14. That perceiue not the thinges which are of the spirit of God nor can judge of them because they be spiritually to be examined And M. Abbot the best floure of whose garland is his Ecclesiastical calling should haue left the vilifying of the order of Priest-hood to some other of the laity And so no doubt he would haue done had he beene a true Clergy-man in deede and not so called by meere vsurpation for as you know it is the part of an vncleane bird to defile her owne nest But the wel-nurtured man would perhaps out of his little good manners haue made exception of this also as he did of my degree if he had remembred it Now to that vvhich followeth to shew that he had some cause to burst out into those bigge wordes he saies That I did vpbraide my Prince with misfortune in his bringing vp which is false for I mentioned it with compassion as King Priamus calamities are by many remembred vvith sorrow yet with great affection to his person I did not write a sillable that sounded to his Majesties disgrace but did rather excuse his failing in religion laying the fault of it vpon them who in his tender yeares vvhen he was not able to judge misinstructed him signifying that if it had beene his blessed hap to haue escaped their seducing speeches til he had come to riper age he would rather haue controled and corrected them then haue giuen eare to their errours and follies I vvillingly acknowledge a most rare readinesse of wit in his Majesty and firmenesse of memory both to attaine to high litterature and to deliuer it most eloquently so much the more sorry I am that these goodly and faire gifts of nature wanted such supernatural aides and ornameÌ„ts as education in the Catholike Church and among the best sort of Catholikes might and would most willingly haue afforded him for then no doubt he would haue farre out-gone himself in al good litterature and proued most singular Let the considerate reader to judge the better of our spirits compare my speeches to my Soueraigne vvith M. Abbots of the supreme Pastour of the Church as we beleeue vvhom the Protestants doe not denie to be one of the chiefest Patriarkes of the Christian world I meane the Bishop of Rome vvhom M. Abbot doth coÌ„monly raile vpon in most vile and reprochful tearmes stiling him ordinarily nothing else but The man of sinne and perdition the whoore of Babilon Antichrist himselfe and such like betweene whose supereminent dignity and M. Abbots meane place there is no lesse difference then betweene a temporal Prince and his subject of any good sort If I then be rightly
sute of diuers Bishops of the East he did solemnely summon S. Athanasius that most learned and valiant Patriarke of Alexandria to appeare at Rome before him there to answere vnto such crimes as were indeede most vvrongfully objected against him Lib. 4. hist Tripart c. 6. Nicephor lib. 9. cap. 6. thus saith the holy History The Pope following the law of the Church commanded them also to come vnto Rome and according to the rule of the Canons cited the venerable Athanasius to judgement Athanasius obediently appeared but his aduersaries knowing that their lies in that place vvould soone be discouered durst not appeare vvhereupon Athanasius was purged of those imputations Ibid. cap. 12. and restored to his Bishoprick Vnto the same Iulius not long after Athanasius being pittifully abused by the Arrians repaired the second time for aide vvhere he found diuers other Bishops of the East namely Paulus Bishop of Constantinople Marcellus Bishop of Ancony Asclopas Bishop of Gaya and Lucianus Bishop of Adrianople al Easterne Bishops and yet appealing to Iulius Pope of Rome for remedy of the wrongs done them by the Arrian Heretikes which doth most manifestly testifie that in the primitiue Church al other Bishops acknowledged the Bishop of Rome for the supreme Pastour of Christes Church vvhich also Zozomenus doth confirme shewing how Iulius restored them al Tanquam omnium curam gerens Zozom l. 3. hist. cap. 8. propter propriae sedis dignitatem As one that had care ouer them al for the dignity of his owne See And Iulius his owne wordes recorded by no meaner a man then S. Athanasius doe declare the same for blaming the Bishops of the East he saith Athanas in Apolog. 2. Why did you not write vnto vs especially you of Alexandria are you ignorant that the custome is that we should first be written vnto that from hence it might be defined what was right therefore if you haue any quarrel against any Bishop you ought to haue referred it hither to our Church c. And shortly after I signifie to you such thinges as were receiued from the blessed Apostle S. Peter c. vvhere M. Abbot may see that one of S. Peters successours of great worth and authority doth tel the Bishops of the East Church that by order set downe by S. Peter himselfe Bishops causes of al countries ought to be referred vnto the definition of the Bishop of Rome he therefore is their superiour I adde hereunto because it belongeth both vnto Pope Iulius and this present purpose of their supremacy in Ecclesiastical causes this sentence taken out of the Ecclesiastical history The Councel holden at Antioch was not good Hist Tripart lib. 4. cap. 9. for that Iulius Bishop of Rome was not there present nor sent any Legate in his place because the Ecclesiastical Canons doe command that Councels ought not to be celebrated without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome ROBERT ABBOT GELASIVS Bishop of Rome saith as we say Gelas cont Eutich Nestor That in the Saâ—rament is celebrated the Image or resemblance of the body and bloud of Christ and that there ceasseâ—h not to be the substance or nature of bread and wine But now the Romish religion maketh them Heretikes that say the Sacrament is the Image or resemblance of the body bloud of Christ and not the body and bloud of Christ it selfe or wil not beleeue that the bread and wine are substantially and really turned into the same body and bloud Albeit they beleeue with the same Gelasius that the Sacrament is a diuine thing and that thereby we are made partakers of the diuine nature euen of Christ himselfe really and substantially but yet spiritually vvith al his riches becomming ours and being eaten of vs not by our teeth into our bellies but by faith into our harts vnto life euerlasting WILLIAM BISHOP FIRST I say that M. Abbot hauing his eie-sight sore troubled with a grosse defluxion of salt rhewme taketh a Rowland for an Oliuer that is one Gelasius an vnknowne Grecian for Gelasius an African borne yet Bishop of Rome That he was not Gelasius the Bishop of Rome appeareth plainly out of that very treatise cited by M. Abbot for that Gelasius professeth to alleage the testimony of al the learned Fathers who wrote before him yet he maketh no mention of the most renowmed authours in the Latin Church as of S. Hillary S. Augustine S. Hierome and of Pope Leo al vvhich wrote before Gelasius the Bishop of Rome and were had in very great estimation by him as may be seene by his declaration of the Canonical Scriptures of the most approued fathers workes Dist 15. SaÌ„cta Romana Ecclesia Ibidem Againe that Gelasius citeth often and relieth much vpon the authority of Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea vvhereas Gelasius the Pope hath noted his vvorkes for little better then Apocryphal so that nothing is more like then that the good man hath mistaken his marke and is fallen from the successours of S. Peter and S. Paul vpon I cannot tel whom yet because he is an old writer though of what credit it be vncertaine I wil not refuse him And to the former part of his sentence that in the Sacrament there is an Image or resemblance of Christes body I answere that vve Catholikes doe say as much in effect for euery Sacrament is a visible signe of an inuisible and holy thing and so Christs body vnder the forme of bread and wine is a resemblance of his body parted from his bloud on the Crosse and the body of Christ vnder the formes of bread and vvine as it is in the Sacrament is a picture also or resemblance of the vnion of his mistical body in faith and charity euen as the bread is made of many graines of corne and the vvine pressed out of many clusters of grapes The later part of his sentence may also haue a good meaning and stand wel with our doctrine for the nature of bread doth not wholy ceasse to be in the blessed Sacrament because the forme sauour and tast of bread which be natural qualities thereof doe stil remaine though the whole inward substance be turned into the body of Christ which that Gelasius doth in the same place signifie when he there saith The same bread to be changed into the diuine substance that is into the substance of Christ by the operation of the holy Ghost whereby the receiuers are made partakers of the diuine nature And M. Abbots glosse vpon these later wordes is very extrauagant for we cannot in property of speech be said to be partakers of Christs nature really by being made partakers of his riches for it is one thing to be partaker of a mans nature really another farre different to be partaker of his goodes and benefits And as for the receiuing of Christ spiritually by faith that may be done vvithout receiuing any Sacrament at al but Gelasius either speaketh of receiuing Christ in the
Sacrament or else M. Abbot doth fondly alleage his wordes against the real presence wherefore his later paraphrase is a meere trifle and a vaine shift See more of this man and matter in the question of the real presence Let vs proceede ROBERT ABBOT De consecrat dist 2. comperimus THE same Gelasius when he vnderstood that some receiuing only the portion of the sacred body of Christ did forbeare the cuppe of his sacred bloud did forbidde that superstition and willed that either they should receiue the Sacrament whole or be kept from the whole because the diuiding of one and the same mistery cannot come without great sacriledge But now the Church of Rome is so farre off from acknowledging the diuiding of that mistery to be sacriledge as that shee pretendeth to be moued with just causes reasons Concil Trid. Sess 5. Can. 2. such as Christ and his Apostles and the primitiue Church had neuer the vvit to consider off to administer the Sacrament to the people only in one kinde and pronounceth them accursed that say shee erreth in so doing WILLIAM BISHOP NOW we come to Gelasius the Pope indeede and by his very phrase related by M. Abbot you may plainely perceiue that he beleeued firmely the sacred body of Christ and his pretious bloud to be really present in the blessed Sacrament for thus he speaketh We haue found that certaine men hauing receiued the portion of the sacred body doe abstaine from the Chalice of the sacred bloud Neither doe his wordes fit M. Abbots turne for the peoples receiuing vnder one kinde for he speaketh of Priests that doe consecrate both together vvho therefore must receiue both together that he may be partaker of the sacrifice which he himselfe hath offered For as it is said in the Canon next before De consecrat dist 2. relatum est Quale erit illud sacrificium cui nec ipse sacrificans particeps esse dignoscitur what kinde of sacrifice is that whereof he that sacrificeth doth not participate Wherefore it is by al meanes to be obserued that how often the Priest doth sacrifice the body and bloud of our Lord IESVS Christ vpon the Altar so often he exhibite himselfe a partaker of the body bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. These wordes taken out of the Councel of Toledo goe immediately before those wordes which M. Abbot citeth and doe euidently shew that they are to be vnderstood of the Priest only that consecrateth the Sacrament as also the very title would haue told M. Abbot if he had beene disposed to take them right It is that the Priest ought not to receiue the body of Christ without his bloud So that here is not a vvord against the giuing the blessed body of Christ alone to the people But M. Abbot is forced like an euil Apothecary to take quid pro quo as they say one thing for another or else he should not be able to furnish his poore erring customers vvith any sort of pleasing drugges to feede their corrupt tast and grosse humours He doth by a parenthesis enterlace That Christ nor his Apostles nor the primitiue Church had euer the wit to consider any just cause of giuing the Sacrament in one kinde to the people vvhich is spoken too too like a blasphemer to touch our Sauiour Christ Iesus with lacke of vvit skil or due consideration who as diuers ancient Doctors doe testifie ministred the blessed Sacrament himselfe to two of his Disciples at Emaus vnder one only kinde of bread Luc. 24. vers 30. He tooke bread and blessed and brake and did reach it to them and their eies were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight vvhere the circumstances August lib. 3. De consensu Euang. c. 25. Epist 59. ad Paul q. 8. Hier. in Epitaph Paulae of blessing breaking and giuing bread as he did at his last supper and the maruailous operation of it doe very probably proue it to haue beene the blessed Sacrament after which giuen in one kinde IESVS vanished out of their sight * Isichius lib. 2. in cap. 9. Beda in Theophil in eâ—m locum Lucae Opus imperfectuÌ„ in Mat. homil 17. In the Apostles time also very vsually the Sacrament vvas administred in one kinde They were perseuering in the doctrine of the Apostles and in communication of the breaking of bread and praiers vvhere breaking of bread being joined with preaching and praier doth conuince it to be spoken of the blessed SacrameÌ„t Againe saith S. Luke In the first of Sabaoth when we were assembled to breake bread Paul disputed with them c. This assembly vpon a Sonday furnished with S. Paules sermon must needes be to be made for the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament as a August Epist 86. Beda in illum locum S. Augustine and venerable Bede doe testifie In al which places following the expresse letter of the Scripture and the interpretation of many holy Fathers we haue warrant for the administration of the Sacrament to the people vnder one only kinde they then I hope vvanted not wit to know a cause of giuing the Sacrament in one kinde Lastly that in the primitiue Church the Sacrament was receiued vnder one kinde is most manifest by the testimony of b Tertull. lib. 2. ad Vxorâ—m Cyprian sermone de lapsis Ambros de obitu Satyri Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Ambrose and many others who declare how the Christians in those times of persecution carried to the sicke and reserued in their owne houses the blessed Sacrament viz. vnder the forme of bread to receiue it when they were in danger of torments or death for their more comfort and strengthning against those assaults Thus much by the way of administring the Sacrament vnder one kinde vnto the laity out of the practise of the primitiue Church the Apostles and our Sauiour himselfe in answere vnto M. Abbots parenthesis Now ere I take my leaue of this holy and most reuerend Pope Gelasius I vvil note briefly some branches of the Catholike faith which he doth formally deliuer to counterpoise those friuoulous objections vvhich M. Abbot haleth in obtorto collo as the Latin phrase is by the heeles out of his writinges First I haue declared out of him already Epist. ad Anast Imperat. In Epist ad Episcopos Daâ—daniae how that Bishops haue power and authority ouer Kinges and Emperours in Ecclesiastical causes so farre forth as to excommunicate them when vrgent cause so requireth He saith further That the Canons of the Church doe ordaine that from any part of the world appeale may be made to the See of Rome and that from it no man is suffered to appeale Againe That euery Church in the world doth know that the See of blessed Peter the Apostle hath right and power to loose and vnbinde that which is bound by the sentences of what Bishop soeuer as that See which hath lawful authority to judge
proofes for the Princes supremacy the Emperours some times called general Councels ergo they were supreme gouernors in causes Ecclesiastical a doubty argument as you may perceiue by the like A Lord calleth for his tenants being carpenters to build him a house ergo that Lord is the chiefest carpenter in the country If that Lord be not taken for supreme judge in the carpenters occupation though he had ful power to assemble the carpenters together vvhy shal the Emperour be esteemed chiefe gouernour in Ecclesiastical causes for that he hath authority to cal Ecclesiastical persons together Againe al men know that Ecclesiastical persons are in al temporal causes subject vnto temporal Princes who therefore may command them to meete together to compose contentions risen about spiritual causes vvhereby the temporal peace of his country is also much hindred and this may be wel done vvithout any pretence vnto soueraignity ouer them in spiritual matters so that if it were graunted that the Emperour had authority to cal general Councels yet it vvould not follow thereof that he were supreme head in Ecclesiastical causes much lesse can he be taken for supreme gouernour because the Popes gaue vnto the Emperours the cōmon and vsual wordes of courtesie as M. Abbot afterward very childishly reasoneth But let vs come to the ground-worke of the question I affirme then that though Emperour or King for the temporal command he hath ouer his spiritual subjects may cal them together vvhen there is just cause yet the soueraigne summoning of al Bishops Ecclesiastical persons to a general Councel doth not properly or principally belong to the Emperours but vnto the chiefe Pastour among them for very reason teacheth euery judicious man by induction through al societies it is most manifest that the chiefest member of any corporation or assotiation hath by instinct of nature that priuiledge of calling together the rest of that cōpany and corporation wherefore the lay Magistrate that is no proper member of the Ecclesiastical congregation cannot in natural reason and equity haue that power of assembling the Clergy together Besides no Christian Emperor had euer yet so much as temporal dominion ouer al Christendome those Christians then that were not his subjects at al could not be called together by his authority That their Empire vvhen it was at the largest vvas not so large as the bounds and limits of Christian religion S. Leo himselfe is witnesse in these wordes Sermon 1. in Natiuit SS Apost Petri Pauli Rome being made head of the world by the Chaire of S. Peter doth rule ouer more Countries by heauenly religion then by earthly dominion Againe since the Emperours became Christian not one hundred yeares together scarse did one Emperour command ouer al the Empire but lightly one gouerned in the East another ouer the West I would then gladly know to whether of them it belonged to cal general Councels or whether the Church of God must be destitute of such Councels vntil that matter were agreed vpon Further the calling of national prouincial Councels doth according vnto S. Augustine and Antiquity Aug. Ep. 217. Cal. lib. 4. Instit c. 7. n. 8. allowed therein by M. Caluin and the great hundred of * Centur. 4. c. 7. col 534. Magdeburge appertaine vnto the Primates and Metrapolitans of the same nation and prouince therefore by the like proportion it doth not appertaine to the Emperors but vnto the chief Patriarke of the Church to cal a general Councel That S. Leo on vvhose authority M. Abbot here doth stand tooke S. Peter first and after him the Bishops of Rome to be such I wil briefly proue thus he vvriteth Out of the whole world one Peter is chosen Serm. tert de Assumptione sua to haue chiefe charge of the vocation of the Gentils and is placed ouer the other Apostles and al the Fathers of the Church so that albeit there be among the people of God many Priests and many Pastours yet doth Peter peculiarly gouerne them ouer whom Christ doth principally raigne so that al temporal Princes who vvil not deny Christ to raigne ouer them must by S. Leos verdict acknowledge themselues subject in spiritual cases to S. Peter and his successours The same he doth confirme at large in an Epistle to the Bishops of the prouince of Vienna where he concludeth in these wordes To which S. Peter whosoeuer doth deny the primacy Epistola 87. he cannot in any sort diminish his dignity but puffed vp with the spirit of pride he doth drowne himselfe in the gulfe of hel Now least any man should take exceptions against S. Peters successours the Bishops of Rome though he vvould graunt the supremacy vnto S. Peter I adde that S. Leo in that second place doth rather speake of his owne authority vnder the name of S. Peter impugned then by Hilarius Bishop of Vienna then of S. Peters owne time Yet for more cleare demonstration of it Sermon 2. de anniuersario Assumptionis suae take these his wordes The disposition and order of truth doth continue and blessed Peter perseuering in the fortitude of a rocke hath not forsaken the gouernement of the Church which he vndertooke Peter I say doth to this day hold on and continue stil and liueth in his successours which he confirmeth in an hundreth places of his Epistles by me for breuities sake omitted contenting my selfe vvith that which he vvriteth in one letter vnto Anastasius Bishop of the Thessalonians to whom you shal see what authority he giues Epist 82. ad Anastasium Like as saith he my predecessours haue giuen to your predecessours euen so doe I following their example delegate vnto your charity the roome or charge of my gouernement that you imitating our mildenesse may helpe vs in the care which we owe vnto al Churches by the institution of God principally and that you may in a sort represent the presence of our visitation vnto prouinces farre distant from the Apostolical See of Rome For by reason of your nearenesse to them you may more readily see what matters and in what manner either you your selfe may by your diligence compose or else reserue vnto our judgement vvhere going on according to the Canons of the holy Fathers made by the spirit of God to vse his owne wordes he giues to that Bishop of Thessalonia dignity and authority ouer many Metrapolitanes of diuers prouinces That none be chosen without his priuity but al confirmed by his authority Canon 6. Item That if among the Prelates there happen to be question of greater affaires which God forbidde that cannot be ended by the prouincial Synode the Metrapolitan shal then prouide to instruct your brother-hood of the state of the whole businesse and if the parties being present it cannot be appeased by your judgement let it whatsoeuer it be be referred to our knowledge Canon 7. vvhere he giueth him Authority to cal Bishops before him and a Councel also if
any greater cause arise and diuers such other plaine and cleare markes of superiority that euen M. Abbots badde eies may easily serue him to discerne them Seing then S. Leo thought himselfe and his predecessours to haue ful authority and that by the holy Canons made by diuine inspiration to delegate ouer the Churches of the East vvhere was most doubt of his authority such power vnto others Can it be doubted but that he vvas most certainly perswaded that the Bishop of Rome hath and alwaies had supreme command in Ecclesiastical causes al the world ouer And that you may see that S. Leo vvas not only of that opinion but that the best most learned of the East Church of that time were also as fully perswaded of the Church of Romes authority ouer al the world I wil adjoine hereunto the sentence of Theodoretus one of the soundest Catholikes and one of the most learned and famous authours of those daies He being Bishop of Cyrus in Asia doth write vnto Renatus a Priest of Rome thus Theodoret. Epistola 2. The Heretikes haue spoiled me of my Priestly function and seate they haue cast me out of the citties hauing no respect vnto my gray haires nor regard of my time spent in religion wherefore I pray you that you wil perswade the most holy Archbishop Leo that he wil vse his Apostolike authority and command vs to come to your Councel for that holy See doth hold the sterne of gouernement ouer al the Churches in the world Another Epistle this holy Father did write vnto Leo himselfe wherein he saith I doe expect the sentence of your Apostolike See and doe humbly beseech your Holinesse to succour me appealing to your just judgement c. And that you may yet further perceiue that S. Leo his sentence was of force to restore him being a Bishop in Asia to his former dignity and seate these few vvordes out of the Councel of Chalcedon wil sufficiently proue thus speaketh the Councel Actione 1. Let the most reuerend Bishop Theodoret enter in that he may be partner of the Councel because the most holy Archbishop Leo hath restored him to his Bishopricke Now I come to answere M. Abbots goodly proofes and vvise glosses to the contrary S. Leo saith he would not take vpon him to cal general Councels That is false for he did cal a general Councel in the West witnesse these his wordes vnto Tuilius the Bishop of Asturicensis Epistola 91. numer 17. I haue sent letters to our bretheren and fellow Bishops of Carthage in Afrike Tarragone in Spaine Portugal and France Eisque concilium Synodi generalis indiximus And haue summoned them to meete at a general Councel And that could not escape S. Leo his knowledge vvho vvas most skilful in al Antiquity which by tradition descended vnto one of his successors Pelagius the second who was S. Gregory the great his predecessor to wit Epistola 1 ad Orientales that the authority of calling general Councels was through the priuiledge of S. Peter giuen vnto the See Apostolike But he made request saith M. Abbot vnto Theodosius first and after vnto Martianus the Emperors that they would command a general Councel to be holden in Italy which they would not doe but chose rather another place Be it so for sometimes such mighty Monarkes take more state vpon them then Christian dutie doth permit And as for Theodosius the younger though he were a good Emperour at the first yet afterward it is euident that he assisted the Heretike Eutiches his Patron Dioscorus too farre in that wicked assembly at Ephesus See Actionem primam Concil Chalced. Liberatus cap. 12. the place by him assigned for that general Councel The reason that moued S. Leo to request those Emperours to cal a Councel was not for that he doubted of his owne authority therein but for diuers other good respects First because as I before signified the Bishops to be assembled vvere for the most part the Emperours subjects in temporal affaires and therefore were not vvithout his priuity to be called so farre from their residences And for this cause the Kinges of euery country being aduertised by the Popes Holinesse of a general Councel doe to this day as it appeared in the last general Councel of Trent summon the Bishops of their Realmes to the said general Councel and command them to make choise of some to send thither vvhich doth nothing derogate to the Popes general summoning Besides the Heretikes of those times vvould not obey the Pope nor their lawful Pastours command no more then these of our time wherefore the Emperours power vvhich they dreadded and stoode in more awe off vvas to be joined with the Popes authority wherefore he had good cause to request it Yet that the vnderstanding reader may perceiue how S. Leo euen then did fore-see that some inconuenience might happe to follow of his condescending so farre vnto the Emperours pleasure about the place and time of that Councel he as it were to preuent it doth yeeld his consent in such sort that no great aduantage can be taken of it Epist 41. ad Martian thus he vvriteth to the Emperour Martian I required indeede of your most gratious clemency that the Synode which you thought necessary to be assembled as we also required for the restoring of vnity in the East Church might be for a time deferred that the mindes of men being more settled those Bishops which for feare of enemies are staied at home might also meete but for that you doe zealously preferre Gods cause before the affaires of men and are wisely and Godly perswaded that it wil further the wealth of your Empire to haue the Priests of God in vnity and the Gospel preached without dissention Ego etiam vestris dispositionibus non renitor I doe not withstand or striue against this your ordinance Here you may see that he did not yeeld vpon obedience vnto the Emperours order but moued vpon good consideration would not contend against it his very wordes yet giuing that he might haue withstoode him if he had thought it more expedient for the common good Againe in his letters to the same Councel of Chalcedon he putteth in a caueat by vvhich they might vnderstand that this his condescending to the Emperour should not be taken for a prejudice against the authority of the See of Rome for calling of Councels these be his wordes Epistola 45. ad Synod Chalced. I had wished indeed most dearely beloued that al the Priests of God did agree in one profession of the Catholike faith c. but because many thinges are done of which we often repent c. the religious aduise of our most gratious Emperour is to be embraced mouing your holy brother-hood to assemble your selues together for the ouerthrowing of Sathans sleights and for the restoring of vnity in the Church Beatissimi Apostoli Petri sedis jure atque honore seruato the right
excelling in integrity of life in sound doctrine and charity towardes al we ought truly to rejoice but if any man among you be so hardy and audacious that he shal enterprise to commend and praise those plagues of the Church Eusebius Theognis his insolency shal presently be punished by the worke and diligence of Gods seruant euen by me This is vvord for word out of the Authour so that the Emperours threat of punishment was only to the citizens of Nicomedia not to any Bishop or Clergy-man Which if it be compared with M. Abbots corruption either you must take him for a very grosse pate and more then poore-blinde that could not discerne to whom or of whom the Emperour spoke or else so feruently set to deceiue others that he cared not to straine courtesie with his Authours and to belie them a little so that he might for a vvhile til it were discouered be taken for one that had found out some special proofe that made much to the purpose ROBERT ABBOT Page 192. THEREFORE Constantine accepted of Appeales vvhen they were made to him from the judgement of Bishops and either heard matters himselfe or appointed those that should heare them And so we find that Foelix a Bishop August Epist 162. By the commandement of the same Emperour had his cause heard and was acquited before his Proconsul or Lieutenant And where the Donatists said That a Bishop should not haue his purgation before the Lieutenant S. Augustine answereth As if saith he the Bishop himselfe had so taken course for himselfe and the Emperour had not commanded that the matter should be inquired off to whose charge whereof he was to giue account to God that matter did specially belong And so doth he send for the Bishops Socrat. lib. 1. Hist. cap. 22. Zozom lib. 2. cap. 27. Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 2. that by his commandement were assembled in a Councel at Tyrus to giue account to him of that they had done there and in his hearing to shew him how truly and sincerely they had carried themselues in their judgement whereby as by many other arguments it is manifest to al men that Constantine held himself to haue a supremacy ouer Bishops and to be Iudge of their judgements and that M. Bishop seeketh meerely to abuse his Majesty in alleaging the example of Constantine against him WILLIAM BISHOP LIKE vvil to like quoth the Deuil to the Colliar as it is in our old Adage M. Abbot is so blindly bent to his errours that for vvant of more worthy Presidents he wil not sticke to flie for succour to both Donatists and Arrians old rotten and reprobate Heretikes Who were they that appealed from the judgement of Bishops to the Emperour Constantine vvere they honest Godly men whose example a good Christian may follow nothing lesse Heare S. Augustine August Epist 166. out of whom you craftily cul certaine wordes to deceiue your reader Your Ancestours saith S. Augustine to the Donatists brought the cause of Cecilianus before the Emperour Constantine put vs to proofe of this and vnlesse we proue it doe with vs what you can The Donatists then were the men that appealed from the Bishops judgements to the Emperour but though they vvere otherwise wicked Heretikes yet in this point perhaps they did not amisse saith M. Abbot a deare child of the Donatist Yes marry did they witnesse first Constantine himselfe who hearing of the Donatists appeale was maruailously moued with it as testifieth Optatus Bishop of Mileuitan that liued in the middest of them these be his wordes Lib. 1. cont Parmen Donate the fire of the Donatists thought good to appeale from Bishops to the Emperor c. to which appeale the Emperor Constantine answereth thus O rabida furoris audacia sicut in casu Gentilium fieri solet appellationem apposuerunt O madde pange of fury they haue put in an appeale as the Heathens are wont to doe Obserue how this good Emperor liked of their appeale esteeming them madde men and like to the Pagans that did make it Another vvitnesse shal be S. Augustine and in that very Epistle out of which M. Abbot doth sucke his poison for he doth most sincerely deliuer the whole circumstance of this matter Epist 162. these be his wordes Constantine the Emperour gaue the Donatists another hearing or judgement at Arles in France not that it was then needeful but condescending to their peruerse stubbornesse and coueting by al meanes to suppresse their impudency Neither durst the good Emperour so admit of their seditious false complaints that he himselfe would judge of the sentence of those Bishops who sate at Rome but assigned them other Bishops as I said from whom they yet againe appealed to the Emperour himselfe Wherein how be detested them you haue heard and I would to God they had at last vpon his judgement made an end of their most outragious animosities And as he yeelded to them so farre forth as to judge of that cause after the Bishops a sacris Antistibus postea veniam petiturus minding afterwardes to aske pardon of the holy Bishops because he did it that the Donatists might haue no excuse left them if they did not obey vnto his sentence vnto whom they themselues appealed so they would once at the lenght yeeld to the truth There you see first how the Donatists contrary to law and custome appealed to the Emperor which S. Augustine doth in other places also most formally teach Secondly that the Emperour did vehemently dislike of their appeale and put it off from himself to Bishops of whose causes and after whom he knew did professe that it did not appertaine to him to judge Yet finally to stoppe the impudent mouthes of the Donatists and to leaue them cleane vvithout al excuse of their obstinate stubbornesse he cōdescended to heare the cause himselfe after the Bishops not that he thought himselfe to haue any right so to doe but meaning to craue pardon of the sacred Bishops for that he had intermedled in their matters further then he ought to haue done Al this is taken out of S. Augustine vvord by word in that very place vvhich M. Abbot alleageth for himselfe Is not he then a very conscienslesse and most perfidious man that would thus vnder the colour of some broken wordes beare his reader in hand that the Emperour Constantine tooke himselfe in his owne right to be the supreme judge of Bishops and that euen by the testimony of S. Augustine who so plainly in the same place relateth the cleane contrary But Foelix saith he a Bishop by the commandement of the same Emperour had his cause heard and was acquited before his Lieutenant True but how came it to passe that the good Bishop was cōuented before them not by any his owne seeking or liking but through the most important sute of the Donatists August ibid. Epist 166 Qui quotidianis interpellationibus taedium Imperatori fecerunt dicentes
illum esse traditorem Who with their daily out cries were tedious to the Emperour affirming Foelix to be a traitour Whereupon because the Donatists would not admit of any ordinary judge of Bishops vvithin or without Afrike the innocent Bishop was content to referre his cause to be heard by any vvhomsoeuer for so it followeth in the very next vvordes of that same Epistle of S. Augustine For they that is the Donatists had made the Emperour arbitrator and judge of that cause who first sued to him afterwardes appealed vnto him and yet in the end would not stand to his judgements but seing that he gaue sentence against them they like frantike fellowes cried out against the same as vnlawful which vvas their owne seeking and then affirmed contrary to their former opinion and practise that a Bishop was not to haue his trial and purgation before a secular Iudge Whereupon S. Augustine inferreth If he be blame-worthy whom a temporal Iudge acquited when he himselfe sought after no such Iudge how much more are they to be blamed who would needes haue an earthly King to be judge of their cause Iudex eligitur Imperator The Emperour was by the Donatists chosen for their Iudge but the Emperour giuing sentence against them he was by them condemned thus S. Augustine Are not these shuttle and giddy headed Heretikes sure cardes for M. Abbot to build the Princes supremacy vpon a sandy and slippery foundation yet meete for such a peece of worke But S. Augustine doth say That the Emperour caused the matter to be diligently enquired of to whose charge whereof he was to giue account to God that matter did specially belong I answere that the Emperour hauing taken the matter into his handes by the importunate sute of the Donatists and by the consent of the other party was afterwardes bound in honour and conscience to see it throughly sifted out and most vprightly determined But this furthereth nothing M. Abbots pretence of the Emperours supremacy vvhen first the Emperour himselfe acknowledgeth most ingeniously and perspicuously that he judgeth in such cases against his wil and as it were vnder the correction of the Bishops And S. Augustine as manifestly teacheth that neither Foelix nor any other Catholike Bishop required the Emperour for their judge of their owne free choise but that being thereunto constrained by the impudency and head-strong wilfulnesse of the Donatists who would be judged by no other Neither yet vvould they finally yeelde to the Emperours owne judgement which they so earnestly sued for against the Canons of the Church Were not these head-strong Donatists a most perfect patterne of heretical obstinacy and fit men to be propounded for an example to follow by M. Abbot if any man desire to see more of S. Augustines minde in this matter let him reade his 48. and 166. Epistles and the first Chapter of his third booke against Iulian the Pelagian vvhere he cutteth those Pelagian Heretikes short who hauing beene once condemned by a Councel of Bishops in Palestine vvould haue appealed to the Emperour and did then alleage the Example of the Donatists for their President Lib. 3. cont Iulian. cap. 1. as M. Abbot now doth Not so saith S. Augustine your cause hath bad a competent and sufficient trial before many Bishops neither are you to be dealt withal any further concerning the right of examination and trial it only now remaineth that you quietly accept of the sentence pronounced of this cause so that in S. Augustines judgement the competent lawful and ordinary trial of Ecclesiastical causes is before Bishops from which none but Heretikes doe appeale and flie And touching the Donatists whose example the other Heretikes alleaged Ibidem this holy Father saith They were so violent and withal so stronge that we were forced to follow them appealing to the Emperour for they ranged and raged with such fury almost al Afrike ouer that they would not suffer the Catholikes to preach or to liue in peace by them but by fire sword and forrage put the whole country in garboile and combustion wherefore the Bishops were compelled for the suppressing their fury and for to bring them to reason to conferre with them before the lay Magistrate Thus much of M. Abbots former instance of the Donatists Now to his other borrowed from the Arrians who were assembled in a very wicked conuenticle at Tyre to condemne the most innocent Prelate and Saint of God Athanasius vvho besides also was Patriarke of Alexandria the chiefe seate of al the East and therefore rather to judge ouer them then to be judged of them yet those most malitious Arrians to wreake their teene on him inuented most strange crimes of Rape Murder and Treason against the man of God and had false vvitnesses in readinesse to testifie vvhat they would desire yet were they so prudently encountred and al their most wicked plots so plainly discouered by the grace of God and S. Athanasius most vigilant industry that they fel at last to conspire his death by open violence Al which being related to the Emperour he wrote a most sharpe letter to those bloudy conspiratours and willed them to come to the place where he then made his abode there in his presence and hearing to shew whither that which they had done there were equal and just He doth not say as M. Abbot falsly reporteth that the Bishops were to giue him account of that they had done but according to Athanasius request Socrat. lib. 1. Histor c. 22. vvhich was as it is set downe in the same letter Vt eo accederetis quo nobis praesentibus de injuria qua passus fuerit necessitate coactus posset expostulare That the Councel might be remoued to the Emperours Court to the intent that Athanasius compelled by necessity might expostulate and complaine in the Emperours presence of the injury done vnto him First note that the holy Patriarke compelled by necessity of the Arrians fury repaired to the Emperour Secondly that he desired the matter might be heard though in the Emperours presence yet by the Bishops assembled in that cōuenticle for he had reason to thinke that they vvould not for very shame suffer the matter to be so partially and furiously handled if that good Emperour were present and did but looke on them Thirdly note that there vvas no matter of faith in question but capital crimes and temporal affaires of the state objected against Athanasius wherein the lay Magistrate hath more special interest Briefly here is no mention of the Emperours judging ouer Bishops but only of a sending for them to come to him to handle so waighty a matter before him which any temporal Prince for aught I see may demand and also command of Bishops that be his owne subjects vvhen cause of the temporal state is touched Out of the premises it followeth most euidently that M. Abbot hath not one plaine word to proue the Emperour Constantine to be supreme judge in Ecclesiastical
the hope of eternal life is recouered that they who had lost the gift of regeneration condemning themselues by their owne judgement might attaine vnto remission of their sinnes the aide of Gods goodnesse being so disposed that pardon from God cannot be obtained but by the supplication of Priests For the Mediatour of God and Man the man IESVS Christ hath giuen this power vnto the Prelates of the Church that they may both enjoine satisfaction to the penitent and that they may also admit them being by the same holesome satisfaction purged through the gate of reconciliation vnto the communion of the Sacraments Where he further teacheth That they who die without this gift of pardon shal neuer be saued and doth also greatly blame them who deferre their confession til toward the point of death when saith he there is scarce space either for the confession of the penitent or for the reconciliation of the Priest It vvas not then vndoubtedly treason in S. Leos daies to be reconciled by a Priest seing he so often and so much recommended it to al Christian people and held it the only gate to re-enter into Gods fauor for al such Christians as were fallen from the grace they had before receiued in the Sacrament of Baptisme That Bishops Priests Deacons yea and Subdeacons should not marry and if any married man vvere chosen a Subdeacon that he should refraine from the company of his wife S. Leo is very plaine thus he decreeth Epist. 82. ad Anastasium Thes num 4. It is free for men that be not of the Clergie to marry but to shew the purity of perfect continency carnal copulation is not graunted so much as to Subdeacons that they who haue wiues be as though they had them not and they who haue them not doe continue single And if in this order which is the fourth from the head with the Protestants it is no order at al it is meete that chastity be kept how much more is it to be obserued in the first second and third that no man be esteemed worthy either of the place of a Deacon or honour of a Priest or excellency of a Bishop who is discouered not to haue yet bridled himselfe from the pleasure of wiuing This of the continency of Priests Wil you heare S. Leos opinion of the Vowes of religious men and women which the false Father Abbot scornefully tearmeth Monkish Epist 90. ad Rusti Norb. cap. 12. The profession of a Monke saith he vndertaken by a mans owne free choise and desire cannot be forsaken without sinne because that must be performed which we haue vowed to God Wherefore he that forsaking the profession of a single or solitary life is turned souldier or fallen to marriage is to be purged publikely by the satisfaction of penance for albeit warre-fare may be harmelesse and marriage honest yet is it a transgression and offence to haue forsaken the better choise It followeth in the next number Ibid. ca. 13.8 Maidens who not constrained by their parents command but of their owne accord haue made profession of Virginity and receiued the habit if afterwardes they desire to marry they doe sinne though they were not yet consecrated Ibidem 14. but if after both profession and consecration they should fal to marry it cannot be doubted but that they should commit a very hainous crime For if mans decrees cannot be infringed without punishment what shal light vpon them who haue broken the couenants of the diuine mistery How forcibly doth this chast doctrine of S. Leo batter and beate flat to the earth the voluptuous loosenesse of runnegate votaries and giues checkmate to the Protestants for vpholding the same as wel done That you may yet further perceiue what an euil Protestant and a perfect Papist S. Leo was he commendeth highly the Emperour Martianus his vertue and Godlinesse for receiuing with worthy honour the holy Relikes of blessed Flamianus departed who a little before was Patriarke of Constantinople And for praying to Saints you haue heard before Serm. 5. de Epiphania how he encouraged al men Eorum ambire suffragia earnestly and as it were ambitiously to sue for the aide of their praiers Againe he exhorteth his auditours to celebrate vvith him the Saturday following the Vigils of the most happy Apostle S. Peter Ser. 8. de Iejunio decim Who saith he with his praiers wil vouchsafe to helpe our praiers fastings and almes-deedes Behold he made no question but that S. Peter both knew their desires and deserts and would also further them vvith the aide of his effectual praiers In briefe then we haue that the most learned and holy Pope S. Leo the first taught praying to Saints and worshipping of their Relikes the vowes of Monkes and professed Virgins that Priests and al in holy orders should not marry but liue continently that Priests haue power to reconcile and to forgiue sinnes and that euery man who hopeth for any pardon of his sinnes at Gods handes must particularly confesse them in priuate to a Priest and by due satisfaction purge himselfe from them that in the Sacrament there is the same true flesh of Christ which was crucified and did arise from death that Masse is to be said euery holy day wherein the sacrifice of Christs body is offered that S. Peter was the supreme Pastour of Christes Church and that the Bishop of Rome is his lawful successour therein hauing supreme authority ouer both East and West Church These with such like points which may by diligent perusing his most eloquent and diuine workes be gathered doe most perspicuously demonstrate the Church of Rome in his time vvhich vvas neare 1200. yeares agoe to haue held the selfe same language concerning matters of faith vvhich the same Church of Rome at this day speaketh And that M. Abbot in seeking to proue the contrary did but shew himselfe either very ignorant in his workes or ouer studious not to take his Author right as his manner is but to picke some matter of cauil out of him thereby to blinde and deceiue the simple reader Now to the next ROBERT ABBOT PELAGIVS the Bishop of Rome the first of that name admitted a married man to be Bishop of Syracusa only putting in a caution that he should not dilapidare the Church goodes and transferre the same to his wife and children Dist. 28. de Syracusana The danger whereof he signifieth was the cause of that constitution which did forbidde a man hauing a wife and children to be preferred to a Bishopricke otherwise a man is not repelled for hauing wife children saith the Glosse because the Apostles permitted the same But now the Church of Rome Glossa ibidē wil by no meanes admit men to be Bishops or Priests not for that they would auoide the dilapidating of the Church goodes for that is a thing common with the Popes themselues Platina in vita Iohan. 16. To apply al to satisfie the
greedinesse and couetousnesse of their familiars their bretheren their nephewes vnder which name commonly goe their bastards but because they asscribe to marriage as the old Heretikes did Bellarm. de Cler. lib. 1. cap. 19. pollution and vncleanenesse which cannot stand with the sanctity and holinesse of the Priestly function WILLIAM BISHOP IF M. Abbot did not euery vvhere almost shew himselfe to be a shamelesse man and one that careth not how corruptly so he may somewhat colourably cite the ancient Fathers sentences this passage were alone more then sufficient to proue him to be no better then a cosening counterfeit In these few lines there are foure euident vntruthes vttered by him The first is that a man is not repelled from being a Bishop for hauing wife children but only for feare of dilapidation of the Church goods This is most euidently false for though the feare of spending the Church goods vpon prophane vses be one cause vvhy it is not expedient that a Bishop or Priest should be maried yet the more principal reason thereof is the purity of the single life and the freenesse of it from al such vvorldly affaires and temporal troubles as are necessarily linked vvith the care of prouision for wife children This you heard before out of S. Leo who was predecessor to Pope Pelagius the first by more then an hundred yeares These be also the reasons of S. Augustine and S. Hierome vvho vvrote thereof vvhole volumes against the Heretike Iouinian and were giuen first by S. Paul himselfe when he teacheth that 1. Cor. 7. vers 31. he who is without a wife is careful for the thinges that pertaine to our Lord how he may please God but he that is with a wife is careful for the thinges that appertaine to the world how he may please his wife and is diuided And Vers 32. Vers 34. the woman vnmaried and virgin thinkes on the thinges that pertaine to our Lord that shee may be holy both in body and spirit See the more special groundes of the single life of clergy-men wherevpon euen by the confession of M. Abbot himselfe Page 42. A law was made in the Church of Rome by Pope Siritius who was 150. yeares before Pelagius that al Priests and Deacons should either be chosen single men or else promise to abstaine wholy from the company of their wiues which is also decreed in the second Councel of Carthage holden about the same time where the holy Bishops there assembled doe say Canon 2. That we may keepe that which the Apostles did teach and Antiquity herselfe obserued giuing al men to vnderstand that the single and chast life of the Clergy vvas taught by the Apostles and obserued in most pure Antiquity It being then so notorious and wel knowne a thing that whosoeuer would be a Bishop must needs refraine from the company of his wife no caution was required for that by Pope Pelagius because there was no question or doubt of it And M. Abbot dealeth deceitfully to argue out of the not mentioning of that vvhich was vnderstood of al men as necessary to be presupposed and is in most of the Canons of the very same distinction Distinct 28. expresly deliuered and also in two other vvhole distinctions going next before His second false tricke is in the citation of the glosse and that a very foule one for he chops it off in the middest leauing out that which wil marre al his market The glosse saith vpon that caution against dilapidations that it is to be vnderstood when be that is chosen to be a Bishop doth loue his wife and children so tenderly that it is to be presumed he would for their sakes dilapidare the Church goods c. otherwise a man is not repelled for wife and children to wit for that point of dilapidations whereof the glosse there speaketh This to be the sence any vnderstanding man vvould easily perceiue if the glosse had gone no further But it addeth as it were to meete with M. Abbots cauil Dum tamen longa continentia praecesserit A man that hath a wife may be admitted to be a Bishop putting in good surety that he wil not dilapidare the Church goods yet with this prouiso That he hath long before liued continently that is refrained wholy from the company of his wife as it is before said in the Canon Priusquam of the same distinction See how expresly the glosse excepts that which M. Abbot auoucheth it to affirme His third false tale is That the Church of Rome now wil by no means admit maried men to be bishops priests which is not true for in those very cases vvherein they vvere at any time admitted before they vvould be admitted now that is If there were want of other able men and some such eminent learning and vertue in a maried man as were not to be found in a single then he might be made both Priest Bishop so that he and his wife would liu◠continently for there is no Canon of the Church to the contrary His fourth lie is a luculent and bright one That we forsooth asscribe pollution and vncleanenesse to marriage as the old Heretikes did for neither Cardinal Bellarmine vvhom he quoteth nor any other Catholike doth teach the act of matrimony to be the worke of the Deuil or damnable sinne as the Manichees and some other Heretikes did Nay he declareth there plainly that it may be without any sinne at al though most commonly concupiscence beare to great a sway in it both preuenting the rule of reason and somewhat exceeding the measure of it as a Lib. 14. de Ciuitat c. 17. Item lib. 5. cont Iulian. cap. 8. 10. S. Augustine testifieth and doth make a man more dul and heauy to spiritual exercises and not so pure holy as the office of a Priest doth require as b Hier. lib. 1. cōt Iouinian S. Hierome and c Chrysost l. 6 de Sacerdot S. Chrysostome doe witnesse And that a man thereby is made lesse holy and pure both in body and spirit S. Paules owne vvordes doe intimate ¶ 1. Cor. 7. vers 34. The woman vnmarried thinketh how shee may be holy both in body and spirit so that within the compasse of not many lines M. Abbot le ts flie two cast of lies and yet as it were not content vvith so few he interlaceth three other lies to furbish and smooth vp the rest The first is that now a daies married men are not repelled from Bishopricks to auoide dilapidations which is false For that is one cause as I shewed before and is also touched euen by that most renowmed Father Bellarmine euen in the same place cited by M. Abbot De Clericis lib. 1. cap. 19. in his fifth reason vvhere he teacheth That the marriage of Bishops and Priests doth hinder much that hospitality and tender care of the poore which men of the Church ought to haue for the
care of prouiding for wife children doth wholy extinguish or greatly diminish their good house-keeping and prouiding for the poore as the lamentable experience of our very time doth sufficiently instruct vs. What if some Popes or other Clergy-men haue beene too forward to satisfie the greedy couetousnesse of their carnal friends that is their owne fault contrary to the prouident order and law of the Church and if the corrupt nature of man be so inclinable to fauor them that be next in bloud to them was it not right vvisely ordained by our Church that Clergy-men should haue no wiues and children for that men naturally doe loue them most dearely and vse al meanes to prouide for them But how carelesly herein doe the Protestants carry themselues vvho doe encourage and as it were push their Clergy-men forward to haue wiues and children vvho being thereby clogged with the cares of this world bidde adieu to al courteous and plentiful hospitality and leaue the poore to shift as they can for themselues for they haue more then enough to doe to prouide for their owne wiues and children The second lie is shuffled into the parenthesis taken out of Platina to vvit That vnder the name of nephewes commonly goe their bastards vvhich is not in his authour but a most malitious slander deuised of his owne head and auouched without any testimony and therefore to be contemned The third is in that he maketh Platina to affirme it to be a common thing with the Popes which he only noteth for a special fault in some few Is this man worthy thinke you the sacred title of a Diuine or of the common name of an honest man vvho doth in manner nothing else but sow lies together and that sometimes so thicke that for euery line neere hand there is onelie or other vvas his meaning trow you to giue instruction to the ignorant and satisfaction to the learned as often he vaunteth or rather to blinde the simple and to feede the vaine folly of the ouer credulous Protestant Prouerb 10. Qui nititur mendacijs saith the vvise man hic pascit ventos Idem insequitur aues volantes He that relieth on lies doth feede the windes that is may please vaine and light heades He doth also follow birdes flying in the aire that is doth feede the humour of hawty wauering and vnsettled spirits but can neuer giue contentment or satisfaction to any graue modest and discreet man who doth flie from a crafty and subtle liar as from the very off-spring of that Serpent which with lying deceiued our first mother Eue. But goe on vvith your lies seing it wil be no otherwise ROBERT ABBOT THE Emperours of Rome Theodosius and Valens according vnto the doctrine of the ancient Church of Rome Petri Crinit de honest disciplina lib. 9. cap. 9. Vpon care of preseruing the religion of the high God did forbidde the making grauing or painting of the Crucifix and commanded it vpon penalty to be abolished wheresoeuer it was found But now not the making â—nly but also the vvorshipping of the Crucifix is a matter of high religion in the same Church of Rome WILLIAM BISHOP VERITAS non quaerit latebras Truth is not ashamed of her selfe nor coueteth to hide her head in corners vvhen shee may with safety be suffered to shew her face publikely That decree of the Christian Emperour Theodosius is extant and to be seene in the very corps of the ciuil law vvhat needed then M. Abbot to runne vnto a late obscure authour called Petrus Crinitus Peter with the long haire to seeke that which is of so good record in so famous a volume thinke you that it is without some mistery that he being thirsty would leaue the fresh fountaine and runne to drinke of the dirty puddle Latet anguis in herbae There is a padde in the straw A strange longing he had to finde out some cauil against any part of the doctrine of the Church of Rome and because that could not be by the true and ful report of the Catholike Emperours decrees he would needs fly to some broken relation of he cared not whom to blinde his vnwary reader vvithal The decree then as it vvas made by the Emperour and standeth Authentikely in the Code maketh much for the honour of the Crosse for he commanded That the signe of the Crosse should not be ingrauen Lib. 1. Codi tit leg Cùm sit nobis or painted on the pauement Ne sacrum signum pedibus calcaretur that the holy signe of the Crosse might not be trodden vnder feete Which said decree of Theodosius the elder the Emperour Tyberius the second one of his Godly successours vnderstanding wel vvhen he espied a Crosse cut in marble lying on the ground he commanded it to be lifted vp saying Paul Diaconus lib. 18. Rerum Romanarum We ought to blesse our fore-head and breast with the Crosse of our Lord and we treade it vnder our feete In what high estimation the signe of the Crosse was vvith that most bright mirrour of Emperors Constantine the great and how gloriously it was placed in their Diademes Pallaces and publike places no man can be ignorant that is acquainted with their Hystories And somwhat I haue said thereof already in the question of Images therefore I doe here omit to speake any more of a matter so euident I might here by the way blame M. Abbot not only for his deceitful dealing but also because he forgetteth vvhereabout he goes for his drift here is to teach that S. Peter and S. Paules successours the Bishops of Rome did of old teach another doctrine then these of later yeares doe now of vvhich number of Bishops Theodosius the Emperour was none but many such faults as this I let passe vvittingly or else I should neuer make an end And vvhereas he addeth That these Emperours did forbidde the making of the Crosse according vnto the doctrine of the ancient Church of Rome Obserue first that it is so said only without any proof and besides it is auouched very impudently as being flat repugnant vnto the knowne and notorious practise of Constantine the great their late and most famous predecessour Now to the next ROBERT ABBOT Greg. lib. 9. Moral ca. 1. 14. GREGORY Bishop of Rome taught That al the merit of our vertue al our righteousnesse is but vice and vnrighteousnesse if it be stricktly examined it needeth therefore praier after righteousnesse saith he that whereas being sifted it would quaile it may by the only mercy of the Iudge stand for good Bernard in Annot. 1. De lib. Arbit Grat. In fine Trident. sess 6 cap. 16. Yea and Bernard by the same doctrine of the Church of Rome saith That mens merits are not such as that eternal life is due vnto them of right or that God should doe wrong if he did not giue the same they are the way to the Kingdome saith he but not the cause of obtaining the
beene supreme gouernour of Christes Church To vvhich fallacy it is most easie to answere First that albeit the Patriarke of Constantinople could not so cal himselfe in a lawful good meaning but proudly and wickedly because he had his jurisdiction limited vvithin the boundes of his owne Patriarkship had nothing to doe with any other churches that vvere vvithout it so that his power was in no sence vniuersal that is spred ouer al the world yet this name might in some good sence notwithstāding haue beene giuen vnto the Bishop of Rome as S. Gregory himselfe in one of the same Epistles vvhich M. Abbot citeth doth intimate For vvriting to the Patriarke of Alexandria he saith Lib. 4. Epist 36. Your Holinesse knoweth that by the Councel of Chalcedon vvhich vvas one of the foure first general Councels most highly esteemed off by S. Gregory this name of vniuersallity was offered to me as Bishop of the Apostolike See for as he testifieth Epist 32. of the same booke that name was in honour of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles attributed by many in that Councel vnto the Bishop of Rome yet saith he none of my Predecessours consented to vse it because verily if one Patriarke be called vniuersal the other are made no Patriarkes at al. Briefly then to dispatch this great matter that name vniuersal as it was challenged by Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople who had no right to it in any good sence was presumptuous peruerse and prophane in vvhich consideration S. Gregory so tearmed it Neither vvould he nor any of his predecessours vse that name though in that sence that they had charge and command ouer the vniuersal Church it might haue beene attributed to them yet because it was subject to another construction to wit that the Bishop of Rome was the only truly proper Bishop of euery Diocesse and other named Bishops were not true and proper Bishops there of but the vniuersal Bishops Vicars Suffraganes and Substitutes therefore they vtterly auoided that name as matter of jealousie and scandal choosing the humble stile of seruus seruorum Dei The seruant of Gods seruants For the further satisfaction of the learned reader I wil proue out of S. Gregory in the very same place quoted by M. Abbot both that he wrote against the name of vniuersal Bishop in the later sence And that notwithstanding he refused that name yet that he acknowledged and taught the Bishop of Rome to haue supreme authority ouer al the Church of Christ Touching the first the wordes before alleaged out of his 36. Epistle Lib. 4. Epist 36. doe demonstrate so much to wit If one Patriarke be called vniuersal the other are made no Patriarkes at al vvhich can haue no other sence then that the calling of one Patriarke or Bishop Vniuersal doth signifie him so to be a Bishop in euery place that no other besides him can be truly and properly called Bishop but must be his Vicar and Subdelegate The like saith he in his 34. Epistle to the Emperesse Lib. 4. Epist 34. That his brother and fellow Bishop Iohn striued to be called Bishop alone And in the 7. booke and 69. Epistle to Eusebius he saith Si vniuersalis est restat vt vos Episcopi non sitis If one Bishop be vniuersal it remaineth that you be no Bishops This then is most certaine that S. Gregory spake against the name of Vniuersal Bishop taken in this sence that he was so a Bishop as no other but he could be Bishop in any place Marry if we vnderstand by it one man to haue the general charge of al the Churches in the vvorld yet so as there be also Bishops and Archbishops his brothers who haue the particular and proper gouernement of their seueral Diocesse then S. Gregory telleth vs plainely that S. Peter and his Successours the Bishops of Rome were such these be his wordes Lib. 4. Epist 76. It is manifest to al that know the Gospel that the charge of the whole Church was by our Lordes owne mouth committed to S. Peter Prince of al the Apostles And againe in the same Epistle Behold Peter receiued the keies of the Kingdome of heauen the power of binding and loosing is giuen to him the charge and principality of the whole Church is committed to him vvhich is also repeated in one of the Epistles cited by M. Abbot Lib. 4. Epist 32. And that by S. Peter this vniuersal charge and authority was left vnto the Bishops and See of Rome no man can vvitnesse it more manifestly then S. Gregory hath done First hauing proued out of the word of God S. Peters supremacy he adjoyneth Lib. 6. Epist 201. Therefore though there were many Apostles yet for the principality it selfe the only seate of the Prince of the Apostles hath preuailed in authority As farre as the See Apostolike is euidently knowne to be set ouer al Churches by the authority of God So farre amongst other manifold cares that doth greatly occupy vs when for the consecration of a Bishop our sentence is expected Againe Lib. 2. Epist 69. Lib. 7. Epist 64. For whereas he the Patriarke of Constantinople acknowledgeth himselfe to be subject vnto the Apostolike See of Rome I know not what Bishop is not subject vnto it Moreouer What thing soeuer shal be done in that Councel without the authority and consent of the See Apostolike it is of no strength and vertue Whereas on the other side he saith Those thinges that are once ratified Lib. 7. Epist 69. by the authority of the See Apostolike neede no further strength or confirmation If any man desire to see how S. Gregory himselfe practised that soueraigne authority ouer al the parts of the Christian world let him but reade his Epistles and he shal finde it most perspicuously Magdeburg Centur. 6. In Indice verbo Gregorius euen as their owne great writers of the Centuries doe testifie directing them to the places in his workes where they shal finde the same How devoide then was M. Abbot of al good conscience and honest dealing that vvould vnder the colour of his writing against the name of vniuersal in that sence perswade the simple that S. Gregory vtterly misliked of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome Now because that S. Gregory hath beene alwaies highly esteemed and greatly respected of both Latin and Greeke Church for his singular holynes and learning and was besides the principal cause vnder God of the conuersion of vs English-men vnto the Christian faith I wil note out of his workes summarily what was his opinion of many of the questioned points of faith betweene the Protestants and vs because M. Abbot citeth him against vs that euery one may see vvhat religion was first planted amongst vs English-men and continued for a thousand yeares Of the Supremacy and Merit of good workes hath beene spoken already Concerning the sacrifice of the Masse it was daily offered vp to God in his age
censure and touch of reproach vpon the same his worke called Bibliotheca Patrum Lastly concerning the doctrine of Predestination I reade not that the Pelagians were called in question about it nor yet for Satisfaction vvherefore M. Abbot must first out of some good Authors shew their errours therein before he goe about to slander vs vvith the imitation of them but as I am vvel assured of the later so I thinke he wil not in hast performe the former ROBERT ABBOT I Omit many other matters that might here be added perswading my selfe that I said enough to trouble M. Bishop in the prouing of that that he hath so propounded that the principal pillars of the Church of Rome in her most flourishing estate taught in al points of religion the same doctrine that now shee holdeth c. only for conclusion let me aske him what Bishop of Rome there was for the space of a thousand yeares that practised or taught that concerning Pardons which is now practised and taught in the Church of Rome that the Bishop of Rome hath any authority to giue such libels of pardon or that it is in him to giue faculties and authority to others to graunt the like vvith reseruation of special causes to himselfe or that he can for saying such and such praiers or for doing this or that release a man from Purgatory for so many hundred or thousand yeares vvhat Bishop of Rome was there that did proclaime a Iubilee vvith promise that al that would come to Rome to visit the Churches that yeare should haue ful and perfect forgiuenesse of al their sinnes or that did charge the Angels as did Clement the sixt that vvhosoeuer should die in his journey thitherward they should bring his soule into the glory of Paradise Balaeus in Clem. sexto which of them did take vpon him to Canonize a Saint vvho euer beleeued or taught as it is now receiued in the Church of Rome that the Bishops blessing is the forgiuenesse of venial sinnes Sextus in proem in glossa Rhem. Test in Math. 10. vers 12. Other innouations I wil passe ouer to further occasion but concerning these matters in this place I would pray M. Bishop to let vs be satisfied how the principal pillars of the Church of Rome haue in al points taught the same that the Church of Rome teacheth now The truth is that as the name of Theseus shippe continued a long time vvhen as it was so altered by putting in of new plankes and boordes as that it had nothing left of that that was in it when it was first built by Theseus so the Church of Rome stil continueth her name and would be taken to be the same albeit by chopping and changing shee is come to that passe that shee hath in a manner nothing left of that doctrine for vvhich shee vvas first called the Church of Rome But M. Bishop taketh vpon him to proue the contrary let vs now examine what his proofes are WILLIAM BISHOP YOV doe wisely to omit many other matters that you might haue added if they be like vnto these vvhich you haue already put downe for they are proued to be nothing else in manner but falsifications of the ancient Fathers vvritinges or fond illations of your owne bolstered out with a huge and shamelesse troupe of vntruthes the more one omitteth of such baggage and paultry stuffe the more it maketh for his credit Wherefore if M. Abbot had let al this alone no doubt but he should haue saued much of his reputation which by such vnchristian like and vnhonest dealing he is like to leese with the indifferent juditious reader If he perswade himselfe that he hath put me to some paines and trouble to trace out the vntruth of his allegations he is not deceiued for he produceth them so corruptly with such additions substractions misconstructions and euil applications that euery place he cites must needes be turned vnto in the Authours owne workes before a man can repose any trust in him or shal know what answere to make I pray you good Sir if there be any sparke of Christian sincerity left in you let this admonition serue to intreate you not to put your aduersary or reader to such trouble any more Either for loue of the truth or for feare of Gods judgements and rebuke of honest men forbeare to misreport your Authours If it be a shame to bely the Deuil vvhat impudency and impiety is it to bely most reuerend holy and learned Doctors and which much increaseth that hainous crime thereby to blinde Christian people and to draw them along with him to the bottomelesse pit of hel It hath I willingly confesse more troubled me to spend my spare time in discouering vntruthes and dishonest shifts trickes then it should haue done to haue bestowed it in substantial arguing and in round debating of questions in controuersie with short and sound arguments But I hope by this the vpright reader hath seene that M. Abbot was so farre off from troubling me to proue The principal pillars of the Roman Church in her most flourishing estate to haue taught the same doctrine that the present Church of Rome no teacheth that he hath rather furthered it by ministring vnto me so fit an occasion yea omitting others which I could choose my self for my better aduantage I haue not refused to verifie and make good the present doctrine of that Church euen by the testimony of those very authours of vvhich M. Abbot himselfe made choise as of men that spake most against it If then by their verdict who are thought by our aduersaries to be most estranged from vs our cause is confirmed and proued to be most just and veritable vvho is so carelesse of his owne saluation that had rather follow a lying Master leading to perdition then to imbrace so manifest a truth drawing towardes saluation May I not here justly exclaime with the holy King and Prophet and say Psalm 4. O yee Sonnes of men how long wil you be so heauy harted why are you so farre in loue with vanity and seeke after leasing he that is the true light Iohan. 1. who doth illuminate euery man that commeth into this world of his infinite goodnesse and mercy lighten your vnderstanding and incline your harts that you may perceiue and receiue that ingrafted word that truth of Christ preached by his Apostles approued by the most honourable Senate of the ancient Fathers beleeued al the world ouer that hath also continued euer since inuiolably vvhich only and none other can saue your soules Now for a conclusion and vpshot of this matter M. Abbot would faine know What Bishop of Rome for a thousand yeares after Christ had authority to giue any such libel of pardons as are now giuen or that could graunt to others any such faculty with reseruation of special causes to himselfe c. I answere if these be the greatest difficulties that with-hold him from approuing the doctrine
in other workes be of the same merit and therefore Priests and religious persons might aswel marry as liue continently Secondly He laboureth to proue that the Deuil cannot ouer-come them that be regenerated in ful faith Thirdly He putteth no difference betweene abstinence from meate and eating of the same with thanks-giuing Fourthly That al who haue kept their baptisme shal haue the same reward in heauen and not any one a greater then another These saith S. Hierome be the hissings of the old serpent by these sleights the Dragon cast man out of Paradise And doe our Protestants by hearkning vnto these serpentine voices thinke to recouer Paradise againe doe they not beleeue just with Iouinian that it is of no greater merit to liue a professed Virgin then to liue maried sauing that they are so much worse then Iouinian vvas as to deny the best Christian to haue any merit at al by any state or vvorke soeuer Be they not secondly wel assured in their owne opinion that the Deuil cannot subuert them and put them by their places in heauen doe they not thirdly in proper tearmes teach with Iouinian that fasting is no more acceptable to God then eating And they that hold one simple justification common to al without any kinde of merit must needes consequently hold that al in heauen haue the same reward vvhich was the fourth point of Iouinians heresie They then be so formal Iouinians that they cannot deny it but are driuen to maintaine M. Abbots Page 56. that Iouinian vvas a right honest man and vnderstood Paul better then any of them al Hierome with al his Hebrew Greeke and Latin was no body in comparison of him But what say they then to Augustine Lib. 2. Retract cap. 22. another professed aduersary of that Iouinian who stileth him for his ignorance joined with impudency and for the lewdnesse of his doctrine a very monster And further telleth vs that the old holy Church of Rome did most faithfully and most valiantly resist him and his errours So did also that most graue and holy Bishop S. Ambrose Ambros lib. 3. Epist 81. vvith many other worthy Prelates his neighbours condemning Iouinian and his complices for false teachers Besides he is yet further ranked in the rew of damnable Heretikes by the ancient learned and Godly Authour Vicentius Lyrinensis In Cōmonit cap. 15. neither can the Protestants name any one approued authour for a thousand yeares after his daies that held him for any better And yet such goslinges doe they make of their followers that they must rather follow Iouinian then Hierome Augustine Ambrose and the old Church of Rome and vvhatsoeuer else He that wil take no warning but longeth to be gulled let him hardly hearken vnto them In like manner doe they vphold the Heretike Vigilantius Hieron cont Vigilant Who denied the Relikes of Martirs to be worshipped and waxe candels to be lighted before them at noone day and said That whiles we liued we might one pray for another but no mans praier after his death wil helpe any other Out of vvhich it followeth euidently that it is in vaine to pray to Saints that can doe vs no good Thirdly he taught That they did better who vse their owne goodes and doe of their reuennues giue peece-meale some-thing to the poore then they that sel al away and giue it al at once to them and become Monkes and Religious Fourthly That Clergie men should marry For these points expresly Vigilantius was reproued by S. Hierome as an vnpure and an vngodly Heretike and in one nights worke vvas so taken downe and as it were crushed in the head that he neuer after durst once quack or reply one word S. Hierome is therein also seconded by Gennadius a famous Authour of a thousand yeares standing and by S. Thomas of Aquine with others without any contradiction at al vntil Luthers vnhappy daies And yet the Protestants his disciples hauing put on their brazen faces M. Abbots Page 68. doe not only paraleel and equal him but also preferre him before S. Hierome one of the best learned among the Christians that liued since the Apostles daies M. Abbot very shamefully saith Page 67. that Hierome himselfe commended this Vigilantius for a holy Priest And to make his lie the more luculent he puts it in the superlatiue degree sanctissimum S. Hierome doth indeede commend one Vigilantius for a holy Priest but were there no more of that name besides that wicked Heretike whom he calleth rather Dormitantius then Vigilantius Are there no more Abbots but one any man that hath but halfe an eie may see if he wil view that Epistle that S. Hierome spake there off a farre honester man then the other was whom he calleth neither sanctissimum nor sanctum but a man replenished with an vncleane spirit Hieron cont Vigilant very vnlearned and more fit to keepe an Ale-house then to serue in the Church To returne then to my purpose vvhereas he can be no true Catholike according to S. Augustines rule and the common opinion that beleeueth any one point of heresie Ad Quodvult In fine The Protestants doe hold nine points of heresie condemned in three notable Heretikes Aërius Iouinian and Vigilantius And that so openly without any kinde of cloaking or colouring that they are compelled to defend the authors themselues for honest men who notwithstanding by the verdict of al approued Antiquity lay condemned as vvicked Heretikes for more then a thousand yeares togither Now I wil proceede to some of the rest of their erronious opinions which though they imbrace yet they dare not defend the authours of them for godly men but with vs doe condemne their authours though they vphold some of their errours It is noted by the blessed Martir Ireneus that one of Simon Magus errours was That men were saued by grace Lib. 1. cont Haeres c. 20. and not for good and just workes the Protestants agree with him in this that saluation and heauen are not giuen for good workes For though they teach that good vvorkes be necessary as signes and fruites of our faith yet they wil not in any case admit them to be any cause of saluation but make their justifying faith the only and whole cause thereof by which they fal also into the heresie of Eunomius related by S. Augustine in these vvordes Eunomius is reported to haue beene an enemy to good workes August ad Quodvult Haeres 54. so farre forth that he auouched the committing of what sinne soeuer and the continuance in the same to hinder no man so that he were a partaker of that faith which he taught Doth not the new deuised faith of Protestants giue them the like assurance of saluation though they be no lesse sure to commit and to continue in mortal sinne euen vntil their dying day The Nouatians were branded for Heretikes Euseb 6. Histor cap. 35. Socrat. 1. Histor cap. 7. Zozom 1. Histor
stifly maintaine the very same errour Iconoclastae that is such men as denied the Images of our Sauiour and his Saints to be set vp in Churches yea that brake them downe and cast them out thence vvere by 600. Bishops assembled out of al partes of Christendome in * Nicenum Concil 2. a general Councel adjudged Heretikes vvhat be then our Protestants If I would descend lower I should light vpon Berengarius the great Grandsier of those that deny the sacred body of our Sauiour to be really and substantially in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar but because he liued not much aboue 500. yeares agoe I doe here stay and demand vvhat proper points of doctrine can be left vnto the poore Protestants if al these articles condemned in the forenamed Heretikes were taken away from them Remoue from them the errours of the Antidicomarianitans Iconoclasts and Vigilantius and you shal bereaue them of their inuectiues against praying to Saints and honouring them their Relikes and Images Loose them from the chaines of that vile Arrian Aërius and they vvil ceasse to raile against offering of Sacrifice and praying for the faithful soules departed If they would shake handes and depart from the Nouatians they vvould immediately giue ouer to speake against confession of our sinnes to Priests If they could be cleansed from the muddy dregs of Iouinians loose and lewd opinion then vvould they blush to pleade so earnestly for the marriage of Priests and other religious persons And be ashamed to affirme it to be as acceptable to God to feede our rotten carcases as to fast and to solace them with the company of a yoke-fellow as to liue continently Their new doctrine about original sinne free-wil and the merit of good workes should fal to the ground If they vvould once giue ouer to participate therein with the Originists Manichees Eunomians and Simon Magus Vnty them from the yoke of Donatists and they vvil follow no longer a scattered vncertaine and inuisible congregation but shal happily returne vnto the vnity of that Catholike Church vvhich hath alwaies beene visible and hath spred her branches al the vvorld ouer Finally strippe them off that paradox and absurd position borrowed from the Arrians Donatists Pelagians and many other Heretikes That forsooth the temporal Prince and lay Magistrate is supreme judge in Ecclesiastical causes and you vtterly vndoe them spoiling them of the only assured proppe and pillar of al their religion Now the case thus standing that most of the articles of the Protestant faith be such old reproued errours if too too many be found so destitute of al grace that they wil neuerthelesse wilfully cōtinue stil in them and most obstinately defend them til death though it cost them hel fire for their paines yet my trust in Gods infinite bounty and goodnesse is that many considerate and religiously disposed people being more careful to please God then men and more vvilling to looke vnto the saluation of their soules then the preseruation of their goods wil now at length vpon this faire warning preferre light before darknesse and approued verity before condemned heresie They cannot but remember that vvhich is euery Sonday read in their owne seruice out of Athanasius Creede Vnlesse they hold the Catholike faith entire and whole without violation of any one article off it they shal without doubt perish euerlastingly Of the same judgement was that very juditious Doctor and most vigilant Pastor of Christes flocke S. Augustine who hauing numbred vp many of the same and such like heresies doth conclude thus Whosoeuer holdeth any one of these he shal be no Catholike Christian. Ad Quodvultdeum In fine Woe then be vnto al Protestant Christians who beleeue not one or two of them and the like but more then twenty of them togither the whole frame of their new Gospel being principally reared and grounded vpon nothing else as hath beene euen now verified I hope then that many of my most deare Country-men wil by the forcible working of Gods grace giue eare vnto the holsome counsaile of that most reuerend holy and prudent Father S. Ambrose Ambros lib. de Fide ca. 1. vvho forewarneth al Christians To stand vpon their guarde most watchfully and in no case to suffer such pestiferous and venimous errours to be powred into their soules or sences one droppe whereof saith he wil infect and poyson the pure and single Tradition of our Lord and his holy Apostles That which followeth in the first part of M. Abbots booke because it is nothing else but as it were a flourish and light bickering against some such points of doctrine as are afterward in their due places seuerally and more largely discussed I wil remit vnto their proper Questions there orderly to be handled vvith the rest of the same kinde I wil here before I end this part touch two extraordinary matters which cannot without great digression be taken into other Questions The one is my mistaking of Proclus an Heretike for Methodius a most Catholike Bishop as M. Abbot affirmeth the other of my discouery of a great secret of the Papists conspiracy against his Majesty These be my wordes of Proclus WILLIAM BISHOP ONE Proclus an enormious Originist taught that sinne was not taken away in baptisme but only couered as it is recorded by Epiphanius Haeres 64. M. Perkins affirmeth in like manner that it remaineth stil in the regenerate though it be not imputed vnto them ROBERT ABBOT Page 49. HERE M. Bishop vnwares hath sheathed a sword in his owne side citing vnder the name of Proclus the Heretike the vvordes of Methodius a Catholike Bishop against the heresie of Proclus He saw in Epiphanius Sequuntur verba Procli Here follow the wordes of Proclus and his lips hanging in his light he could not see but that al the discourse following was the wordes of Proclus vvhereas the wordes of Proclus are but a few lines in the beginning and then followeth by Methodius a large confutation thereof Now M. Bishop acknowledgeth that this authour did teach the same that M. Perkins doth it followeth therefore by his owne acknowledgment that our doctrine is approued by Methodius Bishop of Tyrus and also by Epiphanius WILLIAM BISHOP I Cannot wel perceiue how M. Abbots ignorance may serue him for a sorry excuse of this foule ouersight else I would rather impute it thereunto then charge him as I otherwise must needes doe with very shamelesse audacity I know that he would not be esteemed ignorant and he seemes to haue read both Proclus and Methodius vvordes but he jumbleth them togither as though they were owne text though they stand in seueral diuisions with Epiphanius and some of them foure or fiue great leaues from the other And yet me thinkes he should not be so simple and shallow witted as to haue read them both ouer and not to discerne vvhere Proclus speech endeth for Epiphanius doth most distinctly point out the beginning and the end of Proclus
traitours Heralds at armes or menacers of their Prince vvould of al sober men haue beene esteemed to raue rather then to injoy the right vse of his vvits Let it be then vvel waighed vvhether M. Abbots case be not the very same Now to that which followeth ROBERT ABBOT VVHERE vve are to note the singular impudency and impiety of the Traitour Father Iesuit who seing the example of the first Christians to be contrary to their practise now colourably mentioneth it and by meere falshood seeketh to auoide and shift it off Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. lib. 5. cap. 7. That Christians saith he of old deposed not Nero Iulian the Apostata Valens and such like the cause was for that they wanted power and if they had had power they would haue done it directly contrary to that which they themselues testifie of themselues That they had power sufficient but held it vnlawful to rebel And thus here the young Crabbe goeth according to the gate of the old Crabbe and telleth his Majesty that if they can get strength they wil perforce winne that that his Majesty by entreaty wil not yeeld And biddeth him in effect Ibidem looke for the practise of their rule If Princes goe about to turne the people from the Roman faith by al their consents they may and ought to be depriued of their Dominions WILLIAM BISHOP HERE we are rather to note the ignorance shal I say or impudency of a shamelesse railing Minister that catcheth at al occasions to cauil at our doctrine how little congruity soeuer there be in the coherence of his owne speeches for smal reason had he to leape from my wordes of so modest signification vnto those of the right famous Cardinal Bellarmine vvith which they haue no affinity or resemblance For I only insinuate an inconuenience that may proceede out of the frailty and corruption of some impatient men vvhereas he seemeth to teach what may be done vpon good aduise justly And that you may vnderstand the vveakenesse of M. Abbots judgement vvho would make the Cardinals wordes directly opposite to Tertullians doctrine obserue that they be not so contrary as he through the fault of his soare eies doth mistake them For Bellarmine saith not that Neroes and Iulian the Apostataes subjects and such like would haue deposed their Princes if they had had power But that they might lawfully haue so done Now if you marke wel Tertullians vvordes he seemeth not to dissent much there-fro For saith he with vs it is more tollerable to be killed then to kil Out of vvhich wordes it may rather be gathered that he held it also tollerable for those Christians to make warre against their persecuting Emperours though he thought it more tollerable to endure euen death it selfe for their religion Neither can I perswade my selfe that the Cardinal meant that of Heathen Princes ouer whom the Church hath no power to judge but of such Princes only who had before made profession of the faith and therein promised obedience vnto Christes Spouse the Church as he doth there in his fourth reason declare expresly Now I entermeddle not at al with any such question vvherefore he too too crabbedly and crookedly doth resemble things so vnlike togither That which followeth in this his Section is but a most malitious exaggeration of their hainous crime that plotted about the gunne-powder-treason of which I haue spoken so largely in my answere to his Epistle vvhere he first enforced it that I neede not now againe stand about the confutation of it He after his old manner dilating his lies maketh it not only a common conspiracy of al Catholikes in England but addeth That it was also the effect of a consultation held at Doway but when or by whom he cannot wel tel I weene For al the Kinges Majesties most learned Councel hauing vsed al the diligence that vvas possible for men to doe to bolt out al the complices and circumstances of that most odious enterprise could tel no tidinges of any such consultation held at Doway as al the records thereof doe testifie Was it not then great pitty that they had not sought vnto this holy Minister for their better instruction in so waighty a businesse who could haue giuen them greater light therein as he seemeth to insinuate then al the world besides Marry if one should appose him how he came by the knowledge of that secret he would answere I trow that he had it by reuelation from the spirit that possesseth his hart to wit the father of al lies that old Serpent and calumniator Sathan Out of whose false figures he hath taken this more then Poëtical fiction which followeth in his text O if the Protestants saith he had vsed any such practise in France in Spaine or any where else what hidious noises and exclamations would these men haue raised there-vpon how would they haue traduced our religion how would they haue bent al their force withal extremity to extirpate vtterly not only the persons guilty but al that carried the name of that profession vvhat a sencelesse and most wicked fiction is this most wicked for that it would enforce the slaughter and vtter ruine of many thousands of innocents and guiltlesse persons for the guilt of a dozen offenders For he saith They would vtterly roote vp not only the guilty but al that are of the same profession how innocent soeuer And no lesse sencelesse is the same his assertion and repugnant to most euident truth For in France vvhich is the first country that he doth giue instance in the Protestants haue not only plotted and gone about but haue put in practise and actually done the vttermost of their power to depose and ouerthrow and ruinate not only their lawful King and most of the bloud Royal but also the Catholike Peeres Princes Dukes Lordes Gentry and Yeomanry Clergy and Laity To the effecting vvhereof besides their owne strength and the helpe of their neighbours they called into the bowels of their owne country two mighty armies of Germans with helpe vvhereof they haue sacked many a noble Citty Castle and Towne and blowne vp most stately Churches and other faire buildings vvith fire gunne-powder and Cannon-shot They haue rifled spoiled and ruinated many great Prouinces of that goodly Country they haue cruelly butchered slaine and beene the cause of the vnjust death of many hundred thousands of Men Women and Children as not only their owne Hystories testifie but many thousands of yet liuing eie-witnesses can verifie And notwithstanding al this mischiefe really acted and done be al that beare the name of that profession vtterly extirpated and rooted out of that country therefore nothing lesse nay they haue not only tolleration of religion but free exercise thereof openly allowed and graunted them Was this man then wel in his wits or did he know what he said vvhen he preferred that horrible conspiracy of the gunne-powder-treason before al the enormious crimes of Protestants both in France and al