purpose for the Apostle saith not that he taught any one article which the coÌ„mon sort of the Iewes did beleeue but such things as the Prophets said should come to passe Who knowes not that they fore-saw and fore-told many thinges that were no articles of faith in their daies and touching these very particulars how many of the Iewes did beleeue that their Messias should die so shameful a death or that Mâ—ises law should be abrogated by their Messias and that the Gospel of Christ should be preached vnto al nations al these vvere great nouels and exceeding scandalous to the body of the Iewes wherefore though some better learned among them and more religiously affected might vnderstand the Prophets speaking of those points yet vvere they farre from the common reach perswasion of that people of the Iewes from these points that the Iewes beleeued al that Christ taught and al that he coÌ„manded his Apostles to deliuer to al nations M. Abbot runneth like a vvandering Planet to a third that al which the Apostles taught they committed to writing vvhich is notwithstanding as false as any of the former for many of them vvho neuer ceassed to preach left not one sentence in vvriting behinde them and he that wrote most did not write the hundreth part of that which he taught by word of mouth We know vvel that they left the Gospel in writing and many other most diuine and rare instructions in their Epistles vvherefore he needed not cite Ireneus to witnesse that which no man is ignorant off but that they wrote al which they preached or al thinges necessary to saluation Ireneus saith not a word but plainly signifieth the contrary vvhere he most sagely counsaileth al men Euseb hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 19. when any controuersie in religion ariseth to make their recourse to the most ancient Churches where the Apostles had conuersed amongst which he commendeth the Roman for principal of al the rest and from them to take their resolution he then was of opinion that the decision of al controuersies vvere not to be searched out of the vvritten word but rather to be taken from the resolution of the Church De Praescriptionibus Oh but Tertullian saith That beleeuing this we desire to beleeue no more because we first beleeue that there is nothing else for vs to beleeue Beleeuing this beleeuing what the vvritten word only nothing lesse for in that very Treatise his principal drift is to proue that Heretikes cannot be confuted out of the written word but by ancient customes traditions which he calleth Praescriptions but saith he when we beleeue the whole doctrine of Christ both written and deliuered by Apostolical tradition then we desire to beleeue no more of any vpstart Heretikes new deuises To S. Augustine I answere first that those be not his formal wordes which he citeth Secondly admitting the sence if it be rightly taken I say that these wordes Gallat 1. If any man or Angel shal preach any thing besides that which is writen vvhere he alludeth to the Apostles like vvordes are to be vnderstood as S. Augustine himselfe expoundeth those of the Apostle that is If any man shal preach contrary to that which is written For this is his owne interpretation Aug. lib. 17. cont Faust. cap. 3. The Apostle saith not more then you haue receiued but otherwise then you haue receiued for if he had so said he had prejudiced himselfe who desired to come to the Thessalonians to supply what was wanting to their faith He that supplies addeth that wanted but doth not take away any thing that was before so that you see when he faith that nothing is to be preached besides that vvhich is vvritten his meaning is nothing vvhich is contrary to it allowing withal that much more conformable to it may be added for a supply to make it ful and perfect M. Abbot hauing in few lines run ouer 4. large questions to wit first That the Prophets and Patriarkes beleeued no principal points of the Roman faith secondly that Christ deliuered nothing but what the Iewes before hand beleeued thirdly that the Apostles preached the same and no other to the Gentiles fourthly that whatsoeuer they preached they afterwardes wrote he fiftly addeth that the Protestants receiue and beleeue al the written word Whence he wil haue it to follow finally that the Protestants are very good Iewes and doe jumpe just with them in al articles of faith and consequently are true Catholikes so that in M. Abbots reckoning before you can be a true Protestant Catholike you must first become a good honest Iewe. Behold what a round this man is driuen to walke how many brakes of thornes he is forced to breake through ere he can come to make any shew of proofe that the Protestants are Catholikes the matter is so improbable I haue already declared how false euery one of his former foure propositions be the fift is as vntrue and more if more may be then any of the other and he plaies the sophister in it egregiously to begge that which is principally in question How proues he that Protestants receiue and beleeue al the writen word hath he so litle wit and judgement as to thinke that we would freely graunt him that for to omit that they receiue not but reject diuers bookes of the old Testament because they vvere not in the Canon of the Iewes or doubted off by some in the primitiue Church by which reason they might refuse as many of the new doe they rightly vnderstand and beleeue truly al that is vvritten in that blessed booke of Gods vvord nothing lesse Doe they giue credit to our Sauiour IESVS Christ himselfe telling them a Math. 26. v. 27. 28. This is my BODY that shal be broken for you this is my BLOVD that shal be shedde for you b Iohan. 20. vers 23. Whose sinnes yee shal forgiue on earth shal be forgiuen in heauen c Math. 16. vers 18. Thou art PETER and vpon this Rocke wil I build my Church c. and the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it d Math. 20. vers 8. Cal the worke-men that had laboured in his vine-yearde and pay them their hire e Iacob 2. vers 24. Doe you see that by workes a man is justified and not by faith only f Iacob 5. vers 14. Is any man sicke among you let him bring in the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer them anoiling them with OILE in the name of our LORD c. g Ibidem 16. Confesse therefore your sinnes one to another these and an hundred more plaine texts recorded in that fountaine of life vvherein our Catholike Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse tearmes to wit The Real presence of Christes body in the Sacrament That Priests haue power to pardon sinnes That Christ built his Church vpon S. Peter That good workes doe in justice deserue eternal life That
we are justified not by faith alone but also by good workes That in extremity of sicknesse we must cal for the Priest to anoile vs with holy Oile That we must confesse our sinnes not to God alone but also vnto men these and diuers such like heades of our Catholike faith formally set downe in holy Scripture the Protestants wil not beleeue though they be written in Gods vvord neuer so expresly but doe ransacke al the corners of their wits to deuise some odde shift or other how to flie from the euidence of them Whereupon I conclude that they doe not receiue al the written word though they professe neuer so much to allow of al the bookes of Canonical Scripture Lib. 2. de Trinitate ad Const For the written word of God consisteth not in the reading but in the vnderstaÌ„ding as S. Hierome testifieth that is it doth not consist in the bare letter of it but in the letter and true sence and meaning joined togither the letter being as the body of Scripture and the right vnderstanding of it the soule spirit and life thereof he therefore that taketh not the written word in the true sence but swarneth from the sincere interpretation of it cannot be truly said to receiue the written word as a good Christian ought to doe Seing then that the Protestants and al other sectaries doe not receiue the holy Scriptures according vnto the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition they may most justly be denied to receiue the sacred vvritten word of God at al though they seeme neuer so much to approue al the Bookes Verses and Letters of it vvhich is plainly proued by S. Hierome vpon the first Chapter to the Galathians Now to draw towardes the end of this clause not only neuer a one of M. Abbots assertions whereby he went about to proue them selues and their Church to be Catholike is true as hath beene shewed before but ouer and besides his very conclusion conuinceth himselfe euen by the verdict of himselfe to fal into the foule fault and errour of the Donatists Our faith saith he because it is that which the Apostles committed to writing is the Apostolike faith and our Church by consanguinity and agreement of doctrine is proue to be an Apostolical Church c. and is the only true Catholike Church c. see you not how he is come at length to proue their Church to be Catholike Page 16. Line 5. Ex perfectione doctrinae By perfectnesse of their doctrine vvhich was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatistical tricke reproued by S. Augustine whom in that point he then approued What doating folly is this in the same short discourse so to forget himselfe as to take that for a sound proofe which he himselfe had before confuted as heretical we like wel of Tertullians obseruation That our faith ought to haue consanguinity and perfect agreement with the Apostles doctrine but that is not the question at this time but vvhether our doctrine or the Protestant be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in al nations ouer the world that is to be proued in this place M. Abbot if he had meant to deale plainly and soundly should not haue gone so about the bush and haue fetched such vvide and vvilde windlesses from old father Abrahams daies but should haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiastical Histories or of ancient Fathers vvho were in the pure times of the Church the most Godly and approued Pastours thereof that the ProtestaÌ„ts religion had flourished since the Apostles daies ouer al Europe Afrike and Asia or at least had beene visibly extant in some one country or other naming some certaine Churches in particular which had held in al points their faith and religion vvhich he seing impossible for any man to doe fel into that extrauagant and rouing discourse which you haue heard concluding without any premises sauing his owne bare word that in the written word There is no mention made of the Pope or his Supremacy nor of his Pardons c. Belike there is no mention made of S. Peter nor aught said of his singular prerogatiues It hath not peraduenture That whatsoeuer be should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen The other points were touched before and shal be shortly againe But I would in the meane season be glad to heare where the written word teacheth vs that Kinges and temporal Magistrates are ordained by Christ to be vnder him supreme Gouernours of Ecclesiastical affaires because M. Abbot made choice of this head-article of theirs for an instance that the written word was plaine on their â—ide he should therefore at least haue pointed at some one text or other in the new Testament where it is registred that Princes are supreme gouernours of the Church Nay are temporal Magistrates any Ecclesiastical persons at al or can one that is no member of the Ecclesiastical body be head of al the rest of the Ecclesiastical members or is the state Secular higher and more worthy then the Ecclesiastical and therefore meete to rule ouer it though they be not of it to say so is to preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen or is it meete and decent that the lesse worthy-member should haue the supreme command ouer the more honourable vvhere the Christian vvorld is turned topsy-turuy that may be thought meete and expedient but in other places that wil not be admitted for currant vvhich in it selfe is so disorderly and inconuenient without it had better warrant in the word of God then that new position of theirs hath ROBERT ABBOT NOw vvhereas he alleageth that al his Majesties most roial Progenitours haue liued and died in that vvhich he calleth the Catholike and Apostolike faith Ambros lib. 5. epist. he plaieth the part of Symmachus the Pagan sophister who by like argument vvould haue perswaded Valentinian the Emperour to restore their Heathenish Idolatry and abhominations We are to follow our Fathers saith he who with happinesse and felicity followed their Fathers Aug. psal 54. Thus men haue hardned themselues in their heresies saying What my parents were before me the same wil I be But his Majesty wel knoweth that in matter of religion the example of parents is no band to the children L. 2. epist 3. but the trial thereof is to returne to the roote and original of the Lordes tradition as Ciprian speaketh not regarding what any before vs hath thought fit to be done but what Christ hath done who is before al. It is not vnknowne to his Majesty that there should be a time when Apocal. 17. vers 13. the Kinges of the earth shal giue their power and kingdome to the beast vntil the word of God be fulfilled and with the whoore sitting vpon many waters Vers 14. should bende themselues to fight against the Lambe Wherein if any of his Progenitours
by most holy Personages witnesse these his vvordes Homil. 37. in Euang. Most deare bretheren many of you haue knowne Cassius the Bishop of Maruiensis whose custome was to offer vp to God daily sacrifice so that almost no day of his life passed in which he did not offer to God almighty the propitiatory Host whose life also was very conformable therevnto and then declareth how in a vision he receiued a commandement from God to hold on and to continue to doe as he did And at the feast of S. Peter and S. Paul thou shalt saith God come to me and I wil repay thee thy reward Againe he relateth of the most blessed Pope Agapitus that hauing a dumbe and lame man presented vnto him by his friendes who professed their confidence in the power of God and authority of S. Peter he presently bent himselfe to praier And beginning the solemnities of Masse Lib. 3. Dialog cap. 3. he offereth vp sacrifice in the sight of almighty God which being ended he went from the Altar tooke the lame man by the hand and the people beholding of it he presently set him vpright vpon his feete and putting the body of our Lord into his mouth his tongue that before was dumbe then beganne to speake Besides of him selfe thus S. Gregory saith Homil. 8. in Euang. Lib. 4. Dialog cap. 55. Because we are by Gods grace this day of Christes Natiuity to celebrate Masse three times we cannot long speake of the Gospel And further He caused the sacrifice of the Masse to be offered thirty daies together for the soule of one Iustus a Monke vntil he was by the oblation of that comfortable sauing Host deliuered from paines This may suffice for his testimony of the sacrifice of the Masse that it is a true propitiatory sacrifice and to be daily offered both for the quicke and the dead Now touching the Real presence of which S. Gregory writeth in this manner Christ liuing now in himselfe immortally Dialog lib. 4. cap. 58. is yet sacrificed for vs in this mistery of the holy oblation for his body is there receiued his flesh is distributed to the saluation of the people his bloud is not now shed by the handes of Infidels but is powred into the mouthes of the faithful Item he saith vpon these wordes Homil. 14. in Euang. A good sheepe-heard giues his life for his sheepe Christ is that good Pastour who gaue his life for his sheepe that he might turne his body and bloud into the Sacrament and fil those sheepe which he had redeemed with the foode of his owne flesh Moreouer expounding these wordes of Iob Who wil grant vs that we may be filled with his flesh The Iewes saith he and the beleeuing Gentils doe both desire to be filled with Christs flesh the obstinate Iewes in striuing to extinguish it by spilling of it but the good Gentils in coueting to feede their hungry mindes with his flesh in the daily sacrifice This I hope be plaine enough for the Real presence Now to the Inuocaton of Saints and the worshipping their Relikes and Images S. Gregory perswades vs to pray to the Saints both because they are Patrones very gratious with our judge IESVS Christ and we very sinful creatures that without the fauourable helpe of others are most like to be condemned Hom. 32. super Euang. In fine Wherefore saith he sue to those blessed Martirs that they may helpe you with their praiers get them to be Protectours of your guiltinesse They looke to be requested and as it were seeke that they may be sought vnto In the same place he sheweth vvhat miracles were wrought at their tombes and what gifts God bestowed on them that came to pray there The sicke men saith he doe come and are cured perjured persons presenting themselues there are vexed by the Deuil men possed with euil spirits be there deliuered How gloriously then doe they liue there where they liue that is in heauen if they liue so miraculously here where they are dead He propoundeth this question how it comes to passe that Martirs doe many times shew greater fauours and worke greater miracles in places where their bodies lie not and answereth in these wordes Where holy Martirs rest in their bodies 2. Dialog cap. vlt. no doubt but that they can doe many miracles as they doe vnto them that with a pure mind seeke for them but because weake mindes might doubt whether they be present to heare there where their bodies be not it is necessary that there they worke greater maruailes least weakelings should doubt of their presence but they whose mindes be fastned vpon God haue so much the more merit for that they know them not to lie there in body and yet not to faile to heare them Doe you note how he reputeth it to be a weakenesse of faith to doubt vvhether the Saints in heauen doe heare our praiers or no vvhich very doubt he resolueth in proper tearmes in another place where treating of the knowledge vvhich the soules departed haue doth say of the blessed soules in heauen 12. Moral cap. 13. Seing that the soules of the Saints doe inwardly behold the brightnesse of God almighty we must in no case beleeue that there is any thing without it which they are ignorant off That Churches were dedicated in the honour of Martirs and holy daies kept in remembrance of their deathes he vvitnesseth in twenty places That Masse was also said daily in eorum veneratione to their worship Lib. 7. Epist cap. 29. That Candels were lighted in the honour of S. Paul to testifie that he with the light of his preaching filled the world Lib. 12. Epist 9. See the last Epistle of the same booke vvhere he ordaineth that lights be taken to serue the high Altar of S. Medard Now for the loue and reuerence vvhich we ought to cary to their holy relikes let this serue A most religious Princesse vvho had in her owne Pallace built a Church in the honour of S. Paul made sute vnto S. Gregory to haue S. Paules Head or Handkercheefe to sanctifie and inrich the same to vvhom S. Gregory vvrote this answere Lib. 3. Epist 30. that he was very willing to pleasure her yet as sorry that he could not doe it in that sort For saith he the bodies of S. Peter and S. Paul doe in their Church glister and lighten with so many miracles and terrours that no man dare approach neere them not so much as to worship them without great dread but he trusted shee should not want the vertue of those holy Apostles whom with al her hart shee loued to protect her And touching the hand-kercheefe which shee demanded it did lie with the body and could not be touched more then the body it selfe yet that her most excellent grace might not be wholy frustrate of her religious desire he would send her some part of those chaines which S. Paul carried both about his necke and
vvhom S. Augustine alleageth stiling him a Saint and ranking him with S. Ireneus S. Cyprian and S. Ambrose in these wordes August lib. 1. cont IulianuÌ„ cap. 4. Cùm hijs etiam ipse considet etsi posterior tempore prior loco In time somewhat after some of them but in dignity of place before them This holy and learned Bishop of Rome I say vvho flourished in S. Hieromes daies or else S. Augustine vvho was in manner his equal Epist. 3. ad Exuper cap. vltimo could not haue cited his testimony doth expresly declare those very bookes to be Canonical Scripture I trust his declaration that ruled that See of Rome wil rather be taken for the doctrine of the Church of Rome then any other mans besides Againe Pope Gelasius the first who liued not long after him which also is one of M. Abbots chosen patrons did in publike assembly In Decret de Libris sacris in 2. tomo CoÌ„ciliorum assisted also vvith 80. other Bishops define the same bookes to be Canonical Scripture who can then doubt but that the Church of Rome in S. Hieromes and Ruffinus daies tooke those bookes to be Canonical Scripture wherefore it was but M. Abbots addition to the text to affirme that Hierome and Ruffinus according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome did so say Besides the third Councel of Carthage holden at the felfe-same time CoÌ„cil 3. Carthag cap. 47. doth declare the said bookes of Tobias Ecclesiasticus c. to be Canonical Scripture affirming also that therein they followed the sound judgement of their Ancestours Lib. 2. de Doctrina Christ cap. 8. Lib. 18. de Ciuitat cap. 36. S. Augustine in sundry places of his workes doth by name declare the bookes of Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Tobias Iudith and the two bookes of the Machabees to be Canonical Scripture and seemeth to expound S. Hieromes sentence in these wordes The bookes of the Machabees the Iewes indeede doe not receiue but the Church of God taketh them for Canonical Scriptures Whence we after the auncient Lib. 7. Etimolog cap. â— learned and holy Bishop Isidorus doe collect this distinction The Canon of the Scriptures is twofold the one of the Hebrewes the other of the Christians that of the Hebrewes vvas compounded long before Christes daies in which these bookes of Wisdome Ecclesiasticus c. are not comprehended because they vvere written in later times and not in the Hebrew tongue Prolog Galiator Of this Hebrew Canon speaketh S. Hierome in that Prologue as it wil be manifest to al that shal but reade it for he saith first That the Hebrewes haue but 22. letters and according to the same number but 22. bookes in their Canon then reckoning them vp by name inferreth therefore the booke of Wisdome c. be not in the Canon to wit that Canon of the Hebrewes whereof he there spake vvhich also appeareth more euidently by his answere to Ruffinus vvho objected against him as a shameful reproach that he rejected certaine Chapters of Daniël because they were not in the Hebrew though they were in the Septuaginta S. Hierome excuseth himselfe saying Lib. 2. cont RuffinuÌ„ versus finem That therein be shewed the opinion of the Hebrewes but did not deliuer his owne sentence And as he there saith That he who would calumniate that his doing should shew himselfe a sycophant so he doth thereby giue al others to vnderstand that he vvho would after that faire warning build any Catholike conclusion vpon his relation of the Hebrewes opinion should proue him selfe a foole in trusting to so sandy and slippery a foundation And yet further in his Preface vpon the booke of Iudith he teacheth That the Hebrewes did not take that booke of Iudith for Canonical yet the first Nicene Councel vvhich is the most authentike of al general Councels did account it in the number of holy Scripture so that in S. Hieromes opinion also though these bookes were not in the Canon of the Hebrewes yet they may be very sincere Canonical Scripture with the Christians vvho haue the spirit of discerning and judging of such Canonical bookes as wel as the ancient Hebrewes had But S. Hierome saith in the later place That the Church doth not vse them to establish Ecclesiastical doctrine I answere that the Churches of Afrike did vse them euen in his owne time and the Church of Rome which is the principal of al Europe at the least as hath beene proued before so that his vvordes must needes be restrained vnto some Churches in Asia where he liued for the most part or it may be said that the Church had not then when S. Hierome so wrote generally declared them to be Canonical though very shortly after euen before his dying day they were in the most principal places of the Church both declared and receiued for Canonical That the Church had sufficient authorâ—ty by declaration to make bookes of Scripture Canonical that before were not generally taken for such the Protestants themselues must needes confesse because they take for Canonical the Epistle to the Hebrewes and diuers others with the Reuelation of S. Iohn which vvere doubted off by many of the learned Christians in the primitiue Church Lib. 3. Hist. Eccles c. 10. 19. as witnesseth Eusebius ROBERT ABBOT VIGILIVS borne at Rome and Bishop of Trent according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome that then was affirmeth That the body of Christ when it was vpon the earth Vigil coÌ„t Eutich lib. 4. was not in heauen and that now because it is in heauen it is not vpon the earth But now the Councel of Trent and Church of Rome perswade vs that the very body of Christ though it be in heauen yet is really and substantially here vpon earth also vpon the Altar and in the Pix and in the Priests belly and in the bellies of as many as are partakers of the Sacrament WILLIAM BISHOP In vita S. Sisinnij THIS large amplification is shortly answered Vigilius though a holy Catholike Bishop as his praying to Saints doth demonstrate yet was none of S. Peters successours neither doth he speake any thing against Christs real substantial presence in the Bles SacrameÌ„t if his wordes be taken in his owne meaning to wit that Christ since his ascention is not here in that maÌ„ner and fashion as he did conuerse vpon the earth with his Disciples that is in the forme of man Which I gather out of Vigilius his owne wordes for he saith that Christ is departed from vs in the forme of a seruant and so according vnto that forme of a seruant in the habit and likenesse of a man he is not present with vs but the very same body vnder the forme of bread is in as many places as the blessed Sacrament is consecrated See for this more in the question of the Real presence ROBERT ABBOT Hier. in Catalogo TERTVLLIAN being for enuy of
to the Catholikes Churches the Protestants are not behinde but goe farre beyond the Donatists Lastly they haue also compounded and framed a new kinde of Psalmes called Geneua Psalmes to be songe before their sermons See M. Abbot how jointly the Donatists and Protestants walke as it were hand in hand together shew not your selfe therefore so vndutiful a childe to your natural parents as not to acknowledge them for such for you are euen as like vnto them in the face and whole feature of both doctrine and manners as if you had beene spit out of their mouthes Doe not for very shame hit vs in the teeth any more vvith the Donatists before you haue by as sound vvitnesses proued vs to participate with them in the proper qualities of their profession To be wily like Aspes and to rage like Lions are not the peculiar recognizances and badges of their sect but may agree vnto many others and perhaps to few other more truly then to Protestants who when they be vnder as they haue beene in England and are now in the greatest Kingdomes of Europe they are as wily as Foxes the greatest commenders of clemency that may be no man is then to be punished for his conscience specially they that seeke after nothing but reformation of mens manners and the purity of the Gospel but vvhen they are gotten vp and sit at the sterne of gouernement the case is cleane altered they become then as fierce as Lions Our Fathers were beguiled by their vvilinesse vve feele their open professed violence and were it not for the moderation of the chiefe Pilot and some others in authority I feare the vvorld should quickly perceiue how Lion-like they would rage thus much by the way to discouer how impertinently and vntruly M. Abbot doth cite the ancient Doctors sentences If he thought their vvordes proper for his purpose though they vsed them not in the same sence as he doth he might wel haue vsed the like wordes but he ought in no case to adde the Fathers authority when they meant no such matter as he citeth their wordes for But what wil you necessity hath no law either he must haue omitted their authority and so haue put foorth a leane barren and penurious peece of worke not worth the looking on or else so vse and abuse their wordes as he doth For in their true meaning they vvil afford neither him nor any Protestant any fauour or defence at al. To draw now to the conclusion of his Epistle I haue not vvith any calumnious libel traduced and slandered the Protestants doctrine but haue out of my duty towardes Gods truth and loue of my deare country-mens saluation very truly and in as faire sort as I could set downe the errours of their deuises that the wel minded amongst them may by the helpe of Gods grace the better perceiue them beware of them and fly from them in time least they draw them along with them into euerlasting damnation Which my dutiful endeauours if the enemies of truth doe calumniate and loade with opprobrious lies and slanders I must take it patiently and comfort my selfe with these sacred wordes of our sweet Sauiour Math. 5. v. 11. 12. Blessed be you when they shal reuile you and persecute you and speake al that is naught against you vntruly for my sake be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heauen for so they persecuted the Prophets that were before you Now whereas M. Abbot saith in his owne commendation that he carrieth himselfe in this worke of his faithfully and vprightly as to God and his Prince I am sorry to see him make so slender reckoning both of his faith to God and fealty to his Prince for by this that hath beene already said and much more by that which followeth shal it appeare that he maketh no conscience to dally vvith Gods vvord and to mangle it most pitifully to abuse the holy Fathers sentences by al manner of meanes that any gracelesse creature can doe to cast most wrongfully al kinde of contumelies taunts and slanders vpon Catholikes that he could deuise and finally to incense his most excellent Majesty to bathe his sworde in the bloud of innocents This may be peraduenture to behaue himselfe like a true Minister of the new Gospel But if he cal this faithful and vpright carriage as to God and his Prince as I am sure he can looke for no reward of God for such leude behauiour who cannot be deceiued so I doubt not but if his Majesties leasure would permit him to peruse M. Abbots railing and vnlearned writinges pestred with innumerable of palpable vntruthes he should thereby picke smal thankes at his Highnesse handes Thus vvishing no lesse then any Protestant whosoeuer perfect knowledge of Gods truth vnto his Majesty and grace from heauen to embrace maintaine and defend it vvith al happinesse vnto his Highnesse raigne ouer vs I end my answere vnto M. Abbots Epistle dedicatory MASTER ABBOTS PREFACE TO THE READER LET it be no offence to thee good Christian Reader that for the present I giue an answere to a Dedicatory Epistle in steede of an answere to a whole booke it was now in Ianuary last past a ful yeare since D oct Bishops booke was sent vnto me by the most reuerend Father in God the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace my very good Lord with direction to vse the best expedition that I could for the answere of it it found me at that time vnder the Surgeons handes of a grieuous infirmity in mine eies by meanes whereof for some good space and indeede longer then I expected I was hindered from ablenesse to intend in any conuenient sort to any such important worke But taking the soonest and best oportunity that I could after that I had gone ouer some good part of the booke to furnish my selfe with such matter as should serue for confutation of it at length about the beginning of Iuly being desirous to bring somewhat to effect I addressed my selfe with al instant endeauour to giue answere to the Epistle Dedicatory to the Kings most excellent Majesty which as I accounted the principal matter in the booke so I held it my duty to vse very special care for the repulsing of those calumnies and slanders which the author hath gathered and contriued into it which being finished at Michaelmasse hath beene since thought fit to be published for the time til the rest of the worke wherein as time hath serued I haue hitherto further proceeded may fully be performed THE ANSWERE TO M. ABBOTS PREFACE TO THE READER VVILLIAM BISHOP COVRTEOVS Reader I would haue let passe this narration as impertinent had it beene somewhat more probable but because it discouereth and setteth foorth the humour of the man it is worth the noting I beare with that incōgruity It was now in Ianuary last past if it were now which designeth the time present how was it in Ianuary then past but I take his
haue to euery place picked by M. Abbot out of S. Paul in fauour of their religion opposed another out of the same Epistle that speaketh more plainly against them for vs I vvil here out of the aboundance of testimonies vvhich the same S. Paul vvhom the simple Protestants take to be wholy for them beareth to our doctrine set downe some store euen in defence of those very points vvhich M. Abbot hath made special choise off to object against vs. To beginne with the first there is plaine testimony that we are justified before God by vvorkes vvhich I cited before Rom. 2. v 13. With God the doers of the law shal be justified There is much for freewil witnesse this Ibid 6. vers 12. 13. Let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortal body that you obey the concupiscence thereof but neither doe you exhibite your members instruments of iniquitty vnto sinne but exhibite your selues to God of dead men aliue and your members instruments of justice to God for sinne shal not haue dominion ouer you for you are not vnder the law but vnder grace See how the Apostle maketh it in the power and vvil of euery man indued with Gods grace either to doe wel or to doe euil and that sinne hath no such dominion ouer them but that they may doe wel if they wil concurre with Gods grace Item that it is not grace which doth al but a man must worke with grace and exhibite the powers of his soule as instruments towardes the producing of good workes vvhich is flatly our doctrine of freewil And before we depart from this matter of justification as M. Abbot doth very quickly you shal heare more of it out of the same Apostle he teacheth expresly that a man in the state of grace may fulfil the law in these wordes Ibid. cap. 8. vers 3. For that which was impossible to the law in that it was weakned by flesh God sending his Sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne euen of sinne damned sinne in the flesh that the justfication of the law might be fulfilled in vs who walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Which is seconded in the thirtenth chapter where he concludeth Ibid. vers 9. 10. loue to be the fulnesse of the law hauing before said that he who loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the law And as for that certainty of saluation vvhich many Protestants bragge off the Apostle doth vvholy dispossesse them of it first in the place before cited vvhere he willeth Rom. 11. vers 20. them that stand right in the true faith to beware that they fal not and assureth them that they shal fal as others had done before them if they did not diligently looke vnto it Else vvhere he aduiseth vs Philip. 2. vers 12. with feare and trembling to worke our saluation Marke how two points of the Protestant doctrine be wounded in one sentence and two of ours confirmed both that vve must worke our saluation it comes not then by only faith and that with feare and trembling we are not then assured of it before hand by the certainty of faith which excludeth al feare and doubt of it Now that we ought to haue a firme hope of saluation S. Paul teacheth vs Rom. 5. v. 2. We haue accesse through faith in to this his grace wherein we stand and glory in the hope of the Sonnes of God Also Ibid. 8. v. 24. For by hope we are saued Item vve giue thankes to God c. Colloss 1. v. 5. for the hope that is laid vp for you in heauen With whom S. Peter consorteth 1. Pet. 1. vers 3. Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord IESVS Christ who according to his great mercy hath regenerated you into a liuely hope vnto an incorruptible crowne c. laid vp in heauen Not to prosecute al the particular points of justification which haue euery one good ground in the Apostle S. Paul as in that question may be seene the very faith whereby Abraham was and we are justified is no such kind of faith as the Protestants claime to be justified by that is by an apprehension and drawing of Christs righteousnesse to themselues but that faith vvhereby we beleeue al thinges to be true which God hath reuealed as S. Paul declareth in the fourth to the Romans where he reporteth Rom. 4. v. 19. Abraham to haue beene justified by beleeuing that God according to his promise would giue him a Sonne and make him the Father of many nations so that finally there is not a word in S. Paul vvhich in his owne meaning maketh for any one peece of the Protestants justification but heapes of testimonies for euery branch of justification as we beleeue it Now I come to the other points named by M. Abbot There is nothing saith he in S. Paul for the merit of single life But he is greatly mistaken for the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 7. vers 32.33 34. That the care of the single and vnmarried is to please God and their study to thinke vpon those thinges that appertaine vnto God and how they may be holy both in body and in spirit vvhich must needes be more acceptable in Gods sight then to be carping for this world and caring how to please their yoke-mate To this we adde Monkish vowes of which if he were worthy to be a good Abbot he vvould speake more respectiuely somwhat S. Paul hath of the vow of chastity which is one of their principal vowes for he auoucheth 1. Tim. 5. vers 12. certaine widowes worthy of damnation because they broke the same former vow of chastity And S. Paul himselfe Act. 18. vers 18. shoare his head in Cenchris because he had a vow vvhich was the vow of a Nazarite not much vnlike for the time though much inferiour vnto the vow of religious persons see of that vow the sixt Chapter of the booke of Numbers There is nothing saith M. Abbot in S. Paul of praier for the dead vvhich is not true for he teacheth that some of the faithful who haue 1. Cor. 3. v. 13 built vpon the right foundation hay stubble and such like trash shal notwithstanding at the day of our Lord be saued yet so as through fire Which the ancient * SS Aug. in ps 37. Hier. l. 2. cōt Iouin 13. Ambros in hūc locū Gregor in psal 3. poenit entialē Doctors doe take to be the fire of Purgatory Now if many vvhiles the drosse of their vvorkes be purged doe lie in fire it wil easily follow thereof that euery good soule who hath any Christian compassion in him vvil pray for the release of their Christian brother out of those torments I come now to Images and Relikes of vvhich he affirmeth that S Paul saith nothing vvhere was the good-mans memory vvhen he wrote this or remembring the matter vvel enough was he so
Kingdome But now the * Rhem. Test Annot. in 2. Tim. 4. v. 8. ad Hebr. 6. vers 10. Church of Rome attributeth so great perfection of righteousnesse to good workes as that they fully satisfie the law of God and worthily deserue eternal life yea they affirme them to be so farre meritorious as that God should be vnjust if he rendered not heauen for the same chargeing the justice of God not in respect of his promise but in respect of the merit and desert of the workes WILLIAM BISHOP NOW that M. Abbot is driuen to flie to that most holy and renowmed Pope S. Gregory the great for defence of their doctrine he is like to speed wel no doubt for he was the first founder of the Catholike religion amongst vs English-men and a great maintainer of it al the world ouer as shal appeare to the eie of euery vnpartial man that wil but reade that little which shal by me hereafter be produced out of him First touching the merit of workes we beleeue the same that S. Gregory taught to wit That al the merit of our owne vertue al our owne righteousnesse that is al that vertue and righteousnesse which we haue by our owne nature or strength is rather vice and iniquity then vertue And therefore that vve had neede most humbly to sue and pray to God for mercy and forgiuenesse of our sinnes and for the assistance of his heauenly grace which is the roote and fountaine of al good workes and merits M. Abbot therefore mistakes S. Gregory grosly if he thinke him to deny any true merit or righteousnesse to be in a vertuous Christian for though he say that our owne to wit that which we doe by vertue of our owne natural power be nought vvorth yet he teacheth most expresly that good workes done by the helpe of Gods grace doe merit life euerlasting Thus he hath left vvritten vpon that verse of the Psalme I haue meditated in thy workes Gregor in Psal 141. He that acknowledgeth the riches of this world to be deceitful and doth through the loue of heauenly thinges contemne earthly that man doth meditate vpon good workes which when this life doth passe away shal remaine yeeld the reward of eternal life For we liue not here profitably Nisi ad comparandum meritum quo in aeternitate viuatur But to get merits by which we may liue eternally And vpon these wordes of the 101. Psalme Their seede shal be directed for euer Our workes are therefore called seedes saith he because like as we gather fruit of seede euen so doe we expect reward of our workes for the Apostle saith Gallat 6. Whatsoeuer a man wil sow that shal he reape He therefore that in this life soweth the seede of good workes shal in the life to come reape the fruit of eternal recompence And in the same booke of his Morals out of vvhich M. Abbot snatched his darke wordes S. Gregory declareth clearely Greg. lib. 4. Moral c. 42. That as there is among men a great difference of workes in this life so in the next there shal be as great distinction of dignities that how farre here one man exceedes another in merits so much shal be there surmount the other in rewardes If then according to S. Gregories plaine doctrine grounded vpon the Royal Prophets Dauid and the Apostle S. Paul good workes be the seedes vvhich bring forth life euerlasting If the merit of this life be that wherewith we must liue eternally hereafter If according to the difference of merits in this life we shal receiue distinct dignities in the life to come can any man of judgement doubt but that he most perspicuously taught both that there be true merits in vertuous and good workes and also that according vnto the different degree of merits distinct dignities of glory shal be rendred in heauen The most sweet and religious father S. Bernard is haled into this ranke of S. Peters successours against al due order because he was no Bishop of Rome but our prophane Abbot saith that the holy Abbot Bernard herein agreeth vvith the ancient Church of Rome How may we know that Is it because that godly and deuout man did in al points imbrace and follow the ancient Roman faith L. 2. de Cons ad Euge. In Vita lib. 2. c. 3. 6. Item lib. 4. cap. 4. Lib. 3. cap. 5. Serm. 66. in Cant. lib. Sententiarū non procul ab initio then it is a cleare case that the Bishop of Rome is supreme gouernour of Christes Church that the sacrifice of the Masse is a most true holy sacrifice and that the same body that was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary is really and substantially there present that it is flat heresie to deny either praier to Saints or praier for the dead that euery one must confesse his sinnes to a Priest that the vowes of Monkes and religious persons are most pretious jewels and ornaments of a Christian soule vvhereof he was so earnest a Patrone and perswader that in his * In Vita life-time he instituted 160. Monasteries Briefly there is no branche of the present Roman faith which may not be confirmed out of his godly and learned workes Wherefore if S. Bernard agreed vvholy with the doctrine of the ancient Church of Rome so doth the Church of Rome that now is But if M. Abbot wil say that in this point of merits only he jumpeth vvith the auncient Church though in none of the rest should he not rather haue proued it to be so then to haue taken it as granted Yes verily vnlesse he vvould be esteemed for such a trifler as ordinarily doth petere principium begge that which he should principally proue To the purpose then I say that neither the ancient Church of Rome doth deny the merits of good workes as may be seene in that question nor yet S. Bernard for when he saith That our merits doe not in justice deserue heauen he vnderstandeth that of our merits taken by themselues without Gods promise and appointment of heauen for the reward of them the which secluded excepted God should not doe any body wrong if he gaue not heauen for the same but Gods ordinance promise presupposed and the grace of Christ by which the merit is wrought then it doth euen in S. Bernards opinion of right deserue heauen and God should doe wrong not to repay it with heauen And this in effect doth S. Bernard himselfe teach in the second place cited by M. Abbot vvhere he saith That it is just that God pay that which be oweth De Lib. Arbitrio In fine but he oweth that which be promised the promise was indeede of mercy but now to be performed of justice which justice though it be also principally Gods because it proceedes from his grace yet it hath pleased God to haue vs to be partners of that his justice that he might make vs merit ours of his
crowne In eo enim sibi justitiae consortem coronae statuit promeritorem cum operum quibus erat illa repromissa corona habere dignatus est coadjutorem For therein did God appoint man to be copartner of his justice and meritour of the crowne when be vouchsafed to haue him coadjutour of those workes vnto which that crowne of glory was againe and againe promised So that God is the Authour of merits both by giuing man grace to doe them and by ordaining them to such a reward Otherwise saith S. Bernard those which we cal merits might be more properly called the way to the Kingdome not the cause of raigning Obserue that he saith vnlesse you take them otherwise then he had before spoken of them But we must beare with M. Abbot for snatching here and there a sentence out of the Fathers so abruptly otherwise he could make no shew for his part out of them because they vvere so ful and wholy Roman Catholikes Besides the misconstruing of S. Gregories wordes and the corrupting of S. Bernards M. Abbot falsifieth both the Councel of Trent and the Annotations of the Rhemes Testament for the Councel of Trent hath not simply that good workes doe fully satisfie the law of God but with this qualification Pro huius vitae statu As farre forth as the state of this life doth permit And whereas M. Abbot fableth that in those Annotations the justice of God is charged not in respect of his owne promise but in respect of the merit and desert of the workes it is a palpable vntruth as euery man may see that wil but turne to the place for there are these expresse wordes Annot. in 2. Tim. cap. 4. vers 8. Heauen is the goale the marke the price the hire of al striuing running labouring due both by promise and by couenant and right debt vvhere you see as wel Gods promise and couenant as the worth of the workes to be mentioned Which is also set downe distinctly in that very Chapter of the Councel of Trent vvhich M. Abbot cited in these vvordes Eternal life is to be propounded to them that worke wel Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 16. and trust in God both as a merciful grace promised to the sonnes of God through Christ and as a reward or hire by the promise of God to be rendred to their good workes and merits Thus you see how roundly and familiarly M. Abbot is wont to auouch vntruthes and that which testifieth a good conscience in the man euen clearely contrary to his owne knowledge for in the very same both Chapter of the Councel and Annotation vpon the Testament which he alleageth there is to be seene the plaine affirmation of that which he denieth vvhich doth conuince him to be one of the most carelesse men of his credit that euer set pen to paper ROBERT ABBOT Citat in Orthodoxo consensu de sacra Eucharistia cap. 1. ex Lyturg Georgij Cassandri THE same Gregory affirmeth that Missa the Masse was so called for that they were to be dismissed or sent away by the Deacon that did not receiue the holy communion for that they that should not be present at the celebration of the Sacrament were commanded to goe forth therefore saith he vnlesse at the voice of the Deacon after the manner of our Ancestors they that doe not communicate be willed to goe forth the seruice which is called the Masse is not rightly performed But now the Romish Masse is thought to be rightly performed albeit no man communicate but the Priest and vvithout any dismissing of them that doe not adde themselues to the communion the people as was said before being only the spectatours and lookers on WILLIAM BISHOP M. ABBOT is very penurious and wants matter that comes forth with such idle stuffe as this not taken out of S. Gregories owne vvorkes neither for no such fond and vnlearned thing is there to be seene but on the report of one George Cassander a man of smal credit and therefore deserueth no answere Besides these wordes Ite Missa est are not pronounced in the Masse by the Deacon or Priest vntil the communion be wholy past euen at the very end of the Masse when the people are licensed to depart as may be seene in al Masse bookes and the ancient expositours of the Masse vvherefore they could not serue to dismisse any before the holy communion Lastly why on Gods name must they al be sent away that wil not communicate themselues shal they receiue any harme by their beholding either the blessed Sacrament or others receiuing of it deuoutly vvere it not better they assisted the communicants there continuing in praier then to walke abroade idly or is there any reason vvhy the communicants should be offended vvith their presence that no way seeke to disquiet them but rather honour them for their greater feruour in deuotion and assist them with their praiers Idle and irreuerent gazers on we allow not off nor like of their presence at any time of the Masse but I see no cause at al why other orderly and deuout people should be driuen out of the Church at the time of communion ROBERT ABBOT THE same Gregory affirmed That whosoeuer called himselfe Gregor lib. 6. Epist 30. Item lib. 4. Epistola 32.36.38 or desired to be called the vniuersal Bishop was the fore-runner of Antichrist and did propose to himselfe to follow him who despising the legion of Angels that were placed in society with him did endeauour to grow vp to the toppe of singularity that so he might seeme to be vnder none and himselfe alone to be aboue al. He calleth it a new name a name of errour a fond name proude peruerse rash wicked prophane which saith he none of my Predecessours consented to vse by which no man hath presumed to be called that was in truth a holy man Decret Gregorij de foro comp c. Licet But soone after the time of Gregory the Bishop of Rome tooke vpon him that hateful name and hath since continued the same challenging the whole vvorld to be his Dyocesse and is growne to that height of pride as that he doubteth not to proclaime Extrauag de Maio. Obed ca. Vnam Sanctam That it standeth vpon the necessity of saluation for euery soule to be subject to the Bishop of Rome WILLIAM BISHOP THIS is a pretious argument with the Protestants and though it hath beene an hundred times I weene sufficiently answered by ours yet they doe as freshly propose it and as eagerly follow it as if it were not to be satisfied whereas in truth it is but a meere sophistication A vocibus ad res as the learned tearme it from the word vniuersal vnto the supreme authority of gouernement thus The Patriarke of Constantinople cannot be called an vniuersal Bishop nor any Bishop of Rome hath consented to take that name of vniuersal Bishop vpon him ergo no Bishop of Rome hath
of the present Roman Church he may vpon very smal consideration be reclaimed and brought to reforme his errours For to S. Peter himselfe who was afterwards Bishop of Rome was giuen euen by our Sauiour Christ IESVS ful power and authority to pardon whatsoeuer he saw fit to be pardoned Math. 16. vers 19. To thee I giue saith he the keies of the Kingdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou loosest or doest pardon vpon earth shal be pardoned in heauen And if S. Peter might loose any sinne how hainous soeuer much more might he release some part of the temporal paine which was due to sinne vvhich is properly to giue a libel of pardon the like power had S. Paul who did in the person of Christ 2. Cor. 2. vers 10. Cyprian l. 3. Epist 15. Pardon the incestuous Corinthian by cutting off some part of his penance vvhich otherwise he had beene to suffer for his former sinnes vvhich were then forgiuen S. Cyprian and the Bishops and Clergy in those auncient daies of the primitiue Church did vse to pardon and release the penance injoyned to grieuous offendours after their repentance at the intercession and request of the Confessors and designed Martirs as hath beene before declared The most authentike Councel of Nice doth declare Cōcil Nicen. cap. 12. that it is lawful for Bishops to deale more mildly and fauourably vvith them vvhom they saw to performe their injoyned penance seriously vvhich was to graunt them a pardon Leo. Epist 77 ad Nicetum num 6. The very same doth Leo the great vvho was Bishop of Rome aboue 1100. yeares past teach most plainly willing the Bishop to release of the due penance injoined what he thought good which is properly to giue indulgence or pardon I omit here Pope Siluester his predecessour and S. Gregory the great one of his successours because I haue before alleaged them not doubting but that these few so auncient so graue so learned vvil suffice to satisfie and instruct him that is willing to learne And as for communicating the same authority to others vvho can reasonably doubt of it considering that the power of absoluing from sinne which is farre greater then the other is imparted to al both Bishops and Parish Priests I haue also before proued most manifestly Leo. Epist 82 ad Anastat Gregor lib. 4. Epist 6. ad Episcop Arelat that both S. Leo and S. Gregory most worthy Bishops did as delegate their authority vnto other Bishops so reserue vnto their owne hearing and judgement the causes of greatest difficulty vvherefore M. Abbot if he wil hearken vnto reason cannot choose but hold himselfe therein fully satisfied He recuiles backe to Indulgences and multiplieth his demands about one and the same matter like to a Cooke that hauing but one sort of meate to serue in doth mince it into many mammocks and then make thereof sundry dishes Can the Pope saith he for saying such or such praiers or for doing this or that release a man from Purgatory for an hundreth or a thousand yeares What a question is this if the Pope can distribute indulgences as hath beene before proued no doubt but he can the rather doe it by injoyning the party that receiueth them to say vvithal some praiers or to doe some other good vvorkes for thereby the party doth the better deserue to be made partaker of the other grace But can he release a soule out of Purgatory for a thousand yeares Yes marry can he and that too not for some certaine number of yeares but for euer and euer The reason is for that the soules there are members of the same body that we are and there capable of the same graces of pardon vvhereof also they stand in very great neede according to the truth of Christian doctrine howsoeuer the Protestants doe erroneously thinke the contrary reade the Question of Purgatory And touching the present purpose among many other pardons graunted by S. Gregory the great there is to be seene vntil this day one Altar by him erected in the Monastery of S. Andrewes in Rome where he was himselfe first Nouice and afterwardes Abbot where at vvhosoeuer said Masse for a soule in Purgatory shal deliuer one there-hence Concerning the Iubilee which is free and ful pardon graunted once in fiue and twenty yeares vnto euery one that shal visit seauen Churches in Rome that yeare some fifteene times or thereabouts what new difficulty can there be about that yea it is as the most renowmed pardon that is graunted so the most reasonable for it can be obtained but once in fiue and twenty yeares and then exceeding hardly by vnder going a long costly and painful journey to the citty of Rome and by exercising there al the workes of piety and mercy as fasting praying and giuing of almes making general confession and receiuing the blessed Sacrament and often visiting of many Churches and Altars Those most godly meanes of training men to true repentance and satisfaction for their former faults and amendmēt of their liues if the Protestant religion were acquainted withal there would be among them some checke and stoppe of their vvicked courses But if they vvil needes sinne on themselues and neuer giue ouer nor amend vntil Gods judgments fal vpon them yet let them not be offended at vs that doe aduise al men to labour in time for such indulgences that they may escape the due punishment of their sinnes either in this vvorld or in the next Is it not also most probable and likely if those good soules vvho to doe some satisfaction for their former euil liues and to serue God more deuoutly in those holy places where some of the holy Apostles and an innumerable company of valiant Martirs and holy Confessors liued and died doe die by the way in that Godly purpose that they are carried by Angels to heauen as Lazarus was into Paradise we pray to God to command such by his holy Angels to be brought into Abrahams bosome as may be seene in the Masse for the dead But Balaeus in Latin and Bale the Irish Apostata in English M. Abbots worthy authour reporteth that Clement the sixt himselfe did command the Angels to carry them into Paradise No great regard is to be had vvhat such a lying lewd fellow relates and so I thinke him vnworthy any other answere Touching Canonization of Saints we hold that the Bishops of the prouinces vvhere their vertuous liues and most godly deathes cōfirmed by miracles are best knowne did alwaies from the beginning of christian religion declare and testifie to the Church that they were to be esteemed of al men for Saints Since it hath beene found most expedient that the vvhole course of the life and death of such being by most diligent inquisition tried out and taken in the places of their aboade be afterwardes sent to Rome there to be also throughly examined first and then accordingly to be declared Saints by the highest Pastor of the Church that