plainly set downe in Scripture are found all those things which containe faith and conuersation of life Yea he saith further that a Idem de vtilit cred cap. 6. Planè ita modificata vt nemo inde baurire non possit quod sibi satis est si modò ad bauriendum deuotè ac piè vt vera religio poscit accedat the doctrine of the Scripture is so tempered as that there is no man but may draw from thence that that is sufficient for him if he come to draw with deuotion and piety as true religion requireth him to doe Hereto adde how he vseth the wordes of the Apostle where to he alludeth in the sentence by me cited in his disputing against the Donatists b Idem de vnit Eccl. c. 11. 12. Quisquis aliud Euangelizauerit anathemâ— sit Aliud autem euangelizat qui perijsse dicit de câ—tâ—ro mudo Ecclesiam in parte Donati in sola Asrica reâ—nansisse dicit Ergo anathema sit Aut legat miâ—i hoc in scripturis sanctis noÌ„ sit anathema Whosoeuer preacheth any other thing accursed be he but he preacheth another thing who saith that the Church is perished out of the whole world and is remaining only in the Donatists therefore accursed be he or else let him reade it to me in the holy Scriptures that he may not be accursed Now then if by St. Austins iudgement there be found in Scripture all things belonging to faith and manners and there be no godly man but may draw from thence that that is sufficient for him if he be to be holden accursed that preacheth that which he cannot reade to vs out of the holy Scriptures then it appeareth that M. Bishop dealeth falsly in expounding the wordes of Austin and that they serue very fully to that purpose and meaning whereto I alleaged them and whereto without any ambiguity at all they most plainly sound But because we haue here in hand to informe the Roman Catholike I will conclude this place with the censure of a Roman Bishop Gregory the first who calleth c Gregor in 1. Reg. l. 2. c. 3. Quid cor animam Dei â—â—si sacram eius scripturam accipinâ— the holy Scripture the heart and soule of God and telleth vs that d Idem Moral l. 16. c. 16. Per cam Deus loquitur omne quod vult by it God speaketh all his will or all that he requireth and that so as that e Ibid. l. 18. c. 14. Eos ad sacrae authoritatis paginas vocat vt si vere loqui desiderent inde sumere debeant quid loquantur Qui ad verae praedicationis verba se praeparat necesse â—st vt causarum origines à sacris paginis sumat vt omne quod loquitur ad diuinae authoritatis sundamentum reuocet atque in câ— aedificium locutionis suae â—irmet he that desireth to speake or preach iruly must take from thence that which he speaketh and set â—h the grounds of his matters out of the sacred bookes that he may bring all that he speaketh to the foundation of diuine authority and thereupon settle the building of his speech He saith againe that f IdeÌ„ in Cant. c. 5. Sancti viri se consilijs Scripturae ex toto addicunt vt videâ—icet nihil agant nisi quod ex responsâ— Scripturarum audiunt c. Quia de quibuscunque scrupuliâ— in Scripturis consilium quaeritur fine minâ—ratione de omnibus ad plenum inuenitur holy men doe wholly addict themselues to the counsels or directions of the Scripture namely so as to doe nothing but what they heare by answere of the Scriptures because of whatsoeuer doubts aduise is sought for in the Scriptures namely concerning matters of faith and godlinesse it is there fully found of all things without exception and g Idem in Ezech. hom 15. Vniuersa nostra munitio in saâ—ro â—lâ—quâ—o cominetur all our munition or armour to wit against our ghostly enemies yea h Ibid. hom 9. In hâ—â— volumine cuncta quâ—â—dificant omniâ— qu◠〈…〉 diunt scripta contiâ—entur all things that doe â—difie all things that doe instruct are contained therein In all which speeches if Gregory say truth then it must stand good which I haue set downe that all our faith and religion is contained in the Scriptures and neither may the preacher speake nor the hearer receiue any thing that hath not confirmation and proofe out of the booke of God W. BISHOP §. 7. MAster Abbot hauing in few lines runne ouer foure large questions to wit first That the Prophets and Patriarks beleeued no principall 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 afterwards wrote he fiftly addâ—th that the Protestants receiue and beleeue all the written word Whence he will haue it to follow finally that the Protestants are very good Iewes and doe iumpe iust with them in all 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 Iew. Behold what a round this man is driuen to walke and how many brakes of thâ—rnes 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 beggâ— that which is principally in question How proues he that Protestants receiue and beleeue all the written word hath he so little wit and iudgement as to thinke that we would freely grant him that for to omit that they receiue not but reiect diuers bookes of the old Testament because they were not in the Canon of the Iewes or doubted of by some in the primitiue Church by which reason they might refuse as many of the new doe they rightly vnderstand and beleeue truly all that is written in that blessed booke of Gods word nothing lesse Doe they giue credit to our Sauiour â—esus Christ himselfe telling them This is my Mat. 26. 27. 28. Body that shall be broken for you this is my Bloud that shall be shedde for you Whose sinnes ye shall Ioh. 20. v. 23. forgiue on earth shall be forgiuen in heauen Thou Math. 16. v. 18. art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church c. and the gaâ—es of hell shall not preuaile against it Call the worke-men that had laboured in Math. â—0 v. 8. his vine-yard and pay them their hire Doe you see Iacob 2. v. 24. that by workes a man is iustified and not by faith only Is any man sicke among you let
h Scotus apud Bellarm. de sacra Eucharist lib. 3. cap. 23. Dicit nullum extare loâ—um scripturae tam expressum vt sine Ecclesiâ— declaratione euidentèr câ—gat transubstantiationem admittere Atque id non est omninâ— improbabilâ— c. an ita sit meritâ— dâ—bitarâ— potest cum homines doctissâ—â—â— acutissâ—â—â— qualis inprâ—â—is Scotus fuit contrarium sâ—â—tiaâ—t there is no place of Scripture so expresse as that it euidently forceth to admit transubstantiation without their Churches declaration Yea Bellarmine himselfe saith that this is not improbable and that it may worthily be doubted whether there be any such because very learned and acute men such as Scotus specially was doe thinke the contrary Let him first goe and agree with Scotus and Bellarmine and those other so learned and acute men and then tell vs what he hath to say and we will answere him albeit of this matter I haue i Confuâ—aâ— of the aâ—swere to M. Perkinâ— his AduertisemeÌ„t sect 48. 59. already answered him so much as will suffice for the clearing thereof For his second instance he citeth the wordes of Christ thus whose sinnes yee shall forgiue on earth shall be fâ—rgiuen in heauen and maketh it here deliuered in expresse termes that Priests haue power to pardon sinnes True it is M. Bishop accordingly as you cite on earth but not in heauen in the Court of the Church but not in the Court of conscience for restitution to the outward society of faithfull men not immediately for reconcilement to God As for forgiuenesse of sinnes spiritually with God the Priest hath the ministery only not the power thereof by k 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19 the word of reconciliation not by any forme of absolution neither can he say any further I forgiue thee then he saith I baptise thee who baptiseth not by any inward effect to God which is only the worke of God but only by outward Sacrament to the Church of God Therefore for the Popish challenge of the power of absolution with God our Sauiour Christ saith nothing he speaketh only for that power of absolution which professeth only to take away the barre that standeth against reconcilement to God who in publike sinnes lying vnder publike censure admitteth of no penitency for forgiuenesse in heauen that is not testified and declared for obtayning forgiuenesse and pardon vpon earth It needeth not that I speake so much hereof hauing so largely handled this point l Answere to the Epistle to the King sect 28. and to the Preface of his second part sect 3. before Thirdly he alleageth the words Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it from whence he inferreth that Christ hath built his Church vpon St. Peter But it was of Petra the Rocke that Peter had that name giuen him to be called Peter and therefore it cannot be that Peter himselfe should be the Rocke m Gregor in Psal 5. Poenitent Ipse est Petra à qua Petrus nomen accepit super quaÌ„ sâ— ad â—icaturum Ecclesiam dâ—xit Christ himselfe is the Rocke as Gregory saith of which Peter tooke his name and vpon which he said he would build his Church Albeit we deny not but that the Church was in some sort built vpon Peter but vpon Peter as one of many not vpon Peter aloâ—e because of the City of God there are n Apoc. 21. 14. twelue fâ—undations wherein are the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles not only Peters name See hereof also that which hath beene o Chap. 1. §. 2. before said His fourth text is Call the workemen that had laboured in the vineyard and pay them their hire which hee bringeth to proue that good workes doe in iustice deserue eternall life But is this in expresse termes deliuered in those wordes Surely it seemeth to me a very long conclusion to be drawen out of so short a speech I haue handled this text p Of Merits sect 14. 17. before and haue shewed out of the very circumstance of the place that it is so farre from prouing that which he saith as that the contrary is very manifestly and infallibly euicted thereby The briefe is that if things had beene there measured by desert then greater worke should haue had greater wages whereas there all haue alike that it might be vnderstood of all as there I haue cited out of Prosper that q Prosp de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. Vt intelligant dâ—num se gratiâ— non operli accepisse mercâ—dem they receiued a gift of grace not a wages for their workes For his fift instance he bringeth the wordes of St. Iames Doe you see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith only Hence he inferreth that we are iustified not by faith alone but also by workâ—s And who denyeth but that by workes also we are iustified and must necessarily so be Wee say with Saint Iames that wee are not iustified by faith only but also by workes as Abraham was but yet we say with St. Paul also that r Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 3 11. before God or in the sight of God we are iustified by faith and not by workes and Å¿ Rom. 4. 2. if Abraham were iustified by workes he denyeth him not so to be he had to reioyce but not with God For the further handling of this point also I referre the Reader to that that I haue said t Of Iustification sect 36. before Againe to proue that in extremity of sicknesse we must call for the Priest to anoile vs with holy oile he citeth St. Iames 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. But if their Sacrament of Extreme vnction be here so expresly deliuered how is it that their owne Cardinall Caiâ—tanâ— could not see it who saith that u Caietan in Iac. cap. 5. Nec ex verbis nec ex effectu verba haec loqâ—untur de sacramentali vnctione extremâ— vnctionis sed magis de vnctione quam institâ—â—t Dominus in eâ—angelâ—â— exâ—rcendam in â—gâ—â—tâ—s neither by the wordes nor by the effect doth the Apostle here speake of their sacramentall vnction but rather of that which the Lord instituted in the Gospell to be vsed by his Disciples to them that were sicke He iustifieth that which we say that the annointing whereof St. Iames speaketh was no other but a ceremony annexed to x 1. Cor. 12. 9. the gift of healing of which we reade in the Gospell spoken of Christs disciples y Mar. 6. 13. They annointed many that were sick with oile and healed them which gift and power of healing being ceased in the Church the ceremony must be reputed idle and the vsing thereof in that manner and to that end as the Papists doe is no other but an imitation
heauen The other points were touched before and shall be shortly againe But I would in the meane season be glad to heare where the written word teacheth vs that Kings and temporall Magistrates are ordained by Christ to be vnder him supreme Gouernours of Ecclesiasticall affaires because M. Abbot made choise of this head-article of theirs for an instance that the written word was plaine on their side 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 temporall Magistrates any Ecclesiasticall persons at all or can one that is no member of the Ecclesiasticall body be head of all the rest of the Ecclesiasticall members or is the state Secular higher and more worthy then the Ecclesiasticall 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 where the Christian world is turned topsie-turuy that may be thought meete and expedient but in other places that will not be admitted for currant which 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 R. ABBOT THe truth of mine assertions hath hitherto appeared by my defence of them but let them no further be taken for true then he is here found to be false that is the oppugner of them He saith that my conclusion conuinceth me euen by the verdict of my selfe to fall into the foule fault and errour of the Donatists To proue this he maketh me to speake in my answere in this sort Our faith because it is that which the Apostles committed to writing is the Apostolike faith and our Church by consanguinity and agreement of doctrine is proued to be an Apostolicall Church c. and is the only true Catholike Church c. Hauing set downe all these as my words he inferreth thus see you not how he is come at length to proue their Church to be Catholike by perfection of their doctrine which was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatisticall tricks reproued by St. Austin c. But I pray thee gentle Reader to looke where thou canst finde those wordes by me set downe And is the only true Catholike Church Aske M. Bishop if thou meete with him where he found them and if he cannot tell thee aske him in sadnesse what spirit he thinketh it was wherewith he was led when he set them downe for my wordes Fie M. Bishop fie for shame doe you talke so against lying and will you in the meane time lye so wittingly and willingly so as that there is no meanes to salue it no colour to excuse it I did not say that ours is the only true Catholike Church I made no shew of prouing it by perfection of doctrine to be the Catholike Church I neuer wrote it I neuer thought it and therefore once againe I wish you to bethinke your selfe of your words whereof I remembred you before a Reproofe pag. 283. The diuels cause it is that needeth to be bolstered out and vnderpropped with lyes Surely it is beyond doating folly it is desperate fury that draweth men on to such courses To let that goe foule and shamefull as it is he telleth vs next that he liketh well of Tertullians obseruation that our faith ought to haue consanguinity and perfect agreement with the Apostles doctrine But he curtolleth Tertullians obseruation by this recitall of his because Tertullian doth not only say what our faith ought to haue but telleth vs that b Tertul. de Praescript Quae licet nullum ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis authoreÌ„ suum proferaÌ„t vt mâ—â—tò posteriores quae denique quotidiè instituiâ—tur tamen in eadem fide conspirantes non mâ—â—us Apostolicae depâ—tantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae those Churches which cannot bring any of the Apostles or Apostolike men for their authour as being much later euen the Churches which daylie are begunne yet according in the same faith are for this consanguinity or agreement of doctrine reputed Apostolike Churches no lesse then the rest Hence I concluded that our Church because it agreeth in faith and doctrine with the Apostles is therefore to be reckoned an Apostolike Church But that saith M. Bishop is not the question at this time And what then is the question Marry saith he whether our doctrine or the Protestants be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in all nations ouer the world But did not he see that the one of these directly followeth of the other for the faith of the Apostles is it that was spred ouer the whole world Our faith is the same with the faith of the Apostles because it is that which is recorded in the Scriptures of the Apostles Therefore our faith it is that was spred and beleeued through the world Abrahams faith was it that was spred ouer the whole world for Abraham is c Rom. 4. 12. 16 the father and patterne of all that beleeue both circumcised and vncircumcised Our faith is the same with Abrahams faith Therefore againe it is our faith that was generally receiued throughout the world At this M. Bishop biteth the lip it troubleth him that he knoweth not what to say to it He seeth this proofe to be most certaine and impregnable aboue all other and therefore he seeketh by all meanes to diuert and turne away his Reader from listening to it He telleth him that I doe not deale plainly and soundly that I goe about the bush that I fetch wide and wild windlesses from old father Abrahams daies But I answere him that I haue so gone about the bush as that I haue scratched him with it and my wide and wild windlesses haue so inclosed him as that he cannot finde which way to get out againe Well if my course like him not what would he haue me doe I should he saith haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiasticall histories or ancient Fathers that the Protestants religion had flourished since the Apostles daies ouer all Europe Afrike and Asia I haue done already sufficient to demonstrate that I haue astonished him and choaked him with the euidence of Scriptures Stories Councels Fathers so as that hitherto he hath left all that he hath written to the question of religion without defence I shall make further demonstration thereof in this booke euen in the Roman Church What am I the nearer with him by that that I haue done What shall I be the nearer when I haue all done for he hath resolued himselfe to a wicked course and therefore though the light shine into his eyes yet he will sweare that he seeth it not He blameth me for concluding without
to say that against Peter only the gates of hell shall not preuaile and that they shall preuaile against the other Apostles and not rather that in all euery of them it is verified which is said Vpon this rocke will I build my Church In a word he reasoneth thus that because that which is said I will giue to thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen is common to them all therefore all the rest both going before and following after as spoken to Peter is common to them all And this the Scripture confirmeth in that it saith that u Ephes 2. 20. the houshold of God are builded not vpon the foundation of Peter only but vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and not St. Peter only but x Apoc. 21. 14. the Lambs twelue Apostles haue their names written in the twelue foundations of the city of God Yea it is yet further to be obserued out of the Fathers that they make Peter in all this matter y August Epist 165. Petro totius Ecclesia figuram gerenti Dominus ait super hanc Petram c. to be are the figure as St. Austin saith of the whole Church z IdeÌ„ de verb. Dom. serm 13. Hoc nomen ei vt Petrus appellaretur à Domino impositum est hoc vt â—a figura significaret Ecclesiam Quia enim Christus Petra Petrus populus Christianus The Lord saith he gaue him that name to be called Peter that by that figure he might signifie the Church for because Christ is Petra the Rocke therefore Peter is the people of Christ And thus of that which Christ there saith a Mat. 16. 19. Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heauen Gregory Bishop of Rome deliuereth that b Greg. exposit in 1. Reg. l. 6 c. 3. Quod antiquis â—usquam dicitur mâ—dò vniuersali Ecclesiae dicitur Quodcunque ligaueris c. it is spoken to the vniuersall Church Therefore Origen applieth the name of Peter to euery man that ioyneth with Peter in the confession of the same faith c Orig. in Mat. c. 16. Quòd si nos quoque locuti quod dixit Petrus Tu es Christus c. tâ—nquam non accepta 〈◊〉 reuelatione à carne sanguine sed luce cordi nostrâ— illucescentâ— Ã Patre qui in câ—lis est efficimur Petrus nobis dicetur quod hunc sermonem sequitur Tu es Petrus c. If we say as Peter said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God as not receiuing reuelation hereof from flesh and blood but by light shining into our hearts from the Father which is in heauen we also are made Peter and it shall be said to vs which followeth that speech Thou art Peter c. And anone after he affirmeth againe that d Ibid. paulò post Dicta sunt vt doc et spiritus illius ad quemuis qui tâ—lis factus fuerit qualis â—rat ille Petrus siquidem nomâ—â— ducunt à Petra quicunque sunt imitatoâ—es Christi qui est petra spiritualis c. Christi membra cum sint ab â—â— nomen habeâ—t dicti Christiani à Petra Petri. the spirit of the Gospell speaketh those wordes to euery one that is such as that Peter was for they take their name saith he of Petra the Rocke whosoeuer are followers of Christ who is the spirituall Rocke being called of Christ Christians and of Petra the Rocke being called Peters Hereto St. Ambrose also alludeth when giuing the reason why Peter was so called e Ambros in Luc. lib. 6. cap. 9. Vt ipse sit Petrus quòd de petra habeat soliditatem coÌ„stantiâ— fidei firmitatem Enitere ergò vt tu petra sis itaque non extra te sed intra te petram require c. si petra fueris in Ecclesia eris quia Ecclesia supra petram est For that of Petra the Rocke he had soundnesse of constancy and stedfastnesse of faith hee vseth this exhortation Therefore endeauour that thou also maiest be a Rocke and not without thee but within thee require this rocke if thou bee a Rocke thou shalt be within the Church because the Church is vpon a Rocke To conclude Origen expounding by way of allegory that which is written as befalling vpon the death of Christ that the rocks were clouen in sunder maketh the rocks to be the Prophets whom he proueth rightly to be so called f Origen in Math. tract 35. Probamus scissas tum Petras esse Prophetas primùm ex eo quòd Christus dicitur Petra spiritualis rationis est omnes imitatores Christi dici similitèr Petras esse sicut lux mundidicuntur ex eo-quòd ipse Dominus â—orum est lux mundi deinde etiam ex eo quòd ipse Petrus à Domino Petra est appellatê° cum dicitur ei Tu es Peâ—rê° c. Maximè autem demonstratuâ— ex co quòd oâ—nes quibus non prâ—ualent portae inferorum qui opus nominis petrâ— babeâ—t in se id est Apostoli Propheta Petra sunt ipsi sunt â—um qui super eis adificantur c. First for that Christ is called the spirituall rocke and it standeth with reason that all that are followers of Christ should likewise be called Rocks as they are called the light of the world because Christ their Lord is the light of the world and secondly for that Peter is by Christ called a Rocke when it is said Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke c. For it is strongly proued thereby saith he that all against whom the gates of hell doe not preuaile who haue in them the worke or effect of the name of Rocke as namely the Apostles and Prophets are themselues Rocks and the foundations of them that are builded vpon them Thus doe the Fathers turne and wind those words of Christ they finde Christ himselfe to be the Rocke they finde Peter in some sort to be a Rocke albeit not Peter alone but the rest of the Apostles yea the Prophets also as well as he yea they finde euery faithfull Christian man to be a Rocke by constancy of faith and by drawing on others through his example of confession to the acknowledgment thereof but no where doe we finde that euer they tooke the Roman Church to be the Rocke How vnhonestly then doth M. Bishop abuse his Reader by setting downe in grosse that parenthesis according to the exposition of the ancient Fathers when as no such exposition is to bee found amongst the ancient Fathers Albeit it is also to bee noted how vnhandsomely this matter hangeth together and cannot be stained in any sort to serue his turne for seeing the Church was when as yet there was no Roman Church how senslesse a thing is it that the church should be said to be builded vpon the Roman Church Surely that against which the gates of hâ—ll shall not preuaile is the Church builded
any premises that in the written word there is no mention made of the Pope of his Supremacy of his Pardons c. Wisedome what premises should I vse to proue the negatiue in this case It concerneth you to proue that there is mention made of them and to designe vs the places where for me it is enough to say that there is none See now what proofe he bringeth that there is Belike saith he there is no mention made of St. Peter nor ought said of his singular prerogatiues it hath not peraduenture that whatsoeuer he should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen Wisedome what is this for answere to me I say there is no mention made of the Pope and doe you tell me of St. Peter And if it were said to St. Peter d Mat. 16. 19. Whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shall be bound in heauen was it not also said to all the Apostles e Mat. 18. 18. Whatsoeuer yee binde on earth shall be bound in heauen What prerogatiue is here to St. Peter more then to all the rest of the Apostles or if there were any prerogatiue to St. Peter what is that to the Pope He would be glad to heare where the written word teacheth vs that Kings and temporall Magistrates are ordained by Christ to be vnder him supreme Gouernours of Ecclesiasticall affaires But he saith vntruly he would not be glad to heare it but how glad would he be if he could out of the written word say so much for the Pope as we can for the King We finde the Apostle St. Paul saying f Rom. 13. 1. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers and St. Peter expounding what is meant by those higher powers g 1. Pet. 2. 13. whether vnto the King as to the supereminent or chiefe or vnto Gouernours as sent by him thereby giuing absolutely to the King a superiority ouer euery soule and requiring euery soule h Chrysost ad Rom. hom 23. Etiam si Apostolus sis si Euangelista si Propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris euen the Prophet the Apostle the Euangelist as Chrysostome obserueth to be subiect to the King But he will say it is not here said in Ecclesiasticall affaires I answere him Neither is it said here only in temporall affaires The supremacy then being simply giuen will M. Bishop dare to set downe a limitation where God himselfe hath set none The office of a King is declared by those Apostles to be i Rom. 13. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 14. for the punishment of them that doe euill and for the praise of them that doe well and if well doing and euill doing doe extend as well to Ecclesiasticall as Temporall affaires what warrant hath M. Bishop to restraine the Kings power from gouerning in them both Are temporall Magistrates saith he any Ecclesiasticall persons at all Let the Emperour Constantine giue him answere hereof who told his Bishops thus k Euseb de vita Constant l. 4. c. 24. Vos inquit intra Ecclesiam ego extra Ecclesiam Episcopus à Deo constitutus sum You are Bishops within the Church but without the Church God hath appointed me to be a Bishop signifying thereby that the acting and administring of diuine offices Sacraments did belong to them but that otherwise the gouernement of the Church and the power of commanding all for the preseruation of religion and well ordering of Church affaires did belong to him Though temporall Magistrates then be no Ecclesiasticall persons in the former sense yet a King as a Christian is a member of the Church and as a King by Constantines iudgement is appointed of God to bee externally the Ruler and Gouernour thereof Wherefore to call the state of Kings as M. Bishop doth a secular state as hauing to meddle only with secular and temporall things is a secular and prophane interpretation of the office of Kings and a meere begging of the point in question And of that presumption he inferreth another when he saith Is it meete and decent that the lesse worthy member should haue the supreme command ouer the more honourable I will not here stand vpon his absurd crossing of himselfe who hauing euen now made the state Ecclesiasticall and Secular two distinct bodies doth make them here members both of one body To let that passe who will grant him that the King is the lesse worthy and the Priest the more honourable He will say that matters of the soule which are of highest nature are administred by Priests Be it so and matters of the soule which are of the highest nature are commanded by Kings and the commanding power as we suppose is alwaies more honourable then the administring office The very Heathens thought that the deuotions to their Gods which were acted by their Priests were of greatest respect and yet they were not so fond as to conclude hereof that the person of the Priest was more honourable then the King In the policy ordered by God himselfe we finde l 2. Kings 23. 4. the Priests commanded by the King but we doe not finde the King commanded by the Priest We finde the Prophet stiling himselfe m 1. Kings 1. 24. 26. 27. the Kings seruant and the King his Lord but we doe not finde the King giuing that honour to the Prophet We know that in the naturall body the heart ministreth life vnto the head and yet the supremacy of honour resteth in the head euen for the gouernement and direction of things belonging to that life which is administred by the heart Euen so albeit the ministring of those things which concerne the saluation and life both of Prince and people belong to the Priest yet that hindereth not but that the highest honour and dignity resteth in the Prince so farre as to command for the due vsage and execution of those things which concerne the saluation both of himselfe and of his people This is saith M. Bishop to preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen Full wisely spoken as if a Christian King were nothing but body and nature and earth but a Priest no other but spirit and grace and heauen Yet we doubt not but that many Kings are more spirituall and gracefull and heauenly then many Priests and many Priests euen Popes themselues more sauouring of the body and nature and earth then many Kings and how doe we then by giuing the soueraignty to Kings preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen Forsooth the matters of the soule and of grace and of heauen he will say are managed by Priests Be it so make comparison then of the things but make no comparison thereby of the persons Say he that preferreth the things that belong to the Kings affaires before those things that are ministred by the Priest preferreth the body before the soule c. but we say we may in outward state of gouernement giue the supreme honour
and dignity to the King and yet preferre the things that are managed by the Priest before those things that are managed by the King Albeit I alwaies adde that to the King as without the Church belongeth the care and ouersight of those things that pertaine to the sauing of soules and to the furthering of his subiects in the grace of God and in the way to heauen so as that in this respect there is no cause why the Priest should be accounted superiour to the King And this our Princes haue done and still doe and yet the world with vs thanks be to God is not turned topsie-turuy but our state standeth vpright and prospereth maugre the hearts of all Romish malignant traitours and enemies that haue sought the ruine and ouerthrow thereof CHAP. V. That faith and religion cannot be safely grounded on the example of Fathers and forefathers and that the Popish factours notwithstanding doe in this behalfe abuse the credulity of ignorant men ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE NOw whereas he alleageth that all his Maiesties most royall Progenitours to sect 4. You talke M. Bishop of many vrgent c. W. BISHOP §. 1. PAgans and Heretikes doe now and then like Apes counterfait true Christians And no maruaile for their great Master Sathan doth transfigure himselfe sometimes into 2. Cor. 11. vâ— â—4 an Angell of light and did alwaies and yet doth labour to be like vnto the Highest but it is easie to espie their Esay 14 v. 14. apish tricks and to returne their fond subtleties vpon their owne heads Simmachus played but the part of a foolish sophister when he pleaded so with the Emperour Valentinian We are to follow our Fathers for the Emperours father and nearest Predecessors were no Pagan Idolaters but professed Christians as all men know who are conuersant in those ancient histories To the point of the proofe I answere in briefe that it is a most found inducement among vs Christians and to be dearely regarded of all To follow the foote-steps of our fore-fathers in beleeuing if they before haue not degenerated from their Ancestors The base and ground of it is this As God is more ancient then the Diuell and Christ Iesus then all Heretikes so was the true seruice of God and the right faith of Christ planted sowne and tooke fast roote before Heresie and Idolatry sprong vp which hath firme testimony from our Sauiour who teacheth That the good seede was first sowne by the Father Mat. 13. v. 24. of the houshold and the cockle after and ouersowne by the enemy Whence it followeth perspiculously that they who doe hold the same doctrine inuiolably which was embraced by them of that stocke who were first conuerted to the Christian faith are true and sincere Christians Those children then who follow the holy steps of their Catholike Progenitors ascending from Sonne to Father succâ—ssiuely till they arriue at the first Christians in that Country are true Christians and they that doe not succeede their Predecessors in their faith and religion but either are fallen themselues or doe follow others who before fell from the faith of their fore-fathers are vndoubtedly slipt into errour and infidelity By which discourse it is euident that I tendered a most reasonable request vnto his Maiesty that he would imbrace and countenance that religion which all his Progenitors euen to the first Christian among them had liued and dyed in because they were all Catholike and not one of them can be named who changed the religion of his fore-fathers yet this notwithstanding Simmachus the Pagan vsing the like argument in shew was not to be heard the difference is because his fore-fathers for whose Idolatry he pleaded had before forsaken the true and sincere worship of the one liuing God and therefore their children were not to continue in their Idolatry but to returne vnto their former Ancestors true piety So were the Donatists children of whom S. Augustine cited by M. Abbot speaketh not to follow their Fathers in that sect and heresie but to leaue their late corrupted parents in their new doctrine and to looke backe vnto their grandfathers ancient faith and religion from whose integrity their Fathers were degenerated Euen as now a-daies we exhort men that had or haue parents turned Protestants not to be led away with their erring Parents opinions but happily to receiue their forefathers ancient faith from which their Fathers reuolted vnaduisedly And so shall they returne vnto the roote and originall of our Lords tradition as S. Cyprian speaketh because they shall returne to that saith which was receiued from hand to hand euen from the Apostles our Lords most trusty and sacred messengers and cleauing fast to that shall not need to regard what any man hath thought fit to be done or said against it R. ABBOT PAgans Idolaters and Heretikes and of Heretikes the Papists namely are in this pretence of their Fathers and forefathers all alike and doe alike alleage the example of their fathers for warrant of irreligion and apostasie from God M. Bishop to make good their vse of it taketh vpon him to rectifie the rule and so to propound it as that it shall serue for a most sound inducement among vs Christians and to be dearely regarded of all And how is that Marry to follow the footesteps of our forefathers in beleeuing if they before haue not degenerated from their Ancestours Which if of his breaketh the force of his rule and is so farre from giuing a carefull man any sound inducement for setling his conscience in religion as that it casteth him rather into a further perplexity whilest he cannot but be in doubt whether those fathers whom he is wished to follow haue degenerated from their Ancestours or those Ancestours from other or those other from other that were before them In the iudgement and triall whereof if men haue not some certaine rule to be directed by they are easily blinded and led into errour whilest all Pagans and Heretikes and Papists pretend each for themselues that all their forefathers euen from the beginning were such as they are and haue their colours and shewes of antiquities whereby to perswade that they were so But yet to explicate and strengthen his rule he layeth this for the ground of it that as God is more ancient then the Diuell and Christ Iesus then all Heretikes so was the true seruice of God and faith of Christ before heresie and Idolatry Which ground of his we willingly admit and are most well content to build vpon it We hold it for certaine and infallible which Tertullian prescribeth against Heretikes that a Tertul. de Praescript Ex ipso ordine maniâ—estatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id autem extraneum â—aâ—sum qâ—od sit posterius immissum that is of the Lord and the very truth which was first deliuered that strange and false which is afterwards brought it and b Idem cont Marc.
largitas Where grace is there is not reward of workes but the largesse and bounty of the giuer h Leo Epist 84. Gratia nisâ— gratis dâ—tur non est gratia sed merces retribâ—tion meritorum Grace saith Leo except it be freely giuâ—n is no grace but a reward and recompense of merits leauing it consequent that if it be the reward and recompense of merits then it is not grace Thus they determine grace and merit to be things incompatible and of so perfect opposition eaâ—h to other as that the one cannot stand where place is yeelded to the other Sith then the Apostle teacheth that eternall life is a matter of grace and free gift we must conceiue that it is not to be hanged vpon mans merit or if in any respect it be to be ascribed to the merit of man it is not grace because it is not free in euery respect M. Bishops respects thereof of originally and principally are to be sent to the Pelagian schoole where they would be admitted as well as they are amongst the Papists but in the schoole of Christ they are exploded as derogatory to the grace of Christ and yeelding so much glory to man as is the manifest impeaching of the glory of God And yet so impudent is he that he would make St. Austin the author of his respects whom i Of Merits sect 8. before I haue shewed to be farre off from approuing any such Originally forsooth eternall life is the gift of God because we must receiue grace by the free gift of God befâ—re we can doe any thing that doth deserue the ioyes of heauen So then eternall life it selfe is not the free gift of God but only grace which enableth vs to worke by our free will and so to deserue eternall life And did St. Austin conceiue this to be the meaning of the Apostle Surely in the place before mentioned I haue shewed that St. Austin attributeth our good workes not originally only but fully and wholly to the gift and worke of God and thereby disclaimeth the merit of man because what shall man be said to merit by that that is wholly and only Gods Therefore he saith that God in rendering eternall life to good workes doth but giue k August de Grat. lib. Arbit cap. 8. Gratia est pro gratia grace for grace one grace after and for another M. Bishop would haue him say that God rendereth merit for grace but St. Austin will acknowledge no other but only grace for grace And the more to beate downe the pride of merit he saith l Ibid. cap. 7. Si Dei dona sunt bona merita tua non Deus coronat merita tua tâ—nquam merita tuâ— sed tanquam dona sua If thy good workes be the gifts of God then God crowneth not thy merits as thy merits but as his owne gifts Yea he plainly testifieth that therefore the Apostle saith m Ibid. cap. 9. Maluit diâ—â—re Gratia Dei vitâ— aeterna vt hinâ— intellâ—gâ—râ—mus non pro meritis nostris Deum nos ad vitam aeternam sed pro â—iseratione sua perducere Eternall life is the grace or gift of God that we should vnderstand that God bringeth vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his onâ—ne mercies sake alleaging to that purpose the wordes of the Psalme n Psal 103. 4. He crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnesse As touching his second limitation that eternall life is principally the gift of God because the whole vertue and value of our merits proceedeth of the dignity of Gods grace in vs which doth eleuate and giue such worth to our workes that they thereby deserue life euerlasting the nullity of it is plaine by that that hath beene said because if the whole value of the worke bee to bee assigned to the grace of God then can no merit bee reputed thereby to man for what should man merit by that in the worth whereof hee can chalenge nothing to be his I haue o Of Merits sect 3. before shewed that that whereby a man should be said to merit must be of himselfe If the value of the thing be of another let the merit be ascribed to him of whom it is but vainly doth he claime merit who hath no propriety of that whereby he should merit As concerning the value of good workes I shall haue occasion further to speake in the thirteenth chapter and therefore I forbeare to stand vpon it in this place Only I wish M. Bishop to consider that which St. Austin briefly saith that p August de Temp. ser 49. In comparatione resurrectionis illius stercus est tota viâ—a quam genimus paulò priùs Vnusquisque metiatur se quid est modò quid erit tunc inueniet in comparatione illiâ—s iustitiâ— ista damna esse stercora in comparison of the resurrection all the life that here we leade is but dung let euery man measure himselfe saith he what he is now and what he shall be then and he shall finde that in comparison of the righteousnesse that shall be then all now is but drosse and dung Now tell vs M. Bishop your opinion may we thinke drosse to be worth gold or the dung of this earth to deserue that righteousnesse and glory of heauen What madnesse is it to imagine such a value of desert in that worke which is but dung in comparison of that that it should deserue But at once to ouerthrow all that M. Bishop hath here answered I will set downe what Fulgentius hath deliuered concerning the place here in hand q Fulgent ad Monim lib. 1. Gratia autem etiam ipsa non iniustè dicitur quiâ—â—â—on solâ—â—â— donis sâ—is Deus doâ—â—a sua reddit sed quia tantum etiam â—bi gratia diuina retributionis exuberat vt incomparabilitèr atque inessabilitèr omne meritum quamuis bonâ— â—â— Dâ—o datâ— humanae voluntatis atque operationis excedat Therefore is eternall life saith he not without cause called grace not only for that God rendereth his owne gifts to his owne gifts but also for that the grace of Gods reward doth there so much abound as that incomparably and vnspeakably it exceedeth all the merit of the will and worke of man although it be good and giuen of God himselfe By which wordes he plainly giueth vs to vnderstand as on the one side that God in bringing vs to eternall life doth but proceede in giuing and consummate thereby the gift of saluation which from the beginning he freely intended to vs and by calling and iustifying and glorifying vs as by degrees acteth that which he intended so on the other side that in the intermediate gifts of God there is nothing to take away from the finall gift the name of grace because there is no comparison betwixt the one and the other that the one should be said in any sort to merit and deserue the other But here it is
of the Valentinian Heretikes and Heracleonites as I haue z Answere to the Preface of the second part sect 20. before shewed St. Iames doth not say Is any man in extremity of sicknesse past hope of life and now departing out of the world as M. Bishop in part speaketh and as they wholly vse that new deuised Sacrament but he saith absolutely Is any man sicke Againe St. Iames maketh the effect of that annointing to be bodily health saying that the Lord shall raise him vp or giue him ease which is the sauing or preseruing of which he speaketh namely from the perill and danger of sicknesse as a Bellarm. de Extr. vnct c. 8. Incipit à sanitate corporali cum ait Oratio fidei saluabit infir 〈…〉 Bellarmine himselfe expoundeth it whereas the effect of Sacraments is no corporall benefit but only inward and spirituall grace For albeit the water of Baptisme haue an effect to cleanse the body and bread and wine in the Lords Supper to nourish and feede the same yet these are no Sacramentall but only naturall effects belonging to these creatures without any Sacrament whereas the proper effect of that whereof St. Iames speaketh is bodily recouery and therefore by b OEcumen in Iac. 5. Hoc etiam Domino adhuc inter homines conuersante Apostoli sacrebant vngentes aegrotos olâ—o sanantes OEcumenius is made all one with that which the Apostles did as I haue alleaged whereof health is noted to haue ensued His last text is to proue that we must confesse our sinnes not to God only but also to men because the same St. Iames saith Confesse your sinnes one to another And who denyeth this who gainsayeth it when as our Sauiour Christ so plainly instructeth him that hath c Luke 17. 4. sinned against his brother to returne to him and say It repenteth me that so there may be reconciliation and peace betwixt them We make no question of confessing repentantly and charitably one to another but we question the necessity of confessing auricularly to the Priest by particular enumeration of all our sinnes and so farre is the text which M. Bishop citeth from deliuering expresly this as that his Masters of Rhemes doe plainly tell him that d Rhem. Testam Annotat. Iam. 1. 16. it is not certaine that St. Iames speaketh here of sacrament all confession who notwithstanding would haue bin glad if they could haue had any ground wherupon to affirme that he did so Now what did he then meane thus to heape together such a number of places as wherein their Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse termes when as there is not one of them that doth iustifie their Roman doctrine and his owne fellowes doe confesse so much of sundry of them What neede we to ransacke all the corners of our wits to deuise odde shifts to auoide the â—uidence as he calleth it of such places which without any shifts at all are so easily and plainly cleared as these are Yet according to his wonted and wise manner he concludeth that the Protestants doe not receiue all the written word who notwithstanding receiue all these places reade them cite them expound them acquaint the people vsually with them which they by no meanes dare to doe Yea but the Scriptures are not in reading but in vnderstanding and we doe not take them in the right sense Silly fellow what hindereth but that we should be thought able to vnderstand the Scriptures as well as he Forsooth we receiue not the Scriptures he saith according to the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition But be thou Iudge gentle Reader whether in this whole worke to goe no further I haue not brought the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition more frequently and firmely then he hath done He talketh of the Doctors for shew to blinde simple men but the true cause of their griefe is that wee receiue not the Romish exposition nor bee content to submit the whole Scriptures to the Popes will But because we finde no such rule amongst the most ancient and best learned Doctors that the Popes mouth should be any oracle of Scripture-sense we leaue his babling of the exposition of Scripture as partiall and idle and doe wish him to learne more wit then to take Scriptures in such sort as they that are at Rome are faine to doe W. BISHOP §. 8. NOw to draw towards the end of this clause not only neuer a one of M. Abbots assertions whereby hee went about to proue themselues and their Church to bee Catholike is true as hath beene shewed before but ouer and besides his very conclusion conuinceth himselfe euen by the verdict of himselfe to fall 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 proued to bee an Apostolicall 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 Ex perfectione Page 16. lin 5. doctrinae By perfectnesse of their doctrine which was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatâ—sticall 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 hereticall We like well 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 whether our doctrine or the Protestant be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in all 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 wide and wilde windlesses from old father Abrahams dayes but should haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiasticall Histories or of ancient Fathers who were in the pure times of the Church the most Godly and approued Pastors thereof that the Protestants religion had flourished since the Apostles dayes ouer all 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 all points their faith and religion which he seeing impossible for any man to doe fell 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 ought said of his singular prerogatiues It hath not peraduenture That whatsoeuer hee should loose on earth should bee loosed in