the graue counsel of that sage Lawier Sr. Edward Cooke whose booke â—e citeth wherein is said In the preface of his fift of reportes That controuersies in religion are to be handled with al candor and charity and not with bitter invectiues like men transported with fury To end this point if he hold â—n that course of scurrility he wil driue me and others to giue him ouer in the plaine field for a foule-mouthed wrangler that deserueth no answere Thus much by the way of the manner of his inditing Now to the matter of his booke which doth principally consist in allegation of Authors and applying their sentences to his purpose How insufficiently he hath behaued himselfe therein shal be particularly discyphered 〈◊〉 their proper places I wil here only for a tast of his judgement and sinâ—erity therein giue a touch vnto some general heades thereof First doth 〈◊〉 not euidently proue great want of judgement and discretion to alleage 〈◊〉 vpright witnesses in matters of controuersie such authors as are knowne to al the world to be professed parties of the same side If I should cite for confirmation of the Catholike cause D oct Harding D oct Sanders D oct Stapleton or any other Catholike late writer would not the vnpassionate reader take me for very simple if I thought that any man would the sooner beleeue me for their opinions that were men though most learned and right honest yet not indifferent because they were professed aduocates of the same cause Euen so a man of any wit cannot but maruaile where M. Abbots senses were when he so commonly and confidently for proofe of any doubt doth produce the authority of Bale a late Irish Apostata Frier whome be sometime also calleth Balaeus to make him seeme two worshipful authors that is not worthy to be halfe one Fox Iewel Humphrey Holinshed Sr. Edward Cooke the Magdeburgenses Kemnitius Illyricus Sleidan Hospinian and many others open and professed aduersaries of the Catholike Roman Church and therefore no vpright and fit witnesses against it He without doubt may garnish his margent with variety of quotations that blusheth not to cite so frequently as M. Abbot doth such partial writers But no man I hope wil be so foolish as to giue credit vnto any thing that is no better verified then by the verdict of such false witnesses For to cal one of them to giue testimony is no better then after our English prouerbe to hidde a man aske one of his fellowes whether he be a theefe or no. Againe there is another circumstance in the citing of his late partial authors which maketh it yet more absurd and ridiculous For he sticketh not to produce the credit of a seely writer of this last hundred yeares for verification of a matter done more then a thousand yeares before he was borne For example to proue that Pope Eleutherius acknowledged Lucius King of our Country 1400. yeares past to be supreame gouernour in causes Ecclesiastical Page 26. M. Abbot alleageth Holinshed a Chronicler of our age what a jest is this how knew this late writer what passed so long before his owne time was there not any one Hystoriographer more ancient then he neither Latin nor English that could tel any tidings of such a matter And yet M. Abbot is so il aduised as to perswade vs to receiue it vpon his seely poore credit Of the like stuffe is that in another place of his booke Page 60. to wit that Syritius Bishop of Rome who liued about 1200. yeares agoe was a noueller and that by the worshipful verdict of Polidore Virgil who liued eleauen hundred yeares after him What are learned men growne so carelesse of their credit that they dare let passe to the print such doting follies and so grosse absurdities this may serue for a note of his ouersight in alleadging his owne pew-fellowes for vpright and indifferent vmpeers and late moderne authors for the certainety of ancient matters Now to his citations of the more authentike approued writers whome he doth greatly abuse in diuers and sundry fashions The first and most gentle is when he doth cite their wordes truly but doth apply them cleane contrary to their meaning For example in his Epistle to the Kinges Majesty be approueth his Highnesse course for the answering of Catholike bookes producing for it this sentence out of S. Bernard That though thereby the Heretike arise not from his filth yet the Church may be confirmed in her faith M. Abbot meaning as the sequele of his speech doth import that if thereby men of the Roman religion wil not be conuerted from their errors yet the good Protestants may be confirmed in their new faith which is very farre wide from S. Bernardes expresse declaration as else-where so in that very place For that deuout holy Father was so farre off from disswading any man from the Roman faith that he wisheth al men to make their recourse vnto the See of Rome for resolution of al doubts in faith these be his wordes to Pope Innocentius We must referre to your Apostleship Epist 190. al the scandals and perils vvhich may fal in matter of faith specially because the defects of faith must be holpen where faith cannot faile for to what other See was it euer said Luc. 22. vers 31. I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith doe not faile See then what Church S. Bernard would confirme in her faith not the Protestant but the Roman Moreouer in that very discourse out of which M. Abbot â—icketh the former sentence Serm. 66. S. Bernard doth in particuler describe those Heretikes whome he perswaded to arise from their filth to be such as held the Church not to haue beene visible for many yeares but to haue lyen hidde in corners Item that vvould not beleeue â—hat any soules departed went to Purgatory but either to heauen or to hel presently and so defrauded the dead of the prayers of the liuing Also such as vvould disswade from praying to the Saints these and such like are those Heretikes by S. Bernardes judgement whome he would haue to rise from the drosse and dregs of such erronious opinions and returne vnto the Roman Catholike faith Now judge with what conscience M. Abbot could cul some wordes out of the same discourse to perswade men by the countenance of S. Bernard to forsake praying to Saints and for the dead and the whole Roman religion so strongly established by that reuerend religious Father in the very same place This may suffice for a proofe of his misapplying the Fathers sentences wherein he offendeth as often and as grieuously I thinke as euer did any Christian writer as shal be hereafter shewed Now to another tricke of his no lesse shameful which is the misconstruing of their wordes let this serue for a paterne Against the worshipping of Images he produceth the authority of S. Gregory Bishop of Rome Page 104. Commending as he fableth the zeale of
fiercely bent to deceiue others that he cared not vvhat vntruth he vttered The Apostle maketh honourable mention of Hebr. 9. vers 4. 5. the Images of the Cherubins placed gloriously in the vppermost part of the Israelites Tabernacle which for the holinesse thereof was called Sancta sanctorum Further that within the Arke of the testament standing in the same place vvere reserued pretious Relikes as the rodde of Aaron that blossomed a golden pot ful of that Angelical foode Manna which God rained from heauen and the Tables of the Testament to vvhich if you joine the sentence of the same Apostle 1. Cor. 10. vers 11. That al hapned to them in figure and were written for our instruction may not vve then gather thereby that Images are to be placed in Churches and holy Relikes in golden shrines And the same Apostle in the same Epistle declaring Hebr. 11. vers 21. that Iacob by faith adored the toppe of Iosephs â—odde vvhich was a signe of his power doth he not giue al juditious men to vnderstand that the Images of Saints for their holy representation ought to be respected and worshipped With as great facility and no lesse perspicuity we doe collect out of S. Paul that the Saints in heauen are to be praied vnto for he doth Rom. 15 30. 2. hartily craue the Romans to helpe him in their praiers and hopeth by the helpe of Cor. 1. vers 11. the Corinthians praiers to be deliuered from great dangers Whence we reason thus If such a holy man as S. Paul was stood in neede of other mens praiers much more neede haue we poore vvretches of the praiers of Saints S. Paul was not ignorant how ready God is to heare vs nor of the only mediation of Christ IESVS and yet as high as he was in Gods fauour and as wel informed of the office of Christs mediation he held it needful to request other farre meaner then himselfe to pray for him Al this is good saith a good Protestant for to instruct vs to request the helpe of other mens praiers that are liuing with vs but not of Saints who are departed this world Yes say we because the Saints in heauen are more charitable and desirous of Gods honour and of our spiritual good then any friend we haue liuing and therefore more forward to assist vs vvith their praiers They are also more gratious in the sight of God and thereby better able to obtaine our requests Al vvhich may easily be gathred out of S. Paul vvho saith that 1. Cor. 13.8 charity neuer faileth but is maruailously encreased in that heauenly country Also that Ephes 2. vers 19. we are not strangers and forraigners to the Saints but their fellow cittizens and the houshold seruants of God with them yea we are members of the same body wherefore they cannot choose but tender most dearely al our sutes that appertaine vnto the glory of God our owne saluation They therefore haue finally no other shift to auoide praying to Saints but to say that though al other circumstances doe greatly moue vs thereto yet considering that they cannot heare vs it is labour lost to pray to them To vvhich we reply and that out of S. Paul that the Saints can heare vs and doe perfectly know our praiers made vnto them For the Apostle comparing the knowledge of this life vvith that of the life to come saith 1. Cor. 13. vers 9.10 12. De Ciuitat Dei lib. 22. cap. 29. In part we know and in part we prophecy but when that shal come which is perfect that shal be made voide which is in part And a little after We see now by a glasse in a darke sort but then face to face Whence not I but that Eagle-eied Doctor S. Augustine doth deduce that the knowledge of the heauenly cittizens is without comparison farre more perfect and clearer then euer any mortal mans vvas of thinges absent and to come yea that the Prophets vvho vvere indued with surpassing and extraordinary light did not reach any thing neare vnto the ordinary knowledge of the Saints in heauen grounding himselfe vpon these expresse wordes of the Apostle We prophecy in part that is imperfectly in this life which shal be perfect in heauen If then saith he the Prophets being mortal men had particular vnderstanding of thinges farre distant from them and done in other countries much more doe those immortal soules replenished with the glorious light of heauen perfectly know that which is done on earth though neuer so farre from them thus much of praying to Saints Now to the Masse The same profound diuine S. Augustine with other holy Fathers vvho were not wont so lightly to skimme ouer the Scriptures as our late new Masters doe but seriously searched them and most deepely pearced into them did also finde al the partes of the Masse touched by the Apostle S. Paul in these vvordes Aug. epist 59 ad PaulinuÌ„ Ambros Chrisost in hunc locum 1. Tim. 2. v. 1. I desire that obsecrations praiers postulations thanks-giuings be made for al men c. declaring how by these foure wordes of the Apostles are expressed the foure different sort of praiers vsed in the celebration of the holy Misteries By obsecrations those praiers that the Priest saith before consecration By praiers such as be said at and after the coÌ„secration vnto the end of the Pater noster By postulations those that are said at the communion vnto the blessing of the people Finally By thanks-giuing such as are said after by both Priest and people to giue God thankes for so great a gift receiued He that knowes what the Masse is may by these wordes of the Apostle see al the partes of it very liuely painted out in this discourse of S. Augustine vvho though he calleth not that celebration of the Sacrament by the name of Masse yet doth he giue it a name equiualent Epistola 59. Sacri Altaris oblatio the oblation or sacrifice of the holy Altar in the solution of the fift question at the exposition of these vvordes Orationes As for the principal part of the Masse vvhich is the Real presence of Christes body in the blessed Sacrament S. Paul deliuereth it in as expresse tearmes as may be euen as he had receiued it from our Lord 1. Cor. 11. vers 23. This is my body which shal be deliuered for you c. and addeth that he that eateth and drinketh it vnworthily eateth and drinketh judgement to himselfe not discerning the body of our Lord. And in the chapter before makes this demande The Chalice or cup of benediction which we blesse is it not the communication of the bloud of Christ and the bread which we breake is it not the participation of the body of our Lord Moreouer he speaketh of the Church of Rome being then but in her cradle most honourably saying Your faith is renowmed in the whole world and after Rom. 1.
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
Israelites d Genes 48. vers 16. God c. and the Angel that hath deliuered me from al euil blesse these children The example of so religious a person is our sufficient vvarrant to pray to Angels and Saints for e Luc. 22. Saints in heauen are equal to Angels as our Sauiour himselfe assureth vs and Iob was counsailed to pray and cal for aide vnto some of the Saints f Iob. 5. vers 1. Ad aliquem Sanctorum conuerte Thirdly they of the old Testament knew good vvorkes to merit life euerlasting and had by Gods grace free-wil to doe them which I adde because by the same sentences I wil proue both togither God said vnto Cain Genes 4. vers 7. If thou doe wel shalt thou not receiue if euil thy sinne wil be at the dore but the appetite or pange of it shal be vnder thee and thou shalt haue dominion ouer it see both power giuen to the wicked to doe wel if they wil and recompence promised therefore Againe in the law Moises hauing propounded to the Israelites Gods commandements exhorting them thereunto saith Deuter. 30. vers 15. Consider that I set before you life and good and contrariwise death and euil if you loue God and wil walke in his commandements life or else death c. Vers 19. choose therefore life c. Must they not be very dul that hence cannot gather the keeping of Gods commandements to deserue and merit life euerlasting and that man hath by the aide of Gods grace free-wil to performe them Fourthly they that were skilful in the law of Moises could not be ignorant of vvorkes of supererogation that is that there vvere many good workes which men were not bound to doe yet if they did them they might thereby aduance themselues in Gods fauour because there is Numer 6. special order taken for the sanctification of any man or woman that would be a Nazarite that is any one that of deuotion would withdraw himselfe from secular affaires and for some certaine time serue God more religiously yet no man was bound therevnto Further they were allowed and encouraged to make vowes which is also a worke of supererogation against M. Abbot fift instance For not only Dauid saith Psalm 75. vers 12. Vow and render it to our Lord but in the law it is written * Deuter. 23. vers 21. When thou doest vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God slacke not to performe it because the Lord thy God doth require it c. but if thou wilt not promise thou shalt be without sinne And to leaue the word Monkery as fitter for a Monkey then for an Abbot Iosephus a graue authour among the Iewes vvitnesseth That there liued in the time of the law many thousandes called Esseni Antiquitat Iudaic. lib. 18. cap. 2. who were contemners of riches liued in common hauing neither wiues nor seruants What other thing doe Monkes professe then such pouerty and chastity sauing obedience vvhich must needes also in some degree be among the others who liued no doubt in orderly society Sixtly neither they nor vve either buy or sel pardons yet had great mercy and pardon shewed them for their fore-fathers sake as God test fieth in the first commandement And that they were on the other side to endure temporal punishment for sinne after the guilt of the sinne the eternal paine was forgiuen them is most clearely recorded both of al the people of Israel Numer 14. Whose murmuration against God was at the earnest intercession of Moises pardoned and yet were they therefore depriued of entring into the land of promise Yea Numer 20. vers 24. Moises and Aaron themselues were in like manner both pardoned for their diffidence that they did not glorifie God at the waters of contradiction and yet neuerthelesse Deuter. 32. vers 51. debarred from entring into the land of promise for the same offence so that after the mortal guilt of sinne is remitted there remaineth either some temporal satisfaction to be made on our parties or else to be forgiuen and pardoned vs by God and his Ministers Seauenthly that they made praiers and offered sacrifice for the soules in Purgatory is manifest by the fact of 2. Mach. 12. Iudas Machabeus who was a most noble vertuous and faithful Israelite as al Christians doe confesse Neither is there any neede for this purpose to auerre and proue the bookes of the Machabees to be Canonical Scripture when it serueth this turne that they be taken for a graue History and that the Protestants allow them to be of sufficient authority for instruction of manners Further al the Iewes euen to this day doe pray for the soules in Purgatory Titulo 1. Sect. 4. see the Catholike Apology out of Protestant Authours Eightly the Iewes of the male-kinde by their law vvere bound to goe as it were in pilgrimage at three solemne feasts in the yeare vnto one special place that God should choose for his seruice And King Salomon encouraged al strangers to goe on pilgrimage to the Temple builded by him vvhen he praied Deuter. 16. vers 16 that what stranger soeuer should come thither to pray he might obtaine his sute And the ¶ * 3. Reg. 8. vers 21. bones of the Prophet Elizeus giuing life by their touch vnto a dead man doth sufficiently instruct al true beleeuers that it is very profitable to goe on pilgrimage vnto the sacred bones and holy Relikes of Gods faithful seruants departed Lastly they were not wholy vnacquainted with a kinde of shrift and absolution for 4. Reg. 13. vers 21. Numer 5. Leuit. 5. they were charged to confesse the sinnes they had committed and to bring with them vnto the Priest a prescribed sacrifice to be offered by them for their pardon and absolution And as the lepers by that law were bound to present themselues to the Priests and were by them declared such or purged from that imputation so in the law of grace men infected with the soules leprosie that is mortal sinne are either to be bound and declared obstinate by the Priests if they vvil not repent or repenting and confessing the same are to be cleansed there-from by the Priests absolution Chrisost li. 3. de Sacerdot Hieron in ca. 16. Math. as both S. Chrisostome and S. Hierome doe argue This in briefe wil suffice I hope for answere vnto M. Abbots particulars I might easily adde how the sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine were both prefigured by Melchisedechs Host in bread and vvine and foretold by the Genes 14. Malach. 10. Prophet Malachy and vvhat a liuely type Manna that Angelical and delicate foode was of Christs body in the Sacrament And how the supreme authority of one head ouer al the whole Church and that to belong to a Bishop not to the lay Magistrate was not obscurely shadowed but liuely represented by the
they seeke to deuour before they be aware of them But as S. Augustine aduiseth very prudently The sheepe must not therefore cast off his owne skinne because the wolfe doth sometime put it on no more must Catholikes forsake any branch or good circumstance of fasting because the Montanists vsed them If any man be desirous to know the true founders of the Protestant doctrine against fasting they are of record in right good authours but noted by them for very vvicked Heretikes Aërius saith both Epiphanius and S. Augustine vnto the Arrian heresie added some other errours of his owne to wit That we ought not to pray and offer sacrifice for the dead and that certaine standing fastes were not to be commanded but that men might fast when they pleased least otherwise they should be vnder the law Is not this the first part of the Protestant plea and opinion that there must be no standing and ordinary fastes Ioyne hereunto one branch of Iouinians heresie Hieron lib. 1. cont Iouin cap. 2. That there is no difference betweene abstaining from meate and receiuing of the same with thanks-giuing that is al is one before God and no more merit or satisfaction in fasting then in eating and then you haue the ful doctrine of the Protestants patched vp out of the rotten reproued ragges of two old condemned Heretikes Aërius and Iouinian The old Roman faith vvhich to this day doth remaine inuiolable walketh in the middest of these two extremities shee leaueth it not to euery mans discretion to fast when and how he pleaseth as Aërius vvould haue had it for then there vvould be little fasting with many as daily experience teacheth vs but cōmandeth certaine standing times of fasting prescribing also one vniforme manner to be obserued of al who be of age and in health which is done according to the tradition of the Apostles with that moderation of both time and diet that shee is as farre on the other side from the presumptuous and vndiscreet prescription of the Montanists as may be We can better defend our selues from Montanus errours then M. Abbot can doe the Protestants from one principal point of them vvhich was as S. Hierome reporteth that they at euery sinne almost Epist. 49. ad Marcellum de dogmate Montani did shut vp the Church dores that is did deny that there was in the Pastours of the Church power to absolue them from those sinnes And were so sterne and rough as S. Hierome saith not that they themselues did not commit more grieuous offences but because there is this difference betwixt the Montanists vs that they are ashamed to confesse their sinnes as men but we whiles we doe penance doe more easily merit and deserue pardon vvhere you see that the ancient Roman Church of which S. Hierome was an eminent Doctor did dissent from the Montanists about the Sacrament of confession The Montanists then as the Protestants now did not beleeue that Priests had power to forgiue many sortes of sinne and therefore vvould not goe to confession Contrariwise the Catholikes then beleeued as we doe now that Priests could pardon al sortes of sinne and therefore went to confession and did such penance as vvas injoyned them thereby to deserue pardon of their sinnes ROBERT ABBOT TO this heresie of Montanus the Church of Rome hath added the practise and defence of sundry other heresies which were condemned of old by the same Church Epiphan Haeres 78. Antid Idem Haeres 79. Collyrid The Collyridians were adjudged Heretikes for worshipping the Virgin Mary and offering vnto her Epiphanius calling it a wicked and blasphemous act a Deuilish worke and the doctrine of the vncleane spirit affirming that shee vvas not giuen vs to be worshipped that because men should not admire or thinke to highly of her therefore he spake to her in that sort in the Gospel Woman what haue I to doe with thee that if God vvould not haue the Angels to be worshipped much lesse a vvoman that the Sonne of God tooke flesh of the holy Virgin but not that shee should therefore be worshipped nor to make her a God nor that we should offer in her name That shee should be in honour but yet let no man worship her saith he let them not say we doe honour to the Queene of heauen Yet the Church of Rome that now is worshippeth the Virgin Mary praieth and offereth to her vnder the name of the Queene of heauen WILLIAM BISHOP Hierem. 13. WHEN the Aethiopian doth change his tanned skinne and the Leopard his speckled case as the Prophet speaketh then and not before I vveene vvil the Aethiopian blacke soule of this Tanners sonne leaue off to abuse the holy Fathers writinges and to deceiue his credulous readers Epiphanius a most holy man and a very learned Bishop in recounting confuting the heresies that vvere sprong vp in and before his time commeth at length vnto the erronious opinions which some held of the most blessed Virgin Mary the glorious mother of God which were in two extremities For some named Antidicomarianitae that is enemies to the sacred Virgin because they spake against her perpetual virginity whose blasphemy he checketh in the 78. heresie which is the first chapter cited by M. Abbot Wherein that holy Father doth most highly commend her stiling her an immaculate Virgin worthy to be made the pallace of the Sonne of God A holy pretious most excellent and admirable vessel comprehending him that is incomprehensible The Princesse of Virginity The Mother of the liuing and the cause of life preferring her before S. Iohn the Euangelist S. Iohn Baptist and Helias Adding finally That though shee were a woman and not in nature changed yet for her sence vnderstanding and other graces Honore honorata which according to the phrase of Scripture signifieth To be honoured with singular honour yea With as great as the bodies of the Saints or what else he could name more to her glory That it was affected madnesse in lieu of worshipping that holy Virgin and honourable vessel with Hymnes and glory to inueigh and raile against her Where you see that the reuerend Bishop Epiphanius doth intimate that it is the part of euery sober Christian to worship the holy Virgin Mary vsing these formal words Virginem sanctam vas honoratum colere To worship the holy Virgin and honourable vessel If M. Abbot then had not beene starke blinde with malice and madly bent to delude and beguile his vnwary reader he vvould neuer haue presumed to alleage Epiphanius vvordes against his owne declaration and meaning But what then meant he when he said that the blessed Virgin was not to be adored vvhich M. Abbot Englisheth alwaies vvas not to be worshipped marry you shal heare out of his owne discourse Euen as some Heretikes saith he declining on the left hand blasphemed the Sonne of God saying that he was not equal to his Father in nature Other walking too much on the right hand
extolled him so farre forth that they affirmed him to be both Father and holy Ghost In like manner as there be some Heretikes that dishonoured the holy Virgin Mary so there were some other foolish women that would haue made her a God offering vp to her sacrifice and instituting women Priests to doe her seruice Whose doating folly Epiphanius reproueth in the next chapter teaching first that it was not lawful for any woman to offer sacrifice or to baptise Secondly that neither the blessed Mother of God nor any other creature was to be adored that is worshipped vvith that honour which is due to God alone but he deliuereth in most expresse tearmes that shee is to be worshipped with another meaner kinde of worship that is due vnto excellent holy men and the sacred seruants of God Most goodly saith he is the blessed Virgin holy and to be honoured but not so farre forth as to adoration that is shee is to be honoured but not with diuine honour vvhich he otherwise repeateth thus Let the holy Virgin Mary be honoured but let the Father Sonne and holy Ghost be adored And yet more plainly explicating himselfe by that tearme of adoration Let not the Virgin be adored so as we take her for a God or offer vp sacrifice in her name Wherefore nothing wil appeare more manifest to him that pleaseth to reade that reuerend Authour then that there he reproueth them only vvho gaue Diuine and Godly honour vnto the immaculate virgin Mary making her a God and offering sacrifice to her But that shee is to be worshipped with another sort of honour due vnto the best seruants of God he doth both in that and in the former Chapter teach most plainly twenty times which is the very doctrine of the present Church of Rome vvhich holdeth God alone to be worshipped with diuine honour called Latria but the Saints in heauen and holy Personages on earth with a holy worship due to their gifts and graces of heauenly Wisdome Fortitude and Holinesse which God hath indued them withal This matter of worshipping Saints S. Augustine that most learned Doctor and firme pillar of the Roman Church hath fully and distinctly deliuered 1200. yeares agoe in these most memorable vvordes August lib. 1. cont Iustum Manich. cap. 21. Christian people with religious solemnity doe celebrate the memory of Martirs aswel to stirre vp an imitation of their vertues as to be made partakers of their merits and to be holpen with their praiers yet so as we doe erect Altars only vnto the God of Martirs though in remembrance of the Martirs For what Prelate or Priest seruing at the Altar in the place of their holy bodies hath at any time said we offer vnto thee Peter or Paul or Cyprian but that which is offered is offered to God who hath crowned the Martirs and is offered at the memorial or relikes of them whom he hath crowned to the end that by the admonition of those places there may arise greater deuotion to inflame our charity both towardes them whom we may imitate and also towardes him by whose helpe we may be enabled so to doe Therefore we doe worship the Martirs with that reuerence and respect with which holy men whose harts we thinke ready to suffer as much for the truth of Christ are in this life worshipped yet with this difference that we doe more deuoutly worship the Saints of whose vertues we are assured and who doe now triumph in heauen then we doe those that are yet combating in the field of this life but with that worship which in Greeke is called Latria and hath no one proper Latin word it being a certaine worship properly due vnto the God-head neither doe we worship or teach to be worshipped any other then God alone And whereas the offering of sacrifice doth properly appertaine to this kinde of worship whence their act that offer it to Idols is called Idolatry we doe not in any case offer any such thing or command any such offering to be made vnto Martirs nor to any other and if any man fal into that errour he is reproued by this sound doctrine that he may be amended or auoided hitherto S. Augustine Now let the vpright reader consider wel of this sacred and sound doctrine deliuered by the best learned in the pure estate of the primitiue Church and then judge vvhether the present Roman Church doth teach any other vvorshipping of Saints at this day We worship Saints in heauen vvith a kinde of holy and religious vvorship for their holy and religious vertues so did the good Christians in S. Augustines daies With a religious solemnity and with greater deuotion then they did the Godliest and most holy men aliue We doe teach vvord by word after S. Augustine that with that kinde of worship which is proper to God alone vvhich for vvant of a proper Latin word we cal Latria God only is to be worshipped Another kinde of vvorship which for distinction sake we cal Dulia of Doulos that in Greeke signifieth a seruant we doe exhibit as due to Gods seruants which is infinitely lesse then that vvhich we giue vnto the soueraigne Lord and Master of Men and Angels Now because the worship due by sacrifice is a recognising of his soueraigne dominion ouer vs to vvhom we doe offer sacrifice and of our subjection to him as to our soueraigne Lord therefore to God alone sacrifice is to be offered Yet as you haue heard out of S. Augustine Sacrifice is principally to be offered at the relikes and memorial of Martirs and Saints and in their remembrances that we may thereby be made partakers of their merits holpen with their praiers and also inflamed with a feruent desire of following their excellent vertues Note by the way the antiquity of the Christians offering sacrifice of communicating the merits of Martirs to others of the helpe of the Sâ—ints praiers Now if any vvould offer sacrifice to the blessed Virgin Mary or attribute to her any other part of that honour vvhich is proper to God alone we would be as ready to checke and reproue them as Epiphanius then was to confute the foolish female Collyridians To returne to M. Abbot vvhere were his wits when he cited out of his authour these wordes The holy Virgin is to be in honour yet not to be worshipped for had he but marked wel those wordes he might easily haue perceiued that Epiphanius did not mislike with al kinde of worship that was giuen to that most blessed Virgin seing that he vvould haue her to be honoured which is a higher kinde of reuerence then ordinary worship is for to be honourable is more then to be worshipful as euery man meanely seene in titles doth know vvherefore M. Abbot cannot be excused from a foule fault in that he hath translated the Latin word adorare and adoratio into bare and naked worship for in that place it is taken for Diuine and Godly worship as al the circumstances of
the place doe conuince And then yet more sottishly doth he ground al his objections vpon his owne corrupt translation of the same word for if he had englished the word adoratio sincerely for diuine honour as in that place it signifieth he had not had any colour of this slander for then he must haue said thus The Collyridians were adjudged Heretikes for adoring or worshipping with diuine honour the Virgin MARY and so of the rest But we Catholikes doe not giue to her any diuine honour neither doe we offer sacrifice vnto her or vnto any Saint as M. Abbot fableth but to God alone see more of this in the Question of the Sacrifice True it is that we cal that blessed Virgin Queene of heauen treading therein in the steps of the most ancient learned and Godly Fathers S. Athanasius S. Gregory Nazianzene S. Bazil S. Chrysostome and others vvhose wordes I haue cited in the Question of worshipping of Saints And the reasons why shee may be called Queene of heauen be diuers first shee is Mother to the King of heauen IESVS Christ and the Kinges Mother is ordinarily saluted Queene Secondly euery true Christian indued with the spirit of God Rom. 8. Is Sonne and heire to God and coheire of Christ dying then in that happy estate no doubt but they shal enter into possession of the Kingdome of heauen and consequently be Kinges or Queenes thereof Thirdly the Spouse of the King of heauen may in good sence be called Queene of heauen but euery good soule much more the most sacred Virgin of Virgins is the Spouse of Christ vvhich is confirmed by the Royal Prophet where he describeth as it were the blessed Virgin MARY standing at the right hand of her Sonne in his Kingdome and intituleth her Queene Psalm 44. Astitu Regina à dextris tuis The Queene did stand at thy right hand Lastly the principal and chiefest person of any honourable society may according to the vsual phrase of al men be stiled Prince or if it be a vvoman Princesse or Queene vvherefore the most holy and glorious Mother of God holding the highest place in heauen of any pure creature both according vnto the auncient Fathers judgement and in very reason the dignity of a mother being to be preferred before any subject or seruant may very rightly obtaine the name of the Queene of heauen And thereupon also doe vve more specially reuerence and respect her and repose greater confidence in her burning charity and in the help of her most gratious praiers knowing also right wel and most willingly confessing that as the Queene of any country receiueth al her grace riches and preferment from the King so the blessed Mother of God Queene of heauen hath receiued through the merits of her best beloued Sonne from the bounty of his heauenly Father al her most singular priuiledges and is therefore of al other pure creatures most bound and beholding vnto both Father and Sonne With that Queene of heauen Hierem. 44. of which the Prophet Hieremy cited by Epiphanius doth make mention the blessed Virgin hath no affinity or resemblance besides the name for with the Prophet it signifieth no liuing creature but either the Moone or some eminent Starre in the firmament vnto vvhich certaine doating Idolatrous vvomen did offer sacrifice in the Prophet Hieremies daies See how faringly M. Abbots peeces of comparisons match the one vvith the other ROBERT ABBOT CARPOCRATES and his minion Marcellina Irenae lib. 1. cap. 24. Aug. ad Quod vult 39. Theodâ—r in 2. ad Collossen were condemned for Heretikes for worshipping as other Images so namely the Image of Iesus Christ yet now the Papists doe the same and notwithstanding vvil be accounted Catholikes The Councel of Laodicea approued by the old Church of Rome did forbidde to pray to Angels or to vvorship them and they that did so were accounted Heretikes But worship and praier to Angels is a part of the Catholike doctrine with the Church of Rome that now is WILLIAM BISHOP M. ABBOT is such a trusty marchant that nothing can be taken vp vpon his credit therefore euery wiseman had need to looke to his fingers Nay he seldome dares put downe the Fathers sentences as they lie in their owne workes but culs certaine vvordes out of them and patcheth them together after his owne fancy to collogue and deceiue his trusty reader These be S. Augustines owne wordes in the place cited by him Marcellina not Carpocrates did worship the Images of Iesus of Paul of Homer and of Pythagoras And that you may certainly know of what kinde of worship he meant he addeth Adorando incensum ponendo by adoring and offering incense to them that is by giuing them diuine honour so that double vvas her foule fault and folly For shee both adored together the holy Images of IESVS and S. Paul vvith the prophane statues of heathen Poëts and againe gaue to them godly honour both vvhich points vve Roman Catholikes doe condemne As also that third coÌ„demned in the Councel of Laodicea concerning Angels which was of leauing our Sauiour Christ Iesus to commit Idolatry to the Angels preferring the Angels before him Canon 35. See the Canon and you shal finde M. Abbots legerdemaine ROBERT ABBOT Concil Gang. cap. 4. THE Councel of Gangra approued likewise condemned the Eustachians for Heretikes for taking exceptions against maried Priests and to that purpose set downe this Canon If any man except against a Priest that is maried as by reason of his mariage that he ought not to minister and doe therefore forbeare from his oblation or celebration accursed be he But the later Church of Rome excepteth vvholy against married Priests and namely Gregory the seauenth forbadde al lay men to be present at the celebration of any such Priest as were married Math. Paris in Willelm 1. An example very strange saith Mathew of Paris and very vnaduised as many thought WILLIAM BISHOP HATH not M. Abbot a prodigious strange eie-soare that can neuer see the principal point of the matter vvhich he alleageth Concil Gang. cap. 4. these be the vvordes of the Canon by him cited Quicunque discernita Presbitero qui vxorem habuit quod non oporteat eo ministrante de oblatione percipere Anathema sit Whosoeuer shal except against a Priest who hath had a wife holding that one ought not to receiue of the oblation or sacrifice when such a one celebrateth accursed be he First note how he mangleth the vvordes thrusting in by reason of his marriage and darkning the matter of the sacrifice by adding to it celebration which is signified in the other wordes eo ministrante but the principal verbe vpon vvhich al dependeth is egregiously peruerted by his translation For the state of the controuersie betwixt vs is vvhether a Priest maried and keeping company vvith his wife is to be admitted to celebrate minister the Sacraments We say no they say yea and for confirmation of