Romans that he should neuer afterward be able to lift vp his head against them in any matter of faith wherin S. Hierom seemes to bee so confident that he doubts not to write to Ruffinus that which M. Abbot may take as spoken to himself Notwithstanding know you that the Romane faith by the Apostles mouth praised S. Hieron Apol. 3. con Ruffinum Attamen scito Romanam fidem Apostolico ore laudatam eiusmodi praestigias non recipere Etiam si Angelus aliter annunciet quam semel praedicatum est Pauli auctoritate munitam non posse mâ—tari doth not admit anie such deceites and tromperies yea if an Angel should preach anie other thing besids that which hath been alreadie preached yet that faith being by the Apostles authoritie fortified could neuer bee changed will M. Abbot yet be so shameles as to stand vp and to giue this graue holie doctor the lie as he must needs do if hee will yet sing his old song and saie that the Roman faith notwithstanding all the Apostles praier and prophecie is foulie changed and that in verie manie great points with the forsaid testimonies may be linked for the antiquitie of it this that standeth on record in the third generall councell holden at Ephesus S. Peter the head of the Apostles and pillar of faith c. did receiue from Christ the keies of the kingdome of heauen c. and doth vnto this daie liue in his successors and determine causes And shall alwaies liue Behold S. Peter alwaies liueth in the Bishops of Rome his successors to determin causes and gouerne the church what then shall become of M. Abbots change will he make S. Peter also a changeling This point I will close vp with this memorable sentence of S. Leo. The soundnes of that faith praised in the prince of the Apostles is euerlasting Leo in serm 2. Assumptionis suae ad sumum Pontificem Soliditas enim illius fidei quae in Apostolorum Principe est laudata perpetua est Et sicut permanet quod in Christo Petrus credidit ita permanet quod in Petro Christus instituit c. Manet ergo dispositio veritatis beatus Petrus in accepta fortitudine petra perseuerans suscepta ecclesiae gâ—bernacula non reliquit and like as that which Peter beleeued of Christ continueth for euer so doth that which Christ did institute in Peter c. Therfore the ordinance of the truth standeth fast and blessed Peter perseuering by his successors in that strength of a rocke hath not forsaken the gouernment of the church Seing the faith and fortitude of Saint Peter shall continue for euer in his successors the bishops of Rome that cuckoes song of M. Abbots that the now church of Rome is in matter of faith degenerated from the old must needs be false And what more manifest signe can one demaund therof then that all the wits of the protestants hauing travailed after nothing more for this fiftie yeeres cannot yet find out any one errour in matter in faith wherin the church of Rome hath at any time dissented from her self in former ages I know right well that they avouch boldlie that it hath changed manie articles of faith but let him that will haue credit given to him so saying name the error it self in particuler and the time when it was first receiued and by what pope it was approued which if no learned Protestant be able to performe let them be well assured that repeat it neuer so often over and ouer that the church of Rome is not the same now as it was in S. Austins time they deserue not to be beleeued Neither am I ignorant that some more hardy then their fellowes haue gone about to designe the time when the church of Rome began her Apostacy But therin they agree no better then the false Elders that accused Susanna of adulterie did of the tree vnder which the fained fact was pretended to bee done And therfore be no more worthy of credit then they were 30 M. Abbot goeth on to proue that I racked and wronged my authors and saith that Tertullian whoÌ„ I alleaged as sending to the church of Rome to learne the true doctrine doth send also to other churches as well as to the church of Rome Be it so but if he appealed vnto the church of Rome as well as to others did I him any wrong in saying that he appealed vnto the church of Rome I did not saie that he excluded all or ane ony other Doth not M. Abbot rather rack my words and wrong himself in imposing that vpon mee which I said not Besids M. Abbot doth offer great wrong to Tertullian not so much by racking his words as by chopping them quite of in the middest for where Tertullian saith If thou border on Italy thou hast the church of Rome vnde nobis authoritas presto est whence authority comes to vs. M. Abbot cuts of the latter part of the sentence which imports that men in Africk for that was Tertullians countrie did acknowledg the church of Rome to haue authority ouer them M. Abbot then hauing so cunningly conueyed the matter by cutting of that which made for vs doth afterward aske mee what was there left to serve my turne if his conueiance be no cleanlier then so it were better for him to leaue those trickes ro them that haue more nimbles fingers The Cathalogue of the Bishops of Rome set downe by Epiphanius doth serue to shew that the Bishops of Rome are S. Peters true successors which M. Abbot and the protestants sometimes when they are at a stand do not stick to deny Optatus Bishop of Milevitane S. Austins auncient did proue as M. Abbot cannot deny his part to be Catholike in that it comunicated with the church of Rome yet M. Abbot to detract some what from the see of Rome addeth that Optatus did not proue his part Catholike by communicating simply with the church of Rome but for that communicating with the church of Rome it communicated with the church of the whole world which words of Optatus are so farr of from detracting any thing from the church of Rome that they do much magnifie the comodity of her communion for he saith not that he communicated with the church of Rome and with all other churches making them seuerall parts but that in communicating with the church of Rome he communicated with the churches of the whole world thereby declaring the comunion with the church of Rome to be the meanes of communicating with all others which is the very same that we do now go about to proove His words which containe manie memorable instructions are these spoken vnto Parmenianus a Donatist Thou canst not deny but that thou knowest an Episcopall chaire to haue been placed in the city of Rome Optatus mileuit l. 2. co parmenianum Igitur negare non potes scire te in vrbe Roma Petro primo Cathedram Episcopalem esse
church vpon him when he said to him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church these wordes would haue marred M. Abbots market therefore he did wisely to ouerskip them now that which followeth may serve rather to confirme our opinion then make anie whit for theirs for thus it may bee vnderstood Saint Peter for that his confession of faith received power and vertue from Christ to confirme others in the faith thereby to establish them to life And so by that confession of faith made by Saint Peter the faithfull are established to life Againe Saint Ambrose who elswhere often and in that verie place teacheth S. Peter to bee that rocke vpon which the church was built might make a secondarie good morall construction of those wordes teaching every man to believe as Saint Peter did and to make the like confession of their faith that they might be setled in the right way to life everlasting which moralization of Christs words doth not crosse but suppose the true litterall sence to bee as before you haue heard out of Saint Ambrose with the vniforme consent of other fathers To that which followeth in the same Author these words of the Apostle in him all the building is coopled together c. are the sense and meaning of that which our lord said vpon this rocke I will build my church I answer there is a cunning tricke vsed in cutting of the Apostles wordes in the middest with an c and making that to be the exposition of the first part of the sentence which Sainct Ambrose makes the interpretation of the last as may appeare vnto him that will see the place for his reason is fideles enim sunt superficies templi dei c. for the faithfull of holy conversation bee the walls or over parts of that temple of God which suteth well with the latter end of Saint Pauls sentence which is in whom you also are built togither into an habitation of God in the holy Ghost in brief S. Ambrose meaning in that place is no other then that the Apostle vsed the same Metaphore of building which our Saviour did when he said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church Of which spirituall building the faithfull are the over partes the Apostles the foundations amoÌ„g whom S. Peter is the rocke and Christ the head corner stone that closeth all togeather and beareth vp both peoples aswell those that went afore as those that came after his incarnation M. Abbots fourth obiection Epla Iuuenalis â—t Epist pal in Apendice Concil Cholced the whole number of the Bishops of Palaestina in the councell of Chalcedon vnderstood Christs words so vpon this confession the church of God is confirmed and strengthened ANSWERE THat whole number I find to bee but two or three and they not in the councell neither nor during the time of that councell but after they came home from the councel and their meaning is plaine for vs. They having been att the councell of Chalcedon and there heard and saw how Discorus patriarch of Alexandria was for his heresie and obstinacie censured and condemned by the sentence of Leo the great Bishop of Rome did certifie all them that were vnder their charge that the church of God was confirmed and strengthned by the confession and declaration of the Bishop of Rome S. Peters successor and how in him was verified that sentence of our Saviour vpon this rocke I will build my church and that other also Thou being conuerted confirme and strengthen thy brethren which is all as direct for vs as can bee besides what other pregnant proofe there is in that generall councell for S. Peters supremacy and that the Bishop of Rome is his successor in the same supreme authoritie shal bee heerafter declared more at large Out of these former arguments M. Abbot maketh this inference that by the exposition of the ancient fathers it maie appeare that Christ eueÌ„ the true faith of Christ for Christ is nothing to vâ— but by faith is the true rocke whervpon the church is builded to which S. Iohn accordeth This is the victorie that over cometh the world even our faith for who is hee that overcometh the world but hee that believeth that Iesus is the sonne of God what is this good Sir to the preseÌ„t purpose of the popes supremacie though faith in some good sense may bee called a rocke bicause it is the foundation and ground worke of all other Christian vertues yet how doth it follow therof that S. Peter is not that rocke vpon which it pleased Christ to build his church what because ther is an order in the frame of a vertuous life must it needes ther vpon ensue that there is no order in the government of Christs Church is not this a very strange inference For the clearer explication of this doubt â—â—t this distinction bee observed the building of Christs church as it is like to a kingdome differeth much from the building of a spirituall temple vnto the holie Ghost in our soules to the first kind of building beloÌ„g subiects and magistrates Bishops Archbishops and so forth the highest wherof vnder Christ was S. Peter To the other inward building concurre all such divine graces and qualities that serue for the reformation of our soule as faith hope Charitie humilitie and such like among which vertues faith in Christ Iesus is at it were the fundamentall stone to the argument then this is the answere that albeit faith in Christ be as it were the rocke and foundation of all Christian vertues yet that is no let but that in the order of Christian magistrates S. Peter may be the rock and haue the chief commaunding power giuen to him and to his successors the Bishops of Rome purity of faith boldnes of confession fervour of Charitie rare gifts of God bestowed on S. Peter were the principall dispositions in him to that other high dignitie and authoritie but the authoritie it self of government was not bestowed on those vertues but vpon the person of Saint Peter though in regard of the same divine qualities After these arguments M. Abbot inferreth that if Christ bee the rocke properly and truly Saint Peter cannot bee the rocke but accidently and vnproperly in respect of his doctrine and example of saith vttered in his confession As Abraham is the rocke from whâ—nce wee are hewed so is Peter the rock wheron wee are built not that either of them conferreth any thing to vs but only for that they staÌ„d before vs for patterns of imitation I answer that he should rather haue made this inference bicause Christ is the rocke of the Church most properly therfore S. Peter is the rocke therof also properly both for that Christ made him the rocke who maketh all things well and properly and also because the properties of a rocke do fitlie agree to S. Peter that is to bee constant and firme in the faith to strengthen and vphold
1. Reg li. 6. cap. 3. Gregorie yea and S. Gregorie speaking of another matter thus that which never was said to them of the old testament is now said to the vniversall church whatsoever thou shalt bind vpon earth which sheweth some difference between the old and new testament but nothing coÌ„cerneth these wordes of Christ Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church which is another kind of matter then that whatsoever thou shalt bind vpon earth c. Againe is M. Abbot so simple as to thinke that the power of binding loosing is giuen to every particuler member af the church can women and Children bind and loose all a like perhaps in the protestants church but it is not so with vs. yet that power maie bee said to bee given to the whole church because it is given to the benefitt of the whole though the charge and administration therof be not committed and giuen to all and everie person in the church But to returne to S. Austin he saith Aug de ver Dominiser 13. that the name Peter was given to him that by that figure hee might signifie the church bicause Christ is petra the rocke therfore Peter is the people of Christ So M. Abbot well let all this bee true what is this allegoricall interpretation of the name of Peter to our present purpose It cannot bee but a great honor to Saint Peter to haue had a name given him by our Saviour derived out of his owne name and that maie represent the people of Christ and further which followeth in that place of S. Austin though M. Abbot thought it policie to suppresse it Apostolorum principatum tenens S. Peter held the principalitie amoÌ„g the Apostles all this maketh much for S. Peters preheminence but doth it follow thervpon that nothing which Christ said to S. Peter doth properlie appertaine to him but all is to bee imparted to all Christian people how absurd were it to vnderstand so iudicious a Doctors words as S. Austin was after that childish manner thou art Peter that is after this new glosse all my people and vpon this rocke which containes also all Christes people I will build my church so that the sence after M. Abbots exposition must bee Christ did build all his people vpon all his people One might verie well bee chosen out of the rest as a foundation vpon whom Christ might lay all the rest but how all the people should bee built vpon all the people passeth I think all vnderstanding Epistola 165. But S. Austin elswhere saith M. Abbot hath these words to S. Peter bearing the figure of the whole church our lord said vpon this rocke c. bee it so that S. Peter bare the person of the church that doth not hinder the words to bee spoken to him effectuallie but rather argueth him to bee the chief governor of the church Aug. in Psal 108. câ—cione 1. as the same saint in the like places doth expresse in this manner Cuius Ecclesiae ille agnoscitur in figura gestasse personam propter primatum quem in discipulis habuit the person of which church Peter is acknowledged in figure to haue represented by reason of the primacie that hee had among the disciples And yet more plainly in another place thus Aug. Quaest ex nouo testam quaest 75 Saluator cum pro se Petro dari iubet pro omnibus â—xoluisse videtur quia sicut in domino erant omnes causa magisterij ita post Saluatorem in Petro omnes continentur Ipsum enim constituit esse caput eorum vt pastor esset gregis dominici when our Saviour commaunded tribute to bee paid for himself and for Peter hee seemeth to haue paid for all for like as in our Saviour there were all the partes of a maister so after him all were contained in Peter for hee coÌ„stituted Peter head of the rest that hee might bee the pastor of our lords flocke By which words of S. Austin wee gather that S. Peter sometimes did represent the whole church because he was head and chief pastor therof as a king doth in some cases represent a kingdome which is so for of from disproouing S. Peters supremacy that hence wee maie take a strong argument to prooue it and withall the propagation therof to his successors for we are taught out of these wordes of S. Austen to say that S. Peter maie bee considered either as a priuate person or as a publike magistrate that which pleased our Saviour to bestow vpon him as a private person was proper to himself and continued no longer then hee liued but that which Christ bestowed vpon S. Peter as a publike magistrate that was granted to the whole church and was to continue with the church to the worlds end like as that which is granted to a king as a publike person is holden as annexed to the Crowne and to descend alwaies after to all his successors now to our purpose S. Austin when hee said that that prerogatiue was giuen to S. Peter as representing the whole church doth not deny it to bee given him trulie and actually but doth signifie that it was given him not for his owne proper vse but for the benefitt of the whole church and therfore giuen in remainder for ever vnto his successors which was in the fullest and best sort that could bee Having thus answered all M. Abbots obiections and declared how S. Peter is the speciall rock vpoÌ„ which our Saviour built his church and how the other Apostles and everie constant ChristiaÌ„ may bee called rockes one truth not destroying but rather fortifieing the other I now come to cleere that imputation of dishonestie which M. Abbot would with no great honestie haue cast on mee I did affirme that it might bee deduced out of the ancient fathers that the Bishop or sea of Rome was that rocke vpon which the church was builded M. Abbot was bold to saie that I belied the fathers therin and doth avouch peremptorilie that never anie of them so vnderstood these words of our Saviour well let vs see whether of vs is like to prove the honester man of his word I do heere omitt the manifold deductions in this Chapter before mentioned and will add one more out of Saint Austins words by M. Abbot himself last before cited thus whatsoever was said to S. Peter as representing the person of the church is taken to bee said to all his successors as before hath been declared but those words of Christe vpon this rocke I will build my church were spoken to S. Perer as representing the person of the church by the verdit of S. Austin approved by M. Abbot himself therfore these verie words are to bee vnderstood as spoken vnto all S. Peters successors who being the Bishops of Rome as in due place shal bee proved it followeth evidentlie that the Bishops or church of Rome for I take both them for the same
that I will do that for him which hee blinded with self loue imagined impossible for any man to do to wit I will put downe his argument more cleerly and formerly then he hath done himself as every scholler that can Iudge of the forme of an argument may easily perceaue in this manner No part can be the whole but the church of Rome is but a part to wit the head of the church Ergo it cannot be the whole This his so often repeated argument without any new fortificatiō needs no other refutatiō than that which hath been once or twice giuen before Thus at length we come to the end of M. Abbots first chapter which was diuided into fower sections or parts and haue by the helpe of Gods good grace both defended and proued that supreme commanding power of Iurisdiction which consisteth in the chief government of Christs church vpon earth to haue been by our blessed Saviour first established and placed vpon the person of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles that there should be perfect vnity in his Ecclesiasticall kingdome then that the same might endure not for tearme of S. Peters life only but alwaies continue vnto the worlds end He ordained that S. Peters successors the Bishops of Rome should enioy the same soveraigne authority ouer the whole Catholike church vntill the worlds end which I made good specially by the confession and acknowledgment of the greatest Patriarks most learned and best approued Prelats of the East churches because the better learned Protestants do after a manner grant vnto the Bishop and pope of Rome Of this read more in the note at the end of this chapter as patriarch of the west supreme authoritie and Iurisdiction ouer all the west churches Moreouer because the protestants do all and some obiect that fact of the African Bishops wherin they seemed to deny appeales of all vnder the degree of Bishops vnto the court of Rome as an argument of great moment against the said supreme commanding power of the sea of Rome I haue produced testimonies of the most ancient and best learned Bishops and Doctors of the African church averring the Iurisdiction of the church of Rome ouer themselues and their countrie So that there can remaine no scruple in the vpright and iudicious Readers vnderstanding but that the Bishop of Romes supremacy hath been acknowledged witnessed and obeyed all the world ouer even in the pure times of most florishing Christianity And consequently that all they who desire to bee sound and perfect Catholiks must imbrace and professe the faith and religion of the same Roman church or els be content to bee reckened in the rew of hereticall or schismaticall Congregations And as in this life they willingly take part with them in their schisme and errors so they may assure themselues vnles God giue them grace to repent to bee against their wils sorted with them in the finall separation at the last day and to haue their vnlucky lott with them in the lake euer burning with fire and brimstone from which our most mercifull Lord and sweet Saviour Christ Iesus deliuer all them that professe his truth and holy name Amen M. Richard field Doctour of diuinity in his fift book of the church printed at london 1610. of the bishop and church of Rome hath these positions FIrst in the 32. chapter that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed S. Peter in the Bishoprique of the City and in the honour of being one of the prime Bishops of the world Secondly in the 34. chapter that the church of Rome was head of all churches that is first in order and honour among them but not in absolute supreme commaunding power 3 That the same church was in more speciall sort head of such churches as were within the Patriarchship of Rome as was all the west church To which effect his maiesty of England our soueraigne lord writeth to all Christian Monarches Pag 46. If there were yet question among the Patriarches for the first place I would with all my hart giue my consent that the Bishop of Rome should haue the first seat I being a westerne king would go for the patriarch of the west 4 That the Bishop of Rome had the care of all churches not as absolute supreme commaunder but as most honorable among the Bishops who were first to be sought vnto in matters requiring a common deliberation and from whom all things generally concerning the state of the whole church were either to take beginning or at the least to seek confirmation before they were generally imposed and prescribed The same Doctour in his preface to the reader teacheth that to compose variances rising between Patriarches and their Bishops or among themselues he that was in order and honour before the rest might lawfully interpose himself and in his synode iudg of such differences And in such cases as could not be so ended or that concerned the faith and the state of the whole vniuersall church there remained the iudgment and resolution of a generall councell wherin the Bishop of the first sea that is the Bishop of Rome was to sitt as President and moderatour Obserue how easily that which we teach of popes the supremacy may be gathered out of these principles for if it appertaine vnto the Bishop of Rome as prime Patriarch to compose the differences rising betwixt other Patriarches and their Bishops if he must be principally sought vnto for finall resolutions in matter of faith if care of all churches belong to him and from him all thinges generally concerning the state of the whole church were either to take beginning or els to seek confirmation let any vnderstanding man exercised in gouernment tell me how Patriarches and Bishops may be conuented to appeare without commaunding authority and how without compelling power the popes finall determinations would be of all parties obeied THE SECOND CHAPTER M. ABBOT The comparisons betweene the Donatists and Papists iustified and enlarged page 51. R. AB IT is a meere vsurpation wherby the Papists call the Roman church the Catholike church and the same that the Donatists of old did They held the Catholike church to be art Cartenna in Africk and the Papists hold it to be at Rome in Italy W. B. THis cōparison is a fond new deuise of M. Abbot wherin there is skarce one spark either of wit or learning wherfore it deserued rather to be abridged or wholy cāceld then to haue been enlarged Iustified it can never bee because it hath not many true words in it Take a tast of this first branch which is false on both sides for neither was Cartenna in Africa but in Mauritania nor did the Donatists hold their pretended Catholike church to bee at Cartenna but esteemed the Rogatists who so much magnified Cartenna to be wicked Schismatiks altogether vnworthy the name or communion of their supposed Catholik church as S. Austin M. Abbots owne author doth testifie Aug. Epist 48. in the place
the head of the cause and propose one similitude betwene the Protestāts and Donatists of that nature and force that if it bee verified no vpright iudge can deny the protestants to bee Donatists indeed This it is S. Austin Optatus and all antiquity do testify that the maine point of the Donatists heresie consisted in this that they affirmed the church of Christ planted by the Apostles to haue perished all the world ouer saving in those coasts of Africa where their party remayned Therfore whosoever mainteynes this error obstinatly though hee faile in no other article of belief hee is a very Donatist And whosoeuer should vphold all the branches mentioned by M. Abbot or any other that any man els can produce if hee do not maintaine this to wit that the Catholike church is perished in most parts of the world hee can neuer be come a Donatist the reason is most euident because hee doth not concord with them in that error for which they were Christned by that name As for the error of rebaptization it sprong vp before their daies and was but an appendix to the other which the donatists vndertook to currie favour in that coūtrie where it had been taught before by great personages Now then to the purpose If the Protestants do teach the true church to haue perished all the world ouer for many hundreth yeres saving that it remayned among men of their religion in certaine darke and vnknowne corners who can deny them to bee as true Donatists as ever were any which M. Abbot perceiuing to bee as plaine as Dunstable high way maketh as though the protestants never taught the true visible church to haue faild at any time but to haue alwaies euen from Gregorie the great his time downe to our daies continued visibly in all these parts of the world though blemished with some corruptions yea that the church of Rome it self was a part therof as also the ancient church of England doth not this seeme strange was it not their common doctrine that from Pope Boniface his time that is for these nine hundreth yeres at least there was a generall Apostacy from the true church and that Antichrist with his band possessed the outward visible church Gods true church lying hid all that while invisible vntill frier Luther cast of his frock coupled himself with a Nunne and began to set abroach the true light of the new Gospell If M. Abbot will not acknowledg it let him and the reader that doubts of it but turne to those Authors of our owne country To omitt others M. Parkins in his reformed Catholike page 331. M. Fulke in his answere to the counterfeit Catholike and against Stapleton and M. Martiall page 377. M. whitakers de ecclesia contra Bellarminum page 144. M. Napper vpon the reuelations page 143. 126. who with the greater parte of Protestants do openly crie out that from Pope Boniface his raigne the visible church of God Perished from the face of the earth the pope of Rome and his adherents whom they make Antichrist and his ministers having deuowred and ruined the Gospell and in steed of it brought in Idolatry According vnto this opinion of those learned and famous pillars of the new Gospell which was in times past commonly taught among them The Protestants are Donatists and worse then Donatists for first they agreed with the Donatists in the essentiall point of their heresie that the true church of Christ was perished And in this they went farr beyond them for the Donatists did not affirme the church to bee perished in all places they thēselues having for a hundreth yeares and more some face of a church in many cities of Africa and aboue 300 Bishops of their sect But the protestants ancient churches were at the first so soare beaten vtterly blasted that they cānot so much as name one prouince where their religion had any bishops or florished for any one age of the nine hūdreth yeeres of that supposed defection wherfore M. Abbot to avoide the open profession of that damnable Donatisme is faine to fall into a newe phantasie that forsooth the Roman church notwithstanding all her grosse errors and fowle faults in their imagination is a true member of Christs Catholike church because she held alwaies the foundation entire though she built hay straw and stubble theron well fare your hart gentle sir wee are much beholding vnto you for the good opinion you haue of our church and religion but how comes it then to passe that our church her self being so hart-whole and tollerable the members therof bee by you esteemed so blasphemous horrible why are the lawfull pastors therof only for being consecrated priests and for coming into England to execute the anciēt and accustomed rites of priesthod made hainous traitors why are honest and otherwise harmles men for receiuing of priests and serving God after the old accustomed manner most grieuously punished by losse of all their goods lands libertie and life how vnreasonable and conscienceles men bee you Ministers to cry out for so severe lawes and most bitter execution therof against recusants for that religion which you your selues hold to bee Catholike If there were any good nature left in you or sparke of any kindnes you should rather intreat pardon for men of our religion of whom you now chalenge yourselues to bee lineally descended and in right of which descent you enioy many high Ecclesiasticall dignities and rich benefices This in courtesy you ought rather to do then for humane tollerable faults to incense the prince and state against vs. Tollerable I say in the course of mans law if Almightie God will beare with them And if they do not exclude a Christian man out of Gods Catholike church as they do not in the way of your opiniō why should earthly potentats depriue them of the commō benefits of their dominions and not rather after the example of the soveraigne Lord of heaven and earth suffer them to liue quietly in their kingdome and to enioy their owne livings which bee rightfully descended vnto them from their predecessors men also of the same religion I cannot see how M. Abbot all they that imbrace the same opinion can in equity require any recusant to bee so highly punished for that religion which they hold to bee good in all substantiall and fundamentall points therof though they thinke it in other of smaller moment to neede reformatiō well though that their opinion bee more fauorable and indulgent to vs yet in my poore iudgment it is farre of from being true And to my slender conceite it doth seeme as it were prodigious how they can take that church to bee a true member of the right church whose head they hold to bee Antichrist whose sacrifice and common service Idolatrie whose Sacraments sacrilegious superstitions the greater part of their doctrine blasphemies their pastors beasts foxes and swine as M. Abbot here out of his litle ciuility tearmeth them Briefly
heads of virgins that were veiled drawing from them the markes of their profession which were inuented to declare that in will and professiō they were maried to Christ By these few resemblances hitting the protestants so right on the thumbes to omitt many other the indifferent reader may see whether my retorting of M. Abbots comparisons were to the purpose or no and whether of vs haue more fortunatly travailed therin §. 6. W. B. TO conclude this passage seing M. Abbot went about to prove the church of Rome to bee like that of the Donatists by no one sound argument but by diuers trifles and vntruthes hee must looke vnles hee repent to haue his part with liars in the poole burning with fire and brimstone And if it please the reader to heare at what great square the Donatists were with the said church of Rome to which M. Abbot would so fayne resemble them I will briefly shew it out of the best records of that time L. 2 co lit Petil. c. 51. S. Austin speakes thus to the Donatist Petilian what hath the church or sea of Rome in which Peter sate and now sitteth Anastasius done vnto thee why doest thou call the Apostolicall chaire the chaire of pestilence See how friendly the Donatists were wont to salute the church of Rome stiling it the chaire of pestilence That noble prelate Optate to this Issue hath thus deposed whence is it that you Donatists take vpon you to vsurpe the keies of the kingdome and that presumptuously and with sacrilegious audacity you do wage battell against the chaire of Peter If the Donatists did wage warre against the church of Rome surely there was no likelihood of any good intelligence betweene them wherfore like as the Catholiks of Africa then so they were linked in communion with the church of Rome sett light by the outcries of the Donatists against them as witnesseth S. Austin when hee said of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage Epist 162 one of the princes of the Catholike party hee needed not to care for the multitude of his conspiring enemies the Donatists when hee saw himself by communicatorie letters ioyned with the Romane church in which alwaies florished the primacie of the Apostolicall chaire c. Even so wee at this time need as litle to esteeme of the bitter reproches and deceitfull arguments of the protestants So wee stand vpright and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same church of Rome R. AB MIstake I did in some circumstance but lie I did not because to lie is to go against a mans owne mind and knowledge That the Donatists were at square with the ancient church of Rome wee confesse But what is that to the latter church of Rome which is degenerated from the old and in tying the Catholike church to her owne place and function doth rather resemble the old Donatists besids the Donatists were at as great square with all other Catholike churches some of which were also mentioned by saint Augustin in that and other places why then doth M. Bishop make that peculiar vnto the church of Rome which S. Austin leaueth indifferent to that and other churches and as other churches afterward became chaires of pestilence so might the church of Rome for ought that S. Austin there saith of it The like is to bee answered vnto Optatus who teaching the Donatists to haue been whole enemies vnto the church of Rome doth not hinder but that the latter church of Rome might agree well enough with them Finally S. Austin doth not say that Cecilianus ioyned with the church of Rome alone but ioyning with that and other Catholike churches needed not to care for the Donatists So that there is no more there for the cōmuniō of the church of Rome thē for the cōmuniō of other churches Hee will say that a principality is there attributed vnto the church of Rome I answere as before I haue done that a principality of honour may bee givē to it but not a principality of power And doth it follow that because the principality of the Apostolike chaire florished there till that time therfore it should do so ever vnto the worlds end These are loose and vaine collections vnfit to stablish the conscience of sober and advised men W. B. FOr a conclusion of this chapter M. Abbot tells vs that albeit hee mistooke somethings yet hee did not lie in any part therof and the proofe in part is very prettie because for sooth hee went not against his owne mind His mind and pleasure then being to say that the Donatists taught the true church to bee only at Cartenna Secondly That the Papists do teach now that the same true church is conteyned within the wals of Rome only 3. That no other mans Baptisme besids a papist priests is avaylable to Salvation 4. That none among the Indians bee truly converted to the Christian faith but all of them are forced to receiue baptisme with out religion when hee I say wrote these and twentie mo such like most luculent lies yet in all this hee did not once lie the reason is in readines bicause hee never went against his owne mind His mind then giving him belike that to vilify and slaunder the Papists he might tell a hundreth worse tales of them then those are Good Sir if vpon Etymologies of words you presume to deliuer such senseles and wicked doctrine it may trulie bee said to you for ought I see Domine mentiris whether you teach it against your owne mind or no. For although a man that of meere ignorance telleth an vntruth doth not properly lie yet when hee presumeth to shoote his bolt to giue his censure rashly of things commonly spoken of contrary to the truth as M. Abbot hath done then hee may bee said to lie though hee know not perfectly the contrarie Because hee might and ought to haue learned out the truth therof before hee presumed to deliuer his Iudgment theron in such absolute and peremptorie tearmes As the Donatists were at open warre with the old church of Rome So doth the moderne church of Rome as greatly as the old detest the same positions of the Donatists To wit that the church of Christ is perished all the world ouer saving in some odd corners 2. That men baptised by vnsanctified Ministers ought to bee rebaptised And so of all the rest which either Optatus or S. Austin then recorded for speciall points of the Donatists doctrine That the now church of Rome doth differ in any one article of faith from the ancient is that which M. Abbot doth often say and repeate but never yet could nor here after shall ever bee able to bring any one sufficient proofe therof wherfore by all right and reason the said church is to retaine her former good reputatiō and credit with all honest and vpright consciences For if everie man haue title vnto his good name vntill hee bee conuicted to haue committed some such
others as hath been before declared To imagine Saint Peter to bee called a rocke because hee is a patterne of imitation is as dull and blockish as to call a duske darke stone a cleere looking glasse Abraham was more properly by the prophet called though in another sense a rocke out of which the Iewes were hewen and a pitt out of which they were digged bicause all the Israëlites descended out of his loynes as stones are hewen or digged out of a rock 10 M. Abbot not being able to disprove S. Peter to bee the rocke bicause our Saviour Christ alone is the rocke turnes himself on the other side and will needes prove that all the Apostles were rockes and Peter therin not to haue beeÌ„ alone but that as hee spake in the person of all the Apostles so Christes wordes returned in answere to Peter should appertaine to them all for saies hee Saint Austin affirmeth that Peter answeâ—ed for all a Aug. in psal 8â— one for vnitie And Hierome by the words here spoken to Peter concludeth b Hieron in Amos l 3 c. 6. that Chrâ—st the rocke gave not to one only Apostle but to his Apostles that they also should bee called rockes And in like sort Origen conceiueth when he saith c Orig in Math. c. 16. If thou thinke that the church was built vpon Peter only what wilt thou saie to Iohâ— the sonne of thunder and to every of the Apostles c. wee must rather say that in all and evâ—rie one of thâ—m is verified vpon this rocke I will build my church and in a word hee reasoneth thus bicause that which followeth after I will giue to thâ—e the Keies of the knigdome of hâ—aven is coâ—â—on to them all therfore that going before is also coÌ„mon to them all and this the scripture confirmeth in that it saith d Ephes 2.20 the houshold of God are builded not vpon the foundatioÌ„ of Peter only but vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets e Reuelâ—t 21.14 And not Peter onlie but the lambes twelve Apostles haue their names written in the twelue foundations of the Citie of God hitherto M. Abbot Doth not this great inconstancie in answering argue plainly that there is no setled soundnesse in the protestants doctrine but that they are caried about with the wind Before you heard that no other bodie saving Christ alone could bee that rock and to make that good M. Abbot was verie earnest there now the wind blowing in an other dore not only Peter is the rocke but all the Apostles aswell as hee yea and euerie Christian man too is a rock as you shall heare heereafter And all this to make men beleeve that it is but an ordinary matter to bee that rocke vpon which Christ built his Church wee that hold it to bee one of the greatest priviledges that could bee graÌ„ted to a mortall man do notwithstanding graunt that the Apostles may be called rockes as they are called foundations after a certaine proportion that is as S. Peter was the fundamentall rock placed next vnto our Saviour over the whole Church So the Apostles were constituted principall pillers or rockes of certaine countries laying the foundation of Christian religion in them by preaching the Gospell and by ruling the severall flockes coÌ„mitted to their charges As Metropolitans primates may bee said to bee the rockes and foundations of Christian religion in their provinces bicause they do principally commaund over all Ecclesiasticall persons therin and do keepe all vnder them in vnitie of faith In like manner to preserve all Christian countries in the said vnitie of faith and vniformitie of religion there ought to bee one supreme pastor over all the world who first was S. Peter and ever since have been his lawfull Successors the Bishops of Rome All this is good doctrine but to saie that these words in S. Mathew were spoken aswell to the rest of the Apostles as to S. Peter which M. Abbot would faine haue his reader believe is flatt against the evidence of the verie text For S. Peter is there severed from the rest by all circumstances that can bee devised in so few words first by his owne proper name for our Saviour said to him happie art thou Simon then by the name of his father the sonne of Ionas thirdly by mention of a speciall revelation made to him for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee fourthly by expresse direction of this speech to him I say to thee not to all the Apostles thou art Peter none of the rest were so called Out of which it doth ensue most cleerly that the words immediatly following and vpon this rocke I will build my church were particulerly spoken to S. Peter and not to any other of the Apostles To the others afterward was given the power of binding and loosing remitting of sins and retayning yet with out any mention made of the keies of the kingdome of heaven which albeit they do signify there a supreme coÌ„maunding power yet they maie in a certaine sence bee said to bee given vnto the other Apostles as is the title of a rock though they bee not that principall rocke vpon which Christ built his church so they had not the prime vse of the keies which was appropriated to S. Peter I do also further grantâ— that the name of a rock maie bee in a good morall sence applied vnto everie constant Christian that doth confesse the true faith with S. Peter and is constant and vnmoveable in the same confession like vnto a rocke And this is all which Origen and S. Ambrose cited by M. Abbot do saie as may bee seene by him that pleaseth to read the circumstances of those places for Origen discourseth how all may bee called rockes that have this effect of a rocke And that the gates of hell cannot prevaile against them that is all that do perseuere constantly to the end in the true faith S. Ambrose exhorteth all men to endevour to bee roâ—kes that is to haue soundnes in constancie and stedfastnes of faith Origen addeth that which I before said that the Apostles and Prophets maie bee called rockes in a higher degree bicause they are the foundations of others that are builded vpon them but these expositions as M. Abbot saith bee Allegoricall or rather morall explications of these our Saviours wordes that do not destroie the prime litterall sence therof which according vnto the generall consent of the ancient fathers is that Christ built his church vpon S. Peter as the supreme governor therof as hath been alreadie proved Now to M. Abbots last evasion that the fathers in all this matter make Peter to beare the figure of the whole church and therfore that to bee applied to all and everie one in the church which was there spoken to Peter for these fathers hee alleageth only S. a August Epist 165 Idem de verb Domini ser 13. Austin and S. b Gregor expos in
barke against that so apparant truth which the sound corps of all true beleeving men do most constantly and gloriously confesse I hauing before shewed at large how neither S. Austin nor the African Bishops did deny anie one branch of the Bishop of Romes primacy no not so much as forbid their owne Bishops to appeale vnto the court of Rome And did otherwise in sundry sorts declare their dutifull obedience vnto the same sea of Rome M. Abbots inference out of his owne mistaking and error is wholy disappointed To conclude then this paragraff it doth remaine most assured and cleere that our blessed Saviour made S. Peter and his successors that rock vpon which he built his church therby giving them supreme power and authority to govern his whole church not for any limited nunber of yeares but for so long as his church should continue a church that is to the worlds end for against it the gats of hell shall never prevaile Secondly it is as certen that the Bishops of Rome be in that charge of government ouer all the church S. Peters lawfull successors with whom therfore whosoeuer ioyneth in matter of faith and religion shall never be deceiued nor fall in to schisme and against whoÌ„ whosoeuer barketh and opposeth himself hee not only barketh and laboreth in vaine as S. Austin speaketh but if he do obstinatly persever therin he therby to vse Optatus words before rehearsed becometh both a sinner and a schismatike From which most hainous crimes our sweet Saviour of his infinit mercie and goodnes deliuer all my most deere frinds and best beloued countrymen THE SVMME OF THE third paragraff or section W. B. ALBEIT the church of Rome strictly taken doth comprehend those Christians only that dwell within the citie and Diocese of Rome yet it is vsed by men of both sides to designe the faithfull of all countries that in religion do fully agree with the same and that specially because they do acknowledg the Bishop of Rome to bee vnder Christ the supreme governor therof As in times past the Roman Empire did not containe the territory of Rome alone or countrie of Italy but all lands and nations that professed obedience to the Emperor of Rome And like as in the primitiue church the title Catholike was added to Christian to distinguish true Christians from heretikes Even so now a daies when heretiks are growne so audacious as to arrogate vnto themselues the name of Catholiks though their religion bee nothing lesse theÌ„ Catholike the word RomaÌ„ is ioyned to Catholike to separate true Catholikes from counterfeit the Roman Catholike signifying those Catholiks that in faith and religion do perfectly agree with the church of Rome R. AB I Do confesse my self to bee one of those Doctors that know not this new found distinction of the Roman church to witt that it may bee taken either for the Diocesse of Rome or for all churches that in faith fully agree with the Roman M. Bishop can bring neither scripture nor any ancient writer for the warrant of it Secondly it being admitted that the churche of Rome may be taken for all churches agreing in faith with it yet it remaineth still a particular church bicause there be many other churches in Europe and Asia that do not agree with it in faith nor acknowledg her chiefty ouer their churches For example the churches of Luther Caluin and such like in Europe and certain other schismaticall churches in other parts of the world And as in the time of the Roman Empire there were many other kingdomes in the world so now besids the Roman church there be many other churches Moreouer the fathers haue told vs of the Latin and Greeke of the East and west churches Pighius Eccl. Hier. l 6. c. 3. but neuer specifie the Roman to signifie the whole church And Pighius asketh who did euer by the Roman church vnderstand the vniuersall church Albeit the Bishops of Rome wrote themselues Bishops of the Catholike church Yet they meant of that part of the Catholike church which was in Rome when the Catholike french man doth say we bee of the Catholike Roman church wee vnderstand them therby to take part with the church of Rome but the church of Rome is that of Rome only and is factiously called the Catholike church which is the whole and the Roman put to it is a tearme of diminution and abridgeth the whole to a part To them therfoee may be applied that of Optatus against the Donatists you would haue your selues Optat. l. 2. con Po rin only to be the whole who are not in all the whole And if in ancient times when there were so manie heresies it was thought a sufficient distinction to ioyne Catholike to Christian why is it not sufficient now a â—â—ies It is the Inuention of Antichrist and his badge to chalenge to himself and his only to bee the whole Catholike church That name Roman is a name of sect and schisme This is the summe of all which M. Abbot saith in this paragraff or section W. B. IN this section is discouered a second falacy of that false argument which they so often vse No particuler church can be the Catholike church but the Roman is a particuler church Ergo it cannot bee the Catholike church In the precedent section I haue laid open the manifold faults of this their argument shewing first the conclusion if it were granted not to bee to the purpose for the point in question was not whether the Roman church were the whole Catholike church or no but whether the word Roman in stile might bee couched with the Catholike church that is whether one might sensybly and trulie saie and write The Catholike Roman church they say yea we say no to make good their assertion they a vouch the church of Rome not to be the whole church we answere that the proof is not to the purpose albeit that were true for though it were not the whole church yet it might be called by the name of the whole not onely because euery part of that kind may be called by the name of the whole but also for that it is such a part as shall neuer be seperated from the whole and consequently as in existence it is alwaies close coupled with the whole so may it very well in stile be interlaced with it Secondly I affirmed that taking the church of Rome for a part yet it being the most eminent part it might very iustly giue name to the whole according to that axiome approued by all the learned A parte principaliore denominatur totum the whole is named after some principall part the whole land of Israël was called Iury of the principall tribe therof Iuda And our own country wherin dwelt both Saxons and Vites aswell as English men was named England when one of the English attained to the monarchy in like maner the church of Rome being the head of the rest as before I haue prooued though
Sicubi audieru eos qui dicuntur Christi non a Iesu Christo sed a quoquam alio nuncupari vtputa Marcionistas valentinianos montenses scito non Ecclesiam Christi sed Antichristi esse synagogam but froÌ„ other men as Marcionists valentinians or such like as are now a daies Lutherans Zuinglians c. be you well assured that they belong not to the church of Christ but to the Sinagogue of Antichrist Out of this sound doctrine of the ancient fathers and approued doctors M. Abbots obiection is easily solued For albeit there be many erring congregations which would gladlie bee called churches and do chaleÌ„ge to theÌ„selues the name and authoritie of the church which the church of Rome doth not comprehend yet those congregations being no more true churches then Apes be men the church of Rome maie bee truly said to compreheÌ„d all the Catholike church though it do not containe any of theÌ„ they being for their ertors in faith and disvnioÌ„ in matter of religion by the verdict of the auncieÌ„t fathers esteemed rather schismatikes parts of sathaÌ„s sinagogue then any members of Christs Catholike church I am not ignoraÌ„t that there be certain good fellowe Libertins who more willing to please men with plausible doctrine then to acquaint them with Gods iust iudgments And to make some shew that theire church hath been alwaies a member of the visible Catholike church do teach that even schismatikes and heretikes so they erre not in some fundamentall points of religion be notwithstanding reall and true members of the Catholike church Against whose error I meane god willing to make a chapter in this booke wherfore I will not here stand to confute it But admitting it here for passable I do not see any reason why in the waie of that opinion the Roman church may not comprehend even those vnpure churches too For albeit they do not acknowledg the chiefty of the Roman church nor agree with it in all articles of faith yet they acknowledging the Roman to hold all those fundamentall articles of faith must needs grant that they do agree with it in all points that are of necessitie to bee beleeued On the other side they cannot deny but that they are all descended out of the same Roman church not being able to shew any other stocke or pedegree out of which their church is issued and sprung why then should they not yeeld that honor vnto the same as to acknowledg themselues members of her from whom they deriue their descent and pedigree and with whom they do agree in all fundameÌ„tall points of doctrine though in some other not necessarie in their opinion to be beleeued they do dissent from her Neither is that example of the Roman Empire well applied by M. Abbot For albeit there were and bee many kingdomes in the world besids the Roman Empire not subiect therto nor any meÌ„bers therof yet there be not nor cannot bee many christian churches wherof the one is not a member of the other For all Christian creeds do teach vs to beleeue that there is but one only church not many Ephes 4. Cant. 6.8 One spouse of Christ one body of Christ vna est columba mea c. which is the common doctrine of the auncient fathers after S. Ciprian and Saint Austin who haue made whole treatises of the vnitie of the church So that though there be many distinct kingdomes independent one of the other yet there cannot bee many such churches but all and euerie particuler true church is a true member of the one only Catholike church All of them perfectly agreeing togither in society of faith in vnity of sacraments and in forme of government Consequently the head mother church such as before I haue proued the Roman church to bee may convenientlie bee vsed to signifie all the rest No man denies the more proper signification of the church of Rome to bee the city or Diocese of Rome it self in which sense Albertus Pighius doth truly say of it That it is a particular church and not to be taken for the vniuersall church Notwithstanding it is in more large signification often taken for the whole Catholike church not only of moderne writers but also of the most ancient and holy fathers to witnes wherof I take these few following Saint Ciprian sent the copie of Antonianus letter to Cornelius bishop of Rome Cipr. epistola 52. to assure him that the said Antonian did comunicate with him that is with the Catholike church vt scires illum tecum hoc est cum Catholica ecclesia comunicare where that most learned prelate and glorious Martir put as a thing by it self well knowen that to comunicate with the pope of Rome is to communicate with the Catholike church with him accordeth Saint Ambrose Ambros oratione defratic Satyro relating how his brother Satyrus was cast on shore in Sardinia or therabout where Catholiks and heretiks were blended and mixt together and being desirous to bee baptised by a Catholike Bishop when one was presented to him to do that good office he to trie whâ—ther he were Catholike or no demaunded of him Si cum Catholicis hoc est cum Romanis consentiret If he did agree with the Catholikes that is to say with the Romanes Putting as we do now Roman for a certaine marke and as it were an explication of a true Catholike The like doth Saint Hierom when he asked of Ruffinus what faith hee professed Hic oni Apol 〈◊〉 câ—â— Ruffinum whether that that florished in the church of Rome or that which was contayned in the bookes of Origine Si Romanam responderit ergo Catholici sumus If hee answere the Roman faith then bewe Catholiks and free from the errors of Origen where he setteth the Roman faith to signifie the Catholike faith yea sheweth that of the Roman faith Christians are denominated Catholikes The same doth the auncient christian poet Prudentius chaunt in these verses Fugite o miseri execranda Nouati Schismata Catholicis vos reddite populis Prudent in hymno de Hipolito Vnasedes vigeat prisco quae condita seclo est Quam Paulus tenuit quaÌ„que cathedra Petri. O poore soules from Nouatus cursed schisme do you flie And with speede yeeld your selues vnto the Catholike party That only seate florish which in auncient time founded S. Paul vpheld and where the chaire of Peter was grounded This godly and holy man esteemed it all one to yeeld your self to the Catholike partie and to vnite your self to the sea of Rome So did that puissant Christian Emperor Theodosius the younger when hee exhorted the Bishop of Berca and his followers to declare themselues approued priests of the Roman religion imploing the Roman for the Catholike religion which was with all persons so vsuall and current in those better times Concil Ephesin Tom. 1. c. 10. that even the old rotten Arrian heretikes did by the same name of Roman designe all true
sunne as it is in the revelation drawing after him a great number of the starres and pulling them downe headlong with himself into the pit of hell Of Beza thus writeth Conradus Sclusselburg a famous superintendent of the Lutheran church Conrad de Theolog Calviniana lib. 2. arb 1. Theodore Beza in his sacramentary Basiliske against Heshusius which hee entituleth Chrâ—ophagia doth not onlie in the treatise it self take his leaue of all godlines and modestie letting loose all the reynes of railing but in the very title doth vomite vp his blasphemie and diuelish scoffes c in the first six pages and a half hee hath powred out such horrible filthy and beastlie taunts that euen souldiers of his owne band haue wished them to bee suppressed with his bawdy and most vnpure verses made in praise of his harlot Candida Beza hath with his rotten rayling and beastly belching assaulted the most holy testament of the sonne of God He revileth that worthy superintendent Heshusius most spitefully calling him a Buskin or tragicall Polypheme an ape an huge great capped Asse a dog in a bath a most doltish Sophister an impure sicophant a most impudent knaue Finally hee likeneth him to a deuil incarnate that hath belched vp such Satanicall blasphemies that hee trembleth to relate them This may suffice for a scantling to shew how the names of Luther Calvin Beza the great Rabbins of the protestant Gospell be already by no meane men of their owne coate so canuased disgraced and vilified that the iudicious reader may see how litle need we haue to trouble our selues to search after matter against them to make knowen to the world what odious companions they were seing their owne brotherhood do so fully paint them out to the life that any true Christian hart must needs abhorre them And they that will not vpon so faire warning take heed of them fly from them can haue no lawfull excuse of their wilfull and doting folly R. AB PEtilian the Donatist being offended that they were called Donatists retorted vpon the godly Bishops the names of Mensurists and Cecilianists deriued from two principall Bishops of their party Mensurius and Cecilianus Collat. Carth. 3. ca. 30. So the Papists being vexed at that name Papists giuen to them for being wholy at the devotion of the Pope seeke to disgrace vs with the names of Lutherans Zuinglians and Calvinists as though wee were in like sort devoted to Luther Zuinglius and Calvin W. B. HEere M. Abbot being at a low ebbe in steed of the body of the Donatists is fayne to lay hold vpon one of the companie named Petilian to patch vp a paltrie peece of a triviall resemblance where M. Abbots gentle spirit is to be obserued for before hee would touch vs for calling them by their right names either Lutherans Zuinglians or Calvinists because they left the communion of the whole church to imbrace those Arch heretiks doctrine and felowship Hee confesseth ingenuously that the ProtestaÌ„ts before hand had plaid with vs the part of that Donatist Petilian by nicknaming vs Papists For hee saith that wee being angrie with them for giving vs the name Papists did for a revenge call them Lutherans c Ergo hee granteth that they began with vs but were it before or after M. Abbots resemblance may bee most iustly returned vpon themselues For as the Catholiks of those times called those Sectaries Donatists for leaving the communion of the church spred ouer all to follow one Schismaticall fellow called Donate so the protestants that were so sottish as to forsake the faith of the Catholike church to cleave vnto the peevish opinion of some lewd or loose renegate are most worthy to bee called after their blind guids names either Lutherans Zuinglians Calvinists or such like And they to wreake their teene on vs nickname vs Papists wherin albeit they imitate the Donatists yet their inuention is not so proper as was the Donatists who of some one eminent person christened the Catholikes after their names but the protestants cannot tell vs of what one pope or other wee tooke our name If it bee of all the ranke of Popes then haue wee no need to bee ashamed of it for the protestants themselues are not yet become so impudent as to deny thirtie or fortie of the first of them to haue been right beleeuers yea very holy Martyrs or confessors And good reason it is that of the first and best of them the rest should take their names R. AB 8. Aug. co literas Petil l. 2. ca. 43. co Gaudent l 2. c. 28. THe Donatists complained that the revenues bestowed by their ancestors on the churches were taken a way from them and given to the Catholike Pastors The same complaint M. Bishop and his fellowes vse that Bishopricks Deaneries and other benefices founded by men of their religion and to the vse therof are now as they pretend wrongfully taken from them and given to vs. W. B. I Do not find in S. Austin alledged by M. Abbot that the Donatists were founders of Bishopricks or any such like church livings And heretiks bee seldome any such founders but as latter commers do rather intrude wroÌ„gfully into them that were before founded by the Catholiks They complayned without iust cause when they were worthely expelled out of them they pretended in deed that they were lawfully discended of the former Catholike Bishops and that therfore those livings were due to them which would bee iust the protestants case if it should please God to inspire into our Soveraigne Lord king Iames his hart to dispossesse them of their benefices as vsurpers and to restore the dignities and livings founded by Catholiks for the exercise of Catholike religion into the hands of Catholike Bishops and Priests who seeth not therfore how fairly the Donatists did in most things pourtraict their white sons the protestants R. AB 9. THe Rogatists being one part of the Donatists affirmed themselues only to bee Christians even as the Donatists did chaleng to themselues only to bee the church of Christ and so now the Papists esteeme themselues only to bee Christians W. B. THis hath been in effect both obtruded by M. Abbot and by me answered some foure or five times ouer already wherfore is to be now loathed as ouer stale what so me maÌ„ may say in some sense we do not much esteeme but the body of the Catholike church doth not deny heretikes to bee Christians because they bee christened and do hold some points of the Christian faith though such Christians as shall never vnles they amend haue any part with Christ in his kingdome For that they refuse to beleeue many articles of the Christian faith haue seperated themselues from the vnion and communion of Christ his true church R. AB 10. Aug co literas Petilian l. 2. c. 83 l. 2. cap. 71. Epist 106 THe Donatist provoking Emperors by their vntolerable outrages to make lawes against
without exception against any one of them for if I do beleeue her in one and not in another I am become such a chooser as the Latines following the Grecians call hereticus an heretike and do indeed shew that I do not assuredlie beleeue the church as Gods interpreter that cānot erre but onlie so farre forth as I thinke good And then it may bee asked mee why I do beleeue her at all if she do but now and then tell the truth for it may bee that then shee doth not say true when I do beleeue her To put vs out of all these doubts and difficulties the selected gouernours of the church the maisters of the world Christes hoy Apostles before they did depart to preach the Gospell to all nations set downe this for a most assured principle of the Christian faith I beleeue the holie Catholike church to teach all Christians that in those supernaturall misteries of the kingdome of heauen wee must not leane to the light of nature or trust to our owne Iudgments or follow the advise of everie one that will take vpon him to bee a maister but hold our selues preciselie to that which the holie Catholike church doth teach vs obeie her fullie and wholie in all things Out of the premises this argument may bee framed directly to our purpose No man can bee saued vnles hee follow the direction of the one holie Catholike church in all matters of faith but they that bee of opinion that euerie man may bee saued in his religion do not follow the direction of the Catholike church which doth teach all men to imbrace and follow one only faith and religion wherfore they that will not imbrace the said one only faith which the Catholike church teacheth cannot bee saued To make this more plaine and probable let vs in a word or two examine the speciall meanes that the protestants vse to attaine vnto the true vnderstanding of Gods word and therby vnto saluation where wee must obserue by the way that wee all agree in this that there is nothing to bee beleeued which is not by God reuealed vnto vs. The Protestants do hold all that to bee written either in the old or new Testament wherin wee dissent from them teaching all revealed verities not to bee written in the Bible but some of them to passe from father to sonne by word of mouth and by tradition Of which difference here I doe not dispute but wee all taking for our ground Gods owne and onely word revealed written or vnwritten do inquire how wee come to the true vnderstanding of it wee say by the explication and declaration of the Catholike church The Protestants approue not that meanes but vnder the colour of mans inuentions reiecting of it do either leane to their owne iudgment learning or follow the authoritie of their chiefe preachers or els runne to the revelation of the Spirit speaking inwardlie to their spirits Now if none of all these bee assured meanes to attaine vnto the true vnderstanding of Gods word then their faith that relieth principally theron cannot bee assured Some of them in great zeale simplicitie will say that they relie only on the word of God but good poore soules they know not well what they saie for the question being about the vnderstanding of the same word of God wee affirming the word to bee for vs they denying that and chalenging it to bee for them who shall iudge whether of our pretentions to the same word bee true they will conferre one texte with another so will wee and consider all circūstances too wee will repaire also to the originals haue respect vnto the Analogie of faith briefly wee will vse all humane diligēce pray also to God to assist vs supernaturally yet whē wee haue all done wee come to no agreemēt who shall thē agree vs If they would come with vs to the Catholike churches determination in some generall councell wee should quickly haue an end but they vpon one vaine pretext or other fly of and will finally follow no other then one of those three guids before named wherof the first which is their owne learning and Iudgment bee it neuer so great yet they maie mistake and fall into error Omnis enim homo mendax Rom. 3. For every man is subiect to bee deceiued specially when they bee in passion and striue to vphold and make good their owne conceites against others for then they do oftentimes run astray verie strangelie Secondly the Protestants that relie vpon the reputation and credit of their preachers how can they set vp their rest vpon them assuredlie for that first their masters being men may bee deceiued aswell as other men maie be and that they are in deed deceiued not only the Catholiks who are the farre greater and founder part of Christians do affirme but those also that they themselues hold for men of God do testify the same For example Martin Luther with his disciples repute Zuinglius Calvin and all the troupe of Sacramentaries to bee deceiuing masters and to erre damnablie in the matter of the blessed Sacrament On thother side the Sacramentarie protestants do all teach that Luther with all his followers erred as in many other points so principally in that matter of the reall presence which of these two to omit diuerse other their contradictions shall a poore protestant beleeue and follow both hee cannot because what the one affirmeth thother denieth and each of them saith that the other is deceiued Hee thē taking them both for true of their words must needs beleeue neither of them for that the one avoucheth the other to bee in error Hee maie leaning to his owne Iudgment and liking rather follow one of them then the other yet hee cannot do that without some feare of being deceiued himself because hee hath so many euen of his owne side to bee against him wherfore he can haue no faith at all in these points For faith is an assured perswasion of that to bee true which you do beleeue without anie doubt or feare of the contrarie Let vs now come to their last refuge and surest hold as some take it of the spirit which is indeed the most wauering and vncertaine guide of all the rest For doth not the Lutherans grosser spirit buzze into their braines that they haue found out the light of the Gospell yes I warrant you saies euery good Lutheran Not so saith the purer and nimblet spirit of the Calvinists it was but the dawning of the daie that appeared to M. Luther the light of the Gospell began then only to peepe vp but the bright beames therof brake not out till M Caluins doctrine glittered The more brisk spirite of the Brownists doth assure thē that the nooneday light of the same Gospell shineth onlie in their Horizon And what shall wee say to the Anabaptists who as they bee the most frantike of all other so they brag most of all of verie familiar
finding these Bishops conformable to the faith of the Nicene councell of which Athanasius had been a principall piller hee admitted them into communion of all spirituall matters And wheras by the dignitie of his sea the charge of all persons did apperteine vnto him hee restored them backe to their Bishoprickes And did write vnto the Bishops of the east blaming them for that they had vnaduisedly iudged of those personages and sent them a mandate that some of them should appeare at a certaine day in the name of the rest who also threatned that he would not afterward let them passe vnpunished if they gaue not ouer to molest others Is not heere plaine proofe of the Bishop of Rome his power and commaunding authoritie ouer the greatest Bishops in the east They appealed vnto him for iudgment hee heard their causes hee reversed the sentences given against them by the Bishops of the east hee finallie restored againe their Bishopricks vnto them cited the others to appeare before him and theatned to punish them if they continued in their ill doeing Hosius ad Imperator Constantium Citatus ab Athanas epist ad solit vitam agentes Ne te misceas Ecclesiasticis neque nobis in hoc genere praecipe sed potius ea à nobis disce tibi Deus imperium coÌ„misit nobis quae sunt Ecclesiae concredidit quemadmodum qui tuum imperium malignis oâ—ulis carpit contradicit ordinationi divinae Ita tu cave ne quae sunt ecclesiae ad te trahens magno crimini obnoxius fiaâ— The same is also witnessed by Athanasius himself in his epistle to them that lead a solitarie life and in his second Apologie where hee doth relate the whole busines and teacheth expresly that it did not belonge to CoÌ„stantius then Emperour to determine ecclesiasticall causes but that he ought to learne them of Bishops To Athanasius I will ioyne Cirillus bicause hee was patriarch of the same sea of Alexandria Cirillus epist 18 ad CelestinuÌ„ and as learned and valiant a maintayner of the third generall councell held at Ephesus as Athanasius had been of the first kept at Nice Extat Tomo 1. Concil Ephes cap 29. This most learned Archbishop confesseth the like commanding power to haue been in Celestinus then pope of Rome that thother did before in Iulius Quoniam vero deus hiscâ— in rebus prudentiam à nobis exigit long aque ecclesiarum consuetudo suadet vt istiusmodi sanctitati tuae communiceÌ„tur non possum equidem quod apertum est ad pietatem non perscribere post malefacta exposita subiungit Et quamvis res ita se habeat non prius tamen illius communionem confidenter deserere ausi fuimus quam haec ipsa pâ—etati tuae indicaremus Digneris proinde quid hic sentias declâ—rare quo liquido nobis constet communicare ne nos cum illo oporteat an vero libere eidem denunciare neminem cum eo communicarâ— qui eiusmodi Erroneam doctrinam fovet praedicat Porro tâ—a integritatis mens ac super hac re sententia non modo pijssimis Macedoniae Epistopis sed totius quoque Orientis Antistibus perspicue per literas exponi debet Thus hee writeth to him Bicause in busines of this nature God requireth of vs wisdome and the long continued custome of the church doth admonish vs to communicate them with your holines I cannot but giue your pietie to vnderstand what is here discouered of Nestorius Bishop then of Constantinople whose foule crimes and pestilent errours when hee had laid open and certified how hee had done his endevour to move him to repentance but all in vaine hee afterward addeth Albeit these things bee soe yet wee durst not forbeare communicating with him before wee had related these things to your pietie Vouchsafe therfore to declare what you deeme to bee done therin that wee may assuredly know whether wee ought to communicate with Nestorius or els boldlâ—e denounce that no man ought to communicate with him that doth dâ—fend such erronious doctrine your holines good pleasure and sentence in this matter is to bee notified not onlie to the Bishops of Macedonia but vnto all the prelates of the east Behold the maÌ„ner of proceeding in these pure times of the church S. Cirill who for learning was perhaps better able then Celestinus to iudge of the errour of Nestorius and being patriarch of Alexandria by his place held the highest court of Iudgment in the east church Celestin Papa Cyrillo Archiepiscopo habetureodem Tomo 1. Concil Ephes cap. 16. yet would hee not take vpon himself to determine of Nestorius heresies or to excommunicate him but referred both vnto the Bishop of Rome whose sentence therin both hee and all the Bishops of the east did require and embrace In this manner did the same pope Celestinus returne answere vnto S. Cirill Most Reverend brother do you take vnto you our authoritie Quamobrem nostra autoritate ascita nostráque vice loco cum potestate vsus eiusmodi non absque exquisita severitate sententiam exequeru nempe vt nisi à decem dierum intervallo ab huius nostrae admonâ—tionis die numerandorum nefariam doctrinam suam conceptis verbis anathematizeâ— eamque de Christi dei nostri â—eneratione fidem in posterum confessurum se spondeat quam Romana tuae sanctitatu ecclesia vniuersa denique religio Christiana praedicat illico sanctitas tua illi ecclesiae prospiciat and vsing our power and place do you execute against Nestorius the sentence of excommunication with exquisite severitie vnles within ten daies after hee hath been admonished from vs hee do recant and recall his errours and let your holines provide a more worthy person for that Bishoprike which mandate of his Cirillus with the whole couÌ„cell following proceeded to the deposition of Nestorius in this maÌ„ner No man doth doubt Tomo secundo eiusdem Concil Ephes cap. 16. Nulli dubium imo seculis omnibus nâ—tum est sanctum beatissimumque Petrum Apostolorum principem caput fideâ—que columnam ecclesiae Catholicae fundamentum à Domino nostro Iesu Christo caelestis regni claues accepisse solvendique atque ligandi potestate quam acceperat vsum fuisse necnon per successores suos huc vsque semper vivere causas decernere semperque victurum esse Huius itaque ordinarius successor vicarius sanctus beatissimusque papa Episcopus noster Celestinus nos suos pro se quasi vicarios misit c. Et hac est praefatio sententia Nos canonum vi sanctissimi que patris comministri nostri Celestini ecclesia Romanae Antistitis epistola compulsi hanc tristem in illam sententiaÌ„ tulimus naie it hath been in all ages notorious that the most blessed S. Peter priÌ„ce head of the Apostles the pillar of faith and foundation of the Catholike church did receive of our Saviour Iesus Christ
the redeemer of mankind the keies of the kingdome of heaven and the power of loosing and binding And that also even vnto these daies hee doth in his successors liue and determine causes and shall alwaies liue To him doth Celestinus now Bishop of Rome in right order succede finally by vertue of power receiued from the said Celestinus they proceede to pronounce senteÌ„ce against Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople All which set togither standing of record in the third generall councell doth demonstrate that the Easterne church did acknowledge both the Bishop of Rome to bee S. Peters lawfull successor And that it also did appertaine to him to excommunicate and depose principall Bishops of the Greeke and Easterne church which no man can doubt to bee principall and most proper actes of supreme power in government with this I will linke another like example practised and recorded in the fourth generall councell held at Chalcedon Dioscorus patriarch of Alexandria being for his erronious opinions and enormious actions called in question was convented to answere in that generall councell first all the actions that are entered against Dioscorus are stiled thus Concil Chalced. actio 3. Libellus Theodoridiaconi ad Leonem PapaÌ„ ad Chalced coÌ„cilium Libellus Iscyronis ad Leonem nem PapaÌ„ Chalcedon conciliuÌ„ Vnto the most holy and most happie Archbishop of the great and old Rome Leo and to the generall councell assembled at Chalcedon Setting the Bishop of Rome as head before the generall couÌ„cell as his bodie which in expresse tearmes the whole couÌ„cel acknowledgeth writing vnto the said pope Leo the great That hee was President over them Quibus tu quidem sicut membris caput praeâ—ras quam velut auro textam seriem ex veste Christi praecepto legislatoris venientem vsque ad nos ipse servasti vocis beati Petri omnibus constitutus interpres eius si lei beatificationem super omnes adducâ—ns even as the head is to the rest of the members that the custodie of our lords vineyard was coÌ„mitted to him that hee was the interpreter of Saint Peters sentence Observe secondlie the forme of their definitiue sentence which is thus set downe The most holie and most blessed Archbishop of great and old Rome Leo Ibidem in exemplari epist Paschacini Vnde sanctissimus ac beatissimus Papa caput vniuersalis ecclesiae Leo per nos vt lâ—gatos suos sancta synodo consentiente Petri Apostoli praeditus dignitate qui ecclesiae fundamentum et petra fidei calestis regni lanitor nuncupatur Episcopali eum Dioscorum dignitate nudavit ab omni sacerdotali opere facit exortem by vs and this present holy councell together with the most happie most worthy Apostle S. Peter who is the rock and topp of the Catholike church hee who is the foundation of the Orthodox and true faith hath deposed Dioscorus from all Episcopall dignitie and deprived him of all priestlie function and ministery First let it bee well obserued and borne in mind that all the parts of this my discourse be verified in the sentences of these two generall councells First that S. Peter was that rocke vpon which Christ built his church Secondlie that the Bishop of Rome succeeded him therin Thirdlie that in the vertue therof is comprehended power and authoritie to vphold the Orthodox saith and to punish and depose the highest patriarches in the church aswell of the east as of the west if they do obstinatlie trouble the peace of Christs church This having been by the verdict and practise of the pure Church in ancieÌ„t time so cleerly testified in two of those prime generall councells which the Protestants themselues do confesse to bee Orthodox and authenticall what reasonable Christian can take anie exception against it yet for more full confirmation of this most important point of our faith I will passe through all the patriarchall seas and out of each of them choose some sufficient proofe for the popes supremacie in gouernment Athanasius patriarch of Alexandria was absolued and restored by Iulius pope of Rome Dioscorus of the same sea was excomunicated and deposed by Leo the great Nestorius patriarch of Constantinople was in like manner censured and depriued by Celestinus pope of Rome of whom wee haue alreadie treated Now to S. Iohn Chrysostom Bishop of the same city of Constantinople who was absolued and restored to his Bishopricke by Innocentius the first pope of Rome This verie learned zealous and godly prelate and most eloquent preacher was through the malice of the Empresse Eudoxia assisted by her husbaÌ„d the emperour Archadius deposed hoised out of his seate euen by the verdict of many Easterne Bishops assembled in a councell wherof Theophilus patriarch of Alexandria was the head wher vpon hee treading in the noble stepps of Athanasius and diuerse other good Bishops made his appeale to InnoceÌ„tius pope of Rome craving of him to reuerse that vniust sentence which had been given against him Innocentio Papae Ioannes Chrisost ex palladio in vita eius Quapropter ne confusio haec omnem quae sub coelo est nationem enuadat obsecro vt scribatis quod baec tam inique facta absentibus nobis non declinantibus iudicium non habeant robur sicut nec sua natura habent Illi autem qui inique egerunt poena â—cclesiasticarum legum subâ—aceant nobis vero qui nec conuicti nec redarguti nec habiti vt rei literis vestris charitate vestra aliorumque omnium quorum scilicet anâ—ea societate fruâ—bamur fâ—ui concâ—dite these bee his words I beseech thee holie father that their sentence so vniustly giuen in my absence I not refusing iudgement maie bee of no validity furthermore that they who haue done mee that wrong may according to the lawes of the church bee punished And commaund that I being innocent and not to bee convicted of any crime may bee restored to my church againe See most evident acknowledgment of the Bishop of Romes power to repeale the sentence of a councell holden in the greeke church by the greatest patriarch of those coasts yea and to inflict punishment vpon them Item to restore Saint Iohn Chrisostome to his Bishopricke againe which Innocentius effected Ex epist 30. Innocent ad Archadium ex Nicepho 10 l. 13. c. 34. Itaque ego minimus peccator cui thronus magni Apostoli Petri creditus est segrego to illam a perceptione immaculatorum mysterioruÌ„ Christi dei nostri Episcopum etiam omnem aut clericum ordinis sancta dei ecclesiae qui administrare aut exhibere â—a vobis ausuâ— fuerit ab ea hora qua presenteâ— vinculi meilegeritis literas dignitate sua excidisse decerne thundering out a most terrible sentence of excomunication against the Emperour Archadius in these tearmes I the least of Gods seruaÌ„ts and a sinner vnto whom the throne of the great Apostle S. Peter