haue beene various in the transforming of his countenance In Germany beleeuing one thing in Heluetia another at Geneua turning the third way in Holland vvandering the fourth How many countries they infect with their new and prophane Gospel so many diuers professions of faith and distinct formes of Church gouernement they haue These changlinges that are so farre degenerated from their predecessors piety and doe disagree so much one with another Yea that doe in the same country often chop and change their owne religion are of al constant Catholikes to be auoided as vnstable and wauering soules caried about with euery blast of new doctrine But concerning dutiful obedience vnto the Prince vvho is Gods Lieutenant general in temporal causes Catholikes if they be compared to Protestants wil be found an hundred times more loyal and constant vvhich point because I haue touched in my answere vnto M. Abbots Epistle in the beginning of this booke I neede not here againe handle it at large And although some men of our religion haue now and then as fraile and sinneful creatures forgotten their duty both to God and their King yet they haue beene so few and that so seldome in comparison of the Protestants that for one of ours more then a thousand of theirs haue within this hundred yeares failed therein though we be in number a thousand of our religion for one of theirs if you take al Christendome ouer And albeit the state seeme now to be settled against the religion of our fore-fathers and not vnlike so to continue vntil it shal please God of his infinite mercies to alter and amend it vvhich notwithstanding as al the faithful know may be very shortly because his diuine power is infinite and no man able to resist his vvil yet we shal be by the assistance of Gods good grace so farre off from biting our tongues or the lip either thereat as M. Abbot fondly imagineth that vve wil rather pray to God to open our lips and to loose our tongues to magnifie his holy name that he hath giuen vs that true Christian happinesse and honour not only Phillip 1. vers 28. to beleeue a-right in Christ IESVS in these daies of infidelity but also to suffer disgrace and to sustaine persecution for the constant profession of his holy name and only true Catholike Apostolike Roman faith They who make profession of religion to please the Princes of the earth to heape vp honours and to rake riches togither haue great cause of griefe when they finde themselues therefore by the present state discountenanced impouerished and vtterly rejected But others vvho know our blessed Sauiour as al Christians ought to doe and the true honour vertue and riches of his Crosse doe more regard of his loue yea of one good looke of his then of al earthly Kinges countenances fauours and preferments And doe make a higher estimate of bearing his Crosse after him and of suffering persecution for his glorious name sake then of al vvorldly ease honours and commodities Imitating therein that generous and most noble minded Moyses Hebr. 11. vers 25. Who chose rather to be afflicted with the people of God then to haue the pleasures of temporal sinne esteeming the reproach for Christ greater riches then the treasures of the Aegiptians It doth not therefore so much trouble vs to behold the state settled against the Catholike religion for our owne temporal interest who haue thereby so manifold occasions to mortifie our euil passions to flie the temptations of the wicked world and to endeare our selues vnto our most louing redeemer But very great sorow and continual sadnesse of hart haue we to consider that Christian religion first planted in our country and euer since vntil our fathers daies most constantly continued is now banished thence and with it al honesty of life al good and charitable dealing with our neighbour is vtterly decaied and banished out of the City and Country And in place thereof swearing and forswearing drunkennesse dishonesty and al manner of deceit and knauery openly practised countenanced and without blushing professed That the goodly faire and stately Churches built by our Catholike Ancestors for Catholike assemblies at the blessed sacrifice of the Masse and for the due administration of the holy Sacraments and true preaching of Gods word be now prophaned and turned to places of dishonouring of our soueraigne Creatour and of seducing his poore creatures That the famous Vniuersities and other Schooles founded for instruction principally of Catholike doctrine and deuotion be now made shops of new errours loose manners and impiety Vpon these and such like spiritual considerations finding our poore country depriued in manner of al Gods blessings and our deare country-men made slaues of the Deuil and fuel for the flames of hel fire vve Catholikes are exceeding pensiue yet doe vve not therefore fare like madde men nor gnaw our tongues for anger as M. Abbot scornefully vvriteth but doe in bitternesse of soule most earnestly pray vnto the Father of mercies in vvhose handes are the harts of al Kinges to inspire our dread soueraigne King IAMES and the Lordes of his most honourable Councel vvith the true knowledge of his sacred vvil and word and to kindle in them so feruent a zeale of the Catholike Roman faith as that they may imploy those very rare and singular gifts of nature arte and experience which God hath plentifully powred vpon them towardes the reclaiming of our country from the new prophane heresies and most wicked conuersation of these miserable times vnto our Ancestours sound faith sincere honesty and most charitable and vpright dealing This chiefly is the heape of our heauinesse this is al the harme vve wish them this is al the treason that can be justly laid to our charge That vvith the aboundance of such honour and prosperity as this vale of misery affordeth them they might also be heires of eternal happinesse glory and felicity And albeit for this inestimable heauenly blisse vvhich we most hartily desire vnto our natiue soile and best beloued country we be stiled a thousand times traitours and euery way vsed most vnkindly yet we shal not surceasse by Gods grace to pray for them continually vvho doe day and night persecute vs yea ouer and besides be ready also by the assistance of the same his grace not only to bestow our best and most seruiceable daies to doe them good but also the dearest bloud in our bodies if it shal please our blessed Sauiour so to dispose of vs. And is it likely that men thus by the grace of God affected should cry out as M. Abbot malitiously surmiseth O fallaces spes O deceitful hopes doth he not here rather notably discouer the basenesse and corruption of his owne mind as exceeding far dissenting from the right temper and disposition of a sound and noble Christian who should be nothing daunted for seing the worldly state settled against him because our great Master Christ hath assured vs of that
desolate and naked and eate her flesh c. yet they shal be most vvicked and impious Kinges and shal adore the monstruous beast there described and fight against Christ IESVS These be the very vvordes of the Text And the tenne hornes c. be tenne Kinges c. these haue one Councel and force and their power they shal deliuer to the beast these shal fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shal ouerthrow them c. Vers 16. And the tenne bornes which thou sawest in the beast these shal hate the harlot and make her desolate and naked c. so that the very same tenne Kinges signified there by tenne hornes that did giue al their power to the beast did hate the harlot But how can it be saith one that they vvho hate the vvicked harlot should joine with the beast who was as wicked as shee Yes that may wel be for it is no newes that vvicked men fal out among themselues so that one vngodly and wicked Prince doth sometimes with al his might aide another more vvicked then himselfe and at the same instant perhaps or shortly after fight against a third the most wicked of al they doe fight against both good and euil as their owne rage passions or occasions carry them Which I say to stoppe a starting hole of the Protestants who to auoide this inconuenience say that first these ten Kings were bent to al mischief◠and then helped the beast against the Lambe but afterward repented them of their former iniquity then loe they hated the harlot and persecuted her which they would not haue done if they had beene hadde Princes this is a prety shift Wel say first that this sence could stand vvith the vvordes of the text yet they cannot be applied to his Majesty who was not in his former time any aider of our religion and now is fallen off from that to the Protestants wherefore this deuise if it could stand with the text wil not serue their turne But the spirit of God hath preuented and wholy cut off this vaine imagination for it saith in the next verse That the tenne Kinges who hated the harlot euen then and after too gaue their Kingdomes to the beast til the word of God be consummate that is til the end of al. Wherefore most manifest it is euen by the warrant of Gods sacred word that those Kinges mentioned in the Apocalipse were reprobates such did they liue and such shal they die Let then his most excellent Majesty censure what reward they are worthy off who feare not to thrust his Highnesse into that list of condemned cast-a-waies and that too after they had such faire warning as in my answere to M. Perkins I gaue them to beware how they did his Majesty that shame and despite If it please his Highnesse to take notice of it I doubt not but that he wil conne them little thanke for this their commendation of him M. Abbot hauing acquited himselfe so Clarke-like in the precedent part of his answere That we are not to imitate our fore-fathers descendeth to the subsequent to wit That his Majesties Progenitours Kinges of England and Scotland were not of our Roman faith which he wil proue hereafter at more leisure that is to say neuer For he doth not deny but that the religious and holy man Augustine sent into our country by Gregory the great Bishop of Rome to conuert our Ancestours the Saxons and English to the Christian faith did then teach the same Roman faith vvhich vve now professe so that aboue this thousand yeares by his owne confession his Majesties Progenitours haue beene of our Catholike Roman faith and religion and very few Kings now liuing I weene can deriue their pedegree much further Afterward he doth rake out of the chanels of Bale Page 198. Iewel Hollinshead and such like late partial vvriters which any man not past al care of his reputation would be ashamed to cite for sufficient witnesses in matters of controuersy where in they themselues were parties that there was great disagreemēt betweene Augustine the Italian Monke as he speaketh and the Churches of England and Scotland vvhereas venerable Bede a most approued authour and neare vnto those times vvho did as most diligently trace out those matters so record them most faithfully he I say whose authority is sufficient to put downe an hundreth late writers interessed in the cause affirmeth that there vvas no variance betwixt them in any one article of faith but only in some few points of ceremony namely in these two Beda lib. 2. histor cap. 2. Vpon what day the feast of Easter was to be kept and about the rites of Baptisme For S. Augustine offered them to beare vvith al other their different rites if they would yeeld vnto him in these two points Vt Pascha suo tempore celebretis That yee would keepe Easter-day at the due time appointed by the Councel of Nice and minister the Sacrament of Baptisme after the manner of the Roman and Apostolike Church And concerning these two points vvho can thinke but that the Sacrament of Baptisme vvas like to be administred in those daies in the most renowmed citty of Rome after a more decent and deuout manner Euseb in vita Const l. 3. 17. Epiphan l. 3. Haeres 70. then among the Britans that liued in a corner of the world now for the other of keeping the feast of Easter the 14. day of the first Moone with the Iewes It was many yeares before condemned in the first most famous general Councel of Nice and therefore it cannot be denied but that those Britans vvere either very ignorant in the Canons of the Church if they knew not so solemne a decree or else too too contentious and vvilful in refusing to yeeld vnto it A third clause was added by S. Augustine that the Britans vvould joine with him and his fellowes Beda ibidem in preaching the word of God vnto the English nation which also argueth yet more strongly that they agreed together in al articles of faith or else they vvould not haue required their helpe in instructing others in matters of faith And this is not only registred by S. Bede that holy Historiographer but also reported by their owne late vvriters Hollinshead Volum 1. page 103. and * Page 6. M. Godwine in his Catologue of the Bishops of England S. Bede also witnesseth further in the place aboue-said that the same Britan Christians euen then confessed that they did perceiue that to be the true way of justice which Augustine did preach Furthermore the principal Preachers and most Godly men that liued not long before S. Augustines arriual among the Britans as namely S. Dulcitius and S. Dauid vvere brought vp at Rome and one of them the Popes Legate too Iohn Baal in their liues as the aduersaries themselues confesse Wherevpon it followeth clearely that not only for these later thousand yeares but also in the former
in steede of God WILLIAM BISHOP WHAT a worthy graue Preface he vseth to assure men that vve wil not deny S. Paul nor his Epistle to the Romans vvhich neuer were called in doubt by any man But good S ir vvhiles you muse and busie your head so much vpon bables you forget or wilfully mistake the very point of the question Was the Church of Rome at her most flourishing estate when S. Paul wrote that Epistle to the Romans was her faith then most renowmed ouer al the world as you write nothing lesse for not the tenne thousand part of that most populous Citty was then conuerted to the faith and they that had receiued the Christian faith were very nouices in it and stoode in great neede of the Apostles diuine instructions Any reasonable man would rather judge that the Church of Rome then came first to her most flourishing estate when Idolatry and al kind of superstition was put to silence and banished out of her vvhen the Christian religion was publikly preached countenanced by the Emperours authority which was not before the raigne of Constantine the great our most glorious country-man vvherefore M. Abbots first fault is that he shooteth farre vvide from the marke vvhich he should haue aimed at principally The second is more nice yet in one that would seeme so acute not to be excused It is that he taketh an Epistle written to the Romans for their instruction and correction as if it were a declaration and profession of their faith vvhen as al men know such a letter might containe many thinges vvhich they had not heard off before Further yet that you may see how nothing can passe his fingers vvithout some legerdemaine marke how he englisheth Theodorets wordes Dogmatum pertractationem The handling of opinions is by him translated al points of doctrine vvhereas it rather signifieth some then al opinions or lessons But I wil let these ouer-sights passe as flea-bitings and follow him whither he pleaseth to wāder that euery man may see when he is permitted to say what he liketh best that in truth he can alleage out of S. Paul nothing of moment against the Catholike faith S. Paul saith he is wholy against you and for vs. Quickly said but wil not be so soone proued First he condemneth the worshipping of Saints and Saints Images in that he reproueth the Heathens for changing the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man O noble disputer and wel worthy the whippe because we may not make false Gods or giue the glory of God vnto Idols may vve not therefore yeeld vnto Saints their due vvorship might not S. Paul whiles he liued as al other most Godly men be reuerenced and vvorshipped for their most excellent spiritual and religions vertues with a kinde of holy and religious respect euen as Knights and Lordes and other worldly men are vvorshipped and honoured for their temporal callings and endowments with temporal worship vvithout robbing God of his honour Is the Lord or Master dishonoured and spoiled of his due reuerence and respect if his seruants for his sake be much made off and respected yet with such due regard only as is meete for their degree This is so childish and palpable that if the Protestants were not resolued to sticke obstinately to their errours how grosse soeuer they be they vvould for very shame not once more name it To the next ROBERT ABBOT PAVL saith and we say the same that Ibid. vers 17. the righteousnesse of God is from faith to faith you say otherwise that it is from faith to workes that faith is but the entrance to workes and that in workes the righteousnesse of God doth properly consist WILLIAM BISHOP THE sentence of S. Paul is mangled his wordes are for the justice or righteousnesse of God is reuealed therein in the Gospel by faith into faith which are obscure and subject to diuers expositions The most common is that Christ the justice of God is reuealed in the Gospel by conferring the faith of them that liued before the Gospel vvith their faith that liued vnder it the faith of them who liue in the Gospel giuing great light for the cleerer vnderstanding of such thinges as were taught of Christmore darkely in the law and Prophets This being the literal sence of this place what is here for mans justification by only faith where only mention is made of Gods justice and not one vvord of the imputation of it to man but of the reuelation of it in the Gospel What a foule mistaking is this alas his pouerty of spirit and want of good armour compelleth him to lay hand on any vveapons how simple and weake soeuer In the next verse it is plainly shewed that God did grieuously punish al them vvho liued wickedly notwithstanding they held the right faith for saith S. Paul Rom. 1. v. 18. the wrath of God from heauen is reuealed vpon al impiety and vnrighteousnesse of those men that retaine or hold the truth of God in injustice Whence it followeth first that men may haue a true faith without good workes for they held the truth of God being themselues wicked Secondly that the same faith would not auaile them aught nor saue them from the just wrath of God if it were not quickned by good workes ROBERT ABBOT THE Apostle in expresse termes affirmeth Rom. 4. v. 6. imputation of righteousnesse vvithout vvorkes We doe the same but you professedly dispute against it WILLIAM BISHOP WE hold with the Apostle that vvorkes be not the cause of the first justification whereof he there treateth nor to deserue it though inspired with Gods grace they doe prepare vs and make vs fit to receiue the gift of justification neither doe the Protestants wholy exclude workes from this justification vvhen they doe require true repentance which consisteth of many good workes as necessary thereto We hold that justice is increased by good workes which we cal the second justification against which the Apostle speaketh not a vvord but doth confirme it vvhen he saith in the same Epistle Rom. 2. v. 13. Not the hearers of the law are just with God but the doers of the law shal be justified Marke how by doing of the law which is by doing good workes men are justified with God and not only declared just before men as the Protestants glose the matter Now touching See the place Rom. 4. v. 6. imputation of righteousnesse the Apostle speaketh not like a Protestant of the outward imputation of Christs justice to vs but of inherent justice to wit of faith vvhich worketh by charity which are qualities Rom. 6. powred into our harts by the holy Ghost so that there is only a bare sound of wordes for the Protestants the true substance of the Text making wholy for the Catholikes ROBERT ABBOT PAVL teacheth that Rom. 6. v. 23. Page 98. eternal life is the gift of God through IESVS
faith of Christ and hauing now the old and new Testament he should by a Councel of his realme take lawes from thence to gouerne them by that he was the Vicar of God in his Kingdome that the people and nations of the Kingdome of Britany were his euen his children that such as were deuided he should gather them together vnto the law of Christ his holy Church to peace and concord and should cherish and maintaine protect gouerne and defend them c. But now the religion of Rome hath altered that stile and telleth vs Sext. proem in glossa That not the King but the Pope is Gods Vicar vpon earth his Vicar general for al Kingdomes And as for the Church the matters and gouernement thereof belong not to the King vvho if he make any lawes concerning religion He challengeth to him selfe anothers right that is Distinct 96. Si Imperator the Popes because God would not haue the worke of Christian religion to be ordered by publike lawes or by the secular power but by Popes and Bishops WILLIAM BISHOP TRVE M. Abbot you had neede to leaue Peter and Paul for heretikes who so plainely plentifully confute your doctrine and establish ours or else you and your fellowes must needes be taken for heretikes And if you hope to finde any of their Successors more friendly vnto you you wil proue in the end as fouly if not more grosly deceiued then you were before But how chanceth it that you lept from Peter Paul vnto one that was the thirtenth Pope after S. Peter why did you ouer-skip al the rest Was there not one of the other twelue that vvould afford you some peece of a darke broken sentence out of vvhich you might picke some colour of cauil against vs If they vvould haue yeelded him any comfort they should not haue beene forgotten as we may see by Anacletus who is afterwardes haled in by the way and yoked with another for want of some cleare sentence of his owne Wel let vs come to Eleutherius the man of whom you haue made choise First you relate such a wise tale of so vvorthy a Bishop so impertinent il hanging together and so weakly verified that no considerate person standing vpright can giue you any credit therein To beginne with the Authors that report it they be both professed Protestants and come more then a thousand yeares to late for the relation of so auncient a matter vnlesse they had alleaged other authentike Authours in confirmation of it But Hollinhead reportes himselfe to M. Fox a crafty deceitful lying Minister of his owne time Stow to some moth-eaten monument lying in the Guild hal Now what credit is to be giuen to thinges so sillily confirmed specially vvhere there is farre greater probabilitie against it for Eleutherius was Bishop of Rome whose epistles and letters vvere registred there and most diligently preserued in their treasury among other monuments of antiquity where one only epistle of his to the prouince of France is to be found And if he had vvritten another to a King of great Britany no question but it vvould haue beene as carefully preserued there as the other Againe what likelihood is there that any old writing of or to Lucius King of great Britany should be preserued in the citty of London vvhen al the Britons vvere driuen thence by their enemies the Saxons vvho vvere most like to make smal store of such letters specially which concerned the Christian religion to vvhich they were then enemies And if they had reserued any such should not venerable Bede our most learned and industrious country-man vvho made most diligent enquiry after al such vvhen our Ancestours were conuerted to the faith haue heard some newes of this famous letter vvho heard and writ as much of Pope Eleutherius King Lucius and the realmes conuersion as he could discouer and finde any ground for out of any part of antiquity the like may be said of al the rest of our ancient Historiographers whether English or Britons among whom there is not one to be found that made any mention of this vvorthy letter how then is it possible that there should be any such besides if you marke but the Kings demand and the Bishops answere both being persons of great wisdome and grauity such simplicity and incongruity appeares that any man of vnderstanding wil take it to be ridiculous and counterfait The King forsooth writeth to the Pope for a copy of the Roman constitutions and Imperial lawes for the gouernement of his realme the Pope writeth backe ad correctionem Regis to the correction and amendment of the King vvhich is an answere as just as Germans lips goodly stuffe surely and fit to lie hidde in dusty corners Those vvordes for the Roman constitutions to gouerne the Church are deceitfully shuffled in besides the purpose as may appeare by the answere And the King sent before and receiued by the Popes messengers ful instruction of al points concerning the Christian religion wherefore he then wrote only for the Imperial lawes to direct him how to gouerne his temporal estate To vvhich the letter maketh the Bishop to answere very childishly that he had the old and new Testament and willeth him to fish out thence the ciuil gouernement of his realme vvhich neuer any Christian King either before or sithens euer did Adde finally that the letter beareth date in those authours cited by M. Abbot 169. yeares after the passion of Christ vvhich is at least twise seauen yeares after the death of Pope Eleutherius But al these impertinences and improbabilities being set aside for the while let it be graunted that the letter vvere true and not fained vvhat hold can the Protestants take on it to serue their purpose surely very weake and such as may be most easily shaken out off their handes The letter hath That the nations and people of his Kingdome were euen his children Be it so a good King is Parens Patriae Pastor populi The Parent of his country and foster-father of his people followeth it of this that he is their chiefe head in spiritual causes then were the Heathen Roman Emperors supreme head of the Church for they were parents of their country that is nourishers defenders and rulers of the common weale this then wil help the Protestants nothing Neither wil that which followeth in the letter that they are Gods Vicars in his Kingdome and should gather his people vnto the law of Christ for the Roman Catholikes doe allow Kinges to be Gods Vicars not only in al the temporal affaires of their realmes but also that they should by counsel countenance example and authority draw al their subjects to the true faith of Christ and seeke to cal home al them that are gone astray and diuided from the Catholike Church and to establish peace and concord among them and finally to gouerne them so happily vnited in al such thinges as appertaine vnto their Kingly vocation
Serenus Bishop of Massilia who could not endure that any thing should be worshipped that is made with handes and telleth him that he should forbidde the people the worshipping of them c. Here are many foule faults for S. Gregory did not commend but reprehend the vndiscreet zeale of that Bishop who did breake some pictures set in the Church because some late conuerted Heathens not yet wel instructed in the Christian religion did adore them as if they had beene Gods S. Gregory telleth him plainely That that should not be broken which was not set vp in the Church to be adored but only to instruct them that were ignorant Secondly though S. Gregory forbidde Images to be adored as Gods yet doth he teach them to be worshipped as representations of most holy personages which may be seene plainely to omit diuers other places by his letters vnto Secundinus Lâ—v. 7. Epist 53. ad SecuÌ„d To whome he sent the Images of our Sauiour of the blessed Virgin Mary and of the holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul telling him first that his petition to haue those Images did greatly please him for saith he thou doest loue him with al thy hart and whole intention whose Image thou desirest to haue before thine eies and straight after addeth I know that thou doest not therefore desire to haue our Sauiours Image that thou maiest worship it as a God but for a remembrance of the Sonne of God that thou maiest waxe warme in his loue whose Image thou doest behold and we truly doe cast our selues downe before the said Image not as before a God-head but vve adore him whome by the Image we remember to haue beene borne or suffered or to sit in his throne Can any thing be more manifest then that S Gregory approued both the hauing of Images which be sent to his friend and setting them in Churches for the instruction of the vnlearned and also worshipping of them euen so farre-foorth as humbly to kneele before them which he himselfe as wel practised in his owne person as also taught others so to doe which is al that we Catholikes doe defend as greatly condemning as the Protestants themselues that any Christian should adore them as Gods or giue any Godly honour vnto them How wrongfully then did M. Abbot alleage S. Gregories wordes and how shamefully hath he misconstrued them cleane besides that most holy Fathers meaning with whom in faith and doctrine we doe fully agree But let vs yet goe one step further more euidently to discouer how perfidiously M. Abbot doth deale with those ancient and most holy Doctors He is not ashamed to cite them sometimes in confirmation of those errors the which they doe expresly confute in the very same place take this for an assay Epiphanius saith he an Easterne Bishop Page 62. euen in the time of Hierome acknowledgeth for true those wordes of Socrates that the Priests and Bishops thereof were not forced by any law to forbeare their wiues and that many of them whiles they were Bishops had children borne vnto them by their lawfull married wiues and quoteth Epiphanius against the 59. Heresie of the Cathary where in deede he handleth that matter but after another manner These he his wordes Indeede the holy preaching of God doth not since Christs comming admit them to take holy orders who haue married againe after their first wiues death in respect of the excellent dignity of Priest-hood and this doth the Church of God obserue sincerely but so doth not the Church of the Protestants ergo it is not the Church of God Then he commeth to our present purpose and saith The same Church of God doth not admit and receiue a man that hath a wife liuing and that getteth children to be a Bishop Priest Deacon or Subdeacon but him that either abstaineth from the company of his wife or else liueth widdower and that specially where the Ecclesiastical Canons be sincere and not corrupted Hitherto Epiphanius as flat contrary to M. Abbots report of him as can be for he reported that whiles they were Bishops they had children borne vnto them and there was no law that forced them to forâ—eare their wiues Epiphanius telleth vs otherwise That the Canons of the Church which are Ecclesiastical lawes did not suffer any to be Bishop or Priest that kept company with their wiues And â—hich maketh the fault the more palbable Epiphanius addeth an objection vpon which it seemeth M. Abbot grounded his assertion But â—hou vvilt say that in some places Subdeacons Deacons and Priests doe yet get children note by the way that in no place how corâ—upt soeuer Bishops so did as M. Abbot reporteth but this answereth holy Epiphanius is not according vnto the Canon but after the minde of men that in tract of time fainted and so foorth Where he proueth abstinence from marriage or continual continency to be not only decent for the high and holy calling of Clergie men but also necessary for their daily praiers and for the suddaine occasions of their sacred function so that finally S. Epiphanius is found to confute that directly which M. Abbot reports him to acknowledge for true And if this be not most wilful corruption and falsification of these learned Fathers sentences I know not what may be Because this is a point that toucheth euery Christian that hath care of his saluation so neare Page 122. I wil insist more vpon it Is not this saith M. Abbot a horrible impiety that standeth written in their law our Lord God the Pope and then doubleth it saying To beleeue that our Lord God the Pope could not so decree as he hath decreed should be accounted heresie In the Canon law which he calleth our law is no such horrible impiety but in his report is a double lie The former is to auouch that to stand in the law which is only written in the glosse which is no law as al men know The second and the more shameful is that it standeth not in the glosse neither but he belieth both the one and the other Extrauag Ioan. 22. cum inter in glossa let any man turne to the place quoted by himselfe and there towardes the end vpon the word declaramus he shal finde only Dominum nostrum Papam our Lord the Pope and the word God is foisted in by M. Abbot to make vp that horrible impiety of which he speaketh As very a lie is it which he citeth out of the Decretals of Pope Gregory Page 119. that forsooth the Pope is not a meere man whereas the Canon hath De translat Episco cap. Quanto Non puri hominis sed veri Dei vicem gerit that is The Pope is the vicegerent or vicar not of a meere man but of true God to wit of Christ who is both God and Man No more truth is in that assertion of his out of venerable Bede Page 199. our very holy and most learned country-man Then were
in armes against his Majesties mother had learned of S. Peter that it is better to obey God then man Further the Queene of Scotland was obeied of her subjects as farre as it is conuenient for Gods people to obey their Prince vvhich was by force of armes for the Gospel to cast her into prison and to depriue her of her Princely crowne and dignity These then being both the common doctrine and practise of Protestants which M. Abbot could not be ignorant off with what face could he keepe such adoe about those few wordes of mine that doe neither teach commend nor allow of any violence offered to their Prince no not in defence of mens owne goodes liberties and liues but only to preuent al danger doe put his Majesty in minde of the old prouerbe Durum telum necessitas and referre it vnto his Majesties prouident wisdome to consider what may follow there of and thus much of that matter the sentence of S. Augustine shal be examined hereafter ROBERT ABBOT SOME effect whereof your Majesty hath seene in that barbarous and Scithian-like attempt lately made for the destruction of your Highnesse person and bloud and perpetual subuersion and ouerthrow of the whole realme which as it differeth from the practise of al ancient Christians and Christian Churches vvhich vndoubtedly vvere of God so it plainly declareth that that doctrine which professeth not a lawfulnesse only but a merit in such attempts is vndoubtedly of the Deuil and not of God The brochers of vvhich monstrous and vnnatural villanies as they haue long time liued in exercise of that malice so stil wil make it to appeare that they are not yet disgorged of the poison of it Whereof sith they haue giuen so great an argument and assurance by abusing your Majesties lenity and patience towardes them when lawes might more seuerely haue proceeded against them our praier to God is that your Majesty may from hence-foorth take these thinges so farre to hart as shal be needful for the safety of your Roial person your posterity and realme And as for vs true it is that our jelousie ouer the soules of your subjects and griefe to see them so seduced and beguiled hath long made vs say out of the Apostles affection as he did of the false Apostles Galat. 5. vers 12. Would to God they were euen cut off that trouble you being wel assured that their aduantages gotten by your Majesties patience tovvardes â—hem vvould in the end be a disaduantage to your selfe But yet we could not but subscribe to your Majesties most religious and Princely care first to giue them instruction and satisfaction to try whither receiuing answere to those thinges which to your Majesty they haue alleaged they vvould be reclaimed from that head-strong presumption vvhich hitherto hath so mightily possessed them wherein if they by their intollerable trecheries haue altered your Majesties intent of fauour vnto them and the state conceiue just cause with al seuerity and rigour to proceed immediately against them the guilt lieth vpon themselues and they must confesse that they themselues haue drawne the sworde to be imbrued in their owne bloud WILLIAM BISHOP TOVCHING that detestable enterprise projected by some few greene heades who at their death made profession of the Catholike religion though the chiefest of them as I verily thinke had not liued Catholikes three yeares before they entred into this conspiracy but conuersed among Protestants of vvhom they might haue learned that vvicked lesson I doe humbly and earnestly request al discreet Protestants as they feare Christes just judgements not to suffer themselues to be further estranged from other Catholikes that were altogether innocent of it then Christian charity and humane equity wil giue them good leaue First then touching our religion which M. Abbot most vnjustly would haue to stand charged with this most vnchristian plot for God be thanked it neuer proceeded to the hurt of any mans little finger it doth more roundly and absolutely condemne such bloudy conspiracies then the Protestants Gospel doth by an hundred degrees for their chiefe Doctors doe seeme not much to dislike of it as you haue heard before but we doe detest and abhorre it as both highly offensiue to God and very hateful to man But the conspiratours vvith their complices hauing suffered for it most painful and shameful death and losse of al their landes and goodes what reason or conscience is it that the guilt and obloquy thereof should be extended and cast vpon others vvho are wholy guiltlesse and free from al priuity or approuing of it the holy Ghost saith Eccles 27. vers 3. Conteritur cum delinquente delictum the offence is vviped away and extinguished vvhen the offendour is put to death and consumed Againe Ezech. 18. vers 20. Anima que peccauerit c. The man who hath offended shal die The Sonne shal not carry the iniquity of his Father nor the Father of the Sonne but the justice of a just man shal be to himselfe and the impiety of the vngodly shal be vpon him selfe and not lie vpon another This being the decree of God vvith what countenance can they that take vpon them to be Gods Ministers impute the crime of those delinquents vnto al men of the same religion without any further proofe of their fault therein That holy Patriarke Abraham when he heard that God purposed to destroy Genes 18. vers 24. Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone for their stincking and abhominable sinnes thought it yet a duty of humanity to intreate for creatures of his owne kinde though they were neuer so badde and out of natural compassion beganne to sue for their pardon obtaining at length that if there had beene but tenne just and innocent men in fiue cities and great townes al the rest should for their sakes haue beene pardoned Doe not they then shewe themselues no kinde children of Abraham the Father of al true beleeuers nor to haue any Christian compassion or good nature in them who are so farre off from suing out the offendours pardon for the sakes of many harmelesse persons that they would cleane contrary haue thousands of innocents destroied for the trespasse of some dozen of delinquents and if this wil not serue to purge and cleanse their festred stomackes of that euil affection vvith which their preachers haue infected them I then doe most hartily request them to suppose for a season the case to be their owne and then to tel me whether they would thinke it reason that they should be taken for accessary to al treasons committed by men of their owne religion And to omit al other rebellions raised at home and abroade by Protestants which are exceeding many would they haue our Soueraigne Lord KING IAMES repute and esteeme al Ministers and their disciples to be disloial vnto him and traitors Dangerous positions because the Ministers in Scotland with their followers rebelled against him and by force of armes compelled him
future moderation in matters of religion the expectation of forraine Princes his deare Allies these I say and diuers other important motiues could not but giue great hope of some better course to be taken in those matters of religion then had beene in former time And great reason it vvas that I who had beene to my smal power a fauourer of his rightful claime to the crowne should be as forward to doe vvhat in me lay to vvinne his Majesty to deale fauourably with them that so willingly honoured loued and followed him Al this notwithstanding M. Abbot if his aime faile him not vvil perswade his reader that I had no hope of preuailing First Because of my allegations against the Gospel of Christ and his true religion embraced by his Majesty Which reason of his is not worth a rush for the former part of my Epistle is to perswade his Majesty to embrace the true ancient Catholike Roman religion which al his most roial progenitours did loue and maintaine Now to performe that I must needes speake against the new and false exposition of the Gospel broached by the runnegate Frier Martin Luther and also further say what was fitting in commendation of the old religion that his Highnesse considering more maturely of that high and graue matter comparing the antiquity piety and purity of the Catholike with the nouelty corruption and vngodlinesse of the Protestant might the sooner be induced to embrace the Catholike Besides knowing that the harts of Princes are in Gods handes to be dispose◠off at his good pleasure vve may neuer be out of hope of any man so long as he liueth so that my allegations against the religion embraced of his Majesty and established with lawes vvas no sufficient reason to moue any man to thinke that I was out of al hope of preuailing with his Majesty Did not sundry of the ancient Christian Doctors present vnto some of the Roman Emperors then Heathens Apollogies and Defences euen of that religion vvhich they then greatly persecuted Did not S. Hillary that glorious light of the French nation to omit al others dedicate his booke vvritten against the Arrians euen vnto Constantius the Emperor who was a most earnest defendor of the Arrian heresie and were they trow you out of al hope of doing any good because of their exceptions and allegations against those Emperors proceedings and the religion established by their imperial lawes nothing lesse Nay they vvere therefore much respected of the same Emperors and had great fauour shewed them for those their zealous indeauours vvherefore this reason of M. Abbot is of no moment And lesse worth be his lies that follow That I deale not sincerely and faithfully but seeke to abuse his Majesty The good-man if he vvere so vvise as he should be vvould forbeare such injurious wordes vnles he did withal shew some particulars wherein I commit some such faults as he speaketh off otherwise he must be content to be accounted rather a slanderous brabler then a discreete disputer He saith also that we father our bastards vpon the Fathers and powreth forth after his rude māner many lauish foule wordes vpon vs but because he goeth not about to proue any one of them to be true he needeth no other confutation then a bare denial I wish very hartily good Sir that you could and vvould obtaine of his Majesty that we both might freely appeare in person before his Highnesse there to justifie whether of vs hath sought by lies to abuse his Majesty and by pretending antiquity for those thinges which by antiquity were condemned Now vvhat other answere shal I make vnto this audatious assertion of his that followeth That I in my owne conscience acquite their religion of heresie impiety and blasphemy then that of the Roman Oratour which fitteth wel such brasen fore-heades He that hath once passed the bounds of modesty careth not to become exceeding impudent For vvho hath made M. Abbot so priuy to the secrets of my conscience If their religion be not acquited and cleered of those imputations before I in my conscience purge it of them no doubt but it must alwaies stand justly charged with them see the Preface vnto the second part of the reformed Catholike wherein I haue deliuered mine opinion of their religion concerning those points M. Abbot hauing as he thinkes soundly proued that howsoeuer I vvas vvilling to put my request to aduenture yet I my selfe vvas vvithout al hope of successe he then diuineth and deuiseth what I respected in that my dedication The first thing saith he was to lengthen the exspectation of Catholikes If he meane that I endeauoured to encourage them to perseuer constant in their religious courses he is not deceiued for though the Epistle were principally meant and directed to his Majesties good yet consequently it may redound vnto the benefit of others Marry if he thinke that Catholikes doe continue firme in their faith vpon hope only of the Princes fauour he is fouly deceiued for they haue learned this lesson of S. Peter Act 5. v. 29. That we must obey God rather then men and that of Dauid Psal 117. vers 8. That it is better to trust in God then in Princes God we know of his inestimable mercy and goodnesse and by his almighty power can when he please restore the Catholike religion in our country in the meane season we are content to beare Christs crosse patiently and to follow him rather then to depend vpon the pleasure of mortal men As for other practises which he faineth to haue beene my second respect besides the diligent deuout exercise of Gods true religion vve allow of none much lesse doe we prepare any mans minde thereto Thirdly touching mine and my fellowes craft and occupation by which he meaneth the holy exercise of Priestly functions it was not at any time since they beganne to persecute our religion in lesse jeopardy to grow to decay then at that time for in that first yeare of his Majesties raigne when my booke was compiled more were conuerted to our religion then in any other yeare since I can remember which also was so notorious to al Protestants and so much spoken off throughout al England that M. Abbot must needes confesse himselfe to be either of simple intelligence or rather of so scared and corrupt a conscience that he passeth not how palpably he fableth Lastly vvhat grace could the dedication of my booke to his Majesty giue it if it be such a foolish bable as you make it wherefore your surmises about my drift of addressing my booke vnto the Kinges Highnesse are vaine and false But what is that that followeth it seemeth very strange and to haue leaped out of his pen vnaduisedly Doubtlesse saith M. Abbot he thought some exploite to be performed by him by offering his booke to his Majesty and that we may be sure that M. Abbot speaketh not this in other mens names without his owne consent thereunto he addeth
6. who to proue it doth cite euen the very same vvordes out of Hieremy And so 1200 yeares before him that famous Father S. Chrysostome did alleage the like out of the same chapter of the Prophet to the same purpose saying Homil. 55. in Mathaeum The Father said to Hieremy I haue put thee as a pillar of yron and wal of brasse c. yet the Father placed him but ouer one nation to vvit that of the Iewes but Christ hath placed Peter ouer the vniuersal world Briefly we granting the like power to be in the Bishop of Rome that was in Hieremy the Prophet whose wordes he vseth it can be no more deduced thence that Kings hold their Princely diademes of him then that the King of Iuda did his of Hieremy vvhich was neither mediately nor immediately for only a certaine spiritual power to roote out Idolatry errour and iniquity and to plant religion and vertue vvas by those vvordes giuen to men of the Church Which if it doe in some certaine case extend to the deposition of a Prince as I reade it hath beene practised by most juditious learned and holy Personages though I doe not reade vvhere it is by the Church defined to be any article of our faith yet no man is so simple as not to deeme it more holsome and expedient for the vniforme and peacible estate of Christendome that such supereminent power should rather rest in the supreme Pastor of Christs Church then be left vnto the discretion of the Ministers and Clergie of euery country according to the Protestants opinion and practise It being I say granted that the Bishop of Rome may in some case depose any temporal Magistrate yet can it not there hence be gathered that Kinges doe hold their Kingdomes of the Popes Holinesse For vvhen one King vvil not let his neighbour Prince liue in peace by him but doth extremely wast his Dominions kil his subjects and make hauocke of his country the Prince so molested if he cannot otherwise haue remedy may most lawfully by force of armes proceede euen to the deposition of that injurious King And yet the inuader did not hold his Kingdome of the other any more then the other did depend vpon him but was an absolute King himselfe as the other vvas notwithstanding by his intollerable outrages offered to his neighbour Prince he made himselfe punishable and subject to the other against whom he so grieuously trespassed In like manner if a Prince by most extreme persecution of Christs flocke doe become subject to the correction of the chiefe Pastor thereof yet thence it followeth not that that Pastor had power to dispose of his Kingdome at his pleasure or that the King did hold his Diademe of him either mediately or immediately howbeit the Prince through his owne exorbitant and otherwise remedilesse fault doe justly fal into the Pastors handes to be punished Here I doe by the way most humbly craue of them to whom it doth appertaine that it may without passion be duly considered whether we Catholikes doe not his Majesty more faithful seruice and shew our selues much more careful of the quiet continuance of his glorious happy estate when by al humble and faire meanes we doe labour most diligently to entreat his most excellent Majesty to deale more gratiously and mildly with his poore Catholike subjects then those hot-spurre Ministers vvho labour tooth and naile to cast their louing Soueraigne into such a brake of briars by incensing his Highnesse to hold so extreme a course against them For if his Majesty may be vvonne to follow the gentle and sweet inclination of his owne nature and to qualifie the rigour of the lawes against recusants in such temperate manner that the said recusant Catholikes may not be oppressed thereby the Popes holinesse without al doubt wil neuer goe about to depriue his Majesty of his regal dignity how forward soeuer he be otherwise to imbrace and aduance his owne religion for not so much for fauouring the Protestants as for extreame persecution of the Catholikes as the former example of neighbour Kinges doth shew that most seuere censure of the supreme Pastor of the Church is inflicted Wherefore vvhen it shal please his Highnesse to condescend gratiously vnto our humble and daily supplication for more moderation and mercy then shal his Majesty vvithout al doubt as euery man may easily perceiue take away al jealousie of those buzzes which seeme so greatly to disquiet the whole state Now to that point wherein the Kinges supremacy lieth according to M. Abbots declaration If it were only by lawes to prouide and to take special order that God be wel serued his word truly taught his Sacraments duly administred and that al Bishops and Pastors performe their duties then I should thinke him a badde Christian that would not acknowledge that his supremacy And I most willingly admit that the good Kinges of Israel did so but the man is so shallow shuttle-witted and vncertaine that there is no trust to be giuen to his declaration M. Perkins goeth more substantially to worke and affirmeth the Supremacy to consist not in the points aboue mentioned Reformed Catholike page 285. but in authority to declare which bookes of Scripture be Canonical which not and to determine finally of al controuersies and doubtes rising thereupon to cal general Councels and to ratifie their decrees to make Ecclesiastical lawes that binde al the Church and to excommunicate whosoeuer shal obstinately resist or breake them to consecrate and institute Patriarkes Metropolitanes and many such like vvhich when M. Abbot shal proue to appertaine justly to Kinges and Princes whether they be men women or children then we vvil allow the supreme temporal Magistrate to be also supreme gouernour in causes Ecclesiastical In the meane season we vvil pray that God wil vouchsafe to make them good and dutiful children of the one holy Cacholike and Apostolike Church and that they may humbly learne those high misteries of religion vvhereof most Princes as al the world seeth vvould be very vnmeete judges and also very euil dispensours What variety of religions hath growne by that kinde of supremacy what dissolution of Church discipline vvhat corruption of ciuil justice vvhat iniquity and deceit in contracts and bargaines vvhat oppression of the poore and generally what loosenesse and leudnesse of conuersation euery true Christian man doth see and lament and daily pray to almighty God our most merciful Father for amendment That vvorldly peace and temporal prosperity be no assured markes of Gods fauour nor of his true religion King Dauid is a sufficient witnesse Psal 72. Whose feete as he writeth were almost moued and beganne to slippe through his zeale against the wicked because he saw them suffered to liue in such prosperity and to die in so great peace And our Sauiour in expresse tearmes teacheth Math. 5. vers 45. That our Father in heauen maketh his Sunne to rise vpon good and hadde and raineth
the Church of Rome so cruelly surely there was no agreement betweene them Wherefore as the Catholikes of Africa then so they that were taken into the communion of the Church of Rome cared little for the Donatists as witnesseth S. Augustine saying of Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage August Epistola 162. He neede not to care for the multitude of his conspiring enemies the Donatists when he saw himselfe by communicatory letters joined with the Roman Church in which alwaies the principality of the Apostolical chaire flourished c. So we at this time neede as little to care for the bitter reproches and deceitful arguments of the Protestants so we stand stable and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same Church of Rome ROBERT ABBOT Cont. Epist. Fund cap. 4. THERE vvas reason why Augustine should be moued with the name of Catholike vvhen they that were called Catholikes had testimony of their faith from the communion society of the Church throughout the vvhole vvorld and were therefore so called Breui collat diti 3. cap. 2. Quia communicant Ecclesiae toto orbe diffusae Because saith S. Augustine they communicate with the Church spread ouer al the whole world But most sottishly it is alleaged for a motiue to vs being now Donatistically applied to one particular Church of Rome and to men bearing the name of Catholikes only for communicating vvith that Church Surely as the name of Iewes was of old a name of honour and the proper title of the people of God but afterwardes by their Apostacy who bare it was left for Esai 65. vers 15. a name of curse and reproch so the name of Catholike was an honourable name and the peculiar title of the true children of the Church but now by their abuse who haue vnjustly taken that name vnto themselues it is become a name of curse and shame vvith the people of God and the proper badge of Apostataes and Heretikes And as the Apostle Rom. 2. v. 28. denieth the name of Iewes to them vvho yet according to the letter were so called because of the circumcision of the flesh and applieth the truth of the nam◠to them vvho vvere so according to the spirit albeit according to the letter they were not so named so the name of Catholikes in deede belongeth not to the Romish faction who according to the letter take vpon them to be so called but the true meaning thereof belongeth to them vvho although they joy not in the litteral name c. yet doe follow the same faith vvhich they followed vvho first were called by the name of Catholikes Let them haue the shel so that we haue the kernel c. the name in his true vse importeth them that imbrace the faith of the Catholike that is the vniuersal Church that hath beene from the beginning of the world that is through the vvhole vvorld and shal be to the worldes end WILLIAM BISHOP S. AVGVSTINE indeede was so much moued with the name of Catholike that he alleageth it to haue beene one principal cause Cont. Epist Fund cap. 4. De vera relig cap. 7. which kept him in the lappe of the Church And else where very often exhorteth al Christians To hold the communion of that Church which both is Catholike and knowne also by that very name not only to her owne followers but also to others And the self◠same reason alleaged by M. Abbot himselfe vvhich caused that most holy vvise and learned Father to esteeme so highly of that title Catholike is now of great force to perswade al reasonable men to make themselues members of the Roman Church for by joining in society of faith with the Church of Rome they shal cōmunicate with the Church spred ouer the whole vvorld because the faith and religion of the Church of Rome hath beene generally receiued al the world ouer as our aduersaries themselues doe confesse The name Catholike is by the Protestants Donatistically applied to their Schismatical congregation that neither are nor euer were scattered al the world ouer but be inclosed and confined vvithin certaine countries of Europe as the Donatists were within the boundes of Afrike Most sottishly then to vse his owne wordes doth M. Abbot affirme the name Catholike to be applied by vs of the Roman religion vnto the particular Church of Rome when as we cal al other Churches of what country soeuer that with the Church of Rome keepe intirely the same faith Catholike And men of al other nations doe we cal Catholikes as vvel as those vvho are Romans borne because they al beleeue and confesse the same one Catholke faith that is extended ouer al the world Secondly M. Abbot is much mistaken in his comparison of the name of Iewe with the name Catholike for to omit first that such examples proue nothing but doe only serue for shew or explication and moreouer that it can hardly be shewed that the name of Iewe was a name of such honour at any time for that peoples honourable name vvas Israelites and vvere not called Iewes til towardes the declination and wane of their estate Neither was it euer any peculiar and proper title of the people of God for God had many good seruants that were neuer called Iewes as may be gathered by Iob the Husite Naaman the Sirian the widow of Luc. 4. vers 26. Sarepta a Sidonian and by a great number of Prosilites and finally by that which the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2. vers 14. Many Gentils were saued without the law Lastly most vncertaine it is of what name the Prophet Isay speaketh when he saith Cap. 65. vers 13. It shal be left for a name of curse Al these impertinencies of his example being too too many I doe remit him but cannot pardon his grosse fault in the maine point of the comparison for the name Iewe according to the vsual signification of the word being the name of a certaine people of one race and kindred and hauing a law giuen them by Moises which should continue only for a prescript time and end at the comming of Christ is not like the name of Catholike which is no special name of the people of any one country but is attributed and doth agree to al sortes of men of what country or nation soeuer that doe embrace the true Christian faith And is inseparably linked and so fast joined and riueted with the Christian profession and religion that it shal neuer faile fal or be separated from it so long as Christs faith standeth nor euer be contemned of the faithful whiles Christs true religion flourisheth vvhich is proued inuincibly out of the very Etimology of the name Catholike and that according to M. Abbots owne interpretation in the same place who doth expound it to signifie that Church which is through the whole world and shal be to the worldes end If the name Catholike shal continue to the worldes end the true title of
or Predecessours erred he leaueth them to the counsaile of God but by the vvord of God learneth himselfe to be one of them Vers 16. that shal hate the whoore and make her desolate and shal eate her flesh and burne her with fire Albeit it is vtterly false vvhich he affirmeth that al his Majesties Progenitours Kinges of these Realmes of England and Scotland liued and died in the Romish faith that now our Romish factours labour so much to set vp Indeede he and his fellowes are vvont to be very lauish in their speeches of this matter as if from King Lucius of Britanny and Donaldus of Scotland the only religion that had beene professed had beene that vvhich now is practised by them vvhere as it shal afterwardes plainly appeare that at the comming in of Augustine the Italian Monke 400. yeares after the receiuing of the faith in this Iland the Bishops and Churches of Scotland joined with the Britanes against those new obseruations which the same Augustine brought from Rome and vvould by no meanes admit thereof for the space of an hundred yeares at least refused to communicate with the English that had receiued the same Yea in the time of King Henry the third 1200. Math. Paris in Hērico 111. Anno 1238. 1239. yeares after the incarnation of Christ when the Popes Legate vvould haue entred into Scotland to visit the Churches there the King of Scots Alexander the second forbadde him so to doe alleaging that none of his Predecessours had admitted any such neither would he suffer it and therefore willed him at his owne peril to forbeare so long vvas it before the Popes authority could gaine acknowledgment in that Kingdome which his agents would make vs beleeue hath beene in al ages vniuersally and vnquestionably receiued But they care not indeede vvhat they say or write so that it may carry a magnifical and braue shew to dazel the eies of them that are not wel acquainted with their leude and naughty dealing WILLIAM BISHOP PAGANS and Heretikes doe now and then like Apes counterfait true Christians And no maruaile for their great master Sathan 2. Cor. 11. vers 14. doth transfigure himselfe sometimes into an Angel of light and did alwaies and yet doth labour ¶ * Esai 14. vers 14. to be like vnto the Highest but it is easie to espy their apish trickes and to returne their fond subtleties vpon their owne heades Simmachus plaied but the part of a foolish sophister when he pleaded so with the Emperour Valentinian we are to follow our Fathers for the Emperours Father and neerest Predecessors were no Pagan Idolaters but professed Christians as al men know vvho are conuersant in those ancient histories To the point of the proofe I answere in briefe that it is a most sound inducement among vs Christians and to be dearely regarded of al To follow the foot-steppes of our fore-fathers in beleeuing if they before haue not degenerated from their Ancestors The base and ground of it is this As God is more ancient then the Deuil and Christ IESVS then al Heretikes so vvas the true seruice of God and the right faith of Christ planted sowne and tooke fast roote before Heresie and Idolatry sprong vp vvhich hath firme testimony from our Sauiour who teacheth Math. c. 13. vers 24. That the good seede was first sowne by the Father of the houshold and the cockle after and ouersowne by the enemy VVhence it followeth perspiculously that they who doe hold the same doctrine inuiolably vvhich was embraced by them of that stock who were first cōuerted to the Christian faith are true and sincere Christians Those children then vvho follow the holy steps of their Catholike Progenitors ascending from Sonne to Father successiuely til they ariue at the first Christians in that country are true Christians and they that doe not succeede their Predecessors in their faith and religion but either are fallen themselues or doe follow others vvho before fel from the faith of their fore-fathers are vndoubtedly slipt into errour and infidelity By vvhich discourse it is euident that I tendered a most reasonable request vnto his Majesty that he would imbrace and countenance that religion which al his Progenitors euen to the first Christian among them had liued and died in because they vvere al Catholike and not one of them can be named vvho changed the religion of his fore-fathers yet this notwithstanding Simmachus the Pagan vsing the like argument in shew vvas not to be heard the difference is because his fore-fathers for vvhose Idolatry he pleaded had before forsaken the true and sincere vvorship of the one liuing God and therefore their children vvere not to continue in their Idolatry but to returne vnto their former Ancestors true piety So vvere the Donatists children of whom S. Augustine cited by M. Abbot speaketh not to follow their Fathers in that sect and heresie but to leaue their late corrupted parents in their new doctrine and to looke back vnto their grandfathers ancient faith and religion from vvhose integrity their Fathers were degenerated Euen as now a-daies we exhort men that had or haue Parents turned Protestants not to be led away vvith their erring Parents opinions but happily to receiue their forefathers ancient faith from vvhich their Fathers reuolted vnaduisedly And so shal they returne vnto the roote and original of our Lordes tradition as S. Cyprian speaketh because they shal returne to that faith vvhich was receiued from hand to hand euen from the Apostles our Lordes most trusty and sacred messengers and cleauing fast to that shal not neede to regard what any man hath thought fit to be dine or said against it Now to that point vvhich followeth in M. Abbot Apocal. 17. There shal be a time when the Kinges of the earth shal giue their power to the beast and bend themselues to fight against the Lambe vvhich I doe willingly admit but vvhen that time shal be or vvhat Kinges it is very vncertaine for there shal be also a time Esai 60. Psalm 70. When the Kinges of the earth shal be as nurses to the true Church and shal most humbly both obey it and also enrich and defend it to the vttermost of their power Now by the very insinuation of the Text and the vniforme consent of ancient writers the good Kinges shal cherish exalt and magnifie the Church before those euil Kinges shal arise who falling away from their fathers faith and from the Catholike Church vvil lend their aide to her professed enemies to vvorke her ouerthrowe vvhich is a shrewd presumption that the Kinges of former ages stood farre better affected to the true Church of God then some of later times Wel this I leaue to vnderstanding mens judgement But I may not slippe M. Abbots exceeding grosse ouer-sight or rather hainous crime in ranking his Majesty among those Kinges mentioned in the Apocalipse for albeit Cap. 17. they shal hate the whoore and make her
proofes for the Princes supremacy the Emperours some times called general Councels ergo they were supreme gouernors in causes Ecclesiastical a doubty argument as you may perceiue by the like A Lord calleth for his tenants being carpenters to build him a house ergo that Lord is the chiefest carpenter in the country If that Lord be not taken for supreme judge in the carpenters occupation though he had ful power to assemble the carpenters together vvhy shal the Emperour be esteemed chiefe gouernour in Ecclesiastical causes for that he hath authority to cal Ecclesiastical persons together Againe al men know that Ecclesiastical persons are in al temporal causes subject vnto temporal Princes who therefore may command them to meete together to compose contentions risen about spiritual causes vvhereby the temporal peace of his country is also much hindred and this may be wel done vvithout any pretence vnto soueraignity ouer them in spiritual matters so that if it were graunted that the Emperour had authority to cal general Councels yet it vvould not follow thereof that he were supreme head in Ecclesiastical causes much lesse can he be taken for supreme gouernour because the Popes gaue vnto the Emperours the cōmon and vsual wordes of courtesie as M. Abbot afterward very childishly reasoneth But let vs come to the ground-worke of the question I affirme then that though Emperour or King for the temporal command he hath ouer his spiritual subjects may cal them together vvhen there is just cause yet the soueraigne summoning of al Bishops Ecclesiastical persons to a general Councel doth not properly or principally belong to the Emperours but vnto the chiefe Pastour among them for very reason teacheth euery judicious man by induction through al societies it is most manifest that the chiefest member of any corporation or assotiation hath by instinct of nature that priuiledge of calling together the rest of that cōpany and corporation wherefore the lay Magistrate that is no proper member of the Ecclesiastical congregation cannot in natural reason and equity haue that power of assembling the Clergy together Besides no Christian Emperor had euer yet so much as temporal dominion ouer al Christendome those Christians then that were not his subjects at al could not be called together by his authority That their Empire vvhen it was at the largest vvas not so large as the bounds and limits of Christian religion S. Leo himselfe is witnesse in these wordes Sermon 1. in Natiuit SS Apost Petri Pauli Rome being made head of the world by the Chaire of S. Peter doth rule ouer more Countries by heauenly religion then by earthly dominion Againe since the Emperours became Christian not one hundred yeares together scarse did one Emperour command ouer al the Empire but lightly one gouerned in the East another ouer the West I would then gladly know to whether of them it belonged to cal general Councels or whether the Church of God must be destitute of such Councels vntil that matter were agreed vpon Further the calling of national prouincial Councels doth according vnto S. Augustine and Antiquity Aug. Ep. 217. Cal. lib. 4. Instit c. 7. n. 8. allowed therein by M. Caluin and the great hundred of * Centur. 4. c. 7. col 534. Magdeburge appertaine vnto the Primates and Metrapolitans of the same nation and prouince therefore by the like proportion it doth not appertaine to the Emperors but vnto the chief Patriarke of the Church to cal a general Councel That S. Leo on vvhose authority M. Abbot here doth stand tooke S. Peter first and after him the Bishops of Rome to be such I wil briefly proue thus he vvriteth Out of the whole world one Peter is chosen Serm. tert de Assumptione sua to haue chiefe charge of the vocation of the Gentils and is placed ouer the other Apostles and al the Fathers of the Church so that albeit there be among the people of God many Priests and many Pastours yet doth Peter peculiarly gouerne them ouer whom Christ doth principally raigne so that al temporal Princes who vvil not deny Christ to raigne ouer them must by S. Leos verdict acknowledge themselues subject in spiritual cases to S. Peter and his successours The same he doth confirme at large in an Epistle to the Bishops of the prouince of Vienna where he concludeth in these wordes To which S. Peter whosoeuer doth deny the primacy Epistola 87. he cannot in any sort diminish his dignity but puffed vp with the spirit of pride he doth drowne himselfe in the gulfe of hel Now least any man should take exceptions against S. Peters successours the Bishops of Rome though he vvould graunt the supremacy vnto S. Peter I adde that S. Leo in that second place doth rather speake of his owne authority vnder the name of S. Peter impugned then by Hilarius Bishop of Vienna then of S. Peters owne time Yet for more cleare demonstration of it Sermon 2. de anniuersario Assumptionis suae take these his wordes The disposition and order of truth doth continue and blessed Peter perseuering in the fortitude of a rocke hath not forsaken the gouernement of the Church which he vndertooke Peter I say doth to this day hold on and continue stil and liueth in his successours which he confirmeth in an hundreth places of his Epistles by me for breuities sake omitted contenting my selfe vvith that which he vvriteth in one letter vnto Anastasius Bishop of the Thessalonians to whom you shal see what authority he giues Epist 82. ad Anastasium Like as saith he my predecessours haue giuen to your predecessours euen so doe I following their example delegate vnto your charity the roome or charge of my gouernement that you imitating our mildenesse may helpe vs in the care which we owe vnto al Churches by the institution of God principally and that you may in a sort represent the presence of our visitation vnto prouinces farre distant from the Apostolical See of Rome For by reason of your nearenesse to them you may more readily see what matters and in what manner either you your selfe may by your diligence compose or else reserue vnto our judgement vvhere going on according to the Canons of the holy Fathers made by the spirit of God to vse his owne wordes he giues to that Bishop of Thessalonia dignity and authority ouer many Metrapolitanes of diuers prouinces That none be chosen without his priuity but al confirmed by his authority Canon 6. Item That if among the Prelates there happen to be question of greater affaires which God forbidde that cannot be ended by the prouincial Synode the Metrapolitan shal then prouide to instruct your brother-hood of the state of the whole businesse and if the parties being present it cannot be appeased by your judgement let it whatsoeuer it be be referred to our knowledge Canon 7. vvhere he giueth him Authority to cal Bishops before him and a Councel also if
and honour of the See of the most blessed Apostle Peter being preserued inuiting vs also by his letters to assist in person at this reuerend Councel which neither the necessity of the time nor any custome could permit howbeit in our bretheren Paschasius and Lucentius Bishops Bonifacius and Basilius Priests your brother-hood hath me President in your Synode c. these wordes of S. Leo ouerthrow at once al M. Abbots vveake forces for the Emperours supremacy First he declareth that he liked of the Emperours not commandement but counsel and aduise of calling of a Councel marry so to that it be not taken to derogate aught from the right honor of the See of Rome vvithout vvhose sentence according to the ancient Canons no Councel could be celebrated then that the Emperour had no power to command him to come to that Councel and lastly that he in his Legates and not the Emperour was President in that general Councel But to stay yet a while in this matter of calling the Councel for further assurance that the Popes letters and authority did principally moue al Catholike Bishops to meete in general Councels take first their owne declaration therof in formal tearmes thus spake the Fathers assembled in the second general Councel which vvas the first holden at Constantinople in their letters to Pope Damasus Theodoret. hist l. 5. c. 9. By the commandement of letters sent the last yeare by your reuerence vnto the most royal Emperour Theodosius we vndertooke the journey euen to Constantinople And in the Councel of Chalcedon the Bishops of Maesia vvriting vnto the Emperour Leo doe say That many holy Bishops met together in the Citty of Chalcedon Habetur inter Epistolas pertineÌ„tes ad Concil Chal. Per jussionem Leonis Romani Pontificis qui verè caput est Episcoporum By the commandement of Leo Bishop of Rome who is truly the head of Bishops Ioyne hereto the testification of the Emperour Martianus himselfe being one of M. Abbots owne witnesses thus writeth that Godly Emperour In Epist eius praefixa Concil Chalced. ad Leon. PoÌ„t Being called by the prouidence of God to the Empire c. we for the venerable Catholike religion of the Christian faith c. haue thought good in the beginning thereof to speake by our letters to your Holinesse who hold the principality in the Bishoply function of the same Godly faith requesting your Holinesse to remember in your praiers the good estate of our Empire and that also for the extirpation of al wicked errour we may fully purpose to restore vnity and concord among al Catholike Bishops in celebrating of a Councel Te authore by your authority or you being the Authour thereof What can be more manifest then that this most Godly Emperour did agnize and confesse the principal authority of calling general Councels to appertaine vnto the Bishop of Rome whom he professed also to be the supreme Pastour of the vniuersal Church to whom afterward he sent the same Councel when it was ended to haue his confirmation of it as you shal heare anone Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 13. Zozâ—m l. 3. cap. 9. Tripart l. 4. cap. 9. Niceph. l. 9. cap. 5. Al which is exceedingly fortified by an ancient Canon of the Church vrged by Pope Iulius vvho liued an hundred yeares before S. Leo and is recorded by al the approued Ecclesiâ—stical Historiographers for a most ancient and inuiolable rule in Christian religion to wit that no general Councel be holden Praeter sententiam Romani Pontificis besides or without the consent and sentence of the Bishop of Rome thus farre about the authority of calling general Councels Now to that which followeth in M. Abbot Who was President in those general Councels M. Abbot affirmeth the Emperor to haue the Presidency thereof and for proofe alleageth only the example of Constantius the fourth Who saith he was President of the sixt Synode holden in Trullo To which I answere that the penurious man sheweth himselfe very naked and needy of some proofes that is compelled to ouer-leape fiue of the first general Councels and to fal to the yeare 675. after Christ before he can finde out one Emperour that did obtaine the name of President in a Councel To vvhich also I picke an answere out of the Epistle of the Chalcedon Councel vvhich vvas more then two hundred yeares ancienter then the other vnto Pope Leo thus it is there Quibus tu quidem vt caput praeeras in his qui tuum tenebant ordinem Imperatores verò decentissimi ad ornandum praesidebant c. Ouer which Bishops there assembled thou ô Leo wast by them that held thy ranke President as the head is to the rest of the members c. but the Emperours were Presidents most comely to adorne that assembly Where you see two kinde of Presidents in the Councel the Pope in his Legates as the head is ouer the members the Emperour to honour and grace the Assembly And therefore to the Popes Legates it did appertaine principally to propose argue determine and define the questions there debated discussed to vvhich also they did set their handes in the first place To the Emperor it did belong to see due order kept in the Councel vvhere vvere many vvily and vnruly Heretikes that al thinges might be examined quietly and without perturbation or tumult determined who also in the end subscribed after al the Bishops and their Substitutes consentiens consenting imbracing and approuing the same not determining or defining as may be seene in the 18. Action of the said sixt general Councel cited by M. Abbot To make this distinction more perspicuous and certaine let vs heare some Emperours of those daies declare themselues vvhat they did at those general Councels Theodosius the younger sent for his Legate vnto the third general councel holden at Ephesus the Earle Candidianus vvhat to be President there in his place nothing lesse no not so much as to entermeddle in any Ecclesiastical matters but only ad Synodi defensionem to defend the Councel Ex eius Epist ad Synod Ephes In oratione sua ad Synodum The Emperour Martianus was present in his owne person at the fourth Councel kept at Chalcedon where he sheweth what is the proper office of a good Emperour Our endeauour must be saith he to apply the people to the one right Church being first perswaded the true and holy doctrine And therefore let your reuerences expound and declare the true and Catholike faith according to the doctrine of the Fathers in al vnity and concord c. Valentinian the elder being requested to be present at a Councel holden betweene the Catholikes and the Arrians answered Hist 1. Tripart lib. 7. cap. 12. That it was not lawful for him being but a lay person to examine Ecclesiastical matters but the Priests to whom they did belong might meete together among themselues when they pleased and determine of them Of Constantine the great I
shal speake more at large presently This therefore may suffice to satisfie any indifferent reader how the first Christian Emperours were Presidents at Councels that is as may be gathered out of their owne wordes first to honour that assembly with their presence then to see that al things there be peacibly and orderly handled thirdly to learne the true Catholike faith by the definitions of those learned Bishops there assembled fourthly to recommend the same to al their faithful subjects and lastly to defend it against al obstinate Heretikes Al vvhich put together doth not come neare any probable proofe that they are supreme gouernours in Ecclesiastical matters but rather that they are in them to be gouerned For they neither argue determine nor define them but only doe receiue approue and defend them being before decided and defined by the Fathers assembled in the Councel by the Bishop of Rome Indeede Constantius an Arrian Emperour vvas perswaded by the Arrians to take vpon him the supreme judgement in Ecclesiastical causes but he vvas very sharply reprehended therefore by that most valiant champion of Christs Church Athanasius Patriarke of Alexandria If saith he the judgement of these matters belong to Bishops In Epist ad Solitar vitam agentes what hath the Emperour to entermeddle with them vvhere he relateth what that blessed Father Hosius vvho was Pope Siluesters chiefe Legate in the first Councel of Nice spoke of that vsurpation of Constantius Who saith he seing the Emperour Ibidem prope finem in decreeing to make himselfe Prince of the Bishops and President ouer their Ecclesiastical judgements may not worthily affirme him to be that abhomination of desolation which is foretold of Daniel In a word then the Protestants treading in the steps of the condemned Arrians vvould haue the lay Magistrates such Presidēts of Councels as haue supreme authority ouer the Bishops judgements vvhich we Roman Catholikes with the consent of al ancient and holy both Bishops and Emperours doe thinke to be very preposterous incommodious and intollerable Now to that trash vvhich M. Abbot chops in by the way by broken and halfe sentences the same Leo saith he professeth his obedience to the Emperours appointment and wil to Theodosius and Martianus for proofe he quoteth Leo vvhere we may gather that a false marchants fingers are to be looked vnto For in the first place there is expresse signification of S. Leo Epist 16. 17. not fulfilling the Emperour Theodosius request vvhich was to haue him present at the second Councel of Ephesus and there was no reason for it these be his owne wordes Albeit no reason doth permit me Epistola Leon. 16. t◠meete at the Episcopal Councel appointed by your piety because I haue no president for it by the example of any of my predecessours and the necessity of the time wil not suffer me to leaue the citty c. yet so farre forth as our Lord wil vouchsafe to helpe I haue applied my endeauour that the decree of your clemency may in some sort be obeied by sending hence some of my brethren who shal supply my place c. Doe you see what profession of obedience S. Leo made to the Emperour Theodosius vvhom he telleth plainly that no reason vvil permit him to obey his appointment and vvil Is not this trow you honest dealing deserues not this man to be wel credited vvhen he citeth the Fathers vvhen as he blusheth not to alleage them and to quote the place distinctly vvhich if you wil but turne vnto you shal finde him to be a man that hath a seared conscience and cares not what he saith so he may deceiue his simple reader Now to the second place there indeede S. Leo hath that the Emperours piety and most religious wil Epistola 57. is to be obeied by al meanes but he doth not make profession of his owne obedience to the Emperour but speaketh indefinitely obediendum est and that not to his appointment and wil as M. Abbot fableth but vnto his Godly and most religious wil that is vvhen he commandeth or desireth any thing according vnto the wil of God Now if you wil but looke into the circumstances of this obedience you shal yet further discouer the deceit of M. Abbot for the Emperour Martianus did write vnto Pope Leo that he would confirme the Councel of Chalcedon with his owne sentence vvhich was before subsigned by his Legates present thereat and that in the first place the Emperour being perswaded as it is set downe in the same Epistle that the Councel should haue greater force to suppresse al Heretikes if it might be taught throughout al Churches that the definition there of did please the See Apostolike Here you may see that the Emperour demanded no obedience of S. Leo but shewed himselfe to haue so great opinion of his judgement authority that it would greatly countenance and commend that general Councel which vvas by al the Bishops and the Emperour himselfe before subsigned A reasonable man can desire no more to proue S. Leo his supremacy in Ecclesiastical causes then the testimony of this godly Emperour Martianus Tom. 1. Concil in Prolog Concil Chal. epist 1. Martian ad Leo. For first he acknowledgeth him to hold the principality among al Bishops Secondly he acknowledgeth him to be the authour of calling general Councels these two points haue beene before rehearsed Thirdly he promiseth S. Leo to assemble the Bishops of the East that they might declare those thinges that be agreable vnto the Catholike faith and Christian religion euen as your Holinesse hath according vnto the Ecclesiastical Canons defined Ibid. epist 2. Sicut sanctitas tua secundum Ecclesiastic as regulas definiuit And lastly al thinges being so defined he doth send vnto S. Leo to confirme the general Councel Doth not this acknowledgement of the Emperour that the Pope is the authour of calling general Councels that he is to direct and instruct them assembled what they are to define and lastly to confirme and ratifie that which is defined euidently proue that the supreme managing and authorising of the highest Ecclesiastical affaires doe belong vnto the Bishop of Rome Now to returne to M. Abbot he shewes the like wordes of Pope Agatho his due obedience to Constantius the fourth I finde no such wordes in that place quoted by him true it is that I haue not his whole letter but the abridgment of it as is standes in the Summe of the Councels Epist Agath ad Constant in Synod 6. art 4. where he thus beginneth That we may briefly intimate to your piety what the vigour of our Apostolike faith doth containe which we haue receiued by tradition from the Apostles Apostolike Bishops and holy Councels by which the foundations of the Catholike Church of Christ are fastned and fortified c. Out of which wordes we may gather that Pope Agatho was ready to satisfie the Emperours request in certifying and instructing him vvhat
was the true Apostolike faith about the questions then handled But forsooth because he did belike vse these curteous vvordes of obedience M. Aâ—bot that lieth at the catch and wants better stuffe is constrained to lay hold on them by which manner of arguing he might proue euery Pope to professe due obedience to euery priuate seruant of God because his ordinary stile is Seruus seruorum Dei The seruant of Gods seruants Now if one had so little wit as hence to argue and gather that the Pope professed obedience or were inferiour to al other seruants of God for if he be their seruant he is bound to obey them would not al the vvorld wonder at his folly And yet this admirable combatant and champion of the host of Ismael is faine to fly to the like miserable shifts and to imploy perforce vvordes that are vttered of custome and curtesie in al Countries for sound proofes If al Italians and French men that vvil say they are your seruants Seruitore di vostre Signoria Monsieur je suis vostre treshumble seruiteur should be taken short at his word and thereby be pressed to your obedience seruice you might soone become a great Signiour ouer many stately seruants that vvould doe what they list But that you may see how M. Abbot can scarsly borrow one weapon out of the true armory of Antiquiry vvhich vvil not serue to wound himselfe I wil here acquaint you vvith some wordes out of the very same Epistle of Pope Agatho to the Emperour Constantius the fourth vvhich doe demonstrate the Church of Rome neuer to faile in matter of faith Did you marke before in those few wordes how he esteemed Apostolike tradition and the definitions of Councels and of the See Apostolike to be the firme foundation of the Church of Christ which alone is sufficient to batter and beate flat to the earth that chiefe fortresse of the Protestants of the al-sufficiency of the vvritten word then hauing deliuered the true faith of the blessed Trinity he annexeth these wordes This is the Apostolical and Euangelical Tradition which the Apostolike Church of God the Mother of your most happy Empire doth hold this is the pure confession of piety this is the rule of the true faith holden aswel in prosperity as in aduersity by the Apostolike Church of Christ which is proued by Gods grace neuer to haue straied from the path of Apostolical Tradition nor euer was corrupted with Heretical nouelties because it was said to Peter I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not and thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren Here our Lord promised that the faith of Peter should not faile and willed him to confirme his brethren which the Bishops my predecessours as is wel knowne to al men haue alwaies done confidently and I though much inferiour to them yet for the person that by Gods goodnesse I sustaine doe desire to follow them at the heeles this out of Pope Agatho by the way in fauour of our cause because M. Abbot would haue gladly begged an almesse of him to relieue his miserable want Now that which followeth in him out of Tertullian That the Emperor is honoured according to the ancient doctrine of the Church as next vnto God inferiour vnto God only If the good man would haue bethought himselfe a little vvhat kinde of men the Emperours were in Tertullians time and before he vvould not I thinke for very shame haue once offered to proue those Emperours supreme authority in causes Ecclesiastical for they were al of them Heathen Idolaters and professed enemies to the Christian religion If then they vvere next vnder God supreme gouernours of Ecclesiastical causes it would follow thereof see the good effect of M. Abbots argument that the Christian religion vvas to be forsaken of al men and Idolatry to haue beene imbraced for that was these Emperors supreme judgement in spiritual matters What meant M. Abbots a Gods name to perswade Christians that Heathen and Idolatrous Emperours such as those were in Tertullians time vvere to be honoured followed in matter of religion before Bishops and Archbishops and next vnto God If those be Tertullians wordes euery man can apply them better then M. Abbot doth to wit that Emperours in temporal causes and in the ciuil gouernement of the common weale are vnder no man but next vnto God but in Ecclesiastical causes those Emperours had nothing at al to doe Now to those wordes which he proposeth as very odious That how much the Moone is lesse then the Sunne so much is the Emperour inferior to the Pope They be not precisely the wordes of the Canon but these That how much difference there is betweene the Sunne and the Moone so much is there betweene Bishops and Kinges The sence he doth not much alter but only sets it out more disdainfully vve allow of the sence being rightly taken to wit that the authority of Bishops is properly to be compared to the brightnesse of the Sunne because it is wholy conuersant in spiritual causes vvhich depend vpon the brightnesse and light of faith and doe formally appertaine to the heauenly Kingdome of the Sunne Christ Iesus Now who sees not that the Emperours power being properly to gouerne the temporal state by the light of natural reason which is very dimme and obscure if it be conferred vnto the light of grace may aptly be resembled to the Moone light the light of heauenly affaires as farre passing in clearenesse the light of vvorldly businesses as doth the brightnesse of the Sunne at noone daies passe the Moone-shine at mid-night Now if vve would search higher towards the most pure Antiquity we shal finde farre greater comparisons betweene the spiritual power of Bishops and the temporal of Emperours I vvil for a tast cite only the sentences of two most authentike Doctors S. Ambrose an ancient and most graue Father saith Bretheren the honour and sublimity of a Bishop Ambros initio sui Pastor citatur dist 96. cap. Si duo Greg. Oratio ad populum perturb cannot be equalled with any comparison The Majesty of Kinges and Diademes of Princes if they be compared to it are farre more inferiour then if the mettal of leade should be compered with gold And S. Gregory Nazianzene maketh no lesse difference betweene them two then there is betweene the soule the body the spiritual power of Bishops as much in his judgement excelling that of Princes as the soule in dignity doth surmount the body so that the Popes comparison alleaged by M. Abbot is very temperate in respect of these of the auncient Fathers vvhich notwithstanding vvere made vpon great judgement The lies and toies that ensue in M. Abbots text are not worth the answering First Catal. TestiuÌ„ he that reportes the Emperour to be the Popes man is an heretical and lying companion and therefore no sufficient vvitnesse Secondly if any Emperour or King out of his owne profound humility or aboundance of zeale towardes
his spiritual Pastour would of himselfe doe any such lowly seruice as to hold the basin c. that is not to be imputed to him that suffereth it against his wil as a marke of pride To say that any Emperour or King contrary to his wil was enforced to doe it is a very fitten as euery child may perceiue for who either would or could force so mighty a Monarke to so base a seruice vnlesse he himselfe desired it As for that oath of fidelity vvhich the Emperour maketh to the Popes Holinesse I finde it not either in the 69. or 96. Distinction but in the 63 and it is only that the Emperour shal not doe any harme vnto the Popes temporal state in Italy and if he chance to come to Rome that be then shal carry to him and the Church of Rome such respect as is meete I vvould gladly be informed what alleageance may be picked out of this and whether it be not expedient the Emperor being to be confirmed by the Pope that he should take such an oath of him for his owne safety The next text cited out of the Clementine De appellatione is a meere fiction Can. Pastor for there is no such chapter nor matter That Priests be spiritual Fathers and Masters in matters of religion to Kinges and Princes vvho can doubt vnlesse they vvould haue Kinges neither baptized nor instructed in Christian religion by Priests And let the Protestants paint it out al they can a monstrous thing it must needes appeare vnto al men of vpright judgement and the Christian world to be there turned topsy and turuy where children shal take vpon them to rule their fathers and schollers to teach their masters Thus much in answere vnto al that is objected out of S. Leo to vvhich I wil joine that vvhich M. Abbot in another place pleadeth for the same matter out of the example of Constantine the great because it doth principally appertaine thereunto I hauing in my Epistle to his Majesty said that he being at the Councel of Nice would not sit downe before the Bishops beckned to him so to doe and that he there did professe that it did not belong to him to judge of Bishops but vvas rather to be judged of them M. Abbot answereth cleane contrary to the Emperours open confession that he was judge ouer the same Bishops Page 191. Whether wil you beleeue sooner either the Emperour speaking for himself or M. Abbot speaking he knowes not vvhat of his secret thoughts and intentions specially when that which I affirmed of the Emperour hath plaine testimony out of the best approued Authors nearest to that time and M. Abbots proofes to the contrary doe consist meerely vpon his owne surmises and collections Ruffi lib. 1. hist cap. 2. Socrat. lib. 1. hist cap. 5. Ruffinus and Socrates I then cited who in expresse tearmes deliuered so much as I said to whom I adde for further cōfirmation first the irrefragable record of the most famous Doctors that were present at the same Councel Hosius Bishop of Corduba in Spaine the Popes principal Legate in that Councel of Nice affirmeth as is afore rehearsed that one may worthily cal that Emperour the abhomination of desolation fore-told by Daniël who presumeth to make himselfe Prince of Bishops and President ouer Ecclesiastical causes vvhich he would not haue done if he had beene perswaded that the Emperour Constantine vvhom he tooke to be a most vertuous Prince had beene judge ouer Bishops their spiritual causes in that very Councel where he vvas there also present Secondly Athanasius who was a principal agent in the same Councel auoucheth that it cannot be called a Synode and Councel Apolog. 2. Where not a Bishop but some temporal Magistrate is President He then tooke not Constantine for President of the Nicene Councel which he esteemed so highly off and vvas indeede the patterne of al other Councels Thirdly S. Ambrose vvho liued shortly after in formal tearmes doth say that Constantine the great was not judge in the Councel of Nice but left the judgement free to Bishops And writing vnto the Emperour Valentinian addeth When haue you heard most gratious Emperour Ambros l. 5. Epist 32. that lay men did judge ouer Bishops in cases of faith surely if your Majesty please to pervse the course of holy Scriptures or of former times you shal find none that deny but in matters of faith in matters I say of faith Bishops were wont to judge ouer Emperours not Emperours ouer Bishops S. Gregory the great in expresse wordes vvitnesseth L. 4. epist 31. That the Emperour Constantine durst not judge Bishops though they themselues wished and desired it By the record therefore of these most ancient holy and learned Prelates neither Constantine the great nor any other Catholike Emperour was or could be judge in Ecclesiastical affaires ouer Bishops vvhence it followeth most perspicuously that Constantines owne wordes confessing that it did not belong to him to judge Bishops and their causes are to be taken plainly as they signifie and vvere not spoken by him as M. Abbot speaking by ghesse affirmeth of modesty only as though he meant himselfe to be their judge in al causes aswel Ecclesiastical as Temporal But let vs heare what moued M. Abbot to hold that strange opinion so contrary to the Emperours owne confession and the declaration of the worthiest men of that age His first conjecture is that though Constantine sate not downe vntil the Bishops beckned on him yet he sate in the highest place on a seate of gold vvhich if it were true Euseb de vita Constant lib. 3. cap. 10. as it is false yet vvould it not proue Constantine to be the President or Iudge of that assembly For as Theodoret doth expresly note the place that he there had vvas by permission of the Bishops at his sute and not properly belonging to him these be his vvordes Then the Emperour sate downe Theodor. l. 1. histor cap. 7. in a little chaire set in the middest istud enim sibi permitti ab Episcopis postulauerat for he had requested the Bishops to permit him so to doe It being then a place by permission of the Bishops it rather argueth that he acknowledged the Bishops of vvhom he requested that place to haue beene the Presidents and commanders there Secondly the Tripartite Hystorie doth manifestly declare that Constantine sate below the Bishops Lib. 2. Hyst Tripar ca. 5. these be the wordes taken out of Zozomenus The Emperour Constantine entred into the Councel house after al the Bishops and had his seate beneath them al neither would he sit downe before the Bishops commanded him Theodor. l. 1. Histor cap. 7. And the wordes of Theodoret may also import as much He sate in a little seate placed in the middest amongst them And falsly or craftily doth M. Abbot report out of Eusebius That he sate in the highest place for Eusebius saith not so but that
beene supreme gouernour of Christes Church To vvhich fallacy it is most easie to answere First that albeit the Patriarke of Constantinople could not so cal himselfe in a lawful good meaning but proudly and wickedly because he had his jurisdiction limited vvithin the boundes of his owne Patriarkship had nothing to doe with any other churches that vvere vvithout it so that his power was in no sence vniuersal that is spred ouer al the world yet this name might in some good sence notwithstāding haue beene giuen vnto the Bishop of Rome as S. Gregory himselfe in one of the same Epistles vvhich M. Abbot citeth doth intimate For vvriting to the Patriarke of Alexandria he saith Lib. 4. Epist 36. Your Holinesse knoweth that by the Councel of Chalcedon vvhich vvas one of the foure first general Councels most highly esteemed off by S. Gregory this name of vniuersallity was offered to me as Bishop of the Apostolike See for as he testifieth Epist 32. of the same booke that name was in honour of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles attributed by many in that Councel vnto the Bishop of Rome yet saith he none of my Predecessours consented to vse it because verily if one Patriarke be called vniuersal the other are made no Patriarkes at al. Briefly then to dispatch this great matter that name vniuersal as it was challenged by Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople who had no right to it in any good sence was presumptuous peruerse and prophane in vvhich consideration S. Gregory so tearmed it Neither vvould he nor any of his predecessours vse that name though in that sence that they had charge and command ouer the vniuersal Church it might haue beene attributed to them yet because it was subject to another construction to wit that the Bishop of Rome was the only truly proper Bishop of euery Diocesse and other named Bishops were not true and proper Bishops there of but the vniuersal Bishops Vicars Suffraganes and Substitutes therefore they vtterly auoided that name as matter of jealousie and scandal choosing the humble stile of seruus seruorum Dei The seruant of Gods seruants For the further satisfaction of the learned reader I wil proue out of S. Gregory in the very same place quoted by M. Abbot both that he wrote against the name of vniuersal Bishop in the later sence And that notwithstanding he refused that name yet that he acknowledged and taught the Bishop of Rome to haue supreme authority ouer al the Church of Christ Touching the first the wordes before alleaged out of his 36. Epistle Lib. 4. Epist 36. doe demonstrate so much to wit If one Patriarke be called vniuersal the other are made no Patriarkes at al vvhich can haue no other sence then that the calling of one Patriarke or Bishop Vniuersal doth signifie him so to be a Bishop in euery place that no other besides him can be truly and properly called Bishop but must be his Vicar and Subdelegate The like saith he in his 34. Epistle to the Emperesse Lib. 4. Epist 34. That his brother and fellow Bishop Iohn striued to be called Bishop alone And in the 7. booke and 69. Epistle to Eusebius he saith Si vniuersalis est restat vt vos Episcopi non sitis If one Bishop be vniuersal it remaineth that you be no Bishops This then is most certaine that S. Gregory spake against the name of Vniuersal Bishop taken in this sence that he was so a Bishop as no other but he could be Bishop in any place Marry if we vnderstand by it one man to haue the general charge of al the Churches in the vvorld yet so as there be also Bishops and Archbishops his brothers who haue the particular and proper gouernement of their seueral Diocesse then S. Gregory telleth vs plainely that S. Peter and his Successours the Bishops of Rome were such these be his wordes Lib. 4. Epist 76. It is manifest to al that know the Gospel that the charge of the whole Church was by our Lordes owne mouth committed to S. Peter Prince of al the Apostles And againe in the same Epistle Behold Peter receiued the keies of the Kingdome of heauen the power of binding and loosing is giuen to him the charge and principality of the whole Church is committed to him vvhich is also repeated in one of the Epistles cited by M. Abbot Lib. 4. Epist 32. And that by S. Peter this vniuersal charge and authority was left vnto the Bishops and See of Rome no man can vvitnesse it more manifestly then S. Gregory hath done First hauing proued out of the word of God S. Peters supremacy he adjoyneth Lib. 6. Epist 201. Therefore though there were many Apostles yet for the principality it selfe the only seate of the Prince of the Apostles hath preuailed in authority As farre as the See Apostolike is euidently knowne to be set ouer al Churches by the authority of God So farre amongst other manifold cares that doth greatly occupy vs when for the consecration of a Bishop our sentence is expected Againe Lib. 2. Epist 69. Lib. 7. Epist 64. For whereas he the Patriarke of Constantinople acknowledgeth himselfe to be subject vnto the Apostolike See of Rome I know not what Bishop is not subject vnto it Moreouer What thing soeuer shal be done in that Councel without the authority and consent of the See Apostolike it is of no strength and vertue Whereas on the other side he saith Those thinges that are once ratified Lib. 7. Epist 69. by the authority of the See Apostolike neede no further strength or confirmation If any man desire to see how S. Gregory himselfe practised that soueraigne authority ouer al the parts of the Christian world let him but reade his Epistles and he shal finde it most perspicuously Magdeburg Centur. 6. In Indice verbo Gregorius euen as their owne great writers of the Centuries doe testifie directing them to the places in his workes where they shal finde the same How devoide then was M. Abbot of al good conscience and honest dealing that vvould vnder the colour of his writing against the name of vniuersal in that sence perswade the simple that S. Gregory vtterly misliked of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome Now because that S. Gregory hath beene alwaies highly esteemed and greatly respected of both Latin and Greeke Church for his singular holynes and learning and was besides the principal cause vnder God of the conuersion of vs English-men vnto the Christian faith I wil note out of his workes summarily what was his opinion of many of the questioned points of faith betweene the Protestants and vs because M. Abbot citeth him against vs that euery one may see vvhat religion was first planted amongst vs English-men and continued for a thousand yeares Of the Supremacy and Merit of good workes hath beene spoken already Concerning the sacrifice of the Masse it was daily offered vp to God in his age
Rome vvhereas neither that Church then nor vve now doe reject the true fasting which the Scripture teacheth but only those opinions of fasting vvhich the Montanists first deuised and the Papists haue receiued against the Scripture to forbeare continually by way of religion such and such daies from such and such meates with a minde there in and by their very forbearing to doe a worship to God to satisfie for sinne to merit and purchase the forgiuenesse thereoff and to deserue eternal life WILLIAM BISHOP BEFORE we come to joine issue let this maxime of arguing be obserued He that vvil proue one to be the proper disciple of any Sect-master must doe it by producing the proper and peculiar doctrine of the same sect and not by alleaging such points of doctrine as are common to that sect vvith many others For example if I would proue a Protestant to be an Arrian I must not thinke to performe it by prouing that they beleeued in one God as the Arrians did or that they flie to the touch-stone of the Scriptures as the Arrians did refusing Traditions and that they relied much on the power of temporal Princes setting the Bishop of Romes authority at naught c. for none of these be proper branches of the Arrian sect but common to them with others Marry if I could proue them to affirme the Sonne of God touching his diuinity to be lesser then his Father or after his Father or not of the same substance vvith his heauenly Father I must needes be taken then to speake to the purpose Euen so if M. Abbot doe insist vpon those points of the Montanists errors which were proper to themselues and not common with others prouing vs to maintaine the same I then wil graunt that he acquiteth himselfe like a braue champion But if he doe make al his instances in such general circumstances of fastinges as the Catholike Church then did maintaine as vvel as the Montanists Yea that the Protestants themselues doe in part vphold and defend as wel as the Catholikes then euery man must needes acknowledge and take him for a wrangling Sophister and a vaine bragging writer that crakes of wonders and performes nothing Let vs now descend to his particulars and try what sharpnesse of wit and soundnesse of judgement he sheweth therein The Montanists saith he appointed certaine and standing daies for fasting and forbearing of certaine meates so doe the Papists I graunt vvhat be they therefore Montanists then the Protestants be also Montanists because they appoint certaine and standing daies of fastes as Friday Saturday the Imber and Lent-fasts and many feasts eues vvhich daies they appoint for the forbearing of flesh Is not this a proper peece of Montanisme that is common to so many Nay the Apostles themselues did the like as Tertullian in the same place graunteth vvere they also therefore Montanists see how M. Abbot beginneth to shame himselfe To the next The Montanists did not take any creature or meate to be vncleane but did only by way of deuotion forbeare at certaine times and the Papists doe also the same vvhich I also graunt And doe not the Protestants agree vvith them in the former part thinking no meate to be vncleane Now in the later they doe vvorse for they forbeare flesh at certaine times not of deuotion to chastise their bodies and to please God as the Montanists pretended but for worldly pollicy of fauouring the increase of flesh for the vpholding of the trade of fisher-men and to please their Prince Here let any Godly man be judge whether of these two endes of pleasing God or the Prince be more Christianlike and whether of them doe more sauour of the spirit of God he shal no doubt finde that herein it is much better to concurre with Tertullian then consort with the Protestants And that the best learned in the primitiue Church so thought and so taught I haue proued in the Question of fasting The Montanists being vrged with that place of S. Paul that it was the doctrine of Deuils to command to abstaine from meates answered that it touched Marcion and Tatianus who condemned meates as vncleane in their owne nature the same answere doe the Papists giue which I acknowledge vvillingly What are they thereby become Montanus disciples then vvas S. Augustine as a great Papist so no smal Montanist for he doth in most expresse tearmes so expound that place these be his wordes The Apostle doth in these wordes properly point at Aug. cōt Adimant Manichaeū c. 14. 1. Tim. c. 4. not them who therefore abstaine from such meates that they may thereby bridle their owne concupiscence or spare another mans weakenesse but those who thinke the flesh it selfe vncleane Doe you see how S. Augustine interpreteth those wordes of S. Paul euen as we doe who also answereth to euery of the Protestants objections against set fasting aboue a 1000. yeares before they troubled the world In like manner doth S. Hierome in the very wordes that M. Abbot sets downe for ours thus he writeth Lib. 1. cont Iouin ca. 41. The Apostle doth condemne them that forbidde to marry and command to abstaine from meates c. true but he aimed at Marcion and Tatianus and such other Heretikes that command perpetual abstinence as though the creatures of God were abhominable but we commend euery creature of God and doe only preferre fasting before fulnesse c. So that by this exposition of S. Paules doctrine vve are not proued Montanists but doe imitate therein the principal pillars of the ancient Roman Church S. Augustine and S. Hierome and doe therein also wipe away a sluttish imputation of Iouinian reuiued and set a foote againe by the Protestants that forsooth Lib. 1. cont Iouin cap. 3. We teach the doctrine of Deuils condemned by the Apostles and doe fal into the opinion of the Manichees because we command to abstaine on fasting daies from some kinde of meates which God created to receiue c. but of this more exactly in the Question of fasting Now to the rest of M. Abbots text The Montanists tooke that their fasting to be a seruice and worship to God vvherein they were not deceiued for it is written in the word of God Luc. 2. That Elizabeth a blessed widdow departed not from the Temple by fasting and praier seruing night and day seruing in Greeke Latreuousa that is doing seruice and worship to God as by praier so by fasting Againe by fasting watching and other bodily austerities we doe according to the common exposition of the auncient Fathers Rom. 12. exhibit our bodies to God a liuing bost as the Apostle speaketh holy pleasing God and a reasonable seruice It must needes then be a very holy and most acceptable seruice and vvorship of God that is resembled by S. Paul vnto a liuing and pure sacrifice Canon 5. And in the Councel of Nice it is said That we may offer to God the pure and solemne fast of Lent
of the present Roman Church he may vpon very smal consideration be reclaimed and brought to reforme his errours For to S. Peter himselfe who was afterwards Bishop of Rome was giuen euen by our Sauiour Christ IESVS ful power and authority to pardon whatsoeuer he saw fit to be pardoned Math. 16. vers 19. To thee I giue saith he the keies of the Kingdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou loosest or doest pardon vpon earth shal be pardoned in heauen And if S. Peter might loose any sinne how hainous soeuer much more might he release some part of the temporal paine which was due to sinne vvhich is properly to giue a libel of pardon the like power had S. Paul who did in the person of Christ 2. Cor. 2. vers 10. Cyprian l. 3. Epist 15. Pardon the incestuous Corinthian by cutting off some part of his penance vvhich otherwise he had beene to suffer for his former sinnes vvhich were then forgiuen S. Cyprian and the Bishops and Clergy in those auncient daies of the primitiue Church did vse to pardon and release the penance injoyned to grieuous offendours after their repentance at the intercession and request of the Confessors and designed Martirs as hath beene before declared The most authentike Councel of Nice doth declare Cōcil Nicen. cap. 12. that it is lawful for Bishops to deale more mildly and fauourably vvith them vvhom they saw to performe their injoyned penance seriously vvhich was to graunt them a pardon Leo. Epist 77 ad Nicetum num 6. The very same doth Leo the great vvho was Bishop of Rome aboue 1100. yeares past teach most plainly willing the Bishop to release of the due penance injoined what he thought good which is properly to giue indulgence or pardon I omit here Pope Siluester his predecessour and S. Gregory the great one of his successours because I haue before alleaged them not doubting but that these few so auncient so graue so learned vvil suffice to satisfie and instruct him that is willing to learne And as for communicating the same authority to others vvho can reasonably doubt of it considering that the power of absoluing from sinne which is farre greater then the other is imparted to al both Bishops and Parish Priests I haue also before proued most manifestly Leo. Epist 82 ad Anastat Gregor lib. 4. Epist 6. ad Episcop Arelat that both S. Leo and S. Gregory most worthy Bishops did as delegate their authority vnto other Bishops so reserue vnto their owne hearing and judgement the causes of greatest difficulty vvherefore M. Abbot if he wil hearken vnto reason cannot choose but hold himselfe therein fully satisfied He recuiles backe to Indulgences and multiplieth his demands about one and the same matter like to a Cooke that hauing but one sort of meate to serue in doth mince it into many mammocks and then make thereof sundry dishes Can the Pope saith he for saying such or such praiers or for doing this or that release a man from Purgatory for an hundreth or a thousand yeares What a question is this if the Pope can distribute indulgences as hath beene before proued no doubt but he can the rather doe it by injoyning the party that receiueth them to say vvithal some praiers or to doe some other good vvorkes for thereby the party doth the better deserue to be made partaker of the other grace But can he release a soule out of Purgatory for a thousand yeares Yes marry can he and that too not for some certaine number of yeares but for euer and euer The reason is for that the soules there are members of the same body that we are and there capable of the same graces of pardon vvhereof also they stand in very great neede according to the truth of Christian doctrine howsoeuer the Protestants doe erroneously thinke the contrary reade the Question of Purgatory And touching the present purpose among many other pardons graunted by S. Gregory the great there is to be seene vntil this day one Altar by him erected in the Monastery of S. Andrewes in Rome where he was himselfe first Nouice and afterwardes Abbot where at vvhosoeuer said Masse for a soule in Purgatory shal deliuer one there-hence Concerning the Iubilee which is free and ful pardon graunted once in fiue and twenty yeares vnto euery one that shal visit seauen Churches in Rome that yeare some fifteene times or thereabouts what new difficulty can there be about that yea it is as the most renowmed pardon that is graunted so the most reasonable for it can be obtained but once in fiue and twenty yeares and then exceeding hardly by vnder going a long costly and painful journey to the citty of Rome and by exercising there al the workes of piety and mercy as fasting praying and giuing of almes making general confession and receiuing the blessed Sacrament and often visiting of many Churches and Altars Those most godly meanes of training men to true repentance and satisfaction for their former faults and amendmēt of their liues if the Protestant religion were acquainted withal there would be among them some checke and stoppe of their vvicked courses But if they vvil needes sinne on themselues and neuer giue ouer nor amend vntil Gods judgments fal vpon them yet let them not be offended at vs that doe aduise al men to labour in time for such indulgences that they may escape the due punishment of their sinnes either in this vvorld or in the next Is it not also most probable and likely if those good soules vvho to doe some satisfaction for their former euil liues and to serue God more deuoutly in those holy places where some of the holy Apostles and an innumerable company of valiant Martirs and holy Confessors liued and died doe die by the way in that Godly purpose that they are carried by Angels to heauen as Lazarus was into Paradise we pray to God to command such by his holy Angels to be brought into Abrahams bosome as may be seene in the Masse for the dead But Balaeus in Latin and Bale the Irish Apostata in English M. Abbots worthy authour reporteth that Clement the sixt himselfe did command the Angels to carry them into Paradise No great regard is to be had vvhat such a lying lewd fellow relates and so I thinke him vnworthy any other answere Touching Canonization of Saints we hold that the Bishops of the prouinces vvhere their vertuous liues and most godly deathes cōfirmed by miracles are best knowne did alwaies from the beginning of christian religion declare and testifie to the Church that they were to be esteemed of al men for Saints Since it hath beene found most expedient that the vvhole course of the life and death of such being by most diligent inquisition tried out and taken in the places of their aboade be afterwardes sent to Rome there to be also throughly examined first and then accordingly to be declared Saints by the highest Pastor of the Church that
no man of any other country might afterwards doubt of their so approued sanctity To M. Abbots question I then answere that euen by the order of S. Peter and S. Paul Clemens l. 8. Constit c. 39. S. Stephen was Canonized for a Martir and a festiual day kept in remembrance of his glorious death The like order was obserued for the Apostles and other Martirs And from that time downe to this time I could proue if neede were Canonization of Saints not only by the Bishops of Rome but by the testimony and practise of the best Bishops and Doctors of the Christian religion vvhat ignorance then in al antiquity doth this man bewray by this impertinent demand More impudent yet is this his next Who euer beleeued or taught as it is now in the Roman Church that the Bishops blessing is the forgiuenesse of venial sinnes He citeth in the Margent the Annotations in the Rhemes Testament vpon the 10. of S. Mathew and 12. verse vvhich being looked into doth conuince M. Abbot of vnspeakable impudency Lib. 9. in Lucam L. 22. de Ciuit Dei c. 8. He saw there S. Ambrose alleaged formally to confirme that the Bishops blessing doth remit venial sinnes He could not choose also but see S. Augustine and others quoted in the Margent in commendation of the Bishops blessing vvho else where vvith the Councel of Carthage reproueth the Pelagian Heretikes Epistola 90. for holding that the Bishops blessing was giuen to the people in vaine Seing then that both S. Ambrose and S. Augustine with other more auncient Fathers and Doctors of the Church did grounding themselues vpon Christes owne word and promise teach that the Bishops blessing vvas of great vertue and that it doth namely forgiue venial sinnes by the verdict at least of S. Ambrose that most holy and learned Bishop whose antiquity grauity and sanctity is more to be respected then a thousand of such light prophane Abbots was it not I say incredible and most shameful audacity to demand who euer beleeued or taught that when he saw before his eies such worthy Authours alleaged for it this passeth so farre al ordinary audatious impudency that I know not how to stile it Other innouations he wil of courtesie passe ouer to further occasion but for these jolly points whereof the greatest is scarce worth a pinne he requireth satisfaction vvhich being so readily and easily giuen him he wil belike become a new man if he could once be perswaded to giue ouer lying and trusting to his artificial colouring of lies In the meane season this which I haue said wil I hope serue to satisfie the indifferent reader that the principal pillars of the Church of Rome in her most flourishing estate haue in al points taught the same doctrine that the present Church of Rome doth now teach And it is one of M. Abbots truthes that is to say a most bright glistering vntruth that as Theseus shippe was in continuance of time by putting in of new plankes wholy altered so is now the doctrine of the Church of Rome For I haue before most euidently proued out of authentike recordes of the ancient Bishops of Rome that they beleeued and taught the Real presence and sacrifice of the Masse Praying to Saints Worshipping of their Relikes and Images Purgatory and praier for the dead Auricular confession Workes of satisfaction and supererogation Merit of good workes the Vowes of religious persons the Popes supremacy Briefly al the points in controuersie betweene the Protestants and vs as may more at large be seene in the reformation of M. Perkins Deformed Catholike vvherefore the similitude of Theseus shippe which M. Abbot borrowed of a Catholike treating of another subject vvil not serue his turne but may be more aptly returned vpon themselues vvho bragge and beare the world in hand that they haue reformed al the errours of the Church and brought it vnto the purity of the Apostles times vvhereas in truth they haue plucked vp most of the plankes and boordes of Christes shippe by oppugning most of the articles of the Christian faith and doe what in them lieth to build vp a rotten Thesean shippe of old condemned errours to steale away the golden fleece of Christes true shippe that is to pil and poul the true Catholike Christian of that white fleece of innocency which he receiued in baptisme or recouered by reconciliation to saile after Theseus towardes Paganisme and the infernal gulfe of hel Now because M. Abbot hath here indeauoured to staine the pure and cleane sanctity of our religion with the spots and yron-mooles of errors and heresie I wil to requite his paines giue a touch vnto some special points of erronious doctrine noted by the best Authours for such in expresse tearmes vvhich the Protestants haue as it were raked out of the dunghil of rascal and reprobate miscreants and doe now a-fresh deliuer the same nothing in manner disguised vnto their miserable followers for the purity of the Gospel Yea some of the same are so euident and cleare that they are constrained to defend the authours of them for learned and godly men though by al antiquity they vvere condemned for ignorant and infamous Heretikes and to note the most holy and best vnderstanding and juditious Fathers as lesse skilful then these other erring companions For example Aërius both a knowne and professed Arrian Heretike and also vnknowne to the world for any monument of learning or vertue and therefore likened by Epiphanius to a Beetle and Horse-flie only notorious for these his errours taught first That we ought not to offer sacrifice or to pray for the soules departed Secondly That we ought not to keepe any set times or appointed daies of fasting but when any man wil then let him fast that we may not seeme to be vnder the law For these two points specially that Arrian Aërius vvas Cronicled for a notorious Heretike both by Epiphanius a most holy learned and auncient Grecian Bishop and by S. Augustine one of the most famous lights of the Latin Church the later of whom liued 1200. yeares past Neuerthelesse the Protestants preferre the odde inuentions of that contemptible obscure and blinde Arrian before the judgement of these most renowmed Doctors of Christs Church Must he not then be a very simple or rather sencelesse creature that vnderstanding so much vvil notwithstanding follow them Againe Iouinian was so meane a scholler that he was not able to write his owne minde in good and congruous latin wherefore S. Hierome vvas faine to helpe him out with it and doth as he tearmeth it out of his darke vvorkes cast serpents as it vvere out of their holes into the light Lib. 1. cont Iouin cap. 1. that they may be seene and slaine What vvere these venimous blinde-wormes trow you you shal heare in that most zealous and learned Doctors owne words Iouinian saith first Lib. 1. cont Iouin cap. 2. That Virgins Widowes and married Women baptized if they differ not