which he seldome vseth But hee saw that to bee a worke too hard for Hercules and therefore to delude his Reader and to leade him from the matter he flieth vp to the old farne-daies of Abel Noe Abraham c. as though they had reuealed vnto them all those particular points of faith which Christ taught his Apostles and the same religion and manner of worshipping God that wee Christians haue which is flatly opposite to the doctrine of S. Paul who testifieth That the mistery of Christ vnto Ephes 3. vers 4. other generations was not knowne vnto the sonnes of men as now it is reuealed vnto his holy Apostles and Prophets in the spirit Those ancient Patriarkes as men looking a farre off at the dayes of Hebr. 11. v. 13. Christ the light of the world did not discouer so distinctly the mysteries of the Christian faith as the Apostles who were * Ioh. 6. v. 45. taught by his owne mouth and made to know a Ioh 15. v. 15. all his Fathers secrets and had b Rom. 8. v 23. the first fruits of the spirit in best sort to vnderstand them and carry them away To be short our Sauiour hath decided this question and saith in expresse words Many Prophets and iust men haue Math. 13. v. 17. desired to see the things that you see and haue not seene them and to heare the things that you heare and haue not heard them Obserue then how absurdly M. Abbot behaueth himselfe in this matter First he vseth tergiuersation in leaping so farre backe from the point of the question seeking communion with the Catholike Church some thousands of yeares before there was any Church Catholike Secondly in auouching the ancient founders of the first world to haue beleeued clearly and particularly all the articles of faith that we beleeue or else why doth he conclude that the Roman faith is not Catholike because in that old and hoare-headed world some branches of their faith were not sprong vp and of full growth They did not saith he worship Idols and Images they did not pray to Saints c. But good Sir did they beleeue that all their children were to be baptised and that all persons of riper yeares among them were to receiue the holy Sacrament of Christs body yea can M. Abbot demonstrate that they had perfect faith of the most holy and blessed Trinity beleeuing distinctly in three Persons and one God or that the Redeemer of the world Christ Iesus was to be perfect God and perfect Man the nature of man in him subsisting without the proper person of man in the second person of the Trinity which are the most high misteries of our Christian faith I am not ignorant that albeit those ancient Patriarkes and Prophets had not cleare and distinct knowledge of many articles which we are bound to beleeue yet they beleeued some few of them in particular and had a certaine confuse and darke conceit by figures and tipes of most of the rest R. ABBOT I Was neither deceiued my selfe M. Bishop neither did I goe about to deceiue others the case being so plaine as that a man of vnderstanding cannot easily be deceiued therein If the Catholike Church be but one from the beginning to the end and of this Church from the beginning to the end there be but one faith as hath beene shewed who is so blind as that he seeth not that the Catholike faith now must be the same with the faith of all the Patriarchs and Fathers since the world beganne It was not Catholike then because it was peculiar only to some few whom God enlightened or to one only nation which he specially selected but it was the very same which afterwards became Catholike by being preached and spred ouer the whole world Now then most cleare it is that if our faith be the same with the faith of Abel of Enoch of Abraham and the rest of those times then our faith is the Catholike faith euen the faith which the Apostles preached through the world and if the faith of Popery be not the same then is Popery falsly termed the Catholike faith M. Bishop blameth me for recoiling to the beginning of the world and telleth me what it is that I should haue proued when by recoiling if I must so call it to the beginning of the world I proue that which he requireth howsoeuer he vnder pretence of calling for proofe would make his Reader beleeue that he seeth no proofe But he well enough seeth the worke too hard for Hercules as he calleth it by this proofe very readily dispatched for if there be but one faith of the Church from the beginning to the end and our faith be that which was in the beginning then is our faith that which was spred ouer the world and shall continue to the end As though saith he they had reuealed vnto them all those particular points of faith which Christ taught his Apostles and the same religion and manner of worshipping God that wee Christians haue I answere him that all particular points of faith were reuealed vnto them but not all circumstances of all particular points nor so clearly as to vs and the same religion and manner of worshipping God in substance was deliuered vnto them though in outward rites and ceremonies we differ from them Christ was a Apoc. 13. 8. the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world b Aug. Epist â— ChristuÌ„ DeuÌ„ in carne venturum morituruÌ„ resurrecturum in coelum ascensuruÌ„ c. inque illo remissionem peccatorum salutemque aeternam credentibus futuram esse omnia gentis illius promissa omnes prophetiae Sacerdotia Sacrisicia templâ— cuncâ—a omninò Sacramenta sonuerunt All the promises of that time saith St. Austin all the Prophecies the Priest-hood the Sacrifices the Temple and all the Sacraments did tell them that Christ should come God in the flesh that he should die that he should rise againe and ascend into heauen and that all that beleeue should haue remission of sinnes in him These are particular points of faith and these they beleeued albeit the manner and circumstances of the Birth the Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ were not reueiled vnto them as they are in the Gospell liuely described and set forth to vs. For as in the first draught of the painter there is to be discerned the whole feature proportion and parts of the body which he hath in hand to paint which remaine afterwards by filling and garnishing to bee brought to full and perfect forme so the whole frame of Christian faith was in the beginning made knowen to the Patriarchs and Fathers of the first world though the same remained more and more clearly to be reueiled vntill by the comming of Christ it should receiue full and perfect light It skilleth not therefore which he saith that those ancient Patriarchs did not so distinctly discouer the mysteries of Christian faith as the Apostles
of the blisse of the life to come CHAP. XIIII That the Epistles of St. Paul are loosely and impertinently alleaged by the Papists for proofe of their Popery as namely for Iustification before God by workes for Free-will against certainty of saluation and particular Faith for the Merit of single life for Monkish vowes for Purgatory and prâ—yer for the Dead for Images and inuocation of Saints for the Masse and Reall presence for the Authority of thâ— Church of Rome for Pardons for Traditions for the perpetuall visibility of the Church for Satisfactions and workes of supererogation for seuen Sacraments c. THE TRVE ANCIENT ROMANE CATHOLICKE CHAP. I. That the Church of Rome doth vainely and absurdly challenge to it selfe the name of the Catholicke Church Answere to Doct. BISHOPS Epistle Sect. 3. HEre M. Bishop propoundeth briefely to his Maiestie the summe of his Petition c. to It is therefore a meere Vsurpation c. Doct. BISHOPS REPROOFE Pag. 89. §. 1. MAster Abbot is now at length come from his extrauagant rouing narrations vnto some kind of argumentation Here he will giue a proofe of his valour here we shall soone trie whether he come so wel furnished into the field that he neede not to doubt of the victory as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he 〈…〉 ed of himselfe on whether his speciall skill and force die not rather lie in râ—â—ling at vs and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reader then in any sound kinde of re 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of St. Aug 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the â—ord Catholike we â—â—llingly â—â—mit off to wit That religion is Catholike that faith is Catholike which is spread ouer all the world and hath beene alwaies imbraced and practised euen from the Apostles time to our daies and such is the religion which I would haue perswaded his Maiesty to receiue into his Princely protection To this what saith M. Abbot marry that his Maiesty hath already receiued it How doth he proue that not by any one plaine and round argument directly to the purpose but from the Catholike religion falleth to the Catholike Church and so spendeth the time in most friuolous arguing against the Roman Church of which I made no mention at all Doth he not deserue a Lawrell garland for the worshipfull ranging of his battell and is he not like to fight it out valiantly that thus in the beginning flyeth from the point of the Question Proue good Sir that his Maiesty imbraceth and maintaineth that religion which is spread ouer all the world and that hath continued euer since the Apostles time and then you may iustly say that he vpholdeth the Catholike religion according to your owne explication out of the ancient Fathers But because Mr. Abbot saw this to be impossible he gaue it the sâ—ippe and turneth himselfe to proue the Roman religion not to be the Catholike and perceiuing that also as hard to performe as the other he shuffles from the religion and faith of which the Question was vnto the Roman Church that is from the faith professed at Rome to the persons inhabiting the City of Rome whom he will proue not to be Catholikes and the Roman Church not to be the Catholike Church Doe you marke what winding and turning and what doubling this simple Minister is driuen vnto ere he can come to make any shew of a silly argument R. ABBOT I Doe not maruell that my narrations seeme to M. Bishop to be extrauagant and rouing who hauing set vp his owne marke thinketh all to be extrauagant and rouing that flyeth not by his aime Albeit he is beholding to me for those extrauagant and rouing narrations because they haue ministred him matter towards the making vp of a prety handsome booke which must haue beene much shorter if he had beene tyed to the substantiall points of his owne defence As for the victory that I ominated to my selfe thanks be to God I haue obtained it being become Master of the field and M. Bishop enforced to leaue the maine battell contented now only out of a corner to thrust an ambush that he may make some shew that he is not quite spent I triumph ouer him in his owne conscience being priuy to himselfe what desperate shifts he hath beene faine to vse to how cruell a racke he hath beene forced to put himselfe to make men beleeue that he hath strength enough left to saue himselfe It is but risus Sardonius whereby he iesteth at the simple Minister driuen to winding and turning and doubling it is indeede for his behoofe to haue it taken so but the Ministers proceeding is direct and orderly familiar and sensible to euery mans vnderstanding inferring by due course the very point that doth require proofe The Minister is not so simple but that he can easily discerue the pittifull case of a Popish Masse-monger who being troubled with a vertigo or some other distemperature of the braine thinketh all to be winding and turning about him when there is no turning at all but in his owne head The issue betwixt him and me was Whether his Maiesty doe 〈◊〉 and maintâ—ine the only true Catholike and Apostolike faith To proue that he doth so it was necessary first to explicate what is meant by the Catholike and Apostolike faith Of the Catholike Church it is that the faith is called The Catholike faith For there hath beene one and the same faith from the beginning as shall afterwards appeare but it could not be called the Catholike faith till the Church became the Catholike Church If of the Catholike Church the faith be called the Catholike faith then to shew what is meant by the Catholike faith I was first to shew what is meant by the Catholike Church This I did and 〈◊〉 occasion thereof taxed as due order required the 〈…〉 of the Pope and his complices in vsurping to themselues the name of the Catholike Church and thence terming themselues Catholikes that hauing destroyed their ridiculous and foolish claime there might be thereof no let to the collection whereat I aimed that the Catholike faith is the faith of the Catholike Church that the Catholike Church though becomming Catholike by being spred ouer the whole world yet containeth as a part thereof euen * Aug. de Catechiz rudib c. 19. Velut totus homâ— dum nascitur etiamsi manum in nascendo praemittat tameÌ„ vniuerso corpori sub capite coniuncta atque compacta est quem admodum etiam nonnulli in ipsis Patriarchis in buius ipsius rei signum manu praemissa nati sunt c. as an arme or hand come out of the wombe before the rest of the body the whole Church of God from the beginning of the world that of this whole body of the Church from the beginning to the end there is in substance but one faith and religion towards God that therefore what was the faith of the Patriarks and Fathers from the beginning the sâ—me and no other is now the Catholike faith whence it
appertayneth be not according to the letter and in common speech called by that name Let him then vnderstand proportionably that the truth of the name of Catholikes belongeth not to the Romish faction who challenge to themselues as the Iewes did to haue gotten by succession the possession of the name and will be commonly so called but it belongeth to vs who though we vse not the word being growen to ill meaning by their abuse yet do maintayne one and the same truth with them who first were called by that name In a word as there is a double sense in the one so is there also in the other and I doe not so hoppe from one sense to another in the one but that I shew a iust â—orrespondence betwixt them both W. BISHOP §. 3. BVt and it please you the Protestants haue the kernell of the name Catholike and we but the shell Why doe they then so bitterly inueigh against it why are they not more willing to extoll and magnifie that renowmed title being of such ancient Nobility Twenty pound to a peny that what face soeuer he set on it yet in his heart he meruailously feareth the contrary himselfe If that faith and religion only be Catholike and Vniuersall as he acknowledgeth that hath euer beene and is also spread ouer all the world and shall continue to the worlds end then surely their religion cannot be Catholike euen by the vniforme confession of themselues who generally acknowledge that for nine hundred yeares togither the Papacy did so domineer all the world ouer that not a man of their religion was to be found in any corner of the world that durst peepe out his head to contradict it Could there be any Church of theirs then when there was not one Pastor and flocke of their religion though neuer so small in any one Countrey And euen now when their Gospell is at the hottest hath it spread it selfe all the world ouer is it receiued in Italie Spaine Greece Afrike or Asia or carried into the Indians nothing lesse They cannot then call themselues Catholikes after the sincere and ancient acceptation of that name which is as himselfe hath often repeated out of S. Augustine Quia communicant Ecclesiae to to or be diffusae Because they communicate in fellowship of faith with the Church spread ouer all the world They must therefore notwithstanding M. Abbots vaine bragges be content with the shell and leaue the kernell to vs who doe embrace the same faith that is dilated all Countries ouer yea they must be contented to walke in the foote-steps of their fore-fathers the Donatists euen according to M. Abbots explication and flie from the vniuersality of faith and communion of the Church spread all the world ouer vnto the perfection of their doctrine which is neuerthelesse more absurd and further from the true signification of the word Catholike then the Donatists shift was of fulnesse of Sacraments and obseruation of all Gods Commandements as hath beene already declared But let vs heare how clearely and substantially he will at length proue their Church to be Catholike R. ABBOT IT pleaseth vs very well M. Bishop that we haue the kernell of the name of Catholikes and in the meane time because your importunity so requireth we are content to leaue the shell to you The kernell serueth vs to feede vpon and it is very tastfull to vs but you haue berayed the shell and therefore we haue no care to meddle with it Our inueighing against it is no otherwise but in respect of your abuse let it be restored to his true vse and we shall be ready to extoll it and where it is so we doe so As for your wager M. Bishop of twenty pound to a peny you haue lost it and you know that you haue lost it because you see that I haue set no other face vpon the matter then by sufficient proofs I haue made good But here he taketh in hand to bereaue vs of the kernell because our faith and religion was neuer Catholike that is was neuer spred ouer the whole world Whereas I on the other side doe tell him that it is only our religion which appeareth to haue beene absolutely spred ouer all the word and none but ours For our religion is no more nor other then is contained in the Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles and because we know that the religion there set downe was spred ouer all the world therefore we cannot doubt but that our religion is that that was spred ouer all the world and though Apostasie hath ouershadowed it yet hath euer since continued in the world As for that which he alleageth to the contrary it is no vniforme confession of ours but a deformed lye of his owne We doe not acknowledge that for nine hundred yeares togither there was not a man of our religion to be found in the world The Papacy indeede did mightily domineer accordingly as it was foretold but yet it could neuer so preuaile to the extirpation of our religion but that euen in the middest of the Papacy it hath continued still yea thousands and hundred thousands as by their owne stories appeareth haue beene murthered and slaine for the profession thereof Yea in the very religion of Popery our religion hath continued for what is Popery but a doctrine compounded of our religion and their owne deuice Our religion hath serued them for a foundation whereupon to build not only their wood and hay and stubble but also the wild-fire and poison of their idolatries and damnable heresies which without the pretence and colour of our religion Christian eares would haue detested and abhorred but therefore dreaded them not because they saw them cloaked with shew of still retaining that which we professe They durst not deny those Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament which our religion receiueth but to serue their turne they added other bookes not inspired of God to be notwithstanding of like authority with those They acknowledged the Lords praier the articles of the Creede the ten Commandements which we receiue as principles of our religion but they frustrated them by a superstitious custome brought in of reciting them like a charme in an vnknowen tongue They haue neuer denyed the two Sacraments which we teach which were fast rooted in Christian profession but they haue added to them other fiue and made them vp seuen They vsed no other substantiall forme of Baptisme then we doe only they prophaned it with sundry polluted and corrupt ceremonies of humane deuice In their Masse and Sacrament of the Altar the ground of all is that that we doe according to the institution of Christ and example of the primitiue Church They bring bread and wine to the Lords table they sanctifie or consecrate the same with the words of Christ when and where they list they administer the same to the people and all this they take vpon them to doe in remembrance of the Passion Death and
vnto the children of Israel and as it were confined within the limits of one land and countrey wherefore it could not be called Catholike and Vniuersall R. ABBOT MAster Bishop is fouly ouerseene to make it a question here what time it was that the Church beganne to be called Catholike it being sufficient to my purpose that the Church before the time of Christ albeit it were not then called Catholike yet was a part of that Church which hath beene so called since the time of Christ euen as the arme which comming first out of the wombe beareth not the name of the child and yet is a part of the child which is afterwards called by that name Therefore St. Austin diuiding mankinde into a Aug. in psal 61. Vna ciuitas vna ciuitas Babylonia vna Hierusalem vna Illa rege Diabolo ista rege Christo c. Illa incepit à Cain haec ab Abel two Cities the one vnder the Diuell as King thereof the other vnder Christ the one Babylon the other Ierusalem b Heb. 12. 22. the heauenly Ierusalem c Gal. 4. 26. Ierusalem which is aboue which is the Mother of vs all beginneth Ierusalem at Abel as he doth Babylon at Cain and maketh d Aug. in psal 86. Ciuis inde Propheta ciuis inde Apostolus the Prophets as well as the Apostles cittizens thereof and by another similitude calleth the Christian Church e Idem in psal 79. Quid est expectandii secundae vincae in mò eidem vineae ipsa est enim non enim altera est one and the same vineyard with the Church of the Iewes And if M. Bishop will not learne this of Austin let him learne it of Gregory Bishop of Rome saying that God f Gregor in Euang hom 19. Habet vineam vniuersalem scilicet Ecclesiam quae ab Abel â—usto vsque ad vltimum electum qui in fine mundi nasciturus est quot sanctos pretulit quasi tot palmitâ—s misit hath his vineyard euen the vniuersall Church which yeeldeth so many branches as it bringeth forth Saints from righteous Abel vnto the last Elect that shall be borne in the end of the world and againe that g Idem in Ezech hom 15. Vna est Ecclesia electorum praecedentium atque sequentium there is but one Church of the Elect both before and since the time of Christ Or if he be loth to turne so great a volume as Gregories workes let him looke into their owne Roman Catechisme where he shall finde that it is one cause why the Church is called h Catechism Roman part 1. cap. 10. sect 16. Praeterea omnes fideles qui ab Adam in hunc vsque diem suerant quiâ—e futuri sunt quamdiu mundus durabit veram fiâ—em profitentes ad eandem Ecclâ—siam pertinent Catholike because all the faithfull who haue beene from Adam till this day and shall be to the worlds end professing the true faith doe belong vnto it What hath M. Bishop beene so long a Doctor of Diuinity and yet doth he not know that the Catholike Church though it were not called Catholike till after the comming of Christ yet now is vnderstood to contayne all the faithfull from the beginning to the end Vndoubtedly he knew it well enough but my collection galled him and he saw there was no way but by cauilling to make shew to shift it of But if he did not let him haue wit to learne it now and let him take my words accordingly that as of the Catholike Church from the beginning to the end there is but one body euen as one Lord one God and Father of all so there is also but one spirit which quickneth that one body and i Ephes 4. 4. one faith whereby we are all partakers of that spirit both which the Apostle ioyneth togither when of the faithfull both of the old and new Testament he saith that they haue k 2. Cor. 4. 13. the same spirit of faith Of this one spirit Gregory saith that l Greg. in psal 5. Poenitent Sicut est vna anima quae diuersa corporis membra viuisicat ita totam simul EcclesiaÌ„ vnus spiritus sanctus vegetat illustrat as it is but one soule which quickneth the diuers members of the body so one holy spirit giueth life and light to the whole Church Whether we respect them that were before the incarnation of Christ or them that come after they both make but one body and therefore the holy Ghost as the soule is but one and the same to both So of faith Gregory telleth vs that m Gregor in Ezech. hom 16 â—adé sides â—pes charitas in antiquis patribus quae in nouis Doctoribus fuit in the old Fathers was the same faith hope and charity as in the new teachers namely the Apostles and the rest So likewise Leo Bishop of Rome saith that n Leo in Natluit Dom. ser 3. Fides qua viuimus nulla fuit aetate diuersa the faith whereby we liue was neuer different in any age but o IdeÌ„ de Pass Dom. serm 14. Vna fides iustificat vniuersoruÌ„ temporuÌ„ sanctos one faith saith he iustifieth the Saints of all times p Aug in Ioan. tract 45. Tempora variata sut non fides c. In diuersis signis eadem fides There is difference of the times saith Austin but not of the faith in diuersity of signes there is the same faith q Idem Epist 89. Sacramenta variata sunt vt alia essent in veteri Testamento alia in nouo cùm fides varia non sit sed vna sit The Sacraments are altered one sort in the old Testament other in the new whereas faith is not diuers but one still Now though the signes and Sacraments were diuers yet because there was the same faith and the same spirit therefore the effects of faith and of the spirit were the same so that what we receiue spiritually in Baptisme and the Lords Supper they also though in other Sacraments receiued the same so that they were spiritually baptized they did eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud as well as we as was before intimated in my answere and M. Bishop giueth occasion to declare further in the next section Of the originall of the name Catholike and Catholikes I haue spoken before that that may suffice and though M. Bishop haue drawen it in it is impertinent here to stand vpon it W. BISHOP §. 2. ANd M. Abbot was greatly deceiued or else goeth about to deceiue others when for proofe of communicating with the Catholike Church hee recoileth backe vnto the beginning of the world Why did he not rather shew that their new Gospell flourished in all Countries assoone as the Christian faith was planted and that it hath continued in all ages since the Apostles dayes vntill our time that had beene to haue spoken directly to the purpose
thee gentle Reader how warily M. Bishop speaketh Hee saith that he could in most controuersies adde the like confirmation willing hereby to haue thee vnderstand that as all his confirmations hitherto haue beene nothing worth so all the rest should bee starke naught And that thou maiest beleeue him herein hee taketh course presently to giue thee assurance of it St. Paul saith a 1. Tim. â— 15. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth Wherefore any man saith he may most assuredly repose his faith vpon her declaration Well but aske him hereupon Why then doe not you M. Bishop repose your faith vpon the declaration of the Church of England Not so will he say for this is the proper priuiledge and prerogatiue of the Church of Rome Wisdome and how commeth this to be proper to the Church of Rome Doth your booke tell you so Doe you not see that the Apostle vseth those wordes namely of the Church of Ephesus where Timothy was Bishop and therefore leaueth them appliable in the like sort to euery particular Church and therefore as well to the Church of England as to the Church of Rome And what exception hath he to the contrary but that as the Church of the liuing God hath beene from the beginning of the world so it hath beene from the beginning of the world the pillar and ground of truth and can hee make it good that there hath beene from the beginning a Church priuiledged thereby from being ledde into errour that all men might alwaies infallibly rest themselues vpon the sentence of that Church If not how can hee vpon this ground conclude that now which was not then and what he cannot finde to haue been in the Church of Hierusalem what likely-hood is there that it should be now found in the Church of Rome But it hath beene sufficiently declared before that b Part. 3. Confutation of Doctor Bishops Answer to Master Perkâ—ns Aduertisement c. sect 2. to be the pillar and ground of truth is the common duty of euery Church not any prerogatiue of the Roman Church and noteth what the Church alwaies by calling ought to be not what in act and performance it alwaies is Therefore this first confirmation of M. Bishops is but a paper shot it maketh a great noise but woundeth not The second is like the first c Ephes 4. 11. Christ gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors for the gathering togither of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meete together in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God c. Hence he inferreth thus therefore the Church shall not faile in faith vntill the day of iudgement nor bee inuisible that hath visible Pastors and Teachers Vrge him here a little further as touching this not sailing in faith and thou shalt see how he will goe from the Church to the Church of Rome and from the Church of Rome to the generall Councell and from the generall Councell to the Pope and all both Pastors and Doctors and Church and Councell serue but for a saddle whereon the Pope rideth in his royaltie saying as a Councell of old vpbraided him d Auent Annal l. 7. In cuius fronte nomen contumeliae scriptum est Deus sum errare non possum Synod Reginoburg I am God and cannot erre They rest the priuiledge of not erring in the Pope and may we not thinke this text well alleaged to proue that the Pope cannot erre who is in truth neither Pastor nor Doctor but a Hireling and a Theefe The wordes of the Apostle serue to instruct vs that Christ Iesus being ascended vp on high prouideth for his Church raising vp Pastors and Doctors for the ends which he there expresseth but hee doth not say that Pastors and Doctors are alwaies answerable to those ends God gaue the Priests and Leuites for the like blessing vnto Israel and it was said of them e Deut. 33. 10. They shall teach Iacob thy iudgements and Israel thy law And yet there was a time when it was said of them f Ierem. 2. 8. The Priests said not Where is the Lord and they that should minister the law knew me not the Pastors offended against me and the Prophets prophesied in Baal and went after things that did not profit And againe g Malach. 2. 7 The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes but yee are gone out of the way yee haue caused many to fall by the law c. And againe h Osâ— 9. 8. The watchman of Ephraim should be with my God but the Prophet is the snare of a fowler in all his waies and hatred in the house of his God And is it not so also many times in the state of the Church of Christ Is it not so often times that they whom he hath giuen for Pastors and Doctors to his Church become i Apoc. 6. 13. starres fallen from heauen to earth voide of true light themselues and therefore giuing no light to others Haue there not beene infinite complaints hereof in the Church of Rome of the negligence and ignorance and inability of them who haue sitten in place of Pastors and Doctors in the Church Did M. Bishop neuer reade in Matthew Paris an Epistle deuised as sent from hell k Math. Paris in Wil. Conq. Satanas omne contubernium infernorum omni Ecclesiastico coetui gratias eâ—â—sit quòd cum in nullo voluptatibus suis deessent tantum numerum subditarum sibi animarum suae praedicationis incuria paterentur ad inferna descendere quaÌ„tum secula nunquam retroacta viderunt wherein Satan and all the company of hell did send thanks to the whole Ecclesiasticall order for that whereas in nothing they were wanting to their owne pleasures they suffered by their neglect of preaching such a great number of soules vnder them to goe to hell as no ages past had seene the like Was there in this meane time no failing in faith when Clemangis as Espencaeus witnesseth complaining of the want of the knowledge and reading of Gods word said l Claud EspeÌ„c Digress in 1. Tim. l. 1. c. 11. Vbi id nec legitur nec auditur fidem perire labefactari necesse est vt hodie proh dolor omnibus ferè locis cernimus vt ad teÌ„pora propinquare videamê° de quibus Dominus putas filius hominis c. ex Clemang Where the word of God is neither read nor heard needes must faith perish and decay as now a daies alas in all places almost we see so as that we see it approcheth to the times whereof our Sauiour saith Thinke yee when the sonne of man commeth he shall finde faith vpon the earth or when things m Ibid. ex Agobert Antiphonarium correximus