Romans that he should neuer afterward be able to lift vp his head against them in any matter of faith wherin S. Hierom seemes to bee so confident that he doubts not to write to Ruffinus that which M. Abbot may take as spoken to himself Notwithstanding know you that the Romane faith by the Apostles mouth praised S. Hieron Apol. 3. con Ruffinum Attamen scito Romanam fidem Apostolico ore laudatam eiusmodi praestigias non recipere Etiam si Angelus aliter annunciet quam semel praedicatum est Pauli auctoritate munitam non posse mâ—tari doth not admit anie such deceites and tromperies yea if an Angel should preach anie other thing besids that which hath been alreadie preached yet that faith being by the Apostles authoritie fortified could neuer bee changed will M. Abbot yet be so shameles as to stand vp and to giue this graue holie doctor the lie as he must needs do if hee will yet sing his old song and saie that the Roman faith notwithstanding all the Apostles praier and prophecie is foulie changed and that in verie manie great points with the forsaid testimonies may be linked for the antiquitie of it this that standeth on record in the third generall councell holden at Ephesus S. Peter the head of the Apostles and pillar of faith c. did receiue from Christ the keies of the kingdome of heauen c. and doth vnto this daie liue in his successors and determine causes And shall alwaies liue Behold S. Peter alwaies liueth in the Bishops of Rome his successors to determin causes and gouerne the church what then shall become of M. Abbots change will he make S. Peter also a changeling This point I will close vp with this memorable sentence of S. Leo. The soundnes of that faith praised in the prince of the Apostles is euerlasting Leo in serm 2. Assumptionis suae ad sumum Pontificem Soliditas enim illius fidei quae in Apostolorum Principe est laudata perpetua est Et sicut permanet quod in Christo Petrus credidit ita permanet quod in Petro Christus instituit c. Manet ergo dispositio veritatis beatus Petrus in accepta fortitudine petra perseuerans suscepta ecclesiae gâ—bernacula non reliquit and like as that which Peter beleeued of Christ continueth for euer so doth that which Christ did institute in Peter c. Therfore the ordinance of the truth standeth fast and blessed Peter perseuering by his successors in that strength of a rocke hath not forsaken the gouernment of the church Seing the faith and fortitude of Saint Peter shall continue for euer in his successors the bishops of Rome that cuckoes song of M. Abbots that the now church of Rome is in matter of faith degenerated from the old must needs be false And what more manifest signe can one demaund therof then that all the wits of the protestants hauing travailed after nothing more for this fiftie yeeres cannot yet find out any one errour in matter in faith wherin the church of Rome hath at any time dissented from her self in former ages I know right well that they avouch boldlie that it hath changed manie articles of faith but let him that will haue credit given to him so saying name the error it self in particuler and the time when it was first receiued and by what pope it was approued which if no learned Protestant be able to performe let them be well assured that repeat it neuer so often over and ouer that the church of Rome is not the same now as it was in S. Austins time they deserue not to be beleeued Neither am I ignorant that some more hardy then their fellowes haue gone about to designe the time when the church of Rome began her Apostacy But therin they agree no better then the false Elders that accused Susanna of adulterie did of the tree vnder which the fained fact was pretended to bee done And therfore be no more worthy of credit then they were 30 M. Abbot goeth on to proue that I racked and wronged my authors and saith that Tertullian whoÌ„ I alleaged as sending to the church of Rome to learne the true doctrine doth send also to other churches as well as to the church of Rome Be it so but if he appealed vnto the church of Rome as well as to others did I him any wrong in saying that he appealed vnto the church of Rome I did not saie that he excluded all or ane ony other Doth not M. Abbot rather rack my words and wrong himself in imposing that vpon mee which I said not Besids M. Abbot doth offer great wrong to Tertullian not so much by racking his words as by chopping them quite of in the middest for where Tertullian saith If thou border on Italy thou hast the church of Rome vnde nobis authoritas presto est whence authority comes to vs. M. Abbot cuts of the latter part of the sentence which imports that men in Africk for that was Tertullians countrie did acknowledg the church of Rome to haue authority ouer them M. Abbot then hauing so cunningly conueyed the matter by cutting of that which made for vs doth afterward aske mee what was there left to serve my turne if his conueiance be no cleanlier then so it were better for him to leaue those trickes ro them that haue more nimbles fingers The Cathalogue of the Bishops of Rome set downe by Epiphanius doth serue to shew that the Bishops of Rome are S. Peters true successors which M. Abbot and the protestants sometimes when they are at a stand do not stick to deny Optatus Bishop of Milevitane S. Austins auncient did proue as M. Abbot cannot deny his part to be Catholike in that it comunicated with the church of Rome yet M. Abbot to detract some what from the see of Rome addeth that Optatus did not proue his part Catholike by communicating simply with the church of Rome but for that communicating with the church of Rome it communicated with the church of the whole world which words of Optatus are so farr of from detracting any thing from the church of Rome that they do much magnifie the comodity of her communion for he saith not that he communicated with the church of Rome and with all other churches making them seuerall parts but that in communicating with the church of Rome he communicated with the churches of the whole world thereby declaring the comunion with the church of Rome to be the meanes of communicating with all others which is the very same that we do now go about to proove His words which containe manie memorable instructions are these spoken vnto Parmenianus a Donatist Thou canst not deny but that thou knowest an Episcopall chaire to haue been placed in the city of Rome Optatus mileuit l. 2. co parmenianum Igitur negare non potes scire te in vrbe Roma Petro primo Cathedram Episcopalem esse
collatam in qua sederit omnium Apostolorum caput Petrus in qua vna cathedra vnitas ab omnibus seruaretur ne caeteri Apostoli singulas sibi quisque defenderent vtiam schismaticus peccator esset qui contra singularem cathedram alteram collocaret ergo cathedra vnica quae est prima de dotibus sedit prior Petrus cui successit linus c. damaso Siricius hodie qui noster est socius Cum quo nobis totus orbis commercio formatarum in vna communionis societate concordat vestrae cathedrae vos originem reddite qui vobis vultis sanctam Ecclesiam vindicare wherin Peter the head of all the Apostles sate first in which one chaire vnity is preserued amoÌ„gst all c. That he is now to be taken for a sinner a schismatike that would against that singuler or only chaire oppose another Therfore in that one chaire which is the first in dowry sate Peter vnto whom succeeded Linus and so in â—ew downe vnto Siricius that then liued who is saith Optatus our companion with whom the whole world by entercourse of formed letters doth concord with vs in the same society of coÌ„munion Hitherto Optatus where you see by the iudgment of so great a Prelate who liued in the time of pure antiquity that the chaire of Rome is the only chaire of vnity with which if you ioyne you are in the vnitie of Christs church against which if you oppose your self you become a sinner and a schismatike further that by communicating in faith with it you do enter into the society of all Catholikes dispersed ouer the whole world I do now staÌ„d more particulerly vpon those holy fathers words bicause M. Abbot was so shamles as to write that I did before of set purpose omitt their words bicause if I had set them downe euerie one might haue seene as he saith that they said nothing for our purpose when as for breuities sake I was then content only to point at these testimonies not thinking that any man would haue been so careles of his credit as to haue denied them to be most effectuall to our purpose Now that Optatus did prove the Donatists to be a particuler stragling congregation like the Protestants not only for that they did not comunicate with the church of Rome but also for want of comunication with the churches of Asia that makes nothing against the singuler esteeme hee had of the church of Rome for learned writers do vse diuers sorts of arguments to make their partie the more strong and probable One argument not destroying but fortifying the other The Donatists were schismatikes saith that noble Author bicause they opposed themselues against the church of Rome They were also astraying company for that they held no communion with the churches of Asia or any other part of the world besides Africa From Optatus M. Abbot coms to answer that place I quoted out of S. Austin which I haue before set downe at large and confesseth August epist 165. That Austin setteth downe the succession of the Bishops of Rome and vpbraideth the Donatists that no Donatist euersate in that chaire But M. Abbot doth add that as well doth he obiect to them that wheras they read the Epistles of the Apostles they deuided themselues from the peace and fellowship of those churches to which the Apostles wrote the same Epistles Is not this a worthy answer trow you bicause S. Austin vsed as a second argument to confute the Donatists their seperation from the knowne fellowship of the world Therfore his former argument taken from the coÌ„munion of the sea of Rome was nothing worth wheras contrary wise acute disputantes like to wise warriours do coÌ„monly range the strongest arguments in the forefront Or is there nothing to our purpose in the former place of S. Austin as here M. Abbot having put on a brasen forhead doth avouch Turne to it good Reader and see First that profound Doctor teacheth that among all the successions of Bishops that of Rome is most to be regarded bicause the gats of hell shall never preuaile against it Secondly that there had sitten from Peter vnto Anastasius then pope about fortie popes and that not so much as one of them had been a Donatist wherfore the Donatists were to be reiected of all men Hee thirdly teacheth in the same place that if any traitor should by chance creepe into that chaire of Rome yet the wickednes of that man should not be preiudiciall vnto the innocent faithfull that do rely vpon Christs promise made to that chaire bicause our Saviours singuler care therof is and wil be alwaies such that they who put their trust therin shall neuer be confounded Is all this nothing to our purpose that the gats of hell cannot prevaile against the chaire of Rome That they who rely vpoÌ„ it cannot faile no not if there should be a naughty Bishop sitting in that chaire besides as S. Austin did then argue because not one of the Bishops of Rome had been a Donatist therfore the Donatists religion was to be reiected why may not we in like manner make a stronger argument against the Protestants and conclude that seing among all the Bishops of Rome that haue been froÌ„ Saint Peter vnto Paule the fift which are in number not 40. only but more then 200 yet not one of them hath been a protestant therfore the protestants religion must needs be starke naught and of all men to te vtterly reiected This I hope will serve to discouer M. Abbots over hardy audacitie who noteth here that the cause why I did set downe my authors names without their words was for that their names might get some credit to my cause but their words would haue shewed that they had said nothing for mee when as now every man may see that their words truly set downe do make much more for mee then a verie good frind would haue imagined vnlesse he had seen them himself M. Abbot proceedeth to another great priuiledg which I related in honor of the church of Rome to witt that there hath not been any generall councell of vndoubted and sound authority vnlesse it were by the same sea confirmed which is a point of such importance that whosoeuer doth maturely ponder it it is alone sufficient to perswade him in all controversies of religion to make his recourse vnto the church of Rome and to follow that full and wholy which he shall find to be resolued by it For if the wisest and most learned heads of the world assembled together in a generall councell after all their owne advises vpon long examination of all particulers given do yet hold it expedient to send to the pope of Rome to haue his approbation and confirmation therof how much more ought any particuler person be he of never so exquisite gifts for iudgment and literature to referr himself vnto the determination of the same seat whervnto what doth M. Abbot answere first as
word as Donatisticall left it wholy to the Donatists wherfore let the indifferent reader iudg who dealeth more soundly in the exposition of this word Catholike whether I that do follow S. Austin in his more advised and riper iudgment Or M. Abbot that would haue him followed in that he taught being yet young and which hee himself afterward vpon better consideration thought good to alter Is it not a signe of most wilfull blindnes to alledge that as imitable out of an Author which hee himself advisedly corrected and taught to bee abhorred THE THIRD SECTION W. B. THE third particle of the resemblance M. Abbot hath couched in these words That as from Cartenna the Donatists did send Bishops to other countries even to Rome it self so from Rome by the papists order Bishops be authorised to all other countries This is of small moment if it were true But I read not in S. Austin that the Rogatists sent any Bishops from Cartenna into other coasts but rather required men of all other places to come to their quarters if they would obteyne Saluation That then may passe for another ouersight Neither bee all Catholike Bishops consecrated at Rome and thence sent into other countries but they be ordinarily made in every Catholike countrie though to preserve vnity and good order their election bee approued by the Bishop of Rome Christs vicar generall on earth and supreme pastor of his church R. AB §. 3. PVT Africa in steed of Cartenna and then M. Bishop can say nothing against the resemblance August epist 48. I not weighing the matter so strictly did put Africa for the third part of the world and in that signification Cartenna is within Africa well let Cartenna be put out bicause Libia and Mauritania refused to be called by the name of Africa as Austin noteth and let it run thus The Donatists sent Bishops out of Africa to dwell at Rome or some Bishops out of Africa to create some other bishops of their faction at Rome So doth the church of Rome send Bishops into all other countries of their religion or if they do not send such bishops abroad yet in that Bishops made in other countries must haue the Bishop of Rome his confirmation it is all one as if hee had sent them from thence w. B. well seing the poore man acknowledgeth his error let him be pardoned Let Cartenna and the Rogatists who only raigned there bee changed into the Donatists of Africa That silly excuse that Africa contaynes the third part of the world might be to purpose if Africa had been sett for Cartenna Continens pro contento but Cartenna was set for Africa which being so obscure a part of Africa could not decently be put for the whole wherfore M. Abbot hath reason to wish Cartenna to be blotted out and so might hee haue done by all these resemblances had not his fingers itched to blase abroad his owne folly As for his reformation of it though he saw the disproportion yet could he not let it alone For he was not ignorant that most Catholike Bishops neither went to Rome to be there consecrated nor were consecrated by any Bishops that came from thence As all the Donatists were either consecrated in Africa or els by Bishops who were sent out of Africa to consecrate them what salve then hath hee for this sore Mary that it is all one to haue the popes confirmation and to be consecrated by Bishops sent from Rome Some what like hee might haue said but not all one for to approue the election of a Bishop and to elect a bishope or to consecrate him bee farr different things as every man that is acquainted with these matters can readily tell I admit Donatists would gladly haue had Bishops of their owne sect in every countrie that they might haue had no need to send Bishops out of Africa to consecrate them in other places And thervpon I do inferr that euen therby they were convinced not to bee Catholikes bicause their pastors preachers were not vniversally spred ouer all countries contrarywise the Roman church is proued to be Catholike because it had in everie country Bishops of their owne faith and communion So that M. Abbot winding and turning on both sides to get out of the briars doth still more and more intangle and fasten himself in the same §. 4. w. B. THe fourth point of M. Abbots comparison is this The Donatists would be taken to bee Catholiks for keeping communion with the church of Cartenna even so will the Papists for holding society with the church of Rome The former point of the resemblance is too too absurd for the Donatists abhorred the Conventicle of Cartenna as schismaticall as hath been often repeated And the secōd part taken as true proportion requireth is not perfect for wee should not esteeme men Catholiks for communicating with the church of Rome if that communion were closed vp within the wals of Rome or within her confines as the Rogatists were pinned vp in Cartenna but for that by communicating with the church of Rome wee do enter into communion with all other churches of the same religion which are spred over all the world R. AB I Said the Donatists I should haue said the Rogatists who expounding the word Catholike for integrity and perfection of faith as before wee haue seen and affirming themselues only to be Catholiks left it as a consequent that none could bee called Catholiks but by ioyning with them The Donatists were in the same error concerning their church in Africa The Papists are like vnto them both who plead the same for the church of Rome but M. Bishop tels vs that they do not call men Catholiks for communicating with the church of Rome if it bee taken for that particular church which is closed within the wals of Rome which is contrary to that hee taught himself a litle before For he taught before that men became Catholikes by holding the Roman faith and communicating with the church of Rome but to shift ouer this hee addeth that therfore they become Catholiks in communicating with the church of Rome bicause that by that communion they enter into societie with all other churches of the same religion which are dispersed all the world ouer But against this it may bee said that thē men do not now become Catholike as they did of old because of old it was enough to communicate with the church spred ouer the world but now it is to be added that by cōmunication with the church of Rome wee must communicate with the church spred ouer all the world what if the church of the whole word do not hold communion with the church of Rome as when Arrianisme had in a manner ouerflowed all the world and when the East and west churches were deuided from Rome and before the brood of Ignatius had converted the Indians whence was the name of Catholike to bee taken then Put the case that all other
churches saue the Roman do err as they say they maie how shall a man then in communicating with the Roman communicate with all other churches then must you needs saie that by communicating with that particular church of Rome you do become Catholike finally M. Bishop doth overthrow himself For if a man become a Catholike by communicating with the church of the whole world and by coÌ„municating with the church of Rome he doth communicate with the church of the whole world then communicating with the particular church of Rome the name of Catholike doth belong to him To be short if the Donatists could haue had their way they would not haue doubted to say asmuch of their church as M. Bishop doth hereof his to wit that men should bee called Catholiks by communicating with the African church not as it was contained within the bounds of Africa but for that in communicating with that church you did enter into communion with all other churches spred over all the world w. B. IN the forefront of this chapter M. Abbot ingraued this title The comparison betwixt the Donatists and Papists iustified And yet we see in the beginning of euery section an open confessioÌ„ of some fault made by himself in the same comparison I said the Donatists I should haue said the Rogatists c well though it cannot be denied but that this is a very simple kind of Iustification yet I am content it passe for some kind of satisfaction be it permitted to M. Abbot for a sory shift to flit vp and downe before from the Rogatists in Mauritania to the Donatists in Africa now back againe from the Donatists to the Rogatists who saith hee did expound the word Catholike of perfection of faith which to haue been otherwise I haue shewed in the second section of this chapter well those honest Rogatists affirmed themselues only to bee true Catholiks and by consequence held none to be Catholikes but such as ioyned with them So did the Donatists in Africa The Papists do the like for their church therfore they resemble the Donatists And do not the protestants put in the same plea for their church therfore they be also Donatists And did not the old Arrians affirme and say asmuch in favour of their church were they also Donatists Is not this then a proper resemblance betwixt the Donatists and Papists that will agree vnto all kind of sects yea vnto the true Catholike church it self to which alone in deed it doth rightfully apperteine yet it is vsuall to all sectaries that take their errors for truth to qualify and grace their sect with the title of the true reformed church This resemblance then is so triviall that a man of any sharpnes of wit would haue been ashamed to haue framed it But if M. Abbots inventioÌ„ were dry and dull when he proposed that we shall now find it fluent and acute in reproving what I answered of the church of Rome to wit If the communion of the church of Rome passed not out of the wals of Rome then by communicating with the church of Rome wee should not become Catholiks But bicause it is farr otherwise with the church of Rome then it was with the church of Cartenna and that in communicating with the church of Rome we enter into the communion of the church dilated all the world ouer therfore wee become Catholiks in communicating with the church of Rome about which M. Abbot makes a foule fumbling but in fine cannot impeach it hee saith first it is contrary to that which I had before taught viz to communicate with the church of Rome was to become Catholike But this hee saw to be so simple that hee corrected it himself presently for I never said otherwise but by communicating with the Roman church wee became Catholiks And my reason alwaies was bicause the communion of the church of Rome did reach into all the coasts of the earth He giueth the second assaut against it by averring that therof it would ensue that one became Catholike now a dayes otherwise then of old bicause then it was sufficient to communicate wâ—â—h the church dispersed ouer all and now wee must communicate with the church of Rome to communicate with the church spred ouer all Is not this a high point and a very great subtiltie when one doth communicate with the church spred ouer all doth hee not euen then communicate with the church of Rome also that is the chief of them all Or was there any time since the Apostles dayes when there was no church of Rome that one might haue communicated with the church spred ouer all and yet not haue communicated with the church of Rome Yea did not they that wrote against the Donatists I meane S. Austin and Optatus make speciall instance in the communion of the church of Rome aswell as I do now to proue their societie with the whole Catholike church S. Austin saith of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage who was principally oppugned by the Donatists that hee holding communion with the church of Rome as with the chiefest Apostolicall chaire needed not care for the conspiracy of the Donatists agâ—â—nst him And Optatus speaketh iust to the same sence that I do In the Bishop of Rome the whole world doth accord together with vs in one society of communion Note how in those old daies by coÌ„munion with the pope church of Rome the prelatâ— in Africa esteemed themselues to hold communion with the whole world M. Abbot puts forth a new case what if the church of the whole world do not hold communion with the church of Rome as it was when Arrianisme did ouerflowe the whole world Then at least by holding communion with Rome one held not communion with the church of the world M. Abbot is content to leaue the Donatists to dreame awhile and flieth for aduantage to the Arrians but they will helpe him no more then did the Donatistes For though their heresies infected many cities countries and drew many Bishops to their party yet M. Abbot I thinke can hardly name mee any one city of the world so wholy possessed with that Arrianisme that it had not at the same time many true beleeuers in it that would not ioyne in faith and religion with the said ArriaÌ„s but stuck close to the church of Rome and to all other true beleeuers The like we say of the Easterne churches when they fell into schisme and heresie that albeit the outward face of their congregations were schismaticall yet there remained alwaies in those countries as there do now in England very manie that did coÌ„stantly defend and embrace the Roman religion The Indians for the most part of late time were converted yet many millions of soules were wonne vnto Christian religion in the west and East Indies by good priests Franciscan Fryers and other religious men before any mission of Iesuits were sent into that heavenly haruest as the Indian storie doth testifie yea before their
know that the church of Rome doth not greatlie approue Erasmus censures and annotations vpon S. Hieromes and other Doctors workes yet is he one of M. Abbots alleaged Authors page 72 Now for watsons Quodlibets Anianus fables and other such like puddles out of which M. Abbot takes some dreggs to giue his gentle reader satisfaction shall I saie or rather infection I say no more but that they must needes be very kind favorable yea foolish and simple readers too that will take such base coyne for good payment And M. Abbot therby is conuinced to bee no man of his word for hauing promised nothing but taken out of Authors famously approued by vs he doth notwithstanding produce manie writers of no estimation at all in our church Thus haue I briefly runne ouer all M. Abbots preface that the whole drist of his booke might bee disclosed and that the vnpartiall reader might withall take a tast of the manner of his dealing which if it cōsist much of craking shifting and misreporting he maie cōiecture what he is to expect of him in that which followeth I haue stood here vpon the particulers to shew the reader what aduantage I might take of his words if I would do the like in his whole booke But well weighing how small profitt the reader should reape out of anie such verball contention I will vtterlie avoid it and in as short and perspicuous sort as may bee I will relate trulie the sence and substance of what M. Abbot saith and ther vnto frame my answere That the good reader may leese no time but with ease and speede trace out and find where the truth resteth God grant him grace to embrace and follow it and in his praiers to recommend vnto the father of light from whom all good giftes do descend my poore endeuors that through his heavenlie blessing they may yeeld that fruite which I desire And that both they and I may serve his divine maiestie faithfully all the daies of this life and finallie through his infinite mercie obtayne life everlasting Amen AN ANSVVERE VNTO M. ABBOTS FIRST CHAPTER The contents whether the church of Rome doth vainly and absurdly chalenge to her self the name of the Catholike church THIS first paragraff or section M. Abbot doth make to iustifie the manner of his proceeding before hee come to the matter but before all hee thought it expedient how vndecent soever it were to begin with a florish in his owne commendation thus R. AB AS for the victorie which I ominated to my self thankes be to God I haue obtayned it being become Maister of the field And M. Bishop enforced to leaue the mayne battle contented now out of a corner to thrust an ambush that hee maie make some shew that he is not quite spent I triūph over him in his owne conscience W. B. NAturam expellas furca licet vsque recurret see how hard a thing it is to driue a man from his old by as M. Abbot hath been pretilie well canvased for his vnmannerly vaunting of his owne doings yet hee cannot bee taught to leaue it custome is another nature what will you he dwelleth belike farr from good neighbors and is therfore inforced to praise himselfe well if hee will needes proue himself a wisard and one that can ominate and tell good fortunes before they fall how should I hinder him I willinglie confesse that hee doth but his dutie to thanke the Lord for his good luck and might for more complete ioy haue called in his fellowe Ministers with their wiues to haue congratulated with him But to put the censure of his triumph to his adversaries conscience seemeth to excessiue an amplification for hee was cock sure to be condemned by me for singing a triumph before the victorie that before had told him plainely inough that I scarse found anie weightie point in his booke worth the answering and that there was better proofe of their doctrine in two leaues of M. Perkins treatise In my preface of the reproofe then in ten of his yea I moreover made so bold as to tell him that his printed papers were more fitt and proper to stopp mustard potts Ibidem Page 94. then anie meane schollers mouth was there anie reason after such plaine warning given him before hand of my dislike once to imagin if hee had not been wonderfully conceited of himself that I so highlie esteemed of his writings that I would without faile giue him the prick and price But why do I exact reason of an Augurer or wiseman as they call him that will needs dine into the secrets of my conscience may not hee peraduēture by helpe of his Astronomicall skill see there that which I cannot espie my selfe In good sadnes honest sir tell mee I praie you why you saie that I left the maine battle and was content out of a corner to thrust out an ambush when as I marched in the face of your forces and encountred with the forefront of your battle setting downe your discourse even as your self had ranged it making answere to the verie first words and so continuing without interruption verie impertinently then do you charge mee with lying in ambush and setting on you out of corners These odd tearmes of an old rustie ragged soldiour may be much more properlie returned on your selfe that hath leapt ouer so manie scores of the first pages of my booke and left as many of the last vnanswered slipping over also some of the middest what is to ly in ambush and to sett on a booke out of corners if this answering of it by snatches bee not but leaving these idle speeches wherwith M. Abbots book is stiff būbasted let vs come faire and roundly to the matter which in this section is to shew whether he hath proceeded orderlie or no in his discourse that the learned reader maie the better bee able to iudge of it I will summarily rehearse how wee fell into this Question whether the Romane church bee the Catholike church or noe I in the Epistle Dedicatory of my first booke aganist M. Perkins humblie besought his Maiestie that he would bee pleased to embrace that true Catholike and Apostolike faith in which his most royall progenitors liued and died whervnto M. Abbot answered that my petition was needles bicause his Maiestie had already embraced the same true Catholike and Apostolike faith which to prove he made as it were this argument The Catholike church is that which is spred over all the world but the Roman church is not spred over all the world therfore the Roman church is not the Catholike church To which I replied that granting the maior or first proposition to bee true the minor or second was not so direct to his purpose as if he should haue subsumed but the English church the faith wherof his Maiestie embraceth is spred over all the world or at least the English church is a true member of that church which is spred over all the world
for whether the church of Rome bee the Catholike church or no the faith which his Majestie embraceth cannot bee Catholike vnles it bee that which either hath been or now is spred ouer all the world therfore no man can deny but that it had been a more direct and speedie course to have proved their owne church to bee Catholike then to goe about to disprove the church of Rome to bee Catholike for let vs suppose that which M. Abbot would have though it bee most vntrue that the church of Rome were not the Catholike church Doth it thervpoÌ„ follow that the church of England is Catholike nothing lesse for there have been and are manie erring no Catholike congregations by the consent of all men different and dissenting from the church of Rome as for example were of old the Arrians the Donatists Macedonians and att this time bee the Trinitarians Anabaptists and such like supposing then the church of Rome not to bee Catholike and that the English church doth not agree with the said church may it not neverthelesse bee some other erronious congregation that is faâ—r enough of froÌ„ being Catholike there being in the world so manie other of that bad marke and stampe It must needes then follow that M. Abbot beginning with the church of Rome neither tooke a speedie and direct nor yet a sure course to prove his maiesties faith to bee Catholike M. Abbot in his owne excuse saith that to prove his maiesties faith to bee Catholike he must needes declare what the Catholike church was bicause of the Catholike church it is that the faith is called the Catholike faith This I admitt for good doctrine and do desire the Reader to beare it well in mind that the Catholike faith must needes bee sought for in the Catholike church and cannot be found out before wee haue the Catholike church to teach it vs. because as M. Abbot affirmeth heere of the Catholike church it is that the faith is called the Catholike faith well go on good Sir I grant that you did well to declare what was the Catholike faith and what was the Catholike church too But having declared what was the Catholike church and faith why did you not go in haÌ„d to proue your English faith that his maiestie maintaineth or your English church which hee vpholdeth to bee that same true Catholick church To saie that that stumbling blocke to witt that the church of Rome was the Catholike church was first to be removed out of the way will not serve the turne for that was not necessary when as the other if it had been true might haue been performed by it self without any mention made of the church of Rome And if your fingers itched to haue a fling at the church of Rome would it not haue been more seemly and decent first to haue confirmed your owne faith to bee Catholike which you tooke in hand then having layed that fouÌ„dation to haue declared that the faith of Rome was not Catholike wherfore I did neither idly nor preposterously as you write require so much att your hands but verie preposterously do you proceede and beyond all measure extravagantly that having spoken somewhat to declare what the Catholike church was and that the church of Rome was not that Catholike church do afterwards run through seaven or eight questions more and make an end of your booke too before you come to take one chapter to prove that your English church is the Catholike church or that your English faith is the Catholike faith Is not this to forgett your self in the highest degree that is possible to institute a treatise to prove his maiesties faith to bee Catholike and to professe in the beginning of it that to find out the Catholike faith wee must first find out the Catholike church which being soone found out and agreed vpon to bee that which is spredd over all the world after wardes in all the ensuing discourse not to haue one chapter to prove the English church or faith to bee spred all the world over was not this vtterly to leese himself and to leave his reader as it were in the middle of a maze Pervse gentle reader the contents of all the chapters of M. Abbots booke which bee fowreteene in number thou shalt not find one of them so much as pretend to prove directly the faith of England to have been dilated into all countries the first is that the church of Rome doth vainely pretend to bee the Catholike church the second consisteth of a comparison betweene the Papists and the Donatists the third is about the Papists abuse of the name Catholike the fourth that the church before Christ was a part of the Catholike church and that the old and new testament do not differ in substance of faith The fift that religion cannot satly bee grounded vpon the example of fathers and forefathers the sixth that the reasons of popery are not vrgent and forcible The seventh of the florishing and best state of the church of Rome and of the fulnes of doctrine contayned in Saint Pauls Epistle to the Romanes of Idolatry in worstipping of Saints The eighth of iustification before God The ninth of iustification before man The tenth that eternall life cannot bee purchased by meritt The eleaventh the first motion of concupiscence is sinne The twelfth that the spirit giues witnes to the faithfull that they bee the sonnes of God The 13. that good workes are not meritorious of life to come The 14. that the Epistles of Saint Paul are loosely alleaged by the papists lo here is the end of the booke and as a man may well saie finis ante principium a conclusion of the worke before he begin to handle the principall point in question to witt whether that faith which his Maiestie embraceth bee the Catholike faith that is whether at any time it hath been receiued in all Christian countries so that in one word this booke of M. Abbots may bee answered with a nihil dicit as our comÌ„on lawiers tearme it that is hee hath said iust nothing to that which hee vndertooke to performe therin for having taken in hand to prove that the faith of the English congregation is Catholike and consequently that it hath been vniversally planted in all nations now to let that stand a cooling and to argue that the church of Rome is not the Catholike church but rather Donasticall and that it abuseth the name Catholike that the church in old father Abrahams daies was a part of the Catholike church and such other impertinent questions was it not rather as one maie say to lead a wild Goose chase and to wander vp and downe very strangelie then to speake to the point of the question propounded And albeit it draw some what neerer the matter to go about to proue the Protestants doctrine to be more conformable vnto the old and new Testament then the doctrine of the Catholiks yet that is a severall distinct question
and to bee handled after another manner for I doe in one chapter ioyne Issue with M. Abbot therin and doubt not to make it good against anie protestant that the Catholike Roman faith is much more sutable even vnto the verie true text of tke Bible then the Protestants and that by conference of our doctrine word by word and sentence by sentence with the verie words and sentences of holy writt But to prove our faith to bee Catholike wee take another course and do demonstrate that the chief prelates and Doctors of the Catholike church who have florished in most Christian countries since the Apostles time have taught the verie same doctrine which wee teach and maintained the same faith and served God with the same Religion that we do which M. Abbot must performe for their faith and religion if hee will haue any wise men beleeue them to bee Catholiks even by his owne explication of the name Catholike in his answer to my Epistle and by his owne confession heere when hee faith that wee cannot find out the Catholike faith before wee have found out the Catholike church of which the faith is named Catholike Now no man can find out the Catholike church but by tracing out that companie of the faithfull who have peopled all Christian nations which M. Abbot not being able to do for the protestaÌ„tes faith doth returne the same questioÌ„ to mee and would haue mee to do the same for our doctrine and namely for that point of the popes power to depose Princes which as hee saies Cardinal Bellarmine doth hold to be one of the chief points of our faith Bell. Epistola ad Aâ—b apud â—ath Toâ—um and the verie foundation of Catholike religion Albeit M. Abbot would not at my request do that honor to his own religion and right to himself as to satisfie my iust demaund hee having before also vndertaken it yet I will not refuse at his instance to demonstrate that article of faith which Cardinall Bellarmin there mentioneth to have been beleeved taught and practised in most christian countries in the most florishing time of the Catholike church And that by the testimonie of the best renowmed fathers of the verie same age I will bring him in more authentik evidence for this issue then would be the hands and seales of the moderne churches of Grecia Armenia Ethiopia Russia and such like schismaticall and erring congregations which M. Abbot here demaundeth as the reader shall see in the next paragraffe or division where that question of the supremacy shal be treated of But honest sir why do you by the way so wound your credit in misalleadging that most learned Cardinals wordes doth he in the place by you quoted saie that the supremacly of the pope for the deposing of kings is one of the chief points of the Catholike faith will no warning serve the turne to make you cite your authors sincerely if this bee the shuffling wherin your best skill consisteth the reader in deed hath great need to looke well to your fingers Card. Bellarmine both there and elswhere doth teach that the popes supremacy is one of the principalle heads of our religion But hee doth not affirme there that the popes power to depose princes is any chief article of our faith though hee taught that to bee a most probable opinion and in some sort to appertaine to the supremacie as a dependant thervpon Now to that which followeth out of an other place of Card. Bellarmin hee you saie shall free vs from need to travell for this proofe to wit that our English faith hath been spred all the world over who saith that though one only province did retaine the true faith yet the same might properly bee called the Catholike church and therfore their faith the Catholike faith so long as it could bee cleerly shewed that the same is one and the same with that which at anie time was spred over the whole world whervpon M. Abbot infers that to prove their faith to bee the Catholike faith it wil bee sufficient to prove that is was that which once was spred over all the world Now with the proofe therof M. Bishop saith hee is chooked already Behold the babling of this vaine man first the Cardinall doth not ease him anie whitt at all from proving their faith to have been spred over all the world but only saith vpon supposition Si sola vna provincia retineret veram fidem if one onlie province kept the true faith that then it might bee called Catholike yet so that it could bee cleerlie shewed to haue been spred in times past over all the world where you see that hee requires of necessitie that it must bee cleerly shewed that the same faith which wil bee accounted Catholike hath been before at lest spredd over all the world so that M. Abbot is as farr to seeke as hee was before and that hee must needes come to this stake how vnwilling soever hee bee and either shew that their faith hath been receiued all Christendome over or els confesse that it cannot bee called Catholike Come of then gentle Sir flie not from the point seek not to hide your head in a corner but performe that peece of service bravely and then hardlie talke of chooking M. Bishop but to avouch that M. Bishop is chooked already long before anie proof thereof be brought with onlie hearing you to speake of it is too too childish and full of doting vanitie I found fault with M. Abbot for shuffling and flitting from the faith and religion of the Romanes vnto the particular persons that inhabit the cittie of Rome bicause their faith maie bee Catholike and spredd over all the world albeit their persons bee confined within the bounds of one countrie or cittie hee answereth that hee hath shuffled amisse for vs for that hee hath shuffled vs from bâ—ing Catholikes and the Roman church from being the Catholike church which is not to the purpose And how true it is shal bee tried in the next chapter In the meane season it must needs bee taken for a foule fault in arguing to change the tearmes and to flitt from one thing to another and for the faith of the Romans to take the persons that inhabit Rome there being no lesse difference betweene the person of a man and his faith then there is between a fox and a fearnebrake finally M. Abbot saieth that his shuffling will yeeld vs but a bad game if I cut not wisely And if wee haue no better Cards saieth hee wee shall sâ—rely leâ—se all well gentle sir seing you confesse your selfe to bee such a cunning shuffler and giue mee so faire warning of it before hand I wil take the paine to shuffle your Cards after you or els will cutt them in such sort that your skill in packing shall stand you in litle steed If there bee no remedy but that you will needs haue about with the church of Rome bee it by
order or bee it by disorder look you handle your weapons more handsomely then you haue done hitherto or els you are like enough to receiue the foile An answer vnto the second section of the first chapter MR Abbot to make a smoother waie to his doutie arguments by which hee striueth to proue the Roman church not to bee the Catholike church saith that hee entreth vnto them to note the absurdity implied in this comon stile of Catholiks the Catholike Roman church How now good sir have you so soone forgotten the errand wherabout you went did not you vndertake to demonstrate that his maiestie had alreadie imbraced the Catholike faith And if you will needs leave that which you professed to pursue in the suddes for a season and fall vpon the church of Rome do not stand triffling vpon tearmes and titles like an idle Caviller but as it beseemes a Doctor of the chaire prove soundly if you can that the now church of Rome doth not beleeve and professe all points of the Catholike faith whether the church of Rome may bee called absolutlie the Catholike church or no or in what sence it is so called are other by questions scarse incident at least nothing necessarie to that wee have now in hand for whether the church of Rome bee stiled the Catholike church or no so that it hold entirely the true Catholike faith then maie his maiestie lawfully and laudably receiue and defend the whole doctrine of the said church and to obtaine saluation must make himself a member therof which was all that I humblie craved of his most excellent Maiestie The issue then of this present question and the marke that M. Abbot should levell att is to shew that his maiestie embracing the faith of the church of Rome should not embrace the true Catholike faith if hee do not effect this hee doth nothing if leaving his issue hee fall to plucking of vizards as hee to excuse his vnseasonable digression doth write from I know not whose faces as though he going about this matter had mett by the waie with some maske or mummery may he not well bee resembled to a boy that sent on an errant falleth to blowing of feathers whither the wind will carrie them and lets his Masters busines alone till hee hath ended his owne sport but such is the mans humour hee must bee dispenced withall for observing anie good order well seing there is no remedy let him range at his pleasure let vs winke att the method so the matter bee tolerable thus then doth hee goe about to prove the Roman church not to bee Catholike No particuler church can bee the Catholike church but the Roman church is a particular church Ergo the Roman church is not the Catholike church Againe to the same effect No part can bee the whole but the Roman church is a part of the Catholike church therfore it cannot bee the whole Catholike church These be his arguments reviewed and put into the best frame that maie bee to avoide all disputes about the forme As I do verie willinglie also let passe his most idle bables of Balaams and Anianus Asses and his scarse sweet poem of horse balles singing in the poole Nos poma natamus bicause such scurrility becomes not divines yea is scarse tollerable in any sort of ciuil men to the Arguments then thus I answere If the conclusion were granted to M. Abbot he were no whitt the nearer to obtaine his intended purpose for what is there concluded aganist the church of Rome maie in the verie same forme bee concluded against the church of England for example no particular church can bee the Catholike church but the church of England is a particular church therfore it cannot bee the Catholike church which is soe apparant that M. Abbot cannot denie it whervpon it followeth most cleerly that this argument can serve no more for disswading his maiesty from admitting the doctrine of the church of Rome Page 13. then from entertayning the doctrine of the church of England therfore it is to be reiected as wholy impertinent to this purpose But M. Abbot saith that atleast it will serve to convince the absurditie of the papists stile who vse to coople together these two tearmes Catholike Roman which hangeth no better together saith hee here then vniuersall particular though afterward better aduised hee within the compasse of two leaves doth confesse that both these tearmes maie in good sence bee ioyned together these be his words Particular churches are called Catholike and particuler persons are Called Catholikes as a man would saie vniuersalists for maintayning communion and fellowship of the Catholike faith with the church of the whole world so that even after M. Abbots owne declaratioÌ„ a Roman Catholike is not as much to saie as a particular vniversall but a particuler man or church that holdeth coÌ„munion of faith with the vniversall church was it not then a great oversight in a man reputed to â—ee of some Iudgment to insist so vehementâ—â—e vpon trifling tearmes that were both besides the purpose and withall true in themselues as you shall heare afterwardes if they be evenlie and fairely taken Notwithstanding bicause the foresaid arguments bee as it were the coÌ„mon hackneys of protestants ever and anone in their mouthes and writings and haue not been formerly answered by any that I haue seen and for that the solution of them will serve to answere all that M. Abbot hath raked together against the church of Rome in fower paragraffes of this chapter I will more particularly and fully dissolue them I say then first the argument is mistaken and doth not conclude that which is in question the question is not whether the Roman church bee the Catholike church in vniuersall but whether the Roman church maie bee called the Catholike church or rather whether it maie bee couched togither in stile with the Catholike church M. Abbot saith no these bee his words For the pulling of this vizard from their faces I noted the absurditie that is emploied in that stile of the Catholike Roman church for the Catholike church I saie is the vniversall church the Roman church is a particular church therfore to saie the Catholike Roman church is all one as to saie the vniuersall particuler church This was M. Abbots first argument and the drift of it was to disprove that stile of ours the Catholike Roman church Now in his latter reformed argument hee is come to change the tearmes and in stead of that the particular Roman church cannot bee said called or stiled the Catholike church doth bring in his conclusion the Roman church is not the Catholike church wherin lieth a great fallacy for as the learned do well know tranfire a rebus ad voces vâ—lè contra à vocibus adres est agere sophistam hee plaies the part of a sophister that passeth either from thinges to words or from words to things which all protestants doe when they vse this kind of
Romes supremacy Ergo there is no such matter in all the scripture M. Abbot blushing at the vglie shape of this ilfavoured argument to botch it out doth adde that by those seaven churches are figured the whole church of Christ and yet there is not a word in thē of the supremacie of the church of Rome I thinke well nor of thundreth matters moe that belonge to the christian religiō for these seaven short letters which S. Iohn writes to the seaven churches are contained within the compasse of three pages of one little leafe in octauo in their owne bible and can anie man bee so simple as to dreame that all the points of our faith are comprehended within them S. Iohn com̄ends the vertues reprehends the vices of those churches but doth treat of verie few points of doctrine and therfore no strange case if hee spake not of the supremacie of the church of Rome M. Abbots third argument the church of Rome hath a speciall caution given her not to presume vpon her stabilitie in the faith lest she fall Rom. 11.20 S. Paul saying to her Be not high minded but feare for if God spared not the naturall branches take heed also lest hee spare not thee Behold the bountifulnes of God towards thee if thou continue in his boūtifulnes or els also thou shalt bee cut of Ergo what hee had neede to bee a cūning fletcher that could make either a bolt or a shaft of this fit for the purpose First here is nothing at all against the church of Romes supremacie nor yet anie certaine assertion against her stability in the received faith For here is aswell a promise of Gods bountifulnes towards them if they will do well as a threat against them if they do evill Againe all this is besides the cushion for though that Epistle bee to the Romanes yet S. Paul there doth expresly direct that discourse not to the Romanes in particuler but in generall to all the Gentiles beginning it thus for to you Gentils I say c. Ibid. v. 13 and goes on with a comparison betweene the Iewes and the Gentils so that nothing is more perspicuous then that the warning there given is not speciall to the Romans but generall to all Gentiles These loe bee the foregallāts shal I saie or rather the forlorne hope of M. Abbots terrible argumēts marshalled by himself in the forefrōt of his batlle to daūt the Enemy are wee not like thinke you to haue a hott skirmish of it where such drosse and refuse of arguments are thought worthie the first and best place but it were pittie that such a bad cause should bee burnished sett out with anie better M. Abbot having given such a mighty pushe at our position cometh to confute that I said to witt that it is deduced out of Gods word rightly vnderstood according to the interpretation of the ancient fathers that the church of Rome is that rock vpon which Christ built his church against which the gates of hell shall never prevaile To which M. Abbot as though he went about to choke dawes saies that I giue him chalke for cheese bicause I promised a deduction out of the word of God and in steed therof bring an exposition of the ancient fathers Marke gentle reader my words and then thou canst not but find M. Abbot to be an egregious wrangler for I performed that deduction which I promised out of Gods word naming the verie place out of which it is deduced but because I ioyned with it according vnto the exposition of ancient fathers hee like a man scarse well in his wits cries out that in steed of scriptures I bring in an exposition of the fathers when I do make mention of the fathers exposition not as the ground of my deduction but onlie for the true sense of those words of holy scripture out of which I do make the said collection The deduction in my former booke was verie briefe bicause I did there point onlie at the places of holie scriptures out of which it might bee gathered the question of the supremacy being there but touched by the way wherof M. Abbot takes advantage and saies that I am dumbe and can say no more because I will not bee like to him and out of season thrust forth long discourses of by questions I hauing also before written a whole chapter of the supremacy in my second part against M. Perkins where M. Abbot saw well enough that I could haue said here much more of the same matter if need had so required but such is his impudencie that he cares not what hee saie so hee maie make a shewe to his simple reader that hee hath canvased his aduersarie seeing that M. Abbot hath here hudled together verie much of that matter I will more at large sett downe these deductions and orderlie confirme each member therof The first fountaine out of which all the rest do flow as riuers is this The chief superiority in governmēt and authoritie of power over all the church was by our blessed Saviour given to S. Peter and to his successors vnto the end of the world but the Bishops of Rome are S. Peters successors therfore the Bishops of Rome have from our saviours grant and gift authority of power and superiority of goverment over all the church The maior of this argument is to bee deduced out of the word of God the minor being a matter of fact and that which hapned after S. Peters death to wit who was his successor shall haue sound proofe out of the most approved testimony of the best witnesses since that age All which being performed the conclusion that the Bishop of Rome hath supreme commaunding power over all the church must needs stand most assured That our blessed saviour gaue superiority of government to S. Peter vnder the metaphore of a rocke or foundation in building when he said Thou art Peter Math. 16 and vpon this rocke I will build my church Thus I proue Christ made Peter the rock or foundation of his church therfore he gaue to him the chiefest place of government in it for as the foundation is first placed and doth vphold all the rest of the building so he that is the foundation in the spirituall building of Christes church hath the chiefest place therin is to com̄and over all the rest To make this more perspicuous we must call to mind that amongest other titles and names of the church of God one is a house as the Apostle sheweth that thou maist knowe how to converse in the house of God 2. Tim. 3.15 which is the church and the faithfull are called by the same Apostle 1. Cor. 3.9 Ephes 4.12 the building of God Dei aedificatio estis Againe God gaue some Apostles some Doctors c. to the building vp of the bodie of Christ S. Paul as a wise Architect laid the foundation and others builded thervpon Now in that supernaturall and
heavenly building 1. Cor. 3. though our saviour Christ Iesus bee the chief fundation and corner stone yet next to himself hee hath placed Saint Peter and hath vpon him as vpon a firme rock builded his church which is as much to say as that hee gave him firme and infallible authoritie vpon which all the faithfull should rely for finall resolution in all doubts of faith religion and manners which do necessarily appartayne to the edifying of Christs church this may serue for a cursory exposition of the first fountaine of holy scripture out of which I derived that our Saviour bestowed vpon S. Peter the supreme place of government in his church a fuller confirmation of it shall follow by and by 6 I might add for further proof of the same position out of Saint Iohns Gospell how our blessed Lord severing Saint Peter from the rest of the Apostles and intimating how S. Peter loved him more then anie of them gave to him as head pastor the charge of both his sheepe and lambes that is of all Christians aswell the cleargy as the laity to bee by him instructed ruled and governed as the flock of sheepe is fed and ruled by the shepheard which according to the ancient doctors testimonie doth verie plainly confirme Saint Peters supremacie as you shall heare presently out of their own wordes yet this though it bee most pregnant among the rest I then omitted because the question of the supremacy was not to bee handled there at the full I touched also a third text to prove that the Bishop of Rome as Saint Peters successor should never faile in confirming of his brethren in the true faith taken out of Saint Luke where our Lord saith Simon Simon behold Luca 22. sataÌ„ hath required to haue you for to sifte as wheate but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not and thou once converted confirme thy brethreÌ„ wher vpon it followeth that all others ought to repaire to him and his successors for resolution of all controversies in faith to bee confirmed by him and are bound therby to obey him as the person to whom Christ gaue power to confirme his brethren Of the first text of scripture shal bee treated more at large in this section for the others I will onlie note some places of the holy fathers where the reader maie see the very same explication of Christes words and deduction that I make here by their auctoritie approved bicause M. Abbot doth here verie hotly call for such testimonies and seemeth so earnestly sett vpon the sight of them that I must needes giue him out of hand at least the quotations of them in the margent and then small doubt but hee will presently bee satisfied if there bee such honestie in him as hee makes shew of well if it bee no more then for the good readers content I will giue him more then hee demauÌ„deth that is not only the quotations in the margent but their words also in the text a Origenes in cap. 6. ad Rom. Petro cum summa rerum de pascendis ovibus traderetur super ipsum velut super terram fundaretur ecclesia nullius confessio virtutis alterius ab eo nisi charitas cuigitur To begin Origen saith when the church was founded vpon S. Peter and supreme power of feeding Christs sheepe was comÌ„itted to him the profession of no other vertue then of charitie was demaunded of him b Cipri de vnitate eccles Petro post resurrectionem dominus dicit pasce oves meas super illum vnum aedificat ecclesiam suam illi pascendas mandat oves suas S. Ciprian Christ after his resurrection said to Peter feede my sheepe and vpon him alone doth build his church In both these sentences are linked two texts of the Euangelists that concerne Saint Peters supremacy c Ambros 10. in Lucam cap. 24. Contristatur quia tertio interrogatur Amas me iâ— enim interrogatur de quo dubitatur sed dominus non dubitabat qui interrogabat non vt disceret sed vt doceret quem elevandus in caelum amoris sui nobis velut vicarium relinquebat paulo post ideo quia solus profitetur ex omnibus omnibus antefertur ibidem tertio dominus non iam diligis meâ— sed amas me interrogauit iam non agnos vt primo quodam lacte pascendos nec oviculas vt secundo sed oues pascere iubetur perfectiores vt perfectior gubernaret Saint Ambrose Our lord not to learne himself but to teach vs did aske him whom hee being to ascend into heaven would leave vs as it were the vicar of his loue for so thou hast Simon sonne of Iohn dost thou loue mee c. Peter testified his affection and therfore bicause hee alone made that profesâ—ion hee is preferred before the rest and a little after he is commaunded to feede the sheepe as well as the lambes that the perfecter sort might be governed by him that was more perfect behold sheepe and lambes to bee governed by Saint Peter d Chrisost homil 1. de penitentia Poenitentia post tantum malum iterum cum ad priorem honorem reuehit ecclesiae primatum gubernationém que ipsi per vniuersum orbem tradidic Chrisost homil 80. in Ioannem Cum magna Christus Petro coÌ„municasset ei orbis terrarum curam demandasset c. S. Chrisostome the primacie of the church and the government throughout the whole world is by Christ coÌ„mitted to S. Peter see him also in his last homily vpoÌ„ S. Iohns Gospell and in his second booke of priesthood whom e Theophil cap. 21. Ioannis Totius orbis onium praefecturam Petro committit non autem alij sed huic tradit Theophi lact vpon the same place doth follow saying Christ granteth to S. Peter and to none els the government of the church through the whole world f Leo sermo 3. de assump De toto mundo vnus Petrus eligitur qui vniuersarum gentium vocationi omnibus Apostolis â—unctisque Ecclesiae patribuâ— praeponatur vt quamuis in populo dei mulâ—â— sacerdotes sint multiquâ— pastores omnes tamen proprie regat Petrus quos principaliter regit Christus S. Leo amonge all the meÌ„ of the woâ—ld onely Peter is chosen who is placed over the Apostles and fathers of the church and over the vocation of the Gentils And albeit among the peoplâ— of God there be manie priests and manie Pastors yet Peter doth rule all them properly over whom our Saviour Christ doth rule principally observe the rule over all that appertaine to Christ to be given by Christ to S. Peter g Eucherius Lug in vigilia S. Petri. Dicit ei pasce oves meas prius agnos deinde oues coÌ„misit ei quia non solum pastorem sed pastorum pastorem eum constituit pascit igitur Petrus agnos pascit oues pascit filios pascit matres regit
sed etiam discipulo suo buius vocabuli gratiam non negauit dicens illi super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam S. Augustin Peter did confessâ— Christ to bee the sonne of God and in that confession was called a rocke vpon the which Christ was to build his church Paulinus Christ is the rock and yet he denied not the grace of this name to his disciple peter saying to him vpoÌ„ this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Petrus Chrisologus Peter is the keeper of the faith Petrus Chrysolog serm 107. Petrus est custos fidei petra ecclesiae â—anitorque coelorum Leo hom de transfigurat Tantum in hac fidei sublimitate comâ—laâ—rit vt beatitudinis faelicitate donatus saâ—rae â—nviolabilis Petrae acciperet firmitatem supra quam fundata Ecclesia portis inferi â—â—ortis legibus praâ— aleret the rock of the church the porter of the heauens Leo the great Peter did so much please â—n the sublimity of this faith that hee being rewarded with the felicitie of blessednes receiued the holie â—ouÌ„dnes of an inuiolable rocke vpon which the church being founded doth preuaile against hell the lawes of death Gregor lib 6. regiâ— epist 37. Quis enim nescit sanctam ecclesâ—am â—n Apostolorum principu solidâ—tate firmatam qui firmitatem mentu traxit in nomine vt Petrus à â—â—tra 〈◊〉 â—retur Gregory the great who knoweth not the holy church to be setled in the soundnes of the prince of the Apostles because hee in his name hath drawen firmeness of mynd that of a roâ—ke was named Peter S. Isidore Simon Peter the sonne of Iohn Isidor de vita sanctorum cap. 69. Simon Petrus filius Ioannis frater Andreae Apostolorum princeps est pastor humani gregu petra ecclesiae Clavicularius regni c. Idem de officijs eccles lib. 2. cap. 5. In novo testamento post Christum sacerdotalis ordo à Petro Apostolo caepit ipsi enim primus pontificatus datus est in ecclesia Christi Sic enim loquitur ad eum dominus Tu es Petrus super hanc petram adificabo ecclesiam meam c. Prosper de vocatione gentium l. 2. cap. 28. Quis ergo ambigat quis ignorat hanc fortissimam petram Petrum qui ab illa principali petra communionem virtutis sumpsit nominis hoc desiderium habuisse c. the brother of Andrew is priÌ„ce of the Apostles pastor of the flocke of meÌ„ the rocke of the church Againe in the newe testament priestly order after Christ began of S. Peter for to him was giuen the chiefest byshoprick in the church of Christ for thus doth our lord speak vnto him Thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my church Prosper who can doubt that this most valiant rocke Peter who received of that principall rocke Christ participation both of name and vertue had alwaies a burning desire to die constantly for Christ Maximus this is Peter Maximus sermone 51. de Petro Paulo Hic est Petrus cui dominus communionem sui nominis libenter indulsit vt enim sicut Apostolus Paulus edocuit Petra erat Christus ita per Christum Petrus factus est petra dicente ei domino tu es Petrus supra hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam to whom our lord fauorably gaue the felowship of his own name for as the Apostle S. Paul teacheth Christ was the rock euen so by Christ Peter was made the rock our lord saying vnto him thou art Peter and vpon this rock will I build my church Lower I will not descend for these Latin fathers doe suffice to certifie any reasonable reader that this was the common opinion of the most approved writers in the west church which being linkt vnto the other dozen of most renowmed Grecians all famous Authors and for the greater part the most godly and best learned prelates of most Christian nations of the world These I say such excellent qualified personages the masters and mirrours of Christian Religion with one consent agreeing that our Saviour Christ Iesus did coÌ„municate his owne name of Rocke vnto S. Peter and vpon him as vpon a most sound rocke built his church by which as they vnderstood it he gave vnto him the Charge over the whole church to governe and rule it as chief pastor therof to containe and vphold the whole frame of that heavenly building and holy howse of God next vnto Christ the principall foundation and head cornerstone All this and much more they whom both Catholikes and Protestants hold for the best learned and most worthy prelates of Christes church teaching so plainly what Christian hart that hath anie sparke of godlines or any care of embracing the trueth when it is shewed him had not rather believe and follow their Iudgment therin then the new opinions of late writers partially pleading for their owne fancies specially if they please to consider what weake reasons they alleage to delude that comon exposition of the ancient faâ—hers Amonge which these as principall M. Abbot hath heere made choice of The first is that Christ is the rocke vpon which hee built his church vpon this that thou hast confessed saith saint Austin and acknowledged that is vpon my self I will build my church I Answer out of the fathers before rehearsed that both be true Christ is the rock and yet he gaue the same name and title to S. Peter as both S Hierome Paulinus Prosper and Maximus abouecited do testify with whom a Ambrosi l. 6. in Lucam cap. 9. Tertul. l. 4. Co. Marcio c. 13. Christus chariss discipulo nomen communicauit suum S. Ambrose doth agree affirming our Saviour to haue communicated most of his titles to his disciples b S. Basil homil 29. ex varijs ad populum de poenitentia Licet Petrus sit petra non tamen sicut Christus nam Christus vere est immobilis petra Petrus vero propter petram axiomata namque sua Iesus largitur alijs non evacuatus sed nihilominus habens luâ—e est vos estis lux mundi inquit Sacerdos est facit Sacerdotes petra est petram facit qua sua sunt largitur seruis suis argumentum hoc est opulenti and in particuler to S. Peter that of a Rock and so doth Tertullian to whom S. Basil addeth Christ is the rock and Peter is the rock Christ an vnmoveable rocke of himself But Peter through Christ Christ saith this great doctour imparts his dignities vnto others without depriving himself of them hee is the light of the world yet saies to his Apostles yee are the light of the world hee is the priest and hee maketh priests hee is the rocke and hee maketh a rocke with whom accordeth S. Leo saying I am saith our Saviour a rocke S. Leo 3.
assump suae Cum ego sim inuiolabilis Petrae ego lapis angularis qui facio vtraque vnum Tamen tu quoque Petra es quia mea virtute solidaris vt quae mihi potestate sâ—nt propria sint tibi mecum participatione communia yet thou Peter art also a rocke bicause that thou shalt bee made sound by my vertue these things which are proper to mee by power shall by participation bee comunicated to thee so that argument of M. Abbots is nothing worth for albeit our Saviour Christ bee the rocke in a farre more eminent and excellent manner as hee that vpholdeth all the church from the beginning of the world vnto the latter end and is by his owne merite and power vnmoueable yea hee is the builder of the same church and out of his side the same Church is builded as Eve was out of one of Adams ribbes yet it followeth not therof but that S. Peter maie bee the rocke chosen by Christ to bee his vicegerent chief governor of his Church vnder him by the soundnes of his faith made fitt to confirme all others that shall haue anie doubt ther about like as in the state of the old testament Notwithstanding Christ was the head corner stone therof yet there was one high priest that had vnder him supreme authoritie ouer all the rest and soveraigne power to determine all doubts arising about their lawe Albeit our Saviour bee the rocke vpon which the church is built in a most peereles manner yet that those words of his vpon this rocke I will build my church were not meant of himselfe but of S. Peter is most evident first by the vniforme consent of all the auncient fathers both Greeke and Latin before rehersed true it is that a Augustin l 1. retract c. 21 â—arum autem duarum sententiarum quae sit probabilior eligat lector S. Austin sometimes applies them both to Chr st and to S. Peter and leaues to the readers choise whether he will take which choise is easie to bee made when S. Augustin with all the rest before recited stand cleerly for S. Peter and hee alone maketh some doubt of it more ouer all the circumstances of the text bee on the other fathers side first the words next before are plainly addressed to S. Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church Againe in the language which our Saviour spake it is so cleere that there can bee no doubt of it for it is thou art Cephas that is a stone and vpon this stone I will build my church the verie same word without anie alteration being vsed in both places Besides these words contayne a reward bestowed vpon Saint Peter for the sincere confession of that high misterie of faith as the auncient fathers do testifie with S. Hierom vpon that place Hieron in c. 16. Math. Hilarius can 16. in Math. Confessio Petri praemium coÌ„secuta est Theophila in c. 16. Math. Maximus vbi supra Mercedem recepit vera confessio the true confession of S. Peter received due reward but it had been no recompense of Peters confession for Christ to haue built his church vpon himself doth it not in very coÌ„mon sense seeme verie harsh for our Saviour to pretend a great favour to Peter as to say to him Happy art thou Peter c And I saie to thee thou art Peter and in fine to fall from Peter to himself and saie vpon my self I will build my church Lastly the church being vnderstood to bee built vpon Peter the reason is declared why our Saviour changed the name Simon into Peter as if he had said I gave thee the name Peter that doth signifie a rocke because that vpon thee as vpon a rocke I will build my church As God said to Abraham thou shalt bee called Abraham that is say father of many people Quia patrem multarum Gentium constituite bicause I haue appointed thee the father of many nations All this by the waie to shew the true literall sence of that text to bee the verie same which the Orthodoxe fathers have vniformally deliuered M. Abbots second obiection against the fathers interpretation is this Christ built his church vpon the true faith and confession of Peter therfore not vpon Peter which doth not follow for the true faith and confession of Christ being in S. Peter if Christ built his church vpon them hee did withall ioinctly buile it vpon him in whom they were for the further explication of this difficultie it is to bee vnderstood that the church being a congregation of men it is to bee ruled by men who indeed are to be chosen rulers therof for the excellent qualities of faith constancy and charitie for example to rule the temporall state teÌ„porall Magistrates are chosen indued with wisdome Iustice fortitude and other vertues that make men fitt to governe but to speake properly not the vertues which bee accidentall qualities but the men so qualified bee governors A Iudge is chosen for his sound skill in the lawes for his vpright conscience in the administration of Iustice A Bishop for his deepe knowledg in Diuinitie for his wisdome in governing and holines of life yet not these vertues but those persons bee this the Iudge that the Bishop S. Peter for the soundnes of his faith and for the inuincible valour of his mind as a Basil ad cap. 2. 2. Esa S. Basil writeth and for the fervour of his charitie and devotion as b Ambr. serm 2. de sanctis S. Ambrose noteth was by our Saviour chosen to bee the supreme pastor of his church and chief Governor in Ecclesiasticall affaires which is the same in effect that c Chris hom 56. in Matth. S. Chrisostome and d Theod. in cant l. 2. Theodorete by M. Abbot alleaged do saie vpon this faith and confession that is in respect of those vertues which were eminent in S. Peter I build my church on him for they both do teach the church to be builded vpoÌ„ S. Peter but would haue vs to knowe that that great dignity was not bestowed on him vpon meere affection to his person but in regard of those his excellent and worthy qualities whence it doth not follow that whosoever hath the like qualities shall haue the same dignitie vnles they also bee thervnto lawfullie called and chosen as S. Peter was by our Saviour No more then it doth follow that all they shal be made Bishops or Iudges who haue the vertues requisite for Bishops and Iudges Now to that taken out of e Ambr. ad Ephes cap. 2. S. Ambrose vpon this rocke will I build my church that is in this confession of the Catholike faith will I establish the faithfull to life I answere first that M. Abbot hath clipped of the former part of S. Ambrose wordes in which hee saith that our Saviour did declare S. Peter to bee the foundation of his church in that he built his
church vpon him when he said to him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church these wordes would haue marred M. Abbots market therefore he did wisely to ouerskip them now that which followeth may serve rather to confirme our opinion then make anie whit for theirs for thus it may bee vnderstood Saint Peter for that his confession of faith received power and vertue from Christ to confirme others in the faith thereby to establish them to life And so by that confession of faith made by Saint Peter the faithfull are established to life Againe Saint Ambrose who elswhere often and in that verie place teacheth S. Peter to bee that rocke vpon which the church was built might make a secondarie good morall construction of those wordes teaching every man to believe as Saint Peter did and to make the like confession of their faith that they might be setled in the right way to life everlasting which moralization of Christs words doth not crosse but suppose the true litterall sence to bee as before you haue heard out of Saint Ambrose with the vniforme consent of other fathers To that which followeth in the same Author these words of the Apostle in him all the building is coopled together c. are the sense and meaning of that which our lord said vpon this rocke I will build my church I answer there is a cunning tricke vsed in cutting of the Apostles wordes in the middest with an c and making that to be the exposition of the first part of the sentence which Sainct Ambrose makes the interpretation of the last as may appeare vnto him that will see the place for his reason is fideles enim sunt superficies templi dei c. for the faithfull of holy conversation bee the walls or over parts of that temple of God which suteth well with the latter end of Saint Pauls sentence which is in whom you also are built togither into an habitation of God in the holy Ghost in brief S. Ambrose meaning in that place is no other then that the Apostle vsed the same Metaphore of building which our Saviour did when he said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church Of which spirituall building the faithfull are the over partes the Apostles the foundations amoÌ„g whom S. Peter is the rocke and Christ the head corner stone that closeth all togeather and beareth vp both peoples aswell those that went afore as those that came after his incarnation M. Abbots fourth obiection Epla Iuuenalis â—t Epist pal in Apendice Concil Cholced the whole number of the Bishops of Palaestina in the councell of Chalcedon vnderstood Christs words so vpon this confession the church of God is confirmed and strengthened ANSWERE THat whole number I find to bee but two or three and they not in the councell neither nor during the time of that councell but after they came home from the councel and their meaning is plaine for vs. They having been att the councell of Chalcedon and there heard and saw how Discorus patriarch of Alexandria was for his heresie and obstinacie censured and condemned by the sentence of Leo the great Bishop of Rome did certifie all them that were vnder their charge that the church of God was confirmed and strengthned by the confession and declaration of the Bishop of Rome S. Peters successor and how in him was verified that sentence of our Saviour vpon this rocke I will build my church and that other also Thou being conuerted confirme and strengthen thy brethren which is all as direct for vs as can bee besides what other pregnant proofe there is in that generall councell for S. Peters supremacy and that the Bishop of Rome is his successor in the same supreme authoritie shal bee heerafter declared more at large Out of these former arguments M. Abbot maketh this inference that by the exposition of the ancient fathers it maie appeare that Christ eueÌ„ the true faith of Christ for Christ is nothing to vâ— but by faith is the true rocke whervpon the church is builded to which S. Iohn accordeth This is the victorie that over cometh the world even our faith for who is hee that overcometh the world but hee that believeth that Iesus is the sonne of God what is this good Sir to the preseÌ„t purpose of the popes supremacie though faith in some good sense may bee called a rocke bicause it is the foundation and ground worke of all other Christian vertues yet how doth it follow therof that S. Peter is not that rocke vpon which it pleased Christ to build his church what because ther is an order in the frame of a vertuous life must it needes ther vpon ensue that there is no order in the government of Christs Church is not this a very strange inference For the clearer explication of this doubt â—â—t this distinction bee observed the building of Christs church as it is like to a kingdome differeth much from the building of a spirituall temple vnto the holie Ghost in our soules to the first kind of building beloÌ„g subiects and magistrates Bishops Archbishops and so forth the highest wherof vnder Christ was S. Peter To the other inward building concurre all such divine graces and qualities that serue for the reformation of our soule as faith hope Charitie humilitie and such like among which vertues faith in Christ Iesus is at it were the fundamentall stone to the argument then this is the answere that albeit faith in Christ be as it were the rocke and foundation of all Christian vertues yet that is no let but that in the order of Christian magistrates S. Peter may be the rock and haue the chief commaunding power giuen to him and to his successors the Bishops of Rome purity of faith boldnes of confession fervour of Charitie rare gifts of God bestowed on S. Peter were the principall dispositions in him to that other high dignitie and authoritie but the authoritie it self of government was not bestowed on those vertues but vpon the person of Saint Peter though in regard of the same divine qualities After these arguments M. Abbot inferreth that if Christ bee the rocke properly and truly Saint Peter cannot bee the rocke but accidently and vnproperly in respect of his doctrine and example of saith vttered in his confession As Abraham is the rocke from whâ—nce wee are hewed so is Peter the rock wheron wee are built not that either of them conferreth any thing to vs but only for that they staÌ„d before vs for patterns of imitation I answer that he should rather haue made this inference bicause Christ is the rocke of the Church most properly therfore S. Peter is the rocke therof also properly both for that Christ made him the rocke who maketh all things well and properly and also because the properties of a rocke do fitlie agree to S. Peter that is to bee constant and firme in the faith to strengthen and vphold
1. Reg li. 6. cap. 3. Gregorie yea and S. Gregorie speaking of another matter thus that which never was said to them of the old testament is now said to the vniversall church whatsoever thou shalt bind vpon earth which sheweth some difference between the old and new testament but nothing coÌ„cerneth these wordes of Christ Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church which is another kind of matter then that whatsoever thou shalt bind vpon earth c. Againe is M. Abbot so simple as to thinke that the power of binding loosing is giuen to every particuler member af the church can women and Children bind and loose all a like perhaps in the protestants church but it is not so with vs. yet that power maie bee said to bee given to the whole church because it is given to the benefitt of the whole though the charge and administration therof be not committed and giuen to all and everie person in the church But to returne to S. Austin he saith Aug de ver Dominiser 13. that the name Peter was given to him that by that figure hee might signifie the church bicause Christ is petra the rocke therfore Peter is the people of Christ So M. Abbot well let all this bee true what is this allegoricall interpretation of the name of Peter to our present purpose It cannot bee but a great honor to Saint Peter to haue had a name given him by our Saviour derived out of his owne name and that maie represent the people of Christ and further which followeth in that place of S. Austin though M. Abbot thought it policie to suppresse it Apostolorum principatum tenens S. Peter held the principalitie amoÌ„g the Apostles all this maketh much for S. Peters preheminence but doth it follow thervpon that nothing which Christ said to S. Peter doth properlie appertaine to him but all is to bee imparted to all Christian people how absurd were it to vnderstand so iudicious a Doctors words as S. Austin was after that childish manner thou art Peter that is after this new glosse all my people and vpon this rocke which containes also all Christes people I will build my church so that the sence after M. Abbots exposition must bee Christ did build all his people vpon all his people One might verie well bee chosen out of the rest as a foundation vpon whom Christ might lay all the rest but how all the people should bee built vpon all the people passeth I think all vnderstanding Epistola 165. But S. Austin elswhere saith M. Abbot hath these words to S. Peter bearing the figure of the whole church our lord said vpon this rocke c. bee it so that S. Peter bare the person of the church that doth not hinder the words to bee spoken to him effectuallie but rather argueth him to bee the chief governor of the church Aug. in Psal 108. câ—cione 1. as the same saint in the like places doth expresse in this manner Cuius Ecclesiae ille agnoscitur in figura gestasse personam propter primatum quem in discipulis habuit the person of which church Peter is acknowledged in figure to haue represented by reason of the primacie that hee had among the disciples And yet more plainly in another place thus Aug. Quaest ex nouo testam quaest 75 Saluator cum pro se Petro dari iubet pro omnibus â—xoluisse videtur quia sicut in domino erant omnes causa magisterij ita post Saluatorem in Petro omnes continentur Ipsum enim constituit esse caput eorum vt pastor esset gregis dominici when our Saviour commaunded tribute to bee paid for himself and for Peter hee seemeth to haue paid for all for like as in our Saviour there were all the partes of a maister so after him all were contained in Peter for hee coÌ„stituted Peter head of the rest that hee might bee the pastor of our lords flocke By which words of S. Austin wee gather that S. Peter sometimes did represent the whole church because he was head and chief pastor therof as a king doth in some cases represent a kingdome which is so for of from disproouing S. Peters supremacy that hence wee maie take a strong argument to prooue it and withall the propagation therof to his successors for we are taught out of these wordes of S. Austen to say that S. Peter maie bee considered either as a priuate person or as a publike magistrate that which pleased our Saviour to bestow vpon him as a private person was proper to himself and continued no longer then hee liued but that which Christ bestowed vpon S. Peter as a publike magistrate that was granted to the whole church and was to continue with the church to the worlds end like as that which is granted to a king as a publike person is holden as annexed to the Crowne and to descend alwaies after to all his successors now to our purpose S. Austin when hee said that that prerogatiue was giuen to S. Peter as representing the whole church doth not deny it to bee given him trulie and actually but doth signifie that it was given him not for his owne proper vse but for the benefitt of the whole church and therfore giuen in remainder for ever vnto his successors which was in the fullest and best sort that could bee Having thus answered all M. Abbots obiections and declared how S. Peter is the speciall rock vpoÌ„ which our Saviour built his church and how the other Apostles and everie constant ChristiaÌ„ may bee called rockes one truth not destroying but rather fortifieing the other I now come to cleere that imputation of dishonestie which M. Abbot would with no great honestie haue cast on mee I did affirme that it might bee deduced out of the ancient fathers that the Bishop or sea of Rome was that rocke vpon which the church was builded M. Abbot was bold to saie that I belied the fathers therin and doth avouch peremptorilie that never anie of them so vnderstood these words of our Saviour well let vs see whether of vs is like to prove the honester man of his word I do heere omitt the manifold deductions in this Chapter before mentioned and will add one more out of Saint Austins words by M. Abbot himself last before cited thus whatsoever was said to S. Peter as representing the person of the church is taken to bee said to all his successors as before hath been declared but those words of Christe vpon this rocke I will build my church were spoken to S. Perer as representing the person of the church by the verdit of S. Austin approved by M. Abbot himself therfore these verie words are to bee vnderstood as spoken vnto all S. Peters successors who being the Bishops of Rome as in due place shal bee proved it followeth evidentlie that the Bishops or church of Rome for I take both them for the same
thing in this matter is that rocke vpon which Christ built his church Is not this deduction plaine enough But what will you say if the same most Autentike Doctor do in expresse tearmes affirme the church of Rome to bee that self same rocke then all the world maie see that to bee most apparantly true which I said And M. Abbot must needes confesse that hee ouershot himself verie grosly These bee S. Austins owne words come my brethren if you please August in Psalco partem donati Venite fratres si vultis vt inseramini in vite dolor est cum vos videmus praecisos ita iacere Numerate Sacerdotes ab ipsa Petri sede in ordine illo patrum quiâ— cui successit videre ipsa est petra quaÌ„ non vincunt superba inferorum porta and bee graffed in the vine It grieveth vs to behold you lying so cutt of Recken the priests even from the seate of Peter and in that rew of fathers regard to whom who succeeded that seate is the rocke which the proud gates of hell do not overcome The seat of Peter and succession of Bishopâ— of Rome is that rock in S. Austins iudgment against which hell gates shall not prevaile was not that the verie same rocke vpon which Christ built his church S. Hierom was another most learned Doctor of the ancient church Hier. Epist 57. ad Damasum Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tua id est Cathedra Petri communione consocior super illam petram aedificatain ecclesiam scio as all the learned know hee testifieth the same most plainly in these words vnto Damasus then Bishop of Rome I following none as chief but Christ am in communion associated vnto your holines that is vnto the chaire of Peter vpon this rocke I know the church of Christ to bee builded Lo S. Hierom knew and confessed S. Peters chaire in which Damasus the pope then sate to bee the same rocke vpon which Christ built his church Pope Iulius the first was yet a more ancient and a verie holie and grave father hee teacheth the same plainlie in these words Ex Iulij increpatoria ad Orientales Ipsa Romana sedes omnibus maior praelata est ecclesijs quae non solum Canonum sanctorum patrum decretis sed D. Saluatoris nostri voce singularem obtinuit principatum Tu es inquit Petrus super hanc petram adificabo ecclesiam meam The sea of Rome is preferred before all churches which not only by decrees of Canons and holie fathers hath obtained that singuler principalitie but by the voice of our lord when hee said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church If the church of Rome by these words of our Saviour vpon this rock I will build my church were preferred before all others as that graue holie prelate teacheth then must it needes follow that the church of Rome was the rock vpon which Christ built his church Damasus was also a very ancient holy Ex Epistola 4. B Damasi ad Stephanum Epist Concilia Aftiâ—ae Scitis fratres dilectiss firmamentum à deo fixum immobile atque titulum lucidissimum suorum sacerdotum id est omnium Episcoporum Apostolicam sedem esse constitutam verticem Ecclesiarum Tu es enim sicut diuinum pronuntiat verbum Petrus super hanc petram adâ—ficabo Ecclesiam meam and learned Prelate he writeth in this sort you know most beloued brethren the Apostolik see of Rome to be constituted by God a fixed and vnmoueable firmament a most bright title of all byshops and topp of churches euen as the word of God doth pronunce saying thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my church he then also took and expounded those words of Christ to appertaine vnto the see of Rome The testimonie of these fewe ancient renowmed fathers is more then sufficient to iustifie what I said and to assure the vpright readers that some of the ancient fathers did interprete the church of Rome to bee that rock vpon which our Saviour built his church wherby they maie see how vnciuilly M. Abbot dealt with mee having no other ground for it then his owne ignorance coopled with audaciousnes Bicause M. Abbot doth in this paragraff thrust in here and there manie broken sentences out of the fathers against the supreme authoritie of the Bishop of Rome I hold it convenient to fortifie the same with some select testimonies of the best renowmed prelates of the Greeke and Easterne churches for if they whom it concerned most to stand for the dignitie and prerogatiues of their owne churches being the greatest personages in that part of the world which was farthest of from Rome do neuertheles acknowledg the Bishop of Rome to haue had in the time of pure antiquitie commanding authoritie and power over themselues and their churches then no vnpartiall and vpright mind can doubt but that the church of Rome alwaies hath had or should haue had authoritie of power and superioritie in goverment over all other churches of the world Athanasius one of the prime Doctors of the Greeke church both for holynes of life greatnes of learning soundnes of faith and by his place patriarch of Alexandria which was the highest seat in the easterne coasts This most reverend Archbishop and renowmed Champion of Christs church being grievously persecuted by the Arrian heretikes and verie iniuriously thrust out of his Bishoprike by their meanes made his recourse vnto Iulius then pope of Rome and besought him to call his aduersaries being also Easterne Bishops to Rome to answer there for those wrongs that they had done him by which fact of his he acknowledged most perspicuously the church of Rome to haue power and authoritie over Easterne Bishops to determine their ecclesiasticall causes Thus it standes of record in the Ecclesiasticall history Athanasius flying from AlexaÌ„dria went to Rome Zozomen lib. 3. histor cap. 7. Athanasius autem fugiens Alexandria Romam venit codem tempore Paulus etiam Constantinopolitanus Episcopus forte illuâ— accessit Marcellus quoque Episcopus Anciroe Azelopus Gazae c. Lucius Adrianopoli Quorum criminationes cum Episcopus Romanus intellexisset omnes fidei Concilij Nicenâ— consentientes reperisset in communionem recepit Ac cum propter sedu dignitatem cura omnium ad cum spectaret singulis suam Ecclesiam restituit scripsitque ad Episcopos Orientis cosque incusavit quod inconsulto de his viris iudicassent deditque mandatum vt quidam illorum nomine ad diem constitutum accederent qui etiam minatus est se de reliquo non passurum eos invltos nisi novis rebuâ— studere desisterent Paulus Bishop of Constantinople another great sea of the Greeke church was also fled thither for succour and diuers other Bishops of the said Easterne church whose accusations when the Bishop of Rome had heard
giue mee leaue to imploy one probable presumption that in my poore opinion doth much fortifie the same It is collected out of those letters which in ancient time were called literae formatae and granted either vnto Bishops at their first creation or vnto priests that were dismissed by licence from their ordinary This kind of letters was in great vse in the primitiue church for no stranger was admitted into communion among the Catholiks without them The invention of these leters is referred to the first generall councell holden at Nice and the forme of them is recorded authentically in the end of the Chalcedon councell immediatlie before the letters of the Illustrious persons that wrote in or about that councell vnder this title Atticus Episcopus qualiter formata Epistola fiat In this epistle fower letters principally were set for an assured token that hee in whose favour they were granted was a sound Catholike The three former letters were the first letters of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost to testifie that hee believed aright in the blessed Trinitie and therfore was no Arrian Sabellian Macedonian or such like heretike the fourth letter in that formall Epistle was a the first letter of S. Peters name therby to signifie that the bearer was receiued into the vnitie of that church of which S. Peter as chief governor kept the keies the other letters of his name that graÌ„ted that Epistle Distinct 73. ca. 1. to whom it was granted I omitt as not necessary to this purpose hee that will may see a copiâ— of such an Epistle sett downe at large in Gratian where the misterie also of these letters is deciphered to bee such as I haue declared namely that the fourth letter was put for S. Peters name to make knowen that the bearer therof was a true member of that church in qua Petro datum est ius ligandi atque absoluendi in which to S. Peter was giuen the right of binding and loosing Out of which notable monument of antiquitie I draw this argument so well assured it was and a thing so notoriously knowne and approved in those purer daies of the primitiue church that S. Peter and the popes of Rome his successors were the chief governors of Christs church and the insoluble band of the vnitie therof that the first letter of S. Peters name was chosen for an vndoubted badge and token of being a sound member receiued into the vnity of the said Catholike church for why should the first letter of S. Peters name rather then any other of the Apostles bee taken for such an infallible marke of society with the catholike church had it not been a cleere overuled case that hee who like an even squared stone lay vpon that rocke and did adhere vnto the head of the church was vndoubtedly a true member therof This argument as it shall serue for a coÌ„clusion of that which goeth before so it will make a conuenient passage to that which followeth in M. Abbots text 15 There was saith hee a church when there was no Roman church at all how then could that church bee builded vpon the Roman church This is a verie poore obiection for speaking as wee now do of the church which was since our Saviours time if hee take that season next to Christs ascension S. Peter was head of that church during his owne life and after him the Bishops of Rome his lawfull successors No man ever said that the church or Bishop of Rome was head of the church before S. Peter had placed his seate there If M. Abbot will accord vs that ever since that time the church of Rome hath been head of the rest as in truth it hath been wee will easily grant him that before it had no such priviledg Another like slugg M. Abbot thrusteth forth thus If the church of Rome bee that rock and other churches bee builded thervpon then it would follow that the gates of hell should never haue prevailed against any other of those churches but it hath prevayled against them Ergo. True good Sir if those other churches had stuck close to the said rocke the gates of hell had never prevailed against them but they foolishly flitting from that firme rocke were sowsed in the surging seas and swallowed vp by the gulfe of hell M. Abbot saw this to bee so full an answere that hee could not tell what to saie to it but that wee haue no assurance that the church of Rome shall continue alwaies builded vpon Christ Iesus this is M. Abbots last refuge and to it as to a safe anchor he doth twenty times fly in this book wherfore it shall haue a full answer in its due place but let vs first see whether the Bishops of Rome be S. Peters lawfull successors because that comes next M. Abbot doth either graunt it to bee true or at least hee supposeth it for true for hee disproues it not wherfore I need not staÌ„d loÌ„g about it so much the rather because it is recorded by S. Iraeneus Iren. l. 3. v. 3. Tertull. de prescr 36. Euseb l. 2. hist c. 2. Epiphar heres 27. Optat. mi leuit l. 2. perm Hieron de viris ill 1. August Epistola 1â—5 Tertullian Eusebius Optatus mileuitanus S. Hierom S. Austin and briefly by the full consent of all that haue made anie Catalogue of S. Peters successors It is evident and confessed by both sides that our Saviour established such a forme of government in his church that hee would haue to continew as long as the same church continued that is alwaies to the worlds end which was according to our doctrine that one should bee head and supreme gouernor over all the rest to preserue vnity in faith and conformity in rites of religion And by name that one was S. Peter for his life time All which I haue before proved out of holy scriptures and the ancient fathers S. Peter finally making choise of Rome for the seat of his Bishoprick liued there many yeres and in the end died Bishop of Rome wherfore they that were choseÌ„ Bishops of Rome were to succede him as in that seate so in that supreme governmeÌ„t of Christs church which daily experience teacheth vs. for wee see that whosoever is chosen bishop of any place for example of Canterburie hee presentlie vpon his installing entreth vpon all the priuiledges of honour and government which the former Bishops his predecessors died possessed of so that no sooner any man is created Archbishop of Canterbury but that imÌ„ediatly hee is therby Metropolitane of England and hath comanding authority ouer all the Bishops of that prouince with law full Iurisdiction to heare and determyne all such causes that by appeale do come to his courts In like maÌ„ner Linus being chosen Bishop of Rome after the death of S. Peter entred into possession of full power authoritie not onlie ouer the Diocese of Rome but also over all the Bishops of Christs church
in all such cases and causes that do belong to the supreame governors court and cognizance in as large and ample manner as S. Peter had before enioyed and died posessed of this being a matter depending vpon common equity and daily practise doth require no other proofe nor can haue anie better then the aknowledgment of all the Orthodox and most eminent christian prelates of both Latin and Greeke east and west churches which I haue before pleÌ„tifully produced and wheÌ„ more need shal bee will yet produce more 17 M. Abbot admitting as I said the pope of Rome to bee S. Peters successor yet argueth that they may faile in faith bicause Caiphas did succeed lineally to Aaron yet Caiphas gaue senteÌ„ce against Christ further hee alleageth that seÌ„tence out of the law All are not the children of Saints that hold the places of saints but they that practise the workes of saints M. Abbot foreseeing that wee would answere that many successors though not so holy iust and wise as their predecessors were yet haue the same authoritie and Iurisdiction over their floc k which their predecessors had And albeit they may comitt some fault vnworthy their calling yet they do not therby leese the dignitie of their place And that namely our Saviour had praied for S. Peter that his faith should not faile but that hee not withstanding his owne frailty should haue strength from God through the vertue of Christs praier to confirme his brethren in the true faith This M. Abbot foreseeing doth acknowledg it to bee true yet that hee may not bee thought to have nothing more to saie doth aske vs with Austin as hee speaketh Did hee praie for Peter and did hee not praie for Iames and Iohn to saie nothing of the rest it is manifest that in Peter they all are contayned and praying for Peter hee is knowne to praie for them all All this is true but not against any thing that wee saie for it being granted that our Saviour made manie good praiers for all his Disciples doth it follow therof that his praier made for the preservation of Saint Peters faith was not heard nay rather doth it not thervpon most evidentlie ensue out of M. Abbots owne discourse which is that everie one of the elect obtaineth that without faile which Christ praied for in their names that Christ his praier made for S. Peter obtayned for him that his faith should never faile But M. Abbot like an ill Alhymist would faine distill out of those words of S. Austin that Peter by that praier had no priviledg aboue the rest which is both coÌ„trarie to the expresse words of our Saviour who doth distinguish Peter from the rest and to him apart did speake those wordes Luca 22. Behold saith our Saviour Satan hath desired to sift you that was all the Apostles to whom those words were spoken but I haue praied for thee Peter see how particularly hee commeth to him that thy faith do not faile and thou Peter once conuerted strengthen thy brethren M. Abbots collection is also against S. Austin himself for though S. Austin do saie that in praying for Peter hee praied for them all his meaning is not that hee praied that every one of them in particuler might receiue the same gift which was bestowed on S. Peter but that Christ in praying that Peters faith might not faile that hee also might haue strength to confirme his brethren may bee truly said to haue praied for them all because they were to rely vpon the stability of Peters faith and to receiue comfort from him wherfore they being assured that Peters faith should not faile they ioyning in faith with him were also assured that they should not faile August quaest noui testa q. 75. And this to bee S. Austins meaning the words following in the very same sentence which M. Abbot did guilefully clipp of do manifestly shew In praying for Peter Quid ambigitur pro Petro rogabat â—ro Iacobo Ioanne non rogabat vt caeteros taceam manifestum est in Petro omnes contineri rogans enim pro Petro pro omnibus rogasse dignoscitur semper enim in praeposito populus aut corripitur aut laudatur Christ praied for them all for that alwaies in the Governour the people are either corrected or praised So that hee praied for them not in particuler but as they were contained in their president Saint Peter Out of which so farr of is it that thence can bee gathered as M. Abbot did that Peter had not anie priuiledg aboue the rest of the Apostles that it followeth cleerly in S. Austins Iudgment that hee was president and head of that colledg of the Apostles 18 M. Abbot being amazed at this point of succession and not knowing well what to saie to it makes a stand and admitting Christ to haue meant some singuler favour to Peter doth aske by what art I can deriue the effect of Christs praier from Peter to the popes from an holie Apostle to a ranke and succession of men amongest whom there haue been so manie Atheists Infidels Idolaters Heriticks and so manie incarnate Devills and hatefull monsters of mankind This foule troubled floud of his currish eloquence I omitt as vnciuill To the matter I haue alreadie answered that it verie much concerned the perpetuall puritie vnitie of Christs church that the effect of our Saviours holy praier should not bee closed vp with S. Peters life but bee continued to the worlds end that there might bee alwaies in the church one liuing visible and certaine Oracle to coÌ„sult in all doubtfull questions which should arise And one supreme governor to confirme the weake to correct the proud and to hold all in one vniforme order of perfect discipline which to haue been S. Peters successors the Bishops of Rome Christs institution ioyned with the ordinarie manner of proceeding of the vniuersall church from the purest antiquity doth testify as hath been declared And wheras M. Abbot doth demaund of mee by what art I can deriue the effect of Christs praier from Peter vnto a succession of men I might better aske of him what ignorance oppressed him when hee could not vnderstand that that which was graÌ„ted to one man might not as well bee graunted to another man and so continued from one to another to the worlds end But saith hee Peter was an holy Apostle and the others were sinfull creatures Be it so Did not M. Abbot himself immediatly before confesse that evill men might bee lawfull successors even vnto Saints as Caiphas was to Aaron And here as though hee had cleane forgotten himself doth seeme to woonder ar my art that would make evill Bishops of Rome Successors to good S. Peter how can a man of discretion rely vpon anie thing M. Abbot saies when hee findeth him so contrarie to himself within the compasse of so few lynes yet it is well knowne to all the learned that exceeding manie Bishops of
vniforme in holie rites and māners should establish some one at the least to resolue infallibly all the rest in all doubtfull questions that should arise amōg them which he forsaw would be almost innumerable And to endow him with sufficient power and authority to kepe all the rest in order and due obedience This is that which wee maintaine he did for S. Peter and his successors the Bishops of Rome having his owne expresse word for our warrant being vnderstood according vnto the learned exposition and prudent practise of the most ancient holy pastors and prelates of Christs church as hath been before declared Thus much to shew how vnsoundly M. Abbot interpreteth that text of holy scripture and how vnproperly and feebly hee seeketh to shift from the most literall and vniforme exposition of the ancient Doctors Now I come to examine the exceptions that hee taketh against some sentēces that I alleaged out of the said holy fathers to the same purpose My first and principall author was the most learned and holie Archbishop of Lions S. Ireneus who with his blood sealed his doctrine 1400 yeares agoe Hee teacheth plainly that the Roman church is the greatest and most autentike and that hee and others by alleaging the traditions which the Apostles had lest to that church and their faith by succession of Bishops descending downe to his daies did confound and put to shame all wranglers who either of ignorance vaine glorie or envy did teach otherwise then they should haue done And for an vpshott addeth this reason which I did before cite to prove that wee must all ioyne in matter of faith with the church of Rome to witt For it is necessarie that everie church that is all the faith full everie where do agree with the church of Rome Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 3. Sed quoniam valde longum est in hoc tali volumine omnium ecclesiarum enumerare successiones maximae antiquissima omnibus cognitae à gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro Paulo Roma fundata constituta ecclesiae eam quam habet ab Apostolis traditionem annunciatam hominibus fidem per successiones Episcoporum pervenientem vsque ad nos indicantes confundimus omnes eos qui quoqu◠modo vel per sui placentiam malam vel vanam gloriam vel per caecitatem malam sententiam praeter quam oportet colligunt Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles in qua semper ab his qui sunt vndique conservata est ea quae est ab Apostolis traditio for her more mightie principalitie Bicause in it the traditions which descended from the Apostles hath been alwaies preserved round about Note first a most cleere proofe of that for which I cited it to witt that everie church yea everie faithfull man must not of curtesie but of necessitie accord with the church of Rome in matter of faith and religion Bicause in it as in a rich treasurie that doctrine which the Apostles taught is kept whole and sound to which M. Abbot saith that if wee take the reason added by Irenaeus but concealed by mee it will plainly appeare why it was necessarie for the other churshes to accord with the church of Rome for this church saith he for the renowme of the place being then the seat of the Empire was the most eminent church of the world I answere that I concealed nothing And this reason added by M. Abbot is wholie mistaken for there is no mention in Irenaeus of either the Emperors power or seate for that mighty principality is proper to the church of Rome for her spirituall dignitie And it is most absurd to thinke that the church of Rome in those ancient daies of S. Irenaeus when the Emperours were most deadly ennemies of the Christian name gott any reputation with other churches by the worldly renowme of those persecuting Emperors who raigned there for that their wicked glorie was rather a whetstone to hatred and contempt then anie allurement to loue and estimation This great respect then being borne vnto the church of Rome before the Emperors of Rome were converted to be Christians is a most manifest argument that the principality of the church of Rome was not gotten by the renowme of that city nor by the glorie of these heathen peesecuting Emperors but for that the best learned and most holie prelats of all countries were taught by the Apostles and their schollers that it was our blessed Saviours pleasure and ordinance that such regard and obediēce should bee yeelded vnto the church of Rome were the Emperors therof heathens or Christians good or bad It was in deed verie convenient that the prince of the Apostles and head of Christs church should be there seated where the Monarch of the temporall estate held his court to the intent that impietie being there crushed as it were in the head might the sooner decaie all the bodie over And true godlines being happely planted in the cheif place might with more facility and speed bee spred in all other nations and also that mē might bee more easily induced to yeeld religious obedience to the Bishop of that place vnto whose tēporall magistrates the whole world before had obeied in temporall affaires But this is to bee attibuted to our Saviours devine wisdome order institution Not vnto the greatnes or worldlie pollicie of anie earthly Emperors M. Abbot seing little hold to bee taken vpon the renowme of that place as the state of things went then doth acknowledg that in those daies the church of Rome was pure sound therfore fitt to be propounded as a patterne for other churches to imitate But now the case is altered as he saith bicause the church of Rome it self is now questioned for swarving from the tradition of the Apostles which being soe that cannot be said to bee necessarie now which was necessarie then This answer hath as litle solidity in it as the other For the church of Rome it self was as well chalenged in those daies for swarving from the Apostles tradition by the Mōtanists Marcionists and such like Heretikes as now by the Lutherans Calvinists and Anabaptists And neuertheles the renowmed prelates of Christs church and most firme pillers of our Christian religion did then teach all Christians to make their recourse vnto the same church for resolution of the true faith wishing them to conforme themselues therto and by avouching boldlie that doctrine which they found there maintained to confound all them that taught the contrary as yee haue heard out of Irenaeus Let vs therfore as kind children treading in the right steps of those our most laudable forfathers seeke with them vnto that same church of Rome for the veritie of that doctrine which descended from the Apostles imbrace it most willingly and professe it as constantlie though we heare our holie mother to be
called into question by vntowardlie and degenerous Children that either wilfullie run out of her house to follow their owne pleasure and fancies or are for pure feare falne away from her and forsaken her ordinances M. Abbot admitting as it were that other churches should according to S. Irenaeus rule conforme themselues in matter of doctrine to the church of Rome yet to giue vs a tast of the subtility of his shifting witt addeth that ther is in that place of Irenaeus nothing for her superiority in goverment well that being once granted that all other churches should for matter of doctrine accord with the church of Rome it would theron necessarily follow that the church of England and consequently his maiestie ought to do the same which was all that I sued for yet over and besides Irenaeus words being well weighed do import also a superiority in goverment to be resident in that church which I proue bicause he saies that other churches must of necessity accord with the church of Rome for her more poteÌ„t principality Now if the church of Rome haue power and principality over other churches And do impose a necessitie vpon them of according vnto it it must needes haue superiority in goverment over them or els the other could not be bound of necessitie to follow it M. Abbot doth grammatically descant first vpon this word principalitie and saies that it may signâ—fie eminencie in estimation though not superioritie in goverment And that it maie bee potent also to move by example and perswasion only not by commaundement Be it so that these words maie be wrested into some such signification as what words be there that may not be diuerslie construed yet everie reasonable man will soone see that power and principalitie do properly import a commaunding superiority And will as easily graunt that the fathers words are rather to be fairly taken according to the more vsuall signification then in anie such forced sense and construction Againe seing that power and superioritie did even as S. Irenaeus expresseth impose a necessitie vpon others of conforming themselues to the church of Rome it could not bee that imagined superioritie of M. Abbots which imposeth no such necessitie wherfore it remaines evident that M. Abbot is driuen to flie from the vsuall signification true meaning of S. Irenaeus words In like manner M. Abbot to cast some better colour vpon his new devised principalitie or rather to shift over into another matter that seemes more plausible writeth thus 20 That M. Bishop may vnderstand I do not answere him by a deuise of mine Cypr. l. 1. Epist 3. but according to the truth hee shall find that Ciprian calleth the chuâ—ch of Rome the princ pall church and yet in the same place he denieth the authority of the Bishops in Africa to be inferiour vnto the Bishops of Rome M. Abbot and other Protestants cannot choose but stand in bodily feare so often as they appeale vnto the ancient fathers for support of their novelties for you shall scarse find any one of them that doth not in the verie place alledged by the Protestants giue them such a bob that everie beholder maie plainly see they do not favour their cause nor are content to be called in for their witnesses Let S. Cyprian now cited by M. Abbot serve for an example This is the sentence out of which M. Abbot picked the former words Cypr. l. 1. Epist 3. iuxta pamel Epist 55. Post ista adhuc insuper pseudo-Episcopo sibi ab haereticis constituto nauigare audent ad Petri cathedram atque ad EcclesiaÌ„ principalem vnde vnitas sacerdotalis â—rta est a schismaticis profanis litteras ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est ad quos perfidia habere non posset accessum After those things and more also after a false Bishop appointed them by Heretiks they dare saile to the chaire of Peter and vnto the principall church whence priestlie vnity hath its beginning and carrie letters from schismatikes and prophane fellowes not remembring that such are the Romanes whose faith is praised by the Apostles voice vnto whom perfidie can haue no accesse I set downe the whole passage because by and by we must treate of the later part therof as well as now of the former where is sufficientlie declared that S. Ciprian tooke the church of Rome to be principall not onlie in estimation but in order of goverment which I proue First because hee affirmes the church of Rome to be S. Peters chaire and consequently to be endued with like authoritie that S. Peter enioyed vpon whom as S. Ciprian in twentie places avoucheth the church of Christ was builded Secondly he describes it to be that principall church which is the fountaine of priestly and ecclesiasticall vnitie which could not be vnles it had power and authoritie to compell all other churches to stand to her order and therby to hold all in vnitie of faith and vniformity of religioÌ„ For as all the world now seeth there neither is nor can bee in mans iudgment any vnitie in faith or religious rites among Protestants bicause there is no one soveraigne coÌ„mauÌ„der over them all indued with authoritie to coÌ„pell the rest to agree in one And in the self same Epistle S. Cip. coÌ„firmeth this verie poiÌ„t in these memorable words Heresies haue not risen Cyprian ibidem Neque enim aliunde haereses orta sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur nec vnus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus iudex vico Christi cogitatur nor schismes sprong from any other roote then for that obedience is not yeelded to one priest and for that one priest for the time and one Iugde is not accepted of in Christs steed Do you see by S. Cyprians sentence that the only way to root out heresies and to accord schismes is to acknowledg one priest for soveraigne Iudge in ecclesiasticall cases and to obey him as Christs vicegerent on earth Such a soveraigne Iudge is hee that sits in S. Peters chaire and that principall church of Rome by S. Ciprians owne assertion in the former period or els Ecclesiasticall Discipline could not draw its originall vnitie thence Thus much here to prove that the principall church in that place of S. Ciprian is to be taken for the principall in authoritie and goverment Now to the other part S. CipriaÌ„ denieth not the Bishops in Africa to be inferior vnto the Bishop of Rome but blameth such troublesome fellowes that would not rest quiet and content with their owne Bishops iudgment but flie abroad to molest others with their brawles as though their owne Bishops had not sufficient authority or witt to compose and end their quarrells at home S. Ciprian supposeth that their churches in Afrike had no less authority then others churches to order such matters but neither names the
diligently Ex epistola 93. Diligenter ergo congrue Apostolico consulitis honori honori inquam illius quem praeter illa quae sunt extrinsecus solicitudo manet omnium Ecclesiarum super anxijs rebus quae sit tenenda sententia antiqua scilicet regulae formam sequuti quam toto semper ab orbe mecum nostis esse seruatam verum haec missa facio neque enim hoc vestram credo latere prudentiam Qui id etiam actione firmastis scientes quod per omnes prouincias ab Apostolico fonte potentibus responsa semper emanant praesertim quoties fidei ratio ventilatur arbitror omnes fratres coepiscopos nostros non nisi ad Petrum id est sui nominis honoris autorem referre debere velut nunc retulit vestra dilectio quod per totum mundum possit omnibus Ecclesiis in commune prodesse and as it becometh you respect the honor of the sea Apostolik the honor I say of it that besides her owne particuler hath a great care of all churches to declare vnto them what is to be holden of cōtroversies that do arise wherin you do follow the forme of the old Canōs which as you know haue been observed all the world ouer This I let passe bicause your wisdomes be not ignorāt of it but haue by your owne deed confirmed it knowing that answers do flow from the sea Apostolike as from a fountaine into all coūtries that demaūd the same and specially where the substance of faith is sifted out then I thinke that all our brethren and fellow bishops ought to referr the decision and determination therof vnto no other then vnto S. Peter the author of their owne name and order as your charity hath now done This I hope is plaine enough to demonstrate that in pure antiquitie the Bishops of Africk and other countries for the decision of controuersies in matters of doctrine specially were bound to seeke vnto the Bishop of Rome S. Austin as all men know was one of the greatest lights not only of the Africā church but of the whole world since his daies Hee was also present att the same African councell let vs heare whether hee thought that the Bishop of Rome had nothing to doe with the affaires of Africk or that the African Bishops might not appeale to Rome First hee with the other Bishops present at the councels of Carthage and Mileuitan did send the decrees of the same councell to bee confirmed of the pope of which I haue alreadie spoken Ex epistola D. August 261. ad papam Celestinum Collabora obsecro nobiscum pietate venerabilis domine beatissime papa iube tibi qua directa sunt omnia recitari vide Episcopatum qualiter gesserit c. existat exemplo ipsa sede Apostolica iudicata firmante subueni hominibus opem tuam in Christi misericordia multo auidius quam ille poscentibus 2 Hee writeth vnto pope Celestinus about the cause of an African Bishop requesting him to pervse all that had passed about him in Africk and to confirme their former iudgments wherin he acknowledgeth the court of Rome to bee aboue the highest courts in Africk 3 He testifieth that pope Zozimus had authoritie to establish Bishops in Africk and to call a councell there shewing how hee himself was by him sommoned to assist at the same councell in these words Aug. epistola 157. Litera quas ad Mantoniam Caesariensem misisti me apud Caesaream presente venerunt quo nos iniuncta nobis a venerabili papa Zozimo Apostolica sedis Episcopo Ecclesiastica Necessitas traxerat Ecclesiasticall necessitie being enioyned vs by the venerable pope Zozimus bishop of the sea Apostolike we were drawen vnto Cesarea in Mauritania 4 In the same Epistle he declareth how two notable heretikes Pelagius his disciple Celestius were cōdemned vnles they did repent all the world over Ibidem Cuius haeresis vel auctores vel certi acerrimi suasores cum Pelagius Calestinus extitissent conciliorum Episcopalium vigilantia in adiutorio saluatoris qui suam tuetur Ecclesiam etiam a duobus venerabilibus Antistitibus Apostolicae sedis papa Innocentio papa Zozimo nisi correcti etiam egerint paenitentiam toto Christiano Orbe damnati sunt by two renowmed popes Innocentiu and Zozimus wherfore he tooke their power to stretch all the world over where also having cited the decree of Zozimus in his owne words adioyneth this high commendation to it in these words of the sea Apostolike is comprehended so authentike so well grounded so certaine and cleere a definitiō of the Catholike faith that it were an impietie for anie christian man to doubt of it 5 So doth he commend the sentence of Melchiades pope of Rome giuen for Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage against Donatus in these wordes The finall sentence pronounced by Melchiadis Qualis ipsius beati Melchiadis vltima est probata sententia quam innocens quam integra quam prouida atque pacifica paulo post O virum optimum o filium Christianae pacis patrem Christianae plebis how innocent was it how sound how prouident peaceable and a litle after O most excellent mā the sonne of Christian peace and the father of Christian people And of the same good Archbishop Cecilianus Ibidem Episcopus Carthaginis Cecilianus potuit non curare conspirantem multitudinem inimicorum cum se videret Romana Ecclesiae in qua semper Apostolica cathedrae viguit principatus cateris vnde Euangelium ad Africam venit per communicatorias literas esse coniunctum S. Austin saith in the same place that hee needed not care for the multitude of his enemies conspiring against him so long as he saw himself by comunicatory letters ioyned with the church of Rome in which alwaies the principalitie of the Apostolike chaire did florish c. Saint Austin then directing with others the decrees of their councell to be confirmed by the pope teaching also that it were an impiety to doubt of his sentence further affirming that he could condemne heretikes all the world over doth plainly signifie that he held the definition of the sea of Rome for matter of faith to be inviolable Againe walking himself with other Bishops of Africk to a councell at the popes commandement and holding the popes sentence for a finall determination of the African bishops Ecclesiasticall affaires yea avouching in plaine words that the primacy of the Apostolike sea had alwaies florished at Rome All these specialties considered who can doubt but that Saint Austin both in that African councell and ever after was of opinion that the pope of Rome might intermeddle with the Ecclesiasticall causes of Africk and that the African Bishops and their causes and councels might be verie well and ought in some cases to be referred vnto the iudgment of the Bishop of Rome 23 Not long after Saint Augustin liued pope Leo the great who
directed a most graue and learned letter vnto the Bishops of Africa wherin he decreed some Bishops there to be deposed Leo episcopus vniuersis Episcopis per Caesariensem Mauritaniam in Africa constitutis Epistola 87. Cum de ordinationibus sacerdotum quaedam apud vos illicite vsurpata crebrior ad nos sermo perferret ratio pietatis exegit vt pro solicitudine quam vniuersae ecclesiae exdiuina institutione dependimus rerum fidem studeremus agnoscere c. Ibidem c 2. Causam quoque Lupicini episcopi illic iubemus audiri cui multum ac saepe postulenti coÌ„munioneÌ„ hac raiâ—one reddâ—mus quoniam ad nostrum iudicium prouocassâ— immerito cum pendente negotio a comunionâ— videbamus fuisse suspensum others to be continued in their office and restored one Lupicinus by name to his Bishoprick who being deposed by the Bishops of that prouince of Africa had appealed from their sentence vnto the same Leo Bishop of Rome which is a manifest evidence that the Bishops of Africk did aclwaies aknowledg the Bishop of Rome his superiority and coÌ„manding power over the Bishops of their countrie victor vticensis liued also verie shortlie after S. Austin and before Eulalius he writing in that interim in which M. Abbot doth beare vs in haÌ„d that the church of Africa was fallen out with the Church of Rome he I saie a verie godlie Bishop a grave and learned Historiographer rehearseth How Eugenius Archbishop of Carthage for conferring with the vandale Honoricus then by inuasion king of the greatest part of Africk and an Arrian heretike said vnto his deputie If the kingly power desire to know our faith Victor vticens de persecut vand l 2. Si nostram fidem quae vna vera est potestas Regis cognoscere desiderat mittat ad amicos suos scribam ego fatribus meis vt veniant coepiscopi qui coÌ„muneÌ„ fidem nostram valeant demonstrare praecipue Romana ecclesia quae caput est omnium ecclesiarum c. which is the only true faith you may consult with your councell And I will write vnto my brethren and especially vnto the church of Rome which is the head of all churches and we togeather will declare vnto your Maiestie that faith which is common to vs all Behold how even immediatly after that councell of Africk when M. Abbot dreamed the Bishops of Africa to be fallen awaie from the sea of Rome The primate of Carthage the chief citie in all Africk acknowledged the church of Rome to be the head of all the churches and that for the resolution of matter of faith that sea of Rome was principallie to bee consulted I need not descend anie Lower bicause M. Abbot himself doth relate how Eulalius Archbishop of Carthage who liued the next age after acknowledged the popes supremacie and made that countrie of Africk subiect vnto it Seing then that cleaven hundreth yeres agoe when Eulalius liued by M. Abbots owne confession the popes had soueraign commaund over the churches of Africk and before even vp to Saint Cyprian and Tertullians time which was within 200. yeeres after Christ the same church of Rome was by the principall pillars and lights of Africk esteemed the mother church of the world and roote of Christian vnity vnto which some of their Bishops in all ages did appeale for succour some others did referr the decrees of their councels to be confirmed acknowledging the Bishop of Rome to haue power to assemble councels in Africk and to condemne heretikes all the world over was not M. Abbot fowly over seen and did he not ouer-reach most grieuously when he said that the Bishops of Africke denied the Bishop of Rome to haue anie authority over them and forbad him to intermeddle with matters of their country I haue staid the longer vpon this fact of the African Bishops bicause the Protestants make such reckening of it I will with more speede dispatch that which followeth M. Abbot obiâ—cteth that Anicetus the pope could not perswade Policarpus to keepe the feast of Easter after the manner of Rome therby intimating that Policarpus was not acquainted with that potent principality of the church of Rome I answer that not withstanding the confessed acknowledgment of the popes supremacy no man is bound to follow all his opinions or to imbrace his aduises or perswasions onlie he is of dutie to obey his expresse commaundements wherfore Anicetus not binding Policarpus by anie mandate to alter his opinion thence cannot bee gathered anie disobedience of Policarpus though it be most certain that Anicetus was in the truth and thother in errour for that the feast of Easter should haue been kept of all churches according vnto the manner of Rome And so it was afterward defined in the first generall councell of Nice As do witnes a Athanas epistola de Ariminensi concilio Athanasius Eusebius b Euseb de vita constant l. 3. v. 17. Epiphanius heres 69. Socrates histor lib. 1. cap. 6. Theodoret. histor 1. cap. 10. Nicephorus histor lib. 8. cap. 19. Nevertheles Anicetus out of the spirit of lenity was content to beare with Policarpus being a holy reverend and Apostolicall man Pope victor afterward seing the same errour creeping further abroad and beginning to infect euen the westerne church thought it fitter to vse his authoritie to driue the churches of Asia from the custome of the Iewes vnto conformity with the church of Rome Neither is it apparent nor so certaine as M. Abbot would haue it seeme that Policrates did disobey his sentence of excommunication for those his words cited by M. Abbot are set downe in Eusebius Euseb l. 5. histor c. 22. 23. when the question was yet in examination and before the sentence pronounced So that he might verie well as his duty required after he saw the popes definitiue sentence conforme himself thervnto though before hee was of another mind And he being otherwise a verie godly and a learned prelate is to be presumed and taken to haue done that which he ought to do the contrary not being able to be prooued S. Ciprian whom M. Abbot citeth next as all the learned know erred in that point of rebaptizing them that were before baptized by heretikes and therin out of humane frailtie offended by not conforming his opinion vnto Stephen Bishop of Rome forgetting his owne iudgment giuen and often repeted when he was out of that distempered moode to witt that heresies and schismes do Cypr. Epistola 55. Neque alâ—unde haereses ortae sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod Sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur c. grow out of no other roote then that the voice of one priest and iudge for the time in Christs steed is not harkened vnto and many such like M. Abbot to testify to the world that he is a blind guid and williÌ„g to lead his feollowers into the ditch is not ashamed to propound vnto them
for imitation the knowen and confessed faults and blemishes of men otherwise good How much more sincerly deale wee who desire all men to follow S. Ciprian in all other matters saving in that one wherin hee failed and not to lay hold of words then spoken in passion by him to make good his errour specially when they be coÌ„trary even vnto himself when he was his owne man and out of that distemper whence also we do gather this Christian observation worthie to be deepely printed in everie Christian mans hart If such great learned personages as were S. Ciprian and Policrates when they would not harken vnto the sentence of the Popes of Rome did fall into errour what a warning is that vnto men of meaner wits and much lesser learning to take heed that they swarne not one haires bredth from the popes definitions in matter of doctrine lest withall they decline from the truth as their betters by many degrees haue done before them when they would not be ruled 25 Out of Africke M. Abbot sailes into Asia taking over great paines to search out some poore relief for his bad cause and saies they did not imagine any such principality to appertain vnto the church of Rome And for proofe therof brings in that which rather proveth the contrarie to witt that Leo the great for the loue of peace yeelded to them in a faultie definitioÌ„ of theirs about the observation of Easter If that worthy pope should haue condescended vnto those Asians rather then to haue contended with them doth not that rather argue that he was their superior and might haue dealt more severly with them if he had taken it for the better course Leo Epistola 93. n. 4. But I reading over all that Epistle cited by M. Abbot do not find it so as he reportes but that these Asians were rather Priscilian heretikes whom that holy pope much blameth and condemneth for their evill observation of Easter without anie yeelding vnto them wherfore I cannot see to what other purpose that can serue than to shew that the bishope of Rome had commanding power in Asia M. Abbot recuils back to Hierome affirming him not to haue believed any such matter of the popes principality who of purpose as hee faineth did write in the derogation of the church of Rome saying Hieron Epist ad EvagriuÌ„ that if authority be required the whole world is greater then one City why dost thou bring mee the custome of one Citty why dost thou vphold a few who being proud vsurpe vpon the lawes of the church Saint Hierom was alwaies a most valiant Champion of the church of Romes authority Epist 57. and of her infallible definitions in matter of faith as every one may plainly see in his epistle to Pope Damasus and elswhere Epist 57. yet for matter of fact neither he nor any other I thinke will go about to excuse the church or rather the court of Rome wholy In the place that M. Abbot doth alleage Hieron Epist 77. he findâ— fault with some Deacons of the court of Rome that did take place before priests which seemed in that humble Doctors eie a great moate growing out of the presumption of some few vsurping against â—he lawes and coÌ„mon custome of the church And in such a case as that the custome of all the world besids was no doubt to bee preferred before the custome of that citie onely or rather as Saint Hierom himself interpreteth it of some few proud deacons of that citie But heerhence to inferr that S. Hierom did not acknowledg the primacy of that sea is too too simple and rather to be laughed at theÌ„ otherwise answered That which followeth out of S. Ambrose is of the same soary sute for that most grave holy father saith I desire in all things to follow the church of Rome Ambros de Sacramentis lib. 3. ca. 10. Cupio inâ— omnibus sequi Romanamâ— Ecclesiamâ— sed tamen nos homines sensum habemus ideò quod alibi rectius seruatur nos recte custodimus but we also are men that haue vnderstanding and therfore what is more rightly obserued elswhere we iustly observe the same S. Ambrose speakes there of rites and ceremonies vsed in the administration of the sacraments in which it was lawfull then for so excellent a prelate as saint Ambrose was to make his choise of the best Yea S. Gregorie the great would not so strictly tie S. Austin our English Apostle brought vp at Rome vnto the ceremonies of the church of Rome but willed him if he saw any ceremonies in the church of France Ex Bedae Histo l. 10. c. 27. Mihi placet vt siue in Romana siue in Galliarum siue in qu ilibet ecclesia aliquid inuenisti quod plus omnipotenti Deo possit placere solicite eligas c. that might better please God or more moue those new converted Christians vnto greater devotioÌ„ to make his choice of them rather then to retaine the rites of Rome whervpon if any man should be so simple as to collect that S. Gregory did not aknowledg the pope or church of Romes principality were he not to be begged for an innocent In the like tearmes stands M. Abbot that would out of Saint Ambrose choise of some ceremonies different from the church of Rome Inferr that S. Ambrose did not acknowledg the pope of Romes supremacy Let it be noted by the way that S. Ambroâ—e who was so graue and iudicious a Doctour and S. Austins father in Christ desired in all things to follow the church of Rome That their spirit and disposition who desire in all things to depart from the same church may be discovered and taken to bee quite contrarie to the holy spirit of the most approved ancient fathers 26 M. Abbot like vnto a man that is shooting at Rovers observing no certain method returnes back to the councell of Chalcedon avouching that it did not acknowledg that principality of the church of Rome Concil Chalced. Act. 15. can 28. These be his words drawen out of that councell The priviledges of the church of Rome were gâ—ven to it by the fathers before because that citie was the seat of the Empire and vpon the same consideration doth give the church of Constantinople equall priviledg with the church of Rome it being then the seat of the Empire W. B. HEre are two or three grosse faults First wheras this councell is cited as not acknowledging the principality of the church of Rome It doth cleane contrarie in the first words cited by M. Abbot acknowledg that priviledg to belong vnto the same church of Rome whether it had that by the institution of Christ or for that it was the seat of the Empire is not now materiall of it I haue said somthing before and haue much more to say when occasion shall serue But to M. Abbots condemnation his owne witnes doth depose that the church of Rome had
but M. Abbot saīth ouer lauishly and as it were dotingly that I do report them falsly for he himself as you shall presently see cannot denie but that I alleage them truly Let vs examin the particulers Ambros in oratione de obitu satyri fratris S. Ambrose say I tooke it to bee all one to saie the Catholike or the Roman church yea he putteth the Romā church as an explication of the Catholike church His good brother satyrus after a shipwrack arrived in Sardinia which was infected with the Luciferiā heresie being carefull not to cōmunicate with any heretikes demāded of that Bishop whom he had sent for to baptise him Aduocauit ad se Episcopum nec vllam veram putauit nisi vera fidei gratiam percontatusque ex eo est vtrumnam cum Episcopis Catholicis hoc est cum Romana Ecclesia conueniret sorte ad id locorum in schismate regionis illius ecclesiae erat whether he did accord with the Catholike Bishops that is with the church of Rome He feared lest the name Catholike was not sufficient to describe true beleevers in an hereticall countrie bicause heretikes do oftentimes call themselues Catholikes and therfore asked whether they were such Catholikes as accorded with the church of Rome that is whether he was a Roman Catholike or no giving vs to vnderstand that they onlie were true Catholikes and onlie to be communicated withall in holie rites who accorded with the church of Rome in faith and religion All this is so true and evident that M. Abbot cannot denie any one word of it Did he not then spitefully over-reach when hee said that I reported my authors falsly He hath no other shift then to saie that in those daies the church of Rome as the most famous and chief church was most fit to bee named in such a case But now the case is altered bicause the church of Rome is fallen from that eminent perfection and is it self now called into question This answere is nothing els then in plaine tearmes petere principium that is to giue that for the solution as a confessed truth which is the maine question is he so destitute of cōmon sence as to thinke that we will or ought to take that for currant coyne and good paiment which we hold for very refuse and drosse All the world knowes that we beleeve the church of Rome not to be changed in any one article of faith wherfore he ought not to returne to vs for a knowen truth that the church of Rome is changed yet the poore mans feeble forces being quite spent he is constrayned to giue the same vnreasonable answere againe againe for he maketh the same answer vnto the like testimony taken out of S. Hierom who demādeth of Ruffinus speaking of his faith which he calleth his faith Hieron Apol. 1. c. Ruff. Fidem suam quam vocat eamne qua Romana pollet Ecclesia an illam quae in Originis voluminibus continetur si Romanam responderit ergo Catholici sumus qui nihil de Originis errore transtulimus either that which the church of Rome professeth or that which is contayned in the books of Origen If he answere the Roman faith then are wee Catholikes c. which doth implie that it was all one with S. Hierom to saie the Roman faith and the true Catholike faith All which M. Abbot confesseth to be true and therby cleereth mee from that imputation of misreporting my authors Afterward he asketh what is here said of the Roman church that might not likewise haue bene said of any other church professing the true faith well let vs admitt that the same might haue been said of any other church vnder that conditiō that they had professed the true faith yet because the ancient Fathers were not so well assured of the perpetuall infallibilitie of any other church as they were of the church of Rome therfore they preferred the communion of the Roman Church before all other and therin ordinarilie made their instances And for that M. Abbot doth euer and anone come in with this answer that the church of Rome was then the true Church but now it is cleane changed and takes this to be as sharpe as the sword at Delphos and as fit to cut all knotts asonder that can not otherwise be loosed I will here set downe some reasons which did induce these holy Doctors and much more ought to persuade vs to beleeue that the church of Rome shall euer continue firme in the faith The ancients made no doubte but that Christes Church should continue to the worlds ende and retaine the same forme of government which he him self had established in it which most Protestants now are also come to confesse but as I haue before prooued the same most learned and blessed fathers both beleeued and taught the Bishops and Church of Rome to be as it were the rock and foundation of Christs church wherfore like as the house must needes fall to the grounde whose foundation faileth so the catholick church could not stand inuiolable to the later day if the Roman church which is the chiefest member support therof should perish It were needelesse to repeate here those sentences of the ancient Doctors once before produced in confirmation of this argument I wil be cōtent with one text of S. Austin that doth both directly crosse M. Abbots supposition and manifestly prooue this my assertion These be his wordes If the Pedegree of Bishops succeding one another be to be considered August epistola 165. Si enim ordo episcoporum sibi inuicem succedentium considerandus est quanto rectius vere salubriterab ipso Petro numeramus cui totius Ecclesiae figuram gerenti Dominus ait super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam how much more rightly and assuredly do we recken frō S. Peter him self vnto whom bearing the figure of the whole church our Lord said vpon this Rock I will build my church To Peter succeeded Linus c. Behold how fully S. Austin had 1200. yeares before hand confuted M. Abbots proposition M. Abbot saith that the fathers might as well haue alleaged their communion with any other church as with the church of Rome Not so saith S. Austin but if the successiō of Bishops be to be regarded as it is very highly to be esteemed and the cōmunion in faith and Religion with thē then that of the Bishops and church of Rome is more right and better assured then any other Obserue also the same reason giuē by that most renowmed Doctor which I before deliuered because vpon S. Peter who was the roote and stock of the Roman Pedegree as vpon a Rock Christ built his church against which the gates of Hell shall not preuaile wherfore in another place he is bold to tell the donatistes that the see or church of Rome is that rock against which the proud gates of hell shall not preuaile Againe doth not our
it were he granteth that it is in deed a thing greatly to be observed yet that he may not seeme therby to be driven to a dumb blank he saies That it is as greatly to be noted that the sentence of no bishop of Rome was anciently holden sufficient for the deciding of a question of faith except the same were confirmed by a generall councell which his assertion is not true as I will presently prove after I haue disproued his seely proofe therof which is Leo epist 61. Idem Epist 61. that Leo the great doth make mention of an Epistle of his against the heresy of Eutiches sent to be confirmed by the vniuersall assent of the whole Synode Item he nameth certain other writings of his as having the confirmation of the generall councell added thervnto And that he sent Deputies vnto the generall councell of Ephesus by sentence in common to decree with the rest what should bee pleasing to god Is not this a poore proof out of the fact of one pope to gather a common law for all popes one pope forsooth had some sentences of his cōfirmed by a generall coūcell therfore neither he nor any other could giue any sētēce availeable vnles it were confirmed by a generall councell what an absurd paralogisme is this true it is that popes do commonly when there is any generall councell called send their legates thither to bee the presidents of the councell and vse to deliuer to them their owne opinions also in manner of instructions partly to direct the councell and in part also that they may be more maturely and thorowly discussed and ratified by the same councell not that they could not many times sufficiently otherwise with the assistance of their owne learned councell at home or of some one province define what were to bee beleeued and holden but for that matters so fully sifted and debated as they are in a generall councell may with more facility and fuller applause be receiued of all persons through the whole world And namely of them that haue been deceiued by heretikes who do generally seeke to make the sea of Rome so odious to their followers that they will not like of any thing that comes from Rome alone be it never so true and cleere For the sake of such abused soules specially there needs the Assembly of generall councells though the Popes sentence without them were neuer so well assured To that alleaged here by M. Abbot out of the councels of Chalcedon and Africk answer was made before Now that many heresies haue been extinguished by the popes of Rome with the aid of provinciall councels without the helpe of any generall is most manifest to them that are conversant in the ancient histories of the church and therfore M. Abbot who affirmes the contrary doth nothing els than bewray his great ignorance in antiquity Their error that thaught those who were baptised of heretikes to be rebaptised by Catholiks August l. 5 de baptismo co donat c. 23. was by Pope Stephen the first condemned and without anie generall councell repressed So was the novatian heresie by pope Cornelius as may be gathered out of Eusebius Euseb li. 6. hist ca. 35. The heretike Iovinianus with his adherents were condemned by Siritius and the Clergy of Rome in these words we following the Apostles commaundemēt who holdeth them accursed that preach otherwise then wee had receiued by common consent Siricius apud Ambrosium Epistola 6. Vnde Apostoli secuti praeceptum quia aliter quam accepimus annunciabant Iouinianus Auxentius c. diuinae sententia nostro iudicio in perpetuum damnati extra Ecclesiam remaneant haue condemned and cast out of the church Iovinianus and his companions And writing vnto S. Ambrose and the church of Millan doth say that wee doubt not but your holines will obserue our decree To which S. Ambrose assembled in councell with diuers other Bishops doth give this answere Ibidem Epistola 7. Recognouimus literis sanctitatis tuae boni Pastoris excubias qui fideliter commissam tibi ianuam serues pia solicitudine Christi ouile custodias dignus quem oues domini audiant sequantur et versus finem Itaque Iouinianum Auxentium c. quos sanctitas tua damnauit scias apud nos quoque secundum iudicium tuum esse damnatos That Siricius as a good pastor of Christs fold had done worthily and desired him to assure himself that Iovinianus with his cōplices whom his holines had condemned stood also according to his iudgment condemned with them which S. Austin also intimateth in his second booke of retractation the 22. chapter when he saith Aug. lib. 2. retract ca 22. Huic monstro Iouiniano sancta Ecclesia quae ibi est scilicet Romana fidelissime ac fortissime restitit That monster Iovinianus was by the church of Rome withstood most faithfully and most valiantlie The Pelagian heresie was spred all the world ouer and yet by the Popes of Rome Innocentius the first and Zozimus with the assistance of some provinciall councells without calling any generall councell it was condemned all the world ouer Aug. epist 157. as witnesseth the most faithfull Register of Antiquity Saint Austin in these words That new heresie against the grace of Christ Cuius haeresis vel auctores vel certe acerrimi notissimique suasores cum Pelagius Celestius extitissent Conciliorum Episcopalium vigilantia in adiutorio Saluatoris qui suam tuetur Ecclesiam etiam à duobus venerabilibus Antistitibus Apostolica sedis Papa Innocentio Papa Zozimo nisi correcti etiam egerint poenitentiam toto Christiano orbe damnati sunt De quibus exempla recentium literarum siue quae specialiter ad Asros siue qua vniuersaliter ad omnes Episcopos de memorata sede manarunt vobis curauimus mitti where of Pelagius and Celestius were the Authors or most sharpe defenders by the vigilancie of Episcopall councels in the helpe of our Saviour who doth preserue his church and by two most reverēd prelats of the Apostolicall sea Pope Innocentius and Pope Zozimus are condemned all the Christian world ouer vnles they amend and do penance The Donatists in Africa were finally repressed by Gregorie the great Pope of Rome as it is recorded in his life The instances of these heresies of the Donatists Pelagians Iovinians Novatians and old Anabaptists to omit many others who haue been condemned by the sentence of the Bishops of Rome for heretikes and so taken at length all the world ouer without any decree of generall councell are more then sufficient to cōfront and confound M. Abbots bare annotation as naked and destitute of truth as it is of proof to wit That it was greatly to be obserued that the sentence of no Bishop of Rome was anciently holden sufficient for deciding of a question of faith except the same were confirmed by a generall councell which if he would haue any man
barke against that so apparant truth which the sound corps of all true beleeving men do most constantly and gloriously confesse I hauing before shewed at large how neither S. Austin nor the African Bishops did deny anie one branch of the Bishop of Romes primacy no not so much as forbid their owne Bishops to appeale vnto the court of Rome And did otherwise in sundry sorts declare their dutifull obedience vnto the same sea of Rome M. Abbots inference out of his owne mistaking and error is wholy disappointed To conclude then this paragraff it doth remaine most assured and cleere that our blessed Saviour made S. Peter and his successors that rock vpon which he built his church therby giving them supreme power and authority to govern his whole church not for any limited nunber of yeares but for so long as his church should continue a church that is to the worlds end for against it the gats of hell shall never prevaile Secondly it is as certen that the Bishops of Rome be in that charge of government ouer all the church S. Peters lawfull successors with whom therfore whosoeuer ioyneth in matter of faith and religion shall never be deceiued nor fall in to schisme and against whoÌ„ whosoeuer barketh and opposeth himself hee not only barketh and laboreth in vaine as S. Austin speaketh but if he do obstinatly persever therin he therby to vse Optatus words before rehearsed becometh both a sinner and a schismatike From which most hainous crimes our sweet Saviour of his infinit mercie and goodnes deliuer all my most deere frinds and best beloued countrymen THE SVMME OF THE third paragraff or section W. B. ALBEIT the church of Rome strictly taken doth comprehend those Christians only that dwell within the citie and Diocese of Rome yet it is vsed by men of both sides to designe the faithfull of all countries that in religion do fully agree with the same and that specially because they do acknowledg the Bishop of Rome to bee vnder Christ the supreme governor therof As in times past the Roman Empire did not containe the territory of Rome alone or countrie of Italy but all lands and nations that professed obedience to the Emperor of Rome And like as in the primitiue church the title Catholike was added to Christian to distinguish true Christians from heretikes Even so now a daies when heretiks are growne so audacious as to arrogate vnto themselues the name of Catholiks though their religion bee nothing lesse theÌ„ Catholike the word RomaÌ„ is ioyned to Catholike to separate true Catholikes from counterfeit the Roman Catholike signifying those Catholiks that in faith and religion do perfectly agree with the church of Rome R. AB I Do confesse my self to bee one of those Doctors that know not this new found distinction of the Roman church to witt that it may bee taken either for the Diocesse of Rome or for all churches that in faith fully agree with the Roman M. Bishop can bring neither scripture nor any ancient writer for the warrant of it Secondly it being admitted that the churche of Rome may be taken for all churches agreing in faith with it yet it remaineth still a particular church bicause there be many other churches in Europe and Asia that do not agree with it in faith nor acknowledg her chiefty ouer their churches For example the churches of Luther Caluin and such like in Europe and certain other schismaticall churches in other parts of the world And as in the time of the Roman Empire there were many other kingdomes in the world so now besids the Roman church there be many other churches Moreouer the fathers haue told vs of the Latin and Greeke of the East and west churches Pighius Eccl. Hier. l 6. c. 3. but neuer specifie the Roman to signifie the whole church And Pighius asketh who did euer by the Roman church vnderstand the vniuersall church Albeit the Bishops of Rome wrote themselues Bishops of the Catholike church Yet they meant of that part of the Catholike church which was in Rome when the Catholike french man doth say we bee of the Catholike Roman church wee vnderstand them therby to take part with the church of Rome but the church of Rome is that of Rome only and is factiously called the Catholike church which is the whole and the Roman put to it is a tearme of diminution and abridgeth the whole to a part To them therfoee may be applied that of Optatus against the Donatists you would haue your selues Optat. l. 2. con Po rin only to be the whole who are not in all the whole And if in ancient times when there were so manie heresies it was thought a sufficient distinction to ioyne Catholike to Christian why is it not sufficient now a â—â—ies It is the Inuention of Antichrist and his badge to chalenge to himself and his only to bee the whole Catholike church That name Roman is a name of sect and schisme This is the summe of all which M. Abbot saith in this paragraff or section W. B. IN this section is discouered a second falacy of that false argument which they so often vse No particuler church can be the Catholike church but the Roman is a particuler church Ergo it cannot bee the Catholike church In the precedent section I haue laid open the manifold faults of this their argument shewing first the conclusion if it were granted not to bee to the purpose for the point in question was not whether the Roman church were the whole Catholike church or no but whether the word Roman in stile might bee couched with the Catholike church that is whether one might sensybly and trulie saie and write The Catholike Roman church they say yea we say no to make good their assertion they a vouch the church of Rome not to be the whole church we answere that the proof is not to the purpose albeit that were true for though it were not the whole church yet it might be called by the name of the whole not onely because euery part of that kind may be called by the name of the whole but also for that it is such a part as shall neuer be seperated from the whole and consequently as in existence it is alwaies close coupled with the whole so may it very well in stile be interlaced with it Secondly I affirmed that taking the church of Rome for a part yet it being the most eminent part it might very iustly giue name to the whole according to that axiome approued by all the learned A parte principaliore denominatur totum the whole is named after some principall part the whole land of Israël was called Iury of the principall tribe therof Iuda And our own country wherin dwelt both Saxons and Vites aswell as English men was named England when one of the English attained to the monarchy in like maner the church of Rome being the head of the rest as before I haue prooued though
it be not the whole yet may very well denominate the whole And so it hath done by the consent of both friends and foes for as we tearme all of our religion Roman Catholikes so the protestantes do nickname them Papists or Romanistes both taking the name from Rome or the bishop of Rome wherfore it is manifest that that common hackney of the protestants doth not conclude the point that was in question which no man doubteth to be one of the fowlest faults that cā be in arguing I laid in a second exception against the second proposition of that argument which is But the Roman church is a particular church For that the Roman church may bee either taken precisely for the Diocese of Rome or more largly for the faithfull dispersed through the whole world that do imbrace the same faith which they of Rome do professe The Roman church so taken say I is no particular church but extends it self vnto the vtmost bounds of the whole Catholike church to which M. Abbot doth make answere in this section And in the begining confesseth verie strangley that hee is one of those Doctors that do not vnderstand this new found distinction Hee might perhaps haue said truly that hee liked it not but for a Doctor to say that hee could not reach to that which a meanewitted scholler would make no difficultie to conceiue cannot bee but a great disparagement either to his witt or to his will or to both About the first acception of the Roman church there is no manner of doubt And touching the 2. what difficutie is it to vnderstand all those to bee members of the Roman church who take the Bishop of Rome to bee their chief pastor and besides are in all articles of faith and forme of government vnited with the Roman Do not the protestāts themselues in euery countrie by nicknaming vs Romanists and Papists giue all men to vnderstand that they take all such to be members of the Roman church If then both in England France Germany and other countries by the testimonie aswell of protestants as Catholikes all they that in faith and religion agree with the church of Rome bee taken for members of the same church would any man master of his owne wits make any difficultie to grant that all such may be said to bee of the church of Rome And that therfore the church of Rome may bee taken to cōprehend all them of what nation soeuer they bee what warrant I can bring for this out of the ancient writers shal bee shorrly after shewed though this matter be in it self so sensible and almost palpable that hee must needs confesse himself to be little better then a verie blockhead that cannot vnderstand it yea M. Abbot presently after shewes himself to perceiue that well enough for better aduised he admits it for true and disputs against it in this manner Be it so that the church of Rome is vsually taken to signifie other churches submitting themselues to the church of Rome yet it doth not comprehend other churches that do not submit themselues to the same nor acknowledg her chiefty As the protestant churches in Europe and some schismaticall churches in Asia Ah sir you shew cleerly enough that you vnderstood before that distinction of mine why then did you that wrong to your owne reputation as to confesse your self to be one of those Doctors that could not conceiue it You meant then belike to make some simple foole beleeue that I to vphold my part was forced to coyne a new found distinctiō neuer heard of before but the wind being presently changed it is but an ordinary and vsuall distinstion and may bee answered in the manner that you haue endeuored to answere it To which I replie briefly and roundly that those churches which acknowledg not the chiefty of the church of Rome or do obstinatlie denie any other article of the christian faith professed by the same church be no Orthodox nor true churches at all but either hereticall or schismaticall congregations members onlie of the malignant church And therfore though the church of Rome do not comprehend them yet it doth neuertheles comprehend all Orthodox and Catholike churches That all those malignant churches and euerie member of them that either err in matter of faith defined or are by schisme deuided from the church of Rome be no true churches at all To omit diuerse other arguments because this is not a place to handle at large that question let these few testimonies suffice Saint Austin saith He that beleeueth any false thing of God or of anie part of the doctrine that appertains vnto the edification of faith Aug. l. quest in Math. q. 11. Si enim falsa de deo credit vel de aliqua parte doctrinae quae ad fidei pertinet aedificationem ita vt non quaerentis cunctatione tentatus sit sed inconcusse credentis nec omnino scientis opinione atque errore discordans Haereticus est foris est animo quamuis corporaliter intus videatur that not doubtingly with a mind to bee better enstructed but resolutely obstinately hee is an heretike and in soule out of the church though in body hee seeme to liue in it which elswhere he repeats coupling schismatiks and heretiks together and declaring both their congregations to bee no part of the Catholik church in these words we beleeue the holie church that surelie which is Catholike Idem de fide Simbolo ca 10. Credimus sanctam Ecclesiam vtique Catholicam nam haeretici schismatici congregationes suas Ecclesias vocant Sed Haeretici de deo falsa sentiendo ipsam fidem violant schismatici autem discissionibus iniqùis a fraterna Charitate dissiliunt quamuis ea credunt quae credimus Quapropter nec haereticus pertinet ad ecclesiam Catholicam quae diligit deum nec schismatitus quoniam diligit proximum for heretikes and schismatikes do call their congregations churches but heretikes beleeuing false things of God do breake their faith and schismatiks by wilfull diuisions do leape from brotherly charitie wherfore neither doth the heretike belong to the Catholike church bicause shee loues god nor the schismatike for that shee loues heir neighbor which doctrine he might haue drawen out of Saint Ciprian who vnder the name of the Novatians doth teach That heretikes be like vnto Apes who though they bee no men Ciprian epistola 73. ad Iubaianum Nouatianus simiarum more quae cum homines non sint homines tamen imitantur vult ecclesiae Catholicae auctoritatem sibi veritatem vindicare quando ipse in Ecclesia non sit imo c. yet do counterfeit men so heretikes albeit they bee out of the church yet do chalenge to themselues the truth and authority of the church with them accordeth Saint Hierom saying when you shall heare of any Christians that take not their name from Iesus Christ Hieron co lucif in fine
beleeuers as may bee gathered by that godly Historiographer Victor Bishop of vtica in Africke who relateth how locundus to diswade the cruell Arrian Theodoricus Victor vti de pers vand l. 1. the kings sonne from putting a Christian to death vsed these words If you put him to the sword the Romans will honor him for a Martir By the word Romans signifying the true Catholikes And another worthy witnes heerof is Gregory that learned and Zealous Bishop of Toures who citing these words of the Arrians Greg de gloria MartyruÌ„ l. 1. c. 25. Quia ingenium est Romanorum doth enterlace this explication Romanos enim vocitant nostrae religionis homines they do coÌ„monly call men of our religion to wit the true Catholiks by the name of Romans These ancient graue and renowmed authors may serue to convince any reasonable man that the name Roman both anciently did and now verie well maie comprehend all the true beleeuers of the vniuersall world what shall we then say to M. Abbot that in all his reading as he confesseth to the reproch of his ignorance could never light vpon any one that by the Roman church did signify the whole Catholike church He must acknowledg either that there remaineth very much in antiquity which hee hath not yet read or that passing ouer much in post was not at leasure to marke that which made against himself Hee found the East and the west the Greeke and Latin churches but hee could neuer find that by the Roman church was signified the vniuersall church Be it so good Sir bicause you will needs haue it to be so that you through the dimnes of your sight could not discerne that which stands on record in Saint Ciprian Saint Ambrose Saint Hierome and diuers others well knowen and approued Authors doth it there vpon follow that no man els could do it or that I vpon the acknowledgment of your want of reading the fathers was presently blanked and had not a word to say Alas seely man haue you neuer heard of this triviall Adage Bernardus non vidit omnia If that enlightned and Eagle eied Abbot did not see all what maruell though a poore purr-blind Abbot ouersee mistake many things Learne gentle sir by this little not to beare your self to confidently vpon your owne reading be you well assured that there bee many worthy things in antiquitie that you haue not read manie also that you do not vnderstand and not a few if I do not greatly mistake that you having both read and vnderstood yet will not acknowledge for feare of hurting your owne cause Out of the premises it followeth most manifestly that the word Roman taken in that larger signification is no tearme of diminution nor abridgeth the whole vnto a part but is of as large extent and hath the same latitude with the whole Catholike and Orthodox church So that whosoeuer is of the Roman church is a true member of the Catholike church And on the other side whosoeuer will bee esteemed a meÌ„ber of the Catholike church must not refuse to be made a member of the Roman church It only seperateth Catholikes from heretikes Epist 73. who like Apes to vse S. Ciprians tearme counterfeit the Catholike would verie fayne bee so saluted but because they will not acknowledge Epist 45. radicem matricem as the said Doctor speaketh elswhere the originall mother church of Rome they cannot bee liuely branches true children of the same Optatus l. 2. co parmen The Donatists as Optatus wisely noteth because they seperated themselues from the coÌ„munion of the church of Rome avouching their particuler sect to bee the whole church were no part of the whole but lay like rotten boughes cut of from the body of the Catholike church In the same tearmes stand protestants all other sectaries of what sort soeuer they be that after the fashion of Donatists diuide themselues from the same church of Rome and make peculier seperations And if the particular church of Rome would and could forsake their Ancestors faith and divide it self from other Catholike churches as protestants do And neuertheles avouch it self alone to be the whole church then in deed it might well incurr that censure of Optatus But because it cannot so do being by the vertue of our Saviours prayer and continuall assistance of the holy Ghost alwaies preserued from all error in matter of faith therfore it cannot bee separated froÌ„ the rest of the Catholike church as the Donatists were but be perpetually so closelie vnited inseparably associated with it that whosoeuer ioyneth himself with the church of Rome doth euen therby enter in to societie of the whole catholike church which the same ancient prelate Optatus doth teach in these most expresse wordes which I haue cited before Siâ—icius that now sitteth S. Peters successâ—r in the chaire of Rome is our coÌ„panion with whoÌ„ the whole world by enter course of formed letters agreeth with vs in one vniforme societie of comunion Behold how by societie with the Bishop and church of Rome the Bishops of Afrike entred into coÌ„munion and kept correspoÌ„deÌ„ce with the vniuersall church dispersed ouerall the whole world 4 M. Abbot would gladly learne seing that in ancieÌ„t time wheÌ„ there were very manie heresies the additioÌ„ of Catholike was taken for sufficieÌ„t to distinguish the Orthodox from all kind of sectaries why it will not now serue the turne but that RomaÌ„ must bee added thervnto The answere is readie because sectaries bee waxen more audacious now theÌ„ they were of old for in S. Austins daies Aug 〈◊〉 til cred c. 7. albeit the heretikes c ueted to be called Catholikes and so did call themselues putting names of reproch vpon the true beleeuers as Protestants vse to do now yet as the same most trustie Doctor witnesseth when any stranger came to demaund of them which was the Catholike congregation Idem de vera rel c. 7. they alwaies directed and sent them to the true Catholike not to their owne well knowing that hee who enquired after the Catholikes meant not their sect neither could they otherwise bee well vnderstood vnles they called the true church by the same name as it was called all the world ouer But the heretikes of our times having put on more brasen faces then their predecessors though there be no vniuersality neither of time place or people in their congregations yet forsooth will needs bee called Catholiks by Antiphrasis or contraries belike vt Lucus dicitur a Lucendo quia minime lucet lucus that is Latin for a wood is deriued of lumen light because in it is litle light so Protestants may be named vniuersalists bicause there is among them litle or no kind of vniuersality To the purpose then to declare what manner of Catholiks we meane wee add Roman to signifie that we vnderstaÌ„d not a counterfeit or corner catholike that lay lurking in obscurity for a thousand yeres
together and whose faith was neuer spred one quarter of the world ouer But such Catholikes as ioyne with the church of Rome whose faith and religion was first coÌ„mended in the Apostles daies and hath continued ever since vnmoveable and besids hath florishedd in all christian nations of the world and therfore is indeed truly Catholike Our coniunction therfore with the Roman church associateth vs with the faithfull not only of all Europe Afrike and Asia but also with the faithfull of the East and west Indies and of all the world besides wherfore M. Abbot was fowly deceiued when he said that the word Roman was a tearme of diminution or that it abridgeth the whole vnto a part wheras the Roman is fully as large and ample and hath the very same and no narrower limits and borders then the Catholike faith and religion excluding none of any nation of the world out of that communion but heretiks only and schismatiks and such like counterfeit Catholikes And let him and his companions that blush not to lay that imputation of sect and schisme vpon the Roman church declare if they can from what church the Roman deuided it self in what popes daies it became schismatike And in what countrie was the vnity of the true church then preserued None of all which if they bee able to declare we must needs take their words for wind if not for passionat and womanish scolding without any colour of reason I maruell where M. Abbot hath read that it is the peculiar badg of Antichrist to chalenge to him his alone to be the whole church of Christ May not Christs lieutenant on earth chalenge that truly which Antichrist by intrusion will presume to do vniustly Or is there no whole church of Christ in the world out of Antichrists tents And may he not rather be thought to rove at random then to speake in his right senses that averreth Antichrist to bee willing to stand for Christ and to professe to fight vnder Christs banner against whom as the holy scripture and ancient fathers most manifestly teach hee will proclayme open warr and do the vttermost of his most wicked endeauor to coÌ„pell all Christians openly to forsake and forsweare Christ too and that not covertly and by consequencies but in plaine and formall tearmes and to acknowledg no other soueraigne lord besids himself wherfore to conclude this section let the indifferent reader duly consider whether I haue deliuered in sufficient premises to proue that the church of Rome may be vsed to signifie any church of the world that in faith and religion doth agree with it My promises are not the practise only of Catholiks but also of Protestants who in all countries giue vs a name taken from the church of Rome as Romanists or Papists to signifie that we all be members of the same church in what countrie soever we dwell And not only men of our dâ—â—es do so commonly speake but in ancient tymes also it is as well recorded of the Orthodox fathers as by heretiks that men of all countries who imbraced the true faith were called Romans as I haue once before proued at large wherfore it is no novelty to avouch the church of Rome to comprehend all the true Christians of the world Against which it maketh nothing that heretiks and schismatiks be no members of the church of Rome for they be no better then rotten boughes cutt of from the vine like scattered sheepe out of Christs fold wherfore no part nor parcell of Christs church THE FOVRTH Paragraffe w. B. NOw to M. Abbots second sophistication The Roman church by your rule is the head and all other churches are members to it but the Catholike comprehendeth all Ergo to say the Roman is the Catholike church is to say the head is the whole body To which I saye first as I said to the former argument that it is missshapen and by the like it maie bee proued that their English church is not the Catholike church which M. Abbot is content to grant Seâ—ondly I say that it is a fault in arguing when a word is vsed Metaphorically to take hold vpon anie other property of the Metaphore besides that wherin the resemblance lieth I gaue for example that our blessed Saviour is called a Lion for his invincible fortitude Now if anie man would out of that metaphore argue that our Saviour had foure feete bicause a Lion hath so he should be not only ridiculous but also blasphemous In like manner though the church of Rome be by vs called the head church bicause of her superiority Yet doth it not follow that anie other properties belonging to a head be of necessity attributed to the same church And to our present purpose though a head cannot be called by the name of the whole it being but one part of the whole called dissimilare that consisteth of diuers parts one vnlike to the other yet might the church of Rome not withstanding that it is the head be called by the name of the whole Catholike church For that the Catholike church is totum similare a whole consisting of parts that bee all a like as the aire is every part wherof is called by the name of the whole as euery part of the aire is called the aire euery part of water is called water so every particular church that is part of the Catholike church may truly be called the Catholike church though it be not the whole Catholike church To which M. Abbot after much idle speech mingled with scornfull scoffing answereth nothing els in effect but that hee had said before these be his wordes R. AB TAke a head in what sence you will it must needs bee a distinct part from the rest of the body and then repeats his goodly argument in these tearmes The church of Rome is by their learning the head of all other churches and all other churches are as the members and body of this head But the Catholike church comprehendeth all both head and body To say then that the Roman church is the Catholike church is all one as if a man should say the head is the whole bodie After which he addeth who can speake more cleerly then I haue done where if you wil be his favorable and fast frind you must applaud him and say that no man is able to do better nor to set it out more cleerly then hee hath done A high conceit of his owne writing vttered with vanity enough Now of mee his poore Antagonist hee saith who can answere more absurdly then he hath done I haue put him to his trumps I warrant him c to omit much such trumpery which followeth without any fortification of reason or temper of modestie W. B. I am so farr of from being troubled with his trumpes which are nothing els indeed then very frumpes besids that one old halting spurgald Iade of an argument so confusedly set downe by him even there where hee crakes most of cleernes
that I will do that for him which hee blinded with self loue imagined impossible for any man to do to wit I will put downe his argument more cleerly and formerly then he hath done himself as every scholler that can Iudge of the forme of an argument may easily perceaue in this manner No part can be the whole but the church of Rome is but a part to wit the head of the church Ergo it cannot be the whole This his so often repeated argument without any new fortificatiō needs no other refutatiō than that which hath been once or twice giuen before Thus at length we come to the end of M. Abbots first chapter which was diuided into fower sections or parts and haue by the helpe of Gods good grace both defended and proued that supreme commanding power of Iurisdiction which consisteth in the chief government of Christs church vpon earth to haue been by our blessed Saviour first established and placed vpon the person of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles that there should be perfect vnity in his Ecclesiasticall kingdome then that the same might endure not for tearme of S. Peters life only but alwaies continue vnto the worlds end He ordained that S. Peters successors the Bishops of Rome should enioy the same soveraigne authority ouer the whole Catholike church vntill the worlds end which I made good specially by the confession and acknowledgment of the greatest Patriarks most learned and best approued Prelats of the East churches because the better learned Protestants do after a manner grant vnto the Bishop and pope of Rome Of this read more in the note at the end of this chapter as patriarch of the west supreme authoritie and Iurisdiction ouer all the west churches Moreouer because the protestants do all and some obiect that fact of the African Bishops wherin they seemed to deny appeales of all vnder the degree of Bishops vnto the court of Rome as an argument of great moment against the said supreme commanding power of the sea of Rome I haue produced testimonies of the most ancient and best learned Bishops and Doctors of the African church averring the Iurisdiction of the church of Rome ouer themselues and their countrie So that there can remaine no scruple in the vpright and iudicious Readers vnderstanding but that the Bishop of Romes supremacy hath been acknowledged witnessed and obeyed all the world ouer even in the pure times of most florishing Christianity And consequently that all they who desire to bee sound and perfect Catholiks must imbrace and professe the faith and religion of the same Roman church or els be content to bee reckened in the rew of hereticall or schismaticall Congregations And as in this life they willingly take part with them in their schisme and errors so they may assure themselues vnles God giue them grace to repent to bee against their wils sorted with them in the finall separation at the last day and to haue their vnlucky lott with them in the lake euer burning with fire and brimstone from which our most mercifull Lord and sweet Saviour Christ Iesus deliuer all them that professe his truth and holy name Amen M. Richard field Doctour of diuinity in his fift book of the church printed at london 1610. of the bishop and church of Rome hath these positions FIrst in the 32. chapter that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed S. Peter in the Bishoprique of the City and in the honour of being one of the prime Bishops of the world Secondly in the 34. chapter that the church of Rome was head of all churches that is first in order and honour among them but not in absolute supreme commaunding power 3 That the same church was in more speciall sort head of such churches as were within the Patriarchship of Rome as was all the west church To which effect his maiesty of England our soueraigne lord writeth to all Christian Monarches Pag 46. If there were yet question among the Patriarches for the first place I would with all my hart giue my consent that the Bishop of Rome should haue the first seat I being a westerne king would go for the patriarch of the west 4 That the Bishop of Rome had the care of all churches not as absolute supreme commaunder but as most honorable among the Bishops who were first to be sought vnto in matters requiring a common deliberation and from whom all things generally concerning the state of the whole church were either to take beginning or at the least to seek confirmation before they were generally imposed and prescribed The same Doctour in his preface to the reader teacheth that to compose variances rising between Patriarches and their Bishops or among themselues he that was in order and honour before the rest might lawfully interpose himself and in his synode iudg of such differences And in such cases as could not be so ended or that concerned the faith and the state of the whole vniuersall church there remained the iudgment and resolution of a generall councell wherin the Bishop of the first sea that is the Bishop of Rome was to sitt as President and moderatour Obserue how easily that which we teach of popes the supremacy may be gathered out of these principles for if it appertaine vnto the Bishop of Rome as prime Patriarch to compose the differences rising betwixt other Patriarches and their Bishops if he must be principally sought vnto for finall resolutions in matter of faith if care of all churches belong to him and from him all thinges generally concerning the state of the whole church were either to take beginning or els to seek confirmation let any vnderstanding man exercised in gouernment tell me how Patriarches and Bishops may be conuented to appeare without commaunding authority and how without compelling power the popes finall determinations would be of all parties obeied THE SECOND CHAPTER M. ABBOT The comparisons betweene the Donatists and Papists iustified and enlarged page 51. R. AB IT is a meere vsurpation wherby the Papists call the Roman church the Catholike church and the same that the Donatists of old did They held the Catholike church to be art Cartenna in Africk and the Papists hold it to be at Rome in Italy W. B. THis cōparison is a fond new deuise of M. Abbot wherin there is skarce one spark either of wit or learning wherfore it deserued rather to be abridged or wholy cāceld then to haue been enlarged Iustified it can never bee because it hath not many true words in it Take a tast of this first branch which is false on both sides for neither was Cartenna in Africa but in Mauritania nor did the Donatists hold their pretended Catholike church to bee at Cartenna but esteemed the Rogatists who so much magnified Cartenna to be wicked Schismatiks altogether vnworthy the name or communion of their supposed Catholik church as S. Austin M. Abbots owne author doth testifie Aug. Epist 48. in the place
cited by himself was hee not then fowly mistaken to father such a strange vntruth vpon S. Augustin And on the other side is it not a prodigious impudent assertion to avouch that wee Catholiks do maintaine the Catholike church to be inclosed within the walls of Rome or confined in those quartiers as the Rogatists did their church to be concluded within the Coastes of Cartenna wheras we teach it to bee dispersed all the world ouer R. AB I Confesse I committed some oversight by vnderstanding that generally of the Donatists which belonged only to the Rogatists Let this be amended thus The Donatists did set vp a particular church all of them first in the south of Africa some afterward as the Rogatists at Cartenna in Mauritania And so haue the Papists done at Rome in Italy Against which M. Bishop giues two exceptions First that they do not hold the Catholike church to be inclosed within the wals of Rome as the Rogatists did theirs within Cartenna but do say that it was dispersed all the world ouer wheras the Rogatists congregation was holden to be confined within the bounds of Cartenna The first part of which answere on their behalf is false and the second part concerning the Rogatists is vayne for it is false that the Romish church is dispersed over all the world because the Greeke and Easterne churches disclaime subiection to the church of Rome and although the communion of the church of Rome be farr larger then that was of the Rogatists at Cartenna yet doth neither of them containe any more then a part And we cannot doubt but that the Rogatists would as wâ—llingly haue had the whole world to ioyne with their church as the Romans And so it was not by position of doctrine that their church was not of larger extent but forwant of better successe And the exprobration of the same mad fancy lieth vpon the church of Rome to wit that whosoeuer in the further parts of the world shal be desirous of salvation vnles hee come to Rome or into some place where hee may meete with a Popish priest he cannot be baptised or reconciled to God As touching the second exception though it bee not generally true that the Donatists placed the Catholike church at Cartenna yet it is not altogither vntrue because the Rogatists were a kind of Donatists albeit devided from them by schisme Againe although the Donatists did not place the Catholike church at Cartenna yet they designed the place therof to bee Africa for albeit they acknowledged the church by the Apostles preaching to haue been spred ouer all the world yet they held that it was perished in all other parts of the world and onlie remained with their part in Africa they did not exclude the rest of the world out of their communion so they would be of their opinion The foundation of their church was laid in Africa and from thence they would haue it dispersed all the world ouer In the same sort standeth the mattr with the Papists they tell vs that the other patriarchall seas are all either extinguished or fallen into Schisme and the Roman church only remayning whence all other churches of the world are to be reduced to the Pope They tell vs of strange wonders done amongst the Indians whither they know it vnlikly for vs to come to search out the truth but those nations pretended to be converted by them are either colonies of their owne or some Infidels forced to accept of Baptisme without religion or such as by wiles they haue surprised Thus is M. Bishop by avoyding to be a Donatist by putting the matter ouer to the Rogatists become both a Donatist and Rogatist by tying the seate of the Catholike church to one only particular place W. B. M. Abbot perceiuing well that hee had behaued himself exceeding drowsily in that comparison between the Donatists and Catholikes yet being as it seemeth over farr in loue with his owne conceit simple though it were would not so giue it ouer but to make vp the full measure of his folly will needs go forwards with it and endevoreth not only to iustify that which he had before written but doth also make some new additions If I could perswade my self that my time should bee fruitfully spent in answering him at leÌ„ght I would not desire greater advantage to be given mee to display and laie open to the view of the world his lacke of Iudgment lacke of learning and lâ—cke of honestie but considering that this coÌ„parison can be no great matter of edification to the Reader I hold it not worthy anie amplification but will abridg it as much as I may yet so that no substantiall point of it be left vnanswered M. Abbot not finding any poore meanes to vnderproppe his palpable absurdities is driven to confesse them in the very first branch and doth therfore post that over to the latter place and preposterously maketh answere before vnto the secoÌ„d part of the comparison which was that we Roman Catholiks do not tie the Catholike church to the City of Rome as the Rogatists did theirs to Cartenna For we hold that men may be baptised and saued in anie part of the world without repayring to the City of Rome or to the coastes adioyning neere thervnto wheras the Rogatists did hold that in what part soever of the world any persoÌ„ were coÌ„verted he must of necessity go vnto CarteÌ„na or therabouts to bee baptised and obtaine salvation To which M. Abbot replies that the former part on our behalf is false because our church is not spred ouer all the world and therfore saluation cannot bee gotten all the world ouer for that to obtaine salvation as he saith a popish priest must needs be fouÌ„d out This reply is not to the purpose For whether our church bee spred ouer all the world or no of which more shal be said presently yet it is certainly knowen to be in diuers great monarchies besids Italy in all which if any person be to be baptised or reconciled we send them not to Rome to receiue those sacraments but administer them in the place where the person is by the inspiration of God converted which is cleane contrarie to the doctrine of the Rogatists that exacted the personall repaire of all such convertites to Cartenna or to her confines which doth most cleerly ouerthrow M. Abbots answere Yet to bolster out his flaggy resemblance he addeth that it was not by position of doctrine that the Rogatists forced all convertits to come into that country but because they had not any Bishops of their sect els where which if they had had as no doubt they desired to haue then they who were touched with the preaching of the Gospell might haue been baptised by them in any other country where these godly prelats were To which I reioyne that had there been Rogatists all the world ouer as they desired to bee theÌ„ there had beeÌ„ no place for this braÌ„ch of the
comparison which likeneth the Roman Catholikes to the Rogatists in that they bee both of them priuate and confined within the compasse of some particular places M. Abbot therfore full wisely goeth about to vphold his former resemblance by the quite ouerthrow of it for herein said he before stands the resemblance betwene the Papists and Rogatists that both of them do restraine the vniuersality of the Catholike church to one particular place or country And now confessing the Papists coÌ„munion and fellowship to be farre larger theÌ„ the Rogatists he flies to this silly shift that the Rogatists desire to haue their church as largly extended as the Romanists that is both of them all the world ouer So that the wind being come round about and sitting now in the cleane contrary corner the resemblance is to be turned the other way to wit that as the Roman church desireth to be spred all the world ouer so did the Rogatists But good Sir tell me I pray you is it sufficient to make a church Catholike to desire to be dilated all the world ouer Then without doubt not only Rogatists but all other sectaries too were also Catholiks for none of them suerly wanted that desire yet being bastard slips and destitute of that vertue which proceedeth by the trunck of true succession from the right roote they could neuer be generally receiued all the world ouer and therfore could not bee called Catholikes wheras the Roman church ingraffed by the Apostles in to the true Oliue Christ Iesus through the force of his blessed passion and by power of the holy Ghost hath not only desired to spred her branches into all nations but hath actually performed that her holy desire for truth is strong and doth prevaile wherfore it alone hath worthily archieued the name of Catholike which all other congregations haue in vaine gaped after and desired Obserue by the way M. Abbots grosse ignorance in two points of our doctrine the former when he imagineth vs to hold that no man can be baptised to saluation without hee meet with one of our priests wheras we teach the Baptisme even of Protestants be they men be they women to bee availeable to saluation The latter in that he affirmeth vs to hold the same of reconciliatioÌ„ we teaching that any person of discretion may by true contrition and repentance obtaine saluation albeit they cannot meete with any priest Let therfore these his assertions be scored vp for an after reckening Now to the second exception albeit the Rogatists were a Cantell or fragment broken out of the Donatists yet they by their division from them forsooke the name of Donatists and tooke their owne proper name of Rogatists and in that question of the true church were at open warr with the Donatists so that it was a grosse ouersight in M. Abbot to say the Donatists held the Catholike church to bee at Cartenna Because they esteemed no better of that church at Cartennna then of a den of theeues In like manner they of Cartenna reputed the Donatists for damned creatures wherfore albeit the Rogatists in some other matter wherin they did agree with the Donatists might haue passed vnder that generall name yet they could not in that point wherin they were at so great square It is then cleere that M. Abbots error therin cannot bee excused well if he hath hitherto behaued himself like one that being half a sleepe knew not well what he said yet now being awaked by his aduersary hee will no doubt spitt on his fingers and take better hold secundae enim cogitationes sunt prudentiores To it then Iollie Sir touch the Papists home and if you cannot force the Rogatists vpon them yet driue them at the least to be Donatists and you shall do somewhat That saith M. Abbot I will easely performe by this new framed resemblance like as the Donatists held the Catholike church to haue perished in all other countries and to haue remayned only with their part in Africa and desired that from thence it might be spred into all other nations Even so the papists tell vs that the churches in all the farr parts of the world haue failed that the patriarchall seas are all fallen away and only the Roman remayneth whence the rest are to be reduced to the obedience of the pope This loe seemes to be something True it is that the Donatists did in many things things counterfeit the true Catholiks and among the rest pretended as all other heretiks coÌ„monly do that their congregation was the only true reformed church and that the readie way to saluation was to enter into their society But this is so triviall and common aswell to the true Catholike as to all maner of disseÌ„bling coÌ„gregatioÌ„s that hee who delights to enlarge himself therin shall but loose his time abuse his reader and purchase to himself the reputation of a trifler yet let vs desceÌ„d to the particulars of this new coyned comparison and see whether it will abide the touch ar noe The Roman church and the Donatists did not agree in the first point of that resemblance for wheras the Donatists held the church to haue perished all the world ouer saving in some part of Africk the Roman Catholike doth not hold the true church to haue perished all the world over saving in Italy or in some parts of Europe but teacheth that it hath alwayes continued and even in this last hundreth yeeres to haue gained more both in the East and west Indies then it hath lost in these parts of the world Secondly it is not long sithence all the patriarchall seas did opeÌ„ly agree with the church of Rome to wit in the yeare of our Lord god 1439. as may be seen in the councell of Florence and by the profession of faith which Ioseph patriarch of Constantinople Concil florent sess 25. then and there made in these words whatsoeuer the Catholike church of our Lord Iesus Christ which is of old Rome doth beleeve and worship Ioseph miseratione diuina Constan Patriarcha Quoniam ad extremum vitae mea perueni idcirco pro meo munere dilectis filijs benignitate dei meam sententiam his literis palam facio Nam quae Iesu Christi catholica Apostolica Ecclesia Roma veteris sentiat ac celebrec omnia me quoque sentire credereque profiteor at ipsis plurimum acquiâ—sco Beatissimum autem Patrum Patrem ac Summum Pontificem Romaque veteris Papam domini nostri Iesu Christi vicarium esse concedo c. datum Florentiae 8. Iulij anno 1439. all the same do I confesse my self to beleeue and thinke and thervnto do yeeld my perfect consent And I do further confesse the most blessed father of fathers the chief Bishop and pope of Rome to bee the vicar of our lord Iesus Christ To these points of doctrine and to all other of the church of Rome did at the same time subscribe the legats and deputies of the other
three patriarchall seas Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem as is recorded in the same councell In which faith continued the said three patriarchall seas till the yeare of our lord 1517 when Luther began his tragedy as stands of record in the generall councell of LateraÌ„ held vnder Leo the tenth where the obedience also of Peter Patriarch of the Armenians vnto the church of Rome was presented by his orators since which tyme as somtimes also before albeit those churches for the greater part fell often away into schisme and heresie yet there remained alwaies and do to this time continue still among them many good soules that do constantly retayne and keepe the true doctrine of the church of Rome in all points And the Greeke church hath in Rome it self a Seminary as many other nations haue at this daie to breed and trayne vp their young students as in all other vertues and pietie so principally in the true faith of the church of Rome wherfore albeit the publike face of religion be now in those churches as it is in our countrie yet there want not true Roman Catholikes in those parts no more then there do God be thanked in our country to baptise reconcile and to perfome all other christian duties appertayning to the rites of the Roman church whence it followeth that there are two vntruthes in the former part of M. Abbots new resemblance for we are so farr of from saying the Catholike church to be perished ouer all the world that wee affirme it rather to be at this present day much increased and multiplied which doth controwle the former part of M. Abbots position we say more ouer that in those verie patriarchall seas though the outward face of religion be disfigured and corrupted yet doth the Roman religion remayne there entire and sound though not openly countenanced by the state yet by the godly practised in secret Let vs now proceed to the second particularity to wit that the Donatists laide the foundation of their church in Africa and from thence would haue had all other churches to haue bene restored to their former integrity when did they begin to laie that foundation about 300 yeares after Christ in constantine the great his raigne who was he that laid that foundation One Maiorinus or Donatus of whom the rest tooke their name doth it not herehence that I go no further presently appeare a great difference between the church of Rome and the church of the Donatists The church of Rome began in the Apostles dayes and had for her chief Architects the princes of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul wheras the Donatists began their revolt from the said church of Rome 300 yeares after vnder the afore said blind guides wherfore there is no comparison to be made betweene either the foundation or founders of the one with the other But saith M. Abbot The Donatists gaue their church as gallant and braue a title as the church of Rome had for they called it the Catholike church and desired as earnestly as the Romanistes do to haue had it spred all the world ouer True for the title of Catholike true also that they had a feruent desire to haue had it spred farr and neare But their doctrine being the vaine leasings of feeble mortall men had too small force and vertue in it to disperse it self so farr abrode and not being planted by the heavenly father it did not take any deepe root so that albeit those busy fellowes laboured tooth and naile to in large the limits of their doctrine into the out most coasts of the earth that it might haue wonn the name of Catholike yet they could neuer obtaine it nor come within tenthousand mile of it wheras the doctrine and religioÌ„ of the church of Rome as a fruitfull tree plaÌ„ited by the watet side did spread her branches nto all nations and hath even since the Apostles daies even to our time continued a true part of the Catholike church by M. Abbots owne confession as you shall see heerafter in this chapter so that in fine there is left no resemblance at all in this reformed part of the comparison saving that the Donatists had a vaine desire to haue their sect dilated as amply as was the Catholike Roman faith But it began 300. years after the Roman and hath not by 1300 continued so long nor yet could for any short space of time dilate it self so largely wherfore it could not come neere vnto a shadow of the title of Catholike Touching the coÌ„uersion of the Indies it must needs grieve any good christian hart to heare how conteÌ„ptuously and prophaneliet his vnsanctified Abbot doth speake of it first he writes that we may say of their conversion what wee list because those countries are so farr of that they are not like to trauaile so farr to search whether we say true or no. They are peradventure more like to make some iournay thitherward to search out some of the IndiaÌ„ gold then to seeke after the conuersion of the poore Indian soules yet if they will not of themselues take the paynes nor vndergo the hazard to win soules let theÌ„at least afford others their good word that will refuse no paines nor perill in so blessed an enterprise If there were any sparke of Christian Charity in theÌ„ would they not rather reioyce then repine that the faith of Christ is so vniuersally embraced so religiously obserued in those most ample and rich dominions If M. Abbot hath not as hee here pretendeth inquired after the manner of their conuersion how knowes he that there bee so few and they so bad Christians should not an even mind out of commoÌ„ christian charity in cases vnknowne iudge the best and giue his sentence rather in fauour of the Christian Religion then against it but M. Abbot making out of his owne mind that bad construction may not that of the poet be iustlie cast vpoÌ„ him mala meÌ„s malus animus for vnles hee did cary a wicked affectioÌ„ towards the enlargemeÌ„t of Christs kiÌ„gdome not knowing how the case there standeth hee would neuer haue chosen to make the worst report therof that can bee imagined well he that doth not desire to remayne wilfully blind and altogither ignoraÌ„t in those happy tidings of the reducing of so many millions of soules from Idolatry to the knowledg of the true liuing God and vnto the participation of the merits of our most blessed Saviour Iesus Christ may read the histories of their coÌ„versioÌ„ coÌ„posed by men almost of all nations of whom many were eye witnesses of that they writ There shall they find manie notable monuments aswell of the holines of their preachers testifyed by miracles as of the devotion of the people newly converted and of their great sincerity If among the souldiers and marchants which went with the religious priests and preachers thâ—re were more covetousnes cruelty and disagrement then was convenient let not the disorders of those worldly and
vnrulie creatures bee brought to disgrace the good meaning godly endevors of others most godlie and religious persons who in true Apostolicall maÌ„ner haue through Gods inestimable mercy converted infinite multitudes of those heatheÌ„s vnto the Christian religion I haue staid the longer in this paragraff bicause M. Abbot by the way touched many great matters in it rather to giue the Reader reasonable satisfaction therin then that his resemblance deserued half the paines which holdeth no proportion at all in the mayne point The reader shall do well to note by the way how many vntruthes M. Abbot le ts slip in this section bicause he doth in the end of this chapter bragg that he hath not once lied in all this discourse hâ—re we haue these I. that we teach the Catholike church to be in closed within the wals of Rome and do tie the seat therof to one partâ—culer place secoÌ„dly that we hold no man can be baptised to saluation vnles he meet with a priest 3. That no man can obtaine saluation vnles hee repaire to Rome or meete with a Roman Priest wheras we hold millioÌ„â— to be saued that neuer saw Rome Againe that any true repentant soule that cannot meetâ— with a Roman priest to make his confession may nevertheles by true contrition obteyâ—e pardon of his sinnes and eternall saluation I omitt as fleabitings those other his peccadilia of taking Donatists for Rogatists and Cartenna for Africa bicause M. Abbot by coÌ„fessing that oversight hath made satisfactioÌ„ THE SECOND SECTION of the second chapter W. B. THE second branch of M. Abbots comparison between the Roman church and the Donatists is as faulty as the first Thus he proposeth it The Donatists would haue the church to be called Catholike Aug. in bre collatâ— diei 3. c. 2. not by reason of the communion therof throughout the whole world but for the perfection of doctrine and Sacraments which they falsly chalenged to theÌ„selues The same perfection doth the church of Rome arrogate to her self This halteth on both sides as the former did for the Donatists as S. Austin M. Abbots Authour relateth did not call their church Catholike for perfection of doctrine or Sacraments as M. Abbot fableth Epist 48. but for the fulnes of Sacraments and for observation of all gods commandements they were not so dull and blockish as S. Austin noteth to argue an vniuersality out of perfection which is seldome vniuersall but aymed alwaies at some kind of vniuersality On the other side there is no RomaÌ„ Catholike that would haue the church be called Catholike rather for her perfection in doctrine and Sacraments then for her communion over all the world R. ABBOT §. 2. IT is true that S. Austin chalenged vnicentius the Donatist for interpreting the word Catholike Aug. epistola 48. Idem in Breuic collat die 3. cap. 2. not for the communion of the whole church but for the obseruation of all Gods coÌ„maundements or for the fulnes of Sacraments yet I did not amisse to put perfection for fulnes because they do both signifie the same thing for is not fulnes of Sacraments the same with perfection of Sacraments and observation of all gods commaundements with perfection of observing them Collat 3. cuÌ„ donat cap. 102. like as perfection of doctrine is to teach all truth Besids Gaudentius a Donatist doth tell vs that by Catholike they vnderstood perfect when he said the word Catholike importeth Replito fulc c. 10. dem 6. that which is full in Sacraments which is perfect and which is vnspotted To the second member I say that Bristow a great Romanist granteth the church to bee called Catholike bicause she is vniuersally perfect halteth in nothing and is spred ouer all the world and Austin himself in his younger daies did so expound the same word though in his further experience and Iudgment hee abhorred from it and left it wholy to the Donatists So did Ciril of Ierusalem and also Pacianus wherfore M. Bishop sheweth himself scarce wise in denyall of it W. B. I haue M. Abbot guilty and confessing that hee changed his Authors words yet never without one idle excuse or other he hath forsooth given another word but which signifieth the same in effect If the words had been of the same signification yet it had been plainer dealing to haue kept the authors owne words but if there be great diuersity betweene them then there was litle shew of honest dealing to shift from the one to the other who but M. Abbot will say that perfection of Sacraments and fulnes of Sacraments bee all one where fulnes is referred to the compleat number of Sacraments and perfection may bee attributed to the right vse of them or to the vertue and efficacy of them For they bee two distinct controversies betweene the Protestants and vs. The one how many sacraments there bee the other of what perfection and efficacy they are That is whether they conferre grace or no. wherfore it was not well done to thrust in perfection for fulnes there being such ods betwene the nature and vse of those two words Againe betwene the obseruation of all Gods coÌ„maundements and perfection there is a notable difference in the way of our religion for it appertains to all the faithfull to obserue all Gods commaundements but the counsels of perfection are left to the free choice of them whose harts it shall please God to dispose that way wherfore if M. Abbot had had an honest good meaning he would not haue so changed his authors words but hee more like a Ioly wise politike protestant that beleeveth neither the full number of the sacraments nor thinketh it possible to keepe all Gods coÌ„maundements flieth from those tearms of fulnes of sacramentes and obseruation of all the coÌ„maundements as froÌ„ checks and reproues of their new belief and choppeth in perfection of doctrine bicause he can therin better wrangle And albeit Gaudentius did ioyne perfect and vnspotted with fulnes yet it followeth not therof that he tooke those words for all one but rather ioyned together many words of diuers significations to explicate more fully the force of the word Catholike Now to the second member albeit Doctor Bristow a man of singuler vertue and learning and some others haue taught the word Catholike to comprehend within the latitude of his signification that which is vniuersally perfect and halteth in nothing yet no one of them doth exclude the more vsuall and better allowed signification of the same which is to designe the communion and society of the whole world Nay Doctor Bristow in the very wordes cited by M. Abbot doth expresly include it and is spred over all the world and that after the example of Saint Austin euen by M. Abbots owne confession For albeiâ— that great Doctor in his youth vsed the worâ— Catholike to signifie perfection of doctrine yet growing to riper iudgment and being of better experience he abhorred that signification of the
society was established and coÌ„firmed If through the abundance of iniquitie it should come to passe that the Catholike religion should bee cleane rooted out of many countries for I make no doubt but that it shall also continue in many besids Rome vnto the worlds end yet those countries that retaine the auncieÌ„t faith shall also kepe the old title and name of the Catholike church though their faith be not then spred ouer all the world Because it was the same faith which had been in time past preached and beleeued ouer all for no man holdes it necessarie that at one and the same time it should be imbraced of all nations The Donatists I grant if they might haue had their way would haue ouersowed their tares in the fields of all countries They lacked not good will then no more then the protestants do now to sow their cockle farr neere but with all their tossing and turmoyling they were not able to infect half Africa only God sending vnto curst cowes short hornes and not yeelding such successe to the false doctrine of vaine men as to his own divine word when will M. Abbot take out this lesson that the church is called Catholike not because it desireth and wisheth to bee spred ouer all but for that it is so really and actually at one time or another which the Donatists protestaÌ„tes nor any other sectaries were yet ever able to compasse but must perforce whether they will or no leaue that singuler priviledge vnto the RomaÌ„ church THE FIFTH SECTION W. B. THe fifth branch of the comparison M. Abbot doth propose in this manner As the Donatists held there could be no salvation out of the church of Cartenna so the Papists hold there can bee none out of the church of Rome this is minced out of the fourth and in the like sort to bee confuted It is a principle receiued of both Catholiks and sectaries that there is no saluation out of the true church no more then there was life to be hoped for out of the Arke of Noe. Sectaries do attribute that salvation ech vnto their owne church But the church of Rome as hath been heertofore largly proued hath alwaies been and ever shal be a principal member of the same true Catholike church wherfore whosoeuer doth not hold communion with the church of Rome he is out of the state of salvation according to that memorable sentence of S. Hierom written vnto pope Damasus I following no chief but Christ Hieronim Epist 57. ad Damasum Papam Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudim tuae id est cathedrae Petri communione censocior super illam Petram aedificatam Ecclesiam scio quicunque extra haue domum agnum comederit profanus est si quis in arâ—ha Noâ— non fuerit peribit regnante diluuio ioyne in communion with your holines that is with the chaire of S. Peter vpon this rocke I knowe the church of Christ to bee built whosoeuer doth eate the Paschall lambe out of this house hee is profane he that is not found within the Arke of Noe shal bee drowned when the flouds do rise where is much more to the same purpose R. AB M. Bishop acknowledgeth the Donatists to haue been of opinion that to obtaine salvation one must communicate with their church what then hindreth but that the resemblance standeth good for the Papists bee of the same mind touching their church but he saith that the Donatists and all other sectaries do vntruly atttibute to their congregations that which is truly appropriated vnto the church of Rome which was and is the chief member of the Catholike church so was Ierusalem the chief member of the sinagogue and yet it put Christ to death in that communion then there was no salvatioÌ„ Is not a cheif member of the same substance with the rest of the body and what hindreth then but that the chief member may aswell as the rest bee corrupted and wounded notwithstanding I desire him to proue that it is the chiefe member I regard not what humane estimation it hath had for the eminencie of the place But with god there is no more respect of the church of Rome then of any other church If they will haue any more Aug de vnit ecâ—l cap. 6. let them reade it to vs out of the scriptures as saint Austin said to the Donatists But they loue not to bee called vpon for scriptures hee hath out of Ierome that he ioyned with the pope of Rome that is with Peters chaire bicause vpon that rocke hee knew the church of Christ to bee built and that hee was prophane and not of Christs flocke that out of that house did eate Christ the Paschall lambe and further that hee who dwelled not in that Arke should be drowned To the which I answere that albeit Ierome did ioyne with Damasus yet hee would not haue ioyned with Liberius whom hee reporteth to haue subscribed to the Arrian heresie wherfore Ierom did warely expound himself that hee gaue the primacy to none but to Christ Hiero. in Catalogo In fellowship of faith hee ioyned with Damasus yet no further then hee followed the doctrine of S. Peter which hee signifieth by adding the chaire of Peter Hee would not haue ioyned with pope Liberius because though hee were Bishop of Rome yet hee sate not in Peters chaire that is he held not the doctrine which Peter taught Of S. Peters chaire in Rome wâ— deeme the same as of S. Peters chaire in Antioch wherin then sate Paulinus yet Ierome there disclaimeth Paulinus because hee taught not the doctrine of Peter vpon Peters faith and confession it is that Ierom knew the church to be built as Erasmus vpon that Epistle verie well noteth Not vpon Rome for Rome also may hap to degenerate The communion of this faith is the house wherin Christ our Paschall lambe must be eaten And the Arke of Noe to saue vs. So long as the pope shall hold the doctrine of Peter wee will ioyne with him But M. Bishop can shew vs no warrant that the church of Rome shall alwaies continue in the doctrine of Peter and therfore his coÌ„clusion that out of the church of Rome there is no salvation is but a vayne presumption w. B. ALbeit the resemblance were true because heretikes in some things are like vnto true beleeuers yeâ— it was nought worth because it maketh the Catholiks no more like to the Donatists then vnto any other sort of sectaries nay then vnto the verie true church of Christ in whose participation only there is that salvatioÌ„ which all sectaries do vainly pretend to be found in their companie That the church of Rome is the chief and principall member of the Catholike church and that it never did nor never shall faile in matter in faith I haue already proued at large not onlie by the depositions of the most and best approued ancient fathers and Doctors both of the Greeke
circumstance of the very same Epistle S. Ierom finding the Bishops of the East vnder whom hee then liued to bee at fowle square about the word Hypostasis which may signifie either a substaÌ„ce or a person and being vehemently sollicited as a very learned man to deliuer his opinion whether they should say one or three hipostases would neither trust his owne learning which was singular nor rely vpon the iudgment of Paulinus by whom hee was made Priest who was both a very learned man and the patriarch of Antioch his proper pastor and prelate but knowing well that the finall and infallible resolution of all such doubts appertained vnto the Bishops of Rome addressed himself vnto him as vnto Christs vicar and S. Peters successor And was so far of from saying that hee would follow it no farther then hee followed S. Peter or from taking vpon himself so much as once to iudge of the popes senteÌ„ce that hee would beleeue and embrace whatsoever hee should determine Hiâ—ron epist 57. ad dama sum papam Disâ—ernite si placet obseero non ti meho tres hypostases dicere si iuhetis Ibidem Obtestor beatitudineÌ„ tuam per crucifixum vt mihi Epistolis tuis siue tacendarum siue dicendarum hypostaseon detuâ— auctoritas Ibidem Non nouivitalem miletum respuo ignoro Paulinum Quicunque tecum non colligit spargit hoc est qui christi non est Antichristi est and most instaÌ„tly besought Pope Damasus to commaund him and give him authority to say either three hypostases or but one And finally doth conclude that hee who would not be ruled by the pope in such doubtfull causes was none of Christs flocke but belonged to Antichrist Let S. Hierom then bee taken for a perfect patterne of true obedieÌ„ce vnto the popes senteÌ„ces and let M. Abbot staÌ„d for an exaÌ„ple of wranglers and perverters of the ancieÌ„t fathers true meaning And for that M. Abbot brags in the end of this discourse that hee told not one lie in it which might bee taken for a miracle if it were true Let the reader know that hee belieth here that worthy patriarch Paulinus Ex phan heres 77. wheÌ„ he saith of him that hee taught not the doctrine of Peter in that questioÌ„ For Paulinus was of no other opinioÌ„ touching the blessed Trinity then was that great light of that parte of the world S. Athanasius as witnesseth that sound recorder of antiquity most holy Bishop Epiphanius So that for no other cause in the world did S. IeroÌ„ write vnto pope Damasus for finall resolutioÌ„ of that difficulty theÌ„ for that hee was fully perswaded that it beloÌ„ged vnto the Bishop of Rome rather theÌ„ to any other Patriarch to determine all such hard doubtfull questioÌ„s M. Abbots key-cold glosse takeÌ„ out of Erasmus his scholies vpoÌ„ that Epistle is not worth the answering for hee being but a late and slipperie writer no fast hold can bee taken on him Againe his words bee as vncertaine as hee that spoke theÌ„ he supposeth that the Cyty of Rome may hap to degenerate in the end May hapso may hap no. So the Bishop of Rome do continue alwaies Orthodox as we make no doubt but through the vertue of our Saviours praier hee shall our pole-starr in darke questions shall alwaies remayne firme and cleere Though the city of Rome which god forbid should bee ouerrun either by the Turke or by any other wicked race of misbelieuers to wars the later end of the world as it was in the beginning of the Christian religion ruled by heathen Emperors Of M. Abbots interpretation of S. Peters faith and coÌ„fession hath been spoken sufficiently I hope in the first chapter whither I referre the Reader Hitherto of M. Abbots former resemblances betwene the Donatists and the Papists in steed of iustification wherof hee hath in each of them confessed some one oversight or other besids hee hath made many sorie shifts to vphold them And hath poudered them also with diuers vntruths M. Abbot hauing acquited himself so brauely in his precedent braÌ„ches of comparison now hee will no doubt as worthily and wisely multiply and increase them The first staffe of his multiplication staÌ„deth vpon Donatus the pope as hee stileth him but hee might more modestly haue termed him the Abbot of the Donatists R. AB THAT Archheretike exalted himself aboue the Emperor Optatus l. 3. co â—arm and therby as Optatus reporteth made himself more then a man euen as it were a God bicause there is none aboue the Emperor but God And albeit hee did not expresly call himself God yet he did that which was aequivalent for hee made his party to stand in more feare of him then they did of God Hee advanced himself aboue all other Bishops thinking none comparable to himself Is not the pope of Rome such another Hee hath exalted himself aboue all other Bishops he hath lifted himself aboue the Emperor and therby as Optatus concludeth made a god of himself Extrauag Iohis 22. Cum interim in glossa in edit Par. 1601. cuÌ„ priuilegio Gregorij 13. besids he in effect taketh vpon him to bee God by dispensing against the law of God and by disanulling the institution of Christ yea in very words hee hath yeelded to be called a god leaving yet standing in the glosse of the Canon Law vncorrected Our lord god the pope he will haue men stand in no lesse awe of him then of God himself whiles he maks shew of Gods anger at his coÌ„maund to inflict it where hee will W. B. IF mens owne inventions how silly soever seemed not vnto themselues ouer daintie pretious M. Abbot would haue chosen rather to haue blotted out his former childish resemblances then to haue added new vnto them of the like light nature This his first is so generall on the parte of the Donatists and so vnproper to bee applied to the pope and papists as he tearmeth them that it is worse then naught was there ever any Archheretike that preferred not his owne iudgement and inuention before both Popes and Emperors too if they could not get them to imbrace their heresies and in this high kind of pride and disdaine there was never any perhaps that passed the protestants Grandsier and Ringleader Martin Luther who with his Bible Luther libro aduersus Regem Angliae Ibidem was in his owne conceit to be preferd before a thousand Austins a thousand Ciprians and a thousand churches In the eie of the world I wil be saith hee so honest that they shall not be worthy to loose the lâ—â—chet of my shoe And touching my doctrine I am to Deuils Kaysars kings princes and to all the world too too froward and proude In glossa co praeten sum edictum Imperiale And in another place I Doctor Martin Luther of Iesus Christ an vnworrhy Euangelist do say that the Emperors of Rome Turky and Persia the Pope Cardinals Bishops priests fryers and
meant to make himself a God Optat. l 3 co Parm. Cum per solum deum soleāt homines iurare passus est homines per se iurare tanquam per deum Ibid. Omnes discipulos suam Partem appel labat etc. quasi iam populum cum deo diuiserat among the rest hee would haue men to sweare in his name as Christian men vse in lawfull causes to sweare by the name of God Besides hee tearmed all of his sect pars mea my part seuering them as Optatus takes it from the part of Christ and people of God in these points specially according to Optatus did hee aspire to bee like God what pope did euer the like they are so farre of from parting stakes with Christ as that they professe themselues to bee the seruants of all Christs seruants And who was euer yet required to sweare by the popes name so that M. Abbot by multiplying such lame halting similitudes must needs looke for little credit of either iudgment or honesty R. AB SEcondly the Donatists tooke vpon them that they had alwaies been possessors of vnity and of the church of God insomuch as they reckened Nero Domitian and the rest to haue been persecutors of their church wheras their beginning to bee Donatists was after the time of those persecutions No otherwise do the papists take vpon them to haue been alwaies the church of God and that their Martirs were slayne wheras their beginning to bee papists which properly is for worshipping their Lord God the pope is of farr latter time c. W. B. VVhat a ridiculous and lowsie resemblance is this First it differeth little from that which hath been said three times before at the least that the Donatists take their church for the true church therfore it deserues to be let passe as it comes This might haue some grace if it had been applied to the Protestants who take their beginning of a late vpstart Frier not one hūndreth yeres agoe as all the world knoweth and yet blush not to avowch that it was their church that was persecuted 1400 yeres before it was hatched as the Donatists who descending of Donatus would not withstanding haue had the church that was persecuted long before Donatus was borne to haue been their congregation As for the Roman church M. Abbot doth in this chapter as you shall see anon confesse it to haue been alwaies and therfore they may trulie saie even by his own confession that Nero Domitian the rest persecuted their church As for those papists that worship the pope for their God Dic quibus in terris eris mihi magnus Apollo If M. Abbot can tell vs where they dwell or in what land they liued and when what were their names I shall hold him if not for a great Apollo yet for as great an oracle as that of Apollo in the meane season let it run on in the reckening of his other bables and tales R. ABBOT THE Donatists alleaged that Emperors and princes had nothing to do in church matters Optat. l. 3. con Par men held it a great fault in the Catholike Bishops to cōplayne to the Emperor of them what hath the Emperor to do with the church sayd their pope Donatus Aug. con Gaudent l. 2. c. 26. For the teaching of Israël saith Gaudentius God gaue charge to prophets not to kings And Christ sent fishermen and not souldiers for the planting of the faith Thus vpbraiding the Emperors for cōdemning their schisme and vsing force of armes to represse the infinit rage of their mad-braind Circumcellians Of the same humour bee the papists who make princes to be sonnes onlie of the church but no gouernors therof Dist 96. si Imper Kings must learne of Bishops and not teach them what appertaines to Religion because God will haue church matters governed by priests and not by secular powers And Christian Emperors must submit their executions vnto the rulers of the church therfore they hold the comissioners and officers of Princes to bee no competent Iudges in their causes they cary themselues contemptuously towards them c. W. B. THE Donatists are no sure cards to trust vnto in that cause of princes dealing with ecclesiasticall persons and in ecclesiasticall causes Because they maie serue for an example on all sides For like audacious and restles wrangling spirits they did run in that cause frō one extremitie to the other First against the rules and practise of the primitiue church they would needs appeale from the iudgment of Bishops vnto the Emperor hoping by false informations to haue found some vnlawfull fauour in his court a Opt. l. 1. co Parm. Donatus appellandum esse ab episcopis credidit wherof we haue for most soūd witnesses both Optatus in these words Donate the ringleader of the Donatists thought good to appeale from the Bishops to the Emperor And S. Austin who saith of them That they wearied the Emperor with their daily appeales Againe they first of all sued vnto the Emperor then appealed vnto him Aug. ep 166. Quotidia nis interpellationibus ipsi imperatori taedium fecerunt Ibidem A iudicibius Episcopis ad constantinum appellauerūt a quo toties conuicti con fusi redierunt a pernicie furoris nō recesserūt and after all that would not stand to his iudgmēt This was their first attempt wherin they shewed thēselues kindly protestants after wards being beatē with their own rod they began like wiser children to acknowledg that it did not belong to temporall princes to heare and determyne ecclesiasticall causes as their sentēces cited by M. Abbot do declare where if they had staid the Catholike Bishops of those times would not haue blamed them as you shall heare But they fell at last to the other extremity crying out against the Emperor both for punishing their mad-braynd Circumcellians that set churches on fire robbed and murdered and also for that hee came ouer all the Donatists as schismatiks and Heretiks with a pecuniary mulct making them to pay for their obstinate folly for which they cried out against the Emperor and his officers This did the Donatists Now to the applicatiō Both the protestants and wee condēne the Donatists for denying princes to haue temporall power to suppresse seditious persons robbers and murtherers and to punish them that be by the church declared heretiks either by the purse or otherwise But wee differ in the other point The protestants do hold princes to bee supreme iudges aswell in causes ecclesiasticall as temporall and therfore must needs approue of appeales made fro the Bishops to them wee granting to them full soueraigne power in causes tēporall do affirme that they be not ordinarie Iudges in causes Ecclesiasticall I say ordinary because by cōsent of both parties as it was in some causes of the Donatists they maie bee chosen arbitrators or iudges The Donatists held both these opiniōs first that of the protestāts afterwards
them yet when the same were executed complayned of persecution and their church they teaâ—med the persecuted church that did not persecute And such on their side as were iustly punished for murders and other crimes they called their martirs and to their relikes they did great devotion Even the same course do the Papists take who by their wicked practises having giuen cause of making lawes against them do vpon the execution therof cry out of persecution and do call them Martirs that are put to death for such horrible treasons and do honor their relikes c. W. B. will not this proper resemblance bee much more truly verified in the protestants who hauing by their mutinous and seditious practises in many Christian countries provoked most Catholike Princes to enact severe lawes against them and being afterward for their open rebellions executed yet the protestaÌ„ts without blushing do in print proclaime them for martirs thrust their names into their Calender In which kind M. Fox our doating countryman hath I thinke excelled all his fellowes As for devotion vnto their mad martirs relicts I reade not in any place quoted by M. Abbot that the Donatists vsed any that is but a florish of his Rhetorike to make them seeme somewhat more like vnto vs that do honor the reliks and memories of those holy personages that haue honored God by their noble Martirdomes traced vs out the true steps to eternall glory but therin they were for ought I can find no more devoute then bee the protestants who do litle esteeme the dead bones of their dreaming Saints and mad Martirs nay S. Austins words cited by him self do declare that the Donatists did not and that the Catholiks did worship the relicks of martirs these they be l. 2. co Petil. c. 71 you donatists be not blessed but you make blessed martirs with whose soules the heavens are replenished and the earth florisheth with the relicks of their bodies vos non colitis sed facitis quos colamus you do worship them but make them such as may be worshipped by vs. R. AB 11. ALbeit the Emperors to represse the enormious crimes of the Donatists Aug co lit Petil. l. 2. c. 92. made such lawes against them yet they would haue it thought that the Emperors did it not of their owne mind but through the instigation of the godly Bishops Even so do the Papists and namely M. Bishop though they know the Prince to haue iust cause to deale so severely with them yet doth hee impute his proceedings vnto the instigation and exasperation of his Ministers W. B. I Must needs confesse that I know no cause why his Maiestie in the first parlament of his raigne in England did confirme all those severe lawes with some additions which had been enacted against Catholikes in Queene Elizabeths daies for the same Catholikes had as much if not more trauailed to make his highnes true title vnto the Crowne of EnglaÌ„d knowen and his person acceptable then the protestants and did as willingly receiue him into the possession therof And albeit some few Catholikes did rashly ioyne with protestants to haue attempted the surprising of his royall person out of their hands whom they presumed to abuse his Maiesty verie much with false and malitious informations Yet that could hardly bee in my poore opinion any iust cause to confirme so many rigorous lawes against the whole body of Catholikes no more then to haue made the like against protestants who were principall sticklers in that desperate enterprise All which considered had I not reason writing in that time to remoue that imputation which seemed to touch his Maiesty and to impute it rather vnto the malice of some certaine crept to farre into his royall favour and knowen to bee maliciously bent against our religioÌ„ then to his highnes who as many haue reported did in the beginning often protest that hee would take no soule mony and that hee would like of no Catholike the worse for his religion so that otherwise hee found him loyall and faithfull Since the horrible plot of the Gunpowder though there bee more colour for those seuere lawes yet there is in my slender iudgmeÌ„t no iust cause for what equity or coÌ„science teacheth for the crimes of some fewe offenders to punish innumerable Innocents that never consented vnto them nor were any waie culpable of the same crime It is the vniforme consent of all the learned that paena sunt restringeÌ„dae non ampliaÌ„dae Punishments are to bee restreyned and shortned and not to bee inlarged or lengthned To forgiue offeÌ„ders is an honorable duty of Christians but to inflict punishment where there is no iust desert is not excusable even amoÌ„gst pagans Therfore it being the dutifull part of a subiect rather to excuse his soveraigne then to accuse him wee that hold our selues so well assured of his maiesties most clement naturall disposition fortifyed also with iust and even proceeding in civill affaires could not but lay the blame of those extreme courses vpoÌ„ other more violent spirits were they temporall Lords or ministeriall I know not but sure I am that they haue shewed themselues towards men of our religion too too malitious and spitefull God Almighty pardon them and giue those of them that yet liue grace to amend those that bee dead would not haue vs to pray for their soules and therfore wee can do no more for them but to leaue them to Gods mercifull Iudgments R. AB 12. THe Donatists albeit they knew well that it was but a small part of the world that ioyned with them yet gloried to vse words as though they had had a church throughout all the world Even so the papists although they know the communion of the church of Rome to bee accepted of but in a small part of the world yet take pleasure to bable as if the Popes triple crowne were so wide as to compasse the whole earth W. B. AS the former resemblance was pared out of that which went next before it so hath this been thrice before touched The odd idle man that purposed to arriue vnto the full nuÌ„ber of twelue is forced to mince them into mammocks and to make no bones to repeate the same thing in effect very often ouer all to retourne a full Iury of twelue that may bring in a verdict against himself either of Ignoramus or els a billa vera for a poore peece of Inuention to frame resemblances as common as the high way and for the most part such as may bee imputed to what sect soeuer you please but do indeed not more properly appertaine vnto any then vnto the protestaÌ„ts themselues Thus farre to refute M. Abbots addition of triuiall and improper resemblances Now I come to confirme those points of comparison which I to requite him did propose I stood not vpon coÌ„mon accideÌ„ts which lightly are incident vnto all kind of sects as M. Abbot hath done very trifflingly but at the first do set vpon
the head of the cause and propose one similitude betwene the Protestāts and Donatists of that nature and force that if it bee verified no vpright iudge can deny the protestants to bee Donatists indeed This it is S. Austin Optatus and all antiquity do testify that the maine point of the Donatists heresie consisted in this that they affirmed the church of Christ planted by the Apostles to haue perished all the world ouer saving in those coasts of Africa where their party remayned Therfore whosoever mainteynes this error obstinatly though hee faile in no other article of belief hee is a very Donatist And whosoeuer should vphold all the branches mentioned by M. Abbot or any other that any man els can produce if hee do not maintaine this to wit that the Catholike church is perished in most parts of the world hee can neuer be come a Donatist the reason is most euident because hee doth not concord with them in that error for which they were Christned by that name As for the error of rebaptization it sprong vp before their daies and was but an appendix to the other which the donatists vndertook to currie favour in that coūtrie where it had been taught before by great personages Now then to the purpose If the Protestants do teach the true church to haue perished all the world ouer for many hundreth yeres saving that it remayned among men of their religion in certaine darke and vnknowne corners who can deny them to bee as true Donatists as ever were any which M. Abbot perceiuing to bee as plaine as Dunstable high way maketh as though the protestants never taught the true visible church to haue faild at any time but to haue alwaies euen from Gregorie the great his time downe to our daies continued visibly in all these parts of the world though blemished with some corruptions yea that the church of Rome it self was a part therof as also the ancient church of England doth not this seeme strange was it not their common doctrine that from Pope Boniface his time that is for these nine hundreth yeres at least there was a generall Apostacy from the true church and that Antichrist with his band possessed the outward visible church Gods true church lying hid all that while invisible vntill frier Luther cast of his frock coupled himself with a Nunne and began to set abroach the true light of the new Gospell If M. Abbot will not acknowledg it let him and the reader that doubts of it but turne to those Authors of our owne country To omitt others M. Parkins in his reformed Catholike page 331. M. Fulke in his answere to the counterfeit Catholike and against Stapleton and M. Martiall page 377. M. whitakers de ecclesia contra Bellarminum page 144. M. Napper vpon the reuelations page 143. 126. who with the greater parte of Protestants do openly crie out that from Pope Boniface his raigne the visible church of God Perished from the face of the earth the pope of Rome and his adherents whom they make Antichrist and his ministers having deuowred and ruined the Gospell and in steed of it brought in Idolatry According vnto this opinion of those learned and famous pillars of the new Gospell which was in times past commonly taught among them The Protestants are Donatists and worse then Donatists for first they agreed with the Donatists in the essentiall point of their heresie that the true church of Christ was perished And in this they went farr beyond them for the Donatists did not affirme the church to bee perished in all places they thēselues having for a hundreth yeares and more some face of a church in many cities of Africa and aboue 300 Bishops of their sect But the protestants ancient churches were at the first so soare beaten vtterly blasted that they cānot so much as name one prouince where their religion had any bishops or florished for any one age of the nine hūdreth yeeres of that supposed defection wherfore M. Abbot to avoide the open profession of that damnable Donatisme is faine to fall into a newe phantasie that forsooth the Roman church notwithstanding all her grosse errors and fowle faults in their imagination is a true member of Christs Catholike church because she held alwaies the foundation entire though she built hay straw and stubble theron well fare your hart gentle sir wee are much beholding vnto you for the good opinion you haue of our church and religion but how comes it then to passe that our church her self being so hart-whole and tollerable the members therof bee by you esteemed so blasphemous horrible why are the lawfull pastors therof only for being consecrated priests and for coming into England to execute the anciēt and accustomed rites of priesthod made hainous traitors why are honest and otherwise harmles men for receiuing of priests and serving God after the old accustomed manner most grieuously punished by losse of all their goods lands libertie and life how vnreasonable and conscienceles men bee you Ministers to cry out for so severe lawes and most bitter execution therof against recusants for that religion which you your selues hold to bee Catholike If there were any good nature left in you or sparke of any kindnes you should rather intreat pardon for men of our religion of whom you now chalenge yourselues to bee lineally descended and in right of which descent you enioy many high Ecclesiasticall dignities and rich benefices This in courtesy you ought rather to do then for humane tollerable faults to incense the prince and state against vs. Tollerable I say in the course of mans law if Almightie God will beare with them And if they do not exclude a Christian man out of Gods Catholike church as they do not in the way of your opiniō why should earthly potentats depriue them of the commō benefits of their dominions and not rather after the example of the soveraigne Lord of heaven and earth suffer them to liue quietly in their kingdome and to enioy their owne livings which bee rightfully descended vnto them from their predecessors men also of the same religion I cannot see how M. Abbot all they that imbrace the same opinion can in equity require any recusant to bee so highly punished for that religion which they hold to bee good in all substantiall and fundamentall points therof though they thinke it in other of smaller moment to neede reformatiō well though that their opinion bee more fauorable and indulgent to vs yet in my poore iudgment it is farre of from being true And to my slender conceite it doth seeme as it were prodigious how they can take that church to bee a true member of the right church whose head they hold to bee Antichrist whose sacrifice and common service Idolatrie whose Sacraments sacrilegious superstitions the greater part of their doctrine blasphemies their pastors beasts foxes and swine as M. Abbot here out of his litle ciuility tearmeth them Briefly
they saie that all their additions ioyned and sowdered to the rest bee inspired by the holie Ghost Or can that trulie bee called a psalme of Dauid that hath one sentence in it not dictated by the holy Ghost But in their meeters manie such sentences bee added which are not assured to bee of the holie Ghost wherfore they may well marre but cannot make vp any psalmes of Dauid Besids they haue some very hereticall sentences interlarded among the rest As for example this in the inuocation of the holy Ghost before the Sermon Keepe vs from all papistry Finally there bee some whole psalmes made by by Robin woodcocke I trow or some of his fellowes no lesse Dunsticall then hereticall Take for a tast therof the first staffe of the last song in their psalter composed by R. W. which I thought good to record here that the reader may see how elegant and pleasant they bee both for meeter and matter Preserve vs Lord by thy deere word From Turke and Pope defend vs Lord Which both would thrust out of his throne Our Lord Iesus Christ thy deare sonne These must needes bee verie noble verses that haue thrice Lord in them And as for word and Lord Throne and sonne though the words do end in the like syllables yet they agree not in sound If M. Abbot would haue the simple reader beleeve that S. Austin and S. Leo when they speake in the praise of singing of Psalmes did meane Davids psalmes in meeter let him produce but one good Author to testify that they were so turned within 900. yeares of those Doctors deathes and then hardely beleeue him If hee cannot then every man may see what credit is to bee given to his allegations That S. Austins words which I alleaged are to bee vnderstood of Psalmes which the Donatists sung in their churches rather then of songs in their drunken bankets may bee gathered out of the comparison that hee makes betweene them and the psalmes that were sung in the Catholike church And S. Austin might well by a Metaphore vsuall in the holy scripture call the Donatists new mad devises against the ancient custome of grave singing in the quire their drunkennes As for the worshipfull testimony of Cornelius Agrippa of our mingling holie things with prophane it being recorded in a booke of condemned memorie I hold it not worth the answering Sure I am that M. Abbot by producing of such Authors cracketh his owne credit for hee promised in his Epistle to the reader that hee would only vse the testimonie either of some learned Bishops of Rome or of some other famously approued author and commended in that church And this booke of Agrippa de vanitate scientiarum is by name condemned by the same church in the Cataloge of forbidden books wherfore M. Abbot is no man of his word Finally like to a tatling tennis plaier that comes well beaten out of the tennis court yet to comfort himself and to saue his poore credit with his friends brags that those mates with whom he plaid were no matches for him yea that no man that daie was able to stand in his hands Even so M. Abbot having behaued himself as simply as a man of either wit or learning could doe either for defending of his owne or for offendīg his aduerse party yet cōcludeth as though hee had gotten the field and cleane foiled his adversary saying that I did vnfortunatly enter into retorting of that comparison nothing serving my turne but that hee like a nimble tēnis player had returned my owne bals vpon mee that with very great advantage well bragge is a Iolly dog and leesers must sometimes bee suffred to haue their words Let the iudicious and indifferent reader but weigh well first what kind of resemblance M. Abbot endevored to make betweene the Donatists and the Papists to wit to chalenge to themselues to bee the Catholike church To bee or rather to desire to bee dilated all the world over that out of their church there was no salvation To spred ill rumors of their adversaries To discourage men from ioyning with them with a Ragmans roll of such rotten riff raffe common to all sects and to none more vsuall then to the protestantes themselues So triviall I say that any man of ordinarie discretiō would haue been ashamed to haue put them downe in print to the view of the world Afterward on the other side let him but call to mind what resemblances I haue proposed betweene the Protestants and the Donatists and weigh how substantiall they bee in themselues and how properly they fitt the protestants The first was that the spirit and soule of Donatisme cōsisted in affirming the church of Christ not to appeare in any other part of the world visibly but to haue cleā perished saving in some few places where men of their religion liued Of the same mind were the chief protestants for many yeares Secondly the Donatists were the first among Christians that appealed from the iudgment of Bishops vnto temporall Princes though they afterwards repented themselues thereof when they saw that the said princes would not helpe them Is not this one of the chiefe heads of the protestants Gospell yea doth not the whole frame of their new religion hang vpon the supreme ecclesiasticall authority of kings Thirdly they beate downe Altars abused the blessed Sacramēt of Christs body defiled holy oiles confiscated sacred chalices and sold them togither with the vestments and other holie ornaments of the church All which are so proper to the Protestants that they blush not daily to practise it and make open profession of the same 4. The protestāts like vnto the Donatists by putting innocēt priests to death make martirs whom we may worship Finally they pulled of the veiles of religious women which were signes of their professed virginity exposing them to the hazard of the wild world In which vngodlie and irreligious practise the protestāts haue gone farre beyond the Donatists But that they maie not take too great pride therin let them heare the vpright censure of the holy prelate Optatus passed 1200. yeares agone against them in the name of their deere brethren the Donatists In this kind you haue done as great damage to god Optat. l. 6. co Parm. In hoc genere tanta damna fecistis Deo quanta lucra diabolo procurastu Conflastis impie calices crudeliter fregistis inconsulte rasistis altaria Nudastis denuo capita iam velata de quibus professionis detraxistis indicia qua contra raptores aut petitores videntur inuenta Spiritale hoc nubendi genus est in nuptias Sponsi iam venerant voluntate professione sua vt secularibus nuptiijs se renuntiasse monstrarent spiritali sponso soluerant crinem iam caelestes celebrauerant nuptias as you haue procured gaine to the devill you haue impiously melted Chalices you haue barbarously broken downe Altars c. and a litle before you haue vncouered the
heads of virgins that were veiled drawing from them the markes of their profession which were inuented to declare that in will and professiō they were maried to Christ By these few resemblances hitting the protestants so right on the thumbes to omitt many other the indifferent reader may see whether my retorting of M. Abbots comparisons were to the purpose or no and whether of vs haue more fortunatly travailed therin §. 6. W. B. TO conclude this passage seing M. Abbot went about to prove the church of Rome to bee like that of the Donatists by no one sound argument but by diuers trifles and vntruthes hee must looke vnles hee repent to haue his part with liars in the poole burning with fire and brimstone And if it please the reader to heare at what great square the Donatists were with the said church of Rome to which M. Abbot would so fayne resemble them I will briefly shew it out of the best records of that time L. 2 co lit Petil. c. 51. S. Austin speakes thus to the Donatist Petilian what hath the church or sea of Rome in which Peter sate and now sitteth Anastasius done vnto thee why doest thou call the Apostolicall chaire the chaire of pestilence See how friendly the Donatists were wont to salute the church of Rome stiling it the chaire of pestilence That noble prelate Optate to this Issue hath thus deposed whence is it that you Donatists take vpon you to vsurpe the keies of the kingdome and that presumptuously and with sacrilegious audacity you do wage battell against the chaire of Peter If the Donatists did wage warre against the church of Rome surely there was no likelihood of any good intelligence betweene them wherfore like as the Catholiks of Africa then so they were linked in communion with the church of Rome sett light by the outcries of the Donatists against them as witnesseth S. Austin when hee said of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage Epist 162 one of the princes of the Catholike party hee needed not to care for the multitude of his conspiring enemies the Donatists when hee saw himself by communicatorie letters ioyned with the Romane church in which alwaies florished the primacie of the Apostolicall chaire c. Even so wee at this time need as litle to esteeme of the bitter reproches and deceitfull arguments of the protestants So wee stand vpright and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same church of Rome R. AB MIstake I did in some circumstance but lie I did not because to lie is to go against a mans owne mind and knowledge That the Donatists were at square with the ancient church of Rome wee confesse But what is that to the latter church of Rome which is degenerated from the old and in tying the Catholike church to her owne place and function doth rather resemble the old Donatists besids the Donatists were at as great square with all other Catholike churches some of which were also mentioned by saint Augustin in that and other places why then doth M. Bishop make that peculiar vnto the church of Rome which S. Austin leaueth indifferent to that and other churches and as other churches afterward became chaires of pestilence so might the church of Rome for ought that S. Austin there saith of it The like is to bee answered vnto Optatus who teaching the Donatists to haue been whole enemies vnto the church of Rome doth not hinder but that the latter church of Rome might agree well enough with them Finally S. Austin doth not say that Cecilianus ioyned with the church of Rome alone but ioyning with that and other Catholike churches needed not to care for the Donatists So that there is no more there for the cōmuniō of the church of Rome thē for the cōmuniō of other churches Hee will say that a principality is there attributed vnto the church of Rome I answere as before I haue done that a principality of honour may bee givē to it but not a principality of power And doth it follow that because the principality of the Apostolike chaire florished there till that time therfore it should do so ever vnto the worlds end These are loose and vaine collections vnfit to stablish the conscience of sober and advised men W. B. FOr a conclusion of this chapter M. Abbot tells vs that albeit hee mistooke somethings yet hee did not lie in any part therof and the proofe in part is very prettie because for sooth hee went not against his owne mind His mind and pleasure then being to say that the Donatists taught the true church to bee only at Cartenna Secondly That the Papists do teach now that the same true church is conteyned within the wals of Rome only 3. That no other mans Baptisme besids a papist priests is avaylable to Salvation 4. That none among the Indians bee truly converted to the Christian faith but all of them are forced to receiue baptisme with out religion when hee I say wrote these and twentie mo such like most luculent lies yet in all this hee did not once lie the reason is in readines bicause hee never went against his owne mind His mind then giving him belike that to vilify and slaunder the Papists he might tell a hundreth worse tales of them then those are Good Sir if vpon Etymologies of words you presume to deliuer such senseles and wicked doctrine it may trulie bee said to you for ought I see Domine mentiris whether you teach it against your owne mind or no. For although a man that of meere ignorance telleth an vntruth doth not properly lie yet when hee presumeth to shoote his bolt to giue his censure rashly of things commonly spoken of contrary to the truth as M. Abbot hath done then hee may bee said to lie though hee know not perfectly the contrarie Because hee might and ought to haue learned out the truth therof before hee presumed to deliuer his Iudgment theron in such absolute and peremptorie tearmes As the Donatists were at open warre with the old church of Rome So doth the moderne church of Rome as greatly as the old detest the same positions of the Donatists To wit that the church of Christ is perished all the world ouer saving in some odd corners 2. That men baptised by vnsanctified Ministers ought to bee rebaptised And so of all the rest which either Optatus or S. Austin then recorded for speciall points of the Donatists doctrine That the now church of Rome doth differ in any one article of faith from the ancient is that which M. Abbot doth often say and repeate but never yet could nor here after shall ever bee able to bring any one sufficient proofe therof wherfore by all right and reason the said church is to retaine her former good reputatiō and credit with all honest and vpright consciences For if everie man haue title vnto his good name vntill hee bee conuicted to haue committed some such
fault as meriteth the losse therof much more the church of Rome being the most honorable congregation of Christendome ought to hold her due estimation and credit and enioy all her priviledges vntill it bee lawfully proved that it hath iustlie deserved to bee deprived of them for in dubijs mel or est conditio possidentis In all doubtfull causes shee that is and hath been fifteen hundreth yeres in possession is to keepe it still I grant that when S. Austin either defended the honour of the church of Rome or magnified the society and communion with it did thervnto ioyne some other church But the mention of them not being to our present purpose what reason had I to recite that which was needlesse when as every man knowes that aswell as then so now whosoever shall recōcile himself to the church of Rome hee shall therby reenter into communion with all other Catholike churches throughout the whole world And wheras M. Abbot would haue his credulous reader suppose that S. Austin made no more reckoning of the church of Rome then hee did of any others That is flat contrary to that which S. Austin setteth downe in the very same place who to prevent that Cavill doth enterlace this Parenthesis in the honour of the church of Rome where alwaies florished the primacie of the Apostolicall chaire And in his Epistle 165. being to giue an instāce of the perpetuall successiō of pastors in the church maketh choice of the church of Rome as of the better assured and more safe and sound there doth intimate that the Bishops of Rome though they might liue amisse yet should never faile to instruct aright all that seeke vnto them for resolutions of their doubts in matter of faith wherfore M. Abbot if hee will giue credit vnto that most holy and learned Doctor whom aswell protestants as wee do esteeme for one of the soundest recorders of antiquity hee must needs yeeld vnto the church of Rome both that it is the principall of all the rest and that it shall for ever continue the most assured Oracle of the holy Catholike faith which if hee refuse to do hee leaueth apparent proofe vnto all the world that hee had rather with the Donatists raile at her and revile her then with S. Augustine and other holy prelats extoll and magnify the primacy of that Apostolicall chaire and defend the ever durable succession of her pastors as wel in truth of doctrine as in order of persons of which I haue more largly spoken in the 2. Section of the first chapter n. 29. VVHETHER EVERY CHRISTIAN MAIE BEE Saued in his owne religion albeit therein bee some errors in matter of faith BECAVSE M. Abbot in the precedent chapter granteth that the Roman church and the church of our forefathers in England were true members of the Catholike church and consequently in the state of Salvation albeit hee esteemeth them infected with sundrie grosse Errors And for that I otherwise know that verie many remarkable persons in our countrie do greatlie desire to heare this question more exactly discussed I thought it more convenient to let the ensuing chapters of M. Abbors trifling booke to rest for a season and presently to fall in hand with this matter which is no lesse longed after then it is necessarie to bee knowen For the more particular explication of this weightie difficulty whether everie one maie bee saued in his owne religion or no I leaving a full treatise therof vnto them that haue better leisure thinke good to touch these three points I. First whether hee that beleeueth aright in the one living and eternall God and liueth honestly may bee saued without expresse beliefe in Iesus Christ our Saviour II. Secondly whether beleeving aright both in God almightie Creator of heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ our redeemer with all other fundamentall points of the Christian religion hee may bee saued that doth therewith beleeve amisse in some other articles of the Christian faith III. Thirdly I will adde a word or two about the publike profession of the same Christian faith because besides an honest life and a true belief that also is necessary to salvation I tooke it not amisse to handle briefly the first point although there bee few Christians that make any doubt of it because I my self haue heard some good soules verie vertuously given but not sufficiently instructed to bee of opinion that it made no great matter what religion they professed so they feared God and led an honest life amōg their neighbors Their opinion seemed to issue out of Good nature and a great loue of honest life and vpright dealing which they saw to bee wonderfully decaied and almost perished in our miserable coūtrie The best reason that I can frame in favour of their error is this Almightie God is most mercifull full of goodnes and compassion towards all his owne creatures hee knowes our inbred ignorance and weaknes and therfore is not likely to bee highly offended against them that do their endevour to serue him accordīg to their knowledge and capacitie how slender soeuer it be Now manie there bee in the wide world brought vp among Turkes infidells that never heard of or at the least never had sufficiently declared vnto them that Iesus Christ is the Saviour of the world wherfore it seemes that such may bee saued without faith in him And among vs Christians some bee so dull of capacitie and blockish or haue been so extreame ignorantly or evilly brought vp that they haue not been well taught to beleeve in the Saviour of the world Christ Iesus may not their grosse ignorance beg their pardon att our most mercifull Lord his hands Besides S. Paul declaring what is necessarie for him to beleeve that will approach vnto God seemeth to require but two things The one that hee beleeue that God is the other that hee is a rewarder of all them that seeke vnto him Hebr. 11.6 Hee that cometh to God must beleeve that hee is and is a rewarder to them that seeke him But wee maie well beleeue that God is to wit a spirit of infinite goodnes wisdome power the Creator conserver and soveraigne ruler of heaven and earth and of all things in them also that as hee hath created all things of his inestimable goodnes and preserveth and governeth all with incomprehensible wisdome and equitie So hee will in the end as high Iudge of the quicke the dead call all reasonable creatures to an account of their dutifull behauiour towards their so good and high maker preserver ruler and out of his immense bountie most aboundantlie reward all them that haue in this life sought vnto him and diligentlie serued him And on thother side severely punish them that haue neglected their dutie towards him and transgressed his holie commaundements All this I say and much mor◠one maie beleeue without the knowledg of Christ therfore it seemes possible that some men maie obtaine saluation
Apollinarists did not swarue from the Catholiks in any other point of faith except that they maintained our saviour Christ to haue had no soule of man but that his Godhead did supplie the place of the soule Eutiches and his fellowes agreeing in the rest auouched the flesh of Christ to bee turned into the divine nature All these did professe to beleeue in Christ and to hold all the articles of the Creede So did the MacedoniaÌ„s that imagined the holy Ghost to be lesse then the sonne And the latter Grecians also that deny the same holie Ghost to proceed aswell from the sonne as from the father The Pelagians did not denie Christ or anie article of the Creed no more did the Novatians nor the Donatists at lest as they vnderstood the creed For albeit the Nouatians denied priests to haue power to forgiue some certen of the most grieuous sort of sins as the Protestants do now denie them to haue power to forgive any at all yet they denied no more then the protestants do that article of the creed I beleeue remission of sinnes For they beleeued that God could at all times forgiue all sort of sinnes though they denied priests to haue power to remit some of the most enormious So the Donatists though they taught the church to haue been decayed all the world ouer saving in Africa yet did they professe to beleeue the Catholike church But they expounded it to bee Catholike not for that it was spred ouer all but for that it reteyned all the seven sacraments or for that it professed to keepe all Gods commaundements as you haue heard before Out of these examples I frame this argument If it were sufficient to saluation to beleeue in God our Creator and in Iesus Christ our Redeemer withall other articles set downe expresly in the Apostles Creed Then were the Arrians Macedonians Pelagians and all those other aboue rehearsed heretiks notwithstanding their obstinate cleaving to their condemned heresies in the state of saluation because they refused not to beleeve any of the foresaid points But to hold that anie of the aboue named heretikes dying in their said heresies died in the state of saluation is to gainsay and reproue all pure antiquity it is to condemne the holy prelats and most learned Doctors of the primitiue church of want of learning want of Iudgment and want of charity who cast those erring men as heretikes out of their churches condemned them to the pit of hell as the profest enemies of Christ and the Devils champions Besids the best informed Christians of those times chose rather to suffer all kind of torments then to professe any one point of their condemned opinions which had been great folly if with the profession of them they might holding the other fundamentall points haue enioyed Christ his fauour and been inheritors of the kingdome of heauen Moreouer what necessity had there been for the most learned and renowmed ancient prelats to haue taken such paines either in writing so many learned volumes or in disputing or preaching against those heretikes if they might haue been all saued euery one in his owne religion Might not also the huge charges and exceeding great paines of assembling of generall councels haue been well spared if those men for whose right information they were called might haue obtâ—ined saluation though they had been let alone in their owne errours It must needs therfore bee graunted that the best Clerks and holiest personages in the purest times of Antiquity thought it enough to damnation to deny anie one article of the Catholike faith Matth. 7.15 after it was in anie generall councell declared for such Doth not our blessed Saviour when hee stileth heretikes by the name of false prophets and resembleth them to rauening wolues that devoure Christian soules cleerlie demonstrate that they haue no part in his good grace and favour but bee in his sight odious and hatefull creatures Againe when hee doth in another place compare theÌ„ to theeues and robbers Ioan. 10.1 that do breake into his fold of their owne authority and take vpon them to bee his ministers when hee sent them not scattering killing his flocke Doth hee not I say plainly intimate them to bee guiltie of death and eternall Damnation Tit. 3 11. S. Paul chargeth vs to auoide the companie of an hereticall man knowing that such bee subuerted do sinne and bee even by their owne iudgment condemned And elswhere amoÌ„g the workes of the flesh rangeth heresies sects diuisions forewarninge vs expresly that whosoeuer doth committ anie of them shall never enter into the kingdome of heauen what hope then can there bee of their saluation wherfore heretiks being by our Saviour likened vnto wolues Gallat 5.15 theeues and robbers and by his Apostles declared damnable creatures vncapable to enter into the kingdome of heauen who were also in all ancient councels held for accursed can any bodie bee either so ill aduised or so foolish hardie as to perswade them that there is any hope of saluation for them vnles they forsake their errors in season But because worldlings neuer waÌ„t false prophets to lay pillowes vnder their elbowes to vphold them in their errors some such may heere step forth and in their excuse saie for theÌ„ that seing they beleeue in Christ hold all the articles of the Apostles Creede though they erre in other points they caÌ„not bee heretiks therfore whatsoeuer is said against heretikes doth not touch theÌ„ that be not of that nuÌ„ber This excuse will not serue the turne for as I haue before shewed neither Arrians NestoriaÌ„s PelagiaÌ„s nor any other most notorious heretikes did plainly denie either Christ to bee Saviour of the world nor anie other expresse point of any article of the creed neuerthelesse they were by the true verdict of the ancient Catholike church denounced and declared for heretikes In a word if to beleeue in Christ and to hold the rest of the Apostles Creede were sufficient to preserue any Christian from the Canker of heresie then hee that would denie both the old and new Testament to bee Canonicall scriptures and the true word of God might bee no heretike because the Canon of holy scripture is not expressed in the creed So hee that would ouerthrow the whole Hierarchie of the church and send all the sacraments into banishment might escape the brand of heresie because of those points there is no particular mention in the said Creed wherfore it is most certaine that men may bee most wicked and damnable heretikes albeit they professe to beleeue in Christ and do not deny anie one substantiall point expressed in the Apostles Creed if they shall wilfully defend any other erronious doctrine contrary vnto the truth reuealed by God and so declared vnto vs by the pastors and doctors of the Catholike church For witnes wherof I will now cite only two leaving the rest for the vpshot of this question Aug l. q. in Math. q. 11.
addeth in another place whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your wordes Math. 10 15. going forth out of the house and citie shake of the dust from your feet Amen I say to you it shal bee more tolerable for the land of the Sodomits and Gomorrheans in the daie of iudgment then for that city Behold how straightly wee are charged to heare and beleeue Christs witnesses the pastors and Doctors of the Catholike church If wee do otherwise wee shal bee taken to despise Christ and to despise his heavenly father and shall find no lesse intollerable iudgment then did the stinking and abhominable Sodomites Moreouer the pastors of the Catholike church are not only Christs bare witnesses and Ambassadors but they bee also our spirituall governors Act. 20.28 Posuit vos Spiritus sanctus regere ecclesiam Dei The holie Ghost hath appointed you to gouerne the church of God If they bee our governors wee must obey them Hebr. 13.17 Obedite prepositis vestris subiacete eis Obey your Prelats and bee subiect vnto them hee that resisteth power Rom. 13.2 resisteth the ordinance of God And of all governors the spirituall that do represent our Saviour in a higher degree are most to bee respected Therfore more hainous is the offence of euerie one that doth obstinatlie withstand them then of others that withstande their temporall prince Math. 18.17 Qui ecclesiam non audiverit sit tibi tanquam Ethnicus Publicanus Hee that will not heare the church let him bee taken for a heathen and a publican whervpon there is commonly in all generall councels Anathema an excommunication and curse vpon all them that shall not beleeue all and euerie article of faith in the same generall couÌ„cell declared and determined which doth most manifestly demonstrate that any man who shall refuse to beleeue any one article of faith by the church declared to bee such is worthie to bee excommunicated that is to bee depriued of the societie of Christians in this world and consequentlie of the fruition of Christ in the world to come if they do not in time repent whence I gather this short argument hee that refuseth to beleeue Gods witnesses the pastors of his church and our spirituall governours in any one article of faith deserueth to bee condemned but they that hope to bee saued in their owne religion of whom wee now speake do refuse to bâ—leeue Gods church in some article or other of the Catholike faith therfore they deserue to bee condemned For the further explication of the great conveniencie and necessitie wee haue to beleeue and obey the Catholike church in matters of faith let is bee well weighed that it doth in manner as much import vs vpon whose credit wee beleeue anie thing as what wee do beleeue for such is the weaknes and vncertaintie of our owne Iudgment that wee neede nothing more then to haue an assured guid to coÌ„duct vs safelie in the high matters of divinitie which do farr surmount our naturall vnderstanding and capacitie Because as the Apostle discourseth divinelie faith is of hearing How shall wee then beleeue Rom. 10. without a preacher and how shall any man preach vnto vs without hee bee sent which is as much to say that without the helpe of some bodie sent from God to teach vs what wee haue to beleeue wee cannot beleeue aright wherfore it doth wonderfully much import vs to make right choice of this instructer for such as our guid and director is such is our faith If our guide bee blind wee following him shall blindly fall into the ditch with him If hee see cleare if he bee well aduised staid and certaine following him wee shall be assured to walke in the streight path For example The Turks beleeue in one God maker of heauen earth as wee do yet haue they not the true faith therof as wee haue because they haue not the same guid and instructer for that article that wee haue They be led to beleeue that by the credit which they giue to the ministers of Mahomet who out of his Alcaron teach them so to beleeue in God wee beleeue the same for that the Catholike church doth so teach vs in the first article of our Creed Ours is the act of true faith because wee are directed by the true church that cannot deceiue vs. The Turkes perswasion is no act of true faith for that hee taketh it on the credit of them that may deceiue him And do without doubt in manie other points deceiue him wherfore whether they do in this or no hee is vncertaine and consequently his persuasion being vncertaine hee cannot haue anie true faith which is certaine and without all peradventure In like manner the Iewes albeit they haue the old testament for their foundation yet being destitute of an vndoubtable directer and taking for their blind guides their Talmud and Rabbins are cleane voide of all true faith because their perswasion also relieth vpon them that may and do verie often misleade and beguile them For come to some other question of faith yea to the principall and ground of all the rest that is to beleeue Iesus Christ to bee the sonne of God and the true Messias and redeemer of the world The Turke not finding that in his Alcaron nor the Iew in the old testament according to the exposition of their Sinagogue do most blindly and obstinatlie refuse to beleeue it See then of what importance the direction of a true sincere guide is in all matters of faith wherfore it hath pleased the vnsearchable wisdome of our blessed Saviour to giue vnto all his faithfull servants for a most assured guide his best beloued spouse the Catholike church 1. Tim 3. the piller and ground of truth to whom hee being to depart out of this world bequeathed the holie Ghost to teach her all truth Ioh. 14.16 and that at all times vnto the worlds end I will aske my father and hee will giue you another Paraclete that hee may abide with you for euer Ioh. 16. when the Spirit of truth cometh hee shall teach you all truth Therfore it is great reason that wee should both acknowledge our blessed maisters carefull providence over vs in providing vs such a guide and also take our selues fast bound to obey the same holie church in all her declarations made to that purpose It is not then without exceeding great cause that all good Christians even from their infancy are taught to beleeue this that they neuer afterward faile therin And that they may the better remenber the same good lesson which doth so much import all men to learne perfectly they do from thence forth make dailie profession therof when they saie in their creed I beleeue the holie Catholike church That is I do not onlie beleeue that there is one holie Catholike church but I professe to beleeue what the same church doth teach mee to beleeue all and everie article of faith
without exception against any one of them for if I do beleeue her in one and not in another I am become such a chooser as the Latines following the Grecians call hereticus an heretike and do indeed shew that I do not assuredlie beleeue the church as Gods interpreter that cānot erre but onlie so farre forth as I thinke good And then it may bee asked mee why I do beleeue her at all if she do but now and then tell the truth for it may bee that then shee doth not say true when I do beleeue her To put vs out of all these doubts and difficulties the selected gouernours of the church the maisters of the world Christes hoy Apostles before they did depart to preach the Gospell to all nations set downe this for a most assured principle of the Christian faith I beleeue the holie Catholike church to teach all Christians that in those supernaturall misteries of the kingdome of heauen wee must not leane to the light of nature or trust to our owne Iudgments or follow the advise of everie one that will take vpon him to bee a maister but hold our selues preciselie to that which the holie Catholike church doth teach vs obeie her fullie and wholie in all things Out of the premises this argument may bee framed directly to our purpose No man can bee saued vnles hee follow the direction of the one holie Catholike church in all matters of faith but they that bee of opinion that euerie man may bee saued in his religion do not follow the direction of the Catholike church which doth teach all men to imbrace and follow one only faith and religion wherfore they that will not imbrace the said one only faith which the Catholike church teacheth cannot bee saued To make this more plaine and probable let vs in a word or two examine the speciall meanes that the protestants vse to attaine vnto the true vnderstanding of Gods word and therby vnto saluation where wee must obserue by the way that wee all agree in this that there is nothing to bee beleeued which is not by God reuealed vnto vs. The Protestants do hold all that to bee written either in the old or new Testament wherin wee dissent from them teaching all revealed verities not to bee written in the Bible but some of them to passe from father to sonne by word of mouth and by tradition Of which difference here I doe not dispute but wee all taking for our ground Gods owne and onely word revealed written or vnwritten do inquire how wee come to the true vnderstanding of it wee say by the explication and declaration of the Catholike church The Protestants approue not that meanes but vnder the colour of mans inuentions reiecting of it do either leane to their owne iudgment learning or follow the authoritie of their chiefe preachers or els runne to the revelation of the Spirit speaking inwardlie to their spirits Now if none of all these bee assured meanes to attaine vnto the true vnderstanding of Gods word then their faith that relieth principally theron cannot bee assured Some of them in great zeale simplicitie will say that they relie only on the word of God but good poore soules they know not well what they saie for the question being about the vnderstanding of the same word of God wee affirming the word to bee for vs they denying that and chalenging it to bee for them who shall iudge whether of our pretentions to the same word bee true they will conferre one texte with another so will wee and consider all circūstances too wee will repaire also to the originals haue respect vnto the Analogie of faith briefly wee will vse all humane diligēce pray also to God to assist vs supernaturally yet whē wee haue all done wee come to no agreemēt who shall thē agree vs If they would come with vs to the Catholike churches determination in some generall councell wee should quickly haue an end but they vpon one vaine pretext or other fly of and will finally follow no other then one of those three guids before named wherof the first which is their owne learning and Iudgment bee it neuer so great yet they maie mistake and fall into error Omnis enim homo mendax Rom. 3. For every man is subiect to bee deceiued specially when they bee in passion and striue to vphold and make good their owne conceites against others for then they do oftentimes run astray verie strangelie Secondly the Protestants that relie vpon the reputation and credit of their preachers how can they set vp their rest vpon them assuredlie for that first their masters being men may bee deceiued aswell as other men maie be and that they are in deed deceiued not only the Catholiks who are the farre greater and founder part of Christians do affirme but those also that they themselues hold for men of God do testify the same For example Martin Luther with his disciples repute Zuinglius Calvin and all the troupe of Sacramentaries to bee deceiuing masters and to erre damnablie in the matter of the blessed Sacrament On thother side the Sacramentarie protestants do all teach that Luther with all his followers erred as in many other points so principally in that matter of the reall presence which of these two to omit diuerse other their contradictions shall a poore protestant beleeue and follow both hee cannot because what the one affirmeth thother denieth and each of them saith that the other is deceiued Hee thē taking them both for true of their words must needs beleeue neither of them for that the one avoucheth the other to bee in error Hee maie leaning to his owne Iudgment and liking rather follow one of them then the other yet hee cannot do that without some feare of being deceiued himself because hee hath so many euen of his owne side to bee against him wherfore he can haue no faith at all in these points For faith is an assured perswasion of that to bee true which you do beleeue without anie doubt or feare of the contrarie Let vs now come to their last refuge and surest hold as some take it of the spirit which is indeed the most wauering and vncertaine guide of all the rest For doth not the Lutherans grosser spirit buzze into their braines that they haue found out the light of the Gospell yes I warrant you saies euery good Lutheran Not so saith the purer and nimblet spirit of the Calvinists it was but the dawning of the daie that appeared to M. Luther the light of the Gospell began then only to peepe vp but the bright beames therof brake not out till M Caluins doctrine glittered The more brisk spirite of the Brownists doth assure thē that the nooneday light of the same Gospell shineth onlie in their Horizon And what shall wee say to the Anabaptists who as they bee the most frantike of all other so they brag most of all of verie familiar
acquaintance with the same whispering spirit with which they are so haunted that they haue almost hourely new illuminations and strange revelations See I pray you into what endles dissentions this doctrine of the spirit doth lead her folowers It being then most manifest that there is such variety and so great contradiction in the way of the private spirit everie man that hath a care of his salvation will I hope take heed therof and not suffer himself to bee abused therby Hee was inspired by the true spirit of God that gaue vs this faire warning 1. Iob. 4.1 My deerest beleeue not euerie spirit but prove the spirits if they hee of God because manie falâ—e prophets are gone into the world which deceiue many And Satan that trudgeth about so busily seeking whom hee maie deuoure finding so many readie to listen to the cursed councell of his wicked spirit transformeth himself often into an Angell of light that hee may the better beguile them that giue eare to such secret whisperings wherfore they that desire not to bee misled must follow Saint Iohns counsell try the spirits whether they bee of God or no. Ibidem If the priuate spirit do not agree with the publike spirit that conducteth the Catholike church in all trueth bee well assured that it is an erring spirit sent by Satan to deceiue you and to leade you into errour To recollect this point in briefe If no man may relie either vpon his owne learning or spirit not may safely trust anie priuate teacher or preacher then the protestants best meanes to obtaine salvation be very vncertaine and consequentlie they that wil bee assured never to erre in anie one article of faith must not relie vpon them but imbrace wholie and fully the doctrine of the Catholike Roman church and hold themselues close and fast thervnto Math. 16 That church is built vpon a rocke that alwaies hath and euer shall stand firme without flitting or tottering too and fro and Christ praied Luc. 22. for her governors faith that it should never faile Ioh. 16. The holie Ghost is alwaies with her to teach her all truth And in verie common sense when a controuersie riseth about any point in faith is it not much more probable that all the learned assembling together out of all coasts and countries of Christendome to conferre thervpon should boult out the truth of that question better then some few passionate and discontented men that oppose themselues against all the rest Thus verily stands the case betweene the Protestants and vs. for when Martin Luther Iohn Calvin and others discontented men and none of the best marke ranne out of our church and cried out that therein were manie errors taught and many foule abuses maintained a generall councell was called the best learned of all Christian countries were assembled to heare and determine those controuersies The ringleaders of the new Gospell were most courteously invited thither to shew what moved them to make that alteration but their consciences telling them that they were not able to iustifie their bad cause before so many learned men they durst not appeare in the councell wee then haue very great reason to follow the iudgment of the whole corps of Christendome but small probability haue the protestants to preferre the passionate opinions of a few malecontents flying from true triall before the calme and mature acts and definitions of all the rest that were ready to haue performed it God send them grace to see it in tyme least as they haue wilfully followed them in their errors so they bee not here after against their wills forced to folow them to eternall punishment I haue staid the longer to declare the commoditie and necessitie of submitting our vnderstaÌ„ding vnto the censure of the Catholike church because without that bee ioyned to Gods word to certifie vs both which is the word of God and what is the true sense and meaning thereof wee can haue no true faith at all for the declaration of the church is necessarilie required as a condition without which our faith cannot ordinarilie bee assured of that which it is to beleeue whervpon that great light of the world S. Austin was not ashamed to saie Evangelio non crederem August co Episâ— fundameÌ„tre 5. nisi me moveret Ecclâ—siae Catholicae authoritas I for my part would not beleeue the Gospell vnles the authoritie of the Catholike church did moue mee thervnto whence it is easie to gather that they who do not take their direction from the said church as all they do not who think euery Christian may be saued in his own religion haue no assurance in their faith and coÌ„sequently no true faith at all wherfore they cannot bee saued which I do thus confirme for the Apostle teacheth that Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Hebr. 11.6 It is impossible to please God without faith which must needs bee vnderstood of the true faith because God is the God of truth and hateth all that is false but the true faith is but one onlie and of the same nature in all men which the said Apostle doth confirme when hee writeth that there is but one Lord one faith Ephes 4.5 one Baptisme but they that make account to bee saued in their owne religion bee not ordinarilie nor cannot bee all of one faith for one faith cannot teach vs to beleeue two coÌ„tradictory propositions to bee true by the same faith one may beleeue more and another lesse according to the measure of faith that it hath pleased God to bestow vpon them but one cannot beleeue cleane contrary to the other As for example That Saints are to bee praied vnto and that they are not to bee praied vnto That wee may praie for the dead and that wee may not praïe for the dead For one of those propositions must needs bee false wherfore they that beleeue men may bee saued in both these opinions haue no true faith at all because true faith cannot beleeue that which is false and one of these two must needs bee false This may bee yet further confirmed for that those men who thinke one may bee saued in any religion do want the aforesaid true and onlie meanes of vnitie and agreement in one faith for they rely not vpon the explication of the Catholike church which is the only way to hold all men in one faith no more then if they had neuer heard of that article of our Creede I beleeue the holâ—e Catholike church but take as it hath been before declared for their guides in matter of faith either their owne Iudgment skill or spirit or the advise of some of their friends which are much more like to leade them into a hundreth diverse opinions then to reduce them to vnity in faith and religion wherfore it is evident that the vniforme faith of the bodie of Christendome which alone is the true saving faith cannot dwell in one house with that