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A
DEFENCE OF THE
REFOHMED CATHO--
LICKE of M. W. Perkins,
lately deceafed^ agciinjl the hajiard Countcr-Catholicke"of D. Bijbop , Seminary frieft.
The First PART: '
For arifwcrc to his calumniations generally framed againft the Tame, and a^nft the whole Religion and ftatc of cut Church, m his Ejiiftlc Dedicatory to the Kings mcft excellent Maicfty.
Whsrin is to he efeene the atidafioufrteffe r.na, imfudencic of theft Kcmtfhhookeiin their S^ffUcations end Dedications to hii Bighnejje : their religion is difm asked cf that antiquity * which they f retcnd for it '.the religion efiablfjhed in onr church by Jaw is infitfledto be no other but what was anciently recetuedin the ^hurchy and namely in the an- cient Church of Rome.
By Robert Abbot Do6t. of Diuinitic. ^
^HguTl. de cittit. Deii lib. a . caf>, t .
Eonim difla contrarii fi totics rcfellerc velimiis, quoties obnixa fronte ftaiucruntnon" curare quid dicantdumquocunqjmodono- ftrii difputationibus contradicant, infi- nitum cflcr.
L O N D I N I.
Lnpenjis Taou je Adams.
i6i z
TO THE MOST
PVISSAMT AND
Might IE Monarch our mojl dread and foue-'
ratgne Lord, I a m e s
by the grace of God
iQng o/^ Great Britainc, France ^wi hchndjVefender of the
Faith, &c^
^ Mongft the manifold benefits which the Diuinc prouidcncc hath yeeldcd vnto vs by the hap py encrance of your moil facrcd Maicrtie to the Imperiall crowa of this Rcalnie, we can not but moft fpecially rccoonifc that which wee take to bee the pillar ^ . ^. that vpholdcth all die rclt. The
^rc^uacloiTof true Religion and continuance of the prea- ching oftheGofpell of Chnft. Which albeit ic be a fingu- lar and uieftimable mercy of G O D , ^ct there is tound amongftvs a Vipers brood, a male-contented Samariranc generation which neuer ceaCcth whining & repining tlierc at, accounting this blcfling of God to vs, a great wrong to # 2 them
THE BVISTLE'DEDICATORIE.
tlieiUvWluIcft by a cachexie and corrupt difpoficion of Ho- niackc they better brookc the Onions S' (jftrleeke cf ^egypt then the CMnr.fm of heauen, the breadoj ^rgels ; and haue cares more dehghtcd with the Mermaids notes and in- chanting Muficke of tlie whore of Babylon^ then with the Plain-fong of true reHgio dire6ted by thefimplicicy of the word of God« Therefore as m the daycs of our late moft gracious Queene , ( whofe memorie God hath eternized both in heauen and earth ) they neucr reftei working to bring tliis land againe vnder the flauerie & bondage oi the mm ofSime'So fince your Maiefties coming to the crowne they haue bcene ftiU plotting the famcjnot only by attempt ing your Highneffe lubiedts^but alfo labouring m their Pe- titions and Dedicatory Epiftles to draw your Maiefty one way ©r other to conlort with them in their damnable and accurled deuices. And as Mountbanksdoe fetfoorth bafe wares with magnificall and lofty words, fodoe they with braue termes labour to grace a counterfeit nSc baflard faith, and in their fupplications haue vanted to your Mai.efty of ^ religion, & neuer reft to commend a re/igten, wliich indeed in the queftioned part thereof is no other but a refined . he- refie, compounded of fundry ancient herefies, only clarifi- ed by fchooZ-tricks from the more feculent & grbfle parts. Amongft the reft^one Do6toui- Bifhop a fecular and femi- nary Prieft, a man of fpeciall reputation among tlicm, and chofen to be a maine llickler in the late contentions of the fecularsagainilthe lefuits, hath taken vpon liimto iblicit your Maieffie in that behalfe, and hauing apprehended a fpeech or two deliuered from your Maicfties owne mouth jn the Coytference at Hampton Court, woulde make you be-" leeue, thatif you will ftandeto whatyour felfehaue deliue- red, you muft needs admit their (^atacatholicke tradition to be the CathoUcke Sc true faith. Whofe Epiftle to your Ma- ieftie, when I badperufed and examined , ( the anfwering of the whole book being by Authority vnder your Maiefly comniicted vnto me ) 1 could not but wonder that the au-
chour
THE EVISTLE D EDICUTORIE,
ihour ofitdurll offer it, being fo full of falilood and chil-- dilli folIy,to a Pnncc To karncd & well able to ividgc ihcr- cf j buc that 1 cofidcrcd, that one vntruth muft vphojd ano- ther, andhcechathath vndcrtakena bad caule niuft vfc woricmeanes tor the maintaining of It. Hce chargcth the Religion citabilhcdandprofcfledbyyourHighneflc with hcrclies, impieties, blafphcroics, ablurditics and what not, that malice & ignorance can dcuilc to Ipcakc ? And this is the common ftile of the reft of them, who when they ccme to prouc and exeir.plific wliat ihcy /pcakc, they fticwc tiie- fclucs to be but Sycophants and hirelings to the Pope , for whole fake tlicy muftlpcake to gall and dilgracc, howfoc- uer there be no truth in that they Ipeakc. And it tlicy dare thus impudently caty themfclucs m Print ,& to your Ma- iertie, what dare they not fay in corners to the entrapping and fcducingof fimple & vnlcarnedmenjBy which means many of your ii:iaicfties fubie6ts arc intangled in a mifcon- (cicnce of religion, and thereby withdraw nc from the true confcicnce ottheir loyalty towards your Highncfle their liege and foueraigne Lord, and arc made buc Hax and tow for the fire of their feditious praftiies, who haue been bold alreadictotcllyourMaicftie : That if youwillnotyeeldc them what they defire, Codk»crt>es wh^t thatftrcib/e rpeap4>tt StS}.^4.»f 6f»ec(£ttiemlldriuethem'vyitoati(ngth: therein verifying D.BiJhfs of thelelues that which S Auftinfaid of the Donatilb their *f'^^** ^Tcdccc({ouis IfVhere they carf»ot ij/Iu a^aijviJy confottAge creepe like afpes^ the re with open profcjfed ; violence they rage ^U9ufi like lions ^ Some effe^l whereof your Maicitie hath fcenc p/i/. in tliat barbarous and Scytliianlikc attempt lately made for thedcftru6lionofyourHighne{Ieperfonand bloud, and perpetual! fubuerfion and ouerthrow of the whole Realmc, Which as ic^iiffcrctli from die pra6bfe of all ancient Chri- ftians and Chriftian Churches which vudoubrcdly were of God, fo it plainly declareth that that dcdrinc which pro- fclTeth not a lawfuinclTe onely,but a merit in fiich attempts, is vndoubtcdly of thcDeuill, and not of God . The broa- A chcrs
• IM
TUB EPISTLE DEDIC^TORIE, cbers of wliich nionftrous and vnnaturall villanics as tliey baue long time Iiucd in excrcife of that malice , fo 'will ftill niakeicappeare thatthey arenotyetdifgf.rgedofthepoy- ron ct ic. Wiiercof fith tiiey liauc giuen lo great argument & allurancebyabufingyourMaiclticslenitie & patience towards them, when lawcs might more i^euerely hauc pro- ceeded againil them : our prayer to God is, that your Ma- ieftie may henceforth take thefe thinges fo farrc to heart as flialbe necdcfuU for the fafety ofyour royall perf6,your po- fteritie and tlie Realme. As tor vs true it is, that our iealou- fie ouer the foules of yourfubie^s, and greife to fee them io feduced & beguiled,hath longmadc vs tofay out of the A poftles aff caion, as he did of tiie falfc apoftles, Would to Godtheywere enen cut off that trouhleydft^ being well aflured chat theiraduantage gotten by your Maielties patience to- wards them,would in the end be difaduantage to your felfc But yet we could not but fubfcribe to your Maielties moft religious and Princely care,firft to giue them inftruaion 6c iatisfa6lion, to trie whetlier receiuing due anfwer to thofc things which to your Maicftie they hauealleadged, they woulde bee reclaimed from that headftrong prelumption which hitherto fo mightily hath poflefled them. Wherein if tJiey by their intollcrable treacheries haue altered your Maielties intent of fauourvnto them, and the State conceiuc iuft caufe with all feucricie and rigour to proceed immediately againil them, the guilc lieth vpon thcmlclues and they muft confeflc that they themfeJues haue drawne thefword to be imbrued in their owne bloud. Yet the courfc by your Highncfle intended iiath Itil moft neccflary vfe for the dikouciing of the impudencie of tJiefe Pctitio- ncrs/or the gaining of liich as maybe gained tothe acknow ledgement of Gods truth, and that as S. BernaJ-d fayth, Barnarlin Though the herettcke arife not fromhii filth , ytt the church Cant. may be ccnfirmed m the faith. To a part of which bufinelTc
fince It hath plcafed them to whom yourMaieftie hath co. mitred the care therof to cal me the meaneft of unany otlicr albeit by rcafon of feme infirmity in iwnc eyes I Jiaue not
yet
THE EVISTLE DEDIC ATORlE. yet been able to performe the whole that was alTigned vn- to mc, yet for the time to giue fome part oF fatisfadion to many of yourMaielUcs lubie6ls, whom it hath much mo- ued to lee the Itace of our Church with calumnious libels fo traduced and llandred, 1 haue publifhed this anfwcrc to Do6t. Bilhops Epiltle, thecin carying my felfe faitlifully sfe vpriglitly^asto God and my Prince, though my abihty not fudi as that I may thinke my felfe to haue attamed to that t/iat the matter doth require. But that which my fraall ta- lent will yecldj m all humble duetie I tender to your Ma- icfties moft gracious and Princely fauour^hoping thaty our Highneflc acceptation of thefc endeuours fhall Ihr vp thofc that are of greater gifts to yeclde greater helpcs for the vp- holding and further building of the Church of Chrift. The Lorde preferue your moft excellent Maieftie , and as hcc hath hitherto done , fo continue ftill to dilcouer and bring to nought the deuices and counfelsof them that imagine euill againft you : and as of his infinite mercy hee hath im- planted in your Maieftie the knowledge & loucofhistruc religion, fo gee forward with his good workc, to water th^ which hcc hath planted, that it may bring foorth plentiful! fruit to the publicke aduanccmcnc of the glory of God, and the pnuatc comfort of your ownc foulc at the dayofldiis Chrill*
Tottr Maieftie J mofliojaU
EOB. ASBOT«
Aa
To The Christian Reader.
Et it bee m offence vnto thee, good Chrifitan Reader ^that for thepre/et Igifte thee an anj'wer to a Dedicatone Eptjile tnjiead ofananJWer to a whole bookejt yyas nove m lanuary loft a full yeerefmceDo^or'Bifho^s book^ vpasfent vnto me by themeft re- uerend Father in God the L, xArchbijhop cfCanturburiehts Cracey Mjverygood LsrdfTpith direWcn to vfe the bejt ex- pedttioHthatlcou/dfortheanJweroftt « Itfo.vnd ?»e at that time vnderthe Snrgeans hands for agri^uoHs infirmity in mine ties : by meanes whtreofforfime good ff ace, andindeed longer then I expeShedy I roas hindiredfrom ablenejfe to intend in any connentent fort to anyfuch important worke.Bat takif7g thefoo- neft and befi epportuntttethat I could, after that 1 had gone o- uer fame good-part of. the books ^ tofHrnifhrny fdfe wtthfuch matter as^oHldfernefor confutatton oftt\ at length about the beginningofluly beingdeJhroHSto bringfomevohat to effeB, J addrcffedmyfelfe rvith allinftant mdeHour to giste anjwere to hit Epifile Dedicatorie to the Kings mefi excellent O^iaiejlie* fVhich as I accounted the principall matter tn the booke ,fo I heU it my duty to vfe very fpecid care fortherepulfwg ofthofr calumnies and /landers whtch the. ji/tthour hath gathered and contrimdittto it. Which beingfumijhed at Michaelmas, hath
beeve
To the Chrifliian R cadcr.
beenefince thought fit to be phbljhcd for the ttmcy till the rejl ef the work^jwherem as ttme Ltthfer-ficd I h^ue htth:rtofnrther proceeded nt.iy fully be performed. Now the Treat ife (ig:ur>fi which Ai. Etjhtp i»riteth ts commonly knowne ^entituled, A reformed Cacholickej &C, written by one yl/. Perl^ns^fmce d.cc^fi d^ a man of very com- 1 — —'•^•^V^^ W mendable qudlttie and well deferumgfr his great trauell and\ F(2r^»»J. pains for the further Ance of true religttn .mdcdtfying of the church ,/ ^gainflthis booke CJ^/. Bijhop fo bend.th himje^e tn his Dedi- catorie Epifile, as that withally he tr^iduceththe whole dcSlrine of our churchy and with/itch mot iff es ^d reafens as a bad caufe rvill affoorde himl^ pLtyeth the parte of Symmachus the Tag^'nlabcu- ^ ^ , rtngvnderthe name of ^ntitjiuine to bnngin idolatrie, and to per- Rtla ad im fwadehis Maicflie, th..tthatts, Catiiohckc religion, tvhich /n-ptrit. Am, deede is nothing els b:tt error andfuperflaton. In the due ex Ami- f^rof-epift- nation whereof y weighting well the fandie Mndjlipperte foundations '^' whereupon he buildeth , I pre fume , gentle Reader ^th^t thouwilt bee of my minde^ That hee did not thinke heereby to preuailc any whit wtth hismofi excelUnt AiaiefHe, but onely vfcdthe pretenje of this 'Dedication to credit his booke with them whom hee knew would take all that hefajd hand ouer head vppcn his owne hare worde . Surely if hee had not pre fumed of very welwMj^ and frtendly Readers y hee wonlde neuer haue dreatrted to^fme any credite by wrttir?g in this forte , fVhat his Eptflh is^ thou maiji heere fee : concerning the reji as yet 1 will not fay muh : onelj 1 aduertife thee, and doe ajfure thee , th.^t ifiho^didjilikf cfAf, jerkins booke befre, thtu h.J}}:o caufe by Ai.^tflj, pto dif^ke it now. Thou Jhalt fee it a^atilt^d with igjwrance .^ wtthimpud.ucie '
with vntruih atidfaljhcod, with grcjfe andpalp.b'c hercjiey and that which hee cemrnendeth totheefor the nian'owe and pith of many large volumes, thou Jhalt findc to bee nothiKgels b>it ^ In his Pre fardlef- Jii^ggage and rotten fififfe. Forfometajlewhireofletmee^^'^-^'^ '^^ intreafe thee to ti^ikcwcJlinwoorth for the time.jhis*^fw:rc to his '^'^''^"^'■• Eptflle : and for the reft- to haue mee excuf d ««Jjs^/, b'.th in refpcEl of that wcaknejfe whereby I hauebcenefo m^ch withholdc?: fri?n the followirg of this worke^ as alfofor the eare th.it J h mc ^^/nclltv gme thee full fat if 'Mion in theejuejluHS hicrc Jj/cujfd , as tjftop
*A 3 the
To the Chriftian Reader.
the adHerfariestmuth^ that hee m.^y haue nothingfurther to re f lie*
I haue fropcfindedto tnjjelfe the rule ofTertfilliaaMfHch b-^fimjfes
^ , , alrpayestobeeobferHed:I)^cttv^ni2iltn\lQi\sviivixhu%inn,non
Marc.hb.^. ^^ iaDorantcm : ( ruth is to vie it whole Itrengtii, aod nouolarc
'." "j" las it'hjjadjliiich^do£to_^^ lamloththerejtre to
'*■''"* comi haflily intotJjefield~a',:dwith mine ewnejword oncly to make an
vncert^:inejight , but to t.-. ke conmnient time to [Lute Juch troupes
andb^^iids y as that I m<iy not needs to doubt of the vi^corte , ar,d
it may appeare i nto thee that notwithfiandjng the cr^.k^s And brags
X Kin.6 \6 rfthefe Rcmijh fyccfhar.ts,jet the truth tSythattlicyihdX are with
vs are mo then they that are with them. In themeanc tir/;e let it
not trouble thee that they arefiilltvritir.gboakes \ for their books are
nothtnq^cls mtrttcth but the laying together of the rubbifi cf thofe
rvalles which by vshaue air cadtebeene broken do-wnCi or at the mofl
butfupports and props to flay them a -while from falling-^ rphich others
yvifs are fo battered as that theyfeeme vnlikely tofl and long . Seme
menne fiagger and are much wonted thereat ybecaufebetnginthe
darke andtheir fight mtrpellferuingthem , they thinks eucryfcar-
crorv to be a manofwarre: butfcbcr andaduifediudgementwileaftly
ccnceiue that they ypho hitherto haue neuer beene able to keepe the
jieldey^l/tk very vnltkely now to haue any me an es If ft to gain e the bat"
tell, ^my breake outjometimes by ambufh to cut cjfjvhom they can
from vs, but when they are once difcouered^ they are gene. And this
thou fh alt fee, if God will, in the examirmg of that 'Pamphlet of 2).
Bifljop : one ly for that that is yet behinde giuemee for awhile thy
Origcn m geyjtle patience y remembring what Origen fayth: Wounds r.re quick
Ezechie . j^ giucn, but cure will aske a longer time : albeit Iprefume that
my infirmitie conftderedj fhal not befo long in gluing thee the anfwer
. as hee was in writing the booke, 1 haue prepared alreadiefor the
Hier.ad Mi ff^ofipart fubtcgmen St licia, both wootc and warpe, as Hie
romefpeaketh lyeelde me thy prayer to ^cdto continue
myftrength, andtoprofper me in his worke^ *■
and I willendeuour to the vttermoft * ,
of my power fpeedily to
ytelde thee a per-
feU vfeh*
Tl?e fpeclall contents ofthisSooke.
OFthe nameof C ATM CLICK E chvrch and Ca^ T H o L I c K s vfurpcd nowby thePjpift,asofoldbychcDo n.itifls : and that the religion nowprofefled in the church of Roncis not thcCATHOLiCKE and Apostolicke faith .ft(ft.^. That the Church ofRotnc that now is doth in very many articles of faith and religion crofl'c the ancient church of RomCj& main- taincth diucrs hcrefics by the fame anciently condemned, fcft.4 That we are iuitified by faith only, and yet holineflc ot lite is ricccf- fary to faluation,fcd.^.and that imputation ofrighteoufneiTc al- wayes implieth regeneration and holincffe begunne,though not perfed. fcft. 17* That our doftrine of freewill condemncth both the Manichecs] & Pelagian hcrecicks, andisthcramcwiththedoftrincofthe firft church. fed 6. That thcaffcrtion offinne remaining after baptifme imputed by M, Bifliop to Proclus the hereticke was the Catholickcdoftrin ofMechodiusbifliopof Tyrus,and isthcvcry trueth according to the doftrine of the ancient church, feft 7.17. That virginity and maiiage in themfelucsarcequall, with God: that the preferment of fingle life is onelyinthevfe of it, and that thedodrincoflouinianconcerningthatpoint was no other but whatthechurchofRomeprofeflcdbothbcforethe tinrcpf -Hit- rf^mc and louinian, and at that very time fc<5t.8.i8 24.- ' •' That our doftrine concerning fading is iuihficd by the an'^fent
churchofKomc.(ctl4 8.18. 7 hit prayer to (aims and worlliipping their rclickcs is contrary to thcancicntrcligio;i.-thclaitcriuItlyreproued by Vigilantii!s,3nd ■notnuouchcd by H ci-ome.ltd.p. and that withoiitbfl'tnce wc gtuethcmfometimcs the name ot Dead m<:n;fcft.V|^. Th.tthe church at firll did not pray for the dcad-atalj'andin what mear.ing it was afterwards taken vp.- Purgatory, vponwltich the Papiftsbuildit, beingaltogethcrvnknownc-.fctft.io. 16. r^, * '. Tliat Traditions vnwrittenastouchin'g the lubftahccof hitH^ are condemned by the ancienichurcb.fcd 11. 1 : ^-
That
THE CONTENTS.
'That th« worftiipping of images is hcathcnifh and heretical by the dodriiie of the ancient Church, and that the Papifts thereby are Idolaccrs.fcft. 12,31*
That apoUafie groweth by Health ; with the noting of the original ofdiucrsPopiQihereGcs.feft 13.
Ofdiuers damnable & wicked poiitions & doftrincsofthc church of Rome.fcd. 14, See the like as touching the Scriptures. fed. 1 1 andforinducementoftreafonagainftPnnceSjfed gx.
That the Church of England neither maketh God the authour ©f finne nor chargeth Chrift in his pafsion with dcfpaire or doubt,, fed. 1 4.
Ofgiuingamansgoodstothepoorc, thatheemay giuc himfelfc wholly toprayerandfaftingj and that the Papifts haucborrowed their dofti ine thereof from the MaJTalian hcreticks,ft d. 1 8.
Of the impofsibihticof pcrfed fulfilling the LaWjand theimperfc- dion oi good^worksjauouchcd out of the dodrine o[ the ancient Church, and of M.Bifliops filly and childilli^coiledions made thcrcofjAd 19.20.
That Conftantinc the Emperour w9$ no Pap;ft,fcd. 2 1 ,
Ofthefigneofthe Croffe,apdthat the Church of England hath taken that courfe as toudxing the fame,as is fitteft both to iuflifie Conflantine .nnd the ancient Church in the v(e, and [condcmne the Papifts in the abufeofit,fed zz.
How Churches were built by Coaftantincjand are by vs named to the honour of the Apoftlcs,(ed, 2 ?.
That the factifice of the MalTe and Tranfubfiantiationwerc vn- knovyne to Conltaatinc and the ancient Church,fed.27. j 2. °
That Confl:antine wasnot acquainted with Popifli abfolution and forgiueneffe of finnes,led, 2 8 .
That Conftantinc exercifed fupreme authority and iurifdidionio- uer Biftiops and in caufes of the Churchjfed.29
That Archbifhopricks, and BifhoprickSj&JChurch-liuings, were not firft founded for Poperyjbut for the religion noweltablifhed ^ad whatfocucrfincehath beene added by Popery^is iuftly im.
. ployed to the maintenance ofourreligionjfed.g 1.3^.
That Recufants hauc no iuft cxc eption againft comming to church and that iuftly the law procccdethagainft: them according to the examples ofthclawes of ancient Princes, andofthe good that commcth thereof, and that the tolemtion of them were neither godly, nor fafe, nor ftandingwithChriflianmercy,fcd, j2 j j.
Of M.Bifhops threat to his Maieitie grounded vppon a pradifc of Popery quite contrary toihcpra^ife ofthc ancient^ Church.
A VIEW OF M-
BISHOPS EPISTLE
Dedicatory to the k^ngs moft excellent
To The Most Pvissant,
Prudent and rcnowmed Prince I am e s
thefirfl, by the grace ofGod^ IQtig of England,ScotUnd;Francc and
IteUndiDeftnder »fth«
FMth ire
t)/? qratiousand dre^d SoHe» ratgne. KAlbeitymj/Jlender sktU cannot ajfoorde any difcotarfe woorthy the view cfyour EX' ceUency neither my deadded ^ daily interrupted, &perfecH- tedftudtesyTvUgitteme leaueto accompli [h that Ittlc, which o- therwtfe I mtght vtidertakjtrtd ptffcrme.'Tet being emboldned both by your high CUmecy^& GratiousfaaourcHcrJhewed vn to al good litter Atttre ejpecially concemtngDihinitie:&alfo vr- ledtymmecrvn bo«ndedHtie^&particuUrAffeaio:lfreftime
i tOpTC"
2 Tl?e ^nfiph to T>.^ip9oj)s
fefit vntoyo;tr Highneffe thtsfhort enfuing treat tfe. For jour exceedixg clemencie, mddsns^e^andrars mod: file, in the moji emtnent efiate offo mightte a L^ionarch'. as it cannot but vpin vntoyoHg -eat loHCy in the harts of ail coyjfiderate SubieUsifo en the other fids doth it encourage them cofidentiy to open their mingles yandtn dmifHUmannerfovnfoldthemje-lt^es vnto their fo lotting G^ ajfabh a Somraigne.xAnd vt>hercas(to the no vul- gar pratfe of your U^i/aisJiiespietie)j/ofi haue made open & of^ ten prof cjfion efy mrttigiUncie 0^ cttrCito adAatmcethediHtne honour cfonr San tour Chnfi, and hit rmH facred Religion : Then whatfailhfuU (^hrtfiiin fhoiild Jia^ger, or feare to lay opsHtand deliver publiclze/j,that vehuh h? ajfnreth htmftlfe to hvcryexpedent, necejfarie^ and agreeable towards the f ur- nijhingjandfetting forward offo heauenly a worl^? Aloreo- uer^if I your C^taieflie spoor efkbieUi hanc by jludie athomPy ■^:d'irau^ilsabroiid,Attained vtito any fmalltalUnt of learning andl^swhdg: to whom is ths vfe and fruit thereof more due^ thenvntomyfegratious^andwithallyfolearmda Liege? Fi^ ' nallyfor ajproofe of my (tncerity^ ajfeBtonyand^mftdl loue to- "Vpardsyour i^iaief^le this may 1 iusilyfay, tha( in time ofvn- certatnefortune(wh3najfnredfi'mds,aremofi certainly tried) 1 both fuffereddtfgrace, and hind ranee for tt^ being fli'edin Print yh Scotill m fa6^ion: therein farther employing my penne in A two-fold difcpur(e(TP^c^:/^?^5„4if6^<r^^g:p-f- \- f<;nted,tothe %;isyp ofyoyijr. Afatefii^ey the-one contayriing a ^e- :fier.ce<)f your Ht^one([e430Hot4ri the other efyour titl^y and f'iterefi of the cro nvnf of Engl and t ^nd fthen my ■ceale and -IgH: of truthitiM obligation toy ■jur i^iAttfliey drew me out sf .the compare of mm ;oivie profejjion, t o treat (flaw eourfes : I r irufiyo'^r benigne Gr^cewillnow licence meey out of the fame fo'intaim offeruencii ani I kj /Zfale vnto ' ^ods ttytthy i^olfjfe . refpeSiingy mr C^aiejlies eteyhallhon'mry andhemenly inhe- ritance^fomethingto jay inmatterrcf Dtuinitui hau'tng beene :^he be fi part of my HHdicforip^rethtn thrifefea.mnyff€r?s:
Epi/iletothelQn^.] j
R. ABBOT.
T were a thing worthy to bee knownc what was the drift of M» Bifliop, and the maike whereat hec aymtd in the Dedication of this his Bookc to the kings Highnefle. When I looke to thole goodly inlinuations whereby he fecmetii-cleliroustq'wind hiinlclfeinto the good opinio of his mull excellent Jdaiciiic, and confider the ivouues and reafons whicii hee plcadcth ineerely for himlelfc and the reft of his fadion and confpiracic, me thinkcs his intent fliould be according to his pretence, to gaine fome fauour at his maicitics iiandcsfor toleration of Romifh idolatiie and fupcrftition, that without contradiction of lawcs they may freely, if notcxcrcifc, yctprofcflc and follow the lame* But when on the otherli del confider his excepti- ons and allegations againft his maieftics proceedingSjand againll the Cjofpcll of Chrift and his true religion embra- ced by his maicltie, and by lawcs publickely eltabiifhed a- mongft vs, 1 grow to another conceit, that furcly lie pro- pounded Ibme other matter to himlelte then the obieining ofthat which hec fecmethfo earneftlyto entreat for. For hauing to doe v\ ith aiudicicus and learned Prince, who is well able, God bee thanked, rightly to ceniurewhaC he wntcth, without doubtif hee had made this iiis proic6l to compafle the obteimng of his requeff , he vv ould haue dealt finccrely and faithfully : he would haue forborne our church all vniuft and llaunderous imputations ; Jiee would not'haue (ought by apparant vntruth and falfl:ood to luftifie liis bad caufe : he would haue had care io to cary himfelfe that his maieftie feeing nothing but true and plainedealingmiehtconceiuewhatis amilTctohaue pro- ceeded oncly from fimplicitie of errour^not frcni any ob- B 2 Ibnate
4 Tlye Anfwer to T>. SifJwps
ftinate and wilfull malice againft tlie truth. But hec hath taken a farrc other courfc, an J feckcth very lewdly by lies and tales to abufe the kings mod excellent Maicltie, by pretending antiquitie for thofe things which by antiquity were condemned : by fathering their owne baltards vpon the Fathers, by wrelting and iorcing their Tayings to that which they neucr thoughCjyea when fomctimes in the vc- ric places which hcalleadgeth they hauat^iight the contra- ric to that that he would approoiae by them :by dcprauing our religion wich odious confequences oriierefies, impie- ties, blafphemies : whereof nocwithltanding 1 make no doubt but he himfelfe in his own cofcience dbch acquit vs» Wlicreby it may ieemc that ho wfocuer he were willing to put his rcqueit to the aduenturc,yct being himfelf without all hope or opinion of fucccfle-in it,his fpcciall relpe6l was to lengthen the expe6tation of his Catacatholicke foUow- crs,that they might not vtterlydefpairc of that, with the hope whereoftheyhauefo long deluded them; to fettle them in thofe heresies and irreligions whereto they hauc fo long inured them •• to continue them pr eft and ready to thole intents and purpoles whereto they thinkc they ,. may hereafter haueoccafiontov/e themrtoprouideby
^«.ip.2y, thele meanes wich ^ ^ememus that his and his fellowcs craft and occupation might be maintained whid^ was now in ieopardy to grow vtterly to decay : and lallly to addc fome grace to his booke the better to ferue all thefe turnes whileitit fliould carry the name to be dedicated to the king: no man imagining, the caleftanding as it doth^that he would prefumc to offer it to his maieftic but that doubtlefl'e bethought fome exploit to be performed by him therein.
And that he thought fo indeed, appeareth hy his owne wordes in the Preface to the Reader, commending this trcatife vnto him vndcr thefe cermes^^^^r hejba//fiad herf- in the m^row and pith of mznjlarg: volumes contratled and dran^en into 4 narrow rQQme, By his owne conceit therefore
he
Fpi/lle to the IQfi^. ^
hchathfentvstheltrengch ol'dieir ftrcngth, the clioyfe of their learning, the flowre oftlieir arguments : fo that thisbookcisasitvvereaCo/w^outoi thchcll otthc Fhi- hltuns fcnctodefie the holt of Ifraell,and to require a con- combatant at one fight to trie the matter, preluming that in all Kraell is not a man to be found tliat dare vndcrtakc to anfwere the challenge.Wlierby appearcth that it is but for talTiion lake that he ipeaketh lo uicdeltly in the begin- ning of his epiftle, excufing his (lender skill^and complai- nmg that his de.id and dai'y interrupted q^ ptrfecHtedfhdics ffillnot ^ue htm leaue to accompli^ that litlc -which cthcrmfe he might vndertake andpcrforme. Surely he neither wanted skillnorleilure, asitfcemcth, that could thus gather the marow and pith oHb many large volumes. As tor his llu- dies, if he will confcflc the truth, he muft acknowledge that they haucbeene more ^«/frr//^/r<af by their contenti- ons with the Icfuites, then perfc cut ed by vs : albeit great rcalbn it is that he and his fcllowes fliould be perlccuted,if he will fo tcrme it, by rcftraint of body , that abufe their li- bcrticwhen they are abroad to the pcrfccuting and dc- ftroying of other mens foulcs, withdrawing them from the fcruice of Icfus Chrift, and by their illullons and inchant- ments bewitching them to doate vpon Antichrift, cxtin- gutOiing in them the true conlcience of allegeance to their Prince, and preparing them to the execution of their ftdi- tious and traiterous defignmcnts, as hath in fome part ap- peared to his Maicllic already, and I doubt not but fome further experience will make it yet further toappcare.
Now it is well in the mcane time that he ackno wledg- cth in his M^kihe cxeec-diKgc/emcncte, mtld.ni jfc ^rnvdjite iouing and affable difpofiaonjdngular ornaments of a Prince and wherein is ipeciall token otak'ngwliom'' the <> T>fdl 4.^, Lordh^thchofcn. But histhreatningwordt'Stowaixlesthe {.ciu^JU) ^^jj end ot tiiisepilfle doc prclage that heereafter they will al- "'""'«>ft«- ter this ft;le, and ciy out, as they did in the dayesofour.^^|^^'j^''| ' nioit uoblcQuecne deceafed, of cruelty, tyranuie,cxtrc- uinl, '^^ ^ "' B 3 nutie.
6 Tl:e Ai/r^er to 2). Silhops
mine, of perfecutions and martyrdomes , when by their difloiall and {editions courfes they lliall drawe from his Maieftie greater feueritie and fliarpencflc of executions then his princly nature is ot it felfc indincd vnto. Then Ihallthis acknowledgement of his bee an vpbraiding of them that they themlelues hauc made the rod wherewith they arefcourged ; that his Maieftie hath bcene kindeand louingtothem, but they haue beene vnkinde and crucll to themfehies. But tins cicmencie and kindnelTe, albeit it be an encouragement to good and faithfull fubie6b in du- tifull manner to vnfold vnto iiis Maieftic their luft gree- uances and rcquefts ,yet ought it not to embolden euill affc6led perfonswith calumnious libels to interrupt the peaceable courfc of Jiis Maiefties gouernement, and to fecke according to their drunken humours and fancies the alteration of the ftatc and admittance of thofc things , the building whereoftheythcmfclues know not how to fettle vpon any fure ground And this is the thing that M.Bifhop
' JH, 1 3 . 1 3. laboureth for/eeking with Elymas the forcerer " 'to pcrnert thejirafghtwayesof the Lord: ^ndvjhQveas his Maieftie as he confeflcth,^*!/^ made open and often frofejfion of his vigi- iancie and care toadttance theditiine honour of our Sautcur Chrijiandhismojlfacred religion J hee would inlf cad there-
^D4».ii.3 . of draw him to aduance the xAo^^Mau^^m the god of
f" ^^^r ' Antichrift, and to ellablifh ' damnable htreftes by him ^r/-
uilj i^rou^httn, whereby his agents and favours ^ through
e Tit. 1 . 1 1 . coustou/hejfe tvithfained rvord^s doe make marchrndife of the Joules of men, ^Jfeaktng thinges which they ought not for fit hie lucres fake. And this hee doth vnder a colour oideliutring tvhat he affureth hiwfelfe to be very expedient ^ neceffa.ry and agreable towards the furnijhingandfeittng forward of jo hea- uenly a worke by his maielhe intendcd.But it is not inough that he aflurc himfelfc, vnlefle hee could by gocd ground aflurc his maicftie alfo of that which he laboureth to per- fwade,which he hath not done nor indeed can do:& ther- fore as touching his furnifhing and fetting forward of this
workc
vvorke vveanf^'crlumas cheprincesand f.thersof lt<dnh
&^^»/4»//'^anrvVcrcd their vnderniining ajucrlaries:'' It .
isnotforyoHhutforvstebHtldthshoPifcv to o'Ar Gcd You ^^•'M.^
SaJntans^youPapilbaremaagrcls Liking vpon you to
■^fctrc the Lord, and yct/^.r«/=-^ »^./.-.#i n.g ea.ng the ,
ordinances and commaundcmciics ofthcLorJ by whjch ^,.
diisbou(eistobebuildcd,and doating vpon your old " yerf.i^
cHpme,^ndthadovc^haHi.g»o portion norr^ghtnor m:- &^o
»^W/^^/^r«/i/<?'=»norinthisheaucnlyvvorkeandferuice '\f>''»'-^'^^'
ot lefus v^hrill. Indeed ic is true winch he laith, that what-
foeucr taL nt ofUar^ji^g or k^owl. dge hee k.th ata tied vy.to,
xVtvfe andfriiii thereof is due to his Maiellk j but the grea- ter is his fmnc to withdraw it from him towlionie it is due,
beinpfotarreengagedto thePopeas that his Maidhc c^fannotprelumeot any true and faithtullvfe thereof. As
for the proofe that healledgeth of his fmcere and duiifull
affeaionandloue, it is altogether vnlound. And to this
purpofe 1 may well demaund as did C^#i«/*;// the Em-
perourthe father of the great Confimine\'^Ho-w Jhould ^EufdM ylta
Jh-y b' deemedfaithfiiil mto their pn»ce,who are found to be ConfiA, ucii.
pMwHS and vnfatthf.d/tow.^rds Godi It appeareth by that
fecret that he vttereth in this epiftle towards the endc,that
his loue is according to the rule ot B^^zs, if at leaft it were .
• his ^JicamatanqHamaltqmndoofHrHs'. Louefoas beir.gpcr- . TulUManfi.l \
h ws in time to h^te. Cer came it is.whadocuer he preccn- uua.
deth that neiiherhcenorhiseuer meant his Maieltie any
oooivnleflethey could game him to bee that that they
would hauehim to be. But what is tliat proofe ot his fin-
cericie that hee alleageth?for(ooth m time of vnccrtamefor-
tnne.whcK, hee (aiih, ajf.redfrinh are 7»oft certai'dj trtedhe
both riSrddt'qraceandhtrtd ranee f orbs hue tow.:rds his
MJde.beJpLdmfrs^ir, tAScotifi in pMiHWlm-c
wc fee that afJfe merchant needeth no broker. How cun-
nmolv he alofeth the matter to make fhcwot great loue
whe'rcindfed there wasnoneatall. What.^vyas itforJus
Maicrtiescaurctl)attholchardfoituncs,tliat dil^'ace and
hmdcr.jncc-
8 Tl?e Mf^er to t^.'Bijhops
hinderancedid bcfalUliim? Nothing lefle. Thclefuitc* forfooth and the Secular prkii:., whileftcch feeke fupe- riority oucr other, fall together by the eares ♦ The lefutics procure an ArcIiprieftjOnc that (liouldbe at their deuoti- on,to be fee ouer the Seculars. The Seculars rcfufc to yecldhimfubii^lionand by appeale refer the matter to the Pope. Forthcprofecutmgof this appeale M.Bif^op with another of his company are fent to Rome, There by the procurement of ?^r/wj both hee and his fellow arc clapped vp in prifonj and continuing there for many weekes were at length by the fentence of their Prote6tour baninied£ngland,andthconcof them confined to Lor- raine,and the other to Frauncc. This is the maine tragedy oiM,JBf(h&ps iniii(ortuncSy not concerning the cauie of the kings Maieftic any whit at all, Onely in the managing of thefc matters it came to pafle according to the pro- ucrbe,thatj37/7^« theeuesfall onty trne men come by their goods ^ For w hileft cch part fought to p>rouide the better Tor themfelueshecre in England for the time to come, tiic lefuits for their aduancement laboured to entitle the Lady /«f^»/'<«of Spa'netothefuccelTiouofthc crowne of Eng- land. But the Seculars prefumingthat if the Infanta were fct vp^they muft certainly goe downe, and chufing rather toaduenturethemfeluesvpon vncertaine hope, then to giuewaytovndoubtedand certanie defpaire, flirowded themleluesjvnder the acknowledgement of his Maieftics iuft tittle,not for any loue to his Mpicftie, but for hatred to the lefuits^and for the preferment ofthemfelues»For ima- gining that things vpon the death of Quecne Elizabeth would grow troublelbme and intending to make offer to hisMaiefticof their helpe forfooth for the obtaining of the crowne, they thought by capitulations and conditi- ©nsjhis Maicftie preuaiiing, to make all fureforthcirpart, thinking that the lefuitcs by their traicerous pradifes had let a fufHcient barre againil themfelues, and fhould be no let Tnto thcWf Hccreupon they fall to writing one againft
another
EpiftletothelQng. p
tnother,and M. Bifhop is ftiled in print ^. Scctift wfa* c7w«andtopickc a chankcvvith his Maicftie, wntctlihis Uvopt Id dtfccmjl^onefcr defer.ct cfhis Highr.ejfe honofir^the ctht r cfhis title tv the crowne of England,. A u'orkc of fuper- crogatjon tor his part: for his Maiellie needed no luch pro6toui s as he is neither was the w rangling ciz corrpa- nicoibafcfugitJiicsliifFiCicnt to queftion cither his Ma- iclties hoiiour,or his title to the crow ne. A nd Iiow httic Iicld cJiere was in tlieie his defcnfes may appcarc by tlic cx;;mples of his (clIowes,Watfon and Clarke, who tookc part vviih I im in this a6lion:and the one ot them wrote as much in the kings defence as M.Bifhop did, and yet when they faw vpcn his Maiellies entrance that things were likely to jj^oe otheru ilc then liked them ur-mediately they fall to conipiring and plotting againil him : the cafe was altered: they w ere not nowe the men tliat they were be- fore. The Uke is M^ifhops fidelitie and loue and he him- fcli^c afterwards plainly giueth his Maicftie to vnderftand that he may hope no otherwife of him then he hath alrea- die found m them. Yet hecre he prefumeth that (ith /;// lUdti' r.nd ione to h is i^iaieftie hath heretofire Arawne him vith.ut the comp^jfe of his prcftjjion to treat cf kv? courfesl therdore hts Crac e votllltcerce htm 9 ut of the like «r<j/<? vnto gcds truth ^ofiyfcmthirg in matters ofDifiinttie, But furely iHiebyhislawcourles defended his Maiefties caufc no better then by Diuinitiehee hath defended his owne,hce n.ight very well haue fpared that labour, and left it to them that w ere fi: to doe it itoccalion had required, which indeed he was not. But this isthcmalcpartnefleand faw- cinefleof thdebafe vaflals and runnagates boih lefuites and J'tculars tp thruft them/clues into matters that be- long not to their protcflion or condition": they are tam- pering with caules of kirgdcmcs and ftates: thty will de** termine of- titles and inheritances of crowncs and fcepters. Thisis their an ogancie and prefumpdon alTumingvnto themfelues as if the}- were able for all things: all tiieir geele
C be
^Hitren.tpifl. ad Theodoratn. ^ugufiAehit' ref.6.
f BelUrm.dt
I o The Anp?er to ©. ^'ijhops
be fwannes: not an afTc amongft th era but is wooithy to ftand with the kings hoifes: not one of tliem I warrant you but is fufTicicnt enough to be a Counfellour to a Prince, They aretheonely high Ipirited men , of great concf ic.of deepe reach, of noble resolution, of raoll Ipe- ciall & fecrct intelligence, of braue dilcourie, that can tell great tales of Bmbomachides Cltmjjiaridy farchides the great Gm-gujlidonian iff^perourieucn like Narciflus, io farrein loue with themfelues that they are drowned in tiieir owne pride, But we know them well enough: we lee thcirfoolericand laugh at it: when they come to triall they are for tlic moft part but emptie barrels: all this great noifeprooueth m a manner nothing but mccre winde. Oncly we are foric for that as the heretickes of old by " ftrange deuifed wordes and n^mes ftupefied and amazed fimple and ignorant people,and by that meanes gathe- ring to themlelues great admiration, drew many to their hcrefies: fo thele feducers with bold faces andbiglookes, and brauadoes of prating and cogging doe make feely foulcs, vnftable foolcs, butlpecially women to admittc ihem and grow m loue with them, ib to beearied by them blindfolded to tlieir owne deftrudion. Butheerewearc much to obferue that by law courfcs oncly M.B'iiliop de- fended his Maicflies title to the crow'ne:by Diuinitie he could fay nothing, for hismafter Bellarminc hadtaughc him that it is but ^ ^^ mn^ hnmano ^uodPjtMC ant illptm hahe^ amns regem: tt iihpit by the lapo of mun thatrve haue this or that mm to be ourhing^ and therefore, as hce arguetli, be- caufc the la we of God is to be preferred before the lau'e of man,he that by the law of man is to be king,vnle(re he wil beamainteinerofpopifhreligionja valTall&ilaue to the Pope,by the law of God he mull be no king* TJiis is M» Bil1iopsDiiunitie,and by this Diuinitie his Maieftie mud haue beenc ordered, if (' for our iudgement) God had fuf- fcrcd him to fal into their hands. As touching his Diuinity ©tlicrwife which he faith hath bin the bcft part of his ftudy
more
Epiftk to the ^ng: ii
more then thrife feuen y ceres, how well h^ hath profited therein, wee (hall fee by examining the par uculars of this booke.
2« W, BiSHO ?♦
IVhereinto I way cortNenientlj enter with that golden fen-^ tence^retthvphichyo'/.r Maiefiie began t'ne Corjcrcnce, hoi- den in lannary lafly bctwcene certaine efyourfubieUesy about fims controuerfie in Religion X A loue principiuni : or ccn- fcrmable to that in holy tvritte, I ail) Alpha,and Otrxgn that -^foc^tMf, tj, if. The beginning and the end,/?/r^ ourLrrd: ^ndapply^ ing it vnto py'tyicesjl may be bold to fryy th':t ftothtrg tsmore expedient and necejpiry for kingSy nothing more honounible^ and of be ttcr affurancefor their eflate^then that in the very be gin^^i'^'g ff their r eigne .^ they take ef^eciall order ^ that thefu" preamey and mofi puijjant Monarch cfheauen and earthy be fnrdy andvprghtlyferf^edy afivell in their orvne exampLre liiicSy as thrcughoHt their dominions. For of ^Uni^htie (jod hit meerc bountte oiidgreut gracey they receiue and hold their Diadems and Vrincely Scepters \ and cannot po^e^e and enioj them( their mightie Forces yandmojl prudent (^ounfatlesnot- ypithflandifg) one d^y Icngery then duringhis dinine mil and pleafre* Which that wrp king wUnejfeth^fpcaking in theper^ fonofGods Tvifedomry Per nic regcs regnant : 'By me kjfgs j/J"" '** doe ra igne. ^frdNAbixchodonozcr fomet/m.ki»g^f Baby' lon^ was turned out tograjfe with bcafts for feuen yecres, and m.ieie to know andconfejfcy that the highcji d'-th cemmu.nd ouer the kf^gd mes o/meny r.nddtfpojed of them y as pbnfeth his dtutnewijedome. But I ncednotjiandvponthispoittty be-^ tngfo wellkniwney andduely confined by your tJMaitflie^
R. A B B O T.
Plutarch reporteth that * the nobles of Laccdc-*^'"''*'''*«<^«J/. monapprooutngarpeechthatwasdeliuercdby aman of-^"^"**'* f cuill bdiauiour, caiiled the fame to bcc vttcrcd by another Ca of
ofhonelliifeand conuerfauonj that it might caric the greater weight ^hen it proceeded from a man whole do- ings otherwife were anlwerable to his wcrJcs. M. Bifhop hath here vttercd a very good ipeech, biit it foundeth not effcdudly from his mouth or pen : it were fit that fonic other man of other proteflion and coa^portment ihould be the writer or ipeaker of this matter,for he denieth to his Maielliethatrupremcgoueinmentm caufes ecclefiafti- call whereby he lliould take vpon him to doe that that iiee perfwadeth him, and being fworne to the Pope he cannot butmainteincchofclawcsofhis, whereby hee inhibiteth ^Difl.96.ft, ^ Kings and Princes to meddle with matters of religion im(Kr4m. and of the church, and rcltrueth the fame wholy to be or- dered by himfelfe and liis prelates, and as for princes they muft receiue and pra6tife the lame according to his order. As touching the reafon alfo that lie alleadgeth wliy princes fhould take efpeciall order that God bee purely and vp- nghtlyfeTUcd,hecaH/eofhis meere bountte and grace thcj receifie andhot^ their diadems andfrinceijjcepters.tht Pops denieth that they hold the fame immediately from God , but are to receiue them by his mediation and af probation and no longer to holde them then they conforme thcm- * S-»Ua.Vij. 5 . felucs to his lawes : ' Ecce ms cor ft. tuti [umusfufer gentes fUrit m^ior, &• ^ ^^^ Beho/diaith the Pope, we^rcfet oHernmcns
fanCixm. ' ^"dkingdomes^to buildvpandtoplant, topttUvpandtode" Jlrojj &c, and therefore what the wiledome of God laith ^ Trou.S. I J. as M. BilTiop alleadgeth/ Sy me kings retane, the fame the * Ceremon.eccle. p^pj. blafphcmoully applicth to Jiimidfe ; ' Jerme reges ^m.i-\. cij>, 1 . j^^^^^f . £y meki>gs dee reigne^\\\x% the Pope would haue Princes as very beafts as Nabuchodonofor was, not to know of whom they hold their crownes and kincdomcs but to thinke that aU dependeth vpon him.But M.BilTiop hecre acknowledgeth the truth that of God they holde the faraejand therefore ihould make it their (peciall care that the fame God be honoured accordingly. And heere vna- \?iLarcshce iuftifictli our do^rin^ as touching the Princes
fupremc
Epiflle to the Kjng. 1 2
fupreiiic authoritie for the goucrninent of our ch.urcli, tlic crte6lwhcrcofwe teach to bee this, to piouide by lawes and to take efpeciall order that God bee purely and vp rightly fcrued : that idclatric and luperllition bcc reinoo- ued ; tliat the word of God be truely and finccrc ly taught, that the Sacraments be duely adminillred : that the Bi- iliops and pallours diligently performc the feruice and duety that doth appertainc vntothem, that the comnian- denientsofCjodbenotpubhkcly and fcandaloully bro- ken. For thele things we acknowledge the king to be vo- der Chrift tUt fttprcme gouemoptr of the churches within the doiiunions that are fubie6^ vnto him, and this ductie M. Bifhop confelleth to appertainc vnto him. And thus did the good kings of Iudah« Dauid, Ezcchias, loHas, &c. rhushaueChriftiancmperours and princes done; thus and no othcrwife did Queene Elizabeth : and yet for ^■^ ^ ^\, the doing hereof (hee was profcribed by the Pope, and fo much as in him lay depriued of iier crownc and fcepter But the good hand of that God whomc fhee ferued was continually with her, and fhce profpered thereby :whileft he that was the beginner of that tragedie and diuers other his luccellours and confederates wentto hell fhee raigned with viftorieand glory : fliee was a tcrrour to the nations about'her : lliee died in peace 5 was buried in honour : left her kingdome iafely to be entred and enioyed by his Ma- leftie, and herfelfe now raigneth in heauen triumpiiantly tor euer. In the fame fteps his Maieltic walketh : and the (ame God will be his guide and defGnce,and we doubt not but will more and more eftablilh the throne of his king- dome to himlelte and to his royall poftcritie vntill the day of Chrift, that that Samaritan generation may gnaw their tongues for anger and cnuic Co fee the walles of lerufalcm afcending, and the temple of God buildedvp and his true rehgion and feruice floui idling and increasing more and more*
C 3 5. W. B I s H o R
{
1 4 T)7eAnfw2rtoV3ijhops
5. W» Bishop,
Bp't ftthence there bee in this our wfi miferable age, ^reat diuerfitiss ofRelmoiiSy and but cue one Ij, •Kh^nrcuhCjodis , /. truelyfernedardpleafedy as faith the ^Jj)cflU. Onebodie,
^' ^* one spirit, as you arc calk d into one hope of your voca-
tion, one Lord, one Faich, one Baptifme : LMy mefikim- blefuite andjHfflicatwn to jour high Mai&^ie isy th^t yon to your eternall gocd, •tviUemhrace^mamtaineiCiyidfet forth thAt onely trufy CathoU. k£, (if^^ ^fojlo'tckefatth, rvherein all your mofl 7 oiall progenitors hued and dicd'.or if you cannot be womie fofoone^ to alter that religion m which /> hath beeneyour iMif-~ fortune y to haue beene bred and brought vp I That then in the ^m^yfiif A f'^h ^ meane feafcHyyouwillnot [0 heauilyjer^Me^the finare pro-
R. Abbo T.
How M. Bifhop propoundeth briefely to his Maieftic
the fum of his petition, the foundation whereof he layetli
in a principle which wee acknowledge to be a truth, that
whereas there be great diuerfiries of religions in the world
^ thereisbut one onely v!>herervithGodistru^lyftrued. Here-
vpon hce frameth his humble fuite and iupplication that
his maiedie rviU embrace, fnaintaineandjetfoorth that only
true^ CaxhoUcke and ^pofloluke faith. But that necdeth
no fuite norfupplicationofhis; for his maieftie already
doth embrace, maintaine and fetfoorth that one only true
Catholicke and Apoftolickc faith. For what is the c atho-
(id lick.' faith but thchkhoi the Catholic kechurch^Andwhidi
ynitMclej'.c, 1. 1^"*^" ' '^^''^ ^'^ ^^^ ^° ^^ ^^^^ Cathclt: % (hunh t Surely the
jithandf. eatholtck^ church by the very fignification of the woorde is
qttxfi.S 1 . the VriiiterfAl! church fo called * quiaper totum efi, bscaufe
b jttgufi.in -f ^j ouerallor through all the world, and is not tied to anic
^-^"'5 • countric, place, perfonor condition of men ,'' not this
chnrcb
Efiflk to the IQu^ . I <r
church or that church , as S. Aiillin Tpeakcth , hut the chirch difperfcd throfighthe rvholeit'or/dy andmt that whuh conjjiethmmennow pre/ent liuhig, b->tfo as that there be- Lng to tt both thofe that hatte bccne before vs and that fhall be after vs to the worldes er.d» Whereby we fee how abiiirdly ciie church of Rome takcth vnto it the name of the catho- Itcke church-flXii^ how abiiirdly tlie Papilles cake vnto them the name oF Catholickes » The Catholicke church is tJie v- 2 niuerfall chuich.-thc church ot[Rome is a particular church ' therefore to fa}', the cathelt k^ Romane church is all one . as to fay the vniuerfall particular church. To fpeake by ■ their rule, the Romane church is thchead, and all other churches are members vnto it, but the cathoiicke church compreiiendeth all : therefore to lay the Romane church .^ is the Cathohcke church, is as much as to fay , the head is V the whole bodie. Neither dotli it helpe them, tharofoldc particular churches were called by the name of cnthdicke churchy it being no otherwile done but as m totofimi/ari in a body rphere all the parts are of the fame nature y\Nhtvc cue ry part hath the name of the whole, and no one part can chalcnge the fame more then any ocherjas in the elements cuery part of the fire is fire: cuery part of the water-water: euery part of the earth is earth, and cuery part by like rca- . foncaryeth the fame name. For fo euery church wiierc true faith was taught was called to diltinguifli it from he- retical! allemblies. The 'Catholicke church, and euery Bifhopoffuch church was called a BiOiopofthc Csitho- '^fj^^t'^A Ucke church, and no one church more then other aflu- *^*'**'
med vnto itany prerogatiuc of that title, Therefore they called the c^ifW^f^/^//;?? the faith that was receiued by the church throughout the whole world, and true Chri- llians were cjllcd Catholtckesy "^ ex commtmione totitis orbis d ^^utuS. by hautng consmmionandfellowpjlp cf faith with the church (fep,/lj.^%, the vphole world. It is therefore a meere vfurpation, where bythePapilles call the Romane church the catholuke ^ cktrchj and tlic very fame that the Donatiftcs of old did/
vie*.
1 6 The Anfitfer to ©. 'BiJl)ops
* %i ^^^f They Iicld tl.c CatJotlicke church to be at 'Qirtenna in
Africa, and tlie Papirtes hold it to bee at Rome m italic. They would iuue the church to bee called ^kr/ztf/ii k£y not by realbn of the coimnuiiion and fociety thereof through /^.. the whv>levvorld,but^/^rf^yo«<?f the ^eifMionof doBrtne CHmDZJili &ficra'*icras,\\'Hd\ they falfely challenged to thcnileiucs, cap,x die. I. ' and the lame perlcdlion the church of Rome uovvc arro- gatetlito It ftlfe^andw^illthcrciore bee called thcLadio- licke church. From Cartcnna tlie Donatiftes ordcincd « Cont.Cr^/cBw. BiliiOD;^ to other countries, eucni^toRonic itfclte : and Gr^mmit, U,i, ffom Roiiic by the Papilles order mull Bilhops be autho- ^","■^7' rifcdto all other cliurchcs. They would bee taken to
fc -^ J be " Catholickes for keeping ccmmur.ion w ith the church of Cartenna; and fo the Papiftes w.ll be accounted Catho- lickes for keeping communion with the church of Rome « ' I If id They held that ' hovvlbeuer a man btlceued he could not
bee lauedvnlcfl'e he did communicate with the church at Cartcnna ; and the Papilles hold ihat there is no faluation likewife bu i in communicating with the church of Rome, The Donatilles were notfoablurde in the one, but the papilles ai c as abfurd and ridiculous in the other. There was reafon wJjy Aullin fhouid be mcoued with die name ^ Cont.epiji.' ©f ' (^'athohcl^ when they tliat were called CdtholUkes had fundameat. f.4, ccftimonie ofthcir faith from the communion and lociety 1 Breiticcoiut. ofthechurch througljout the whole world, and were cum D»nat. therefore fb called * cjuta cc mmanicaKt eccleft^ tcto or he dif- die.^^cap.i. fufk '.bscaufey faith Saint Aullin , they commumcatcKvith the church f^read oner th 2 rvholersiorld : but moll lottilhly is it alleadged for a motiue viito vs, being nowc Donatilli- cally applycd to one particular church of Rome and men bearing the name oiCathjlkkcs onely for communicating with that church. Surely as the name of le we s was of old a name of honour and the proper title of the people of God, but afterwardcs by their apoftafic who bare it was •*/4.tf J , 15. left for a "" name of curfc and reproch : fo the name of Ca- thdickcs was an honourable namcand the peculiar citle of
the
Epi/ile to the ^ng. i y
the true children of the church but now by their abufe wl^o hauc vniulUy taken that name vnto ihcmfclues, it is become a name ot curfe and llianic with the people of GOD, and the proper badge of Apoftates and here-" ;(<)»» 2.28, tickcs. Andasthe Apolllcdenicth the name or " Icwes to them who yet according to the letter were fo called bc- caufeotthc ci'rcumcifion of the flefh, and applieth''the'*''*'^'*^* truth of the name to them who were fo according to the lbint,albeit according to the letter they were notfo named lothen.inieofCatholickes indeed belongcth not to the Romifli fa6lion, whoaccording to the letter take vpon them to bee lo called, but the true meaning thereof be- longcth to them.who although they loy not in the litcrrJl name,beingno-.v become by abufe accurled and reproch- ful5yet do follow the fame faith which they followed who firftwere called by the name of Cathc/.ckes. Let them hauethc ihcl!,fotliatwehauethekcrncll: htthem vaunc themfelues of the empty Icttcrfo Icngas wee hauethe true vcrtuc and fignification of the name, The nan:c in his true vfeimporteth them that embrace the faith ot the Carho- lickcjtliat isjthe vniuerlall church that hath becne from the bcgining of the world, that is throughout the whcl world, andfhaUbctothewcridesend. NowasofthisCatholickc diurcli fi'om tlie begining to the cnde there is as appearcth in the words cited b) M.Bifhop.buf cne ^t7«afv,cucn as ofie p Ffhdf.j^.^, Lord,one God and Father ofall^o is there aHo but, '^ eneffi- '^ ^^''Z- rttyOne h'pe^cftrfiiitb,cne i>aptt/me, one^ ffiritptall mert and ^•"''•*°' J* <^r/;rj^ one religion. Lctvs then looke vnto thofc that haue beene before vs^and confider Abel. No e^ty^braham^ IfacXylc.ccb and the reft of tlic Patri arches and Fathers : let vs looke to Mofes2i.w^ the Prophets and the whole gene- rations of the righteous and taithtull of the old Tefta- mcntand fee whattheir faith was: what was their religion and feruice of God. Vndoubtcdly wefinde nota Papift aniongrt them all : we finde no iTiadow of that which they now obtrude and thruft vpon vs vndcr the name of Ca* D tholicke
i8
The jfnfwer to T>. 'SiJJ?ops
i«Cor.4.t3«
* Tertul.de fr^fcri^t atU. Imrtt.
» Mi 7.6.ZX.
» Tertttlje.
frsftrifttdiu,
htsret*
lit.VetiLLl',
thoUcke religion. They did not worfhip idols and images they did not coinming aicer pray to the faints that were dead before: they vied no inuocation of angels : they knew no merits nor works of fupereroganon: they vowed no vowcs ofmonkerie: they neither Ibid not bought par- dons, nor made praiers tor foules in Purgatone ; they made no pilgrimages to reliqucs and dead mens bones : tliey knew no fhritt nor ablolution,norany of that rifraflc Ituffe wherein tlie fubilance of Catliolickc religion is now imagined toconfift. Butvvhat they did,the fame doe wc as they worlhippcd God,fo,(auing ceremoniall oblcruati- ens, we alfo worfhip him : as they bclecued fo by ^ the fame JpiritoffaithwcskbhclccueiAS they praied, fo and with the fame words wee alfo pray according to the approoued example of their life,wce alfo teach men to line. Therefore notFoperic but our religion is the Catholickc religion, becaufeicisthat which the Catholickc church hath pra- ftifed from the beginning of the worldjand Popifli rcligi- QU is not to* The £amc faith and rehgion which they fol lowed and no odier our Sauiour Chriil at his comming further confirmed and onely dripping it of thofe types and fhadowes,wherewithitpleafcdGodtorthe time to cloth it, commended the fame to his Apoilles fimply and na- kedly to beeprcached to tlie nations. They did fo: ' they, added nothing of their orvne^hcy preached ©ncl)' "the GoffcU fromtfedb(forebytheprofhitj in the holy Scrtpt^res: 'fay- ing none other things then thoje which the prophets a^id Mofet dmfayjhottldcome,'' TheGofpell which they firfi preachedy afterwards by the willofGod^ as Irene us laith tbcyJc/iuered to vsin writing to he the pillar and foundation of our faith. Thus then whatChrift deliuered,theApoltlcs preached whatthe Apoftlcspreachedjthey wrotrwhat tiicy wrote, we receiue and beleeue, and '^ heleemng thisy as Tertullian faith,»?tf de^e to beleeue m more.becaHfe wefrfi beleeue tb. t there is nothing elfefer vs to beleeue. And therefore as Saint AuibnfaitIi,'//«««j'W;««, nay if an ange II from hcMten/hall
preach.
l^tflle to th K^g, I g
ffeachvntovs concerning ChrtJiyOr cotteertihighis churchy or concerning any thtrg appertaining to ourfasth C^ /ifc hht rvhat T^e haue recc iacd in the Script ftres of the Law and Gofpell ac- cnrfedbe he.Qwi faith tlicrctbrcjbccaufc ic is thatwhicli the Aportlcs committed to writing, \& tlic *ApcJioltckefaithy & our church '' ex confanguimtatedoclrin^yhy confanguinitjy^ agreement ofdoEirine is proucd to be an ^4poSioltcke church ^^*'"^**''>« ? Of this OMvApojtelicke church his Maicfty [is the [prindpall ^^*^ member,and vnderlcfusChrilltlie iiipreme gouernour: this Apodolickc faith he embracctli^maintainech and fet^ tcdi toorth,and this is the onelj true Cathclick* andApofit- lickefatth. As for M.BiHiops religion, it cannot bee the Cathohckc religion, becaufe it is not that wliichthe Ca- thohcke church, tliat is, thefaithfullofall agcs^haue pra» 6hfcd : his faith is not the Apoftobckefaith, becaufe it is not that which the Apoftlcs left in writing. They make no mention of the Pope, of his fuprcmacie, of his par- dons, of worfhipping of images, inuocation ot Saints,pil- grimages^and a thouland (iich other trumperies.
Nowe whereas hee alleageth tliat all his Maieflies moil roiall progenitours haue liued and died in that whicii he calleththc Catholicke and Apoftolicke faith, hee playeth thepartofSymmachus the Pagan Sophiftcr, whobythe like argument woulde haue perfwaded Valentinian the Emperour to reftore their heatheniHi idolatries andabho- minations. ' We are ffollowwrfathersy (ayth lie,ivho rvith ^ •^rtirrof.tfif, happinejfe andfdicitie followed their fathers.lhus men haue ^ l^^^^^*** hardened tliemfelues in their hcrefics faying, ** Taretaes i^ug.Tftl^^^ meiqtiodfuerHnty htc^ego* fVhut my father and mother ■voire before me ^the fame vptlll bee. But his Maieftie well knovvcth that in matter of religion the example of parents is no bond to the children, but the triall thereof is , Vo re- ' CyfrUnJLz 7 ^ turnc to the roote OJ^doriginallofthe Lords tradition^ as Cy- *^*^- J* >
prian fpcaketli , not regarding what any btfure vs hath thought fit to be done^butwhatrhrifi hath done who is before 4//; It IS not vnknowne to his Maicftic tlut there (hould
D2 be
2 o Tl?e ^[Mr to T>. Sijhops
^ ^poc. 1 7 be(? a time when the kj^g^s of the eartli ' (honldgiue their
* 3-^7« fower arid kingdom-: to theheafi v^ii'lthe wordofGcdheful-
JiliedfZnd wizhihcTvhoorefatiftgvpoftmafi} waters Pjould:
s-verf.H' bciidtlieiiiGIuestos/[^/;;/^<:?^^.t</^ the L^mbe, Wherein if any ot his progenitpurs or predeceQburshauc erred, hcc
k -- 1 ^ Jeauctli them to the counfell of God, but by the worde of God learnethhiinlelfe tobeeone of them chat ^Jhallhate th:reh:oreaKd make her d folate andnaked^ and fh.zil cote hrr jie[hc andburrn: hcrrpkhfire. Albeit it is vtterly falfe which liee aHirmetli that all his Maicfties progeni- tpurs, kings of thefe RcaUnes of England and Scotland li- ,u^d and died ii.i,the,R.omif}i,faich tliat novveour Romifh favours To much labour to (ct vp. Indeed lie and his tcl- lowes arc woont to bee very lauifh in their Ipeechcs of this matter, as if from king Lucius of Britaine and Donaldus of Scotland the fonely religion, that had becne profefled hadbeenethe Romilhidolatrieand fuperftition chat now x% pra^lifed by them ; whereas it fhall afterwardcs plainely appeare , thatat the comming in of Auftin the Italian monke, foure hundred yeercs after the receiuing of the faith into this Hand, the Bifliops and churches of Scotland iqyned with the Brittalnesagainftthofe new obferuations which the fame Auftin brought from Rome, and woulde by no meanes admit thereof, and for thefpace of a hun. drcd yeercs at leaft , rcfufed to communicate with the Englifli that had recejued the (ame« Yea and in the time of '■MMth.,'P4rif- ' king Henry the third, twcluc hundred yeercs. after the in Henrie.i. ' i|icarnation of Chrift ^ vyhen the Popes Legate would haue rffl«9iz3«, ei^tred into Scotlaiid to yifite the jchurches there, the ^ " ^^* king of Scots, Alexander the fecond, forbad him fo to do,
alleaging that none of his prcdecefFors had admitted any fuch, neither would hee fuffcr it, and therefore willed liim awhis owne perill to fbrbearc : fo long wfas it before the , Popes authoritie couldc gaine any ackno.wlcdgcmentin ^^hatkingdpme, which his agents would make ys bclceuc ■J^\ |?cf nc in all ?gcs y^iu^rlally and yn^uellionably, rc-
"* ceiiied.
EpiHle to the Khig. 2 1
cciucd. But they care not indccdc what tlicy fay or write fo that it m.'iy cary aniagnificalland braue (hcwe to da- zclithc eyesoFtiicni that are not well acquainted with their Jcwd and nauglitic dcahng.
But M.Bilhop being out ot doubt that heefliould not preuaile in this fiiil part of his fuite, therefore addcth the lftond;Or tfyoucunnot be tvcnjo jooneto alter that religion in whuh it haih becnc your misfortune to hxne been bred and brought vp^h^:t then tn the meanefeajon you tvillnotfo heapti- lyperjecute theft- cere prof cjfors of the ether. Where we (cc thepreliimptionoi'ubafe and beggcrly vaflall ( I forget Jieerc that he is a Do£lor otDiuinitic, 1 confider him as a lubic6l) thus to vpbraid his prince with misfortune in his breedingand brtngingvp , whereas iiis Maieilics bringing vp by tJie lingular prouidence and difpofition ot almightic God hath fortcd to make him high »Sc admirable amongll other princes , and hee hath learned thereby to be indeed a king, by carting offthat yoke of bondage, whereby (un- diy other princes are enthralled to a heart; yea and by his bringing vpp is fo well able to defend and maintaine the religion that he profeflcth,that M. Billiop muft ftand be- fore him like a dumbe afl'e able to fay nothing, but onely to repeate their oldc cuckovvcs ^ong. The church , the church: the fathers, the fathers , albeit he can make no- thing good neither by church nor fathers. But his ftiitc \% ■ that his Maieftic will leaueofFy^ heanily to perfecnte thenty complaiiiing before he haue caufcjand entreating his Ma.- icftic to.Ieaue oU before he haue begun . Anddothadil- fembling hypocrite taike oiheauieperfecutton onely fof ca- fic imprironmcnt and' ammerciament et goods , when they in iiiort barbarous and cruell fort by infinite vexati- ons kind torments, byrackes andftrapadocs, by 'fire and fword, haue fpilt aiiddeftroycd theblotid and hues bffo ^ , „. many thoufands of ours onely for thejiprofeffion of the '^^^^j^^^''^^' P^' Gofpcll of Chrift ? But no otherwise doe they complaine g J/^ ,« C4. . ofpedccutions tlicndidof oldth^^Doiiitifts atid lunna- tdo-r.
2Z Tl)e Mf^er to D. 'Bljhofs
I ju^^pif^ gate CircumccllionSj and wee fay of them as Saint Auftin
P/d/.y^. did of the other :^ The J fttfferper/ccHtiott : fedpro fututtntet
™P»«».iz,2y. trovanitatc : hnt it ts for foolery: it isforvMiitie, "' Voolifb-^
neff'e is bomdtn the heart efa chtldsS^th Solomon, but the
rod of corrcBion jhall driueit awaji from him* Indeed they
doe for die moll pare but play the children ; it is biit their
will, or rather their wilftilncflc for wliich they luffcr:thcy
can giuc no reaTon why they lo doc , but what ignorance
affoordeth them, they mml follow the church ;thcy will
doe as their fathers and forefathershaue done. It is fit tliac
achildes ftomackcbee fubducd with a rod , and necellarie
that fome courfe be taken tor the fubduing and reforming
^ of their wilU
4. W. Bishop.
f^j manj vrgentyand forcible reafons might be produced ^ infiiHOHranddtfence of the CathoUckeRomxnRel'gion^ycher of differs haue beene inmofi Uarnedtr eatifesytenderedto jour Hdaiefiie alreadia Wherefore I will onelj ton ch three : typo of them chofenoHt ofthefttbieSl of this bookjThe third felt Red from afentence of your Maieflies^ recorded in the forefaid Conference, , . ". •
^ndbecaufethaidrgttmentis , asmofl/enfible ^fo\befi ajfured,ivhichproceedethfrom a principle that is etther eui-- dent in itfelfe^ or elfegranted^andconfejfedfor true : Mjfrfl froofefhall bee grounded vpon that jour Maiejlies owne refo^ J, . lute^(fr confiant opinion^as it appearethinthejaidcorferece)
toyvitte X Tliat no church ought farther to feperate it felfc from the church of Rome y either in do6b:ine or ceremo- iiie, then ihe hath departed from her felfe, when (he was inherflouriftiing ,andbeftcftate. Tromxvhcnce I deduce thisreafoniThefrincipallpilUrs of the church ofRome^ her moftfiourijhing efiate , taught in all points cf Religion , the fame *DoEirme^ thatffee now holdeth And teachethiand im eX" pffll* tearmes condetnnethfor errour ani herefuy moft oftbofe *Articl€tf which thiPrttefiantt eficcmc to bee the principal
part J
Epljlle to the King. 2 2
partes of th fir nformtdGofpcll: ihertf.rt tfjtur Matcfiy Vfilirejilutely errtbracc , a.nd coy/fiam/y clef ckU that doHrmey n>htch the Roman church maint awed tn her tKofi foHrifbtno eltate:j/otimujlfor/uke the VroteflaMt^aHd take the cathoUcke tntojQur frmce/y ir^tc^lion.
R A B B O T.
You talkc M. Bifhop , of many vrgcnt and forcible rea- Tons, but you calkc as your kllowcs doe like Moantc- bankcs and lugicrs ; you hauc much prating and manie wordcs, but your rcaifons when they arc dueiy examined are as hght as feathers before the winde. Neyther woulde tlicy feemc other to your ownefoUowersjbut that you be-" witch diem to thispnncipletiiat they mull reade nothing written on our part for anfwere of them. We fee your vr- gcnt and forcible reafons in this bookc which you tell vs is the marrovf and pith of many large volumes, I doubt not but by that time I hauc examined theiamc,your ownc pupills and fcholcrs, it they rcadc the anfwer,will account you a meere fcducer, acofcncrand abulerofthem , and will dcteft you accordingly. But to beginne withall, you offer three reafons to his Maieltic inycurepiftle for the iullijfyingofyour Romifh religion and fortheempcach- ingcfours :two chojen tat cf the fuhieR of this hooke : the thtrd/e/e&cdfrom aftntence of his Maitfii,; deliuered at the Conference* A^ow if theie reafons prouc rcalbnlcfle, then your reafon , M. Bifhop , ihouldc hauc taught you more manners and duetie then thus to trouble his moft excel- lent Maicilic with your reafonlcffe reafons. To examine them in order,his firft reafon is grounded vpon a principle nioHiudidoullyandfoundlyafiftrmcd^by his Maieltic at the Contcrcnce aforefayd ; * That m Church ought fnr^ » Confer. p.i^, th^rtofeparateitfclf^fromthechurchcfRoTneiH dotlrine or 7$, ccrimofrie, thtnfljce hath d parted ft o her felfe yvhenfhee Kvas in hvrpiirilhingandbcfleflatc^ar,dy^\\\d\ is fubtillylcft out by M.Biniop,^i;w Chrtfl her lord andhcadj For leeing it.
cannot:
24 77;e Jnfwer to V.^fhops
cannot bee denied bat that the church of Rome was once Ipund andvpright in the faith, the Apollle bearing wit- ^ /(.W.I.8. ncli'w lU^X^ their faith was pHhlijhcd tPjnughoi.t the whole Tecorldyit mulhiecdes follow that what flieehath not (ince tliat time akcrc d is Itili vpright and found , and therefore to bee unbraced. Ncwe from liencc M , Biiliop argucth thus ihitthi pn^^dvAlpi/Iars ofthj church ofRcme tn hermofi fiouriPjmgifiate Uihght in ^.li feints of Rehgton the pime do- Urine ihatjh ee now Joel eth^ andin txpnjfe t. rmes did con- demns for etronr andherefie the molt ot the articles of our religion : therefcre if his Maieftie will embrace that do- ctrine which the Roman church maincain^d m her moll flourifhing eibte he muft f orGke thcProteflaiit & receiue the Catholicke into his princely proie6lion. But (bfi: and taire Maiftcr Bifhop , there is no haft . Your propoii- tionyetremaineth to becprooucd, which you cannot prooue , and it is indeedc gr oily and abf iir dly talle. Wee hope you will notdcnie but that the Apoftle Saint Paul was one principal pillar ofchatchurch,who there flied his bloud for the witnelTjng of the faith, Hecwrotan epiftlc to the church of Rome at that time when the faith thereof was moft renowmed through theworkle, Hec wrote at *TI d f largccomprchcndingthcreinas Thedoret fayth * Omnis pr£fat.in tp'ifi. S>^*^^^'* doBrinam ^ accnratam copiofamq, dogmatp:mft rtra Tauli, Rattcnemlelo5lrine of all fortes^ cr afl ktndeof doElrmCyand
very exaB andplentifu II handling ofthe points thereof. Now in all thatepiftle what doth he Uy either for you or againft vs ? nay what doth he not lay for vs againft you ? Hee con- * Kom 1 ij. demnetli '' the char git g tftheglorie cfthe incc rrnptihle God « f (jr/. 2 5 . f^fg thefitmlitude of the imfige of a corruptible manA'r.d ' rvor- Jhippingthe creature infiead cfthe (^reatour. It is forvs a- gainft you : tor you by yourlchooletpckcs doubt hoc to teach mcnne by the image of a man to worihip God, and by religious dcuotions of prayers and offerings to worfliippc Samts and Saints images inftead of God. Hee H«««.x.x7. Tayth^and wc (ay the fame^hat' therighteoufnejlfe of God is
from
Finjlle to the IQng. 2 5
fr m faith to fail h * You Iky othcrwile that it is from faith townrkcs: that fiith is but the entrance to workes , and that in workcs tlie rightcoulhclTe of God doth properly conHll, T he A poltle in exprefle tcrmcs affirmeth, « im- ^ ^'""■< ♦^ fHtattonffrightcoMfnejfemthent tvcrkcSy we doethei'ame, butycuprotclVedlydifputeagainftit . Hee tcachcth vs that '' tt rr.al! ife is the gt^t oj God through lefus (^ hrji our ^ Vag.6.ii Lord\\)Wt } ou M Eilliop, tell vs that all ' thAt are of je ares ^"l^"^' ofdtjcrettonnittfl ( ithcr Ly thetrgobd cartage defer He ( ti rnall / ife ^orclfe for their had bchAhunr he dfinhtrtted. He tellcth vs againe, and againe, ^ concupfcence isfnne , td Infi is to fiK»ej and by the luw it is knowne lb to bee : wee lay ^ Kom-^ ^7 the faille, but you goe about to make vs beleeue that it is f^^' . , not I'lnnc, HQiziihohhc^fp rit of ad-fftiotj, the fame /pir.'t ^^ ' he^ircthwttnefft w th cur fptrtt that we are the fonnesofGodi buc youfay we haue no fuch witnefle whereby we iLould bclccuethatwcarethefonncsoiGod. He faith the -" /^- '" '^°*"'^-''» ferngs oj thrs tmie are n t worthy oj the g 'cry thet^jallbe rc" ne^lei I fit.) w : but you fay they are worthy. He laith no- thing for thofe points for the deniall whereof M. Bifliop con Jemneth vs , nothing for luftification before God by workcs, nothingforfrce will J nothi ng for reliques, no- thing for the merit of fingle life 5 nothing for prayer for the dead, noihingfor Traditions, nothing for any of the rcfl. Now in ihis cafe, M . BiOiop, it haddc becnc Be that youfliculd by very good rcafon haue fatisfied !^.is Maielty how it flionlde bee probable or pofTible that the Apottle writing at large to the Church ol Rome, flioulde not once mention any ofthofe maine points wherein the religion of the church ot Rome now wholy confilleth, if the chiuch of Rome were then the fame that now it is : that he fliould fay nothing of the prerogatiue of thatchurcli, nothing of the Pope, ofhis pardons 5 of the Malle, of tranfubltan- tiationjofMoonkifhvowes, of images, of pilgrimages, of prayer to Saintes , ofall the reft ofyour baggage llutfe: in a word that he fliould be a Papill, and yet Ihould v\ rite E nothing
argum.oftht efifi. in gene ~ rail.
" Erafm.de rat. (enclo»,lib.^.
P lhlinP),de~ fcript.ofBri- tainecap^j, Annals of Eng- land by lohn.
i6 Tlye Jhfwer to D. Sifhops
nothing but what in iliew at leaft fcrueth the Protcftants tiirne:only we muft be perfwadcd torfooth thut" where ^ny thing fopindeth co.trary to the Romtfh faith, rvefaiteof the right fenfe. But vndoubtedly : M. Billiop, either Saint PaulwasaProteftant^orelfehe dealt very neghgentlyin yourbehalfe. Saint Peter was another piincipall pillar of that church, the founder and head thereofas youper- fwade vs. What.would he alfo forget the triple crowne? would he lay nothing of all thofe things? Not a worde* There is nothing huidereth in either of his Epiftles but tliat he alio mull be taken for a Protellant. Me thinkes here you iliould fare as in another caufe " Robertus Lkiey^fis did before the Pope* Youlhould fpitand cry out fevp- on Veterfie vpori Vaul. Would they not thinke tlieie traHi and trinkets of our^. fo much wporch as rofoeake of them? Ah thefe Protellants, tlieie heietickcs, tiicy lay all for them, and nothing at all for vs. But alas. Peter and Paul had not heard of any ot thefe things and therefore no mar- uellthat tiicy wrote nothing of them. 1 hey rc.id Moyfes and the prophets; they preached as Chriftdid according to the fcriptures: the Catholicke religion that had bcene fi'om the beginning of the world they contmucd: betwixt the old and the new teliament we lee a woonderfull agree- ment, but concerning Popery we fee nothing.
Well, M. Bifhop, letvsleaue Peter and Paul for he- retickes : let vs fee whether thofe that fucceeded did all teach the fame do6lrine that the church of Rome now teacheth. EkucheriustheBiQiopof Rome being fcntvn- to by Lucius king otthis realme for a copy of the '' Roman conftitutions for the gouernement of his new conuerted church and of the Imperiall lawes for the better ordering of his common wealth about i^o yeeres after the death of Chriftjforanfwerewritethvnto him: that hauingrecei'^ed in his f^ngdome the lawe andfaithofChrifl, andha'iingnow the oidaninervtefiamentJoefhoHldby a Councell of his realms take Uvpesfromthence to gomrne thereby: thdt he yfos the vir-
car
Epiflletothel^ng, 27
car if God in his ki^igdowes : that the people andnations of the
kwadmie ofBritaim were his , euen hts children : that ft:ch
as were d^ uided he jhotdd gather them together vnto the iare of
Chriji: hishslj church to peace and concord : andjhotild che-
rt(b,maintaine ,nroteEl^goHerne and defend them, ^c. But
now the religion ofRome hath altered that ftile and tel-
IcthvsthatnotthekingbutthePopeis '^Gods vixar vpon '\ Stxt.proxm.
earthy his vicar generall for all kingdomes : and aster »»5'#-
the churcii, the matters and gouernemcnt thereof belong
not to tlie king ; who if hce make any lawes concerning ^ ^^y^^^^^
religion, ' he chalengeth to hmfelfe anothers rig^r,tliat is,the ■^^„ator.
Popes.'becaufe God would not haue the worke of Chrijiian
relmon to be ordered bypHblicke lawes or by thejecular powers
bm by Topes and Strops, Anacletus Bilhop of Rome and
after him Cahxtus ordeined ^ that confecration beeing done ^ Di/i.i.E^Jfco-
all jhoM communicate or elfe be excommmicated : ^^^^ f°y^"^f^' ^^'
fay they, the^pojilesdidjetdowne and the holy church of
Rorrte obferneth. But the church of Rome that now is ma-
kcthitlawfullforthepriefttoreceiucalone : the people
in the meane time ftand gazing and looking on : and the
fight only muft luffice them ♦ lulius the bilhop of Rome
dlTallowed' tntin^am Eucharifltan'/, the dipping ejtheEn- t Deconfecrat.
charifi the facrament of Chrills body in the cup , becat4fe difi.x.CHm
no witrnffe hereof was brought out of the Gofpell^ but there is ^mnr.
mentisncdthe commending of the bread by itfclje, and the cup
h '^/^f^' ^"^ "°^ ^y ^^^^ Canon ot the made the prielt
mult " dtppethethtrdpartofthecsnfecratedhofiinthefacra-^^^^^.^^.^^^
tnent ofthehludandthenprayeihthattks mixture may be i^canone
hea/ttf^llto himflfe andallthe receiuers vnto eaerlafling mijf^,
life, Gelafius BiOiop of Rome faith as u^e lay that ^ in the - Gdafcont.
facrament iscelebrated an image erfemblance of the body and ^y'J- ^
blofidofChrift, and that the re ceafeth not to be thefibfiance
or nature of bread and wine : But now tlie Romilli religion
maketh them heretickes tiiat fay the facramet is the image
or femblance of the body and bloud ot Chrift and not the
bodyandblouditfelfc, or will not beleeue that tlie bread
28 Ti?e Jnfwer to V. 'Bif^ops
and wine arc fubftantia'ly and really turned into the fame
. body and blood,, albeit chey belceue withthe farae6V<2-
Jius that the lacramcnt is a d'U:nc thiKg., ayidthat thereby wee
^re made part^k^rs ofth^dm'me n :t.ire^t\i^n oi Chrill jiiai-
fcKe realiy and llibltantiallyjbut yet l^;iricuali)', v\i:haU
his nchcs becomming ours, and bciijg eancn ot vs, net
byourteedi into our bellies, butby taitii mtoour hearts
rvei-onricr vnto eucilaftinglife. The fame G Lijl sM^htn hevnder-
<//'?. 2 . Com- l^ood that fomc '' receming onely the portion of thefacredbo-
ferimm, djofChnftydidforbeAre thcC'fp jf hisfacredbljod, did for'
bid thn p'tprrjiition^ and willed that eith r they^otild re-
c<.t ;e the Sacrament whole^or be kept from the nhole^bccaH^e
th^dn'tdi go^om and the fame myfterie can wt comey wi hout
great facri/fdge'.hut now the church of Rome is io farre t ff
frjm acknowledging the diuidmg of thatmyllcrie to be
'ConciJTri. lacriledge as that ihee pietendcth to be mooued^K^/r;^
dem.ffff, 5. iufi cAufcs andreAfons{i\xd\ as Chnlt and his Apolliiesand
the primitiue church had neucr the witteto coiilider of)
to adminifter the facrament to the people onely in one k^ndy
and pronounceth them accurfed tliatfayiliceerreth info
^Leofpfl 8i ^^oing, Lcohlhop of Rome fpeaking of the Martyrs
faitli, "that although the d'ath of many fain es h.ith biene
precious^ in the hordes fight, yet the death of no innoce -it
pcrfonh th bcene the propitiation of the world, that the r inh-
tdOHS rsce't iedcrownes but gaue none, and that of the fortitude
of the f dthftill ha'ie grfftven examples of pitience, not gifts ef
r'ght.O'ffhcffe'.that their deaths as they were feuerall perfns
were fener-dlto eueryof themfe lues, and that none of them by
ht death paicd the debt of any other mm, becmfe it is enely
* Hellar Je In- ^^^ ^"''^ 'V^"^ Chr if} in whom all were crjcifed^ all dead, a I
</«^e)i^/.I.c.2. b.irii d^allrdfed again? from the d^ad: but now the church
j{hem.Awiot. of Rome hath changed that language, andtclltth vs that
tnCol.i a^ there are ** /V(!/?i'r.z^(7,;W/^_^ paffions a*jd fa'isfi^tovs of the
Exiranag. e r.j^^^, wherein they haue fuffered more then is due for
'um.cA^'.y,>i. t'^^i^' Ovvnefinnesjand which doe ferueto lupplie the nc-
^tmiHs. cefliitie and want of others, and that they doe thereby pay
the
, EpiHletothelQng. zp
the dek of other men , that hcereof is growne a treafurt in thecluuch oFRome wliich is to bee dilpenfed anj di- (pofcdbytlic Pope , and due hence his Inhiigenca and. Diric/Kf haue they grounded. The dune Leo diU not cake vponhuBCocall generall Counfelles , but when occafion cf the licrcfic otEucyches lo required ,maderc4ue{l to the Emperour 1 heodoluis that Jiee woulde ' commaund ^j_,^ ^^^p^ ^ aCounlell , and olten entreated that hee woulde ap- 2;. 24.^1. point the fame m fome place ot Italy, vvhicli not .viLlillan- ndingthc&nperourwouldnot butcommaundcd it to bee .'' ^^ft-ri *holdenat"Epherus: and Martianus after at ' CbaLedon, \ ^^'^'^^ audthatwhen ^ L':oag.ainewouldhaueIuditdcicired to „^^'^ 4i'47« abetteroppoitunitic,asindecd the ^ a^uraofth: Church % Sicrdt, hifi, ^fter that t h ? Empc rours were C hr'tjHansfec:medto d pendvp - ealtf. Hb .^.m ontheirwi%and ^t their hkingthe gnatefi QomJe'U wereaj- {''J'^"",''- Jeryibl d as Socrates wicnciieth : '' JecmdHmfanHtonem m- (.JT,^^^' tertilemy peri/'periM'empKBtoftem^ as thefixtfynod in i,t,^a.i. Iral'o' often rL:pcaccth, yea and fo as that the Emperour >'^t7/o».4.y 6 athispleafurewas prelidentof the Counfcll , as in that '' "^ lU.^fl,, fixtfynod was Conftantinus the fourth : but now thecal- ^^,f/,^^/"'^" hngandprelidencie and confirmation of Counfellcs isde- /^['/"J^'^ fended to belong wholy to the Pope : as tor Chnftian confiant >w, Enperours and princes they haue nothing to doe but to ' Lfotp 16.^7 f.nd vvhenhecalleth,andto receiue what hee confirraeth '^■-^i^^^th-tptfl.^ The fame Leo profcfled ^ his obedience to the Ernperours ap- ''sv'od6"a6 pwtmentArdwtilly toTheodofius andMartianus , and n'Tgrtull ad A JAtho die Biibopot Rome "' hisdue obed-cnce to Con- Siay.tsr ^fo. ftantifiusthcfourtli , and rvhat yoir MaeHiesclemcncie loxet.ca.^o. h.ithco7nm.tndcd iaith hc.oirfermce hA'.hobedtsntly ptrfoiir- ° ^/^'•^•C)-.^^. med I " r;c?^^»?/'tr>'r^£'/«^ to^^;r;^accordingtothcanci- ,i,^,^^ ,^ ,,_ cnt do6l me ot the church as next to God ^ inferior to God ],t.t, «».-):but fincethatti.nethj Roinilhdo6lrineis5thatlooke p C4ulog.t fl. "honymch the Mooneiskjjethenthe Smne^Jo much is the ^'''■- '^' KjJ'- tmperour inf.no'tr to the Tope^ and therefore tliey haue "^'^^^^^^^^^^ wniten him ^ the P p.^s man , and made him^ to holdc his ,,tl:.j{^m. ftirrop , and appointed him to hold the bafin to lum, and E 3 to
domino, f Clement. de apffellat.ca^* Vjftoralti-
dubitetf
" Dift,9^fi imperator. ^^ Difl.x^'de Sjracnfan£.
y Glojfa.ibfd,
J o The Anfwer to T>. 'Bifl^ops
to doe fundry other offices of feruice, and to make all furethe Pope hath made him to' fweare fidehty and alle- ^i^ancQvntohim/lhereifmi^of^kj faith the Pope, i^utwe ha-4e ffiperiorhie oner the em^vey ' Who doubteth hut that 'PrieUs are the fathers and maflers of kings and prin:es ? It is mtferable madnefj e for the children to goe about to fubieH: to ^ them their fathers or fcholers their waj}ers. And therefore " Chrtftian emperours mnfifubieEi their executions to the Ec- clejiafiicallprelates^andnotprefer them* Pelagiusthebifhop ot Rome, the firil of that name, admitted a maried man to be^bifliopofSyracufajOnely putting in caution that he ihould not dilapidate the church goods, and transferre the fame to his wife and children, the danger whereof he fignifieth was thecaufe of that confiitution which did for bid a mttn hauingwife and children to be f re ferredto a hifhopricke: ^ othervcifeamadisnot repelled for wife aud children^ faitJi the ^o^zJbecAHfe the ^4^ofilepermitteth the fame: but now the church of Rome will by no meanes admit married mentobebifliopsorpriefts, not for that they would a- uoide the dilapidating of the church goods, (for that is a '^ vUtinMyit.xhin^covmnon with the Popes themfelues to applie all Tontif,nt Io!fa, z fofatisfie the greedwejfe and couetoufnejfe of their familiars, their brethren,theirnephewes, vnder which name comonly go their baftardsjbutbecaufe they afcribe to manage, as the old heretickes d\d^ pollmon and vncleannes^ which can not ftand with the fan6^itie and holinefl'e of the pricftly function. The Empcrours of Rome Theodofius andVa- ap^t.Cr<M/^<icl^"s according to the do6lrine of the auncient church oi honep,difci. Rome * vp3n care ofpreferuing the religion ef the high God^ f>i>»* l'^-9'"*'9-*didforb>d the making, graumg-fir paint'mgof the Craafix and commandedit vponpenaltie to beaboliflied whersfoener it was found: but now not the making onely but al(b the worlTiipping of the Crucifix with diuine honour and wor- (hip is a matter of high religion in the fame Church of b Gregw. Mo- Rome« Gregory bifhop of Rome taught ^ that all the me- ^^ .p.rrfp^x ^^QJ^^yry^^g^ilQ^Y righteoufneffey is but vice and vn-
righteoHjnejfe
-Jc BelU^mAe. Clericislih.\.\ cab.ip.
Epiflle to the Kjng. 5 1
righteoufne^eifit be jiriWj exumtned', it needeth therefore fratsr after righteoufneffe^ faith he, that whereas being fif ted it wonld qaat'.e^ tt may Ij the onelj rmrcy of the iudgejtande forgooii Yea and Bernard by ihe laiiiedo6iiine oF the churcli ofRome laith.tliai: ' mens merits are mt fach asthat et email /if' fljoald b: dp:e vrito them of right, or th^J God ^„„„„f- J" Jhonld doe ivrong f he did not giue the jame'^ ^ they are the fer. i . way to the kingdome^ laich he, but r. ot the ca'^fe ofobteit. ing the '^ De lib. arb, ^, kingdome: but now the church of Rome attrjbuteth i'o Z"^^'" fi"t» great pcrfetSlionofrightcoufneflc to good works, as that ^ 'they fully fill fe the law of C^od, and* woorthdy defcme „g/c-n"J -^^ ^/^r^W////&:yeatheyaffirme thenitobe Y*'/'*''''^^-''^^''^^*^-^ ^ J{bem, ^nnot. as God fljould b? vni ft if he re?idcred mt heauen for the in i.Tim.^.S* fawey charging the iuftice of God notinrefpe6lothis pro- * i»Heb.6.io, mile as the Apoltle doth, but inrefpe6lof the mer;t5cde- ^ fert of u'orks. Tlie lame Greaory affirmeth,that '' M'(fa,the , ^T""" '?'"
rr / n jr i i / J r rr J r "'0«oxo confeH-
majje wasfo cr.lledjor that they were to be aijmijjcay or Jem f^ jg r^^^. p^
away by the deacon thatd d not ret erne the holy commnnion chaiij}.c4,i, for that they that (lioiildnot be frejent at the celebratknofthe 'x Litttr^. fc.crament were commanded to goe forth : therefore laith ^^'^^1^ Cajjan. iiCjVnleile at the voice of the deacon after the manner of our Afinccflo: rs they th^t doe not communicate be wi'.led to£oe foorth^the [ert4ice which is calledthe Ma^e ts not rightly ptr- formed: but now thcRomifh mafle is thought to be right- ly and due ly performed albeit no man communicate but thepritft, and without any difmiffing^f them,thatdo not addrclfe themfehies to the communion, the people, as was faidcbetore,beingbutoncly (pe6latours and lookerson. The fame Cjrcgor)' affirmed that' whojoener called himf If e i q^.^^ n or dcfiredtobe calledtheviiHcrfallhifhop^wasthe forerunner iib.e'^^i.^o'. of,^ntich ift, ap.d^ Aid propofe to himfdfe to follow him who ^ defj) fingthc legions of iy^ngtUsth at were -placed tnfoctty with ,j ' ^ " g ' himdidendeiioi'irto grow vpto the top offing.Liriiy, that he might feeme to be vnder none and himfelfe alone to beaboHei.\ll hccallcthit<2 n:w name^ a name of errour^ afonde name^ prottdt pemerfey rajh, wicked j prophane^whichy fiith he,
none
' ^ z The anf^er to 2). ©i/7?a/?^
none "fmj ^rcdeccjfours confented to vfe ' Cj vrhkh ro m^^rme hAth ^nJuTKedto be cailedthatrccSintn th nhdj jra-'} : but foone atcer the time cf Gregory the Biihop ci: Rome tocke vppon him that hatcfuli nunc , and huch llnce JD cret. Grei- continued the fame , challenging the ' fvhole -worlde t9 d>- pre comi-e-^ ^tf his dicc-jfe , and is growne to tli^t Ixighc ofpride ^'''^'•'"'*^^"^',*as that hce doubteth not lo proclaime //>^ tt ""' fi-n- mtior.&.clid.'^'f^ Vpfon r.ecejlityoj /almtionJoT entrj joule to be Jub- f./p. ynAtnfan • tcEl totke Bijhop of R )tre. Gregorie the ninth Biihop of Clam, Rome,though lining in latter tune oFgreatcoiTuption,yet
by the auncient do6ti ine of the Church of Rome could fay ° Grcg.ipiTf ad tlut'theKot k*iorfirigof the fcriptMns hj/the teflt^ome oj truth GeTm,%yi..4r. if ft Ife ts the occafv.n of irrowS'i and thtrefre thatitisex- apud- 'mz-'u ' p^dientfor allmentoreAder heare the famelhwinoxN the Ro- Tarf, in Hen- milh do6lrineis thatit ispemitiousfor thc peop^c to med- rUo intio. die with the fcriptures, tliat the reading and knowledge thereof is the breeding of errour and hcnfie 3 and as dogs from holy tilings, fo the people miift be Ic clocd from the " Eitron. in reading and vfc oftliena . Hicrcme and RufF.iuis by the frokg- Galeato. do6lrmeofthc chutch of Rome exclude from the Cano- ^^^ 5-'-^" "*r nicall fcriptures the fame bookes that wee doe : the bookes l''HUr'oiy"'pr^f. ^^° It^dtth , Tobias ^ Wtfedcr/je , Ecc'if.^fiicus, B-r.chj and ri lib. sdomo- the reft : they fay plainely : Nenfmt in^amne iKonfunt vluB^jJi-i.-vt Camraci '. they are rot (far.enlca-l or in the Canon : ^ the fufta. church readeth them for inflrt. Hion cfmahne.?^ not togiie any
fo»o. ,1- ^^f^y-ify fg ^fjy gf-f-iefi^-iflif^aii (;i(j[fypjg ^ butnovvthe Church
dent. Sen A..C 1. J f ■> .■* , . , 1 1 1 ' 1 i-
ot Rome will haue them to bee rcceiued and beleeued ror
' Vi'^a (ont "^ Canonicall fcriptures, andofequall and like authority
Eutychen 1. 4 With all the Other bookes . Vigilius borne at Rome and
Billiop of Trent according to the doclnne of tliC church
ofRome that then waSjaffiimeth that ' the My of CLriji
» CoHcil. Trid, "n^heM it WAS vpon the earth was not in hcauen^ and that norp be-
Sejf.^. fublulio cat^fe it is inheanen i it is net vpon the earth : but now the
j . ca^. I . • Coun fe 1 of Trent and church oi Rome woulde perfvsade
vs that the very body of Chrift though ir bee in heauen yet
is really and fubftantiaUy here vpon the earth alfo , vpon
the
Epiflk to the I\in^, 22
the ahar.aixl in the pyxc and in tlit pricfts belly tnd in the bclhtsotasiDanyasai'e partakers oFthe facrament. Ter- tullian bciijg ' ior c iiuy ot the clergy of Rome fallen to the t Hienuyjn hercfeof'Mcntanusand thereupon oppugning the do- Catai.fcr,^. ftrmeotthe fame churcli^declarcth what tl:c (aide church '«'(/''«^/. then taught ccncerningfai^ingjofpurpole to difpute a- /."',-, againlt it; " 7 hej/fij, faich liee, that men Are tofafl ifidjffe^ ° Ttmlt^tle',^^'' rtntly ^t their dfjcreiion-^rot hj commaundiment leHcrie '"**'"•'*''''• man accordirgto his cvenetimes dndoccafwm '.that the xAtO" -'■^^'"'"* Jilesdidfo chjirne^trnfcfirg r.oyche cjflahdir.gjcfiesmdjHih asfljould in comtucn be k£}t of fill \ that in XertpLrgijf, in our fafies with bread and water the reisfcmwhat neers to heathe- nijh/iiferjitticn, ferfourming thcpfirificaitimof ^'tis, ijis und C)bele by theforbeartng cj certaine meates : whereas faith beingfree in Chrtji cweth r.ct tothe IcrtiJhltHw the for- bear tug cf any meates, being at or.ce admitted by the s/Sfofllt into the whole flj amble s\ the fame ^Jfo^le being adctejierof them that forbid to marry and corr.maurd to abjiawe fiom meates createdofgod^^ therefore that we were noted in them that pjouldin the laji timts depart from the faith &c»fothey faythatwe alfo arercprootiedwilhthe Galatians as ebjertiers cfdaies dndmoncthsardyeeresy They all eage alfc that Efay (aid, The Lordhath net chefenfuch afaft, that ts, nctfor^ bearing of meates but worlds ofiujiice, whtch he there fetteth downe : yea and tha I the Lord himfelfe in the gejpell anfwe- reth briefly as touchingaUfcrufuloftj ccncerning our liuelie- hood^that a man is r. ot defied with thofe things that enter intt his mopith^but with thofe things that come out of the mouth: he himfelfe eating and drir.kingfo at that thiy noted him for it: Beheld a glutton tind a drinktrcf wine '.that the xAtofllealJo teacheth that meat ccmmcndtthvs notto Cjcd, neither hauinf the mo re if we eate^ ncr the leffe if we eate not. It is needefuli that withallmy hart llelaue andloue Gcd^ardloue my neigh- bour as my felfe: for in the fe two cctr.maundimonts Jiandtth the whole law and prof hets^and not w the tmptueffe of my bel- Ue* Sec M. Bifhop now like a Protcftant the church of
F Rome
54 T^^ AnftPertoV. Blfh^ps
Romefpakein thole dales, Would you not thinkethat Lucher, or Caluin, or Bcza were the authour of thofc wordes? How highly doc you regard cliefe argumcncs from vs which the church of Home fouretecne hundred yeeres agoc vfed to the very ramcpurpofc that wee nowe doe? But the church ofRome hath learned nowe to fing another long rfhe condcinncd the herefieof Montanus »e:»9» ex/^y?/- thenjbutnowfhcemamcainethit, I auouchit, M. Bi- disfeiexoffi- ihop,that concerning taftiug, neither you nor all your fello wes are able to acquit the church of Rome that now is of the herefic of Montanus. The Montanilles appointed "certaine and ftanding daies for fafting and forbearing of cercaine meates ;lb doc the Papiftes. The Montaniftes did not take any crca.turc or mcate to be ^ vn- eleanejbut did only by way "■ of deuotion as they preten- simenda & de-^ ded forbears at certaine times : and the Papifts alfo doe the f/iciend* Optra faiBc. The Montaniftes being vrged with the place ofl Saint Paule to rimothy,ofthcm that ccntmattndto abfiaine fiomme^tesi anfwered that that place touched Marcion and Tatianus & fuch other wlio condemned the creatures aseuiland. vncleane, not them who did not rcie6l the creatures^ but onely forbcarc the vfe of them at fomtimes: ' the lame anfwere giue the Papiltes, The Montaniftes tooketheir very fadings to. be a ^ leruicc and worlTiip of God : fo doc the ' Papiftes, The Montaniftes thought -that their fafting did ** merit at Gods hands . : thatit was a shm.in.hono- fatigta^onfor finjan cxpiationoflinne I that emptineile '^TelUrTebon o^^elly did much auailc wuh God, and made God to «ptrjn^artx.i dwcll with man : the fame effects doe the Papifts teach Ub.z.ca.8, * oftheirfuperftitiousfaftes. Lookewliat arguments the d Tertuiibid. Papiftes vfe for their faftings , the very fame Tertullian i<dnoy wat-^^^ vfcd for the Montaniftes. Looke what cauills and calum- Zutdt'mm* inations the Papiftes vfe agamft vs of feafting in flecd of dtofatisfacit: fafting, of Epicurifme and pampering the belly, the fame de dc9 mtrttur, TertuUian being a Montanift vied againft the do6hine of ^f' lUc church of Rome thauhcn was, whereas neither that
^,\i '' . i church
* TtHHl.dt
y ibid.T^n ex nHitutionr, fed ex dtuatia
cio'-mnrtijct-
mttsfeddifferh'
* ibid prednm n*nt btzreticsi ferfitHAtn ab- /rininHamprX' cepttiTos ad de-
ereatorisiqitA'
lei apitd Marm
tionentyApttd
TatUaum^mn
afudVirack-
turn*
• ^jem.Aamt,
»»i.r/w.4,3.
^ TerttiLibiU.
Deinof}rio£}'
cia indie Vara.
Eftjlk to the Jt\in£. j j
t|)urclitlicnjnorwcnowdorcic£l that true failing which the fcripturc teachcth, but only thofe opinions of falling which the Montaniftes firft dcuifed and the Papifts haue rcceiucd againllihc ftripture ; to forbcare continually by way ofrchgionluchand hich daies, from fuchand fuch nieatcs with a niindc therein and by their veric forbea- rance to do a worfliip to God, to fatisfie for finnc,to merit and purchafe tlie forgiucncfle thereof and to defcrue cter* nail life»
But to the herefie of Montanus the Church of Rome hath added the praftifc and defence cffundry other he- refies which were condemned of old by the fame Churchy The Collyridians were adiudged hcrctickes forworfhip- pingtheVii'gin Mary end oficringvmo her: Epiphanius calling it ^ ayfikl^dnrtdbUffhmGHs <iBi(id€HiUipi -worhe ^' £fifUn.h4K the dc Brine of the v^JcUanejfmt', affirming that ^ (he was 7*-^"*«'/''<'. not giuen vs to be tvcrjhipfed : that beiauje menfjchldnot to t ^^^^ ;,^^ _ - much adncire crthrike to highly of her, therefore heejpa^e to colLridiam /^rr in that fort in theGolpcU, H^cmati, "pohAt haue I to doc Tpith thee ltkf.t Kqr/e pf the prophets taught to ■ppoYJhip any man therefore not a yt^cmanuhatijCodrpcfild net haue the^lvgetls to be Kfcr^hlppcdy PiKch/ejjea wcf/;art:lhat the fori ftecj^od teok^jlfjh cfthe holy virgire, but not that foe (jjculd thcrefort he "worfmpped'.nct to make her a Cod \ Kot that vpefhouldo^er inher name : that fhee ffould be in honour , bntjetietnoman worjhip htr^ faith he : iet them not foy.^ rve doe honour to the ^lueeeneofheauen, YcttheChurch of Rome that nowe is worlhippGth the Virgin Mary, prayeth and offereth vnto hervnderthcnamccfthc^g^^^»f^//7£'<«^f», and accoun- tcth them hcrctickes that w ill not fo doc . ^ Carpocrates j ^^^^ ^ j And his minion WarccUina were condemned for hcreticks w^j^l^Jinjj^ for worfhipping as other images fo namely the images oidthxuf.td lefus Chrift : yet now the papiiles doe the fame, and. not ^«dyultdi'^ vvithflanding will be accounted Catholickes.Thc counccll of Laodicea,approoucd by the old church of Rome, did h Thtini$rttjm. forbid ^tfipr^j to t/^ngels ortQ yparfhip thtw^jiXi'^ they that e^,c»lofz^ F 2 <lid
1 6^ TheJfifMr to D.(BiJJ?ops
i «fe h£rtf ^^^ ^^ ^'^**^ accounted ' herctickes, but worlTiipand pray*
-« ci'toAngellcsisapaitotX^acholickedc^rine with the
church ot Rome that now is. The councell of Gangra ap-
prooued hkewile by the old church of Rome condemned
the EulVic hians tor heretickes for taking exception againft
maried prielts, and to t!wt purpofe let do ^rne this Canon ;
CancilMMffr. k jj^^^y ^^„ except affainjiaphefl that is maried, as bj occa-
'"** Ron of his mAriage that he ought not to mintjier,and doth ther-
foreforbearefrtm his oblation or celebration, accurfeA be hel
but tlie latter church of Rome excepteth wholly againll
^Mmh. Varif. marled prieftes, and namely Gregorie the ieucnth ' for-
iuffiliklmo, badalllaiemen to be prcfent at the celebrations of any
fuch priefts as were maried, an example veryfirange^ (aith
fAaihcwPanf. and very vnadfitfed as many thyught. Tbe
•• / *; ^ Valcntiah heretickes aud H^raeleonices were condemned'
»lren.l. tj. X 8 . |jy j.{^^ ^y church of Rome for vfing "' expiations and rc*^
^t'^ J j'ff ' demptions by annoynting men when they were about to
i^f* ' * die : yet thcreofhath the church of Rome now framed to
themfelues their facrament ofesetreme vnElion. It was hc-
refiein the Pelagians with the old church of Rome coaf-
firmc in this life a pofribiliticperfe6tly to fulfill the law of
• flierort A *. Qq j^ jj^j a S, Hiefome as touching this poynt exprclly ^lictefi' difputeth againft them : but now it is herefic with the fhtntem. church of Romc to affirmc and teach the fame that Hic-
rome did,as M.Bifhop afterwards giueth to vnderftand^ The fame Pelagians were accounted heretickes for faying
• Huron adit, that a man in this life might be dvctjwetpTMTog ° trithoHtJiane, Vi'lar. Lz..^.-} and that by baptifmehe bccommethfo : but now the ^Hgu/i.ctitt. church of Rome teacheth the fame, and M.Bifhop m p'fiay ii,d c. 7. plaine termcs telleth vs that ^ there is no morefinneltft in OroJlJ^ologit. the newly baptiz^edmanythen was in ^drm tn thcflateofirmo^ dt arhit. Ubert. cenrie I to which ftate of baptifme they alio equall a man ' ^ig 3 ^' when he is fhriuen to the prieftjand of him hath receiued
abfolution from his finnes, I relerue the Pelagians do- 6trinesof free will and fatisfadion to their due place, where God willing it ihallappeare chat therein alfothe
now
Bpijlle to the t\uig. ^y
now church of Rome approueth thole points as Catho- Iickc and true tor which the auncient church otRome con- demned them. Yeafotarreis the PcLigian herefiein re- q b,>»<, Bii/« cjuelhvitii the Papillcs , astliat "^ Faultus a BiOiop offacra,tom.i.^ Frauncc at that time a maintaincr thereof , isbyfome of""'"^"^*^'*- them recorded for a Saint, and Iiis bocke wJiich he hath *'',"."' ''¥'''^'f* wnttcn in behalfethcreor IS called ' ^pas tnfigne.a notable, \h]dtom^. w'f^r/^f : and by other ^ Tome the doctrine oi S« Auftin a-f ofor.de iitfii* gainlt the Pelagians concernmg predeftmation is cppug-^"*./'^.?* ned, whichof old was acknowledged by the church of Rome to be the Catholickc doiflrinc ofthc churcii.
1 omit many other matters that might hccrc bee added perfwadingmyfelte that Ihaaclayde enough to trouble M. Bifhop in the prooumgot that that he hath propoun- dcdythzttheprmcipa// pil/i'.rs of the ch.rch of Rome in her 9f}ofifloriJhmgtfiate,taughtmall points of re/igiort the p.me doBrine that [he now holdcth and teacheth,(^c.Only for con- clufion let me ask him what bifhop of Rome tliere was for the fpacc of a thoufand yecres after Chrift thatpra6lifed or taught that concerning pardons, which is nowe pra<5lifed and taught in the church of Rome: that the Bifhop of Rome hath any authoritic togiue liich libels of Pardon, or that it is in him togiue ('acuities and authority to o> thers togrant the like with refirruation of fpeciall cafes to himfelfe ? or that hcc can for faying luch or f uch prayers, or for doing this or that releafe a man from Purgatory for fomany hundred or thoufand yecres jf What bifliop of Rome was there that did proclaime a Jubilee with pro- mife that all that would come to Rome to vifite the chur- ches that yeere Oiouldc hauefull and perfe^^fcrgiuenefTe of all their finnes Z' or that did charge the Angels as did 'Clement the fixt, thatwhofocuerlhoulddic jnliisiour-, „ , . . ney thitherward, they fhould bring his foule into the glo- „.*. 5/ he of Paradife > which of them did take vpon him the au thoiitietobeCanonizerofSaints; who ciicr belceucd or taught as it isnowcreceiuedin the church of Rome , that r 0 ii a A >J E ? the
58 fheAi/wertoD.^i/hops
« Stfct prtam '^^ " i>f(j^^^ I^Uftifps the forgiuenefTe of veiiiall Cmnts
inrhijk * Other innowauons 1 will pafle ouer to further occafion J
i^jtm ^nnot, but Concerning thefc matters in this place , I would pray
in Math.io-ix. ^. Billiop to Ict vs bc fatisficd how the principal pillars fo
the Church of Rome haue in all pints taught the lame that
, ,. , the church of Rome teacheth now« The truth is^that as the
\ih,ixtit^xj' name of * Th e feus his fjiffe continued a long time when
asit was fo altered by putting in ot new planks & boords
as that it had noticing left of that that was in it when it was
firft builded by ihefeus : fo the church of Rome ftill conti-
nueth her name,and would be taken to bc the fame, albeit
by chopping and changing fliee is come to that paile, that
ihcc hath in a manner nothing left ofthatdc6ifine for
which file was fii-ft called the church of%ome^ But M. Bi-
(hop taketh vpon him to prouc the contrarie ; let vs now
examine what his proofes are.
5* W. B I s H o p.
Todemonfiratevntojcur Mdiefiicy that vpencrvhelAin nil points ithe very fame do^irme^fvhich the moji apfroued an^ cient VoBors and holy Fathers held ar.d delivered '.Becaufe it is too long for an Eftjile^ 1 refer ue it tothebooke itfelfe^ for the points it handleth J and rvillhere hriefy note out cf it feme fuch oldrefrooued errors, that the Trottflants dcereuiue^e'- ceiue^andamroe^ as the veryfinnewes of their GoJpdl.M^ttin Luther the ring-leader of the ncwprttedtd reformatio^ lateth for the greuud-ypcrke of his Re/igion. That man is iuftificd by oncly faith : andin this he is applaf^dcd and followed of ail
^H'defidt (^ Trotefiants : and yet as tefiiHith theme fi found Tvttneffecf an- /<^«///r, S.Auguftine,//;^ronlyraithis lumcicnt to lal- uation, was an error fprong vp in the ^Afofiles daies : againfi »hich the Catholuke Epiftles cfS . Peter, and S . lames, and
iap.z: ^* lohn,were principally dire^edf^^nd the author of that er^
rwrpas that infamous fcrcerer Simon Maaus, as the ble^ed Martyrlxmt,\xi bathrecerdsdinhisfirflhokeagainft hen* feu
Epiftletothef^in^, jp
R. Ab B OT.
yiBiihopsorooiesi\vcdemoy}ftratioy!s at the Icaft, and thofc* are relcrued to his booke. We muft thinke that he Y,oi\\d notvn^cvlhtn^mQcUe fmnftratto^s haue tende- red them to his Maiefty but that they are very forcible andltrone. Bntii his V oft eriofirsh^d had their due when timewas,he would haue learned A riilotlcs l^oftermrsihc better and then we Ihould haue had becter demonftratt- ons then liee hath fent vs^This great talkc of vrge-^t artdfor- ctblerearons?.nU.monflrations maketh me to remember what once M. PhiIpotmart)'redinthetime of Quecnc Mariein ercatheatoHpiritanlweredtoD.Chadfey: A-* jEis^ni foreGod^^v:hh.,rcarebarearfedm.ll^yonrreU^^^^^^^ M.BiOiopamidrt all your reafom and demonftrattons yo^^r^-pj^-^ lie open to the whippcjit is an eafie matter to fcourge you; there is nothing in them but vncertamty and vntruth. But what your demonftrations arc wec|lhall here (ec by the forerunners of them:for here you will ^ou out of pur book£ fomeold revrooued errors which the Vrotcftants doe reviue & auowasthe very finnrwes of their gofpelL Goe on, M.Bl- {hopilctvsheercwhatitisthat youhaueto faie. Martm Luther the rmleader of the newpretendtdreformatwyj. You miftakeattheveryfiift, M.Bifliop: Clmll was the ring. ^ leader • the followers were his ApolUes : Luther was onely the man or rather one ofthe men by whom God didad- uertife vs what Chrift and his Apoftles had faid and done Wee looked into the GofpeU and into the writings ofthe Apoftles, and wee found it to bee true which they laid, & therefore did embrace ir. Wee neither bclceued Luther Bor anv other more then we wiUbeleeue you, M.Bilhop, if vee ihew vs the fame authority that Lutlier did.It is noc therefore a pretended reformation which wee haue recci- uedbuta reformation indeed, whereby our church hath becnepuraedand cicnfcdfrom thqfe idolatries, and ab- ' ^ homiuaitons
28.
expUcAtion of cerraitts vrnids QrC. in the end. ^ Hisren^iidn, VtlazMb.z.
S In, I Cor. C.I
'' BafiLhom.de hunitUt. animi. ''Chtyfsp.in. i^pm hont.j.
^Luthtrinef.
40 Tl?e ^?i/%er to D. Stpops
hominations which by the vfurpation and tyranny of An- tichrill had bee ne brought into it> But what is it where- with M.BiHiop is fo oftcnded towards Lutiier: fotlootii hff fated for thecround cj his religion th:t man is it^fttficd by onhfaiti:, 1 Ins was Luthers herefic, and yet tins was of old the doCtrincofthe church of Rome, that'' a man is in- Jiifiidgratis^that is/frecljyforgcdamercyJorncthtKg^ and that by t heg race cfGod through faith without the rvorks of the law. Whereupon S. Hieromc a member of the church of Rome faith that ^ the tApofile mamfcfilypjeweth that iuflice or righteoupjejfe ccvfifieth not in wans merits but in the grace of God who -wit hem the "works of the Lvw receiueth the faith of thcmth^t beleeue. Or if that be not plaine enough, Am- brofe will make it more plaine : ' Treely bccaufe by faith only they are ififiificdby the gift of God. A nd again e ; ^fVithatit labour or any obftruation we are iuf}ifiedi» thefght of God by , onlv faith. Andigzinc : '^ He that belecuethin chrifle, doth freely by faith onclyreceitieforgiueneffe offmnesfo faith Ba- iil : "* ^ man is to knowe himfelfe voideoftrue righteon^fr.cffe, ■ c^ that he is iujiified by only faith in lefus Chri/l,So Chry fo- ftomc' He hath v^Jitfiedvs : vfirg no workes thereto but re- ei'Airingfaith only . Letthefeferuc in ftccde of many places andauthours that might bealleaged : for by thcfe it may appearcthatin the auncient church it was taken for no er- rourtofaythata manis iuftifiedby faith only. Yea but S. x-duftin the mof found witneffe of antiquitic tejlifisth that it was an errourjfroKg vp in the Apffiles dateSy that only faith is fuffcient tofaluationj But what is that to Luther or to vs J 'BoTwezifirmcthsitfaithonly is fiifficient to iujiification not thit faith onlyfufpceth to faluatien : yea Luther himfelfe vp- onthccpiftlctothe Galathians hauingin thefoure firft chapters at large difcourfed that faith only auailetii to iu- ftification,yetvpon the fifth chapter detcrmincth that faith only is not fnff dent tofaluation^ Albeit to auoid am-
X' y It muft be vndcrftoodc that faluation is (bmtimes for the bcginniog of that bcnefite of God^ as where
il
Epi/lle to the IQ?ig. a i
it is faid oiZachcMs : ' this day falaation is come to this houfcy ' lue. ip.jj. and ofthe woman that waibcd Clniltes fectc/' thy faith "^«f-7.fo hnthjauedthee. Sometimes it is taken for the pertcdion and accomplilhment thereof, as where it is faydCy^'Teare kept bjfuith vntofai/Atiorvhich ispreparedto befjevcfdinthe '' '*' *' ^' UJi time. Saluat ion the firll way is all one in effe6l witli lu- ilification, andinthatfenfeitistruethatfaith onely fuffi' ceth tofaluation* But vnderftande it as vfually and com- monly we doe for the full accompliflimcnt of laluation in the lite to come, and then faith onely fufficeth not to fal- uation, butoutoffaithbythe regeneration of the fpirit iflueth lanftification and ihsi" ho/mrjfe withof^t which, as „ „ , iht h^o\i\Q(d\thinomanpjallfeethe Lord. Thcjcingdome ' * * ^' ofGod is an pyndefiled inheritance, hewillnotbnngin- p i,vtt,i.A. to if^ forntCAtorSy adulterers^ drunh^rdsy coHctous perfbnsy ^ i.Cor.6.p. ^c. ' nothinnthattsfi'thy or 'vncleane [hall enter there. And ' -^^ocxuc^xj theretore whom Godlaueth,/;*' calieth with a^ holy cal- l tig: he '^powrethvfenihem the clear' e waters ( of his /pirit) , ^•^''"•'•9' that they may bee clea*te , " heegiueth them a new heart a^d <^yerff i6. puttetb a new/pirit within them^ and ^ caufeth them to walke " ytrf.n* inhis/latuteSy andk^epe his tudgements, and thus ^ma^eth ^ Col.i.iz. them me(te to be partakers of the inheritance of the Santes in '' ^'"'»f<"^<»/ light. Our churches therefore vniuedally doe determine ^^^^"'^ *^' that not onely faith to iuftification, but ^^Ifo ' repentance , ^^^ ^ from dead workes^^ newnejfe of life y'' the putttngojfoftheolde t Rom. 6. 4 man and putting on the new the performance ol tiiofe '^good " Efle.n: 2 1.* workes nhtch G od bath prepared for vs to walke in are necef^ ^f'"' * ' ^ °* farie to fai nation, not as the caule or merit of faluation,- but as a part of that worke ofGod whereby hce hath ap- pointed to bring vs to that faluation whidi he oFhis owne mercy doth bellow vpon vs. Whereas therefore tiie aun- cient church condemned them that out of thcApo- ftlcswordes oi Uijltfication ly faith wtthom workfs did gather that, 'fo long as they beleeued in Chrfi^ albeit tlcy dtd ' -^^^6^' ^ J' euill^andii'/.el wickedly and lewdly, yet by f^'th onely they TfJ^'^ mi^t bcfaued: we doe the fame tiiat the auncient church, r^^ 1 4,
G did
Az The^nJwertoD.'Bip?ops
did, and out of the fame Epiftles of Peter, lames and lolin, principally as S, Aullm faith written againll fuch ^as alfo out ot all tiie reft of holy Scripture wee preach againft that defperate and deuillilh fancie, ney ther doth any pare of our do6lrine, truely vnderftood, giue patronage ar al- lowance to any fuch men. Now therefore M. Bilhop, wc fee as touching this firft article of your proofes, that there wasnofaultinM-Luthersdoftrine, but the default was in the weaknelTe of your head, that could not rigliily vn- derftand the fame. Albeit I will not imagine your weake- ncfle to be fuch as that you vnderftand vs not in tliis be- halfe, but rather thinkc that malicioully and wilfully you renueyouroldllaunders, which to your iuft confuJion haue beene anfwered and rcpuUed a thoufand tiines^
W. Bishop.
.„ . tAn other prirtcipaUpiller of Fryer Lnthtxsreiigion con^
hifi.'calTi 7^S,M^^^^ '^ denialloffrce will: wherein hee mmpsth with the old KitT.pgf.uh! rottenherctihe'^zxiti^ of whom the Mahicheans were na- fofl^i med,.
R. Ab B OT.
It is ftrange thatyou fliould vfe the name cHYrjer Co fcornefuliy, M. Billiop,beingabitdeof the Popes hatch- ing, your moft holy father, and knowing that Lutlier was a frier with you onely, but with vs no Frier. But I fie yourftomacketowardes your Frier lefuites is not appea- iedi and you doe but take the occafion of L uchcrs name to giue them fome alperfion of reproch As for t!,e matter of your obie6lion, itputteth me in minde of a prety peece of folly 3c ignorance ihewed by Frier Campian in the very famematter,vvho challenging our church for tlie denial of free W/ oppofeth Auftin againft vs,and asketh how we can like of him ? and why *fcripjtt de bbero arbt:rio Itlros tres : *'Camp.rat,$i forCooth he wrote three books^ concerning free will. He had read the title of thofc bookcs, but knew not the contents
thereof
Epijlle to the t\ing: aJ
thereof, and as tlic foole that thinketli euery hor fe that Iiec fcetli to be his mailers horfc, fo finding there the name of free wi/ihe dreamed that it was the Czmcfree wi//that his Malter the Pope had recommended to his defence , You aie cuen vp and downc the fame man : you iiaue heard th.1t the Manichees denied ^^^w/Zand in your ignorance you imagine that that muft necdes touch vs who hkewife uandindenialIof/;'<'<?7r///» But the reader will cafily fee your foohlli mahcc if he vnderltand that in the auncient church tliere were two forts of Iicrctickes concerning this poyntof/r^^jv///. The Manichees denied/r<r^7j;///; the Pelagian heretickes affirmed it, and both were condem- ned by the Cathohcke church. The Manichees denied free wj Win finnc and in the committing of euill ; the Pela- gians affirmed a power and ablenes oifree roiWiOx the per- formance of righteotifnefle and doing of good. Now! pray you^ M, Bilho'p,telI vs without deflembhng whether you doe not thinke that Frier Bellarminc and your lelfe doe more neerelyiumpe with the Pelagians in the affir- ming ok free vctll^ then Frier Luther and wee doe with the ^% Maniclices in the deniall of it. ^furely in that meaning wherein the Manichees denied yy^^jy///, wee affirme andr^^^ freewilly2tXid in that meaning did Saint Au- ftin write his bookesof free voill purpofely againft - the Manichees , wee deny yr^ffTj^/Z/onelie in tliacmea- ning wherein firft the Pelagians and fince thepapifts haue affirmed it, in which meanmg Saint Auften alfo notably wrotagainllit. The herefie of the Manichees was nioit wicked and blafphemous, T he beginning of it as touch- iiigthispoyntwas by occafionof the queition, VnderyM-- lum^yehence voas the originall or btgtnningcr cuillcrfxne? Theyhclde. asthe Marcionitcs had done before them, that there were from cucrlafting '' two contraric powers, the one good which they called the good Cjcd : tlic ot her '' /"y^* ''?"• euill, which wastcrmed by them oenstenebrartim: them- 1. 'uj 2! •" ~ tion ofdarknejje, i hey dreamed tiiat bctv\ ixt tncie two vfal, 140
G 2, contrary
44 Tl^^ ^nj%er to D, 'Bip?ops
contrary powers there hapned a great fight, and that the
good Li od tearing the approching ottlie nation or power
ot darkenefle dilpsrfed and thruil abroad the members
and parts oF his owne fubftance, and mingled the fame
with the fubitance of the power of darkenes,and that tluis
the parts ofthe good God were imprifoned by the con-
trarie euiil power, and that heereof was the creation ofthe
world. Therefore they taught that man conhilcth of thefc
two contrary fubftances r that he hatli a goadfotil which is a
part oi: the fubftance oit\\t good god, <Sc an eHillfo:de^ which
with the flvfli and bodie is ofthe fubllancc ohheperverof
dark^m-Jfey and that th^x.goodfa:de being a part ofthe good
Godjis holden pnfoner by tlie euillfoHle^ and \:>y it furced
and compelled to doe all euiU. Sothatlinne, they fayed,
came not in at firll by mans will, but by condition of crea^
tion, and that it was a part of the very fublbnce ot man
by tiiat predominating part that is in him of the nati ♦
onofdarknefle, Andlonowwhatfoeuer finnehee com-
mutethjitisnotbyanyfrec power or difpofition of his
owne will, but it is his very eflence and fubiiance and part
ofJiis created being. By reafon whereof they taugiit that ^
tliat which is euill in man is not capable of any alteration,
neithercan ofcuillbee madegood, but the part ofthe
good God receiuingenlargementjthe reltasaleueraland
di(lin6lfubftanceremaineth perpetually euiU, and by the
verieeirenceandbeingofit neceflarily abidethtliat that
is . Now of this blafphemous fancie , they made excufe for
themfclueSjwhcn tliey committed any villanie or wicked-
' -f «5«=y?« '« nefle : ' N^^ ego peccant fed gens tens brarum ; It is not I th^t
hauejinnedy hittthenationofdarkene^e'.whatfoeHerJtnyiewe
are /ay de to doe, it is the nation of darl^cnejfe that doth tt.
This was the Mar.icheesdeniall oi free will, and can any
manvnderftandingtliis, butwoondcr ntthebralen face
of this impudent Sophiiler that duril offer it to the kings
moft excellent Maieftie, tliat Luther and we in thedeniall
Q\free voillydoe mtnpe with the herejie ofthe Manichees ? The
truth
Epl/lle to the I\m^. 4j
truth is. M.Bifhop, that a very great Icapc will not fet you i'o farre trom the herefie of the Pelagians, as we with- out a lumpe , thankes be to God, are irom the hcrefie of the Manithccs.
Againil this herefie of the Manichces, the Cathohcke church determined by the word of God, as wee doe, that God in the beginning created man nghceous and luft in allintegriticand perte^lion ot innoccncie according to ** the image and Itkenes of God bimfelfe ithox he leftlnminj the hand ot his owne counlell, and in the power of his ^''*'' '^'^' owm/reeivf^y ' that lo the imnge of God might thee j-^^j ^^^^ more clcerely Hiinc m him, in tliat albeit hee could ^4rc;o« h^.i: not by condition of nature which hee was to receiueof God, yet he might by ele6lion-of will wherein he was left to himlelfe be altera lort good of himlelfe, and hauing the Lordlliip and rule oFall other things committed vnto him he might hereby fii il" fliew Iiimfelfe lord and ruler of him- lelfe . They fhewed that man beingthus left to himfelfc and to his ownefree tvHI did voluntarily and by his owne ftee m// fall away from God by barkening to the fuggeili- ons of the wily ferpent, and heercby diuefted himfclfe of all tiie glory and happineile whereto God hadenftallcd him in his creation. This they teach to haue beenetiic o- riginall and beginning oFmans finne, whereby he dcftroi- eci his ownefne wili^ and ' liy applying it volmtartly to that^ ^ng Hypept . that was eftill) loft the power of applyingit to that that is good : ''^' j. io that now ^^free will being captif^e to/inne auailcthto nothing ^ ^""'^ ^ 'f''^' h-t onely to ctll. Therefore as by free will was the bcgm- ' "'^' ^ ^''' ning ot finnc, (o they hold that mfree -wtllis alio the con- tinuance thereof, bccaufc man though ot himlelfe he doe nothing but finne, yet finneih not by anie intbrcement cr con.puifion, but ot his owne accord , of his! owne free and voluntary diipcfition, hauing fo corrupted hirrileltc as ^ ■■''''pP- ''* that hee hath no will to will any thing elfe but that that is '^'''''''';(^''^" enill. Which corruption notwithftanding hath not fode-)J,^,/p^ J, ] Itroy ed nature but that it hath left therein, "* po([e habere fi- hb % ..
46 The anfa^er to ©. Sip?ops
demy fojfe habere charitatem : a capacity off atth , a capactty oflofte and all other vertue and goodnell'e whereto it was firft created. Which capacitie and poflibility ofnaturc whiielt they declare againit the Manichees, they ipeakc indeedefometimes (omewhat obfcurely cifrcevctll, but as in the Catholike church where they prefumed they fhould '^Am. 1. 1 7 . ^'^^ ^^ vnderftoode but according to the rule of faith that ' allgoodneffeisofGod, andthacto^beleeuc and to will k vhil. 1.19, that that is good proceedeth only from his gift, and thpre- &.^-'^i' fore tliat whatfoeuer they faid concerning free wil to righ- I Cont.i^epifi^ teoufneire fliould be conceiued of wil not free ofttfelfe but Tela^.l. ^.c.7, made free by the grace of God : whatfoeuer they faid of na- tures poflibilitie to faith and Ioue,y et " to hane faith and to ^De^rxdcp* ^4^^/ow fhouId bcc conccjuedtobee heworke oi grace ^ ja .caf.s- And becaufetiiey acknowledged the corruption of na- ture by originalliinne, they thought no man w6uld va- derftandethem but by this -ruh^" who is ab/to chaunge '^^fn^r-'p''^^' nature, but hee that firfi created nature \ becaufe they prayed to God forinfidcls and vnbeleeuers that they ''.4ti'rufi, de might repent and bee conuerted vnto God, ° they thought fradesffatiil^ DO man would concciuc but that to repent and turne to cap. J 4. God did arilc from the grace and gift of God, There
p .,., were ''none yet fprungvp that did openly oppugne the
grace of God, and therefore they fpake llie more fccurely, and bent themfelues maincly to tl]e conuincing of thole heretickcsagainllwhometheylpake. But wl.en pelagius the heretickearofe and began to affirm e and teach that man hath of himfelfe and m his owne nature afree wiil to that that is good, that he hath in himfdfe a freedomeof willtoconfentto the Gofpell and callingof God, tl^ fame church that before refifted the Manichees, refilled him alio, and hauing affirmed againltthem that freewtll was the beginning of finne, and that by free mil man flill iCont,epiU. committeth finne denied againfl him that mans will is Tela^J. i-cA. 8. qy^^^ ^^ touching righteoufnes or in that that is goody vntillhee ^vmlap^i. ^^ wadefree byhtmthat hath faid: Jfthefonne(haU-makeyou
jrce
Eftflle to the IQng, aj
free^ theft are ye/ree indeed, Novve by reafon of this herefic tlicfathers thcncefoorth began to fpeake luore warilic, and Ibmewliat to abbridge and correct that libcrtic which either they the mfelucs or their forefathers liadvfed be- fore. Whereof we haue very notable and pregnant exam- ple in S, Aurtcn hinifclfe,vvJio before the arifing of the pe- lagians doubted not to lay, ' Bjrfiiceicpe are iomnjanded" Dedu^h.anU and by nature vpe haue ^owertototiefpiritPiallthmgs. But at- "^-^^'^ont.Ma. terwardsconfidenng of thofe words,! jce Cmh,' Jtmajbee J"'^''-'''** ^?- ask^d, why I faydeyi^y nature ire haue power y <rW not rather cap^xt ' ' '** by grace we havte power. But the qpicfiion was againft the (JMa- nkhcesconcerningnature. And fur cly this doth grace labour y that what our nature beingcorrupted cannot doe, ttmayheirKT healed be able to doe by him th.it came tofeeke and tojaue that that was /ofiAnnnother place heh^dfmdf ^yi/l/^.enntay be- ^ ^'f^""PfJ» leeue Gody and turne them/dues to the keeping cfh/s comman- ^^^ ' ' ' *^' dementesiftheywtlL But afterwards he e:spoundeih him- f elfe, ° Let not the P. lagums thinks that it i [fpcken to their " H^trtSfMh. x . meaning. For it is true that all men mayfo doe if they will^but ''^^' ' °' the wtll is prepared of the Lordy and (of urn [bed with the gift ofcharitie that they may be able to that they wiH^ which there wasnotfpokenbecaujeitwasnotnecejfarietothatcjuefli nthat "" Cont^^di-^ wasmhaid Again he faith," It isinthe power cfmnnto cha^c mant.cap. zC. his will to work that that is qcod '. but he corrc^^eth it ; ^' Ud ea potcjlas nulla efi nifi a deo detur \ but that vowc r is none at cab'I^ ' '^ al except it b egine tfGodywho by framing cr preparing- thew'l giueth that power. Now thele layings of thefatJicrsagainll theManichees being intended to Ihew what eyther na- ture was in it fclfe by creation, or being ccrrupted what it IS capable of by grace, the papifts lay hold ot & thereby labour to vphold the doctrine of the pelagians that in this corrupted (late of man there is remaining a free will to al- fcnt vnto the calling of God,which is a faculty of nature it felfe.& not the worke of the grace of Gcd,B"t the rigour ofthefayings of thofe former fachers wee rnuft regarde to qualifie by Saint Auftins example and rules, and by
the
48 Vye Mfii>er to ©. ^tjhops
the declarations of them to whome God gaue occafion by theherefieofthe Pelagians fuither to enquire andlearch the verity of that point. Albek in the handling ofthatque- ftion it fhalbefhewed, God willing, thatthey themfelues haue fufficiently freed themfelues fro that which tlie Pa- pifts fo much labour to hang vpon them, But as touching the tellimonies of the fathers which he Jleageth here they nothing hurt vs. Socrates reportcth it for tneManichees herefie to deny free will. We fay it was fo, and that it was Pelagius his herefie to afErme it : we difclaime them both. Hierome in his preface of his bookes againft the Pelagi- ans alleageth that it was the dotage of the Manicheesto take away free will,and in the books them{elues difputeth , againft free will in that meaning wherein wee deny It fay- VeU^Mh^i. "^g lh2iX.tlnstsmans greatejt righteoajnejls to thinkethat rvhatfoeur vertuehe hath, it isnst his owne htit the Lords that » Lih.z.'. hathgiHen it \ * thut all the good we do is CJodi'.and by occafi -
* ier.14.6.7, on ot the words of the Lord by the Prophet leremy,'' /will plant themthat they m^y not he rooted out &1 will ^ine them a ' ^"'°''' • hart to k>tow ms : ' 7/(aith hee. minde and thought beegiuen of God y and the vndcrji binding of the Lord grow from the roote of htm th^t is to bee k*towyie^ where is then that/o proud vanntingoffree will? As for S. Auftm no man hath troden the path for vs fo plainely and fully as he hath done. He condemned the Manichees '. lb doc wee. He condemned *■ ^u^ »» loan, the Pelagians and in the Pelagians condemned the Pa- ^J^'' n^'j r piftcs:andfodoewe. He faith, and out of him the Arau- 2.c4/». 1 1. licane Coumell faith : ^Kon:anhatioo^his owne but ondyto ^ ^Kgiift.ihid, lyeandto finne*^wh4tisamanbyth.it that is hi s owne ^ but tra&.^p. whatheisbyhisowne/in? As tor free mW it read'ly run-
Depra ef . ^cfhandfioweth tOKOughtinejfe, hvX'freewilltoloHoCjodwe i EfJifi.Aoj' lojibjthegreatnej[eof\Adams finney^who abufmg his free •• Emhir.ca,io. will Icfl both himfelfe and it al/o'. lothat now ^' men labour, » Depeccat. fgdthhc, to finde fnoHrwill/ome good that isour oivne which we mer. &-remif f^^^^ ^^^ ofGodlbfit how to fade tt^ I knorp not. No more doe '* "^'^ * wejf M^BilTiopcanfind It let him vycareittbut whether he
can
Epiflle to the IQng, 49
can or not wc fhall findc when we come to the handling of thatqucftion. Inthe meanc time let him know that this obie6Uon of liis is but the olde rotten cauill of the Pelagi- an hcretickesagainft the Godly Bifliops andpaftoursof i^.^^^^^^^^^ Cliriftes church,w horn for denying xhavfyee nilhhty ^ re- Ttia^j,t,c, x ] pnched with the name ofmamches and faid that they them- Celucs maintained the Catholickefatthagaijijitheprofamnes tftheMamches.lo whom S.Aultin aniwered as wc nowe ^ ^n{\Ncrh\TXi'^ The Mtintches deny that to man heifjg made I^id*caf,z* good the hcginnirgtfefiillrfashyfreemil. Thefelagtansfny^ that tnan betng m w emllhathfree willfpi^ciemly to keepe the comandemeKt that is good,Thecatholicke church reprooueth them btthifayingto the cne^Qodmade man it^Ji, and to the other, if the Somie pi all make you free then are yee free indeed This/rtff'^cw!?^ wc teachashedoth,as heercafterlhallap- ^
peare, ^
7, W. BisH OP.
» One Produs an errodoHs Origcnift taught thatjinne ypas ^/">^ htr,6^ not tal^en arpay in Baptifmejbut onelj coutredas is recorded ""'"" bythat holy m'in and anmient Father E^v^hi^n\\xsj!A,V'EK'-' ^^' ^' Kl'NS(tn the name of the church ofEngladjaffirmcth tnltke
manner fthe urigwallfthne remainethfiillj and raigneth in the , j
regenerate ^albeit it ts not impute dvnto them*
R. Abbo T. <
Hcere M» Biflxop vnwarcs hath flieathed a fword in his ownc fideSjCiting vnder the name of Proclus the herc- iticke the wordtsot Me ihodus a Cathohcke and godly bil'hop againlt the hcrcfie ot Proclus and his matter Ori- '
gen : Hee faw in Epiphanius, fec^nuntur nunc "Prodi verba,
Heerc follow now ihe wordes of Proclus, ziid his lips hang- ^
ing m his lightjhe could not lee but that all the difcourfc "\
following was the wordes of Proclus: whereas the words of Proclus are but a few lines in the beginning and then H followcth
JO Tl?e u^nfwer to V.'B'tfhops
followcth by Methodius a large refutation thereof. Now M.Bifhop chough againit his will ackno vvledgeth that the author of thofe words^hovvfoeuer hee miftooke him, did teach the very felfe fame chat M, Perkins and the church ofEngland doth concerning finne remaining after bap- tifmc,as indcedc hec doth. It followeth therefore by M» Bifliops owne acknowledgement againft his will that the dodrineot the church ot England by the teftinionie of Methodius bifhop of Tyrus, approoucd alfb by Epipha^ nius, is the auncient doctrine of the Catholicke cliuich and that the dodrine of the church of Rome which M» Billiop defendeth is neWjhercticali and f alfe. Now for fa* tisfaOiionoftheRcader, icistobe obferuedthat Proclus accordingtothedo6trine of Origendid teach that the foule had a being before the body, and being firft crea- ted did (inne,and for the finne that it did was put into the body as into a prifon, and tliac this is to be vnderltood in »G«nj.tx* that It is faide after mans fall chat God made them 'gar- ments of skinnes, that is, faidchey, hee made chembo* dies. Therefore hee held chdC this body being die prifon of thefoulefubie6lcpfinn and corrupcion, andferuingbut for the vfcs of chis life is not chac body wherewith we fhail rife againe, but chat it fhall be another of more diuine fub- * e.-fti, A A ftanccja more excellens and Ipirituall body. To this ^ Me- thodius anfwcretli and Hieweth by the Scripture that man confift-ed of body and foule before his fall, and that the body was compartner with the Ibulc in finne;that the bo- die cannot be (aide to be the prifon of the foule for a pri- fon is a place of relf raint,buc the bodie is not to the foule any reftraint,buc rather die inftiument and helper thereof ftifinne:thsrcforethatthcfo^/-£'j cf skinnes cou\fl not im- portthc making of bodies, but did rather import the clo- thing of the body with mortalirie anddeath,andd)atfor that caufb God did cart man out of Paradile diat he might die» The end whereof in part fliould be, that in death the , euilUn^l finne whicliman had wrought in himfdfe migiic
ethinawall,faithl.e,chcrprcadingof the roots tHcreof
being taken a funder, and the tree being puUcd out, the ^^.alhs of thelaiiie ftones repaired and made new agame. cuenrofinnehauingfpreaditrooteslargely mman, by d.nolmionofdeathisairodiflolued, and the body ciien ot the famepaits is raifed vp againe immortaU,finnc being whollyc-ndvtterlydeftroicd : Then follow the wordes which M-BiOiopintcndeth. Fcrfohr.gas the hodjlmeth a.d vntmt die, pnr>e m^fi needes Hue mthali ^rn^^'ar^lyh-' dwg m vs the rootes oftt^dbeit outrfardlyhj the checks of cha fi^Le.ts .ndadmcmttcns tt be brtdled & refratmd. Otherj mfe it y,ouldmtfdlom that after our tllummatto rPeJhoHid dovn^uJiljfffmewere-^holljandcUarely t^k^n fromvs. Butr.,i ifter that we bdceue ,andarc haptjed,y,e are often ioundinfwncs.Wh.r4orecertdneitis,thatfmneumM^ dcr^on^MdU^cdafitepbJf^ith,thaUtfmynotbr^>^gforth
nctfcmefruites, b.t tt ts r.ctpfdvf bj theroctcs^udmw
JcedLholdbacl^oHretimou^ktsardl.ftsastheffrouts
thereof,thatnobitterrootffrn^g^ngvfmajty^fieivs,notftiffc^
ri,fthebudsthat^rec/ojcdvpwithmtobeopemd,tocomet<,
a,nrcy^th,**'flr^atonofdcarineHenasabMher.v:g&^^^^^
ti^latthedeefefrt^girgrootuBs.tthentheveryth^^^^
jMneslhdbedone.r.ay,^ndtofaythetrmh,tk^^^^^^
r,lethnott.ftmonieoftheScnftHre:fortheafcBleack!or,
led2,ethtbattherootoffmisnotwholytakinfromme,,f^^^^^^
ll^.r,that,>.r^eM's,mmyfleJhdwfth.^^^^^^
tomhsprefer4wnhme,butnottcdothatghod:ForIdonot
th^.aocdthatIwoddbtatheemlIthatIwoddr.ctth^^^
Koi ,fldoeth.tl y^wHldnct.tt ts notlth.tdoeU b.tfmc thatdmllethmmeddehghtthenintheLiwofGodastouchj
^m the vmerrmnM ^ fee ^'.mthcr law mmymer^^bcrs rebel-- lLaz-i.fltheLwofn^mtr.de,andhcidirgmccafnue^^^
the law ohnne which is tn my mcmbersScfarre rs feme from Mgr^Lftdvttcr.yrcctedcfttforitf^^ctyctfutedead
ji Tl?e yftfper to ©. 'Bijhops
hut liueth&Ct Thus Methodius plainely affirmeth , that finnc is not wholly taken away in baptilmc ; that it is kept in, and the fproutes andweedes tliereof are ftill nipped and checked , but yet the roote ftill reinaineth hidden wichm, andchatitdyechnpttillwedie , and proueth it by the fame vvordes of the Apoftle which wee alleadgc to the fame purpofe. Now where were M«Baliops wits that could thinke tiiat thcfe words were the words of Proclus ? Surely he read the place very earely in the morning be- fore he had his full lleepe , or late after fupper when hee fhouldhaue bccneinbedde, or clfe hee borrowed them from fomeofhismaifters the lefuites, who make as httle coniciencc what they (ay as he doth. We mull be content with fucli llufte as he can y celd vs : the broker can offer na other wares then hee himfelfeliath recciucd of the mer- chant- Yet we are beholding to him jthat if we had wan- ted teftimonic of antiquitie to prcoue thatfinnc remai- neth after baptifme , as God willing he (ball Ice hereafter wc doe not, bee would doe vs the pleafurc to furnilh vs J L***l '^ * **^' therewith ' Tloat isa true froofe andwithout contradi^tmy faieth IreneuSjW^/c/? brifjgeth tokens for the tefitfying of tt from the very adnerfartes themfclnes3^^'^^ wil not tliankc himforitjbecaufehis purpofe was toabufc and decciuc his Reader jand by the name of an hereticke to traduce that which was indeed the profeffed do^lrinc of the church. Now he was very loth that one lie fhould goehccrc alone without a fellow,' and therefore to make vp the paire,he faith that M. Perkins in the name of the dmrch of England affirmeth, that originall flme remaincth Ibll andraigncthinthe regenerate, whereas M, Perkins and the church ofEngland affirme onely the remaimig^ and not the raigning cf fin in the regenerate, according to that that the wordes of Methodius haue before defcribed. So i-par.-^j- 'M.Fcrkins^\!dn\y i2lth^ that that very poTv.r erftre^gtb Tvher e by finneraigneth in man^^ taken away in the regene^ r^fr^-jand in the ^c quoted by M, Bilhop affirmeth no-
thmg
Epijlle to the i\uig, j j
thing to the contraric . VVcc take for our direction the wordes ot the Apoftle, ' Letnotfinne raigne mjour mortall • Po^^. \ z. bodj. Whereupon S.Auftm faith, ^ He c faith not ^ let not^ jiugufi.in finnc bsy bnt let notfinne raigne in your mortall body^ Jo loner I'tn.tra^l.^i asibmlittefijt/me mtift necdes bee in thy members '. let the raigmng thereof yet bee tcken nway : doe not what tt biddeth thee.Thns M. Buhop euery way confoundeth Jiuiifelfe,& can fin Je no place where to (land fure.
8, W. B 1 s H o p,
\o\nn\2inwas accounted a morfier by %,kus\i({^mc for de- ^ fnding honeft marruige to be of-cejaallvertue^ G^ ment vptth c. z z.& /;«r."8 1 ihaf ytrginity.andfat'.h further that this herejie rvasfo fot~ Ter/qns. tijh andfte/h/y.that it could not deceiue any one learned priefi ^"Z-^^i * but only feme ft rvfmple andcarnallvoomen.lfet this^our Eng- Upj ch.impion blujhethnot to aff,rme that mariage is not onelj ecjually but better alfo in diuerfe rejpe^s then Virginitie, , -^
The fame oldreprobate heretic\^barkedalfo (?gainfl appro . *
uedfeafis andfafimg dales, fo do mofi of our Mtrnflers at this timet
R. Abbot.
Hitherto M. Bifhop hatli fought with ftickes and ftravveSjbutnowhebeginncthtotallfomwhathandfome- ly to his weapon, fhenameof Aurtin carieth with it fomc preiudice, andlomemcn happily may be lonievv hat moo- ucd therewith in this matter,butyet we mufl confider that this note was long fince giuenof hinijand lie by his bookes otRetra6tations hath confirmed it: ' WhiUflhee fpahe cf^Gehnad.ca^ many matters it befellhtm which the holjghofifai'h by Salo- '"^ '^W^- y>rcr*. man : In muchfpeech a man cannot efcapefome fault, A^\Ti^ iti s here to be remembred that the queftion is not here of S.Auftins opinion, but of the Do6lnne of tlic church of Rome. And albeit S. Auftin doc fay that the fame church b j^utuf. j{t. ofRsuncdid^mt^hti/yreJifi louinian, yet how the matter t'-d(7,//.z.f,ii.
H I went
I
54 The JhJ%ey to D. ^iJJ?ops
went vvc fliall better Vnderftand by S. Hicromc, who be- ing then a member of the churcii or Rome was a principall = EraCJnarru-^S^^^^^ fciiatcaufe. * Erafmus obferueth truelythatiiu- mentMb.adu, ftm chargeth louinian with fome errours whereof Hie- lottinUn.apstd. romc maketh nomention^who would net haue pafied by H,tr9n. them iflouinian had taught them, whereby it afpeareth
ashecoIIe6lcthj that Auttin had neyther read ivuinsms l^ooks mr Hieromcs bockes agai:^J} Ismnian^bi. t only hy peoples rumours ^ udke had learned that that he knetv concermnglo^ utnian, and therefore he miift ncedes bee the lefie able to iudge or report concerning him, Moreouer it is not to be omitted tiiat Epiphanins in his catalogue of hcretickes hath not reckoned louinian amongft them though huing atthenimetime. He maketh mention of fome nor ashe- <* Hfiph.h^. 6i . retickes but as being'^w orofthex:hurchpn\y termerh them -^/o,. ohu too remijfe and/oft^ who dtdferjrvade women to giue ouer (^ to retell the accomplijhi^g or coKtinuwg of that courje ofperfe- ^.'on,a.s it was called-in virginirie and fingle lite* Whcrcb v certaine it is that this imputation of Iiercfie waslaied vp- on louinian by the priuate opinion of (ome, and not by the vniuerfalliudgement of the church. AsforS. Auftin to yeeld him his due he hath euery where fpoken holily & reuerently concerning mariagc,as it became him to doe of the facred ordinance and inftitution of almightie God : neither doth hee by commendation of virginitie breakc foorthinto thofe rude and vndecentfpeeches thereof, as Hierome and fome other haue done : and indeede as touching the very ftate of manage and virginitie there is little or no difference betwixt him and vs. We acknow- ledge the gift of virginitie and continencie to be an excel-i lent giftjbut yet a gift of externall preeminence with men, not a gift of internall and fpirituall righteoufnefletowards *.^«5'.A«j«;>.QQj.ofthofc good p(ts' vndefacia J hene^ non^ffa te f jj^ \,tcccit f<^^^'^^^ bonum^ whence thou maiefi doe goody not which them- mtr.t^Syrtmlff, y?/«^-^<^<?f w^i^tf^^^^^W^asS.Auftindiltingui/heth, orac- Ub.i,cap, I s. cording to another dillin6lion^of thofe good diings ^^ui-
bits
Efi?iletotbei\ing. <r
h r/ m lit; vtifur m^hs, non cjuernm mains vfas ejfe mnpotejl: Vfhi.h an ens/lman vjeth eully^ net vihereof there can be no ill vfsatalL iiuch arc die gift ofprophecy, the gift ot mira- cles, the gift oftongucs and interpretations ot" tongues, which not by prerogatiuc in hauing them, but by righce- oufnesin vfing them doe yeelda man acceptation and re- ward with God, For cuill men n)any times haue the(c gifts and fuch other hke, and are no wiiit the better tor them : they excell other men thereby and arc not the nee- rer towards God.Soamongllthe heathens the Veflulvtr- gtns confeGratcd ro idolls,and in the Gofpell ihefooltflj ? tr-
gws, if we will (b take it had * the tntegriiyofthepjh^ but s jtii^ufi^U- , Jj
with God it yeclded them neither fauour nor defence. If »'/• j f. -^
diereforethe queltion be betwixt the maried and the vn- maried we briefly afifirme that uteris par thus y all other things hetngequalLwdalik^, fingle life addeth nothing to t!ie one with God which mariagedetra6leth from die o- tlicr. S. Auftin iuppoleth as the very ground ot his afler-i tion that in virginitie and fingle life there is greater holi- iicfle and dcuotion towards God by being withdrawen from the bufinefle and troubles of this world, that the vn- maried '" doethinke vpon him more plentifully '. doe feme him i* Defanff t/V- more inflantly ; dsepleaje him more attentittely, Wiiich be- ginit.cap, 17. ing fuppoied wee will not denie but that in reward e with ^' ^' ^''"o '^<"»- God the preferment fhalbe giuen to fingle life. For eiien '"^ ''*^' ^ ^ ' amon?,ft the maried he that doth the "reateft feruice lliall haue the grcattll: reward J ' ff.vf^y w^« /;;> wages according ■ tohiiworkc. So therefore if virginitie exceed mariage in " * *"^*^* ' duetic and feruice vnto God,it fhall exceed alio in recom- pcnce oi rewaid : but if niariagc cquall virginitie in the workeofGod, wcdoubtnotbutrewardei.fglorie flialbe to both alike. Indeedc fingle life in it fclfeyecldcth more conuenienthbertytolerueGod, and therefore where it may be Injhly obicrued is to that end luiliy to bee prefer- red.But mariage and lingl^ htir are not alw.;ycs Sc to eucry man the fame that they are confidcrcdinthciiiiclucs to
be
5^ The Jrfuptr to B. !Bip?ops
be. For fometime the vnmaried careth more for the thbg^s ofthsvorlde then the maried doth : and Ibmetimes the maried careth more for the thiy:gs of the Lord then doth the vnmaried. The maried many tunes is notfo much dillra- 6tcd by occafions of the world as is the vnmaried by wralt- ling and ftriuing to preferue the integrity of the flefhe.
\ Gr-^r. '^ATJa, k J\^either manage ncr (it'gU lifejidkh "^ciZtanz^^ne^ isjm h hy
tn laud. Gor^. ^^f^^jrg ^j can etihir tte vs fehoUy to God or tht wcrid/jr nhoU Jj keepe vsjrom either yhut it is the mind that rghtlj vjt th the fame ay.dworketh either of themto vertue ^ Asiingle hfe is no: alwaies a helpe/o is not manage alwaies a hinderancc to holinefle & deuotion towards God, as when in maried eftate and in the alfaii"es of this world tiie heart is framed
1 ^ Q^^ ^ Q to the rule of the ApofU es, ' that they whic h haue mues (fee as though they had none, and they which weepe as though thiy rvept not, and they that reioyce as though th'y raoycednct^And they that buy as thopfgh they pojfcjfed nct^and they that vfe this world as though they vfed it not ; and men being bodily em- ploied here vpon the earth, yet cary their afile6liomfo as
''PlnL^^io. thattheir " conuerfationisinheauen. Inawordwe are to conceiuc the fame of fingle life and marriage as of free- dome and bondage* Freedomc is a more blefl'cd and hap- pie flate , and giueth a man greater power of himlelfe to beflow himfeltc to the Lords vfc,and therefore the Apoftlc
• I Cor. -J ,21. faith to him that is bound, " if thou maieji be free vfe it ra~
* Gal.i .23. ffjef.^ And yet the fame Apoftle telle th vs that " tn ChriB
lefus there is neytherhondnorfreeX that neither freedome commendeth a man the more to God , nor bondage any whit empeachedi him , but either of them is molt prefer- red with God as either of them is beft beftowcd to the r I Cor.T. 40. g^^O' of God. S o is the freedome of fingle hfc " more hlef- fed then the bondes of mariagciand yet where marriage is alike in feruicc of Godjitis alike accepted with Godasfin- gle life* This doftrinc louinian taught in Rome againfl thcfuperftitiousconceipt that was then in growing that there can becnoholinelfe in mariage comparable to the
holineiltf
EpiHle to the K'ng yy
liolinefle of profeflcd fingle iife. He affirmed that albeit in relpe6l otthe encumbrances and troubles and cares that are incident to mariage virginitic were to be preferred, (in regard wliereofhehimfelfe alio liued a fingle iife as ** Au- '^jiu^Sur.^i. rtine witneflcth ) yet that virginitie of it felfe is a thing meerelyindifferentjandwithGodforit fclfc hath no pre- ferment before mariage: and by the examples of holy men and holy women mentioned in the fcriptures, patri- arches,prophets,prieihand their vviues perfwaded that mariage war. as holy an eftate and as plcafing vnto God a$ fingle life, He taught by the words of the Apoftlethatit js hetter ' to marry then to harne^tltcx openly to cnioy huf- ' i.Cor 7- ^. band or wife then fccretly by incotinency to be diftra6ted in mindc or to giue place to Satans temptations, by filthy luft .His preaching tooke that effect in Rome that fundry, both men and Women hauing profeffcd virginitie and continency did thereupon leaue the profeffion thereof ^ and betooke themfeluesto mariage, as both 'by Hie- ^^^^"^^'r^i rome and Auftin doth appeare. louinian had written /„*'«. feme what ofthis and other matters, which 'ycw^r brethren ^ugHflMr. 8» asHicromc calleth them, lent from Rome to him being &'B^trail.l.-i. tiien asisfeemeth in Paleftina, prefently Hierome with all '^''^^»• indignation and ftomacke writeth his two bookesiigainft '^'^^'*'^' louinian, and to lay as the truth is whileft he ycelded to "'*"** much to his owne humor for commendation of virginity he wrote very bafeiy and prophanely concerning mariage, ?^w«Mf/?i/i'j' a gentleman of Rome, a friend of Hierome, a man of great learningjlighting Vfon thofe bookes and taking view of them, conceiuing what offence and dillikc they were likely to breed to their authour" laboured to "Hthom.tfujf. fiippreflcthemjthat before they went any further abroad pcpr.adTam- Hieroine himfelfe might better confider ofthemanda-*""*^^-/^"^'^* mend what might fecmcamifle. Eut it would not be: '"^'''^'"*'"''*»^ abroad they went, and raifed in Rome exceeding oblo- quies and clamours againft him, and fcant any fpcecJi of any hercticke had becne more odioufly takcn,as may fccm
I bf
3 Hieron.ad Tammash.A- folitg.pro lib , adit.loftinkn'
r ikd.
h^eref'
^Ttriullex- hortat.ad Ca- ftitat,
'» Ori^eiLetj^ud
^polo^ia. 'In Math.
^ ConclLtem. Can-.MoftoL cap.6.
5 8 The Anf^er to V. Sijhps
by that that Hierome himfelfe reporteth then was that that he wrote.Heercupon he wrote to Pammachius an " .Aplogie of thole bookes to amend tlie matter lb much as might be,and to qualifie the offence taken. In that A- pologteit appcareth that fome there were indeed that blamed loumianj but euen they aho blamed him: Etme ^ adpterfirmm pAriter reprehendnnt: They finde fault -with me^andwith mine adnerfariealfo, And what was the occafi- on otali this tragcdiei* What was the matter for which lie fuileined all this difpleafure? '' Grande pacuhm: euer- faftmt ecclsfw.erbis audire non foteji fi virginitatem dtxi- m 's m •tndtorem ejfe quaitnHptiai : ty^ hiiiuQHS offence : it ts the overthrow of the church: the world cannot endure to hears it, that i [hoddpiythAtvirginitiejs of greater p.ir it j and ho ~ line^e then mariedefi ate. Behold hcere, M.Bil'hop, the churtli of Rome greatly offended to heare it, and accoun- ting it as a llrange dc6lrine5tiiat virginitie fhouldbe affir- med to be a more holyefiate of life then manage is. Yea Sl before that time the fame church of Rome in condemning the Montanilt heretickes condemned this opinion alfo* For the Montaniftsdidnotonely x^itOi^ fecond tnariage^ asAuftinnoteth of them, but they accounted manage ' wholy to be a more prophane and vnholy ftate then might If and with the perfedion of Chriftian life* This Origen vpbraideth them witii as faying thereby in effeft, ^ Come not neere me^for I am holy -y for I take no wfe, hat am ^^xz^rite ofCfodrdi man vowed and feparated vnto God: which the fame Origen elfe where calleth'<i» immoderate GrvnreafonablepHritieay.dcleannes, The affe6lion of which puritieand cleannefle euen by bilhops and priefts was cenfured by the auncient Canons which in the church of ^' Rome did goc vnder the name of the ApoflIes/7^^//f my b'fhop orpriefi diddi/mijfe hts wife vnder pretence ofpiette or deuot ton towards God, he Jhoald be excommfinicate^andif he did therein perfjfy/hould be degraded. It was therefore a n odious matter, and plaine herefie in the opinion of the
auncient
Epi/lle to the IQng, jp
auncient church of Rome to attribute any fuch preroga- tiueandrpecialltitleofhohnefleto finglelife And it is heere to be obferued that * Hicromc in his Apologie to * meron.ad Pammachiusfeckingto excufe himfclfc by examples Q^'P^^rnach.^^- others who had faidc the hke as hee had done, alledgetii a- £*^«;i'^ mongft others TcrtulUan,whereas TcrtuUian being then become a Montanifl wrote that for which hee citethhim eucn by his owne confcfllon^againft the dodrineof the^ Caut.eccUf. church of Rome. And verily Erafmus ti'uely fayde, that^*^'"'^^*'"^'*''* ^ in the -writings of Biermie are to be femdeuenthefame^lf^lfT' words that are v/edb) Tertu/Uan,yvhofer the fame hadieenedeyir^imt* ' condemMedfor anhereticke.
Now whereas M. Bifliop faith out of Auftin that loui- nians opinion rvasfofottijh andflefhlj that it couldnot deceiue any one /earned priejt hut only a few ftm^le and car nail wometty he racketh the wordes of Aultin too far. He faieth indeed tiec ad deceptionem alicjuorum facer dotum potntt peruenire lit could notpreuaile to the deceimng of any frtefls^ b u t lie doth not lay that it preuailed only with afewfimple and carnallroo men,^s M, Bifhop faieth. For that this is very vntruc and falfe it may appeare very manifeftly by this,for that Pam- machius would not haue had that regard to prcferuc the ellimaiion & credit of Hieromc agamftlouinianonelyin refpcftofa few fimple and carnall women, Againe byHi- erome himfelfe It is as manifeftly difprooued, who againc ^ and againe repeatcth that'' louini(Jnhadtranydifciples:that joulnTllb"' many agreed to his optr.ionuhat many didry.nne after him:'that fuh finem. gentlemen gatie him the vpayy that the nvealthyfirokidhtmon ' TibimhiUtdt the head A ndfbr a few fiinple and carnall women he would '*'"* "'/«"^ tihi not haue vfed thjit t^^o^nhiicn:^ what? w(^s there ;;f. ''"""^ <«^'"»- tit r a cot^ntry in the whole world that would receiue the^ reach- v. in^ ing ofplcajure ( fb hee Ipeaketh reprochfully according to his n-]iLnner)htthawh:chthedc^rineo/Tetcr had founded vpon Chrifi the rocke . Againe he fpeaketh generally to the CitticofRome as calling the fame to repentance for this i jhid^ matter, ' Thou mightie city, thoH city ccmmended by the I z. wordfs
6o The Mf^er to D, ^ifhops
worhsofty^pofllethoHmaiefi by re^Hmce aimdethat eurfcy jvhichotirS^Hioarthreatneth thee in the ^pocalypje. cfrc. Thus hee maketh a great cry ot a fmall matter, but cellifieth by tiie way that that city, that church that was commended by thevoyceoFthe Apoftle approoued the doclrinsoflouinian, and difclaimed his aflcrtion to the contrary ihzivirginity ts of greater pHritie and holmefje then marled eJIate.Now whereas S. Auftin Taieth that louinians opinion tound no approbation or allowance with anie Prieftes or Biiliops, or as M. Bifhop laieth with any learned, prkfiy it IS certaine alfo by S. Hierome that Auftin there- in was dcceitied, and that there were BiOiops alfo and " ^'T cowf//' prieftes at that time of the fame mindcjt is true indeede Vm'u&.'lfld that"'Siricius then BifKop of Rome with fome few o- ^w^rof. ff 80. ther of his owne fort, in a priuate meeting of their » ibtd. owne did giuc fentence againft Iouinian,and togitherwith
him condemned " ^uxentius^ Genialis^ Germmator-^ Fe-^ liXy Vrontmns, LMartianus, lanuaripis^ Ingemofus ohhi: church of Rome, teaching the fame that he did, as did al- *' ^^^-^f' ^^ • fo o Sarmatien and Barbatianusy Monkes oftJie church of MiUaine : fo vntrue is it which M. Bilhop faith,that there were none of louinians opinion but onely d^few fimpleand car.iili women. But that Siricius was a noueller and a man, J, . . in this cafe partially and priuately alie^ied, by whome it
deinLm.'rE ' may feeme likely that louinian tookeoccafionto teach in tarn. UL^.ca.^^ Rome thatthat hee did teach : the fame Siricius being no- 1 chren. Carioii, ted to be the P fii ft that forbad mariage to Pricfts Sc Dea- inTheodof cons^and'^Cdured them tJiat were maried to hue as' they alpZ7mfI ^'^^" ^^^' (eparated from their wiues, dire6liy contrary to f^ro.l.aJti. lou'in the ^apoftolickc Canon before mentioned, & to the c!ccer> ' Cxr,o...ipofl. 6 niinaticn of the Nicene Councell, ' yeelding to the mil Co^o/. torn. I. gj^^i godly motion of Paphnutius againft tliat vniuft and ' ^''^'■•^'•^'''^- vnlawfull feparation. The grofle and abfurd ignorance of " S;> "fp//?*</- that Siricius appeareth in that hee applieth " againft mar- crtt.i'.conuU riagethofethinges which the Scripture fpeaketh to com- tm. I , n)(;Hd ho/tnejfe, as if there. were vnholinefle in that which
the
Efijlle to the K^ng. 6 1
the holy Glioft calleth * the vnde fifed bed^ Againft manage * Vith, i j .4. he vfetluhe wordes of the Apoltle,''/^fj that are in the ^ K?"*.^-^' Jlefh canftot p/eafe god^ as if Abraham, llaac, lacob and the other righccoLis Fathers did not pIcafeGod bccaufe they were mariedjwhereas the Apoftlelaith generally toal the faichful,as vvel maried as vnmaried, ^ Tee are noti» the ^ .,., ^ fieib but in the ffirit^ b-- CAufe the J fir it of God dwJ/eth injou . •'*'^-9*
But notwithrtandmg that fentence ot Siricius the church of Rome llill continued to approoue the do6liinc of ]oui- nian, as appeareth by thofe thingesthat I haue alleagcd outof Hieromes bookes againft louinian, which were written attcr the denouncing uf that fentence. Yea and that notonely theLaitiebutthe Clergiealfo perfiOed after- ♦
ward in that opinion againft the fentence of Siricius is manifeft by Hieromes owne wordes in his Apologic : '^/beit SecnUr men be c^end^d th.\t they are put tn lower c e- » m^^^^ j gree then virgi'^'S, yet I rvoonder that Clergy menyL^Aoonkes Tc.mmar.h, and fuch as profe(le continencie^ doemt commend that vehtch ^polo^ proJik. they themjelues doe » They keepe them/elues from their wtMet ^^"'Iouiniati^. that they may imitate the chajitty of virgins , and will, they haue it that maried women are the fam? that ztrginsare : Now what will M» BiOiopfay to this : We haue here the Clergie, the Moonkes and fuch as vfcd continencie in the church Oi Rome, rcceiuingit itill againft the opinion of their vnlearned Biiliop : idem ejje maritatas qmd virginss : ; that maritdwiues are the fame that virgins are : thatbctwixt manage and virginitie there is nQ diuerfe degree or diffe- rence in tlie figiit ot Go*] . For although by the tyranny of their billiop asit ieemeth they were compelled to forgoc die company of their wiues, yet they continued ftiU to approoue tlie fame do6lrine that formerly had becne rc- cciued in the lame church. Yea and it is plaine that there were biiliopsalfoofthe fame opinion that louinian was. For when Viailantius foor.c after mainteined the fame t „ that louinian did, Hicromecrieth out," ?ro/^ wi/^/, e- y,„,i^„f pifcoposfmfceleris dicitur habere confortes : 0 abhomrnablc I 2 matter
Deniitriad.^ ad Eufioch. ^ TertulMye land, yirz-
6z Tlje jfnfwer to t>. 'Bifhops
mattery hee isfaydto haue Bijhops partakers with him in his wicked opinion: as hee in ftomacke termeth their defence o f mariage. And ofthofe bifhops he dcdareth that the-j would ordernone minifiers or de aeons -^ but onely juchas werefrji married : lb tarrc were they from M » Buhops conceit of mariage or virginitic, becaufe they faw the filthy and ab- hommable f r uices that vowed virgmitie did vfuaily' bring ' f^'^""-<'P''*^» foorth, whereof' Hicrome himfelfc elle where and be- """""'"^'^ forehim'^TertulIian did complaine. Ycafotarre were they from approouing the opinion of Hiercme or ofSi- riciusthebiihopofRome, as that dire6Uy and flatly in their pradife they oppofed themfelues againftit. And whereas Hierome to reproouethefe bilhops by examples ot other churches, alleageth to that purpofe the C /;/^rc^if/ cfthe £^/(beiide the no other but the churches of Egypt & Rome)' Socrates wbowrote his ftory within Icflethen twentie yeeres after the deatli of Hierome, affirmeth of thofeEafterne churches which ^ Epiphanius alio an Ea- fterne bifliop euen m the time of Hierome of fome partes tlicreof, acknowledgeththat/^^;;;'/^/ and btfhops therecf were mt forced by any law to forbear e their wiues^ and that ' many of them whtleji they were bi^jops had children hcrne vn^ tothem by their lawffillmariedwmesy fo h'ttlc regard had they ofthefentence and decree of Siricius, and io httlc conceit of any fuch holinefle in virginitie aboue mariage, but that the holy calling of a bifliop or prieft llandeth in- differently agreeing with either of them.ThuSjM.BiOiop, 1 haue wrefted your weapon out of your hands, and haue charged it very ftrongly againit your lelfe,and haue made it plainly to appeare that in denying virginitie to be of any greater holmejfe, vtrtue or merit with Cod then mariage ^^q teach the ihme, that not louinian onely with a few fimple and carnall women, but generally the church of Rome not the inferiour fort onely, but the nobles and great men, HOC the Laity onely but the Clergie of that church,the monkcsand fuchasprofefle contincncie, and the bi-
ihops
e Socrat.hifi. CatbaroT.
Epiftk to the K^ng. 6 j
fhopsalfoof that church before, and of other churches then approoued and receiued, and that the Papiftes now teaching the contrary, doe contrary the receiued do- ftnne ot the auncient church of Rome.
But it further offendcth M. BiOiop that M, Perkins doth not onelyequall manage to virginitie but affirmeih that tnfome rcfpetis it is to bee preferred before it. But I maruell that hce fhould be olfv^nded thereat, feeing it is a cafe vfuall that the Iclfer good m (ome refpe^s is to bee pre- ferred betore the greater. The Piulofoplicr i s to bee pre- ferred before the husbandman, and yet if we refpe6t the tillaoe ofthe land the husbandman is to bee preferred be- fore^the Philofopher. Gold is better then iron, yet if we rerpe6t the (liooing of a horfe, iron for that vie is better then gold. Therefore albeit it be graunted to M. Billiop that virginitie ablolutelie is better then mariage, yet no- thing hmdereth but that mariage in feme refpe6ts may be better then virginitie. TJie re(pe6ls thatM. Perkins allea- getharetwo. Oneincafeofincontinency. AnddothM Billiop doubt but that to them that cannot conteinc mari- age is better tlien virginitie, when the Apoftle fo plaincly iaith : s It is Ipetter to nutrie then to burne I The other re- c i cor 7.9. Ipe6l is for tliat rmrtage is thefemimrie */ the Church and commonwealth, andbnngethfoorthafeedeofGodforthe en- larging of his ktngd^me . And is M, Biiliop fo mad as to makcqueilionoftiiis : furcly virginitie to this refpc6la- vaileth nothing and therefore in thisrefpea mariage mull needes be better then virginitie, Butlomewhathe muft needes fay ; he wilbe ftill biting and gnawing though it be to the hurcingof his owne teeth.
Now whereas he faitlifiirther oflouinian that hce^^r- kedat approoued fcap andfafii^g daiesizs touciiing the tor- merofthemitappearethnot byHierome or Auftm or any other ofthattime that he fpake any thing atall, and therefore I pafle by it as a tale. As touching the other poyntoff4/?;«^ S.Auftinrcportcth that hce taught, ''»c»b H^r.Sz.
prodejfe
6^ Tl?e ^nj%er to T>, (Bipops
prodejfe ieiftma et a cibis ali^ntbtis ab^mcntiamithiafajles f9rbearmg ofcertame meates ^re thmgs not aHattiablesvliQVe- m if his meaning werCj as appeareth it was,to condemn fet and cercamc daies of ftanding falles,witli thac iupej Ibtious tancythatitfliouldbe a matter ofmerittc with God thole daies to foi beare fome certaine k Jndes of meate more tlien other, he erred nothing therein, neitlier did he teach any other thing then the Church of Rome, as hath bcene be- fore ihewedjhad long before taught againft the hereiie of Montanus: which herefie although it were at the firft rcfi- fted by that church, yet fuch was the ferpentine flippernes thereoftlirough the goodly colours and faireAicwes of church-order and dcuotion that were let vpon it, as that afterwards it found very eafy admittance and entrance,and thofc opinions which fcrtullianasa Montanift defended againft the church, and namely the church of Rome, the fame wereapproued and rcceiued in the fame church ; (b as that Hierome though he confeiTc that TertuUian being fallen to the herefie or Montanus wrot diuers hook'&ffea- alij againji the church^y ct doubteth not f otimes to auouch fome poynts by him mainteined in thofc bookes^ and to Ipeake as he fpcaketh:yea and Auftin in fetting downe the herefie of the Montanifts mcntioncth for herefies, fetting afidehisp4r^t/?/«^,butonely one point conteinedin the famebookes. But what he wrote touching fafling, it went fmooth aed currant, and louinian, Aerius, Vigi- lantius, and others for fpea king againft the fame were re- ieded as heritickcs though they fayed nothing in that point but wliat the church of Rome had faied bcfore.Now fith the minifters of our church fay the fame and by the femearguments that theauncient church of Rome did, as I haue before declared, it is manifcft that theapoftafie is not on our part but on M* Bifliops, who now by the au- thority of the church of Rome maintaineth that which the hereticke of old maintained and defended againft the church , The minifters of our chuch condcmne not fa-
fting
Eptjile to the IQng, (Jc
fting but fuperftitious fading. Wc blame mcn'Mon^uia '" Btmarlim ahjiment fed quia haretke abjiinent'.not becauje they abfieine Cant.ftr,66. but becanfe thty abjiem with an hereticallopnion cf their ah ■ Jimeyicey a$ Bernard well fpeakcth though he apply it ill. We obicruc falling daies as wee call them by abibnence ii:oti\ ^cih('mdQcd not fajlingdaics but*fi/h daies as the *^Hno^.EU\. law dotli rather call them) not with any opinion either for cap.^.^hridg. the day or for the abllinence of any holinefle therin, or *n*"t.i»Jh,fs religion towards Godjbut oncly byway of obedience to ^''^^"'"^■'^* pohtickelawcSjanddutie to our prince, the law it felfc profefling it lelte to be onely * folttickelyintendedy & dif- ^ ihid, claiming fuperjittton to bemdintainedin choife cf meats & denying this eatmg offijh, or for bearing offlefj to bethefer^ nice cfGod^otherypife then are other po/tticJ^/arves.But other . wife wc teach fiifimg, either priuatc or publicke, not tied todaiesortimeSjbuttooccafions either priuatc orpub- like,whercbyGodcalleth vs thereunto, tlie church then vfiiig it owne libertie, to appoint to that end either thofc fjh dates or any other daies, one or more, or many as oc- cafion fhall require : as when lately by realbn of Gods vifi- tation,there was a faft eommanded ordinarily to be ob- lerucd through the whole land,that praier and fupplicati- on might be made the more inftantly vntoGodforthc auertingand turning away of his fearefuU hand, and as •' Tertullian by way ofobic^ion teftifieih, that at that * r««»#/.4/e time in the catholicke church the bifhop vpon like occa- '"«»;>. (ions did folemnely call the people to a taft. And this /aft confifteth in abftciiiing either wholy or extraordinarily, but not in abfteininghom fuch and liich meats. For when the time of repaft comn^eth,wc hold it al one towards gcd w hcther a man eate tifh or flcfli, bccaufc ' euery creature cp i.Tlm.4.^, ^cdts good and nothif7gto be refufcd,^ if it be receinedwith thai.k^gmingj^' 2Xi^ mthir.gthat cntrcth into the mouth '^^*^'^^*^^' defiicth a man. As for ihe popifh faft we hold it fenlelefle „ ^^^^a j and abfurd,and hke to the fafting of the old " Manichees. morif. Mankh^ A man fillcthliimfelfcwith maimolcts, andfuckets, and uh.i,ca{>.i^. '
K and
"» AH^'t^.t6.
fCtnt.VauJi*
ITInod.hiJf. ' Socrat.hif}. ' Terttilje it
a The Jnfi^er to V. ^Ifhops
and prefemcs,and fine cakes and fugred wines, onely hec forbeareth fleih,and hee is a Catholick:e,hec hath done a good and m:riconousworke,hee hath kept a taltto God and this is a tatista£):ion for his fianes, A poore labouring man coniming from his worke eatech a peece of fault ba- con, and feedech very barely and fparely thereof, and this man is an herecickcforfooth, he is vncleanc and muft for this caufe be condemned to the fier. This is an hereti- cal! deuife, dellroying true faith, enTangling the confci- ence,andhiuing no lliew of any vvarrani: or teftimony from the word of God .S. Aullin concerning fafting tel- l^tl-Wlih^l" fmdjrhgths m-ztter in his mi.id? h?e findah thjt th.:re is precept offafiing in the writing; of ths EiMngi- lifts and-ApojUes.b^'ty faith he, v:>hAt d.iies topiFl, or not to faft I d)e mtfiids it fet d}w:is bj my precept of Chnfl or his ^p->jiles. Therefore he fliiweththattheoldlibertieofche churchwasthis, toabfteine''»2Prtf or/.^jfp as eucry mm ei- ther will or can: becaufe/f/?/^^^, asMarcianustoldAuitus, is in am MS owne power and at hi-s owne ■will, and becaufe ' there it nothi>7gfoHnd written as toHchingit^ fnxth Socrates^ it is manifest that the^pojiles leffree power to eaery mans •will and difcretion in that behalf e ^-without necejft: i: or f ear e to djethAtthat(hoitld be good lobee ftiort, ihe aunciene church of Rome acknowledged the fame, that according ' tothcobieruationofthe Apodles/wjL^ii^r.? tofifl at their owne difcrstioni according as euery mans times and occafions doe require '.that ihe Apojlles impofednoy)ke ofprefcriptand fiandtiq^f flsthat fhould in common be performed by all'.that toperforme afaji certaram edu^iornm cxeepttonewith eX' ceptim tnk^n tocertaine meats-, as the Montanills did ex» CQ^t^g^axniifl fh,-^ndbrjth,^»dwine,CMOVcth very ftrong- ly of lieathcnifh fuperlhtion. They acknowledged there- fore in this point of falling the fame tliat we doe.
As for fealt dales we doe not know that wee hauerc- ic6lcdanythatafe certainly found to haue beeneapproo- ufidinthe auncient church of Rome. If the bi^iop of
Rome
FpiHletothek.^?!^ 6y
Romchaucfinccfupeiftitioufly multiplied the number of tliemjand added new and falfe conccites of w'orfliip and grace, and holineflcvnio them, and Iiauc thereby laied a yoke of vafl'alrie and bondage vpon the church, we hauc iibercic to fliakc ofl his yoke, neither are wt hccrein to be charged with varying from the old church of Rome, butit is tJie new church ot Home it felfc that hath varied from the old. If any Miniftcrs amorgftvs doc iinpugnc any feaft daycs by pubhcke authority cftabhflied in our church, they beare their blame, but whereas M. Bifhop faith, the noji cfour minifii r: the realon is, h^CdXiii U^fien* tihns oculisfirgulAris Inarna numtrofa eji,
9* W. Bishop*
Vigilantius vpasjharplj reprcoucdhy S<^ir}tllk:cme,iKa iookt T»ritten againfi him/.nd h^.th hectie euer Jince VKto this 4Uy, tjietmed a nicki(iheretkk£ifirder,jir:gfrajer toScints tofidhoncur to be dene vnlo their relkkes'.>.drid yet y rvhat point cfDoRrii^e is more cnrrar.t (imorg the frctejiants^then this I
R Abbot.
M« Bifhop faith that Hicrcmc doth fliarpelv rcproouc Vigilantius, but faith Erafiiius and very iumyi'heedoth t^rar-iHarr forai/eathtniasth^>tIcanKothutmpj that hee hr.djhcwed iib^4idu,FiTiL more modcjite. I rpoald he haddelt by drgumerst onely and had forborne rarlti'^gffeeches. Hierome himfelteelfe where cal- letli Vigilantius^ fur.nijjimp:mfrefbyterumyn very holy friefi^ ^ Hitrtn.t^.ad and indeed in that that he wrote tor ougI;t appearcth hee "Paulin. wrote nothing but w hat might well bcfecmc a very religi- ous and holy man, being oftended ' to fee as hee laith, in ' /H ^'"■*" " a winner the cujicmis cj the heathens z nae r^retcKce oj religt * in brought into the i httn h. One thing that Vigilantius rc- proued was their cullome ciVtgils & nightwatchcs at the lepulchcrs or rclickcJ of marty res, vndcr pretence whereof K» many
68 ^he Anfwer to VMjhops
many lewd aiSls & viUanies were done, yet Hierome main* teineth the fame very ftiffly.Buc that notvvithitanding the J -. . ^ church atterwiird not following the mmd or Hierome but libad^J'i'^i-^' rather of Vigilantius^'aboliihed thofe vigils, &madeic lant. "^ to ap^ea?^ that Hierome had more contentioully then ia- BelUrmJe dicio Lilly written in defenfe of them. Yea and by Hierome (ultufanCl, himfelte it appeared! chat Bil'hops there were that tooke ^^^'^7' part with Vigilantius, and approoued that which hee
taught, whofe names if they were knowne might Jiappilie carry as great authoritie as S» Hieromes doth. But ro come to the matters that M. Biihop fpeaketh of as touching prayer to Saints Hierome faith nothing at all. He only rea- Ibneth that tlie Saints or martyrs doe pray for vs, but faith nothing to argue that we fliould pray Co them, Neychtr did Vigilantius qucftion that matter : for whereas hec de- m^iundeth, he the puies of martyrs alw-ues frefentat their ajheSj ieaft if any come topray^ theyjhouldnet heare them be- • Am de ytiit* ^^^ ahfenty Hec meancth it not of any comming to pray to t^lef.'ca.i.6. * the martyrs themfelues, but to pray to God at the places oftlleir Rclickes. For they vfed co pray to God ' ad me- mortas m:irtyrH^at the memorial places of the martyrs , which «" cyriLcont. vvas a thing by lulian the Apoitata obiedted to the Chri- MUnMb' I o. ftians : ^yo^i callvpon God at thefepulchers of your martyrs^ who would rather haue obiected praying to the martyres themfelues if he couldTo haue done.But hence they grew in time to conceiue fuperftitioully that the maityrs iiea- ring them at their relicks praying to God did recommend their prayers by their interccflion and make them more ac- ceptable vnto God. But that prayer to Saints was no do- ctrine pnblickly recciued in the auncient church is hereby infallibly and ineuitably prooued, for that the auncient church though not at the firft yet afterwards three or fourc hundred yeercs after Chrifl: did in their publickc hturgie and feruice pray for the Saints.Now to pray for them and CO pray to them cannot pollTblyftand together. That they grayed for them appearcth by Epiphanius his defenfe
tliorcof
Epi/lle to the i\in^, ^p
tlirrof againft AeriusZ/c^- the righteous, forthefuthersy ^^ifh.Ur.f^ the patnarchsy the Prophets the ^^poft/cSy\:uangcliJies,war~ tjrSy conf(jfo0rsy Bt fhofs^ ^dnchorttcs axd the whole ranke of the chnrchSn wliac meanin^chey didit lliall appearehcre- after, but thereby it is manit'elt that as yet there were no prayers pubhckely vied to the faints. And althougli the hither s indeed doc m diutrs places feeme to giue counte- nance to this fuperfticion vvlnlclt caried away with popular and plauliblc deuotions tliey fearch not liow it may (land with otlicr points of Chriflian faith, yet fomctimes vppon occalions they fo cut away the whole foundation thereof as chat the rert of the building ncccflanly muft fall after to the ground. For whereas the end of praying to Saints is to v/e cheir mediation and intercclVionvnto God, they doc fo challenge this office of interceiliue mediation wholly and onely vntb Chrift as that the Saintes mull needes be wholly excluded from any part thereof. And to this pur- pofe S. Auftin notably fpeaV.eth \ He is the pneji who Ictng h ^u^„/fj„ entred within the ve'tle^olHs iht ex his qui carnem gufiauerunt Vf^Cs^, interpellatpro nobis^is only he of them that haue taftedthefltjh that there maketh intercejjion for vs. In figure whereof among fi thatfirfi people and in thatfirfi temple onslj the high pricfi en- tredintothe holy place and allthepeople ficodewithout ^ And therefore againll Parmenian the Donatift hereticke ma- king the Bilhop A mediAtourbetwixt God and the people her faith of the Apoftle S. lohn : ' Jfhe (hull thus fay, If ami manfmne, ym hane me a medtatour wtth the father, and 1 ' ■^^''.s*/^' *■*"''' makeintcrccfftonandintreateforyour^nnef^ what gcod a^d Ij'j^ ' '"'g^"' fiithfull Chrijiianwo-ild endure him'i who would lecke vpon him as the dip. iplc of C hrijl andnot rather as ^ntichrij} him- felfe ? He is the onely and the t rue me di at our that Tnaketh in - terce jftcn for al and none for him.Neither dotb Vavlmak^ him felfe a medtatour betwtxt God avdthe people. ^c Tor fVaul were a medtatour, thenjbouldthe reji of his fellow Apcjiles be foalfe ^fo there pjould be many me diat ours, and the reafonof T'aulhimfelfefhould notfiundgocdwhercby hefated^htre is
K 3 en*.
yo Tl?e ^nfiver to T>. Si/hofs
fine ^od and one mtdt.Uour betwixt Gcd and man e?'^«which peremptory alTcrtion oF one mediatour for intercellion vnto God doth vtccrly ouerchrow whatfoeucr M« Bifliop can alledge for defence of prayer vnto faints* And that tliis was the auncient faith and religion ot the church it is k Orig«n.t$n. P^^inc by Origen alio teaching ^ that Gcd onelj'ts to be wor-^ Ctlftm.iih, 8 . /hipped and that our praters are to he tendred only to the only begottenfonne of^od^that he as the highprieji may bring the fame to his God and our God. c^r« :rhat Chriflians did make their praters onely to God hj lejus ^hriji : that ' ait hough the ^*'^ 5 • anfels befo dtmne ^ excellent in nature a s that the Jcripture
fomttimes calleth the m Gods^ and they doe bring vnto vs the gifts of God, yet that voe are not f$r all that to rporjhip them or to doe diuine hcnour vnto them, but that all frayers^ alljup" plications^ andintercejficns aKdthaKksgip!i-/!gs are to be defii'^ nated vnto ^od the Lord of all things ^1^ the highpritfi the It- uing wcrd rvho is God greater then all angelles : that no man pjiilddare to o^er praters bfitonly to the LordGod(who alone is aboundantlyfufficientfer all) by ourjauiour the fin of God, Thus that firlt church knew no other prayers butfuch as we make according to the example otall the Saints and faiihfuU from the beginning of the world only to God by ie- fus Chriji* They would not pray to angels ; much Icffc
if S"/""**''* ^° ^^^"^^* "^'^^ Councell of Laodicca decreed " nepreca- "JJ' 'T' • renturangehs^ that men jhouldnot pray to angels : much lefle did tliey intend that men ihould pray to men. But the Papiftes doe both and tliat for a realon and vnder a pretence wliich the auncient church condemned in them tThtoiJhid, that alledgcd it, "that by angels and Siints they mujl make • ^mbraf.in TvayforthemfiluestothefauourofGo^j^euenas by nobles ^m,c4p I and great men we procure accede vnto the i^«^,not confide- ring,as Ambrofc wel noteth,thatas it is trcafon vjnder the colour offeekingaccefl'e to the king by a noble man to giuevntothc nobleman the honour of the king, fo it is_ alfo trealbntoGod & much more vnder pretence of fee- king fauour and acc(ilc to God by Saints and angelles to
giuc
Ep'tjlk to the I\mg. y i
giuc vnto them the honour of Gotl by making praiers vn- totijcm. Ycatheauncientchurchaldioughthcy did fo concciuc'' that the angels as WW/' //?m^7^/r;/j- and mcjfoi- y ori» com gers doecxhibite our praiers vntu God by the Jiigh prieft CuJml,^, ' JcrusChnlljanddoethemlelucs pray tor thtm that are committed vnto them^ yetdidrefohie that'' invocArean- ghs, tonuik^ prajtrs to the ir>jgels themlclucs isaniniurie ' t/t.y. vrico Godj that tlie angels ftand well affc 6led towaides vs for doing as they doc, to worfhip God only, and that' as when the body is moued, the fhadovv is alfo moued, and r jr,j j^ which way the body goeth the lame way the fliadovv go- cthjIbhauingGodtauorable and gratious tovsby our dueandlaithiUllvvorlhippingofliim and calling vppon . him, the angels wiiich are but as his iliado wes are like wile friendly and louing to vs, fo that wee necde not feekc to gain them by any other meancs, Andlf tiicy thus relolued againlt prayer to angcUes (exprclly contrarie to the do- 6lrine ot'the church of Rome ) much more fhould wee re- folue the like againll prayer to Saintes of whom wcc are taught that ^thty l^ow t/j«(?/.of whom we hauc no ground ^ tobeperfwaded that they haue that entcrcourfe betwixc ^•'^' ^■*^* God & vSj as the angels haue^or do any thing for vs as the angels doe: in whom becaufe they are but ondy menne, Tertulhans argument concerning Chrill muft ncedes take place : ^ IfChrtfi he onely mati^ why is he in our iray^rs call, d ty , , . VpeHasanteMato:iry (eewg^th: iniiocation tfa man is of no 'rriittatt force toy?eldfaliiation ? Being onely men they can be no mcdiatours for our prayers, our praying to them can bee no whit helpefuU to our faluation. Vigilantius therefore in denying prayer to Samts, if he did fo, brought no he- refi',* or new opinion into the church, but onely fought to reduce it to the true faith and integrity of the firit Cliurch, As touching the other point concerning Reliques, Vi- gilantius was iullly offended, not that the fame were ho- noured, but that they were honoured too much, and in other fort then honour was due vnto them .The fault that
JiC
72 Tl?e anfioer to V. Sijhops
^UmoH^d ^c found, was that men did w«?"yZ»/^r/;tfw, and for tW
i{ipdriitm, caufc he rightly termeth them that Co did " cinerartos^fr idololatras^a^mongersandidokters^ox if wcrfhip and fer- uice of religion be not due to the Saints themfelues, as of prayer wehaue already feene, then lurdy it cannot be du« to their offals and reliques, toafhes and rotten bones, much lefleto their ihooes and fhirtes, and girdles, and fuch otlier bafe and pahric ItufFe.And plainly it appcareth that little reckoning they make of preferuing rehgion en- tire and pure, who of worfhip which is peculiar to God onely , doc make fo common a thing as to beftow it thus indifferently not to men onely, but to mens bones, and to euery thing that by occafion hath beene vfed by them . Now this worlhipping of reliques Hierome wholly dif-
^ jidH^FigiU claimethjlayingto \i^\\di\U\xs'.''Thoumaddeinan, who h.^th at any time tvorjhipfedthe martjrs? who hath gene about of a man to make a G^<s/:plainly fhewing that to worihip the reliques ofmartyrs, is ofmen to make them Gods. Yea
r Ep,ad ^ip4r. he faith further, ^ fVe doe not adore or vporpJtp the reliques ofmartyrsy mmrtheSunneymr Mooyie,nor KAngeby nor t/irchang/es^ nor Cherubtm^ nor Serafhtm^nor any name that iS named in thtstvorld or in the reorldto come^ le^Ji wejhould ferne the creature rather then the creatoptr^ icvho is blejfedfor f»^r. So that as touching the mame point Hierome fub- (cribeth to Vigilantius,that the reliques ofmartyrs are not tobeeworfliipped, and therefore his teftimonyiscleere and pregnant againft the Papiftes, who doe profcfle the tforjhtpfing cf reliques, and therein as he faith,are guiltie of KvorfhippngthecreoitHrein^eedeofthecreatoi'tr rvho is God ^/fj[/^<^/^rf^<?nNow what confcience is there in thefemen to alledge Hieromes contention againft Vigilantius to giueaicolour to their w<?r^ip/?;»^c/" rcltques^ when the words of Hierome do fo flatly and exprelly condemne the famcJln aU their bookes Hierome ftill is oppoftd againft vs, when in the point for which he is alleadged, he faith no othcrwilc dicn wc (ay, Nay he doth not onely fay but by
the
Epijlle to the tQng, yj
thcycripturcproouethitalfo. For to flicw that martyrs and rcliqucs otniarty rs be not to be worfli ippcd he bring- ,^ r^ ^ ^ cth the example ot^ Pcter^ who when Cornelius fclU^. donnesithistccte andyfcr/hippedh/m/ifud him vphy the hMidya»dfatdevrUohimy»yirife]fcr 1 a//» Am a, wan. It Pe- ter were no tto be worfhippcd mucli Icfle are wee to wor- iTiip a relique of Peter. It Peter laide to hmi that worfhip- ped him Stand vp, for I am but a man, f'urcly Peters re- lique ifit could ipeake,would fay to the worfhipperthcr- ot, Stand vp,for I am not a man,I am but aOies,! am but a bone, much leflc therefore worfhip me: thoufbaltwor- ftiip the Lord thy God, and him onely thou fbaltfcrue, whomonely &no other hcworfhippcd and (crued whole rcliqueIam,andhimJeleby no meancs would be wor- Ihipped • GoA teacheth vs (aieth Origen, that he himfelfe* Orig.<«ot. 9Mely is tdherporfljipped: ether thifigs are nothing orrchatfth- '■''' **' iter they are, they are weerthy vf honour oneiy^ not of deuotion MdworJhtpfWhtch can be yielded to no creature but -rvith intury vntoGod. M.Bifhop indeed heerc nameth onclytheho^ tiour efrelic^ties willing perhaps by a more tolera blc word toqualifiethe grofncflc and odioufnefle of the vci'Xit.txjo ^eUar.ielt^' but the thing that ihey contend for, is '' cultus ^ veneratioUqmisfttn^inf, i. relic^Kiarum'.the rvorjhipfing cfrelic^Hes'. tumuloramf^fe-^'fi'^-^^f^'* pHlchror.im adoratio'. the adoring and wcrjhippmg of fepul^'^^*^^' chres andreiiques* If it were but the honouring ot them, the cafe were much different * Euery one that worjhippeth dc jtuguJi.cont, thing^hnoureth the fame y but euery one that hemureth dethftrm AriAtwr, wr»'07'/Z'//>,faith Auftin* But they contend to hauc K-'^f'^i' hquestobeworfliippcd,whichnoc wee onely, butHic- romc himfelfe flatly pronounccth to be idolatry.
NowwhercasHieromedcmcth that any fuch adora- tion or worlhip was done to reliques, as if Vigilantius had therin calumnioufly ilaundered tlicmof whom heefpake itismanifcft that Hicromc was deceiued, and that Vigi- lantius had iufl caufe to,fay as lice did. For Gaudentius a bilhopofthe fame time tliat Hiaome was^ is found to
L hauc
74 T)jeJnfwerto V,%fl70ps
*Gduitnt.in hauc reprooued fome as guilcic of ^ idolatry, for that to Ex9d.trACl 4. the rchques of their dead and at their lepulchcrs, they m2i<\tfea^tngf:crifices, according to the manner of the Gcutiles» Which Bellarminc cannot denie, butonely quahfiech the mattcr,that they were but Ibme h^N^'fome * BeUarJe Ej- pyf,p^y/jjpj^ faieth hc^did/acrifice to the dead. But wJiether K^.eaj^A' J j^gy ^^j,g ^g^ ^j. j^^ore that skilletli not t certaine it is that Vigilantius had caufe to fpeake of fome that did rvorP?ip to the fepuichers and rehques of the dead. And that they were not 2^ few onely but many, Saint Auftin ihall be a wit - t^ugujije nefle againll Bciiarmine in behalfeofVigilantius/i;^onf morihus ecclef. {"aith he, that there are m^ny -jvorptippers offefulchres'. that ih.cA^.l^* there are many that very luxHrtonjly drinks oner thedead^ andmakiyig jeajies to their cark£ifes^ (their rehques) doe bnrie the?nfclptes vpon them' that are buried^ and repute this their Jiirfeiting and drunkenne^e for a, matter of religion Hierome then was to blame fa to raiie at Vigilantius as if hchaddeuifedatale of his owne head, in reproouing ibmc that were worfhippers of the reliqucs of martyrs and dead mcn,feeing it appeareth fo plainely by Gaudentius and Auftin that there were many that did 16. Hierome therefore acknowledging thatthis ought not to be done, iiiftifieth the fpeech of Vigilantius, and condemneth the papiits for doing tliat which Vigilantius by Hieromes owne teftimonie did iuftly rcprooue. iWeroujMu* Another thing that Vigilantius dillikcd, was thefct ^S'^ ting vp of tapers and candl es hghted at noone day ^ fVee
fie almofithe cuBome of the gentiles ^(iixh he^vnd^r colour of religio brought into the church that the Sunne-broad fining numbers of tapers are lighted^ SiC.Thefe men doe great hc- nour to the martyrs ytothinke that they muji haue light yeel- ded them bypakrie candles^ when as the lawbe rcho is tn the midd.ft of the-throne with all bright ne^e of his maiefiy dcth giue them light ^y\J{\K\\ doth not leeme to be thelpecch of an hercticke,but rather of a faithful! Ghriftian man, d ue- ly and rightly perfwaded of the bleffcd ftatc and portion
o£
Eptftle to the jtQng. 7 j
of the Saints, TJicfcttingvp of candles lighted in the day time, Tcrtulljan notcth to haue bccne a matter of (blemni- tie amongrt the heathens , and denicth that Chriftians 6,v^^ luiernisdiemtr.frmgere^ by candle Itght goe ahofit to^'^tf^ui^folm dtfumllthe day. Now it Ambrofe tliouglit fitte to abohlh '^*' ^ J* tliofc night watches and mortuaricfeaftcs before fpoken of not oncly for the auoiding of furfeiting and drunken- neflcj but alfo ' e^uta, iWa ejuaji parent alia ftfferflhkni genti- ' '^'^g-Conft^. Iwm ejfent fimillimajhecaHjethefame inthe nmnner of faren- ' ' '^"^'^ ttillfacrtfices were altogether like to thefitperflition of the Geu" ///(f^: might not the lame reafbnfufficiently excufe Vigi- lantius for being offended to fee men by their day-candlc' light to fctbef«^re them the cuftome of tJie heatJicns to be followed in the cliurchfcfpccially feeing the CounfcU of Ehberis had before flatly decreed that men ^jhould not ^ Ctntil.Eliher^ by day-light jet vp tapers or candles lighted m. their church' ^"*'ii* ^^r^fj/13utthebeflis,that Hierome himfj Ifc difclaimeth this ahb : ' /Tie, faith he^^tf ^ot tiend candles by day- lights as i MutuViril, thou without CAuJeACCufefl vSy but that by the comfort heereof we may delay the darkenejfe of the nighty and "may n>Mch by the light thereof y c^c. Oncly he adddeth : if any of ignorance or ftwplicttie either fecular men or deuottt ncmen,of whom rsee may truelyjay^ 1 hey haue the zeale of God bpit not according to knowledge y doe thn in the honour of martyrs , what lojfc // that to thee ? 1 his he goeth about prepoflcrouily tocx- cule by the example of Wary Magdalens annointing our Sauiour Chrift,and by their mtcnt ofdeuotion,peruerting to that purpofe a fentence of the Apoftlc , as if liee iiad lett euery man in fuch matters to follow his ownc minde, and as if it were net amifle, which as wee haue heard S , Am- brole fo much dilliked, to doe that to martyrsjio w in dc- uotion, which was done to Idols before time. But yet we fee heerc that what Hicrome denietli to bee done by him- felfe or others fuch as himfclfc, vvhatheeimputeth to ie- norance and fimphcitie, andconfeflcthtobec done by none but fuch as haue the zeale of Qod, but not according L 2 to
76 7);e Anfwer to ©. 'Bijhofs
to knowledge , and feeketh rather to excufe then to de- fend, that now the Papiftshaue taken vp, and vie ic as an important ccremome of rehgion, toburncday-hghtwith • candles before their Saints and reliqnes : and yec pretend Hieroms authoritie and example for the doing of it.Surc- ly M, BuTiop we might wonder at this, butthat we know a bad caufe can haue no better defence , and fuch game- llcrs , as you arc cannot thriue but by faJfc play.
As for the true honour that is due to the Saints and »Ofi<reH.cont. their relicks, we refule not to yccid it to them ♦ The ho- CtliumAibS. nour tliat is due vnto their bodies is the "^fohmne honour of » Cyril.coNt itt^ hurid\ as Origcn termeth it ." mt to leane their rel'iches
1 I L to 1. "^
* or dead bodies nakedfOrcarelejly to cafithemoti the greundybn
decently and m good order to couer or tohtde the fame tn the •■ iiJQng. ? 5. 18 bo fame of their mothar , the depth of the earthy and there ° to let them alone ^dmt to remoue their bones t Thus the pa- triarchs and rigljteous men of the olde Teftamcnt honou- red their dead coricerning thejr bodies J and although la- cob and lofeph embracing by faith the promife of God f Gen 47. 19- concerning the land of Canaan and p dennng euen in bu- (^50.2 J. riall to enioy the fame as the figure and pledge of the hea- uenly and cucrlafting reft , were according to their defirc caried thither to be buried , yet where they were once bu- ried, there they were fuffered to reft. They were not firft * 6en. 50 7. buried in one place & after remoued to another, but '' I a- cob was caried thither prelcntly vpon his death , and lo- » Gin <o 1 ^P^^^ body being in the meane time 'embauhned and put 2^^' ' intoacheftwas '^ taken with the children of Ilrael when *^ Lxod, 13.19 they went out of Egypt and afterward ' buried in the lot » hfuab'Z^ 51 ofliis inheritance, and thenceforth they were no more mcdled with ; men kept no pccces of them, they vfed no worfhip or deuotion towards them, they made no pilgri- mages to them, they fought not for any helpe or comfort ^' "*• ^* by them. And although afterwards by the " bones of Elizeus a great miracle was wrought by raifing a dead man to bfe agame , yet were they not hereupon taken vp and
caried
Epijlk to the IQrig, ^y
caricJ witli folcmnitic from one place to another, but where tlicy were buried there they remained Itill . Thus in the new teftament thebodie ot =" lohn Baptilt was Iio- , ^^ noured, and the body of ^ Srcucn,and nootiicrwife. Ncy- y jialz ^2, * thcrdo we find any examples that make for the who cary not the bodies of Saints iVom one place to another at firll to bury them, but digge them vpp from the places where they are ah eadie buried; nor doe remoiie tiicm to any /peciall place fani^ified by thepromifeof God as the land ot Canaan was, butthinke byclitmto make the places more holy to which they remoue them : which Jacob and loleph intended not. How much lelTe fliall we finde' any examples to iuftifie the Papiftes who digge vp dead bo- dies, & either whole or peeccmeale keepe tliem vnburied tobecariedaboutand fliewed, andreene,&touched,and kilTed, and honored by giftesand offerings, and worOiip- ped, and prayed vnto and rcforted vnto for health and helpc with fundry other deuotions whereby they vfethem rather as the idols of the heathen then as the dead bodies of ho/y men f The word ofGod taught the church of old ih^X' frecious inthejight of the Lord is the death of his SaintSy z j3p,i |,^^ ,^; and yet it hath not taught any fuch deuotions towards ' th^m, and we are dainty to admit that for an iionour of Saints and their relickes whereof wee find ney ther precept nor example cy rlier amongft the patriarkes and prophets of the old fcftament, or the Euangehils and Apoftlcs of «
the new.
Now as for other monuments either of apparell or 0- thcrimplcments that hauebeenein the vfe Sc occupation of marcyrj, and holy men, to keepe the fame as 'memorials and tokens of remembrance and loue, may eafely be yecl- dcd tothelatisfaftionandplcafingof humane fancy , as « H;Vrow./« ■>/- ' Antony the eremite kept a garment of Paul the eremite ta VauU Eun;.. his predecel]br5and ^ Athanafius the like of the fame An- '' ^thanaf.tn. tonic. But tokeepe'the fame by way of deuotion, and to '^''^^■'^'^'**-'h- la) them vp in hcufesof religion^ to haue u^orlhippe done
L 3 vnto
y$ The Anfi^er to 2). ^ijliops
vnto them ic can be accounted no other but plaine heatl^e- nilme and idolatry. But both m this kind ot relickes and in the rchcks of Saints bodies fuch baue beene the notable impoftures and cofinages and villanies wherewith the de- uili by the fa6lours ojt the church of Rome hath abufed and deluded the world, as that they haue iuftly therby dc- ferucd to be holden accurled both of God and men : ney- ther can we account M.Bifhop and hisfcUowcs any other but a crue of molt impudent and fliameles men, who after fo plaine dilcouery thereof doubt not ftill to perfeutre m the defenfe of fuch horrible abhomination. As tor any fur- ther honour to Saints or Relickes befide that vvc haue fpo- ken of, wee know none, but to commend their vcrtuesj/^?
* Hth.6, ii.f^ ^fd'.orv their good conuerfation, their farth andpaiicnccy their ^ * ? -7. conftancie m '' mtlouing their Hues vnto death for tketefiimt^
^ociz. ^^'„jcfigjf^s(^hrifl: but no more are wee to vvorfliip them tlicn we our ielues lookc to be worlhipped of otliers Jiere- aftcr, or tlien they worlhipped others tliat were before them. To conclude what Cyrill of old taughtagainft tJie calumniations of lulian the Apoftata concerning the mar-
♦ CjriUcont, tyrs the fame wee teach , and neitlier more nor IcfTe * that jHhanMk6. they are to hehonouredvithferpetftallprayfes^ hut neither dee
rve call them Qodsyneither are -wee wont ts rror/hip them^ The do6lrine therefore that is currant amongit tlie Proteftants is yet found to be no other but wi-at cf old was currant in the true churchjand therefore die imputation of apoftafic lieth not vpon vs^but vpon them,who contrary to the do- 6lrine and pra6life of the auncicnt church worfhippc Rc- hckes, and pray vnto them, and though they (ay not, as ' Bellar.dei{e. Bellarmiue excufeth the matter , ^ O holy Re Itcke spray for Jiq,S4ni},ca. z ^^^ ^ ^uj ^o mofe doc they fay to tiicir Images , O holy Images pr ay f or vs ) yet as they worfhip Images fo worjTiip Relickes, and as they pray to Images, fo pray to R elickes , cuen as to them whofe Relickes and Images they bee and in both commit that idolatry which antiquity would haue accurfedtohellfirc*
10. W.BlSHOP*
EpiBle to the IQn^. yp
ic. VV. B,i SHOP.
Jnlik:firt,oneh.tn\is tetheAtmnhere/tg, added this of his owne '. That wee mult noc pray for the foules of our ^^r"''^* ^'*'' friendes departed : <?/ S . Augullinc hath regiflred.^nd doe not ali Prot: Slants embrace and earncHly defend the fame ?
R. Abbot.
I (houldc haiie wondered, M« Bilhop , if you had
omitted prayer for the dcad,being the faireft flower in the
Popes garden, a maine fupporter of his kingdome and of
the third round ot his triple erovvne. Soone would a grcac
part of your occupation grow to decay if yee did not hold
men in this pcrfwafion that the dead ftand in neede of
tlie prayers and dcuotions of them that are aliue , As for
vs it fcemeth very ftrange to vs that if it be fo,no mention
fliould be made thereof amongft (o many examples as arc
fct downe in holy fcripture of tliem that haue died , wiues
from their husbandes, parents from their children , chil- dren from their parents, kings from their Iubie6ls3friendes
from their friends : neuer was tliere any of them praied for
fince tlie work! began . I c is more ftrange that Mofes in the law fhould prclcribe no part of this deuotion,no pray- ers, no (acrifices for the dead : and yet fhould chargethe people of God as to take nothing from the Lawe , lo to ^ * J).•«^.4. 2. • ,
adde nothing to it. And though Moles and the prophets ^
had lb negligently omitted it, would Chrift and his Apo- ftles be (o tcrgetfull as not to vfe one word to recommend fonecelVaryamaiter to the pra6lilc of the church ? yea would Paul, whomethe Pope for very pui'e loue hath niade his rvvord-be3rcr,would he purpofely fetting downe inflru6lion6 concerning ** the dead bee (o carcles as not to ^ i.Th^f^ wil'h that they fhould be prayed for ? But as touching tiiis ' ^ «i^<;. Epiphaniusrcfolueth vs that prayer for the dead is a mat- ter.
8o TheanfkfertoD.SiJhops
<^EpipD,'*£r.7$ tcrofUraMtionSLnd an srMuauceef the church , and there- fore frccthvs from any trcfpafle againft any thing ifiat Mofesor the Prophets or Chriftandhis Apoftles in the fcripturcs haue deiiiicred vnco vs. Yea but M« BiOiop tcl- leth fs out ofS.Auitin that Aerius was adiudged an here- ticke for denying prayer for the dead IndeedAuftmfo found it in Epiphanius and accordingly he hath del juered it, but it being confefled that prayer for the dead is a tra- dition and ordinance of the churchy there groweth a quc- ftion whether amanfortrefpafTing an ordinance cf the church be to be reputed an hereticke J Nay indeed it is no queftion:forherefieftandcthnotinmatteroffa6^ but in matter of faith. The church prefcribed this to bee done, butthcdo6trincoffaithhadprcicribcd nothing to be be- lecued thereof, Wc condemne Acrius for an hereticke * BaftUeffiu for that which as** Bafil witncil'eth hee taught againft the fann.cap,z.. f^- j|^^ j^^^ j^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^j^^ fj^^ Actius : but wcc darc not
Co thinke of him for denying prayer for the dead, becaufe
therein he (aid nothing againft the faitli. For the do3rine
« ^f>oc, 1 4.1 3 , of faith is that they * jvhich dye or art dead in the Lbrd are
^Efay.^j.z. hie ffed and doe re fi from their iabours : that they arc ^ w ^|
s vUiL 1.2 1 . ^g^^g .fi^gj. c ^^fij isaduantage vnto them , becaufe to them
i ^^cor.<-^'. ^^^^ *" <^^jfol^^^*^fo be with Chriji y and ' to remoue out of the body ittodwelln>ith the Lord \ thattlie angefls doe at- tend them to carie their foules as they did th e foulc of La- -
k i»f , \6. a 1 . 2arus '' into ^Abrahams bofome^ that is to fay ' into the king-
Mat. .If. domeofheafteni If this be their ftate, as it is,then are our
prayers of no efFe6^ vnto them .-they need them not and
becaufe they neede them not,wee are not to vfe themrJM ♦
•Prfg.gJ Bifhop liimfelfe bearing wirneffe that it is " fond and fri- uolous to pray for cternall life to bee giuen to them which are alreadie infiill and aOured pofTeOion of it. And furely the ancient church at the firft intended nothing contrary tothisfaith. They vfedfblemnity for the faithhiU decea- ied, but that was only commemoration and thank^iuing to ibew that they prefumcd of their bliiTeand happinefTe,
not
EpiJiletothelQn^. 8i
not any prayer whereby to procure thcmeaTc anddeliut- rancc trom Purgatory paincs. And tLisappeareth moft , orixtH.,» plainly by the uordcs of Origcn. ' f^<-,/aitlihe, £ieci:t>t l,1,.^, ieie Orate a>.j brtth (L^y^hicaufe ihAt is the ertu.nce ofjonvres dt.dtem^taticns: but ne d It brate the day cf death as beirgthc pu ttwg ^ KfAy (ff. liftrc Vfes ar.d the cfiapmg of all ti mpt^tiem. fVc a U brate i he dtij cf death ^ecaufe they aye not rvhic hfec m to dye, Fcrthat cat:je aljc we cbferue mimcrialis eft he Saints and deuoHtij keep € nmembrdHce of our parents ar.dfrmds dy~ i/.g in the faith J as tvell rttyciy.g at thetrrtfrejhmtfit ^^ndeajc us cramvgfcr our f clues a Godly confun.mMion in fatth^ We celebrate tt calUrg together deuout per jcns rvith thepriejisuhe fatthfull brethrentcgethcrwith the clergy J tieutting mcreotter theptore and needy fcedir.g the crphanes andtvidc wes that Ok r folcmnitie may btfr a menjcriallofrefi to thefoules departed ^Kvhofc remcmbrar.ce we celebrate^& to vs may become afiveet fauourinthefghtoftheemrlafking God^ This is a perfc6l dcfcription ot their vfagc towards the dead : tliey imagi- ned nothing but rtfttothefoules of them that were de- parted in the faith, and therefore reioycedouerthem,buc vfednopraierforthem. And therefore they comforted -men to die without teare or doubt, and with certaine ex- o cjfMMif^ pciiation of reft and peace, as "Cyprian doth: andac-r^/. cordingly gaue comfort as touching the dead, that thcy^Tmulldtf*
were ^ not to be bewailed as betn? in frtiJerieJfHt that thej haue *''"!'*'
If. ^„i ^ 111 '^ Cyp.dtmtr-
atteined thetr defrel ^ that we arevot to put on blacke mour- ^^^l^^
fling gai mentsfith they haue put on white .* that tktyliue wtth godiiKdthatwe(hopildhafientocometo them. With much more which Cyprian moft notably fpeakethto that pur- pofe: butof Purgatorieorpraicrfcrthedead no intimati- on at all. Yea and altliough afterward thankcfgiuing for the dead were in fome part turned to praier for the dead, yet was notthatpraier for the dead intended foranydcli- ucrancelrom Purgatorie paines, without which Popifh praier for the dej^ hatli no vfe at all^but it ferued partly to tciliiic the affection oftheliuing to the dead; and partly
82 TloeA^^ertoVlBljhops
toexprelVe to the liuing what hope there rcmaineth in dcatli, for them thar hue and die taithfull to die Lord And diis plaincly appeareth byhimthatwastheaudiorof the EccleJkfttcallHierurchta vndcr the name of T^ionyfms » Dyonif..4rc&- Ar:o;ag:ta^ letting foorch the vfage of the church in f:tr.EccUp)i' this bchaltc, laid"! that the man dying '^j being now come erArch^cap. 7 . f^ ^j^g [^j^ ,,^ ^ ^^ ^// /^^y comhates^ is replemfljed with a holy reioych.g.andwtth gre^.t chtcr.ftili'ncffe er.tr elh the way of the holy feccnd birth ^ that is^the reJHrrMion\ well kj^ow- tngth^ithefjiillwhclly.yvhenhcchath elided his I fey c.tteine tefwecte a^jd^leafantrejl^ andthsrefore b^ holding cleercly the way that bringeth to immortal tis^as neere at handhepraifeth the gifts of God iir.dis ^lledwithdiutHeioy becaufe hefeareth notanychancetowoorj'eybfitfi^relyknoweththathejhallhaue fure ^ etierlafimgpojfcfjion cfthofe good things which he pjall attainev'/itOf Where wee arc firltduely to obferuc with what minde the f aithfull then died, who teared no change towoorrcjbutrefoluedthcmfelues that they fliould goe to ioyfuU and pleafant reft^and therefore neuer once drear med of any Purgatorie, nor did befpeakeany mafl'cs of RequiemyOvptrigeesy or pardons, or any other fuch Po- pi fhmcanes to be dehuered from thence. Now it follow^- cth forther, Thefnnds cf htm that is de^diakh he, accoum him^As he it blejfed,for that h; hath according to his d^fire at^ teinedtothc'cndecfhis viHori';, and with fir^gt^g they giuc thanks to the authour of that vificrie, and further w^fh the likereflvntothemfelHest In all diis we fee them as farrc from any opinion of Purgatone, as the Popes purgatoric isfarrefromhcaucn, neither would they haue wiflied the /%r<f//?vntothemfeluesiftheyhadputthe cafe that per^ haps the dead had.not better reft then Purgatorie fire.Af- tcr this he iheweth that the dead was caried to the bifhop or miniftcr, that that might be done which was accufto- medatthcburiallofthcdead. The congregation wasaG- fcmbledjthcnouices in faith were difmiired, but fuch as fioodeexconuiiunicatefor cuilUife were admitted^ be^
catife
i
EpjftletothelQngi Si
caufc it might happi/y dee them goodrvbcn they fhould fee that he that dicdhtliljvfi^sholiijrecommended^ as beingpdttakcr with the holy men or Saints that haue hcenefrom the begw ningyiind they might he tat^ght thattrpily hlejfedis the death whereby amandieth in Chrtjl * Then toUowcd the prayer, that God ivouldforgiue to him that yvas dead all the (jnnes that bee hadcommtttedby humane frailtie^ andtvould bring htm into the light and la;:d of the liuing, into thebofbme <f »yi bra- ham, Ifaac^aKd Jacob) into the place from rohenceftcthallfor' row, heautnejfey and ma^rnit^g. Where wee fee no Popilh prayerfor the dead to be dehueredfrom Purgatory pame, noranyothermeancivfcdtothatpurpofe. And thacwec may fully know that no fuch thing was mcnt, he himfclfc mooueth the qucftion , wliy the Bilhop or die minifter doth (b pray, thatGodwouldetorgiueto the dead his fins,and giue him the hke inheritance with tliem tJiat haue followed the Lord , feeing God hath |alreadie appointed fuch reward to thole that die to him. Where if any Pur- gatoriehadbeenebcleeued, it had bcene the place to an^ Iwer^that indeed God had proniifed lUch rewards ; but yet firft a man niuft goe to Purgatorie fire, there to fatisfie for thoic offences for which lie hath not made full[iatiifa6^on whiledheeliued, and that this prayer was vfed to deliuer the dead from that grieuous tormenting fire* But he an- f wercth no fuch matter , but that the biThop or prieft thus praicth,to declare to God who is the loner ofgoodmen^that he IS affe^ed towards them m like fort I and being the interpreter of the counfellofGod , tofet forth to them that are prefent the rewards and good things which pjallbefalltoholy men: cfr as- cordtr.^ to the cemmtjfion cf Chrifi : Whatfbeueryee binde on earthjhall be boHndinheauen, (^c.tofeuer the forts of men andas the porter to admit and let into Godthofethat Are bclo- uedof him, and exclude and Ih fit out wicked men : becaulb this prayer was not common to all, but vfed only for them in reJieR of whom he had the promtfe ofGcdthat hejhould be hetirdyandthtreforff he prayed not for prophane or vnholj men
84 77;e jfnfft^er to D. ^hoj^s
hutforftichas kad lined iujily andhoUljy ar.d had (hfwcd thentfelHesworthj to ht jr^.yedfcrtSceii-g thertfore Codhaih fremifi.da mc^ glorious and diume life to them that imcd heere a holy Lfe ( his kntdenc^e cy:d merctfnll gcodncjfe pijjing hrthe blottes which hnmam fratltie hath cafi vp- mths/n) hce fray ah that theje thinges may ^ce.Qrdmg'y cometopajfey and as Cjods interpreter declartthtkat thcjc th^Kgsvhiihhyafacreday.dholy mfiitHtion he heere rehear- fethjhAllvert'y befall tothemypho in a gQpljltffi depart ofit of thiswerlde. Which decUration taken out of the cxprellie words of Dionyfius doth make it cuidcnt and plainc that their praier for the dead I erucd only for a tellification of the promile of God to the righteous , and to declare that thclame didappertainetothcdcceafedj and therefore to the notice and fight of the chiirch to inuctt & inter him to the poflcfTion thereof, that as akinghauingthc right and pofle(rionofhiskingdoiiie,yctbyfoleninitic of coronati- on recciucth full inueftaient to his throne, fo the faithfull enioying m death the promifed bliflie and happineffe of the faints might by this folemnjty and as he calieth it ^e^a- vav /ep5v cTocriy thegimngefthefacredcroi»yieSyrtQci\XR in the eies of the church alio af'uU teilimonie and conSrmacion thereofjthe biiliop praying for none but for liic h to whom hee knew God had promifed to doe that which hee praied for. Albeit, bccaule he faith that in this afticn was ma- naged the vholefalttation of the whole m^n^andthf fgntfia^i tt- m of the re/urre^ion from the deadySindk could not be but tliat they had a refpe6t vntothe body of the departed ly- ing before their eyes, aprcparation whereof to the refur- r^6lion they fhadowed by annointing it now going to the ground : mod certaine it is that m their prayer they had a Ipeciall reference thcrcuntothat as they beleeued tliat the foulc now according to the promife of God recciued reft and bhflc with God, fo the whole man , both body and foule ioyntly might at therefurreiSlion receiue tlje fruitc andbeneHte(^thefoi^ucQeire of fmm$ aini place with
Abraham,
> E'^Jlle to the I(in^. 8 ^
I Abraham, jlaacari4Iacob iiuhekingdomc of hcauen. In all winch ducourielo largely fee dovvnc by Dionyfius, whcitfocuer he were, to tlcclare checufloiiie otchcchiu-ch at chat tiiDC wherein he liucd ; wee find nothing but reft and peace and b!j|]"e and happmtlVe to the deceafed for whom they praicd,accordingto tiie pronuie of God to the rigliteous thatia death they liiould bee p irtakcrs of euer- laitmg lite : but as for Purgatory or M.Billiops prayer for tJic dead to be deliuered from the paines thereof , there is not fo much as one fyllable to inipoi c it. The hke prayer for the dead Epiphamiis raentioncth, ' Fortheiafl , the ^ EfifhM.htr, f.ithers, the patriarchs , the prophets the ^pefi/csy Euanqe- 7f. lifts yrnartyn^corfejfonrs. ^c. And why ? For they doubted notof allthcfebut that they wereinheauen : Vihy then did they pray for tliem ? Marrie euen for that caufc as the church betore had done r^*7/ tt might thereby bee vnderflood that the faithful deceafed are no tpertjhrd bat are fill beiyjq c^ Is Htng with the Lord. Anociier reafon he tellet Ji vs , vt do- mtnum lefum (^hrifl^m ah hominum ord ne feparcmas ^ c^c* that Tve mayfeuer our Lord lefus (^ hrifl from the ranke of all ether men by the honour that we doe vhto him^ and mayyeelde him worfhtp^cofidering that though a minlme a thoufmdtimes righteously ^yet hetsnotlike vnto htm : importing hereby that Ciirilt only was perfectly rigliteous, but for others , there was no man , howfoeuer righteous Jie were, but that his nghteoufnefle needed entrcatie to God for mercy , and therefore wiiereas Chrill was to be prayed vnto, all other were fuch as tJiatthey rather needed to bee prayed for: wiience \ inferred beefbre and that by necelfane confe- cjuence, thatbecaufetheauncientchurch did pray for the Siints, without all controuerfie tliey did not pray vnto them. Thus were they putioniiftstodeuifc reafons of their pnierfor the dead, andyetcould ncuer liglit vpon riutre ifon which is the only fupport of that pr^^er for tiie dead, which M. Bifhop (eekcth to approue « Albeit Epi- plianius hecrcin fheweth that foiue alccraiipn tbc^re vvas M 3 fromi
86 VjeAifMrto'DMpps
from the auncienter church, becaufc they had now begun toprajfor msnyfcrjmners after their death,that is for pub- Iickc and notorious (inncrs^whith Dionyfius faith the for- mer church was not wont to doe , Bu t with what mmde or for what caufe thty did fo^Epiphanius (liewcth iJoc,nci- ther can it bee gathered by hisvvordes : for dchucrance fi'om Purgatonc it could not bee , bccaule Purgatorie, as « Mphtnfde the Papilies themfclues confcffe, was' not receiucd or be- Caliroaiu.h*r^ Icccucd in the Grcckc churcheSj wiiercof Epiphanius was, hbXtit.de In- norhath been c till this day* And furcly difputing pur- dul^entijs, pofclj agaiiift Acrius in the defence of that cuftome of deiiulnt. re? Paying for thc dead, nothing had been fo ready to ftoppc rum Ub.z ca. I . his mouth and to vphold that cultome as the allegation of '^^ff'"/*' Purgatorie ifanyfuch thing had beenc then receiued in die church. But it was onely humane affe6lion that pre- uailed herein : it was thought to be a good minde to vvifli well to the dead , and whileft men gaue way to tlieir own fancies in this behalfc fuperftition grewc more and more, and that wliich with Dionifius waspeculiarto iuft and ho, lymcntogiuetheminfomefortadmifiionto hcauen be- came common and indiiferent to all and had other deuo. tions added vnto it with opinion to mittigatCjif need fo re- quired, thc very paincs of hell. This Aeriuslpakeagainft, and indeedc fpake againft it with greater reafon then Epi- " Ca^a»d.lCon. phanius hath defended it : yea the truth is^ as " Caflander fuliayca[>. de confelled to Maximil'.ian the emperour, that it,cannot bee .Herat. Mtjf<c, gathered by any conftant agreement of die dofb^inc of the church at that time whatcertaine vfc they meant to make of their praiers anddeuotioiisforthe dead : or what was the condition andftatc ofthefoules for which theyprai- cd. Thccuftome thereof was vfuall in the church, but men knew not what thc church might intend in the doing diercof. Hereupon Dulcitius mooued the queiiion to * J * • Ayi{\xvi'fVhethgrthcojferi}'tgmadefor the dead didany good c(igqit!cfi,Df(l' f^t^^*^fi**^^^]f^^*^i*^^^ euide^t filth htythatitishj/oHr cypn e»r^$.4. dfcdf^at we an fithfT helped or hHrt)f*rfdvi^C€r£ad that in
httl
I
EpiFiletothelQng. Sj
he II no f?ui» cayt make conftjficn to Cod* He knew no purga- tory, he knew nothing for the dead but J.cauen or hell : o- thcrvvileheehad becnewcll enough able to anfvvere him- fclfe as touching this point. Now ior anfvvere heercofS. Auftintellechhnn xhditmany mdced did p.y as touching this foint^if there were any goodto bee d.ne in this behafe after ■ dcathy how muchrmre]houldthefon/c it fe'fe procure eafe for itfelfe by tt owns confjfing offinnes the rr, then by any oblution thnt here is procure df or the cafe thereof. Tiierctorc by S. Au- ftinhiiiifelfeit appearech that there were many that did then difputc againll that vfage and cuftome of the church, whom heecondemneth not, Jiee chargeth them not with any hercfie , hce goeth not about to confute their fayino*, nay he recitetl) ther opinion no othervviic but as probable andhkelytogiueDukitiusfati5fa6lion of his demaunde. But yet finding that cuflome of prayers and oblations in dicGhurch hee laboured to make tliebcftofit, that there VDasno doubt but (ome good came to the dead thereby :^ but be" eaufeitwasfatdthatweePjouldeallreceiue according to the things that we haue done mour bodtes,it was to be vrdirjiood that this goodredvundcdto none but to thoje that had led fitch It fife in the body a r that thefe things might do thcmgood.Thus bccaufe he would not haue men to prciudicatc the obferua tion of the church he will haue it thought that there com- meth feme good of thcfc deuotions , but when hee com- Hieth to let downc what that good isheecannot tcll cer- tainely what to lay. Either they att^tile to fiilr^mijjion , or etfc furely to procure a more tolerable dimnattoyu A very doub*iullanfwerej& one part thereof the Papiftes them- fclucsrciccl as altogether falfe. For^ they deny that pray- er for the dead extcndcth to the damned and thcrloreit ''^'J!**'* ^*''- cannot procure for them any mitigation of their damnati-**'"' ^'^^^* ^ on. As tor forgiuencfl'eoHinnes there can be none afrcr this life, for where there is no repentance tlierc can be noz cyrian.adtf forgiu enclTe : but "■ after th^t we areg ncfrcm hence th'cr^ DirnetrUn. isnoplr^ce^ faythCyprian,j^r^;yr rep. fitai^£e , ther^i h'm
bcote
88 Tl?e Jnfmrto DMJho^s
• jmbrofe, de ^°'>^^ of Mj fatisfdUton X DO placc therefore is there leftfor ifonomoTt.c.i: any forgiuencflc. ThereforeAmbrofe faith iliat "Dauid
praiedto haue hisftnsfcrgiHen htm before hedepartedthis lii;e hecau/ey fay th he, heethat heere recemcth net forgi'ieyiej[e of fwnesyjhall net he inthe inheritance of the S^^ints :jor he can- not come to cternall Ife^becaufe eternallltfe is theforgmtne^e cfftnnesy t\\ath, is attained vnto by torgiueuetkot- fins» Yea and wliat finncs they are that lliould beforgiuen aher ^ yifi«i.deciuit this hfe,S,Aultinprotefleth that ^byd thejearchthut ha DuM.z I .f. 2 7, could vfe he couldneuerattaine to know, The Papilts tell vs that they are onely venia/l/innes : but S.Auilin faitJi in th*t place that they are fuch finnes by which a man dieth in cafe to be caft into hell fire, becaufe lie maketh the vfe o£ thofe prayers and interceiTions to bee this , i// «^ i/iignem qmfgmittathr dtermmy that a rra-^maynotbeeca^f'to e- uerUftlngfirey whereof there is no danger with the papiftes for their veniall finnes. Thus S . Auitin and they agree like haipe and harrow : he neitlicr faith as they iay,nor tiiey as he. He affirmeth that vie ofprayer for the dead, to free menhc from euerlafting fire or togiue them eale therein, which they vttcrly denic : and they affirmc that vfe of prayer for the dead to deliuermcn from Purgatorie fire, which he neuer knew. For of Purgatorie fire he anfwereth nothing, which had ferucd molt pregnantly for the deci- ding of all that doubt. Indeede there was begun in that time fomelpcech thereof, butliee plainly flieweth that he « Dt Z.quajl. could not tell what to thinke oif it. He thinketh it ' not i;?- DitUit.ci. I . credible that/uch a purgatorie fire may bee rfter thii Iffe^ and it may be qneflioned, laith he, whet he r it bee fa ^ And againe *Decitii.Dei.U ^I^eake ftot againfi it/akhheey becaufe perhaps it is fo. And Vn^'j"^' againe in another place he leaueth It as vncertaine, ^ TVhe^ eptrca '^, ^^^ ^^^^^ *^ ^^*^ ^^ menftifer , or whether there follow fomc fuch temperaUtudgements after this life. Now feeing he was fo vncertaine and doubtfiill hcrein,becaufe it was indeed a matter ofhumane tradition and deuice, how much better & morclafely fiial we follow him there, where bcingfom-
times
E^ijile to the i\ing, S^
times vntangic J from the regard of cuftomes receiued in the cimrcli, he peremptorily determineth according to the tnieth of the word of God' 1 here is not any middle f lace for ^'P"^'^-*^'^- any man, faith he, that cannot he any where but mth the dimll I'l] ,. J^^^g' tkt li iot -pptth Chr.fl, ^He that is dead, either his foule % int^ifi.Udn. toyethmthe bfomc oj Abraham^ or e^fe is crauinga Uttle ^vaELxo, waiter $n cuerlaftir^g ^re ** ^^ny thirdplace tve k*ioxp not, nay . ^ypog"-^'^- 1* wefixdfnthe Script hre that there is no fuch, * J he foidcs , , ' "* «* of the^ odly being depart c a jrc m the loay are tn rejty bp. t the Joules of the vngodly h re in funijhment vntill the bcdtcs of the ms rcMHe to euerlifiirg life ^ the be dies of the other to euer- Uftiyg death. ^ ^v // mi nsfoulestvhen thtyare gene from the body haue their dim rs places ofreccit '. the good hatte ioy, the " "' * euillhaue torment. But when the refHrred:ion ^allccme'. both the ioj of the goo dfhall be greater ^artd the torments (fthe euill Jhallbe more griemnsy Sec. Thus S. Aullin fpake as wee (peak,therci$noambiguicie'in his words: heemakethno more places oKoulcs but heauen and hell, and therefore excludcth all vfc of praicr for the dead, whicli by the , . .. . * Pa^kb owne confefTion can neither adde any thmg to TurTatMh.u the blille oft he that are in heauen,nortakeaway any part caf>.i8. of pun^iicnt from them that are inhehNow by this tliat liath bccne handled, it apeareth that in denying praier for the dead, we vary nothing at all from the faith or pra- difc of the moll auncient church: in pra6life we« varic Tome what from the church in the time of the fuppoliid Dionyfius Areopagita, butinfaith and do^^rine concer- ning the llaie of death, nothing at all* What opinions tliereofgrew^tcrwardcs, it is nothing to vs.- there were thofe vfes conceiued of it which the Papiftes thcmfclues, as Iiath bccne fhewed,doe now wholly deny, and indeed Popifh praier for the dead is not to be found in all thole times. For pcpifli praier for the dead eaii not ftande but wiihtheftan'djngcf Purgatorie: but Purgatorie by the aui cicntchurchhathnocertaine ftanding: and therefore Pcpiih praier for tiie dead for any helpe that it hath from N the
po TI?e^nfwerto DM^jops
thcauncient church niulV neccflarilie fall, neither doth our church in the denia'.l of it denic any thing that hath a^ ny cercaine approbation from that church.
II. W.BisHOP.
]^lt,,^,Cap.io'^ -^ common cujiome it was of the ArrhnSyand of other more Lib. i.con. aufjcieftt herctkk^s, to reieSi all traditionSy andto relie cncly Mdximim.. vppsn the written word^as teflifi:th S . Jreneus and S . Augu-
lltne. Doenot ours thefams/eieSiing all traditions ^ as mam
Muention,
R. Abb ot,
M, Bifhop in the three former diuifiions hath taken it as
agreat preiudice to vs, that louinian, Vigtlantius, and
Aerius were condemned by the auncient church, or rather
by fomc few oftheauncient church, for fome articles of
do6lrinc whicli we now maintainc. But yet hce knew that
his hold was not fail enough, vnleflchee added this point
of traditions, bccaufe they were condemned onely for
oppugning traditions, and not for any -thing which they
mantained againft the written worde of God. Vnlelle
tliercforc'the authoritie of rr^^<Vi(?»/ beemadegf|©d,hee
feeth vveil enough that it maketh nothing at allTor him
thatthey were condemned. Whereupon he tellech vs
that tlie Arians and other heretickes were condemned of
old for reiecling traditions, and relying onely vpon the
written word* This he taketh vpon him to prooue by Ire*
neus and Auftin, but hisproofe is fuch, as that if we were
in any didike of traditions before,{we haue great caufe now
to like them woorfe.But lie doth as his M, Bellarmine is
woontto doe; fet itdowne, it is no matter wiiether it bee
right or wronge : acornes anddraffe be lit enough for
lwine,andhes are good [enough for them that are readie
tobclccuetheiTii Thetra^oflreneus to wliichhe refer-
reth vs,is very pregnant to let foorth vntovsin the olde
heretickes, the very courfe which the Papifts now vfe a«
toucliing
I
Epinle
to the k
mo
91
touchingthc Scriptures. In the firft chapter of that booke which IS the chapter before that that M, Bifliop citeth Ircncus beginnctii thus : * fV£ haue not rcciinedthe tvay of^ j^^^ j- faltiiUton by any other bat by the m by rtht m t he Go/pell came vnto vsi vphich txdced they then f re ached, but aftetwardcs by the will of God de liner edthe fame vnto vs in the Scriptures to be thefoundution andpllar oj our faith. Behold Iierethc written Gofpell commended vnto vs to be thefoundation ayidfiUar of our faith y and that tlus was fo ordered /^r/?(? wtllofgodithzi we may know it to be vtterly vntrue which the Papiltsteach,that " Chrtft did not locke that the Gofpell^ ^f'^'*^;^'' jbould be committed to rvrittngybut thafnely by tvordttpjs^ld'nl *'^f"^**' bepubltjhidto all creatures : and do we not tliinke that this helpcth M. Bifliops tradition very much ?HegoctIi on & flicwcth that the Apoftles and Euangclifts were by the ho- ly Ghcll endued with perfcft knowledge to doe that they did, agaiolt fomc which tooke vpon thtm to be emenda- tores Afcflolort'.m^ Com Uours cjthe ty^fofiles'.ihzx. by this infpiiation Mattl:ew,Markc, lohn and the reft wrot that which they wrotCj&i therfore they which did nctaflcnt to thcle being thus partakers of the ipirit of the Lord,did de- fpiic die Lord, Chrift himlelfc, and the Father, tphich laith he, all heretic kes doe* For, (aith he, ivhen they are re- froutd by thefcripttires thiyfalltofndir.gfault yftth the f crip tures as if they were net right r:or ive re tfauthoritio^ and that they are diucrfiytaken^ ar.d thai by them the truth cannot bee fouy:doj4t ojjuc h as doe y.ot J^ow tradition ', hccaufe the truth was not deliuercdby writing b^t by wcrd. How gl?.d would yoube^M.Bin^opjiflreneushad faied any thing to touch vs fo far as this toucheth you ? Butletvs firft fee the ende ; for when they thus ihifted off the (criptures & refiifcd tri- all thereby, hee and others that dealt againft them were driucnto another com fc, and that was to exaiTiinc what the do6lrine was that was deliuered from handto hand by the Bifliops and paftours of the church from the tiinc of the Apoftles, uot minding any other doctrine then wcs K z contcincd
c^i The anfiy^r t) T>. "Bif^o^s
conteincd in the fcripturcs, but bccaufe they refiifed the Icripcures thcv would ihevv that the do6^rinc vvhicli they taught them by the fcriptures was no other but what Jiad becne tlie continuall tradition and deliuei-y of the teachers oftheclulrchfuccelTmely from the time ot the Apollles, aiid therefore the very truth that was firlt deh uered to tiie church. Butjiaith he whe^i w: mil them betng irid ed ar^amji tradition to that tradition which isfremihe ^pjiles whtch by fuccejfton ofBifhops is k^pt and ccntiniiedm th^ chnri hss thej rp ill fay tb^it they thefelncs ba^l tvifer net only thenthe bt^opr ofthschirchb^talfo thenths Apples them felnes^haHe found out the fir,cere truth. Hereupon notwithltanding to giuc fatisfa^iion to them that would be fatisfied m tins behaltc he reckoneth the whole rankc of the Bifhops of Rome vri- till liis lime ftill contmuing the fame tradition from the A - , ry yn polWes, ' Forthey allfiiccejfi^ielyy as Eufebius rehearfeth tfcl.U. \.ca.iu ou^ ofEgefippuSjf^^g/^r^j-r/;^/^^ anithe Prophets and thg Lordhadoreachid: Hecbringeth inalfo Poly carpus and alleadgctn hisepillle to the ?/j/Ap/>/^«/,deliuenng the fame forme of faith,ofwhomeEulebius bringeth him in alfo gl- uing tliis witnefl'e that in all his fermons and narration iice <^Ettfekhtjt. (Jeliijere J ^ cHnElafinElisfertpturis confona : all acrording to * ■pc<ip-i ' fyj^f.^jpf,^ygj^ LaftlyheproduceththcchurchofEphefus founded by Paul, and where lohn the Apoftle continued till the time of Traianthe Emperour zsatrne witnejfe of the tr.iditionefthe^po^les. *Andwhaty(3Xf.\\\\e^ifthe^pcfilcs hAdl ftnothiyig inwritiyigfhuldwe mtfollorp the order of th^t tradition which th.y dslmeredto them to whom they comtttfd the chnrches fwhrretontany nations of the 'Barbarians agree hauing no writing and yet diligently ks^pi*ig the old tradition ; Now whatis that /rW/?/<»2/For here is the foil poynt !Bf- /,''f«i«^, faith he, inoneGodmak^r ofheauen and earth and af all things that are therein by lefus Chrift thefonns ofCjod : wh '/for his exceeding great Uue towards his creature was con tent to bee borne of a virgin y if* him fife vnitlng mxn to Gody vahofff^i/redv^rder Vontitis ?ilate androfe ag ineand was re-
ceined
Eftflle to the Kj^n^. p2
eeificdvp mHoryj^TvithglorjfljiXlcome thejhuicur cfihc m thut urtfiiiiAandthc iudge of t hi m that are ntdgcdy^fljall fend into et email fi-e i he corrupters cfhts trffth^c^ihc dcfpi* fers ofhisfith- r arid o fhis cc mmir.g. / bis faith th:y hane be " l:ettcdiviih)t<t writi.gaiidbj reafon of ihis auncient tTi^.dui- on cfi he Apoflles th j adm.t Hoti:;to their mir.dc any of th^ m:»ifirous Ipeech. s oUbcfe