Dialogue Wherein a Romish Rhyme is Confuted, Chapter 3
CHAPTER III.
CATHOLICKE.
INTO your Byble I hauehave read,
The Church must throgh the World be spred:Boni Cath…ci sunt, qui fidem integram & bor… mores servant. August to…. 4. in Qu…stion. super Ma…th. Idem Augustin Tom. 1. lib. d… v… ra religion. cap. 7. Co…endar Ecclesia cath…lica soci… tatem, qua lumen Christia… Religionis & Scripturar…, Regul… que Veritatis ….
For CHRIST His Apostles sent,
With Power, and Commandement,
That to all Nations they should goe,
To preach, and to baptize also.
Who hath done this, to know I wisht?
For that is, sure, the Church of CHRIST.
And, for Exemple, let m…e know:
And, if thou canst, I pray thee show,
What Compànie did take in hand,
The first Conversion of our Land?… … in … non abol…tur, seips… & postcritat… cogi, Papa… pr… Antichristo, & Roma… pro vera Babylonia agnoscere. Bernardus, super Psal. 91. lib. 4. ad Euge…m.
And of our Countreyes everie-where,
Throughout the Worlde, farre and neare?
If this was not the Church of Rome,
Then will I bee converted soone.
Saynct Paul, in his Epistle sayeth,
The Romanes had the Catholicke Fayth:
Saying, It was renowned,
Spoken of, and published,
Through-out the Worlde, over all,
Catholicke, Universall.
If yours were ever so,
Then to your Churches will I goe.
So sayeth the Prophet Malachie,
There shall bee offered, farre and nie,
A cleane Oblation, and Sacrifice,
From the place the Sunne doeth ryse,
To the going downe of the same.
And what is that? I pray thee name.
If it bee not the Holie Masse,
I'll bee a Protestant, as I was.
In the eighteenth Psalme I finde,
The whole Worlde should heare their sound.
If these Markes you doe not want,
Then, presentlie, I shall recant.
Eubulus.
For myne acquytall, in that where-of I gaue to… Eriphilus, some more hope, than, I thinke, hee eyther did conceiue, or would bee willing, I should make good: and to show the vaine sophistrie of the Proposition of your man's mayne Argument, so farre as concerneth this his first Marke, of Vniversalitie, till I come lyke-wayes vponupon the rest. I say, (Philomathes) that Vniversalitie can bee no proper Marke of the Church: yea, that it can not bee anie Marke at all. And, that, therefore, your man's mayne Proposition is, in this poynt, vayne, and sophisticall.
Eriphilus.
Indeede, Sir, b… this your Assertion, you make mee hope so little, that you shall make your word good, as I am assuredlie perswaded, that you are worthie to be burned, for a most detestable Hereticke: who dare, so peartlie, deny, that which, I thinke, never one of your Sect durst ever openlie gayne-say, to this houre. Will you draw mee, thinke you, to follow your counsell, in ought, who thus denyeth a speciall Article of our Creede; and is so audacious, as to affirme, that the Church is not Catholicke?
Eubulus.
I did suspect, (Eriphilus) that you would kindle at my Position: and, therefore, (for a more gentle Recept)II. I, even of purpose, turned my talke to Philomathes. But, I will calmlie coole your heate, if I can. I deny no Article of the Creede. I both confesse, and belieue, the Catholicke Church. But, (that I may, yet once, make you more agast) in that, I doe belieue it, I, even therefore, deny Catholicke, or Vniversalitie, to bee a proper Marke of the Church; yea, or anie Marke at all: For, Fayth is the evidence of thinges, which are seene: but, the vniversalitie of the Church, is apprehendedHeb. …1. 1▪ by Fayth: therefore, the vniversalitie of the Church, is not seene. Now, if it bee of things, which are not seene, but are believed, it can not bee a marke, where-by, heere to discerne the true Church. And, because, (Eriphilus) you sought for Syllogismes, I thus reason: All Marks are seene, or fall, vnderunder some Sense▪ but Vniversalitie is not seene, neyther falleth vnderunder anie Sense: There-fore, Vniversalitie can bee no Marke. The Proposition of this Argument, as it is moste certayne, so is it confessed by your Cardinall Bellarmine, in his second chapter, De notis Eccles. The Assumption, none will denye, who hauehave anie Sense: For all Schooles holde this for an vndoubted Principle, That no Vniversall, as it is Vniversall, is foreign, or falleth vnderunder Sense; because it is properlie the Object of Reason. Much lesse, then, doeth the Object of Fayth, (which transcendeth both Sense and Reason) fall vnderunder Sense▪ And, so, can never be any discerning Marke, betwixt Acclaymers.
Thus, (Eriphilus) except you hauehave ought, where-by to infrindge mine Argument, your Man his mayne Proposition, in so farre, as concerneth this his Marke of Vniversalitie, is both vayne, and sophisticall. Vayne, because he bringeth that for a discerning Marke, which falleth not vnderunder Sense; and, so, can bee no Marke at all. Sophisticall, for that, of that which we confesse, to be a true Attribute of the Church, hee would conclude, a discerning Marke. But all Attributes, are not Markes. Now (Eriphilus) refell mine Argument, or graunt mee, I pray you, some respite from burning: for, without merite, you hauehave al-readie burned too manie, vponupon humour.
Philadelphus.
You could not away (Eriphilus) with my Sonnets: but, as I thinke, Eubulus Syllogismes are no lesse pricking.
Philomathes.
But, I pray you, Eubulus, how-so-ever your Reasons are subtill, and, I can not denye, but builded vponupon confessed Grounds: and, how-so-ever that Catholicke is an Attribute (as you call it) of the Church, & is apprehended by Fayth: yet, seeing that the moste approoved Fathers, in their Disputations, agaynst the Heretickes of their tymes, doe presse them sore, with the Authoritie of the Catholicke Church, which they ordinarilie oppose vntounto them; it would appeare, that they had some reason to doe so: and, that even Vniversalitie is, in some respect, a Marke of the true Church. Neyther see I, howe you can disapprooue our Mens Argument, agaynst you, brought from this Note, except you will condemne those Famous, and Auncient Fathers also, as having vaynlie, and sophisticallie, reasoned for the Trueth.
Eubulus.
To cleare you (Philomathes) of all doubt heerein,III. and, to free our selues, from anie, eyther conscience of our owne guiltinesse, where-fore we would reject this Reason; or, of anie vnreverend Opinion, of those Fathers, who, as you truelie affirme, in some Cases, and Respectes, did vse it; the aequivocation of this word [Catholicke] must be opened vp, where-by your Doctours, willinglie, illude, and where-by your simple ones are, vnwittinglie, deceived. For the Catholicke Church, is of the Fathers so called, eyther properlie, and absolutelie, or improperlie, and but in some speciall Respect, and Relation. Absolutelie, and most properlie, the Catholicke Church, is the whole number, of what-so-ever tyme or place, who hauehave beene, are, or shall bee vnited vntounto CHRIST, their Head, and liue in Him, by His Spirit; whether heere, on Earth, fighting; or hence, in Heaven, triumphing. Absolutelie, and lesse properlie, the Catholicke Church, is the whole militant companie heere on Earth, of what-so-ever Kinred, Tongue, or Nation, vnderunder one, and the same common Ensigne, of Christian Profession; whether Hypocrites, or true Professours; whether pure, or corrupt, Worshippers; whether Orthodox, or Hereticall; as even Bellarmine argueth, Cap. 7. De Notis Eccles. In anie of which Cases, shee is believed, and (in her Vniversalitie) falleth not vnderunder Sense. Improperlie, agayne, and in opposite Relation, the Church is called CATHOLICKE, for two Respects: The one, In opposite Relation to the Church of the Iewes, which was limited within the compasse of one People, and of one Region: the Christian Church, no more so confined, but spread, indifferentlie, over all, is called the CATHOLICKE CHVRCH. Neyther thus, because that eyther al-wayes all Peoples Vniversallie, or moste parte of Men, embrace the Gospell: but, because the Entrie is opened, and offered, indifferentlie, vntounto all. The other Respect, was the opposite Relation, to hereticall Companies, separating them-selues, by Errour, from the common Bodie of the Church, & Trueth mayntayned there-in. And in this last Respect, it is, that al-most the Fathers cōmonlie speak of it; calling the Cōmunitie of the Visible Church, retayning Trueth, (in relation to particular hereticall Companies) the CATHOLICKE CHVRCH. And, in this Sense, opposing, ordinarilie, to arrogant men, the Authoritie, Multitude, Consent, Succession, &c. of the Catholicke Church, as you hauehave alleadged, Philomathes. But in this manner of the Fathers reasoning, two things are carefullie to bee marked, whereby the Fathers shall bee found both pertinentlie, and prudentlie, to hauehave vsed this Argument; & where by, your men now, shall bee seene evidentlie, and impudentlie, to abuse it. The first, is that state and condition of the Church, wherein this Argument hath place, according as it was when the Fathers vsed it. The second, is, what weight, or moment, the Fathers placed in it. The state of the Church, then, was in common, pure, holding Trueth, and by the force thereof, purging, or expelling all in-bred, or accressing evils, or Heresies. So, as then, though by an improper Speach, yet the Communalitie of the Church, keeping Trueth, in relation to a few Declyners, might not impertinentlie bee called the Catholicke Church, and her authoritie, might well hauehave beene opposed vntounto them. But, who, in a plaine contrarie state, and condition of the Church, when Errour obtaineth in common, and Trueth is afflicted, and borne downe; yet, without consideration of the altered State and Condition, would still vse the same reason, from Multitude, and what-so-ever, or how-so-ever an obtaining State; hee were a ridiculous Sophister, confounding diverse, and distinct times, and cases. To reason from the state of the Church in Ephesus, (where-in evill was not tollerated) toRevel. 2. the state of the Church in Smirna, (where-in Heretickes waxed prowde, and despysed the abject state of true Professours) it were sophisticall: but much more sophisticall, to reason from the state in Ephesus, to the state in Pergamus; whenRev. 12. the true Church dwelt, even where Satan's Throne was; knowne to GOD, though hid from the worldlie sort. To reason from the Woman cloathed with the Sunne, treading the Moone, and crowned with twelue Starres; to the same Woman, lurking in the Wildernesse, it concludeth not: for, as, in the first Case, the Fathers had reason, and did wyselie, to convince by all Advantages; so, whyle the Case is clearlie altered, (according as by Scripture was fore-tolde)…. Thess. 2. and Antichrist hath obtayned a Throne, even in the Temple; when the Evill, or Gangrene, in the bodie, and having even over-gone the Bodie, in common, will contende agaynst the healthsome remnant; then are wee both to leaue improper Speaches, and, wyselie, to distinguish, deceitfullie-confounded Tymes, and Cases: and properlie to pleade, That the Gangrene in the Bodie, and even affecting, and over-going the Bodie, in common, yet is but an Adherent, or accressing Evill, in, but not of, the Bodie: and, That the healthsome remnant, retayning the Lyfe of the Head, and, by vertue there-of, resisting the over-going Gangrene, is the true Catholicke Church.
And, this altered Condition, of Tyme, and of the Church, in tyme, which maketh the Argument, some-tyme, pertinentlie, vsed, to bee nowe ridiculous: besides, that both SCRIPTVRE hath fore-tolde it, the FATHERS did see the working on of it, and, wee hauehave, aboundantlie often, prooved, and still offer, to prooue it. It is cleare, also, by that other Poynt, which I propounded, to bee observed, in this reasoning of the FATHERS: namelie, What Weyght, or Moment, they placed in that same Argument. VVhere-in, they even professe, That they vsed it not, as an infallible demonstratiue Marke, but as a Motiue: vvhichwhich, beeing joyned with cleare TRVETH, was worthie to bee regarded: but, which, eyther without TRVETH, or agaynst TRVETH, should carrie no Credite.
This is evident, by Augustine, vsing this same Argument,Contr. Ep▪ fund. agaynst Faustus Manichaeus, and opposing the Authoritie of the Catholicke Church, Multitude, Antiquitie, Succession, &c. to his bare bragging of the TRVETH. Which TRVETH, notwith-standing, (sayeth that Father) if you can show, so clearlie, as it can not bee gayne-sayde, it is to bee praeferred to all these thinges, where-by I am holden within the Catholicke Church. If the name of the Catholicke Church, were, in this place, properlie to bee taken; then should Augustine's supposed Case, be ridiculous. For Trueth can never be found any-where els, but within the Catholicke Church, taken properlie. Where-by it is cleare, that the Catholicke Church, in this, and such other places, is taken for the Communalitie of the visible Church: which, having Trueth, should bee regarded. But to whose Authoritie, not the lesse, the cleare Trueth, found with never so few Holders, is to bee preferred. For, Wee ought not to consent, no, not to Catholicke Bishops, (sayeth the same Father) if they holde anie De Vnitat. Eccl. contr. Pa…l.Opinion contrarie to Canonicke Scriptures. Where-by is manifest, both in what Sense the Fathers reasoned, from the Authoritie of the Catholicke Church, and what force they placed in that Argument: and that, how-so-ever by them, and in that tyme, and case of a Church, it was not inconvenientlie vsed; yet that now, in so farre different a state, still to vsurpe it in a lyke manner, were extreame impudencie. This Chrysostome did both fore-see, and gaue warning of it: that the alteredIn Math. homil. 49. state of the Church, behooved to bring men to a more neare and proper Rule of Examination, (as in his Testimonies, aboue cited, is cleare.) In that, how-so-ever, before that Heresie obtayned place in the Church, and the abhomination of desolation stood also (in sanctis Ecclesiae locis) in the holie places of the Church, manie wayes were to discerne the Church: (as, while Trueth helde place in common, was Vniversalitie improperlie taken, Multitude, Consent, Succession, &c) yet now, after that hereticall contagion hath infected the Bodie in common, no manner of way is to discerne the true Church, (amidst the corrupted communitie of the Church) but onlie the Scriptures. You are greatlie deceived, (Philomathes) if you esteeme the Church, therefore, to bee called CATHOLICKE; eyther because al-wayes the moste parte of men shall come in to her, and embrace the Profession: or yet, That of such as come in to her, the moste parte shall al-wayes holde the Trueth. But, Shee is CATHOLICKE, because her Gates that are nowe casten open, to all Kinreds, Tongues, and Nations; that the righteous Nation may enter in. And, how-so-ever, that neyther most part come in, neyther of such as are in her, is the most part of her, or saved: yet all, vniversallie, who are saved, must both bee in her, and of her. And, how-so-ever, in her, most part keepe not Trueth, yet no Trueth is, but in her. If (as your Men are al-readie perceiving, and, there-vponupon, are gnawing their Tongues, for sorrowe) the Trueth preached by vsus, take▪ in short tyme, such successe, as the Waters of your Euphrates shall be dryed vp: and if Multitude, and Consent of Nations, shall bee withRevel. 16. 12. vsus; will you, there-fore, yeelde vsus the Title of the Catholicke Church? If multitude of Holders, bee al-wayes a sure Marke of the true Church, how sayeth the Scripture, That All shall follow the Beast? And you confesse, That Antichrist, when hee commeth, shall obtayne Vniversallie. Now, if in Antichrist his vsurpation, Vniversalitie shall bee no Note of the Church, how see you not, That verie vnjustlie you lay it al-wayes agaynst vsus? and, That what-so-ever Vniversalitie you can alleadge for your Pope, it exeemeth him not from beeing that Antichrist, except hee cleare him-selfe, by better Defences? Thus, I hope, I hauehave cleared, That wee neyther disprooue the Fathers, reasoning agaynst Heretickes, in opposing to them, the Authoritie of the Catholicke Church: and yet, that you hauehave not, there-fore, anie, eyther Right in their Argument, or Ground there-vponupon, to make CATHOLICKE a discerning Marke of the Church. So, as your man's mayne Proposition, (so farre as concerneth this Note of Vniversalitie) is still sophisticall, and vayne. But, nowe, if it were even a discerning Marke, as your Men would make it, yet let vsus trye, howe justlie your Church doeth vindicate it, to her selfe: and let vsus examine your Man's mayne Assumption in that part.
Philadelphus.
As you hauehave dressed his Proposition, in that part, I thinke all labour agaynst his Assumption were ydle:IV. For, if CATHOLICKE can bee no discerning Marke of the Church, no, not anie Marke at all, (as you hauehave, at length, and evidentlie, evinced) how can it bee Romes Marke?
Eubulus.
Yet (Philadelphus) I will omit no-thing, where-by I may possiblie induce Eriphilus, to take more of my counsell. But, in refelling this your Man's Assumption of his mayne Argument, where-by hee appropriateth to Rome, the Title of the Catholicke Church, I must protest, (Eriphilus) that it bee no praejudice to my matter, that you doe so confidentlie call your selues Catholickes, and your Companie, the Catholicke Church: else, if you will hauehave this your vsurping of that name, to carrie anie weight; and, that, therefore, you will hauehave vsus to account so of you; I desire of you the same aequitablenesse, in our Case. That, because wee both esteeme, and call our selues, The Catholicke Church, and Catholicke Men; that, therefore, you will holde vsus for such. Or, if you consider, that an Argument, à dici ad esse, concludeth not; and that, there-fore, pertinentlie, the Logicians place, before their Categories, the Distinction (foreign) of thinges that are sayde, and of thinges that are. Then, let vsus lay aside, what eyther you, of your selues, or wee, of our selues, doe partiallie speake, or arrogantlie arrogate; and let vsus trye, what is true of vsus both.
Philomathes.
Your Protestation is most aequitable: For, a bare Clayme, except it bee instructed, can make no Title.
Eubulus.
Then, (Philomathes) in that part of your Poet'sV. Ryme, which is inscrybed, CATHOLICKE, and which you did lastlie reade; besides the Proposition, which I hauehave refelled, hee assumeth, That the Note of Catholicke, or Vniversalitie, conveaneth properlie, to the Church of Rome. Which false Assumption, hee seeketh to sustayne, by foure Reasons; the first of which, hee concludeth thus:
What Companie did take in hand, and, accordinglie, first performed, the publishing of the Gospell, thorow the Worlde, and converted all Nations, to the Fayth; that must bee the Companie, to which the Title of CATHOLICKE, or VNIVERSALITIE, properlie, belongeth: and that Companie, is the Catholicke Church.
But, the Church of Rome, onlie, did both vnderunder-take, and performe this. There-fore, the Church of Rome is the Catholicke Church; and, to her, properlie, that Note belongeth.
Now, heere, some Poëticall inspiration hath transported your man, to giuegive vsus such, whether a definition, or description, of Catholicke, as till now, none ever heard of. Wee esteemed, (as I hauehave shewed) that the Catholicke Church had beene that companie of what-so-ever Tyme, Place, or Nation, which, in the communion of one, and the same Spirit, joyned to their Head CHRIST, doe make vp the fulnesse of His mysticall Bodie; whether in the Heavens, triumphing, or, as yet, heere, in their course, fighting; or, in another consideration, wee call the Catholicke Church, all of all Kinreds, Tongues, and Nations, who vnderunder one, and the same common Ensigne, of Christian Profession, giuegive their names to CHRIST, and are in the count of His House heere; whether they bee onlie in it, or also of it: or, to speake improperlie, as, in some Cases, the Fathers doe, the Catholicke Church is the communitie of the Church, holding Trueth in relation, to Declyners there-from. But your Poet, appropriating this Title, to the first Converters, hath forfaulted from this Dignitie, all the Converted by them: And, thus, his Proposition, is not onlie false, but even ridiculous. For, how-so-ever the Converters of others, by an improper Speach, may be called Catholicks; as anie particular Church, holding Trueth, is called a Catholicke Church; or anie faithfull Man, a Catholicke man, because they are true partes of the Catholicke Church, in which onlie is Trueth, Lyfe, and Salvation: yet, to call anie particular, eyther person, order of persons, or companie, the Catholicke man, persons, or Church, it is an insolentlie arrogant Speach. His Assumption I distinguish. If hee affirme, That Rome first converted all Nations to the Fayth, and was the first publisher of the Gospell, it is so shameleslie false, as, I thinke, Satan might blush, to broach out such a Lie. How did Paul glorie in theRom. 15. 1…. LORD, (and that before hee did see Rome) that from Arabia, to Illyricum, he had filled all with the Gospell of CHRIST; and that, most part, where CHRIST had not beene named, not building on anie other man's foundation? HaueHave all the other eleven Apostles, besides Peter, forgotten, thinke you, their LORD's Commission; of whom, wee hauehave no certayne record, that ever anie did see Rome? If, converting Nations to the Fayth, might appropriate to anie Church,page missing
downe of the same.
But, no Companie offereth to GOD, a cleane Sacrifice, from the rysing of the Sunne, to the setting of the same, but the Church of Rome.
There-fore, the Church of Rome, is onlie, and properlie, the Catholicke Church.
The Proposition, of this his Syllogisme, hee taketh from the Prophet Malachie. His Assumption, hee prooveth, stronglie, for-sooth, by an vndenyable Trueth; That, Onelie, the Church of Rome, offereth all-where, the holie Sacrifice of the Messe. Which, hee maketh no question, but that is the onlie cleane Sacrifice, offered to GOD, all-where, from the rysing, to the setting, of the Sunne. And, thus, hee thinketh, his Conclusion can not fayle him.
Eriphilus.
And so I thinke, also, (Eubulus) and, I hope, shall thinke so still, for anie Aunswere you are able to make there-vntounto: how-so-ever you would seeme, for-sooth, to make a verie light account of it; and would, according to your manner, laugh-over those Argumentes, which most pintch you.
Eubulus.
Then, advert what I hauehave to say, and thinke,XII. syne, what you please. The Condition of CHRIST His Church, set downe by Malachie, (whence the Poet bringeth his Proposition) I acknowledge, according to the Prophet his sense, and wordes; which your man (Eriphilus) resumeth deceitfullie. The wordes are these; From the …sing of the Sunne, to the going downe there-of, My Name Malach. 1. 11.shall bee great amongst the Gentiles, and, in all places, Incense shall bee brought to My Name, and a cleane Gift. These cleare, and distinct wordes, eyther ignorantlie, or fraudfullie, your man obscureth, perverteth, and involveth, to darken the difference betwixt expiatorie Sacrifices, or, Sacrifices for sinne, and other Oblations, of Prayse, or due Worship: vvhichwhich, both, in their diverse Types, are most distinctlie put; and, in the Anagogicke Veritie, must bee diverselie considered. And, this, your man doeth, to bring some Colour to his Assumption, which is impudentlie false. Neyther will the Offering of your Messe, (which is neyther cleane, holie, nor a Sacrifice, but a most sacrilegious prophanation, of an holie Sacrament, and the moste detestable Idolatrie, that ever was defended for good Worship) appropriate to Rome, the Offring, all-where, of Incense, and a cleane Gift, to the LORD.Rev. 1. 6.
Are you so shallow a Man, in Scripture, (Eriphilus) that you know not, how all true Christians, anie-where, beeing made Kinges, and Priestes, to GOD, in CHRIST, doe offerHosca. 14. 3. Rom. 1…. 1. vp to Him, the Sacrifices of Prayse; even the Calues of the Lippes? Doe wee not offer vp our selues, an holie, living, acceptable Sacrifice; even our reasonable Service? What-so-ever workes of Charitie wee, in the feare and louelove of GOD, performe; are they not Sacrifices? and, accepted in CHRIST? To doe good, and to distribute, forget Heb. 13. 16.not; for with such Sacrifices, GOD is well pleased, sayeth the Apostle. Is not the Liberalitie of the Philippians, Philip. 4. 18.by the same Apostle, called, A Sacrifice of sweet Savour, and acceptable to GOD? Your Man his whole Senses hauehave beene drowned in his Challice, when, so doltishlie, hee forgot him-selfe, as, to leaue no cleane Offering in the Church, but his monstrous Messe. As for anie other Sacrifice forHeb. 7. 27. sinne, but that one, and once for all, offered, wee acknowledge not: So, as your Messe may be well relegated, to sicke Swyne, for whom (vponupon conveaned pryce) your Men hauehave mumbled out a million.
Now, as your Questioner playeth the Cavillatour, both in that hee confoundeth diverse kyndes of Sacrifices, and, also, that hee acknowledgeth not, (with cleare Scripture) anie other cleane Oblation, in the Christian Church, but the Mischiefe of the Messe: So, hee illudeth, more-over, by reasoning from Sacrifice, and Oblation, figuratiuelie, and allegoricallie, spoken of▪ to Sacrifice, and Oblation, in proprietie of signification: from typicall speaches, concluding not allegoricallie, but properlie; and, that, most ignorantlie▪ & foolishlie. The Prophets, fore-speaking of CHRIST His Kingdome, doe, ordinarilie, expresse the Condition thereof, vnderunder Legall Types, where-by it was fore-shadowed. Which is so evident, in all their manner of Dispensation, as it is marvell, if anie dare pretende, to misknow it. Speaking of the Conversion of Nations, a…d, of their Association to the Church, they prophecie, That all Nations shall come yearlie, and worship at HIERUSALEM. Which, to vnderstand properlie, it were to bee a proper Asse in Divinitie. For, expressing of the great measure, of Light, and Knowledge, vnderunder the Gospell, they prophecie, That all men shall see Visions, and dreame Dreames: to declare, that…el, 2. 28. the Worship of GOD, shall bee no more tyed to anie one place; but that all-where, who worship Him, in Spirit, and Trueth, shall bee accepted. Isaia telleth of three Altars, to…, 19. 19. bee erected; one in Iudea, one in Assyria, and one in Aegypt. And thus, to show how the worship of GOD, should bee no more confined within the Iewish natiō, or precinct of Canaan, Malacbie fore-telleth, That Incense, and a cleane Gift, shall bee offered in all places, and, that the Name of the LORD shall bee great, from the rysing of the Sunne, to the going-downe there-of. And, howe will you, out of this, make your monstrous Messe? or, out of your Messe, make the miserable Mongers there-of, to bee the Catholicke Church, except, first, you make Mules of Men? Or, is there anie, eyther Shame, or Sinceritie in disputing, when, vponupon typicall Praedictions, Conclusions are inferred, in proprietie of Signification?
Philadelphus.
You hauehave (Eubulus) made this their Sacrifice so vnsavourie, that I long to bee from it. I pray you, what is his fourth Reason?
Eubulus.
Because (Philadelphus) the smell of the Romish Incense,XIII. I perceiue, is to you some-what loathsome; for your Refreshment, you shall now hauehave an Argument, to laugh at; if this may not mooue Eripbilus, to count it in vincible. Advert, then, a deadlie Demonstration. David sayeth, in the eyghteenth Psalme, And their sound went thorow all the Earth: There-fore, the Church of Rome, is the Catholicke Church. If one were set, in scorne, to play a part, to the Partie's disgrace, whom he representeth; could he hauehave fished out, thinke you, a fyner Argument, than this is? David, in the nynteenth Psalme, (which some make the eyghteenth) showeth, how GOD hath, in His works, so playnlie manifested Him-selfe, as no Nation in the world, can pretend any excuse of ignorance. Paul, in his Epistle to the Romanes, for taking from obstinate Iewes, all excuse, of their induration agaynstRom. 10. 1…. the Gospell, because the same was so playnlie, largelie, and powerfullie preached; he, to this ende, citeth, and verie pertinentlie, the wordes of David. But, I pray you, by what Logicke will it follow here-vponupon, that the Church of Rome, is the Catholicke Church; more than the Devill, and his angels, whoIob. 1. 7. and 1. Pet. 5. 8. compasse the Earth, continuallie, roaring, & seeking whom they may devour? or, then, the busie Emissaries of Satan, who compasse Sea and Land, to make a Proselyte, and makeMatth. 23. 1… ▪ him doublie the chyld of the Devill? We affirme, That the Gospell, at first, was so playnlie, and plentifullie, offered to the World, as, that, most justlie, for the contempt there-of, and because men loved Lies, better than the Trueth; therefore GOD gaue men over, to strong delusion, & effectualnes of error: whereby Satan obtained a throne in the Temple, all the Earth folowing the Beast. And, that now again, that man of Sinne, by the revived light of the Gospell, is so clearlie revealed, as, who will not come out of Babylon, are willinglie blynded, and worthilie part-takers of her judgements. And now, (Philomathes) as I thinke, I hauehave aunswered to all your Rymer's foure Reasons, where-by hee would conclude CATHOLICKE, to bee a Marke of the Church, and proper to Rome. If you hauehave ought to reply, speake it: other-wayes, let vsus heare more of your Man his Musicke.
Philadelphus.
No: but, by your leaue (Eubulus) my Song was first tabled. And you shall hauehave it short: For it is in honour of the Church of Rome, vvhichwhich is daylie shortening.
If Catholicke, can not a Marke bee counted,
And shamleslie, as if it bee assumed:
If vaynlie Rome, vaunts now of Vertues wonted,
When shee is but a Carion consumed:
If ov'r the Sayncts shee proudlie hath presumed:
Her Sacrifices, if they bee but sinne:
That Mother-Whoore, if duelie Shee bee doom'd:
If all Her Silver, turned bee in Tinne:
If Apostaticke, more than Apostolicke:
Shee claymes, vnkyndlie, to bee call'd Catholicke.
Philomathes.
What-so-ever might bee replyed to you, (Eubulus) yet I will not insist farder, at this tyme. But, seeing that Philadelphus is so poeticallie disposed, as hee must vent his Verses; I will sharpen him, with a new Subject, where-on to meditate his next Sonnet. Thus, then, our Man speaketh, of CONTINVANCE.