The true ancient Roman Catholike Being an apology or counterproofe against Doctor Bishops Reproofe of the defence of the Reformed Catholike. The first part. Wherein the name of Catholikes is vindicated from popish abuse, and thence is shewed that the faith of the Church of Rome as now it is, is not the Catholike faith ... By Robert Abbot ...

W. BISHOP. §. 4.

NOw to this his second sophistication, The Roman Church (by our rule) is the head, and all other Churches are members to it; but the Catholike com∣prehendeth all: ergo, to say the Roman Church is the Catholike, is to say the head is the whole body. Here is first a mish••pen argument, by which one may proue or disproue any thing; for example I will proue by the like, that the Church of England is not Catholike, thus: The Church of England, by their crooked rule, is a member of the Catholike Church; but the Catholike church comprehendeth all: wherefore to say the English Church is the Catholike Church, is to say, a mem∣ber is the whole body. Besides the counterfaite fashion of the argument, there is a great fallacy in it: for to omit, that wee say not the Church of Rome, but the Bishop of Rome to be the head of the Church, it is a soule fault in arguing (as all Logitians doe vnderstand) when one thing is said to be another by a metaphore, to attribute all the properties of the metaphore to the other thing. For ex∣ample, Christ our Sauiour is metaphorically said to bee a Lyon, Vicit Leo de tribu Iuda: now if therehence any man would inferre; that a Lyon hath foure legges, and is no reasonable creature, ergo Christ hath as many, or is not indued with reason; he might himselfe therefore bee well taken for an vnreasonable and blas∣phemous creature: Euen so must M. Abbot bee, who shifteth from that propriety of the metaphore, Head, which was to purpose, vnto others that are cleane be∣sides the purpose. For as Christ was called a Lyon, for his

inuincible fortitude; so the Bishop of Rome is called the head of the Church, for his authority to direct & gouerne the same: but to take any other propriety of either Lyon or Head, when they be vsed metaphorically, and to argue out of that, is plainly to play the Sophister. Wherefore, to conclude this passage, M. Abbot hath greatly discouered his insufficiency in arguing, by propounding arguments that offend and be very vitious, both in matter and for me; and that so palpably, that if young Logitians should stand vpon such in the paruies, they would be hissed o••t of the Schooles: it must needs be then an exceeding great shame for a Diuine to vse them, to deceiue good Christian people in matter of saluation. And if after so great vaunts, of giuing full satisfaction to the Reader, and of stop∣ping his aduersaries mouth, that he should not haue a word to reply, he be not ashamed to put such bables as these into print; he cannot choose but make himselfe a mocking-stocke to the world: surely his writings are more meete to stop mustard-pots, (if I mistake not much) then like to stop any meane Schollars mouth.

R. ABBOT.

HEre it may well be doubted whether M. Bishop were such a Doctor as to vnderstand himselfe, because it should not seeme likely, if hee had so done that hee would haue giuen such a brainlesse and stupide answere. The first part thereof serueth to shew that when hee hath plaid the wise-man once, he cannot be quiet vntill he haue done the like againe. Of the shape of the argument I neede say no more then hath beene said of the former being of the same kinde, and let him propound as he should, that by the like it may be proued that the Church of England is not the Catholike

Church, and we acknowledge so much▪ and doe take his ar∣gument as he hath set it downe, The Church of England is only a member of the Catholike church▪ but the Catholike church comprehendeth all; wher••••••re to s••y, the English Church is the Catholike Church, is to say, a member is the whole body. Wee confesse it to be true, and therefore we are not so absurd as to say that the Church of England is the Catholike Church; wee affirme it to bee only a member and part thereof; and may we not then thinke that this man hath made a doughty fray? But, beside the counterfait fashion of the argument, there is, saith he, a great fallacy in it. And how? Marry, first wee say not, saith he, that the Church of Rome; but the Bishop of Rome is the head of the Church. True it is, M. Bishop, that when yee compare togither the Church and the Bishop of Rome, yee say that the Bishop of Rome is the head of the Church; but is it not true also that when yee compare Church with Church, yee say the Church of Rome is the head of all Churches? Your Master a Bellarmine hath cited this title as a matter of great moment out of the second Ni∣cene Councel, approuing the Epistle of Adrian where it is so called; b out of S••ricius, Innocentius, Iohn the second, Pela∣gius the second, Gregory the Great, Bishops of Rome, out of c Prosper and Ʋictor Vticensis, and doe you come now with your slecu••les••c tale and tell vs that you say not so? The truth is that you know not what to say, because you see it sorteth absurdly whatsoeuer you say. Well, let vs omit this because M. Bishop is willing so; the vpshot of his answere is, that it is a fiule fault in arguing when one thing is said to be another by a metaphore, to attribute all the properties of the me∣taphore to the other thing. And this he handleth very grauely by example of Christs being called a Lyon, whence not∣withstanding hee saith, it is not to bee argued that hee hath foure legges, and therefore that M. Abbot must bee an vnreasonable creature who shifteth from that propriety of the metaphore, Head, which was to purpose vnto others that are cleane besides the purpose. Now here a simple man,

who commonly admireth that most which hee vnder∣standeth least, imagineth that M. Bishop hath shewed himselfe a learned man, and hath told a worthy tale, when as that which hee hath said is as much to the matter as if hee had told vs in great sadnesse, that a bird bolt hath no braines. Vndoubtedly hee dreamed very strong∣ly that I had said that the Church of Rome because it is the head, must haue a nose in the middle of the face, or because it is old, must haue wrinckles in the browes, or must haue long eares, because it is become an Asses head. If not, who can take him for any other but a foure-leg∣ged creature, that thus impertinently commeth in with a tale of foure legges? What property of a head doe I speake of that he should say, that I shift from that pro∣priety which was to the purpose, to others that are beside the purpose? My wordes are these; To speake by their rule, the Roman Church is the head, and all other Chur∣ches are memb••rs vnto it. I name no property of a head at all; let it bee what it will or what they will haue it; it shall bee all one to mee; for in whatsoeuer respect they will make the Church of Rome the head of all Churches, in the same respect they must make all other Churches the members and body to this head. Let it bee that property of a head which he mentioneth, and which I intended as meant by them, that all other Churches are to bee directed and gouerned by the authority of the Church of Rome, as the members of the body by the head; according∣ly my argument shall proceede, that the Church of Rome by their learning is the head of all other Churches, and all other Churches are as the members and body to this head; but the Catholike Church comprehendeth all, euen the whole both head and body. To say then that the Roman Church is the Catholike Church, is all one as if a man should say that the head is the whole body. Who can speake hereof more clearely then I haue done, and who can answere more absurdly then hee hath done? And albeit hee haue thus

egregiously played the foole, and hath bewraied plainly that hee was here put to his trumps and knew not what to say, yet to flourish and face the matter, hee admira∣bly vaunteth and insulteth vpon my insufficiency in ••rgu∣ing, and telleth mee of being hissed o••t of the Schooles, and making my selfe a mocking-stocke, and that my wri∣tings are more meete to stoppe mustard-pots, then likely to stoppe any meane Schollers mouth. You say well, M. Bi∣shop; You shall doe well to stoppe your mustard-pot with some part thereof that your mustard may bee kept quicke and strong to cleare your head; for if it bee alwayes as dull as you haue shewed it here, it may very well bee said that such a head hath but a little wit. As for your mouth it may bee it will not bee stopped, because you are sicke of Pisoes disease, b Who though hee knew not what to say, yet could not hold his peace. A man may well thinke that your mouth is not easily stopped, who rather then you would say nothing, would tell such a wise tale as you haue here done.

Notes

• Fellacia acci∣dentis.
• Apocal. 5. v. 5.
• a

  Bellarm. d•• Rom. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 13. c•• Sy∣nod. Nicen. 2. Act. 2. Capu•• om••••ium Eccles•• arum De••.
• b

  Ibid. cap. 14.
• c

  Ibid. cap 16.
• b

  Hieron. ad Ocean. Pisoni∣ano vilio cum l••qui nesciret, tac••re non po∣tuit.