An apolagy of the Holy Sea apostolicks proceeding for the gouernment of the Catholics of England during the tyme of persecution VVith a defense of a religious state, vvritten by Daniel of Iesus reader of Diuinity.

That M^r. Doct••urs vrging the Catholiques of England to receaue my Lord of Chalcedon as their Bishop and spiritual Prince, is very importune and vnreasonable. CAPVT IX.

MR. Doctours whole discourse and treatise aymeth at this marke, that our Catholiques of England admit my Lord of Chalcedon, as their Bishop, that is, to gouerne them as his owne flocke, and as their Lord and Prince. For as he saith, p. 342. c. 12. n. 3. A Bishop though he be sub∣ordinate to the Pope, yet is he in his Kind a spiri∣tual Prince, and not the Popes delegate: Hence he is ful of eloquent exhortations vrging Ca∣tholiques importunely in this point; in his dedicatory n. 15. thus he writeth; The Bi∣shop is your spiritual Prince, yea Princep•• Pa∣storum, P••ince of Pastours, as S. Ignatius sti∣leth

him, honour and respect him; he is your spiri∣tual father, yea as S. Epiphanius calleth him, he is Patrum generator, the father of fathers, because the Priest by Baptisme as by a spiritual ge∣neration begetteth Children, so the Bishop by the Sacrament of Order, which he only can minister, begetteth and ordaineth Priests, who are the spiri∣tual fathers of the people. Loue him as children should do their father; He is your Pastour, you his flocke, wherin the holy Ghost hath placed him to rule; He is your Prelate who hath such a charge of your soules, that if any of you miscarry through his default, he must answere soule for soule, not one for one, but one for euery one, obserue him and be ye subiect vnto him; for as S. Barnard saith, it was neuer heard that an Angel should say I wil not be subiect to the Archangel, nor that the Archangel should say, I wil not obey the thrones: Then (as he sayth) that voyce cannot be from heauen nor of God, I wil not be subiect to the Bishop.

I wil in this chapter shew three thinges. first that this suggestion of M^r. Doctour is not secure; secondly that the ground therof is an errour, to witt, that obedience is due to Bishops in respect of their order: thirdly that M^r. Doctours vrginge Catholiques in this pointe doth not so sute with Charity.

M^r. Doctours suggestion implyeth danger of sinne. §. 1.

2. TO shew this, we must suppose three thinges, first that Catholiques being the sheepe of Christ as they are, readily to obey their lawfull Pastours that are gi∣uen them by Order, so they are bound to refuse such as come of themselues not being sent for that charge and office; our Sauiour in the 10. of S. Iohn doth distin∣guish a lawful Pastour from an vsurper, that the one doth enter by the doore into the sold, the other stealeth in by some other way, Qui non intrat per ostium in ouile ouium, sed ascendit aliunde, fur est & latro, qui intrat per ostium pastor est ouium; They enter in at the doore qui non sumunt sibi honorem, sed vocan∣tur à Deo tanquam Aaron, as saith S. Paul, they vsurpe not the office nor take the dignity vpon them, but are called of God as was Aaron. They steale in through a by way, qui missi non sunt (saith S. Augustine) sed sponte veniunt, who not being sent come of themselues pretending to be Pastours: hence our Sauiour shewinge the duty of good Catholiques saith, that his sheepe re∣ceaue the Pastour. Illum sequuntur, & vocem eius audiunt, they follow his direction and heare his voyce. But the Vsurper they do not ad∣mitt nor obey him, but fly from him, alie∣num

non sequuntur, sed fugiunt ab eo. Finally he giueth this vniuersal instruction, Omnes quotquot venerunt fures sunt, sed non audierunt eos oues; Al•• that haue come (to witt, of them¦selues, pretending to be Pastours and Bi∣shops not being sent by lawful authority) are theeues, but the sheepe heare them not; When you see our Sauiour amongst the markes, of his sheepe, that is of his elect, num∣breth the not admitting and flying from such, as intrude themselues into the office of Pastours, as S.a Augustine, S. b Hierom, S.c Bede and other fathers ex∣pound; In the Apocalipse in like manner our Lord doth highly commend the An∣gel of Ephesus, that is not only the Bi∣shop but also the people of that Church as Peretius noteth, that they would not admitt of them that said they were Apo∣stles, and consequently their Pastours and Bishops, but examined them resisting their pretence til they were disclosed. Tentasti eos, qui dicun•• se Apostolos esse, & non sunt, & inuenisti eos mendaces.

3. Contrarywise the Corinthians when some came to them transfigurantes se in Apo∣stolos Christi, transforming themselues into Apostles of Christ pretending they were their Pastours, and consequently that the Corynthians were bound to maintaine them. and giue them allowance in recom∣pence of their charge and office repre∣hending

with much bitternes S. Paul, that he contrary to the practise of others, did gratis euangelizare, preach the Ghospel freely, without exacting or admittinge of any stipend as the requital of his labours. The Corynthians, I say, did willingly without more a doe or further examina∣tion admitte of them as their Pastours, gi∣ui••g them large maintenāce, enduring their arrogant commaunding and seuere exa∣cting vpon them, with great humility and patience. But was this their humility com∣mendable, did they by this patient suf∣fring win the deuine fauour? Certs S. Paul reprehends them sharply in this res∣pect, saying, Libenter suffertis insipentes cum sitis ipsi sapientes: sustinetis enim si quis in seruitu∣tem vos redigit, si quis deu••rat, si quis accipit, si quis extollitur, si quis in faciem vos caedit. You willingly endure the vnwise, though you your sel∣ues be wise, for you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man deuoure you, if a man take of you, if a man extoll himselfe, if a man smite you on the face, that is, doe you open wrong, vsurping iurisdiction ouer you without any colour or title.

4. The thinge standing thus, M^r. Doctour can haue no iust cause to be greeted at our English Catholiques, though they do not presently yeeld to his suggestion, and elo∣quent vrging of them to receaue my Lord of Chalcedon, not as a Delegate from the

Pope, but as the Pastour whose flocke they are, placed in that office not by delegation from man, but by deuine ordinance, and by the holy Ghost. Will M^r. Doctour exact or expect to be in this point credited without any proofe vpon his bare auerring of a thing so strange neuer before heard of, that my Lord of Chalcedon is to gouerne the Catholiques of England, not as the Po∣pes delegate, but as head Pastour, as Prince, as their owne Bishop: If Catholiques should yeeld vnto t••is motion, how could they be excused from being worthy of the reprehension the Corynthians had of S. Paul; to wit, of hasty and indiscret putting themselues into subiection, of giuing away their temporal goods for which they may expect no reward of God, and as exerci∣sing humility, obedience, patience, vnto which no crowne of righteousnes is pre∣pared? yea they may by blind acceptance, expose themselues vnto manifest danger of falling into greeuous sinne and diuision from the successour of Peeter, by accepting of Pastours and gouernours against his order.

5. For secondly we must suppose as cer∣taine, that my Lord of Chalcedon by his Breue and commission from his Holinesse, is a delegate in respect of England, and consequently not Bishop being as M^r. Do∣ctour saith, p. 342. not the Popes delegate,

but a spiritual Prince. Hence M^r. Doctour in his exhortations to receaue his Lord∣ship as Bishop, producing al reasons he could deuise, yet doth he neuer so much as once vrge Catholiques vpon this pointe, that the sea Apostolique hath so ordained: wherof no doubt the cause is, that he knoweth very wel his Lordship by his Breue not to be Bishop in iurisdiction and office ouer English Catholiques; other∣wise why should he so perpetually preter∣mitte and neglect this reason of the Popes institution, in truth the only reason which alone might suffice, though other were wanting, without which to make Bishops is to run into danger of schisme. It is true that M^r. Doctour as I haue noted, doth much insinuat that Secular Priests in coun∣tryes by them cōuerted may place Bishops, as hauing authority so to doe immediatly of God. For he saith that they are by the deuine institution, Gouernours of the Church, of which gouernment, one part is to place Pa∣stours and Bishops where there are wan∣tinge. He doth defend that by deuine Or∣dinance they haue authority and right to conuert countryes, and consequently to go∣uerne countryes conuerted, prouiding them such Pastours as the deuine law requires they should haue. Finally his saying that Bishops and Priests at first preached the Ghospel, conuerted countryes, and

amongst the conuerted, placed Bishops to gouerne them, doth more then insinuate that he thinkes Secular Priests in coun∣tryes by them conuerted may place Bishops to gouerne. To this doctrine his practise is sutable, in that he vrgeth Catholiques to admitte my Lord of Chalcedon as their Bishop and head Pastour. For either they are to receaue him cominge to be Bishop of himselfe, which were a thing no wayes iusticeable, or els as being sent and ordained by Secular Priests, who are by the deuine institution gouernours of the Church, for he doth neuer so much as once affirme his holines appointed him to be head Pastour, and not delegate.

6. If this be M^r. Doctours opinion, although I will not preuent the holy sea by my censure therof, yet to preuent the deception of others, I wil affirme that it is most certaine Catholique doctrine, that no person vpon earth, besides the Pope, hath by deuine Ordinance the office to plant new Christianityes, erect new Bi∣shoprickes, and place Bishops in them. This is taught expresly by Bellarmine, and proued by these formal wordes. The ere∣cting of new Bishoprikes and Bishops cannot per∣taine to any, whose power is contained within compasse▪ such as the power of particular Bishops is; but only to him, who is gouernour of the whole Church, and to whom properly the charge

of propagating the Church doth belong, such as all the Apostles were. Peeter indeed by office, the rest by delegation, and whosoeuer doth other∣wise enter, he is not of the Apostolical Church, seing he cannot deduce his origen from the Apo∣stles. Notwithstanding we doe not deny also Pa∣triarches and Metropolitans may somtymes erect new Bishoprickes, as S. Athanasius did in the East, and S. Boniface in Germanie, so they haue faculty from the sea Apostolique so to doe. Thus Bellarmine, which doctrine no doubt is Catholique, now if it be Catholique do∣ctrine, that the charge of propagating the Church and religion doth by deuine Ordi∣nance and by office belong only to Peter and his successour, how dangerous a thinge it is to follow M^r. Doctour, affirminga that Secular Bishops and Priests by deuine or¦dinance, haue authority and right to preach to Gentiles and to propagate the faith? and that not only Bishops but also priests did at first erect Bishoprickes and place Bishops?

7. To shew further the danger of sinne implyed in M^r. Doctours motiues, thirdly we must know that not only Bishops are to be appointed and confirmed by the holy sea, but also that a church is not to admitte nor obey any man as Bishop, without he sh••w in writinge the Popes letters of his ordina∣tion for such a Church. This is ordained by the Church in one of her Canonical insti∣tutions. Let not Bishops promoted by the holy sea

presume to goe to the Churches committed to their charge without the letters of the said sea, contai∣ning their graunt of their promotion, consecration, confirmation, and benediction, and let none with∣out the shewing of such letters either receaue, or obey or regard them. This constitution wil ha∣ue no man of what grauity or authority soeuer to be credited vpon his word, and on the testimony of his friends without letters patents that he is Bishop. The reason of this strictnes is deliuered in that constitution to be, propter grauia scandala & pericula quae pa∣rere posset eorum communicatio indiscussa, for feare of greeuous scandals and dangers that the admitting of them without discussion may breede. For on the one syde, if a man without being by the Pope ordained, should intrude himselfe into the office of Bishop, al the acts of Iurisdiction by him exercised should be voyde and of no force, Priests au∣thorized by him, should haue no power to absolue, absolutions giuen by them, should be of no effect, Confessions made to them were to be repeated vnder paine of damna∣tion, in a word, a world of confusion would therupon arise, to the losse of innumerable soules. On the other syde most insatiable is the cupidity of humane hart to be Bishop, and prone to entertaine the suggestion of any f••rgery and fraude that giue them fur∣therance therin. Not without cause doth S. Bernard tearme Ambition, subtile malum,

secretum virus, pestis occulta, doli artifex, mater Hypocrisis. A close mischeefe, a lurking poyson, a conceiled infection, the mistres∣se of fraud, the mother of Hypocrisy, against which no learning or sanctitie is sufficient armour of proofe, for it cree∣peth insensibly into the brests of men, that otherwise are of pure and irreprehen∣sible life, as S. Ambrose saith, Hoc pernicio∣sior Ambitio quod blanda quadam est concilia∣tricula dignitatum, vt saepe quos vitia nulla de∣flectunt, quos nulla potuit mouere luxuria, nulla auaritia subruere, faciat Ambitio criminosos. Ambition is the more pernicious in that it is a sweet winner of mans hart to seeke dignities, that oftentymes whom no vice could diuert, whom no pleasure could moue, whom no coue∣tousnes could ouercome, those Ambition maketh criminous. Wherfore seing good life by the secret enchauntments of Ambition to be Bishop, is so easily drawne into the crimes of fraud, great reason had the Church to ordaine that in a matter wheron so much doth depend, no seeming grauity or sanctity of men be credited on their word.

8. These thinges being proued, I need not add any word more to shew how bould an vndertaking M^r. Doctours may seeme, about my Lord of Chalcedon of a dele∣gate, to make him Bishop, and spiritual Prince, and how dangerous a thinge it we∣re for Catholiques to yeeld to his sug∣gestion,

to ioyne with him therin. Should one vndergoe to make the Deputy of Ire∣land Prince and King therof, though with subordination to his Maiesty, were not this a desperate venture? could he be excused from the crime of leze Maiesty, specially should he exhort the subiects of Ireland to receaue him, and lay on them the reproch of disloyal to their Prince, should they refuse?

M^r. Doctours errour that obedience is due to a Bishop in respect of his power of order, descouered and re∣futed. §. 2.

IT is not so easy for those of the vulgar sort to conceaue the difference of the power of consecration, from the power of Iurisdiction in a Bishop, whom they find to be Bishop by order, they presently con∣ceaue he is Bishop by office. Of this their weaknes M^r Doctour is content to make his aduantage, and because my Lord of Chalcedon is Bishop by order and name, because also he is theirs, as being their countryman, being applyed to helpe them, and hauing the faculty to giue them Con∣firmation, hence tacitly arguing à diuisis ad coniuncta, he supposeth as cleere that he is their Bishop, which supposed, he doth fur∣ther conclude, that whatsoeuer of reue∣rence and obedience is due from a Church

to their Bishop, the Catholiques of England owe the same to his Lordship, to this pur∣pose accommodating the sayings of fathers, requiring ful subiection of Christians to their Priests and Bishop, and their repre∣hensions of people disobedient. His dedi∣catory is ful of this, but most of al his se∣uenth Chapter, the drift and cōclusion whe∣reof, is contained in these the last wordes therof. Let vs then obey our Bishop as our lawful Superiour, reuerence him as Lord and spirituall Prince, loue him as our father. But how doth M^r. Doctour proue he is our Superiour, whom we must obey, and our Lord and spiritual Prince, to whom we must be subiect? Because he is in degree of order coequal to the Pope, in this respect we are his subiects and must obey him. Be∣cause I thinke the learned Reader wil not beleeue M^r. Doctour would vtter a para∣doxe so strange, I wil set downe his wor∣des, wherin he doth not only so affirme, but vndertakes solemnly the proofe therof. Thus he beginneth that Chapter. Out of that which hath bene said in the precedent Chapters, it followeth euidently, that the Bishop in power and dignity of Order, taketh the highest Roome and dignity in the Church of God. For though the Archbishop and Primate be aboue him in power of iurisdiction and Ecclesiastical dignity, yet in the order and power of Bishop, he is as high as any of them euen as the Pope himselfe,

True it is the Pope is head of the Church, and Pastor Pastorum, the Pastour of Bishops them∣selues, yet this superiority is in Iurisdiction, by which he can prescribe lawes to the whole Church, but in power of Order the Bishop can validly doe as much as the Pope himselfe, &c. Therfore in degree of Order the poorest Bishop is as great as the richest and greatest Patriarcke, yea as the Pope himselfe, and Superiour to Priests, much more to the laity be the Princes of Monarckes. When∣ce I may deduce two conclusions, the one, that the Bishop is to be honoured of all, euen of Mo∣narckes and Emperours, the second, that he is also to be humbly obeyd of al his subiects. Thus M^r. Doctour. These wordes shew that M••. Doctour holdes obedience to be due to a Bishop in regard of his Superiority ouer others in the degree of order, which do∣ctrine were it true, it would in deed thence follow, that my Lord of Chalcedon is to be humbly obeyed of al in England. But how much M^•. Doctour is herein deceaued may be cleerly demonstrated. First because if a Bishop were to be obeyed in regard of his superiority of Order, he were no lesse to be obeyed then the Pope, for they that be equal in the superiority to which obedien∣ce is due, are equally to be obeyed. The poo∣rest Bishop in the world is equall to the Po∣pe in Superiority of order, vnto which obe∣dience is due as M^r. Doctour saith, therfore the poorest Bishop is no lesse humbly to be

obeyed then the Pope. Secondly if a Bishops Superiority in order did require obedience of his inferiours, then subiection or infe∣riority to the Bishop in order did owe him obedience, and consequently whosoeuer be inferiour to the Bishop in order, owe him obedience, and be bound to obey him. But all men vnder heauen that be not Bishops are vnder Bishops in respect of dignity and power of order, yea saith M^r. Doctour c. 7. n. 7. none in heauen be he Angel or Archangel, nay a Cherubin or a Seraphin, is aboue a Bishop. Therfore all creatures in heauen and earth (only Bishops excepted) are bound hum∣bly to obey the poorest Bishop, or my Lord of Chalcedon. If this be absurd then M^r. Doctour must retract his proposition, that because the Bishop is equal to the Pope in order, thence it is deduced that he is to be obeyed of all his subiects.

10. Wherfore most certaine it is, that Obedience is due to the Bishop in respect of his power of Iurisdiction, not in res∣pect of his power of order. Hence if he haue no power of Iurisdiction, he is not to be humbly obeyed, but rather he is humbly to obey such as haue iurisdiction and com∣maund ouer him, though they be not Bi∣shops. A Bishop that leauing his Bishop∣ricke retyreth to religion stil retaineth his power of order, and is therin equal to the Pope and superiour to al Priests, and yet he

is not to be obeyed, but to obey his Gene∣ral, who for order is vnder him, and but a Priest. Do we not see titular Bishops, such as my Lord of Chalcedon is, and suffra∣gans who for order are equal to the Pope, to be vnder Bishops, and at their com∣maund and obedience, that be not so much as Priests? false then is M^r. Doctours asser∣tion, that from the Bishops Superiority in order aboue Priests, and his equality therin vnto the Pope, is deduced that he must be obeyed of his subiects. True it is, that if he haue subiects committed to his charge, they be humbly to obey him, but this is not because he is for power of order equal to the Pope, but because he hath power of commaund and iurisdiction ouer them.

11. Hence M^r. Doctour doth not alle∣adge any sufficient cause why Catholiques should be subiect to my Lord of Chalcedō, when he saith, c. 7. n. 14. of him and his pre∣decessour, though they had not that worldly splendour, honour, and riches, which our antient Bishops had, yet they are not inferiour to them in degree of order, no not in learning, life or labour, and therfore are to be honoured as much as they were and to be prouided for according as these times wil permitte, because as S. Paul saith, Priests that rule wel, that is Bishops, let them be esteemed worthy of double honour, not only of the honour of capp and knee, but of honourable maintenance also. This inference M^r. Do∣ctour

maketh, is greater then his premises wil afford, for though my Lord of Chal∣cedon were inferiour to none of our antient Bishops in the degree of order, or in lear∣ning, life and labour, yet this doth not proue him to be ruler of our Church or worthy of double honour, if he be not also our proper Bishop, for also some Bishops that be Religious are equal to my Lord of Chalcedon in the degree of order, and in learning, life, and labour, and yet cannot they claime maintenance of any Church, because they haue no iurisdiction ouer any Church. Had M^r. Doctour said that my Lord of Chalcedon is not inferiour to our antient Bishops, either in the degree of or∣der or in power of iurisdiction, or in lear∣ning, life, and labour, he had strooken ho∣me, but this is so false as he durst not affirme it. And yet except he affirme it, yea proue it, he wil neuer get his Lord∣ship one penny of maintenance as due to him in iustice. For Delegats are to receaue their stipend and maintenance from the Prince by whom they are sent, and not from the people vnto whom they be sent. M^r. Doctours comparison that his Lord∣ship is equal to our antient Bishops in lear∣ninge, life, and labour, to me seemeth ouer slender and ouer lashinge. For if his mea∣ning be that my Lord is not inferiour in le∣arning, life and labour to some of our an∣cient

Bishops, the commendation is but smal; In so mighty a number of Bishops some haue bene for learning life and labour of so litle esteeme, as they were scarce wor∣tly of the bread they did eate, much lesse of double honour or honourable mainte∣nance. But if the prayse be that my Lord is for learning, life and labour inferiour to none of our antient Bishops, the prayse may seeme greater then M^r. Doctour in∣tended; for wil M^r. Doctour say he meant to equal his Lordship in learning life and labour to S. Augustine our Apostle, or to S. Wilfride, or S. Cuthbert, or S. Dun∣stan, or S. Thomas our glorious martyr? Howsoeuer; obedience is not due to lear∣ning, nor to sanctity, nor to industry, no nor vnto the dignity of order, but only to iurisdiction, and to him that is Bishop by office, such an one though he neither haue the order of Bishop nor the learning nor the sanctity, is to be humbly obeyed of al his subiects how learned and holy, and for dignity of order eminent soeuer they be. Wil M^r. Doctour euer make this infe∣rence good, a Bishop in degree of order is equal to the Pope, ergo, he is to be obeyed.

12. His arguments shew rather the con∣trary, to witt, that the height of iurisdiction is that vnto which the subiection of humble obedience is due, which being found in a person, obedience must bow vnto him,

though he be no Bishop for order, nor emi∣nent for learning or sanctity. Let vs heare one or two of his arguments: first saith he, The Apostle commaundeth that euery soule be subiect to higher powers, for there is no po∣wer but of God, But the Bishop hath an higher power, for he hath power of order and iurisdiction, Ergo his flocke is subiect to it and must obey it. I answere S. Paul doth not say that euery one that hath any kind of higher power is to be obeyed, but that euery one is to obey higher powers, that is, them who be placed in office with power and authority to com∣maund and gouerne. The power of order to consecrate the body of Christ, to ordaine Priests, to hallow holy Chrisme and the like, be not powers, to which obedience is due, more then to the power of working mira∣cles, or the power of giuing much Almes, or the power and faculty to teach Theologie. M^r. Doctour proueth the Bishop is to be obeyed of his subiects, because he hath iu∣risdiction and is gouernour, which no man denyes or can doubt of, being in his right witts, and not because he is in degree of or∣der aboue all and equal to the Pope, which was his premise. And if he proue not this he cometh short of his intent, which is to haue my Lord of Chalcedon to be obeyed, because though he want the office of Bishop ouer England, yet in the degree of order he is equall euen to the Pope. This M^r. Do∣ctour

intended and promised to proue, and therfore al is impertinent that is brought to shew that Bishops that haue iurisdiction ouer a Diocesse and Church are to be obey∣ed of their subiects.

13. Wherfore no lesse from the matter is his second argument, S. Paul expresly com∣maundeth vs to be obediēt to our Prelates, because melior est obedientia quàm victima;† I ans∣were, S. Paul doth commaund that subiects obey their Prelates whether they be Bishops or no. And so he sheweth what is due to Pre∣lates that be in office in respect of their iu∣risdiction, not that they are humbly to be obeyed in respect that they can doe by the power of order validly as much as the Pope, howsoeuer in iurisdiction they be inferiour to him; from this roote M^r. Doctour promi∣sed to deduce the obligation subiects haue to obey a Bishop, which he doth not perfor∣me, but only proueth that superiours are to be obeyed, wherof there is no question. In like manner in his third argument he shoo∣teth wide of his marke bringing diuers sen∣tences of the fathers that Bishops are to be obeyed. Who doubts therof? That which M^r. Doctour vndertooke to shew, is, that a Bishop must be obeyed in respect of the su∣periority of his degree of order, because therin he is equal to the Pope. This is the thinge denyed, which could M^r. Doctour proue, he might do my Lord of Chalcedon

in deed Doctours seruice; otherwise to heap together sentences of scripture and antiqui∣ty, to proue in general that Superiours in re∣gard of their iurisdiction and office of go∣uernment are to be obeyed, cui bono? who denyes this? or what is this to my Lord of Chalcedon, that he may therupon exact obedience of Catholiques, he not being their Bishop by iurisdiction and office?

That M^r. Doctours vrging of Catholiques doth not so wel agree with Charity.

I Wish M^r. Doctour to consider in the sight of the eternal Iudge, before whom shortly we are to appeare, to giue an account of our writing, how his proceeding with poore persecuted English Catholiques can stand with Charity. For he layeth vpon thē a necessity either to doe a thing offensiue vnto God, or els to fal out with him and to be reproched by him. For to his suggestion about my Lord of Chalcedon of the Popes Deputy, to change him into their Pastour and spiritual Prince, placed of God to rule them, either Catholiques yeeld or they yeeld not? If they yeeld, they transgresse the holy Canons, they vsurpe the office of the supre∣me Pastour, making themselues the flocke of another without his order, they doe against the duty of the sheep of Christ, which is to obey none as their Pastour that doth not

enter by the doore, that is, not by the com∣maund of his Vicar imposed vpon them. If they yeeld not, al the hard sentences of the fathers against people disobedient to their Bishops are loden vpon them, particularly out of S. Ignatius. It becometh vs to obey the Bishops and to contradict him in nothing, for it is terrible to contradict such an one, for he that so doth, doth not deceaue him that is seen, but him who his inuisible that cannot be deceaued of any. For God saith by Samuel, they deceaued not him but me. And againe, it behoueth you then to obey your Superiours, that you may not only be called, but truly be Christians: If any cal him Bishop but yet doe al without him, to such an one, he that is the true first and only Pastour by nature wil say, what doe you cal me Lord, Lord, and doe not the thinges I say: for such seeme to me not to be men of a good conscience, but dis∣semblers, and personati, such as take vpon them the person they are not. These and many other bitter sentences of the fathers are by M^r. Doctour applyed to such as wil not con∣curre with him in the behalfe of my Lord of Chalcedon, of a delegate to make him their Bishop and Prince. What shal poore Catholiques doe? If they receaue him they trāsgresse the deuine law, they disobey their Soueraigne Pastour, who sendeth him as Delegate, and not as Bishop. If they doe not, they must endure bitter reproches, that they be not truly Christians, that they de∣ceaue

God, that they be men of no good conscience, dissemblers, and counterfetts. what can be more harsh?

But M••. Doctour saith: I haue proued at large that the lay Catholiques of England can not in conscience refuse a Bishop for feare of persecution, partly because the gouernment of the Church is committed vnto Bishops by Christ insti∣tution, who therfore haue bene gouernours of it in the greatest rage and fury of persecution. Thus he speaking very confidently of his prouing, how truly the reader may be able to iudge by the perusing of the third and fourth Cha∣pter of this treatise. But leauing this; to our purpose, to witt, in the behalfe of charity, I say when M^r. D. saith lay Catholiques cannot in conscience refuse a Bishop for feare of persecution, if he meane a Bishop of∣fred them and imposed vpon them by the sea Apostolique, it is true they cannot in conscience refuse him, nor doe they nor wil they. They know the charity of that mother Church, that laborem & dolorem con••iderat, and wil not put a Bishop vpon them to the encrease of their vexation without the ne∣cessity of their good so require. They be sure that Pillar of truth and sanctuarie of the holy Ghost, knowes what the deuine law and institution requires better then doth M^r. Doctour, let him therfore shew any order, or commaund from this holy sea, that my Lord of Chalcedon is made Bishop

with princely iurisdictiō to gouerne the En∣glish Catholiques as his owne flocke, and the controuersie is ended. But this M^r. Do∣ctour doth not so much as pretend, Kno∣wing the Popes institution to be of a Dele∣gate with voluntary iurisdiction for the so∣lace of soules, not of a spiritual Prince with a Bishops iurisdiction and office. What then would he haue of Catholiques? that they re∣fuse not a Bishop put vpon them by the or∣dinance of secular Priests, who be (as he saith) by the deuine institution gouernours of the Church, and by the ordinary right of their office haue authority to preach to Infi∣dels, to propagate the Church and gouerne countreyes conuerted. Alas this doctrine to our Catholiques seemeth new, harsh, vn∣couth, and more to be shunned then they will (out of reuerence to M••. Doctour) ex∣presse. Let him bringe the sentence of the holy sea that this doctrine is current, that Priests haue such ample au∣thority by diuine right, to erect new Chri∣stianityes, Churches, and Bishoprickes, and then to gouerne them: This done there wil∣be no further difficulty but they shal erect as many Bishoprickes as they desire. But if this doctrine be such as M••. Doctour wil hardly dare to stand to it, why doth he con∣tend? or what would he haue? wil he not be content except Catholiques do more then he dareth cleerly say is lawful? That is,

change a Delegate into a Bishop without the Popes order, make themselues a flocke of one pretended to be Prince and Pastour by deuine ordinance, without the leaue of their soueraigne Pastour? I thinke M^r. Do∣ctour must needes see his pressing is vnrea∣sonable.

The Conclusion to the Catholiques of England.

To conclude, to you the euer honoured Catholiques of England, I turne my speech in a few words, giuing you my aduise how to proceede in this dissention. Be wise as serpents and simple as doues, wise as serpents, to defend your head, the power and authority of the sea Apostolique, simple as doues, conseruing a charitable opinion of such persons, who in their zeale to Bishops, doe teach and practise what you neuer hitherto heard, nor doe wel vnderstand. For the first let the learning of no Doctour howsoeuer eminent for his for∣mer writinges induce you to beleeue, that the sea Apostolique hath so long a tyme together transgressed the deuine law, in their ruling you without other Bishops immediatly as their proper flocke, that against charity they haue depriued you of the being a Christian Church, leauinge you to be stil weake and only litle ones in spiritual life, wanting that Sacrament without which you cānot be per∣fect Christiās, that is, haue courage to professe

your faith in persecution. Do not harken vn∣to the pretence of deuine institution for go∣uernment of the Church, doe not venture to make to your selues, or to receaue from such pretended deuinely ordained gouernours, Bishops and Pastours. Yeeld them no more power then they bring you graunted them in writing by the soueraigne Pastour. Be per∣swaded that no new opinions be more dan∣gerous then such as dislike of the sea Apo∣stoliques proceeding occasioneth, and desire to haue authority immediatly of God and not from it. Let them that would trouble you know that you are the sheep of Peter, that you cleaue to the rocke, and are im∣mouable, that al writing in vulgar langua∣ge is in vaine to moue you to beleeue or pra∣ctise for your gouernment more then the Vi∣car of Christ shal expresly warrant.

Notes

• Ignat. epist. al Smyrnen. Epiphan 57.
• Act. 20.28. Heb. 13.7.
• l. 16. contr. faust. c. 12.
• a

  August. l. 2. cont ad∣uers. legis c. 4
• b

  Hierom. l. 2. aduers. Pelag. c. 23.
• c

  Beda in Ioannem. Apoc. c. 2. v. 4.
• Cor. 11.
• dedicatory. n. 12,
• c. 9. n. 13. pag. 245.
• p. 249. l. 8.
• l. 4. de Eccles c. 8.
• a

  c. 9 n 14. pag. 249.
• l. 1. Extra∣uag. commun cap. iniun∣ctae. de elect. c. 1. Nulli eos aebsque dictarum lit∣terarum ostentione recipiāt aut ••is pareant vel intendāt
• serm. 10. in qui habitat.
• l. 4. in l. c. 4.
• pag. 188.
• p. 206. lin. 13.
• c. 7 n. 15. p. 208.
• c 7. n. 16. pag. 209.
• †

  Obediēce to Bishops obay your Prelates and be su∣biect to them, for they watch as being to giue an ac¦count to God for your sou∣les. Where S. Thomas of Aquin noteth, that the Apostle comman∣deth † 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• l. 7 n. 17. pag. 211.
• Ignat. Epist. ad Smyrn. & epist. ad Magnes.
• pag. 213.
• c. 15. n. 12. pag. 414.