The third part of the Defence of the Reformed Catholike against Doct. Bishops Second part of the Reformation of a Catholike, as the same was first guilefully published vnder that name, conteining only a large and most malicious preface to the reader, and an answer to M. Perkins his aduertisement to Romane Catholicks, &c. Whereunto is added an aduertisement for the time concerning the said Doct. Bishops reproofe, lately published against a little piece of the answer to his epistle to the King, with an answer to some few exceptions taken against the same, by M. T. Higgons latley become a proselyte of the Church of Rome. By R. Abbot Doctor of Diuinitie.

R. ABBOT.

Heere M. Bishop intreateth the curteous Reader to be Iudge in a most weighty matter, * 1.1 who in the former section hath giuen him a checke for taking vpon him to be his own Iudge. His teeth sometimes bite his tongue, and put him in minde to tell truth, which commonly he is very loth to doe. In∣deed it concerneth euery man so farre as toucheth his own saluation, to be a Iudge in these matters, and by knowledge and vnderstanding to satisfie himselfe concerning his faith and hope towards God, and not be led, as in Popery they are accustomed, like dumb beasts wholly at the will & dis∣cretion of them by whom they are led, not able to iudge of that which they doe whether it be right or wrong. The

holy Ghost commendeth it as a thing pertinent to all the faithfull a 1.2 to abound in knowledge and in alliudgement, that they may discerne things different (from the truth,) b 1.3 to try all things, and to hold that that is good: c 1.4 to try the spirits whe∣ther they be of God or not: d 1.5 to haue their wits exercised to dis∣cerne both good and euill. Which ability how it is atteined vnto, Saint Ambrose declareth; e 1.6 How may our wits be thus exercised? Marry by vse and often reading of the holy scrip∣tures; whence the Psalmist calleth the man blessed, who day and night meditateth in the law of the Lord. Euen so it is, howso∣euer there seeme difficulty at the first, yet vse of reading and often meditation of the Scriptures, with a religious and care∣full heart, maketh a man able to iudge of truth so farre as is needfull for himselfe vnto eternall life. Now the matters whereof M. Bishop will haue his Reader to be Iudge are no other but what haue beene handled hitherto, whereof for the enlarging of his preface, and to make the Printer some more worke, he maketh heere a long and needlesse repetiti∣on. I list not to follow him in his idle veine, but referre thee, gentle Reader, to the seuerall examinations of all his obie∣ctions, in which thou shalt see him one where leudly bely∣ing and slandering vs, another where wilfully misconstru∣ing, another where ignorantly condemning those things which he is not able to disprooue. Onely to shew the great discretion of the man, thou maiest note in his first cauil how he deliuereth their opinion, that Christ from the first instant of his conception was replenished with most perfect knowledge, whereas, if hee had had his owne head at hand hee would haue remembred that that which was of Christ from the first instant of his conception, was not as yet endued with the reasonable soule, and therefore was not as yet capable of knowledge at all. Thus in the very first point he giueth his Reader occasion to preiudicate him in all the rest, & to ac∣count him too silly a man to giue aduertisment, as in the end of this section hee doth to others, who in the beginning sheweth so little skill to looke to himselfe. As for his coun∣trimen,

to whom specially he directeth his warning, they are much to be pitied in that so simply they commit them∣selues to such blinde guides by whom and with whom they must needes fall into the ditch. Albeit if he were blinde in this case, his sinne were the lesse; but because wittingly and willingly hee lieth and chargeth vpon our principall Preachers and Teachers, some of his damnable positions, whereto they in the very places by him cited haue iustified the contrarry, as in the processe of our answer hath appea∣red, therefore as he is branded in conscience with God, so he deserueth with men also to be branded in the face with the stigme of a perfidious calumniatour that all men may know that there is no trust to be giuen to him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Euerie man required to iudge for his owne assu∣rance in mat∣ters of faith.
• a 1.2

  Phil. 19.10
• b 1.3

  1. Thes. 5.21.
• c 1.4

  1 Ioh. 4.1.
• d 1.5

  Heb. 5.14.
• e 1.6

  Ambros. in Heb. 5. Quomo∣do poterunt sensus nostri exercitati esse? vti{que} ex vsu & frequenti lecti∣one scripturarū; vnde beatum virum Psalmi∣sta dicit, qui in lege domini me∣ditabitur die ac nocte: sic Pri∣mas. ibid.