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.

The Protestants doe so well indure to heare the words of Gods spirit, as that they haue made speciall choise ther∣of as the principall weapon wherewith to fight against the superstitions and abominations of the Papists. Whose ab∣surd dotage as many other waies, so in their Aue-Marie most notably appeareth, in that of a salutation to the vir∣gin Marie being present, they haue made an inuocation of her being absent, and thinke it a matter of great merit and deuotion to vse it like a charme by saying it ouer thus or thus many times at once which the Angell spake but once. M. Bishop allegeth for it the old Catechismes, but he neither telleth vs what Catechismes he meaneth, nor how old they are; which if he had, we should easily haue descried the va∣nity of his speech. For if by old Catechismes he meane as he should, the Catechismes of the ancient fathers and pri∣mitiue Church, he is therein found a liar, because in those Catechismes there is nothing of it. But if by old Catechisms he meane any that haue beene of latter times vnder the

darknesse of Popery, he abuseth his Reader, who in case of Religion looketh for satisfaction euen from the first age, because what was not then a part of religion can be no part of religion now; the truth of Christ being one and the same from the beginning and for euer. The words, he saith, are the words of the holy ghost, and so say we; but we say that the words of the holy ghost may be abused, as here they are, against the purpose and meaning of the holy Ghost. They are the words of the holy Ghost which Christ vsed to the Apostles, a 1.1 Fooles and slow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken: and will M. Bishop therfore say that we may vse those words for inuocation of the Apo∣stles? He allegeth againe that it is prophecied that all gene∣rations should call the virgin Mary blessed; and we deny it not but we may call her blessed in the meditations of our own hearts, and in speaking of her to them that heare vs, though we speake not idlely as to her that heareth vs not. Be it that the words were composed by the Archangell, penned by the Euangelists, commended to the reading of all good Christians as other words of scriptures are; be it that the sense of them is most comfortable vnto vs, yet what is all this to prooue that these words are to bee vsed for a deuotion and seruice to the virgin Mary? specially in such sort as Po∣pery hath vsed them in a strange and vnknowen tongue, which could yeeld no comfort of the sense, nor remem∣brance thereby of the incarnation of Christ, nor perfour∣mance of thanksgiuing or congratulation towards God. That purest antiquity which he allegeth is but corrupt no∣uelty, and leud forgery. The Liturgies of Basill and Chry∣sostome are very falsly so termed, and yet in Basils Litur∣gie there is no mention of the Aue-Mary. Of Chrysostomes Liturgie there are so many different copies published, one by Leo Tuscus, another by Erasmus, another by Pelargus, who also testifieth that hee hath seen a fourth, as that if Chrysostome did leaue any, yet no man is able to say of any of them that this is it. The sermon of Athanasius in Euan∣gel.

de Deipara, is by b 1.2 Nannius their own translatour put amongst the ranke of bastards and counterfets. The name of Deipara was not so famous in the time of Athanasius as to be prefixed in the title of a sermon; neither could it haue wanted memorable testimony in the councell of Ephesus if it had been then knowen for his. Ephrems works, as c 1.3 Hi∣erome saith, were written in the Syrian tongue. If M. Bi∣shop can shew them in the same tongue, yea or ancientlie translated into the Greeketongue, we can giue the better credit that they are his indeed. Otherwise we know that they haue been in hucksters handling; neither can we but be suspicious of that iugling and foisting which we finde to haue been so vsuall and common with them. And if M. Bishop will haue vs to take it for Ephrems worke, let him tell vs who is the translatour of it. Gerardus Vossius who translated and published the works of Ephrem by the war∣rant of Pope Sixtus the fift, whereas he putteth his name to so many as hee translated, putteth no name to the Ser∣mon which M. Bishop citeth, shewing thereby that it is not in Greeke, and therefore importing it to be a counter∣feit. He saith, that these can with no more reason be denied to be theirs, then the rest of their works: But I answer him, that though there were no other reason, yet it is sufficient reason for vs to bee suspicious of these, because in them some things are set downe, whereof in the rest of their vndoub∣ted workes, and in the infinite volumnes of antiquitie which are approoued and acknowledged, there is no to∣ken to be found. As for Bernand he liued in latter times of great apostasie and corruption. In that truth which he re∣teined, he is a good witnesse for vs against them; but hee can be no witnesse for them to make good those corrupti∣ons which hee drew from the time wherein he liued. And yet neither is his testimonie cited out of any of his owne works, but from another, I know not whom, and therefore is the lesse to be regarded; to say nothing, that the speech is ridiculous and fond: for why should wee imagine that

the Angels triumph, and the heauens congratulate, that the earth leapeth for ioy, and hell trembleth at the deuout say∣ing of the Aue-Mary, more then when wee say deuoutly, Our Father which art in heauen, &c? Surely good Christi∣ans will reiect such absurd dotages and idle dreames, though with bad Christians al is fish that commeth to net: and what custome offereth, they are readie to entertaine, neuer regarding to consult with the word of Christ for warrant of that they doe.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Luk. 24.25.
• b 1.2

  Nann. epist. nuncupatoria praefixa oper. A∣thanasij. In ter∣tiam classem: relegaui omnes supposititios li∣bros quos Atha∣nasij non puto.
• c 1.3

  Hieron. in Ca∣talog. script. ec∣clesiast. Multa syro sermone composuit.