THE REPAIR OF HONOUR, Falsely impeached by Featlye a Minister. Wherein (by occasion) the Apostles Disciple S. Ignatius Bishop & Martyr, his Religion, against Protestantisme, is laid open.  
By Ed. Weston Doctor of Theology: In a Letter, by him written unto two Fathers of the Society of JESUS, in England.  
Imprinted at Bruges. ANNO 16●●   

VERY REVEREND FATHERS  
I most heartily salute your persons, and also joyfully congratulate you, in regard of your pious and charitable endeavours there in England, for the cause and right of the Catholic Church. Neither need I, your known zeal considered, by letters to encourage you to labour in that kind, or with undausited minds valiantly to bear the slanders & false reports of the common adversary:  that as one you embrace, so the other you may justly contemn, & with great reason rejoice in both.  
The cause at this present, of my writing unto you, hath been occasioned by one Featlye a Minister-Doctour: who by a diuulged Pamphlet in print, hath raised a scandal with you, out of a report of the Earl of Warwick, made of me concorning some words I uttered unto him, at such time as he was here in Bruges. Featlye then avoucheth to the world, that the said Earl told him, that I talking of a disputation in London, passed betwixt you, and a couple of Ministers White & Featlye, affirmed, that in regard the action was well performed by you, and basely by them, two English Earls present at your dispute, thereby to have been converted to the Catholic faith. Whereupon Featlye, as I am told, both to the prejudice of my person, & reproach of the Catholic cause, hath in print avouched, that we by no other means maintain our quarrel against them, then by lies & false inventions. I have therefore thought it convenient in few words to express the truth; & also to crave your assistance, that by your means the same may appear to confront, & confounded the slanderer.  
Concerning then the report of the Earl and Featlye, I protest unto you, and to the world, upon the word of a Priest, that for the present I cannot call to mind any such words I uttered unto the said Earl: yet do I not absolutely affirm, that I spoke them not. But this I say for a certainty; that if I told him any such thing, withal I added; that such a bruit was reported to me by some, that came out of England, and passed by me here in Bruges. Which particularity, as it seemeth to me, should have been specified to Featlye by my Lord, according to the quality of that Honourable Estate he pretendeth.  
Whereupon I affirm, that the dealing of Featlye towards me, although I utterly contemn it, to have been childish, uncivil, & no small demonstrance of the great weakness of his Religion, constrained, against good manners & substance of judgement, to lay hold upon such toys, & mere aerial babblements. Which my contempt of such dealing, the world should know by my silence, if the good of others, impeached by his scandal, did not command me to speak.  
Supposal then be, that I made such a relation to the Earl of Warwick; what ground, or good occasion proceedeth thence to argue against me, or against Catholics? If I had been in London at such time as the disputation was performed, where I might have been informed concerning the truth in all points, than I might have been in some show blamable, if I had vented forth such a thing; but being in Bruges, & speaking familiarly to my Lord, what I heard from passengers out of England, there is no appearance of any evil carriage on my part, or any sinistrous meaning to disgrace either Featlye, or any of his faction. But something they must say to stop up the gap, & breach of their cause, made by our battery, at least to the ears of the simple, & easily deceivable popularity.  
Assuredly it is not the practice of our Professors to make lies, to raise slanders for our defence, or thereby to impugn them: for our arguments to that effect are copious, pregnant, & in the view of the best intelligent. Rather it is the Protestant, being in affection furious, in judgement superficial, to invent & blaze out lies, and that in print, to justify themselves, and impeach us. Let them to this effect take only a view of the lies, cavils, falsities, discovered of late in the writings only of Hall, and Collins, by Fa. Coffin and Fa. Fitzherbert, and they shall in their best judgements, confess them guilty, impudent, moreover disgracious to the sincerity of England, yea and to mankind. What a villainy was it for one of that crew to print, that in Antwerp he saw a Priest saying Mass in the shambleses, & that in the same place where the Butcher made his slaughter, framing blasphemously an Antithesis betwixt the Priest, and the Butcher?  
But if advantages be to be made absolutely upon reports, doubtless then in this very present Case we have much for us. I have heard here in this City, from the mouths of many English lately come from England, that you both were so eneombred by the Ministers in disputation, that you had not a word to say for your defence. Which report must needs be most false, both your worths in learning considered, and also the quality of the argument, then put in dispute, examined. For what had you otherwise to do, but out of the Ecclesiastical History to repeat the ancient and continued profession of the Catholic Roman faith, from the Apostles times to our days: and out of the same Histories to require of your Adversaries a like recital of age, and continuance, for the profession of their Protestantish Religion? in which matter what could be wanting for you, or sufficient for them? No History recordeth, ever any man Ecclesiastical or secular since the Apostles days, to have accorded in all points with Luther & Caluin. Only this they may say; That what they maintain now against us, they learned it of Manichaeus, of Heluidius, of Vigilantius, of Image-breakers, of Beringarius, of Wickliff, of hus, & such like condemned baggages by the Church of God. Then was it most slanderous, what was diuulged by Protestants, concerning your fail in disputation.  
Now then, seeing it hath pleased Featlye to work a feat against us, upon the foundation of things misreported, I shall come near unto his own person, not upon the maintenance that rumours and news may afford, but upon that which we may suppose he hath printed by himself, or his friends. I would then have him understand, that I have seen a Pamphlet set out, purporting the issue of the disputation he had with you. And assuredly I never in all my life beheld a more lively representation of a Ministers folly, short sight, and slight brains, than therein. Wherefore to omit how according to his own fabulatory Relation, it is most manifest, that still he flieth from the state of the question, and wholly refuseth to make an absolute Catalogue of men, since the Apostles days, professing his Religion, accordingly as you demanded of him; I charge him with the assertion of two most notorious lies, made to justify his cause.  
The former consisteth in this, that he rehearseth. you to have been doubtful, positively to affirm, Whether our Saviour Christ and his Apostles were Authors of Protestancy or no, and there upon to have refused to make a demur with him about their writings for the trial. The falsity of which report is most evident. For how can a Catholic be unsettled for such a resolution? He than might have perceived the cause, if he had been sincere, why you would he should pass from Christ & his Apostles downward to ensuing Pastors and Doctors in the Church, that he being not interrupted, might have leave more freely to spin out the thread of his rehearfall, concerning the ancient Professors of his Religion. Neither according to prudence, and the state of the Question, ought you to have made stay about the writings of the new Testament. First for that all Heretics, which ever have been, have challenged those sacred Records in approvance of their Heretical doctrines. Then, for that, if you had made stay about them, your principal intent had been frustrated: & so the Adversary should have been employed in such sort about inter pretations of the new Testament, and discussion of several controversies therein expressed, that he should never have had leisure for the declarance of the ensuing visible profession of his Religion for times following those of the Apostles. And so with a lie, and a Calummation hath he flatly injured you in this point.  
The second notorious lie of his consists in this, that he produceth S. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch, and Martyr in Rome, for a Protestant, or a Puritan; which lie is so shameful a thing in the view of all learned men, that Featlye, although assisted with the writings of a Genevian Scottishman, yet he shall never be able to make any colour to hide, or excuse the impudent falsity thereof. Wherefore he is to understand from me, that as I herein give him the Lie; so the same is to lie heavily, & disgraciously upon him, until he prove these severalties of doctrine. First, that S. Ignatius with Protestants or Puritans taught, that one not called & consecrated by the Pastors of the Present Church, or preaching cotrary doctrine unto theirs, may be a competent Minister of the Word & Sacraments, Secondly, that Kings or Queens be sovereign in Ecclesiastical affairs. Thirdly, that the Hierarchy of the Roman Church, consisting of Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Subdeacons', Exorcists, Acolytes, and others, is not allowable. Fourthly, that all traditions not written concerning faith or Religion are superstitious. Fifthly, That in the Church of God, there is neither Priesthood nor Sacrifice. Sixtly, that the holy Eucharist is nothing else but represetative bread & drink. Seaventhly, that wooed estate of Virginity, in Religious persons, is repugnant to the liberty of the Gospel. Eightly, that prescribed fasts of Lent and friday have no obligation. Ninthly, that one Virtue is not more precious, or meritorious in God's sight, then another. Tenthly, that Sins by justification are not abolished, but only not imputed, although they remain in the soul Eleventh, that Saints in their own Persons, or Relics are not to be worshipped. Twelfthly, that God is author of Sin, ordaining the same, as effects of necessity, in the will of man. Lastly, that S. Ignatius held a different faith from S. Policarp, from S. justin Martyr, from S. Irenaeus, from S. Chrysostome, from S. Augustine, and S. Gregory the great. But if in all these points we may find this renowned Bishop and Martyr within the compass only of a few Epistles wholly contrary to Protestantisme, and conformable to the present doctrine and practice of the Catholic Roman Church, especially considering that for his ancietry, he might well have seen S. john Evangelist, for his profession in work & writings, as recordeth Eusebius lib. 5. hist. ca 36. to have industriously recorded the Traditions of the Apostles; it must ensue thereon, that the authority of such a man, in matter of Religion, as it is in itself most grave & weighty; so also powerful and irrefragable for us against Protestants.  
To examine then the aforesaid points of doctrine concerning Religion, whether in favour of Protestant's they be determined by S. Ignatius or no, we will begin the trial in order from the first S. Ignatius then epist. ad Trallian. when he had made mention of Pastors, who govern in the Church, as of Bishops, of Priests, of Deacons, thus concludeth: Quligitur his non obedit, Atheus, & impurus est, & Christum contemnit, & constitutionem eius imminuit Whosoever doth not obey these, he is an Atheist, he is impure, he contemneth Christ, & impaireth his ordinance By the Judgement then of S. Ignatius, Luther and Caluin were Atheists, they were contemners of Christ his Law, in that when they first begun, they preached a doctrine wholly contrary to the doctrine of all the known Pastors in Christ his Church then living, or governing in the same, for fourteen hundred years before. Then are all Protestants reproved by S. Ignatius, who teach, that it is lawful to preach a doctrine by the private spirit, judged conformable to the Scriptures, although discordant from all present Bishops, Priests or Deacons now therein, or for the time past having borne rule in the same.  
The second point importeth Supremacy in Churchly affairs, of which thus S. Ignatius ep. ad Magnes. & Philadel. Principes obediunt Caesari, milites Principibus, Diaconi Presbyteris sacrorum praefectis: Presbyteri, Diaconi, & reliquus Clerus, unâ cum populo universo, militibus, principibus, & Caesare, ipsi Episcopo pareant: Episcopus Christo, & Christus Patri. Princes obey Caesar, Soldiers the Princes, Deacons Priests, as Prefects over holy mysteries; Priests, Deacons, the whole Clergy, together with all the people, as Soldiers, Princes, and Caesar, are to obey the Bishop: the Bishop is to obey Christ, & Christ his Father. Then as S. Ignatius subiecteth the whole Laity to the Bishop, so resolveth he the Supremacy in the Bishop only unto Christ.  
The third point implieth the Order, or Hierarchy of the Church in her Pastors and sacred officers: and is by S. Ignatius ep. ad Magnes. & Antiochen. described, where he maketh mention of Bishops, of Deacons, Subdeacons', of Readers, of Ostiarij, of Exorcists. And is this face of a Church then, in her Apostolical prime, conformable to the present Protestants Churches in their pretended reformation of England, of Scotland, of Holland, of France, of Geneva?  
The fourth point, touching Traditions, appertaining to Faith & Religion, is thus discussed by S. Ignatius Ep ad Magnefianos. Audivi quosdam dicentes: Nisi Euangelium invenero in archivis, non credo. Talibus ego dico, quod Iesus mihi pro archivis est. I have heard some say: unless I find the Gospel in place of Records, I will not believe. To such I say, that jesus to me is in place of all such places of Records. Where he saith, that our Saviour Christ hath taught his Church not only the Written word of the Gospel, but also by tradition of himself, and of his Apostles. Whereupon Eusebius testifieth, that S. Ignatius did much labour to lay down the Traditions of the Apostles lib. 3. Hist. Cap. 30. How then do Protestants agree with S. Ignatius, revoking all matters of faith to the written Letter of the Scriptures, expounded by themselves in several?  
The fifth point appertaineth to Priesthood and Sacrifice. Saint Ignatius maketh oftentimes mention of Priesthood in the Evangelicall Law, Ep. ad Trallian. & add Magnesian. but the Protestants disclaim from Priesthood as they do from Sacrifice. A ridiculous thing to say, that to preach, to give memorials of Christ, to baptise is to exercise the office of a Priest, in that Priesthood importeth an office to sacrifice. Whereupon many learned Protestants affirm, that in the new law no Priesthood is to be found. Likewise the same S. Ignatius maketh mention of Altars Epist ad Magnesian. Omnes velut unus quispiam ad templum Dei concurrite, velut ad unum Altar. All you as one person go together to the temple of God, as to one Altar. But this word Altar hath a relation to a Sacrifice: whereas bread and wine with Protestants respect a Communion Table, not an Altar. What needeth an Altar for one taking bread, to think with himself, that as bread nourisheth the body, so doth Christ the soul. Whereupon if Turks were Protestants, they were to eat and drink their communion upon Carpets spread upon the ground or pavement, not at any resemblance of an Altar. If they say that the Table according to our Saviour's institution be of a divine Institution, they are to understand, that the Table did principally respect the Supper and Paschall Lamb, not the holy Eucharist to which belonged an Altar, not a Table. Priesthood then, and Altars mentioned by S. Ignatius overthrow Protestancy.  
The sixth point concerneth the holy Sacrament of the Altar, of which S. Ignatius ep. ad Romanos, thus speaketh. Panem Dei volo, panem caelestem, quae est caro Christifilij Dei. Ep. ad Smirnens. (cited by Theodoret dial. 3.) Eucharistiam & oblationes non admittunt, quod non confiteantur Eucharistiam esse carnem Saluatoris nostri jesu Christi. I desire the bread of God, that heavenly bread which is the flesh of Christ the Son of God. They allow not oblations, for that they will not confess the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour jesus Christ. Wherein if he had deemed, that only bread was to be found as Protestants do, he had not fliled it, the flesh of Christ; neither should he have had any just reason to rebuke those Heretics in such terms as he doth.  
The seaventh point appertaineth unto religious Viginity, of which thus he writeth Ep. add Philadel. Vxores Maritis subditae sint in timore Dei, Virgin's Christo in puritate, non abhominantes nuptias, sed id quod Praestantius est amplectentes. Let wives be subject to their Husbands in the fear of God, Virgins to Christ in purity, not detesting marriage, but embracing that which is more excellent. First then against Protestants have we, by the Record of S. Ignatius, practice of vowed Virginity; in regard whereof the same S. Ignatius Ep. ad Smirnens. saluteth Virgins that live in perpetual virginity, which estate of perpetual virginity, for that it employed a vow, therefore unto it he requireth Jurisdiction of the Bishop: Siidipsum statuatur sine Episcopo, corruptum est: If this purpose of perpetual virginity be decreed without the Bishop, it is void. The cause was, for that the Bishop was to consecrate their virginity unto almighty God. Whereupon Epist. ad Antioch. thus he speaketh: Virgin's agnoscant cui seipsas consecrarunt: Let virgins know to whom they have consecrated themselves. The other thing of remark is, that the estate of vowed virginity is better than that of marriage: quod praestantius est amplectentes, Virgins making choice of that which is more excellent. Are these documents suitable to the Protestants Theology? or rather carnality?  
The eight point toucheth the decreed Discipline of the Church, concerning fasting upon certain days, of which S. Ignatius maketh mention Epist. ad Philip. namely of the fast of Lent, of Wednesday and Friday. Is this also, I pray you, conformable to the doctrine and practice of Protestants, who refuse to be tied by any such obligation; yea who seek in those seasons, means of secret eating, and of barrocadoes, to avoid the penalty of such prescribed fasts, especially of Lent?  
The ninth point compriseth the Catholic doctrine of Worth, or Merit in good works, and also in those particularly, as are termed by us Counsels, not commanded in the Scriptures, having in them a peculiar value in the judgement of Almighty God. To which purpose entreating of perpetual and vowed virginity, S. Ignatius avoucheth Epist. ad Philadelp. that virgins made acceptance, of that kind of life which is better than the estate of marriage: Quod praestantius est amplectentes: Embracing that which is better. Ep. ad Heronem. he useth these words: Virgin's serua, ut praetiosa Christi monilia. Guard well the virgins, as the precious jewels of Christ. Again. Ep. ad Tarsen. Eas que in virginitate degunt in praetio habete, veluti Christi Sacerdotes: viduas in pudicitia permanentes, ut altare Dei. Make you great reckoning of such women as live in virginity, as it were the Priests of Christ: also of widows persisting in modesty, as the Altars of God, Accordingly. Cypr. ep. ad Virgin, calleth vowed Virgins, The flowers of the Christian flock. Is not all this wholly contrary to Protestants, who make all works of virtue equal, & all indifferently, through the corruption of Nature, mortal sins, and worthy of eternal damnation? To which foul doctrine they add two blasphemies: one that the holy Ghost by his Grace stirreth up these works in men: the other that God in heaven is to give them a reward.  
The tenth point respecteth the nature & effect of justificatio, which is to abolish our clean the spots of sins, before found in the Soul. Of which S. Ignatius Ep. ad Rom. thus writeth: Per dentes bestiarum molar, ut panis mundus Dei inveniar. I shall be grinded by the teeth of the Lions, to the end I be found pure bread of almighty God. By which words he meant that Charity in Martyrdom should purify him from all stains of Sin, & present him as most white bread, acceptable unto the divine eyes of Almighty God, & consequently as an object passing gracious and amiable unto his will and affection. With which doctrine Protestant's are at defiance, determining, that Justification taketh not away Sins in the Soul, but only excuseth them, that although remaining, for Christ his sake they be not imputed.  
The Eleventh point belongeth to Honour by us to be performed to Saints: about which custom of piety we may understand the doctrine of S. Ignatius by the actio of the faithful presently performed after his martyrdom, and translation of his relics from Rome to Antioch. S. Chrysostome serm. de S. Ignatio reporteth, That by the faithful, his Relics were repaired unto, as to a perpetual treasury. Sanctis ad se accedentibus benedicens, fiducia & strenua alacritate, magnaque fortitudine remittit domum. Itaque non hodie tantum, sed quotidie confluimus, spirituales ex eo fructus percipientes. Quisquis enim ad illum cum fide accedit, magnis afficitur beneficijs. Sanctorum enim non modo corpora, sed & loculi, & monumenta spirituali gratia conferta sunt. He blessing all that come to him, sendeth them home replenished with great alacrity and fortitude. Whereupon not only to day, but every day, we come to his tomb, receiving thereby spiritual commodities. Whosoever cometh to him with faith, is rewarded with great benefits. For not only the bodies of Satncts, but their Coffins also, and Sepulchers are replenished with spiritual grace. No doubt but S. Ignatius in his life consorred with these pious persons, and with himself in glory, both in doctrine and action. For S. Augustine lib. 20 count Faust. Cap. 27. maketh Manichee that Arch-heretick the first that denied veneration to the Relics of Saintes. Is this conformable to the doctrine & custom of Protestants and Puritans?  
The twelfth point designeth the Nature of sin. Of which Protestant's & Puritans determine, that it is performed by necessity of the will, without free consent. Whereupon doth it evidently follow, that God, Author of that necesiity, is also Author of Sinne. To which blasphemous doctrine S. Ignatius hath declared himself an utter enemy. And for that purpose seeing certain Heretics, as Nicolaites, and Basilidians, teaching a necessity of committing all manner of wickedness, he Ep. ad Trall. doth inveigh most bitterly against them, and willeth all good Catholic Christians to avoid them. But especially amongst other Heretics, of whom S. Ignatius gave notice unto the Church, and whom with detestation he rebuked, were Basilides & Carpocras Princes of the Catharists, that is Puritans, in the primitive Church; who, concerning Concupiscence contained in the frailty of man's disordinate nature, through originiall sin, broached forth two heresies: one, that by virtue of a divine precept, man was bound to yield consent unto Concupiscence. To which purpose that Protestants may understand, how loathsome Heretics, and filthy companions have alleged Scripture to support their foul and erroneous doctrines, Carpocras cited this text of our Saviour his own words Matth. 5. Luke 12. Be thou agreeable quickly to thy adversary, whilst thou art in the way with him, lest perhaps thy adversary give thee over to the judge, and the judge commit thee to the Minister, and be cast into prison. Clem. Alex. 3. storm. The other Heresy ensued hereon, to wit, that no consent or yielding to concupiscence, did endommage a believer, either in regard of the present estate of his justice, or future guerdon in Heaven Clem Alex. 4. Strom. With which Puritanical Basilides and Carpocras, Protestants do accord, in the second Heresy. For they teach with Luther & Caluin, (Luther in Ep. ad Gal Caluin. 2. Inst. Cap. 16. n. 18.) that no consent of will to inward Concupiscence depriveth a true believer of his now possessed grace of justification, attained by the sole act of faith remaining; or if it do, yet that such a loss is only but for a time to endure, in that, as assuredly as God reigneth in Heaven, before the moment of death, the self same justice is to return to the Soul. Whitaker lib. 1. & 2. de peocat-origin. So that in reckoning of Heavenly bliss, no wickedness of concupiscence by their verdicts is domageable. Seeing then S. Ignatius was a professed enemy of these Arch-heretics, how could he accord with Protestants, who consort with such damned miscreants, reproached, and reproved by his writings, & that not long before his Martyrdom, being then in his way the Roman Theatre, and extremely burning with desire to encounter with the beasts of that place, and become for Christ his sake refined Manchet in their mouths.  
The last point importeth, that it belongeth to Featlye to prove, that S. Ignatius held a contrary doctrine to S. Policarp, to S. justin the Martyr, and to such Doctors as flourished in the second hundred years, after Christ: which thing as it is impossible for him to perform; so is more manifest and reproachful his assertion, that S. Ignatius was a Protestant, or a Puritan.  
Assuredly S. Ignatius in all points was so perfect a Roman Catholic, that if now according to his profession in the Primitive Church, he should live, & practice in England, as being sent thither by S. Peter, our late Parlamentarians, in their tumultuous humours, so cruelly disposed against the Church of God, would instead of lions in Traian his Theatre in Rome, find out Butchers at Tyburn to cut him in pieces.  
Wherefore Reverend Fathers, I rejoice with you, that you have such Adversaries, who be the vowed enemies of Truth, who be, as speaketh S. Ignatius of some, rather Christempori quam Christiani. Ep. ad Trallens. that is, rather Christetymers, than Christians. Neither need I inform you about their manner of proceeding in the cause of Theology, or encourage you to continue in your Combat against them; in that your learning for the one, and your known zeal for the other, need no support from my writings or informations. Only this I have endighted to remove a scandal raised by Featlye, and in this quarrel to join with you. Hoping that as now we be Combatants against the enemies of Almighty God; so shall we one day in his presence, and Court enjoy him, and the fellowship of one another. In the mean season I remain most entirely affected to both your persons, and yours  
In Christ JESUS, ED. WESTON. From Bruges this present Feast of S. james the Apostle. 1624.  
FINIS.