Church where he addeth that this is cleare and out of all controuersie And p. 368. Christ said of his whole Church that the gates of hell c. Therfore the whole Church was founded on Peter The same he repeateth Conclus 1. p. 615. and Conclus 2. p. 625. and generally all Protestāts graunt the same For out of this place they proue that the Elect can not fall from God because Christ here sayd that Hell gates should not preuaile against his Church That is say they against his Elect. In like sort the said Reinolds Conf. p. 386. saith that these words My Sheepe Iohn 10 where it is sayd my sheepe heare my voice included all the Elect. Therfore Ioan. 21. the very same words include all the Elect beside Peter who is excepted because he is apointed to feede them vnles we will not vpon any different occasion ministred by scripture but vpon our own preconceited opinion expound the same word now one way now an other Finally the sayd Reinolds Conf. pag. 103. confesseth that by Thy Bethren Luc. 22. Christ ment all the faithfull Then surely he included all the Apostles Thirdly by authoritie of Fathers 6. Thirdly I proue that S. Peter was head of the whole Church by the authoritie of holy Fathers whome because Whitaker cōfesseth as yow heard before to teach most clearly that the Church i◠founded vpon Peter I wil omit their words and remit those that list read them to Bellarm. l. 1. de Pont. c. 10. Onely I will shew that they teach that the Church as it includeth the rest of the Apostles is founded vpon Peter onely Cyprian epist ad Iulian. Ecclesia quae vna est super vnum The Church which is one is founded vpon one who by the commaundemēt of our Lord receaued the key therof In which words we see that as the Church is sayd to be one onely so it is said to be founded vpon one onely And lib. 1. epist 8. Ecclesia vna Cathedra vna c. One Church and one Chaire was by our Lords word founded vpon Peter And Saint Hierom. in 2. Isaiae after he had said that the Apostles were Montes mountains addeth Super vnum montium Christus fundat Ecclesiam loquens ad eum Tu es Petrus c. Vpon one of the Montains Christ foundeth his Church and speaking to him thou art Peter c. S. Leo serm 2. de Anniuers saith Saint Peter was plus ceteris ordinatus c. ordained more than the rest whiles he is called a Rock a Foundation and apointed porter of the kingdome of heauen And for this cause the Fathers when they speak of Peter in respect of the rest of the Apostles they manifestly prefer him in authority before them ceteris praelatus discipulis Preferred before the rest of the disciples saith S. Basil homil de Iudicio Eccles And this is so euident as D. Reinolds Confer pag. 179. confesseth that the Fathers call Peter the mouth the Top the highest the President the head of the Apostles and. pag. 562. The Prince the Top the Cheefest of the Apostolick company the Teacher of the whole world and a Father of the houshould And graunteth also that some of these Titles touch gouernment and signifie a preheminence in gouernment Reinolds deuiseth an authoritie in S. Peter to auoid his supremacie Whervpon he is inforced pag. 180. to acknowledg that Saint Peter was superiour among the Apostles as a President of a Parliament in France or as a Consull among the Romans But who wel considereth shall easely perceaue that this is but an authoritie deuised of purpose to delude the words of the Fathers who speaking of Saint Peters authoritie ouer the Apostles vse the very words which we do to declare his supremacy And therfor if they be vnderstood by their own words and not as Reinolds pleaseth to expound them they vsing the same words as we do must be vnderstood as we are But because this question is some what beside my present purpose I will vrge it no farther Onely I would know of Reinolds how Peter did come by his Consulship ouer the Apostles which he graunteth to him Did the Apostles giue it him But where readeth he that Did Christ bestow it on him But where if not Math. 16. and Iohn 21. In which places if Christ gaue him any authoritie ouer the Apostles he gaue him as full power ouer them as ouer other Christians For ther is no limitation of his power towards some more than towards others but they are as well to be foūded on him as others are he was to feede them as wel as others Nether doth this his authoritie ouer the rest of the Church and the Apostles too preiudice the supreme authority of Christ ouer all any more than the lyke authority which the Protestāts graunt euery Apostle had ouer the rest of the Church Secōdly I would know of Reinolds why he doth not graunt this Consulship ouer the whole Church to the Pope or at least to some one Bishop or other but wil make euery Prince head of the Church in his Kingdome That S. Peters authority remaineth in some Bishop of the Church 7. Now that this authority of Saint Peter remaineth still in the Church and descended from him to some Bishop I proue because all the ends for which ether Christ declared or the Fathers affirme that Christ instituted this authoritie to remaine as well after his death as before The first was that the gates of hell should not preuaile against the Church Math. 16. Secondly that what is loosed in earth may be loosed in heauen ibi Thirdly that Peter might cōfirme his Brethren Luc. 22. Fourthly that he might feede Christs sheepe Io. 21. Fiftly that one being made head occasion of Schisme might be taken away Hierom. lib. 1. cont Iouinianum Sixtly that the origine of the vnitie of the Church might appeare Cyprian de simpl Praelat because as he saith lib. 1. epist 3. Priestly vnity rose from Peters chaire And epist ad Fulcian Our Lord began the origine of vnitie from Peter This cause alleadgeth also Leo. epi. 84. and Anast and Optat. l. 2. contra Parmen But all these ends remaine after Saint Peters death Therfore the authoritie also remaineth Besides S. Austin saith l. de Pastor c. 1. Christiani sumus propter nos Praepositi non nisi propter vos Therfore Saint Peter being made Cheefe of Gods Church for the good of it left his authoritie in the Church Whervpon S. Austin tract 50. in Ioannem saith that when Peter receaued the keyes Ecclesiam sanctam significauit he represented the holy Church because he receaued them as her Gouernour vnder Christ and for her good And therfore as long as she remaineth the authority which Saint Peter receaued for her good must remaine Aarons authoritie remained in his Successors Therfore Peters Secondly I proue it because God in the ould law instituted one high Priest who vnder him in
was before called of S. Hierome To this Bilson pag. 88. First saith that the text is corrupted and that it should be ipse and referred to Peters person But this is a mere surmise refelled in all the copies in Europe Secondly he saith that though it be ipsa and grammatically agree with the substantiue Petra which followeth yet it may be meant of Peters person But if Saint Austin had meant that Peter alone had bene the Rock and that his successors partaked nothing with him in that he would neuer haue byd vs number his successors too and then tell vs that that was the Rock Wherfore Reynolds Confer pag. 384. confesseth that Saint Austin applyed this text the gates of hell c. to the Church of Rome And Bilson himself as doubting of either of the former answers saith thirdly that Saint Austin said not that Peters Seat is the Rock of the Church but that hell gates preuaile not against it But to our purpose all is one that in Saint Austins iudgment Peters Seat that is Peters successors in Seat are either the Rock of the church Theodoret or so surely founded theron as the gates of hell shall not preuaile against thē 13. Thirdly Theodoret an ancient and Grecian Doctor writing to Renatus saith of the Roman See Tenet enim sancta Sedes gubernacula regendarum cuncti orbis Ecclesiarum That holy seat hath the gouernment of all the Churches of the world Which words are so plaine as Iuell Art 4. Diu. 21. findeth no better answer than iudging others by his owne humor to say That man naturally aduanceth his power at whose hands he seeketh help As if Theodoret were such a man as would giue an Antichristian title for so Protestants acount the gouernment of the Churches in the world or S. Leo accept it for flatery Finally the great Councel of Galcedon ep ad Leonem calleth Pope Leo their head and say that to him Concil Galcedon Vineae custodia a Domino commissa est The custodie of the Vinyard that is the Church was committed by our Lorde And thus I hope I haue sufficiently proued both by reuelation from heauen by the authoritie of the Church then aliue and since by the examples of Popes euer since S. Peters tyme bv confession of Protestants and finally by reason taken out of scripture that S. Greg. had lawful authoritie to send S. Austin Now let vs come to S. Austins orders CHAP. X. That S. Austin was rightly ordered to administer the Sacraments and preach the word of God 1. THat S. Augustin was created Priest at Rome is euident by his saying Masse preaching and Christening as soone as he came to Canterburie as is before rehearsed out of Beda lib. 1. cap. 26. And after he had conuerted King Ethelbert he came saith Beda cap. 27. to Arles where of Etherius Archbishop of that Citty he was consecrated Archbishop of the Nation of Englishmen according as S. Greg. the Pope had commanded And the King saith the same S. Beda cap. 26. gaue him place for his See in the Citty of Canterburie Here by the way I note that wheras S. Greg. lib. 7. epist 30. saith that S. Austin was created Bishop a Germaniarū Episcopis he doth not gain-say S. Beda who saith he was created by the Bishop of Arles because France was of the writers of that tyme called Germanie as appeareth by Venantius Fortunatus in Carmine de Nuptijs Sigeberti Brunechildae which might be partly because the French at that tyme and long after gouerned a great part of Germany partly also because the Francks who then ruled in France were Germans come out of Germanie But to our purpose That S. Austin vvas rightly ordered That S. Austin was rightly created Priest appeareth by that he was made by the authoritie of S. Gregory or his predecessors whome protestants account to haue bene true Bishops of Rome And Doct. Reinolds Confer pag. 362. acknowledgeth the Pope to haue yet Bishoply power ouer his owne Diocesse S. Austin therfore being a Roman and made by the Bishoply authoritie of the Pope was rightly made Priest And in lyke sort it may be proued that he was rightly consecrated a Bishop For he was made by the authoritie of the Pope with the consent of the King of England Secondly I proue that S. Austin was lawfully consecrated Bishop by the consent of the Christian world For S. Greg. commanded him to be made Bishop the French Bishops made him the English Christians receaued him and the East Church to whome S. Greg. wrote of the matter neuer disliked him and all the Christian world hitherto hath approued him Nether did the Britons though enemyes take any exceptions against his orders Thirdly because all protestants call S. Austin a Bishop and number him first in the Catalogue of the Archbishops of Canterburie And if their Bishops and Ministers will haue any orders at all they must confesse that S. Austins orders were good and sufficient For as Doct. Feild saith lib. 3. of the Church cap. 39. In England they which had bene Bishops in the former corrupt state of the Church so he termeth Catholick tymes did ordaine Bishops and Ministers And Sutclif answer to exceptions pag. 88. saith Couerdal and Scory who were Bishops in King Edwards tyme layd hands vpon Bishop Parker Bel in his Funerall professeth openly that he hath not departed from the substance of his Popish orders but onely from the ceremonies therof Besides euident it is that what Bishop or Priest so euer had bene made in King Henries tyme was neuer consecrate a new in King Edwards dayes Who had bene made in Queene Maries dayes was acounted to haue sufficient orders in Queene Elisabeths Reigne And yet what Priest apostateth from his faith is without more orders thought to haue orders ynough fore ministring the Sacraments and vvord of God or protestants haue no order at all And thus hauing shewed that S. Austin was the first Preacher of Christian fayth to our English Nation and that he had both sufficient learning and vertue to discharge such a function and withall lawfull commission and right orders to administer the Sacraments and preach the word of God now let vs see what kind of faith and religion it was which he preached and first what kind in generall and afterward what it was in particuler CHAP. XI That the Faith which Saint Austin preached to our English Ancestors was the vniuersall Faith of Christendome at that tyme. 1. THis I proue first by the testimony of those that liued in that tyme S. Austins vniuersal religion proued by S. Greg. among whome the cheefest and principal is S. Gregory him selfe who hauing bene long tyme the Popes Legat in Constantinople and after being Pope and receauing letters from all partes of Christendome could not be ignorant what was the vniuersal faith of East West and of all Christendome at that time He I say writing to S. Austin lib. 9. Epist 58. hath these
1366. He was saith Godwin Doctor of Law a verie frugal man and built the Colledg of Canterb. in Oxford which is now a part of Christchurch His Roman religion is vndoubted His Rom. Religion For as Godwin writeth the Pope bestowed the Archbishoprick vpon him And in his Epitaph S. Peter is professed Princeps Apostolorum The prince of the Apostles Simon Langhorn Archbishop LVI 25. THe 56. Archbishop was Simon Langhorn elect an 1366. and continewed but two yeares He was saith Godwin first a Monke then Prior lastly Abbot of Westminster Thence elected Bishop of London then of Ely and lastly of Canterburie Rom. religion of Archb. Langhorn How Roman a Catholick he was appeareth by Godwin who writeth that the Pope remoued him from Ely to Canterburie sent his Pal and lastly made him Cardinal and Legat into England as appeareth by his Epitaph In this Archbishops time Wicklef began to be angry saith Godwin with the Pope VVhy vviclef reuolted from the Cathol faith Archbishops and Monks because this Archbishop displaced him out of Canterb. Colledg And the better to wreak his anger vpon them went out of the Church and began his heresies VVilliam VVitlesley Archbishop LVII 26. THe 57. Archbishop was William Wittlesley Great learning of Archb. vvitlesley elected an 1368. and died an 1374. He was saith Godwin Doctor of Law and preached in Latin verie learnedly He was a Roman Catholick as the same Godwin declareth saying that he was aduanced by the Popes onely authoritie His Rom. Religion Simon Sulburie Archbishop LVIII Notable learning and qualities of Archb. Sudburie 27. THe 58. was Simon Suldburie elected an 1375. and died an 1381. He was saith Godwin a noble Prelat verie wise learned eloquent liberal merciful and preached in Latin very learnedlie Stow Chron. pag. 458. saith he was eloquent man and wise beyond all wise men of the Realme and fulfilled most worthie martirdom being slaine of the rebellious commons His Rom. Religion His Roman religion is notorious For as the said Godw. writeth he was houshould Chaplin to Pope Innocent and one of the Iudges of his Rota who bestowed vpon him the Archbishoprick and sent him his Bulls VVilliam Courtney Archb. LIX Noblenes and great learning of Archb. Courtney 28. IN the yeare 1381. succeded William Courtney and deceased an 1396. He was writeth Godwin sonne to hugh Courtney Earle of Deuonshire and was a great Lawyer His Rom. Religion As for his Roman religion ther can be no doubt For as Godwin saith the Pope bestowed the Archbishoprick vpon him sent him his Pal and as Walsingham writeth made him Cardinal And Eox Acts pag. 505 saith He set King Richard 2. Vpon the poore Christians of VVicklefs side condemned some made diuers abiure and do pennance Thomas Arundel Archbishop LX. 29. IN the year 1396. succeded Thomas Arundel Noblenes and vvorthines of Archb. Arundel and died 1413. He was saith Godwin sonne to Robert Earle of Arundel and VVarren was vndoubtedly saith he a worthy Prelat wise and very stout And Walsinghan who them liued Hist pag. 432. saith he was eminentissima turris Ecclesiae c. A most eminent Tower and inuincible Champion of the Church of England His Rom. Religion As for his Roman religion there can be no doubt therof For Godwin writeth that by the Popes prouision he was made Archb of Canterb and receaued his Pal. Fox Acts pag. 524. citeth his Constitution wherin he professeth S. Peters supremacie and pag. 507. saith He was a great enemy of English Wicklefian bookes and the Authors of them Bale Cent. 7. cap. 50. saith he imprisoned the Wiclefists and made them abiure their haeresie Henrie Chichley Archbishop LXI The learning and vvorthines of Archb. Chichley 30. THe 61. Archb was Henrie Chichley in the yeare 1414. and departed this wordl An. 1443. He was as Godwin writeth Doctor of lawe much employed in Embassages of the King wherin he euer behaued him self wisely and to the kings good liking He alwaies enioyed his Princes fauor was wise in gouerning his See laudably bountiful in bestowing his goods to the good of the common vvelth and lasly stout and seuere in administration of iustice In Hiham Feris he built a goodly Colledg and also an hospital and in Oxford two Colledges and called one Bernards Colledg an other Al soules His Rom. religion As for his Roman religion there can be no question of it For as the said Godwin writeth the Pope bestowed the Archb. vpon him sent him his Pal and made him Cardinal and his Legat in England And Bale Cent. 7. cap. 50. accounteth him a persecuter of Wicklefists And as is said in the Epitaph of his Tombe was made Bishop by the Popes owne hands Iohn Stafford Archbishop LXII 19. IN the yeare 1443. succeded Iohn Stafford and died Nobilitie and great learning of Archb. Stafford His Rom. Keligion 1452. He vvas saith Godwin in the Bishops of Bathe a man very noble and no les learned sonne vnto the Earle of Stafford and Doctor of Lavve As for his Roman religion that is manifest because as Godwin writeth he was made Archb. by the Popes absolute authoritie and before obtained of Pope Martin the Bishoprick of Bathe Iohn Kemp Archbishop LXIII 15. IN the yeare 1452. succeded Iohn Kemp and deceased An. 1453. He was saith Godwin Doctor of Lavve And his Roman religion is certain for as Godwin writeth The learning and religion of Archb. Kemp. The Pope bestowed the Archb. vpon him sent him his Pal and after made him Cardinal which also testifieth Bale Cent. 11. cap. 55. Thomas Bourchier Archbishop LXIIII. Nobilitie and learning of Archb. Bourchier 33. THe 64. Archb was Thomas Bourchier elect An. 1454 and deceased An. 1486. He was sonne to Henrie Bourchier Earle of Essex brought vp in Oxford of which Vniuersitie he was Chancelor Bale Cent. 11. cap. 75. saith he was a man honorable for his learning vertue and the blood of the Earles of Essex His Rom. religion His Romane Religion is manifest by Godwin Iohn Morton Archbishop LXV 34. THe 65. Archb was Iohn morton An 1487. and dyed An. 1500. He vvas saith Stow Chron. Eccellent learning and vertue of Archb. Morton pag. 789 of excellent vvit learning and vertue Godwin saith he was Doctor of lavv had manifould good partes great learning in the lavv vvisdom discretion and other vertues notable loyaltie and faithfulnes to his Prince Bale Cent. 11. cap. 85. Vir moribus c. A famous man in that age for vertue and learning seuere and a louer of iustice A man that in his time surpassed all the Prelats of England in vvisdome and grauitie As for his Roman religion that is manifest His Rom. religion For he was elected by the Monks confirmed redily by the Pope and made also Cardinal and procured Saint Anselm to be canonized Henrie Dean Archbishop LXVI 35. THe 66. Archb. was Henrie Dean An. 1501. and died
Luther was sent ordinarily by man some say that he was sent by his Magistrat and Prince the Elector of Saxonie 5 Sleid. Engl. lib. 1. fol. 10 saith the D. vvas at first displeased vvith Luther and fol. 22. the D. professeth not to montaine Luhers doctrin See fol 26 But this can not be First because Frederick then Elector at the first nether encouraged saith Fox pag. 771. nor supported Luther but often represented heauines and sorrow for his procedings Secondly because the Elector was a Romā Catholick when Luther begā a whil after How then cold he first send Luther to preach that doctrine which before Luther he nether beleued nor knew of Thirdly because power to preach is supernaturall and mere spirituall because it pertaineth to care of soules and their direction to a supernaturall end But the power of Magistrates is naturall ciuil and pertaineth to direction of men to their natural end as common to Heathen as to Christian Princes And who will say that Heathen can send men to preach and giue them care of soules Againe who can giue power to preach and administer the Sacraments may also himselfe preach and administer Sacraments for none can giue what he hath not himselfe But woemen may be Princes who yet can not preach Therfor Magistrats can giue no power to preach And this diuers learned Protest do grant For Bilson l. of obed approued by publik authority p. 296. plainly saith that their Bishops haue not their authority frō the Prince and that the Prince giueth then not Commission to preach but only liberty and permission Bilson And 303. The charge saith he which the Preachers and Bishops of England haue ouer their flock procedeth not from the Prince And p. 322. Princes haue no right to call or confirme preachers which he repeateth p. 323. And Fulke in 1. Cor. 14. Fulk The authority saith he of ciuil Magistrates doth giue Bihops nothing that is peculier to Ecclesiastical Ministers Finally howsoeuer soueraigne Princes cold send men to preach yet subiects as that Prince Elector was to the Emperor cold not against their soueraignes will send any And therefore Luther nether was nor cold be sent first to preach of Duke Frederik Luther not sent by anie Protestant Church 3. For this cause other say that Luther was sēt by his Church So Fulk in Ioan 10. But this is easily disproued by what hath bene shewed before cap. 1. by the Protestants confession of the nullity or at least inuisibility of their Church befor Luthers preaching For howsoeuer he might be confirmed of a Church which himselfe founded Ther must be a Protestant preacher befor ther be a Protest Church and no Church can send her first preacher yet cold he not be first sent to preach of a Church which before he preached was not at all or at least was not visible Wherfore I demand whē the people sent Luther to preach Protestancy whiles they were Rom. Catholick But that can not be for no man will send one to preach opposit doctrine to his Or after that Luther by his preaching had made them Protestants But then had he preached before he could be sent of them and they could not be his first senders 4. Others finding no Protestant people or persō who could send Luther to preach Protestancy before he preached it are faine to flie to their vtter enemies to wit the Roman Church and say that she first sent Luther So D. VVhitak cont Dur. pag. 820. Sutclif Answere to Except pag. 88. Feild l. 3. of the Church c. 6. 39. Fulk in Rome 10. and English Potestants commonly thought some of them be ashamed to affirme it in plaine termes Luther not sent of the Rom. Church Their only reason is because no other can be found to send Luther But if they meane of sending to preach Protestancie it is most false and incredible False because both P. Leo 10 and Emper. Charles 5. then spirituall temporall heads of the Rom. Catholicks forbad Luther to preach Protestancy and the one condemned him as an heretik for so doing the other outlaueth him And incredible it is that the Rome Church shold send a man to preach a religion so opposit to hers as Protestācy is this were for her to set one to cut her own threate And if they meane of sending to preach Papistrie that auaileth them nothing For I hope they wil not say that authority or Commission to preach one religiō is authority to preach the contrary or that the Roman Church when she gaue Luther authority to preach Papistry ment to giue him authority to preach Protestancy any more than Protest Bishops when they giue their Minister authority to preach Protestancy meane to giue thē authority to preach Brownisme or Anabaptisme Besids that the purer sort as our Ministers teach that Popish Priests haue no calling as you may see in Penry against some pag. 31. And in truth al Protestāts shold teach so if they would speak cōsequētly to their own doctrine VVhat Church can send men to preach Gods vvore is Gods Church For if she haue authority power to send men to preach the word of God then is she the Church of God for sure it is that God gaue this authority to no other cōpany but to his own Church only And Protest in going out of this Church impugning her wēt out of Gods Church impugne her Moreouer if the Ro. Church gaue Luther his authority to preach she also could take it away For as willet saith wel Synopsis p. 203. authority of preaching in Ministers may be restrained or suspēded by Church gouerners we see the practise herof towards the silēced Ministers By what authority then preached Luther after he was fordidden by the Rom Church Finally if Luther had his authority to preach frō the Rom. VVhat confusion vvill fall vpon Protest if they saie their first preachers vvere sent by the Rom. Church Church which in the opiniō of Protestāts is the whoare of Babilō the Church of Antich the Sinagog of Sathā Luther his Ministers must needs be miniōs of the Babiloniā whore officers of Antich Ministers of Sathan in their preaching execute the function which he whore Antichrist Sathan bestowed vpon them 5. Herupō others vtterly despairing to find out any cōpany or person to whome they might hansomly attribute the sendind of Luther fly to extraordinary sending by God alone saying that Luther their first preachers were sent only of God thervpon call thē Apostles or Euangelists So Cal. 4. instit c. 3. § 4. the sinod at Rochel An. 1607. art 32. others yea the Declaratiō of disciplin printed at Geneua 1580. pag. 139. saith plainly that in our dayes there was no place of ordinary calling therfore the Lord extraordinarily stirred vp as it were certain new Apostles to lightē the world again with the light of the Gospel Luther not sent extraordinarily
But to conclude this matter with Luther words He 1. Galat. fol. 11. saith Luther Let the Preacher of the Gospel be sure that his calling is from God and he calleth phantasticall spirits who intrude them selues He that preacheth vnsent cometh to kil And fol 12. It is not saith he ynough to haue the word and pure doctrine but also he must be assured of his calling and he that entreth without this assurance entreth to no other end but to kill and destroie People need be assured of Preachers sending Ibid. the people haue great need to be assured of our calling that they maie know our word to be the word of God And in the same chapter Ther are manie saith Luther who complaine that they haue the talent of the Lord and therfore are vrged by commandment of the Gospel to teach otherwise with a most foolish conscience they beleue that they hide the Lords money and are guiltie of damnation The diuel saith he doth this that he may make them instable in their vocation O good brother let Christ quitt the of this The Gospel saith he gaue his goods to seruants called Notē Expect his calling in the meā time be secure yea if thou wert wiser than Salomon or Daniel yet if thou beest not called flie more thā hell to preach If God need the he will call the. And againe The diuel vseth to stir vp his Ministers that they run vncalled and pretend this most burning zeal that they are sorie that men are so miserably seduced that they wold teach the truth and deliuer the seduced from the snares of the diuel Thus Luther and likwise Beza epist 5. and others which I wold they had followed in their first preaching Protestancie Aptnes to preach far short of authoritie to preach 14. As for Caluins reason before cited I saie that abilitie to preach cometh far more short of that spirituall and supernaturall power to preach and administer sacraments which Gods Pastor hath than abilitie to gouerne mens bodies goods in a kingdom cometh short of temporall power to gouerne such matters And therfore if none how able soeuer he be or think him self may take vpon him to be an officer in the common wealth vnles he be apointed much les may one take vpō him to be a Pastor in the Church and gouerne soules vnles he haue authoritie therto giuen which the Declarer of the disciplin noted p. 32. When he said How fit soeuer a mā semeth to be for anie charge yet nothing is to be taken in hand without the authoritie of God who will vse in his affaires whom him pleaseth VVhy the Ieues did ill to ask Christ for his commission As for the example of the Iews brought by Bilson I graunt they did ill in asking Christ and S. Ihon for their commission because their preaching was both plainly fortold before by God and then confirmed by the daily miracles of Christ others wrought for authorizing of Saint Ihon both in his conception and Natiuitie If Luther were Christ or Caluin S. Ihon and their preaching as plainly fortold by God and confirmed by present miracles we shold do like to Iews in asking them for their Commission But seing they produce nether extraordinarie holines nor miracles VVhy vve do vvell to aske Luther for his nor prophetie not anie thing els to testifie their sēding we shold shew great lightnes of hart yea madnes to beleue them to be Gods messengers without all Commissiō The similitudes which Bilson bringeth make nothing against as may be returned against him self For vs any man or woman too when the house is on fire or the cittie in danger Gteat difference betuen-teahhing of priuat men and ptoaching as Pastors may crie fire alarme if officers do not perceaue the danger So we saie that when a man or womā also perceaueth heresie to be taught which the Pastor doth not he or she ether may giue notice or warning therof But yet as not withstanding this none can in what danger soeuer take vpon him to be Captaine and command others of authoritie but he onely who hath such authoritie giuen him So none in what danger of heresie soeuer can take vpon him to be a Pastor and guider of soules preaching tanquam authoritatem habens but onely he who is lawfully called therto But Bilsons error is in that he distinguisheth not betwene the aduertising or teaching of priuat mē and the preaching of Pastors which is an act of spirituall function and authoritie and therfore must suppose that authoritie From the same procedeth his bringing of the example of Frumentius and Aedesius who as priuat men yea as woemen maie in case of necessitie when no others is to be had being captiues amongst infideles taught them the Christian faith Socrat. lib. 1. c. 19. Raffin lib. 1. cap 9. Theodoret. lib. 1. c. 23. But nether of them tooke vpon him to be Pastor to the Infidels or as such to administer to them the word and Sacraments Theodoret. lib. 1. c. 24. before Frumentius came to S. Athanasius was by him made Bishop and lawfully sent And by as good example might Bilson haue proued that women may preach euen without sending because a woman being in like sorte captiue among infidels taught them the Christian faith and was cause of their conuersion 15. And thus thou seest Gentle Reader euidently proued both by manifest proofs and open confession of Protestants VVhat the Protestāte and their doctrin be if Luther vvere not sent to preach that Luther preached Protestancie without sending and so without all authoritie and consequently that the Protestants Church is a companie without a Pastor their doctrine a message without an Embassador and their Bishops and Ministers without prelacie or pastorall authoritie but such as S. Cipriā describeth l. de vnit Eccles vvho amongst stragling companions of them selues take authoritie vvithout Gods giuing make them selues prelats vvithout anie orderlie course and no bodie giuing them a Bishoprick chaleng the name of Bishops English Ministers condemn◠the calling of the English Clergie And not Catholiks onely thus think but euen the purer sorte of our English Clergie For the dangerous Positioner lib. 3. cap 6. telleth how it was concluded by them in a Synod at Couentrie An. 1588. That the calling of Bishops is vnlavvfull That it is not lawfull by them to be ordeined into the Ministerie That Bishops are not to be acknowledged for Doctors Elders or Deacons as hauing no ordinarie calling And cap. 14. he recounteth how some Ministers renounce the calling which they had of Bishops and account ther orders onely a ciuil thing necessarie for them to keep the ministerie And c. 16. that the English Prelats haue no authoritie to make Ministers And thus much of Luthers want of Mission Now let vs see his orders CHAP. XI That Luther was neuer ordered to preach the Protestants word or administer their sacraments 1.
AS in the former chapter I did not denie that Luther was once sent to preach the Catholik word or doctrin So Nether in this do I denie that he was rightly ordered to preach the same word to saie Masse and to administer the Catholik sacraments But as he brought a new word so he brought also a new sacrament consisting both of Christs bodie bread also for preaching and administration of which new word and sacrament I saie he was neuer ordered And that his Catholik preisthood could be no sufficient Ministerie of the Protestant word and sacraments is manifest manie waies First by reasō Luthers preishood could be no Protestant order For preisthood cheefly cōsisteth in authoritie to offer sacrifice for the quick and the dead as is euident by these words wherwith men are made Priests Take power to offer sacrifice to God and to saie Masse for the quick and the dead And Caluin 4. instit c 5. para 5 saith we order none but to sacrifice D. Sutlif in his Chaleng pap 34. and in his answer to the Cath. Supplicat sec 19. writeth that our priesthood is apointed onely to offer sacrifice for the quick the dead The like saith the Declar. of disciplin p. 20. and it is manifest But the Protestāt Ministerie detesteth all authoritie of saying Masse of offering sacrifice praying for the dead order to sacrifice saith the said Declarer l. cit is to abolish the sacrifice of Christ ib. hāds are laid vpō preists to an end most contrarie to the Gospel How then can preisthood become protestātish Ministerie vnles one contrarie become the other or as the said declarer saith wel how cā one the same ordering serue to giue one man at the same time offices so diuers and contrarie one to the other 2. Reinolds Secondly I proue it by the iudgment of Protestants For D. Reinolds in his epist befor his Confer calleth our priesthood impious D. Whitaker cont Dur. p. 821. biddeth vs keep our orders to our selues VVhitaker And pag. 653. vve iudge saith he no othervvise of your priests than of Christs aduersaries and enemies of his priesthood And pag. 662. you haue nether lavvfull Bishops nor priests nor Deacons Powel in his Considerations vpon Catholiks reasons Povvel The popish ordination saith he is nothing els but a mere prophanation D. Fulk Answ to a Counterf Catholik pag. 50. you are highly deceaued if you think we esteme your offices of Bishops Fulke Priests or Deacons anie better than laie men and you presume too much to think that we receaue your ordering to be lawfull Penrie Penrie against Some p. 8. Of this I am assured that Popish Priests are no Ministers Declarer The forsaid Declarer p. 20. saith Priests oile and power of sacrificing is no sufficient warrant for them to be Ministers it is a prophane oile and can giue no men authoritie to dispose of the Misteries of God Shameles boldnes for Luther to plaie the Minister vvithout nevv orders Some Sutlif which he proueth their at longe and calleth it a shameles boldnes of Popish Priests to take in hand to be Ministers of the Gospel without anie new calling or apointing thervnto and termeth their orders horrible orders D. Some also as Penrie saith p. 20. calleth Popish preisthood sacriledg D. Sutlif Answ to Exceptions p. 82. The Pope is nether true Bishop nor priest for he was ordeined preist but to offer sacrifice and to saie Masse for the quick and the dead But this ordination doth not saith he make a Priest nor had true priests and elders euer any such ordination And p 87. The Romish Church is not the true Church hauing no Bishop nor Priests at all but onely in name Diuines of Geneua The like he hath in his Chaleng p. 33. seq Finally the Diuines of Geneua in the Proposions pag. 245. conclude that in the Romish Church there is no holy order or Ministrie indeed no lawfull calling but a mere vsurpation Thus thou seest by the iudgment of learned Protestants that Luthers priesthood was so far from right orders and lawfull Ministerie as it was impious opposit to Christ priesthood a mere prophanation nothing better than lay men haue maketh no Minister horrible secrilegious Luther ether a laie prophan impious sacrilegious and horrible Minister or no Ministers at all and what not And he hauing no other orders as is certaine what an impious enemy to Christ prophane lay horrible and sacrilegious Minister must he haue bene if he were any 3. Thirdly I proue it by practise of Protestants that Popish preisthood is no Ministrie For at Geneua when two Bishops of Niuiers and Troie fled thither Lanoyrapliqua Christius 2. Ch. 17. and tooke vpon them the Ministry with out all more ordering the Consistory vpon mature deliberation therupon concluded that they could not do so And in England euerie one knoweth that it is made treasō to receaue popish preisthood and aboue one hundred haue bene executed therfor which they wold neuer do if they thought it to be Protestātish Ministerie what a disorderly religion then must that be which was begun by a man who was neuer ordered to preach it or admininister the sacramēts or seruice therof But what he did therin did only by vertue of impious prophane Lib. de missa angulari horrible sacrilegious and treasonable orders with which before he had said as himselfe confesseth Masse 15. years togeather And what orders hath our Protestant English Clergie Note wherof the greater number as euery one knoweth and both the Answere to an Examination printed at Geneua pag. 33. and others in Dange Posit lib. 2. cap. 13. confesse in the beginning of Queene Elizab. time were Popish Priests neuer ordered to saie the Cōmunion but the Masse quite opposit therto And albeit some of thē were ordered to say Protest seruice yet they were made of such Bishops as ether were Popish Priests themselues as Couendale and Skorey were or had byn made of such Bishops And so all their orders were ether Popish or come originally from Popish Priests See Suruey cap. 16. who not being able to giue other orders than they receaued them selues did ether giue Popish orders or none at all And our English ether haue them or none Wherfore sith English Ministers orders came from Parker who was first Archb. of Canterbury vnder Queene Elizabeth and that he was made Bishop as Sutlif faith Answ to Except pag. 88. of Couendall Skorey who receaued their orders of Cranmer English Ministers haue onely such orders as they account sacrilegious or no orders at all he his of P. Clement 7. I wold know what orders and what authority to giue orders the Pope gaue to Crāmer Surely no othere did the Pope giue or meane to giue then Popish and if Cranmer receaued no other he could giue no other to Couendall and Skorey nor they any other to Parker nor he
and others And about the same tyme also he sent S. Patrick to Irland as testifie Marianus in Chron. Cambd. in Hibernia Bale cent 1. cap. 49. where he saith that Saint Patrick preached sinceram Christi religionem And thus yow see how before S. Gregory Ancient Britons Scotts Picts and Irish receaued preachers frō Rome Popes sent preachers hither to all the ancient inhabitants of these two Ilands and that they receaued his Legats which Legats also for the most part were Britons Which declareth plainly what opinion those ancient Nations had of the Popes authoritie to send preachers hither 5. In like sorte after S. Gregories tyme the Pope sent preachers both hither and into other Contries For about the yeare 635. Pope Honorius sent hither Saint Birin P. Honorius who conuerted the West Contrie as Beda saith lib. 3. cap. 7. Godwin in vita Birini Bale cent 13. cap. 4. And cap. 5. he addeth that he sent also Saint Felix who conuerted the East-Angles In the yeare 668. P. Vitalian Pope Vitalian sent hither S. Theodore and Saint Adrian as writeth S. Beda lib. 4. cap. 1. Godwin in Theodor. Bale cent 13. cap. 6. and others About the yeare 690. Pope Sergius 1. P. Sergius sent S. Willebrord and other English Mōks to preach to the Frisons and Saxons as testifieth Marcellin in Sur. tom 2. Beda lib. 5. cap. 11. 12. Bale cent 1. pag. 78. cit About the yeare 719. Pope Gregory 2. sent Saint Boniface an English man called the Apostle of Germany P. Gregory .2 thither to preach as testifie Bale cent 1. pag. 79. and all German writers About the yeare 870. Pope Adrian 2. P. Adriā 2. sent Saint Cyrill and Methodius to preach to the Morauians and Slauonians Baron Martyrol 9. Martij Sigebert in Chron. About the yeare 970. Pope Iohn 14. inuited saith Bale cent 2. P. Iohn 14. cap. 30. the Kingdom of Polonie to Papisme and sent thither Cardinall Giles About the yeare 989. Pope Iohn 15. P. Iohn 15. sent S. Adilbert to preach to the Hungarians Bohemians About the yeare 1000. Saint Boniface was sent by the Pope to the Russians About the yeare 1145. Pope Eugen 3. sent Adrian an English man and afterward Pope P. Eugen. into Norway as Bale saith cent 2. pag. 178. About the yeare 1252. Pope Innocent 4. P. Innocent 4. sent the Franciscans and Dominicans vnto the King of Tartarie whome they conuerted and christened as writeth Bale cent 4. cap. 17. About the yeare 1494. Pope Alexander 6. sent Bucill and 11. P. Alexander 6. Monkes more into the West-Indies then newly discouered by the Spaniards And at the same tyme were Franciscans sent by the Pope into the East-Indies and since that Dominicans Iesuits and other religious men haue bene sent into diuers barbarous Prouinces of both Indies Africk and Brasile And in almost all these missions haue those which were sent by the Pope conuerted those Nations to whome they where sent God cooperating with them and confirming their words with miracles following are therfor termed the Apostles of those Contries And if this so long continuance of the Popes sending Preachers into all parts of the world and Gods meruailous and miraculous concurse with them by the conuersion of the Nations to which they were sent be not ynough to prooue that S. Gregory had sufficient authoritie to send Saint Austin hither I know not what authoritie can be sufficient CHAP. IX That Saint Austin was lawfully sent hither to preach S. Austins mission prooued by reason prooued by reason BY reason I will prooue it First Out of vvhat protest grant Bilson out of that which Protestants haue granted For It is well knowne saith B. Bilson de Obedien part 1. pag. 60. that the Pope was not onely Patriarch of the VVest parts but of the foure Patriarches which were the cheefe Bishops in Christendom in order and accompted the first And pag. 318. Patriarch of the VVest we grant he was The same in other termes confesfeth Iuell art 9. diuis 26. where he saith Iuell The Pope had in his prouince one great parte of Christendome Reinolds And Reynolds Confer pag. 541. where he calleth his diocese a Princely diocese and insinuateth it to contayne all the West Church the Popes Patriarchat lavvfull For the East he diuideth among the three other Patriarchs Likwise the graunt that he vsurped not his Patriarchat But saith Bilson pag. 60. cit it was giuen him by consent of men and pag. 319. it came by custom as the Councell of Nice witnesseth D. Doue of Recusancy p. 80. VVhat authoritie the Pope hath had ouer the Latin Church hath bene giuen him by human constitutions and generall consent of Princes and States Caluin lib. 4 Institut cap. 7. § 1 Decreto Nicenae Synodi primus inter Patriarchas locus tribuitur Romano Episcopo Finally they grant that the Popes Patriarchat ouer the West is not new Popes Patriarchat ancient but begun euen in the tyme of the primitiue Church For Feild lib. 3. of the Church cap. 1. saith In the tyme of the Nicen Councell and before as appeareth by the Acts of the Councell there was three principall Bishops or Patriarchs of the Christian world namely the Bishop of Rome of Alexandria of Antioch Thus breefly yow see the Popes Patriarchat ouer the West granted to be most ancient and lawfull Hence I argue thus A Patriarch hath authority to send preachers to all partes of his Patriarchie Ergo the Pope had authority to send preachers to England England euer vnder the Popes Patriarchat which is a parte of the West The Antecedent none can deny The Cōsequent notwithstanding Bilson lib. cit pag. 320. doth strangly deny But no maruell if strange and vnheard of shifts be found to maintaine falfe doctrine For saith he Pope Innocent 1. epist 91. inter epist Aug. confesseth he had no authoritie to call one poore Briton out of this Realme And the Britons would yeeld no subiection to Austin the Romish Legat. Therfor England was not within the compas of the Popes Patriarchat 2. But the first of these proofes is a manifest vntruth and the second a meere folly For vntrue is it that Saint Innocent confessed he had not authoritie to call one out of Britany For the Briton of whome he spake was Pelagius the heretick who at that tyme was not in Britany but in Palestine as testifyeth Saint Austin epist 32. writen the same yeare which was an 416. Nether had Pelagius bene in Britany long tyme before that For as Baron sheweth an 405. out of Saint Chrysostom and Isiodor Pelusiot He was brought vp in the East and after that liued as Saint Austin saith epist 95. longe tyme in Rome where being discouered he fled as Baron telleth an 412. into Sicilie and thence into Palestine where being by his hypocrisy and fraud absolued from heresie and finding fauor at the Bishop of
Hierusalem but contrariwise condemned by Pope Innocent and Zozimus he stayed and for any thing I finde ther dyed For if him self had brought his heresy into Britany Beda lib. 1. cap. 17. Would neuer haue ascribed the bringing of it to one Agricola long after And therfor I doubt of that which Bale cent 1. cap. 38. citeth out of Walden that Pelagius was à suis Britannis pulsus in exilium ob heresim vnles by driuing into banishment he ment keeping out of the Contrey as perhaps Pelagius was Besides Innocent saith not that he had not authoritie to call Pelagius wheresoeuer he were yea he insinuateth the cōtrary but that Pelagius if he were obstinat would not come at his call and that others that dwelt nerer to him myght do it more conueniently than he who dwelt so far of as Rome is from Palestine His words are these Qui Pelagius si confidit c. VVhich Pelagius if he trust and knowe that he deserueth not to be condemned of vs because he reiectets that which he taught he should not be sent for of vs but he himselfe should make haste that he may be absolued For if he think yet as he did when will he present himselfe to our iudgement vpon any letters whatsoeuer knowing that he shal be condemned And if he were to be sent for that might be better done of them who are nerer than so far of as we are But there shall want no care of him if he will be cured 3. Bilsons proofe out of the Britons deniall of subiection hath no more color or reason than a few rebells deniall of subiection hath to prooue a Prince to haue no authoritie ouer a parte of his Kingdome Cathol Britons euer tooke the Pope to be their superior For their Catholick Ancestors did euer acknowledg themselues vnder the Pope his iurisdiction as appeareth both by that which hath bene said before as also because the Archbishops of the Britons not long before Saint Austins comming were the Popes Legats as writeth Galfrid a man of good account among Protestants lib. 9. cap. 12. Dubritius saith he Primat of Britannie and Legat of the See Apostolick was famous with such great pietie And had Palls from Rome as is euident in the life of Saint Sampson Nether did the heretick Britons refuse to be subiect to Saint Austin because they thought Saint Gregorie to haue no authoritie to apoint an Archbishop ouer them for vndoubtedly they would haue alleadged this as a reason of their refusal if they had so thought it but onely because as Saint Beda reporteth lib 2. c. 2. VVhy the Britons refused to be vnder S. Austin they sayd with them selues If he would not so much as arise to vs If wee should subiect our selues to him he would despise vs. If he had risen to them they were determined to subiect them selues to him as Beda there saith which they neuer would haue done if they had doubted his authority insufficient Secondly I prooue it by reason grounded in scripture Secōd reason in proofe of S. Austins mission The authority which Christ left in his Church to preach to all Nations he gaue to euery Apostle as appeareth by his words Matth. 28. Docete omnes gentes Teach all Nations And Protestants who teach euery Apostle to haue bene head of the rest of the Church besids them selues do not deny Therfore this authority must remaine in some successor of one or other of those Apostles and must not be onely in the whole Church because it must descend to some such as Christ gaue it vnto Authoritie to send preachers to all nations must remaine in some one Bishop Besides if authority to send to all Nations were not in some one Bishop or other but in the whole Church onely when soeuer there were Preachers to be sent to Infidells ther ought to be a generall Councell called which were both absurd and was neuer practised in Gods Church But authority to preach or send preachers to England was more likly to be in Saint Gregory than any other Bishop For touching the Patriarchs or Bishops of the East it is a thing vnheard of that any of them should haue iurisdiction ouer England And as for the Bishops of France certain it is they neuer had any authority ouer England And the same I may say of Scotland Ireland Flanders Spaine and all other Contries The doubt onely may be of Britons because they once had authority ouer the Contry No Bishop could sēd preachers to Englād but the Pope which the English possessed But that could yeald them no spirituall authority ouer the English in Saint Austins tyme because nether was the English euer subiect to the Britons nor was ther in Saint Austins tyme any British Bishop aliue who had had any diocese within England Therfore they could at that tyme clayme no more authority to send Preachers into England than the Bishops of Wales can now Wherfore if this authority was then in any Bishop as needes it must be it was in the Bishop of Rome who euer since the primitiue tyme of the Church hath vsed to send preachers hither as is before shewed And if any require the Princes approbation for the lawfullnes of a Preachers mission this also S. Austin had as is euident by S. Beda l. 1. Protestāts confesse the Pope to haue bene the cheef B. of Christendom D. vvhitak c. 25. Besides Protestants confesse the Pope to haue bene alwaies the cheefe Patriarch Bishop of Christēdom Saith D. Whitaker lib. 6. cont Dur. p. 464. I will not deny that the Bishop of Rome was Primat of all Bishops And p. 148. Rome the Seat of the first Patriarch The See of Rome saith Caluin l. 4. c. 7. § 26. Caluin was in tymes past the cheefe of all Iuell art 4. diu 16. Iuel Of the Patriarches the Pope had the first place both in Councell and out of Councell And. 26. Of the Patriarchs the Bishop of Rome was euer the first And .32 Victor sayth that Rome is the cheefe or head ouer all others which of our parte for that tyme is not denyed Bishop Bilson pag. 60. Bilson saith it is well knowne that the Pope was the cheefe of the Patriarchs D. Reinolds Confer pag. 568. Among all the Apostolick Churches Reinolds the Roman for honor and credit had the chiefty And 554. Chrysostome and Basile gaue the Pope a supreheminence of authority pag. 368. Cyprian giueth a speciall title of honor and preheminence to the Church of Rome The Fathers apply the name of the Rock to the Bishop of Rome Finally Fox in his Acts pag. 18. saith that in Lyrinensis Pascasin Iustinian Athanasius Hierome Ambrose Austin Theodoret and Chrysost S. Peter with his successors is called Head of the Church Cheefe of Bishops Prince of the Apostles And the like confesse all other Protestants Therfor if authority of sending preachers remaine in any Bishop it is most lykly
spirituall matters should be head of the Sinagogue as in plaine termes confesse Caluin lib. 4. Instit c. 6. § 2. Whitaker cont Dur. p. 151. Reinolds Conferen pag. 204. 205. And his authoritie descended to his successors so long as the Synagogue continued Wherfore wel said the Archbishop of Canterbury Suruey cap. 8. VVe must not dreame that when the Apostles S. Peter died the authoritie which was giuen to them ceased no more than we may that the authority of Aaron and his naturall sonnes expired and ended with them But the gouernment of the Synagogue was but a figure of the gouernment of the Church For as Saint Paul saith Omnia in figura contingebant illis Therfore c. Who will see more of this matter may read Stapleton contr 3. q. 2. That the Pope is Successor to S. Peter 8. Onely this remaineth that wee proue that the Bishop of Rome consequently Saint Gregory was successor to Saint Peter in this authority Which I proue First because no other Bishop euer claimed it For albeit the Patriarch of Constantinople in Saint Gregoryes tyme claimed to be vniuersall Patriarch that is as Saint Gregory vnderstood him to be the onely proper and formall Bishop as shall be more declared hereafter yet he acknowledged him self vnder the Pope as Saint Gregory him self withall witnesseth in these wordes lib. 7. epist 63. De Constant sede quis dubitet eam Sedi Apostolicae esse subiectam c. VVho doubted but the See of Constāt is subiect to the See Apostolick of Rome which both the most religious Lord the Emperor and our Eusebius religious brother Bishop of the same Citty do dayly professe Where by the way I note that Eusebius is not the name of the Patriarch of Constantinople at that tyme but a sirname giuen vnto him for his great externall acts of religion who also was for his abstinence named Ieiunator that is Faster Secondly because the Bishops of Rome haue alwayes challenged and often practised the same authority The Church of Rome saith Fox Act. lib. 1. pag. 1. in all these ages aboue specified from the Apostles that challanged to it selfe the title and ringleading of the whole Vniuersall Church on earth by whose direction all other Churches haue bene gouerned And pag. 18. VVhat so euer was done in other places commonly the maner was to write to the Roman Bishop for his approbation The testimony of the Roman Bishop was sometymes wont to be desired in those dayes of Pope Iulius for admitting Bishops in other Churches wherof we haue examples in Socrates lib. 4. c. 37. VVhen Bishops of any other Prouinces were at any dissention they appealled to the Bishop of Rome Doct. Reinolds Confer pag. 457. Popes of the second 300. yeares after Christ claimed some soueraignty ouer Bishops pag. 383. Zozimus Boniface Celestin did vsurp saith he ouer the Churches of Africk whiles Austin was aliue pag. 544. They would haue Bishops and elders appealle to Rome And. pag. 550. Popes namly Innocent Leo Gelas Vigil Greg. taught that the Fathers by the sentence of God decreed that whatsoeuer was done in Prouinces far of should not be concluded before it came to the notice of the See of Rome And this they say all Churches tooke their beginning from the Roman that all Bishops had their honor from Peter And yet him selfe saith pag. 545. that Pope Innocent was learned and Catholick And pag. 540. That S. Austin alleadgeth his authority against hereticks And that in those times Popes were learned and Catholicks pag. 552. 554. 555. and sued vnto by S. Basil S. Chrisostom and S. Augustin and the African Bishops sought vnto them for their aduise and counsell for their authoritie and credit Of such acount were those Popes that claymed the supremacie euen amongst the cheefe Doctors of the Church Doct. Whitak lib. 7. cont Dur. pag. 480. saith that Pope Victor practised authoritie ouer externe Churches who was not long after S. Peter and by the iudgment of Protestants a godly martyr Wicklif in Fox pag. 445. confesseth the Bishop of Rome to be Christs Vicar on earth And Luther for some yeares after he began Protestancy confessed the same as yow may see lib. de Captiu Babyl in initio and in Fox pag. 774. Edit 1596. 9. Thirdly I prooue it Third reason that the Pope succeded Peter in his authority because the Pope is successor to Saint Peter in his Bishoprick therfore he is more like to haue his authority than any other That the ancient Fathers say that Saint Peter was Bishop of Rome Protestants nether do nor can deny And therfore I will for breuity omitt their testimonies and content my self with these mens confessions The learned and ancient Fathers saith Bilson lib. of Obedience pag. 143. call the Bishops of Rome Peters successors pag. 380. Saint Peter founder of Saint Leo his Church The Fathers say writeth Reinolds pag. 218. 219 Peter was Bishop of Rome and he nameth Hierom Euseb Irenaeus Bishop Cooper in Chron. Linus first Bishop of Rome after Peter But saith Reinol they meant improperly And why so Because saith he Peter being Apostle could not be Bishop of one Cyttie VVhē the Fathers call Peter Bishop of Rome they meane properly Secōdly because Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 3. nameth Linus first Bishop of Rome and Eusebius in Chron. calleth Euodius first Bishop of Antioch which could not be if Peter had bene a proper Bishop But against these cauils I oppose the propriety of the word Bishop which no Father or ancient writer hath signified that he vsed improperly when he called S. Peter Bishop And all words especially in histories are to be taken properly when the Authors declare not the contrary els we should neuer be sure how we should vnderstād the writer Secōdly they say that S. Peter was first B. of Rome Negare non potes saith Optatus l. 2. writing against hereticks Thou canst not deny that thou knowest that to Peter first was an Episcopal Chaire set in Rome in which first sate Peter to whome succeded Linus Loe how certain was it thē that the very hereticks could not deny but they knew it to be so Wherfor I ask when the Fathers sayd Peter was first Bishop how they vsed the word Bishop If improperly then they meant so of Linus If properly thē we haue our purpose Thirdly in reckoning of the Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome they alwaies name Peter first Iren l. 3. c. 3. Euseb Chron. Epiph. haer 27. Hier. in Clemente Optatus l. 2. Aug. ep 165. But what should he do in the Catalogue of proper Bishops if he were none him self Besides they reckon him first Bishop of Rome as they reckon Mark first B. of Alexandria but Mark was a proper Bishop Fourthly they call the See of Rome the seat or chaire of Peter S. Cyprian lib. 1. Epist 3. lib. 4. epist 2. S. Hierom in Pet. ep ad Damasum Aug. lib. 2. cont Petil cap. 51. Sozom. lib. 1. c. 14.
better shift than impudently to say that either Greg. vvrote not so or he vvrote an vntruth to cheere vp his subiects Caluin lib. 4. cap. 7. § 12. saith that There is no vvord in all Greg. vvritings vvherein he more proudly boasteth of the largenes of his Primacie than this Furthermore S. Greg. lib. 7. epist 69. VVithout the authoritie and consent of the See Apostolick vvhat so euer is done in Councells hath no force And contrariwise lib. 7. epist 115. That reuerence is caried of the faithfull tovvarde the See Apostolick that vvhat is apointed by her decree shall not after be disturbed And the Archbishop of Rauema writing to him lib. 10. epist 36. saith The See of Rome sendeth her lavves to the Vniuersal Church And him selfe lib. 12. cap. vlt. The See of Rome doth looke ouer the vvhole vvorld and sendeth nevve constitutions vnto all And lib. 11. epist 56. writeth that the cause of a Bishop who had no Patriarch or Metrapolitan ouer him vvas to be iudged immediatly of the See Apostolick vvhich saith he is omnium Ecclesiarum caput head of all Churches Which proofe sheweth that he meaneth not head ship in excellency of gifts as Reinolds would Confer pag. 548. but in gouernment In like sort in psal 4. poenit he calleth Rome the head of all Churches and Lady of Nations which Title of the head of all Churches because Pope Boniface 3. who succeded S. Greg. within one yeare or two procured the Emperour Phocas to declare to appertaine to the Bishops of Rome he is accounted of all Protestants generally to be the first true Pope and Antichrist of Rome But if S. Greg. authoritie were not so great in the Church as Ministers are ashamed to account him an Antichrist they would as soone call him Pope and Antichrist as they do Pope Boniface because he auoucheth the same Title which Boniface did 3. Nether did S. Greg. onely claime this Supremacie but also practized it often tymes S. Greg. practizeth the supremacie For. lib. 2. Epist 14. He excommunicated the Archbishop of Salona in Dalmatia lib. 4. Epist 50. He deposed Anastasius Archb. of Corinth in Greece And Epist 15. made the Bishop of Prima Iustiniana his Legat and likwise the Bishop of Arles in France Epist 51. And. lib. 5. Epist 24. When there arose a controuersie betweene a Priest of Calcedon and the Patriarch of CoÌ„stantinople according to the Canons saith he it fel to the See Apostolick and was ended by our iudgement And lib. 10. Epist 30. He maketh a Bishop sweare that he will In all things abide in the Communion of the Bishop of Rome And in Bed lib. 1. cap. 27. Taketh vpon him to commit all the Bishops and Priests of Britany to S. Austins charge and without asking the Prince his leaue apointed him to erect two Archbishoppriks and 24. Bishopricks Finally he tooke vpon him to depose kings and princes For lib. 11. Epist 10. He saith Siquis c. If any king Priest Iudge or seculer person knowing this constitution of ours shall attempt to break it Let him want al Dignitie of his povver and honor And lib. 12. cap. vlt. If any king Prelat Iudg or seculer person of vvhat Degree or highnes soeuer doe violat the priuiledgee of S. Medards Monasterie Let him be deposed And as Baron An. 600 writeth out of the Chronicles of Millan gaue the Bishop of that Cittie authoritie to chuse what king he woulde after the race of Lomburdian kings was ended ProtestaÌ„ts opinion of S. Gregorie about the supremacie For these speeches and acts of Greg. Doct. Reinolds Confer pag. 549 saith of him and of all the Popes for 300. yeares before him that they auouch more of their See than is true and right But now the question is not about right Reinolds but about S. Gregâ— opinion of Supremacie And pag 545. saith that S. Greg. is somewhat large that waye pag. 550. The primacie which Greg Leo and others giue to the See of Rome doth so exceed the truth that c. And pag 17. he saith that Leo the great who was Pope 130. yeares before Greg. cherished the egge of the Popes Supremacie And pag. 16. saith Leo made Peter a fellow head a partie Rock and half foundation with Christ Which saith he pag. 10. Leo did that he might rise vp with S. Peter And Doct. Whitak VVhitaker Fulke lib. de consil pag. 37. Leo was a great builder of the See of Antichrist Fulkin 2. Thessal 2. Leo and Greg. were great workers and futherers of the See of Antichrist and of the mystery of iniquity And ibid. he doubteth not to say that the mysterie of iniquitie did vvorke in the See of Rome in Peters tyme and did shew it self in Anicetus Victor Cornelius Sozimus Bonifacius Celâ—stinus By which confesâ—ion of Protestantâ— a man of mean eyesight will easely see what S. Greg. and his Predecessors thought of the supremacie For if they were not of greater authoritie for their learning holines and antiquity they would haue bene as wel accounted Popes and Antichrists as their successors are In vvhat sense S. Gregorie impugned the Title of vniuersal Bishop 4. If any obiect that S. Greg. vehemently impugneth the Title of the vniuersal Bishop which the Patriarch of Constantinople in his time vsurped calling it proude sacrilegious and such like which he would neuer haue done if he had thought him selfe to haue bene head of all the Churches in the world I answer that S. Greg. could not doubt but that the Title of vniuersal Bishop might in some sense agree to the Pope Because the Councel of Calcedon which lib. 1. Epist 24. he professeth to reuerence as one of the fower Ghospells offered it to his Predecessors as him self testifieth lib. 4. Epist 32. Whervnto he addeth Epist 37. That his adduersarie the Patriarch of Constant knew wel that per Calcedonense Concilium huius Apostolica Sedis Antistites Vniuersales oblato honore voâ—ati sunt And lib. 4. epist 36. saith that the Patriarch of Alexandria knew it also to be so Which he would neuer haue said vnles it had bene both certain and euident so as his Aduersaries could not deny it Wherto lib. 7. epist 30. he addeth that it was giuen to his Predecessors by Fathers after the Councel And in the said Councel VVhich as Reinolds saith Confer pag. 563. was a Company of 630. Bishops sound in Religion and zealous of the glorie of God although it hath bene falsified by the Grâ—cians as witnesseth S. Greg. lib. 5. epist 14. yet thrise is Pope Leo called Vniuersal Patriarch without the gain saying of any one Which so many and so zealous would neuer haue permitted if it had bene altogether vnlawful And the same Reinolds confer pag. 562. professeth that the said Councel named Pope Leo their head And pag. 561. That he was President of the Councel S. Beda calleth S. Gregorie ouer the vvhole vvorld And of Bed lib. 2. cap. 1. S.
declared to be the true Oecumenical Patriarch S. Austin aliue vvhen the Pope as Protest say became Antichrist or head of the Church as all writers Protestants and Catholicks do agree which was done in the yeare 605. as some say or 606. as Baron And this Pope Boniface therby as generally all Protestants affirme became the first Pope and Archbishop of Rome Whitak cont Dur. pag. 501. I affiirme saith he that in the tyme of Boniface 3. Antichrist openly placed his Throne in the Church of Rome Fulk Answer to a Counter Cath. pag. 72. The Popes from Boniface 3. were all blasphemous Hereticks and Antichrists And in 1. Ioan. 2. Boniface 3. went manifestly out of the Church and became Antichrist Fox lib. 2. pag. 120. Rome euer since Boniface 3. hath houlden maintamed and defended his Supremacie The same hath Cooper Chron. An. 611. The like hath Bale Cent. 1. pag. 69. 70. Downham of Antichrist and generally all Protestants But S. Austin was both in this Popes time for he subscribed to the Charter of king Ethelbert made An. 605. and after For as Bale saith Cent. 13. cap. 1. He dyed 608. or as Malmsb. in fastis saith 613. and yet is he not found but to haue obeyed this Pope Boniface as he did obey Gregorie Which he would neuer haue done if he had thought it Antichristian for the Pope to be head of the Church S. Mellits communion vvith a Pope vvhome ProtestaÌ„ts account the second Antichrist Yea S. Mellit one of his fellowes and Successors went to Rome about the yeare 610. to commune saith Beda lib. 2. cap. 4. and counsel with the Apostolick Pope Boniface 4. the immediat successor of Boniface 3. for necessarie causes of the English Church sat in a Councel with him subscribed to what was decreed of that Councel and brought the Precepts to be obserued of the English Church And cap. 7. S. Beda writeth Also S. Iustus that this S. Mellit and S. Iustus an other of S. Austins companions and successors receaued eftsons exhorting Epistles from this Boniface And cap. 8. he saith that Iustus receaued also authoritie to ordain Bishops from the high Bishop Boniface and a Pal. And cap. 17. and 18. that S. Paulinus and S. Honorius receaued also their Pals from Pope Honorius And S. Paulin and S. Honorius Which Pal was giuen by Popes to Metropolitans as a token of agreement in faith And therfor Pope Pelagius Predecessor to S. Greg. decreed D. 100. That what Metropolitan so euer after three monthes of his Consecration shall not send to Rome to declare his faith and receaue his Pal shall leese his Dignitie This we see how S. Austin and his fellowes by their life and deedes professed their agreement and faith euen with those Popes whome Protestants account the first Antichrists But besids this we haue also the testimonie of the Popes of that tyme and of S. Austins own fellowes Popes vvhom Protest account Antichrists approued S. Austins doctrine For Pope Boniface 5. writing to S. Iustus aforsaid in Bed lib. 2. cap. 8. saith thus After vve had read the letters of our deere sonne King Edbald we vnderstood vvith vvhat great learning and instruction of holy scripture yovv haue brought him to the beleefe of the vndoubted faith Loe this Pope aproued the doctrine and faith of S. Iustus which he could neuer haue done vnles S. Iustus had allowed the Supremacie And S. Laurence Mellit and Iustus writing to the Scottish Bishops in Beda lib. 2. cap. 4. professe that it was the customable maner of the See of Rome euen in their tyme to send preachers into all places of the world Which custome they could neuer haue accounted lawful vnles they had thought that See to haue Iurisdiction and gouernment in the whole world S. Austin calleth the Pope Father of all Christendom Yea S. Austin in his speech to King Ethelbert in Capgraue calleth S. Greg. totius Christianitatis Patrem the Father of all Christendom And thus much of S. Austin and his fellowes deedes and doctrine out of Chatholick writers S. Austins acts of Papistrie out of Protestants Now let vs come to Protestants 3. Bilson and Abbots aâ— is aforsaid call S. Austin a Romish Monk a Romish Priest a Romish Legat. Which names shew of what Religion they account him Abbots Godwin in vit Aug. saith S. Greg. being made Pope sent Austin hither Godvvin vnto whome he apointed 40. other that should aide him in this holy work Ib. he testifieth that S. Greg. sent him a pal and Church ornaments That he dedicated a Monasterie to S. Peter and Paul that he claimed authoritie ouer all this Iland Entred the place of Counsel with his Banner and his Crosse and with singing Procession Fox Fox Acts. pag. 116. They went with Procession to Canterburie singing Alleluyae with the Letanie Sutclif Sutclif Subuersion cap. 5. Austin brought in an Image of Christ and a siluer Crosse and began saith he to chant Letanies Now whâ—ther these be signes of Protestancie or Papistrie I leaue to euerie one to iudge Holinshead Also Holinshed descript Brit. testifieth as before we heard out of Saint Beda that S. Austin came with a siluer Crosse and Image of our Lord and Sauiour painted in a table singing Litanies And that in Canterburie they accustomed to pray say Masse preach and baptize in S. Martins Church And that S. Greg. sent to Austin a Pal which saith he was the ornament of an Archbishop And that Masse and Letanie was at that tyme in France Again that Lawrence with his fellow Bishops wrote letters to the Britons to conform them in the Vnitie of the Roman faith Item Mellitus solemnizing Masse distributed c. Now what Masse it was that Romish Priests Romish Monkes Romish Legats as Bilson and Abbots call them sayde I leaue to euery one to iudge And if any body should doubt Fulk Fulk in Hebr. 10. may put him out of doubt For ther he writeth S. Beda sayd that English men in his time vnderstood the holsome sacrifice of Masse auailed to redemption both of body and soule Which Fulk calleth superstitious and vndoubtedly meaneth the Masse And thus much of S. Austins Papistry by his owne deedes both out of Chatholick and Protestant writers CHAP. XVI That Saint Austin was a Roman Catholick prooued by the confession of learned Protestants D. Abbots 1. DOctor Abbots in his late answer to Doct. Bishop pag. 197. calleth S. Austin a black Monk pag. 20. The Italian Monk brought new obseruations from Rome and the English receaued the same pag. 198. A Romish Priest required the British Bishops to be subiect to his Romish authoritie A Romish Archbishop brought in nouelties and superstitions and did contaminat the faith of Christ Mellitus Laurentius Iuel Iustus all of Austins company and condition Iuel Art 3. Diu. 21. It is thought of many that Austin corrupted the Religion that he found here vvith
crownes Priests haue shauen crovvnes Beda lib. 5. cap. 22. It behoueth them which being either made by vow Monkes or by profession of the Clergie to binde them selues more strictly with the bridle of continencie for Christs sak to bear in their head by clipping the forme of a crovvne Ibid. All Priests and Religious men had their heads shauen round after the true shape of a crowne But as Bale saith Cent. 14. pag. 194. Tonsura est Romanae Bestiae character Ninthly they erected many Altars in one Church with Martyrs reliques Manie altar Sinono Church vsed lights and other ornaments as Catholicks doe Beda lib. 5. cap. 21. Acca imployed his diligence to gather together out of all places the holy Apostles and Martyrs reliques to the end he might in honor of them build certain Altars aparte by them selues in little Chappell 's made for the same purpose within the precinct and walls of the same Church Morouer he prepared holy vessels lights and other necessaries to the better adorning of the Church of God And lib. 3. cap. 6. They worshiped Reliques Tenthly to omit many more certain Markes of Roman Religion S. Peters supremacie beleued They accounted S. Peter Primat and head of the Apostles Beda lib. 5. c. 22. I desire with all my hart to follow the stepps of Blessed S. Peter head of the Apostles Ibid. They were reduced to the order of S. Peter Primat and head of the Apostles and committed as it were to his Patronage and protection The Pope high B. ouer the vvhole vvorld They accounted the Pope high Bishop ouer the whole world So in plaine termes S. Beda calleth S. Greg. Pope l. 2. c. 1. Accounted the Church of Rome the Catholick and Apostolick Church lib. 3. c. 25. And l. 4. cap. 23. Going to Rome counted a thing of great vertue and deuotion And l. 3. c. 25. Held without all controuersie that these vvords vpon this Rock I vvill build my Church vvere principally spoken vnto Peter and that vnto him the keies of the Kingdome of heauen were giuen And the Bishops being depriued of their Bishopricks both by the King and by other Bishops appealed to Rome Beda lib. 5. cap. 20. Appeal◠from the Bishop◠and king to the Pope VVilfrid the vertuous Bishop of York appealing to the See Apostolick for his cause and by that ful authoritie absolued c. Item Fiue yeares after he was accused of King Alfrid and many other Bishops and depriued of his Bishoprick wherin vpon repairing again to Rome and obtayning licence to plead his owne defence before his accusers Pope Iohn and many Bishops sitting in Iugdment It was by their Definitiue Sentence concluded that in some parte his accusers had falsly forged surmises The Pope wrote to the Kings of England requiring them to see him restored Protestāts confesse the Rom. faith of our primitiue Church Fox And thus much out of Catholick writers now let vs see what Protestants write of the faith of our Primitiue church 2. Fox in his protestation before his Acts. After the coming of Austin and his fellowes from Rome Christian faith began to enter and spring among the Saxons after a certain Romish sorte Acts. pag. 154. Good vvorks done for clensing from sin The causes why solenm Monasteries were first founded in England by Kinges Queenes and Kings daughters and rich Consuls are these pro remedio animae meae c. For remedy of my soule for remission of my sinnes Foundation of Protestancie vnknovvne to our primitiue Church for the safty of my Kingdoms and people which are vnder my gouernment In honor of the most glorious Virgin Whervpon afterward pag. 170. he concludeth that the doctrine of Iustification by onely faith which pag. 840. he calleth the foundation of their Church was then vnknown Bale Bale Cent. 1. cap. 72. saith English men after Austin did dedicat their Churches to dead Saints Our first Christian K. a perfect Papist And cap. 73. King Ethelbert receaued the Roman Rites and doctrine with all the imposture and Cent. 14. cap. 54. saith that the two Hewalds who were the first English martyrs passi sunt pro Papismo papistici Martyres Our first Martyrs suffer for Papistrie Bilson Papistical Martyrs suffered for Papistrie Bilson of Obed pag. 321. The Saxons were soone entreated to receaue the Bishop of Rome for their Patriarch Stovv Stow pag. 77. citeth this Charter of King Ethelbert King Ethelbert by inspiration of God gaue to Bishop Mellit for remedie of his soule the Land which is called Tillingham for the Monastery of S. Paul which kind of giuing goods is quite opposit to Protestancie Honor of S. Peter counted signe of Christianitie Reinolds as yow may see more hereafter And pag. 78. saith King Sebert to shew him selfe a Christian built a Church in honor of S. Peter Reinolds Confer pag. 12. This imagination of the key and Porter and opinion of power to shut and open committed to Peter onely ouer all the Church as it includeth also the Apostles King Oswie conceaued Keys giuen onely to Peter and all his Clergie did agree vnto it And of S. Beda the principal Doctor of our Primitiue Church Osiander Osiander Epit. Cent. 7. pag. 331. saith thus He was wrapped in all the Popish errors and articles in which we disagree this day from the Pope S. Beda a perfect Papist Wherby we may see how perfect a Papist S. Austin was Fulk in Hebr. 10. Fulk Beda liued in a superstitious time yet liued he 80. yeares after S. Austin long after Antichrist did shew him self Beda sayd that men vnderstod that the helthful sacrifice of masse auailed to the redemption of the body and soule euerlasting And in 1. Pet. 3. Beda was caryed away with the errors and corruptions of his tyme. And thus I hope I haue sufficiently proued the Roman Catholick faith of our first Apostle S. Austin by the faith of his maister S. Greg. by his owne deedes and doctrine by Confession of Protestants and finally by the doctrine of our Primitiue Church which he founded and how it was that Christian Religion which was first founded in our Nation and our English Ancestors imbraced when they forsooke Paganisme Now it remaineth to shew that the same Religion hath continewed also constantly vnto this late lamentable reuolt to Protestancy in all our Nation both in the Clergie and Laitie which I will declare in all the Archbishops of Canterburie who were the cheefe of the one order and in the Kings who were heads of the other And by the way I will name in euery Kings time some of the notable men who successiuely haue confirmed it by their holy life and miracles CHAP. XVIII That all the Archbishops of Canterburie from S. Austin to our tyme were Roman Catholicks proued by generall reasons 1. FIrst because there is no mention or memorie in any Chronicle of England No record that anie Archb
Malmsb. in Fastis Or an 831. as Florent in Chron. Oran 832. as Godwin in his life and sate an 41. as Malmsb. and Florent agree Godwin saith an Rom religion of Archb. Celnoth 38. His Roman Religion is manifest by his Pal wich as Florent an 831. and Westmon an 832. write he receaued of Pope Gregorie And by his subscription to a Charter in Ingulph Wherin King Withlaf offereth a Chalice and Crosse of gould to the Aultare in Croiland King of England giueth his princely robe to make a Chisible and clamidem coccineam ad Casulam saciendam his scarlet robe to make a Chisible And pag. 862. publickly professed him selfe to be cured of a disease by the merits of S. Guthlac Athelard Archbishop XVIII The vvorthines of Archb. Athelard and his 3. Predecessors 18. THe 18. Archbishop was Athelard An. 893. saith Godwin but Malmsb. in Fastis an 871. he sate 18. years and as Malmsb. lib. 1. Pont. pag. 199. saith of him and his three Predecessors they did many worthie things both towards God and the world but for want of writers all is obscure Godwin saith he was a great diuine and some times Monk of Christ-church in Canterbury by which his Roman religion is out of doubt His Rom. religion Plegmund Archbishop XIX 19. THe 19. was Plegmund Entred saith Godwin and Malmsb. in Fast an 889. sate an 26. as both agree But in lib. 1. Pont. Malmsb. attributeth to him 33. yeares He was saith Godwin the most excellent learned man of his time Most excellent learning of Archb. Plegmund And as Fox saith lib. 3. pag. 170. Schoolemaister to King Alfred Hunting lib. 5. pag. 351. saith He was chosen of God and all the people And Florent an 872. addeth that he was Venerabilis vir sapientia praeditus and an 889. Literis insigniter eruditus His Cathol faith His Roman religion is out of question because as Godwin writeth In his youth he was an Hermit And being chosen Archbishop trauailed to Rome in person and was ther consecrated And was Legat to Pope Formosus as he testifyeth epist 2. in these wordes VVe command Plegmund to be our Legat in all matters Althelin Archbishop XX. 20. AThelin succeded in the 20. place an Rom. Religion of Archb. Athelin 915. as Godwin hath and Malmâ—b in Fast and sate 9. years who saith Godwin had before bene Abbot of Glastenbury And therfor no question can be made of his Religion VVolfhelm Archbishop XXI 21. THe 21. Archbishop Wolfhelm entring an The famous learning and vertue of Archb. vvolfhelm 924. as Godwin and Malmsb. in Fast agree dyed also 934. Who was saith Godwin in the Bishops of Wells out of Polidor famous as wel for vertue as learning S. Odo Archbishop XXII 22. THe 22. Archbishop was S. Odo an 934. as Godwin and Malmsb. in Fast accord and sate an 24. in great fauour and authoritie vnder diuers Princes His parents saith Godwin were Danes of great welth and nobilitie who disinherited him for Christian religion King Edward senior perceauing his great excellency of wit set him to schole where he profited exceedingly S. Odo his rare learning both in greek and latin Bale Cent. 2. cap. 30. saith He was so skilful both in Greeke and Latin that sodenly he could vtter either in prose or any kind of verse what so euer he would Godwin saith he preached painfully Florent an 958. and Westmon Ibid. say Odo a man famous for wit His great holines laudable for vertue and indued with the spirit of Prophecie In Malmsb. lib. 1. Pont. pag. 200. He professeth that he would spend all the riches in the world if he had them and him self for his flock His miracles And Malmsb. there saith that he wrought miracles Fox lib. 3 pag 151. saith A zealous care of the Churches of the Lord reigned in him and other Archbishops then And thus much of his learning and vertue His Rom. religion His Roman religion is out of all doubt For Godwin saith being elected he would not be Archbishop before he was made Monke as all his Predecâ—ssors sayd he had bene And as Bale saith l. cit He receaued a Pal from Pope Agapit 2. Priests mariages forbidden Decreed that mariages of the Ministers of the Church are to be accounted Heretical and exalted Popish monkerie Thus Bale But it spiteth Fox most that Osbern in vit Some denied TransubstaÌ„tiation Odonis writeth that in his tyme certain Clercks seduced by wicked error endevored to auouch that the bread and wine which are set on the Altar after consecration remain in their former substance and are onely a signe of the body and blood of Christ And for their conuersion Odo did as Osbern Malmsb. and an other Author who as Fox saith wrote in the time of Alfricus the 4. Arch. after Odo A great miracle to confirme Transubstantiation write by his prayers obtaine of God that the Sacrament should appeare in forme of true flesh and blood and againe returne to their pristinat shape This historie Fox pag. 1139. dislyketh First because Osbern saith but quidam But so also writeth his brother Bale loc cit Capgraue in Odone and others Secondly that Osbern saith this miracle was done to conuert the Clerkes and the other Author saith it was done to testify Odo his holines As if it could not be done for both endes But it sufficeth us 1. that Odo and England then beleeued Transubstantion so odious a thing now to Protestants 2. that S. Odo confirmed it by such a miracle as some Priests who then began to deny it beleeued to be a true miracle and were conuerted therby Fox denieth a miracle vvhich diuers that savv it confesse and vvere conuerted by it Now whether they who were then present and saw it or Fox who liued aboue 600. yeares after were more like to know the truth of that miracle let euery one iudg But here I would wish the careful Reader to note first that the denial of Transubstantiation and the real presence of Christ in the sacrament began in England aboue 300. yeares after the land was conuerted to Christianitie to wit Transubstantiation the ancient faith of England circa An. 950. as Bale saith which sheweth that the ancient English Christians beleeued Transubstantiation Secondly that Transubst was denied but of a few and consequently the general faith of England beleeued it Thirdly that this heresie was soone extinct and the Authors confuted of S. Odo Primat of this Land both by miracle and by writing Denial of TraÌ„subst confuted of S. Odo by miracle and vvtiting which writing saith Bale l. cit he entitled Defensio Eucharistiae And for this Fox lib. 3. cap. 151. saith that Odo might seeme to be the worst that occupied that place So he termeth light darknes and darknes light S Greg. sent hither the beleef of Transubstant But for Transubstantiation yow heard before confessed by
now we finde too true Queene Marie LIII AFter K. Henrie the eight succeeded in the yeare 1546. King Edward the sixt his sonne a child of nine yeares olde which childe wanting the vse of perfect reason and vnfit to gouern him self was the first Protestant Prince that euer was in England and turned the Roman religion which his Father had left though maimed in one principall point to open Protestancie Not for the miracles or rare vertues of the Preachers therof or their conuincing their aduersaries in disputation as King Ethelbert changed his Paganisme into the Roman religion as is before shewed but because the Lord Protector and his complices thought it most sutable to their humors and most fit for their aspiring pretences But how vnfortunat this exchange was not onely to the soules of this King and principall Actors therin but also to their liues and bodies yow may reade in Stow The ill end of the kringets in of Probestancie where yow shall see that the very same yeare 1548. that Proclamation was made for receauing in both Kindes the Lord Admirall a cheefe agent in the change of religion though brother to the Protector and Vnkle to the King was beheaded for a Traitor And the next yeare 1549. VVhen Proclamation was made against Masse sone after also was Proclamation made against the Protector him selfe the principall author of the change and he cast into the Tower And in the yeare 1552. when the newe seruice booke of Common prayer begun in Pauls the said Protector was beheaded And the next yeare the King died and the Duke of Northumberland an other principall actor in the change of religion though against his own conscience as he openly declared at his death was beheaded for treason and Cranmer and Ridley and other fauorers of that change were depriued of their Dignities and sone after burnt This was the rufull end of the first setters vp of Protestancie For maintenance wherof albeit a new Queene was proclaimed Nobles sworne and the strength of England gathered yet in short time almightie God ouerthrew it again without any bloodshed by one vertuous woman Q. Marie Protestancie ouerthrone by a vvoman vvithout any bloodshed Vertue of Q. Marie Author of danger positions l 2 cap. 14. Her Rom. Religion In the arraignment of F Garnat D Doue lib. of Recusancie vvil haue Bellarm. to be a Protest or at lest no perfect Papist who all the time of her life liued so chastly and religiously that all her enemies could not to this day fasten the least suspicion of vice vpon her And whome euen Protestants write to haue Bene of nature and disposition verie milde and pittifull VVhich argueth that they wel deserued the seueritie which shee shewed towards them And so earnest a Roman Catholick shee was as the Protestants write of her that there was Not these thousand yeares a more obedient daughter to the Church of Rome than she was VVherby yow may iugde of the impudencie of Doctor Reinolds who in his Confer pag. 583. denieth not onely all the former Princes but euen Queene Marie euer to haue alowed the Popes absolute spirituall supremacie or as he speaketh the Popes Monarchie but onely to haue granted him such a preheminence as the Duke of Venice hath in that state But with her in the yeare 1558. ended all the glorie of Catholick Princes of England Who except King Henrie 8. for a few yeares and King Edward 6. had continewed from the yeare 598. till the forsaid yeare 1558. the space almost of a thousand yeares And after rose a new kind of Protestancie differing from that of King Edward the childs time Not as I said before through any miracles or strange vertue of the Preachers therof or their ouercomming their aduersaries in Disputation but against the will of all the Bishops and a great parte of the Nobilitie by the counsel of meere Lay men and the authoritie of a woman who was induced to make this change not for zeale of religion which shee little regarded but to assure her state the more because shee feared if she acknowledged the authoritie of the Church of Rome her birth might be called in question But of the cause maner and meanes of erecting Protestancie we shall speake more in the second booke Epilogue HItherto gentle Reader thou hast heard 53. Princes of England successiuly beleeuing and professing the Rom. Catholick faith besides 70. and more others who reigned ouer certain partes of England whiles it was deuided into diuers Kingdoms whose names onely I will here set downe Kings of Kent 13. Ethelbert Edbald Ercombert Egbert Lotharius Edricus VVithâ—ed Edbert Edilbert Alriâ—us Edilbert-pren Cuthred and Baldred Kings of the East Saxons 9. Sebert Sigebert Sigher S. Sebba Sighard Senfred Offa Sclred Swithed Kings of Eastengland 13. to wit Redwald Carpwald S. Sigebert Egris Anna Ethelere Ethelwald Adulph Elwald Beorna Ethelred Saint Ethelbright S Edmund kings of middle England 17. Namely Peda Vulpher Ethelred Coenred Ceolred Ethelbald Bernred Offa Egfert Kenulph Saint Kenelm Ceolwulph Bernulph Ludecan VVithlof Bertulph Burdred Kings of the Northpart of England 18. Edwin Saint Oswald Oswin Oswi Egfrid Alfrid Ostred Kenred Ostrie Ceolwulph Egbert Ostwuld Mollo Alred Ethelbert Alswald Ostred Athelred and some kings also of the South Saxons Consider I pray thee now the number of these kings which is aboue 120 far aboue the smallest number of two Protestant Princes Consider their sex and age who almost all were men and of mature yeares VVheras of the Protestant Princes one was a childe the other a woman Consider their wisdome and valour in which they were inferior to no Princes in Christendome Consider their vertue which was so great as there are more Kings of Ingland Saints than of all Christendome besides Consider the end for which they first embraced the faith which was nether to enioy their lust nor to get any Church goods nor to assure their temporall state but to gaine heauen Consider the Counsellors whose aduise they followed herein were not ignorant and laye men but vertuous and learned Diuines Consider the motiues which drew them to the Catholick religion to witt rare vertue great learning admirable miracles of their first preachers Finally consider how long they continewed in their faith to wit almost a thousand yeares and how almost in euery Kings time here liued some notable men who with rare vertue and miracles haue confirmed their faith Consider I say all this and then iudge whither the Catholick religion of so many and so worthie Kings or the Protestant faith of one Child and one woman be more likely to be good and to come from God Can we thinke that so many Princes of mature yeares and iudgment should be blinde rather then one child a woman that these could see that in so few yeares which all they could not perceaue in a thousand That these two should hit vpoÌ„ Gods truth for temporall endes rather thaÌ„ they for spirituall That that should be
and cap. 26. calleth them celestis Sacrificij sedem Seats of the heauenly sacrifice and reprehendeth Priests for sacrificing seldom calleth their sacrifices Sacrosancta Christi Sacrificia 1 Altars of stone Priests Sacrifices Most holy sacrifices of Christ Which argueth that they then had true sacrifices true Altars true Priests 2 Vovves of Chastitie and of Monkish life No mariage for monks after their vovv Suearing by our ladie and Saints Beda And touching Vowes he condemneth cap. 26. Kings for breaking them condemneth one King for marying a woman who had vowed Perpetuam Viduitatis castimoniam Perpetuall chastitie in VVidowhood And exclameth against an other King for forsaking Monks life and calleth his mariage after his vow Praesumptiuas nuptias Pretended mariage Finally cap. 26. he testifieth that the Britons vsed to sweare by God and by our Lady and all Saints All these points of Catholick religion Gildas toucheth Church in honor of Saints Monks Anchorets and nameth no one point of Protestancie As for S. Beda he saith lib. 1. cap. 27. that they had a Church built in honor of S. Martin cap. 11. and lib. 2. cap. 2. That they had Monks and Anchorets l. 1. cap. 17. that S. German with whome they agreed in religion by a fewe sprincles of holy vvater assvvaged tempests and droue avvay Diuels c. 18. that he caried about his neck a bag of reliques Holie vvater Reliques by which putting it to a blinde womans eye he restored her sight Ibid. That they went to S. Albans to giue God praise 3 Thanks to God by Saints Lent Pilgrimage and thancks by him S. Alban and there tooke of the dust where the holy Martirs blood vvas shed cap. 20. Obserued the 40. dayes of Lent deuoutly singing Aleluia after Easter Ibid. God saith Beda gaue S. German and S. Luphus prosperous passage home for their ovvne vertues sake Prosperous successe attributed in parte to Saints and also at the intercession of the blessed martyr S. Alban All these proofes affordeth S. Beda that the Britons were Roman Catholicks before Saint Austins coming and no one proofe that they were Protestants Galfrid 7. Galfrid also lib. 9. c. 12. saith that in this time Saint Dubricius the Archb. of Wales was Apostolice sedis Legatus that is Popes legat the Popes Legat. Malmsb. lib. 1. Reg. c. 1. Malmesb. Huntingt And Hunting lib. 2. say that King Arthur trusting in an Image of our B. Ladie vvhich he put in his vveapons Some hope of help by images he alone put his enemies to flight vvith great slaughter Stow also Chron. p. 61. saith that King Arthurs body was found in K. Henrie 2. time with a leaden Crosse fastned to that side of the stone that lay next his body Stovv Burial vvith Crosses Caius also a Protest lib de Antiq. Cantab. pag. 75. Caius Priuiledges procured from Popes citeth letters of Pope Honorius dated Anno 624. in which the Pope confirmeth the priuiledges which his Predecessors had giuen to the Briton Students and prohibiteth any Archb. or Bishop to excommunicat the students Such authoritie did the Britons acknowledg the Popes to haue ouer them Bale Orders after the Rom. manner Catholik Monkerie Purgatoire Austeritie of life Britons of the same religion vvith the Frēch In this time also saith Bale Cent. 14. cap. 6. Palladius was sent of Pope Celestin to set order amongst the Scotts after the Roman maner And cap. 11. Brigit wrought great wonders with holy water And Cent. 1. cap. 53. Aegiptian Monkerie so he termeth our Monkerie about the yeare 530. vnder Abbot Congel tooke great strength and increase And that S. Columba and Saint Brendan who filled France Germanie Ierland with Monkes and which Brendan Cent. 14. cap. 78. he confesseth to haue held Purgatorie were scollers to this Congel To which he addeth Cent. 1. cap. 50. That Gildas a Briton of this time did seeke the solitarie places of the desert and vse heirecloth next his skin And cap. 61. That Kentigernus vsed goat skinnes and a strait coole Which is no fashon of Protestats Finally S. Sampson a Briton Bishop going in those times out of Britany into France his religion was not onely there admitted for Catholick but him self also had there a Bishoprick giuen to him And his Kinsmā S. Maglorius being a Briton was ordered by him to dispense the quickening bodie of our Lord Real presence Mattins Masse Did eat barley and beane bread on VVensday and friday tooke no meate did afflict his flesh with continuall wearing of hearcloth did watchfully say the prayers of the night which are termed Mattins and prostrat before the Altar did sing Letanies and finally offered sacrifice to God Surius Tom. 5. What signe is there here of Protestancie or rather not of earnest Papistrie Britons in S. Austins time differ not in faith but about Easter S Austins 8. And as for the faith of the Britons in S. Austins time that besides some few ceremonies differed in nothing from S. Austins faith but onely about the time of keeping Easter as may be proued many wayes First by S. Austin him selfe who in Beda lib. 2. cap. 2. speaketh thus to the Britons Though in manie other points yow doe contrary to our custom not faith or rather contrarie to the custom of the Vniuersall Church Yet if yee will agree with vs in three things That is to celebrat Easter in due time to accomplish the mistery of baptisme according to the maner of the holy Roman and Apostolick Church and lastly preach to the English Nation the worde of God all your other ceremonies not heresies rites fashons and customs though they be contrarie to oures we will suffer and bear with them Behould S. Austin though so earnest a Papist as hath bene shewed before yet offering to ioyne with the Britous if they would amend onely three things wherof the first onely concerned faith the other two concerned ceremonies and charity Would he thinck we who was so nice in matters of religion as he would not ioine with the Britons vnles they conforned them selues to him in certain ceremonies haue not much more exacted their conformitie in Masse vse of Images and such like points of religion as it is euident he vsed if they had differed from him in such matters Besides yow see that the other things wherin they differed from him were but as he speaketh ceremonies rites fashions and customs Secondly the Britons them selues in Beda lib. 2. c. 2. publickly confessed that that was the true vvay of righteousnes vvhich S. Austin shevved And the onely reason which they giue there why they would not ioyne with him was pride as they imagined in him Thirdly S. Beda though a perfect Papist as hath bene shewed before by the confession of Protestants yet findeth no more fault with the Britons than S. Austin did The Britons religion by the Irish and Scotts 9. But yet more fully will
commission to direct him 10. But diuers learned Protestants finding no colorable answer to make to this demand Protestāts confesse that their Ministers vvant laufull sending and authoritie do plainly confesse as Sadeel a Minister of Geneua testifieth in a book written against such that their ministers are legitima vocatione destituti destitute of lavvfull calling Others though not so plainly do graunt the same in saying that such as ate fit may teach the word without sending Which Caluin insinuateth in cap. 13. Actor wher he saieth that we need no testimonie from heauen that God sendeth some Because saith he vvhome God hath indued vvith sufficient gift seing they are framed and fashioned by his hand we receaue them giuen to vs of him no otherwise than as the prouerb is from hand to hand VVhom Calvin allovveth to preach vnsent And to this same end tended Bilsons complaint l. of obed pag. 300. that the wicked saith he alwaies asked the godly for their authoritie as the Ievvs asked S Ihon Baptist and Christ Bilson And Ib. So long as we teach saith he the same doctrin vvhich the Apostles did vve haue the same povver vvhich they had And pag. 301. He that defendeth truth is armed vvith authoritie sufficient though all the vvorld vvere against him And that a man may preach without commission he bringeth a similitude that when a cittie is on fire or entred by enemies euerie one may crie Alarme though he be no officer and pag. 310. and 311. he produceth the example of Frumentius and Aedesius who taught infidels the Christian faith hauing no sending to that purpose 11. Here thou seest Gentle Reader that confessed by learned Protestants which I intended in this chapter to wit that Luther his first partners were not sent to preach ether of God or man but seing forsooth the Church al on fire with idolatrie See Bal. Cent. 6. c. 85 Cent. 8. cap. 100. Manie principal Ministers preached vnsent The vvāt of sending in Luther Caluin and such like vvold alone conuince them to be false Prophets entred by enemies and thinking thē selues fit for that purpose came rūning of their own accord crying Alarme which Luther did not stick to bost of saying as Caluin reporteth l. de reformat p. 463. Behold I call my self Preacher and with this title haue I adorned my self And who readeth the liues of our first Protestant preachers ether in Bale or Fox shall see that euerie one of them fel to preach vnsent of anie And the forsaid Declaration of disciplin p. 141. saith plainly that manie of their worthie mē for the loue they had to the Gospel thaught it lawful for thē in these times to take vpō thē this Apostolical office 12. But this alone that Luther Caluin such like did preach and administer sacraments as Pastors being not sent nor hauing authoritie giuen them therto wold suffice to cōuince them to haue bene false prophets vsurpers theeues though no other exceptiō cold be takē against them For to preach that is as Pastor to teach without lauful sending or Commission is flatly against Scripture against the example of Christ his Apostles and all the Pastors of Gods Church against reason and Finally against the doctrin and practise now observed of Protestants It is flat against Scripture For Rom. 10. S. Paul asketh how shall they preach vnles they be sent VVant of sending the verie brand of false prophets In so much as both the Prophets Christ and the Apostles do brād false Prophets with this mark of coming vnsent I sent not saith God Hierem. 23. Prophets they ran As manie saith Christ Ioan. 10. as came of them selues are theeus robers Some going out of vs saie the Apostles Actor 15. haue trobled you with words whom we commanded not Loe how the holie ghost hath branded false Prophets with this note of coming vnsēt It is also against the example of Christ the Apostles For of Christ it is said Hebr. 5. Nether doth anie take honor to him self but who is called of God as Aaron So Christ did not clarifie him self to be made a Bishop And Ioan. 17. and 20. Christ him self auoucheth his sending by his Father And of the Apostles it is manifest that they preached not before they were sent of Christ To preach vnsent is to imitate Core Dathan ande Abiron Nether can Protestants produce anie Pastor of Gods Church since the Apostles time which preached before he was sent And to do the contrarie is not to imitate Christ and his Apostles but that schismaticall crue of Core Dathā Abirō whome the earth therfore swallowed hell deuoured See S. Cipr. lib. de simplic Prelat Tertul. de prascrip It is also against reason For as Pastor to preach and administer Gods Sacraments is an act of spirituall and supernaturall authoritie which none can haue vnles it be giuen vnto him and learning vertue or other talents what soeuer wherwith a man is fit to execute such authoritie are things far different from it as is both euident by it self and appeareth in woemen who may haue as much learning vertue and other habilities as some men yet none of them can as Pastors preach or administer the Sacraments because they are incapable of Pastorall authoritie Moreouer to be a Preacher and Pastor is to be Gods Embassador and steward or dispenser of his spirituall goods and misteries And if none can be Embassador of an earthly Prince vnles he be sent none steward of his house vnles he be apointed none officer ouer his people vnles he be constituted How can any be Embassador to God without sending steward of his goods without apointing gouernor of his people without his authoritie And I maruel how Protestants can call Luther Latimer and such like their Apostles and ether confesse that they were not sent at all but came of their owne good wills or can not shew of whome they were sent seing that the verie name of an Apostle signifieth one sent 13. Finally Protestants them selues condemne such preachers as come vnsent Bilson him self l. cit we detest saith he these that inuade the pastorall function without lavvfull vocation and election It is not lavvfull saith the English Clergie in the 23. Article of their faith for any man to take vpon him the office of publik preaching or administring the Sacraments No man saith their Synod in Haga Art 3. ought to take vpon him to preach or administer the Sacraments vvithout a lavvfull calling although he be a Doctor or a Deacon or an Elder And their Synod at Rochel 1607. Art 32. none must intrude him self into the gouernment of the Church Thus teach all Heretiks after they haue gotten possession But before their owne aptnes and talents the glorie of God and the saluation of soules and truth of their doctrine was warrant and authoritie ynough for them to preach as appeareth by what hath bene cited out of Bilson Caluin and others
Langhorn is euident in Stow Chron. Anno 1376. Finally Luther before he published his new doctrine was noted of enuie against the dominicaÌ„ Friers as is before shewed singularity In so much as Fox pag. 770. writeth that his freinds did thinck euen before he fell from the Church Luthers singularitie that he would alter and abolish that manner of teaching which then was vsed Thus all Archereticks are branded with some notorious vice or other And perhaps these Archereticks are the false Prophets whome our Sauiour gaue a marke to know by their life For which cause also both the scriptures and Fathers haue recorded the notorious vices of diuers Archereticks as a sure token that such men were not they whome God first sendeth as preachers of a new doctrine or Apostles to conuert a Nation to him Wherfor let vs compare the qualities of S. Austin Luth. that therby we may see whether was the more likly maÌ„ to be choseÌ„ of God to be he that was first sent by him to conuert our Country to his faith religion All this vvas proued befor l. 1. c. 5. l. 2. c â— 3. S. Austin forsooke the world from his youth and entred into religious life Luther not before he was 20. yeares ould then vpon feare that his companion with whome he walked was slayne with a thunderboult S. Austin was brought vp vnder S. Gregorie who as S. Beda saith lib. 1. cap. 23. was a man of greatest vertue and learning of his time Luther vnder no man of fame S. austin profited so in vertue as he was made by S. Gregory Praepositus Monasterij of Luthers like profit no such proof S. Augustin kept his religious life Luther soone shooke it of S. Austin came a thousand miles to preach to Barbarous people Luther neuer went out of his Contrie â—t such purpose and liued alwaieâ—â—er sure protection of the Prince Feâ—â—câ—â—r of Saxony S. Austin liued in continuâ—ll praier saith Beda lib. 1. cap. 26. VVatcâ—iâ—â—â—ng preaching despising the commodities 〈◊〉 wâ—â—ld and single liâ—e 〈◊〉 â—hâ—t al◠〈◊〉 â—aâ—e a Protesâ—aâ—t Wiued feaâ—◠〈◊〉 his â—ase and enioyed the pleâ—sures of the w rld S. Austin went commonly bâ—â—â—foot about England preaching and had hard knees like a Camell by frequent â—â—eling in prayer No such matter of Luther S. Austin made English men incoÌ„parable more vertuous thaâ— they were before Luther made them much worse S. Austin God approued by many miracles both aliue dead no such newes of Luther S. Austin is highly commended for his vertue by S. Greg Beda other writers to our age Contrariewise Luther greatly discommeÌ„ded eueÌ„ of his owne brethren Finally no great vice can be proued against S. Austin Many and heinous vice are proued against Luth. Iudg therfore gentle Readee God being determined to reduce our NatioÌ„ to Christs faith whether of these two meÌ„ it is most likely he would make choise of for to effect so notable and so pious a worke CHAP. III. S. Austin Luther weighed according to their motiues of preaching 1. MVch it auaileth to trie the sincerity of any mans couâ—seâ— or actioÌ„ to examine whether the Couâ—seller or Actor be like to reape any pleasure oâ— coÌ„modity therby For if he can not most likly it is that he giueth such aduice vpon sincerity iudgmeÌ„t otherwise the contrary may be suâ—pected iâ— it be not euideÌ„t Wherupon â—assius gaue that prudeÌ„t note which al wâ—se meÌ„ in that case do obserue that we shall mark Cui bonum To whome was the aduise good To whom was ther any commodity pleasure or preferment like to râ—dound And if this course he obserued in trial of S. Austin Luthers religioÌ„ we shal clearly perceaue that S. Austin is to be prefered befor Luthers For S. Austin left his CoÌ„try forsooke his freinds acquaintance left his headship of a Monasterie left his quiet aboad at home for to come to preach his religion to our NatioÌ„ Luther left none of all these to preach his S. Augustin came a thousand miles and aduentured his life her amongst a people of a different religion Luther neuer went out of his Contrie to preach his doctrine nor euer came amongst his owne Contry men of contrary religion These points proued befor l 1. c. 7 l. 2 c. 9. without a safe conduct S. August got nothing but the title of an Archbishop wherof he had little or no hope at all when he came hither Luth. got liberty wife riches preferment of the world Whetfore euident it is that S. Austin was more likly to preach his doctrine vpon sincerity iudgment and for the good of them to whome he preached because he lost much got litle hoped for lesse than Luther who by his preaching lost nothing and got much CHAP. IIII. S. Austin and Luther weighed according to their mission or sending to preach SO sure a mark it is of false Prophets to preach without sending as God almightie gaue it as a certain note of them in the ould lawe Hierem. 23. I sent them not and they did runne And our Sauiour in the new law Ioan 10. VVho entreth not by the dore into the sheepfould but climbeth vp otherwaies he is a theefe and a robber ib. All who so euer haue comeÌ„ without sendâ—ng are theeues robbers And he Apostles likwise Act. 15. Some going out of vs haue trobled yow with words whome we commaÌ„ded not And so absurd withal as nothing can be more For if none dare take vpoÌ„ him to be the messeÌ„ger or Ambassador of a Prince vnles he be sent nor to gouern his people vnles he be apointed how absurd is it for any to take vpon him to be Ambassador Messenger of the Prince of Princes be disposer of his misteries and Stuard of his houshould and guider of his flock vnles he be lawfully sent Wherfor let vs compare the missions of S. Austin Luther together that therby we may see whether was the true whether the false Prophet S. Austin was sent to preach of S. Greg. successor to S. Peter All these differences proued befor l 1. c 8 9 l. 2. c. 10. and first Patriarch of Christendome Luther when he first preached Protestancie was sent nether of Patriarch nor Bishop nor any man els S. Austin was sent by the sayd authoritie by the which the first preachers of the most part in Christendome were sent Luther by no authoritie at all S. Austin came to preach vpoÌ„ obedience Luther vpon disobedience S. Austin came of purpose to preach that faith which he did preach Luther at first meÌ„t onely to spite others for a time not to found any newe faith S. Austin neuer ment to suppresse the faith which he begaÌ„ to preach Luther ofteÌ„times offered to suppresse his if he had not bene bound to recant it S. Austins sending was coÌ„tested by S. Peters miraculous testimonie from heauen Luther had no such Finally S. Austins sending was by
miracles For besides the testimony of the word of God which testified the miracles which we reade in scripture what waÌ„t they to be accounted true miracles that any other miracles had The Deedes were supernaturall The effect of them was supernaturall diuine vz the conuersion of Infidells The meanes of doing them holy to wit prayer to God The doers of them were Saints The testimonie of these Deedes are of many eye witnesses freinds and foes learned vnlearned holy and Wicked forrein and domesticall and coÌ„fessed of diuers which refuse S. Austins religion Than the which greater testimonie for miracles can not be required vnles we would haue God to speake from heauen And on the other side what prudent man is he that wil not iudg Luthers wonderments to be friuolous The things reported o him were naturall The testimonies for them are nether of eyewitnesses nor of enemies nor of Saints nor of great learned men nor are they confessed of any who refuse Luthers doctrine Yea they are denied by such as were both freinds and great scollers of Luthers Whie then should we beleeue them Nay whie should we not deny them CHAP. IX S. Austin and Luther weighed according to the Succession or continuance of their doctrine TRuly said Gamaliel Acts. 5. of the Christian religion then preached by the Apostles Si ex hominibus est consilium hoc aut opus dissoluetur Si vero ex Deo est noÌ„ poteritis dissoluere And in like sorte of hereticks said S. Paul 2. Timoth 3. Vltro non proficient And S. Austin in ps 57. compareth the Catholik faith to a Riuer which hauing a continuall spring euer floweth neuer waxeth drie heresie to a brooke rising vp on raine which while the raine falleth runneth boisterously and they who know not that it waÌ„teth a springe would iudg that it would last loÌ„ger than the quiet riuer See this proued l. 1. c. 14. seq ad fin l. 2. c. 1â— but as soone as it leaueth raining they see the water gon the brooke dryed Wherfor let vs see whither S. Aust or Luthers doctrin hath coÌ„tinewed longer in Engl. in their followers or rather we haue seene it alredy For. S. Aust hath had 69. successors in his Archbishoprick successiuly all of the same religion with him 53. kings of EnglaÌ„d besides diuers others as is before declared that when the Crown kingdome was twise violently taken from the Englishe-men by Danes Normans yet his faith was not taken from his successors Nor by so many so long desolations of the Danes many seuere lawes first by King Henrie 8. and then by Queene Elizabeth and so manie bitter torments hard banishmeÌ„ts streight confinments deep Dongeons could Iorns great â—ines Taxes and paymeÌ„ts bluddy deaths could it be rooted these thousand yeares oute of this land but that this day God be thancked S. Aust there are both noble ignoble clerks seculer religious men weemeÌ„ Children who not withstanding all lawes threats dangers will professe to hould the faith of their Apostle S Aust to agree with him in all points of religioÌ„ to honor that See from whence he came Much more vvold S. Austin haue forborne the Protest Church to refuse as he did to ioine in religioÌ„ with them who obserue not the maner as he said to the BritoÌ„s of the holy RomaÌ„ Apostolik Church In so much as not withstaÌ„ding all the lawes terrors ProclamatioÌ„s searches or paymeÌ„ts Torturs BanishmeÌ„ts executions which haue bene made these 50. yeares I B in his Taile of Tvvo leg Foxes c. 11 yet Ministers in their printed bookes dayly complaine of increase of Priests and Catholicks And one lately in his sermon at Pauls Crosse dedicated to the pretented Archb. of Canterbury and lyked of him saith pag. 79. Som. Collins that no bondage or hard measure can euer be thought able to suppresse or reclame vs. This this sheweth S. Austins worke to haue bene of God the water wherwith he watred the plants of his religion to haue an euerlasting flowing fountain from Heauen and the Church which he founded to be built vpon such a Rock as the gates of hel shall not preuail against it And that they which spurne against it do as S. Paule once did spurne against the pricke And on the other side Cranmer if he were as Fox saith a Lutheran in King Henries time it was but secretly And if he professed it in King Edwards time it was but for a verie short space And long since was there not one true Lutheran Protestant to be found in all England So soone was Luthers work dissolued so soone was his brooke growne drie And in steede of it runneth now Zuinglius or Caluins brooke which though it see me for the present to be ful and runne strongly yet if the Prince whose harte is in Gods hands would but ether disfancy it or at least withould his seuere haÌ„d from Catholicks yow should quickly see this ful brooke brought to a lowe ebbe and quickly dreaned and wax as dry as ether the brooke of Luther or the brookes of 300. Archereticks more wherof diuers haue runne far fuller and longer than ether Luthers or Caluins hath and now no signe of them is left Luther epist ad Albert Mogunt An 1525. forte doctrina mea iterum supprimetur yea scarce their names are knowne This Luther him selfe both forsawe and fourtould as is before declared l. 2. c. vlt. And Caluin also in his Preface before his Cathechisme in these wordes Of Posteritie I am so doutful as I dare scarce thinck therof For vnles God miraculously help from heauen me thinks I see extreme barbarousnes hang ouer the world And I pray God that a while hence our children feele not this to haue bene rather a true prophecie than a coniecture And if we mark we shall see that as Vipers broode killeth their Mother of whome they came So new haeresies destroy the ould from whence they sprange Thus the Puritan impugneth the Protestant and the Brownist vndermineth the Puritan Wherfor let all men that be careful of their saluation harken to S. Hieroms aduise saying to a Luciferian Haeretick I will tel thee my mind breefly and plainly That we should abide in that Church which founded of the Apostles contineweth to this daye For shall we doute saith S. Austin l. de vtil Cred. to put oure selues in the lap of the Church wich from the See Apoostolick by succession of Bishops in vaine Haereticks barking about yt hath gotten the hight of authoritie Epilog 1. THus we see most deerly beloued Contrimen that if we compare according to the true rules of prudence and wisdome the Roman Catholike Protest religion in their first founders here in our English Nation other for learning or vertue for missioÌ„ or orders for motiues to preache for vniuersalitie of religioÌ„ or confession of Aduersaries for miracles or succession and continuance the Catholik
to remaine in the Pope Third reason for proofe of S. Austins mission 4. Thirdly I argue thus Who hath authority to gouern the whole Church of God hath authority to send Preachers to all Nations But Saint Gregory had authority to gouern the whole Church Ergo he had authority to send Preachers c. The Maior needeth no proofe The Minor I prooue thus Saint Peter had authority to gouern the whole Church euen as it includeth the rest of the Apostles But Saint Gregory succeeded though not immediatly Saint Peter in that authority Protestant graunt euery Apostle to haue bene Head of the rest of the church Ergo That Saint Peter had authority ouer the whole Church besides the Apostles the Protestants do graunt For they teach that Christ made euery one of them Head and Gouernor of all the Church besides them selues D. Whitaker lib. 5. pag. 365. cont Dur. Quis Petrum c. VVho confesseth not that Peter was the foundation of the Church seeing that it is common to all the Apostles And lib. 9. pag. 745. Super Petrum c. Vpon Peter is the Church founded but not vpon him onely Et Petro totius c. And to Peter is the care of the whole Church committed but not to him onely Quia hoc commune c. Because this was common with the rest of the Apostles as the Scripture and Fathers most clearly testifie Declarat of discipl print at Geneua 154◠Christ cōmēded to Peter all his flock Behould how he confesseth that both Scripture and Fathers testifie and that most clearly that the care of the whole Church was committed to Peter D. Reynolds Confer pag. 32. As the name of foundation is giuen to the Apostles Apoc. 21. so the twelue foundations do prooue them twelue heads Ibid. All the Apostles were heads Item pag. 26. Christ promised to build his Church not vpon Peters doctrine onely but vpon his person in some sorte And pag. 28. Christs words to Peter import this sense Vpon thee I will build my Church And Bilson lib. of Obedience pag. 87. granteth The same saith Fulk Annotat. Mat. 16. Ioan. 1. that the Rock on which the Church is promised to be built Matth. 16. was Peters person and that the Church was built vpon him but not vpon him onely but the rest of the Apostles too And if passion did not blynd their eyes they would see that the Scripture and Fathers do as plainly testifie that Saint Peter was Head of the whole Church euen as it includeth the rest of the Apostles as they testifie that euery Apostle was Head of the rest of the Church beside themselues S. Peter as plainly ouer the Apostles as ouer the rest of Christiās For the places of Scripture out of which they do or can prooue that euery Apostle was head of all other Christians as yow may see in Whitaker loco cit pag. 147. and Reynolds loco cit is Matth. 28. where euery Apostle is bidden to teach all Nations and Ephes 2. where Christians are said to be founded vpon the Apostles And Apoc. 21. where the twelue Apostles are called the foundations of the Church by which places they do prooue and well that euery Apostle was made Head ouer euery Christian and the whole Church beside themselues because there is no exception made of any man whome they are not to feede nor of any Christian in the Church which they founded And therfore in the commission giuen by Christ to euery Apostle in the word Nations are included all other beside them selues And in the speech of the Apocalyps vnder the word Church are vnderstood all other Christians whatsoeuer And cōsequently euery Apostle is by the plain verdict of Scripture Preacher to all Nations and Founder of euery Christian beside them selues In which authority because their Apostleship did consist Hovv some Fathers say that others vvere equal in the Apostleship vvith S. Peter and therin all the Apostles were equall to S. Peter for euery one of them was as well sent to all Natiōs with authority to found Churches euery where as he was some Fathers say that other Apostles had parem potestatē with S. Peter as Anaclet dist 21. c. Cū in nouo Cypr. de vnit Eccl. Chrys in 1. Gal. that the Church is equaly foūded on all the Apostles because ouer the rest of the Church besides the Apostles euery one of them had equall authority with Peter the Church not including the Apostles was equaly foūded on euery one of them 5. But by the same maner and in the same euidency that Protestants do prooue that euery Apostle was Head ouer all the Church besides them selues do we prooue that Saint Peter was head ouer all the Church euen as it includeth the rest of the Apostles For as in their cōmission Teach all Nations and the other speech of them Foundations of the Church Proued by Scripture that S. Peters commission includeth the rest of the Apostles all are included beside them selues because none are excepted as they are by reasō of that relatiue opposition which is there found betwene Teachers Taught Founders and Founded therfor euery one of the Apostles being in this speech called a teacher foundatiō none of them in the same speech can be ment to be taught or founded him self So in like sort in S. Peters Commission Ioan 21. Feede my sheepe Luc. 22. Confirme thy brethren and in Christs words of him Mat. 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock will I build my Church No one Apostle or other besides him self who alone is spoken to and is in them apointed Feeder and Confirmer and Foundation is any more excepted than any other Christian is excepted in the Commission of the Apostles in generall And therfore are they as well and as clearly included in his Cōmission vnder the name Sheepe Brethren Church as other Christians are included in theirs vnder the name of Nations and Church And therfor Saint Bernard said de Consider Nihil excipitur vbi nihil distinguitur There being no distinction in these words of Christ my Church my Sheepe thy Brethren made from the rest of the Apostles they are not excepted but included in them Wherfore if Protestants will here admit their commō rule of expounding one place of Scripture by an other they must confesse that Scripture as clearly maketh S. Peter Head of the Apostles as it maketh them Head of all other Christians Secondly prooued by confession of Protestāts Secondly I prooue by confession of Protestāts that Christ in his words My Church My Sheepe Thy Brethren spoken to Saint Peter included the rest of the Apostles For D. Reynolds Conferenc p. 385. saith that Christ by My Church Mat. 16. meant generally the Catholick Church all the chosen But the Apostles were chosen yea the chefest of them And p. 386. It is the Church of Gods elect and chosen which Christ doth call in this place Math 16. my