such office was so written or deliuered among or to that people in this or any after time but the contrary that the first publike office Church seruice they had in this age was brought thither from Rome and so the Latine tongue This is proued by the French Annals testifying Annal. Gallic Matth. westm an 94. Clem. Roman Ep. that the first Apostles of that nation were sent vnto them by S. Peter and his successour S. Clement at Rome Our old brittish history of the first institution of Church seruice prima institutio varietas Ecclesiastici Seruitij as our Peotestant Antiquaries name it testifieth plainely that S. Trophimus Bishop of Arles and Sainct Photinus Bishop of Lyons disciples of S. Peter the Apostle did deliuer in all Gallia the Romane order and forme of Church seruice Beatus Trophimus Episcopus Arelatensis Manuscript antiq Britan. de prima Instit Eccles officij Sanctus Photinus Martyr Episcopus Lugdunensis Discipulus S. Petri Apostoli Cursum Romanum in Gallijs tradiderunt And it citeth others more auncient in this sense And addeth that this Church seruice was after sent to S. Clement at Rome by the Bishops and Martyrs of Gallia to be approued by him and all the Churches of Zozimus Pap. epistol ad Episcop Galliae de priuileg Eccl. Arelat tom 1 concil Martyrol Roman die 29. Decem. in S. Trophinius Fraunce then embraced that Order that of Arles being there the cheife Metropolitane Church from which and S. Trophimus all others there as Pope Zozimus is an able witnesse receaued light and direction Metropolitanae Arelatensium vrbi vetus priuilegium minimè derogandum est ad quam primum ex hac sede Romana Trophimus Summus Antistes ex cuius fonte tota Gallia fidei Riuulos accepit directus est So hath the old Romane Martyrologe and diuers others And So it must needs be by all antiquitie consenting that all Gallia receaued the water of life from the same foūtaine the Church of Rome both with their forme and order of Church seruice and other directions in Religion all their first Apostles and pastours with full instruction and power being directed and sent from them as sainct Martial sainct Denys the Annal. Gallican Eccles Martyrolog Roman Bed Adon. vsuard in his Sant Matt. westm an 94. mult al. apud Guliel Eisengren centen 1. part 5. dist 3. Henric. Erford cap. 5. Monsterus in Cosmogr in German Antonin part 1. petr de natal l. 10. vincent l. 9. Annal. Eccl. Treuer Tungr meten Martyrolog Roman Beda vsuard Ado die 15. Maij. Breu. Toletan cal maij Areopagite sainct Lucianus sainct Eutropius sainct Eugenius sainct Ionius sainct Timotheus sainct Apollinaris sainct Aphrodisius sainct Sanianus sainct Potentianus sainct Altnus sainct Totaldus sainct Iulianus sainct Fronto sainct Taurinus sainct Paulus Narbonensis sainct Staurinnus sainct Astremonius sainct Gratianus sainct Firmius and others sent from Rome thither in this age in which time also sainct Peter the Apostle sent into Germany sainct Egistus sainct Clement vncle to sainct Clement the Pope sainct Eucharius sainct Valerius sainct Maternus sainct Mansuetus and many others The Apostles of Spaine were sent thither also from Rome in this Time namely sainct Torquatus Ctesiphon Secundus Indalitius Caecilius sainct Hesychius sainct Euphrasius and others In Hispania Sanctorum Torquati Clesiphontis Secundi Indaletij Caecilij Hesichij Euphrasij qui Romae à Sanstis Apostolis Episcopi ordinati ad praedicandum verbum Dei in Hispanias directi sunt And to proue that all nations in this part of the world called the Latin Church receaued their first Bishops preists cleargie men with their Church seruice from Rome S. Peter or his Successour in this age S. Clement his Successour so speaketh from S. Peters owne direction and testimonye Episcopos per Clem. Roman epist 1. singulas Ciuitates quibus ille S. Petrus non miserat iuxta Domini praeceptionem nobis mittere praecepit Quod etiam facere inchoauimus Domino opem ferente facturi sumus Aliquos verò ad Gallias Hispaniasque mittemus quosdam ad Germaniam Italiam atque ad reliquas gentes dirigere cupimus And euen to such barbarous and sauage contryes as had not vse of letters and learning ferociores rebelliores gentes This Kingdome of Britayne excepting the Scotts when they came hither had euer learned men and of ciuilitie as the Druids their cheifest being here and others Yet after the coming and rule of the Romans here at and after the birth of Christ his Religion preached in this contry the latin tongue was vsuall to all of qualitie no man might beare office but such as vnderstood it all publike guifts donations charters priuiledgs and Records whatsoeuer both as old and late Catolike and Protestant Antiquaries proue were performed and written in the latin tongue and onely the vulgar people vsed thcir vulgar language and yet corruptly without writing Coniectura ducor Io Leland in commenrar antiq voc Britan. v. Britannin Cains histor Cantabrig p. 19. eo tempore vulgus Britānorum ineruditissimum fuisse ac prorsus non potuisse linguae suae voces depingere Quamdiu Imperium Britanniae in Prouinciam reductae penes Romanos stabat tamdiu necessè erat Britannis Magistratum gerere cupientibus latinè loqui Prouincialem linguam vulgus cum magna difficultate id quidem corruptè discebat Tabulae donationum omnes rationes alicuius momenti latinè fiebant By which it is euident that their publike Church seruice must needs also be latin in which onely as S. Bede with others proue all people Inhabitants here euer Bed histor ang l. 1. c. 1. studied and reade the scriptures from which it is taken Haec Insula quinque gentium linguis vnam eandemque summae veritatis verae sublimitatis scientiam scrutatur confitetur Anglorum videlicet Britonum Scotorum Pictorum Latinorum quae meditatione scripturaecaeteris omnibus est facta communis And as S. Gyldas writeth this Kingdome was by the reigning of the Romans there so latinized Gild. epistol de excid conquest Britan cap. 5. and Romanized that it was rather to be named Romana then Britannia vt non Britannia sed Romania censeretur And though the Romans had many Hands yet this in antiquities is aboue all named the Romane Hand Greek and latin Catholik and Protestant Antiquaries agree that S. Peter the Apostle who deliuered that latin Church seruice which the Romans vsed and brought into Fraunce by his disciples as is proued before preached in this Kingdome stayed here longe time longo tempore moratus founded vs Churches consecrated S. Symeon Metaphrastes in S. Petro. Euseb apud eund ib. Sur. die 29. Iuuij Cambden in Britannia prot Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. for vs Bishops Preists and Deacons Ecclesias constituit Episcoposque Presbyteros Diaconos ordinauit could deliuer vnto them no other Church seruice then
Marc. Protestant consent so proue and deriue it S. Denis Anton. l. 2. de Republ. Eccl. caâ— 2. is so plaine that they plainely thus confesse it Areopagitae Dionysio tributum opusculum vnctionem ponit expressè So they confesse of S. Anacletus made Preist by S. Peter the Apostle addit vnctionem capitis Anacletus quae est antiquissima The words which he vseth deducing his doctrine Anacl ep 2. and practise from the Apostles be these Bishops are to be made by Imposition of hands of Bishops with the ghospels which they are to preach and holie vnction by the example of the Apostles because all sanctification consisteth in the holie ghost whose inuisible power is mixed with holie Chrisme and by this Rite solemne Ordination is to be celebrated Where we finde by this greate Apostolike authoritie that the grace of this Sacrament and power Episcopall is giuen by this Rite And these Protestants as by this they must and Prot. supr in Marc. Anton. are enforced confesse so of the holie fathers following both in the Greeke and Latin Church that they were consecrated Bishops by holie vnction Gregor Nazianc orat 20. de laudib Basil orat 5. ad Basil part Sim. Metaph. in vit Crisost Petr. Chrisolog Ser. de S. Seuero Isidor l. 2. de offic Eccl. c. 25. S. Iuo Ser. de reb Eccl. Steph. Aduen Sacr. alt c. 9. So of S. Basile vnctione sacrâ adhibitâ est ordinatus So of S. Gregorie Naziancen me Pontificem vngis So were S. Iohn Chrisostome and S. Seuerus Of S. Augustine S. Gregorie with others I haue spoken before To which we may ioyne S. Iuo Stephanus Aduensis and other auntient writers and expositours of holie mysteries and all Orders of Consecration By this it is euident how certayne and vndoubted a thing it is That the consecration vsed in the Romane Church is most true holie and honourable both for Order and Iurisdiction euer as is demonstrated before both in this and other nations from the Apostolike Roman see and in the old Orders of consecration the Bishop to be consecrated protesteth obedience to the Popes of Rome And how the case standeth with the Protestants both of England and all others it is as lamentable to know their desolate condition THE XXVII CHAPTER The 37. article intituled of the ciuill Magistrates thus examined and whosoeuer against the Roman Church condemned THeir 37. and next Article is intituled of the ciuill Magistrates And thus followeth The Kings Maiestie hath the cheife power in this Realme of EnglaÌ„d and other his dominions vnto whome the cheife gouernment of all estates of this Realme whether they be Ecclesiasticall or ciuill in all causes doth appertaine and is not nor ought to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction The Bishop of Rome hath no IurisdictioÌ„ in this Realme of England The rest of this article containeth an excuse of ProtestaÌ„ts that they did not giue to their temporall Prince power to preach and minister Sacraments as some interpreted their opinion and other things not questioned betweene Catholiks and English Protestants but betweene these Protestants and some other new sectaries among themselues and be these The lawes of the Realme may punish Christian men with death for heynous and grieuous offences It is lawfull for Christian men at the commaundement of the Magistrate to weare weapons serue in the warrs These positions are graunted and allowed by all Catholiks The first part of this article giuing vnto the King a temporall Gouernour and Ruler cheife gouernment ouer all estates in all causes Ecclesiasticall or ciuill as also their statute and oath of Princes Supremacy in spirituall things fighteth with and contradicted it selfe for thus it addeth we giue not to our Prince the ministring either of Gods word or of the Sacraments the which the Iniunctions also sometime set fourth by Elizabeth our late Queene doe most plainely testifie Therefore seing Kings be not Teachers preachers Doctours Pastours and sheephards in the Church and fould of Christ to giue them some place therein members of it and not to be quite excluded from the name and number of Christians we must needs say they be of them which be taught preached vnto instructed sheepe and subiects fedde ruled and gouerned by them which haue authority and spirituall power in such things And these our Protestants haue accordingly this defined the Church before in these their articles The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached Protest art 19. sup and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs ordinance They to whome the word is preached and Sacraments be ministred and neither haue power to preach nor minister Sacraments which this Article confesseth of their Protestant Kings and temporall Rulers cannot possibly in the respect be cheife Gouernours of theÌ„ to whome God himselfe hath power and preeminence The holy Scriptures do in many places commaund obedience both to temporall spirituall Rulers but obedieÌ„ce in matters of Religion in feeding and ruling soules the flocke of Christ gouerning his Church and such spirituall emnencies is onely appropriated in theÌ„ to spirituall gouernours Qui benè praesunt Presbyteri duplici honore digni sunt Pascite qui in vobis est gregem 1. Tim. 5. 1. Petr. 5. Ioh. 21. Act. 20. Hebr. 13. Dei pasce agnos meos Pasce oues meas Attendite vobis vniuer so gregi in quo vos Spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei quam acquisiuit sanguine suo Mementote praepositorum vestrorum qui vobis locuti sunt verbuÌ„ Dei. Obedite praepositis vestris subiacete Ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Where we see neither king nor Prince if he will belonge to the Church of Christ haue his soule purchased with his blood a care had of it and accompt made for it can be free from this obedience much lesse can he clayme it for himselfe from them to whom it so infallibly belongeth by the highest authority The Apostolike men of this first age haue testified this at large before in the examination Ignat. epist and Anâ—ioch Ep. ad Smyrn Epist ad Philadelph Magnesian Trallian of the last precedent article S. Ignatius hath taught vs a Bishop is aboue all principality and power Episcopus omni Principatu potestate superior est No man is more honorable then the Bishop Nemo Episcopo honorabilior Preists and Deacons all the clergy together with the people and Souldiars and Princes and the Emperour also must obey the Bishop Cum populo militibus at que Principibus sed Caesare obediant Episcopo Be subiect to the Bishop euen as to our Lord for he watcheth for your soules and is to make accompt for them Therefore it is needfull that you doe nothing without the Bishop No man may doe any thing that belongeth to the Church without the Bishop Sine
euidently proued against this their Article that the Church of Rome in euery age as they haue before declared assisting and directing the Christian Britans here and concurring and agreeing with them ineuery point and article of Religion neither did nor could be said to haue erred in matters of faith And this these Protestants expressely confesse when they generally acknowledge as all Antiquities doe that there was then no materiall or essentiall difference in matters of faith betweene the Christian Britains except some Pelagian heretiks among them and Sainct Augustine with his company being sent from the Church of Rome the Pope then being a greate S. Gregory the most learned and holy Pope that euer was by these mens Testimony Gregorius magnus omnium PoÌ„tificum Romanorum Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. Pontif. in Gregorio Mâ—gâ—â—o doctrina vita praestantissimus And therefore by them and all holy writers stiled Gregory the greate And wherein soeuer any difference though ceremoniall obseruing of Easter any ceremony about the ministering of Baptisme or giuing holy Orders was betweene the Roman Church and the Britains all writers both Catholiks and ProtestaÌ„ts proue the Roman Church professed the truth And the Britains were in the errour and so they freely and publikely in their first meeting coÌ„fessed as Sainct Bede and our Protestants themselues Bed hist Eccles l. 2. c. 2. with others acknowledge Tum Britones confitentur quidem intellexisse se veram esse viam iustitiae quam praedicaret Augustinus and this was inuincibly proued vnto them both by vnanswearably humane arguments and diuine testimony and miracle And they afterward generally corrected and conformed themselues to the Romane Church in all things formerly questioned betweene them as all Antiquaries Brittish English Forreine domesticall Catholiks and Protestants agree neuer contending about any question moued by Protestants against the present Roman Church but both the Romane Church then and our Britains as the whole Christian world also iointly agreing in euery article against this new Protestant Religion And this is manifestly proued particularly already in all articles yet examined and so will be in all that followe Therefore it is manifestly false by all testimonies auncient later forreine domesticall Catholikes and Protestants euen in their publike decrees and Confessions that which this Article so desperately hath deliuered The Church of Rome hath erred in matters of faith and the contradictory that it hath not so erred nor shall at any time so erre is euidently true by all witnesses This will be yet more euidently manifested in the two next following examinations and others THE VIII CHAPTER The 20. Article thus examined and in whatsoeuer contrary to the Church of Romè thus condemned THEIR 20. and next article intituled of the authority of the Church is this It is noâ— lawfull â—or the Church to ordaine any thinge contrary to Gods word written neither may it so expound one place of â—cripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore â—lthough the Church be a witnesse and a keeper of holy â—rit yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the â—ame so besides the same ought it not to enforce any â—hing to be beleeued for necessity of saluation In this article no thing needeth other answeare or confutation then is made before in their article of Scriptures and traditions where the pretended sole necessity of the written Scriptures heretikely insinuated is most plainely confuted both by the Apostolike doctrine and practise of this age and otherwise And the supreame power and authority which here they giue vnto the Church to be a witnesse and keeper of holy writ and the cheifest expositour thereof and as their common glosse â—â— this article is the Church hath authority to Iudge and determine in controuersies of faith doth vtterly disable and condemne those Protestants to haue any colour or pretence to hold the truth in any one article they maintaine against the Roman Church either concerning Scriptures Church or anâ— thing else for the Church which onely was and â— visible as they haue described the true Church before hath in all and euery article condemned aâ— such Protestant Innouation And for these men to say as they haue done â—â— their 19. Article that the Church is a congregatiâ— of faithfull men in which the pure word of God â— preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred anâ— to make it an article of faith as they doe in theâ— publike profession of the Creede that this Church one holy and Catholike doth so continue for 〈◊〉 without interruption or corruption in ministriâ— Sacraments and preaching doctrine and the things are in their censure should onely be take from the written word and Scriptures It is vnpoâ—sible in such proceedings that the Church shoâ— ordaine any thing contrary to Gods word writteâ— or so expound on place of Scripture that it be repugnant to an other For otherwise it should neither be one holie or Catholike but diuers different vnholy particular no pillar of truth but a forge of falsehood no howse of God no spouse of Christ no saluation to be had or hoped for in any Iudgment Catholike or Protestant but in the true Church of Christ To this the Apostolike men of this age giue Ignat. epist ad Philadelp Ephes Trall Magn. Antiochen Ignat. ep ad Philadelp euident testimony Sainct Ignatius doth make the Iudgment of the Church both supreame and certaine and receauing penitents and saith Christ hath firmely builded his Church vpon a hile by spirituall building without help of mans hands against which the floods dashing and windes puffing could not ouerthrowe it nor any spirituall wickednesses shall euer be able to doe it but they shall be weakened by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ. Iesus Christus secundum propriam voluntatem suam firmauit Ecclesiam super Petram adificatione spirituali citra humanarum manuam operam in quam collisa flumina venti non potuerunt eam subuertere nec id valcant vnquam spirituales nequitiae sed infirmentur virtute Domini nostri Iesu Christi And saith plainely as there is but one flesh and blood of Christ shedd for our sinnes one Euchariste one Altare one Priestly order one God the Father one God the sonne one holy Ghost so there is but one preaching and one faith and one baptisme and one Church which with their sweate and labours the holy Apostles haue founded in the blood of Christ from the one end of the earch to the other vnapraedicatio fides vna vnum baptisma vna Ecclesia quam suis sudoribus laboribus fundarunt sancti Apostoli à finibus terrae vsque ad fines in sanguine Christi Sainct Clement Câ—em Rom. Const Apost l. 1. c. 1. saith the Catholike Church is the plantation of God and his chosen vineyard which cannot be digged vp or destroied Dei plantatio est Catholica Ecclesia vinea eius electa So that no other can be planted or chosen by
their allowance and Nicaen Conc. in Subscriptione ante nomina Episcoporum consent This is proued also by the auncient copie and subscriptions of this first generall Councell where these two Preists Legats for the Pope of Rome subscribe for him and by his power before all others Bishops Archbishops or Patriarks present whatsoeuer Victor or Victus Vinecentiâ—â— Presbyteri vrbis Romae pro venerabili vno Papa â— Episcopo nostro Syluestro subscripsimus ita credâ—â—â—â— ficut scriptum est And then after follow the subscriptions of the Bishops of Afrike Asia and Europe The Bishopâ— of Europe wherein Rome is beinge the last there in subscription these Legates of the Pope onely Preists subscribeing first of all Europe Asia or Afrike when of themselues as Preists they had â—â— place at all without power and authority from thâ— Apostolike See of Rome by which they had anâ— thus executed the cheifest in that first cheife anâ— generall Christian Councell of the world as it iâ— commonly accompted and by that title proposeâ— as an example and presideÌ„t for those that followed Which hath enforced me to continue my examination of this part of this Protestant Article thus longe in regard this Councell being so generally â—â—câ—â—ued by all may beâ— paterne square and rule vnto all in this kinde of Question The pretended onely reason which our Protestants before haue made to proue that which followeth in this article That generall Councels may erre sometimes haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God being this forasmuch as they be an assembly of men whereof all be not gouerned with the spirit and word of God is vaine Idle and to no purpose for so wee might discredit and deny all those Councels of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ before remembred especially all after the choosing of the seuen Deacons Sainct Stephen and therest For among these Nicolas authour of the Nicolaite heresie was one and so being so vnworthy an heretike may not be said to haue beene allwayes gouerned with the spirit and word of God And not finding any other generall Councell from that time vntill the first of Nice which our Protestants with generall applause receaue and all the Canons and decrees thereof being receiued by Parlaments statutes communion bookes Canons articles before and all authority they haue wee may still doubt or plainely say rather that this erred euen in things pertaining vnto God and the very nature of God himselfe the blessed Trinity And diuers others for although it consisted of the cheifest Prelates of all noble Churches in all Europe Afrike and Asia â—x â—â—nibus Ecclesijs quae frequentes in tota Europa Africa Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant cap 7. Socrat. Eccl. hist l. 1. cap. 5. Asia extiterunt Dei ministri qui facile primas ferre putabantur in vnum conuocati all Patriarkes either by themselues or Legats were there and the Emperour himselfe for such as require his consent yet they were all but an assembly of men whereof Ruffin hist Eccl. l. 1. ca. 5. Theodorit hist l. 1. Sozozomen Eccl. hist l. 1. c. 19. all were not gouerned with the spirit and word of God our Protestants goodly reason for by all writers therâ— were 17. knowne Arian heretiks amoÌ„g them and for such diuers of them with Arius condemned and exiled at that time and many more were absent in greate number And if wee should for this or any other pretended reason doubt of the truth of this men Councell it were in vayne euer to labour our seeke to haue a true generall and vndoubted Councell for a greater assembly and more likely to coÌ„clude the truth is not morally possible to be gathered For besides the Emperour all the Socrates hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 5. Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant cap. 9. Patriarks and aboue 300. Bishops there were learned Cleargy men there without number Iâ— hoc praesenti choro fuit Episcoporum multitudâ— ad nâ—morum 〈◊〉 torum aâ—plius Presbyterorâ—â— aâ—tem Diaconorum acolithorum aliorum qâ—â— istos comitabantur turbane muneraâ— quidem potest Atque ex 〈◊〉 Dei ministris alij prudenter discrtè dicendo alij vitae grauitate constanti rerum arduarum perpessione nonnulli quasi media inter istos interiecta viuendiratione eximij praeclara laudis insignia adepti sunt Thus Eusebius there present and others liuing in that time And if in ciuill and morall bodies such as the Church Councels Diets Parlaments and such like assemblies composed of many and diuers persons and conditions are wee should expect an vniuersall and generall coÌ„sent of men so assembled wee shall finde there were or haue beene or can be very few or none such in the world That first Parlament of Queene Elizabeth which ouerthrewe Catholike Religion and set vp that new profession which professeth and decreed the articles had but 4. or 5. voyces and suffrages more for their new Religion then were for the old and yet shee made so many new Protestant Lords for that purpose and vsed such irreligious practises to encrease the number for their new erection as their owne historians aboundantly haue testified The Cambd. hist Mar. Regio Scot. Stowe hist an 1. Elizab Roman and Catholike Church neuer proceeded with such poore shists and small difference of consents either in the Councell of Trent against protestants or any other former generall Councell in suppressing and condemning other heretiks and their heresies as is euident in this first generall Councell of Nice where as before so many agreed and so few dissented Constantine the greate Emperour if wee would followe Protestants for Princes Supremacy hath before made the Iudgment and sentence of the Nicen Councell the Infallible Iudgment and sentence of God and giueth the same infallibility to all such Councels Quicquid in Sanctis Episcoporum concilijs Constant ep ad Ecclesias apud Socrat. l. 1. hist Eccl. c. 6. Ruffin hist l. 1. c. 10. Episcopi Nicaeni Concil epist ad Episcopos Aegyptum Libyam Pentacol incol Socrat. supr l. 1. ca. 6. Theodorit l. 1. hist c 9. decernitur id vniuersum diuinae voluntati debet attribui If wee will beleeue hundreds of learned Bishops there assembled so they testifie quaeritè constituta decreta sint earata stabiliaque permaneant Dei Patris omnipotentis Domini nostri Iesu Christi auxilio vna cum Spiritus sancti gratia And they Anathematized the resisters of their decrees Quibus omnibus SaÌ„ctum Concilium indicit Anathema Placuit Concilio communibus suffragijs Anathema denuntiare It is euident by the 6. and 7. Canon of this Nicen Councell that the Pope of Rome Patriarke of Antioch Alexandria and by some Hierusalem had Iurisdiction ouer all Bishops in the world and they all assented if they could haue assented to errour the whole Church vnder them might haue erred Sainct Syluester Pope of Rome as before with 275. Bishops confirmed that Councell in all points
19. manner how Bishops should not suffer sinners to enter into the Church vntill they had done pennance as he should thinke fit and then to forgiue them Cum aliquem peccauisse cognoueris iube cum foras eijci ingressique pro eo rogent Tunc iubebis illum iuuare expendens an paeniteat dignus sit qui in Ecclesiam omnino recipiatur afflictum illum diebus ieiuniorum pro ratione peccati hebdomadas duas vel tres vel quinque vel septem dimitte Where the graunting of pardon and Indulgence more or lesse is referred to the Bishops iudgmeÌ„t and discretion And Cap. 21. further omnium curam habeat Episcopus Poenitentibus remissionem concedere oportet Recognosce ô Episcope dignitatem tuam quod sicut ligandi potestatem accepisti sic etiam soluendi Obtinens igitur soluendi potestatem recognosce teipsum secundum dignitatem loci tui in hac vita versare sciens quod de pluribus rebus ratio abs te requiretur Cui enim inquit depositum est Luc. 12. multum abundantius repetetur ab eo Nam peccati expers reperitur nemo excepto eo qui propter nos factus est homo Quoniam scriptum est nemo mundus à Iob 25. sâ—â—â—â—bus neque si vnum diem vixerit Where pardons and Indulgences are commaunded and the necessity of them among all men sinners deliuered He teacheth the like thus againe peccantem caâ—â—iga Lib. 2. Const Apost c. 21. Cap. 21. ieiunio afflictum remissione releua ingemiscentem recipe And leauing all to the Church to impose pennance to alter chaunge ease or giue pardon release and giue Indulgence of it he addeth nolite pro omni peccato eandem sententiam ferre Cap. 52. sed vnicuique propriam poenam statuite cum multa prudentia Alios minis subijcies alijs subsidijs pauperum alios ieiunijs affliges alios segrcgabis pro delicti magnitudine Diuersis delictis diuersas poenas imponatis Si poenitentem non receperis insidiatoribus trades Cap. 14. oblitus Dauid dicentis ne tradas bestijs animam confitentem tibi Si quis Episcopus aut presbyter cum qui à Psal 73. Can. Apost can 51. peccaco reuertitur non recipit sed reijcit deponitor eo quòd Christum offendat qui dixit ob vnum peccatorem qui resipiscat gaudium oboriri in coelo And Sainct Ignatius earnestly vrgeth to take Ignat. epist ad Philadelp mercy of and pardon penitent sinners and receaue them with all gentlenesse as a meanes to bring them from sinning to saluation Obsecro vos quot-quot paenitentia ducti redierint ad vnitatem Ecclesiae suscipite illos cum omni mansuetudine vt per bonitatem This doctrine of IndulgeÌ„ces vsed in Britaine from the first conuersion thereof to Christ Girald Cambren descriptione Cambr. cap. 18. patientiam vestram resipiscentes ex diaboli laqueis digni iam Christo facti salutem consequantur aeternam in regno Christi And to come home to this our owne contry of Britaine Giraldus Cambrensis an old learned Bishop and greate antiquary entreating of the first faith and Religion of the Britans de antiqua fidei fundatione Christianitatis amore deuotione saith they euer coÌ„tinued in the same among other customes and obseruances kept froâ— the time of their first conuersion their Churcheâ— had farre greater Immunities priuiledges or Indulgences then in other places Ecclesiae istorum longâ— maiorem quà m alibipacem habent These Indulgences here did farre exceede them which the Canons graunt Longè Canonum Indulgentiam excedente An euident argument they were more auncient then the Canons And being as hâ— teacheth without Innouation or chaunge eueâ— from the first conuersion of this Kingdome and the Apostles time Which our oldest antiquities warranted both by Catholike and Protestant historians and our Protestants themselues will thus proue vnto vs. They testifie with Antiquity that Io. Bal. l. 1. de vit Pont. Roman in Eleut Robert Barn in vit pont Rom. in eod Pope Eleutherius was bonus paterfamilias a good Steward of Gods Church And King Lucius entreated him to be ioyned to the Christian faith and Church which was then and had beene from the beginning Lucius Britanniae Rex Christiano caâ—â—i cum suis subditis adiungi à pontifice petijt per literas And hee so effected it that the BritaÌ„s were coÌ„firmed and strengthened in the doctrine which they had receaued from the Apostles and the whole Kingdome here professed it Eleutherius vt bonus paterfamilias effecit vt confirmatis consolidatis Britanâ—is in suscepta prius ab Apostolis doctrina totum illud regnum in eius fidei verbum iuraret And this Apostolike faith and doctrine was the same which this good Pope S. Eleutherius and the Romans then Bal. lib. de Script Brit. centur 1. in Eluana Meduino Godw. conu of Brit. and the Christian Britains here also professed as these Protestants and all Antiquaries agree saying that the first preachers to King Lucius were Apostolike men or instructed by them per Apostoliâ—os viros in Christo renati and our King sent for this Apostolike faith to Pope Eleutherius at Rome literiâ— suis Rex Lucius apud Eleutherium Pontificem egit vt apud Romanos Christianorum adscriberetur numero And the Apostolike Catholike faith which was Io. Bal. sup Io. Leland Assertion Arthurij Charta S. Pâ—tricij Antiq. Glastenien tab lign in membran affix Guliel Malmesbur l. de antiquitat Coenob Glasten Acta per legat Crapgr Catal. in S. Patricio Io. Leland in Arth. here at Rome and from thence sent and confirmed here in this question of Indulgences was the same which the present Roman Church now professeth For wee reade in the old Acts of those legates which S. Eleutherius sent hither recommended by these Protestants for authenticall as written by themselues Fugatius Damianus vt apud posteros clariora perdurarent membranis his dedâ—runt Acta per legatos inde ad nos peruenerunt and many other antiquities That thâ—se holy Legates procured 10. yeares of Indulgence for all visitours of that sacred place of Glastenbury Sancti Phaganus Deruianus perquisierunt ab Eleutherio Papa qui eos miserat decem annos Indulgentiae And these old Acts did testifie that the same holy Legates obtained 30. yeares of Indulgence for all Bishops that should with deuotion visit the chappell there builded in honour of S. Michael the Archangell Dicebat eadem scriptura quod venerandi Phaganus Deruianus perquisierant triginta annorum Indulgentiam omnibus Episcopis ipsum locum ob honorem beati Michaelis pia voluntate visâ— tantibus The old Manuscript antiquities of Glastenbury set downe the names of almost an hundred holy and auncient Bishops which had giuen Indulgences to that holy place Wee cannot but Iudge the like of other Churches and places whose monuments haue not beene so happily preserued And this is
dâ—e 4. inf octau assumpt â— Mariae Dam. supr alij holy body Multi ex Sanctis fratribus nostris corporis quod authorem vit ae Deumque recepisset videndi causa conuenissemus ador at autem Iacobus frater Domini Petrus maximum antiquissimumque Theologorum columen The tradition of the Church plainely expoundeth their pilgrimage thither to worshippe that sacred body corpus quod Deum susceperat adorare And so then did And an Angelicall vision was seene and an heauenly harmony continued three dayes there Visio apparuit Angelica audita est psaâ—nodia caelestium potestatum Where wee see that both the Apostles and disciples of Christ liuing on earth and the Angels in heauen gaue honour and reuerence to this holy relike Greate was the Matth. c. 14. Ruffin l. 2. c. 28. Theod. l. 3. c 6. Niceph. l. 10. c. 13. l. 1. c. 19 Metaph. 29. August honour and reuerence which the disciples of S. Iohn Baptist did vnto his holy body both as the Scripture and other writers witnesse when nothing respecting the rage of his most potent persecutours they honorably buried it carrying it out of Herodes iurisdiction vnto Sebaste in Samaria to giue it due honour more freely where also the reliks of Eliseas the Prophet were buried and reuerenced and so they continued in honour vntill the time of Iulian the Apostata when the Iewes and Gentiles maligning the greate honour the Christians did vnto them tooke them out of their shrines mixed theÌ„ with the bones of beasts burned them together and scattered their ashes into the ayre which antiquities terme the greatest and horrible wickednesse Illud omnium maximè indignum Sâ—bastianae in Palâ—stina est admissum Ossa namque Elisaei Prophetae Ioannis Baptistae loculis suis extracta irrationalium animantium ossibus ô immanem audaeciam mista atque ignitradita in cineres redacta atque in aerem disiecta sunt The auncient Fathers and Antiquities say that S. Iohn Baptist his disciples buried his body in a famous place with greate reuerence eum discipuli furtim sublatum cum solemni veneratione in celebri Metaphrast de exportat man San. Io. Bapt. extra Antiochiam Gulielm Eiseng centen 1. part 5. dist 7. Matth. westm chron an 458. quodam apud Sebasten Palâ—stinae sepeliere loco Simon Metaphrastes and others write that S. Luke the Euangelist with much difficulty procured his right hand and carried it to Antioch his natiue place and from that time vntill Iulianus his persecution it remained therein greate honour doing many miracles Ab illo tempore sita est manus illa apud Antiochiam in magno honorâ— habita iugis quae in ea habitat gratiae fidem faciens miraculis ad Iuliani Imperatoris vsque tempora The auncient learned French Bishop Gregorius Turonensis writeth that a noble matrone of that contry brought with greate reuerence part of the blood of that greate Martyr Christ yet liuing vnto the City of Vaseus where building a Church in his honour shee placed it one the Altare Concham Gregor Tur. in lib. in glor plur Marâ—yr cap. 12. Mat. West chronic an 458. argenteam praeparat truncatique martyris cruoremin patriam detulit apud vasatensem vrbem aedificata in eius honore Ecclesia in Sancto altari collocauit His head though concealed and hidden by his wicked Murderesse was yet after found and kept with greate honour Such reuerence and deuotion was vsed to the reliks of the Apostles and other Saints of this age All hystories are full of the greate honour done to the holy bodies of S. Peter and S. Paul at Rome And their Tombes reuerenced as Trophies euen in this age presently vpon their deathes as most auncient Gaius Epist-ad Proclum Euseb lib. 2. hist c. 25. writers are witnesses Ego Apostolorum Trophaea ostendere possum Etenim siad vaticanum vel ad viam Ostiensem abire voles Trophaea inuenies eorum qui Ecclesiam hanc Romanam fundarunt And pilgrimadges were made thither to reuereÌ„ce them and the Reliks of other Martyrs there from remote parts of the world as Persia Afrike and others in the storming times of the first persecutions and the pilgrims themselues euen whole families all most as S. Marius and S. Martha his wife with their two holy Sonnes S. Audifar and S. Abachum were Martyred for such holy deuotions Marius Breuiar Rom. die 19. Ianua Martyrolog Rom. Bed Martyrol 19. Ianuar. Vsuar die 20. Ianua Sur. die 14. Febr. Martyr Roman 22. Nouemb. Vsuard eod die Bed die 21. Greg. l. 3. ep 30. ad Const Aug Abdias certam Apostol l. r. Marcell Petri discipul in vit Petri Linus in past Petri. Presbyter Diacon Achaiae in Passion S. Andreae Bed Ado prid cal Dec. Anton. part 1. Petr. de Natal l. 1. c. 8. Sur. lippel die vlt. Nouemb. in S. Andrea Greg. Turon l. in glor mart cap. 30. Anton. part 1. tit 6. Doroth. Synop. Theodor lect l. 2. Bed vsuar Martyr in S. Iacob Anton. part 1. Tit. 6. c. 7. Petr. de natal l. 6 c. 133. Vincet l. 8. c. 7. Mant. fast l. 7. Martyrol Rom. Callist Pap. 2. ser de translat S. Iac Leo 3. de translat eius Trithem l. de vir Illustrib Hieron l de Script Eccl. in Io Euang. Breuiar Rom. 27. Decembr Martyr Rom. Bed Vsuar â—od die Men. Graec. 6. câ—l Octob. Celestin Papâ— epist ad Syn. Ephesin Chrys hom in laudem 12. Apost hom 26. in Epist Pauli ad Heb. Anonymus antiq in vit Apostolorum in Ioanne persa nobili loco natus cum Martha coniuge pari nobilitate duâ—bus filijs Audiface Abachum Romam venerunt vt Martyrum sepulchra venerarentur So likewise S. Maurus out of Afrik ex Africa veniens ad Sepulchra Apostolorum And the Christians in the easte from whence these greate Apostles came to Rome so much honoured them as the Christian Romans likewise did that they would with greate honour to them and daunger to themselues haue translated them from Rome into the east soone after their death but that God miraculously decided the question for the Romans as S. Gregorie and other worthie Authours are witnesses They were buried by the Christians with greate honour and presently there was pilgrimadge waching praying and reuerence at their graues as there now is so much as the time of persecution would permitt The body of S. Andrew had the honour to be buryed with greate reuerence euen by Maximilla wife to Aegeas the Proconsul of Achaia who put him to dearh Sacratissimum illius corpus insâ—gâ—â— pudicitia sanctitate faemina Maximilla nomine Sâ—natrix suorum adiuta solatio cum omni reuerentia de cruce deposuit conditumque aromatibus honorificè sepeliuit And so it continued therein greate honouâ— with much resort of pilgrymes vnto it vntill the quiet time of Constantine when it was as many others translated to the Emperiall citie of Constantinople
onely offered but vpon occasion kept and reserued there for that is properly sedes a seate on which a thing is seated and sometime permanent longer then the short space betwene consecration and communion at Masse We finde in the second councell of Tours where were our Bishops of little Britayne receauing both norme and Christian Religion from hence that Order was therein taken for the reuerent keeping Concil Turouen 2. c. 3. this blessed Sacrament in one Kinde and so to be ministred Vt Corpus Christi non in armario sed sub Crucis titulo componatur Gregorius Turonensis confirmeth Gregor Turon l. de vit patrum cap. 3. l. 1. de glor patr cap. 86. that custome with that people and exemplifieth how the holie Bishop S. Gallus three dayes before his death did communicate all the people in this one Kinde Sciens S. Gallus reuelante Domino sepost triduum migraturum conuocat populum omnibus confracto pane communionem sancta ac pia voluntate largitur The like he hath in other places We read this vse and custome in the life and in the time of S. Patrik and among others that so communicated one named Echen and a King did so receaue Accepto Corpore Christi migrauit ad Dominum Neuer any order of Religion in the Church of Christ especially in this westerne part of the world was more renowned then our old brittish I rish and Scottish monkes not onely among the Brittons Saxons in Ireland Scotland Norway Island but in Fraunce Germany and Italy itselfe and none more Religious towards this Sacrament then they yet by their Rule and vowe they were forbidden to drinke wine as we finde exemplified by approued Antiquaries in one of their cheifest monasteries that of Lindisfarne the Nurse of so many Saincts where King and Saint Ceolnuph entering into Religion about the yeare 733. licence was giuen to that Monastery to drinke wyne or ale they neuer drunke any before none but milke or water Hoc Rege iam monacho facto efficiente data est Lindisfarnensis Roger. Houeden Annal. parte priore Mat. Westm An. 733 continuator Bed l. 1. cap. 9. Ecclesiae monachis licentia bibendi vinum vel ceruisiam antea enim non nisi lac velaquam bibere solebant secundum antiquam traditionem Sancti Aidani primi eiusdem Ecclesiae Antistitis monachorum qui cum illo de Scotia venerunt These holy men could neuer drinke the cuppe of Caluyns and our parlaments Protestants communion but being made Preists and at Masse transubstantiating wine into Christs bloode to receaue this at that time was neuer denyed vnto them And this custome of communicating onely in one Kinde among our primatiue Christian Britans Scots and Irish was so farr from being an offence and against Christs ordinance that as their auncient learned brittish Bishop testifieth it was miraculously approued by him For a Church of S. Michael the Archangel in an Iland there was euery day in the hollownes of a stone neare the Church so much wyne miraculously prouided as would serue all the Preists at Masse that celebrated there Yet no prouision for any communicants spoken of In australi Momonia Girald Cambr. Topographiae Hibech c. 9. circa partes Corcagiae est Insulaquaedam Ecclesiam continens Sancti Michaelis antiquae nimis autheÌ„ticae religionis vbi lapis quidamest extra ostium Ecclesiae a dexteris in cuius superiori partis concauitate quotidie mane permerita Sanctorum illius loci tantum vini reperitur quantum ad missarum solemnia iuxta numerum Sacerdotum qui ibi eodem die celebraturi fuerint conuenienter sufficere possit The reason of this is not onely deliuered by Rabbi Câ—hanna ad cap. 49 genes Catholike Christians but the Rabbines before Christ also taught that whole Christ bodie and blood is in either forme and so wholly receaued in one onely Kinde as in both In Sacrisicio quod fiet expane non obstante quòd album sit velut lac conuertetur substantia in substantiam corporis Messiae eritque in ipso sacrificio substantia sangùinis Messiae Erunt item in sacrificio vini sanguis caro Messiae eadem erunt in pane quoniam Corpus Messiae non potest diuidi idque ratio postulat Nam si earo sanguis diuisa essent Distinguerentur ab inuicem Corpus â—â—â—em Messia non potest diuidi sicut scriptum est Exodi 12. Et substantiam non confringetis in eo Praeterea caro sine sanguine e conuerso sunt res mortuae Corpus verò Messiae post resurrectionem quia glorificatuâ— erit semper viuet THE XXIII CHAPTER The 31. Article being intituled of the one oblation of Christ finished vpon the crosse thus examined and condemned THE next their 31. article being intituled of the one oblation of Christ finished vpon the crosse is this The offering of Christ once made is the perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde both originall and actuall and there is noe other satisfaction for sinne but that alone Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses in the which it was commonly saide that the preists did offer Christ for the quicke and the the dead to haue remission of payne or guilt were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceites Hitherto this Protestant article The first part being takeÌ„ in that sense the words doe giue making Christs oblation of himselfe vpon the Crosse the perfect redemption propitiation satisfaction for all the sinnes of the world originall and actuall doth euacuate and take away the necessity of any Christian act internall or externall faith hope charity repentance Sacraments and whatsoeuer confessed by all to be necessary to saluation Protest artic supr artic 9 art 11. 16 2â— 27. euen by these men themselues before in diuers articles as that of originall sinne that of faith that of good workes those of sinne after baptisme of SacrameÌ„ts in generall of Baptisme of the Lords Supper and others And it blasphemously contendeth that all Infidels Turkes Tartars Iewes Pagans and whatsoeuer misbeleeuers and notorious sinners shall be saued by this meanes and haue as true and certaine Title to Saluation as the most Catholike holy and religious Christians haue for all sinnes of the world originall and actuall being thus as this article saith perfectly redeemed propitiated and satisfied for no sinne of heresie Infidelity or any wickednesse is excluded but hath thereby as the words of this article be perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction and consequently eternall saluation neyther shall the deuills themselues by this article be damned but saued also for their sinnes which they haue committed and all they shall or can committ are comprehended within this generall protestant circle and compasse of all the sinnes of the whole world both originall and actuall All lawes orders decrees rules gouernement and principality are needlesse all are sure to be saued without them and the most wicked wretch as secure
ei vim sanandi depellendi morbum fugandi daemones expellendi insidias per Christum spem nostram And by Apostolike Alexander Pap. 1. epistol omnes orth authority commaunde those ceremonies especially of holy water to be perpetuallie vsed by Preists in all Churches aquam sale conspersam populis benedicimus vt ea cuncti aspersi sanctificentur purificentur Quod omnibus Sacerdotibus faciendum esse mandamus So auncient was this holie ceremonie of sanctifying water and salt so coÌ„tinuall generall and inuiolable which our Protestants themselues thus acknowledge Alexander Romanus aquam admixto Robert Barn l. de vit Pont. Roman in Alexandro 1. sale precibus benedicendam eamque in templo domi ad Satanam propellendum ad peccata tollenda seruari iussit So it was in hallowing the water of baptisme S. Clement and others deliuering the verie manner thereof deprecetur Sacerdos instante baptismo Et dicet Clem. const Apost l. 7. ca. 43 l. 8. c. 35. Aspice è Coelo sanctifica hanc aquam tribue gratiam vim qui baptizatur secundum mandatum Christi cum eo crucifixus commortuus consepultus consufutatus sit in adoptionem quae in eo fit vt mortuus quidem sit peccato viuat autem iustitiae There he deliuereth Cap. 42. also the forme and order of hallowing Chrisme to annoint the baptized Benedicitur oleum à Sacerdote in remissionem peccatorum There he deliuereth the abrenuntiation which was made before baptisme Abrenuntiatio sathanae Cap. 41. operibus eius pompis cultui Angelis machinationibus eius omnibus quae subipso sunt He deliuereth Cap. 23. ep 3. const Apost l. 3. c. 16. 10. Iustinus quaes 137. Missa S. Marci Clem. coÌ„st Apost l. 8. c. 12 Ciprianus ep 63. Miss S. Iacob Alexand. 1. ep 1. Iustin orat ad Ant. pium Ireneus l. 4. c. â—7 lib. 5. cap. 2 Dion Areop l. Eccl. Hier. c. 43. Clem. const Apost l. 3. c. 6. Ignat. epist ad Eph Iren. l 4 c. 20. c. 34. Euarist apud Burchar l. 1. cap. 27. Pius r. apud eund l. 5. c. 47 l. 3. c. 72. Tom. 1 conc c. Clem. can Apost 72. ep 2. the annointing of the baptized vnges oleo sancto caput eorum qui baptizantur siue viri sint siue mulieres It was Dominica Traditio the Tradition euen from Christ that in the chalice water should be mixed with the wine to be offered ne quid aliud fiat à nobis quà m quod pro nobis Dominus Priorfecerit vt calix qui in commemorationem eius offertur mixtus vino offeratur The Apostolike writers of this age assure vs there were altars and they consecrated to consecrate and offer vpon them the blessed and perpetuall sacrifice of Christs body and blood and how they were consecrated as now they are with holy oyle Diuini altaris consecrationem sanctissimorum mysteriorum lex sacratissimi vnguenti castissimis infusionibus perficit And deliuer the verie manner with incense and other ceremonies Pontifex vbi orationem sanctam super diuinum altare peregit ex ipso incensum adolere inchoans omnem plani ambitum circuit Demum ad sanctum altare iterum rediens psalmorum incipiens melos Qui verò ipsius ordinis praecipui sunt vnà cum Sacerdotibus sanctum panem benedictionis calicem sanctis altaribus imponunt So they write of chalices patens and veales hallowed vas aureum vel argenteum vel velum sanctificatum nemo amplius in suum vsum conuertat hoc enim fit contra ius contra leges So of the holie vestiments of Bishops Preists Deacons Subdeacons and others of the Cleargie Sacris induti vestimentis So our Protestants themselues Clem. ep 2. Anac ep 1. Robert Barnes l. de vit Pontif Rom. in Anacleâ—o confesse Anacletus Sacerdotem sacrificaturum ministros vestibus sacris indutos contestes custodes sibi adhibere ordinauit Episcopus verò vt plures ministros sibi in sacris faciendis adiungat I haue spoken of diuers others before and shall remember more in the 36. of consecration of Bishops and ministers hereafter And our auncient monuments are witnesses that as other nations so all the Churches of Britaine did in the Britans time receaue and followe these manners and ceremonies euen by authoritie of the Romane Church Omnes Britannicae Ecclesiae modum Manuscr an t in vit S. Dauidis Capgr Catal. in eodem regulam Romana authoritate acceperunt Therefore most certaine it is that euerie particular and nationall Church hath not against this article authority to ordaine chaunge and abolish such ceremonies or rites of the Churche as the Protestants of England haue done THE XXVI CHAPTER The 35. 36. articles intituled of homilies and of consecration of Bishops and ministers thus examined and condemned THeir next 35. article intituled of homilies doth onely receaue and allowe to be read in their Protestant Church 2. Bookes of homilies one set fourth in the time of King Eduard the sixt the other in the beginning of Queene Elizabeth her Reigne Of which the reader may easilie giue censure according to that is said and proued in the former articles for wherein soeuer either of those 2. bookes any homilie in them on anie part point or doctrine in anie one of them all doth differ from the first Apostolike Catholike true doctrine inuinciblie proued before those bookes homilies parcels or assertions of them are vtterlie to be reiected and renounced Which the verie times themselues of their publication the condemned erroneous dayes of that King and Queene and their Protestanâ— composers and publishers likewise condemned for their false teaching and writing doe manifest vnto vs. Their 36. article of Consecration of Bishops and ministers is thus The booke of consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Preists and Deacons lately set for the in the time of Edward the sixt and confirmed at the same time by authoritie of parliament doth conteine all things necessary to such consecration and ordering neither hath it any thinge that of it selfe is superstitious or vngodly And therefore whosoeuer are consecrated or ordered according to the rites of that booke since the second yeare of the a forenamed King Edward vnto this time or here after shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and and ordered Hitherto this article which in euery part thereof is fully confuted before in my Examination of their 23. Article intituled of ministring in the congregation Where I haue demonstratiuely proued that they neither haue any true lawfull Iurisdiction or ordination among them But to do a worke of Supererogation in this so much concerning the standing or ouerthâ—owe of our Protestants whole religion quite ouerthrowne by this one dispute if they haue no rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated Bishops Preists or Deacons I further thus
demonstrate First then if the decree of this Article as they terme it were to be accepted and receaued for a iust and lawfull decree yet the first Protestant Bishops Preists and Deacons in Queene Elizabeth her time from which all that now bee in England or haue beene since then cannot be saide to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered by this verie Article it selfe For that supposed booke of King Edward the sixt being abrogated and taken away by Queene Maryes lawes and not afterward receaued by the Protestant lawes of Queene Elizabeth vntill in thes Articles in the yeare of Christ Booke of Articl an 1562. 1562. as their date is Queene Elizabeth beginning her Reigne on the 17. day of Nouember in the yeare 1558. all their first pretended Bishops Preists and Deacons must needs be vnrightly vnorderly and vnlawfully made though by that booke of King Eduard because there was no Protestant Right Order or lawe to make or admitte any into such places by that booke not approued or allowed by any Protestant Right Order or lawe all that time Againe the first Protestant consecration or admittance of any to bee a Bishop by that booke or order in Queene Elizabeth her Reigne Franc. Mason of consecrat Registr Matt. Parkeri Butler ep de consecrat ministr Suâ—cl ag D. Kell pag. 5. was on the 17. day of December in her second yeare as they pretend from their Register of Matthew Parker But their owne both priuate and publike Authorities proue that both Matthew Parker their first Protestant Archbishop and others were receaued and allowed for Archbishops and Bishops long before that time Franciâ— Franc. Godwin catal of Bishops in Durham 58. Cutberth Tunstoll Godwyn a Bishop among them saith Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterburie in the moneth of Iuly before about 6. Months before their first pretended consecration one the 17. of December Stow their historian then liuing and writing Stow Histor in Queene Elizab. an eius 1. testifieth that the same Matthew Parker Barlowe Scorie and Grindall were allowed and receaued for Bishops in the moneth of August the 9. day in publik solemnities The publik Iniunctions Iniunction Elizab. Regin â—n 1. Regin Iniunct 8. 28. 30. 51 53. of that Queene stiled Iniunctions giuen by the Qâ—eenes Maiestie Anno Domini 1559. the first of the Reigne of our Soueraigne lady Quâ—ene Elizaheth proue the same in diuers Iniunctions No man can say thes were onely Bishops Elect and not perfectly allowed or admitted for true Bishops For by the Statut. an 25 Henr. 8. an 1. Elizab. c. 1. statute of King Henry 8. an 25. reuiued by Queene Elizabeth in her first parlament anno 1. cap. 1. consecration must be within twenty dayes of election And their common consent in their greate Theater of great Brit. l. 9. cap. 24. col 20. Theater is that they were compleately allowed Bishops coÌ„secrated as they tearme that allowance many moneths before D. Parker was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury and of yorke D. Yong in steade of Heath who refused the oath and so of others Then went forth commissioners to suppresse those monasteryes restored by Queene Mary to cast out Images Hollinsh hist of Engl. an 1. Elizabeth Iniunct of Q. Elizab. Iniunct 23. sette vpp in Cburches So hath Hollinshed with others So in that Queenes pulike Iniunctions Thes commissions and commissioners being thus after those Protestant Bishops made or allowed went out so soone that as their histories confesse the religious howses were suppressed Protestant ministers were putte into westminster in place of monks all Church Images were pulled Stowe and howe 's histor in an 1. of Q. Elizab. downe and to speake in their owne words on the euen of S. Bartholomew the day and the morrow after were burned in Paules Church yarde Cheape and diuers other places of the citie of London all the Roodes and other Images of the Churches in some places the coapes vestiments altar cloathes bookes banners Sepulchres and rood lofts were burned The verie Iniunctions Iniunct 8. 30. 51. testifie that there were compleately receaued for Bishops diuers moneths before that 17. day of December both in the See of Conterburie yorke and in the other Diocesses with ample and full Episcopall power Therefore thes pretended Bishops could not possibly bee made but onely by a womanly presumed vayne and frustrate authoritie in such things Neither could any Register called Parkers Register be so termed except he had beene accepted and reputed for Archbishop before And all the first Protestant citers of this Register whether Matthew Parker himselfe as it is alleadged in his booke stiled Antiquitates Britannicae Antiquitat Brit. Hanouiae 1605. Butler ep de consec minist Sutcliffe contr Kell Godw catal of Bish. canterbur in Mat. Parker alijs Franc. MasoÌ„ booke of cons c. as Doctour Butler Doctour Sutclisse their Bishop Godwyn and Frauncys Mason do differ one from an other in citing thereof And whereas the printed Booke of Parkers Antiquitates Britannicae is the first that mentioneth any such pretended consecration of him and the rest and the others seeme to borrowe this from thence In the old manuscript of that booke which I haue seene and diligently examined there is not any mention or memorie at all of any such Register or consecration of either Matthew Parker or any one of those pretended Protestant Bishops as the obtruded Register speaketh of Neyther was there any one of the pretended consecratours of Matthew Parker from whome all the rest do clayme ordination a true and lawfull Bishop by Protestant proceedings Thes they name vnto vs william Barlowe Franc. Mason booke of consecrat pag. 127. Iohn Scory Miles Couerdale Iohn Hodgeskins by these Matthew Parker was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury the seuententh day of December in the yeare 1559. Two of thes 4. namely Couerdale and Hodgeskins were neuer allowed for Bishops in all Queene Elizabeth her time as the same pretended Register the printed Antiquitates Britannicae Godwyne Mason and others of them confesse confessing also that the other two were but Bishops elect Barlowe elect of Chichester Scory elect of Hereford But all men graunt both Catholiks and Protestants that men onely elect Bishops not consecrated or admitted cannot consecrate Bishops much lesse an Archbishop Metropolitan And Scory had beene adiudged before publickly to be no Bishop And Barlowe if he had beene a true Bishop neither would nor could in his owne Iudgement consecrate a Bishop For as thes men acknowledge both this Barlowe and Couerdale also held this horrible opinion against Episcopall Order The names of blasphemie against the Lord and hiâ— Barlowe and Couerdale apud Bal. l. Image of both Church Christ What els is Pope Patriarke Metropolitane primate Archbishop Diocesan and such like but very names of blasphemy Here is not one true consecratour Yet thes men in their pretended ordination of Bishops necessarily require to the admitting oâ— any such
Bishop especially an Archbishop botâ— the presence concurrence of a lawfull true Archbishop and others such Bishops as their owne pretended Prot. forme and manner of making Bishops Preists and minist Tiâ—ul consecrat of Bishops in praefat Rite and booke of consecrating Bishops doth thus plainely expresse Then the Archbishop and Bishops sent shall lay their hands vpon the head of the elected Bishop the Archbishop saying Take the holy ghost c. And it proueth further in these words It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and auncient Authours that from the Apostles time there haue beene thes orders of ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons Therefore to the intent thes Orders should be continued aâ—d reuerently vsed in the Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at this present Bishop Preist nor Deacon shall execute any of them except he be called tryed examined and admitted according to the forme hereafter following Which is that booke of King Edward the sixt receaued in this article and approued by their greatest warrants parlament Princes Supreamacie and publike practise among them And therefore howsoeuer either with by or without this booke forme and manner of King Edward their first Protestant pretended Archbishop Matthew Parker maker and allower of all such after as they freely confesse was made his making and admittance was frustrate inualid voide and of noe force by their owne censure and doome against themselues so of all others made by him no Bishop pretending or clayming that honour dignitie and office after by that vaine Idle and vnpossible Title to challendge to haue that or any other thing from him or them which neither had it for themselues or to giue to others And this I haue proued before from the Apostolike men of this age and from the Apostles themselues that a Bishop cannot bee consecrated but by true and vndoubted Bishops Episcopum mandamus Clem. const Apost l 3 c. 20. Anacl ep 2. Clem. const Apost l. 8. c. 33. ordinari à tribus Episcopis velad minus à duobus non licere autem ab vno vobis constitui And againe Episcopus à tribus vel duobus Episcopis ordinetur Si quis ab vno ordinetur Episcopo deponatur ipse qui eum ordinauit This is sette downe for an Apostolicall decree Now lette vs come to King Edwards booke so dignified in this article and particularily examine and disproue the validitie or sufficiency of that forme in euery point thereof And first whereas it maketh mention onely of Clem. const Apost l. 3. c. 11. l. 8. c. 21. 22. 28. ep 2. Ignat. ep ad Antioch ep ad Philadelphien ep ad Philippenses Anacl ep 2. Synod Rom. sub Syluestr c. 7. 11. Canis ep ad faelicem c. 6. Clem. const Apost l. 2. c. 61. Clem. Supr l. 8. const Apost c. 21. concil corth 4. c. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Bishops Preists and Deacons to haue beene in the Church from the Apostles time This holie time assureth vs of all other orders now vsed in the Catholike Church to haue beene also in those dayes in vse and practise Subdeacons Acolythists Exorcists Lectours and Ostiarij with their particular and seuerall offices duties consecration or admittance to those degrees and that no man might be a Bishop Preist or Deacon except he had first receaued those orders nifi prius fuisset lector deinde exorcista postea caperet onus Acolithi vt acciperet onus Subdiaconi deinde ad diaconatus honorem pertingeret By their consecration they were ordeined to assist and minister at the holie sacrifice of Masse a Subdeacon for the holie vessels calice paten cruetts Tribue ei spiritum sanctum vt vasa ad ministrandum tibi Domine Deus facta dignè attrectet An Acolithus to light candels and prepare and minister wine for the sacrifice of masse accipiat ceroserarum cum cereo vt sciat sâ— ad accendenda Ecclesiae luminaria mancipari accipiat vrceolum vacuum ad suggerendum vinum in Eucharistiam sanguinis Christi An exorcist receaued the booke of Exorcismes and power against deuils accipiat de manu Episcopo libellum in quo scripti sunt exorcismi dicente sibi Episcopo accipe commenda memoriae habeto potestatem imponendi manus super energumenos So of Lectour and Ostiarius All thes be wanting in this booke of King Edward and this Protestant Religion and all is wanting in it for which they were ordeined except deuils and possessed persons They may well want both them No true clergie man among Protestants of England and first no Deacon The English Prot. forme of making Bish. pr. and Deac Titul Deacons all Bishops Preists and Deacons also as they do For first their pretended booke of consecration giueth a Deacon onely authoritie to reade the ghospell in their Church for allthough their pretended Bishop layeth his hands one the heade of euerie such parson at his admittance to that office and sayeth vnto him Take thou authoritie to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed vnto thee Yet they presently interpret and limitte this office to be onely confined in reading the ghospell in thes words Take thou authoritie to reade the ghospell in the Church of God And such is their practise extending a Deacons office no further And they obstinatelie denie that he hath power or office to assist either Bishop or Preist in the holy Sacrifice of Christs blessed bodie and blood as that either Preist or Bishop may or can consecrate and offer the same We finde both the doctrine and practise of this first apostolike age to haue beene otherwise and the cheifest office of a Deacon as the very Greeke name it selfe still testifieth to be as Catholiks still vse it to minister vnto and assist thâ— Bishop or Preist in his holy Sacrifice So it is plainely witnessed in the old Masses and Miss S. Petri S. Iacobi S. Marci Clem. Const Apost l. 3. c. 20. l. 8. c 28. Missals ascribed to S. Peter S. Iames S. Marke and others S. Clement from the Apostles saith Diaconus ministret Episcopo Presbyteris oblatione ab Episcopo aut Presbytero facta ipse Diaconus dat populo non tanquam Sacerdos sed tanquam qui ministrat presbyteris And expresselie teacheth that it is the office and function of a Deacon thus to minister vnto Bishops and Preists this onelie or principally Diaconus L. 3. c. 20. sup ministret Episcopo Presbyteris id est agat Diaconum reliqua ne faciat And settinge downe the whole forme and Order of Masse sacrifice vsed and approued by the Apostles Bishops and Preists in his time euen from the beginning thereof vnto the end he bringeth in Deacons to performe their holie ministration and seruinge therein Praying to God to accept that Sacrifice Deaconus pronunciet Clem. supr l. 8. c. 19. Rogamus Deus Prodono oblato Domino
Metropol l. 1. c. 6. Alexander next Successour to Pope Euaristus both of them liuing in this first age though dying by martyrdome in the seconde that he sent diuers Apostolike men hither to preach the faith of Christ and so they did These Popes haue taught vs the supreamacie of the Church of Rome ouer all Churches before So did the next holie Pope S. Sixtus euen Protestants Sixtus 1. ep 2. Rob. Barn l. de vit Pont. Rom. in Sixto 1. Telesph Higin pio Aniceâ—o Soâ—ero so confessing Ab Episcopo ad Romanum Pontificem appellandi ius dedit Ecclesiasticis ministris So they confesse of all Popes Telesphorus Higinius Pius anicetus and Soter vnto Pope Eleutherius vnder whome and by whose meanes and authoritie this Kingdome was wholly conuerted by all antiquities and testimonies made the first Christian Kingdome in the world This holie Pope as Rob. Barn sup in Eleutherio Eleuther ep ad Episcop Gall. cap. 2. our Protestants write did Order and practise and as the Apostles and their Successours had defined as he testifieth sicut ab Apostolis eorumque Successoribus multorum consensu Episcoporum definitum â—st that nothing should be proceeded in against Bishops vntil it was defined by the Pope of Rome accusationem contra Episcopos Episcopos audire permifit sed vt nihil nisi apud Pontificem definiretur cauet This highest spirituall Authoritie in the Pope of Damas in Eleuth Monolog Gâ—aec in eod Breuiar Roman die 26. Maij. Martyrol Roman eod die Bed l. 1. â—â—st c. 4. l. de 6. aeâ—aâ— Ado Chron. Marian. Scot. an 177. Martin Pol. Supput an 188. Galfrid monum hist l. 4. Virun l. 4. Radulp. de Dicet hist in Lucio Gul. Mal. l. Antiq. caenob glaston Math. west chron an 185. 186. 187. flor wâ—gor chron an 162. 184. Antiq Eccl. land Antiq. Eccl. wint Cambd. Brigant Stowe hist hollinsh hist of Engl. Theatr. of Brit. l 6 Hect. Boeth l. 5. Parker Godwin c. Eleuth ep ad Reg. Lucium Lambert l. de leg Stowe hist Godw conu of Brit. Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. Mason of consecr foxe tom 1. Theat of Brit. l. 6. Bridg. def of the gouern l. 16. pag. 1355. Iewell ag hard old Booke of Const Guil. hall in lond l. Antiq. Brut Caius antiquit Cantabrig l. 1. leges Antiq. Reg. Edward cap. 17. Gul. Lambard l. 2. de priscis Angl. legib fol. 130. p. Hect. Boeth Scot. hist l. 5. f. 83. Godw. conuers of Brit. pag. 22. 23. Antiq. Eccl. Glastonien Galfrid monum l. 5. hist Reg. Brit. c. 1. Mat. west chron an 186. Rome was not vnknowne to the Christians and King Lucius in Britayne which moued that King as both Greeke and Latin Brittish and Saxon domesticall and forreyne Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries informe to write humble letters supplices litteras to that Pope entreating him obsecrans that by his commaundement he with his Kingdome might receaue Christianitie vt per eius mandatum Christianus efficeretur The Pope most willingly assented and sent his legates with full power to founde the Church of Britayne to Ordeyne three Archbishops and 28. Bishops with their particular Sees power and Iurisdiction who hauing established all things here returned to Rome to haue them confirmed by the Pope the Pope confirmed that they had done and they with many other preachers and the Popes confirmation returned agayne into Britayne Beati Antistites Romam redierunt cuncta quae fecerant à Pontifice confirmari impetrarunt confirmatione facta cum pluribus alijs redierunt in Britanniam Our King craued direction of that Pope also what lawes he should vse in his Kingdome and the Pope directed him therein as his epistle still extant witnesseth as our Protestants write and themselues testifie We haue seene the Bishop of Romes owne letter to King Lucius So witnesse these men This Pope went further in prescribing the limits bounds and circuites of the Dominions of this Kingdome and assigned vnto it all the Ilands to Denmarke and Norway by his sentence and by that definition ordonation they were parts of Britayne as is conteined in our old lawes many hundreds of yeares since published and approued by our Protestant lawyers and historians aswell as others Vniuersa terra tota Insulae omnes vsque Noruegiam vsque Daniam pertinent ad coronam Regni sunt de appendicijs dignitatibus Regis vna est monarchia vnum est Regnum Tales enim metas fines constituit imposuit coronae Regni Dominus Eleutherius Papa sententia sua qui primo destinauit coronam benedictam Britanniae Christianitatem Deo inspirante Lucio Regi Britonum Here also he seÌ„t first a crowne or hallowed crowne to our King being before as some Catholiks and Protestants write but a King by courtesie of the Romane Emperour and authoritie Lucus Britonibus Caesaris beneuolentia authoritate imperitabat He gaue Indulgences to our Churches namely to the old Church of Glastenbury ten yeares Indulgence as in the old antiquities of that holie place is recorded And by his Order and direction King Lucius endowed the Churches of Britayne with liberties regall Lucius Rex Ecclesias Britanniae libertatibus muniuit Gloriosus Britonum Rex Lucius cum infra Regnum suum verae fidei cultum magnificatum esse vidisset possessiones territoria Ecclesijs viris Ecclesiasticis abundanter conferens chartis munimentis omnia communiuit Ecclesias verò cum suis caemeterijs ita constituit esse liberas vt quicumque malefactor ad illa confugeret illaesus ab omnibus remaneret Thus reuerent and honourable was the spirituall power and supreamacie of the Church and Pope of Rome in Britayne and all places in these Apostolike dayes All those Apostolike men Popes or others which haue thus taught vs were glorious Saincts and King Lucius also Sainct Lucius who with all his Kingdome clergie and others so embraced it and though neither he nor the RomaÌ„s had then any temporall Rule or dominion in the Kingdome now called Scotland yet that glorious Pope by his spiriruall supreamacie subiected that contrie to the Archbishop of yorke in the land of an Enemie And this Papall supreamacie and Iurisdiction continued here euer after vntill It was taken away by King Henry the 8. taking first of all Kings the title and name of Supreame head of the Church of England neuer heard of before in any time as his owne historian Polydor virgill and all others both Catholike and Protestant English and other historians acknowledge Habetur concilium Londini Polydor. Virgil Anglic. Hist l. 27. p. 689. Stowe Howes hist an 1534. statut in Parliament an 26. Henr. 8 in quo Ecclesia Anglicana formam potestatis nullis ante temporibus visam induit Henricus enim Rex caput ipsius Ecclesiae constituitur And after King Henry the 8. had thus as he endeuoured expelled the Papall Authority spirituall out of England and assumed
Councell of Laodicia S. Cyrill of Hierusalem Sainct Gregory Nazianzen and Amphilochius There is not any one of them which ioyneth with this Article but they all differ from it in the very places which they cite Melito Sardensis Melito Sard apud Euseb hist Eccl. l. 4 cap. 25. Origen in p 1. Euseb his Eccl. li. 6. cap 24. receaueth the booke of wisdome which this Article reiecteth and omitteth Iudith Origen onely citeth the books of the old testament according to the first Canon of the Hebrews sicut Hebraei tradunt And yet in the end addeth the books of Machabees praeter istos sunt libri Machabaeorum qui Inscribuntur Sarbet Sarbaneel And doth not agree with them in the books of the new testameÌ„t The Councell Conc. Laodic can 60. of Laodicia differreth from this article in omittinge Esther in the old and Apocalips in the new Greg. NaziaÌ„z de vir Gorm sacrae scrip l. 6. Amphil l. ad SeleÌ„cum Cyrill Hierosolim Catech. 4. Tho. Rogers vpon this 6. Art Confess Gallic c 3. 4. Confess Belg. c. 4. 5. Testament otherwise then this article doth S. Gregory Nazianzen so likewise numbreth as Amphilochius also Sainct Cyrill omitteth the Apocalips So this Article hath no authority from any old writer Iew or Christian Greeke or Latin in this so greate and with them most important Question whereupon they grounde all Religion And as litle concordance amonge themselues for amonge 13. or 14. Confessions of Protestant Religion they onely cite and haue noe more then two of France and Belgia Rebels and Traytors to their temporall Kings in ciuill matters as they are in spirituall to God and his holy Church and these for want of other authority founde this their error as the rest vpon the hereticall conceipt of internall reuelation and their spirit so tellinge them extestimonio intrinseca Spiritus Sancti reuelatione By the one and the other quod Spiritus sanctus nostris conscientijs testetur illos à Deo emanasse And by this Spirit they are at such harmony and agreement amonge themselues as in other places so in EnglaÌ„d as I haue related none of them agreeinge together herein But by the suggestion of this false spirit and their exploded doubt of Scriptures doe leaue all Scriptures and questions of Religion to be deduced from them doubtfull which Bilson a Protestant â—ilsoÌ„ Suruey â—ag 664. Bishop of winchester one of the best learned they euer had thus proueth The Scriptures themselues were not fully receaued in all places no not in Eusebius time He saith the Epistle of Iames of Iude the second of Peter he second and third of Iohn are contradicted The epistle to the Hebrews was coÌ„tradicted The Church of Syria did not receaue the second epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Ihon nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalipse the like might be said for the Churches of Arabie Will you hence conclude that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolike or that wee neede not receaue them because they were formerly doubted of The same reason is of all the books of the old testament which this Article reiecteth vpon the same surmise â—or Eusebius ouerliuinge Constantine and writinge Euseb de vit Const lib. 3. hist c. 22. l. 3. cap. 3. Concil Cart. 3. can 47. â—is life and deathe deliueringe this doubt of so many bookes of new Testament liued neere the â—ime of the Councell Chartage of 428. Bishops in which both these bookes of the new Testament contradicted in his dayes but receaued by our Proâ—estants and all those bookes of the old Testament which in this Article they disable are by all those Bishops in one and the same tenor of words with â—he rest decreed to be Canonicae scripturae canonicall Scriptures This Canon and Catologe of Canoniâ—all Concil Cart. 3. supr bookes is confirmed by the Pope of Rome â—hen beinge and other Bishops absent as appeareth â—y the same Councell Pope Innocentius deliuereth Innoe 1. epist ad ExuperiuÌ„ Tholosanum Episc August lib. 2. doctr Christ c. 8. in speculo â—he same Canon of holy Scriptures Canonem sacraâ—um Scripturarum S. Augustine hath the same as â—eceaued by all Churches Scripturae Canonicae quae â—b omnibus accipiuntur Ecclesijs Catholicis And saith â—hat all which feare God receaue them in his omniâ—us libris timentes Deum pietate mansueti quaerunt â—oluntatem Dei Pope Gelasius with a Councell of Gelas Tom. Concil â—o Bishops declareth that to be the Canon which â—he holy Catholike Roman Church receaueth â—nd reuerenceth quem Sancta Catholica Romana Alcim Auit l. ad Soror de consol Cassiodor lib. 1. diu Iust c. 13. â—uscipit veneratur Ecclesia So hath Alcimus Aâ—itus Cassiodorus and others And this may suffice for this place of this Question And it further proueth how feeble and weake the rest of this Protestant Article of the sufficiency allowance of onely Scripture and disableinge Traditions is for if so many Canonicall bookes of Scripture in both testaments were doubted of vntill so greate a time aboue 300. yeares in the lawe of Christ were passed and Religion generally and in all questions necessary to saluation planted and receaued how were or possibly could all these necessary things be reade in Scripture or proued thereby which is the rule of this Article when so many bookes were not then receaued for certaine and vndoubted holy Scriptures Things and euidences doubtfull and vncertaine can make nothinge certaine in morall certainty much lesse with certainty of true and infallible faith which aboue all others is and must needs be most certaine SecoÌ„dly as Sainct Ireneus disputeth Ireneus l. 3. cap. 4. and proueth vpon his certaine knowledge and experience That many nations which had not receaued the Scriptures or any part of theÌ„ did truely beleeue in Christ by vnwritten traditions whicâ— the Apostles doliuered to the Churches Quid si nâ— que Apostoli scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt iâ—â— quibus committebant Ecclesias cui ordinationi assentiunt multae gentes barbarorum eorum qui in Christâ—â— credunt sine charta atramento veterem traditioneâ— diligenter custodientes This he writeth both of thiâ— first age and the second in which he died by martyrdome And it is most euident both by holâ— Scriptures and other antiquities that many nations not onely of the barbarous which were withouâ— learninge but of the learned did thus beleeue before any Scriptures of the new Testament in Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 1. Gal. 1. Ephes 1. Phil. 1. Colloss 1. Thess 1. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 1. Tit. 1. Epist ad Philem. Hebr. 1. Iacob 1. 1. Petr. 1. 2. Pet. 2. Ioh. 1. Io. 2. 3. Iud. 1. which and by which Protestants necessitate vs to reade and proue our Religion were written This is manifestly proued by all the epistles
writers much coÌ„ntention there hath beene about tradâ—tions some vrginge the necessity of them and others râ—iectinge them For the clearinge whereof wee must oâ—serue that wee reiect not all for first wee receaue tâ— number and names of the Authors of bookes diuine aâ— Couell cont Burg pag. 60. whitaker ib. Wotton def of Perk. pag. 442. Couell def of hook pag. 31. 34 32. 33. feild l. 4. c. 5. pag. 203. Ormer pict Pap. pag 93. Sutcliffeag the 3. conu pag. 79. canonicall as deliuered by tradition This tradition wâ— admit The number Authors and Integrity of the partâ— of these bookes wee receaue as deliuered by tradition Tâ— Church of Christ according to her authority receaued â— him hath warrant to approue the Scriptures to acknoâ—ledge to receaue to publish and commaunde vnto â— children The Church of Rome teacheth noe badde opâ—nion to affirme that the Scriptures are holy and diuiâ— in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authority the Church That the Scriptures ar true wee haue it froâ— the Church Wee say that wee are taught to receaue â— word of God from the authoritie of the Church wee see her Iudgment wee heare her voyce and in humility subscribe vnto all this The Church hath fower singular offices towards the Scripture First to be of them as it were afaithfull register Secondly to discerne and Iudge betweene false and adulterate and that which is true and perfect The third to publish and diuulge to proclaime as a Crier the true Edict of our Lord himselfe The last is to be an Interpreter and in that followinge the safest rule to be a most faithfull Expositor of his owne meaninge Wee thinke that particular men and Churches may erre damnably But that the whole Church at one time cannot so erre for that the Church should cease vtterly for a time and so not be Catholike beinge not at all times Christ should sometimes be without a Church The Church is called a pillar because it is like vnto a pillar For as a pillar doth support and vnderproppe a buildinge and maketh it more stable firme and stronge So the Church doth sustaine and supporte the truth for the truth is no where preserued but in the Church Christs true Church is a diligent and wary keeper of doctrines committed to her and changeth nothinge at any time diminisheth nothinge addeth nothinge superfluous looseth not her owne nor vsurpeth things belonginge to others And this is publikely warranted in Protest Reli. of Engl. Art 19. these their Articles and Rule of their Religion where thus they define the Church The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached And the Sacraments be duely ministred accordinge to Christs ordinance Art 8. Catech. com Booke Iniunct Canons feild l. 4. c. 20. pag. 238. 239. in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Secondly those men in their Rules of Religion and their priuate writers affirme that the Apostles Creede which by all Antiquity was by them deliuered to the Church and by these Protestants as Rule of faith before the Scriptures of the new Testament were written is an vnwritten Tradition yet by their words a summary comprehension of thâ— cheife heades of Christian Religion a Rule of thâ— Churches faith And yet it is constantly maintaineâ— by many Protestants that diuers articles thereoâ— as our Ladies perpetuall virginity natus ex Marâ— Virgine Christs descending into hell descendit aâ— inferos The communion of Saincts and forgiuenesse of sinnes Sanctorum communionem Râ—missioneâ— peccatorum and others by diuers others Protestantâ— are not contained in any Scripture written beforâ— or after And this Creede deliuered by word anâ— tradition onely by the Apostles before the new tâ—stament written this Scripture could not possiblâ— be a rule or direction vnto it but rather otherwisâ— for euery rule hath priority to the thinge ruled anâ— the things ruled posterity to their rule Matters aâ— done without rule when there is no rule vntill aftâ— they be acted These Parlament Protestants proceede furthâ— Feild supr pag. 239. in this question and plainely say with greate aâ—lowance The third kind of Tradition is that somme â— Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parâ— thereof which the first Christians receauinge of the saâ— Apostles that deliuered to them the Scriptures coâ—mended to posteritie This may rightly be named a tradâ—tion for that wee neede a plaine and distinct explicatiâ— of things which are somewhat obscurely contained the Scripture The fourth kinde of tradition is the contâ—nued practise of such as neither are contained in tâ— Scripture expressely nor the example of such practiâ— expressely there deliuered of this sorte is the Baptisme of Infants which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in the Scripture that the Apostles did baptize infants nor any expresse precept there founde that they should doe it Which their rule of Religion in these Articles thus further iustifieth The Baptisme of yonge children is in any wise to be retained Art of Engl. Prote Relig. Art 17. CommunioÌ„ Booke Tit. Baptisme The. Rog. in Art 27. Q. Elizab. and k. K. Iames Iniunct and Canons in the Church as most agreable with the institution of Christ Where they plainely in their publike rule of Religion make it a tradition and no Scripture article And by the coÌ„mon practicall of their religion their communion booke so they practise baptizinge all infants and sayinge all Christian Churches allowe of the baptisme of infants And these Protestants are onely baptized when they are infants and not after and yet confesse it is most necessary to saluation And whereas they reiect all other Sacraments besides Art of Relig. art 25. this and the Eucharist or the CoÌ„munion as they terme it confessing that these Sacraments be necessary to saluation And yet denyinge the Eucharist to be as Catholiks professe the true body and blood of Christ and sacrifice for the lyuinge and deade they contradict themselues for that they confesse that in this sinse it was generally vsed in Kinge Iames and Casanb resp ad Card. per. pa. 51. 52. 20. Middleâ— Papistom 20. p. 92. 113. 49. 137. 138. 47. 45. Feild l. 3. cap 29. p. 138. Couell Exa pag. 114. primitiue Church that the Apostles so deliuered it by tradition all Churches so obserued it and it was heresie to deny it Their words be The sacrifice of the altar and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primitiue Church The primatiue Church did offer sacrifice at the altar for the deade sacrifice for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathers Aerius condemned the custome of the Church in naming the deade at the altar and offeringe the sacrifice of Eucharist from them and for this his rash and inconsiderate boldenesse and presumption in condemninge the vniuersall Church of Christ he was iustly condemned Their whole congregation Kinge Iames
his councell King Iames Prot. Lords Bish. Doct. in Confer at HaÌ„pt Court p. 13. 18. 35. 36 10. 11 Couell ag the plea. of the Innoc. p. 104. Barlow Serm. before the K. Sept. 21 an 1607. part 3. cap. 2. Protestant Bishops and best learned Doctors assembled in publike confereÌ„ce haue left thus concluded The particular and personall absolution from sinne after confesson is apostolicall and a very Godly ordinance That baptisme is to be ministred by priuate persons in time of necessity is an holy Tradition Bishops and Archbishops be diuine ordinations confirmation iâ— an apostolicall traditioÌ„ And in their publike Rituall their communion booke they testifie that confirmation was a Tradition of the Apostles hath an externall signe also vsed by them and giueth grace which by the 25. Article of their religion maketh â— Communion booke of Engl. Protest Titul Confirmation §. Almighty Prot. of Religion art 25. a Sacrament So that to insist onely vpon these graunted Traditions not contained in Scripture by these Protestants and yet so necessary to saluation as they by their greatest allowance and authority deliuer wee may not say as this Article doth Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation These men also deliuer vnto vs with greate approbation Articul 6. supr makinge the Author of that worke and for the same a Bishop certaine sure rules to knowe such true Thraditions by in these words Rules by which wee may Iudge which are true and Indubitate Feild Books of the Church l. 4. pag. 242. August l. 4. contr Donat. c. 23. Traditions The first rule is deliuered by Sainct Augustine Quod vniuersa tenet Ecclesia nec Conciliâ—â— Institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not ordained by Councels but beinge euer holden it is most rightly belieued to haue beene deliuered by Apostolike authority The second Feild supr l. 4 c. 21. p. 242. c. 5. pag. 202. Kinge Iames and Confer at Hampton Couel def oâ— Hooker Ormer pict pap p. 184 Down l. 2. Antichr pag. 105. Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 57. rule is whatsoeuer all or the most famous and renowned in all ages haue constantly deliuered as receaued from them that went before them no man contradictinge or doubting of it may be thought to be an Apostolicall Tradition The third rule is the constat Testimony of the Pastors of an Apostolike Church successiuely deliuered Amongst Apostolike Churches the Church of Rome is more specially to be obeyed reuerenced and respected The Church of Rome is our mother Church it was a rule to all both in doctrine and ceremonies when it was in her florishinge and best estate The Church of Rome was the cheife and onely Church It was a note of a good ChristiaÌ„ to cleane vnto the Romane Apostolicall Church Euery Church ought to haue respect to the Church of Rome for her eminent principality And our English Protestant antiquaries and Diuines haue generally giuen their allowance that the Church of Rome both in this and the next age when Britayne did receaue the most pure Religion of Christ from thence was most holy and vnspotted free from all error Therefore whatsoeuer wee doe or may bringe in generall or particular for vnwritten traditions either from this so renowned Apostolike Church in this time from the whole Church or the most famous and renowned in this age beinge our Protestants owne allowed rules and to be denied by none must needs be euidence and testimony vndeniable in this and all others their questioned Articles Frst I exemplifie in the Apostles Creede stiled by our Protestants before a sundry comprehension of the cheife heads of Christian Religion Protest supr Ruffin in exposit Symboli alij a rule of the Churches faith This was deliuered by the Apostles by tradition not by Scripture but before the Scriptures of the new Testament werâ— written as both they and the auncient Fathers by â— common consent of the whole Church of Christ are witnesses And the same consent of Christ Church with these our Protestants in these their Articles so conclude of Sainct Athanasius and the Art 8. of prot Religion Nicen Creede in these words The three Creeds Nicen Creede Athanasius Creede and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly to bâ— receaued beleeued And so generally they obserue although the reason which they immediatly yeelâ— thereof for they may be proued by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture is childish and impertinentâ— for being confessed that the Apostles Creede waâ— deliuered onely by tradition of the Apostles and by that authoritie receaued before the Scriptures either receaued or written this Creede could not possibly be receaued by the written warrant of Scriptures but vnwritten tradition and warrant of thâ— Apostles And although the Nicen and S. Athanasius Creeds were written longe after this time yâ— they were both written receaued in the Churcâ— before the Scriptures were generally allowed anâ— receaued as both the auncent Fathers and Protestants haue acknowledged before and it is testifie by the publike warranted Protestant glosse vpoâ— Prot. Glosse by authority of Church of Engl. in Art 8. these their Articles that very many both old anâ— late writers euen whole sects and professionâ— namely to vse their owne words Ebionites Trâ—theits Antitrinitarians Apollinarians Arians Mâ—nichies Nestorians Origenians Familists and Anâ—baptists with others are Aduersaries vnto and deniers that these Creeds may be proued by holâ— Scripture Much more doe they and many other both Catholiks and Protestants themselues deny that all and singular their articles necessary to saluation may so be proued And to come to the holy and happy Apostolike writers and Saincts which liued and wrote in this first age and first hundred of yeares to wit S. Linus Sainct Clement Sainct Denys the Areopagite S. Martial Sainct Ignatius Sainct Policarpus or any other of whom any worke is extant I shall make it S. Ignat. epist ad Smyrn Theod. dialo Euseb l. 3. c. 31. Hieraâ— lib. de vir Illust S. Bern. Serm. 7. in ps 9. Marc. Michal Carnoten lib. de vir illustr Dion Carth. ad l. Areop de diuin nom Sint Sin lib. 2. Ignat. ep ad S. Ioh. 1. 2. ad B. Mar. Virg. B. Mar. epist ad Ignat. S. Ignat. epist ad Smyrnen Euseb hist l. 3. ca. 33. â— Chrisost orat de traÌ„sl S. Ignatij Foelix Rom. ep ad Zenon Imperat synod S. Constant Theodoret. Immutabil dialog 1. euident that in euery Article in this Protestant Religion contained in their booke of the Articles thereof they dissented from these Protestants and they and the Apostolike Church then vniuersally agreed in and professed the same doctrine which the present Roman Church doth at this day in all points This will plainely appeare in euery Article hereafter and therefore in this place I will onely cite Sainct Ignatius as a sufficient pawne or pledge
for the rest vntill I come to them in the Articles followinge He had personally seene our Sauiour was an eyewitnesse of his resurrection had written vnto visited was instructed and confirmed in Christian Religion both by the words and writinge of the blessed Virgin Mary Mother of Christ Hee was disciple to Sainct Ihon the Euangelist disciple and immediate Successor of Sainct Peter the Apostle at Antioch consecrated there Bishop by him as Sainct Chrysostome Patriarke there Sainct Felix Pope of Rome and Theodoret testifie S. Ignatius dextera Petri ordinatus Episcopus Ecclesiae Antiochenae per magni Petri dexteram Pontificatum suscepit And so consecrated Bishop was taught himselfe and taught others before either the Ghospels or other parts of the new Testament were written Hee liued longe Patriarke of Antioch the cheifâ— and Apostolike See of the Greeke Church he dieâ— a blessed Martyr at Rome the greatest of aâ— Churches he ioyned in Religion with the most renowned Churches and Prelates Apostles and others of the Christian world as the very Titles oâ— his extant epistles to the Romans Philippians Ephesians Smyrnians Philadelphians Magnesianâ— Trallians and others To Sainct Ihon the Apostlâ— Sainct Policarpe with others most famous amongâ— Christians and all auncient writers Sainct Hierome Eusebius Ireneus make him a most gloriouâ— learned man and Sainct Eusebius testifieth that hâ— Euseb l. 3. hist cap. 32. Euseb hist l 3. c. 33. Hieron l. de Scriptor in S. Ignat. Gildas epist de excid conquest Britan wrote a particular worke of the Apostles traditioÌ„â— But those few and short Epistles which he wrote receaued as all Greekes Latines and amonge ouâ— primatiue Britans the most auncient historian S Gildas is an ample witnesse will sufficiently prouâ— vnto vs. That very many things euen necessary iâ— Christian Religion and to saluation in our Protestants Iudgment and in their opinion not containeâ— in Scripture were then taught practised and generally receaued in the Church of Christ in the Apostles time Concerninge the Church of Rome hâ— thus stileth it misericordiam in magnificentia altissimâ— S. Ignatius epist ad Romanos in initio Dei Patris Iesu Christi vnigeniti filij Ecclesia sanctificata illuminata per voluntatem Dei qui seâ—â— omnia quae pâ—rtinent ad fidem charitatem Iesu Christi Dei Saluatoris nostri quae in Loco Romanae regionis Deo digna decentissima beatificanda laudandâ— digna qua quis potiatur castissima eximiae charitatiâ— Christi Patris nomine fruâ—ns spiriâ—uque plena Thâ— Rulinge Roman Church sanctified Illuminated worthâ— of God most decent blessed to be praised worthy to bâ— attained vnto most chaste of excellent charity enioyinge â—he name of Christ and his Father and full of the holy Ghost With other Titles of dignity and priuiledge more then he giueth to any or all those principall Churches of Greece to which he wrote and as greate and ample as any learned Catholike now â—eeldeth to the Church of Rome at this time or â—eretofore since then Hee remembreth the same Ecclesiasticall Orders in the Church then which Catholiks now and euer since obserue as in the Church of Antioch founded by Sainct Peter and â—ainct Paul and their tradition there Pauli Petri â—istis discipuli ne perdatis depositum Hee himselfe was there Bishop besides whome it had Preists â—eacons Subdeacons Exorcists Readers Ianiâ—rs Saluto sanctum Presbyterorum Collegium saluto Epist ad Antiochen â—acros Diaconos Saluto Hypodiaconos Lectores Ianitoâ—s Exorcistas And him that was to be Bishop after â—is martyrdome as it was reuealed vnto him optaâ—le illud nomen eius quem vidâ—o in spiritu locuÌ„ meum â—nere vbi Christum nactus fuero Hee giueth them â—e same honor preeminence worth office and digâ—ty which the Church of Rome now yeeldeth to â—em All must honor and obey the Bishops Omnes â—piscopum sequimini vt Christus Patrem Kings and Epistol ad Symrnen â—ulers must be ruled by him being greatest in the â—hurch Honora Deum vt omnium Authorem Doâ—inum Episcopum verò vt Principem Sacerdotum â—iaginem Dei reserentem Dei quidem propter princiâ—tum Christi vero propter Sacerdotium Honorare â—ortet Regem nec enim Rege quisquam praestanâ—r aut quisquam similis ei in rebus creatis nec Episâ—o qui Deo consecratus est pro totius mundi salute â—icquam maius in Ecclesia Nec inter principes quisquam similis Regi qui in pace optimis legibus subditos moderatur Qui honorat Episcopum à Deo honorabitur sicut qui ignominia afficit illum à Deo punietur Sâ— enim Iure censebitur paena dignus qui aduer sus Regeâ— insurgit vt qui violet bonas legum constitutioneâ— quanto put at is grauiori subiacebit supplicio qui sine Episcopo aliquid egerit concordiam rumpens decentâ— rerum ordinem confundens Sacerdotium enim est oâ—nium bonorum quae in hominibus sunt Apex qui aâ—uersus illud furit non hominem ignominia afficit sâ— Deum Christum Iesum primogenitum Laici Diâ— conis subijciantur Diacom Presbyteris Presbyteri Epicopo Episcopus Christo. Principes subditi estote Caesaâ—milites Epist ad Philadelphienses principibus Diaconi Presbyteris Presbyteri vâ— Diacom at que omnis clerus simul cum omni populo militibus at que principibus sed Cesare obediant Epicopo Episcopus vero Christo sicut Patri Christus â— vnit as per omnia seruatur Where wee plainely sâ— there was no Princes supremacy in spirituall thinâ— in those happy times but Princes kings and Emâ—rors as those of the cleargy and all others were sâ—iect and ought obedience to the Bishop and preihood was the highest and most honorable dignâ— in the world And the honor which was due Kings themselues was inferior to that of Bishoâ— Ego dico honorate Deum vt authorem omnium â—minum Epistol ad Smyren Episcopum autem tanquam Principem Saâ—dotum Imaginem Dei ferentem principatum quiâ— secundum Deum Sacerdotium vero secuÌ„dum Christâ— post hunc honorare oportâ—t etiam Regem Nâ—mo eâ—potior est Deo neque similis illi neque Episcopo honâ—bilior in Ecclesia Sacerdotium Deo gerenti pro muâ— salute neque Regi quis similis in exercitu pacem neuolentiam omnibus principibus cogitanti Where giueth an vnanswerable reason of the preeminence of Episcopall dignity before the Regall though in good Kinge because this ruleth onely in martiall â—nd temporall affaires the Bishop in spirituall the Church of God his howse and Kingdome And he â—hargeth all without exception to be subiect not â—nely to the Bishop but to Preists and Deacons â—uen vnder paine of eternall damnation Exitimini S. Ignatius epist ad Ephesios â—ubiecti esse Episcopo Presbyteris Diaconis qui â—im his obedit obedit Christo qui hos constituit Qui verò his reluctatur
Which they must needs likâ— â—raunt of these ensuing doctrines and practises in Religion vsed in the same time and remembred â—y this and other Apostolike writers of that first â—ge First whereas Protestants ascribe iustification to â—nely Faith being a cheife foundation of their new â—eligion Sainct Ignatius and this happy age knew â—o such doctrine but the contrary That faith was Epistol ad Ephesios â—ely to begin Iustification but it was perfected by â—arity and good deeds Non vos laedet aliqua diaboâ—a cogitatio si vt Paulus perfectam habueritis in â—ristum fidem charitatem quae initium vitae â—is est Principium vitae fides finis eiusdem charitas â— ac autem duo quoties in vnum coeunt Dei hominem â—ficiunt And againe Eleemosyna fide expiantur Epist ad Heronem Epist ad Mar. Cassobolit Epist ad Tarsen ad Rom. Epist ad Philadelphenses â—ccata Praesens labor modicus multa quae hinc expeâ—atur merces Nihili pendo supplicia haec neque tanti â—io vitam meam vt eam plus amem quam Dominum â—uare paratum me offero igni feris gladijs cruci dumâ—do Christum videam Saluatorem Deum meum â—secro vos quot quot paenitentia ductirâ—dierint ad vâ—atem Ecclesiae suscipite illos cum omni man suetudiâ— vt per bonitatem patientiam resipiscentes ex diaâ—i laqueis digni iam Christo facti salutem consequanâ— aternam in regno Christi Illibatum mihi est arâ—uum Crux Christi mors resurrectio eius fides â— quae cupio iustificari precibus vestris Qui honorat Epistol ad Smyrnenses â—phetum in nomine Prophetae mercedem Prophetae acâ—et nimirum qui honorat vinctum Iesu Christi â—rtyrum accipiet mercedem Nihil vobis apud Deum â—ibit eorum quae in illos contulistis det vobis Domiâ— vt inneniatis misericordiam à Domino in illa die â—inam meus spiritus cum vestro commutari possit â—icula haec mâ—a quae non fastidistis nec obea erubuistis Quare nec de vobis erubescet consummata spes â—sus Christus Precationes vestrae appropinquarunt â— Antiochenam Ecclesiam pacem habet Deposita vâ—stra Epist ad Policarpum sunt opera vestra vt quae accepistis eadem digâ— Deo reportetis Antiochena Ecclesia pacem est nacta pâ— orationes vestras ego tranquilliori animo factus suâ— in securitate Dei si per passionem Deum assecutus fuâ— disâ—ipulus inueniar per orationes vestras Quibus â— Epist ad Heroâ— Deus inuenire misericordiam à Domino in illa die prâ—ter of ficium ministerium erga nos Orate pro mâ— â— Epistol ad Trallianos in Dei misericordia charitate vestra indigeo vt digâ—fiam sorte ad quam assequendam iam destinor ne repâ—bus inueniar Where wee euidently see by many â—stimonies that the Imagined Protestant faith nâ—ther doth nor possibly can iustifie any man bâ— charity almes pennance praier and other hâ— works and deeds of Christians are meritorious â— iustifie them And that Protestants paradoxe of the certaiâ— of Saluation is most certainely false Which â— confirmeth also in other places as where he takâ— vpon him the knowledge of the celestiall spirâ— their orders and dignities yet he plainely makâ— himselfe ignorant of his owne saluation mâ— Epistol ad Trâ—ll supr more not certaine thereof Our Protestaâ— pretend for themselues Angelicos ordines Archâ— gelorum militiarumque differentias thronorum pâ— testatumque distantias principatuum magnificâ—ntâ— Cherubim Seraphimque excellâ—ntias spiritus subâ—â—tatem Domini regnum inâ—omparabilâ—m Dei â—tris omnipotentis diuinitatem haec â—um nouerim â— continuo perfectus prorsus ego sum multa dâ—suntâ— Deo dâ—relinquar Where wee see him further to hâ— described the heauenly hierarchy and orderâ— heauen as Catholiks now doe and Protestants take no notice of them And he doth not onely thus describe them but assureth vs they know the things on earth and so by protestant allowance may be praied vnto as Catholiks vse and they condemne Praecipio tibi coram Epistol ad Heron. Deo vniuersorum coram Christo praesente Sancto Spiritu administratorijs Angelorum ordinibus â—ustodi depositum meum quod ego Christus tibi commendauimus Where the holy Angels doe not onely knowe our actions as Christ and the blessed Trinity doth but assist and minister vnto vs. And is â—o farre from denying this knowledge to Saints Angels in heauen that he yeeldeth knowledge of affayres on earth namely of the Passion of Christ euen to the soules which were in Limbus patrum or Epistol ad Trallian Purgatory at that time Verè crucifixus mortuus videntibus caelestibus terrenis ijs qui sub terra â—detincbantur caelestibus quidem inspicientibus niâ—nirum incorporeis naturis terrenis verò vt Iudaeis Romanis caeteris qui tunc temporis crucifixo Domino aderant subterraneis autem ijs videlicet qui plurimi cum Domino resurrexerunt multa enim â—nquit corpora Sanctorum qui dormierant cum Matth. 27. Domino resurrexerunt monumentis apertis Descendit ad infernum solus regressus est cum multitudiâ—â— septum illud aeternum rupit medium pariâ—â—â—m illius destruxit By this wee finde as Catholicks hold and Protestants deny a place where soules were and whence there is deliuery and redemption and not euerduring Torment and desperation of the reprobate and damned in their hell and place of eternall punishmeÌ„t of which there is no end or freedome to be had or hoped for And therefore it 's a place from whence a Ransome will make deliuery and there is no merit or deseruing after thiâ— life as our Protestants most freely graunt This freedome of soules from that place of punishment purgatory or howsoeuer wee shall namâ— it is principally to be procured and effected by thâ— sacrifices prayers almes and other meritoriouâ— deeds and workes of holy Christians still liuing iâ— the estate and condition of deseruinge Such as S Ignatius hath before remembred And other Apostolike writers of this age as Sainct Denis the Areopagite and Sainct Clement Schollers of the twâ— greate Apostles Sainct Peter and Sainct Paul to bâ— cited with others in this particular question in thâ— proper place thereof beinge of the same religion iâ— all points with Sainct Ignatius the holy Churcâ— of Christ doe as plainely expresse and deliuer foâ— the constant custome practise and doctrine of thâ— time to offer sacrifice pray and doe other holâ— works for faithfull people departed out of thâ— life as any learned writer of the present Romaâ— Church doth in these dayes And Sainct Ignatiâ— with much honor remembreth them especially S Clement Scholler to Sainct Peter and Paul anâ— Pope of Rome Papa beatissimus Clemens Petri â— Pauli Auditor and testifieth that he liued in perpâ—tuall Epistol
to Christâ— resurrection as the cheifest of all dayes Post Sabbatum Epistol ad Magnesianos epist ad Trallian omnis Christi amator Dominicum celebret diem resurrectioni consecratam Dominicae Reginam principem omnium dierum in qua vita nostra exorta est per Christum mors deuicta as all Christians now also doe The feast of Easter was also chauÌ„ged with other solemnities and they were accompted as cursed persecutors of Christ and his Apostles which obserued otherwise or kept any festiuity oâ— the Iewes although before commaunded in Scriptures Si quis cum Iudaeis celebrat Pascha aut Symbolâ— Epist ad Philadelphenses festiuitatis corum recipit particeps est eorum qui Dominum occiderunt Apostolos eius He proueth plainely that both the principall feasts and fasts also oâ— the Church as Lent and others were then in vse by this authority of Tradition Festiuitates ne dehonestetis Epistol ad Philippen quadragesimale iciunium ne spernatis contineâ— enim imitationem conuersationis Dominicae Post Passionis Doâ—â—â—iâ—ae hebdomadam ieiunare quartis sextis 〈…〉 negligatis Si quiâ— Dominicam diem ieiunarit â—ic Christi interfector est He often there remembreth the perpetuall virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mâ—ry Mariae Virginitas admitanduâ— ille partus Virginem esse quae parit The forme and manner of offering the holy Sacrifice of Christs body and blood of consecrating Bishops Preists and other Clergy men of ministringe so many Sacraments as he hath remembred the publike Church seruice to which he bindeth all the order of receauing peniâ—ents the custome and limitation of their vsed fâ—sts and whatsoeuer almost appertaining to the holy vse and exercise of Christian Religion in that Apostolike age was knowne and practized by this blessed disciple and all Apostolike men which was deliuered and vsed onely by tradition and so descended to later ages and posterities no Scripture prescribing Christians any such requisite instruction in so necessary and essentiall parts of Religion or the true practise and profession thereof to which all true Christians vnder paine and daunger of euerlasting damnation were bound And as Sainct Ignatius so also testifie the other holy and Apostolike writers of this age as I shall most clearely proue and cite them in euery particular article questioned by these Teachers For this present it will be more then needfull to remember what they write hereof in generall termes Sainct Denis the Areopagite conuerted by Sainct Paul the Apostle writinge of Christian necessary doctrines saith plainely that the Apostles deliuered some of them by tradition onely without writinge as they did some by writinge partim scriptis partim non scriptis suis institutionibus ex Sacrosanctis legibâ— Dionysius Areopag l. Eccles Hierarc c. 1. nobis tradiderunt And proueth that in this Apostolike time the ChristiaÌ„ mysteries were neither communicated by writing nor word for their greate reuerence but to holy and perfect Christians Vide â—â— Sancta Sanctorum enunties sed reuereberis ea patius quae occulti Dei sunt cognitiâ—ne mentis â—nimi â— honore habebis ac preteo ita tamen vt ea minus perfectis non tradas cum ijs folis qui Sancti erunt cuâ— Sancta illustratione pro sacrarum rerum dignitate communices And setteth downe expressely That thâ— Apostolike Church then did not permit Cateâ—hâ—mens Energumens or penitents to be present at the the holy misteries Catechumenâ—s Energâ—menos Cap. 5. quique in poenitentia sunt Sanctae Hiererchiae mos paâ—itur quidem audire sacram psalmorum modulationem diuinamque sacrarum Scripturarum recitationem aâ— sacra autem operae quae deinceps sequuntur at que mysteria spectanda non eos comiocat sed perfectos oculâ—â— eorum qui digni sunt And testifieth what greate Cap. care the Christians then had to conceale their ceremonies Sainct Timothy also as this holy writer proueth Dionys supr c. 1. S. Dionys l. de diuin nomin cap. 3. Clem. Rom. ep 1. 2. 3 4. 5. l Recog l. coÌ„stitut Apost Chris hom 49. in Matth. Euseb histor Eccl. Cedren Nicephor Callist hist l. 2. Epiphan in panar Ruffin praef in Clem. Bed in cap. S. Luc. Freculp Lerouien Chron. lib. 2. Synod Sext. in Trullo Ruffin praef translat oper S. Clement S. Proclus Patriarch Constant l. de tradit diuinae Liturg Nichol. Episcopus Methonen l. de vero Christi corp in Eucharist Marcus Ephes l. de corpore sang Christi Bessar l. de Sacr. Eucharist Manuscript Gallic antiq an D. in S. Clem. Manuscript Brit. antiquis Protest CollectioÌ„ of priuate prayers An. 1627. p. 147. 125. 107. 87. 35. Mat. Park antiquit Brit. pag. 47. was of this opinion and practise S. Hieroth eus also Tutor to Sainct Denis did write a booke of Christians holy traditions Hierotheus clarissimâ—s praeeeptor noster elementa Theologica magnacâ—m laâ—de collegerit And this before S. Denis write The Apostolike Traditions collected together and committed to writinge by Sainct Clement Successor to Sainct Peter at Rome as both he himselfe with other auncient and approued Authors Greeke and Latine and generall councels witnesse are so many that a short volume containeth them â—ot yet in all things condemne Protestant Reliâ—ioÌ„ not approuing it in any one Article wherein it â—ifferreth from Catholiks and the doctrine of the â—resent Roman Church as will be made euident â— the particular articles hereafter manifestly â—nowne and confessed by Ruffinus his translation â—nd testimony to haue bene then and from the beginninge contained in his workes and aggreable â—oth with the Apostolike doctrine of this age and â—ther confessed vnspotted times after as in the â—ourth hundred yeare of Christ wherein Ruffinus â—ued the Church of Rome at this time wherein â—ee now liue I will onely in this place exemplifie â— the publike liturgy Masse or Church sacrifice puâ—lished by him vnto the Church of Christ Greeks â—atines French and our old brittesh antiquities our Protestants theÌ„selues confesse That as Peter â—t Antioch S. Marke at Alexandria Sainct Iohn â—nd S. Andrew in Asia So Sainct Clement wrote â—nd published a forme of Masse and generally all Churches embraced it Omne sque vniuersae Ecâ—esiae vbicumque sint per eam quam Sanctus Cleâ—ens conscripsit liturgiam tradiderunt In this so old â— vniuersall so approued wee finde protection of â—e Angels Angelorum tutelas honor to all Saincts â—atriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confesâ—ors c. Sanctis Patriarchis Prophetis Iustis Apoâ—olis Martyribus Confessoribus Sanctorum martyrum â—emoriam colamus Prayer for the faithfull deceased â—roijs qui in fide quieuerunt oremus The Ecclesiaâ—icall orders which I haue before remembred from â—ainct Ignatius That the holy sacrifice was offered â—r all Seruants of God Offerimus tibi pro omnibus â—ui à saeculo placuerunt tibi Wee finde virgins and liuers in professed chastity Pro virginibus castitâ— seruaÌ„tibus The sacrifice of
the dead reueâ—nced the signe of the crosse other holy Images â—d sacred Reliks said or heard Masse and praâ—ized other Christian rites and duties which proâ—stants deny to be contained in or proued by â—cripture Tertullian lyuing and writing as many testifie â—en Protestants before Pope Eleutherius time Tertull. l. de praescription Magdeburg Centuâ— 3. col 34. c. 4. col 240. 241. Sutcl subu p. 4. Whitg def Respon pag. 96. â—d witnessing Britayne had in his dayes receaued â—e faith of Christ euen in those parts thereof wheâ—er the Pagan Romans could neuer come loca â—omanis inaccessa speaketh of the traditions before â—membred as both his owne works Catholiks â—d Protestants proue in these words Tertullianus â— genere de doctrina suae aetatis inquit eam consentire cum Ecclesijs Apostolicis eamque consensum câ— cordiam communem esse omniuÌ„ Ecclesiarum in Europâ— in Asia in Africatestatur That this the doctrine his time did agree with all Apostolike Churches thaâ— was the common consent and concordance of all â— Churches in Europe in Asia in Afrike And thouâ— wee assigne a somewhat later time to Tertullian others doe in the later end of the second age â— when he so confidently and generally assignâ— this common consent of all Churches of Britaiâ— Fraunce Spaine Italy all Europe Asia and Afriâ— in these holy Christian doctrines thus impugned Protestants hauing therein the consent of all Aâ—stolik Churches wee must needs say whether tâ— were receaued and professed from Scriptures Traditions being longe before any generall Coâ—cels kept by the generall confessed rule of the â—thers and Protestants before they must needâ— deliuered by authority of the Apostles non â— authoritate Apostolica traditum certissimè crediturâ— And the first receauing of the holy Scriptureâ— Britayne which wee finde in Antiquities was in â— time of Pope Eleutherius and from the Churcâ— Rome the same Catalogue of Scriptures it tâ— vsed and still vseth as wee finde in the epistlâ— Eleuth Pap. epist ad Lucium Regem Britan. Godwin CoÌ„uers of Brit. in epist Eleuther Stow. hist Romans that holy Pope to Kinge Lucius suscepistis nâ— miseratione diuina in Regno Britaniae legem fiâ— Christi Habetis penes vos in Regno vtramque pagiâ— You haue there in your Kingdome both testamentâ— our Protestants translate it or both parts of Scripturâ— THE THIRD CHAPTER The 7. 8. 9. 10. Articles examined and wherein they differ from the present Romane Church condemned by this first Apostolike age HAVING thus absolutely and at large confuted and ouerthrowne by the Apostolike â—ge the last Article the erroneous ground of all â—rotestant Religion wee may be more breife in â—he rest being all at the least generally confuted â—nd ouerthrowne in their false foundation so deâ—royed And vntill wee come to their 11. Article â—tituled of the Iustification of man It may be queâ—ioned whether any of them doth in common and â—robable construction and meaninge oppose the â—oman Church or no. And for the two next the 7. â—nd 8. Articles it is most certaine and euident the â—rst of them being intituled of the old testament only â—acheth The old Testament is not contrary to the new â—nd the other stiled of the three Creeds is in tâ—e â—me condition onely affirming The three Creedes â—icene Creede Athanasius Creede and tâ—â—â—â—hich is â—mmonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly â— be receaued and beleeued But the reason hereof â—hich thus they yeeld for they may be proued by most â—rtaine warrantes of holy Scripture is both before â—onfuted very friuolous for neither is the Scripâ—re the compleate Rule of Religion neither was â—e Scriptures of the new testament written when â—e Apostles deliuered their Creede to the Church â—or the Scriptures agreed vpon vntill after both â—e Creedes of the Nicene Councell and Sainct Athanasius were generally receaued and professâ— by all Catholiks as is already made manifest eueâ— by Protestants themselues aswell as other Authoâ— of more worthy credit The next Article is intâ—tuled of Originall or birth sinne And was expresseâ— concluded by them against the Pelagians denyiâ— originall sinne in man as they expouÌ„d themseluâ— naming the Pelagians and their heresie there wiâ— a confutation of it in their proceedings holdiâ— that Originall sinne in those that be not baptizeâ— deserueth Gods wrath and damnation Yet in the lâ— and concluding words of the Article their phraâ— of speach hath perhaps giuen occasion to some pâ—ritane Nouelists to thinke they held as these mâ— Caluin and such doe that concupiscence withoâ— assent is sinne The words be Although there is â— Artic. 9. supr condâ—mnation for them that beleeue and are baptizâ— yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscence lâ— Thomas Rogers in Articul 9. Confes Helu 2. c 9. Saxon. ar 2. 20. hath of it selfe the nature of sinne A Puritane glosser vpon this place saith Conâ—piscence euen in the regenerate is sinnâ— Among foâ—tâ—ene Protestant Confessions he citeth but two fâ— his opinion by his owne exposition And so seauâ— to one by his owne argument of Protestant authâ—rity he is deceaued And the Puritan Heluetian â—sembly Protest Engl. Art art 10. Caluin lib. 1. Instit c. 5. l. 2 c. 2. 3. a. lib. l 3. c. 3. Ant Wotton against D. Bish pa. 112. ruled by Caluine holdeth this besides tâ— other errour which our English Protestants deâ— in ther next article that man hath not free will â— doe well or fly sinne And he plainely confesseâ— that all the primatiue Fathers sufficient for tâ— purpose are against him holding concupiscenâ— without assent to be no sinne Omnium sententâ—â— So do our English Puritans also which hold thâ— errour acknowledge and it is apparant euen â— â—e words of this article before related that the Enâ—ish Protestants doe no otherwise terme coÌ„cupisâ—nce sinne then materially as the Apostle doth â—hose onely authority they vse in that matter and â—ot properly and formally as sinne is truely and â— right sense vsed and taken hauing liberty and â—nsent of minde annexed vnto it otherwise Inâ—nts Ideots frantike madde men without iudgâ—ent and men sleepinge doinge the materiall part â— things sinfull should also sinne or if the flesh of â— selfe the vegetatiue or sensitiue power abstraâ—ing from reason could sinne creatures onely haâ—ng beeing vegetation and sense might and should â—nne equally as those that be reasonable Beasts â—shes fowles plants herbes and trees would be â—oth capable and guilty of sinne And our English Protestants in their commuâ—on booke of as greate credit and approued by as â—reate authority with them and their Religion as â—ese articles acknowledge that the baptized are deade Communion Booke Titul ministrat of publike Baptisme And Catechisme â— sinne And the whole body of sinne is vtterly aboliâ—ed in them They promise and vowe to for sake the â—uill and all his workes the carnall desires of the flesh â—d not to followe and be ledde by them obediently to â—epe Gods commaundements
Therefore I dare not say that the Parlament â—rotestants of England doe or by their religion â—ould professe that condemned errour which holâ—eth concupiscence without assent to be truely â—nne And all auncient expositors of holy Scripâ—re both of the Greeke and Latine Church doe â—pounde the Apostle in the place insinuated in â—is Article to speake of sinne onely materially â—ot properly when he termeth concupiscence by â—at name This is confessed by the professors of this â—rour before and the name of the Fathers are neeâ—lesse and too many to be cited in a confessed cauâ— And wee haue the Catholike doctrine in tâ— point deliuered and taught by Apostolike men â— this age Sainct Ignatius proueth that concupcence without assent defileth not cum nulla in vâ—â— Ignat. epist ad Ephes sit concupiscentia quae vos inquinet supplicium â—ferat profectò secundum Deum viuitis And Rabâ— Moses Hadarsan proueth the same for the true bâ— leeuing Iewes quod iam scriptum est ad te câ—cupi scentia Rabbi Mos Hadar ad ca. 4. Gen. peccati scilicet quod est figmentum malâ— iugiter concupiscens affectans tu dominabeâ— illius hoc est si volueris praeualebis aduersus eum Aâ— all the holy writers of this time affirme the samâ— when they teach that free will is in man sinâ— is not contradicted without it nor can be where â— when it doth not consent Which cannot possibâ— be in the first motions of concupiscence by coâ—mon experience Iudgment and agreement of aâ— arisinge both without and against the will and â— berty of man First Sainct Ignatius who hath so plainely testâ—fied before that concupiscence not consented vntâ— doth not defile and so cannot be sinne proueth alsâ— abseruationi proponitur vita mors obedientiae siâ—guli Ignat. epist â—d Magnesian qui hoc aut illud elegerint in eius quod inuâ—nerâ— locum abituri sunt fugiamus mortem eligamus vâ—tam That to sinne or not sinne to haue life â— death is in the power and will of Christians Aâ— againe most plainely that sinne is not without freâ— will Si quis piet ati studet Dei homo est si impiè agâ— diaboli est non td factus per naturam sed animi arbâ—trium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sainct Clement disciple and Successor to Sainct â—eter the Apostle speaketh as plainely or rather â—ore both in Sainct Peters and his owne words â—pinion and all true beleeuers liberi sumus arbitrij Clem. Rom. epist 3. â—uia liberum est animo in quani velit partem declinare â—dicium suum quam probauerit eligere viam conâ—at euidenter inesse hominibus arbitrij libertatem And Recognit l. 3. â—ffirmeth plainely that they which should deny â—ree-will in man consequently should say that God could not iudge and condemne men for any â—inge termed sinnes all ciuill courts lawes and â—ustice should cease there should be no goodnesse â—o wickednesse no sinne no vertue nor God at all Quomodo Deus iudicat secundum veritatem vnumâ—uemque pro actibus suis si agere aliquid in potestate â—on habuit Hoc siteneatur conuulsa sunt omnia fruâ—ra â—rit studium sectandi meliora sed Iudices saeculi â—ustra legibus praesunt puniunt eos qui malè agunt â—on enim in sua potestate habuerunt vt non peccarent â— ana erunt Iura populorum quae malis actibus poenas â—atuunt miseri erunt qui seruant cum labore iustiâ—am beati verò illi qui in delicijs positi cum luxuria â—celere viuentes tyrannidem tenent Secundum haec erâ—o nec iustitia erit nec bonitas nec vlla virtus vt â—vis nec Deus Est ergo in potestate vniuscuiusque quia Lib. 4. â—beri arbitrij factus est homo vtrum nobis velit audire â—d vitaÌ„ an daemonibus ad interituÌ„ And defineth freeâ—ill to be an essentiall and vnseparable power of â—he soule of man to yeeld to whatsoeuer acts it â—ill Arbitrij potestas est sensus animae habens Lib. 3. Dionis Areopag Eccles Hierar cap. 2. l. de diu nom cap. 4. â—irtutem quam possit ad quos velit actus incliâ—ari Sainct Denis the Arepagite is plaine of the same â—pinion and calleth that which wee commonly terme freewill electiualibertas electiue liberty aâ— that man hath such power in himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab. Moses Hadars ad c. 4. Gen. Rab. Akiba in capitul patrum Philo. l. quod Deus sit immutabilis Rab. Moses Fil. Maim epistola adu Astrologos Ioseph Alb. fund tract 1. c. 9. Rab. Iudas in capitul pa. Clem. Rom. l. 3. Recognit los lib. 13. Antiq. c. 4. Epiph. l. 1. Tom. 1. cont haer c. 16. de pharisaeis Plutarch l. 1. de placitis Philosophorum cap. 27. Clem. Alex. l. 5 stromat part ante fâ—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the constant and receaued opinion â— doctrine both of Iewes and gentiles also for tâ— first their Rabbines Rabbi Moses Hadarsaâ— Rabbi Akiba Philo Rabbi Moses ben-Maimoâ— Iosephus Rabbi Iudas with others doe aboundanâ—ly proue it So doth Sainct Clement reciting the â—stimony of Simon Magus professor of the aduerâ— errour confessing it was the receaued doctrine â— the Iewes though he singularly denied it Simâ— Magus inquit ad Pâ—trum quoniam Hebraeis ista maâ—dantur velut rectè scientibus Deum opinantibâ— quod vnusquisque in suo arbitrio habeat agere â— de quibus iudicandus est mihi autem ab illis discrepâ— sententia Iosephus Sainct Epiphanius and others proâ— the same and put such Iewes as held otherwise iâ— the number of heretiks So Plutarch Clemens Alexandrinus and others proue of the Gentiles testâ—fying how Heraclitus was singular among them for the contrary errour Plato proued inuinciblâ— the truth of the Christian Catholike doctrine iâ— this point otherwise God should because of sinne which he possibly could not be Liberum autem arbitrium Plato per haec ostendit virtus autem non parâ— alterius dominio quam prout vnusquisque vel honorauerit vel despexerit erit eius particeps Eius qui elegerit culpae non potest in Deum causa conferri Deuâ— enim nunquam est causa malorum Thus generally and confidently the doctrine oâ— free will was receaued and professed in this first agâ— in the same manner as the present Roman Churcâ— â—w doth approuing and requiring also the necesâ—y of grace and not excluding it as the Pelagian â—retiks first did some hundreds of yeares after and â—t makinge mens actions meritorious but as they â—ere assisted by grace Nihil meritis vestris ascribaâ— Martial Epis ad Tolosan cap. 22. quasi non egentes Dei gratia quia sine Deo nihil poâ—tis facere And in this sense the Protestant Article of freeâ—ill receaueth this doctrine their writers admit â—in these Termes wee deny not that it is in the power Wotton
those â—hich liued not vnmarried and in pouerty after the â—anner of the Apostles could not be saued The Eucraâ—tae Irenaeus l. 1. c. 10 Epiph. l. 1. Tom. 3. haer in Tatian c. 46. vlt. Epiphan l. 2. Tom. 2. haer cap 67. cont Hieracit Schollers to Tatianus were drowned in the â—ke heresie docuerunt omnes Christianos debere à nupâ—ijs abstinâ—re caelibes viuere sic continentiam â—olebant esse praecepti non consilij Hierax and his Hieracitae maintained the like excluding all marâ—ied Christians from the Kingdome of heauen Non admittit nuptias concessum est ait in veteri testaâ—ento nuptias contraherc verum à Christi aduentu â—on amplius nuptias admitti neque posse ipsos possidere â—egnum caelorum Some of the Pelagians also held â—hat no man could be saued except he sold all he â—ad and gaue it to the poore neminem saluum esse August epist 89. â—osse nisi omnia venderet daret pauperibus quasi â—on consilium sed praeceptum hoc esset As if this were â—ot a counsaile but a commaundement Which the Protestants thus also plainely confesse in these Couel def of Hook p. 52. points all haue not holden the same opinions some thought the counsailâ—s to be of the same necessity with precepts as those heretiks called Apostolici Thus with publike approbation And yet this article in the reason it would make falleth into the same heresie plainely affirming that whatsoeuer worke of piety or perfection is or may be wrought or done in this life virginity chastity voluntary pouerty obedience or what such soeuer none excepted in this their doctrinall decree all men are beunde to doe they be bound in duty they are commaunded And so â— married men or women none that be rich noâ— that be in authority and rule spirituall or tempâ—rall Kinge Prince Prelate or whosoeuer tâ— liue not in virginity and chastity forsake not â— for Christs sake and followe him as the Apostlâ— and such did or liue not in professed obedienâ— which no Protestants doe or euer did can possibâ— be saued by the expresse conclusion of this articâ— leauing no place or hope of saluation for any of thâ— religion which hath vtterly to their power abaâ—doned all such holy estates and conditions of perfâ—ction When Christ himselfe and his Apostles aâ— the Apostolike writers of this age haue taught â— otherwise that the keepinge of the commaundâ—ments is sufficient to bringe men to saluation aâ— there be other perfections of counsaill and not nâ—cessity bringing greater glory and reward â— heauen Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata Aâ— Matth. c. 19. illi Iesus si vis perfectus esse vade vende omnia qâ— habes da pauperibus habebis the saurum in coelâ— veni sâ—quere me De virginibus praeceptum Domiâ— 1. Cor. cap. 7. non habeo consilium autem do Qui matrimonio iungâ— Matth. 19. virginem suam bene facit qui non iungit melius fâ—cit SuÌ„t eunuchi qui seipsos castrauerunt propter regnâ—â— caelorum qui potest capere capiat That these holy estates of perfection besides thâ— keepinge of the commaundements were professed Ignat. epist ad Philippen ep ad Philadelp epist ad Smy epist ad Polycarp Dion Areop supr Ignatius ep ad Heron. exercised and honored in this age I haue proued before by the Apostolike writers then Sainct Ignatius Sainct Denis and others And in his epistle tâ— Sainct Hero these holy virgins are stiled the pretious Iewels of honor vnto Christ Virgines serua vâ— pretiosa Christi monilia Sainct Iames in his liturgy â—aketh honorable mention of the liuers in monaâ—eries Dionysius Areop Eccl. Hierarc c. 6. in such condition Proijs qui in virginitate â—stitate in monasterijs degunt Dominum oremus S. â—ionisius giueth vnto them the greatest titles of â—onour perfection holinesse which this life can â—ue and next to God himselfe Ordo monachorum â— exactissimam perfectionem diuina ratione subuehiâ—r Vnde sancti patres nostri diuinis eos appellationibus â—nt prosecuti partim Therapentas id est cultores à â—cero Dei famulatu atque cultu partim monachos ab â—diuidua singulari vita appellantes vt quae illos â—nctis diuisibilium complicationibus in diuinam â—eo gratam monadem perfectionemque promoueat The â—der of monkes by a diuine manner is exalted to the most â—act perfection Whereupon our holy predecessors called â—em by diuine names partly Therapents that is worâ—ippers for their sincere seruinge and worshippinge of â—d partly also naming theÌ„ monkes for their indiuiduall â—d singular life exalting them to an hâ—auenly perfeâ—ion and acceptable vnto God Antiquaries recken Sainct Iohn Baptist greater â—en whome by the testimony of Christ himselfe â—e best witnesse no man was who was onely man â—er natos mulierum nâ—n surrexit maior Ioanne Bapâ—ta his chastity contempt of the world pouerty â—d austerity of life was a profession lesson and paâ—ne of this perfection Wee may recken such both â— Scriptures and histories all the Apostles which â—r the loue of Christ forsook all and followed â—m in holy chastity paines pennance and austeâ—y of life so longe as they liued And this was not â—gular and peculiar vnto them but a thinge alâ—ost common to very many Christians besides the â—postles and properly named disclples selling their possessions and giuing away their wealth Ricâ— of this world to serue God in more perfection aâ— to be made rich in heauen and were honored mâ— for so doing as the holy Scriptures and the mâ— worthy writers proue So at Hierusalem omnes â— Act. c. 2. eredebant habebant omnia communia Possessione â— substantias vendebant diuidebant illa omnibâ— prout euique opus erat Habentes gratiam ad omnem pâ—bem So at Alexandria vnder Sainct Marke as Phâ— then liuing seeing it Sainct Hierome and othâ— witnesse Philo disertissimus Iudaeorum videns â—lexandriae Philo l. de vita contempl Hieron l. de Script Eccl. in Marco Euangel Clem. l. 1. recogn in ep praesertim S. vita communi Vrban Papa ep decret Robert Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Vrban 1. Ignat. Epistol ad Philadelp primam Ecclesiam adhuc Iudaizantem qâ— in laudem gentis suae librum super eorum conuersatâ— scripsit Et quomodo Lucas narrat Iero solymae credeâ— omnia habuisse communia siâ— ille quod Alexandâ— sub Marco fieri Doctore cernebat memoriae tradidit â— it was also in the Church of Rome vntill Pope Vâ—banus time as Sainct Clement and Sainct Vrbaâ— write and after as others proue And our Protestaâ— antiquaries consent affirming that Pope Vrbanâ— concluded and decreed in his time fundos vltrò â—clesiae oblatos accipiendos esse praedia debere esse comâ—nia prouentus vero viritim inter clericos distribuâ— dos esse iussit S. Ignatius speaking of the honoâ— and noblenesse of chastity and how it
ad caput ipso dicente prâ— Apostolorum Petro Tues Petrus super hanc Pâ— aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Sainct Papias also â— Protestants confesse to speake in their â— words taught Peters primacy and Romish Eâ—pality Sainct Martial a disciple of Sainct Peteâ—â—sent Martial ep ad Burdegal cap. 11. Hier. l. de vir Illust in Iren. epist 29. ad Theod. Tert. l. contra Valent Martyrol Rom. die 28. Iunij into Fraunce by the Apostolike Râ— Church and a member thereof teacheth thâ— Church of Christ is firme and can neuer be â— throwne or dissolued Firma Ecclesia Dei â— nec cadere nec disrumpi poterit vnquam Sainct Ireneus being by Sainct Hierome thâ— Romane Martyrologe and others scholler Polycarpus and Papias and neare the Apâ— time Apostolorum temporum vicimus must neeâ— and be learned in this age and both knowe â— followe the approued doctrine thereof beâ— most Catholike holy learned Sainct Martyâ— Doctour yet he witnesseth of the Roman Câ— Iren. l. 3. c. 3. that it hath principality ouer all others and â— fore euery Church all true beleeuers must concordance with it euer keeping the truâ— Christian Religion which the Apostles deliâ— Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitâ— necesse est omnem conuâ—nire Ecclesiam hoc est eâ— sunt vndique fidelâ—s in qua semper ab his qui sâ—â— dique conseruata est ca quae est ab Apostolis trâ— â—e saith this Church is the greatest most auncient â—owne to all founded by the two most glorious â—ostles Sainct Peter and S. Paul keeping inuiâ—â—le the faith they taught and confounding all â—t erre Maximae antiquissimae omnibus coâ—itae à gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro Paulo â—maefundatae constitutae Ecclesiae eam quam haâ— ab Apostolis traditionem annunciatam hominiâ— fidem per successiones Episcoporum peruenientem â—que ad nos indicantes confundimus omnes eos qui â—quo modo velper sui placentiam malam vel vaâ— gloriam vel per caecitatem malam sententiam â—terquam oportet colligunt Where this Church of â—me is euer pure and vnspotted free from errour â— Iudge and confounder of all wheresoeuer or â—wsoeuer erring and falling from the true Apoâ—like doctrine S. Simeon Metaphrastes die 29. Iunij Leland in Arthurio Harrison descr of Britaine Stow hist of Engl. Hollinsh his of Engl. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. Caius antiquit Cautab Godwin CoÌ„uers of Brit. and Catal. of Bish. Io. Goscelin hist Manuscript Mat. parker Antiquit Brit. And particularly concerning Britaine So it â—s euer adiudged here wee receaued our first â—h from Sainct Peter and the Roman Church â—nct Peter stayed longe in Britaine conuerted â—y founded here Churches ordained Bishops â—ists and Deacons venit in Britanniam quo in loco â—o temporefuit moratus verbo gratiae multos illumiâ—it Ecclesias constituit Episcoposque Presbyteros â—iaconos ordinauit â—nd all our Protestant Antiquaries confesse that â— receaued this holy Apostolike faith and â—at this time and in euery age had Bishops and â—chers sent hither from Rome as Sainct Daâ—nus and Faganus with others from Pope Eleuâ—ius in the second age from Pope Victor wee â— many in the third age and Sainct Mellonius or Mello from Pope Stephen and S. Amphibalus with others from the same Romes authority in the same age In the fourth age one holy Emperesse Emperour Queene and King S. Helen with our whole Cleargy agreed with Sainct Syluester and others Popes there and Sainct Ninian with others of ours which where there consecrated and sent hither by that power Apostolike and many of our Bishops were then at diuers Councels as Arles in Fraunce Sardyce and others both ioyning with the Roman Church and acknowledging the supreame spirituall power thereof In the next and fift age Pope Celestine and other holy Popes sent hither S. Palladius Sainct Germanus S. Lupus Sainct Seuerus S. Patricius S. Dubricius Coelius Sedulius with others renowned in all the world In the sixt age the Sea of Rome sent hither and approued here Sainct Iuo Sainct Ethelardus S. Dauid Sainct Kentegern Sainct Asaph Sainct Molochus Sainct Augustine Mellitus Iustus with all that holy company sent hither by Sainct Gregory Pope then especially to the Pagan and noâ— yet beleeuing Saxons Now that our Christiaâ— Britains neuer forsooke or chaunged in any onâ— materiall point their first receaued Apostolike faith Io. Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. Pontif. in Greg. 1. l. de scrip Centur. 1. in August Dauid powel Annotat. in l. â— Girald Cambren Haier Camb. cap. 1. wherein they were assisted by the Popes and Seâ— of Rome all this while to the cominge of S. Augustine in the end of the sixt hundred of yeares oâ— most esteemed Protestant Antiquaries directly tâ—stifie from Antiquities Two of them speake in these very same wordâ— apud Britannos vigebat veritat is praedicatio doctriâ— sincera purus Dei cultus qualis ab ipsis Apostoâ— mandato diuino Christianorum Ecclesijs tradiâ—us 〈◊〉 At the comminge of Augustine hither here florished among the Britans the preaching of the truth sincere doctrine and the pure worship of God which by the Apostles themselues by Gods commandement was deliuered to the Churches of Christians One of theÌ„ saith their doctrine was most sincere Doctrinae sincerissima Both of them cite the brittish history so they might haue cited the old manuscript history of Rochester with diuers others Two other principall Protestant Antiquaries the one an Archbishop with them say Euangelium quod primis Apostolorum Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 68. 9 45. alijs â—o Goscelin hist Eccles manuscr c. Britâ—nunq prolaff à fide Godwin conuers of Brit. p. 43. temporibus in Britannia nuntiatum non modo semper retentum firmiter sed singulis saeculis auctum dilatatum creuisse The Ghospell which was preached in Britaine in the first times of the Apostles was both euer firmely retained and encreased in euery age An other a Bishop in their congregation writeth The Britans continued still in the same tenour of pure doctrine which they had receaued in the first infancy of the Church The doctrine and discipline of their Church they had receaued from the Apostles of Christ An other hath thus among the Britains or welchmen Hollinsh hist of Engl. c. 21. p. 102. Foxe Act and monum pa. 463. edit an 1576. Fulke Answ to a counterf Cathol p. 40. Middleton Papistomast p. 202. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. Christianity as yet remained in force which from the Apostles time had neuer failed in that nation An other hath thus The Britains after the receauing of the Faith neuer forsooke it for any manner of false preachinge of others An other thus witnesseth The Britains before Augustines cominge continued in the faith of Christ euen from the Apostles time The like haue many others to many to be cited not any of them contradicting it And by this they haue
acta illa irrita esse quae praeâ—â—r sententiam Episcopi Romani constituuntur And those Bishops themselues in their common epistle acknowledge that the Church of Rome had primacy ouer all and with all as being the schoole of the Apostles and Metropolitaine City of piety euen from the beginning Literis suis fatebantur Ecclesiam Româ—â—â—â— Episcopi Antiochiae conuen epist ad Iulium Pap. Rom. Sozomen hist l. 2. cap. 7. Socrat. l. 2. c. 11. Concil Constantin 1. can 5. Socrat. hist l. 5. cap. 8. Primas apud omnes ferre vtpote quae Apostolorum schola pietatiâ— Metropolis licet authores Religiâ—â—â—â— Christianae primum ex oriente eo venissent iam â—â— initio fuisset Ecclesia Romana priuilegium praeter 〈◊〉 obtinet And after the City of Constantinople being made Imperiall claymed the greatest gloâ—y could be giuen vnto it the Church of Rome was still the cheife and primate euen by the Councell of Constantinople it selfe Decretum fuit vt Episcopus Constantinopolitanus proximè secundum Episcopum Romanum primas propterea obtinere quod illa ciuitas nona Roma esset appellata Our Protestants Rob. Barnes lib. de vit Pontif. Rom. in Marcello themselues acknowledge that Sainct Marcellus Pope decreed longe before any generall Councell that no Councell should be kept without the peculiar authority of the Pope of Rome Ne conciliuÌ„ sine peculiari Pontificis authoritate haberetur statuit But S. Marcellus euen in the place these doe citâ— deduceth this supreame authority to the S. Marcell ep 1. ad Episcop Antiochiae Prouinciae Church of Rome euer since Sainct Peters coming thither so writinge to the Bishops of Antioch yeelding when Sainct Peter was at Antioch the primacy was there but Sainct Peter coming from thence to Rome by Christs commauÌ„de Iubente Domino his See and primacy was translated thither Eiuâ— sedes Romam translata est And the See of Antioch at the first the cheifest thus yeelding to the See of Rome euery other must needs be subiect vnto it So were the decrees of the Apostles Who also ordayned that noe Councell might be kept without the authority of that See nor any Bishop iudged but in Councell called by that authority Si vestra Antiochena quae oliâ— prima erat Romanae cesset sedi nulla est quaecius non subiectae fit ditioni ad quam oâ—nes quasi ad caput iuxta Apostolorum eorumque Successoram Sanctiones Episcopi qâ—i voluerint velquibus necesse fuerit suffugere eamque appellare debent vt inde accipiant tuitionem liberationem Simulque ij dem inspirante Domino constituerunt vt nulla Synodus fieret praeter eiusdem sedis authoritatem nec vllus Episcopus nisi in legitima Synodo suo tempore Apostolica authoritate conuocata super quibuslibet criminibus pulsatur audiatur vel iudicetur Quia Episcoporum iudicia summarum causarum negotia siue cuncta dubia Apostolicae Sedis authoritate sunt agenda finienda Et omnia comprouintialia negotia huius sancta vniuersalis Apostolica Ecclesiae funt retractandaiudicio si huius Ecclesiae Pontifex praeceperit Sainct Alexander Pope liuing in this first Apostolike age is witnesse that Christ himselfe gaue this supreame Alexander 1. epist 1. Anaclet epist 1. Robert Barn l. de vit Pontif. Rom. in Anacleto Edict Const to 1 Concil Isodor Hisp in hist Isod Iun. collect can Adrian 1. epist ad CoÌ„st Iren. 20. AbrahaÌ„ leuita chron Indiar R. Abraham Aben Esra ad cap. 11. Danielis Ammian Marcellin lib. 27. power to that Apostolike See Huic Sanctae Apostolicae Sedi summarum dispositiones causarum omnium negotia Ecclesiarum ab ipso Domino tradita saâ—â— quasi ad caput So hath S. Anacletus before him both Catholike and Protestants so acknowledging Ab ipso Domino primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuer sumque Christiani nominis populum concessum esse asseruit The words of Sainct Anacletus are more large and plaine then this Protestant allowance is And to come againe to the first generall Councell held at Nyce first the Edict of Constantine his donation and endowing the Romane Church and acknowledging therein as greate priuiledges to belonge to that Apostolike See as any Pope or learned Catholike now giueth vnto it was passed by all writers before Constantine his seating himselfe in the east and the callinge of the Nicen Councell This is manifest not onely by Christian antiquaries too many to be cited but Iewes and Pagans also By that donation it is euident that neither the Nicen nor any other such Councell could be called without the allowaaÌ„ce of the Pope of Rome secondly in the Councell of Rome consisting of 284. Bishops all subscribeing as Constantine himselfe present likewise did by all their harts and hands as greate primacy is graunted to that See as euer it claymed Nemo iudicabit primam Romanam Concil Rom. sub Syleustro can 20. sedem quoniam omnes sedes à prima sede iustitiam desiderant temperari Neque ab Augusto neque abomni clerâ— neque à Regibus neque à Populo Iudex indicabiâ—â—r Et Subscripserunt 284. Episcopi 45. Presbyteri 5. Diacont Augustus Constantinus mater eius Helena This was before the Nicen Councell by many arguments Thirdly the Fathers of the Nicen CouÌ„cell sent it in Latine to Pope Syluester Placuit vt haec omnia mitterentur ad Episcopum vrbis Nicen Conc. in praefat ep Concilij Nicaeni ad Syluestr Conest Rom. 3. Romae Syluestrum and he there in a CouÌ„cell of 275. Bishops thus confirmed it Syluester Episcopus Sanctae Apostolic aesedis vrbis Romae dixit quicquid in Niâ—aea Bithinia constitutum est adrobur sanctae matris Ecclesiae Catholicae Apostolicae à sanctis Sacerdotibus erecentis decem octo nostro ore conformiter confirmamus qui ausi fuerint dissoluere definitionem Sancti magni Concilij quod apud Nicaeam congregatum est anathematâ—zanius dixerunt omnes placet The Pope of Rome the Imperiall City of the Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant c. 7. Socrates hist l. 1 cap. 5. Theodorit world had his Preists there which supplied his place Vrbisillius penes quam Imperium est Episcopus ingrane sâ—ente aeâ—aâ—e praepeditus absuit eius tamen presbyteri qui adâ—rant locum eius suppleuerunt Their Hist l. 1. ca. 7. Sozomen hist l. 1. c. 16. names were Vitus and Vincentius Vitus Viâ—centius eiusdem Ecclesia Presbyteri pro illo adfuere What it was forthem being but onely Preists and not Bishops to supply the place of the Pope of Rome and to be present for him among so many Patriarks Archbishops and Bishops sufficiently declareth his dignity and their cheife authority iâ— Councell in that respect Which these auncient Authours of that time haue proued before assuring vs that no Councell might be kept or decree made without the Bishops of Rome
generall Councels as necessary vnto saluation hâ—â—e neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scriptures This is aboundantly before confuted where I entreated of their article of Scriptures So it is by that is deliuered in this Councell which they wholy and without any the least exception admit For in denyall of marriage vnto Cleargy men it hath done it by the old Apostolike tradition of the Church Can. 6. 7. secundum veterem Ecclesiae traditionem So they doe in the true gouernment of the Church by the Pope and Patriarkes Antiqua consuetudo Antiqua mores Mos antiquus Seruetur Seruentur Consuetudâ— obtinuit antiqua traditio Yet true gouernment of the Church is with them an essentiall property of the true Church vnseperable and so necessary to saluation So is the true Cleargy and consecration as also the holy Sacrifice Sacrament of the altar really containing the body of Christ yet by these men not to be declared by Scriptures they finding no such thing in them And these Protestants themselues with publike Protest of Engl. in feild libr. 4. of the Church pag. 228. allowance write Bishops assembled in a generall Councell haue authority to interpret Scriptures and by their authority to suppresse all them that gaine say such interpretation Therefore if there were question of truely interpreting Scripture Protestants must yeeld to generall Councels and not these to them particular Churches if the Protestant was such must of duty and necessity submit themselues to the vniuersall and Apostlike Catholike such as a generall Councell is as the first Nicen Councell in the Creede thereof which Protestants receaue doth declare it selfe and such generall Councels to be and so inflicteth censures Anathematizat Caâ—â—olica Symb. Niceâ— Ruffin lib. 1. hist c. 5. Soc. l. 1. hist c. 6. Apostolica Ecclesia Therefore wee are sure a generall Councell cannot erre in expounding Scriptures or any decree of faith That our Christian Britains were of this minde opinion and profâ—ssion their Bishops with longe and tedious labours present at the greate primitiue Councels of Arles Sardice Ariminum and others by all witnesses and with our King and Emperour at Nice in most probable Iudgment also Rome and the sacred Nicen Councell here then authentically receaued and embraced by all holy writers giue aboundant testimony THE X. CHAPTER The 22. Article thus likewise examined and condemned THE next article the 22. in number is intituled of Purgatory And is thus The Romish doctrine The doctrine of Purgatory prayer and other satisfaction for the true faithfull deceased practised in this first agâ— concerning Purgatory pardons worshipping and adoration aswell of Images as of reliques and also inuocation of Saincts is a fond thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warranty of Scripture but rather repâ—gnant to the word of God Much matter in few words many things peremptorily affirmed nothing proued All false and foolish also where as they would haue all thing grounded vpon warranty of Scripture so many times by theÌ„ affirmed and as often by me before confuted And to take their assertions in order beginning with their first about the Romish their phrase doctrine concerning Purgatory This is thus set downe in the Councels of Florence and Trent If men truely ponitent depart this life in the loue of God before they haue satisfied for their sinnes their soules are purged with the paines of Purgatory And that they may be releiued from such paines the suffrages of the saithfull aliue to wit sacrifice of Masse prayers and almes and other offices of piety which by the faithfull are vsed for other faithfull people according to the instituâ—â—ons Concil Flor. Concil Tâ—id Sessione 4. can 30. of the Church doe profit them Definimus si verè poenitentes in Dei charitate decesserint antequam dignis poenitentiae fructibus de commissis satisfeâ—eriâ—â— omissis eorum animas paenis Purgatorij purgari Et vt à poenis huiusmodi releuentur prodesse his viuorum fidelium suffragia Missarum scilicet sacrificio orationes eleemosynas pietatis officia quae à fidelibus proaijs fidelibus fieri consueuerunt secundum Ecclesiae institutae Nor is this the Romish onely but also the Greekish and Catholike doctrine of the Church of Christ So is affirmed by Gennadius their learned Patriarke in his defence of the recited Councell of Florence The doctrine of Purgatory prayer and Sacrifice Gâ—nad Schol. in defens CoÌ„cil Floraent def â— cap. 3. for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles That which the Laâ—â—nes call purgatorium purgatory they of the Greeke Church name catharterion a purging place They were onely Scismaticorum Sectatores followers of Scismatikes which denied it This is likewise confessed Relation of Relig. c. 53. 54. 55. by our English Protestants and knowne vnto all trauaylers either into the contries or writers of the Greekes Now let vs see whether it was the doctrine of the Apostolike age or noe The Greeke Patriarke hath before affirmed it So will our Protestants hereafter And the Apostolike men of this age affirme and proue it Sainct Clement saith his Master and predecessour Sainct Clem. Rom. Epist 1. Peter among other things did teach mortuos sepelire diligenter corum exequias peragere proque eis orâ—â—e eleemosynas dare To bury the deade and diligently performe their funerals and pray and giue almes for them He deliuereth further how in their publike Constitut Apost l. 8. c. 19. Church seruice and Sacrifice of that time among their prayers for other necessaries they prayed for the faithfull departed out of this world Pro ijs qui infide quieuerunt oremus And from Iames Alphaeus named the Brother of our Lord frater Domini he setteth downe the manner how the Deacon vsed publikely to giue warning in the time of the holy Sacrifice to pray for the soules of the faithfull deceased deliuering the very prayer commonly vsed in such cases directly proueing a place of Purgatory and prayer for the deliuery of the faithfull departed from thence with a remission of all punishment they had deserued and were to suffer vntill they were by such meanes freed thereof Pro defunctis qui in Christo requieuerunt L. 8. supr cap. 47. iuxt al. 40. 41. postquam Diaconus edixit orandum esse adiunget etiam haec oremus profratribus nostris qui in Christo requieuerunt vt Deus summae erga homines charitatis qui animam defuncti suscepit remittat ei omne peccatum voluntarium non voluntarium propitius illi factus collocet eam in regione piorum qui laxati sunt in sinu Abrahae Isaac Iacob cum omnibus qui à saeculo condito Deo placuerunt vnde fugit dolor maeror gemitus And againe ipse nunc respice hunc seruum tuum quem in aliam sortem elegisti assumpsisti condona ei si quid tum volens tum
Pro requie patrum fratrum nostrorum qui ante nos dormierunt dicamus omnes toto animo Domine miserere The like hath the liturgy of Sainct Matthew Missa S. Matthaei Memento Domine omnium fidelium dormientium in signo rectae fidei quie scentium Domine Deus noster memento dormientium in recta fide quiescentium So is the Masse of Sainct Marke animabus patrum Missa S. Marci fratrum nostrorum qui antea Christi in fide obdormierunt dona requiem Domine Deus noster And relating how it was the vse to reade the cataloge of such deceased and then to pray thus for all their soules Horum omnium animabus da requiem Domine Deus â—â—ster Chrysostom Hom. 3. in c. 1. ad Philipp Hom. ad pop Anthiochen Hom. 41. in 1. Cor. cap. 15. Epiph. haer 75. Tertull. l. de coron milit c. 3. cap. 4. August Enchirid c. 100. de ciuit Dei l. 21. c. 24. l. de cur pro mart de verbis Apostoli serm 32. Isod l. 1. de offic Eccl. c. 18. Amal l. 1 c. 27. Epiphan l. de haeres c 53. Philastr l. de haer Middlet Papistom pa. 49. 137. 138. 47. 64. 45. 46. 51. feild l. 3. c. 29. p. 138. Couel Exam. p. 114. Middl. supr pag. 51. Morton Apol part 1. p. 329. Caluin apud eund ib. Perkins problemat pag. 178. in sanctis tuis tabernaculis inregno tuo largiens eis promissionum tuarum bona quae oculus non vidit auris non audiuit in cor hominis non ascenderunt quae praeparasti Deus diligeÌ„tibus sanctum nomen tuum eorum inquam animabus dona requiem easque regno caelorum dignare All other auncient publike liturgies and Masses of all natioÌ„s agree herein The best learned Fathers both of the Greeke and Latine Church doe assure vs it was a tradition of the Apostles and receaued and practised in the whole Church Ab Apostolis sancitum est vt in celebratione venerandorum mysteriorum memoria fiat eorum qui hinc decesserunt Qui ante nostestes fuerunt habentes ante nos traditionem â—â— Ecclesia quique etiam à patribus suis traditum acceperunt quemadmodum etiam hi a suis patribus didicerunt Pro peccatoribus facimus memoriam pro peccatoribus misericordiam Dei implorantes Ecclesia necessariò hoc perficit traditione à patribus accepta Quis autem poterit statutum matris dissoluere aut legem patris Sacrificium pro defunctorum fidelium requie offerre vel pro eis orare quia pertotum hoc orbem custoditur credimus quod ab ipsistraditum sit hoc enim vbique Catholicatenet Ecclesia This was so generally receaued and confessed doctrine practised in all times and places That vntill Aërius the heretike in the dayes of Constantine no man denied it and he for his singular deniall thereof was and is condemned of heresie with all his followers This is a truth so euident that our Protestant writers doe with their publike warranâ— thus acknowledge it The primatiue Church did offeâ— sacrifice at the altar for the deade Sacrifice for the deadâ— was a tradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathere Sainct Chrysostome taught it to be the Apostles ordinance to pray for the deade Aerius condemned the custome of the Church in naming the deade at the altare and offering the sacrifice of Eucharist for them and for this his rash and inconsiderate boldnesse and presumption in condemning the vniuersall Church of Christ he was iustly condemned In the Masses or liturgies of Basile Chrysostome and Epiphanius the deade were prayed for Ipsi veteres preces fundebant pro defunctis The â—â—ncient Fathers powred out their prayers for the deade Dionysius the Areopagite Sainct Paules scholler â—aught that sinnes are purged in purgatory In purgatorio expiari peccata The prayer made for the departed doth beseech the diuine Clemency to forgiue the party deceased all sinnes committed by humane infirmity Oratio illa precatur diuinam clementiam vt cuncta dimittat per infirmitatem humanam admissa peccata defuncto If wee should giue any respect to the Iewes Mahometans and Coccius tom 2. l. 7. artic 5. and such to make this a receaued opinion of all the world they euer held hold and practise prayer and such workes for the deade Now wee need not doubt but this so publike and common truth was also brought into Britaine and here practized and taught by our first Fathers in Religion Whosoeuer they were the Apostles or their disciples from Hierusalem Rome or what Apostolike place else they held professed and taught the Apostles doctrine and tradition and vsed their liturgies if from Hierusalem that of S. Iames where the deade are so often prayed for and the sacrifice of Masse offered for them And where there was a particular Church in the first dayes of Christianity as S. Bede from antiquity sequens veterâ—â—â— Bed libel de locis Sanctis Arnulphus Adama ib. l. 5. hist Eccl. monumenta with others assureth vs in quasuper altare pro defunctis sacrificium solet fieri positis interiâ— in platea corporibus in which Church sacrifice was vsed to be offered for the deade their bodies in the meane time remaining in the streete But because I haue inuincibly proued in my Ecclesiasticall history and it is not to be denied but our conuersion was by S. Peter his Church of Rome wee must Manuscript antiq princip stores needs say with our old Brittish manuscript written in the Britains time that his Masse and the Masse of S. Marke his Scholler came into these parts and were vsed here And no man Protestant or other finding yet that the prayer in the Romane Masse was added by any Memento Dominc famulorum famularumque Missa S. Petri in Canone tuarum qui nos praecesserunt cum sigm fidâ—i dormiunt in somno pacis Ipsis Dominc omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigerij locis pacis vt indulgeas deprecamur and the Masse of S. Marke being so manifest as before for this religious doctrine and practise wee must needs say this was the profession and custome of our Christian Britans from their first instruction in the faith of Christ To this old monuments of our most auncient and renowned Church of Glastenbury giueample testimony when assuring vs that thousands of Brittish Christians millia dormientium were Antiquit. glast buried there aboue a thousand yeares since they giue these reasons of the religious desires of good people to be buried there quia omnibus hic sepultis per Sanctorum inibi requiescentium preces merita creditur magna peccatorum remissio à Domino concessa Propter Missas alias orationes quae quotidie pro eis dicuntur because those that were buried there had great pardon by the merits of the Saincts and their pâ—â—iers resting there and the Masses and prayers there dayly offered for the dead there
buried Wee finde in the old antiquities of landaffe a Publike Charter of King Mauricus in S. Dubritâ—â—â— his time Manuscript antiq de primo statu Landauen Ecclesiae that it was the old custome and duty of Churches daily to pray for the soules of the benefactours deceased and all the faithfull departed out of this life oratione quotidiana Ecclesiastico seruitio pro anima â—â—â—us animabus parentum suorum Regum Principum Britanniae omnium fidelium defunctorum So is the charter of King Arthur to the schoole of Cambredge proremedio animarum antecessorum Chart. priuileg Reg. Arthuri apud Caium l. 1. antiquit Cantabrig pag. 60. 70. Caratoc hist M. S. de vita S. Gildel Probus l. 2. de vit S. Patricij Caius l. 1. sup p. 147. 148. l de vit SaÌ„ct Walliae in S. Iltuto vneorum Regum Britanniae Sainct Gildas our oldest writer and greate diuine did daily pray for the foule of his brother being slaine Orabat pro spiritu fratermp quotidie Sainct Patrike prayed for the dead orauit pro anima eius S. Iltutus appointed 50. of his schollers to pray for the soules of the deade continually Constituit quinquaginta fratres qui continuam animarum memoriam haberent And as I haue spoken before how the first Christians at Hierusalem had a particular Church founded and employed to that holy vse So our Christians Britans insisting in the same deuotion from the beginning had diuers such foundations and Churches especially to offer sacrifice and pray for the deade One of them was at london Ecclesiam Galfrid Monum hist Reg. Briton l. 12 c. 13. aedificauerunt in quo pro ipso Rege fidelibus defunctis diuina celebrantur obsequia And this is sufficient for this question The next exception which is taken by our Protestants The Catholike doctrine of pardons Indulgences in this article is against the Catholike doctrine about pardons or Indulgences saying as they haue done already of Purgatory that the Romish doctrine concerning pardons is a fonde thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Councell of Trent setteth downe the Catholike doctrine in this point which these men call the Conc. Trid. seff 9. in decreto de Indulgentijs Romish doctrine that power of graunting indulgences was by Christ graunted to his Church and the Church in the most auncient times vsed it by so great warrant and therefore declareth the vse of Indulgences to be retajned in the Church as necessary for Christian people and allowed by the authority of holy Councels anathematizing them which affirme them to be vnprofitable or deny there is power in the Church to graunt them Cum potestas conferendi Indulgentias à Christo Ecclesiae concessa sit at que huiusmodi potestate diuiniâ—â—s tradita antiquissimis etiam temporibus illa vsa fuerit Sacrosancta Synodus indulgentiarum vsum Christiano populo maxime salutarem sacrorum conciliorum anthoritate probatum in Ecclesia retinendum esse docet praecipit eosque anathemate damnat qui aut inutiles esse asserunt veleas concedendi in Ecclesia potestatem esse negant The same holy CouÌ„cell with all good Catholiks as much coÌ„demneth abuses in pardons or IndulgeÌ„ces and as wisely preuenteth them as any enemy of Indulgences doth euer did or can desire That there this power of graunting pardons and Indulgences for remitting the temporall punishment due to sinne is first euident by that is said of the paines and punishment of purgatory before For no man will or can deny but if the Church hath power or meanes to remit paines to them that be deceased and out of the state of meriting in themselues much rather it hath such power and remedies for the liuing which by themselues may and doe merit and are in all respects parts and subiects of the militant Church of Christ Secondly whereas this Protestant article saith pardons haue no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Apostolike Fathers of this first age haue taught vs otherwise before euen of the paines of Purgatory And the Scripture is cleare both that Christ did graunt this power to his Church and the Church practized it in the Apostles time Of this power of remitting sinnes and their punishment Christ must needs meane when he said to S. Peter he would giue Matth. c. 16. vnto him the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer he should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen Tibi dabo claues regnicaelorum Et quodcumque solueris super terram erit solutum in caelis So when he said to all his Apostles Whatsoeuer Matth. 18. you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Quaecunque solueritis super terram erunt soluta in Ioh. cap. 20. coelo And againe whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen vnto them Quorum remiseritis peccata remitiuntur ets And that wee may be assured these words and warrants of Christ did carry this construction and giue this power and not onely to the then present Apostles but their Successours and Rulers in his Church for euer first Sainct Paul who was not an Apostle Preist nor Christian then at the giuing of this cominission nor there present did thus expounde it and practise it For first excommunicating the wicked Corinthian which had committed 1. Cor. 5. sinne with his Fathers wife his mother in lawe a sinne both in Catholiks and Protestants Iudgment deseruing greate and longe pennance and punishment he soone after wrote vnto them againe to giue him pardon and indulgeÌ„ce for the punishment thereof donetis or condonetis cui donastis or condonastis ego ego donaui or condonaui in persona Christi S. Paul gaue pardon in the person of Christ and the Church of Corinth did the same by the 2. Cor. 2. same warrant and authority So the learned holy Fathers after expound it Primasius in c. 2. epist 2. ad Corinth Aug. l. 2. coÌ„tr epist parmen c. 11. Chrys Homil. 5. de verb. Isaiae vidi Dom. l. 3. de Sacerdoâ—io Euseb Emissen hom in dom 19. post Pentecost Hilar. can 18. in Matth. PaciaÌ„ epistol 1. ad Simpronian Nouatian Aug l. 50. homil hom 40 27. l. 20. ciuit cap. 9. Engl. prot Booke of Ordinat with the Churches approbation cui aliquid donastis Pro donaueritis ego Sicut vobiscum vindicaui ita vobiscum dono Nam Et ego quod donaui Non in mea persona sed Christi qui dixit quae solueritis in terra erunt soluta in coelo Si quid donaui propter vos Nâ— grauemini In persona Christi Quia personam gerimus Christi And both the Greeke and Latine Church euer from the beginning expound those words of Christ in the Ghospell before cited as I haue done And our Protestants themselues doe the like making those
the other containing the Image of Christ and his 12. Apostles and was there worshipped in the Church Aliud quoque aliquanto maius linteum in Dorothaeus Synop. de vita morte propheâ—arum in Ierem. Ecclesia illa veneratur quod fertur à Sancta Maria contentum duodecim Apostolorum ipsius Domini continens Imagines vno latere rubro altero viridi S. Dorotheus writeth that Ieremy the Prophet prophesying of the coming of Christ gaue this for a certaine token and signe to know the time because all people then should worship the crosse Signum aduentus ipsius erâ—t â—obis quando vniuersae Pallad hist laus in vit Apollinis Soâ— hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 20. Cassio l. 6. c. 42. Niceph. l. 10. c. 31. Guliel Eisengren centen 1. part 1. distinct 3. Volater câ—mmen l. 13. Pet. de Natal l. 3. c. 228. gentes lignum adorabunt And gaue an other signe as certaine and notorious as the other to the Preists of Egypt where he prophesied that when the Messias should be borne of a Virgin and ly in a manger all their Idols should be broken and fall downe which the Prophet Esay also thus foretold mouebuntur simulachrae Aegypti à facie eius Which all writers Greeke and Latine Catholiks and Protestants confesse and proue to haue beene â—ffected when Christ newly borne with his mother fledde into Egypt the Idols of that nation most Idolatrous then fallinge downe And to make euident euen to blinded men that Christian Images be not idols or forbidden but allowed and to be reuerenced at that very time when the idols were thus miraculously destroyed the holy Prophet both appointed the Egyptians to make Christian Images namely of Christ and his blessed mother and reuerence Dorothaeus supr them which they did And this was both publikly and by all practized and by their King as authentically examined and approued Ieremias signum dedit Sacerdotibus Aegyptiacis quòd oporteat simulachra eorum concuti decidere per seruatorem puerum ex virgine nasciturum in praesepi iaciturum propterea etiam nunc virginem in lecto Infantem in praesepio collocant adorant Et cum causam olim Ptolomaeus Rex percontaretur responderunt mysterium esse ipsis a maioribus traditum quod illi a sancto Propheta acceperint SuetoÌ„ in Aug. lactant firm Aug. l. de inuitat Mart. Polon chron in Augusto Ran. Highed hist l. 4. c 2. 3. Herâ—â— Schedel aetat 5. fol. 93. Speed Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. Annal. Eccles Chart. in Gallia Francisc Belleforest Cosmog l. 2. p. 303. in Iud. v. druid alij This was likewise reuealed to Augustus the Emperour by the apparition of a Virgin with a child in her armes from heauen And he fell downe and worshipped the Image or apparition And is commended for it by all writers Apertum est coelum nimius splendor irruit supereum vidit in coelo pulcherrimam virginem stantem super altare puerum tenentem in brachijs Et miratus est nimis vocem dicentem audiuit Haec ara filij Dei est Qui statim proijciens se in terram adorauit This was the doctrine and practise of the Druides of this Kingdome aâ—d Fraunce whome our Protestants merueylouslie commend vnto vs for hauing a Prophesie among them that the Sauiour of the world should be borne of a virgin they erected Churches Images vnto theÌ„ namely at Charters in FrauÌ„ce Where their Prince and they both founded such a Church with an Image of the blessed virgin with Christ in her armes and worshipped it as the auncient tradition and Annals of that Church with others proue The Image or signe of the Crosse is not so resembling representatiue of Christ or his PassioÌ„ as the Images of Christ and his Saincts be of them especially that being a common Instrument of death in the greate Romane Empire at the death of Christ And yet in honour of Christ suffering death and râ—deeming the world by his passion vpon a Crosse The signe â—nd Image thereof was presently after his death euen by his Apostles disciples and first Christians in this age had and vsed with greate reuerence and honour I may be more breife in this matter seeing our Protestants by their greatest euen regall authority haue thus declared The signe King Iames and his B. B. confer at Hampt Couel ag Burg. p. 139. 124. 125. Communion Booke Tit. publike Baptisme of the Crosse is an Apostolicall constitution and Tradition And so they vse in their publike practicall communion booke at the baptisme of euery child thus prescribing for a rule and law The Preist shall make a Crosse vpon the childes forchead saying wee receaue this child into the congregation of Christs flocke and doe signe him with the signe of the Crosse in token that hereafter â—e shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to sight vnder his banner against sinne the world and the deuill and to continue Christs faithfull seruant vnto his lines end Amen Therefore if by so greate a Protestant warrant and profession the signe of the Crosse is so honorable that it is an Apostolicall constitution binding and commaunding all an Apostolicall tradition to be religiously kept and obserued of all so honorable and necessary a profession confession and testimony of our faith and Religion neuer to be denied that when wee were infants and could not doe this of our selues it was and ought to be performed by others for vs as our whole faith was so professed for vs in our baptisme much more ought all Christians coming to yeares of Iudgment and discretion performe those holy bondes and duties by themselues And that our Protestants need not feare they haue herein donne or graunted too much they shall heare the Apostolike men of this age from whom they haue in some sorte borrowed this their doctrine practise and confession deliuer the Apostolike doctrine vse custome farre more plainely amply and honorably in this busines The old Anonymus writer of the Apostles liues Fredic Nausea ep Vienn Prooemen in vit Apostol Anonym antiq in vit S. Thomae Apost Idem in vit S. Bartholomaei published by the learned Bishop Fredericus of Vienna allmost an hundred yeares since and then the exemplar exceeding old characteribus plusque vetustis inscriptum writeth that Sainct Thaddeus cured Kâ—ng Abgarus with the signe of the Crosse imposito Regi crucis signaculo ab omni eum languore sanauit An holy Angell engraued in square stones foure Crosses in euery corner of the Church one per quatuor angulos circumuolans digito sâ—â— in quadrâ—tis saxâ—s sculpsit signum crucis And gaue Charge to make the signe of the Crosse on their foreheads Quale signum ego sculpsi in his saxis tale vos digitâ— Id. in vit S. Ioan. Apost vestro facite in frontibus vestris omnia mala â—â—gient a vobis Sainct
Antiquities of Glastenbury Manuscr an t Glasten Eccl. tabulis lig affix Baron Spondan Annal. an 60. 112. Seuer Bin. Tom. 1. conc annot in Euaristum Sozomen hist Eccles l. 2. c. 1. alij ib. that S. Ioseph of Aramathia who buryâ—â— Christ and his holy companions which with hyâ— liued and dyed there vsed holy Images of the crosse others and by these founde ther after in King Lucius time Damianus and Faganus knew that to haue beene the lyuing and dying place of those Saincts Figuram nostrae redemptionis alias que figura manifestas repererunt quibus benè cognouerunt qâ—â—â— Christiani prius locum inhabitauerunt Where wee see the sholy Christian Images then to haue beene a certayne distinctiue signe and token of the first Christians from other people For as Baronius Spondanus Seuerinus Binius an others proue by many auncient old lawes and other authorities iâ— was a receaued custome euen from the Apostles to erect crosses in the Churches which were founded And Sozomen with others affirme that the gentils themselues did freely confesse that this was the Sibyls verse Ipsi gentiles ingenuè fatentur hoâ— esse Sibyllae carmen O lignum foelix in quo Deus ipse pependit O happy crosse whereon God himselfe did hange And no man can deny it Nemo pernegabit And the Sybils did both Prophesie of the crosse and the worship thereof Quare lignum crucis eiâ— veneratio a Sibylla praefignificata est And this hee affirmeth from certaine tradition and vndoubteâ— true testimonyes Haec ex viris qui illa accuratè â—â—runt ad quos eorum cognitio à patribus ad liberiâ— successione quadam deriuata peruenit qui eadeâ— ipsa literis prodere posterisquerelinquere studueruâ— audiuimus And thus it was obserued here in Britaine the first Christianitie herein euery age by S Ioseph and his ossociats in the first age by S. Damiâ—nus Phaganus and their company in the second and third also In which we find it was a custome also among Christians both to carry about with them the Image of the crosse or crucifixe and to giue honour vnto it as much as Catholichs now doe This we proue by S. Amphibalus that blessed priest Bishop and martir sent hither from Rome and continually carryinge a crucifixe about with hym in the moste bitter persecution of Dioclesian What was the worship hee and others then did Anonym Brit. in vit S. Albani manusc an t Io. Capgrau Iagenuen alij in eodem vnto it wee cannot bee better informed then by the president and example which S. Albane our first glorious Martyr by common computation left vnto vs penned by a Britan then liuing as he testifieth in his life in the presence and with the allowance of S. Amphibalus thus related saepe prosternitur ante crucem quasi pendentem Dominum Iesum in cruce cerneret veniam precatur Sie pedes sic vulneris loca assidua exosculatione demulcet ac si adipsius quem crucifigi viderat vestigia procumberet Redemptoris Sanguine mixtae per ora voluuntur lachrimae super illud venerabile lignum crucis vbertim decidentes He often falleth downe before the Crosse and as he had seene our lord Iesus on the Crosse The blessed penitent craueth pardon So hee did with dayly kissing embrace the places of his woundes as if he had fallen downe at the feete of our redeemer whom he saw crucified Teares mixt with bloode do runne downe his face and plentifully fall downe vppon the venerable Crosse This is as much as the present Church of Rome alloweth or any good Catholike doth or is allowed to doe And yet this greate glory of Britayne so glorious and noble a Saint Martyr giuing so greate honour and reuerence to the Image of Christ crucified doth by the same Authours as strictly and punctually condemne the Idolatrous gentils for their Idols as any Christian Catholike or protestant can doe and with the same censors and authorities which our protestants vnlearnedly and vnaduisedly vse or abuse rather against this Catholike custome and practise he still carryed the crucifixe in his hand to his death kissing reuerencing Mat. West chron an 303. and honoring it being found prayeinge bare fooled before it Reperiunt nudis pedibus ante crucem Domini precibus incumbentem Albanus vt se seruum crucis ostenderet signum dominicum in manibuâ— iugiter praeferebat Crucem Domini quam manu tenebat frequenter deosculans adorans causam suam Domino commendabat And thus hee perseuered vntill his heade being stricken of his Crosse embrued with his martirs blood fell out of his hands and was secretly taken vp and preserued by a Christian there present none but Ghrists enemyes disallowed these holy Christian signes persecuting him whome they represented Crux quam vir sanctus iugiter in manibus ferre consueuerat foelici iam cruore respersa super herbam decidit eamque quidam Christianus occultè rapuit ignorantibus Paganis abscondit Concerning the Images of holy Saincts I haue said before for Britayne that at Glostenbury besides the Image of the Crosse or crucifixe in S. Ioseph his tyme there where other holy Images there and the Image of our lady with Christ in her armes was the auntient armes of that most auntient Abbey For Hierusalem wee haue hard that the Images of all the Apostles were there worshipped from their tyme. There was also the Image of our lady paynted by S. Luke the Euangelist which is called by Nicephores and others a diuine Niceph. hist Eccl. l. 14. c. 2. Theod. lect collect l. Bar. Annal. an 453 vit S. Alexij apud Sur. lippom Bret. Rom. al. Sigebert chron an 405 Matt. Westm an 620. Sigechronic an 624. Image Diuinam illius Imaginem quam Lucas Apostolus in Tabula depicta reliquit Her Image was also kept with greate honour at Edesse in Syria where Abgarus so much honoured the Image of Christ There was also an other Image of her miraculously made and doing miracles which the Emperour Heraclius vsed in his wars against Cosdroas and thereby preuayled this was with honour kept at Constantinople Byzantium Hâ—raclius ferens secum sanctae Dei genitricis Iconem quae apud Bizantium est non hominis manu sed diuino miraculo pictam Heraclius Iconis Dei genitricis fultus auxilio omnes aduersarios suos in bello peremit The Image of this blessed virgyn was honorable and renowned both in Britayne and fraunce from or before our first Christianitie as I haue proued Sebast Manst in Typ orbis Bilibald pirckim in Tob. nou totius orb in Claud. Prol. Ioan. Brun. commen in Bened 12. Patriarch Anonym an t in vit Apost Auth. of the Booke of Estates in S. Tho. Grimston p. 738. before Both Catholick and protestant Antiquaries writing of China where diuers of the Apostles preached thus testifie of the people there They haue the picture of an exceeding fayre woman holding a child
some parte of it into Satland and some to Rome with exceeding glory and reuerence For the body of S. Iames the greater all antiquities at witnesse how it was soone after his Martirdome at Hierusalem translated from them into Spayne where hee had preached and there at Compostella preserued with greate honour and frequented by deuoute pilgryms from all contryes to this day S. Iacobus Apostolus Frater Beati Iohannis Euangelistâ— ab Herode Aegryppa decollatus Eius sacra ossa ab Hierosolymis ad Hispanias translata in vltimis earum finibus apud Galliciam recondita celeberrima illarum gentium veneratione frequenti Christianorum concursu religionis voti causa illuc adeuntium piè coluntur I cannot speake of this honour to the body of S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist in this first age which by common consent of writers he ouerliued Dying in the second age Sexagesimo octauo post Passionem Domini anno mortuus But as I haue proued before of him with all other the Apostles that he honoured the sacred bodie of the blessed Virgin and ruling of the Churches of Asia after the Martirdome of the other Apostles totas Asia fundauit rexitque Ecclesias where diuers of the Apostles other Saincts of this age were martired and their bodies honoured he ruling this Church that gaue such honour vnto them must needs also giue allowance there vnto and after his death was at the place thereof honoured with greate concourse of pilgryms that being one of the most frequented in all those parts of the world S. Chrysostome writheth that after his death he and his holy Tombe protected Ephesus where it was as he did when he liued Post mortem tamquam viâ—us Ephesum curat For S. Thomas wee may omitte all others both old and late Antiquaries of other nations and content our selues with our owne of this Kingdome so fare remote from the Indyes where he was martired and his body after ward honoured with greate deuotion testifying vpon knowne experience that the Christians of this nation went so longe and daungerous pilgrimages from hence to visit and reuerence his holy body and make oblations there Thus did our best and noblest kings So our renowned Bishops with others So write our renowned Historians Florentius wigorniensis William of Malmesbury Flor. Wigorn. Chron. an 883. Guliel Malmesbur l. de gest Reg. Roger. Houeden part 1. Mat. Westm chron an 883. Godwin Cataloge of BishoPs in Salesbury 11. an 883. Roger houeden and others our Protestant Antiquaries themselues confessing and confirming it They exemplifie in our most triumphant and holy king S. Edgar Sigelin or Suithelmus Bishop of Shyrburne and their retinnes Edgarus trans mare Romam ad sanctum Thomam in Indiam multa munera misit Legatus in hoc missus Sigelimus Scireburnensis Episcopus eum magna prosperitate quod quiuis hoc saculo miretur Indiam penetrauit Our ProtestaÌ„t Antiquaries say Swithelm or Sigelm trauelled into India to the place of S. Thomas his Buriall carried thither the almes or offering of King Alfred and brought home many pretious stons of greate Flor. wigorn supr an 883. Henric. Hunting hâ—st l. 5. Marâ—yrolog Rom. Bed Vsuard Ado alij 3. die Iulij pryce Florentius hath the very same of king alfred Our Martyrologes and Antiquities sett downe the translation of part of his body out of India to Edessa in Mesopotamia on the third day of Iuly Edessae in Mesopotamia Transtatio S. Thomae Apostoli ex India cuius reliquiae Ortonam postea translatae sunt And Ruffinus Socrates Sozomen and others are auncient witnesses that the Reliks of S. Thomas Ruffin hist Eccl l 2. c. 5 Socrat. hist Eccl l 4. c. 14 Sozom. hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 18. were honoured therein a noble Church dedicated to him Edessa Mesopotamiae Vrbs fidelium populorum est Thomae Apostoli Reliquijs decorata In ea Ciuitate egregium magnificum Templum est diuo Thoms Apostolo dicatum crebraque hominum multitudo eo propter loci sanctitatem consluit So that wheresoeuer in places neuer so distant Reliks of his body were from the time of his martirdome wee see them preserued and honoured with greate deuotion Like was the cause of S. Iames Bishop of Hierusalem Hieron lib. de Script Eccl. in Iacobo Breu. Rom. 1. die Maij in S. Iacobo Epiph. hâ—r 78. Egesipp l de exnid Hierosol Euseb hist Eccl. lib. 2. cap 22. Euseb hist Eccl l 7. c 18. in this kind his Sanctitie was such whilest he lyued that people in multitudes contended to touch the hemme of his garment tanta erat Iacobi vitae Sanctitas vt fimbriam vestimenti eius certatim homines cuperent attingere And being martired he was with greate honour buryed by the Temple in a piller still standing in the time of Egesippus and Eusebius after him as they are witnesses Columns eius iuxta Templum adhuc manet Wee may gather what honour was vsed to his sacred body if wee consider the greate reuerence was performed to his very chayre wherein he had sit cloathed being prescrued and honoured from his death Sedem Iacobi Apostoli ad hoc vsque temporis seruatam fratres â—stiâ— qui successione ordinaria subsecuti sunt omnibus manifestè monstrant sicut circa sanctos viros pietatis gratia cum veteres tum praesentes competeutem honorem seruarunt hodie qnoque seruant Thus hath Eusebius So Theodosius Bishop of Hierusalem witnesseth Theod. Episc Hier. epist ad S. Ignat. Syn. 8. act 1. Breu. Rom. 1. die Maij martyrol Rom. Bed Vsuar cod die Menol Graec. 13. cal Iul. Nice l. 2. hist c. 39. Continuat Sigeb an 1157 Sigeb chron an 489. Mat. westm chron an 479. 831. Abdias certaÌ„ Apost lib. 8. Petr. de Nat. l. 7 c. 103 Anton part 1. tit 6 c. 12. Guliel Eisengr cent 1 part 5. dist 7. Martyrol Rom. die 25. Aug. Bed Vsuard Ado alij die 24. Aug. Nicephorus hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 41. of his stole which he sent to S. Ignatius Patriarke of Constantinople for an holy Relike with others His body was honorably preserued by the Christians and after with greate reuerence translated to Rome where it is buried with the body of S. Philip the Apostle martired at Hierapolis in Phrygia and honorably there first buryed by S. Bartholomew the Apostle with other Christians as Nicephorus with others witnesse Bartholomeus Philippi sepulturae honore praestito vrbe totaillussrata was there prescrued with honour vntill the the honourable translation there of and now honoured at Rome with the body of S. Iames in one Church as the Church of Christ honoureth them with one festiuall day The body of the same Apostle S. Bartholomew was so likewise honoured First immediately after his martirdome king Polymius and the Christians of 12. cities buried his body with greate glory 12. Ciuitatum populi qui per eum crediderant vná cum Rege Polymi abstulerunt
at all THE XII CHAPTER The 24. article Likewise examined and condemned by this first Apostolike age and writers therein THe 24. article is this It is a thing plainely repugnant to the word of God and the custome of the primatiue Church to haue publike prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a tongue not vnderstood of the people What is agreable or repugnant to the word of God the Church of God as those Protestants haue confessed before is the best witnesse and interpreter and of necessity it must needs be so in such things as be graunted to be agreable or repugnant vnto both as this question is The word of God extendeth both to that which is written in Scriptures and the vnwritten preserued in the Church without such canonicall writing otherwise which is vnpossible God might be contrary to himselfe and his word contrary to his word which is blasphemous to say or write And in this question of the publike Church seruice finding no prescript forme order or office nor of what language or tongue it is to be vsed in the written word of God wee must needs resorte to vnwritten tradition and the custome of the primatiue Church to finde it forth And wee finde in all the publike offices of the Church in this age ascribed to S. Peter S. Andrew S. Matthew and S. Iames Apostles to S. Marke Euangelist S. Clement successour to S. Peter at Rome and whosoeuer in antiquities is taken to be Authour or composer of any liturgy Masse or publike seruice or forme of prayers in the Church in this time they were all first penned and after practised in all places wheresoeuer they were vsed in the learned common languages and no where in any barbarous or vulgar tongue of any particular Prouince or Contry All histories their oldest manuscripts and generally receaued tradition witnesse they were in the Greeke or Latine tongue This is so manifestly Doue persuas p. 23. 24. c. oâ— prayer true that our Protestant writers do thus confesse it vntill of late since Protestant Religion began through out the west part of the world publike prayers were in Latine in the east part in Greeke euen among Edw. Sands Relation of Relig. c. 53. or 54. those nations to whom the languages were no mother tongues Thus one of their Bishops with publike allowance Their first Protestant Archbishop Matthew Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. in Aug. c. 17. p. 47. Parker writeth that the publike Church seruice named Masse Missa dicta did continue 200. yeares and more from Christs institution à Christi primo â—â—stituto vntill Pope Zepherine the 16. Pope did change it to a better matter and forme Donec eam Zepherinus 16. Romanus Pontifex quorundam suasioâ—ibus ad pulchriorem materiam formamque mutare voâ—uit And this Masse was the same which sainct â—ames vsed at Hierusalem and sainct Peter in the â—asterne Contries And when this man and other Protestants come to set downe what change S. Zepherine Pope made in the holy Masse it was â—ot to change it into a Vulgare tongue but he a Roman Zepherinus Romanus kept it still vnchanged in the Latine tongue as all his predecessours had Damas Pont. in Zepherino Magdeburg in eod Rober. Barns in vit Pontif. Rom. in eod Bal. l. 1. act Pontific Rom. in Zepherino Robert Barnes alij in Alexandro Sixto Telesphoro done before in the west and Latine Church onely he tooke away wodden chalices vsed then in some places ordaining better and in this all writers Catholikes and Protestants agree Vitreos calices pro ligneis ordinauit And wheresoeuer there was any thing changed or added in the Masse it was as these men confesse euer done in the Latine tongue Alexander Romanus ad Adriani tempora peruenit Iâ— Missa pridiè quam pateretur vsque ad haec verba HOC EST CORPVS MEVM addidit ad memoriaÌ„ passionis Christi inculcandaÌ„ Sixtus Romanus vt SANCTVS in coÌ„munione Eucharistiae ter caneretur ordinauit Telesphorus Graecus GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO esse in Missa caneâ—dum praecepit These be all the additions changes they finde in the holy Masse before S. Zepherines time before which S. Eleutherius Pope had publikely sent it into Britaine and S. Lucius our King here publikely receaued it and all those additionâ— were taken out of Scripture not then translated into any vulgar vnlearned language So they prouâ— of all additions after all euer made in the Latine tongue except some very few in the Hebrew anâ— Greeke in the whole Latine Church And this iâ— vnquestionably conuinced out of the publike offices of he Church of Christ whether the Sacrificâ— of Masse or the rest Matins Laudes houres euen songe compline or whatsoeuer to be termed publike prayer of the Church for the farre greateâ— part of all these consisteth of the holy psalmes anâ— other parts of Scripture all bookes thereof publikely reade euery day and the psames euery weekâ— yet none of these were in any vulgar tongue in thâ— age nor many after this time The rest which is contained in the Catholike Church Creeds Prefaces Hymnes Antiphons or â—hat else amont not vnto the tenth part of what is taken from Scriptures and yet these were deliuerâ—d to the Church in learned toÌ„gues in them composed and not in other Wee are assured by Scriptures and good histories that the Apostles 72. disâ—â—ples and other holy Cleargy men in this first age preached in all nations they prayed and had publike prayers in many contries and in them founded Churches and must needs leaue some forme of such publike seruice for them they conuerted But wee are assured againe both by Scriptures and such antiquities that they all had not the guift of tongues numquid omnes linguis loquuntur and sainct 1. Cor. 12. Paul reckoneth it for a singular guist and priuiledge in himselfe to speake in all languages gratias 1. Cor. 14. Godwin Conuers c. 3. p. 36. Io. Leland in commentar Ant. Brit. v. Britanniae Io. Caius hist Cantabr p. 19. ago Deo quod omnium vestrum linguis loquor And our Protestants themselues with other antiquaries â—onfesse that these renowned men did preach in many places by interpretours and diuers Barbarous nations where they preached had then no vse of letters to write any thing at all in their owne laÌ„guage much lesse formes and offices of publike prayers which were and of necessity to be vsed in all Churches and by all Preists And in this condition was this Kingdome of Britaine all Gallia now Fraunce and other parts where the Druydes ruled not vsing letters and writing because all nations were then accompted and called by the Romans Barbarous in that and such vnciuill respects Some write the Greeke letters were vsed in Gallia but if it were so they were by the same authority very vnperfect many added afterward to bringe that writing to perfection and no history mentioneth that euer any forme of publike prayer or
that latin which he deliuered at Rome in Fraunce and other westerne places These Bishops Preists and Deacons which were not Britans could not vse that brittish tongue in their seruice which they did not vnderstand and which neither they nor the Britans could write for them or others to reade And whosoeuer any man will say preached here first S. Peter S. Paul S. Symon S. Ioseph or any other they not vnderstanding the brittish language nor any man writing they could not possibly vse or deliuer the seruice of the Church in that language our old brittish manuscript mentioned before saith the Manuscrip Brit. antiq de prima Institutione Eccles officij Church seruice which S. Marke vsed was also here in vse in Scotijs ac Britannijs Cursum qui dicitur praesenti tempore Scotorum beatus Marcus decantauit It testifieth further that S. Germanus S. Lupus S. Patrik and others vsed this seruice here both in Britayne and Scotlands when our Protestants confesse there was no errour in Religion Ipsum cursum decant auerunt Beatus Lupus Beatus Germanus S. Patricius in Scotijs ac Britannijs ipsum cursum decantauit And after them S. Vuandilocus ad S. Gomogillus who had 3000. monkes in his Monastery and S. Columban in whose time this Authour liued with others sent with him into Fraunce vsed euery where in Ireland and Scotland as also Britaine Fraunce Germany and Italy the same publik Church seruice in the latin tonge Beatus Vuandilocus Beatus Columbanus partibus Galliarum destinati ipsum decantauerunt And he deriueth this Church seruice from S. Marke shewing where and by whome it was vsed And it was Gildas in prolog apud Fecknam orat public in 1. parliamento Elizabethae Reginae iustified in open parlament the first of Queene Elizabeth by Abbot Fecknam out of S. Gildas in the prologue of his booke now suppressed by our Protestants but then extant that the same publik Church seruice which was vsed here in Queene Maryes time and now in the Catholike Church was brought hither and publickly deliuered here in the latin tongue in the generall conuersion of Britaine in King Lucius his time And that Gildas Gildas l. de excid conquest Brit. which Protestants propose vnto vs diuers times citeth the old Church seruice of Britaine in the latin tongue And the old manuscript antiquities of Glastenbury william of Malmesbury Capgraue Guliel Malmesb manuscrip lib. de antiquit caenob glaston in collego S. Benedict Cantabrig Antiquitat glaston tabulis fix Capgrau in S. Ioseph S. patric Galfrid monum l. 4. histor Brit. cap. 20. vlt. Matth. Westin chron an 186. Matth. Westin an 187. Galfrid l. 5. cap. 1. and others proue as much and more then Doctour Fecknam cited from S. Gildas For they speaking of the Religious men which S. Damianus and S. Phaganus placed at Glastenbury to be successours in place and profession to S. Ioseph of Aramathia and his associates there do plainely deliuer that as in other things these professed the same Religion order Church seruice and manner of life which S. Ioseph and his companie did so also as they did they come often euery day together into the old Church to say their diuine office which they brought from Rome with them and deliuered here in memoriam primorum ex suis socijs 12. elegerunt S. Damianus Phaganus in praefata Insula Rege Lucio consentiente habitare fecerunt qui in diuersis locis sicut Anachoretae manserunt ibidem in eisdem lucis inquibus prima 12. primitùs habitarunt in vetustam tamen Ecclesiam ad diuina obsequia deuotiùs complenda crebrò conuenerunt quotidiè And this latin publik Church seruice being the very same which had beene vsed at Rome from the Apostles time not changed at that time as all Catholiks and Protestants agree was planted and deliuered here not onely by these legates of Pope Eleutherius but by himselfe with the rest which his legates did here confirme restauratis omnibus redierunt Antistites Romani quae fecerant à beatisssimo Papa coÌ„firmari impetrauerunt Confirmatione facta reuersi sunt in Britanniam compluribus alijs comitati And if any Protestant will haue the Kings confirmatioÌ„ needfull our holy King then S. Lucius likewise confirmed this as the rest Glorio sus Britonum Rex Lucius chartis munimentis omnia communiuit THE XIII CHAPTER The 25. Article intituled of the Sacraments thus examined and condemned in all things contrary to Catholike doctrine THEIR next the 25. Protestant Article is intituled of the Sacraments And thus beginneth Sacraments ordained by Christ be not onely bages or tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by the which he doth worke inuisibly in vs and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirme our faith in him Hitherto ther appeareth no difference betweene these Protestants in this article and Catholiks for they decreeing that Sacraments be effectuall signes of grace that is in all true proper manner of speach signes which doe effect cause worke grace otherwise they be not effectuall signes of grace and that God worketh in vs inuisibly by them is as much as Catholiks professe wheÌ„ they define a SacrameÌ„t Sacramentum est visibile signuÌ„ inuisibilis gratiae A SacrameÌ„t is a visible or externall signe of inuisible grace giuen thereby And these Protestants declare theÌ„selues so Protest art 27. 28. infra farre plainely in both those they accept for SacrameÌ„ts Baptisme the Eucharist called by them the Supper of the Lord. In the first they manifestly confesse it and approue and practise baptisme of Infants who borne by them also in originall sinne cannot possibly haue remission thereof and grace but by their baptisme not able to vnderstand or haue any act of faith or other vertue Yet theâ—â— Art 27. decree is The baptisme of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreable with the institution of Christ. So they doe or ought to speake of their other Sacrament confessing it was in the primatiue Church ministred sometimes to infants The difference betweene vs in this article is in that which thus followeth There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Ghospell that is to say baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Those fiue commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Pennance Order Matrimony and extreame Vnction are not to be compted for Sacraments of the Ghospell being such as haue growne partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the scriptures but yet haue not like nature of Sacraments with baptisme and the Lords supper for that they haue not any visible signe or ceremony ordained of God Hitherto this Protestant â—rticle denying those fiue Sacraments which the Catholike Church receaueth for such with the â—wo former baptisme
his ghospell in the words of Christ that it was breade before the words of Consecration accepit Iesus panem But after them the Marc. cap. 14. Manuscrit antiq de prima Instit Ecclesiast Seruit S. Marcus in Missa bodie of Christ HOC EST CORPVS MEVM So he testifieth of wine chaunged into his blood In his Order of Masse receaued and vsed here in Britayne as our old brittish writer of the first Institution of Ecclesiasticall Seruice allowed by our Protestant Antiquaries proueth he calleth it after consecration the holy most boly vnspotted body of Christ Sanctum Sanctissimum Intemeratum Corpus Christi so chaunged from breade likewise of his pretious blood pretiosus sanguis Christi from wine before S. Luke in his ghospell is most playne HOC Luc. cap. 22. EST CORPVS MEVM quod pro vobis datur And being so inseparable a companion to S. Paule as he witnesseth in many places of scripture he could not differ from him in this poynt Neither from Luc. cap. 1. the rest of the Apostles from whom as he writeth in the beginning of his ghospell he receaued what Isidor l. 1. de offic c. 25. de Missa orat Albin l. de diuin offic Egbert Stephan Eduen l. de Sa Magdeburg centur 1. l. 2. cap. 6. col 500. Matth. Parker antiquitat Britan cap. 17. pag. 47. Paschas Ratb lib. de Corp. Sang. Christi Walfrid Strab l. de obseruat cap 22. Martin Polon Supputat temp in S. Petro col 27. Missa antiq S. Petri manuscript Brit. antiq supr cit he wrote therein Sicut tradiderunt nobis qui ab initio ipsi viderunt ministri fuerunt sermonis That S. Peter said masse and deliuered a forme and order thereof to the Church of Christ we haue more witnesses then can easely be cited and their citations more needles seing the principall Protestants themselues confesse it and that it remayned without alteration 200. yeares and more vntill Pope Zepherine added some what vnto it A Christi primo instituto ducentis amplius annis in prima Ecclesia durauit And this as they and others teach was by S. Peter instituente Beato Petro. Yet therein we finde most playnely deliuered that the breade and wine were transubstantiated and chaunged into Christs body and blood Domine Deus noster qui te obtulisti pro huius mundi vita respice in nos super panem istum calicem bunc fac eum immaculatum tuum corpus pretiosum sanguinem And in the masse still vsed Corpus sanguis fiat dilectissimi filij tui And often therein repeted that after consecration it is so chaunged Our old Brittish manuscript of the first Institution of Church seruice with others proue that S. Photinus S. Peters disciple Bishop of Lyons and S. Trophimus Bis 〈…〉 in Fraunce brought this Order of S. Zozimus ep to 1. concil Martyrol Roman die 29. Decemb. in S. Troph Magdeburg cent 1. l. 1. in Troph Old Engl. chron an domini 34. part 4. Peters Mâ—sse thither and all Fraunce receaued it from them Our old English chronicle in our old language plâ—inely saith Peter the first Pope was a blessed man and glorious Apostle of Christ he was heade of the Church he said Masse he made our Lords bodie No men can better witnesse what was the doctrine and practise of this cheife Apostle then his renownâ—d disciple and Successours S. Ignatius and S. Element the one at Antioche the other at Rome both which as I haue before proued from them and shall more hereafter do directly teach Christs â—â—all presence in this Sacrament and so transubstantiation and such chaunge of breade and wine into Christs bodie and blood as this Article denyeth for so greate mutation Alteration or whatsoeuer we shall name it cannot possibly be otherwise And our old brittish manuscript saith plainely that this Masse of S. Peter brought into Fraunce by S. Photinus S. Trophinus was afterward carâ—â—ed to S. Clement at Rome to be viewed Cursum Romanum quem Beatus Trophinus Sanctus Photiâ—â—s in Gallijs tradiderunt ad Beatum Clementem quartum loca Successoris Beati Petri Apostolâ— deportauerunt S. Andrew the Apostle is thought to be the Author Onissa S. Andreae Eccl. Constantin Chrisost of the Masse of the Church of Constantinople named now S. Christostoms in which there is manifest transubstantiation Emitte spiritum tuum super nos super proposita dona haec fac panem hunc pretiosum Corpus Christi tui quod est in calice ifto pretiosum saguinem Christi filij tui transmutans spiritu tuo sancto Which he practised in his life and at his holie martyrdome openly both before Christians and persecuting pagans he thâ—â— professed Ego Omnipotenti Deo immolo quotidiâ— iâ—maculatum agnum in alâ—ari eius carnem posteâ—quam omnis populus credentium manducauerit agnus qâ—â— sacrificatus est integer perseuerat vinus Thus testified the Preist and Deacons liuing â—â— Vit. S. And. per presbyter Diac. Achaie Breuiar Roman Breuiar Salisbur in fest S. Andreae l. de duplici mart inter opera Cypr. Anonymus de vit Apost in S. Andrea Metaphrast in S. Andr. Iuo carn Serm. de Sacram. dedicat Serm. 4 Bernard apud Franc. Eenardent in Iren. l. 4. Alger cont Berengar Iacob gemens in S. Andr. Clem l. 6. Hypotepos Euseb hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 1. Missâ— S. Iacobi Eccl. Hierolomitanol his death the Church of Rome ours of England with others in their publik seruice of him S. Cyprian or whosoeuer authour of the booke de â—â—plici martyrid amonge his workes The old Anonymus writer of the Apostles lines Symeon Metaphrastes S. Iuo S. Bernard Algerus Iacobus igemensis and others without number S. Iames brother to S. Iohn was soone after Christs Ascension martyred by King Herode as we reade in the Acts of the Apostles cap. 12. by reason whereof much memory is not left of him in histories but being of Christs three most beloued Apostles brother to S. Iohn and companion to S. Peter the two others so inuincibly proued to haue beene professours and practisers of this Catholike doctrine no man can Imagyne hee could be of other minde especially being martyred in Hierusalem where he S. Peter and S. Iohn professing this doctrine as before ordeined the other S. Iames Bishop who in his Order of Masse writeth Rogamus vt Spiritus sanctus adueniens sancta bona gloriosa sua prâ—sentia sanctificâ—â— effâ—â—iat hunc panem Corpus sanctum Christi tui calicem hunc praetiosum sanguinem Christi â—ui Where transubstantiation and chaunge of breade and wine into Christs bodie and blood in the blessed Sacrament by the omnipotent power of God is most playnely deliuered And so must needs be 〈…〉 of this S. Iames as of the other and S. Censura Oriental Hier. PatriaÌ„r Constinopol ibid. Proclus S. Michol Methon Bessar apud Gul.
as the holyest Sainct that euer was there is noe damnation there is noe hell at all This doctrine putteth downe that beastely saying of Epicurus to take all pleasure in this life because he thought there was none after death for this doth Breede all wantonnesse and yet promiseth euerlasting pleasures in the world to come Therefore although wee most freely doe and are so bounde to beleeue and professe that the passion merits of Christ are of infinite cure validity worth and value in themselues able to haue beene a perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde and more then euer were shall or can be committed if Christ had so ordeyned and sinners so applyed them by such holy Instruments and meanes as Sacraments and others as he prouided and Instituted and they which are and shall be saued haue and will vse and apply to that end and purpose the meanes yet to those that doe not receaue and practise neither Christs oblation vpon the Crosse nor any thing he did or suffered can be a perfect redemption propitiation or satisfaction for all or any sinne And among these necessary Instruments meanes applications of Christs redemption propitiation and Satisfaction for sinners the holy sacrifice of Masse is one and most excellent eminent and honorable wherein the truely and duely consecrated Preists of Christs Church by vertue and power giuen them in their consecration doe offer Christ for the quicke and the deade to haue remission of paine or guilt which this article blasphemously faith were blasphemous fables and daungerous deceites And first our Protestants themselues euen King Iames the heade cheife interpretour of their Religion and congregation whilest he liued with his approued protestante writers Bishops Doctours and others publickly priuiledged and warranted by cheife authoritie in their proceedings thus confesse for truth this article to be hereticall Neither is Casanbon resp ad Card. Per. p. 51. 52. c. the King ignorant nor denyeth that the Fathers of the the primatiue Church did acknowledge one Sacrifice in the Christian Religion that succeeded in the place of the Sacrifices of Moses lawe Middlet Papistm pag. 92 113. 49. 137 138. 47. 45. The sacrifice of the Altare and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primatiue Church and the auncient Fathers called the sacrifice of the body blood of Christ a sacrifice The primatiue Church did offer sacrifice at the altare for the deade sacrifice for the deade was atradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathers Aërius Feild l. 3. pag. c. 29. p. 138. Couel exam pag. 114. condemned the custome of the Church in naming the deade at the altare and offerring the sacrifice of Eucharist for them and for this his rache and inconsiderate boldnesse and presumption in condemning the vniuersall Church of Christ he was iustly condemned Here we see by our Protestants themselues that vpon a second and better consideration they graūte from our first founders in Christ that the Catholike doctrine and custome so basely censured in this their Article is Orthodoxall the Religion and tradition of the Apostles Iudgment and practise of the vniuersall Church of Christ and that which this their article concludeth was iustly condemned for heresie Therefore I may be more breife in alleadging the Apostolike writers to such propose Sainct Paul witnesseth that euery high preist or Hebr. c. 8. Cap 5. preist is ordayned to offer Sacrifice to God for the people omnis Pontifox ad offerenduni munera hostias constituitur Omnis namque Pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis He also with other Scriptures saith both that Christ was a Preist after this Order of Preisthood and Preists of this Order should be for euer Hebr. 7. Ps 109. in the lawe of the Ghospell Tu es Sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech necessarium fuit secundum ordinem Melchisedech alium surgere Sacerdotem Translato Sacerdotio necesse est vt legis translatio fiat sempiternum habet Sacerdotium But it is also euident both by Scripture and all Apostolike writers that neither Christ nor any Christian Preist of that Order offered any other sacrifice hauing resemblance to the Sacrifice of Melchisedech in breade and wine then when Christ at his last supper offered gaue his blessed bodie and blood vnder those formes and gaue then power commaunde to his Apostles other Preists to doe the same as I haue aboundantly proued by the Fathers of this age and our Protestants haue so confessed before It was also so certaine among the old Hebrues before Christ that Christ the Messias should be such a Preist and offer such a sacrifice and his Preists after him and all sacrifices in the lawe should then cease and giue place vnto it That Theodor. Bibliandor de SS Trinit lib. 2. pag. 89. vit l. de test Miss Petr. Gallat l. de arcan fid ca. Franciscus Stancar Prot. Rasil in pref ad Petr. Gallat de Arcan Mort. Supr alij Protestants themselues thus confesse it Erat apud Veteres Hebraeos dogma receptissimum in aduentu Messiaebenedicti cessatura esse omnia legalia sacrificia tantumque celebrandum sacrificium Thoda illud peragendum pane vino sicut Melchizedech Rex Salem Sacerdos Dei altissimi temporibus Abrahami panem vinum protulit And the old Rabbines of the Iewes before Christ euen as they are commended vnto vs both by Catholike Protestant Antiquaries do most playnely deliuer vnto vs the same Catholike truth as hath beene before confessed by thes Protestāts that in this holie sacrifice offered for sinnes bread and wine are miraculously chaunged into the bodie and blood of the Messias Rabbi Samuel saith vpon the oblation of Melchisedech Rabbi Samuel in Bereschit Rabba ad cap. 14. Genes that he sacrificed and taught that Sacrifice Actus Sacerdotij tradidit erat ipse Sacrificans panem vinum Deo sancto benedicto So haue Rabbi Moses Hadarsan and Rabbi Enachinam Melchisedech proferens panem vinum ostendit quod docuit eum Sacerdotij actum quier at panem vinum sacrificare Et hoc est quod habetur in Psalmis Iurauit Dominus non paenitebit eum tu es Sacerdos in aeternum secundrm ordinem Melchisedech And Rabbi Phinees saith most euidētly that in the time of Messias all other Sacrifices should cease and the Messias being a Preist after the Order of Melchisedech should except this alone and this onely should be vsed in this Religion Tempore Messiae omnia sacrisicia cessabunt sed sacrificium panis vini non cessauit sicut dictum est Gen. 14. Melchisedech Rex Salem protulit panem vinum Melchisedech enim Rex Messias excipiet a cessatione Sacrificiorum panis vini sicut dicitur psalmo Tu es Sacerdos in aeternum
Christ present in this holie sacrifice and in diuers Dionys Areopag Eccl. Hierarc c. 2. c. 3 epist ad Demophilum Clem. particulars deliuereth the verie Order and manner thereof S. Clement speaketh of this holie sacrifice in many places and setteth downe at large the whole order of offering it for the liuing and deade and so expressely recordeth the custome and vse in that Apostolike tyme. Offerimus tibi Regi Deo secundum ipsius Christi ordinationem panem hunc calicâ—m hunc mittas spiritum tuum super hoc sacrificium testem Passionum Domini Iesu vt ostendas hunc panem Corpus Christi tui hunc calicem Sanguinem Christi vt qui percipiunt confirmentur in pietate remissionem peccatorum consequantur Christo tuo digni efficiantur vitam aeternam adipiscantur And againe offerimus tihi pro omnibus qui à saeculo c. 18. 19. 21. placuerunt tibi offerimus pro populo hoc pro virginibus castitatem seruantibus pro viduis Ecclesiae pro copulatis honorabilibus nuptijs pro infantibus populi tui vt neminem nostrum reijcias Pro ijs qui in fide quieuerunt rogemus And he there recited all sortes of people for which this most holie Sacrifice of Christs bodie and blood is offered quick or deade and that it is for remission of their sinnes and euerlasting life In salutem nobis fiant in vtilitatem animae corporis in remissionem-peccatorum in vitam futuri saeculi S. Iustine and S. Irenaeus allowed to haue liued Iustin Dial. cum Triph. Irenaeus aduers haer l. 4. cap. 32. in this age do expound the prophesy of Malachy as the Rabbines haue done before they say Christ instituted and taught and deliuered it to be vsed and the Church receauing it from the Apostles offered it in all the world Noui testamenti nouam docuit oblationem Iesus Christus fieri tradidit Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in vniuerso mundo offert Deo S. Alexander an holie Pope learning his diuinitie Alexander Pp. 1. epist 1. cap. 4. and offering this blessed sacrifice in this age doth most clearely say that in this sacrifice Christs bodie and blood is consecrated of bread and wine mixed with water that it is offered to God so receaued from the Apostles sinnes are thereby forgiuen God is therewith pleased and his wrath pacified because no sacrifice can be greater then this which is the bodie and blood of Christ and so with greatest puritie to be offered to be worshipped of all and aboue all to be reuerenced and honoured Sacramentorum oblationibus quae inter missarum solemnia Domino offeruntur Passio Domini miscenda est vt eius cuius corpus sanguis conficitur passio celebretur panis tantum vinum aqua permixtum in sacrificio offerantur Non debet enim vt à patribus accepimus ipsaratio docet in calice domini aut vinum solum aut aqua sola offerri sed vtrumque permixtum quia vtrumque exlatere eius in passione sua profluxisse legitur Ipsa verò veritas nos instruit calicem panem in Sacramento offerre quando ait accepit Iesus panem c. crimina enim atque peccata oblatis his Domino Sacrificijs delentur Talibus hostijs delectabitur placabitur dominus peccata dimittet ingentia Nihilenim in Sacrificijs maius esse potest quam Corpus Sanguis Christi Nec vlla oblatio hâc potior est sed haec omnes praecellit Quae pura conscientia domino offerenda est pura mente sumenda atque ab omnibus veneranda Et sicut potior est caeteris ita potiùs excoli venerari debet This was the order vse and custome of Gods Church in the publike Masses thereof deliuered by the Apostles vnto it In the Masse of S. Peter Missa S. Petri Roman Eccl. and the Romane Church thus we finde it Memento Domine seruorum tuorum qui offerunt hanc hostiam pro seipsis suis omnibus pro redemptione animarum corporum pro spe salutis incolumitatis suae So it was in the Masse of S. Iames and the Missa S. Iacobi Eccl. Church of Hierusalem Domine concessisti vt confidentes Hierosolym accederemus ad sanctum altare tuum offeremus tibi verendum hoc ineruentum sacrificium pro peccatis nostris admitte nos accedentes ad sanctum tuum altare vt digni simus qui offeramus tibi sacrificium pro nobis pro ijs quae populus per ignorantiam admisit Fac vt oblatio nostra gratae acceptabilis sit in propitiationem peccatorum nostrorum eorum quae populus per ignorantiam admisit O Deus respice in nos ad nostrum hoc rationale obsequium intuere vt de manu Apostolorum tuorum verum hunc cultum accepisti S. Marke and the Church of Alexandria our Miss S. Marci Alexandr Eccles primatiue Church in Britayne here as before vseing it with others haue the like Purgaâ—or nostrum vt corde puro tibi hoc Thimiamae offeramus in remissionem peccatorum nostrorum totius populi Offerimus rationabilem incruentam oblationem hanc quam offerunt tibi domine omnes gentes ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum à Septentrione ad meridiem quia magnum nomen tuum in omnibus gentibus in omni loâ—o inceÌ„sum offertur nomini tuâ— sancto sacrificium oblatio So hath the Masse of S. Matthew Domine Miss S. Mat. Aethiop Deus noster oblationem meam omnium famulorum famularumque tuarum offerentium in nomine sancto tuo suscipe pro meis eorum peccatis fiat redemptio So hath the Masse of S. Barnabas afterward Miss S. Barnab Ambros Eccl. Mediolanen called S. Ambrose his Masse at Millan longe time vsed in many west contryes Omnipotens sempiterne Deus placabilis acceptabilis sit tibi haec oblatio quam ego indignus pro me misero peccatore pro delictis mâ—â—s innumerabilibus tuae pietati offero Offâ—rimus pro Ecclesia tua sancta Catholica In the Masse of the Church of Constantinople ascribed Miss S Andr. Câ—risostomi Eccl. Constantinop first to S. Andrew the Apostle and now called S. Chrisostomes Masse it is offered for all pro vniuerso populo â—â—o And it is the bodie and blood of Christ therein consecrated by the Preist Christ himselfe being said to be offerer and that is offered Propter infinitam clementiam tuam homo factus es Pontifex noster extitisti mysterij huius ac incruentae hostiae Sacramentum nobis tradidisti vt omnium Deus Fac me dignum Sacerdotij gratia indutum consecrare sanctum corpus tuum pretiosum sanguinem concede à me peccatore offerri tibi haec Sacramenta Tu enim es offerens oblatus suscipiens distributus Christus Deus noster These be
the most auncient publike Church Masses or liturgies which Christians do or can alledge in their Religion bearing the names of the Apostles themselues and yet in euery one of them this most holie Sacrifice of Christs bodie and blood is quite contrarie to this article offered both for the quicke as is manifest and the deade also to haue remission of payne and gilt Fac Domine vt oblatio nostra accepta sit in propitiationem peccatorum nostrorum inrequiem animarum eorum qui ante nos dormierunt So S. Iames. Memento Domine famulorum famularumque Miss S. Iacob tuarum qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis Ipsis Domine omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigerij pacis indulgeas deprecamur So S. Peter Animabus patrum Miss S. Petr. fratrum nostrorum qui antea in Christo fide dormierunt dona requiem Domine Deus noster horum omnium animabus Domine Deus noster dona requiem in sanctis tabernaculis tuis in regno tuo easque caelorum regno dignare So S. Marke Memento Domine Miss S. Marc. omnium fidelium dormientium in rectae fidei quiescentium So and much more S. Matthew Memento Miss S. Matt. Domine Seruorum tuorum quaecumque in vita deliquerunt ignosce Offerimus tibi rationabile hâ—c obseqnium pro fidelibus dormiâ—ntibus So S. Andrew and S. Chrisostome after him with the consent of the Fathers both of the greeke Latin Church testifying it was so decreed and left by the Apostles and practised by the Church of Christ Non Chrisostom Hom. 69. ad populum Antiochen temere ab Apostolis haec sancita fuerunt vt in tremendis mysterijs desunctorum agatur commemoratio Sciunt enim illis inde multum contingere lucrum vtilitatem multam Cum enim totius constiterit populus Sacerdotalis plenitudo tremendum proponatur sacrificium quomodo Deum non exorabimus pro his deprecantes And neque abs re is qui astat altari dum venerandâ— Oratione 41. in 1. Corinth peraguntur mysteria clamat pro omnibus qui in Christo dormierunt ijs qui pro ipsis celebrant memorias So in the Masses of S. Barnabas and S. Ambrose S. Basile the Syrians Mozarabes Gothes Muscouites Armenians and all Christians before thes times So it was in the old Masse vsed in Fraunce Hilduinus epist ad Loduic Imperat. Berno Augen Abb. Libell de reb ad missa spectant r. 2. Brytaâ—ne and all this west part of the world from the first receauing of Christianitie here as Hilduinus writing 800. yeares since with others proue the auncient copies thereof being then so old and worne that they were allmost consumed with age Cui adstipulari videntur antiquissimi nimia vetustate pene consumpti Missales libri continentes Missae ordinem more gallico qui ab initio receptae fidei vsus in hac occidentali plaga est habitus vsque quo tenorem quo nunc vtitur Romanum susceperit These our Missals so old 800. yeares since were no new Inuention THE XXIV CHAPTER The 32. Article intituled of the marriage of Preists thus examined and condemned THeir next 23. Article intituled of the marriage of Preists is thus Bishops Preists and Dcacons are not commaunded by Gods lawe either to vowe the estate of single life or to abstaine from marriage Therefore it is lawfull also for them as for all other Christian men to marry at their owne discretion as they shall Iudge the same to serue better to godlinesse This is their whole Article and making the only Scripture which they meane by Gods lawe to be the rule of Religion it is often confuted before And most false prophane and in many cases euen by their owne lawes and proceedings rebellious trayterous and tumultuous to say or write that no thinge is to be obeyed and performed but what is commaunded by Gods lawe or scripture and euery priuate carnall minister may Iudge herein at his owne discretion For by this Paradoxe all temporall and ciuill lawes of Princes not commaunded in scripture are voyde frustrate and not to be obeyed and such men and ministers against all publike rule and gouernment may Iudge censure doe and practise against all or any such lawes of his true and lawfull Soueraigne King though the wisest most Godly and potent in the world all common weales are layde open to manifest or rather certaine daunger and destruction And no law of England in particular is by this article to be obeyed except these ministers will interprete it to be commaunded by Gods laws And so all humane lawes doe cease and onely the lawe of God is in force and to be obeyed So wee must say of all Ecclesiasticall lawes also if they be not commaunded in the law of God all Courts Consistories and Tribunals must be taken away with their Iudges Rulers and Gouernours both ciuill and Ecclesiasticall except they can proue to these men that all their processes proceedings are commaunded in the lawe of God Againe by their owne Religion this Articles doctrine both for the reason it maketh and the conclusion it selfe is false for first in their 6. Article before intituled of testimony of holy scriptures for saluatioÌ„ They haue declared that things read in scriptures or to be proued thereby are articles of faith and requisite or necessary to saluation And so by these men it is allowed against this article that although it is not commaunded by Gods lawes or the Scripture that Bishops Preists and Deacons must vowe the state of single life or abstaine from Marriage yet if this is either reade in holy Scripture or can be proued thereby their Marriage is vnlawfull by their owne confession Queene Elizabeth her Iniunctions an 1. Regni eius Secondly the iniunctions of Queene Elizabeth nothing inferiour to these Articles doe forbid all their ministers to marry without their Bishops licence and allowance Therefore this article in their owne proceedings is vntrue to say they might lawfully marry at their owne discretion as all other Christian men might doe And as false it is that all other Christian men might lawfully Marry euen in these mens doctrine in this article For if the scripture Gods lawe did not commaunde Bishops Preists Deacons or any other to vowe the estate of single life or to abstaine from Marriage yet they which voluntarily doe make such vowes are commaunded by Gods lawe to keepe them redde altissmo vota Naum 1. psal 20. 60. 65. 115. Hier. 44. Psal 75. Is 19. tua Tihireddetur votâ—m Faciamus vota nostra quae vouimus Voueâ—e reddite Domino Vota vonebunt Domino soluent If a iust promise of man to man doth so stricktly binde by all lawes how much more obligatorie and binding is the promise and vowe of man to God The vowes of Chastitie Pouâ—rtie and Obedience in religious men neither Bishops Preists nor
and no others so euer receaued at all times and places nor the Preists themselues as all writers Catholiks and Protestants confesse And this our Article Protestants themselues in their pretended booke and forme of consecration receaued in this Article Prot. forme and Manner of Making Bish. Preists and Deac in praef and other places do thus acknowledge It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and auncient Authours that from the Apostles time there hath beene thes Orders of Ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons which officeâ— were euermore had in such reuerent estimation that no man by his priuate authoritie might presume to execute any of them except he were first called tryed examined and knowne to haue such qualities as were requisite for the same and also by publike prayer with imposition of hands approued and admitted there vnto Where we finde it thus plainely and authoritatiuely with them confessed that Bishops Preists and Deacons were euer in the Church and truely and lawfully ordeined by such forme Order of consecration as was then vsed and thes Preists as they haue confessed in thes their Articles before in thes words vsed the sacrifices of Masses in which it commonly said Proâ— Artic. 31. supr was that the Preists did offer Christ for the quick the dead to haue remission of payne or gilt they are so farre from disallowing or disabling our Catholikly consecrating Massing Preists of the Roman Church whom they make Traytours in England to be truely and duely consecrated Preists that if any of them for feare or any other wordly respects will ioyne with rhem in their new Church seruice or profession he is allowed a minister with them without any further pretended order or admittance and they dignifie their first Catholike ordination so much that as they haue bestowed their greatest Church liuing vpon such so they deduce Francis Mason booke of Consecr Maâ— Parker Print Antiq. Britan. Sutcliff alij Pont. Rom. in ordinat Presbyteri and deriue their owne pretended ordination onely from such men Matthew Parker Iohn Scory and Miles Couerdale as they freely confesse And yet all our Catholike Pontificals or bookes of ordination do plainely proue testifie that our Preists being Deacons before are consecrated Preists by those words of the Bishop Accipe potestatem offerre sacrificium Take power to offer sacrifice to God and celebrate Masses both for the liuing and dead And immediately before he calleth such a parson ordinandum and quem ordinat Episcopus a man to be ordered and to whom the Bishop giueth preistly order and presently after those words nameth him or them that were thus ordered ordinati Sacerdotes Presbiteri ordinati Preists that be ordered And being thus fully ordered before any other ceremonie vsed by Protestants or not they celebrate the rest of the Masse euen consecrating the blessed bodie and blood of Christ with their consecratour Bishop and as consecrated Preists Presbiteri ordinati post Pontificem in terra genuflexi habeant libros coram se dicentes Suscipe Sancte Pater c. omnia aliâ— de missa prout dicit Pontifex qui tamen bene aduerâ—at quòd secretas morosè dicat aliqaantulum altâ— ita vt ordinati Sacerdotes possint secum omnia dicere praesertim verba consâ—crationis quae dici debenâ— eodem momento per ordinatos quo dicuntur per Pontificem And to putte all things out of question in this matter The scripture itselfe is euident witnesse that the Apostles themselues were ordered Preists by those words of Christ vnto them Do this in my commemoration equiualent as I haue proued to the forme now vsed in the Roman Church recited for all writers Catholiks and Protestants agree that all the Apostles S. Thomas and the rest were true and most properly lawfull Preists all our preisthood claimed and deduced from them and that they were all present at his last supper when he said the words do this vnto them Discubuit Luc. 22. Mâ—â— 26. Mâ—rc 14 duodecim Apostoli cum eo Discumbebat cum duodecim discipulis suis Dedit eis dicens HOC EST CORPVS MEVM quod pro vobis datur hoc facite in meam commemorationem But when he said those words to his Apostles receaue the holie ghost whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen and whose sinnes you reteyne they are reteyned From and by which thes our Protestants do clayme or pretend ordination S. Iohn the Euangelist then and there present doth witnes all were not there and namely S. Thomas was absent Thomas vnus ex duodecim non erat cum eis quando venit Iesus And so could not possibly be made Preist then with those words Yet all agree he was a Preist as perfectly and fully as any Apostle Agayne Iudas the Traitour was a Preist present at the consecration in the last supper of Christ and as S. Peter saith connumeratus erat in nobis Actor c. 1. sortitus est sortem ministerij huius Scriptum est in libro psalmorum Episcopatum eius accipiat alter Psal 68. De loco ministerij Apostolatus praeuaricatus est Iudas Which is more then our Protestants pretend for their pretended Preists or ministers Yet he was haÌ„ged deade before Christ spooke the other words and so could not possibly be eyther made Preist or be present then And S. Paule defining a Preist whether of the lawe of Moyses or Christ Hebr. 5. saith euery high Preist or Preist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnis Prontifex is taken forth of men hauing no such power ex hominibus assumptus to offer sacrifice for sinnes Vâ—offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke words and reading which our Prorestants followe are most proper for sacrifice and sacrificing Preists and so both Catholike our Protestant linguists and lexiconaries confesse and translate Masse and Masse Preist Sacrificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à sacrificio sacrificulus Thom. Thomas Scholae cantabrigien dictionar v. v. Sacrificium Sacrificulus alâ—are Morton Apolog. part 2. pag. 82. appeal l. 2. sect 1. cap. 6 pag. 162. sacrificus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Preist à Sacrificer à Masse Preist He setteth downe also the Sacrificing altar of Christians as thes our Protestants also translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altare altar and vnseparable correlatiue to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifice as they confesse and the word proueth And the Apostle doth so appropriate that altare to our Christians at holie Masse and the sacrifice of Christs bodie that it can be applied to nothing els saying none but Christians may eate of the sacrifice offered there vpon Habemus altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deserâ—iunt When neither Iew nor gentile is forbidden to beleeue in Christ our Protestants eating but called and exhorted vnto it by all meanes in holie scriptures And the same Apostle
in minde or admonished to styrre vp that gâ—ace which was in him before as they suppose in theâ— owne words Take the holy Ghost and remember 2. Timoth. 1. that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in thee by impositioâ— of hands for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare buâ— of power and loue and sobernes The very same whicâ— S. Paul absent wrote to S. Timothy longe after he â—ad consecrated him Preist Admâ—neo te vt resusciteâ— gratiaÌ„ Dei quae est in te per impoâ—â—tioneÌ„ manuum mearum non enim dedit nobis Deus spiritum timoris sed virtutâ—s dilectionis sobrâ—etatis So to him in aâ—other place Noli negligere gratiam 1. Timoth. 4. quae in te est quae â—ata est tibi per prophetiâ—m cum impositione manuum pesbyterij And it must needs haue this signification ad reference to grace giuen before by impositioâ— of hands in a precedent consecration for this act â—f imposition of hands being in fieri doing and nâ— acted cannot possibly giue grace in any opiniâ—n â—hough it were in lawfull and true imposition anâ— câ—nsecration vntill it be acted and finished because it is not an acted and perfect act nor grace vntill then And this act still continueth after those words vntill all these for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and loue and sobernes be pronounced And grace is supposed here to be in that party before any mention of imposition of hands And both the Greeke Latine and their owne English word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resuscites stirre vp the grace which is in the proue there is grace before if at all and not then giuen for none of those words in any language haue a giuing signification So it is in the whole sentence both in the Greeke and Latine Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I doe againe put thee in minde to styrre vp the guift of God which is in thee Thus the Greeke Adomoneo te vt resuscites gratiam Dei quae est in te I admonish â—e thee that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in â—hee Thus the Latine Here is no grace giuen at thâ—â— time bâ—t onely a putting in minde and admoâ—â—tion to styrre vp the grace which was beforâ— So in the words translated into English by ouâ— Protestants and heâ—e vsed remember that thou styâ—â— vp the grace of God which is in thee by imposition â—â— hands So theâ—â— words immediatly fâ—llowing for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and loue and sobeâ—nes All speaking of â—race and power giuen before and not at that tiâ—â— And there is no scripture in any language nor adition no Ecclesiasticall writer no Pontificall or booke or Rites that euer appointed thes wâ—rds Take the holy ghost and those immediatly ioâ—ned in this Protestant forme of pretended conseâ—â—ation to be vnited and spoken together in such â—aâ—ner nor those from S. Paule to be vsed eitâ—â—r wiâ—h others or by themselues to be powerable to giue consecration and holie Orders to Bishop Preist or Deacon Neither possiblely can they coÌ„ferre any such grace or power being words neyther of giuing or receauing any thing at all from the speaker at that time The first words Take the holie ghost were not vsed of our Britans neyther are in the old Roman Order Yet our Protestans confesse they both had true Bishops and consecration and yet without them the ceremonie of the booke one the head of the elect And though the Roman Order now Pontif. Rom. in consecrat Electi in Episcopum vseth them yet it declareth that consecration is not so giuen nor a Bishop so consecrated but after them remayneth onely elect without that holie Order as before and so calleth him electus and consecrandus elect and to be consecrated but not consecrated Further thes Protestants haue told vs before both in their pretended booke of consecration and thes Articles that It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and ancient Authours that from the Apostles time there hath beene thes orders of ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons which officers were euermore had in reuerent estimation Men so euidently knowne to be Bishops Preists and Deacons and euermore had in such reuerent estimation must euermore be certayne that they are truely effectually admitted to those callings and dignities otherwise it would not be euident that there be and who be such men-it would be Prot. forme of Order in Preists Prot. Aâ—ticl Articul 19. vncertayne and doubtfull who is a Deacon a Preist or Bishop whether there is any true preaching ministring of Sacraments any Sacraments or Church at all For thes men allowe none to preach and minister Sacraments but such they define Articul the visible Church to be a congregatien of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs ordinance Sacraments be certayne sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good Will toward vs by which he doth worke inuisibly in vs. And yet making but two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord they thus declare and decree Those fyue commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Pennance Orders Matrimonie and Extreame Vnction are not to be compted for Sacraments of the ghospell for that thâ—y haue not any visible signe or ceremonie ordeyned of God Therefore this pretended Protestant forme and manner of consecration as also all their pretended Bishops Preists and Deacons are vaine and voide by their owne confession for in all thes they assigne laying one of hands a knowne and euident signe and ceremonie to be the certificate and assurance of such admittance and grace and power giuen as those Ecclesiasticall Orders require But if God did not ordeine this visible signe or ceremonie to such a purpose to make Episcopall other holie Orders a Sacrament which thes article and all their Religion denie no created or humane authoritie can giue such power and preeminence vnto it to be a signe or ceremonie ordeined of God a certaynâ— and sure witnesse and effectuall signe of grace Which their Article and Religion allowe onely to two Sacraments and in expresse terms vtterly denyeth to all Ecclesiasticall Orders either in Bishop Preist or Deacon Hereby falling into such desperate doubts and proceedings in this case that they are not onely condemned by priuate Catholike writers but publike censures sentences and consistories of the Catholike Church and all auncient and publikly receaued formes Pontificals and Orders of consecrating Bishops Preists and other Orders how old and generall soeuer from the Apostles time But by our owne temporall lawes and publike Iudgments as spirituall also both in in Catholike and Protestant times registred in their owne lawes Records in their owne courts and historians to haue neyther Bishop Preist Deacon or any other true Ecclesiasticall man among
nuncupamus quod sit vniuersalis diffundatur per omnes mundi partes ad omnia se tempora extendat nullis vel locis inclusa vel temporibus Seing alwayes there is onely one God one mediatour of God and men Iâ—sus the Messias also one Sheepheard of the vniuersall flocke one heade of this body to conclude one holy Ghost one saluation one saith one testament or league it necessarily followeth that there onely is one Church Which therefore wee name Catholike because it is Vniuersall and diffused through all parts of the world and extendeth it selfe to all times not concluded within any places or times This holy Church of God is called the house of the liueinge God builded of liuely and spirituall stones and seated vpon an vnmoueable rocke and vpon a foundation on which no other thing can be placed and therefore it is called the pillar and supporter of truth Haec Ecclesia Dei sancta vocatur domus Dei viuentis extructa ex lapidibus viuis spiritualibus imposita super petraÌ„ immotaÌ„ super fundamentuÌ„ quo aliud loc ari noÌ„ potest ideo nuncupatur etiam coluÌ„na basis verit atiâ— 1. Tim. 3. The Lutheran Religion or confession of Wittemberge saith credimus confitemur quod vna sit Confess Wirtemberg cap. de Eccl. sancta Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia iuxta Symbolum Apostolorum Nicaenum Quod haec Ecclesia â— Spiritu sancto ita gubernetur vt conseruct eum perpetuo ne vel erroribus vel peccatis pereat Quod in hac Ecclesi asit verapeccatorum remissio Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius iudicandi de omnibus doctrinis Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius interpret and aescripturae Ecclesia habet certam promissionem perpetuae praesentiae Christi Cap. de Concilijs gubernatur à Spiritu sancto Wee beleeue coÌ„fessâ— that there is one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Creede of the Apostles and Nicen Councell That this Church is so gouerned by the holy Ghost that he preserueth it for euer that it perish not either by errours or sinnes That in this Church there is true remissioÌ„ of sinnes thâ—â— this Church hath authority to Iudge of all doctrines That this Church hath authority to interpret the Scripture The Church hath certaine promise of the perpetuall presence of Christ and is gouerned by the holy Ghost By this it is euident by all Testimonies of this Apostolike age and these Protestants themselues that the true Church of Christ neuer did shall or can erre in any Iudgment decree sentence or profession in matters of faith but is pure Catholike and Apostolike in all such in all times and places And this article either denying or doubting of such power and prerogatiue in the true Church is very Idle or Antichristian taking away all certaine and holy Religion of Christ As also that the Church which was when these heresies began euen Catholike and vniuersall in all places and had beene so in all times before hath beene so euer since and still so continueth and florisheth is that true holy Catholike Apostolike Church which the holy Scriptures Fathers of this age and the Article of our Creede giue testimony vnto And the Protestant particular Confessions and congregations of Heluetia Fraunce England Scotland Belgia Poland Argentine Ausburgh Saxony Wittemberge the Palatine of Rheine Boheme and perhaps some others being onely of particular Contryes or Townes and onely of some and not all persons of them cannot be possibly Catholike for place and as vnpossibly for time the eldest of them by their owne testimony and confession vnknowne vntill the yeare of Christ 1530. the Confession of Ausburge first began not printed vntill the yeare 1540. the Confession of Boheme 1532. Heleutia 1536. Saxony 1551. England 1562. Scotland 1581. the like of the rest These nor any of them by the same reason can be Apostolike arising so many hundreds of yeares after the Apostles time None of all these can be that one Church which was euer those being diuers from that among themselues at warres both for Sacraments discipline doctrine None of their coÌ„gregations or coÌ„fessions yet hath brought forth any one man or woman knowne which in their owne Iudgment or senteÌ„ce is honoured or calendred for a Saint though their calenders chronicles and histories be full of Saints which were of the Roman Church and Religion They haue taken away and ouerthrowne many thousand foundations of holynesse and piety their owne first foundation in such kinde is yet to begin this cannot be the one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church of Christ which our Creeds doe teach vs being in all respects diametrically opposite or rather contradictory to whatsoeuer is or can be defined or described as they themselues define the true Church by those attributes properties or distinctiue differences to be one to be holy to be Catholike and vniuersall in all times places and points of doctrine and Sacraments and to be Apostolicall continued without intermission from the Apostles in sound and Apostolicall Christian Religion in all articles and matters of faith And thus it was confessed and professed by our Christian Britains from their first couersion in the Apostles time as these men themselues haue before deliuered THE IX CHAPTER The 21. Article so examined and condemned THE Article which followeth 21. in number is intituled of the authority of generall Councels And in these their words Generall Councels may not be grathered to gether without the commaundement and will of Princes And when they be gathered for asmuch as they be an assembly of meÌ„ whereof all be not gouerned with the spirit and word of God they may erre and some time haue erred euen in thinges pertaining vnto God wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to saluation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture Hitherto this English Protestant Article The first part of it requiring of necessity the commaundement and will of Princes for the validity of Councels is singular not onely against Catholiks but all Confessions of Protestants not any one consenting in this matter with our English Protestants as is euident in those confessions Neither doe the Protestants of Britaine agree herein but all they whom they terme Puritans or Disciplinarians are quite of an other opinion And the Parlament Protestants themselues of best Iudgment doe euen with publike allowance condemne it Thus with such approbation they write of themselues Protestant relation of Religion cap. 47. The Protestants are seuered bandes or rather scattered troopes each drawing diuers wayes without any meanes to pacifie their quarrels to take vp their controuersies No Prince with any preeminence of Iurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarcke one or more to haue a common superintendance of care of their Churches for correspondancy and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell the onely hope remaining euer to
assuage their contention The other haue the Pope as a common Father aduiser and conductor to all to reconcile their Iarres to appease their displeasures to decide then difference aboue all things to drawe their religion by consent of councels to vnity And this is euidently and experimeÌ„tally knowne to be true by all men no Prince or Potentate spirituall or temporall except the Pope of Rome either hauing or pretending to haue any such power as is necessary to call assemble a generall Councell And for Protestant Princes none clayming such prerogatiue but onely in his owne temporall dominions it is absolutely vnpossible that any such assembly of Bishops which could deserue the name of one halfe or third or lesse part of a generall CouÌ„cell from all Christian Kingdomes and contries should at any time or place be called and gathered together by any such pretended power And if wee should allowe meere lay and prophane men Souldiars The SubscriptioÌ„s of these Protestants confessions Captaines Rebels and heretikes without knowledge in diuinity or humane duty to haue decisiue voyces in Ecclesiasticall matters and to offord to euery common Artizan the place and office of holy and learned Bishops in such assemblies IudgmeÌ„ts it were a thing most ridiculous And further to say that all the Bishops and Catholike Cleargy men in all those contries where Protestant confession haue beene kept were present and consented vnto them all those assemblies and conuenticles could not come to be the halfe of a fourth part of a Councell generall out of the whole Christian world There was not in any of forreine conuenticles and conciables any one man bearing the name of a Bishop which inuented them or subscribed vnto them as is euident in their subscriptions neither any one such at this day amoÌ„g them except in Scotland whether some of King Iames his bastard Bishops haue crept sent or appointed by his regall supremacy from the newly hatched broode of England which neither now hath or had any one true and lawfull Bishop at the enactinge and first shaping of these articles called forsooth Anglica confessio the confession of England and now scarcely a man to be founde in England Scotland Fraunce or other contry where those confessions were first vented which consenteth vnto them Diuers of them of late as of Bohemia the Palatinate of Rhyne and others in Germany wholly ouerthrowne and all returned to the Catholike faith and the rest so farre at variance and distastes with their confessions as wee see in England the late bookes of Doctor Montague and him that gathered the booke of prayers priuiledged by the present Protestant Bishop George of London both them iustifiable by this booke of articles their communion booke and other allowed rules of their religion are esteemed and accompted for strauÌ„ge wonders among the present called Protestants And to shew of what validity these pretended peeces of Protestants Councels and confessions were from the beginning in their owne Iudgment disablinge all such as be not gathered together by the commaundement and will of Princes except here in England where a woman was head in alâ— things both temporall and spirituall there was nâ—â— either the commaundement will or assent of aâ—â— true lawfull and cheife Prince to those confessionâ— but the contrary those assemblies and Confessioâ— being gathered and concluded by refractory disobedient and vndutifull people as is euident in thâ— very Protestant proceedings and histories of theâ— all In the confession of Ausburg the Protestant pâ—blishers of it say that Ihon Duke of Saxony Eâ—ctour George Marquesse of Brandeburge Ernestus Duke of Luneburge Philip Lansgraue â— Subscriptio confessionis Augustanae Hesse Ihon Frederike Duke of Saxony Francâ— Duke of Luneburge Walfangus Prince of Anhaâ— the Senats of Nurnberge and Reutling subscribeâ— but by their owne confession they subscribed â— subiects to the Emperour and protesting their fidelity vnto him Caesareae maiestatis vâ—strae fideles oâ— subditi And the Emperour their Supreame Lord and Prince neuer consented vnto it No Prince â—â— Potentate Protestant that consented vnto any â— these confessions neuer had or claymed any Iuridiction or power spirituall or temporall ouer â— other or any one other Prince or contry and so noâ— generall Councell euer was or can be called bâ— any right or title claymed or pretended in their religion all Protestants agree the true Church eâ—â— had hath and shall haue true discipline Sacâ—ments and due ministration of them and true dâ—ctrine in all things necessary none of these coâ—fessions thus agree together And the Protestanâ— of England with their temporall Princes spirituaâ— Supremacy with two onely Sacraments and dâ—uerse points of necessary doctrine differ from theâ— all Neither euer was there any Christian temporall prince King or Emperour or euer like to be that did or shall Reigne ouer all prouinces and contries where Christians did doe and are to liue hereafter yet councels haue beene kept and lawfully called euen such as be named generall from the beginning and before any Christian King was in the world and were lawfully kept and called contrary vnto and against the temporall Princes will and commaundement The Apostles themselues kept diuers councels in such manner The Scripture witnesseth that S. Peter and the Apostles assembled in Councell to be called generall for that time consisting of all the Apostles hiomnes erant perseuerantes vnanimiter Act. cap 1. and almost 120. Petrus in medio fratrum dixit erat autem turba hominum simul fâ—re câ—ntum viginti when Sainct Matthias was chosen in the place of Iudas It was a generall Councell also for that time Act. cap. 6. which was called and kept by the Apostles When Sainct Stephen and the other 6. Deacons with him were chosen remembred in the 6. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles For both all the Apostles and disciples being then very many crescente numero Act cap. 6 discipulorum were present at it called thither by Apostolike authority both without and against the consent will or liking of any temporall Prince It was also a generall Councell for that time when S. Paul S. Barnabas with others Paulus Barnabas Act. cap. 18. Clem. Rom. const Apost l. 6. cap. 12. quidam alij went a long Iorney to the rest of the Apostles and disciples at Hierusalem about the question then moued concerninge circumcision For these were receaued by the Church Apostles and others of the Clergy there Suscepti sunt ab Eâ—clesia ab Apostolis senioribus And the Apostles with the disciples and rulers of the representatiue Church gaue resolution and sentence vpon that doubt Placuit Apostolis senioribus cum omni Ecclesia So wee may say of the councels wherein the Canones Apostol Const Apost l. 6. c. 12. Canons of the Apostles and their constitutions registred by S. Clement and remembred in many auncient writers Greeke and Latine were made The like is also set downe by S. Clement when Clemens