before those nine and thirty Artieles of our Church were established was accomplished So as he did not assume on himselfe that Office but was thereunto called by lawfull Authority And as for the latter of our Decrees before mentioned cited by R.B. whereby it is ordained that those who be consecrated according to the Tenor of King Edwards Booke are thereby adjudged to be lawsully consecrated if it were true as R. B. affirmes it that King Edwards Book of Consecration was dead at the very time of Archbishop Parkers consecration or if he were not consecrated in all particulars according to the Tenor and prescript of that Booke yet it does not follow that his Consecration must be utterly void and invalid as R. B. resolutely affirmes it pretending that the Standing or overthrow of our Protestants whole religion depends thereon for if so it would go very far for overthrow of the antient Church or at least it would receive a deadly wound thereby For notwithstanding the Councell of Sardica ordained Episcopus non prius ordinaretur nisi et ante Lectoris munere et officio Diaconi et Presbyteri fuerit perfunctus et ita per singulos gradus sidignus fuerit ascendat in Culmen Episcopatus potest enim per has promotiones quae habent utiq prolixum tempus probari quâ fide sit quâve modestiâ et gravitate et verecundiâ A bishop may not be ordained unlesse he hath first performed the duty of a Reader and the office of a Deacon and Presoyter and so through each degree if he shall be found worthy let him ascend the height of Episcopacy for by these promotions which verily require long time He may be tryed of what faith modesty gravity and reverence he is yet neverthelesse Eusebius (a) Deacon of Alexandria was immediately made Bishop of Laodicea and (b) Nectarius a neophyte and unbaptized Catechumene was elected Patriarch of Constantinople (b.c) and presently made Bishop in the second generall Counsell held at Constantinople (a c c) And St. Ambrose of a consul was baptized and Consecrated Bishop of Millaine d And Eusebius a Magistrate was baptized and made Archbishop of Cesarea (e) And also Saint Tharasius being a lay-man was consecrated a Bishop And (f) in like sort Petrus Moronaeus of a lay-man was made Pope of Rome And I beleeve nether R. B. nor any well advised Romanist will or dare say their Consecrations were void much lesse can R. B. irritate or make void the Consecration of Arch-bishop Parker if it were true that King Edwards Booke of Consecration was indeed atterly dead at the time of his Consecration because our Decree concerning that Book before ricited does not ordaine that if any Consecration be Celebrated not in all and every Punctilio of that Book that such Consecration is judged deemed and decreed to be utterly void and of none effect No that Article is utterly Silent therein it onely affirmatively sayes that such as are Consecrated according to the tenor of that Booke are deemed and decreed to be rightly lawfully Consecrated so as the Conclusion inferred by R. B. cannot be supported by the premisses try it syllogistically and it will be most manifest Whosoever is Consecrated Bishop according to the rites of King Edwards Booke of Consecration is rightly lawfully Consecrated so sayes our Article But Doctor Parker was not Consecrated according to the tenor of King Edwords Book of Consecration so sayes R. B. in regard it was then dead and not mâ—rerum natura as he alledgeth ergo Doctor Parker was not rightly lawfully Consecrated so is the Conclusion of R B. which is a false syllogisme being in no figure nor mood nor any way consonane to the rules of dialectical argumentation if the little skill I have in that Learning does not misguide me very much For it were necessary for maintenance of this Conclusion of R. B. That Doctor Parker was not rightly and lawfully Consecrated and thereby our whole Râ—ligion overthrowne that our Decree should have bin of this Tenor viz Such as are Consecrated Bishops in an other manner than is prescribed by K. Edwards Booke of Consecration we decree him to be unrightly and unlawfully Consecrated thereon R. B. mighthave had some colour or matter to inferre his Conclusion with this manner of argument Num. 7 Whensoever is consecrated Bishop in any other manner forme or fashion thou is prescribed by King Edwards Booke of Consecration be is not rightly orderly or lawfully comsecrated But Doctor Parker was consecrated in an other mammer forme and fashion than is preseribed by King Edwards Book of consecration Ergo Doctor Parker was not rightly orderly or lawfully consecrated And yet this would not directly maintaine this Pontifician's Conclusion unlesse it went more directly thus Whosoever is consecrated Bishop in other manner than according to King Edwards Booke his Consecration is irruat and voyd But Doctor Parker was consecrated in other manner than is prescribed by King Edwards booke Ergo Doctor Parkers Consecration is irruate and voyd But this matter being already most learnedly handled and most soundly cleered by such Heroes of our Church as I am unworthy to hold the candle unto I have been too long on this point because the thing undertaken by me here is not to consider how well and sufficiently R. B. hath disputed but how truely hee hath spoken in the matters by him brought into question wherin the issue is whether King Edwards Booke of Consecration being put to Death by Queene Maries lawes was never revived to life till the making of our Nine and thirtie Articles in Anno 1562 in the fourth yeare of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth Num. 8 For the better discovery of the truth wherof I thinke it meet here to set downe the substance of the severall Acts of Parliament concerning the matter viz. Statute 2. 3. Edw. 6. cap. 1. The Kings Majestie hath appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury and certaine of the most learned and discreet Bishops and other learned men of this Real me to draw and make one convenient and meet order rite and fashion of common and open Prayer and administration of the Sacraments to be had and used in England and Wales The which with one uniforme agreement is of them concluded in a Booke intituled The Booke of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies after the use of the Church of England wherefore it be ordained and enacted that all Ministers shall be bounden to say and use the Mattens Evensong Celebration of the Lords Supper and all their Common and open Prayer in such Order and Forme as is mentioned in the same Booke and none other nor otherwise Numb. 9 By this Stature there was onely the Forme of Common Prayer Adminisiration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies established But the Forme of Consecration of Bishops and Ordination of Priests and Deacons was not thereby settled or
A DETECTION OR DISCOVERY OF A NOTABLE FRAVD Committed by R. B. a Seminary Priest of ROME upon Two of the Articles of the Church of ENGLAND In a Booke Imprinted in Anno 1632. Intituled The Judgment of the APOSTLES and of Those of the first Age in all points of Doctrine questioned betweene the Catholikes and Protestants of England as they are set downe in the nine and thirty Articles of their RELIGION With an Appendix concerning Episcopacy By a Lay Gentleman LONDON Printed by E. P. for William Leake and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery-Lane neere the Rowles 1641. To the right Honourable HENRY Earle of Manchester Lord Privy Seale and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell My most honoured Lord SEeing it is a Maxime of divine and humane Law most infallibly true Suum cuiq reddere I hold my selfe obliged in Obedience to it to dedicate unto your honourable Patronage the ensuing Tract most truly and humbly acknowledging Tam me quam omne meum to be your Lordships Creature made fortunate by the Rayes of those sweet Influences which have issued from your Lorships ever Candide Aspect which Bounty my inability wanting means of any Requitall or other Retribution doth claime this my poore Infant-worke together with all other Services both as a duty of Tribute unto your Lordships high Merit and as a signall or testimoniall Badge of that ever bounden Gratitude and Recognition which my Heart and Tongue rendreth unto your Lordships goodnesse Your honourable Greatnesse as able and your gracious Benignity as willing to protect it hath Encouragâ—d my humble Boldnesse to beseech your noble acceptance of it I neither will nor can presume it worthy your Lordships Perusall not daring to arrogate so high as to invite so great a Iudgement to discend beneath it's proper Spheare to behold A thing so meane and low It 's sufficient that your Lordship vouchsafe the loane of your honourable name to give it credit unto others of the lesser Orbe For though this Tract as I am somewhat confident containes in it nothing but what is justifiable by the evidence of Truth yet it is likely to meet with opposition Quia veritas odium parit but it being quitted from harms by such as are Friends to the vertue of truth splendent as light radiated from the Sun it may serve ut fragmentum in Cophinis Christi or otherwise ut minutumi Gazophylacio Ecclesiae how ever your Lordship and the world may find that Inter res seculares I have spared some time for sacred designes taught to doe so well by the rare President of your Lordships divine Enchyridion de contemplatione mortis et immortalitatis a piece of such admirable excellence as would exse without your honourable name or dignity protect it selfe But my Modicum lesser than a meere shadow to that perfect substance implores both your honourable regard to the Author and worke and also Fronte serena to entertaine this humble duty of him whose perpetuall suit unto the Supremest is for all successefull blessings on the Person and state of your honourable Lordship and noble Posterity both in stocke and branches as well for health and life to be happily lengthned here as for Eternity to be enjoyed hereafter for some manifestation of his Cordiall meaning the soule of verball expressions he really wishes for such Imployment as may testifie him to bee Your Lordships most faithfull and humble Servant PEDAELL HARLOWE To the READER IN Lent 1639 there came to my hands commended and esteemed by some as a choice piece a Booke intituled The judgement of the Apostles and of those of the first Age in all points of doctrine questioned betweene Catholikes and Protestants of England as they are set downe in the Nine and thirty Articles of their religion by an old Student in Divinity Dedicated to her most excellent Majesty Queene Mary subscribed R. B. Which Booke opening about the middest of it with intent to read such part of it as first offered it seife to my view I casually lighted on the Ninth Chapter thereto the six twentieth Chapter hath reference both which chapters doe treat of the Consecration of our Bishops and the Ordination of our Priests Ministers and Deacons wherein as it is there delivered is concerned the Standing or ruine of our whole Religion Hereat making some pause as morthy the reading which being perusid me thought it was a point not to be slighted jam securis ad radicem ' its ayme was to strike at the roote for the utter overthrow and razing up the Basis and foundation of the visible Entity of that Church whereof my selfe is an unworthy Member and consequently as it concerned the generall so it concerned me in particular how much my soule was afflicted and troubled at it cannot be exprest because the particulars urged by the Adversary are chiefely or altogether matters of Fact and Record not matter of Dispute Reasoning or argumentation so as nothing could be had from the reach of Reason or my onne understanding on which I presume not nor from literature whereof my portion is but small how to be brought out of the Bryers and for that purpose applying my selfe to the learned of our Church in Print especially Master Francis Mason late Archdeacon of Norfolke now with God who have most exactly and gravely to their eternall praise and renowne vindicated our Church in the matter of Consecration and Ordination against a great company of virulent cunning and subtile adversaries I could not meet with any of those particulars alleadged in these Two chapters of this Author's Booke anywhere objected treated of or answered which happened as I beleeve because this Booke came either under the Presse since those workes were finished or else it lurk't so close as it came not to the view of those brave Defendors of our Church whereupon being become restlesse in my selfe and holding it too supine negligence to continue still ignorant in so weighty a matter without some indeavour to be satisfied in so reall a Concernment I became resolved to make such search into it my selfe as my weake abilities could attaine unto which having in some poore measure atchieved it was originally intended for my owne selfe-satisfaction but thereof some of my friends having view they became very desirous to be pleasured with Copies of it which being found to be too tedious and over-chargeable it was earnestly desired to be made vnlgar by the Presse but being loath to be read in Print it hath lyen by me by the space of a yeare in which time it having gotten approbation by some of Eminent learning I am become obedient to the desires of others in that behalfe holding it better to Communicate a browne morsell than to be totally uncharitable being persâ—aded it can doe no hurt but to the Adversary by detection of his Fraud and hoping that this piece of plainnesse may at present give some content and satisfaction if
Parisiis 1631. Petrus Paludanus Panormitarms 1527. Ruewardus Tapperus Coloniae 1577. Registrum Cantuariense in libris pergamenis in officina Registrarii principalis Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis in vico vocato Doctors Comous Lon Sleidonnis Argeotorari 1558. A DISCOVERY OF A notable Fraude and Deceit committed by R. B. a Seminarie Priest upon Two of the Articles of the Church of England SECT. I. Num. 1 THis Romish Adversary R. B. raises his Engines for undermining of our Church upon these two severall Articles of ours to wit the Three and twentieth Articles and the sixe and thirtieth Article following It is not lawfull for any man to take upon him the office of publike preaching in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same and those wee ought to judge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this worke by men who have publike authority given them in the Congregation to call and send Ministors in the Lords Vineyard The booke of Consecration of Archbishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of K. Edward the sixt and confirmed the same time by authority of Parliament doth containe all things necessary to such Consecration and ordering neither had it any thing that of it selfe is superstitious or ungodly and therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that Booke since the second yeare of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time or shall be hereafter consecrated or Ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly and lawfully consecrated and ordered Upon these Two Articles are Three such Engines devised by R. B. for overthrow of the Foundation of the visible and outward Entity of our Church of England in point of Consecration and Ordination here delivered in his owne words as are novell and consequently unconfuted The particulars whereof are as followeth R. B. OBIECTION I. Num. 2 This new Protestant Queene Elizabeth her Raigne beginning here in the yeare 1558. and 1559. in her first Parliament never had any knowne publike allowed square Rule forme maner order or fashion whatsoever for any to have publicke authority to call make send or set forth any pretended Minister untill the yeare 1562. when their Religion was foure yeares old and these Articles were made and in them the Booke of King Edward the sixt about ten or eleven yeares old when he set it forth by Parliament was first called from Death wherewith it perished in the first yeare of Queene Mary It hath beene pretended that Mathew Parker was made a Bishop on the seventeenth day of December But alas they had then no forme or Order to doe such a businesse untill foure yeares after this pretended admittance alleaged to have beene the seventeenth of December 1559. Here I have proved demonstratively that they neither have any lawfull Iurisdiction or Ordination among them But to doe a worke of Supererogation in this so much concerning the standing or overthrow of our Frotestants whole Religion quite overthrowne by this one dispute if they have no rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated Bishops Priests or Deacons I thus further demonstrate First then if the Decree of this later Article as they terme it were to be accepted and received for a just and law full Decree yet the first Protestant Bishops Priests and Deacons in Queene Elizabeths time from which all that now be in England or have beene since then cannot be said to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated by this very Article it selfe For that supposed Booke of King Edward the sixt being abrogated and taken away by Queene Maries Lawes and not afterwards revived by the Protestant Lawes of Queene Elizabeth untill in those Articles in the yeare of Christ 1562. as their date is Queene Elizabeth beginning her Raigne the 17 of November 1558 all their first pretended Bishops Priests and Deacons must needs be unrightly unorderly and unlawfully made though by that Booke of King Edward because there was no Protestant right order or Law to make or admit any into such places by that Booke not approved or allowed by any Protestant right order or Law all that time P. H. ANSWER Num. 4 This objection more then once repeated is nothing but a litigious and impertinent quarrell for want of matter For posito That Archbishop Parker wanted in his consecration some Punctilioes of outward Order for me or fashion according to the prescript tenor of our Lawes or Rules or that there was not any law or publike Rule of our Common-meale prescribing an outward for me of Consecration then in â—cre yet such want or Fayler did not nor could vitiate destroy or annibilate his Consecration celebrated in a sufficient Church manner in esse and substance good and valide in regard regall Lawes and Ecclesiasticall Canons are but circumstantiall and ad bene â—sse fitting and directing quatenùs ad nos the Ceremony and outward forme thereof which Order and forme if it hap at any time upon just or reasonable occasion not to be pursued the same is not destructive to such Consecration to make it invalide or fruitlesse But of all others this objection becomes not R. B. nor any Romanist First because the (a) Pontificians do exclude all civill and municipall Lawes of Princes and Republikes from Intermedling with those Ecclesiasticall Affaires wherein your Romish rote is like the bold (b) Protest of the Donatists against Insperiall authority in Church businesse Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesia What have Emperours Kings and Princes to dowith Ecclesiasticall affaires whereas seeing Kingsare both (c) Custodes utriusque Tabulae Nutritii Ecclesiae Keepers of both Tables and Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers of the Christian Church it belongs unto and is a Duty of Regality to constitute and ordeine lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and the Regiment of the Church and per potestatem coactivam by power coactive to enforce the due execution of the duties of Religion and to cause punishments to be inflicted on the Delinquents to succour the oppressed and to cherish the good both among Priests and Laikes as well in Church as Common-weale But indeed the immediate Actes of the Episcopall Priestly and ministeriall office as Preaching Administration of Sacraments and the Actuall consecration of Bishops and ordination of Priests Ministers and Deacons belongs properly to the Pastorall charge Numb. 5 Secondly because the Romish Church is guilty of violation both of Canons and it's owne Pontificall being content to derive succession from many incanonicall and irregular Consecrations For contrary to the tenor of the first generall (d) Councell of Nice and their owne Iurists and (e) Doctors determining that Consecration of a Bishop ought to be by Three Bishops at the least the Romish Church hath not onely consecrated some Bishops by (f) one onely Bishop and two mitred Abots but hath permitted Boy (g) Priests Boy Bishops Boy Cardinals and
established And therefore afterwards there was made The Statute of 5. and 6. of King Edward the fixt Cap. 1. The Kings most excellent Majestie hath caused the aforesaid Order of Common Service intituled The Booke of Common Prayer to be faithfully and godly perusâ—d explained and made fully perfect and hath Adjoyned it to this present Statute adding also a Forme and manner of making and Consecrating of Archbishops Bishops Priests and Deacons to be of like force authority and value as the same like aforesaid Booke intituled The Booke of Common Prayer was before and to be accepted received used esteemed in like sort and manner as by the said Act of the second yeare of the Kings Majesties raigne was ordained for uniformity of Service and administration of the Sacraments And the aforesaid Act to stand in full force to and for the establishing the Booke of Common Prayer now explained and hereunto annexed And also the said Forme of making Archbishops Bishops Priests and Deacons hereunto annexe is it was for the former Book And Bee it further enacted that if any person shall wittingly or wilfully heare or be present at any other form of Common Prayer Administration of Sacraments making of Ministers and other Rites then are mentioned in the said Booke shall suffer c. Hereby as is manifest the forme both of Common Prayer Celebration of the Sâ—â—amâ—nâ—s and also Ordination and Consecration of Bishops Priests and Deacons was made One intire Booke or volume And afterwards Queene Marie haâ—ing attained the Crowne did as R. B. sayes make an Act of Repeale in Anno primo regni sui cap. 2. Thus It is enacted and established that one Act of Parliament in 2. Edward 6. intituled an Act for the uniformity of Service and Administration of the Sacraments throughout the Realme and also one other Act made 5. Edward 6. entituled An Act for the uniformity of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments shall be from henceforth utterly Repealed and of none effect This being that Act of Parliament which R. R. sayes killed King Edwards Booke of Consecration it is to be observed that this Act of Repeale doe's expressely neither mention any thing in particular nor in precise words repeale any Law made for preseribing the forme of Consecration c. But it doe's repeale and mention onely the foresaid Lawes intituled Acts for the uniformity of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments which particular is not here urged to gainesay it but that thereby The authority for that manner of Consecration and Ordination was repealed and annihilated but it is here offered for removall of a weake objection which peradventure may be made upon the Statute of Revier hereafter mentioned made in the very beginning of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth Num. 10 But such was the high wisedome of Royall Queene Elizabeth of ever most famous memory as that notwithstanding the confident affirmation of R. B. there was not in her raigne for preventing of all scruples doubts and quarels any Consecration till Queene Maries Law therein was repealed and made vtterly voyd by Stat. 1. Eliz. cap. 2. thus Wheras at the death of our late Soveraign Lord King Edward the sixt there remained one uniforme Order of Common Service and Prayer and administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England authorized by Act of Parliament holden in the sift and sixt yeares of our said late Soveraigne King Edward the sixt intituled an Act for the uniformioy of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments the which was repealed and taken away by Act of Parliament in the first yeare of the raigne of our late Soveraigne Lady Queene Mary to the great decay of the honour of God and discomfort to the Professors of the Truth of Christs Religion Be it enacted by Authority of this present Parliament that the Estatute of Repeale and every thing therein conteined onely concerning the said Booke and the Service Administration of the Sacraments rites and Ceremonies cont eyned or appointed in or by the said Booke shall be void and of none effect from and after the Feast of the Nativity of Saint Iohn Baptist next comming And that the said Booke with the Order of Service Administration of the Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies with the Alterations and Additions therein added and appointed by this Statute shall stand and be from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of Saint Iohn Baptist in full force and effect according to the tenor and effect of this Statute any thing in the foresaid Estature of Repeale to the contrary not withstanding Now by this Acte of Parliament the aforesaid Acte of Queene Mary being repealed as concerning this very Booke which comprised in it as well the Consecration of Bishorps and Ordination of Priests and Deacons as the Celebration of Divine Servic and administration of the Sacraments And from and after Mid-Summer then following in Anno 1559. The same Booke being in all things become againe in full vigour and force then afterwards was Doctor Parker our first Protestant Bishop which was made in Queene Elizabeths Raigne elected and consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury for ought by R.B. urged to the contrary rightly orderly lawfully according to publike knowne and allowed Square rule forme order fashion which Booke and all Consecrations ab initio regni Elizabethae Reginae were againe Confirmed by Acte of Parliament 8. Elizab. cap. 1. not for any need of it but to satisfie some causelesse scrupulofities If it be objected That in this last Act there is no expresse mention of Consecration then it is answered as before touched That Queene Maries Lawe made no expresse mention of Consecration neither But to make it Sans doubt by this Law is Queene Maries Law made utterly voyd Whereby King Edwards Lawes therein became in force And more-over by this Law of Queene Elizabeth that Booke which is but one Totum is recontinued and set in it 's full strength and vertue Hereby it appeares what little regard R. B. had either to the force of truth or to his owne Reputation and credit by affirming with bold considence that this Booke was first called from Death to life by the nine and thirty Articles only and that the Church of England had not for the space of foure yeares any publicke allowed forme of consecration of Bishops or Ordination of Priests and Deacons SECT. II. R.B. OBIECTION II. Num. 11 AGaine the first Protestant Censecration or admittance of any to be a Bishop by that Booke or Order in Queene Elizabeths Raigne was on the 17 day of December in her second yeare as they pretend from the Register of Marthew Parker But their owne both private and publike Authorities prove that both Matthew Parker their first pretended Archbishop and others were received and allowed for Arch-Bishops and Bishops about 6 moneths before their first pretended Consecration on the 17 of December For Parker Barlow Scory and Grindall were
raigne Ergo the Episcopall Acts of Coverdale Hodskins though once consecrated Bishops were ipso facto meâ—re Nullities and of no validity If R.B. or his vindicatour will grant the Major then I know what will become of the Romish Church in England and of all Episcopall and Sacerdotall Acts by Romish Bishops and Priests in Consecrations Ordinations Marriages Sacrifices absolutions c. even to be here in England meere nullities Againe I perceive R. B. did faint in his Assertion not adventuring to say that Coverdale and Hodskins were either no Bishops at that time de factor Num. 17 or were disallowed to exercise Episcopacy which for to doe he ought to maintaine that they were never at all consecrated to be Eishops and if he allow them to be once consecrated Bishops then hee ought to produce some Act or Sentence for unbishoping of them or for discharge of their exercise of Episcopacy which he doe's not goe about to doe But I say it was neither the one not the other but it proceeded from themselves whatsoever was wanting therein they beingin truth long before consecrated lawfull Bishop neither they themselves nor the State of the Realme holding or judging them to be no Bishops here quoad officium or passing any Sentence against exercise of it but they did not exercise of themselves at that time Episcopacy here quoad Beneficium But posito these two had beene excommunicate deprived deposed or degraded had they not neverthelesse by your owne Doctrine continued Bishops quoad characterem quoad officium as well as Priests having such a Character by Consecration and ordination imprinted as is indelible your Councell of Trent determines it for you Siquis dixerit per sacram Ordinationem non imprimi Characterem vel cum qui Sacerdos semel fuit Laicum rursùs fieri posse Anathema sit if any one shall say that a Character is not imprinted by holy Orders or that He which once was a Priest can be made Lay againe let him be accursed And such also is the Character of Episcopacy as according to the Romish Doctrine neither by Schisme heresie excommunication suspension deposition or degradation it can be obliterated as your (a) Gregory de Valentia (b) Gabriel Biel (c) Dominicus à Soto (d) Capreohis say And also your great (e) Cardinall Bellarmine sayes Observandum est Characterem Episcopalem esse absolutam perfectam independentem potestatem conferendi Sacramenta Confirmationis Ordinis ideo non solum posse Episcopum sine aliâ Dispensatione confirmare Ordinare sed etiam non potest impediri ab ullâ superiori potestate quin re verâ Sacramenta ista conferat si velit licet peccâ—t si id faciat prohibente Summo Pontifice It is to be observed that the Episcopall Character is an absolute perfect and independant Power to conferre the Sacraments of confirmation and Orders therefore a Bishop may without any Dispensation constitute ordaine and not onely He cannot be hindred by any superiour power but also hee may conferre those Sacraments if hee will though he offend if he doe it the high Bishop prohibiting it And likewise your Petrus de Palnde sayes Si non omnis Episcopus potest Ordines conferre hoc esset vel propter Demeritum'vitae quia esset malus vel propter defectum Fidei quia Haereticus vel propter Sententiam Ecclesiae quia esset excommunicatus vel suspensus vel alias praecisus vel propter Depositionem ab Ordine vel quia esset Degradatus sed nihil istorum impedit quin omnis Episcopus possit veros Ordines conferre if every Bishop cannot conferre Orders it would be either by reason of Demerit of life because he is wicked or by defect of faith because be is an Hereticke or else by reason of the Sentence of the Church because he is excommunicated or suspended or otherwise cut off or because hee is deposed from Orders or because he is degraded but none of these doe hinder but that every Bishop may conferre true orders So as if Coverdale and Hodskins had beene deposed in Queene Elizabeths time yet might they consecrate an other And if you say Fieri non debet it ought not to be done then I say Factum valet dissolvi non potest being done it availeth and cannot be undone But here the Consecration of Archbishop Parker by Imposition of their hands was so farre from doing ought therein in Contempt of or against Authority as that it was done by Regall Assent and Command comprised in the Queenes Letters Patents directed to them and others to Consecrate Doctor Parker to be Archbishop of Conterbury The Letters Patents are thus Elizabetha Dei gratiâ c. Reverendis in Christo Patribus Miloni Cover dale quondam Exoniensi Episcopo Iohanni Suffraganeo Bedd c. Elizabeth by the Grace of God c. To the Reverend Fathers Miles Coverdale late Bishop of Exeter Iohn Suffragan of Bedford c. whereby it is manifest they were allowed and also imployed as consecrate Bishops in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne Num. 18 But posito they had not beene allowed Bishops yet if Deposition or Degradation cannot obliterate the Character of Episcopacy but it is still in force quatenus ad officium as concerning the office notwithstanding the benefits profits and all that pertaines ad exeroitium jurisdictionis as concerning the exercise of jurisdiction be taken away how little hurt can not-allowance or disallowance doe But if I may speake my mind freely I conceive that when R. B. said that Coverdale and Hodskins were not allowed for Bishops in all Queene Elizabeths time he did intend that his Vulgar Reader should beleeve that they were never Consecrated Bishops at all For I cannot easily be perswaded but that this old Student did well know that Coverdsle and Hodskins had beene long before Consecrated Bishops and still continued Bishops de jure For the Records declare it plaincly that Hodskins was 9. Decembris 29. Hen. 8. Anno Domini 1537. Consecrated and so continued till his death from whom the principall Bishops in Queene Maries raigne descended By him was Consecrated Thomas Thurlby who was one of the Consecrators of your Cardinall Poole Archbishop of Canterbury and as for Coverdale he was 30. August 1551. An. 2 Edw. 6. Consecrated Bishop of Exeter who being displaced and imprisoned by Queene Mary was at the desire of the King of Denmarke sent to his Majesty by the same Queene And returning backe in the beginning of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth he being aged cared not to returne to his Bishopricke but retired to a private life not allowing himselfe Episcopacy quoad Beneficium et jurisdictionem yet he still continued true and perfect Bishop de jure quoad esse et Titulum which two Coverdale and Hodskins did joyne with the other two Barlow and Scory in the Episcopall Act of Consecrating of Doctor Parker to
whereas Sir Humphrey Lynd said that although the Doctours of antient Church did rest in Two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords-Supper as generally Necessary to salvation yet they called many Rites and Ordinances by the name of Sacraments as The signe of the Crosse Exorcisme holy-Bread given to Catechumeniâ—s Novices in the Faith One Master Iohn Heigham a Papist taking on him to answer that Booke does most unconscio ably turne the word NOVICES into NOVICES and so very untruly pretending that Sir Humphrey Lind had thereby yeelded that the Signe of the Cresse Exorcisme holy-bread holy-water and the like are Novices in the Faith endeavours most absurdly to make Sir Humphrey dispute against himselfe and the Church of England And by that silly devise this Heigham takes occasion to slide from the point without any answer at all to it Hi sunt Fratres in Malo Falshood incorporates it selfe in Fraternity against sacred Truth walking here desolate a while Sed magna est veritas et in die suo pravalebit divine and holy Truth will in her season become Victorious and Tryumphant with Gloria in excelsis hurling blacke and ugly Error and False-kood headlong into the Bottomeles Pit the dark and noysome Cave of that wicked monster Abaddon the Father of Lyes Amen Amen EPILOGVE or APPENDIX Num. 21 NOw this Tract is finished me thinkes I heare two sorts of people among us whisper their Conceits the one are the Preciser sort people of good intents demanding of me why I have in this Tract severall times used the word Priest and Sacerdotall rather than the word Minister and Ministeriall doe's it not savour of Popery Are you not inclined Sir a little to allow and relish the Masse-Priest Sacrifice and Altar For removall of such misconceits if any such arise I say I used the word Priest and Sacerdotall because it is indifferently used with the word Minister sometimes the one sometimes the other not onely in our publike Lyturgie but also in these two Articles now in some sort vindicated against our Romish Antagonist R. B. And in the same sense doe I also intend it And for mine owne part I conceive that Sacrifice Altar and Priest may be all indifferently used as Supper Table Minister even in this present age as well as in the Primitive age and as farre it is now from any just and reall offence unto judgements and consciences rightly informed and disposed as it was to the Fathers of antient Church and unto the Primitive Christians being holy Saints and Martyrs But Popery which came in by Intrusion secretly into the Church betwixt the Primary and later purity hath caused such a distaste to words and phrases of aniquity extremely abused by Romanisme as that these termes Sacrifice Altar Priest are become edious or at least scrupulous especially unto weake judgements and tender consciences which may I suppose be easily rectified and sufficiently satisfied with this one Distinction or Method for many when the Holy Eucharist is spoken of as a Sacrifice as often it is among the Antients and so might be by them and may also by us be called Sacrifice to wit Commemoratory and Sacramentall then may be useed th word Priest and Altar as words relatively sutable and convenient But when the Eucharist is spoken of as the Lords Supper as so it is according to Scripture Phrase then the words Table and Minister is the meetest adjuncts for that subject And thus we may joyne with Antiquity both in language and sence without offence and thereby explode and reject as erronious the doctrine of Sacrifice proper and propitiatory Masse-Priest and reall-Altar Num 22 Affront to Episcopacy The other is Popish Faction whom me thinkes I heare say that although we Papists must confesse that the frauds of our Brother R. B. are now so discovered and laid open as that Hee cannot by any of us be fairely defended or excused And therefore the Consecration of Archbishop Parker and consequently of all the English Bishops since and now being must stand sacred and valide notwithstanding any thing produced pleaded or proved by R. B. to the contrary yet ne-verthelesse let us Romanists cheere up our selves sparing our labours and paines to seeke the overthrow of the Episcopacy of the Church of England For see we not that a great multitude of the Members of their owne Church yea of their Clergie too doe lowdly crie downe Episcopacy not onely quoad personas for exorbitancy by personall misdemeanours and for over large exercise of jurisdiction in their function too too bad as is alleaged but also quoad officium jus Episcopatus against the Right of Episcopacy as Antichristian and intollerable in the Church devised by man and not ordained by Christ And therefore they would have it utterly abolished out of their Church And instead of it they would have their new devised Presbyterie to be Consistorially set up for Government of the Church as that which is indeed de jure divino and consequently Presbyterie ought to be put into Possession of the Church and Episcopacy to be ejected out of it Howbeit others indeed doe allow of the right of Episcopacy onely desiring moderately some Reformation and limitation of the Bounds and exercise of it to the end it may be brought into some convement Temper Wee Romanists doe with great expectation waite upon the successe thereof not doubting but that this Division will doe the English-Protestant-Church more harme and mischiefe than a thousands such as our R. B. can doe with Frauds and lias and will sooner destroy their Church than our Gunpowder plot had it taken effect could have done Marke 3.24 25 26. For Christs Maxime is infallibly true Si regnum aut domus contrasese dissideat non potest stare illud Regnum aut illa domus A Kingdome or house at division within it selfe cannot stand but must fall to ruine and destruction Num. 23 P. H. Now therefore seeing many men have of late vented themselves in this cause let me also come in with my vote tco as an Appendix to this Tract of mine conceiving it to be a fruitlesse worke Episcopacy vindicated by Scripture to quit our English Episcopacy from the Batteries raised up against It by Romesh R. B. a knowne and professed enemy of our Church if it suffer by Brethren at home naturally wounding deepest I therefore adventure to say That me thinks seeing Ordination of our Ministers hath hundreds of years beene and is in this Kingdome immediatly derived from Episcopacy this clamour specially by Ministers against Episcopacy as Antichristian should be spared even for their owne sakes and should be by Ministers more tenderly handled least it be retorted upon them that upon their owne grounds their owne Ordination and Admission into the Church is from Antichristianity and and from a Power before God unlawfull Ejectione firme But howsoever for as much as these Presbyterians have brought an Ejectione firme against Episcopacy pressing to have
Episcopacy to shew forth It's Evidence and to prove it's Title to be Ex Iure Divino or else to be ejected out of the Church I Causidically say in Defence of it That Episcopacy ought not under favour by leg all proceedings to be compelled thereto because Episcopacy hath possession in the Church of God And so hath had many hundred yeares Some for it say sixteene hundred yeares and upwards ever since Christianity was imbraced in the World And it's Adyersaries doe either acknowledge or cannot fairely deny it to be so for the space of thirteen or foureteene hundred yeares and not in a corner of the Church but universally in Christendome And in such a Case Possidenti conceditur without Prescription Possession is a good right and title a gainst all men saving him onely that can make a good and better title first to appeare And untill the Pretender doe make his Right and Title to appeare the Possessour should not be enforced either to prove or shew forth his Right and Title Let then the Consistoriall Presbytery both shew and prove that A standing Ecclesiasticall Court consisting of Presbyters and of twice so many Laikes to be annually elected to beare Rule to Governe Hooker Eccles. Polity preface page 5. and to be Iudges in the Church were by Christ or his Apostles ordained or established and this Consistoriall Power and it onely and no other should for ever beare away this Government Ecclesiasticall which proofe ought to be made not by Texts stretcht from the genuine sence or by words of equivecall and double sence or severall significations but by cleare and manifest Record of Scripture which I beleeve is a taske unperformable I am sure it wanteth that prosperous Successe and blessing which accompanies Divine Institutions according to that divine Axiome truly delivered by Gamaliel Act. 5.38 39. Si est ex hominibus hoc opus dissolvetur Sin ex Deo est non potest dissolvi what is of humane invention may perish or come to nothing what is of divne Ordination cannot perish though at some time and in some place be resisted and persecuted and so become clouded and eclipsed yet it will be resident somewhere or other and it will in time convenient be disclouded and become conspicuous and transplendent againe apply to the present Case The Blessing hath ever gone in an eminent and conspicuous manner with Episcopacie But Presbyterie Consistoriall is at the best supposed to have had buta little entrance in some narrow part of the Church once in the first hundred yeares and againe in this last hundred yeares but hath beene at an inter-regnum at a losse and vacation for many hundred years How can wee then judge your Presbytery to be of God and our Episcopacy to be of Antichrist Presbytery non surted it this be the Evidence on the behalfe of Consistoriall Presbytery as such it is as I conceive clearely then must it become non suite and Episcopacy must keepe it's Possession still amending it selfe or else be caused to amend what is amisse in it by personall defects or by bad Customes Num. 24 Episcopacies Title Although Episcopacy thus prevaile upon this Nonsuite yet nevert helesse ex abundante I will produce such evidence as I have found and collected for it out of divine Records to prove Episeopacy to be ex Iure divino assuring my selfe that others as well those of ablest parts as those whom it more concernes are provided of other evidence and also of a way to apply the same better than I can But for making good my undertaking I offer these three particulars to be considered concerning Episcopacy Num. 25 1. An office or power Ministeriall 2. An office or power meerely Episcopall 3. Exercise of jurisdiction Title of Honour and Dignity and competency of Revenewes First the office or power Ministeriall or Sacerdotall is Authority to preach the Gospell and to distribute and give the Sacraments this power ex Iure divino it is Christs owne Ordination as is agreed on both sides without Contradiction Wherein there is indeed a Parity in the Ministery in so much as such Ministeriall-acts done by an inferiour-Minister or Priest are as valid and effectuall as if the same were done by the highest Prelate in the Church Secondly the office or power meerely and truly Episcopall is to ordeine and to admit Ministers into the Clergie To suspend or punish such of the Priest-hood as become delinquent or neglect their Cure or charge to make use of the Keyes in binding and loosing by judiciall sentence out of and into the Assemblies of the Church both Clerkis and Laicks upon just and weighty causes and generally to governe the Churches for the prevention of the creeping in and growth of Heresie and Error for support and maintenance of Unity without Schisme or Division And for to Rule Governe and Command and to be ruled governed and to obey in such sort as Church affaires may be duly and rightly performed and done in the Churches whereof they are Superintendent Thirdly Exercise of jurisdiction bic non illic sic et non sic in this and not in that Dioces or province in this and not in that manner or other than is allowed prescribed and authorized Title of Honour and Dignity to be Lords and Piers of Parliament and to be endowed with faire Estates and Revenewes annexed as adjuncts unto Bishopricks in this Kingdome to wit to be Lords and Peers of Parliament and to possesse and enjoy Lands and Tenements of value correspondent which are called Temporalities c. These are ex gratiâ Principis et Reipublica So as of the first and the last there is no controversie or doubt as I take it And therefore the first being ex Iure divino may not be abolished out of the Church it being de esse of the essence of the Church and the last being ex Iure humano and de bene esse of accommodation may be corrected restrained and limited in such Moderation as shall by Superiours be found and adjudged most meet and convenient for the welfare of the Church and Common-weale of England Num. 26 But the Controversie is I thinke onely concerning the second particular Episcopacy not de jure humano whether it be de Iure divino or humano of Christs Institution Invention and if it be divine or of mans whether it was conferred upon all the then Clergie equally or to some conjunctim or divisim as Superiour over the rest I assume in the first place that this office is not de Iure humano Reasons of mans ordination for these two Reasons The one because this office was in the Church long before Emperours and Princes became Christians so as the Temporal power could not be the Parent or Founder of this office in the Church but when the Emperour Const intine became Christian he indeed advanced Bishops both with honours and Revenewes and so other good Emperours and Christian Kings
things and with had things too as the best nun are For Angels are either totally good without any mixture of finne as are the blessed Cherubins and Seraphins and other heavenly Spirits or else totally deformed and wicked as Diabolicall spirits be The word Angell in this piece of Scripture must needs be borrowed to expresse somegreat men and glorious in those Churches as Kings are for Majestic and power called Gods So Bishops and Superintendants are here called Angels being persons eminent and glorious for Ecclefiasticall honour and piety And as there were in Asia just seyen Churches mentioned so the Angels or Superintendants are reckoned to be onely Seaven one for each Church to whom in particular is directed the Message of the Spirit of God on behalfe of themselves and the Church under each of their Governments like the Message of an Emperour to his severall Princes and Governours of his severall Cities concerning detention of Tribute it is delivered and directed unto the severall Princes and Governours onely but it is for and on the behalfe of them selves and the people under each of their Principalitieis And that there were then indeed Superintendents or Bishops over those Seven Churches of Asia is manifested by Ecclesiasticall History But what is comprised in sacred Scripture is so ample and cleere to this purpose as there is no need of Authorities or proofes out of Historie Howbeit antient and authenticke Ecclesisticall Histories doe declare how that as Citties and Common-ireales were converted to the Faith Bishops were even in the Apostles dayes ordained to be Superintendents over those Citties and Countries of the Apostles and Disciples were ordained Bishops of some of those Seas Eusebiu lib. 2. cap. 1. Anto. Cron. part 1. ccp 8. paragr. 1. as Iames called Brother of our Lord Iesus was immediatly after Christs Ascention ordained by the Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn to be Bishops of Hierusalem where Hee continued thirtie yeares and then suffered Martyrdome Saint Peter was first Bishop of Antioch where hee continued seven yeares and Marke the Evangelist was the first Bishop of Alexandria and as the Churches in severall Provinces encreased so the number of Bishops encreased where they had Successours for many hundred yeares And this Office of Episcopacy bath ever continued in the Catholicke Church hitherto And therefore if Scripture were darke and not cleare in this point yet if there be but a print or shaddow of Episcopacy there seeing the same was immediatly after our Sâ—â—â—â—â—â— Ascention put in practise by the Apostles and hath had penpetuall continuance and Succession in the Church of God ever since the same is a sufficient Exposition of the meaning of Scripture if it were obscure in it but seeing the Scripture is in my opinion cleere in it and continuall Succession hath blest it my judgement is captivated and convinced and my conscience is fully satisfied That this Office Episcopall is exjure divino and that this Episcopall office was sometimes executed by one Bishop alone and sometimes by one Bishop as Supreme Superintendent with others Presbyters as Assistants bearing this mind neverthelesse to be corrected by Superiours and to be informed by more forcible prooses and to be reformed in whatsoever is mistaken professing ingennously than this is not thus presented on any supposall that these Records of Scripture have not beenc already produced it ia truly acknowledged that this point hath bin both long since and also of fate by severall learned Doctors and Divines famous in our Church most solidly and soundly vindicated But seeing old Arguments on the Presbyterian party some in the same old clothes and some with new apparell have beene of late revived and come abroad without any notice taken of the cleere Defences made on the Episcopall party by the learned in those times I think I may thus petere petita sing an old song too which was never before I thinke thus dressed Sure I am I being no way engaged to either party in particular profit orinterest am the more impartiall being onely swayed with the Power and Evidence I thinke of perfect and unconquerable Truth out of Gods Booke not professing these all the Scripture proofes for it nor that every singular Text here vouched doe cleerely proove the point but hoping that each Text does render somewhat towards it and some and many of them direct and all connexed doe together become I beleeve invincible conjunct vincunt si singula prosint And what I have here presumed is meerely my owne conceptions without addresse to any promptuary or other belpe which is intended not for disputation or controversie but as a Corolarium to my Tract against R. B. for declaratum of mine Opinion backt with Scripture prose which strongly inclines my Heart to cleave with all filiall duty submissive Obedience and humble reverence unto our holy Mother our sacred Church of England long blest with the use and honour of Episcpacy and I trust in God shall ever be to the end of the world And now whiles our Romish Adversaries are according to Divine providence by One or other utterly ejected and convinced let not O let not any unhappy schisme division or fruitlesse Contention distract us at Home the high way to loose all which the great God of Peace by the high merit of our Sacrifice of Peace with sweetest influences of the blest Spirit of Peace prevent in time firmely and strongly binding with the Triple-Cord of Peace Truth unity and Love all our unhappy breaches in a solide and perpetuall Conjunction of Christion Amity in Church and Common-weak Amen Amen FINIS April 22. 1641. Imprimatur THO. WYKES Errata p. stands for page l. stands for line of that page m. stands for margen l. stands for lim of that margen p. 4. m. l. 12. read 230. for 203. m. l. 17. read 276. for 297. p. 5. l. 3. read beretofore for therefore p. 17. l. 17. read conscerators for consecration m. l. 14. read 1605. for 1604. p. 23. l. 15. read most for must l. 24. read place it l. 28. read apply it p. 29. l. 17. read power is p. 30. l. 4. blot out to wit to be Lords and Piers of Parliament and to possesse and enjoy lands and tenements of value correspondent l. 20. read conjunction divisim p. 32. m. l. 7. read and 10. unto 8. l. 10. read Luke 9. 1. to 10. p. 33. m. l. 13. read Act. 6. 1. to 7. l. 34. put in the margen 1 Tim 1. 20. Tim. 4. 14. Mat. 14.20 Marc. 12.42 Mat. 3.10 Sec ndum Vulgatem translationem Rom 9.1 1 Cor. 11.31 Gal. 1 20.1 Tim. 2.7 1 Tim. 4.1.2 Article 23. R. B. pa. 206. Article 36. R. B. pa 346. Pag. 209. 210. Pag. 346. Pag 347. (a) Coneil Parisi 3 bin Tom. 2. pag. 207. col 2. nu 8 B. Synod 7. Act. 8. can. 3. Bin Tom. 3 part 1. sect 1 pag. 701. E. F. Synod 8. cap. 22. Bin Tom. 3 part 1 Scot 2 p. 647. col 1.