THE IVDGEMENT OF THE APOSTLES THE IVDGEMENT 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 39. Articles of their Religion By an old student in Diuinitie MORIENS REVIVISCO AT DOWAY By the widdow of MARK WYON at the signe of the golden Phoenix M.DC.XXXII TO HER MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTY MARIE BY THE GRACE OF GOD QVEENE OF GREAT BRITTANY FRANCE AND IRELAND ALL dignities Most Gratious Queene haue assembled themselues in your Maiestie striuing as it were to make you Great and Glorious Whether we respect that great Monarchie of Fraunce whose Iewell darling you are or that great Monarch HENRY the fourth your noble Father surnamed GREAT for his MARTIALL CHIVALRIE or your Most Illustrious Mother descended of the howse of the great Duke of Florence or your most Christian brother King of Fraunce surnamed IVSTE or your noble Sisters the one married to the great and CATHOLIKE King of Spaine the other to the potent and warlike Duke of Sauoye And although your Maiestie may seeme to haue left all these dignities in leauing Fraunce transporting your selfe to InglaÌ„d Yet they follow you as inseparable attendants on your royall vertues yea now there is a new dignitie accrewed vnto your Maiestie greater then all the rest to wit Your mariage with our great King CHARLES his great Crowne and Kingdome because by your former dignities you were only daughter and Sister to Kings and Queenes by this you art a greate Queene and Spouse to the mighty Prince and greate King of the great Brittanie and by him you haue all the greatnesse also which the Royall bloud of him and his Ancestours can adde vnto yours I may adde to all this another thing which doth agrandize your greatnesse more theÌ„ all the rest to wit your Maiesties Constancie in ReligioÌ„ amidst so many diuers sectes of heresie your zeale towards the Catholike cause your compassion of your Catholike Subiectes for whom you are often suppliant to our noble Souueraigne in all their distresses lastlie your manie pretious and rare indowmentes of nature grace for which our noble King loueth you dearely your subiectes admire you and God hath blessed you with a Royall and hopefull issue When I cast mine eyes on the resplendent beames lustre of this your Greatnesse I confesse I was daunted and feared to approach to so Great maiestie especiallie with so litle a present as I had prepared to wit this litle pamphlet rudelie compiled and in respect of it selfe and the Authour nothing beseeming because nothing proportionate to your greatnesse But because great Princes who cannot be Higher or greater in Temporall dignitie disdaine not yea take pleasure to bowe euen to their lowest Subiectes and doe willinglie accept of their loyall duties and respectes be they expressed by neuer so litle presentes I aduentured presuming on your Maiesties great and gratious Goodnesse to dedicate this my booke vnto your Royall Maiestie my selfe and humble seruice with it hoping that although in other respectes it be too litle a present for so great a Queene yet in that it containeth the Iudgement of the great Apostles and Apostolicall Doctours of the first age after Christ concerning the Protestant Religion conteined in the articles authorized by Parlament it will not be slighted nor lightlie esteemed by your most Excellent Maiestie It will rather confirme and comfort your Maiestie in the Catholike faith when by this booke you shall perceaue that you professe the same religion which the Apostles and Apostolicall Doctours preached and deliuered which S. PETER taught in our countrie which S. IOSEPH of Arimathie who buried CHRIST and was at his mothers death and Assumption taught and practised at Glastenburie where he and his companions fixed their aboade and passed their life in fastinges watchinges and prayers as our Annalles doe testifie Which not onelie the noble Kings of France from CLODOVEVS the first Christian King to King LEWIS the IVST who now raigneth imbraced but also our first Christian King LVCIVS receiued from that holy Pope ELEVTHERIVS who sent him not onely preachers to instruct him and his people but also as our Annales recorde vnto vs sent vnto him an hallowed crowne and extended the limits of his Kingdome to Norwaye and Denmarke Which faith all our first Christian Kinges who were also Saintes mantained by sword and Scepter as Sainct LVCIVS our first Christian King S. LVCIVS or LVCIAN Apostle to the BAVARIANS S. CONSTANTINE Emperour amongst the Grecians S. CONSTANTINE King S. THEODRICKE the two SS ETHELBERTES the two SS ETHELDREDS S. GVNDLEVS S. OSWALD S. OSWIN S. SEBBE S. CEADWALL S. INAS S. SIGEBERT S. RICHARD the twoe SS ALFREDS S. CEOLNVLPHE S. FREMVND S. KENELME S. ETHELNVPH SS EDGAR S. EDMVND the two S. EDWARDS and S. MALCOLME and their holie Queenes also imbraced as S. HELEN Queene and Emperesse mother to CONSTANTINE the great S. AVDRIE or ETHELDRED S. CHINNEBVRGE S. EANFLED S. ERMEMBVRGE S. ETHELBVRG S. ERMVILD S. HERESWIDE S. BVTHILDIS S. SEXBVRGE S. WILFRED S. EADGITH S. ALGVIE S. AGATHE S. MARGARET S. MAVDE To which I willinglie adde our holie Queene S. BERTH as whom your Maiestie so much representeth and resembleth She was daughter to a King of France so is your Maiestie She was married to King ETHELBERT who then was of a contrarie religion to her so is your Maiestie despoused to our King CHARLES the GREAT different as yet from your Maiestie in Religion She was allowed a Bishop and others to be about hee who were of her religion so is your Maiestie She by her prayers and good examples together with some religious preachers sent by S. GREGORIE the great procured the conuersion of her HVSBAND and his people vnto the Christian and Catholike faith and religion so we hope that your Maiestie shall by your holie prayers and examples for which our soueraigne loueth you dearely be a cause of his conuersion to the Catholique Faith at least we hope your Maiestie shall worke in him such a liking of the Catholike Faith that he shall neuer permitte that faith to be persecuted for the defence whereof against Luther King HENRY the eight his great vncle was the first who by Pope LEO the Tenthe was Honoured with the glorious title of DEFENDOVR OF THE FAITH which with the crowne and Kingdome is lineâ—llie defcended vnto his Maiestie Certes his morall life free from all note of vice in which he yeeldeth to no Christian Pâ—ince in Europe seemeth to promise noe lesse This our Kingdome most noble Queene is stiled in auncient histories THE DOWRIE OF MARIE the mother of God Which perchauÌ„ce is the cause why it hath beene so fortunate in Queene MARIES as in Queene MARIES as in Queene MARIE who restored the Catholike Religion after the death of her brother King EDWARD the sixt and in Queene MARIE our Souueraignes grand-mother who sanctified our Land with her bloud shed
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
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
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
onely in our Concil in cen 1. cen 1. can â— Concil Antioch c. 20 Ignat. epist Polycarp most auncient Popes and writers as Sainct Anacletus before but in first and generall Councels themselues Sainct Ignatius testifieth it was the order in his time and giueth that order that such councels should be often kept Crebrius celebrentur conuentus synodique And euident it is by all antiquities that many such Councels and Synods were kept longe before and when and where there was not any Christian Prince or King to giue his will commaund or consent vnto them Diuers such are yet extant Tertullian lyuing long before any such Christian King was either in Britaine which had the first or els where is an ample witnesse that in diuers places and from all Churches councels were assembled about affaires in religion and with greate reuerence and such as represented all Tertullian aduers Psychicos cap. 13. that were Christians Aguntur praecepta per Graecias illas certisin locis concilia ex vniuersis Ecclesijs per quae altiora quaeque in communa tractantur ipsa represent atio totius nominis Christiani magna veneratione celebratur And if wee should follow the will and Rule of Protestants to accompt them generall Conc. Arelat to 1. Conc. in Subscript Io. Bal. l. de Scriptor Brit. cent 1. Stowe hist Romans Godwine conuers of Britaine Concil Sunessan to 1. Concil in 3. examp Act. antiq S. Marcellin Robert Barnesse l. de vit Pontif. Rom. in Marcellin councels where the most Bishops and from most prouinces in greatest number be assembled wee may relate for such the Councels of Arles where our Archbishop of LoÌ„don Rectitutes was present gathered forth of aboue 30. Kingdomes and contries and that of Sunessanum hauing 300. Bishops present at it in such time when the King of the Contry and Emperour of the world Diocletian reigned and raged the greatest persecutour of Christians that euer was they assembled themselues against his will and to keepe their meetinge vnknowne to him kept their couÌ„cell in a secret Caue of the earth and thither entered not aboue 50. at one time it not able to receaue more together at one meetinge these things thus agreed vpon both by Catholike and Protestant antiquaries must needs make vs all Catholiks in this point As also to see the first Christian Kings and Emperours so to haue behaued themselues in this matter as Catholiks now professe Britaine was made happy with the first Christian King holy S. King Lucius who neuer tooke vpon him any such pretended spirituall power but so much honoured that true power in the Pope of Rome that by all antiquities he sent humble Ambassadge and suppliant letters to the then Pope S. Eleutherius to haue his Kingdome conuerted and Christian Religion setled here by his meanes and authority and by him and his holy legates all such busines was here established ratified confirmed all historians forreine domesticall Catholike and ProtestaÌ„t so consenting Philipp was the first Christian Emperour though a short time he was so farre from arregating any such power to him selfe or denying it to the Pope of Rome that as Eusebius and others testifie he did publike pennance euen among the common penitents at the Popes enioyning it vnto him De Philippo fertur quod cum Euseb Eccl. hist l 6 ca. 3â— Nicephoras Callist l 5. ca. 25. Christianus esset in die qua vltimae Paschatis vigiliae seruabantur in precationibus multitudini Ecclesiasticae tanquam consors coniungi vellet ab eo qui tum Ecclesiae praeerat admissum non esse nisi primum consiteretur ijs se qui propter peccata inquirebantur in poenitentiae loco constituti erant coniugeret Alioqui nisi hoc faceret nonfore ipsum admiitendum propterea quòd in multis culpabilis esset fertur itaque promptè obediuisse sincerumque ac religio sum animum erga Deum ipsis operibus declarasse This Pope as Nicephorus with others writeth was Sainct Fabian which so commaundeth the first Christian Emperour and hee Christianly and dutifully obeyed him When the first Nicen Councell against Arius which is commonly reputed for the first generall Councell was called That greate glory of this Kingdome borne here Constantine the greate was Emperour and although he was the greatest benefactour to the Church of God founder and dilatour of the honour and renowne thereof that enioyed the Empire and hauing onely in his power then to permit so greate assemblies of learned and holy Christians Bishops as were present there yet as Eusebius then liuing Euseb lib. 3. de vit Constantini cap. 6. writeth he called not the Bishops together by his commaunde as this article giueth to Kings but wrote honorable letters vnto them to such purpose per literas honorificè scriptas And as Ruffinus a Ruffin lib. 1. hist cap. 1. man also of that time expoundeth those proceedings vnto vs this was as the Bishops willed and directed ex Sacerdoâ—um sententia apud vrbem Nicanam Episcopale cuncilium conuocat And S. Damasus Damasus in vit Syluestri Papae an other old writer of the liues of the Popes saith expressely it was called by the consent of Sainct Syluester then Pope of Rome Huius temporibus factum est concilium cum eius consensu in Nicea Bithiniae Besides it is euident in the authenticall subscription Subscript in Concil Nicaeno in fine Euseb l. 3. 4. de vit Constantini to that holy Councell that diuers Bishops were present and subscribed vnto it out of Persia and other Kingdomes and contries where Constantine had no temporall commaund or dominion and they which so then ruled in them were not Christians at that time So hath Eusebius others when they say that assembly was froÌ„ all Churches in Europe Afrike and Asia ex omnibus Ecclesijs quae frequentes in tota Europa Africa Asia extiterunt And name diuers in particular where Constantine Euseb l. 3. de vit Constantini cap. 7. Socrates Ecclesiastic hist l. 1. c. 5. Sozomen hist l. 2. c. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12 13. 14. had then no power by his owne relation giuing still the most he could to that Emperour in all respects This is euident also by the exceeding greate desire which all good Bishops in all places then had to assemble in such a councell which could not be done at that time persecution scarcely yet ceased by inferiour rulers and the Bishops in greate pouerty and distresse by their late persecution without the temporall helpe and allowance of the Emperour which being had as Eusebius and others write came together with greatest alacrity and ioye as men newly set at liberty out of prison Vbi edictum in quaque prouincia diuulgatum crat omnes Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant cap. 6. summa cum animorum alacritate tanquam è carceribus ad cur sum emissi properè aduolarunt This is
proued by the greate temporall prouision of Horses other beasts and instruments of carriage in care peragenda multum attulit subsidij authoritas Imperatoris ac nutus qui nonnullis fecit potestatem equis publicè ad iter celeriter conficiendum dispositis vtendi alijs permagnum iumentorum instratorum quibus vcherentur numerum suppeditauit This is manifest by his prouision of the place of their assembly with Seats dyet all necessaries in his owne palace and he himselfe would not set downe vnlesse entreated or vrged by the Bishops Non priùs sedit Ecseb sup ca. 10. Socrates l. 2. hist cap. 5. quam Episcopi ad id innuissent And to put it out of all contradiction or question that he onely vsed his temporall power in this busines referring all spirirituall things to the Bishops and nothing of that nature to himselfe he did in open councell protest and confesse that they had power from God to Iudge of Kings and Emperours and these no such power at all ouer Bishops None but God could Iudge them They by God were constituted as Gods ouer men no man could bee their Iudge Ait ad Episcopos Deus vos constituit Ruffin lib. 1. histor cap. 2. Sozomen hist Eccl. l. 1. cap. 16. Sacerdotes potestatem vobis dedit de nobis quoque iudicandi ideo nos à vobis rectè iudicamur Vos autem non potestis ab omnibus iudicari Propter quod Dei so lius inter vos expectate iudicium Vos nobis à Deo dati estis dij conueniens non est vt homo iudicet Deos sed ille solus de quo scriptum est Deus stetit in Synagoga deorum in medio autem Deos discernit Mihi non est fas cum homo sim eiusmodi causarum cognitiâ—nem arrogare Theodorit saith that he would not Theodorit l. 1. hist Eccl. cap. 7. sit downe vntill he had first asked and obtained leaue of the Bishops Paruo in soliolo posito assedit praefatus veniam prius petita concessione ab Episcopis Hee did not intermeddle in defining or deecreing Ruffin hist Eccl. l. 1. ca 5. Sozom. hâ—st Eccl. l. 1. c. 19. the Canons of that councell but left that to the holy Bishops And when they had giuen their sentence and subscribed vnto it being brought to the Emperour he reuerenced it as the sentence of God protesting to bannish whosoeuer should oppose against it as contradicting the decrees of God Defertur ad Constantinum Sacerdotalis concilij sententia Ille tanquam à Deo prolatam veneratur Cui si quis tentasset obniti velut contra diuina statuta venientem in exilium se protestatur acturum Which he performed to Arius and 6. others all the rest subscribing Sex soli cum Ario se patiuntur expâ—lli reliqui Epist Const apud Euseb l. 3. de vita c. 16. 17. 18. Socrat. lib 1. c. 6 hist Theodor. hist lib. 1. cap. 10. Constant ep ad Ecclesias de Nic. Synodo apud Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant ca. 16. alios vndecim consilio inter se habito acquicscunt ad subscribendum manu sola non mente So he himselfe writeth in diuers epistles recorded by Eusebius Socrates Theodorit and others neuer taking vpon him to be a Iudge or commaunder in or ouer Ecclesiasticall men and matters But wholly leauing such affaires to the councell of Bishops protesting that in such times of controuersies as that was vnity of faith sincere charity and true worship in Religion could not be preserued except either all or the greatest part of the Bishops should assemble together and euery of them giue his Iudgment in things belonging to most holy Religion Vt in Sanctissima Catholicae Ecclesiae multitudine vna fides sincera charitas consentiens erga Deum omnipotentem religionis cultus seruaretur Istud haud poterat in loco tuto firmoque collocari nisi vel omnes Episcopi vel maxima eorum pars in vnum conuenisset singulique sâ—â—â— iudicium de rebus ad sacratissimam Religionem pertiâ—entibus interposuissent And by this it also appeareth to whom the title right and authoritatiue power of callinge councels euen generall which concerne the whole Catholike Church of Christ belongeth To no temporall King Emperour or Prince as is manifest before and in it selfe euident when hitherto no such man had or claimed any power spirituall or temporall in or ouer those contries and Kingdomes from which came to many coÌ„fessed generall councels hundreds of Bishops and so wee should deny there euer was any one lawfull generall councell when all agree there haue beene 20. or more and our Protestant of England by publike Parlaments Canons statutes decrees and practise haue receaued many for such And so the Church of God hath euer from Christ beene destitute of this Soueraigne helpe and so is now and euer like to be in that desolate condition in hauing no remedy to end the Controuersies which now be and hereafter are to growe to the end of the world For it is rashe and madde lyeing foolinesse to affirme or coniecture that there either now is or euer shall be such an vniuersally ouerruling temporall Prince in the world No spirituall Patriarke or potentate of Antioche Alexandria Hierusalem or Constantinople euer claymed this prerogatiue and if they had it could not possibly be their due Constantinople was not builded when this first generall Councell was kept and the Patriarkes of them all haue beene either quite ouerthrowne or very obscure and wanting all meanes and power diuers hundreds of yeares when many confesseâ— generall Councels haue beene called and assembled Mutuall assent without a Superiours commaunding ability is by experience vnpossible aâ— ordinary or equall Bishop or Bishops could not do it hauing no iurisdiction the one ouer the other par in parem non habet authoritatem much lesse oueâ— Superiours whose presence is more and most requisite and needfull in such cases places and times Therefore wee must of necessity coÌ„fesse this power to be the peculiar right of the onely Popes of Româ— for the times beeing They in these and such controuersies from the dayes of the Apostles and by their order and allowance both claymed and practized and so wee after so many hundreds of yeares in times of Controuersie and contention may not deny it especially when denying it wee shall deny all hope and meanes to decide and end the most daungerous debates in Religion Pope Iulius in his epistle to Bishops assembled at Antioche a patriarchall See claymeth that Councels could not be called without the Pope of Rome that the Eccleasticall Canon was so and decrees otherwise made were voyde Canon Ecclesiasticus vetat ne decreta Iulius Pap. ep ad Episcopos Antiochiae Socrates hist Eccl. l 2. c. 13. Sozomen hist Eccl. l. 2. cap. 9. absque sententia Episcopi Romani Ecclesijs sanciantur Legem esse ad Sacerdotij dignitatem spectaâ—tem quae pronunciat
preces verbi eius ab ipso profecti grâ—â—iâ— actae sunt alimoniam incarnati illius Iesu carnem â—â— sangiuem esse edocti sumus And besides tradition and the coÌ„mon custome doctrine of the Church he doth interprete the Euangelists before cited iâ— this manner that Christ so instituted and commaunded and this in his very next words Nâ— Apostoli in commentarijs à se scriptis quae Euangâ—â— vocantur ita tradiderunt praecepisse sibi Iesum â—â— enim panc accepto gratias egisset hoc facite in â—â— recordationem HOC EST CORPVS MEVM 〈◊〉 similiter accepto gratijs actis dixisse HIC â—â— SANGVIS MEVS And most plainely Panem Câ—â—stus Iustin dial cum Triph. post med in quaest agent propos quaest 44. conficiendum tradidit vt Corpus eum factum â—â— recordaremur And Dominica caro conscientiam â—â— rum qui ipsam edunt ab omni scelere expiat S. Iâ—â—naeus also by our old brittish manuscript be◠〈◊〉 Bishop by S. Clement in this first age Beaâ—â—â— Ireâ—aeum Episcopum Beatus Clemens ordinauit â—â—â—ueth that none but such Infidels or heretiks as denyed Christ to be the sonne of God and so not Irenaeus contra haees lib. 4. cap. 34. omnipotent did or could deny this transubstantiation or chaunge of breade and wine into his bodie and blood by his powerfull words in consecration Quomodo constabit eis eum panem in quo gratiae actae sâ—â—t Corpus esse Domini sui calicem sanguinis eius â—â— non ipsum fabricatoris mundi silium dicâ—nt id est verbum eius per quod lignum fructificat defluunt â—â—â—tes terra dat primum quidem foenum post deinde spiâ—am deinde plenum triticum in spica I haue cited S. Denys the Areopagite to this This holy faith euer in Britaine purpose before And shewed also for Britayne that it had and vsed the Masse of S. Marke as their old maniscript proueth where this doctrine and practise is recorded And S. Peter preaching here his Masse brought into these parts both by his and S. Paules Disciples as I haue proued with this vse and doctrine Britaine could not be ignorant thereof And I haue cited euen from Protestant Antiquaries that our first Christian Britans both worshipped and prayed vnto Christ present in this most holie sacrament when it was shewed vnto them or they receaued it at Masse And our Protestants of England of cheife note among them with greatest applause and approbation do deduce this Catholike doctrine and practise in the Church Protest of Engl. apud Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 32. Peâ—kâ—â—s probl pâ—g 15â— 154. of Christ from this first age and in this manner Wâ—e reade in Ignatius this phrase offere and Sacrificium immolare to offer and immolate Sacrifice and like phrases in Irenaeus Tertullian and Martialis who mentioneth also Altares The auntients when they speake of the supper haue many formes of speach which sheâ— a conuersion Ambrose vseth the name of conuersion â—â—d the name of mutation Cyprian saith it is chaunged 〈◊〉 in shape but in nature Origen saith that breade is made the bodie by prayer Gaudentius saith Christs bodie is made of bread and his blood of wyne Eusebius Emissenus saith that the Preist by secrete power doth chaunge the visible creatures into the substance of Christs bâ—die and blood and that the breade doth passe into the nature of our Lords bodie So they deduce it to lower times wherein they all confesse the doctrine of transubstantiation to haue beene generally taught and professed And with speciall warrant and allowance of King Iames as they themselues testifie they publikly iustifie that it was Religio Regis the Religion Casanbon respon ad Câ—â—dinal peron pag. 50. 51. D. Androwes Prot. Bish. of Ely Midleton Papiston p. 106. Copell def of hooker pag. 276. Feild of the Church pag. 150. Couell def pag. 87. Couell modest examinat pag. 105. of the King and Kingdome that it is Christs bodie the same obiect and thing which the Romane Church beleeueth others with publick allowance also write though breadâ— by nature bee but a prophane and coÌ„mon element yet by grace it pleaseth the Lord to make it his bodie The omnipotencie of Christ maketh it his bodie The primatiue Church thought the fructified and consecrated Elements to be the bodie of Christ To their persoâ—s Preists God imparted power ouer his misticall 〈◊〉 which is societie of soules and ouer that naturall whâ—â—â— is himselfe for the knitting of both in one a worke whicâ— antiquitie doth call the making of Christs body The power of the ministry by blessing visible Elements â—â— maketh the inuisible grace It giueth daily the holie ghoâ—â— It hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for tâ—â— life of the worlde and that blood which was powred â—â— to redeeme soules In their most warranted publick communion booke in the ministration of this saâ—â—â—â—ent after their manner they deliuer Christs institution thereof in such significant manner of transubstantiation or chaunge that they must needs thereby graunte and affirme it or deny him to haue spoken truely but to haue told an vntruth â— thing most blasphemous and vnpossible thus they sette it downe as Catholiks do at Masse Iesus Protest commun booke Tit. communion Christ who in the night he was betrayed tooke breade and when he had giuen thankes he breake it and gaue it to his disciples saying take eate this is â—y bodie which is giuen for you do this in remembrance of mee Likewise after supper he tooke the cuppe and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it to them saying drinke yee all of this this is my bloode of the new testament which is shedde for you for many for remissioÌ„ of sâ—â—s do this as oft as yee shall drinke it in remembrance of meâ— Here Christ omnipotent that cannot speake any vntruth expressely testifieth it was breade and wyne before and by his words his bodie which was giuen and blood shedd for vs. Therefore such transubstantiation and chaunge as Catholiks hold And this these Protestans confirme in their distribution of this Sacrament to communicants assuring euery communicant as Catholike Preists do and in the very same words that it iâ— the bodie of Christ which they giue to them and so of his blood in expresse termes which should be most true if they were true Preists as the others be And that no testimonie might be wanting to this Catholike truth by Protestants allowance they haue both published approued with greate Francisc Staucar in praefat ad Peâ—r Gallatin warrant the sentence and opinion of the old Rabbines before Christ of this mistery and thus confesse of them They are more playne and pregnant for Prot. Bafilien in editione eiusd Thom. Marton appeale pag. 396. 395. transubstantiation then are the sayeings of the transubstantiators themselues They make so directly for transubstantiation that the most Romish Doctours for the space of all
the testimonie of S. Clement confirmed Anaclet ep decret Ruffin interpr epist Clem. Leo 2. ep decret Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. Flor. wigorn chronic in Clem. Mart. Polon Supputat col 33. in Lino Robert Barnes l. de vit Pont. in Lino Anacleto Anaclet ep decretal 3. Barn sup in Anaclet Omerd pict Pap. pag. 78. by S. Anacletus then liuing Ruffinus Marrianus Martinus Florentius wigorniensis Pope Leo the seconde and many others both Catholike and Protestant writers S. Anacletus made Preist by S. Peter and by him instructed euen as our Protestants confesse did teach that Christ gaue to the Church of Rome primacy ouer all Churches and all Christian people neither King nor Caesar exempted Anacletus ab ipso Domino primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersamque Christiani nominis populum concessum esse asseruit Thus our Protestants and S. Anacletus is more playne that this supreamacie of the Roman Church was not giuen vnto it by the Apostles but Christ himselfe Haec sacrosancta Romana Apostolica Ecclesia non ab Apostolis sed ab ipso Domino Saluatore nostro primatum obtinuit eminentiam potestatis super vniuersas Ecclesias ac totum Christiani populi gregem assecuta est And both Christ commaunded and his Apostles decreed that great and difficult questions should be referred to the Apostolike Romane see to be decided and that Anacl epist 1. Christ builded his whole Church vpon it Apostoli hoc statuerunt iussu Saluatoris vt maiores difficiliores quaestiones semper ad sedem deferantur Apostolicam super quam Christus vniuersam construxit Ecclesiam So haue also S. Euaristus and S. Alexander Euarist ep 1. Alex. ep 1. who liued in this first age Relatum est ad huius sanctae Apostolicae sedis apicem cui summarum dispositiones causarum omnia negotia Ecclesiarum ab ipso Domino tradita sunt quasi ad caput Our Protestants Sutcliffe subu pag. 57. Iren. l. 3. c. 3. also acknowledge thus Irenaeus saith that euerie Church ought to haue respect to the Church of Rome for her eminent principalitie But S. Irenaeus is more cleare in this manner ad hanc Romanam Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necessè est omnem conuenire Ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles There is a necessitie that euerie Church and all faithfull Christians wheresoeuer should acknowledge the more powerable principalitie of the Romane Church No King contrie or nation is exempted from but all are included in this necessitie of being vnder the Iurisdiction of the Church of Rome And particularly for this Kingdome of England which singularly this Article would thus depriue of that honour and happines from being in the folde vnder the chardge of the vicar and highest pastour and shephard of Christ one earth To begin with a Protestant Bishops censure in Godwyn conuers of Britayne pag. 6. these words we should accompt it a great glorie to deriue the pedigree of our spirituall linage from so noble and excellent a father as S. Peter And yet both Greeke and Latin domesticall and forreyne Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries do thus deriue and proue it Petrus venit in Britanniam quo in loco Sim. Metaphrast die 19. Iunij Euseb antiq graec apud eund ib. Sur. eod die Andr. Chesu l. 3. histor Angl. Bucley pag. 171. Cambden in Britan. Sutcliffe Subu pag. 3. Prot. Archb. whitg answ to admo pag. 65. sect 1. def of the answeare pag. 318 Marc. Anton. de Dom. de reb chr l. 4. c. 10. cum longo temporefuisset moratus apud Britannos verbo gratiae multos illuminauit Ecclesias constituit Episcoposque Presbyteros Diaconos ordinauit S. Peter came into Britayne and staying there longe time did illuminate many with the word of grace and founded Churches and ordered Bishops Preists and Deacons Which more Protestant Doctours and Bishops euen Archbishops with them thus confirme Peter preached in no place but he there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded Churches The Apostle Peter did in euerie prouince appoynt one Archbishop whome all other Bishops of the same prouince should obey Est caput Roma quatenus ab ea diffusum est Euangelium in reliquas totius occidentis Ecclesias Rome is the heade in respect that from it the ghospell was diffused into the rest of the Churches of the west and into many of the east and into barbarous nations out of the Romane Empire Et in multas orientis atque in harbaras extra Romanum Imperium nationes Diuers of the holie Bishops and Apostolike Doroth. l de 72. discip in Aristob Arnol merm Theatr. conu gent. Antiq. Ecel Tullen Gul. Eisengr cent 1. Petr. de Natal l. 11. Pantal. de vir Ibl. part 1. Stumph l. 7. de Sanctib Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Tho. Rogers Anal. in Prot. Articl ar 36. whitg supr Clem. Sup. ep 1. Arnol. mirm sup Antonin hist part 1. will harrison descript Brit. pag. 23. Harris Theatr. l. 1. Girald Cambr. l. 2. de Iure Metrop Eccl. Meneu ad Innocent 3. Mat. Parker Antiq Britan. pag. 24. Io. Pris defens hist Britan. pag. 73. Nennius hist manuscript Preists which S. Peter consecrated for this Kingdome are remembred both by Catholike and Protestant Historians S. Aristobulus S. Mansuetus S. Beatus and his holie companion not named in Antiquities Our Protestants make S. Aristobulus Archbishop here Britayne Aristobulus and by their Rule before The Apostle Peter did in euerie prouince appoynt one Archbishop he must needs be ordeined Archbishop by S. Peter S. Clement hath sufficiently proued before that he sent Bishops hither saying he sent to the other nations of the west ad reliquas gentes besides Italy Spayne Fraunce and Germany And both Catholiks and Protestants from antiquities affirme that he sent to vs S. Nicasius who instructed the Britons Britones instruxit formauitque fide S. Nicasius à S. Clemente delegatus These Britans must needs be those of this Kingdome they of little Britayne in Fraunce came not thither vntill aboue 200. yeares after S. Clement and S. Nicasius time Both Brittish and English Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries affirme that the diuision of Primates or Patriarkes Metropolitans and others with their seuerall Iurisdictions from the see of Rome being as he ackdowledgeth the decree of his predecessour S. Clement and the Apostles also was receaued in this Kingdome of Britayne as it comprehendeth England wales and Scotland Nennius our old brittish historian in his manuscript antiquities affirmeth that his Successour Pope and S. Euaristus sent legates to our Brittish King to receaue the faith of Christ Missa legatione à Papa Romano Euaristo Who yet saith the generall conuersion was not vntill the yeare of Christ 197. Albertus Krantius well acquainted with our Brittish antiquities writeth the like of S. and Pope Io. Caius Antiq. Cantabrig l. 1. Alber. Krantzius