thâ Iohn 21. these Saint Peter answered Yea Lord. Theâ our Sauiour repâied twice Pasce agnos meoâ Feede my lambes And at S. Peters third answeâ to the same demand he added pâsce oues meâ feede my sheepe And to his Apostles he said Bonus Pastor animam suam dat pro ouibus suis à goâ Iohn 10. Pastor giueth his life for his sheepe And Maioreâ hac dilectionem nemo habet quam vt animaâ Iohn 15. suam ponat quis pro amicis suis Greater loue thâ this no man âath that a man yeald his life for hâ friends 9. This Pastorall office and dignitie was euer accompted so perfect and excellent that in all times euen out of danger it was esteemed among the best Religious a perfection and honour for any with them to be preferred to Episcopall or such pastorall charge of soules Therefore the highest Consistorie to wit the Court of Rome hath most iustly and publickly declared the renowned Priests of England to be Ordinis Apostolici Of the most perfect and excellent Apostolicke order And as theire Order is the same with the Apostles so they doe deduce their neuer yet interrupted Frane Godw. Pref. to the Catal. of Bish. conuers of Brit. pa. 6. succâsâion therein euen from the highest and chiefest Apostle Saint Peter himselfe from whom so to deriue it to speake in publicke Protestant words VVe should accompt it a great glorie to our Nation to deriue the pedegree of our spirituall linage froÌ so noble and excellent a father as S. Peter For both Greeke Latine AuncieÌt Later Catholike an Protestant writers assure Sim. Metaphr in SS Petr. Paul Antiquit-Graec ib apud Surin Sanct. Petr. Theater of Brit. l. 6. Camden in Brit. Nicâphor apud âââ vs that S. Peter came hither into Britonie Simon Petrus qui fundamenâum esse Ecclesâae desinitus est tanquam pâobaâissimus discipulus c. Simon Peter who like a most approued disciple was declared to be the fâundation of the Church as more powerfull then all the rest was commanded to illuminate the obscurer parts of the world in the west and he could entirely fulfull the command He came into Britonie in which place after he had staid long drawne many people to the faith erected Churches and ordained Bishops Priests and Deacons in the twelfth yeare of the Emperour Nero he returned to Rome againe The best Protestant Antiquaries doe hold this for so vnquestionable a truth in Histories that they crie out against any that should doubt thereof Quid ni crederemus why should Cambdân supra we not beleeuâ 10. Some saie that Saint Philip the Apostle and others would haue it the great Apostle Saint Peter sent S. Ioseph and his Religious companie of Glastenburie hither But S. Peter being alredy proued to be here before their comming and after it might well allowe and approue of their comming and being here but I see not how he did send them hither And as our best Antiquities deliuer they all died without leauing any Successours here vntill Pope Elutherius and King Lucius time But for our Succession of our holy Catholike Clergie Priests it was neuer yet interrupted but continued from S. Peter here vnto this day notwithstanding any howsoeuer outragious tempest of Persecution of whatsoeuer enimies of Christian truth Infidels or Heretikes in great number and constancie by all writers none denying or making doubt thereof And our Protestat Antiquaries themselues doe generally confesse and particularly recompt many Bishops Priests and other Clergie men to haue continued here in euery age both in the Britons and Saxons time without any interruption at all Toâ tantaque Presbyterorum Monachorum Praesulum Episcoporum Ecclesiarum Caenâbiorum Math. Parker Antiquit. Brit. pag. 7. 8. Iohn Gosââ hist. âccles Iohn Ball de scrip Centur. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Godwin Catal. of Bish. in all Sees Sediumque vetusta nomina quae quouis saeculo extiteruÌt So many old names of Priests Monckes Prelats Bishops Churches Monasteries Episcopall Sees which in euery age were extant And vnder the Saxons and English both of Bishops and Priests with their Succession of Bishops vntill the first Parliament of Queene Elizabeth 11. Neither doe our Protestants as latly in publicke Parliament make their Religiâ to which they would violently enforce you any older then that dare almost 80. years old neither can they except leaping backward ouer Queene Maries Raigne they would patch 4. yeares of youÌge King Edwards youÌger Religion vnto it shewe any Edict Decree Statute Parliament or any publicke proposall or command euen by temporall power for any Religion vse or profession therein to which they would pull and driue you but froÌ such younge times and Tutors in Religion That which is true Religion must haue so many hundreds of yeares in age more as then were and now are from Christ and his Apostles daies and other Apostles and Proposers then King Edward and Queene Elizabeth who persecuted and in what they could did suppresse the true old Catholike Apostolike and Christian Religion But in so doing and in whatsoeuer they did or could doe they onely could inuent oâ giue allowance vnto a newe but not a true Religion Therefore if this onely and nothing else were to be saied vnto you or for you in this cause you are secure you suffer for Iustice you are blessed here and by that title shall so perseuerinâ be eternally happie in heauen Bishops Priests Monckes Religious and lay Catholikes not so persecuted may perish but perseuering constantly in persecution for Christ's cause they cannot perish Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter Matth. 5. Iustitiam Blessed are they that suffer persecution for Iustice As the cause confirmâd by Christ himselfe confirmeth Quoniam ipsorum est regnum coelorum Because theirs is the Kingdome of heauen This quoniam because Is more particular vnto you for it is almost proper vnto our Priests and their Predecessours in this holie warre which Christ saied to his Apostles Vos âestimonâum perhibeâitis quia ab initio mecum Iohn 15. estis You sâall giue testimonie because you are with me from the begining It is theirs and their childrens in Christ Vos autem estis qui permansistis mecum in tentationibus meâs You are they that haue Luck 22. remained with me in my temptations It is true of them and all such Catholikes of whom Saint Paul saied to the Romans Fides vestra annuntiatur ââ Rom. 1. in vniuerso mundo Your faith is renowned in the whole world This of your faith and constancie therin and of your obedience and suffrings Vestra obedientiâ in omnem locum diuulgata est Your obedience is published into euery place âd Rom. 16. 12. If Christ will confesse all before his father which is in heauen who doe confesse him before men on eaâth this confession of you that haue beene so long Spectaculum Aspectacle 1. Corint 4. to Angels and men will be
God with men and he will dwâll with them And they shall be âis people and he God with them shall be their âod And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and death shall be no more nor mourning nor crying neitâer shall there be sorrow any more which first things are gone All you shall or can giue or raâher lend for such a recompence of sure Inheritance for euer was giuen you by him that for but lending him the same againe for a time will with so great honour returne you all againe yâa an huÌdred for one Omnis qui reliquerit domuÌ velfraââes aut sorores aut Patrem aut Matrem aut vxoâem aut filios aut agros propter nomen Matth. 19. meum cenââplum acââpiât vitam ââernam possidebit Euâry one that haââ lâft house or bretherne or sisters or father or mother or wife or childrne or âandââ for my sake shâll âeâeiue on hundreâ fold and shall possesâ life euerlasting 3. You that be great and Noble and Noble Cathoââkes be not troubled âor not enioying such ââmpoâall and fading honours in Court or Countrie which your equals or inferiours enâoye not being of your Religion but rather pârsecuting it are exalted or that you haue lost or let any such for this holy cause If there was danger you could not exercise âuch without offence to God or hurting his Sâruants it is your honour and securitie in conscience to want or loose them Qui amat pericuâum in illo peribit Coringrediens duââ ãâã 3. ââas non habebit successâ He that lâueth danger shall peâish in it A âeart that goeth two waâes sâall not haue Successe And God hath prouided better Lâeuâenanciâs and Offices for you in a bettâr kingedome Iudicabunt Nationes domânââuntur ãâã 3. populis regnabit Dominus illorum in perpetuum They shall iudge Nations and haue dominion ouer peoples and their Lord shall reigne for euer Let it be your comfort that neuer had the that if you had enioyed such you would as your holy Religion teacheth you haue performed them to you vttermost power to the honour of God our king and Countrie as they which had and lately loste them did euer most faithfull and dutifull to our king in his commaunds and as readie as any Protestants to doe him all seruice and supplies they could by themselues or other meanes they might or were able to procure and more then diuers Protestants did well approue or commend in them for such duties which all Catholikes without exception generally and vpon all occasions in their degree most readily and willingly performed Let it not be a griefe vnto you that you are driuen out of Parlaments whose chiefest and onely members you with the Catholike Bishops and some priuiledged Abbots were with the kings of England long before any howse of Commonâ was in power Your lawfull and iust refusalâ of an Oathe made and as it was expounded by king Iames by greatest spirituall power vnlawfull to be taken giueth you lawfull excuse from all assent to Acts of persecution England euer was a noble Nation your Auncestors and of vs all that be truely English came by all Antiquities from a most honourable people and progenitors Saint Gregorie the great so called and in great parte our Apostle and Father in Christ compared them not onely for name but endowments of nature vnto Angells and the liues and conuersation of many thousands of your holy Auncesters when England was holy England were Angelicall and you now with other Catholikes made for profession of your faith a spectacle to the world Angells and men shall 1. Cor. 4. be for your rewarde thus perseuering as Angells Matt. 22. of God in heauen sicut Angeli Dei in caelo Your renowned Priests haue giuen you example in the highest degree of perfection in this kinde and cause in forsaking all at once and with his Apostles following Christ with an Ecce reliquimus omnia secuti sumus te Behold we haue Matt. 19. lâfâ all things and haue followed thee So depriued and persecuted onely in England because we are Priests and borne in England Be not afraide to followe such guides with some hazard losse or diminution of your honours esteeme with carnall mindes Ritches and reuenewes for the like cause aÌd for that you are Catholikes of EnglaÌd For others both Priests and Catholikes not of England are otherwise entertained here in England not onely ân times of peace but in times of open hostilitie betweene England and their Countries from whence they are of such by some some Ielousie might be made of English Priests and Catholikes no possible place is left to inuent the least suspition Our Priests haue so long and voluntarily professed pouertie and liued therein that no man of vpright Iudgment can thinke they would disorderly or vniustly seeke for Ritches with hazard of their friends And if his Maiesty should allowe to laie Catholikes which receiue no spirituall good from Protestant Ministers to paie Tithes to others of their Religion this would not be offesiue to God nor hinder but rather further a noble great Nation hauing now more neede of chaste then married of such sorte 5. If we had not preferred our loue of England before all earthly things no doubt but both the Bishop of Calcedon and diuers renowned Priests of England might haue founde farre greater amitie fauour and wordly preferment in other parts then they could euer expect or looke for in their owne Countrie We neuer had hand or singer in these late warrs and contenuons or euer âaue the least occasion of any daunger difficultie or hazard our dearest Countrie is subiect or exposed vnto as diuers publick Proâlamations and other Protestant Relation publish We neuer were of Counsaile or acquaintance with any great Councellour oâ Courtier dead or liuing full at this time oâ any such which as many Protestans or âuritans haue thought did not good offiââs to this kingedome We were and are ãâã to all meÌ or womeÌ Courtiers or others which haue bene suspected to haue furthered the driuing ââ the French Bishop Priests Ladies and others from the Queene and placed theÌselues âââriends for them the beginning of daba ewith France We are as Innocent of the breath with Spaine either Maââiage or peace oâ with any other Prince We haue not disturbed it at âome or abâoad The rebellion of the Netherlanders Hungarians Austrians ãâã Luâatians Sileâians Moranianâ French and whatsoeuer Protestants against their Princes were by Protestants not Catholiks allowing but allwayes condemning them As in England in all oppositions of Parlamentarie Protestants against our king hindering or witholding duties from him euen in his times of needs and wants the Catholiks euer yelded to and most readily performed all allthough by Parlament they were charged with double subsidies without any freedome or release of any penalties for Religion All Priests of the Clergie Bishop and others haue vtterly condemned the deniers
and Gouernment as generally Catholikâ euer haue done and will as they are bound by Religion to doe In the time of young king Edward 6. Cranmar and his Protestant Complices by that young kings will did their vttermost to extinguish and ouerthrowe it Queene Mary and her Catholike RegimeÌt did nothing against it but reuiued preserued and confirmed it In the ProtestaÌt reigne of Q. Elizabeth Statuts were made to auoide or hinder it It was enacted by Protestant Parlament Capitall to acknowledge it Hales an Engâish Protestant companion to the Scotish Knox wrote a booke expressely against the Title of king Iameâ No Protestant answeared confuted or seemed to disalowe it Onely Catholiks Sir Anthonie Browne a Iudge Doctour Morgaâ Doctour of Diuinitie and Doctour Smith of the Ciuill lawe confuted it The death of that glorious Catholike Queene Marie Grandmother to king Charles and true Heire of England was long sought and after contriued concluded and executed by Queene Elizabeth and her Protestants Many worthie Catholicks here for her cause loste their liues lands and what they possessed And all geârally for suspition of fauouring her and king Iames his Title and now of king Charles were much persecuted Yet no Persecution could euer force vs from that dutie to lawfull Princes and their Temporall Titles but we euer performed it though with daunger as we haue and doe our dutie to God and the holy Church No Catholike Clergie man aâ any time impugned it 2. William Bishop of Chaleedon and Richard now his persecured Successor maintained proued and confirmed it So haue all Archpriests Assistants and all in any authoritie among the Clergie either by opinion word or writing And some of vs that yet liue and write I might here catch hold of my owne penne with others haue as expressely plainely and effectuaâly taught and published it as king Charles can desire The Protestant writers of their great publike Theater of greaâ Britanie haue not giuen so great allowance vnto it The Lord Verulam in his historie of king Henrie 7. hath not asscribed too much a good Catholike writer would haue gâuen more vnto it 3. And to puâ all out of doubt or question in this businesse because Pââeâts and Catholikes are charged so much for adhearing to Papall poweâ in this they are assuredly knowne to be the truest Subiects to our king For all Popes actually or virtually in neuer approuing or legittimating Queene Elizabeth haue ratified and confirmed the iust Right of Scotland in thâs kingedome and Ireland And nothing can be saide to be more authentically approuâd and confirmed by Popes authoritie then Pope Innocentius 8. by his Papall Bull as our Protestants confesse and relate Bulla Innocentij S. in ââtrim Henrici Regiâ Ang. 7. Maâââ Parker Antiquit. Brit. in ââ Merit it confirmed both the marriadge of king Henry 7. with Elizabeth daughter and heire to king Edward 4. and his most lawfull and Iust ãâã to the Crowne of England By all Titles and Rights by Right of Inheritance right of warre right of marriage right of ElectioÌ and right of Parlament by hiâ Pontisicall power Paââ ad confirmandum illud legitimum diuinitusque conciliatum ac ad pacem tranquillitatem Anglorum maximè necessarium Matrimoniuâ suis Bullis opus esse putauit quia quarto cognationis gradu coniuncti nuptias contraxerunt In quibus etiam nè authoritate carere videretur regnum acquisitum RegeÌ confirmauit illudque iure hareditario Iure belli iure coniugali Iure elecââonis Iure Senatus seu Parliamenti Anglicani necnon Iure Pontificio atque suo ad Henritum Regem septimum eiusque Haredes in perpeââââ spectare debere pronuntiauit The Pope thoughâ iâ needefull by his Bulls to confirme that godly reconciled Marriage most nâââssarie for the peace and tranquillitie of English men for that they âad married in the sowerth degree In which also least it may seeme to want authoritie âe coâfirmed the obtained kingdome on the king and declared it to appertaine perpetually to king Henrie the 7. and his heires by âââeditarie right by right of warre by right of Marriage by righâ of election by right of the Counâell oâ Engliââ Parlament by Pontificall and his owne right This is so constringent and bindâng an obligation of all English Catholikes attributing so much to Papall powâr and Iuâiâdiction as Protestants saie we doe euer to performe all temporall dutie and obedience to our king Charles the vndoubted true lawfull Heâre of that so established king Heryââ to him and his heires for euer that no Catholike man allowing of Papall authoritie can euer be iustly suspected of disobedieÌce or vndutifulnesse to our Soueraigne And all the Protestants of ângland in their Religion cannot produce such a bonde testimonie or warrant foâ their like fidelitie 4. Therefore being thus clearely and manifestly made knowne and euident that the Religion of English Catholikes in euery point is most true and holy plensing to God and profitable in temporall Regiment the sacred Orders of our Bishop and Priest so honourable we hope our king and hiâ Councell hereafter will rather thinke of defending then offending protecting then persecuting K. Charles Declaration to all Subiects An. 1628. them And besides that is here saide his owne Regall declaration published with aduise of his Councell calleth vpon him and them so to doe For there with that aduise hâ thus publikly protesteth before God and mâ We âall God to record before whoÌ we standâ that it â and allwayes hath bâne our hearts desiâe âo be founâ worthie of that Title which we accompt the most glorious in all our Crowne Defendor of the saith 5. We must mâst humbly remember vnto him the saith whereof he is ââilcââ Defender wherein there is so mâch gloââeâ it is thaâ onely true saith of Caââoâiks as is here proued and no other true faith being but one â Ephes 4. Vnus Dominus vna sides vnum baptisâa One Lord one faith one Baptisme And this faith of Catholiks of Engâand is the true Catholike Apostolik faith and saith of the Church of Româ now and when that Title Defendor of ââ faith was giuen to king Henry the 8. beforâ his lapse from the Church of Rome by the Pope there for defending that faith against Luther The Title giuen must be interpreted by the giuer the Pope not the receiuer which could not receiue but what was giuen And this Title was giuen receiued and vsed many yeares before Queene Elizabeth or before her Religion the Religion of English ProtestaÌts now was borne aÌd was vsed both by king HeÌry 8. and Queene Mary not of this new Religion wherefore we hope our king calling God to Record will rather defend the faith of his Catholikes and them then to suffer them to be thus persecuted and his Councell which counsailed him in that declaration will so aduise and counsaile him And his Parlament that could not finde their Religion 80. yeares old will not hinder him in so good a deede seeing it is certaine by their owne accompt that the Title Defendor of the faith is about 30. yeares older then their Religion and so he cannot by that Title defend their faith A non ens can haue no defence It can neither be defended or offended FINIS FAVLTS ESCAPED AND CORRECTED Pag. 17. lin 3. Theanus for Theonus l. 15. Thadiacus for Thadiocus p. 21. l. 22. paene for penè p. 27. l. 28. most worthiest for worthiest p. 39. l. 28. were for was p. 42. l. 18. Phylosopho for Philosopho p. 43. l. 20. Huntingtonsyhre for Huntington shyre p. 47. l. 21. did increased for and encreased p. 51. l. 20. these man for these men p. 52. l. 19. Missae Papisticae for Missa Papistica p. 61. l. 19. Ireland for Iland p. 63. l. 6. translated them for translated p. 69. l. 22. euery one for and euery one p. 71. l. 7. formae for forma p. 80. l. 23. iurisdiction for iurisdiction on the Christians p. 91. l. 18. after S. Peter adde and to the holy Roman Church p. 100. l. 25. make no Parenthesis p. 111. l. 8. Omitt Theodoretus p. 120. l. 26. Omitt Thou shalt p. 123. l. 6. Amphilabus for Amphibalus Some other faults of lese moment I haue not put downe here they being easie for the Reader to correct in reading FAVLTS ESCAPED AND CORRECTED Pag. 13. lin 23. at which time for after which time pag. 17. l. 3. Theanus for Theonus l. 15. Thadiacus for Thadiocus p. 21. l. 22. paene for penè p. 23. l. 24. first to haue perswaded for before to haue brought p. 25. l. 5. as they most happely did for as soone after it most happely was p. 27. l. 28. most worthiest for worthiest p. 39. l. 10. S. Bonifacius for S. Benedict Biscop p. 35. l. 28. were for was p. 42. l. 7. yea 386 for yeare 586. p. 42. l. 18. Phylosopho for Philosopho pag. 43. l. 20. Huntingtonsyhre for Huntingtonshyre p. 47. l. 21. did increased for and encreased p. 51. l. 20. these man for these men p. 52. l. 19. Missae Papislicae for Missa Papistica p. 61. l. 19. Ireland for Iland pag. 63. l. 6. translated them for translated pag. 69. l. 22. euery one for and euery one pag. 71. l. 7. formae for forma p. 80. l. 23. iurisdiction for iurisdiction on the Christians p. 91. l. 18. after S. Peter adde and to the hoây Roman Church pag. 100. l. 25. make no Parenthesis p. 111. l. 8. Omit Theodoretus p. 120. l. 26. Omit Thou shalt p. 123. l. 6. Amphilabus for Amphibalus pag. 125. l. 1. allmost 1000 for aboue 1000. p. 150. l. 22. let for left pag. 156. l. 18. many for euery Some other faults of lese moment I haue not put downe here they being easie for the âeader to correct in reading
in the heauens and âhatsoeuer yee shall loose on earth shal be loosed in âe heauens God hath subiected to the hands of the âriests the Regall head theaâhing vs that this Prince greater theÌ that The thronâ power authoritie ând dignitie of Priests is aboue Regall this âleth onely in things temporall the Priest â heauenly The king of heauen hath giuen his power to his Priests and hath subiected âe Regall head to thâ hands of the Priests âeclaring vnto vs that this is a greater Prince âen he Neither hath he giueÌ such power vnto ângels or Archangels as to Priâsts Saâerdotibââââum est vt potestatem habâant quam Deus neque Chrysâst lib. 3. de Sacerdotio ângelis neque Archangelâs datam esse voluit Neque âim ad illos dictum est Quaeâunque alligaueritis in ârrâ erunt alligata in coelo Et quaecunque solueretiââ terrâ erunt soluta in âoelâ It is giuen to Priests âat they shall haue power which God would haue âuen neither to Angells nor Arâhangeââs For it is not âed to them Whatsoeuer you âhall bind vpon earth âall be bound also in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall âose on earth shall be loosed in heauen The power âf binding which is in Princes is onely ouer âodies that of Priests ouer soules and extenâeth to heauen Habent terrestres Principes vinâli potestatem verum corpârum solum Id autem quod Chrysoââ ibideâ ââo Sacordotum vinculum ipsam eâiam animam conângitatque ad coelos vsque peruadit Terreane Princes âlso haue the power of fetters but of the bodie onely âut that which I saie the bonds of Priests toucheth the âule it selfe and passeth vnto the heauens This is the doctrine deliuered by Christ so expâânded both by the Grââke and âââine Church in Britaniâ and all places with all persons all good Emperours Kinges and Princeâ of England and which the whole Christian worlde haâe euer profâssed and declared 17. And the world will witnesse euery where against persecuting England that the Cathâlikâ Pâiest and Clergie thereof be as leââned ââly religious and as saââ fââm exception and eueâ haue bene since they were persecuted ââmber for number as any âââgiâââ all Chââstian reâowned Naâions And of all Engâââh people they haâe most âoâoâred ânââeast ãâ¦ã offended their Pâinces or ãâ¦ã Câââcrie Most of them be and ãâ¦ã of noble or ãâã familiââ and alâââbred ââ and discended that thây haâe ãâã at home and abroad without ãâ¦ã or huâe They ãâã left ãâ¦ã places iâ ãâã and ãâã Englââd ãâ¦ã and all They ãâ¦ã Bâshoprâcks ãâã or ãâ¦ã but leaue ãâã to thâââr ãâ¦ã any ãâã Tribââes or ãâ¦ã From their Aduersaâies The Catholikeâ of ânglanâ ãâã these âo ãâ¦ã more the Protestants doe ãâ¦ã or many ãâã Presentations and ãâã which beâoâged ãâã their âo ââll into the lapse for the Protestant Bishops to bestowe as thây will Ouâ Catholikâ Priests haue no wiues or children to trouble the CoÌmon âealth withâll Pariâheâând pâaces of birth be not postered or charged with any âuâh nâr Schoââerships or Felâowships in Vnâuersitieâ which are not orâained for Ministerâ childrenâ Tenanâs are âot put out of their liuings nor the Church Riâches and liuings horded vp beggars made âut not releeued for any ãâã of Priests âr Priests fauourers All that be of their acâuintance in Religion are instructed in dutie âo God and Prince and be most true and âutifull Subiectâ to âheir king ân all occasioÌs âhâse caÌnot be the ãâã of a bad Religion 18. Their Religion vnder preâenâe whereâf they are presecuted they haue ofâeÌ in pubâshed bookes proued in euery point and ârticle to be onely true and now doe coÌââ it âât to pâeâse which will so demonstrate ãâã euery Article of thâ Pââseâutours Reâion euen by the Apostleâ and Apoâolike men and Fathers of that age in âhich they liued holy Scripturs and Proâstants themselueâ and they haue often âade most earnest and huÌbâe petitions lateâ pâblished in print to the Parlament ãâã publickly euen with vnequall condiâons to themselues and their causâââ dispute âd mâintainâ all and euery part of the doâine they hold and ãâã against the best âarned Protestant Bishops or ãâã their Persecutours And yet if meÌ would or should speake doe and proceede consequently as they which takââpon them to be teachers instructours and Reformers in Religion of all men in all times and places ought and without vtterly disabling themselues therein are bound A Prieste or Bishop that saieth Maâse absolueth penitents or reconciâeth men to the Catholike faith by power authoritie or Iurisdiction from Rome is no more guiltie of so âermed treason by the ParlameÌt Protestant Acts and lawes then all other Ecclesiasticall ParlameÌt an ãâã Elizab. Statute 2. Parlam 1. Iacob Parlam â Carâli personâ dâacons or others inferiours Religious of what name title or degree soeuer as SubdeacoÌs Acolythists Exorcists or others wanting all such power as is euident by that oâ Queene Elizabeth receiued and prosecuteâ by king Iames aÌd king Charles Priests therefore are not or should not be so prosecuteâ for their Priestlie functions God forbyd any English minded man or louer of Englanâ should thinke or wish it a thing so penall anâ capitall for any InhabitaÌt of England or English man to be borne abid or remaine in hiâ beloued natiue Countrie of England thougâ he weâe a meaner and more vnworthie maâ then any meanest Priest of England is 19. The Protestants thus deriue our Clergââ Succession Thâ first Parlament of Qâ Câmbd Annal pag 36. ââizabeth being ended the Oath of thâ Queens supreamacie was proposed to the Catholike Bishops and Ecclesiasticall Persons many as refused to sweare were depriued their benefices dignities and Bishopriks â Rulers of Churches 50. Prebendaries 5. âisters of Colledges 12 Archdeacons 12. âanes and 14. Bishops all that then âemaiâ except one Anthonie Bishop of Landaffe â calamitie of his See and âome commitâed prison in the Tower Fleete Marshallea â kings Bench. How reuerend and learned ân those of our Clergie then weâe and they âch immediately ioyned with the and coÌtiâd a SuccessioÌ of renowned Clergie Priests â memorable bookes and writings of very ây of them in defence of Catholike Reliân ther honour therby registred among â must worthie writers and their glorie in whole Church of Christ are warrant to posteritie I am an vnworthie witnesse â many older and of more frequeÌt conuersaâ with Priests then I can better testifie that âhin 25 yeares of the Reigne of Queene Eâbeth when so many from our Seminaries â come hither that at one time there were â of them Prisoners in the Marshallea and ây of them put to death There were then ây of Queene Maries Priests depriued and âsecuted by Queene Elizabeth still liuing â labouring here in this holy cauâe and âst of them were very learned as they were â which were sent from our Seminaries to âplie their number and ioyne with them as âers published bookes from them their
of rendring such duties ânto our King and haue what they could persuaded the Recusants as the refusing Protestants were therin termed to performe such âonds true offices and obligations of louing subiects Anâ although our Catholikes hauâââne sondry waieâ greuiously persecuted for their Religion yet as the world knoweth they haue most dutifully much aboue others honoured our king supplied his wants with free and lardge Donations and Contribuâions when their persecuting Protestants in great number and of great quaâitie made deâiall No man except maliciously and chridishly very falsely imagining slaunders and ântruthes against theÌ may surmise that these âen can be vnmindefull of the dutie and obeâience of true Subiects to their Soueraigne 6. If there be any either in Court or Countrie bearing the name Catholike gaining not looâng rather honoured then âisgraced preferred then persecuted giâen to libertie and disorders such as this ârotestant time can easily bestowe and âare and spirituall discipline may not be âllowed to keâpe such in dutie oâ leaue the âame Catholike Catholike Relâgâon doth âot and cannot answeare or make accompââor such Commonly they be men risen oââell reared vp by fall of Religion and Reliâious howses which complaine most against Catholikes who finde proâects of seaâe ââaâing to loose that they so easily gât Bât ãâã there is no danger towards them by English Catholikes for many or most oââhem that be landed meÌ haue also such land They be not Catholikes which euer defend âld and vnâuersall Right which aâe to be seaâed in Innouations Nouelists and louers of âingularities are the most dangerous in such respects Catholikes of England of all subiects thereof euer were and now be most obseruant of and keeping their Protestant Princes lawes seldome is or can a Catholike be charged with the breach of any excepâ concerning matters of Religion where iâ breaketh the lawe of God and his holy Catholike Apostolike Church To keepe thâ lawe of the king of all kings and his kingedome must not be termed or thought a breacâ and violating of the lawes of any priuatâ earthly king or kingedome all which muâ subiect themselues to that omnipotent king and his gouernment And to make all sure ãâã Catholikes defence in this cause we wiâ briefely examine all Articles now questioneâ betweene ProtestaÌts of England and theÌ anâ prooue in many of these Articâes as they aâ enacted by ProtestaÌts that the Catholike doctrine is farre more agreable and profitabâ for publike peace vnitie obedience anâ concord in a good ciuill Monarchicall anâ Râgall gouernment then that which Protestants hold and practise and would forââ Catholikes vnto and not any one Article ââ Catholike Religion repugnant vnto or preâudicing the Rule and gouernment of a moâ worthie king in a noble Nation THE VIII CHAPTER That euerie Article of Catholike Religion is more agreable with the best temporall gouernment then those of the Protestants and that a Catholike keeping his Religion as he is bouÌd to God so he cannot be vndutifull to his temporall Prince and Countrie THe first fiue Articles of their Religion they consisting onely of â9 âade by a few Protestants in fââwerth or âfth yeare of Queene Elizabeth the old age â this Religion doe containe nothing conâouersed betweene them and vs but were âade against new Sectaries so soone risen vp âmong them The Sixth and next Article inâtuled Of the sufficientie of the holy Scripture for âluation Denieth the vse and necessities of âraditions not written in Scripture and deâeth many bookes of holy Scripture to be âch and some of them as the booke of wiseâome and of Iesus the sonne of Sirach conâsting most of morall precepts and coÌmandments as all men knowe are most needfulâ in all kingedomes for ciuill regimeÌt So thaâ whatsoeuer of this nature is coÌtained in thesâ two morrall bookes and tenne others whicâ they likewise reiect or in holy Apostolikâ Traditions are wanting in these men and thâ Catholiks embracing both âhose bookes anâ TradiâioÌs exceede them in all temporall obedience and dutie in this respect 2. After this vntill we come to their nintâ Article stiled Of originall or birth siane they finde no difference in this point But in thiâ Article they thus enact There is no condemnation for them that beleeue and are baptized By which allowance and Decree the way to all disobedience fellonies treasons and sinnes whatsoeuer is set open to all Protestants whicâ saie they beleeue and are baptized and ââ no Treason Rebellion contempt of gouernment can condemne them Catholikes be oâ the contrarie profession And this Protestanâ libertie and disâbedience is further warranteâ and allowed in the next Article but one thâ immediate next Article after by their glossâ not at all or litle differing âroÌ Catholiks Foâ this their eleueÌth Article intituled of the Iustification of man Thus declareth That we are iustifie by faith onely is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort But this is not very whole some comfortable or secure for any king kingdome common-wealth that it should giuâ libertie to all offences not to be puâished bâ God at all nor by Prince if they can secretly be committed and concealed God forbid any bearing the name of of Catholike should euer hold or followe such doctrine And these Protestants Religion in the next Article of good workes giuing litle or no efficacie vnto them will not hinder them in matter of disobedience to God or Prince So doth their 13. Article wherein they saâe that workes such as we commonly call among others obedience to kings and Rulers good works Done without the grace of Christ haue the nature of sinne By which if any man âall into drunkennesâe coÌmit Adulterie Fornication Perâuââe or any mortall sinne which depriueth of grace he may or rather must make rebellion commit âreason or whatsoeuer wickednesse he can otherwise containing and abstaining from such horrible wickednesse such his refrainings from those Impieties haue the nature of sinne 3. The 14. next Article against workes of supererogation bringeth into like desperateâesse Their 15. and 16. Articles haue no peâuliar difficultie Their 17. next Article is intituled of Predestination and Election And it deliuereth plainely that their doctrine and Religion therein euen aâ it is receiued among them is so perilous a thing That for curious and carnall persons to haue continually before their eies the sentence of Gods predestination is a most dangerous downesall whereby the diuell doth thrust them into desperation or into rechlesnesse of most vncleane liuing no lesse pevillous then desperation These Articles if wâ should goe no further are sufficient to diswade any man desiring to be a true subiect to God and his Prince from embracing the Religion of ProtestaÌts But to proceede to the end of them the 18 next Article of obtaining eternall Saluation onely by the name of Christ hath nothing in question The next 19. And the 20. Articles the first intituled Of âhe Church And the other Of the authoritie of the Church Are