and Sainct Luke they were not all thought able â— condemne those named hereticks which S. Ihâ— confounded Amonge the Epistles onely that of â— Paul to the Romans was sent into these parts â— was in a language wee did not vnderstand aâ— written after the faith of the Romans was spreâ— both in Britaine and all the world as Sainct Pâ— witnesseth fides vestra annuntiatur in vniuâ— Rom. 1. mundo The two Epistles of Sainct Peter accordiâ— to antiquity were written in Rome and after Bâ—taine had receaued the faith especially the last aâ— the first being longe doubted of was sent quite coâ— â—rary from Britayne vnto the contries of PoÌ„tus Gaâ—atia 2. Petr. 1. Capadocia Asia and Bithynia in the easterne â—arts Wee finde no memory after of Scripture reâ—eaued here vntill longe time after in the second â—ge expressed in Pope Eleutherius his Epistle to our â—ing Lucius And yet all our ProtestaÌ„t antiquaries â—ue before assured vs that Britaine had in the Aâ—stles time and longe before any Scripture came â—ther or probably was written and possibly in â—orall Iudgment could come hither receaued the â—ith of Christ so fully purely and sincerely that it â—euer changed it in any materiall point after the â—riptures were receaued here nor diuers hundreds â— yeares after And if wee will be directed by Scriptures in this â—int those which our Protestants allowe for such â—e testimony to vnwritten Traditions in many â—ces To exemplifie onely in Sainct Paul which â—ote most in the new Testament hee chargeth S. 1. Tim. 6. â—mothy and all others in him to keepe obserue â—ngs so deliuered without writinge O Timothee 2. Tim. 2. â—ositum custodi This in his first Epistle not haâ—ge written vnto him before And in his second â—stle hee giueth him commaund that the things â—ich he had heard froÌ„ Sainct Paul he should deâ—er vnto others fit to teach them Quae audisti a me â— multos testes haec commenda fidelibus hominibus â—idonei erunt alios docere And expressely comâ—undeth 2. Thessal 2. the Thessalonians and in them all in â— second epistle to them to obserue and keepe the â—aditions which they had learned either by word â— writinge State tenete traditiones quas didiciâ— siue per sermonem siue per epistolam nostram â—hich the Fathers expound of the necessity of keepinge vnwritten traditions as Catholiks now doe Hinc est perspicuum quòd non omnia per epistolaâ— Chrisost in 2. Thess orat 4. tradiderunt sed multa etiam fine scriptis eaquoque sunt fide digna Quamobrem Ecclesiae quoque traditionem censeamus esse fide dignam Est traditio nihil quaeras amplius And expoundinge that of S. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians hoâ— they kept his commaundements by word beforâ— he wrote vnto them sicuttradidi vobis praecepta mâ—tenetis he doth inferre the doctrine of Traditions ergo fine literis mult a tradidâ—rat quod alibi saepe meminit And Sainct Hierome vpon the same words Hier. in eadem Verba Tom. 9. quasi legem praecepta meatenetis scientes illum in â— spiritum loqui qui in lege locutus est prophetis Thâ— like hath S. Ambrose vpon the same and S. Epphanius Ambros in 1. Cor. Epiph. haeresi 69. oportet traditione vti non enim omnia diuina Scriptura possunt accipi Quapropter aliqua â— traditione Sancti Apostoli tradiderunt Quemadmdum dicit Sanctus Apostolus Sicut tradidi vobis â— alibi sic doceo sic tradidi in Ecclesijs Thus the best learned both Greeke and Latiâ— Fathers expounded these to inferre a necessity Traditions and their equality with Scriptuâ— Which our best Protestant writters with thâ— common allowance thus confirme Our aduer sarâ— Feild l. 4. c. 20. pag 238. meaninge Catholiks make traditions equall with words precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostâ— and Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writinge â—ther is there any reason why they should not so doe they could proue any such vnwritten verities for not the writinge that giueth things their authority the worth and credit of him that deliuereth thâ— though by word and liuely voyce onely Thus tâ— confesse and the reason which they giue so enâ—ceth them the worth and credit of the reuealer and deliuerer or proposer of holy misteries supernaturall being the motiue and cause of mans assent so firme and vnmoueable in articles of faith not to be proued by humane reason and not the writinge or not writinge being fallible and subiect to many casualties corruptions and vncertainties which we are sure are not to be found in Christ the reuealer nor his holy Church the vndoubted true proposer of his mysteries and reuelations And both these are the same and as certaine in traditions not written such as Catholiks maintaine as in the written Scriptures For wee doe not defend any one vnwritten tradition that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation which be the very words of this Protestant Article of Religion but wee produce the Artic of Protest Relig. 20. highest authority in their owne publike Iudgment also in these their Articles the true primatiue Church of Christ to warrant it The which Church hath power and authority in controuersies of faith That euery tradition came from Christ and his Apostles to be receaued professed in Christian Religion As to instance in some and those which most concerne euen in our Protestants proceedings and by their owne confessions and testimonies vnwritten Traditions are necessary For first in this Engl Protest Rel. artic 6. very article they haue giuen their finall sentence in the very first words thereof that the holy Scriptures are of this nature Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation So that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation And yet in the immediatly following words they plainely declare and professe that wee haue noe warrant in Scripture for any booke chapter or sentence of Scripture to be such holy Scripture but for euery least percell thereof wee must resorâ— to Tradition and the Churches Iudgment In thâ— name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose authority was neuer any doubt in the Church Where weâ— are assured from these men that the Church anâ— Tradition vnwritten is supreme Iudge of all questions in Religion euen of the Scriptures themselues And so necessarily they must say confesse or els leaue no Religion or Scripture at all to bâ— proued or proue vnto vs. For it is vnquestionablâ— that no part of Scripture doth propose vnto vs anâ— Catalogue or Canon of Scriptures Which the thus further testifie in their publikely approueâ— Feild l. 4. pa. 238. c. 20.
of Sainct Peter Sainct Paul and the rest of the Apostles written vnto such places and persons as had before beleeued and receaued the Religion of Christ as is in euery of them plainely expressed And yet as is shewed before diuers of these were doubted of and not generally receaued for holy Scripture vntill 300. yeares after they were writteÌ„ The not receauers or doubters of them being faithâ—ull true Christians in all points S. Matthew the â—irst of the Euangelists which wrote writinge for â—he conuerted Iewes in Hebrew could not thereby â—rofit any but Hebrews And yet Sainct Ireneus Irenaeus lib. 3. aduer haereses cap. 1. Hieron catal Script Eccl. in S. Matthaeo Euseb hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 21. Iren. supr witnesseth he did not write vntill both Sainct Peter and Sainct Paul were come to Rome Matthaeus in Hebraeis ipsorum lingua scriptura tradidit Euangelij cum Petrus Paulus Romae Euangelizarent fundarent Ecclesiam And onely for the Iewes before conuerted without scripture Propter eos qui ex cirâ—umcisione crediderunt And taught them by tradition not writinge vntill he was to depart from them to preache vnto others in other places And so was vrged by a kinde of necessity as S. Iohn also to write a Ghospell Ex omnibus Domini discipulis commentarios nobis soli Matthaeus Ioannes reliquerunt quos etiam necessitate ad scribendum esse adactos ferunt Matthaeus enim quum primum Hebraeis praedicasset etiam ad alios quoque transiturus esset EuangeliuÌ„ suum patrio sermone literis tradidit quod subtracta praesentia sua desiderabatur illis à quibus discedebat per liter as adimpleuit Sainct Marke placed in order to be the seconâ— Euangelist he beinge none of those Apostles and immediate Schollers of Christ but disciple of Saincâ— Peter the Apostle as he could not receaue his learninge in Christian Religion from the Scriptureâ— but from his Master and Tutor in Christ S. Peter noe writer of any Ghospell but of one onely shorâ— epistle at that time if the first was then written thâ— last second being written a litle before his death as the same Scripture withnesseth certus quod veloâ— 2. Petr. 1. est depositio tabernaculi mei secundum quod Dominus noster Iesus Christus significauit mihi So followinge Sainct Peter and learninge his Ghospell froâ— him he writ it by Sainct Peters warrant and ordeâ— at the entreaty of the Christians at Rome This foâ— whome hee wrote it being conuerted before without Scripture Marcus discipulus Interpres Petrâ—iuxta quod Petrum referentem andiuerat Rogatus Romae Clem. lib. 6. hypoâ— Hier. l. de Script Eccl. in Marc. Euseb hist l. 3. c. 21. l. 2. cap 15 Matth. westin chr an 42. Flor. wigorn chr an 45. 67. Marian. Scot. an 47. Marian Scot. an 47. Martin Polon an 44. Hier. lib de sc in Luc. Act. 1. Luc. c. 1. à fratribus breue scripsit Euangelium Quod cuâ— Petrus audisset probauit Ecclesiae legendum sua authoritate edidit sicut Clemens in six to Hypotyposeon libro scribit The case of Sainct Luke was the like with S Marke but that Sainct Luke cheifely followed S Paul which was not of the 12. Apostles which conuersed with Christ wryting his Ghospell after S Marke the Acts of the Apostles being writteÌ„ iâ— Rome in or after the 4. yeare of New the 57. or 58 of Christ both the Bookes were writteÌ„ by traditiâ— and after the faith of Christ receaued as he him selfe witnesseth of the first sicut tradiderunt nobâ— qui ab initio ipsi viderunt ministri fuerunt Scrmonis His Acts of the Apostles is an history of things done and encrease of Christians by tradition By all Antiquities S. Iohn was the last which wrote his Ghospell at the entreaty of the Bishops of Asia against Cerinthus and other heretiks and â—heifely the Ebionites denying the diuinity of Christ Ioannes nouissimus omnium scripsit Euangeâ—um Hieron lib. de Script Eccl. in Ioanne Apost Euseb hist Eccl. l. 3. cap. 21. rogatus ab Asiae Episcopis aduersus Cerinthum â—iosque haereticos maximè Ebionitarum domga â—nsurgens qui asserunt Christum ante Mariam non â—isse And neuer wrote before but onely by word â—reached vnto the people conuertinge them by â—n written tradition Ioannem aiunt qui toto tempore Euseb supr l. 2. 3. hist Hier. libr. de Scriptor Ecc. in Ioanne â—uangelici cursus praedicatione sine literis vsus fuerat â—ndem ad scribendum hisce de causis esse permotum Whereby wee also see that his Epistles were not written vntill his later time and the two last longe â—me doubted of as his Apocalipse also was and â—et neither written nor reuealed vntill his bannishâ—ent into Pathmos in the 14. yeare of Domitian Athanas Synopsi Crdren in nerua Epiphan Hier. 51. Iren l. 3. ca. 1. apud Eus l. 5. hist cap. 8. flor Wigorn. chron an 81. 103. Mat. westin chron an 98. â—e yeare of Christs Natiuity 97. or 98. And the â—mmon opinion in antiquity is that he did not â—rite his Ghospell vntill his returne to Ephesus â—ter the death of Domitian Matthew of westâ—ister with others saith that he first by worde conâ—emned those heretiks Cerinthus and Ebion affirâ—ing the world was made by the Angels that Christ â—esus was onely man and denying the resurrection â—f the deade and after by entreaty or compulsion â—ther of the Christians wrote his Ghospell to the â—me end Ioannes Apostolus Ephesum redijt Et quia â—ncussam se absente per haereticos vidit Ecclesiae fiâ—em Cerinthi Ebionis haeresim ibidem damnauit â—struunt enim mundum ab Angelis factum Iesum â—ominem fuisse tantum nec resurrexisse resurrectioâ—em quoque mortuorum non credebant Contra hanc haeresim à fratribus compulsus Apostolus Euangeliuâ— scripfit oftendens in exordio eius in principio fuissâ— verbum ipsum esse Deum per quem omnia factâ— sunt Therefore it is thus made euident that the worâ— was not conuerted to Christ nor his doctrine anâ— Religion receaued and established first by scriptures but vnwritten tradition As to exemplifie â— this our Kingdome of Britaine whose history â— write one of the remotest then knowne natioâ— from Hierusalem and apply the rest to the samâ— being in like estate with it for these things It â— proued both by old and late Greeke and Latinâ— domesticall and forreyne Catholike Protestaâ— writers that it receaued the faith of Christ long before any part of the new testament was writteâ— And it is euident in Antiquities that none of tâ— Ghospels except that of Sainct Marke was writtâ— in this parte of the world or in any language whiâ— the Britans vnderstood And that was but brâ— Hier. in Marco supr Io. an Euseb li. 3. hist Euangelium a short Ghospell and so short as beiâ— assisted both with the Ghospell of Sainct Mattheâ—
it to himselfe though he punished with death as others often since then haue done the professours thereof yet both he and all or Rulers temporall since Kings or Queens haue retained in their stile of honour that title Defensor fidei defendour of the faith which the Pope gaue him for defending before his fall the Catholike faith against Martine Luther though they all except Queene Mary impugned it And our present K. Charles whome together with his Queene Mary God blesse with all good and happines in his late publike declaration to all his louing Subiects among whome his Catholiks be not in the lowest place of duty and desert to him though not in like degree of his fauour to theÌ„ thus and thus vehemently protesteth wee call God to recorde before whome we stand that it is and alwaies hath beene our harts desire to be found worthy of that title which we accompt the most glorious in all our Crowne DEFENDOVR OF THE FAITH But to defend the faith is not to reprint the articles of Religion established in the time of Queene Elizabeth and by a declaration before those articles to ty and restraine all opinions to the sense of those articles as he speaketh immediately before and to persecute Bishops Preists and Catholiks as he doth That title was giuen by the Pope to King HeÌ„ry for defence of the true faith longe before the articles of Queene Elizabeth or she was borne Longe before hee K. Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth King Iames and King Charles persecuted Catholiks their faith whereof by their stile they should be defendours longe before their religion or any of them I except King Henry the 8. to whome it was giuen receaued beeing The true faith Catholike and Apostolike which by that regall stile and title they should defend against these articles I haue aboundantly by the best testimonies proued in euery point for the two last following articles the 38. intituled of Christian mens goods which are common and the 39. the last of a Christian mans oath doe not containe any coÌ„trouersie with Catholikes but were ordained against new Sectaries among themselues I hope no Protestant Parlament will hereafter glory that their religion was almost 80. yeares old though it wanteth 10. of that number and so extraordinarily contend to persecute that which I haue proued to exceed it aboue 1500. yeares in time and truth which they ought to embrace and honour and not so maliciously or ignorantly not being the most religious nor learned diuines to persecute it FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. 1. COncerning the first 5. Protestant Articles not differing from the Apostles Religion and the Romane Church pag. 1. Chap. 2. Examining their 6. Article about scriptures and traditions and condemning it by the Apostles and Apostolike men and doctrine of their age p. 2. Chap. 3. The 7. 8. 9. 10. Articles examined and wherein they differ from the present Roman Church condemned by this first Apostolike age p. 53. Chap. 4. The 11. Article of the Iustification of man examined and condemned by the Apostolike Fathers of this first age p. 60. Chap. 5. The 12. Article examined and in whatsoeuer differing from the present Romane Church condemned by the Apostolike age So of the 13. and 14. Articles p. 67. Chap. 6. The 15. 16. 17. 18. Articles so examined and wheresoeuer repugnant to the Roman Church likewise condemned p. 82. Chap. 7. The 19. Article examined and condemned by the same authoritie p. 88. Chap. 8. The 20. Article thus examined and in whatsoeuer contrarie to the Church of Rome thus condemned p. 99. Chap. 9. The 21. article so examined and condemned p. 109. Chap. 10. The 22. article thus likewise examined and condemned p. 141. Chap. 11. The 23. article examined p. 207. Chap. 12. The 24. article likewise examined and condemned by this first Apostolike age and writers therein p. 212. Chap. 13. The 25. article intituled of the Sacraments thus examined and condemned in all things contrarie to Catholike doctrine p. 222. Chap. 14. Pennance so called in this article and by Catholikes The Sacrament of Pennance was so iudged and vsed in this Apostolike age p. 228. Chap. 15. Holy Orders contrary to this article was vsed and held à Sacrament in this first age p. 233. Chap. 16. Matrimonie thus proued a Sacrament p. 242. Chap. 17. Extreame vnction thus proued to be a Sacrament p. 249. Chap. 18. The rest of this article repugnant to the Catholike faith likewise condemned p. 252. Chap. 19. The 26. and 27. articles examined and Protestant doctrine in or by them condemned p. 258. Chap. 20. The 28. article intituled of the supper of the Lord examined and condemned p. 262. Chap. 21. The 29. article intituled of the wicked which do not eate the bodie and blood of Christ in the vse of the Lords supper examined and condemned p. 276. Chap. 22. The 30. article intituled of both Kindes examined and where it is contrarie to the Romane Church condemned p. 284. Chap. 23. The 31. article being intituled of the one oblation of Christ finished vpon the Crosse thus examined and condemned p. 297. Chap. 24. The 32. article intituled of the marriage of Preists thus examined and condemned p. 315. Chap. 25. The 33. 34. articles examined and in whatsoeuer repugnant to the doctrine of the Church of Rome thus condemned p. 339. Chap. 26. The 35. 36. articles intituled of homilies and of consecration of Bishops and ministe◠〈…〉 examined and condemned 〈…〉 Chap. 27. The 37. article intituled of the ciuiâ—â— Magistratus thus examined and whatsoeuer against the Roman Church condemned p. 390.
for defence of the Catholike Faith and Iastlie by your Maiestie our last Queene MARIE by whom this land is blessed by a royall issue and as we hope shall in time be madâ— happie by restitution of the Catholike Religion ether in your owne oâ— your childrens dayes And the ratheâ— when England shall see by the Iudgement of the Apostles that the Catholike religioÌ„ aggreeth in all point with the religion taught deliuereâ— by the Apostles and first Apostolicalâ— preachers and that the Protestant religioÌ„ is discouÌ„tenaunced discarded condemned by them This shall appeare by this booke which I youâ— Maiesties most humble subiect aâ— old student in holie learning doe iâ— all dutifull manner present vnto youâ— wishing to your Gracious Maiestie and to our noble Souueraigne your deare Spouse a long and happie raigne in our great Brittainie such a temporall raigne amongst your subiectes as you may both raigne in heauen eternallie with God his Saintes and Angelles Your Maiesties most humble and deuoted subiect R. B. APPROBATIO CVm mihi constiterit ex testimonio fide digni S. Theol. Doctoris in hoc libro cui tituluâ— Apostolorum iudicium c. nihil inueniri Catholicae fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium sed multâ— quae ostendunt religionem Catholicorum esse Apostolicam haereticorum verò Apostaticam censuâ— vtiliter praelo committi posse Actum Duaci die 23. Iunij 1632. GEORGIVS COLVENERIVS S. Theol. Doctor Regius ordinariusque Professor Gollegiatâ— Ecclesiae S. Petri Praepositus Duaâ— censis Academiae Cancellarius librorum Censor THE FIRST CHAPTER CONCERNINGE THE FIRST 5. PROtestants Articles not differinge from the Apostles Religion and the Roman Church BEEINGE to enter into the Examen and comparison of the parlament protestant Articled Religion of England with the Religion of the present Church of Rome and â—e whole Christian world named Catholike â—or profession whereof the Catholiks of England â—y the protestants thereof haue longe tyme suffâ—red and still most constantly endure most bitter persecutions by the first knowne and confessed â—ue Christian Catholike Apostolike Religion â— the Apostles and that their happy age wee finde â—t in the first fiue Articles of this new Religion â—y difference or difficulty to be thus decided both â—atholicks and parlameÌ„tary protestants agreeing them all and they all beeing ordeyned by these proâ—tants against other Sectaries so soone within 4. â—ares of the beginning of Q. Elizabeth her Reigne reâ—eing old condemned heresies amongst them as their â—tories and registers remember and therefore it will â—re suffice onely to recite the Titles of these arâ—les to giue notice thereof The contents and title â— the first article are Of faith in the holy Trinity The second of the word or sonne of God which was made verymaÌ„ The 3. Of the going downe of Christ into hell The 4. Of the Resurrection of Christ The 5. Of the Holy Ghost The whole Article the Title being subiect to doubt is The holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the sonne is of one substance Maiesty and glory with the Father and the Sonne very and eternall God Hitherto wee finde nothing against the doctrine of the Catholike Church Which noâ— vnlikely these men did rather to winnesome crediâ— at their entrance to be thought louers of truth then that they hated the enemies of these articles not yet suppressed among them THE SECOND CHAPTER Examining their 6. Article about Scriptures and traditions and condemning it by the Apostles and Apostolike men and doctrine of their age THEIR next sixt Article intituled of the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Saluation â— thus holy Scripture containeth all things necessary â— saluation Soe that what soeuer is not read therein nâ— may be proued thereby is not to be required of any maâ— that it should be beleeued as an article of faith or â— thought requisite or necessary to saluation By the naâ— of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicâ— bookes of the old and new testament of whose authâ—rity was neuer any doubt in the Church And from tâ— number of those bookes which there they allowâ— to be canonicall They doe in expresse words aâ— tearmes reiect The booke of Tobias the booke of Iuditâ— the rest of the booke of Esther the booke of wisdomâ— Iesus the sonne of Sirach Baruch the Prophet the songe of the three children the story of Susanna of Bel and the Dragon the prayer of Manasses the first and second Bookes of the Machabees Concerning the new testament thus they adde all the bookes of the new testament as they are commonly receiued wee doe receiue and accompte them for canonicall This their Article is in their proceedings as the grounde worke and foundation whereupon their Religion is wholy framed and builded and yet so weake Feeble totteringe ruinous arid deceitefull that not any one true certaine and infallible point of doctrine as euery Article in true religion is can be framed vpoÌ„ it or from it so deduced by the expresse graunt of this article it selfe and of all English Protestants professed and sworne maintainers of it For whereas they sentence and define In the Art 6. supr name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose Field Booke of the Church lib. 4. cap. 5. wotton def of perk pa. 442. Couell ag Burg. pag. 60. def of Hooker pag. 31. 32. 33. proâ—â—st glosse on the 6. art Tho. Rogers ibid. authority was neuer any doubt in the Church They plainely make the Iudgment of the Church to be the highest tribunall in spirituall questions euen of the scriptures themselues And thus their best and cheife writers published by authority doe glosse and expound this article And of necessity so they must say except at their first entrance they will plainely confesse their religion and congregation their Church of England as they terme it to be erroneous or hereticall and to haue noe power or warrant at all to doubt deny or determine and propose what bookes be or be not Scriptures canonicall either of the old or new testament Or what one chapter or sentence in them is part or not part of such canonicall and vndoubted holy Scriptures for this power and prerogatiue being onely committed to the true Church by their Article and professors before if these men doubt or Iudge otherwise in this case then the true confessed Church hath hitherto done They can be noe part or members of that true Church And whatsoeuer is read or may be deduced from vntrue or doubted Scriptures cannot be possibly any certaine and vndoubted article of faith and religion For noe conclusion can be more certaine and vndoubted then the Maximes and authorities from which it is concluded but as the light of nature common law and vndeniable Maxime of true reasoning teacheth all men and all men truely acknowledge for a verity most certaine it euer followeth the weaker part euer erroneous doubtfull vncertaine or false if both or
reluctatur Christo Iesu qui autem â—on obedit filio non videbit vitam sed ira Dei manet â—uper eum Praefractus enim contentiosus superbus â—t qui non obtemperat praestantioribus And by that â—eading which the Canon law vseth euen Princes â—nd all not obeying their Bishops are excluded both â—rom the society of the faithfull on earth and the Kingdome of heauen Si vobis Episcopi non obedieint S. Ignat. citat C. Si autem 11. quaest 3. Iacob Simanchal dedignitare Episcopali omnes clerici omnesque Principes at que reliqui pouli non solum infames sed etiam extorres à Regno â—ei consortio fidelium ac à limitibus sanctae Eccleâ—ae alieni erunt eorum est enim vobis obedire vt Deo â—ius legatione fungimini And he plainely confineth bedience to temporall Princes that it be not with reiudice of the spirituall and danger of the soule â—aesari subiecti estote in ijs in quibus subdi nullum aniâ—ae S. Ignat. Epist ad Antioc periculum est And saith plainely that a Bishop is â—boue all other principality and power Quid aliud I. Ignat. Epist ad Trallia â— Episcopus quà m is qui omni Principatu potestate â—uperior est And to expresse the lamentable estate â—f them which want true Bishops Preists and â—eacons concludeth there neither is nor can be â—y true Church nor communion of Saints withâ—ut them Sine his Ecclesia electa non est nulla sine his Sanctorum congregatio nulla Sanctorum collectio Anâ— setteth downe their holy functions and offices to bâ— such that noe Protestants can possibly clayme tâ— haue either Bishop Preist DeacoÌ„ or other Cleargâ— man amonge them Sine Episcopo nec Presbyter nâ— Epist ad Magnesian ad Philadelph Epist ad Heronem Diaconus nâ—c Laicus quicquam facit The Bishopâ— saith he doe baptize offer sacrifice giue orders â— vse Imposition of hands Baptizant sacrificaÌ„t eliguâ— ordinant manus imponunt Nothing is to be done â— the Church without their allowaÌ„ce no Sacrameâ— ministred he is dispenser of all spirituall busines â— Epist ad Smyrn is not lawfull for the Preists without his approbâ—tion to baptize to offer to sacrifice to say Massâ— Sine Episcopo nemo quicquam faciat eorum quae ad Eâ—clesiam spectant Rata Eucharistia habeatur illa qâ— sub Episcopo fuerit vel cui ipse concesserit Non liâ— sine Episcopo baptizare neque offerre neque sacrificiuâ— immolare neque dochen celebrare others reade nâ— que Missas celebrare which is sufficiently expressâ— and approued in offerre and sacrificium immolaâ— before The Bishops did consecrate Virgins anâ— Mariages made by their warrant Si quis potest in câ—stitate Epist ad Polycarp permanere ad honorem carnis Dominicae viâ— iactantiam si idipsum statuatur sine Episcopo câ— ruptum est Dâ—cet vero vt ducentes vxores nâ—bentes cum Episcopi arbitrio coniungantur The Preisâ— Epist ad Smyrn ad Heronem besides their preaching and ministring of Sacrâ—ments did offer sacrifice and say Masse as is befoâ— expressed And the Deacons ministred vnto the â—shops and Preists in their holy sacrifice Diaconâ— Sacerdotum minister Sacerdotes sacrificant And wâ—tinge to Sainct Heron a Deacon of the Church â— Antioch hauing immediately spoken before hoâ— the Preists did offer sacrifice he saith that he dâ— â—inister to them in the holy Sacrifice as Sainct Stephen did to Sainct Iames the Apostle Preists â— Hierusalem prouing that they there said Masse â—s the Preists of Antioch and other Churches did â—uillis ministras vt Sanctus ille Stephanus Iacobo â—esbyteris qui erant Hierosolimis And in an other eâ—stle saith plainely that DeacoÌ„s ought to doe such â—ty in those misteries to Preists as Sainct Steâ—en Epistol ad Trallian did to Sainct Iames Sainct Timothy and S. â—ucius to Sainct Paul Sainct Anacletus and Sainct â—lement to Sainct Peter Purum inculpatum miâ—sterium illis exhibent vt S. Stephanus Beato Iacobo â—motheus Linus Paulo Anacletus Clemens â—ero And expresseth this their office in these plaine â—mes Oportet Diaconis mysterioâ—um Christi per omnia â—cere nec enim ciborum poâ—uâ—m ministri sunt sed â—clesiae Dei administratores The Geeke readinge â—eifely signifieth ministring in the holy sacrifice of â—asse and so expresseth it selfe in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He reâ—embreth both altar and sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as plaine termes as any present writers of â—e Roman Church now doth and to manifest he â—h not meane such acts as Protestants terme saâ—fice and are so many as the different kindes of â—otion but onely the externall common saâ—fice he saith there is but one sacrifice and this saâ—ice the onely flesh and blood of Christ Vna est Epistol ad Philadelp â— Christi Iesu Domini nostri vnus illius sanguis qui â— nobis effâ—sus est vnus panis omnibus confractus â—us calix qui omnibus distributus est vnum altare â—â— Ecclesiae The prayer and words of a Preists are Epistol ad Ephes â—uch force that they place Christ among vs. Vâ—s siue alterius precatio taÌ„â—â—irum virium est vt Christumâ—nter illos statuat It is a preparatiue of eterniâ— a preseruatiue against death procuring life in Gâ— and a medicine expelling all euill Pharmacum â— mortalitatis mortis antidotum vitamque in Deo câ—cilians Epis ad Rom. per Iâ—sum Christum medicamentum oâ— expellens mala The breade or foode of God heauâ—ly breade the flesh of Christ the sonne of God â— Ignat. apud Theodoret. Dialog 3. blood of Christ Panis Dei panis caelestis qui est â— Christi filij Dei potus sanguis illius The Euchaâ— which is the flesh of our Sauiour which suffâ— for our sinnes which his Father raised againe â— charistia est caro Saluatoris quae pro peccatis nâ—â— passa est quam pater sua benignitate suscitauit Tâ— holy sacrificing Bishops and Preists and Deaâ— ministring vnto them in those sacred misteriâ— they were farre from the pretended Protesâ— cleargy which haue to their vttermost endeaâ— euer afflicted such holy Functions especiallâ— England with most bitter edicts and persecutiâ— and the sacred Priests of that for that onely â—fession with most barbarous and cruell dâ—athes seing by the most constant Testimony and praâ— of this blessed Apostolike age no true Church â— or could be without them no Protestant comâ— or congregation all of them wantinge such â— consecrated Bishops Preists and Ecclesiasâ— persons and Professors can possibly haue the â— and Title of a true Church and religion And â— tending as they doe that these sacrificing holâ—ders without which no true Church can be aâ— contained in Scripture They must needs â— They were deliuered vnto the Church and â— Church well founded in these so essentiall thâ— by Tradition
to Christâ— resurrection as the cheifest of all dayes Post Sabbatum Epistol ad Magnesianos epist ad Trallian omnis Christi amator Dominicum celebret diem resurrectioni consecratam Dominicae Reginam principem omnium dierum in qua vita nostra exorta est per Christum mors deuicta as all Christians now also doe The feast of Easter was also chauÌ„ged with other solemnities and they were accompted as cursed persecutors of Christ and his Apostles which obserued otherwise or kept any festiuity oâ— the Iewes although before commaunded in Scriptures Si quis cum Iudaeis celebrat Pascha aut Symbolâ— Epist ad Philadelphenses festiuitatis corum recipit particeps est eorum qui Dominum occiderunt Apostolos eius He proueth plainely that both the principall feasts and fasts also oâ— the Church as Lent and others were then in vse by this authority of Tradition Festiuitates ne dehonestetis Epistol ad Philippen quadragesimale iciunium ne spernatis contineâ— enim imitationem conuersationis Dominicae Post Passionis Doâ—â—â—iâ—ae hebdomadam ieiunare quartis sextis 〈…〉 negligatis Si quiâ— Dominicam diem ieiunarit â—ic Christi interfector est He often there remembreth the perpetuall virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mâ—ry Mariae Virginitas admitanduâ— ille partus Virginem esse quae parit The forme and manner of offering the holy Sacrifice of Christs body and blood of consecrating Bishops Preists and other Clergy men of ministringe so many Sacraments as he hath remembred the publike Church seruice to which he bindeth all the order of receauing peniâ—ents the custome and limitation of their vsed fâ—sts and whatsoeuer almost appertaining to the holy vse and exercise of Christian Religion in that Apostolike age was knowne and practized by this blessed disciple and all Apostolike men which was deliuered and vsed onely by tradition and so descended to later ages and posterities no Scripture prescribing Christians any such requisite instruction in so necessary and essentiall parts of Religion or the true practise and profession thereof to which all true Christians vnder paine and daunger of euerlasting damnation were bound And as Sainct Ignatius so also testifie the other holy and Apostolike writers of this age as I shall most clearely proue and cite them in euery particular article questioned by these Teachers For this present it will be more then needfull to remember what they write hereof in generall termes Sainct Denis the Areopagite conuerted by Sainct Paul the Apostle writinge of Christian necessary doctrines saith plainely that the Apostles deliuered some of them by tradition onely without writinge as they did some by writinge partim scriptis partim non scriptis suis institutionibus ex Sacrosanctis legibâ— Dionysius Areopag l. Eccles Hierarc c. 1. nobis tradiderunt And proueth that in this Apostolike time the ChristiaÌ„ mysteries were neither communicated by writing nor word for their greate reuerence but to holy and perfect Christians Vide â—â— Sancta Sanctorum enunties sed reuereberis ea patius quae occulti Dei sunt cognitiâ—ne mentis â—nimi â— honore habebis ac preteo ita tamen vt ea minus perfectis non tradas cum ijs folis qui Sancti erunt cuâ— Sancta illustratione pro sacrarum rerum dignitate communices And setteth downe expressely That thâ— Apostolike Church then did not permit Cateâ—hâ—mens Energumens or penitents to be present at the the holy misteries Catechumenâ—s Energâ—menos Cap. 5. quique in poenitentia sunt Sanctae Hiererchiae mos paâ—itur quidem audire sacram psalmorum modulationem diuinamque sacrarum Scripturarum recitationem aâ— sacra autem operae quae deinceps sequuntur at que mysteria spectanda non eos comiocat sed perfectos oculâ—â— eorum qui digni sunt And testifieth what greate Cap. care the Christians then had to conceale their ceremonies Sainct Timothy also as this holy writer proueth Dionys supr c. 1. S. Dionys l. de diuin nomin cap. 3. Clem. Rom. ep 1. 2. 3 4. 5. l Recog l. coÌ„stitut Apost Chris hom 49. in Matth. Euseb histor Eccl. Cedren Nicephor Callist hist l. 2. Epiphan in panar Ruffin praef in Clem. Bed in cap. S. Luc. Freculp Lerouien Chron. lib. 2. Synod Sext. in Trullo Ruffin praef translat oper S. Clement S. Proclus Patriarch Constant l. de tradit diuinae Liturg Nichol. Episcopus Methonen l. de vero Christi corp in Eucharist Marcus Ephes l. de corpore sang Christi Bessar l. de Sacr. Eucharist Manuscript Gallic antiq an D. in S. Clem. Manuscript Brit. antiquis Protest CollectioÌ„ of priuate prayers An. 1627. p. 147. 125. 107. 87. 35. Mat. Park antiquit Brit. pag. 47. was of this opinion and practise S. Hieroth eus also Tutor to Sainct Denis did write a booke of Christians holy traditions Hierotheus clarissimâ—s praeeeptor noster elementa Theologica magnacâ—m laâ—de collegerit And this before S. Denis write The Apostolike Traditions collected together and committed to writinge by Sainct Clement Successor to Sainct Peter at Rome as both he himselfe with other auncient and approued Authors Greeke and Latine and generall councels witnesse are so many that a short volume containeth them â—ot yet in all things condemne Protestant Reliâ—ioÌ„ not approuing it in any one Article wherein it â—ifferreth from Catholiks and the doctrine of the â—resent Roman Church as will be made euident â— the particular articles hereafter manifestly â—nowne and confessed by Ruffinus his translation â—nd testimony to haue bene then and from the beginninge contained in his workes and aggreable â—oth with the Apostolike doctrine of this age and â—ther confessed vnspotted times after as in the â—ourth hundred yeare of Christ wherein Ruffinus â—ued the Church of Rome at this time wherein â—ee now liue I will onely in this place exemplifie â— the publike liturgy Masse or Church sacrifice puâ—lished by him vnto the Church of Christ Greeks â—atines French and our old brittesh antiquities our Protestants theÌ„selues confesse That as Peter â—t Antioch S. Marke at Alexandria Sainct Iohn â—nd S. Andrew in Asia So Sainct Clement wrote â—nd published a forme of Masse and generally all Churches embraced it Omne sque vniuersae Ecâ—esiae vbicumque sint per eam quam Sanctus Cleâ—ens conscripsit liturgiam tradiderunt In this so old â— vniuersall so approued wee finde protection of â—e Angels Angelorum tutelas honor to all Saincts â—atriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confesâ—ors c. Sanctis Patriarchis Prophetis Iustis Apoâ—olis Martyribus Confessoribus Sanctorum martyrum â—emoriam colamus Prayer for the faithfull deceased â—roijs qui in fide quieuerunt oremus The Ecclesiaâ—icall orders which I haue before remembred from â—ainct Ignatius That the holy sacrifice was offered â—r all Seruants of God Offerimus tibi pro omnibus â—ui à saeculo placuerunt tibi Wee finde virgins and liuers in professed chastity Pro virginibus castitâ— seruaÌ„tibus The sacrifice of
the dead reueâ—nced the signe of the crosse other holy Images â—d sacred Reliks said or heard Masse and praâ—ized other Christian rites and duties which proâ—stants deny to be contained in or proued by â—cripture Tertullian lyuing and writing as many testifie â—en Protestants before Pope Eleutherius time Tertull. l. de praescription Magdeburg Centuâ— 3. col 34. c. 4. col 240. 241. Sutcl subu p. 4. Whitg def Respon pag. 96. â—d witnessing Britayne had in his dayes receaued â—e faith of Christ euen in those parts thereof wheâ—er the Pagan Romans could neuer come loca â—omanis inaccessa speaketh of the traditions before â—membred as both his owne works Catholiks â—d Protestants proue in these words Tertullianus â— genere de doctrina suae aetatis inquit eam consentire cum Ecclesijs Apostolicis eamque consensum câ— cordiam communem esse omniuÌ„ Ecclesiarum in Europâ— in Asia in Africatestatur That this the doctrine his time did agree with all Apostolike Churches thaâ— was the common consent and concordance of all â— Churches in Europe in Asia in Afrike And thouâ— wee assigne a somewhat later time to Tertullian others doe in the later end of the second age â— when he so confidently and generally assignâ— this common consent of all Churches of Britaiâ— Fraunce Spaine Italy all Europe Asia and Afriâ— in these holy Christian doctrines thus impugned Protestants hauing therein the consent of all Aâ—stolik Churches wee must needs say whether tâ— were receaued and professed from Scriptures Traditions being longe before any generall Coâ—cels kept by the generall confessed rule of the â—thers and Protestants before they must needâ— deliuered by authority of the Apostles non â— authoritate Apostolica traditum certissimè crediturâ— And the first receauing of the holy Scriptureâ— Britayne which wee finde in Antiquities was in â— time of Pope Eleutherius and from the Churcâ— Rome the same Catalogue of Scriptures it tâ— vsed and still vseth as wee finde in the epistlâ— Eleuth Pap. epist ad Lucium Regem Britan. Godwin CoÌ„uers of Brit. in epist Eleuther Stow. hist Romans that holy Pope to Kinge Lucius suscepistis nâ— miseratione diuina in Regno Britaniae legem fiâ— Christi Habetis penes vos in Regno vtramque pagiâ— You haue there in your Kingdome both testamentâ— our Protestants translate it or both parts of Scripturâ— THE THIRD CHAPTER The 7. 8. 9. 10. Articles examined and wherein they differ from the present Romane Church condemned by this first Apostolike age HAVING thus absolutely and at large confuted and ouerthrowne by the Apostolike â—ge the last Article the erroneous ground of all â—rotestant Religion wee may be more breife in â—he rest being all at the least generally confuted â—nd ouerthrowne in their false foundation so deâ—royed And vntill wee come to their 11. Article â—tituled of the Iustification of man It may be queâ—ioned whether any of them doth in common and â—robable construction and meaninge oppose the â—oman Church or no. And for the two next the 7. â—nd 8. Articles it is most certaine and euident the â—rst of them being intituled of the old testament only â—acheth The old Testament is not contrary to the new â—nd the other stiled of the three Creeds is in tâ—e â—me condition onely affirming The three Creedes â—icene Creede Athanasius Creede and tâ—â—â—â—hich is â—mmonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly â— be receaued and beleeued But the reason hereof â—hich thus they yeeld for they may be proued by most â—rtaine warrantes of holy Scripture is both before â—onfuted very friuolous for neither is the Scripâ—re the compleate Rule of Religion neither was â—e Scriptures of the new testament written when â—e Apostles deliuered their Creede to the Church â—or the Scriptures agreed vpon vntill after both â—e Creedes of the Nicene Councell and Sainct Athanasius were generally receaued and professâ— by all Catholiks as is already made manifest eueâ— by Protestants themselues aswell as other Authoâ— of more worthy credit The next Article is intâ—tuled of Originall or birth sinne And was expresseâ— concluded by them against the Pelagians denyiâ— originall sinne in man as they expouÌ„d themseluâ— naming the Pelagians and their heresie there wiâ— a confutation of it in their proceedings holdiâ— that Originall sinne in those that be not baptizeâ— deserueth Gods wrath and damnation Yet in the lâ— and concluding words of the Article their phraâ— of speach hath perhaps giuen occasion to some pâ—ritane Nouelists to thinke they held as these mâ— Caluin and such doe that concupiscence withoâ— assent is sinne The words be Although there is â— Artic. 9. supr condâ—mnation for them that beleeue and are baptizâ— yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscence lâ— Thomas Rogers in Articul 9. Confes Helu 2. c 9. Saxon. ar 2. 20. hath of it selfe the nature of sinne A Puritane glosser vpon this place saith Conâ—piscence euen in the regenerate is sinnâ— Among foâ—tâ—ene Protestant Confessions he citeth but two fâ— his opinion by his owne exposition And so seauâ— to one by his owne argument of Protestant authâ—rity he is deceaued And the Puritan Heluetian â—sembly Protest Engl. Art art 10. Caluin lib. 1. Instit c. 5. l. 2 c. 2. 3. a. lib. l 3. c. 3. Ant Wotton against D. Bish pa. 112. ruled by Caluine holdeth this besides tâ— other errour which our English Protestants deâ— in ther next article that man hath not free will â— doe well or fly sinne And he plainely confesseâ— that all the primatiue Fathers sufficient for tâ— purpose are against him holding concupiscenâ— without assent to be no sinne Omnium sententâ—â— So do our English Puritans also which hold thâ— errour acknowledge and it is apparant euen â— â—e words of this article before related that the Enâ—ish Protestants doe no otherwise terme coÌ„cupisâ—nce sinne then materially as the Apostle doth â—hose onely authority they vse in that matter and â—ot properly and formally as sinne is truely and â— right sense vsed and taken hauing liberty and â—nsent of minde annexed vnto it otherwise Inâ—nts Ideots frantike madde men without iudgâ—ent and men sleepinge doinge the materiall part â— things sinfull should also sinne or if the flesh of â— selfe the vegetatiue or sensitiue power abstraâ—ing from reason could sinne creatures onely haâ—ng beeing vegetation and sense might and should â—nne equally as those that be reasonable Beasts â—shes fowles plants herbes and trees would be â—oth capable and guilty of sinne And our English Protestants in their commuâ—on booke of as greate credit and approued by as â—reate authority with them and their Religion as â—ese articles acknowledge that the baptized are deade Communion Booke Titul ministrat of publike Baptisme And Catechisme â— sinne And the whole body of sinne is vtterly aboliâ—ed in them They promise and vowe to for sake the â—uill and all his workes the carnall desires of the flesh â—d not to followe and be ledde by them obediently to â—epe Gods commaundements
sine originali peccato fâ— esse Atque it a in primo momento cum viuere inâ—ret omnis peccati expers erat And saith that eâ— from her conception she was full of grace and hauing no place for any sinne Maria Virgo â—â— In Euang. de Annunt Mar. animaÌ„ plâ—na gratia concepta est Gratia Deiipsam â—â— boni abundantem facit Et ab omni malo liberat Dâ—cum ea est hoc est omne quod facit aut omittit diuiâ— est in eo a Deo perficitur ad haec tutatur eam â—fendit ab omni quod obnoxium incommodum esseâ— Antiquitat Glaston manuscrip tabul lign fixe Io. Capgrau in vit S. Iosephi ab Aramathia Guliel Malmesbur l. de anâ—iq coenob Glastonien test That from her conception she was full of grace whatsoeuer she did or omitted was holy and diâ— she was free from all thing illor sinfull Her hoâ— here in Britaine was so greate and timely that â—â— in 31. yâ—ares of the passion of Christ and 15. of the blâ— Virgins Assumption anno post Passionem Dominâ— cesimo primo ab Assumptione vero Virginis glorâ— quinto decimo S. Ioseph and his holy company by â— monition of the holy Angel Gabriel and diuine waâ— â—ilded here a Chapell vnto her honour It is accompted â—e first Church of Britaine dedicated miraculously by â—hrist in honour of his Mother The ChristiaÌ„ builders in â—eate deuotion watching and fastings and prayers â—ere serued God and the blessed Virgin and by the â—lpe of the blessed Virgin were releiued in their necesâ—ies Praedicti sancti per Archangelum Gabrielem in â—isione admoniti sunt Ecclesiam in honore sanctae Dei â—netricis perpetuae Virginis Mariae in loco caelitus â—â—onstrato coÌ„struere Qui diuinis admonitionibus obeâ—entes capellam consuminauerunt Et cum haec in hac â—ione prima fuerit Ecclesia ampliori eam dignitate â—â— filius insigniuit ipsain in honore suae matris dediâ—ndo Duodecim sancti praedicti in eodem loco Deo â—atae Virgini deuota exhibentes obsequia vigilijs ieâ—ijs orationibus vacantes eiusdem Virginis Dei â—etricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocillabantur â—hus haue our most auncient antiquities both by â—atholiks and Protestants testimonies The three next articles being thus intuled The â— of sinne after Baptisme the 17. of predestination and â—ection and 18. of obtaining eternall saluation onely â— the name of Christ doe not seeme in equall and â—orall construction euen as they expound themâ—lues to haue opposition to any Catholike doâ—rine but to haue beene receaued by them to conâ—mne newly risen vp heresies among them as liâ—rtines denyers of saluation to penitent sinners â—edestinaries not respecting to liue well vpon â—icked presumption of their predestination and â—ch as affirmed that euery man shall be saued Iew â—urke Pagan or whatsoeuer Infidell or heretike â—all be saued by the law or sect which he professeth that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature as is plainely registred â— set downe in those Articles THE VII CHAPTER The 19. Article examined and condemned by the same authority THEIR next and 19. Article intituled of â— Church is this The visible Church of Christ iâ— congregation of faithfull men in which the pure worâ— God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministrâ— according to Christs ordinance in all those things thâ— necâ—ssity are requisite to the same As the Churâ— Hiâ—rusalem Alexandria and Antioche haue erred â— also the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in thâ— liuing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters â— faith Hitherto this article Whose definition â— description of the Church if wee should alloâ— wee are sufficiently instructed by that is said bâ—fore that the Protestants new congregation câ— not be this true visible Church of Christ eâ—â— from the truth in so many necessary and requiâ— things as hath beene proued in all Articles befoâ— wherein it opposeth the receaued doctrine of tâ— primatiue Apostolike age and the present Churâ— of Rome as the like demonstration shall be maâ— against them in all their contradictory Articâ— following in their due place And so is also and â—â— be most manifest that the present Roman Churâ— agreeing in all those Articles both already heâ— after to be examined with the vndoubted â—â— Church of the Apostles and this their age is â—â— must needs be the true Church of Christ Aâ— â—eir assertion in the second parte of this Article â—hat the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their â—ing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters of â—ith is most euidently false and impudently slaunâ—erous And the open dore to infidelity For if all â—e commaunding Churches in the world Hieruâ—lem Nicen. Concil Can. Parlament â— of Queene Eliz. Parl. â— Iacob 1. Caroli Alexandria Antioche and Rome as they are â—t downe in the first greate Councell of Nice and â—proued by the Parlaments and Parlament Reâ—gions of Queene Elizabeth King Iames King â—harles haue erred in matters of faith as this Arâ—le affirmeth then all other Churches all being â—biect vnto them haue likewise erred And this â—w Protestant pretended Church not being then â—runge vp being noe congregation of faithfull â—en in that time nor any congregation or men at â— and so neither hauing the pure word of God â—eached nor Sacraments duely ministred nor any â—e point of doctrine yet preached or Sacrament â—nistred nor man to preach or minister any such â—uld not nor can possibly by their owne rule and â—dgment be the true visible Church or any â—ember peece or part thereof That true primaâ—e and Apostolike Church teaching by all Preists â—d Cleargy men it had both to the congregation â— faithfull men to vse these mens phrase conâ—rted and to others yet not Christians all those â—cessary articles hitherto examined contrary to â—otestant Religion when the onely want of any â—e of such necessary things by their owne definiâ—e sentence before taketh away the name and â—e to be the true Church at this present any â—e past or to come the preaching of the pure â—rd of God due ministring of the Sacraments in all things of necessity being one and the same â— all persons in all times and places And to be of any other minde quite crosseth wiâ— Christs Institution and the continuance and visiâ—lity of his Church which both that article of theâ— Creede I beleeue the holy Catholike Church and tâ— their article and confession of an euerduring visibâ— Church doth proue For if at any time after Chriâ— founding his Church either in this Apostolike â— any age after it had generally erred in matters â— faith that it retained not the name and truth of â— true Church there was then by this article no tâ— Church in the world For whosoeuer it was whâ— wee will dreame to haue beene the first finder oâ— of this generall errour and supposed Apostaâ— Martine
nuncupamus quod sit vniuersalis diffundatur per omnes mundi partes ad omnia se tempora extendat nullis vel locis inclusa vel temporibus Seing alwayes there is onely one God one mediatour of God and men Iâ—sus the Messias also one Sheepheard of the vniuersall flocke one heade of this body to conclude one holy Ghost one saluation one saith one testament or league it necessarily followeth that there onely is one Church Which therefore wee name Catholike because it is Vniuersall and diffused through all parts of the world and extendeth it selfe to all times not concluded within any places or times This holy Church of God is called the house of the liueinge God builded of liuely and spirituall stones and seated vpon an vnmoueable rocke and vpon a foundation on which no other thing can be placed and therefore it is called the pillar and supporter of truth Haec Ecclesia Dei sancta vocatur domus Dei viuentis extructa ex lapidibus viuis spiritualibus imposita super petraÌ„ immotaÌ„ super fundamentuÌ„ quo aliud loc ari noÌ„ potest ideo nuncupatur etiam coluÌ„na basis verit atiâ— 1. Tim. 3. The Lutheran Religion or confession of Wittemberge saith credimus confitemur quod vna sit Confess Wirtemberg cap. de Eccl. sancta Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia iuxta Symbolum Apostolorum Nicaenum Quod haec Ecclesia â— Spiritu sancto ita gubernetur vt conseruct eum perpetuo ne vel erroribus vel peccatis pereat Quod in hac Ecclesi asit verapeccatorum remissio Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius iudicandi de omnibus doctrinis Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius interpret and aescripturae Ecclesia habet certam promissionem perpetuae praesentiae Christi Cap. de Concilijs gubernatur à Spiritu sancto Wee beleeue coÌ„fessâ— that there is one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Creede of the Apostles and Nicen Councell That this Church is so gouerned by the holy Ghost that he preserueth it for euer that it perish not either by errours or sinnes That in this Church there is true remissioÌ„ of sinnes thâ—â— this Church hath authority to Iudge of all doctrines That this Church hath authority to interpret the Scripture The Church hath certaine promise of the perpetuall presence of Christ and is gouerned by the holy Ghost By this it is euident by all Testimonies of this Apostolike age and these Protestants themselues that the true Church of Christ neuer did shall or can erre in any Iudgment decree sentence or profession in matters of faith but is pure Catholike and Apostolike in all such in all times and places And this article either denying or doubting of such power and prerogatiue in the true Church is very Idle or Antichristian taking away all certaine and holy Religion of Christ As also that the Church which was when these heresies began euen Catholike and vniuersall in all places and had beene so in all times before hath beene so euer since and still so continueth and florisheth is that true holy Catholike Apostolike Church which the holy Scriptures Fathers of this age and the Article of our Creede giue testimony vnto And the Protestant particular Confessions and congregations of Heluetia Fraunce England Scotland Belgia Poland Argentine Ausburgh Saxony Wittemberge the Palatine of Rheine Boheme and perhaps some others being onely of particular Contryes or Townes and onely of some and not all persons of them cannot be possibly Catholike for place and as vnpossibly for time the eldest of them by their owne testimony and confession vnknowne vntill the yeare of Christ 1530. the Confession of Ausburge first began not printed vntill the yeare 1540. the Confession of Boheme 1532. Heleutia 1536. Saxony 1551. England 1562. Scotland 1581. the like of the rest These nor any of them by the same reason can be Apostolike arising so many hundreds of yeares after the Apostles time None of all these can be that one Church which was euer those being diuers from that among themselues at warres both for Sacraments discipline doctrine None of their coÌ„gregations or coÌ„fessions yet hath brought forth any one man or woman knowne which in their owne Iudgment or senteÌ„ce is honoured or calendred for a Saint though their calenders chronicles and histories be full of Saints which were of the Roman Church and Religion They haue taken away and ouerthrowne many thousand foundations of holynesse and piety their owne first foundation in such kinde is yet to begin this cannot be the one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church of Christ which our Creeds doe teach vs being in all respects diametrically opposite or rather contradictory to whatsoeuer is or can be defined or described as they themselues define the true Church by those attributes properties or distinctiue differences to be one to be holy to be Catholike and vniuersall in all times places and points of doctrine and Sacraments and to be Apostolicall continued without intermission from the Apostles in sound and Apostolicall Christian Religion in all articles and matters of faith And thus it was confessed and professed by our Christian Britains from their first couersion in the Apostles time as these men themselues haue before deliuered THE IX CHAPTER The 21. Article so examined and condemned THE Article which followeth 21. in number is intituled of the authority of generall Councels And in these their words Generall Councels may not be grathered to gether without the commaundement and will of Princes And when they be gathered for asmuch as they be an assembly of meÌ„ whereof all be not gouerned with the spirit and word of God they may erre and some time haue erred euen in thinges pertaining vnto God wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to saluation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture Hitherto this English Protestant Article The first part of it requiring of necessity the commaundement and will of Princes for the validity of Councels is singular not onely against Catholiks but all Confessions of Protestants not any one consenting in this matter with our English Protestants as is euident in those confessions Neither doe the Protestants of Britaine agree herein but all they whom they terme Puritans or Disciplinarians are quite of an other opinion And the Parlament Protestants themselues of best Iudgment doe euen with publike allowance condemne it Thus with such approbation they write of themselues Protestant relation of Religion cap. 47. The Protestants are seuered bandes or rather scattered troopes each drawing diuers wayes without any meanes to pacifie their quarrels to take vp their controuersies No Prince with any preeminence of Iurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarcke one or more to haue a common superintendance of care of their Churches for correspondancy and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell the onely hope remaining euer to
assuage their contention The other haue the Pope as a common Father aduiser and conductor to all to reconcile their Iarres to appease their displeasures to decide then difference aboue all things to drawe their religion by consent of councels to vnity And this is euidently and experimeÌ„tally knowne to be true by all men no Prince or Potentate spirituall or temporall except the Pope of Rome either hauing or pretending to haue any such power as is necessary to call assemble a generall Councell And for Protestant Princes none clayming such prerogatiue but onely in his owne temporall dominions it is absolutely vnpossible that any such assembly of Bishops which could deserue the name of one halfe or third or lesse part of a generall CouÌ„cell from all Christian Kingdomes and contries should at any time or place be called and gathered together by any such pretended power And if wee should allowe meere lay and prophane men Souldiars The SubscriptioÌ„s of these Protestants confessions Captaines Rebels and heretikes without knowledge in diuinity or humane duty to haue decisiue voyces in Ecclesiasticall matters and to offord to euery common Artizan the place and office of holy and learned Bishops in such assemblies IudgmeÌ„ts it were a thing most ridiculous And further to say that all the Bishops and Catholike Cleargy men in all those contries where Protestant confession haue beene kept were present and consented vnto them all those assemblies and conuenticles could not come to be the halfe of a fourth part of a Councell generall out of the whole Christian world There was not in any of forreine conuenticles and conciables any one man bearing the name of a Bishop which inuented them or subscribed vnto them as is euident in their subscriptions neither any one such at this day amoÌ„g them except in Scotland whether some of King Iames his bastard Bishops haue crept sent or appointed by his regall supremacy from the newly hatched broode of England which neither now hath or had any one true and lawfull Bishop at the enactinge and first shaping of these articles called forsooth Anglica confessio the confession of England and now scarcely a man to be founde in England Scotland Fraunce or other contry where those confessions were first vented which consenteth vnto them Diuers of them of late as of Bohemia the Palatinate of Rhyne and others in Germany wholly ouerthrowne and all returned to the Catholike faith and the rest so farre at variance and distastes with their confessions as wee see in England the late bookes of Doctor Montague and him that gathered the booke of prayers priuiledged by the present Protestant Bishop George of London both them iustifiable by this booke of articles their communion booke and other allowed rules of their religion are esteemed and accompted for strauÌ„ge wonders among the present called Protestants And to shew of what validity these pretended peeces of Protestants Councels and confessions were from the beginning in their owne Iudgment disablinge all such as be not gathered together by the commaundement and will of Princes except here in England where a woman was head in alâ— things both temporall and spirituall there was nâ—â— either the commaundement will or assent of aâ—â— true lawfull and cheife Prince to those confessionâ— but the contrary those assemblies and Confessioâ— being gathered and concluded by refractory disobedient and vndutifull people as is euident in thâ— very Protestant proceedings and histories of theâ— all In the confession of Ausburg the Protestant pâ—blishers of it say that Ihon Duke of Saxony Eâ—ctour George Marquesse of Brandeburge Ernestus Duke of Luneburge Philip Lansgraue â— Subscriptio confessionis Augustanae Hesse Ihon Frederike Duke of Saxony Francâ— Duke of Luneburge Walfangus Prince of Anhaâ— the Senats of Nurnberge and Reutling subscribeâ— but by their owne confession they subscribed â— subiects to the Emperour and protesting their fidelity vnto him Caesareae maiestatis vâ—strae fideles oâ— subditi And the Emperour their Supreame Lord and Prince neuer consented vnto it No Prince â—â— Potentate Protestant that consented vnto any â— these confessions neuer had or claymed any Iuridiction or power spirituall or temporall ouer â— other or any one other Prince or contry and so noâ— generall Councell euer was or can be called bâ— any right or title claymed or pretended in their religion all Protestants agree the true Church eâ—â— had hath and shall haue true discipline Sacâ—ments and due ministration of them and true dâ—ctrine in all things necessary none of these coâ—fessions thus agree together And the Protestanâ— of England with their temporall Princes spirituaâ— Supremacy with two onely Sacraments and dâ—uerse points of necessary doctrine differ from theâ— all Neither euer was there any Christian temporall prince King or Emperour or euer like to be that did or shall Reigne ouer all prouinces and contries where Christians did doe and are to liue hereafter yet councels haue beene kept and lawfully called euen such as be named generall from the beginning and before any Christian King was in the world and were lawfully kept and called contrary vnto and against the temporall Princes will and commaundement The Apostles themselues kept diuers councels in such manner The Scripture witnesseth that S. Peter and the Apostles assembled in Councell to be called generall for that time consisting of all the Apostles hiomnes erant perseuerantes vnanimiter Act. cap 1. and almost 120. Petrus in medio fratrum dixit erat autem turba hominum simul fâ—re câ—ntum viginti when Sainct Matthias was chosen in the place of Iudas It was a generall Councell also for that time Act. cap. 6. which was called and kept by the Apostles When Sainct Stephen and the other 6. Deacons with him were chosen remembred in the 6. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles For both all the Apostles and disciples being then very many crescente numero Act cap. 6 discipulorum were present at it called thither by Apostolike authority both without and against the consent will or liking of any temporall Prince It was also a generall Councell for that time when S. Paul S. Barnabas with others Paulus Barnabas Act. cap. 18. Clem. Rom. const Apost l. 6. cap. 12. quidam alij went a long Iorney to the rest of the Apostles and disciples at Hierusalem about the question then moued concerninge circumcision For these were receaued by the Church Apostles and others of the Clergy there Suscepti sunt ab Eâ—clesia ab Apostolis senioribus And the Apostles with the disciples and rulers of the representatiue Church gaue resolution and sentence vpon that doubt Placuit Apostolis senioribus cum omni Ecclesia So wee may say of the councels wherein the Canones Apostol Const Apost l. 6. c. 12. Canons of the Apostles and their constitutions registred by S. Clement and remembred in many auncient writers Greeke and Latine were made The like is also set downe by S. Clement when Clemens
anathematizing all gaynesayers vnto it Omnes quâ— ausi fuerint dissoluere definitionem Sancti magâ—â— Concilij quod apud Nicaeam tongregatum est anathematizamus Et dixerint omnes placet Things concluded and confirmed for the whole Church by so many and greate authorities and their deniall so seuerely punished must needs be of highest and vnfallible truth The Apostles themselues in their Councels before haue giuen vndoubted testimony to this if they Ignat. epist â—d Polycarp epist ad Her had not by their Councels prefigured and giuen testimoy to the infallible verity of the decrees of generall Councels Their so many assembles and Councels might haue beene spared for whatsoeuer any one of them did or should haue decreed was without question true in matters of faith otherwise wee might call all their sacred writings the whole new testament into question The Apostolike men of the first age haue giuen like euidence before And among them S. Ignatius who would haue such councels often kept Crebrius celebrentur Conuentus Synodique doth make their decrees and constitutions of so greate and vnquestionable power and authority that he which doth otherwise although he is in other things worthy of credit although he fasteth although he liueth in virginity doth miracles and prophesieth is to be accompted for a wolfe which vnder a sheeps skin bringeth destruction and bane to the sheepe Quicunque dixerit quippiâ—â— praeterea quae constituta sunt tamet si fide dignus 〈◊〉 quamuis ieiunet quamuis in virginitate degat qâ—amnis signa edat quamuis prophetet pro lupo illum â—â—â—eas qui sub oninae pelle exitium pestemque adfert â—â—ibâ—â— So vnpossible he maketh it that such decrees should be vntrue And the first Nicen Councell Concil Nic. in Symbolo apud Ruffin l. 1. hist Eccl. c. â— Socrat. l. 1. hist c. 6. declaring that a generall Councell is the Catholike Church and reason so warrantinge by errour of such a Councell the whole Church might erre in articles of faith And that article of our Creede I beleeue the holy Catholike Church euer most true might be false at sometimes which is a thing most prophane and Antichristian to be affirmed For if a generall Councell representing the whole Church ruling gouerning and teaching it in the cheifest Bishops and Pastours there present might erre the whole Church both the Gouernours and gouerned therein must needs be in the same desolate estate And our Protestant Bishops and Doctours Engl. Protest in Bilson Suru p. 82. Morton part 2. Apolog. p. 340. l. 4. c. 18. feild p. 228. with their publike allowance and approbation doe thus giue warrant vnto vs. The authority of generall Councels is most holsome in the Church A generall Councell is highest Iudge Bishops assembled in a generall Councell haue authority to subiect euery man that shall disobey such determinations as they consent vpon to excommunication and censures of like nature Wee must receaue and respect the authority L. 4. c. 5 pag. 202. of all Catholike Doctours whose doctrine and writings the Church alloweth wee must more regard the authority of Catholike Bishops more then these the authority of the Apostolike Churches amongst them more especially the Church of Rome of a generall Councell more then all these False it is that wee admitte no Iudge but Scriptures Sutcliff ag D. Kell pag. 40. 42. for wee appeale still to alawfull generall Councell This being thus generally written with authority and in the name of all Protestants especially in England they must needs graunt that generall Councels be of infallible IudgmeÌ„t in articles of religion otherwise there is no meanes left to finde the truth but wee might and must wander from one false deceitfull rule to an other without end And seeing euery Court and Consistory froÌ„ which appeales are or may be made is inferiour more vncertaine and of lesse authority then that Seate of Iudgment to whom it is appealed it is most certaine by these Protestants themselues that they which neuer had haue or as before can haue hereafter any generall Councell to which they must appeale as they doe cannot haue any possible title to true religion for themselues or the least colour or pretence of Iustice or Religion for such monstrous and horrible penalties and cruelties as are inflicted to enforce the Catholiks so many generall Councels consisting of diuers hundreds of learned and holy Bishops or to perswade them to embrace their Protestant professions which neuer had any lawfull Bishop according to this fift Councell Illud generaliter clarum est quod si quis praeter Concil Nic. can 6. Ruffin l. 1. hist Eccl. in Concil Nicen. sententiam Metropolitani fuerit factus Episcopus eum magna Synodus definiuit non esse Episcopum That is generally manifest that if any man is made a Bishop against the will or likeing of the Metropolitane this greate Councell doth define that he is no Bishop And so can make no Bishop or Preist So by this most holy Councell so often and authoritatiuely receaued by our English Protestants as is before declared they neither haue nor possibly hereafter by their proceedings can haue any one Archbishop Bishop Preist or Clâ—â—â—gy man among them for if their pretended â—â—â—ner of constitution were true which wee haue inâ—â—ncibly proued otherwise yet they themselues and all other writers confesse they had not the assent but vttermost dissent and disagreement of any domesticall or forreine Metropolitane for their new Religion or consecratioÌ„ But this sacred Councell euen in those Canons which our Protestants Nicen. Conâ— can 14. receaue doth vtterly condemne the pretended consecration and ministry of England erected against the Catholike sacrificing Preisthood assuring vs that true Preists did offer sacrifice and this Sacrifice was the body of Christ Presbyteri offerendi sacrificij habeÌ„t potestatem Offerunt corpus Christi It maintained the Popes Supremacy as before It receaued more Scriptures then Protestants doe librum Iudith Synodus Hieron praef in librum Iudith Concil Nic. can 11. 13. 14. Can. 3. Nicaena in numero Sanctarum scripturarum legitur computasse It approueth Indulgences in 4. Canons and giueth authority to Bishops in such cases It forbiddeth Clergy men to keepe any women in their howses but mother Sister grandmother Aunt They declared it to be the old tradition of the Church that Ecclesiasticall men might not marry and so commaunded Qui in clerum ante ascripti Socrates hist l. 2. c. 2. Sozomen hist Eccles l. 1. c. 22. erant quà m duxissent hi secundum veterem Ecclesiae traditionem deinceps à nuptijs se abstinerent By which the Protestants Church is vtterly disabled and ouerthrowne by their owne rule and article before neither hauing the true word preached Sacraments duely ministred Church rightly gouerned nor any one man among them to performe most needfull functions and duties by their owne definitiue sentence Their conclusion of this article Things ordained by
authoritie giuen vnto them in the congregation Churche they meane to call and send ministers in the Lords vineyard But I haue proued before in particular and euery of their Articles more then halfe of them in order without excepting any one inuincibly confuted proue the same that these men art no part parcell or congregation of the true Church of Christ and so no men among them can pretend to haue authoritie publike or other to send Ministers in the Lords vineyard being themselues no members or parsons commaundeing or to be commaunded consecrating or to be coÌ„secrated therein much lesse to haue such publike authoritie in it as this Article appointeth for this busines Secondly there were no men amonge them at the makinge of these Articles nor at the birth of thir Religion here in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth which had or possibly in their proceedings could haue any such publik authoritie to call and send Mininisters in the Lords vineyard For their whole congregation consisted of a woman Queene Elizabeth their pretended cleargie and others confessed meerely temporall men Lette vs take all these eyther ioyntly togeather as in parlament or by themselues seuerally and no such publik authoritie will be founde in them The Queene a woman by Sexe was neyther men nor man haueing such authoritie and their 37. Article denyeth any such prower in her eyther 〈◊〉 â—â—â—selfe or others All their pretended Bishops â—â—â—re by all Consistories Ecclesiasticall Tempoâ—â—ll euen the parlament and Iudgements in the Temporall lawe adiudged to haue no such authoâ—iâ—ie The first parlament of Q. Elizabeth which reâ—iued Stow hist in Q. Mary an 1. an 1. of Q. Elizabeth Parker Ant. Brit. in Tho. Cranmar Godwin Catal. of Bish. solpe Hollin hist of Engl. in Q. Mary Statutes of Q Eliz. K. Iames and K. Charles make Preisthood treason their Religion had not one true or pretended Bishop that had voyce in parlament that consâ—nted vnto it but all the Bishops which had and oâ—ely had such publik authoritie did disclayme â—nd disagree to that change the Temporall Lords â—â—ights and burgesses neyther had nor could giue which they had not such authoritie No forreyne Pope Patriarke Archbishop or Bishop did or could giue it here by their owne lawes For Q. Elizabeth King Iames and K. Charles by their parlaments and Statutes haue made holy preisthood Treason And this new Protestant Queene Elizabeth her Religion beginning here in the yeare 155â— and 1559. in her first parlament neuer had 〈◊〉 knowne publike allowed square rule forme â—â—nner Order or fashion whatsoeuer for any to hâ—ue publik authoritie to call make send or sette forth any pretended Minister vntil the yeare 1562. when their Religion was 4. yeares old and these The new Protestant booke of Consec an 2. Eduardi 6. in Parlam statut an r. Mariae Booke of arâ—icles an 1â—62 art 36. Articles were made in them the booke of King Edward the 6. about 10. or 11. yeares old when he sette it forth by parlament was first called from death werewith it perished in the first yeare of Queene Mary It hath beene pretended from a new borne Register of Matthew parker that hee was made a Bishop by Barlowe Scorye and 3. others by vertue of a commission from Queene Elizabeth and this new worke was acted on the 17. day of December but alas they had then no forme our order to do such a busines if they had beene such publik allowed and authorized men as this Article appointeth vntill 4. yeares after this pretended admittance alleadged to haue beene 17. Decemb. an 1559. And their owne publike confession is in the Register it selfe as they haue published it in Matthew parker their first pretended protestantly made Archbishope his booke and Register That none of those pretended Consecratours was admitted for a true or pretended Consecratour vntill after this supposed consecration of Matthew parker For they say from their pretended Register of Matthew parker Anno 1559. Matth. part cant cons Franc. Mason l. 3. c. 4. of cons p. 127. ex Regist Matth. park to 1. f. 2. 10. Godw. catal of Bish. in Canterb. 69. Matth. parker 17. Decem. by william Barlowe Ihon Scory Miles Couerdale Ihon hodgeskins by these Matthew parker was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury the seuententh day of December in the yeare 1559. Their Catalogue of Bishops saith he was consecrated December 17. 1559. by W. Barlowe Io Scory and Ihon hodgeskins This is vtterly false and vnpossible by their owne testimonies and proceedings to be true For their owne Register as it is published in Matthew parker his owne writings proueth directly that two of these 4. pretended Consecratouts were neuer allowed for such or Bishops or any men hauing such publike authoritie in their Protestant Religion as this their Article requireth of necessitie to call and send Ministers These were Miles Couerdale and Ihon Hodgeskings neuer hauing any such power in Q. Elizabeth her time And for the other two william Barlowe and Ihon Scory they were not allowed by these Protestants â—â—â— Bishops or such men vntill Matthew parker â—â—â— as they pretend by their Register consecrated by them william Barlowe stiled before D. of Diuinine or a preist Regular was allowed for such a man vpon the 20. day of December 1559. 3. dayes Register Episcopor Protestant Angl. apud Matth. park antiquit Britanniae pag. 39. edit Hanouiae an 1605. altâ—â— matthew parkers pretended ordination by him Will Barlowe Th. D. Presb. Reg. Conf. 1559. Decem. 20. and the other Ihon Scory then sâ—iled onely Bachelour of Diuiuitie and preist Regâ—lar was also first allowed the same 20. day of December Ioh Scory Th. Bac. Presb. Regn. Conf. 1559. Dec. 20. And their owne catalogue of their pretended Bishops assureth vs further that this Matthew parker was amoÌ„g them Archbishop Godwyâ— Catalog of Bishops in Durham 58. Cutbert Tunstall of Conterbury in the month of Iuly before So he could haue no consecration true or pretended by their owne proceeding I adde further concerning the pretended Register by which they haue thus vainely claymed an Inualid Title to Ecclesiasticall function and orders sette out in the booke of their first pretended Protestant Archbishop Matthew parker printed at Hanouia 1605. called Antiquitates Britannicae of the Archbishops of Canterbury there is no worde our mention at all of any such thing in that old manuscript copie thereof which I haue seene and diligently examined And any man reading the printed booke will manifestly see it is a meerely foisted and inserted thing hauing no connexion correspondence or affinitie either with that which goeth before or followeth it And conteyneth more things done after Matthew parker had written that Booke But of this their new founde consecration I shall entreate more largely hereafter in their 25. and 36. Articles whither it more properly belongeth and there vtterly disable it for making or leauing among them either true Bishop Preist or any other Ecclesiasticall person
Infants and Confession of sinnes to Preists Notatus est aliquando risisse paruulorum Bap tisma peccatorumque ad Sacerdotis aurem confessionem Thus it is testified both by Catholike and Protestant Historians And our most auncient Brittish writers as S. hollinsh hist of Scut l pag. 112. Gildas speaking of this Sacrament the practise and vse thereof here in Britayne deduceth it from Christs words of bynding loosteing spokeÌ„ to S. Peter and the other Apostles Petro eiusque Successoribus Gild. l. de excid cap. 26. dicit Dominus tibi dabo claues Regni Coelorum Itemque omni sancto Sacerdoti promittitur quaecumque solueris superterram erunt soluta in caelis quaecumque ligaueris super terram erunt ligata in caelis Our learned Britan the old Archbishop of Orleance Ionas Aureliensis testifieth the auncient deuotion to this Sacrament was such that both Preists and penitents wept in the ministring thereof and giueth instance in S. Eustachius Ionas aurel in vit S. Eustachij cap. 1. so weeping when penitents confessed their sinnes vnto him that he caused them also to weepe Quoties illi aliquis ob recipiendam paenitentiam lapsus suos esset confessus ita flebat vt illum flere compelleret And this is so euident a truth that King Iames King Iames Confer at Hampton court with his Protestant Bishops and clergie in their publik examination of their Religion conclude this point in these words That the particular and personall absolution from sinne after consession is Apostolical and a very godly ordinance And this is no new thing in their Religion but a new approbation of their doctryne herein against their puritans for their communion booke elder then these Articles and at this time the most practicall and allowed Rule which they haue doth giue direction both for confession of syns and absolution from them in the very same words which Catholik Preist vse in this Sacrament The sikpersou Engl. Protest communion Booke Titul visitation of the Sike shall make a speciall confession if he feele his conscience troubled with any weightie matter After which confession the Preist shall absolue him after this sort Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolue all sinners which truely repent and beleeue in him of his greate mercy forgiue thee thyne offences and by his authoritie committed to me I absolue thee from all thy syns in the name of the father and of the Sonne and of the holy ghost Amen Here is all which this Article requireth to a Sacrament a visible or externall signe or ceremonie as is Manifest and this ordeined of God both because this communion booke saith it was left by Christ the sonne of God to his Church so to befor euer as is Church shall be euer forgiuing sinnes and giueing grace which no visible or externall signe or ceremony but such as is ordained of God to such end and purpose can do This power is pretented to be giuen to euery minister among them when their Protestant Bishop maketh him by laying his hands vpon him saying these words receaue the holy ghoste whose Protest Booke of consecration Articul 36. inf sinnes thou forgiuest they are forgiuen and whose sinnes thou doest retayne they are retayned Thus hath the Protestant manner of consecration in their booke thereof approued in these Articles in as ample manner as any thing in their Religion And if their consecration were true and lawfull if they could not minister this as a Sacrament they could do nothing at all this being the power that is pretided to be be giuen vnto them at that time and nothing els in playne and expresse termes at the least in so manifest true meaning and construction THE XV. CHAPTER Holy Orders contrary to this Article was vsed and held à Sacrament in this first age AND by this sufficiently appeareth also that both by the doctrine practise and authoritie of this Apostolike age and their owne Protestant cheifest grownds and proceedings how vntruely this Article denyeth in the next place that holie Orders is a SacrameÌ„t for it is manifest before that both by the Apostostolik men of this time and their owne profession and confession it hath all things needfull to a Sacrament a visible externall signe or ceremonie ordained by God giuing grace and extraordinarie spirituall power and itselfe by that consecration also giueth grace in other Sacraments which cannot be ministred without it either by Catholike Religion or our Protestants practise and profession Noe terrene and earthly power may or can performe the duties and offices of that gratious and spirituall function This is the plaine and euident testimonie of the blessed Fathers of this time S. Clement euen in the words of the Apostles maketh preishood more excellent then the Regall power and dignitie for that he ruleth soules an this the bodies And is so farre from our Protestant courses in making holie preisthood treason that he maketh it an offence Clem. Rom. l. 2. constitut Apostol c. 2. deseruing greater punishment to do wrong to Preists then temporall Princes Si Reges inuadens supplicio dignus iudicatur quamuis filius vel amicus sit quantò magis qui Sacerdotibus insultat Quantò enim Sacerdotium Regno est excellentius cùm regendarum animarum officio praefit tanto grauiori supplicio punitur qui aduersus id aliquid temerè fecerit quam qui aduersus Regnum The like and more vrgent hath S. Ignatius Ignat. epist ad Smyrnen Honora Deum vt omnium Authorem Dominum Episcopum verò vt Principem Scaerdotum Imaginem Dei referentem Dei quidem propter Principatum Christi verò propter Sacerdotium Honorare oportet Regem neque enim Rege quisquam praestantior aut quisquam similis illi in rebus omnibus creatis neque Episcopo qui Deo consecratus est pro totius mundi salute quicquam maius in Ecclesia Sacerdotium est omnium bonorum quae in hominibus sunt apex qui aduersus illud facit non hominem Ignominia afficit sed Deum Christum Iesum primogenitum qui natura solus est summus Sacerdos And they ascribe this extraordinarie dignitie and excellencie of sacred preisthood to their supernaturall chaunge and grace bestowed miraculously vpon them in their consecration and by vertue of that holy Sacrament no other reason to be giuen of so wonderfull an alteration and preminencie as both the holy Fathers in the common construction of the Church of Christ and the light of nature assuer vs that men so lately and euer before their consecration were but as other men and now nothing externally chaunged should by Gods decree ordinance be eleuated vnto and endowed with so incomparable honour power grace and vnquestionable priuiledges onely the Sacramentall grace performeth it say these holy Fathers as it doth the like in the holy Eucharist and Baptisme Eadâ—m vis etiam Sacerdotem augustum
Preist is to offer Sacrifice and Minister other Sacraments and Deacons are to Minister vnto them in such holie mysteries and so must needs haue power giuen them accordingly in their consecration and this was so with the Apostles and Ignat. epistol ad Heronem Diaconum the first Preists and Deacons Sacâ—rdotes sunt Tâ— verò Diaconus Sacerdotum Minister Baptizanâ— sacrificant manus imponunt tu verò illis ministras vt Sanctus ille Stephanus Iacobo presbyteris qui Epistol ad Trallian erant Hierosolymis Oportet Diaconos mysteriorum Chtisti ministris per omnia placere nec enim ciborum potuum ministri sunt sed Ecclesiae Dei administratores Ipsi itaque tales sunt at vos reueremini illos vt Christum Iesum cuius vicarij sunt Episcopus Typum Dei Patris omnium gerit presbyteri verò sunt consessus quidam coniunctus Apostolorum chorus Sine his Ecclesia electa non est nullasine his Sanctoruâ— congregatio nulla Sanctorum electio Quid Sacerdotium aliud est quam sacer caetus consiliarij assessoreâ— Episcopi Quid verò Diaconi quà m imitatores Angelicarum virtutum quae purum inculpatum ministerium illi exhibent vt sanctus Stephanus beato Iacobo Timotheus â—nius Paulo Anacletus Clemens Petro Qui igitur his non obedit sine Deo prorsus impurus est Christum contemnit constitutionem eius imminuit S. Martial deliuereth plainely a cheife and principall cause of the honour and excellencie of this Sacrament of holie Orders because among other eminencies thereof Bishops and Preists offer and Deacon assist them therein the most holie sacrifice of Christs bodie and blood vpon an holie Altar the very same which the Iewes did by malice offer Martial epist ad Burdegal cap. 3. when they crucified Christ Sacerdotes honorabatis qui decipiebant vos sacrificijs suis qui mutis surdis statuis offerebant Nunc autem multò magis Sacerdotes Dei omnipotentis qui vitam vobis tribuunt in calice viuo pane honor are debetis Christi corpus sanguinem in vitam aeternam offerimus Quod Iudaei per Inuidiam immolauerunt putantes se nomen eius à terra abolere nos causa salutis nostrae in ara sanctificata proponimus scientes hoc solo remedio nobis vitam The Britanâ— here so held praestandam mortem effugandam hoc enim ipse Dominus noster iussit nos agere in sui commemoratioâ—em This was also the doctrine of our first Christian Gildas l. de excid conq Britan. c. 26. manuscript antiq de tit S. Patricij Capg in cod Giâ—ald Caâ—mb Britans Their Preists were consecrated to offer the heauenly Sacrifice at the holie Altar They conseâ—rated Christs bodie and blood with their mouthes â—roprio ore And of all the people in the world as â—heir Antiquities witnes they most honoured clearâ—ie men in such respects Ecclesiasticis viris longè â—agis quà m vllaÌ„ gentem honoreÌ„ deferentes Their Bishops were consecrated with holie Chrisme imposition in descript cambr c. 18. of hands and consecrating words in consecratione Pontificum capita eorum sacri Chrismatis infusione perungere cum Inuocatione sancti Spiritus manus impositione The hands of Preists were consecrated Gild. l. de excid Britan. in castigatione Cleri to offer and handle the blessed Sacrifice Benedictione initiantur Sacerdotum manus S. Paule in diuers places proueth it giueth grace so making it a true and proper holie Sacrament Noli negligere 1. Timoth. 4. gratiam quae in te est quae data est tibi cum impositione manuum presbyterij And admoneo te vt resuscites 2. Timoth. 1. gratiam Dei quae est in te per impositionem manuum mearum And Christ himselfe by his owne example and testimonie S. Iohn the Euangelist so recording affirmeth that the holie ghost and power to forgiue sins were giuen in this Sacramentall ceremonie Io 20. Accipe Spiritum fanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis And it is the witnesse of God that holie Orders is the worke of the holie ghost Dixit Spiritus sanctus Segregate mihi Saulum Act. 13. Barnabam in opus ad quod assumpsi eos Tunc iâ—iunantes orantes imponentesque eis manus dimiserunt illos It is confessed by the greatest Protestant authoritie in England of King Protestant Bishops K. Iames and his protest publike conference at hampton court Couell def of hooker p. 87. and others their best scollers in their publike examen of their Religion That this power of Orders giuen as they pretend by imposition of hands Iâ— diuinae Ordinationis and de iure diuino The ordinâ—â—ce of God and by his diuine lawe To these persons Gâ—â— imparted power ouer his mysticall bodie which is â—â— societie of soules and ouer that naturall which is himself Mod. exâ—minaâ— pag. 105. 155. def of hooker pag. which antiquitie doth call the making of Christ body The power of the ministry by blessing visâ—â— elements it maketh them inuisible grace giueth 87. 88. 91. daily the holy ghost it hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the world and that blood which was powred out to redeeme soules It is a power which neither Prince nor potentate King nor Caesar on earth can giue The Apostles did impart the same power to ordayne which was giuen to them And in their publikly authorized Rituall and Protest Booke of Consecrat in Order Bish. and Preists booke of consecration or making Protestant Bishops and Preists warranted by their parlaments in these very Articles and their generall practise in ordayning all their Church men it is diuers times and plainely confessed both by words and actions that the holy ghost grace and power to giue grace and forgiue sinnes is infallibly giuen Protest confat hampton Communion Booke Titul visitat of the sike by the externall signe or ceremony vsed therein And both their publike conference and examen of their Religion and the common booke of their Church seruice do proue and giue warrant from hence from their ministers to forgiue sinns by such power committed to them from God in their ordination Therefore if there be any ground or warrant for the Protestant Religion of England or any one point or article thereof though but such as they pretend for the proposers and authorizers thereof whether Protestant Prince parlament conuocation canons Articles the publik bookes and practise thereof or whatsoeuer els they can name in this kinde holie Orders and preisthood so vehemently persecuted by them is by their owne doctrine and Religion an holie Sacrament in such proper true sense and meaning as it is vsed in the Romane Church at this time and euer was They were the Messaliani or Massaliani Euchitae or Enthusiastae heretiks about the Damascen de haeresib hist tripart l. 7. Theod. l. 4 c 11.
receaued this Sacrament reserued when extreame vnction was ministred vnto them And one of their most auntient antiquities carrying with it our Protestants approbation doth witnesse that the primatiue Christian Britans did publikely â—â— Euery Masse worship and pray vnto Christ present in this Sacrament this hath our Protestants translation Hereof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speach Thou lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. And thus I end this their many braunched Article THE XIX CHAPTER The 26. and 27. Articles examined and Protestant doctrine in or by them condemned THeir next Article being the 26. by their numbring them is thus intituled Of the worthiâ—es of the ministers which hinder not the effect of the sacraments The whole Article followeth in these All though in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good and sometime the euill haue cheife authoritie in the ministration of the worde and sacraments yet for asmuch as they do not the same in their owne name but in Christes and do minister by his commission and authoritie we may vse their ministerie both in hearing the word of God and in receiuing of the sacraments Neither is the effect of Christes ordinance taken away by their wikednesse nor the grace of Gods guifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receiue the sacraments ministred vnto them which be effectuall because of Christs institution 〈◊〉 promise allthough they be ministred by euill men Neuerthelesse it apperteyneth to the discipline of the Churche that inquirie be made of euill ministers and that they be accused by those that haue knowledge of their offences and finally being founde gyltie by 〈◊〉 Iudgment be deposed Hitherto this Article in which there it not any one proposition or sentence against the doctrine of the Romane Church and Catholike Religion but rather a graunte and confirmation thereof 〈◊〉 a renowncing of Protestant profession and proceedings in diuers particular poyntes and some most materiall As declaring that in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good they confesse the Church to be euer and indeâ—ectible And so Luther Caluyn Cranmar King Henry 8. with his daughter Queene Elizabeth or whomsoeuer els they will or can make the first publisher or aduancer of their doctrine separating themselues and being separated and cutt of from that visible true Church which was then generally so held this their Protestant congregation and Religion takeing Originall being from thence cannot possibly be the true Church and Religion of Christ And in making the true Church euer visible they must needs make their association or prerended companie eúer inuisible and so nothing vntill these dayes and condemne those their brethren Protestants who knowing their new fraternitie was neuer vntill those late times haue mathematically framed in their Imagination a new straung chimericall Inuisible vnbeeable and vnpossible Church Agayne professing that Preists the Ministers of Sacraments do Minister them in Christes 〈◊〉 by his commisson and authoritie they sufficiently confesse that if Christ omnipotent could and did consecrate breade and wyne into his body and blood forgiue sinnes and giue grace in sacraments truely consecrated Preists haue that power and do the same And affirming The sacraments to bâ— effectuall because of Christes Institution and promise â—either is the effects of Christes ordinance takâ—n away nor the grace of Gods guists diminished by the wikednesse of ministers They proue what the Catholiks holde in these things and Protestants cammonly deny Their last clause of Discipline in the Church making but one true visible Church and their congregation being as before no part thereof depriueth them of all such discipline as they haue already spoyled themselues of the pure worde of God preached and Sacraments duely ministred vnseparable signes and properties of the true visible Church by their 19. Article and thereby want all things which by their owne confession are euer founde in and belonge vnto the Church of Christ The 27. Article intituled of baptisme hath no thing contrary to Catholik Religion But the last clause thereof is against their 6. Article before that nothing is to be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessarie to saluation that is not read in nor may be proued by scriptures And in this place thus they decree The Baptisme-ef yong Prot. Articl 27. children is in any wise to be retayned in the Church as most agreable with the Institution of Christ In this whole Article before they make Baptisme in all requisite necessarie to Saluation So they do iâ— Protest communion Booke Tit. Baptisme Protest Conference at hampton Court. their communion booke in the administration thereof and in the reuewe of their Religion â—â— Hampton court thus they define That baptisme to be ministred by priuate parsons in tyme of necessitie is an holie tradition And so they vse in their common practise and Baptise Infants both by their ministers and others men and women especially my dwiues instructed how to Baptisme in time of Engl. Protest in feild Bookes of the Church pag. 239. and others necessitie Yet with publik consent and allowanâ—â— thus they write and publish Baptisme of Infants â—â— â—â—â—ed a Tradition because it is not expressely deliuered iâ— stripture that the Apostles did baptize Infants nor 〈◊〉 expresse precept there founde that they should so do Tâ—â—t the holy Fathers of the first age held Baptisme Supr in articul 6. of Infants for an vnwritten tradition I haue spoken before And S. Clement doth giue comâ—â—â—nd Clem. Rom. lâ—b 6. constit Apostolic cap. 15. Dionys Areopag Ecclesiast Hierarch cap. 7. concil mileuit cap. 2. Chrisostom homil de Adam Eua. Augustin cont Donat. l. 1. cap. 23. Epiphan Aug. alij de haeres Innocent 1. epist concil African cap. 77. concil Carthagin 5. cap. 6. Hect. Boeth Scot. hâ—st l. 9. Georg. Buchan Rer. scot l. 5. Reg. 52. holinsh hist of Scotland in Fâ—equard pag. 112. to haue it obserued Baptizate vestros pueâ—â—◠〈◊〉 S. Denys the Areopagite affirmeth it was so vsed Pueri qui necdum possunt intelligere diuiâ—â— sacri hapti smatis participes fiant And shewâ—â—gâ— how others answeare and promise for them 〈◊〉 prâ— ipsiâ— abrenunâ—iant sanctaquâ— ineunt faedera 〈◊〉 iâ— an holy tradition sanctam traditionem 〈◊〉 S. Chrisostome and others testifie generally in the whole Catholik Church in all places Praediâ—â—t Ecclesia Catholica vbique diffusa debere parâ—â—â—â—â— Baptizari prepter originalâ— peccatum And they were Nouatian Pelagian such condemned Hâ—retiks which at any time called this holy tradiâ—â—on and custome into question So it was here â—â— Britayne which though it was Mother and Noble longe time to pelagius the Archeretike wâ—o among other his damned Errours denyed the Baptisme of Infants yet it so much detested among tâ—â— rest this his obsurd Inuention that it
sed vnum licet à multis offeratur sit vnum Corpus Christi cum illo quod suscepit in vtero virginali non multa corpora nec nunc quidem est aliud magnum aliud minus aliud hodie aliud eras offerimus sed semper idipsum aequam magnitudinem habens proinde vnum est hoc sacrificium Christi non diuersa Nam si aliter esset quoniam multis in locis offertur multi essent Christi quòd obsit Vnus ergo vbique est hic plenus existens illic Plenum vnum corpus vbique habens Et sicut qui vbique offertur vnum corpus est non multa corpora it a etiam vnum sacrificium I haue beene enforced by this Article forging S. Augustines authoritie for the grounde thereof to discend thus â—owe to defend him and shew the feeble and false foundation of our Protestants in this poynt THE XXII CHAPTER The 30. Article intituled of both kindes examined and where it is contrary to the Romane Church condemned THE 30. and next Article being intituled of both Kindes consisteth of these words The cuppe of the Lord is not to be denyed to the lay people For both the partes of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinaunce and commaundement ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike This is all this Article and it is confuted before where I haue proued that both in and immediately after the Apostles time and by their order and direction this blessed Sacrament was both honorably preserued onely vnder the forme of bread and so often ministred vnto the primatiue Christians which in no case or respect might be done if Christ had ordeyned and commaunded otherwise and the contrary as this Protestant Article pretendeth And so the Apostles themselues and the Apostolike Church then the true Church of Christ without all question both by Catholiks and Protestants had erred in a thing of necessitie requisite according to Christes ordinance in so greate a Sacrament and so by these men and their diuinitie in this Article the true Church of Christ was not the true Church and he neuer had a true Church for in their Article of the Church before they define it to be a congregation of faithfull men in which the Prot. Artiâ—l 19 sup of 〈◊〉 oâ— the Church pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duâ—ly ministred in all thâ—se things that of necessitie are requisite to the same Therefore this Protestant Article assirming that both the partes of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinaunce and commaundement ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike is false in itselfe and contradictorie to their owne most allowed proceedings for not onely diuers of their priuate writers but the parlament lawe of all our Protestant Princes King Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth Statute of King Edw. 6. Titul Sacram in both Kindes Stat. in parliam 1. Elizabeth Iames 1. Charles 1. King Iames and King Charles their Rule and warrant for this Article doth confesse enact and decree that in the true primatiue Church this Sacrament was not allwayes ministred in both Kindes but some times in both some times in one onely Therefore by these men the true primatiue Church neuer did nor could adiudge or hold that the ministration of this Sacrament allwaies in both Kindes was Christs Ordinance and commaundement otherwise by ministring it often in one onely Kinde as this cheâ—fe Protestant parlament and their religion therein confesse it had acknowledged itselfe to haue erred from Christs ordinance and commaundement in a Sacrament and necessitie requisite and so by these Articles not to haue beene Christs true Church and he had by these men no true Church at all Againe These Protestants standing in this Article vpon the Ordinance and commaundement of Christ confesse that he instituted and ordeyned this Sacrament at his laste supper and what he commaunded concerning it he then commaunded it and they also confesse the three Euangelists S. Matthew S. Marke and S. Luke to be the Euangelicall Registers of that his holie ordination But all thus do plainely testifie that none but his twelue Apostles were then present Discumbebat Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. cum duodecim discipulis eius Venit cum duodecim Vnus ex duodecim discubuit duodecim Apostoli cum eo Et ait illis desiderio desideraui hoc Pascha manducare vobiscum And our Protestants before in their most allowed publick communion booke haue so deliuered saying of the Sacrament vnder the forme of bread Iesus gaue it to his Disciples saying take eate this is my bodie which is giuen for you And of the other parte he gaue it to them saying drinke you all of this for this is my blood of the new testament which is shedd for you And all these witnesses the Euangelists S. Paule 1. Corinth 11. Catholiks Protestants do freely acknowledge that Christ then pronounced and spake these words hoc facite in meam commemorationem do this in commemoration of me vnto them all Giuing them thereby power and commaunde to do what he had donâ— in that misterie which was as is proued before to transubstantiate and chaunge breade and wine into the blessed bodie and blood giuen and shedd for the sinnes of the world and this euen our Protestants haue before acknowledged confessing that supernaturall power to haue beene in Christes Apostles then present Preists after them for there is no other place in scripture the Rule of these men wherein such power was communicated vnto them or Christ a Preist after the Order of Melchisedech exercised the office or Act of that preishood So that none but they which were then consecrated Preists which euer offer this Sacrifice in both Kindes were present to receaue this charge of them both And this is directly told vs not onely by all Catholike writers but Protestants with the greatest allowance their Religion can giue the authoritie of the supreame of their Church by the greatest champion externall which euer it had the Archbishop of Spalato which with King Iames Marc. Anton. l. 2. de repub Christian c. 2. pag. 167. and his cheifest Protestants warrant thus writeth Ad hoc Sacerdotium promoti sunt Apostoli à Christo Domino in vltima caena quando eis dixit hoc facite in meam commemorationem The Apostles were promoted to preisthood by Christ our Lord in his last supper when he said to them do this in my commemoration And agayne Quod consecrantes panem orationes fundamus c. 4. p. 219. eoque fideles pascamus Christi Iussum facimus qui id iniunxit dicens hoc facite in meam commemorationem hoc ipsum quod me nunc vidistis facere vos facite circa panis vini benedictionem Where the Apostles and Preists receaued and receaue power and commaunde to consecrate bread and wine into the bodie and blood of Christ as he then did And we must needs so say
Deacons and of women incapable of such degrees are not commaunded in Gods lawe ynto them before they voluntarilie vowe that holie state Yet none but monstrous men doe or can thinke but their vowes being so made doe binde then Thirdly whereas the lawe of God and these men in their publike practicall of Religion doe say that true Marriage is holy Matrimony an honorable estate Protest communioÌ„ booke Tit. Matrimony §. dearely c. instituted of God signifying vnto vs the mysticall vnion which is betweene Christ and his Church which holy estate Christ adorned and beatisied with his presence and first miracle The so called Marriage of Protestant Bishops Preists and Deacons was not such in the reigne of Queene Elizabeth by their owne lawes but quite contrarie the children betweene such men and women termed their wyues were not legitimate could not inherite either lands or honour from such a Father the Father being a gentleman the sonne could not giue his Armes but with a bend Sinister a testimony of bastardie nor inherite anie lands he had The woman had noe dower by their lawes giuing it to all lawfull wyues So that in these pretended lawfull Marriages there was nothing by their owne proceedings which belongeth to the lawfull holy honorable matrimonie the pretended husbands were fornicarious concubinaries their women harlots concubines all their children bastards and illegitimate and in this opprobrious shamefull condition though tolerated without further punishment they continued vntill King Iames after 44. yeares age Statute of King Iames for marriage of minist of their ReligioÌ„ by his Parlament lawe made such Bargaines men women and their children legitimate or not vnlawfull among English Protestants 4. The Protestant lawes and Religion of England haue not taken away or disabled the Canon lawe in which they freelie confesse the Marriage of all such men is forbidden and condemned further ther Stat. in Parliam 1. Eliz. An. 1. Iacobi it is contrarie to the lawe of God as in this point it is not but most conformable vnto vs as is euident before and shall be made most manifest hereafter Therefore these Protestants supplying those places of Bishops Preists and Deacons may not yet lawfullie marrie in their owne Iudgments and proceedings nor by the lawe of God in holie Scriptures themselues by their exposition of them For first it is euident in Scripture in manie places that the virginall Matth. 19. 11. 1. Corin. 7. 8. Apoc. 14. 4. 1. Reg. 21. Is 25. 1. Cor. 7. Ieuit. 20. Luc. 1. exod 19. Mat. S. Marc. 9. Luc. 14. c. Prot. art 6. and chaste life in respect of Religion is to be preferred before marriage and cleargie men by the same lawe being Pastours guides teachers light and example to others and called to the greatest perfection it is most needfull for them therefore if the 6. Protestant article decreeth truelie that things read in scripture or proued thereby are articles of faith and requisite necessarie to saluation they may not by Scripture allowe Bishops Preists and Deacons or any of them to marrie either by their owne discretioÌ„ which this Article contendeth or by their pretended Bishops allowance by their Iniunction noe Protestant Article or IniuctioÌ„ can be of greater authoritie then the lawe of God Christ himselfe our high Preist and Sacrifice a most pure Virgin and sonne according to his humanitie of the most immaculate Virgin who often in holy Scripture calleth vpon all Preists to followe him And promising to heare the petition of all that duely aske calleth vpon vs embrace Virginitie Sunt eunuchi qui Matth. 19. seipsos castrauerunt propter regnum caelorum Qui potest capere capiat He telleth vs by his Apostle virginitie and chastitie are more pleasinge to him and better for them that serue him especially in sacred functions then the married life Dico non nuptis viduis 1. Cor. 7. bonum est illis si sic permaneant sicut ego Qui sine vxore est solicitus est quae Domini sunt quomodo placeat Deo Qui non iungit matrimonio virginem suam melius facit And these virgins be they which followed Apocal. 14. Christ in this life and doe soe in heauen Hi sunt qui cum mulieribus non sunt coinquinati Virgines enim sunt Hi sequuntur agnum quocunque ierit This chastitie could not soe virginallie and perpetuallie be kept by the Preists of Moyses lawe being onely of one tribe the tribe of leui and so could not be without marriage to keepe a successioÌ„ in that tribe yet although their Sacrifices and seruing God were then vnperfect in respect of those in the lawe of Christ and they serued not continuallie in the temple and at the altare as Christian Preists daylie doe but by their turnes and succeeding times yet when their times and turnes of seruing in the temple came they left their wyues aâ— Leuit. 21. 1. par 23. Luc. 1. Exod. 19. their contrie howses in their tribe and they in Hierusalem during their time of sacrifice and seruicâ— there performed it in holy chastity euen from theiâ— wyues And after knowledge of their wyues before they might serue at the altar were to be sanctified ne appropinquetis vxoribus was in some cases generally commaunded No Preist might marrya dishonest woman Scortum vile prostibulum non ducet vxorem nec eam quae repudiata est a marito quia consecratus est Deo suo panis propositionis offert sit ergo sanctus quia ego sanctus sum Dominus qui sanctifico vos The high Preist might Marrie none but a virgin Virginem ducet vxorem Neither was it lawfulâ— in that vnperfect figuratiue and marrying lawe either for Preist or other euen in need not chaste to eate things sacrificed as in the rase of Dauid and his company coming to Abimelech the high â— Reg. 21. Preist for releife and succour who hauing nothing to releiue theÌ„ with but the sacrificed breade would not giue it vnto them but first examining them whether they had abstained from women si mundi sunt pueri maximè à mulieribus And Dauid answeared they were Et respondit Dauid Sacerdoti dixit ei quidem si de mulieribus agetur continuimus nos ab heri nudius tertius quando egrediebamur fuerint vasa puerorum Sancta And the Preists which did eate this sacrificied breade and other oblations were absent from their wiues seruing in the Tabernacle and temple at such â—imes in chastitie And S. Epiphanius saith thaâ— â—piphan Haer. 79. Moyses himselfe the giuer of that lawe did euer after he was called to be a Profete absteyne from his wife Postquam prophet auit moyses non amplius coâ—â—â—â—ctus est vxori non amplius liberos genuit habet enim vitam domino vacantem vacare autem domino non potest qui marits officio fungitur Therefore seing the Preists of the lawe though marryed
Bishop especially an Archbishop botâ— the presence concurrence of a lawfull true Archbishop and others such Bishops as their owne pretended Prot. forme and manner of making Bishops Preists and minist Tiâ—ul consecrat of Bishops in praefat Rite and booke of consecrating Bishops doth thus plainely expresse Then the Archbishop and Bishops sent shall lay their hands vpon the head of the elected Bishop the Archbishop saying Take the holy ghost c. And it proueth further in these words It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and auncient Authours that from the Apostles time there haue beene thes orders of ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons Therefore to the intent thes Orders should be continued aâ—d reuerently vsed in the Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at this present Bishop Preist nor Deacon shall execute any of them except he be called tryed examined and admitted according to the forme hereafter following Which is that booke of King Edward the sixt receaued in this article and approued by their greatest warrants parlament Princes Supreamacie and publike practise among them And therefore howsoeuer either with by or without this booke forme and manner of King Edward their first Protestant pretended Archbishop Matthew Parker maker and allower of all such after as they freely confesse was made his making and admittance was frustrate inualid voide and of noe force by their owne censure and doome against themselues so of all others made by him no Bishop pretending or clayming that honour dignitie and office after by that vaine Idle and vnpossible Title to challendge to haue that or any other thing from him or them which neither had it for themselues or to giue to others And this I haue proued before from the Apostolike men of this age and from the Apostles themselues that a Bishop cannot bee consecrated but by true and vndoubted Bishops Episcopum mandamus Clem. const Apost l 3 c. 20. Anacl ep 2. Clem. const Apost l. 8. c. 33. ordinari à tribus Episcopis velad minus à duobus non licere autem ab vno vobis constitui And againe Episcopus à tribus vel duobus Episcopis ordinetur Si quis ab vno ordinetur Episcopo deponatur ipse qui eum ordinauit This is sette downe for an Apostolicall decree Now lette vs come to King Edwards booke so dignified in this article and particularily examine and disproue the validitie or sufficiency of that forme in euery point thereof And first whereas it maketh mention onely of Clem. const Apost l. 3. c. 11. l. 8. c. 21. 22. 28. ep 2. Ignat. ep ad Antioch ep ad Philadelphien ep ad Philippenses Anacl ep 2. Synod Rom. sub Syluestr c. 7. 11. Canis ep ad faelicem c. 6. Clem. const Apost l. 2. c. 61. Clem. Supr l. 8. const Apost c. 21. concil corth 4. c. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Bishops Preists and Deacons to haue beene in the Church from the Apostles time This holie time assureth vs of all other orders now vsed in the Catholike Church to haue beene also in those dayes in vse and practise Subdeacons Acolythists Exorcists Lectours and Ostiarij with their particular and seuerall offices duties consecration or admittance to those degrees and that no man might be a Bishop Preist or Deacon except he had first receaued those orders nifi prius fuisset lector deinde exorcista postea caperet onus Acolithi vt acciperet onus Subdiaconi deinde ad diaconatus honorem pertingeret By their consecration they were ordeined to assist and minister at the holie sacrifice of Masse a Subdeacon for the holie vessels calice paten cruetts Tribue ei spiritum sanctum vt vasa ad ministrandum tibi Domine Deus facta dignè attrectet An Acolithus to light candels and prepare and minister wine for the sacrifice of masse accipiat ceroserarum cum cereo vt sciat sâ— ad accendenda Ecclesiae luminaria mancipari accipiat vrceolum vacuum ad suggerendum vinum in Eucharistiam sanguinis Christi An exorcist receaued the booke of Exorcismes and power against deuils accipiat de manu Episcopo libellum in quo scripti sunt exorcismi dicente sibi Episcopo accipe commenda memoriae habeto potestatem imponendi manus super energumenos So of Lectour and Ostiarius All thes be wanting in this booke of King Edward and this Protestant Religion and all is wanting in it for which they were ordeined except deuils and possessed persons They may well want both them No true clergie man among Protestants of England and first no Deacon The English Prot. forme of making Bish. pr. and Deac Titul Deacons all Bishops Preists and Deacons also as they do For first their pretended booke of consecration giueth a Deacon onely authoritie to reade the ghospell in their Church for allthough their pretended Bishop layeth his hands one the heade of euerie such parson at his admittance to that office and sayeth vnto him Take thou authoritie to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed vnto thee Yet they presently interpret and limitte this office to be onely confined in reading the ghospell in thes words Take thou authoritie to reade the ghospell in the Church of God And such is their practise extending a Deacons office no further And they obstinatelie denie that he hath power or office to assist either Bishop or Preist in the holy Sacrifice of Christs blessed bodie and blood as that either Preist or Bishop may or can consecrate and offer the same We finde both the doctrine and practise of this first apostolike age to haue beene otherwise and the cheifest office of a Deacon as the very Greeke name it selfe still testifieth to be as Catholiks still vse it to minister vnto and assist thâ— Bishop or Preist in his holy Sacrifice So it is plainely witnessed in the old Masses and Miss S. Petri S. Iacobi S. Marci Clem. Const Apost l. 3. c. 20. l. 8. c 28. Missals ascribed to S. Peter S. Iames S. Marke and others S. Clement from the Apostles saith Diaconus ministret Episcopo Presbyteris oblatione ab Episcopo aut Presbytero facta ipse Diaconus dat populo non tanquam Sacerdos sed tanquam qui ministrat presbyteris And expresselie teacheth that it is the office and function of a Deacon thus to minister vnto Bishops and Preists this onelie or principally Diaconus L. 3. c. 20. sup ministret Episcopo Presbyteris id est agat Diaconum reliqua ne faciat And settinge downe the whole forme and Order of Masse sacrifice vsed and approued by the Apostles Bishops and Preists in his time euen from the beginning thereof vnto the end he bringeth in Deacons to performe their holie ministration and seruinge therein Praying to God to accept that Sacrifice Deaconus pronunciet Clem. supr l. 8. c. 19. Rogamus Deus Prodono oblato Domino
and no others so euer receaued at all times and places nor the Preists themselues as all writers Catholiks and Protestants confesse And this our Article Protestants themselues in their pretended booke and forme of consecration receaued in this Article Prot. forme and Manner of Making Bish. Preists and Deac in praef and other places do thus acknowledge It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and auncient Authours that from the Apostles time there hath beene thes Orders of Ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons which officeâ— were euermore had in such reuerent estimation that no man by his priuate authoritie might presume to execute any of them except he were first called tryed examined and knowne to haue such qualities as were requisite for the same and also by publike prayer with imposition of hands approued and admitted there vnto Where we finde it thus plainely and authoritatiuely with them confessed that Bishops Preists and Deacons were euer in the Church and truely and lawfully ordeined by such forme Order of consecration as was then vsed and thes Preists as they haue confessed in thes their Articles before in thes words vsed the sacrifices of Masses in which it commonly said Proâ— Artic. 31. supr was that the Preists did offer Christ for the quick the dead to haue remission of payne or gilt they are so farre from disallowing or disabling our Catholikly consecrating Massing Preists of the Roman Church whom they make Traytours in England to be truely and duely consecrated Preists that if any of them for feare or any other wordly respects will ioyne with rhem in their new Church seruice or profession he is allowed a minister with them without any further pretended order or admittance and they dignifie their first Catholike ordination so much that as they haue bestowed their greatest Church liuing vpon such so they deduce Francis Mason booke of Consecr Maâ— Parker Print Antiq. Britan. Sutcliff alij Pont. Rom. in ordinat Presbyteri and deriue their owne pretended ordination onely from such men Matthew Parker Iohn Scory and Miles Couerdale as they freely confesse And yet all our Catholike Pontificals or bookes of ordination do plainely proue testifie that our Preists being Deacons before are consecrated Preists by those words of the Bishop Accipe potestatem offerre sacrificium Take power to offer sacrifice to God and celebrate Masses both for the liuing and dead And immediately before he calleth such a parson ordinandum and quem ordinat Episcopus a man to be ordered and to whom the Bishop giueth preistly order and presently after those words nameth him or them that were thus ordered ordinati Sacerdotes Presbiteri ordinati Preists that be ordered And being thus fully ordered before any other ceremonie vsed by Protestants or not they celebrate the rest of the Masse euen consecrating the blessed bodie and blood of Christ with their consecratour Bishop and as consecrated Preists Presbiteri ordinati post Pontificem in terra genuflexi habeant libros coram se dicentes Suscipe Sancte Pater c. omnia aliâ— de missa prout dicit Pontifex qui tamen bene aduerâ—at quòd secretas morosè dicat aliqaantulum altâ— ita vt ordinati Sacerdotes possint secum omnia dicere praesertim verba consâ—crationis quae dici debenâ— eodem momento per ordinatos quo dicuntur per Pontificem And to putte all things out of question in this matter The scripture itselfe is euident witnesse that the Apostles themselues were ordered Preists by those words of Christ vnto them Do this in my commemoration equiualent as I haue proued to the forme now vsed in the Roman Church recited for all writers Catholiks and Protestants agree that all the Apostles S. Thomas and the rest were true and most properly lawfull Preists all our preisthood claimed and deduced from them and that they were all present at his last supper when he said the words do this vnto them Discubuit Luc. 22. Mâ—â— 26. Mâ—rc 14 duodecim Apostoli cum eo Discumbebat cum duodecim discipulis suis Dedit eis dicens HOC EST CORPVS MEVM quod pro vobis datur hoc facite in meam commemorationem But when he said those words to his Apostles receaue the holie ghost whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen and whose sinnes you reteyne they are reteyned From and by which thes our Protestants do clayme or pretend ordination S. Iohn the Euangelist then and there present doth witnes all were not there and namely S. Thomas was absent Thomas vnus ex duodecim non erat cum eis quando venit Iesus And so could not possibly be made Preist then with those words Yet all agree he was a Preist as perfectly and fully as any Apostle Agayne Iudas the Traitour was a Preist present at the consecration in the last supper of Christ and as S. Peter saith connumeratus erat in nobis Actor c. 1. sortitus est sortem ministerij huius Scriptum est in libro psalmorum Episcopatum eius accipiat alter Psal 68. De loco ministerij Apostolatus praeuaricatus est Iudas Which is more then our Protestants pretend for their pretended Preists or ministers Yet he was haÌ„ged deade before Christ spooke the other words and so could not possibly be eyther made Preist or be present then And S. Paule defining a Preist whether of the lawe of Moyses or Christ Hebr. 5. saith euery high Preist or Preist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnis Prontifex is taken forth of men hauing no such power ex hominibus assumptus to offer sacrifice for sinnes Vâ—offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke words and reading which our Prorestants followe are most proper for sacrifice and sacrificing Preists and so both Catholike our Protestant linguists and lexiconaries confesse and translate Masse and Masse Preist Sacrificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à sacrificio sacrificulus Thom. Thomas Scholae cantabrigien dictionar v. v. Sacrificium Sacrificulus alâ—are Morton Apolog. part 2. pag. 82. appeal l. 2. sect 1. cap. 6 pag. 162. sacrificus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Preist à Sacrificer à Masse Preist He setteth downe also the Sacrificing altar of Christians as thes our Protestants also translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altare altar and vnseparable correlatiue to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifice as they confesse and the word proueth And the Apostle doth so appropriate that altare to our Christians at holie Masse and the sacrifice of Christs bodie that it can be applied to nothing els saying none but Christians may eate of the sacrifice offered there vpon Habemus altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deserâ—iunt When neither Iew nor gentile is forbidden to beleeue in Christ our Protestants eating but called and exhorted vnto it by all meanes in holie scriptures And the same Apostle
directly affirmeth Hebr. 7. v. 24. that as Christ and his Religion remayne for euer So must this is sacrificing preisthood be for euer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnchangeable perpetuall without offence or exception as thes Protestant lexicons do expound that Greeke adiect Therefore we may not giue such power to a ten yeares old Kings booke a womans Queene Elizabeths Articles or any power of Protestants or other one earth to make that mutable arbitrary to expire which Christ hath instituted to be vnchangeable perpetuall and neuer to cease And because we are enforced vpon this Protestant exception eyther to say there neuer was consecration of Preists in Christs Church vntill the deuising of this new Protestant forme and so thes men cannot clayme any from them that had it not for themselues or onely say thes Protestants haue none the true Catholike Church as they haue graunted before euer had true Blshops Preists and Deacons we are necessitated by thes mens owne proceedings and so many vnansweareble proofes and authorities singularily to exclude thes men from all true and lawfull preisthood and consecration And thes men must needs be the preistlesse people without Preist or sacrifice fore told and prophesied of as the famous auncient Fathers Hippolitus Methodius Method Peter lib. de reb quae ab initio mundi deinceps Hyppolyt lib. de consummat mund Anâ—ichristo and others haue recorded Tolletur honor à Sacerdotibus supprimetur mysterium Dei quie scet omne sacrificium ab Ecclesijs erunt Sacerdotes sicut populus in eodem tempore Ecclesiarum Aedes tugurij instarerunt pretiosumque Corpus Sanguis Christi non extabit in diebus tllis And by this not onely these Protestants forme and manner of making their pretended Preists or ministers but their pretended Bishops also is vtterly ouerthrowne For holy Preisthood being No true Bishop among Protestants to make Preists Deacons or giue orders or doe any Episcopall or Preistly act at all giuen by such meanes and wholly or principally to such effects acts and ends as I haue proued as no parsons but truely consecrated Preists can haue power to forgiue sinnes or minister Sacraments except onely baptisme a Sacrament of necessity in time of necessity and absence of Preists and so all pretended power of giuing the holy Ghost to forgiue sinnes or such pretended authority to Minister Sacraments presumed to be conferred to any others then truely consecrated Preists is frustrate voyde and to no purpose So a man not a truely coÌ„secratest Preist caÌ„not possiblely either by Catholike doctrine or these our Protestants in this and other their articles and their pretended booke and forme of consecration be truely and lawfully made a Bishop these men in these their most authorised proceeding in this matter not allowing or permitting any man to be a pretended Preist or minister with them but such as was allowed for a Deacon before nor any to be a preteÌ„ded Bishop with them which was not both admitted to be both a Deacon or Preist at the least by this their pretended forme and fashion so confuted in both those callings But forefull content I will particularly also breifely examine and confute this in like manner and demoÌ„strate that it is voyde inualid although the pretended consecratour or consecratours were true Bishops and the pretended consecrated true and lawfull both Deacons and Preists Thus it is set downe in this pretended forme of Prot. forme and manner of making cons Bish. pr. and Deacons in Bish. consecration The Archbishop and Bishops present shall lay their hands vpon the head of the elected Bishop the Archbishop saying Take the holy Ghost and remember that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of hands for God hath not giuen vs the spirite of feare but of power and loue and sobernes Then the Archbishop shall deliuer him the Bible saying Giue heed vnto reading exhortation and doctrine thinke vpon these things contained in this booke And the rest of that exhortation being onely a persuasion and admonition to doe well without any pretence of giuing Episcopall order or power at all And yet these men and this their forme and manner to make Bishops doe assure vs that the party whome they pretend to make a Bishop is so made by that first ceremony of hands and words then spoken or not at all For as it is cited from theÌ„ they name and take him to be onely elected Bishop at their laying on of hands And presently after that which I haue cited is endeed they call him the new consecrated Bishop in these termes Then the Archbishop shall proceed to the communion with whom the new coÌ„secrated Bishop with others shall also communicate But here is not any one singular or priuiledged thinge signe ceremony word or act that may by probable or possible meanes giue Episcopall order though the pretended coÌ„secratour or consecratours were the most lawfull and best Bishops in the world for in their owne proceedings except in number of Bishops which take not for a matter of necessity here is noe more done or said then was in their making of pretended Preists or ministers before for these the same were their ceremony and words which now The Bishop with the Preists present shall lay their hands seuerally vpon the head of euery one that receaueth orders the Bishop saying Receaue the holy Ghost Here is no materiall difference a Bishop is pretended consecratour in both a like except that they appoint an Archbishop to consecrate a Bishop and any other Bishop to make a Preist but this in their owne proceedings is no materiall point for they graunt their first pretended Archbishops Matthew Parker was made without any either true or pretended Archbishop The ceremony of laying on of hands is the same in effect for if in the consecrating of a Bishop some Preist or Preists with the consecrating Bishop should lay hands on the elect though this were a sinne in them yet it hindereth not consecration if all essentiall things be vsed The words spoken doe not differ in substance For all men knowe that the words receaue the holy Ghost Spoken to their preteÌ„ded Preist be as significant full and effectuall as Take the holy Ghost spoken to their pretended Bishop The words receaue and take differ not in force and signification The other words the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost be the same In both there is the same sentence and sense in our language in all coÌ„struction If we seeke construction from the words which immediately followe in both places wee shall rather finde that the words receaue the holy Ghost spoken to their preteÌ„ded Preists are of greater efficacy meaning being interpreted with the very same words wherewith Christ gaue the highest power of binding and lowsing to his highest Bishops and Apostles In the other pretended ordination of Bishops there is no power at all giuen but the partie onely put