from Bishops Neque laico permiâuâous facere opus aliquod Sacerdotale vt sacrificium aut Baptismum aut impositionem man us aut benedictionem siue paruam siue magnam Nemo enim sibi sumit honorem sed qui vocatur a Domine huiusmodi namque gratia per impositionem manuum Episcopi datur Neque Presbyteris potestatem damus ordinandi Diaconos aut Lectores aut Ministros sed Episcopis tantum Hic enim est Ecclesiasticus ordo Cum à Deo consequenâiam rerum didicerimus Episcopis quidem assignauimus aâtribuimus quae ad principatum Sacerdotij pertinânt Presbyteris vero quae ad Sacerdotium Deinde Diaconis quae ad ministrandum vtriusque vt puâè castè fiant quae ad Religionem pertinent Neque enim sas est Diacono sacrificium offerre aut baptizare aut benedictionem fiue paruam siue magnam facere neque Presbytero ordinationem ClericoruÌfacere Ostensum est Anâistitum Ordinem perficientem esse perfectionis authorem Non licet sine Episcopo baptizââe neque dothen celebrare Neither doe we permit âhe Laeâie to doe any Priestly functiân as to offer Sacrifice baptize impose hands or to giue any Benediction either litle or great For no man taketh this honour to himselfe but âe who is called by God Because this grace is giuen by the imposition of the Bishops hands Neither doe we giue vnto Priestes the power of ordaining Deacons or Lectours or Ministers but onely to Bishops This is the order of the Church When we did lerne the sequell of things from God indeede what appertained to the principalitie of Pâiestes we assigned and gaue it to Bishops and to Priestes what belonged to Priestehoode afterward to Deacons what appertained to the assistance of both that these things which concerned Religion might be performed chastly and cleanely Neither is it lawfull for a Deacon to offer Sacrifice or to baptize or to make any Benediction either litle or great neither for Priestes to ordaine Clergie-men It is declared the Order of the Bishops is the perfecting Order and authour of perfection It is not lawfull without a Bishop to baptize nor to offer Sacrifice nor to saie Masse 6. Wherevppon the English Protestants in their most publicke and authorised proceedings thus acknowledge It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy Scripturs and auntient authors that from the Apostles time there hath beene these orders of ministers in Christ Church Bishops Priests and DeacoÌs which offices were euermore had in such reuerent estimation that no man might presume to execute any of them except he were first by publike praier and imposition of hands approued and admitted therevnto And these orders should be continued and reuerently vsed and esteemed in this Church of England And in this both their booke intituled Of Consecration of Archbishops Bishops Priests as their Articles of Religion and coÌmon practise doe onely allowe and commit such thinges to them whome they call and apprehend to be Bishops saying Allmightie God giuer of all good things by his holy spirit hath appointed them in the Church Episcopall Order is of diuine Ordination and by law diuine Christ acted it by the hands of the Apostles It is an ordinance Apostolicall He hath enacted it for succeding posteritie and so it is a Canon or Constitution of the whole Trinitie Wherevpon the Protestant PuritaÌs conclude If prelacie be de Iure diuino by the lawe of God it receiueth both breath and life from the Religion of Rome And this they offer Publikly to defend and the Parlament Protestants so grauÌte claiming that Ministrie they haue by ordination from Rome Wherevpon these Puritans with generall assent haue thus concluded They cannot see how possibly by the Rules of Diuinitie the separation of our Chuâches from the Church of Rome and from the Pope head thereof can be iustified They protest to all the worlde that the Pope and the Church of Rome and in theÌ God and Christ Iesus himselfe haue had great wronge and Indignitie offered vnto them and that the Protestant Churches are scismaticall in forsaking the vnitie and communion with them If the English Protestant opinion he maintained That Bishops Iurisdiction is de Iure diuino by the lawe of God his Magestie and all the Nobilite ought to be Subâect to Excommunication 7. Which neither king Nobles or vnnoble no meanest Protestants of England can âoubt feare or pretend against the Bishop of Chalcedon he neither hauing or claiming the âeaste spirituall power or Iurisdiction ouer âny one great or little highe or lowest Protestant in EnglaÌd His Episcopall both Order ând Iurisdiction which as he construeth beâongeth vnto it extending onely to Cathoâiks of this kingedome to keepe them in good order and loyall dutie both to God and âheir king as good Catholik Bishops doe ând are bounde to doe Which must needs be an helpe and no hurt or offence to any Common-wealth Bishops learned louing and knowing their dutie and hauing charge whereof they must render a seuere accompt to God attended with watchfull and reuengfull eyes vpon them for loue will not or feare dare not concurre vnto or suffer vnder them disobedieÌce to heauenly or earthly Prince They which cannot endure spirituall dutie are in most daunger of lapse into temporall disobedience hauing reiected spirituall power keeping them in awe and dutie to temporall VVhich perhaps caused Constantine our wise king and Emperour to saie vpon experience as he did of staggerers in Religion and faithfulnesse to God No doubt but both the Pope of Rome and Rich of Chalcedon know their offices sufficiently without any admonishments They are not ignorant who said and how it concerned them Non possumus aliquid aduersus veritatem sed pro veritate VVe cannot any thing against 2. Cor. 13. the truth but for the truth and potestatem quam Dominus dedit mihi in aedificationâm non destructionem The power which our Lord hath giuen me vnto edification and not vnto destruction 8. There is great difference in hauing and exercising power from Rome The first should not feare them which would feare without cause of feare neither secret and prudent exercise in necessitie to redesse or preuent euills Greater meetings and assemblies be often made by some in and of as great daunger and to lesse purpose then would serue priuately to examine witnesses or so to giue a sentence where the litigants be and ought to be secret To doe many vsuall and necessarie actâ of Religion be as daungerous and require as great and greater assemblies A publike setled Consistoâie in any place or âlaces to be set vp could not but with âonde âmaginations be thought vpon were the Iudg âad not vbi reclinet caput suum Probate of puâlike wills administrations Tithes Conâracts Marriages Diuorces Alimonie Basâerdie and publike slanders among ProtestaÌts âaue publike Protestant Courts and all or âany mixt with our temporall lawes Many âf the remembred instances as Tithes and âasterdies concerning inheriting
and Gouernment as generally Catholikâ euer haue done and will as they are bound by Religion to doe In the time of young king Edward 6. Cranmar and his Protestant Complices by that young kings will did their vttermost to extinguish and ouerthrowe it Queene Mary and her Catholike RegimeÌt did nothing against it but reuiued preserued and confirmed it In the ProtestaÌt reigne of Q. Elizabeth Statuts were made to auoide or hinder it It was enacted by Protestant Parlament Capitall to acknowledge it Hales an Engâish Protestant companion to the Scotish Knox wrote a booke expressely against the Title of king Iameâ No Protestant answeared confuted or seemed to disalowe it Onely Catholiks Sir Anthonie Browne a Iudge Doctour Morgaâ Doctour of Diuinitie and Doctour Smith of the Ciuill lawe confuted it The death of that glorious Catholike Queene Marie Grandmother to king Charles and true Heire of England was long sought and after contriued concluded and executed by Queene Elizabeth and her Protestants Many worthie Catholicks here for her cause loste their liues lands and what they possessed And all geârally for suspition of fauouring her and king Iames his Title and now of king Charles were much persecuted Yet no Persecution could euer force vs from that dutie to lawfull Princes and their Temporall Titles but we euer performed it though with daunger as we haue and doe our dutie to God and the holy Church No Catholike Clergie man aâ any time impugned it 2. William Bishop of Chaleedon and Richard now his persecured Successor maintained proued and confirmed it So haue all Archpriests Assistants and all in any authoritie among the Clergie either by opinion word or writing And some of vs that yet liue and write I might here catch hold of my owne penne with others haue as expressely plainely and effectuaâly taught and published it as king Charles can desire The Protestant writers of their great publike Theater of greaâ Britanie haue not giuen so great allowance vnto it The Lord Verulam in his historie of king Henrie 7. hath not asscribed too much a good Catholike writer would haue gâuen more vnto it 3. And to puâ all out of doubt or question in this businesse because Pââeâts and Catholikes are charged so much for adhearing to Papall poweâ in this they are assuredly knowne to be the truest Subiects to our king For all Popes actually or virtually in neuer approuing or legittimating Queene Elizabeth haue ratified and confirmed the iust Right of Scotland in thâs kingedome and Ireland And nothing can be saide to be more authentically approuâd and confirmed by Popes authoritie then Pope Innocentius 8. by his Papall Bull as our Protestants confesse and relate Bulla Innocentij S. in ââtrim Henrici Regiâ Ang. 7. Maâââ Parker Antiquit. Brit. in ââ Merit it confirmed both the marriadge of king Henry 7. with Elizabeth daughter and heire to king Edward 4. and his most lawfull and Iust ãâã to the Crowne of England By all Titles and Rights by Right of Inheritance right of warre right of marriage right of ElectioÌ and right of Parlament by hiâ Pontisicall power Paââ ad confirmandum illud legitimum diuinitusque conciliatum ac ad pacem tranquillitatem Anglorum maximè necessarium Matrimoniuâ suis Bullis opus esse putauit quia quarto cognationis gradu coniuncti nuptias contraxerunt In quibus etiam nè authoritate carere videretur regnum acquisitum RegeÌ confirmauit illudque iure hareditario Iure belli iure coniugali Iure elecââonis Iure Senatus seu Parliamenti Anglicani necnon Iure Pontificio atque suo ad Henritum Regem septimum eiusque Haredes in perpeââââ spectare debere pronuntiauit The Pope thoughâ iâ needefull by his Bulls to confirme that godly reconciled Marriage most nâââssarie for the peace and tranquillitie of English men for that they âad married in the sowerth degree In which also least it may seeme to want authoritie âe coâfirmed the obtained kingdome on the king and declared it to appertaine perpetually to king Henrie the 7. and his heires by âââeditarie right by right of warre by right of Marriage by righâ of election by right of the Counâell oâ Engliââ Parlament by Pontificall and his owne right This is so constringent and bindâng an obligation of all English Catholikes attributing so much to Papall powâr and Iuâiâdiction as Protestants saie we doe euer to performe all temporall dutie and obedience to our king Charles the vndoubted true lawfull Heâre of that so established king Heryââ to him and his heires for euer that no Catholike man allowing of Papall authoritie can euer be iustly suspected of disobedieÌce or vndutifulnesse to our Soueraigne And all the Protestants of ângland in their Religion cannot produce such a bonde testimonie or warrant foâ their like fidelitie 4. Therefore being thus clearely and manifestly made knowne and euident that the Religion of English Catholikes in euery point is most true and holy plensing to God and profitable in temporall Regiment the sacred Orders of our Bishop and Priest so honourable we hope our king and hiâ Councell hereafter will rather thinke of defending then offending protecting then persecuting K. Charles Declaration to all Subiects An. 1628. them And besides that is here saide his owne Regall declaration published with aduise of his Councell calleth vpon him and them so to doe For there with that aduise hâ thus publikly protesteth before God and mâ We âall God to record before whoÌ we standâ that it â and allwayes hath bâne our hearts desiâe âo be founâ worthie of that Title which we accompt the most glorious in all our Crowne Defendor of the saith 5. We must mâst humbly remember vnto him the saith whereof he is ââilcââ Defender wherein there is so mâch gloââeâ it is thaâ onely true saith of Caââoâiks as is here proued and no other true faith being but one â Ephes 4. Vnus Dominus vna sides vnum baptisâa One Lord one faith one Baptisme And this faith of Catholiks of Engâand is the true Catholike Apostolik faith and saith of the Church of Româ now and when that Title Defendor of ââ faith was giuen to king Henry the 8. beforâ his lapse from the Church of Rome by the Pope there for defending that faith against Luther The Title giuen must be interpreted by the giuer the Pope not the receiuer which could not receiue but what was giuen And this Title was giuen receiued and vsed many yeares before Queene Elizabeth or before her Religion the Religion of English ProtestaÌts now was borne aÌd was vsed both by king HeÌry 8. and Queene Mary not of this new Religion wherefore we hope our king calling God to Record will rather defend the faith of his Catholikes and them then to suffer them to be thus persecuted and his Councell which counsailed him in that declaration will so aduise and counsaile him And his Parlament that could not finde their Religion 80. yeares old will not hinder him in so good a deede seeing it is certaine by their owne accompt that the Title Defendor of the faith is about 30. yeares older then their Religion and so he cannot by that Title defend their faith A non ens can haue no defence It can neither be defended or offended FINIS FAVLTS ESCAPED AND CORRECTED Pag. 17. lin 3. Theanus for Theonus l. 15. Thadiacus for Thadiocus p. 21. l. 22. paene for penè p. 27. l. 28. most worthiest for worthiest p. 39. l. 28. were for was p. 42. l. 18. Phylosopho for Philosopho p. 43. l. 20. Huntingtonsyhre for Huntington shyre p. 47. l. 21. did increased for and encreased p. 51. l. 20. these man for these men p. 52. l. 19. Missae Papisticae for Missa Papistica p. 61. l. 19. Ireland for Iland p. 63. l. 6. translated them for translated p. 69. l. 22. euery one for and euery one p. 71. l. 7. formae for forma p. 80. l. 23. iurisdiction for iurisdiction on the Christians p. 91. l. 18. after S. Peter adde and to the holy Roman Church p. 100. l. 25. make no Parenthesis p. 111. l. 8. Omitt Theodoretus p. 120. l. 26. Omitt Thou shalt p. 123. l. 6. Amphilabus for Amphibalus Some other faults of lese moment I haue not put downe here they being easie for the Reader to correct in reading FAVLTS ESCAPED AND CORRECTED Pag. 13. lin 23. at which time for after which time pag. 17. l. 3. Theanus for Theonus l. 15. Thadiacus for Thadiocus p. 21. l. 22. paene for penè p. 23. l. 24. first to haue perswaded for before to haue brought p. 25. l. 5. as they most happely did for as soone after it most happely was p. 27. l. 28. most worthiest for worthiest p. 39. l. 10. S. Bonifacius for S. Benedict Biscop p. 35. l. 28. were for was p. 42. l. 7. yea 386 for yeare 586. p. 42. l. 18. Phylosopho for Philosopho pag. 43. l. 20. Huntingtonsyhre for Huntingtonshyre p. 47. l. 21. did increased for and encreased p. 51. l. 20. these man for these men p. 52. l. 19. Missae Papislicae for Missa Papistica p. 61. l. 19. Ireland for Iland pag. 63. l. 6. translated them for translated pag. 69. l. 22. euery one for and euery one pag. 71. l. 7. formae for forma p. 80. l. 23. iurisdiction for iurisdiction on the Christians p. 91. l. 18. after S. Peter adde and to the hoây Roman Church pag. 100. l. 25. make no Parenthesis p. 111. l. 8. Omit Theodoretus p. 120. l. 26. Omit Thou shalt p. 123. l. 6. Amphilabus for Amphibalus pag. 125. l. 1. allmost 1000 for aboue 1000. p. 150. l. 22. let for left pag. 156. l. 18. many for euery Some other faults of lese moment I haue not put downe here they being easie for the âeader to correct in reading
great if euery one that is persecuted for Iustice shall haue his reward in heauen what will their honour be which haue suffered so much and so long time for that cause Your Protestant Aduersaries and Persecutours themselues taking the altitude of your miseries and suffrings for this greatest iustice haue found their eleuation to be raised to the hight of all former Persecutours who were Pagans professed enimies to Christ and all Christians They which professe Christ and Christianitie may not be such Great was the persecution of Nero and yet Britonie felt it not but was then a Refuge Aâyle and as a Sanctuarie to receiue and defend the persecuted Bitter was Dioclesiaus PersecutioÌ here in Britonie but as our Gildas telleth vs it was but Nâuânnis of nine yeares onely at which time the Scots ââcts Saxons Gormundians Aâricans and Dânes âll Pagans persecuted the Christiâs here But neuer any bearing the name of Christ before âhese dayes persecuted the Catholike Chriâtians of this Kingdome All those Pagans âersecuted Christians as enimies to their old Gods and Religion and for not ioyning âith them in Idolatrie deeming Christian âeligion newe and erroneous Our ProtestaÌt Persecutours persecute vs for defending the old Religion of Christ which cannot be vntrue and for not imbracing their newe which in the Schoole of Christ cannot be true 13. All the Pagans that euer persecuted here distroied not âo many Churches and Chappels as King Henrie the eight and his daughter Elizabeth nor tooke from the Church the halfe of that which they did Halse such a Fine and Ransome as the Catholikes paid to them aboue the third part of England in Religious Church-lands possessed by the Clergie here Sixhundred yeares since besides other for fitures would haue stopped the Pagans Persecution The Saxons greatest Persecution next to Dioclesians soone slacked and releÌted no soon âr had the Saxons driueÌ Theonus and Thadiocus Archbishops of LoÌdon and Yorke with other Bishops Priests and Religious from âheir Sees and Residences in the yeare of Christ 586. But King Ethelbert of Kent ruling vnto Húber by meanes of his blessed ChristiaÌ Queenâ Bertha and her holy Bishop S. Lethard gauâ ease and peace to Christians here before S. Augustines and his Associates comming hither and they were receiued by Ethelberâ not yet a Christian with honours and noâ indignities All they were strangers and forrainers to the persecuted Our Persecutourâ be of the same Nation blood and kinred and stiled Christians with them whom thus they persecute for Christs true Religion If King S. Ethelbert Queene S. Bertha and Bishop S. Lethard were now liuing Catholikes would not be persecuted THE II. CHAPTER That the Religion of our English Catholikes as well from the Saxons as Britons is the same with their first Apostles and deduced from them and first of the Saxons conuerted by S. Augustine and his Roman Mission NOw because our Protestants and Persecutours before haue deliuered it For greate glorie to our Nation to deriue our spirituall degree from so noble a Father as S. Peter We will âriue and deduce from him a continuall âd neuer interrupted Succession both of âiscopall and Priestlie function and doâine also in euery point now questioned by âr Persecutours froÌ that so noble a Father â these Protestant times And to begge more âce and fauour from these our enimies in âs cause they themselues shall briefly make âs deduction â And first concerning Bishops and Massing Priests sent hither or consecrated here by S. Peter's or his Roman Successours Iuâââdiction such as they now so greuiously dââ ãâã âhey confesse publickly that they had âo ãâã but so consecrated as the Roman Church did from the begining and stilâ doth consecrate vnâill their neââ booke oâ pretended Consecration maââ by King Edward thâ Sââth â child hiâââthoritie brought in theiâ ãâ¦ã aâd they acknowledge ãâ¦ã consecraâeâ ãâ¦ã Priesââ ãâ¦ã and doe ãâ¦ã ââstifie ãâ¦ã Engl. Proteââ in Rogers Booke of articles Annal. Burton an 140. Caiuâââtiq ãâ¦ã Annâl ãâ¦ã ân Mansââ ãâ¦ã 1. 6. Harrison descript of Brit. waâ oâr Archbishop ãâ¦ã moreouer that this our ãâ¦ã was seâlâd by this greaâest Aâostââ in âhe ãâã yâare of Nero and 67. ãâ¦ã â Peter returned againe to ãâ¦ã dâuers of thâse our Bishops and ãâ¦ã Nation as S. Manâuetus S. ãâã S. Maâcellus or Marcellinus the renoâned Priests and Preachers of Cambridge ân and afteâ the yeare 140. S. Marcellus being and liuinâ Bishop after King Lucius and Britonie waâ conuerted when three Archbisbops anâââventie eight Bishops were here placed anâ all Ecclesiasticall thinges established anâ confirmed by Papall power in this Kingdome â To make this Succession without aâ question they deliuer vnto vs the names aâ âme Episcopall Acts of our Archbishops Hollinâh Hist of England Stowâs Hist. Godwin conuers of Britan. Cataâ of Bishops in London Yorke and S. Dauids âf LondoÌ Yorke and Caerlegion In London âe chiefe Metropolitan See S. Theanus S. luanus Cadar Obinus Conanus Pallaâus Stephanus I'tutus Theodwynus or âedwynus Thedredus Hillarius Guiteliâs Restitutus Fastidius Vodinus Theoâs Others adde S. Augulus Ternokinus âd Gormcelinus They confesse that Theoâs the last Archbishop of London with full ârisdiction continued in his Archiepiscopall âe notwithstanding the Pagon Saxons inuaân and persecutioÌ vntill the yeare of Christ ââ which was but 10. yeares before S. Auguâââ coming hither So they testifie of Thaââus Matth. West an 586. Archbishop of Yorke the same yeââe âauing his See and with the Archbishop of ãâã and many of their Clergie flying into âalââ and Cornewall to the Christian Bisâps Priests and people there They reâpt in thâ Archbâââop See of Yorke Theoâsius Sampsoâââ Taurinus âeruanâs Sampsonââ ãâã and the âenamed Thadiocuâ ãâ¦ã âegion they â downe Tremonus S. ãâã S Daâid âiud Conanc Theliaus Eâbâdus wholiâd in S. Augustins time and after him imâediatly succeeding in Archiepiscopall digâtie fourty or more vntill the time of Berârd who in the yeare 1115. lost that honour âom that See by Papall order as all Antiâaries Catholikes and Protestants agree 4. These men also deliuer vnto vs a Catalogue of learned holy writers in euery agâ and in the age whâ S. Augustine came hitheâ they recount vnto vs the most noble Sainâ and Doctours Dubritius Iltutâs Congelluâ Dauid Gildas Kentigeânâs Brendant Asaphus and others whâly ând absolutâ agreeing with the Church of âome They ââ downe our Vniuârsiâies ãâ¦ã aâ among others ãâ¦ã from all eâror Our ãâ¦ã in the greââouncelâs ãâ¦ã âhe same faiâ with tâe whole ãâ¦ã they had mâ entercourâe ãâã âââmunicaââon next to tâ Popes of ãâ¦ã the moââ Catholike aâ renowââd ãâ¦ã Churcâ of Christ â Athanaââââ ãâ¦ã S. Martine and maâ more and bâth âââse Tertulââan S. Chryâstome with ãâã did highly commeÌd thâ our ãâ¦ã true Religion 5. Anâ becaâââ some Proâestants to muâ ãâ¦ã libertie cannot well eâdure ãâ¦ã ââckes and Religious sâ king wâaâ ãâ¦ã can âo disgrace suâ as oâherâ ãâã âânowned Clergie especialâ the ãâã of S. Benedicts Order
North neither was it in his âwer so to doe vntill he was Bishop there âich was not vntill the yeare of Christ 670. there about by all Authours which was âge after S. Benedict Biscops being Abbot âth in Northumberland and Canterburie âd whereas some Monckes now would haue Aigulphus a Benedictine Moncke first to âie persuaded the Monckes of Lyrinum to Maââh VVestm âârân Floâent VVigorn chron Sigâbert aâââ âeiue S. Benedict's Rule this cannot be for Aigulphus was a Moncke of FloriacuÌ Moâsterie which was not builded many yeares âer this time and so it is not certaine but âth the Monckes of Canterburie and those Northumberland vnder this holy Abbot Benedict Biscope hitherto were Lyrinian and not Benedictine Monckes and yet as before they were of the most Religious anâ learned Monckes and Apostolike men in thâ Christian world as the rest of our Britisâ Moâckes euen by Protestants confession â also were 11. ând this is the glorie of this our Eâglish Nation to haue had generally both iâ Kent where S. Augustine was and in all othâ parâs cânuerted to Christ such renowneâ Fathers and Protogenitours in him For sucâ were the Monckes of S. Gregories Monastârie Io. Diacân in vita S. Gregorij l. 2. c. 11. in Rome from which S. Augustine arâ his fellowes learned and holy Disciples â the most learned and holy Pope S. Gregoriâ were sent as our Protestants them selues acânowledge that euer was And so learne were the Monckes of this his Monasterieâ aboue other Italian Monckes in that timâ that besides the Apostolike men about 4â in number which S. Gregorie sent into Eâgland he made Maximianus his Abbot theâ Bishop of Siracusas Marimanus a Moncâ thereof Archbishop of Rauennas and Prâbus another of his Monckes of his Monastârie Mariâ Sââput l. 2. atate 6. in S. Benedicto Trithemius l. de script Eccles in S. Benedicto he sent to Hierusalem to build a Monsteâie there we haue also warrant from â Church of God so witnessing in S. Gregâries publike office that S. Augustine and â Monckes he sent into Briâanie about 40. number were learned and holy men Missiâ Britanniam Doctis Sanctis viris Augustino â âlijs Monachis Sending into Britanie learned and holy men Augustine and other Monckes 12. But whether S. Augustine and those who came into England with him to conuert it as they most happily did were indeede Monckes of S. Benedicts Order I will not heare dispute leauing it perchance to some other worke in hand it being all one âo this my purpose whether S. Augustine ând his companie were Benedicton or other Monckes I onely intending now to shew that from our first Conuersion in S. Peters time vnto these times there was a continuall succession of Priests and of the same Religon for which now in EnglaÌd we are so persecuâed And that S. Augustine and his companie were most hoây and learned men Docti and Breuiar Romandie 12. Martij in festo S. Gregor Bed Hist. Eccles Angl. l. 2. Matth. VVesâ in Chron. Fâorent VVigâr Chroniâ Gâliel Malmesburâââ dâgâst Reg. Angl. âancti viri that they taught our Predecesâours the same faith we now professe and that âhey conuerted to the faith of Christ Ethelâert King of Kent and his Kingdome of KeÌt ând Sebert or Sigebert King of the East Saxons with his Kingdome and preached in many other places oâ England conuerting in âhem many to Christian Religion I saie with âhem and the whole Christian world then Asia Africke and Europe agreeing with S. Gregorie who sent hither these so holy and âearned men and therefore is rightly by Saint Beade instiled Apostle of England in Religion vsing his masse and honouring him for a Sainct as our Protestants confesse that their doctrine and Religion was true and for this part of the world Italie froÌ whence they came France through which they came England or Britanie whether they came Ireland Scotland and Germanie where some of our Britans and English then were acknowledging S. Augustines Religion to be true so prooue vnto vs. So S. Augustine prooued it both by humaine and diuine testimonie So his Opposits and our persecuting Protestants confesse To vse their words The Britans confessed indeede that to be the way of ProtestaÌt in Stowes ââst righteousnesse which Augustine had preached and sbewed vnto them 13. And he is a simple witted man if he can vnderstand but the Latine tongue that doth not most clearely see and confesse the same if he will but reade the publicke Church seruice Masse and the others which our Protestants confesse S. Gregorie perused and published the Latine and Greeke Church vsing his Masse translated into Greâke as they doe S. Basiles and S. Chrysostomes as also his holy learned workes which he â Doctour of the Church and as our Protestants stile him The most holy and learned Popâ that euer was did publish and are now extant Thus he and his Lâgates sânt hither into England generally taught the same Doctrine in all points which we Catholikes now professe euen those for which we are so pittifully persecuted Roman Supremacie Saâifice of Maââe Sacrificing Priesthood such âpiscopall Roman Ordination and whatâeuer elsse now controuersed by Protestants â I shall demonstraâe against them in euery âticle of their Religion when I come to the âonuersion oâ tâe other Parts of England â those which were of our old British Orâer and Reâigâon And yet our English Proâstants publickly generally and with such âthoritie protest and testifie that in the first â0 yeares of Christ within which S. Greârie and his Legates liued and âaught the âhurch of Rome was pure and free from erâr And if she had or should haue erred in âis publicke doctrinall practises and orders âncerning the whole Church the whole âhurch which these men denie should also âue erred For they constantly thus ackâwledge that this most holy and learned âpe so published and proposed them Greâius Io. Bal. dâ Roman Ponâifice Art l. 2. in Gregor Magno Robert âarnes â de vit âontif Rom. in âod Magdebur hisâ Ecclesiasc in Greg. Magnuâ omnium Pontificum Râmanorum doâinâ viââ praestantissimus Scholas Cantoâum inâuit Ambrosiâ more ecâlesiastiâas cantiones quaââaecè dicimus Antiphonas composuit Officiarium âclesiae fecit Antiphonarium nocturnum diurnum âpoâuit Sacrorum normas digessit Missarum ritus ââplanauit eius Canonem consarâinauit Gregorie â great the most worthiesâ of all the Bishops of Rome â doctrine and life instituted Schooles of singerâ and âer Ambrose his manner composed Ecclesiasticall âges which in Greeke we call Antiphones He made âe office of the Church be ordered the nightlie and daylie Antiphonarie he digested the Rites of tâ Church he polished the Ceremonies of the Masse aâ the Canon thereof he gathered together 14. It will be very hard for the quickeâ sighted Persecuting Protestant to finde aâ one of their Articles of Religion which wâ not condemned and of Catholikes not pâblickly
approued and practised in tâ Church of Christ in and by those so genârally receiued and professed Ritualls anâ Doctrinalls of Religion And therefoâ those pure Protestanâs which call Cathâlikes vsually in respect of their Doctrinâ Papists and their holy Religion Papistriâ Papisme Romanisme or the like confesâ plainly that Saint Augustine from Saiâ Gregorie bâought hither Masses Altars Vesments Chalices Relickes Massing Priests prayer Saincts for the Deade and to be briefe Românisme Papistrie all which they terme no Io. Bal. l. de Scripto Brit. cen tur c. 2. de Act. Poatif Rom. in Gregor Franc. Godwin conuers of Britan. Dââââl Poweâl in Giralâ Cambr. in our Catholikes Superstitionâ And nâ only Saint Augustine thus taught and deliâred but Qâââne Bââtha the French Ladiâ and her Bishoâ ãâã Lethardus did tâ same and King Eâhelbert with his Couâtrie waâ conuerted to that Religion Conuâsus âxoris Berthae âersuasione âthelbertus Rex Râmanismum cum a liunâââs supârstitionibus suscepâ King âthelbert being conuerted by the peâsuasion hiâ wife he imbraced Romanisme with all it 's Supâstitionâ 15. So we haue not only S. Augustine our âpostle with his Assistants but S. Gregorie âe Church of Rome Italie and all Subiects that See Apostolike our King Queene âd all here agreeing then with vs in this Roâanisme Papisme and Papistâie for which âe are now persecuted And this our Conârsion S. Asaph in vit Sâ KeÌtegerni Câpgrau in eod D. Bal. l. de Scriptor centur 1. in Kenâigernâ to the truâ Apostolike Religion of âhrist which is the same Catholikes now âosesse as both Catholikes and Protestants knowledge was miraculously prooued ad âretold by the words of God his prophetiâll holy Bishop S. Keâegerne long before in âe declination of the Britans that God âould giue Britanie ouer to Forraine Naâns which knewe not God and Chriânae legis Religio vsque ad praefinitum tempus âsipabââur Sed in pristinum staâum unò meâem miserante Deo in fine repârabitur the Region of the Christian Lawe vnto a determinate âââme shall be dissipated but in the ânâ by God his mercie it shall be restored to it's former yeâââtter state THE III. CHAPTER The like proued of all other persons aâ parts of England as also the Brâcans that their Religion was thâ same with the Apostles and thâ which our now Persecuted Cathâlikes Professe and maintaine 1. NOw let vs come to the Conuersioâ of the other parts of England nâ conuerted by S. Augustine or his Missioâ from Rome but by others our old Britisâ or Scotish Bishops and Priests in some partâ before by many writers and in the farâ greatest aââer And because amongst otherâ the Religious of our old British Order haâ influeÌce therein ãâã I lately spake of MoÌckâ sent into England by Saint Gregorie and â their labours and Religion here I will neâ ioyne these vnto them Their Antiquitie â haue deliuered before from S. Ioseph of Aâramathia which buried Christ arriuinâ here in the yeare of his Natiuitie 63. 2. To take better knowledge of their heauenly life and conuersation on earth I wiâ set downe their Rule as with some alteratioÌâ âs is vsuall in such holy Orders it was apâroued and deliuered to our Monckes by S. âauid Metropolitane Archbishop in Britaâie that most learned Religious holy Preâte The Rule of our old British Monckes Manuscipt antiq in vitâ S. Dauidis Io. Capgra Câtal in ââd liuing vntill with in 50. yeares of S. Auâustines comming hither Dauid constructo in âalle Rosinta Monasterio talem caenobialis praepositi âgorem decreuit vt Monachorum quisque quotidiano âsudaÌs operi manuum labore suam in commune transâeret vitam dicens Qui enim non laborat ait Aâstolus non manducet nesciens enim quod secura quies âitiorum fomes mater esset Monachorum humeâs duris fatigationibus subiugauit nam qui sub otij âiete tempora mentesque submittunt instabilem spiriâm libidinisque stimulos sine quiete parturiunt Posâsiones enim Iniquorum respuebant dona reprobabaÌt âuitias detestabantur boum nulla ad arandum curaââisque sibi fratribus diuitiae quisque bos Nulân praeter necessarium inter eos habebatur colloquium âd quisque aut orando aut Deo placiâa cogitando inânctum opus peragebat Peracto autem Rârali opere â Monasterij Claustra reuertentes aut legendo aut âibendo aut orando totam ad vesperum peragebaÌt âem In vespere verò audito Nolae pulsu dimissis âx operibus Ecclesiam petebant visis in caelo âllis ad mensam conuenientes citra saturitatem comeâbant nimia enim satietas quamuis solius panis âuriam generat Pane autem oleribus sale conditis âsti sitim lacte aquâ mixto restringebant Peractâ ânâ quasi per tres horas vigilijs orationibus genuâctionibus insistebant Quamdiu in Ecclesia orationiâs vacabant nullus oscitare nullus sternutationem facere vel salââââ ãâ¦ã Hiâita gestis sopoââ ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã expergâfaâli ãâ¦ã Cogitationes ãâ¦ã etiaâ vel ad naturae ãâ¦ã induebantur ãâ¦ã desiderans ãâ¦ã priuâ decem diebus ãâ¦ã nâânon veââââ ãâ¦ã Si auâem benè ãâ¦ã perstarâ diem acceptus priuââ ãâ¦ã constructus seruâeâaâ ãâ¦ã desudans fractusque mulââs ãâ¦ã fraârum merebatur inire ãâ¦ã ânem cupientibus eorum nihââ ãâ¦ã ââluâ è naââragio âuadentes recepti eraâââ ãâ¦ã se extollendi non haberent S. autem Dauiââost âtinas frigidam petebae aquam in qua diuâââs manâ carnis ardorem domabat Orphanorum ââpilloruâ ViduaâuÌ Egentium Peregrinorum multitudineÌ pasââ bat In English epitomated They haâ not Ridâ or proprietie Receiued nothing of the wiâââ they lâued by their labour They had not cattell âââhing bâ themselues to âill their ground no speach âââpt necesarie at their worke but with praier and meditaââ they performed it They did not eate till ââght ââ their diet then was bread âerbs and âalâ thâ drinke water and miââe mixed together After thâ resection they persistâd three howers in watching aâ praier vppon their knees then sleeping vntill ââ croweing âf the Cocke they arose to their praiers vnâââay light Ending their corporall labour they retuââ their Monasteries and spenâ all the ãâã ââtill the eâning Annaââââcl 9. ãâã Gââw ãâã of ãâã in â ââauid in ãâ¦ã Niâââ ãâ¦ã Io. Baâ ãâã âânâ 1. in Kentigâân âââgrau ân âod God W. catal in S. ãâã Kââegâr M ãâã antiq Britââ prima ãâã Eââlesiastâ Seâââ either in reading writinâ ãâ¦ã ârres appeared in the ãâ¦ã their âll they went to the Church And ãâ¦ã âet of bodie This was part of the ãâ¦ã our âritish Monclâeâ approued by thâ greatest ârelate here who receiued iâ all ââââches âscipline by tâe Roman Authoritie 3. Their Bisâops and ãâ¦ã âsteritie in conuersation Tââ ãâ¦ã â S. Dauid ãâ¦ã âneu about ãâ¦ã The ãâ¦ã others ãâ¦ã iâ the ãâ¦ã by diuers ãâ¦ã Monââ ãâ¦ã in his Moâââ 3000. Disciââe S. VVandiâocus and Goââogillus about ãâã vnder them â âentigern and
cernereÌt VVhat honour our Emperââ Constantine the great Saint Helena and oâ other Britans then vsed to such signes â man can be ignorant off nor of the deuotiâ of S. Patrick vnto them He neuer passed â âhe Crosse but he praied there and signed himselfe 100. times in the day and night with that holy signe King Conual euer had it Hector Boet. Scot Histor. l. 9. Holinsh. Hist. Scoââ Buchan l. 5. c. 47. Gul. mal Henr. hunting Bed de locis sanctis cap. 5. Hect. Boet. l. 10. Hist. Scotor Holinsh Hist. Scot. pag. 134. c. of lawes Girald Cambren de script Camb. c. 18. Io. Damascen Orat. 2. de dormitione Deiparae Bonifac. Papa Epist Th. Wal-Singham in Edouardo 1. âorne before him King Arthur vsed the Image of the blessed Virgin with great reueâence Our Britans went long Pilgrimages âea euen to Hierusalem there to reuerence âhe holy Relicks and the cloath supposed to âe made by âhe blessed Virgin containing âhe Images of Christ and his 12. Apostles Saint ââde and others more auntient so relating This was here so pubâike that it was thus by âawe decreed Aras âempla Diuorum statuas Oâatoria Sacâlla Saâââdotes omnesque sacrae familiae âiros ex animo venerantor Lett all the Altars âhurcheâ statues of Saints Oratories Chapells Priests ând all men appertaâning to the Church be reuerenced âom the heart 10. Concerning holy Relicks the learned âritish Bâshop saieth of his CouÌtrie old Chriâian Britans that they gaue more reuerence ânto such then any other Nation Sanctorum âeliquijs longè âagis quam vlââm gentem honoreÌ deârre videmuâââ Iosâph of ârimathae a brought âoly Relicks with him hâââer and vsed them âith reuerence during thâir liues and Saint âoseph being presenâ witâ the Apostles at the âeath of the blessed Vââgin worshipping her âcred bodie as Saint Iohn Damascen witnesâth by so great warrant vsed and left such âeuerence here The holy Relicks of S. Peter â Saint Bonifacius writeth were occasion or motiue of the Scots Conuersion All our Histories are full how in all PersecutioÌs by Pagans one of the greatest cares of our Christian Britans was to preserue their holy Relicks Churches were founded and dedicated to our Martyrs in all places and their Relicks were there preserued with great veneration Our greatest Apostolike men as Saint Germanus and his holy companie went on Pilgrimage vnto them No noble person in the world shewed more reuerence vnto such then our most noble couÌtrie womâ Empresse and Queene S. Helena by all Antiquities Veremund Hect. Boet. Scot. hist The reuerence which was giuen to the Relicks of Saint Andrew the Apostle in the yeare 360. which were brought from Patras in Achaia by King Heiâgustus his Nobles and others with geneflexions or more and greatest reuerences doe not giue place to any now vsed by Catholikes It was a thinge vsuall in those daies for our Christian Britans to goe on Pilgrimage to Rome and Hierusalem to render such reuereâââ there Saint Dauid S. Paternus S. Teliaâus and others our most renowned ad learned did so All places in Britanie where such Relicks were preserued as Glastenburie ãâ¦ã London CaerlegioÌ winchester and others were thus frequented and visited 11. For Inuocation of Saints it was the Religion of our Britans from their first faith in Christ Saint Ioseph and his companie praieâ vnto the blessed Virgin and by her were coÌforted Antiquiââ glaston tabulis fix Gultel malm l. Antiquit. Coenâb glaston Io. Capgrau in Iosepho with her help in all their needs Virgiâis Dei genetricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocilââbantur Saint Phaganus and Damianus builâed a Chapell by Glastenburie in honour of Saint Michael the ArchaÌgell to be honoured âhere Oratorium aedificauerunt in honore S. Mihaclis Archangeli quatenus ibi ab hominibus habeââ honorem qui homines in perpetues honores iubente âeo est introducturus They builded an Oratorie in âonour of S. Michaell the Archangell to the end he âight there be honoured by men who by God his apâintment is to lead men vnto perpetuall hoâours So in our first generall Conuersion all Churches were founded vnto God and his Antiquit Anonym Britan. Scripror in vit S. Amphibali Iacob Gennuen Io. Capgrau in eod Matth. Westm an 520. Holinsh. Engl hist pag. 103. Gildas l. de exciâ Conq. Brit. c. 2â âaints Vni Deo eiusque Sanctis Saint Amphibaâs that conucrted S. Alban after his martyrâome goeing himselfe to be martyred prated âto him and his praier was heard and miâculously proued to be holy good and âaunted The examples of our Emperour âd Empresse Constantine and Saint Helena âe very many and honourable in this kinde âith auntient approued writers S. German âur Apostle praied to our Saints here and asâribed great effects vnto it So King Arthur âo speake in Protestants words He commitâd himselfe and his whole armie to the Tuition of ârist and his Mother the Virgin In the publick âasse they vsed there was publicke memorie âd Inuocation of all Saints And in their puâicke Oathes as S. Gildas witnesseth they solemnly called the blessed Virgin and all Saints to witnesse So the kings themselues at their Inthroning 12. Their Article intituled Of ministring in the Congregation and whatsoeuer concerning Bishops Priests and Clergie men shall be handled hereafter in the particular defence and honour beloÌging to Bishops and Priests where our Auntient Britans shall with others be made Iudges and Condemners of Protestants and witnesses for Catholiks in this question in the meane time I haue said sufficiently before 13. Their Article superscribed Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people vnderstand not Which was made against the publike Sacrifice and Seruice of the Church iâ the latine tongue is plainely condemned by our Christian Britans their Apostle Bishopâ and Priests from the beginning of their Conuerssion For neither âaint Ioseph nor anâ of his companie nor Saint Damianus Phaganus Germanus Lupus Seuerus PalIadius our Apostles or any such other noâ Britans did vnderstand the British languagâ to vse it themselues or translate the publicâ seruice into it for the vse of others Yet alâ doe and must needs confesse such publicâ ProtestaÌt in Franc. Godwin coâuers of Brit. cap. 3. pag. 36. meÌ vsed publick Church seruice which muâ needs be that of the latine Church the latiâ seruice therof Our Protestants themseluâ acknowledge they were vttery ignorant of tâ British language and that they preached by Interpreters And as it was proued and iustified by the renowned Abbot D. Fecknam publickly in the first Parlament of Queene Elizabeth The auntient Historiographer D. Gildas witnesseth in the Prologue and begânning of his booke of the Britan histories that Damianus and Fugatius Phaganus sent hither from Pope Elutherius brought hither thâ seruice Church bookes of their Religion in the latine tongue And though the Protestants haue suppressed this historie or Prologue thereof yet they graunt vnto vs that Gildas citeth diuers passages
in the heauens and âhatsoeuer yee shall loose on earth shal be loosed in âe heauens God hath subiected to the hands of the âriests the Regall head theaâhing vs that this Prince greater theÌ that The thronâ power authoritie ând dignitie of Priests is aboue Regall this âleth onely in things temporall the Priest â heauenly The king of heauen hath giuen his power to his Priests and hath subiected âe Regall head to thâ hands of the Priests âeclaring vnto vs that this is a greater Prince âen he Neither hath he giueÌ such power vnto ângels or Archangels as to Priâsts Saâerdotibââââum est vt potestatem habâant quam Deus neque Chrysâst lib. 3. de Sacerdotio ângelis neque Archangelâs datam esse voluit Neque âim ad illos dictum est Quaeâunque alligaueritis in ârrâ erunt alligata in coelo Et quaecunque solueretiââ terrâ erunt soluta in âoelâ It is giuen to Priests âat they shall haue power which God would haue âuen neither to Angells nor Arâhangeââs For it is not âed to them Whatsoeuer you âhall bind vpon earth âall be bound also in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall âose on earth shall be loosed in heauen The power âf binding which is in Princes is onely ouer âodies that of Priests ouer soules and extenâeth to heauen Habent terrestres Principes vinâli potestatem verum corpârum solum Id autem quod Chrysoââ ibideâ ââo Sacordotum vinculum ipsam eâiam animam conângitatque ad coelos vsque peruadit Terreane Princes âlso haue the power of fetters but of the bodie onely âut that which I saie the bonds of Priests toucheth the âule it selfe and passeth vnto the heauens This is the doctrine deliuered by Christ so expâânded both by the Grââke and âââine Church in Britaniâ and all places with all persons all good Emperours Kinges and Princeâ of England and which the whole Christian worlde haâe euer profâssed and declared 17. And the world will witnesse euery where against persecuting England that the Cathâlikâ Pâiest and Clergie thereof be as leââned ââly religious and as saââ fââm exception and eueâ haue bene since they were persecuted ââmber for number as any âââgiâââ all Chââstian reâowned Naâions And of all Engâââh people they haâe most âoâoâred ânââeast ãâ¦ã offended their Pâinces or ãâ¦ã Câââcrie Most of them be and ãâ¦ã of noble or ãâã familiââ and alâââbred ââ and discended that thây haâe ãâã at home and abroad without ãâ¦ã or huâe They ãâã left ãâ¦ã places iâ ãâã and ãâã Englââd ãâ¦ã and all They ãâ¦ã Bâshoprâcks ãâã or ãâ¦ã but leaue ãâã to thâââr ãâ¦ã any ãâã Tribââes or ãâ¦ã From their Aduersaâies The Catholikeâ of ânglanâ ãâã these âo ãâ¦ã more the Protestants doe ãâ¦ã or many ãâã Presentations and ãâã which beâoâged ãâã their âo ââll into the lapse for the Protestant Bishops to bestowe as thây will Ouâ Catholikâ Priests haue no wiues or children to trouble the CoÌmon âealth withâll Pariâheâând pâaces of birth be not postered or charged with any âuâh nâr Schoââerships or Felâowships in Vnâuersitieâ which are not orâained for Ministerâ childrenâ Tenanâs are âot put out of their liuings nor the Church Riâches and liuings horded vp beggars made âut not releeued for any ãâã of Priests âr Priests fauourers All that be of their acâuintance in Religion are instructed in dutie âo God and Prince and be most true and âutifull Subiectâ to âheir king ân all occasioÌs âhâse caÌnot be the ãâã of a bad Religion 18. Their Religion vnder preâenâe whereâf they are presecuted they haue ofâeÌ in pubâshed bookes proued in euery point and ârticle to be onely true and now doe coÌââ it âât to pâeâse which will so demonstrate ãâã euery Article of thâ Pââseâutours Reâion euen by the Apostleâ and Apoâolike men and Fathers of that age in âhich they liued holy Scripturs and Proâstants themselueâ and they haue often âade most earnest and huÌbâe petitions lateâ pâblished in print to the Parlament ãâã publickly euen with vnequall condiâons to themselues and their causâââ dispute âd mâintainâ all and euery part of the doâine they hold and ãâã against the best âarned Protestant Bishops or ãâã their Persecutours And yet if meÌ would or should speake doe and proceede consequently as they which takââpon them to be teachers instructours and Reformers in Religion of all men in all times and places ought and without vtterly disabling themselues therein are bound A Prieste or Bishop that saieth Maâse absolueth penitents or reconciâeth men to the Catholike faith by power authoritie or Iurisdiction from Rome is no more guiltie of so âermed treason by the ParlameÌt Protestant Acts and lawes then all other Ecclesiasticall ParlameÌt an ãâã Elizab. Statute 2. Parlam 1. Iacob Parlam â Carâli personâ dâacons or others inferiours Religious of what name title or degree soeuer as SubdeacoÌs Acolythists Exorcists or others wanting all such power as is euident by that oâ Queene Elizabeth receiued and prosecuteâ by king Iames aÌd king Charles Priests therefore are not or should not be so prosecuteâ for their Priestlie functions God forbyd any English minded man or louer of Englanâ should thinke or wish it a thing so penall anâ capitall for any InhabitaÌt of England or English man to be borne abid or remaine in hiâ beloued natiue Countrie of England thougâ he weâe a meaner and more vnworthie maâ then any meanest Priest of England is 19. The Protestants thus deriue our Clergââ Succession Thâ first Parlament of Qâ Câmbd Annal pag 36. ââizabeth being ended the Oath of thâ Queens supreamacie was proposed to the Catholike Bishops and Ecclesiasticall Persons many as refused to sweare were depriued their benefices dignities and Bishopriks â Rulers of Churches 50. Prebendaries 5. âisters of Colledges 12 Archdeacons 12. âanes and 14. Bishops all that then âemaiâ except one Anthonie Bishop of Landaffe â calamitie of his See and âome commitâed prison in the Tower Fleete Marshallea â kings Bench. How reuerend and learned ân those of our Clergie then weâe and they âch immediately ioyned with the and coÌtiâd a SuccessioÌ of renowned Clergie Priests â memorable bookes and writings of very ây of them in defence of Catholike Reliân ther honour therby registred among â must worthie writers and their glorie in whole Church of Christ are warrant to posteritie I am an vnworthie witnesse â many older and of more frequeÌt conuersaâ with Priests then I can better testifie that âhin 25 yeares of the Reigne of Queene Eâbeth when so many from our Seminaries â come hither that at one time there were â of them Prisoners in the Marshallea and ây of them put to death There were then ây of Queene Maries Priests depriued and âsecuted by Queene Elizabeth still liuing â labouring here in this holy cauâe and âst of them were very learned as they were â which were sent from our Seminaries to âplie their number and ioyne with them as âers published bookes from them their
A DEFENCE OF CATHOLIKES PERSECVTED IN ENGLAND Inuincibly prouing their holy Religion to be that which is the only true Religion of Christ and that they in professing it are become most faithfull dutifull and loyall Subiects to God their King and Country And therefore are rather to be honoured and respected then persecuted or molested Composed by an ould studienâ in Diuinitie Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a theefe or a railer or a coueter of other mens things But if as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in this name 1. Pet. 4. Printed at Doway by GERARD PINCHON at the signe of Coleyn 1610. A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONTAINED IN THIS BOOKE Chapter I.  BY way of a Preface to the persecuted Catholikes and by them to their Persecutours of the Innocencie perfection and honour of them and their spirituall Pastours renowned Priests pag. 1. Chap. II.  That the Religion of our English Catholikes as well from the Saxons as Britans is the same with their first Apostles and deduced from them and first of the Saxons conuerted by Saint Augustine and his Roman Mission pag. 15. Chap. III.  The like proued of all other person and parts of England as also the Brâtans that their Religion was tâ same with the Apostles and thâ which our now Perseâuted Catâlikes Profâsse and maintaine pag. 30. Chap. IIII.  The Religion of the Apostles of our primatiue Christian Britans of the first Christiaâ Sâxons and of our now persecuted Catholikes pâoueâ to be one and the same in euâry Article against Protestants anââeââeâutours pag. 50. Chap. V.  That the Consecration Iurisdiction and mission of our Cathoâiâe Bishop teaching the same Apostolicall Doctrine in all thingâ with the Catholike Church is most lawfull âoliâ orderlie and honourable in that his sacred calling is most worthie and necessârie and therfore he vnworthily Persecuted pag. 69. Chap. VI.  That our English Priests who teach all things with the Apostolicall Religion are truely consecrated worthie men and are to be honoured and not persecuted pag. 102. Chap. VII  That theÌ Catholikes of England taught and directed by such guides in Religion as our Priests be are not to be persecuted but protected defended and imployed as true and faithfull subiects in all things pag. 146. Chap. VIII  That euerie Article of Catholike Religion is more agreable with the best temporall gouernmeÌt then those of the Protestants and that a Catholike keeping his Religion as he is bound to God so he cannot be vndutifull to his temporall Prince and Countrie pag. 157. Chap. IX  That true and obedient Catholikes be the truest and most obedient subiects pag. 170. APPROBATIO Viso tâstâmoâio câiusdam virâdocti mihique de fide docârânâ probè coââiâi quo testatur âuÌc libruâ cui Tââulus est A Defânce of Cathelikes perseâutââ in England nihil continere fidei vel bonis moâibus adueâsâm quin poâius âulta quae aâ Catholicorum Aâgâoruâ consolationem ââcianâ âiânum censâ quem ego ãâã ââeo approââreââatâm ãâ¦ã âartâj Aâno 1630. GEOâGIVS COâVâNâRIVS S Theol. Doctâ Regius ãâ¦ã Pââfâssor Coâlegââae ãâ¦ã poââtus ãâ¦ã Caâcelâaâius libââum Cenâor THE FIRST CHAPTER By way of a Preface to the persecuted Catholikes and by them to their Persecutours of the Innocencie perfection and honour of them and their spirituall Pastours renowned Priests 1. RENOWNED Catholikes of Engâand moââ renoâned Catâoââkes ãâã perseâuâed âor your ãâã âeligiââ giue leaue to one yoâr old humble ând vnworthie seruaât ân Châist Associate ând Partaker now with you and youâ renowâed Predecessours a long time fâoÌ his youth âo old age in prisân peâââcution ãâã ând tribulatioÌ for the most holy Caââolike âaith and Religion to remember hiâ loue ând duâie to you as also the bounâen dutie ând office of vs all as true seruants to our Master Christ in so noble and iust a cause with the honour reward and recompence which is his ordinarie paie to all his faithfull seruants in such his affaires farre more eminent and excellent thâ any Potentate Prince or Persecutour on earth can either take away or giue vnto vs or any of them or we in this world inioy 2. Let me beginne with you as Saint Cyprian that glorious Byshop and Martyr did with the constant Martyrs and Confessours of his Countrie and time Quibus ego vos laudibus praedicâm fortissimi Martyres c. O most valiant Cyprian âpisââl ad ãâã Confââsor âââpist 6. Martyrs with what praises may I blase you forth with what criâs of voce may I adorne the fortitude of youâ heart and perseuerance of faith you haue endured euen to the consuâmation of glorie in your examinatioÌs most hard torments You haue not giuen place to punishments but they haue rather yealded to you Crownes haue ministred an end to those griefes to which torments gaue no ând And presently after he addeth The multitude of those which were present hath seene the heauenlie fight of God the spirituall waâre of Christ his seâuants to haue stoode with a free voice an vncorrupted minde a diuine force naked truely of wordlie weapons but armed with the shield of faith 3. Let me speake vnto you and of you especially chiefe Prelate and Pastours Priests and persecuted Clergie of England and of your late Predecessours on earth and now happie in heauen as Saint Iohn Chrisostome thus performed to the two most glorious Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paule Quasnam Chrysâst seââ de SS Apostolis Petr. âaul âp Metaphrâst in Breuiadie 6. Iulij vobis referemus gâatias qui tantum pro nobis laboraâtis memenituâ Petre obstupesco recordor tui Paule excedens mente lachrymis opprimor c. What âhankes shall we giue vnto you who haue laboured so much for vs ô Peter I remember thee and am astoniâed O Paule I call the to mind and with excesse tâereâf ame oppressed with teares For what shall I speake or what shall I vtter when I behold youâ afflictions I âannot tell How many prisons haue you sanctified what chaines haue you adorned what âorments haue âou sustained what curses or reproaches haue you sufâered how haue you borne Christ how with your preaâhing haue you ioyed Churches blessed are the instruâents of your tongue your members are sprinckled with âlood for the Church You haue imitated and followed Christ in all things 4. I doe not I dare not compare my selfe âo those great lightes Bishops and Rulers in âhe Church of Christ or such as be vnder our âupreame Paââour of that highest Order to âhome I owe all dutie and respect yet as an âld student in holy âeââing hauing read âuch and written not a little for the defence âf you and the cause of God without any âust controll neuer adhearing vnto or reaâhing suspected or vnsouÌd doctrine of sweareâing churchinge châpâââge sword ââââing âr such like stuffe may now more bouldây ârite and wish I
prooue that the ghospell which was preached â Britanie in the first times of the Apostles was not âely allwaies firmely retained but in euery age augâented and dilated did increased Many of the Chriâan Britans fearing the crueltie of Dioclesian fleed â the Scots among whome very many renowned for âarning and Integritie of life remained still in Sotâd and liued a solitarie life in so great opinion of âctitie with all men that after their deaths theiââlls were chaunged into Câurches And therevpon it âained a custome to posterity that the old Scots calâ Churches Cells This kind of Moncks men called âldeys worshippers of God The later Kinde of âonckes was in learning and holinesse so farre âeriour vnto them how much in riches ceremonies and other externall manner of Rites they exceeded thâ Theater of great Britanie l. 6. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotiear l. 4. Reg. 35. l. 5. Reg. 49. Reg 65. VVhen Augustine was sent by Gregorie the Britanâ were instructed by Moncks which that age had learned and Godly Many scotish Moncks for loue â Godlinesse trauatled into France and Germanie anâ preached the Christian doctrine about Rhene anâ builded Monasteries in many places For there were yâ among the Scots many Moncks of the old disciplinâ And the Germans gaue that memoriâânto them thâ euen to our age of ProtestaÌts they made Scots Rulers â them Apud Scotos enim adhuc mults erant Monacâ vetere Dâsciplinâ nondum extinctâ literis pietââ insignes Manâ worthy Monâks both for the ââ Discipline not yet extinguished learning and pieâiâ were yeâ among the Scots Iohn Capgraue of thâ Order of Eremites very learned in ProtestaÌâ âapgrau in vit S. Brândani Iudgment liuing vntill the yeare 1464. â witnesse that the auntient Rule of the MoÌckâ written by S. Brendan remained vntill hâ time Brendanus scripsit ex ore Angeli sanctam Râgulam quae vsque hodie mâneâ Brendanus wrote froâ the mouth of an Angell that holy Rule which to thâ day continueth And no doubt but that his holy Order and that of our Carmelites as alsâ our Carthusians most renowned here haâ discent from thence 18. Their Religion was by the Protestant the true Apostolike Religion and yet theâ agreed in all essentiall things with those thâ came from Rome with Saint Augustine whâ brought hither the same Religion as beforâ is related which our Catholicks now proâesse and our Anceââours Saxons receiued âom them And the chiefest among them in âll part whatsoeuer agreed with the Church âf Rome and had their Apostolike power ând allowance thence So S. Kentegern that S. Asâpâ in vââ S. Kenteger Capgrau in âod âent seuen times to Rome and was approued âere and at his death gaue seuere charge to âis Disciples in numbeâ 9â5 fiâmely to obârue and keepe the Dâcrees and Ordinances âf the holy Roman Church Conuocatis Disciâlis fuis de obseruatione sanctae Religionis mutuae chaâatis pacis hospitalââatis ãâã lectionis ac oratioâs instantia hortabaâureos De Sanctorum Patrum âecretis sanctaeque Romanae Eâclâsiae instâtâtis firâter custoâtendis fortia de it ac dereliquit pracepta âlling togeather his Dâsciples he exborted them to âe objeruanâe of holy Religion mutuall Charitie âace hospitalitie and of exact diligence in reading âd prayer For the constant keeping of the Decrees â the holy Fathers and the Institutes of the holy Vit. S. Aââph Balâântis in Asâpho Godwin catal in Asaph veremund hist Hector Boeth Scotor hist l. 9. Holinsh hist. of âcotl âoman Church he gaue and left forcible precepts âint Asaph Bishop a Britane Ruler of so âany Apostolike men here in Britanie in all âings agreed with Rome and had Approâtion and power thence So S. Molochus âost renowned ioyning in all things with âe Roman Legate âainâ Bonifacius Qâiriâs and those that came with him Therefore â cannot be questioned but our Saxon Anâstours then receiuâd the ame faith and Reâgion we Catholike now professe and so âffer for profession thereof which will be in euery particular most manifest in that whicâ now shall followe concerning Articles iâ Protestant Religion and euery of them thâ is against Catholike Religion THE IIII. CHAPTER The Religion of the Apostles of our prâmatiue Christian Britans of the firâ ChristiaÌ Saxons and of our now peâsecuted Catholiks prooued to be oâ and the same in euery Article agaiâ Protestants and Persecutours 1. It is proued before and confessed â all both Catholiâks and Protestantâ that the difference betweene Saint Augustiâ and our Britans was of thinges Ceremoniâ and whereas our Protestants finde much faâ Girald Câmbren descript Camb cap. 18. Dauid Powell annotât in eund at our Ceremonies which it pleaseth them â teâme Popish Giraldus Cambrensis the leâned British Bishop and writer setteth thâ downe which the Britans kept otherwâ then the RomaÌs which are more Popish aâ Papisticall by Protestants Iudgment tâ the Romans were It is strange among â best Authors how the Britans should diffeâ âl obseruation of Easter or any thing else âom Rome but by the Iniurie of the trouââs here by warrs hindering entercourse thiâer and from thece for froÌ the beginning as âeâore and in euery age we had our chiefe âling Bishops and Priests from thence in âe first from S. Peter in the second age âom Saint Eleutherius in the third froÌ Pope âctor in the fourth by Saint Ninian and âhers comming and sent from thence in the ât from S. Celestine by S. Palladius Saint âermanus Lupus Patrick Seuerus and âhers in the sixt by S. Kentegerne S. Aâh S. Iuo S. Lethard and others before Augustine And to make a briefe mention euery Article in particular now controâsed with these ProtestaÌts as they are conâned in their booke of Articles These our âtient Britans and Scots retaining their â Apostolike doctrine as these man said âeed in euery Article with the present Caâliks and in them all dissented from Proâants â They had the Scripturs from the Roâ Eleutheâ Pap. epist ad Lucium Reg. Brit. Gild. l. de excid conquest Britan. Church those which Catholikes hold â for Scripturs so Eleutherius himselfe âildas and others proue That they did â hold all needfull thinges to be contained âcriptures but some by Traditions their âifold Traditions in many matters of moât by Protestant confession is a manifest âument and will appeare in many Articles following And this is euident in theâ Gild. supr Hist Brit. antiq manuscript confessed Sacâifice of Masse and sacrificiâ Priesthood being to offer Sacrifice for thâ liuing and dead as Protestants confesse anâ that in all Masses there is the doctrine aâ practice of Transsubstantiation and Reâ presence the doctrine and practise of Puâgatorie and praier for the dead of prayiâ vnto Saincts and their protection of diueâ orders ecclesiasticall which Protestants haâ not the doctrine of merits and good deeâ deniall of Iustification by faith onely aâ almost all doctrines which Catholikes hoâ and ProtestaÌts denie to
lands and âonours determinable onely by our tempoâall lawes with others cannot come to his auââence except such imaginaries could aâd âould put Ministers out and Priests into âe Benifices of England A secret and consioable ending of many of these matters amoÌg âatholikes though iuridically can be no âore daunger in a Bishop then in a Regulaâârieste If diuersitie of Iudgments should âme time happen in the Iudgment of one a âshop giuen in priuate the inconuenience âuld be lesse the now it is by the IâdgemeÌts â many Priests all of them as much differing âm the Protestants Censures and âribunals as those by a Bishop would be Yet these fewâ cases would chance but seldome We see the Queenes Priests of France and Sotland to be permitted by the king and state to deaâe with English Catholâks âome times brânging such caâes So are all Priests of all Orders litle pleasing vnto the necessitated to doe so But seeing there can be no daunger by sucâ secret procedings none can take that officâ from a learned Bishop and leaue it to euerâ Priest learned or not 9. Such or greater difficulties were froâ the Apostles time and therein in them anâ Bishops their Successours among Ethnicâ and Pagan Princes yet the holy Scripturs before and Apostolike men haue taught aâ men obedience vnto Bishops euen in suâ daies and all good Christians did so obâ them Saint Peter in Scripture strangely eâ communicated Ananias and Saphira So dâ S. Paul Hymineus Alexander and the inceâtuous Corinthian So did the other Apostlâ among Pagans exercise spirituall Iurisdâction So did all Bishops among Infidels vâ till the Emperours and Princes more differiâ from Catholiks the Protestants should weâ conuerted yet at that time they exercised spârituall IurisdictioÌ and the Christians obeyâ them And now at this time and long vndâ the Turks Tartars Chinenses and other eâmies to Catholiks Catholik Bishops doe eâercise their Iurisdiction among the Christiâ and all obeye ât This is the case of Catholiks vnder their Bishop in Holland among the Protestant Hoâlanders And in his Maiesties Dominion in âreâand where Bishops are and doe exeâcise tâeir Iuâisdictiân Catholiks obeying them And it is Christs ordânance that ââ they should doe God forbid any bearing the name Catholike in England âo renowned for holy Conâessouâs of true Religion in this time should be wanting in âuch dutie or any other 10. But because our Protestant Persecuâours pretend most exception against the Bishop of Chalcedon for dâriuing Iurisdiâtion from the âee of Rome we must needs âith all antiquitie deliuer vnto them that in âuery age from Christ we here in Britaniââaue receiued Bishops and Pastours with âheir Iurisdiction from the Sâe oâ Rome and âhat highest Papall power and authoritie âVe haue spoakeÌ before how in the fiâst Age âaint Peter the first Pope oâ Rome consecraâd Bishops and Priâsts and founded âhurches here We aâde âurther how our Proâstants eueâ king Iames himselfe and others ây his and their greatest authoritie conâsse of the Apostolik Church It is our motâer âurch And Adde Est capuâ Roma quatenus ab ea âffasum est Euangâlium in reliquas tâââus O ãâã âclâsias in muââas Orienââs aâque in âarâarââ etiâââtra Râmanum Impeââum Nationes Rome iâ the âd as sââ it the Gospell is diââused into the rest of the Churches of all the west and into many of the East as also into Barbarous Nations out of the RomaÌ Empiere Peter preached in no place but he there orâained Bishops and teachers and founded Churches The Apostle Peter did in euery Prouince appoint one Archbishop whome all other Bishops of the same Prouince should obey The Archbishop of Britanie was Aristobulus S. Clement his Successour Pope in the later end of this and in the beginning of the second age writeth of him concerning Britanie Sanctus Clemens and other CouÌtries Episcopos persingulas Ciuitates quibus ipse non misârat perdoctos nobis miââere praecepit Quod facere inchoauimus Domino opeâ ferente faecturi sumus He commaunded vs to send veâ learned Bishops vnto all Cities to which he had nâ sent any Which we haue begun to doe and by Gâ his healpe shall doe 11. In the second age also Pope Eleuthârius sent hither S. Damianus and Phaganâ his legats with others who consecrated anâ VVestm an â85 seated here three Archbishops with 28 Biâhops Templa qua in honorem plurimorum Deoââ fundata fueranâ vni Deo eiusque Sanctis dedicarunt diueâsisque Ordinatorum coetibus repleueruâ The Churches which were builded in the honour of âny Gods they dedicated to one God aÌd his Saints aÌd fâled theÌ with diuers âsseÌblies of such as had takeÌ Ordeâ And afterwards they being by King Luciâ sent to Rome to haue those things confirmâ Idem an 186. by the Pope which here in Britanie thâ had done Quibus peractis redierunt in Britannâ praefati Doctores cum alijs quamplurimis quorum â ârina gens Britonum in fide Christi fundata refulsit VVhich being ended the foresaied Doctours accomânied with many others returned againe into Britanie whose doctrine in a short time the Britans grounâed the faith of Christ florished And although in this âonuersion of Britanie that holy Pope subâcted the Countrie now called Scotland not âmporally subiect to king Lucius of Britanie Bedalib 1. hist. Angl. c. â â the Romans vnto our Archbishop of ârke Susceptamque fidem Britanm vsque in tempora âocletiani Principis inuiolatam integramque quieâa in âe seruabant The Britans did with peace keepe the âth they âad receiued whole and inuiolate vntill the âe of Dioclesianus the Emperour Yet in the beânning Hector Boeth lib. 6 Scote Histor fol. 86. B. of the third age Saint Victor then âing Pope of Rome Donaldus king there âud Victorem Pontificem per Legatos obâinuit vt âi doctrinà Religone insignes in Scotiam ab eo âsi se cum liberis coniuge Christinomen profitenâ hapâismate insignirent Regis exemplâm Scotica âbilitas secuta auersata impietatem Christique Reâonem complexa sacro fonte est abluta Donaldus ân King by Legats abtained from Pope Victor that ââhie men both for lerning and Religion might from â be sent into Scotland who might baptize himselfe â and Childrne professing the name of Christ The âish Nobilitie following the Kings example did cast ây impietie embraced the Christian Religion and â baptiâed And those Scots or Britans were âructed both in learning and Religion Ibidem those Priests and Preachers which Pope âtor sent Incaepere tum primum sacras colere literas Saâerdotiâus Praeââptoribus ques Victor Pontifâ Maximus ad Christi dogma propalandum in exââmam miserat Alâionem Then first of all they bâgun to studie the holy Scripturs vnder the Priââ their maisters which Victor the Pope had sâ into the farthest Albion to diuulge the doctrine Christ 12. When the Persecution of Diocâesiâ raged here 9. yeares many of our Britiâ Clergie sent
Gospells from the shoulders of the ânsecrated But this maketh not much to the ârpose it being onely as I haue saied a Ceremonie and not essentiall to the Consecration of a Bishop and that true and vndouted Bishops were made before the Gospells were written Otherwise the wholâ Church then euer after and now and eueâ had wanted it and had no Ecclesiastical Order at all Which is the lamentable and desperate condition of such as persecute a truâ Bishop and Priest for their Order and power thereby confessing their want both of thaâ which is essentiall in this high office as alsâ consecratours to performe it consecrat truâ Priests or confer any Ecclesiasticall Ordeâ or degree at all not the meanest in that kinâ to any person 20. All Authors agree euen Protestants iâ their Catalogues of British and English Biâhops that we had continuall succession oâ such here in great numbers vntill Queen Elizabeth by her supreamacie depriued anâ deposed them And to keepe it farre from thâââme of an Innouation to haue one such Bishop Successour to so many if we haue thaâ libertie in time of Persecution when Bishop are driuen from their Sees vsuall in histories to remember and honour them in Exiâ and Persecution we haue still kept a Succesion of Bishops in or of this nation Of thoââ which were depriued of their Bishop pricke we haue Richard Pates Bishop of worcheste who subscribed to the Councell of Trent hâ being there present by this Title Richardâ Patus wigornieÌsis Episcopus Thomas Goldwell Bishop Godw. Catal. of Bish. in Worcest in Ric. Pates in S. Asaph in Thom. Goldwell of Asaph liued at Rome 20. yeares after that deposing Thomas watson Bishop of Lincolne was committed to prison in the I le of Elie and died about the yeare 1584. Thus the Protestants themselues deliuer and moreouer they deliuer much praise and commendatioÌs of theÌ and all others our renowned Bishops 14. or more in number who were deposed and persecuted by Queene Elizabeth yea far more and greater theÌ they doe of those which were intruded into their places Before or soone after the death of Bishop Waâson of Lincolne Owen Lew is of this our Nation was consecrated Bishop of Cassan in whose life-time our most Illustrious Cardinall William Allan was honoured with that dignitie and consecrated Archbishop of Maâkâen who liued with these honours vntill the 16. day of October in the yeare of Christ 1594. ân his time William Gifford was by Pope Clement the eight made Deane Ecclesiae Diui Petri Insulensis Of Saint Peters Church at Lile And afterward he was ordained Archbishop of Rhemes in Champaine in France where he lately liued And whilst he liued Archbishop both VVilliam of Chalcedon and Richard also who is now so persecuted were by highest Papall authoritie coÌsecrated ad sent into England And what man of ordinarie knowledge Iudgement or vnderstanding will aduenture to saie but all these were renowned men as also diuerse of our renowned Priests most worthie of Episcopall honour aÌd dignitie in equall times honourably stiled and registred for all posteritie not onely as great glories of their CouÌtrie England but the whole Church of Christ Therefore to haue one of such worthie men a Bishop in his natiue Countrie bearing for auoyding offence his Title of a place so farre hence which froÌ the first Conuersion thereof to Christ had 3. Archbishops aÌd many Bishops aboue 1400. yeares past should not in the new English Religion teaching the Church of God neuer wanted Bishops and acknowledging both him and all Catholikely consecrated Bishops and Priests to be true and lawfull Bishops and Priests vndoubtedly by right ordination be offensiue but desired such Order Function and dignitie being by their publike testimonies most needefull excelleÌt and honourable with all true Professours of Christian Religion 21. Thus we see a Succession of English Bishops though not all in England but in other CouÌtries some of them consecrated and remaining a thing not vnusuall in times of Persecution and bannishment of Bishops as in the great lights in their time of Gods Church S. Hilarius S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome and others loÌg time exiled yet thereby did not interrupt a continuall Succession in their Sees What least exception then can be taken against our renowned Bishop of Chalcedon for Order and degree so honourable and eminent by all testimonies for his owne worthines and worthily therefore to be had in high reuerence euen with his Persecutours he bringeth able witnesses with him his knowne loue aÌd honour to our king Queene and CouÌtrie his owne holy life and conuersation his learned works and writings with all at home and abroad he hath euer piously and gratefully conuersed and with honour defended and iustified himselfe against Maleâolants Among all English Catholickâ oâ Protestants few are to be found which haue more defeÌded the honour of our Soueraigne âone more acceptable to his Maiesties frieds ând Allyes in marriage no maÌ among so maây renowned Priests of England worthie of âreatest honour in equall times adiudged so ât to supply such place by that highest Paâor which hath shewed great care and loue four king Queene and hoped Posteritie ând Countrie And since Persecution and âroclamation against him what could such a âan in Persecution doe more then he hath âone in decreeing and Ordering that all âriests and Catholiks should daily with deâotion praie for our king Queene State and Countrie And both since the comming in of âim and VVilliam of Chalcedon of happie âemorie his Predecessour as likewise before âe Catholiks of England haue bene and now âe knowne to be the most loyall dutifull and liuing Subiects in our dearest Countrie of England THE VI. CHAPTER That our English Priests who teach alâ things with the Apostolicall Religioâ are truely coÌsecrated worthie men anâ are to be honoured and not persecuted 1. Hauing redeemed Episcopall Ordââ and dignitie conferred by the Sâ of Rome from all Imputation of wickâ obloquies and made it knowne to be so higâ and honourable we might spare all furthâ labour for exemption and defence of Prieââlie Function seeing euery Bishop of neceâsitie must be a Priest and whatsoeuer of thâ calling is noble and glorious in a Bishop must needs be such in Priests Episcopal hânour and consecration addeth an higher aâ greater worthinesse to him that was beforâ Priest but cannot take away or diminish aâ excellencie or renowne he had before Tâ Protestants of Scotland doe confesse whiââ all knowe that after Catholike ReligioÌ wâ ouerthrowne there they had not any preteâded Bishops before King Iames accordiââ to his manner of making such gaue suâ Titles to them And their Knoxe Buchanan Forbs Bale and others both of England ând Scotland are not ashamed to saie that âefore the sending of Saint Palladius thither ây Saint Celestine Pope about the yeare 430. âlonckes who were onely Priests supplied âhe place of that dignitie with that People âut malice to Episcopall worthinesse and âower their owne
Euchârist to be âe flesh oâ our Sauiour Iesus Christ which sufferâd for âr sinnes whome the faâheâ thrâugh hâ goodnessââaised âaine Where we âânde ãâ¦ã of âhrists Incarnation and ââuing a true bodiââd blood to haue impâgâed this most holy âacrifice and such Sâââifiâng Priests for âe words and insâituâion of Christ were so âaine in ordaining âhis most sacred obâation â his bodie and bâood vnder the formes of âead and wine and a perpetuall Priesthood â performe it that except by deniall of a true âdie to Christ there was no way laâed open â impugne it And therefore that most holy âd learned Apostolike man largely there ânfuteth those imaginarie Hereticks proâing Christ had a true bodie to offer to suâfer in to redeeme the world and the holy Eucharist was the same 5. S. Martiall hath deliuered this plainely before saying that the Priests doe offeâ vpoÌ the Altar the same bodie of Christ which the Iewes crucified And Christ so commaunded Saint Anacletus was made such a Massinâ Prieste by S. Peter and as Protestants confesse he declared how both Priests aÌd Bishopâ âarnes Magdeâurgenses iâ Anacl were to offer this most blessed Sacrifice Anacletus sacrificaturus ministros vestihus sacris indutâ ceâ testes custodes sibi adâibere ordinauit Episcopâ vero vt plures ministros sibi in sacris facieÌdis adiuÌgaâ Anacletus being to offer Sacrifice appointed that Mânisters adorned with sacred vestements as witnessâ and keepers should be admitted vnto him And that Bishop in offering sacrifices should adde vnto himselâ many assistants And of Saint Alexander Popâ liuing and learning his diuinitie in this Apostolike age they acknowledge In missâ priâ âdem in âlexand quam patereâur vsque ad haec verââ hoc est corpâ tâeum addiâit ad memoriam passioniâ Christi inculâaâdam In Eucharistiae Sacrificio aquam vino admisce voluit pâccata Sacrificio de Eucharistia lâquens dâleri âit ideo passionemin missâ recitandam instituâ Rationem effectus huius sacrificij hoc est quod peccatâ expâet adiâcit diceÌs quia corpore sanguine Christâ in Sacrificijs nihil maius est In the Masse the day before he should suffer vnto these words this is my bodâ he added to inculâat the memorie of Christ his passioâ In the Sacrifice of the Eâchaââst âe would haue watââingled with wine He suâed speaking of the Eâchâ âist that sinnes by the Sacrifice were abolished therâore he instituded the paession to be saied in the Masse He added further the reason of the effect of this Sacriâice which is because it wipeth away sinnes saying âecause in Sacrifices nothing is greater then the bodie ând blood of our Saâiour 6. Concerning this mattâr these Proteâante conâesse of Saint Sixtus hiâ Successour â the See Apostolike Sacra vasââe qâi prâter âidââ iâ Sixââ âcros ministros attingerâât prââcepit Corporââe âxâlince ânâo fieri iussit vt âââctââe in ââmâunione Euchariâiaeteââancretur ordinaâit Missaân non nisi in alâaâââlebranââ esse constituiâ He commâânâe that ãâã ât sacred ministers shâuld touch the hoââ vessâlls he âârâed that the Corporall shoulââe âade of liâneââth He ordained tâat SaÌctus âould ãâ¦ã â the Communion of the Eucharist He câsiâtâââd that âasse should noâ to ââ celâbrated âut on âhe âââar Of âhelesphorus his Sucâessour they âaiâ âes ãâ¦ã Thâââsphorâ missas celebrandaâ in die âatilitio Christi sanââââ alijs dieâus antââoââm dâeitertiam Mâssam celeâââârâhiâuit Gloâia in exââlâs Deâ iâ Mâssae caneÌâm praecepit He ordained ââree Massâs to ââ tâlâbraeâân the daye of Christ his Natâuitieâ hâ prâhâbited ât in other dayes any shoâld saiâ Massâ before târeââââke he coÌmauÌded Gloria in excelsââ ãâã to âe song in â Masse Of S Pius Pope thây writeâ âaâerdâtiâ negligenâius âidâm iââiâ Missâ saârafaciânââbus pââââ statuââ âi quis per imprudentiâ de sangâine Christââffundeâân terram paenitentiam agereâ dies 40. si super alâe dies âreâ si super linteum substratum caliâi â ãâã si super alâud liâtâum dies 9. Thermâs âouatâ ââmplo dedicauit Multa verae pietatis opera in agrâ Christianae Ecclesiae fecisse perhibetur Martyrij gloriam anno Domini 159. in sui sanguinis âffâsionâ tum demum adeptus He appointed punishmenâs for ââiâstâ which should negligently saie Masse that if any ây imprâdence should âet fall any of the blood of Christ on the ground he should doe penance for 40. dayes if on the Altar â dayes âf on the cloth laâed vnâer the Chalece ââwer daies It on any other cloth nine dayes the whote Bathes of Nouatus he consecrated inâo a Church It iâ saied he did many workes of truââietie in the field of the Christian Church and at lasâ by tâe shedding of his blood in the yeare of our Lorâ 159. âegained the Crowne of Martyrdâme Thereforâ we nâede not doubt but all these liued somâ time in the first hundred of yeares Saint Anâcetus being immediate Successor to S. Piuâ as he must âeedes be consecrated a Massinâ sacrifiâing Priest not others once imagineâ to be otherwise consecrated or to giue conââcration and confirming and vsing the saâ manner and Order not onely in Orderiâ Pââests and other inferiour Ecclesiâsticâ persons but Bishops Archbishops and Mâtropolitans as his Predecessours had dânâ and so consecrating 17. Priests must of nâcessitie persâuere in this doctrine and prâctise especially when his immediate Suâââ for Saint Soter by all testimonies made Dâcrees about all things concerning holy Massâ Altars and other necessaries and that Saââcâns habeat secum adiutorem Sacerdotem vt nuââ âost ciâum potuâque siue quâdlibet minimum sumptum Missaeâ facere praesumat vt nullus Presâyrerorum Missarum solemnia celebrare praesumat nisi duobus praesântibuâ sibique respondentibus ipse tertius âaâeatur quiâ cum ab âo dicitur Dominus vobisâum orâte pro âe aptissimè conuenit vt ipsius respoâââcatur salutationi He that sacrifâseth âhall haue with him a ââriest for hâ Coadiutor That none âhould presume to âate Masse after that he âad takeÌ either meâte or drinke âr any thing else how litle soâuer it be That no Pricâââhould presume to saie Massâ solemâely without twoââere present to answere him and him selfe to be counâed for the third person because when he saieth Domiâus voâiscum Our Lord âe with you and Ordââ pro ârâ me praye yea for me It is most conâenâââ thaâââswere âe made to his salutation 7. Thus Protestants and oâââârs acknowâedge and yet doâ write of them and theiââredecessours that they were holy mân and âlartyrs and that the Church of Rome waâââen in puâitie of doctrine and Religion and âât the Priâsts theâ were Sacrificing Massing âriests the Bishops consâcrated no others âe publike Seruice and Sacrifice was Massâ â such manner as now âs vsed And S. Elâââerius which âmmedâately succeeded Saâââter sent such Massing Bishops and Priestââther into Britanie to performe the generalââonuersion thereof there being no other to â seÌt or imploâed
in such or any like affaires ââ Priestlie office and function in that holy ââd vnspotted time of ReligioÌ by all coÌsents And the chiefest Protestants euen Matthew Parker their first new fashioned Archbishop of Canterburie with others both acknowledge that Saint Peter and Saint Iames said Masse and that the Order of Sacrifice or Masse Missa siâ dictâ continued from Christs Institution thereof ân the Primatiue Church aboue two hundreds of yeares vnto Pope âepherine his time and then âe alâered iâ to a more excellent matter and forme A Christi ârimo iâsâituto ducentis amplius annis in primitiââ Ecclesia durauit done eam Zâpherinus 16. Romanus Pontisâx quorundans suasionibus ad pulchriorem materiam formaÌque mutare voluit This Pope S. Zepherine was after Pope Eleutherius and Pope Victor by whose meanes and holy saârificing Bishops and Priests sent hither by there authoritie this Kingdome of Britanie wholy and generally was conuerted And these Persecutours of holy Masse and Priesthood consesse that the very same Masse and celebration thereof which Christ instituted and hiâ higâe Priests and Apostles vsed was still pracâââed without chang and alteration And the âhang aÌd mutation then in the âââe of Saint Zepherine made was for the more perâectioÌ thereof For comming to set downe what this changing was they finde it to be no other but that he decreâd Christ blood should not be consecrated in Chalices made of wood but better matter Christi sanâuinââ ConsecrationeÌ in vitreo Calice non ligneo vt antea sinâ debere flatuit He decreed that the Consecration of the blood of Christ ought to be done in a Chalice of glasse not of woode as it was done before And aâter Vibanâ the first of that name immediate except Calixtus Succesâor to the same Saint Zâpherinus by these Protestanâs them ãâã thus declared and ordained that ãâã should be of Gold or siluer ãâ¦ã in poâter Churches Nè vasa ãâ¦ã auâ auâea âut argeÌ ea aut stannea in ãâ¦ã gem dixit We are assured bâth by ãâã all and particular Testimonies that ãâ¦ã Priests came hither and that the ãâã Church serâice was Maââe and âo the Laâine tongue So had our old ãâ¦ã by Protestants suppressed in the ãâã of his booke as Abboâ ãâ¦ã in publiââ Parliament in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth Saint ãâ¦ã Protestants so also consessing witenâsseth that ââr ââitans in this their CoÌuersion had ãâã Aââars for Masse in their Churches aâd suâââââests 8. The Protestanes also propose vnto vs an Author so Reuârend and auââânt in this our Britanie that ân the yeare of Christ 366. his Homââies or Sermons were vsually and publickly reade in thâ Churches here whereân is most manifestly and particularly proâed that the publick seruice was the same Masse which is now vsed the Priests suââ Priests and Christ really present âââereâ worshiped and praied vnto there as by the same antiquiâie is âuident in these words thereof In the old lawe faithfull men offered to God diuers Sacrifices that had foresignification of Christs bodie which for our sinnes he himselfe to his heauenly Father hath since offered to Sacrifice Certainely this Housell which we doe now hallow at Gods Altar is a remembrance of Christs bodie which he offâred for vs and of his blood which he shed for vs So âe himselfe commaundeââ doe this in my remembrance Once suffered Christ by himselfe but yet neuerthelesse his suffâring is dayly renewed at this Supper through mysterie of the holy Housâll In that holy Housell ãâã â one thing in it seene and an other vnderstoode That which is there seene hath bodilie shape and that we doe there vndeââstand hath ghostly might The Houseâ is dealed into sondrie parts âhewed betweene teach and sent into the bodlie Howbeit neuerthelesse afteâ ghostlie might it is all in euery part Many receiue thaâ holy bodie and yet notwithstanding it is so all in euery part after ghostlie mysterie That innocent lambe which the old Israelits did then kill had signification after ghostlie vnderstanding of Christs suffering who vnguiltie shed his blood for our redemption Hereof ãâã Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Deâ qui âollis ãâã mundi Miserere nobis Where we finde a mosâ plaine and generall concordance between the old Primatiue Christian Britans and thâ Priests of the Roman Church at this time ââ this holy sacrificing Massing Priesthood and Masse by this most auntient and venerable authoritie euen as it pleaseth Protestantâ to publish and translate it For wereas they ãâã that Aelfricus in the yeare of Christ ãâã translated this Authour out of latine into the Saxon language it is a thing most certaine and vnquestionable with all men that know antiquities that these words which I haue cited from these Protestants be not the SaxoÌ and old English speach in that time 9. Our old Cildas also as the Protestants propose and recommeÌd him vnto vs teaching as they also hold that our Christian Britans neuer changed or forsoâke the Apostolâke Christian Religion which they receiued from Rome by Massing Priests and Prelatsâ their Priests from the beginning saied Massâ and offered sacrifice on holy Altars and their Altars were the seate of the ãâã sacrifice Sacramundo corde âreque consiciâââ Sacrificâââes inter altaria staâtes Sacrificium âââerences alâaââ adsistunt sacra altaria Sacresanâta ãâ¦ã coelâstis sedes And their Priests thân were consecrated to such holy function as now they are Benedictione initiantur Sacerdoâum manââ Theâââands were consecrated and they which did daily offer the holy and heaueÌly sacrifice of Christâ blessed bodie and blood at and vpon the sacred Altars consecrating it by conseârating words Mundo ore conâleiunt must needes haue such Priestlie power giuen vnto them in their Consecration not hauing any such before to consecrate and offer Christs most Sacred bodie and blood in the holy Masse as is contained in the most old and auntient orders of Consecration in those times and these wordâ of Bishops consecrating Priests first praying for them that are to be ordered Priests âârunâ atque unmaâuââuÌ mânisterij tuâ donum custodiant Poâââle Romanum in consecratione Presbyterorum per obsequium pleââs tuae panem vinum in corpuâ sanguinem Filij tââimmaculatâ benâdictione transforment That they may obserue the pure and immaââlâ guift of thy mysterie and târough the obedience of thy people they may transforme bread and wine by the ââ maculat benediction into the bodie and blood of thy sonne VVhich prayer being ended the consecrating Bishop this proceedeth Expletâ auteâ oratione accâpââns oleum sanââum faââat crucem suââ ambas manus eorum dicensâ Consecrare sanctifiââre digneris Domine manââ istas per istam vnctionem nostram benedictionem vt quecumque consecrauerint consecrentur quâcunque benedixerint benedicantur sanctificontur in nomine Domini Iesu Christi Hoc âacto acciââ patenam cum oblaââ Calicem cum vino deâââ dicens Accipite potestatem offerre Sacrificium Deo
Missaâque celebrare tâpro viuis quâ pro deââeris in nomine Domini And the prayer being endea taking the holy oyle he shall make a Crosse ââ both the haÌds of the Priests saying Thou shalt vouchsafeÌâ Lord to conseâât and sanctifie these hands by this holy âyntement and our benediââion that whatsoeuer they shall censâârat may be âonsecrated and whatsoeuer they shall âlesse may be blessed and sanctified in âhe name of our Lord Iâsus Christ ââ is finished âe sâall take the patten with the hoste ând Chalââe with the wine and shall giue it ãâ¦ã saying âake yea power to offer Sacrifice to God ând saye masse as well for the liuing aââr the dead in the name of our Lord. âhis is the most auntient Pontificall which âtiquitie hath preserued and delââered vnto â vniformely agreeing with the now vsed ântificall in the Roman Church which difâeth not from but agâeath with the most ântient Manuscript Copies and Examplare âtant in the most renowned Labraries And âerefore our old British Antiquities deliuer Manusââ antiq Capââ in ãâ¦ã Histor. ãâ¦ã Arthur dipâ apââ Cam. â for a receiued Tradition aÌd custome here in other places for the Priests thereof acââding to their Office and Consecration to âer Sacrifice both for the liuing aÌd the dead ât consuetudo tam pro viââ quââ defunctis hoâ Dâo immolare And this was so generall a ââued truth and custome in the whole ââch from the Apostles time and Tradition ââ them that is was and iustly adiudged Heresie the Protestants thus acknowleging ângl Protest in Feild ââokeâ of the Church â 3. ca. 25. pag. ââ8 Ciuââ ãâã pag ãâ¦ã to denie it Aerius condemned the custome of the Church in naming tââ dead at the Altar and âffering the Sacrifice of ãâã âor them and for this his rashâ and inconsideraâââoldnesse and presumption in condemning tâe ââââeâsall Câurch of Cârist ââ was ãâã âo ââemned So S. Epiphanius S. Augustine Isodorus Damaâcânus and others demonstrate 10. And for England where holy Priests anâ Priestâood are so greuously persecuted wâ thus sucââssâuely and without any Interruptiâ deduce it in aââ times and changes to theâ daies Saint Peter a massing Prieste Bishopâ and Apostle preaching and consecratiââ Priests and Bishops here could consecrat aââ ordaine no others but such as were to be â his owne Order So Saint Câement his confeâsed massing and Sacriâicing Sucessor dircted to seâd such into these parts Pope Eleââherius who by his holy Mission of Prieâ and Bishops hither conuerted this kingdome being also a Massing Priest and Popâ could send no other Pââests but such And â Churches and sacrificing Massing Altars eâctâd in them all to such vse and end conâsed by all wriâers Caâholiâs and Protestaâ doe so demonstrate All agree we âad qâiââessesse ãâ¦ã Religââ and agreemeââ ãâã vntill Dâoclâlian his Persecution whân ââoâg others persââuââed the holy Prâââ Massinâ Priâsts as Saint Gildas before ââ proued and others ãâã ãâ¦ã Electi Sacerdotes trucidati and they which escaped did as often as they could saiâ Masse in places whether they fled to escape daââger as in Scotland whether the Persecution did not come ât not being vnder the Romans We had many Massing Priests as Saint Amphâlabus âodocus Priseus Calanus Ferranus Amâianus Carnoâus âd others who âââed thithâââut of our Britanie now England and were maintained by king Crathââââen to âaâe Masse âho founded all things necessarie to such âurpose Churches Altars Chalâââ Pââens âadlesticks and all things else Seâ Crathlintâus âex sacram Antistitis adem munââibus ornauiâ anâââssiniâs Hect. Boeth ãâã 6 Scoâ Hist fol. 99. ââ Calicibââs Patenis Candelabris alââsque sâââlibââ ad sacrorum âvsum commodis ex argenâo aurââe fabrefactis Altarique cupro are claâââo ââprouenââs ad caâx agris in sacrae aedis vicinââ constituââ But ââ King Crathline adornâd the Sacred house of the Bisâp with most ample gifts Chalices Patens Candâstikes and such like necessaries made of ââlâer and âld for the vse of the Church with an Altar also eââased in Copper and Brâse to doe all which he allotteââyearely rents of the fields neare adioyning to that sââa house 11. Britanie after this vntill the Pelagian ââresiâ was quiet for Religion and theâââpe Caelestine who was so âarre a Massing âpe and Priest that although the Masse waââpisticall before as he Protestants acknowâlge yet he added the Introiââ Graduall âsponsorie Tract and Oââeâtorie vnto it strictly commaunding that Priests shoulâ knowe the Popes âanoâ ad âe sent such Maâsing Bishops and Pââest with them inâo theââ kingdomââ ãâã gââd Sâotland and ãâã ãâã ââtroâum ãâã responsorium âraâââ ãâ¦ã insâruit atque vt ãâã codââeâ ãâã Caâones scirent arââe prâcepâ Cermanâm in ãâã Palladium in Scottâââ â Pâârââium cum quodââ ãâã in âiberniam ââ Pâlagianas âaerâses ãâã Eâiscopos misiâ Caelestinâââd aâde to the ãâã all âasse the Introite Câaâusâ Respânsoriâ Traâââ and Offertorie and be stricâ câmmaunded that the Priests should knowe the Caâââ of the Bishops He sent Bishops âermânus into ãâã Paââââius into ââotland and Patricius with one Segeâ into âreland that they migât extirpate theÌce the Pâgia ââerisse All mâ acknowledge that these wââ Massing Priests and Bishops and that tââ conâecrated Such in great numbers botâ England Scotland and Ireland Neââusuing neare or in the time of Saint Patriâ writeth thus of him Ordinauit Episcopoâ treâââ fexagintâ quinâue aut amplius in quibus spââitus â ãâã ârat Pââsbiteros auâem vsâue ad trâa ãâã âinââit He conseâraâed more then 365. Biâhops whome waâ the spââit of our Lord but Pâââsts ãâã âcd â000 And of Theââ diuers weât so âa as to Ameriâa âd there eâecuâed their Priâââe Oâder ân oââering the sacred bodie aâblââod of Christ at Mââse on consecraâed ââarâ in one place of America were lâuing ãâã the time of Saint ãâã ãâ¦ã âis life and trauailes allmost 1000. yeareââast 24. Priests which were Saint Patricks âisciples daily hauing Masâe amâng them ând others in other pâaces Immolaâânt agnuââa âmaculaâum âmnes ad communionem venââbant ââentes Hoâ sacrum corpus Domânâ Saluatoris sâââite sanguinem voââs in vitam âternamâ They sacriâed the immaâulate Lawbeâ and all came to the Comâunion saying Taâe yea this bodie and blood of our ââd and Sauiour which will be to you lâse euerlaââg And to manifest vnto all the vndoubted âuth of Saint Bâândans trauaiâes and relaân of these things iâ is set downe in memoâble Antiquities diuers hândredâ of âeares fore the Spaâiards or Porâugals enterance to America that there it was thus Propheâally reuealed vnto him Post ãâã Anneruââââculâ dââlarabitur istâ teârâ vestris Successoâââus ãâã Christianoââân superâeneâiâ ãâã After ââ yeares this land shall be discouered ââ your Suââurs whâ Pârsâââtion âhall come ãâã the Christians 2. That S. German S. Lupus S. Seueââ S. Paladius and all thâse which S. Ceââne that Massing Popâ sânt hither into Brâââie were Massing Bishops and Priests as alââ
able to destroâe all Obedience Religion and dutie eyther to God or man for the first defining to those of their Religion and declaring that The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faitâfull men in the wâich the pure worde of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same And making the Patriarchall Churches of IerusaleÌ Alexandria Antioche and Rome the chiefest commaunding Churches by which all others must be ruled and gouerned and yet it is concluded of them all that they Hauâ erred in matters of faith They take all true faith and Religion which of all things must be most certaine out of the world For no man will or can be of a Religion which is assuredly vntrue nor worship him for God which will so deceââe vs. And to no purpose to finde truthe but to confirme Infidelitie it is said in the 20. Article The Church hath power and authoritie in Controuersies of faith the Church is a witnesse and keeper of holy writ For if the highest Iudge witnesse and keeper of holy writ and hauing authoritie in Controuersies of faith being to be obeyed of all may thus erre all men should thereby be bound to such error and eternally to be damned No man would be a Christian with such condition No man is likely so to be a true subiect for the certaintie of Religion which causeth certaintie of obedience and dutie to Princes being takeÌ away the other will faile 4. This they confirme in their 21. Article Of the authoritie of generall Councels making them though they represent the whole and vniuerâall Church to haue no more power or certainetie And if we should followe the Parâaments of our Countrie much vnequall to âhe whole Churches Iudgment we should âinde that they haue often and most inexcuâably erred by their owne Iudgements and confessions And So the Conclusion may be âuch as Athests and prophaine contemners of Religion and all dutie to God Princes and âthers in authoritie vse aÌd practise Their 22. Article intituled Of Purgatorie denying the âoctrine of the Roman Church concerning âurgatorie Pardons Images Relicks and ânuocation of Saints must needs occasiân âore neglect of good life and dutie then the Catholike doctrine For first the deniall of Purgatorie and punishment for sinne there after death if it be ioyned with the Protestant doctrine before of sinnes forgiuen by faith and ministeriall absolution from all guilt or paine thereby denying any teÌporall paine to be inflicted for or due for sinne ouerthroweth all penalties penance or punishment any Consistorie ciuill or Ecclesiasticall should inflict for any offence For where none is due or to be done in iustice it may not be inflicted And this is more theÌ any Pardons or IndulgeÌce the Pope himselfe doth giue or may vse euery pretended beleeuer or Minister taketh more authoritie vpon him herein No vse of holy Images or Reliks vsed by Catholikes can be offensiue in any CoÌmon-wealth but it rather teacheth honour and dutie which the Protestant opinioÌ doth not He that will haue or vse respect doe honour or reuereÌce to the representing signe or part of any will rather doe it to him they represent then he that denieth it And for honour to Saints he that will not honour them in heaueÌ and glorie will sooner be vnmindefull of their dutie to persons which are to be honoured on earth with terreane honour then he that honoureth and praieth vnto Saints in glorie 5. The next Articles 23. and 24. haue litle belonging to this purpose Their 25. Article of Sacraments saying they be Certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by which he dotâ worke inuisibly in vs. Of seauen Sacraments they onely retaine two and the first of theÌ is Baptisme which they minister to infants They leaue here the whole life of man and all states without grace for their callings They barre the married froÌ the grace of wedlock or matrimonie Ecclesiasticall persons from all grace in Orders all that liue from the grace of Confirmation offendors from grace by penance Those that are sicke from the grace of Extreame vnction And for the Lords supper as they terme their Communion holding that it doth condemne and hurt those that be in sinne and neuer ministring vnto any but such as be of yeares subiect to many sinnes not taking theÌ away by any other Sacrament or meanes this cannot giue grace but rather damnation to the receiuers being in their owne Iudgment vnworthie Receiuers and receiuing to their damnation as they thus declare in their 29. Article The wicked allthough they doe carnally and visibly presse with their teeth the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation doe eate and drinke the signe or Sacrament of so great a thing When Catholikes doe not communicate but after their sinnes be forgiuen in the Sacrament of Penance Confession and absolution of all sinnes So that by this Article Protestants haue no meanes to take away any but Originall sinne in Inâanâs none for any actuall sinne but without all grace are left alone to all vndutifulnesse disobedience and other sinnes from which Catholikes are by grace giuen in Sacraments preserued and made free and abled to performe their dutie to God and their Princes 6. The 26. Article hath nothing belonging to this question neither the 27. Article following of Baptisme hath any thing needing examine in this matter Their 28. of the Supper of the Lord denying Transsubstantiation and the Reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist and consequently the reuerence and honour due therevnto will not breede more honour to Princes on earth they not hauing more title theÌ Christ and by him of honour And they hauing before declared that the Sacraments be effectuall signes of grace and here giuing all prerogatiue to Imagined faith saying The meane whereby the bodie of Christ is receiued and eaten in the supper is faith they attribute nothing to any signe or Sacramentall thing and that Imaginatiue faith is a false faith For except as Catholiks hold Christ be truely present there by the omnipotent promise word and worke of God it is vnpossible faith should be a meane to receiue Christs bodie there True faith is onely of true and not of false things And so againe these men leaue to themselues no Sacrament to giue them grace in all their course of life after Baptisme when they are infants and so must needs be disabled to serue God or their Prince as they should and all men are bound to doe 7. The 29. Article confirmeth this as I haue deliuered before And their 30. Article of both kindes by their doctrine attributing all to their Imagined confuted false faith confirmeth it also And their assertion there That the Cupe by Christs commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian men Is
of rendring such duties ânto our King and haue what they could persuaded the Recusants as the refusing Protestants were therin termed to performe such âonds true offices and obligations of louing subiects Anâ although our Catholikes hauâââne sondry waieâ greuiously persecuted for their Religion yet as the world knoweth they haue most dutifully much aboue others honoured our king supplied his wants with free and lardge Donations and Contribuâions when their persecuting Protestants in great number and of great quaâitie made deâiall No man except maliciously and chridishly very falsely imagining slaunders and ântruthes against theÌ may surmise that these âen can be vnmindefull of the dutie and obeâience of true Subiects to their Soueraigne 6. If there be any either in Court or Countrie bearing the name Catholike gaining not looâng rather honoured then âisgraced preferred then persecuted giâen to libertie and disorders such as this ârotestant time can easily bestowe and âare and spirituall discipline may not be âllowed to keâpe such in dutie oâ leaue the âame Catholike Catholike Relâgâon doth âot and cannot answeare or make accompââor such Commonly they be men risen oââell reared vp by fall of Religion and Reliâious howses which complaine most against Catholikes who finde proâects of seaâe ââaâing to loose that they so easily gât Bât ãâã there is no danger towards them by English Catholikes for many or most oââhem that be landed meÌ haue also such land They be not Catholikes which euer defend âld and vnâuersall Right which aâe to be seaâed in Innouations Nouelists and louers of âingularities are the most dangerous in such respects Catholikes of England of all subiects thereof euer were and now be most obseruant of and keeping their Protestant Princes lawes seldome is or can a Catholike be charged with the breach of any excepâ concerning matters of Religion where iâ breaketh the lawe of God and his holy Catholike Apostolike Church To keepe thâ lawe of the king of all kings and his kingedome must not be termed or thought a breacâ and violating of the lawes of any priuatâ earthly king or kingedome all which muâ subiect themselues to that omnipotent king and his gouernment And to make all sure ãâã Catholikes defence in this cause we wiâ briefely examine all Articles now questioneâ betweene ProtestaÌts of England and theÌ anâ prooue in many of these Articâes as they aâ enacted by ProtestaÌts that the Catholike doctrine is farre more agreable and profitabâ for publike peace vnitie obedience anâ concord in a good ciuill Monarchicall anâ Râgall gouernment then that which Protestants hold and practise and would forââ Catholikes vnto and not any one Article ââ Catholike Religion repugnant vnto or preâudicing the Rule and gouernment of a moâ worthie king in a noble Nation THE VIII CHAPTER That euerie Article of Catholike Religion is more agreable with the best temporall gouernment then those of the Protestants and that a Catholike keeping his Religion as he is bouÌd to God so he cannot be vndutifull to his temporall Prince and Countrie THe first fiue Articles of their Religion they consisting onely of â9 âade by a few Protestants in fââwerth or âfth yeare of Queene Elizabeth the old age â this Religion doe containe nothing conâouersed betweene them and vs but were âade against new Sectaries so soone risen vp âmong them The Sixth and next Article inâtuled Of the sufficientie of the holy Scripture for âluation Denieth the vse and necessities of âraditions not written in Scripture and deâeth many bookes of holy Scripture to be âch and some of them as the booke of wiseâome and of Iesus the sonne of Sirach conâsting most of morall precepts and coÌmandments as all men knowe are most needfulâ in all kingedomes for ciuill regimeÌt So thaâ whatsoeuer of this nature is coÌtained in thesâ two morrall bookes and tenne others whicâ they likewise reiect or in holy Apostolikâ Traditions are wanting in these men and thâ Catholiks embracing both âhose bookes anâ TradiâioÌs exceede them in all temporall obedience and dutie in this respect 2. After this vntill we come to their nintâ Article stiled Of originall or birth siane they finde no difference in this point But in thiâ Article they thus enact There is no condemnation for them that beleeue and are baptized By which allowance and Decree the way to all disobedience fellonies treasons and sinnes whatsoeuer is set open to all Protestants whicâ saie they beleeue and are baptized and ââ no Treason Rebellion contempt of gouernment can condemne them Catholikes be oâ the contrarie profession And this Protestanâ libertie and disâbedience is further warranteâ and allowed in the next Article but one thâ immediate next Article after by their glossâ not at all or litle differing âroÌ Catholiks Foâ this their eleueÌth Article intituled of the Iustification of man Thus declareth That we are iustifie by faith onely is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort But this is not very whole some comfortable or secure for any king kingdome common-wealth that it should giuâ libertie to all offences not to be puâished bâ God at all nor by Prince if they can secretly be committed and concealed God forbid any bearing the name of of Catholike should euer hold or followe such doctrine And these Protestants Religion in the next Article of good workes giuing litle or no efficacie vnto them will not hinder them in matter of disobedience to God or Prince So doth their 13. Article wherein they saâe that workes such as we commonly call among others obedience to kings and Rulers good works Done without the grace of Christ haue the nature of sinne By which if any man âall into drunkennesâe coÌmit Adulterie Fornication Perâuââe or any mortall sinne which depriueth of grace he may or rather must make rebellion commit âreason or whatsoeuer wickednesse he can otherwise containing and abstaining from such horrible wickednesse such his refrainings from those Impieties haue the nature of sinne 3. The 14. next Article against workes of supererogation bringeth into like desperateâesse Their 15. and 16. Articles haue no peâuliar difficultie Their 17. next Article is intituled of Predestination and Election And it deliuereth plainely that their doctrine and Religion therein euen aâ it is receiued among them is so perilous a thing That for curious and carnall persons to haue continually before their eies the sentence of Gods predestination is a most dangerous downesall whereby the diuell doth thrust them into desperation or into rechlesnesse of most vncleane liuing no lesse pevillous then desperation These Articles if wâ should goe no further are sufficient to diswade any man desiring to be a true subiect to God and his Prince from embracing the Religion of ProtestaÌts But to proceede to the end of them the 18 next Article of obtaining eternall Saluation onely by the name of Christ hath nothing in question The next 19. And the 20. Articles the first intituled Of âhe Church And the other Of the authoritie of the Church Are