the Communion of the Ecclesiastical vnity for while he thinks he can separate all from his communion he hath separated himselfe onely from all He taxes him for calling Saint Cyprian a false Christ a false Apostle and a deceitfull workeman which being priuy to himselfe that these were his owne due preuentingly hee obiected to another No maruell if this geare could not passe the Presse at Rome In S. Cyprians Epistle De Vnitate Ecclesiae these words Primatus Petro datur c. after Vnam Cathedram constituit and againe Et Cathedra vna are foisted into the text in that Romane edition In that of Pamelius also besides these another clause is added forsooth out of Gratian and a Copie of the Cambron Abby Qui Cathedram Petri super quam fundata est Ecclesia deserit These patches being all left out the sense is neuerthelesse complete and perfect and for the last which speaks most for the Popes Chaire the Superuisors themselues of the Canon Law by the commandement of Gregory the thirteenth acknowledge that in eight Copies of Cyprian entire in the Vaticane Librarie this sentence is not found but besides these there is one wherein his opuscula alone are contained and another at Saint Sauiours in Bologna in which it is found But what account they make of it appeares by this that supplying the whole sentence in another place of Gratian they leaue it out Wherein as their conscience is to bee commended and Manutiâ—â— his modestie or theirs who surueied that edition that would not follow one Copie against eight so is Pamelius boldnesse to be corrected that out of one and that not fully agreeing with Gratian neither shames not as himselfe sayes veriti non sumus to force in this reading into the text against all the rest printed and manuscript which he vsed aboue twentie in number as he sets them downe in a Catalogue in the beginning of his edition It is now little more then two hundred yeeres agoe that Frier Thomas of Walden wrote against Witcleff He in the second Booke of his first Tome the first Article and second Chapter cites this verie place of Cyprian and cites it to fortâ—fie Witclefs assertion of his owne minde For hauing recited Witclefs words he concludes them thus Haec ibi and then proceeds Addamâ—t nos quod Cyprianus dicit omnes Apostolos pares fuisse poteâ—tate hoâ—â—re Addamus quod Hieronymus dicit super omnes Apostolos ex aequo fortitudo solidatur Ecclesiae c. Yet neither in that Chapter nor in that whole discourse doth he once mention these words now conueied into Cyprian nor any where else that I can find in all his Work though hee cite this Tractate often vnder the name of Liber contra haereticos schismaticos How fit had it beene to answere the obiection out of Cyprian by Cyprian if hee had not found that Gratian after his manner had been too bold or negligent in this passage The same Author in his third Tome De Sacramentalibus Doct. 10. cites a long place out of this same Treatise beginning at those words An esse sibi cum Christo videtur qui aduersum Saceâ—dotem Christi facit c. Againe Cap. 81. two places one immediately before the sentences charged with those former wordes another after The one beginning Loquitur Dominus ad Petrum Ego tibi dico quia tu es Petrus c. the other Vnitatem tenere â—irmiter vendiâ—are debemus c. Certainely vnlesse Waldensâ—s meant by faiâ—t-pleading to betray the cause hee vndertooke hee would neuer haue omitted so pregnant passâ—ges as these be for Peters Primacie and the Popes Chaire had they beene extant in Cyprians worke when hee wrote But wee cannot doubt of his good affection to the See of Rome either for his orders sake oâ— his dedicating that worke to Pope Martiâ—e the Fiâ—th or his approbation of the two first Tomes which hee saith hee caused to bee seene and examined per sollennes viros and testifies of to bee commended of all encouraging him to write the third It remaines therefore that Cyprian hath receiued this garnishment since Waldens time And here with this occasion of his silence about those things which are thrust into Cyprian I will though besides my purpose vse his testimony about a certaine sentence of the Author of the imperfect worke vpon Matthew ascribed to Saint Chrysostome which the Romish faction will needs race out It is in the eleuenth Homily about the middle The words are these Si enim vasa sanctificata ad priuatâ—s vsus transferre peccatum est periculum sicut docet Balthasar qui bibens in calicibus sacris de regnâ— depositus est de vita Si ergo haec vasa ad priuatos vsus transferre sic 〈◊〉 est in quibus non est verum corpus Christi 〈◊〉 mysterium â—orporis eius continetur quanto magis vasa corporis nostri quae sibi Deus ad habitaculum praeparanâ—â— non debemus locum dare Diabolo agendâ— in ijs quae vult In this sentence the wordes that I haue eâ—closed from the rest are inserted saith Bellarmâ—e by some Scholâ—er of Berengarius for they are not in all Copies No maruell That is more maruell that they are in any since the Canonizing of Transâ—bstantiation But in Waldeâ—s time and before the words were thâ—s read for in his third Tome Cap. 30. they are thus cited saue thaâ— by the error of the print ministerium is put for mysterium and hee addes there 〈…〉 But saith Bellarmine These words 〈◊〉 not to the matter in hand for the Author of the 〈◊〉 spake of the holy vessels of Salomons Temple which 〈…〉 and in those vessels neither was the Lords true body nor yet the mystery thereof Well if they be not to the purpose if they speake of the vessells of Salomons Temple let them stand in the Text still What need yee purge them out of the newer editions at Antwerpe and Paris Belike Father Iohn Matthews saw further into this matter then Bellarmine for hee casts out this sentence with the dregs of the Arians although there bee no Arianisme in it that I can perceiue The truth is the Author speakes of the Vessels vsed in the Lords Supper in his owne time For those wordes sicut docet Balthasar c. are brought in by the way for a confirmation from a like example the sense hanging in the meane while which is resumed againe when hee goes on Si ergo haec vasa as any indifferent Reader may perceiue Yea take away these words the sinewes of the sentence are cut for the force of the argument lies in the comparison of the prophaning of the holy vessels and of our bodies That is a sin yet Christs body is not contained in them but the mystery therof but God himselfe dwels in these These examples to omit some other doe make mee thinke that howsoeuer the corrupting of the texts of the
perhaps was added that the pricks are a late inuention of the Rabbines as many thinke and no part of the Hebrew Text. And that not onely Leo Castro and such as accuse the present Hebrew Copies as falâ—ified but those that defend them also doe many of them confesse Hereupon it was resolued as it seemes to point this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that it was not by mistaking but purposely done Franciscuâ— Lucas in his Annotations vpon the place doth assure vs and saith it was Guido Fabricius his deede And indeede other things there bee in that worke which sauour not of the learning and integritie of Arias Montanus as for example the Etymologie of Missa from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as Boldnesse is not alwayes as prouident as Ignorance or Malice is bold these Correctors marked not that the gender of the Verbe and the affixe of the Noune following are both Masculine So although the Orthographie would bee framed to consent yet the Syntaxe doth crie out against this Sacriledge And yet our Rhemists as I am informed in their lately set forth Bible with a long note vpon this place defend the applying of this Text to the blessed Virgin and the old reading Ipsa What should a man say Necessitie makes men desperate and as the Apostle saith Euill men and deceiuers shall waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued These be fraudes indeed in the strictest sense wilfully corrupting the Texts of good Authors wilfully maintayning them so corrupted not abstayning from the holy Scriptures themselues For as to that other kinde deprauing the sense retayning the wordes it were endlesse to cite examples Bellarmine alone as I beleeue passeth any two Protestants that euer set pen to paper perhaps all of them put together CHAP. VII Of the Armies of euident witnesses for the Romanists WHere you adde that you found the Catholikes had farre greater and better Armies of euident witnesses then the Protestants it might perhaps seeme so to you as your minde was prepared when you had met with such cunning muster-Masters as the Romanists are Who sometimes bring into the fiâ—ld to make their number seeme more after the old stratagem of warre a sort of Pages and Lackeis vnworthy to hold any ranke in the host of God vnder the names of the Fathers Sometimes to confirme their part giue out a voice confidently that all the â—orces which they see aloofe in the field are on their side whereas when it comes to the battell they shall finde that they wil turne their armes against them Somtimes they change the quarrell it selfe in which case how easie is it to bring Armies as you say into the field to fight against No-bodie and euident witnesses to proue that which no man denies For the purpose that the Bishops of Rome hath had a primacie of honour and authoritie when as the question is about a Monarchie and infallible Iudgement an vncontrolable Iurisdiction Herein if you please see how Bellarmine alleages the Fathers Greeke and Latine in the 15. and 16. Chapters of his first Booke de Summo Pontifice So for proofe of the veritie of Christs Bodie and Bloud in the Lords Supper hee spends a whole Booke onely in citing the testimonies of the Fathers To what purpose When the question is not of the truth of the Presence buâ— of the manner whether it be to the Teeth and Belly or Soule and Faith of the Receiuer Sometimes they will beare downe the vnexpert Souldier their Reader that hee sees the Fathers fight for them as Pighius and Bellarmine come in often with their Vides in the end and application of a testimonie Whereby it comes to passe that the Scholler if he be of a plyable disposition or loath to bee counted dimme-sighted yeelds himselfe to his Teacher and sees in the Fathers that which they neuer dreamed of But surely Sir had you giuen that honour to the holy Scriptures which of the Iewes was giuen to them and our Lord Iesus Christ allowes it in them and then employed as much trauell in the searching and looking into them as you professe to haue done in the perusing the Councels and Fathers perhaps God had opened your eyes as those of Elâ—sha his seruant to haue seene that there are more on our side then against vs horses indeede and charets of fire able to put to flight and scatter neuer so great armies of humane authorities and opinions But this place of the Scriptures hath no place amongst all your motiues As touching that which you say of the Centurists often consuring and reiecting the plaine testimonies of the Ancients It is true that in the title De Doctrina they note a part the singular and incommodious opinions the stubble and errors of the Doctors Wherein to tell you my fancie if they commit any fault it is that they are to rigid and strict referring into this Catalogue euery improper and excessiue speech which being seuered from the rest of the discourse may often seeme absurd as it may also seeme strange that our Sauiour should teach a man to hate his Father and Mother or pull out his eyes or giue him his cloake that hath bereaued him of his coate Whereas these and the like haue in the place where they stand admirable force and grace being taken with an equall and commodious interpretation But it is are cleare as the noone day that sundry such errors and singular opinions there be in the Fathers as cannot be iustified They speake not alwaies to your own mindes not onely prima facie and in sound of words but being neuer so well examined and salued Witnesse Sixtus Senensis in the fift and sixt Bookes of his Bibliotheca Witnesse Pamelius Medina though blamed for confessing so much by Bellarmine yea witnesse Bellarmine himselfe Wherefore if the bare authoritie of the Fathers must binde vs vndergoe the same law yee giue if as your Belgick Index confesseth you beare in them with many errors extenuate them excuse them by deuising some shift often denie them and giue them a câ—modious sense when they are opposed in disputations giue the libertie ye take Or if as we thinke these be base courses and vnbeseeming the ingenuitie of true Christian mindes acknowledge this honour as proper to the Scriptures to be without controuersie receiued examine by the true touchstone of diuine authoritie all humaine writings how holy soeuer their Authors haue beene Try all things as the Apostle commands hold fast that which is good Your instance in Danaeus his Commentaries super D. Aug. Euchiridion ad Laurentium was not all the best chosen For neither doth Saint Augustine in that booke treating professedly of Purgatory auouch it plainely or yet obscurely Nor doth Danaeus reiect his opinion with those words Hic est naeâ—us Augustini or the like The heads of Saint Augustines discourse are these I. That whereas some thought that such as are baptized and holde the Faith of Christ though they liue and
Protestants Church not the true Church Againe by that saying Haereses ad originem reuocasse est refutasse and so considering Luthers first rancour against the Dominicans his disobedience and contempt of his former Superiours his vowe breaking and violent courses euen causing rebellion against the Emperour whom he reuiles and other Princes most shamefully surely such arrogant disobedience scisme and rebellions had no warrant nor vocation of God to plant his Church but of the Deuill to begin a scisme and a sect So likewise for Caluin to say nothing of all that D. Bolsecus brings against him I doe vrge onely what Master Hooker Doctor Bancroft and Sarauia doe proue against him for his vnquietnesse and ambition reuoluing the Common-wealth and so vniuâ—tly expelling and depriuing the Bishop of Geneua and other temporall Lords of their due obedience and ancient inheritance Moreouer I referre you to the stirres broiles sedition and murders which Knoxe and the Geneua Gospellers caused in Scotland against their lawfull Gouernours against their Queene and against our King euen in his Mothers belly Nor will I insist vpon the passions which first moued King Henrie violently to diuorce himselfe from his lawfull wife to fall out with the Pope his friend to marrie the Lady Anne Bullen and soone after to behead her to disinherite Queene Mary and enable Queene Elizabeth and presently to diâ—inherit Queene Elizabeth and to restore Queene Mary to hang Catholiques for traitors and to burne Protestants for heretiques to destroy Monasteries and to pill Churches were these fit beginnings for the Gospell of Christ I pray was this man a good head of Gods Church for my part I beseech our Lord blesse me from being a member of such a head or such a Church I come to France and Holland where you know by the Hugenots and Geuses all Caluinistes what ciuill wars they haue raised how much bloud they haue shed what rebellion rapine and desolations they haue occasioned principally for their new Religion founded in bloud like Draecos lawes But I would gladly know whether you can approue such bloudy broiles for Religion or no I know Protestants de facto doe iustifie the ciuill warres of France and Holland for good against their Kings but I could neuer vnderstand of them quo lure if the Hollanders be Rebels as they are why did we support themâ— if they be no rebels because they fight for the pretended liberty of their ancient priuiledges and for their new Religion we see it is an easie matter to pretend liberties and also why may not others as as well reuolt for their old Religion Or I beseech you why is that accounted treason against the State in Catholiques which is called reason of State in Protestants I reduce this argument to few words That Church which is founded and begun in maâ—ice disobedience passion bloud and rebellion cannot be the true Church but it is euident to the world that the Protestant Churches in Germanie Francâ— Holland Geneua c. were so founded and in Geneua and Holland are still continued in rebellion ergo they are not true Churches Furthermore where is not Succession both of true Pastors and of true Doctrine there is no true Church But among Protestants is no succession of true Pastors for I omit here to treate of Doctrine ergo no true Church I prooue the minor where is no consecration nor ordination of Bishops and Priests according to the due forme and right intention required necessarily by the Church and ancient Councels there is no succession of true Pastors but among Protestants the said due forme and right intention are not obserued ergo no succession of true Pastors The said due forme and right intention are not obserued among Protestants in France Holland nor Germanie where they haue no Bishops and where Lay men doe intermeddle in the making of their Ministers And for England whereas the Councels require the ordines minores of Subdeacon and the rest to goe before Priesthood your Ministers are made per saltum without euer being Subdeacons And whereas the Councels require three Bishops to assist at the consecration of a Bishop it is certaine that at the Nags-head in Cheap-side where consecration of your first Bishops was attempted but not effected whereabout I remember the controuersie you had with one there was but one Bishop and I am sure there was such a matter and although I know and haue seene the Records themselues that afterward there was a consecration of Doctor Parker at Lambeth and three Bishops named viz. Miles Couerdall of Exceter one Hodgeskin Suffragan of Bedford and another whose name I haue forgotten yet it is very doubtfull that Couerdall being made Bishop of Exceter in King Edwards time when all Councels and Church Canons were little obserued he was neuer himselfe Canonically consecrated and so if he were no Canonicall Bishop he could not make another Canonicall and the third vnnamed as I remember but am not sure was onely a Bishop Elect and not consecrated and so was not sufficient But hereof I am sure that they did consecrate Parker by vertue of a Breue from the Queene as Head of the Church who indeed being no true Head and a Woman I cannot see how they could make a true consecration grounded on her authoritie Furthermore making your Ministers you keepe not the right intention for neither doe the Orderer nor the Ordered giue nor receiue the Orders as a Sacrament nor with any intention of Sacrificing Also they want the matter and forme with which according to the Councels and Canons of the Church holy Orders should be giuen namely for the matter Priesthood is giuen by the deliuerie of the Patena with bread and of the Chalice with wine Deaconship by the deliuerie of the booke of the Gospels and Subdeaconship by the deliuerie of the Patena alone and of the Chaliâ—e emptie And in the substantiall forme of Priesthood you doe faile most of all which forme consists in these wordes Accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in Ecclesia pro viuis mortuis which are neither said noâ— done by you and therefore well may you bee called Ministers as also Lay men are but you are no Priests Wherefore I conclude wanting Subdeaconship wanting vndoubted Canonicall Bishops wanting right intention wanting matter and due forme and deriuing euen that you seeme to haue from a Woman the Head of your Church therefore you haue no true Pastors and consequently no true Church And so to conclude and not to wearie my selfe and you too much being resolued in my vnderstanding by these and many other Arguments that the Church of England was not the true Church but that the Church of Rome was and is the onely true Church because it alone is Ancient Catholique and Apostolique hauing Succession Vnitie and Visibilitie in all ages and places yet what agonies I passed with my will here I will ouer-passe Onely I cannot pretermit to tell you that at last hauing also mastered and
much as haue heard whether there be a Pope of Rome or no. Let our Salomon be Iudge between them yea iudge you Master Waddesworth more seriously and maturely not by ghesses but by the very marke of Christ which wanting your selues you haue vnawares discouered in vs iudge I say without passion and partialitie according to Christs Word which is his Flock which is his Church CHAP. VI. Of fraud and corruption in alleaging Councels Fathers and Doctors YOur next Motiue was That in examining the questions especially about the Church where you laboured to peruse the originall Quotations and Texts of the Councels Fathers and Doctors you found as you say much fraud committed by the Protestants This imputation of fraud is very vsuall and common to both sides and verily I beleeue some on both sides are faultie For whether out of humane infirmitie mistaking the meaning of Authors or slips of memorie trust of other mens Qâ—otations who tie not themselues to the wordes but giue the sense they conceiue how easily may testimonies bee alleaged cleane besides the Authors mindes Hee that hath strongly conceited any thing findeth it in all that euer he readeth or falleth vpon Too much heat in contention and desire of victorie blindeth the iudgement and maketh a man heedlesly lay hold vpon any thing that hee thinkes may serue his turne As wee see sometimes in the writings of the Fathers which had to deale with ancient Heretikes alleaging the Scriptures themselues besides the purpose Sometimes haste and desire of contracting makes one cut off some wordes and explaine and presse those that make for him and perhaps leaue out something materiall presently the other side cries out clipping forgerie falsification and what not But although all this may bee called fraud in respect of the Reader who is by this meanes deceiued in his euidence and therefore if he be not aware may pronounce amisse yet is it nothing to that kinde when with an euill conscience and of set purpose falshood is set forth and Truth out-faced Wherein I cannot tell what you haue found I could haue desired and doe yet if your leisure may serue you would shew the particulars I doe professe here to you that I haue seene and euen felt with my fingers such dealing in the Romish faction as I cannot resolue whether I should account them more shamefull slanderers and false accusers of others of fraudulent handling or bold and shamelesse in the practizing of it themselues When the Lord of Plessis his booke of the Sacrament came out how was it calumniated in this kind with falsification Du Puy in a publike Chartell offered that of 306. passages in the Preface he would shew as cleere as the Sunne at noone day 283. were falsified corrupted and mangled and the rest of no importance The Bishop of Eureux after Cardinall vndertooke to shew in the booke it selfe 500. enormous falsities by â—ale and without hyperbole The matter was brought to a triall before the King of France and nine places examined of this number And as was before-hand promised the Popes Nuncio the businesse should be so carried that the aduantage should remaine on the part of the Church of Rome and the Pope receiue contentment in these very words the lie should rest with the Heretikes Morney was borne downe The Kings letters to the Duke of Espernon of this victorie were blowne ouer France sent to Rome printed with a discourse thereabout set forth at Antwerp and translated into English with some alteration and Turksing by F. Parsons Wherein hee saith a French Iesuit Fronto Ducâ—us discouered in it at least a thousand falshoods for his part Hee accuseth Bishop Iewell and Master Fox of the like crime hee saith that in two onely leaues of his booke a certaine learned Scholler did discouer thirtie wilfull and voluntarie corruptions and falsifications that cannot be excused and himselfe besides these thirtie noted so many other plaine falsehoods and manifest wilfull lies as might well double the former number And by Arithmetick hee multiplies this number with the number of the leaues the number hee saith will rise to 30000. by which Iohn Fox his booke will as much exceede Iohn Sleidans storie in number of lies in which were found onely 11000 as it doth in bulke and bignesse This manner of writing of these men brings to my minde that which Sir Thomas More writes of Tyndals New Testament wherein hee saith were founden and noted wrong and falsely translated aboue a thousand Texts by tale The language is like and the cause is the same Men were loath these bookes should be read The substance of them was such as could not be controlled the next remedie was to forestall the Readers mindes with a prejudice of falsification that so they might not regard them but cast them out of their hands of their owne accord The Vulgar sort would be brought out of conceit at the first hearing with vehement accusation Euen wise men would suppose though there should not bee any thing neere so many wilfull faults yet surely there must needes bee a very great number and that could not happen but with a very bad meaning this admitted who would vouchsafe them the reading And in truth among those that fauour the reformed part I haue meâ— with some that out of this buzze of falsification in the Lord of Plessis booke cared not for reading it whereby may bee thought in what account it should bee with all those who esteeme all F. Parsons Libels to bee Oracles But shortly Sith neither the Cardinall Perone nor F. Parsons haue had the meanes or will to decypher those hundreds and thousands of falsifications in Sleidan Bishop Iewell Master Fox or Plessis in these so many yeeres as haue run since they wrote and as for the last he hath set forth the booke againe with all the authorities at large in the margent in the Authors owne words and hath answered all those that bayed at it till they are silent what remaines but that we count this multiplying of F. Parsoâ—s may be ioyned with Aequiâ—ocation to make vp the arte of falsehood wherein he and his faction may iustly claime to be the worthiest Professors in the world But without any multiplication or other Arithmeticke in the fift page of that Relation of his in the seuen first lines are foure notorious I will not say lies or falsifications but falshoods by tale The first That the triall being begun vpon the first place that was found false The French discourse printed at Antwerp cum priuilegio and approbation of the Visitor of bookes saith And as to the said first Article nothing was iudged thereabout by the said Commissioners nor pronounced by my said Lord the Chancellor and the King said that it should be remitted to another time to deliberate thereabout The second Hee that is Plessis would haue passed to the second but the Bishop refused so to doe except the Ministers and Protestants there present would first subscribe
Erra XIIII perche dice c. He erres in the XIV place for that he saith that those which haue taken out of the Breuiarie the word animas were inspired by the holy Ghost I 〈…〉 Quodcunque 〈◊〉 with the word 〈◊〉 by that text which explaineth them 〈…〉 sinnes being in the soule and not in the body least any should beleeue that the Pope were Domiâ—â—s in 〈◊〉 spiritualibus of goods of bodies and of soules and that he might loose and binde euery thing as it seemes the L. Cardiâ—all beleeueth And they explained them with the word 〈◊〉 by which explication a remedy is put vnto all those discords which may arise betweene the Pope and Princes 〈◊〉 tuo Whereas those which haue latâ—ly taken it away out of the Breuiarie 〈◊〉 a new stirred vp occasion of discords and contâ—â—tions Besides that it is a thing knowne of all men that in the Bookes of the Councels of the Canons of other Doctors in a word 〈◊〉 in the very Brâ—maries and Missals there haue beene and are taken away those things which are in fauour of Princes of the Laitie to see if at length there might be established the opinion de illimitaâ—a Potestate Pontificis in tâ—mporalibus 〈…〉 he as â—e that comparâ—s together the Bookes printed in the yearâ— 30. in 50. and those at this day as well of the Councels as others â—uidently 〈◊〉 the vintage that 〈◊〉 it is that we post vindemiaâ— haue found some few clusters for the defence of our gracious Prince This is a meanes if it goe on further to make all writings to loose their credit and to ruine the Church of God Be it spoken by the occasion that the Lord Cardinall hath giuen â—e thereof and for charities 〈◊〉 and for the desire that these writings be no more touched which be also said with all humilitie and reuerence He erres in the XV. place for that he saith â—hat in the ancient Breuiaries there was not the word animas And I haue seene Breuiaries written with 〈◊〉 abouâ— 200. yeares agoe and printed aboue an hundred in them is the word animas and if it were not yet ought it to be put in to take away the occasions of discordâ— Thus he there As for the Prayer corrected or corrupted rather if you looke the old Breuiaries yea euen that set forth by Piâ—s the Fifth printed by Plantine with the Priuiledge of the Pope and his Catholike Maiestâ—e Anno 77. vpon the nine twentieth of Iune yee shall find it to runne thus Deus qui B. Petro Apostolo â—uo collatis clauibus râ—gui coelestis animas ligandi atque soluâ—ndi Pontiâ—icium tradidâ—stâ— concede vt intercessionis eius auxilio peccator â—m nostrorum nexibus liberemur Per Dominum Now in the late correction animas is left out and wee vnderstand the reason In the end of the same booke there is â—n aduertisement to the Reader the beginning whereof I will not sticke to set downe verbatim it is this Because in this Defence I haue often said that Authors are made to recant and that out of their bookes many things are taken away sincerely said in fauour of the power of Temporall Princes to stablish by these meanes the opinion De supremâ authoritate Papae in temporalibus I haue thought good to aduise the Râ—ader that the quotations by mee brought are taken ad verbum out of those bookes which are incorrupt and containe the opinion of the Authors sincerely And that the more ancient the Copies bee and further from these our times so much â—he better they bee And in particular I desire that hee bee aduertised that the Cap. Nouit de iudicijs printed in Rome the yeere 1575. by Ioseph de Angelis with licence of Superiours it the text which was followed by the Author of the eight Positions and by mee which containes sincerely the opinion of Naâ—arrus and of the Parisians Which in the bookes printed since is changed in such manner as it is no more the same but is become the contrary to wit that of 〈◊〉 c. Tell mee good Master Wadâ—sworth in the â—ight of God what is fraud if this be not And thus not onely the Authors of this age any way inclining to reformation as Erasmus Rheâ—anus Cassander Fâ—rus but Vines Faber Caietane Pol. Virgil Guicciardine Petrarch Dante yea Authors of six or seuen hundred yeeres old are set to Schoole to learne the Romane language and agree with the Trentâ—aith â—aith For it is not the authoritie and Monarchy of the Pope alone that is sought though that bee Summa summarum whereunto all comes at last but no voyce must be heard discenting from that which he teaches Therefore it is that Bertramus Presbyter is appointed by your Spanish Index printed at Madrid to bee wholly abolished The former had catechized him to say in stead of visibiliter inuisibiliter with many other pretie explications as where he saith the Elements in the Lords Supper Secundum creaturarum substantiam quod prius fuerant ante consecrationem hoc post consistunt the explication is secundum externas species Sacramenti But the surest way was to take him cleane away and so indeed in the Bibliotheca Patrum hee is and that purpâ—sely as Marguerinus de la Bigne confesseth in his Preface The Ancient Fathers are perhaps free For the Councell of Trent appointed that in the writings of the ancient Catholikes nothing should bee changed saâ—e where by the fraud of heretikes a manifest error is crept in But who shall bee the Iudge of that The Inquisitors and Censors themselues For my part I cannot say that I haue spent many houres in the triall of this point nor haue I had ancient Copies thereto requisite But I will intreat you to consider with mee one example or rather two or three in one Father and in the matter that I named whereby you may ghesse at the rest In Saint Cyprians Workes imprinted at Rome by P. Manutius sent for to Venice by Pius the Fourth to set forth the Fathers as himselfe saith most perfectly clensed from all spots the Epistle of Firmilianus Bishop of Caesarea beginning Accepimus per Rogatianum is wholly left out and Pamelius thinkes purposely and addes perhaps it had beene more wisdome it had beene neuer set out at all Saint Cyprian was not of that minde who translated it into Latin as the stile it selfe witnesses and Pamelius also is enforced to confesse The matter is it is to quicke and vehement against Stephanus Bishop of Rome Hee saith hee is moued with iust indignation at the manifest folly of Stephanus that boasting so much of the place of his Bishopricke and that hee hath the succession of Peter vpon whom the foundations of the Church were set brings in many other Rockes c. Hee saith hee hath stirred vp contentions and discords throughout the Churches of the whole world Bids him not deceiue himselfe he hath made himselfe a Schismaticke by separating himselfe from
Scriptures by their owne free consent and desire Iudge by an instance or two that this matter may not be a meere skirmish of generalities Tertullian in his latter times whether as Saint Hierome writes through the enuie and reproach of the Roman Clergie or out of the too much admiring chastitie and fasting became a Montanist and wrote a Booke de Pudicitia blaming the reconciling of Adulterers and Fornicators In the very entrance almost thereof he hath these words Audio etiam edictum esse propositum quidem peremptorium Pontifex scil Maximus Episcopus Episcoporum dicit Ego maechis fornicationis delict a paenitentiâ functis dimitto Pamelius in his noate vpon this place writes thus Bene habet annotatu dignum quod etiamiam in haeresi constitutus aduersus Ecclesiaâ—â— scribens Pontificeâ— Romanum Episcopum Episcoporum nuncupet infra Cap. 13. bonum Pastorem benedictum Papum Cap. 21. Apostolicum Thus Pamelius and presently laâ—ches forth into the Priuiledges of the See of Rome and brings a number of testimonies for that forgery of Constantines donation The like note hee hath in the life of Tertullian where hee makes the Pope that set forth the former Edict to haue beene Zephyrinus quem saith hee Pontificem Maximum etiam iam haereticus Episcopum Episcoporum appellat Baronius also makes no small account of this place and saith The title of the Pope is here to bee noted And indeed prima facie as you say they haue reason But hee that shall well examine the whole web of Tertullians discourse shall finde that hee speakes by a most bitter and scornefull Ironie as Elias doth of Baal when hee saith hee is a God The word scilicet might haue taught them thus much Yea the title Pontifex Maximus which in those dayes and almost two ages after was a Pagan terme neuer attibuted to a Christian Bishop first laid downe by Gratian the Emperour as Baronius also notes in the yeere of our Lord 383. because it â—auoured of Heathenish superstition though it had beene as a title of Royalty vsed by the former Christian Emperours till that time This title I say might haue made them perceiue Tertullians meaning vnlesse the immoderate desire of exalting the Papacie did so blind their eyes that seeing they saw and yet perceiued not In the same character though with more mildnesse and moderation is the same title for the other part of it vsed by Saint Cyprian in his Vote in the Councell of Carthage Neque n. quisquam nostrum se esse Episcopum Episcoporum constituit aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem Collegas suos adigit Bellarmine saith hee speakes here of those Bishops that were in the Councell of Carthage and that the Bishop of Rome is not included in that sentence who is indeed Bishop of Bishops What! and doth hee tyranniously inforce his Colleagues to obedience also For it is plaine that Cyprian ioynes these together the one as the presumptuous title the other as the iniurious act answering thereto which hee calls plaine tyranny And as plaine it is out of Firmilianus Epistle which I vouched before that Stephanus Bishop of Rome heard ill for his arrogancie and presuming vpon the place of his Bishopricke Peters Chaire to seuer himselfe from so many Churches and breake the bond of peace now with the Churches of the East in Asia now of the South in Africke And hee was in as ill conceit with Cyprian for his breaking good order and communicating with Basilides and Martialis iustly depriued in Spaine as Saint Cyprian was with him when he stiled him a false Christ and a false Apostle But the holy Martyr was of a more patient and calme spirit then to be moued with such reproaches nay hee tooke occasion as it should seeme thereby to write of patience From this mildnesse it was that hee so closely taxed the presumption of him that made himselfe Bishop of Bishops and by terror which what it was Firmilianus Epistle shewes threatning Excommunication would compell his Colleagues to his owne opinion None of vs saith he doth thus As the Apostle we preach not our selues we commend not our selues Wee are not as many that adulterate the Word of God c. Bellarmine takes the first kindly No maruell saith hee for this the Bishop of Romes due But they goe together hee must be content to take both or leaue both Such another place there is in Saint Augustines Epist. 86. the wordes are Petrâ—â— etiam inquit Apostolorum Capuâ— coeli 〈◊〉 Ecclesia fundamentum Where in the Margent the Diuines of Louaine the ouerseers of Plantines edition set this note Petrus Ecclesia fundamenâ—â—m Why might they not The words yee will say of the text But these words of the text be not Saint Augustines whose opinion is well enough knowne That it is Christ confessed by Peter that is the foundation of the Church but they are the words of an vndiscreet railer of the Citie of Rome against whom Saint Augustine in all that Epistle most vehemently inueighs This arrogant Author endeauours so to defend the Romane custome of fasting on the Saturday as hee reproaches all other Churches that vsed otherwise And that we may see with what Spirit he was led he brings the same text that is brought in Pope Siricius and Innocentius Epistles against the marriage of Clergie men Qui in carne sunt Deo placere non possunt and many other Scripâ—ures wrested and farre from the purpose at last comes the authoritie of Peter and his tradition very Pope-like alledged Peter he saith the head of the Apostles porter of heauen and foundation of the Church hauing ouercome Simon the Sorcâ—rer who was a figure of the Deuill not to be ouercome but by fasting thus taught the Romanes whose faith is famous in the whole world I remit you to Saint Augustines answere to this tradition This I note that where your Censors do race out of the Margents of former editions such notes as do expresse the very opinions of the ancients and in their owne wordes here they can allow and authorize such marginall notes as are directly contrary to their meaning Yea which are earnestly oppugned by them when they seeme to make for the authoritie of the Pope Good sir examine well this dealing and iudge if this bee not wresting the Fathers and applying them cleane from their purpose In fine you found your selfe you say euidently conuinced Perswaded I beleeue rather then conuinced Else if the force and euidence of the Arguments and not the pliablenesse of your minde were the cause of your yeelding mee thinkes they should worke like effect in others no lesse seriously seeking for truth and setting all worldly respects aside earnestly minding their owne saluation then your selfe Which I well know they do not neither those which hitherto haue beene examined nor those which yet remaine to be considered in the rereward CHAP. VIII Of the Inuisibilitie of the Church said
to bee an euasion of Protestants THe first whereof is the dislike of the Protestants euasion as you call it by the inuisibilitie of their Church Giue mee leaue here to tell you plainly yee seeme to mee not to vnderstand the Protestants doctrine in this point Else yee would haue spared all that The Catholike Church must euer be visible as a Citie set on a hill otherwise how should shee teach her children conuert Pagans dispence Sacraments All this is yeelded with both hands The Congregations of which the Catholike Church doth consist are visible But the promise made to this Church of victory against the gates of hell the titles of the house of God the base and piller of Truth an allusion as I take it to the bases and pillers that held vp the veile or curtaines in the Tabernacle the body of Christ his Doue his vndefiled are not verified of this Church in the whole visible bulke of it but in those that are called according to Gods purpose giuen to Christ and kept by him to bee raised vp to life at the last day This doctrine is Saint Augustines in many placeâ— which it would bee too tedious to set downe at large In his third booke De doctrina Christiana among the rules of Tychonius there is one which hee corrects a little for the tearmes De Domini corpore bipertito which he saith ought not to haue beene called so for in truth that is not the Lords body which shal not be with him for euer but he should haue said of the Lords true body and mixt or true and fained or some such thing Because not onely for euer but euen now hypocrites are not to be said to be with him though they seeme to be in his Church Consider those resemblances taken out of the holy Scripture wherein that godly Father is frequent of chaffe and wheat in the Lords floore of good and bad fishes in the net of spots and light in the Moone Of the Church carnall and spirituall of the wicked multitudes of the Church yet not to be accounted in the Church Of the lilly and the thornes those that are marked which mourne for the sinnes of Gods people and the rest which perish which yet beare his Sacraments Consider the last Chapter of the booke De Vnitate Ecclesiae and that large Treatise which he hath of that matter Epist. 48. The place is long which deserues to bee read for the obiection of the Vniuersality of Arianisme like to that of Papisme in these last ages which Saint Augustine answeres in the fifth booke De Baptismo contra Donatistas cap. 27. That number of the iust who are called according to Gods purpose of whom it is said The Lord knoweth who are his is the inclosed garden the sealed fountaine the well of liuing waters the orchard with Apples c. The like hee hath l. 5. c. 3. 23. he concludes that because such are built vpon the Rocke as heare the Word of God and doe it and the rest vpon the sand now the Church is built vpon the Rocke all therefore that heare the Word of God and doe it not are out of question without the Church In the seuenth booke cap. 51. Quibus omnibus consideratisâ— Read and marke the whole Chapter Out of these and many more like places which I forbeare to mention it appeares that albeit the true Catholike Church is such as cannot bee hid yet considering that it consists of two sorts of people the one which is the greater part who doe not indeed properly belong to it the other the fewer truely and properly so called to whom all the glorious things spoken of the Church doe agree The face therefore of the mixt Church may be ouer-run with scandals as in all times almost The greatest number may sometime bee Idolaters as in the Kingdome of Israel vnder Achab. The principallest in authoritie may bee false teachers as the Priests and Prophets in Ieremies time the sonnes of pestilence may sit in Moses Chaire as they did in Christs time Yet still the Church is the ground and piller of Truth in the Elect Ipsa est praedestinata columna firmamentum veritatis The Sheepe heare not Seducers Iohn 10. 8. to wit finally and in any damnable point Thus was it before Christ thus since thus in the Church of England before yea and since it was reformed Thus in that of Rome it selfe at this day There is a distinction of Thomas of those that be in the Church which rightly â— interpreted agrees fully herewith There are some De Ecclesia numero tantum Some numero merito The former are such as haue onely fidem informem the latter formatam Now though the persons of such as be in the Church be visible yet the Faith and Charitie of men wee see not and to argue from the priuiledges of the Church numero merito to the Church numero tantum is a perpetuall but a palpable paraâ—ogisme of the Romish faction which is grosser yet when they argue to the Church representatiue and grossest of all when one man is made the Church and he as themselues grant may fall out a Deuill incarnate CHAP. IX Of lacke of Vniformitie in matters of Faith in all ages and places ANd in this selfe same Paralogisme you were beguiled with in the next point of Vniformitie and concord in matters of Faith The true Church yee say â—uer holds such Vniformitie It is vtterly false in the Visible and mixt Church both before Christ and since It is false in the Church of Rome it selfe whose new-coyned faith patched to the Creed by Pius the Fourth came in peece-meale out of priuate opinions and corrupt vsages nor euer was in any age vniformely holden or taught as matter of Faith euen in it as it is at this day So by your owne discourse it should be no true Church And taking matters of faith so largely as it seemes you doe in opposition to such things as bee cerâ—mâ—nies or of gouernment it is vntrue also of the Church of the Elect or properly so called For though the Faith in the principles thereof bee euer the same yet many conclusions of Faith haue sometimes lien vnsearched out and like some parts of the world vnknowne till by the industrie of Gods seruants occasioned also by the importunitie and opposition of Heretikes they were discouered Sundrie common errours also there haue beene which in succeeding ages haue beene cleered and reformed as the â—hiliastes That Angels haue bodies That children after they be baptized are to be communicated That Heretikes are to be rebaptized To the Assumption First the Protestants challenge not to themselues any Church as their owne which I must aduertise you of here because formerly also you doe vse this phrase The Church is Christs both the visible and inuisible Next taking matters of Faith for foundations or articles of Faith necessarie to saluation the Church of Christ hath in all ages had
vniforme concord with the Protestants at this day in such matters as appeareth by the common rule of Faith the Creede and so hath also the Church vnder the Popes tyrannie As to the Trent-additions they are forraine to the Faith as neither principles nor conclusions thereof neither can your selues shew vniforme consent and concord in them and namely in the 11. of them in any one age especially as matters of saluation as now they are canonized How much lesse can yee shew it in all other conclusions of Faith whereabout there haue beene among you as are now among vs and euer will bee differences of opinions without any prejudice for all that vnto the vnitie of the Faith of the Church and title to the name of it As for Wicliffe Hus and the rest if they haue any of them borne record to the Truth and resisted any innouation of corrupt Teachers in their times euen to bloud they are iustly to be termed Martyrs yea albeit they saw not all corruptions but in some were themselues carried away with the streame of error Else if because they erred in some things they bee no Martyrs or because wee dissent from them in some things we are not of the same Church both you and we must quit all claime to Saint Cyprian Iustine Martyr and many more whom wee count our Ancients and Predecessors and bereaue them also of the honour of Martyrdome which so long they haue enjoyed You see I hope by this time the weaknesse of your Argument CHAP. X. Of the originall of reformation in Luther Caluin Scotland England c. IN your next Motiue taken from the originall of Reformation before I come to answere your Argument shortly coucht in forme I must endeuour to reforme your iudgement in sundrie points of storie wherein partly you are misse-led and abused by Parsons and others of that spirit partly you haue mistaken some particulars and out of a false imagination framed a like discourse First for Luther it was not his ranâ—our against the Dominicans that stirred him vp against the Pope but the shamefull merchandize of Indulgences set to sale in Germanie to the aduantage of Magdalen sister to Pope Leo X. Beleeue herein if not Sleidan yet Gâ—â—cciardine l. 13. And of all that mention those affaires it is acknowledged that at the first and for a good time he shewed all obedience and reuerence to the Pope The new Historie of the Councell of Trent written by an Italian a subiect and part of the Church of Rome as should appeare by the Epistle Dedicatorie of the Reuerend and learned Archbishop of Spalato prefixed to his Maiestie speaketh thus of the matter Questo diede occasione c. This gaue occasion to Martin to passe from Indulgences to the authoritie of the Pope which being by others proclaymed for the highest in the Church by him was made subiect to a Generall Councell lawfully celebrated Whereof hee said that there was neede in that instant and vrgent necessitie And as the heat of disputation continued by how much the more the Popes power was by others exalted so much the more was it by him abased yet so as Martin contayned himselfe within the termes of speaking modestly of the person of Leo and sauing sometimes his iudgement Againe After his departure from the presence of Cardinall Cajetan at Augusta hee saith hee wrote a letter to the Cardinall confessing that hee had beene too vehement and excusing himselfe by the importunitie of the Pardoners and of those that had written against him promising to vse more modestie in time to come to satisfie the Pope and not to speake any more of Indulgences prouided that his aduersaries would doe the like This was Luthers manner at the first till the Bull of Pope Leo came out dated the ninth of Nouember 1518. Wherein he declared the validitie of Indulgences and that hee as Peters Successor and Christs Vicar had power to grant them for the quicke and dead that this is the doctrine of the Church of Rome the Mother and Mistris of all Christians and ought to bee receiued of all that would bee in the Communion of the Church From this time forward Luther began to change his stile And saith he as before hee had for the most part reserued the person and iudgement of the Pope so after this Bull he resolued to refuse it and thereupon put forth an Appeale to the Councell c. You see then how submissiuely Luther at first carried himself But extreme tyrannie ouer-comes often a well prepared patience Touching his causing rebellion also against the Emperour yee are misse-informed his aduice was asked about the association of the Protestants at Smalcald hee said plainly hee could not see how it could bee lawfull further then for their owne defence Ioh. Bodin in his second Booke de Repub cap. 5. hath these wordes We reade also that the Protestant Princes of Almaine before they tooke armes against the Emperour demanded of Martin Luther if it were lawfull He answered freely that it was not lawfull whatsoeuer tyrannie or impietie were pretended He was not beleeued so the end thereof was miserable and drew after it the ruine of great and illustrious houses of Germanie As for the warre in Germanie it began not till after Luthers death neither was it a rebellion of the Protestants the truth is they stood for their liues The Emperour with the helpe of the Popes both mony and armes intended to roote them out and although at the first the Emperour did not auow his raysing armes against them to be for Religion yet the Pope in his Iubilee published vpon this occasion did not let to declare to the world that himselfe and Caesar had concluded a league to reduce the Hâ—retikes by force of armes to the obedience of the Church and therefore all should pray for the good successe of the warre That Luther euer reuiled the Emperour I did neuer till now heare or reade and therefore would desire to know what authors you haue for it Touching other Princes namely King Henrie the eighth I will not defend him who condemned himselfe thereof It is true that he was a man of a bold and high stomacke and specially fitted thereby through the prouidence of God to worke vpon the heauie and dull disposition of the Almaines and in so generall a Lethargie as the world then was in hee carried himself as fell out somtimes very â—oisterously But arrogancie schâ—sme rebellion were as farre from him as the intention itself to plant a Church As to his Vow-breaking lastly if that Vow were foolishly made and sinfully kept it was iustly broken perhaps also charitably if hee would by his owne example reforme such as liued in whoredome and other vncleannes and induce them to vse the remedie that God hath appointed for the auoiding of them to wit honorable marriage All this matter touching Luther vnlesse I be â—eceiued you haue taken from 〈◊〉 Harding that at least touching his
Common Prayer c. without any particular mention of the booke or forme of ordering Ministers and Bishops Hence grew one doubt whether ordinations and consecrations according to that forme were good in Law or no. Another was Queene Elizabeth in her Letters Patents touching such Consecrations Ordinations had not vsed as may seeme besides other generall words importing the highest authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall the title of Supreame Head as King Henry and King Edward in their like Letters Patents were wont to dâ— that notwithstanding the Act of 35. Hen. 8. after the repeale of the former repeale might seeme though neuer specially reuiued This as I ghosse was another exception to those tâ—at by vertue of those Patents were Consecrated Whereupon the Parliament declares First that the Booke of Common Prayer and such order and formâ— for consecrating of Archbishops andâ— Bishops c. as was set forth in the time of King Edward the Sixth and added thereto and authorised by Parliament shall stand in force and be obserued Secondly That all Acts done by any person about any consecration confirmation oâ— inâ—esting of any elect to the Office or Dignitie of Arch-bishop or Bishop by vertue of the Queenes Letters Patents or Commission since the beginning of her reigne bee goodâ— Thirdly That all that haue beene ordered or consecrated Archbishops Bishops Priests c. after the said forme and order be rightly made ordered and consecrated any Statute Law Canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding These were the reasons of that Act which as you see doth not make good the Nags-head-ordination as F. Halywood pretends vnlesse the same were according to the forme in Edward the Sixth dayes His next proofe is that Boâ—er Bishop of London while hee liued alwayes set light by the Statutes of the Parliaments of Queene Elizaboth alleadging that there wanted Bishops without whose consent by the Lawes of the Realme there can no firme Statuee bee made That Boner despised and set not a straw by the Acts of Parliament in Queene Elizabeths time I hold it not impossible and yet there is no other proofe thereof but his bare word and the ancient Confessors tradition of which we heard before Admitting this for certaine there might bee other reasons thereof besides the ordination at the Nags-head The stiffenesse of that man was no lesse in King Edwards time then Queene Elizabeths And indeed the want also of Bishops might be the cause why he little regarded the Acts of her first Parliament For both much about the time of Queene Maries death dyed also Cardinall Poole and sundry other Bishops and of the rest some for their contemptuous behauiour in denying to performe their dutie in the Coronation of the Queene were committed to prison others absented themselues willingly So as it is commonly reported to this day there was none or very few there For as for Doctor Parker and the rest they were not ordained till December 1559. the Parliament was dissolued in the May before So not to stand now to refute Boners conceit that according to our Lawes there could bee no Statutes made in Parliament without Bishops wherein our Parliament men wil rectifie his iudgement F. Halywood was in this report twice deceiued or would deceiue his Reader First that he would make that exception which Boner laid against the first Parliament in Queen Elizabeths time to be true of all the rest Then that he accounts B. Boner to haue excepted against this Parliament because the Bishops there were no Bishops as not canonically ordained where it was because there was no Bishops true or false there at all His last proofe is That D. Bancroft being demanded of M. Alâ—blaster whence their first Bishops receiued their orders answered that hee hoped a Bishop might bee ordained of a Presbyter in time of necessity Silently granting that they were not ordained by any Bishop and therefore saith he the Parliamentary Bishops are without order Episcopall their Ministers also no Priests For Priests are not made but of Bishops whence Hierome Quâ—d facit c. What doth a Bishop sauing ordination which a Presbyter doth not I haue not the meanes to demand of D. Alablaster whether this be true or not Nor yet whether this be all the answere he had of D. Bancroft That I affirme that if it were yet it followes not that D. Bancroft silently granted they had no orders of bishops Vnlesse he that in a false discourse both where propositions be vntrue denies the Maior doth silently grant the Minor Rather he iested at the futilitie of this Argument which admitting all this lying Legend of the Nags-head and more to suppose no ordination by any Bishops had beene euer effected notwithstanding shewes no sufficient reason why there might not be a true consecration and true Ministers made and consequently a true Church in England For indeed necessitie dispences with Gods owne positiue Lawes as our Sauiour shewes in the Gospel much more then with mans and such by Hieromes opinion are the Lawes of the Church touching the difference of Bishops and Presbyters and consequently touching their ordination by Bishops onely Whereof I haue treated more at large in another place for the iustification of other reformed Churches albeit the Church of England needs it not To confirme this Argument it pleaseth F. Halywood to addâ— That King Edward the Sixth tooke away the Catholike rite of ordaining and in stead of it substituted a few Caluinisticall prayers Whom Queene Elizabeth followed c. And this is in effect the same thing which you say when you adde that Couerdale being made Bishop of Exceter in King Edwards time when all Councells and Church Canons were little obserued it is very doubtfull hee was neuer himselfe canonically consecrated and so if hee were no canonicall Bishop hee could not make another canonicall To F. Halywood I would answere that King Edward tooke not away the Catholike rite of ordaining but purged it from a number of idle and superstitious rites prescribed by the Popish Pontifical And the praiers which he scoffes at if they were Caluinisticall sure it was by prophecie for Caluin neuer saw themâ—ill Queene Maries time when by certaine of our English exiles the Booke of Common Prayer was translated and shewed him if he saw them then Some of them as the Let any and the Hymne Veni Creator c. I hope were none of Caluins deuising To you if you name what Councells and Church Canons you meane and make any certaine exception either against Bishop Couerdale or any of the rest as not canonicall Bishops I will endeauour to satisfie you Meane while remember I beseech you that both Law and reason and Religion should induce you in doubtfull things to follow the most fauourable sentence and not rashly out of light surmises to pronounce against a publike and solemne ordination against the Orders conferred successiuely from it against a whole Church Wherein I cannot but commend Doctor Carriers modestie
whose words are these I will not determine against the succession of the Clergie in England because it is to mee very doubtfull And the discretion of Cudsemius the Iesuire which denies the English Nation to be Heretickes because they remaine in a perpetuall succession of Bishops And to take away all doubt from you that some of these Ordayners were onely Bishops elect and vnconsecrated besides Miles Couerdale in King Edwards time Bishop of Exceter cast in prison by Queene Mary and released and sent ouer Sea to the King of Denmarke know that William Barlow was another in King Edwards dayes Bishop of Bath and Welles in Queene Maries beyond the Seas in the companie of the Duchesse of Suffolke and Master Bâ—rtie her husband at the time of Doctor Parkers ordination Elect of Chichester A third was Iohn Scorie in King Edwards time Bishop of Chichester and at the time of the said ordination Elect of Hereford A fourth was Iohn Hodgeskin Suffragan of Bedford And these foure if they were all ordained according to the forme ratified in King Edwards dayes were presented by two Bishops at least to the Archbishop and of him and them receiued imposition of hands as in the said forme is appointed One scruple yet remaines which you haue in that these men did consecrate Doctor Parker by vertue of a Breue from the Queene as head of the Church who being no true head and a woman you see not how they could make a true consecrationr grounded on her authoritie But to cleare you in this also you must vnderstand the Queenes mandate serued not to giue power to ordaine which those Bishops had before inâ—rinsecally annexed to their office but leaue and warrant to apply that power to the person named in that Mandate A thing vnlesse I haue beene deceiued by reports vsed in other Countries yea in the Kingdomes of his Catholike Maiestie himselfe Sure I am by the Christian Emperours in the primitiue Church as you may see in the Ecclesiasticall histories and namely in the ordination of Nectarius that I spake of before Yea which is more in the consecration of the Bishops of Rome as of Leo VIII whose Decree with the Synode at Rome touching this matter is set downe by Gratian Dist. 63. c. 23. taken from the example of Hadriaâ— and another Councell which gaue to Charles the Great Ius potestatem eligendi Pontificem ordinandi Apostolicam sedom as you may see in the Chapter next before See the same Dist. c. 16. 17. 18. and you shall finde that when one was chosen Bishop of Reate within the Popes owne Prouince by the Clergie and people and sent to him by Guido the Count to be consecrated the Pope durst not doe it till the Emperours licence were obtained Yea that hee writes to the Emperour for Colonus that receiuing his licence hee might consecrate him either there or in the Church of Tusculum which accordingly vpon the Emperors bidding he performed Yet another exception you take to the making our Ministers that wee keepe not the right intention First because we neither giue nor take Orders as a Sacrament By that reason we should haue no true marriages amongst vs neither because we count not Matrimonie a Sacrament This Controuersie depends vpon the definition of a Sacrament which if it be put to be a signe of a holy thing these be both so and a many more then seuen If a seale of the New Testament so are there but those two which we properly call Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper In which last as to the intention of sacrificing surely if yee allow the doctrine of the Master of the Sentences that it is called a Sacrifice and Oblation which is offered and consecrated by the Priest because it is a memorie and representation of the true Sacrifice and holy immolation made on the Altar of the Crosse. And that Christ once dyed on the Crosse and there was offered vp in himselfe but is daily offered vp in a Sacrament because in the Sacrament there is a remembrance of that which waâ— once done which he there confirmes by the authorities of the Fathers cited by Gratian in the Canon Law If this Doctrine I say may yet passe for good and this bee the Churches intention wee want not this intention of sacrificing Adde to this the confession of Melchior Canus who saith the Lutherans doe not wholly denie the sacrifice but grant a Sacrifice of thanks giuing which they call the Eucharist they will haue none for sinne which they call propitiatorie If he had put hereto vnlesse it bee in a mysterie hee had rightly expressed the opinion of the Protestants Thirdly yee object wee want the matter and forme with which orders should be giuen namely for the matter in Priesthood the deliuerie of the Patena with bread and the Chalice with wine in Deaconship the deliuerie of the booke of the Gospell c. By which reason the seuen first Deacons had no true ordination for then there was no Gospell written to be deliuered them Nor those Priests whom the Pope shall make by his sole word saying Esto Sacerdos Whom notwithstanding sundrie famous Canonists hold to bee well and lawfully ordained and Innocentius himselfe saith that if these formes of Ordination were not found out any other Ordainer might in like manner make Priests with those words or the like for as much as these formes were in processe of time appointed by the Church And if wee list to seeke for these Metaphysicall notions of matter and forme in Ordination which at the most can bee but by Analogie how much better might wee assigne the persons deputed to sacred functions to be the matter as those that contract are by your selues made the matter in matrimonie and the imposing of hands with the expressing the authoritie and office giuen to bee the forme In Dionysius though falsly called the Areopagite yet an ancient Author yee shall finde nothing else nor which I may tell you by the way any other orders saue Bishops Priests and Deacons And to come to that wherein you say wee faile most of all the substantiall forme of Priesthood tell mee ingenuously good Master Wadesworth how doe you know that our Lord Iesus Christ made his Apostles or they others Priests with this forme which hath no mention or footstep in the Gospell or otherwhere in holy Scripture Nor so much as in the Councell of Carthage that from whence the manner of giuing other orders is fetched nor in Gratian nor in any other ancient Author that I can finde saue in the Pontificall onely And is the present Pontificall of such authoritie with you as the forme of Priesthood the substantiall forme can subsist in no other wordes then those that bee there expressed To omit the late turkesing whereof consider what Augustinus Patritius writes in his Preface before that which at Pope Innocent VIII his commandement he patched together That
there were scarce two or three bookes found that deliuered the same thing Quot libri tot varietates Ille deficit hic superabundat alius nihil omnino de eâre habet raro ant nunquam conueniunt saepe obscuri implicati librariorum vitio plerung mendosi And in truth in this your essentiall forme of Priesthood the old Pontificals before that which he set forth either had other words at the giuing of the Chalice and Paten as may seeme or wanted both that forme and the matter also together The Master of the Sentences declaring the manner of the Ordination of Priests and the reason why they haue the Chalice with wine and Paten with hosts giuen vnto them saith it is Vt per hoc sciant se accepisse potestatem placabiles Deo hostias offerendi Hugo in like manner Accipiunt Calicem cum vino Patenam cum hostia de mann Episcopi quatenus potestatem se accepisse cognoscant placabiles Deo hostias offerendi Stephanus Eduensis Episcopus in the same wordes Datur eis Calix cum vino Patena cum hostia in quo traditur ijs potestas ad offerendum Deo placabiles hostias So Iohannes Ianuensis in his Summe intituled Catholicon verbo Presbyter If yee ascend to the higher times of Rabanus Alcuinus Isidorus you shall finde that they mention no such matter of deliuering Chalice or Paten or wordes vsed at the deliuerie and no maruell for in the Canons of the fourth Councel of Carthage they found none Dionyâ—ius falsly called Areopagita whom I mentioned before setting downe the manner of ordaining in his time The Priest vpon both his knees before the Altar with the Bishopâ— right hand vpon his head is on this manner sanctified by his Consecrator with holy inuocations Here is all sâ—ue that he saith after he hath described that also which pertaines vnto the Deacon that euery one of them is signed with the crosse when the Bishop blesseth them and proclaimed and saluted by the Consecrator himselfe and euery one of that sacred Order that is present The Greeke Scholâ—ast very lâ—uely shewes the meaning and manner of this proclaiming Her saith The Ordayner pronounceth by name when hee signeth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a man is consecrated from beinâ— Presbyter to be a Bishop in the name of the father c. and s. in the Presbyter and Deacon Clemens Romanus â— F. Turrian and the rest of the Romish â—action deceiue vs 〈…〉 be not deceiued themselues in attributing to him the 〈◊〉 bookes of the Apostolike Constitutions that 〈…〉 name cuts the matter yet more short and without 〈◊〉 crossing or proclaiming appoints the Bishop to lay his 〈◊〉 vpon him in the presence of the Presbyterie and the Deacorâ— vsing a Prayer which you may see at length in him 〈◊〉 the increase of the Church and of the number of them that by word and worke may edifie it for the partie elected vnto â—he â—â—fice of Priesthood that being filled with the operations of healings and word of Doctrine he may instruct Gods people with meeknesse and serue him sincerely with a pure minde and willing heart and performe holy seruices without spot for his people through his Christ to whom c. These last words which are in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carolâ—â— Bouius Bishop of 〈◊〉 interprets sacrificia pro populo tuo immaculata 〈◊〉 Maruell that he added not tam pro 〈◊〉 quam pro defunctis Sure if Saint Paul Rom. 15. 16. had not added the word ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee had sacrificed also This was the â—â—cient and Apostolike manner of ordination if the Author be worthy of credit But that ye may perceiue what tampering there hath beene to bring ordinations to the forme which the present Pontificall prescribes consider with me the words of Amalarius Bishop of Triers in his second Booke de Ecclesiast Officâ—s where in the office of the Subdeacon thus hee writes Miror quâ de re sumptus vsus in Ecclesia c. I maruell whence the vse was taken in our Church that very often the Subdeacon should reade the Lesson at Masse since this is not found committed vnto him by the Ministry giuen him in consecration nor by the Canonicall writings nor by his name And straight after Nam primaro tempore For in ancient time the Deacon read not the Gospell which was not yet written but after it was enacted by our Fathers that the Deacons should reade the Gospell they appointed also that the Subdeacon should reade the Epistle or Lesson It appeares then that in Amalarius time who liued with Charles the great and Lewes his Sonne that ridiculous foâ—me was not in the Pontificall where the Booke of the Epistles is giuen to the Subdeacons and power to reade them in the holy Church of God as well for the quicke as the dead The same Author comming to speake of Deacons telleth of their consecration by praier and imposition of hands confuteth that in the present Pontificall which he saith he found in a little Booke of holy Orders made he knowes not by what Author that the Bishop alone should lay hands on the Deacon At last he addes There is one Ministrie added to the Deacon viz. to reade the Gospell which he saith doth well befit him quia Minister est But of the deliuerie of the Booke of the Gospels with authoritie to reade the Gospell for the quicke and dead not one word In the next Chapter of Presbyters hee expounds their name and saith further hunc morem tenent Episcopi nostri Our Bishoppes haue this fashion they annoint the hands of Presbyters with oyle which ceremonie he declares touching imposition of hands vpon them he remitâ—â—s to that he said before in the Deacon Then he shewes out of Ambrose and Hierome that these are all one Order with Bishops and ought to gouerne the Church in common like Moses with the seuentie Elders as for deliuerie of Chalice and Wine or Paten and Host with power to sacrifice so well for the quicke as the dead he makes no mention Iudge you whether these were thought to be the matter and essentiall forme of Priesthood in his time Yet one Author more wil Iname in this matter not onely because hee is a famous Schooleman and one of Luthers first aduersaries and therefore ought to be of more account with that side but because he professeth the end of his writing to be circa Sacramentum ordinis cautos reddere ne pertinax quisquam aut leuis sit circa modum tradendi aut recipiendi ordines It is Cardinall Caietane in the second Tome of his Opuscula Tit. De modo tradendi seu recipiendi Ordines Reade the whole where these things I obserue for our present purpose 1. If all be gathered together which the Pontificals or which reason or authoritie hath deliuered the nature of all the rest of the orders except Priesthood onely will appeare very vncertaine 2. The
lesser Orders and Subdeaconship according to the Master of the Sentences were instituted by the Church 3. The Deacons instituted by the Apostles Act. 6. were not Deacons of the Altar but of the Tables Widdowes 4. In Deaconship there seemes to be no certain forme for according to the old Pontificals the laying of hands vpon the Deacon hath no certaine forme of words but that prayer Emitte qâ—aesumus in eos S. Sauctum which according to the new Pontificals is to be said after the imposition of hands For the giuing of the Booke of the Gospels hath indeede a forme of words but that impresseth not the Character for before any Gospell was written the Apostles ordained Deacons by imposition of hands 5. In the Subdeaconship also there is no Pontificall which hath not the matter without forme viz. the deliuery of the emptie Chalice c. These things with more which hee there sets downe he would haue to serue to the instruction of the learned touching the vncertaintie of this whole matter to â—each men to be wise to sobrietie that is euery man to be content with the accustomed Pontificall of the Church wherein he is ordained And if ought be omitted of those things which be added out of the new Pontificals as for example that the Booke of the Epistles was not giuen with those words Take authoritie to reade the Epistles as well for the quicke as the dead there is no neede of supplying this omission by a new ordination for such new additions make no new law Learne then of your owne Caietane that the new additions of deliuery of the Chalice with wine and Paten with Hosts and authoritie to offer sacrifice for the quick and dead make no new Law Learn to be content with the Pontificall of the Church wherein you were ordained Wherein first is verbatim all that which your Pontificals had well taken out of the holy words of our Sauiour Accipe Spiritum Sanctum quorum remisseris peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueris retenta sunt Which me thinkes you should rather account to containe the essentiall forme of Priesthood then the former both because they are Christs owne words and ioyned with that ceremonie of laying on hands which anciently denominated this whole action and do expresse the worthiest and principallest part of your Commission which the Apostle cals the Ministry of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 18. 19. Then because this office is not onely deputed to consecrate the Lords body but also to preach baptize which in your Pontificall is wholly omitted in a larger and more conuenient forme is added out of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 4. 1. and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy Sacraments In the name of the Father c. As to that you adde that we offer no sacrifice for the quicke and dead and therefore well may be called Ministers as all lay men are but are no Priests I haue met with sundry that pull this roape as strongly the other way and affirme that because by the very forme of your ordination you are appointed Sacrificers for the quicke and dead well may ye be Masse-Priests as ye are called but Ministers of the New Testament after S. Pauls phrase ye are none For that office stands principally in preaching the word whereof in your ordination there is no word said And as little there is in Scripâ—ure of your sacrifice which makes Christ not to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech c. with much more to this purpose Where my defence for your Ministrie hath beene this that the forme Receiue the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted c. doth sufficiently comprehend the authoritie of preaching the Gospell Vse you the same equitie toward vs and tell those hot spirits among you that stand so much vpon formalities of words that to be a dispenser of the word of God and his holy Sacraments is all the dutie of Priesthood And to you I adde further that if you consider well the words of the Master of the Sentences which I vouched before how that which is consecrated of the Priest is called a Sacrifice and oblation because it is a memoriall and representation of the true sacrifice and holy offering made on the altar of the Crosse and ioyne there to that of the Apostle that by that one offering Christ hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified and as he saith in another place through that bloud of his Crosse reconciled vnto God all things whether in earth or in heauen you shall perceiue that we do offer sacrifice for the quick and dead remembring representing mystically offering that sole Sacrifice for the quicke and dead by the which all their fins are meritoriously expiated and desiring that by the same wee and all the Church may obtaine remission of sinnes and all other benefits of Christs passion To the Epilogue therefore of this your last motiue I say in short Sith we haue no neede of Subdeaconship more then the Churches in the Apostles times in truth those whom wee call Clerkes and Sextens performe what is necessarie in this behalfe Sith we haue Canonicall Bishops and lawfull succession Sith we neither want due intention to depute men to Ecclesiasticall functions nor matter or forme in giuing Priesthood deriuing from no man or woman the authoritie of ordination but from Christ the head of he Church yee haue alleadged no sufficient cause why we should not haue true Pastors and consequently a true Church in England CHAP. XII Of the Conclusion Master Waddesworths agonies and protestation c. YEt by these you say and many other arguments you were resolued in your vnderstanding to the contrary It may well be that your vnderstanding out of it owne heedlesse haste as that of our first Parents while it was at the perfectest was induced into errour by resoluing too soone out of seeming arguments and granting too forward assent For surely these which you haue mentioned could not conuince it if it would haue taken the paines to examine them throughly or had the patience to giue vnpartiall hearing to the motiues on the other side Buâ— as if you triumphed in your owne conquest and captiuitie you adde that which passeth yet all that hitherto you haue set downe viz. That the Church of Rome was and is the onely true Church because it alone is Ancient Catholike and Apostolike hauing succession vnitie and visibilitie in all ages and places Is it onely ancient To omit Hierusalem are not that of Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians and Alexandria Ephesus Corinth and the rest mentioned in the Scriptures ancient also and of Antioch ancienter then Rome Is it Catholike and Apostolike onely Doe not these and manie more hold the Catholike faith receiued from the Apostles as well as the Church of Rome For that it should be the Vniuersall Church is all one as yee would say the part is the