they would not forethinke that possible this good old man would not drinke so freely as to bee drunken and if hee were yet would not be in the humour to doe as they would haue him for who can make any foundation vpon what another would doe in his cups What a scorne would this bee to them Men are not alwaies so prouident in their actions True but such men are not to bee imagined so soâ—tish as to attempt so solemne an action and ioyned commonly with some great feast and as you obserued well out of the Acts with the Queens mandate for the action to be done and hang all vpon a drunken fit of an old man Besides how comes it to passe that wee could neuer vnderstand the names of the old Bishop or of those whom hee should haue consecrated or which consecrated themselues when hee refused to doe it For so doe your men giue it out howsoeuer you say it was not there effected And in all the space of Queene Elizabeths reigne wherein so many set themselues against the reformation by her established is it possible wee should neuer haue heard word of it of all the English on that side the Seas if it had beene any other then a flying tale After fortie fiue yeeres there is found at last an Irish Iesuite that dares put it in print to proue by it as now you doe that the Parliamentary Pastors lacke holy orders But he relates sundry particulars and brings his proofes For the purpose this ordainer or consecrater hee saith was Laudasensis Episcopus home senex simplex His name Nay that yee must pardon him But of what Citie or Diocesse was hee Bishop for wee haue none of that title Here I thought once that by errour it had beene put for Landaffensis of Landaffe in Wales saue that three times in that Narration it is written Laâ—dasensis which notwithstanding I continued to bee of the same minde because I found Bishop Boners name twice alike false written Bomerus But loe in the Margent a direction to the Booke De Schismate fol. 166. where hee saith this matter is touched and it is directly affirmed that they performed the Office of Bishops without any Episcopall consecration Againe that great labour was vsed without an Irish Arch-bishop in prison at London to ordaine them but hee could by no meanes be brought thereto So it seemes we must passe out of Wales into Ireland to finde the See of this Bishop or Archbishop But I beleeue we may saile from thence to Virginia to seeke him for in Ireland we shal not find him Let vs come to those that he should haue ordained what were there names Candidati if that wil content you more yee get not Why they might haue been remembred as well as the Nags-head as well as Boners name and his See and that hee was Deanâ— of the Bishops hee meanes of the Archbishopricke sede vacante and that he sent his Chaplaine his name also is vnknowne to forbid the Ordination At least their Sees To cut the matter short Quid plura Scoraeus Monachus post Herefordensis pseudo-episcopus coeteris ex coeteris quidam Scor aeo manus imponunt fiuntque sine patre filiâ— pater à filiâ—s procreatur res seculis omnibus inauditae Here is at length some certaintie some truth mingled among to giue the better grace and to be as it were the Vehiculum of a lie For Iohn Scory in King Edward his times Bishop of Chichester and after of Hereford was one of those that ordained Doctor Parker and preached at his ordination But that was the ordination effected as you call it wee are now in that which was not effected but attempted onely And here wee seeke againe who were these quidams that laid hands on Sâ—ory Wee may goe looke them with Laâ—dasensis the Archbishop of Ireland Well heare the proofes Master Thomas Neale Hebrew Reader of Oxford which was present told thus much to the ancient Confessors they to F. Hâ—lywood This proofe by Tradition as you know is of little credit with Protestants and no maruell for experience shewes that reports suffer strange alterations in the carriage euen when the reporters are not interessed Iremeus relates from the ancient Confessors which had seene Iohn the Disciple and the other Apostles of the Lord and heard it from them that Christ our Sauiour was betweene fortie and fiftie yeeres of age before his passion I doe not thinke you are sure it was so For my part I had rather beleeue Irenaeus and those ancients hee mentions and the Apostles then F. Haliwood and his Confessors and Master Neale But possible it is M. Neale said hee was present at Matthew Parkers ordination by Iohn Scory These Confessors being before impressed as you are with the buzze of the ordination at the Nags-head made vp that tale and put it vpon him for their Author Perhaps Master Neale did esteeme Iohn Scory tâ— bee no Bishop and so was scandalized though causelesly at that action Perhaps Master Neale neuer said any such word at all To helpe to make good this matter hee saith It was after inacted in Parliament that these Parliamentary Bishops should be holden for lawfull I looked for some thing of the Nags-head Bishops and the Legend of their ordination But the lawfulnesse that the Parliament prouides for is according to the authoritie the Parliament hath â—iuill that is according to the Lawes of the Land The Parliament neuer intended to iustifie any thing as lawfull iure diuino which was not so as by the Preamble it selfe of the Statute may appeare In which it is said That diuers questions had growne vpon the making and consecrating of Arch-bishops and Bishops within this Realme whether the same were and bee duely and orderly done according to the Law or not c. And shortly to cut off F. Halywoods surmises the case was this as may bee gathered by the bodie of the Statute Whereas in the fiue and twentieth of Henry the Eight an Act was made for the electing and consecrating of Arch-bishops and Bishops within this Realme And another in the third of Edward the Sixth for the ordering and consecrating of them and all other Ecclesiasticall Ministers according to such forme as by sixe Prelates and sixe other learned men in Gods Law to bee appointed by the King should bee deuised and set forth vnder the great Seale of England Which forme in the fifth of the same Kings reigne was annexed to the Booke of Common Prayer then explained and perfected and both confirmed by the authoritie of Parliament All these Acts were 1. Mariae 1. 2. Philippi Mariae repealed together with another Statute of 35. Henr. 8. touching the stile of supreame Head to bee vsed in all Letters Patents and Commissions c. These Acts of repeale in the 1. Elizabeth were againe repealed and the Act of 25. Hen. 8. reuiued specially That of 3. Edwar. 6. onely concerning the Booke of
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
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
rancour against the Dominicans for it is his very phrase But Master Harding both in this and many things else discouereth his passion and lack of true information in this affaire When with one breath he affirmeth that first it was a Pardon of a Croisade against the Turkes which was preached whereas it was an Indulgence to those that should put their helping hands for the building of Saint Peters Church at Rome as the Articles of this Pardon printed in English one of the Copies whereof I haue my selfe doe shew Secondly next hee saith the preaching hereof was granted to Friar Iohn Tetzet It was Friar Iohn Thecel or Tecel Thirdly hee saith the Elector of Mentz Albert granted this to Tâ—ecel and the Dominicans whereby Luther was bereft of the gaine hee exspected The truth is it was Aremboldus a Bishop liuing at the Court of Rome whom hauing before been a Merchant of Genoa Magdalen the Popes sister put in trust with this merchandize that appointed the Dominicans to bee the retaylers of these Pardons The Archbishop of Mentz had nothing to doe with it otherwise then to allow and suffer it which occasioned Luther to write to him as to the Bishop of Brandenburgh and to Leo himselfe to represse the impudence of the Pardoners And Luther saith further in one place that the Archbishop vndertooke to giue countenance to this businesse with that condition that the halfe of the prey should goe to the Pope and himselfe might haue the other halfe to pay for his Pall. By these errors heaâ—ed together it may appeare what credit it is like Master Hardings tale be wortâ—y of touching the remnant that of rancour and malice against the Dominicans and because hee was bereaued of that sweet morsell which in hope hee had almost swallowed downe Luther made this stâ—rre A hard thing mee thinks it is for any that liued at that day to set downe what was in Luthers heart what were his hopes his desires rancour and spleene much more for Master Harding most of all for you and mee When the actions of men haue an appearance of good Charitie would hope the best Pietie would reserue the iudgement of the intention to God Let vs come to Caluin touching whom I maruell not much that you say nothing of all that which Bolseck brings against him who being by his meanes chased out of Geneua discouereth as I remember in the verie enetance that hee was requested by some of his good Masters to write against him I once saw the book while I liued in Cambridge it hath no shew of probabilitie that Caluin would goe about to worke a miracle to confirme his doctrine who teacheth that miracles are no sure and sufficient proofe of doctrine I maruell rather that euen in reading Doctor Bancroft Master Hooker and Sarauia all opposites to Calâ—in in the question of Church Discipline and therefore not all the fittest to testifie of him or his actions all late Writers and strangers to the Estate and affaires of Geneua of whom therefore besides their bare word sufficient proofe were to bee required of what they say you not onely receiue whatsoeuer they bring but more then they bring You say they proue what neuer came in their mindes and what is not onely vtterly vntrue but euen vnpossible As that Caluin by his vnquietnes and ambition reuolued the State of Geneua so vniâ—stly expelling and depriuing the Bishop of Geneua and other Temporall Lords of their due obedience and ancient inheritance When as the Bishop and Clergie of Geneua vpon the throwing downe Images there by popular tumult departed in an anger seuen yeeres ere euer Caluin seâ— foot within the gates of that Citie A thing not onely cleere in storie by the Writers of that time and since Sleidan Bodine Caluins Epistles and life but set down by those whom yee cite Master Hooker in his Preface speaking of Caluin Hee fell at length vpon Geneua which Citie the Bishop and Clergie thereof had a little before as some doe affirme forsaken being of likelyhood frighted with the peoples sudden attempt for the abolishment of Popish Religion And a little after At the comming of Caluin thither the forme of their Regiment was popular as it continueth at this day c. Doctor Bancroft The same yeere that Geneua was assaulted viz. by the Duke of Sauoy and the Bishop as he had said before Page 13. which was Anno 1536. Master Caluin came thither If Caluin at his comming found the forme of the gouernment popular If hee came thither the same yeere that the Bishop made war vpon Geneua to recouer his authoritie being indeede either affrighted or hauing forsaken the Towne before how could Caluin expel him And in truth Bodine in his second Booke De Rep. Chapter sixt affirmeth That the same yeere Genoa was established in a State Aristocraticall which was hee saith Anno 1528. Geneua was changed from a Monarchy Pontificall into an Estate Popular gouerned Aristocratically although that long before the Towne pretended to bee free against the Earle and against the Bishop c. What Sarauia hath written touching this point I cannot tell as not hauing his Booke But in Beza his answere to him there is no touch vpon any such thing He ioynes with his complaint of the sacrilegious vsurping Ecclesiasticall goods in answere to his Proême He dissents in that Sarauia accounts the Seniors of the reformed Churches like to that kinde which Saint Ambrose speakes of brought in out of wisdome onely to rule the disorderly Beza saith they were not introducti but reducti Cap. 12. For the rest in all that answere there is nothing of Caluin or any such reuoluing of the state as you accuse him of Which makes mee thinke that herein your memorie deceiued you It may be that in your younger time falling vpon these Authors by occasion of the question of Discipline which was then much tossed ere euer your iudgement were ripened you formed in your minde a false impression of that which they say of Caluin You conceited them out of your zeale in the cause to say more then they do thus possible vnawares receiued the seeds of dislike of the doctrine of Caluin as well as his discipline which haue since taken root in you But you shall doe well to remember the difference you put a little before of these two Christian doctrine is vniforme and euer the same gouernment is changeable in many circumstances according to the exigence of times and persons And euen the same men that write somewhat eagerly against Master Caluin yet giue him the praâ—se of wisdome to see what for that time and state was necessarie Master Hooker saith of him That he thinkes him incomparably the wisest man that euer the French Church did enioy since the houre it enioyed him and of his platforme of discipline after hee hath laid downe the summe of it This deuice I see not how the wisest at that time liuing could haue bettered if wee duely consider what
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