that which the Britans had before must needs be one and the same in all materiall and substantiall points Wherefore wee cannot excuse the Britans for refusing to ioyne with him in the conuersion of the Saxons The like haue Stowe Howes Hollinshed and other protestants Stowe and Howes histor in K. Ethelbert Holinsh. hist. of Engl. l. 5. cap. 15. pag. 96. pag. 97. an 581. shewinge directly that the Christian Britans at the coming of S. Augustine and his companions were farr inferiour vnto them both in holines of life and puritie of doctrine Which is testified with great lamētation by S. Gildas a Britane S. Bede writer of the brittish history Gildas l. de excid conquest Brit. Bed histor Eccl. l. 1. Galfrid Monument hist. Reg. Brit. l. 10. 11. 7. And if wee discend vnto the particular differences which then were betweene S. Augustine and the Britans there is not any one to bee found in any antiquitie that concerned the questions I haue in hand but in them there was an vniforme consent by all writers onely I finde that they differed in some ceremonies about the consecration of Bishops but in no materiall thinge S. Asaph in vit S. Kentegerni M. S. in vit eius Capgrau in Catal. in Kenteg and our protestants differ from them both therein For the Britans did then consecrate Bishops with anointing their heads with holy Chrisme Inuocation of the holy Ghost Benediction and Imposition of handes Mos in Britannia inoleuerat in consecratione Pontificum tantummodo capita eorum sacri Chrismatis infusione perungere cum inuocatione Sancti Spiritus Benedictione manus Impositione And the Romans besides these necessarie things in that consecration kept and obserued the decrees of the holy Canons in this busines Which the Britans did not omit for any dislike they had of those sacred ceremonies but by distance of place and infested with Pagans inuasions were ignorant of the canons as our Authors say Insulam enim quasi extra orbem positi emergentibus Paganorum infestationibus canonum erant ignari· M. S. de vita S. Kenteger· antiq Capgrau supr in eod and yet our protestants both knowinge the canonicall institutions and what both the Romans and Britans with all the Christian worlde at that time thought to bee essentiall and necessary in this holy Sacrament neither follow the one or other and so by al iudgement haue depriued them selues of lawfull and true Bishops and consequentlie of all true cleargie men which cannot be without true and lawful Bishops such as they want to consecrate them 8. The other differences betwene S. Augustine and the Britans may appeare out of the words of S. Augustine vnto them related by S. Bede and others and thus sett downe by our protestant historians Augustines oration breifly was thus Bed histor Eccles l. 2. cap. 2. Stowe and Howes histor in Kentish Saxons K. Ethelbert although deare bretheren in many other points yee doe contrary to our custome or rather contrary to the custome of the vniuersall church of Christ yet notwithstandinge if yee will in these three things consent vnto mee that is to celebrate the easter in due time to accomplish the ministerie of Baptisme accordinge to the Roman and Apostolick church and last of all to preach with vs to this English nation the vvord of our Lord all your other ceremonies rites and customes though they bee contrary to ours yet vvee vvill vvillinglie suffer and bee content to beare vvith them But they ansvvered they vvoulde doe none of these thinges requested Where wee see that S. Augustine and the Britans did differ principally in these three things and by our protestants themselues S. Augustine held the truth in them and the Britans were in error And so likewise in all other ceremonies rites and customes then cōtrouersed for S. Augustine iustifieth that the Britans in them all were contrary to the custome of the vniuersall church of Christ. In multis quidem nostrae consuetudini immo vniuersalis Ecclesiae contraria geritis And their learned contriman Gyraldus Cambrensis diuers hundreds of yeares since beeing as a protestant Bishop stileth him vetustae cognitionis verè helluo an vnsatiable seeker forth of antiquities with protestants allowance thus setteth downe the ceremonies of the Britans wherein they differed from all other churches in this order Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. in Gyrald Cambren cent 2. Gyrald Cambren descript Cambr. cap. 18. Dauid Powell ib. 9. De quolibet pane apposito primum fractionis angulum pauperibus donant Of euerie loafe of breade sett before them they giue the first corner they breake to the poore They sitt three and three together at dinner in memorie of the Trinitie They cast away theire armour and bare headed aske the benediction of euery Monke or preist or any wearinge the habit of Religion The people doth greatly and more then other nations desire confirmation by a Bishop and Inunction of Chrisme by which the grace of the holy Ghost is giuen They giue tythes of all things they possesse cattell sheepe sometimes whē either they marry wiues or go on pilgrimage or correct their life by the counsaile of the church Aboue all forreine labour moste willingly going on pilgrimage to Rome they more readily vvith deuout mindes adore the Tombes of the Apostles Wee see they yeeld deuout reuerence to churches and ecclesiastical men and relicks of Saints and portable bells vvouen books and the crosse giue farr more honor to all these then any other nation The immunities of theire churches farr exceedeth the Indulgence of the canons You shall not see any vvhere the Eremites and Anachorites of greater abstinence or more spirituall And speakinge of the Britans in the time of S. Germanus and Lupus when they were troubled with Pelagianisme and first irruptions of the Pagan Saxōs these Authors say These customes and ceremonies of the Britans continued from them to the time of Gyraldus Cambrensis that died in the yeare of Christ 1190. ab eorundem doctrina haec vt fertur vsqe in hodiernum documenta tenuerunt 10. Thus wee haue learned all the differences that were betweene S. Augustine and the Britans and finde that S. Augustine was the innocent partie in them all For amonge all these laste recited where any thinge is remembred as singular and differing from other churches it is the case of the Britans and the Romans agreed with the common and receued customes of the church of Christ And concerninge those doctrines and customes which our protestants doe moste dislike in S. Gregory and S. Augustine with his associates and the now present Roman church which are pilgrimages and especially to Rome with the honor of that holy Apostolicke see reuerence of holy relicks Indulgences honor to sacrificinge massinge preists and Religious men and more Sacraments then protestants admit as namely the Sacrament of confirmation giuinge of the grace of the holy Ghost by anointinge with sacred Chrisme reuerencing of the crosse and holie images
this bread did signifie the sacrifice of the Messias and that in his time in this sacrifice bread should be miraculously chaunged into his body Stancarus the great Sacramentary linguist citeth and approueth Rabbi Iudas liuing as hee saith many yeares before Christ to write in these wordes Erit hic panis duaerum facierum de quo scriptum est Exodi 25. capite Lehem Phanim Aephanai tamid panis facierum coram me semper Quare autem dicatur panis facierum ratio est quia ait R. Iudas transmutabitur ex substantia panis cum sacrificabitur in substantiam corporis Messiae qui descendet de caelis Et ipse idem erit sacrificium Eritque inuisibilis atque impalpabilis cuius rei fidem facit sedes Eliae Et Magistri aiunt eam ob rem dictum esse panem facierum quia in ipso sacrificio erunt duae substantiae diuinitas humanitas This bread shall bee of two faces of which it is written in the 25. chapter of Exodus Bread of faces before mee continually And why it is called bread of faces the reason is as Rabbi Iudas saith because it shall bee chaunged when it is sacrificed out of the substance of bread into the substance of the body of the Messias which shal come from heauen and hee himselfe shall bee the sacrifice and shal bee inuisibly and vnpalpable To which the state of Elias giueth credit and the Masters say that for that cause it is called bread of faces because in that sacrifice there shal bee two substances diuinitie and humanitie 3. Neither doe the auncient Fathers of the Law of Christ expound it otherwise but not finding how the things there spoken can bee rightly applied to the figuratiue sacrifices of the Lawe of Moises doe glosse it as the old Rabbins did expounding it of the holy sacrifice of Masse in the Law of Christ among whome Theodoret that auncient learned greeke Father Quaest in Exod. quaest 60. expoundinge that scipture and not finding how it could bee ment or intended for the things of that Law of Moses saith in respect of that perspicuum est ista fuisse super â—…ua Deoque minime grata Nos autem sacrificium interiora penetrans celebramus offerentes Deo incensum cum lumine lucernarum mystica sacrae mensae consecratione It is euideÌ„t that these thinges were superfluous and not acceptable to God But wee Christians doe celebrate the sacrifice that penetrateth the internall thinges offering vnto God incense with light of candels and the mysticall consecration of the holy table Which in other places In Philotheo c. 20. Dialog 2. ad cap. 6. epistol ad Hebr. Hee calleth mysticum diuinum salutare sacrificium corpus sanguinem Christi The mysticall diuine and sauing sacrifice the body and blood of Christ Which he commannded the preists of the new lawe to offer when hee said to his Apostles doe this in my commemoration 4. Neither can this place of scripture if wee will bee directed by protestants carry any other so proper interpretation for first by their rule of the originall Hebrue tongue in this place to bee followed it is as I haue shewed before Lehem Phanim bread of faces Aquila readeth as the Hebrue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The common Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread before God as Sebastian Castalio panis appositiuus bread set before God and our protestants seeme to meane no other when they translate it shew bread for by their owne translation God thus commaundeth Thou shalt set vppon the table shew bread before mec alway Exod. 25. v. 30. The table on which this bread was thus to bee placed was of Shittim incorruptible wood the table to bee couered with pure gold with a crowne of gold rounde about it And foure rings of gold and staues of Shittim incorruptible wood couered with gold to beare it by All the vessels belonginge to this holy table were of pure gold and seuen golden lamps of gold besides caÌ„dlesticks of gold to burne before this holy sacrifice and a table continually and all this in the most holy place the propitiatory where God spake vnto that people which beeing so strictly commaunded by God of this and noe other sacrifice argueth that which was figured herin should bee the most honorable and continuinge sacrifice not to end with the propitiatory and Gods appearing there but to continue in the holy Religion of the Messias therin prefigured Which must needes bee of that excellency there described with so great glory to bee euer in the sight of God 5. What superstition and idolatrie by Protestant ReligioÌ„ allowing no such Reuerence but to Christ himselfe was this except some great supernatural mistery and worthie that reuerence had beene figured therin and nothing there is by their Religion that can haue so much but the blessed body of Christ Therefore they must needes graunt this moste holy continuall and most pleasing sacrifice to God to bee there prefigured And if wee follow their rule of concordance of places they paralell with this the 24. chapter of Leuiticus where this sacrifice is made of pure flower baked into cakes set vppon the pure table before the Lord it is a memoriall an offeringe made to the Lord an euerlasting couenant to be eaten in the holy place most holy of all offerings by a perpetuall statute Thus our protestants Which as it cannot bee verified of any sacrifice of Moises Lawe vnperfect figuratiue and ended by Christ so longe since neuer to bee reuiued againe neuer holy in themselues and protestants pretend no such sacrifice for them beeing in all thinges most euidently consonant and agreeinge with that which Catholickes maintaine and proue of the most blessed sacrifice of Christs most sacred body and blood offered vpon an euer duringe altar and most acceptable in the sight of God it must needes be vnderstood of this and nothing els 6. Also in the same Booke of Exodus written by Moses the sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe a figure of this most holy sacrifice was instituted for although this may be said to forshew the death of Christ yet it cannot bee denied denied but it also properly represented this our holy commemoratiue sacrifice and that this Paschal lambe was also a sacrifice for so the scriptures witnesse Exod. c. 12. v. 6. Ve shahatu otho and they shal sacrifice him Thus the Hebrue so the Greeke so the Latine immolabitque eum and our protestants translatinge shall kill it make it a new text the scripture beeing otherwise and so they themselues translate in the same chapter Exod. c. 12. v. 27. It is the sacrifice of the Lords passouer as the Hebrue Sebac Greek Cobia Latine victima is And in the booke of members c. 9. v. 13. Our protestants translate it offerringe equiualent with sacrifice so it is in the new testament in diuers places Marc. cap. 14. Luc. c. 22. v 7. And that it more properly signifieth Christes holy oblation in
immolabantur in vmbra futuri For that sacrifice saith hee hath succeeded all those sacrifices of the old testament which were offered in shadow of that was to come 2. And Rabbi Samuel in his booke of the cominge of the Messias which he sent to Rabbi Isaac Master of the Sinagogue writeth thus vppon that place and of this holy sacrifice Rabbi Samuel l. de aduentu Messiae cap. 20. hoc sacrificium pulcherrime apte describit Salomon Propheta Salomon the Prophet doth moste excellently and aptly describe this sacrifice of Christians in the 9. chapter of his booke of Prouerbs when hee saith most high wisedome hath communicated his sacrifice mingled his wine and prepared his table then hee sente his seruants sayinge who is a little one lett him come to me and the vnwise shall eate my bread and drinke my wine tempered with water ô my Master what is this prepared table of the most high wisedome but the altare ô my Master what is the breade wine mingled but the sacrifice of bread and wine and of water which is offered on the altare who are the vnwise called by the seruants of wisedome but the gentiles or nations which knew not God called by the Apostles and it is to be noted he saith his bread and his wine for by that hee doth insinuate that this sacrifice is acceptable to God and that to this banquet so high and so spirituall hee did not call our Fathers which were wise in the lawe who were occupied in the sacrifice of the lawe which carnall sacrifice hee hath not left vnto vs. Whereuppon it cometh that wee the Iewes detest in the gentiles the sacrifice of bread wine which God hath appointed and in no respect reiecteth as he doth reiect sacrifices of flesh 3. And Hieronymus à S. fide l. 1. contra Iudaeos cap. 1. by whose booke diuers thousandes of Iewes hee beeing also a Iewe were conuerted proueth against them that a principall reason why they did not receaue Christ was because he taught a new law preisthood and sacrifice which cannot consist together with the lawe preisthood and sacrifices of Moyses If we resort to the originall text of Hebrue as our protestants would seeme best to allowe wee haue a greater allowance there for these mysteries for wheras S. Cyprian with the vulgare latine readeth wisedome builded to herselfe an house sapientia aedificauit sibi domum the Hebrue is Banetha Beithah builded his house Christ the wisedome of his father builded his house his church as it is commonly expounded And where S. Cyprian readeth mactauit suas hostias killed his sacrifices in the plurall number as the latine vulgare immolauit victimas suas sacrificed his victims the Hebrue in the singular number to designe one singular sacrifice is Tabechah Tibchah offered vp his sacrifice and therefore our English Protestants in their late priuiledged translation readinge quite otherwise shee hath killed her beastes haue prophaned that holy text in this point soe the Hebrue readeth of Christ in this place his table his bread his wine which hee mingled And this is so euident and manifest that Sebastian Castalio the protestant linguist translated victimam suam immolauit vinum libauit hee offered his sacrifice hee sacrificed his wine Castal in hunc loc Prou. 9. So that the sacrifice here mentioned must needs be that which Christs eternal wisedome offered therfore the altar wheron it is offered is called his table when it is called bread or food or flesh the Hebrue Lehem signifying them all or wine it is not absolutely so called but his bread or his food or his flesh and his wine which hee mingled or sacrificed as this protestant before hath taught vs. Therefore we must needes conclude from hence that the preisthood of Christians is a true sacrificinge preisthood and neither protestant or other finding other sacrifice then holy Masse it must needes bee this Wherin the same mysteries are proued by the same maner out of the Prophet Esay and others THE VI. CHAPTER OVr Protestants of England in the Titles of the 56.60 and 61. chapters of Esay the Prophet interpret them of Christ and his holy Religion so doe many scriptures all readers may see cited and alleaged in the Margins there by them and yet in these places the holy Prophet doth testify that there shall bee a sacrificing preisthood an externall sacrifice and altar whereupon it shal bee offered in this lawe of Christ In the first place which Christ him selfe expoundeth of himselfe and his law the Prophet speaking of the conuersion of the gentiles to Christ writeth thus by protestants translation Euen them will I bringe to my holy mountaine his church and make them ioyfull in my house of prayer their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall bee acceptable vppon my altar for my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people The Hebrue Greeke and Latine readings doe all manifestly expresse sacrifice and altar whereon it was to bee offered and that sacrifice to bee acceptable to God therefore seeing an altar wheron sacrifice is offered a sacrifice theron offered and a preist sacrificinge or offeringe such sacrifice are in all learninge mutuall correllatiues and cannot possibly bee separated these must needes bee found among Christians by this place of the Prophet 2. And in the 60. chapter v. 7. speaking also of the conuersion of the Gentiles there foretelleth howe the preistes which hee should choose in them whome hee vnderstandeth by the Rammes of the flock these beeing cheife of naturall sheepe as preists be in the spiritual fold and sheep of Christ shall offer acceptable sacrifice vpon the altar of God in the church of the Gentiles conuerted The Hebrue Greeke and Latine texts all agree proposing vnto vs a sacrifice offered on the altare in the lawe of the Messias and can haue no other construction except we will returne to Iudaisme for as a learned Father proueth Anastasius Abb. l. contra Iudaeos significat gentes sacrificaturos esse Deo sacrificijs acceptis quare non de sacrificijs legis intelligi potest neque de altari tâ—…rrestris Hierusalem ergo spiritualis The Prophet signifieth that the Gentiles shall sacrifice to God with acceptable sacrifices wherefore hee cannot bee vnderstood of the sacrifices of the lawe nor of the altar of the material Hierusalem being euacuated Is c. 61. v. 5 therfor of the sacrifice altar of the spiritual HierusaleÌ„ the church of Christ as the whole chap. sheweth of the glory of the house of God among the gentâ—…es wanting among protestants And in the next chapter where our protestantes reade straungers shall stand and feede your flocks and the sonnes of the Aliens shall bee your plow-men and your vine dressers The same Father together with S. Cyrill glosseth clarè hic vt annotauit Cyrillus significat futuram esse translationem legis Sacerdotij non enim amplius ex tribu Leui erant futuri Pastores Sacerdotes Quod si alia erit
tu dixisti hoc facite in meam commemorationem 33. And how carefull and diligent an obseruer and practiser of this massing doctrine hee was in act and deed daily in his whole life we may be assured by the worthie writers of his life and death Hilduinus Abbot of S. Denis in Fraunce where hee was buried about 800. yeares since Roswita or Roswida not longe after and others who confidently and from publick testimony write that neither his strict imprisonment in a dungeon could hinder him from performing this holy dutie but there both persuadinge the people present and writinge vnto others absent to confirme them more said Masse in that vnfit place to proue how acceptable it was Christ Iesus with a multitude of Angels appeared vnto them all with such a light from heauen as had beene seene at the very time when they were to communicate comforted his holy Martir Sed nec carcereis praesul praeclarus in antris desinit obsequium Domino persoluere dignum sed docuit plebem studiosè conuenientem ac celebrat sacrae solitò solemnia Missae Est vbi caelestem debebat frangere panem lux noua tristifico subito fulgebat in antro in qua sidereae regnator splendidus aulae scilicet angelica pariter comitante caterua apparens charum consolabatur amicum Trithem l. de scriptorib in Hildonio Roswida Hilduinus Abb. in vita S. Dionisij Areopag cap. 29. Roswita l. de vit S. Dionis Areopag alijs THE X. CHAPTER How all the rest of the Apostles in particular S. Andrew Iames the great Thomas Iames the lesse Philip Bartholomew Symon Thaddaeus and Matthias were sacrificinge Preists and Apostles and vsually offered the sacrifice of Masse NOw let vs come to the rest of the holie Apostles which haue not in scriptures written of these misteries and proue of them all and in order except S. Peter the first whom I haue promised to put in the last place that in their sacred functions they offered the most holy sacrifice of Masse And first to begin with S. Andrew It is a receaued opinion Iodoc. Cocc Tom. 2. l. 7. artic 5. de purgator that this holy Apostle did first deliuer that forme of Masse which was auntiently and from the beginninge vsed in the church of Constantinople and after called the Masse of S. Iohn Chrisostome the great and learned Patriarke of that place because it was enlarged by him and is stil as our protestants acknowledge vsed to this day in the churches of Greece Edwin Sands relation of Religion cap. 53. or 54. And that hee himselfe did vsually and daily offer this moste sacred oblation of Christs body and blood wee haue moste auncient and vndeniable testimonies whether we will professe our selues Catholicks or protestants in Religion for both these agree in this that S. Andrew was martyred by Aegeus Procōsull of Achaia in the citie Patras and they celebrate his day of festiuitie vppon the laste of Nouember And they doe or ought if they make not fictions of theire owne deduce the history of his passion from the auncient penners and relators thereof which bee the preists and deacons of Achaia which were eye witnesses and present at the same S. Cyprian or whosoeuer was the auncient Author of the booke amonge his workes de duplici Martyrio The old Anonimus who wrote the booke of the Apostles liues published by the learned Bishop of Vienna Fredericus Nausea S. Simeon Metaphrastes himself a learned grecian and auncient of those parts S. Iuo S. Bernard Algerus the auncient writer of the liues of Saints the whole latine church in the publicke seruice of the feast of S. Andrew the Apostle the auncient Breuiary of the church of Salisbury in England and others are witnesses that S. Andrew beeinge persuaded and threatned by Aegeus the Proconsull to sacrifice to the Pagan Gods answered publicklie vnto him in these wordes Ego omnipotenti Deo qui vnus verus est immolo quotidie non taurorum carnes nec hircorum sanguinem sed immaculatum Agnum in altari cuius carnem posteaque omnis multitudo credentium manducauerit Agnus qui sacrificatus est integer perseuerat viuus I doe daily sacricrifice to God almightie the onely true God not the flesh of bulls nor blood of goates but the immaculate Lambe vppon the altar whose flesh after all the multitude of beleeuers haue eaten the Lambe that is sacrificed remayneth whole and liuinge Breuiar Missale Rom. Martyrolog Rom. Bed Vsuard vlt. Nou. Protestant comm Booke in calendar Nouem infest vlt. Nouem Cooper v. Andreas Godw. conuers Magdeb cent 1. in Andr. Apostolo Act. S. Andrea per Presb. Diacon Achaiae Ciprian l. de duplic Mart. Anonim in mirac vit Pass Apost in S. Andrea Sim. Metaphr in S. Andr. S. Iuo Carnoten Episc serm de Sacram dedicat ser 4. Algerus contra Berengar S. Bernard apud Francisc Feuarden annotat in Frenaeum l. 4. contra haer cap. 32. pag. 361. Iacob Genuen Epis in vit S. Andrea vlt. Nouem Breu. Ecclesiae Salisbur ibidem 2. Thus it is euident that S. Andrewe the Apostle did offer this holy sacrifice of Masse and euery day and that the sacrifice was Christ himself the true Lambe of God that taketh away sinnes Amonge the holy auncient and renowned witnesses S. Iuo supr ser 4. speakinge of this holy sacrifice of Masse thus wtiteth In memoriam veniunt verba beati Andreae Apostoli quibus asserit in caelis esse corpus Domini de altari posse sumi corpus Domini Cuius inquit carnes cum sint comestae in terris à populo ipse tamen in caelestibus ad dexteram Patris integer perseuerat viuus The wordes of S. Andrew the Apostle doe come to memory in which hee affirmeth that the body of our Lord is in heauen and yet may his body bee receued from the altare Whose flesh saith hee when it is eaten of the people on earth yet he perseuereth whole and aliue in heauen at the right hand of his Father And this giueth full satisfaction for S. Andrew that hee was a sacrificinge and massinge preist 3. The next in order is S. Iames the brother of S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist martired by Kinge Herode as we reade in the 12. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles where our protestants thus reade About that time Herod the Kinge stretched forth his hand to vexe certaine of the church And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword Actor cap. 12. ver 1.2 Which his timely death hath taken from him such ample memory as is deliuered of some other Apostles that liued longer in histories But beeing assured before by all kinde of testimonies that he was one of them to whom our blessed Sauiour gaue power and commaundement to offer the holy sacrifice of his body and blood that he there being consecrated a preist and one of the three Apostles which our Sauiour most loued and hee him
Ruffinus who as before was a patron and practiser of Masse and so teacheth it to haue beene the vniuersall doctrine and practise of the church of God witnesseth that whatsoeuer was corrupted in S. Clements works hee himselfe beeing Apostolicus vir immo pene Apostolus an Apostolick man and almost an Apostle Were such things as the ecclesiasticall rule doth not receaue quae ecclesiastica regula omnino non recipit Ruffin Apolog. supr therefore the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preisthood beeing so authentically allowed by the ecclesiastical rule both then before and after could be none of those things which were corrupted or inserted into S. Clements works 9. And to make this matter more sure wee haue many and renowned Authors of that and following times saying clearely that S. Clement did compose and publish to the world a forme of Masse which continued in succeedinge ages and such without any materiall chaunge or difference as the whole church of Christ now vseth Amonge these is S. Proclus Patriarch of Constantinople successor to S. Chrisostom that great massing prelate who in his book of the sacred Masse de traditione diuinae Liturgiae writeth in this maner Proclus Patriarch Constantinopol tract de traditione diuinae Liturgiae multi diuini Pastores qui Apostolis successerunt ac Ecclesiae Doctores sacrorum diuinae Liturgiae mysteriorum rationem explicantes scriptis mandatam Ecclesiae tradiderunt in quibus primi clarissimi sunt S. Clemens summi illius Apostolorum discipulus successor qui sacrosancta illa mysteria à Sanctis Apostolis sibi reuelata in lucem edidit Many diuine Pastors which succeeded the Apostles and Doctors of the church expoundinge the order of the holy misteries of the diuine Liturgie Masse committed it to writing and deliuered it to the church among whome the principall and most renowned were S. Clement the disciple and successor of that cheifest of the Apostles which did publish to light those holy misteries reuealed vnto him by the Apostles Where wee see that S. Clement did not onely write the order of Masse but is recompted in the first place as one of the cheifest that performed this holie worke 10. The others which he there nameth ar S. Iames the Apostle first Bishop of Hierusalem S. Basile the great and S. Iohn Chrisostome this mans spirituall Father Pater noster Ioannes cui aure a lingua cognomen dedit Who as hee saith did shorten the Apostles Masse takinge some things from it because for the length it did not so well please some men declined from that great zeale of the Apostles and their time for as he writeth in the same place the holy Apostles were exceedingly deuoted to this most holy sacrifice as a thinge most necessary and principall in their function postquam Seruator noster in caelum assumptus est Apostoli priusquam per omnem terram dispergerentur conspirantibus animis cum multam consolationem in mystico illo Dominici corporis sacrificio positam inuenissent fusissmè longa oratione Liturgiam decantabant Haec enim diuina sacra vna cum dicendi ratione coniuncta caeteris rebus anteponenda censebant atque maiori alacriori rerum diuinarum sacrificij sacrosancti studio desiderio flagrabant illud obnixe amplectebantur After our Sauiour was assumpted vnto heauen the Apostles before they were dispersed through all the earth assemblinge together with agreeinge mindes applied themselues to pray all the day and when they had found much consolation placed in that mysticall sacrifice of our Lords body they did singe Liturgie Masse most largely with longe prayer For they did thinke these diuine sacrifices ioyned with preachinge to bee preferred before all other thinges and were incensed with a greater and more chearfull affection and desire of diuine things and the holy sacrifice and did embrace it with all their power Hitherto this auncient Saint and Patriarch 11. Of Ruffinus I haue spoken before onely I add here that he beeing commonlie takē to be the interpreter of many these works of S. Clement where the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preisthood ar so euidently approued and acknowledging S. Clements works had bene in some things corrupted euer taketh these for the true writings and doctrine of S. Clement and far from being corruptions or insertions by others The holy learned and auncient Bishop Nicholaus Methonensis Episc l. de vero Christi corpore in Eucharistia hauinge shewed how S. Iames said Masse at Hierusalem S. Peter and S. Paule at Antioch S. Marke at Alexandria S. Iohn and S Andrew in Asia and Europe concludeth with an eminency for S. Clements Masse Omnesque vniuersae Ecclesiae vbicumque sint per eam quam Sanctus Clemens conscripsit Liturgiā tradiderunt And all the Bishops haue deliuered to the whole church whersoeuer dispersed the Liturgie or Masse accordinge to that order which S. Clement wrote And to put vs out of al doubt hee meaneth this of the holy sacrifice of Christs body and blood in the Masse that that his booke is instituted de vero Christi corpore in Eucharistia of the true body of Christ in the Eucharist Marcus Ephesius and Bessarion write the very same of S. Clements Masse citinge diuers testimonies from thence for the reall presence of Christ in that most holy sacrifice and diuers others deliuer the like Marcus Ephes l. de corpore sanguine Christi Bessarion l. de Sacramento Eucharist M. S. Gallic antiq pr. or que nous sommes an Dom. 81. in S. Clement 12. Whereby is euidently proued that S. Clement did not only write a forme of the Masse practise as a sacrificing preist that holy sacrifice but this was so renowned that it was published by the Bishops receaued in all churches And amonge these in this our Britanie except the Brittish ātiquities themselues written before the vnion of the Christian Britans with the disciples of S. Gregory and the conuerted Saxons in this contrie do deceaue vs which our English Protestāts generally extolling the credit of those monuments and the Christian Britans Religion may not affirme This antiquitie so auncient as I haue related and purposely entreatinge of the first order of saying Masse especially in Fraunce and this kingdome of Britanie comprehending England and Scotland is in that respect though with a later hand writinge thus intituled prima institutio varietas ecclesiastici seruity praecipue in Britannia Gallia The first institution and varietie of the ecclesiasticall seruice especially in Britanie Fraunce And it termeth it cursum the course or order of the publick Liturgie or Masse thereby expressed Bed in Martyrolog 4. cal Ianuar. Beatus Trophinus Episcopus Arelatensis Sanctus Phetinus Martyr Episcopus Lugdunensis discipulus Sancti Petri Apostoli cursum Romanum in Gallijs tradiderunt Inde postea relatione beati Photini Martyris cum quadraginta octo Martyribus retrusi in ergastalum ad beatum Clementem quartum loci successorem beati Petri
prescribe what hymnes prefaces graduals and collects or prayers were to bee vsed it is euident these were before and he being Pope and cheife prescribed the order how they should bee vsed which proueth he rather tooke some away then added any for amonge them were before praescripsit he prescribed which and no others should bee vsed And wheras there is a controuersie by some whether this prescription and orderinge these things was by Pope Gelasius or one called Scholasticus Master Foxe the Protestant historian decideth this question Io. Foxe in Q. Mary pag. 1403. teaching out of vetusto quodam libro de officio Missa an old booke of the office of Masse that these were both one and Gelasius beinge Scholasticus before was made Pope Gelasius Papa ex Scholastico effectus in ordine 48 And thus much of Gelasius 8. After whome for an intermedler in these affaires our protestants propose Pope Symmachus Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho Bal. l. 2. in eod who commaunded gloria in excelsis Deo to bee sunge vppon sondayes and feasts of Saints In Dominico die Sanctorum natalitijs gloria in excelsis canendum esse dixit or by an other praecepit But if they meane the first part of this holy hymne it was the songe of the Angels at the birthe of Christ and recommended vnto vs in scripture and by one of these protestants vsed at Masse by the commaundement of Saint and Pope Telesphorus who liued in the Apostles time gloria in excelsis Deo c. in Missa canendum praecepit Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Telesphoro S. Petro and if they meane the whole canticle as it is now vsed their brother Iohn Foxe with others thus testifieth Iohn Foxe supr in Q. Mary The hymne gloria in excelsis which was sunge of the Angels at the birth of our Sauiour was augmented by Hilarius Pictauiensis with those words that follow singing it first in his owne church which was an 340. afterward brought into other churches by Pope Symmachus And our histories testifie it was vsed here in Britanie by S. German in his time And our English Protestants vse it in their publicke church seruice at this day by publicke authoritie Engl. Protestant communion booke morninge prayer 9. That which a Protestant Bishop writeth of this Pope that he reduced the Masse to forme Missam in formam redegit Bal. l. 2. Act. Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho is his formall forgery or foolery confounded by many vndeniable instances graunted by protestants before as the forme of Masse of S. Peter S Iames S. Matthew S Marke S. Clement S. Basile S. Chrisostome and Popes of Rome longe before this time as amonge other witnesses this Protestant Bishop himselfe testifieth of S. Innocentius Syricius S. Celestine S. Leo and Gelasius Bal. in Act. Pontif. Rom. in Innocent Syric Calestino Leon. Gelas therefore without euident contradiction and wilfull errour he cannot intend or affirme that Pope Symmachus did first bringe the Masse into order Therefore of necessitie to keepe himselfe from these absurdities he must vnderstand that Pope Symmachus confirmed or allowed of the forme of Masse formerlie vsed in the church which all Popes good Christians euer did and ought to doe 10. And here endeth the fift hundred yeare at which time and longe after as with others our protestants assure vs that S. Dubritius that great massinge Prelate and Archbishop primate here the Popes Legate and great Master of diuinitie together with S. Iltutus priuiledged in the same facultie by papall authoritie and S. Gildas by whome all Britanie and other contries receaued instruction were liuinge and consequently agreeing in all thinges with the church of Rome Bal. cent 1. in Dubritie Iltuto Gylda Albanio Godwin Catal. in S. Dauids Capgrau Catal. in Dubrit Iltut Gild. About which time also amonge diuers others those three great lights of our Brittish church knowne massinge preists and Bishops S. Dauid that succeeded S. Dubritius in his archiepiscopall dignitie S. Thelians and S. Patern began to florish and went that great Pilgrimage to Hierusalem M. S. antiq Capgrau Catal. in S. Dauid S. Thelian S. Paterno alij M. S. S. Theliai apud Godwin Catal. in Landaff 2. and both in going and returninge through Italy and those places and ordinarily sayinge Masse must needs vse that order and forme therof they found to bee vsed at Rome and all places receauinge direction from thence in such affaires and so here I end this age and centenary of yeares THE SIXTH AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XXI CHAPTER Wherein being confessed by our protestant writers that all the Popes of Rome vnto S. Gregory were massinge preists and Popes yet not any one of thē by these protestāts cōfession made any the least materiall chaunge or alteration in these misteries NOw wee are come to the sixt age or hundred of yeares of Christ wherin liued S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome that sent S. Augustine and diuers other holie cleargie men hither which conuerted a greater part of this nation and kingdome called England Wherefore seeing by confession of our best learned protestants the Christian Britans of this Iland had from their first conuersion vnto Christ and did at the coming of S. Augustine from Rome continue in the same holy faith and Religion which they had learned and receued in the Apostles time and hitherto we haue not found any materiall difference in any age between them the church of Rome in these cheif questions I haue in hand now to make euidēt demonstration by these aduersaries to the holy Romane Religion that this church neuer altered any substantiall matter by their owne iudgement at before or after the cominge of S. Augustine hither I will first set downe all the pretended chaunges additiōs or alteratiōs which these protestants charge that holy church withall in these affaires prouinge them to bee of no moment or essentiall And after shew how the Christian Britans in this age also as in all the former still agreed in these questions with the church of Rome And wheras there was then some difference betweene the disciples of S. Gregorie and the Britās here about the obseruation of Easter and some other questions rather ceremoniall then substantiall in Religion that the church euen by the testimonie of our protestants did hold the truth in these matters and such Britans and Scots as held the contrary were in confessed and vnexcusable error 2. The first alleaged chaunger or additioner of any thinge in the holy sacrifice of Masse which our protestants obiect among the Popes of Rome in this age is Horsmida who as these men write commaunded that altars should not be erected without the assent of the Bishop Ne altaria sine Episcopi assensu erigerentur iussit Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Horsmida Bal. in Act. Pont. in eod but this was according to holy scriptures to haue Superiors and commaunders to bee obeyed remember them
in particular soe neare as such a desolation and losse of Antiquities as England hath often suffered will giue vs leaue of this Archbishop and Bishops in particular which S. Peter consecrated for vs to found and begin the first hierarchicall order and Succession in our primatiue church of Britanie Many Authors both auntient and later writers and of these late times both catholicks and protestants ar witnesses that S. Aristobulus one of the seauentie and two disciples of Christ our Lord was Bishop of this our kingdome of Britanie Dorothaeus Bishop of Tyrus Dorothaeus lib. de septuaginta duobus discipulis in Aristobulo And the Maenologe of the Greekes are plainely of this minde The first in his booke intituled de septuaginta duobus discipulis of the seauentie two disciples writeth Aristobulus ab Apostolo ad Romanos commemoratos Episcopus Britannia factus est Aristobulus one of the seauentie two disciples of whom S Paul speaketh in his epistle to the Romans was made Bishop of Britanie And to putt vs out of doubt that hee did not mistake naminge Britania for Bythinia as a protestant writer would seeme to expounde him when hee writeth Dorotheus saith Aristobulus whome the Apostle to the Romans remembreth was made Bishop in Britanie or Bithania Stowe histor titul the Romans in Agricola I thinke this man will hardly finde any Bythania in the world wee reade of Bethania often in the Gospels and S. Iohn saith cap. 11. v. 18. Bethany was nigh vnto Hierusalem about fifteene farlongs off as our protestants translate and their note there vpon is that is about towe miles protest annot marginal in c. 11.11 Io. v. 18. Which was too neare to Hierusalem to bee a Bishops see and the old prouinciall maketh mention of noe such And if by Bythania hee ment the country Bythinia the Region of lesser Asia against Thracia and next Troas which was also somtime called Bebrycia after Mygdonia and by S. Peter Bythinia in the Apostles time and after it is euident that Dorothaeus ment it not for in the next name which is S. Tyticus hee saith that hee was made Bishop of Chalcedonia of Bithâ—…nia Tyticus meminit huius Paulus primus Episcopus Chalcedoniae fuit quae in Bithynia est Doroth. supra in Tyticho Therefore of necessitie by this Author and the rest foe affirming it without doubt or any exception S. Aristobulus needs must bee Bishop of this our kingdome of Britanie noe other place then of that name fitt for a Bishop in the knowne world to apply it vnto And thus testifieth the auntient Maenologe of the greekes with others both catholicks and protestants of whome I haue here noted some Maenolog Graecor die 15. martij Baron annot in martyrol Rom. eod die Arnold Mirman in Theatr. Conuers gent. Auth. of the Exam. of the Calend. praefat and in the 3. Conuers Syr. Ed. Hoby counterf pag. 48. Thom. Rogers vpon the Articles of Relig. articul 36. pag. 197. Protest Theater of Brit. l. 6. Cambden Belg. That this holy Bishop was either consecrated here or sent hither by S. Peter wee may not question beeing soe generally confessed by protestants before that noe other Apostle did or then could performe that office And if the Identitie of the name deceaueth vs not this our holy Bishop or Archbishop was Father in lawe to S. Peter his wyues Father and Brother to S Barnabas the Apostle sent into these west parts by S. Peter for as Simon Metaphrastes writeth S. Simon Metaphr die 26. Iunij Accepit Petrus filiam Aristobuli fratris Barnabae Apostoli ex ea genuit filium vnum vnam filiam Peter maryed the daughter of Aristobulus Brother of Barnabas the Apostle and had by her one sonne and one daughter Martyrolog Rom. 15. Martij Godw. And beeing called in the Romane Martyrologe as a protestant Bishop truely telleth Apostolorum discipulus the disciple of the Apostles Conuers of Brit. It wholy disableth him from beeing disciple to S. Paul whoe alone of the Apostles besides S. Peter was in this kingdome for the scriptures themselues are wittnes Actor cap. 13. v. 2.3.4 that S. Paul was not an Apostle vntill in the 13. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles before which time by the protestants before Britanie had receaued the faith and probably S. Aristobulus was then a Bishop as many others of the 27. Disciples were And many ar called the disciples of the Apostles which were peculiarly the disciples of S. Peter the cheife Apostle as appeareth in diuers places of the same Authority S. Aristo Arch. of this our Britanie And that this holy disciple of S. Peter was not onely our Bishop but Archbishop alsoe in Britanie I haue warrant both of Catholicks and protestants to auouche it First if wee examine either by Dorotheus or any whomsoeuer writing of the resideÌ„cies of the 72. disciples of Christ wee shall hardly finde any amonge them which had not the dignity of that high callinge yea hee relateth S. Aristobulus as a cheife amongst theÌ„ then beeing sent to this kingdome of Britanie soe greate ample And where as in other such kingdomes our protestants before assure vs S. Peter ordeined an Archbishop wee caÌ„not doubt but in particular it was this his moste worthy disciple as also the disciple of Christ which first exercised by S. Peters assignement that Archie and cheife pontificall order in this Iland Secondly because wee reade it confideÌ„tly written and from more auncient authoritie that this holy disciple of S. Peter was not only our first Apostle but here began and first founded the hierarchical order of our Brittish church a thinge proper to that highest spiritual callinge Arnold mirac Theatro conuers gentium in Britan. Aristobulo BritaÌ„nia Straboni à Britone Rege nuncupata primum Aristobulum siue illuÌ„ cuius meminit S. Paulus quod Dorothaeo probatur siue aliuÌ„ vnuÌ„ certe ex 72. discipulorum classe ApostoluÌ„ est nata Deinde FugariuÌ„ DamianuÌ„ qui ordinem Hierarchicè Ecclesiae istic fundatae ab illo inchoatum constituerunt sanxeruntque more nimirum Apostolico Britania so named by Strabo of Kinge Brito or Brutus had for the first Apostle therof Aristobulus either him whome S. Paule remeÌ„breth which Dorotheus approueth or an other surely one of the order of the 72. disciples after that Fugarius Fugatius by others and Damianus whoe constituted confirmed by Apostolick maner the Hierarchical order begun by him of the church founded there Where wee see S. Aristobulus the first founder of the Hierarchicall order in this church of Britanie a thinge which as al protestaÌ„ts against the puritans maketh the peculiar office of an Archbish Whitgift answ to the admonit Bridges eccles gouern Bilson against the purit Couel Downam Barlowe c. Thirdly These protestants of England especially the vniuersitie of Cambridge by their chosen champion Mr. Thomas Rogers for defence of their Articles of Religion of Protestants writing to vse his wordes by the lawfull authoritie of the church of
England allowed to bee publicke Thom. Rogers booke of the faith of England pag. 1. doe playnely saie that S. Aristobulus was Archbishop in this our Britanie Thus hee writeth in the name of English protestants and by their warrant Rogers supra artic 36. pag. Albeit the Termes and Titles of Archbishops we finde not yet the superioritie which they enioye and authoritie which Bishops and Archbishops doe exercise in orderinge and consecratinge of Bishops and ecclesiasticall ministers is grounded vppon the word of God for wee finde that in the Apostles daies how themselues both were in dignitie aboue the Euangelists and the 70. disciples and for authoritie both in and ouer the church as twelue patriarches saith Beza and alsoe established an ecclesiasticall heerarchie Hence came it that bishop was of Hierusalem Iames of Antioch Peter of the Asian churches Iohn of Alexandria marke of Ephesus and all Asia Timothie of all Creete Titus of Philippos Epaphraditus of Corinth and Achaia Apollos of Atheâ—…s Dionisius of Fraunce Crescens of Britanie Aristobulus Beza in act Apost 1.2 D. Chrisosto in Act. Homil. 33.2 Hieron in Gal. Euseb D. Hieron ad Euagr. D. Hier. in 2. Tim. 1. Theod. arg in epist. ad Tit. Theod. in epist. ad Phil. Euseb lib. 2. Dorotheus in Apostol Synops Where we see S. Aristobulus not onely ioyned in ranke and dignitie of spirituall preeminence with the Euangelists and Apostles themselues but with the generall authoritie of the protestant church of England plainely declared to bee the first founder of ecclesiasticall hierarchie and Archbishop of this our Britanie And to giue euident testimonie that in their iudgement this nation of the west both deriued the succession of the Bishops thereof from S. Peter and Aristobulus and neuer wanted by such vntil these dayes they thus conclude in this matter supra pag. 197.198 Finally from the Apostles dayes hetherto neuer wanted a succession of Bishops neither in the East nor Weste churches soe prouideÌ„t hath the almightie beene for the augmentation of his glorie and people by this kinde and callinge of men And thus much for the first Archbishop of Britany ordeyned by Saint Peter Now to come to speake of the Bishops hee consecrated and ordeyned for vs although it is precisely proued before that such there were Episcopos ordinauit S. Peter ordeyned Bishops here in Britanie for vs and euery Archbishop which is cheife of Bishops such as S. Aristobulus was vnto vs doth necessarily inferr and proue some Bishops subordinate and vnder els hee could not bee the cheife and principall for euery Archbishop inferreth necessarily some Bishops or Bishop vnder him their cheife in that callinge Diuers Antiquities of Glastenbury apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph affirme that one of the holy company of Saint Ioseph of Aramathia namly his sonne Iosephe was a Bishop which if so it was hee must needes bee subordinate to S. Aristobulus And yett if I would sett downe vncertayne thinges I might place our holy Bishoppe and marty S. Angulus in or neare this time with much more probabilitie then some without any authoritie I can finde referr him to the dayes of Diocletian his persecution or say that S. Martine to whome the christian Romans builded dedicated the church at Canterbury was a British Bishop and in this time for that such a S. Martyne a Bishop there was about those dayes there bee many testimonies and that hee was consecrated by Romane authoritie and soe aunciently to proue it probable hee was a Britanie that the auntient Manuscript of Radulphus de Diceto deane of London or whosoeuer Author of Abbreuiatio chronicorum saith that it was builded in the time of kinge Lucius for speaking of the time of that our first christian kinge hee affirmeth Abbreuiatio chronicorum in Lucio M. S Tunc constructa est extra Cantuariam ecclesia Sancti Martini then the church without Canterbury dedicated to S. Martyne was builded As diuers also were to S. Peter our moste glorious Apostle One I finde consecrated by S. Peter or his successor at Rome which was both a Britanne and liued and died a Bishop here in the time of S. Aristobulus a Germane writer calleth him Achates but I take not that to bee his name hee was one of the happy companions of S. Beatus our noble contryman consecrated at Rome of whome I will speake more when I come to that glorious man when I haue first entreated of the consecration of S. Mansuetus a renowned Bishop borne in this Iland consecrated by S. Peter himselfe This man as many antiquities say was natione Scotus by contry a Scot of the north part of this kingedome made Bishop by S. Peter whose disciple hee was before and sent into these parts or consecrated by him here and made Bishop of TulluÌ„ in Lorrayne Tullenses habuere ApostoluÌ„ suaeque in Christum fidei primuÌ„ Antistitem S. Mansuetum S. Petri Apostoli discipulum S. Clementis CollegaÌ„ origine ScotuÌ„ Arnold Merman in Theatro Conuers gentiuÌ„ in Metensib The inhabitants of Tullum saith Arnoldus Mermannius bad for their Apostle and first Bishopp of their faith in Christ S. Mansuetus a disciple of S. Peter the Apostle the fellowe of S. Clement a Scot by birth An other citinge alsoe for Authors Antonius Democarez and Petrus de Natalibus saith Guliel Eiseng centenar 1. part 1. dist 3. pag. 56. Petrus de Natal l. 11. c. vlt. Anton. Monchiacen Democh. l. 2. de Miss contr Caluin c. 33. S. Mansuetus natione Scotus ex nobili prognatus familia Simonis Barionâ—… Apostolorum Coryphaei discipulus socius B. Clementis Episcopi Mettensis à Petro Leucorum in vrbe Tullensi primus Antistes consecratus est anno Christi 49. Tiberio Claudio Caesare Augusto In the 49. yeare of Christ in the Empire of Claudius S. Mansuetus a Scot by contry borne of a noble family disciple of S Peter cheife of the Apostles companioÌ„ of S. Clement Bishop of Metz was By Peter consecrated the first Bishop in the citie of Tullum Mermennius before cited saith in Theatro conuers gentium that Saint Clement whose companion this our contrye man Saint Mansuetus was was Bishop of Metz in or about the 40. yeare of Christ in the â—…yme of Caius Caligula Emperor Metensibus fidei Religionisque Antistes fuit S. Clemens Romanus anno quod excurrit 40. Caio Galigula Imperatore S. Petro pontifice maximo But to admitt that S. Mansuetus was not made Bishop by S. Peter vntill the 49. yeare of Christ and was noe Bishop but an assistant of S. Clement at his first sendeing by S. Peter of him to Metz yett to haue a Bishop of our nation and consecrated and sent to forreyne parts by the cheife Apostle is an inuincible argument that both S. Peter was the first founder and father of the Brittans birth and life in Christ disposed of all spirituall affaires here longe before the cominge of any other Apostle either into this kingedome or part of the world to conuert it and left