Episâ—opo nemo quicquam faciat eorum quae ad Ecclesiam spectant Sainct Clement testifieth that Sainct Peter the Apostle Clem. Rom. epist 1. commaunded praecipiebat Petrus Apostolus that all Princes of the earth omnes Principes terrae and all men should obey Bishops And proued that all which did contradict them were in state of damnation and imfamy vntill they made satisfaction and commaunded them to be excommunicate except they were conuerted The Bishop Clem const Apost lib. 2. c. 11. 12. 3. 30. 31. ruleth all Lords Preists Kings Princes Regibus Principibus Fathers children Masters and all subiects He Iudgeth as God with power The Bishop is mediatour betweene God and men He is the next after God our Father Prince Ruler King Rex Gouernour A Bishop is adorned with the dignitie of God he ruleth the clergie and commaundeth all the people Omni populo imperat Dion Areop Hier. Eccl. c. 2. par 2. 3. c. 4. 5. Martial ep ad Burdegal cap. 3. The like haue other Apostolike men of this first age And they are so farre from giuing superiority and commaund to ciuill power ouer Bishops in things of Religion that in such affaires and causes they make inferiour all temporall people euen to Preists and Deacons Preisthood is the heade or cheife of all good things in this world saith S. Ignatius Ignat. epist ad Smyrnen Sacerdotium est omnium bonorum quae in hominibus sunt apex He that rageth against it doth not ignominy to man but to God Lay men must be subiect not onely to Preists but to Deacons Laici Diaconis subditi Polycarpus epist ad Philippen sint Subiecti estote Presbyteris Diaconis sicut Deo Christo And our Protestants themselues acknowledge Rob. Barnes l de vit Pont Roman in Anacleto Anaclet epist 1. that the holy Popes of this time iudged them no Christians that called holy Preists to ciuill consistorys Anacletus Christo alienos esse indicabat qui Sacerdotes inius vocarent They which tooke away the riches of the Church were to be adiudged homicidas because the Apostles by our Sauiour his commaunde gaue chardge that the priuiledges of the Church and Preists should be kept inuolate Christ vel Ecclesiae pecunias auferentes homicidas iudicari debere censuit quia inquit priuilegia Ecclesiae Sacerdotum Apostoli Saluatoris iussu inuiolata esse debere iusserunt In Ecclesiasticall busines the the greater causes were to be referred to the primates the lesser to the Metropolitane Bishop and secular causes to secular Iudges In Ecclesiasticis negotijs grauiores causas ad primatem leuiores ad metropolitanum Episcopum referendas secularia negotia ad prophanos iudices agenda esse iussit All that were oppressed might appeale to the Ecclesiasticall Court And that such causes as could not be composed by the cheifest of the cleargie should be ended in their councells Et causas quae apud primarios Ecclesiastici ordinis componi non possent in Concilio finiendas esse To that which followeth in this Article The Bishop of Rome hath no iurisdictioÌ„ in this Realme of England I haue aboundantly answeared and so proued the weakenesse of such assertion in my Examine of their 19. Article and that which is here said most manifestly conuinceth the same For if as is proued here the Bishops in euery Prouince haue the highest and cheifest spirituall power ouer all others therein whether spirituall or temporall he which hath the supreame power and Iurisdiction ouer all and euery such Bishops or Bishop cannot be depriued of that Title and right though a farre greater consistory then these Articlers or their Approuers and applauders should deny it vnto him He that hath iurisdiction and power ouer the greater must needs haue it ouer the lesser and Inferiour in that Kind S. Ignatius calleth the Church of Rome the sanctified and Ruling Church being himselfe Patriarke of Antioch Ignatius Ecclesiae sanctificatae Ignat. epist ad Rom. in inscriptione quae praefidet in loco Regionis Romanorum S. Polycarp lyuing in the same age went from Smyrna in the East to Rome for decision of Questions about the day of Easter Propter quasdam super die paschae Hier l. de vir illustrib in Polycarpo Dion Aerop c 3. de diuin no minib Clem. Rom. epist 1. Rufino Interpret quaestiones Romam venit S. Dionisius saith S. Peter liuing and dying Bishop of Rome was the supreame glory and head of diuines Petrus supremum decus antiquissimum Theologorum columen S. Clement saith S. Peter was by Christ defined the foundation of the Church Simon Petrus fundamentum esse Ecclesiae definitus est And as the most worthy commaunded by Christ to conuert the westerne parts and performed that precept Qui obscuriorem mundi plagam occidentis velut omnium potentior illuminare praeceptus est quique integrè potuit implere praeceptum He liued much and dyed at Rome by martyrdome and committed his supreame Pastorall charge and office to S. Clement which Christ had committed to him full power to binde and loose whatsoeuer he should decree on earth should be decreed in heauen Clementem Episcopum vobis ordino cui soli me ae praedicationis doctrinae cathedram trado Ipsi trado à Domino mihi traditam potestatem ligandi soluendi vt de omnibus quibuscumque decreuerit in terris hoc decretum sit in caelis Among other Pastorall and highest Pontificall duties he gaue him power and chardge to send Bishops into all cyties whether or where S. Peter had not sent or ordained before Episcopos per singulas ciuitates quibus ille non miserat nobis mittere praecepit And S. Clement performed it Quod facere inchoauimus Domino opemferente facturi sumus Aliquos ad Gallias Hispaniasque mittimus quosdam ad Germaniam Italiam atque ad reliquas gentes dirigere cupimus Among these Bishops some were primates or Patriarks and Archbishops and the causes of Bishops and greatest Ecclesiasticall Questions and busines of the Churches were to be tried and decided by the primates and Patriarks and the Apostles so decreed Petrus Episcoporum primates vel Patriarchas ordinauit qui reliquorum Episcoporum iudicia maiora quoties necesse foret negotia in fide agitarent secundum Dei voluntatem sicut constituerunt sancti Apostoli ita vt ne quis iniustè periclitaretur definirent Archiepiscopos institui praecepit qui non tamen primatum sed Archiepiscoporum fruerentur nomine Episcoporum quoque iudicia vt superius memoratum est maiora Ecclesiarum negotia si ipsi reclamauerint aut aliquem timorem aut istos vel alios suspectos habucrint ad iam dictos primates vel Patriarchas transferri perdocuit And this was among the Apostles themselues one S. Peter aboue the rest Quoniam nec inter Apostolos par institutio fuit Sed vnus omnibus praefuit This is
and Sainct Luke they were not all thought able â— condemne those named hereticks which S. Ihâ— confounded Amonge the Epistles onely that of â— Paul to the Romans was sent into these parts â— was in a language wee did not vnderstand aâ— written after the faith of the Romans was spreâ— both in Britaine and all the world as Sainct Pâ— witnesseth fides vestra annuntiatur in vniuâ— Rom. 1. mundo The two Epistles of Sainct Peter accordiâ— to antiquity were written in Rome and after Bâ—taine had receaued the faith especially the last aâ— the first being longe doubted of was sent quite coâ— â—rary from Britayne vnto the contries of PoÌ„tus Gaâ—atia 2. Petr. 1. Capadocia Asia and Bithynia in the easterne â—arts Wee finde no memory after of Scripture reâ—eaued here vntill longe time after in the second â—ge expressed in Pope Eleutherius his Epistle to our â—ing Lucius And yet all our ProtestaÌ„t antiquaries â—ue before assured vs that Britaine had in the Aâ—stles time and longe before any Scripture came â—ther or probably was written and possibly in â—orall Iudgment could come hither receaued the â—ith of Christ so fully purely and sincerely that it â—euer changed it in any materiall point after the â—riptures were receaued here nor diuers hundreds â— yeares after And if wee will be directed by Scriptures in this â—int those which our Protestants allowe for such â—e testimony to vnwritten Traditions in many â—ces To exemplifie onely in Sainct Paul which â—ote most in the new Testament hee chargeth S. 1. Tim. 6. â—mothy and all others in him to keepe obserue â—ngs so deliuered without writinge O Timothee 2. Tim. 2. â—ositum custodi This in his first Epistle not haâ—ge written vnto him before And in his second â—stle hee giueth him commaund that the things â—ich he had heard froÌ„ Sainct Paul he should deâ—er vnto others fit to teach them Quae audisti a me â— multos testes haec commenda fidelibus hominibus â—idonei erunt alios docere And expressely comâ—undeth 2. Thessal 2. the Thessalonians and in them all in â— second epistle to them to obserue and keepe the â—aditions which they had learned either by word â— writinge State tenete traditiones quas didiciâ— siue per sermonem siue per epistolam nostram â—hich the Fathers expound of the necessity of keepinge vnwritten traditions as Catholiks now doe Hinc est perspicuum quòd non omnia per epistolaâ— Chrisost in 2. Thess orat 4. tradiderunt sed multa etiam fine scriptis eaquoque sunt fide digna Quamobrem Ecclesiae quoque traditionem censeamus esse fide dignam Est traditio nihil quaeras amplius And expoundinge that of S. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians hoâ— they kept his commaundements by word beforâ— he wrote vnto them sicuttradidi vobis praecepta mâ—tenetis he doth inferre the doctrine of Traditions ergo fine literis mult a tradidâ—rat quod alibi saepe meminit And Sainct Hierome vpon the same words Hier. in eadem Verba Tom. 9. quasi legem praecepta meatenetis scientes illum in â— spiritum loqui qui in lege locutus est prophetis Thâ— like hath S. Ambrose vpon the same and S. Epphanius Ambros in 1. Cor. Epiph. haeresi 69. oportet traditione vti non enim omnia diuina Scriptura possunt accipi Quapropter aliqua â— traditione Sancti Apostoli tradiderunt Quemadmdum dicit Sanctus Apostolus Sicut tradidi vobis â— alibi sic doceo sic tradidi in Ecclesijs Thus the best learned both Greeke and Latiâ— Fathers expounded these to inferre a necessity Traditions and their equality with Scriptuâ— Which our best Protestant writters with thâ— common allowance thus confirme Our aduer sarâ— Feild l. 4. c. 20. pag 238. meaninge Catholiks make traditions equall with words precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostâ— and Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writinge â—ther is there any reason why they should not so doe they could proue any such vnwritten verities for not the writinge that giueth things their authority the worth and credit of him that deliuereth thâ— though by word and liuely voyce onely Thus tâ— confesse and the reason which they giue so enâ—ceth them the worth and credit of the reuealer and deliuerer or proposer of holy misteries supernaturall being the motiue and cause of mans assent so firme and vnmoueable in articles of faith not to be proued by humane reason and not the writinge or not writinge being fallible and subiect to many casualties corruptions and vncertainties which we are sure are not to be found in Christ the reuealer nor his holy Church the vndoubted true proposer of his mysteries and reuelations And both these are the same and as certaine in traditions not written such as Catholiks maintaine as in the written Scriptures For wee doe not defend any one vnwritten tradition that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation which be the very words of this Protestant Article of Religion but wee produce the Artic of Protest Relig. 20. highest authority in their owne publike Iudgment also in these their Articles the true primatiue Church of Christ to warrant it The which Church hath power and authority in controuersies of faith That euery tradition came from Christ and his Apostles to be receaued professed in Christian Religion As to instance in some and those which most concerne euen in our Protestants proceedings and by their owne confessions and testimonies vnwritten Traditions are necessary For first in this Engl Protest Rel. artic 6. very article they haue giuen their finall sentence in the very first words thereof that the holy Scriptures are of this nature Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation So that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation And yet in the immediatly following words they plainely declare and professe that wee haue noe warrant in Scripture for any booke chapter or sentence of Scripture to be such holy Scripture but for euery least percell thereof wee must resorâ— to Tradition and the Churches Iudgment In thâ— name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose authority was neuer any doubt in the Church Where weâ— are assured from these men that the Church anâ— Tradition vnwritten is supreme Iudge of all questions in Religion euen of the Scriptures themselues And so necessarily they must say confesse or els leaue no Religion or Scripture at all to bâ— proued or proue vnto vs. For it is vnquestionablâ— that no part of Scripture doth propose vnto vs anâ— Catalogue or Canon of Scriptures Which the thus further testifie in their publikely approueâ— Feild l. 4. pa. 238. c. 20.
Luther Iohn Caluine Thomas Crâ—mar or whosoeuer in any time or place aâ— preacher of the coÌ„trary truth as Protestants woâ— haue it yet this man being but one could not malâ— a congregation of faithfull men which must neâ— be a number nor preach the pure word of God â— â—â—ongregation of faithfull men nor duely minister â— the Sainaments according to Christs ordinance no sâ— Protest CoÌ„f. Helu Gallic Angl. Scotic Belg. PolonuÌ„ Argent Augustan Saxonic wittemb Palatin Bohemich Parliament Henric. 8. Edw 6 Eliz. Can Comm. bookes Iniunct CanoÌ„s faithfull men or congregation yet being to preaâ— and minister them vnto which is a generall aâ— vnanswearable demonstration by this Protesâ— article it selfe that the Church could neuer so â—nerally erre nor their new pretended congregatâ— be any part or parcell of the true Church Whâ— is also manifest by their fourteene fifteene or mâ— seuerall Protestant confessions and pretended â—gregations euery on of them different from otâ— and with it selfe also as here in England the â— Church of Kinge Henry VIII King Edâ—â— Queene Elizabeth King Iames and King â—harles at open warrs with themselues both in â—ctrine and Sacraments as their seuerall approued â—wes Parlaments proclamations Synods Caâ—ns Iniunctions Litanies communion bookes â—thorized Orders of prayer conferences and deâ—ees are too great witnesses And to quench the â—ey malice of the ProtestaÌ„ts against the Church of â—ome our Mother Church as lately King Iames â—ed it they saying in this article the Church â— Rome hath erred in matters of faith The Apoâ—like men which liued this age will teach the â—ntrary First whereas all agree that Sainct Peter was Biâ—op liued and died there Sainct Dionisius the Aâ—opagite saith hee was the most auncient and â—eifest head of diuines Petrus maximum antiquissiâ—mque Dionis Areopag l. de diu nom cap. 3. Eccles Hierarch c. 9. Ignat. ep ad Rom. in â—itul Theologorum columen And testifieth plaineâ— that without doubt he was Prince or cheifest of â—e Apostles Ipse discipulorum facile princeps Sainct Ignatius proueth the Roman Church â—s the sanctified and ruling Church Ecclesia sanâ—ficata quae praesidet in loco Regionis Romanorum That was the Church which was sanctified ilâ—minated by the will of God who created all â—ings which belong to the faith loue of Christ â—sus God our Sauiour the Church worthy of â—od most decent to be blessed praysed worthy â— be obtained most chast and of excellent charity â—ioying the name of Christ and his father and reâ—enished with the holy Ghost Ecclesia sanctificata â— illuminata per voluntatem Dei qui omnia creauit â—ae pertinent ad fidem charitatem Iesu Christi Deo â—gna decentissima beatificanda laudanda digna quae quis potiatur castissima eximiae charitatis Chrâ— patris nomine fruens spirituque plena And plaiâ—ly of the Christians of Rome that they vâ— ioined in body and soule to all the commaunâ—ments of Christs and replenished with all graâ— Spiritu corpore coniunctos omnibus mandatis Iâ— Christi repletos omni gratia Dei absque haesitatione repugnatos ab omni alieno colore Without all doâ—ting freed from all errour Sainct Clement is â—â—nesse Clem. Rom. epist 1. that Sainct Peter was made the foundatâ— of the Church Simon Petrus veraefidei merito â—tegrae praecicationis obtentu fundamentum esse Ecclâ— definitus est And was cheifest ruler among the â—postles Nec inter ipsos Apostolos par institutio fâ—sed vnus omnibus praefuit And calleth him the â—ther Clem. Rom. epist 2. of all the Apostles and that he receaued tâ— keyes of the Kingdome of heauen Beatum Petrâ— Apostoluni omnium Apostolorum patrem qui clâ— regni caelestis accepit And relating how Sainct Peâ— a litle before his constituting him his successourâ— the presence of the whole Church in auribus toâ— Ecclesiae committed his chaire and Apostolike supreâ— power vnto him alone as it was by Christ commâ—cated and giuen vnto him In auribus totius Eccleâ— haec protulit verba Clementem hunc Episcopum vâ—â— ordino cui soli meae praedicationis doctrinae câ—â—â—dram trado Ipsi trado à Domino mihi traditam potesâ—tem ligandi soluendi vt de omnibus quibuscâ—â— que decreuerit in terris hoc decretum sit in coelis And this is not denied by our Protestant Anâ—quaries Robert Barnes lib. de vit Pontif. Rom. â—â— Clement 1. but affirmed from the same authoritâ— Clemens Romanus à Petro apprehens â manu institâ—â— est Romanus Pontifex si Epistolis Clementis credendâ— est Acknowledging those epistles to be the worâ— â— Sainct Clement which so testifie In which and â—ers other bookes he giueth lawes for the whole â—hurch which he himselfe sufficiently often witâ—sseth writing and sending his decrees to be kept â—d obserued to and by all Bishops Preists all â—ergy men and all Princes greater or lesse and â—nerally vnto all beleeuers Clemens vrbis Romae Clem. epist 3. de offic Sacerd Clericor â—iscopus omnibus Coepiscopis Presbyteris Diaconis â— reliquis Clericis cunctis Principibus maioribus â—noribusuè omnibus generaliter fidelibus This epiâ—e traÌ„slated by Ruffinus is intituled of the office â—d duty of Priests Clergie men de officio Sacerdotis Clericorum for the whole Church of Christ The â—e commaunde and generall authority of his Sea â—postolike he hath in diuers other bookes Sainct Anaclet epist 1. 2. 3. â—acletus also is so cleare for this primacy and inâ—libility of the Church of Rome that our Proteâ—nts confesse it thus as plainely To proue that the Ormer pict Pap. p. 78. Robert Bern. l. de vit pont Rom. in Anacleto â—urch of Rome hath the preeminence ouer all Churches â—eadgeth math 16. vers 18. vpon this rocke will I â—lde my Church and he expoundeth it thus super â—c Petram id est super Ecclesiam Romanam vpon â—s rocke that is vpon the Church of Rome will I â—ld my Church Anacletus writeth that the primacy of the Church of â—me ouer all Churches and ouer all Christian people â—s graunted by our Lord himselfe because saith he said to Peter liuing at Rome vpon this rocke will I â—ild my Church Ab ipso Domino primatum Romanae â—clesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuer sumque Chriâ—ani nominis populum concessum esse asseruit quia inâ—it Petro agenti morieÌ„ti Romae dixit tues Petrus â— super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Sainct Euaristus writeth the like calling the Euarist ep 1. Church of Rome the head â—â—put of Churches â—lexander Alex. 1. ep 1. affirmeth that Christ committed thâ—â—posing of the greatest causes and busines â— Churches to Sainct Peter Prince of the Apâ— and to the Apostolike Roman Sea as head of tâ— Middleton Papist p. 200. Cui sanctae Apostolicae sedi summarum disposâ— causarum omnium negotia Ecclesiarum ab ipsoâ— mino tradita sunt quasi