them They write how Ridley made Preist by Catholike Order but Bishop by their new fashion when he was to be degraded by B. Brooke Bishop of Glocester delegate thereto in Q. Maryes time hee did onely then degrade him concerning preisthood being iudged to be no Bishop Foxe tom 2. pag. 1604. Mason l. 2. pag. 92 Record degrad Rid. as our Protestants and Records thereof testifie in thes his words to Ridley we must proceede according to our commission to degrading taking from you the dignitie of preisthood for we take you for no Bishop So it was also adiudged by the common lawes Brooke Abridg an 1576. tiâ—ul leases num 68. of the land in that time Bishops in the time of King Edward the sixt were not consecrated and therefore a lease for yeares made by such and confirmed by the deane and chapter shall not binde their Successours because such were neuer Bishops Of thes pretended Bishops which were thus by publike Iudgment in lawe disabled to do teÌ„porall offices for want of true ordination and power how much more were they vnable to performe any spirituall function belonging to that highest holie Order yet this is published for law euen in Q. Elizabeth her time longe after thes new Protestant Bishops were so allowed and still remaineth among their receaued and adiudged lawes And so generall and vniuersall a consent was of all in authoritie Pope Prince Prelates and whosoeuer that this new Protestant forme gaue no consecration that their owne Protestant applauded writers thus confesse it Touching Articles of Q. Mary to Bish. Boner Consecrat l. 5. cap. 12. foxe Act. mon. vol. 2. p. 1295. such parsons as were here to fore promoted to any Orders after the new sorte and fashion of Orders they were not ordered in verie deed This was the common and publike sentence of Pope Prince and Prelates in Queene Mary her time of the preteÌ„ded Bishops of King Edward the 6. when there was more pretence for them theÌ„ these diuers Catholikely ordained Bishops then liuing and some helping in their new ordering now and from Q. Elizabeth her time not one at all And it is contained in our old lawes Iudex secularis non potest Bracton fol. 401. degradare clericum magis quà m ad ordines promouere A secular Iudge can no more degrade a Preist or Clearke then he can promote him to orders And it was publikly adiudge in lawe That the parlament Temp. Henrici 7. fol. 27. 28. could not make the Kinge being a lay parson to haue spirituall Iurisdiction Then much lesse could it giue to King Edward the sixt to speake Protestants Stow an 1. Edw. 6. Hist words proclaimed King of England and also of Ireland the supreame heade immediately in earth vnder God being of the age of nyne yeares and to Queene Elizabeth a woman by Sexe disabled in such things both to haue spirituall Iurisdiction and supreame spirituall Iurisdiction and spirituall power Episcopall or Pontificall to conferre and giue both spirituall highest order and Iurisdiction to whom and by what meanes it pleased them contrary to all Christians in the world Catholiks Protestants and whosoeueâ— none out of England so proceeding in such affaires Aâ—d in the time of Queene Elizabeth both particular wrâ—â—â—rs records and her parlament publikely in the 8. yearâ— of her Reigne assure vs that their new Bishops making was by diuers both doubted of and denied to be lawfull The Protestant cheife Iustice of the common plees Lord dyer setteth downe that Bishop â—onner publikely pleaded they were no Bishops and namely Doctour Horne so admitted and it wâ—s adiuged by all the Protestant Iudges that Bishâ—â— Bonner might so pleade And the Protestants would neuer come to tryall with him therein And the next Parlament in her 8. yeare cleared him and all other Catholikes so in iâ—pugning those Bishops offering the oath of supremaâ—y vnto them in these words Be it exacted that no person or persons Statut. in parliament an 8. Elizab. cap. 1. be empeached or molested in body lands or good by occasion are meane of any certificate by any Archbishop or Bishop heretofore made in the first session of this parlament touching or concerning the refusall of the oathe set fourth by act of parlament in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth And that all tenders of such oath made by any Archbishop or Bishop aforesaid and all refusals of the same oath so entered by any Archbishop or Bishop shall be voyde and of noe effect or validity in the lawe And to helpe afterward what they could thus they enact diuers questions haue lately growne vpon the Statut. in parliam an 8. Eliz supr c. 1. making and consecrating of Archbishops and Bishops within this realme whether the same were and be duely done according to the lawe or not Therefore it is thought conuenient hereby partly to touch such authorities as doth allowc and approue the making of the same Archbishops and Bishops to be duely and orderly dâ—â—e according to the lawes of this Realme her hâ—â—â—nesse in her letters patents vnder the greate Sâ—â—â—e of England directed to any Archbishop Bisâ—â—p or others for the confirming inuesting and coâ—secrating of any parson elected to the office or digâ—â—â—y of an Archbishop or Bishop hath not onely vsâ—â— such words and sentences as King Henry and King Edward did in their letters patents diuers other general words and sentences whereby her highnesse by her suâ—râ—ame power and authority hath dispenced with all â—auses or doubts of any imperfection or diasbility thâ—t can or may in any wise be obiected against the saâ—e These be the onâ—ly authorities the statute doth or could bringe â—eing all carnall and humane not one diuine or â—cclesiasticall vtterly vnable to make a lawfull true Bishop or confirme any for such being bâ—t meere phantasies letters patents the greate Seale of England of a woman such words and sentences as King Henry the eight and King Eduard his child contrary to the vniuersall Church of Christ vsed A womans supreame power authority and dispensation in all causes doubts Imperfections or disabilities in any wise to be obiected and that not onely their pretended Archbishops and Bishops but others neither true nor pretended Archbishops or bishops did as their words be plaine by this most straunge and infirme feminine commission confirme inuest and consecrate Archbishops Bishops which as they haue confessed before with all authorities none but true lawfull Bishops in approued receaued forme and manner can doe And yet this parlament doth thus approue all such as were thus made whether by the Queenes letters patent and men no Bihops true or pretended and without King Edwards forme or any other remembred or by King Edwards forme and fashion to be lawfull Bishops in these words All Statut. an 8. Eliz. supr acts and things made or done by any person or persons in or about any elected to the office of any Archbishop or Bishop by vertue of
the Queenes letters patents shall be by authority of this Parlament be declared good any matter or thing that may be obiected to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding All persons that haue beene or shall be made Archbishops Bishops Preists ministers after the forme and Order prescribed in the order and forme how Archbishops and should be made by authority hereof be declared and shall be Archbishops Bishops Preists Ministers and rightly made any statute lawe canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding Hitherto this Protestant Parlament and Queene Elizabeth taking vpon them more then omnipotent and diuine power for God himselfe euer omnipotent cannot make that a thing done is not or was not done nor a thing ill done to haue beene well done or not ill done The light of reason the light of grace all Philosophers Christians and others agree non est potentia ad praeteritum there is no power or possibility to make a thing that is past not to be past nor otherwise passed theÌ„ it passed Therefore when it appeareth by so many testimonies before that men called Bishops by our Protestants were neuer truely and lawfully made Bishops and this Protestant parlament it selfe confesseth not onely that diuers questioÌ„s had beene whether it were duely orderly done according to the law or not but declareth their acts and effects done by them as Bishops to be voyde and of none effect or validitie in the lawe It farre surpassed a womans power or her parlament thereby or any power on earth or higher to make and proue by authoritie of this parlament in her 8. yeare such men by authoritie hereof be declared and shall be Archbishops Bishops Preists Ministers and rightly made any statute lawe canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding Producing no other reason but that her highnesse by her supreame power and authoritie hath dispenced with all causes or doubts of any imperfection or disabilitie that can or may in any wise be obiected against the same If Queene Elizabeth and her Protestants would make Episcopall Order and dignity onely an humane inuention she as a temporall greate Prince might haue had place for her dispensation for time to come Though not past in aboue 6. yeares when thousands of such Bishops and ministers were made among them But all Protestants of England King Bishops whosoeuer hauing decreed and deliuered before that it is diuinae ordinationis the ordinance of God an Apostolicall tradition manifest to all the world a canon or constitution of the whole Trinitie enacted for succeeding posteritie it is vtterly vnpossible that any Queens Kings or what dispensation soeuer on earth can or euer could make that which was and is questioned doubtfull imperfect and inualide to be without question doubt perfect and valide either from the beginning any time past or to come hereafter Thus howsoeuer wee examine the making of these Protestant Bishops and ministers by them either by holy scripture witnessing that God placed Bishops in his Church to gouerne it attendite vobis vniuerso gregi in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Act. c. 20. 1. Timoth. 3. 4. Tit. 1. 1. Petr. 5. 2. Timoâ—h 1. Ecclesiam Dei quam acquisiuit sanguine suo And not a woman or child Queene Elizabeth and King Edward the 6. by a new deuised manner or by the Apostolike Fathers of this first age tradition of the Apostles all the old Orders of consecration in Britaine or what place soeuer by all Catholike Fathers or by these Protestants themselues we finde nothing but a desolation and an vndoubted want of all Episcopall and Ecclesiasticall holy orders among them But if we come to the Sacred Bishops of the Catholike and Romane Church the holie preisthood and other Orders we finde by all these testimonies all things in Order subordinate required and necessarie to this highest spirituall dignitie We haue with the Apostles and the Apostolike Can. Apost 43. Clem. const Apost l. 3. c. 11. l. 8. c. 21. c. 22. 28. epist 2. Ignat. epist ad Antioch ad Philadelph Philip. Engl. Protest in Abb. Prot. Archb. of canterb and Franc. Mas Booke of Consecrat l. 5. p. 96. 97. c. 1. p. 207. Fathers of this time S. Clement S. Ignatius and others Subdeacons Acolythists Exorcists Lectours and all We haue founde Deacons ministers to Bishops and Preists in the Sacrifice of Masse we haue founde true massing Sacrificing Preists and Protestants both by writing and practise so confessing as also in these words of them all by generall assent We thinke that no man possibly haue the Order of a Bishop which hath not the right Order of preisthood To the verie being of a Bishop the Order of preisthood is essentially required Thus they exclude themselues from and entitle Catholiks to this greatest Order And plainely confesse the Roman Church not onely to obserue and vse in the consecration of Bishops all things whatsoeuer in any opinion of Catholiks or Protestants essentiall and necessarie but also all ceremonies and ceremonialls therein vsed euer since and before England was conuerted to Christ plainely confessing that their first Protestant Archbishop Abbot and mason consecr in Mat. Park Matthew Parker being the 70. from S. Augustine was the first of all admitted without them and otherwise then they were and their publike continuall practise is so euer since that time The ceremonies of pastorall staffe ringe deliuerie of the booke of Ghospels to the new consecrated Bishop by the Consecratour and his Assistants taken from the sholders of the newly consecrated Miter and gloues we are assured to be ceremoniall onely all and euerie of them performed and done after the new Bishop is declared to be consecrated And yet these were so aunciently vsed by these Protestants that all our Bishops of England were consecrated they being vsed And before S. Augustine S. Asaphus and Capgrauius in vit S. Kentegerni came hither S. Kentegern in the Britans time being consecrated without them going to Rome ipso multoties petente with very often suite and desire the Pope then ministred them vnto him Sanctus Papa quae deerunt consecrationi eius supplens The Order of Consecration by which this S. Kentegern was made Bishop and all the Britans Scots and Irish vsed was more old then the canons of the ceremonies vsed in consecration and their old custome mos in Britannia inoleuerat when S. Kentegern about 1200. yeares past was consecrated was this In consecratione Episcopi tantummodo capita eorum sacri chrismatis infusione perungere cum inuocatione Sancti Spiritus benedictione manus impositione In the consecration of Bishops onely to anoynte their heads with holy Chrisme with inuocation of the holie ghost and benediction and imposition of hands This Order was adiudged by the Popes of Rome to be auayleable And all Protestants graunt the Britans haue true consecration and Bishops Here is neyther the ceremonie of saying take the holie ghost nor
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.