sacrificium gentium sicut dicit per os Malachiae ô my Master I feare that God hath cast vs away froÌ„ him and our sacrifice also and hath accepted the sacrifice of the gentiles as hee speaketh by the mouth of Malachy And immediatlie citing the wordes of that Prophet as before concludeth thus for the sacrifice of Masse vsed by Christians sacrificium gentium est mundus quam sacrificium nostrum The sacrifice of the gentils so he called Christians conuerted of the gentiles is more pure then our sacrifice 9. Thus commonly also the holy Christian Fathers among whom S. Augustine citinge that prophesie of Malachie thus speaketh to the Iewes Augustin orat contra Iudaeos cap. 9. Quid ad haec respondetis aperite oculos tandem aliquando videte ab oriente sole vsque ad occidentem non in vno sicut vobis fuerat constitutum sed in omni loco sacrificium Christianorum offerri non cuilibet Deo sed ei qui ista praedixit Deo Israel What do you answere to these things open your eyes sometime at the laste and see that the sacrifice of Christians is offered from East to West not in one place as it was appointed vnto you but in euery place not to euery one that is called God but to him the God of Israel that foretold thâ—…se thinges Therefore seeing the word of God proposed by his holy Prophet cannot bee vntrue but must needs be verified in some sacrifice offered thus vnto him by some professors of Religion and all others besides Christians are thus clearely excluded and Christians haue only one externall sacrifice of the Masse conteining the oblation of Christs most blessed body blood the onely most pure sacrifice and acceptable vnto God and offered in euery place in the whole world it must needs bee this pure and generall sacrifice 10. To which our protestants themselues to make all sure do thus giue testimonie First his Maiestie as Casaubon hath published by warraÌ„t Casaub Resp ad Card. Per. pag. 51.52 neither is the Kinge Ignorant nor denieth that the Fathers of the primatiue church did acknowledge one sacrifice in Christian Religion that succeeded in the place of the sacrifice of Moises lawe And both from our Kinge and D. Andrewes the Protestant Bishop now of Winchester affirmeth of this sacrifice pag. 50.51 sup It is Christs body the same obiect and thinge which the Roman church beleeueth An other diuidinge Christians into the Latine and Greeke church as the common diuision is and telling vs as all acknowledge that in all contries of the Latine church remayning still in obedience to the see of Rome the sacrifice of the Masse is publickly in all places offered and in the contries that haue reuolted lately from it the same sacrifice is priuatly with many still celebrated thus hee writeth of the Greeke church Edwine Sands relation of Religion cap. 53. or 54. with Rome they concur in the opinion of transsubstantiation and generally in the seruice and whole body of the Masse in praying to Saints in auricular confession in offeringe of sacrifice and prayer for the dead They hold purgatory also and worshipping of pictures Their Liturgies bee the same that in the old time namlie S. Basils S. Chrisostoms and S. Gregories that which the Roman church now vseth translated without any bendinge them to that chaunge of language which theire tongue hath suffered 11. Chytraeus a German protestant writinge de statu Ecclesiae of the state of the church pag. 7.8.11.13.15.18.20.21 saith Among all the nations of Greece Asia Africa Ethiopia Armenia c. all places are full of Masses the sacrifice of the Masse is offered for the liuing and the dead The Georgians inhabiting old Iberia and Albania The Syrians name S. Basile author of their Masse The Armenians inhabitinge most large spaces of the earth from the bounds of Cappadocia and Cilicia vnto Iberta the Caspian sea Media and Assiria are moste like the papists in Religion and ceremonies in their Masse they remember inuocation and intercession of Saints offering vp of the Sacrament Also euery where in Persia and all the east the Christians doe the same The Maronites at mount Libanus are conformable to the Latine church in all thinges The Iacob is in Asia and Africke are more by much propagated and haue their Masses 12. Our English Protestant translator of the author of the booke of the estates Empires principalities of the world Edw. Grymston pref to the Reader although as he confesseth he altereth and addeth at his pleasure cannot finde out any one prouince or contry of note in al the whole world where hee dareth to affirme and can proue that this holy sacrifice of Masse is not there offered vnto God The same proueth pag. 102. to pag. 283. in the estate of the K. of Spaine that the Kinge Catholicke of Spaine by land and Sea in all parts of the worlde Europe Asia Africke and America is the greatest Emperour and Kinge that now presently is or euer heretofore hath beene in the world possessinge more territories and dominions then all Turkes Tartars Pagans and enemies of Christianitie that be and yet in all these dominions this most holy sacrifice of Masse is publickly offered and celebrated with great honor and glorie So that if it were receued no where els but in his territories the prophesy of Malachias is fulfilled in his dominions as well appeareth by this and all Cosmographers of these dayes that truely sett downe the estates of great Princes There is no maine part ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum from the risinge of the sunne vnto the setting thereof nor from the settinge to the rising againe but he hath some dominion there as a late verse is of the Enfante Mary of Spaine her Father and her brother is in the same condition Vnto her greatnes witnes giues the sunne tasked no houre to shine at any hand As he his course about the globe doth runne but on some part of her late Fathers land An homage which hee neuer did before to any Prince nor like to doe no more 13. And yet besides these so many and vaste countries our protestants haue told vs before that all the other three parts of the world Asia Africke and Europe are full of Masses and sacrificinge Christian preists Which this protestant also confirmeth Grymston supr in these kingdoms pag. 700. c. teaching that not only in the territories but in Tartaria China Iapan Peru Magor Calicut Narsing Persia all the Turks estates in Europe Africk and Asia Monomotapa Congo Moraco and from the rising to the setting of the sunne the prophesie of Malachie is iustified and performed for in all these places Mincha tehora thusia Cathara the pure sacrifice hee speaketh of the holy sacrifice of Masse is offered to the name of God and his name is great among the Gentiles 14. This is the state of thinges at this time Thus it was from the first planting of christianity in the whole
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
time ordeyned a new sacrifice and sacrificinge preisthood and reiected those of the lawe of Moyses The gentiles soone after conuerted did confesse it in all places and in this kingdome of Britanie as I shall inuincibly demonstrate herafter The Mahumetans in their Alcaron and other authors giue testimony to this So doe the moste holy and best learned Fathers of the primatiue church Greeke and Latine S. Denis the Areopagite conuerted by S. Paul S. Irenaeus S. Basil S. Iohn Chrisostome Theodoret S. Martial scholler to S. Peter the Apostle S. Ambrose S. Augustine Primasius and longe before these S. Clement Ignatius Anacletus with Pope Alexander liuing in the first hundred yeares others after without number plainlie some of them sayinge that Christ then taught the new sacrifice of the new testament which the church receauing from the Apostles doth offer to God in the whole world And that it is so certaine and vndoubted a truth that Christ did then make his Apostles sacrificing preists that in their iudgement no man had called it into question Quod Dominus potestatem celebrandi conficiendi noui testamenti mysteria Apostolis per haec verba contulerit hoc nemo opinor in dubiū vocat Gregent Archiep. Tephren disput cum Herban Iudeo Iulian. Pomer l. 1. 2. contr Iudaeos Rabbi Samuel Marrochian l. de Aduent Messiae cap. 19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 Hieronym à S. fide l. 1. 2. contr Iud. Paul Burg. cont Iud. Petr. Gallat Francisc Stancar l. 10.11 Thalm. Abraham Mahum Rabb Sam. supr cap. 27. Dionis Areopag Eccles Hierar part 3. c. 3. Irenaeus l. 4. c. 32. cont haer Victor Antiochen in c. 14. Marci Basil de sacrificijs ritu Mis celebr forma Chrisost de sacrificijs Homil. 8. ad cap. 26. Matth. alibi saepe Theodoret. in c. 8. ep ad Hebr. Martial epist ad Burdegal cap. 3. Ambros l. praep ad miss ad cap. 11. epist 1. ad Cor. alibi August l. 17. ciuitat c. 20. quaest 43. l. 1. quaest in Euang. Primas in epist. 1. Corinth c. 11. can 3. Apost Alexand. 1. epist. ad Orthodox 6. And this sacrifice was and is his sacred body and blood vnder the formes of breade and wine so miraculously effected both then and stil by the ministery of consecrated preists by his omnipotent power annexed by promise to this sacred and consecrating words this is my body this is my blood that his holy Apostles were then made such sacrificinge preists and supernaturally enabled to that highest and holiest function Neither can any protestant of England bee of other opinion for except contrary to the iudgement and testimony of all people Iewes Mahumetans Pagans and Christians which acknowledge Iesus Christ to haue beene and ordeined a new sacrifice and preisthood they will cast off all nature and name of Christianitie and goe further then any infidell yet hath done most foolishlie and blasphemously to say there was neuer any such as is called Iesus Christ they must confesse with the rest that hee ordeined these thinges they must say either with Turks and Pagans his institution was not holy herin or with the Iewes that this sacrifice is panis polutus poluted bread and not his body Hieronym à S. fiae l. contr Iud. 2. Iud. in Thalm. alibi his holy preists be tonsi shauelings as some of them prophanely do or acknowledg with true Catholick Christians in all ages times and places that the sacrifice and preisthood he then ordeyned are the most perfect absolute and permanent for euer For so all testimonies and euidences vpon which Christian Religion buildeth the word of God deliuered in holie scriptures or tradition with the warrant and practise of all the holy Apostles and church of Christ haue already or will in this ensuing treatise assure vs. 7. Therefore many of our best learned protestants and with publicke warrant and priuiledge haue graunted before pref cap. 1. that Christ did not onely institute and offer this most holy sacrifice but did giue power vnto his Apostles commaundement also to doe the same That it succeeded to the sacrifices of Moises lawe that is was from the beginning the sacrifice of the altare and vnbloody sacrifice sacrifice offered for the liuing and the deade Morton appeale l. 3. c. 13. Franc. Mason l. 5. pag 233 243. Middlet Papistom pag. 92 113.49.137.138.47.45 And among others to make al sure his maiestie is auouched to be of the same minde Isaac Casaub resp ad Card. Peron pag. 51. that from that time of Christs institution there is in his Church and hath euer beene an externall sacrifice wherin is conteined the body and blood of Christ And a protestant Bishop amonge them speakinge in all their names Morton appeale l. 3. cap. 13. saith The protestants acknowledge in the Eucharist a sacrifice Eucharisticall Which and more they are all bound to doe by an expresse statute of parlament receaued confirmed by three protestant Princes Kinge Edward the sixt Queene Elizabeth and our present soueraigne Kinge Iames wherin is expressely thus enacted Statut. an 1. Edu 6. cap. 1. an 1 Elizabeth cap. 2. an 1. Iacobi cap. 25. The most comfortable Sacrament of the body and blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ commonly called of the altare instituted of no lesse author then our Sauiour both God and man The institution of which Sacrament being ordeyned by Christ as is aforesaid and the words this is my body which is broken for you This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes spoken of it beeing of eternall infallible and vndoubted truth the most blessed Sacrament c. These bee the wordes of the statute established by his present maiestie in parlament with publicke assent of all English Protestants ministers or others in which statute penalties bee decreed against al gainesayers of this holy sacrifice and prouide an especiall writ against such transgressors statut supr 8. And to make all matters vnquestionable in this point this statute was enacted when there were none but sacrificing preistes in England diuers yeares before the booke of making ministers was inuented Which the wordes of the abridgement of our statuts approued by his maiesty to reiterate them thus doe testifie Abridgm of stat an Dom. 1611. Titul seruice and Sacraments cap. 1 the first makinge of this statute was before the Masse was taken away when the opinion of the reall presence was not remoued from vs. Therefore this statute wholly and without any other exception limitation or restriction beeing publickly made approued reuiued and confirmed by three seuerall publicke parlaments of three Protestant Princes cannot be contradicted by any English Protestant and except contradictions can both bee true which is vnpossible it is not possible but the contents of this statute of Christs institutinge the holy sacrificinge preisthood and sacrifice of Masse at his last supper must needes bee an article of faith and
natal l. 5. Antonin part 1. Volater l. 7. Guliel Eisengr cent 1. fol. 148. pag. 2. This for Aqueus where he was Bishop For S. Lazarus his beeing a massinge preist and his saying of Masse at Marssiles in Fraunce where hee was Bishop the holie vestiments in which hee said Masse beeing to this day preserued and to be seene in the cathedrall church there ar sufficient witnes In Cathedrali Ecclesia vestes in quibus Missam celebrabat adhuc hodie conscruantur monstrantur Demochar l. 2. contr Caluin c. 32. Petr. de natal l. 1. c. 72. Antonin part 1. tit 6. cap. 19. Guliel Eiseng centen 1. fol. 149. 16. How famous S. Martial disciple of S. Peter and sent into Fraunce by him was in many parts of that nation so wel known to our British Druides in those dayes it is not vnknowne to any antiquarie of these contries And as little ignorance can any man pretend that hee was a massinge sacrificinge preist for so renowned hee was for this that the infidels themselues then knew it amonge whome the cheife idolatrous preist or Druid of Limogen as the french Annales tel vs forsooke the towne by reason of an Hebrue called Martiall who being come into Gaule vseth not wine nor flesh but when he offereth sacrifice to God si non que au sacrifice de Dieu Who buildinge a chappel there celebrated Masse in it Celebré le Sainct sacrifice de la Messe S. Aurelian in vet S. Martialis Doctor Puel D. Tigeon Cl. March Ro. Seigneur de Faux Augenin histor Gallic in S. Martial Vincent in specul hist cap. 41. Io. Gualt Chronolog ecclesiasticopol an Do. 56. And in that citie still remayneth the holy altar on which hee vsed to say Masse whereof hee himselfe maketh mention in his epistle ad Burde galenses for that cause so honored that it is by publick edict of parlament examining and approuing the truth of that history from auncient time decreed that seuen candels should continually bee kept burninge before it the body of that their Apostle beeing buried neare vnto it Florimund Remund de Origen haeres l. 8. cap. 12. edict inter log parlam Galliae de hac re Annon videtis S. Martialem ad Burdegalenses nostros scripsisse se aram Deo Israelis martyri ipsius Stephano dedicasse ea ara in ciuitate Lemogicum vbi Apostolus ipse Aquitaniae quiescit conspicitur aedificata à Principe Stephano quem ad Christianismum ipse conuerteret ante eam noctes diesque ardent septem candelae iuxta antiquam istam fundationem in parlamento nostro disceptatam confirmatam 17. And this holy Saint and Apostle of Aquitaine himselfe teacheth what great honor and reuerence is due to Christian sacrificing preists and what an excellent sacrifice they offer of Christs sacred body blood in holy Masse thus he writeth to his late conuerted Christians S. Martial Episc ad Burdegales cap. 3. honorabatis Sacerdotes qui decipiebant vos sacrificijs suis qui mutis surdis statuis offerebant qui nec se nec vos iuuare poterant nunc autem multò magis Sacerdotes Die omnipotentis qui vitam vobis tribuunt in calice pane vino honorare debetis Before you were conuerted to Christ you did honour your preists which deceaued you with their sacrifices which did sacrifice to dumbe and deafe statues who could neither helpe themselues nor you But now much more you ought to honour the preists of God almighty which giue vnto you life in the chalice and liuelie breade And a little after speaking more plainely of this holy sacrifice offered vnto God vppon the altar hee saith Sacrificium Deo Creatori offertur in ara Christi corpus singuinem in vitam aeternam offerrimus Quod Iudaei per inuidiam immolauerunt putantes so nomen cius à terra abolere nos causa salutis nostrae in ara sanctificata proponimus scientes hoc solo remedio nobis vitam praestandam mortem effugandam hoc enim Dominus noster misit nos agere in sui commemorationem Sacrifice is offered to God our Creator vppon the altar We offer the body and blood of Christ for euerlasting life That which the Iewes did offer through enuy thinking to abolish his name from the earth wee offer this vppon an hallowed altare knowinge that by this onely remedy life is to be giuen vnto vs and death to bee auoided For this our Lord Iesus commaunded vs to doe in his commemoration 18. Thus this holy Saint that stilleth himselfe The Apostle of Iesus Christ who as hee saith was present with Christ in his life when hee was buried and see him after his resurrection Martial epist. ad Burdegal epestol ad Tholosanos was one of his 72. disciples was by speciall commaund of Christ vnto S. Peter whose disciple hee after was sent by him to bee the happy Apostle of that contrie And I haue rather amonge many others in the like condition cited this history of S. Martial because morally to speake the best learned Druids others of this our Britanie where the cheifest and commaunders in that sect remayned could not bee ignorant of these thinges for both S. Aurelianus successor immediate to S. Martial at Limogen and S. Martial also himselfe are most worthy witnesses that Sigebertus the summus Sacerdos high preist Arch-flamen and cheifest of the Druids sect in those partes was by S. Martial conuerted to this his holy sacrificinge and massing Christian Religion S. Aurelian in vit S. Martial Martial epistol ad Burdegal cap 3. And S. Aurelianus doth make this his holy conuersion so famous that it could not be concealed from the rulers of the Druids Religion in Britanie whom it so much concerned Aurelian supr annotat in S. Martial for presently after Benedicta wife of the Prince of that Prouince was conuerted by S. Martial this high preiste of the Druids Sigebert being also conuerted did breake in peeces all their Idols destroyed their Temples except the Temple dedicated to the vnknowne God and shiuered the altars of the diuils into dust Ipsemet Sigebertus Pontifex Idola omnia confregit minutim Templa euertit excepto Templo ignoti Dei altaria daemonum in puluerem Which S. Martial himselfe doth sufficiently insinuate when hee saith dum altaria daemonum in puluerem redigerentur aram ignoti Dei ad consecrationem reseruari iussimus Quia dedicata in nomine Dei Israel testis ipsius Stephani qui pro eo à Iudaeis passus est S. Martial sup cap. 3 when the altars of the deuils were beaten into dust wee commaunded the altare of the vnknowne God to bee reserued for consecration Which was dedicated in the name of the God of Israel and Martir Stephen who suffered for him by the Iewes 19. And if wee come to the nearer parts of Fraunce Paris Rouen Britany Normandy Picardy and all the sea coaste we shall euidently see that no other doctrine or
and first massinge and sacrificinge preists and Bishops in this nation and shew plainly how wee had and euer continued an holy and hierarchicall succession of such sacred parsons from S. Peter that greatest Apostle of Christ in all ages offeringe the blessed bodie and blood of Christ in the sacrifice of Masse vnto these times So that it shall euidently appeare although this kingedome hath for situation beene called an other world yet it did neuer from the beginning of Christianitie here differ frō the known Catholick Christian world in these holy misteries vntill these times 4. For the truth and veritie of this first plantinge the sacrificinge Christian preisthood and sacrifice of Masse in this kingdome it is little or nothing materiall whether it was S. Peter S. Paul or S. Simon Zelotes or S. Ioseph of Aramathia or any others disciples to any of those or any others of the Apostles because as before is proued they all agreed in these holy thinges yet to know who was our first founder and Father in Christ to whome wee owe for that the greatest reuerence dutiful children should and ought to performe to deriue from him our happy Hierarchicall succession in holy things and to know the truth which some haue veiled and obscured to much it is a thing most worthy our knowledge and our shame if wee shoulde dwell in ignorance thereof Therefore to be breife because it is lately and largely proued that S. Peter was this our first parent in Christ by all testimonies for this place it will suffice to shew how the best learned English Protestant antiquaries most backward in this busines by certaine Maximes or vndoubted grounds in antiquitie doe consequently and by an euident necessitie binde themselues and al others to be of this opinion Stowe and Howes histor 5. First they say the twelue Apostles diuided the world amongst them to conuert it Secondly which followeth from the former that this kingdome fell in diuision to one of these Apostles· Thirdly that there is a silence in histories that any Apostle but S. Peter S. Paul this none of the twelue and S. Simon Zelotes were here Fourthly that this kingdome receaued the faith if not sooner in the beginninge of the Empire of Claudius Fiftly that in his time many Christians came hither from Rome and diuers here were in that time conuerted to the faith of Christ Sixtly that S. Paul came not to Rome nor any of these western parts while longe after the death of Claudius in the dayes of Nero as the scripture it selfe with all histories is witnesse therof Seuenthly none of them doth affirme that S. Simon Zelotes was here at all but if hee were here they incline to thinke hee came not hither vntill the cominge of S. Ioseph of Aramathia in the 63. yeare of Christ when in all opinions diuers of this kingedome were Christians allmost 20. yeares and some preists of this nation very longe before that time 6. From hence an halfe blind man must needs make this vndoubted and infallible conclusion that S. Peter was our first Apostle and Father in Christ These protestant antiquaries of Englād giue vs further warrant both from themselues and antiquitie that S. Peter did in euery Prouince appoint one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same Prouince should obey Peter preached in no place but hee there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded churches And that it is confirmed almost 800. yeares since by Simeon Metaphrastes a learned Saint of the Greeke church out of the Greeke Antiquities and diuers others that S. Peter preachinge the word of life in this Iland hee here founded churches and ordeyned preistes and deacons And except S. Peter himselfe S. Iohn S. Iames S. Marke and S. Timothie with whom they Paralel S. Aristobulus our first Archbishop were not Archbishops this great Saint was by theire allowance our Archbishop in Britanie and as before so constituted by S. Peter no other being then to ordeine him to that dignitie in this nation all which our protestants thus write with publick warrant and priuiledge Iohn Whitguift answere to the admonition pag. 65. sect 1. and def of the answ pag. 318. Clem. Rom. apud eund Polydor. Virg. l. 4. de inuent c. 12.13 Sutcliff Subuers pag. 3. Theater of great Britanie l. 6. cap. 9. Sim. Metaphrast die 29. Ian. Eisengren centen 1. Thom. Rogers in artic Relig. of Engl. articul 36. 7. Therefore except this great massing preist and Apostle S. Peter should bee of an other opinion and practise in these thinges in this our Britanie then hee and all the other Apostles had beene in all other times and places before which no Christian can once imagine he also consecrated massing and sacrificing preists and Bishops in and for this kingdome And although our losses of such sacred monuments haue beene great yet wee haue not altogether loste the memory of al their names one and the first which I finde in histories was S. Mansuetus natione Scotus borne in this kingdome of great Britanie and by the antiquities of the church of Toul in Lorraine claimed to bee the first Bishop of that citie so likewise of the church of Treuers except the identitie of the name deceaueth mee to be afterwarde liuinge very longe Archbishop there because hee made much stay or residence in those places yet both our learned contriman S. Marianus and Methodus nere the Apostles times affirme that hee as others which they there name S. Clement Felix Rusticus Moses Martinus c. preached both in propria prouincia exterius both in their owne and other nations Annal. Tollens Arnold Mirman in Theatr. conuers gent. Belliforest Cosmograph Petr. Merssaeus Catalog Archiep. Treuerens in S. Mansueto Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. col 254. Method apud eundem supr 8. This holy contriman of ours beeinge consecrated preist by S. Peter that greate massinge preist and Apostle must needes himselfe also by that if wee had no other argument bee a massinge preist But wee ar not so streightned of proofes in this matter for wee haue warrant by the French German histories that hee was one of the companions of S. Clement vncle to S. Clement the Pope that great massinge Archbishop of Metz sent thither as Arnoldus Mirmannius thinketh in the time of Caius Caligula so auncient a massinge preist he maketh this our glorious contrimā Arnold Mirm. supr Annal. Tullen Bellifor supr Gul. Eisengren centur 1. Petr. de natal l. 11. Demochar l. 2. de Miss contra Caluin Caio Caligula Imperante Tullenses habuere Apostolum suaeque in Christum fidei primum Antistitem S. Petri Apostoli discipulum S. Clementis Collegam origine Scotum The inhabitants of Toul had for their Apostle first Bishop of their faith in Christ S. Mansuetus disciple of S. Peter the Apostle companion of S. Clement hee beeinge a Scot by natiuitie Eisengrenius and the Authors hee followeth hath the same onely saying he was made Bishop of Toul Anno Christi 49. in
Timothie his scholler dead longe before S. Lucius Britanniae Rex S. Timothei Apostoli Pauli discipuli cruditione ad Religionem Christi inductus est Petr. Merssaeus Annal. Archiep. eccl Treuer in S. Marcello If wee reflect vppon the Saints that were sent cheife Legats hither from Rome S. Fugatius and Damianus the principall of them in all antiquities as wee must needs to giue them their due that bee chosen and selected mē they must needes be learned vertuous and of mature age and iudgment to be imploied in so weightie a busines and as all histories testifie they were and so must needes bee consecrated massinge preists beeing sacred by those remembred sacrificinge Popes which neither did nor could consecrate any other nor they bringe any other doctrine in this or any other points of Religion but what they had receaued from those holy Popes 4. And to this besides so many generall Arguments S. Gildas the moste auncient and renowned Brittish Author is a particular witnes if it could please our protestants to publish it to the worlde except that renowned Abbot Doctor Fecknham did abuse his auditory in the first parlament of Queene Elizabeth in his publicke oration which no indifferent man will thinke hee did or durst to doe for feare of open shame and confusion if hee should haue aduouched an vntruth in that assemblie And yet speaking principally of the sacrifice of Masse then to bee condemned by that parlament citeth Gildas in the proeme of his history testifyinge that the same Religion and church seruice the sacrifice of Masse which was then to bee abrogated was brought hither and settled here in the Latine tonge by the Legats of Pope Eleutherius Abbot Fecknham orat in parlam 2. of Queene Elizabeth and all our cheife protestant antiquaries and historians of England as their Bishops Parker Bale Godwine with others Gosteline Powell Foxe Fulke Middleton Stowe Holinshed others confidently affirming that the Christian Brittans neuer chaunged in any materiall thinge that holy Religion which they receaued in the time of the Apostles but constantly continued in the same vntill the cominge of S. Augustine hither from S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome and after Parker antiquitat Britan. pag. 6.45.46 Balaeus l. 2. de act Pontif. Rom. in Gregor 1. l. de scriptor cent 1. in August Dronotho Godwin conuers of Brit. Powel annot in l. 2. Giraldi Camb. de Itiner Cambr. cap. 1. Foxe act pag. 463. edit an 1576. Fulke answ to a count Cath. pag. 40. Middelt papistom pag. 202 Stow histor in S. Augustine and Kinge Ethelbert Holinsh. histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. 5. But as I haue proued before by these protestants and otherwise the Britans by that Apostolicke man receaued the doctrine profession and practise of sacrificinge preisthood preists and sacrifice of Masse and continued them vnto this time soe I will demonstrate by them and all antiquities hereafter in euery age that they kept and obserued the same inuiolablie to those dayes and after without interruption And yet this is but a needles probation for being so inuincibly proued before that they receaued these holy doctrines and professions from the Apostles and from them to these daies if they had departed from them now or after they should bee apparantly guiltie of error in departinge from those truthes which the Apostles and all from them to these dayes continued And if wee looke into the catalogues of holy writers in this time whose works bee preserued to posteritie wee shall see that the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preists were generally in al places in as great vse and honour as at this day The moste renowned writers of this time whose bookes bee extant now were S. Iustine S. Irenaeus and Tertullian all they doe plainelie testifie that the sacrifice of Masse offeringe vp the sacred body and blood of Christ was the generally vsed knowne sacrifice of the Christians in this time in omni loco in euerie place saith S. Iustine Iustin Dialog cum Tryhone Ecclesia in vniuerso mundo offert Deo The church doth offer it in all the world saith S. Irenaeus Irenaeus aduers Haeres lib. 4. cap. 32. therefore the church of Britanie must needs offer it and I haue proued by our Brittish antiquities before that Rome Fraunce and Britanie in these daies of Eleutherius and Irenaeus which went to Rome in the papacy of S. Eleutherius vsed one and the same order of Masse And Tertullian that notorious massing Author declaring how Christiā Religion was then dilated in the worlde and the sacrifice of Masse was the common sacrifice thereof expressely nameth this our Britanie to haue receaued the Christian faith and to agree with other Christian nations therin Tertullian de cultu Faeminar cap. 11. l. ad Scapul cap. 2. l. de orat cap 14. l. de vel Virg. cap. 9. l. contra Iudaeos S. Iohn Chrisostome speaking of this conuersion of our Britans witnesseth manifestly and our protestants acknowledge it for truth that the Brittish churches then founded which were many had altars for their preists erected in them Chrisostom serm· de Pentecost protest Theater of great Britanie l. 6. § 12. which as is confessed before by these protestants neither were nor could in Christian Religion bee ordeyned but for massinge preists and the sacrifice of Masse as wee finde in the moste auncient churches of this nation as S. Iosephs dedicated to our Lady at Glastēburie Antiquit Glaston Capgrau in S. Patricio M. S. antiq in Lucio S. Martins at Canterbury and the olde church at Winchester where as we read there were Christian altares so also that the sacrifice of Masse was from their first foundation offered on them Bed hist. l. 1. cap. 27. Galfr. Monum l. 11. histor cap. 4. Stowe histor in Constantine sonne of Cador. c. so of S. Peters church in Cornhill in London and others And S. Damianus and Phaganus the cheife Legats of S. Eleutherius bearing so great deuotion to the massing church builded by S. Ioseph at Glastenbury that they themselues continued and dwelled there some time and settled twelue of their company to continue there duringe their liues must needs bee massinge preists as all had here euer beene from the Apostles time in which faith and Religion this holy Pope as our protestants with al antiquities assure vs confirmed the kingdome of Britanie Eleutherius vt bonus paterfamilias effecit vt confirmatis consolidatis Britannis in suscepta prius ab Apostolis doctrina totum illud regnum in eius fidei verba iuraret Ioh. Bal. l. 1. de act Pontif. Rom. in Eleutherio 6. So that by this Protestant Bishop and his and other authorities those doctrines of sacrificinge preists and Masse which from the Apostles dayes as I haue aboundantly proued had without discontinuance euer continued here in diuers particular places and parsons were now generally by this holy Pope and his massinge Legats established and confirmed in this kingedome confirmatis