vpon which the ordinarie Bishoppes of cities were constituted And withall Tradition confirmeth this for there is no Church in the world which nameth not the Apostles before the Bishops yea the Church of Rome preferreth the Apostles before the Popes It remaineth then for vs to search who was the successor of S. Iohn in the Catholike Primacy whether Polycarpus was his successor in Ephesus or Simeon successor to S. Peter in Ierusalem or Albinus of Alexandria successor of S. Marke successor and chosen of S. Peter or Ignatius successor of Euodias and of S. Peter in Antioch or Euaristus successor of Clement and of Linus and of S. Peter in Rome There are two Churches which haue contended herein more then eight hundred yeeres that is to say that of Constantinople and that of Rome The Romane Church saith that S. Peter hath ordained is from God that Rome should haue the Primacie and power to command and that for euer They of Constantinople say on the contrarie side that our Lord neuer spoke any such words much lesse Saint Peter himself and if any such thing had been some one of the Apostles would haue written of it this Article being the foundation of all the doctrine and gouernement of the Church Moreouer Saint Peter himselfe would haue Preached the same and Saint Iohn who succeeded and out-liued S. Peter would not haue stayed in Ephesus Well then you see that all the Churches planted by the Apostles not excepting any one doe testifie after many ages that neither they nor their fathers neuer beleeued nor held that the Primacie by diuine power was due to the Church of Rome but rather that it appertaineth to whosoeuer shall bee chosen and elected by the greater part of the Churches and that the Bishop of Rome alone ought not to be q beleeued much lesse in his owne proper cause In like maner many learned men of the Latine Church doe confesse that the reason wherefore Rome is helde to haue the Primacie in diuine affaires is an opinion of the vulgar sort So that rather to Constantinople appertaineth the Primacie seeing it was giuen her by the Apostolicke Churches which they gaue not then to Rome being one of the last seates of Saint Peter but onely in regard of the Imperiall seate Well then to make this the more intelligible it is necessarie to know how it happeneth that the Citie of Rome now a dayes pretendeth that the Primacie is due to her by diuine right The aboue mentioned Apostolicke Churches doe surmise as followeth and say First that Saint Peter had the first place among the Apostles for he was oftentimes demanded many things by the Lord and he answered in the name of his fellowes ouer whom neuerthelesse he had no iurisdiction nor authority although that some doe thinke that he resigned it to Saint Iames when they were together at Hierusalem after that S. Iames was instituted Bishoppe that is to say after that hee was staied that hee should make his ordinarie residence there Secondly that Saint Iohn during his life after the time of S. Peter had the first place amongst all the Euangelists and Bishoppes Thirdly that he neuer taught that Rome by Diuine right ought to be the Mistresse of the other Churches if he had S. Polycarpus his Disciple and others his successors in Ephesus had not debated so earnestly and obstinately against the Roman Church touching the feast of Easter Fourthly that after S. Iohn the Bishop of Rome obtained by iust title the first place among the Bishops which were vnder the Romane Empire for seeing that the Citizens of Rome then raigned ouer the Inhabitants of other Cities hee had been both proud audacious and vnreasonable which would haue preferred himselfe before their Bishop especially without any ordinance of a Councell Fiftly that the churches of Italy and other their neighbours through the laps of time gaue to the Bishop of Rome not only the first place but also the superintendancie ouer the Bishops neare them in particular for to giue his aduice in matters that happened till a Synode might be had Sixtly that the councell of Nice approued the same and ordained that Alexandria should in like manner haue the ouer-sight of the Churches of Egipt and of Affrica and that the church of Antioch should ouer-see those of the east And after a certaine time because the Emperiall seate was transported vnto Constantinople it was ordained that that Bishop should be ouer-seer of the Greeke Churches and the Bishop of Ierusalem should be admitted to be one of the fiue for Palestina and those fiue were called Patriarches Seuenthly that the Bishop of Rome all this while had the first seat but yet without any vniuersall iurisdiction but rather euery one of the foresaid fiue Patriarches iudged or rather gaue his aduise and opinion till a Councell might be had as euen to this day they of Constantinople although that they call themselues Oecumenicke are subiect to Synodes but yet of Greece onely Eightly that Maurice Emperour of Constantinople would haue taken away the primacie from Gregorie Bishoppe of Rome and giuen it to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who for a Marke of his place desired to haue the Title of a generall Bishoppe and that Gregorie did oppose himselfe against him least he should loose his place vrging how insolent that Title was and saying that Iohn would vsurpe Dominion ouer the other Bishops which peraduenture was not the intention of Iohn but he on the contrary side to shew that he was contented with the ranke or place of his predecessors called himselfe Seruus seruorum Dei The seruant of the seruants of God Ninthly that Phocas hauing slaine Maurice gaue to the Bishop of Rome which was then Boniface the first seate and Title of Generall or Vniuersall Bishop and yet without any iurisdiction or Dominion ouer the other patriarches which notwithstanding the churches acknowledged him not in that quality Tenthly that Charles the great King of France hauing subdued with armes a great part of Europe The citie of Rome craued his ayde against the Lombards who being ouer come by the same King the Romanes proclaimed him their Emperour 11 That then the Emperors of the East with the consent of the Patriarchall and Apostolicke Churches tooke from Rome the primacy and gaue it to the said Church of Constantinople 12 That then the Romanes seeing that by the Ecclesiasticall law they should loose the primacie began to say that the primacy belonged as of Diuine right to them and to their Bishop and consequently that the whole Church together could not take away from them the first ranke because that Rome is the Sea of S. Peter 13 That after that they of the East had rightly said that hee is successor of S. Peter which is elected confirmed and approued by the greatest part of the Churches in what place soeuer he maketh his residence and that imitateth S. Peter in doctrine and humilitie That the Bishoppes of
taught vnto them by the Apostles Ieremie Oecumenicall Patriarch writeth thus to the Protestants of Germanie Let these things suffice you most deare brethren which as you see do best of all accord and agree with the Scriptures vnto vs diuinely giuen according to the interpretation and exposition of the most wise and holy Fathers inspired by God For wee are not permitted to trust vpon our owne particular interpretation or to vnderstand or teach but only that which agreeth with the holy Councels and Doctors of the Church for feare that being once drawen or ledde out of the way of the Euangelicall doctrine and the path of true wisedome and vnderstanding we do erre and that our iudgement be transported as an other Proteus one while to one fashion of beleefe another while to another Well some of you will demaund peraduenture by what meanes may a man attaine to this That shall he doe by the aide and assistance of God if he doe attempt nothing and follow but that which hath bene ordained by the Apostles and holy Councels For he that doth well and constantly continue within these limits shall march the very same pace and be of the very same faith and Communion with vs. Sacranus The Moscouites denie that the Church of Rome is the chiefe head of all other Churches saying also that the Sayings Statutes Writings Canons and Determinatiōs of the Councels of the Church of Rome are nothing and that all Councels after the seuen first Councels are not truely Catholicke because that they were holden without their consent and approbation THE CHVRCH OF THE SOVTH ALuares Againe it was demaunded of me what number of Bishops were at the Councell of Nicei whereunto I answered three hundred and eighteene Moreouer they asked me wherefore wee doe not obserue the Statutes and Articles of that holy Councell seeing it was therein ordained that Priests should mary I answered that of all that which was there ordained there was now nothing obserued but onely the great Symbole or Creede They put me also in mind of many other things which were broken and violated by Pope Leo and they prayed me to recite them But I excused my selfe saying that I knew them not although that in my iudgement if that hee infringed any they were such as sauoured of some heresie and that he had approued and caused to bee obserued those which hee knew to be holy and necessary The same Aluares Prester Iohn asked me whether wee had a booke diuided into eight parts which was composed by the Apostles assembled at Ierusalem which they call Manda and Abetilis the contents whereof was by them obserued but I answered him that I neuer knew any such because it was not to bee found in our Countries Zaga-zabo an Ethiopian Bishop Neither our Patriarch nor our Bishops doe beleeue that either of themselues or in Councell they may make any lawes vnto which any man should be bound vpon paine of mortal sinne THE REFORMED CHVRCHE IN THE WEST THe confession of the Swizers S. Peter the Apostle saith that the holy Scriptures are not of any priuate interpretation and therefore we approue not all interpretations neyther receiue as a lawful exposition that which is called the opinion of the Church of Rome We do not contemne the exposition of the Fathers which doe agree with the holy Scriptures we reiect all humane Traditions although neuer so well adorned with fine Titles if being conferred with the holy Scripture they doe differ and varie Zanchius We doe iudge that those Traditions must be retained and obserued in the Churches which doe manifestly appeare to be of the Apostles obserued euer in all the Churches although that there is no such commaundement in the Scripture It is not the part of a Christian man and one that feareth God to reiect that which is proued to haue bin receiued by the consent of all Churches to reiect that I say without iust and necessary cause but if hee attempt any such matter it must be debated in a generall Councell THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent The Councell considering that all Doctrine and Discipline is contained in Bookes written and Traditions not written following the example of the Catholike Fathers and good interpreters of the faith doth receiue and honour with equal affection and pietie all the bookes of the old and new Testament and in like manner the Traditions which doe appertaine as well to faith as to good manners as hauing beene spoken eyther by the mouth of Iesus Christ or else by the holy Ghost and alwaies kept in the Catholike Church Romane by continuall succession ANNOTATION THere is no part of Christendome that holde not themselues to haue the best forme of gouernement The three principall that is to say the Grecians Romanes and Abissins or Aethiopians doe claime their Traditions from the Apostles notwithstanding that they are found eyther to be different or contrary but in Histories their Original is to be seen especially the Traditions of the Grecians and Latines As touching those of the Abissins or Aethiopians it is harder to find out the Authours Neuerthelesse they haue receiued some of the Greekes and Latines in the time of Iustinian the Emperour as hereafter shall be said But the most part of their ceremonies are taken from the law of Moses The Reformed Christians say that if ceremonies must be it is more conuenient to obserue those which God hath in times past ordained then to receiue any Paganisme superstition That which brought most nouelties into the Latine Church is the authority which is giuen to one alone for euery Pope would leaue some remembrance of faith from hence do proceed so many canonized saints and fashions to honour them feasts pilgrimages Religions or orders of monks and friars and such like blind deuotion wherein the Latins haue surpassed all people who accuse the foresaid Latines of presumption because they would make to passe for Catholike those customes which were neuer ordained by the seuen vniuersall Councels They of the East Church require the obseruation of those of the generall Councels but not of any particular The Reformed Christians doe protest that they dispute not against Catholike customes but against abuse and superstition or if any thing displeaseth them it is the multitude of ceremonies rather then any one of them considered in particular It is true that in reiecting those that haue beene brought onely in by the Church of Rome they haue not spared the Catholike ceremonies Luther thought that all Christian nations would reforme themselues the one after the other and also that that which seemed to be a particular attempt would be corroborated and confirmed by a Catholike approbation Howsoeuer it be the learned and greatest men amongst them doe protest to submit themselues to a generall and free Councell The Frenchmen likewise who haue of late time begun and had lesse means giuen them to errect
inuocatitions as also the Protestants doe sing with the Psalmist Prayse God yee Angels of great power yee Angels of God which doe all that he commaundeth as soone as you heare his voice As for other matters two things are obiected against this inuocation or exhortation of Saints practised by the Grecians Armenians other of the East the one that it is an idle vnprofitable interpellation seeing that the Saints vnderstand not at al those that pray vnto thē Whereunto they aunswere that the spirit of Charitie which they haue vnderstandeth the Prayers and knoweth the thoughts of men and that this spirit was promised them vntill the end of the world It seemes that by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they vse they meane the holy Ghost dwelling in the faithfull for the Patriarch Gennade taketh it in this sense in that place of Scripture which wee haue alleadged in the Preface of this Treatise where it is said that all the Apostles had one selfe same teacher to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the opinion of the Grecians should be this that it is good to recommend our soules to the prayers of Saints because that the holy Ghost which dwelleth in them and which vnderstandeth the prayers of them that are liuing doth moue the Saints to pray for them The other obiection is that there is no commaundement of God to recommend a mans selfe to the Prayers of the dead They answere that God commanded the friends of Iob to goe vnto Iob to pray him to pray to God for them and that there is no impediment why a man may not doe the like to the Saints that are dead The greatest argument herein is the custome receiued from antiquitie in the Catholike Church The intention or meaning thereof now a dayes is That the Saints doe not vnderstand the Prayers of the liuing neuerthelesse it is lawfull for vs to recommend our selues to their Prayers because that the holy Ghost the spirit of Charitie which dwelleth in them doth induce them to pray for the liuing either in generall or in particular for those that recommend themselues to their prayers QVESTION XLI Whether those that haue beene Canonized by the Pope are truely Saints THE EAST CHVRCH THeuet As concerning the Saints of the Latin Church which we reuerence the Indians acknowledge none of them except the Apostles and Prophets nor the Grecians and Iauians likewise Idem The Grecians do keepe holy the Feastiuall daies of Saints as well as we not for that they acknowledge those which the Latins and the Church of Rome doth reuerence Sacranus They speake ill of the Saints of the Catholike Church and faith vnder the Roman obedience Gagninus They reiect the Saints of the Church of Rome and doe hold them for great Heretickes THE SOVTH CHVRCH Theuet The Abyssins doe acknowledge but verie few of our Saints Honored in our Church except Catherine by reason that her body is in Mount Sinai Saint Anthonie an Egyptian and S. Helen except also the Virgin Marie whose name is acknowledged throughout the vniuersall world THE REFORMED CHVRCH CHemnitius Those of the Church of Rome doe worship many Saints which neuer liued as George Christopher and Catharine This saying hath been vsed in the Church of Rome that in earth men doe worship the reliques of many whose soules doe burne in hell They are worthy of the hate of al good men though there were no other reason but this that they haue depraued by their fables the Histories of the liues and deaths of the Saints which doubtlesse were very full of true doctrine and consolation THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Glosse of the Canon Gloriosus The Pope alone hath power not onely to extoll some amongst the Saints but also to Canonise them first because it is one of the greatest matters that can bee propounded amongst Christians Secondly because miracles are attributed vnto faith Thirdly because that if it appertainneth vnto the Pope to determine those things that are doubtfull in the Scripture then by farre greater reason ought he to iudge of holinesse Fourthly to the end that the people should not be deceiued through the simplicity of many Bishoppes and fiftly to the end there should not be an infinite number of Saints least that thereby deuotion should grow cold ANNOTATION IT is a thing confessed that particular Churches may erre namely in the Canonizing of Saints and by tradition of the Catholike Church the Church of Rome ought to bee held for a particular Church This aboue written doth shew that the most part of Christians doe not hold for Saints those which the Pope hath canonized If any man say that the Church cannot erre I will answere that from thence it followeth that it cannot be that she can vndertake to Canonize them whom she neuer did while they were in their bodies The Church cannot make a new article of Faith Pope Leo the third saith Bellarmine was the first which Canonized Saints before they were honoured by custome and not by law the same is retained as yet in the East Countries where they name none Saints but those auncients which liued about a thousand years agoe there are none in those Churches which thinke themselues able to know who those be whom God hath chosen Not because that none ought to hold for saints those whose holinesse the ancient Church did acknowledge it would be worse to doubt it then dangerous to beleeue it charitably That which induceth the Protestants to say that Catherine George and Christopher neuer liued is the falshood of their Legends Bellarmine confesseth that they are Apocrypha They of the East doe beleeue that there was a certaine man named Christopher but no Giant They hold likewise that there haue beene a S. Catherine and a S. George both very renowned in all the east But if credible histories doe contradict the Storie of their liues it may well be said that they were not to wit such as they are imagined to haue beene To end seeing that the Churches haue euery one the memorie of the Saints who haue liued in their Countries the surest way is not to condemne them without good and sufficient proofe Neuerthelesse it is not an Article of Faith that they should be al Saints no nor those neither of the Church of Rome for all the Churches do beleeue That those which the Pope Canonizeth are not vndoubtedly Saints QVESTION XLII Whether it be lawfull to paint God to bowe or kneele before Idoles or Images to bowe the head or vncouer it before Churches Crosses or Pictures of Saints or when we take in hand holy Relickes and the Books of the holy Scripture THE EAST CHVRCHES DAmascen a Greeke Doctor Who can make an Image of God who is inuisible incorporall and incircumscriptible It is a great folly and impiety to seeke to giue a shape to him who is Diuine Sacranus The Russians doe abhorre the Images of the Romane Catholikes and
by little and little to her obedience The Protestants or reformed Christians doe make the sixt Church of Christians they inhabite a great part of Germanie and the Kingdoms of England Scotland Denmarke and Swethia and haue Churches in France Flanders and Poland This reformation attempted and desired by the Albigeans and Valdians was receiued in Bohemia in the yeere 1400. or there abouts and afterwards in the yeere of 1517. established in the said Regions by the doctrine of Luther Melanchton Zuinglius Bucer Caluin and others The reformed haue not Primate in common neither any generall Synods which are the Markes and Bands of Vnitie and from thence haue proceeded and entred amongst them with great scandale the diuisions and names of Hussits Lutherans Caluins and Puritans ¶ Secondly Certaintie of Christian Religion FOrasmuch as we intend to intreate of diuers points of the Euangelicall veritie It seemeth necessarie vnto vs before all things to establish and shew the foundation The which shall bee of more authoritie if we insert here the end of a learned discourse of Gennade Patriarke of Constantinople made by him in the presence of Mahomet the second Emperour of the Turkes Besides these reasons saith he there are seuen which doe altogether assure vs of our faith The first because that the Prophets of the Iewes the which we doe receiue haue foretold of IESVS and all that which he did and his Disciples after him through his power And in like maner the Oracles of the Grecians by the permission of GOD and the Astronomers of Persia and of Greece did foretell of him The second because the holy Scriptures is altogether conformable to our Faith for that those which did write them had all one teacher to wit the grace of God for if the same had not beene they had differed and varied in some point The third because that men receiued this faith although new and strange with great care among all nations and in great daungers And not onely the foolish but also the wise and prudent and all Diabolicke deceit was perfectly reuersed and ouerthrowne The fourth because that this faith contayneth nothing that is impossible and which disagreeth with it selfe and that there is no corporall thing therein but rather spirituall and it is the way which leadeth the soule to the loue of God and to the hope of euerlasting life The fift because that those which haue receiued this faith and that haue liued vertuously according to the loue of Christ haue receiued great gifts of God and haue wrought many miracles the which could not haue beene done had not the faith beene true The sixt because that all that which may be obiected against it is easily refuted with firme arguments The seuenth because that the Kings of Paganisme Countries haue made Warres against this faith with infinite power and cruelties during many ages and haue profited nothing at all but rather the faith hath preuailed so well insomuch that it doth persist vntill this present and when the Lord doth come he shall finde it To the same Iesus our Lord and true God be glory for euer Amen ¶ Thirdly the Subiect and end of this Treatise IF the Schismes doe ruinate Christendome by the aduantage that the Infidels doe take it is nothing lesse endamaged by the scandall which Christians themselues doe receiue the one of the other the one liueth vncertaine of that which he ought to beleeue the other perswadeth himselfe that he followeth the right way and animated out of measure against the opinion of the rest he doth but attend the houre to renew those auncient Furors If any man speake of a Councell or to correct and eschue those vitious and scandalous extremities he is so soone reproued by those which haue the eares of Kings and people I seeke peace saith the Prophet and when I talke thereof they are bent to warres The saying of Zaga Bishop of Ethiope and Embassadour of Prester Iohn is more charitable It is a miserable thing saith he that Christian strangers should be so sharpely reprooued as enemies as I haue beene heere and other things which concerne not the true faith But it should be farr more conuenient to support all Christians be they Grecians be they Armenians be they Ethiopians be they of any one of the seuen Christian Churches with charity and loue of CHRIST and to permit them to liue and conuerse amongst other christian brethren without any iniurie because that we are all Infants of one Baptisme and doe hold truely the true faith and there is no reason to dispute so sharpely touching ceremonies but rather that euery one should obserue and keepe his owne without hating or troubling the other and not to be excluded out of the commerce of the Church if being a stranger in other Prouinces hee keepe and obserue the customes of his owne Country This is the Discourse of a Moore which should make vs blush But seeing that ignorance obscureth the vnderstanding and that anger stoppeth the eares and shutteth the eyes of the men of this world It resteth for the Louers of peace and trueth to put in practise the commandement of our Sauiour Take heede saith he of the leauen of the Pharisees For who can assure himselfe that this commaundement hath not more scope But some man will say what meanes is there to discerne this leauen and these Pharisees in so great a conflict of reason The answere is that when the Scriptures the which all Christians doe claime haue not sufficient light for to make the trueth in the doctrine of controuersies to bee apparently perceiued Yet may a man now a dayes vse that meanes which S. Ireneus councelleth vs which is that he haue a recourse to the Churches where the Apostles haue conuersed for to learne the Apostolicke tradition But men are farre enough from taking this way The one perswadeth himselfe that the Apostolicke Churches are perished the other calleth them plaine heretickes For it is manifest that we must beleeue the promise of the Son of God who said to his Apostles yea as well to them as to the Colledge of their successors Goe through the vniuersall world behold I am with you vntill the consumation of the world Here is the full But of this Treatise to make men see by Testimonie of Historiographers being ocular witnesses and of vnreproueable Authors that there are Churches in the Apostolicke Sees and for to shew that they are conformable among themselues and to the Scripture in that which is necessarie to saluation As for ceremonies or curious Questions it matters not if euery one of them doeth make or beleeue that which seemeth him best That which is worst of all is the diuision which proceedeth of zeale but with little charitie and it will not be amisse to recite the moderation which Saint Paul commandeth If you saith he bee otherwise minded GOD shall reueale euen the same vnto you As
for the rest this Treatise is not for the learned sort of whom we are willing to receiue both councell and correction wheresoeuer it shall so fall out It is but for to solace those which desire to learne and haue not the meanes to read diuers authors especially the Greeke and Latin Those also that search discourses garnished and painted out with all sorts of flowers and coulers shall not bee here satisfied This subiect cannot permit any rhetoricall sentences and the fashion of the Treatise is farre wide from it here is but a Collection of diuerse passages Coppies and sentences of authors word by word with briefe and simple Annotations The breuity is to the end that the simplicity should not be enuious and the simplicity is because that it is conuenient both to the matter and argument In like manner because that which is most plainely spoken should haue lest suspicion and be more intelligible I doe not doubt that this breuity will giue any aduantage to the contentious But I shall haue better meanes hereafter to satisfie them God willing Let it then suffice thee for this present Catholicke Reader to haue here a beginning of the knowledge of this subiect a knowledge which will increase in thee through the loue of the truth The ancient Bishop Meliton as Eusebius writeth did visite the Churches of the East for to learne what were the Canonicall Bookes and true writings of the Apostles If thou doest read this abridgment thou shalt imitate without any paine the holy curiositie of this good man A TREATISE OF THE TRADITION AND BELIEFE of the Christians of Asia Europa and Affrica in the principall Controuersies of our time QVESTION I. Whether Saint Peter had authority ouer the other Apopostles or onely the Presidencie and whether his successors haue the same authority THE EAST CHVRCH NIlus Archbishop of Thessalonica The Apostles being in Hierusalem St. Peter tooke not vppon himselfe the Primacy neither said he is it lawfull for me to make a Canon vpon the same But the Apostles and the Priests assembled themselues together for to consult thereupon and Saint Peter reiected them not but he began to speake and after him Saint Iames spake and they all did condescend to the opinion of Saint Iames that is to say Saint Peter himselfe and the rest of the Apostles and Priests Barlaam Monachus Graecus I acknowledge that St. Peter was an Vniuersall Pastor and Teacher but hee was not alone but also euery one of the other Apostles was in honour equall with him It is true that our Sauiour promised the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen to Saint Peter the which he declareth to bee no other thing then the power to binde and vnbinde But it is manifest that he gaue the same power to the other Apostles saying Whatsoeuer yee binde on earth shall bee bound in Heauen Wee doe conclude then that all the Apostles had equall and like honour in that which was belonging to the Church but Saint Peter was preferred in this holy dozen and for that the others were present he propounded the question and peraduenture receiued the honour to be set in the first ranke Maior Anacletus saith that the Apostles receiued with Saint Peter an equall Communitie of honour and authoritie but they would that hee should bee their Prince And this saying of Anacletus is confirmed by this signe to wit that the Grecians doe follow the contradictorie of our conclusion that is to say of the beliefe of the Church of Rome and none ought to say that soe great a people are in errour a people I say that haue receiued the faith before the Romanes and the most part at the very first foundation or planting of the Church Sacranus The Muscouites deny that Saint Peter was a true Pope or a true Bishop of the sea of Rome or that hee was the onely head of the Militant Church And they say that he receiued not of Iesus Christ full authority The same they beleeue of the Bishop of Rome the which they maintaine to bee like other Bishops THE SOVTH-CHVRCH ALuares Prester-Iohn sent to me to aske wherfore we haue diuided the Churches of Antioche and Rome seeing we professe to be Christians seeing that the Church of Antioche was in a manner the chiefest vntill the Councell of Pope Leo whom three hundred and eighteene Bishoppes assisted I answered as I had said once before to his greatnesse that indeed Antioche was heretofore the head of the Church which Saint Peter gouerned and dwelt in it fiue yeares and in Rome fiue and twenty yeares After that hee inquired whether we doe obay all that which the Pope commaunded vs I answered him that we doe and that we were obliged therunto by the Article of our holy faith which confesseth one holy Catholicke Church Whereupon hee replied that if the Pope would vsurpe so great prerogatiue as to vse towards them an vnlawfull commaundement they would not make any reckoning of it And if by such meanes their Abuna would presume so farre they would burne the Coppie of such commaundement Annot. By this discourse it is seene that the Aethiopian Church doth hold that the Primate of the Church may erre and commaund vnlawfull things although he doe it in the qualitie of a Primate for hee commandeth not by any other authority and that the Iudgement of the Church is good and valuable without the aduise and consent of the Primate THE REFORMED CHVRCH IN THE WEST THe Confession of England Christ is alwaies present in his Church and hath no neede of any Lieuetenant that should succeede him totally in the Church neither can any one mortall man embrace in his vnderstanding the Catholicke Church that is to say all the partes of the world much lesse to establish a good order and to administer and gouerne it well and duely The Apostles as Saint Cyprian sayth were all of an equall authoritie And the rest of them had the same authority as Saint Peter had It was spoken to them equally Feed goe through the Vniuersall world Preach the Gospell And as Saint Ierome saith All Bishops in-what place soeuer they be either in Rome or in Eugubio or in Constantinople or in Rhegium are of one selfe same merite or calling and of one selfe same Priesthood THE ROMAN OR LATIN CHVRCH POpe Leo. The Lord would that this holy charge should belong in such sort to all the Apostles that he hath appointed and ordained it in the person of Peter as soueraigne amongst the other Apostles Pope Stephan Forasmuch as the Romaine Church ouer the which wee doe sit and gouerne hath beene proposed for a mirror and example all that whatsoeuer she doth ordaine and command ought to be for euer inuiolably obserued Card. Bellarmine The Soueraigne Bishop is absolutely aboue the Councels and cannot subiect himselfe to their Coactiue sentence Besides this point is the most important of all Religion and to holde
the contrary is as much as if one would say that the Church may perish and decay ANNOTATION THere is three manners of gouernement that is to say Monarchie Aristocracie and Democracie Monarchie is when one alone hath power to commaund Aristocracie is when the lesser part of the people hath the Soueraignetie in it selfe to giue a law to the rest of the people be it to all in generall or to some one in particular Democracie when all the people or the greater part of them haue the soueraigne authority Presidencie is when in a State Aristocratique or Democratique there is one that hath the first ranke and the charge to gouerne in the assemblies Magistracie or Superintendencie is when he that is President hath iurisdiction ouer the particulars for to cause the Lawes and Statutes of the Common-wealth or Monarche whereof he is a Subiect to bee obserued This charge and Iurisdiction is giuen sometimes for terme of life and instituted both in Title and Office Sometimes for a certaine time and in the forme of a Commission Some man may demand whether Saint Peter had simply the Primacy that is to say the first ranke or place amongst the Apostles or whether he had Iurisdiction ouer euery one of them in particular or whether he had a Monarchall authority ouer their company Also whether had he the Primacie in Diuine affaires and in such sort that it was not Lawfull for his fellowes to giue to vnto another The Romane Church doth holde that Saint Peter had authority in diuine matters ouer the company of the Apostles and that he that is elected and chosen to preside or gouerne in the Church hath the same authority ouer it and is not obliged to follow the greater voyce in giuing his sentence according to the consultations of the Councels For proofe whereof is aleaged Thou art Peter and vpon this Stone c. I wil giue thee the Keyes I haue prayed for thee Feede my Sheepe Strengthen thy Brethren And that the faith of the Romanes was renowned through the world This opinion of the Romane Church is so particular that not onely the Catholicke and Apostolicke Churches of the East South and of the North and the reformed Churches of the West but also the rest that make profession to beleeue the Roman Church cannot approue of this point Neuertheles this is the ground foundation of the others For when one makes profession of Christianitie it is necessarie that he be resolued to which hee ought to giue credit To wit whether to the holy Scripture expounded by the greater voice of Bishops and of the Apostolicke Seas which is the foundation of the East Churches or to a supreame head who hath assistance of the Bishops of his quarter which is the foundation of the Latine Church The Church of Rome pretendeth that her Bishop cannot erre in the things which he pronounceth in the quality of the head thereof although that one whole Councell was of a contrary opinion But the councel of Basil wherin was assembled all the Latine Church did hold the contrary Yea many Catholicke Romane Doctors doe mainetaine it in their writings Concilium esse supra Pontificem saith Bellarmine asserunt omnes haeretici idem asserunt Cardinalis Camaracensis Io. Gerson Iac. Almaricus Cusanus Panormitanus Cardinalis Florentinus Abulensis Moreouer it is the voice of the people that it be so and if one doe aske a Romaine Catholicke wherefore he belieueth or doth such and such things he answereth presently that the Church hath so ordained it In saying so hee confesseth that the Soueraigntie belongs to the Church For were not that a haynous crime so to obscure the Maiestie of a Monarch as to say that the Estates doe make Lawes and Edicts And it is manifest that the Romane Catholickes in soe doing doe accuse the Pope and the Church of Rome of errour to the which they giue neuerthelesse the title of Mistresse of all other Churches and do confesse that if there be any error in this there may be likewise in other opinions And consequently the Grecians and the Reformed Christians doe build vpon a farre more sure foundation As for the places of the holy Scripture alleaged by the Latine Church the foresaide Apostolicke Churches doe clearely and manifestly affirms that those places before alleaged doe conclude nothing for a Monarchie That the Church is founded vpon all the Apostles in like manner as vpon Saint Peter That our Lord prayed for them all That all had power to binde and vnbinde To Feede and confirme them And that the faith of the Church of Thessalonica which is now the faith of the Greek Church is spread and scattered into all places And moreouer that the Lord made a promise to the company of the Apostles more expresse then that which he made to S. Peter in particular I am saith he with you vntill the end of the world And withall two great Lawyers of that time viz. Hotman and Ranchin After many others haue very amply written thereof From hence therefore the Catholicke and Apostolicke conclusion is taken That the Church which in her foundation is a Monarchie because that Iesus Christ is the King ought to be gouerned Aristocratically by her Bishops which are equall in power although different in charge and degrees for the order and policie thereof QVESTION II. Vnto what Bishop appertaineth Presidencie in the Councels and whether this Presidencie be a Diuine Law or Ecclesiasticall THE EAST CHVRCH THe answere to the Councell of Ausburge Forasmuch as the Church of God which is with vs is the Princesse of all other Churches And that shee guideth the people of God in all knowledge and grace and glorieth in the pure sinceritie of the splendore of the Apostolicke Traditions and of the Fathers And for that also she hath born the first prerogatiue in the Orthodoxall veritie It is reason that all Christian common wealthes should celebrate the Diuine mysteries as she doth Nilus Archi-episcopus Thessalonicoensis The Latines say that the blessed Apostle Saint Peter was constituted by the Lord the Prince of the twelue Apostles and that he gaue into his hands the Keyes of Heauen against the which the Gates of Hell should neuer preuaile that hee also prayed that his faith should not faile and such like things as doe manifestly shew the Primacie of Saint Peter And they say that the Pope was constituted to be his successor and hath receiued of Saint Peter all the Primacie and that hee can all that Peter could in things concerning faith and that it is impossible that he should decline from the truth in matters of faith For if hee should faile all matters of faith would runne to ruine But Honorius Bishop of Rome was an heretike according to the seauenteenth decree of the sixt Vniuersall Councell It may bee then that the Pope might decline from the truth in matters of faith Yet graunt
that hee erred in the faith the words of the Lord are not in vaine That the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the Church The piety and integrity of Religion may be firmely preserued in other Bishops It is then manifest that it is not peculiar to the Roman Church to bee founded vpon this stone for that should be hard and grieuous and not far differing from the Iewes basenesse to inclose the Church within Rome Well then Christ hath built his Church but he builded it vpon the faith and doctrine of Peter and vpon those that shal be keepers and obseruers of such a confession And if Saint Agathon affirmed that his Church to wit that of Rome neuer erred from the truth it is no wonder for it is because that indeed very seldome she falleth from the faith Otherwise how should a man interpret this place of Scripture All are gone out of the way they are al corrupt there is none that doth good no not one Moreouer when he saith that the Church of Rome is not stayed from the way of truth he speaketh of the time past and doth not include the time to come and that which is to bee noted Agathon spake that before the sixt Synode Theuet The Patriarch of Ierusalem as I haue seene did excommunicate out of the body of their Church the which they hold from al antiquity aswel the pope of Rome as also all Christian Princes to wit those of the Roman Church because that they are seperated from the Greeke Church the which receiued the Gospell before the Latine Church Villamont The Syrians doe boast themselues to be the first Christians of the world because that Saint Peter had his seate seauen yeares in Antioch before that euer he went to Rome which is the reason that the Syrians would neuer submit themselues to the Church of Rome Theuet The Christians of Traprobane and the Ilands neare thereunto doe not acknowledge nor their fathers did neuer acknowledge the popes Cardinalles or prelates of Rome Also the Nestorians and other Indians doe call the Pope a Bishop vnapproued Sacranus The Ruthenians and Moscouites doe say that the Pope is an Hereticke and doe excommunicate him and his Clergy at such times as they do celebrate the Lords supper THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares Prester-Iohn calling to remembrance that I had said that the Church had drawn these things that is to say the ceremonies of the Masse out of the passion he demaunded of me what was this Church and wherefore haue we two chiefe heads in Christendome the one at Constantinople in Greece and the other at Rome in Italy vnto whom I made answere that we acknowledged no more then one Head of the Church and although Constantinople was the chiefe in the beginning yet the same now was abolished for that the head of the Church ought to be where Saint Peter dwelleth because that Iesus Christ tolde him Tues Petrus super hanc petram c. And then when Saint Peter was in Antioch the Church was there by reason that the chiefe head was then there resident the which being now come to Rome there was the Ecclesiasticall Iudge established and so firmely placed that it remaineth there vntil this present Moreouer he told me then that I yeelded sufficient reason for the Church of Rome but hee asked me what I could say of the Church of Constantinople which was planted by St. Marke and of that of Greece whereof Saint Iohn Patriarch of Alexandria was head Annot. The reason of this great King is the very same with the Grecians in the controuersie against some Cardinals in these wordes If that your Roman Church be the chiefe and mother of the other Churches by reason that Saint Peter was her Pastor it is more reason that Antioch should obtaine these titles because she first embraced and receiued his preaching from thence it commeth that Antioch is called Theopolis the citie of God or else that Church of Ierusalem which obtained the great and Soueraigne Sacrificer who preached and offered himselfe a Sacrifice therein The vniuersall Histories of the Indies made mention that the Pope sent Ouiedo a Spaniard to drawe the Abyssins or Aethiopians to acknowledge the Romane Church but the Emperour Claudius of Ethiope then raigning chased him away and Ouiedo was compelled to hide himselfe THE REFORMED CHVRCH OF THE WEST THE confession of Wittenberg Wee beleeue and confesse that the Church ought to expound the Scripture but there are diuers opinions concerning the Church that is to say where it must be sought for and whether her iurisdiction be inclosed within certain limits Now wee doe thinke according to the holy Scripture and the holy Fathers that the Catholike and Apostolike Church is not tyed to any one certaine place to one nation or to one sort of people but that it is in that place and with those nations where the Gospell is sincerely preached The confession of the Swizers We doe condemne the Donatists which would inclose the Church in a corner of Affrica and we approue not the Clergie of Rome who attribute the name of Catholike onely to the Romane Church Annot. The Diuines of Tubinge in their letters doe call the Patriarch of Constantinople Oecumenicke and haue sought the Vnion of the East Churches THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH POpe Pelagius Although that all the Catholicke and Apostolike Churches established through the vniuersall world are a nuptiall bedde of Christ Neuerthelesse the holy Roman Church was not preferred before the other Churches by any constitutions of councels but rather obtained the Primacy from the holy words of our Lord. The Church of Rome is therefore the first Sea of the Apostle Peter she hath no spot or wrinkle or any such thing but in these things the higher her degree is the greater is her authoritie for the greater haue the power to commaund and the lesser are to yeelde obedience ANNOTATION SAint Peter ought to be considered foure manner of wayes first in the quality of an Apostle sent by God immediately as such a one that had no successor In the second place as an Apostle simply hauing charge to plant many Churches in such manner S. Marke and other Euangelistes their Substitutes which also are called Apostles were his Successors In the third place as a Bishoppe and President in euery Church where he was that is to say in Antioch Rome Ierusalem as Euodias did succeede him in Antioch Clement in Rome S. Iames the Apostle and S. Simeon in Ierusalem Fourthly S. Peter is to be considered as Primate in the Catholike Church in such manner S. Iohn the Apostle entirely beloued of the Lord succeeded him hauing out-liued S. Peter fiue and twenty or thirty yeares Moreouer that S. Iohn was preferred before all the Bishops of the world is apparent by that that he was taken for one of the three pillers of the Church and was one of the twelue foundations
Rome haue brought into their church many errours and haue innouated many things without and against the decrees of the councels withall they haue added to the Symbole of Nice of their priuate authority that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne euen as from the Father That although that the vniuersall councell hath giuen the first seate to the bishoppe of Rome yet did not they beleeue that the church in future time could not take from him this place especially if the church of Rome should fall into any errour as they say she is already fallen 14 That in the meane while the prouinces of the Empire of Charles the great to wit Fraunce Italy Germanie and Spaine remained vnder the bishoppe of Rome as being their nearest Patriark which is the reason that they now go about to perswade men that the Primacie appertaineth vnto him by Gods Law but this should bee no preiudice to other Churches nor to the trueth 15. That the Bishops of Rome enriched with the gifts and Donations of the Kings of France and per aduenture beleeuing themselues to be that which was repated of them haue ouerthrowne both Spirituall and Temporall Monarkes and haue caused to bee receiued in places vnder obedience to them as well the Lawes of their predecessors the Popes made by the Church of Rome as also those Lawes which they themselues from time to time doe adde thereunto in somuch that the Churches of the East South and North with good reason haue opposed themselues against these enterprises The confession and beliefe of the Apostolicke Churches about this Question here in controuersie is this That the first seate which is by diuine Law so farr as is necessarie for the order of Councels and is meete to shew vnitie is by the Ecclesiasticall Law as also the Sea that appertaineth to any such Bishop whome the Catholicke Church shall iudge to be fit and capable of such a charge QVESTION III. Whether Miracles are sufficient proofes that a Christian Nation ought to bee held for a true Church and without errour THE EAST CHVRCHES MArcus Paulus a Venetian The Citizens of the Citie of Tauris are Mahomets but there are some Christians that inhabit there to wit Nestorians and Iacobites Neere to which Towne is a Mountaine which was once remoued out of his place by the occasion that followeth The Sarrazins willing to scandale the Gospel said that it was written If you haue faith as much as a grine of Mustard-seede you shall say vnto this Mountaine remoue hence to yonder place it shall remoue Well said the Sarrazins mocking the Christians if your saith be so excellent cause this Mountaine to remoue out of his place Then one of the Christians feruent in faith spake to the Mountaine with a great confidence Get thee hence The which incontinently remoued in the presence and fight of all the people The very same Author maketh mention of a Pillar hanging in the ayre which sustaineth the Vault of a Church in Sammarchan Vilimont Whosoeuer would see a thing worthy of memorie must goe to a little Towne called Sardinale inhabited by the Christians of the Church of the Syrians where Turkes Sarrazins or Moores cannot dwell but they die before the yeeres end Faber Not farre from the Citie of Muscouia there is a great Monasterie wherein is the Sepulchre of one Sergius an Abbot which Monasterie is very much frequented of the people for it was holden very famous for many miracles that were there wrought whereof it shall be sufficient to produce one Which is that two blind men were restored to their sight there The same Author It is a common thing amongst the Muscouits to enchant Serpents with words and chase away Diuels and deliuer and helpe them that are possessed Thomas Lopes The people of Mangalor say that they went very often to the Sepulchre of S. Thomas which is in their Countrey who wrought among them many miracles The Ecclesiasticall Historie of Constantinople maketh mention that Arsenius was instituted Bishop by the Pope hee being then become a member of the Church of Rome for which cause hee was Excommunicated by the Patriarcke Pachomius a little after that hee died and his soule went with the soules of Arrius and Eutiches hereticks and his body was found black swollen which caused great feare to those that saw him THE MERIDIAN CHVRCH ALuares There is a Sepulchre of one of the Sons of King Abram which they say was a Priest Amongst other miracles which they attribute vnto him they say that the Angels did minister bread and wine vnto him when he celebrated The same Author They attribute the title of a Saint to a certaine King whose name was Balibeta towards whom the people beare such great deuotion that all Ethiope doth runne thither where his body is buried which they report to worke great miracles Idem There is a Monastery called Abba Gariman retaining this name of one which as they report raigned in Greece who hauing forsaken his Kingdome retired to this place to do penance for his sinnes where he finished his daies very holily and they report that he at this present doth miracles THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH GLoss Canon glorios We must enquire of miracles done in the life time and after death And to the end that these may be true miracles foure things are requisite first that they be of God and not framed by arte or by the diuell for miracles are wrought by the wicked secondly that they be contrary to nature as that of the Rodde of Moses turned into a Serpent thirdly that they be not wrought by wordes but thorough the merites of a man fourthly that they be for the confirmation of the faith Annot. Whosoeuer would know more amply the Miracles of the Latin Church may reade the Legends and liues of the Saints THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of the French-men We beleeue that the word conteined in the Canonicall Writings proceeded from God And forasmuch as it is the very rule of trueth it followeth that neither antiquity nor customes nor the multitude nor humane wisedome neither iudgements nor visions nor Miracles ought to be opposed to it ANNOTATION THe East Churches doe beleeue that the Roman and Ethiopian Churches doe holde an erroneous and Hereticall opinion although there are Miracles wrought amongst them In like manner the Romanes doe pronounce an Anathema against all Christians that haue not obeyed them as well against them of the East and South as also the North Church notwithstanding their Miracles the Church of Affricke refuse nay scorne to goe and submit or subiect themselues eyther to the Greeke Church or to the Latine Church notwithstanding their Miracles the Latin church in the foresaid Canon dooth confesse that Miracles are wrought by wicked persons The reformed Church saith that Miracles or the bruite of Miracles ought not to be taken as a Marke of the true church And which is more
they beleeue that they are not giuen them for confirmation of their doctrine because the same is sufficiently prooued in the holy Scripture although that the truth it selfe is oftentimes holden in suspition If then all the Sects of Christians doe vaunt themselues equally to haue Miracles how can he that is out of the foresaid churches and is willing to become a good and a true christian resolue himselfe by considering of their Miracles Surely if euery Nation doe say that the Miracles which are done amongst other people are not assured signes that the doctrine which they teach is altogether true We may herethen make this conclusion as Catholike and agreed vpon by all in generall That miracles are no prooffes of Doctrine neither markes of the true Church QVESTION IIII. Whether personall succession bee a Marke of the true Church THE EAST CHVRCH BArlaam How absurd is it and out of reason to say that euery one of the Apostles was a Pastor and common Teacher of the Vniuersall world as S. Peter was and yet that none of them left any successors but S Peter onely because that if any one of the Apostles hath left for his successor eyther Bishoppes or Gouernours of the Church wherein any of them finished his dayes and yeelded vp his soule to God vpon what reason commandest thou that all should be created by the Pope Moreouer if I should affirme now that the other Apostles haue left successors behinde them amongst whom none was first or last but all equal and of one selfe same order peraduenture you would not beleeue me but if I shall bring you here some vnreproueable testimonie you will not be able to withstand it It shall be Saint Denis Areopagite in an Epistle which he wrote to Demophilus a Monke in these words Moderate thou then thy desires thy anger thy purposes as it is conuenient to the end that the holy Ministers may haue authority ouer thee and the Priests ouer them and the Bishoppes ouer the Priests and the Apostles ouer the Bishops the Successors of the Apostles for if any of them haue committed any fault in his office he may be corrected by them of the same order This man liued in the time of the Apostles and knew exactly the affaires and businesse of those dayes which saith that the successors of the Apostles are of one equall order and calling THE SOVTH CHVRCH LItourgia Ethiop Pray for our prince the prince of our Arch-Bishops the Lord Gabriel and the chiefe of the Church of Alexandria and for the chiefe of our countrey our venerable Archbishop Marke and for the Bishops priests and Deacons of the right faith THE REFORMED CHVRCH COnfessio Heluet. The celestiall father sent his onely sonne in whom is the Diuine wisedome which is powred vppon vs through his most holy most pure and most perfect doctrine for he hath chosen his disciples which he made Apostles and they being gone through the vniuersall world haue gathered together Churches by the preaching of the Gospell And afterwards they ordained Pastors in all the Churches of the World by the commaundement of CHRIST through whose Successors he hath vntill this present taught and gouerned the Church THE ROMANE CHVRCH CArd Bellarmine The fift marke of the Church is the succession of persons in the Romane Church continuing from the time of the Apostles vntill now for that is the reason that she is called Apostolike For if the ancient Fathers haue esteemed it so great an argument to proue the true Church by the continuance of twelue or twenty or fortie Bishops how much more ought we to esteeme the infallible succession of more then 200 Bishops especially because we see that the other Apostolicke Sees are decayed and failed that is to say those of Antioch Alexandria and Ierusalem wherin after that those places were taken away from the Romanes by the Persians and Sarrasins sithens which time there are nine hundred yeares past there hath beene no succession and if there were any the same was verie obscure ANNOTATION OVr Sauiour being now ready to ascend to heauen said to his Apostles Goe through the vniuersal world and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures c. This commandement was executed as may appeare as well in the holy scripture as also in ancient histories that S. Peter was in Antioch S. Andrew in Greece and Moscouia S. Iames kept in Iudea S. Iohn went into Asia S. Philip into Assyria S. Thomas into India S. Matthew into Ethiope S. Thaddeus into Armenia S. Paul called from heauen preached in all countries from Arabia vnto Sclauonia Wel then euery one of them left successors and vntil this day there is not any one of those regions where there are not Christian Bishops which plead to haue succeeded the Apostles without any interruption Bellarmine saith that if there be any succession it is obscure Others doe answer him that it was no more obscure vnder the Persians and Sarrasins then it was in the time of the ancient Bishops of Rome vnder the Roman Pagans and persecuters of the Church The East Churches neuer cease to vaunt and brag of their Apostolicke seas The Christians of Africk doe exalt him of Alexandria and acknowledge no other head The Abyssines by antiquity doe hold the succession of that sea so certain that none amongst them can haue the imposition of hands but by the hands of him that is especially chosen by the Church whom they call Abuna and whom they doe beleeue to haue his succession from S. Peter and S. Marke the Euangelist Finally if by personall succession a man pretend to know the true Church he cannot know what part to take And although that the Latin Church only had the succession without Interruption that could not be a sure marke seeing all those nations which S. Ireneus writeth of do beleeue that the Roman Church is not the true Church notwithstanding her succession We might here insert the Catalogue of vniuersall Bishops according to the Greek Church proceeding from S. Peter vntill the time of Neophytus which now holdeth or latelie held the Sea at Constantinople But we will omit that for breuitie sake This then here shall bee the Catholick conclusion That the personall succession of the Church of Rome or of any other is not the make of a true beleefe QVESTION V. Whether the multitude of Christians or the greatnesse of Countries are markes of the true Church THE EAST CHVRCH VIllamont The Church of the holy Sepulchre in Ireusalem is gouerned by diuerse sorts of Religious men some are Romane Catholickes others are Christians but Schismatickes and no adherents or louers of the Catholike Apostolike Roman Religion You haue in the first place the Grecians which are Masters and Lords of the chiefe place of the Church Moreouer there are there a certaine people which multiplie as well in Greece and Asia as also in Affrica Besides the Syrians doe very nearely imitate the vse customes and manners of the
the beginning therefore he that is a Melchite is a Catholike and whosoeuer holdeth a contrary opinion is an Hereticke It is this heresie that keepeth the kingdome of Nauarre vnder the Spanish yoke It is this heresie that brought that frowning fortune into our France and had bene the ruine of her if her great and inuincible Melech seconded by faithfull Melchites otherwise called Polititians had not preserued and defended her with the grace and assistance of him which is the onely giuer and translater of Monarchies It is this Heresie that the most Puissant and mightie King of Great Britaine indeuoreth to quench abolish in the hearts of his subiects a heresie which for a while lyeth hid vnder ashes but meeting with any proper matter will breake into a great combustion Euery one may here see that the most part of Christians doe reiect this opinion yea the Romanes themselues although they suffer the Pope of Rome to maintaine it in the Canons Wee will then conclude according to the generall voice That the Primate of the Catholike Church whether he be at Constantinople or at Rome or at Alexandria hath no power or authoritie ouer Temporall Common-wealthes QVESTION VII Whether all the doctrine necessarie to saluation may bee taken out of the holy Scripture THE EAST CHVRCH NIlus Archbishop of Thessalonica This is not then the cause of this difference and much lesse the whole bodie of the Scripture as if it were too short No it is not vttered openly and plainely wherof this question is for to accuse the Scripture is as great a fault as to accuse God but God is voyd of all blame Lombard The Grecians say that the holy Ghost proceedeth onely from the Father the which they beleeue say they because that the Gospell which containeth wholy the Faith that is to say the doctrine of the faith maketh mention of the Father onely The King of Moscouia If the Gospell had not bene written how could the word of God haue bene vnderstood and if the Apostles had not reduced into writing their delegation or Commission how had it bene knowen to the world that they were sent to men Sacranus The Russians say that the teachers of the Latin Church are not credible because they teach but that they receiue from the Greeke Doctors conditionally that they find nothing therein contrary to their owne opinion Annot. The Christians of the East are marueilous iealous of the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Fathers neuerthelesse they hold that the Scripture is necessarie against those that say that the Church may erre Moreouer they hold the same sufficient and a rule of Faith and therefore admit not altogether the Greeke and Latin Doctors but iudge of their doctrine which they could not doe but by examining it by the rule of Scripture THE SOVTH CHVRCH A Luares It was demaunded of me whether all those things that is to say the customes of the Romane Church were contained in our Bookes and whether they seemed better vnto me then those which they vse I answered that I found our bookes reduced into a better order then their bookes were because that since the time of the Apostles wee haue had alwayes great masters and teachers which were neuer imployed in any other vocation but to compose and gather together the holy Scriptures and passages of the Prophets and Apostles scattered in many volumes They replied vnto me that they had fourescore and one bookes of the olde and new Testament and asked whether we had more I answered that we had tenne times more drawne and extracted out of the olde and new Testament enriched with many expositions wherein was contained very deepe doctrine Prester-Iohn caused one to tell me that he was not ignorant of the great quantitie of bookes which we haue but that he desired verie much to know their names Damianus a Goes The Abyssins say that they haue all the writings of Moses and the Prophets and other bookes of the old Testament the foure Euangelists and all the Epistles of S. Paul and that they want not any booke of the holy Scripture whereof they recyted a Catalogue in my presence Neuerthelesse the Bishop Zaga an Ethiopian seemeeth to count the bookes of the Bible otherwise for he saith that in the new Testament there are fiue and thirtie peraduenture he comprehends those which Aluars saith that they call Manda and Abetilis diuided into eight parts but the same Abyssins doe beleeue that the holy Scripture is sufficient for saluation without those for they denie not the name of true Christians to those that haue not those bookes and therefore they hold them not to be of equall authority with the other The same Authour saith that the Abyssins beleeue not that there is any power whether Councel or whatsoeuer able to make lawes which binde the conscience much lesse such doctrine as is not grounded vpon the Scripture Annot. The Ethiopians are of the opinion of the Reformed if they meane those foure-score and one bookes which are in the Volume of the Bible for the same number is to be found if one reckon the Epistle of Ieremie for one booke by it selfe and if one doe seperate the Histories which are not found but in Greeke added to the bookes of Daniel and Hester Moreouer it is to be noted that the Abyssins do limite that which they holde for the word of God within the number of foure score and one bookes against the opinion of the word not written and they demand if the fashion and manner of celebrating the Masse is to be found in the holy Scripture Aluares a Roman Catholik answereth them cleane besides the matter saying that the Romane Church hath Doctors and Teachers which haue a doctrine farre greater and more perfect then that of the olde and new Testament The Reformed Church subscribe not willingly to this Article for they make a contrary Article as hereafter followeth THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of the French Church We do beleeue that the word which is conteined in these bookes proceedes from God of whom it taketh his authority and not of men And forasmuch as it is the rule of all truth and verity conteining all that is necessary for the seruice of God and our saluation it is not lawfull for men neither for the Angels themselues to adde diminish or change it THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH I. Maior It is to be noted that wee doe hold many things to be diuine Law which are not expresly conteined in the Diuine law to wit in the holy Scripture neyther may they euidently be deduced from thence As for example not to ordaine a woman to be Priest or the institution of any one order In like manner we read not in the new Testament and much lesse in the old that the soueraigne Bishopricke was graunted to the Successors of S. Peter yet notwithstanding wee hold the soueraigne Bishopricke is by Diuine law The councell of Trent
were and haue beene since in the Canon of the Hebrewes wherein the books of the Maccabees VVisedome and the third and fourth booke of Esdras are not conteined That the Authours of these bookes were not as the Prophets inspired of God who confirmed their doctrine with Miracles this is the cause why the Church in that time receiued the one into the Canonicall authoritie and not the other That the Catholike Church much lesse the Romane cannot make newe Articles of Faith To affirme that the Auncient Church knewe not nor taught the verity in that behalfe and that the Church hath had since new reuelations is an absurd thing In fine that they first which numbred these Deutero-canonicall or Ecclesiasticall with the Propheticall intended not to equalize them but rather thought good to put them in the Volume of the holy Bible because that there are good precepts in them and Histories whereby one may see the estate of the Church after the time of the Prophees vntill the comming of the Redeemer The Councell of Trent doth hold likewise for Apocrypha and in suspect the 4. book of Esdras although it be in the volume of the Bible There are also learned men of great account in the Catholike Romane Church as Cardinall Caietane Nicholas de Lyra and others which hold not the bookes of Maccabees for authenticall books And the generall voyce is that The bookes of Wisedome Syrach the third and fourth of Esdras the Maccabees and others although that they may perhaps call them Canonicall haue not equall authority with the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles QVESTION IX Whether the Latine Translation be of the same authoritie with the Originall Hebrew and Greeke written by the Prophets and Apostles THE EAST CHVRCH NIcholas The christians of the East say that the Popes of Rome whom they hold for heretikes together with their Sectaries haue wholly corrupted and changed the Gospel and other books of our Religion in taking away and adding that which seemed to them most fit to serue their insatiable couetousnesse The King of Moscouia The Chapters which thou cytest out of Apostolicall epistles and Gospels agree not with ours Here Lasicius marke that which followeth The writings of the Apostles are otherwise distinguished by the Russians then by vs for in their language there is in S. Matthew 116. chapters the most part of them so little that there is sometimes but three little verses therein according as the sense of the discourse requireth and a little after he saith that all that was done by one Cyrillus a Priest of the Church of Constantinople which they doe obey who vnderstood the Sclauonian tongue Aug. Eugub saith that the Grecians hold the translation of the seuentie Interpreters which almost quite through differeth from the latine Translation Aluares saith that Prester-Iohn asked him how many of the Prophets had foretold the comming of Iesus Christ I answered saith he that there was not any one amongst them which made not some mention of his comming Afterward hee asked him how many bookes S. Paul had written who answered one booke diuided into many epistles Annot. This discourse sheweth that the Churches of Ethiope haue neuer seene the Latin Bible of the Church of Rome and regarded not to approue it if they found it differing from the Hebrew THE REFORMED CHVRCH IN THE VVEST THe confession of the Swizers We doe receiue onely that Interpretation of the Scriptures for Orthodoxal and lawful which is taken out of the Scripture it selfe expounded according to the true sense and meaning of the language wherein they were written VVhitaker Wee Englishmen doe hold that the Latine translation of the Church of Rome is in very many places miserably corrupted and falsified and that it is not authenticall and that the Hebrewe and Greeke edition is sincere Scripture THE ROMAN OCCIDENTAL CHVRCH THe councell of Trent The Councell considering that no smal profit would redound to the Church if of many Latine editions of the holy Scriptures one were knowne to be Authenticke doth ordaine and declare that the same vulgar edition bee held for such and that none be so bold to reiect it vpon what pretence soeuer ANNOTATION THe Authour of the vulgar Latin translation is not knowen The Romane Catholikes say that it is the labour of S. Ierome The Reformed Churches doe thinke that S. Ierome was not the Authour thereof Neuerthelesse the Councell of Trent doth authorise it Cardinall Bellarmine affirmeth that that Translation is true and that the originall is corrupted But there are many Romane Catholikes which doe hold the Catholike beleefe and haue made newe Translations and consequently corrected the vulgar Those of the East Churches hold that onely the Greeke Originals written by the Apostles are authenticall And as touching the bookes of the old Testament they allow of the Translation which is called the Translation of the seuentie or of Ptolomeus Neuerthelesse they hold it not for a certainty that those be altogether the translation of the seuenty which carry that name It is thought that the Apostles did vse the Translation of the said seuenty the which neuerthelesse was not altogether comformable with the Hebrew but if they haue approued it then it followeth that there was not any errour in that they haue alledged it Moreouer the Hebrew text is preferred before all other Translations The Latines doe obiect that it is not reasonable to receiue the Hebrew Bible of the Iewes The Greekes doe answere that our Sauiour and his Apostles had the Hebrew Bible and that they left the same to their successors from whom those of this present time haue receiued it from hand to hand and not from the vnbeleeuing Iewes and therefore the vulgar translation was taken from the Hebrew It followeth therefore that the Hebrew was then in the Church or else that the Romane Church hath taken it from the Iewes Masius saith that the Syrians hold for authenticall the Syrian translation of one Theodorus peraduenture they intend not to preferre or equalize it with the originall Hebrew and that the Grecians the Moscouites the Abyssines and the Armenians would attribute each one of them to the translation vsed in their Church as much as the Latins doe attribute to theirs which would be but so many particular opinions each one of them being reiected by the other and therfore the Catholicke assured opinion is That the Latin translation of the Romane Church or any other hath not equall authority with the originall Hebrew and Greeke of the Prophets and Apostles QVESTION X. VVhether the Traditions of the Latin Church are Catholicke and whether all Christian Nations are obliged to obserue them THE EAST CHVRCH NIcolas The Grecians say that they were the first Nations that were conuerted to the faith of Iesus Christ and that in consideration and regard thereof they are the men that truely and purely hold the Traditions of the Primitiue Church as it was preached and
causes the custome of confessing secret sinnes and may pronounce remission without any confessing as they of the East Churches doe to this day by their Synchoreses as we will relate in his due place We will then make this Catholike conclusion that The Pope cannot by his Indulgences deliuer aniy from those temporall punishments which God inflicts neither ought he to dispence with the doing of al those workes of repentance that are possible QVESTION XVIII Whether the soule of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ descended into hell and whether it vscended into heauen the very sameday of his passion THE EAST CHVRCH RItual of the Syrians The side of the Lord was pearced thorough with a Launce and thence issued water and blood a sacrifice for all the world his body was buried and his soule came backe from hell and was vnited to his bodie Moyses the sonne of Cephas Bishop of Beth-raman Iohn hath written of corporall Paradise in the prayer whose Title is Wherefore this tree is called the tree of knowledge of good and euill and would teach as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ said Thou shalt be this day with me in Paradise for there he proueth by many arguments that Paradise was corporall The Liturgie of Saint Basil Thou hast appeared in the last dayes vnto vs which sate in darkenesse and that by thy onely Sonne which gaue himselfe to death for our saluation and by reason of our sinnes descended into hell by his Crosse and Passion THE SOVTH CHVRCH DAmianus a Goes The Aethiopians beleeue that Christ descended afterward into hell and hauing rased and broken the gates thereof he came backe into life the third day with great triumph ouer his enemies and ouer death and that after that hee returned into heauen from whence he came and that by his admirable ascention THE LATIN CHVRCH CArdinall Bellarmine DVRAND affirmeth that the soule of Christ descended into hell not according to his substance but by some effects that is to say as it did illuminate and beatifie the holy Fathers which were in Lymbo Caluin hath taught some such like thing touching the descent of Christ vnto the soules of the holy Fathers by his efficacie or vertue and not by his essence Idem It contradicteth the holy Scripture and the Fathers to say that Christ returned from hell the first day THE REFORMED CHVRCH LAsicius Polonus It is the beleefe of the Bohemians that Iesus Christ descended into hell in his soule seperated from his body to triumph ouer Satan The Sybilles doe deriue this word Ades which signifieth hell of the word Adam by reason that Adam descended This place seemes to be els-where then in heauen Vrsinus We must beleeue that which is certaine to wit that Christ descended into hell in that fashion as we haue sayd in suffering in his soule but if any one can defend that he descended in any other fashion it is well but as for me I cannot beleeue it ANNOTATION THe auncient Catholike Church beleeued that the soules of the Fathers in the old Testament went to a place called in Hebrew Scheol in Greeke Ades in English Hell And all Christians for the most part doe beleeue that the Apostles haue taught so likewise seeing that there is not any one particular man knowen that should be the author of this opinion And although that this Article was not in the beginning in the Creede of the Apostles as it is not in the Creed of Nice neuerthelesse hauing beene receiued without contradiction the same doth argue that the beleefe was such before time And which is more the Scripture of the old Testament makes no mention in any place that the soules should ascend into heauen but very often it maketh mention of Scheol or Hell and to descend I will descend into Scheol with sorrow for my sonne sayd that good man Iacob and to descend signifieth to go to some lowe place It is true that the word Scheol signifieth sometimes a graue but the Catholike Church takes it here for Hell for the Greeke translator approued by the Apostles taketh it so as also Saint Luke in this sentence of the Psalmes cited by S. Peter Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell For to vnderstand well this question you must note first that it doth not appertaine to saluation to know whether the soules of the Fathers were aboue or belowe prouided alwayes that one doe not call the holy Scripture into doubt which it is not done by and by although a man doe not alwayes attaine to the true sense of it Secondly there are two places that the most learned diuines yea the antient and now a dayes the Latins and the Protestants can hardly agree off So that in so doing some proceede in one fashion others in another The Creede saith that our Lord descended into hell and our Lord said This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Some men will aske how ascended he into Paradise seeing he descended into hell The greater voice of the Romane Catholikes and of the Protestants is that Hell was Paradise when our Sauiour was there but there are many learned men of the Catholike Romans as Durand and the learned Picus which thinking it absurd to say that Paradise was in Hell haue thought fit otherwise to agree vpon it And haue written that the soule of the Lord went really vnto the true Paradice and descended not into Hell but by efficacie or vertue On the other side amongst the Protestants Caluin and Beozo haue thought more to the purpose to referre this word Hell to the torments that our Sauiour suffered to the end that that which the Scripture saith that our Sauiour went to Paradise should be beleeued without running to any false or forged Exposition Also there are learned men amongst the Latines and the Protestants which doe decline from the common opinion herein because that it seemeth very absurd vnto them Neuerthelesse because that none of the three is receiued without contradiction it sheweth that there is difficultie in them all For to say that the Lord descended not into Hell but by his efficacie or vertue is to wrest that place of Scripture Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell To say that Hell whereof mention is made in the Creede is the torments which the Lord suffered vpon the Crosse is an Exposition altogether vnknowen to the Ancients and against the intention and meaning of those which added that clause to the Creede and those Protestants themselues for whom this serueth are ready to receiue one more proper as is to bee seene in that sentence before alleadged of Vrsinus As for the rest one may giue many Expositions and all Orthodoxall of one selfe same place of Scripture when one is not assured of the intent and meaning of the Authour so is it likewise in the Creede But about these difficulties the Apostolicke Churches in the East doe furnish vs with a fourth
Exposition and that most ancient of all They hold with S. Chrysostome a very true Catholicke teacher that the soules of the Fathers were in Ades the Latines call that place Infernum Lymbus but improperly and that our Sauiour descended thither And that he was the very same day in Paradise and that Paradise is no other place but the same which the thiefe conceiued and meant for if our Sauiour had spoken of one place and the Thiefe had conceiued and meant another his vnderstanding had beene deceaued Now the Thiefe meant no other Paradise but that earthly Paradise for hee could not know what Paradise it was but by the Scripture of the old Testament which speaketh not of any other Paradise It followeth then that our Sauior was that same day in that Paradise and his soule was not left in hell It is there also whether the Fathers were conducted wherof some rose with the Lord and were seene in Ierusalem It is in this Paradise say they that Henoch and Elias were placed in their bodies and peraduenture Moses who appeared at the transfiguration of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and all the Fathers were rapt vp into heauen some in their bodies when our Sauiour ascended the other onely in soule when he rose from the dead as the same Saint Chrysostome saith And this opinion is not onely held by the Apostolicke Churches of the East as we haue vnderstood by themselues But it is very true by all likelihoode that the Christians of Africke doe consent thereunto for they are Cophites and of the same faith and Religion as the Cophites Syrians and Assyrians are for in all the Churches the sayd booke of Moyses Bar-cepha touching the Paradise before alleaged and the Author which he alledgeth who doe confirme the same exposition are very much approued Now this shall bee for the Catholike Reader to follow and approue that is to say either of the foresaid three opinions or else that of the Churches of the East and South which is That the soules of the Fathers were in hell called in Hebrew Scheol and in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the soule of our Sauiour Iesus Christ descended thither yet was not left there but the same day ascended into heauen QVESTION XIX Whether all Infants I meane those of the Elect aying without Baptisme are damned and whether it be permitted to the Lay people to baptise THE EAST CHVRCH IEremie In Baptisme the matter is the water The forme the words of the Priest to wit these This seruant of God is baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The instrumentall cause is the Priest although we doe not condemne altogether that which is done by one that is no Priest in time of necessity Iohannes Faber In Russia no man is thought sufficient to exercise the office of Baptizing if he be not a Priest what necessity soeuer doe happen Theuet The Moscouites baptize not at all but within their Churches vnlesse it be because they are verie farre from any Church THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares of the Ethiopians They minister Baptisme to their male children when they are fortie dayes olde and to the female when they are threescore dayes olde the infants not arriuing to that age die without Baptisme The which thing being come to my knowledge I could not detaine my selfe from publishing in many places the great fault and error which was committed against the Gospel where it is written That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Whereunto they answered me that for that matter the faith of the mother sufficed together with the communion which shee receiued being with childe They baptize not in Fonts as wee doe but in the Porch of the Church with a potte full of water and that the fortieth day Theuet The King of Maitachasi receiued the Gospell at the perswasion of King Cephalian which was a Christian and established in his Churches eight Bishoppes a notable company of Priests and other Ministers there was also established an Alcaide or Ismiel that is to say in their language a Priest aboue all the other Priests which within sixe daies preached a thousand heresies Amongst the rest that if a woman be deliuered and the child die it was depriued of eternal be atitude and on the contrary side it was decreede by a Synod holden at Quiticoi that if a woman being ready to be deliuered came to receiue the Sacrament after their vsage law and faith and that afterwards her childe should be borne dead by this Sacrament only the child was baptized and freede from punishment and damnation THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Translation into the estate of grace cannot be without the water of regeneration or a firme purpose to be baptized The Canon Praeter If peraduenture there be no Catholicke to be found it is better and more religious to receiue Baptisme of an Hereticke then to perish eternally The Canon Mulier That women presume not to baptize if it be not in case of necessity The Canon Romanus The Romane Bishop taketh it not to be the man that baptizeth but the spirit of God although he that baptizeth be a Pagan THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of the Swizers We doe teach that Baptisme ought not to be administred by women for S. Paul forbiddes them Ecclesiasticall offices The confession of Ausburg Touching baptisme the Church doth teach that it is necessary to saluation as being a ceremony instituted by Iesus Christ The answere of the Diuines of Wirtenberg to the Grecians We doe reioyce that there are many points of agreement between vs and your holinesse and amongst other things that you hold that it must not be permitted to any to presume to take vpon him the office of Teaching in the Church and to administer the Sacraments which notwithstanding in case of necessity the Laickes may baptize ANNOTATION THe Protestants in France doe hold that the Infants of the faithfull dying without baptisme are neuerthelesse saued This word Faithfull seemes to be restrained to the Elect for there are wicked Christians against whom God denounceth that he will punish the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children Moreouer it may happen that the parents may be Gods Elect and neuerthelesse as all men are subiect to erre they may be negligent to procure Baptisme for their Infants Now it may be doubted whether this fault be any preiudice to the Infants These considerations perhaps haue moued Christian people to encline to this beleefe that the Church ought to hasten Baptisme because they know not who be the children of the Elect and that one cannot erre in prouiding for the saluation of these Infants by baptizing them by reason that in Baptisme a token or signe ordained by the Lord the inuocation of the holy Trinity is vsed and the pardon of originall
not Well then seeing that the bread and wine in the Sacrament are changed wee must examine their discourse to find who doth swarue from the Catholike faith There are foure things in a true bodie First the matter Secondly the accidents and essentiall properties Thirdly the forme which the Philosophers hold to giue life or being to a thing Fourthly the hidden properties which depend vpon the forme As touching the accidents and essentiall properties of the body of the Lord all doe confesse that they are not in the Sacrament but rather the accidents and properties of the bread As concerning the matter of the said body the Latins doe beleeue that it is inuisibly contained vnder the accidents of bread and that the matter of the bread becomes nothing but the beleefe of the Churches of the East and South seemeth to be quite contrary to that First the Patriarch Ieremie absolutely saith that the flesh of our Sauiour which he carried was not giuen to his Apostles to eate From whence it followeth that they did eate some other matter which neuerthelesse was also the body of Christ Moreouer hee expoundeth it saying that it is as Iron or Wood burnt which is called fire because that the fire surmounteth or ouercommeth and the mater of the Iron is not reduced to nothing As concerning the third he saith in like manner that those that doe communicate the Sacrament are chaunged into the body of Christ and that the Church is the true body of Christ Neuerthelesse euery one confesseth that the matter of humane bodies is not reduced or brought to nothing Likewise one may see that the Church is called the true body of Christ or else if the bread be called the true body of Christ this word True is put as opposite euen as the same Author doth expound it to the bare similitude figure or proportion and not as referred to the identitie of the matter The Churches of the South say the very same they do pray in their Liturgie or seruice that God would chaunge the bread and wine of the Sacrament as he changed the water into wine in Cana for the matter of the water was not reduced to nothing to giue place to other wine created a new but the water lost his forme and that matter which was before water receiued the internall forme and all the qualities and properties of wine These considerations and many others the which would bee too tedious to recite doe make some Latin writers and amongst the rest Durandus to beleeue that the bread looseth his forme and not his matter no more then the accidents and properties thereof It is also to be noted what the foresaid Ieremie saith against consubstantiation that there is not two things in the holy Sacrament to wit the bread and the body of Christ but one onely to wit the body of Christ giuing to note thereby that that matter which remaineth is no more the matter of bread but the matter of the body of Christ as in the miracle of Cana that matter which was then the matter of water whē it had the forme of water was the matter of wine when it had the form of wine And which is more there was no chaunge wherin the matter continued not the same And if one well waigh the sayings of the Fathers who beleeued some miracle to be in the Sacrament hee shall find that they doe accord heerein also they say that the substance of our flesh is augmented by the Eucharist and that there be two sorts of the flesh of Christ We must then obserue how they conceiue that the bread is chaunged into the body of Christ It seemes that they would onely haue it a matter be it that it loosed his forme as Durandus saith or loosed it not which should receiue the forme of the body of Christ and the hidden properties which doe proceede from that forme and that that forme being ioyned to the matter it is no more bread neither the matter of bread but it is the bodie of Christ and the matter of the body of Christ for as the Philosophers say forma dat esse rei Some wil say it is a dangerous curiositie to sound these mysteries but I aunswere that of two inconueniences the lesser is to be chosen and that it is a most dangerous carelesnesse to leaue the Church in diuision and to cause Christians to be wounded and slaine for want of teaching that the difference is not so great as it is imagined Moreouer the learned men of the Church of Rome haue a thousand times more curiously searched this point and haue left themselues nothing to say in such sort that that will suffice to make vp a peace which they haue searched out by debate amongst themselues This then may likely bee gathered out of the Liturgie of Christian people that the bread taketh the forme of the body of the Lord which for the matter and accidents thereof is but onely in heauen or that it receiueth the hidden properties of the forme of the body of Christ although that this forme be not without his matter These faculties and properties serue as the said Ieremie noteth to sanctifie a man and to make him capable of euerlasting life If it be demaunded what this forme is The Prince of Philosophers answereth that mans vnderstanding is as fitly disposed for the knowledge of naturall things as the eyes of an Owle to behold the brightnesse of the sunne And that learned Fernelius beginneth his booke of Physicke thus When the Spirit is free and vnbound seeing the naked and cleere substances of things it enioyeth a most perfect and cleere knowledge but whilest it is wrapped within the body it remaines in extreame ignorance The Philosophers and Phisitians seeing in nature sundry admirable effects haue iudged that they could not proceede from the matter which is one in all things but haue beene constrained to confesse that the forme or essence was the beginning and foundation of those effects But if they acknowledged mans vnderstanding vnfit to iudge of those formes much lesse can Diuines determine this effect which they confesse to proceede of the body of Iesus Christ Also that which we doe attribute to the Christians of the East and South touching the forme of the body of the Lord comming vpon the matter of the bread we cannot determine that their beleefe is such for they resolue vpon nothing saying That a thousand heads are not able to expresse it which is nothing else but to signifie that the Sacrament may bee sayd to bee the true bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ although it be graunted that the matter of the bodie of Christ is onely in heauen For it sufficeth for a change euen in things praeexistent that there be an identitie of form or else of qualities and hidden vertues As for the Protestants though they hold not the beleefe of the same people yet they haue not written against them but much against the Latins who doe
constitute accidents without a subiect one matter in many places a body without his essentiall properties one God and man liuing in the host or bread who heareth not seeth not feeleth not nor tasteth not which is say the Protestants an opinion contrary to the holy Scripture and neuer entred into the imaginations or hearts of the auncient Fathers or of the Diuines of the East and South Churches who neuer yeelded or gaue place to the Latins either in quickenesse of spirit or in curiositie and who haue had no want of heretickes to giue them occasion to exercise themselues in these difficulties whereinto some one amongst so many learned men as they haue had in so many ages and such as haue written so many volumes must haue necessarily fallen if that they beleeued that the body of the Lord is materially in the host or bread Now wee must see how farre the beleefe of the Protestants differs from those of the East and other people which to performe we must enter into the consideration of secret or hidden faculties and proprieties There are two sorts of opinions touching supernaturall operations some thinke that God worketh immediatly in the place where the thing is from whence it seemeth that the effect proceedeth euen as when the water of the poole of Siloe being mooued or stirred by the Angell did seeme to heale they say that God healed of himselfe and by himselfe euen then after the touching of the water Others doe beleeue that this supernaturall facultie is giuen to the things themselues so that the sayd water receiues of God such a vertue as some medicines or salues haue in some diseases For it is as easie for God to giue those properties to a forme as it was for him to giue them to those that haue them euer since the creation of the world Neuerthelesse this is not thus done by the diuels who cannot create essences or beings neither indue them with admirable faculties so that the diuels doe worke the like by illusions Behold here then the difference The foresaid Christians doe beleeue that the matter of bread receiueth the forme of the body of the Lord or that the forme of bread obtaineth the hidden properties thereof or that there is some spirituall thing which hath the place of forme in that matter and that thereupon dependeth the Mysticall vnion whereof S. Paul speaketh But the Protestants whom some call Caluinists doe hold that the body of the Lord is onely in heauen together with his quickning forme and vertue and that a substance proceedeth from him and is applyed to the soules of men by the vertue of the holy Ghost and that immediately which certainly is a very slender disputation and of small estimation in comparison of the report which is made of it considering that all doe confesse that the bread is really the communion of the body of Christ as S. Paul saith Also these words This is my body being referred to the whole should be spoken without figure but referred to that which one seeth that is to say to the accidents and to the matter through the accidents they are figuratiue This consideration hath caused that those who are called Caluinists and Lutherans and some Grecians in Poland haue treated of some means of agreement imagining that the difference is not in re but in modo rei This vnion hath beene hitherto hindered by two opinions which fall into extremities Brentius Smidlin and others for the better prouing of the reall yea materiall presence haue had recourse to vbiquitie And on the other side as Iurguieius findeth fault there are some who speake in such sort of the receiuing of the Sacrament that they haue destroyed by their contrary tearmes that which they thought to haue built vp saying that the faithfull vnder the old Testament receiued Iesus Christ as they receiue him now a daies from whence it should follow that if there be any mysticall vnion made it should bee wrought onely by the Diuinitie as in times past and not by the humanity whereof the holy Scripture alwaies beareth witnes that it hath life in it selfe and that it quickeneth Others say also that a man doth participate of the body of the Lord without the Sacrament in the same manner as with the Sacrament So that one receiueth but the signe at the most These men seeme not to speake properly for one is not said to receiue that which he hath ordinarily See heere the diuers termes that are vsed But the truth is that Vbiquitie is reiected in the body by the Lutherans and the reall communicating with the substance of the body of Christ is confessed by the others in the body as it was resolued in the Synods at Rochell in Fraunce and at Torun in Poland We will bring in here two similitudes by the which amongst others Protestants doe cause their meaning to be vnderstood and doe shewe that the communion which they beleeue is reall and neuerthelesse hath no absurdity in it The body of the Sunne saith Caluin is onely in heauen notwithstanding the light thereof is here vpon earth Therefore many doe hold that light is a substance otherwise it should not be found out of his proper subiect Moreouer the Philosopher saith that Sol homo generant hominem Wherefore then should not the Sunne of righteousnesse haue power to regenerate a man though his body be not on earth The Adamant stone saith Beza draweth Iron communicating it selfe with the Iron through an admirable vertue without mingling his matter therewith In like manner the body of the Lorde vniteth it selfe with a mans soule though the matter of his body be no where else but in heauen Hereupon that is to be noted which Gilbertus a learned Physition obserued that is to say that the forme of the Adamant is carried out of the limits of his owne matter and is found in the Load-stones subiect and not in the ayre betweene both It may be said likewise that the body of the Lord doth communicate it selfe from heauen without extension multiplication or any mixture of matter If a man hold himselfe firmely to these similitudes he shall neuer set his imagination or thoughts vpon the place of Realitie for these effects of nature are reall and true To conclude a man may see by that which hath beene spoken that the Churches of the East and those of the South doe not approue this last opinion neither that of the Lutherans withall as it seemeth they hold not that of the Latines touching the reall eating of the matter of the body of the Lord neyther the absurdities that followe thereupon for they doe openly denie that the Apostles did eate the flesh that our Sauiour Iesus Christ did carry about him This then is their saying or opinion That the body of the Lord as touching the matter and accidents is onely in heauen yet notwithstanding the bread and wine in the Sacrament are changed into the body and blood of the Lord in such
chiefest Bishoppe resideth being ordained to giue Orders of Priesthood and Ministerie according to the Perswasion and Custome of the Nestorians THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares The Patriarch of the great Negus who is ouer all Aethiopia is called Abuna without whom there is none found which hath authority to make Priests but by him alone THE REFORMED CHVRCH MOnsieur du Plessis If our aduersaries aske vs what was the vocation of those first Ministers which vndertooke the Reformation of the Church in these last dayes we wil answere that it is the very same vocation and succession whereof they bragge But that vocation which they abuse our men haue well vsed And to the vaine succession which they so much stand vpon wee haue added the succession of true doctrine without the which all succession is but continuance of abuse and a vaine title For Iohn Hus Luther Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bucer Capito Martyr and others out of whose schoole the Ministers are come forth were Priests Curates and Doctors in Diuinitie I forbeare to speake of Archbishops Bishops and Cardinals in Germany England Italy and Fraunce THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Canon Renouantes Renuing the auncient priuiledges of the Patriarchall Seates we doe ordaine that after the Romane Church which by the disposing of God obtaineth the principalitie of the ordinarie power and authority ouer al the rest as a Mother and Mistresse of all the faithfull Children of Christ that of Constantinople haue the first place that of Alexandria the second that of Antiochia the third and that of Ierusalem the fourth reseruing for each one her proper dignitie in such sort that after that their Prelates haue receiued the Pall or Robe of the Bishoppe of Rome the which is the liuery of the plenitude of the Pontificall Office and made vnto him the Oath of obedience and fidelity they likewise haue license to giue the foresaid Pall to their Suffragans receiuing of them the Canonicall profession and taking of them promise of obedience to the Church of Rome ANNOTATION THe question is not here to know in what part of Christendome the true succession and Ordination is to bee found and which is the Church that hath it not This cannot bee found out by the Tradition of the Churches and the greater number therof for euery one seuerally doth condemne in generall and in particular all the rest It is sufficient to know whether they beleeue that it is necessary for Bishops and Priests to take their ordination from one head or cheefe whosoeuer he be It may be gathered out of the Authors afore alleadged that they doe thinke that the Apostles hauing left Successors behind them in all parts and quarters those Successors had power to ordaine Bishops Neuerthelesse for order sake the Church hath giuen particular charge and authoritie to the Patriarkes and Metropolitanes to ordaine other Bishops Also the Bishops of Constantinople Ierusalem Antiochia Alexandria and others haue equall authoritie euery one in his owne quarter and they are installed into their charges by those of their quarter without incroaching one vpon another Also those of the Clergie of England haue their odinay and lawfull ordination for if the Church of England did voluntarily submit it selfe to receiue Ordination and Confirmation from the Church of Rome she might challenge her auncient right Touching the Pastors and Euangelicall Doctors of other places the Romane Catholikes doe thinke them as much or rather more intruded without vocation seeing that Luther and Zuinglius themselues and others were no Bishops and consequently excluded by their Canons from the power to ordaine But the answere is that indeed a Priest alone as a Priest cannot ordaine but a Priest authorised by a companie of Priests may for he hath the place and power of the body of the Presbetery If a companie of Priests cannot make a Priest a Bishop the Pope could not be a lawfull Bishop of Rome for he is not made Bishop of Rome but by Priests and Cardinall Deacons that is to say the principallest of the Church of Rome it followeth therefore That Ordination dependeth not vpon an vniuersall head but onely vpon the Patriarkes or Metroplitanes of euery place QVESTION XXXIIII Whether Priests and Deacons may marry as well by Gods law as by Ecclesiasticall law THE EAST CHVRCHES THeuet The Priests in India are married and neuerthelesse cease not to execute their duties and offices Item The Priests of the Armenians are married as all the rest of the East Countreyes Item No man is made Deacon in Moscouia that is not married neuerthelesse he is not permitted to marry twise and he that marrieth twise remaineth amongst the Lay people and he that remaineth continent although he cannot sacrifice by reason of age yet doth he assist at the Sacrifice Vilam In Syria the Priests are married as in Greece in briefe they doe imitate very neare the vse and customes of the Grecians Scarga The Russians and Moscouites admit no man to be Priest that hath not a wife Theuet In Cyprus the Bishops haue in all ages bin married as well as the Priests THE SOVTH CHVRCH ZAga Episcopus The reason why Priests are married with vs is because that Saint Paul thought it better both for the Clergie and Laitie to marrie then to burne He himselfe saith that a Bishop ought to be the husband of one wife irreprehensible and sober and the Deacons likewise Item The Bishops and Priests cannot marry twise vnlesse the Patriarke will dispence with them Aluares It was demaunded of me in the presence of Prester-Iohn wherefore we doe not obserue the Statutes of the holy Councell of Nice seeing therein it was ordained that Priests should marrie and a little after hee saith thus Besides his Maiesty caused me to speake more concerning the marriages of Priests asking me if it was euer knowen that the Apostles were married Wherevnto I answered that I remembred not that euer they married any woman after that they were called by Iesus Christ and although that Saint Peter had a daughter that was before such time as he was of the number of the Apostles but they told me that their bookes did commaund that they should marry the which expresly Saint Peter had in charge THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe Confession of England We say that marriage is holy and honourable in all kind of people and each estate and as Saint Chrysostome saith that it is lawfull for a married man to mount vp to the Episcopall Chaire THE LATIN CHVRCH POpe Lucius Let such Ministers Priests and Deacons of the Altar be chosen for the seruices of the Lord as obserue and keepe continency ANNOTATION THe Latines do note aboue all the rest that the Christians of the East South and North are contrary to them in this point as well as the Protestants The vulgar thinke that there is no other difference The foresaid people notwithstanding doe differ from the Protestants in this one point that
restraine them from becomming Lay-men againe THE EAST CHVRCHES GAgnin If any Priest that is a Widdower doe marry with another woman which is at liberty he is depriued of his charge and must not communicate with the Clergie THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares If it happen that a married Priest doe accompany with another woman he shall be prohibited to enter into the Church because that the Lay-people enter not within or doe not enter within the Closset where the Clerkes be and shall not participate of their Reuenues This I know to be true because that I saw one which was called before the Patriarch for being found a bedde with a woman the which he could not denie and confessed the same in my presence for punishment whereof hee was forbidden to carry anie more the Crosse in his hand and condemned to take vpon him the estate of a secular man Moreouer If a Priest that is a widdower doe happen to marrie with a woman that is to say without dispensation as Zaga sayth he must remaine amongst the Lay people Alphonsus de Castro The Armenians doe hold that in the Sacrament of orders there is no grace bestowed which they hold likewise of the rest of the Sacraments THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe Ecclesiasticall Discipline of the Frenchmen The Ministers shall be deposed and degraded that teach false doctrine if after that they haue beene sufficiently aduertised they doe not desist THE LATINE CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Forasmuch as in this Sacrament of orders is imprinted a Character which cannot be defaced raised out or taken away as in Baptisme and in Confirmation The holy Councell hath iust occasion to reiect as damnable the opinion of those which say that Priests haue a power which endureth onely for a time and that they may retire backe againe into their first estate and condition of Lay people ANNOTATION THis before spoken sheweth the consent of foure Churches against the Councell of Trent It is true that the Grecians in their answer to the Diuines of Wittemberge doe speake of a Spragis a Seale or marke Socolouius interpreteth it a Character peraduenture willing to perswade men that the foresaid Churches do hold with the Romane Church that in the soules of Clerkes there is an indeleble and perpetuall Character so surely imprinted that after their death it may be knowen It appeareth not that they haue this opinion howsoeuer it be both they and the Africanes doe hold the opinion which the Councel of Trent doth call damnable to wit That there is not any such indeleble or perpetuall Character which hindereth a Clergie man to take againe vpon him the estate of a secular man QVESTION XXXVII Whether that the annointing of the sicke be a Sacrament and whether the obseruation thereof be now necessary THE EAST CHVRCH SAcranus The Russians doe say that the Sacrament of extreme vnction cannot giue any remedie against the staine of sinne and that S. Iames speaking of vnction did meane that it was onely to helpe and cure bodily infirmities Vilamont The Grecians doe denie the Sacrament of confirmation and Extreame Vnction THE SOVTH CHVRHCES THe Confession of Zaga It is to be noted that with vs confirmation and the Chrisme or the oile of extreame vnction are not held for Sacraments nay they are not in vse as I see here they are in these parts according to the custome of the Church of Rome Aluares The Abyssins vse neither Chrisme nor oyle of extreame vnction THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe Confession of the Swizers Confirmation and Extreame Vnction are mans inventions whereof the Church may ridde it selfe without any damage and we haue them not in our Churches THE LATINE CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent This holy Vnction or annointing of the sicke was instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ as a true and proper Sacrament of the newe Testament The vertue of this Sacrament is the grace of the holy Ghost the vnction whereof serues to wipe out the guilt of sinne if there be any as yet to purge ANNOTATION SAint Iames commaundeth to annoint the sicke and to pray for them and addeth that praier by faith bringeth health and remission of sinnes Here is a difference betweene the Romane Catholike Church and the reformed Church The Churches of Affrica and Asia which doe vse it are manifestly on the Protestants part As touching the Greeke Church those that haue trauelled those parts doe protest vnto vs that this vnction or anointing is not also in vse there Neuerthelesse Ieremie writeth that they hold it vntill this present time as a Mystery It is peraduenture likely that the vse of oyle hath beene deliuered by some one or other of the Apostles but it is cleare that it was ordained by S. Iames it is his Tradition which since his time hath beene obserued of vs. Those of that Countrey do tell vs that they holde it not necessary and therefore it is not vsed although they holde it as a Mysterie to fill vp the tale of the seuen holy numbers Sacranus witnesseth that in his time which is but a hundred yeares since the Moscouites and consequently the Grecians did beleeue that this oile was onely to heale diseases But because that Ieremie sayth that it serueth for the body and the soule and alleadgeth for it the very text of Saint Iames one may easily reconcile that place in saying that the vnction properly regardeth corporall diseases Neuerthelesse consequently it was a marke of remission because that God giueth not the one without the other And therefore a man may by this which hath beene spoken gather that the meaning of the Churches is That the annointing of the sicke is one of the seuen Mysteries Neuerthelesse the vse thereof is not at this time necessary in regard that the same was purposely Instituted for the miraculous healing of Diseases QVESTION XXXVIII VVhether there be seuen Mysteries in the Church and whether that two of them may be called Sacraments THE EAST CHVRCHES IEremie In the Catholike Church of the Orthodox Christians there are seuen Mysteries or Celebrations that is to say Baptisme the annointing with holy oile the holy Communion imposition of hands marriage repentance and holy oyle THE SOVTH CHVRCH THe confession of Zaga It is to be noted that with vs Confirmation and Chrisme or the oyle of extreame vnction are not holden for Sacraments THE LATIN CHVRCH THe councell of Trent If any man say that the Sacraments of the new law haue not beene all instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ or that there are more or lesse then seuen that is to say Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance Extreame Vnction Orders and Marriage or that any one of them is not truely and properly a Sacrament Let him be accursed THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of England We doe acknowledge two Sacraments which ought to be called by that name that is to say Baptisme and the Eucharist ANNOTATION HEre is a question
Apostles were not the inuenters thereof yet it is certaine that it was some of their Disciples all the rest consenting thereunto The saying also of S. Paul cannot be applied to that institution for S. Paul saith that this forbidding should bee in the latter dayes The same Zanchius saith that Lent was free vntill the time of Pope Gregorie the seuenth that is to say vntill the yeare 1075. And that this Pope did forbid in the Latine Church to eate flesh vpon paine of mortall sinne And that this prohibition so absolute and exact is that whereof S. Paul speaketh For otherwise it is not a true prohibition or forbidding The Romane Catholikes do bring other exceptions to wit that these meates are not forbidden as euill of themselues Another answereth them that Saint Paul saith the vse of them must not be forbidden and speaketh in the same sort of Marriage which is not forbidden but onely to those which haue vowed neuer to marrie Also vnlesse one doe vow not to eate flesh the vse ought not to be absolutely forbidden him The Latines say also that they forbid it not but for certaine times The contrary part doth reply that it is euer a forbidding That which is white for one day saith Aristotle is no lesse white then if it had beene so a whole yeare As for the Christians of the East they are more exact obseruers of Fasting and abstinence then the Latines are although that their Church hath not this doctrine that it should be vnto them a mortall sinne Zeale and deuotion is many times imitated by superstition The Reformed Churches haue their Fasts and do keepe them straightly and the common people amongst them might fall into some scruple of conscience but that they are oftentimes aduertised of their Christian libertie It hath beene said before that the Ethiopians doe beleeue that the commandements of the Church doe not binde a man vpon paine of mortall sinne And in that point they are manifestly on the Protestants side as the Grecians also are if they hold that which their auncestors held all alike doe beleeue that the Bishoppes may both make lawes vse their censures and impose certaine punishments vpon the infringers or breakers of them but not forbidde as God If thou dost eate of this fruit thou shalt die the death both temporall and eternall So that some scruple is noted among Christians but the doctrine which they confesse is That the Church may ordaine holy or festiual daies together with abstinence of all or some kind of meats neuerthelesse not so as to bind the conscience without contempt or scandall and the diuers practise therof doth shew that there is no Catholike ecclesiasticall law which hath ordained either festiuall daies or fasting daies or the manner of keeping those feasts or fasts ¶ The Conclusion of this Treatise THe Councell of Basil hath declared the Pope to bee subiect vnto the Church If the same were beleeued at this day by the Latines as it is by all other Christians it were sufficient to make a peace If the Pope may transport that Sea out of Rome the Church may doe it farre better yea the East Church might haue done it at such time as it was greater then the Latine It followeth also that all that the Popes haue ordained approued or tollerated is vnder correction If there had not beene ambition in him or in his Clergie of Rome hee would haue heard the Catholike voyce of the Church This ambition is the cause wherefore the Grecians doe call him an Arch-hereticke the Indians a reprobate Bishoppe the Protestants the sonne of perdition Those that liue vnder him vse not these termes Neuerthelesse they are not farre wide from this beleefe If the Duke of Venice should presume to call himselfe Monarch and that the most part tooke armes against him calling him Tyrant Capitall and Principall enemy of the Common-wealth and that there were others more patient then they which confessed that in truth he was not such a one as he counted himselfe to be neuerthelesse beleeued that he ought to be supported I pray you would not all these Cittizens agree together in the principall point although they were of diuers opinions in the manner of proceeding Father Coton after many others maketh an argument here which he thinketh to be inuincible The Sonne of Perdition saith he must sit in the Temple of God according to Saint Paul that is to say in the Church of God according to Crysostome And we must not goe out of the Church for out of it there is no saluation therefore we must continue vnder the sonne of perdition Answere The Temple of God is all the earth in this Temple there are many Episcopall Chaires which as Pope Pelagius saith are one nuptiall bed of Christ that is to say which make but one Church which begetteth children to God by baptisme Well then if hee that sitteth in S. Peters Chaire teacheth not at all who will gaine-say but that without forsaking the Church one may goe to heare him which sittes in Saint Peters chaire at Antioch among the Armenians or in the seate of S. Andrew in Constantinople Some will say that the Protestants doe not take this way But we haue shewed that if ceremonies were laid apart and that Logomachies were eschued there would want but little of agreement and scarce would there be any discord but onely in these foure points First about Images Secondly praiers to Saints Thirdly the time of making Monasticall vows Fourthly about the conuersion of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist and peraduenture not so great as is imagined For the first it is decreed in the second Councel of Nice that one should put off his Hat in passing before a Church a Crosse an Altar an Image or portraict of a Saint hauing the heart lifted vp to God The Protestants doe call the same superstition See here is a great heresie a trimme subiect to diuide Christianitie Panigarolas confesseth that one may altogether let passe Images why not then this ceremonie The Catholicke Romans know well enough that sometimes they were not vsed at all And Wicelius saith that wee ought to eschew all appearance of euill In the time of S. Basil there was tolleration herein Vigilantius brake the peace peraduenture his iniurious speeches haue beene the cause why men did more in hate of him The second Question whether one ought to recommend himselfe to the Prayers of the Saints is of the same nature They of the East Churches doe confesse that the Saints doe not vnderstand our Prayers Neuerthelesse that the holy Ghost which they haue doeth induce them to pray and to crie Abba father saith S. Paul that is to say in generall for those that recommend themselues to their Prayers The Protestants doe confesse that the Saints doe pray and that one may wish or desire that they would so doe notwithstanding they hold it absurd to addresse our Prayers vnto them seeing that wee doe know that
they vnderstand vs not Melancton thinketh that one might peraduenture vse the ancient maner that is to direct our Prayers to God in making mention of the Prayers which the Saints doe make So that all doe tend to the same end but doe differ in termes The third difference is of lesser importance It is certaine that in the time of the Apostles the widowes were receiued without any regard to their age If there had beene no abuse S. Paul would not haue made mention of Reformation If the Caloiers of the East and the Antonians or Estafarus of Aethiop are not good people it is for the Bishops of those Prouinces to prouide and see to it as also they ought not to thinke much that other Nations haue found out a lawfull remedie The fourth and last point is the Question so much disputed vpon now a dayes touching the changing of the Eucharist Here without doubt is a difference in mens beliefe But the Reformed Churches haue not debated against the Catholike Church and are not seperated from them of the East and the Africans for they were not in their vnion Moreouer those that denie it shewe themselues ready to communicate with them that beleeue Consubstantiation which not withstanding by their saying is almost as contrarie to the Articles of Faith as the Romane Transubstantiation Lesse occasion haue they to hold themselues seperated from the other Apostolicke Churches which as hath beene said beleeue not Iesus Christ to be any where else then in heauen touching his humanitie And their beliefe containeth not any thing that doeth contradict the Scriptures although they be not able to conclude the same necessarily out of the Scriptures The beliefe of these Churches is that by Prayers the Bread is changed into the body of the Lord as Christians are and that in both there is a change not onely in name but really Because that some supernaturall thing proceeding from the matter of the body of the Lord which is onely in heauen is infused into the matter of bread and from thence passeth into the soule of the Communicant and hath the place of forme both in the one and in the other and causeth that both the one and the other be called after a speciall fashion the body of Christ Because that they suffer a change through the obtaining of a new forme or else their forme suffereth a change through the obtaining of new faculties And that is the reason why aswell the said Churches as the Reformed doe confesse that as S. Paul writeth The bread is the Communion of the body of the Lord The difficultie therefore lieth in this point to wit whether the Bread hath positiuely in it selfe this forme or faculties to communicate them vnto the Soule by it selfe Or whether the soule receiueth them of the Bread because that the holy Ghost which is present in the Bread as in all things causeth that when one receiueth this bread he receiueth the body of Christ by meanes of this essence or faculties which proceede immediatly from the same body If there were as much Charitie in men as zeale they might find this aboue mentioned tollerable vntill an vniuersall and lawfull Councell In the meane time it is the part of the louers of truth and enemies of heresies to search and seek out the truth sufficiently contained in the holy Scriptures wherein if they find any obscuritie which they shall not in those things necessarie to saluation it is their part to haue recourse vnto the voice of the Churches to the which our Lord hath promised his assistance And if they be not of one accord then to suspend their iudgement or else with a holy libertie to trie all and to retaine that which they take to be good in euery one of them If you proceede thus Christian Reader you will no more say I am of Paul and I am of Cephas but rather you shall bee true Catholickes and Orthodox Christians and in no maner Idolaters or Heretickes Grecians nor Romanes Papists nor Huguenots Lutheranes nor Caluinists Protestants nor Puritanes and make them lyers that seeke to staine your beautifull and holy profession with names so infamous and vnworthy of honourable people and true Christians AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER THose that do build Religion on Ceremonies will thinke that this Booke is lame or maimed because that it doth not declare those which are obserued by euery Nation But we thought it a labour as much vnprofitable as enuious to the most iudicious Readers Calecas a Romane Catholicke hath written a volume against the Grecians wherein hee speaketh almost of nothing else That we may not omit any thing of importance we doe aduertise that there are two euill Ceremonies found among the Grecians The first is that they vse Leauened bread in their Sacrament The other that they abstaine from things strangled and from blood In both they thinke themselues grounded vpon the holy Scripture The Grecians hauing opposed themselues against the Latines doe reprehend them because they vse litle Wafers vnleauened and not ordinarie Bread as our Sauiour did They doe not thinke that this word Bread agrees to those Hosts or Wafers and that most commonly that name is not giuen them Moreouer to make their fashion seeme better they haue thought good to say that Iesus Christ did not institute this Sacrament in the dayes of sweete bread As for vnleauened Bread the Romane Catholickes doe not insist much vpon it And it is not so important a matter of faith to know vpon what day the Sacrament was ordained prouided that one pretend not to preiudice thereby the Historie of the Gospel the passages or sentences whereof may bee better reconciled through the one then through the other As for abstinence from things strangled and from blood It is founded vpon the decrees of the Apostles assembled in Ierusalem the which Decree they doe not thinke to be abrogated because that their Church which they hold to be true and Catholicke hath still obserued it Yea this maner of abstinence hath beene confirmed by the sixt Synode There is likelyhood that they haue remitted this to a generall Councell for they haue not much pressed this point against the Latines The Aethiopians are both in the one and in the other on the Romanes and Protestants side In France the Protestants doe vse leauened Bread after the fashion of the Grecians Against the Churches of the Abyssines in the South is obiected that they are rebaptized euery yeare But the Ambassadour of Prester-Iohn saith that the cause why they bath themselues in Riuers and Ponds is not because that they thinke it necessary to saluation but they doe it vpon the day of the Epiphanie in remembrance of the Baptisme of our Sauiour It is to be noted that this ceremonie is new amongst the Abyssins for their King Dauid which raigned but about some hundred yeares agoe said that the same was by the institution of his Grandfather The Romane Catholikes haue no occasion
to impute this vnto the Abyssins for an errour seeing that in the Church of Rome they baptize Bells and contrary to the practise of the Apostolicke Churches they sprincle water euery day entring into their Churches for remission of veniall sinnes a custome taken eyther from the Iewes as the Grecians doe reproach them or else from Pagan Idolaters The other accusation against the Iacobites is because that they tollerate Circumcision vpon which Berthius saith thus They circumcise their children both Male and Female but they borrow not that from the Iewes insomuch that the same is not for any Religion sake as Aluares also saith but it is an auncient custome for Herodotus witnesseth that the Ethiopians in times past likewised vsed it It hath beene likewise thought by some that the Iacobites baptize with fire But the Historiographers and those of the Countrey doe certifie vs that the same is not so but they make incisions in their temples either for comlines or els for their healths sake If the Ethiopians haue no other errours then those which appeare vnto vs we might peraduenture appropriate vnto them by better right that place of Scripture vbi cubas in meridie then the auncient Donatists could attribute it vnto themselues * ⎠* FINIS ¶ A TABLE OF THE MATTER CONTAINED IN THIS BOOKE OF the Popes spirituall authority Quest Quest 1. Of the first Seate Quest 2. Of Miracles Quest 3. Of personall Succession Quest 4. Of Multitude Quest 5. Of the Popes temporal authority Quest 6 Of the sufficiency of the holy scripture Quest 7. Of Canonicall bookes Quest 8. Of the Latine Translation of the holy Scripture Quest 9. Of Traditions Quest 10. Of the proceeding of the holy Ghost Quest 11. Of true faith Quest 12. Of Free-will Quest 13. Of Iustification Quest 14. Of the merite of good works Quest 15. Of Purgatory Quest 16. Of Pardons Quest 17. Of Christ his discention into hel Quest 18 Of the necessity of Baptisme Quest 19. Of Confirmation Quest 20. Of particular Confession Quest 21. Of the change of the signes in the Eucharist Quest 22. Of the words of consecration Quest 23 Of the Sacrament reserued Quest 24 Of the bread in the Sacrament Quest 25 Of mingling Wine and Water in the Chalice Quest 26 Of the Communion vnder both kindes Quest 27 Of carrying the Sacrament in Procession Quest 28 Of the eleuation of the Sacram. Quest 29 Of priuate Masses Quest 30 Of the Sacrifice of the Masse Quest 31 Of an vnknowne tongue in the Church Quest 32 Of the ordination of Ecclesiasticall persons Quest 33 Of the Marriage of Ecclesiasticall persons Quest 34 Of Ecclesiastical orders and offices Quest 35 Of the indeleble Character Quest 36 Of Extreame Vnction Quest 37 Of the number of Sacraments Quest 38 Of Praiers for the Saints Quest 39 Of the Inuocation of Saints Quest 40 Of the canonizing of Saints Quest 41 Of Images Quest 42 Of Monasticall vowes Quest 43 Of feasts and fasting Quest 44 a Sugil Turc spurc cap. 22. And other Authors do reckon ten they put sometimes three seueral Nations the which doe make but one Church b Respo Confess August cap. 13. c Generall d Orat. Corn. Epis Biton in concil Trid. e Theuet Cosm 1. lib. 18. cap. 13. f Cras Turcogr lib. 3. in ann g Barlaam de Papae princ cap. 15 h A Bridge-maker Fenest de Sacerd ca. 8. i Father k Panor de concil Basil l Theuet Cos lib. 4 cap. 2. m King n Apostolicke o Broken or Cut. p Our father q Isch-ja a man of God r Vilam l. 2. cap. 21. Å¿ M. Paule Venet. Hist Ind. orient Å¿ Sent from God Å¿ M. Masius in praef in lib Mosis de parad t Nichol. l. 4. cap. 19. u Vniuersal x Alphons de Castro de haeres passim y Vilamont l. 2. cap. 23. z Sleidan de Stat. Rel. lib. 1. c. â— a Cyprian de simpl Cl. Gennadius Confession Hist Eccl. de Const The Sybils To wit Pagans a Psal 120. 7. b Damian à Goes de morib Aethiop Impedit ira animum ne possit cernere verum c Mat. 16. 6. d Lib. 4. contra haeres e Mat. cap. vlt. 20 f Phil cap. 3. 15. g Hist Eccl. l. 4. cap. 22. a The causes of dissentions Eccl. 5 1. b De princip cap. 2. c In 4. Sent. dist 24. qu. 3. d 〈…〉 cr cap 2. e Descript Aeth cap. 29. f Art 4. g Simpl. prael h Ad Euagr. i Dist 19. Ita Dominus k Dist eadem enimuerò l Tom. 2. l. 2. c. 17. 18. m In praef de summo Pont. n Bodin Repub l. 2. c. 1. n Durand de sacris Eccl. lib. 3. c. 2. n Matth. 16. o Iohn p Rom. 1. p 2. Respon Jerem. fine q Apoc. 21. 14. r Ioh. 14. 16. Å¿ Mat. 18. 18 t 1. Pet. 5. 1. u Acts 14. 22 x 1. Thes 1. Mat. 28. 20. y De Statu Prim. Eccl. z Reuis Concil 1. Cor. 12. a Cap. 13. b De primat l. 2. c Mat. 16. 18 d Psal 14. 4. e Cosm lib. 9 f Voyages l. 2 cap. 22. i Cosm l. 10. c. 15. k Elucid c. 2. l Cap. 26. m Discept Graci Caldei n Chap. of Ethiop o Cap. 32. o Cap. 17. p Acta Theol Virtemb q Dist 21. Quamuis Å¿ Alexandria was the greatest Citie of the Empire after Rome Ioseph l. 4. c. 42. t Antioch was the third Citie Josep bello Iud. lib. 3. there was in this Citie 360. Churches of Christians u The Grecians doe call him Gregorie Dialoger x John nestentes That is to say the younger y Oecumenicos z S. Cypr. de simpl cl a Lib. 1. cap. 17. 18. Matt. 17. 20. b In the third Booke of his Voyages cap. 4 c Dâ—â—Kel Mâ—sc ad Ferd. d Ibidem e Nauigat de Lopes f Turcogr lib. 2. Pach. g Cap. 16. h Disc of Aeth cap. 17. i Cap. 11. k De reliq ven sanct tit 22. l Art 5. m De princ cap. 3. n Cap. 18. o De notis Eccl. cap. 8. p Mar. 15. 16 q L. 2. c. 21. r Lib. 2. ca. 22 Å¿ De viciss t Lib. 2. c. 24. u Idem l. 2. cap. 22. x De not Eccl. l. 4. c. 2. y Cap. 18. z Praef. in Anaph Basilij a Lib. 2. cap. 24. b De sacrifi c Resp 1. cap. 16. d Eluc cap 3. e Lib. 4. c. 36. f Cap. 3. g Viciss l. 8. h Lib. 2. c. 13 i Art 13. k De Maior obed Dan. 12. 45. l Melech a King m Fr Paul of Venice in Apologie n De Causis diss lib. 1. o Lib. 1. dist 11. b. p Iohn 15. q Resp Rohit r Elucid err Å¿ Cap. 31. t De indor leg art 11. u Art 5. x In 4. Sent. d. 24. q. 2. y 4. Sess decret 1. z 1. Tim. 2. 11. 1. Cor. 14. 34. a Smith apud P. Vermil Martyrem de caelib b 1. Cor. 7. 38.
more because Princes and Soueraigne Magistrates should beare sole authority and by their absolute commaundement should testifie their good will therein and employ the prudent aduise of their Ecclesiasticall subiects not the wisest onely but the best and godliest also not so much to dispute and winne the victory as to conferre and amiably to agree The God of peace will giue the fruit of peace to his glory and our good But I know not by what Inchantment or destinie Kings for the most part know not their forces and willingly do dispoyle themselues of a greate part of their owne Authoritie and many times perceiue it too late As for the particulars many doe know and see the euill but doe perswade themselues that the remedie is most dangerous of all or else for feare will not bee singular in opinion be it neuer so good louing rather to suffer themselues to bee caried away with the torrent and streame of diuision and to be of the common fashion that they may the better follow their priuate affaires Euery one doth bragge and vaunt himselfe of his faith but few or none will practise charitie and what is faith without charitie more then a tree without fruite or a body without a soule I haue beene here emboldened to addresse my selfe to your Highnesse for the reasons aboue said and to the end that vnder the lustre of your name this little Treatise written onely for the publike vtilitie might be the more fauourably receiued and respected of all men especially of the subiects of the kings Maiestie your father amongst whom are more learned Diuines well practised in the art of disputation in the reading of the Fathers and in all the Histories of the Church then peraduenture in three or foure other as great Countries Their writings doe testifie it insomuch that wee doe admire thereat in these parts and the English Liturgie gathered according to the modell of the Auncients the purest of them in the which through the aduise of so many excellent men in learning and pietie English men and others hath beene reserued for reuerence of Antiquitie all which might be left with a good conscience Also it is very likely that it shall endure perpetually and serue for a patterne or example for those which are not as yet reformed The praise whereof next vnto God shall be to the good and wise Kings of Great Britane the Predecessors whereof haue receiued and embraced with the first the faith of Iesus Christ and not with the last the Reformation which was necessary in the Church The principal cause truely or rather the only cause of this long peace prosperity wherwith God hath blessed the Kingdomes of your Iland besides many benedictions wherewith he hath fauoured your Royall house and your Highnesse in particular who haue after his Maiestie the first place in age in valour and dignitie and who for the gratious respect which naturally you doe shew vnto all men which through any merite or seruice doe seeke the honor of your fauour will mooue you I am assured to receiue this little present as from him who will thinke himselfe happy all the dayes of his life to say * ⎠* Your Highnesse most humble and most obedient seruant Th. A. J. C. ⧠The Preface ¶ First Diuision of Christian people THe vniuersitie of Christians is diuided into sixe principall parts which doe equally vaunt themselues of the Name of the Church of God The East Church doth pretend that the first ranke or seate is due to her without any contradiction in regard of her prerogatiues and priuiledges a Countrey of great largenesse almost all the Apostolicke Seas and the most part of the Patriarkes The maiestie of an Empire which during the space of more then a thousand yeeres hath withstood Paganisme and Mahometisme The authoritie of seuen vniuersall Councels celebrated within her iurisdiction The Syrian language wherein the Sonne of God pronounced his Oracles and the Greeke tongue in the which they were registred In this Church doth the Oecumenicall Patriarcke of Constantinople preside or gouerne It is composed of Grecians a Nation acknowledged as a mother by her proper aduersaries of Syrians Iberians Sclauonians Russians Muscouites and others scattered into many places of Asia and Africa al which do call themselues Orthodoxe Catholickes and do not differ or varie among themselues but onely in fewe ceremonies The Latine or Catholicke Romane Church might conueniently be placed in the second place Her primate is called in Latine Pontifex or more commonly Papa in English Pope a name which all they of the East Church doe giue vnto all their Priests This Pope is acknowledged by the Italians Frenchmen Spaniards by some Germanes and Polanders and withall by some Americans and Indians which of late are conquered and conuerted by the Spaniards The Romane Catholickes do say and affirme themselues to be very strongly vnited together because that they depend vpon one head or chiefe Neuerthelesse they are not all of one accord so farre as his authoritie doth extend Some doe attribute vnto him full authoritie ouer the Church and Councels and ouer Kings and Common-wealthes others doe contradict it Neuerthelesse these doe tollerate the Pope in his attempts vnto the very execution of them which is the cause that Christendome is noted to be in schismes and scandals and her people in warres and dissentions The third Christian nation is the South or Meridionall Church which containeth the Nubians and the Abyssins subiects of Negus of Ethiop otherwise called Prester-Iohn and many that are scattered in Egypt Arabia and Chaldea which are called Iacobits or Israelites because that they are of the linage or race of Iacob otherwise called Israel But some are of opinion that they take name of one Iacob an hereticke They are called of some in Greeke Cophites or in Hebrew Cophtes because that they vse Circumcision Their Primate maketh his residence in Caire and is called Patriarcke of Alexandria his substitute or Deputy in Ethiop is called Abuna The fourth Christian nation are the Nestorians accused to hold the heresies of old Nestor which are dispersed here and there in Tartaria Persia and in the Kingdomes of the East Indies Their Prelat resideth in Mosal or Seleucie and is called Iascelich The Historiographers doe not exactly report the truth what is or in times past hath beene their beliefe which is the reason wherefore we do not aleadge them very often The fift Nation is that of Armenia which peraduenture might be thought to be of the Romane Church because that they haue offered themselues to her in hate of the Grecians and their Catholike for so they call their chiefe head did submit himselfe to the Pope of Rome but the truth is that the Romane Church doeth hold them all for heretickes although that shee doeth deale more discreetly with them for to withdraw them