Councell of Laodicia S. Cyrill of Hierusalem Sainct Gregory Nazianzen and Amphilochius There is not any one of them which ioyneth with this Article but they all differ from it in the very places which they cite Melito Sardensis Melito Sard apud Euseb hist Eccl. l. 4 cap. 25. Origen in p 1. Euseb his Eccl. li. 6. cap 24. receaueth the booke of wisdome which this Article reiecteth and omitteth Iudith Origen onely citeth the books of the old testament according to the first Canon of the Hebrews sicut Hebraei tradunt And yet in the end addeth the books of Machabees praeter istos sunt libri Machabaeorum qui Inscribuntur Sarbet Sarbaneel And doth not agree with them in the books of the new testameÌ„t The Councell Conc. Laodic can 60. of Laodicia differreth from this article in omittinge Esther in the old and Apocalips in the new Greg. NaziaÌ„z de vir Gorm sacrae scrip l. 6. Amphil l. ad SeleÌ„cum Cyrill Hierosolim Catech. 4. Tho. Rogers vpon this 6. Art Confess Gallic c 3. 4. Confess Belg. c. 4. 5. Testament otherwise then this article doth S. Gregory Nazianzen so likewise numbreth as Amphilochius also Sainct Cyrill omitteth the Apocalips So this Article hath no authority from any old writer Iew or Christian Greeke or Latin in this so greate and with them most important Question whereupon they grounde all Religion And as litle concordance amonge themselues for amonge 13. or 14. Confessions of Protestant Religion they onely cite and haue noe more then two of France and Belgia Rebels and Traytors to their temporall Kings in ciuill matters as they are in spirituall to God and his holy Church and these for want of other authority founde this their error as the rest vpon the hereticall conceipt of internall reuelation and their spirit so tellinge them extestimonio intrinseca Spiritus Sancti reuelatione By the one and the other quod Spiritus sanctus nostris conscientijs testetur illos à Deo emanasse And by this Spirit they are at such harmony and agreement amonge themselues as in other places so in EnglaÌ„d as I haue related none of them agreeinge together herein But by the suggestion of this false spirit and their exploded doubt of Scriptures doe leaue all Scriptures and questions of Religion to be deduced from them doubtfull which Bilson a Protestant â—ilsoÌ„ Suruey â—ag 664. Bishop of winchester one of the best learned they euer had thus proueth The Scriptures themselues were not fully receaued in all places no not in Eusebius time He saith the Epistle of Iames of Iude the second of Peter he second and third of Iohn are contradicted The epistle to the Hebrews was coÌ„tradicted The Church of Syria did not receaue the second epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Ihon nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalipse the like might be said for the Churches of Arabie Will you hence conclude that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolike or that wee neede not receaue them because they were formerly doubted of The same reason is of all the books of the old testament which this Article reiecteth vpon the same surmise â—or Eusebius ouerliuinge Constantine and writinge Euseb de vit Const lib. 3. hist c. 22. l. 3. cap. 3. Concil Cart. 3. can 47. â—is life and deathe deliueringe this doubt of so many bookes of new Testament liued neere the â—ime of the Councell Chartage of 428. Bishops in which both these bookes of the new Testament contradicted in his dayes but receaued by our Proâ—estants and all those bookes of the old Testament which in this Article they disable are by all those Bishops in one and the same tenor of words with â—he rest decreed to be Canonicae scripturae canonicall Scriptures This Canon and Catologe of Canoniâ—all Concil Cart. 3. supr bookes is confirmed by the Pope of Rome â—hen beinge and other Bishops absent as appeareth â—y the same Councell Pope Innocentius deliuereth Innoe 1. epist ad ExuperiuÌ„ Tholosanum Episc August lib. 2. doctr Christ c. 8. in speculo â—he same Canon of holy Scriptures Canonem sacraâ—um Scripturarum S. Augustine hath the same as â—eceaued by all Churches Scripturae Canonicae quae â—b omnibus accipiuntur Ecclesijs Catholicis And saith â—hat all which feare God receaue them in his omniâ—us libris timentes Deum pietate mansueti quaerunt â—oluntatem Dei Pope Gelasius with a Councell of Gelas Tom. Concil â—o Bishops declareth that to be the Canon which â—he holy Catholike Roman Church receaueth â—nd reuerenceth quem Sancta Catholica Romana Alcim Auit l. ad Soror de consol Cassiodor lib. 1. diu Iust c. 13. â—uscipit veneratur Ecclesia So hath Alcimus Aâ—itus Cassiodorus and others And this may suffice for this place of this Question And it further proueth how feeble and weake the rest of this Protestant Article of the sufficiency allowance of onely Scripture and disableinge Traditions is for if so many Canonicall bookes of Scripture in both testaments were doubted of vntill so greate a time aboue 300. yeares in the lawe of Christ were passed and Religion generally and in all questions necessary to saluation planted and receaued how were or possibly could all these necessary things be reade in Scripture or proued thereby which is the rule of this Article when so many bookes were not then receaued for certaine and vndoubted holy Scriptures Things and euidences doubtfull and vncertaine can make nothinge certaine in morall certainty much lesse with certainty of true and infallible faith which aboue all others is and must needs be most certaine SecoÌ„dly as Sainct Ireneus disputeth Ireneus l. 3. cap. 4. and proueth vpon his certaine knowledge and experience That many nations which had not receaued the Scriptures or any part of theÌ„ did truely beleeue in Christ by vnwritten traditions whicâ— the Apostles doliuered to the Churches Quid si nâ— que Apostoli scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt iâ—â— quibus committebant Ecclesias cui ordinationi assentiunt multae gentes barbarorum eorum qui in Christâ—â— credunt sine charta atramento veterem traditioneâ— diligenter custodientes This he writeth both of thiâ— first age and the second in which he died by martyrdome And it is most euident both by holâ— Scriptures and other antiquities that many nations not onely of the barbarous which were withouâ— learninge but of the learned did thus beleeue before any Scriptures of the new Testament in Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 1. Gal. 1. Ephes 1. Phil. 1. Colloss 1. Thess 1. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 1. Tit. 1. Epist ad Philem. Hebr. 1. Iacob 1. 1. Petr. 1. 2. Pet. 2. Ioh. 1. Io. 2. 3. Iud. 1. which and by which Protestants necessitate vs to reade and proue our Religion were written This is manifestly proued by all the epistles
and Sainct Luke they were not all thought able â— condemne those named hereticks which S. Ihâ— confounded Amonge the Epistles onely that of â— Paul to the Romans was sent into these parts â— was in a language wee did not vnderstand aâ— written after the faith of the Romans was spreâ— both in Britaine and all the world as Sainct Pâ— witnesseth fides vestra annuntiatur in vniuâ— Rom. 1. mundo The two Epistles of Sainct Peter accordiâ— to antiquity were written in Rome and after Bâ—taine had receaued the faith especially the last aâ— the first being longe doubted of was sent quite coâ— â—rary from Britayne vnto the contries of PoÌ„tus Gaâ—atia 2. Petr. 1. Capadocia Asia and Bithynia in the easterne â—arts Wee finde no memory after of Scripture reâ—eaued here vntill longe time after in the second â—ge expressed in Pope Eleutherius his Epistle to our â—ing Lucius And yet all our ProtestaÌ„t antiquaries â—ue before assured vs that Britaine had in the Aâ—stles time and longe before any Scripture came â—ther or probably was written and possibly in â—orall Iudgment could come hither receaued the â—ith of Christ so fully purely and sincerely that it â—euer changed it in any materiall point after the â—riptures were receaued here nor diuers hundreds â— yeares after And if wee will be directed by Scriptures in this â—int those which our Protestants allowe for such â—e testimony to vnwritten Traditions in many â—ces To exemplifie onely in Sainct Paul which â—ote most in the new Testament hee chargeth S. 1. Tim. 6. â—mothy and all others in him to keepe obserue â—ngs so deliuered without writinge O Timothee 2. Tim. 2. â—ositum custodi This in his first Epistle not haâ—ge written vnto him before And in his second â—stle hee giueth him commaund that the things â—ich he had heard froÌ„ Sainct Paul he should deâ—er vnto others fit to teach them Quae audisti a me â— multos testes haec commenda fidelibus hominibus â—idonei erunt alios docere And expressely comâ—undeth 2. Thessal 2. the Thessalonians and in them all in â— second epistle to them to obserue and keepe the â—aditions which they had learned either by word â— writinge State tenete traditiones quas didiciâ— siue per sermonem siue per epistolam nostram â—hich the Fathers expound of the necessity of keepinge vnwritten traditions as Catholiks now doe Hinc est perspicuum quòd non omnia per epistolaâ— Chrisost in 2. Thess orat 4. tradiderunt sed multa etiam fine scriptis eaquoque sunt fide digna Quamobrem Ecclesiae quoque traditionem censeamus esse fide dignam Est traditio nihil quaeras amplius And expoundinge that of S. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians hoâ— they kept his commaundements by word beforâ— he wrote vnto them sicuttradidi vobis praecepta mâ—tenetis he doth inferre the doctrine of Traditions ergo fine literis mult a tradidâ—rat quod alibi saepe meminit And Sainct Hierome vpon the same words Hier. in eadem Verba Tom. 9. quasi legem praecepta meatenetis scientes illum in â— spiritum loqui qui in lege locutus est prophetis Thâ— like hath S. Ambrose vpon the same and S. Epphanius Ambros in 1. Cor. Epiph. haeresi 69. oportet traditione vti non enim omnia diuina Scriptura possunt accipi Quapropter aliqua â— traditione Sancti Apostoli tradiderunt Quemadmdum dicit Sanctus Apostolus Sicut tradidi vobis â— alibi sic doceo sic tradidi in Ecclesijs Thus the best learned both Greeke and Latiâ— Fathers expounded these to inferre a necessity Traditions and their equality with Scriptuâ— Which our best Protestant writters with thâ— common allowance thus confirme Our aduer sarâ— Feild l. 4. c. 20. pag 238. meaninge Catholiks make traditions equall with words precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostâ— and Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writinge â—ther is there any reason why they should not so doe they could proue any such vnwritten verities for not the writinge that giueth things their authority the worth and credit of him that deliuereth thâ— though by word and liuely voyce onely Thus tâ— confesse and the reason which they giue so enâ—ceth them the worth and credit of the reuealer and deliuerer or proposer of holy misteries supernaturall being the motiue and cause of mans assent so firme and vnmoueable in articles of faith not to be proued by humane reason and not the writinge or not writinge being fallible and subiect to many casualties corruptions and vncertainties which we are sure are not to be found in Christ the reuealer nor his holy Church the vndoubted true proposer of his mysteries and reuelations And both these are the same and as certaine in traditions not written such as Catholiks maintaine as in the written Scriptures For wee doe not defend any one vnwritten tradition that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation which be the very words of this Protestant Article of Religion but wee produce the Artic of Protest Relig. 20. highest authority in their owne publike Iudgment also in these their Articles the true primatiue Church of Christ to warrant it The which Church hath power and authority in controuersies of faith That euery tradition came from Christ and his Apostles to be receaued professed in Christian Religion As to instance in some and those which most concerne euen in our Protestants proceedings and by their owne confessions and testimonies vnwritten Traditions are necessary For first in this Engl Protest Rel. artic 6. very article they haue giuen their finall sentence in the very first words thereof that the holy Scriptures are of this nature Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation So that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation And yet in the immediatly following words they plainely declare and professe that wee haue noe warrant in Scripture for any booke chapter or sentence of Scripture to be such holy Scripture but for euery least percell thereof wee must resorâ— to Tradition and the Churches Iudgment In thâ— name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose authority was neuer any doubt in the Church Where weâ— are assured from these men that the Church anâ— Tradition vnwritten is supreme Iudge of all questions in Religion euen of the Scriptures themselues And so necessarily they must say confesse or els leaue no Religion or Scripture at all to bâ— proued or proue vnto vs. For it is vnquestionablâ— that no part of Scripture doth propose vnto vs anâ— Catalogue or Canon of Scriptures Which the thus further testifie in their publikely approueâ— Feild l. 4. pa. 238. c. 20.
writers much coÌ„ntention there hath beene about tradâ—tions some vrginge the necessity of them and others râ—iectinge them For the clearinge whereof wee must oâ—serue that wee reiect not all for first wee receaue tâ— number and names of the Authors of bookes diuine aâ— Couell cont Burg pag. 60. whitaker ib. Wotton def of Perk. pag. 442. Couell def of hook pag. 31. 34 32. 33. feild l. 4. c. 5. pag. 203. Ormer pict Pap. pag 93. Sutcliffeag the 3. conu pag. 79. canonicall as deliuered by tradition This tradition wâ— admit The number Authors and Integrity of the partâ— of these bookes wee receaue as deliuered by tradition Tâ— Church of Christ according to her authority receaued â— him hath warrant to approue the Scriptures to acknoâ—ledge to receaue to publish and commaunde vnto â— children The Church of Rome teacheth noe badde opâ—nion to affirme that the Scriptures are holy and diuiâ— in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authority the Church That the Scriptures ar true wee haue it froâ— the Church Wee say that wee are taught to receaue â— word of God from the authoritie of the Church wee see her Iudgment wee heare her voyce and in humility subscribe vnto all this The Church hath fower singular offices towards the Scripture First to be of them as it were afaithfull register Secondly to discerne and Iudge betweene false and adulterate and that which is true and perfect The third to publish and diuulge to proclaime as a Crier the true Edict of our Lord himselfe The last is to be an Interpreter and in that followinge the safest rule to be a most faithfull Expositor of his owne meaninge Wee thinke that particular men and Churches may erre damnably But that the whole Church at one time cannot so erre for that the Church should cease vtterly for a time and so not be Catholike beinge not at all times Christ should sometimes be without a Church The Church is called a pillar because it is like vnto a pillar For as a pillar doth support and vnderproppe a buildinge and maketh it more stable firme and stronge So the Church doth sustaine and supporte the truth for the truth is no where preserued but in the Church Christs true Church is a diligent and wary keeper of doctrines committed to her and changeth nothinge at any time diminisheth nothinge addeth nothinge superfluous looseth not her owne nor vsurpeth things belonginge to others And this is publikely warranted in Protest Reli. of Engl. Art 19. these their Articles and Rule of their Religion where thus they define the Church The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached And the Sacraments be duely ministred accordinge to Christs ordinance Art 8. Catech. com Booke Iniunct Canons feild l. 4. c. 20. pag. 238. 239. in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Secondly those men in their Rules of Religion and their priuate writers affirme that the Apostles Creede which by all Antiquity was by them deliuered to the Church and by these Protestants as Rule of faith before the Scriptures of the new Testament were written is an vnwritten Tradition yet by their words a summary comprehension of thâ— cheife heades of Christian Religion a Rule of thâ— Churches faith And yet it is constantly maintaineâ— by many Protestants that diuers articles thereoâ— as our Ladies perpetuall virginity natus ex Marâ— Virgine Christs descending into hell descendit aâ— inferos The communion of Saincts and forgiuenesse of sinnes Sanctorum communionem Râ—missioneâ— peccatorum and others by diuers others Protestantâ— are not contained in any Scripture written beforâ— or after And this Creede deliuered by word anâ— tradition onely by the Apostles before the new tâ—stament written this Scripture could not possiblâ— be a rule or direction vnto it but rather otherwisâ— for euery rule hath priority to the thinge ruled anâ— the things ruled posterity to their rule Matters aâ— done without rule when there is no rule vntill aftâ— they be acted These Parlament Protestants proceede furthâ— Feild supr pag. 239. in this question and plainely say with greate aâ—lowance The third kind of Tradition is that somme â— Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parâ— thereof which the first Christians receauinge of the saâ— Apostles that deliuered to them the Scriptures coâ—mended to posteritie This may rightly be named a tradâ—tion for that wee neede a plaine and distinct explicatiâ— of things which are somewhat obscurely contained the Scripture The fourth kinde of tradition is the contâ—nued practise of such as neither are contained in tâ— Scripture expressely nor the example of such practiâ— expressely there deliuered of this sorte is the Baptisme of Infants which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in the Scripture that the Apostles did baptize infants nor any expresse precept there founde that they should doe it Which their rule of Religion in these Articles thus further iustifieth The Baptisme of yonge children is in any wise to be retained Art of Engl. Prote Relig. Art 17. CommunioÌ„ Booke Tit. Baptisme The. Rog. in Art 27. Q. Elizab. and k. K. Iames Iniunct and Canons in the Church as most agreable with the institution of Christ Where they plainely in their publike rule of Religion make it a tradition and no Scripture article And by the coÌ„mon practicall of their religion their communion booke so they practise baptizinge all infants and sayinge all Christian Churches allowe of the baptisme of infants And these Protestants are onely baptized when they are infants and not after and yet confesse it is most necessary to saluation And whereas they reiect all other Sacraments besides Art of Relig. art 25. this and the Eucharist or the CoÌ„munion as they terme it confessing that these Sacraments be necessary to saluation And yet denyinge the Eucharist to be as Catholiks professe the true body and blood of Christ and sacrifice for the lyuinge and deade they contradict themselues for that they confesse that in this sinse it was generally vsed in Kinge Iames and Casanb resp ad Card. per. pa. 51. 52. 20. Middleâ— Papistom 20. p. 92. 113. 49. 137. 138. 47. 45. Feild l. 3. cap 29. p. 138. Couell Exa pag. 114. primitiue Church that the Apostles so deliuered it by tradition all Churches so obserued it and it was heresie to deny it Their words be The sacrifice of the altar and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primitiue Church The primatiue Church did offer sacrifice at the altar for the deade sacrifice for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathers Aerius condemned the custome of the Church in naming the deade at the altar and offeringe the sacrifice of Eucharist from them and for this his rash and inconsiderate boldenesse and presumption in condemninge the vniuersall Church of Christ he was iustly condemned Their whole congregation Kinge Iames
his councell King Iames Prot. Lords Bish. Doct. in Confer at HaÌ„pt Court p. 13. 18. 35. 36 10. 11 Couell ag the plea. of the Innoc. p. 104. Barlow Serm. before the K. Sept. 21 an 1607. part 3. cap. 2. Protestant Bishops and best learned Doctors assembled in publike confereÌ„ce haue left thus concluded The particular and personall absolution from sinne after confesson is apostolicall and a very Godly ordinance That baptisme is to be ministred by priuate persons in time of necessity is an holy Tradition Bishops and Archbishops be diuine ordinations confirmation iâ— an apostolicall traditioÌ„ And in their publike Rituall their communion booke they testifie that confirmation was a Tradition of the Apostles hath an externall signe also vsed by them and giueth grace which by the 25. Article of their religion maketh â— Communion booke of Engl. Protest Titul Confirmation §. Almighty Prot. of Religion art 25. a Sacrament So that to insist onely vpon these graunted Traditions not contained in Scripture by these Protestants and yet so necessary to saluation as they by their greatest allowance and authority deliuer wee may not say as this Article doth Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation These men also deliuer vnto vs with greate approbation Articul 6. supr makinge the Author of that worke and for the same a Bishop certaine sure rules to knowe such true Thraditions by in these words Rules by which wee may Iudge which are true and Indubitate Feild Books of the Church l. 4. pag. 242. August l. 4. contr Donat. c. 23. Traditions The first rule is deliuered by Sainct Augustine Quod vniuersa tenet Ecclesia nec Conciliâ—â— Institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not ordained by Councels but beinge euer holden it is most rightly belieued to haue beene deliuered by Apostolike authority The second Feild supr l. 4 c. 21. p. 242. c. 5. pag. 202. Kinge Iames and Confer at Hampton Couel def oâ— Hooker Ormer pict pap p. 184 Down l. 2. Antichr pag. 105. Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 57. rule is whatsoeuer all or the most famous and renowned in all ages haue constantly deliuered as receaued from them that went before them no man contradictinge or doubting of it may be thought to be an Apostolicall Tradition The third rule is the constat Testimony of the Pastors of an Apostolike Church successiuely deliuered Amongst Apostolike Churches the Church of Rome is more specially to be obeyed reuerenced and respected The Church of Rome is our mother Church it was a rule to all both in doctrine and ceremonies when it was in her florishinge and best estate The Church of Rome was the cheife and onely Church It was a note of a good ChristiaÌ„ to cleane vnto the Romane Apostolicall Church Euery Church ought to haue respect to the Church of Rome for her eminent principality And our English Protestant antiquaries and Diuines haue generally giuen their allowance that the Church of Rome both in this and the next age when Britayne did receaue the most pure Religion of Christ from thence was most holy and vnspotted free from all error Therefore whatsoeuer wee doe or may bringe in generall or particular for vnwritten traditions either from this so renowned Apostolike Church in this time from the whole Church or the most famous and renowned in this age beinge our Protestants owne allowed rules and to be denied by none must needs be euidence and testimony vndeniable in this and all others their questioned Articles Frst I exemplifie in the Apostles Creede stiled by our Protestants before a sundry comprehension of the cheife heads of Christian Religion Protest supr Ruffin in exposit Symboli alij a rule of the Churches faith This was deliuered by the Apostles by tradition not by Scripture but before the Scriptures of the new Testament werâ— written as both they and the auncient Fathers by â— common consent of the whole Church of Christ are witnesses And the same consent of Christ Church with these our Protestants in these their Articles so conclude of Sainct Athanasius and the Art 8. of prot Religion Nicen Creede in these words The three Creeds Nicen Creede Athanasius Creede and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly to bâ— receaued beleeued And so generally they obserue although the reason which they immediatly yeelâ— thereof for they may be proued by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture is childish and impertinentâ— for being confessed that the Apostles Creede waâ— deliuered onely by tradition of the Apostles and by that authoritie receaued before the Scriptures either receaued or written this Creede could not possibly be receaued by the written warrant of Scriptures but vnwritten tradition and warrant of thâ— Apostles And although the Nicen and S. Athanasius Creeds were written longe after this time yâ— they were both written receaued in the Churcâ— before the Scriptures were generally allowed anâ— receaued as both the auncent Fathers and Protestants haue acknowledged before and it is testifie by the publike warranted Protestant glosse vpoâ— Prot. Glosse by authority of Church of Engl. in Art 8. these their Articles that very many both old anâ— late writers euen whole sects and professionâ— namely to vse their owne words Ebionites Trâ—theits Antitrinitarians Apollinarians Arians Mâ—nichies Nestorians Origenians Familists and Anâ—baptists with others are Aduersaries vnto and deniers that these Creeds may be proued by holâ— Scripture Much more doe they and many other both Catholiks and Protestants themselues deny that all and singular their articles necessary to saluation may so be proued And to come to the holy and happy Apostolike writers and Saincts which liued and wrote in this first age and first hundred of yeares to wit S. Linus Sainct Clement Sainct Denys the Areopagite S. Martial Sainct Ignatius Sainct Policarpus or any other of whom any worke is extant I shall make it S. Ignat. epist ad Smyrn Theod. dialo Euseb l. 3. c. 31. Hieraâ— lib. de vir Illust S. Bern. Serm. 7. in ps 9. Marc. Michal Carnoten lib. de vir illustr Dion Carth. ad l. Areop de diuin nom Sint Sin lib. 2. Ignat. ep ad S. Ioh. 1. 2. ad B. Mar. Virg. B. Mar. epist ad Ignat. S. Ignat. epist ad Smyrnen Euseb hist l. 3. ca. 33. â— Chrisost orat de traÌ„sl S. Ignatij Foelix Rom. ep ad Zenon Imperat synod S. Constant Theodoret. Immutabil dialog 1. euident that in euery Article in this Protestant Religion contained in their booke of the Articles thereof they dissented from these Protestants and they and the Apostolike Church then vniuersally agreed in and professed the same doctrine which the present Roman Church doth at this day in all points This will plainely appeare in euery Article hereafter and therefore in this place I will onely cite Sainct Ignatius as a sufficient pawne or pledge
at all THE XII CHAPTER The 24. article Likewise examined and condemned by this first Apostolike age and writers therein THe 24. article is this It is a thing plainely repugnant to the word of God and the custome of the primatiue Church to haue publike prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a tongue not vnderstood of the people What is agreable or repugnant to the word of God the Church of God as those Protestants haue confessed before is the best witnesse and interpreter and of necessity it must needs be so in such things as be graunted to be agreable or repugnant vnto both as this question is The word of God extendeth both to that which is written in Scriptures and the vnwritten preserued in the Church without such canonicall writing otherwise which is vnpossible God might be contrary to himselfe and his word contrary to his word which is blasphemous to say or write And in this question of the publike Church seruice finding no prescript forme order or office nor of what language or tongue it is to be vsed in the written word of God wee must needs resorte to vnwritten tradition and the custome of the primatiue Church to finde it forth And wee finde in all the publike offices of the Church in this age ascribed to S. Peter S. Andrew S. Matthew and S. Iames Apostles to S. Marke Euangelist S. Clement successour to S. Peter at Rome and whosoeuer in antiquities is taken to be Authour or composer of any liturgy Masse or publike seruice or forme of prayers in the Church in this time they were all first penned and after practised in all places wheresoeuer they were vsed in the learned common languages and no where in any barbarous or vulgar tongue of any particular Prouince or Contry All histories their oldest manuscripts and generally receaued tradition witnesse they were in the Greeke or Latine tongue This is so manifestly Doue persuas p. 23. 24. c. oâ— prayer true that our Protestant writers do thus confesse it vntill of late since Protestant Religion began through out the west part of the world publike prayers were in Latine in the east part in Greeke euen among Edw. Sands Relation of Relig. c. 53. or 54. those nations to whom the languages were no mother tongues Thus one of their Bishops with publike allowance Their first Protestant Archbishop Matthew Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. in Aug. c. 17. p. 47. Parker writeth that the publike Church seruice named Masse Missa dicta did continue 200. yeares and more from Christs institution à Christi primo â—â—stituto vntill Pope Zepherine the 16. Pope did change it to a better matter and forme Donec eam Zepherinus 16. Romanus Pontifex quorundam suasioâ—ibus ad pulchriorem materiam formamque mutare voâ—uit And this Masse was the same which sainct â—ames vsed at Hierusalem and sainct Peter in the â—asterne Contries And when this man and other Protestants come to set downe what change S. Zepherine Pope made in the holy Masse it was â—ot to change it into a Vulgare tongue but he a Roman Zepherinus Romanus kept it still vnchanged in the Latine tongue as all his predecessours had Damas Pont. in Zepherino Magdeburg in eod Rober. Barns in vit Pontif. Rom. in eod Bal. l. 1. act Pontific Rom. in Zepherino Robert Barnes alij in Alexandro Sixto Telesphoro done before in the west and Latine Church onely he tooke away wodden chalices vsed then in some places ordaining better and in this all writers Catholikes and Protestants agree Vitreos calices pro ligneis ordinauit And wheresoeuer there was any thing changed or added in the Masse it was as these men confesse euer done in the Latine tongue Alexander Romanus ad Adriani tempora peruenit Iâ— Missa pridiè quam pateretur vsque ad haec verba HOC EST CORPVS MEVM addidit ad memoriaÌ„ passionis Christi inculcandaÌ„ Sixtus Romanus vt SANCTVS in coÌ„munione Eucharistiae ter caneretur ordinauit Telesphorus Graecus GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO esse in Missa caneâ—dum praecepit These be all the additions changes they finde in the holy Masse before S. Zepherines time before which S. Eleutherius Pope had publikely sent it into Britaine and S. Lucius our King here publikely receaued it and all those additionâ— were taken out of Scripture not then translated into any vulgar vnlearned language So they prouâ— of all additions after all euer made in the Latine tongue except some very few in the Hebrew anâ— Greeke in the whole Latine Church And this iâ— vnquestionably conuinced out of the publike offices of he Church of Christ whether the Sacrificâ— of Masse or the rest Matins Laudes houres euen songe compline or whatsoeuer to be termed publike prayer of the Church for the farre greateâ— part of all these consisteth of the holy psalmes anâ— other parts of Scripture all bookes thereof publikely reade euery day and the psames euery weekâ— yet none of these were in any vulgar tongue in thâ— age nor many after this time The rest which is contained in the Catholike Church Creeds Prefaces Hymnes Antiphons or â—hat else amont not vnto the tenth part of what is taken from Scriptures and yet these were deliuerâ—d to the Church in learned toÌ„gues in them composed and not in other Wee are assured by Scriptures and good histories that the Apostles 72. disâ—â—ples and other holy Cleargy men in this first age preached in all nations they prayed and had publike prayers in many contries and in them founded Churches and must needs leaue some forme of such publike seruice for them they conuerted But wee are assured againe both by Scriptures and such antiquities that they all had not the guift of tongues numquid omnes linguis loquuntur and sainct 1. Cor. 12. Paul reckoneth it for a singular guist and priuiledge in himselfe to speake in all languages gratias 1. Cor. 14. Godwin Conuers c. 3. p. 36. Io. Leland in commentar Ant. Brit. v. Britanniae Io. Caius hist Cantabr p. 19. ago Deo quod omnium vestrum linguis loquor And our Protestants themselues with other antiquaries â—onfesse that these renowned men did preach in many places by interpretours and diuers Barbarous nations where they preached had then no vse of letters to write any thing at all in their owne laÌ„guage much lesse formes and offices of publike prayers which were and of necessity to be vsed in all Churches and by all Preists And in this condition was this Kingdome of Britaine all Gallia now Fraunce and other parts where the Druydes ruled not vsing letters and writing because all nations were then accompted and called by the Romans Barbarous in that and such vnciuill respects Some write the Greeke letters were vsed in Gallia but if it were so they were by the same authority very vnperfect many added afterward to bringe that writing to perfection and no history mentioneth that euer any forme of publike prayer or
ad Mar. Cassob chastity in castitate exegiâ— hanc vitam Whicâ— he affirmeth of other Apostolike Preists and Bâ—shops of that age Sainct Timothy Sainct Titus â— Epist ad Philadelph Euodius his predecessor at Antioche of himselâ— in diuers places So that then neither the Preists â— the Latine or Greeke Church Antioche beinge thâ— cheifest and where the name of Christians fiâ—â— began were maried but continually liued aâ— â—heir life time in chastity in castitate exegerunt hanc vitam And therefore they were honored in those dayes â—nd the holy Maydens which had professed virgiâ—ity were compared to the Preists in this point â—f perfection and for it honored as they were â—as quae in virginitate degunt in pretio habete velut Epistol ad Tarsens Christi Sacerdotes It is manifest their were Colâ—edges or Nunneries of such vowed and professed â—irgins and Nonnes then Saluto Collegium virgiâ—um Epistol ad Philippen Epistol ad Smyrn Epistol ad Polycarp And they liued in perpetuall virginity Saluto â—as quae in perpetua degunt virginitate They were â—rofessed by the Bishop whether men or women â—i quis potest in castitate permanere ad honorem carms â—ominicae sine iactantia permaneat si idipsum statuatur â—ne Episcopo corruptum est And of this profession â—onsecration of virgins he further putteth them â—nd all in memory in this manner virgines agnosâ—ant Epistol ad Antiochen cui seipsas consecrarunt And he proueth That it is in the power and free â—ill of man to doe these and all holy duties in a Christian life by the grace of Christ and noe man â—ecessitated to sinne heauen and hell good and bad â—n the free will and election of man Decet non modo Epistol ad Magnes vocari Christianos sed esse nec enim dici sed esse beaâ—os facit Obseruationi proponitur vita mors inobedienâ—iae singuli qui hoc aut illud delegerunt â—n eius quod â—nuenerint locum abituri sunt fugianius mortem eliâ—amus vitam In hominibus enim geminas not as inueâ—iri dico hanc esse veri numismatis illam vero advlterimi Pius homo numisma est à Deo excusum imâ—ius ementitum adulterimum illegitimum non à â—eo sed à diabolo â—ffectum Non quòd velim dicere â—uas esse hominis naturas sed vnum esse hominem qui iam Dei iam diabolisit Si quis pietati studet Dei hoâ— est si impiè agat diaboli est non id factus per naturaâ— sed animi arbitrium He proueth that concupiscenâ— Epist ad Ephesios without consent condemneth not nor is sinne aâ— protestants hold Cum nulla in vobis sit conscupisceâ—tia quae vos inquinet supplicium adferat secunduâ— Deum viuite Non vos laedet aliqua diabolica cogitatiâ— si vt Paulus perfectam habueritis in ChristuÌ„ fideâ— charitatem He hath before in one place spokeâ— of foure Sacraments Baptisme the Sacrament oâ— Christs blessed body and blood Orders and Confirmation by al expositors Baptizant Sacrificanâ— Epistol ad Heron. Eligunt manuâ— imponunt He hath asscribed iustification vnto pennance and so allowed it in that degreâ— and although he hath so dignified the virginall life and saith it is better praestantius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Philadelph then wedlocke he giueth so much honor vntâ— Marriage that it was not to be performed withouâ— the Bishops assent and allowance Decet verò vâ— Epist ad Polycarpum ducentes vxores nubentes cum Episcopi arbitrio coniugantur vt nuptiae iuxta Domini praeceptuâ— sint non autem ad concupiscentiam Our protestants generally and absolutely deny these holy Christian doctrines and practises to be contained in Scriptures or to be proued by them Therefore they must needs yeeld that that primatiue and Apostolike Church by so greate and liuing then witnesse held and professed them by tradition and certaine it is that many bookes of Scripture were neither generally receaued nor written when the things were so generally vsed and professed not onely in the commaundinge Greeke Church of Antioch where Sainct Peter S. Paul S. Euodius and Sainct Ignatius professed and practized them Pauli Petri fuistis discipuli ne perdaâ—â—s Epist ad Antiochen depositum Mementore Euodij beatissimi Pastoris vesâ—â—i qui primus vobis ordinatus est ab Apostolis Antistes Where the disciples were first called ChristiaÌ„s when Sainct Peter and Sainct Paul came thither and there founded the Church Antiochiae primum Epist ad Magnesian discipuli appellati sunt Christiam cum Petrus Paulus fundarent Ecclesiam But in all the renowned Churches before remembred and in all the whole Christian world at that time by the preachinge and tradition of the holy Apostles as the same Apostolike man thus witnesseth Scribo ad vos moncoque Epist ad Philadelph vt vna praedicatione vna Eucharistia vtamini Vna enim est caro Domini nostri Iesu Christi vnus illius sanguis qui pro nobis effusus est vnus item panis omnibus confractus vnus calix qui omnibus tributus est vnum altare omni Ecclesiae vnus Episcopus cum presbyterorum collegio diaconis Quandoquidem est vnus est ingenitus Deus Pater vnus vnigenitus Filius Deus verbum homo vnus Paracletus Spiritus veritatis vna praedicatio fides vna vnum baptisma vna Ecclesia quam suis sudoribus laboribus fundarunt Sancti Apostoli à fimbus terrae vsque ad fines in sanguine Christi Vos itaque oportet vt populum peculiarem gentem sanctam omnia perficere concordibus animis in Christo And directly Epistol ad Heron. concludeth that whosoeuer shall teach otherwise then the Traditions of the Church be he is to be accompted a wolfe amonge sheepe though he be otherwise a man of credit fasteth liueth chastely doth miracles and prophecieth Quicumque dixâ—rit quippiam praeter ea quae constituta sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tamet si fide dignus sit quamuis signa edat quamuis prophetet pro lupo illum habeas qui subouina pelle exitium pestemque aedfert ouibus Wee may addâ— vnto these greatest solemnities and festiuall dayeâ— of the Cristians receaued in the Church in thâ— time by tradition and not Scripture and by thâ— same authority of tradition without Scripture thâ— feasts highest festiuities of the Iewes euen thosâ— which were solemnely set downe and commauÌ„deâ— in Scripture to be religiously obserued quite euâ—cuated and vtterly reiected The Sabbath which is now our saterday waâ— with greate ceremony and solemnity deliuered iâ— Scripture to be kept euery weeke and that whicâ— wee call sonday was commaunded to be a working day Yet all Christians in this time by tradition diâ— celebrate that old working day next after the olâ— Sabbath for our Lords day consecrated
euidently proued against this their Article that the Church of Rome in euery age as they haue before declared assisting and directing the Christian Britans here and concurring and agreeing with them ineuery point and article of Religion neither did nor could be said to haue erred in matters of faith And this these Protestants expressely confesse when they generally acknowledge as all Antiquities doe that there was then no materiall or essentiall difference in matters of faith betweene the Christian Britains except some Pelagian heretiks among them and Sainct Augustine with his company being sent from the Church of Rome the Pope then being a greate S. Gregory the most learned and holy Pope that euer was by these mens Testimony Gregorius magnus omnium PoÌ„tificum Romanorum Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. Pontif. in Gregorio Mâ—gâ—â—o doctrina vita praestantissimus And therefore by them and all holy writers stiled Gregory the greate And wherein soeuer any difference though ceremoniall obseruing of Easter any ceremony about the ministering of Baptisme or giuing holy Orders was betweene the Roman Church and the Britains all writers both Catholiks and ProtestaÌ„ts proue the Roman Church professed the truth And the Britains were in the errour and so they freely and publikely in their first meeting coÌ„fessed as Sainct Bede and our Protestants themselues Bed hist Eccles l. 2. c. 2. with others acknowledge Tum Britones confitentur quidem intellexisse se veram esse viam iustitiae quam praedicaret Augustinus and this was inuincibly proued vnto them both by vnanswearably humane arguments and diuine testimony and miracle And they afterward generally corrected and conformed themselues to the Romane Church in all things formerly questioned betweene them as all Antiquaries Brittish English Forreine domesticall Catholiks and Protestants agree neuer contending about any question moued by Protestants against the present Roman Church but both the Romane Church then and our Britains as the whole Christian world also iointly agreing in euery article against this new Protestant Religion And this is manifestly proued particularly already in all articles yet examined and so will be in all that followe Therefore it is manifestly false by all testimonies auncient later forreine domesticall Catholikes and Protestants euen in their publike decrees and Confessions that which this Article so desperately hath deliuered The Church of Rome hath erred in matters of faith and the contradictory that it hath not so erred nor shall at any time so erre is euidently true by all witnesses This will be yet more euidently manifested in the two next following examinations and others THE VIII CHAPTER The 20. Article thus examined and in whatsoeuer contrary to the Church of Romè thus condemned THEIR 20. and next article intituled of the authority of the Church is this It is noâ— lawfull â—or the Church to ordaine any thinge contrary to Gods word written neither may it so expound one place of â—cripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore â—lthough the Church be a witnesse and a keeper of holy â—rit yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the â—ame so besides the same ought it not to enforce any â—hing to be beleeued for necessity of saluation In this article no thing needeth other answeare or confutation then is made before in their article of Scriptures and traditions where the pretended sole necessity of the written Scriptures heretikely insinuated is most plainely confuted both by the Apostolike doctrine and practise of this age and otherwise And the supreame power and authority which here they giue vnto the Church to be a witnesse and keeper of holy writ and the cheifest expositour thereof and as their common glosse â—â— this article is the Church hath authority to Iudge and determine in controuersies of faith doth vtterly disable and condemne those Protestants to haue any colour or pretence to hold the truth in any one article they maintaine against the Roman Church either concerning Scriptures Church or anâ— thing else for the Church which onely was and â— visible as they haue described the true Church before hath in all and euery article condemned aâ— such Protestant Innouation And for these men to say as they haue done â—â— their 19. Article that the Church is a congregatiâ— of faithfull men in which the pure word of God â— preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred anâ— to make it an article of faith as they doe in theâ— publike profession of the Creede that this Church one holy and Catholike doth so continue for 〈◊〉 without interruption or corruption in ministriâ— Sacraments and preaching doctrine and the things are in their censure should onely be take from the written word and Scriptures It is vnpoâ—sible in such proceedings that the Church shoâ— ordaine any thing contrary to Gods word writteâ— or so expound on place of Scripture that it be repugnant to an other For otherwise it should neither be one holie or Catholike but diuers different vnholy particular no pillar of truth but a forge of falsehood no howse of God no spouse of Christ no saluation to be had or hoped for in any Iudgment Catholike or Protestant but in the true Church of Christ To this the Apostolike men of this age giue Ignat. epist ad Philadelp Ephes Trall Magn. Antiochen Ignat. ep ad Philadelp euident testimony Sainct Ignatius doth make the Iudgment of the Church both supreame and certaine and receauing penitents and saith Christ hath firmely builded his Church vpon a hile by spirituall building without help of mans hands against which the floods dashing and windes puffing could not ouerthrowe it nor any spirituall wickednesses shall euer be able to doe it but they shall be weakened by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ. Iesus Christus secundum propriam voluntatem suam firmauit Ecclesiam super Petram adificatione spirituali citra humanarum manuam operam in quam collisa flumina venti non potuerunt eam subuertere nec id valcant vnquam spirituales nequitiae sed infirmentur virtute Domini nostri Iesu Christi And saith plainely as there is but one flesh and blood of Christ shedd for our sinnes one Euchariste one Altare one Priestly order one God the Father one God the sonne one holy Ghost so there is but one preaching and one faith and one baptisme and one Church which with their sweate and labours the holy Apostles haue founded in the blood of Christ from the one end of the earch to the other vnapraedicatio fides vna vnum baptisma vna Ecclesia quam suis sudoribus laboribus fundarunt sancti Apostoli à finibus terrae vsque ad fines in sanguine Christi Sainct Clement Câ—em Rom. Const Apost l. 1. c. 1. saith the Catholike Church is the plantation of God and his chosen vineyard which cannot be digged vp or destroied Dei plantatio est Catholica Ecclesia vinea eius electa So that no other can be planted or chosen by
generall Councels as necessary vnto saluation hâ—â—e neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scriptures This is aboundantly before confuted where I entreated of their article of Scriptures So it is by that is deliuered in this Councell which they wholy and without any the least exception admit For in denyall of marriage vnto Cleargy men it hath done it by the old Apostolike tradition of the Church Can. 6. 7. secundum veterem Ecclesiae traditionem So they doe in the true gouernment of the Church by the Pope and Patriarkes Antiqua consuetudo Antiqua mores Mos antiquus Seruetur Seruentur Consuetudâ— obtinuit antiqua traditio Yet true gouernment of the Church is with them an essentiall property of the true Church vnseperable and so necessary to saluation So is the true Cleargy and consecration as also the holy Sacrifice Sacrament of the altar really containing the body of Christ yet by these men not to be declared by Scriptures they finding no such thing in them And these Protestants themselues with publike Protest of Engl. in feild libr. 4. of the Church pag. 228. allowance write Bishops assembled in a generall Councell haue authority to interpret Scriptures and by their authority to suppresse all them that gaine say such interpretation Therefore if there were question of truely interpreting Scripture Protestants must yeeld to generall Councels and not these to them particular Churches if the Protestant was such must of duty and necessity submit themselues to the vniuersall and Apostlike Catholike such as a generall Councell is as the first Nicen Councell in the Creede thereof which Protestants receaue doth declare it selfe and such generall Councels to be and so inflicteth censures Anathematizat Caâ—â—olica Symb. Niceâ— Ruffin lib. 1. hist c. 5. Soc. l. 1. hist c. 6. Apostolica Ecclesia Therefore wee are sure a generall Councell cannot erre in expounding Scriptures or any decree of faith That our Christian Britains were of this minde opinion and profâ—ssion their Bishops with longe and tedious labours present at the greate primitiue Councels of Arles Sardice Ariminum and others by all witnesses and with our King and Emperour at Nice in most probable Iudgment also Rome and the sacred Nicen Councell here then authentically receaued and embraced by all holy writers giue aboundant testimony THE X. CHAPTER The 22. Article thus likewise examined and condemned THE next article the 22. in number is intituled of Purgatory And is thus The Romish doctrine The doctrine of Purgatory prayer and other satisfaction for the true faithfull deceased practised in this first agâ— concerning Purgatory pardons worshipping and adoration aswell of Images as of reliques and also inuocation of Saincts is a fond thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warranty of Scripture but rather repâ—gnant to the word of God Much matter in few words many things peremptorily affirmed nothing proued All false and foolish also where as they would haue all thing grounded vpon warranty of Scripture so many times by theÌ„ affirmed and as often by me before confuted And to take their assertions in order beginning with their first about the Romish their phrase doctrine concerning Purgatory This is thus set downe in the Councels of Florence and Trent If men truely ponitent depart this life in the loue of God before they haue satisfied for their sinnes their soules are purged with the paines of Purgatory And that they may be releiued from such paines the suffrages of the saithfull aliue to wit sacrifice of Masse prayers and almes and other offices of piety which by the faithfull are vsed for other faithfull people according to the instituâ—â—ons Concil Flor. Concil Tâ—id Sessione 4. can 30. of the Church doe profit them Definimus si verè poenitentes in Dei charitate decesserint antequam dignis poenitentiae fructibus de commissis satisfeâ—eriâ—â— omissis eorum animas paenis Purgatorij purgari Et vt à poenis huiusmodi releuentur prodesse his viuorum fidelium suffragia Missarum scilicet sacrificio orationes eleemosynas pietatis officia quae à fidelibus proaijs fidelibus fieri consueuerunt secundum Ecclesiae institutae Nor is this the Romish onely but also the Greekish and Catholike doctrine of the Church of Christ So is affirmed by Gennadius their learned Patriarke in his defence of the recited Councell of Florence The doctrine of Purgatory prayer and Sacrifice Gâ—nad Schol. in defens CoÌ„cil Floraent def â— cap. 3. for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles That which the Laâ—â—nes call purgatorium purgatory they of the Greeke Church name catharterion a purging place They were onely Scismaticorum Sectatores followers of Scismatikes which denied it This is likewise confessed Relation of Relig. c. 53. 54. 55. by our English Protestants and knowne vnto all trauaylers either into the contries or writers of the Greekes Now let vs see whether it was the doctrine of the Apostolike age or noe The Greeke Patriarke hath before affirmed it So will our Protestants hereafter And the Apostolike men of this age affirme and proue it Sainct Clement saith his Master and predecessour Sainct Clem. Rom. Epist 1. Peter among other things did teach mortuos sepelire diligenter corum exequias peragere proque eis orâ—â—e eleemosynas dare To bury the deade and diligently performe their funerals and pray and giue almes for them He deliuereth further how in their publike Constitut Apost l. 8. c. 19. Church seruice and Sacrifice of that time among their prayers for other necessaries they prayed for the faithfull departed out of this world Pro ijs qui infide quieuerunt oremus And from Iames Alphaeus named the Brother of our Lord frater Domini he setteth downe the manner how the Deacon vsed publikely to giue warning in the time of the holy Sacrifice to pray for the soules of the faithfull deceased deliuering the very prayer commonly vsed in such cases directly proueing a place of Purgatory and prayer for the deliuery of the faithfull departed from thence with a remission of all punishment they had deserued and were to suffer vntill they were by such meanes freed thereof Pro defunctis qui in Christo requieuerunt L. 8. supr cap. 47. iuxt al. 40. 41. postquam Diaconus edixit orandum esse adiunget etiam haec oremus profratribus nostris qui in Christo requieuerunt vt Deus summae erga homines charitatis qui animam defuncti suscepit remittat ei omne peccatum voluntarium non voluntarium propitius illi factus collocet eam in regione piorum qui laxati sunt in sinu Abrahae Isaac Iacob cum omnibus qui à saeculo condito Deo placuerunt vnde fugit dolor maeror gemitus And againe ipse nunc respice hunc seruum tuum quem in aliam sortem elegisti assumpsisti condona ei si quid tum volens tum
and the most holy Sacrament of the altar Now I will proue by this Apostolike age the doctrine and practise thereof that these fiue are and then were vsed and receaued for Sacraments and first of Confirmation the first ConfirmatioÌ„ a true Sacrament Clem. Rom. Constitut Apost l. 2. c. 36. which these men name and deny S. Clement testifieth this to be a Sacrament miâ—istred by Bishops with holy oyle and giuing the â—oly Ghost and grace all that these men doe or can â—equire to a Sacrament Quid dicemus de Episcopo â—r quem Dominus in ordinatione Spiritum sanctum â—obis dedit Per quem consignati estis oleo exultationis â— chrismate sapientiae per quem filij lucis facti estis per quem Dominus illuminatione vestra Episcopi manus impositionem testimonio suo comprobans in singulis vestrûm suam sacram vocem emisit This he further declareth making a SacrameÌ„t needfull to Christian Clem. Rom. epist ad IuliuÌ„ Iulian. perfectioÌ„ except necessity hindereth giuing grace that Peter and all the Apostles so taught and practised and Christ so instituted Omnibus festinandum est sine mora renasci Deo demum consignari ab Episcopo id est septiformem gratiam Spiritus sancti percipere quia incertus est vniuscuiusque exitus vitae Quum autem regeneratus fuerit per aquam postmodum septiformi spiritus gratia ab Episcopo vt memoratum est confirmatus quia aliter perfectus esse Christianus nequaquam poterit nec sedem habere inter perfectos si non necessitate sed incuria aut voluntate reman serit vt a Beato Petro accepimus vt caeteri Apostoli praecipiente Domino docuâ—runt S. Denis the Areopagite saith that they which Dion Areop l. Hierarch Eccl. cap. 4. Prope fin In contemp were baptized were brought to the Bishop to be confirmed Ducunt ad Hierarcham is virum vnguento quod maximè diuinos efficit insignit And further thus sheweth the Sacramentall power of this holy Vnction Vnguenti illa quae perficiendi vim habet perfusio eum qui initiatus est suauitate odoris fragrantem facit And plainely calleth it a Sacrament comparing it in that respect euen with the Sacrament of the altar assuring vs that was the opinion and doctrine of his Masters in Religion the Apostles Finitimum L. Eccl. Hietar c. 6. alterum Sacramentum quod praeceptores nostri vnguenti mysterium nominant Est igitur â—â— In contempl quod dixi mysterium quod nunc à nobis laudatur eiâ—s ordinis atque potestatis quae vim habet perficiendi â—â— quae Pontificem attingunt Itaque ipsum diuini praeceptores nostri vt eiusdem ordinis efficacitaâ—â—â— cuius est Synaxeos Sacramentum ijsdem saepe figuris atque imaginibus mysticisque descriptionibus ac sanctis verbis descripserunt It is the constant opinion and testimony of the Fathers that the Church of Christ receaued and ministred this Sacrament for a true and properly named Sacrament both by Scriptures and tradition So both the Latine and Greeke Fathers expound that passage and practise of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Iohn in the acts of the Apostles giuing grace to those that were baptized by others not Bishops by imposition of hands Imponâ—bant Act. c. 8. manus super illos accipiebant Spiritum sanctum And doe thereby proue that Bishops onely may minister this Sacrament Cum Philippus Diaconus esset Ephip l. 1. To. 2. Contr. haer c. 21. contra Simon Aug. lib. 15. Trin. c. 26. Hieron Dial. aduers Lucif Tom. 2. c. 4. non habebat potestatem imponendi manus vt per hoc daret Spiritum sanctum So hath S. Augustine S. Hierome others prouing this Sacrament both by Scripture and tradition of the vniuersall Church from Christs time In actibus Apostolorum scriptum est Etiam si scripturae authoritas non subesset totius orbis in hanc partem consensus instar praecepti obtineret Non abnuo hanc esse Ecclesiarum consuetudinem vt ad Ambr. c. 7. de ijs qui init mysterijs S. Basil libr. de Spirit sancto c. 27. Greg. Naz. serm in Sanctum lauachrum Ambr. in cap. 6. ad Hebr. Primas in cap 6. ad Hebr. eos qui longè in minoribus vrbibus per Presbyteros Diaconos baptizati sunt Episcopus ad inuocationem sancti Spiritus manum impositurus excurrat This S. Hierome writeth in the name of all both Catholiks and others S. Ambrose sainct Basile sainct Gregory Nazianzen and others haue the like S. Ambrose Primasius with others expound those words in the 6. chapter to the Hebrewes impositionis quoque manum in the very same sense in these words Impositionem manuum appellat per quam plenissimè creditur accipi donum Spiritus sancti quod post baptismum ad confirmationem vnitatis in Ecclesia à Pontificibus fieri solet S. Cyprian and his fellow Cypr. epist 72. Bishops in Councell speaking in the name of the Church calleth it a Sacrament as baptisme is si Sacramento vtroque nascuntur Tertullian also doth number it with the other Sacraments euer vsed in the Church and giueth both a visible externall signe holy Vnction and internall Tertull. l. de resurrect carnis Et libr. de praescript haeretic grace giuen thereby vnto it Caro abluitur vt anima emaculetur caro vngitur vt anima consecretur Caro signatur vt anima muniatur caro manus impositione adumbratur vt anima spiritu illuminetur Caro corpore sanguine Christi vescitur vt anima de Deo saginetur To come to our Primatiue Christian Britans The ChristiaÌ„ Britans of this opinion and practise Giral Cambr. descr Cambr. c. 18. cum approb Prot. Dauâ—dis powelli Theol. prof ib. Golfrid monum histor Reg. Brit. lib. 12. c. â—8 their learned old antiquary and Bishop writeth of them that from their first conuersion they held this for a Sacrament giuing grace that holy Vnction by a Bishop was vsed in it and all our first Christians in Britaine honoured and affected this Sacrament more then any other nation did Episcopalem confirmationem Chrismatis qua gratia spiritus datur inunctionem prae alia gente totus populus magno pere petit This wee may easiely learne by the example of their King Cadwalladar which went to Rome to be confirmed by the Pope there Cadwalladrus abiectis mundialibue propter Deum regnumque perpetuum venit Romam à Sergio Papa confirmatus But wee need not stand vpon particular Theod. lib. de fabul haeret Lindan Dubitant Dial. 2. prateol Elen. l 12. in Nouatianis examples when wee haue a generall graunt before that all the Britans totus populus both by old and new Catholike and Protestant historians were so deuoted to this holy Sacrament And both Theodoret and others do proue that they were onely the Nouatian heretiks which by no antiquity euer
haec fiunt â—on egrèferunt sed potiùs aegrèferunt si non fiant cum impenduntur pecuniae fiunt sumptus laetantur Reuera magnum est mysterium arcanam quandam habens sapientiam Hoc multis retroactis soeculis prophetans dicit In Christo Ecclesia Sed non propter ipfum solum hoc dictum est Sed quid Vt ipsam tanquam propriam carnem foueat sicut Christus Ecclesiam And to insist vpon the graunt of this Protestant Article That Sacraments be effectuall signes of grace we haue the testimonie of the whole Christian world in this Apostolike time to proue Matrimonie to be such a signe and Sacrament for all the world at the coming of Christ Iewes and gentils were giuen to Poligamie and pluralitie of wiues and yet not so contayning themselues from other incontinencies but such as receyued this holy Sacrament abstayned both from the sinnes of Poligamie and other vnchastities an euident and vndeniable argument of the power and sanctitie of this Christian Institution and holy Sacrament I will onely exemplifie here in Britayne infected as the rest of the vniuersall world with that generall errour and sinne at that time Iulius Caesar Emperour which inuaded this Kingdome and others Iul. Caesar belli gallici l. 6. Ioh. Zonaras in Seuero Bandica orat Solemni apud Ioan. Xephil in Epitom Dionis in Nerone Dion ibid Dion Hect. Boeth descript Scotiae william Harrison descrip of Scotl. cap. 14. after him giue such shamefull testimonie hereof modestie forbiddeth me to write it in English Vxores habent deni duodenique inter se communes maximè fratres cum fratribus parentes cum liberis nudi degunt mulieribus promiscuè vtuntur Their Queene Bandica in her publike sacrifice to the Britans Goddâ—sse Andraste or Andaste in her solemne prayer openly pronounced of them Qui cum caetera omnia tum liberos vxores communes inter se putant Pagans Catholiks and Protestants write the like of the Picts The Protestants thus speake it in English They liue naked in Tents thâ—ir wiues are common The Scots were more barborous in these sinnes and their Kings especially Euenus confirmed them by publike lawes Leges tulit improbas omnem olentes Leges Euan. Regis Scotorum Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 3. fol. 36. pag. 1. spurcitiam vt liceret singulis suae gentis plures vxores alijs sex alijs decem pro opibus ducere Nobilibus plebeorum vxores communes essent ac virginis nouae nuptae loci Dominus primam libandi pudicitiam potestatem haberet This was the miserable condition of this Kingdome of greate Britayne as of other nations before it receaued the lawe of Chist and the holie Sacrament of Matrimonie betweene one man and woman one husband and one wife to giue infallible demonstration to all people present and to come that great supernaturall assistance and grace was giuen by that externall rite or ceremonie and so consequently ordayned of God no other being able to do it all those most horrible lasciuious incontinencies generally ceased in the true and due receauers of this Sacrament And for the barbarous customes and lawes before Veremund Hect. Boeth hist Scot. l. 10. fol. 202. Hollinshed hist of Scotl. pag. 133. caplawes these were made kept and seuerely executed Our Protestants thus translate them Any mans lemman or concubyne shall suffer the same paynes that he doth which offendeth with her He that rauisheth a mayde shall dye for it vnlesse shee require for safe-gard of his life to haue him to her husband If any man be taken with another mans wife in adulterie shee consenting vnto him therein they shall both suffer death for it But if shee consent not but beforced against her will then he shall dye onely for the same and shee shall be released In such greate seueritie the sinne of Incontinencie was punished here after this holie Sacrament by the grace thereof a preseruatiue against it was receaued and few were founde transgressours thereof all though these lawes were prosecuted with such zeale and deuotion that we finde that Princes and Kings found delinquent were neither exempted nor spared in such cases as we see in the lamentable example of King Vortigerne testified both by brittish English Catholike and Protestant historians who breakeing his Matrimoniall Nennius hist manuscript in Vorthigerno Rege Mat. westm an 450. Mat. Park Antiq. Britan. pag. 7. 8. Protest annotat in Mat. westm an 454. Stowe and Howes hist in Vortigern Hollins hist of Engl. in eod Protest Communion booke Tit. Matrimonie § Dearely 1. §. O God §. Allmightie God Faith with his first lawfull wife and adulterously ioyning himselfe with an other woman Rowenna Daughter of Engist was by S. German the Popes legate with the aduise and consent of the brittish cleargie cited Iudged and excomunicated and by the whole Kingdome deposed Neyther can the Protestants of England deny Matrimonie to be a Sacrament For in the manner of celebrating thereof at euery mariage it termeth it holy matrimonie an honorable estate instituted of God signifying vnto vs the misticall vnion which is betwene Christ and his Church God instituted it and did teache it should neuer be lawfull to put a sunder those whom he by matrimonie had made one God hath consecrated the stat of matrimonie to such an excellent mistery that in it is signified and represented the spirituall mariage vnitie betwixt Christ his Church And this Rituall expresseth that God giueth grace sanctification and blessing at this externall ceremonie so instituted and ordeyned by him Which euidently ouerthroweth what they haue saide to the contrary in this Article and proueth by their owne most generall and warranted vse practise and profession that Matrimonie is truely and properly an holie Sacrament THE XVII CHAPTER Extreame vnction thus proued to be a Sacrament THE Sacrament following being the last in number and order which this Protestant Article desalloweth is extreame vnction But we are most assured that in this Apostolike age and by the Apostles themselues it was taught and practised for an holie Sacrament S. Iames the Apostle in his epistle maketh it a precept and matter of necessitie and not arbitrary so to vse it Insirmatur Iacob c. 5. quis in vobis inducat Presbyteros Ecclesiae orent super eum vngentes eum oleo in nomine Dominï Etsi in peccatis sit remittentur ei Here we haue all which this Protestant Article requireth to a true and properly named Sacrament testified by an Apostle in holie scripture and tradition of the Church from that time to be founde in extreame vnction That it was ordayned of Christ and an effectuall signe of grace the words are playne as also that the visible signe or ceremonie thereof was ordayned of God for no power limited and created can ordayne or institute a signe or ceremonie externall to forgiue sinnes si in peccatis sit remittentur ei The auntient Fathers both of the
Dominus Sed tâ—rtium excellentem gradum honestatisin virginitate demonstrauit nobis perfectum per omnia similem angelicae dignitati And he thought the chaste life to be so fitte requisite for the more perfect seruing of God that euen princes then not onely clergy men embraced it to that holy end So he writeth of the Queene or Princesse Valeria though espoused how shee had professed virginitie by his preaching Virgo Valeria Sponsa Regis caelestis per meam praedicationem virginitateÌ„ mentis corporis Deo deuouerat And of King or Prince Stephen pro suauitate praemij futuri illectus copulam carnalium nuptiarum deuitauerit per meam praedicationem quatenus liberior Deo famulari possit S. Dionysius is most playne in this matter and Dionys Areopag Eccl. Hier. c. 6. ep ad Gain alibi setteth downe the very manner how chastitie was professed before the Bishops in that time and how that such in respect of others were cheifly called Therapentae cultores the perfect worshippers of God euen by the Apostles themselues Sancti praeceptores nostri diuinis eos appellationibus sunt prosecuti So both he and they must needs teach that Bishops Preists and Deacons euer conuersant about most sacred things were to liue in chastitie So we Sim. Metaphrast die 29. Iunij must needs say of Britayne first because we finde that S. Peter admitting onely men of chastitie to thes holie Orders as before did first consecrate our first Bishops Preists and Deacons here Apud Britannos Ecclesias constituit Episcoposque Praesbyteros Diaconos ordinauit Secondly if any were wanting after they were as before supplyed by S. Clement onely allowing such to those sacred offices Thirdly all those whose names be preserued to haue beene Bishops in or of this nation as S. Aristobulus S. Mansuetus S. Beatus S. Ioseph sonne of S. Ioseph of Aramathia which buryed Christ and some others by some writers are so remeÌ„bred by the Antiquities where we finde that there is not the least suspition but they continually liued in virginall or chastelife If this Aristobulus was the same which Metaphrastes Metaphrâ—st die 26. Iunij Mat. 8. Marc. 1. Luc. 4. Gulielm Eisengren centenar 1. part 1. dist 3. Petr. de Natal l. 11. Anton. Democh. l. 2. câ—nt Caluin Arn. Merman Theatr. conuers gent. in metensib Martyrolog Rom. Bed vsuard Molan die 9. Maij Guliel Eisengren centen 2. part 5. Annal. Helueth Antiquit Eccl. Constant Baron an in mart Rom. 9. Maij. Theater of great Britaine l. 6. Antiquitat Glaston manuscript writeth to haue beene Father in lawe to S. Peter the scripture wittnesseth his wife remayned in Iury so farre distant from him in Britayne if shee liued so long S. Mansuetus liued a collegiall life with onely Preists and clergy men no women with them and was consecrated by S. Peter the Apostle hauing before forsaken contrie kindred verie noble ex nobili prognatus familia men women and all for the loue of Christ S. Beatus of noble birth here in Btitayne both by Catholike Protestant Antiquaries forsooke all and went to Rome and there with an other Britan whose name is not perfectly remembred one calleth him Achates was consecrated and was so chaste that except when he preached he seldome or neuer saw women one or other liuing a solitary single Eremiticall life Of S. Ioseph sonne of S. Ioseph said in the oldest monuments and antiquities of that holie company to haue beene miraculously by Christ himselfe consecrated or at the least elected and designed a Bishop and the rest of that sacred company Preists Deacons or whatsoeuer it is most euident they liued and died in perpetuall chastitie in the Iland Aualan all Antiquaries Catholiks and Protestants confesse that King Aruiragus gaue the place onely to those holy men it was to them onely confirmed by the two next following Kings Marius and Goillus celles were made onely for Tab. fix Gul. Malmesbur l. de Aut. Caenobij Glaston Capgr Catal. Sanct. in S. Ioseph Aramath S. Patricio Iacob Genuen in ijsdem Ioh. Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in S. Ioseph Aramathien Ioh. Leland assertion Arthurij Godnyn Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Caius l. antiq accadem Cantabrigien Stowe Hist Romans Charta Regis Hen. 2 aliorum Reg. Socrat. Hist Ecâ—l l. 1. cap. 8. them there they liued alone they left no children or posteritie after them and the place of habitation was so desart and desolate when S. Damianus and Phaganus were sent hither by Pope Eleutherius in King Lucius his time the next age that their place of dwelling was become a denne for wylde beastes Caepit idem locus esse ferarum latibulum qui priùs fuerat habitatio Sanctorum Therefore we are enforced by the authorities of Scripture tradition the whole Church Geeke and Latin the Apostolike age and writers and all warrant in religion to conclude that the doctrine of this article is false that Bishops Preists and Deacons may lawfully marry at their owne discretion And verie vainely our Protestants singularily alledge for their defence from Socrates the historian that Paphnutius dissuaded the Fathers of the first Nicen councell not to decree that Bishops Preists and Deacons might not keepe companie with their wyues which they had marryed when they were lay men vt qui essent sacris initiati sicut Episcopi Presbiteri Diaconi cum vxoribus quas cum erant Laici in matrimonium duxissent minimè dormirent But it should suffice that they which were vnmarried when they were called to the clergie should according to the old tradition of the Church abstayne afterward from marriage vt qui in clerum ante ascripti erant quam duxissent vxores hi secundum veterem Ecclesiae traditionem deinceps à nuptijs seabstinerent For here the marriage of such men and this Article is plainely condemned by their owne Authour and the old Apostolike tradition in the Church And this is confirmed by aboue 200. Later Bishops Episc Grâ—â— 227. in can Trullen can 6. of the Greeke Church itselfe testifying it was the doctrine and tradition of the Apostles that among those of the cleargie none but Lectours and Singers might marrie and they accordingly decree that no Subdeacon Deacon or Preist may marrie and if he should he must be deposed Quoniam in Apostolicis Canoibus 〈◊〉 est torum qui non ductâ vxore in clerum promouentur solos lectores cantores vxorem posse ducere nos hoc seruantes decernimus vt deinceps nulli penitus Hypodiacono vel Diacono vel Presbytero post sui ordinationem coningium contrahere liceat Si autem hoc facere ausus fuerit deponatur And this is their vse and practise to thes dayes The other clause of Paphnutius opinion about Bishops Preists and Deacons married before their consecration not to be barred from such their former wiues married vnto them when they were lay men by any expresse lawe
it to himselfe though he punished with death as others often since then haue done the professours thereof yet both he and all or Rulers temporall since Kings or Queens haue retained in their stile of honour that title Defensor fidei defendour of the faith which the Pope gaue him for defending before his fall the Catholike faith against Martine Luther though they all except Queene Mary impugned it And our present K. Charles whome together with his Queene Mary God blesse with all good and happines in his late publike declaration to all his louing Subiects among whome his Catholiks be not in the lowest place of duty and desert to him though not in like degree of his fauour to theÌ„ thus and thus vehemently protesteth wee call God to recorde before whome we stand that it is and alwaies hath beene our harts desire to be found worthy of that title which we accompt the most glorious in all our Crowne DEFENDOVR OF THE FAITH But to defend the faith is not to reprint the articles of Religion established in the time of Queene Elizabeth and by a declaration before those articles to ty and restraine all opinions to the sense of those articles as he speaketh immediately before and to persecute Bishops Preists and Catholiks as he doth That title was giuen by the Pope to King HeÌ„ry for defence of the true faith longe before the articles of Queene Elizabeth or she was borne Longe before hee K. Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth King Iames and King Charles persecuted Catholiks their faith whereof by their stile they should be defendours longe before their religion or any of them I except King Henry the 8. to whome it was giuen receaued beeing The true faith Catholike and Apostolike which by that regall stile and title they should defend against these articles I haue aboundantly by the best testimonies proued in euery point for the two last following articles the 38. intituled of Christian mens goods which are common and the 39. the last of a Christian mans oath doe not containe any coÌ„trouersie with Catholikes but were ordained against new Sectaries among themselues I hope no Protestant Parlament will hereafter glory that their religion was almost 80. yeares old though it wanteth 10. of that number and so extraordinarily contend to persecute that which I haue proued to exceed it aboue 1500. yeares in time and truth which they ought to embrace and honour and not so maliciously or ignorantly not being the most religious nor learned diuines to persecute it FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. 1. COncerning the first 5. Protestant Articles not differing from the Apostles Religion and the Romane Church pag. 1. Chap. 2. Examining their 6. Article about scriptures and traditions and condemning it by the Apostles and Apostolike men and doctrine of their age p. 2. Chap. 3. The 7. 8. 9. 10. Articles examined and wherein they differ from the present Roman Church condemned by this first Apostolike age p. 53. Chap. 4. The 11. Article of the Iustification of man examined and condemned by the Apostolike Fathers of this first age p. 60. Chap. 5. The 12. Article examined and in whatsoeuer differing from the present Romane Church condemned by the Apostolike age So of the 13. and 14. Articles p. 67. Chap. 6. The 15. 16. 17. 18. Articles so examined and wheresoeuer repugnant to the Roman Church likewise condemned p. 82. Chap. 7. The 19. Article examined and condemned by the same authoritie p. 88. Chap. 8. The 20. Article thus examined and in whatsoeuer contrarie to the Church of Rome thus condemned p. 99. Chap. 9. The 21. article so examined and condemned p. 109. Chap. 10. The 22. article thus likewise examined and condemned p. 141. Chap. 11. The 23. article examined p. 207. Chap. 12. The 24. article likewise examined and condemned by this first Apostolike age and writers therein p. 212. Chap. 13. The 25. article intituled of the Sacraments thus examined and condemned in all things contrarie to Catholike doctrine p. 222. Chap. 14. Pennance so called in this article and by Catholikes The Sacrament of Pennance was so iudged and vsed in this Apostolike age p. 228. Chap. 15. Holy Orders contrary to this article was vsed and held à Sacrament in this first age p. 233. Chap. 16. Matrimonie thus proued a Sacrament p. 242. Chap. 17. Extreame vnction thus proued to be a Sacrament p. 249. Chap. 18. The rest of this article repugnant to the Catholike faith likewise condemned p. 252. Chap. 19. The 26. and 27. articles examined and Protestant doctrine in or by them condemned p. 258. Chap. 20. The 28. article intituled of the supper of the Lord examined and condemned p. 262. Chap. 21. The 29. article intituled of the wicked which do not eate the bodie and blood of Christ in the vse of the Lords supper examined and condemned p. 276. Chap. 22. The 30. article intituled of both Kindes examined and where it is contrarie to the Romane Church condemned p. 284. Chap. 23. The 31. article being intituled of the one oblation of Christ finished vpon the Crosse thus examined and condemned p. 297. Chap. 24. The 32. article intituled of the marriage of Preists thus examined and condemned p. 315. Chap. 25. The 33. 34. articles examined and in whatsoeuer repugnant to the doctrine of the Church of Rome thus condemned p. 339. Chap. 26. The 35. 36. articles intituled of homilies and of consecration of Bishops and ministe◠〈…〉 examined and condemned 〈…〉 Chap. 27. The 37. article intituled of the ciuiâ—â— Magistratus thus examined and whatsoeuer against the Roman Church condemned p. 390.
for defence of the Catholike Faith and Iastlie by your Maiestie our last Queene MARIE by whom this land is blessed by a royall issue and as we hope shall in time be madâ— happie by restitution of the Catholike Religion ether in your owne oâ— your childrens dayes And the ratheâ— when England shall see by the Iudgement of the Apostles that the Catholike religioÌ„ aggreeth in all point with the religion taught deliuereâ— by the Apostles and first Apostolicalâ— preachers and that the Protestant religioÌ„ is discouÌ„tenaunced discarded condemned by them This shall appeare by this booke which I youâ— Maiesties most humble subiect aâ— old student in holie learning doe iâ— all dutifull manner present vnto youâ— wishing to your Gracious Maiestie and to our noble Souueraigne your deare Spouse a long and happie raigne in our great Brittainie such a temporall raigne amongst your subiectes as you may both raigne in heauen eternallie with God his Saintes and Angelles Your Maiesties most humble and deuoted subiect R. B. APPROBATIO CVm mihi constiterit ex testimonio fide digni S. Theol. Doctoris in hoc libro cui tituluâ— Apostolorum iudicium c. nihil inueniri Catholicae fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium sed multâ— quae ostendunt religionem Catholicorum esse Apostolicam haereticorum verò Apostaticam censuâ— vtiliter praelo committi posse Actum Duaci die 23. Iunij 1632. GEORGIVS COLVENERIVS S. Theol. Doctor Regius ordinariusque Professor Gollegiatâ— Ecclesiae S. Petri Praepositus Duaâ— censis Academiae Cancellarius librorum Censor THE FIRST CHAPTER CONCERNINGE THE FIRST 5. PROtestants Articles not differinge from the Apostles Religion and the Roman Church BEEINGE to enter into the Examen and comparison of the parlament protestant Articled Religion of England with the Religion of the present Church of Rome and â—e whole Christian world named Catholike â—or profession whereof the Catholiks of England â—y the protestants thereof haue longe tyme suffâ—red and still most constantly endure most bitter persecutions by the first knowne and confessed â—ue Christian Catholike Apostolike Religion â— the Apostles and that their happy age wee finde â—t in the first fiue Articles of this new Religion â—y difference or difficulty to be thus decided both â—atholicks and parlameÌ„tary protestants agreeing them all and they all beeing ordeyned by these proâ—tants against other Sectaries so soone within 4. â—ares of the beginning of Q. Elizabeth her Reigne reâ—eing old condemned heresies amongst them as their â—tories and registers remember and therefore it will â—re suffice onely to recite the Titles of these arâ—les to giue notice thereof The contents and title â— the first article are Of faith in the holy Trinity The second of the word or sonne of God which was made verymaÌ„ The 3. Of the going downe of Christ into hell The 4. Of the Resurrection of Christ The 5. Of the Holy Ghost The whole Article the Title being subiect to doubt is The holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the sonne is of one substance Maiesty and glory with the Father and the Sonne very and eternall God Hitherto wee finde nothing against the doctrine of the Catholike Church Which noâ— vnlikely these men did rather to winnesome crediâ— at their entrance to be thought louers of truth then that they hated the enemies of these articles not yet suppressed among them THE SECOND CHAPTER Examining their 6. Article about Scriptures and traditions and condemning it by the Apostles and Apostolike men and doctrine of their age THEIR next sixt Article intituled of the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Saluation â— thus holy Scripture containeth all things necessary â— saluation Soe that what soeuer is not read therein nâ— may be proued thereby is not to be required of any maâ— that it should be beleeued as an article of faith or â— thought requisite or necessary to saluation By the naâ— of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicâ— bookes of the old and new testament of whose authâ—rity was neuer any doubt in the Church And from tâ— number of those bookes which there they allowâ— to be canonicall They doe in expresse words aâ— tearmes reiect The booke of Tobias the booke of Iuditâ— the rest of the booke of Esther the booke of wisdomâ— Iesus the sonne of Sirach Baruch the Prophet the songe of the three children the story of Susanna of Bel and the Dragon the prayer of Manasses the first and second Bookes of the Machabees Concerning the new testament thus they adde all the bookes of the new testament as they are commonly receiued wee doe receiue and accompte them for canonicall This their Article is in their proceedings as the grounde worke and foundation whereupon their Religion is wholy framed and builded and yet so weake Feeble totteringe ruinous arid deceitefull that not any one true certaine and infallible point of doctrine as euery Article in true religion is can be framed vpoÌ„ it or from it so deduced by the expresse graunt of this article it selfe and of all English Protestants professed and sworne maintainers of it For whereas they sentence and define In the Art 6. supr name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose Field Booke of the Church lib. 4. cap. 5. wotton def of perk pa. 442. Couell ag Burg. pag. 60. def of Hooker pag. 31. 32. 33. proâ—â—st glosse on the 6. art Tho. Rogers ibid. authority was neuer any doubt in the Church They plainely make the Iudgment of the Church to be the highest tribunall in spirituall questions euen of the scriptures themselues And thus their best and cheife writers published by authority doe glosse and expound this article And of necessity so they must say except at their first entrance they will plainely confesse their religion and congregation their Church of England as they terme it to be erroneous or hereticall and to haue noe power or warrant at all to doubt deny or determine and propose what bookes be or be not Scriptures canonicall either of the old or new testament Or what one chapter or sentence in them is part or not part of such canonicall and vndoubted holy Scriptures for this power and prerogatiue being onely committed to the true Church by their Article and professors before if these men doubt or Iudge otherwise in this case then the true confessed Church hath hitherto done They can be noe part or members of that true Church And whatsoeuer is read or may be deduced from vntrue or doubted Scriptures cannot be possibly any certaine and vndoubted article of faith and religion For noe conclusion can be more certaine and vndoubted then the Maximes and authorities from which it is concluded but as the light of nature common law and vndeniable Maxime of true reasoning teacheth all men and all men truely acknowledge for a verity most certaine it euer followeth the weaker part euer erroneous doubtfull vncertaine or false if both or
any of the propositions from which it is deduced be or is of that nature Nothing can giue that to an other which it selfe wanteth and by noe meanes hath to giue A lying false or vncertaine humane witnesse or assertion can by no meanes possible make a constant and certainely true probation in any thing whatsoeuer much lesse in supernaturall matters articles of faith aboue mans capacity and therefore to be proued by diuine testimony which possibly cannot deceaue vs. And in this miserable and desolate estate and condition is the Protestant congregation of England in and for euery article pretended by them to be of faith which they hold against the Roman Church at this day and so they censure themselues by their owne definitiue sentence in this their owne cheefest Article and publikely authorized glosse thereof with diuers others of their Religion allowed and recommended writers among them Artic. 6. supr Confessio Wirtemberg cap. de Scriptura Protest glosse in art 6. p. 1. Willet Synop quaest 1. of scripture pag. 2. 3. â—dit an 1594. holnish chron f. 1299. Stowe hist an 1579. in Q. Elizabeth Io. BreÌ„t Apolog confess Wittemberg histor Dauidis Georg. Display Art 6. Magdeburg hist cent 3. ca. 11. In their Article receauing onely for canonicall bookes neuer doubted of in the Church and in the others to vse their owne authorizing words perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publike plainely manifestly deliuering from all kinde of Authors Greeke and Latine old and late Catholike and Protestant That euery booke in particular not one excepted which they allowe for canonicall Scripture either â—n the old or new testament haue both beene â—oubted of and by their owne men Protestants deâ—ied for such Therefore it remaineth without question conâ—rary to this Protestante Article euen by themâ—elues and their best authority that neither all nor â—ny one of those bookes which vpon this vayne â—retence they haue blotted forth from the Canon â—f holy Scripture and the Roman Church still reâ—eaueth may be denyed by that Title of sometimes â—eing doubted of for wee should haue noe Scripture â—nonicall at all all bookes thereof hauing beene â—us doubted of By that colour wee might deny â—l Articles of faith which sometimes doubted of â—ue beene concluded and agreed vpon against the â—est heretiks that euer were and all their heresies â—th might and ought to be reuiued againe Sainct â—ul and Sainct Thomas Apostles were thus to â— denied Apostles and thrust out of heauen beâ—use they had doubted wee might and ought to â— that no conuerted Christian first doubting â—as â—rue Christian neither our first brittish Christian â—nge Sainct Lucius nor Kinge Ethelbert among our Saxons nor any of their first doubting and afterward conuerted Subiects and soe of the whole Christian world doubting or denying before it receaued the law of Christ All Courts Consistories Tribunals and Seates of Iustice and Iudgment ecclesiasticall and ciuil to decide and determine must be ouerthrowne no sentence or decision though of Kings Parlaments or any community is to bâ— obeyed no doubt no Controuersie hitherto eueâ— was or hereafter can or may be finally determined nothing but doubtes quarrels Controuersies anâ— contentions as wee see among Protestants nâ— peace quiet or vnion must be left vnto vs. Therâ— fore this Protestant paradoxe and presumption iâ— reiecting so many bookes of holy Scripture again both the Latine and Greeke Church onely vndeâ— colour of being sometime and by some doubteâ— of being thus grosse and absurd by their owâ— Iudgments and proceedings let vs examine whâ— this first pure and Apostolike age did Iudge of thâ— And first to begin with the scripture it selfe of tâ— The new testament by Protest â—râ—st published by King â—ames authority Matth. 6. 2. Cor. 9. Luc. 14. Ioan 9. Hebr. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Hebr. 1. new Testament euen as our Protestants receaâ— and translate it King Iames his new testament the 6. chapter of Sainct Matthew his ghospell aâ— the 9. chapter 2. Corinth citeth Ecclesiasticus â— two seuerall places In the 14. chapter of Saiâ— Luke the 4. chapter of Tobias is cited And in â— 10. chapter of Sainct Ihon the 4. chapter of the â— booke of Machabees And in the 5. chapter to â— Hebrewes the second booke And 7. chapter the Machabees In the 1. chapter 1. Corinth Tâ— first chapter of the booke of wisdome is cited chapter to the Hebrewes citeth the 7. chapter wisdome And the 9. chapter thereof is cited Roâ— Rom. 11. cap. 11. And yet wee shall scarcely finde any Text of diuers bookes of the old Testament which our Protestants allowe for canonicall to be cited at any time or place of their new testament as the 4. Booke of the Kings the 1. and 2. of Paralip the booke of the Iudges Ruth Esdras 1. and 2. Esther Ecclesiastes Cantica canticorum Abdias Sophonias Therefore wee are as well warranted by this argument of concordance of Scriptures and that holy authority to receaue for canonicall Scriptures of the old Testament all those bookes which our Protestants haue excluded as those they haue receaued The Canons ascribed to the Apostles and published by Sainct Clement per me Clementem Concil gener 6. can 2. Successour to S. Peter in this age are plainely acknowledged by the sixt generall Councell to haue beene receaued by the holy Fathers before them as deliuered from God firmi stabilesque maneant qui à sanctis patribus qui nos praecesserunt susceptiac confirmatisunt atque à Deo nobis etiam traditi sunt sanctoctorum Apostolorum nomine 85. Canones These doe Canon Apostolor can 85. vlâ— â—n the last Canon expressely receaue the books of â—he Machabees Esther and the booke of Ecclesiasticus for holy Scriptures of the old testament Veâ—erandi ac sacri libri veteris Testamenti In the very same maÌ„ner as they doe the others which our Proâ—estants allowe for such Sainct Clement often ciâ—eth Clem. epist 1. 2. Apostolic constitut li. 2. c. 4. cap. 21. c. 49. 51. cap. 63. l. 3. cap 3. l. 6. c. 19. 23. 29. l. 8. l. 7. and alloweth for bookes and parts of the old Testament Baruch Ecclesiasticus Sapientia Toâ—ias The prayer of Manasses the history of Suâ—anna the booke of Esther those parts of Daniel which our Protestants reiect the bookes of Maâ—habees and others Sainct Ignatius receaueth the booke of Daniel which our Protestants deny Ecclesiasticus Sainct Policarpus approueth Tobias Ignat. epist ad Philadelph epist ad maynesian epist ad Heron. Polycarp epist ad Philippen Dionis l. de diu nom cap. 4. Ecclesiast Hier. c. 2. de diu nom c. 7. Sainct Denys the Areopagite conuerted by Sainct Paul alloweth the booke of wisdome calleth the part of Daniel excluded by our Protestants diuine Scripture Diuina scripta These be all or the chiefest writers especially by Protestants allowance in this first age and consideringe how few of their works are
preserued to posterity and how briefe they are It is rather to be wondred that they should cite and allow so many of those books of the old testament and parts of them so often aâ— Eleuther ep ad Lucium Reg. Rritan apud Gal. Lambrrt l de leg S. Eduardi Stowe hist fore tom 1. Godwin CoÌ„uers of Brit. Hollinsh hist of Eng. Speed Theat of Bit. Matth. park antiq Britan. Matth. park antiq Brit. p. 69. Io. Gosc hist Eccl Dauid poiuel in Annot. in l. 2. c. 1. Girald CaÌ„br Iâ—iner CaÌ„br Bal. l. 1. Script Brit. cent 1. in August Rom. l. 2. de Act. Pontif Rom. in Greg. 1. they doe then that they should omit any And although wee doe not finde any Antiquity of Britaine which in this age entreateth of such things yet the most auncient which our Protestants will graunte vnto vs beinge the Epistle oâ— Pope Eleutherius to Kinge Lucius wee finde there in that he makinge mention that Britaine had receaued both the Testaments of holy Scripture although in particular he citeth so few bookes oâ— them that out of the new testament he citeth nâ— more then onely the 23. chapter of S. Matthew from the old testameÌ„t but three texts two of them beinge out of the Psalmes 45. 55. the third is thâ— booke of wisdome disallowed by these ProtestaÌ„nâ— in this Article but allowed by him and our primatiue Christian Britans of that time and so from ouâ— first receauing of holy Scriptures And if I may but write what all our Protestant Antiquaries generally affirme for a constant and vndoubted truth that our Christian Britans did neuer vntill Saincâ— Augustines cominge hither change or alter any oâ— materiall point in the holy ReligioÌ„ which they receaued in the Apostles time I must needs auouchâ— that those Scriptures of the old testament which Godwyn CoÌ„uers of Brit. pag. 43. 44. fore pag. 463. edit an 1576. Holinsh. hist of Engl. cap. 21. l. 4. fulke answ to a couÌ„terf cath pag. 40. harr descript Brit. c. 9 Gild. ep de excid conq Britan. this Article refuseth Were receaued both in Britaine and in other nations as Italy and Rome whence our conuersion came with other contries in that happy Time for Sainct Gildas our most auncient and allowed Historian both in many manuscripts and bookes published by Protestants their warrant for his wisdome Surnamed Sapiens the wise doth very often in one short worke allowe and cite for holy Scriptures diuers of those bookes especially Ecclesiasticus many times and the booke of wisdome vsinge the authority thereof 8. times in one page and lesse And vnto what time persons or place soeuer wee will appeale for Triall wee shall in noe age contry councell or auncient particular writer finde any one person which agreeth with this Protestant Article in the nuÌ„ber bookes of canonicall Scripture It citeth S. Hierome but both hee himselfe and these Protestants Kinge Iames his Protestant Bishops in their publik dispute at Hampton Court with others proue that Conference at Hampton Court pag. 60. Couelag Burges pag. 87. 8. 86. 88. 89. 90. 91. S. Hierome spake onely against the bookes which these Protestants reiect not in his owne opinion but what the Iewes obiected Most of the obiections made against those bookes were the old cauils of the Iewes renewed by S. Hierome in his time who was the first that gaue them that name of Apochryphe which opinion vpon Ruffinus his challendge hee after a sort disclaymed and the rather because a generall offence was taken at his speaches in that kinde They are most true and might haue the reconcilement of other Scriptures If Ruffinus be not deceaued they were approued as parts of the old testament by the Apostles S. Hierome pretendeth that what hee had spoken was not his owne opinion but what the Iewes obiected And for his paines in translating the booke of Iudith which this article reiecteth he giueth this reason because wee reade that the Councell of Nyce did reckon it in the number of holy Scriptures And Sainct Hierome is plaine both for this booke of Iudith and the rest that he did not deny them for first of Iudith hee saith the Nicen Councell which he and all Catholiks euer honored receaued it Hunc librum Synodus Nicaena Hieron Tom. 3. oper praef in Iudith Ruffin inuectit 2. in Hieronym in numero sanctarum Scripturarum legitur computasse And for the other books beinge chardged by Ruffinus to speake in his owne words to be the onely man qui praesumpserit sacras Sancti Spiritus voces diuina volumina temerare Diuino muneri Apostolorum haereditati manus Intulerit Ausus est Instrumentum diuinum quod Apostoli Ecclesijs tradiderunt depositum Sancti Spiritus compilare To haue herein abused the words of the holy Ghost and diuine volumes To haue offered violence to the diuine office and Inheritance of the Apostles And to speake in Protestants Couel sup pag 87. translation to haue robbed the Treasure of the holy Ghost and diuine Instrument which the Apostles deliuered to the Churches Sainct Hierome neuer denieth any of those things for true which Ruffinus spake Ruffin supr of the authority of those books of Scriptures that the Apostles deliuered theÌ„ for such to the Churches and no learned man euer denied it and that S. Peter at Rome deliuered them to the Church Petrus Romanae Hier. Apol. 2. aduers Ruffin Tom. 4 oper praef in libros Machul Ecclesiae per viginti quatuor annos praefuit Quid ergo decepit Petrus Apostolus Christi Ecclesiam libros ei falsos tradidit But onely denieth that he wrote in his owne but in our Enemies the Iewes opinion non enim quid ipse sentirem sed quid illi contra nos dicere soleant explicaui And writinge to Pope Damasus plainely testifieth that he ioyned with the Catholike Church in this busines nouum vetus testamentum recipimus in eo librorum numero quem sanctae Catholicae Ecclesiae tradit authoritas And Feild l. 4. of the Church cap. 23. pag. 245. Act. 6. Gloss ordin Lyra. in eund locum our Protestants from Antiquities acknowledge thus The Iewes at the cominge of Christ were of two sorts some named Hebrews commorant at Hierusalem and in the holy land properly named Hebrewes others named Hellenist that is Iewes of dispersion mingled with the Greeks these had written certaine bookes in Greeke which they made vse of together with other parts of the old Testament which they had of the translation of the Septuagint But the Hebrews receaued onely the 22. bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Iewes deliuered a double Canon of the Scripture to the Christian Churches And in this second Canon of the Iewes as these men write were those bookes of the old Testament which this article denieth And whereas some Protestants would excuse this Article by some old Authorities of Melito Sardensis Origen the
for the rest vntill I come to them in the Articles followinge He had personally seene our Sauiour was an eyewitnesse of his resurrection had written vnto visited was instructed and confirmed in Christian Religion both by the words and writinge of the blessed Virgin Mary Mother of Christ Hee was disciple to Sainct Ihon the Euangelist disciple and immediate Successor of Sainct Peter the Apostle at Antioch consecrated there Bishop by him as Sainct Chrysostome Patriarke there Sainct Felix Pope of Rome and Theodoret testifie S. Ignatius dextera Petri ordinatus Episcopus Ecclesiae Antiochenae per magni Petri dexteram Pontificatum suscepit And so consecrated Bishop was taught himselfe and taught others before either the Ghospels or other parts of the new Testament were written Hee liued longe Patriarke of Antioch the cheifâ— and Apostolike See of the Greeke Church he dieâ— a blessed Martyr at Rome the greatest of aâ— Churches he ioyned in Religion with the most renowned Churches and Prelates Apostles and others of the Christian world as the very Titles oâ— his extant epistles to the Romans Philippians Ephesians Smyrnians Philadelphians Magnesianâ— Trallians and others To Sainct Ihon the Apostlâ— Sainct Policarpe with others most famous amongâ— Christians and all auncient writers Sainct Hierome Eusebius Ireneus make him a most gloriouâ— learned man and Sainct Eusebius testifieth that hâ— Euseb l. 3. hist cap. 32. Euseb hist l 3. c. 33. Hieron l. de Scriptor in S. Ignat. Gildas epist de excid conquest Britan wrote a particular worke of the Apostles traditioÌ„â— But those few and short Epistles which he wrote receaued as all Greekes Latines and amonge ouâ— primatiue Britans the most auncient historian S Gildas is an ample witnesse will sufficiently prouâ— vnto vs. That very many things euen necessary iâ— Christian Religion and to saluation in our Protestants Iudgment and in their opinion not containeâ— in Scripture were then taught practised and generally receaued in the Church of Christ in the Apostles time Concerninge the Church of Rome hâ— thus stileth it misericordiam in magnificentia altissimâ— S. Ignatius epist ad Romanos in initio Dei Patris Iesu Christi vnigeniti filij Ecclesia sanctificata illuminata per voluntatem Dei qui seâ—â— omnia quae pâ—rtinent ad fidem charitatem Iesu Christi Dei Saluatoris nostri quae in Loco Romanae regionis Deo digna decentissima beatificanda laudandâ— digna qua quis potiatur castissima eximiae charitatiâ— Christi Patris nomine fruâ—ns spiriâ—uque plena Thâ— Rulinge Roman Church sanctified Illuminated worthâ— of God most decent blessed to be praised worthy to bâ— attained vnto most chaste of excellent charity enioyinge â—he name of Christ and his Father and full of the holy Ghost With other Titles of dignity and priuiledge more then he giueth to any or all those principall Churches of Greece to which he wrote and as greate and ample as any learned Catholike now â—eeldeth to the Church of Rome at this time or â—eretofore since then Hee remembreth the same Ecclesiasticall Orders in the Church then which Catholiks now and euer since obserue as in the Church of Antioch founded by Sainct Peter and â—ainct Paul and their tradition there Pauli Petri â—istis discipuli ne perdatis depositum Hee himselfe was there Bishop besides whome it had Preists â—eacons Subdeacons Exorcists Readers Ianiâ—rs Saluto sanctum Presbyterorum Collegium saluto Epist ad Antiochen â—acros Diaconos Saluto Hypodiaconos Lectores Ianitoâ—s Exorcistas And him that was to be Bishop after â—is martyrdome as it was reuealed vnto him optaâ—le illud nomen eius quem vidâ—o in spiritu locuÌ„ meum â—nere vbi Christum nactus fuero Hee giueth them â—e same honor preeminence worth office and digâ—ty which the Church of Rome now yeeldeth to â—em All must honor and obey the Bishops Omnes â—piscopum sequimini vt Christus Patrem Kings and Epistol ad Symrnen â—ulers must be ruled by him being greatest in the â—hurch Honora Deum vt omnium Authorem Doâ—inum Episcopum verò vt Principem Sacerdotum â—iaginem Dei reserentem Dei quidem propter princiâ—tum Christi vero propter Sacerdotium Honorare â—ortet Regem nec enim Rege quisquam praestanâ—r aut quisquam similis ei in rebus creatis nec Episâ—o qui Deo consecratus est pro totius mundi salute â—icquam maius in Ecclesia Nec inter principes quisquam similis Regi qui in pace optimis legibus subditos moderatur Qui honorat Episcopum à Deo honorabitur sicut qui ignominia afficit illum à Deo punietur Sâ— enim Iure censebitur paena dignus qui aduer sus Regeâ— insurgit vt qui violet bonas legum constitutioneâ— quanto put at is grauiori subiacebit supplicio qui sine Episcopo aliquid egerit concordiam rumpens decentâ— rerum ordinem confundens Sacerdotium enim est oâ—nium bonorum quae in hominibus sunt Apex qui aâ—uersus illud furit non hominem ignominia afficit sâ— Deum Christum Iesum primogenitum Laici Diâ— conis subijciantur Diacom Presbyteris Presbyteri Epicopo Episcopus Christo. Principes subditi estote Caesaâ—milites Epist ad Philadelphienses principibus Diaconi Presbyteris Presbyteri vâ— Diacom at que omnis clerus simul cum omni populo militibus at que principibus sed Cesare obediant Epicopo Episcopus vero Christo sicut Patri Christus â— vnit as per omnia seruatur Where wee plainely sâ— there was no Princes supremacy in spirituall thinâ— in those happy times but Princes kings and Emâ—rors as those of the cleargy and all others were sâ—iect and ought obedience to the Bishop and preihood was the highest and most honorable dignâ— in the world And the honor which was due Kings themselues was inferior to that of Bishoâ— Ego dico honorate Deum vt authorem omnium â—minum Epistol ad Smyren Episcopum autem tanquam Principem Saâ—dotum Imaginem Dei ferentem principatum quiâ— secundum Deum Sacerdotium vero secuÌ„dum Christâ— post hunc honorare oportâ—t etiam Regem Nâ—mo eâ—potior est Deo neque similis illi neque Episcopo honâ—bilior in Ecclesia Sacerdotium Deo gerenti pro muâ— salute neque Regi quis similis in exercitu pacem neuolentiam omnibus principibus cogitanti Where giueth an vnanswerable reason of the preeminence of Episcopall dignity before the Regall though in good Kinge because this ruleth onely in martiall â—nd temporall affaires the Bishop in spirituall the Church of God his howse and Kingdome And he â—hargeth all without exception to be subiect not â—nely to the Bishop but to Preists and Deacons â—uen vnder paine of eternall damnation Exitimini S. Ignatius epist ad Ephesios â—ubiecti esse Episcopo Presbyteris Diaconis qui â—im his obedit obedit Christo qui hos constituit Qui verò his reluctatur
reluctatur Christo Iesu qui autem â—on obedit filio non videbit vitam sed ira Dei manet â—uper eum Praefractus enim contentiosus superbus â—t qui non obtemperat praestantioribus And by that â—eading which the Canon law vseth euen Princes â—nd all not obeying their Bishops are excluded both â—rom the society of the faithfull on earth and the Kingdome of heauen Si vobis Episcopi non obedieint S. Ignat. citat C. Si autem 11. quaest 3. Iacob Simanchal dedignitare Episcopali omnes clerici omnesque Principes at que reliqui pouli non solum infames sed etiam extorres à Regno â—ei consortio fidelium ac à limitibus sanctae Eccleâ—ae alieni erunt eorum est enim vobis obedire vt Deo â—ius legatione fungimini And he plainely confineth bedience to temporall Princes that it be not with reiudice of the spirituall and danger of the soule â—aesari subiecti estote in ijs in quibus subdi nullum aniâ—ae S. Ignat. Epist ad Antioc periculum est And saith plainely that a Bishop is â—boue all other principality and power Quid aliud I. Ignat. Epist ad Trallia â— Episcopus quà m is qui omni Principatu potestate â—uperior est And to expresse the lamentable estate â—f them which want true Bishops Preists and â—eacons concludeth there neither is nor can be â—y true Church nor communion of Saints withâ—ut them Sine his Ecclesia electa non est nulla sine his Sanctorum congregatio nulla Sanctorum collectio Anâ— setteth downe their holy functions and offices to bâ— such that noe Protestants can possibly clayme tâ— haue either Bishop Preist DeacoÌ„ or other Cleargâ— man amonge them Sine Episcopo nec Presbyter nâ— Epist ad Magnesian ad Philadelph Epist ad Heronem Diaconus nâ—c Laicus quicquam facit The Bishopâ— saith he doe baptize offer sacrifice giue orders â— vse Imposition of hands Baptizant sacrificaÌ„t eliguâ— ordinant manus imponunt Nothing is to be done â— the Church without their allowaÌ„ce no Sacrameâ— ministred he is dispenser of all spirituall busines â— Epist ad Smyrn is not lawfull for the Preists without his approbâ—tion to baptize to offer to sacrifice to say Massâ— Sine Episcopo nemo quicquam faciat eorum quae ad Eâ—clesiam spectant Rata Eucharistia habeatur illa qâ— sub Episcopo fuerit vel cui ipse concesserit Non liâ— sine Episcopo baptizare neque offerre neque sacrificiuâ— immolare neque dochen celebrare others reade nâ— que Missas celebrare which is sufficiently expressâ— and approued in offerre and sacrificium immolaâ— before The Bishops did consecrate Virgins anâ— Mariages made by their warrant Si quis potest in câ—stitate Epist ad Polycarp permanere ad honorem carnis Dominicae viâ— iactantiam si idipsum statuatur sine Episcopo câ— ruptum est Dâ—cet vero vt ducentes vxores nâ—bentes cum Episcopi arbitrio coniungantur The Preisâ— Epist ad Smyrn ad Heronem besides their preaching and ministring of Sacrâ—ments did offer sacrifice and say Masse as is befoâ— expressed And the Deacons ministred vnto the â—shops and Preists in their holy sacrifice Diaconâ— Sacerdotum minister Sacerdotes sacrificant And wâ—tinge to Sainct Heron a Deacon of the Church â— Antioch hauing immediately spoken before hoâ— the Preists did offer sacrifice he saith that he dâ— â—inister to them in the holy Sacrifice as Sainct Stephen did to Sainct Iames the Apostle Preists â— Hierusalem prouing that they there said Masse â—s the Preists of Antioch and other Churches did â—uillis ministras vt Sanctus ille Stephanus Iacobo â—esbyteris qui erant Hierosolimis And in an other eâ—stle saith plainely that DeacoÌ„s ought to doe such â—ty in those misteries to Preists as Sainct Steâ—en Epistol ad Trallian did to Sainct Iames Sainct Timothy and S. â—ucius to Sainct Paul Sainct Anacletus and Sainct â—lement to Sainct Peter Purum inculpatum miâ—sterium illis exhibent vt S. Stephanus Beato Iacobo â—motheus Linus Paulo Anacletus Clemens â—ero And expresseth this their office in these plaine â—mes Oportet Diaconis mysterioâ—um Christi per omnia â—cere nec enim ciborum poâ—uâ—m ministri sunt sed â—clesiae Dei administratores The Geeke readinge â—eifely signifieth ministring in the holy sacrifice of â—asse and so expresseth it selfe in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He reâ—embreth both altar and sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as plaine termes as any present writers of â—e Roman Church now doth and to manifest he â—h not meane such acts as Protestants terme saâ—fice and are so many as the different kindes of â—otion but onely the externall common saâ—fice he saith there is but one sacrifice and this saâ—ice the onely flesh and blood of Christ Vna est Epistol ad Philadelp â— Christi Iesu Domini nostri vnus illius sanguis qui â— nobis effâ—sus est vnus panis omnibus confractus â—us calix qui omnibus distributus est vnum altare â—â— Ecclesiae The prayer and words of a Preists are Epistol ad Ephes â—uch force that they place Christ among vs. Vâ—s siue alterius precatio taÌ„â—â—irum virium est vt Christumâ—nter illos statuat It is a preparatiue of eterniâ— a preseruatiue against death procuring life in Gâ— and a medicine expelling all euill Pharmacum â— mortalitatis mortis antidotum vitamque in Deo câ—cilians Epis ad Rom. per Iâ—sum Christum medicamentum oâ— expellens mala The breade or foode of God heauâ—ly breade the flesh of Christ the sonne of God â— Ignat. apud Theodoret. Dialog 3. blood of Christ Panis Dei panis caelestis qui est â— Christi filij Dei potus sanguis illius The Euchaâ— which is the flesh of our Sauiour which suffâ— for our sinnes which his Father raised againe â— charistia est caro Saluatoris quae pro peccatis nâ—â— passa est quam pater sua benignitate suscitauit Tâ— holy sacrificing Bishops and Preists and Deaâ— ministring vnto them in those sacred misteriâ— they were farre from the pretended Protesâ— cleargy which haue to their vttermost endeaâ— euer afflicted such holy Functions especiallâ— England with most bitter edicts and persecutiâ— and the sacred Priests of that for that onely â—fession with most barbarous and cruell dâ—athes seing by the most constant Testimony and praâ— of this blessed Apostolike age no true Church â— or could be without them no Protestant comâ— or congregation all of them wantinge such â— consecrated Bishops Preists and Ecclesiasâ— persons and Professors can possibly haue the â— and Title of a true Church and religion And â— tending as they doe that these sacrificing holâ—ders without which no true Church can be aâ— contained in Scripture They must needs â— They were deliuered vnto the Church and â— Church well founded in these so essentiall thâ— by Tradition
the dead reueâ—nced the signe of the crosse other holy Images â—d sacred Reliks said or heard Masse and praâ—ized other Christian rites and duties which proâ—stants deny to be contained in or proued by â—cripture Tertullian lyuing and writing as many testifie â—en Protestants before Pope Eleutherius time Tertull. l. de praescription Magdeburg Centuâ— 3. col 34. c. 4. col 240. 241. Sutcl subu p. 4. Whitg def Respon pag. 96. â—d witnessing Britayne had in his dayes receaued â—e faith of Christ euen in those parts thereof wheâ—er the Pagan Romans could neuer come loca â—omanis inaccessa speaketh of the traditions before â—membred as both his owne works Catholiks â—d Protestants proue in these words Tertullianus â— genere de doctrina suae aetatis inquit eam consentire cum Ecclesijs Apostolicis eamque consensum câ— cordiam communem esse omniuÌ„ Ecclesiarum in Europâ— in Asia in Africatestatur That this the doctrine his time did agree with all Apostolike Churches thaâ— was the common consent and concordance of all â— Churches in Europe in Asia in Afrike And thouâ— wee assigne a somewhat later time to Tertullian others doe in the later end of the second age â— when he so confidently and generally assignâ— this common consent of all Churches of Britaiâ— Fraunce Spaine Italy all Europe Asia and Afriâ— in these holy Christian doctrines thus impugned Protestants hauing therein the consent of all Aâ—stolik Churches wee must needs say whether tâ— were receaued and professed from Scriptures Traditions being longe before any generall Coâ—cels kept by the generall confessed rule of the â—thers and Protestants before they must needâ— deliuered by authority of the Apostles non â— authoritate Apostolica traditum certissimè crediturâ— And the first receauing of the holy Scriptureâ— Britayne which wee finde in Antiquities was in â— time of Pope Eleutherius and from the Churcâ— Rome the same Catalogue of Scriptures it tâ— vsed and still vseth as wee finde in the epistlâ— Eleuth Pap. epist ad Lucium Regem Britan. Godwin CoÌ„uers of Brit. in epist Eleuther Stow. hist Romans that holy Pope to Kinge Lucius suscepistis nâ— miseratione diuina in Regno Britaniae legem fiâ— Christi Habetis penes vos in Regno vtramque pagiâ— You haue there in your Kingdome both testamentâ— our Protestants translate it or both parts of Scripturâ— THE THIRD CHAPTER The 7. 8. 9. 10. Articles examined and wherein they differ from the present Romane Church condemned by this first Apostolike age HAVING thus absolutely and at large confuted and ouerthrowne by the Apostolike â—ge the last Article the erroneous ground of all â—rotestant Religion wee may be more breife in â—he rest being all at the least generally confuted â—nd ouerthrowne in their false foundation so deâ—royed And vntill wee come to their 11. Article â—tituled of the Iustification of man It may be queâ—ioned whether any of them doth in common and â—robable construction and meaninge oppose the â—oman Church or no. And for the two next the 7. â—nd 8. Articles it is most certaine and euident the â—rst of them being intituled of the old testament only â—acheth The old Testament is not contrary to the new â—nd the other stiled of the three Creeds is in tâ—e â—me condition onely affirming The three Creedes â—icene Creede Athanasius Creede and tâ—â—â—â—hich is â—mmonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly â— be receaued and beleeued But the reason hereof â—hich thus they yeeld for they may be proued by most â—rtaine warrantes of holy Scripture is both before â—onfuted very friuolous for neither is the Scripâ—re the compleate Rule of Religion neither was â—e Scriptures of the new testament written when â—e Apostles deliuered their Creede to the Church â—or the Scriptures agreed vpon vntill after both â—e Creedes of the Nicene Councell and Sainct Athanasius were generally receaued and professâ— by all Catholiks as is already made manifest eueâ— by Protestants themselues aswell as other Authoâ— of more worthy credit The next Article is intâ—tuled of Originall or birth sinne And was expresseâ— concluded by them against the Pelagians denyiâ— originall sinne in man as they expouÌ„d themseluâ— naming the Pelagians and their heresie there wiâ— a confutation of it in their proceedings holdiâ— that Originall sinne in those that be not baptizeâ— deserueth Gods wrath and damnation Yet in the lâ— and concluding words of the Article their phraâ— of speach hath perhaps giuen occasion to some pâ—ritane Nouelists to thinke they held as these mâ— Caluin and such doe that concupiscence withoâ— assent is sinne The words be Although there is â— Artic. 9. supr condâ—mnation for them that beleeue and are baptizâ— yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscence lâ— Thomas Rogers in Articul 9. Confes Helu 2. c 9. Saxon. ar 2. 20. hath of it selfe the nature of sinne A Puritane glosser vpon this place saith Conâ—piscence euen in the regenerate is sinnâ— Among foâ—tâ—ene Protestant Confessions he citeth but two fâ— his opinion by his owne exposition And so seauâ— to one by his owne argument of Protestant authâ—rity he is deceaued And the Puritan Heluetian â—sembly Protest Engl. Art art 10. Caluin lib. 1. Instit c. 5. l. 2 c. 2. 3. a. lib. l 3. c. 3. Ant Wotton against D. Bish pa. 112. ruled by Caluine holdeth this besides tâ— other errour which our English Protestants deâ— in ther next article that man hath not free will â— doe well or fly sinne And he plainely confesseâ— that all the primatiue Fathers sufficient for tâ— purpose are against him holding concupiscenâ— without assent to be no sinne Omnium sententâ—â— So do our English Puritans also which hold thâ— errour acknowledge and it is apparant euen â— â—e words of this article before related that the Enâ—ish Protestants doe no otherwise terme coÌ„cupisâ—nce sinne then materially as the Apostle doth â—hose onely authority they vse in that matter and â—ot properly and formally as sinne is truely and â— right sense vsed and taken hauing liberty and â—nsent of minde annexed vnto it otherwise Inâ—nts Ideots frantike madde men without iudgâ—ent and men sleepinge doinge the materiall part â— things sinfull should also sinne or if the flesh of â— selfe the vegetatiue or sensitiue power abstraâ—ing from reason could sinne creatures onely haâ—ng beeing vegetation and sense might and should â—nne equally as those that be reasonable Beasts â—shes fowles plants herbes and trees would be â—oth capable and guilty of sinne And our English Protestants in their commuâ—on booke of as greate credit and approued by as â—reate authority with them and their Religion as â—ese articles acknowledge that the baptized are deade Communion Booke Titul ministrat of publike Baptisme And Catechisme â— sinne And the whole body of sinne is vtterly aboliâ—ed in them They promise and vowe to for sake the â—uill and all his workes the carnall desires of the flesh â—d not to followe and be ledde by them obediently to â—epe Gods commaundements
Christ but this one alone Christ did purchase but one militant Church with his pretious blood he hath no more but one such daughter nor true Christians more then one such mother which the same Sainct Clement likewise proueth thus conuenite ad Ecclesiam Domini quam acquisiuit sanguine Christi dilectâ— primogeniti Const Apost l. 2. c. 65. omnis creaturae Eaest enim altissimi filia quae partâ—rijt nos per verbum gratiae He coÌ„pareth this Church also to one greate shippe Carrying passengers from all contryes to the desired hauen and harbour saying that God is alwayes the Lord and owneâ— of it Christ the Master or Gouernour the Bishop cheife ruler vnder him Preists Deacons and other Clergy men euer supply their places and offices therein Similis est omnis status Ecclesiae magnae naâ— Clem. epist 1. quae per vndo sum Pelagus diuersis è locis regionibâ— viros portat ad vnam potentis regni vrbem properâ—â— cupientes Sit ergo nauis huius Dominus ipse omnipâ—tens Deus gubernator verò sit Christus Tum demâ—â— proretae officium Episcopus impleat Presbyteri nauâ—â—rum Diaconi dispensatorum locum teneant hi qui â—â—techizant nautologis conferantur He giueth also â—â— lay persons their place in this shippe saying thâ— world is the Sea it passeth and witnesseth that thâ— shippe notwithstanding all stormes and tempestâ— persecutions tribulations daungers false Prophetâ— seducers persecuting potentates hypocrites anâ— whatsoeuer enemies aduersaries and aduersities â— euer is safe and neuer maketh shipwrake foâ— Christ euer gouerneth it and the whole Church must endeuour to serue and obey him and his commaundes Saluator Dominus gubernator Ecclesiae suae Martial ep ad Burdegal cap. 11. diligatur ab omnibus ipsius solius praeceptis ac iussis credat obediat omnis Ecclesia Thus Sainct Clement from the Apostles themselues And Sainct Martial also teacheth that the Church of Christ is so firme it can neuer fall nor be broken And yet in the same place he teacheth that the deuill and heretiks his vassals and instruments shall neuer cease to labour and fight against it Inimicus venturus est vt superseminet in populo Dei grana errorum Sed firma Ecclesia Dei Christi nec cadere nec disrumpi poterit vnquam Venient praesumptores absque gratia Dei loquentes quorum gloria labiorum procedit ex superbia similes illi qui superbiâ caelum praesumens habitare mox de caelo cum Angelis suis sequacibus ruit in aeternam voraginem Hi docebunt aliam doctrinam quae aliena est à Deo amica autem diabolo per quam ipse spiritus erroris animas post se trahere festinabit Which cannot more properly be applyed to any sects of heresies then the libertine Protestants so first arising encreasing and subsisting by wanton and lewde licentiousnesse S. Dionysius Areopagita wrote a whole booke Dion Areop l. de Eccles Hierarch in Greeke yet euery where extant de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy or holy order which was in his time and to continue euer in the neuer fayling or ceasing Church of Christ All the Apostles so firmely and vniformely beleeued Clem. Rom. epist 1. Ruff. in exposit Symbol Leo iâ— mulâ—is locis and professed this doctrine as a necessary article of faith for all Christians and to obtaine saluation by as the rest and so proposed it vnto all in their Symbolum as Sainct Clement then liuing Ruffinus S. Leo and all Christians acknowlegde Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam euer to be an Article of faith as the others which possible could not be true if at any time Christ should want a Church holy and Catholike And our Protestants of England in these their articles doe twise in one article before intituled of the three Creeds make and receaue it with the other articles of their Creede an article of faith throughly to be receaued and beleeued For So they define The three Creeds Protest artic of Relig. art 8. Nicene Creede Athanasius Creede and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly to be receaued and beleeued affirming further they may be proued by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture And both in the Apostles and Nicen Creede this article is contained with the rest This is also confirmed in their publike communion Engl. Protest com booke â—it Catechisme booke vsed in their Churches and allowed by their Parlaments where besides the Article of the Apostles Creede I belâ—eue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholike Church they say vnto God in the canticle Te Deum as they translate it The holy Church Tit. morning prayer through all the world doth knowledge thee And in their Creede of the Nicen Councell they Nicen Creede plainely professe and beleeue that from the Apostles till now and euer after there is and shal be one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church vnam sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam Where the Church is euer one holy Catholike and the same in all matters of faith it was in the Apostles time And in this sense and no other they haue in their 19. article before described or defined the Art 19. supr Church of Christ to be one congregation of faithfull men with true preaching and due ministration of Sacraments in all things necessary and requisite according as Christ ordained And their publike glosse vpon this 19. article diuiding it into diuers propositions and making this the second proposition There is Thomas Rogers in art 19. proposit 2. but one Church When wee doe say that the Church is visible and that there is a westerne East Greeke Latine English Church wee meane not that there be diuers Churches of Christ but that one and the same Church is diuersely taken and vnderstood and also hath many particular Churches as the Sea many Riuers and armes branching from it For the visible Church is not many congregations but one company of the faithfull For proofe of this out of Scriptures they cite diuers texts Rom. 12. 5. 1. Cor. 10. 17. 1. Corint 12. 13. 27. Gal. 3. 28. and conclude thus all Gods people meaning Protestants agree with vs in this point And particularly cite Confess Helâ—et 2. cap. 17. Bohe. cap. 8. Gal. art 26. Belg. art 27. August art 27. Wittemb art 32. Sueu art 15. and these Protestant Confessions so agree I will onely cite two for the rest one of Heluetia for the Caluinists and for the Lutherans that of Wittemberge where Luther liued as Caluine in Heluetia The Heluetian confession saith Cum semper vnus Confessio Heluet. c. 17. modo sit Deus vnus mediator Dei hominum Iesus Messias vnus item gregis vniuersi Pastor vnum huius corporis caput vnus denique spiritus vna salus vna fides vnum testamentum vel foedus necessariò consequitur vnam duntaxat esse Ecclesiam quam propterea Catholicam
nuncupamus quod sit vniuersalis diffundatur per omnes mundi partes ad omnia se tempora extendat nullis vel locis inclusa vel temporibus Seing alwayes there is onely one God one mediatour of God and men Iâ—sus the Messias also one Sheepheard of the vniuersall flocke one heade of this body to conclude one holy Ghost one saluation one saith one testament or league it necessarily followeth that there onely is one Church Which therefore wee name Catholike because it is Vniuersall and diffused through all parts of the world and extendeth it selfe to all times not concluded within any places or times This holy Church of God is called the house of the liueinge God builded of liuely and spirituall stones and seated vpon an vnmoueable rocke and vpon a foundation on which no other thing can be placed and therefore it is called the pillar and supporter of truth Haec Ecclesia Dei sancta vocatur domus Dei viuentis extructa ex lapidibus viuis spiritualibus imposita super petraÌ„ immotaÌ„ super fundamentuÌ„ quo aliud loc ari noÌ„ potest ideo nuncupatur etiam coluÌ„na basis verit atiâ— 1. Tim. 3. The Lutheran Religion or confession of Wittemberge saith credimus confitemur quod vna sit Confess Wirtemberg cap. de Eccl. sancta Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia iuxta Symbolum Apostolorum Nicaenum Quod haec Ecclesia â— Spiritu sancto ita gubernetur vt conseruct eum perpetuo ne vel erroribus vel peccatis pereat Quod in hac Ecclesi asit verapeccatorum remissio Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius iudicandi de omnibus doctrinis Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius interpret and aescripturae Ecclesia habet certam promissionem perpetuae praesentiae Christi Cap. de Concilijs gubernatur à Spiritu sancto Wee beleeue coÌ„fessâ— that there is one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Creede of the Apostles and Nicen Councell That this Church is so gouerned by the holy Ghost that he preserueth it for euer that it perish not either by errours or sinnes That in this Church there is true remissioÌ„ of sinnes thâ—â— this Church hath authority to Iudge of all doctrines That this Church hath authority to interpret the Scripture The Church hath certaine promise of the perpetuall presence of Christ and is gouerned by the holy Ghost By this it is euident by all Testimonies of this Apostolike age and these Protestants themselues that the true Church of Christ neuer did shall or can erre in any Iudgment decree sentence or profession in matters of faith but is pure Catholike and Apostolike in all such in all times and places And this article either denying or doubting of such power and prerogatiue in the true Church is very Idle or Antichristian taking away all certaine and holy Religion of Christ As also that the Church which was when these heresies began euen Catholike and vniuersall in all places and had beene so in all times before hath beene so euer since and still so continueth and florisheth is that true holy Catholike Apostolike Church which the holy Scriptures Fathers of this age and the Article of our Creede giue testimony vnto And the Protestant particular Confessions and congregations of Heluetia Fraunce England Scotland Belgia Poland Argentine Ausburgh Saxony Wittemberge the Palatine of Rheine Boheme and perhaps some others being onely of particular Contryes or Townes and onely of some and not all persons of them cannot be possibly Catholike for place and as vnpossibly for time the eldest of them by their owne testimony and confession vnknowne vntill the yeare of Christ 1530. the Confession of Ausburge first began not printed vntill the yeare 1540. the Confession of Boheme 1532. Heleutia 1536. Saxony 1551. England 1562. Scotland 1581. the like of the rest These nor any of them by the same reason can be Apostolike arising so many hundreds of yeares after the Apostles time None of all these can be that one Church which was euer those being diuers from that among themselues at warres both for Sacraments discipline doctrine None of their coÌ„gregations or coÌ„fessions yet hath brought forth any one man or woman knowne which in their owne Iudgment or senteÌ„ce is honoured or calendred for a Saint though their calenders chronicles and histories be full of Saints which were of the Roman Church and Religion They haue taken away and ouerthrowne many thousand foundations of holynesse and piety their owne first foundation in such kinde is yet to begin this cannot be the one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church of Christ which our Creeds doe teach vs being in all respects diametrically opposite or rather contradictory to whatsoeuer is or can be defined or described as they themselues define the true Church by those attributes properties or distinctiue differences to be one to be holy to be Catholike and vniuersall in all times places and points of doctrine and Sacraments and to be Apostolicall continued without intermission from the Apostles in sound and Apostolicall Christian Religion in all articles and matters of faith And thus it was confessed and professed by our Christian Britains from their first couersion in the Apostles time as these men themselues haue before deliuered THE IX CHAPTER The 21. Article so examined and condemned THE Article which followeth 21. in number is intituled of the authority of generall Councels And in these their words Generall Councels may not be grathered to gether without the commaundement and will of Princes And when they be gathered for asmuch as they be an assembly of meÌ„ whereof all be not gouerned with the spirit and word of God they may erre and some time haue erred euen in thinges pertaining vnto God wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to saluation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture Hitherto this English Protestant Article The first part of it requiring of necessity the commaundement and will of Princes for the validity of Councels is singular not onely against Catholiks but all Confessions of Protestants not any one consenting in this matter with our English Protestants as is euident in those confessions Neither doe the Protestants of Britaine agree herein but all they whom they terme Puritans or Disciplinarians are quite of an other opinion And the Parlament Protestants themselues of best Iudgment doe euen with publike allowance condemne it Thus with such approbation they write of themselues Protestant relation of Religion cap. 47. The Protestants are seuered bandes or rather scattered troopes each drawing diuers wayes without any meanes to pacifie their quarrels to take vp their controuersies No Prince with any preeminence of Iurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarcke one or more to haue a common superintendance of care of their Churches for correspondancy and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell the onely hope remaining euer to
buried Wee finde in the old antiquities of landaffe a Publike Charter of King Mauricus in S. Dubritâ—â—â— his time Manuscript antiq de primo statu Landauen Ecclesiae that it was the old custome and duty of Churches daily to pray for the soules of the benefactours deceased and all the faithfull departed out of this life oratione quotidiana Ecclesiastico seruitio pro anima â—â—â—us animabus parentum suorum Regum Principum Britanniae omnium fidelium defunctorum So is the charter of King Arthur to the schoole of Cambredge proremedio animarum antecessorum Chart. priuileg Reg. Arthuri apud Caium l. 1. antiquit Cantabrig pag. 60. 70. Caratoc hist M. S. de vita S. Gildel Probus l. 2. de vit S. Patricij Caius l. 1. sup p. 147. 148. l de vit SaÌ„ct Walliae in S. Iltuto vneorum Regum Britanniae Sainct Gildas our oldest writer and greate diuine did daily pray for the foule of his brother being slaine Orabat pro spiritu fratermp quotidie Sainct Patrike prayed for the dead orauit pro anima eius S. Iltutus appointed 50. of his schollers to pray for the soules of the deade continually Constituit quinquaginta fratres qui continuam animarum memoriam haberent And as I haue spoken before how the first Christians at Hierusalem had a particular Church founded and employed to that holy vse So our Christians Britans insisting in the same deuotion from the beginning had diuers such foundations and Churches especially to offer sacrifice and pray for the deade One of them was at london Ecclesiam Galfrid Monum hist Reg. Briton l. 12 c. 13. aedificauerunt in quo pro ipso Rege fidelibus defunctis diuina celebrantur obsequia And this is sufficient for this question The next exception which is taken by our Protestants The Catholike doctrine of pardons Indulgences in this article is against the Catholike doctrine about pardons or Indulgences saying as they haue done already of Purgatory that the Romish doctrine concerning pardons is a fonde thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Councell of Trent setteth downe the Catholike doctrine in this point which these men call the Conc. Trid. seff 9. in decreto de Indulgentijs Romish doctrine that power of graunting indulgences was by Christ graunted to his Church and the Church in the most auncient times vsed it by so great warrant and therefore declareth the vse of Indulgences to be retajned in the Church as necessary for Christian people and allowed by the authority of holy Councels anathematizing them which affirme them to be vnprofitable or deny there is power in the Church to graunt them Cum potestas conferendi Indulgentias à Christo Ecclesiae concessa sit at que huiusmodi potestate diuiniâ—â—s tradita antiquissimis etiam temporibus illa vsa fuerit Sacrosancta Synodus indulgentiarum vsum Christiano populo maxime salutarem sacrorum conciliorum anthoritate probatum in Ecclesia retinendum esse docet praecipit eosque anathemate damnat qui aut inutiles esse asserunt veleas concedendi in Ecclesia potestatem esse negant The same holy CouÌ„cell with all good Catholiks as much coÌ„demneth abuses in pardons or IndulgeÌ„ces and as wisely preuenteth them as any enemy of Indulgences doth euer did or can desire That there this power of graunting pardons and Indulgences for remitting the temporall punishment due to sinne is first euident by that is said of the paines and punishment of purgatory before For no man will or can deny but if the Church hath power or meanes to remit paines to them that be deceased and out of the state of meriting in themselues much rather it hath such power and remedies for the liuing which by themselues may and doe merit and are in all respects parts and subiects of the militant Church of Christ Secondly whereas this Protestant article saith pardons haue no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Apostolike Fathers of this first age haue taught vs otherwise before euen of the paines of Purgatory And the Scripture is cleare both that Christ did graunt this power to his Church and the Church practized it in the Apostles time Of this power of remitting sinnes and their punishment Christ must needs meane when he said to S. Peter he would giue Matth. c. 16. vnto him the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer he should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen Tibi dabo claues regnicaelorum Et quodcumque solueris super terram erit solutum in caelis So when he said to all his Apostles Whatsoeuer Matth. 18. you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Quaecunque solueritis super terram erunt soluta in Ioh. cap. 20. coelo And againe whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen vnto them Quorum remiseritis peccata remitiuntur ets And that wee may be assured these words and warrants of Christ did carry this construction and giue this power and not onely to the then present Apostles but their Successours and Rulers in his Church for euer first Sainct Paul who was not an Apostle Preist nor Christian then at the giuing of this cominission nor there present did thus expounde it and practise it For first excommunicating the wicked Corinthian which had committed 1. Cor. 5. sinne with his Fathers wife his mother in lawe a sinne both in Catholiks and Protestants Iudgment deseruing greate and longe pennance and punishment he soone after wrote vnto them againe to giue him pardon and indulgeÌ„ce for the punishment thereof donetis or condonetis cui donastis or condonastis ego ego donaui or condonaui in persona Christi S. Paul gaue pardon in the person of Christ and the Church of Corinth did the same by the 2. Cor. 2. same warrant and authority So the learned holy Fathers after expound it Primasius in c. 2. epist 2. ad Corinth Aug. l. 2. coÌ„tr epist parmen c. 11. Chrys Homil. 5. de verb. Isaiae vidi Dom. l. 3. de Sacerdoâ—io Euseb Emissen hom in dom 19. post Pentecost Hilar. can 18. in Matth. PaciaÌ„ epistol 1. ad Simpronian Nouatian Aug l. 50. homil hom 40 27. l. 20. ciuit cap. 9. Engl. prot Booke of Ordinat with the Churches approbation cui aliquid donastis Pro donaueritis ego Sicut vobiscum vindicaui ita vobiscum dono Nam Et ego quod donaui Non in mea persona sed Christi qui dixit quae solueritis in terra erunt soluta in coelo Si quid donaui propter vos Nâ— grauemini In persona Christi Quia personam gerimus Christi And both the Greeke and Latine Church euer from the beginning expound those words of Christ in the Ghospell before cited as I haue done And our Protestants themselues doe the like making those
sufficient for this Question The next Protestant exception in this article is concerning Images and is this The Romish doctrine The reuerent vse of holy Images thus proued concerning worship and adoration of images is a fond thinge vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Councell of Trent for Catholiks thus deliuereth their doctrine and practise in this point which these men terme the Romish doctrine Imagines Christi Deiparae Virginis aliorum Sanctorum Concil Trid. Sess 9. in templis praesertim habendas retinendas eisque debitum honorem venerationem impertiendam non quòd credatur inesse aliqua in ijs diuinitas vel virtus propter quam sint colendae vel quòd ab eis sit aliquid petendum vel quòd fiducia in Imaginibus sit figenda veluti olim fiebat à gentibus quae in idolis spem suam collocabant Sed quoniam honos qui eis exhibetur refertur ad prototypa quae illae representant Ita vt per imagines quas osculamur coram quibus caput aperimus procumbimus Christum adoremus Sanctos quorum illae similitudinem gerunt veneremur Id quod conciliorum praesertim verò secundae Nicaenae Synodi decretis contra imaginum oppugnatores est sancitum That the Images of Christ The Mother of God and other Saincts are to be had and retained especially in Churches and due honour and reuerence is to be done vnto them not because wee may or doe beleeue there is any diuinity or vertue in them for which they are to be reuerenced or that any thing is or may be asked of them or trust placed in them as it was vsed of the gentils which placed their hope in Idols But because the honour which is done to them is referred to these whose Images they be and represent So that by the Images which wee kisse and before which wee put of our hats and knâ—ele downe wee adore Christ and worship the Saincts whose similitude they beare Which is defined in the decrees of Councels especially of the second Councell of Nice against the oppugners Concil Nic 2. of Images That Nicen generall Councell so defineth and testifieth it to be the doctrine of the Fathers and tradition of the Catholike Church in all the world Imaginis honor in prototypuÌ„ resultat qui adorat Imaginem in ea adorat quoque descriptum argumentum Sic enim Sanctorum nostrorum patrum obtinet disciplina vel traditio Catholicae Ecclesiae quae à finibus vsque ad fines Euangelium suscepit They say it was the faith of the Apostles Fathers and all true beleeuers in the world And doe anathematize all that alledge the sentences of holy Scripture against Idols against such sacred Images or call them Idols or say the Christians adore Images as Gods and those that wittingly communicate with them that hold opinion against such Images or abuse them Sancta Synodus exclamauit omnes sic credimus omnes idem sapimus omnes approbantes subscripsimus Haec est fides Apostolorum haec est fides patrum haec est fides orthodoâ—orum haec fides orbem terrarum confirmauit Credentes in vnum Deum in Trinitate laudatum venerandas Imagines amplexamur Qui secus agunt anathemate percelluntur Quicunque sententias sacrae Scripturae de Idolis contra venerandas Imagines adducunt anathema Qui venerandas Imagines Idola appellant Anathema Qui dicunt quòd Christiani Imaginès vt Deos adorent anathema Qui scientes communicant cum illis qui contra venerandas Imagines sentiunt aut eas dehonestant anathema And this being a generall Councell as our Protestants confesse and so by their owne allowance before the greatest authority in the Church of Christ doth expressely confute all preteÌ„ded obiections out of Scripture which Protestants now vse against holy Images being vrged by the I conoclasts Image breakers heretiks at that time And proueth that from the Apostles time the Catholike doctrine and vse of them had euer beene obserued in the Church And for this first Apostolike age Eusebius Sozomen Nicephorus and others testifie that the woman of phoenicia cured of her infirmity by our Sauiour in the Ghospell by touching the hemme of his garment did make Images of that miracle of Christ healing her and herselfe kneeling vnto him and that at the Image of our Sauiour there grew vp an herbe curinge all diseases to proue the allowance and reuerent vse of such for the Christians had that Image in greate reuerence and so it continued at Paneades in phoenicia vntill Iulian Euseb histor Eccl. l. 7. c. 17. Sozom. hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 20. Niceph. l. 10. c. 30. Synod Nicaen 2. the Apostata pulled it downe as he did other such Christian monuments and set vp his owne statua in the same place which was miraculously brokeÌ„ and ouerthrowne by God to make knowne his wickednesse therein And they were onely Pagan Idolaters which broke and prophaned the Image of Christ the Christians gathered the peeces together placed and reuerently preserued them in the Church Id temporis gentiles statuam Christi tanta câ—â— violentia trahebant vt eam confringerent At Christiani postea cius fragmentae cum collegissent in Ecclesia posuerunt vbi etiam adhuc custoditur Nicephorus and others write Statuam autem Christi Christiani tum iâ— Diacocinum Ecclesiae transtulerunt honoratiore locâ— positam cultu conuenienti prosecuti sunt locum â—â—â—que eum libenter frequentantes Imaginâ—m ipsam iâ—spectantes desiderium suum amorem ergastatuae ipsius archetypum primariumque exemplar declararunt Like is the history of our Sauiours holy Image miâ—â—culously Tabul Archiu ciuit Edessae apud Nicep l. 2. ca. 7. alios Euagr l. 4. c. 26 Damasc li. 4. de fid orth c. 17. Orthod c. 17. Const Porph. Imperat orat apud Metaphr 10. Aug. Monol Graecor cal septem Metaphrast 15. Nouemâ— in vit S. Alexiâ— Niceph. l. 2. c. 7. Conc. Nic. 2. Stephan 1. Pap. apud Adrian Pap. ep ad Corol. Mag. Tom. 3. Concil Tradit Eccâ— de S. Imagine Rom. Meth. in Tyberio Marian. Scot. in chronic an 39. Matth. Westmonast chron an graâ—iae 31. Ranulph hig Polychroâ— l. 4. c. 4. made by himselfe and sent to King Abgâ—â—us or Abagarus at Edessa in Syria kept and frequented with greate honour and reuerence as inuincible testimonies and authorities of antiquity proue Euagrius and others call it sanctissionam Imaginem diuinitus fabricatam The most holy Image made by God The Greeke Church keepeth a yearely feaste and solemnity of this holy Image on the 17. of the Calends of September The same I say of the holy Image of Christ made by himselfe in wipinge his face going to his passion with a linnen cloath deliuered to him by S. Veronica by some Bereuice as the traditioÌ„ of the Church of Christ Methodius Marianus Scotus Mattheus Westmonasteriensis and
that latin which he deliuered at Rome in Fraunce and other westerne places These Bishops Preists and Deacons which were not Britans could not vse that brittish tongue in their seruice which they did not vnderstand and which neither they nor the Britans could write for them or others to reade And whosoeuer any man will say preached here first S. Peter S. Paul S. Symon S. Ioseph or any other they not vnderstanding the brittish language nor any man writing they could not possibly vse or deliuer the seruice of the Church in that language our old brittish manuscript mentioned before saith the Manuscrip Brit. antiq de prima Institutione Eccles officij Church seruice which S. Marke vsed was also here in vse in Scotijs ac Britannijs Cursum qui dicitur praesenti tempore Scotorum beatus Marcus decantauit It testifieth further that S. Germanus S. Lupus S. Patrik and others vsed this seruice here both in Britayne and Scotlands when our Protestants confesse there was no errour in Religion Ipsum cursum decant auerunt Beatus Lupus Beatus Germanus S. Patricius in Scotijs ac Britannijs ipsum cursum decantauit And after them S. Vuandilocus ad S. Gomogillus who had 3000. monkes in his Monastery and S. Columban in whose time this Authour liued with others sent with him into Fraunce vsed euery where in Ireland and Scotland as also Britaine Fraunce Germany and Italy the same publik Church seruice in the latin tonge Beatus Vuandilocus Beatus Columbanus partibus Galliarum destinati ipsum decantauerunt And he deriueth this Church seruice from S. Marke shewing where and by whome it was vsed And it was Gildas in prolog apud Fecknam orat public in 1. parliamento Elizabethae Reginae iustified in open parlament the first of Queene Elizabeth by Abbot Fecknam out of S. Gildas in the prologue of his booke now suppressed by our Protestants but then extant that the same publik Church seruice which was vsed here in Queene Maryes time and now in the Catholike Church was brought hither and publickly deliuered here in the latin tongue in the generall conuersion of Britaine in King Lucius his time And that Gildas Gildas l. de excid conquest Brit. which Protestants propose vnto vs diuers times citeth the old Church seruice of Britaine in the latin tongue And the old manuscript antiquities of Glastenbury william of Malmesbury Capgraue Guliel Malmesb manuscrip lib. de antiquit caenob glaston in collego S. Benedict Cantabrig Antiquitat glaston tabulis fix Capgrau in S. Ioseph S. patric Galfrid monum l. 4. histor Brit. cap. 20. vlt. Matth. Westin chron an 186. Matth. Westin an 187. Galfrid l. 5. cap. 1. and others proue as much and more then Doctour Fecknam cited from S. Gildas For they speaking of the Religious men which S. Damianus and S. Phaganus placed at Glastenbury to be successours in place and profession to S. Ioseph of Aramathia and his associates there do plainely deliuer that as in other things these professed the same Religion order Church seruice and manner of life which S. Ioseph and his companie did so also as they did they come often euery day together into the old Church to say their diuine office which they brought from Rome with them and deliuered here in memoriam primorum ex suis socijs 12. elegerunt S. Damianus Phaganus in praefata Insula Rege Lucio consentiente habitare fecerunt qui in diuersis locis sicut Anachoretae manserunt ibidem in eisdem lucis inquibus prima 12. primitùs habitarunt in vetustam tamen Ecclesiam ad diuina obsequia deuotiùs complenda crebrò conuenerunt quotidiè And this latin publik Church seruice being the very same which had beene vsed at Rome from the Apostles time not changed at that time as all Catholiks and Protestants agree was planted and deliuered here not onely by these legates of Pope Eleutherius but by himselfe with the rest which his legates did here confirme restauratis omnibus redierunt Antistites Romani quae fecerant à beatisssimo Papa coÌ„firmari impetrauerunt Confirmatione facta reuersi sunt in Britanniam compluribus alijs comitati And if any Protestant will haue the Kings confirmatioÌ„ needfull our holy King then S. Lucius likewise confirmed this as the rest Glorio sus Britonum Rex Lucius chartis munimentis omnia communiuit THE XIII CHAPTER The 25. Article intituled of the Sacraments thus examined and condemned in all things contrary to Catholike doctrine THEIR next the 25. Protestant Article is intituled of the Sacraments And thus beginneth Sacraments ordained by Christ be not onely bages or tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by the which he doth worke inuisibly in vs and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirme our faith in him Hitherto ther appeareth no difference betweene these Protestants in this article and Catholiks for they decreeing that Sacraments be effectuall signes of grace that is in all true proper manner of speach signes which doe effect cause worke grace otherwise they be not effectuall signes of grace and that God worketh in vs inuisibly by them is as much as Catholiks professe wheÌ„ they define a SacrameÌ„t Sacramentum est visibile signuÌ„ inuisibilis gratiae A SacrameÌ„t is a visible or externall signe of inuisible grace giuen thereby And these Protestants declare theÌ„selues so Protest art 27. 28. infra farre plainely in both those they accept for SacrameÌ„ts Baptisme the Eucharist called by them the Supper of the Lord. In the first they manifestly confesse it and approue and practise baptisme of Infants who borne by them also in originall sinne cannot possibly haue remission thereof and grace but by their baptisme not able to vnderstand or haue any act of faith or other vertue Yet theâ—â— Art 27. decree is The baptisme of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreable with the institution of Christ. So they doe or ought to speake of their other Sacrament confessing it was in the primatiue Church ministred sometimes to infants The difference betweene vs in this article is in that which thus followeth There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Ghospell that is to say baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Those fiue commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Pennance Order Matrimony and extreame Vnction are not to be compted for Sacraments of the Ghospell being such as haue growne partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the scriptures but yet haue not like nature of Sacraments with baptisme and the Lords supper for that they haue not any visible signe or ceremony ordained of God Hitherto this Protestant â—rticle denying those fiue Sacraments which the Catholike Church receaueth for such with the â—wo former baptisme
receaued this Sacrament reserued when extreame vnction was ministred vnto them And one of their most auntient antiquities carrying with it our Protestants approbation doth witnesse that the primatiue Christian Britans did publikely â—â— Euery Masse worship and pray vnto Christ present in this Sacrament this hath our Protestants translation Hereof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speach Thou lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. And thus I end this their many braunched Article THE XIX CHAPTER The 26. and 27. Articles examined and Protestant doctrine in or by them condemned THeir next Article being the 26. by their numbring them is thus intituled Of the worthiâ—es of the ministers which hinder not the effect of the sacraments The whole Article followeth in these All though in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good and sometime the euill haue cheife authoritie in the ministration of the worde and sacraments yet for asmuch as they do not the same in their owne name but in Christes and do minister by his commission and authoritie we may vse their ministerie both in hearing the word of God and in receiuing of the sacraments Neither is the effect of Christes ordinance taken away by their wikednesse nor the grace of Gods guifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receiue the sacraments ministred vnto them which be effectuall because of Christs institution 〈◊〉 promise allthough they be ministred by euill men Neuerthelesse it apperteyneth to the discipline of the Churche that inquirie be made of euill ministers and that they be accused by those that haue knowledge of their offences and finally being founde gyltie by 〈◊〉 Iudgment be deposed Hitherto this Article in which there it not any one proposition or sentence against the doctrine of the Romane Church and Catholike Religion but rather a graunte and confirmation thereof 〈◊〉 a renowncing of Protestant profession and proceedings in diuers particular poyntes and some most materiall As declaring that in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good they confesse the Church to be euer and indeâ—ectible And so Luther Caluyn Cranmar King Henry 8. with his daughter Queene Elizabeth or whomsoeuer els they will or can make the first publisher or aduancer of their doctrine separating themselues and being separated and cutt of from that visible true Church which was then generally so held this their Protestant congregation and Religion takeing Originall being from thence cannot possibly be the true Church and Religion of Christ And in making the true Church euer visible they must needs make their association or prerended companie eúer inuisible and so nothing vntill these dayes and condemne those their brethren Protestants who knowing their new fraternitie was neuer vntill those late times haue mathematically framed in their Imagination a new straung chimericall Inuisible vnbeeable and vnpossible Church Agayne professing that Preists the Ministers of Sacraments do Minister them in Christes 〈◊〉 by his commisson and authoritie they sufficiently confesse that if Christ omnipotent could and did consecrate breade and wyne into his body and blood forgiue sinnes and giue grace in sacraments truely consecrated Preists haue that power and do the same And affirming The sacraments to bâ— effectuall because of Christes Institution and promise â—either is the effects of Christes ordinance takâ—n away nor the grace of Gods guists diminished by the wikednesse of ministers They proue what the Catholiks holde in these things and Protestants cammonly deny Their last clause of Discipline in the Church making but one true visible Church and their congregation being as before no part thereof depriueth them of all such discipline as they haue already spoyled themselues of the pure worde of God preached and Sacraments duely ministred vnseparable signes and properties of the true visible Church by their 19. Article and thereby want all things which by their owne confession are euer founde in and belonge vnto the Church of Christ The 27. Article intituled of baptisme hath no thing contrary to Catholik Religion But the last clause thereof is against their 6. Article before that nothing is to be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessarie to saluation that is not read in nor may be proued by scriptures And in this place thus they decree The Baptisme-ef yong Prot. Articl 27. children is in any wise to be retayned in the Church as most agreable with the Institution of Christ In this whole Article before they make Baptisme in all requisite necessarie to Saluation So they do iâ— Protest communion Booke Tit. Baptisme Protest Conference at hampton Court. their communion booke in the administration thereof and in the reuewe of their Religion â—â— Hampton court thus they define That baptisme to be ministred by priuate parsons in tyme of necessitie is an holie tradition And so they vse in their common practise and Baptise Infants both by their ministers and others men and women especially my dwiues instructed how to Baptisme in time of Engl. Protest in feild Bookes of the Church pag. 239. and others necessitie Yet with publik consent and allowanâ—â— thus they write and publish Baptisme of Infants â—â— â—â—â—ed a Tradition because it is not expressely deliuered iâ— stripture that the Apostles did baptize Infants nor 〈◊〉 expresse precept there founde that they should so do Tâ—â—t the holy Fathers of the first age held Baptisme Supr in articul 6. of Infants for an vnwritten tradition I haue spoken before And S. Clement doth giue comâ—â—â—nd Clem. Rom. lâ—b 6. constit Apostolic cap. 15. Dionys Areopag Ecclesiast Hierarch cap. 7. concil mileuit cap. 2. Chrisostom homil de Adam Eua. Augustin cont Donat. l. 1. cap. 23. Epiphan Aug. alij de haeres Innocent 1. epist concil African cap. 77. concil Carthagin 5. cap. 6. Hect. Boeth Scot. hâ—st l. 9. Georg. Buchan Rer. scot l. 5. Reg. 52. holinsh hist of Scotland in Fâ—equard pag. 112. to haue it obserued Baptizate vestros pueâ—â—◠〈◊〉 S. Denys the Areopagite affirmeth it was so vsed Pueri qui necdum possunt intelligere diuiâ—â— sacri hapti smatis participes fiant And shewâ—â—gâ— how others answeare and promise for them 〈◊〉 prâ— ipsiâ— abrenunâ—iant sanctaquâ— ineunt faedera 〈◊〉 iâ— an holy tradition sanctam traditionem 〈◊〉 S. Chrisostome and others testifie generally in the whole Catholik Church in all places Praediâ—â—t Ecclesia Catholica vbique diffusa debere parâ—â—â—â—â— Baptizari prepter originalâ— peccatum And they were Nouatian Pelagian such condemned Hâ—retiks which at any time called this holy tradiâ—â—on and custome into question So it was here â—â— Britayne which though it was Mother and Noble longe time to pelagius the Archeretike wâ—o among other his damned Errours denyed the Baptisme of Infants yet it so much detested among tâ—â— rest this his obsurd Inuention that it
otherwise we haue no warrant in scripture to which onely Protestants appeale in such matters as Sacraments be either to proue that Preists haue any power at all to consecrate or minister this Sacrament or that it is a Sacrament for besides S. Paule to the Corinthians and in the 6. Chapter of S. Iohns Ghospell there is no place in the new testament that is by any interpreted to speake of the communion vnder both kyndes S. Paule plainely referreth himselfe to Christs Institution sette downe in the Euangelists cited And for S. Iohn our Protestants deny that he speaketh of the Sacramentall and actuall receauing of this misterie And yet he onely hath words Io 6. that haue likelynesse of precept to communicate in both Kindes Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Except you eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you And yet this is not so of Sacramentall eating and drinking the bodie and blood of Christ for the holie scriprures and all expositours of them Catholiks and Protestants agree that new baptized infants and others martyrs all holie and iust men shall haue and haue life in them though they neuer actually and Sacramentally receaue Christs flesh and blood and neither Catholiks nor Protestants do communicate young people though in daunger of death or dying S. Paule hath no semblance of a commaundement or necessitie of both Kindes to be receaued by all Therefore the precept commaund and necessitie onely concerning Preists at holie Masse then and there to consecrate and offer as Christ did and commaunded in both Kindes hoc facite Catholike Preists at their sacrifice in all places most dutifully performe it at other times as sicknes they communicate onely in one Kinde as the lay people doe All that is to be founde in scripture of both Kindes to be receaued or haue beene receaued of all is in S. Paule to the Christians of Corinthe arguing that in that Church and likely some others both formes were receaued af all Quicunque manducaâ—â—rit 1 Chorinth 11. panâ—m hunc biberit calicem Domini indignâ— â—â—us erit Corporis Sanguinis Domini probet autem sâ—â—â—sum homo sic de pane illo edat de calue bibat Qui enim manducat bibit indignè iudicium sibi manducat bibit non dijudicans corpus Domini Yet here is no praecept And his words non dijudicans corpus Domini onely speaking against the abuse towards the bodie of Christ not mentioning his blood which to dishonour was as greate a sinne may make questionable whether he there speaketh of the Sacramentall receauing of both by all persons or no. But if he so did we finde in diuers other places of scripture as they be expounded to vs by the holie Fathers that communion was then vsed diuers times and in diuers places in one Kinde onely S. Chrisostome S. Augustine Isychius S. Bede Chris homil 16. oper imperfecti in Mat. August l. 3. de consensu Euang. c. 25. Isych Hierosol l. 2. in leuit c. 9. Bed ad c. 24. Luc. Theophâ—lact ibid. Luc. 24. Chris homil 17. oper imp in Mat. Bed ad c. 20. Act. Apost Ionas Aurelian lib. 3. de Imag. Act. 2. Act. 20. Text. Syriac Act. 2. Theophilact and others so expound that act of Christ taking bread blessing breaking giuing it to his two disciples at Emaus registred by S. Luke Accepit panem benedixit ac fregit porrigebat illis And the scripture our Protestants Rule mentioneth not the other Kinde at all So do the same S. Chrisostome S. Bede Ionas Aureliensis with others expound that in the 2. Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles erant autem perseuerantes in doctrina Apostolorum communicatione fractionis panis orationibus Where no memorie is of the other Kinde So likewise that in the 20. Chapter of the Acts cum conuenissemus ad frangendum panem and whereas in the 2. Chapter of the Acts the Latin translation readeth in communione fractione panis the Syriak text is infractione Eucbaristiae in breakeing the Eacharist And this was vsed both by the Apostles and Apostolike Preists in this first age to minister this blessed Sacrament to the Christians onely vnder the forme of breade So S. Clement writeth of S. Clem. epist de reb gest B. Petri. Peter he himselfe being one among many others which so communicated from S. Peters hands Petrus panem acceptum actis gratijs consccrauit fregit primoque matri porrexit deinde nobis filijs The approued Apostolike Relation of S. Andrew his Presbyteri Diac. Achaiae in vit S. Andâ—eae Breuiar Rom. die 30. Nouemb. Breuiar Surisbur al. eodem die Metaphrast in S. Andr. Anonym Antiq. in eius vita Cipr. l. de 2. Martyr Lippom. to 1. Sur. Tom. 6. S. Bernard Ser. de S. Andrea Roâ—ig Antisiod in Psal 21. 4. â—aufr cont Bereng Iuo Sebast Munster Cosmogr l. 6. c. 57. Ignat. epist ad Ephes martyrdome written by present wittnesses in this age doth wittnesse that the Christians vnder him receaued the bodie of Christ vnder the forme of bread making no mention of the other Kinde Cuius agni immaculati carnem posteaque omnis populus credentium manducauerit agnus qui sacrificatus est integer perseuerat vnius Here all omnis populus so communicated It was thus preached and practized by the Apostle or Apostles which preached to the Abissines as both they and others both Catholiks and Protestants are witnesses and they keepe this custome still from the Apostles vpon the feaste of the Epiphanie Accipiunt Corpus Domini sub exigui specie panis S. Ignatius in this age is a sufficient wittnesse in diuers places that it was so vsed in his time Nemo erret nisi quis intra altaris septa sit priuatur pane Dei And exorteth often so to communicate Date operam vt crebriùs congregemini ad Eucharistiam And telleth vs such communion bringeth immortalitie is a preseruatiue against death giueth life and expelleth all euils Frangentes panem quod pharmacum immortalitatis est mortis Antidotum vitamque in Deo concilians per Iesum Christum mediâ—amentum omnia expellens mala And allthough in his epistle to the Philadelphians Ignat. epist ad Philadelph hee speaketh as if this breade and cup were giuen and distributed to all Vnus panis omnibus confractus vnus calix qui omnibus distributus est he speaketh of the giuing and distributing of them by Christ to his Apostles vseing the tense and time past as in Greeke is playne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when he there speaketh of the present vse and time he saith there is one Eucharist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet entreating Ignat. epist ad Symrnen apud Theodoreth Dialog 3. alios of the Institution and as it is offered by Preists at Masse he
to be made by that councell if it be truely related nothing concerneth this article onely speaking of Marriage of such men after holie Orders taken and not when they were lay men Yet that citation of Sacrates in this poynt wanteth not suspition of vntruth For the same Socrates speaking vpon his owne certaine Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 5. cap. 21. knowledge affirmeth it was the receaued custome in Thessalia Macedonia and other parts of the Greeke Church that if a clergie man kept companie with his wife that he had married when he was a lay man he was to be degraded Ipse in Thessalia consuetudinem iuualuisse noui vt ibi qui clericus sit si cum vxore quam eum esset Laicus ducebat post quam clericus factus sit dormierit clericatu abdieatus sit eadem consuetudo etiam Thessalonicae in â—acedonia in Hellade seruatur And saith that all the renowned Preists and Bishops also in the easte absteyne from such wiues Omnes illustres presbyteri in Oriente Episcopi etiam ab vxoribus abstinent And he confesseth that the absteyning of clergie Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 8. supr men from theâ—â— formerly married wiues when they were lay 〈◊〉 was so religious iust and necessarie in the Iudgement of the whole generall councell that they determined to make a decree and canon thereof visum erat Episcopis legem in Ecclesiam introducere vt qui essent sacris initiati sicut Episcopi Presbiteri Diaconi cum vxoribus quas cum erant Laici in matrimonium duxissent minimè dormirent And it seemeth by the Arabike Concil Niâ— can 78. Arabico copie of that councell that this or the equiualent lawe and decree was then made si vxorem duxit adhuc vxor viuit cum eo habitat debet imponi duplex panitentia Idem seruandum de Diacono And the third of those canons of this councell which both Catholiks and Protestants commonly receaue forbiddeth all Bishops Preists Deacons Concil Nic. can 3. and clergie men to dwell with any woman but their mother sister grandmother or Aunt sister to their father or mother Nisi fortè mater aut Soror aut auia aut amita aut matertera sit And the second councell of Arles held about the same time in the dayes of S. Syluester Pope and Constantine Emperour plainely forbiddeth all cohabitation or meeting with wiues married before vnder payne of excommunication Si quis de clericis à gradu Concil Arel 2. can 3. Diaconatus in solatio suo mulierem praeter auiam matrem sororem filiam neptem vel conuersam secum vxorem habere praesumpserit à communione alienaâ— habeatur Here the wife marryed before except conuersa professing chastitie as the husband now doth is forbidden his companie and he from her and most plainely in the canon before a married man is disabled to be a Preist except promising and professing chastitie Assumi ad Sacerdotium non potest in vinculo coniugij constitutus nisifuerit promissa conuersio In this councell our Archbishop Const Magn. epist Eccles Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 6. of London Restitutus was present and subscribed vnto it for this Kingdome which with Fraunce where this councell was kept Spayne Italy and other contries of the west presently receaued the Nicen councell Eusebius Caesariensis present at the councell of Euseb demonst Euang. l. 1. c. 9. Nice and writing after it is plaine that married men receauing holie Orders were bounde to chastitie Oportere dicit sermo diuiuus Episcopum vnius vxoris virum esse Veruntamen eos qui sacrati sint atque in Dei ministerio cultuque occupati continere deinceps seipsos à commercio vxoris decet And S. Epiphanius also a grecian and liuing at that time and writing in that age testifieth plainely that the holie Church of God where the canons were sincerely kept did admitt none to be eyther Bishop Preist Deacon or Subdeacon but such as absteyned from their wiues if marryed before or in single and chaste life And if it was otherwise vsed in any place wheresoeuer it was an abuse this being the custome of the Church directed by the holie ghost euer from the beginning that Ecclesiasticall men married or not married should euer liue in chastitie Adhuc viuentem liberos gignentem Epiph. Haeâ— 29. in compendiar vnius vxoris virum non suscipit sancta Dei Ecclesia sed eum qui se ab vna continuit aut in viduitate vixit Diaconum Presbiterum Episcopum Hypodiaconum maximè vbi sinceri sunt Canones Ecclesiastici At dices mihi omnino in quibusdam locis adhuc liberos gignere Presbyteros Diaconos Hypodiaconos At hoc non est iuxtae Canonem sed iuxta hominum mentem quaeper tempus elanguit Nam quod decentius est id semper Ecclesia per spiritum sanctum bene disposita videns statuit apparare vt cultus diuini indistracti Deo perficerentur And he maketh this a commaundement in scripture Si populo praecipit â— Cor. 7. Sanctus Apostolus dicens vt ad tempus vacent orationi quanto magis Sacerdoti idem praecipit vt indistractus sit inquam ad vacandum secundum Deum Sacerdotio quod in spiritualibus necessitatibus ac vsibus perficitur But if we should allowe which these holy Fathers both of the Greeke Latine Church would not doe that the chastity of Bishops Preists and Deacons is not commaunded in scriptures but that the scriptures onely commend it for the more perfect and better duly to execute those sacred functions as all both Catholiks and Protestants agree it is without question that the vniuersall Church of Christ hath euen by these Protestants most religiously decreed and commaunded Ecclesiasticall men to liue in chastity And they contradict and condemne themselues herein in their next article Prof. Artic. â—4 but one in these words whosoeuer through his priuate Iudgment willingly and purposely doth openly breake the traditions and ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the word of God and be ordained and approued by common authority ought to be rebuked openly as hee that offendeth against the common order â—â— the Church Therefore the continent and chaste life and profession of the Cleargie being confessed by all both Catholiks and Protestants not to be repugnant to the word of God but most conformable vnto it And both commaunded generally receaued approued Couel Exam. p. 64. 65. 114. feild pag. 138. l. 3. cap. 29. Middleton Papiston p. 134. and practised not onely by all commaunding cheife Churches but through out the whole Catholike world must needs be maintained And our Protestants confessing this and with priuiledge writinge the auncient Fathers so receauing it from theÌ„ that went before them taught That vowes of chastitie and single life in Preists is to be obserued by tradition The doctrine taught in the article cannot
Bishop especially an Archbishop botâ— the presence concurrence of a lawfull true Archbishop and others such Bishops as their owne pretended Prot. forme and manner of making Bishops Preists and minist Tiâ—ul consecrat of Bishops in praefat Rite and booke of consecrating Bishops doth thus plainely expresse Then the Archbishop and Bishops sent shall lay their hands vpon the head of the elected Bishop the Archbishop saying Take the holy ghost c. And it proueth further in these words It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and auncient Authours that from the Apostles time there haue beene thes orders of ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons Therefore to the intent thes Orders should be continued aâ—d reuerently vsed in the Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at this present Bishop Preist nor Deacon shall execute any of them except he be called tryed examined and admitted according to the forme hereafter following Which is that booke of King Edward the sixt receaued in this article and approued by their greatest warrants parlament Princes Supreamacie and publike practise among them And therefore howsoeuer either with by or without this booke forme and manner of King Edward their first Protestant pretended Archbishop Matthew Parker maker and allower of all such after as they freely confesse was made his making and admittance was frustrate inualid voide and of noe force by their owne censure and doome against themselues so of all others made by him no Bishop pretending or clayming that honour dignitie and office after by that vaine Idle and vnpossible Title to challendge to haue that or any other thing from him or them which neither had it for themselues or to giue to others And this I haue proued before from the Apostolike men of this age and from the Apostles themselues that a Bishop cannot bee consecrated but by true and vndoubted Bishops Episcopum mandamus Clem. const Apost l 3 c. 20. Anacl ep 2. Clem. const Apost l. 8. c. 33. ordinari à tribus Episcopis velad minus à duobus non licere autem ab vno vobis constitui And againe Episcopus à tribus vel duobus Episcopis ordinetur Si quis ab vno ordinetur Episcopo deponatur ipse qui eum ordinauit This is sette downe for an Apostolicall decree Now lette vs come to King Edwards booke so dignified in this article and particularily examine and disproue the validitie or sufficiency of that forme in euery point thereof And first whereas it maketh mention onely of Clem. const Apost l. 3. c. 11. l. 8. c. 21. 22. 28. ep 2. Ignat. ep ad Antioch ep ad Philadelphien ep ad Philippenses Anacl ep 2. Synod Rom. sub Syluestr c. 7. 11. Canis ep ad faelicem c. 6. Clem. const Apost l. 2. c. 61. Clem. Supr l. 8. const Apost c. 21. concil corth 4. c. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Bishops Preists and Deacons to haue beene in the Church from the Apostles time This holie time assureth vs of all other orders now vsed in the Catholike Church to haue beene also in those dayes in vse and practise Subdeacons Acolythists Exorcists Lectours and Ostiarij with their particular and seuerall offices duties consecration or admittance to those degrees and that no man might be a Bishop Preist or Deacon except he had first receaued those orders nifi prius fuisset lector deinde exorcista postea caperet onus Acolithi vt acciperet onus Subdiaconi deinde ad diaconatus honorem pertingeret By their consecration they were ordeined to assist and minister at the holie sacrifice of Masse a Subdeacon for the holie vessels calice paten cruetts Tribue ei spiritum sanctum vt vasa ad ministrandum tibi Domine Deus facta dignè attrectet An Acolithus to light candels and prepare and minister wine for the sacrifice of masse accipiat ceroserarum cum cereo vt sciat sâ— ad accendenda Ecclesiae luminaria mancipari accipiat vrceolum vacuum ad suggerendum vinum in Eucharistiam sanguinis Christi An exorcist receaued the booke of Exorcismes and power against deuils accipiat de manu Episcopo libellum in quo scripti sunt exorcismi dicente sibi Episcopo accipe commenda memoriae habeto potestatem imponendi manus super energumenos So of Lectour and Ostiarius All thes be wanting in this booke of King Edward and this Protestant Religion and all is wanting in it for which they were ordeined except deuils and possessed persons They may well want both them No true clergie man among Protestants of England and first no Deacon The English Prot. forme of making Bish. pr. and Deac Titul Deacons all Bishops Preists and Deacons also as they do For first their pretended booke of consecration giueth a Deacon onely authoritie to reade the ghospell in their Church for allthough their pretended Bishop layeth his hands one the heade of euerie such parson at his admittance to that office and sayeth vnto him Take thou authoritie to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed vnto thee Yet they presently interpret and limitte this office to be onely confined in reading the ghospell in thes words Take thou authoritie to reade the ghospell in the Church of God And such is their practise extending a Deacons office no further And they obstinatelie denie that he hath power or office to assist either Bishop or Preist in the holy Sacrifice of Christs blessed bodie and blood as that either Preist or Bishop may or can consecrate and offer the same We finde both the doctrine and practise of this first apostolike age to haue beene otherwise and the cheifest office of a Deacon as the very Greeke name it selfe still testifieth to be as Catholiks still vse it to minister vnto and assist thâ— Bishop or Preist in his holy Sacrifice So it is plainely witnessed in the old Masses and Miss S. Petri S. Iacobi S. Marci Clem. Const Apost l. 3. c. 20. l. 8. c 28. Missals ascribed to S. Peter S. Iames S. Marke and others S. Clement from the Apostles saith Diaconus ministret Episcopo Presbyteris oblatione ab Episcopo aut Presbytero facta ipse Diaconus dat populo non tanquam Sacerdos sed tanquam qui ministrat presbyteris And expresselie teacheth that it is the office and function of a Deacon thus to minister vnto Bishops and Preists this onelie or principally Diaconus L. 3. c. 20. sup ministret Episcopo Presbyteris id est agat Diaconum reliqua ne faciat And settinge downe the whole forme and Order of Masse sacrifice vsed and approued by the Apostles Bishops and Preists in his time euen from the beginning thereof vnto the end he bringeth in Deacons to performe their holie ministration and seruinge therein Praying to God to accept that Sacrifice Deaconus pronunciet Clem. supr l. 8. c. 19. Rogamus Deus Prodono oblato Domino
whole Christian worlde in that generally confessed puer and vnspotted time both by Catholiks and Protestants And these men confessing that Christ did not in any other place of scripture giue this sacrificing Preistly power vnto his Apostles the cheife founders of his Church and yet being acknowledged before to be our high Preist according to that Order of Melchisedech and both to offer the Sacrifice thereof and establish it for his perpetuall Preisthood and sacrifice it cannot be said by any but his Apostles were by him ordained sacrificing Preists at that time The words of the power hee then gaue them hoc facite do that which he in that preistly act and office did or had done being spoken by him which had both ample power and intention to giue and continue that preistly order at and in his place and time of Sacrifice and now no longer to continue with his disciples be as significant of that power as the words of consecrating true Preists by true and lawfull Bishops euer vsed in the Church of Christ Accipe potestatem offerre Sacrificium Deo Pont. Rom. in ordinat Presbyteri missasque celebrare tam pro viuis quà m pro defunctis Receaue power to offer vpp sacrifice to God celebrate Masse both for the liuing and deade For as I haue proued before both Christ and his Apostles so did and left that preistly power and practise to posteritie for euer to offer Sacrifice both for the liuing and deade And our Protestants themselues haue with publike allowance confessed it was the generall custome of the primatiue Church so to do and such as impugned ordenied it were iustly condemned for so doing And they haue with Regall Is Casaub resp ad Card. peron pag. 51. 52. Middleton papist omast pag. 51. 92. 113. 44. 137. 138. morton appeale l. 3. cap. 13. sect 1. pag. 394. cap. 13. authoritie and direction from King Iames published that it was the Religion of the King and the whole Protestant Church of England Haec est Regis haec est fides Ecclesiae Anglicanae that the fathers of the primatiue Church did acknowledge one sacrifice in Christian Religion that succeeded in place of all the sacrifices in the lawe of Moses And the King with his Protestants agreed with the Catholiks in their opinion de duplici sacrificio expiationis nempe commemorationis siue Religionis Concerning two Kindes of sacrifice the one of expiation for the world the other commemoratiue or of Religion And this Sacrifice is the bodie of Christ in the Eucharist as Catholiks hold Nobis vobiscum de obiecto conuenit De hoc est fide firma tenemus quod sit Praesentiam credimus praesentiam inquam credimus nec minus quà m vos veram Therefore to giue Preists power to offer this sacrifice there must needs be some consecratorie words or forme to bestowe it vpon them which if we recurre to scripture as thes men must do we can finde nothing there but those words of hoc facite in meam commemorationem spoken at the sacrifice time and place by Christ to those he then ordeined sacrificing Preists And this is most plainely confessed by thes our English Protestants with common and publike warrant both confessing that the order of the preisthood in the lawe of Christ was to offer sacrifice this sacrifice was the bodie and blood of Christ he made his Apostles such Preists at his last supper when he saide those words vnto them Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Marc. Anton. lib. 2. cap. 1. num 3. Do this is my commemoration Ordinis potestatem intelligo ad conficiendam Eucharistiam sacrificij in cruce per Iesum Christum peracti memoriam celebrandam ad quod Sacerdotium quoddam est necessarium Ad hoc Sacerdotium promoti sunt Apostoli à Christo Domino in vltima caena quando eis dixit Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Quando Christus Eucharistiae conficiendae Apostolis dabat potestatem dixit eis Hoc facite in meam commemorationem cap. 3. pag. 193. nimirum id quod me videtis nunc facere vos facite Hoc est sumite panem benedicite frangite porrigite similiter vinum consequenter Apostoli ex ipso facto Christi instructi certè diuina Christi institutione dabant Eucharistiam And they say that Christ in those words gaue power to his Apostles to consecrate or transubstantiate breade into Christs bodie and wine into his blood as he himselfe had done Accepto pane gratias egit fregit dedit cap. 4. pag. â—18 eis diâ—ens HOC EST CORPVS MEVM quod pro vobis datur Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Panis consecrationem in Corpus Christi vini in sanguiâ—em ipse coram Apostolis fecit eandem ipsi quoque vt facerent frangerent darent expressè mandauit Thus haue our Protestants published with their cheife authoritie Which I haue inuincibly proued before And the Apostles themselues best witnesses of their owne consecration to preisthood and how others are to be consecrated thereto so testifie and direct as S. Clement their disciple thus recordeth from their owne words Quare vos quoque Clem. const Apost l. 5. cap. 20. suscitato Domino offerte Sacrificium vestrum de quo vobis praecepit per nos dicens hoc facite in meam commemorationem The like testimonie is from them of themselues l. 8. const Apost cap. 5. and other Preists before offerendo Sacrificium mundum inâ—ruâ—ntum quod per Christum instituisti mysterium noui testamenti So haue others also before And to followe our Protestants Rule in expounding scriptures by comparing places and the new testament to preferre the Greeke Text S. Paule maketh it plaine vnto vs euen in our Protestants proceedings that those words of Christ to his Apostles Do this in commemoration of mee were spoken vnto them onely as Preists then consecrated For in S. Matthew and S. Marke they are not vsed Mat. 26. MaÌ„r 14. Luâ— 22. at all and in S. Luke they are onely at the deliuery of Christs bodie vnder the forme of bread hoc facite in meam commemorationem and not at the calice But S. Paule saith plainely that he had receaued from our Lord and so deliuered vnto others before he wrote it Ego enim accepi à Domino quod 1. Cor. 11. tradidi vobis and so writeth afterward that Christ said those words to this Apostles twice once at deliuering his bodie the other time at the calice yet it is euident before and our Protestants haue so graunted that lay people haue often communicated onely in one Kinde which had neuer beene lawfull if this commaunde and power in both had beene giuen to them therefore it must needs be a power and commaunde onely to Preists at their holie sacrifice who onely in the holie Masse haue euer and in all places both consecrated offered and there receaued in both Kindes
and no others so euer receaued at all times and places nor the Preists themselues as all writers Catholiks and Protestants confesse And this our Article Protestants themselues in their pretended booke and forme of consecration receaued in this Article Prot. forme and Manner of Making Bish. Preists and Deac in praef and other places do thus acknowledge It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and auncient Authours that from the Apostles time there hath beene thes Orders of Ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons which officeâ— were euermore had in such reuerent estimation that no man by his priuate authoritie might presume to execute any of them except he were first called tryed examined and knowne to haue such qualities as were requisite for the same and also by publike prayer with imposition of hands approued and admitted there vnto Where we finde it thus plainely and authoritatiuely with them confessed that Bishops Preists and Deacons were euer in the Church and truely and lawfully ordeined by such forme Order of consecration as was then vsed and thes Preists as they haue confessed in thes their Articles before in thes words vsed the sacrifices of Masses in which it commonly said Proâ— Artic. 31. supr was that the Preists did offer Christ for the quick the dead to haue remission of payne or gilt they are so farre from disallowing or disabling our Catholikly consecrating Massing Preists of the Roman Church whom they make Traytours in England to be truely and duely consecrated Preists that if any of them for feare or any other wordly respects will ioyne with rhem in their new Church seruice or profession he is allowed a minister with them without any further pretended order or admittance and they dignifie their first Catholike ordination so much that as they haue bestowed their greatest Church liuing vpon such so they deduce Francis Mason booke of Consecr Maâ— Parker Print Antiq. Britan. Sutcliff alij Pont. Rom. in ordinat Presbyteri and deriue their owne pretended ordination onely from such men Matthew Parker Iohn Scory and Miles Couerdale as they freely confesse And yet all our Catholike Pontificals or bookes of ordination do plainely proue testifie that our Preists being Deacons before are consecrated Preists by those words of the Bishop Accipe potestatem offerre sacrificium Take power to offer sacrifice to God and celebrate Masses both for the liuing and dead And immediately before he calleth such a parson ordinandum and quem ordinat Episcopus a man to be ordered and to whom the Bishop giueth preistly order and presently after those words nameth him or them that were thus ordered ordinati Sacerdotes Presbiteri ordinati Preists that be ordered And being thus fully ordered before any other ceremonie vsed by Protestants or not they celebrate the rest of the Masse euen consecrating the blessed bodie and blood of Christ with their consecratour Bishop and as consecrated Preists Presbiteri ordinati post Pontificem in terra genuflexi habeant libros coram se dicentes Suscipe Sancte Pater c. omnia aliâ— de missa prout dicit Pontifex qui tamen bene aduerâ—at quòd secretas morosè dicat aliqaantulum altâ— ita vt ordinati Sacerdotes possint secum omnia dicere praesertim verba consâ—crationis quae dici debenâ— eodem momento per ordinatos quo dicuntur per Pontificem And to putte all things out of question in this matter The scripture itselfe is euident witnesse that the Apostles themselues were ordered Preists by those words of Christ vnto them Do this in my commemoration equiualent as I haue proued to the forme now vsed in the Roman Church recited for all writers Catholiks and Protestants agree that all the Apostles S. Thomas and the rest were true and most properly lawfull Preists all our preisthood claimed and deduced from them and that they were all present at his last supper when he said the words do this vnto them Discubuit Luc. 22. Mâ—â— 26. Mâ—rc 14 duodecim Apostoli cum eo Discumbebat cum duodecim discipulis suis Dedit eis dicens HOC EST CORPVS MEVM quod pro vobis datur hoc facite in meam commemorationem But when he said those words to his Apostles receaue the holie ghost whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen and whose sinnes you reteyne they are reteyned From and by which thes our Protestants do clayme or pretend ordination S. Iohn the Euangelist then and there present doth witnes all were not there and namely S. Thomas was absent Thomas vnus ex duodecim non erat cum eis quando venit Iesus And so could not possibly be made Preist then with those words Yet all agree he was a Preist as perfectly and fully as any Apostle Agayne Iudas the Traitour was a Preist present at the consecration in the last supper of Christ and as S. Peter saith connumeratus erat in nobis Actor c. 1. sortitus est sortem ministerij huius Scriptum est in libro psalmorum Episcopatum eius accipiat alter Psal 68. De loco ministerij Apostolatus praeuaricatus est Iudas Which is more then our Protestants pretend for their pretended Preists or ministers Yet he was haÌ„ged deade before Christ spooke the other words and so could not possibly be eyther made Preist or be present then And S. Paule defining a Preist whether of the lawe of Moyses or Christ Hebr. 5. saith euery high Preist or Preist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnis Prontifex is taken forth of men hauing no such power ex hominibus assumptus to offer sacrifice for sinnes Vâ—offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke words and reading which our Prorestants followe are most proper for sacrifice and sacrificing Preists and so both Catholike our Protestant linguists and lexiconaries confesse and translate Masse and Masse Preist Sacrificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à sacrificio sacrificulus Thom. Thomas Scholae cantabrigien dictionar v. v. Sacrificium Sacrificulus alâ—are Morton Apolog. part 2. pag. 82. appeal l. 2. sect 1. cap. 6 pag. 162. sacrificus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Preist à Sacrificer à Masse Preist He setteth downe also the Sacrificing altar of Christians as thes our Protestants also translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altare altar and vnseparable correlatiue to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifice as they confesse and the word proueth And the Apostle doth so appropriate that altare to our Christians at holie Masse and the sacrifice of Christs bodie that it can be applied to nothing els saying none but Christians may eate of the sacrifice offered there vpon Habemus altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deserâ—iunt When neither Iew nor gentile is forbidden to beleeue in Christ our Protestants eating but called and exhorted vnto it by all meanes in holie scriptures And the same Apostle
in minde or admonished to styrre vp that gâ—ace which was in him before as they suppose in theâ— owne words Take the holy Ghost and remember 2. Timoth. 1. that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in thee by impositioâ— of hands for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare buâ— of power and loue and sobernes The very same whicâ— S. Paul absent wrote to S. Timothy longe after he â—ad consecrated him Preist Admâ—neo te vt resusciteâ— gratiaÌ„ Dei quae est in te per impoâ—â—tioneÌ„ manuum mearum non enim dedit nobis Deus spiritum timoris sed virtutâ—s dilectionis sobrâ—etatis So to him in aâ—other place Noli negligere gratiam 1. Timoth. 4. quae in te est quae â—ata est tibi per prophetiâ—m cum impositione manuum pesbyterij And it must needs haue this signification ad reference to grace giuen before by impositioâ— of hands in a precedent consecration for this act â—f imposition of hands being in fieri doing and nâ— acted cannot possibly giue grace in any opiniâ—n â—hough it were in lawfull and true imposition anâ— câ—nsecration vntill it be acted and finished because it is not an acted and perfect act nor grace vntill then And this act still continueth after those words vntill all these for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and loue and sobernes be pronounced And grace is supposed here to be in that party before any mention of imposition of hands And both the Greeke Latine and their owne English word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resuscites stirre vp the grace which is in the proue there is grace before if at all and not then giuen for none of those words in any language haue a giuing signification So it is in the whole sentence both in the Greeke and Latine Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I doe againe put thee in minde to styrre vp the guift of God which is in thee Thus the Greeke Adomoneo te vt resuscites gratiam Dei quae est in te I admonish â—e thee that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in â—hee Thus the Latine Here is no grace giuen at thâ—â— time bâ—t onely a putting in minde and admoâ—â—tion to styrre vp the grace which was beforâ— So in the words translated into English by ouâ— Protestants and heâ—e vsed remember that thou styâ—â— vp the grace of God which is in thee by imposition â—â— hands So theâ—â— words immediatly fâ—llowing for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and loue and sobeâ—nes All speaking of â—race and power giuen before and not at that tiâ—â— And there is no scripture in any language nor adition no Ecclesiasticall writer no Pontificall or booke or Rites that euer appointed thes wâ—rds Take the holy ghost and those immediatly ioâ—ned in this Protestant forme of pretended conseâ—â—ation to be vnited and spoken together in such â—aâ—ner nor those from S. Paule to be vsed eitâ—â—r wiâ—h others or by themselues to be powerable to giue consecration and holie Orders to Bishop Preist or Deacon Neither possiblely can they coÌ„ferre any such grace or power being words neyther of giuing or receauing any thing at all from the speaker at that time The first words Take the holie ghost were not vsed of our Britans neyther are in the old Roman Order Yet our Protestans confesse they both had true Bishops and consecration and yet without them the ceremonie of the booke one the head of the elect And though the Roman Order now Pontif. Rom. in consecrat Electi in Episcopum vseth them yet it declareth that consecration is not so giuen nor a Bishop so consecrated but after them remayneth onely elect without that holie Order as before and so calleth him electus and consecrandus elect and to be consecrated but not consecrated Further thes Protestants haue told vs before both in their pretended booke of consecration and thes Articles that It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and ancient Authours that from the Apostles time there hath beene thes orders of ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons which officers were euermore had in reuerent estimation Men so euidently knowne to be Bishops Preists and Deacons and euermore had in such reuerent estimation must euermore be certayne that they are truely effectually admitted to those callings and dignities otherwise it would not be euident that there be and who be such men-it would be Prot. forme of Order in Preists Prot. Aâ—ticl Articul 19. vncertayne and doubtfull who is a Deacon a Preist or Bishop whether there is any true preaching ministring of Sacraments any Sacraments or Church at all For thes men allowe none to preach and minister Sacraments but such they define Articul the visible Church to be a congregatien of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs ordinance Sacraments be certayne sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good Will toward vs by which he doth worke inuisibly in vs. And yet making but two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord they thus declare and decree Those fyue commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Pennance Orders Matrimonie and Extreame Vnction are not to be compted for Sacraments of the ghospell for that thâ—y haue not any visible signe or ceremonie ordeyned of God Therefore this pretended Protestant forme and manner of consecration as also all their pretended Bishops Preists and Deacons are vaine and voide by their owne confession for in all thes they assigne laying one of hands a knowne and euident signe and ceremonie to be the certificate and assurance of such admittance and grace and power giuen as those Ecclesiasticall Orders require But if God did not ordeine this visible signe or ceremonie to such a purpose to make Episcopall other holie Orders a Sacrament which thes article and all their Religion denie no created or humane authoritie can giue such power and preeminence vnto it to be a signe or ceremonie ordeined of God a certaynâ— and sure witnesse and effectuall signe of grace Which their Article and Religion allowe onely to two Sacraments and in expresse terms vtterly denyeth to all Ecclesiasticall Orders either in Bishop Preist or Deacon Hereby falling into such desperate doubts and proceedings in this case that they are not onely condemned by priuate Catholike writers but publike censures sentences and consistories of the Catholike Church and all auncient and publikly receaued formes Pontificals and Orders of consecrating Bishops Preists and other Orders how old and generall soeuer from the Apostles time But by our owne temporall lawes and publike Iudgments as spirituall also both in in Catholike and Protestant times registred in their owne lawes Records in their owne courts and historians to haue neyther Bishop Preist Deacon or any other true Ecclesiasticall man among
the Queenes letters patents shall be by authority of this Parlament be declared good any matter or thing that may be obiected to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding All persons that haue beene or shall be made Archbishops Bishops Preists ministers after the forme and Order prescribed in the order and forme how Archbishops and should be made by authority hereof be declared and shall be Archbishops Bishops Preists Ministers and rightly made any statute lawe canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding Hitherto this Protestant Parlament and Queene Elizabeth taking vpon them more then omnipotent and diuine power for God himselfe euer omnipotent cannot make that a thing done is not or was not done nor a thing ill done to haue beene well done or not ill done The light of reason the light of grace all Philosophers Christians and others agree non est potentia ad praeteritum there is no power or possibility to make a thing that is past not to be past nor otherwise passed theÌ„ it passed Therefore when it appeareth by so many testimonies before that men called Bishops by our Protestants were neuer truely and lawfully made Bishops and this Protestant parlament it selfe confesseth not onely that diuers questioÌ„s had beene whether it were duely orderly done according to the law or not but declareth their acts and effects done by them as Bishops to be voyde and of none effect or validitie in the lawe It farre surpassed a womans power or her parlament thereby or any power on earth or higher to make and proue by authoritie of this parlament in her 8. yeare such men by authoritie hereof be declared and shall be Archbishops Bishops Preists Ministers and rightly made any statute lawe canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding Producing no other reason but that her highnesse by her supreame power and authoritie hath dispenced with all causes or doubts of any imperfection or disabilitie that can or may in any wise be obiected against the same If Queene Elizabeth and her Protestants would make Episcopall Order and dignity onely an humane inuention she as a temporall greate Prince might haue had place for her dispensation for time to come Though not past in aboue 6. yeares when thousands of such Bishops and ministers were made among them But all Protestants of England King Bishops whosoeuer hauing decreed and deliuered before that it is diuinae ordinationis the ordinance of God an Apostolicall tradition manifest to all the world a canon or constitution of the whole Trinitie enacted for succeeding posteritie it is vtterly vnpossible that any Queens Kings or what dispensation soeuer on earth can or euer could make that which was and is questioned doubtfull imperfect and inualide to be without question doubt perfect and valide either from the beginning any time past or to come hereafter Thus howsoeuer wee examine the making of these Protestant Bishops and ministers by them either by holy scripture witnessing that God placed Bishops in his Church to gouerne it attendite vobis vniuerso gregi in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Act. c. 20. 1. Timoth. 3. 4. Tit. 1. 1. Petr. 5. 2. Timoâ—h 1. Ecclesiam Dei quam acquisiuit sanguine suo And not a woman or child Queene Elizabeth and King Edward the 6. by a new deuised manner or by the Apostolike Fathers of this first age tradition of the Apostles all the old Orders of consecration in Britaine or what place soeuer by all Catholike Fathers or by these Protestants themselues we finde nothing but a desolation and an vndoubted want of all Episcopall and Ecclesiasticall holy orders among them But if we come to the Sacred Bishops of the Catholike and Romane Church the holie preisthood and other Orders we finde by all these testimonies all things in Order subordinate required and necessarie to this highest spirituall dignitie We haue with the Apostles and the Apostolike Can. Apost 43. Clem. const Apost l. 3. c. 11. l. 8. c. 21. c. 22. 28. epist 2. Ignat. epist ad Antioch ad Philadelph Philip. Engl. Protest in Abb. Prot. Archb. of canterb and Franc. Mas Booke of Consecrat l. 5. p. 96. 97. c. 1. p. 207. Fathers of this time S. Clement S. Ignatius and others Subdeacons Acolythists Exorcists Lectours and all We haue founde Deacons ministers to Bishops and Preists in the Sacrifice of Masse we haue founde true massing Sacrificing Preists and Protestants both by writing and practise so confessing as also in these words of them all by generall assent We thinke that no man possibly haue the Order of a Bishop which hath not the right Order of preisthood To the verie being of a Bishop the Order of preisthood is essentially required Thus they exclude themselues from and entitle Catholiks to this greatest Order And plainely confesse the Roman Church not onely to obserue and vse in the consecration of Bishops all things whatsoeuer in any opinion of Catholiks or Protestants essentiall and necessarie but also all ceremonies and ceremonialls therein vsed euer since and before England was conuerted to Christ plainely confessing that their first Protestant Archbishop Abbot and mason consecr in Mat. Park Matthew Parker being the 70. from S. Augustine was the first of all admitted without them and otherwise then they were and their publike continuall practise is so euer since that time The ceremonies of pastorall staffe ringe deliuerie of the booke of Ghospels to the new consecrated Bishop by the Consecratour and his Assistants taken from the sholders of the newly consecrated Miter and gloues we are assured to be ceremoniall onely all and euerie of them performed and done after the new Bishop is declared to be consecrated And yet these were so aunciently vsed by these Protestants that all our Bishops of England were consecrated they being vsed And before S. Augustine S. Asaphus and Capgrauius in vit S. Kentegerni came hither S. Kentegern in the Britans time being consecrated without them going to Rome ipso multoties petente with very often suite and desire the Pope then ministred them vnto him Sanctus Papa quae deerunt consecrationi eius supplens The Order of Consecration by which this S. Kentegern was made Bishop and all the Britans Scots and Irish vsed was more old then the canons of the ceremonies vsed in consecration and their old custome mos in Britannia inoleuerat when S. Kentegern about 1200. yeares past was consecrated was this In consecratione Episcopi tantummodo capita eorum sacri chrismatis infusione perungere cum inuocatione Sancti Spiritus benedictione manus impositione In the consecration of Bishops onely to anoynte their heads with holy Chrisme with inuocation of the holie ghost and benediction and imposition of hands This Order was adiudged by the Popes of Rome to be auayleable And all Protestants graunt the Britans haue true consecration and Bishops Here is neyther the ceremonie of saying take the holie ghost nor
Marc. Protestant consent so proue and deriue it S. Denis Anton. l. 2. de Republ. Eccl. caâ— 2. is so plaine that they plainely thus confesse it Areopagitae Dionysio tributum opusculum vnctionem ponit expressè So they confesse of S. Anacletus made Preist by S. Peter the Apostle addit vnctionem capitis Anacletus quae est antiquissima The words which he vseth deducing his doctrine Anacl ep 2. and practise from the Apostles be these Bishops are to be made by Imposition of hands of Bishops with the ghospels which they are to preach and holie vnction by the example of the Apostles because all sanctification consisteth in the holie ghost whose inuisible power is mixed with holie Chrisme and by this Rite solemne Ordination is to be celebrated Where we finde by this greate Apostolike authoritie that the grace of this Sacrament and power Episcopall is giuen by this Rite And these Protestants as by this they must and Prot. supr in Marc. Anton. are enforced confesse so of the holie fathers following both in the Greeke and Latin Church that they were consecrated Bishops by holie vnction Gregor Nazianc orat 20. de laudib Basil orat 5. ad Basil part Sim. Metaph. in vit Crisost Petr. Chrisolog Ser. de S. Seuero Isidor l. 2. de offic Eccl. c. 25. S. Iuo Ser. de reb Eccl. Steph. Aduen Sacr. alt c. 9. So of S. Basile vnctione sacrâ adhibitâ est ordinatus So of S. Gregorie Naziancen me Pontificem vngis So were S. Iohn Chrisostome and S. Seuerus Of S. Augustine S. Gregorie with others I haue spoken before To which we may ioyne S. Iuo Stephanus Aduensis and other auntient writers and expositours of holie mysteries and all Orders of Consecration By this it is euident how certayne and vndoubted a thing it is That the consecration vsed in the Romane Church is most true holie and honourable both for Order and Iurisdiction euer as is demonstrated before both in this and other nations from the Apostolike Roman see and in the old Orders of consecration the Bishop to be consecrated protesteth obedience to the Popes of Rome And how the case standeth with the Protestants both of England and all others it is as lamentable to know their desolate condition THE XXVII CHAPTER The 37. article intituled of the ciuill Magistrates thus examined and whosoeuer against the Roman Church condemned THeir 37. and next Article is intituled of the ciuill Magistrates And thus followeth The Kings Maiestie hath the cheife power in this Realme of EnglaÌ„d and other his dominions vnto whome the cheife gouernment of all estates of this Realme whether they be Ecclesiasticall or ciuill in all causes doth appertaine and is not nor ought to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction The Bishop of Rome hath no IurisdictioÌ„ in this Realme of England The rest of this article containeth an excuse of ProtestaÌ„ts that they did not giue to their temporall Prince power to preach and minister Sacraments as some interpreted their opinion and other things not questioned betweene Catholiks and English Protestants but betweene these Protestants and some other new sectaries among themselues and be these The lawes of the Realme may punish Christian men with death for heynous and grieuous offences It is lawfull for Christian men at the commaundement of the Magistrate to weare weapons serue in the warrs These positions are graunted and allowed by all Catholiks The first part of this article giuing vnto the King a temporall Gouernour and Ruler cheife gouernment ouer all estates in all causes Ecclesiasticall or ciuill as also their statute and oath of Princes Supremacy in spirituall things fighteth with and contradicted it selfe for thus it addeth we giue not to our Prince the ministring either of Gods word or of the Sacraments the which the Iniunctions also sometime set fourth by Elizabeth our late Queene doe most plainely testifie Therefore seing Kings be not Teachers preachers Doctours Pastours and sheephards in the Church and fould of Christ to giue them some place therein members of it and not to be quite excluded from the name and number of Christians we must needs say they be of them which be taught preached vnto instructed sheepe and subiects fedde ruled and gouerned by them which haue authority and spirituall power in such things And these our Protestants haue accordingly this defined the Church before in these their articles The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached Protest art 19. sup and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs ordinance They to whome the word is preached and Sacraments be ministred and neither haue power to preach nor minister Sacraments which this Article confesseth of their Protestant Kings and temporall Rulers cannot possibly in the respect be cheife Gouernours of theÌ„ to whome God himselfe hath power and preeminence The holy Scriptures do in many places commaund obedience both to temporall spirituall Rulers but obedieÌ„ce in matters of Religion in feeding and ruling soules the flocke of Christ gouerning his Church and such spirituall emnencies is onely appropriated in theÌ„ to spirituall gouernours Qui benè praesunt Presbyteri duplici honore digni sunt Pascite qui in vobis est gregem 1. Tim. 5. 1. Petr. 5. Ioh. 21. Act. 20. Hebr. 13. Dei pasce agnos meos Pasce oues meas Attendite vobis vniuer so gregi in quo vos Spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei quam acquisiuit sanguine suo Mementote praepositorum vestrorum qui vobis locuti sunt verbuÌ„ Dei. Obedite praepositis vestris subiacete Ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Where we see neither king nor Prince if he will belonge to the Church of Christ haue his soule purchased with his blood a care had of it and accompt made for it can be free from this obedience much lesse can he clayme it for himselfe from them to whom it so infallibly belongeth by the highest authority The Apostolike men of this first age haue testified this at large before in the examination Ignat. epist and Anâ—ioch Ep. ad Smyrn Epist ad Philadelph Magnesian Trallian of the last precedent article S. Ignatius hath taught vs a Bishop is aboue all principality and power Episcopus omni Principatu potestate superior est No man is more honorable then the Bishop Nemo Episcopo honorabilior Preists and Deacons all the clergy together with the people and Souldiars and Princes and the Emperour also must obey the Bishop Cum populo militibus at que Principibus sed Caesare obediant Episcopo Be subiect to the Bishop euen as to our Lord for he watcheth for your soules and is to make accompt for them Therefore it is needfull that you doe nothing without the Bishop No man may doe any thing that belongeth to the Church without the Bishop Sine