able to destroâ—e all Obedience Religion and dutie eyther to God or man for the first defining to those of their Religion and declaring that The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faitâ—full men in the wâ—ich the pure worde of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same And making the Patriarchall Churches of IerusaleÌ„ Alexandria Antioche and Rome the chiefest commaunding Churches by which all others must be ruled and gouerned and yet it is concluded of them all that they Hauâ— erred in matters of faith They take all true faith and Religion which of all things must be most certaine out of the world For no man will or can be of a Religion which is assuredly vntrue nor worship him for God which will so deceâ—â—e vs. And to no purpose to finde truthe but to confirme Infidelitie it is said in the 20. Article The Church hath power and authoritie in Controuersies of faith the Church is a witnesse and keeper of holy writ For if the highest Iudge witnesse and keeper of holy writ and hauing authoritie in Controuersies of faith being to be obeyed of all may thus erre all men should thereby be bound to such error and eternally to be damned No man would be a Christian with such condition No man is likely so to be a true subiect for the certaintie of Religion which causeth certaintie of obedience and dutie to Princes being takeÌ„ away the other will faile 4. This they confirme in their 21. Article Of the authoritie of generall Councels making them though they represent the whole and vniuerâ—all Church to haue no more power or certainetie And if we should followe the Parâ—aments of our Countrie much vnequall to â—he whole Churches Iudgment we should â—inde that they haue often and most inexcuâ—ably erred by their owne Iudgements and confessions And So the Conclusion may be â—uch as Athests and prophaine contemners of Religion and all dutie to God Princes and â—thers in authoritie vse aÌ„d practise Their 22. Article intituled Of Purgatorie denying the â—octrine of the Roman Church concerning â—urgatorie Pardons Images Relicks and â—nuocation of Saints must needs occasiâ—n â—ore neglect of good life and dutie then the Catholike doctrine For first the deniall of Purgatorie and punishment for sinne there after death if it be ioyned with the Protestant doctrine before of sinnes forgiuen by faith and ministeriall absolution from all guilt or paine thereby denying any teÌ„porall paine to be inflicted for or due for sinne ouerthroweth all penalties penance or punishment any Consistorie ciuill or Ecclesiasticall should inflict for any offence For where none is due or to be done in iustice it may not be inflicted And this is more theÌ„ any Pardons or IndulgeÌ„ce the Pope himselfe doth giue or may vse euery pretended beleeuer or Minister taketh more authoritie vpon him herein No vse of holy Images or Reliks vsed by Catholikes can be offensiue in any CoÌ„mon-wealth but it rather teacheth honour and dutie which the Protestant opinioÌ„ doth not He that will haue or vse respect doe honour or reuereÌ„ce to the representing signe or part of any will rather doe it to him they represent then he that denieth it And for honour to Saints he that will not honour them in heaueÌ„ and glorie will sooner be vnmindefull of their dutie to persons which are to be honoured on earth with terreane honour then he that honoureth and praieth vnto Saints in glorie 5. The next Articles 23. and 24. haue litle belonging to this purpose Their 25. Article of Sacraments saying they be Certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by which he dotâ— worke inuisibly in vs. Of seauen Sacraments they onely retaine two and the first of theÌ„ is Baptisme which they minister to infants They leaue here the whole life of man and all states without grace for their callings They barre the married froÌ„ the grace of wedlock or matrimonie Ecclesiasticall persons from all grace in Orders all that liue from the grace of Confirmation offendors from grace by penance Those that are sicke from the grace of Extreame vnction And for the Lords supper as they terme their Communion holding that it doth condemne and hurt those that be in sinne and neuer ministring vnto any but such as be of yeares subiect to many sinnes not taking theÌ„ away by any other Sacrament or meanes this cannot giue grace but rather damnation to the receiuers being in their owne Iudgment vnworthie Receiuers and receiuing to their damnation as they thus declare in their 29. Article The wicked allthough they doe carnally and visibly presse with their teeth the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation doe eate and drinke the signe or Sacrament of so great a thing When Catholikes doe not communicate but after their sinnes be forgiuen in the Sacrament of Penance Confession and absolution of all sinnes So that by this Article Protestants haue no meanes to take away any but Originall sinne in Inâ—anâ—s none for any actuall sinne but without all grace are left alone to all vndutifulnesse disobedience and other sinnes from which Catholikes are by grace giuen in Sacraments preserued and made free and abled to performe their dutie to God and their Princes 6. The 26. Article hath nothing belonging to this question neither the 27. Article following of Baptisme hath any thing needing examine in this matter Their 28. of the Supper of the Lord denying Transsubstantiation and the Reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist and consequently the reuerence and honour due therevnto will not breede more honour to Princes on earth they not hauing more title theÌ„ Christ and by him of honour And they hauing before declared that the Sacraments be effectuall signes of grace and here giuing all prerogatiue to Imagined faith saying The meane whereby the bodie of Christ is receiued and eaten in the supper is faith they attribute nothing to any signe or Sacramentall thing and that Imaginatiue faith is a false faith For except as Catholiks hold Christ be truely present there by the omnipotent promise word and worke of God it is vnpossible faith should be a meane to receiue Christs bodie there True faith is onely of true and not of false things And so againe these men leaue to themselues no Sacrament to giue them grace in all their course of life after Baptisme when they are infants and so must needs be disabled to serue God or their Prince as they should and all men are bound to doe 7. The 29. Article confirmeth this as I haue deliuered before And their 30. Article of both kindes by their doctrine attributing all to their Imagined confuted false faith confirmeth it also And their assertion there That the Cupe by Christs commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian men Is
prooue that the ghospell which was preached â— Britanie in the first times of the Apostles was not â—ely allwaies firmely retained but in euery age augâ—ented and dilated did increased Many of the Chriâ—an Britans fearing the crueltie of Dioclesian fleed â— the Scots among whome very many renowned for â—arning and Integritie of life remained still in Sotâ—d and liued a solitarie life in so great opinion of â—ctitie with all men that after their deaths theiâ—â—lls were chaunged into Câ—urches And therevpon it â—ained a custome to posterity that the old Scots calâ— Churches Cells This kind of Moncks men called â—ldeys worshippers of God The later Kinde of â—onckes was in learning and holinesse so farre â—eriour vnto them how much in riches ceremonies and other externall manner of Rites they exceeded thâ— Theater of great Britanie l. 6. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotiear l. 4. Reg. 35. l. 5. Reg. 49. Reg 65. VVhen Augustine was sent by Gregorie the Britanâ— were instructed by Moncks which that age had learned and Godly Many scotish Moncks for loue â— Godlinesse trauatled into France and Germanie anâ— preached the Christian doctrine about Rhene anâ— builded Monasteries in many places For there were yâ— among the Scots many Moncks of the old disciplinâ— And the Germans gaue that memoriâ—â—nto them thâ— euen to our age of ProtestaÌ„ts they made Scots Rulers â— them Apud Scotos enim adhuc mults erant Monacâ— vetere Dâ—sciplinâ— nondum extinctâ literis pietâ—â— insignes Manâ— worthy Monâ—ks both for the â—â— Discipline not yet extinguished learning and pieâ—iâ— were yeâ— among the Scots Iohn Capgraue of thâ— Order of Eremites very learned in ProtestaÌ„â— â—apgrau in vit S. Brâ—ndani Iudgment liuing vntill the yeare 1464. â— witnesse that the auntient Rule of the MoÌ„ckâ— written by S. Brendan remained vntill hâ— time Brendanus scripsit ex ore Angeli sanctam Râ—gulam quae vsque hodie mâ—neâ— Brendanus wrote froâ— the mouth of an Angell that holy Rule which to thâ— day continueth And no doubt but that his holy Order and that of our Carmelites as alsâ— our Carthusians most renowned here haâ— discent from thence 18. Their Religion was by the Protestant the true Apostolike Religion and yet theâ— agreed in all essentiall things with those thâ— came from Rome with Saint Augustine whâ— brought hither the same Religion as beforâ— is related which our Catholicks now proâ—esse and our Anceâ—â—ours Saxons receiued â—om them And the chiefest among them in â—ll part whatsoeuer agreed with the Church â—f Rome and had their Apostolike power â—nd allowance thence So S. Kentegern that S. Asâ—pâ— in vâ—â— S. Kenteger Capgrau in â—od â—ent seuen times to Rome and was approued â—ere and at his death gaue seuere charge to â—is Disciples in numbeâ— 9â—5 fiâ—mely to obâ—rue and keepe the Dâ—crees and Ordinances â—f the holy Roman Church Conuocatis Disciâ—lis fuis de obseruatione sanctae Religionis mutuae chaâ—atis pacis hospitalâ—â—atis 〈◊〉 lectionis ac oratioâ—s instantia hortabaâ—ureos De Sanctorum Patrum â—ecretis sanctaeque Romanae Eâ—clâ—siae instâ—tâ—tis firâ—ter custoâ—tendis fortia de it ac dereliquit pracepta â—lling togeather his Dâ—sciples he exborted them to â—e objeruanâ—e of holy Religion mutuall Charitie â—ace hospitalitie and of exact diligence in reading â—d prayer For the constant keeping of the Decrees â— the holy Fathers and the Institutes of the holy Vit. S. Aâ—â—ph Balâ—â—ntis in Asâ—pho Godwin catal in Asaph veremund hist Hector Boeth Scotor hist l. 9. Holinsh hist. of â—cotl â—oman Church he gaue and left forcible precepts â—int Asaph Bishop a Britane Ruler of so â—any Apostolike men here in Britanie in all â—ings agreed with Rome and had Approâ—tion and power thence So S. Molochus â—ost renowned ioyning in all things with â—e Roman Legate â—ainâ— Bonifacius Qâ—iriâ—s and those that came with him Therefore â— cannot be questioned but our Saxon Anâ—stours then receiuâ—d the ame faith and Reâ—gion we Catholike now professe and so â—ffer for profession thereof which will be in euery particular most manifest in that whicâ— now shall followe concerning Articles iâ— Protestant Religion and euery of them thâ— is against Catholike Religion THE IIII. CHAPTER The Religion of the Apostles of our prâ—matiue Christian Britans of the firâ— ChristiaÌ„ Saxons and of our now peâ—secuted Catholiks prooued to be oâ— and the same in euery Article agaiâ— Protestants and Persecutours 1. It is proued before and confessed â— all both Catholiâ—ks and Protestantâ— that the difference betweene Saint Augustiâ— and our Britans was of thinges Ceremoniâ— and whereas our Protestants finde much faâ— Girald Câ—mbren descript Camb cap. 18. Dauid Powell annotâ—t in eund at our Ceremonies which it pleaseth them â— teâ—me Popish Giraldus Cambrensis the leâ—ned British Bishop and writer setteth thâ— downe which the Britans kept otherwâ— then the RomaÌ„s which are more Popish aâ— Papisticall by Protestants Iudgment tâ— the Romans were It is strange among â— best Authors how the Britans should diffeâ— â—l obseruation of Easter or any thing else â—om Rome but by the Iniurie of the trouâ—â—s here by warrs hindering entercourse thiâ—er and from thece for froÌ„ the beginning as â—eâ—ore and in euery age we had our chiefe â—ling Bishops and Priests from thence in â—e first from S. Peter in the second age â—om Saint Eleutherius in the third froÌ„ Pope â—ctor in the fourth by Saint Ninian and â—hers comming and sent from thence in the â—t from S. Celestine by S. Palladius Saint â—ermanus Lupus Patrick Seuerus and â—hers in the sixt by S. Kentegerne S. Aâ—h S. Iuo S. Lethard and others before Augustine And to make a briefe mention euery Article in particular now controâ—sed with these ProtestaÌ„ts as they are conâ—ned in their booke of Articles These our â—tient Britans and Scots retaining their â— Apostolike doctrine as these man said â—eed in euery Article with the present Caâ—liks and in them all dissented from Proâ—ants â— They had the Scripturs from the Roâ— Eleutheâ— Pap. epist ad Lucium Reg. Brit. Gild. l. de excid conquest Britan. Church those which Catholikes hold â— for Scripturs so Eleutherius himselfe â—ildas and others proue That they did â— hold all needfull thinges to be contained â—criptures but some by Traditions their â—ifold Traditions in many matters of moâ—t by Protestant confession is a manifest â—ument and will appeare in many Articles following And this is euident in theâ— Gild. supr Hist Brit. antiq manuscript confessed Sacâ—ifice of Masse and sacrificiâ— Priesthood being to offer Sacrifice for thâ— liuing and dead as Protestants confesse anâ— that in all Masses there is the doctrine aâ— practice of Transsubstantiation and Reâ— presence the doctrine and practise of Puâ—gatorie and praier for the dead of prayiâ— vnto Saincts and their protection of diueâ— orders ecclesiasticall which Protestants haâ— not the doctrine of merits and good deeâ— deniall of Iustification by faith onely aâ— almost all doctrines which Catholikes hoâ— and ProtestaÌ„ts denie to
knowne want thereof or â—rosse Ignorance in Antiquities and Eccleâ—asticall Veremun â—â— hist Boâ—th Scotor histor in Maximo Holinsh. histor of Scotl. Io. Bal. l. de Scripto rib centur 2. in Coil Sedul Sigeâ—ert 〈◊〉 ibid. affaires haue blinded them with this â—arknesse because long before that time in â—he daies of DioclesiaÌ„ Scotland had Bishops â—nd Saint Amphibolus was Bishop in the I le â—f Man In the time of Maximus Scotland had â—iuerâ— Bishop bannished by him And Hildeâ—ertus and Coilus Sedulius Scots by Naâ—on and renowned Bishops are honoured in â—stories before Saint Palladius came thiâ—er as both these Protestants and sarre â—etter Antiquaries deliuer for vndoubted â—uthes 2. But if we should not onely as we must â—teeme Priests inferiours to Bishops but which we may not nor cannot eâ—eÌ„ to themâ—lues and make them but Deacons yet â—oth diuine and best human authoritie asâ—reth vs that by that calling they are to be â—onoured and not dishonorably persecuâ—d The holy Scripture honoureth theÌ„ with â— much true consecration as our Protestants â—estowe vpon their pretended Bishops publike and solemne prayer and imposition of the Apostles the chiefest Bishops hands Orantes imposuerunt eis manus Praying they imposed Act. â— hands vpon them And declareth them Virâ—â— boni testimonij plenos spiritu sancto Men of good testimonie full of the holy Ghost The Apostolike Fathers commaund all laie persons to bâ— subiect vnto and reuerence them Saint Ignatius 〈◊〉 Epist ad Smyrnensis Epist. ad â—phesios saieth Diaconos reuereamini vt ex Dei praecepto ministrantes Honour yea the Deacons as ministrinâ— by the precept of God And Enitimini charissimi subiecti esse Episcopo Presbyteris Diaconis Qâ— enim his obedit ob die Christo My dearest doe yoâ— best to be subiect to the Bishop and Priests and Deacons for he that obeyeth these obeyeth Christ Anâ— other where Oporter Diaconis mysterioruÌ„ Chrâ—sti â—pist ad Tâ—allian ministris per omnia placere Sunt Ecclesiae Dei admâ—nistratores Ipsi itaque tales sunt vos reueremiâ— illos vt Christum Iesum cuius vicarij sunt Quâ— Diaconi quam Imitatores angelicarum virtuâ—um qâ—â— puâ—um inâ—ulpatum ministerium illi Episcopo exhibent vt Sanctus Stephanus Beato Iacobo Tâ— motheus Linus Paulo Anacletus Clemens Pâ—tro Qui igitur his non obedit sine Deo prorsus â—â—mpurus est Christian contemnit constitutionâ—â— eius imâ—inuit And it is expedient to please Deacon the ministers of the mysteries of Christ in all things They are the Administratours of the Church of Goâ— And tâ—ey are such and you should reuereÌ„ce theÌ„ as Iesâ— Christ whose Vicars they are What are Deacons bâ— the followers of Angelicall vertues who presenteth tâ—â—â—e Bishop a pure and perfect mysterie as S. Secuâ— did to Saint Iames Timothie and Linus to Paule Anacletus and Clement to Peter whosoeuer therfore obeyeth not these is altogether without God and impure and doth contemne Christ and doth distroy his Constitution Saint Polycarp saieth subiecti estote S. Policaâ— epist. ad Philip. Presbyteris Diaconis sicut Deo Câ—risto Be yea subiect vnto the Priests and Deacons as to God and Christ Our Protestants themselues in their publike booke named The forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deaâ—ons Saie that from the Apostles time they haue â—ene in Christs Church euermore had in reuerent estimation Therefore if the Deacons and Ministers to Priests in the holy Sacrifice of Masse their highest dignitie are thus by all testimonies to be reuerenced honoured and obeyed then the sacred Sacrificing Priests to whom they thus minister and serue may not be dishonoured much lesse persecuted with most barbarous and vnchristian contumeâ—ies disgraces and deaths for that their so eminent Order and dignitie 3. The holy Sripturs testifie that in their Consecration they receiue grace the holy Ghost power to bind and loose to retaine â—nd forgiue sinnes to offer Sacrifice to God â—nd to doe what Christ himselfe did in that â—ind So the holy Fathers expound these Scripturs and teach from thâ—m and our most â—untient renowned British writer thus affirmeth Gâ—laâ—◠〈◊〉 â—xâ—id câ—xq 〈◊〉 Omni sancto Sacerdoti promittitur Quaecunque â—oluer is super terram â—runt soluta in â—oelis quaecunque liganeris super terram erunt ligata in câ—â—â— Verò Sacerdoti dicitur tu â—s Petrus super hane 〈…〉 16 petram aedisicaho Ecclesiam meam It iâ— promised to euery holy Priest Whatsoeuer thou â—haâ—t loose in earth it shall be loosed also in the heauens and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall he bound also in the heauens To a true Priest it is saied thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church The Scripture saith to and concerning such pascite qui in vobis est gregem Dei Feede the flocke of God 〈…〉 â— which is among you Qui benè praesunt Praesbyteri displici honore digni habeantur maximè qui laborant iâ— verâ—o doctrinà The Priests that rule well let them be esteemed worthie of double honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine The Apostles Successours giue them as much Presbyteriâ— Saieth Saint Câ—ement si assiduè in studio docendiâ— verbum Dei laborauerint seponatur dupla etiam Clem. Const Apost lib. 2. c. â— periâ—o in gratiam Apostolorum Christi quorum locum tenent â—â—nquam Consilarij Episcopi Ecclesiae coronâ—â—unt enim Cousilia Senatus Ecclesiae Si de parentiâ—us secundum carnem ait diuina Scriptura Honorâ— patrem matrem vt benè tibi sit Eâ— qui malediciâ— c. 35. patriaut matri morte mortatur quanto magis de patribus spiritualibus verbis Dei moneamur honore charitate eos prosequi vt beneficos ad DeuÌ„ Legatos â— 3â— Quanto anima corpore praestanâ—â—or est tanto est Sacerâ—â—tium regno excellentius Let there be a double portiâ— reserued for the Priests in honour of the Apostles of Christ which shall haue labored in teaching of the word of God diligently Whose places they enioye as Counsellours of the Bishop and the Crownâ— of the Church They are the Councell and Senat of the Church If the holy Scripture saieth of carnall parents honour thy father and thy mother that it may be well with thee And whosoeuer doth curse his father or his mother shall die how much more shall we be admonished by the words of God of our Spirituall fathers to respect â—hem with honour and charitie as beneficiall to vs and Legates to God How much more noble the soule is then the bodie so much more excellent is Priesthood before a Kingdome And Saint Ignatius addeth Ignatius epist. ad Smyâ—â—â— Sacerdotium est omnium bonorum quae in hominibus sunt apex qui aduersus illud furit non hominem ignâ—miniâ afficit sed Deum Christum Iesum