of Prohibited Books with the Rules made by the Fathers of the Tridentine Synod approved by the Authority of Pius IV. Anno 1564. Seeing it is manifest by experience if the Holy Bible be permitted to be read every where without difference in the Vulgar Tongue that more prejudice than benefit doth redound from thence through the rashness of men let it therefore be at the pleasure of the Bishop or Inquisitor that with the advice of the Parish-Priest or Confessor they may grant the reading of the Bible translated by Catholick Authors to such as they shall understand will by such reading receive no prejudice but an increase of Faith and Piety which License let them have in writing But whosoever shall without such License presume to read or have such Bibles he may not have the Absolution of his Sins before he has returned them to the Ordinary The same Index being enlarged by Sixtus V. and reviewed and published by order of Clement VIII Anno 1595. there is added the following Observation about the foresaid Rule It is to be considered about the above written fourth Rule of Pope Pius IV. that there is no new power given by this Impression and Edition to the Bishops or Inquisitors or Superiors of Regulars of granting a License to buy read or keep the Bible published in the Vulgar Tongue seeing the power of granting such Licenses of reading or keeping Vulgar Bibles or any parts of them hath been taken away by the command and use of the Holy Roman Church and the whole Inquisition as also all Summaries and Historical Compendiums of the said Bibles and Books of Holy Scripture written in any Vulgar Tongue which truly is inviolable to be observed So that the power of granting such Licenses and the Liberty of reading the Scripture in the Vulgar Tongue is wholly taken away and accordingly we are told it is so ordered by the General Inquisition of Spain From all which we may observe The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome 1. Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation 1. All saving Truth is in Books written and Traditions unwritten 2. Whatsoever is not read in Scripture nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man to be believed as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation 2. The Church doth receive and regard unwritten Traditions with the like Piety Reverence as the Books of the Old and New Testament And if any one shal knowingly contemn those Traditions he is accursed 3. In the name of the Holy Scripture is understood those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament of whose Authority was never any doubt in the Church And the other the Apochrypha the Church doth not apply to establish any Doctrine 3. The Books of Scripture are the five Books of Moses c. Tobias Judith Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Baruch the two Books of Maccabees c. And if any one shall not receive these whole Books with all their parts for Canonical he is accursed 4. The Scripture were intended for and are to be read by all 4. The Scriptures ought not to be read by the Vulgar 5. The Scriptures are useful for all 5. If the Bible is permitted to be read by all more prejudice than benefit doth arise from it 6. The Church is a Witness and Keeper of Holy Writ 6. It belongs to the Mother Church of Rome to judg of the Sense and Interpretation of Scripture The 7 th Article of the Church of England Of the Old Testament The Old Testament is not contrary to the New for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ who is the only Mediator between God and Man being both God and Man. The Council of Trent The Saints reigning with Christ do offer Prayers to God for Men and it is good and profitable to invoke them The most Holy Mother of God by her Intercession doth reconcile God to Sinners She is the Mother of Mercy and Advocatress of the Faithful The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome Christ is the only Mediator between God and Man. The Virgin Mary and Saints are Mediators in Heaven See more Article 22. The 9 th Article of the Church of England Of Original or Birth Sin. Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainly talk but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every Man that naturally is ingendred of the Off-spring of Adam c. The Church of Rome The Council of Basil. We do define and declare c. the Doctrine that declares the glorious Virgin Mary to have been always free from Original and Actual Sin Holy and Immaculate is to be approved retained and embraced by all Catholicks as pious and consonant to Ecclesiastical Worship the Catholick Faith Right Reason and Holy Scripture and that for the future it shall be lawful for none to Preach or Teach the contrary The Council of Trent This Holy Synod doth declare That it is not its Intention to comprehend in this Decree concerning Original sin the blessed and Immaculate Virgin Mary the Mother of God but that the Constitutions of Pope Xystus IV. of happy memory are to be observed under the Penalties therein contained which it doth inforce Of the Sense of these two Councils in this matter see Joh. Baptistae de Lezana Apol. pro immacul Concept cap. 13. The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome Original Sin is the fault and corruption of the nature of every person naturally ingendred of the Off-spring of Adam So that none is excepted but our B. Saviour The Virgin Mary was free from Original and Actual Sin. The 11 th Article of the Church of England Of the Justification of Man. We are accounted Righteous before God only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works and deservings Wherefore that we are justified by Faith only is a most wholesome Doctrine and very full of comfort as is more largely express'd in the homily of Justification The first part of the Homily of Salvation Because all Men be Sinners and therefore can no Man by his own Acts Words and Deeds seem they never so good be justified and made righteous before God but every Man is constrained to seek for another Righteousness or Justification to be received at Gods own Hands that is to say the forgiveness of his Sins And this Justification or Righteousness the forgiveness of our Sins which we so receive of Gods Mercy and Christs Merits embraced by Faith is taken accepted and allowed of God for our perfect and full Justification Faith doth not shut out Repentance Hope Love Dread and the Fear of God to be joyned with Faith in every Man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying that is meritously as
of the Church of Rome be the Doctrine of the Church of England Such are most if not all of these following Articles viz. Art. 6. of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation Art. 9. of Original Sin Art. 11. of the Justification of Man Art. 13. of works before Justification Art. 14. of works of Supererogation Art. 15. of Christ alone without Sin Art. 19. of the Church Art. 20. of the Authority of the Church Art. 21. of the Authority of General Councils Art. 22. of Purgatory Art. 24. of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the People understandeth Art. 25. of the Sacraments Art. 28. of the Lords Supper Art. 29. of the wicked which eat not the Body of Christ Art. 30. of both Kinds Art. 31. of the Oblation of Christ upon the Cross Art. 32. of the Marriage of Priests Art. 34. of the Tradition of the Church Art. 35. of the Homilies Art. 36. of the Consecration of Bishops and Ministers Art. 37. of the Civil Magistrates These besides several others which our Articles do not expresly mention but are commonly the received Principles of our Church are the Inconcileable Points and which all the Wit and Charity in the World can no more thoroughly reconcile than Light and Darkness How far this is true and demonstrated to be so in the following Sheets I shall leave to the Consideration of every intelligent Reader In which I have proceeded with care and impartiality from Point to Point laying down first the Doctrine of each Church from unquestionable Authorities for my own Justification and then for the ease of the Reader I have summ'd it up and set each in Opposition to the other From all which I doubt not but whatever Friendship may be maintained betwixt the Members of both Churches as we are Fellow-Subjects yet it will be evident that there is no possibility of Agreement between them in Matters of Religion or of making One Church of what are so manifestly Two. It 's upon the last sort I am now to proceed and the first of which in order is the sixth Article of the Church of England The Difference between the Church of England and Rome The Sixth Article of the Church of England Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scripture for Salvation Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament of whole Authority was never any doubt in the Church The Names and Number of the Canonical Books Genesis c. And the other Books as Hierom saith the Church doth read for example of Life and instruction of Manners but yet doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine Such are these following The third Book of Esdras The fourth Book of Esdras The Book of Tobias The Book of Judith The rest of Hester And the fourteen Books commonly called Apocrypha All the Books of the New Testament as they are commonly received we do receive and account them Canonical The Twentieth Article of the Church of England Of the Authority of the Church Although the Church be a Witness and a keeper of Holy Writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation Homily the first Or an Exhortation to the Reading and Knowledg of Holy Scripture There is in the Scripture whatsoever is meet for all ages and sorts of men These Books ought therefore to be much in our hands in our Eyes in our Ears in our Mouths but most of all in our Hearts Homily second Or an Exhortation c. Surely none be Enemies to the reading of God's Word but such as either be so ignorant that they know not how wholesome a thing it is or else be so Sick that they hate the most comfortable Medicine should heal them or so ungodly that they would wish the People still to continue in blindness and ignorance of God. The Church of Rome The Council of Trent The holy and general Synod of Trent considering that all saving Truth and Instruction of manners is contained in Books written and Traditions not written which received from the mouth of Christ himself by the Apostles or from the Apostles the Holy Spirit dictating delivering as it were from hand to hand have come even to us following the examples of the Orthodox Fathers doth receive and regard with the like Affection of Piety and Reverence all the Books of the Old and New Testament as also those unwritten Traditions pertaining to Faith and Manners dictated by Christ as it were by word of mouth or by the Holy Ghost and preserved by a continual Succession in the Catholick Church and hath thought fit to add the Index of the Sacred Books to this Decree lest it should be doubted which they are that are received by the sacred Synod They are these following The five Books of Moses Joshua Judges Ruth four Books of Kings two of Chronicles one of Esdras two of Esdras called Nehemias Tobias Judith Hesther Job the Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Isaias Jeremias with Baruch Ezekiel Daniel the twelve lesser Prophets the two Books of Maccabees The New Testament viz. the four Evangelists c. And if any one shall not receive those whole Books with all their Parts for Sacred and Canonical according as they are wont to be read in the Catholick Church and are contained in the ancient Vulgar Latin Edition or shall knowingly and wittingly contemn the foresaid Traditions let him be accursed So that the Church of Rome hath added to the Canon of Scripture truly and properly so called six whole Books viz. Tobit Ecclesiasticus Wisdom Judith the first and second of the Maccabees together with certain other pieces of Baruch Esther and Daniel Mystical Benedictions Lights Incensings Garments and many other such like things are of Apostolical Discipline and Tradition The Ceremonies used in Baptism were without controversie instituted by the Apostles such as Salt Spittle Exorcisms Wax-candles Catechism Par. 2. cap. 2. § 59 60 65 c. See below Articles 19th and 34th of the Church of England Furthermore for the restraining all wanton Wits the Synod doth decree that no one depending on his own Wisdom in matters of Faith and Manners belonging to the Edification of Christian Doctrine wresting the Scriptures to his own sense dare to interpret the Holy Scripture contrary to the sense which Holy Mother Church hath held and doth hold to whom it belongs to judg of the sense and Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures or against the Unanimous consent of the Fathers altho such Iterpretations should never be published The Index
Bishops c. are none In the Church of England there are no Bishops no Pastors and so their's is no true Church The Ministers of the Church of England are no Priests because they want an essential part which is to offer Sacrifice c. Of this Mind were Harding Stapleton Sanders Bristow Champney c. formerly See Mason's Vindiciae Eccles. Angl. The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome 1. Besides Bishops there are but two Orders viz. Priests and Deacons 1. Besides Bishops and the four lesser Orders there were always three viz. Priests Deacons and Subdeacons 2. Arch-Bishops Bishops Priests and Deacons are rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered in the Church of England 2. Such Bishops and Priests as are consecrated and ordered in the Church of England are no Bishops nor Priests The 37. Article of the Church of England Of the Civil Magistrates The Queen's Majesty hath the chief power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all Causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any forreign Jurisdiction The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England The 3d part Of the Sermon of Obedience The usurped Power of the Bishop of Rome which he most wrongfully challengeth as the Successor of St. Peter is false feigned and forged The Bishop of Rome teacheth That they that are under him are free from all Burdens and Charges of the Common-wealth and Obedience toward their Prince most clearly against Christ's Doctrine and St. Peter's He ought therefore rather to be called Antichrist and the Successor of the Scribes and Pharisees than Christ's Vicar or St. Peter's Successor St. Peter doth not say Submit your selves unto me as the Supream Head of the Church neither saith he submit your selves from time to time to my Successors in Rome but saith he submit your selves to the King the Supreme Head. The 2d part of the Sermon of Obedience Wicked Rulers have their Power and Authority from God and therefore it s not lawful for their Subjects to withstand them although they abuse their Power The necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christen Man set forth by Hen. 8. and compiled by Cranmer c. Subjects be bound not to withdrawn their Fealty Truth Love and Obedience towards their Prince for any cause whatsoever it be ne for any cause they may conspire against his Person ne do any thing towards the hinderance or hurt thereof nor of his Estate 3d Part of the Sermon against wilful Rebellion The speedy overthrow of all Rebels of what Number State or Condition soever they were or what Colour or Cause soever they pretended is and ever hath been such that God thereby doth shew that he alloweth neither the Dignity of any Person nor the Multitude of any People nor the Weight of any Cause as sufficient for the which the Subjects may move Rebellion against their Princes See the Oaths of Allegeance and Supremacy The Church of Rome §. 1. Of the Authority claim'd by the Church of Rome 1. The Roman Church is the Mother and Mistress of all Churches So the 4th General Council of Lateran Can. 2. The Council of Trent Sess. 7. Can. 3. c. This is made an Article of Faith in the Creed of Pope Pius the 4th 2. The Roman Bishop is the Vicar of God and Christ the Successor of St. Peter and hath the Supreme Pastorship over the Vniversal Church So the Council of Trent Sess. 6. de reform cap. 1. Sess. 14. cap. 7. c. This is also an Article of Faith in the aforesaid Creed §. 2. Of the Exercise of this Authority 1. The Church of Rome doth take upon her to command Sovereign Princes So it 's the Phrase of their Councils We do enjoyn Princes we do peremptorily require Kings c. So the 4th General Council of Later cap. 67 68. The 5th General Council of Later de pragmat Sanct. The Council of Trent 2. She doth overrule what Sovereign Princes have commanded So the Council of Constance Notwithstanding the safe Conducts granted by Emperors and Kings c. Yet Heretical Wickedness may be enquired after by a competent Judg and the Persons guilty be punished altho they should come to the place of Judgment considing in the safe Conduct and otherwise would not have come 3. The Church of Rome hath excommunicated such Sovereign Princes as have not submitted to what she hath commanded and hath deposed such as have been thus excommunicated and continued refractory and absolved their Subjects from Allegiance to them when deposed So The 3 d. General Council of Lateran We do forbid under an Anathema That any one presume to keep or maintain Hereticks in their Houses or Land or to exercise commerce with them And if they shall dye in this Sin there shall no Oblation be made for them And let Subjects know that they are released from all Debt of Fealty and Homage and all Obedience The 4 th General Council of Lateran Let secular Powers whatsoever Offices they execute be admonished perswaded and if it be necessary compelled by Ecclesiastical Censure That as they desire to be reputed and accounted Faithful so they would publickly take an Oath for the defence of the Faith that they would endeavour in good Faith according to their power to destroy exterminate all Hereticks marked by the Church out of the Lands of their Jurisdiction But if the Temporal Lord being required and admonished shall neglect to purge his Land from this Heretical Filthiness he shall be Excommunicated by his Metropolitan and the other Bishops of the Province And if he shall refuse to give satisfaction within a Year let it be signified to the Pope that he may forthwith denounce his Vassals absolved from their Allegiance and expose his Land to be possessed by Catholicks who having destroyed the Hereticks may possess it without contradiction and preserve it in the purity of the Faith saving the Right of the Principal Lord whilst that he doth make no hindrance to it Nevertheless the same Law is to be observed towards them who have No principal Lords The General Council of Lyons Ann. 1245. In this Pope Innocent the 4th deprived the Emperor Frederick the 2d after this manner We after diligent deliberation had with the Sacred Council do declare and denounce That he is deprived of all Honour and Dignity and by our Sentence do deprive him and do for ever absolve them from their Oath who have sworn Allegiance to him firmly forbidding by our Apostolical Authority that any one from henceforward obey him as Emperor or King c. And let those to whom the Election belongs freely choose a Successor in that Empire The Council of Constance It is decreed That all that should hinder the Emperor Sigismund from meeting the King of Arragon of what