praedicante laudata est ad quos perfidia habere non possit accessum And there plainely saith that Heresies and Scismes haue onely had originall because men would not obay Gods Preist nor allow onely one Cheife Preist and Iudge the Vicar of Christ in his Church And calleth the Iudgment of this Preist Christ Vicar the Pope of Rome the Iudgment of God not to be disobayed of any and from such disobedience Scismes and Heesies doe spring Neque aliundè haereses obortae sunt aut nata scismata quam inde quod Sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur nec vnus in Ecclesiâ ad tempus Sacerdos ad tempus Iudex vice Christi cogitatur Cui si secundum ministeria diuina obtemperaret Fraternitas vniuersa nemo aduersum Sacerdotum Collegium quicquam moueret Nemo post diuinum Iudicium post populi suffragium post Coepiscoporum consensum Iudicem se iam non Episcopi sed Dei faceret nemo dissidio vnitatis Christi Ecclesiam scinderet nemo sibi placens ac tumens seorsim foris Haeresim nouam conderet nisi ita est aliquis Sacriligae temeritatis ac perditae mentis vt putet sine Dei Iudicio fieri sacerdotem 12. Now that these holy Popes stoode vpon the same supreame priuiledge for the Church of Rome being the common doctrine and practise of them all as Protestants confesse we neede not to stand vpon these in particular yet these Protestants doe assure vs first that Pope Cornelius maintayned Appeales to Rome Cornelius Epistolâ 2. facit mentionem Appellationis ad Apostolicam Magdeb. cent 3. c. 7. col 181. Rob. Barnes l. de Vit. Pontif. Rom. in Cornelio Sedem And made a generall Decree to free Preists from swearing except in matter of faith And condēned the Africā Bishops Decree about Rebaptizatiō Pope Lucius as they confesse maketh the Church of Rome the Mother of Churches and affirmed that the Popes of Rome neuer erred and contended that they cannot erre prouing it by that place where Christ said to S. Peter I haue asked for thee that thy faith may not fayle Lucius Romanam Ecclesiam Matrem Magdeb. Cent. 3. col 183. c. 7. Ecclesiarum facit Apostolicos Pontifices nunquam errasse asserit ne quidem errare posse contendit ex eo loco quod Christus Petro dixerit rogaui pro te ne fides tua deficeret And Pope Stephen made a generall Decree as these men affirme for the whole Church about receauing penitent Heretikes how they were to be receaued Stephani Papae Romani sententia rescriptum hoc Magdeb. cent 3. c. 8. col 190. Robert Barnes l. de Vit. Pont. Rom. in Stephano Io. Bal. l. 1. Act. Rom. Pontif. in Stephano fuit Si à quacumque haeresi ad Ecclesiam veniant nihil innouetur nisi quod traditum est vt manus illis imponatur in paenitentiam And generally for all Preists in all places that they should not vse at Masse any other then sacred vestments Ne Sacerdos aliâ veste quam sacrâ in sacris vteretur statuit By this holy Pope which our Protestants confesse was an holy Saint and Martyr and receaued a Crowne of Iustice thereby after he had conuerted many Gentils to Christ Cum multos Gentilium ad Christi fidem conuertisset capite mulctatus fit victima S. Sixtus Pope and Martyr Deo accept à Iustitiae coronâ 13. The like they testifie of all his Successours in this Age. S. Sixtus the Ambr. l. 1. Oshc c. 41. Prudent in Hymno de S. Laurent Magd. cent 3. cap. 10. in Sixto cap. 12. in Laurent col 297 298. next was Christi discipulus è terreno coelestis aeconomus factus Christiani gregis decus atque imitandum exemplar and preached the true word of God salutare Dei verbum populo proponens And yet this doctrine of this holy Pope by all Antiquities and these Protestants themselues was sacrificing preisthood Sacrifice of Masse Deacons assisting at the Altar Christ really present there and offered in Sacrifice with Lights vpon the Altar Hic primus è septem viris qui stant ad Aram proximi Hunc esse vestris orgijs moremque artem proditum est hanc Disciplinam foederis libent vt auro Antistites Argenteis scyphis ferunt fumare sacrum sanguinem auroque nocturnis sacris adstare fixos cereos And this was so common and publikly receaued and knowne that the Pagans themselues were not ignorant of it S. Dionisius Pope and Martyr Bal. l. 1. de Act. Rom. Pontif. in Dionys Robert Barnes in Vit. Pont. in eodem 14. Of S. Dionysius the next Pope these Protestants say he was famous for preaching the true faith and dilating of Christs Church and conuerted many and among others the daughter and wife of the Emperour Decius Cyrilla and Triphonia and dyed an holy Martyr Yet they also acknowledge he was a Monke and Eremite before he was Pope He diuided Parishes and Dioceses assigning their limits and made other generall Lawes for the whole Church concerning Heretikes and others to be accused and conuented 15. S. Faelix which was his next Successor was also as these men confesse S. Foelix Pope and Martyr an absolute vertuous man and renowned for he preached the word of God and died a glorious Martyr Yet they also say he was a Massing Pope and Bal. l. 1. de Act. Pontif. supr in Foelice Rob. Barnes in eod tooke order that none but consecrated Preists should say Masse he ordained that Masses should yearely be saide in honour of Martyrs on their Anniuersary dayes and no where but in sacred places 16. They say of Eutichianus the next Pope that he was vir Deo deditissimus à doctrinâ virtutihus Ecclesiae commendatus diuini verbi praedicatione salutem S. Eutichianus Pope and Martyr multis attulit populis A man most deuoted to God renowned for learning Bal. l. 1. Act. Ro. Pontif. in Eucichiano Barn in eod and vertue and by preaching the word of God brought saluation to many people and died a Martyr Yet as they acknowledge he tooke order for sacred Vesturs of Cleargy men so honored he Martyrs that with his owne hands he buried 300. and made generall Lawes for the whole Church 17. Of S. Caius the next and by common opinion the last of this Age they S. Caius Pope and Martyr say he was kinsman of Dioclesian the persecuting Emperour yet a most worthie Ruler of the house of God in the Roman Church and died a Martyr Bal. Barnes supr in Caio praepositus domus Dei in Ecclesià Romanâ probatissimus And yet he exempted Clergy men from lay Iudges and as S. Euaristus had done before gaue order that none should be a Bishop which had not before bene Ostiarius Lector Exorcista Acolythus c. 18. If our Protestants will haue S. Marcellinus to haue bene Pope in the S. Marcellinus Pope and
in many Nations by the helpe of our Brittish Emperor Constantine But Ireland not then conuerted 500 Chap. XII Of the calling of the Nicen CouÌ„cell by the temporall assiâ—â—ance of Constantine against the Arrian Heretiks The Decrees thereof highest spirituall Power of the Popes of Rome and generall Councels by generall agrcement of all Pope Emperor and others 505 Chap. XIII How Britaine receaued the Nicen Councell and agreed with the whole Catholike Church both in the obseruation of Easter and all other holy Doctrins and Obseruations 511 Chap. XIV Of the finding the holy Crosse and sepulchre of Christ by S. Hâ—len our Brittish Queene and Empresse and the greate honour done to them and other holy Reliks of Christs Passion 513 Chap. XV. Of the greate and wonderfull zeale and deuotion of sainct Helen our Brittish Queene and Empresse The longe and painefull Pilgrimages she performed to many farre and remote holy places and Reliks The sumptious and manifold Churches Monasteries and Oratories she founded in many places And after her longe and holy life her happy end and death 520 Chap. XVI Of the holy Deuoute life of Constantine his Religion in many particulars His death glorious and not so soone as some relate it 530 Chapt XVII That the Popes and Church of Rome in this time were of the same Religion they now are and all Christian Catholiks then professed the same with them and the Supremacy of that Sâ—e Apostolike 537 Chap. XVIII The Constancie of Britaine in the true Catholike Religion before and after the Nicen Councell it had Bishops there consented vnto receaued and kept inuiolable the Decrees thereof not admittin Heresie heare 541 Chap. XIX How Britaine had many Bishops at the true greate Sardican Councell they and the other Bishops Preists and Christians heare professed the true Catholike faith and were free from Heresie 548 Chap. XX. How Britaine hauing many Bishops at the greate Councell at Ariminum all were free from Heresie And very few Britans consented to Arianisme but were free from Heresie vntill that of Pelagius 551 Chap. XXI Chiefely entreating of Liberius Pope and Constantius Emrour manifestly clearing sainct Liberius making him an holy Catholike Pope and Saint and the Emperour Constantius a true penitent and to dye a Catholike 556 Chap. XXII Iulian the Apostata neuer persecuted the Christians of Britaine But they during the whole time he was Caesar or Emperor were heare in peace and quiet both from Persecution Paganisme or heresie 562 Chap. XXIII Of diuers renowned Saints heare in Britaine in this time sainct Kebius a glorious Catholike Bishop a greate and long acquitaince of sainct Hilary of France sainct Decumanus and others 565 Chap. XXIV Wherein Maximus our King and Emperor is cleared from many imputations and slaunders especially concerning true Catholike Religion which he both professed in himselfe and maintained in others all the other Emperors and Popes were of the same Religion the Roman Church now professeth 570 Chap. XXV Of many renowned holy and learned Bishops Apostolike men and other greate Saints heare in Britaine in this time 577 Chap. XXVI Of the honorable Translation of the Reliks of sainct Andrew Apostle from Achaia to Britaine by sainct Regulus The greate reuerence both Princes and others heare gaue vnto them and such and professed in other matters the Religion which Catholiks now doe 587 Chap. XXVII Of many renowned Archbishops of all our Archiepiscopall Sees heare many other learned and holy Bishops and Apostolike men hearâ— in this time and their Religion the Catholike Religion 590. or 560 Chap. XXVIII Of very many and renowned Monasteries and holy Monasticall parsons in Britaine in this Age. 599 Chap. XXIX Of certaine Heretiks and Heresies the Trimothian and Pelagian Britaine in this time 606 CATALOGVS AVCTORVM OMNIVM TAM ANtiquorum quam Neotericorum totâ hac Quatuor Primorum Saeculorum Ecclesiasticâ magnae Britanniae Historiâ Citatorum A. ABbas Spanhimensis Abbas Vspergensis Abbas Fecknam Abbreuiatio Chronicorum Abbreuiatio temporum M. S. Abdias Abraham Esca Abraham Leuita Abraham Ortelius Abstractum memorabilium Antiquitatum Acta S. Damiani Fugatiani Acta Eleutherij Papae Acta Nouati Acta S. Philippi Acta S. Sebastian Acta S. Stephani Papae Ado Treuirensis Ado Viennensis Aegidius Schudus Aelius Sampridius Alanus Boutchard Albertus Krantzius Aldus Manutius Alexander Papa III. Alphonsus rex Aluredus Rieuallensis Amalarius S. Ambrosius Amonianus Marcellinus Anastasius Bibliothecarius S. Anactetus Andelmus Andrue de Chesne Andreas Altham Anicetus Annales Baronij Annales Britanniae minoris Annales Burtonenses Annales Durenses Annales Galliae Annales Ecclesiae Luciensis Annales Ecclesiae Verdunensis Anonymus in uita S Albani Anonymus in l. Sancto Greal Annotationes Baronij in Martyrologium Romanum Antiquitates Ecclesiae S. Gereonis Coloniae Antiquitates Ecclesiae Landaffensis Antiquitates Ecclesiae Verdunensis Antiquitates Ecclesiae Wintoniensis Antiquitates Glastonienses Antiquitates Glasconi in tabulis ligneis Antiquitates Galliae Belgicée Antiquitates Monasterij Croylandiae S. Antonnus Antonius Democharez Antonius Sabellicus Antonius Wernerus Arnobius Aâ—noldus Mermannius Articuli Religionis Protestanticae S. Asaphus S. Athanasius S. Augustinus Hypponensis S. Augustinus Anglorum Apostolus Auctor trium conuersionum Britanniae Auctor libri statuum Hiberniae Auctor libri de vitis Sanctorum inter opera S. Isidori Auctor Martyrologij Anglicani Aulus Gellius Aurelius Victor B. BAlaeus v. Ioannes Barlowe Baptista Mantuanus Baronius v. Caesar Bartholomeus Carranza S. Basilius Beatus Rhenanus Beuterus Beda Venerabilis Bellarminus v. Robertus Berengosus Bernardus Guintius S. Bernardus Berosus Beza Bibliotheca patrum Minor Bilson Binnius v. Seuerinus Bostius Bonston Buriensis Bracton Brenzius Breuiarium Romanum Breuiarium Ecclesiae Tolletanae Bridges v. Ioannes Bruti Historia Bulla Honorij C. CAelius Sedulius Caesar Comment v. Iulius Caesar Baronius Caius Suetonius Calendarium Ecclesiae Salisburiensis Calepinus v. Ioannes Camdenus v. Guilielmus Cantilupus v. Nicolaus Carolus Sigonius Cassianus v. Ioannes Cassiodorus Cassius Catalogus Episcoporum Coloniensium Catalogus Episcoporum Metensium Catalogus Episcoporum Triuirensium Catalogus Episcoporum Tullensium Catalogus regum Britanniae Caxton Cedrenus v. Ioannes Charta Regis Arthur Charta Regis Cadwalladri Charta S. Patricij Chemnitius Chronicorum Abbreuiationes Chronicon Abtingoniense Chronicon Angliae Vetus Chronicon Chronicorum Chronicon Eusebij Chronicon Freculphi Chronicon M. S. Chronicon Gallicum Chronicon Westmonasterienses S. Chrysostomus Ciaconius Cicero v. Marcus Claudius Ptolomaeus S. Clemens Alexandrinus S. Clemens Romanus Comment in Claud Ptolom Compabellus Compendium Christianae Religionis Compilatio M. S. de gestis Bri. Concilium Antiochense Concilium Arelatense Concilium Ariminense Concilium Nicanum 1. Concilium Nicaenum 2. Concilium Romanum Concilium Sardicense Conradus Gesnerus Constantinus Magnus Constantinus Monasses Constitutiones Apostolicae Continuator Venerabilis Bedae Continuator Florentij Wigorniensis Continuator Sigiberti Cornelius Grasius Cornelius Tacitus S. Cyprianus S. Cyrillus D. S. Damasus Dauid Powell Decretales Epistolae Democharez v. Antonius Dicetus
Preist sainct Trophimus sent from sainct Peter the Apostle and from thence by little and little the gift of faith was infused to the other Regions of Fraunce Where we see it proued by the publike letters and testimonie of all the Bishops of that Prouince That it was a certaine and confessed truth among all the Churches of Fraunce and knowne also at Rome that sainct Trophimus who was so renowned in Fraunce was sent thither by sainct Peter which yet doth not condemne their opinion which say sainct Paul in his Iorney from Rome to Spayne left him by the way at Arles whether he was formerly sent by sainct Peter and sainct Paul finding him at Arles went on his Iorney leauing sainct Trophimus where he found him Which confirmeth that I haue deliuered before of this matter and thus I haue compassed and circuited all CouÌ„tries round about vs find that they all first receaued the faith of Christ in these times by sainct Peter the Apostle and his disciples and no other meanes but this was left or to be fownde in histories to bring the first knowledge of saluation to this Kingdome And hauing this farre entreated of sainct Peters Disciples let vs now speake of that most glorious Apostle himselfe his preacing heare THE XIIII CHAPTER WHEREIN IS PROVED BY MANY ARGVments Authorities and Antiquaries both Catholiks and Protestants that sainct Peter the Apostle parsonally preached and founded Christian Religion in this kingdome 1. NOW I am come to giue that glory to this kingdome whereof a Protestant thus speaketh we should accompt it Godwyn Conu of Britâ—ine p. 6. a greate glory to our Nation to deriue the peti-degree of our spituall linadge from so noble and excellent a father as sainct Peter And diuers others of that profession will seeme to giue that Preeminencie vnto him To satisfie therefore these men and giue that due honour to this kingdome this is sufficieÌ„tly proued before by those that haue told vs he preached in all kingdomes and Ilands of the west therefore this Cuontry so greate and ample a portion of the westerne world and the most florishing Iland thereof cannot be excluded from this prerogatiue This moued our first Christian King Lucius and the S. Peter his personall preaching and founding our Church in Britain proued by all human authoritie cheifest of the cleargie heare in that time in the first publik and generall conuersion of this kingdome to dedicate the first and principall Churches of this Land to this glorious Apostle as our first father and founder in Christ as namely two in one cittie of London the one of them the Metropolitane cheife See diuers hundreds of yeares scituated in Cornhill and still keeping the name of sainct Peters Church The other at westminster also to this day Stowe hist in K. Lucius an D. 179 Holinsh. ib. hist of Engl. The Table of S. Peters Church there Ihon Norden Specul Britan. part 1. p. 42. Camden in Brit. Belgae Sommersetshâ—re Francis Mason Consecrat l. 2. c. cap. 2. pag. â—0 retayning the name sainct Peters Church and diuers others in this kingdome when except that of Glastenbury dedicated to our blessed lady sainct Mary we cannot finde the like of dedicating so auncient and many Churches to any other sainct sainct Paul sainct Ioseph or whom soeuer supposed to haue preached heare 2. The next argument shall be from the testimonie of our holy King Inas and the Clergie of England then Who in the place of the olde Church of Glastenbury building a very magnificent new Church dedicated it to Christ sainct Peter and sainct Paul and in the high forefront thereof engraued certaine verses in the honour of sainct Peter and sainct Paul among which these three are founde Surgit in his templum quod placet ara Deo Anglia plaude lubens mittit tilâ— Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glasconiam irradiat The first which our Protestants omitt to translate is thus in Thâ—se to wit sainct Peter and sainct Paul a Church and an Altar pleasing vnto God is raised The other two are thus tranâ—lated by our Protestants Be glad England Rome sâ—â—deth health to thee and Apostolicall Brightnes doth lighten Glastenbury And they say that this is ment either of doctrine or protection But the words mittit â—â—bi Roma salutem That Rome sâ—nt saluation vnto Britaine and the Apostolicall brightnes of sainct Peter and Paule did illuminate Glastenbury doe include onely doctrine and Saluation and no mention there at all is had of protection which is contrary to protestant Religion and in Catholik Religion for so worthie a King as sainct Inas was to ascribe the patronadge of Glasten burie to sainct Peter and sainct Paul if neither of them had giuen Influence to the first settling of Religion there and exclude sainct Ioseph who both liued and died in that place is an harsh vnworthie construction And to giue further testimonie that the words of that Inscription are altogether to be vnderstood of our first conuersion and receauing the faith from sainct Peter and Rome all those verses excepting the words Anglia and Glastonia England and Glastenbury are taken word by word from Venantius Fortunatus Bishop of Venant Fortun. l. 3. c. 7. Poyctires in Fraunce who testifieth in those verses as I haue by others proued before that Gallia Fraunce and the Allobroge people of Sanoye and the Dolphinists were conuerted by S. Peter and his disciples and S. Paul also preached there as I shall shew hereafter And therefore among the rest of the encomiasticall verses of those two glorious Apostles hath these Gallia plaude Lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus visitat Allobrogas Which King Inas applyed to Britanie and Glastenbury in the same maÌ„ner onely changing Gallia into Anglia and Allobrogas into Glastoniam and to make a true verse visitat into Irradiat in the maner before related Anglia plaude lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glastoniam irradiat Which he neither would nor truly could haue done except as venantius Fortunatus truely found by vndeniable Authorities that Fraunce and the people of Sauoy and Delphinate did first receaue the doctrine of Saluation from Rome S. Peter and S. Paul So King Inas had sufficient warrant to apply the very same and in the same sence to Britaine or England and Glastenbury to haue receaued the first light of faith from the same Rome and holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul 3. I may add to these the testimony of Kenulphus King of the Mercians with vs to Pope Leo the third where in his epistle vnto him thus he writeth vnde Tibi Apostolica dignitas inde nobis fidei veritas Innotuit from whence Apostolicall dignitie was deriued vnto thee which by all consent was from S. Peter Kenulphus Rex Mercior epist ad Leonem Pap. 3. the Apostle from thence the truthe of faith appeared or was made knowne vnto vs Which by the reason
he addeth of him Cum non diu mansisset apud Romanos sancto baptismate multos regenerasset Ecclesiam constituisset Linum Episcopum ordinasset when he had stayed not long with the Romans and baptized many and founded the Church and ordained Linus a Bishop he went into Spaine then into Egipt and so to Hierusalem by reuelation for the Transmigration of the mother of God then returned into Egipt and through Africk returned to Rome from whence he came to Millan and Photice and so into Britaine Which time being truely calculated will teach vs that he came hither in or about the 54. yeare of Christ when in the way hither he made so many Bishops in Fraunce long before S. Paule came although as a prisoner first to Rome or any other Apostle thither or to any westerne Nation For as I haue proued before S. Peter going vp to Hierusalem by Reuelation at the death of the blessed virgin did staye but a short time there and in the Easterne parts in that Iorney but the chardge of the westerne world being more peculiarly committed vnto him before he returned vnto it to dischardge this dutie heare and allthough S. Simon Metaphrastes bringeth him back againe by Rome yet he speaketh of no stay he made there at this time but presently bringeth him into Britaine THE XVII CHAPTER WHEREIN IS PROVED BY THE BEST ENglish Protestant writers their Bishops and others that S. Peter founding the Church of Britaine ordained in it an Archbishop Bishops and Preists 1. THat we may without contradiction of any Catholik or Protestant except willfully erring in their owne proceedings be assured that S. Peter performed heare all Pastorall duties in foūding vnto our predecessors in this our Britaine the true vndoubted Church of Christ and so left it to posteritie because I stand assured my pen shall still in all things carry with it an vndoubted Assent of Catholiks seeing this matter of the true Church founding thereof professing the doctrine which it teacheth to all her childrē and they ought to followe concerneth vs all so much that the Protestants of this Nation agree there is no saluatiō to be had or expected out of this holy societie I will set downe by their warrant both what this Church is and how it was first in all things essentiall and by them needfull to saluation founded heare by Saint Peter the Apostle 2. Concerning the first the Canon or decree of the Protestant Religion in their Synodicall and Parlament Articles to which all Protestant Bishops and Ministers of England haue sworne and subscribed is this The visible Church Articl of Religion an 1562. ar 19. of Christ is a Congregation of faithfull men in the which the puer word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same Hitherto this publik Protestant Article of Religion Therefore seeing it is allowed and proued before by these men that S. Peter first founded the Church of Christ in this kingdome to insist still in their owne allowances I must shew by them how he performed these things which by these Protestants must needs be in euery true Church to wit true and lawfull Ministers to preach the word of God and duely minister the Sacraments So there be three things essentiall true Ministers the puer word of God preached and Sacraments duely ministred among which the two last depend vpon the first true and lawfull Ministers For where true and Orthodoxall Ministers are and accordingly preach the word and Minister the Sacraments there the puer word must needs be preached and Sacraments duely ministred And contrariewise where such Ministers are not there these things cannot be possibly by such performed Which this Protestant Rule of Religiō confirmeth in an other Article in these words It is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him the office of publick preaching Articul 23. or ministring of the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to Iudge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this worke by men who haue publick authoritie giuen vnto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vyneyard And in their Article intituled of Consecratiō of Bishops and Ministers they set downe these orders degrees in such men Archbishops Bishops Preists and Deacons and haue set forth a booke both by the Regall Authoritie of King Edward the Sixt Q. Elizabeth and King Iames our present Soueraigne and their Parlaments for the particular consecration of all those degrees and in that so highly authorized Booke assuer vs that all these degrees and Orders haue euer bene in the Church of Christ from the dayes of him and his Apostles And all particular writers among these Protestants as they are bound by subscription to these Articles so they plainely testifie in their writings among whom the publick and approued Protestant comment vpon these Articles Intituled The Catholick doctrine of the Church of England With greate priuiledge Rogers in Artic. 36. setteth downe in this manner It is ageeable to the word of God and practise of the primatiue Church that there should be Archbishops Bishops and such like differences and inequalities of Ecclesiasticall Ministers and addeth The proofe from the word of God Albeit the termes and Titles of Archbishops we finde not yet the superioritie which they haue and authoritie which Bishops and Archbishops doe exercise in ordering and consecrating Bishops and Ecclesiasticall Ministers is grownded vpon the word And againe from the Apostles dayes hitherto there neuer wāted a Succession of Bishops neither in the Easte nor westerne Churches This is the generall and common opinion of all the English Protestant Bishops against their Puritans Thus their Archbishops whitgitf Bancroft their Bishops Bilson Barlow Bridges Doctors Fild Hooker Couell Downame Barlow Serm. before King Iames 21. Septembr an 1604. and others Whereof one writeth Episcopall function is an ordinance Apostolicall Christ hath acted it for succeeding posteritie and so it is thesis Pneumatichi a Canon or constitution of the whole Trinitie Thus a Protestant Bishop before our King with both his and the allowance of the Protestant Bishops as the Puritans themselues thus acknowledge The callings of Prelates be of diuine ordinance Offer of Conference as Bishop Barlowe auoucheth in his last Sermon The Bishop of Rochester with the consent and by the direction no doubt of some of the cheifest Prelates hath now lately published his Sermon preached in September before the King at Hampton Court the maine drift whereof is to proue that the office and calling of a Diocesan Bishop is a diuine and Apostolicall ordinance The same besides so many their Bishops and doctors before is remembred in their publick Apology intituled of the Consecration of the Bishops in the Church of England masked vnder the name of
would S. Clemens primum à beato Petro vt dicitur ordinatus fuit sibi Successor Sed propter periculum voluit ante se beatum Linum Cletum Pontificari ne videlicet hoc exemplo Praelati substituerent sibi quos vellent And the words themselues which S. Clement vsed when he yelded this Papall dignitie to S. Linus as S. Epiphanius doth alledge them from his owne workes will well beare such construction of his Religeous meaning in that matter Secedo abeo erigatur populus Dei I giue place I Clemens Rom. apud Epiph. haer 27. goe away lett the people of God be prouided for For so he saith in an Epistle saith S. Epiphanius and this we finde in certaine Commentaries Dicit enim in vna Epistola sua Hoc enim in quibusdam Commentarijs reperimus 5. So it appeareth by that is said that S. Clement was twice Pope and at S. Clement twice Pope both those times for some space executed that highest function and dignitie first when it was imposed vpon him by S. Peter and he wrote his Epistles with that Title Clemens Romanae Ecclesiae Praesul Clemens vrbis Romae Episcopus Clemens Rom. epistol 2. 3. 4. Const Apost 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Ignat. Epist ad Mariam Cassobol Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Tertul. l. 3. carm Optat. l. 2. Aug. Epist 161. Martyr Rom. in Lin. Clet Clem. M. S. antiq Brit. Martin Polon supput col 35. in Clemente Bishop of the Roman Church and doth in them iuridically sett downe things to be obserued of the whole Church So likewise in his other Books where he deliuereth the Doctrine Tradition of the Apostles concerning the holy Sacrifice and other matters generally to be kept of all And not long after yeelding it vp to S. Linus whome S. Ignatius Irenaeus S. Augustine Optatus an old Brittish Manuscript which I haue seene others make the next to S. Peter for some yeares by that Title of S. Clements Resignation And secondly after the death of Cletus when it was imposed vpon him againe the second time and died in that dignitie as Martinus Polonus and others write Clemens quamuis à beato Petro esset electus tamen coegit Linum Cletum ante se pontificari Et ita est ipse primus post Petrum per electionem tertius verò per gradum This I haue written more at lardge not to labour to putt those two glorious Bishops Saints and Martyrs S. Linus and Cletus out of the Catalogue of the renowned Roman Popes but to giue due to S. Clement one of our Apostles S. Clement was heare in Britaine with S. Peter some time heare in Britaine except good arguments deceaue vs according to his worth and merite in this part of the world and redeeme that his most learned Epistle or Booke to S. Iames S. Simon or Simeon Bishop of Hierusalem much concerning his honour and this Nation For although we haue good witnesse of S. Paul S. Irenaeus and others of his conuersation and familiarity with S. Peter and him yet therein we learne from S. Peter and S. Clement themselues that he was with S. Peter in all his Iorneys greate in these parts neuer forsaking him one reason why he principally made choyse of him for his Successour as being so best acquainted with his Apostolike course Qui mihi ab initio vsque in finem comes in omnibus fuit per hoc veritatem totius Paul Epist ad Philipp cap. 4. Irenaeus l. 3. haer Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 5. 6. Clem. Rom. Epist 1. meae praedicationis agnouit Qui in omnibus tentationibus meis socius extitit fideliter perseuerans Quem prae caeteris expertus sum Deum colentem homines diligentem castum discendi studijs deditum sobrium benignum iustum patientem scientem ferre nonnullorum etiam ex his qui in verbo Dei instituuntur iniurias Propter quod ipsi trado à Domino mihi traditam potestatem ligandi soluendi O my brethren heare mee for as I am instructed of our Lord which sent me Iesus Christ the daye of my death is at hand I ordaine this Clemēt taking mee by the hand your Bishop to him alone I delyuer the Chayre of my preaching and doctrine Who from the beginning to the end hath bene a companyon vnto mee in all things or places and by this hath knowne the truth of all my preaching Who hath bene my fellowe faithfully perseuering in all my temptations whom aboue the rest I haue proued to worship God loue men to be chast giuen to the studies of learning sober gentle iust patient and knowing to beare the iniuries of some euen from them that be instructed in the word of God For which respects I deliuer vnto him the power of binding and loosing which was deliuered to mee by our Lord. Where we see it plainely testified both by S. Peter and S. Clement his Secretary aswell as Successour that he was with S. Peter in all his trauails and places euen to the end that we may be assured he was with him heare in Britaine which was his last place of stay before this at Rome and this was a cheife cause why S. Peter thought S. Clement most fitt for this dignitie for he whom he calleth homines diligentem so louing and kinde to all men must needs be more kinde and carefull of them with whom he had conuersed and whose necessities he best knew 6. And yet besides this loue of S. Clement to these parts of the worlde which he had so trauailed with S. Peter the same holy Apostle as he himselfe witnesseth gaue him expresse chardge to send learned Bishops vnto all Cities in those parts where S. Peter had not ordayned such before Episcopos S. Petrus Apost apud Clem. Rom Epist 1. per singulas ciuitates quibus ille non miserat perdoctos prudentes sicut serpentes simplicesque sicut columbas iuxta Domini praeceptionem nobis mittere praecepit And to make it manifest that among other Countries he sent also into this our Britaine S. Clement sent Bishops into Britaine and by S. Peters direction according to S. Peters direction he saith plainely that he desired and intended to send such Bishops and preachers into Italy Spaine France Germany and to include Britaine to all other Nations in these parts of this westerne world wishing the Bishop of Hierusalem to whom he wrote to doe so in the Easte Vos per vestras Dioeceses Episcopos sacrate mittite quia nos ad alias partes quod idem inssit agere curabimus Aliquos verò ad Gallias Hispaniasque mittemus quosdam ad Germaniam Italiam atque ad reliquas gentes dirigere cupimus Where we see S. Clement by this power committed to him by S. Peter and Prerogatiue of the See of Rome thought it is dutie and tooke vpon him not onely to send Bishops and Preachears into all this westerne
Clement for the same as S. Anacletus doth and he liued in the yeare 255. The like hath Pelagius the second and others And to write from the first generall and greate Councells the first Nicen Councell both in the fourth sixr and seuenth Canon both in Greeke and Latine and in all Copies maketh mention of such Primats and Metropolitans and their priuiledges calling it antiqua consuetudo the old custome so doth the second Councell at Arles in France where our Archbishop of London was present and subscribed for the Cleargie of this Nation about the same time And the first generall Councell of Antioche setteth downe how in euery Prouince there should be a Metropolitan ouer the other Bishops and that other Bishops might doe nothing without his allowance And saith the old Rule and Canon of the Fathers was so and from the beginning secundum antiquam à Patribus nostris Regulam constitutam vt vult qui ab initio obtinuit Patrum Canon as an other translation readeth Therefore this so certaine and auncient a Rule and Canon so generall so binding and from the beginning thus testified by these first generall Councells must needs be the same which is before deliuered from S. Clement and S. Anacletus in this matter 4. And to make all sure by our English Protestants Religion to passe Booke of Consecratiō of Archbishops c. in Praefat. Articl of Relig. 36. Tho. Roger. Annalis Artic. 36. ouer their priuate writers in this case the generall Rule of their Religion for making vnto them such Primats and Archbishops as they haue assureth vs this was the practise of the Church euer since the Apostles time So doth their publik Glosse vpon the Articles of Religion to which all their Protestant Bishops and Ministers haue sworne to maintaine the doctrine thereof as they write Perrused and by the lawfull Authoritie of the Church of England allowed to be publike And thus Intituled on euery leafe as vpon this in particular The Catholike doctrine of the Church of England In which they expressely write of their Protestant Archbishops which they call Primats as their Catholike Predecessors were It is agreable to the word of God and Practise of the Primatiue Church that there should be Archbishops The superioritie which Archbishops enioye and exercise is groūded vpon the word of God And for a summe of their reasons Couell Examinat c. 9. pag. 105. 106. herein thus they print with publike priuiledge Apostolicall ordination reason the custome of all Churches auncient and well gouerned and nature it selfe doth ordaine Archbishops in their Prouinces to Rule the Church Which is asmuch in so few words containing the heads of all cheife Arguments for this matter as either S. Anacletus or any Catholike writer at this day doth or can vse in this busines And giue this greatest warrant they are able to those holy writings of S. Clement and Anacletus and in mysteries besides whether of the Popes Supremacy ouer all Christian people and Churches or any other deliuered in them being the first witnesses hereof we haue after Apostles whome they their immediate Schollers and successors alledge both for teaching and practising the same And for these present questions of cheifest importance as for others hereafter they doe in expresse termes thus both alledge and allowe these so auncient Testimonies of this holy Apostolike mā Anacletus Episcopos officio pares ordine duplici distinxit eos Primates siue Patriarchas appellari voluit qui in illis ciuitatibus praeessent in quibus olim primarij Flamines Robertus Barnes l. de vit Pontif Rom. in Anaclet excuss Lugduni Batauorum 1615. cum gratia priuileg illustrium DD. ordinum generalium sederunt in alijs Metropolitanis vrbibus Episcopos Metropolitanos vel Archiepiscopos nominandos esse censuit Ab ipso Domino Primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersumque Christiani nomine populum concessum esse asseruit Pope Anacletus did distinguish Bishops equall in calling into two orders he would haue them called Primats or Patriarks which ruled in those Cities in which in olde times the primary Flamins did sitt in other Metropolitan Cities he did holde that the Bishops should be named Metropolitans or Archbishops He affirmed that Primacie was graunted by our Lord himselfe to the Roman Church ouer all Churches and all Christian people Therefore seeing it is so amply confessed that what S. Anacletus hath deliuered vnto vs was by the warrant instruction and example of S. Peter and S. Clement his Predecessor and diuers times among other holy directions sufficiently declareth that in his time it principally appertained vnto him to send Bishops and Preists into this as to other parts of the world that they which would be accompted Sheepe and belonging to the Folde of Christ may knowe whether those Sheephards and Pastors which they followe are true and lawfull Pastors or no we cannot better learne this distinction to knowe them by then of this holy man made Preist and tought by S. Peter himselfe and after succeeding him in that highest Chardge and dignitie especially seeing he hath more particularly then any others of that Age to my reading deliuered this cognizance to Posteritie cheifely to know their cheife Pastors Bishops by and of others so plainely that no man except willfully can be deceaued therein First he setteth downe the Inferior Orders Inferior Ecclesiasticall Orders to assist at the Masse in the Apostles time vnder holy Preisthood as Deacons Subdeacons and other Ministers to assist the Bishop in the holy sacrifice of Masse making that their principall office and dutie as of a Preist to offer the sacrifice of Masse Episcopus Deo sacrificans testes secum habeat plures quam alius Sacerdos Sicut enim maioris honoris gradu fruitur sic matoris testimonij incremento Indiget In solēnioribus diebus aut Septem aut quinque aut Anacletus epist 1. tres Diaconos Subdiaconos atque reliquos Ministros secum habeat qui sacris induti vestimentis in fronte a tergo Presbyteri è regione dextra laeuaque contrito corde humiliato spiritu ac prono stent vultu custodientes eum a maleuolis hominibus consensum eius praebeant sacrificio Where expressely naming Bishops and Preists to offer sacrifice and Deacons Subdeacons and other Cleargie men besides them Diaconos Subdiaconos atque reliquos Ministros and appointing their places and manner of ministring in the holy sacrifice in sacred vestements must needs make that their cheifest office and imploiment And allthough he doth not name in particular those Orders that were inferior to Subdeacons but onely in a generall name atque reliquos Ministros yet thereby expressing they were diuers and their cheife chardge and attendance was to assiste Bishops and Preists at Masse he must needs meane those auncient Inferior Orders which still and euer were in the Catholike Church and which that blessed Father S. Ignatius liuing then
Iesus postquam caenauit cum S. Fabian Epist 2. ad omnes Orient Episc Discipulis suis lauit eorum pedes sicut a sanctis Apostolis praedecessores nostri acceperunt nobisque reliquerunt Chrisma consicere docuit Sicut ipsius diei solemnitas per singulos annos est celebranda ita ipsius sancti Chrismatis confectio per singulos annos est agenda de anno in annum renouanda fidelibus tradenda quia nouum Sacramentum est per singulos annos iam dicto Die innouandum vetus in sanctis Ecclesijs cremandum Ista a sanctis Apostolis successoribus eorum accepimus vobisque tenenda mandomus Haec sancta Romana Ecclesia Antiochena a temporibus Apostolorum custodit haec Hierosolymorum Ephisinorum tenet In quibus Apostoli praesidentes haec docuerunt vetus Chrisma incendi non amplius quà m vno anno vti permiserunt atque dinceps nouo frui non veteri iubentes docuerunt And this holy Pope so Miracously chosen and teaching and practising these Doctrins was as glorious in his death as these Protestants S. Fabianus put to death an D. 250. confesse ending his life with a glorious death of Martyrdome in the yeare of our Lord 250. Sub Decio saeuiente in fratres capitis obtruncatione anno Domini 250. vitam gloriosa morte consummauit 5. Of the doctrine or Decrees of the three next Popes S. Cornelius S. Lucius and S. Stephen our protestaÌ„ts are very sparinge in relating them being repugnant to their proceedings onely they say of the last S. Stephen That diuers Authors testifie that he was celebrating of Masse when he was apprehended by the Pagans and carried to be martyred Stephanum in celebratione Io. Bal. l. 1. de Act. Rom. Pont. in Stephano Missae ad martyrium raptum Yet for all this they freely confesse that both he and the others were renowned Saints Martyrs Of Cornelius they witnesse that he was a man of God and though banished in exile he was neuer wanting to Christs kingdome his Church but as his most worthie champion suffered S. Cornelius Pope Martyred an D. 253. death for preaching the truth in the yeare of our Lord 253. Homo Dei Cornelius licet in exilium deportatus regno tamen Christi minimè vnquam defuit Quin optimus eius Athleta in veritatis assertione Anno Domini 253. Decij mucro ni Io. Bal. supr in Cornel. Rob. Barn l. de Vit. Pont. in eod Magdeb. cent 3. c. 10. col 282. Bal. ijdem alij supr in Lucio Stephano ceruicem vt ouis mansueta praebuit 6. Of Pope Lucius they say that he did enrich the Church with holsome Doctrine and made white in the blood of the Lambe penetrated the heauenly Paradise in the yeare of our Lord 255. Ecclesiam salubri Doctrina locupletauit ac Paradisum caelestem anno Domini 255. sub Valeriano occidi iussus in sanguine agni dealbatus penetrauit 7. S. Stephen as they write hauing conuerted many Pagans to the faith of Christ became a sacrifice to God and thereby receaued a crowne of Iustice S. Lucius Pope Martyr an D. 255. Saint Steuen Pope crowned with Martyrdom an D. 257. in the yeare of our Lord 257. Stephanus anno Domini 257. cum multos Gentilium ad Christi fidem conuertisset capite mulctatus cum plerisque alijs fit victima Deo accepta iustitiae Corona 8. And allthough these Protestants doe not nor dare for betraying their cause particularly set downe the Doctrine of these Popes yet confessing of them all that they were of the same Religion and opinion therein with S. Magdeb. cent 3. c. 7. col 164. alibi saepe ca. 3. Bergomen l. 8. alij apud Magd. ceÌ„t 3. c. 8. col 191. Cyprian except in his error of Rebaptization which they and truely say he recanted many Epistles passing betweene them they doe sufficiently proue that they did plainely hold with S. Cyprian all those points of Catholike Doctrine which they to omit others doe asscribe vnto him Some of them be these as these Protestants confesse and thus recompt them Cyprian is euery where a vehement affirmer of Freewill liberi Arbitrij vehemens est vbique assertor Magdeb. cent 3. col 247. c. 10. alibi They assure vs also that S. Cyprian held that Christ Iesus in his last Supper being our high Preist did offer sacrifice and commanded Preists should doe the same Cyprianus de caena Domini sic inquit libro secundo Epistola tertia nam Iesus Christus Dominus noster ipse est summus Sacerdos Dei Patris sacrificium Deo Patri ipse primus obtulit hoc fieri in sui commemorationem praecepit Vtque ille Sacâ—rdos vice Christi verè fungitur qui id quod Christus fecit imitatur sacrificium verum plenum tunc offâ—rt in Ecclesia Deo Patri si sic incipiat offerre secundum quod ipsum Christum viâ—eat offerre and that both the true body and blood of Christ is there present and by Transsubstantiation or changing of bread into his body and wine into his blood sentit in caena corpus Christi verum Sanguinem in sermone de caena Domini Cyprianus inquit imitari non effagie sed naturâ S. Cyprian Magdeb. supr Parkis Proble p. 153. 154. his words in this place they cite are these panis iste communis in carnem sanguinem mutatus panis iste quem Dominus Disâ—ipuliâ— porrigebat non effigie sed naturà mutatus omnipotentia Verbi factus est câ—ro Noua est huius Sacramenti Doctrina scholae Euangelicae hoc primum magisterium protulerunt Doctore Cyprian lib. de caena Domini Christo primum haec mundo innotuit Disciplina vt biberent sanguinem Christiani cuius esum lâ—gis antiquae Authoritas districtissimè interdicit lex quippe esum Sanguinis prohibet Euangelium praecipit vt hibatur Vniuersa Ecclesia ad has epulas inuitatur aequa omnibus portio datur integer erogatur distributus non demembratur Incorporatur non iniuratur recipitur non includitur Dominus vsque hodie hoc veracissimum sanctisâ—imum corpus suum creat sanctificat benedicit pie sumentibus diâ—uâ—iâ—it Bread is changed into Christs body The bread which our Lord did giue to is Disciples being changed not in shape but nature was made flesh by the omnipotency of tâ—e word The Doctrine of this Sacrament is new and the schooles of the Ghospell first brought forth this Maisters office or instruction and Christ first taught this Doctrine to the worlde that Christians should drinke blood whose eating the Authoritie of the old Lawe did most strictly forbid The whole Church is inuited to this banquet equall portion is giuen to all Christ is giuen whole distributed he is not dismembred he is incorporated not iniured he is receaued not included Our Lord euen to this
things belonging to the true Church of Christ by our Protestants confessions in all which and diuers other questions by their owne Testimonie S. Cyprian those Popes of Rome and the Church of Christ then differed from them and agreed in them all with the present Roman Church First for the validitie of Sacraments these men confesse that by the doctrine of S. Cyprian and the Church then the worthie receauers of them were vnited to Christ armed against the world the deuill and human concupiscence grace was giuen and sinnes forgiuen in them This was also the receaued old doctrine of the Church and Popes of Rome namely of Pope Cornelius as both he Eusebius the Magdeburgian Protestants and others witnesse by whose agreeing testimonie also both Pope Cornelius S. Cyprian and the Church of Rome and Affrike with all others differed from our Protestants and consented with the present Roman Church about the number of Sacraments First they say that both Cornelius and S. Cyprian taught that Confirmation was a Sacrament and by the Bishops Vnction with Chrisme the Magdeb. in Indice cent 3. v. Sacramenta cēt 3. c. 10. col 246. 247. 248. Cornelius Epist 2. Tom. 1. Conc. Euseb l. 6. c. 42. Magde cent 3. in Cornel. c. 10. col 240. Cypria Epist 72. Cyprian Ep. 52. ad Antonianum l. 1. Ep. 2. ep 54 Cyprian de Ablutione pedum Cornel. Epist apud Eusebium Magdeb. alios supr Magdeb. in Indice cē◠3. in Lucio Papa cēt 6. col 148. col 149. tit de caelibatu Vita monastica holy Ghost and Grace were giuen S. Cyprian also maketh Penance a Sacrament and plainely affirmeth that sinnes are loosed and forgiuen in it And both he and S. Cornelius then Pope giue as much to Preisthood and holy Orders S. Cyprian maketh it and others Sacraments equally as Baptisme Docemur quae sit Baptismi aliorum Sacramentorum stabilitas Nam Baptismum repeti Ecclesiasticae prohibent regulae semel sanctificatis nulla deinceps manus iterum consecrans praesumit accedere nemo sacros Ordines semel datos iterum renouat nemo sacro oleo lita iterum linit aut consecrat nemo Impositioni manuum vel ministerio derogat Sacerdotum Where he setteth this downe for a generall Ecclesiasticall Rule which no man was ignorant off or did disobay 11. And S. Cornelius then Pope by all the witnesses before Protestants and others setteth downe the honour and dignitie of this Sacrament in the Church of Rome when he affirmeth that in those dayes of Persecution there were in it besides the Bishop 46. Preists 7. Deacons 7. Subdeacons 42. Acoluthists Exorchists Lectours and Ianitours 521. And to make all sure that all these Orders then were Ecclesiasticall he setteth downe some of their Offices and how these Exorcists did dispossesse Nouatus by these Protestants being possessed by Sathan These Protestants also testifie the same of S. Cyprian his doctrine in this point and these Deacons Subdeacons did liue vnmarryed of this Pope Lucius as they confesse made a Decree Lucij Decretum de caelibatu Sacerdotum So they acknowledge of Pope Stephen that no Preist Deacon or Subdeacon might marry nullus Sacerdotum à Subdiacono vsque ad Episcopum licentiam habet coniugium sauciendi Likewise they doe sufficiently proue that S. Cyprian and these Popes agreed in the Supreamacie Magdeb. cent 3. c. 4. col 84. 85. Tit. de Eccles Primatu Romano of the Pope of Rome First for S. Cyprian in that very Treatise which they intitle de Ecclesiâ Primatu Romano of the Church and Roman Primacy they acknowledge he expressely writeth that the Roman Church is to be acknowledged of all for the Mother and Roote of the Catholike Church he calleth the Chaire of Peter the principall Church from which Preistly vnitie is risen And saith in diuers places that the Church was founded vpon Peter Cyprianus libro quarto Epistolâ 8. nominatim ait Romanam Ecclesiam ab omnibus alijs pro matrice radice Catholicae Ecclesiae agnoscendam esse Quemadmodum libro primo Epistolâ tertiâ in tractatu de simplicitate Praelatorum principalem vocat Ecclesiam Petri Cathedram à quâ vnitas sacerdotalis exorta sit Alibi passim dicit super Petrum Ecclesiam fundatam esse vt libro primo Epistolâ tertiâ libro quarto Epistolâ nonâ Tractatu secundo de habitu Virginum sermone tertio de bono patientiae in Epistolâ ad Quirinum And they adde further vtterly to ouerthrow their owne new found Ministeriall calling and Church and Princes proceedings against Clergie men that S. Cyprian taught an Ordinary Succession in Pastorall dignitie and that Bishops and Rulers of the Church were not to be iudged by others Habet Cyprianus alias opiniones periculosas vt quod Pastoratum ad ordinariam successionem libro 1. Epistolâ 6. allegat Item quod negat Episcopos Praepositos Ecclesiae iudicandos libro 4. Epistolâ 9. in Concilio These they call dangerous opinions and so they are for their new Religion which hath no Ordinary Succession but in all places hath ouerthrowne it and so farre proceeded to adiudge and condemne Bishops and Prelates of the Church that in the whole world there is not any one of that most sacred or Preistly calling or any inferiour holy Order none but meere Lay men which by their owne definitiue Article cannot make a true visible Artic. of Englis Protest Religiō art 19. Church to be founde in all their Congregations And yet this doctrine of S. Cyprian so periculous with these men is so farre from being really and truely dangerous that not onely by all Catholike Authours but by our English Protestants also both their particular Writers and publike Articles with their Art sup Art 36. Prot. publ glosse ther. Prot. Booke of Consecration in Pref. allowed glosse and authorized Booke of Consecration it is iustified to be vnquestionably true and most necessary And this allready proued by all Authoritie as also the doctrine of exemption of Bishops and Clergie men from being conuented before Lay Iudges and Tribunals The same is euident before of the Popes of Rome Spirituall Supreamacie And diuers of these testimonies of S. Cyprian therein are in his seuerall Epistles to Pope Cornelius That place where he calleth the Roman Church the Roote and Mother of the Catholike Church is in his 45. Epistle which is to Cornelius Pope where he plainely saith he exhorted all to follow that Church Vt Ecclesiae Catholicae radicem matricem agnoscerent ac tenerent Likewise his testimony that Rome is the Chaire of S. Peter the principall Church from which Preistly vnitie is risen is in his 55. Epistle which is to the same Pope Cornelius In which he affirmeth further that it is the Church of Rome whose faith the Apostle commended and to which false doctrine cannot haue accesse Eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo
meane degree in respect of the Pope of Rome and they were and euer would with all committed to their charge be obedient vnto him Qui licet Athanas Epis Aegipti epist ad Marc. Pap. supr exigui ordinis tamen vestri sumus vobisque obedientes cum omnibus nobis commissis sumus essesemper volumus 14. Therefore those Protestants which after so many hundreds of yeares would giue so large an extension to the sixt Canon of the Nicen Councell as thereby to make the Patriarke of Alexandria to haue equall power and preeminencie with the Pope of Rome doe most ignorantly or rather maliciously willfully err therein For heare we see the most holy and learned Patriarke there liuing in that time and present in that Councell and so best knowing the minde thereof testifing that the Patriarke of Alexandria and all Egipt subiect vnto it were and ought to be subiect and obedient to the See of Rome 15. The like hath the same learned and holy Patriarke together with the Athan. Episc Aegipt Theb. Lib. supr same Bishops of Egipt Thebris and Libia ackdowledged before And the Canon is plaine that the subiection of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis to the Bishop of Alexandria was by the permission of the Pope of Rome his preeminence ouer them thus by them all confessed reserued and no otherwise Antiqua consuetudo seruetur per Aegiptum Libiam Pentapolim ita vt Alexandrinus Episcopus Concil Nicen. can 6. in trib Lection horum omnium habeat Potestatem quia vrbis Roma Episcopo parilis mos est So haue two seuerall readings of that Canon and the third is more plaine Quandoquidem Episcopo Romano hoc est consuetum 16. Therefore allthough we giue the greatest honour and dignitie to that our greatest King Emperour Constantine the Greate or greatest that euer was due or truely giuen to any temporall Monarch or Commander in the worlde yet we may not vse the Pope of Rome S. Sylnester so dishonorably whome he so honored to take from him so greate Noble a Portion of the highest spirituall Pastorall charge and office iuridically to call and confirme Councels onely and peculiarly belonging to that Apostolike cheifest See by so many Titles to bestowe it vpon a Ciuill Gouernour both hauing no and renowncing all such power how soeuer potent worthie and deseruing in other respects And it is euident by Ruffinus Eusebius and others that Constantine was not present in but absent from the Nicen Councell when it gaue Iudgment in the Questions of Religion But the cheifest place in such Ruffin l. 1. Hist Eccl. cap. 5. affaires as before is manifest belonging to the Pope of Rome and he then being olde and absent it was supplied hy his Preists and Vicars Deputies Et Euseb l. 3. de vit Constantini cap. 7. Socrat. Hist l. 1. cap. 5. quanquam vrbis illius penes quam Imperium est Episcopus ingrauescente aetate praepeditus abfuit cius tamen Presbyteri qui aderant illius locum suppliuerunt THE XIII CHAPTER HOW BRITAINE RECEAVED THE NICEN Councell and agreed with the whole Catholike Church both in the obseruation of Easter and all other holy Doctrins and Obseruations 1. AS Constantine had hitherto bene most religiously carefull for the assembling this Councell assisting what he could in so glorious a worke as I haue related before So it now being ended and the Bishops dismissed he did as Sozomen and others testifie exceedingly reioyce to see the whole Church consenting in faith and Doctrine Cum iam Concilium Herm. Sozom. Hist Eccl. l. 2. cap. 1. Nicaenum venisset ad exitum Sacerdotes omnes domum Imperator supra modum ideo laetatus est quod Ecclesiam vniuersam de doctrina fidei consentientem viderat And endeuored as much to haue the Canōs sacred Decrees thereof now duely obserued executed in all places as he was desirous to haue them concluded 2. And therefore besides his generall Edicts and Epistles to particular men and States he sent Imperiall Letters vnto all Bishops which were absent from Epist Constant ad absentes Episcopos de Act. Cōcil Nic. apud Theodoret. Hist Eccl. l. 1. cap. 10. Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 1. cap. 6. that Councell of the proceedings thereof the whole Epistle is extant in the Histories of Theodoret and Socrates with others and beginneth Constantinus Augustus Ecclesijs In these Letters he maketh an honorable memory of the faith and Religion of his Countrymen the Britans or the whole Nation or Ilands of Britaine or both the one and other shewing how they consented with all Catholike and orthodoxe Countryes in matters of Religion particularly in the true obseruation of Easter as S. Eleutherius and S. Victor Popes had before decreed and the Nicen Councell now generally receaued proposed and confirmed and Constantine had promised to the Councell to cause all others to consent to the same Ipse in me recepi vestram sapientiam facilé assensuram vt quod in vrbe Roma Italia in Africa in tota Egipto Hispania Gallia Britayne receaue◠the doctrine and Decrees of the generall Councell of Nyce and agreed withall orthodoxall Churches in all things and particularly in the obseruation of Easter Britānia in Libya vniuersa Graecia in Diaecesi Aseatica Pōtica in Cilicia denique vna consentienti sententia conseruatur hoc etiam a vobis quoque lubentibus animis approbaretur in Theodoret It is in Britannis or Britannijs in all the parts or diuisions of Britaine being then diuers as is before remembred and yet all and euery one of them whether where the English Scots or Welch now inhabite did agree in this as in other Catholike doctrins and custome with Rome Italy Afrike Egipt Spaine Gallia Libia all Greece the Diocesse of Asia Ponticus Cilicia And a litle before he saith that all Churches the parts of all the world inhabiting either the West South or North and diuers in the East obserued this manner and vse Quem omnes Ecclesiae totius orbis Const in Epist supr partes vel ad Occidentem vel ad Meridiem vel ad Septentriones incolentes seruant ac nonnullae quoque quae in locis ad Orientem spectantibus habitant 3. S. Athanasius also in his Epistle to Iouinian the Emperour plainely affirmeth that the Church of Britaine held the same faith with the Nicen Councell Athanasius epist ad Iouinian Imp. de fide and before the Nicen Councell as the words of Constantine also proue and from the beginning of Christianitie cognosce Religiosissime Imperator hanc esse quae a condito aeuo praedicata fuit quam Nicaeae Patres congregati agnouerunt eiusque Suffragatrices esse omnes omnibus in locis Ecclesias siue in Hispania sunt siue Britannia and not onely the Churches of the West South and North but of the Easte also except a few which were of the Arrian faction
appearing vnto her and incouraging her according Ambros serm 90. de passione beatae Aguetis Virg. to her name to be Constant in the faith and loue of Christ spe recuperandae salutis venit ad Tumulum Martyris nocte preces fideliter fundebat Quod dum faceret repentina sommi suauitate corripitur videt per vifum beatissimam Agnetem talia sibi monita praeferentem constanter Age Constantia crede Dominum Iesum Christum filium Dei esse Saluatorem tuum per quem modo consequeris omnium vulnerum quae in corpore tuo pateris sanitatem Wherevpon as S. Ambrose lyuing in that Age and others witnesse Constantine at the request of his cured daughter S. Constantia there erected a Church and Tombe to S. Agnes and Constantia perseuered in virginitie by her many virgins both meane and Noble and renowned receaued the holy veales Perseuerauit autem Constantia Augusti filia in virginitate per quam multae virgines mediocres nobiles illustres Sacra velamina susceperunt Our holy and auncient learned Countryman S. Aldelmus with most honorable Titles remembreth her among the most Aldelm l. de laudib virginitat cap. 25. Ado. Vienn in Chron. Fascicul Temp. an 294. Harris Hist Tom. 4. Libell de munificent Constant Tom. 1. Concil Baron Spond Annal. an 330. sacred virgins saying that by her persuasion and example allmost all the daughters of the Roman Pretors and allmost all Noble and beutifull virgins professed virginitie and among these Attica and Arthemia daughters of Gallibanus by others Gallicanus most potent in the Empire Quarum genitore Gallihano nullus in Romana Monarchia praestantior extitit And citeth the life of S. Constantie written long before Quod plenius de conuersatione illius scripta opuscula produnt She erected a Monastery of Nunnes neare the place where she was cured and there shutting vp her selfe with many other Nunnes serued God with greate deuotion and sanctity of life in the same place all her life after her death her body was buried by S. Agnes Therefore I may boldly say The honour of Britayne by the greate Emperour Constantine with our Monke of Bury in his olde verse of this most glorius Emperour Reioyce ye folkes that borne be in Britaine Called otherwise Beutus Albion that had a Prince so notably soueraine Brought forth and fostered in your Region Ihon Lydgaâ—e lib. 8. cap. 12. That whilom had the domination As cheife Monarch Prince and President Ouer all the world from East to Occident THE XVII CHAPTER THAT THE POPES AND CHVRCH OF ROME in this time were of the same Religion they now are and all Christian Catholiks then professed the same with them the Supremacy of that See Apostolike 1. SOME euen of our owne Historians write and namely the Monke of Westminster that S. Siluester continued Pope vntill the yeare wherein Constantine deceased and both of them died in the same yeare 340. That as they had both laboured together in their liues for aduancing the honor and Church of Christ so they died together Matth. Westm Anno gratiae 340. to receaue the merited reward of their labors Anno gratiae 340. magnificus Imperator Constantinus vitam laudabilem glorioso fine terminauit Quo etiam Anno Sanctus Syluester viam vniuersae carnis ingressus migrauit ad Dominum Dignum plane omnino conueniens vt qui simul circa incrementum Ecclesiae perseueranter laborauerant simul reciperent promeritam pro labore retributionem And if we should approue the opinion of Baronius and Spondanus so expounding Baron Spond Annal. an 314. S. Damasus in S. Syluestro to 1. Concil the old Roman Pontificall in this point that S. Syluester entered the Papacie in the yeare of Christ 314. Anno Christi trecentesimo decimo quarto Calendis Februarij Syluester Romanus subrogatus in locum Melchiadis sedere caepit and allowe vnto S. Syluester so long possessing thereof as the same Pontificall doth three and twenty yeares ten moneths and 11. dayes Syluester sedit annis viginti tribus Mensibus decem we should conclude in Baronius opinion of the death of Constantine that S. Syluester and ConstaÌ„tine died in one and the same yeare Baron Spond supr Anno. 337. as Matthew of Westminster affirmeth although not the same 340. in number which he hath deliuered But to followe the other opinion which seemeth more common and better pleaseth Baronius Binius and our Protestants also Baron Annal. an 336. 337. Binius annotat in Marc. Iul. lib. 1. Hier. in Chron. Marian. aetat 6. an 333. Sozom. Hist Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 19. that after the death of S. Syluester before Constantine dyed there were two othr Popes Marcus and Iulius the first being Pope a very short time but 8. Moneths by S. Hierome and Marianus by Sozomen a litle space Cum Marcus post Syluestrum ad exiguum tempus Episcopatum Romanum gessisset Iulius in illam Sedem successit And Iulius was Pope but in the last yeare of Constantine being as these Authors hold the first yeare of his Papacy By which accompt the reckening of our Monke before that S. Syluester and Constantine dyed in the same yeare is rather coÌ„firmed then infringed So if as these men say Marcus was Pope within 15. dayes of the death of S. Syluester continued the Papacie Baron Binn supr but 8. Moneths and Iulius immediatly succeeded him but a litle before tâ—e death of Constantine it is apparant that S. Syluester and Constantine might or did dye in the same yeare 2. And to our present purpose which is to be perfectly satisfied and instructed of what Religion these Popes were which liued in this time when the true Christian Religion was not onely permitted but publikely and with authoritie both spirituall and temporall Papall and Imperiall generally professed in all Nations whether the same which we haue heard of Constantine before the publike graunt and warrant of the Popes Supremacy Roman Religion of the Sacrifice of Masse prayer and erecting Churches to Saints prayer for the dead Purgatorie Pilgrimage honor to holy Reliks Images and such other cheife points as Protestants now call into Question or the new doctrins of these men And it can be no Question but the Maisters and Schollers Teachers and Learners Catechizers and Catechised Baptizers Both Popes Emperour and all but Heretiks were then of the present Roman Religion euen by enemies vnto it so testifying Io. Bal. l. 1. 2. de Rom. Pont. in Syluestr Mar. co Iul. Bal. sup l. 1. in Syluest Robert Barnes in vit Pontif Roman in â—od and Baptised as their condition was must needs be of one and the sance minde and iudgment in such things they were all Holy men and Confessors as our Protestant Writers are witnesses and to make them also to giue both euideÌ„ce and iudgment that they were of the Catholike Roman Religion now professed
in that our Mother Church thus they testifie and first of S. Syluester that Pedagoge ad Tutor of Constantine in these words There be very many Decrees of Pope Syluester of consecrating Chrisme confirming children adorning Churches couering Altars ordaining Massing Preistâ— annointing vesting them of worshiping adoring and reseruing the consecrated Hostes also of Deacons vesturs Albes Miters Palls Sacrifices Ceremonies Asiles Extreame vnctions other Rites Huius Syluestri permulta feruntur Instituta de Chrismate consecraÌ„do Ordinibus dandis pueris confirmandis templis ornandis Altaribus tegendis Missatoribus constituendis vngendis vestiendis Hostijsque vt vocant deificandis adornandis seruandis Item de Dalmaticis Cappis Corporalibus Albis Mitris Pallijs Pannis Peplis Sindonibus Sacrificijs Ceremonijs Asilis Extremis vnctionibus alijsque ritibus How a Preist should be vested when he sayd Masse that no lay man might empleade any of the Clergie That no Clergy man should be conuented before Magdeburgen centur 4. cap. 6. cap. 7. cap. 9. cap. 10. a secular Iudge If the Reliks of Saints or Martyrs were to be translated from other places they should be brought into Cities and Villages religiously in singing per Psalmodias Religiosè acciperentur ac deducerentur He approued and exercised the Primacy of the Pope of Rome as all other Popes then did The chast and Religious conuersation of Monkes and Nunnes were then vsed and liuers Monasteries of men and women then in Rome In the Clergie were these Degrees Bishops Preists Deacons Subdeacons Acoluthists Exorcists Lectors Ostiarij The Bishops Preists Deacons and Subâ—eacons were vnmarried and liued in chastitie Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi aut virgines eliguntur aut certè post Sacerdotium in aeternum pudici That the sacrifice of Masse might not be celebrated but in places consecrated by a Bishop Missae celebrationem in nullis praeterquam ab Episcopo sacratis locis faciendam Concilium Româ—num sub Syluestro constituit And in the same Councell to which both S. Syluester and Constantine subscribed it is defined as I haue Concil Roman can 20. before cited that the Roman See is the cheifest See Iudge of all and to be Iudged of none Emperor Clergie Kings or people nemo iudicabit primam Sedem quoniam omnes Sedes à prima Sede iustitiam desiderant temperari Neque ab Augusto neque ab omni Clero neque à Regibus neque à populo Iudex iudicabitur These Protestants Magdeburgen c. 6. â—upr cent 4. also deluer for the doctrine and vse of this time for penitents to make sacramentall Confession of their sinnes and Preists to enioyne pennances and giue absolution vnto such Penitents Concerning holy Scripturs the third Councell of Carthage in the beginning of the next Age apprehending the same Canon of holy Scripturs which the present Roman Church now receaueth Concil Carth. â— can 47. faith plainely that it receaued it from the Fathers which were before them Pro confirmando isto Canone innotescat quia à Patribus ista accepimus in Ecclesia August l. 2. doctrin Christian cap. 7. legenda And S. Augustine liuing in this Age is witnesse that the Apostolâ—ke Sees Rome the cheife receaued it so How vaine and Idle our Protestants and their Article of Religion in reiecting Traditions and onely admitting Scripturs in matters of Religion is euident in so many recited Articles which these men haue granted and yet deny them to be contained in or to be deduced from Scripturs as also their Article and doctrine against Communion onely in one kinde contending as though it could not be practized or permitted when these Protestants themselues confesse that in this time euen in the Roman Church Communion onely vnder one kinde was vsed Ambros orat Funebri de morte Satyri and by the greatest Doctors then in the Church of God namely S. Ambrose who so writeth and at his death practized it in himselfe onely receauing vnder the forme of bread as Catholiks now vse and his brother Satyrus others often so accustomed euen when they were in health Which these Paulin. in vita S. Ambrosij Protestants thus confesse Peregrinantes ac Nauigantes EucharistiaÌ„ secum circumtulisse Christianos ex Ambrosio apparet ex oratione Ambrosij in funere fratris Satyrij Magdeburgen cent 4. cap. 6. col 429. 430. Ab honorato Ecclesiae Vercellensis Sacerdote Ambrosio morituro oblatum esse corpus Domini quo accepto expiraret Paulinus tradidit in vita Ambrosij These men also teach that the doctrine of the See of Rome and the Fathers at this time concerning freewill and originall sinne was the same with that of the Magdeburgen cent 4. cap. 4. cap. 10. Roman Church in these dayes So that if any man will compare but these points of doctrine which S. Syluester and Constantine then held and practized with the English Protestant Religion as it is set downe in the priuiledge Booke of the Articles thereof warranted by Parlament Kings Authoritie Conuocation of their Protestant Bishops Oath and Subscription of them and their whole Ministery he shall not finde any one true Article then amoÌ„g them all which are opposite to the Church of Rome and Religion thereof at this time But whether we are Catholiks placing spirituall Primacie in the See of Rome then in S. Syluester or Protestants asscribing it vnto their Christian Kings Constantine then both King and Emperour heare we must be of this holy Religion wherein these two greate Rulers were so vnited together in all points especially seeing these Protestants haue warranted these two Princes were holy and of themselues worthie paterns to be imitated now as the whole Catholike Christian world then ioyned with them in doctrine S. Syluester Magdeburgen cent l. 4. cap. 10. being Pope say our Protestants did faithfully performe his office in teaching and amended many things in the Clergie was renowned for working Miracles and by them conuerted many to the faith at seuen Ordinations he consecrated 65. Bishops all ioyning with him in Religion Syluester factus Episcopus docendi munere fideliter functus est vitiosa in ordine Ecclesiastico multa emendauit miraculis claruit etiam quibus multos ad fidem conuertit Ordinationibus sacris septem perfectis creauit Episcopos sexaginta quinque So likewise did all other knowne Catholike Bishops in the whole world either actually assembled in or consenting vnto the renowned Councels of so many hundreds of Bishops of Nice Rome Arles and other places in his time agreeing and consenting together for theÌ„selues and the whole Christian world committed to their charge in Religion Like was the case of Constantine so farre as temporall Prince had to deale in these affaires Of all Emperors that euer were he was he greatest in Power and Dominions and the greatest Reuerencer we finde in Histories of the See Apostolike and Popes of Rome in his time and all other Godly Bishops and assisted all he could the assembling
monumentum id esset Insulam totam Romano Imperatori aliquando paruisse And plainely confesse that in Britaine diuers yeares he behaued himselfe and in all mens Iudgment gouerned vertuously corageously and as a good Emperor ought to doe Maximus probè strenuè Augustoque omnium sententia dignum Magistratum in Albione aliquot annos gessisset And that both the Christian Britans Harris Histor Eccl. Tom. 4. Baron Spond Annal. in Maximo and Picts the onely then Inhabitants heare did meruailously well loue him Britones ac Picti mirificè Maximum Imperatorem diligere His Brittish wife Queene and Empresse daughter of Octauius is commended in Histories to haue bene a very vertuous Lady 7. Maximus being dead Theodosius the Elder as he was Emperor so Theodosius Emperor commendad King and Ruler in Britaine this man is most renowned in Histories for his honoring the Church especially of Rome and hate of Heresies his prayses be too many among Catholike Writers therefore I will onely and breifely vse Protestants testimonies in his behalfe in their owne words Theodosius the Elder the most Christian Emperor Theodosius did open pennance in Millan and Stowe Howes Hist Tit. Rom. in Theodosio Magdebur cent 4. c. 7. col 568. fasted and prayed eight Moneths together according as Saint Ambrose had enioyned him because in the first yeare of his Empire he had commanded fiue thousand Citizens of Thessalonica to be slayne and for executing the Innocent with the wicked in forme of ciuill iustice therefore the Archbishop would not permit him to enter into the Church nor to receaue the Sacrament vntill he had performed his pennance What Sacrament this was which he might not receaue and good Christians Magdebur cent 4. c. 10. Theod. Hist l. 6. cap. 8. Sozom. l. 7. cap. 24. Ambros apud eosd supr then receaued the Protestants of Germany doe tell vs from Theodoret Sozomen and S. Ambrose himselfe that it was the most sacred Body of our Lord and his pretius Blood Sacratissimum Domini corpus pretiosus Domini sanguis And that S. Ambrose did not admitte him to Sacraments vâ—â—ill after long pennance in the place of penitents he prostrated himselfe on the pauement The B. Sacrament of the Altare Christs most holy boby and pretious blood in the Church Portch and with teares desired absolution Nec post tantum temporis receptus prius est nisi ab Ambrosio iterum duriter reprehensus doloris sui in templi vestibulo in pauimentum se deijciens plorans certa fecit indicia ac in loco paenitentium subsistere non recusit And yet they more plainely and pathetically thus deliuer from many renowned Authors the greate and austeere Magdebur cent 4. cap. 7. cap. 3. Theodor. l. 5. c. 17. Sozom l. 7. c. 24. Paul Diac. lib. 13. Aug. l. 5. de ciuitate Dei c. 26. humble pennance of this Emperor before he was reconciled by S. Ambrose peccatum suum agnoscens octo luxit mensibus quo paenitentiae curriculo completo ad Templum postea cum lachrymis redijt Domino supplicans non stans nec genu flectens sed in terram pronum se prosternens ac sic cum Dauide orans adhaesit pauimento anima mea viuifica me Domine secundum verbum tuum Surgens verò manibus barbam capillos euellit frontem caecidit pauimentum lachrymis suis conspersit ac veniam tandem petens receptus ab Ambrosio est populo pro eo deprecante And yet this most Christian Catholike and Religious Emperor as these Protestants stile him was so farre from sicking to exempt himselfe from the censure of S. Ambrose neither Pope nor Patriarke but onely Bishop of Millan hauing no iurisdiction at Thessalonica in Greece where the offencâ— was committed but for Millan where the Emperor then was resident oâ— disobey S. Ambrose reiect or persecute him as diuers late meaner Princes of the new Sect haue vsed higher Prelates and Popes that he most humbly submitted himselfe to his Censure religiously performed his enioyned pennance And as these Protestant Historians from Antiquitie confesse S. Ambrose was of all others the most worthie Bishop in Theodosius iudgment and Magdebur cent 4. cap. 10. col 1169. beloued of all the Emperors in his time euen Honorius sonne to this Theodosius Quà m charus fuerit quinque laudatissimis Imperatoribus Valentiniano maiori Gratiano Valentiniano Iuniori Theodosio Honorio cum quibus omnibus familiarissimè vixit non est opus commemorare Theodosium de eo dixisse Sozomenus Sozom. l. 5. cap. 18. retulit nosse scilicet se solum Ambrosium dignum Episcopi nomine And yet neither Theodosius the Emperor nor any of the others remembred for S. Ambrose his acquaintance in his time nor he himselfe did either in the iudgment of any learned Protestants or others deny or doubt of but plainely and religiously confessed and practized the doctrine of the Supremacy of the Popes of Rome in spirituall affaires Three of those Emperors Gratianus Valentinianus Edict Gratiani Valentiniani Theodos Impp. l. 1. C. de summa Trinitate fide Catholica and this Theodosius ioyned together in this Lawe for all vnder the Roman Empire among which the Britans heare were contained to exercise and professe that holy Christian Religion which S. Peter deliuered to the RomaÌ„s the Popes there had there published and S. Damasus then Pope did followe CuÌ„ctos populos quos clemeÌ„tiae nostrae regit ImperiuÌ„ in tali volumus religione versari quam D. Petrum ApostoluÌ„ tradidisse Romanis Religio vsque adhuc ab ipso insinuata Honorius the last Emperor that reigned in Britaine declarat quamque PontificeÌ„ Damasum sequi claret Honorius soÌ„ne of Theodosius being the last Emperor in this Age the last of all which reigned in Britaine was of his Fathers minde in this dutie towards the Roman See as is manifest Honour Imper. Epist ad Bonif. Pap. Tom. 1. Concil Ambros ad cap. 3. 1. ad Timoth. both by his Epistle to Pope Bonifacius the first and S. Ambrose so beloued of him who testifieth that the Church is the house of God and the Pope of Rome then Damasus the Gouernor thereof Ecclesia est domus Dei cuius hodie Rector est Damasus Such is the doctrine of all the renowned Fathers both Greeke and Latine in this learned Age S. Gregories Nazianzen Nicen S. Basile S. Chrysostome The Popes of Rome then as thâ— Emperors of the same Religion with the presaÌ„t Roman Church S. Ierome S. Augustin Optatus Prudentius and others 8. The holy Popes which succeeded to S. Liberius and Felix before remembred in this Age were sainct Damasus and sainct Siricius knowne to haue bene famous Professors and aduancers as our Protestant Antiquaries acknowledge of that Religion which with them is termed Papistry Damasus say these men was an holy Confessor a diligent Supputator of times and he set Io. Bal. l. 1. de Act.
with the Church of Rome now liued Britaine France venit in Franciam Italy Rome where he was so famous and the Easterne Churches agreed in such holy doctrine as he preached and committed to writing being the very same as Protestants themselues confesse which the Church of Rome now professeth condemning the opinions of Protestants as he had any cause to speake of such points beginning with the first and cheife Article of their Religion Iustification by faith as they confesse solam fidem ad salutem sufficere negat So of others And yet they say he had most diligently read and agreed with the Fathers of this Age the most learned Patres diligentissimè legit Originem Augustinum Hieronymum Ambrosium Eusebium Gennadium Nam ex horum interpretationibus suarum ipse in Paulum explicationum collectanea congessit ex alijs proculdubio And agreed with them in matters of Religion 4. Therefore this our renowned Doctor agreeing in all this with the best learned Magdebur cent 5. cap. 10. col 1284. Sedul in cap. 5. ad Ephes 5. ad Phil. 3. 4. ad Rom. Magdebur cent 5. c. 4. col 505. in that Age both of the Latine and Greeke Church with the Pope and Church of Rome where he was of so greate fame mirabili doctrina clarus as also in the other both Easterne and Westerne Christians where he had trauailed and preached and so glorious that the Protestants themselues acknowledge he was most rare for gifts of learning his works approued by Pope Gelasius some of theÌ„ receaued still vsed in the publike Church seruice and he stiled by that learned Pope as S. Bede after was for the like worthines venerabilis venerable Vir erat faeliâ—i ingenio praeditus acri iudicio facuÌ„dia indicibili Breuiar Roman Hym. ad Laud. in Natiuitate Domini Epiph. ad Vesper Epiphan Sedul Hymn de Christ l. 1. cap. peperisse Christum Neque minus ei cognita extitere diuina quam humana Adeo vt in Decretis Distinct 15. Gelasius Pontifex venerabilem Sedulium eum vocauerit eiusque non mediocri laude commendauerit scripta The Hymnes which the Catholike Church still vseth in the publike Seruice thereof at the Laudes in the greate Festiuitie of Christs birth and vigil of the Epiphany beginning A solis ortus cardine ad vsque terrae limitem Christum canamus principem natum Maria virgine and that of both the EueÌ„songs of the Epiphany which beginneth hostes Herodes impie Christum venire quid times non eripit mortalia qui regna dat caelestia were composed by him part of his workes and from him thus generally honored in the Church of Christ as that in honor of the blessed Virgin Salue sancta pareÌ„s enixa puerpera Regem Qui caelum terramque tenet per saecula cum virginitatis honore nec primam similem visa es nec habere sequenteÌ„ sola sine exemplo placuisti femina Christo Besides his greate trauailes and paines in preaching he wrote much Our Protestant Historians and others asscribe aboue 40. bookes to him Aldus Manutius who published diuers of his works aboue 100. yeares fince in the yeare of Christ 1501. or 1502. giueth many reasons that he lyued aboue 1100. yeares before that time Sedulium ab hinc mille centum annos ac plus eo fuisse colligimus Ald. Manut. Epist ante opera Iuuenci Sedulij c. Sedul Epist ad Macedonium Presbyterum and to haue liued in the same time with S. Hierome puto Hieronimum Sedâ—lium eisdem fuisse temporibus Which Sedulius himselfe in his Epistle to Macedonius seemeth sufficiently to proue speaking therein of S. Hierome as then liuing and writing as also of some holy parsons then in life to whome he wrote Therefore I place him in this Age yet not denying but he might liue to the beginning of that which followeth This our Sedulius much esteemeth in that Epistle Vrsinus a Bishop Vrsicinus Laurentius Gallicanus Preists and Faelix whome according to his name he nameth a truely happy man vere Faelicem for his contempt of this world cui mundus crucifixus est And others doe say they were his familiar friends and worthie men as he and they likewise doe Magdeburgen centur 1. of this Macedonius to whome he wrote Therefore not finding any Historian clayming these or any of them for any other Nation and hauing heard before that many Britans then went into those parts that they were entreated thereto and besides our owne forreine Antiquaries write that in those dayes our Arnold Merm Theatr. conuers gent. Britans did often goe on Pilgrimage to the holy Land and Rome and preach euery where as they went Britanni olim dum terram sanctam aut Apostolorum Limina visitarunt passim Euangelio praedicando seruiebant we may not vnprobably presume that these or some of them were also of this Kingdome And some write that saint Fridolin a Princes sonne of this Country some say a Scot S. Patrike very renowned in this Age. did in this Age wheÌ„ saint Hilary was Bishop of Poicters apud Pictauos Hilario Episcopo preach in Belgia Argentine Chur Rhetia Burgundy Basile Sigebert Chron. an 394. Fascicul tempor ad An. 384. Nen. Hist M. S. Floren. Wigorn. an 490. Probus in vit S. Patricij Capgrau in eod Genebr Chron. Sigebert Chron. an 491. Fascicul tempor an 423. Marian. Scot. aetat 6. an 491. Sur. Lippol 17. Mart. Baron not Mart. eod die Io. Bal. cent 1. in Patric Io. Pits in eodem Matth. Westm an 491. FloreÌ„c Wigorn. Chronic. an 372. and other places and founded many Monasteries by the Ryuer Rhine I may also ioyne saint Patrike borne in Britaine heare in this Century wherein he was not onely borne but liued in most holy conuersation many yeares both in this his natiue Country Ireland whether he was by Pagan Scottish Irish Pirats with his Christian Sisters and others violently carried hence there sold to serue Sigebert saith this was in the yeare of Christ 394 Sanctus Patricius in Hibernia cum suis sororibus veÌ„ditur vbi cum esset Regis Porcarius Angeli saepe alloquio fruitur The Author of Fasciculus Temporum saith he was sold thither with his Sisters ten yeares sooner and they were reuerenced there An. 384. Patricius magnus pater Hibernorum Apostolus circa haec tempora in Hibernia veneratur cum suis sororibus Angeli saepe colloquio fruitur 5. But if we calculate and compare the yeares of his life and death we shall certainely finde that he was solde into Iereland from hence longe before either of these times and was aboue 30. yeares old in this Age. All Historians agree that as he liued 122. yeares so he died in the yeare 491. by which accompt he must needs be borne in the yeare of Christ 368. or 369. and be aboue 30. yeares old in this Age. Marianus Scotus Probus Capgraue and others
it is from freewill or in the Lawe and Doctrine 8. That the grace of God is giuen according to our owne meritts 9. That men caÌ„not be called the children of God except they be alltogether without all sinne 10. And that it is not freewill if it wanteth the help of God because euery one hath in his owne will to doe any thing or not to doe it 11. That our Victory is not from the help of God but from free will 12. That to them which seeke pardon pardon is not giuen according to the grace and mercie of God but according to the merits and labour of them which by penance are worthie of mercy 4. S. Augustin in diuers places speaketh of this Councell and setteth downe Aug. l. Epist Epist 106. l. 2. Retract c. 47. l. 2. de pecc orig contr Pelag. Celsum c. 11. Aug. Hier. apud Baron ann 415. Binius to 1. Conc. Annot. in Conc. Diospolit Hilar. Epist ad Aug. inter Ep. Aug. Epist 88. Aug. l. de Haeres Haer. 88. these very Articles whereof Pelagius was charged and recanted by Pelagius though disseÌ„blingly for feare as appeared by him afterward Haec omnia Pelagius sic Anathematizauit So doe diuers others and add more errors which he held as that before Christ man was without sinne Prayer is not necessary Man is able by the Power of freewill not onely not to sinne but not to be tempted That women ought to sing in the Church That all men ought to be cloathed as Monkes S. Augustine addeth That man might not sweare at all Non debere iurare omnino The life of iust men in this life to be altogether without sinne And that the Church of Christ in this world consisteth of such Vitam iustorum in hoc saeculo nullum omnino habere peccatum ex his Ecclesiam Christi in hac mortalitate perfici He denied that the Church should offer prayers eyther for Infidels and such as resist the doctrine of God that they might be conuerted vnto him or for the faithfull that their faith might be encreased and they perseuer in it Destruunt orationes quas facit Ecclesia siue pro Infidelibus doctrinae Dei resistentibus vt conuertantur ad Deum siue pro fidelibus vt augeatur eis fides perseuerent in ea Their wicked grownd whereof was this because he held that men receaue not these things from God but haue them of themselues and that the grace of God by which we are deliuered Hect. Boeth l. 9. Scotor Hist fol. 179. Hollinsh Hist of Scotl. in eod 52. Reg. Buch. in eod Henric. Hunting Hist l. 3. August l. 3. contra Pelagian fere in initio c. 1. from impietie is giuen by our owne merits Haec quippe non ab ipso Deo accipere sed à seipsis homines habere contendunt gratiam Dei qua liberamur ab impietate dicentes secundum merita nostra dari 5. From which wicked and damned Heresie he also denied the vertue and necessitie of holy Sacraments aswell Baptisme as the rest as is euident in our Brittish Pelagian Hereticks sprung from him and particularly denying the Sacrament of Confession to a Preist and Penance as our Historians testifie in King Frequard of Scotland sonne of Eugenius diuers Brittish Preists therevpon noted and condemned of Pelagian Heresie Thus Pelagius at the least before his falle as S. Augustine testifieth was both a learned and holy man and his workes especially vpon S. Paules Epistles much commeÌ„ded Legi Pelagij quaedam scripta viri vt audio sancti non paruo profectu Christiani quae in Paâ—â—â— Apostoli Epistolas Expositiones brcuissimas continereÌ„t And writeth further that he was casta vita moribusque laudabilis Of a chaste life and laudable conuersation of life and doubted not to doe as Christ commanded the ritch man requesting counsaile to obtaine eternall life saying he had fulfilled all August supr lib. 2. cap. 16. Hier. in Praef. l. 3. in Hieren Isodor Pelusiot Epist 314. August l. de peccat Origin c. 5. 6. lib. 2. cont Pelag. c. â— de peccat Orig. c. 8. 22. Epist 157. Prosper contr Colâ—â—t Caelestin Epist ad Episc Galliae Gomad de Eccl. Dogm Possid in vit S. Aug. c. 18. Marian. Scot. aet 6. l. 2. an 419. Martin Polon Supput an 413. Matth. Westm an 415. Bal. l. de Script Brit. cent 1. in Pelagio Haeresiarca Gennad Honor de Script Bal. sup Io. Pits aetat 5. de vir Illustr Brit. in not pag. 84. Bed Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 10. Matth. Westm Chron. an 404. the commandements of the Lawe that he should sell all he had and giue it to the poore and traÌ„sferre his Treasure into heaueÌ„ Yet to free our Kingdome now England and Wales also of giuing life to such a man S. Hierome saith he was by Nation a Scot progeniem haberet Scoticae gentis and a voluptuous MoÌ„ke voluptuosus Monachus as Isidorus Pelusiota noteth Both which may be reconciled if we say he was borne among the Scots and bredd in our greate Monastery of Banger in Britaine and there longe time an holy Monke but after falling both into Heresie and lewdenes of life he was often condemned both by the Popes of Rome S. Innocentius and others and in diuers Councels in Asia Afrike and Europe whither he had spredd his Heresies and not perfectly in him some times teaching and maintaining other whiles excusing or denying them vntill in the time of Pope Zosimus about the yeare of Christ 418. being by him finally condemned both he and his followers were driuen into Exile by Honorius the Emperour And that Heresie condemned in all the worlde Concilio apud Carthaginem habito 214. eo amplius Episcoporum ad Papam Zosimum Sinodi Decreta perlata sunt quibus probatis per totum mundum Haeresis Pelagiana damnata est 6. Yet after this it arose againe euen in Britaine and was then and there condemned by Pope Celestine and his Legats as now it was by Pope Zosimus and the remembred Councell of aboue 214. Bishops approued by him and by other Councels which some Writers euen of this Nation and Protetestants terme generall Councels Condemnatus per Episcopos in Ephesino Carthaginensi Milleuitano Concilijs generalibus Before his Heresie he wrote many Workes agreeing with Catholike doctrine and for them 25. in nuÌ„ber as they are recompted by some is placed by them among Catholike Writers euen those of Britaine his owne Countrie which in the first beginning of his falling into Heresie did so detest and abhore it not hauing bene infected with Heresie before that time that it presently by some Authors bannished him from hence Vt videtur Britones Pelagium eiusque sequaces in exilium eiecerunt ipsis mali principijs maturè occurrentes Which seemeth to be confirmed by sainct Bede and others testifying how in a very short time he spred his errors very farre venena suae perfidiae
egregius vita quoque conuersatione illustris sermone Fastidius not improbably Archbishop of London ingenio clarus scripsit nonnulla deuota opuscula some of our owne Writers say he was Archbishop of London which the recited Authors rather approue then impugne when they stile him Bishop of the Britans meaning Io. Bal. l. de Script Brit. cent 1. in Fastid Prisc Io. Pits aetat 5. in eod by that phrase properly spoaken that he was cheife or Archbishop of them Fastidius Episcopus Londinensis Metropolis ad Archiepiscopatum Londonensem euectus Aluueus spoaken of before that baptized S. Dauid Tremaunus vrbis Legionum Archiepiscopus and Amaloers are thought to be Archbishops Galfr. Mon. Hist Brit. l. 8. c. 10. of Caerlegion Very litle memory besides their names of those of London is left except those I haue spoaken of before Yet by good Arguments though Archbishops of Caerlegion in this time more generall both from auncient forreine and domesticall Writers we are assured they were learned and holy Catholike Archbishops gouerning the people vnder them in vertue and true beleife This is confessed by Protestant Antiquaries before making the Britans both Cleargie and others orthodoxe true beleeuers and good people longe after this Age by our Brittish Histories in the greatest sway of libertie and wickednesse heare by the Saxons entry the Archbishops Bishops and others of the Cleargie Heare were holy and truely Religious and so continued so longe as their temporall gouernment continued in so much that when sainct Augustin came hither The Bishops of Britayne now learned truely Catholike and holy men and there was then but one Archbishopricke and seuen Bishopricks left by the Pagan Saxons they were all furnished with most Religious Prelats In parte Britonum vigebat Christianitas quae à tempore Eleutherij Papae habita nunquam inter eos defecerat Augustinus inuenit in eorum Prouincia septem Episcopatus Archiepiscopatum religiosissimis Prâ—sulibus muniâ—os Abbatias complures Galfrid Mon. Hist Brit. l. 11. cap. 12. Bed Hist l. 2. cap. 2. Io. Goscelin Hist Eccl. Parker l. antiq Brit. p. 8. in quibus Grex Domini rectum ordinem tenebat And S. Bede also testifieth these Bishops and others of the Brittish Cleargie were most learned men Septem Britonum Episcopi plures viri doctissimi And other our Historians euen Protestants doe proue that not onely in that Age and this we haue now in haÌ„d but in euery other in quouis saculo Britaine had such learned Prelats And for forreine Writers euen those which were most renowned in the world in their dayes euen in this very time they witnesse as much of our Brittish Bishops I Britaine now an holy and Religious kingdome haue cited S. Hilary for the Latine and S. Athanasius for the Greeke Church before to such proofe and purpose S. Chrysostome often speaketh of the Chrysost Tom. 4. Hom. 28. coÌ„m in c. 18. Epist 2. ad Corinth apud Speede Theat of Brit. l. 6. Serm. de Pentec Tom. 3. greate deuotion and Religion of our Britans how firme they were in the true faith of Christ builded Churches and Altars offered the holy Sacrifice on them and not onely our Prelats and Preists were thus Religious but our Kings themselues did lay downe their Crownes at the Church dore and made the signe of the Crosse on their forehoods Reges ingredientes Limen Ecclesiae deponunt coronam Crucem Christi depingunt in suis frontibus And name our two Kings and Emperors Theodosius the Father and sonne for Paterns of Basilius Epist ad Occidentales Episcopos in fine Tom. 3. edit Basil 1565. such Religion Theodosius pater filius Theodosij religione ac pietate insignes The Epistle of S. Basile to the Westerne Bishops OccideÌ„talibus translated by Wolefangus Masculus the Protestant in which our Brittish Bishops were comprehended proueth that our Bishops then were knowne vnto all the world to be men instructed and endued with the grace of God vnspotted in matters of faith and keeping the Apostles Tradition Vos cunctis mortalibus praedicamini viri gratia Dei instructi quòd in fide illibati permaneatis Apostolorum depositum Our Brittish Bishops not onely renowned heare and in these Westerne Nations but in the Easterne also there teaching true Râ—ligion and condeÌ„ning Herâ—siâ— illaesum seruetis And therefore most earnestly entreateth them as he did in other Epistles to come into the East Countries afflicted with Heresie to confound the Heretiks and comfort others Obsecramus vt nunc tandem manum Orientalibus porrigatis Ecclesijs quae iam velut in genua depressae inclinant ac viros aliquos mittatis qui illas de praemijs admoneant quae patientiae ac passionibus pro Christo toleratis reseruantur Vos ò dilecti ac desiderati fratres sitis vulneratorum medici eorum qui adhuc sani existant Praedotribae quod morbidum est curantes quod sanum ad pietatem instruentes Therefore hauing proued by most worthie witnesses before that not onely among the Westerne Nations but all others in the then Christian world this Kingdome of Britaine was most free from Heresie and by S. Basils iudgment aswell in that respect as that our Bishops were learned and trauayled into remote Countries euen to Councels and as Theodoret hath testified multi Britanni many holy and learned Britans went in that time to the Easterne Countries whether S. Basile so exhorted them to come and where so greate necessitie was then of their helpe and assistance in so greate and important affaires we may not doe that wrong to our Noble Nation but acknowledge that diuers of our learned Britans tooke in hand and performed those worthie offices as S. Basil so vrgently desired And among these we may boldly name and place Coelus Sedulius a very Sigebert Bostius apud Bal. cent 1. in Coelo Sedul Io. Trith l. de Scrip. Eccles in eod Conr. Gesner Bibliot in Caelio Sedul Magdeb. cent 5. c. 10. Henric. de Erford hist Sedul in Princ. lib. Epistol learned man and by Sigebert Bostius Trithemius and others a Bishop for one He being brought vp vnder our Archbishop Hildebertus heare in our Britaine though he himselfe as he and others write Scotigena come of the Scottish Nation proued a man of greate and extraordinarie knowledge in all kind of learning especially diuine and trauayled into those Easterne Countries Italiam perlustrauit Asiam postremo Achaiae finibus excedens in vrbe Roma mirabili doctrina clarus effulsit And did not onely by his words and preaching confirme the Catholiks confounding Heretiks but by his many learned Writings refuted all Heresies of those times and places as is plainly extant in them leauing vnto Posteritie an vndeniable testimony in his owne Parson of his labours and written Bookes that all Countries then where he These our Bishops of Britaine agreeing with all Catholike Churches professed the same faith