he desrred to have Apostata Friars that had tyed themselves to Sisters assuring himselfe that they would be most plyable to his purpose And so there came into England Martin Bucer a Dominican Friar who had beene an earnest Lutheran Peter Martyr a Cannon Regular that inclined to Zuinglius his opinions but yet came with great indifferency to preach and teach what he should be appointed as afterwards appeared being a Lector in the University of Oxford when the Parliament in London was debating what opinion the Kingdome should followe concerning the Reall presence Peter Martyr kept all his Schollers in suspence untill newes came of the Parliaments resolution to which he accommodated himselfe for having detained his Schollers with tedious glosses upon the words precedent to This is my body not to declare his sense of them before he understood the sense of the Parliament which having received by the Post to be interpreted in a â—gurative not reall way he was presently inspired that this was the cleare sense of the Scaipture and wondered now any could be so blind as not to see a thing so maniâ—est Bernard â—chinus was the third who had beene a Caâ—eclâ—in but being weary of that austere life tooke a woman Annal. Cap. 1543. and writ a Booke in defence of having two wives at 〈◊〉 Some say he died a Jew but the Annalls of the Capuchins testifie that he repented and died a Cathâ— lick 6 These three Apostles of the Reformation were dâ—stributed into three principall fountaines of the Land London Oxford and Cambridge With these joyned Coverdaâ— an Augustin Friar Bale a Carmelite and other Apostates who did so vary in their Doctrine and Religions which they preached to the people that all was in confusion iâ— so much that the Protector writ to Cranmer and Ridley that they should make hast to end the common Servicâ— booke or of Common prayer Doctrine and Rites which they had begunne 7 But from hence arose a great Controversy for thaâ— Bucer would have one thing Peter Martyr another Ochinâ—â— a third Iohn Bale and Miles Coverdale would saine put iâ— their opinions also Above all others did trouble the market two heady Priests Iohn Hooper and Iohn Roger comâ— from beyond Seas the one from VVittenberg the other from Strasburg These two dissenting wholy from thâ— course begunne by Cranmer and Ridley made a great faction against the Common prayer booke especially afteâ— that Hugh Latimer sided with them who was of great regard with the common people 8 The Protector seeing such differences in Religions and confusion called a Parliament an 1547 but the Common prayer booke could not then passe this onely waâ— determined about Religion that none should speake irreâ— verently of the Sacrament of the Altar and that all for mer Statuts made by the Kings of England against what soever Hereticks or Sectaries namely against Lohards VVickliffians Hussits Anabaptists c. should be recalled and annulled So as now every man might thinke say preach or teach what he thought fit 9 But in the next Parliament the Common prayeâ— booke was approved because it seemed in matter of thâ— Sacraments to favour and humour divers Sectaries whâ— before had opposed it Yet the common people in man shires of England tooke armes in defence of the old and Catholick Religion complaining that most Sacrament were taken from them and they had reason to feare thâ— rest if they did not looke to it would follow within short time This was King Eduards Reformation which he could not perfect because he died within six yeares after he had begunne 10 It is very remarkable how in this Kings time it was resolved that whatsoever should be determined by six Bishops such as they were and six men learned in the Law of God or the major part of them concerning the Rites and administrations of Sacraments that onely should be followed so that seaven men in England were thought a sufficient number to change the whole frame of Christian Religion by changing the matter and forme of Sacraments abolishing the Sacrifice of the Masse and the ancient Rites and ceremonies of the Catholick Church which had beene practised for so many ages and reverenced by all the pious and learned men of the world Heresie is alwayes accompanied with presumption yet never did any Sectaries before this time attribute to themselves so much as ours did preferring the judgement of seaven men to that of all the world confirmed by so many generall Councells and holy Fathers The forme of consecrating Priests set downe in the new Ritual is this Receive the holy Ghost whose sinnes thou dost forgive they are forgiven and whose sinnes thou dost retaine they are retained and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the Word of God and of his holy Sacraments in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost See the Ritual printed at London 1607. and for the Act authorising it see Kallend an 3. Ed Vâ— cap. 12. and Mason pag. 94. 11 After King Eduard the VI. reigned his Sister Queene Mary who being a Catholick her selfe restored the Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament Cardinal Poole the Popes Legat absolving the Kingdome from the excommunication and schisme incurred Some Histories of that time relate that 30 thousand Sectaries all strangers Were banished out of England and amongst the rest the two holy Apostles Peter Martyr and Bernard Ochinus All King Eduards pretended Bishops were deposed and imprisoned the Catholick Bishops set at liberty and restored to their Seas This Queene is as much condemned by Protestants for crucltie against their Religion as Queene Elizabeth is censured by Catholicks as if forsooth there were no difference betweene punishing upstart seditious novelâ—ists and the maintainers of that Faith Which had beene in possession from the time Christianity was brought into the Land 12 Queene Mary deceased without issue her Sister Elizabeth was proclaimed Queene notwithstanding that all Catholicks knew Mary Steward the Queene of Scots to be the lawfull heire of the Crowne Queene Elizabeth shewing inclination to the new Religion all the Catholick Bishops refused to crowne her yet at length by great adoe she was crowned and anointed after the Catholicke manner by Oglethorp Bishop of Carlile The Reformation was by Act of Parliament againe established notwithstanding the great opposition made by all the Bishops and others in the upper House The Queene was resolved to puil downe Catholick Religion because Cecill and others of her Councell perswaded her that she could not be secure as long as the Popes authority was acknowledged in England seeing the Sea Apostolick had declared her a bastard and all Catholicks looked upon the Queene of Scots as the true heire to the Crowne 13 Notwithstanding it was the Queenes temporall interest to pull downe Catholick Religion in England yet it was much for her quiet and peace of the Realme to keepe alwayes a resemblance of it in the Clergy as the best remedy against Puritanisme which
consecrated Especially seeing as Master Mason saith the Register of Cranmer beare record of Master Barlowes preferment to the Priory of Bishame Pag. 127. of his election to the Bishoprick of Saint Asath and of the confirmation of the same how is it therefore possible that his consecration if ever it had beene should not be found likewise recorded But the truth is that Barlowe as most of the Clergy of England in those times were Puritans and inclined to Zuinglianisme therefore they contemned and rejected Consecration as a rag of Rome and were content with the extraordinary calling of God and the Spirit as all other Churches are who pretend Reformation Neither is it credible that there was any other consecration of Parker and his Camerades but that which passe at the Nags-head For if there were Iohn Stow would not conceale it in his Annalls who is so diligent in setting down all that passed in and about London especially concerning Master Parker to whom he professeth love and respect therefore he would not omit his consecration iâ— it were for his advantage to have it published he having related the consecration of Cardinall Poole Parkers immeâ— diate Predecessor with so many particulars This dotâ— confirme Doctor Champneys and Master Constables testimony concerning Stow his acknowledging by word oâ— mouth to many persons that the story of the Nags-heaâ— was very true and that Parker had no other Ordination 19 But what then must be said of Master Masons Records It s no want of charity to judge they were forged because they who make no conscience to falsifie Scripture will forge Records How notoriously the English Clergy falsified Scripture is demonstrated by Gregory Martin in a learned Booke intitled A Discovery of the manifold corruptions c. It s little judgement or much passion to thinke that Master Masons Records are not forged for if they were true how could they be concealed from Catholicks and Protestant the space of 50. yeares the knowledge of them being so necessary for to determine the controversie of Protestant Ordination It s want of charity and judgement to thinke that all the English Catholick Doctors would charge the Protestant Clergy with nullitie of Consecration without ground Stapleton Harding Bristow and others who did forsake all athomes for conscience sake did surely examine the businesse before they published to the world in print the nullitie of Parkers Ordination and charged him and all the rest of being unsent uncalled unconsecrated and thereby engaging posteritie to commit so many damnable sacrileges in reordaining those who had beene already validly ordained 20 Master Masâ—n in his second Edition endeavours to answer some of the exceptions here mentioned against his Records as also Barlowe and Parkers Consecration But truly he brings nothing that can satisfie any prudent and indifferent person He proves that Parker was consecraâ—ed at Lambeth and not at the Nags-head because the Right Honourable Charles Howard Earle of Nottingham saith Mason told a friend of his not named in the yeare 616. that he was invited to Parkers consecration at Lambeth and that he was present at the banquet thereof This story though it were true onely proves that there was a good dinner at Lambeth which might very well be to conâ—eale the shamefull consecration at the Nags-head Besiâ—es we must take the Earles friend word for the Earles â—estimony and Master Masons word for this anonymous friends testimony We bring more then one to witnesse of the Nags-head consecration not onely Master Neale and other Catholicks present thereat men of learning and nature judgement but also Iohn Stow a Protestant all of them knew how to distinguish betweene an Episcopaâ— Consecration and a banquet This testimony of Masteâ— Neale and other Catholicks who were present as Mastâ— Constable affirmes were not delivered to one onely friend as that of Nottingham but to many vertuous Priests whâ— communicated the whole story to Holiwood Champnâ— Parsons Fitzsimons and many others all men of known integritie who published it to the world in print Thâ— Priests and Jesuits to whom the Records were knowne 〈◊〉 King Iames his time protested against them as forged anâ— improbable as appeareth by the testimony of men yet living whose honestie can not be called in question anâ— Father Fairekloth himselfe one of the imprisoned Jesuitâ— testified so much to many by word of mouth and in wâ—ting Soe that its strange how some Protestants have gâ— ven out so confidently the contrary and how they eâ— deavour to make this so well grounded story a meere fâ— ble and thereby call so many persons of much moâ— learning vertue and prudence then themselves fooles 〈◊〉 knaves 21 Master Mason doth also endeavour to prove thâ— Barlowe was consecrated Bishop in Honry the VIII reign because quoth Mason he sate in Parliament and was 〈◊〉 possession of the temporalities But Honry the VIII Leâ— ters Patents whereby he was installed in the temporalitâ— of his Bishoprick which Mason himselfe cites makes oâ— ly mention of his Acceptation and Confirmation but noâ— of his Consecration Why should this last be omitted 〈◊〉 he were really consecrated and the two first mentioneâ— If he was installed in his temporalities not being concrated he might also sit in Parliament without consection As for the pretended exactnesse of the English Râ—cords and the authentick Copies of every Bishops Cosecration not onely in the Archbishops Registers but so in the Chancery and other Courts and Bishoprick which is the onely ground whereby the Protestant Câ— gy do now endeavour to make credible the new Record and Parkers Ordination at Lambeth in case all this shoâ— be granted as true it doth rather prejudice then maâ— taine their cause because it proveth as much against Bâ— lowe as it seemes to favour Parker For if the exactneâ— and multiplicity of Records concerning every Bishoâ— consecration doth demonstrate as they pretend their â—ot being counterfeited it being morally impossible to â—ounterfeit so many hands and testimonies how is it â—ossible that no Copies of Barlowes consecration do appeare in any Court or Bishoprick of England Yet Maâ—ter Mason objects that Gardiner his Consecration doth â—ot appeare in any Records that ever he could see and â—et we hold him to be a true Bishop Therefore we ought â—o believe the same of Barlowe though his Consecration â—e not registred To this I answer first that its very like Master Mason did not trouble himselfe so much with seeking after Gardiners consecration as after Barlowes because one did not import him as much as the other But in â—ase Gardiners Ordination were as necessary for the valid Consecration of the Roman Catholick Church as Barâ—owes and Parkers are for the English Protestant Church my second answer is that if all circumstances considered Gardiners Consecration were as doubtfull as Barlowes and Parkers we Roman Catholicks would take to our selves â—he same advice we give English Protestants that is to repaire with all speed to some other Church of undoubted
It s very credible that if Master Laud had found successe in his first attempts he would in time reforme the forme of the English Ordination and thrust in some words expressing the power of Priests and Bishops seeing he and others of the Protestant Clergy of late Kallend an 3. Ed. Vl. c. 12. Mason pag. 94. did differ so much in opinion concerning Priesthood and Episcopacy from those who lived in King Edward the VI. time and in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths reigne He could not misse with six Prelats and six other men learned in Gods Law whereof the greater number might devise as warrantable a forme of making Bishops and Priests as was devised by the same number in King Edwards time Yet all had beene in vaine because neither Master Laud himselfe nor any of the rest then living could consecrate others even with the Catholick forme seeing none of them all had valid Ordination as hath beene demonstrated Therefore it was thought expedient to cover the want of the reality of true Ordination with an exterior formality of long cloakes and surplises and supply the want of Sacrifice with crosses and candlesticks upon the Altars 26 Master Mason commends much the wisdome of the English Church that so discreetly and religiously pared away all superfluous Ceremonies in Ordination and saith it was a singular priviledge of Master Parker that being the 70. Archbishop after Saint Austin the Apostle of England yet of all that number he was the onely man that received Consecration without the Popes Bulls and superfluous Aaronicall ornaments How discreet and religious the English Church was in paring away pretended superfluities in Ordination can not be determined by Master Mason untill he makes appeare that all is superfluous in that kinde which he and the Puritans who made the English Rituall in King Edward the VI. time fancied superfluous It is not the part of any particular Church to pare away any thing that hath beene delivered to them by antiquity to be observed Though some words have beene added to ancient formes of Ordination for their greater explanation or solemnity yet none were ever so rash as to pare away any especially those that seemed to signifie the power and authority intended by the Ordainer 27 To conclude this matter I say with Saint Ierome Ecclesia non est quae non habet Sacerdotem How can the Protestant Church be the true Church seeing it hath not any one Priest or Bishop Though it were not evident that it hath no valid Ordination yet so many manifest uncertainties and doubts as themselves must acknowledge concerning their Ordination doth demonstrate the nullitie of their Church For if there remaine but one solid and prudent doubt of the validity of Ordination of any Church its impossible it should be the true Catholick and Apostolick because a doubtfull Clergy makes a doubtfull Church and a doubtfull Church is no Church The first step to Christian and Catholick beliefe is the well grounded credibility excluding all prudent doubts of that Church whereof we are members if we have any prudent ground to doubt of the Clergy we have the same to doubt of our Church and of the Faith or Doctrine proposed by its testimony and the true Faith admits of no such doubts Therefore Protestants before they can prudently believe to have true Faith or be in the Catholick must cleare all the doubts heretofore objected against their Ordination which I will briefly summe up 28 First they must prove clearly that the story of the Nags-head was a fable and consequently that Master Neale and the other Catholicks who said they were eye-witnesses of what passed were impudent Impostors and content to be convicted as such in the same place and time that they invented so palpable a lye Secondly they must make appeare evidently that all the Catholicks of that time both Bishops Priests and others who believed Master Neale and suffered much for conscience were all runne mad because they believed so great a foppery or if they did not believe him they were most wicked and sacrilegeous persons to engage posterity by their relation and testimony to reordaine the Protestant Clergy Thirdly they must demonstrate that all the first Protestant Bishops and others consecrated by them did conspire not to contradict the story of the Nags-head and their owne invalid consecration for the space of fifty and odde yeares to the great discredit of themselves and their whole Church where as they might easily stop their adversaries mouths by producing witnesses and Records of the pretended solemne Congregation at Lambeth being so often demanded in printed Bookes by whom and how were they ordained Fourthly it must be made appeare to the world that Bancroft Bishop of London could be ignorant of the publick Registers of Parkers Ordination at Lambeth himselfe being so much concerned in it and in the knowledge of it if he were not ignorant of the publick Registers why did he answer so fondly and contrary to the very Protestant principles that a Priest might ordaine Bishops in case of necessity Fifthly it must be manifestly proved that not onely Bancroft was ignorant of the publick Registers but that all the Bishops of England who were present in the late Parliament knew nothing of them whereas Doctor Morton pretended Bishop of Durham affirmed publikely in the upper House that the first Protestant Bishops were consecrated at the Nags-head This answer all the rest approved by their silence and were glad to have that retiring place against the Presbyterians who proved clearly that they were not consecrated at Lambeth as Master Masen pretends But if Doctor Morton and the rest of the Bishops knew any thing of Masons Booke and Registers as infallibly they did why did not they stick to that This proves evidently that none of them did give credit to Masons new found Registers 29 Sixthly supposing Master Masons forged Records were true it must be made cleare that there was in their Ordination a competent number of true Bishops and consequently that the Bishops of Edward the VI. were validly consecrated notwithstanding the Declaration of the contrary by publick Acts and sentences in Queene Maryes reigne Seventhly if there was not a competent number of true Bishops whether in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths reigne there as any such necessity as Protestants pretended having then in England 14. Catholick and true Bishops Eighthly it must be made appeare that Barlowe was consecrated who was the principall Consecrator of Parker for if he were how is it possible that in all the Registers of England and Wales there should be no mention of his Consecration Lastly it must be proved clearly that the forme used in the ordaining of Protestant Ministers and Bishops is valid It will be a very hard taske to cleare all these doubts and exceptions How unfortunately was Charles the First late King of England misinformed in matter of his Bishops and Clergy What scruple could he have had if he had knowne
against our Doctrine Cath. So have ye against ours and by your consequence ye must not judge of it Ye are best be judged by the great Turke if ye will not admit of the Pope to be Judge of Controversies in Religion Yet it s not credible that God would have us be judged by Turkes or Jewes What thinke you Master Doctor Min. But why should the Pope or Roman Church judge us Protestants and we not judge them Cath. Your Protestant Churches are not yet come to yeares of discretion Our Church was in possession of judicature before yours was born ye must produce better evidence then we can shew before you can rationally pretend to deprive us of what we possessed these 16. hundred yeares 19 Min. I never met with a more obstinate Clowne then thou art Cath. Why do you say I am obstinate Is it because I take not the word of your English Church that is of 12. or 7. men in matters of Faith and Sacraments against the testimony of all Catholick Councells and the tradition of the whole Church Min. I wonder that thou didst not make mention of tradition before now Woe to them that prefer the traditions of men before the Word of God! Cath. I do not take Scripture as you interpret it to be the Word of God Our Preachers teach us that the Word of God must necessarily involve Gods meaning and sense But ye Protestants intrude your own fancies and dreames and make them a part of Gods Word rejecting the true sense and meaning of Scripture which the Catholick Church had learned of the Apostles and preserved from the first age of Christianity to this present Minist What a calumny is this Name but one fancy or new interpretation of ours intruded into Scripture Cath. Do not ye say that the respect we give to Images is idolatry or at least forbidden in Scripture as a thing inclining men to idolatry The Catholick Church condemned long since this fancy of yours as heresie and ye make the common people believe that we are idolaters for holding that sense of Scripture which hath been taught and practised in the Church since the beginning as learned men assure us and they say the second Councell of Nice do testifie 20 Min. Worship of Images is dangerous and therefore forbidden in Scripture Cath If that be so how did all the Church approve of it for so many ages and stick to it still notwithstanding your contradictions We have men of conscience and learning how is it possible they should damne themselves and others for worship of Images Min. I see there is no ground to be expected by discoursing with thee because when thou art pressed with Gods cleare Word thou dost recurre to the tradition and practise of the Church and to I know not what miracles Therefore I fear God hath delivered thee over to Sathan as an obstinate and reprobate Heretick Cath. Make it appear to me that your sense of Scripture is Gods meaning and then I will not contradict your Doctrine But I see no prudent ground to believe that your new interpretations contrary to the practise and tradition of the ancient Catholick Church should be dictated by God On the contrary side ye can not deny that we Catholicks have all the reason in the world to stick to our old sense of Scripture confirmed by so many miracles and testimonies of antiquity 21 Let this suffice to shew how illiterate Catholicks may convince the most learned Protestants Our cause is so good and cleare that common sense is enough to defend it and confound our greatest and most able adversaries No Catholick Clowne can be convinced by any learned Protestant if he be not more then ordinarily simple Truly there is nothing more incredible then that all the visible Churches of the world should have beene forsaken by God and in damnable errours for so many ages as Protestants pretend and that to reform the world God should pick out amongst all men the most â—icked who continued or rather encreased their abominable and scandalous conversation after they begun to preach their new Ghospell See the lives of all new Reformers in the three Conversions of England and in the prudentiall Ballance if you doubt of this assertion Is it not a meere foppery to thinke that 12. or 7. men who modeld the new Church of England in Edward the VI. time should judge better of Christian Faith matter and forme of Sacraments and of religious ceremonies then the Councells of Lateran and Trent and all the world in former ages Is it not impossible and contrary to Christs owne promises that the exercise of true Religion and Faith should be as invisible as the English Church is at this present in times wherein Christianity through the mercy of God doth flourish in all parts of the world The Catholick Church was never brought to be invisible by the Arrians though by them much persecuted Let any Catholick Clowne but reflect upon these and other things visible to all the world and he may confidently dispute and convince the most learned Protestant CHAP. XV. Of the difference between Christian Faith and the historicall beliefe of Protestants THat supernaturall Faith is a speciall gift of God is granted even by Protestants themselves The superuaturality of it consists not in believing an extravagant and improbable object because that may be done naturally For there is nothing however so false and improbable to the understanding that will not at length be believed by men if constantly reported to them by others of whom they have a good opinion and not contradicted by any whose testimony they value The Turks believe that Mahomet was a great Prophet and Saint The Jews believe that the Messias is not yet come The Puritans believe that every one of themselves is inspired with a Divine spirit c. And though every one of these stories be false improbable and also contradicted by Catholicks yet because these Sectaries have a good opinion of their owne Congregation and a very bad one of us Catholicks they believe the first reject and contemne the second Turks Jews and Puritans do not believe these fond articles of their own Religion with any supernaturall Faith their beliefe is meerly historical just as children believe the history of the Knight in the Sunne Don Quixote de la Manche c. All Christians have not supernaturall and Christian Faith Many who received it in their Baptisme loose it by heresie Hereticks are called Christians because they are baptized and not because they are endued with Christian beliefe They believe some mysteries of Christian Religion but with a meere historicall Faith They assent to the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation not because God revealed them but because they are pleased to judge it very probable or certain that God revealed some such thing That their owne fancy or opinion and not Gods Revelation doth move Protestants to believe what they do believe of Christian Religion is evident