there hath been these Orders of Ministers in Christs Church Bishops Priests and Deacons which Offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation that no man by his own private Authority might presume to execute any of them except he were first called c. And Bishop Bramhall affirms with great assurance Among all the Eastern Southern and Northern Christians who make innumerable multitudes there neither is nor ever was one formed Church that wanted Bishops among all the Western Churches and their Colonies there never was one formed Church for 1500 years that wanted Bishops If there be any persons so far possessed with prejudice that they choose rather to follow the private dictates of their own Phrensy than the perpetual and universal practice of the Catholique Church enter not into their Secrets O my Soul. Bishop Bramhall Consecration of Protestant Bishops vindicated p. 431. of his Works printed at Dublin And you know the Church of Englands practice at this day which admits of no Calvinian Ministers into her Clergy without Episcopal Ordination NOTE Thus it appears by an Induction of all the several Denominations of Christians that in Cranmers opinion there could be no such National or Catholique Church extant upon the face of the earth anno 1556. as that which the Church of England defines Article 19th The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duely administred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same So that his saying I reverence the Authority of the Catholick Church was but an illusion or vain pretence to avoid the Censure of Heresie his Catholique Church at that time being like Terra incognita in our Maps not as yet found out What tolerable excuse Good Reader canst thou invent for this Reformer have Lutherans Papists Calvinists Anabaptists Socinians Greek Church c. all those things that of necessity are requisite to the preaching of Gods pure Word and due Administration of Sacraments according to Christs Ordinance If so then shew me a solid reason if thou canst why a Church of England man should not receive the Sacraments of all or any of these Sects If the Church of Rome have all those things that of necessity are requisite c. how or where shall Cranmer appear at the day of Judgment If she have not then how is she a Member of Christs visible Church as Protestants say she is A corrupt Member perhaps you will call her but if she wants any thing necessary or essential to a Christian Church she is no Member at all If she errs only in matters not Fundamental or non essential as is confessed by very learned Protestants she is secure still but thou art not secured from Schism If she holds all things necessary to Salvation and no Error that destroys the Christian Faith she may be saved and what more wouldst thou have But whether she does or does not hold any Errors destructive of Salvation I pray who shall be Judge Answer that short Question if thou wouldst say any thing to the purpose What Authority had Cranmer to call the Pope Antichrist more than the Pope had to pronounce him an Heretick He swore Obedience to the Pope which the Pope never did to him He divorced Queen Katherine styling himself Legatus a Latere as you may find in Burnet A. But he appealed to a General Council what did he mean by that B. Nothing but to divert the proceedings of the Court for he valued the Authority of General Councils as little as he did that of the Catholick Church A. Pray make that out B. Burnet acquaints you page 176. 1 Vol. He viz. Cranmer said some General Councils had been rejected by others and it was a tender point how much ought to be deferred to a Council And as all God's Promises to the people of Israel had this Condition implyed within them if they kept his Commandments so he thought the Promises to the Christian Church had this Condition in them if they kept the Faith Therefore says Burnet he had much doubting in himself as to General Councils and he thought that only the Word of God was the Rule of Faith which ought to take place in all Controversies of Religion This be said in the year 1534. NOTE The word of God admits of various Interpretations the Question is Who shall determine which is the true Interpretation a General Council or Cranmer 's private Spirit in Opposition to that Council But his Opinion of General Councils appears further from the XXI Article of the Church of England viz. General Councils when they are gathered together forasmuch as they be an Assembly of men whereof all be not governed by the Spirit and Word of God they may err and sometime have erred in things pertaining unto God. Wherefore things Ordained by them as necessary unto Salvation have neither strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture NOTE But who shall take upon him to judge of the Decrees of General Councils whether they be Consonant to Scripture or not shall any single Person Or any particular Church Where is the Modesty of that Shall any inferiour Authority take upon it self to contradict or reverse the Decrees of a Superiour If so then why may not any single Minister or Bishop of the Reformed Church protest against the Judgment of a Protestant Convocation If he may not do it without Censure how shall the Church of England being but a particular Church take upon her self to damn and contradict the Faith of all the rest of the Christian World A. Shew me where she assumes any such Authority B. Read her XIX Article viz. as the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred so also the Church of Rome hath erred not only in their Living and manner of Ceremonies but also in matters of Faith. Then see the third part of her Homily against peril of Idolatry and observe these words So that Laity and Clergy learned and unlearned all Ages Sects and Degrees of Men Women and Children of whole Christendom an horrible and most dreadful thing to think have been at once drowned in abominable Idolatry and that by the space of eight hundred years and more NOTE Here the Doctrine of the Church of England that Christ had no Church upon earth for the space of eight hundred years and more before Cranmer The same Homily teaches further viz. and at the last the learned also were carried away with the publick Error as with a violent stream or flood And at the second Council of Nice the Bishops and Clergy decreed that Images should be worshipped and so by occasion of these stumbling Blocks not only the unlearned and simple but the learned and wise not only the People but the Bishops not the Sheep but also the Shepherds themselves who should have been Guides in the right way
Dublin Castle Oct. 28. 1687. Let this Discourse be printed Tho. Sheridan By the Lords Diae Lunae 3. Januarii 1680. ORdered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled That the Thanks of this House be given to Dr. Burnet for the great Service done by him to this Kingdom and the Protestant Religion in writing the History of the Reformation of the Church of England so truly and exactly And that he be desired to proceed in the perfecting what he further intends therein with all convenient speed Jo. Brown Cler. Parliamentorum By the Commons Jovis 23. Die Decemb. 1680. ORdered That the Thanks of This House be given to Dr. Burnet for the Book Intituled The History of the Reformation of the Church of England Will. Goldesbrough Cleric Dom. Com. Mercurii 5. Die Januarii 1680. ORdered that Dr. Burnet be desired to proceed with and compleat that good Work by him begun in Writing and Publishing The History of the Reformation of the Church of England Will. Goldesbrough Cler. Dom. Com. A REFORMED CATECHISM IN TWO DIALOGUES CONCERNING The ENGLISH REFORMATION COLLECTED For the most part Word for Word out of Dr. Burnet John Fox and other Protestant Historians PUBLISHED For the INFORMATION of the PEOPLE IN REPLY to Mas William Kings ANSWER to D. Manby's Considerations c. The FIRST DIALOGUE By Peter Manby D. of Londonderry Memento dierum antiquorum cogita generationes singulas interroga Patrem tuum annunciabit tibi Majores tuos dicent tibi Deut. 32.7 Printed by Nathaniel Thompson in the Old Spring-Garden 1687. TO THE READER Reader HE that would undertake to shew us a new or better way to Heaven then either we or our Forefathers have been acquainted with ought in all reason to recommend himself as the Apostles did by some other Authority then a bare pretence to Scripture which every body claims as well as he unless we would be tossed too and fro as Saint Paul speaks and carried about with every Wind of Doctrine with the various Lights of all Reformers Cranmer was this new undertaker who had neither Mission from Heaven nor consent of the English Bishops to Authorize his Reformation nor yet any great mind to dye a Martyr for the same as will appear in the ensuing History Now I pray observe these words of Mas William King page 21. of his Answer to Mr. Manby viz. We own what he contends for that both true Doctrine and external and lawful Mission are generally necessary to a regular Preacher of the Gospel and if either of these are wanting the Person is not to be received Here if it can be demonstrated that Cranmer had no Orders either as Priest or Bishop but only to celebrate Mass to preach the Doctrine of the Church of Rome to bind and absolve Sinners there is an end of the Controversie If he had no Mission at all to preach the Doctrine of XXXIX Articles then by Mas William King's own Confession he was not to be received And for this Reader be pleased to read from page 81. of this Catechism to page 91. And where he says page 25 of his Answer that Cranmer in all he did had the unanimous vote and consent of the major part of the Convocation the universal submission of the Clergy and approbation of the People c. And a little after but if the Clergy in a National Council and the people in obedience to them or from their own Inclinations did comply in earnest what an idle question is it for Mr. M. to ask by what Authority Cranmer condemned that Church from whom he received his Mission and Holy Orders when she concurred in all he did and approved nay made all the Alterations in her Liturgy Sacraments and Constitutions that were made Now if it appear that all the English Bishops except a very few during the Reign of Henry VIII were utterly against his pretended Reformation and that almost all the Bishops under Edward VI. were turned out of their Sees for dissenting from it and others substituted in their places what shall we think of Mr. Kings Confidence thus imposing upon his Readers What shall become of his Answer to Mr. M. the whole strength whereof depends upon these words that the major Vote of the Convocation concurred in all he did and approved all the Alterations that were made page 25. Read Burnet relating the concerns of the Church upon King Edward's Succession to the Crown and you shall find all affairs dispatch'd by the Privy Council and two Houses of Parliament the Bishops generally dissenting The Convocation says Heylin ad annum 1547. the first year of King Edward was not impowr'd to act in any publick business for ought appearing on Record Hist Reform p. 50. Third Edition And further Note what he says ad annum 1551. the fifth year of King Edward but notwithstanding the remove of so many Bishops there still remained one rub in the way which did much retard the Progress of the Reformation the Princess Mary having been bred up in the Romish Religion could not be won by any Perswasions to change her Mind c. page 102. Burnet says several of the Bishops under King Edward submitted to the Reformation against their Consciences Which only amounts to what I affirm in this Catechism that the Reformation was not the Act and Deed of the old Clergy but impos'd on the Nation by the Power and Interest of a few persons for their own advantage Let us imagine if the late Duke of Monmouth had prospered and then summoned an Assembly of the English Bishops to reform the Church as he and his Party had designed and they generally dissenting should carry all things by strong hand whether such a Reformation passing with the consent of a few Bishops and a few other Clergymen could be reputed the Act aod Deed of the Church of England But if you would see an Instance of Mr. Kings modest way of writing against the Pope and Church of Rome read pag. 35. of his Answer where he tells you of the Popes wicked Management of the Goods of the Church and giving the Patrimony of the Church to Lay-men to useless and idle Monks and Fryars c. And for an Instance of his Loyalty see page 37. where he excuses Cranmer for subscribing to a Letter for Excluding his lawful Sovereign the Princess Mary from Succession to the Crown It was a point of Law saith he in which Cranmer was not singular Mr. M. takes the liberty to question Queen Elizabeths Title and sure it was no greater fault in Cranmer to question Queen Marys after the Opinion of the Judges given against her mark that There is a great difference between Rebellion against the King of undoubted Title and being engaged on a side where the Title is really doubtful c. that is to say Cranmer was engaged on the side of Lady Jane Grey Queen Marys Title being really doubtful And why was it doubtful Mr. King gives you the
his Consecration what was the first Service he did for the King B. The Parliament then sitting anno 1533. he came and sat in the upper House of Convocation Burnet p. 129. and there says Heylin he propounds two Questions to be disputed and considered by the Bishops and Clergy concerning the Kings Marriage with Queen Katherine both which Questions were answer'd as the King would have have it though not without some opposition in either House especially the upper It was concluded thereupon in the Convocation and not long after in the Parliament also that the King might lawfully proceed to another Marriage But NOTE The King was then privately married to Ann Bolen Heylin proceeds These Preparations being made and the Marriage with Queen Katherine precondemned by Convocation The new Archbishop upon his own desire and motion contained in his Letters of the 11th of April is authorized by the King under his Sign Manual to proceed definitively in the Cause mark the Authority upon which Cranmer proceeds to divorce Queen Katherine who thereupon accompanied by the Bishops of London Winchester Wells and Lincoln and divers other persons to serve as Officers in that Court repaired to Dunstable in the beginning of May and having a convenient place prepared in form of a Consistory they sent a Citation to the Princess Dowager meaning Q Katherine who was then at Ampthill a Mannor House of the Kings about six miles off requiring her to appear before them at the day appointed which day being come and no appearance by her made either in person or by proxy as they knew there would not she is called peremptorily every day fifteen days together and every day there was great posting betwixt them and the Court to certifie the King and Cromwell a principal Stickler in this business how all matters went in one of which from the new Archbishop extant in the Cottonian Library a resolution is signified to Cromwell for coming to a final Sentence on Friday the 18th of that Month but with a vehement Conjuration both to him and the King not to divulge so great a Secret for fear Queen Katherine on the hearing of it either before or on the day of passing Sentence should make her appearance in the Court. For saith he if the Noble Lady Katherine should upon the bruit of this matter either in the mouths of the inhabitants of the Country or by her Friends or Council hearing of it be counselled or perswaded to appear before me at the time or before the time of Sentence I should be thereby greatly staid let in the Process and the Kings Graces Council there present shall be much uncertain what to do therein For a great bruit and voice of the people in this behall might perchance move her to do the thing which peradventure she would not if she hear little of it and therefore I pray you to speak as little of this matter as you may and to move the Kings Highness so to do for consideration above recited Heylin Histor Reform pag. 177 178. NOTE Burnet commends Cranmer for his native Simplicity joyned with Prudence but what sort of Prudence this was let any man judge Thus Heylin sets down the naked truth of this matter which Burnet colours with all his Art not mentioning this Letter to Cromwell p. 130. 1. vol. He proceeds ibid. But so it happened to their wish that the Queen persisting constant in her resolution of standing to the Judgment of no other Court than that of Rome vouchsafed not to take any notice of their proceeding in the Cause and thereupon she was pronounced to be Contumax for defect of Appearance and by the general Consent of all the learned men then present the Sentence of Divorce was passed and her Marriage with the King declared void and of no effect Heylin page 178. Of this more anon A. But if you please I would know of what Church or Religion was Cranmer at the time of his Consecration and afterwards and likewise what were the Words of his Mission and Consecration both as Bishop and Priest B. First as to his Religion I will tell you my own opinion A Papist he could not be at that time because he denied the Popes Supremacy and other Doctrines of the Church of Rome Of the present Church of England he could not be because he went to Mass then and 14 years after so that he must be of King Henry's Church or of none at all In the year 1538. he was says Burnet of Luthers Opinion which he had drunk in from his Friend Osiander pag. 252. 1. vol. And sate upon the Tryal and Condemnation of John Lambert one of the new Preachers for denying the Corporal Presence of Christ in the Sacrament After the Death of K. Henry of whom he stood in aw he tackt about with the next wind of Doctrine which was Zuinglianism and joyning with King Edwards privy Counsellors he reformed that is subverted the established Religion of the Nation Yet in the first year of King Edward Heylin tells you that he with eight other Bishops all in their rich Mitres and other Pontificals sang a Mass of Requiem for the Soul of Francis the French King then lately deceased History Reform page 40. Notwithstanding that he with the rest of the Privy-Council had a good while before sent out their Injunctions and Commissioners into all parts of the Nation and Preachers to attend them which Preachers were particularly instructed to disswade the people from praying for the Dead from Diriges and Masses c. Heylin p. 34. yet Burnet would perswade you he was a Person of a native simplicity and not for Court Policies vide p. 302. A. And besides all this did he not hold some strange Opinions B. Yes Doctor Burnet says he had some particular Conceits of his own or singular Opinions which he delivered with all possible Modesty page 289. 1 Vol. A. What were those Opinions B. You shall hear them together with the excuse which the Doctor makes for him First That Bishops and Priests were at one time and were not two things but one Office in the beginning of Christs Religion In which Opinion all the Bishops and Clergy of England except two Bishops and two Doctors were against him Burnet Collection Records page 223. 2. A Bishop may make a Priest and so may Princes and Governours also and that by the Authority of God committed to them and the People by their Election For as we read that Bishops have done it so Christian Emperors and Princes usually have done it and the People before Christian Princes were commonly did Elect their Bishops and Priests But all the rest of the Bishops and Clergy except the Bishop of Saint Davids and two or three Doctors said positively that they found no example either in Scripture or the ancient Doctors that any Man beside a Bishop hath Authority to make Priests 3. In the New Testament he that is appointed to be a Bishop or a Priest
Light he cannot but know him He is like the Devil in his doings for the Devil said to Christ if thou wilt fall down and worship me I will give thee all the Kingdoms of the World even so the Bishop of Rome giveth Princes their Crowns being none of his own Christ saith that Antichrist shall be and who shall he be Forsooth he that advanceth himself above all other Creatures Now if there be none other that hath advanced himself after such manner besides the Pope he forgot Mahomet then in the mean time let him be Antichrist I say the Bishop of Rome treadeth under Foot God's Laws and the Kings c. Fox 3 Vol. page 653 and 661. A. This was strange stuff coming from the Metropolitan of a Nation B. But Fox admires it and adds this marginal Note the Pope proved Antichrist NOTE Cranmer little thought that in less then one Century after his Death his Protestant Successors in the See of Canterbury should be turn'd out of doors as the Limbs and Feet of that great Antichrist the Pope and that by vertue of his own dear Principle of Reformation the Scripture interpreted according to every Man's Judgment of Discretion I have seen a Book entituled The Souldiers Catechism composed for the Parliaments Army published in the year 1644 where this among other Questions being put What is it that you chiefly aim at in this War against the King The Answer is 1. At the pulling down of Babylon and rewarding her as she hath served us Psal 137.8 2. At the suppression of an Antichristian Prelacy consisting of Archbishops Bishops Deans c. 3. At the Reformation of a most corrupt lazy infamous superstitious soul-murdering Clergy 4. At the advancement of Christ's Kingdom and the purity of his Ordinances 5. At the bringing to Justice the Enemies of our Church and State. 6. At the preservation and continuance of the Gospel to our Posterity And to this Question Is it not a lamentable thing that Christians of the same Nation should thus imbrue their Hands in one anothers Blood The Answer is I confess it is but as the case now stands there is an inevitable and absolute necessity of fighting laid upon the good People of the Land. 2. The whole Church of God calls upon us to come into the help of the Lord and his People against the Mighty 3. We are not now to look at our enemies as Country Men or Kinsmen or fellow Protestants but as the Enemies of God and our Religion and Siders with Antichrist and so our eye is not to pity them nor our Sword to spare them Jerem. 48.10 And to this Question who do you think are the Authors and Occasioners of this unnatural War The Answer is the Jesuites those Fire-brands of mischief with all the Popish Party 2. The Bishops and the rotten Clergy with all the Prelatical Party c. This Book was printed in the year 1644. and licensed by James Cranford a Presbyterian Ringleader of those times In the Title page whereof you shall find these words viz. Written for the Instruction and Encouragement of all that have taken up Arms in the Cause of God and his People c. In which Book the Reader shall find them driving the Nail to the Head and expounding the Scripture against the Protestant Hierarchy just as Cranmer had done against the Pope and Church of Rome For you must know the time when Cranmer answered thus invectively against the Pope was the year 1556. the Parliament the National Church and Clergy of England being then actually reconciled to the Church of Rome as you may find both in Burnet and Fox so that his Authority for saying the Pope had brought in Gods of his own framing was then the very same with that of the Presbyterians anno 1644. for calling the English Bishops Antichrists namely the Scripture inter preted by himself A. It seems Cranmer was then a Schismatique as well from the established Church of England as Rome namely in the year 1556. B. Yes for Catholique Religion was then restored by Act of Parliament with all the Catholique Bishops who had been ejected by the Privy Council of Edward 6. So that I think it no easie matter to resolve you of what Church was Cranmer at that time a Lutheran he was not not yet a Calvinist nor of the Church of England then established by Law. A. His Church was then in Vtopia Go on to the rest of his Story B. Thus you shall find him answering to the Charge of Dr. Martyn viz. I will never consent to the Bishop of Rome so he would never consent to the Disinheriting of King Henrys Children for then should I give my self to the Devil I have made an Oath to the King and must obey the King by Gods Laws By the Scripture the King is Chief and no Foreign person in his own Realm above him There is no Subject but to a King. I am a Subject I ow my Fidelity to the Crown to the Lady Jane Grey the Pope is contrary the Crown I cannot obey both for no man can serve two Masters at once as you in the beginning of your Oration declared by the Sword and the Keys artributing the Sword to the King and the Keys to the Pope but I say the King hath both Therefore he that is subject to Rome and the Laws of Rome he is perjured c. Fox pag. 653. NOTE In his Opinion the King has both the Power of the Sword and of the Keys This must needs be a man after King Henrys own heart but if this Doctrine be true then Queen Mary had the Power of the Keys and our present Sovereign King James II. must have the same Power also He proceeds Now as concerning the Sacrament I have taught no false Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Altar For if it can be proved by any Doctor above a thousand years after Christ that Christs Body is there really I will give over My Book was made seven years ago and no man hath brought any Authors against it I believe that who so eateth and drinketh that Sacrament Christ is within them whole Christ his Nativity Passion Resurrection and Ascension but not that corporally that sitteth in Heaven Fox ibid. Here Dr. Story another of the Queens Proctors interrupted him saying Pleaseth it you to make an end To which he replyed Now I have declared why I cannot with my Conscience obey the Pope neither say I this for my Defence but to declare my Conscience for the Zeal that I bear to Gods Word trodden under foot by the Bishop of Rome See the rest in Fox pag. 654. Then Doctor Story stood up and said addressing himself to the Bishop of Glocester Pleaseth it your good Lordship because it hath pleased the King and Queens Majesty to appoint my Companion and me to hear the Examination of this man to give me leave somewhat to talk in that behalf although I know that in talk with Hereticks there
cometh hurt to all men for it wearieth the stedfast troubleth the doubtful and ensnareth the weak and simple yet because he saith he is not bound to answer your Lordship sitting for the Popes Holyness because of a Premunire and the Word of God as he pretends I think good somewhat to say that all men may see how he runneth out of his race of Reason into the rage of common Talk. And as the King and Queens Majesty will be glad to hear of your most charitable dealing with him so will they be weary to hear the blundering of this stubborn Heretick And where he alledgeth Divinity minling fas nefásque together he should not have been heard For shall it be sufficient for him to alledge the Judge is not competent and shall we dispute contra cum qui negat principia Although there be here a great company of learned men that know it unmeet so to do yet have I here a plain Canon whereby he is convicted ipso facto The Canon is this Sit ergo ruinae suae dolore prostratus quisquis Apostolicis voluerit contraire Decretis nec locum deinceps habeat inter Sacerdotes sed exors à sancto fiat Ministerio c. He hath alledged many matters against the Popes Supremacy but maliciously Ye say that the King in his Realm is Supream Head of the Church Well Sir you will grant me that there was a perfect Catholique Church before any King was Christened Then if it were a perfect Church it must needs have a Head which must needs be before any King was member thereof For you know Constantinus the Emperor was the first Christian King that ever was and although you are bound as St. Paul saith to obey your Rulers and Kings have Rule over the People yet doth it not follow that they have Cure of Souls For à fortiori the Head may do what the Minister cannot do but the Priest may consecrate and the King cannot therefore the King is not Head of the Church And where the Apostles do call upon men to obey their Princes cui Tributum Tributum cui Vectigal Vectigal the Exhortation extendeth only to Temporal matters they perceiving that men were bent to Liberty and Disobedience were enforced to exhort them to Obedience and Payment of their Tribute And again where you say that the Bishop of Rome maketh Laws contrary to the Laws of the Realm that is not true for this is a maxim in the Law Quod in particulari excipitur non facit universale falsum And as touching that monstrous talk of your Conscience that is no Conscience that ye profess it is but privata Scientia and Secta As yet you have not proved for all your glorious Babble that by Gods Laws ye ought not to answer the Popes Holiness The Canons which be received in all Christendom compel you to answer And although this Realm of late time through such Schismatiques as you were hath exiled and banished the Canons yet that cannot make for you for you know your self that pars in totum nihil statuere potest Wherefore this Island being indeed but a member of the whole Church could not determine against the whole And the same Laws that were put away by Parliament are now received again by a Parliament having as full Authority now as they had then And these Laws will now that ye answer to the Popes Holiness Therefore by the Laws of this Realm ye are bound to answer him This was materially replied to Cranmers words that he would never consent that the Bishop of Rome should have any Jurisdiction in England Wherefore my good Lord all that this Thomas Cranmer I cannot otherwise term him confidering his Disobedience hath brought for his Defence shall nothing prevail with you Require him therefore to answer directly to your good Lordship command him to set aside his Trifles and to be obedient to the Laws and Ordinances of this Realm take witness here of his stubborn Contempt against the King and Queens Majesties and compel him to answer directly to such Articles as we shall here exhibit against him and in refusal your good Lordship is to excommunicate him Thus Dr. Story Fox page 654 655. NOTE Here his Fidelity to the Laws so long as they serve his turn the King Queen Parliament and Laws were then Popish He was for the Laws made by himself and the Duke of Somerset under the Childhood of Edward 6. A. Did he answer nothing further to the Charge of Heresie B. Nothing but this He pulled an Appeal out of his left Sleeve says Fox which he dellvered to the Court saying I appeal to the next General Council And further I intend to speak nothing against one holy Catholique and Apostolical Church or the Authority thereof the which Authority I have in great Reverence and whom my mind is in all things to obey pag. 663. 3 vol. The very words of his Appeal A. What did he mean by one holy Catholique Church B. His Definition of it you may find in the Thirty nine Articles of the Church of England which Articles were framed as Burnet thinks by him and Ridley and first published anno 1551. p. 166. 2. vol. The visible Church of Christ saith the 19th Article is a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly ministred aceording to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Now in the year 1556. when Cranmer presented this Appeal there could not be in his opinion any such National or Catholique Church visible on the face of the Earth A. I pray make that appear B. By an Induction of all the Churches in the world that then professed themselves Christians as the Roman the Eastern the Church of England the Lutherans Calvinists Anabaptists c. the Roman in his opinion was but the Synagogue of Antichrist The Greek Church consented with the Roman in most of the Doctrines controverted betwixt Papists and Protestants as the Sacrifice of the Mass Adoration of the Eucharist Veneration of Images Invocation of Saints Prayer for the Dead c. and do consent at this day The Church of England was then newly reconciled to Rome and Catholique Bishops restor'd to their own Sees by Act of Parliament The Lutherans did then and at this day adore a corporal presence in the Sacrament and therefore cannot be said in his opinion to have the pure Word of God preached and the Sacraments duely administred according to Christs Ordinance The Calvinists had no Orders of Priests and Bishops consequently no Church at all A. How no Church at all for want of Priests and Bishops let that appear I pray you B. Read the Church of Englands Preface to the Form appointed by her for making and consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons and there observe these words viz. It is evident unto all men diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time
the Preacher of St. Warbroughs A Fool may ask more Questions than a Wise man can easily answer Answer to D. M's Latin Questions pag. 99. A. Yes and I remember what he says moreover p. 25. He viz. Cranmer in all he did had the unanimous Consent and Vote of the major part of the Convocation c. B. You must excuse him for that mistake He has enough to do and perhaps more than an ingenious man would desire to undertake to satisfie the itching Ears of his Congregation with a spick and span new Sermon every Sunday in the year besides other Parochial Duties and cannot know every thing as he pretends Dr. Burnet informs you how in the year 1534. Cromwell joyning himself to Cranmer in a firm Friendship did promote the Reformation very vigorously but there was another party in Court that wrestled much against it whereof the Duke of Norfold was Head whose great Friend was Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who despised Cranmer and hated all Reformation Longland that had been the Kings Confessor was also managed by them and they had a great Party in Court and mark this almost all the Churchmen were on their side Burnet p. 172. 1. vol. Here almost all the Churchmen were against Cranmer Then in the year 1540. Cranmer says Burnet was for reducing the Seven Sacraments to Two but the Popish Party was then prevalent so the old number of Seven was agreed to pag. 289. 1. vol. and Cranmer subscribed with the rest tho against his own opinon This was far from the unanimous Consent of the Clergy In the Reign of King Edward anno 1547. while the Parliament was sitting they were not idle in the Convocation though the Popish party these are Burnets words was yet so prevalent in both Houses of Convocation that Cranmer had no hopes of doing any thing till they were freed of the trouble which some of the great Bishops gave them p. 47. 2. vol. that is till those Bishops were purged out And reckoning the number of Bishops that were of Cranmers side anno 1547. all he could find were these viz. Holgate of York Holbeach of Lincoln Goodrick of Ely Ridley elect of Rochester and Latimer Others of the Bishops were ignorant and weak men says Burnet who understood Religion little and valued it less meaning his new Reformation and so though they liked the old Superstition best that is Catholique Religion yet they resolved to swim with the stream p. 25. 2 vol. Then anno 1548. of the 8 Bishops who were ordered to draw up the Common Prayer Book four protested against it as Burnet confesses p. 94. 2. vol. And the same year it being brought into the House of Lords the Bishops of London Durham Norwich Carlisle Hereford Worcester Westminster and Chichester protested against it p. 23. 2. vol. That same year there was a Committee of selected Bishops Divines for examining all the Offices of the Church and for reforming them says Burnet The thing they first examined was the Sacrament of the Eucharst and here they managed their Enquiries in the same manner that was used in King Henrys Reign in which when any thing was considered in order to a Change it was put into several Queries to which every one in Commission was to give his Answer in Writing Some of the Queries were these viz. What was the Oblation or Sacrifice of the Mass wherein the Mass consisted c. To these the Bishops made their several Answers by which the Reader will perceive says Burnet how generally the Bishops were addicted to the old Superstition and how few did agree in all things with Cranmer p. 61 62. 2. vol. Dissenters from the Reformation were generally turned out of their Sees For the most part the Prelates were changed says Fox and the dumb Bishops compelled to give place to others that would preach p. 1180 And that all things might be carried with as little opposition and noise as might be saith Heylin it was thougt fit that Bishop Gardiner of Winchester should be kept in Prison till the end of the Session of Parliament and that Bishop Tonstall of Durham a man of a most moderate and even Spirit should be made less in Reputation by being deprived of his place at Council Table History Reformation p. 48. This was anno 1547. the first year of King Edward Heylin adds And though the Parliament consisted of such Members as disagreed amongst themselves in respect of Religion yet they agreed well enough together in one common Principle which was to serve the present Turn and preserve themselves For though a great part of the Nobility and not a few of the Chief Gentry in the House of Commons were Cordially affected to the Church of Rome yet were they willing to give way to all such Acts and Statutes as were made against it out of a fear of losing such Church Lands as they were possessed of if that Religion should prevail and get up again And for the rest who either were to make or improve their Fortunes there is no question to be made but that they came resolved to further such a Reformation as should most visibly conduce to the advancement of their several ends which appears plainly by the strange mixture of the Acts and Results thereof some tending simply to God's Glory and the good of the Church some to the present benefit and enriching of particular Persons And some again being devised of purpose to prepare a way for exposing the Revenues of the Church unto spoil and rapine Heylin p. 48. Anno 1551. Poynet was made Bishop of Winchester Gardiner being deprived Doctor Story was made Bishop of Rochester Miles Coverdal Bishop of Exeter Hooper of Glocester So that now says Burnet the Bishopriks were generally filled with men well affected to the Reformation Burnet pag. 166. 2. vol. And now let the Reader observe his following words viz. so now the Bishops being generally addicted to the Purity of Religion most of this year 1551 was spent in preparing Articles which should contain the Doctrine of the Church of England But many thought says he they should have begun 1. with those Articles but Cranmer upon good reasons was of another mind though much pressed by Bucer about it till the Order of Bishops observe were brought to such a model that the far greater part of them would agree to it it was much fitter to let that design of the 39 Articles go on slowly than to set out a Profession of their Belief to which so great a part of the chief Pastors might be obstinately averse Burnet p. 166. 2. vol. In the first year of Queen Elisabeth 1559 the Bill for the Supremacy was past by the Lords on the 18th of March. The Archbishop of York the Earl of Shrewsbury the Bishops of London Winchester Worcester Landaff Coventry and Litcfield Exeter Chester and Carlisle and the Abbot of Westminster dissenting Burnet p. 385. 2. vol. He proceeds p. 386. There was no other punishment
inflicted on those that denied the Queens Supremacy ann 1559. but the loss of their Goods and such as refused to take the Oath did only lose their Imployments Whereas to refuse the Oath in King Henrys time brought them into a Premunire and to deny the Supremacy was Treason But against this Bill of Queen Elizabeths first Parliament the Bishops made Speeches in the House of Lords the rest of the Bishops opposed it the rather because they had lately declared so high for the Pope that it had been very indecent for them to have revoked so soon pag. 386 387. 2. vol. The Bishop of Chester said in Parliament that the Bill was against both Faith and Charity meaning the Bill for the new Service that Acts of Parliament were no Foundations for a Churches Belief that it was an insolent thing to pretend that all our Fathers lived in Ignorance That the Prophets oftentimes directed the Israelites to enquire of their Fathers Matters of Religion could not be understood by the Laiety Jeroboam made Israel to sin when he set up a new way of Worship Gallie by the Light of Nature knew that a Civil Judge ought not to meddle with matters of Religion In the Service-Book that was then before them there was no Sacrifice for Sin c. and for these reasons says Burnet he could not agree to it But if any thought he spoke this because of his own concern or pitied him for what he might suffer by it he would answer in the words of our Saviour Weep not for me weep for your selves p. 393. After him spake Fecknam Abbot of Westminster he said There had been great Order and Obedience in Queen Marys Reign but now every where great Insolencies were committed by the people with some very indecent Prophanations of the most holy things He recommended to them in St. Austins words the adhering to the Catholique Church the very name Catholique which Heretiques had not the confidence to assume shewed their Authority The Consent of the whole Church in all Ages with the perpetual Succession of Pastors in St. Peters Chair ought to weigh more with them than a few new Preachers who had of late distracted both Gemany and England Burnet pag. 393. 2. vol. Then see his Appendix to 2. vol. p. 408. where setting down these words of Nicholas Sanders That the Laws concerning Queen Elisabeths Supremacy passed the House of Lords with great difficulty all the Bishops opposing them Burnet answers It is true all the Bishops did oppose them c. But to all the Changes that were made in King Edwards time they submitted c. Why then were they turned out by King Edward and Protestants substituted in their places Thus Reader it appears by Burnets own Confession that the Reformation was not the Act and Deed of the old Clergy or Convocation of England or the major part thereof but impos'd on the Nation by the Power and Interest of a few persons And so I leave you to think what you please of Mas William Kings Confidence the Preacher of St. Warbroughs affirming as you have heard that Cranmer in all he did had the unanimous Consent and Vote of the major part of the Convocation the universal Submission of the Clergy c. Answ p. 25. A. But supposing he had the major Vote of his side as he had not could that have justified his Reformation B. Not at all for being all made Priests after that Form Accipe Potestatem offerre Sacrificium Deo missasque celebrare tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis c. they had no more Authority to abrogate the Mass than the present Archbishop of Canterbury with the major Vote of the Protestant Bishops to abolish the Common Prayer By their Protestant Orders they cannot do it A So much for his Priesthood You said he was consecrated Bishop in the year 1533. what were the Words of his Consecration B. You may find them in the Roman Pontifical First he was interrogated Vis Traditiones orthodoxorum Patrum Decretales sanctae Apostolicae sedis constitutiones veneranter suscipere docere ac servare R. Volo Vis beato Petro Apostolo cui à Deo data est Potestas ligandi ac solvendi ejúsque Vicario Domino nostro N. Papae suisque Successoribus Romanis Pontificibus fidem subjectionem obedientiam secundum Canonicam Auctoritatem per omnia exhibere R. Volo Credis sanctam catholicam Apostolicam unam esse veram Ecclesiam in qua unum datur verum Baptisam vera peccatorum omnium Remissio R. Credo That is Will you reverently receive teach and keep the Traditions of the orthodox Fathers the Decrees and Constitutions of the holy and Apostolique See He answered I will. Will you shew Fidelity Subjection and Obedience to St. Peter the Apostle and his Successors the Bishops of Rome in all things according to the Canons He answered I will. Do you believe one holy Catholique and Apostolique Church in which there is true Baptism and true Remission of Sins He answered I believe After which the Bishop consecrating authorizes him in these Words viz. Accipe Evangelium vade praedica populo tibi commisso Receive thou the Gospel go and preach to the people committed to thy charge R. Amen A. Why by this Consecration he had no more Authority to preach the Doctrine of 39 Articles than the present Archbishop of Canterbury to preach the Doctrine of the Council of Trent B. No more You see how he obliged himself to pay Fidelity Subjection and Obedience to the Bishops of Rome in all things according to the Canons then in force And reverently to receive teach and keep the Constitutions of the holy and Apostolique See. And upon these terms he receiv'd his Commission to go and preach the Gospel A. The matter is plain All his Changes were unwarrantable and his Reformation but a Castle in the air without a Foundation if you set aside Acts of Parliament B. And besides all this he swore that Oath to the Pope which you have heard page 28. of this Catechism Then what if all the Bishops had consented with him they had but violated their Engagements and Vows as he did being all sent and ordained after that Form. Reader I pray look into the Form and Manner appointed by the Church of England for consecrating of Bishops and Archbishops and there observe how Protestant Bishops do oblige themselves to preach Gods Word according to the Authority committed unto them by the Ordinance of this Realm and no otherwise that is to say according to the Doctrine of Thirty nine Articles Then enquire a little further what Commission had Cranmer or Matthew Parker to impose or preach the said Articles A. Enough of Cranmer What is Burnets Character of those few Bishops that were of his Party B. Those were Latimer Shaxton Barlow who were rather Cloggs than Helps to Cranmer says Burnet Latimers Simplicity and Weakness made him be despised Shaxtons proud and litigious
as blind Guides of the blind fell both into the pit of damnable Idolatry In the which all the World as it were drowned continued until our Age by the space of above eight hundred years unspoken against in a manner c. A. But don't you wrong the Church of England in Attributing this Doctrine to her that Christ had no Church upon Earth for the space of eight hundred years and more before the Reformation Since a Church may be drowned in damnable Idolatry and yet as Protestants say be a true Church of Christ at the same time Does not Mr. King the Preacher of St. Warbroughs Dublin a young man of that profound Learning that he can see as far into a Milstone as another make it out evidently against D. Manby as the common sense of Protestant Controvertists that the Idolatry charged on the Church of Rome is consistent with the Being of a Church There is a sort of Idolatry which men incur by giving some part of that honour to a Creature saith he which God has reserved for himself or asking those things of Creatures which God only can give and 't is with this the Church of Rome stands charged Answer page 58. B. Remember the Church of England's Description of Christ's Church Article 19 The Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly ministred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same and tell me ingeniously whether you think Mr. King's Charge of Idolatry is consistent with such a Visible Church of Christ And where that Visible Church of Christ dwelt upon the face of the Earth before the Reformation A. Well so much for his defence against the Charge of Heresie and appealing to a General Council Go on to the other particulars of Perjury and Incontinency B. As to his Perjury observe the discourse between him and Doctor Martyn Fox page 655. 3 Vol. Martyn But Sir You that pretend to have such a Conscience to break an Oath I pray did you never swear and break the same Cranmer I remember not Martyn I will help your memory did you never swear Obedience to the See of Rome Cranmer Indeed I did once swear unto the same Martyn Yea that ye did twice as appeareth by Records and Writings here ready to be shewn Cranmer But I remember I saved all by Protestation that I made by the counsel of the best learned men I could get at that time Martyn Hearken good people what this man saith he made a Protestation one day to keep never a whit of that which he intended to swear next day Was this the part of a Christian If a Christian man should bargain with a Turk and before he maketh his Bargain should protest solemnly before one or two that he minds not to perform whatsoever he shall promise to the Turk I say if a Christian man should serve a Turk in this manner that the Christian were worse than the Turk What would you say then to this man that made a solemn Oath and Promise unto God and his Church and made a Protestation before quite contrary Cranm. That which I did I did by the best learned mens advice I could get at that time Martyn I protest before all the learned men here that there is no Learning will save your Perjury herein Will you have the truth of the matter King Henry 8. even then meant the lamentable Change which after came to pass And to further his pitiful proceeding from the Divorce of his most lawful Wife to a detestable departure from the blessed Unity of Christs Church this man made the aforesaid Protestation And on the other side he letted not to take two solemn Oaths quite contrary and why for otherwise by the Laws and Canons of this Realm he could not aspire to the Archbishoprick of Canterbury Cranm. I protest before you all never man came more unwillingly to a Bishoprick than I did to that in so much that when King Henry did send for me in Post that I should come over I prolonged my Journey by seven weeks at the least thinking that he would forget me in the mean time Martyn You declare well by the way that the King took you to be a man of good Conscience who could not find within all his Realm any man to set forth his strange attempts but was inforced to send for you in Post out of Germany What may we conjecture hereby but that there was a Contract between you being then Queen Anns Chaplain and the King Give me the Archbishoprick of Canterbury and I will give you License to live in Adultery Cranm. You say not true Martyn Let your Protestation joined with the rest of your Talk give Judgment Hinc prima mali labes Of that your execrable Perjury and his coloured and too shamefully suffered Adultery came Heresie and all Mischief into this Realm And thus have I spoken as touching the Conscience you pretend for breaking your Heretical Oath made to the King. But of breaking your former Oath made at two sundry times both to God and his Church you have no Conscience at all And now to answer the other part of your Oration wherein you bring in Gods Word that you have it on your side and no man else and that the Pope hath devised a new Scripture contrary to the Scriptures of God. Ye play herein as the Pharesees did who cried always Verbum Domini Verbum Domini the Word of the Lord the Word of the Lord when they meant nothing so This betters not your Cause for Basilides and Photinus the Heretiques said they had Gods Word to maintain their Heresie so Nestorius so Macedonius so Pelagius and briefly all the Heretiques that ever were pretended Gods Word for themselves Yea and the Devil the Father of Heresies alledged Gods Word for himself saying scriptum est it is written so said he to Christ mitte te deorsum cast thy self downward which you applied most falsely against the Pope And if you mark well the Devils language it agreed with your proceedings most truly For mitte te deorsum cast thy self downward said he and so taught you to cast all things downward down with the Sacrament down with the Mass down with the Altars down with the Arms of Christ and up with a Lyon and a Dog down with the Abbies Hospitals Chauntries and Colledges down with Fasting and Prayer yea down with all that good and godly is all your proceedings and preachings tended to no other end but to fulfill the Devils request mitte te deorsum and therefore tell us not that you have Gods Word for God hath given us by his Word a mark to know that your Teaching proceeded not of God but of the Devil and that your Doctrine came not of Christ but of Antichrist For Christ foretold there should arise against his Church Lupi rapaces ravening Wolves and