4. pag. 118. de Sacrosancta Eucharistia Ipsius necessitatem toties inculcauit nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberetis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis â—…anis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro mundi vita Ioh. 6. Luc. 22. postea in vltima caena accepto pane gratias egit fregit dedit eis dicens hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur hoc facite in meam commemorationem Panis consecrationem in corpus Christi vini in sanguinem ipse coram Apostolis fecit eandem ipsi quoque vt facerent frangerent darent expressè mandauit Concerninge the holy Eucharist Christ did very often inculcate the necessitie of it except you shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you The food which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world After in his laste supper when he had taken bread he gaue thankes brake and gaue to them saying this is my body which is giuen for you doe this in my commemoration Hee made the consecration of breade into the body of Christ of wine into his blood before the Apostles and expressely commaunded that they also should do the same consecration of bread wine into Christs body and blood 10. And in an other place he teacheth with S. Chrisostome whom he followeth therein and other holy auncient Fathers Marc. Anto. l. 1. cap. 1. pag. 9. Chrisostom hom 17. in epist ad Hebr. That the sacrifice which the Apostles were here commaunded to offer by Christs wordes doe this and which by that power they did offer and which all truely consecrated preists did after offer was the same body blood of Christ which hee himselfe offered the same and no other sacrifice Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Quid ergo nos ait Chrisostomus nonne per singulos dies offerrimus offerrimus quidem Et vna est hostia non multae Quomodo vna est non multae quia semel oblata est in Sancto Sanctorum hoc autem sacrificium exemplar est illius idipsum semper offerrimus Pontifex noster ille qui hostiam mundantem nos obtulit ipsam offerrimus nunc quae tunc oblata quidem consumi non potest And much more to as great effect or greater and yet at his pleasure hee doth maine and make lame the sentences of that holy Author And to auoide the friuolous cauill of some about the wordes in my remembrance or commemoration of mee whereby they would haue it gathered that this is onely a commemoratiue sacrifice or commemoration of that sacrifice this man with all other Protestants Marc. Ant. l. 1. cap. 12. pag· 146 147. Mumer 26.27 and the expresse scriptures are witnes that the preists and sacrifice of the lawe of nature and Moises of Adam Seth Enoch Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob and his twelue sonnes Iob Melchisedech Aaron and all in the lawe were true preists and sacrificers yet they were in all Christian learninge but figures of the truth in the time of the Messias 11. Therefore if this were onely a commemoration it should at leaste by as great reason and authoritie bee also a sacrifice and the parson that celebrateth it a sacrificinge preist both beeing farr more excellent then those preists and sacrifices And the words in remembrance or commemoration are so far from hindering the truth of these preists and sacrifice that they rather giue a second power vertue vnto them euen by these protestants themselues for they haue told vs before that by these wordes doe this Christ gaue power to consecrate the bread and wine into his body and blood and doe what hee did in that sacrifice then addinge after the wordes in remembrance or commemoration he gaue them a second power and commaundement different from the other yet both of them preistly and sacrificall otherwise Christ himselfe should bee said which cannot be that hee did consecrate and offer this remembrance of himselfe and his owne action Therefore the words must needs conteine a double virtuall power and commaund to the Apostles the one part and principall beeing to doe that Christ did expressed plainely in the powerfull wordes doe this the other in remembrance or commemoration conteyned in the same terms Which was by a then publick protestant preachinge minister both preached publickly and with publicke allowance after printed in this maner Edw. Maie serm of the communion of Saints printed by Iohn Dauson an 1621. pag. 6. 12. God hath giuen to preists a power ouer his owne naturall bodie which is himselfe for to them onely was it said doe this in remembrance of mee by which words they haue commission to dispose of that very body which was giuen for the life of the world and of that inualuable blood which was shed to redeeme sinfull soules for which cause the Bishops and presbyters haue as antiquitie can tell beene honored with an honor which no Kinge no Angel had euer giuen him They are the makers of Christs body they doe a worke which none but the holy Ghost besides them euer did And in the margine hee thus citeth Isodor Pelusota l. 2. epist 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a power the Kings of the earth haue not An other speakinge of the consecratory preistly power by those words of Christ spoken in his parson This is my body This is my blood concludeth Couel def of Hooker pag. 116.117.276 The omnipotency of God maketh it his body And of preists To these parsons God imparteth power ouer that naturall body which is himselfe a worke which antiquitie calleth the making of Christs body And of preistly power By blessing visible elements it maketh them inuisible grace it hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the world and that blood which was powred out to redeeme soules Others say The sacrifice of the altare and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primatiue church The primatiue church did offer sacrifice at the altare for the deade sacrifice for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles and auncient Fathers Aerius was iustly condemned of heresie by the primatiue church for denying sacrifice for the dead Middlet Papistom pag. 51.91.113.49.137.139.47.48 Fâ—…ild l. 3. cap. 29. pag. 138. 13. And to put vs out of doubt that this is or should bee the common doctrine and Religion of all English Protestants their chosen champion with greatest allowance amonge them as hee affirmeth writeth plainely Haec est fides Regis haec est fides Ecclesiae Anglicanae this is the faith of the Kinge this is the faith of the church of England Io. Casaub resp ad Card. Peron pag. 51.52 And their publicke statute of al the Protestant Princes of England saith so and so decreeth to be obserued of all authentically prouinge in protestants Religion that this most holy sacrifice of the altar was instituted by Christ that it is
this day neuer recouered the same Howbeit they vsed all authoritie belonginge to an Archbishop by consecratinge of other Bishops and neither did they euer make profession of subiection vnto Canterburie vntill the time of Henry 1. Kinge of England Godwin supr in Bernard 46. When Bernard Chaplaine vnto King Henry the first and chauncellour to his Queene was consecrate by the Archbishop of Canterbury Iulij 12. 1115. not chosen by the clergie of Walles as hitherto had beene accustomed but forced vpon them by the Kinge of England And there with others declareth how this Bernard tooke vppon him the title of Archbishop but Theobaldus Archbishop of Canterbury prouinge before the Pope in the councell of Rhemes by witnesses cum suam fidem obseruantiam cantuariensi astrinxisse that Bernard had promised obedience vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury the cause was by the Pope adiudged against Bernard and the See of S. Dauid Match West an 1115. Matth. Par. an 1115. Godwin supr Girald Lambr in Itiner Camb. Topogr Harps secul 12. cap. 46. Soe it is euident that from the beginning thereof to the endinge of the same the Archiepiscopall See of Walles depended of the Pope of Rome and it was not hee but the Acts of their owne Bishops which ouerthrew the dignitie priuiledges of it which the Popes had graunted and confirmed Of the Popes power here after the cominge of S. Augustine there is noe denial amonge Protestants all generally consentinge that from that time now aboue a thousand yeares the Popes supreamacy euer ruled here in spirituall thinges hee chaunged the Metropolitone See of London to Canterbury constituted that of Yorke interdicted our vniuersities constituted Bishops in places as seemed best to him Kinge Ethelbert chaunged his lawes and receaued the customes of the Romans cassatis paternis legibus nouas Sapientum consilio iuxta Romanorum consuetudines Anglorum sermone constituit Bal. centur 1. in Ethelberto The greate flaterer of King Henry the eight whoe first denied the Popes supreamacy and tooke it to himselfe Polidor Vergil speaketh of that parlament Polidor Verg. l. 27. pag. 689 Habetur concilium Londini in quo ecclesia Anglicana formam potestatis nallis ante temporibus visam induit Henricus enim Rex caput ipsius ecclesiae constituitur A parlament is held at London in which the church of England did put on a forme of power neuer seene in any time before for Kinge Henry was made head of the church The first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury speaking of the lawes of that parlament plainely confesseth Matth. Parker antiquit Britan. in Tho. Cramner pag. 329. His legibus potentia papalis quae nongentis amplius annis in Anglia durauit facile concidit By these lawes the power of the Pope which had continued here in England aboue neyne hundred yeares was easely ouerthrowne The present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury director to Francis Mason and hee with others in their booke of pretended consecration of Bishops speaking of the same Matthew Parker Fran Mason Booke of consecrat 3. cap. 4. pag. 131. vit Matth. Parkeri say Concerninge Archbishop Parker beeing the 70. Archbishop after Austin yett of all that number hee was the onely man and the first of all which receaued consecration without the Popes Bulls To this this man himself together with their Protestant Bishop Godwin Goceline and others in the liues of the Archbishops of England doe plainely testifie to this all antiquities and antiquaries agree none dissenteth Matth. Parker in antiq Britan. Godwin Catalog in Canterbury and Yorke Goceline in epist THE XI CHAPTER How by these Protestants the Britans and Scots which opposed against S. Gregories disciples did take vpon then greater or as ample power in Princes matters as euer the Popes of Rome or their Legates did in this kingedome BEcause our Protestant Antiquaries and writers of England doe with a common consent agree in this that the Britans at the coming of S. Augustine hither from S. Gregory did truely and inuiolably keepe in all points that holy Religion which was planted here in the Apostles time especially they which at the first opposed against the proceedings of that our holy Apostles Matth. Park antiq Britan. pag. 1. Godwin Conuers pag. 43.44 Bal. l. 2. de Act. Pont. Rom. in Gregor 1. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. cap. 9. Dauid Povvel in annot in l. 2. Girald Cambr. Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. Fulk Ansvv. to a count cath pag. 40. therefore to walke still by their directions lett vs now learne of them what was the opinion and practice of those Scots and Britrans in this question of Iurisdiction in spiritual Rulers claimed and deriued from whomesoeuer they will or any of them shall please though it is euidently proued in all ages before that neuer any such was practized here but that which was deriued and approued from and by the Apostolick Roman See And wee shall plainely see that these their soe much by them commended gayne-saiers to S Augustine and the Pope alsoe as many of these men contend did further intermeddle with Princes and temporall affaires then the Popes of Rome or any their Legats in this kingedome our Protestant Antiquaries with others write of Kinge Frequahard or Frechard the first of Scotland sonne to Eugenius in this maner Hect. Boeth lib 9. fol. 179. pag. 1. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotic lib. 5. Reg. 52. pag. 160. Holinsh. histor of Scotand in Frequahard pag. 112. Frequahard besides other his vvicked behauiours vvas alsoe infected vvith the erroneous opinion of the Pelagian heresie Which suspition vvas the more increased for that hee vsed to haue sondry Brittish preists in his company the vvhich nation had beene euer noted vvith the spot of that damnable infection The nobilitie of the Realme moued herevvith sommoned him to come to a councell vvhich they had appointed to hold of all the states that they might there vnderstand if it vvere true or not vvhich vvas commonly reported of him But hee refusinge to come they assembled together and beseiged him in a castle vvherein hee had inclosed himselfe and vvinning the place got him into their hands and immediately thereuppon committed him to safe keepinge This done they consult together for the administration of the Realme vvhether they should quite depose Frequahard or restore him to his place Then it followerh how they deposed him and sent to S. Fiacre his Brother then an Eremite in Fraunce to gouerne the kingedome but hee refused it Then these Protestants add Holinsh Buch. supr Hect. Boeth supr The Lords of the land assembled themselues together in Argile about the choosinge of a nevv kinge vvhere by common consent Domoald the third sonne of Eugenius beeing called thither vvith Bishop Conan out of the I le of Man vvas inuested kinge vvith greate ioy and triumph Where wee see that S. Fiacre though next heire liuinge in Fraunce where the Popes Authoritie was generally embraced would
verie wordes of their owne subscribed and sworne Article of Religion Therefore when they require three things to the true Church true and lawfullie consecrated preists and preachers the pure word of God preached and Sacraments duely ministred and all these shall be found in the Roman Church in all ages from the first preaching of Christ and not any one of them in the protestant parlamentary Church of England or any such other but a manifest opposition and persecution of those sacred preachers of the word and ministers of the Sacraments as of the word and Sacraments themselues so preached and ministred none of these can possibly bee the true Church of Christ but a company of professed aduersaries and enemies vnto it and that the onely true Church which they haue so vnchristianly persecuted the Catholike Romā church is that true and most holy church of Christ THE PREFACE PROVING THE CONTENTS OVT OF THE Prophets Wherin sacrificing and Massinge Preisthood Preists and the sacrifice of Masse are proued by learned Protestants and other testimonies from the history of Melchisedech Gen. 14. THE I. CHAPTER SO vndoubted a veritie and necessary a thinge it was for our blessed Sauiour cominge into the worlde to perfect the Lawe of Moyses and euacuate the externall vnperfect preisthood sacrifices and ceremonials thereof and to institute and ordeine a sacrifice and preisthood more perfect and independant to continue for euer as his lawe and Religion is to doe and to geue a most sure and timely warning and notice of this to the world that when God had made the first promise of the Messias vnto Abraham in the 12. and 13. chapter of Genesis in the very next the 14. chapter following hee reuealed by the preisthood and sacrifice of Melchisedech longe before either the lawe preisthood or the sacrifices thereof were deliuered to Moises what the euerduringe preisthood and sacrifice of the Messias and his lawe should bee For so both the Prophet Dauid S. Paule to the Hebrues S. Peter in the canon of the holy Masse being Author therof as shall bee proued hereafter the auncient Rabines before Christ as protestants them selues acknowledge so likewise by their warrant the most auncient and holy Fathers of the Church of Christ doe proue their preisthood and sacrifice of Christ and his sacrificinge preists in the lawe of the Ghospell from the wordes of Moises these be our english protestants trāslation 2. Melchisedech Kinge of Salem brought forth bread and wine and hee was the preist of the most high God The greeke readinge is For hee was the preist of the most high God signifying thereby that hee did the preistly sacrificall office with that breade and wine and although in the hebrue the verbe Hotzi which our protestants translate brought forth ordinarily where it is not otherwise limited and restricted hath that signification yet beeing confined as here it is to the office of a sacrificing preist such as Melchisedech was it must bee appropriated to his office of sacrificinge otherwise the reasō which the scripture maketh because hee was a preist is superfluous And the rather in this case because in the hebrue text this bringinge forth of breade and wine by this extraordinary preist hath relation vnto God and so must needes bee a sacrificall action for the bringinge forth of bread and wine or matter of any sacrifice to God by a preist that is a sacrificer must needes bee a sacrifice The hebrue is thus Melchisedech Kinge of Salem brought forth breade and wine hee beeing a preist to God the most highe The name God here in Hebrue Leeb beeing the datiue case and answeringe the production of the breade and wine and not the word preist for otherwise it would not bee true constructiō in that language the particle le there seruinge to the datiue and not genitiue case And therfore as Franciscus Stancarus that great protestant professor of hebrue and others tell vs Rabbi Samuel vppon this place of Genesis doth thus expound it actus Sacerdotij tradidit erat enim ipse sacrificans panem vinum Deo sancto benedicto Hee deliuered the acts of preisthood for hee was sacrificing bread and wine to God holie and blessed Where hee plainely expoundeth it as I did before referring the bringing forth of the bread and wine by Melchisedech the preist to God holy and blessed Which is more plaine by the words immediatlie following in the hebrue veicbarechehu and hee blessed him That is to say hee blessed or praysed God of whome the immediate laste speach was Rabb Samul in cap. 14. Geness Francisc Stancar in l. 10. de art fid Petr. Galat. ibid. c. 6. alij 3. So that a preist that vsed to sacrifice beeing proued by the original text of scripture to haue offered or brought forth bread and wine to God the most high and blessed and praised him must needes bee said as the Rabbine expoundeth it to haue sacrificed bread and wine vnto him So doe the holy fathers panem vinum obtulit Melchisedech offered bread and wine saith S. Cyprian the old Roman Masse and S. Ambrose Quod tibi obtulit summus Sacerdos Melchisedech The high preist Melchisedech offered sacrifice to God S. Hierome saith In Typo Christi panem vinum obtulit mysterium Christianum in Saluatoris corpore sanguine dedicauit In figure of Christ hee offered bread and wine and dedicated the Christian mystery in the body and blood of our Sauiour So S. Augustine S. Leo Arnobius Eucherius Primasius Eusebius Caesariensis Theodoretus and others of the primatiue church both greeke and latine Cyprian epist 63. Miss Rom in can Ambros l. 4. de Sacram. c. 6. l. 5. c. 1. ad cap. 5. ad Hebr. Hierom. epistol 17. ad Marcell c. 2. in quaest in Gen. in psal 75 109. ad cap 26. Math. August in psal 33. de cia◅tat Dei l. 6. c. 22. epist 95. Arnob. Rom. in psal 109 Leo serm 2. anni vers Assumpt Eucherius Lugd. homil 5. de Pasch Primas in c. 5. ad Hebr. Theodoret. quaest 63. in Genes ad psalm 109. Protest Articl of Relig. articul 7. scriptures 4. And except wee will say there was a tradition of so great a mistery and necessarie to saluation which the Religion of our english protestāts denieth or that the Prophet Dauid had some new particular reuelation of this thing which though it should bee gratis spoken by protestants doth inuinciblie confirme what hath bene said of this matter wee must needes graunt that this holy prophet did expound and vnderstand that action of Melchisedech as so many authorities remembred did for hee maketh it a thinge so certaine that hee bringeth in God him selfe testifyinge by oath that it was so Thus by protestantes translation hee speaketh of Christs preisthood and consequently sacrifice from this place The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech psal 109. or 110. vers 4. For wee doe
with them sett downe in the 6. article of their Religion confirmed by parlaments and subscribed and sworne vnto by all protestant Bishops and ministers of England The wordes of this their sworne and subscribed vnto Religion in this point are these Articles of Engl. protest Religion ratified by the parlaments and canons of Q. Eliz. and King Iames articul 6. 10. Holy scripture conteyneth all thinges necessary for saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therin nor may bee proued thereby is not to bee required of any mā that it should bee beleeued as an article of the faith Therfore things so reade in scripture and therby proued must needes bee articles of faith otherwise Religion should bee without articles of faith which is vnpossible for by this protestant Religion there is no other meanes to make or proue them such Being thus directed by these protestants and by their direction I make this Argument and proofe from scriptures as they translate thē Euery high preist is ordeined to offer sacrifice for sinnes Hebr. 5.1.8.3 But Melchisedech was an high preist Therefore ordeyned to offer sacrifice for sinnes The first or maior proposition is the very wordes of S. Paule as our protestants translate him The minor or second proposition is theire translation of the Prophet Moises Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God Gen. 14.18 Where hee is called the preist by excellency and blessing Abraham and called by S Paule better or greater then Abraham Hebr. 7.6.7.9 Who also was a great preist and patriarke and as a superiour receauing tithes of him and so eminent and cheife that the order of which hee was is not onely called the order of Melchisedech but Christ himselfe often termed high preist after the order of Melchisedech and as our protestants also translate after the similitude of Melchisedech as both the Greeke and Latine texts also are Therefore Melchisedech of necessitie was an high preist Therefore againe the conclusion which in a true Argument and Sillogisme as this is cannot bee denied that Melchisedech offered sacrifice beeing therto ordeyned is most certaine and an article of faith by these protestants Religion before 11. And because by the rule of their Religion wee may not seeke but in scripture to knowe what sacrifice it was which hee offered it must needes bee that sacrifice of bread and wine which the scripture Rabbins Fathers and forreine protestants haue told vs of before for wee do not find any other sacrifice or matter like a sacrifice in scripture attributed to Melchisedech If any man shall say that S. Paule speaking of all high preists offering sacrifice meaneth sacrifice vnproperly as prayers and such deuotions I answere this is not onely vnproperly but by true consequence blasphemously spoken vtterly denyinge that either the preists of the Lawe of Nature or Moises or Christ did offer any sacrifice and so no sacrifice for sinne beeinge offered by Christ mans redemption was not wrought by Christ but man is vnredeemed and Christ was not the Sauiour of the world for in that place as S. Paul speaketh of euery high preist and preistly orders he also speaketh of the externall sacrifices of of them in their order and time And so doth the protestant publicke glosse vppon those wordes of S. Paule Euery high preist is ordeyned to offer sacrifice expound them in these termes Hee bringeth a reason why it must needes bee that Christ should haue a body that hee might haue what to offer for otherwise hee could not bee an highe preist Protest Annotat. in cap. 8. Hebr. v. 3 Therfore by these protestants S. Paul speaketh of an externall and properly named sacrifice and that therefore Melchisedech as well as other high preists did offer an external sacrifice otherwise by their owne reason the same which S. Paul alleageth hee could not bee an high preist as the holy scripture proueth hee was not offering any externall sacrifice which both by S. Paule so many testimonies before and the publicke and authoritatiue exposition of English Protestants is essentially and vnseparably belonging to al true preists preisthood 12. The Protestant Bishop D. Morton Appeale l. 3. c. 13. pag. 394. plainely graunteth that Melchisedech offered an externall sacrifice wherein there was really bread and wine Hee further proueth from the Rabbins and Bibliander supr cent 1. That at the cominge of the Messias all legall sacrifices should ceise and a sacrifice in bread and wine should onely stil continue And constantly auoucheth for the common doctrine of English Protestants in these wordes The protestants acknowledge in the Eucharist a sacrifice Euc◅aristicall Mort. sup l. 3. c. 13 The present protestant Archbishop of Canterbury director of Master Mason and hee directed by him directly graunt that the words of Christ concerning his body and blood to bee giuen argue a sacrifice to God Franc. Mason lib. 5. pag. 233. And cite and graunt further in this maner pag. 243. Christ hauinge offered himselfe for a soueraigne sacrifice vnto his Father ordeyned that wee should offer a remembrance thereof vnto God instead of a sacrifice An other saith Middle papistom pag. 92.113 The sacrifice of the Altare and vnbloodye sacrifice were vsed in the primatiue church and the auncient Fathers called the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ a sacrifice And againe pag. 49.137.138.47.45 The primatiue church did offer sacrifice at the Altar for the dead Sacrifice for the dead was a tradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathers And Isaac Casaubon the knowne french stipendary champion for the Protestants of England writeth thus of our Kinge in this matter Respons ad Card. Peron pag. 51. The Kinge is neither ignorant of nor denieth that the Fathers of the primatiue church did acknowledge one sacrifice in Christian Religion that succeeded in place of all the sacrifices in the lawe of Moses And least any man should doubt what sacrifice hee ment by so speaking hee telleth vs it is The body of Christ in the Eucharist as Catholicks hold and addeth there Haec est fides Regis haec est fides Ecclesiae Anglicanae This is the faiih of the Kinge this is the faith of the English church And writeth to Cardinall Perron in these wordes The Kinge said in the hearing of manic and wished him so to signifie to Cardinal Perron that hee agreed with the Cardinal in his opiniō de duplici sacrificio expiationis nempe commemorationis siue Religionis Concerning two kinds of sacrifice the one of expiation for the world the other commemoratiue or of Religion Which last Cardinall Perron with all Catholicks take to bee the sacrifice of Masse Therefore if the English Protestant church and his maiestie agree so far with Catholicks the attonement wil sooner bee made in this matter 13. Neither did Casaubon here assume for his maiestie and English Protestants any new thinge but the same which they had professed and graunted in their most solemne and publicke decrees and proceedings from the first beginning of
this and to take which text we will as one wee must because thinges offered in sacrifices were receiued and thinges also in them receiued were before offered it is manifest by the Prophet that the holy consecrated challice was to bee offered and receiued in this sacrifice Thodah as it is with Catholicks at this time 6. And this was so knowne a veritie amonge the Iewes that as Hieronymus à sancta fide proueth against the Iewes l. 1. contr Iudaeos cap. 9. hee himselfe a Iew it is often reiterated in theire Thalmud it selfe est quaedam locutio saepe in Thalmud reiterata quae dicit sic in tempore futuro vniuersa sacrificia excepto sacrificio confessionis annihilata erunt And wee doe not finde in any Religion Christians or others any cup or chalice which truely or putatiuely is termed the cup or chalice of saluation but that which is consecrated and offered in holy Masse of which Christ said as our protestants translate it Luc. cap. 22. v. 20. 1. Corinth cap. 11. v. 24. This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you Marc. 14.24 This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes So that except wee will bee Antichristians and deny the truth of the words of Christ that which hee then gaue and offered and is lawfully consecrated preists doe stil offer in holy Masse was and is this cup or chalice of saluation fortold by the Prophet Dauid in this place 7. And howesoeuer wee will interpret this word Thoda with protestant Hebritians to signifie gloria gloriatio laus laudatio celebratio confessio glory glorification praise commendation celebration confession Froster in Lexic in v. Thoda pag. 355. it cannot possibly bee better expressed and verified in any thinge then the holy sacrifice of the blessed body blood of Christ which therfore the old canon of the Masse calleth sacrificium laudis sacrifice of praise For as S. Augustine saith l. 1. contr aduersar leg Prophetar cap. 18. Quid est sacratius laudis sacrificium quà m in actione gratiarum Et vnde maiores agendae sunt Deo gratiae quam pro ipsius gratia per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum quod totum fideles in Ecclesiae sacrificio sciunt cuius vmbrae fuerunt omnia priorum generum sacrificia What sacrifice of praise is more holy then in thanksgiuing and wherefore are more or greater thankes to bee giuen to God then for his grace by Iesus Christ our Lord All which the faithfull doe know in the sacrifice of the church of which all sacrifices of the former kindes were shadowes And our protestants of England haue graunted as much before acknowledginge the Eucharist to be a sacrifice of Religion a sacrifice of thanksgiuing a commemoratiue sacrifice and a remembrance and memoriall of Christ offered and sacrificed for the sinnes of the worlde and mans redemption which deserue and binde all Christians to giue the greatest glory praise commendation thankes and confession to God for so an inestimable grace and benefite they possibly are able 7. Therefore most truely and properly this holy sacrifice of Masse which Catholicks vse was by the holy Scriptures Rabines Fathers Catholicks and protestants before termed Thoda For besides all those Etimologies and significations thereof before alleaged from protestant Hebritiās they further add Ioh. Froster Lexic Hebraic in Thoda pag. 355. Vocat scriptura hoc nomine speciem sacrificij quo offerentes confitebantur accepisse se beneficium à Deo celebrantque praedicabant gloriam clementiae benignitatis de graeci transtulerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificium laudis Germani Liboffer Leuit. cap 7. vers 11. Acconstabat vt eius descriptione Leuitici 7. habetur ex placenta Azimae offerebanturque ab illis qui cum à periculo aliquo liberati gratos se Deo declarare volebāt The scripture calleth by this name Thoda the kinde of sacrifice by which they that offered it did confesse that they had receiued benefits from God and they celebrated declared the glory of the mercy and bountifulnes of God the Greeks translated it sacrifice of praise the Germans Libopffer and it consisted as appeareth by the description of it in the 7. chapter of Leuiticus of an vnleuened Cake and it was offered of them that beeing deliuered from any daunger would shew themselues thankfull to God All which properties in a most excellent manner are found and proued to belonge to the holy sacrifice of Masse for more then any other rite or ceremonie vsed by any Christians THE IIII. CHAPTER Prouing the same by the same warrant from the Prophet Dauid NOw let vs come to the Prophet Dauid who in the 21.22 psalme by the Hebrues speaking of the conuersion of the gentiles and all nations to Christ and setting downe many particulars of his holy life and passion amonge the rest when by protestants translation hee had said all the ends of the world shall remember and turne to the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee For the kingdome is the Lords and hee is the gouernor among the natiōs which we see performed by Christ hee immediatlie addeth all they that bee fat vppon the earth the potent and mightie shall eate and worship The Hebrue which our protestants should follow there is Istachahu haue bowed downe themselues in worship So is the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the vulgare Latine manducauerunt adorauerunt so Sebastian Castalio the protestant comedent adorabunt so readeth S. Augustine Augustin in psal 21. Manducauerunt adorabunt omnes diuites terrae Euen all the rich vppon earth haue eaten and shall worship And examining what holy food this should bee which euen the ritchest and most potent should worship when they did eate it not findinge any other food worthie such worship hee concludeth manducauerunt corpus humilitatis Domini sui etiam diuites terrae Euen the ritch of the earth haue eaten the body of the humilitie of their Lord. Whereuppon a very learned writer linguist before these times of controuersies Iacob Perez de Valentia quaest 5. contra Iudaeos Writing against the Iewes saith although this Sacrament was figured by many signes and figures in the Lawe yet Dauid in manifest wordes hath expressed it in the 21. psalme And citing the wordes before alleaged thus hee writeth vbi manifestè ostenditur quòd fideles debebant māducare adorare Deum suum Where it is manifestly shewed that the faithful ought to eate and adore their God 2. And whereas the same holy Prophet in his 98. psalme saith adorate scabellum pedum eius quoniam sanctum est Adore the footestoole of his feete because it is holy The same S Augustine hauing related those wordes of God in the Prophet Isay as our protestants trāslate them Isay cap. 66. v. 1. The
his body and blood broken and shed for remission of sinnes by the omnipotent words of Christ This is my body this is my blood being of eternall infallible and vndoubted truth so consecrated by truely and duely ordeyned preists vnto the end of the worlde Therefore most euident it is by all kinde of Arguments and testimonies that the holy Apostle and Euangelist S. Matthew as the rest also did and of dutie was bound to offer the most holy sacrifice of Masse And that hee thus did as the rest of the Apostles also did it is manifest by diuers antiquities which wee haue of this holy Apostle 14. First it is commonly agreed vppon both by Catholicke and Protestant writers that hee preached and suffered Martyrdome in Ethiopia hauing first conuerted the Kinge and many others and that of all nations the Christians of Ethiopia were euer most deuout to the holy sacrifice of Masse the protestants themselues ar witnesses and as they haue had that holy sacrifice from their first receauinge the faith of Christ which in all things as transsubstantiation of bread and wine into the bodie and bloody of Christ according to the doctrine of S Matthew before and offeringe of the said blessed body and blood with inuocation of Saints and prayer for the deade so their tradition ascribeth it to S. Matthew the Apostle as ordinarily it is referred vnto him And not onely S. Abdias which liued in that time by his workes vsually receaued Iulius Africanus and others be witnesses that he said Masse and was martyred at the holy altare by Kinge Hirtacus but that vndoubted historie of his life and death which the vniuersall church of Christ followeth approueth and proposeth vnto vs so testifieth Origen in Genes Euseb histor lib. 3. cap. 1. Socrat. lib. 1. c. 15. Doroth. in Synops Magdeburg cent 1. l. 2. col 777.776 Edw. Grimston in Presbyter Iohn Pag. 1088.1089 Missa Aethiopum siue S. Matthaei Apostoli Biblioth SS Patr. Tom. 6. Iudoc Cocc Tom. 2. Sebastian Munster Cosmograph l. 6. cap 57. Abdias Iul Afr. c. l. de vita Apost in S. Math. Metaphrast in S. Matth. Anton. part 1. Petr. anot l. 8. cap. 100. 15. Rege mortuo Hirtacus eius successor Ephigeniam Regiam filiam vellet sibi dari in matrimonium Matthaeum cuius opera illa virginitatem Deo vouerat in Sancto proposito perseuerabat ad altare mysterium celebrantem iussit occidi vndecimo calendas Octobris Vita S. Matth. Apostoli in Breuiario die 21. Septembr Kinge Aeglippus whome S. Matthew had conuerted to the faith being deade Hirtacus his successor desiringe to Mary his daughter Ephigenia sheâ—… by the helpe of S. Matthew hauinge vowed virginitie to God and perseueringe in her holie purpose hee commaunded S. Matthew to bee killed as hee was celebrating Masse at the altare on the eleuenth of the calends of October Which history and relation must needs bee approued by the Protestant church of England keeping his festiuitie with the former histories the church of Rome the auncient Martyrolodges of Rome S. Bede Vsuardus and others vpon the same day Engl. Protest Comm Booke in fest S. Matth. Apostol calend 21. Septembr 11. cal Octobr. Martyr Rom. Bed Vsuard eod die Ado Treuer 16. To which the auncient Manuscript of an author Anonimus published in print all most an hundred yeares since by Fredericus Nausea Bishop of Vienna writtin as hee saith characteribus plusquam vetustis in exceedinge old characters in a most auncient library giueth this ample testimony hauinge before related the history of S. Matthewes preachinge there Cumque omnes respondissent Amen mysteria Domini celebrata fuissent Missam suscepisset omnis Ecclesia retinuit se Sanctus Matthaeus iuxta altare vbi corpus ab eo fuerat Christi confectum vt illic Martyrium expectauit nam expansis manibus orantem spiculator missus ab Hyrtaco à tergo puncti ictu feriens Apostolum Dei Christi Martyrem fecit And when all had answered Amen and the mysteries of our Lord were celebrated and all the Christian assembly had heard Masse S. Matthew kept himselfe still by the altare where the body of Christ was consecrated by him and expected Martyrdome For as hee was praying with his hands stretched forth the executioner beeing sent from Kinge Hyrtacus cominge behinde him thrust the Apostle of God throughe and made him a Martyr of Christ Anonymm antiq l. in vitas miracula passionis Apostolorum in pas S. Matth. Apost cap. 6. 16. And this may fully satisfie for S. Matthew the Apostle that he was a sacrificinge and massinge preist and did both say Masse and ordeyne other holy massing and sacrificinge preists and deliuered a forme of that holy sacrifice to the Christians of Ethiopia I haue bene more large in him because hee was the first amonge the Apostles which in his ghospell wrote of these sacred mysteries and beeinge an Apostle and confirmed in grace neither did nor could in this or any article of Christian Religion beleeue or practise otherwise then Christ commaunded and instituted and the rest of the Apostles and Euangelists did also beleeue teache and exercise as I haue taught in generall of them all Now in particular of euery of them with so much breuitie as I may the difficultie beeinge already cleared vntill I come to S. Peter in whom beeinge besides his primacy amonge the Apostles and in the whole church of Christ our protoparent Pastor and Father in Christ I must spend some longer time in that respect to deduce our holy sacrificinge and massing preisthood from him 17. The next of the Euangelistes and scripture writers which entreateth of this blessed mistery is S. Marke whose words in his ghospell as our protestants translate them concerninge Christs institution of this sacrifice are these Iesus tooke breade and blessed and brake it and gaue to them and said take eate This is my body and hee tooke the cup and when he had giuen thanks hee gaue it to them and they all dranke of it and hee said vnto them this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many Marc. cap. 14 ver 22.23 Where wee see as in S. Matthew before so heare S. Marke doth assure vs that the misteries there celebrated were Christs body and blood shedd for many and so accordinge to that which is already proued in this matter must needes bee an holy sacrifice in the iudgement of this Euangelist and that by his owne continual vse and practise of saying Masse and deliueringe a perfect forme and order thereof vnto the churches where hee preached and liued we haue many testimonies 18. First the very Masse it selfe which hee deliuered to the church of Alexandria and others which hee founded is yet vsed in those parts and knowne to all antiquaries Missa S. Marci seu Ecclesiae Alexandrinae in Biblioth patrum and it doth agree in all matters of substance with the Masse of the Latine church And he himselfe had
tu dixisti hoc facite in meam commemorationem 33. And how carefull and diligent an obseruer and practiser of this massing doctrine hee was in act and deed daily in his whole life we may be assured by the worthie writers of his life and death Hilduinus Abbot of S. Denis in Fraunce where hee was buried about 800. yeares since Roswita or Roswida not longe after and others who confidently and from publick testimony write that neither his strict imprisonment in a dungeon could hinder him from performing this holy dutie but there both persuadinge the people present and writinge vnto others absent to confirme them more said Masse in that vnfit place to proue how acceptable it was Christ Iesus with a multitude of Angels appeared vnto them all with such a light from heauen as had beene seene at the very time when they were to communicate comforted his holy Martir Sed nec carcereis praesul praeclarus in antris desinit obsequium Domino persoluere dignum sed docuit plebem studiosè conuenientem ac celebrat sacrae solitò solemnia Missae Est vbi caelestem debebat frangere panem lux noua tristifico subito fulgebat in antro in qua sidereae regnator splendidus aulae scilicet angelica pariter comitante caterua apparens charum consolabatur amicum Trithem l. de scriptorib in Hildonio Roswida Hilduinus Abb. in vita S. Dionisij Areopag cap. 29. Roswita l. de vit S. Dionis Areopag alijs THE X. CHAPTER How all the rest of the Apostles in particular S. Andrew Iames the great Thomas Iames the lesse Philip Bartholomew Symon Thaddaeus and Matthias were sacrificinge Preists and Apostles and vsually offered the sacrifice of Masse NOw let vs come to the rest of the holie Apostles which haue not in scriptures written of these misteries and proue of them all and in order except S. Peter the first whom I haue promised to put in the last place that in their sacred functions they offered the most holy sacrifice of Masse And first to begin with S. Andrew It is a receaued opinion Iodoc. Cocc Tom. 2. l. 7. artic 5. de purgator that this holy Apostle did first deliuer that forme of Masse which was auntiently and from the beginninge vsed in the church of Constantinople and after called the Masse of S. Iohn Chrisostome the great and learned Patriarke of that place because it was enlarged by him and is stil as our protestants acknowledge vsed to this day in the churches of Greece Edwin Sands relation of Religion cap. 53. or 54. And that hee himselfe did vsually and daily offer this moste sacred oblation of Christs body and blood wee haue moste auncient and vndeniable testimonies whether we will professe our selues Catholicks or protestants in Religion for both these agree in this that S. Andrew was martyred by Aegeus Procōsull of Achaia in the citie Patras and they celebrate his day of festiuitie vppon the laste of Nouember And they doe or ought if they make not fictions of theire owne deduce the history of his passion from the auncient penners and relators thereof which bee the preists and deacons of Achaia which were eye witnesses and present at the same S. Cyprian or whosoeuer was the auncient Author of the booke amonge his workes de duplici Martyrio The old Anonimus who wrote the booke of the Apostles liues published by the learned Bishop of Vienna Fredericus Nausea S. Simeon Metaphrastes himself a learned grecian and auncient of those parts S. Iuo S. Bernard Algerus the auncient writer of the liues of Saints the whole latine church in the publicke seruice of the feast of S. Andrew the Apostle the auncient Breuiary of the church of Salisbury in England and others are witnesses that S. Andrew beeinge persuaded and threatned by Aegeus the Proconsull to sacrifice to the Pagan Gods answered publicklie vnto him in these wordes Ego omnipotenti Deo qui vnus verus est immolo quotidie non taurorum carnes nec hircorum sanguinem sed immaculatum Agnum in altari cuius carnem posteaque omnis multitudo credentium manducauerit Agnus qui sacrificatus est integer perseuerat viuus I doe daily sacricrifice to God almightie the onely true God not the flesh of bulls nor blood of goates but the immaculate Lambe vppon the altar whose flesh after all the multitude of beleeuers haue eaten the Lambe that is sacrificed remayneth whole and liuinge Breuiar Missale Rom. Martyrolog Rom. Bed Vsuard vlt. Nou. Protestant comm Booke in calendar Nouem infest vlt. Nouem Cooper v. Andreas Godw. conuers Magdeb cent 1. in Andr. Apostolo Act. S. Andrea per Presb. Diacon Achaiae Ciprian l. de duplic Mart. Anonim in mirac vit Pass Apost in S. Andrea Sim. Metaphr in S. Andr. S. Iuo Carnoten Episc serm de Sacram dedicat ser 4. Algerus contra Berengar S. Bernard apud Francisc Feuarden annotat in Frenaeum l. 4. contra haer cap. 32. pag. 361. Iacob Genuen Epis in vit S. Andrea vlt. Nouem Breu. Ecclesiae Salisbur ibidem 2. Thus it is euident that S. Andrewe the Apostle did offer this holy sacrifice of Masse and euery day and that the sacrifice was Christ himself the true Lambe of God that taketh away sinnes Amonge the holy auncient and renowned witnesses S. Iuo supr ser 4. speakinge of this holy sacrifice of Masse thus wtiteth In memoriam veniunt verba beati Andreae Apostoli quibus asserit in caelis esse corpus Domini de altari posse sumi corpus Domini Cuius inquit carnes cum sint comestae in terris à populo ipse tamen in caelestibus ad dexteram Patris integer perseuerat viuus The wordes of S. Andrew the Apostle doe come to memory in which hee affirmeth that the body of our Lord is in heauen and yet may his body bee receued from the altare Whose flesh saith hee when it is eaten of the people on earth yet he perseuereth whole and aliue in heauen at the right hand of his Father And this giueth full satisfaction for S. Andrew that hee was a sacrificinge and massinge preist 3. The next in order is S. Iames the brother of S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist martired by Kinge Herode as we reade in the 12. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles where our protestants thus reade About that time Herod the Kinge stretched forth his hand to vexe certaine of the church And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword Actor cap. 12. ver 1.2 Which his timely death hath taken from him such ample memory as is deliuered of some other Apostles that liued longer in histories But beeing assured before by all kinde of testimonies that he was one of them to whom our blessed Sauiour gaue power and commaundement to offer the holy sacrifice of his body and blood that he there being consecrated a preist and one of the three Apostles which our Sauiour most loued and hee him
Timothie his scholler dead longe before S. Lucius Britanniae Rex S. Timothei Apostoli Pauli discipuli cruditione ad Religionem Christi inductus est Petr. Merssaeus Annal. Archiep. eccl Treuer in S. Marcello If wee reflect vppon the Saints that were sent cheife Legats hither from Rome S. Fugatius and Damianus the principall of them in all antiquities as wee must needs to giue them their due that bee chosen and selected mē they must needes be learned vertuous and of mature age and iudgment to be imploied in so weightie a busines and as all histories testifie they were and so must needes bee consecrated massinge preists beeing sacred by those remembred sacrificinge Popes which neither did nor could consecrate any other nor they bringe any other doctrine in this or any other points of Religion but what they had receaued from those holy Popes 4. And to this besides so many generall Arguments S. Gildas the moste auncient and renowned Brittish Author is a particular witnes if it could please our protestants to publish it to the worlde except that renowned Abbot Doctor Fecknham did abuse his auditory in the first parlament of Queene Elizabeth in his publicke oration which no indifferent man will thinke hee did or durst to doe for feare of open shame and confusion if hee should haue aduouched an vntruth in that assemblie And yet speaking principally of the sacrifice of Masse then to bee condemned by that parlament citeth Gildas in the proeme of his history testifyinge that the same Religion and church seruice the sacrifice of Masse which was then to bee abrogated was brought hither and settled here in the Latine tonge by the Legats of Pope Eleutherius Abbot Fecknham orat in parlam 2. of Queene Elizabeth and all our cheife protestant antiquaries and historians of England as their Bishops Parker Bale Godwine with others Gosteline Powell Foxe Fulke Middleton Stowe Holinshed others confidently affirming that the Christian Brittans neuer chaunged in any materiall thinge that holy Religion which they receaued in the time of the Apostles but constantly continued in the same vntill the cominge of S. Augustine hither from S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome and after Parker antiquitat Britan. pag. 6.45.46 Balaeus l. 2. de act Pontif. Rom. in Gregor 1. l. de scriptor cent 1. in August Dronotho Godwin conuers of Brit. Powel annot in l. 2. Giraldi Camb. de Itiner Cambr. cap. 1. Foxe act pag. 463. edit an 1576. Fulke answ to a count Cath. pag. 40. Middelt papistom pag. 202 Stow histor in S. Augustine and Kinge Ethelbert Holinsh. histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. 5. But as I haue proued before by these protestants and otherwise the Britans by that Apostolicke man receaued the doctrine profession and practise of sacrificinge preisthood preists and sacrifice of Masse and continued them vnto this time soe I will demonstrate by them and all antiquities hereafter in euery age that they kept and obserued the same inuiolablie to those dayes and after without interruption And yet this is but a needles probation for being so inuincibly proued before that they receaued these holy doctrines and professions from the Apostles and from them to these daies if they had departed from them now or after they should bee apparantly guiltie of error in departinge from those truthes which the Apostles and all from them to these dayes continued And if wee looke into the catalogues of holy writers in this time whose works bee preserued to posteritie wee shall see that the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preists were generally in al places in as great vse and honour as at this day The moste renowned writers of this time whose bookes bee extant now were S. Iustine S. Irenaeus and Tertullian all they doe plainelie testifie that the sacrifice of Masse offeringe vp the sacred body and blood of Christ was the generally vsed knowne sacrifice of the Christians in this time in omni loco in euerie place saith S. Iustine Iustin Dialog cum Tryhone Ecclesia in vniuerso mundo offert Deo The church doth offer it in all the world saith S. Irenaeus Irenaeus aduers Haeres lib. 4. cap. 32. therefore the church of Britanie must needs offer it and I haue proued by our Brittish antiquities before that Rome Fraunce and Britanie in these daies of Eleutherius and Irenaeus which went to Rome in the papacy of S. Eleutherius vsed one and the same order of Masse And Tertullian that notorious massing Author declaring how Christiā Religion was then dilated in the worlde and the sacrifice of Masse was the common sacrifice thereof expressely nameth this our Britanie to haue receaued the Christian faith and to agree with other Christian nations therin Tertullian de cultu Faeminar cap. 11. l. ad Scapul cap. 2. l. de orat cap 14. l. de vel Virg. cap. 9. l. contra Iudaeos S. Iohn Chrisostome speaking of this conuersion of our Britans witnesseth manifestly and our protestants acknowledge it for truth that the Brittish churches then founded which were many had altars for their preists erected in them Chrisostom serm· de Pentecost protest Theater of great Britanie l. 6. § 12. which as is confessed before by these protestants neither were nor could in Christian Religion bee ordeyned but for massinge preists and the sacrifice of Masse as wee finde in the moste auncient churches of this nation as S. Iosephs dedicated to our Lady at Glastēburie Antiquit Glaston Capgrau in S. Patricio M. S. antiq in Lucio S. Martins at Canterbury and the olde church at Winchester where as we read there were Christian altares so also that the sacrifice of Masse was from their first foundation offered on them Bed hist. l. 1. cap. 27. Galfr. Monum l. 11. histor cap. 4. Stowe histor in Constantine sonne of Cador. c. so of S. Peters church in Cornhill in London and others And S. Damianus and Phaganus the cheife Legats of S. Eleutherius bearing so great deuotion to the massing church builded by S. Ioseph at Glastenbury that they themselues continued and dwelled there some time and settled twelue of their company to continue there duringe their liues must needs bee massinge preists as all had here euer beene from the Apostles time in which faith and Religion this holy Pope as our protestants with al antiquities assure vs confirmed the kingdome of Britanie Eleutherius vt bonus paterfamilias effecit vt confirmatis consolidatis Britannis in suscepta prius ab Apostolis doctrina totum illud regnum in eius fidei verba iuraret Ioh. Bal. l. 1. de act Pontif. Rom. in Eleutherio 6. So that by this Protestant Bishop and his and other authorities those doctrines of sacrificinge preists and Masse which from the Apostles dayes as I haue aboundantly proued had without discontinuance euer continued here in diuers particular places and parsons were now generally by this holy Pope and his massinge Legats established and confirmed in this kingedome confirmatis
british Bishops besides with their preists and cleargie sent from hence for Armorica or little Britanie in Fraunce as the holy massinge Bishops and Martyrs sent and martyred with S. Vrsula and the other 11000. Virgins and Martyrs of Britanie S. Michael Iacobus Columbanus Iwanus Elutherius Lothorius and Mauritius Episcop Gen. in vit S. Vrsul Matth. Westm. an 391. Io. Capgrau Catal. in S. Vrsula M. S. antiq ibid. Harris in Theatr. To. 4. in S. Vrsula antiquitat Ecclesia Coloticen al. al which with all other Bishops and preists of this kingdome cōsented with the whole Christian world as is shewed before in the doctrine of holy Masse sacrificinge preists and preisthood which our protestants will more demonstrate vnto vs by the publicklie taught and receaued Religion of Britanie in this time for they produce vnto vs an old auncient sermon written in the latine tonge and translated into the saxon language by Aelfricus in the yeare 996. and to write in protestants words this sermon was vsuall to bee read in the church here in England in the yeare 366. Iohn Foxe Act· Monum pag. 1142. which must needs bee a moste excellent testimonie for this age time And yet amonge many other thinges tendinge to the same purpose thus we finde by our protestants translation therof In the olde lawe faithfull men offered to God diuers sacrifices that had fore signification of Christs body which for our sinnes hee himselfe to his heauenly Father hath since offered to sacrifice Certainely this housell which wee doe now halow at Gods altare is a remembrance of Christs body which he offered for vs and of his blood which hee shed for vs So hee himselfe commaunded doe this in my remembrance Once suffered Christ by himselfe but yet neuerthelesse his sufferinge is daily renevved at this supper through mistery of the holy housel And againe In that holy housel there is one thing in it seene and an other vnderstoode That vvhich is there seene hath bodily shape and that vvee doe there vnderstand hath ghostly might The housell is dealed into sondry parts chevved betvveene teeth and sent into the belly hovvbeit neuerthelesse after ghostlie might it is all in euery part Many receaue that holy body and yet notvvithstandinge it is so all in euery part after ghostly mistery 13. And shewing how the Paschal Lambe was a figure of this holy sacrifice of Christ the Lambe of Innocency and God which taketh away the sins of the worlde as in holy Masse wee so pray vnto Christ there present vnder that denomination they teach it was the vse and custome of our Christians in Britanie in that time to doe the same the very words of that olde brittish publicke homely by our protestants translation bee thus That innocent Lambe vvhich the olde Israelites did then kill had signification after ghostly vnderstandinge of Christs sufferinge vvho vnguiltie shedd his blood for our redemption Hereof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speache Thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the worlde haue mercie vpon vs. Where wee see plainelie acknowledged by this so auncient antiquitie in this fourth hundred yeare and the protestants themselues so translatinge and proposinge it that generally in that time the holy sacrifice of Masse was offered by the Bishops and preists of Britanie in all places and all the seruants of God did then acknowledge professe that Christ the true Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world was therin offered and there present prayed vnto by all Gods seruants Which is as much as any massing preist Bishop or Pope holdeth teacheth or practiseth at this time concerning these things 14. And because in this age this our kingedome had by agreement both of auncient and late writers and by protestants themselues Bal. l. de scriptor in Palladio Niniano a greate dependance of Rome both in temporall and spiritual affaires and many of our cheifest cleargie men as S. Teruanus and S. Ninianus those two glorious Northrē Bishops had both their education instruction ordination and iurisdiction from thence as many others had at this time and the Bishops of Rome are so much charged by our protestant writers for adding vnto the holy sacrifice of Masse I will only vse these mens authority which say they will set downe what euerie Pope did add Quid alij Pontifices addiderint suo loco in Pontificijs actis dicetur And they are so farr from not performinge their promise in this that they rather relate more then lesse added by these holy Popes as will bee made euident by theire owne testimonies hereafter Yet for more ample satisfaction let vs followe them in this point Of S. Siluester I haue spokē before next to him succeeded S. Marke who as these men say was Pope in the time of Constantine the great Constantino Imperante in Pontificatu sedit which time was an holy time in Religion by our Kings iudgement and so this Pope not likely to make any publick lawe vnholie Therefore these protestants onely say of him that hee ordeyned the creede of the Nicen councell to bee said or sunge at Masse Rob. Barnes in act Pont. Rom. in Marc. 1. Io. Bal. in vit Pont. in eod Edw. Grimston in Marc. but this Nicen creed is holy in all iudgements and was receaued and vsed in Britanie here in that time as I haue proued it is receaued by the protestant parlament of England subscribed and sworne vnto by all the protestant Bishops and ministers of England allowed in the articles of their Religion and practised in theire churches Parlam an 1. Eliz. K. Iames can articles of Relig. articl Creed commun booke c. and therefore doth a protestant antiquarie iustly say of that holy creed time in the yeare of Christ 330. At this time the Nicen creed was commaunded to bee sunge or said in all Christian churches Stowe hist. Rom. ad an 330. therefore none but Arrian Hereticks euer did or will impugne it 15. The next Pope which these mē finde to haue added any thinge to this holy sacrifice was holy Damasus an acknowledged good Bishop and as they teache hee onely added the Confiteor Confession vsed in the beginninge of Masse in which there is nothinge which protestants disallowe but confession and prayer to Saints there remembred Io. Whitguift ansvv to the admonit pag. 78. and def of ansvv pag. 489. Bal. in vit in Damaso Barnes in eodem Grimston in Damasus which as I haue proued before was vsed in the church of God and in this Realme of Britanie in the Apostles dayes And to passe ouer so many examples and testimonies of other Christian people and places in the second age our Apostles S. Damianus and Fugatius praied to S. Michaell the Archangell and other Angels dedicated a church or chappell to them the ruines yet standinge neare Glastenburie antiquit Glaston M. S. Gapgrau in Catal
alij diuers churches besides with their allowance were founded and dedicated to S. Peter S. Martin and other Saints In the third age S. Amphibalus at his Martirdome publickly prayed to S. Alban Martyred a little before so did other holy Brittish Christians to him and other Martyrs and Saints of Britanie at that time tabul M. S. in Eccles S. Petri in Cornhill Stowe histor in K. Lucius Caius antiq Cantabrig Harris l. 2. Holinsh. hist. of Engl. M. S. antiq in Lucio M. S. antiq in S. Amphibal Capgrau in eod S. Alban legend antiq alij in the beginninge of this fourth age I haue shewed before what generall buildinge and dedicatinge of churches there was to our Martyrs that had suffered a little before and solemnizinge their festiuities and consequently prayer and inuocation vnto them And all this longe before S. Damasus was Pope being scarcely borne at that time Therefore many our protestants of England confesse that prayer and inuocation of Saints and Angels was publicklie vsed in the primatiue church euen in the sacrifice of Masse And some of them make it an article of our creede for to speak in their wordes If wee deny it wee shall peraduenture depriue ourselues of a great part of their Angels ministery and dissolue that communion of Saints which vvee professe to beleeue as an article of Gods truthe Couel examin pag. 295.178 Parkins problem pag. 89.93 Ormerod Pict Pap. pag. 26.27 Middlet papistom pag. 129. Morton Apolog. part 1. pag. 227.228 Couel ag Burges pag. 89.90 16. Wherefore I may boldly conclude of this holy Pope in this matter in these words of a Protestant Archbishop Damasus vvas a good Bishop and therefore no good thinge by him appointed to bee disallovved Io. Whitg ansvv to the admonit pag. 78. sect 2.3 and def of ansvv pag. 489. of Pope Siricius they say hee commaunded that Masses should bee said in places consecrated by the Bishops Missas in loco ab Episcopo sacrato celebrandas esse Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pont. Rom. in Ciricio but this was onely a ceremoniall decree and to Gods more honor as I haue shewed in our old Britans by their dedication of churches and our protestants in England after their ceremonies obserue it to this day What a protestant Bishop meaneth when hee writeth of this Pope Missae memorias adiunxit Hee adioyned memories to the Masse Io. Bal. l. 1. de act Pontif. Rom. in Siricio I know not if hee meaneth memories of Saints to pray vnto them or memories of other faithfull departed to pray for them as one of them hee must needs vnderstand I haue proued before they were both vsed from the Apostles time and so cannot bee said to bee any additiō of Pope Siricius in this time These protestants do not mention any other Pope in this age to haue added or altered any thinge in this holy sacrifice Therefore by their good leaue I doe here end this fourth hundred of yeares THE FIFTHE AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XIX CHAPTER Wherein is manifestly proued that all this fift age the sacrifice of Masse massing preists and Bishops did continue in honor in this our Britanie THe first Pope which offereth himselfe in this next and fifth hundred of yeares to speake as a late protestant writer doth was Innocent of Albania or Scotland Edw. Grimst est of the church of Rome Pope 41. pag. 44. an D. 402. and commonly it is written of him both by protestants and others Rob. Barnes in vit Innocentij Io. Bal. in eodem that by contrie hee was Albanus or of Albania the old common and receaued knowne name of Scotland And if hee was of this our Albania it might be occasion that the Scots and Britans of this kingdome did more frequent Rome at this then other times But whether hee was of Northren Albania that is in the east or of Alba in Italy or whencesoeuer sure wee are that many of this nation which proued holy preists and Bishops also had their education and instruction in Religion at Rome in these dayes by the massing and sacrificinge preists and Popes in that place Such were S. Teruanus made Archbishop of the Picts by S. Paladius the Popes Legate in Scotland about the yeare of Christ 432. as our Scottish writers testifie And that he was instructed in the faith at Rome I gather from the same Authors affirming that S. Paladius baptized him beeing an Infant Teruanum Infantem lustrico lauerat fonte Paldius Hector Boeth l. 7. histor foli 133. Posseuin in appar To. 2. pag. 452. which must needs bee at Rome from whence S. Palladius was sent into this kingdome in or about the yeare of Christ 431. died soone after his cominge hither And so hauinge for his Master and Tutor in Religion that massinge preist and Bishop and the Pope also then being the like this man could not bee instructed there in any other Religion different from that And in the same age before this S. Ninian who was also brought vp and instructed by the massinge Popes and their disciples at Rome was sent from thence to teach the same and other holie doctrines of Christian faith to the same people and was theire Bishop as all antiquaries Catholicke and Protestant testifie Bed hist. Angl. l. 3. c. 4. Bal. l. de scriptor cent 1. in Ninian Capgrau in eod Theat of great Brit. l. 6. whose successor S. Teruanus was and about the same time as our Scottish and other histories tell vs S. Seruanus was made Bishop of the Orchades beinge instructed and consecrated by the massinge Bishop Paladius which that famous massinge Pope S. Celestine sent his Legate into this nation of whome herafter Hector Boeth Scotor histor l. 7. fol. 133. 2. Besides these extraordinary the ordinary Archbishops and Bishops with their whole cleargie perseuered in these holy doctrines none to contradict them herin but in other questions moued by Pelagian hereticks And that S. Innocentius the first Pope in this age vnder whome our remembred Bishops had theire education and instruction was a massinge Pope our protestants assure vs testifyinge that hee confirmed the ceremonie of giuinge the Pax in Masse Vt pax in Missa daretur ordinauit The like they testifie of Pope Sozimus and Bonifacius which were betweene S. Innocentius and S. Celestine that sent so many Bishops into this kingdome affirming how they both maintayned sacrificinge preisthood and holy Masse with the ceremonies thereof and the supreamacy of the see of Rome Io. Bal. l. 2. de act Pont. Rom. in Innocent in Sozimo Bonifacio Robert Barne in vit Pontif. in eisdem And for the sacrifice of Masse that it was Missa papistica the papisticall or papists Masse such as Catholicks of this time whome they call papists and their Masse preists and Religion papisticall doe vse Bal. supr lib. 2. in Caelestino before the dayes of Saint and Pope Celestine who as they say added some thinges to the papisticall Masse vsed before his papacie
S. Leo Missae sacrificium approbanit Hee did approue the sacrifice of Masse therfore Masse was termed and knowne to be so accepted a sacrifice before his time and approbation For a thinge approued or to bee approued vnseparably carrieth with it a precedency to the approbation that which is not cannot possibly bee approued as a thinge past or present and euery such allowance or approbation necessarily supposeth the thinge to bee so allowed or approued And this will suffice for S. Leo. 4. After whome in this age the onely Pope which is produced by these men to haue added or altered in the Masse is Gelasius of this Pope a protestant thus writeth Robert Barnes in vit Pontif. in Gelasio praefationem Missae verè dignuÌ„ iustum est instituit But this is euidentlie vntrue as I haue proued before for S. Ciprian and before him Tertullian informe vs it was in vse in the church before their times and S. Ciprian alleadgeth it is an apostolicall common known custome of the church Ciprian l. de orat Dominic and Foxe the protestant proueth Io. Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary that this could not bee any inuention of Gelasius for that both the auncient Greeke church before that time and both S. Ciprian and S. Augustine so agree it was in vse before Ciprian sup Aug. de vera Religione cap. 3 therefore followeth therein the opinion of Thomas Waldensis that it could not bee the inuention of Pope Gelasius And Pope Vigilius which liued not longe after Gelasius who writinge to the Bishops of Germany and Fraunce desirous to know the order which the church of Rome obserued in the prefaces of Masse answereth in this maner Vigilius epistola ad Episcopos Germaniae Galliae Inuenimus has nouem praefationes in sacro catalogo tantumodo recipiendas quas long a retro veritas in Romana Ecclesia hactenus seruauit Wee finde that these 9. prefaces are to bee receued in the holy catalogue which truth hath longe time from former ages hitherto obserued in the Roman church And thus hee recoÌ„pteth them one of Easter another of the Ascension of our Lord the third of Pentecoste the fourth of the natiuitie of our Lord the fift of the apparition of our Lord the sixt of the Apostles the seuenth of the holy Trinitie the eight of the Crosse the ninth in Lent And thus concludeth has praefationes tenet custodit sancta Romana Ecclesia has tenendas vobis mandamus These prefaces the holy Roman church obserueth these wee commaund to bee kept by you And Houeden as our protestants haue published him reciteth all these out of the same authoritie to haue bene receued in England in a councel of our Bishops manie hundred yeares since setting downe the begininge of euery one of them and addeth the tenth of the blessed Virgin decimam de beata Virgine Roger. Houeden in annal part posterior in Henr. 2. 5. And our English Protestants themselues by their highest parlamentary authoritie in such things with them vse the same prefaces except that of the Apostles and blessed Virgine in their publick church seruice their communion booke Protest communion booke titul communion and yet in that of the blessed Virgine which seemeth to haue beene added after the dayes of Pope Vigilius there is no inuocation of her nor any matter now questioned by protestants found in it And concerninge that of the Apostles of matters questioned there is onely this clause or petition vnto God for preseruing his church vt gregem tuum Pastor aeterne non deseras sed per beatos Apostolos tuos continua protectione custodias vt ijsdem Rectortbus gubernetur quos operis tui Vicarios eidem contulisti praesse Pastores That God the eternall Pastor will not forsake his flocke but keepe by his blessed Apostles with continuall protection that it may bee gouerned by the same Rulers whome Vicars of his worke hee hath appointed Pastors to rule it Which is not a prayer immediatlie to the Apostles but to God for the protection of his Apostles and such as our protestants themselues in their publick seruice on S. Michael his day doe vse for the protection of Angels as is manifest in their collect or prayer of that feast being the old Catholick prayer word by word translated into English And yet if there were any immediate prayer vnto the Apostles or any other Saints or Angels in any oÌ„f these prefaces I haue proued before that it was the receaued doctrine of Christs church from the beginninge 6. And if wee should allow vnto protestants that Pope Gelasius did add in the prefaces all that clause verè dignum iustum est vnto per Christum Dominum nostrum What is there in it but holy and allowable and still practised by themselues in their church seruice This it is verè dignum iustum est aequum salutare nos tibi semper vbique gratias agere Domine sancte Pater omnipotens aterne Deus per Christum Dominum nostrum ô Lord holy Father omnipotent eternall God verely it is a thinge worthie and iust right and belonginge to saluation that wee alwayes and in all places giue thanks to thee by Christ our Lord. Are not all Christians in all iudgements bound to bee of this minde and this being a dutie so bindinge and belonginge vnto al that beleeue in Christ is it not the better the oftner and more publickly it be acknowledged oâ—… if it be good by protestants and in their publick practise how can it be ill in Catholicks or could bee so in Pope Gelasius And if hee had added Te igitur clementissime Pater per Iesum ChristuÌ„ filium tuum Dominum nostrum supplices rogamus ac petimus Therefore ô moste mercifull Father wee aske and beseeche thee by Iesus Christ thy sonne our Lord. It is the same reason as before this beinge a very Christian and holy prayer by Protestant Religion to aske all things of God in the name of Christ as hee himselfe said whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name that will I doe Io. c. 14. v. 13. and whatsoeuer yee shall aske of the Father in my name hee may giue it you Io. c. 15. v. 26. 7. Whereby these men may see that neither the primatiue church which vsed inuocation of Saints nor the present church of Rome insistinge therein did or doe diminish any honor or dutie to Christ by honoringe them which honor him and are honoured by him Yet S. Remigius witnesseth this prayer Te igitur clementissime Pater to haue beene vsed from the Apostles Remig. in epist. 1. ad Timoth. cap. 2. Wheras some protestants write of Pope Gelasius Balaeus l. 2. de actis Pontif. Rom. in Gelasio Gelasius hymnos prefationes gradualia collectas orationes praescripsit Pope Gelasius did prescribe hymnes prefaces graduals collects and prayers I haue proued by these protestants that all these were vsed in the church and laudably longe before and by the word praescripsit hee did
many foundations to say Masse and pray for Christian soules and frends deceased as we find in the charter of Kinge Arthur before recited wherin among other motiues of that his confirmatorie priuiledge to the vniuersitie of Cambridge hee saith expressely that hee doth it with the consent of all his Bishops for the helpe of the soules of his antecessors Kings of Britanie Pro amore caelestis patriae remedioque animarum Antecessorum meorum BritaÌ„niae Regum Charta Regis Arthuri apud Caium supr antiq Cantabr l. 1. pag. 69. 5. After this Pope vntill they come to S. Gregory these protestants complaine of no additions but onely in Pope Pelagius the second which was the immediate predecessor to S. Gregory and sent him yet a priuate preist his legate to Constantinople of this Pope they write nouem praefationes ante canonem in Missa canendas de dit Hee gaue nyne prefaces to bee sunge before the canon in Masse Bal. in Pelag. 2. l. 2. in Act. Pontif. an other thus more particularly expresseth it Pelagtus nouem praefationes Ecclesiae de dit ante canonem in Missa canendas in Natali in Epiphania in Quadragesima de Cruce de Resurrectione de Ascensione in PeÌ„tecoste de Trinitate de Apostolis· Barnes in Pelag. 2. in vit Pont. Pelagius gaue nyne prefaces to the church to bee sunge before the canon in Masse one in the natiuitie of Christ an other in the Epiphanie in Lent of the Crosse of the Resurrection of the Ascension at Whitsontyde of the Trinitie of the Apostles I haue answered this before in Pope Gelasius to whome these protestants before contradictinge them selues ascribe the preface how vaine this quarrell is I haue there declared and onely add here from theire protestant like published Matthew of Westminster Anno gratiae 581. Papa Pelagius decreuit nouem praefationes taÌ„tum ad Missas debere cantari cassatis quotidianis quae dici solebant In the yeare of grace 581. Pope Pelagius decreed that only nine prefaces should bee sunge at Masse omittinge the daily prefaces which were wont to bee said Where wee see that this Pope did not add any thinge in this busines but rather deducted some prefaces though they had beene vsed to bee said before for so the words dici solebant manifestly proue as I wrote of Pope Vigilius before All which doe euidentlie testifie that the auncient receued custome of the church of Christ was longe before these dayes to vse these prefaces THE XXII CHAPTER Wherein euident demonstration is made euen by these protestants themselues that neither S. Gregory the great which sent S. Augustine with many other holy learned men into England did make any materiall addition or alteration in these misteries But the Religion which those his disciples preached here was in all points by all testimonies both of God and man Britans them selues and Saxons Catholicks and Protestants auncient and late writers the true Religion of Christ and in all things wherin they differed from the Britans more pure then that which they then professed NOw wee are come to the happy dayes of S. Gregory the great that sent so many holy men to preach Christian Religion to this English nation and so called our Apostle in which it will bee more manifest euen by these protestant accusers themselues that whatsoeuer differeÌ„ce there was betweene the holy disciples which he sent hither and some Britans the error in euery point was in those that opposed against the Roman mission And for S. Gregory himselfe one of the four holy Doctors of the church of Christ he was by all testimonies a great learned man holy Saint and so honored both in the Greeke and Latine church and the Masse hee vsed as our protestants haue told vs. Edw. Sands relation of Relig. supr both was and is receued and publickly vsed euen in the Greeke church beeing translated into Greeke hee is stiled by all writers protestants and Catholicks Gregory the great and commonlie named the Apostle of the English nation in all publicke protestant Kalenders placed amonge the holy Saints and by a Protestant Bishop his greatest accuser dignified with these honorable termes Bal. l. 2. de Act. Pontific Rom. in Gregorio Magno Gregorius Magnus omnium Pontificum seu vt dictum est Patriarcharum Romanorum doctrina vita praestantissimus inuitus ac demuâ—… coactus Pelagio praedicto successit vir doctus bonus Gregory the great the most excellent both for learninge and life of all the Romane Popes or Patriarkes did against his will and at laste therto compelled succeed Pelagius the second hee was a learned and good man Therefore it cannot bee either probable or possible that a man so learned vertuous and holy that hee is thus dignified by so great enemies both for learninge and pietie aboue all the Popes that euer were so learned knowne holy Saints and so vnwillinge to take that greatest honor and charge vpon him would or could contrary both to so great learning and pietie which could not consist with any the least error in Religion in essentiall things make any erroneous publick decree in such affaires For in so doinge hee should haue beene so farr from that eminent learninge and pietie and beinge a glorious Saint in heauen which both by protestants and Catholicks are generally held and written of him that quite contrary hee should haue beene an vnlearned wicked and damned man Which no tonge or mouth that hath learned to coÌ„fesse Christ dareth to affirme or vtter 2. But to giue all contentment I will examine all whatsoeuer in particular they say this so holy learned Pope added or altered in these misteries as they pretend This Protestant Bishop saith of him Bal. l. 2. supr in Gregor Mag. introitum in Missa ex aliquo psalmo cancre iussit Hee commaunded the introite in the Masse to bee sunge out of some psalme They haue told vs before of more auncient times wherein the introite was vsed before S. German Lupus Palladius Patricius were sent into these parts But if S. Gregory did any such thing seeing it was ex aliquo psalmo out of the holy scripture neither these men nor any which will not disallow of holy scripture may reprehend it And where this protestant accuser further saith Nonies in Missa Kyrie eleyson canere iussit S. Gregory commaunded that Lord haue mercy vpon vs should bee sunge 9. times in Masse Hee is deceued for that is songe but 6. times and Christ haue mercy vpon vs thrise And his frend Master Foxe Io. Foxe in Q. Mary pag. 1401. will tell him that this was the auncient custome of the Greeke church longe before froÌ„ which is was taken by S. Gregory only that S. Gregory added Christ haue mercy vpon vs. But howsoeuer is it not a moste holy and warranted custome so to pray our protestants theÌ„selues obserue it in their publick church seruice Com. booke tit Litan alibi and commonlie preferr them before
vita eius Capgrau in eodem Quem principalem Deum crediderunt praecipue Angli de quo originem duxerant cui quaâ—…tam feriam consecrauerant hominem fuisse mortalem asseruit Regem Saxonum a quo plures nationes genus duxerant huius inquit corpore in puluerem resoluto anima in inferno sepulta aeternum sustinet ignem And that this holy Bishop liued vnto this time of S. Gregory ioyned in Religion with him and by him was warranted to preach to the Saxons as to other nations we haue the greatest warrant wee can desire in such thinges both Catholicke and Protestant antiquaries ioyninge in this that hee was a Bishop 260. yeares M. S. antiq Capgrau supr Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Kenterno Godwin Catalog of Bishops in Asaph whereby it euidently followeth that beinge made Bishop after the beeing of S German and Lupus here as appeareth before he must needes bee liuinge at this time and it is particularly testified by the auncient writers of his life S Asaph his holy scholler and successor Iohn Capgraue and many auncient Manuscripts that hauinge beene seuen times at Rome hee was there in the time of S. Gregory who approuinge his sacred callinge sent him with his Apostolicke warrant into these parts Vir Deisepties Romam adiens Sancto Gregorio speciali Anglorum Apostolo totam vitam suam electionem consecrationem omnes casus qui et acciderunt seriatim enodauit Sanctus vero Papa illum virum Dei Spiritus Sancti gratia plenum intelligens in opus ministerij à Spiritu Sancto illi iniuncti destinauit 13. In the westerne parts wee had then besides the Bishops which opposed themselues to S. Augustine commonly recompted seuen in number yet agreeing with him in these misteries the renowned holy Bishop S. Asaph disciple and successor to S. Kentegern in that see when hee forsooke it This holy massinge Bishop ruler of the colledge of so many massinge preists as I haue before related did in all things ioyne himselfe with the disciples of S. Gregory the Pope in so much as a ProtestaÌ„t Bishop writeth of him A Gregorij Pontificis Romani discipulis Angliam aduentantibus authoritatem accepit Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Asapho he receued authority from the disciples of Gregorie Pope of Rome which came into England And this is hee who as the same ProtestaÌ„t Bishop writeth wrote the life of S. Kentegern his Master Therfore this holy Prelate must needs bee a massinge preist as all the other vnder him were at that time If we go further to other parts of this nation wee shall finde in the kingdome of the Mercians or by some the easte Angles the renowned miraculous Archbishop S. Iue a noble Persian by birth who beeing sent thither by the Pope of Rome S. Gregory or Pelagius the seconde his predecessor both massinge preists and Popes was also a massing preist and Prelate and dying at the towne now of his name called S. Iues in Hontington shire gaue that name vnto it Annal. Monaster Ramseiae M. S. antiq de vita S. Iuonis Io. Capgrau in Catalog in S. Iuone Episcop Florent Wigorn. in Chronic. ad an 600. And to testifie that hee exercised both his massing preistly and episcopall function there in preachinge to the Saxons his body was found buryed in episcopall manner sepulchro aperto Episcopum Pontificalibus indutum coÌ„spiciunt This Apostolicke doctor of this nation as Florentius Wigorniensis Capgraue and the old Manuscripts of his life â—…ll him Doctor Apostolicus vere caeli nuntius Ino dyed here as Wigorniensis writeth in the yeare 600. foure yeares after the cominge of S. Augustine hither and hither also came with him and preached here sent from Rome besides others not named S. Sithius and S. Inthius his associats massinge preists Qui cum Romam peruenisseÌ„t consilio Papae dispositione Dei Sanctus Iuo cum Sithio nepote Inthio cognato suo alijsque quibusdam in Britanniam intrauit And to shew that hee was a true Apostle of this nation sent by the see Apostolicke of Rome coming through Fraunce hither beeinge honorably entertayned by the Kinge and people of Fraunce to stay there would by no entreaty consent but came as hee was à Domino destinatus ordeyned for vs by God into England Cum Galliam cum suis intrasset à Rege populo honorificè susceptus nec vlla gratia terrena quamuis assiduis precibus rogatus ab ipsis retineri poterat sed Britanniam ingrediens 14. And to passe into the kingedome of Kent it selfe where S. Augustine landed settled himselfe his successors and see at Canterbury there we had at his cominge and twenty yeares before and before the time that Theonus Archbishop of London and Thadiocus Archbishop of Yorke with their massinge preists forsooke their sees in that kingedome and city itselfe of Canterburie a renowned massing Bishop S. Luithardus and his massing preists vsuallie sayinge Masse the Queene S. Bertha being present in their theÌ„ cathedral church dedicated to S. Martine as all antiquaries agree and as I finde in an old Manuscript history builded in the time of Kinge Lucius Bed hist. gent. Angl. l. 1. cap. 27. Io. Capgrau in Catalog in S. Lethardo Episcopo Confessore M. S. antiq in eod And by the persuasion of this holy massinge Bishop S. Luithard the Kinge and Saint afterward Ethelbert entertayned S. Augustine with all humanitie and was by him after actuallie conuerted to the faith of Christ in so much that this holy Bishop is called Ianitor venturi Augustini opener of the dore to S. Augustine Capgrau supr in S. Lethard Gulielm Malm. l. 1. de gest Reg. Anglorum And was before S. Augustines cominge when he still liued a Pagan fauourable and gentle vnto ChristiaÌ„s Benignus erga Christianos in natiua gentilitate fuit By occasion whereof his kingdome extending to Humber and his sister beeing marryed to Slede Kinge of the east Angles and her sonne Sebert or as Henry of Huntington calleth him Sibrictus or Siberctus beeing a Christian Kinge so great parts of this nation were free from persecution and some of the Saxons that were conuerted became massing preists longe before S. Augustine came hither Henric. Hunting histor l. 2. For such is numbred Godelbertus as a Protestant Bishop writeth ex quorundam coniecturis genere Anglosaxo aboue an huÌ„dred yeares before this time an 498. Pitseus historic Rel. Tom. 1. aetate 5. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Godelberto Presbytero And as SebastiaÌ„ Munster the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury witnes S. Offo an English Kings sonne in this our EnglaÌ„d went hence and preached in Germany in the yeare 601. Munster in Cosmograph in German Matth. Parker antiq Brit. pag. 8. not without other associats of this nation except we will make his case singular from all other Apostolick men conuerters of contries And except wee will make a very bold expositioÌ„
the Apostles v. 2. hee was soe ordeyned as our english protestants by their conference of the first chapter and verse of S. Paules Epistle to the Romans Rom. cap. 1. v. 1. are Interpretors hereof when the other Apostles had preached longe before and otherwise alsoe executed their Apostolicke function Secondly it is euident by the same holy scriptures Rom. 1. c. 1. act cap. 27.28 many Antiquities and these protestants themselues soe clearely cōfessinge Theater of great Brit. lib. 6. Godw. Conuers Parker antiq Britan. that S. Paul came not to Rome nor any part neare Britanie or these westerne nations vntill many yeares after S. Peter was both come to Rome and this kingdome of Britanie had receaued the faith of Christ at the latest in the time of Claudius according to these protestants by some Apostle as before the first coming of S. Paul to any of these westerne Regions beeing longe after in the time of Nero to whome hee appealed from the Iewes and Festus and soe was brought prisoner to Rome and soe continued two yeares not going from thence to any other place Actor c. 25. v. 10.11.12 cap. 27. 28. v. 30. That S. Symon Zelotes should bee the first Apostle that preached here or was here at all it is as vnprobable or rather vnpossible by these protestants for first diuers of them disable him euer to haue beene here Stowe and Howes histor in Agricola Holinsh. hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 5. rather thinkinge the place Britānia where some haue thought hee preached to bee mistaken and not to bee vnderstood of this nation or that Simon which is supposed to haue beene here was not S. Simō the Apostle but some other of that name as S. Simon Leprosus or Nathaniel also by some named Simon which preached in these westerne parts namely in Fraunce and not vnprobably here Secondly these protestants which would haue vs thinke S. Simon the Apostle preached here Menologie Graec. in Nathan Bar. in martyrol Rom. 28. octob Guliel Eisengr centurie· 1. alij refer his beeing here vntil the coming of S. Ioseph of Aramathia coniecturinge that hee came with him who came not hither vntil the yeare of Christ 63. when they graunt that Britanie had receaued the ghospell by an Apostle soe longe before as is alreadie declared from them Parker Antiquit. pag. 3. Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. 10. Thirdly to make all sure Such as haue taught that one S. Symon did preach in a place called Britannia Doroth. in Synops Maenolog Graec. 6. Id. Maij. doe alsoe affirme that the same S. Symon suffered martyrdome and was crucified in the same place and they keepe the feast of his martyrdome vpon the tenth day of May. When concerning S. Symon Zelōtes the Apostle not onely the whole latine church and all catholicks in the world but Protestants also both of England and all other nations in their most publicke seruice bookes and kalenders of their churches receaued and allowed by their parlaments and highest Rules in their Religion which all of them ar bownde to obey and followe doe celebrate the festiuitie of S. Symon Zelotes the Apostle vpon the 28. day of October aboue fiue moneths after and all iointly agree in the historie of his life and death teaching hee neuer preached in any part of Europe or neare our Britanye and was martyred in Persia diuers thousands of myles frō hence Martyrolog Rom. die 28. Octobr. Breuiar Miss Rom. eod die Bed in Martyr eod die Vsuard Ado eod die Protestant com Booke and all their kalenders with their Bibles 28. of Octob. Now there is noe other left to bee our first Apostle and Father in Christ but S. Peter except some ignorant or willfull man will alledge S. Ioseph of Aramathia who though hee was noe Apostle yett as some say hee was sent hither out of Fraunce by S. Philip one of the Apostles and soe mediately the same S. Philip. though neuer here in parson might bee our Apostle I answere as before that wee contend for the first Apostle that either immediately by himselfe or mediatly by his disciples preached here and founded our church and not to exclude all Apostles in after times from this kingdome for I wil at leaste probably shew that S. Paul was here a little before his death in an other place and there alsoe giue his due to S. Ioseph and his holy company in a far more honorable degree then any protestant or other one writer yet to my reading hath performed towards them But S. Ioseph from whomsoeuer hee was sent cominge hither but in the 63. of Christ almost twenty yeares as before after this kingdome had receaued the faith of Christ neyther S. Ioseph nor any of that holy fraternitie could bee the first preacher here And soe farr vnprobable or impossible it is that by the Iudgment of our English protestants or others S. Philip the Apostle should bee then in Fraunce to send S. Ioseph hither that hee was many yares before crucified soe dead by martyrdome in Phrygia at Hierapolis there in Asia as the common consent of antiquities the whole-whole-church of God and the protestants of England in the Rituall of their Religion generally vsed and allowed by them and all other protestants doe wittnesse and therfore keepe his festiuitie accordingly vppon the first day of May in or about the 54. or 55. yeare of Christ longe before S. Iosephs cominge into this part of the world Bre. Rom. 1. Maij. Martyrolog Rom. Bed Vsuara Ado 1. Maij. Chrysost hom de 12. Apost Abd. lib. 10. Metaphrastes 14. Nou. Euseb l. 4. c. 24. Niceph lib. 1. ca. 39. Pet. de Natal l. 4. c. 107. Antō part 1. tit 6. ca. 11. Eisengr contra 1. Prot. Com. Booke and kalend 1. Maij. Therfore of necessitie both Catholiks and protestants must needs acknowledge that S. Peter the most worthie and blessed Apostle was our first most happy father master in Christ which I haue made lardge demonstration of in other places and will for particulars bee more euident in the next chapter and this whole history an historicall truth soe testified by many authors that Syr William Cambden whome others therein followe the best antiquary of this nation writeth in many editions Quid ni crederemus why should wee not beleeue them Cambden in Britania in diuerse editionis Andree Chesnee l 3. hist d' Angleterre Budley pag. 171. Makinge S. Peters preachinge and foundinge the church of Christ here in Britanie a thinge soe certayne that hee meruayleth any man of Iudgment can make doubt thereof Therfore I may boldly vse these wordes and affirme them true of a protestant Bishop in the name of the rest Wee should accompt it a greate glory to deriue the pedigree of our spirituall linage from soe noble and excellent a father as Saint Peter Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. 6. THE II. CHAPTER Where both the former is more manifestly declared and in particular farther proued by these protestants antiquities
by them allowed what highest spirituall offices the same glorious Apostle and his disciples performed here TO proue more amply what hath beene said of S. Peters beeing and preachinge here and to shewe what hee did for the first foundinge of our church A protestant Archbishop from diuers authorities writeth Whit gifts Answ. to the Admonition pag. 65. sect 1. and def of the Answ. pag. 318. The Apostle Peter did in euery prouince appoint one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same prouince should obey An other with great priuiledge saith Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 3. Peter preached in â—…e place but hee there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded churches And to shew that all these and such benefits came to vs first from S. Peter and his holy see of Rome among other Marcus Antonius de Dominis now by the greate mercy of God a penitent in the catholicke church when hee was in profession a protestant in England Marcus Anton de Domin de Repub christian l. 4. cap. 10. with publick priuiledg in England and a chosen champion for that Religion against the Pope by cheifest protestant authoritie in England then testifieth Est caput Roma quatenus ab ea diffusum est euangelium in reliquas totius occidentis ecclesias in multas orientis atque in barbaras etiam extra Romanum Imperium nationes Rome is the head of the church in so much as from it the ghospell was diffused into the other churches of all the West and into many of the East and into barbarous nations also without the Romane Empire And our Soueraigne kings speach in parlam 1. publickly protested of this church of Rome It is our mother church and consequently that it first brought vs forthe in spirituall christian birth as mothers doe their natural children to the world and that wee except wee will turne bastardly vnnaturall and disobedient children doe owe and must performe all dutie and obedience vnto it our most holy mother in Christ And to further this our bounden dutie the protestants of England in their Theater of the Emp. of greate Britante pag. 203 l. 6. c. 9. num 5. will helpe vs foreward whoe write in this maner That S. Peter the Apostle preached the word of life in this Iland as to other gentiles hee did for whome God had chosen him that from his mouth they might heare the ghospell as himselfe alleadgeth and that hee here founded churches and ordeined preists and deacons which is reported by Simon Metaphrastes out of the greek Antiquities and Gulielmus Eisingrenius in the first of his Centuries Therfore this beeing written by soe learned and holy a man as S. Simon Metaphrastes was and soe auntient aboue 700. yeares since and out of such monuments and Authorities of the Gretians as in his time were honored with the Title of Antiquities this alone might content vs in this matter as it hath already the best learned protestant Antiquaries of this nation But because allowance is giuen to the authoritie which cannot be denyed because it is the maner of Protestants to mynce authorities I will cite that holy auntient Father and Saint S. Sim. Metaphr 29. die Iunij in his owne wordes which bee these RomaÌ„ redijt ex qua venit Mediolanum Photicen quae sunt ciuitates in Continente In quibus cum constituisset Episcopos Presbyteros venit in Britanniam Quo in loco cum longo tempore fuisset moratus multas gentes non nominatas attraxisset ad fidem Christi angelicam aspexit visionem quae dicebat Petre instat tempus tua resolutionts oportet te ire Romam in qua cum mortem per crucem sustinueris recipies mercedem Iustitiae Cum ergo propterea Deum glorificasset egisset gratias apud Britannos mansisset dies aliquot verbo gratiae multos illuminasset ecclesias constituisset episcoposque presbyteros diaconos ordinasset duodecimo anno Caesaris Neronis rursus Romam reuertitur S. Peter by reuelation came to Hierusalem at the death of the mother of God then returning into Egipt by Africk came againe to Rome From whence hee came to Milane and Photice which bee cities in the contineÌ„t in which when hee had constituted Bishops and preists hee came into Britanie where when hee had stayed a longe time and drawne many nations not named to the faith of Christ hee had an Angelicall vision which saide ô Peter the time of thy Resolution is at hande and thou must goe to Rome in which when thou hast suffered death by the crosse thou shalt receaue the reward of lustice Therfore when hee had glorified God and giuen thankes for it and remayned some dayes with the Britans and illuminated manie with the word of grace and founded churches ordeyned both Bishops priests and deacons hee returned againe to Rome in the twelueth years of the Emperor Nero. Hitherto the very words of this learned Saint soe precisely and particularly describeing the tyme and comming of that glorious Apostle into this Iland staying here with his returne to Rome againe that as noe man except an infidell will or can deny it no Author of antiquitie or credit auouching halfe so much for either S Paul or any other Apostle to haue beene here at all soe except wee of EnglaÌ„d wil shew our selues the most vngratefull disobedient to that our first and most glorious Pastor and parent of all nations in the world except HierusaleÌ„ Antioch and Rome wee ar most engaged to honor and reuerence this most glorious Apostle his Successors in his holy Sec for neither Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia or Bythinia which hee himselfe particularly remembreth 1. Pet. 1. v. 1. nor any other kingdome or nation mentioned in any Author of credit and Antiquitie and to bee paralelled with him whom I haue cited approued euen in this point with all Catholicks and the moste iudicious indifferently mynded and best learned protestants can constantly affirme and proue that they had receaued such benefites and blessings from S. Peter as this our Britanie which to visitt hee went soe farr stayed therein soe longe and enritched as with soe many and vnansweareable graces and fauors continuinge them soe longe vntill he was admonished from heaueÌ„ to returne from hence to Rome as before his cominge thither hee also was as Metaphrastes die 29. Iunij S. Leo serm de Apostol with others write directed to come helpe vs in the west And if wee will follow the Roman tradition Baron annotat in 9. Maij in Pudente that Domus Pudentis erat primum hospitium S. Petri Romae the house of Pudens was the first lodging of S. Peter of Rome wee are more strictly bound to Rome and Rome to vs that beeinge the house of our renowned christian contrywoman Lady Claudia as our protestant writers tell vs. Matth. Parker antiq Britan. pag. 2.3 Godwyn Conuers of Britanie Cambd. in Britan. Theater of Brit. l. 6. Now lett vs enquire and sett downe
in particular soe neare as such a desolation and losse of Antiquities as England hath often suffered will giue vs leaue of this Archbishop and Bishops in particular which S. Peter consecrated for vs to found and begin the first hierarchicall order and Succession in our primatiue church of Britanie Many Authors both auntient and later writers and of these late times both catholicks and protestants ar witnesses that S. Aristobulus one of the seauentie and two disciples of Christ our Lord was Bishop of this our kingdome of Britanie Dorothaeus Bishop of Tyrus Dorothaeus lib. de septuaginta duobus discipulis in Aristobulo And the Maenologe of the Greekes are plainely of this minde The first in his booke intituled de septuaginta duobus discipulis of the seauentie two disciples writeth Aristobulus ab Apostolo ad Romanos commemoratos Episcopus Britannia factus est Aristobulus one of the seauentie two disciples of whom S Paul speaketh in his epistle to the Romans was made Bishop of Britanie And to putt vs out of doubt that hee did not mistake naminge Britania for Bythinia as a protestant writer would seeme to expounde him when hee writeth Dorotheus saith Aristobulus whome the Apostle to the Romans remembreth was made Bishop in Britanie or Bithania Stowe histor titul the Romans in Agricola I thinke this man will hardly finde any Bythania in the world wee reade of Bethania often in the Gospels and S. Iohn saith cap. 11. v. 18. Bethany was nigh vnto Hierusalem about fifteene farlongs off as our protestants translate and their note there vpon is that is about towe miles protest annot marginal in c. 11.11 Io. v. 18. Which was too neare to Hierusalem to bee a Bishops see and the old prouinciall maketh mention of noe such And if by Bythania hee ment the country Bythinia the Region of lesser Asia against Thracia and next Troas which was also somtime called Bebrycia after Mygdonia and by S. Peter Bythinia in the Apostles time and after it is euident that Dorothaeus ment it not for in the next name which is S. Tyticus hee saith that hee was made Bishop of Chalcedonia of Bithâ—…nia Tyticus meminit huius Paulus primus Episcopus Chalcedoniae fuit quae in Bithynia est Doroth. supra in Tyticho Therefore of necessitie by this Author and the rest foe affirming it without doubt or any exception S. Aristobulus needs must bee Bishop of this our kingdome of Britanie noe other place then of that name fitt for a Bishop in the knowne world to apply it vnto And thus testifieth the auntient Maenologe of the greekes with others both catholicks and protestants of whome I haue here noted some Maenolog Graecor die 15. martij Baron annot in martyrol Rom. eod die Arnold Mirman in Theatr. Conuers gent. Auth. of the Exam. of the Calend. praefat and in the 3. Conuers Syr. Ed. Hoby counterf pag. 48. Thom. Rogers vpon the Articles of Relig. articul 36. pag. 197. Protest Theater of Brit. l. 6. Cambden Belg. That this holy Bishop was either consecrated here or sent hither by S. Peter wee may not question beeing soe generally confessed by protestants before that noe other Apostle did or then could performe that office And if the Identitie of the name deceaueth vs not this our holy Bishop or Archbishop was Father in lawe to S. Peter his wyues Father and Brother to S Barnabas the Apostle sent into these west parts by S. Peter for as Simon Metaphrastes writeth S. Simon Metaphr die 26. Iunij Accepit Petrus filiam Aristobuli fratris Barnabae Apostoli ex ea genuit filium vnum vnam filiam Peter maryed the daughter of Aristobulus Brother of Barnabas the Apostle and had by her one sonne and one daughter Martyrolog Rom. 15. Martij Godw. And beeing called in the Romane Martyrologe as a protestant Bishop truely telleth Apostolorum discipulus the disciple of the Apostles Conuers of Brit. It wholy disableth him from beeing disciple to S. Paul whoe alone of the Apostles besides S. Peter was in this kingdome for the scriptures themselues are wittnes Actor cap. 13. v. 2.3.4 that S. Paul was not an Apostle vntill in the 13. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles before which time by the protestants before Britanie had receaued the faith and probably S. Aristobulus was then a Bishop as many others of the 27. Disciples were And many ar called the disciples of the Apostles which were peculiarly the disciples of S. Peter the cheife Apostle as appeareth in diuers places of the same Authority S. Aristo Arch. of this our Britanie And that this holy disciple of S. Peter was not onely our Bishop but Archbishop alsoe in Britanie I haue warrant both of Catholicks and protestants to auouche it First if wee examine either by Dorotheus or any whomsoeuer writing of the resideÌ„cies of the 72. disciples of Christ wee shall hardly finde any amonge them which had not the dignity of that high callinge yea hee relateth S. Aristobulus as a cheife amongst theÌ„ then beeing sent to this kingdome of Britanie soe greate ample And where as in other such kingdomes our protestants before assure vs S. Peter ordeined an Archbishop wee caÌ„not doubt but in particular it was this his moste worthy disciple as also the disciple of Christ which first exercised by S. Peters assignement that Archie and cheife pontificall order in this Iland Secondly because wee reade it confideÌ„tly written and from more auncient authoritie that this holy disciple of S. Peter was not only our first Apostle but here began and first founded the hierarchical order of our Brittish church a thinge proper to that highest spiritual callinge Arnold mirac Theatro conuers gentium in Britan. Aristobulo BritaÌ„nia Straboni à Britone Rege nuncupata primum Aristobulum siue illuÌ„ cuius meminit S. Paulus quod Dorothaeo probatur siue aliuÌ„ vnuÌ„ certe ex 72. discipulorum classe ApostoluÌ„ est nata Deinde FugariuÌ„ DamianuÌ„ qui ordinem Hierarchicè Ecclesiae istic fundatae ab illo inchoatum constituerunt sanxeruntque more nimirum Apostolico Britania so named by Strabo of Kinge Brito or Brutus had for the first Apostle therof Aristobulus either him whome S. Paule remeÌ„breth which Dorotheus approueth or an other surely one of the order of the 72. disciples after that Fugarius Fugatius by others and Damianus whoe constituted confirmed by Apostolick maner the Hierarchical order begun by him of the church founded there Where wee see S. Aristobulus the first founder of the Hierarchicall order in this church of Britanie a thinge which as al protestaÌ„ts against the puritans maketh the peculiar office of an Archbish Whitgift answ to the admonit Bridges eccles gouern Bilson against the purit Couel Downam Barlowe c. Thirdly These protestants of England especially the vniuersitie of Cambridge by their chosen champion Mr. Thomas Rogers for defence of their Articles of Religion of Protestants writing to vse his wordes by the lawfull authoritie of the church of
England allowed to bee publicke Thom. Rogers booke of the faith of England pag. 1. doe playnely saie that S. Aristobulus was Archbishop in this our Britanie Thus hee writeth in the name of English protestants and by their warrant Rogers supra artic 36. pag. Albeit the Termes and Titles of Archbishops we finde not yet the superioritie which they enioye and authoritie which Bishops and Archbishops doe exercise in orderinge and consecratinge of Bishops and ecclesiasticall ministers is grounded vppon the word of God for wee finde that in the Apostles daies how themselues both were in dignitie aboue the Euangelists and the 70. disciples and for authoritie both in and ouer the church as twelue patriarches saith Beza and alsoe established an ecclesiasticall heerarchie Hence came it that bishop was of Hierusalem Iames of Antioch Peter of the Asian churches Iohn of Alexandria marke of Ephesus and all Asia Timothie of all Creete Titus of Philippos Epaphraditus of Corinth and Achaia Apollos of Atheâ—…s Dionisius of Fraunce Crescens of Britanie Aristobulus Beza in act Apost 1.2 D. Chrisosto in Act. Homil. 33.2 Hieron in Gal. Euseb D. Hieron ad Euagr. D. Hier. in 2. Tim. 1. Theod. arg in epist. ad Tit. Theod. in epist. ad Phil. Euseb lib. 2. Dorotheus in Apostol Synops Where we see S. Aristobulus not onely ioyned in ranke and dignitie of spirituall preeminence with the Euangelists and Apostles themselues but with the generall authoritie of the protestant church of England plainely declared to bee the first founder of ecclesiasticall hierarchie and Archbishop of this our Britanie And to giue euident testimonie that in their iudgement this nation of the west both deriued the succession of the Bishops thereof from S. Peter and Aristobulus and neuer wanted by such vntil these dayes they thus conclude in this matter supra pag. 197.198 Finally from the Apostles dayes hetherto neuer wanted a succession of Bishops neither in the East nor Weste churches soe prouideÌ„t hath the almightie beene for the augmentation of his glorie and people by this kinde and callinge of men And thus much for the first Archbishop of Britany ordeyned by Saint Peter Now to come to speake of the Bishops hee consecrated and ordeyned for vs although it is precisely proued before that such there were Episcopos ordinauit S. Peter ordeyned Bishops here in Britanie for vs and euery Archbishop which is cheife of Bishops such as S. Aristobulus was vnto vs doth necessarily inferr and proue some Bishops subordinate and vnder els hee could not bee the cheife and principall for euery Archbishop inferreth necessarily some Bishops or Bishop vnder him their cheife in that callinge Diuers Antiquities of Glastenbury apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph affirme that one of the holy company of Saint Ioseph of Aramathia namly his sonne Iosephe was a Bishop which if so it was hee must needes bee subordinate to S. Aristobulus And yett if I would sett downe vncertayne thinges I might place our holy Bishoppe and marty S. Angulus in or neare this time with much more probabilitie then some without any authoritie I can finde referr him to the dayes of Diocletian his persecution or say that S. Martine to whome the christian Romans builded dedicated the church at Canterbury was a British Bishop and in this time for that such a S. Martyne a Bishop there was about those dayes there bee many testimonies and that hee was consecrated by Romane authoritie and soe aunciently to proue it probable hee was a Britanie that the auntient Manuscript of Radulphus de Diceto deane of London or whosoeuer Author of Abbreuiatio chronicorum saith that it was builded in the time of kinge Lucius for speaking of the time of that our first christian kinge hee affirmeth Abbreuiatio chronicorum in Lucio M. S Tunc constructa est extra Cantuariam ecclesia Sancti Martini then the church without Canterbury dedicated to S. Martyne was builded As diuers also were to S. Peter our moste glorious Apostle One I finde consecrated by S. Peter or his successor at Rome which was both a Britanne and liued and died a Bishop here in the time of S. Aristobulus a Germane writer calleth him Achates but I take not that to bee his name hee was one of the happy companions of S. Beatus our noble contryman consecrated at Rome of whome I will speake more when I come to that glorious man when I haue first entreated of the consecration of S. Mansuetus a renowned Bishop borne in this Iland consecrated by S. Peter himselfe This man as many antiquities say was natione Scotus by contry a Scot of the north part of this kingedome made Bishop by S. Peter whose disciple hee was before and sent into these parts or consecrated by him here and made Bishop of TulluÌ„ in Lorrayne Tullenses habuere ApostoluÌ„ suaeque in Christum fidei primuÌ„ Antistitem S. Mansuetum S. Petri Apostoli discipulum S. Clementis CollegaÌ„ origine ScotuÌ„ Arnold Merman in Theatro Conuers gentiuÌ„ in Metensib The inhabitants of Tullum saith Arnoldus Mermannius bad for their Apostle and first Bishopp of their faith in Christ S. Mansuetus a disciple of S. Peter the Apostle the fellowe of S. Clement a Scot by birth An other citinge alsoe for Authors Antonius Democarez and Petrus de Natalibus saith Guliel Eiseng centenar 1. part 1. dist 3. pag. 56. Petrus de Natal l. 11. c. vlt. Anton. Monchiacen Democh. l. 2. de Miss contr Caluin c. 33. S. Mansuetus natione Scotus ex nobili prognatus familia Simonis Barionâ—… Apostolorum Coryphaei discipulus socius B. Clementis Episcopi Mettensis à Petro Leucorum in vrbe Tullensi primus Antistes consecratus est anno Christi 49. Tiberio Claudio Caesare Augusto In the 49. yeare of Christ in the Empire of Claudius S. Mansuetus a Scot by contry borne of a noble family disciple of S Peter cheife of the Apostles companioÌ„ of S. Clement Bishop of Metz was By Peter consecrated the first Bishop in the citie of Tullum Mermennius before cited saith in Theatro conuers gentium that Saint Clement whose companion this our contrye man Saint Mansuetus was was Bishop of Metz in or about the 40. yeare of Christ in the â—…yme of Caius Caligula Emperor Metensibus fidei Religionisque Antistes fuit S. Clemens Romanus anno quod excurrit 40. Caio Galigula Imperatore S. Petro pontifice maximo But to admitt that S. Mansuetus was not made Bishop by S. Peter vntill the 49. yeare of Christ and was noe Bishop but an assistant of S. Clement at his first sendeing by S. Peter of him to Metz yett to haue a Bishop of our nation and consecrated and sent to forreyne parts by the cheife Apostle is an inuincible argument that both S. Peter was the first founder and father of the Brittans birth and life in Christ disposed of all spirituall affaires here longe before the cominge of any other Apostle either into this kingedome or part of the world to conuert it and left
calleth this not his owne decree but the decree of S. Clement his predecessor and Saint Peter alsoe Anacl supr apud Mar. Scot. Flor. Wigorn. supr And setteth downe in a certayne Tome what cytes were to haue primates both accordinge to his owne S. Clements and the Apostles order And this decree of Sainct Anacletus in this highest question of Iurisdiction was soe vniuersall and generall in it selfe soe embraced of all and includinge that as not onely Giraldus Cambrensis and auncient authorities of this nation Lib. 2. de Iure Metropol eccles Meneuen ad Innocent 3. but the cheife Protestant Antiquaries themselues as Mathew Parker the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterburie Lib. antiquit Britannic pag. 24. and Syr Iohn Prise Io. Pris defens histor Britan. pag. 73. doe plainelie acknowledge that by that Tome of Saint Anacletus Pope it was conteyned and decreed how manie and which were the places throughout all this Iland euen as it conteyned England Scotland and Wales And thereupon this Protestant Archbishopp doth in expresse termes call the diuision of Britanie in that respect Ex Anacleto huius Insulae diuisionem The diuision of this Iland according to the decree of Pope Anacletus And though this diuision was not actually made at that time for setting Archbishops in those prouinces at that time but was deferred vntill in after when the faith was recreaued here in more publicke maner when persecution ceased or was mitigated yett by these authorities there is noe doubt but this holy Pope both claymed and exercised the same highest spirituall Iurisdiction as well in this as all other nations that decree beeing generall and without limitation for all nations as it is allowed by these Protestants and making all prouinces in the knowne world substitute and subordinate to the church of Rome in such affaires and none exempted And as this decree alone will witnes hee sent as opportunitie and the cause required Bishops and preists into other contries soe he did the like to this to encrease and continue that happy buildinge which his predecessors had founded here before Soe wee must say of his immediate Successor Saint Euaristus except wee will reiect the authoritie of one of our moste auntient and approued historians Nennius who in his manuscript auntient history written if wee may beleeue the Protestant Bishop Bale l. de scriptor cent 1. in Nennio A thowsand yeares since confidently affirmeth that Britannicus Rex A kinge of Britanie receaued an ambassadge from Euaristus Pope of Rome to receaue the faith of Christ missa legatione à Papae Romano Euaristo Mennius hist. M. S. who yett sayth with others that the generall cōuersion of this land was not vntill the yeare of Christ 167. others making it later This holy Pope began his papacie in the yeare 111. and liued therein vntil 120. before which time our kinge Coillus brought vp at Rome was soe well disposed to Christian Religion that as our Protestants and the antiquities of Glastenbury tell vs hee confirmed the twelue hides of land to the religious Eremitage of Glastenbury Antiquitat glast apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph and others And therefore cominge from Rome into Britanie to bee kinge his Father kinge Marius beeinge deade wee cannot thinke but as many of our contrimen his subiects then at Rome were Christians and in soe greate number that in one Brittish house there the house of S. Claudia our British Lady and children after her there were at or soone after this time in the time of Pope Pius the first 96. christians Act. 5 Pudentianae Breuiar Rom. in vit eius 19. Maij. So many of them and of other nations also and cleargie men were sent hither by the Pope of Rome at that time which many of our Protestant historians will confirme assuringe that both now and at all times vntill the conuersion of kinge Lucius there were many christians which came from Rome liuinge in this kingdome Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Will. Harrison descript of Brit. Holinsh hist of Engl. Soe doe diuers auntient antiquities of the Annals of Burton and others of forreine nations And touchinge the time of Pope Alexander the first next successor to S. Euaristus hee beinge made Pope in the yeare 120. and continuinge Bishop of Rome by common opinion 8. yeares and fiue moneths in the fourth yeare of the papacie of this blessed Saint as both Matthew of Westminster Annal. Burton an 141. Catal. Episcop Tungr and the autient Table hanging in the church of S. Peter in Cornehil in London then builded in the time of kinge Lucius wittnesse beeinge the 124. yeare of Christ The yeare of our Lord God 124. Lucius was crowned kinge soe the one the other saith anno gratiae 124. Coillo Britonum Rege defuncto Lucius filius eius regni diademate insignitus est In the yeare of grace 124. Coillus kinge of the Britans beeing deade Lucius his sonne was crowned king Math· Westin an 124. This kinge Lucius although neither hee nor the kingdome were yett soe generally conuerted yet well knowinge that many preachers had beene sent hither from Rome and diuers Brittans here were desirous to embrace the faith of Christ did not onely giue way vnto it in this beginning of his Reigne but except Albertus Krantzius a man well acquainted with our Brittish antiquities as a Protestant antiquary witnesseth doth deceaue vs. Io. Caius antiq Cantabrig l. 1. Albert. Krantzius Metropol l. 1. cap. 6. Did write vnto S. Alexander the first Pope of Rome to haue christian Religion preached in this kingedome Religionem Christi Lucius quondam Britanniae Rex ab Alexandro primo eius nominis summo pontifice impetrauit in Insula predicari Lucius Kinge of Britanie did obteyne of Pope Alexander the first to here Christian Religion preached in that Iland Which is confirmed by many Authorities prouening vnto vs that this Iland at and immediately after that time had diuers preachers of the faith of Christ and among them some Bishops besides those I named before to proue that wee had a continuall succession of holy Bishops from Rome as these alsoe were from our first christianity And that wee had many preachers and many by them conuerted may appeare by that is acknowledged before from these Protestants to which many of them add from antiquities that many Schollers Doctors of our Vniuersities then were conuerted in the yeare 141. nyne in one place of Cambridge In peruetustis Annalibus Burtonensibus sic lego Anno Domini 141. hic baptizati sunt nouem ex Doctoribus Scholaribus Cantabrigiae I doe reade sayth one in very old Annals of Burtō thus In the yeare of our Lord 141. here were baptized nyne of the Doctors Schollers of Cambridge Caius lib. 1. de antiq Cantab. pag. 95. Theater of greate Brit. lib. 6. Harris descript of Brit. Like to this haue many other Protestants who assure vs this succession could not come from S. Ioseph of Aramathia
by this holy Pope was not confined in and with his proceedinges with this kingedome soe happily conuerted to the faith by him but to shew himselfe by these Protestants as his his holy predecessors before haue beene proued by the same allowance to bee the supreame and highest commaunder and gouernor of the church of Christ in all places on earthe hee generally proceeded accordingly makinge and ordeyninge decrees for all parsons and places and times as these Protestants thus assure vs. Robert Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Eleutherio Hoc tempore Lucius Britanniae Rex Christiano caetui cum suis subditis adiungi à Poâ—…fice petijt per literas In this time of Pope Eleutherius Lucius Kinge of Britanie desired of the Pope by his letters that hee and his subiects might bee ioyned to the Christian companie as though S. Eleutherius then Pope by power of that nam place had such power ouer the whole company of Christians that none that is a kinge or greate prince on whose publick conuersion together with his people so manie matters requiring the consent and confirmation of the highest Pastor supreame Iurisdiction depended might bee admitted to bee a Christian without the Popes Approbation And to confirme this highest power spirituall in him as in his predecessors before they further tell vs. Rob. Barns supr That generally in the cases of Bishops which is the greatest hee decreed that nothing should bee defined in their cases but by the Pope himselfe Accusationem contra Episcopos intentatam Episcopos audire permisit sed vt nihil nisi apud Pontificem definiretur cauet And againe that any preist might appeale from his Bishop to the Pope of Rome if the sinceritie of the other iudge his Bishops was suspected Vt nemo Clericum accusatores pertraheret ad alterius dioecesis Episcopum sed accusaret euÌ„ apud suum Episcopum Sivero Iudex Glerico suspectus esset appellandi facultatem dedit Reo Where hee euidently by these Protestants maketh himselfe his Successors in the See Apostolick of Rome supreame Iudge in spiritual thinges and reserueth appeales to them in such affaires from all other Iudges THE VI. CHAPTER How this moste renowned Pope Eleutherius did by these Protestants and antiquities allovved by them clayme exercise and settle here for him and his Successors as ample prerogatiue and Iurisdiction as Catholicke Scholes doe and Catholicques may giue to Popes ANd because there is greate difference betweene Catholicks and Protestants concerninge some priuiledges which the former commonly yeeld and the second as vsually in England denye vnto him and eyther of them would bee thought to reuerence and embrace the opinion and practise of that blessed Pope Eleutherius and those vnspotted times especially as they are interpreted by themselues lett vs now take counsaile and aduise of these ProtestaÌ„ts their persecutors in this kinde whether this moste blessed Pope Eleutherius whoe soe conuerted this nation and was soe blessed and worthie a Saint with these men was not by their Iudgements and testimonies as far ingaged in this matter as Pope Gregorie the fifteenth of that name now is or Kinge Lucius that holy kinge and Saint the holy Bishops and cleargie and all the Christians of this land at that tyme did not giue to the Popes of Rome then as much in this kinde as anie English preist or Catholicke now doth and by the present Roman Religion may giue and allowe to this present Pope or any other This is euidently proued and inuincibly made manifest vnto vs before not onely by soe many our best Antiquities but generallie by the best learned English Protestant historians iointly and with an vniforme consent agreeing in this that at the settlinge of manie Archbishops and Bishops in this Iland by the highest Papall power of Saint Eleutherius by the same alsoe the whole kingedome of Scotland with the Northern Ilands were made subiect to the Archbishopp of Yorke in spirituall thinges as I haue proued before by the best historians Catholicks Protestants which haue written of this matter Which alsoe agree that these kingedomes were at that time longe before and vntill the vnion of them by our present Soueraigne kinge Iames not onely distinct and diuers kingedomes vnder diuers kinges lawes and gouernments but ordinarily as then they were at open warres and hostilitie in ciuill and temporall respects Therfore it was neyther Kinge Lucius whoe to vse the words of Hector Boethius Scator histor l. 5 fol. 83. Godwyn conuers of Britanie pag. 22.23 aggreing with our English Protestants and others in this was but a kinge by curtesie of the Romane Emperors and their Authoritie Lucius Britonibus Caesaris beneuolentia authoritate imperitabat Therefore hee neyther had nor possibly could haue his power and principalitie extended further then that of the Romans was which went noe further then the wall of Adrian which diuided the kingedomes makinge Scotland a distinct kingedome and neuer subiect to the Roman Emperors Which could not allowe to kinge Lucius more then they were Lords and Masters of themselues for accordinge to that lawe maxime vsed by manie Protestants and a grownde in the lawe and light of nature it selfe Nemo potest plus Iuris in alium transferre quà m ipse habet Noe man can giue more power to another then hee himselfe hath For soe hee should giue that which hee hath noe right or power to giue beeinge a thinge vnpossible Therefore kinge Lucius nor the Roman Emperors hauinge any power or right at all spirituall or temporall ouer the Scots or Britans or any people then dwellinge beyond that Wall in the kingedome now called Scotland they could not by any possibilitie giue such spirituall power to the Archbishop of Yorke to commaund in that contrie nor commaund the inhabitants of Scotland in noe respect subiect vnto them to bee subiect to the Bishop of Yorke their subiect in temporall respects Neither did would or could the kings of Scotland then pagans subiect and submitt their people and contry to the Archbishop of yorke of an other kingdome now enemy to them both in spirituall and temporall respects And it is directly against all Protestants professions confessions or churches that any Protestant Prince or other whosoeuer clayminge or pretending supreame spirituall Iurisdiction among them should challendge or presume to extend it further then their temporall ditions and Gouernments as is euident in all places where the new Religion is admitted as England the Lowe contries the cantons of Switserland and the rest where the spirituall Iurisdiction which they claime is limited and confined within the circuites of their temporall Dominions without any further progresse Parlam 1. Elizab. 1. Iacob Scotic Confessiones Heluet. Gallic Saxonia Belgic Therefore this highest supreame directing spirituall power which established at that time and longe after the subordination and subiection of Scotland and the Ilands to the Archbishop of Yorke must needs by these Protestants and all Antiquities bee onely peculiar to the Pope
of Rome whoe and that alone effected these things as soe manie Protestants and others haue proued before and others from our best antiquities affirme that all ecclesiasticall thinges were ordered here according to the commaundment of Pope Eleutherius that blessed man Secundum iussum beati Eleutherij Papae Annal. Landaf apud Io. Caium l. 1. de antiquit Cantabrig p. 90. Which is an euident demonstration that this holy Pope had this supreame spirituall power ouer all this Iland at that time for without such a power these things could not haue beene performed And demonstrateth alsoe that noe other power on earth could haue duely performed it especially any temporall Kinge Prince Emperour or Lieutenant whatsoeuer for soe contrarie to the names offices and powers of such Rulers they should bee Emperors Kinges Rulers Regents and the like where they haue noe Empire Kingedome Rule Regiment soueraigntie or any subiects a thinge in the light of nature of it selfe imployinge contradiction and impossible And lett noe man say that accordinge vnto some as namely Giraldus Cambrensis this Iland was diuided into fiue prouinces Britannia prima Britannia secunda Flauia Maxima and Valentia which now is Scotland and that there was an Archbishop there Girald Cambr. l. de Iure Metropol eccl Meneu apud Park antiq Britan. pag. 24. Io. Pris def hist. Brit. For I answeare this diuision was made longe after this as the twoe laste prouinces Maximia Valentia proue in their owne names For the same Author saith that Maximia was soe named of Maximus the Emperour Maximia Ab Imperatore Maximo vocata and Valentia now Scotland was soe called of Valens the Emperour Valentia à Valente Imperacore sic dicta est Girald Cambr. Parker Pris sup Both which Emperors Maximus and Valens were longe after this time and Scotland not vnder the Romans to bee made a prouince by them and besides soe many Protestant Authors and Antiquities before that there were but onely three Archbishops here at this time nor after diuers hundreds of yeares the Scottish histories and all Protestants agree that Scotland had neyther Archbishops nor Bishops perhaps longe after this time The testimonies of these things ar to manie to bee produced therefore I will onely instance in the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury and his deputy in writinge the booke Intituled of the Consecration of the Bishops of the church of England who speake in this maner FraÌ„c Mason epist dedicat and l. 2. c. 3. pag. 54. The Romans before this time of Kinge Lucius his receauinge the faith had diuided Britanie into three Prouinces one of them was called Maxima Caesariensis the Metropolis whereof was Yorke An other Britannia prima the Metropolis whereof was London the third Britannia secunda the Metropolis whereof was Caerlegion And prouinge besides soe many other Authorities before cited both by Asseruius Meneuensis schole-master to Kinge Alfred Ptolomeus Lucensis in the life of Eleutherius William Reade De vit Pont. in Eleuther pag. 3. and Iohn Leland M. S. Leland in assert Arthur fol. 36. that the Archbishops of this Iland were onlie seated in those three Metropolitane cyties of London Yorke called also Maximia or that prouince wherof it was Metropolis and Caerlegion To answeare fully this obiection thus they add Georg. Abb. Fraunc Mason supr pag. 54. Although Britanie was after the Nicen. councell diuided into fiue Prouinces Valentia and Flauia Caesariensis beeinge added to the former yett there were noe new Archbishopricks erected The reason whereof was because those two new Prouinces Notitia Prouinc Occid pag. 117. were taken out of the former and consequentlie could not haue Bishopricks without the diminishinge of the authoritie of the former in whose Iurisdiction originally they were which was not sufferable because it was against the canon of the Nicen councell Can. 6. decreeinge that in Antioche and in other Prouinces the dignities prerogatiues and authorities of churches should bee maintayned And for S. Andrewes in Scotland to haue beene alwayes subiect to Yorke or when Yorke had noe Archbishop as at the cominge of the pagan Saxons hither and driuinge the Archbishop from thence to the Pope himselfe immediately these Protestants proue vnto vs by the auncient Antiquitie called Notitia Prouinciarum which they cited before for in that thus wee reade S. Andrea Episcopatus est Domini papae The Bishoprick of S. Andrewes beloÌ„geth to the pope of Rome where the Annotation is olim in Scotia nullas erat Archiepiscopatus adeoque Episcopatus Scotiae Domino Papae in spiritualibus immediatè suberant vt in manuscriptis exemplaribus nostris notatur In auncient tyme there was noe Archbishopps See in Scotland but the Bishops of Scotland in spirituall thinges were immediatelie subiect to our Master the Pope as is noted in our manuscript copies Notat Episcopat in Scotia edit per Aubert Miraeum Aubert Miraus in annot in illum locum Which first immediate subiection to the Pope and not the Archbishop of Yorke did begin but in the time of Kinge William of Scotland as Roger Houeden and others proue setting downe the Popes decretall letters thereof at lardge but had continued vnder the Iurisdiction of Yorke by the first institution of Pope Eleutherius a thousand yeares and besides the testimonies of many Authors both late and auntient Catholicks and Protestants settinge downe the whole proceedinges at lardge how Pope ClemeÌ„t did onely exempt it from the See of Yorke and subiected it immediately to the See of Rome because of the continuall all moste wars betweene these twoe nations This matter is publicklie confessed and acknowledged by Kinge William of Scotland and Dauid his Brother Richard Bishop of S. Andrewes with others in their publick Charter in publick councell in the church of S. Peter at Yorke as Houeden and others sett downe at lardge Epistol Clementis Papae ad Guliel Scotorum Regem apud Roger. Houed part histor in Henric. 2. epist Papae Caelestini apud eundin Richard 1. Thom. Walsing in Eduard 1. Polydor. Vergil Angl. histor l. 13. l. 9. l. 24. Guliel Malmesb. l. 3. de Regib Godwyn Catalog in Yorke in George Neuill Roger Houedeâ—… Annal. part postr in Henric. 2. And when Scotland after a thousand yeares subiectioÌ„ vnto the Archbishop of Yorke by the Popes ordinance neither was nor could notwithstandinge soe many dissentions betweene these kings and nations bee exempted from that obedience but by the Pope himselfe and yet with this reseruation to bee immediately subiect to the Pope of Rome as the words of the Popes decree thus testifie Epistol Clement Papae apud Rog. Houed supr Clemens Episcopus seruus seruoruÌ„ Dei Charissimo in Christo filio Willielmo illustri Scotorum Regi praesentis scriptis pagina duximus stastuendum vt Scotticana ecclesia Apostolicae sedi nullo mediante debeat subiacere Clement to his most beloued sonne in Christ William the Renowned kinge of Scots Wee haue thought good to decree by this our present writinge
a Rule to all saith our Kinge Kinge Iames in parlam The other saith Victor was a godly Bishop and a martyr and the church at that time was in greate puritie not beeinge longe after the Apostles times Whitgift Answ. to the admonition p. 80. sect 4. Wherfore Kinge Donalde of Scotland now moued by the example of Kinge Lucius his neighbouring Sociate in terrene principalitie and his whole kingedome and beeing assured by this supreame power spirituall exercised by S. Victor ouer all churches that it was his right and the surest waye in time of controuersies as that was in the obseruation of Easter to adhere vnto the cheife and commandinge church of Rome hee sent to this holy Pope to bee instructed in the faith of Christ a longe paineful troublesome iorney labour on both sides soe many Bishops now beeing in Britanie Fraunce and in all places betweene Scotland and Rome if kinges kingedomes could haue beene conuerted to the faith of Christ and matters of the church with them ordered without his direction or confirmation For as truely write the Scottish historians Pope Victor sent preists in extremam Albionem to the vttermoste part of Albion or the vttermoste Albion to preach the doctrine of Christ Hector Boeth l. 5. Scot. histor fol. 89. p. 2. Boeth supr p. 1. Buchan Rer. Scotic l. 4. Reg. 27. Holinsh. histor of Scotl. in Donald Ed. Grymst p. 20. in Scotl. § 17. the narration whereof is this Talem dederat Donaldo Regi animum pacis Princeps author Christus Dominus quod verae pietati aspernato malorum demonum cultu sese paulò ante addixerat Nam Seuero Imperante Romanis apud Victorem Pontificem maximum qui quintusdecimus post Petrum Ecclesiae praefuit per legatos obtinuit vt viri doctrina Religione insignes in Scotiam ab eo missi se cum liberis coniuge Christi nomen profitentes baptismate insignirent Regis exempla Scotica nobilitas sequuta auersata impietatem Christique Religionem complexa sacro fonte est abluta Fuit annus ille quo Scoti ad lumen verae pietatis Dei Optimi Maximi benignitate vocati sunt recepti ab eo qui primus fuit humanae salutis tertius supra ducēte simum à Scotorum Regni institutione quingentesimus tricesimus tertius Christ our Lord prince and Author of peace gaue such minde to kinge Donald that castinge aside the worship of wicked deuils hee had a litle before addicted himselfe to true pietie For when Seuerus was the Romane Emperor hee obteyned of Pope Victor the fifteenth after S. Peter that ruled the church that men renowned for learninge and Religion sent from him into Scotland might baptise him with his wife and children professinge Christ The Scottish nobilitie followeinge the example of the kinge forsakinge impiety and embracing the Religiō of Christ was baptized This was in the yeare of the Incarnation of Christ two hundred and three and from the beginninge of the kingdome of the Scots fiue hundred thirtie and three And a little after speakinge of the renowned leardned Christians of that time hee addeth Incipere nostri tum primum sacras colere literas Sacerdotibus praeceptoribus quos Victor Pontifex Maximus ad Christi dogma propalandum in extremam miserat Albionem At that time our Scottish men first began to study diuinitie hauinge for their Tutors those preists which Pope Victor sent to teach the Religion of Christ in Albion the vttermost country in this part of the world And againe nostri qua fide pietate instituti semel fuerunt hactenus erroribus aspernatis perseuerant Our contrimen of Scotlād perseuer at this day it was written in the yeare 1526. in the faith and pietie wherein they were then instructed Hector Boeth in fine praefat Bal. centur 5. in Hector Boeth And a Protestant of England in the yeare 1615. writteh Scotland receyued the faith in the time of Pope Victor the first in the yeare 203. Celestin the first sent Palladius thither to roote out the Pelagian heresie which began to increase there vnder Eugenius the second whoe died in the yeare 460. since this time the Realme continued longe in the profession of the Romish church vntill these later dayes Edward Grimston Booke of Estates pag. 20. cap. 17. Hee meaneth the dayes of this our Soueraigne kinge Iames the first of England and sixt of that kingedome Therfore it is a thinge without question that this holy Pope soe earnest for the spirituall supreamacie of his Apostolicke See settled it with other doctrines in this Iland where with the rest it still continued vntill these times as these Protestants haue declared Which is euident by all histories not any one affirminge but rather denyinge that hee altered anie thinge of that constitution of Pope Eleutherius submittinge the whole nation of Scotlande to the Archbishopp of Yorke in spirituall affaires And if kinge Donald and the nobilitie of Scotland then had not beene assured that this supreame spirituall power in disposinge and orderinge church matters in such cases had belonged onely to the Popes of Rome of all people and places in the world they would not haue appealed to Rome for those thinges at that time in the Empire of Seuerus when aboue all others there was the greatest enmytie and warrs betweene the Romans and Scots that euer were testified by all their histories Bed l. 1. histor c. 5. Hect. Boeth lib. 5. Scot. hist Bucan Rer. Scotic l 4. Holinsh. hist. of Scotl. in Seuerus In an other point alsoe wee are assured that S. Victor whoe had by his highest authoritie excōmunicated soe many churches both greeke and latine as these Protestants haue told vs before for their wronge keepinge of Easter settled the right obseruatiō thereof in Scotland at this time For to speake in Protestants wordes of this Pope Hee confirmed the ordinance of Pius touching the celebration of Easter vppon the Sonday Soe did Pope Eleutherius before him and soe consequently alsoe amonge other Christian doctrines by his legates taught and deliuered it here in Britanie And wee are taught by these learned Protestants that in the first generall councell of Nice De obseruatione Paschae antiquus canon sancitus est ne porro in hac re Ecclesiae variarent The old canon of the obseruation of Easter was decreed least the churches should afterward differ about it Ed. Grymstonp· 436. in Victor Rob. Barnes in vit Pont. Rom. in Victor Bal. lib. 1. de act prat in eod Magdeburg centur 3. in Eleuther Damas in Eleuther Barns iu Siluestro Magdeburg cent 4. And that wee had Brittish Bishops there which consented to this decree and receaued it for Britany they testifie in these termes Theater of greate Britanie l 6. cap. 9 pag. 206 n. 19. The Britannes continued constant in christianitie and the censures of their Bishops for the greate estimation of their constancie pietie and learninge were required and approued in greate
points of doctrine amonge the assemblies of some generall councells as that of Sardis where appeales to the Pope were decreed and Nyce in the tyme of greate Constantine vvee had our Bishops present And all men of readinge are assured of this both Constantine the Emperor in his epistle to the churches and S. Athanasius in his Apologie write plainely that this our Britanie receaued the councell of Nice Epist Constāt apud Theodoret Athanas Apolog. Therefore it is a very idle and ignorant coniecture or rather malitious error of some Protestants to seeme to write as though Britany had receaued the faith frō some of the Asiatical churches because some of the later Scots and Britans die erre in that obseruation but this error of the Britans as diuers haue proued allready was quite differēt from that of some part of Asia greeke And the first gretian that came hither except some sent by Roman Authoritie that I finde was S. Regulus Albutus borne in Achaia whoe came into Scotland when Augustinus was kinge allmost two hundred yeares after this and longe after the controuersie of keepinge Easter was ended and brought thither holy relicks of S. Andrew the Apostle vvhoe coming into Pictland and the fame of this knowne very many came to reuerence the holy relicques of the Apostle and made offerings there and the kinge of the picts Hirgustus receaued by him with procession and lyinge vppon the grounde vvith much reuerence kissed the holy relicques and after masse ended hee bequeathed his palace to Saint Andrew and to Regulus and the Preists to serue God in Huius rei fama per Pictorum regiones delata permultorum animos ad visendas venerandasque sacras Apostoli reliquias attendit Confluxerunt ergo illuc vndique donaria Christi Apostolo pretiosa afferentes Affuit Heirgastus Rex eorum quae fama ad eum detulerat visendi cupidas Venientem ad se Regulus cum sociijs pio apparatu cum Sacerdotum ac Monachorum religiosa deductione in hymnis canticis excepit Rex humi procumbens sacras reliquias multa veneratione osculatus vbi sacra Christiano more cuius ipse Heirgustus erat obseruantissimus erant peracta regium palatium amplis structuris ornatum diuo Andreae Regulo ac Sacerdotibus ibidem deinceps Optimo Maximo Deo famulaturis liberè erogauit struxit haud procul à palatio sacram aedem diuo Apostolo dicatam and builded an other church not far from the palace dedicated to the holy Apostle And thus much of S. Victor Next to him succeeded Pope and S. Zepherinus whoe to proue hee still maintayned this Romane supreamacie as his predecessors before ouer all Bishopes Primates Patriarckes and whomsoeuer or wheresoeuer of the cleargie or others did generally decree as these Protestants tel vs. Rob. Barns in vit Pontif. Rom. in Zepherin hee calleth him Seuerus Sine Romani Pontificis authoritate accusatum Episcopum nec à Primate nec à Patriarcha nec à Metropolitano in Iudicio condemnandum esse That a Bishop accused should not bee condemned neyther by the Primate nor Patriarcke nor Metropolitane without the authoritie of the Pope of Rome By which is euident that euen the Archbishops themselues of Britanie to whome all others were subordinate in thinges spirituall were subiect to the Pope of Rome at this time Pope Calixtus succeeded next and to speake in a Protestant Doctors wordes Powel l. 1. of Antichrist pag. 130.131 Calixtus Pope defined that all Bishops though gathered in a generall councell shall fulfill the vvill of the church of Rome They which doe not this are pronounced to keepe a conciliable not a councell And to bee short in this matter the Protestants of England proue vnto vs that this busines of the spirituall power of that See ouer all other churches is the cheife scope of many of their Epistles decretall Rob. Barns in vit Vrbani Antheri Dovvnam lib. 1. Antichristi cap. 3. pag. 35. And to giue some particular instances hereof more in Britanie in this age wee finde in histories Matth. West an 257.258 that Pope Stephē about the yeare of Christ 257.258 or 259. When S. Mellon then noe Christian was sent from hence by publick authoritie to Rome about the temporall affaires of this kingedome conuerted him to the faith of Christ made him preist and soone after Bishop exempting him from his ciuill imployments of this his country and by his Apostolicke power sent him Archbishop to Rhoan in Normandie Petr. de Nat. de vit 51. Vincent in Specul l. 11. c. 74. Martyrol Rom. 22. Octob. Ioh. Capgr in 5. Mel. M. S. antiq in eod Catal. Episcop Rothmag Matt. West And amonge others our glorious men and martyrs here in this age it is the common opinion that S. Amphibalus whoe conuerted S. Alban Matth. Paris p. 178.179 Lidg. in vit cius Engl. Martyrol 25. Iun. both was a Britan borne and consecrated at Rome some say by Pope Saint Zepherinus what and how glorious his historie is for his preaching and martyrdome with vs all histories of that time are full and how renowned hee and others of his holy company sent by that Apostolicke See were at the same time in Scotland namely Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and Carnonus both Scottish and English histories wil witnesse Where S. Amphibalus was the first Bishop they had and in Mona the Iland Amphibalus Brito vir insigni pietate primus Antistes ibi creatus Hector Boethius Scotor histor lib. 6. fol. 102. Bal. centur 1. in Amphib Holinsh. hist. of Scotland in Chrakint Veremund apud Boeth supr And soe honored was he of that most worthie Kinge of Scotland Chrathlintus that to shew the honor hee yeelded to this holie Legate and his companions and somewhat to behold the Religiō of that time the Scottish historie thus speaketh vnto vs. Hector Boeth supr Holinsh. hist of Scotlād in Chrah Chrathlintus Rex sacram Antistitis aedem muneribus ornauit amplissimis calicihus patenis candelabris alijsque similibus ad sacrorum vsum commodis ex argento auroque fabrefactis altarique cupro are clauso prouentus ad ea ex agris in sacrae aedis vicini constituit Fuit id templum omnium primum Christiano ritu vbi Pontifex sacerque magistratus sedem haberet primariam inter Scotos cuius nostri meminere scriptores dedicatum Kinge Chrathlint did adorne the Holy Howse of the Bishop Amphibalus with most honorable guifts chalices patens candlesticks and others seruinge for the vse of Masse made of syluer and gold and an Altare inclosed with copper and brasse and appointed reuenewes for them out of the country adioyninge That was the first Christian church where a Bishop and holy magistrate had his cheife See amonge the Scots that is remembred by our writers Thus were the Bishops and preists consecrated at and sent from Rome honored in this nation at that time When wee reade further the See of Rome to haue beene
ioyfull countenance as it were after a winter longe night receaue the temper and cleare light of the heauenly ayre they renew their churches destroied euen to the ground they build churches of the holy martyrs frame and perfect them as it were publicklie sett forth euery where their victorious Ensignes they celebrate holy dayes they perfect their sacrifices or sacred things with a cleane hart and mouth they all doe reioyce as it were children fostered in the lap of their mother the church The very same hath S. Bede whoe addeth Bed histor Eccl. l. 1. cap. 8. Progressi in publicum fideles Christi qui se tempore discriminis siluis ac desertis abditisque speluncis occultauerant The faithfull seruants of Christ shew themselues now in publick whoe in the time of the daunger had hidd themselues in woods and wildernesses and hidden dens And then hee writeth as S. Gildas before By which publick and hierarchicall Acts and offices of Bishops and preists as founding and dedicatinge churches to the honor of holy Martyrs that had late suffered in that persecution in institutinge and celebratinge their festiuities renewing and consecrating other defaced churches which none but Bishops might doe and sayinge Masse which hee expressely by perfecting their sacrifices or sacred rites with a cleane hart and mouth the preistly office and function it is moste euident that diuers both preists and Bishops with other cleargie men escaped in this persecution and soe still continued the hierarchicall succession of Archbishops and Bishops soe vniuersally established here before by the Popes of Rome and with the same dependance which they had before For noe historie maketh mention of any chaunge neyther of our Bishops then putt to death except S. Amphibalus vnlesse wee wil coniecture without warrant that S. Angulus suffered martyrdome in this time And notwithstanding soe many losses and desolations of our Antiquities wee haue testimonie of some Bishops in particular then liuing the persecution being ended For whoe can thinke but some of those which fledd into Scotland whether the persecution extended not with S. Amphibalus remayned there still in the Episcopall See of Mona which kinge Chrathlinte had soe honorably endowed to that purpose and longe after was an Episcopall See I haue named diuers of these renowned men before of whome some one in all probabilitie after the returne of Saint Amphibalus into these parts supplied that place and dignitie there And here in England it is euident by those antiquities wee haue left that wee had preserued from the fury of that persecution many both Bishops and Archbishops To exemplifie in London wee haue the names of Sixteene Archbishops there before the cominge of S. Augustine hither as both Iocelin of Furnes the Protestants Stowe Godwyn and others collect them Iocelin Catalog of British Bish Stowe histor in Lucius Godwyn Catalog in London 1. concil Arelat in Subscript tom 1. concil Stowe Godwyn supr And it is manifest that either Restitutus which was Archbishop of London and was present at the councel of Arles in Fraunce in the yeare 326. soone after this or Thedred or Hillary supposed to bee his immediate predecessors was then Archbishop And soe because euery Archbishop inferreth inferiour Bishops vnder him that wee had Bishops alsoe I will instance onely in Winchester where wee ar informed both by an old Manuscript Author and a new Protestant Bishop Godwyn Catalog of Bish in Winchest 1. old M. S. apud eundem supr That one Constans was Bishop there in this time and in the yeare 309. or 310. did vpon the 15. day of march hallowe and dedicate vnto the honor memory of S. Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late persecution a church there reedified with such wonderfull forwardnes and zeale as within one yeare and thirtie dayes both it and all the edifices belonginge vnto it were quite finished in very seemely and conuenient māner And that Deodatus was Abbot of this new erected Monastery Thus this Protestant Bishop from an old Manuscript By which and that which is spoken before in this chapter it is euident that England this part of Britanie then had both Bishops and Archbishops continuinge in the same order and maner as they were first instituted here by the See of Rome neither did they now begin to depart or seperate themselues from obedience to that See Apostolicke for soone after this the first general councel of Nice beeinge called these Protestāts haue told vs wee had Bishops there and most euident it is that it was receaued in this kingdome And yet the canon of that councell is soe manifest for the Popes of Rome supreamacy at the least ouer this western world wherein England is both in the time of this holy councell and before that a Protestant Bishop doth thus confesse it Feild l. 3. p. 60.61 In the time of the Nicen councell before as appeareth by the Acts of the councell limitinge their bounds there were three principall Bishops or Patriarkes of the christian church namely the Bishop of Rome Alexandria and Antioch Soe writeth the Protestant Archbishop Whitgift Foxe and others whereof one saith Whitgift def of the Answ. p. 331. Foxe tom 1. pag. 12. Rob. Barns in vit Pont. Rom. in Siluestro Sollicitudinem ecclesiarum pro recepta consuetudine veterum habendam esse statuerunt The fathers of the nicen councell did decree that accordinge to the custome receaued from them of old that the three cheife patriarkes of Rome Antioch and Alexandria should haue chardge of the churches Soe that if wee would seeke noe further then to these great enemies themselues of the Romane See yett they confesse vnto vs that it was not onely decreed in this nicen councell where as our Protestants haue told vs wee had Bishops consentinge and our kinge and contriman Constantine the great Emperor alsoe submittinge himselfe vnto it but that it was the old custome and tradition of the church that the Bishop of Rome was the principall Bishop and commaundinge Patriarke of all westerne churches amonge which this of our Britanie was euer now is and of necessitie must bee one and if wee will bee members of the church of Christ except wee can remoue Britanie from the vttermost part of Europe to lepp to Alexandria in Africke or Antioch in Asia wee must needs by this councel as it is glossed by our Protestants bee subiect to Rome as wee euer were by the old custome before that councell The words of these Protestants Whitgift and Foxe are these Whitgift Def. pag. 331. Foxe tom 1. pag. 12. The councell of Nice which was the yeare of our Lord 340. and in the sixt canon of the said councell wee finde it soe decreed that in euery prouince or precinct some one church or Bishop of the same was appointed and sett vp to haue the Inspection and Regiment of other churches about him secundum morem antiquum that is after the auncient custome as the words of the
Bishops into Britanie onely to suppresse the pelagian heresy but to supply the spiritual wants in this kingdome this Protestant Bishop and greatest enemy to the See of Rome will tell vs more plentifully where hee describeth that holy Pope and his doctrine in this maner Balaeus l. 2. de act Pontif. Rom. in Coelestino Robert Barns in vit Pont. in Coelestino Caelestinus Campanus Introitum graduale Responsorium tractum offertorium papisticae missae inseruit atque vt Sacerdotes pontificum Canones scireÌ„t aâ—…è praecepit Germanum in Britanniam Palladium in Scotiam Patricium cum quodam Segetio in Hiberniam vt pelagianas haereses extirparent Episcopos misit obijtque anno Christi 435. Confessorum numero asscriptus Pope Celestine borne in Campania did put to the Papisticall masse the introite graduale responsorie tract and offertorie and streightly commanded that preists should knowe the canons of the Popes hee sent Bishops Germanus into Britanie Palladius into Scotland and Patricke with one called Segetius into Ireland to roote out the Pelagian heresies And hee died in the yeare of Christ 435. in the number of Confessors An other interpretinge this addition hee made to the masse saith Barns supr In initio sacrificij vt Psalmus Iudica me Deus discerne causam meam c. à sacrificaturo diceretur ordinauit Graduale in missa ordinauit vt Sacerdotes canones sacros tenerent praecepit Pope Celestine ordeyned that in the beginninge of the sacrifice when a preist was to sacrifice hee should say the psalme which beginneth Iudge mee o God and discerne my cause c. hee did order the graduale in the Masse coÌ„maunded that preists should vnderstand or keepe the holy canons as before And the Protestant Archbishopp Whitgift Whitg Answere to the Admonition pag. 44. sect 1.2 Speaking of this holie Pope writeth Celestine was a godly Bishop and the church of Rome at that time had the substance of the Sacraments accordinge to gods word neither was there any superstition mixed with them the Introite that hee appointed was one of the psalmes The like hath Master Foxe Foxe tom 2. in Queene Mary pag. 1401. whoe affirmeth this vse of a psalme before the Masse was vsed longe before in the Greeke church And it is the common opinion of our English ProtestaÌ„ts their Bishops Antiquaries and doctors that the Religion which these holy Legats of Rome SS Germanus and Lupus taught here was in all things veritatis praedicatio doctrina sincera sincerissima purus Dei cultus qualis ab Apostolis mandato diuino Christianorum Ecclesiis traditus erat The preaching of truth sincere doctrine moste sincere doctrine the pure worship of God such as by the commandement of God was by the Apostles deliuered to the churches of Christians and soe it continued here in this puritie longe after Matth. Parker Antiq. Britan pag. 6.45.46 Goscelin histor Bal. l. 2. de act Pontif. Rom. in Greg. 1. l. de Script centur 1. in August Dionatho Godvvyn Conuers of Brit. Povvel in annot in lib. Girald Cambr. de Itinerar Cambr. c. 1. Foxe pag. 463. edit an an 1576. Fulk Answ. to a count Cathol pag. 40. Midleton Papistam pag. 202. Stovve histor in Ethelb Holinsh. histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. Therefore wee may not now make any doubt of any thinge done here by these holy Bishops by power from the Pope either in causinge the decrees and canons of the Popes soe much dignifyinge the highest spirituall power in the See of Rome generally to bee vsed and receaued here by all preists and cleargie men as this holy Pope had commanded nor in consecratinge Bishops and Archbishops with limitation of their Iurisdictions and the like but they were moste Iustely and religiously performed Matth. West an 446. Matth. Park antiq Brit. Holinsh hist. of Engl. Sigibert an 428. Stowe and Howes histor· in Theodosius Bal. centur 1. in Leporio Agricola And yett besides their powerable and authoritatiue condemninge of the Pelagian heresies here together with the Timothean Hereticks they ordeyned and consecrated soe many Bishops in this nation that some writers amonge Protestants Godvvin Conuers of Britanie pag. 25. are of opinion their number was greater then of those that were consecrated here in the time of Kinge Lucius amonge whome a Protestant Bishop writteth in this maner I cannot but rest persuaded that our Britanie had very few Bishops vntill the cominge ouer of Germanus and Lupus to suppresse the Pelagian Heresie concerninge which matter I thinke it not amisse to offer vnto the Reader what I finde in our history of Landaff Postquam praedicti Seniores Sanctus Germanus Episcopus Lupus Pelagianam heresim extirpauerant Episcopos pluribus in locis Britanniae consecrauerunt Super omnes autem Britannos dextralis partis Britanniae beatum Dubricium summum Doctorem à Rege ab omni parochia electum Archiepiscopum consecrauerunt Hac dignitate ei à Germano Lupo data constituerunt ei episcopalem sedem concessu Mâ—…nrici Regis Principum Cleri populi apud podium Lantaui in honore S. Petri Apostoli fundatam cum finibus istis c. Which thus hee englisheth After the said elders S. Germanus Bishop and Lupus had rooted out the Pelagian Heresie they consecrated Bishops in many places of Britanie Ouer all the Brittans dwellinge on the right side of Britanie they consecrated for Archbishop S. Dubritius whoe was chosen for the supreame doctor by the kinge and all the Diocesse This dignitie beeing bestowed vpon him by Germanus and Lupus they with the consent of Moâ—…ric the kinge the nobilitie cleargie and people appointed his See to bee at the manner of Lantaui and founded the same there to the honor of S. Peter boundinge the territories thereof in this wise c. Then hee addeth immediately This was about the yeare of Christ 430. about which time alsoe Palladius did first appoint Bishops and ordeine Bishopricks in Scotland as Buchanan hath deliuered The words of Buchanan the puritane are these Georg. Buchan l. 5. Reg. 42. pag. 146. Rer. Scotic Creditur Palladius primus Episcopus in Scotia creasse Palladius is thought to bee the first that created Bishops in Scotland Where wee are taught by these great ProtestaÌ„ts themselues that the first Bishops that euer were in this Iland whether Scotland or this other part of England and Wales were instituted together with their Sees Iurisdictions and limitts by the Popes authoritie and this Protestant Bishop in translating his Antiquitie hath abused his reader that is ignorant of the latine tonge for where hee translateth who vvas chosen for the supreame doctor by the kinge and all the diocesse there is noe such thinge in that antiquitie as hee himselfe alleadged it but only that the king consented with the diocesse to his consecration in Archiepiscopall dignitye by the Popes Legats or at the moste that they did choose him rather then any other for that hee was a cheife doctor here longe