Metropol l. 1. c. 6. Alexander next Successour to Pope Euaristus both of them liuing in this first age though dying by martyrdome in the seconde that he sent diuers Apostolike men hither to preach the faith of Christ and so they did These Popes haue taught vs the supreamacie of the Church of Rome ouer all Churches before So did the next holie Pope S. Sixtus euen Protestants Sixtus 1. ep 2. Rob. Barn l. de vit Pont. Rom. in Sixto 1. Telesph Higin pio Aniceâ—o Soâ—ero so confessing Ab Episcopo ad Romanum Pontificem appellandi ius dedit Ecclesiasticis ministris So they confesse of all Popes Telesphorus Higinius Pius anicetus and Soter vnto Pope Eleutherius vnder whome and by whose meanes and authoritie this Kingdome was wholly conuerted by all antiquities and testimonies made the first Christian Kingdome in the world This holie Pope as Rob. Barn sup in Eleutherio Eleuther ep ad Episcop Gall. cap. 2. our Protestants write did Order and practise and as the Apostles and their Successours had defined as he testifieth sicut ab Apostolis eorumque Successoribus multorum consensu Episcoporum definitum â—st that nothing should be proceeded in against Bishops vntil it was defined by the Pope of Rome accusationem contra Episcopos Episcopos audire permifit sed vt nihil nisi apud Pontificem definiretur cauet This highest spirituall Authoritie in the Pope of Damas in Eleuth Monolog Gâ—aec in eod Breuiar Roman die 26. Maij. Martyrol Roman eod die Bed l. 1. â—â—st c. 4. l. de 6. aeâ—aâ— Ado Chron. Marian. Scot. an 177. Martin Pol. Supput an 188. Galfrid monum hist l. 4. Virun l. 4. Radulp. de Dicet hist in Lucio Gul. Mal. l. Antiq. caenob glaston Math. west chron an 185. 186. 187. flor wâ—gor chron an 162. 184. Antiq Eccl. land Antiq. Eccl. wint Cambd. Brigant Stowe hist hollinsh hist of Engl. Theatr. of Brit. l 6 Hect. Boeth l. 5. Parker Godwin c. Eleuth ep ad Reg. Lucium Lambert l. de leg Stowe hist Godw conu of Brit. Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. Mason of consecr foxe tom 1. Theat of Brit. l. 6. Bridg. def of the gouern l. 16. pag. 1355. Iewell ag hard old Booke of Const Guil. hall in lond l. Antiq. Brut Caius antiquit Cantabrig l. 1. leges Antiq. Reg. Edward cap. 17. Gul. Lambard l. 2. de priscis Angl. legib fol. 130. p. Hect. Boeth Scot. hist l. 5. f. 83. Godw. conuers of Brit. pag. 22. 23. Antiq. Eccl. Glastonien Galfrid monum l. 5. hist Reg. Brit. c. 1. Mat. west chron an 186. Rome was not vnknowne to the Christians and King Lucius in Britayne which moued that King as both Greeke and Latin Brittish and Saxon domesticall and forreyne Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries informe to write humble letters supplices litteras to that Pope entreating him obsecrans that by his commaundement he with his Kingdome might receaue Christianitie vt per eius mandatum Christianus efficeretur The Pope most willingly assented and sent his legates with full power to founde the Church of Britayne to Ordeyne three Archbishops and 28. Bishops with their particular Sees power and Iurisdiction who hauing established all things here returned to Rome to haue them confirmed by the Pope the Pope confirmed that they had done and they with many other preachers and the Popes confirmation returned agayne into Britayne Beati Antistites Romam redierunt cuncta quae fecerant à Pontifice confirmari impetrarunt confirmatione facta cum pluribus alijs redierunt in Britanniam Our King craued direction of that Pope also what lawes he should vse in his Kingdome and the Pope directed him therein as his epistle still extant witnesseth as our Protestants write and themselues testifie We haue seene the Bishop of Romes owne letter to King Lucius So witnesse these men This Pope went further in prescribing the limits bounds and circuites of the Dominions of this Kingdome and assigned vnto it all the Ilands to Denmarke and Norway by his sentence and by that definition ordonation they were parts of Britayne as is conteined in our old lawes many hundreds of yeares since published and approued by our Protestant lawyers and historians aswell as others Vniuersa terra tota Insulae omnes vsque Noruegiam vsque Daniam pertinent ad coronam Regni sunt de appendicijs dignitatibus Regis vna est monarchia vnum est Regnum Tales enim metas fines constituit imposuit coronae Regni Dominus Eleutherius Papa sententia sua qui primo destinauit coronam benedictam Britanniae Christianitatem Deo inspirante Lucio Regi Britonum Here also he seÌ„t first a crowne or hallowed crowne to our King being before as some Catholiks and Protestants write but a King by courtesie of the Romane Emperour and authoritie Lucus Britonibus Caesaris beneuolentia authoritate imperitabat He gaue Indulgences to our Churches namely to the old Church of Glastenbury ten yeares Indulgence as in the old antiquities of that holie place is recorded And by his Order and direction King Lucius endowed the Churches of Britayne with liberties regall Lucius Rex Ecclesias Britanniae libertatibus muniuit Gloriosus Britonum Rex Lucius cum infra Regnum suum verae fidei cultum magnificatum esse vidisset possessiones territoria Ecclesijs viris Ecclesiasticis abundanter conferens chartis munimentis omnia communiuit Ecclesias verò cum suis caemeterijs ita constituit esse liberas vt quicumque malefactor ad illa confugeret illaesus ab omnibus remaneret Thus reuerent and honourable was the spirituall power and supreamacie of the Church and Pope of Rome in Britayne and all places in these Apostolike dayes All those Apostolike men Popes or others which haue thus taught vs were glorious Saincts and King Lucius also Sainct Lucius who with all his Kingdome clergie and others so embraced it and though neither he nor the RomaÌ„s had then any temporall Rule or dominion in the Kingdome now called Scotland yet that glorious Pope by his spiriruall supreamacie subiected that contrie to the Archbishop of yorke in the land of an Enemie And this Papall supreamacie and Iurisdiction continued here euer after vntill It was taken away by King Henry the 8. taking first of all Kings the title and name of Supreame head of the Church of England neuer heard of before in any time as his owne historian Polydor virgill and all others both Catholike and Protestant English and other historians acknowledge Habetur concilium Londini Polydor. Virgil Anglic. Hist l. 27. p. 689. Stowe Howes hist an 1534. statut in Parliament an 26. Henr. 8 in quo Ecclesia Anglicana formam potestatis nullis ante temporibus visam induit Henricus enim Rex caput ipsius Ecclesiae constituitur And after King Henry the 8. had thus as he endeuoured expelled the Papall Authority spirituall out of England and assumed it to himselfe though he punished with death as others often since then haue done the professours thereof yet both he and all or Rulers temporall since Kings or Queens haue retained in their stile of honour that title Defensor fidei defendour of the faith which the Pope gaue
them They write how Ridley made Preist by Catholike Order but Bishop by their new fashion when he was to be degraded by B. Brooke Bishop of Glocester delegate thereto in Q. Maryes time hee did onely then degrade him concerning preisthood being iudged to be no Bishop Foxe tom 2. pag. 1604. Mason l. 2. pag. 92 Record degrad Rid. as our Protestants and Records thereof testifie in thes his words to Ridley we must proceede according to our commission to degrading taking from you the dignitie of preisthood for we take you for no Bishop So it was also adiudged by the common lawes Brooke Abridg an 1576. tiâ—ul leases num 68. of the land in that time Bishops in the time of King Edward the sixt were not consecrated and therefore a lease for yeares made by such and confirmed by the deane and chapter shall not binde their Successours because such were neuer Bishops Of thes pretended Bishops which were thus by publike Iudgment in lawe disabled to do teÌ„porall offices for want of true ordination and power how much more were they vnable to performe any spirituall function belonging to that highest holie Order yet this is published for law euen in Q. Elizabeth her time longe after thes new Protestant Bishops were so allowed and still remaineth among their receaued and adiudged lawes And so generall and vniuersall a consent was of all in authoritie Pope Prince Prelates and whosoeuer that this new Protestant forme gaue no consecration that their owne Protestant applauded writers thus confesse it Touching Articles of Q. Mary to Bish. Boner Consecrat l. 5. cap. 12. foxe Act. mon. vol. 2. p. 1295. such parsons as were here to fore promoted to any Orders after the new sorte and fashion of Orders they were not ordered in verie deed This was the common and publike sentence of Pope Prince and Prelates in Queene Mary her time of the preteÌ„ded Bishops of King Edward the 6. when there was more pretence for them theÌ„ these diuers Catholikely ordained Bishops then liuing and some helping in their new ordering now and from Q. Elizabeth her time not one at all And it is contained in our old lawes Iudex secularis non potest Bracton fol. 401. degradare clericum magis quà m ad ordines promouere A secular Iudge can no more degrade a Preist or Clearke then he can promote him to orders And it was publikly adiudge in lawe That the parlament Temp. Henrici 7. fol. 27. 28. could not make the Kinge being a lay parson to haue spirituall Iurisdiction Then much lesse could it giue to King Edward the sixt to speake Protestants Stow an 1. Edw. 6. Hist words proclaimed King of England and also of Ireland the supreame heade immediately in earth vnder God being of the age of nyne yeares and to Queene Elizabeth a woman by Sexe disabled in such things both to haue spirituall Iurisdiction and supreame spirituall Iurisdiction and spirituall power Episcopall or Pontificall to conferre and giue both spirituall highest order and Iurisdiction to whom and by what meanes it pleased them contrary to all Christians in the world Catholiks Protestants and whosoeueâ— none out of England so proceeding in such affaires Aâ—d in the time of Queene Elizabeth both particular wrâ—â—â—rs records and her parlament publikely in the 8. yearâ— of her Reigne assure vs that their new Bishops making was by diuers both doubted of and denied to be lawfull The Protestant cheife Iustice of the common plees Lord dyer setteth downe that Bishop â—onner publikely pleaded they were no Bishops and namely Doctour Horne so admitted and it wâ—s adiuged by all the Protestant Iudges that Bishâ—â— Bonner might so pleade And the Protestants would neuer come to tryall with him therein And the next Parlament in her 8. yeare cleared him and all other Catholikes so in iâ—pugning those Bishops offering the oath of supremaâ—y vnto them in these words Be it exacted that no person or persons Statut. in parliament an 8. Elizab. cap. 1. be empeached or molested in body lands or good by occasion are meane of any certificate by any Archbishop or Bishop heretofore made in the first session of this parlament touching or concerning the refusall of the oathe set fourth by act of parlament in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth And that all tenders of such oath made by any Archbishop or Bishop aforesaid and all refusals of the same oath so entered by any Archbishop or Bishop shall be voyde and of noe effect or validity in the lawe And to helpe afterward what they could thus they enact diuers questions haue lately growne vpon the Statut. in parliam an 8. Eliz supr c. 1. making and consecrating of Archbishops and Bishops within this realme whether the same were and be duely done according to the lawe or not Therefore it is thought conuenient hereby partly to touch such authorities as doth allowc and approue the making of the same Archbishops and Bishops to be duely and orderly dâ—â—e according to the lawes of this Realme her hâ—â—â—nesse in her letters patents vnder the greate Sâ—â—â—e of England directed to any Archbishop Bisâ—â—p or others for the confirming inuesting and coâ—secrating of any parson elected to the office or digâ—â—â—y of an Archbishop or Bishop hath not onely vsâ—â— such words and sentences as King Henry and King Edward did in their letters patents diuers other general words and sentences whereby her highnesse by her suâ—râ—ame power and authority hath dispenced with all â—auses or doubts of any imperfection or diasbility thâ—t can or may in any wise be obiected against the saâ—e These be the onâ—ly authorities the statute doth or could bringe â—eing all carnall and humane not one diuine or â—cclesiasticall vtterly vnable to make a lawfull true Bishop or confirme any for such being bâ—t meere phantasies letters patents the greate Seale of England of a woman such words and sentences as King Henry the eight and King Eduard his child contrary to the vniuersall Church of Christ vsed A womans supreame power authority and dispensation in all causes doubts Imperfections or disabilities in any wise to be obiected and that not onely their pretended Archbishops and Bishops but others neither true nor pretended Archbishops or bishops did as their words be plaine by this most straunge and infirme feminine commission confirme inuest and consecrate Archbishops Bishops which as they haue confessed before with all authorities none but true lawfull Bishops in approued receaued forme and manner can doe And yet this parlament doth thus approue all such as were thus made whether by the Queenes letters patent and men no Bihops true or pretended and without King Edwards forme or any other remembred or by King Edwards forme and fashion to be lawfull Bishops in these words All Statut. an 8. Eliz. supr acts and things made or done by any person or persons in or about any elected to the office of any Archbishop or Bishop by vertue of
the testimonie of S. Clement confirmed Anaclet ep decret Ruffin interpr epist Clem. Leo 2. ep decret Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. Flor. wigorn chronic in Clem. Mart. Polon Supputat col 33. in Lino Robert Barnes l. de vit Pont. in Lino Anacleto Anaclet ep decretal 3. Barn sup in Anaclet Omerd pict Pap. pag. 78. by S. Anacletus then liuing Ruffinus Marrianus Martinus Florentius wigorniensis Pope Leo the seconde and many others both Catholike and Protestant writers S. Anacletus made Preist by S. Peter and by him instructed euen as our Protestants confesse did teach that Christ gaue to the Church of Rome primacy ouer all Churches and all Christian people neither King nor Caesar exempted Anacletus ab ipso Domino primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersamque Christiani nominis populum concessum esse asseruit Thus our Protestants and S. Anacletus is more playne that this supreamacie of the Roman Church was not giuen vnto it by the Apostles but Christ himselfe Haec sacrosancta Romana Apostolica Ecclesia non ab Apostolis sed ab ipso Domino Saluatore nostro primatum obtinuit eminentiam potestatis super vniuersas Ecclesias ac totum Christiani populi gregem assecuta est And both Christ commaunded and his Apostles decreed that great and difficult questions should be referred to the Apostolike Romane see to be decided and that Anacl epist 1. Christ builded his whole Church vpon it Apostoli hoc statuerunt iussu Saluatoris vt maiores difficiliores quaestiones semper ad sedem deferantur Apostolicam super quam Christus vniuersam construxit Ecclesiam So haue also S. Euaristus and S. Alexander Euarist ep 1. Alex. ep 1. who liued in this first age Relatum est ad huius sanctae Apostolicae sedis apicem cui summarum dispositiones causarum omnia negotia Ecclesiarum ab ipso Domino tradita sunt quasi ad caput Our Protestants Sutcliffe subu pag. 57. Iren. l. 3. c. 3. also acknowledge thus Irenaeus saith that euerie Church ought to haue respect to the Church of Rome for her eminent principalitie But S. Irenaeus is more cleare in this manner ad hanc Romanam Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necessè est omnem conuenire Ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles There is a necessitie that euerie Church and all faithfull Christians wheresoeuer should acknowledge the more powerable principalitie of the Romane Church No King contrie or nation is exempted from but all are included in this necessitie of being vnder the Iurisdiction of the Church of Rome And particularly for this Kingdome of England which singularly this Article would thus depriue of that honour and happines from being in the folde vnder the chardge of the vicar and highest pastour and shephard of Christ one earth To begin with a Protestant Bishops censure in Godwyn conuers of Britayne pag. 6. these words we should accompt it a great glorie to deriue the pedigree of our spirituall linage from so noble and excellent a father as S. Peter And yet both Greeke and Latin domesticall and forreyne Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries do thus deriue and proue it Petrus venit in Britanniam quo in loco Sim. Metaphrast die 19. Iunij Euseb antiq graec apud eund ib. Sur. eod die Andr. Chesu l. 3. histor Angl. Bucley pag. 171. Cambden in Britan. Sutcliffe Subu pag. 3. Prot. Archb. whitg answ to admo pag. 65. sect 1. def of the answeare pag. 318 Marc. Anton. de Dom. de reb chr l. 4. c. 10. cum longo temporefuisset moratus apud Britannos verbo gratiae multos illuminauit Ecclesias constituit Episcoposque Presbyteros Diaconos ordinauit S. Peter came into Britayne and staying there longe time did illuminate many with the word of grace and founded Churches and ordered Bishops Preists and Deacons Which more Protestant Doctours and Bishops euen Archbishops with them thus confirme Peter preached in no place but he there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded Churches The Apostle Peter did in euerie prouince appoynt one Archbishop whome all other Bishops of the same prouince should obey Est caput Roma quatenus ab ea diffusum est Euangelium in reliquas totius occidentis Ecclesias Rome is the heade in respect that from it the ghospell was diffused into the rest of the Churches of the west and into many of the east and into barbarous nations out of the Romane Empire Et in multas orientis atque in harbaras extra Romanum Imperium nationes Diuers of the holie Bishops and Apostolike Doroth. l de 72. discip in Aristob Arnol merm Theatr. conu gent. Antiq. Ecel Tullen Gul. Eisengr cent 1. Petr. de Natal l. 11. Pantal. de vir Ibl. part 1. Stumph l. 7. de Sanctib Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Tho. Rogers Anal. in Prot. Articl ar 36. whitg supr Clem. Sup. ep 1. Arnol. mirm sup Antonin hist part 1. will harrison descript Brit. pag. 23. Harris Theatr. l. 1. Girald Cambr. l. 2. de Iure Metrop Eccl. Meneu ad Innocent 3. Mat. Parker Antiq Britan. pag. 24. Io. Pris defens hist Britan. pag. 73. Nennius hist manuscript Preists which S. Peter consecrated for this Kingdome are remembred both by Catholike and Protestant Historians S. Aristobulus S. Mansuetus S. Beatus and his holie companion not named in Antiquities Our Protestants make S. Aristobulus Archbishop here Britayne Aristobulus and by their Rule before The Apostle Peter did in euerie prouince appoynt one Archbishop he must needs be ordeined Archbishop by S. Peter S. Clement hath sufficiently proued before that he sent Bishops hither saying he sent to the other nations of the west ad reliquas gentes besides Italy Spayne Fraunce and Germany And both Catholiks and Protestants from antiquities affirme that he sent to vs S. Nicasius who instructed the Britons Britones instruxit formauitque fide S. Nicasius à S. Clemente delegatus These Britans must needs be those of this Kingdome they of little Britayne in Fraunce came not thither vntill aboue 200. yeares after S. Clement and S. Nicasius time Both Brittish and English Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries affirme that the diuision of Primates or Patriarkes Metropolitans and others with their seuerall Iurisdictions from the see of Rome being as he ackdowledgeth the decree of his predecessour S. Clement and the Apostles also was receaued in this Kingdome of Britayne as it comprehendeth England wales and Scotland Nennius our old brittish historian in his manuscript antiquities affirmeth that his Successour Pope and S. Euaristus sent legates to our Brittish King to receaue the faith of Christ Missa legatione à Papa Romano Euaristo Who yet saith the generall conuersion was not vntill the yeare of Christ 197. Albertus Krantius well acquainted with our Brittish antiquities writeth the like of S. and Pope Io. Caius Antiq. Cantabrig l. 1. Alber. Krantzius
anathematizing all gaynesayers vnto it Omnes quâ— ausi fuerint dissoluere definitionem Sancti magâ—â— Concilij quod apud Nicaeam tongregatum est anathematizamus Et dixerint omnes placet Things concluded and confirmed for the whole Church by so many and greate authorities and their deniall so seuerely punished must needs be of highest and vnfallible truth The Apostles themselues in their Councels before haue giuen vndoubted testimony to this if they Ignat. epist â—d Polycarp epist ad Her had not by their Councels prefigured and giuen testimoy to the infallible verity of the decrees of generall Councels Their so many assembles and Councels might haue beene spared for whatsoeuer any one of them did or should haue decreed was without question true in matters of faith otherwise wee might call all their sacred writings the whole new testament into question The Apostolike men of the first age haue giuen like euidence before And among them S. Ignatius who would haue such councels often kept Crebrius celebrentur Conuentus Synodique doth make their decrees and constitutions of so greate and vnquestionable power and authority that he which doth otherwise although he is in other things worthy of credit although he fasteth although he liueth in virginity doth miracles and prophesieth is to be accompted for a wolfe which vnder a sheeps skin bringeth destruction and bane to the sheepe Quicunque dixerit quippiâ—â— praeterea quae constituta sunt tamet si fide dignus 〈◊〉 quamuis ieiunet quamuis in virginitate degat qâ—amnis signa edat quamuis prophetet pro lupo illum â—â—â—eas qui sub oninae pelle exitium pestemque adfert â—â—ibâ—â— So vnpossible he maketh it that such decrees should be vntrue And the first Nicen Councell Concil Nic. in Symbolo apud Ruffin l. 1. hist Eccl. c. â— Socrat. l. 1. hist c. 6. declaring that a generall Councell is the Catholike Church and reason so warrantinge by errour of such a Councell the whole Church might erre in articles of faith And that article of our Creede I beleeue the holy Catholike Church euer most true might be false at sometimes which is a thing most prophane and Antichristian to be affirmed For if a generall Councell representing the whole Church ruling gouerning and teaching it in the cheifest Bishops and Pastours there present might erre the whole Church both the Gouernours and gouerned therein must needs be in the same desolate estate And our Protestant Bishops and Doctours Engl. Protest in Bilson Suru p. 82. Morton part 2. Apolog. p. 340. l. 4. c. 18. feild p. 228. with their publike allowance and approbation doe thus giue warrant vnto vs. The authority of generall Councels is most holsome in the Church A generall Councell is highest Iudge Bishops assembled in a generall Councell haue authority to subiect euery man that shall disobey such determinations as they consent vpon to excommunication and censures of like nature Wee must receaue and respect the authority L. 4. c. 5 pag. 202. of all Catholike Doctours whose doctrine and writings the Church alloweth wee must more regard the authority of Catholike Bishops more then these the authority of the Apostolike Churches amongst them more especially the Church of Rome of a generall Councell more then all these False it is that wee admitte no Iudge but Scriptures Sutcliff ag D. Kell pag. 40. 42. for wee appeale still to alawfull generall Councell This being thus generally written with authority and in the name of all Protestants especially in England they must needs graunt that generall Councels be of infallible IudgmeÌ„t in articles of religion otherwise there is no meanes left to finde the truth but wee might and must wander from one false deceitfull rule to an other without end And seeing euery Court and Consistory froÌ„ which appeales are or may be made is inferiour more vncertaine and of lesse authority then that Seate of Iudgment to whom it is appealed it is most certaine by these Protestants themselues that they which neuer had haue or as before can haue hereafter any generall Councell to which they must appeale as they doe cannot haue any possible title to true religion for themselues or the least colour or pretence of Iustice or Religion for such monstrous and horrible penalties and cruelties as are inflicted to enforce the Catholiks so many generall Councels consisting of diuers hundreds of learned and holy Bishops or to perswade them to embrace their Protestant professions which neuer had any lawfull Bishop according to this fift Councell Illud generaliter clarum est quod si quis praeter Concil Nic. can 6. Ruffin l. 1. hist Eccl. in Concil Nicen. sententiam Metropolitani fuerit factus Episcopus eum magna Synodus definiuit non esse Episcopum That is generally manifest that if any man is made a Bishop against the will or likeing of the Metropolitane this greate Councell doth define that he is no Bishop And so can make no Bishop or Preist So by this most holy Councell so often and authoritatiuely receaued by our English Protestants as is before declared they neither haue nor possibly hereafter by their proceedings can haue any one Archbishop Bishop Preist or Clâ—â—â—gy man among them for if their pretended â—â—â—ner of constitution were true which wee haue inâ—â—ncibly proued otherwise yet they themselues and all other writers confesse they had not the assent but vttermost dissent and disagreement of any domesticall or forreine Metropolitane for their new Religion or consecratioÌ„ But this sacred Councell euen in those Canons which our Protestants Nicen. Conâ— can 14. receaue doth vtterly condemne the pretended consecration and ministry of England erected against the Catholike sacrificing Preisthood assuring vs that true Preists did offer sacrifice and this Sacrifice was the body of Christ Presbyteri offerendi sacrificij habeÌ„t potestatem Offerunt corpus Christi It maintained the Popes Supremacy as before It receaued more Scriptures then Protestants doe librum Iudith Synodus Hieron praef in librum Iudith Concil Nic. can 11. 13. 14. Can. 3. Nicaena in numero Sanctarum scripturarum legitur computasse It approueth Indulgences in 4. Canons and giueth authority to Bishops in such cases It forbiddeth Clergy men to keepe any women in their howses but mother Sister grandmother Aunt They declared it to be the old tradition of the Church that Ecclesiasticall men might not marry and so commaunded Qui in clerum ante ascripti Socrates hist l. 2. c. 2. Sozomen hist Eccles l. 1. c. 22. erant quà m duxissent hi secundum veterem Ecclesiae traditionem deinceps à nuptijs se abstinerent By which the Protestants Church is vtterly disabled and ouerthrowne by their owne rule and article before neither hauing the true word preached Sacraments duely ministred Church rightly gouerned nor any one man among them to performe most needfull functions and duties by their owne definitiue sentence Their conclusion of this article Things ordained by
the Queenes letters patents shall be by authority of this Parlament be declared good any matter or thing that may be obiected to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding All persons that haue beene or shall be made Archbishops Bishops Preists ministers after the forme and Order prescribed in the order and forme how Archbishops and should be made by authority hereof be declared and shall be Archbishops Bishops Preists Ministers and rightly made any statute lawe canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding Hitherto this Protestant Parlament and Queene Elizabeth taking vpon them more then omnipotent and diuine power for God himselfe euer omnipotent cannot make that a thing done is not or was not done nor a thing ill done to haue beene well done or not ill done The light of reason the light of grace all Philosophers Christians and others agree non est potentia ad praeteritum there is no power or possibility to make a thing that is past not to be past nor otherwise passed theÌ„ it passed Therefore when it appeareth by so many testimonies before that men called Bishops by our Protestants were neuer truely and lawfully made Bishops and this Protestant parlament it selfe confesseth not onely that diuers questioÌ„s had beene whether it were duely orderly done according to the law or not but declareth their acts and effects done by them as Bishops to be voyde and of none effect or validitie in the lawe It farre surpassed a womans power or her parlament thereby or any power on earth or higher to make and proue by authoritie of this parlament in her 8. yeare such men by authoritie hereof be declared and shall be Archbishops Bishops Preists Ministers and rightly made any statute lawe canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding Producing no other reason but that her highnesse by her supreame power and authoritie hath dispenced with all causes or doubts of any imperfection or disabilitie that can or may in any wise be obiected against the same If Queene Elizabeth and her Protestants would make Episcopall Order and dignity onely an humane inuention she as a temporall greate Prince might haue had place for her dispensation for time to come Though not past in aboue 6. yeares when thousands of such Bishops and ministers were made among them But all Protestants of England King Bishops whosoeuer hauing decreed and deliuered before that it is diuinae ordinationis the ordinance of God an Apostolicall tradition manifest to all the world a canon or constitution of the whole Trinitie enacted for succeeding posteritie it is vtterly vnpossible that any Queens Kings or what dispensation soeuer on earth can or euer could make that which was and is questioned doubtfull imperfect and inualide to be without question doubt perfect and valide either from the beginning any time past or to come hereafter Thus howsoeuer wee examine the making of these Protestant Bishops and ministers by them either by holy scripture witnessing that God placed Bishops in his Church to gouerne it attendite vobis vniuerso gregi in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Act. c. 20. 1. Timoth. 3. 4. Tit. 1. 1. Petr. 5. 2. Timoâ—h 1. Ecclesiam Dei quam acquisiuit sanguine suo And not a woman or child Queene Elizabeth and King Edward the 6. by a new deuised manner or by the Apostolike Fathers of this first age tradition of the Apostles all the old Orders of consecration in Britaine or what place soeuer by all Catholike Fathers or by these Protestants themselues we finde nothing but a desolation and an vndoubted want of all Episcopall and Ecclesiasticall holy orders among them But if we come to the Sacred Bishops of the Catholike and Romane Church the holie preisthood and other Orders we finde by all these testimonies all things in Order subordinate required and necessarie to this highest spirituall dignitie We haue with the Apostles and the Apostolike Can. Apost 43. Clem. const Apost l. 3. c. 11. l. 8. c. 21. c. 22. 28. epist 2. Ignat. epist ad Antioch ad Philadelph Philip. Engl. Protest in Abb. Prot. Archb. of canterb and Franc. Mas Booke of Consecrat l. 5. p. 96. 97. c. 1. p. 207. Fathers of this time S. Clement S. Ignatius and others Subdeacons Acolythists Exorcists Lectours and all We haue founde Deacons ministers to Bishops and Preists in the Sacrifice of Masse we haue founde true massing Sacrificing Preists and Protestants both by writing and practise so confessing as also in these words of them all by generall assent We thinke that no man possibly haue the Order of a Bishop which hath not the right Order of preisthood To the verie being of a Bishop the Order of preisthood is essentially required Thus they exclude themselues from and entitle Catholiks to this greatest Order And plainely confesse the Roman Church not onely to obserue and vse in the consecration of Bishops all things whatsoeuer in any opinion of Catholiks or Protestants essentiall and necessarie but also all ceremonies and ceremonialls therein vsed euer since and before England was conuerted to Christ plainely confessing that their first Protestant Archbishop Abbot and mason consecr in Mat. Park Matthew Parker being the 70. from S. Augustine was the first of all admitted without them and otherwise then they were and their publike continuall practise is so euer since that time The ceremonies of pastorall staffe ringe deliuerie of the booke of Ghospels to the new consecrated Bishop by the Consecratour and his Assistants taken from the sholders of the newly consecrated Miter and gloues we are assured to be ceremoniall onely all and euerie of them performed and done after the new Bishop is declared to be consecrated And yet these were so aunciently vsed by these Protestants that all our Bishops of England were consecrated they being vsed And before S. Augustine S. Asaphus and Capgrauius in vit S. Kentegerni came hither S. Kentegern in the Britans time being consecrated without them going to Rome ipso multoties petente with very often suite and desire the Pope then ministred them vnto him Sanctus Papa quae deerunt consecrationi eius supplens The Order of Consecration by which this S. Kentegern was made Bishop and all the Britans Scots and Irish vsed was more old then the canons of the ceremonies vsed in consecration and their old custome mos in Britannia inoleuerat when S. Kentegern about 1200. yeares past was consecrated was this In consecratione Episcopi tantummodo capita eorum sacri chrismatis infusione perungere cum inuocatione Sancti Spiritus benedictione manus impositione In the consecration of Bishops onely to anoynte their heads with holy Chrisme with inuocation of the holie ghost and benediction and imposition of hands This Order was adiudged by the Popes of Rome to be auayleable And all Protestants graunt the Britans haue true consecration and Bishops Here is neyther the ceremonie of saying take the holie ghost nor