sine originali peccato fâ— esse Atque it a in primo momento cum viuere inâ—ret omnis peccati expers erat And saith that eâ— from her conception she was full of grace and hauing no place for any sinne Maria Virgo â—â— In Euang. de Annunt Mar. animaÌ„ plâ—na gratia concepta est Gratia Deiipsam â—â— boni abundantem facit Et ab omni malo liberat Dâ—cum ea est hoc est omne quod facit aut omittit diuiâ— est in eo a Deo perficitur ad haec tutatur eam â—fendit ab omni quod obnoxium incommodum esseâ— Antiquitat Glaston manuscrip tabul lign fixe Io. Capgrau in vit S. Iosephi ab Aramathia Guliel Malmesbur l. de anâ—iq coenob Glastonien test That from her conception she was full of grace whatsoeuer she did or omitted was holy and diâ— she was free from all thing illor sinfull Her hoâ— here in Britaine was so greate and timely that â—â— in 31. yâ—ares of the passion of Christ and 15. of the blâ— Virgins Assumption anno post Passionem Dominâ— cesimo primo ab Assumptione vero Virginis glorâ— quinto decimo S. Ioseph and his holy company by â— monition of the holy Angel Gabriel and diuine waâ— â—ilded here a Chapell vnto her honour It is accompted â—e first Church of Britaine dedicated miraculously by â—hrist in honour of his Mother The ChristiaÌ„ builders in â—eate deuotion watching and fastings and prayers â—ere serued God and the blessed Virgin and by the â—lpe of the blessed Virgin were releiued in their necesâ—ies Praedicti sancti per Archangelum Gabrielem in â—isione admoniti sunt Ecclesiam in honore sanctae Dei â—netricis perpetuae Virginis Mariae in loco caelitus â—â—onstrato coÌ„struere Qui diuinis admonitionibus obeâ—entes capellam consuminauerunt Et cum haec in hac â—ione prima fuerit Ecclesia ampliori eam dignitate â—â— filius insigniuit ipsain in honore suae matris dediâ—ndo Duodecim sancti praedicti in eodem loco Deo â—atae Virgini deuota exhibentes obsequia vigilijs ieâ—ijs orationibus vacantes eiusdem Virginis Dei â—etricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocillabantur â—hus haue our most auncient antiquities both by â—atholiks and Protestants testimonies The three next articles being thus intuled The â— of sinne after Baptisme the 17. of predestination and â—ection and 18. of obtaining eternall saluation onely â— the name of Christ doe not seeme in equall and â—orall construction euen as they expound themâ—lues to haue opposition to any Catholike doâ—rine but to haue beene receaued by them to conâ—mne newly risen vp heresies among them as liâ—rtines denyers of saluation to penitent sinners â—edestinaries not respecting to liue well vpon â—icked presumption of their predestination and â—ch as affirmed that euery man shall be saued Iew â—urke Pagan or whatsoeuer Infidell or heretike â—all be saued by the law or sect which he professeth that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature as is plainely registred â— set downe in those Articles THE VII CHAPTER The 19. Article examined and condemned by the same authority THEIR next and 19. Article intituled of â— Church is this The visible Church of Christ iâ— congregation of faithfull men in which the pure worâ— God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministrâ— according to Christs ordinance in all those things thâ— necâ—ssity are requisite to the same As the Churâ— Hiâ—rusalem Alexandria and Antioche haue erred â— also the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in thâ— liuing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters â— faith Hitherto this article Whose definition â— description of the Church if wee should alloâ— wee are sufficiently instructed by that is said bâ—fore that the Protestants new congregation câ— not be this true visible Church of Christ eâ—â— from the truth in so many necessary and requiâ— things as hath beene proued in all Articles befoâ— wherein it opposeth the receaued doctrine of tâ— primatiue Apostolike age and the present Churâ— of Rome as the like demonstration shall be maâ— against them in all their contradictory Articâ— following in their due place And so is also and â—â— be most manifest that the present Roman Churâ— agreeing in all those Articles both already heâ— after to be examined with the vndoubted â—â— Church of the Apostles and this their age is â—â— must needs be the true Church of Christ Aâ— â—eir assertion in the second parte of this Article â—hat the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their â—ing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters of â—ith is most euidently false and impudently slaunâ—erous And the open dore to infidelity For if all â—e commaunding Churches in the world Hieruâ—lem Nicen. Concil Can. Parlament â— of Queene Eliz. Parl. â— Iacob 1. Caroli Alexandria Antioche and Rome as they are â—t downe in the first greate Councell of Nice and â—proued by the Parlaments and Parlament Reâ—gions of Queene Elizabeth King Iames King â—harles haue erred in matters of faith as this Arâ—le affirmeth then all other Churches all being â—biect vnto them haue likewise erred And this â—w Protestant pretended Church not being then â—runge vp being noe congregation of faithfull â—en in that time nor any congregation or men at â— and so neither hauing the pure word of God â—eached nor Sacraments duely ministred nor any â—e point of doctrine yet preached or Sacrament â—nistred nor man to preach or minister any such â—uld not nor can possibly by their owne rule and â—dgment be the true visible Church or any â—ember peece or part thereof That true primaâ—e and Apostolike Church teaching by all Preists â—d Cleargy men it had both to the congregation â— faithfull men to vse these mens phrase conâ—rted and to others yet not Christians all those â—cessary articles hitherto examined contrary to â—otestant Religion when the onely want of any â—e of such necessary things by their owne definiâ—e sentence before taketh away the name and â—e to be the true Church at this present any â—e past or to come the preaching of the pure â—rd of God due ministring of the Sacraments in all things of necessity being one and the same â— all persons in all times and places And to be of any other minde quite crosseth wiâ— Christs Institution and the continuance and visiâ—lity of his Church which both that article of theâ— Creede I beleeue the holy Catholike Church and tâ— their article and confession of an euerduring visibâ— Church doth proue For if at any time after Chriâ— founding his Church either in this Apostolike â— any age after it had generally erred in matters â— faith that it retained not the name and truth of â— true Church there was then by this article no tâ— Church in the world For whosoeuer it was whâ— wee will dreame to haue beene the first finder oâ— of this generall errour and supposed Apostaâ— Martine
euidently proued against this their Article that the Church of Rome in euery age as they haue before declared assisting and directing the Christian Britans here and concurring and agreeing with them ineuery point and article of Religion neither did nor could be said to haue erred in matters of faith And this these Protestants expressely confesse when they generally acknowledge as all Antiquities doe that there was then no materiall or essentiall difference in matters of faith betweene the Christian Britains except some Pelagian heretiks among them and Sainct Augustine with his company being sent from the Church of Rome the Pope then being a greate S. Gregory the most learned and holy Pope that euer was by these mens Testimony Gregorius magnus omnium PoÌ„tificum Romanorum Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. Pontif. in Gregorio Mâ—gâ—â—o doctrina vita praestantissimus And therefore by them and all holy writers stiled Gregory the greate And wherein soeuer any difference though ceremoniall obseruing of Easter any ceremony about the ministering of Baptisme or giuing holy Orders was betweene the Roman Church and the Britains all writers both Catholiks and ProtestaÌ„ts proue the Roman Church professed the truth And the Britains were in the errour and so they freely and publikely in their first meeting coÌ„fessed as Sainct Bede and our Protestants themselues Bed hist Eccles l. 2. c. 2. with others acknowledge Tum Britones confitentur quidem intellexisse se veram esse viam iustitiae quam praedicaret Augustinus and this was inuincibly proued vnto them both by vnanswearably humane arguments and diuine testimony and miracle And they afterward generally corrected and conformed themselues to the Romane Church in all things formerly questioned betweene them as all Antiquaries Brittish English Forreine domesticall Catholiks and Protestants agree neuer contending about any question moued by Protestants against the present Roman Church but both the Romane Church then and our Britains as the whole Christian world also iointly agreing in euery article against this new Protestant Religion And this is manifestly proued particularly already in all articles yet examined and so will be in all that followe Therefore it is manifestly false by all testimonies auncient later forreine domesticall Catholikes and Protestants euen in their publike decrees and Confessions that which this Article so desperately hath deliuered The Church of Rome hath erred in matters of faith and the contradictory that it hath not so erred nor shall at any time so erre is euidently true by all witnesses This will be yet more euidently manifested in the two next following examinations and others THE VIII CHAPTER The 20. Article thus examined and in whatsoeuer contrary to the Church of Romè thus condemned THEIR 20. and next article intituled of the authority of the Church is this It is noâ— lawfull â—or the Church to ordaine any thinge contrary to Gods word written neither may it so expound one place of â—cripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore â—lthough the Church be a witnesse and a keeper of holy â—rit yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the â—ame so besides the same ought it not to enforce any â—hing to be beleeued for necessity of saluation In this article no thing needeth other answeare or confutation then is made before in their article of Scriptures and traditions where the pretended sole necessity of the written Scriptures heretikely insinuated is most plainely confuted both by the Apostolike doctrine and practise of this age and otherwise And the supreame power and authority which here they giue vnto the Church to be a witnesse and keeper of holy writ and the cheifest expositour thereof and as their common glosse â—â— this article is the Church hath authority to Iudge and determine in controuersies of faith doth vtterly disable and condemne those Protestants to haue any colour or pretence to hold the truth in any one article they maintaine against the Roman Church either concerning Scriptures Church or anâ— thing else for the Church which onely was and â— visible as they haue described the true Church before hath in all and euery article condemned aâ— such Protestant Innouation And for these men to say as they haue done â—â— their 19. Article that the Church is a congregatiâ— of faithfull men in which the pure word of God â— preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred anâ— to make it an article of faith as they doe in theâ— publike profession of the Creede that this Church one holy and Catholike doth so continue for 〈◊〉 without interruption or corruption in ministriâ— Sacraments and preaching doctrine and the things are in their censure should onely be take from the written word and Scriptures It is vnpoâ—sible in such proceedings that the Church shoâ— ordaine any thing contrary to Gods word writteâ— or so expound on place of Scripture that it be repugnant to an other For otherwise it should neither be one holie or Catholike but diuers different vnholy particular no pillar of truth but a forge of falsehood no howse of God no spouse of Christ no saluation to be had or hoped for in any Iudgment Catholike or Protestant but in the true Church of Christ To this the Apostolike men of this age giue Ignat. epist ad Philadelp Ephes Trall Magn. Antiochen Ignat. ep ad Philadelp euident testimony Sainct Ignatius doth make the Iudgment of the Church both supreame and certaine and receauing penitents and saith Christ hath firmely builded his Church vpon a hile by spirituall building without help of mans hands against which the floods dashing and windes puffing could not ouerthrowe it nor any spirituall wickednesses shall euer be able to doe it but they shall be weakened by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ. Iesus Christus secundum propriam voluntatem suam firmauit Ecclesiam super Petram adificatione spirituali citra humanarum manuam operam in quam collisa flumina venti non potuerunt eam subuertere nec id valcant vnquam spirituales nequitiae sed infirmentur virtute Domini nostri Iesu Christi And saith plainely as there is but one flesh and blood of Christ shedd for our sinnes one Euchariste one Altare one Priestly order one God the Father one God the sonne one holy Ghost so there is but one preaching and one faith and one baptisme and one Church which with their sweate and labours the holy Apostles haue founded in the blood of Christ from the one end of the earch to the other vnapraedicatio fides vna vnum baptisma vna Ecclesia quam suis sudoribus laboribus fundarunt sancti Apostoli à finibus terrae vsque ad fines in sanguine Christi Sainct Clement Câ—em Rom. Const Apost l. 1. c. 1. saith the Catholike Church is the plantation of God and his chosen vineyard which cannot be digged vp or destroied Dei plantatio est Catholica Ecclesia vinea eius electa So that no other can be planted or chosen by
for defence of the Catholike Faith and Iastlie by your Maiestie our last Queene MARIE by whom this land is blessed by a royall issue and as we hope shall in time be madâ— happie by restitution of the Catholike Religion ether in your owne oâ— your childrens dayes And the ratheâ— when England shall see by the Iudgement of the Apostles that the Catholike religioÌ„ aggreeth in all point with the religion taught deliuereâ— by the Apostles and first Apostolicalâ— preachers and that the Protestant religioÌ„ is discouÌ„tenaunced discarded condemned by them This shall appeare by this booke which I youâ— Maiesties most humble subiect aâ— old student in holie learning doe iâ— all dutifull manner present vnto youâ— wishing to your Gracious Maiestie and to our noble Souueraigne your deare Spouse a long and happie raigne in our great Brittainie such a temporall raigne amongst your subiectes as you may both raigne in heauen eternallie with God his Saintes and Angelles Your Maiesties most humble and deuoted subiect R. B. APPROBATIO CVm mihi constiterit ex testimonio fide digni S. Theol. Doctoris in hoc libro cui tituluâ— Apostolorum iudicium c. nihil inueniri Catholicae fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium sed multâ— quae ostendunt religionem Catholicorum esse Apostolicam haereticorum verò Apostaticam censuâ— vtiliter praelo committi posse Actum Duaci die 23. Iunij 1632. GEORGIVS COLVENERIVS S. Theol. Doctor Regius ordinariusque Professor Gollegiatâ— Ecclesiae S. Petri Praepositus Duaâ— censis Academiae Cancellarius librorum Censor THE FIRST CHAPTER CONCERNINGE THE FIRST 5. PROtestants Articles not differinge from the Apostles Religion and the Roman Church BEEINGE to enter into the Examen and comparison of the parlament protestant Articled Religion of England with the Religion of the present Church of Rome and â—e whole Christian world named Catholike â—or profession whereof the Catholiks of England â—y the protestants thereof haue longe tyme suffâ—red and still most constantly endure most bitter persecutions by the first knowne and confessed â—ue Christian Catholike Apostolike Religion â— the Apostles and that their happy age wee finde â—t in the first fiue Articles of this new Religion â—y difference or difficulty to be thus decided both â—atholicks and parlameÌ„tary protestants agreeing them all and they all beeing ordeyned by these proâ—tants against other Sectaries so soone within 4. â—ares of the beginning of Q. Elizabeth her Reigne reâ—eing old condemned heresies amongst them as their â—tories and registers remember and therefore it will â—re suffice onely to recite the Titles of these arâ—les to giue notice thereof The contents and title â— the first article are Of faith in the holy Trinity The second of the word or sonne of God which was made verymaÌ„ The 3. Of the going downe of Christ into hell The 4. Of the Resurrection of Christ The 5. Of the Holy Ghost The whole Article the Title being subiect to doubt is The holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the sonne is of one substance Maiesty and glory with the Father and the Sonne very and eternall God Hitherto wee finde nothing against the doctrine of the Catholike Church Which noâ— vnlikely these men did rather to winnesome crediâ— at their entrance to be thought louers of truth then that they hated the enemies of these articles not yet suppressed among them THE SECOND CHAPTER Examining their 6. Article about Scriptures and traditions and condemning it by the Apostles and Apostolike men and doctrine of their age THEIR next sixt Article intituled of the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Saluation â— thus holy Scripture containeth all things necessary â— saluation Soe that what soeuer is not read therein nâ— may be proued thereby is not to be required of any maâ— that it should be beleeued as an article of faith or â— thought requisite or necessary to saluation By the naâ— of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicâ— bookes of the old and new testament of whose authâ—rity was neuer any doubt in the Church And from tâ— number of those bookes which there they allowâ— to be canonicall They doe in expresse words aâ— tearmes reiect The booke of Tobias the booke of Iuditâ— the rest of the booke of Esther the booke of wisdomâ— Iesus the sonne of Sirach Baruch the Prophet the songe of the three children the story of Susanna of Bel and the Dragon the prayer of Manasses the first and second Bookes of the Machabees Concerning the new testament thus they adde all the bookes of the new testament as they are commonly receiued wee doe receiue and accompte them for canonicall This their Article is in their proceedings as the grounde worke and foundation whereupon their Religion is wholy framed and builded and yet so weake Feeble totteringe ruinous arid deceitefull that not any one true certaine and infallible point of doctrine as euery Article in true religion is can be framed vpoÌ„ it or from it so deduced by the expresse graunt of this article it selfe and of all English Protestants professed and sworne maintainers of it For whereas they sentence and define In the Art 6. supr name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose Field Booke of the Church lib. 4. cap. 5. wotton def of perk pa. 442. Couell ag Burg. pag. 60. def of Hooker pag. 31. 32. 33. proâ—â—st glosse on the 6. art Tho. Rogers ibid. authority was neuer any doubt in the Church They plainely make the Iudgment of the Church to be the highest tribunall in spirituall questions euen of the scriptures themselues And thus their best and cheife writers published by authority doe glosse and expound this article And of necessity so they must say except at their first entrance they will plainely confesse their religion and congregation their Church of England as they terme it to be erroneous or hereticall and to haue noe power or warrant at all to doubt deny or determine and propose what bookes be or be not Scriptures canonicall either of the old or new testament Or what one chapter or sentence in them is part or not part of such canonicall and vndoubted holy Scriptures for this power and prerogatiue being onely committed to the true Church by their Article and professors before if these men doubt or Iudge otherwise in this case then the true confessed Church hath hitherto done They can be noe part or members of that true Church And whatsoeuer is read or may be deduced from vntrue or doubted Scriptures cannot be possibly any certaine and vndoubted article of faith and religion For noe conclusion can be more certaine and vndoubted then the Maximes and authorities from which it is concluded but as the light of nature common law and vndeniable Maxime of true reasoning teacheth all men and all men truely acknowledge for a verity most certaine it euer followeth the weaker part euer erroneous doubtfull vncertaine or false if both or
and Sainct Luke they were not all thought able â— condemne those named hereticks which S. Ihâ— confounded Amonge the Epistles onely that of â— Paul to the Romans was sent into these parts â— was in a language wee did not vnderstand aâ— written after the faith of the Romans was spreâ— both in Britaine and all the world as Sainct Pâ— witnesseth fides vestra annuntiatur in vniuâ— Rom. 1. mundo The two Epistles of Sainct Peter accordiâ— to antiquity were written in Rome and after Bâ—taine had receaued the faith especially the last aâ— the first being longe doubted of was sent quite coâ— â—rary from Britayne vnto the contries of PoÌ„tus Gaâ—atia 2. Petr. 1. Capadocia Asia and Bithynia in the easterne â—arts Wee finde no memory after of Scripture reâ—eaued here vntill longe time after in the second â—ge expressed in Pope Eleutherius his Epistle to our â—ing Lucius And yet all our ProtestaÌ„t antiquaries â—ue before assured vs that Britaine had in the Aâ—stles time and longe before any Scripture came â—ther or probably was written and possibly in â—orall Iudgment could come hither receaued the â—ith of Christ so fully purely and sincerely that it â—euer changed it in any materiall point after the â—riptures were receaued here nor diuers hundreds â— yeares after And if wee will be directed by Scriptures in this â—int those which our Protestants allowe for such â—e testimony to vnwritten Traditions in many â—ces To exemplifie onely in Sainct Paul which â—ote most in the new Testament hee chargeth S. 1. Tim. 6. â—mothy and all others in him to keepe obserue â—ngs so deliuered without writinge O Timothee 2. Tim. 2. â—ositum custodi This in his first Epistle not haâ—ge written vnto him before And in his second â—stle hee giueth him commaund that the things â—ich he had heard froÌ„ Sainct Paul he should deâ—er vnto others fit to teach them Quae audisti a me â— multos testes haec commenda fidelibus hominibus â—idonei erunt alios docere And expressely comâ—undeth 2. Thessal 2. the Thessalonians and in them all in â— second epistle to them to obserue and keepe the â—aditions which they had learned either by word â— writinge State tenete traditiones quas didiciâ— siue per sermonem siue per epistolam nostram â—hich the Fathers expound of the necessity of keepinge vnwritten traditions as Catholiks now doe Hinc est perspicuum quòd non omnia per epistolaâ— Chrisost in 2. Thess orat 4. tradiderunt sed multa etiam fine scriptis eaquoque sunt fide digna Quamobrem Ecclesiae quoque traditionem censeamus esse fide dignam Est traditio nihil quaeras amplius And expoundinge that of S. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians hoâ— they kept his commaundements by word beforâ— he wrote vnto them sicuttradidi vobis praecepta mâ—tenetis he doth inferre the doctrine of Traditions ergo fine literis mult a tradidâ—rat quod alibi saepe meminit And Sainct Hierome vpon the same words Hier. in eadem Verba Tom. 9. quasi legem praecepta meatenetis scientes illum in â— spiritum loqui qui in lege locutus est prophetis Thâ— like hath S. Ambrose vpon the same and S. Epphanius Ambros in 1. Cor. Epiph. haeresi 69. oportet traditione vti non enim omnia diuina Scriptura possunt accipi Quapropter aliqua â— traditione Sancti Apostoli tradiderunt Quemadmdum dicit Sanctus Apostolus Sicut tradidi vobis â— alibi sic doceo sic tradidi in Ecclesijs Thus the best learned both Greeke and Latiâ— Fathers expounded these to inferre a necessity Traditions and their equality with Scriptuâ— Which our best Protestant writters with thâ— common allowance thus confirme Our aduer sarâ— Feild l. 4. c. 20. pag 238. meaninge Catholiks make traditions equall with words precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostâ— and Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writinge â—ther is there any reason why they should not so doe they could proue any such vnwritten verities for not the writinge that giueth things their authority the worth and credit of him that deliuereth thâ— though by word and liuely voyce onely Thus tâ— confesse and the reason which they giue so enâ—ceth them the worth and credit of the reuealer and deliuerer or proposer of holy misteries supernaturall being the motiue and cause of mans assent so firme and vnmoueable in articles of faith not to be proued by humane reason and not the writinge or not writinge being fallible and subiect to many casualties corruptions and vncertainties which we are sure are not to be found in Christ the reuealer nor his holy Church the vndoubted true proposer of his mysteries and reuelations And both these are the same and as certaine in traditions not written such as Catholiks maintaine as in the written Scriptures For wee doe not defend any one vnwritten tradition that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation which be the very words of this Protestant Article of Religion but wee produce the Artic of Protest Relig. 20. highest authority in their owne publike Iudgment also in these their Articles the true primatiue Church of Christ to warrant it The which Church hath power and authority in controuersies of faith That euery tradition came from Christ and his Apostles to be receaued professed in Christian Religion As to instance in some and those which most concerne euen in our Protestants proceedings and by their owne confessions and testimonies vnwritten Traditions are necessary For first in this Engl Protest Rel. artic 6. very article they haue giuen their finall sentence in the very first words thereof that the holy Scriptures are of this nature Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation So that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation And yet in the immediatly following words they plainely declare and professe that wee haue noe warrant in Scripture for any booke chapter or sentence of Scripture to be such holy Scripture but for euery least percell thereof wee must resorâ— to Tradition and the Churches Iudgment In thâ— name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose authority was neuer any doubt in the Church Where weâ— are assured from these men that the Church anâ— Tradition vnwritten is supreme Iudge of all questions in Religion euen of the Scriptures themselues And so necessarily they must say confesse or els leaue no Religion or Scripture at all to bâ— proued or proue vnto vs. For it is vnquestionablâ— that no part of Scripture doth propose vnto vs anâ— Catalogue or Canon of Scriptures Which the thus further testifie in their publikely approueâ— Feild l. 4. pa. 238. c. 20.
Christ but this one alone Christ did purchase but one militant Church with his pretious blood he hath no more but one such daughter nor true Christians more then one such mother which the same Sainct Clement likewise proueth thus conuenite ad Ecclesiam Domini quam acquisiuit sanguine Christi dilectâ— primogeniti Const Apost l. 2. c. 65. omnis creaturae Eaest enim altissimi filia quae partâ—rijt nos per verbum gratiae He coÌ„pareth this Church also to one greate shippe Carrying passengers from all contryes to the desired hauen and harbour saying that God is alwayes the Lord and owneâ— of it Christ the Master or Gouernour the Bishop cheife ruler vnder him Preists Deacons and other Clergy men euer supply their places and offices therein Similis est omnis status Ecclesiae magnae naâ— Clem. epist 1. quae per vndo sum Pelagus diuersis è locis regionibâ— viros portat ad vnam potentis regni vrbem properâ—â— cupientes Sit ergo nauis huius Dominus ipse omnipâ—tens Deus gubernator verò sit Christus Tum demâ—â— proretae officium Episcopus impleat Presbyteri nauâ—â—rum Diaconi dispensatorum locum teneant hi qui â—â—techizant nautologis conferantur He giueth also â—â— lay persons their place in this shippe saying thâ— world is the Sea it passeth and witnesseth that thâ— shippe notwithstanding all stormes and tempestâ— persecutions tribulations daungers false Prophetâ— seducers persecuting potentates hypocrites anâ— whatsoeuer enemies aduersaries and aduersities â— euer is safe and neuer maketh shipwrake foâ— Christ euer gouerneth it and the whole Church must endeuour to serue and obey him and his commaundes Saluator Dominus gubernator Ecclesiae suae Martial ep ad Burdegal cap. 11. diligatur ab omnibus ipsius solius praeceptis ac iussis credat obediat omnis Ecclesia Thus Sainct Clement from the Apostles themselues And Sainct Martial also teacheth that the Church of Christ is so firme it can neuer fall nor be broken And yet in the same place he teacheth that the deuill and heretiks his vassals and instruments shall neuer cease to labour and fight against it Inimicus venturus est vt superseminet in populo Dei grana errorum Sed firma Ecclesia Dei Christi nec cadere nec disrumpi poterit vnquam Venient praesumptores absque gratia Dei loquentes quorum gloria labiorum procedit ex superbia similes illi qui superbiâ caelum praesumens habitare mox de caelo cum Angelis suis sequacibus ruit in aeternam voraginem Hi docebunt aliam doctrinam quae aliena est à Deo amica autem diabolo per quam ipse spiritus erroris animas post se trahere festinabit Which cannot more properly be applyed to any sects of heresies then the libertine Protestants so first arising encreasing and subsisting by wanton and lewde licentiousnesse S. Dionysius Areopagita wrote a whole booke Dion Areop l. de Eccles Hierarch in Greeke yet euery where extant de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy or holy order which was in his time and to continue euer in the neuer fayling or ceasing Church of Christ All the Apostles so firmely and vniformely beleeued Clem. Rom. epist 1. Ruff. in exposit Symbol Leo iâ— mulâ—is locis and professed this doctrine as a necessary article of faith for all Christians and to obtaine saluation by as the rest and so proposed it vnto all in their Symbolum as Sainct Clement then liuing Ruffinus S. Leo and all Christians acknowlegde Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam euer to be an Article of faith as the others which possible could not be true if at any time Christ should want a Church holy and Catholike And our Protestants of England in these their articles doe twise in one article before intituled of the three Creeds make and receaue it with the other articles of their Creede an article of faith throughly to be receaued and beleeued For So they define The three Creeds Protest artic of Relig. art 8. Nicene Creede Athanasius Creede and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly to be receaued and beleeued affirming further they may be proued by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture And both in the Apostles and Nicen Creede this article is contained with the rest This is also confirmed in their publike communion Engl. Protest com booke â—it Catechisme booke vsed in their Churches and allowed by their Parlaments where besides the Article of the Apostles Creede I belâ—eue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholike Church they say vnto God in the canticle Te Deum as they translate it The holy Church Tit. morning prayer through all the world doth knowledge thee And in their Creede of the Nicen Councell they Nicen Creede plainely professe and beleeue that from the Apostles till now and euer after there is and shal be one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church vnam sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam Where the Church is euer one holy Catholike and the same in all matters of faith it was in the Apostles time And in this sense and no other they haue in their 19. article before described or defined the Art 19. supr Church of Christ to be one congregation of faithfull men with true preaching and due ministration of Sacraments in all things necessary and requisite according as Christ ordained And their publike glosse vpon this 19. article diuiding it into diuers propositions and making this the second proposition There is Thomas Rogers in art 19. proposit 2. but one Church When wee doe say that the Church is visible and that there is a westerne East Greeke Latine English Church wee meane not that there be diuers Churches of Christ but that one and the same Church is diuersely taken and vnderstood and also hath many particular Churches as the Sea many Riuers and armes branching from it For the visible Church is not many congregations but one company of the faithfull For proofe of this out of Scriptures they cite diuers texts Rom. 12. 5. 1. Cor. 10. 17. 1. Corint 12. 13. 27. Gal. 3. 28. and conclude thus all Gods people meaning Protestants agree with vs in this point And particularly cite Confess Helâ—et 2. cap. 17. Bohe. cap. 8. Gal. art 26. Belg. art 27. August art 27. Wittemb art 32. Sueu art 15. and these Protestant Confessions so agree I will onely cite two for the rest one of Heluetia for the Caluinists and for the Lutherans that of Wittemberge where Luther liued as Caluine in Heluetia The Heluetian confession saith Cum semper vnus Confessio Heluet. c. 17. modo sit Deus vnus mediator Dei hominum Iesus Messias vnus item gregis vniuersi Pastor vnum huius corporis caput vnus denique spiritus vna salus vna fides vnum testamentum vel foedus necessariò consequitur vnam duntaxat esse Ecclesiam quam propterea Catholicam
nuncupamus quod sit vniuersalis diffundatur per omnes mundi partes ad omnia se tempora extendat nullis vel locis inclusa vel temporibus Seing alwayes there is onely one God one mediatour of God and men Iâ—sus the Messias also one Sheepheard of the vniuersall flocke one heade of this body to conclude one holy Ghost one saluation one saith one testament or league it necessarily followeth that there onely is one Church Which therefore wee name Catholike because it is Vniuersall and diffused through all parts of the world and extendeth it selfe to all times not concluded within any places or times This holy Church of God is called the house of the liueinge God builded of liuely and spirituall stones and seated vpon an vnmoueable rocke and vpon a foundation on which no other thing can be placed and therefore it is called the pillar and supporter of truth Haec Ecclesia Dei sancta vocatur domus Dei viuentis extructa ex lapidibus viuis spiritualibus imposita super petraÌ„ immotaÌ„ super fundamentuÌ„ quo aliud loc ari noÌ„ potest ideo nuncupatur etiam coluÌ„na basis verit atiâ— 1. Tim. 3. The Lutheran Religion or confession of Wittemberge saith credimus confitemur quod vna sit Confess Wirtemberg cap. de Eccl. sancta Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia iuxta Symbolum Apostolorum Nicaenum Quod haec Ecclesia â— Spiritu sancto ita gubernetur vt conseruct eum perpetuo ne vel erroribus vel peccatis pereat Quod in hac Ecclesi asit verapeccatorum remissio Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius iudicandi de omnibus doctrinis Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius interpret and aescripturae Ecclesia habet certam promissionem perpetuae praesentiae Christi Cap. de Concilijs gubernatur à Spiritu sancto Wee beleeue coÌ„fessâ— that there is one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Creede of the Apostles and Nicen Councell That this Church is so gouerned by the holy Ghost that he preserueth it for euer that it perish not either by errours or sinnes That in this Church there is true remissioÌ„ of sinnes thâ—â— this Church hath authority to Iudge of all doctrines That this Church hath authority to interpret the Scripture The Church hath certaine promise of the perpetuall presence of Christ and is gouerned by the holy Ghost By this it is euident by all Testimonies of this Apostolike age and these Protestants themselues that the true Church of Christ neuer did shall or can erre in any Iudgment decree sentence or profession in matters of faith but is pure Catholike and Apostolike in all such in all times and places And this article either denying or doubting of such power and prerogatiue in the true Church is very Idle or Antichristian taking away all certaine and holy Religion of Christ As also that the Church which was when these heresies began euen Catholike and vniuersall in all places and had beene so in all times before hath beene so euer since and still so continueth and florisheth is that true holy Catholike Apostolike Church which the holy Scriptures Fathers of this age and the Article of our Creede giue testimony vnto And the Protestant particular Confessions and congregations of Heluetia Fraunce England Scotland Belgia Poland Argentine Ausburgh Saxony Wittemberge the Palatine of Rheine Boheme and perhaps some others being onely of particular Contryes or Townes and onely of some and not all persons of them cannot be possibly Catholike for place and as vnpossibly for time the eldest of them by their owne testimony and confession vnknowne vntill the yeare of Christ 1530. the Confession of Ausburge first began not printed vntill the yeare 1540. the Confession of Boheme 1532. Heleutia 1536. Saxony 1551. England 1562. Scotland 1581. the like of the rest These nor any of them by the same reason can be Apostolike arising so many hundreds of yeares after the Apostles time None of all these can be that one Church which was euer those being diuers from that among themselues at warres both for Sacraments discipline doctrine None of their coÌ„gregations or coÌ„fessions yet hath brought forth any one man or woman knowne which in their owne Iudgment or senteÌ„ce is honoured or calendred for a Saint though their calenders chronicles and histories be full of Saints which were of the Roman Church and Religion They haue taken away and ouerthrowne many thousand foundations of holynesse and piety their owne first foundation in such kinde is yet to begin this cannot be the one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church of Christ which our Creeds doe teach vs being in all respects diametrically opposite or rather contradictory to whatsoeuer is or can be defined or described as they themselues define the true Church by those attributes properties or distinctiue differences to be one to be holy to be Catholike and vniuersall in all times places and points of doctrine and Sacraments and to be Apostolicall continued without intermission from the Apostles in sound and Apostolicall Christian Religion in all articles and matters of faith And thus it was confessed and professed by our Christian Britains from their first couersion in the Apostles time as these men themselues haue before deliuered THE IX CHAPTER The 21. Article so examined and condemned THE Article which followeth 21. in number is intituled of the authority of generall Councels And in these their words Generall Councels may not be grathered to gether without the commaundement and will of Princes And when they be gathered for asmuch as they be an assembly of meÌ„ whereof all be not gouerned with the spirit and word of God they may erre and some time haue erred euen in thinges pertaining vnto God wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to saluation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture Hitherto this English Protestant Article The first part of it requiring of necessity the commaundement and will of Princes for the validity of Councels is singular not onely against Catholiks but all Confessions of Protestants not any one consenting in this matter with our English Protestants as is euident in those confessions Neither doe the Protestants of Britaine agree herein but all they whom they terme Puritans or Disciplinarians are quite of an other opinion And the Parlament Protestants themselues of best Iudgment doe euen with publike allowance condemne it Thus with such approbation they write of themselues Protestant relation of Religion cap. 47. The Protestants are seuered bandes or rather scattered troopes each drawing diuers wayes without any meanes to pacifie their quarrels to take vp their controuersies No Prince with any preeminence of Iurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarcke one or more to haue a common superintendance of care of their Churches for correspondancy and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell the onely hope remaining euer to
any of the propositions from which it is deduced be or is of that nature Nothing can giue that to an other which it selfe wanteth and by noe meanes hath to giue A lying false or vncertaine humane witnesse or assertion can by no meanes possible make a constant and certainely true probation in any thing whatsoeuer much lesse in supernaturall matters articles of faith aboue mans capacity and therefore to be proued by diuine testimony which possibly cannot deceaue vs. And in this miserable and desolate estate and condition is the Protestant congregation of England in and for euery article pretended by them to be of faith which they hold against the Roman Church at this day and so they censure themselues by their owne definitiue sentence in this their owne cheefest Article and publikely authorized glosse thereof with diuers others of their Religion allowed and recommended writers among them Artic. 6. supr Confessio Wirtemberg cap. de Scriptura Protest glosse in art 6. p. 1. Willet Synop quaest 1. of scripture pag. 2. 3. â—dit an 1594. holnish chron f. 1299. Stowe hist an 1579. in Q. Elizabeth Io. BreÌ„t Apolog confess Wittemberg histor Dauidis Georg. Display Art 6. Magdeburg hist cent 3. ca. 11. In their Article receauing onely for canonicall bookes neuer doubted of in the Church and in the others to vse their owne authorizing words perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publike plainely manifestly deliuering from all kinde of Authors Greeke and Latine old and late Catholike and Protestant That euery booke in particular not one excepted which they allowe for canonicall Scripture either â—n the old or new testament haue both beene â—oubted of and by their owne men Protestants deâ—ied for such Therefore it remaineth without question conâ—rary to this Protestante Article euen by themâ—elues and their best authority that neither all nor â—ny one of those bookes which vpon this vayne â—retence they haue blotted forth from the Canon â—f holy Scripture and the Roman Church still reâ—eaueth may be denyed by that Title of sometimes â—eing doubted of for wee should haue noe Scripture â—nonicall at all all bookes thereof hauing beene â—us doubted of By that colour wee might deny â—l Articles of faith which sometimes doubted of â—ue beene concluded and agreed vpon against the â—est heretiks that euer were and all their heresies â—th might and ought to be reuiued againe Sainct â—ul and Sainct Thomas Apostles were thus to â— denied Apostles and thrust out of heauen beâ—use they had doubted wee might and ought to â— that no conuerted Christian first doubting â—as â—rue Christian neither our first brittish Christian â—nge Sainct Lucius nor Kinge Ethelbert among our Saxons nor any of their first doubting and afterward conuerted Subiects and soe of the whole Christian world doubting or denying before it receaued the law of Christ All Courts Consistories Tribunals and Seates of Iustice and Iudgment ecclesiasticall and ciuil to decide and determine must be ouerthrowne no sentence or decision though of Kings Parlaments or any community is to bâ— obeyed no doubt no Controuersie hitherto eueâ— was or hereafter can or may be finally determined nothing but doubtes quarrels Controuersies anâ— contentions as wee see among Protestants nâ— peace quiet or vnion must be left vnto vs. Therâ— fore this Protestant paradoxe and presumption iâ— reiecting so many bookes of holy Scripture again both the Latine and Greeke Church onely vndeâ— colour of being sometime and by some doubteâ— of being thus grosse and absurd by their owâ— Iudgments and proceedings let vs examine whâ— this first pure and Apostolike age did Iudge of thâ— And first to begin with the scripture it selfe of tâ— The new testament by Protest â—râ—st published by King â—ames authority Matth. 6. 2. Cor. 9. Luc. 14. Ioan 9. Hebr. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Hebr. 1. new Testament euen as our Protestants receaâ— and translate it King Iames his new testament the 6. chapter of Sainct Matthew his ghospell aâ— the 9. chapter 2. Corinth citeth Ecclesiasticus â— two seuerall places In the 14. chapter of Saiâ— Luke the 4. chapter of Tobias is cited And in â— 10. chapter of Sainct Ihon the 4. chapter of the â— booke of Machabees And in the 5. chapter to â— Hebrewes the second booke And 7. chapter the Machabees In the 1. chapter 1. Corinth Tâ— first chapter of the booke of wisdome is cited chapter to the Hebrewes citeth the 7. chapter wisdome And the 9. chapter thereof is cited Roâ— Rom. 11. cap. 11. And yet wee shall scarcely finde any Text of diuers bookes of the old Testament which our Protestants allowe for canonicall to be cited at any time or place of their new testament as the 4. Booke of the Kings the 1. and 2. of Paralip the booke of the Iudges Ruth Esdras 1. and 2. Esther Ecclesiastes Cantica canticorum Abdias Sophonias Therefore wee are as well warranted by this argument of concordance of Scriptures and that holy authority to receaue for canonicall Scriptures of the old Testament all those bookes which our Protestants haue excluded as those they haue receaued The Canons ascribed to the Apostles and published by Sainct Clement per me Clementem Concil gener 6. can 2. Successour to S. Peter in this age are plainely acknowledged by the sixt generall Councell to haue beene receaued by the holy Fathers before them as deliuered from God firmi stabilesque maneant qui à sanctis patribus qui nos praecesserunt susceptiac confirmatisunt atque à Deo nobis etiam traditi sunt sanctoctorum Apostolorum nomine 85. Canones These doe Canon Apostolor can 85. vlâ— â—n the last Canon expressely receaue the books of â—he Machabees Esther and the booke of Ecclesiasticus for holy Scriptures of the old testament Veâ—erandi ac sacri libri veteris Testamenti In the very same maÌ„ner as they doe the others which our Proâ—estants allowe for such Sainct Clement often ciâ—eth Clem. epist 1. 2. Apostolic constitut li. 2. c. 4. cap. 21. c. 49. 51. cap. 63. l. 3. cap 3. l. 6. c. 19. 23. 29. l. 8. l. 7. and alloweth for bookes and parts of the old Testament Baruch Ecclesiasticus Sapientia Toâ—ias The prayer of Manasses the history of Suâ—anna the booke of Esther those parts of Daniel which our Protestants reiect the bookes of Maâ—habees and others Sainct Ignatius receaueth the booke of Daniel which our Protestants deny Ecclesiasticus Sainct Policarpus approueth Tobias Ignat. epist ad Philadelph epist ad maynesian epist ad Heron. Polycarp epist ad Philippen Dionis l. de diu nom cap. 4. Ecclesiast Hier. c. 2. de diu nom c. 7. Sainct Denys the Areopagite conuerted by Sainct Paul alloweth the booke of wisdome calleth the part of Daniel excluded by our Protestants diuine Scripture Diuina scripta These be all or the chiefest writers especially by Protestants allowance in this first age and consideringe how few of their works are
writers much coÌ„ntention there hath beene about tradâ—tions some vrginge the necessity of them and others râ—iectinge them For the clearinge whereof wee must oâ—serue that wee reiect not all for first wee receaue tâ— number and names of the Authors of bookes diuine aâ— Couell cont Burg pag. 60. whitaker ib. Wotton def of Perk. pag. 442. Couell def of hook pag. 31. 34 32. 33. feild l. 4. c. 5. pag. 203. Ormer pict Pap. pag 93. Sutcliffeag the 3. conu pag. 79. canonicall as deliuered by tradition This tradition wâ— admit The number Authors and Integrity of the partâ— of these bookes wee receaue as deliuered by tradition Tâ— Church of Christ according to her authority receaued â— him hath warrant to approue the Scriptures to acknoâ—ledge to receaue to publish and commaunde vnto â— children The Church of Rome teacheth noe badde opâ—nion to affirme that the Scriptures are holy and diuiâ— in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authority the Church That the Scriptures ar true wee haue it froâ— the Church Wee say that wee are taught to receaue â— word of God from the authoritie of the Church wee see her Iudgment wee heare her voyce and in humility subscribe vnto all this The Church hath fower singular offices towards the Scripture First to be of them as it were afaithfull register Secondly to discerne and Iudge betweene false and adulterate and that which is true and perfect The third to publish and diuulge to proclaime as a Crier the true Edict of our Lord himselfe The last is to be an Interpreter and in that followinge the safest rule to be a most faithfull Expositor of his owne meaninge Wee thinke that particular men and Churches may erre damnably But that the whole Church at one time cannot so erre for that the Church should cease vtterly for a time and so not be Catholike beinge not at all times Christ should sometimes be without a Church The Church is called a pillar because it is like vnto a pillar For as a pillar doth support and vnderproppe a buildinge and maketh it more stable firme and stronge So the Church doth sustaine and supporte the truth for the truth is no where preserued but in the Church Christs true Church is a diligent and wary keeper of doctrines committed to her and changeth nothinge at any time diminisheth nothinge addeth nothinge superfluous looseth not her owne nor vsurpeth things belonginge to others And this is publikely warranted in Protest Reli. of Engl. Art 19. these their Articles and Rule of their Religion where thus they define the Church The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached And the Sacraments be duely ministred accordinge to Christs ordinance Art 8. Catech. com Booke Iniunct Canons feild l. 4. c. 20. pag. 238. 239. in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Secondly those men in their Rules of Religion and their priuate writers affirme that the Apostles Creede which by all Antiquity was by them deliuered to the Church and by these Protestants as Rule of faith before the Scriptures of the new Testament were written is an vnwritten Tradition yet by their words a summary comprehension of thâ— cheife heades of Christian Religion a Rule of thâ— Churches faith And yet it is constantly maintaineâ— by many Protestants that diuers articles thereoâ— as our Ladies perpetuall virginity natus ex Marâ— Virgine Christs descending into hell descendit aâ— inferos The communion of Saincts and forgiuenesse of sinnes Sanctorum communionem Râ—missioneâ— peccatorum and others by diuers others Protestantâ— are not contained in any Scripture written beforâ— or after And this Creede deliuered by word anâ— tradition onely by the Apostles before the new tâ—stament written this Scripture could not possiblâ— be a rule or direction vnto it but rather otherwisâ— for euery rule hath priority to the thinge ruled anâ— the things ruled posterity to their rule Matters aâ— done without rule when there is no rule vntill aftâ— they be acted These Parlament Protestants proceede furthâ— Feild supr pag. 239. in this question and plainely say with greate aâ—lowance The third kind of Tradition is that somme â— Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parâ— thereof which the first Christians receauinge of the saâ— Apostles that deliuered to them the Scriptures coâ—mended to posteritie This may rightly be named a tradâ—tion for that wee neede a plaine and distinct explicatiâ— of things which are somewhat obscurely contained the Scripture The fourth kinde of tradition is the contâ—nued practise of such as neither are contained in tâ— Scripture expressely nor the example of such practiâ— expressely there deliuered of this sorte is the Baptisme of Infants which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in the Scripture that the Apostles did baptize infants nor any expresse precept there founde that they should doe it Which their rule of Religion in these Articles thus further iustifieth The Baptisme of yonge children is in any wise to be retained Art of Engl. Prote Relig. Art 17. CommunioÌ„ Booke Tit. Baptisme The. Rog. in Art 27. Q. Elizab. and k. K. Iames Iniunct and Canons in the Church as most agreable with the institution of Christ Where they plainely in their publike rule of Religion make it a tradition and no Scripture article And by the coÌ„mon practicall of their religion their communion booke so they practise baptizinge all infants and sayinge all Christian Churches allowe of the baptisme of infants And these Protestants are onely baptized when they are infants and not after and yet confesse it is most necessary to saluation And whereas they reiect all other Sacraments besides Art of Relig. art 25. this and the Eucharist or the CoÌ„munion as they terme it confessing that these Sacraments be necessary to saluation And yet denyinge the Eucharist to be as Catholiks professe the true body and blood of Christ and sacrifice for the lyuinge and deade they contradict themselues for that they confesse that in this sinse it was generally vsed in Kinge Iames and Casanb resp ad Card. per. pa. 51. 52. 20. Middleâ— Papistom 20. p. 92. 113. 49. 137. 138. 47. 45. Feild l. 3. cap 29. p. 138. Couell Exa pag. 114. primitiue Church that the Apostles so deliuered it by tradition all Churches so obserued it and it was heresie to deny it Their words be The sacrifice of the altar and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primitiue Church The primatiue Church did offer sacrifice at the altar for the deade sacrifice for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathers Aerius condemned the custome of the Church in naming the deade at the altar and offeringe the sacrifice of Eucharist from them and for this his rash and inconsiderate boldenesse and presumption in condemninge the vniuersall Church of Christ he was iustly condemned Their whole congregation Kinge Iames
his councell King Iames Prot. Lords Bish. Doct. in Confer at HaÌ„pt Court p. 13. 18. 35. 36 10. 11 Couell ag the plea. of the Innoc. p. 104. Barlow Serm. before the K. Sept. 21 an 1607. part 3. cap. 2. Protestant Bishops and best learned Doctors assembled in publike confereÌ„ce haue left thus concluded The particular and personall absolution from sinne after confesson is apostolicall and a very Godly ordinance That baptisme is to be ministred by priuate persons in time of necessity is an holy Tradition Bishops and Archbishops be diuine ordinations confirmation iâ— an apostolicall traditioÌ„ And in their publike Rituall their communion booke they testifie that confirmation was a Tradition of the Apostles hath an externall signe also vsed by them and giueth grace which by the 25. Article of their religion maketh â— Communion booke of Engl. Protest Titul Confirmation §. Almighty Prot. of Religion art 25. a Sacrament So that to insist onely vpon these graunted Traditions not contained in Scripture by these Protestants and yet so necessary to saluation as they by their greatest allowance and authority deliuer wee may not say as this Article doth Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation These men also deliuer vnto vs with greate approbation Articul 6. supr makinge the Author of that worke and for the same a Bishop certaine sure rules to knowe such true Thraditions by in these words Rules by which wee may Iudge which are true and Indubitate Feild Books of the Church l. 4. pag. 242. August l. 4. contr Donat. c. 23. Traditions The first rule is deliuered by Sainct Augustine Quod vniuersa tenet Ecclesia nec Conciliâ—â— Institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not ordained by Councels but beinge euer holden it is most rightly belieued to haue beene deliuered by Apostolike authority The second Feild supr l. 4 c. 21. p. 242. c. 5. pag. 202. Kinge Iames and Confer at Hampton Couel def oâ— Hooker Ormer pict pap p. 184 Down l. 2. Antichr pag. 105. Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 57. rule is whatsoeuer all or the most famous and renowned in all ages haue constantly deliuered as receaued from them that went before them no man contradictinge or doubting of it may be thought to be an Apostolicall Tradition The third rule is the constat Testimony of the Pastors of an Apostolike Church successiuely deliuered Amongst Apostolike Churches the Church of Rome is more specially to be obeyed reuerenced and respected The Church of Rome is our mother Church it was a rule to all both in doctrine and ceremonies when it was in her florishinge and best estate The Church of Rome was the cheife and onely Church It was a note of a good ChristiaÌ„ to cleane vnto the Romane Apostolicall Church Euery Church ought to haue respect to the Church of Rome for her eminent principality And our English Protestant antiquaries and Diuines haue generally giuen their allowance that the Church of Rome both in this and the next age when Britayne did receaue the most pure Religion of Christ from thence was most holy and vnspotted free from all error Therefore whatsoeuer wee doe or may bringe in generall or particular for vnwritten traditions either from this so renowned Apostolike Church in this time from the whole Church or the most famous and renowned in this age beinge our Protestants owne allowed rules and to be denied by none must needs be euidence and testimony vndeniable in this and all others their questioned Articles Frst I exemplifie in the Apostles Creede stiled by our Protestants before a sundry comprehension of the cheife heads of Christian Religion Protest supr Ruffin in exposit Symboli alij a rule of the Churches faith This was deliuered by the Apostles by tradition not by Scripture but before the Scriptures of the new Testament werâ— written as both they and the auncient Fathers by â— common consent of the whole Church of Christ are witnesses And the same consent of Christ Church with these our Protestants in these their Articles so conclude of Sainct Athanasius and the Art 8. of prot Religion Nicen Creede in these words The three Creeds Nicen Creede Athanasius Creede and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly to bâ— receaued beleeued And so generally they obserue although the reason which they immediatly yeelâ— thereof for they may be proued by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture is childish and impertinentâ— for being confessed that the Apostles Creede waâ— deliuered onely by tradition of the Apostles and by that authoritie receaued before the Scriptures either receaued or written this Creede could not possibly be receaued by the written warrant of Scriptures but vnwritten tradition and warrant of thâ— Apostles And although the Nicen and S. Athanasius Creeds were written longe after this time yâ— they were both written receaued in the Churcâ— before the Scriptures were generally allowed anâ— receaued as both the auncent Fathers and Protestants haue acknowledged before and it is testifie by the publike warranted Protestant glosse vpoâ— Prot. Glosse by authority of Church of Engl. in Art 8. these their Articles that very many both old anâ— late writers euen whole sects and professionâ— namely to vse their owne words Ebionites Trâ—theits Antitrinitarians Apollinarians Arians Mâ—nichies Nestorians Origenians Familists and Anâ—baptists with others are Aduersaries vnto and deniers that these Creeds may be proued by holâ— Scripture Much more doe they and many other both Catholiks and Protestants themselues deny that all and singular their articles necessary to saluation may so be proued And to come to the holy and happy Apostolike writers and Saincts which liued and wrote in this first age and first hundred of yeares to wit S. Linus Sainct Clement Sainct Denys the Areopagite S. Martial Sainct Ignatius Sainct Policarpus or any other of whom any worke is extant I shall make it S. Ignat. epist ad Smyrn Theod. dialo Euseb l. 3. c. 31. Hieraâ— lib. de vir Illust S. Bern. Serm. 7. in ps 9. Marc. Michal Carnoten lib. de vir illustr Dion Carth. ad l. Areop de diuin nom Sint Sin lib. 2. Ignat. ep ad S. Ioh. 1. 2. ad B. Mar. Virg. B. Mar. epist ad Ignat. S. Ignat. epist ad Smyrnen Euseb hist l. 3. ca. 33. â— Chrisost orat de traÌ„sl S. Ignatij Foelix Rom. ep ad Zenon Imperat synod S. Constant Theodoret. Immutabil dialog 1. euident that in euery Article in this Protestant Religion contained in their booke of the Articles thereof they dissented from these Protestants and they and the Apostolike Church then vniuersally agreed in and professed the same doctrine which the present Roman Church doth at this day in all points This will plainely appeare in euery Article hereafter and therefore in this place I will onely cite Sainct Ignatius as a sufficient pawne or pledge
defence of Perk. pa. 67. 68. 65 88. 90. Couel def of Hooker p. 35. â— man to make choyce of life wee acknowledge that the â—ult is in euery maÌ„ that is not saued Wee say with Auâ—n both in words meaning that true Religion neither â—nies free will either to a good or badd life As S. Berâ—ard saith there is a threefold freedome from necessity â—om sinne from misery The first of nature the seconde â— grace the third of glory In the first from the bondage â— coaction the will is free in its owne nature and hath â—wer ouer it selfe That freedome by which the will of â—an is named free is the first And thereof wee dare say â—at the wicked want not the freedome of will Thus they write publish and approue with their â—uthority to be the doctrine and allowed opinion â—f English Protestants in this matter Our primaâ—ue Christian Britans of this first age could neither â—earne of their first Apostles and Fathers in Christ â—or professe any other doctrine or opinion in this â—oint for Sainct Peter being the first founder of â—heir Church and faith could deliuer no other in â—his matter to them then he had taught at Anâ—ioch and Rome and recommended to his two â—lorious Successors S. Ignatius and S. Clement in â—hose two highest Apostolike Sees And Sainct Clement either preached here in Britaine or as he expressely deliuereth by chaâ— Clem. Rom. epist 1. giuen and committed to him by Sainct Peter â— send learned Bishops into all these westerne pâ— where Sainct Peter had not ordained such befâ— And for Sainct Ioseph of Aramathia and his hâ— company who made free choyce and election â— the loue of Christ to forsake contry kindred â— all temporall goods and trauayle so many thâ—sands of myles into the end of the knowne woâ— to liue and dye there in such austerity and Sâ—ctity of life as they practized lyuing here they mâ— of necessity be professours as they were renowâ— Examplars in this businesse And that the Britâ— Tertul. l. de anima c 20. 21. l. 2. aduers Murc c. 5. 6. 8. de epiph ortat de constit cap. 2. then generally that were conuerted so professâ— with the whole Christian world Tertullian an â—deniable teacher of this doctrine in many places â—stifieth of it as of others before that all Apostoliâ— Churches Europe Asie and Afrike agreed theâ— in And it so continued euer in Britaine in suâ— manner that afterwards Pelagius the heretike â—tolled it to much and was therefore both by Bâ—tans and all other Catholiks condemned and dâ— tested for an heretike for so enabling it without â—sistance of grace All writers Catholike and Prâ—testants thus agreeing THE FOVRTH CHAPTER The 11. Article of the Iustification of man exâ—mined and condemned by the Apostolike Fathers of this first age THEIR next 11. Article is intituled of the iâ—stification of man and expressed in these words â—e are accompted righteous before God onely for the â—rit of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by faith â—d not for our owne workes or deseruings Wherefore â—at wee are iustified by faith onely is a most whole some â—ctrine and very full of comfort as more largely is exâ—ssed in the homily of Iustification This is the whole article and the doctrine thereâ— that wee are iustified by faith onely is before â—ndemned by Sainct Ignatius and the Apostolike S. Ignatius epist ad Ephes â—ctrine of this first age affirming that faith is â—ely the beginninge of mans perfection or iustice â—d charity doth perfect it without which a man â— not iustified Principium vitae fides finis eius chaâ—as haec autem duo quoties in vnum coeunt Dei hoâ—nem perficiunt He saith also that sinnes be taken way by almes and faith and not by faith onely â— this article speakes Eleemosina fide expiantur â—ccata And though a man be otherwise faithfull Ignat. epist ad Heron. â—steth liueth in virginity worketh wonders and â—ophecieth yet if he keepe not the constitutions â—f the Church he is to be esteemed as a wolfe â—mong sheepe Quicunque dixerit quippiam praeter ca â—uae constituta sunt tametsi fide dignus sit quamuis â—iunat quaÌ„uis in virginitate degat quamuis signaedat â—uamuis prophetet pro lupo illum habeas qui sub ouina â—elle exitium pestemque adfert ouibus All men agree â—ainct Ignatius was a true beleeuer yet writing to Ignat. epist ad Philadelp â—he Philadelphians he confesseth he was not thereâ—y sure of his saluation as Protestants say they are â—ut desired to be perfected by their prayers In Doâ—ino Iesu vinctus necdum perfectus sum sed precatio vestra ad Deum me perficiet vt id consequar ad quod vocatus sum He professeth that he beleeued in Christ as he ought to doe yet desired to be iustified by others prayers Iesus mihi pro Archiuis est qâ— nolle audire manifesta pernicies est Illibatum mihi â— archiuuÌ„ crux eius mors resurrectio eius fiâ— horum per quae cupio iustificari precationibus vestris True it is Sainct Ignatius citeth and approuâ— that saying of scripture Iustus ex fide viuit the iâ— man liueth by faith which the Protestants makeâ— a ground of their errour in this question but he â—ueth not that prerogatiue vnto it which they doâ— either to iustifie onely or at all but to be necessaâ— to iustification as all true Catholiks coÌ„fesse thâ— no man can be iustified without it neither doth â— meane the Protestants pretended presumptioâ— faith or such as is singular to any sect but the coâ—mon faith of the vniuersall Church of God yâ— in the same place ascribeth iustificatioÌ„ to constanâ— in goodnesse doing and suffering for the loue â— God and louinge him aboue our selues and aâ— other things Nihili pendo supplicia haec neque taâ— facio vitam meam vt eamplus amem quam Dominuâ— Quare paratum me offero igni feris gladijs cruci duâ— Epist ad Tarsenses modo ChristuÌ„ videam Saluatorem Deum meum qâ— propter me mortuus est obsâ—cro vos ego vinctus Chrâ—sti state in fide este constantes quia iustus ex fide viâ—â— estote immobiles quia Dominus habitare facit vnâ—â— moris in Domino That faith where there is but one preachinâ— thereof one Church founded by the Apostles in aâ— the world where the professours liue in one vnity haue one altare one sacrifice vna praedicatio vâ—na fides vnum baptisma vna Ecclesia quaâ— Epist ad Philadelph suis sudoribus laboribus fundarunt Sancti Apostoâ— Ã finibus terrae vsque ad fines in sanguine Christi vâ— oportet vt populum peculiarem gentem Sanctam omâ—ia perficere concordibus animis in Christo. Vna est caro â—omini nostri Iesu Christi vnus illius sanguis vnum â—tare omni Ecclesiae And yet the true vniuersall and â—atholike faith which all Protestants and partiâ—lar
sectaries doe want though it is so necessary â— saluation that no King Prince Prelate Potenâ—te or whosoeuer can be iustified and saued withâ—ut it yet of it selfe without hope charity and loue â—f God and our neighbour which bringeth all â—ood vnto vs and the keeping of Gods commaunâ—ements such faith neither saueth nor iustifieth â—emo erret nisi crediderit Iesum Christum in carne â—nuersatum crucem illius confessus fuerit pasâ—nem Epistol ad Smyrnen sanguinem quem effudit pro mundi salute â—n assequetur vitam aeternam siue Rex fuerit siue Saâ—dos siue princeps siue priuatus homo siue Dominus â—e seruus siue vir siue foemina Qui capit capiat qui â—dit audiat Locus dignitas diuitiae neminem efferant â—obilitas paupertas neminem deijciant Totum â—mque praecipuum est fides in Deum spes in â—ristum fruitio eorum quae expectamus bonorum â—aritas in Deum proximum Diliges enim Domiâ—m Deum tuum extoto corde tuo proximum tuum â—ut teipsum Et Dominus inquit haec est vita aeterna â— cognoscant te solum verum Deum quem misisti â—um Christum Et mandatum nouum do vobis vt diâ—atis vos mutuo In his duobus mandatis pendet tota â— Prophetae Sainct Clement teacheth the same â—ctrine assuring vs that Christ was so farre from â—ching that man is to be iustified onely by faith â—he lawe of the ghospell that he tyeth vs to more â—ct lawes and commaundements then vnder the â—e of Moyses Qui tunc homicidium interdixit nunc â—am iram tâ—nere concitatam qui tunc adulterium nunc prauam quoque cupiditatem lâ—gem naturalâ—m â—sustulit Clem. Rom. l. 6. constit Apost cap. 23. sed confirmauit Qui dixit diliges proxiâ— tuum idem in Euangelio ait renouandi gratia maâ—tum nouum do vobis vt diligatis inuicâ—m And â—ching the way and meanes how wee should â— made friends with God and so be iustified heâ—leth vs that this friendship is to be procured by â—uing well and obaying his will which is the laâ— all liuing men vt tendamus ad amicitiam Conditâ—amicitia Clem. Rom. l. 1. recognit autem efficitur benè viuendo volâ—â— eius obediendo quae voluntas omnium viuentium â— est The like hath Sainct Martiall vtterly condâ—ning all such presumption as is in the pretenâ— Protestant iustifying faith teaching and directâ— to obay the will of God in holy words and gâ— workes Vobis est testis scutator renum cordiuâ— eius S. Martial ep ad Tolosan cap. 17. obedientia nihil arroganter nihil superbè nihâ—â— merè praesumere sed tanquam pusillus grex Dei â— luntatem eius adimplere studete in verbis Sanctiâ— operibus honis Where wee euidently see that â— will of God is not fulfilled nor iustice wroughâ— onely faith but holy speaking and doing gâ— workes Sainct Denis the Areopagite saith that â— knew well and therein agreed with the diâ— Scriptures that euery one was to be rewarded â—cording to his worthinesse or deseruing Probè◠Dionys Areo. Eccl. Hierar cap. 12. scriptis diuinis assentiens vnumquemque praeâ— accepturum pro dignitate And addeth that euery shop or learned Preist being the Interpretor oâ— nine things doth learne from holy Scriptures â— euerlasting life and happenesse is with most â— measure giuen vnto men according to their dâ—â—ings and merits Diuinus Antistes interpres diuiâ—orum iudiciorum didicit à scriptis quae diuinitùs proâ—ita sunt clarissimam diuinamque vitam pro dignitate â—c meritis iustissimis lancibus tribui Sainct Polycarpe in his Epistle which Sainct Irenaeus l 3. c. 3. Euseb l. 3. hist c 36. Polycarp epist ad Philipp â—eneus Eusebius and others cite and approue doth â—istinguish faith and iustice in Christians and â—heweth that holy men that are saued obtayned â—lory by such distinct iustice and sufferings for Christ Hi omnes qui non in vacuum cucurrerunt sed in â—de iustitia ad debitum sibi locum cum Domino â—ui compassi sunt abierunt And this glory was â—ue vnto them for such iustice and sufferings Sainct Iustine in his publike Apologie for all Iustin Apol. 2 pro Christianis ad Anâ—on Pium Imper. post med Christians to the Emperour protesteth that all â—ood Christians euer from the beginning so held â—ued and practised that men were punished or reâ—arded according to the worth and dignity of their â—eeds and the Prophets before the Apostles so â—aught Hoc etiam explicamus nos supplicia poenas â—tque praemia pro dignitate actionum redditum iri à â—rophetis didicisse idque vere enuntiamus That this article of Catholike Religion was proâ—essed and practiezed here also it is euident being â—he vniuersall doctrine and profession of the whole Catholike Church as before appeareth And for â—hat this Kingdome being so remote a nation â—rom Hierusalem Rome Antioch and other cheife â—laces where Christian Religion then most floriâ—hed and those glories of the world whose authoâ—ities I haue cited and such others as then florished â—ust needs receaue their faith from them and â—hence and be of the same minde and opinion with â—hem herein And to examplifie onely in particular in thâ— which our Protestant antiquaries confesse to hâ— beene Christians of or in this nation in this agâ— Sainct Beatus a noble Britan Sainct Ioseph of â—romathia who buried Christ and his holy compâ—nions which conuersed with the Apostles and tâ— Speed Theater of greate Britaine li. 6. Pantal. de vir Illustrib German Antiquitat Glast tabulis affir Guliel Makn l. de antiq caen Glaston Cupgr in S. Ioseph Arom Apostolike Doctors remembred they thought â— faith onely to be it by which men were iustifiâ— as these Protestants hold but liued in most strict â— penitentiall life all their dayes in watchings fâ—stings and prayers so seruing God the blessâ— Virgin Mary with other Saincts and Angels Vâ—gilijs Ieiunijs orationibus vacantes Deo Beâ— Virgini deuota exhibentâ—s obsequia Their reuerenâ— which they vsed to the holy reliks which thâ— brought with them spoken of before and to tâ— crosse and other Christian Images ther building â— chappell in honour of the blessed Virgin Mary â— the admonishment of S. Gabriell the Archangeâ— Archangeli Gabrielis admonitu their poore chastâ— and obedient religious life foresaking all euâ— their wiues Sainct Ioseph bringing his wise iâ— Britaine as these antiquities say and leauing hâ— and all wordly comforts for the loue of Chrisâ— proue sufficiently vnto vs they were not of oâ— Protestant profession that onely faith did iustifâ— and that there was no Iustice merit or reward bâ— and for good workes holynesse and perfection â— lyuinge well THE V. CHAPTER The 12. Article examined and in whatsoeuer differing from the present Romane Church condemned by the Apostolike age So of the 13. and 14. Articles AND by
Luther Iohn Caluine Thomas Crâ—mar or whosoeuer in any time or place aâ— preacher of the coÌ„trary truth as Protestants woâ— haue it yet this man being but one could not malâ— a congregation of faithfull men which must neâ— be a number nor preach the pure word of God â— â—â—ongregation of faithfull men nor duely minister â— the Sainaments according to Christs ordinance no sâ— Protest CoÌ„f. Helu Gallic Angl. Scotic Belg. PolonuÌ„ Argent Augustan Saxonic wittemb Palatin Bohemich Parliament Henric. 8. Edw 6 Eliz. Can Comm. bookes Iniunct CanoÌ„s faithfull men or congregation yet being to preaâ— and minister them vnto which is a generall aâ— vnanswearable demonstration by this Protesâ— article it selfe that the Church could neuer so â—nerally erre nor their new pretended congregatâ— be any part or parcell of the true Church Whâ— is also manifest by their fourteene fifteene or mâ— seuerall Protestant confessions and pretended â—gregations euery on of them different from otâ— and with it selfe also as here in England the â— Church of Kinge Henry VIII King Edâ—â— Queene Elizabeth King Iames and King â—harles at open warrs with themselues both in â—ctrine and Sacraments as their seuerall approued â—wes Parlaments proclamations Synods Caâ—ns Iniunctions Litanies communion bookes â—thorized Orders of prayer conferences and deâ—ees are too great witnesses And to quench the â—ey malice of the ProtestaÌ„ts against the Church of â—ome our Mother Church as lately King Iames â—ed it they saying in this article the Church â— Rome hath erred in matters of faith The Apoâ—like men which liued this age will teach the â—ntrary First whereas all agree that Sainct Peter was Biâ—op liued and died there Sainct Dionisius the Aâ—opagite saith hee was the most auncient and â—eifest head of diuines Petrus maximum antiquissiâ—mque Dionis Areopag l. de diu nom cap. 3. Eccles Hierarch c. 9. Ignat. ep ad Rom. in â—itul Theologorum columen And testifieth plaineâ— that without doubt he was Prince or cheifest of â—e Apostles Ipse discipulorum facile princeps Sainct Ignatius proueth the Roman Church â—s the sanctified and ruling Church Ecclesia sanâ—ficata quae praesidet in loco Regionis Romanorum That was the Church which was sanctified ilâ—minated by the will of God who created all â—ings which belong to the faith loue of Christ â—sus God our Sauiour the Church worthy of â—od most decent to be blessed praysed worthy â— be obtained most chast and of excellent charity â—ioying the name of Christ and his father and reâ—enished with the holy Ghost Ecclesia sanctificata â— illuminata per voluntatem Dei qui omnia creauit â—ae pertinent ad fidem charitatem Iesu Christi Deo â—gna decentissima beatificanda laudanda digna quae quis potiatur castissima eximiae charitatis Chrâ— patris nomine fruens spirituque plena And plaiâ—ly of the Christians of Rome that they vâ— ioined in body and soule to all the commaunâ—ments of Christs and replenished with all graâ— Spiritu corpore coniunctos omnibus mandatis Iâ— Christi repletos omni gratia Dei absque haesitatione repugnatos ab omni alieno colore Without all doâ—ting freed from all errour Sainct Clement is â—â—nesse Clem. Rom. epist 1. that Sainct Peter was made the foundatâ— of the Church Simon Petrus veraefidei merito â—tegrae praecicationis obtentu fundamentum esse Ecclâ— definitus est And was cheifest ruler among the â—postles Nec inter ipsos Apostolos par institutio fâ—sed vnus omnibus praefuit And calleth him the â—ther Clem. Rom. epist 2. of all the Apostles and that he receaued tâ— keyes of the Kingdome of heauen Beatum Petrâ— Apostoluni omnium Apostolorum patrem qui clâ— regni caelestis accepit And relating how Sainct Peâ— a litle before his constituting him his successourâ— the presence of the whole Church in auribus toâ— Ecclesiae committed his chaire and Apostolike supreâ— power vnto him alone as it was by Christ commâ—cated and giuen vnto him In auribus totius Eccleâ— haec protulit verba Clementem hunc Episcopum vâ—â— ordino cui soli meae praedicationis doctrinae câ—â—â—dram trado Ipsi trado à Domino mihi traditam potesâ—tem ligandi soluendi vt de omnibus quibuscâ—â— que decreuerit in terris hoc decretum sit in coelis And this is not denied by our Protestant Anâ—quaries Robert Barnes lib. de vit Pontif. Rom. â—â— Clement 1. but affirmed from the same authoritâ— Clemens Romanus à Petro apprehens â manu institâ—â— est Romanus Pontifex si Epistolis Clementis credendâ— est Acknowledging those epistles to be the worâ— â— Sainct Clement which so testifie In which and â—ers other bookes he giueth lawes for the whole â—hurch which he himselfe sufficiently often witâ—sseth writing and sending his decrees to be kept â—d obserued to and by all Bishops Preists all â—ergy men and all Princes greater or lesse and â—nerally vnto all beleeuers Clemens vrbis Romae Clem. epist 3. de offic Sacerd Clericor â—iscopus omnibus Coepiscopis Presbyteris Diaconis â— reliquis Clericis cunctis Principibus maioribus â—noribusuè omnibus generaliter fidelibus This epiâ—e traÌ„slated by Ruffinus is intituled of the office â—d duty of Priests Clergie men de officio Sacerdotis Clericorum for the whole Church of Christ The â—e commaunde and generall authority of his Sea â—postolike he hath in diuers other bookes Sainct Anaclet epist 1. 2. 3. â—acletus also is so cleare for this primacy and inâ—libility of the Church of Rome that our Proteâ—nts confesse it thus as plainely To proue that the Ormer pict Pap. p. 78. Robert Bern. l. de vit pont Rom. in Anacleto â—urch of Rome hath the preeminence ouer all Churches â—eadgeth math 16. vers 18. vpon this rocke will I â—lde my Church and he expoundeth it thus super â—c Petram id est super Ecclesiam Romanam vpon â—s rocke that is vpon the Church of Rome will I â—ld my Church Anacletus writeth that the primacy of the Church of â—me ouer all Churches and ouer all Christian people â—s graunted by our Lord himselfe because saith he said to Peter liuing at Rome vpon this rocke will I â—ild my Church Ab ipso Domino primatum Romanae â—clesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuer sumque Chriâ—ani nominis populum concessum esse asseruit quia inâ—it Petro agenti morieÌ„ti Romae dixit tues Petrus â— super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Sainct Euaristus writeth the like calling the Euarist ep 1. Church of Rome the head â—â—put of Churches â—lexander Alex. 1. ep 1. affirmeth that Christ committed thâ—â—posing of the greatest causes and busines â— Churches to Sainct Peter Prince of the Apâ— and to the Apostolike Roman Sea as head of tâ— Middleton Papist p. 200. Cui sanctae Apostolicae sedi summarum disposâ— causarum omnium negotia Ecclesiarum ab ipsoâ— mino tradita sunt quasi
ad caput ipso dicente prâ— Apostolorum Petro Tues Petrus super hanc Pâ— aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Sainct Papias also â— Protestants confesse to speake in their â— words taught Peters primacy and Romish Eâ—pality Sainct Martial a disciple of Sainct Peteâ—â—sent Martial ep ad Burdegal cap. 11. Hier. l. de vir Illust in Iren. epist 29. ad Theod. Tert. l. contra Valent Martyrol Rom. die 28. Iunij into Fraunce by the Apostolike Râ— Church and a member thereof teacheth thâ— Church of Christ is firme and can neuer be â— throwne or dissolued Firma Ecclesia Dei â— nec cadere nec disrumpi poterit vnquam Sainct Ireneus being by Sainct Hierome thâ— Romane Martyrologe and others scholler Polycarpus and Papias and neare the Apâ— time Apostolorum temporum vicimus must neeâ— and be learned in this age and both knowe â— followe the approued doctrine thereof beâ— most Catholike holy learned Sainct Martyâ— Doctour yet he witnesseth of the Roman Câ— Iren. l. 3. c. 3. that it hath principality ouer all others and â— fore euery Church all true beleeuers must concordance with it euer keeping the truâ— Christian Religion which the Apostles deliâ— Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitâ— necesse est omnem conuâ—nire Ecclesiam hoc est eâ— sunt vndique fidelâ—s in qua semper ab his qui sâ—â— dique conseruata est ca quae est ab Apostolis trâ— â—e saith this Church is the greatest most auncient â—owne to all founded by the two most glorious â—ostles Sainct Peter and S. Paul keeping inuiâ—â—le the faith they taught and confounding all â—t erre Maximae antiquissimae omnibus coâ—itae à gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro Paulo â—maefundatae constitutae Ecclesiae eam quam haâ— ab Apostolis traditionem annunciatam hominiâ— fidem per successiones Episcoporum peruenientem â—que ad nos indicantes confundimus omnes eos qui â—quo modo velper sui placentiam malam vel vaâ— gloriam vel per caecitatem malam sententiam â—terquam oportet colligunt Where this Church of â—me is euer pure and vnspotted free from errour â— Iudge and confounder of all wheresoeuer or â—wsoeuer erring and falling from the true Apoâ—like doctrine S. Simeon Metaphrastes die 29. Iunij Leland in Arthurio Harrison descr of Britaine Stow hist of Engl. Hollinsh his of Engl. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. Caius antiquit Cautab Godwin CoÌ„uers of Brit. and Catal. of Bish. Io. Goscelin hist Manuscript Mat. parker Antiquit Brit. And particularly concerning Britaine So it â—s euer adiudged here wee receaued our first â—h from Sainct Peter and the Roman Church â—nct Peter stayed longe in Britaine conuerted â—y founded here Churches ordained Bishops â—ists and Deacons venit in Britanniam quo in loco â—o temporefuit moratus verbo gratiae multos illumiâ—it Ecclesias constituit Episcoposque Presbyteros â—iaconos ordinauit â—nd all our Protestant Antiquaries confesse that â— receaued this holy Apostolike faith and â—at this time and in euery age had Bishops and â—chers sent hither from Rome as Sainct Daâ—nus and Faganus with others from Pope Eleuâ—ius in the second age from Pope Victor wee â— many in the third age and Sainct Mellonius or Mello from Pope Stephen and S. Amphibalus with others from the same Romes authority in the same age In the fourth age one holy Emperesse Emperour Queene and King S. Helen with our whole Cleargy agreed with Sainct Syluester and others Popes there and Sainct Ninian with others of ours which where there consecrated and sent hither by that power Apostolike and many of our Bishops were then at diuers Councels as Arles in Fraunce Sardyce and others both ioyning with the Roman Church and acknowledging the supreame spirituall power thereof In the next and fift age Pope Celestine and other holy Popes sent hither S. Palladius Sainct Germanus S. Lupus Sainct Seuerus S. Patricius S. Dubricius Coelius Sedulius with others renowned in all the world In the sixt age the Sea of Rome sent hither and approued here Sainct Iuo Sainct Ethelardus S. Dauid Sainct Kentegern Sainct Asaph Sainct Molochus Sainct Augustine Mellitus Iustus with all that holy company sent hither by Sainct Gregory Pope then especially to the Pagan and noâ— yet beleeuing Saxons Now that our Christiaâ— Britains neuer forsooke or chaunged in any onâ— materiall point their first receaued Apostolike faith Io. Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. Pontif. in Greg. 1. l. de scrip Centur. 1. in August Dauid powel Annotat. in l. â— Girald Cambren Haier Camb. cap. 1. wherein they were assisted by the Popes and Seâ— of Rome all this while to the cominge of S. Augustine in the end of the sixt hundred of yeares oâ— most esteemed Protestant Antiquaries directly tâ—stifie from Antiquities Two of them speake in these very same wordâ— apud Britannos vigebat veritat is praedicatio doctriâ— sincera purus Dei cultus qualis ab ipsis Apostoâ— mandato diuino Christianorum Ecclesijs tradiâ—us 〈◊〉 At the comminge of Augustine hither here florished among the Britans the preaching of the truth sincere doctrine and the pure worship of God which by the Apostles themselues by Gods commandement was deliuered to the Churches of Christians One of theÌ„ saith their doctrine was most sincere Doctrinae sincerissima Both of them cite the brittish history so they might haue cited the old manuscript history of Rochester with diuers others Two other principall Protestant Antiquaries the one an Archbishop with them say Euangelium quod primis Apostolorum Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 68. 9 45. alijs â—o Goscelin hist Eccles manuscr c. Britâ—nunq prolaff à fide Godwin conuers of Brit. p. 43. temporibus in Britannia nuntiatum non modo semper retentum firmiter sed singulis saeculis auctum dilatatum creuisse The Ghospell which was preached in Britaine in the first times of the Apostles was both euer firmely retained and encreased in euery age An other a Bishop in their congregation writeth The Britans continued still in the same tenour of pure doctrine which they had receaued in the first infancy of the Church The doctrine and discipline of their Church they had receaued from the Apostles of Christ An other hath thus among the Britains or welchmen Hollinsh hist of Engl. c. 21. p. 102. Foxe Act and monum pa. 463. edit an 1576. Fulke Answ to a counterf Cathol p. 40. Middleton Papistomast p. 202. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. Christianity as yet remained in force which from the Apostles time had neuer failed in that nation An other hath thus The Britains after the receauing of the Faith neuer forsooke it for any manner of false preachinge of others An other thus witnesseth The Britains before Augustines cominge continued in the faith of Christ euen from the Apostles time The like haue many others to many to be cited not any of them contradicting it And by this they haue
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
19. manner how Bishops should not suffer sinners to enter into the Church vntill they had done pennance as he should thinke fit and then to forgiue them Cum aliquem peccauisse cognoueris iube cum foras eijci ingressique pro eo rogent Tunc iubebis illum iuuare expendens an paeniteat dignus sit qui in Ecclesiam omnino recipiatur afflictum illum diebus ieiuniorum pro ratione peccati hebdomadas duas vel tres vel quinque vel septem dimitte Where the graunting of pardon and Indulgence more or lesse is referred to the Bishops iudgmeÌ„t and discretion And Cap. 21. further omnium curam habeat Episcopus Poenitentibus remissionem concedere oportet Recognosce ô Episcope dignitatem tuam quod sicut ligandi potestatem accepisti sic etiam soluendi Obtinens igitur soluendi potestatem recognosce teipsum secundum dignitatem loci tui in hac vita versare sciens quod de pluribus rebus ratio abs te requiretur Cui enim inquit depositum est Luc. 12. multum abundantius repetetur ab eo Nam peccati expers reperitur nemo excepto eo qui propter nos factus est homo Quoniam scriptum est nemo mundus à Iob 25. sâ—â—â—â—bus neque si vnum diem vixerit Where pardons and Indulgences are commaunded and the necessity of them among all men sinners deliuered He teacheth the like thus againe peccantem caâ—â—iga Lib. 2. Const Apost c. 21. Cap. 21. ieiunio afflictum remissione releua ingemiscentem recipe And leauing all to the Church to impose pennance to alter chaunge ease or giue pardon release and giue Indulgence of it he addeth nolite pro omni peccato eandem sententiam ferre Cap. 52. sed vnicuique propriam poenam statuite cum multa prudentia Alios minis subijcies alijs subsidijs pauperum alios ieiunijs affliges alios segrcgabis pro delicti magnitudine Diuersis delictis diuersas poenas imponatis Si poenitentem non receperis insidiatoribus trades Cap. 14. oblitus Dauid dicentis ne tradas bestijs animam confitentem tibi Si quis Episcopus aut presbyter cum qui à Psal 73. Can. Apost can 51. peccaco reuertitur non recipit sed reijcit deponitor eo quòd Christum offendat qui dixit ob vnum peccatorem qui resipiscat gaudium oboriri in coelo And Sainct Ignatius earnestly vrgeth to take Ignat. epist ad Philadelp mercy of and pardon penitent sinners and receaue them with all gentlenesse as a meanes to bring them from sinning to saluation Obsecro vos quot-quot paenitentia ducti redierint ad vnitatem Ecclesiae suscipite illos cum omni mansuetudine vt per bonitatem This doctrine of IndulgeÌ„ces vsed in Britaine from the first conuersion thereof to Christ Girald Cambren descriptione Cambr. cap. 18. patientiam vestram resipiscentes ex diaboli laqueis digni iam Christo facti salutem consequantur aeternam in regno Christi And to come home to this our owne contry of Britaine Giraldus Cambrensis an old learned Bishop and greate antiquary entreating of the first faith and Religion of the Britans de antiqua fidei fundatione Christianitatis amore deuotione saith they euer coÌ„tinued in the same among other customes and obseruances kept froâ— the time of their first conuersion their Churcheâ— had farre greater Immunities priuiledges or Indulgences then in other places Ecclesiae istorum longâ— maiorem quà m alibipacem habent These Indulgences here did farre exceede them which the Canons graunt Longè Canonum Indulgentiam excedente An euident argument they were more auncient then the Canons And being as hâ— teacheth without Innouation or chaunge eueâ— from the first conuersion of this Kingdome and the Apostles time Which our oldest antiquities warranted both by Catholike and Protestant historians and our Protestants themselues will thus proue vnto vs. They testifie with Antiquity that Io. Bal. l. 1. de vit Pont. Roman in Eleut Robert Barn in vit pont Rom. in eod Pope Eleutherius was bonus paterfamilias a good Steward of Gods Church And King Lucius entreated him to be ioyned to the Christian faith and Church which was then and had beene from the beginning Lucius Britanniae Rex Christiano caâ—â—i cum suis subditis adiungi à pontifice petijt per literas And hee so effected it that the BritaÌ„s were coÌ„firmed and strengthened in the doctrine which they had receaued from the Apostles and the whole Kingdome here professed it Eleutherius vt bonus paterfamilias effecit vt confirmatis consolidatis Britanâ—is in suscepta prius ab Apostolis doctrina totum illud regnum in eius fidei verbum iuraret And this Apostolike faith and doctrine was the same which this good Pope S. Eleutherius and the Romans then Bal. lib. de Script Brit. centur 1. in Eluana Meduino Godw. conu of Brit. and the Christian Britains here also professed as these Protestants and all Antiquaries agree saying that the first preachers to King Lucius were Apostolike men or instructed by them per Apostoliâ—os viros in Christo renati and our King sent for this Apostolike faith to Pope Eleutherius at Rome literiâ— suis Rex Lucius apud Eleutherium Pontificem egit vt apud Romanos Christianorum adscriberetur numero And the Apostolike Catholike faith which was Io. Bal. sup Io. Leland Assertion Arthurij Charta S. Pâ—tricij Antiq. Glastenien tab lign in membran affix Guliel Malmesbur l. de antiquitat Coenob Glasten Acta per legat Crapgr Catal. in S. Patricio Io. Leland in Arth. here at Rome and from thence sent and confirmed here in this question of Indulgences was the same which the present Roman Church now professeth For wee reade in the old Acts of those legates which S. Eleutherius sent hither recommended by these Protestants for authenticall as written by themselues Fugatius Damianus vt apud posteros clariora perdurarent membranis his dedâ—runt Acta per legatos inde ad nos peruenerunt and many other antiquities That thâ—se holy Legates procured 10. yeares of Indulgence for all visitours of that sacred place of Glastenbury Sancti Phaganus Deruianus perquisierunt ab Eleutherio Papa qui eos miserat decem annos Indulgentiae And these old Acts did testifie that the same holy Legates obtained 30. yeares of Indulgence for all Bishops that should with deuotion visit the chappell there builded in honour of S. Michael the Archangell Dicebat eadem scriptura quod venerandi Phaganus Deruianus perquisierant triginta annorum Indulgentiam omnibus Episcopis ipsum locum ob honorem beati Michaelis pia voluntate visâ— tantibus The old Manuscript antiquities of Glastenbury set downe the names of almost an hundred holy and auncient Bishops which had giuen Indulgences to that holy place Wee cannot but Iudge the like of other Churches and places whose monuments haue not beene so happily preserued And this is
buildeâ— before S. Ioseph and his holy companians caâ—â— hither and here founded by them wholly finished Antiquitat glast tabulis fix sup S. Augustinus in Ecclesia S. Edmundi Matth. parker Anâ—iquit Britan. c. 2. p. 3. edit Hanouiae an 1605. and perfected dedicated also to the blessed Virgiâ— Many Primi Catholicae legis Neophyta antiquaâ— Deâ— dictante repererunt Ecclesiam nulla hominion arte vâ— referunt constructam immo â—umanae saluti à Deo pâ—â—atam quam postmodum ipse caelorum fabricator mâ—ltis mirâ—culorum gestis multisque virtutum mysterij◠〈◊〉 Sanctaeque Dei Genitrâ—ci Mariae se consecrasse monstrauit This was in the â—1 yeare after the Passion of Christ and after the assumption of our lady 15. Anno post Passionem Domini 31. post Assumptioâ—eâ— Gloriosa Virginis 15. When few other Saincts in the lawe of Christ were deceased this life and then in heauen Thus were our Two first Churches dedicated here by greatest warrant to the honour of the blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God where shee assisted and protected her Suppliant Seruants and petitioners there And S. Bede with all Antiquaries Catholiks Protestants consenteth that the Britans kept their first faith inuiolate and whole vntill the cruell persecution of Dioclesian Bed histor Eccl Angl. l. 1. cap. 4. susceptam fidem Britanni vsque in tempora Dioclesia◠〈◊〉 inuiolatam integramque quieta in pace seruaâ—â—â— And when this Kingdom was generally â—â—â—â—erted which happend in the succeding age all â—â—â— Temples before founded to false Gods were by common and greatest authoritie in all opinions 〈◊〉 now whatsoeuer of the holy pope S. Eleuâ—â—â—â—iâ—s his legats and our holy kinge S. Luâ—â—us câ—â—â—nged into Christian Churches dedicated to God and his Saincts Templa quae in honore plurimoâ—â—â— Galfrid histor Briton l. 4. c. 19. Matth. west an 185. Deorum fundata fuerant vni Deo eiusque Sanâ—â—â—â— dedicanerunt So they dedicated Churches to â—â—â— holy Angels namely S. Michael the Archangel â—â—â—oured and prayed vnto him and he protected Antiquitat glaston manuscript epistol S. Patricij Capgr catal in S. Patric Ioseph Bed hist l. 1. c. 7. Matth. westin An. 303. Manuscript Antiq. Iacob gemen in vit S. Amphibali Cap grau in eod in S. Alban Gradual antiq miss Sarisb in festo S. Albani litan Angl. antiq ante bapt commend animâ— â—â—em Phaganus Damianus Oratorium aedificauerunt in honore S. Michaelis Archangeli quatenus ibi ab hominibâ—â— haberet honorem qui homines in perpetuos honores iâ—â—ente Deo est introducturus So they prayed vnto the Saincts as is euident in the Examples of Sainct Heraclius our Martyr at the death of our fist Martyr S. Alban praying to him and heard and helped by him And S. Amphibalus that conuerted Saint Alban thus prayed vnto him both to be assisted by him and the holy Angels Sancte Albane Deum nostrum depreceris vt mihi Angelum bonum obuiam mittat ne mihi praedo truculentus obsistere nec Iter meum pars iniqua valeat impedire So it was in all after times which I am not to speake of in this place but thus may end this tedious and confused Article stuffed with so many fulshoods and aunciently condemned heresies I may be more breife in the rest of their followeing Articles not conteyning so many particulars THE IX CHAPTER The 23. article examined THeir next Article the 23. in number is this â— is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him â—â— office of publik preaching or ministring the Sacrameâ—â— in the Congregation before he be lawfully called â—â— sent to execute the same And those wee ought to Iudgâ— lawfully called and sent which be thosen and called â— this worke by men who haue publik authoritie giuâ— vnto them in the Congregation to call and send miâ—â—sters in the Lords vineyard This is the whole Article wherein there is no controuersie with or againâ— the Church of Rome neuer allowing any foâ— Preists or publike ministers of the holy Sacraments but such as are duely and truely consecrateâ— in the Sacrament of holy orders onely ministreâ— by lawfully and Canonically Sacred Bishops aâ— the doctryne and practise of this Apostolike agâ— was as I haue proued before and S. Ignatius witâ— S. Ignatius epist ad Smyrnen others thus proue vnto vs Non licet sine Episcopâ— baptizare neque offerre neque sacrificium immolâ—â—â— neque Dochen celebrare sed quodcumque illi visâ—â— fuerit secundum beneplacitum Dei vt tutum raâ—â—â—sit saci at is No Sacrament could be ministred nothing done in the Church without the Bishopâ— authoritie and approbation No man could be â— Preist minister Sacraments or exercise any Ecclesiasticall order or function but onely such as werâ— Epistol ad Heron. consecrated thereunto by lawfull Bishops Nihâ—â—sine Episcopis facito baptizant sacrificant eligâ—â—â— manus imponunt And these Protestants themselueâ— both in their Booke of their pretended consecration Protest Booke of consecrat pref per tot artic 36. infra prot glosse vpon the same canons Iniunctious c. and their 36. Article hereafter intituled of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers as also their publik glosse therevpon and common practise do thus testifie The Superioritie and authoritie which Bishops and Archbishops do exercise in ordering â—â—d consecrating of Bishops and Ecclesiasticall ministers iâ— grounded vpon the word of God From the Apostles dâ—â—es hither to there neuer wanted à Succession of Bisâ—ops neither in the East nor westerne Churches And from the first nursing of their Religion here in England they euer by their publik proceedings allowed that consecration which was in the Romane Church and most willingly without any addition or ceremony allowed such as were so consecrated to be Preists Ministers and Ecclesiasticall men among them if they would in wordly respects and in externall shew giue any allowance to their Religion And at this day they contend to deriue their owne pretended Bishops and Ministers by Consecration from our Catholik Roman Bishops This Article as their glosse expoundeth it seemeth to haue beene made agaynst the Mancerians Them Rogers Analis vpon the b. of Articles art 23. allowed by the lawf authoritie of the Church of Engl. Anabaptists family of loue and such others risen vp in their ProtestaÌ„t Schoole denying externall Ordination and calling of cleargie men But being well examined it doth both free the Roman Church as is proued and they confesse and condemneth all Protestants in the world First for forreyne Protestants none of them take or clayme ordination true or pretended from eyther true or pretended Bishops and so by that is already saide are vtterly condemned by this Article And for our English Protestants which pretended a calling and ordination by Bishops they are in the same case by their owne decree in this Article for therein they say that men lawfully called and sent be onely they which be chosen and called by men who haue publike
receaued this Sacrament reserued when extreame vnction was ministred vnto them And one of their most auntient antiquities carrying with it our Protestants approbation doth witnesse that the primatiue Christian Britans did publikely â—â— Euery Masse worship and pray vnto Christ present in this Sacrament this hath our Protestants translation Hereof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speach Thou lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. And thus I end this their many braunched Article THE XIX CHAPTER The 26. and 27. Articles examined and Protestant doctrine in or by them condemned THeir next Article being the 26. by their numbring them is thus intituled Of the worthiâ—es of the ministers which hinder not the effect of the sacraments The whole Article followeth in these All though in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good and sometime the euill haue cheife authoritie in the ministration of the worde and sacraments yet for asmuch as they do not the same in their owne name but in Christes and do minister by his commission and authoritie we may vse their ministerie both in hearing the word of God and in receiuing of the sacraments Neither is the effect of Christes ordinance taken away by their wikednesse nor the grace of Gods guifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receiue the sacraments ministred vnto them which be effectuall because of Christs institution 〈◊〉 promise allthough they be ministred by euill men Neuerthelesse it apperteyneth to the discipline of the Churche that inquirie be made of euill ministers and that they be accused by those that haue knowledge of their offences and finally being founde gyltie by 〈◊〉 Iudgment be deposed Hitherto this Article in which there it not any one proposition or sentence against the doctrine of the Romane Church and Catholike Religion but rather a graunte and confirmation thereof 〈◊〉 a renowncing of Protestant profession and proceedings in diuers particular poyntes and some most materiall As declaring that in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good they confesse the Church to be euer and indeâ—ectible And so Luther Caluyn Cranmar King Henry 8. with his daughter Queene Elizabeth or whomsoeuer els they will or can make the first publisher or aduancer of their doctrine separating themselues and being separated and cutt of from that visible true Church which was then generally so held this their Protestant congregation and Religion takeing Originall being from thence cannot possibly be the true Church and Religion of Christ And in making the true Church euer visible they must needs make their association or prerended companie eúer inuisible and so nothing vntill these dayes and condemne those their brethren Protestants who knowing their new fraternitie was neuer vntill those late times haue mathematically framed in their Imagination a new straung chimericall Inuisible vnbeeable and vnpossible Church Agayne professing that Preists the Ministers of Sacraments do Minister them in Christes 〈◊〉 by his commisson and authoritie they sufficiently confesse that if Christ omnipotent could and did consecrate breade and wyne into his body and blood forgiue sinnes and giue grace in sacraments truely consecrated Preists haue that power and do the same And affirming The sacraments to bâ— effectuall because of Christes Institution and promise â—either is the effects of Christes ordinance takâ—n away nor the grace of Gods guists diminished by the wikednesse of ministers They proue what the Catholiks holde in these things and Protestants cammonly deny Their last clause of Discipline in the Church making but one true visible Church and their congregation being as before no part thereof depriueth them of all such discipline as they haue already spoyled themselues of the pure worde of God preached and Sacraments duely ministred vnseparable signes and properties of the true visible Church by their 19. Article and thereby want all things which by their owne confession are euer founde in and belonge vnto the Church of Christ The 27. Article intituled of baptisme hath no thing contrary to Catholik Religion But the last clause thereof is against their 6. Article before that nothing is to be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessarie to saluation that is not read in nor may be proued by scriptures And in this place thus they decree The Baptisme-ef yong Prot. Articl 27. children is in any wise to be retayned in the Church as most agreable with the Institution of Christ In this whole Article before they make Baptisme in all requisite necessarie to Saluation So they do iâ— Protest communion Booke Tit. Baptisme Protest Conference at hampton Court. their communion booke in the administration thereof and in the reuewe of their Religion â—â— Hampton court thus they define That baptisme to be ministred by priuate parsons in tyme of necessitie is an holie tradition And so they vse in their common practise and Baptise Infants both by their ministers and others men and women especially my dwiues instructed how to Baptisme in time of Engl. Protest in feild Bookes of the Church pag. 239. and others necessitie Yet with publik consent and allowanâ—â— thus they write and publish Baptisme of Infants â—â— â—â—â—ed a Tradition because it is not expressely deliuered iâ— stripture that the Apostles did baptize Infants nor 〈◊〉 expresse precept there founde that they should so do Tâ—â—t the holy Fathers of the first age held Baptisme Supr in articul 6. of Infants for an vnwritten tradition I haue spoken before And S. Clement doth giue comâ—â—â—nd Clem. Rom. lâ—b 6. constit Apostolic cap. 15. Dionys Areopag Ecclesiast Hierarch cap. 7. concil mileuit cap. 2. Chrisostom homil de Adam Eua. Augustin cont Donat. l. 1. cap. 23. Epiphan Aug. alij de haeres Innocent 1. epist concil African cap. 77. concil Carthagin 5. cap. 6. Hect. Boeth Scot. hâ—st l. 9. Georg. Buchan Rer. scot l. 5. Reg. 52. holinsh hist of Scotland in Fâ—equard pag. 112. to haue it obserued Baptizate vestros pueâ—â—◠〈◊〉 S. Denys the Areopagite affirmeth it was so vsed Pueri qui necdum possunt intelligere diuiâ—â— sacri hapti smatis participes fiant And shewâ—â—gâ— how others answeare and promise for them 〈◊〉 prâ— ipsiâ— abrenunâ—iant sanctaquâ— ineunt faedera 〈◊〉 iâ— an holy tradition sanctam traditionem 〈◊〉 S. Chrisostome and others testifie generally in the whole Catholik Church in all places Praediâ—â—t Ecclesia Catholica vbique diffusa debere parâ—â—â—â—â— Baptizari prepter originalâ— peccatum And they were Nouatian Pelagian such condemned Hâ—retiks which at any time called this holy tradiâ—â—on and custome into question So it was here â—â— Britayne which though it was Mother and Noble longe time to pelagius the Archeretike wâ—o among other his damned Errours denyed the Baptisme of Infants yet it so much detested among tâ—â— rest this his obsurd Inuention that it
as the holyest Sainct that euer was there is noe damnation there is noe hell at all This doctrine putteth downe that beastely saying of Epicurus to take all pleasure in this life because he thought there was none after death for this doth Breede all wantonnesse and yet promiseth euerlasting pleasures in the world to come Therefore although wee most freely doe and are so bounde to beleeue and professe that the passion merits of Christ are of infinite cure validity worth and value in themselues able to haue beene a perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde and more then euer were shall or can be committed if Christ had so ordeyned and sinners so applyed them by such holy Instruments and meanes as Sacraments and others as he prouided and Instituted and they which are and shall be saued haue and will vse and apply to that end and purpose the meanes yet to those that doe not receaue and practise neither Christs oblation vpon the Crosse nor any thing he did or suffered can be a perfect redemption propitiation or satisfaction for all or any sinne And among these necessary Instruments meanes applications of Christs redemption propitiation and Satisfaction for sinners the holy sacrifice of Masse is one and most excellent eminent and honorable wherein the truely and duely consecrated Preists of Christs Church by vertue and power giuen them in their consecration doe offer Christ for the quicke and the deade to haue remission of paine or guilt which this article blasphemously faith were blasphemous fables and daungerous deceites And first our Protestants themselues euen King Iames the heade cheife interpretour of their Religion and congregation whilest he liued with his approued protestante writers Bishops Doctours and others publickly priuiledged and warranted by cheife authoritie in their proceedings thus confesse for truth this article to be hereticall Neither is Casanbon resp ad Card. Per. p. 51. 52. c. the King ignorant nor denyeth that the Fathers of the the primatiue Church did acknowledge one Sacrifice in the Christian Religion that succeeded in the place of the Sacrifices of Moses lawe Middlet Papistm pag. 92 113. 49. 137 138. 47. 45. The sacrifice of the Altare and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primatiue Church and the auncient Fathers called the sacrifice of the body blood of Christ a sacrifice The primatiue Church did offer sacrifice at the altare for the deade sacrifice for the deade was atradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathers Aërius Feild l. 3. pag. c. 29. p. 138. Couel exam pag. 114. condemned the custome of the Church in naming the deade at the altare and offerring the sacrifice of Eucharist for them and for this his rache and inconsiderate boldnesse and presumption in condemning the vniuersall Church of Christ he was iustly condemned Here we see by our Protestants themselues that vpon a second and better consideration they graūte from our first founders in Christ that the Catholike doctrine and custome so basely censured in this their Article is Orthodoxall the Religion and tradition of the Apostles Iudgment and practise of the vniuersall Church of Christ and that which this their article concludeth was iustly condemned for heresie Therefore I may be more breife in alleadging the Apostolike writers to such propose Sainct Paul witnesseth that euery high preist or Hebr. c. 8. Cap 5. preist is ordayned to offer Sacrifice to God for the people omnis Pontifox ad offerenduni munera hostias constituitur Omnis namque Pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis He also with other Scriptures saith both that Christ was a Preist after this Order of Preisthood and Preists of this Order should be for euer Hebr. 7. Ps 109. in the lawe of the Ghospell Tu es Sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech necessarium fuit secundum ordinem Melchisedech alium surgere Sacerdotem Translato Sacerdotio necesse est vt legis translatio fiat sempiternum habet Sacerdotium But it is also euident both by Scripture and all Apostolike writers that neither Christ nor any Christian Preist of that Order offered any other sacrifice hauing resemblance to the Sacrifice of Melchisedech in breade and wine then when Christ at his last supper offered gaue his blessed bodie and blood vnder those formes and gaue then power commaunde to his Apostles other Preists to doe the same as I haue aboundantly proued by the Fathers of this age and our Protestants haue so confessed before It was also so certaine among the old Hebrues before Christ that Christ the Messias should be such a Preist and offer such a sacrifice and his Preists after him and all sacrifices in the lawe should then cease and giue place vnto it That Theodor. Bibliandor de SS Trinit lib. 2. pag. 89. vit l. de test Miss Petr. Gallat l. de arcan fid ca. Franciscus Stancar Prot. Rasil in pref ad Petr. Gallat de Arcan Mort. Supr alij Protestants themselues thus confesse it Erat apud Veteres Hebraeos dogma receptissimum in aduentu Messiaebenedicti cessatura esse omnia legalia sacrificia tantumque celebrandum sacrificium Thoda illud peragendum pane vino sicut Melchizedech Rex Salem Sacerdos Dei altissimi temporibus Abrahami panem vinum protulit And the old Rabbines of the Iewes before Christ euen as they are commended vnto vs both by Catholike Protestant Antiquaries do most playnely deliuer vnto vs the same Catholike truth as hath beene before confessed by thes Protestāts that in this holie sacrifice offered for sinnes bread and wine are miraculously chaunged into the bodie and blood of the Messias Rabbi Samuel saith vpon the oblation of Melchisedech Rabbi Samuel in Bereschit Rabba ad cap. 14. Genes that he sacrificed and taught that Sacrifice Actus Sacerdotij tradidit erat ipse Sacrificans panem vinum Deo sancto benedicto So haue Rabbi Moses Hadarsan and Rabbi Enachinam Melchisedech proferens panem vinum ostendit quod docuit eum Sacerdotij actum quier at panem vinum sacrificare Et hoc est quod habetur in Psalmis Iurauit Dominus non paenitebit eum tu es Sacerdos in aeternum secundrm ordinem Melchisedech And Rabbi Phinees saith most euidētly that in the time of Messias all other Sacrifices should cease and the Messias being a Preist after the Order of Melchisedech should except this alone and this onely should be vsed in this Religion Tempore Messiae omnia sacrisicia cessabunt sed sacrificium panis vini non cessauit sicut dictum est Gen. 14. Melchisedech Rex Salem protulit panem vinum Melchisedech enim Rex Messias excipiet a cessatione Sacrificiorum panis vini sicut dicitur psalmo Tu es Sacerdos in aeternum
be true nor the liberty therein allowed lawfull but wantonly licentious and damnable THE XXV CHAPTER Tbe 33. 34. Articles examined an in whatsoeuer repugnant to the doctrine of the Church of Rome thus condemned THeir 33. next article intituled of excommunicate persons how they are to be auoided containeth nothing contrarie to the doctrine or practise of the Church of Rome as is manifest in these the verie words thereof That person which by open denuntiation of the Church is rightly cut of from the vnity of the Church and excommunicate ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithfull as an heathen and publican vntill he be openly reconciled by pennance and receaued into the Church by a Iudge that hath authority thereto Therefore I passe it ouer and come to the next 34. article intituled Of the traditions of the Church and followeth in these words It is not necessary that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one or vterly like for at all times they haue beene diuers chaunged according to the diuersity of contries times and mens manners So that nothing be ordained against Gods word Whosoeuer through his priuate Iudgment willingly and purposely doth openly breake the traditions and ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the word of God and be ordained and approued by common authority ought to be rebuked openly that others may feare to doe the like as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the authority of the magistrate and woundeth the consciences of the weake brethren Hitherto this article seemeth to haue litle or no opposition to the Church of Rome but it may be passed ouer with silence The rest of it immediatelie thus followeth Euery particular and nationall Church hath authority to ordaine chaunge and abolish ceremonies orrites of the Church ordained onely by mans authority So that all things be done to edifying This clause is euidentlie false and prophane in itselfe for making euery particular Church many thousands such being in the world to be supreame iudge sentencer not onely to ordaine chaūge abolish ceremonies and rites of the vniuersall Catholike Church but to haue ouerruling authority to decree and commaund what is fit or fittest for edification taketh away all possible hope of edification and bringeth most certaine destruction confusion and desolation by making so many thousands of Supreame Iudges in these doubts as there be particular Churches which is a thinge most foolish and irreligious to affirme and vnpossible to be acted Further it is directly opposite repugnant to their owne 19. and 20. articles before of the Church and authoritie thereof In the 19. article they teach that all particular Churches euen the cheifest haue erred not onely in their liuing manner of ceremonies but also in matters of faith Therefore by these Protestants wee may neither admit so many or any one such erring false Iudge in such things Neither by their doctrine may wee stand to the censure of any particular nationall Church but onely of the one Catholike militant Church of Christ which as it is euer by that article of our Creede I beleeue the holy Catholike Artic. 19. Church holy and vnspotted from errour so by these men in the same article it is thus assigned to be our onely true Iudge in these affaires The visible Churcb of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacramēts be dayly ministred according to Christs ordināce in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same And in their next article of the same one onely Church thus they decree in these words of the authority of the Church The Church hath power to decrecrites or ceremonies and authority in Controuersies of faith And their best writers haue published with their common and best allowance this sentence in this Question The primatiue Councels haue condemned Couell Mod. exam p. 65. them as heretikes onely for being stiffely obstinate in this kinde of denying the ceremonies of the Church They exemplifie thus in Aerius Aerius Feild l. 3. cap. 29 pag. 138. Couel exam pag. condemned the custome of the Church For this his rash and inconfiderate boldnesse in cōdemnig the vniuersall Church of Christ was iustly condemned The custome ceremonie and tradition which this heretike denied and was therefore by these men iustlie condemned was as they confesse naming the deade at the altare and offering the sacrifice of Eucharist for them This is but a ceremony by them because they contend it is not contained is scripture nor may be proued thereby as they likewise haue pretended for all other things which their Articles before haue reiected both in Sacraments and other doctrines and customes which I haue proued against them and doe leaue them as alterable ceremonies vpon that feeble and vaine pretence Vnder this pretence they haue taken away all our Missals or orders of holie Masse vsed in all Churches with their religious ceremonie from the Apostles time as I haue proued before So they haue done by all rituals and ceremonials about the ministring the Communion Booke and Booke of Consecrat of King Edu 6. Franc. Mason and the Prot. of their consecrat in Mat. Parker Prot. art 36 infra Stat. in parlamento an 2. Eduardi 6. holy Sacraments and brought in their places the childish and womanlie deuises of a named communion booke by yong King Eduard 6. and Queene Elizabeth and an other named and stiled by them The forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Preists and Deacons quite omitting all other orders euer vsed in all Churches from Christs time and these fashions neuer vsed before by their owne cōfession by anie Christian Britans Saxōs French or others in this Kingdome or all the world but to vse their owne words in these articles lately set fourth in the time of Eduard the sixt and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parlament the second yeare of the aforenamed King Edward He then being about eleuen yeares old a farre to yonge censurer Iudge and condemner of all Churches with their holie vniuersallie receaued ceremonies to bring in so straunge and childish an Innouation We are assured by the Apostolike men of this first age and others that euen from the Apostles there were manie particular ceremonies deliuered to be immutably vsed in all Churches Thus S. Clement and S. Dionisius the Areopagite Clem. Rom. Apost const lib. 8. cap. 29. Dion Areop Ecclesiastic Hierarc c. 2. with diuers others deliuer of hallowing oyle and water to heale diseases driue away deuils and and like effects settinge downe the verie manner how to sanctifie them Domine Deus Sabaoth Deus virtutum qui dedisti aquam ad bibendum oleum ad exhilarandum faciem in exultationem laetitiae ipse etiam nunc sanctifica per Christum hanc aquā oleum ex nomine eius qui obtulit tribue
reluctatur Christo Iesu qui autem â—on obedit filio non videbit vitam sed ira Dei manet â—uper eum Praefractus enim contentiosus superbus â—t qui non obtemperat praestantioribus And by that â—eading which the Canon law vseth euen Princes â—nd all not obeying their Bishops are excluded both â—rom the society of the faithfull on earth and the Kingdome of heauen Si vobis Episcopi non obedieint S. Ignat. citat C. Si autem 11. quaest 3. Iacob Simanchal dedignitare Episcopali omnes clerici omnesque Principes at que reliqui pouli non solum infames sed etiam extorres à Regno â—ei consortio fidelium ac à limitibus sanctae Eccleâ—ae alieni erunt eorum est enim vobis obedire vt Deo â—ius legatione fungimini And he plainely confineth bedience to temporall Princes that it be not with reiudice of the spirituall and danger of the soule â—aesari subiecti estote in ijs in quibus subdi nullum aniâ—ae S. Ignat. Epist ad Antioc periculum est And saith plainely that a Bishop is â—boue all other principality and power Quid aliud I. Ignat. Epist ad Trallia â— Episcopus quà m is qui omni Principatu potestate â—uperior est And to expresse the lamentable estate â—f them which want true Bishops Preists and â—eacons concludeth there neither is nor can be â—y true Church nor communion of Saints withâ—ut them Sine his Ecclesia electa non est nulla sine his Sanctorum congregatio nulla Sanctorum collectio Anâ— setteth downe their holy functions and offices to bâ— such that noe Protestants can possibly clayme tâ— haue either Bishop Preist DeacoÌ„ or other Cleargâ— man amonge them Sine Episcopo nec Presbyter nâ— Epist ad Magnesian ad Philadelph Epist ad Heronem Diaconus nâ—c Laicus quicquam facit The Bishopâ— saith he doe baptize offer sacrifice giue orders â— vse Imposition of hands Baptizant sacrificaÌ„t eliguâ— ordinant manus imponunt Nothing is to be done â— the Church without their allowaÌ„ce no Sacrameâ— ministred he is dispenser of all spirituall busines â— Epist ad Smyrn is not lawfull for the Preists without his approbâ—tion to baptize to offer to sacrifice to say Massâ— Sine Episcopo nemo quicquam faciat eorum quae ad Eâ—clesiam spectant Rata Eucharistia habeatur illa qâ— sub Episcopo fuerit vel cui ipse concesserit Non liâ— sine Episcopo baptizare neque offerre neque sacrificiuâ— immolare neque dochen celebrare others reade nâ— que Missas celebrare which is sufficiently expressâ— and approued in offerre and sacrificium immolaâ— before The Bishops did consecrate Virgins anâ— Mariages made by their warrant Si quis potest in câ—stitate Epist ad Polycarp permanere ad honorem carnis Dominicae viâ— iactantiam si idipsum statuatur sine Episcopo câ— ruptum est Dâ—cet vero vt ducentes vxores nâ—bentes cum Episcopi arbitrio coniungantur The Preisâ— Epist ad Smyrn ad Heronem besides their preaching and ministring of Sacrâ—ments did offer sacrifice and say Masse as is befoâ— expressed And the Deacons ministred vnto the â—shops and Preists in their holy sacrifice Diaconâ— Sacerdotum minister Sacerdotes sacrificant And wâ—tinge to Sainct Heron a Deacon of the Church â— Antioch hauing immediately spoken before hoâ— the Preists did offer sacrifice he saith that he dâ— â—inister to them in the holy Sacrifice as Sainct Stephen did to Sainct Iames the Apostle Preists â— Hierusalem prouing that they there said Masse â—s the Preists of Antioch and other Churches did â—uillis ministras vt Sanctus ille Stephanus Iacobo â—esbyteris qui erant Hierosolimis And in an other eâ—stle saith plainely that DeacoÌ„s ought to doe such â—ty in those misteries to Preists as Sainct Steâ—en Epistol ad Trallian did to Sainct Iames Sainct Timothy and S. â—ucius to Sainct Paul Sainct Anacletus and Sainct â—lement to Sainct Peter Purum inculpatum miâ—sterium illis exhibent vt S. Stephanus Beato Iacobo â—motheus Linus Paulo Anacletus Clemens â—ero And expresseth this their office in these plaine â—mes Oportet Diaconis mysterioâ—um Christi per omnia â—cere nec enim ciborum poâ—uâ—m ministri sunt sed â—clesiae Dei administratores The Geeke readinge â—eifely signifieth ministring in the holy sacrifice of â—asse and so expresseth it selfe in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He reâ—embreth both altar and sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as plaine termes as any present writers of â—e Roman Church now doth and to manifest he â—h not meane such acts as Protestants terme saâ—fice and are so many as the different kindes of â—otion but onely the externall common saâ—fice he saith there is but one sacrifice and this saâ—ice the onely flesh and blood of Christ Vna est Epistol ad Philadelp â— Christi Iesu Domini nostri vnus illius sanguis qui â— nobis effâ—sus est vnus panis omnibus confractus â—us calix qui omnibus distributus est vnum altare â—â— Ecclesiae The prayer and words of a Preists are Epistol ad Ephes â—uch force that they place Christ among vs. Vâ—s siue alterius precatio taÌ„â—â—irum virium est vt Christumâ—nter illos statuat It is a preparatiue of eterniâ— a preseruatiue against death procuring life in Gâ— and a medicine expelling all euill Pharmacum â— mortalitatis mortis antidotum vitamque in Deo câ—cilians Epis ad Rom. per Iâ—sum Christum medicamentum oâ— expellens mala The breade or foode of God heauâ—ly breade the flesh of Christ the sonne of God â— Ignat. apud Theodoret. Dialog 3. blood of Christ Panis Dei panis caelestis qui est â— Christi filij Dei potus sanguis illius The Euchaâ— which is the flesh of our Sauiour which suffâ— for our sinnes which his Father raised againe â— charistia est caro Saluatoris quae pro peccatis nâ—â— passa est quam pater sua benignitate suscitauit Tâ— holy sacrificing Bishops and Preists and Deaâ— ministring vnto them in those sacred misteriâ— they were farre from the pretended Protesâ— cleargy which haue to their vttermost endeaâ— euer afflicted such holy Functions especiallâ— England with most bitter edicts and persecutiâ— and the sacred Priests of that for that onely â—fession with most barbarous and cruell dâ—athes seing by the most constant Testimony and praâ— of this blessed Apostolike age no true Church â— or could be without them no Protestant comâ— or congregation all of them wantinge such â— consecrated Bishops Preists and Ecclesiasâ— persons and Professors can possibly haue the â— and Title of a true Church and religion And â— tending as they doe that these sacrificing holâ—ders without which no true Church can be aâ— contained in Scripture They must needs â— They were deliuered vnto the Church and â— Church well founded in these so essentiall thâ— by Tradition
Which they must needs likâ— â—raunt of these ensuing doctrines and practises in Religion vsed in the same time and remembred â—y this and other Apostolike writers of that first â—ge First whereas Protestants ascribe iustification to â—nely Faith being a cheife foundation of their new â—eligion Sainct Ignatius and this happy age knew â—o such doctrine but the contrary That faith was Epistol ad Ephesios â—ely to begin Iustification but it was perfected by â—arity and good deeds Non vos laedet aliqua diaboâ—a cogitatio si vt Paulus perfectam habueritis in â—ristum fidem charitatem quae initium vitae â—is est Principium vitae fides finis eiusdem charitas â— ac autem duo quoties in vnum coeunt Dei hominem â—ficiunt And againe Eleemosyna fide expiantur Epist ad Heronem Epist ad Mar. Cassobolit Epist ad Tarsen ad Rom. Epist ad Philadelphenses â—ccata Praesens labor modicus multa quae hinc expeâ—atur merces Nihili pendo supplicia haec neque tanti â—io vitam meam vt eam plus amem quam Dominum â—uare paratum me offero igni feris gladijs cruci dumâ—do Christum videam Saluatorem Deum meum â—secro vos quot quot paenitentia ductirâ—dierint ad vâ—atem Ecclesiae suscipite illos cum omni man suetudiâ— vt per bonitatem patientiam resipiscentes ex diaâ—i laqueis digni iam Christo facti salutem consequanâ— aternam in regno Christi Illibatum mihi est arâ—uum Crux Christi mors resurrectio eius fides â— quae cupio iustificari precibus vestris Qui honorat Epistol ad Smyrnenses â—phetum in nomine Prophetae mercedem Prophetae acâ—et nimirum qui honorat vinctum Iesu Christi â—rtyrum accipiet mercedem Nihil vobis apud Deum â—ibit eorum quae in illos contulistis det vobis Domiâ— vt inneniatis misericordiam à Domino in illa die â—inam meus spiritus cum vestro commutari possit â—icula haec mâ—a quae non fastidistis nec obea erubuistis Quare nec de vobis erubescet consummata spes â—sus Christus Precationes vestrae appropinquarunt â— Antiochenam Ecclesiam pacem habet Deposita vâ—stra Epist ad Policarpum sunt opera vestra vt quae accepistis eadem digâ— Deo reportetis Antiochena Ecclesia pacem est nacta pâ— orationes vestras ego tranquilliori animo factus suâ— in securitate Dei si per passionem Deum assecutus fuâ— disâ—ipulus inueniar per orationes vestras Quibus â— Epist ad Heroâ— Deus inuenire misericordiam à Domino in illa die prâ—ter of ficium ministerium erga nos Orate pro mâ— â— Epistol ad Trallianos in Dei misericordia charitate vestra indigeo vt digâ—fiam sorte ad quam assequendam iam destinor ne repâ—bus inueniar Where wee euidently see by many â—stimonies that the Imagined Protestant faith nâ—ther doth nor possibly can iustifie any man bâ— charity almes pennance praier and other hâ— works and deeds of Christians are meritorious â— iustifie them And that Protestants paradoxe of the certaiâ— of Saluation is most certainely false Which â— confirmeth also in other places as where he takâ— vpon him the knowledge of the celestiall spirâ— their orders and dignities yet he plainely makâ— himselfe ignorant of his owne saluation mâ— Epistol ad Trâ—ll supr more not certaine thereof Our Protestaâ— pretend for themselues Angelicos ordines Archâ— gelorum militiarumque differentias thronorum pâ— testatumque distantias principatuum magnificâ—ntâ— Cherubim Seraphimque excellâ—ntias spiritus subâ—â—tatem Domini regnum inâ—omparabilâ—m Dei â—tris omnipotentis diuinitatem haec â—um nouerim â— continuo perfectus prorsus ego sum multa dâ—suntâ— Deo dâ—relinquar Where wee see him further to hâ— described the heauenly hierarchy and orderâ— heauen as Catholiks now doe and Protestants take no notice of them And he doth not onely thus describe them but assureth vs they know the things on earth and so by protestant allowance may be praied vnto as Catholiks vse and they condemne Praecipio tibi coram Epistol ad Heron. Deo vniuersorum coram Christo praesente Sancto Spiritu administratorijs Angelorum ordinibus â—ustodi depositum meum quod ego Christus tibi commendauimus Where the holy Angels doe not onely knowe our actions as Christ and the blessed Trinity doth but assist and minister vnto vs. And is â—o farre from denying this knowledge to Saints Angels in heauen that he yeeldeth knowledge of affayres on earth namely of the Passion of Christ euen to the soules which were in Limbus patrum or Epistol ad Trallian Purgatory at that time Verè crucifixus mortuus videntibus caelestibus terrenis ijs qui sub terra â—detincbantur caelestibus quidem inspicientibus niâ—nirum incorporeis naturis terrenis verò vt Iudaeis Romanis caeteris qui tunc temporis crucifixo Domino aderant subterraneis autem ijs videlicet qui plurimi cum Domino resurrexerunt multa enim â—nquit corpora Sanctorum qui dormierant cum Matth. 27. Domino resurrexerunt monumentis apertis Descendit ad infernum solus regressus est cum multitudiâ—â— septum illud aeternum rupit medium pariâ—â—â—m illius destruxit By this wee finde as Catholicks hold and Protestants deny a place where soules were and whence there is deliuery and redemption and not euerduring Torment and desperation of the reprobate and damned in their hell and place of eternall punishmeÌ„t of which there is no end or freedome to be had or hoped for And therefore it 's a place from whence a Ransome will make deliuery and there is no merit or deseruing after thiâ— life as our Protestants most freely graunt This freedome of soules from that place of punishment purgatory or howsoeuer wee shall namâ— it is principally to be procured and effected by thâ— sacrifices prayers almes and other meritoriouâ— deeds and workes of holy Christians still liuing iâ— the estate and condition of deseruinge Such as S Ignatius hath before remembred And other Apostolike writers of this age as Sainct Denis the Areopagite and Sainct Clement Schollers of the twâ— greate Apostles Sainct Peter and Sainct Paul to bâ— cited with others in this particular question in thâ— proper place thereof beinge of the same religion iâ— all points with Sainct Ignatius the holy Churcâ— of Christ doe as plainely expresse and deliuer foâ— the constant custome practise and doctrine of thâ— time to offer sacrifice pray and doe other holâ— works for faithfull people departed out of thâ— life as any learned writer of the present Romaâ— Church doth in these dayes And Sainct Ignatiâ— with much honor remembreth them especially S Clement Scholler to Sainct Peter and Paul anâ— Pope of Rome Papa beatissimus Clemens Petri â— Pauli Auditor and testifieth that he liued in perpâ—tuall Epistol
this their next article also is plainely confuted the title thereof is of good workes and the whole article as followeth Albeit that good works which are the fruites of faith and follow after iustification cannot put away our sinnes and endure the sâ—uerity of Gods Iudgment yet are they pleasing acceptable to God in Christ and doe springe out necessarily of a true and liuely faith in so much that by them a â—iuely faith may be as euidently knowne as a tree disâ—erned by the fruite For it is euidently proued before that good workes done in grace doe iustifie by the common doctrine and practise of this Apostolike time or else man could not possibly be iustified at all but notwithstanding the incarnation â—abours and passion of Christ man should still be without iustification and remaine in sinne and vnâ—ustice for all haue agreed that faith alone or onely doth not iustifie then if wee take iustificatioÌ„ away from our holy Christian Sacraments which be good workes and from all other good workes as this article doth and the other before likewise did Christians haue no meanes to be iustified either by good workes or without good workes Petrus concion apud S. Clement l. 6. Recog l. 1. Recogniâ— And besides that which is said already in this matter and reason conuinceth so Sainct Peter the Apostle in his publike sermon and Sainct Clement the Register and publisher thereof doe prouâ— it in his manner confertur meritum homini pâ— bonis gestis sed si ita gerantur sicut Deus iubet Deâ— autem iussit omnem colentem se baptismo consignaâ— And otherwise a man cannot be saued neither iustified for the iust shall be saued ita peruenire poterâ— and salutem aliter verò impossibile est Sic enim nobâ— cum Sacramento verus Propheta testatus est dicenâ— Amen dico vobis nisi quis denuò renatus fuerit ex â—qua non introibit in regna caelorum Est in aquis istâ— misericordiae vis quaedam quae ex initio ferebatur supâ— eos agnoscit eos qui baptizantur sub appellatioâ— triplicis Sacramenti eripuit eos de supplicijs futuriâ— quasi donum quoddam offerens Deo animas per baptisâ—mum consecratas Confugitâ— ad aquas istas solae sâ— enim quae possint vim futuri ignis extinguere Baptismum per omnia necessarius est Iniusto vt peccatorum qâ— gessit in ignorantia remissio concedatur Cum regenertus fueris per aquam ex operibus bonis ostende te in â—militudinem eius qui te genuit patris Agnouisti eniâ— Deum honora patrem honor autem eius est vt ita vâ—uas sicut ipse vult Vult autem ita viuere vt homiâ—dium adulterium nescias odium auaritiam fugias irâ— superbiam iactantiam respuas execreris inuidiâ— caeteraque his similia penitus à te ducas aliena Est sâ— propria quaedam nostrae religionis obseruantia quae â—tam imponitur hominibus quam propriè ab vnoquoqâ— Deum colente causa puritatis expetitur Where wâ— finde that man is iustified by sacramentall othâ— good workes keeping Gods coÌ„maundemts auoâ—ding all mortall sinne and embracing vertue aâ— this obligation is imposed vpon all Christians aâ— by them to be effected and performed and withoâ— such perfermance they are not iustified And Christ will giue to euery one according as Clem. l. 6. const Apost c. 30. they haue deserued or merited Mortuos est excitaturus mundo finem impositurus vnicuique pro meritis tributurus Sainct Denis the Areopagite besides that which he hath testified before proueth the different degrees of glory in heauen some more glorious then others as the Scriptures are plentifull in the same because the good workes and merits of some in this life are greater and more then others Ostendit Dionysius Areop Eccles Hierarch c. 3. cunctos in regeneratione illas consequuturos sortes ad quas hîc vitam propriam direxerunt puta si deiformem quis hic sanctissimam egerit vitam quantum viro possibile est Deum imitari diuina in seculo futuro beata donabitur requiâ— Sin autem summa illa deformi vita inferiorem egerit sactam tamen conformia iste recipient sacra praemia And by this their 14. Article intituled of workes of supererogation is also confuted their next and 13. Article stiled of workes before Iustification being rather a question in naturall or morall Philosophy then Theologicall and to be handled in Christian Religion and so more fit to be omitted then handled in this treatise of religious Controuersies though it be not wholy sounde in Philosophicall proceedings That the 14. Article is already condemned will be plaine by the recitall of it in these words voluntarie workes besides ouer and aboue Gods commaundement which they call workes of supererogation cannot be taught without arrogancy impiety This is euidently contradicted and condemned by Sainct Denis Sainct Clement and Sainct Ignatius before prouinge different degrees of glory in heauen answearing the diuersities of mens merits on earth assuring that they which haue not liueâ— in such perfection as others haue and they alsâ— might haue done yet keeping the precepts anâ— doing things commaunded shall be saued and sâ— are iustified though they haue not wrought suâ— workes of counsaile onely and perfection as many more holy haue done and therefore are rewardeâ— with greater ioyes and honour as both the Scriptures Apostolike Fathers of this age are plaine iâ— many places And the pretended reason which theâ— onely yeeld in this article in maintenance of theâ— errour is both ridiculous and hereticall being this for by them men doe declare that they not onely rendâ— vnto God as much as they are bound to doe but that they doe more for his sake then of bound duty is required whereas Christ saith plainely when you haue done â— that are commaunded to you say wee be vnprofitablâ— seruants This first is ridiculous and proueth nothing tâ— the question of workes of perfection not commaunded and their eminent and singular rewarâ— but onely of the commaundements and things oâ— duty which Catholiks say more then Protestantâ— ordinarily doe are to be done and performed vnder paine of eternall damnation It contradicteth their owne doctrine which vsually graunteth there arâ— both precepts and counsailes in Scripture as oâ— voluntary pouerty chastity obedience and such others which no sect of Protestants performeth and yet they speake much of their Iustification oâ— righteousnesse in this life and saluation after That it is hereticall and condemned the old Apostolici heretiks some Pelagians and others and their condemnation for it will witnesse from the beginning â—s both Sainct Ireneus Sainct Epiphanius Sainct Epiph. heres 61. Augustin haeres 40. â—ugustine with such renowned writers and our â—rotestants themselues doe proue Apostoli affirmaâ—abant non posse saluari eos qui non viuâ—rent in caeliâ—atu ac paupertate more Apostolorum The heretiks called Apostoliks did affirme that