in his demands yet the Lantgrave considering his danger was content of any conditions so that he and his people be not forced to change their religion He comes to Hall in Saxony where the Emperour was before he had accesse he must subscribe the demands this was one clause The Emperour is the interpreter of all the articles He sticketh at this alledging that it was not so in the forme which was shewed before unto him The Bishop of Artois said It was a mistake of the writer and he demandeth that the Landgrave will promise unto the Emperour to accept the Decrees of Trent This he refuses the Bishop menaceth him that he can not be accepted other wise He answereth He will obey the decres of a free godly and General Councel as Maurice and the Elector had done Then he was brought before the Emperour and upon his knies did confesse his offenses and promised obedience in all time coming The Emperour saith Albeit he had deserved most grievous punishment yet he refuseth not to restore him according to the articles of agreement Nevertheless the same night at command of the Emperour the Landgrave was arrested and a guard set upon him Maurice and the Elector of Brandeburgh protest unto him that it was contrary unto their mind and they shall never cease untill they obtain his liberty And they did solicite earnestly but could not prevaile According to an article 150000 ducats were delivered unto the Emperour and other things of great importance but the Landgrave was delivered into the hands of Spainards as a Captive and carried about with the Emperour who gave the title of Elector and Dutchy of Saxony unto Duke Maurice This did not content him but God made him the instrument of delivering the captives of chasing the Emperour out of Germany and purchasing liberty of Religion as is hinted before XXXIX Now let us view some things done in France and first it A contest between a Printer and the Sorbonists is worth the marking what Robert Steven who is better known by the name Robertus Stephanus did and what was done unto him by the University of Paris In the year 1532 he published an edition of the Latine Bible when he had conferred the Copies that were in use at that time with some old manuscripts and according unto them he amended some errouts The University take this ill that he had attempted to change the Translation He defended himself that he had changed nothing but had printed according to old coppyes which he had by him His answer was tolerable in the judgement of reasonable men nevertheless they persue him before the Court of Paris and doe petition that he may be burnt But their petition was refused Then he printeth the Bible retaining the vitious translation and on the margine he addeth the words of the manuscripts with Notes shewing the Coppies whence he had these words These do accuse him for that edition before the King Francis and his counsel but were put to shame and silence In Respons Ro. Steph. ad Censur Theologor Paris Pag. 109. Then he printed the ten commandements in great letters and in such a forme that they might be fixed upon walls of houses for common use and so did he with a Summe of the Bible This did provoke them yet more especially because he had printed the second command Thou shall not make unto thyself any graven image c. And they accuse him but the King gave him a warrant to reprint both the Ten commandements and the Summe of the Bible both in Latin and French They did summon him to compear before them and said that his work was worse then the teaching of Luther Fivetien members did approve him and added their seals unto his attestation so the multitude of them seeing the Kings warrant and that attestation were ashamed and their Deputies did also assoile him Ibid. pag. 11. In the mean time the King had ordered Francis Vatablus Professor of the Hebrew to expound the old Testament out of the first language and his hearers did write his exposition and his annotations The Kings Printer dealeth with the hearers and receives from them a new Translation which he printes with the old Translation and with the Annotations When this work was perfected in the year 1545. he shewes it unto some of the University requiring and entreating them to shew him if any part thereof had not been rightly observed by the hearers to the end if there be any thing amisse he may amend it They doe approve the work and assure him that no evill could proceed from the Lessons of Vatablus But when the books were solde some do observe that the Translation and the Annotations were contrary unto the present doctrine of the University and therefore the books should not be solde seing they were printed without the knowledge of the Faculty The Printer goeth unto the Court. and sheweth Peter Castellan Bishop of Mascon that the University were offended and intend to hinder the selling of his books when he saw that the Bishop was doubtfull what aduice to give he saith If the Divines will give him their Censure he is willing to print it with the Bible and he will neither be ashamed nor take in ill part to advertise rhe reader of whatsoever errour is in the book This Overture did please the Bishop and he relates all unto the King which willeth the Bishop to writin his name unto the University that they shall revise the Translation and the Annotations and note what doeth not please them and subioyn unto every fault a reason of their judgement and deliver their Censure to be printed either apart or with the Bible Castellan writs so unto them and they did promise to obey But though they were at several times required to deliver their Censure they shift it and sent unto the Divines of Lovan entreating to reckon that Translation among the forbidden and hereticall books The King was informed of their shifts and of that Letter wherefore he ordereth the Bishop to require them again after severall exhortations to this purpose they send fifetien places which they had marked The Bishop conferreth with their Deputie Gagneius upon these instances and writes a large letter unto them commending the Annotations and shewing what course they should observe in their Censure They were the more enraged at that commendation and would not go-on in their Censure but would have the book to be condemned which they had declared hereticall Then the King sent his Letters patent and sealed charging them to continue in their Censure and to deliver it unto his Printer They doe still refuse and at that time King Francis dieth His son Henry sendeth the like charge unto them on August 16. 1547. They return answer that they shall perfect their Censure before November 1. but then in place of the Censure they send a supplication craving that the books may be forbidden because he is a sacramentarian and had written that
the French Bishops had foughten a long time The Councel's authority is above the Pope and he might have helped it easily if he had vsed the phrase of the Apostle The care of all the Churches 2 in prejudice of the Councels authority he had permitted in all the decrees a reservation of the authority of the Apostolical See and the craving of confirmation of the decrees And sundry other particulares As also the Centumviral Court of Paris obiected other particulares but all concerning those which were called The articles of Reformation His defense was What could he and sixe Prelats do against 200. and there was a special Act that nothing was done in prejudice of the liberties of France Vidus Faber replied that he and his Colleague had diligently sought that Act but could not find it and in humane affaires not to appear is not to bee But all those obiections were nothing to what the Bishops and Divines and their servants told scurrilously of the contentions and factions of the Fathers and their particular designes and generally This Councel was of more authority then the Councel of the Apostles seing these defined nothing but what seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and this Synod layd the foundation of their decrees visum est nobis In Germany both Papists and Protestants obiected more against the canons of doctrine as they command the Bishop to teach wholesom doctrine of purgatory without any declaration what that doctrine is The Councel was assembled especially for the grievances against indulgences and they had defined nothing but wish moderation according to the antient and approved custom of the Church albeit in the Eastern Churches was never use of those indulgences nor in the Western before Vrban 2. or the year 1095. so far as any man can find and after that untill the year 1300. was litle use of them or but for freedom of the Confessar's iniunctions Likewise the Emperour and the Duke of Bavier sent Letters severally unto Rome craving liberty of the cup and of marriage unto the Priests And the clergy of Germany sent third remonstrance shewing a necessity of granting liberty of marriage by authority of the old and new Testament and the practise of the primitive Church and of the Eastern Church unto this day as it was never more necessary then at this time when amongst fifty priests one scarcely can be found who is not a notorious whoor-monger and it is absurd to permitt whoorish priests and exclude the marryed and to exclude them both were as if you would have none The Pope referred these Letters unto the consideration of the Cardinals and they would not â—eeld March 12. the Pope promoted 19 Cardinals in reward of their service in the Councel unto the Apostolicall See and he would not promote any who had spoken for residence of Bishops or that their institution is De Jure Divino So far Pe. Soave in Hist. Conti. Trident. Likewise Ge. Abbot writting against Hill in Reas 9. shewes out of Declarat du Roy de Navarr that Charles IX sent his Ambassadors and Bishops unto Trent with large instructions for reformation of the clergy but when nothing could be obtained he caused his Ambassadors protest against the Councel and return home So they did and those Bishops came also away and nevertheless amongst the subscribers is mention of 26 French Prelats as if they had subscribed There it is also that after the Massacre in the year 1572. some thinking that to be an opportunity of seeking confirmation of the Synod did propound it but it was refused in all the Chambers The like motion was made An. 1585. and with the same happ The Reformed wrot against the decrees namely Calvin wrote his Antidotum against the Acts under Pope Paul and Chemnitius wrote against them all and calleth them a horrible chaos of monstrous errors Here by anticipation it may be added that the Jesuits were employd as stout champions at Rhems Doway and Lovan to maintain the decrees who carried themselves so happely that for defense of these errors they vented many others that were scarcely heard before lastly Card. Bellarmin as the chief champion and others of that colledge at Rome were commanded by Pope Gregory XIII to bring all the controversies into one body or system That work brought forth by the providence of God a threefold benefit unto posterity 1. A more perfect body of Popish errors then ever was published before 2. A manifest proof of the jarrings and divisions of the Doctors in the Roman Church for albeit they glory of Unity among themselves yet in every controversy almost yea very few excepted the contrary judgement of their Doctors is brought expressely 3. Albeit all the errors of Trent are maintained there exprofesso and many errors are falsly imputed unto Luther Calvin and others yet there the reformed Church is fairly cleared from many errors which other Papists impute falsly unto us and more over somtimes in sifting and stating a question he maintaines what we hold and refutes another and maintaines what he denied in the proper place and by those two meanes he gives testimony unto the truth in all the chief controversies as Jo. Ernest Gerhard hath collected in his Book Bellarminus ORTHODOXIAS testis And about that time came forth another edition of the Decrees at Trent with references upon the margine of each canon unto other books of the Schoolmen where to find those points handled and those references being published by authority of the Court might serve for a commentary without any change of the decrees if it should be challenged even though the reference be contrary to the decree PART IIJ. CHAP. J. Of POPES J. PIVS 5. Was not inferiour unto any Pope in dissembling in some outward things he made a shew of godliness When he was crouned he said unto the Cardd that they should ask nothing from him that were contrary to equity or to the Councel of Trent He brought some of the Court namely the Penitentiaries and procurators of the Chancelery but not the Cardd into some moderation he most severly discharged all selling of Benefices he restrained the wickednes of priests some what he would have all the Jewes dwell at Rome or Ancona he would have expelled all the professed whoores out of Rome but when the Romanes shew him what a part of his revenues he would want he suffered them in a corner by themselves and appointed unto them their own preachers and thereafter some bordellers were married But in the articles of Religion and idolatrous worship he made no Reformation He gave licence unto Charles an archduke of Austria to mary his sisters-daughter and when Joachim-Frederik son of the Electour of Brandeburg married the daughter of his uncle the Pope rageth partly because he was in the Popes judgement an heretick and partly because he was chosen Primate of Germany and administrator of the episcopall Colledge of Magdeburg without licence of the Pope and then had married his
other his works I therefore subjoyn a taste of it and because some poison is in it I add a litle antidot which may be usefull unto some In his preface unto the Emperour he shewes his Rule of judging the evangelical and Apostolical Scripture which being Divine and a most sure rule the antients had used in judging of controversies after the departure of the Apostles and because in such contentions ariseth controversy about the interpretation and sense of some passages of the Scriptures it is necessary to have recourse unto the Universall consent of Writers chiefly of those who lived in the time of the Emperour Constantin untill the time of Leo I. or of Gregory yet so that it is not necessary to produce the testimonies of them all nor of the most part which were an infinite work but it is sufficient to bring one or two by whom the judgement of the whol Church may be known and with this caution that every testimony of those Fathers may not be rashly received seing in many places they speak according to their privat judgement and wherein even the most learned and best maintainers of the Apostolical and Catholick doctrine have not agreed with the safe unity of faith but only such things as belong unto the confirmation of the Apostolical and Catholick tradition and have the weight of irrefragable and undoubted testimony wherein they declare constantly the publick and common faith of the whole Church His method is conform unto the Articles of the Augustan Confession His principal scope seemes to be contained in the seventh Article de vera Ecclesia where he holdes that the true Church is always manifest and though the present Roman Church hath departed from the primitive not a little in integrity of manners and discipline yea and in sincerity of doctrine yet she standes on the same foundation and professeth communion with the antient Church and therefore is one and the same albeit different in many particulares Neither should we separate from her as Christ did not separat from the Jewish Church albeit corrupt neither did the Prophets nor Apostles violate the union but only spake against her and came out of her but by dissenting from the errors neither did Cyprian and some others violat the union with the Roman Church how beit they did complain of the envy of the Roman clergy and the pride of the Pope This may be called his privat judgement as he spake of others in his preface and not the constant faith of the whole Church that the Church should be manifest always was not the judgement of Eliah 1. King 19. 14. nor of John who prophecied of the woman fleeing into the wilderness Revel 12 and it is without all doubt in the general that in the dayes of the Antichrist the Church shall not be manifest 2. he grantes that the Roman Church hath departed not a litle in manners and doctrine but how far she hath departed may be in some measure known by the history 3. his advice that we should not have departed from her is a main question but certainly his reason is not sufficient for though our Saviour made not separation from the Jewish Church yet he foretold that when these labourers of the vine-yard shall have killed the heir the vineyard shal be taken from them and not a stone of their temple should be left upon another Where was their Church then if they had no place for their Religion As for the Pophets and Apostles distinguish the times before the time was come which God had appointed they had no reason to depart but when the appointed time was come then they departed and for this very point Steeven was Martyred Act. 6. 14. The same distinction serveth for the Roman Church Cyprian and Paulin had no reason to violat the vnion when she had not departed from the true faith but when she became the whoore and all nations had drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication then was the time to obey the commande Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Gods people was with her and in her and they must not only protest against their adulterous mother but come out from her Then for reconciliation of the Church he seemes to despair that ever they will accept of his Overture to wit that those who have given the cause of distraction that is saith he the governors of the Church would remit some what of their too much rigor and yeeld a little for the peace of the Church and following the wishes and admonitions of many good people would reform the manifest abuses according to the rule of Divine Scripture and of the antient Church from which they have departed And next that those who eschuing those vices have fallen into the other extremity would confess their faults and return into the right way In other Articles that differ from the Popish Church he puts often a blame upon the Reformed if not for their Tenet yet for their practise For example of justification he saith What is said in the fourth article that men can not be justified before God by their own strength merits or works but are justified freely by faith it was evermore allowed by the Church and untill this day it is approved by all the writers of the Church So that I wonder why the Apology saith that they are condemned in this article as if it were taught that men obtain remission of sins for their own merits and not freely for Christ's sake Afterwards he cites the testimony of Bernard saying I consider three things whereupon all my hope stands the love of adoption the truth of the promise and the power of performing And saith he the Doctors of this age say not that they teach doubting whereby men should doubt of Gods mercy and mistrust but such fear of God whereby a diligence of living well and of keeping the received grace may be stirred up and increased in us as the Apostle saith Work forth your salvation with fear and trembling And they call this sear chast and filial which perfect love casts not forth but retaines and cherishes Which fear hath always adjoyned confidence and hope of Gods fatherly good-pleasure And seing those things are taught tooday in the Catholick Church the Protestants do not rightly in accusing the present Church that she bidds and teaches to doubt of Gods favor and of eternal life and put this blasphemous doctrin as they speak among the chief causes for which they should depart from her Of free will he saith on the 18. Artick The sum of this controversy which had been formerly and now is consists in this What the will of man can do to attain righteousness by which we are justified before God is not to be asscribed unto the power of free-will corrupted by sin but unto the singular grace of God which we have not by nature wherein we were
alswell in time past as henceforth may be punished according to these lawes especially the contemners of the lawes in Aberdien Cars of Gourie and other places as shall be specified When the Noble men heard these articles they said they thought it not convenient to propound them in that manner but rather they would collect them into two heads thus First they would declare unto her Majesty the good mindes and obedience of them there assembled and as for religion seing it concerneth the said Lords most especially being members of the Church they would deale with her Majesty that the same may be observed according to the Order established at her Highness arrivall And they say they doubt not but they shall obtain so gracious answer from her Majesty as may satisfy the assembly And concerning the sustentation of the Ministers they will likewise deale for it and they hope that they shall be reasonably satisfied Thereafter the same Lords declare how they were not only accepted by her Majesty in good part but that shee had accorded to the performance of the petitions and they promise in her Majesties name unto the assembly the accomplishment For said they if they were not persuaded in their hearts that her Majesty meant sinceerly they would not have been messingers of her answer On the other side all the assembly thank God and her Majesty that their reasonable petitions were so graciously answered and they desire the same Lords reciprocally to promise unto her Majesty in their behalfe all dutifull obedience love and submission which can be expected by any Christian Prince of most faithfull and humble subjects Promising also that if any of their number shall happen to forget the duty of a good subject in offending against her Majesties lawes they all shall concurr ingenuously to the punition of the offender according to the quality of the trespasse and as they shall be required Item concerning the jurisdiction of the Church the assembly nameth four Superintendents Elleven Ministers and four Gentle men to conveen the morn and conferr on the causes and jurisdiction pertaining unto the Church and report their opinions Item it is concluded that a Minister being once placed may not leave that congregation without the knowledge of the flock and consent of the Superintendent or wholl Church and his cause be considered whither lawfull or not Item it is decerned that Pa. Cowston shall not leave his congregation nor go out of the country even albeit he petitioneth it for a time to augment his knowledge Item whereas the Commissioner of Murray had complained on Wi. Sutherland parson of Moy that he had committed fornication and when he was charged to marry the woman he had despitefully torn the Commissioners letters whereupon he was charged to compear before this assembly and hath not come the Assemblie deprives him of all ecclesiasticall function and ordaines the Commissioner to proceed with censures against him for his contempt On Decemb. 13. was a Parliam at Edinb But saith the Hist of Refor the Queen would not cause proclame the Parliament untill she had desired the Earle of Murray by whose means chiefly the Earle of Lennox came into Scotland and was then to be restored that there shall no word be spoken in the Parliament or at least nothing concluded concerning Religion But he answered He could not promise it Some articles were then presented by the Commissioners of the Church especially for abolishing the Masse and punishment of vice but nothing was granted excep that it was statute a hat scandalous livers shall be punished first by prison and then publickly shewed unto the people with ignominy But this was not put in execution The Nationall assembly The VIII Nationall Assembly conveenes at Edinburgh Decemb. 25. Jo. Erskin Superintendent is chosen Moderator It is ordained that the publick affairs shall first in order be treated and then particulars shal be propounded in writ and if any persons cause requires hasty resolution it shall be dispatched in this assembly or els it shall be referred unto the Superintendent of the bounds and certain Ministers to examine it and put their judgement in writ which shall be reported unto the next assemblie 2. The assemblie causeth propounde unto the Lords of Secret Counsell the articles following and humbly require their H. H. to solicite the Queens Majesty for answer 1. To signifie that the transgressors of the proclamations that have been against the sayers and hearers of Masse and the abusers of the sacraments are so common that it may be greatly feared that judgements shall shortly follow unless remedy be provided in time 2. To require the paiment of Ministers stipends 3. That Superintedents may be placed in such parts where none are 4. That these be punished who do shut the church-doors against the preachers coming to preach the word 5. humbly to require of her Majesty what the Church can expect of Benefices vaking or that shall vake 6. By what means Ministers shall come to the possession of Manses glebs whither they be set in fue or not 7. That the Act concerning the reparing of churches be put into execution III. Because there is a common report that many ignorants and of leud conversation are admitted to be Ministers and exhorters and Readers the Superintendents of Anguise Lothian and the West were ordained to visite certain bounds alloted now unto them and John Knox is to visite the Churches of Fife and Perth and others to visite other parts with power to trie suspend depose as they shall finde cause IV. Unto a supplication of Paull Meffan containing sundrie particulars it is answered that the assemblie is ready to accept him if he shall present himselfe before them shewing signes of unfained repentance and be willing to obey as the Church shall appoint unto him But to delete his processe the Church can no way condescend nor think they that petition to proceed from the Holy Ghost seeing David was not ashamed to write his own offense for glorifying God And to admitt him into the Ministry within the realm it is judged no way tollerable untill the memory of his crime be more deeply buried and some Church make request for him And it is signified unto him that the Church is grievously offended that he being excommunicat in Scotland hath taken upon him a Ministry in England I omitt the censures of Superintendents and Commissioners of visiting because it was ordinary Here also is mention of exhorters these were men not furnished with sufficient gifts for the Ministry and because of the scarcety of Ministers were permitted not only to read in a Church but to exercize also their talent in exhorting the people and if they did increase in gifts were admitted into the Ministry III. February following the Queen was in Fife and the Papists waxing more bold went to Masse and uttered words of blasphemie Which was delated to the Lords of Counsell As also some Popish Bishops Priests did brag that
and there advise conceive and form such heads and articles as they shall think meet to be proponed in name of the Church unto the Parliament for maintaining Gods glory and the good of the policy of the Church To desire with all humility and affectuously to crave the same to be granted To conferre and reason there upon the said heads and such as shall be proponed unto them Even so as the assembly might do if they were present Likewise power was given to John Erskin of Dun John Dunkanson Andrew Hay John Craig Thomas Smeton and And. Melvin to passe unto the Kings Majesty and Counsell in Sterlin with convenient expedition to present the heads articles and complaints after following with humble reverence and instance ........... 1. The Church craves his Majesty make generall prohibition that none of the inhabitants of the realm send their children to Paris or any other University or town professing Papistry under such pain as his Majesty and Counsell shall think expedient 2. That his Majesty would cause the Provests and Masters of the Colledges of the University of Santandrews to produce the foundations or primary Grants of these colledges to be considered by his Ma. and such as he shall appoint that these may be sighted and reformation made therein as shall be judged expedient 3. Because some Jesuits are already within this country that order may be taken with them as is requisit 4. Because one Minister is not sufficient to wait upon his Majesty and house To crave thaâ— his Majesty would be content another of the best qualities within the realm to be joined with Iohn Duncanson in the whol Ministry of his house 5. Because in the last Conference at Sterlin at his Ms command concerning the Policy of the church some articles were referred to further conference To crave that persons unspotted with such corruptions as are desired to be reformed may be named by his Majesty to proceed in further conference of the policy and time and place to be appointed for that effect 6. Because the Church understandes that his Majesty by advice of his Secret-counsell directeth Letters to stay the execution of the Acts of the Generall assembly As also summoneth Ministers that proceed in tryall of excommunication which is pronounced by them according to the word of God and disciplin of the Church And stayth the pronouncing of the same as the Commissioners will declare particularly therefore his Ma. hereafter would suffer the Acts of the Generall assembly to be put to execution and namely that excommunication being pronounced may have due execution Likewise the proceedings of the former Conference at Sterlin were now read and conferred with the book of discipline 2. The assembly weighing the apostasy of Ninian daliel Master of the grammer-school of Dumfrise deposeth him simpliciter from the function of the Ministry and suspends him from teaching the School untill al 's good experience be had by them of his good life as they have of his defection And in the mean time ordaines one of the Doctors of the school if he be sound in religion to teach that schoole And ordaines him to confesse his offence in the face of the assembly and thereafter in the Church of Dumfrise and other parts where he hath abused the simple people and also publickly in presence of the Commissioner to revoke his errors and professe the contrary truth craving God and his Church pardon And that immediatly after his and the Commissioners passing home Under the pain of excommunication c. This Ninian Daliel delivereth unto the assembly his judgement concerning the heads of religion subscribed with his hand protesting before God that not for favor nor fear of flesh he affirmed the doctrin contained therein and is minded to live alwayes and dy in it This paper is found to agree in all points with the judgement of the the Church 3. Some questions were propounded by the Provinciall Synods 1. Because great inconvenients have ensued and dayly do ensue by Readers a wholl Synode hath inhibite all Readers to Minister baptism or solemnize marriage permitting to them but the proclamation of the banns and simple reading of the text of Scripture And now that Synod desireth an uniform order may be established through all the Provinces Resp So many Readers as any Synode findeth unmeet to solemnize marriage let them be inhibited by them 2. Sundry Ministers have plurality of Benefices where by some Churches are disappointed of Service It is craved that an universall order may be prescribed that the Minister shall serve where his Benefice lyeth or that he make provision for the same Resp It is agreed 3. Presbyteries would be erected where the Exercise is used untill the Policy be established by a law Resp The Exercise is a Presbytery 4. Whit her any may be suffered to read in a Church in â—ase of necessity without admission althogh he be an Elder or deacon Resp Negatur simpliciter 5. Whither it be lawfull to marry on week-days a sufficient number being present and joyning preaching thereunto Resp It is lawfull 6. What order shall be taken with these who absent themselues from the Communion alledging the cause to be envy against their nighbour and whither others that will not salute nor bear familiar company with their nighbours and being required by the Minister should be admitted Resp the first should be admonished and the other should not be admitted without reconciliation if it stay on his side 7. Persons that after admonition go to May-playes should not be admitted to the Sacrament without declaration of repentance for that fault 8. If persons go to a Popish priest to be marryed they should be called to satisfy as fornicators and after proclamations they should be married again rhe other being null and the priest should be punished Lastly the next assembly is appointed to beginn at Dundy the second tuisday of July next According to these Commissions in the Parliament at Edinburgh October 20. it was 1. Declared that the Ministers of the blest Euangell of Jesus Christ whom God of his mercy hath now raised up among us or hereafter shall raise agreeing with them that now live in doctrin and administration of the Sacraments and the people of the realm that professe as he now offereth in his Euangell do communicat in the holy Sacraments as in the Reformed churches of this realm are publickly administrat according to the Consession of saith To be the true holy Church of Jesus Christ within this realm And decernes and declares that all and suâ—dry who either gainsay the Confession of faith professed in Parliament in the year 1560. as also specified ...... Or that refuse the participation of the Sacraments as they are now ministrat to no member of the said Church ........ so long as they keep themselves so divided 2. The King with advice of his three Estates declares and grants jurisdiction to the Church which consists and stands in preaching the true word of
the Church did so it appeares he saith in Epiphanius It doth not and the contrary appeares by S. Jerom in epi. ad Tit. ad Euagr. and sondry others who lived some in the same time some after Epiph. even Austin himself thogh D. Bancroft cite him as bearing witnes thereof likewise I grant S. Austin in his book of heresies ascribeth this to Aërius for one that he said Presbyterum ab Episcopo nulla differentiâ debere discerni but it is one thing to say There ought to be no difference betwixt them which Aerius saying condemned the Churches order yea made a schism therein and is so censured by S. Austin counting it an heresy as in Epiphanius he took it recorded himself as he witnesseth de heres ad Quod vuld in praefat not knowing hovv farr the name of heresy should be stretched and another thing to say that by the word of God there is no difference betwixt them but by the order custom of the Church vvhich Augustin himself saith in effect epist 19. so far vvas he from vvitnessing this to be heresy by the generall consent of the vvhole Church Which untruth hovv vvrongfully it is fathered on him and on Epiphanius vvho yet are all the vvinesses that D. Bancroft hath produced for the proof hereof or can for ought that I knovv it may appear by this that our learned country man of godly memory Bishop Jevvell def of the Apol. Par. 2. c. 9. div 1. pag. 198. when Harding to convince the same opinion of heresy alledged the same witnesses he citing to the contrary Chrysostom Jerom Austin Ambrose knit up his answer with these words All these and other mo holy Fathers to gether with the Apostle S. Paul for thus saying by Hardings advice mus◠be held for heretiks And Michaell Medina a man of great account in the Councell of Trent more ingenuous herein than many other Papists affirmes not only the former ancient writers alledged by Bishop Jewell but also another Jerom Thodoret Primasius Sedulius and Theophylact were of the same mind touching this matter with Aërius With whom agree likwise Oecumenenius on Tim. 3. and Anselm Archbishop of Canterburry in epi ad Tit and another Anselm Collect. can lib. 7. ca. 87. 127. and Gregory Polic. lib. 2. tit 19. 39. and Gratian ca. Legimus dist 39. ca. Olim dist 95. and after them how many It being once enrolled in the Canon-law for sound catholike doctrin and thereupon publickly taught by learned men All which do bear witnes against D. Bancroft of the point in question that it was not condemned for an Heresy by the generall consent of the whole Church For if he should reply that these later witnesses did live a 1000. year after Christ and therefore touch not him who said it was condemned so in the time of S. Austen and of Epiphanius the most flourishing time of the Church that ever hapned since the Apostles dayes either in respect of learning or of zeal first they whom I named though living in a later time yet are witnesses of former 1 Oecumenius the Greek Scholiast treading in the steps of the old Greek Fathers and the Anselmes with Gregory Gratian expressing Jeroms sentence word by word Besids that perhaps it is not very likely that Anselm of Canterburry should have been canonized by the Pope of Rome and worshipped for a Saint that the other Anselm and Gregory should have such place in the P s library and be esteemed of as they are that Gratian's works should be allovved so long time by so many Popes for the golden foundation of the Canon-lavv if they had taught that for Catholik sound vvhich by the generall consent o◠the vvhole Church in the most flourishing time that ever happened since the A postles dayes vvas condemned for Heresy chiefly in a matter of such weight and moment to the Popes Supremacy which as they do claim over all Bishops by the ordinance of God so must they allow Bishops over Priests by the same ordinance as they saw at length and therefore have not only decreed it now in the Councell of Trent but also in the new edition of their Canon-law have set down this note that on Hughs Glosse allovved by the Archdeacon saying that Bishops have differed from Priests alwayes as they do now in Government and prelatship and Sacrament but not in the name and Title of Bishop which was common to them both must be held hereafter for S. Jeroms meaning at least for the meaning of the Canon taken out of S. Jerom though his vvords be flat plain against this glosse as Bellarmin himself confesses li. cit ca. Whereunto may be added that they also vvho have labored about the Reforming of the Church these 500 years have taught that all Pastors be they entituled Bishops or Priests have equall authority power by Gods word First the Waldenses in Aen. Sylv. Hist Bohem. c. 35. Pigh Hierarch Ecclesiast l. 2. cap. 10. next Marsilius Patavinus in Defen pacis part 2. c. 15. Then Wicliff in Tho. Wald. Doctr. fidei tom 1. lib. 2. cap. 60. tom 2. c. 7. and his schollers afterward Husse and the Hussites Aen. Sylv. lo. cit last of all Luther adversus falso nominatos ord Sco. Episc adversus Papat Roma Calvin i◠in Epist ad Philipp 1. Tit. 1. Brentius Apolog. confess Wittemberg cap. 21. Bullinger Deca 5. serm 3. Musculus Loc. commun tit de Ministerio Verb◠and others who may be reckoned particularly in great number sith as here with us both Bishops Jewell loc cit Pilkinton in the Treatise of burning Pauls Church and the Queen's Professors of Divinity in our Universities D. Humphrey in Campia Durae Jesuitas part 2. rat 3. Whitak ad rat Campi 6 Confut. Duraei lib. 6. And other learned men do consent herein M. Bradford Lambert and others in Fox act c. D. Fulk against Bristow's not◠40. and answer to the Rhem. Tit. 1. 5. So in forrein Nations all that I have read treating of this matter and many mo no doubt whom I have not read The sifting examining of the Trent Councell hath been undertaken by only two which I have seen the one a Divine the other a Lawier Kemnitius and Gentilletus They both condemn the contrary doctrin thereunto as a Trent error the one by Scriptures and Fathers the othe◠by the Canon-law But what do I further speak of severall persons It is the common judgement of the Churches of Helvetis Savoy France Scotland Germany Hungary Polond The Low-Countryes and our own witnes the Harmony of Confession Sect. 11. Wherefore sith D. Bancroft I assute myself will not say that all those have approved that as sounde and Christian doctrin which by the generall consent of the whole Church in a most florishing time was condemned for heresy I hope he will acknowledge that he was overseen in that he avouched the Superiority which