one you must needes Had they authority Then no other ordination at that time to the validity of their orders was essentially required in their opinions but the royall assent of the Queene approbation of her Nobility Had they no authority or power to do it It was an vniust act theÌ„ of vsurpation in that honourable assembly a great want of Wisdome to make a law not appertayning to their office and nothing Mason pa. 132. 8. Eliz. c. 1. profitable to their cause 16. The like absurdityes ensew of the dispensation her Maiesty vsed to make good the consecrations of D. Paprker and other intruders ordeyned in the second or third of her raigne For if their consecrations were sound as Mayster Mason obiecteth to himselfe why did the Queene in her letters patentes directed for the consecrating of them vse diuers generall wordes and sentences whereby she dispensed with all causes or doubtes of any imperfection or disability that could or might be obiected in any wise agaynst the same as may appeare by â—â— Act of Parlament referring vs to the sayd letters Patents remayning vpon record Whereupon I conclude that seeing no man can dispense in the disabilityes of holy orders but such as haue authority to giue and conferre them eyther M. Maiesty who graciously dispensed to vse Mayster Masons wordes with Mason l. â— c. 5. p. 132. all causes or doubtes in their orders was the chiefe collatour and giuer of them or she iniuriously challenged to her selfe that which no law neyther of God nor man could possibly affoard her All the dawbinges which M. Mason applyeth to couer these faultes are pithily and iudiciously cast of by Mayster D. Champney For wheras he one while sayth that the Queene dispensed with the trespasses Doctour Champney in his answ to Mayster Mason c. 13. agaynst her owne lawes It is answered that there were no lawes of hers transgressed in consecrating of any before that tyme she hauing repealed in her first Parlament the lawes of Queene Mary which disanulled that new inauguration deuised by the twelue deputed by King Edward and hauing enacted no new lawes her selfe any way violable in that kinde before she practised that supreme power of her spirituall soueraygnty in graunting dispensations which was about the second yeare of her raygne Then when Mason dallyeth that she dispensed not in essentiall pointes of ordination but only in accidentall Mason l. 3. c. 5. p. 133. 8. Eliz. c. â— not in substance but in circumstance the wordes of the Queenes letters patents giue testimony agaynst him that she dispensed with all causes or doubtes of any imperfection or disability that can or may be obiected in any wise agaynst the same Now the doubtes were not about any accidentall ceremony or other not essentiall circumstance but as appeareth No man caÌ„ dispeÌ„se in the disabilityes of holy orders but he that hath power to coÌ„ferre theÌ„ by the Statute made in the Eight of Queene Elizabeth and by other most learned lawyers of the Realme as I shall declare by by they were about the very substance it selfe of their ordination whether they were true Bishops or no Likewise it belongeth only to them to dispense euen in accidental disabilities of holy orders to whome it belongeth to conferre the orders Therfore if Queene Elizabeth had power in M. Masons iudgemeÌ„t to doe the one she had authority to confer the other and that collation thogh voyde in it selfe was iudged sufficient amongst the Protestants Besides whereas M. Mason sayth That the wisdome of their Church discreetly and religiously pared away all superfluous and superstitions ceremonyes in ordination Mason l. 2. c. 11. p. â—4 What ceremony vnbeseeming What circumstance vnfitting remayned amongst them which needed dispeÌ„sation Especially seeing as M. Doctour Champney wel vrgeth agaynst him It is not to be thought that the Queene would dispense with those which the wisdome of their Church retayneth as good lawfull 17. In fine the ordination ministred in Queene Elizabeths raygne was no other then such as was deuised in the dayes of Kinge Edward ratifyed and confirmed by her But that inauguration was no validity as 8. Eliz. 1. appeareth by an Article of Queene Maryes made by the consent of the Lords spirituall and temporall and thus Fox in his Acts and Monum p. 1295. related by Mayster Fox Touching such persons as were heretofore promoted to any orders after the new sort and fashion of orders considering they were not ordered in very deed the Bishop c. The same Fox reporteth that Doctour Brook Bishop of Glocester proceeding to the degradation of Ridley consecrated Bishop after that new forme yet made Priest after the ancient tolde him That they were to degrade him only Fox pag. 1604. of Priesthood for they did not take him to be a Bishop Agaynst which Ridley neuer excepted Howbeit Cranmer being truly consecrated was degraded as Archbishop Then the opinion of the Iudges and censure of the common law disallowed that new ordination In the great Abridgement of the common law it is sayd Que Euesques c. That the Bishops in King Edward the sixt dayes were not consecrated Brookes Nouell cases placito 463. fol. 101. printed 1604. and therefore were not Bishops For which cause a lease for yeares made by them and confirmed by the Deane and Chapter shall not binde the Successour for such were not Bishops Contrarywise of a Bishop depriued which was Bishop in fact at the tyme of the letting confirmation made by the Deane and Chapter These were the Iudges words which are yet further strengthned by the case of Bishop Bonner who was certified into the Kings Bench by Doctour Horne supposed Bishop of Winchester for refusing the new oath appointed to ecclesiasticall persons by the statute of the first of Queene Elizabeth 1. Elizab. c. 1. vnto him offered in Southwarke in the Bishops howse there and his addition was Legum doctor in sacris or diuibus constitutus non clericus nec Episcopus And therefore the certificate was challenged sed non alocatur Also the sayd certificate was challenged for that the oath was sayd to be tendred vnto him by Robert Horne Bishop of Winchester who was no Bishop And Bonner was endited vpon this certificate in the County of Midlesex according to the Statute he pleaded thereunto not guilty And it was holden that the triall should not be made by a iury of Midlesex but by a Iurry of Surry and the venew of Southwarke c. It was also much debated amongst 6. 7 Eliz. Diar folio 234. al the Iustices in the Lord Catlins chamber if Bonner might giue in euidence vpon this issue not guilty that the said Bishop of VVinchester non fuit Episcopus teÌ„pore oblationu Sacramenti and resolued by all that the verity and matter being so indeed he should be well receaued vpon this issue and that the Iury should trye it The triall was
be reputed an aduersary while he sitteth in the throne And Saint Paul directly teacheth that the personall line and continuall propagation of Prophets Euangelistes Pastours and Doctours was instituted by God for the perpetuall succession and continuance Ephes 4. v. 11. 12. 13. Ibid. v. 14. of truth That now we be not children wauering and caryed about with euery winde of doctrine c. Therefore the true personall succession cannot be where the succession of doctrine wauereth much lesse where it fayleth which M. Reynolds M. Whitaker and sundry of our Protestant Reynolds in his conference ca. 7. diuis 9. VVhitak contr 1. q. 5. cap. 6. folio 271. aduersaries earnestly auowe and diligently demonstraty to our handes thereby to defeate if they could possible the prerogatiue of our succeeding Bishops But albeit it maketh nothing agaynst vs nay vpholdeth the right of our clayme who agree with our auncestours in al points of fayth yet it vtterly ouerthrowneth the vsurped title they newly challenge to the pedigree of our Bishops froÌ„ whome they dissent in the very many articles of our beliefe For by their owne arguments no participation can they haue with them in chayres no affinity or succession in Priestly thrones agaynst whome they bray forth defiance in doctrine 6. Now as touching Election the third thing which is defectiue in the Protestant ministery that is a priuiledge only due to ecclesiasticall persons For although secular ProtestaÌ„t Bishops want the electioÌ„ of Deane chapter of all clergy persoÌ„s Princes or such as haue auowsans might somtyme present and nominate their Prelates although the consent and approbation of people for greater vnion and peace hath beene also required yet the Election which interesseth the elected entitleth him to his dignity and giueth him a certayne right to his calling This is and euer was only proper to the Pope to the Deane and Chapter or some other of the Clergy and flatly forbidden to the laity vnder payne of excommunication in In Concil gener 8. can 22. ap Grat. distinc 63. c. Hadrian In Syno Niâ— 2. can 3. the eight generall Councell vnder Basil the Emperour and Adrian the Pope Likewise in the second Nicen Synod it is declared That euery Election of Bishop Priest Deacon made by secular powers let it be inualide and of no force And amongst the Canons of the Apostles the thirtith Canon hath these wordes The Bishop who by the fauour of the Princes and Potentates of the world hath gotten his Church let him be deposed But our English Protestant Bishops haue inuaded their Seas by the fauour of Princes by their letters patents without the canonicall election of Pope Deane and Inter can Aposto ca. 30. Chapter or any ecclesiasticall person Therefore they are to be deposed as wolfes vsurpers entring in at the window and not at the dore This defect is not fayned by coniectures as Barlowes consecration is by Mayster Mason nor proued by secret partiall and vnknowne Recordes MasoÌ„ l 3. c. 4. pag. 127. as he doth the ordination of others But it is publikely set downe in the common receaued lawes or Statutes of the Realme For in the first of King Edward the 1. Edward chapter 2. sixt an Act of Parlament was made for disanulling the election of Archbishops and Bishops by the Deane and Chap. taking away the writ of Conge-deslier grauÌ„ted to that purpose The wordes of the Statute are these The writ of Congedeslier was not to be graunted in King Edwards dais whose lawes Queene Elizabeth reestablished 8. Eliza. 1. 7. Be it enacted by the King with the assent of the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in this present Parlament assembled by the authority of the same that from henceforth no such Conge-deslier be graunted nor election of any Archbishop or Bishop by the Deane and Chapter made but that the Kinge may by his letters Patentes at all tymes when any Archbishopricke or Bishopricke be voyde conferre the same to any persons to whome the Kinge shall think meete Can there be a more euident proofe that the Bishops of King Edwards dayes when this Statute was in force wanted their canonical electioÌ„ And after when his lawes repealed by Queene Mary were reestablished by Queene Elizabeth at least in the beginning how beit since they make shew of returning to the auncient custome Can there be likewise a more vehement suspition willfull forgery in M. Masons registers which testify the Writ of Conge-deslier to be graunted forth when by the tenour of that law it could not be graunted 8. Notwithstanding although their Bishops election Mason lib. 2. chap. 10. fol. 88. 89. The ordination of Protestant Priests Bishops vnlawfull inualide noneat all was inualide and succession of no account yet M. Mason stifly vrgeth that their ordination or consecration was good vnlesse we can name some defect eyther in the consecrated or consecratours I answere that the consecratours after their reuolte from the Catholique Church obstinat persisting in schisme heresy were excommunicated and suspended from the due execution and practise of their functions So that although they had beene before true lawfull Bishops as none excepting Cranmer were of the whole Protestant ranke yet then their authority being taken away by the Catholike Church which as she had power to giue had power also to restrayne and disanull their iurisdiction they could not lawfully communicate vnto others that which was suspended in themselues For this cause Saint Athanasius accouÌ„teth them not in the number of true Bâ—shops who are consecrated by heretikes saying By what right can they Athanasius in Concil Arimi Seleuc. § Quae auteÌ„ Seieâ—ciae be Bishops if they receaued their ordination from heretikes as they theÌ„selues accuse them to be Likewise writing in another place in the person of Pope Iulius It is impossible quoth he that the ordinations made by Secundus being an AriaÌ„ could haue any force in the Catholike Church 6. But M. Mason our Protestants Attorney will reply Apol. 2. that S. Athanasius is to be vnderstood of the legitimate and lawfull vse not of the validity of ordination For that euery Bishop communicateth not by reason of his inherent grace or out ward vnion with the Church but by vertue of his episcopall character which no schisme quoth he by deduction out of our writinges no sinne no Mason l. 2. c. 10. fo 88. heresy no censures of the Church no excommunication suspension interdiction degradation nothing nothing at all sauing only death if death can dissolue it Thus he I graunt that the character is indeleble and that alone is sufficient in the consecratour if his intention also be right and if he vse the true matter and forme essentially required thereunto But our English Superintendents after their fal from the Roman Church neyther intended to giue those holy orders which were instituted by Christ neyther did the ordeyned intend to receaue them
Christ who was to come in flesh Thou art a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Of Saint Ambrose Christ is declared to offer in vs whose speach sanctifyeth the sacrifice which is offered Of Epiphanius The Priesthood of Melchisedech now florisheth in the Church Theophilact Christ is called a Priest for euer because there is dayly offered there is perpetually offered an oblation by the mynisters of God hauing Christ our Lord both the Priest and sacrifyce Of Saint Leo Eucherius Primasius and the rest whose testimonyes togeather with the Priestly function of Melchisedech which they mayntayne M. Fulke and his felow-protestants vtterly contemne Insomuch as Fulke sayeth this bringing forth of bread and wine was no part of Melchisedeches Priesthood therfore those Fathers were deceaued that iudged that act to pertayne to his Priesthood Marke the arrogancy of this yesterday-vpstart in censuring the Fathers for allowing a Priesthood which he with his adherentes flatly detest Well then seing they renounce both these orders I know not in what ranke to place them vnlesse it Tully in Philip. be in the order of Asinius the voluntary Senatour as Tully iesteth at him himselfe being made by himselfe Or of the order of Don-Quixote knighted in an Inne by the good fellow his host For so they are eyther voluntary Priestes arrogating that dignity without commission or created at the Nags-head in Cheape by them that had as much authority to make them as the Inkeeper to dub a knight Or at the most they can be no other then Parlamentall Priests ordayned by the new deuised forme of that temporall Court authorized by the letters patents first of a Child then of a woman which although it may giue more shew and countenance to the vsurpation of their titles yet it giueth no more right then the former to the dignity of their functions 13. Moreouer no secular Princes or temporall Magistrates No secularprinces haue power to coÌ„ferre ecclesiastical orders haue authority to confer Ecclesiasticall orders But the order of Mynistery which our ghospellers challenge was both in Kinge Edward and Queene Elizabeths dayes wholy deuised and primarily conferred by the is secular and temporall authority It was therefore no true Episcopall Priestly or Ecclesiasticall order The Maior or first Proposition is apparant in nature For no man can imparte vnto others that which he hath not himselfe Secular persons neyther a part nor assembled togeather in publike Parlament haue any ecclesiasticall order or iurisdiction much lesse can they communicat it vnto others Then Ciuill Magistrates haue only Ciuill power in Ciuill affayres ordeyned to Ciuill and naturall endes The Episcopall or Priestly order is a spirituall dignity touching spirituall functions directed to a spirituall and supernaturall end which can no more be deriued from a Ciuill Magistrate then white from blacke day from night The Minor or second Proposition I proue by the Parlament lawes other testimonyes vnanswerable In the first of King Edward a Statute was made That Archbishops Bishops should not send out their sommons citations other processes in their own names but in the name and stile of the Kinge Seeing as the law it selfe speaketh that all authority of iurisdiction spirituall Edward 1. chap. 2. and temporall is deriued and deducted from the Kinges Maiesty as supreme head of these Churches and Realmes of England and Ireland and so iustly acknowledged by the Clergy of the sayd Realmes Then you heard before how by the Kinges letters Patentes Archbishoprickes and Bishopprickes were conferred And Fox testifyeth that King Henry 8. imparted to the Fox in his Monu pag 522. 1. Eliz. 1. c. 1. Lord Cromwell the exercise of his supreme spirituall regimeÌ„t making him in the Church of England vicegerent for concerning all his iurisdiction ecclesiasticall In the first likewise of Queenâ— Elizabeths raygne a Statute was enacted whereby all spirituall or ecclesiasticall power or authority is vnited and annexed to the Imperiall crowne of her Realme c. all sorrayne vsurped power iurisdiction preheminence cleerly extinguished c. and by solemne oath renounced forsaken in so much as Doctour Whitgift placed in the Queene the fulnes of VVhitg tract 8. c. 3. d. 33. all ecclesiasticall gouernement from whome all ecclesiasticall power and authority is deriued to Bishops and mynisters she hauing in her as he writeth the supreme gouernment in al causes ouer all persons as she doth exercise the one apportayning to matters Ciuile and temporall by the Lord Chauncelour So doth she the other concerning the Church religion by the Archbishops 14. As this power was straunge and neuer heard of before in any Christian heathen or Turkish commonwealth So the maner of consecrating the mynisters of those dayes was new and before vnasuall For another Act was made in the third of King Edwards raign 3. Edward c. 12. fol. 15. wherein it is sayd Be it therefore enacted by the Kinges Highnes with the assent of the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Comâ—ons of this present Parlament assembled and by the authority of the same That such forme and manner of making and consecrating of Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons and other Mynisters of the Church as by sixe Prelats and sixe other men of this Realme learned in Gods law by the Kinges Maiesty to be appointed and assigned or by the most number of them shal be deuised for that purpose and set forth vnder the great seale of England before the first day of Aprill next comming shall by vertue of this present Act be lawfully exercised and vsed and none other any Statute law or vsage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Further when this new deuised forme of consecrating Bishops Priests c. bred many doubtes of the inualidity of their consecration and ordering Queene Elizabeth in publique Parlament decreed that all persons that haue been or shal be made ordered or consecrated Archbishops Bishops Priestes after the forme and order prescribed by Kinge Edward in the same forme and order be in very deed 8. Elizab. 1. and also by authority hereof declared and enacted to be and shal be Archbishops Bishops Priests c. and rightly made ordered and consecrated Any Statute law canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding 15. What meaneth this Statute Were your Bishops lawfully ordeyned and consecrated before Why then are they not only declared as M. Mason would excuse the manner of speach but enacted to be and shal be Archbishops c In vayne was this Act if they needed it not and Mason lib. 3. c. 4. p. 122. if they needed it it auayled them nothing as I haue already proued Or to speake more clearely Eyther the Lordes of the Parlament with their Queene had authority to install their Bishops in Episcopall dignity and make their inauguration lawfull in case it had beene inualid or they had no power to doe it Which of these M. Mason will you graunt For
vnto death in this deadly schisme and vnreconciliable hatred the one agaynst the other To leaue forraine contentions and speake of domesticall VVhitak contro 2. quaest 6. c. 3. Fulke in cap. 11. Matt. sect 5. Hooker it s in his Eccl. poli lib. 2. pa 101. Co. in his def c. art 7. pag. 54. Perkins in his refor Catholikp 55. Abbot in his def c. c. 3. se 8. 9. 10 Sparke in his answer to M. Iohn d'Albins f. 281. 28â— 283. VVhitak vbi supra Field l. 3. cap. 22. fo 118. 119. Ouerall in the confer pa 41. 42. Fulke in c. 3. IoaÌ„ sect 2. in 2â— Actorum sect 10. VVhitakâ—r contro 1. quaest 6. c. 3. VVhit ibid. 57. Bils in his true difference c. p. 4. p. 586. 587 Casaub in his answere to Card. Per. p. 20. in eng M. Iacob in his def p. 88. Harm p. 80. 81. 82. VVhite in his way to the true Church §. 33. fol. 138. of our gospellers amongst themselues in such pointes of sayth as they confesse to be substantiall 4. Whitaker and Folke peremptorily define the coÌ„maundements of God impossible to be kept and the former of â—hem â—egâ—â—â—eth this as a fundamentall point M. Hooker and Doctour Concil eagerly gayne lay it and sincerely hold they may be kept Mayâ—â—er Perkins Doctour Abbot and Doctour Sparke maynteine that the faythfull once instifyed cannot fallout of the state of grace with whome Mayster Whitaker agreeth and setteth it downe as a fundamentall point And Sparke sayth the contrary is a most dangerous errour Doctour Field notwithstanding Doctour Oueral now Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield defend they may by grieuous sinns fall from grace into the present state of wrath and damnation whose opinion his Maiesty approued with his royall assent in the conference at Hampton Court Fulke sucketh from Caluin and Whitaker engrosseth it as a point fundamentall That the Sacramentes are not necessary to saluation That they signify only but they cause no grace And of Baptisme by name Whitaker sayth Our safety dependeth not of the outward lotion but on the meritts of Christ on the meere election and promise of God Mayster Hooker and Mayster Bilson contrary wise affirme the Sacraments necessary to saluation and that they do cause grace and that our safety so much dependeth on the outward lotion as infants quoth Bilson cannot enter the Kingdome of heauen nor be heyres with Christ before they be engrassed into Christ by Baptisme A little after The Church absolutely and slatly may not assure saluation to children vnbaptized Which Casaubon also in his Maiesties name alloweth as most true Mayster Iacob with the harmony of confessions which Mayster white honoureth as the touchstone of his beleefe approueth a disparity of sinns â—ome to be veniall not all to deserue eternall death Fuâ—â—â— â—ulke 〈…〉 Matth. sect 6. 〈…〉 in c. Rom. sect 11. VVhitak vbi su fol. 58. 58â— VVillet in his Synop. printed anno Domini 1600. contro 20. VVhitak in his ans to M. CaÌ„pians 8. reason l. 8. aduer Duraeum â— Bilson in his serm Of the full redemptioÌ„ c. Hugh Sanford l. 3. de desc Domini nostri ad inferoâ— sâ—â— 91. 92. 93. 94. c. Reynolds in his secoÌ„d conclusion annexed to his confer VVhitak cont 2. qu. â— cap. 3. f. 274. VVhite §. 14. fol. 79. Bancroft in his sermon preea had the 8. of â—â—br 1588. VVillet in finop p. 48 Field in his first book of the Church c. 20. Hook l. â— sect 8. p. 141. l. 2. p. 103. 12â— Couell in his defence art 8. p. 49. 50. 51. 52. Reyn. in his fift conclu VVill. in his medit vpon the 122. psalm Hook l. 5. p. 140. VVill. in sinop anno Domino 160. p. 789. 788. Bils in his suruey of Christ sufferings and of his des to hell Perkins in his treatise of that mattter San. l. 3. de des Domini nos â—nd Whitaker so bitterly inâ—eigh agaynst that Popish assertiâ—â— as Whitaker protesteth it doth not only ouerthrowe the true â—â—t establish a false foundation Willet and Whitaker blasphemously deny the full sufficâ—ency of our Redemption by Christs corâ—â—rall death without his feeling of eternall damnaation M. Bilson confuteth that diuâ—◠〈◊〉 errour and truly teacheth as we do out of the Scriptures Fathers That he fully redeemed vs with his death on the Crosse and neuer felt noâ—â—o much as dreaded any death of foule or â—orrour of damnation how beit Master Sanford laboureth to answere all his arguments raking the former heresy out of hell defendeth it with such impiety as I wonder so detestable a work is permitted in a Christian common wealth 5. It were an infinit labour to recount all their infinit differences For touching the Church Reynoldes Whitaker and White affirme the whole militant Church vpon earth may erre in manners in doctrine in points of fayth Mayster Bancroft holdeth it cannot erre in matters of fayth Willet sayth it is sometymes inuisible Field it is alwayes visible Touching Euangelicall Councells That a man may doe more then he is bound vnder precept is auouched by Mayster Hooker and Doctour Couell reiected by Doctour Reynolds and Mayster Willet as impious and presumptuous Concerning Christ Hooker defendeth he died for all Willet he died not for al but only for the elect Bilson sayth he descended into hell M. Perkins and Mayster Sanford he descended not into the locall place of hell but only into his graue or scpulcher Touching their Mission some wil haue it ordinary some â—xtraordinary one from the people another from the Prince or house of Parlament A third from the Catholike Clergy which they account false and Antichristian Field l. 3. c. 3â— fo 156. 158. c. Barlow in his Sermon preached September 21. 1606. In which kind Field auerreth endeauoureth to proue That Presbiters to wit Priests and not Bishops may in case of necessity ordeyne Presbiters and Deacons and he graunteth many of the reformed Churches namely those of France and others to haue had no other ordination But William Barlow late Bishop of Rochester in his Sermon concerning the antiquity and superiority of Bishops preached before the King at Hampton Court affirmeth and proueth That Neyther the Apostles nor Church of Christ succeeding would admit any other but Bishops to that busines as not iustifiable for Presbiters eyther by reason example or Scriptur Againe he addeth If any of the inferiour rancks vnder Bishops presumed to do it his act was reuersed by the Church for vnlawfull Lastly concerning the Regiment of their Church the consistory of Geneua in the confession of their fayth approued by Caluin and Beza detest the Papisticall hierarchy of the Church of England as vsurped and diabolicall All English Puritans abhorre the same accounting the Protestant Doctour VVhitgift against Cart. Hooker in his book of â—â—polâ—â—y Mason in his 4. bookes 1. King Iam. in his premonitioÌ„ pag. 44. The Auth. of the 12. Arguments
reasoneth well against the ProtestaÌ„ts Bishops titulary and antichristian Prelats Doctour Whitgift notwithstanding Mayster Hooker and Francis Mason strengthen confirme it as proceeding from God And the Royall Wisdome of King Iames deliuereth That Bishops ought to be in the Church I euer maynteyned it as an Apostolicall institution so the ordinance of God Which is so mighty a dissention as the one party must needs gainesay the other in a point fundameÌ„tal For eyther this ecclesiastical gouermeÌ„t vsed in England by Archbishops Bishops other inferiour ministers is de iure diuino ordained by God or not If it be Then as the Puritan authour of the twelue generall arguments reasoneth well The Churches of Scotland France low Countries and other places the precisians of England who account it Antichristian cannot be a true Church but the signagogue of Satan contradicting therein both Christ and his gospell If not Then according to the rule of Protestants who appeach all publike and ecclesiasticall administratioÌ„ as sacrilegious policy which is not warranted by the word of God the Puritans will conuince them of tyrannicall vsurpation who establish â—n their Church an ecclesiasticall hierarchy which God â—euer willed nor commaunded them to do These and many other such tragicall diuisions in matters essentiall â—aygne amongst them which the Protestant Relatour sayth tend mainely to the increase of Atheisme within of Mahomeâ—isme Relatour in his relat §. 45. printed at London anno 1605. D. Couell in his iust temper defence art 11. pag. 67. In their ChristiaÌ„ modest off c. p. 1â— published anno Domini 1606. Ibid. p. 16. VVillet in his medit vpon the 122. psal p. 91. ante medium abroad And Doctour Couell a Protestant more modest then Whitaker more sincere then Field plainly protesteth Least any man should thinke our contentions with puritaÌ„s â—â—ere in smaller points difference not great each side hath charged one the other with heresies if not infidelityes nay euen with such as quite ouerthrow the principall foundation of our Christian fayth 6. The Puritans iumpe with him affirming their disagreement from the Protestant Bishops to be of that nature in sundry propositions as if they shold not coÌ„staÌ„tly hold and maynteyne the same against all men they cannot see how possibly by the rules of diuinity the separation of their Churches from the Church of Rome from the Pope the supreme head thereof can be iustified c. A little after they add VVherein if they the Puritans be in errour the Prelats on the contrary haue the truth they protest to all the world that the Pope the Church of Rome in them God and Christ Iesus himselfe haue great wronge indignity offered vnto them in that they are reiected that all the Protestant Churches are schismaticall in forsaking vnity and communion with them Thus they Mayster Willets testimony rehearsing diuers of the forenamed variances adiudging theÌ„ blasphemous were too long to repeate the alleadged wil declare First what small trust is to be reposed in Whitaker Field White c. in other matters who in a thing so manifest are conuicted of falshood Secondly what hatfull quarrells cruell debats this new religion hath bread in England in so much as the poore ignorant people know not whome to follow or what to belieue when their greatest maisters and chiefest guides are at this deadly warre amongst themselues 7. Wherefore as Saint Augustine mourned the vnhappynes Aug. l. 18. de ciuitate Dei ca. 41. of the Athenians and vanity of their City who harboured and gaue countenance to sundry iarring Philosophers directly opposite and fiercely disagreeing one from the other Not sayth he about landes houses or money matters but about those things by which the life of maÌ„ is eyther miserably or happily leade In like sort I may coÌ„miserat and bewayle the dangerous estate of my countrymen and wofull calamity of our distressed Iland which now fostereth in her lappe and nourisheth in her bosome so many factious ministers diuided as you see farre worse then the Athenian Sophisters not in Ciuile brawles or politike diuisions not in morall precepts of life and manners but in the deepest affayres of conscience of fayth of religion which they cannot discusse without danger nor vp hold without infamy nor teach without infection nor long maynteyne without the viperous distraction of themselues and endlesse ruine of innumerable soules Yet So sâ— to seale vp my discourse with the same authours words it is necessary that rent diuided into small peeces they perish who Aug. con Parmen l. â— cap. 4. haue preferred the swelling pride of their haughty slomake before the most holy band of Catholike peace vnity CHAP. XVI Wherin is declared how SaÌ„ctity or Holines is a note of the true Church Agaynst Doctour Whitaker and Doctour Field MANYFOLD and various is the signification of this word Sanctum holy and so it diuersly entitleth and denominateth the Church of God First she is called holy because she is purchased and sanctified by the precious bloud of our innocent and vnspotted Lambe Christ Iesus which Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2. v. 9. insinuated when he stiled the faythfull A holy Nation a people of purchase Secondly it is holy because it is wholy dedicated and consecrated vnto God whereupon he sayd to his people You shal be holy because I am holy Thirdly it is Leuitic 11. 1. Pet. 1. holy for that it consisteth of holy lawes holy precepts holy ceremonyes holy Sacraments all thinges holy Fourthly it is holy by reason of her purity and holynes both in doctrine and manners and this all Catholique writers acknowledge as a proper badge and token of Christs chosen flocke yet not in that sort as purity of doctrine or syncere and true preaching of the word is challenged by the Protestants and refuted by vs a note more hidden then the thing it denoteth but in a farre different sense For Protestants take the vniuersall purity of A differet acception of sanctity of doctrin vsed amongst Catholiks and Protestants doctrine and true preaching of the word as it is opposite to all errours in euery dogmaticall and essentiall point to be a Marke of the true Church We a particuler purity or sanctity or sanctity only not as it excludeth all fundamentall errours contrary to truth but as it excludeth all grosse or palpable absurdityes repugnant to the principles of nature or rules of coÌ„mon reason known to all men this we assigne as an vndoubted recognizance of the immaculate and euer beloued spouse of Christ Wherein Mayster Whitaker hath inexcusably iniuried Cardinal Bellarmine in traducing him for challenging VVhitak contr â— q. 5. ca. 9. fol. 415. 416. Field in his 3. booke ca. 44. f. â—76 this not to haue forsaken his staÌ„ding to haue cowardly fled to their protestaÌ„t campe And Field more main part sawcie then he sayth A lier should haue a good memory c.
appeare at the Assizes and Sessions in England professe your selfe a Catholike Will they not all iudge you a Roman Catholike And are they not also often forced for distinction sake to stile vs by that name Aug. de vera relig cap. 7. Aug. con ep fund c. 4. because they could not otherwise be vnderstood as S. Austine saith especially when they discourse with straungers who are vnaquainted with the nicknames they impose vpon vs and therefore the same Saint Augustine noteth it in another place as a secret and hidden iudgement of God That whereas all heretikes would haue themselues called Catholikes yet to Sleidan lib. 7. fo 96. Fox Acts and monu pag. 613. Iacob inhis reasons p. 5. 24. Fulke in act â—1 sect 4. Humf. in vita Iuelli pag. 102. a straunger demaunding where a man might repayre to the Catholike assembly none of the heretikes dare shew their owne conuenticles or meeting place Trauaile through the free state of Germany where our Religion and Protestants are publikly permitted propound this question to the Lutherans Zuinglians or Caluinists there aske where the Catholikes meete at seruice And they will point you to our Churches And not only in priuate talke but in publike writings discourses some of our sectaryes attribute vnto vs the priuiledge of this name as Sleidan M. Fox and M. Iacob often doe Doctour Fulke termeth it a vayne sound Doctour Humfery scornfully disgraceth it Others vtterly renouÌ„ce discard it as certayn Lutherans did at the Synode holden In col Altemberg in resp ad accus corr fol. 154. at Altemberge who wheÌ„ their aduersaries obiected a saying of Luther agaynst them in which the word Catholike was found they reiected it as counterfeit saying These wordes Catholikely vnderstood sauournot of Luthers stile 7. And M. Abbot now supposed Bishop of Sarisbury The name of Catholike was an honourable name and the Abbot in his answer to Doctour Bishopsep to the King fol. 16. and 17. peculiar title of the children of the Church but now by their abuse who haue vniustly taken that name vnto themselues it is become a name of course and shame with the people of God and the proper badge of Apostatas heretikes c. Then he denyeth it sectmates and attributeth vnto vs that literall name saying Let them haue the shell so that we haue the kernell Let them vaunt themselues of the empty letter so long as we haue the true vertue and signification of the name But of the signification hereafter in the insewing Chapter Here it appeareth by his renuntiation and flat deposition That we of the Roman profession and only we are commonly designed by the name Catholike We only enioy the liuely badge and are inuested with the liuery of the true professours of Christ Neyther can M. Abbot or M. Whitaker dismantle vs of that royalty by VVhitak contr â— q. 5. ca. 2 fol. 295. Abbot loco citato saying Names may be falsly imposed to things or vniustly vsurped For this name is not imposed by man not vsurped by abuse but imparted by God inspired by the holy Ghost as I haue proued aboue who cannot apparell vs with any faygned attire nor can the diuell take from Gods people their cognizance or nobilitate his vassalls with the colours of Christ But such hath beene the diuine prouidence in preseruing the honour of this title to his Beloued spouse as there was neuer any schismaticall or hereticall assembly commonly called or stiled Catholike neuer any people generally of all parties knowne by that name who were not indeed the true flocke of Christ Heretikes quoth Fulke could neuer obtayne to be so called by true Fulk in lo. citato Christians Wherefore seeing Protestants for the most part and all others Christians yea Iewes and infidells discerne vs by this marke we are the true followers beleeuers in Christ 8. Fulke Field and Whitaker obiect agayne that Fulke ibid. Field l. 2. c. 9. VVhitak contr 2. q. 5. cap. 2. Field ibid. folio 58. we are also called by seuerall names Some Benedictins Franciscans Dominicans c. some Thomists Scotists and the like I answere these names import not any difference in matters of fayth as Field testifyeth with me but in order of life in courses as he saith of monasticall profession or in questionable matters not defined by the Church in controuersies of religion to vse his wordes not yet determined by the consent of the whole vniuersall Church Yf the spirit of modesty if the spirit of truth guided his pen to answere this in our behalfe imagine with your selues what spirit of giddines what spirit of contradiction incensed his hart to controule his owne speach and calumniate vs without a cause For as in the old law some were called Rechabites Iare 35. 2. 5. 6. Num. 6. 2. 5. 13. some Nazarites so now we may haue diuers names as long as they argue not the least chaunge or innouation in any necessary point of beliefe which none of the former doe related by M. Field nor any other by which he and his associates scornfully miscall vs. For the name Papist designeth not any particuler man or new manner of beliefe but only our submission and adhereÌ„ce to the Pope our head The name Romanist so rife in the pen of M. Field declareth the chiefe Citty or seate of his residence and our communion with it Both which haue euer beene speciall tokens of faythfull Christians Whereupon Saint Augustine sayd of Cecilian that he needed Aug. ep 162. not seare the conspiring multitude of African Bishops as longe as he communicated with Melchiades the Pope And Optatus to omit Optatus l. 2. contra Parme. Saint Ierome whose wordes I recited in another place maynteyning league with Siricius the Pope with whom the whole world as he sayth was vnited cassiereth the Donatistes out of the number of Catholikes because they communicated not with the Roman Church Why our sectaries are called ProtestaÌ„ts 9. But as the very nicknames our enemyes deuise to disgrace vs plainly bewray both the equity of our cause and truth of our religion So all the titles we giue vnto them and such as they arrogate to themselues burne them in the forhead with the print of heresy For some we call Sacramentaryes for denying the truth of Christes presence in the Sacrament Others Caluinistes After what manner they may be fitly tearmed Ghopellers others Lutherans of the innouation and chaunge which Luther and Caluin first inuented in matters of fayth Protestants and Gospellers they all tearme themselues because they ioyned togeather to make open protestation agaynst the whole body of Christendome in the Councell of Trent Gospellers because they pretend though falsly as other heretikes are wont to follow the gospell and pure word of God Yet in a contrary sense they may enioy the outward splendour of that empty name in that they offer violence to the gospell in writhing it to their phansies
the Protestants and Puritans in England of whome M. Ormerod witnesseth Puritans differ from Protestants in thinges fundamentall and substantiall Puritans doe not agree with Protestants in all matters of fayth So the Arminians dissente from the Orme dia. 2. Gomoristes in the law Countryes The Caluinistes of Geneua from the Lutherans of Saxony The Lutherans of Saxony from the Zuinglians of Tygurum They from the Aug. tom 7. de vnit eccl cap. 3. Osiandrines of Prussia the Osiandrines from the Anabaptistes of Westphalia c. as hath beene partly vnfolded in the first note of vnity 3. Therefore as Saint Augustine disputed agaynst diuers heretikes of his age Yf the holy Scriptures designe the Church in Africa only c. the Donatistes alone counteyne the Church Yf in a few Mores of the prouince of Cesarea we must repayre to the Regatistes c. If in the Easterne people only Amongst the Arians Macedonians and Eunonians c. the Church is to be sought After the like manner if the Caluinistes haue the truth to Geneua a few Cantons in France we must all resort Yf the Protestants to England if the Zuinglians to Tigurum if the rigide Lutherans to Saxony if the soft to Wittemberge Lipsia and Magdeburge c. For all these being so opposit cannot enioy the right fayth or if they could they be but parts of the world small tractes of the earth farre lesse then Africa farre lesse then the East to which the Church of God as Saint Augustine discourseth could not be confined For he goeth forward in the alleadged place Aug. lo ci But if the Church of Christ by diuine and most certayne testimonies of canonicall Scriptures be described in all nations whatsoeuer they shall Aug. tom 4. q. euang l. 1. q. 38. bringe or from whencesoeuer they shall write it who say behold here is Christ behold there Let vs listen rather if we be his sheepe to the voyce of our pastour saying doe you not belieeue because his Church quoth he shal manifestly shine like a lightning frō the east to the west that is ouer all the world 4. Now if the Kingdome of the Messias be the greatest and largest amongst all that professe the name of Christ if it be the sole and vniuersall Kingdome of all nations and if this be the thinge signified by the name Catholike not only that title which M. Abbot alloweth vs but the thinge also entitled the thinge betokened thereby the prerogatiue of Vniuersality appertayneth to vs. Fo◠we farre exceede the Protestants and all other sectaries of our dayes in multitude of people in variety of nations in troupes of followers in dignity of patrons in society of Princes who linke themselues to the body of our Church In so much as I may vrge M. Abbot as Saint Pacian did Sympronian Number if you can our Catholike flockes Abbot in his answ to D. Bishops epist to the King pag. 16. and 17. Paciā ep 3. ad Symp. sub finem Count vpon your fingers the swarmes of our people not those now which are dispersed throughout the world aboundant in all countryes but those brother Sympronian which dwell with you in the allied prouinces in the neighbour cittyes Contemplate how many of ours thou alone beholdest with how many of our people thou alone meetest Art thou not swallowed vp by vs as the eue droppings by great fountaynes as by the Ocean little bubles of water are consumed 5. Yf we should now compare Roman Catholikes with Protestants euen in these regions of Europe the same might we auouch of their paucity in respect of vs. Catholiks are in all countryes wher protestants raygne openly knowne But if we should passe out of Europe what townes or villages what Chappell 's or Oratoryes can they reckon vp in Asia Africa America c. how many Indians Ethiophians Iaponians How many of their sect can they name in China in Brasilia in Magellanica Not any one no publike Church haue they or Chappell out of Europe of any other then such as traffike in these parts Notwithstanding as we abound with many of our religion in all those remote Protestāts not hard of in a hundred Kingdomes where Catholikes flourish and forrayne Countries where the name of Protestants is vnknowne So in all the Prouinces in euery corner which sectaryes in habite we want not those who openly defend and professe our fayth We haue them in Germany low Countryes England and the Cantons of France To which purpose Saint Augustine speaking of sundry heresies and of the Church very fitly sayth They in many nations where this is are not found but this which is euery where there where they are is also found Aug. de vn eccles c. 3. 6. The first reason why God would haue his Church so vniuersall was to manifest his loue to all creatures that all people might partake of the riches of his Isay 54. v. 5. mercy That all might receaue the happy tidinges of their redemption and meanes of saluation And that he who was God of Israel might now as I say prophesied be God Prou. 14. vers 28. of all the earth The second reason was for the honour of the Son of God for the glory of his name for the reward of his merits To which effect S. Austine applyeth that saying Iero. dialo aduer Lucifer of Salomon In the multitude of people the dignity of the King and in the fewnes of people the ignominy of the Prince Therefore Saint Ierome accounteth it a great ignominy to Christ to haue the Empires of his Church the trophies of his Crosse Optat. l. ◠cōtra Par. as he tearmeth them restrayned to corners And Optatus blameth Parmenian for the like Yf so at your pleasure you barre vp the Church in a narrow roome if you withdraw all nations where Psal 2. is that which the sonne of God hath merited VVhere is that which his Father willingly bestowed vpon him saying I will giue thee Gentills forthy inheritance endes of the earth thy possession VVhy do you violate such a promise that the latitude of Kingdomes should be shut vp by you as it were in a prison How labour you to resist so great piety what meane you to make warre agaynst the merits of our Sauiour Permit the Sonne to enioy his legacies Permit the Father to fullfill his promises VVhy place you bounds why appoint you limits 7. The third and last reason is for the perswasion and stay of the faythfull For what greater motiue of credibility can we haue then the authority of so many and so learned men the fame celebrity consent of all nations This S. Augustine often proposeth as a weighty Aug vtil credendi c. 14. 17. argument which first induced and after strengthened him in our Catholike fayth Others by the very light of nature esteemed it also as a thinge most worthy of credite Seneca sayd VVe are wont to attribute much
of the world Since retired to some few particuler and vnknown coastes Since perished out of view of all nations is heretofore resuted at large in the fourth chapter of this treatise And Saint Augustine detesteth it as a rash temerarious false and abhominable deuise He thinketh it strange to be spoken of and asketh what inuader Christ suffered to robbe him of his goods Of the whole world the price of his bloud Besides the places of Scripture by which S. Aug. tomo 8 in psal 101. conci 2. Augustine demonstrateth the Kingdome of Christ to be euery where extended to replenish the whole face of the earth to possesse all the endes of the world are not prophesies only of S. Augustines of Optatus of Saint Ieromes age they specify not their dayes any more then ours but they are indeterminably Aug. Exp. 2. in psal 21. written by the holy Ghost for all times ages Therefore they are as truly verified now as then as iustly vrged by vs agaynst Protestants as by them agaynst Luciferians or Donatistes And the exceptions taken by their aduersaries are the same which are now pursued by ours 12. Let me pose you M. Whitaker Doth he not deserue as great a curse who shall now deny the Passion and Resurrection of Christ as any heretike should doe in gaynsaying it in Saint Augustines tymes And yet S. Augustine maketh a like comparison between those mysteryes Aug. Ep. 48. and this of the Churches vniuersality As sayth he he shal be anathema which preacheth that Christ neyther suffered nor rose agayne because we learne by the Ghospell that it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the third day So he shall also be anathema whosoeuer preacheth the Church to be elswhere then in the communion of all nations because by the selfe same gospell we learne in the words next following And pennance to be preached in his name and remission of sinnes thoughout all nations Wherfore as the former textes of Scripturre touching his death and resurrection so these concerning the amplitude of his Church are generally verifyed of all times and ages 13. But Doctour Whitaker obiecteth that there VVhitak cont 2. q. 5. c. 6. was a tyme at the beginning when the Church was not vniuersal I answere that as there is a tyme when a child new borne cannot actually laugh or exercise the function of man yet is then a true man and hath the power or faculty of laughing So the Church in her infancy was not actually dilated and propagated ouer all countryes yet it was then planted to be vniuersall and had the property of vniuersality belonging to it Because Christ at the first erecting of it sayd Teach ye all nations Going Matt. viti v. 19. Marc. 56. vers 15. Act. 1. v. 8. into the whole world preach the gospell to all creatures You shal be witnesses vnto one in Ierusalem and in all Iury and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earth Therefore although not the actuall extension yet the prerogatiue of Vniuersality apperteyned to the Church from the beginning and after that she should once obteyne her vniuersall and actuall propagation the diuine oracles often witnesse it should so continue vnto the end of the world As hath beene shewed both here in the fourth chapter of this third part Howbeit Mayster Whitaker ceaseth not to wrangle For because he cannot challenge the right of the thinge he picketh a quarrell at the etimology of the name Catholike he will not haue it to signify vniuersality of place but only of the truth saying That Church is VVhitak contro 2. q. 5. c. 2. q. 6. c. 2. Eulke in c. 24. Luc. sect 4. in name and deed Catholike which Catholikely and truly teacheth all the points of religion whatsoeuer ought to be learned and belieued of a Christian man The same is also auerred by Doctour Fulke 14. But how can it thus be a note of the true Church The true doctrine in all dogmaticall poyntes as I haue heretofore declared is more obscure and hidden then the Church It is the inward substance or dowry of the Church It cannot possibly be discerned especially by the vnlearned nor consequently guide them to the knowledge of the Church It is constantly challenged by all heretikes whatsoeuer Aske the Arian the Pelagian the Gnosticke the Anabaptist c. Euery one of them whosoeuer else will tell you that he alone hath the vniuersall truth and it would be a bootlesse labour to goe about by that marke taken in that sense to perswade him the contrary Yet into this labyrinth other heretikes of former tymes haue craftily retired For Vincentius the Rogatian would haue the word Catholike to Aug. Ep. 48. ad Vincentium Rogatian import the like integrity of fayth and vniuersall keeping of the commandements whome S. Augustine refelleth in this manner Thou seemest to haue found out a witty deuise when thou doest interprete the name Catholike not of the communion of all the world but of the obseruation of all the diuine precepts al the Sacramēts which deuise of his new burnished now Aug. de vt credendi c. 7. by our aduersaries he vtterly reiecteth immediatly after alleadgeth the sentence before cited with this preamble whatsoeuer crooked trains any mā weaueth against the simplicity of whatsoeuer he casteth of wily falshood euen as he shal be ana thema who preacheth that Christ hath not suffered nor risen So he that shall Aug. in ps 18. expo 2. deny the Church to be in the communion of the world Because both are learned out of the same Ghospell Besides Saint Augustine flatly distinguisheth this not of vniuersality or amplitude Fulke in c. 24. Lu. sect 2. in 2. ad Thess 2. sectione 5. VVhitak contro 2. from the verity of the Church in all mysteries of faith saying The Church is one as algraunt if you regard the whole worlde more stored with multitude and as they that know affirme more syncere in truth then all the rest but of the truth it is another question Loe M. Whitaker how you confound questions affect obscurities lurke in holes that you maynteyne a part in faction who might hold all in peace concord Abbot in his answere to M. D. Bishop Ep. to the King pag 15. 15. The last obiection repeated by M. Fulke Mayster Whitaker and Rhetorically dilated by M. Robert Abbot against our restraining the Citty of God vnto the Sea of Rome hath beene often answered by our men That we take not the Roman Church for the particuler diocesse which belonges to Rome but for the latitude of all people and countryes who consort with the Pope in Sacramentes fayth and communion acknowledging him for Christes vicar vpon earth And thus the Roman Church hath beene euer accounted all one with the Catholike and vniuersall Church For Saint Ambrose writeth of his Brother Satyrus desyring in pilgrimage Ambrosius in serm de ob
fratris to receaue the Sacramentes That he demaunded of a Bishop VVhether he agreed with the Catholique Bishops that is with the Roman Church Iocundus also the Arian as Victor reporteth sayd to Kinge Theodoricke Yf you put Armogastes to death the Romans will proclayme him a Victor Vti de pers Van. l. 1. Hier. in ap aduer Ruf. Martyr Where by the Romans he vnderstood Catholiques In like manner Ricemer the Goth and Arian wrote vnto the Genneses Yf he be a Catholique he is a Roman Hence the Roman fayth is tearmed the Catholique fayth the Romen Bishop Bishop of the Catholique Church Bishop of the vniuersall Church Pope of the vniuersall Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 11. Con. Calce act 3. in rela Sanctae Synodi ad Pap. Leonem Poss in vita Augustini ca. 17. Iustin in Epist Hormis papae Cypo epist 52. Leo ep 82. Cypr. l. 4. ep 2. Opt. l. 2. contra Parmen L. in vrbe Roma de statu hom Aug. de ci Deil. 5. c. 15. Art 22. 16. Church His sentence the iudgement of the Catholique Church His definitions Catholique instructions His Sea the roote or matrixe of the Catholique Church His solicitude the care of the vniuersall Church To communicate with him to communicate with the Catholique Church To enter league with him to keepe frendship or society of communion with the vniuersall world 16. In fine as in auncient tymes all people subiect to the Roman Empire were by a generall decree of the ciuill law graced with the name of Roman Cittizens After which sort Saint Augustine testifyeth of some enobled with the title of Roman Senatours who neuer entred the gates of Rome And Saint Paul being borne at Tharsis in Cilicia professed himselfe a Roman borne So in like manner All Churches that liue in communion with the Roman Church All that submit themselues to the obedience of that Sea Al that acknowledge her their head and mother Church borrow from her the denomination of Roman Churches Especially sith that generally denominations are deriued from the most eminent and principall part and neuer any Church neuer any people in any parte of the worlde hath beene taynted with heresy or touched with schisme which tooke the name of Roman Church or Roman people by reason of their communion with the Sea of Rome Therefore as the name Catholique and the thinge signifyed thereby So the name Roman or Romanist is a playne demonstration that our Church is the Gen. 13. 22. flocke of Christ and only seed which our Lord hath blessed and multiplyed like the starrs of heauen and duste of the earth The Kingdome of God whose dominion is extended from one sea to another and from the Riuer to the vttermost boundes of the worlde The Lady or Queene which sitteth one the right hand of her spouse enuironed with Psal 71. see S. Aug. vpon that psalme Pacian ep 3. ad Symp. Malach. c. v. 1. v. 11 the variety of all tribes and Countryes The chosen people which from the rising of the sunne euen to the setting euery where magnifyeth the name of our Lord. And the Protestantes Secte is that deuided faction which rebelleth agaynst him that segregated bunche or festered boyle That harlotry Synagogue which shrowded in corners lyeth in wayte to deceaue our soules to entangle them with fayre wordes and flattery of lippes c. VVhose howse the wayes of hell penetrating to the inward partes of death Prou. 7. CHAP. XX. In which Apostolicall succession is declared to be an apparant note of the true Church Agaynst Mayster Francis Mason AS the Church of Christ cannot possibly continue without the preaching of truth and administration of Sacraments the Sacramēts cannot be ministred nor truth preached without pastours teachers to deliuer the same The Pastours and teachers not still remayne without a perpetuall generation or propagation of them by succession mission and approued ordination Tertullian libro de praescrip Ther ore the ancient Fathers haue alwayes appealed to this lawfull successiō of Priests Bishops as to an illustrious note mark of the Church more plaine more cōspicuous more easily known thē the doctrin of truth to which notwithstanding it is inseparably linked Augustin psal contra partē Do. Tom. 7. libro contra Ep funda Iraeneus libro 3. c. 1. Therefore Tertullian thus prouoked the heretikes of his tyme Let them set forth the beginning of their Churches Let them thew the ranke or order of their Bishops c. Saint Augustine in like sort challenged the Donatistes Recount sayth he the Priestes euen from Peters seate and looke who haue succeeded one another in the ranke of those Fathers After the same manner Saint Iraeneus discomfiteth the Valentinians Saint Epiphanius Epiphan haer 17. Ieronymus dialog vlt. cōtra Lucif Optatus l 2. the Carpocratians Saint Ierome the Luciferians Optatus the heretique Parmenian And he particulerly nameth the Roman Bishops from Peter to Siricius Saint Augustine from Peter to Anastasius affirming that by that succession of Priests and Bishops he was held in the Church 2. Whereunto least some Cauiller should take exception that they speake only of the tyme past of the Augustine Ep. contra Faustum Manich. cap. 4. succession which was before their dayes but they prophecy not of the tyme to come nor do they auow that the like succession shal stil perseuere S. Austine to encoūter this obiection notably writeth in another place The true Church by most certayn successiō of Bishops doth perseuere frō the Apostles tyme vnto ours and to tymes after vs agayne Which is a Augustine libro cont aduers leg Proph. cap. 20. Ecclesia ab Apostolorum tēporibus per Episcoporum successiones certissimas vsque ad nostr ū deniceps tempora perseuerat thinge so cleerly defined in holy writ especially by Saint Paul to the Ephesians and so necessary for the instruction of the infidells edification of the faythfull consummation of the Saints and true essence or being of the Church as no Sacrament can be ministred word preached fayth imbraced or Church remayne where the true vocation or ordinary calling of Bishops and Priestes is at any tyme wanting Neyther doe the more learned of our Aduersaryes make doubt hereof But as the heretikes in Saint Augustines tyme so these now bragge of a certayne figure or similitude of beginning vnder the name of Christians but are indeed withered braunches cut of from the vine For some of them endeauour to steale a beginning or ordinary calling from the temporall Magistrates and suffrages of the people as Caluin and his brats of Geueua Others from the temporall Prince only without the peoples voyces as Brentius and Musculus Others from the Presbitery or meere Priestes that be not Bishops which Monsieur Caluin l. 4. instit c. 3. §. 1. c. 4 §. 11. Brent in prol Mus in locis comun Plessis in tract de Ecclesia cap. vlt. Field in his 3. booke of the
Church c. 39. pag. 156. 157. 158. 159. Sparke in his answere to M. Iohn d'Albins du Plessis and M Doctour Field in some causes eagerly defend Some fly to extraordinary vocation and calling immediatly from God or from the priuiledge of truth which they pretend to deliuer as M. Sparke D. Fulke and D. Whitaker with diuers of the Puritan sect Fulke against Stap. and Martial pag. 2. VVhitak contr 2. c. 6 fol. 368. 371. Some others to the letters Patentes of their Prince and general consent of the Parlament house as many English Protestants did in the dayes of King Edward and at the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raygne But now their new Attorneyes finding the plea of their predecessours cleane ouerthrown in al the former cases they lay clayme to the pedegree of our Bishops to the row of our auncestours So cleare resplendent is this shining marke of our Roman succession as it maketh the very children of darkenes to runne vnto it and seeke to sunne themselues in the beames of her light like forlorne traytours who rebelling agaynst their soueraygne challenge his title to dispoâ—sesse him of his throne So Mayster Francis Mason M. FraÌ„cis Mason l. 1. cap. 2. folio 10. hath set forth a booke in folio to authorize the ordinary calling of their Protestant Ministery by the Canonicall consecration of our Roman Prelates The Mynisters of of England sayth he receaue imposition of handes in lawfull manner from lawfull Bishops indewed with lawfull authority therefore their calling is ordinary Thus he We aske by whome He answereth by the hands of such Bishops as went before them whome he confesseth to be vndoubted Bishops of the Roman Church And therefore telleth vs Archbishop CraÌ„mer and other heroycall he should say diabolicall spirits whoÌ„ the Lord vsed as his instruments to reforme religion in England had the very selfe same ordination and succession whereof you so glory 3. A desperate case when heretikes fly to Catholiques tentes when meere oucrastes eyther degraded or titularyes only would begge nobility from the stocke of such as degraded them But what hope can they haue to draw their lineage from them from whome they deriue Protestant Bishops Priestes haue neyther true successioÌ„ election ordinatioÌ„ or missioÌ„ not as I shall declare any Apostolicall succession canonicall election true ordination lawfull mission or authenticall vocation All which are necessary to an orthodoxall and Catholique Clergy And yet neyther of these maugre M. Masons large bulke to the contrary can be found amongst Protestants For first to an Apostolicall succession besides Election and Ordination of which hereafter two thinges are requisite 1. A place A priuiledge in chartamagna by which Catholike Priests are exempted from all secular power voyde eyther by depriuation voluntary resignation or naturall death Secondly a conformity in fayth with him that went before But when Younge for example Grindall Horne Pilkinton Bullingham c were intruded in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth into the Bishopricks of Yorke London VVinchester Durham Lincolne the true Bishops of those Seas to wit Heath Bonner VVhite Tunstall VVatson were liuing not resigning their dignityes vnto theÌ„ nor yet lawfully depriued of them Therfore the former had no vacant piaces wherein to succeede but were wolues theefes and vsurpers of other mens chayres That Hebr. 13. vers 17. they were not lawfully depriued I proue because Queene Elizabeth her Peeres and other officers who concurred to their dispositioÌ„ were of the layty not coÌ„petent Iudges Matth. 18. v. 18. eyther of ecclesiasticall Prelates or of their causes For such persoÌ„s were euen in criminall matters by the lawes of the Realme by the immunityes of Charta magna not Luc. 10. v. 16. then repealed exempted from subiection to secular Tribunalls vntill they were adiudged and giuen ouer vnto them as none of the former were by the authority of the Matth. 23. v. 3. Ioan. 21. v. 18. Nazian in or at ad ciuestimore perculsos Church Then the Apostle commaundeth all secular people Princes also for his wordes be general without restriction to obey their Prelates and be subiect vnto them Christ chargeth vs to heare them vnder payne of damnation To heare them as himselfe To do what they shall prescribe To be fed and gouerned by them Whereupon Saint Gregory Nazianzen speaking of Emperours saith The Law of Christ hath subiected you to my iurisdiction and to my tribunall For we Athanasius Ep. ad soli vitam agentes Ambros Ep. 32. ad Imp. Val. iuniorem Hosius ap Atha loco citato haue also an Empire yea a greater and more perfect then that of yours vnlesse it be fit to prostrate the soule to the body and heauenly thinges to earthly Saint Athanasius Saint Ambrose and the learned Hosius of Corduba testify the same in such serious manner as Saint Athanasius calleth it the abhomination of desolation foretold by Daniel for an Emperour to preside in ecclesiasticall affayres 4. Yea many zealous and godly Emperours haue wholy disclaymed from all power of intermedlinge with the decision or iudgmeÌ„t of ecclesiasticall matters as Valentinian the first Theodosius the younger Constantine the great whose words are these related by Ruffinus Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 7. Theodorus Ep. ad syn Ephes Bar. Tom. 1. pag. 732. God hath made you Priestes and hath giuen you power to iudge vs and therefore are we rightly iudged by you But you cannot be iudged by men How cleere then is our case that the foresayd Catholike Bishops could not be iudged by Queene Elizabeth and her Councell much lesse haue sentence of deposition pronounced agaynst them without which the ProtestaÌ„t intruders could not be inuested in their rooms nor be lawfully installed in their Episcopall dignity 5. Secondly as those pretended Bishops had no vacant Seas to inherite so they wanted conformity of doctrine which is likewise necessary to true succession they swarued from the fayth of their Catholique predecessours in sundry essentiall pointes And the lineall descent of persons the possession of place if it were truly vacant or resigned is of no force vnlesse it be ioyned with continuance of doctrine which made Saint Irenaeus to Irenaeus l. 4. aduer haere c. 42. Tertullian l. de praes forewarne vs with this caueat You ought to obey those who togeather with the succession of their Bishoprike charge haue receaued the giftes or priuiledges of truth And Tertullian auoucheth the Church to be called Apostolicall not only by reason of her personall succession of Bishops but propter consanguinitatem doctrinae by reason of the consanguinity or conformity Ambrose l. 1. de poeni c. 6. Gregorius NazianzeÌ„ oratione 21. of doctrine Because as Saint Ambrose sayth They enioy not the inheritance of Peter who retayne not the fayth of Peter He sayth Saint Gregory Nazianzen who maynteyneth the same doctrine is also partaker of the same chayre But he who imbraceth a contrary or aduerse fayth is to