in the heauens and â—hatsoeuer yee shall loose on earth shal be loosed in â—e heauens God hath subiected to the hands of the â—riests the Regall head theaâ—hing vs that this Prince greater theÌ„ that The thronâ— power authoritie â—nd dignitie of Priests is aboue Regall this â—leth onely in things temporall the Priest â— heauenly The king of heauen hath giuen his power to his Priests and hath subiected â—e Regall head to thâ— hands of the Priests â—eclaring vnto vs that this is a greater Prince â—en he Neither hath he giueÌ„ such power vnto â—ngels or Archangels as to Priâ—sts Saâ—erdotibâ—â—â—â—um est vt potestatem habâ—ant quam Deus neque Chrysâ—st lib. 3. de Sacerdotio â—ngelis neque Archangelâ—s datam esse voluit Neque â—im ad illos dictum est Quaeâ—unque alligaueritis in â—rrâ erunt alligata in coelo Et quaecunque solueretiâ—â— terrâ erunt soluta in â—oelâ— It is giuen to Priests â—at they shall haue power which God would haue â—uen neither to Angells nor Arâ—hangeâ—â—s For it is not â—ed to them Whatsoeuer you â—hall bind vpon earth â—all be bound also in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall â—ose on earth shall be loosed in heauen The power â—f binding which is in Princes is onely ouer â—odies that of Priests ouer soules and extenâ—eth to heauen Habent terrestres Principes vinâ—li potestatem verum corpâ—rum solum Id autem quod Chrysoâ—â— ibideâ— â—â—o Sacordotum vinculum ipsam eâ—iam animam conâ—ngitatque ad coelos vsque peruadit Terreane Princes â—lso haue the power of fetters but of the bodie onely â—ut that which I saie the bonds of Priests toucheth the â—ule it selfe and passeth vnto the heauens This is the doctrine deliuered by Christ so expâ—â—nded both by the Grâ—â—ke and â—â—â—ine Church in Britaniâ— and all places with all persons all good Emperours Kinges and Princeâ— of England and which the whole Christian worlde haâ—e euer profâ—ssed and declared 17. And the world will witnesse euery where against persecuting England that the Cathâ—likâ— Pâ—iest and Clergie thereof be as leâ—â—ned â—â—ly religious and as saâ—â— fâ—â—m exception and eueâ— haue bene since they were persecuted â—â—mber for number as any â—â—â—giâ—â—â— all Châ—â—stian reâ—owned Naâ—ions And of all Engâ—â—â—h people they haâ—e most â—oâ—oâ—red â—nâ—â—east 〈…〉 offended their Pâ—inces or 〈…〉 Câ—â—â—crie Most of them be and 〈…〉 of noble or 〈◊〉 familiâ—â— and alâ—â—â—bred â—â— and discended that thâ—y haâ—e 〈◊〉 at home and abroad without 〈…〉 or huâ—e They 〈◊〉 left 〈…〉 places i◠〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Englâ—â—d 〈…〉 and all They 〈…〉 Bâ—shoprâ—cks 〈◊〉 or 〈…〉 but leaue 〈◊〉 to thâ—â—â—r 〈…〉 any 〈◊〉 Tribâ—â—es or 〈…〉 From their Aduersaâ—ies The Catholikeâ— of â—nglan◠〈◊〉 these â—o 〈…〉 more the Protestants doe 〈…〉 or many 〈◊〉 Presentations and 〈◊〉 which beâ—oâ—ged 〈◊〉 their â—o â—â—ll into the lapse for the Protestant Bishops to bestowe as thâ—y will Ouâ— Catholikâ— Priests haue no wiues or children to trouble the CoÌ„mon â—ealth withâ—ll Pariâ—heâ—â—nd pâ—aces of birth be not postered or charged with any â—uâ—h nâ—r Schoâ—â—erships or Felâ—owships in Vnâ—uersitieâ— which are not orâ—ained for Ministerâ— childrenâ— Tenanâ—s are â—ot put out of their liuings nor the Church Riâ—ches and liuings horded vp beggars made â—ut not releeued for any 〈◊〉 of Priests â—r Priests fauourers All that be of their acâ—uintance in Religion are instructed in dutie â—o God and Prince and be most true and â—utifull Subiectâ— to â—heir king â—n all occasioÌ„s â—hâ—se caÌ„not be the 〈◊〉 of a bad Religion 18. Their Religion vnder preâ—enâ—e whereâ—f they are presecuted they haue ofâ—eÌ„ in pubâ—shed bookes proued in euery point and â—rticle to be onely true and now doe coÌ„â—â— it â—â—t to pâ—eâ—se which will so demonstrate 〈◊〉 euery Article of thâ— Pâ—â—seâ—utours Reâ—ion euen by the Apostleâ— and Apoâ—olike men and Fathers of that age in â—hich they liued holy Scripturs and Proâ—stants themselueâ— and they haue often â—ade most earnest and huÌ„bâ—e petitions lateâ— pâ—blished in print to the Parlament 〈◊〉 publickly euen with vnequall condiâ—ons to themselues and their causâ—â—â— dispute â—d mâ—intainâ— all and euery part of the doâ—ine they hold and 〈◊〉 against the best â—arned Protestant Bishops or 〈◊〉 their Persecutours And yet if meÌ„ would or should speake doe and proceede consequently as they which takâ—â—pon them to be teachers instructours and Reformers in Religion of all men in all times and places ought and without vtterly disabling themselues therein are bound A Prieste or Bishop that saieth Maâ—se absolueth penitents or reconciâ—eth men to the Catholike faith by power authoritie or Iurisdiction from Rome is no more guiltie of so â—ermed treason by the ParlameÌ„t Protestant Acts and lawes then all other Ecclesiasticall ParlameÌ„t an 〈◊〉 Elizab. Statute 2. Parlam 1. Iacob Parlam â— Carâ—li personâ— dâ—acons or others inferiours Religious of what name title or degree soeuer as SubdeacoÌ„s Acolythists Exorcists or others wanting all such power as is euident by that oâ— Queene Elizabeth receiued and prosecuteâ— by king Iames aÌ„d king Charles Priests therefore are not or should not be so prosecuteâ— for their Priestlie functions God forbyd any English minded man or louer of Englanâ— should thinke or wish it a thing so penall anâ— capitall for any InhabitaÌ„t of England or English man to be borne abid or remaine in hiâ— beloued natiue Countrie of England thougâ— he weâ—e a meaner and more vnworthie maâ— then any meanest Priest of England is 19. The Protestants thus deriue our Clergâ—â— Succession Thâ— first Parlament of Qâ— Câ—mbd Annal pag 36. â—â—izabeth being ended the Oath of thâ— Queens supreamacie was proposed to the Catholike Bishops and Ecclesiasticall Persons many as refused to sweare were depriued their benefices dignities and Bishopriks â— Rulers of Churches 50. Prebendaries 5. â—isters of Colledges 12 Archdeacons 12. â—anes and 14. Bishops all that then â—emaiâ— except one Anthonie Bishop of Landaffe â— calamitie of his See and â—ome commitâ—ed prison in the Tower Fleete Marshallea â— kings Bench. How reuerend and learned â—n those of our Clergie then weâ—e and they â—ch immediately ioyned with the and coÌ„tiâ—d a SuccessioÌ„ of renowned Clergie Priests â— memorable bookes and writings of very â—y of them in defence of Catholike Reliâ—n ther honour therby registred among â— must worthie writers and their glorie in whole Church of Christ are warrant to posteritie I am an vnworthie witnesse â— many older and of more frequeÌ„t conuersaâ— with Priests then I can better testifie that â—hin 25 yeares of the Reigne of Queene Eâ—beth when so many from our Seminaries â— come hither that at one time there were â— of them Prisoners in the Marshallea and â—y of them put to death There were then â—y of Queene Maries Priests depriued and â—secuted by Queene Elizabeth still liuing â— labouring here in this holy cauâ—e and â—st of them were very learned as they were â— which were sent from our Seminaries to â—plie their number and ioyne with them as â—ers published bookes from them their
knowne want thereof or â—rosse Ignorance in Antiquities and Eccleâ—asticall Veremun â—â— hist Boâ—th Scotor histor in Maximo Holinsh. histor of Scotl. Io. Bal. l. de Scripto rib centur 2. in Coil Sedul Sigeâ—ert 〈◊〉 ibid. affaires haue blinded them with this â—arknesse because long before that time in â—he daies of DioclesiaÌ„ Scotland had Bishops â—nd Saint Amphibolus was Bishop in the I le â—f Man In the time of Maximus Scotland had â—iuerâ— Bishop bannished by him And Hildeâ—ertus and Coilus Sedulius Scots by Naâ—on and renowned Bishops are honoured in â—stories before Saint Palladius came thiâ—er as both these Protestants and sarre â—etter Antiquaries deliuer for vndoubted â—uthes 2. But if we should not onely as we must â—teeme Priests inferiours to Bishops but which we may not nor cannot eâ—eÌ„ to themâ—lues and make them but Deacons yet â—oth diuine and best human authoritie asâ—reth vs that by that calling they are to be â—onoured and not dishonorably persecuâ—d The holy Scripture honoureth theÌ„ with â— much true consecration as our Protestants â—estowe vpon their pretended Bishops publike and solemne prayer and imposition of the Apostles the chiefest Bishops hands Orantes imposuerunt eis manus Praying they imposed Act. â— hands vpon them And declareth them Virâ—â— boni testimonij plenos spiritu sancto Men of good testimonie full of the holy Ghost The Apostolike Fathers commaund all laie persons to bâ— subiect vnto and reuerence them Saint Ignatius 〈◊〉 Epist ad Smyrnensis Epist. ad â—phesios saieth Diaconos reuereamini vt ex Dei praecepto ministrantes Honour yea the Deacons as ministrinâ— by the precept of God And Enitimini charissimi subiecti esse Episcopo Presbyteris Diaconis Qâ— enim his obedit ob die Christo My dearest doe yoâ— best to be subiect to the Bishop and Priests and Deacons for he that obeyeth these obeyeth Christ Anâ— other where Oporter Diaconis mysterioruÌ„ Chrâ—sti â—pist ad Tâ—allian ministris per omnia placere Sunt Ecclesiae Dei admâ—nistratores Ipsi itaque tales sunt vos reueremiâ— illos vt Christum Iesum cuius vicarij sunt Quâ— Diaconi quam Imitatores angelicarum virtuâ—um qâ—â— puâ—um inâ—ulpatum ministerium illi Episcopo exhibent vt Sanctus Stephanus Beato Iacobo Tâ— motheus Linus Paulo Anacletus Clemens Pâ—tro Qui igitur his non obedit sine Deo prorsus â—â—mpurus est Christian contemnit constitutionâ—â— eius imâ—inuit And it is expedient to please Deacon the ministers of the mysteries of Christ in all things They are the Administratours of the Church of Goâ— And tâ—ey are such and you should reuereÌ„ce theÌ„ as Iesâ— Christ whose Vicars they are What are Deacons bâ— the followers of Angelicall vertues who presenteth tâ—â—â—e Bishop a pure and perfect mysterie as S. Secuâ— did to Saint Iames Timothie and Linus to Paule Anacletus and Clement to Peter whosoeuer therfore obeyeth not these is altogether without God and impure and doth contemne Christ and doth distroy his Constitution Saint Polycarp saieth subiecti estote S. Policaâ— epist. ad Philip. Presbyteris Diaconis sicut Deo Câ—risto Be yea subiect vnto the Priests and Deacons as to God and Christ Our Protestants themselues in their publike booke named The forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deaâ—ons Saie that from the Apostles time they haue â—ene in Christs Church euermore had in reuerent estimation Therefore if the Deacons and Ministers to Priests in the holy Sacrifice of Masse their highest dignitie are thus by all testimonies to be reuerenced honoured and obeyed then the sacred Sacrificing Priests to whom they thus minister and serue may not be dishonoured much lesse persecuted with most barbarous and vnchristian contumeâ—ies disgraces and deaths for that their so eminent Order and dignitie 3. The holy Sripturs testifie that in their Consecration they receiue grace the holy Ghost power to bind and loose to retaine â—nd forgiue sinnes to offer Sacrifice to God â—nd to doe what Christ himselfe did in that â—ind So the holy Fathers expound these Scripturs and teach from thâ—m and our most â—untient renowned British writer thus affirmeth Gâ—laâ—◠〈◊〉 â—xâ—id câ—xq 〈◊〉 Omni sancto Sacerdoti promittitur Quaecunque â—oluer is super terram â—runt soluta in â—oelis quaecunque liganeris super terram erunt ligata in câ—â—â— Verò Sacerdoti dicitur tu â—s Petrus super hane 〈…〉 16 petram aedisicaho Ecclesiam meam It iâ— promised to euery holy Priest Whatsoeuer thou â—haâ—t loose in earth it shall be loosed also in the heauens and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall he bound also in the heauens To a true Priest it is saied thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church The Scripture saith to and concerning such pascite qui in vobis est gregem Dei Feede the flocke of God 〈…〉 â— which is among you Qui benè praesunt Praesbyteri displici honore digni habeantur maximè qui laborant iâ— verâ—o doctrinà The Priests that rule well let them be esteemed worthie of double honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine The Apostles Successours giue them as much Presbyteriâ— Saieth Saint Câ—ement si assiduè in studio docendiâ— verbum Dei laborauerint seponatur dupla etiam Clem. Const Apost lib. 2. c. â— periâ—o in gratiam Apostolorum Christi quorum locum tenent â—â—nquam Consilarij Episcopi Ecclesiae coronâ—â—unt enim Cousilia Senatus Ecclesiae Si de parentiâ—us secundum carnem ait diuina Scriptura Honorâ— patrem matrem vt benè tibi sit Eâ— qui malediciâ— c. 35. patriaut matri morte mortatur quanto magis de patribus spiritualibus verbis Dei moneamur honore charitate eos prosequi vt beneficos ad DeuÌ„ Legatos â— 3â— Quanto anima corpore praestanâ—â—or est tanto est Sacerâ—â—tium regno excellentius Let there be a double portiâ— reserued for the Priests in honour of the Apostles of Christ which shall haue labored in teaching of the word of God diligently Whose places they enioye as Counsellours of the Bishop and the Crownâ— of the Church They are the Councell and Senat of the Church If the holy Scripture saieth of carnall parents honour thy father and thy mother that it may be well with thee And whosoeuer doth curse his father or his mother shall die how much more shall we be admonished by the words of God of our Spirituall fathers to respect â—hem with honour and charitie as beneficiall to vs and Legates to God How much more noble the soule is then the bodie so much more excellent is Priesthood before a Kingdome And Saint Ignatius addeth Ignatius epist. ad Smyâ—â—â— Sacerdotium est omnium bonorum quae in hominibus sunt apex qui aduersus illud furit non hominem ignâ—miniâ afficit sed Deum Christum Iesum
oblation anâ— Sacrifice it offereth vnto God omnipotent the highest king and king of kings of heaâ— and the vniuersall created for the liuing anâ— deceased is most certainely and without a doubt or question so great and glorious â—â— dare not least we should be Traitours â—â— God harken vnto theÌ„ but lament their dolefull estate who declare and persecute it as a traiterous estate to Princes on earth which â—hould subiect their wills and lawes to the will and lawe of God reuerence and honour and not so vâ—ly vse his dearest seruants for as Iùstin Dial. cuâ—â—riphon Saint Iustine with all others affirme Neque à quoquam Deus hostiaes accipit nisi à suis Sacerdotibus God accepteth Sacrifices of none except of his Priests oÌ„ potestas saith Saint Ephrem inâ—ffaeâ—ilis quae Ephrem de Sacerdot in nobis dignâ—â—ae est habitare per impositionem manuuÌ„ SacroruÌ„ Sacerdotum ô quam magnam in se continet profunditatem formidabile admiâ—aâ—ile SaecerdotiuÌ„ O inessabile power which vouchsafest to dwell in vs by the imposition of the hands of the holy Priests O what great profunditie doth the dreadfull anâ— admirable Priesthoode containe Sacerdotium saith Saint Chrysost hom 5. de verb. Isaiae vidâ— Dom. Engl. Protest Pref. booke of consâ—cr apud Goâ—ell Defens of Hook pag. 87. 88. 89. Exam. pag. 1â—5 Deâ—ens â—upr pag. â—16 117. 276. Chrysostome principatus est ipso etiam regno venerabilius ac maius Priesthood is a principalitie greater and worthier then a Kinâ—ome it selfe Protestats before by publike regall and all power they contend to haue declared that these Priests were euer in Christes Church and were euermore had in reuerent estimation To which they adde of Priesthood with like allowance It is a power which no Prince or Potentate King or Cesar on earth can giue By blessing visible elements it maketh them inuisible grace It hath to dispose of that â—â—esh which was giuen for the life of the world and that blood which was powred out to redeeme fâ—â—â—es To these Persons God imparteth power ouer his mysticall bodie which is the societie of soules and ouer that naturall which is himselfe a worke which antiquitie calleth the making of Christs bodie 15. And this wiâ—l be sufficient to excuse sacred Sacrificing Priests peâ—secuted for iustice and laâ—e the guilt and offence vpon their vniust Accusers and Persecutours For besides this most honourable sacrificing office and ministring to the sicke in daunger to die the Sacrament of Extâ—â—me vnction deliuered in holy Scripture and euer vsed â—n the Church of Christ and Protestants neuer question it aâ— a matter of State there is nothing in Priestly Oâ—der but these men in some sense or other would haue vsed by therâ— Ministers who vse preaching baptizing marriage euen of themselues forgiuing of sinnes in personall absolution euen without any penance at all â—â—ther by them enioyâ—ed or their Conâ—itents performed or vsed VVhich power they 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 and â—â—â—secrating 〈◊〉 â—riâ—sts aÌ„d Deaâ—ons i◠〈◊〉 Priestâ— â—laime aâ— giuâ—n vnto them by their Protestat Bishops in their admiâ—â—ance to their ministrie in these his words Receiue the holy Ghost whose sâ—nnes thou dost forgiue they are forgiuen and whose sinnâ—â— thou dost retaiâ—e they are retained Take thou autâ—oritie to preach the word of God and to ministeâ— the â—oly Sacraments in this Congregation where thou â—halt be so appointed And they aâ— confidenâ—ly vâ—e it with this further publike warrant and direâ—tion Proâ—eâ—â— comâ—un 〈◊〉 Tâ—tul visit of the sicke in their Communion booke in this manner The sickâ— person shall make a speciall Conâ—â—ssion if he feele his conscience troubled with any weightie matter after which Confession the Priest shall absolue him after tâ—is sorte Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath lefâ— power in â—is Church to al solue all sâ—â—ners which truely repâ—nt and beleeue iâ— him of his great mercie forgiue thee thine offences and by his authoritie committed to me I absolâ—e thee from all thy sâ—nnes in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Amâ—n All this is or should be vsed by Protestant Ministers by their most publike Regaâ—l ParlameÌ„tall and whatâ—oeuer authoâ—itie their Religion is set out and supported by So not onely permitting tollerating and allowing but directing and commaundâ—ng to be done and practised much more then any Priest presumeth or Pope licencetâ— oâ— euer licenced to be vsed or attempted yea more theâ— any Papall power can so warrant no penance enioyned how many or greuous soeuer the sinnes committed and confessed be no satisfaction or restâ—â—ntion once thought vpon how great and manifold soeuer the offences Iniuries damages and wrongs were Felonyes Rebellions Treasons and all things else how vile soeuer they be are quitted and freed both by ministeriall and legall allonance and are so iudged and ended as if they had beene not the least punishable offence 16. We must free Catholike Priests and all others of their Religion from such presumption practise consenting vnto or approuing sinne No absolution without penance and satisfaction with vs. And yet we with the Church of Christ and holy Fathers saie of holy Priesthood euen in this respect Nè mihi Chrysost Hom. 5. de verb. Isaiae vidi Dominum Ephrom l. de Sacâ—rdorio Gregor Nyssâ—n orat de Baptism orat â—n â—os â—ui alios acerb iâ—dicant Gild. l. de Exci Briâ—an Isichius in Leuiâ—â— l. 6. â— 12. Victor Vtâ—con de persec Vandâ—liâ—a â—â— narres purpuram neque Diadema neque vestes aureas vmbrae sunt isthac omnia vernisque floâ—â—ulis leuiora Nè inquam mihi narres ista sed si vis videre discrimen quantum absit Rex à Sacerdote expende modum potestatis vtrique traditae videbis Sacerdotem multo sublimius Rege sedentem Regiue thrâ—nus rerum terrenarum administrationem sortitus est nec vltra potestatem hanc praeterea quicquam habet authoritatis verùm Sacerdoti thronus in coelis collocatus est de coelestibuâ— negoâ—ijs pronuÌ„tiandi habet authoritatem Quis haec dâ—â—â— ipse coelorum Rex Quaecunque ligaueritis super terram â—runt ligata in coelis quaeâ—unque solueritis super terram erunt selâ—ta in coelis Deuâ— ipsum Regule caput Sacerdotis manibus subiecit nos erudiens quod hic Princeps est illo maior speake not to me of the purple or Diademâ— and gâ—â—lden robes all these are but shadowes and more vaine then spring fâ—owers Speake not to me of these things buâ— if thou wilâ— see the power giuen to them boâ—h thou shall see the Priest sitting much higher in â—igâ—itie theâ— the King The throne of a King is chosen for the administration of earthlie things neither hath he any other authoritie besides this but to a Prieste a throne is placed in heauen and he hath authoritie to iudge of heauenly businesse who saieth this The King of heauenâ— himselfe Whatsoeuer yee shall â—nd vpon earth shall be bound also