The Councell seeing that this veritie is conteined partly in written bookss and partly in Traditions not written doth receyue and honour with equall affection pietie and deuotion aswell all the bookes of the old and new Testament as also all Traditions which appertaine as well to faith as to good manners ANNOTATION FIrst the Romane Catholickes especially when they would serue their turnes with the sayings of the Fathers against the Protestants doe not distinguish the doctrine of faith from Ecclesiasticall policie which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Protestants doe beleeue that all matters of Faith may bee sufficiently taken out of the holy Scripture And that that which belongs to Policie Ceremonie and Circumstances hath bene let go by Tradition not written such Tradition which may bee changed by the Catholicke Church that is to say by the mutuall consent good will of all Christian people in like manner by the particular Churches vnder the consent and good liking of the Catholicke Church In sum that the Scripture is the rule of the faith of the Catholicke Church as the Catholicke Church is the rule of the members thereof in that which concernes Policie or outward worship Secondly the foresaid Maior is deceiued in saying that the Scripture prohibiteth not to ordaine women Prests the prohibition is in Saint Paul as for the orders or inferiour offices of Priesthood they are of meere Policie And as touching the soueraigntie of the Bishop or Pope of Rome it is certaine that the Scripture maketh no mention of it also Tradition of the Catholicke Churches doth contradict it It is obiected that the Scripture maketh no mention of the perpetuall virginitie of the Mother of our Sauiour Wherevnto some men answere that it may be gathered out of the Scripture and that whereas the holy virgine is called blessed among all women if she had not beene alwayes a virgine other virgines should haue excelled her in blessednesse He that marrieth doth well saith Saint Paul but hee that marrieth not doth better well then those that haue done best shall bee most blessed in heauen Now if any man will restraine her felicity in regard that shee bore our Sauiour he must giue an account of that restraint Thirdly the Cardinall of Perron saith that the holy Scripture is sufficient to saluatiō because it doth send vs back vnto the Church and the Church teacheth that which particularly is wanting in the Scripture But if that were so the holy Scripture should bee manifestly imperfect and insufficient for if the Scripture teacheth vs not where is the head as Maior auoucheth how may one know by it the body of the Church And for to descant vpon the comparison of the same Cardinall if the King should say to one my Chauncellour shall tell you the rest and then many should arise for to speake vnto whom should hee hearken whom should be beleeue to be the true Chauncellour Our Sauiour neuer said that the Church should continue in Italy or in France and that it should faile in other Countries Moreouer it is certaine that our Sauiour knew all things yet not as a bare man but by participation of the heauenly wisedome neuerthelesse he reuealed not all things to his Apostles And the Apostles knew things which were not lawfull for them to declare but they might happily declare farre more to their Disciples then they haue written to wit many discourses miracles and other particularities of the life and doctrine of the Lord which got them a farre more great and perfect knowledge in Diuinitie Moreouer there haue beene very many profitable things for the gouernment of the Church which were not written but are come to their successors by Tradition But as concerning that which is properly belonging to faith and necessary as well for the Church in generall as for the particulars thereof the Catholicke Church beleeueth That the holy Scripture is sufficient to saluation QVESTION VIII Whether all the Bookes contained in the Volume of the Bible haue an absolute and equall authority THE EAST CHVRCH DAmascenus the greatest Doctor amongst the Greekes The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the booke replenished with all sorts of vertues and the wisedome of Salomon the which being written in Hebrew by the Father of Sirac was translated into Greeke by his Nephew which although they bee as the rest of the bookes very elegant yet are they not numbred with the others because that they were not contained in the Arke Annot. Although that Saint Iohn Damascene be an ancient Author and that those Christians of the East doe to this day follow his doctrine in that point of the distinction of the Canonicall books from the Apocryphall or lesse authenticall Yet the Grecians haue not had since that any Councell which made a new Canon THE SOVTH CHVRCH THe South Church The Egyptians and Ethiopians do follow altogether the Canon of the Hebrewes and receaue not as truely Canonicall the bookes of Wisedome Iudith and Maccabees and others they of those Countreys haue hereby giuen vs this aduise If any man can shew that this testimoniall is false hee ought to be beleeued Villamont saith that hee could not discouer what bookes they held authenticall and that he thought they were in Hebrew It is well knowen that the Abyssins doe retaine very much of the old law and therefore one ought not to thinke it strange if those that call themselues Israelites do conforme themselues to the antient Church of Israel THE REFORMED CHVRCHES IN THE WEST THe Confession of the French Church after the account of the bookes according to the Canon of the Hebrewes We acknowledge these bookes to be Canonicall and a certaine rule of our faith not so much for the consent of the Church as by the testimonie of the holy Ghost which made vs to discerne them from the other Ecclesiasticall vpon which although that they be profitable none ought to ground any Article of Faith The confession of Wittenberg We do call holy Scripture the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament such as the Authority whereof was neuer called in question in the Church Annot. If any ancient or moderne writers haue doubted of the authority of some Canonicall bookes their doubt ought not to be imputed vnto the whole body of the Church THE CATHOLIKE ROMANE CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent hauing accounted amongst the other auncient Canonicall bookes those which otherwise some doe call the second Canonicall to wit Iudith Wisedome and the Maccabees saith thus If there be any one that will not receiue for good and Canonicall these bookes all whole and entire which haue beene accustomed to be read in the Romane Catholike Church let him be accursed ANNOTATION THe foresaid people of the East and South and the reformed of the West say that our Sauiour and his Apostles after him haue receiued for holy Scripture and perfectly authenticall but onely those bookes which
not absolutely promised but to those which haue perfect righteousnesse The Catholike conclusion in this Question is That a man meriteth not properly eternall life by his good workes although that they be worthy of reward that is to say that they make a man fit to receiue a recompence through the grace of God QVESTION XVI Whether that there be a fire of Purgatory or other torment where the soules are purified or punished and whether the prayers of the liuing doe helpe to deliuer them THE EAST CHVRCH NIcholas The Grecians doe denie purgatory affirming that the prayers of the liuing doe nothing profite the dead Villamont The Grecians doe denie purgatorie but you make them amased if you aske them this question seeing that they beleeue not that there is a purgatorie wherefore then doe they pray for the forgiuenes of their offences They answere that it is to the ende God would put them in a more glorious place and that they are in Mansions where the Angels visite them often Sacranus The Moscouites affirme that there is no purgatorie but that there is onely two receptacles or places of receit for soules that is to say heauen and hell The booke of a Grecian touching purgatory saith thus We haue not receiued by Tradition from our Teachers that there is any fire of purgatorie or any temporall punishment besides and wee knowe that the Church of the East doth beleeue so The same Authour Our Lord in the Gospell according to S. Luke teaching what shall bee the condition both of the one and the other saith that Lazarus as soone as he was dead was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome and that the soule of the rich man as soone as he was dead was carried into hell and there tormented And also by the bosome of Abraham hee signifieth the finall estate of the beloued of God in blessed rest and by hell and torments finall damnation and eternall paine And hath left no other place betweene both hauing any temporall paine and saith that there is but one bottomlesse pit beyond the which none can passe which seperateth the one from the other and ordained an extreame and vtter contrariety betweene them THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares Being ariued in the Church they lay not the body within the graue but lay it neare to it without singing any part of any seruice for the dead nor any of the Psalmes of Dauid much lesse those of Iob whereupon I desiring to know what they said they answered me that they sang that is to say they pronounced aloud the Gospell of S. Iohn intirely Annot. By this it appeareth that the Churches of the South beleeue not that there is a purgatorie because they themselues do not make praiers at the burying of their dead Damianus a Goes reporteth by heare-say that they bury their dead with Crosse and praiers but Aluares who dwelt many yeares in that place denyeth it Peraduenture the same Damianus tooke the lecture of the Gospell for a prayer Dauid Emperour of Ethiope We haue caused a Church to be built in honour of the most holy Trinity where the bones of our deceased fathers are buried who enioyes as we hope eternall felicity Annot. Our Princes of the Latine Church which beleeue that there is a Purgatorie are wont to say speaking of their deceased parents God haue mercy on their soules THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of the Swizers We beleeue that the faithfull are transported to Iesus Christ straight after corporall death and that they haue no neede of the prayers and suffrages of the liuing We beleeue also that the wicked are straight-way cast into hell from whence they cannot come forth And that same which some men teach touching the fire of purgatorie is contrary to Christian faith I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes and the al-sufficient purgation made by Iesus Christ and his word Verily verily I say vnto you that whosoeuer heareth my wordes and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into iudgement but passeth from death to life THE ROMAN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Forasmuch as the holy Catholicke Church guided by the holy Ghost hath taught according to the holy Scriptures and the ancient Traditions of the Fathers in the holy Councels and lastly in that holy vniuersall Councell that there is a purgatory and that the soules which are there deteined are helped by the praiers of the faithfull and principally by the acceptable sacrifice of the Altar The holy Councell doth commaund the Bishops that they take paines and study diligently that the good and holy doctrine of Purgatory which the holy fathers and Councels haue deliuered be receiued held taught and preached euery where ANNOTATION THis point here hath no difficultie for as touching the praiers which they make in the East for the dead wee will intreat in that question where it shall be debated whether it be lawfull to praie for the Saints which are in heauen Onely it is to be noted that the Councelle of Trent doth faine that the holy Scriptures doe warrant Purgatorie which the Churches of the East doe denie And if the true Interpretations of Scripture ought to be taken out of the Apostolicke Churches which haue retained it from hand to hand from their Fathers it followeth that those places of Scripture which the Church of Rome doth alleadge to proue Purgatorie are wrested by them to another sense as the Grecians haue shewed in their Apologie in the Councell of Basil And the Author of the Treatise of the fire of Purgatory before alleadged doth proue it very slenderly Moreouer many Romane Catholike Doctors and of very good estimation doe confesse that Purgatorie cannot be proued by the Scripture Amongst the rest Alphonsus de Castro auoucheth not onely that it is not proued by the Scripture but also that the Fathers doe seldome make mention of it especially the Greeke Fathers From thence saith he it commeth that euen vntill this present time the Grecians doe denie Purgatorie The Catholicke Conclusion thererefore here is this That there is no fire of Purgatorie nor any other torment where soules are purged and punished and that prayers serue not to deliuer them but rather are superfluous and vnprofitable if that they be made to that intention QVESTION XVII Whether the Pope or any other can giue Indulgences or Pardons to deliuer men from temporall punishment THE EAST CHVRCH IEremie Patriarch Gener. All these things ought to be done freely for Gods cause and not for any hope of gaine considering that there is nothing more agreeable to God then that Sacranus The Moscouites doe condemne Orders Blessings Priesthood Praiers Fastings Indulgences Iubiles and Ecclesiasticall offices and all that which the Church to wit of Rome doth dispence with by the authoritie of the Keyes In like manner they mocke at the obedience and authority Ecclesiasticall and yeelde no more to excommunication then to Indulgences THE CHVRCH OF THE
that hee erred in the faith the words of the Lord are not in vaine That the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the Church The piety and integrity of Religion may be firmely preserued in other Bishops It is then manifest that it is not peculiar to the Roman Church to bee founded vpon this stone for that should be hard and grieuous and not far differing from the Iewes basenesse to inclose the Church within Rome Well then Christ hath built his Church but he builded it vpon the faith and doctrine of Peter and vpon those that shal be keepers and obseruers of such a confession And if Saint Agathon affirmed that his Church to wit that of Rome neuer erred from the truth it is no wonder for it is because that indeed very seldome she falleth from the faith Otherwise how should a man interpret this place of Scripture All are gone out of the way they are al corrupt there is none that doth good no not one Moreouer when he saith that the Church of Rome is not stayed from the way of truth he speaketh of the time past and doth not include the time to come and that which is to bee noted Agathon spake that before the sixt Synode Theuet The Patriarch of Ierusalem as I haue seene did excommunicate out of the body of their Church the which they hold from al antiquity aswel the pope of Rome as also all Christian Princes to wit those of the Roman Church because that they are seperated from the Greeke Church the which receiued the Gospell before the Latine Church Villamont The Syrians doe boast themselues to be the first Christians of the world because that Saint Peter had his seate seauen yeares in Antioch before that euer he went to Rome which is the reason that the Syrians would neuer submit themselues to the Church of Rome Theuet The Christians of Traprobane and the Ilands neare thereunto doe not acknowledge nor their fathers did neuer acknowledge the popes Cardinalles or prelates of Rome Also the Nestorians and other Indians doe call the Pope a Bishop vnapproued Sacranus The Ruthenians and Moscouites doe say that the Pope is an Hereticke and doe excommunicate him and his Clergy at such times as they do celebrate the Lords supper THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares Prester-Iohn calling to remembrance that I had said that the Church had drawn these things that is to say the ceremonies of the Masse out of the passion he demaunded of me what was this Church and wherefore haue we two chiefe heads in Christendome the one at Constantinople in Greece and the other at Rome in Italy vnto whom I made answere that we acknowledged no more then one Head of the Church and although Constantinople was the chiefe in the beginning yet the same now was abolished for that the head of the Church ought to be where Saint Peter dwelleth because that Iesus Christ tolde him Tues Petrus super hanc petram c. And then when Saint Peter was in Antioch the Church was there by reason that the chiefe head was then there resident the which being now come to Rome there was the Ecclesiasticall Iudge established and so firmely placed that it remaineth there vntil this present Moreouer he told me then that I yeelded sufficient reason for the Church of Rome but hee asked me what I could say of the Church of Constantinople which was planted by St. Marke and of that of Greece whereof Saint Iohn Patriarch of Alexandria was head Annot. The reason of this great King is the very same with the Grecians in the controuersie against some Cardinals in these wordes If that your Roman Church be the chiefe and mother of the other Churches by reason that Saint Peter was her Pastor it is more reason that Antioch should obtaine these titles because she first embraced and receiued his preaching from thence it commeth that Antioch is called Theopolis the citie of God or else that Church of Ierusalem which obtained the great and Soueraigne Sacrificer who preached and offered himselfe a Sacrifice therein The vniuersall Histories of the Indies made mention that the Pope sent Ouiedo a Spaniard to drawe the Abyssins or Aethiopians to acknowledge the Romane Church but the Emperour Claudius of Ethiope then raigning chased him away and Ouiedo was compelled to hide himselfe THE REFORMED CHVRCH OF THE WEST THE confession of Wittenberg Wee beleeue and confesse that the Church ought to expound the Scripture but there are diuers opinions concerning the Church that is to say where it must be sought for and whether her iurisdiction be inclosed within certain limits Now wee doe thinke according to the holy Scripture and the holy Fathers that the Catholike and Apostolike Church is not tyed to any one certaine place to one nation or to one sort of people but that it is in that place and with those nations where the Gospell is sincerely preached The confession of the Swizers We doe condemne the Donatists which would inclose the Church in a corner of Affrica and we approue not the Clergie of Rome who attribute the name of Catholike onely to the Romane Church Annot. The Diuines of Tubinge in their letters doe call the Patriarch of Constantinople Oecumenicke and haue sought the Vnion of the East Churches THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH POpe Pelagius Although that all the Catholicke and Apostolike Churches established through the vniuersall world are a nuptiall bedde of Christ Neuerthelesse the holy Roman Church was not preferred before the other Churches by any constitutions of councels but rather obtained the Primacy from the holy words of our Lord. The Church of Rome is therefore the first Sea of the Apostle Peter she hath no spot or wrinkle or any such thing but in these things the higher her degree is the greater is her authoritie for the greater haue the power to commaund and the lesser are to yeelde obedience ANNOTATION SAint Peter ought to be considered foure manner of wayes first in the quality of an Apostle sent by God immediately as such a one that had no successor In the second place as an Apostle simply hauing charge to plant many Churches in such manner S. Marke and other Euangelistes their Substitutes which also are called Apostles were his Successors In the third place as a Bishoppe and President in euery Church where he was that is to say in Antioch Rome Ierusalem as Euodias did succeede him in Antioch Clement in Rome S. Iames the Apostle and S. Simeon in Ierusalem Fourthly S. Peter is to be considered as Primate in the Catholike Church in such manner S. Iohn the Apostle entirely beloued of the Lord succeeded him hauing out-liued S. Peter fiue and twenty or thirty yeares Moreouer that S. Iohn was preferred before all the Bishops of the world is apparent by that that he was taken for one of the three pillers of the Church and was one of the twelue foundations
the beginning therefore he that is a Melchite is a Catholike and whosoeuer holdeth a contrary opinion is an Hereticke It is this heresie that keepeth the kingdome of Nauarre vnder the Spanish yoke It is this heresie that brought that frowning fortune into our France and had bene the ruine of her if her great and inuincible Melech seconded by faithfull Melchites otherwise called Polititians had not preserued and defended her with the grace and assistance of him which is the onely giuer and translater of Monarchies It is this Heresie that the most Puissant and mightie King of Great Britaine indeuoreth to quench abolish in the hearts of his subiects a heresie which for a while lyeth hid vnder ashes but meeting with any proper matter will breake into a great combustion Euery one may here see that the most part of Christians doe reiect this opinion yea the Romanes themselues although they suffer the Pope of Rome to maintaine it in the Canons Wee will then conclude according to the generall voice That the Primate of the Catholike Church whether he be at Constantinople or at Rome or at Alexandria hath no power or authoritie ouer Temporall Common-wealthes QVESTION VII Whether all the doctrine necessarie to saluation may bee taken out of the holy Scripture THE EAST CHVRCH NIlus Archbishop of Thessalonica This is not then the cause of this difference and much lesse the whole bodie of the Scripture as if it were too short No it is not vttered openly and plainely wherof this question is for to accuse the Scripture is as great a fault as to accuse God but God is voyd of all blame Lombard The Grecians say that the holy Ghost proceedeth onely from the Father the which they beleeue say they because that the Gospell which containeth wholy the Faith that is to say the doctrine of the faith maketh mention of the Father onely The King of Moscouia If the Gospell had not bene written how could the word of God haue bene vnderstood and if the Apostles had not reduced into writing their delegation or Commission how had it bene knowen to the world that they were sent to men Sacranus The Russians say that the teachers of the Latin Church are not credible because they teach but that they receiue from the Greeke Doctors conditionally that they find nothing therein contrary to their owne opinion Annot. The Christians of the East are marueilous iealous of the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Fathers neuerthelesse they hold that the Scripture is necessarie against those that say that the Church may erre Moreouer they hold the same sufficient and a rule of Faith and therefore admit not altogether the Greeke and Latin Doctors but iudge of their doctrine which they could not doe but by examining it by the rule of Scripture THE SOVTH CHVRCH A Luares It was demaunded of me whether all those things that is to say the customes of the Romane Church were contained in our Bookes and whether they seemed better vnto me then those which they vse I answered that I found our bookes reduced into a better order then their bookes were because that since the time of the Apostles wee haue had alwayes great masters and teachers which were neuer imployed in any other vocation but to compose and gather together the holy Scriptures and passages of the Prophets and Apostles scattered in many volumes They replied vnto me that they had fourescore and one bookes of the olde and new Testament and asked whether we had more I answered that we had tenne times more drawne and extracted out of the olde and new Testament enriched with many expositions wherein was contained very deepe doctrine Prester-Iohn caused one to tell me that he was not ignorant of the great quantitie of bookes which we haue but that he desired verie much to know their names Damianus a Goes The Abyssins say that they haue all the writings of Moses and the Prophets and other bookes of the old Testament the foure Euangelists and all the Epistles of S. Paul and that they want not any booke of the holy Scripture whereof they recyted a Catalogue in my presence Neuerthelesse the Bishop Zaga an Ethiopian seemeeth to count the bookes of the Bible otherwise for he saith that in the new Testament there are fiue and thirtie peraduenture he comprehends those which Aluars saith that they call Manda and Abetilis diuided into eight parts but the same Abyssins doe beleeue that the holy Scripture is sufficient for saluation without those for they denie not the name of true Christians to those that haue not those bookes and therefore they hold them not to be of equall authority with the other The same Authour saith that the Abyssins beleeue not that there is any power whether Councel or whatsoeuer able to make lawes which binde the conscience much lesse such doctrine as is not grounded vpon the Scripture Annot. The Ethiopians are of the opinion of the Reformed if they meane those foure-score and one bookes which are in the Volume of the Bible for the same number is to be found if one reckon the Epistle of Ieremie for one booke by it selfe and if one doe seperate the Histories which are not found but in Greeke added to the bookes of Daniel and Hester Moreouer it is to be noted that the Abyssins do limite that which they holde for the word of God within the number of foure score and one bookes against the opinion of the word not written and they demand if the fashion and manner of celebrating the Masse is to be found in the holy Scripture Aluares a Roman Catholik answereth them cleane besides the matter saying that the Romane Church hath Doctors and Teachers which haue a doctrine farre greater and more perfect then that of the olde and new Testament The Reformed Church subscribe not willingly to this Article for they make a contrary Article as hereafter followeth THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of the French Church We do beleeue that the word which is conteined in these bookes proceedes from God of whom it taketh his authority and not of men And forasmuch as it is the rule of all truth and verity conteining all that is necessary for the seruice of God and our saluation it is not lawfull for men neither for the Angels themselues to adde diminish or change it THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH I. Maior It is to be noted that wee doe hold many things to be diuine Law which are not expresly conteined in the Diuine law to wit in the holy Scripture neyther may they euidently be deduced from thence As for example not to ordaine a woman to be Priest or the institution of any one order In like manner we read not in the new Testament and much lesse in the old that the soueraigne Bishopricke was graunted to the Successors of S. Peter yet notwithstanding wee hold the soueraigne Bishopricke is by Diuine law The councell of Trent
were and haue beene since in the Canon of the Hebrewes wherein the books of the Maccabees VVisedome and the third and fourth booke of Esdras are not conteined That the Authours of these bookes were not as the Prophets inspired of God who confirmed their doctrine with Miracles this is the cause why the Church in that time receiued the one into the Canonicall authoritie and not the other That the Catholike Church much lesse the Romane cannot make newe Articles of Faith To affirme that the Auncient Church knewe not nor taught the verity in that behalfe and that the Church hath had since new reuelations is an absurd thing In fine that they first which numbred these Deutero-canonicall or Ecclesiasticall with the Propheticall intended not to equalize them but rather thought good to put them in the Volume of the holy Bible because that there are good precepts in them and Histories whereby one may see the estate of the Church after the time of the Prophees vntill the comming of the Redeemer The Councell of Trent doth hold likewise for Apocrypha and in suspect the 4. book of Esdras although it be in the volume of the Bible There are also learned men of great account in the Catholike Romane Church as Cardinall Caietane Nicholas de Lyra and others which hold not the bookes of Maccabees for authenticall books And the generall voyce is that The bookes of Wisedome Syrach the third and fourth of Esdras the Maccabees and others although that they may perhaps call them Canonicall haue not equall authority with the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles QVESTION IX Whether the Latine Translation be of the same authoritie with the Originall Hebrew and Greeke written by the Prophets and Apostles THE EAST CHVRCH NIcholas The christians of the East say that the Popes of Rome whom they hold for heretikes together with their Sectaries haue wholly corrupted and changed the Gospel and other books of our Religion in taking away and adding that which seemed to them most fit to serue their insatiable couetousnesse The King of Moscouia The Chapters which thou cytest out of Apostolicall epistles and Gospels agree not with ours Here Lasicius marke that which followeth The writings of the Apostles are otherwise distinguished by the Russians then by vs for in their language there is in S. Matthew 116. chapters the most part of them so little that there is sometimes but three little verses therein according as the sense of the discourse requireth and a little after he saith that all that was done by one Cyrillus a Priest of the Church of Constantinople which they doe obey who vnderstood the Sclauonian tongue Aug. Eugub saith that the Grecians hold the translation of the seuentie Interpreters which almost quite through differeth from the latine Translation Aluares saith that Prester-Iohn asked him how many of the Prophets had foretold the comming of Iesus Christ I answered saith he that there was not any one amongst them which made not some mention of his comming Afterward hee asked him how many bookes S. Paul had written who answered one booke diuided into many epistles Annot. This discourse sheweth that the Churches of Ethiope haue neuer seene the Latin Bible of the Church of Rome and regarded not to approue it if they found it differing from the Hebrew THE REFORMED CHVRCH IN THE VVEST THe confession of the Swizers We doe receiue onely that Interpretation of the Scriptures for Orthodoxal and lawful which is taken out of the Scripture it selfe expounded according to the true sense and meaning of the language wherein they were written VVhitaker Wee Englishmen doe hold that the Latine translation of the Church of Rome is in very many places miserably corrupted and falsified and that it is not authenticall and that the Hebrewe and Greeke edition is sincere Scripture THE ROMAN OCCIDENTAL CHVRCH THe councell of Trent The Councell considering that no smal profit would redound to the Church if of many Latine editions of the holy Scriptures one were knowne to be Authenticke doth ordaine and declare that the same vulgar edition bee held for such and that none be so bold to reiect it vpon what pretence soeuer ANNOTATION THe Authour of the vulgar Latin translation is not knowen The Romane Catholikes say that it is the labour of S. Ierome The Reformed Churches doe thinke that S. Ierome was not the Authour thereof Neuerthelesse the Councell of Trent doth authorise it Cardinall Bellarmine affirmeth that that Translation is true and that the originall is corrupted But there are many Romane Catholikes which doe hold the Catholike beleefe and haue made newe Translations and consequently corrected the vulgar Those of the East Churches hold that onely the Greeke Originals written by the Apostles are authenticall And as touching the bookes of the old Testament they allow of the Translation which is called the Translation of the seuentie or of Ptolomeus Neuerthelesse they hold it not for a certainty that those be altogether the translation of the seuenty which carry that name It is thought that the Apostles did vse the Translation of the said seuenty the which neuerthelesse was not altogether comformable with the Hebrew but if they haue approued it then it followeth that there was not any errour in that they haue alledged it Moreouer the Hebrew text is preferred before all other Translations The Latines doe obiect that it is not reasonable to receiue the Hebrew Bible of the Iewes The Greekes doe answere that our Sauiour and his Apostles had the Hebrew Bible and that they left the same to their successors from whom those of this present time haue receiued it from hand to hand and not from the vnbeleeuing Iewes and therefore the vulgar translation was taken from the Hebrew It followeth therefore that the Hebrew was then in the Church or else that the Romane Church hath taken it from the Iewes Masius saith that the Syrians hold for authenticall the Syrian translation of one Theodorus peraduenture they intend not to preferre or equalize it with the originall Hebrew and that the Grecians the Moscouites the Abyssines and the Armenians would attribute each one of them to the translation vsed in their Church as much as the Latins doe attribute to theirs which would be but so many particular opinions each one of them being reiected by the other and therfore the Catholicke assured opinion is That the Latin translation of the Romane Church or any other hath not equall authority with the originall Hebrew and Greeke of the Prophets and Apostles QVESTION X. VVhether the Traditions of the Latin Church are Catholicke and whether all Christian Nations are obliged to obserue them THE EAST CHVRCH NIcolas The Grecians say that they were the first Nations that were conuerted to the faith of Iesus Christ and that in consideration and regard thereof they are the men that truely and purely hold the Traditions of the Primitiue Church as it was preached and
taught vnto them by the Apostles Ieremie Oecumenicall Patriarch writeth thus to the Protestants of Germanie Let these things suffice you most deare brethren which as you see do best of all accord and agree with the Scriptures vnto vs diuinely giuen according to the interpretation and exposition of the most wise and holy Fathers inspired by God For wee are not permitted to trust vpon our owne particular interpretation or to vnderstand or teach but only that which agreeth with the holy Councels and Doctors of the Church for feare that being once drawen or ledde out of the way of the Euangelicall doctrine and the path of true wisedome and vnderstanding we do erre and that our iudgement be transported as an other Proteus one while to one fashion of beleefe another while to another Well some of you will demaund peraduenture by what meanes may a man attaine to this That shall he doe by the aide and assistance of God if he doe attempt nothing and follow but that which hath bene ordained by the Apostles and holy Councels For he that doth well and constantly continue within these limits shall march the very same pace and be of the very same faith and Communion with vs. Sacranus The Moscouites denie that the Church of Rome is the chiefe head of all other Churches saying also that the Sayings Statutes Writings Canons and Determinatiōs of the Councels of the Church of Rome are nothing and that all Councels after the seuen first Councels are not truely Catholicke because that they were holden without their consent and approbation THE CHVRCH OF THE SOVTH ALuares Againe it was demaunded of me what number of Bishops were at the Councell of Nicei whereunto I answered three hundred and eighteene Moreouer they asked me wherefore wee doe not obserue the Statutes and Articles of that holy Councell seeing it was therein ordained that Priests should mary I answered that of all that which was there ordained there was now nothing obserued but onely the great Symbole or Creede They put me also in mind of many other things which were broken and violated by Pope Leo and they prayed me to recite them But I excused my selfe saying that I knew them not although that in my iudgement if that hee infringed any they were such as sauoured of some heresie and that he had approued and caused to bee obserued those which hee knew to be holy and necessary The same Aluares Prester Iohn asked me whether wee had a booke diuided into eight parts which was composed by the Apostles assembled at Ierusalem which they call Manda and Abetilis the contents whereof was by them obserued but I answered him that I neuer knew any such because it was not to bee found in our Countries Zaga-zabo an Ethiopian Bishop Neither our Patriarch nor our Bishops doe beleeue that either of themselues or in Councell they may make any lawes vnto which any man should be bound vpon paine of mortal sinne THE REFORMED CHVRCHE IN THE WEST THe confession of the Swizers S. Peter the Apostle saith that the holy Scriptures are not of any priuate interpretation and therefore we approue not all interpretations neyther receiue as a lawful exposition that which is called the opinion of the Church of Rome We do not contemne the exposition of the Fathers which doe agree with the holy Scriptures we reiect all humane Traditions although neuer so well adorned with fine Titles if being conferred with the holy Scripture they doe differ and varie Zanchius We doe iudge that those Traditions must be retained and obserued in the Churches which doe manifestly appeare to be of the Apostles obserued euer in all the Churches although that there is no such commaundement in the Scripture It is not the part of a Christian man and one that feareth God to reiect that which is proued to haue bin receiued by the consent of all Churches to reiect that I say without iust and necessary cause but if hee attempt any such matter it must be debated in a generall Councell THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent The Councell considering that all Doctrine and Discipline is contained in Bookes written and Traditions not written following the example of the Catholike Fathers and good interpreters of the faith doth receiue and honour with equal affection and pietie all the bookes of the old and new Testament and in like manner the Traditions which doe appertaine as well to faith as to good manners as hauing beene spoken eyther by the mouth of Iesus Christ or else by the holy Ghost and alwaies kept in the Catholike Church Romane by continuall succession ANNOTATION THere is no part of Christendome that holde not themselues to haue the best forme of gouernement The three principall that is to say the Grecians Romanes and Abissins or Aethiopians doe claime their Traditions from the Apostles notwithstanding that they are found eyther to be different or contrary but in Histories their Original is to be seen especially the Traditions of the Grecians and Latines As touching those of the Abissins or Aethiopians it is harder to find out the Authours Neuerthelesse they haue receiued some of the Greekes and Latines in the time of Iustinian the Emperour as hereafter shall be said But the most part of their ceremonies are taken from the law of Moses The Reformed Christians say that if ceremonies must be it is more conuenient to obserue those which God hath in times past ordained then to receiue any Paganisme superstition That which brought most nouelties into the Latine Church is the authority which is giuen to one alone for euery Pope would leaue some remembrance of faith from hence do proceed so many canonized saints and fashions to honour them feasts pilgrimages Religions or orders of monks and friars and such like blind deuotion wherein the Latins haue surpassed all people who accuse the foresaid Latines of presumption because they would make to passe for Catholike those customes which were neuer ordained by the seuen vniuersall Councels They of the East Church require the obseruation of those of the generall Councels but not of any particular The Reformed Christians doe protest that they dispute not against Catholike customes but against abuse and superstition or if any thing displeaseth them it is the multitude of ceremonies rather then any one of them considered in particular It is true that in reiecting those that haue beene brought onely in by the Church of Rome they haue not spared the Catholike ceremonies Luther thought that all Christian nations would reforme themselues the one after the other and also that that which seemed to be a particular attempt would be corroborated and confirmed by a Catholike approbation Howsoeuer it be the learned and greatest men amongst them doe protest to submit themselues to a generall and free Councell The Frenchmen likewise who haue of late time begun and had lesse means giuen them to errect
intercession of Saints the healing of diseases and such like If all this be besides and against the intention of Iesus Chrrist it is manifest that it were an abuse to cōuert it to other vses The Councell of Trent doth excommunicate those that hold this to be euill it would be knowen whether this Councell bee allowed by the Apostolicke Churches The Grecians say that in their Liturgie they make mention and remembrance of the Saints but this is not to say that they thinke that the Liturgie was ordained to that end Likewise although that the Armenians doe kisse and salute one another in the Liturgie yet no man will impute vnto them that they doe beleeue that it was instituted for to kisse salute one another If the Romane Catholikes cannot shew that the foresaid Nations doe say their Liturgies of purpose for to obtaine thereby the intercession of Saints It is a hazard but they will be found alone in that opinion attending to see if that will be we will here conclude as well vpon this last Article as vpon the precedents and will say That the Liturgie which the Latines call the Masse and the Protestants the Lords Supper is a Sacrifice wherein the Communicants by the receiuing of the Sacrament and Prayers doe obtaine forgiuenesse of their sinnes and by their prayers and offerings and not by the Communion doe profite those that Communicate not but this Sacrifice is not instituted to obtaine the intercession of the Saints nor for any other vses QVESTION XXXII Whether we ought to vse in the Church an vnknowen Language as Latin or any other and whether the people ought to read the holy Scripture or heare it read THE EAST CHVRCHES BElon When the Priest in Armenia readeth the Gospel the attendants doe salute one another both on the right hand and on the left euery one vnderstanding the Armenian tongue in which language it is alwayes read Vilamont The Iacobite doe vse many languages according to the seuerall Prouinces where they inhabite hauing neuerthelesse one particular language which they vse onely in Diuine Seruice but what language it was I could not discouer Idem The Nestorians vse the Chaldean language in their Liturgie or Diuine Seruice and in their Scriptures Idem The Armenians can speake diuers Languages but in their Diuine Seruice Masses Prayers and Ceremonies they vse the Armenian tongue which is vnderstood both of men and women throughout all their Countrey Nichol. The Grecians doe celebrate the Liturgie in their owne language to the end the common people may be able to vnderstand them Vilamont The Maronites doe vse the pure Syrian tongue in their Diuine Seruice Theuet The Moscouites haue fewe Preachers contenting themselues onely with the Lectures which the Priests make euery Sunday who reade vnto them the Gospell and Epistles of the Apostles and the bookes of learned men in a language that they vnderstand Cythraeus The Priests in Russia do consecrate with the words spoken by Iesus Christ but it is onely in the language of the Countrey THE SOVTH CHVRCH THeuet I haue seene many Bishoppes and haue heard their Masses which they say in the Abyssin language the which is very neare the Arabicke yea in the Characters themselues Aluares All their bookes whereof the number is great are of Parchment for they haue no other paper and their Scripture is read in the Tigique tongue which is Abyssin the first Countrey that receiued the doctrine of the Gospell THE REFORMED CHVRCH CAluin It is euident that publicke prayers ought to be pronounced not in Greeke amongst the Latines neyther in Latine amongst the French-men and English-men as heretofore hath beene vsed but in the vulgar tongue to the end that they might bee vnderstood by the people for it is conuenient that all bee done in the Church to edification for no man receiueth any fruite from an vnknowne language THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Albeit the Masse doth containe much instruction for faithfull people Neueruerthelesse it seemed not expedient to the Fathers that it should bee celebrated euery where in the vulgar tongue ANNOTATION IN the Catholike Church of the East VVest North and South is manifestly accomplished that Scripture which saith That all languages doe confesse the Lord. The Church of Rome onely say the Protestants labours to hinder the same They will not permit the Masse nor any part of Diuine seruice to bee celebrated in the French tongue in Fraunce and which is more they haue brought their Latine seruice into America But the people cannot say Amen to any purpose if they vnderstand not that which is said in the Church their vowes and their intentions cannot be ioyned together with those of the Priest The Priest and the people which speake a language vnknowne and barbarous each to other may thinke one thing and say another behold here the confusion Likewise one may gather by the places or sentences before alleadged that the foresaid Apostolicke Churches prohibite not at all the reading of the holy Scripture for if it be permitted to the Laicks yea commaunded to be present at the reading therof being written in the vulgar tongue it followeth that they may reade it also in priuate There are Romane Catholickes which on the contrary side doe abhorre and hate the same Their Doctors and Teachers not being ashamed to say that the Translation of the holy Scripture into the vulgar tongue is the mother of heresies But there are many Catholikes in the Church of Rome which are not of this opinion and who reade attentiuely the holy Scripture Immitating therefore the practise of the Catholike Church we will say That the language of the Countrey ought to bee vsed in euery Church and that it is good to read the holy Scriptures and to heare them read in the vulgar tongue QVESTION XXXIII Whether the Ordination of the Ministers of the Church doth depend on the Pope of Rome THE EAST CHVRCH IEremie Patriarch Ordinations are no further respected of vs then the holy Canons haue prescribed And as touching the Ordination of a Bishoppe the first Canon of the Apostles teacheth vs thus That a Bishop be ordained by two or three Bishoppes and a Priest by a Bishoppe in like manner the Deacons and the rest Nichol. The foure Patriarches are created and elected by the Metropolitans of the Prouinces who aboue all other things take great care to elect him who is amongst them the maturest in yeares wisedome and holinesse Gagninus All the Metropolitans of the Ruthenians and Moscouites haue their authoritie from the Patriarch of Constantinople and in the beginning the Metropolitan was elected and chosen by the iudgment and consent of the Bishops and Abbots and of all the spirituall orders but now the great Duke of Moscouia hath this authority Theuet Within the Iland of Gezert doth the Patriarch of the sect of the Nestorians make his residence And also there the
he consider the persons time and place Those Fathers might defend themselues as hauing the Spirit resting vpon them insignes which is not granted to the meaner sort of people The Christians of the East haue beene alwayes giuen to ceremonies It was the custome to bowe the head before the Images of Kings and Princes Artabanus king of Persia saith Suetonius worshipped the Eagles and the Images of the Emperous The Grecians at this time doe argue thus If it be lawfull to vncouer the head in passing by the Image of a King why not in like manner by the Image of Iesus Christ They of these Countries doe answere that it is not the custome amongst them to vncouer their heads before the Images of Kings whosoeuer should doe it would be held ridiculous In like manner if a man should doe so before the Image of a Saint the Protestants would call it superstition The Romane Catholikes doe passe very often by Churches and Images without once mouing their hats or bowing their bodies Neither doe they so when they take in hand their Howers or the holy Bible The custome in these parts is to put off the hat when in publik acts the King is named Moreouer the Protestants in England doe ordaine that men put off their hats at Sermons when they heare the name of Iesus In like manner all countries haue their customes that which is ridiculous and superstitious in one place is held and esteemed comely and religious in another The most expedient way would be in stead of calling one another Idolaters and Heretickes to exhort one another charitably to doe all to edification to auoid the appeareance of euill and excesse and not to scandalize the Infidels and vnbeleeuers If any Infidell doe enter into the Church saith S. Paul will not he say that you are out of your wits In like manner when an Infidell or vnbeleeuer doth see a Christian praying with his eies fixed vpon an Image will not he say that he speaketh to the Image Intreaties obtestations and mutuall demonstrations doe serue sometimes to procure the peace of the Church but iniurious speeches will neuer take away schismes and the passages or places of Scripture which are alledged to make that seeme vnlawfull which is but vndecent do not cause eyther the superstitious to leaue their superstition or the lesse deuout their irreligion The strife founded vpon the Equiuocation of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 edifies as little A great part of the Church will neuer consent to a manifest alteration Those that gouerne the Church doe sweare at their entrance to follow the tract of their Predecessors but it happeneth very often that euill customes doe ware away by laps of time although not so fast as those which are good The Church of Rome neuer staieth vpon these termes as Wicelius a Romane Catholike writeth yea one that was verie much affectionate If I would saith he I could produce the testimony of the Primitiue Church by the which the vse of the intercession of Saints is coroborated But as I doe affirme this so I also confesse that it doth greeue me that vnder pretext of I know not what Dulia it is affirmed that one may and ought to honour with adoration the Saints and their Images The Diuines of the auncient Church haue preached to the people that they must honour but not worshippe or adore the Saints Well then if they haue truely spoken thus of the Saints what thinke you would they haue said of the Statues and Images of Saints worshipped in Appearance and honored with the manner of Diuine worshippe Those who in Churches adore Images through any appearance seeme not much vnlike those which in times past worshipped Gods and Goddesses Where is the sobrietie of our vnderstanding to bow or stoope before carued or molten Images contrary to the law of God vnlesse peraduenture wee would offend the Iewes the Sarasins and those which are parted from vs through such like enormities The strange nations of whom we haue spoken to wit the Christians of the East and South haue very holily kept and obserued the law of God touching adoration and haue honoured the soules of the Saints in rendering to God that which appertaineth to God and to the Saints that which appertaineth to the Saints for who can find colours alwaies to excuse himselfe if he daily being too much giuen to vice doe foolishly search out extremities by mistaking the meane From this discourse of Wicelius a man may learne two things First that the Churches of the East and of Affrica are not fallen into the errour of the Latines Secondly that in the Church of Rome there are good people which will not be Idolaters no not in outward appeareance They are to be well aduised whether it be tollerable for them to stay in the Church of Rome and to call her Mother and Mistresse and to hold them for heretickes which doe depart from her and yet withall to call her Mother and Mistresse of Idolatrie For it is certaine that she approueth not onely the appeareance of euill which Wicelius condemneth but also the euill it selfe And for the same cause Thomas of Aquin. hath beene canonised by her yea honoured by a solemne feast as a Saint and a true Teacher and it is he that maintaineth that a man ought to adore and worshippe Images with the same adoration or worshippe as the thing represented to wit the Image of Iesus Christ with Latria and those of the Saints with Dulia in such sort that the Images are also the obiect of adoration against which doctrine the learned Earle Picus hath written who neuerthelesse denieth not that a man ought to adore Images but not saith he with that adoration which Thomas maintaineth Some man may aske if Thomas went beyond the meane in the adoration of Images how shall we call that errour and vice The Image adored with Latria shal it not be an Idole and he that adoreth it in like maner shal he not be called an Idolater But this opinion is not yet forgone in the Church of Rome Cardinall Bellarmine their great Doctor maintaineth it We must not saith hee adore the Images onely by accident or improperly as the Grecians say but also properly and in themselues The foresaid Christian people are also contrarie to the Church of Rome in that they will not haue the Diuine essence painted especially in the Churches and follow the opinion of their Doctor Damascen although that there are some Grecians in places neare to Italy which take libertie herein as may be seene in their Horologies printed at Venice Moreouer they abhorre Images of Gould Siluer wood and stone as smelling of Paganish idolatry and haue none but pictures The conclusion of this question according to the opinion of the foresaid people is That it is lawfull but not necessary neither peraduenture profitable to bow or vncouer the head before Churches Altars Crosses Pourtraitures or Images of Saints or
in handling holy Reliques or the bookes of the holy Scripture That it is some appearance of Idolatrie to passe these limits That it is plaine Idolatry to adore Images properly That it is an imitation of the Pagans to haue Images of releefe in Churches That it is follie and impiety to make an image of God QVESTION XLIII Whether it be lawfull to vowe single life whether Monkes ought to be of diuers Orders and whether it be lawfull for them to begge THE EAST CHVRCHES IEremie the generall Patriarch You say that you prohibite not good workes Neuerthelesse you account holy-daies Ceremonies regular fasting and monastical life vnprofitable workes that is not well done neither doth it agree with the holy Fathers For if you doe approue al good works you will aproue these things for they are good and for instance Basil the great saith that a contemplatiue life hath one chiefe end that is to say the saluation of the soule Theuet Neare to mount Sinai you shall finde at this present a religious order of Monkes which are of good conuersation and holy life founded in times past by the great Emperour Iustinian The Grecians do say that it was the first Monasterie of their religion for others they haue none neither would the Grecian and Trapezontine Emperours euer haue any other order but that of S. Basil Bishoppe of Cesaria who instituted his order of Monkes in the East about the yeare of our Lord 380. He caused those that professed his order to vow chastitie which were not receiued till they had attayned to the age of eight and twenty yeares Gemistius Pletho If the people giuen to meditation doe not labour it is a superstition the third kind of impietie THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares In all the Dominions of Prester Iohn there is but one order of Religion which is of Saint Anthonie the Hermite Item the greatest traficke in Faires and Markets is made by Monkes Zaga-zabo Bishop of Aethiopia With vs the Priests Monkes and all the Ministers of the Church doe liue by their labour for the Church hath not nor receiueth not any Tythes Neuerthelesse the Church hath reuenues and lands which the Monkes doe Till and labour themselues and it is not lawfull for them to begge from doore to doore neither to wrest or wring any Almes from the people THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent In any Religion whatsoeuer as well of men as of women they must not make profession before sixteene yeres be accomplished Sixtus quartus Let not the Parish Priests hereafter say that heresies are arisen of Mendicant Friers seeing that in truth our faith hath beene illuminated and the Church exalted by them and especially by the Orders of the Iacobins and Franciscans THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe Confession of the Suizers Those that haue receiued from heauen the gift of a single life so that they are pure in heart and soule ought to serue the Lord in that vocation so farre forth as they feele themselues endued with this Diuine gift for such men are more fit to set their minds on heauenly things thē those that are distracted with the affaires of their families The Confession of Bohemia There are bountifull and peculiar promises made to them that are such and singular recompenses so that a great reward shall be giuen to this excellent worke to wit To him that shall voluntarily leaue Father Mother Brethren and Wife Those which haue receiued this gift ought to take heede lest they loose it Neuerthelesse there must no snares be laide for any Caluin We reiect not Monasticke vowes for any other reason but that they are rashly made by those which haue not the power to keepe them Idem Saint Austine prooueth that it is not lawful for Munkes to liue in idlenesse Idem Looke how many Monasteries there are in these dayes so many conuenticles are there of Schismatickes And to the end that their diuision might be better knowen they haue giuen themselues diuers names They are not ashamed to glory in that which S. Paule had in execration saying that the Corinthians did diuide Christ when they said I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ And now a daies they thinke that they may without doing any iniurie to Christ call themselues Benedictans Franciscans Dominicans ANNOTATION THere are three things to bee regarded in a Monasticall life First the will to liue in a Chaste single life ioyned with the deede Iesus Christ approueth this will and this estate That is the cause that the Grecians did extoll it following S. Basil but with hyperbolicall termes as may bee seene in their answere to the Diuines of Wittemberg They beleeue that if it be a Diuine and supernaturall guift then it ought not to bee esteemed vnprofitable neither as a humane inuention The hate which a man beareth to the abuse of a thing ought not to preiudice the true vse of it They call that life Angelicall Acertaine Grecian expounding that word hath told vs that they beleeue that the life of the Caloiers is Angelicall as long as they doe good but diabolicall as long as they doe euill Secondly is to be noted the Custome of those that will follow this institution to associate themselues in Colledges The Protestants condemne not that The Monasteries say they were in times past houses where some did labour and worke with their hands others did exercise themselues to serue in the Church The third thing to bee noted is the Vow The Protestants likewise do not absolutely condemne it but in that saith Caluin it is made by those that haue not the power to accomplish that which they haue vowed the same Author doth thinke that a Vow may be taken at threescore yeeres of age For S. Paul saith Let not a widdow be taken into the number vnder that age That Canon of Saint Paul hath not beene obserued by his successors for afterward were they receiued at fiftie yeeres of age and after that at fortie Neuerthelesse the same is continued and is as yet held in the East Churches because it is necessarie that he that Voweth should haue knowledge by long experience that he hath receiued of God power to accomplish and performe that which hee hath vowed contrarie to which the doctrine of the Councell of Trent is which saith that a Vowe may be made at sixteene yeeres of age The foresaid Churches would not allow of diuers Sects of Munkes and Friers and therein are differing from the Latine Church or rather contrarie to it As touching the begging of Munkes the proofes before alleadged doe shew that these Churches approoue it not Amongst the Latines themselues there were many which haue condemned it as Pope Nicholas the third saith In the Churches of Africa the solemne vowes of chastitie Pouertie Obedience are not vsed as in the Church of Rome Therfore the beliefe of the foresaid Churches is
to impute this vnto the Abyssins for an errour seeing that in the Church of Rome they baptize Bells and contrary to the practise of the Apostolicke Churches they sprincle water euery day entring into their Churches for remission of veniall sinnes a custome taken eyther from the Iewes as the Grecians doe reproach them or else from Pagan Idolaters The other accusation against the Iacobites is because that they tollerate Circumcision vpon which Berthius saith thus They circumcise their children both Male and Female but they borrow not that from the Iewes insomuch that the same is not for any Religion sake as Aluares also saith but it is an auncient custome for Herodotus witnesseth that the Ethiopians in times past likewised vsed it It hath beene likewise thought by some that the Iacobites baptize with fire But the Historiographers and those of the Countrey doe certifie vs that the same is not so but they make incisions in their temples either for comlines or els for their healths sake If the Ethiopians haue no other errours then those which appeare vnto vs we might peraduenture appropriate vnto them by better right that place of Scripture vbi cubas in meridie then the auncient Donatists could attribute it vnto themselues * ⎠* FINIS ¶ A TABLE OF THE MATTER CONTAINED IN THIS BOOKE OF the Popes spirituall authority Quest Quest 1. Of the first Seate Quest 2. Of Miracles Quest 3. Of personall Succession Quest 4. Of Multitude Quest 5. Of the Popes temporal authority Quest 6 Of the sufficiency of the holy scripture Quest 7. Of Canonicall bookes Quest 8. Of the Latine Translation of the holy Scripture Quest 9. Of Traditions Quest 10. Of the proceeding of the holy Ghost Quest 11. Of true faith Quest 12. Of Free-will Quest 13. Of Iustification Quest 14. Of the merite of good works Quest 15. Of Purgatory Quest 16. Of Pardons Quest 17. Of Christ his discention into hel Quest 18 Of the necessity of Baptisme Quest 19. Of Confirmation Quest 20. Of particular Confession Quest 21. Of the change of the signes in the Eucharist Quest 22. Of the words of consecration Quest 23 Of the Sacrament reserued Quest 24 Of the bread in the Sacrament Quest 25 Of mingling Wine and Water in the Chalice Quest 26 Of the Communion vnder both kindes Quest 27 Of carrying the Sacrament in Procession Quest 28 Of the eleuation of the Sacram. Quest 29 Of priuate Masses Quest 30 Of the Sacrifice of the Masse Quest 31 Of an vnknowne tongue in the Church Quest 32 Of the ordination of Ecclesiasticall persons Quest 33 Of the Marriage of Ecclesiasticall persons Quest 34 Of Ecclesiastical orders and offices Quest 35 Of the indeleble Character Quest 36 Of Extreame Vnction Quest 37 Of the number of Sacraments Quest 38 Of Praiers for the Saints Quest 39 Of the Inuocation of Saints Quest 40 Of the canonizing of Saints Quest 41 Of Images Quest 42 Of Monasticall vowes Quest 43 Of feasts and fasting Quest 44 a Sugil Turc spurc cap. 22. And other Authors do reckon ten they put sometimes three seueral Nations the which doe make but one Church b Respo Confess August cap. 13. c Generall d Orat. Corn. Epis Biton in concil Trid. e Theuet Cosm 1. lib. 18. cap. 13. f Cras Turcogr lib. 3. in ann g Barlaam de Papae princ cap. 15 h A Bridge-maker Fenest de Sacerd ca. 8. i Father k Panor de concil Basil l Theuet Cos lib. 4 cap. 2. m King n Apostolicke o Broken or Cut. p Our father q Isch-ja a man of God r Vilam l. 2. cap. 21. Å¿ M. Paule Venet. Hist Ind. orient Å¿ Sent from God Å¿ M. Masius in praef in lib Mosis de parad t Nichol. l. 4. cap. 19. u Vniuersal x Alphons de Castro de haeres passim y Vilamont l. 2. cap. 23. z Sleidan de Stat. Rel. lib. 1. c. â— a Cyprian de simpl Cl. Gennadius Confession Hist Eccl. de Const The Sybils To wit Pagans a Psal 120. 7. b Damian à Goes de morib Aethiop Impedit ira animum ne possit cernere verum c Mat. 16. 6. d Lib. 4. contra haeres e Mat. cap. vlt. 20 f Phil cap. 3. 15. g Hist Eccl. l. 4. cap. 22. a The causes of dissentions Eccl. 5 1. b De princip cap. 2. c In 4. Sent. dist 24. qu. 3. d 〈…〉 cr cap 2. e Descript Aeth cap. 29. f Art 4. g Simpl. prael h Ad Euagr. i Dist 19. Ita Dominus k Dist eadem enimuerò l Tom. 2. l. 2. c. 17. 18. m In praef de summo Pont. n Bodin Repub l. 2. c. 1. n Durand de sacris Eccl. lib. 3. c. 2. n Matth. 16. o Iohn p Rom. 1. p 2. Respon Jerem. fine q Apoc. 21. 14. r Ioh. 14. 16. Å¿ Mat. 18. 18 t 1. Pet. 5. 1. u Acts 14. 22 x 1. Thes 1. Mat. 28. 20. y De Statu Prim. Eccl. z Reuis Concil 1. Cor. 12. a Cap. 13. b De primat l. 2. c Mat. 16. 18 d Psal 14. 4. e Cosm lib. 9 f Voyages l. 2 cap. 22. i Cosm l. 10. c. 15. k Elucid c. 2. l Cap. 26. m Discept Graci Caldei n Chap. of Ethiop o Cap. 32. o Cap. 17. p Acta Theol Virtemb q Dist 21. Quamuis Å¿ Alexandria was the greatest Citie of the Empire after Rome Ioseph l. 4. c. 42. t Antioch was the third Citie Josep bello Iud. lib. 3. there was in this Citie 360. Churches of Christians u The Grecians doe call him Gregorie Dialoger x John nestentes That is to say the younger y Oecumenicos z S. Cypr. de simpl cl a Lib. 1. cap. 17. 18. Matt. 17. 20. b In the third Booke of his Voyages cap. 4 c Dâ—â—Kel Mâ—sc ad Ferd. d Ibidem e Nauigat de Lopes f Turcogr lib. 2. Pach. g Cap. 16. h Disc of Aeth cap. 17. i Cap. 11. k De reliq ven sanct tit 22. l Art 5. m De princ cap. 3. n Cap. 18. o De notis Eccl. cap. 8. p Mar. 15. 16 q L. 2. c. 21. r Lib. 2. ca. 22 Å¿ De viciss t Lib. 2. c. 24. u Idem l. 2. cap. 22. x De not Eccl. l. 4. c. 2. y Cap. 18. z Praef. in Anaph Basilij a Lib. 2. cap. 24. b De sacrifi c Resp 1. cap. 16. d Eluc cap 3. e Lib. 4. c. 36. f Cap. 3. g Viciss l. 8. h Lib. 2. c. 13 i Art 13. k De Maior obed Dan. 12. 45. l Melech a King m Fr Paul of Venice in Apologie n De Causis diss lib. 1. o Lib. 1. dist 11. b. p Iohn 15. q Resp Rohit r Elucid err Å¿ Cap. 31. t De indor leg art 11. u Art 5. x In 4. Sent. d. 24. q. 2. y 4. Sess decret 1. z 1. Tim. 2. 11. 1. Cor. 14. 34. a Smith apud P. Vermil Martyrem de caelib b 1. Cor. 7. 38.