euidently proued against this their Article that the Church of Rome in euery age as they haue before declared assisting and directing the Christian Britans here and concurring and agreeing with them ineuery point and article of Religion neither did nor could be said to haue erred in matters of faith And this these Protestants expressely confesse when they generally acknowledge as all Antiquities doe that there was then no materiall or essentiall difference in matters of faith betweene the Christian Britains except some Pelagian heretiks among them and Sainct Augustine with his company being sent from the Church of Rome the Pope then being a greate S. Gregory the most learned and holy Pope that euer was by these mens Testimony Gregorius magnus omnium PoÌ„tificum Romanorum Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. Pontif. in Gregorio Mâ—gâ—â—o doctrina vita praestantissimus And therefore by them and all holy writers stiled Gregory the greate And wherein soeuer any difference though ceremoniall obseruing of Easter any ceremony about the ministering of Baptisme or giuing holy Orders was betweene the Roman Church and the Britains all writers both Catholiks and ProtestaÌ„ts proue the Roman Church professed the truth And the Britains were in the errour and so they freely and publikely in their first meeting coÌ„fessed as Sainct Bede and our Protestants themselues Bed hist Eccles l. 2. c. 2. with others acknowledge Tum Britones confitentur quidem intellexisse se veram esse viam iustitiae quam praedicaret Augustinus and this was inuincibly proued vnto them both by vnanswearably humane arguments and diuine testimony and miracle And they afterward generally corrected and conformed themselues to the Romane Church in all things formerly questioned betweene them as all Antiquaries Brittish English Forreine domesticall Catholiks and Protestants agree neuer contending about any question moued by Protestants against the present Roman Church but both the Romane Church then and our Britains as the whole Christian world also iointly agreing in euery article against this new Protestant Religion And this is manifestly proued particularly already in all articles yet examined and so will be in all that followe Therefore it is manifestly false by all testimonies auncient later forreine domesticall Catholikes and Protestants euen in their publike decrees and Confessions that which this Article so desperately hath deliuered The Church of Rome hath erred in matters of faith and the contradictory that it hath not so erred nor shall at any time so erre is euidently true by all witnesses This will be yet more euidently manifested in the two next following examinations and others THE VIII CHAPTER The 20. Article thus examined and in whatsoeuer contrary to the Church of Romè thus condemned THEIR 20. and next article intituled of the authority of the Church is this It is noâ— lawfull â—or the Church to ordaine any thinge contrary to Gods word written neither may it so expound one place of â—cripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore â—lthough the Church be a witnesse and a keeper of holy â—rit yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the â—ame so besides the same ought it not to enforce any â—hing to be beleeued for necessity of saluation In this article no thing needeth other answeare or confutation then is made before in their article of Scriptures and traditions where the pretended sole necessity of the written Scriptures heretikely insinuated is most plainely confuted both by the Apostolike doctrine and practise of this age and otherwise And the supreame power and authority which here they giue vnto the Church to be a witnesse and keeper of holy writ and the cheifest expositour thereof and as their common glosse â—â— this article is the Church hath authority to Iudge and determine in controuersies of faith doth vtterly disable and condemne those Protestants to haue any colour or pretence to hold the truth in any one article they maintaine against the Roman Church either concerning Scriptures Church or anâ— thing else for the Church which onely was and â— visible as they haue described the true Church before hath in all and euery article condemned aâ— such Protestant Innouation And for these men to say as they haue done â—â— their 19. Article that the Church is a congregatiâ— of faithfull men in which the pure word of God â— preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred anâ— to make it an article of faith as they doe in theâ— publike profession of the Creede that this Church one holy and Catholike doth so continue for 〈◊〉 without interruption or corruption in ministriâ— Sacraments and preaching doctrine and the things are in their censure should onely be take from the written word and Scriptures It is vnpoâ—sible in such proceedings that the Church shoâ— ordaine any thing contrary to Gods word writteâ— or so expound on place of Scripture that it be repugnant to an other For otherwise it should neither be one holie or Catholike but diuers different vnholy particular no pillar of truth but a forge of falsehood no howse of God no spouse of Christ no saluation to be had or hoped for in any Iudgment Catholike or Protestant but in the true Church of Christ To this the Apostolike men of this age giue Ignat. epist ad Philadelp Ephes Trall Magn. Antiochen Ignat. ep ad Philadelp euident testimony Sainct Ignatius doth make the Iudgment of the Church both supreame and certaine and receauing penitents and saith Christ hath firmely builded his Church vpon a hile by spirituall building without help of mans hands against which the floods dashing and windes puffing could not ouerthrowe it nor any spirituall wickednesses shall euer be able to doe it but they shall be weakened by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ. Iesus Christus secundum propriam voluntatem suam firmauit Ecclesiam super Petram adificatione spirituali citra humanarum manuam operam in quam collisa flumina venti non potuerunt eam subuertere nec id valcant vnquam spirituales nequitiae sed infirmentur virtute Domini nostri Iesu Christi And saith plainely as there is but one flesh and blood of Christ shedd for our sinnes one Euchariste one Altare one Priestly order one God the Father one God the sonne one holy Ghost so there is but one preaching and one faith and one baptisme and one Church which with their sweate and labours the holy Apostles haue founded in the blood of Christ from the one end of the earch to the other vnapraedicatio fides vna vnum baptisma vna Ecclesia quam suis sudoribus laboribus fundarunt sancti Apostoli à finibus terrae vsque ad fines in sanguine Christi Sainct Clement Câ—em Rom. Const Apost l. 1. c. 1. saith the Catholike Church is the plantation of God and his chosen vineyard which cannot be digged vp or destroied Dei plantatio est Catholica Ecclesia vinea eius electa So that no other can be planted or chosen by
any of the propositions from which it is deduced be or is of that nature Nothing can giue that to an other which it selfe wanteth and by noe meanes hath to giue A lying false or vncertaine humane witnesse or assertion can by no meanes possible make a constant and certainely true probation in any thing whatsoeuer much lesse in supernaturall matters articles of faith aboue mans capacity and therefore to be proued by diuine testimony which possibly cannot deceaue vs. And in this miserable and desolate estate and condition is the Protestant congregation of England in and for euery article pretended by them to be of faith which they hold against the Roman Church at this day and so they censure themselues by their owne definitiue sentence in this their owne cheefest Article and publikely authorized glosse thereof with diuers others of their Religion allowed and recommended writers among them Artic. 6. supr Confessio Wirtemberg cap. de Scriptura Protest glosse in art 6. p. 1. Willet Synop quaest 1. of scripture pag. 2. 3. â—dit an 1594. holnish chron f. 1299. Stowe hist an 1579. in Q. Elizabeth Io. BreÌ„t Apolog confess Wittemberg histor Dauidis Georg. Display Art 6. Magdeburg hist cent 3. ca. 11. In their Article receauing onely for canonicall bookes neuer doubted of in the Church and in the others to vse their owne authorizing words perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publike plainely manifestly deliuering from all kinde of Authors Greeke and Latine old and late Catholike and Protestant That euery booke in particular not one excepted which they allowe for canonicall Scripture either â—n the old or new testament haue both beene â—oubted of and by their owne men Protestants deâ—ied for such Therefore it remaineth without question conâ—rary to this Protestante Article euen by themâ—elues and their best authority that neither all nor â—ny one of those bookes which vpon this vayne â—retence they haue blotted forth from the Canon â—f holy Scripture and the Roman Church still reâ—eaueth may be denyed by that Title of sometimes â—eing doubted of for wee should haue noe Scripture â—nonicall at all all bookes thereof hauing beene â—us doubted of By that colour wee might deny â—l Articles of faith which sometimes doubted of â—ue beene concluded and agreed vpon against the â—est heretiks that euer were and all their heresies â—th might and ought to be reuiued againe Sainct â—ul and Sainct Thomas Apostles were thus to â— denied Apostles and thrust out of heauen beâ—use they had doubted wee might and ought to â— that no conuerted Christian first doubting â—as â—rue Christian neither our first brittish Christian â—nge Sainct Lucius nor Kinge Ethelbert among our Saxons nor any of their first doubting and afterward conuerted Subiects and soe of the whole Christian world doubting or denying before it receaued the law of Christ All Courts Consistories Tribunals and Seates of Iustice and Iudgment ecclesiasticall and ciuil to decide and determine must be ouerthrowne no sentence or decision though of Kings Parlaments or any community is to bâ— obeyed no doubt no Controuersie hitherto eueâ— was or hereafter can or may be finally determined nothing but doubtes quarrels Controuersies anâ— contentions as wee see among Protestants nâ— peace quiet or vnion must be left vnto vs. Therâ— fore this Protestant paradoxe and presumption iâ— reiecting so many bookes of holy Scripture again both the Latine and Greeke Church onely vndeâ— colour of being sometime and by some doubteâ— of being thus grosse and absurd by their owâ— Iudgments and proceedings let vs examine whâ— this first pure and Apostolike age did Iudge of thâ— And first to begin with the scripture it selfe of tâ— The new testament by Protest â—râ—st published by King â—ames authority Matth. 6. 2. Cor. 9. Luc. 14. Ioan 9. Hebr. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Hebr. 1. new Testament euen as our Protestants receaâ— and translate it King Iames his new testament the 6. chapter of Sainct Matthew his ghospell aâ— the 9. chapter 2. Corinth citeth Ecclesiasticus â— two seuerall places In the 14. chapter of Saiâ— Luke the 4. chapter of Tobias is cited And in â— 10. chapter of Sainct Ihon the 4. chapter of the â— booke of Machabees And in the 5. chapter to â— Hebrewes the second booke And 7. chapter the Machabees In the 1. chapter 1. Corinth Tâ— first chapter of the booke of wisdome is cited chapter to the Hebrewes citeth the 7. chapter wisdome And the 9. chapter thereof is cited Roâ— Rom. 11. cap. 11. And yet wee shall scarcely finde any Text of diuers bookes of the old Testament which our Protestants allowe for canonicall to be cited at any time or place of their new testament as the 4. Booke of the Kings the 1. and 2. of Paralip the booke of the Iudges Ruth Esdras 1. and 2. Esther Ecclesiastes Cantica canticorum Abdias Sophonias Therefore wee are as well warranted by this argument of concordance of Scriptures and that holy authority to receaue for canonicall Scriptures of the old Testament all those bookes which our Protestants haue excluded as those they haue receaued The Canons ascribed to the Apostles and published by Sainct Clement per me Clementem Concil gener 6. can 2. Successour to S. Peter in this age are plainely acknowledged by the sixt generall Councell to haue beene receaued by the holy Fathers before them as deliuered from God firmi stabilesque maneant qui à sanctis patribus qui nos praecesserunt susceptiac confirmatisunt atque à Deo nobis etiam traditi sunt sanctoctorum Apostolorum nomine 85. Canones These doe Canon Apostolor can 85. vlâ— â—n the last Canon expressely receaue the books of â—he Machabees Esther and the booke of Ecclesiasticus for holy Scriptures of the old testament Veâ—erandi ac sacri libri veteris Testamenti In the very same maÌ„ner as they doe the others which our Proâ—estants allowe for such Sainct Clement often ciâ—eth Clem. epist 1. 2. Apostolic constitut li. 2. c. 4. cap. 21. c. 49. 51. cap. 63. l. 3. cap 3. l. 6. c. 19. 23. 29. l. 8. l. 7. and alloweth for bookes and parts of the old Testament Baruch Ecclesiasticus Sapientia Toâ—ias The prayer of Manasses the history of Suâ—anna the booke of Esther those parts of Daniel which our Protestants reiect the bookes of Maâ—habees and others Sainct Ignatius receaueth the booke of Daniel which our Protestants deny Ecclesiasticus Sainct Policarpus approueth Tobias Ignat. epist ad Philadelph epist ad maynesian epist ad Heron. Polycarp epist ad Philippen Dionis l. de diu nom cap. 4. Ecclesiast Hier. c. 2. de diu nom c. 7. Sainct Denys the Areopagite conuerted by Sainct Paul alloweth the booke of wisdome calleth the part of Daniel excluded by our Protestants diuine Scripture Diuina scripta These be all or the chiefest writers especially by Protestants allowance in this first age and consideringe how few of their works are
and Sainct Luke they were not all thought able â— condemne those named hereticks which S. Ihâ— confounded Amonge the Epistles onely that of â— Paul to the Romans was sent into these parts â— was in a language wee did not vnderstand aâ— written after the faith of the Romans was spreâ— both in Britaine and all the world as Sainct Pâ— witnesseth fides vestra annuntiatur in vniuâ— Rom. 1. mundo The two Epistles of Sainct Peter accordiâ— to antiquity were written in Rome and after Bâ—taine had receaued the faith especially the last aâ— the first being longe doubted of was sent quite coâ— â—rary from Britayne vnto the contries of PoÌ„tus Gaâ—atia 2. Petr. 1. Capadocia Asia and Bithynia in the easterne â—arts Wee finde no memory after of Scripture reâ—eaued here vntill longe time after in the second â—ge expressed in Pope Eleutherius his Epistle to our â—ing Lucius And yet all our ProtestaÌ„t antiquaries â—ue before assured vs that Britaine had in the Aâ—stles time and longe before any Scripture came â—ther or probably was written and possibly in â—orall Iudgment could come hither receaued the â—ith of Christ so fully purely and sincerely that it â—euer changed it in any materiall point after the â—riptures were receaued here nor diuers hundreds â— yeares after And if wee will be directed by Scriptures in this â—int those which our Protestants allowe for such â—e testimony to vnwritten Traditions in many â—ces To exemplifie onely in Sainct Paul which â—ote most in the new Testament hee chargeth S. 1. Tim. 6. â—mothy and all others in him to keepe obserue â—ngs so deliuered without writinge O Timothee 2. Tim. 2. â—ositum custodi This in his first Epistle not haâ—ge written vnto him before And in his second â—stle hee giueth him commaund that the things â—ich he had heard froÌ„ Sainct Paul he should deâ—er vnto others fit to teach them Quae audisti a me â— multos testes haec commenda fidelibus hominibus â—idonei erunt alios docere And expressely comâ—undeth 2. Thessal 2. the Thessalonians and in them all in â— second epistle to them to obserue and keepe the â—aditions which they had learned either by word â— writinge State tenete traditiones quas didiciâ— siue per sermonem siue per epistolam nostram â—hich the Fathers expound of the necessity of keepinge vnwritten traditions as Catholiks now doe Hinc est perspicuum quòd non omnia per epistolaâ— Chrisost in 2. Thess orat 4. tradiderunt sed multa etiam fine scriptis eaquoque sunt fide digna Quamobrem Ecclesiae quoque traditionem censeamus esse fide dignam Est traditio nihil quaeras amplius And expoundinge that of S. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians hoâ— they kept his commaundements by word beforâ— he wrote vnto them sicuttradidi vobis praecepta mâ—tenetis he doth inferre the doctrine of Traditions ergo fine literis mult a tradidâ—rat quod alibi saepe meminit And Sainct Hierome vpon the same words Hier. in eadem Verba Tom. 9. quasi legem praecepta meatenetis scientes illum in â— spiritum loqui qui in lege locutus est prophetis Thâ— like hath S. Ambrose vpon the same and S. Epphanius Ambros in 1. Cor. Epiph. haeresi 69. oportet traditione vti non enim omnia diuina Scriptura possunt accipi Quapropter aliqua â— traditione Sancti Apostoli tradiderunt Quemadmdum dicit Sanctus Apostolus Sicut tradidi vobis â— alibi sic doceo sic tradidi in Ecclesijs Thus the best learned both Greeke and Latiâ— Fathers expounded these to inferre a necessity Traditions and their equality with Scriptuâ— Which our best Protestant writters with thâ— common allowance thus confirme Our aduer sarâ— Feild l. 4. c. 20. pag 238. meaninge Catholiks make traditions equall with words precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostâ— and Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writinge â—ther is there any reason why they should not so doe they could proue any such vnwritten verities for not the writinge that giueth things their authority the worth and credit of him that deliuereth thâ— though by word and liuely voyce onely Thus tâ— confesse and the reason which they giue so enâ—ceth them the worth and credit of the reuealer and deliuerer or proposer of holy misteries supernaturall being the motiue and cause of mans assent so firme and vnmoueable in articles of faith not to be proued by humane reason and not the writinge or not writinge being fallible and subiect to many casualties corruptions and vncertainties which we are sure are not to be found in Christ the reuealer nor his holy Church the vndoubted true proposer of his mysteries and reuelations And both these are the same and as certaine in traditions not written such as Catholiks maintaine as in the written Scriptures For wee doe not defend any one vnwritten tradition that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation which be the very words of this Protestant Article of Religion but wee produce the Artic of Protest Relig. 20. highest authority in their owne publike Iudgment also in these their Articles the true primatiue Church of Christ to warrant it The which Church hath power and authority in controuersies of faith That euery tradition came from Christ and his Apostles to be receaued professed in Christian Religion As to instance in some and those which most concerne euen in our Protestants proceedings and by their owne confessions and testimonies vnwritten Traditions are necessary For first in this Engl Protest Rel. artic 6. very article they haue giuen their finall sentence in the very first words thereof that the holy Scriptures are of this nature Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation So that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessary to saluation And yet in the immediatly following words they plainely declare and professe that wee haue noe warrant in Scripture for any booke chapter or sentence of Scripture to be such holy Scripture but for euery least percell thereof wee must resorâ— to Tradition and the Churches Iudgment In thâ— name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose authority was neuer any doubt in the Church Where weâ— are assured from these men that the Church anâ— Tradition vnwritten is supreme Iudge of all questions in Religion euen of the Scriptures themselues And so necessarily they must say confesse or els leaue no Religion or Scripture at all to bâ— proued or proue vnto vs. For it is vnquestionablâ— that no part of Scripture doth propose vnto vs anâ— Catalogue or Canon of Scriptures Which the thus further testifie in their publikely approueâ— Feild l. 4. pa. 238. c. 20.
writers much coÌ„ntention there hath beene about tradâ—tions some vrginge the necessity of them and others râ—iectinge them For the clearinge whereof wee must oâ—serue that wee reiect not all for first wee receaue tâ— number and names of the Authors of bookes diuine aâ— Couell cont Burg pag. 60. whitaker ib. Wotton def of Perk. pag. 442. Couell def of hook pag. 31. 34 32. 33. feild l. 4. c. 5. pag. 203. Ormer pict Pap. pag 93. Sutcliffeag the 3. conu pag. 79. canonicall as deliuered by tradition This tradition wâ— admit The number Authors and Integrity of the partâ— of these bookes wee receaue as deliuered by tradition Tâ— Church of Christ according to her authority receaued â— him hath warrant to approue the Scriptures to acknoâ—ledge to receaue to publish and commaunde vnto â— children The Church of Rome teacheth noe badde opâ—nion to affirme that the Scriptures are holy and diuiâ— in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authority the Church That the Scriptures ar true wee haue it froâ— the Church Wee say that wee are taught to receaue â— word of God from the authoritie of the Church wee see her Iudgment wee heare her voyce and in humility subscribe vnto all this The Church hath fower singular offices towards the Scripture First to be of them as it were afaithfull register Secondly to discerne and Iudge betweene false and adulterate and that which is true and perfect The third to publish and diuulge to proclaime as a Crier the true Edict of our Lord himselfe The last is to be an Interpreter and in that followinge the safest rule to be a most faithfull Expositor of his owne meaninge Wee thinke that particular men and Churches may erre damnably But that the whole Church at one time cannot so erre for that the Church should cease vtterly for a time and so not be Catholike beinge not at all times Christ should sometimes be without a Church The Church is called a pillar because it is like vnto a pillar For as a pillar doth support and vnderproppe a buildinge and maketh it more stable firme and stronge So the Church doth sustaine and supporte the truth for the truth is no where preserued but in the Church Christs true Church is a diligent and wary keeper of doctrines committed to her and changeth nothinge at any time diminisheth nothinge addeth nothinge superfluous looseth not her owne nor vsurpeth things belonginge to others And this is publikely warranted in Protest Reli. of Engl. Art 19. these their Articles and Rule of their Religion where thus they define the Church The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached And the Sacraments be duely ministred accordinge to Christs ordinance Art 8. Catech. com Booke Iniunct Canons feild l. 4. c. 20. pag. 238. 239. in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Secondly those men in their Rules of Religion and their priuate writers affirme that the Apostles Creede which by all Antiquity was by them deliuered to the Church and by these Protestants as Rule of faith before the Scriptures of the new Testament were written is an vnwritten Tradition yet by their words a summary comprehension of thâ— cheife heades of Christian Religion a Rule of thâ— Churches faith And yet it is constantly maintaineâ— by many Protestants that diuers articles thereoâ— as our Ladies perpetuall virginity natus ex Marâ— Virgine Christs descending into hell descendit aâ— inferos The communion of Saincts and forgiuenesse of sinnes Sanctorum communionem Râ—missioneâ— peccatorum and others by diuers others Protestantâ— are not contained in any Scripture written beforâ— or after And this Creede deliuered by word anâ— tradition onely by the Apostles before the new tâ—stament written this Scripture could not possiblâ— be a rule or direction vnto it but rather otherwisâ— for euery rule hath priority to the thinge ruled anâ— the things ruled posterity to their rule Matters aâ— done without rule when there is no rule vntill aftâ— they be acted These Parlament Protestants proceede furthâ— Feild supr pag. 239. in this question and plainely say with greate aâ—lowance The third kind of Tradition is that somme â— Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parâ— thereof which the first Christians receauinge of the saâ— Apostles that deliuered to them the Scriptures coâ—mended to posteritie This may rightly be named a tradâ—tion for that wee neede a plaine and distinct explicatiâ— of things which are somewhat obscurely contained the Scripture The fourth kinde of tradition is the contâ—nued practise of such as neither are contained in tâ— Scripture expressely nor the example of such practiâ— expressely there deliuered of this sorte is the Baptisme of Infants which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in the Scripture that the Apostles did baptize infants nor any expresse precept there founde that they should doe it Which their rule of Religion in these Articles thus further iustifieth The Baptisme of yonge children is in any wise to be retained Art of Engl. Prote Relig. Art 17. CommunioÌ„ Booke Tit. Baptisme The. Rog. in Art 27. Q. Elizab. and k. K. Iames Iniunct and Canons in the Church as most agreable with the institution of Christ Where they plainely in their publike rule of Religion make it a tradition and no Scripture article And by the coÌ„mon practicall of their religion their communion booke so they practise baptizinge all infants and sayinge all Christian Churches allowe of the baptisme of infants And these Protestants are onely baptized when they are infants and not after and yet confesse it is most necessary to saluation And whereas they reiect all other Sacraments besides Art of Relig. art 25. this and the Eucharist or the CoÌ„munion as they terme it confessing that these Sacraments be necessary to saluation And yet denyinge the Eucharist to be as Catholiks professe the true body and blood of Christ and sacrifice for the lyuinge and deade they contradict themselues for that they confesse that in this sinse it was generally vsed in Kinge Iames and Casanb resp ad Card. per. pa. 51. 52. 20. Middleâ— Papistom 20. p. 92. 113. 49. 137. 138. 47. 45. Feild l. 3. cap 29. p. 138. Couell Exa pag. 114. primitiue Church that the Apostles so deliuered it by tradition all Churches so obserued it and it was heresie to deny it Their words be The sacrifice of the altar and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primitiue Church The primatiue Church did offer sacrifice at the altar for the deade sacrifice for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathers Aerius condemned the custome of the Church in naming the deade at the altar and offeringe the sacrifice of Eucharist from them and for this his rash and inconsiderate boldenesse and presumption in condemninge the vniuersall Church of Christ he was iustly condemned Their whole congregation Kinge Iames
his councell King Iames Prot. Lords Bish. Doct. in Confer at HaÌ„pt Court p. 13. 18. 35. 36 10. 11 Couell ag the plea. of the Innoc. p. 104. Barlow Serm. before the K. Sept. 21 an 1607. part 3. cap. 2. Protestant Bishops and best learned Doctors assembled in publike confereÌ„ce haue left thus concluded The particular and personall absolution from sinne after confesson is apostolicall and a very Godly ordinance That baptisme is to be ministred by priuate persons in time of necessity is an holy Tradition Bishops and Archbishops be diuine ordinations confirmation iâ— an apostolicall traditioÌ„ And in their publike Rituall their communion booke they testifie that confirmation was a Tradition of the Apostles hath an externall signe also vsed by them and giueth grace which by the 25. Article of their religion maketh â— Communion booke of Engl. Protest Titul Confirmation §. Almighty Prot. of Religion art 25. a Sacrament So that to insist onely vpon these graunted Traditions not contained in Scripture by these Protestants and yet so necessary to saluation as they by their greatest allowance and authority deliuer wee may not say as this Article doth Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary for saluation These men also deliuer vnto vs with greate approbation Articul 6. supr makinge the Author of that worke and for the same a Bishop certaine sure rules to knowe such true Thraditions by in these words Rules by which wee may Iudge which are true and Indubitate Feild Books of the Church l. 4. pag. 242. August l. 4. contr Donat. c. 23. Traditions The first rule is deliuered by Sainct Augustine Quod vniuersa tenet Ecclesia nec Conciliâ—â— Institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not ordained by Councels but beinge euer holden it is most rightly belieued to haue beene deliuered by Apostolike authority The second Feild supr l. 4 c. 21. p. 242. c. 5. pag. 202. Kinge Iames and Confer at Hampton Couel def oâ— Hooker Ormer pict pap p. 184 Down l. 2. Antichr pag. 105. Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 57. rule is whatsoeuer all or the most famous and renowned in all ages haue constantly deliuered as receaued from them that went before them no man contradictinge or doubting of it may be thought to be an Apostolicall Tradition The third rule is the constat Testimony of the Pastors of an Apostolike Church successiuely deliuered Amongst Apostolike Churches the Church of Rome is more specially to be obeyed reuerenced and respected The Church of Rome is our mother Church it was a rule to all both in doctrine and ceremonies when it was in her florishinge and best estate The Church of Rome was the cheife and onely Church It was a note of a good ChristiaÌ„ to cleane vnto the Romane Apostolicall Church Euery Church ought to haue respect to the Church of Rome for her eminent principality And our English Protestant antiquaries and Diuines haue generally giuen their allowance that the Church of Rome both in this and the next age when Britayne did receaue the most pure Religion of Christ from thence was most holy and vnspotted free from all error Therefore whatsoeuer wee doe or may bringe in generall or particular for vnwritten traditions either from this so renowned Apostolike Church in this time from the whole Church or the most famous and renowned in this age beinge our Protestants owne allowed rules and to be denied by none must needs be euidence and testimony vndeniable in this and all others their questioned Articles Frst I exemplifie in the Apostles Creede stiled by our Protestants before a sundry comprehension of the cheife heads of Christian Religion Protest supr Ruffin in exposit Symboli alij a rule of the Churches faith This was deliuered by the Apostles by tradition not by Scripture but before the Scriptures of the new Testament werâ— written as both they and the auncient Fathers by â— common consent of the whole Church of Christ are witnesses And the same consent of Christ Church with these our Protestants in these their Articles so conclude of Sainct Athanasius and the Art 8. of prot Religion Nicen Creede in these words The three Creeds Nicen Creede Athanasius Creede and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly to bâ— receaued beleeued And so generally they obserue although the reason which they immediatly yeelâ— thereof for they may be proued by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture is childish and impertinentâ— for being confessed that the Apostles Creede waâ— deliuered onely by tradition of the Apostles and by that authoritie receaued before the Scriptures either receaued or written this Creede could not possibly be receaued by the written warrant of Scriptures but vnwritten tradition and warrant of thâ— Apostles And although the Nicen and S. Athanasius Creeds were written longe after this time yâ— they were both written receaued in the Churcâ— before the Scriptures were generally allowed anâ— receaued as both the auncent Fathers and Protestants haue acknowledged before and it is testifie by the publike warranted Protestant glosse vpoâ— Prot. Glosse by authority of Church of Engl. in Art 8. these their Articles that very many both old anâ— late writers euen whole sects and professionâ— namely to vse their owne words Ebionites Trâ—theits Antitrinitarians Apollinarians Arians Mâ—nichies Nestorians Origenians Familists and Anâ—baptists with others are Aduersaries vnto and deniers that these Creeds may be proued by holâ— Scripture Much more doe they and many other both Catholiks and Protestants themselues deny that all and singular their articles necessary to saluation may so be proued And to come to the holy and happy Apostolike writers and Saincts which liued and wrote in this first age and first hundred of yeares to wit S. Linus Sainct Clement Sainct Denys the Areopagite S. Martial Sainct Ignatius Sainct Policarpus or any other of whom any worke is extant I shall make it S. Ignat. epist ad Smyrn Theod. dialo Euseb l. 3. c. 31. Hieraâ— lib. de vir Illust S. Bern. Serm. 7. in ps 9. Marc. Michal Carnoten lib. de vir illustr Dion Carth. ad l. Areop de diuin nom Sint Sin lib. 2. Ignat. ep ad S. Ioh. 1. 2. ad B. Mar. Virg. B. Mar. epist ad Ignat. S. Ignat. epist ad Smyrnen Euseb hist l. 3. ca. 33. â— Chrisost orat de traÌ„sl S. Ignatij Foelix Rom. ep ad Zenon Imperat synod S. Constant Theodoret. Immutabil dialog 1. euident that in euery Article in this Protestant Religion contained in their booke of the Articles thereof they dissented from these Protestants and they and the Apostolike Church then vniuersally agreed in and professed the same doctrine which the present Roman Church doth at this day in all points This will plainely appeare in euery Article hereafter and therefore in this place I will onely cite Sainct Ignatius as a sufficient pawne or pledge
buried Wee finde in the old antiquities of landaffe a Publike Charter of King Mauricus in S. Dubritâ—â—â— his time Manuscript antiq de primo statu Landauen Ecclesiae that it was the old custome and duty of Churches daily to pray for the soules of the benefactours deceased and all the faithfull departed out of this life oratione quotidiana Ecclesiastico seruitio pro anima â—â—â—us animabus parentum suorum Regum Principum Britanniae omnium fidelium defunctorum So is the charter of King Arthur to the schoole of Cambredge proremedio animarum antecessorum Chart. priuileg Reg. Arthuri apud Caium l. 1. antiquit Cantabrig pag. 60. 70. Caratoc hist M. S. de vita S. Gildel Probus l. 2. de vit S. Patricij Caius l. 1. sup p. 147. 148. l de vit SaÌ„ct Walliae in S. Iltuto vneorum Regum Britanniae Sainct Gildas our oldest writer and greate diuine did daily pray for the foule of his brother being slaine Orabat pro spiritu fratermp quotidie Sainct Patrike prayed for the dead orauit pro anima eius S. Iltutus appointed 50. of his schollers to pray for the soules of the deade continually Constituit quinquaginta fratres qui continuam animarum memoriam haberent And as I haue spoken before how the first Christians at Hierusalem had a particular Church founded and employed to that holy vse So our Christians Britans insisting in the same deuotion from the beginning had diuers such foundations and Churches especially to offer sacrifice and pray for the deade One of them was at london Ecclesiam Galfrid Monum hist Reg. Briton l. 12 c. 13. aedificauerunt in quo pro ipso Rege fidelibus defunctis diuina celebrantur obsequia And this is sufficient for this question The next exception which is taken by our Protestants The Catholike doctrine of pardons Indulgences in this article is against the Catholike doctrine about pardons or Indulgences saying as they haue done already of Purgatory that the Romish doctrine concerning pardons is a fonde thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Councell of Trent setteth downe the Catholike doctrine in this point which these men call the Conc. Trid. seff 9. in decreto de Indulgentijs Romish doctrine that power of graunting indulgences was by Christ graunted to his Church and the Church in the most auncient times vsed it by so great warrant and therefore declareth the vse of Indulgences to be retajned in the Church as necessary for Christian people and allowed by the authority of holy Councels anathematizing them which affirme them to be vnprofitable or deny there is power in the Church to graunt them Cum potestas conferendi Indulgentias à Christo Ecclesiae concessa sit at que huiusmodi potestate diuiniâ—â—s tradita antiquissimis etiam temporibus illa vsa fuerit Sacrosancta Synodus indulgentiarum vsum Christiano populo maxime salutarem sacrorum conciliorum anthoritate probatum in Ecclesia retinendum esse docet praecipit eosque anathemate damnat qui aut inutiles esse asserunt veleas concedendi in Ecclesia potestatem esse negant The same holy CouÌ„cell with all good Catholiks as much coÌ„demneth abuses in pardons or IndulgeÌ„ces and as wisely preuenteth them as any enemy of Indulgences doth euer did or can desire That there this power of graunting pardons and Indulgences for remitting the temporall punishment due to sinne is first euident by that is said of the paines and punishment of purgatory before For no man will or can deny but if the Church hath power or meanes to remit paines to them that be deceased and out of the state of meriting in themselues much rather it hath such power and remedies for the liuing which by themselues may and doe merit and are in all respects parts and subiects of the militant Church of Christ Secondly whereas this Protestant article saith pardons haue no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Apostolike Fathers of this first age haue taught vs otherwise before euen of the paines of Purgatory And the Scripture is cleare both that Christ did graunt this power to his Church and the Church practized it in the Apostles time Of this power of remitting sinnes and their punishment Christ must needs meane when he said to S. Peter he would giue Matth. c. 16. vnto him the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer he should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen Tibi dabo claues regnicaelorum Et quodcumque solueris super terram erit solutum in caelis So when he said to all his Apostles Whatsoeuer Matth. 18. you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Quaecunque solueritis super terram erunt soluta in Ioh. cap. 20. coelo And againe whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen vnto them Quorum remiseritis peccata remitiuntur ets And that wee may be assured these words and warrants of Christ did carry this construction and giue this power and not onely to the then present Apostles but their Successours and Rulers in his Church for euer first Sainct Paul who was not an Apostle Preist nor Christian then at the giuing of this cominission nor there present did thus expounde it and practise it For first excommunicating the wicked Corinthian which had committed 1. Cor. 5. sinne with his Fathers wife his mother in lawe a sinne both in Catholiks and Protestants Iudgment deseruing greate and longe pennance and punishment he soone after wrote vnto them againe to giue him pardon and indulgeÌ„ce for the punishment thereof donetis or condonetis cui donastis or condonastis ego ego donaui or condonaui in persona Christi S. Paul gaue pardon in the person of Christ and the Church of Corinth did the same by the 2. Cor. 2. same warrant and authority So the learned holy Fathers after expound it Primasius in c. 2. epist 2. ad Corinth Aug. l. 2. coÌ„tr epist parmen c. 11. Chrys Homil. 5. de verb. Isaiae vidi Dom. l. 3. de Sacerdoâ—io Euseb Emissen hom in dom 19. post Pentecost Hilar. can 18. in Matth. PaciaÌ„ epistol 1. ad Simpronian Nouatian Aug l. 50. homil hom 40 27. l. 20. ciuit cap. 9. Engl. prot Booke of Ordinat with the Churches approbation cui aliquid donastis Pro donaueritis ego Sicut vobiscum vindicaui ita vobiscum dono Nam Et ego quod donaui Non in mea persona sed Christi qui dixit quae solueritis in terra erunt soluta in coelo Si quid donaui propter vos Nâ— grauemini In persona Christi Quia personam gerimus Christi And both the Greeke and Latine Church euer from the beginning expound those words of Christ in the Ghospell before cited as I haue done And our Protestants themselues doe the like making those
in her armes whereof they say hee was deliuered a virgin And these nations though so remote had also the Images of the 12. Apostles as these and other Authors thus deliuer vnto vs There bee certayne pictures of the fashion and with the markes of the twelue Apostles and being demaunded what maner of men these twelue Apostles were they answeare they were greate Philosophers which liued vertuously and therefore they were made Angels in heauen That God which they doe the greatest honour vnto they paint with a body out of whose shoulders come three heades which looke one vppon an other which signifie as they say that all three haue but one will Which no maÌ„ can well doubt but that they are true memoryes though afterward misunderstood in longe tract of tymc of the holy Trinitie and Christian Religion preached there by some of the Apostles whose Images bee so longe honoured there and that was the maner in that first Apostolicke Arnulf Adam relat de locis sanct Beda libell de loc Sanctis Euseb hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 17 tyme in all places At Hierusalcm the Images of the 12. Apostles painted vppon the cloath made by our lady before remembred were honoured in the church in Ecclesia veneratur For Greece Eusebius is wittnesse that the Images of the Apostles namely of S. Peter and S. Paule were paynled as hee had seene them Apostolorum Imagines Pauli videlicet Petri in tabulis coloribus depictas asseruari vidimus And the Apostles by them so honoured Veteres adhunc modum honorare soliti fuerunt Nicephor hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 16. l. 2. c. 43. Petr. de Nat. l. 9. c. 79. The like or more amply hath Nichephorus others affirming that S. Luke Euangelist painted their Images as diuers others It is manifest in the historie of S. Syluester and Constantine that not onely the Images of S. Peter and S. Paule which appeared vnto Constantine but of the other Apostles were with reuerence kept and preserued at Rome amonge so many persecutions I need not to proceed to more particular places and examples when we haue both vnwritten and written tradition that euen from the tyme of Nicephor hist l. 2. c 43. the Apostles and Sainct Luke the Euangelist and others then makeinge and reuerently vseinge such sacred Images the same art and vse was from thence deduced into all the world Vnde in omnem dâ—inde habitabilem orbem tam venerandum pretiosumopus est illatum And this Christian manner and custome of makinge reuerencing and honouring holy Images in such sort as is before defined by the generall Councels and still vsed by Catholiks so auntient from the begynninge of Christianitie so generall in the whole Christian worlde was neuer disallowed or impugned by any man bearing the name of a Christian vntill about the yeare of Christ 494. Xenaias a prophane vnbaptized and Cedren in compendio Hist in Xenaia Persa sacrilegeous Persian vsurping Ecclesiasticall orders was the first which opposed against it and therefore is stiled in histories to be a man of an audacious and impudent mouth and placed in the Nicephorus hist Eccl. l. 16 c. 27. Synod Nic. 2 Ench. haeres in Xenaia Baron an 485. 486. 487. Spond ib. alij catalogue of damned Heretiks Xenaias primus ô audacem animum os impudens voeem illam euomuit Christi eorum qui illi placuere Imagines venerandas non esse The world hath scarcely seene a more desperate and wicked wretch then antiquities describe this man to haue beene they which haue since followed and follow hym at this tyme haue hardly hitherto gotten much better fame for their like proceedings doing therein onely as Iewes Turkes Tartars Pagans and onely heretiks for that condemned among Christians haue done and The Catholick doctrine and practise of reuerence to holy Relikes at this tyme where they ouer rule The next exception of our Protestants in this Article Against the doctrine practise of the Church of Rome and Catholiks is to vse their words concerning their worshippinge an adoration of Reliques termed by them as the others before a fonde thinge vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warrantie of scripture but rather repugnant to the worde of God The Councell of Trent for Catholiks thus defineth Conc. Trid. sess 9. in this matter Sanstorum Martyrum aliorum cum Christo viuentium sancta corpora quae viua membra fucrunt Christi Templum Spiritus Sancti à fidelibus veneranda esse Affirinantes Sanctorum reliquijs venerationem atque honorem non deberi vel eas aliaque sacra monumenta à fidelibus inutiliter honorari omnino damnandos esse prout iam pridem cos damnauit nuncetiani damnat Ecclesia The bodyes of holy Martyrs and others that lyue with Christ are to be reuerenced The Church doth now condemne as longe agoe it hath condemned those which affirme that reliks of Sainsts or that they and other sacred monuments ar vnprofitably honoured of the faithfull Now lett vs examine what was the doctrine and practise of the Apostles and Apostolike men in this first age in this question Moses Bar-cepha a Syrian many hundreds of yeares since and Iacobus Orrohaita before hym and by hym cited be wittnesses that the body and Reliks of the first man Adam a penitent and holy father after his fall Moses Barcepha Syr. Episc comm de Paradis part 1. c. 14. Iacob Arrohaita apud eund ib. were honorably preserued by his posteritie and in the time of the flood to keepe it from perishing No carryed it with him into the arke and left it to his children Noe arcam cum esset cum liberis suis conscensurus impendente diluuio secum in eam intulisse ossa Adami eaque deinde post diluuium arca egressum suis distribuisse And this was the manner and custome after the deludge vnto the time of Christ amonge the faithfull to preserue with honour and reuerence the bodyes and reliks of the holy Saincts of that Time And as the scripture 4. Reg. c. 13. wittnesseth of the deade body of Elisaeus restoring a mans deade body to life by touching his bones Quod cum tetigit ossa Elisaei reuixit homo steâ—it super pedes suos So we haue vnquestionable authorities both of Scripture and Fathers for the honour and reuerence of the bodies and reliks of the rest of the Prophets the Iewes themselues as the scripture testifieth adorning and reuerencing them Aedificatis sepulchra Prophetarum ornatis Matth. 23. monumenta iustorum S. Epiphanius and other noble wittnesses proue Epiph. l. de Prophet viâ—a interitu in Daniele that Daniel the Prophet was buryed and reuerenced with greate honour and his graue so continued renowned in his time Humatus est magnis honoribus Extat monumentum ipsius vsque ad hoc seculum nostrum in babylone cunctis notissimum The body of Idem supr in Ezechiele Ezechiel was so likewise
at all THE XII CHAPTER The 24. article Likewise examined and condemned by this first Apostolike age and writers therein THe 24. article is this It is a thing plainely repugnant to the word of God and the custome of the primatiue Church to haue publike prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a tongue not vnderstood of the people What is agreable or repugnant to the word of God the Church of God as those Protestants haue confessed before is the best witnesse and interpreter and of necessity it must needs be so in such things as be graunted to be agreable or repugnant vnto both as this question is The word of God extendeth both to that which is written in Scriptures and the vnwritten preserued in the Church without such canonicall writing otherwise which is vnpossible God might be contrary to himselfe and his word contrary to his word which is blasphemous to say or write And in this question of the publike Church seruice finding no prescript forme order or office nor of what language or tongue it is to be vsed in the written word of God wee must needs resorte to vnwritten tradition and the custome of the primatiue Church to finde it forth And wee finde in all the publike offices of the Church in this age ascribed to S. Peter S. Andrew S. Matthew and S. Iames Apostles to S. Marke Euangelist S. Clement successour to S. Peter at Rome and whosoeuer in antiquities is taken to be Authour or composer of any liturgy Masse or publike seruice or forme of prayers in the Church in this time they were all first penned and after practised in all places wheresoeuer they were vsed in the learned common languages and no where in any barbarous or vulgar tongue of any particular Prouince or Contry All histories their oldest manuscripts and generally receaued tradition witnesse they were in the Greeke or Latine tongue This is so manifestly Doue persuas p. 23. 24. c. oâ— prayer true that our Protestant writers do thus confesse it vntill of late since Protestant Religion began through out the west part of the world publike prayers were in Latine in the east part in Greeke euen among Edw. Sands Relation of Relig. c. 53. or 54. those nations to whom the languages were no mother tongues Thus one of their Bishops with publike allowance Their first Protestant Archbishop Matthew Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. in Aug. c. 17. p. 47. Parker writeth that the publike Church seruice named Masse Missa dicta did continue 200. yeares and more from Christs institution à Christi primo â—â—stituto vntill Pope Zepherine the 16. Pope did change it to a better matter and forme Donec eam Zepherinus 16. Romanus Pontifex quorundam suasioâ—ibus ad pulchriorem materiam formamque mutare voâ—uit And this Masse was the same which sainct â—ames vsed at Hierusalem and sainct Peter in the â—asterne Contries And when this man and other Protestants come to set downe what change S. Zepherine Pope made in the holy Masse it was â—ot to change it into a Vulgare tongue but he a Roman Zepherinus Romanus kept it still vnchanged in the Latine tongue as all his predecessours had Damas Pont. in Zepherino Magdeburg in eod Rober. Barns in vit Pontif. Rom. in eod Bal. l. 1. act Pontific Rom. in Zepherino Robert Barnes alij in Alexandro Sixto Telesphoro done before in the west and Latine Church onely he tooke away wodden chalices vsed then in some places ordaining better and in this all writers Catholikes and Protestants agree Vitreos calices pro ligneis ordinauit And wheresoeuer there was any thing changed or added in the Masse it was as these men confesse euer done in the Latine tongue Alexander Romanus ad Adriani tempora peruenit Iâ— Missa pridiè quam pateretur vsque ad haec verba HOC EST CORPVS MEVM addidit ad memoriaÌ„ passionis Christi inculcandaÌ„ Sixtus Romanus vt SANCTVS in coÌ„munione Eucharistiae ter caneretur ordinauit Telesphorus Graecus GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO esse in Missa caneâ—dum praecepit These be all the additions changes they finde in the holy Masse before S. Zepherines time before which S. Eleutherius Pope had publikely sent it into Britaine and S. Lucius our King here publikely receaued it and all those additionâ— were taken out of Scripture not then translated into any vulgar vnlearned language So they prouâ— of all additions after all euer made in the Latine tongue except some very few in the Hebrew anâ— Greeke in the whole Latine Church And this iâ— vnquestionably conuinced out of the publike offices of he Church of Christ whether the Sacrificâ— of Masse or the rest Matins Laudes houres euen songe compline or whatsoeuer to be termed publike prayer of the Church for the farre greateâ— part of all these consisteth of the holy psalmes anâ— other parts of Scripture all bookes thereof publikely reade euery day and the psames euery weekâ— yet none of these were in any vulgar tongue in thâ— age nor many after this time The rest which is contained in the Catholike Church Creeds Prefaces Hymnes Antiphons or â—hat else amont not vnto the tenth part of what is taken from Scriptures and yet these were deliuerâ—d to the Church in learned toÌ„gues in them composed and not in other Wee are assured by Scriptures and good histories that the Apostles 72. disâ—â—ples and other holy Cleargy men in this first age preached in all nations they prayed and had publike prayers in many contries and in them founded Churches and must needs leaue some forme of such publike seruice for them they conuerted But wee are assured againe both by Scriptures and such antiquities that they all had not the guift of tongues numquid omnes linguis loquuntur and sainct 1. Cor. 12. Paul reckoneth it for a singular guist and priuiledge in himselfe to speake in all languages gratias 1. Cor. 14. Godwin Conuers c. 3. p. 36. Io. Leland in commentar Ant. Brit. v. Britanniae Io. Caius hist Cantabr p. 19. ago Deo quod omnium vestrum linguis loquor And our Protestants themselues with other antiquaries â—onfesse that these renowned men did preach in many places by interpretours and diuers Barbarous nations where they preached had then no vse of letters to write any thing at all in their owne laÌ„guage much lesse formes and offices of publike prayers which were and of necessity to be vsed in all Churches and by all Preists And in this condition was this Kingdome of Britaine all Gallia now Fraunce and other parts where the Druydes ruled not vsing letters and writing because all nations were then accompted and called by the Romans Barbarous in that and such vnciuill respects Some write the Greeke letters were vsed in Gallia but if it were so they were by the same authority very vnperfect many added afterward to bringe that writing to perfection and no history mentioneth that euer any forme of publike prayer or
Niceph hist Eccl. l. 11. cap. 14. yeare of Christ 80. which in antiquitie are remembred first to haue denyed the grace of this holie Sacrament as they did of others and affirmed that the holie ghost was not receaued therein for this as other their Errours were condemned then of heresie Messaliani dicunt in clericorum ordinatione Spiritum sanctum non suscipi These Protestants Ordination will be spoken of in their 36. Article of that Title THE XVI CHAPTER Matrimonie thus proued a Sacrament THE next Sacrament which this Protestant Article excepteth against in the same wordes and phrase of speach as against the former is that of matrimonie euer in the Church of Christ from his and his Apostles time receaued and vsed for an holy Sacrament The holie scriptures say it is an honorable estate honorabile connubium God Hebr. 13. maketh the vnion of husband and wife vnseparable by man Quod Deus coniunxit homo non separet Matth. 19. The bonde of matrimonie is the greatest greater then towards father or mother And a reason is because it is a Sacrament Relinquet homâ— Ephes 5. patrem matrem suam adherebit vxori sua erunt duo in carne vna Sacramentum hoc magnum est ego autem dico in Christo in Ecclesia This supernaturall and Sacramentall Iustitution in Christian Religion maketh the obligation inuiolable Matth. 10. not admitting separation to take any other Quicumque dimiserit vxorem suam aliâ—â— duxerit adulterium committit super eam si vxor dimiserit virum suum alij nupserit maechatur Ijs 1. Cotinth 7. qui matrimonio iuncti sunt praecipio non ego sed Dominus vxorem à viro non discedere quòd si decesserit manere innuptam aut viro suo reconciliari vir vxorem non dimittat It was not so either with the Iewes or gentiles The Iewes enen in the dayes of Moyses had their diuorces Moses mandauit dare Matth. 19. libellum repudij dimittere Moses permisit dimittere vxores As they also had pluralitie of wines then At the cominge of Christ and after by their Rabbines allowance Rabbini vestri sanè ad hunc vsque Iustinus dial cum Tryphone diem quatuor quinque vestrum quemque vxores habere permiâ—tunt And yet condemned them not for other incontinencies All which as S. Iustine liuing in this age witnesseth against them is condemned by the Christian Sacrament of matrimony Si quis vestrum venustam inspiciens eam expetiuerit nihil iniqui agere asseuerunt quo quidem etiam miseri stulti sunt nomine Nam sicut prius dixi magnorum Sacramentorum aeconomiae dispositiones in quolibet eius generis facto sunt celebratae The gentiles though euer without title of true Religion and therefore needles to be remembred in this busines were not inferiour to the Iewes in this disorder no more then the later Hereticall Turkes and Mahometans now be Yet I shall speake of the gentiles by accidentary occasion hereafter S. Martiall in this age doth say not onely that marriage among Christians is honest constituted by God lawfull and immaculate but hath sanctification and honour of chastitie Coniugium Martial epist ad Tholosan cap. 9. honestum constitutum à Deo lâ—gitimum immaculatum eis qui ex sanctificatione honore castitatis nubere volunt And Christ our Lord himselfe so approued it Dominus Magister meus Christus approbauit S. Clement from the Apostles proueth there could be no dissolubilitie in Christian mariage no taking a second wife or husband during the life of the first Si quis Laicus vxorem propriam pelleâ—s Clem. Can. Apost 48. Euarist ep 2. alteram vel ab alio dimissam duxerit communione priuctur So S. Euaristus expoundeth S. Paul cited before of not parting husband or wife So Tertullian prouing that mariage among Christians is Tertullian de Monogam cap. 11. l. 4. contra Marcion cap. 34. onely dissolued by death and not diuorce Per mortâ—m non per repudium facta solutione quia repudiatis non permitteret nubere Apostolus aduersus pristinum praeceptum Manet matrimonium quod non ritè diremptum est Manente matrimonio nubere adulterium est He maketh the prayses of matrimonie l. 2. ad vxorem cap. 9. all most vnspeakeable the Church maketh it sacrifice confirmeth it the Angels honour it God ratifieth it It is a coniunction of two Faithfull of one hope one vowe one discipline of the same seruice To these God sendeth his peace Vâ—â— sufficiam ad enarrandum faelicitatem eius matrimonâ—â— quod Ecclesia counciliat confirmat obligatio obâ—â—gnatum Angeli renunciant pater rato habet Quaâ— iugum fidelium duorum vnius spei vnius voti vniâ— disciplinae eiusdem seruitutis His Deus pacem suâ— Tertullian l. de Monog cap. 5. aduers Valentinian cap. 30. l. de praescript aduers heret c. Euaristus Pap. epist 2. Ephes 5. mittit He diuers times and in diuers places calleth it a Sacrament Sacramentum celebranduâ— Sacramentum diuinum Sacramentum euen as Baptisme and confirmation So doth S. Euaristus Popâ— liuing in this age and as other Fathers both greekâ— and latin so expound S. Paul before cited callinâ— it a greate Sacrament Sacramentum hoc magnum 〈◊〉 S. Chrisostome though liueing after this age yet giueing the custome and practise of thes and after dayes for his reason besides S. Paules authoritie so expoundeth him saying it is a Sacrament and a greate Sacrament as S. Paul did prouinge a Sacrament by the Sacramentall grace giuen therein for a man or woman to forsake him that begotte Chrisostom in cap. 5. ad Ephes Hom. 20. them nourished and hrought them vp her which conceaued them brought them forth with payne and affliction who bestowed so many benefites vpon them as parents do on children with whom there was so long acquaintance and cohabitation to adhere to him or her that was not seene to them before and preferr them before all things this is verily a Mysterie And the parents when these things are done are not greeued but rather if they bee not done and with Ioy pay money and make expences to see them performed Veriely this is a greate mistery hauing a certayne secrette wisedome This long since S. Paul Prophesied saying in Christ and his Church But this was not spoken alone for him but what That the husband should cherish his wife as his owne flesh And as Christ doth his Church Reuera est mysterium magnum mysterium eo qui procreauit qui genuit qui educauit ea quae concepit quae cum dolore peperit afflictione quitot ac tantis affecerunt beneficijs cum quibus diuturnus fuit vsus consuetudo relictis ei adherere quae ne visa quidem fuit cum co nibil habere commune eam omnibus praeferre reuera est mysterium parentes cum
for defence of the Catholike Faith and Iastlie by your Maiestie our last Queene MARIE by whom this land is blessed by a royall issue and as we hope shall in time be madâ— happie by restitution of the Catholike Religion ether in your owne oâ— your childrens dayes And the ratheâ— when England shall see by the Iudgement of the Apostles that the Catholike religioÌ„ aggreeth in all point with the religion taught deliuereâ— by the Apostles and first Apostolicalâ— preachers and that the Protestant religioÌ„ is discouÌ„tenaunced discarded condemned by them This shall appeare by this booke which I youâ— Maiesties most humble subiect aâ— old student in holie learning doe iâ— all dutifull manner present vnto youâ— wishing to your Gracious Maiestie and to our noble Souueraigne your deare Spouse a long and happie raigne in our great Brittainie such a temporall raigne amongst your subiectes as you may both raigne in heauen eternallie with God his Saintes and Angelles Your Maiesties most humble and deuoted subiect R. B. APPROBATIO CVm mihi constiterit ex testimonio fide digni S. Theol. Doctoris in hoc libro cui tituluâ— Apostolorum iudicium c. nihil inueniri Catholicae fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium sed multâ— quae ostendunt religionem Catholicorum esse Apostolicam haereticorum verò Apostaticam censuâ— vtiliter praelo committi posse Actum Duaci die 23. Iunij 1632. GEORGIVS COLVENERIVS S. Theol. Doctor Regius ordinariusque Professor Gollegiatâ— Ecclesiae S. Petri Praepositus Duaâ— censis Academiae Cancellarius librorum Censor THE FIRST CHAPTER CONCERNINGE THE FIRST 5. PROtestants Articles not differinge from the Apostles Religion and the Roman Church BEEINGE to enter into the Examen and comparison of the parlament protestant Articled Religion of England with the Religion of the present Church of Rome and â—e whole Christian world named Catholike â—or profession whereof the Catholiks of England â—y the protestants thereof haue longe tyme suffâ—red and still most constantly endure most bitter persecutions by the first knowne and confessed â—ue Christian Catholike Apostolike Religion â— the Apostles and that their happy age wee finde â—t in the first fiue Articles of this new Religion â—y difference or difficulty to be thus decided both â—atholicks and parlameÌ„tary protestants agreeing them all and they all beeing ordeyned by these proâ—tants against other Sectaries so soone within 4. â—ares of the beginning of Q. Elizabeth her Reigne reâ—eing old condemned heresies amongst them as their â—tories and registers remember and therefore it will â—re suffice onely to recite the Titles of these arâ—les to giue notice thereof The contents and title â— the first article are Of faith in the holy Trinity The second of the word or sonne of God which was made verymaÌ„ The 3. Of the going downe of Christ into hell The 4. Of the Resurrection of Christ The 5. Of the Holy Ghost The whole Article the Title being subiect to doubt is The holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the sonne is of one substance Maiesty and glory with the Father and the Sonne very and eternall God Hitherto wee finde nothing against the doctrine of the Catholike Church Which noâ— vnlikely these men did rather to winnesome crediâ— at their entrance to be thought louers of truth then that they hated the enemies of these articles not yet suppressed among them THE SECOND CHAPTER Examining their 6. Article about Scriptures and traditions and condemning it by the Apostles and Apostolike men and doctrine of their age THEIR next sixt Article intituled of the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Saluation â— thus holy Scripture containeth all things necessary â— saluation Soe that what soeuer is not read therein nâ— may be proued thereby is not to be required of any maâ— that it should be beleeued as an article of faith or â— thought requisite or necessary to saluation By the naâ— of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicâ— bookes of the old and new testament of whose authâ—rity was neuer any doubt in the Church And from tâ— number of those bookes which there they allowâ— to be canonicall They doe in expresse words aâ— tearmes reiect The booke of Tobias the booke of Iuditâ— the rest of the booke of Esther the booke of wisdomâ— Iesus the sonne of Sirach Baruch the Prophet the songe of the three children the story of Susanna of Bel and the Dragon the prayer of Manasses the first and second Bookes of the Machabees Concerning the new testament thus they adde all the bookes of the new testament as they are commonly receiued wee doe receiue and accompte them for canonicall This their Article is in their proceedings as the grounde worke and foundation whereupon their Religion is wholy framed and builded and yet so weake Feeble totteringe ruinous arid deceitefull that not any one true certaine and infallible point of doctrine as euery Article in true religion is can be framed vpoÌ„ it or from it so deduced by the expresse graunt of this article it selfe and of all English Protestants professed and sworne maintainers of it For whereas they sentence and define In the Art 6. supr name of holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and new testament of whose Field Booke of the Church lib. 4. cap. 5. wotton def of perk pa. 442. Couell ag Burg. pag. 60. def of Hooker pag. 31. 32. 33. proâ—â—st glosse on the 6. art Tho. Rogers ibid. authority was neuer any doubt in the Church They plainely make the Iudgment of the Church to be the highest tribunall in spirituall questions euen of the scriptures themselues And thus their best and cheife writers published by authority doe glosse and expound this article And of necessity so they must say except at their first entrance they will plainely confesse their religion and congregation their Church of England as they terme it to be erroneous or hereticall and to haue noe power or warrant at all to doubt deny or determine and propose what bookes be or be not Scriptures canonicall either of the old or new testament Or what one chapter or sentence in them is part or not part of such canonicall and vndoubted holy Scriptures for this power and prerogatiue being onely committed to the true Church by their Article and professors before if these men doubt or Iudge otherwise in this case then the true confessed Church hath hitherto done They can be noe part or members of that true Church And whatsoeuer is read or may be deduced from vntrue or doubted Scriptures cannot be possibly any certaine and vndoubted article of faith and religion For noe conclusion can be more certaine and vndoubted then the Maximes and authorities from which it is concluded but as the light of nature common law and vndeniable Maxime of true reasoning teacheth all men and all men truely acknowledge for a verity most certaine it euer followeth the weaker part euer erroneous doubtfull vncertaine or false if both or
preserued to posterity and how briefe they are It is rather to be wondred that they should cite and allow so many of those books of the old testament and parts of them so often aâ— Eleuther ep ad Lucium Reg. Rritan apud Gal. Lambrrt l de leg S. Eduardi Stowe hist fore tom 1. Godwin CoÌ„uers of Brit. Hollinsh hist of Eng. Speed Theat of Bit. Matth. park antiq Britan. Matth. park antiq Brit. p. 69. Io. Gosc hist Eccl Dauid poiuel in Annot. in l. 2. c. 1. Girald CaÌ„br Iâ—iner CaÌ„br Bal. l. 1. Script Brit. cent 1. in August Rom. l. 2. de Act. Pontif Rom. in Greg. 1. they doe then that they should omit any And although wee doe not finde any Antiquity of Britaine which in this age entreateth of such things yet the most auncient which our Protestants will graunte vnto vs beinge the Epistle oâ— Pope Eleutherius to Kinge Lucius wee finde there in that he makinge mention that Britaine had receaued both the Testaments of holy Scripture although in particular he citeth so few bookes oâ— them that out of the new testament he citeth nâ— more then onely the 23. chapter of S. Matthew from the old testameÌ„t but three texts two of them beinge out of the Psalmes 45. 55. the third is thâ— booke of wisdome disallowed by these ProtestaÌ„nâ— in this Article but allowed by him and our primatiue Christian Britans of that time and so from ouâ— first receauing of holy Scriptures And if I may but write what all our Protestant Antiquaries generally affirme for a constant and vndoubted truth that our Christian Britans did neuer vntill Saincâ— Augustines cominge hither change or alter any oâ— materiall point in the holy ReligioÌ„ which they receaued in the Apostles time I must needs auouchâ— that those Scriptures of the old testament which Godwyn CoÌ„uers of Brit. pag. 43. 44. fore pag. 463. edit an 1576. Holinsh. hist of Engl. cap. 21. l. 4. fulke answ to a couÌ„terf cath pag. 40. harr descript Brit. c. 9 Gild. ep de excid conq Britan. this Article refuseth Were receaued both in Britaine and in other nations as Italy and Rome whence our conuersion came with other contries in that happy Time for Sainct Gildas our most auncient and allowed Historian both in many manuscripts and bookes published by Protestants their warrant for his wisdome Surnamed Sapiens the wise doth very often in one short worke allowe and cite for holy Scriptures diuers of those bookes especially Ecclesiasticus many times and the booke of wisdome vsinge the authority thereof 8. times in one page and lesse And vnto what time persons or place soeuer wee will appeale for Triall wee shall in noe age contry councell or auncient particular writer finde any one person which agreeth with this Protestant Article in the nuÌ„ber bookes of canonicall Scripture It citeth S. Hierome but both hee himselfe and these Protestants Kinge Iames his Protestant Bishops in their publik dispute at Hampton Court with others proue that Conference at Hampton Court pag. 60. Couelag Burges pag. 87. 8. 86. 88. 89. 90. 91. S. Hierome spake onely against the bookes which these Protestants reiect not in his owne opinion but what the Iewes obiected Most of the obiections made against those bookes were the old cauils of the Iewes renewed by S. Hierome in his time who was the first that gaue them that name of Apochryphe which opinion vpon Ruffinus his challendge hee after a sort disclaymed and the rather because a generall offence was taken at his speaches in that kinde They are most true and might haue the reconcilement of other Scriptures If Ruffinus be not deceaued they were approued as parts of the old testament by the Apostles S. Hierome pretendeth that what hee had spoken was not his owne opinion but what the Iewes obiected And for his paines in translating the booke of Iudith which this article reiecteth he giueth this reason because wee reade that the Councell of Nyce did reckon it in the number of holy Scriptures And Sainct Hierome is plaine both for this booke of Iudith and the rest that he did not deny them for first of Iudith hee saith the Nicen Councell which he and all Catholiks euer honored receaued it Hunc librum Synodus Nicaena Hieron Tom. 3. oper praef in Iudith Ruffin inuectit 2. in Hieronym in numero sanctarum Scripturarum legitur computasse And for the other books beinge chardged by Ruffinus to speake in his owne words to be the onely man qui praesumpserit sacras Sancti Spiritus voces diuina volumina temerare Diuino muneri Apostolorum haereditati manus Intulerit Ausus est Instrumentum diuinum quod Apostoli Ecclesijs tradiderunt depositum Sancti Spiritus compilare To haue herein abused the words of the holy Ghost and diuine volumes To haue offered violence to the diuine office and Inheritance of the Apostles And to speake in Protestants Couel sup pag 87. translation to haue robbed the Treasure of the holy Ghost and diuine Instrument which the Apostles deliuered to the Churches Sainct Hierome neuer denieth any of those things for true which Ruffinus spake Ruffin supr of the authority of those books of Scriptures that the Apostles deliuered theÌ„ for such to the Churches and no learned man euer denied it and that S. Peter at Rome deliuered them to the Church Petrus Romanae Hier. Apol. 2. aduers Ruffin Tom. 4 oper praef in libros Machul Ecclesiae per viginti quatuor annos praefuit Quid ergo decepit Petrus Apostolus Christi Ecclesiam libros ei falsos tradidit But onely denieth that he wrote in his owne but in our Enemies the Iewes opinion non enim quid ipse sentirem sed quid illi contra nos dicere soleant explicaui And writinge to Pope Damasus plainely testifieth that he ioyned with the Catholike Church in this busines nouum vetus testamentum recipimus in eo librorum numero quem sanctae Catholicae Ecclesiae tradit authoritas And Feild l. 4. of the Church cap. 23. pag. 245. Act. 6. Gloss ordin Lyra. in eund locum our Protestants from Antiquities acknowledge thus The Iewes at the cominge of Christ were of two sorts some named Hebrews commorant at Hierusalem and in the holy land properly named Hebrewes others named Hellenist that is Iewes of dispersion mingled with the Greeks these had written certaine bookes in Greeke which they made vse of together with other parts of the old Testament which they had of the translation of the Septuagint But the Hebrews receaued onely the 22. bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Iewes deliuered a double Canon of the Scripture to the Christian Churches And in this second Canon of the Iewes as these men write were those bookes of the old Testament which this article denieth And whereas some Protestants would excuse this Article by some old Authorities of Melito Sardensis Origen the
Councell of Laodicia S. Cyrill of Hierusalem Sainct Gregory Nazianzen and Amphilochius There is not any one of them which ioyneth with this Article but they all differ from it in the very places which they cite Melito Sardensis Melito Sard apud Euseb hist Eccl. l. 4 cap. 25. Origen in p 1. Euseb his Eccl. li. 6. cap 24. receaueth the booke of wisdome which this Article reiecteth and omitteth Iudith Origen onely citeth the books of the old testament according to the first Canon of the Hebrews sicut Hebraei tradunt And yet in the end addeth the books of Machabees praeter istos sunt libri Machabaeorum qui Inscribuntur Sarbet Sarbaneel And doth not agree with them in the books of the new testameÌ„t The Councell Conc. Laodic can 60. of Laodicia differreth from this article in omittinge Esther in the old and Apocalips in the new Greg. NaziaÌ„z de vir Gorm sacrae scrip l. 6. Amphil l. ad SeleÌ„cum Cyrill Hierosolim Catech. 4. Tho. Rogers vpon this 6. Art Confess Gallic c 3. 4. Confess Belg. c. 4. 5. Testament otherwise then this article doth S. Gregory Nazianzen so likewise numbreth as Amphilochius also Sainct Cyrill omitteth the Apocalips So this Article hath no authority from any old writer Iew or Christian Greeke or Latin in this so greate and with them most important Question whereupon they grounde all Religion And as litle concordance amonge themselues for amonge 13. or 14. Confessions of Protestant Religion they onely cite and haue noe more then two of France and Belgia Rebels and Traytors to their temporall Kings in ciuill matters as they are in spirituall to God and his holy Church and these for want of other authority founde this their error as the rest vpon the hereticall conceipt of internall reuelation and their spirit so tellinge them extestimonio intrinseca Spiritus Sancti reuelatione By the one and the other quod Spiritus sanctus nostris conscientijs testetur illos à Deo emanasse And by this Spirit they are at such harmony and agreement amonge themselues as in other places so in EnglaÌ„d as I haue related none of them agreeinge together herein But by the suggestion of this false spirit and their exploded doubt of Scriptures doe leaue all Scriptures and questions of Religion to be deduced from them doubtfull which Bilson a Protestant â—ilsoÌ„ Suruey â—ag 664. Bishop of winchester one of the best learned they euer had thus proueth The Scriptures themselues were not fully receaued in all places no not in Eusebius time He saith the Epistle of Iames of Iude the second of Peter he second and third of Iohn are contradicted The epistle to the Hebrews was coÌ„tradicted The Church of Syria did not receaue the second epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Ihon nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalipse the like might be said for the Churches of Arabie Will you hence conclude that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolike or that wee neede not receaue them because they were formerly doubted of The same reason is of all the books of the old testament which this Article reiecteth vpon the same surmise â—or Eusebius ouerliuinge Constantine and writinge Euseb de vit Const lib. 3. hist c. 22. l. 3. cap. 3. Concil Cart. 3. can 47. â—is life and deathe deliueringe this doubt of so many bookes of new Testament liued neere the â—ime of the Councell Chartage of 428. Bishops in which both these bookes of the new Testament contradicted in his dayes but receaued by our Proâ—estants and all those bookes of the old Testament which in this Article they disable are by all those Bishops in one and the same tenor of words with â—he rest decreed to be Canonicae scripturae canonicall Scriptures This Canon and Catologe of Canoniâ—all Concil Cart. 3. supr bookes is confirmed by the Pope of Rome â—hen beinge and other Bishops absent as appeareth â—y the same Councell Pope Innocentius deliuereth Innoe 1. epist ad ExuperiuÌ„ Tholosanum Episc August lib. 2. doctr Christ c. 8. in speculo â—he same Canon of holy Scriptures Canonem sacraâ—um Scripturarum S. Augustine hath the same as â—eceaued by all Churches Scripturae Canonicae quae â—b omnibus accipiuntur Ecclesijs Catholicis And saith â—hat all which feare God receaue them in his omniâ—us libris timentes Deum pietate mansueti quaerunt â—oluntatem Dei Pope Gelasius with a Councell of Gelas Tom. Concil â—o Bishops declareth that to be the Canon which â—he holy Catholike Roman Church receaueth â—nd reuerenceth quem Sancta Catholica Romana Alcim Auit l. ad Soror de consol Cassiodor lib. 1. diu Iust c. 13. â—uscipit veneratur Ecclesia So hath Alcimus Aâ—itus Cassiodorus and others And this may suffice for this place of this Question And it further proueth how feeble and weake the rest of this Protestant Article of the sufficiency allowance of onely Scripture and disableinge Traditions is for if so many Canonicall bookes of Scripture in both testaments were doubted of vntill so greate a time aboue 300. yeares in the lawe of Christ were passed and Religion generally and in all questions necessary to saluation planted and receaued how were or possibly could all these necessary things be reade in Scripture or proued thereby which is the rule of this Article when so many bookes were not then receaued for certaine and vndoubted holy Scriptures Things and euidences doubtfull and vncertaine can make nothinge certaine in morall certainty much lesse with certainty of true and infallible faith which aboue all others is and must needs be most certaine SecoÌ„dly as Sainct Ireneus disputeth Ireneus l. 3. cap. 4. and proueth vpon his certaine knowledge and experience That many nations which had not receaued the Scriptures or any part of theÌ„ did truely beleeue in Christ by vnwritten traditions whicâ— the Apostles doliuered to the Churches Quid si nâ— que Apostoli scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt iâ—â— quibus committebant Ecclesias cui ordinationi assentiunt multae gentes barbarorum eorum qui in Christâ—â— credunt sine charta atramento veterem traditioneâ— diligenter custodientes This he writeth both of thiâ— first age and the second in which he died by martyrdome And it is most euident both by holâ— Scriptures and other antiquities that many nations not onely of the barbarous which were withouâ— learninge but of the learned did thus beleeue before any Scriptures of the new Testament in Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 1. Gal. 1. Ephes 1. Phil. 1. Colloss 1. Thess 1. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 1. Tit. 1. Epist ad Philem. Hebr. 1. Iacob 1. 1. Petr. 1. 2. Pet. 2. Ioh. 1. Io. 2. 3. Iud. 1. which and by which Protestants necessitate vs to reade and proue our Religion were written This is manifestly proued by all the epistles
reluctatur Christo Iesu qui autem â—on obedit filio non videbit vitam sed ira Dei manet â—uper eum Praefractus enim contentiosus superbus â—t qui non obtemperat praestantioribus And by that â—eading which the Canon law vseth euen Princes â—nd all not obeying their Bishops are excluded both â—rom the society of the faithfull on earth and the Kingdome of heauen Si vobis Episcopi non obedieint S. Ignat. citat C. Si autem 11. quaest 3. Iacob Simanchal dedignitare Episcopali omnes clerici omnesque Principes at que reliqui pouli non solum infames sed etiam extorres à Regno â—ei consortio fidelium ac à limitibus sanctae Eccleâ—ae alieni erunt eorum est enim vobis obedire vt Deo â—ius legatione fungimini And he plainely confineth bedience to temporall Princes that it be not with reiudice of the spirituall and danger of the soule â—aesari subiecti estote in ijs in quibus subdi nullum aniâ—ae S. Ignat. Epist ad Antioc periculum est And saith plainely that a Bishop is â—boue all other principality and power Quid aliud I. Ignat. Epist ad Trallia â— Episcopus quà m is qui omni Principatu potestate â—uperior est And to expresse the lamentable estate â—f them which want true Bishops Preists and â—eacons concludeth there neither is nor can be â—y true Church nor communion of Saints withâ—ut them Sine his Ecclesia electa non est nulla sine his Sanctorum congregatio nulla Sanctorum collectio Anâ— setteth downe their holy functions and offices to bâ— such that noe Protestants can possibly clayme tâ— haue either Bishop Preist DeacoÌ„ or other Cleargâ— man amonge them Sine Episcopo nec Presbyter nâ— Epist ad Magnesian ad Philadelph Epist ad Heronem Diaconus nâ—c Laicus quicquam facit The Bishopâ— saith he doe baptize offer sacrifice giue orders â— vse Imposition of hands Baptizant sacrificaÌ„t eliguâ— ordinant manus imponunt Nothing is to be done â— the Church without their allowaÌ„ce no Sacrameâ— ministred he is dispenser of all spirituall busines â— Epist ad Smyrn is not lawfull for the Preists without his approbâ—tion to baptize to offer to sacrifice to say Massâ— Sine Episcopo nemo quicquam faciat eorum quae ad Eâ—clesiam spectant Rata Eucharistia habeatur illa qâ— sub Episcopo fuerit vel cui ipse concesserit Non liâ— sine Episcopo baptizare neque offerre neque sacrificiuâ— immolare neque dochen celebrare others reade nâ— que Missas celebrare which is sufficiently expressâ— and approued in offerre and sacrificium immolaâ— before The Bishops did consecrate Virgins anâ— Mariages made by their warrant Si quis potest in câ—stitate Epist ad Polycarp permanere ad honorem carnis Dominicae viâ— iactantiam si idipsum statuatur sine Episcopo câ— ruptum est Dâ—cet vero vt ducentes vxores nâ—bentes cum Episcopi arbitrio coniungantur The Preisâ— Epist ad Smyrn ad Heronem besides their preaching and ministring of Sacrâ—ments did offer sacrifice and say Masse as is befoâ— expressed And the Deacons ministred vnto the â—shops and Preists in their holy sacrifice Diaconâ— Sacerdotum minister Sacerdotes sacrificant And wâ—tinge to Sainct Heron a Deacon of the Church â— Antioch hauing immediately spoken before hoâ— the Preists did offer sacrifice he saith that he dâ— â—inister to them in the holy Sacrifice as Sainct Stephen did to Sainct Iames the Apostle Preists â— Hierusalem prouing that they there said Masse â—s the Preists of Antioch and other Churches did â—uillis ministras vt Sanctus ille Stephanus Iacobo â—esbyteris qui erant Hierosolimis And in an other eâ—stle saith plainely that DeacoÌ„s ought to doe such â—ty in those misteries to Preists as Sainct Steâ—en Epistol ad Trallian did to Sainct Iames Sainct Timothy and S. â—ucius to Sainct Paul Sainct Anacletus and Sainct â—lement to Sainct Peter Purum inculpatum miâ—sterium illis exhibent vt S. Stephanus Beato Iacobo â—motheus Linus Paulo Anacletus Clemens â—ero And expresseth this their office in these plaine â—mes Oportet Diaconis mysterioâ—um Christi per omnia â—cere nec enim ciborum poâ—uâ—m ministri sunt sed â—clesiae Dei administratores The Geeke readinge â—eifely signifieth ministring in the holy sacrifice of â—asse and so expresseth it selfe in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He reâ—embreth both altar and sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as plaine termes as any present writers of â—e Roman Church now doth and to manifest he â—h not meane such acts as Protestants terme saâ—fice and are so many as the different kindes of â—otion but onely the externall common saâ—fice he saith there is but one sacrifice and this saâ—ice the onely flesh and blood of Christ Vna est Epistol ad Philadelp â— Christi Iesu Domini nostri vnus illius sanguis qui â— nobis effâ—sus est vnus panis omnibus confractus â—us calix qui omnibus distributus est vnum altare â—â— Ecclesiae The prayer and words of a Preists are Epistol ad Ephes â—uch force that they place Christ among vs. Vâ—s siue alterius precatio taÌ„â—â—irum virium est vt Christumâ—nter illos statuat It is a preparatiue of eterniâ— a preseruatiue against death procuring life in Gâ— and a medicine expelling all euill Pharmacum â— mortalitatis mortis antidotum vitamque in Deo câ—cilians Epis ad Rom. per Iâ—sum Christum medicamentum oâ— expellens mala The breade or foode of God heauâ—ly breade the flesh of Christ the sonne of God â— Ignat. apud Theodoret. Dialog 3. blood of Christ Panis Dei panis caelestis qui est â— Christi filij Dei potus sanguis illius The Euchaâ— which is the flesh of our Sauiour which suffâ— for our sinnes which his Father raised againe â— charistia est caro Saluatoris quae pro peccatis nâ—â— passa est quam pater sua benignitate suscitauit Tâ— holy sacrificing Bishops and Preists and Deaâ— ministring vnto them in those sacred misteriâ— they were farre from the pretended Protesâ— cleargy which haue to their vttermost endeaâ— euer afflicted such holy Functions especiallâ— England with most bitter edicts and persecutiâ— and the sacred Priests of that for that onely â—fession with most barbarous and cruell dâ—athes seing by the most constant Testimony and praâ— of this blessed Apostolike age no true Church â— or could be without them no Protestant comâ— or congregation all of them wantinge such â— consecrated Bishops Preists and Ecclesiasâ— persons and Professors can possibly haue the â— and Title of a true Church and religion And â— tending as they doe that these sacrificing holâ—ders without which no true Church can be aâ— contained in Scripture They must needs â— They were deliuered vnto the Church and â— Church well founded in these so essentiall thâ— by Tradition
ad Mar. Cassob chastity in castitate exegiâ— hanc vitam Whicâ— he affirmeth of other Apostolike Preists and Bâ—shops of that age Sainct Timothy Sainct Titus â— Epist ad Philadelph Euodius his predecessor at Antioche of himselâ— in diuers places So that then neither the Preists â— the Latine or Greeke Church Antioche beinge thâ— cheifest and where the name of Christians fiâ—â— began were maried but continually liued aâ— â—heir life time in chastity in castitate exegerunt hanc vitam And therefore they were honored in those dayes â—nd the holy Maydens which had professed virgiâ—ity were compared to the Preists in this point â—f perfection and for it honored as they were â—as quae in virginitate degunt in pretio habete velut Epistol ad Tarsens Christi Sacerdotes It is manifest their were Colâ—edges or Nunneries of such vowed and professed â—irgins and Nonnes then Saluto Collegium virgiâ—um Epistol ad Philippen Epistol ad Smyrn Epistol ad Polycarp And they liued in perpetuall virginity Saluto â—as quae in perpetua degunt virginitate They were â—rofessed by the Bishop whether men or women â—i quis potest in castitate permanere ad honorem carms â—ominicae sine iactantia permaneat si idipsum statuatur â—ne Episcopo corruptum est And of this profession â—onsecration of virgins he further putteth them â—nd all in memory in this manner virgines agnosâ—ant Epistol ad Antiochen cui seipsas consecrarunt And he proueth That it is in the power and free â—ill of man to doe these and all holy duties in a Christian life by the grace of Christ and noe man â—ecessitated to sinne heauen and hell good and bad â—n the free will and election of man Decet non modo Epistol ad Magnes vocari Christianos sed esse nec enim dici sed esse beaâ—os facit Obseruationi proponitur vita mors inobedienâ—iae singuli qui hoc aut illud delegerunt â—n eius quod â—nuenerint locum abituri sunt fugianius mortem eliâ—amus vitam In hominibus enim geminas not as inueâ—iri dico hanc esse veri numismatis illam vero advlterimi Pius homo numisma est à Deo excusum imâ—ius ementitum adulterimum illegitimum non à â—eo sed à diabolo â—ffectum Non quòd velim dicere â—uas esse hominis naturas sed vnum esse hominem qui iam Dei iam diabolisit Si quis pietati studet Dei hoâ— est si impiè agat diaboli est non id factus per naturaâ— sed animi arbitrium He proueth that concupiscenâ— Epist ad Ephesios without consent condemneth not nor is sinne aâ— protestants hold Cum nulla in vobis sit conscupisceâ—tia quae vos inquinet supplicium adferat secunduâ— Deum viuite Non vos laedet aliqua diabolica cogitatiâ— si vt Paulus perfectam habueritis in ChristuÌ„ fideâ— charitatem He hath before in one place spokeâ— of foure Sacraments Baptisme the Sacrament oâ— Christs blessed body and blood Orders and Confirmation by al expositors Baptizant Sacrificanâ— Epistol ad Heron. Eligunt manuâ— imponunt He hath asscribed iustification vnto pennance and so allowed it in that degreâ— and although he hath so dignified the virginall life and saith it is better praestantius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Philadelph then wedlocke he giueth so much honor vntâ— Marriage that it was not to be performed withouâ— the Bishops assent and allowance Decet verò vâ— Epist ad Polycarpum ducentes vxores nubentes cum Episcopi arbitrio coniugantur vt nuptiae iuxta Domini praeceptuâ— sint non autem ad concupiscentiam Our protestants generally and absolutely deny these holy Christian doctrines and practises to be contained in Scriptures or to be proued by them Therefore they must needs yeeld that that primatiue and Apostolike Church by so greate and liuing then witnesse held and professed them by tradition and certaine it is that many bookes of Scripture were neither generally receaued nor written when the things were so generally vsed and professed not onely in the commaundinge Greeke Church of Antioch where Sainct Peter S. Paul S. Euodius and Sainct Ignatius professed and practized them Pauli Petri fuistis discipuli ne perdaâ—â—s Epist ad Antiochen depositum Mementore Euodij beatissimi Pastoris vesâ—â—i qui primus vobis ordinatus est ab Apostolis Antistes Where the disciples were first called ChristiaÌ„s when Sainct Peter and Sainct Paul came thither and there founded the Church Antiochiae primum Epist ad Magnesian discipuli appellati sunt Christiam cum Petrus Paulus fundarent Ecclesiam But in all the renowned Churches before remembred and in all the whole Christian world at that time by the preachinge and tradition of the holy Apostles as the same Apostolike man thus witnesseth Scribo ad vos moncoque Epist ad Philadelph vt vna praedicatione vna Eucharistia vtamini Vna enim est caro Domini nostri Iesu Christi vnus illius sanguis qui pro nobis effusus est vnus item panis omnibus confractus vnus calix qui omnibus tributus est vnum altare omni Ecclesiae vnus Episcopus cum presbyterorum collegio diaconis Quandoquidem est vnus est ingenitus Deus Pater vnus vnigenitus Filius Deus verbum homo vnus Paracletus Spiritus veritatis vna praedicatio fides vna vnum baptisma vna Ecclesia quam suis sudoribus laboribus fundarunt Sancti Apostoli à fimbus terrae vsque ad fines in sanguine Christi Vos itaque oportet vt populum peculiarem gentem sanctam omnia perficere concordibus animis in Christo And directly Epistol ad Heron. concludeth that whosoeuer shall teach otherwise then the Traditions of the Church be he is to be accompted a wolfe amonge sheepe though he be otherwise a man of credit fasteth liueth chastely doth miracles and prophecieth Quicumque dixâ—rit quippiam praeter ea quae constituta sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tamet si fide dignus sit quamuis signa edat quamuis prophetet pro lupo illum habeas qui subouina pelle exitium pestemque aedfert ouibus Wee may addâ— vnto these greatest solemnities and festiuall dayeâ— of the Cristians receaued in the Church in thâ— time by tradition and not Scripture and by thâ— same authority of tradition without Scripture thâ— feasts highest festiuities of the Iewes euen thosâ— which were solemnely set downe and commauÌ„deâ— in Scripture to be religiously obserued quite euâ—cuated and vtterly reiected The Sabbath which is now our saterday waâ— with greate ceremony and solemnity deliuered iâ— Scripture to be kept euery weeke and that whicâ— wee call sonday was commaunded to be a working day Yet all Christians in this time by tradition diâ— celebrate that old working day next after the olâ— Sabbath for our Lords day consecrated
the dead reueâ—nced the signe of the crosse other holy Images â—d sacred Reliks said or heard Masse and praâ—ized other Christian rites and duties which proâ—stants deny to be contained in or proued by â—cripture Tertullian lyuing and writing as many testifie â—en Protestants before Pope Eleutherius time Tertull. l. de praescription Magdeburg Centuâ— 3. col 34. c. 4. col 240. 241. Sutcl subu p. 4. Whitg def Respon pag. 96. â—d witnessing Britayne had in his dayes receaued â—e faith of Christ euen in those parts thereof wheâ—er the Pagan Romans could neuer come loca â—omanis inaccessa speaketh of the traditions before â—membred as both his owne works Catholiks â—d Protestants proue in these words Tertullianus â— genere de doctrina suae aetatis inquit eam consentire cum Ecclesijs Apostolicis eamque consensum câ— cordiam communem esse omniuÌ„ Ecclesiarum in Europâ— in Asia in Africatestatur That this the doctrine his time did agree with all Apostolike Churches thaâ— was the common consent and concordance of all â— Churches in Europe in Asia in Afrike And thouâ— wee assigne a somewhat later time to Tertullian others doe in the later end of the second age â— when he so confidently and generally assignâ— this common consent of all Churches of Britaiâ— Fraunce Spaine Italy all Europe Asia and Afriâ— in these holy Christian doctrines thus impugned Protestants hauing therein the consent of all Aâ—stolik Churches wee must needs say whether tâ— were receaued and professed from Scriptures Traditions being longe before any generall Coâ—cels kept by the generall confessed rule of the â—thers and Protestants before they must needâ— deliuered by authority of the Apostles non â— authoritate Apostolica traditum certissimè crediturâ— And the first receauing of the holy Scriptureâ— Britayne which wee finde in Antiquities was in â— time of Pope Eleutherius and from the Churcâ— Rome the same Catalogue of Scriptures it tâ— vsed and still vseth as wee finde in the epistlâ— Eleuth Pap. epist ad Lucium Regem Britan. Godwin CoÌ„uers of Brit. in epist Eleuther Stow. hist Romans that holy Pope to Kinge Lucius suscepistis nâ— miseratione diuina in Regno Britaniae legem fiâ— Christi Habetis penes vos in Regno vtramque pagiâ— You haue there in your Kingdome both testamentâ— our Protestants translate it or both parts of Scripturâ— THE THIRD CHAPTER The 7. 8. 9. 10. Articles examined and wherein they differ from the present Romane Church condemned by this first Apostolike age HAVING thus absolutely and at large confuted and ouerthrowne by the Apostolike â—ge the last Article the erroneous ground of all â—rotestant Religion wee may be more breife in â—he rest being all at the least generally confuted â—nd ouerthrowne in their false foundation so deâ—royed And vntill wee come to their 11. Article â—tituled of the Iustification of man It may be queâ—ioned whether any of them doth in common and â—robable construction and meaninge oppose the â—oman Church or no. And for the two next the 7. â—nd 8. Articles it is most certaine and euident the â—rst of them being intituled of the old testament only â—acheth The old Testament is not contrary to the new â—nd the other stiled of the three Creeds is in tâ—e â—me condition onely affirming The three Creedes â—icene Creede Athanasius Creede and tâ—â—â—â—hich is â—mmonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly â— be receaued and beleeued But the reason hereof â—hich thus they yeeld for they may be proued by most â—rtaine warrantes of holy Scripture is both before â—onfuted very friuolous for neither is the Scripâ—re the compleate Rule of Religion neither was â—e Scriptures of the new testament written when â—e Apostles deliuered their Creede to the Church â—or the Scriptures agreed vpon vntill after both â—e Creedes of the Nicene Councell and Sainct Athanasius were generally receaued and professâ— by all Catholiks as is already made manifest eueâ— by Protestants themselues aswell as other Authoâ— of more worthy credit The next Article is intâ—tuled of Originall or birth sinne And was expresseâ— concluded by them against the Pelagians denyiâ— originall sinne in man as they expouÌ„d themseluâ— naming the Pelagians and their heresie there wiâ— a confutation of it in their proceedings holdiâ— that Originall sinne in those that be not baptizeâ— deserueth Gods wrath and damnation Yet in the lâ— and concluding words of the Article their phraâ— of speach hath perhaps giuen occasion to some pâ—ritane Nouelists to thinke they held as these mâ— Caluin and such doe that concupiscence withoâ— assent is sinne The words be Although there is â— Artic. 9. supr condâ—mnation for them that beleeue and are baptizâ— yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscence lâ— Thomas Rogers in Articul 9. Confes Helu 2. c 9. Saxon. ar 2. 20. hath of it selfe the nature of sinne A Puritane glosser vpon this place saith Conâ—piscence euen in the regenerate is sinnâ— Among foâ—tâ—ene Protestant Confessions he citeth but two fâ— his opinion by his owne exposition And so seauâ— to one by his owne argument of Protestant authâ—rity he is deceaued And the Puritan Heluetian â—sembly Protest Engl. Art art 10. Caluin lib. 1. Instit c. 5. l. 2 c. 2. 3. a. lib. l 3. c. 3. Ant Wotton against D. Bish pa. 112. ruled by Caluine holdeth this besides tâ— other errour which our English Protestants deâ— in ther next article that man hath not free will â— doe well or fly sinne And he plainely confesseâ— that all the primatiue Fathers sufficient for tâ— purpose are against him holding concupiscenâ— without assent to be no sinne Omnium sententâ—â— So do our English Puritans also which hold thâ— errour acknowledge and it is apparant euen â— â—e words of this article before related that the Enâ—ish Protestants doe no otherwise terme coÌ„cupisâ—nce sinne then materially as the Apostle doth â—hose onely authority they vse in that matter and â—ot properly and formally as sinne is truely and â— right sense vsed and taken hauing liberty and â—nsent of minde annexed vnto it otherwise Inâ—nts Ideots frantike madde men without iudgâ—ent and men sleepinge doinge the materiall part â— things sinfull should also sinne or if the flesh of â— selfe the vegetatiue or sensitiue power abstraâ—ing from reason could sinne creatures onely haâ—ng beeing vegetation and sense might and should â—nne equally as those that be reasonable Beasts â—shes fowles plants herbes and trees would be â—oth capable and guilty of sinne And our English Protestants in their commuâ—on booke of as greate credit and approued by as â—reate authority with them and their Religion as â—ese articles acknowledge that the baptized are deade Communion Booke Titul ministrat of publike Baptisme And Catechisme â— sinne And the whole body of sinne is vtterly aboliâ—ed in them They promise and vowe to for sake the â—uill and all his workes the carnall desires of the flesh â—d not to followe and be ledde by them obediently to â—epe Gods commaundements
Christ but this one alone Christ did purchase but one militant Church with his pretious blood he hath no more but one such daughter nor true Christians more then one such mother which the same Sainct Clement likewise proueth thus conuenite ad Ecclesiam Domini quam acquisiuit sanguine Christi dilectâ— primogeniti Const Apost l. 2. c. 65. omnis creaturae Eaest enim altissimi filia quae partâ—rijt nos per verbum gratiae He coÌ„pareth this Church also to one greate shippe Carrying passengers from all contryes to the desired hauen and harbour saying that God is alwayes the Lord and owneâ— of it Christ the Master or Gouernour the Bishop cheife ruler vnder him Preists Deacons and other Clergy men euer supply their places and offices therein Similis est omnis status Ecclesiae magnae naâ— Clem. epist 1. quae per vndo sum Pelagus diuersis è locis regionibâ— viros portat ad vnam potentis regni vrbem properâ—â— cupientes Sit ergo nauis huius Dominus ipse omnipâ—tens Deus gubernator verò sit Christus Tum demâ—â— proretae officium Episcopus impleat Presbyteri nauâ—â—rum Diaconi dispensatorum locum teneant hi qui â—â—techizant nautologis conferantur He giueth also â—â— lay persons their place in this shippe saying thâ— world is the Sea it passeth and witnesseth that thâ— shippe notwithstanding all stormes and tempestâ— persecutions tribulations daungers false Prophetâ— seducers persecuting potentates hypocrites anâ— whatsoeuer enemies aduersaries and aduersities â— euer is safe and neuer maketh shipwrake foâ— Christ euer gouerneth it and the whole Church must endeuour to serue and obey him and his commaundes Saluator Dominus gubernator Ecclesiae suae Martial ep ad Burdegal cap. 11. diligatur ab omnibus ipsius solius praeceptis ac iussis credat obediat omnis Ecclesia Thus Sainct Clement from the Apostles themselues And Sainct Martial also teacheth that the Church of Christ is so firme it can neuer fall nor be broken And yet in the same place he teacheth that the deuill and heretiks his vassals and instruments shall neuer cease to labour and fight against it Inimicus venturus est vt superseminet in populo Dei grana errorum Sed firma Ecclesia Dei Christi nec cadere nec disrumpi poterit vnquam Venient praesumptores absque gratia Dei loquentes quorum gloria labiorum procedit ex superbia similes illi qui superbiâ caelum praesumens habitare mox de caelo cum Angelis suis sequacibus ruit in aeternam voraginem Hi docebunt aliam doctrinam quae aliena est à Deo amica autem diabolo per quam ipse spiritus erroris animas post se trahere festinabit Which cannot more properly be applyed to any sects of heresies then the libertine Protestants so first arising encreasing and subsisting by wanton and lewde licentiousnesse S. Dionysius Areopagita wrote a whole booke Dion Areop l. de Eccles Hierarch in Greeke yet euery where extant de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy or holy order which was in his time and to continue euer in the neuer fayling or ceasing Church of Christ All the Apostles so firmely and vniformely beleeued Clem. Rom. epist 1. Ruff. in exposit Symbol Leo iâ— mulâ—is locis and professed this doctrine as a necessary article of faith for all Christians and to obtaine saluation by as the rest and so proposed it vnto all in their Symbolum as Sainct Clement then liuing Ruffinus S. Leo and all Christians acknowlegde Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam euer to be an Article of faith as the others which possible could not be true if at any time Christ should want a Church holy and Catholike And our Protestants of England in these their articles doe twise in one article before intituled of the three Creeds make and receaue it with the other articles of their Creede an article of faith throughly to be receaued and beleeued For So they define The three Creeds Protest artic of Relig. art 8. Nicene Creede Athanasius Creede and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede ought throughly to be receaued and beleeued affirming further they may be proued by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture And both in the Apostles and Nicen Creede this article is contained with the rest This is also confirmed in their publike communion Engl. Protest com booke â—it Catechisme booke vsed in their Churches and allowed by their Parlaments where besides the Article of the Apostles Creede I belâ—eue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholike Church they say vnto God in the canticle Te Deum as they translate it The holy Church Tit. morning prayer through all the world doth knowledge thee And in their Creede of the Nicen Councell they Nicen Creede plainely professe and beleeue that from the Apostles till now and euer after there is and shal be one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church vnam sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam Where the Church is euer one holy Catholike and the same in all matters of faith it was in the Apostles time And in this sense and no other they haue in their 19. article before described or defined the Art 19. supr Church of Christ to be one congregation of faithfull men with true preaching and due ministration of Sacraments in all things necessary and requisite according as Christ ordained And their publike glosse vpon this 19. article diuiding it into diuers propositions and making this the second proposition There is Thomas Rogers in art 19. proposit 2. but one Church When wee doe say that the Church is visible and that there is a westerne East Greeke Latine English Church wee meane not that there be diuers Churches of Christ but that one and the same Church is diuersely taken and vnderstood and also hath many particular Churches as the Sea many Riuers and armes branching from it For the visible Church is not many congregations but one company of the faithfull For proofe of this out of Scriptures they cite diuers texts Rom. 12. 5. 1. Cor. 10. 17. 1. Corint 12. 13. 27. Gal. 3. 28. and conclude thus all Gods people meaning Protestants agree with vs in this point And particularly cite Confess Helâ—et 2. cap. 17. Bohe. cap. 8. Gal. art 26. Belg. art 27. August art 27. Wittemb art 32. Sueu art 15. and these Protestant Confessions so agree I will onely cite two for the rest one of Heluetia for the Caluinists and for the Lutherans that of Wittemberge where Luther liued as Caluine in Heluetia The Heluetian confession saith Cum semper vnus Confessio Heluet. c. 17. modo sit Deus vnus mediator Dei hominum Iesus Messias vnus item gregis vniuersi Pastor vnum huius corporis caput vnus denique spiritus vna salus vna fides vnum testamentum vel foedus necessariò consequitur vnam duntaxat esse Ecclesiam quam propterea Catholicam
nuncupamus quod sit vniuersalis diffundatur per omnes mundi partes ad omnia se tempora extendat nullis vel locis inclusa vel temporibus Seing alwayes there is onely one God one mediatour of God and men Iâ—sus the Messias also one Sheepheard of the vniuersall flocke one heade of this body to conclude one holy Ghost one saluation one saith one testament or league it necessarily followeth that there onely is one Church Which therefore wee name Catholike because it is Vniuersall and diffused through all parts of the world and extendeth it selfe to all times not concluded within any places or times This holy Church of God is called the house of the liueinge God builded of liuely and spirituall stones and seated vpon an vnmoueable rocke and vpon a foundation on which no other thing can be placed and therefore it is called the pillar and supporter of truth Haec Ecclesia Dei sancta vocatur domus Dei viuentis extructa ex lapidibus viuis spiritualibus imposita super petraÌ„ immotaÌ„ super fundamentuÌ„ quo aliud loc ari noÌ„ potest ideo nuncupatur etiam coluÌ„na basis verit atiâ— 1. Tim. 3. The Lutheran Religion or confession of Wittemberge saith credimus confitemur quod vna sit Confess Wirtemberg cap. de Eccl. sancta Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia iuxta Symbolum Apostolorum Nicaenum Quod haec Ecclesia â— Spiritu sancto ita gubernetur vt conseruct eum perpetuo ne vel erroribus vel peccatis pereat Quod in hac Ecclesi asit verapeccatorum remissio Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius iudicandi de omnibus doctrinis Quod haec Ecclesia habeat ius interpret and aescripturae Ecclesia habet certam promissionem perpetuae praesentiae Christi Cap. de Concilijs gubernatur à Spiritu sancto Wee beleeue coÌ„fessâ— that there is one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Creede of the Apostles and Nicen Councell That this Church is so gouerned by the holy Ghost that he preserueth it for euer that it perish not either by errours or sinnes That in this Church there is true remissioÌ„ of sinnes thâ—â— this Church hath authority to Iudge of all doctrines That this Church hath authority to interpret the Scripture The Church hath certaine promise of the perpetuall presence of Christ and is gouerned by the holy Ghost By this it is euident by all Testimonies of this Apostolike age and these Protestants themselues that the true Church of Christ neuer did shall or can erre in any Iudgment decree sentence or profession in matters of faith but is pure Catholike and Apostolike in all such in all times and places And this article either denying or doubting of such power and prerogatiue in the true Church is very Idle or Antichristian taking away all certaine and holy Religion of Christ As also that the Church which was when these heresies began euen Catholike and vniuersall in all places and had beene so in all times before hath beene so euer since and still so continueth and florisheth is that true holy Catholike Apostolike Church which the holy Scriptures Fathers of this age and the Article of our Creede giue testimony vnto And the Protestant particular Confessions and congregations of Heluetia Fraunce England Scotland Belgia Poland Argentine Ausburgh Saxony Wittemberge the Palatine of Rheine Boheme and perhaps some others being onely of particular Contryes or Townes and onely of some and not all persons of them cannot be possibly Catholike for place and as vnpossibly for time the eldest of them by their owne testimony and confession vnknowne vntill the yeare of Christ 1530. the Confession of Ausburge first began not printed vntill the yeare 1540. the Confession of Boheme 1532. Heleutia 1536. Saxony 1551. England 1562. Scotland 1581. the like of the rest These nor any of them by the same reason can be Apostolike arising so many hundreds of yeares after the Apostles time None of all these can be that one Church which was euer those being diuers from that among themselues at warres both for Sacraments discipline doctrine None of their coÌ„gregations or coÌ„fessions yet hath brought forth any one man or woman knowne which in their owne Iudgment or senteÌ„ce is honoured or calendred for a Saint though their calenders chronicles and histories be full of Saints which were of the Roman Church and Religion They haue taken away and ouerthrowne many thousand foundations of holynesse and piety their owne first foundation in such kinde is yet to begin this cannot be the one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church of Christ which our Creeds doe teach vs being in all respects diametrically opposite or rather contradictory to whatsoeuer is or can be defined or described as they themselues define the true Church by those attributes properties or distinctiue differences to be one to be holy to be Catholike and vniuersall in all times places and points of doctrine and Sacraments and to be Apostolicall continued without intermission from the Apostles in sound and Apostolicall Christian Religion in all articles and matters of faith And thus it was confessed and professed by our Christian Britains from their first couersion in the Apostles time as these men themselues haue before deliuered THE IX CHAPTER The 21. Article so examined and condemned THE Article which followeth 21. in number is intituled of the authority of generall Councels And in these their words Generall Councels may not be grathered to gether without the commaundement and will of Princes And when they be gathered for asmuch as they be an assembly of meÌ„ whereof all be not gouerned with the spirit and word of God they may erre and some time haue erred euen in thinges pertaining vnto God wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to saluation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture Hitherto this English Protestant Article The first part of it requiring of necessity the commaundement and will of Princes for the validity of Councels is singular not onely against Catholiks but all Confessions of Protestants not any one consenting in this matter with our English Protestants as is euident in those confessions Neither doe the Protestants of Britaine agree herein but all they whom they terme Puritans or Disciplinarians are quite of an other opinion And the Parlament Protestants themselues of best Iudgment doe euen with publike allowance condemne it Thus with such approbation they write of themselues Protestant relation of Religion cap. 47. The Protestants are seuered bandes or rather scattered troopes each drawing diuers wayes without any meanes to pacifie their quarrels to take vp their controuersies No Prince with any preeminence of Iurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarcke one or more to haue a common superintendance of care of their Churches for correspondancy and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell the onely hope remaining euer to
anathematizing all gaynesayers vnto it Omnes quâ— ausi fuerint dissoluere definitionem Sancti magâ—â— Concilij quod apud Nicaeam tongregatum est anathematizamus Et dixerint omnes placet Things concluded and confirmed for the whole Church by so many and greate authorities and their deniall so seuerely punished must needs be of highest and vnfallible truth The Apostles themselues in their Councels before haue giuen vndoubted testimony to this if they Ignat. epist â—d Polycarp epist ad Her had not by their Councels prefigured and giuen testimoy to the infallible verity of the decrees of generall Councels Their so many assembles and Councels might haue beene spared for whatsoeuer any one of them did or should haue decreed was without question true in matters of faith otherwise wee might call all their sacred writings the whole new testament into question The Apostolike men of the first age haue giuen like euidence before And among them S. Ignatius who would haue such councels often kept Crebrius celebrentur Conuentus Synodique doth make their decrees and constitutions of so greate and vnquestionable power and authority that he which doth otherwise although he is in other things worthy of credit although he fasteth although he liueth in virginity doth miracles and prophesieth is to be accompted for a wolfe which vnder a sheeps skin bringeth destruction and bane to the sheepe Quicunque dixerit quippiâ—â— praeterea quae constituta sunt tamet si fide dignus 〈◊〉 quamuis ieiunet quamuis in virginitate degat qâ—amnis signa edat quamuis prophetet pro lupo illum â—â—â—eas qui sub oninae pelle exitium pestemque adfert â—â—ibâ—â— So vnpossible he maketh it that such decrees should be vntrue And the first Nicen Councell Concil Nic. in Symbolo apud Ruffin l. 1. hist Eccl. c. â— Socrat. l. 1. hist c. 6. declaring that a generall Councell is the Catholike Church and reason so warrantinge by errour of such a Councell the whole Church might erre in articles of faith And that article of our Creede I beleeue the holy Catholike Church euer most true might be false at sometimes which is a thing most prophane and Antichristian to be affirmed For if a generall Councell representing the whole Church ruling gouerning and teaching it in the cheifest Bishops and Pastours there present might erre the whole Church both the Gouernours and gouerned therein must needs be in the same desolate estate And our Protestant Bishops and Doctours Engl. Protest in Bilson Suru p. 82. Morton part 2. Apolog. p. 340. l. 4. c. 18. feild p. 228. with their publike allowance and approbation doe thus giue warrant vnto vs. The authority of generall Councels is most holsome in the Church A generall Councell is highest Iudge Bishops assembled in a generall Councell haue authority to subiect euery man that shall disobey such determinations as they consent vpon to excommunication and censures of like nature Wee must receaue and respect the authority L. 4. c. 5 pag. 202. of all Catholike Doctours whose doctrine and writings the Church alloweth wee must more regard the authority of Catholike Bishops more then these the authority of the Apostolike Churches amongst them more especially the Church of Rome of a generall Councell more then all these False it is that wee admitte no Iudge but Scriptures Sutcliff ag D. Kell pag. 40. 42. for wee appeale still to alawfull generall Councell This being thus generally written with authority and in the name of all Protestants especially in England they must needs graunt that generall Councels be of infallible IudgmeÌ„t in articles of religion otherwise there is no meanes left to finde the truth but wee might and must wander from one false deceitfull rule to an other without end And seeing euery Court and Consistory froÌ„ which appeales are or may be made is inferiour more vncertaine and of lesse authority then that Seate of Iudgment to whom it is appealed it is most certaine by these Protestants themselues that they which neuer had haue or as before can haue hereafter any generall Councell to which they must appeale as they doe cannot haue any possible title to true religion for themselues or the least colour or pretence of Iustice or Religion for such monstrous and horrible penalties and cruelties as are inflicted to enforce the Catholiks so many generall Councels consisting of diuers hundreds of learned and holy Bishops or to perswade them to embrace their Protestant professions which neuer had any lawfull Bishop according to this fift Councell Illud generaliter clarum est quod si quis praeter Concil Nic. can 6. Ruffin l. 1. hist Eccl. in Concil Nicen. sententiam Metropolitani fuerit factus Episcopus eum magna Synodus definiuit non esse Episcopum That is generally manifest that if any man is made a Bishop against the will or likeing of the Metropolitane this greate Councell doth define that he is no Bishop And so can make no Bishop or Preist So by this most holy Councell so often and authoritatiuely receaued by our English Protestants as is before declared they neither haue nor possibly hereafter by their proceedings can haue any one Archbishop Bishop Preist or Clâ—â—â—gy man among them for if their pretended â—â—â—ner of constitution were true which wee haue inâ—â—ncibly proued otherwise yet they themselues and all other writers confesse they had not the assent but vttermost dissent and disagreement of any domesticall or forreine Metropolitane for their new Religion or consecratioÌ„ But this sacred Councell euen in those Canons which our Protestants Nicen. Conâ— can 14. receaue doth vtterly condemne the pretended consecration and ministry of England erected against the Catholike sacrificing Preisthood assuring vs that true Preists did offer sacrifice and this Sacrifice was the body of Christ Presbyteri offerendi sacrificij habeÌ„t potestatem Offerunt corpus Christi It maintained the Popes Supremacy as before It receaued more Scriptures then Protestants doe librum Iudith Synodus Hieron praef in librum Iudith Concil Nic. can 11. 13. 14. Can. 3. Nicaena in numero Sanctarum scripturarum legitur computasse It approueth Indulgences in 4. Canons and giueth authority to Bishops in such cases It forbiddeth Clergy men to keepe any women in their howses but mother Sister grandmother Aunt They declared it to be the old tradition of the Church that Ecclesiasticall men might not marry and so commaunded Qui in clerum ante ascripti Socrates hist l. 2. c. 2. Sozomen hist Eccles l. 1. c. 22. erant quà m duxissent hi secundum veterem Ecclesiae traditionem deinceps à nuptijs se abstinerent By which the Protestants Church is vtterly disabled and ouerthrowne by their owne rule and article before neither hauing the true word preached Sacraments duely ministred Church rightly gouerned nor any one man among them to performe most needfull functions and duties by their owne definitiue sentence Their conclusion of this article Things ordained by
generall Councels as necessary vnto saluation hâ—â—e neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scriptures This is aboundantly before confuted where I entreated of their article of Scriptures So it is by that is deliuered in this Councell which they wholy and without any the least exception admit For in denyall of marriage vnto Cleargy men it hath done it by the old Apostolike tradition of the Church Can. 6. 7. secundum veterem Ecclesiae traditionem So they doe in the true gouernment of the Church by the Pope and Patriarkes Antiqua consuetudo Antiqua mores Mos antiquus Seruetur Seruentur Consuetudâ— obtinuit antiqua traditio Yet true gouernment of the Church is with them an essentiall property of the true Church vnseperable and so necessary to saluation So is the true Cleargy and consecration as also the holy Sacrifice Sacrament of the altar really containing the body of Christ yet by these men not to be declared by Scriptures they finding no such thing in them And these Protestants themselues with publike Protest of Engl. in feild libr. 4. of the Church pag. 228. allowance write Bishops assembled in a generall Councell haue authority to interpret Scriptures and by their authority to suppresse all them that gaine say such interpretation Therefore if there were question of truely interpreting Scripture Protestants must yeeld to generall Councels and not these to them particular Churches if the Protestant was such must of duty and necessity submit themselues to the vniuersall and Apostlike Catholike such as a generall Councell is as the first Nicen Councell in the Creede thereof which Protestants receaue doth declare it selfe and such generall Councels to be and so inflicteth censures Anathematizat Caâ—â—olica Symb. Niceâ— Ruffin lib. 1. hist c. 5. Soc. l. 1. hist c. 6. Apostolica Ecclesia Therefore wee are sure a generall Councell cannot erre in expounding Scriptures or any decree of faith That our Christian Britains were of this minde opinion and profâ—ssion their Bishops with longe and tedious labours present at the greate primitiue Councels of Arles Sardice Ariminum and others by all witnesses and with our King and Emperour at Nice in most probable Iudgment also Rome and the sacred Nicen Councell here then authentically receaued and embraced by all holy writers giue aboundant testimony THE X. CHAPTER The 22. Article thus likewise examined and condemned THE next article the 22. in number is intituled of Purgatory And is thus The Romish doctrine The doctrine of Purgatory prayer and other satisfaction for the true faithfull deceased practised in this first agâ— concerning Purgatory pardons worshipping and adoration aswell of Images as of reliques and also inuocation of Saincts is a fond thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warranty of Scripture but rather repâ—gnant to the word of God Much matter in few words many things peremptorily affirmed nothing proued All false and foolish also where as they would haue all thing grounded vpon warranty of Scripture so many times by theÌ„ affirmed and as often by me before confuted And to take their assertions in order beginning with their first about the Romish their phrase doctrine concerning Purgatory This is thus set downe in the Councels of Florence and Trent If men truely ponitent depart this life in the loue of God before they haue satisfied for their sinnes their soules are purged with the paines of Purgatory And that they may be releiued from such paines the suffrages of the saithfull aliue to wit sacrifice of Masse prayers and almes and other offices of piety which by the faithfull are vsed for other faithfull people according to the instituâ—â—ons Concil Flor. Concil Tâ—id Sessione 4. can 30. of the Church doe profit them Definimus si verè poenitentes in Dei charitate decesserint antequam dignis poenitentiae fructibus de commissis satisfeâ—eriâ—â— omissis eorum animas paenis Purgatorij purgari Et vt à poenis huiusmodi releuentur prodesse his viuorum fidelium suffragia Missarum scilicet sacrificio orationes eleemosynas pietatis officia quae à fidelibus proaijs fidelibus fieri consueuerunt secundum Ecclesiae institutae Nor is this the Romish onely but also the Greekish and Catholike doctrine of the Church of Christ So is affirmed by Gennadius their learned Patriarke in his defence of the recited Councell of Florence The doctrine of Purgatory prayer and Sacrifice Gâ—nad Schol. in defens CoÌ„cil Floraent def â— cap. 3. for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles That which the Laâ—â—nes call purgatorium purgatory they of the Greeke Church name catharterion a purging place They were onely Scismaticorum Sectatores followers of Scismatikes which denied it This is likewise confessed Relation of Relig. c. 53. 54. 55. by our English Protestants and knowne vnto all trauaylers either into the contries or writers of the Greekes Now let vs see whether it was the doctrine of the Apostolike age or noe The Greeke Patriarke hath before affirmed it So will our Protestants hereafter And the Apostolike men of this age affirme and proue it Sainct Clement saith his Master and predecessour Sainct Clem. Rom. Epist 1. Peter among other things did teach mortuos sepelire diligenter corum exequias peragere proque eis orâ—â—e eleemosynas dare To bury the deade and diligently performe their funerals and pray and giue almes for them He deliuereth further how in their publike Constitut Apost l. 8. c. 19. Church seruice and Sacrifice of that time among their prayers for other necessaries they prayed for the faithfull departed out of this world Pro ijs qui infide quieuerunt oremus And from Iames Alphaeus named the Brother of our Lord frater Domini he setteth downe the manner how the Deacon vsed publikely to giue warning in the time of the holy Sacrifice to pray for the soules of the faithfull deceased deliuering the very prayer commonly vsed in such cases directly proueing a place of Purgatory and prayer for the deliuery of the faithfull departed from thence with a remission of all punishment they had deserued and were to suffer vntill they were by such meanes freed thereof Pro defunctis qui in Christo requieuerunt L. 8. supr cap. 47. iuxt al. 40. 41. postquam Diaconus edixit orandum esse adiunget etiam haec oremus profratribus nostris qui in Christo requieuerunt vt Deus summae erga homines charitatis qui animam defuncti suscepit remittat ei omne peccatum voluntarium non voluntarium propitius illi factus collocet eam in regione piorum qui laxati sunt in sinu Abrahae Isaac Iacob cum omnibus qui à saeculo condito Deo placuerunt vnde fugit dolor maeror gemitus And againe ipse nunc respice hunc seruum tuum quem in aliam sortem elegisti assumpsisti condona ei si quid tum volens tum
sufficient for this Question The next Protestant exception in this article is concerning Images and is this The Romish doctrine The reuerent vse of holy Images thus proued concerning worship and adoration of images is a fond thinge vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Councell of Trent for Catholiks thus deliuereth their doctrine and practise in this point which these men terme the Romish doctrine Imagines Christi Deiparae Virginis aliorum Sanctorum Concil Trid. Sess 9. in templis praesertim habendas retinendas eisque debitum honorem venerationem impertiendam non quòd credatur inesse aliqua in ijs diuinitas vel virtus propter quam sint colendae vel quòd ab eis sit aliquid petendum vel quòd fiducia in Imaginibus sit figenda veluti olim fiebat à gentibus quae in idolis spem suam collocabant Sed quoniam honos qui eis exhibetur refertur ad prototypa quae illae representant Ita vt per imagines quas osculamur coram quibus caput aperimus procumbimus Christum adoremus Sanctos quorum illae similitudinem gerunt veneremur Id quod conciliorum praesertim verò secundae Nicaenae Synodi decretis contra imaginum oppugnatores est sancitum That the Images of Christ The Mother of God and other Saincts are to be had and retained especially in Churches and due honour and reuerence is to be done vnto them not because wee may or doe beleeue there is any diuinity or vertue in them for which they are to be reuerenced or that any thing is or may be asked of them or trust placed in them as it was vsed of the gentils which placed their hope in Idols But because the honour which is done to them is referred to these whose Images they be and represent So that by the Images which wee kisse and before which wee put of our hats and knâ—ele downe wee adore Christ and worship the Saincts whose similitude they beare Which is defined in the decrees of Councels especially of the second Councell of Nice against the oppugners Concil Nic 2. of Images That Nicen generall Councell so defineth and testifieth it to be the doctrine of the Fathers and tradition of the Catholike Church in all the world Imaginis honor in prototypuÌ„ resultat qui adorat Imaginem in ea adorat quoque descriptum argumentum Sic enim Sanctorum nostrorum patrum obtinet disciplina vel traditio Catholicae Ecclesiae quae à finibus vsque ad fines Euangelium suscepit They say it was the faith of the Apostles Fathers and all true beleeuers in the world And doe anathematize all that alledge the sentences of holy Scripture against Idols against such sacred Images or call them Idols or say the Christians adore Images as Gods and those that wittingly communicate with them that hold opinion against such Images or abuse them Sancta Synodus exclamauit omnes sic credimus omnes idem sapimus omnes approbantes subscripsimus Haec est fides Apostolorum haec est fides patrum haec est fides orthodoâ—orum haec fides orbem terrarum confirmauit Credentes in vnum Deum in Trinitate laudatum venerandas Imagines amplexamur Qui secus agunt anathemate percelluntur Quicunque sententias sacrae Scripturae de Idolis contra venerandas Imagines adducunt anathema Qui venerandas Imagines Idola appellant Anathema Qui dicunt quòd Christiani Imaginès vt Deos adorent anathema Qui scientes communicant cum illis qui contra venerandas Imagines sentiunt aut eas dehonestant anathema And this being a generall Councell as our Protestants confesse and so by their owne allowance before the greatest authority in the Church of Christ doth expressely confute all preteÌ„ded obiections out of Scripture which Protestants now vse against holy Images being vrged by the I conoclasts Image breakers heretiks at that time And proueth that from the Apostles time the Catholike doctrine and vse of them had euer beene obserued in the Church And for this first Apostolike age Eusebius Sozomen Nicephorus and others testifie that the woman of phoenicia cured of her infirmity by our Sauiour in the Ghospell by touching the hemme of his garment did make Images of that miracle of Christ healing her and herselfe kneeling vnto him and that at the Image of our Sauiour there grew vp an herbe curinge all diseases to proue the allowance and reuerent vse of such for the Christians had that Image in greate reuerence and so it continued at Paneades in phoenicia vntill Iulian Euseb histor Eccl. l. 7. c. 17. Sozom. hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 20. Niceph. l. 10. c. 30. Synod Nicaen 2. the Apostata pulled it downe as he did other such Christian monuments and set vp his owne statua in the same place which was miraculously brokeÌ„ and ouerthrowne by God to make knowne his wickednesse therein And they were onely Pagan Idolaters which broke and prophaned the Image of Christ the Christians gathered the peeces together placed and reuerently preserued them in the Church Id temporis gentiles statuam Christi tanta câ—â— violentia trahebant vt eam confringerent At Christiani postea cius fragmentae cum collegissent in Ecclesia posuerunt vbi etiam adhuc custoditur Nicephorus and others write Statuam autem Christi Christiani tum iâ— Diacocinum Ecclesiae transtulerunt honoratiore locâ— positam cultu conuenienti prosecuti sunt locum â—â—â—que eum libenter frequentantes Imaginâ—m ipsam iâ—spectantes desiderium suum amorem ergastatuae ipsius archetypum primariumque exemplar declararunt Like is the history of our Sauiours holy Image miâ—â—culously Tabul Archiu ciuit Edessae apud Nicep l. 2. ca. 7. alios Euagr l. 4. c. 26 Damasc li. 4. de fid orth c. 17. Orthod c. 17. Const Porph. Imperat orat apud Metaphr 10. Aug. Monol Graecor cal septem Metaphrast 15. Nouemâ— in vit S. Alexiâ— Niceph. l. 2. c. 7. Conc. Nic. 2. Stephan 1. Pap. apud Adrian Pap. ep ad Corol. Mag. Tom. 3. Concil Tradit Eccâ— de S. Imagine Rom. Meth. in Tyberio Marian. Scot. in chronic an 39. Matth. Westmonast chron an graâ—iae 31. Ranulph hig Polychroâ— l. 4. c. 4. made by himselfe and sent to King Abgâ—â—us or Abagarus at Edessa in Syria kept and frequented with greate honour and reuerence as inuincible testimonies and authorities of antiquity proue Euagrius and others call it sanctissionam Imaginem diuinitus fabricatam The most holy Image made by God The Greeke Church keepeth a yearely feaste and solemnity of this holy Image on the 17. of the Calends of September The same I say of the holy Image of Christ made by himselfe in wipinge his face going to his passion with a linnen cloath deliuered to him by S. Veronica by some Bereuice as the traditioÌ„ of the Church of Christ Methodius Marianus Scotus Mattheus Westmonasteriensis and
two little syluer vessels full of the bloody sweate of Christ duo vascâ—la alba argentea cruore Prophetae Iesu sudore perimpleta All histories agree that the body of S. Ioseph was there preserued with greate honour and reuerenced with greate resorte of pilgryms to that and other Reliks there vntill these times of desolation and those holy Reliks gaue that glorious denomination to the happy place of their preseruing to be stiled camiterium Sanctum tumulus Sanctorum Hieronyn cont vigilant ep 53. ad Riparium Defider Gennad in catalog cap. 53. willet Antilog pag 13. Wotton des of part pag. 9. perkins probl pag. 81. Iouas Aâ—elian l. 1. Sedul alij Hieronym sup and Ripar dehderium lib. aduers vâ—gilant cap. 2. the holy Church-yard graue of Saincts and the like Vigilantius is remembred in histories to haue beene the first man of note among Christians which denied or impugned this doctrine and for that as other his singular assertions condemned for an heretik so our Protestants thus confesse Vigilantius was condemned of heresie for deny all thereof He lyued in the fourth hundred of yeares the Church of Christ neuer hearing of this heresie before and S. Hierome then liuing and writing calleth him for such stramage dreames rather Dormitantius a sleepy drowsy fellowe then Vigilantius a waking watchfull maÌ„ Negat sepulchra veneranda damnat que Sanctorum vigilias Ex quo sit vt dormitantius potiùs quà m vigilantius vocari debeat He calleth him an vnhappy man to be bewayled with floods of teares a stinking mouth breather of most silthy rotonnesse a monster to be abandoned to the vthermost part of the world Os saetidum putorem spurcissimum proferens Portentum in terras vltimas deportandum The last exception which our Protestants in this Inuocation and honour of Saincts Article make against the doctrine of the Church of Rome is thus registred by them The Romish doctrine concerning inuoation of Saincts is a fonde thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warrantie of Scripture but rather repugnant to the worde of God This is confuted by that is said before of the holy Reliks and Images of Saincts For if they as is inuincibly proued by the doctrine and practise of this age may and ought to be reuerenced their happy and blessed soules and Angels in eternall Ioye blisse must needs challeÌ„dge such dutie from them that liue and prayers may be offered to such perfected in celestiall knowledge charitie and Concil gangren epist can 14. 15. 16. Socrat Histor l. 2. cap. 33. Sozom. Histor Eccl. l. 3 cap. 13. Epiphan Hier. 40. Nicephor Hist l. 9. cap. 16. Hieron contra vigilant neuer chaunging blessednes The first among Christians suspected to haue denyed this Catholike doctrine and practise of the church of Christ was Eustachius by some Eutactus a Bishop in Armenia disallowing the Churches of Martyrs loca Sanctorum martyrum vel Basilicas as he is charged in the councell of Gangra wherein he was condemned for that and other wicked assertions and by other antiquities Yet Sozomen Nicephorus and others write how he sought to cleare himselfe from accusations And to speake of certaine things Vigilantius was the first knowne and certainely proued impugner of the Inuocation of Saincts as of worship to their reliks before spoaken of and was condemned for such a monster as is already declared And Eustachius for Socrat. Supr l 2. cap. 33. his singular boldnes in such things was degraded and his errours coÌ„demned in publik Councel Concilium Gangris in Paphlagonia coaâ—lum gradu Episcopali dimouit eiusque dogmata anathemate damnauit Morton Apolog. part 1. pag. 227. 228. Perk. probl pag. 89. 93 Ormer pict pap pag. 26. 27. Middlet papista pag. 129. Ephrem Syrus lib. de laudibus Ioseph Patriarchae This is sufficiently proued by our Protestant writers themselues openly confessing all antiquitie taught Inuocation of saincts Therefore few testimonies of this first age will be needfull in a confessed doctrine and practise of all ages with faithfull people Lesse was the knowledge of the Saincts deceased before the Passion of Christ then after when they were by that happy redemption in glory And yet S. Ephrem produceth the holy Patriarke Ioseph praying to his mother Rachel deceased O Rachel Rachel mater mea exurge de pulâ—ere intuere Ioseph filium tuum Suscipe Rachel filium tuum Audi mater mea cordis mei gemitum amarumque â—iulatum S. Ignatius in this age is a worthie witnesse that not onely the liuing which were present at the Ignatius epist ad Trallianos Passion of Christ did know behold and see it but the Angels in heaueÌ„ the soules of theÌ„ that were vnder the earth which arose with their bodâ—es at the Resurrection of Christ did likewise the same Crueifixus mortuus est videntibus coelestibus terrenis ijs qui subterra detinebantur caelestibus quidem inspicientibus nimirum incorporeis naturis terrenis verò vt Iudaeis Romanis caeteris qui tunc temporis Crucifixo Domino aderant subterraneis autem ijs videlicet qui plurimi cum Domino resurrexerunt If a man on earth and in body might though Ignaâ— epist ad Trallian extraordinarily know the Angels and spirituall things with their orders in heauen as S. Ignatius witnesseth of himselfe haec noâ—eâ—im much more do they know the things on earth Angelicos ordines Archangelorum militiarumque coelestium discrimina virtutum dominationumque differentias thronorum potestatumque distantias principatum magnificentias Cherubim Seraphimque excellentias spiritus sublimitatem Domini Regnum incomparabilem Dei Patris Omnipotentis diuinitatem Haec cum nouerim And he plainely teacheth in an other place that Ignat. epist ad Heronem the Angels in heauen and not onely God know our affaires on earth and haue regard of them and so witnesseth to S. Hieron Praecipio tibi coram Deo qui est super omnia coram Christo praesente Spiritu Sancto coram ministrantibus legionibus 1. Timoth. 5. custodi depositum meum So S. Paule the Apostle wrote to S. Timothie Testor coram Deo Christo Iesu electis Angelis vt haec custodias Where both the Apostle S. Ignatius acknowledge both knowledge and care of mens actions on earth to be in the holy Angels as in God himselfe though with a difference of the Creatour and excellent creatures S. Hierotheus Master of S. Denis the Areopagite as he termeth him testifieth and hee approueth it that all loue not onely of God but Angels also hath this nature that Superiour things Dionisi Areopag l. diu nom cap. 4. haue care of the inferiour and those conforme themselues to the Superiour Amorem siue diuinum siue angelicum siue spiritualem siue vt ita dicam animalem fiue naturalem vim quandam coniungentem miscentemque intelligamus quae superiora quidem impellit vt
such office was so written or deliuered among or to that people in this or any after time but the contrary that the first publike office Church seruice they had in this age was brought thither from Rome and so the Latine tongue This is proued by the French Annals testifying Annal. Gallic Matth. westm an 94. Clem. Roman Ep. that the first Apostles of that nation were sent vnto them by S. Peter and his successour S. Clement at Rome Our old brittish history of the first institution of Church seruice prima institutio varietas Ecclesiastici Seruitij as our Peotestant Antiquaries name it testifieth plainely that S. Trophimus Bishop of Arles and Sainct Photinus Bishop of Lyons disciples of S. Peter the Apostle did deliuer in all Gallia the Romane order and forme of Church seruice Beatus Trophimus Episcopus Arelatensis Manuscript antiq Britan. de prima Instit Eccles officij Sanctus Photinus Martyr Episcopus Lugdunensis Discipulus S. Petri Apostoli Cursum Romanum in Gallijs tradiderunt And it citeth others more auncient in this sense And addeth that this Church seruice was after sent to S. Clement at Rome by the Bishops and Martyrs of Gallia to be approued by him and all the Churches of Zozimus Pap. epistol ad Episcop Galliae de priuileg Eccl. Arelat tom 1 concil Martyrol Roman die 29. Decem. in S. Trophinius Fraunce then embraced that Order that of Arles being there the cheife Metropolitane Church from which and S. Trophimus all others there as Pope Zozimus is an able witnesse receaued light and direction Metropolitanae Arelatensium vrbi vetus priuilegium minimè derogandum est ad quam primum ex hac sede Romana Trophimus Summus Antistes ex cuius fonte tota Gallia fidei Riuulos accepit directus est So hath the old Romane Martyrologe and diuers others And So it must needs be by all antiquitie consenting that all Gallia receaued the water of life from the same foūtaine the Church of Rome both with their forme and order of Church seruice and other directions in Religion all their first Apostles and pastours with full instruction and power being directed and sent from them as sainct Martial sainct Denys the Annal. Gallican Eccles Martyrolog Roman Bed Adon. vsuard in his Sant Matt. westm an 94. mult al. apud Guliel Eisengren centen 1. part 5. dist 3. Henric. Erford cap. 5. Monsterus in Cosmogr in German Antonin part 1. petr de natal l. 10. vincent l. 9. Annal. Eccl. Treuer Tungr meten Martyrolog Roman Beda vsuard Ado die 15. Maij. Breu. Toletan cal maij Areopagite sainct Lucianus sainct Eutropius sainct Eugenius sainct Ionius sainct Timotheus sainct Apollinaris sainct Aphrodisius sainct Sanianus sainct Potentianus sainct Altnus sainct Totaldus sainct Iulianus sainct Fronto sainct Taurinus sainct Paulus Narbonensis sainct Staurinnus sainct Astremonius sainct Gratianus sainct Firmius and others sent from Rome thither in this age in which time also sainct Peter the Apostle sent into Germany sainct Egistus sainct Clement vncle to sainct Clement the Pope sainct Eucharius sainct Valerius sainct Maternus sainct Mansuetus and many others The Apostles of Spaine were sent thither also from Rome in this Time namely sainct Torquatus Ctesiphon Secundus Indalitius Caecilius sainct Hesychius sainct Euphrasius and others In Hispania Sanctorum Torquati Clesiphontis Secundi Indaletij Caecilij Hesichij Euphrasij qui Romae à Sanstis Apostolis Episcopi ordinati ad praedicandum verbum Dei in Hispanias directi sunt And to proue that all nations in this part of the world called the Latin Church receaued their first Bishops preists cleargie men with their Church seruice from Rome S. Peter or his Successour in this age S. Clement his Successour so speaketh from S. Peters owne direction and testimonye Episcopos per Clem. Roman epist 1. singulas Ciuitates quibus ille S. Petrus non miserat iuxta Domini praeceptionem nobis mittere praecepit Quod etiam facere inchoauimus Domino opem ferente facturi sumus Aliquos verò ad Gallias Hispaniasque mittemus quosdam ad Germaniam Italiam atque ad reliquas gentes dirigere cupimus And euen to such barbarous and sauage contryes as had not vse of letters and learning ferociores rebelliores gentes This Kingdome of Britayne excepting the Scotts when they came hither had euer learned men and of ciuilitie as the Druids their cheifest being here and others Yet after the coming and rule of the Romans here at and after the birth of Christ his Religion preached in this contry the latin tongue was vsuall to all of qualitie no man might beare office but such as vnderstood it all publike guifts donations charters priuiledgs and Records whatsoeuer both as old and late Catolike and Protestant Antiquaries proue were performed and written in the latin tongue and onely the vulgar people vsed thcir vulgar language and yet corruptly without writing Coniectura ducor Io Leland in commenrar antiq voc Britan. v. Britannin Cains histor Cantabrig p. 19. eo tempore vulgus Britānorum ineruditissimum fuisse ac prorsus non potuisse linguae suae voces depingere Quamdiu Imperium Britanniae in Prouinciam reductae penes Romanos stabat tamdiu necessè erat Britannis Magistratum gerere cupientibus latinè loqui Prouincialem linguam vulgus cum magna difficultate id quidem corruptè discebat Tabulae donationum omnes rationes alicuius momenti latinè fiebant By which it is euident that their publike Church seruice must needs also be latin in which onely as S. Bede with others proue all people Inhabitants here euer Bed histor ang l. 1. c. 1. studied and reade the scriptures from which it is taken Haec Insula quinque gentium linguis vnam eandemque summae veritatis verae sublimitatis scientiam scrutatur confitetur Anglorum videlicet Britonum Scotorum Pictorum Latinorum quae meditatione scripturaecaeteris omnibus est facta communis And as S. Gyldas writeth this Kingdome was by the reigning of the Romans there so latinized Gild. epistol de excid conquest Britan cap. 5. and Romanized that it was rather to be named Romana then Britannia vt non Britannia sed Romania censeretur And though the Romans had many Hands yet this in antiquities is aboue all named the Romane Hand Greek and latin Catholik and Protestant Antiquaries agree that S. Peter the Apostle who deliuered that latin Church seruice which the Romans vsed and brought into Fraunce by his disciples as is proued before preached in this Kingdome stayed here longe time longo tempore moratus founded vs Churches consecrated S. Symeon Metaphrastes in S. Petro. Euseb apud eund ib. Sur. die 29. Iuuij Cambden in Britannia prot Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. for vs Bishops Preists and Deacons Ecclesias constituit Episcoposque Presbyteros Diaconos ordinauit could deliuer vnto them no other Church seruice then
and the most holy Sacrament of the altar Now I will proue by this Apostolike age the doctrine and practise thereof that these fiue are and then were vsed and receaued for Sacraments and first of Confirmation the first ConfirmatioÌ„ a true Sacrament Clem. Rom. Constitut Apost l. 2. c. 36. which these men name and deny S. Clement testifieth this to be a Sacrament miâ—istred by Bishops with holy oyle and giuing the â—oly Ghost and grace all that these men doe or can â—equire to a Sacrament Quid dicemus de Episcopo â—r quem Dominus in ordinatione Spiritum sanctum â—obis dedit Per quem consignati estis oleo exultationis â— chrismate sapientiae per quem filij lucis facti estis per quem Dominus illuminatione vestra Episcopi manus impositionem testimonio suo comprobans in singulis vestrûm suam sacram vocem emisit This he further declareth making a SacrameÌ„t needfull to Christian Clem. Rom. epist ad IuliuÌ„ Iulian. perfectioÌ„ except necessity hindereth giuing grace that Peter and all the Apostles so taught and practised and Christ so instituted Omnibus festinandum est sine mora renasci Deo demum consignari ab Episcopo id est septiformem gratiam Spiritus sancti percipere quia incertus est vniuscuiusque exitus vitae Quum autem regeneratus fuerit per aquam postmodum septiformi spiritus gratia ab Episcopo vt memoratum est confirmatus quia aliter perfectus esse Christianus nequaquam poterit nec sedem habere inter perfectos si non necessitate sed incuria aut voluntate reman serit vt a Beato Petro accepimus vt caeteri Apostoli praecipiente Domino docuâ—runt S. Denis the Areopagite saith that they which Dion Areop l. Hierarch Eccl. cap. 4. Prope fin In contemp were baptized were brought to the Bishop to be confirmed Ducunt ad Hierarcham is virum vnguento quod maximè diuinos efficit insignit And further thus sheweth the Sacramentall power of this holy Vnction Vnguenti illa quae perficiendi vim habet perfusio eum qui initiatus est suauitate odoris fragrantem facit And plainely calleth it a Sacrament comparing it in that respect euen with the Sacrament of the altar assuring vs that was the opinion and doctrine of his Masters in Religion the Apostles Finitimum L. Eccl. Hietar c. 6. alterum Sacramentum quod praeceptores nostri vnguenti mysterium nominant Est igitur â—â— In contempl quod dixi mysterium quod nunc à nobis laudatur eiâ—s ordinis atque potestatis quae vim habet perficiendi â—â— quae Pontificem attingunt Itaque ipsum diuini praeceptores nostri vt eiusdem ordinis efficacitaâ—â—â— cuius est Synaxeos Sacramentum ijsdem saepe figuris atque imaginibus mysticisque descriptionibus ac sanctis verbis descripserunt It is the constant opinion and testimony of the Fathers that the Church of Christ receaued and ministred this Sacrament for a true and properly named Sacrament both by Scriptures and tradition So both the Latine and Greeke Fathers expound that passage and practise of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Iohn in the acts of the Apostles giuing grace to those that were baptized by others not Bishops by imposition of hands Imponâ—bant Act. c. 8. manus super illos accipiebant Spiritum sanctum And doe thereby proue that Bishops onely may minister this Sacrament Cum Philippus Diaconus esset Ephip l. 1. To. 2. Contr. haer c. 21. contra Simon Aug. lib. 15. Trin. c. 26. Hieron Dial. aduers Lucif Tom. 2. c. 4. non habebat potestatem imponendi manus vt per hoc daret Spiritum sanctum So hath S. Augustine S. Hierome others prouing this Sacrament both by Scripture and tradition of the vniuersall Church from Christs time In actibus Apostolorum scriptum est Etiam si scripturae authoritas non subesset totius orbis in hanc partem consensus instar praecepti obtineret Non abnuo hanc esse Ecclesiarum consuetudinem vt ad Ambr. c. 7. de ijs qui init mysterijs S. Basil libr. de Spirit sancto c. 27. Greg. Naz. serm in Sanctum lauachrum Ambr. in cap. 6. ad Hebr. Primas in cap 6. ad Hebr. eos qui longè in minoribus vrbibus per Presbyteros Diaconos baptizati sunt Episcopus ad inuocationem sancti Spiritus manum impositurus excurrat This S. Hierome writeth in the name of all both Catholiks and others S. Ambrose sainct Basile sainct Gregory Nazianzen and others haue the like S. Ambrose Primasius with others expound those words in the 6. chapter to the Hebrewes impositionis quoque manum in the very same sense in these words Impositionem manuum appellat per quam plenissimè creditur accipi donum Spiritus sancti quod post baptismum ad confirmationem vnitatis in Ecclesia à Pontificibus fieri solet S. Cyprian and his fellow Cypr. epist 72. Bishops in Councell speaking in the name of the Church calleth it a Sacrament as baptisme is si Sacramento vtroque nascuntur Tertullian also doth number it with the other Sacraments euer vsed in the Church and giueth both a visible externall signe holy Vnction and internall Tertull. l. de resurrect carnis Et libr. de praescript haeretic grace giuen thereby vnto it Caro abluitur vt anima emaculetur caro vngitur vt anima consecretur Caro signatur vt anima muniatur caro manus impositione adumbratur vt anima spiritu illuminetur Caro corpore sanguine Christi vescitur vt anima de Deo saginetur To come to our Primatiue Christian Britans The ChristiaÌ„ Britans of this opinion and practise Giral Cambr. descr Cambr. c. 18. cum approb Prot. Dauâ—dis powelli Theol. prof ib. Golfrid monum histor Reg. Brit. lib. 12. c. â—8 their learned old antiquary and Bishop writeth of them that from their first conuersion they held this for a Sacrament giuing grace that holy Vnction by a Bishop was vsed in it and all our first Christians in Britaine honoured and affected this Sacrament more then any other nation did Episcopalem confirmationem Chrismatis qua gratia spiritus datur inunctionem prae alia gente totus populus magno pere petit This wee may easiely learne by the example of their King Cadwalladar which went to Rome to be confirmed by the Pope there Cadwalladrus abiectis mundialibue propter Deum regnumque perpetuum venit Romam à Sergio Papa confirmatus But wee need not stand vpon particular Theod. lib. de fabul haeret Lindan Dubitant Dial. 2. prateol Elen. l 12. in Nouatianis examples when wee haue a generall graunt before that all the Britans totus populus both by old and new Catholike and Protestant historians were so deuoted to this holy Sacrament And both Theodoret and others do proue that they were onely the Nouatian heretiks which by no antiquity euer
spared nâ—â— Princes themselues that followed him therein at all Antiquities tell vs in the case of King Frequard who being noted to haue laught at the Baptisme of Infants and confession of sinnes to Pâ—â—ists Notatus est aliquando risisse paruulorum â—â—ptisâ—um peccatorumque ad Sacerdotis aurem confesâ—â—â—â—â— was accused of pelagianisme cited condemned imprisoned and deposed So testifie both Catholik and Protestant Antiquaries THE XX. CHAPTER The 28. Article intituled of the supper of the Lord examined and condemned THEIR 28. Article being intituled of the 〈◊〉 supper is as followeth The supper of the Lorde is not onely a signe of the loue that Christians ought to haue among themselues on to an other but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christes death in so much that to such as rightly worthily and with faith receaue the same the bread which we breake is a partaking of the body of Christ and likewise the cuppe of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christe Transubstantiation the chaunge of the substance of breadâ— and wine in the supper of the Lord cannot be proâ—ed by holy writ it is repugnant to the playne words of scripture ouerthroweth the nature of a Sacrament 〈◊〉 hath giuen occasion to many superstitions The body â—â— Christ is giuen taken and eaten in the supper 〈◊〉 after an heauenly and spirituall manner And tâ—â— meane whereby the bodie of Christ is receaued and 〈◊〉 in the supper is faith The Sacrament of the Lords supper was not by Christs ordinaunce reserued carryed about lifted vp or worshipped Hitherto this 28. Protestant Article In the first part thereof vntill we come to the woâ—â— Transubstantiation or the chaunge of the substance there is no apparant contradiction to the doctrine of the Catholik Church And if our Protestants secretly meane otherwise their Intention iâ— plainely expressed in that which followeth iâ— denying Transubstantiation or chaunge of the substance of breade and wyne Which I affirme with the Catholike Church and thus proue against this Article First by holy writ or scripture allthough that is not necessarie as is often made manifest against these men Where soeuer there is a chaunge or mutation of one thing into an other as in this case of breade into the body of Christ and this manifestly expressed and conteyned in holy writ and scripture there is transubstantiation or chaunge of breade by scripture into Christs body likewise of wyne into his blood This is euident by their owne exposition and transubstantiation in this place declaring it to be a chaunge of the substance of breade and wine But the holy writ and scripture in three Euangelists and S. Paule expressely proue that before Christ blessed and consecrated the breade and wine it was noe other but breade and wine and proue likewise euen from the testimonie of Christ himselfe that after his Matth. cap. 26. Marc. cap. 14. Luc. cap. 22. 2 Chorinth 11. blessing and omnipotent worde spoken it was now chaunged into his body and blood playnely saying this is my body which is giuen or shall be giuen for you and this is my blood which is shedd or shall be shedd for you Therefore by these Protestants exposition before there was and of necescessitie must be transubstantiation or chaunge of the substance of bread and wine Thus hath holie writ and scripture in all learned languadges Hebrue Greeke and Latin before consecration it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lechem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 artos panis breade after consecration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ghenijah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonâ—a corpus Christs body likewise of the wine chaunged into his blood this is the testimony of Christ S. Matthew S. Marke S. Luke and S. Paule in holie writte and scripture And S. Iohn is witnesse also Io cap. 6. that Christ had taught and promised this before And yet any one place of scripture in so playne words maketh a matter of faith out of doubt and vndeniable Nothing can be more playne then such an affirmatiue proposition of a Subiect present in the hands of Christ the speaker and in the sight and presence of the greatest witnesses his Apostles at his last supper in the greatest Sacrament Christ neuer interpreted himselfe otherwise That his Apostles so vnderstood him beleeued practized and left to others is euidently proued both by Scriptures and the antiquities of this age First S. Iohn in scripture speaketh in Christs words Io 6. that breade is made his bodie Panis quem ego dabâ— caro mea est pro mundi vita And were plaine and often in that his 6. Chapter And both Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries confesse that hee said Masse wherein this chaunge and transubstantiation is vsed and confirmed HOC EST CORPVS MEVM c. And assuers vs that the Altare on which he said Masse many yeares before the blessed Virgyn was preserued in a Church on mount Syon miraculously brought thither Ad occidentalem Guliel way Etonem presbyter l. Itinerar cap. Ioc. Sanct. mont Sinay Hakligis booke of Trauailes in eod Matth. cap. 26. partem Ecclesiae quae est in monte Sion est lapâ—â— rubens prae altari qui lapis portatus erat de monte Sinay per manus Angelorum super quem celebrabat S. Ioannes Euangelista coram Beatisima Virgine Maris Missam per multos Annos post ascensionem Domini Thus testifie holie pilgryms eye witnesses euen of this Kingdome so remote from Hierusalem S. Matthew in his ghospell saith in the words of Christ This is my bodie HOC EST CORPVS MEVM This is my blood HIC EST SANGVIS MEVS In his â—â—â—â—rgie or Masse deliuered to the Church and S. Matth. in missa Aethiopum which he vsed he directly teacheth transubstantiation and chaunge of breade and wine into Christs bodie and blood ô Amator hominum benedic sanctifica munda transfer panem in carnem tuam immaculatam vinum hoc in sanguinem tuum pretiosum And thus hee vsed all his life euen to his martyrdome at the holie Altare where he thus consecrated Christs bodie by chaunging breade Anonym antiquiss in vit S. Matth. edit per Frederic Naus Episcopum Viennen Breuiar Rom. 21. Sept. 1. Corinth 11. into it as the old historie of his life and death beaâ—â—â—h wittnes Cum misteria Domini celebrata fuissent missam suscepisset omnis Ecclesia retinuit se Sanctâ—â— Matthaus iuxta Altare vbi corpus fuerat Christi â—â—fectum illic martyrium expectauit S. Paule in holie scripture saith it was breade before benediction Accepit panem gratias agens and â—fter Christs consecrating words it was his bodie HOC EST CORPVS MEVM And promiseth there to deliuer by tradition what was to be beleeued and practised herein caetera cum venero disponam Which his most learned scholler S. Denys the Areopagite was most like to knowe who before hath testified it was Christs bodie and to be adored S. Marke hath assured vs in
to be made by that councell if it be truely related nothing concerneth this article onely speaking of Marriage of such men after holie Orders taken and not when they were lay men Yet that citation of Sacrates in this poynt wanteth not suspition of vntruth For the same Socrates speaking vpon his owne certaine Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 5. cap. 21. knowledge affirmeth it was the receaued custome in Thessalia Macedonia and other parts of the Greeke Church that if a clergie man kept companie with his wife that he had married when he was a lay man he was to be degraded Ipse in Thessalia consuetudinem iuualuisse noui vt ibi qui clericus sit si cum vxore quam eum esset Laicus ducebat post quam clericus factus sit dormierit clericatu abdieatus sit eadem consuetudo etiam Thessalonicae in â—acedonia in Hellade seruatur And saith that all the renowned Preists and Bishops also in the easte absteyne from such wiues Omnes illustres presbyteri in Oriente Episcopi etiam ab vxoribus abstinent And he confesseth that the absteyning of clergie Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 8. supr men from theâ—â— formerly married wiues when they were lay 〈◊〉 was so religious iust and necessarie in the Iudgement of the whole generall councell that they determined to make a decree and canon thereof visum erat Episcopis legem in Ecclesiam introducere vt qui essent sacris initiati sicut Episcopi Presbiteri Diaconi cum vxoribus quas cum erant Laici in matrimonium duxissent minimè dormirent And it seemeth by the Arabike Concil Niâ— can 78. Arabico copie of that councell that this or the equiualent lawe and decree was then made si vxorem duxit adhuc vxor viuit cum eo habitat debet imponi duplex panitentia Idem seruandum de Diacono And the third of those canons of this councell which both Catholiks and Protestants commonly receaue forbiddeth all Bishops Preists Deacons Concil Nic. can 3. and clergie men to dwell with any woman but their mother sister grandmother or Aunt sister to their father or mother Nisi fortè mater aut Soror aut auia aut amita aut matertera sit And the second councell of Arles held about the same time in the dayes of S. Syluester Pope and Constantine Emperour plainely forbiddeth all cohabitation or meeting with wiues married before vnder payne of excommunication Si quis de clericis à gradu Concil Arel 2. can 3. Diaconatus in solatio suo mulierem praeter auiam matrem sororem filiam neptem vel conuersam secum vxorem habere praesumpserit à communione alienaâ— habeatur Here the wife marryed before except conuersa professing chastitie as the husband now doth is forbidden his companie and he from her and most plainely in the canon before a married man is disabled to be a Preist except promising and professing chastitie Assumi ad Sacerdotium non potest in vinculo coniugij constitutus nisifuerit promissa conuersio In this councell our Archbishop Const Magn. epist Eccles Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 6. of London Restitutus was present and subscribed vnto it for this Kingdome which with Fraunce where this councell was kept Spayne Italy and other contries of the west presently receaued the Nicen councell Eusebius Caesariensis present at the councell of Euseb demonst Euang. l. 1. c. 9. Nice and writing after it is plaine that married men receauing holie Orders were bounde to chastitie Oportere dicit sermo diuiuus Episcopum vnius vxoris virum esse Veruntamen eos qui sacrati sint atque in Dei ministerio cultuque occupati continere deinceps seipsos à commercio vxoris decet And S. Epiphanius also a grecian and liuing at that time and writing in that age testifieth plainely that the holie Church of God where the canons were sincerely kept did admitt none to be eyther Bishop Preist Deacon or Subdeacon but such as absteyned from their wiues if marryed before or in single and chaste life And if it was otherwise vsed in any place wheresoeuer it was an abuse this being the custome of the Church directed by the holie ghost euer from the beginning that Ecclesiasticall men married or not married should euer liue in chastitie Adhuc viuentem liberos gignentem Epiph. Haeâ— 29. in compendiar vnius vxoris virum non suscipit sancta Dei Ecclesia sed eum qui se ab vna continuit aut in viduitate vixit Diaconum Presbiterum Episcopum Hypodiaconum maximè vbi sinceri sunt Canones Ecclesiastici At dices mihi omnino in quibusdam locis adhuc liberos gignere Presbyteros Diaconos Hypodiaconos At hoc non est iuxtae Canonem sed iuxta hominum mentem quaeper tempus elanguit Nam quod decentius est id semper Ecclesia per spiritum sanctum bene disposita videns statuit apparare vt cultus diuini indistracti Deo perficerentur And he maketh this a commaundement in scripture Si populo praecipit â— Cor. 7. Sanctus Apostolus dicens vt ad tempus vacent orationi quanto magis Sacerdoti idem praecipit vt indistractus sit inquam ad vacandum secundum Deum Sacerdotio quod in spiritualibus necessitatibus ac vsibus perficitur But if we should allowe which these holy Fathers both of the Greeke Latine Church would not doe that the chastity of Bishops Preists and Deacons is not commaunded in scriptures but that the scriptures onely commend it for the more perfect and better duly to execute those sacred functions as all both Catholiks and Protestants agree it is without question that the vniuersall Church of Christ hath euen by these Protestants most religiously decreed and commaunded Ecclesiasticall men to liue in chastity And they contradict and condemne themselues herein in their next article Prof. Artic. â—4 but one in these words whosoeuer through his priuate Iudgment willingly and purposely doth openly breake the traditions and ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the word of God and be ordained and approued by common authority ought to be rebuked openly as hee that offendeth against the common order â—â— the Church Therefore the continent and chaste life and profession of the Cleargie being confessed by all both Catholiks and Protestants not to be repugnant to the word of God but most conformable vnto it And both commaunded generally receaued approued Couel Exam. p. 64. 65. 114. feild pag. 138. l. 3. cap. 29. Middleton Papiston p. 134. and practised not onely by all commaunding cheife Churches but through out the whole Catholike world must needs be maintained And our Protestants confessing this and with priuiledge writinge the auncient Fathers so receauing it from theÌ„ that went before them taught That vowes of chastitie and single life in Preists is to be obserued by tradition The doctrine taught in the article cannot
it to himselfe though he punished with death as others often since then haue done the professours thereof yet both he and all or Rulers temporall since Kings or Queens haue retained in their stile of honour that title Defensor fidei defendour of the faith which the Pope gaue him for defending before his fall the Catholike faith against Martine Luther though they all except Queene Mary impugned it And our present K. Charles whome together with his Queene Mary God blesse with all good and happines in his late publike declaration to all his louing Subiects among whome his Catholiks be not in the lowest place of duty and desert to him though not in like degree of his fauour to theÌ„ thus and thus vehemently protesteth wee call God to recorde before whome we stand that it is and alwaies hath beene our harts desire to be found worthy of that title which we accompt the most glorious in all our Crowne DEFENDOVR OF THE FAITH But to defend the faith is not to reprint the articles of Religion established in the time of Queene Elizabeth and by a declaration before those articles to ty and restraine all opinions to the sense of those articles as he speaketh immediately before and to persecute Bishops Preists and Catholiks as he doth That title was giuen by the Pope to King HeÌ„ry for defence of the true faith longe before the articles of Queene Elizabeth or she was borne Longe before hee K. Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth King Iames and King Charles persecuted Catholiks their faith whereof by their stile they should be defendours longe before their religion or any of them I except King Henry the 8. to whome it was giuen receaued beeing The true faith Catholike and Apostolike which by that regall stile and title they should defend against these articles I haue aboundantly by the best testimonies proued in euery point for the two last following articles the 38. intituled of Christian mens goods which are common and the 39. the last of a Christian mans oath doe not containe any coÌ„trouersie with Catholikes but were ordained against new Sectaries among themselues I hope no Protestant Parlament will hereafter glory that their religion was almost 80. yeares old though it wanteth 10. of that number and so extraordinarily contend to persecute that which I haue proued to exceed it aboue 1500. yeares in time and truth which they ought to embrace and honour and not so maliciously or ignorantly not being the most religious nor learned diuines to persecute it FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. 1. COncerning the first 5. Protestant Articles not differing from the Apostles Religion and the Romane Church pag. 1. Chap. 2. Examining their 6. Article about scriptures and traditions and condemning it by the Apostles and Apostolike men and doctrine of their age p. 2. Chap. 3. The 7. 8. 9. 10. Articles examined and wherein they differ from the present Roman Church condemned by this first Apostolike age p. 53. Chap. 4. The 11. Article of the Iustification of man examined and condemned by the Apostolike Fathers of this first age p. 60. Chap. 5. The 12. Article examined and in whatsoeuer differing from the present Romane Church condemned by the Apostolike age So of the 13. and 14. Articles p. 67. Chap. 6. The 15. 16. 17. 18. Articles so examined and wheresoeuer repugnant to the Roman Church likewise condemned p. 82. Chap. 7. The 19. Article examined and condemned by the same authoritie p. 88. Chap. 8. The 20. Article thus examined and in whatsoeuer contrarie to the Church of Rome thus condemned p. 99. Chap. 9. The 21. article so examined and condemned p. 109. Chap. 10. The 22. article thus likewise examined and condemned p. 141. Chap. 11. The 23. article examined p. 207. Chap. 12. The 24. article likewise examined and condemned by this first Apostolike age and writers therein p. 212. Chap. 13. The 25. article intituled of the Sacraments thus examined and condemned in all things contrarie to Catholike doctrine p. 222. Chap. 14. Pennance so called in this article and by Catholikes The Sacrament of Pennance was so iudged and vsed in this Apostolike age p. 228. Chap. 15. Holy Orders contrary to this article was vsed and held à Sacrament in this first age p. 233. Chap. 16. Matrimonie thus proued a Sacrament p. 242. Chap. 17. Extreame vnction thus proued to be a Sacrament p. 249. Chap. 18. The rest of this article repugnant to the Catholike faith likewise condemned p. 252. Chap. 19. The 26. and 27. articles examined and Protestant doctrine in or by them condemned p. 258. Chap. 20. The 28. article intituled of the supper of the Lord examined and condemned p. 262. Chap. 21. The 29. article intituled of the wicked which do not eate the bodie and blood of Christ in the vse of the Lords supper examined and condemned p. 276. Chap. 22. The 30. article intituled of both Kindes examined and where it is contrarie to the Romane Church condemned p. 284. Chap. 23. The 31. article being intituled of the one oblation of Christ finished vpon the Crosse thus examined and condemned p. 297. Chap. 24. The 32. article intituled of the marriage of Preists thus examined and condemned p. 315. Chap. 25. The 33. 34. articles examined and in whatsoeuer repugnant to the doctrine of the Church of Rome thus condemned p. 339. Chap. 26. The 35. 36. articles intituled of homilies and of consecration of Bishops and ministe◠〈…〉 examined and condemned 〈…〉 Chap. 27. The 37. article intituled of the ciuiâ—â— Magistratus thus examined and whatsoeuer against the Roman Church condemned p. 390.