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 Iâsus 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 coluÌna 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 coÌfessâ 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 thââ 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 coÌgregations or coÌfessions yet hath brought forth any one man or woman knowne which in their owne Iudgment or senteÌce 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
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 discouÌtenaunced 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 âe whole Christian world named Catholike âor profession whereof the Catholiks of England ây the protestants thereof haue longe tyme suffâred and still most constantly endure most bitter persecutions by the first knowne and confessed âue Christian Catholike Apostolike Religion â the Apostles and that their happy age wee finde ât in the first fiue Articles of this new Religion ây difference or difficulty to be thus decided both âatholicks and parlameÌtary protestants agreeing them all and they all beeing ordeyned by these proâtants against other Sectaries so soone within 4. âares of the beginning of Q. Elizabeth her Reigne reâeing old condemned heresies amongst them as their âtories and registers remember and therefore it will âre suffice onely to recite the Titles of these arâles 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 authârity 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. proââst 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
writers much coÌntention there hath beene about tradâtions some vrginge the necessity of them and others râiectinge them For the clearinge whereof wee must oâserue 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 acknoâledge to receaue to publish and commaunde vnto â children The Church of Rome teacheth noe badde opânion 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 Râmissioneâ 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 tâstament 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 aâlowance 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 coâmended to posteritie This may rightly be named a tradâtion 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 contânued 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 coÌmon 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 CoÌmunion 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
sine originali peccato fâ esse Atque it a in primo momento cum viuere inâret omnis peccati expers erat And saith that eâ from her conception she was full of grace and hauing no place for any sinne Maria Virgo ââ In Euang. de Annunt Mar. animaÌ plâna gratia concepta est Gratia Deiipsam ââ boni abundantem facit Et ab omni malo liberat Dâcum ea est hoc est omne quod facit aut omittit diuiâ est in eo a Deo perficitur ad haec tutatur eam âfendit ab omni quod obnoxium incommodum esseâ Antiquitat Glaston manuscrip tabul lign fixe Io. Capgrau in vit S. Iosephi ab Aramathia Guliel Malmesbur l. de anâiq coenob Glastonien test That from her conception she was full of grace whatsoeuer she did or omitted was holy and diâ she was free from all thing illor sinfull Her hoâ here in Britaine was so greate and timely that ââ in 31. yâares of the passion of Christ and 15. of the blâ Virgins Assumption anno post Passionem Dominâ cesimo primo ab Assumptione vero Virginis glorâ quinto decimo S. Ioseph and his holy company by â monition of the holy Angel Gabriel and diuine waâ âilded here a Chapell vnto her honour It is accompted âe first Church of Britaine dedicated miraculously by âhrist in honour of his Mother The ChristiaÌ builders in âeate deuotion watching and fastings and prayers âere serued God and the blessed Virgin and by the âlpe of the blessed Virgin were releiued in their necesâies Praedicti sancti per Archangelum Gabrielem in âisione admoniti sunt Ecclesiam in honore sanctae Dei ânetricis perpetuae Virginis Mariae in loco caelitus ââonstrato coÌstruere Qui diuinis admonitionibus obeâentes capellam consuminauerunt Et cum haec in hac âione prima fuerit Ecclesia ampliori eam dignitate ââ filius insigniuit ipsain in honore suae matris dediândo Duodecim sancti praedicti in eodem loco Deo âatae Virgini deuota exhibentes obsequia vigilijs ieâijs orationibus vacantes eiusdem Virginis Dei âetricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocillabantur âhus haue our most auncient antiquities both by âatholiks and Protestants testimonies The three next articles being thus intuled The â of sinne after Baptisme the 17. of predestination and âection and 18. of obtaining eternall saluation onely â the name of Christ doe not seeme in equall and âorall construction euen as they expound themâlues to haue opposition to any Catholike doârine but to haue beene receaued by them to conâmne newly risen vp heresies among them as liârtines denyers of saluation to penitent sinners âedestinaries not respecting to liue well vpon âicked presumption of their predestination and âch as affirmed that euery man shall be saued Iew âurke Pagan or whatsoeuer Infidell or heretike âall be saued by the law or sect which he professeth that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature as is plainely registred â set downe in those Articles THE VII CHAPTER The 19. Article examined and condemned by the same authority THEIR next and 19. Article intituled of â Church is this The visible Church of Christ iâ congregation of faithfull men in which the pure worâ God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministrâ according to Christs ordinance in all those things thâ necâssity are requisite to the same As the Churâ Hiârusalem Alexandria and Antioche haue erred â also the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in thâ liuing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters â faith Hitherto this article Whose definition â description of the Church if wee should alloâ wee are sufficiently instructed by that is said bâfore that the Protestants new congregation câ not be this true visible Church of Christ eââ from the truth in so many necessary and requiâ things as hath beene proued in all Articles befoâ wherein it opposeth the receaued doctrine of tâ primatiue Apostolike age and the present Churâ of Rome as the like demonstration shall be maâ against them in all their contradictory Articâ following in their due place And so is also and ââ be most manifest that the present Roman Churâ agreeing in all those Articles both already heâ after to be examined with the vndoubted ââ Church of the Apostles and this their age is ââ must needs be the true Church of Christ Aâ âeir assertion in the second parte of this Article âhat the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their âing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters of âith is most euidently false and impudently slaunâerous And the open dore to infidelity For if all âe commaunding Churches in the world Hieruâlem Nicen. Concil Can. Parlament â of Queene Eliz. Parl. â Iacob 1. Caroli Alexandria Antioche and Rome as they are ât downe in the first greate Councell of Nice and âproued by the Parlaments and Parlament Reâgions of Queene Elizabeth King Iames King âharles haue erred in matters of faith as this Arâle affirmeth then all other Churches all being âbiect vnto them haue likewise erred And this âw Protestant pretended Church not being then ârunge vp being noe congregation of faithfull âen in that time nor any congregation or men at â and so neither hauing the pure word of God âeached nor Sacraments duely ministred nor any âe point of doctrine yet preached or Sacrament ânistred nor man to preach or minister any such âuld not nor can possibly by their owne rule and âdgment be the true visible Church or any âember peece or part thereof That true primaâe and Apostolike Church teaching by all Preists âd Cleargy men it had both to the congregation â faithfull men to vse these mens phrase conârted and to others yet not Christians all those âcessary articles hitherto examined contrary to âotestant Religion when the onely want of any âe of such necessary things by their owne definiâe sentence before taketh away the name and âe to be the true Church at this present any âe past or to come the preaching of the pure ârd of God due ministring of the Sacraments in all things of necessity being one and the same â all persons in all times and places And to be of any other minde quite crosseth wiâ Christs Institution and the continuance and visiâlity of his Church which both that article of theâ Creede I beleeue the holy Catholike Church and tâ their article and confession of an euerduring visibâ Church doth proue For if at any time after Chriâ founding his Church either in this Apostolike â any age after it had generally erred in matters â faith that it retained not the name and truth of â true Church there was then by this article no tâ Church in the world For whosoeuer it was whâ wee will dreame to haue beene the first finder oâ of this generall errour and supposed Apostaâ Martine
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 PoÌtificum Romanorum Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. Pontif. in Gregorio Mâgââo 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 ProtestaÌts proue the Roman Church professed the truth And the Britains were in the errour and so they freely and publikely in their first meeting coÌfessed 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 âor the Church to ordaine any thinge contrary to Gods word written neither may it so expound one place of âcripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore âlthough the Church be a witnesse and a keeper of holy ârit yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the âame so besides the same ought it not to enforce any âhing 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 ââ 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 ââ 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 ãâã 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 vnpoâsible 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 Câem 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
anathematizing all gaynesayers vnto it Omnes quâ ausi fuerint dissoluere definitionem Sancti magââ 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 âd 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 quippiââ praeterea quae constituta sunt tamet si fide dignus ãâã quamuis ieiunet quamuis in virginitate degat qâamnis signa edat quamuis prophetet pro lupo illum âââeas qui sub oninae pelle exitium pestemque adfert ââibââ 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 IudgmeÌt 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 Clâââgy man among them for if their pretended âââner of constitution were true which wee haue inââncibly 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 habeÌt 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
Luther Iohn Caluine Thomas Crâmar or whosoeuer in any time or place aâ preacher of the coÌtrary truth as Protestants woâ haue it yet this man being but one could not malâ a congregation of faithfull men which must neâ be a number nor preach the pure word of God â ââongregation of faithfull men nor duely minister â the Sainaments according to Christs ordinance no sâ Protest CoÌf. Helu Gallic Angl. Scotic Belg. PolonuÌ Argent Augustan Saxonic wittemb Palatin Bohemich Parliament Henric. 8. Edw 6 Eliz. Can Comm. bookes Iniunct CanoÌs faithfull men or congregation yet being to preaâ and minister them vnto which is a generall aâ vnanswearable demonstration by this Protesâ article it selfe that the Church could neuer so ânerally erre nor their new pretended congregatâ be any part or parcell of the true Church Whâ is also manifest by their fourteene fifteene or mâ seuerall Protestant confessions and pretended âgregations euery on of them different from otâ and with it selfe also as here in England the â Church of Kinge Henry VIII King Edââ Queene Elizabeth King Iames and King âharles at open warrs with themselues both in âctrine and Sacraments as their seuerall approued âwes Parlaments proclamations Synods Caâns Iniunctions Litanies communion bookes âthorized Orders of prayer conferences and deâees are too great witnesses And to quench the âey malice of the ProtestaÌts against the Church of âome our Mother Church as lately King Iames âed it they saying in this article the Church â Rome hath erred in matters of faith The Apoâlike men which liued this age will teach the ântrary First whereas all agree that Sainct Peter was Biâop liued and died there Sainct Dionisius the Aâopagite saith hee was the most auncient and âeifest head of diuines Petrus maximum antiquissiâmque Dionis Areopag l. de diu nom cap. 3. Eccles Hierarch c. 9. Ignat. ep ad Rom. in âitul Theologorum columen And testifieth plaineâ that without doubt he was Prince or cheifest of âe Apostles Ipse discipulorum facile princeps Sainct Ignatius proueth the Roman Church âs the sanctified and ruling Church Ecclesia sanâficata quae praesidet in loco Regionis Romanorum That was the Church which was sanctified ilâminated by the will of God who created all âings which belong to the faith loue of Christ âsus God our Sauiour the Church worthy of âod most decent to be blessed praysed worthy â be obtained most chast and of excellent charity âioying the name of Christ and his father and reâenished with the holy Ghost Ecclesia sanctificata â illuminata per voluntatem Dei qui omnia creauit âae pertinent ad fidem charitatem Iesu Christi Deo âgna decentissima beatificanda laudanda digna quae quis potiatur castissima eximiae charitatis Chrâ patris nomine fruens spirituque plena And plaiâly of the Christians of Rome that they vâ ioined in body and soule to all the commaunâments of Christs and replenished with all graâ Spiritu corpore coniunctos omnibus mandatis Iâ Christi repletos omni gratia Dei absque haesitatione repugnatos ab omni alieno colore Without all doâting freed from all errour Sainct Clement is âânesse Clem. Rom. epist 1. that Sainct Peter was made the foundatâ of the Church Simon Petrus veraefidei merito âtegrae praecicationis obtentu fundamentum esse Ecclâ definitus est And was cheifest ruler among the âpostles Nec inter ipsos Apostolos par institutio fâsed vnus omnibus praefuit And calleth him the âther Clem. Rom. epist 2. of all the Apostles and that he receaued tâ keyes of the Kingdome of heauen Beatum Petrâ Apostoluni omnium Apostolorum patrem qui clâ regni caelestis accepit And relating how Sainct Peâ a litle before his constituting him his successourâ the presence of the whole Church in auribus toâ Ecclesiae committed his chaire and Apostolike supreâ power vnto him alone as it was by Christ commâcated and giuen vnto him In auribus totius Eccleâ haec protulit verba Clementem hunc Episcopum vââ ordino cui soli meae praedicationis doctrinae câââdram trado Ipsi trado à Domino mihi traditam potesâtem ligandi soluendi vt de omnibus quibuscââ que decreuerit in terris hoc decretum sit in coelis And this is not denied by our Protestant Anâquaries Robert Barnes lib. de vit Pontif. Rom. ââ Clement 1. but affirmed from the same authoritâ Clemens Romanus à Petro apprehens â manu institââ est Romanus Pontifex si Epistolis Clementis credendâ est Acknowledging those epistles to be the worâ â Sainct Clement which so testifie In which and âers other bookes he giueth lawes for the whole âhurch which he himselfe sufficiently often witâsseth writing and sending his decrees to be kept âd obserued to and by all Bishops Preists all âergy men and all Princes greater or lesse and ânerally vnto all beleeuers Clemens vrbis Romae Clem. epist 3. de offic Sacerd Clericor âiscopus omnibus Coepiscopis Presbyteris Diaconis â reliquis Clericis cunctis Principibus maioribus ânoribusuè omnibus generaliter fidelibus This epiâe traÌslated by Ruffinus is intituled of the office âd duty of Priests Clergie men de officio Sacerdotis Clericorum for the whole Church of Christ The âe commaunde and generall authority of his Sea âpostolike he hath in diuers other bookes Sainct Anaclet epist 1. 2. 3. âacletus also is so cleare for this primacy and inâlibility of the Church of Rome that our Proteânts confesse it thus as plainely To proue that the Ormer pict Pap. p. 78. Robert Bern. l. de vit pont Rom. in Anacleto âurch of Rome hath the preeminence ouer all Churches âeadgeth math 16. vers 18. vpon this rocke will I âlde my Church and he expoundeth it thus super âc Petram id est super Ecclesiam Romanam vpon âs rocke that is vpon the Church of Rome will I âld my Church Anacletus writeth that the primacy of the Church of âme ouer all Churches and ouer all Christian people âs graunted by our Lord himselfe because saith he said to Peter liuing at Rome vpon this rocke will I âild my Church Ab ipso Domino primatum Romanae âclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuer sumque Chriâani nominis populum concessum esse asseruit quia inâit Petro agenti morieÌti Romae dixit tues Petrus â super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Sainct Euaristus writeth the like calling the Euarist ep 1. Church of Rome the head ââput of Churches âlexander Alex. 1. ep 1. affirmeth that Christ committed thââposing of the greatest causes and busines â Churches to Sainct Peter Prince of the Apâ and to the Apostolike Roman Sea as head of tâ Middleton Papist p. 200. Cui sanctae Apostolicae sedi summarum disposâ causarum omnium negotia Ecclesiarum ab ipsoâ mino tradita sunt quasi