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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
haec fiunt â—on egrèferunt sed potiùs aegrèferunt si non fiant cum impenduntur pecuniae fiunt sumptus laetantur Reuera magnum est mysterium arcanam quandam habens sapientiam Hoc multis retroactis soeculis prophetans dicit In Christo Ecclesia Sed non propter ipfum solum hoc dictum est Sed quid Vt ipsam tanquam propriam carnem foueat sicut Christus Ecclesiam And to insist vpon the graunt of this Protestant Article That Sacraments be effectuall signes of grace we haue the testimonie of the whole Christian world in this Apostolike time to proue Matrimonie to be such a signe and Sacrament for all the world at the coming of Christ Iewes and gentils were giuen to Poligamie and pluralitie of wiues and yet not so contayning themselues from other incontinencies but such as receyued this holy Sacrament abstayned both from the sinnes of Poligamie and other vnchastities an euident and vndeniable argument of the power and sanctitie of this Christian Institution and holy Sacrament I will onely exemplifie here in Britayne infected as the rest of the vniuersall world with that generall errour and sinne at that time Iulius Caesar Emperour which inuaded this Kingdome and others Iul. Caesar belli gallici l. 6. Ioh. Zonaras in Seuero Bandica orat Solemni apud Ioan. Xephil in Epitom Dionis in Nerone Dion ibid Dion Hect. Boeth descript Scotiae william Harrison descrip of Scotl. cap. 14. after him giue such shamefull testimonie hereof modestie forbiddeth me to write it in English Vxores habent deni duodenique inter se communes maximè fratres cum fratribus parentes cum liberis nudi degunt mulieribus promiscuè vtuntur Their Queene Bandica in her publike sacrifice to the Britans Goddâ—sse Andraste or Andaste in her solemne prayer openly pronounced of them Qui cum caetera omnia tum liberos vxores communes inter se putant Pagans Catholiks and Protestants write the like of the Picts The Protestants thus speake it in English They liue naked in Tents thâ—ir wiues are common The Scots were more barborous in these sinnes and their Kings especially Euenus confirmed them by publike lawes Leges tulit improbas omnem olentes Leges Euan. Regis Scotorum Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 3. fol. 36. pag. 1. spurcitiam vt liceret singulis suae gentis plures vxores alijs sex alijs decem pro opibus ducere Nobilibus plebeorum vxores communes essent ac virginis nouae nuptae loci Dominus primam libandi pudicitiam potestatem haberet This was the miserable condition of this Kingdome of greate Britayne as of other nations before it receaued the lawe of Chist and the holie Sacrament of Matrimonie betweene one man and woman one husband and one wife to giue infallible demonstration to all people present and to come that great supernaturall assistance and grace was giuen by that externall rite or ceremonie and so consequently ordayned of God no other being able to do it all those most horrible lasciuious incontinencies generally ceased in the true and due receauers of this Sacrament And for the barbarous customes and lawes before Veremund Hect. Boeth hist Scot. l. 10. fol. 202. Hollinshed hist of Scotl. pag. 133. caplawes these were made kept and seuerely executed Our Protestants thus translate them Any mans lemman or concubyne shall suffer the same paynes that he doth which offendeth with her He that rauisheth a mayde shall dye for it vnlesse shee require for safe-gard of his life to haue him to her husband If any man be taken with another mans wife in adulterie shee consenting vnto him therein they shall both suffer death for it But if shee consent not but beforced against her will then he shall dye onely for the same and shee shall be released In such greate seueritie the sinne of Incontinencie was punished here after this holie Sacrament by the grace thereof a preseruatiue against it was receaued and few were founde transgressours thereof all though these lawes were prosecuted with such zeale and deuotion that we finde that Princes and Kings found delinquent were neither exempted nor spared in such cases as we see in the lamentable example of King Vortigerne testified both by brittish English Catholike and Protestant historians who breakeing his Matrimoniall Nennius hist manuscript in Vorthigerno Rege Mat. westm an 450. Mat. Park Antiq. Britan. pag. 7. 8. Protest annotat in Mat. westm an 454. Stowe and Howes hist in Vortigern Hollins hist of Engl. in eod Protest Communion booke Tit. Matrimonie § Dearely 1. §. O God §. Allmightie God Faith with his first lawfull wife and adulterously ioyning himselfe with an other woman Rowenna Daughter of Engist was by S. German the Popes legate with the aduise and consent of the brittish cleargie cited Iudged and excomunicated and by the whole Kingdome deposed Neyther can the Protestants of England deny Matrimonie to be a Sacrament For in the manner of celebrating thereof at euery mariage it termeth it holy matrimonie an honorable estate instituted of God signifying vnto vs the misticall vnion which is betwene Christ and his Church God instituted it and did teache it should neuer be lawfull to put a sunder those whom he by matrimonie had made one God hath consecrated the stat of matrimonie to such an excellent mistery that in it is signified and represented the spirituall mariage vnitie betwixt Christ his Church And this Rituall expresseth that God giueth grace sanctification and blessing at this externall ceremonie so instituted and ordeyned by him Which euidently ouerthroweth what they haue saide to the contrary in this Article and proueth by their owne most generall and warranted vse practise and profession that Matrimonie is truely and properly an holie Sacrament THE XVII CHAPTER Extreame vnction thus proued to be a Sacrament THE Sacrament following being the last in number and order which this Protestant Article desalloweth is extreame vnction But we are most assured that in this Apostolike age and by the Apostles themselues it was taught and practised for an holie Sacrament S. Iames the Apostle in his epistle maketh it a precept and matter of necessitie and not arbitrary so to vse it Insirmatur Iacob c. 5. quis in vobis inducat Presbyteros Ecclesiae orent super eum vngentes eum oleo in nomine Dominï Etsi in peccatis sit remittentur ei Here we haue all which this Protestant Article requireth to a true and properly named Sacrament testified by an Apostle in holie scripture and tradition of the Church from that time to be founde in extreame vnction That it was ordayned of Christ and an effectuall signe of grace the words are playne as also that the visible signe or ceremonie thereof was ordayned of God for no power limited and created can ordayne or institute a signe or ceremonie externall to forgiue sinnes si in peccatis sit remittentur ei The auntient Fathers both of the
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
sine originali peccato fâ— esse Atque it a in primo momento cum viuere inâ—ret 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 â—â— In Euang. de Annunt Mar. animaÌ„ plâ—na gratia concepta est Gratia Deiipsam â—â— boni abundantem facit Et ab omni malo liberat Dâ—cum ea est hoc est omne quod facit aut omittit diuiâ— est in eo a Deo perficitur ad haec tutatur eam â—fendit ab omni quod obnoxium incommodum esseâ— Antiquitat Glaston manuscrip tabul lign fixe Io. Capgrau in vit S. Iosephi ab Aramathia Guliel Malmesbur l. de anâ—iq 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 â—â— in 31. yâ—ares 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— â—ilded here a Chapell vnto her honour It is accompted â—e first Church of Britaine dedicated miraculously by â—hrist in honour of his Mother The ChristiaÌ„ builders in â—eate deuotion watching and fastings and prayers â—ere serued God and the blessed Virgin and by the â—lpe of the blessed Virgin were releiued in their necesâ—ies Praedicti sancti per Archangelum Gabrielem in â—isione admoniti sunt Ecclesiam in honore sanctae Dei â—netricis perpetuae Virginis Mariae in loco caelitus â—â—onstrato coÌ„struere Qui diuinis admonitionibus obeâ—entes capellam consuminauerunt Et cum haec in hac â—ione prima fuerit Ecclesia ampliori eam dignitate â—â— filius insigniuit ipsain in honore suae matris dediâ—ndo Duodecim sancti praedicti in eodem loco Deo â—atae Virgini deuota exhibentes obsequia vigilijs ieâ—ijs orationibus vacantes eiusdem Virginis Dei â—etricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocillabantur â—hus haue our most auncient antiquities both by â—atholiks and Protestants testimonies The three next articles being thus intuled The â— of sinne after Baptisme the 17. of predestination and â—ection and 18. of obtaining eternall saluation onely â— the name of Christ doe not seeme in equall and â—orall construction euen as they expound themâ—lues to haue opposition to any Catholike doâ—rine but to haue beene receaued by them to conâ—mne newly risen vp heresies among them as liâ—rtines denyers of saluation to penitent sinners â—edestinaries not respecting to liue well vpon â—icked presumption of their predestination and â—ch as affirmed that euery man shall be saued Iew â—urke Pagan or whatsoeuer Infidell or heretike â—all 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— necâ—ssity are requisite to the same As the Churâ— Hiâ—rusalem 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 bâ—fore that the Protestants new congregation câ— not be this true visible Church of Christ eâ—â— 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 â—â— be most manifest that the present Roman Churâ— agreeing in all those Articles both already heâ— after to be examined with the vndoubted â—â— Church of the Apostles and this their age is â—â— must needs be the true Church of Christ Aâ— â—eir assertion in the second parte of this Article â—hat the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their â—ing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters of â—ith is most euidently false and impudently slaunâ—erous And the open dore to infidelity For if all â—e commaunding Churches in the world Hieruâ—lem Nicen. Concil Can. Parlament â— of Queene Eliz. Parl. â— Iacob 1. Caroli Alexandria Antioche and Rome as they are â—t downe in the first greate Councell of Nice and â—proued by the Parlaments and Parlament Reâ—gions of Queene Elizabeth King Iames King â—harles haue erred in matters of faith as this Arâ—le affirmeth then all other Churches all being â—biect vnto them haue likewise erred And this â—w Protestant pretended Church not being then â—runge vp being noe congregation of faithfull â—en in that time nor any congregation or men at â— and so neither hauing the pure word of God â—eached nor Sacraments duely ministred nor any â—e point of doctrine yet preached or Sacrament â—nistred nor man to preach or minister any such â—uld not nor can possibly by their owne rule and â—dgment be the true visible Church or any â—ember peece or part thereof That true primaâ—e and Apostolike Church teaching by all Preists â—d Cleargy men it had both to the congregation â— faithfull men to vse these mens phrase conâ—rted and to others yet not Christians all those â—cessary articles hitherto examined contrary to â—otestant Religion when the onely want of any â—e of such necessary things by their owne definiâ—e sentence before taketh away the name and â—e to be the true Church at this present any â—e past or to come the preaching of the pure â—rd 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 visiâ—lity 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
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
Preist is to offer Sacrifice and Minister other Sacraments and Deacons are to Minister vnto them in such holie mysteries and so must needs haue power giuen them accordingly in their consecration and this was so with the Apostles and Ignat. epistol ad Heronem Diaconum the first Preists and Deacons Sacâ—rdotes sunt Tâ— verò Diaconus Sacerdotum Minister Baptizanâ— sacrificant manus imponunt tu verò illis ministras vt Sanctus ille Stephanus Iacobo presbyteris qui Epistol ad Trallian erant Hierosolymis Oportet Diaconos mysteriorum Chtisti ministris per omnia placere nec enim ciborum potuum ministri sunt sed Ecclesiae Dei administratores Ipsi itaque tales sunt at vos reueremini illos vt Christum Iesum cuius vicarij sunt Episcopus Typum Dei Patris omnium gerit presbyteri verò sunt consessus quidam coniunctus Apostolorum chorus Sine his Ecclesia electa non est nullasine his Sanctoruâ— congregatio nulla Sanctorum electio Quid Sacerdotium aliud est quam sacer caetus consiliarij assessoreâ— Episcopi Quid verò Diaconi quà m imitatores Angelicarum virtutum quae purum inculpatum ministerium illi exhibent vt sanctus Stephanus beato Iacobo Timotheus â—nius Paulo Anacletus Clemens Petro Qui igitur his non obedit sine Deo prorsus impurus est Christum contemnit constitutionem eius imminuit S. Martial deliuereth plainely a cheife and principall cause of the honour and excellencie of this Sacrament of holie Orders because among other eminencies thereof Bishops and Preists offer and Deacon assist them therein the most holie sacrifice of Christs bodie and blood vpon an holie Altar the very same which the Iewes did by malice offer Martial epist ad Burdegal cap. 3. when they crucified Christ Sacerdotes honorabatis qui decipiebant vos sacrificijs suis qui mutis surdis statuis offerebant Nunc autem multò magis Sacerdotes Dei omnipotentis qui vitam vobis tribuunt in calice viuo pane honor are debetis Christi corpus sanguinem in vitam aeternam offerimus Quod Iudaei per Inuidiam immolauerunt putantes se nomen eius à terra abolere nos causa salutis nostrae in ara sanctificata proponimus scientes hoc solo remedio nobis vitam The Britanâ— here so held praestandam mortem effugandam hoc enim ipse Dominus noster iussit nos agere in sui commemoratioâ—em This was also the doctrine of our first Christian Gildas l. de excid conq Britan. c. 26. manuscript antiq de tit S. Patricij Capg in cod Giâ—ald Caâ—mb Britans Their Preists were consecrated to offer the heauenly Sacrifice at the holie Altar They conseâ—rated Christs bodie and blood with their mouthes â—roprio ore And of all the people in the world as â—heir Antiquities witnes they most honoured clearâ—ie men in such respects Ecclesiasticis viris longè â—agis quà m vllaÌ„ gentem honoreÌ„ deferentes Their Bishops were consecrated with holie Chrisme imposition in descript cambr c. 18. of hands and consecrating words in consecratione Pontificum capita eorum sacri Chrismatis infusione perungere cum Inuocatione sancti Spiritus manus impositione The hands of Preists were consecrated Gild. l. de excid Britan. in castigatione Cleri to offer and handle the blessed Sacrifice Benedictione initiantur Sacerdotum manus S. Paule in diuers places proueth it giueth grace so making it a true and proper holie Sacrament Noli negligere 1. Timoth. 4. gratiam quae in te est quae data est tibi cum impositione manuum presbyterij And admoneo te vt resuscites 2. Timoth. 1. gratiam Dei quae est in te per impositionem manuum mearum And Christ himselfe by his owne example and testimonie S. Iohn the Euangelist so recording affirmeth that the holie ghost and power to forgiue sins were giuen in this Sacramentall ceremonie Io 20. Accipe Spiritum fanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis And it is the witnesse of God that holie Orders is the worke of the holie ghost Dixit Spiritus sanctus Segregate mihi Saulum Act. 13. Barnabam in opus ad quod assumpsi eos Tunc iâ—iunantes orantes imponentesque eis manus dimiserunt illos It is confessed by the greatest Protestant authoritie in England of King Protestant Bishops K. Iames and his protest publike conference at hampton court Couell def of hooker p. 87. and others their best scollers in their publike examen of their Religion That this power of Orders giuen as they pretend by imposition of hands Iâ— diuinae Ordinationis and de iure diuino The ordinâ—â—ce of God and by his diuine lawe To these persons Gâ—â— imparted power ouer his mysticall bodie which is â—â— societie of soules and ouer that naturall which is himself Mod. exâ—minaâ— pag. 105. 155. def of hooker pag. which antiquitie doth call the making of Christ body The power of the ministry by blessing visâ—â— elements it maketh them inuisible grace giueth 87. 88. 91. daily the holy ghost it hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the world and that blood which was powred out to redeeme soules It is a power which neither Prince nor potentate King nor Caesar on earth can giue The Apostles did impart the same power to ordayne which was giuen to them And in their publikly authorized Rituall and Protest Booke of Consecrat in Order Bish. and Preists booke of consecration or making Protestant Bishops and Preists warranted by their parlaments in these very Articles and their generall practise in ordayning all their Church men it is diuers times and plainely confessed both by words and actions that the holy ghost grace and power to giue grace and forgiue sinnes is infallibly giuen Protest confat hampton Communion Booke Titul visitat of the sike by the externall signe or ceremony vsed therein And both their publike conference and examen of their Religion and the common booke of their Church seruice do proue and giue warrant from hence from their ministers to forgiue sinns by such power committed to them from God in their ordination Therefore if there be any ground or warrant for the Protestant Religion of England or any one point or article thereof though but such as they pretend for the proposers and authorizers thereof whether Protestant Prince parlament conuocation canons Articles the publik bookes and practise thereof or whatsoeuer els they can name in this kinde holie Orders and preisthood so vehemently persecuted by them is by their owne doctrine and Religion an holie Sacrament in such proper true sense and meaning as it is vsed in the Romane Church at this time and euer was They were the Messaliani or Massaliani Euchitae or Enthusiastae heretiks about the Damascen de haeresib hist tripart l. 7. Theod. l. 4 c 11.
receaued this Sacrament reserued when extreame vnction was ministred vnto them And one of their most auntient antiquities carrying with it our Protestants approbation doth witnesse that the primatiue Christian Britans did publikely â—â— Euery Masse worship and pray vnto Christ present in this Sacrament this hath our Protestants translation Hereof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speach Thou lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. And thus I end this their many braunched Article THE XIX CHAPTER The 26. and 27. Articles examined and Protestant doctrine in or by them condemned THeir next Article being the 26. by their numbring them is thus intituled Of the worthiâ—es of the ministers which hinder not the effect of the sacraments The whole Article followeth in these All though in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good and sometime the euill haue cheife authoritie in the ministration of the worde and sacraments yet for asmuch as they do not the same in their owne name but in Christes and do minister by his commission and authoritie we may vse their ministerie both in hearing the word of God and in receiuing of the sacraments Neither is the effect of Christes ordinance taken away by their wikednesse nor the grace of Gods guifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receiue the sacraments ministred vnto them which be effectuall because of Christs institution 〈◊〉 promise allthough they be ministred by euill men Neuerthelesse it apperteyneth to the discipline of the Churche that inquirie be made of euill ministers and that they be accused by those that haue knowledge of their offences and finally being founde gyltie by 〈◊〉 Iudgment be deposed Hitherto this Article in which there it not any one proposition or sentence against the doctrine of the Romane Church and Catholike Religion but rather a graunte and confirmation thereof 〈◊〉 a renowncing of Protestant profession and proceedings in diuers particular poyntes and some most materiall As declaring that in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good they confesse the Church to be euer and indeâ—ectible And so Luther Caluyn Cranmar King Henry 8. with his daughter Queene Elizabeth or whomsoeuer els they will or can make the first publisher or aduancer of their doctrine separating themselues and being separated and cutt of from that visible true Church which was then generally so held this their Protestant congregation and Religion takeing Originall being from thence cannot possibly be the true Church and Religion of Christ And in making the true Church euer visible they must needs make their association or prerended companie eúer inuisible and so nothing vntill these dayes and condemne those their brethren Protestants who knowing their new fraternitie was neuer vntill those late times haue mathematically framed in their Imagination a new straung chimericall Inuisible vnbeeable and vnpossible Church Agayne professing that Preists the Ministers of Sacraments do Minister them in Christes 〈◊〉 by his commisson and authoritie they sufficiently confesse that if Christ omnipotent could and did consecrate breade and wyne into his body and blood forgiue sinnes and giue grace in sacraments truely consecrated Preists haue that power and do the same And affirming The sacraments to bâ— effectuall because of Christes Institution and promise â—either is the effects of Christes ordinance takâ—n away nor the grace of Gods guists diminished by the wikednesse of ministers They proue what the Catholiks holde in these things and Protestants cammonly deny Their last clause of Discipline in the Church making but one true visible Church and their congregation being as before no part thereof depriueth them of all such discipline as they haue already spoyled themselues of the pure worde of God preached and Sacraments duely ministred vnseparable signes and properties of the true visible Church by their 19. Article and thereby want all things which by their owne confession are euer founde in and belonge vnto the Church of Christ The 27. Article intituled of baptisme hath no thing contrary to Catholik Religion But the last clause thereof is against their 6. Article before that nothing is to be beleeued as an Article of faith or to be thought requisite necessarie to saluation that is not read in nor may be proued by scriptures And in this place thus they decree The Baptisme-ef yong Prot. Articl 27. children is in any wise to be retayned in the Church as most agreable with the Institution of Christ In this whole Article before they make Baptisme in all requisite necessarie to Saluation So they do iâ— Protest communion Booke Tit. Baptisme Protest Conference at hampton Court. their communion booke in the administration thereof and in the reuewe of their Religion â—â— Hampton court thus they define That baptisme to be ministred by priuate parsons in tyme of necessitie is an holie tradition And so they vse in their common practise and Baptise Infants both by their ministers and others men and women especially my dwiues instructed how to Baptisme in time of Engl. Protest in feild Bookes of the Church pag. 239. and others necessitie Yet with publik consent and allowanâ—â— thus they write and publish Baptisme of Infants â—â— â—â—â—ed a Tradition because it is not expressely deliuered iâ— stripture that the Apostles did baptize Infants nor 〈◊〉 expresse precept there founde that they should so do Tâ—â—t the holy Fathers of the first age held Baptisme Supr in articul 6. of Infants for an vnwritten tradition I haue spoken before And S. Clement doth giue comâ—â—â—nd Clem. Rom. lâ—b 6. constit Apostolic cap. 15. Dionys Areopag Ecclesiast Hierarch cap. 7. concil mileuit cap. 2. Chrisostom homil de Adam Eua. Augustin cont Donat. l. 1. cap. 23. Epiphan Aug. alij de haeres Innocent 1. epist concil African cap. 77. concil Carthagin 5. cap. 6. Hect. Boeth Scot. hâ—st l. 9. Georg. Buchan Rer. scot l. 5. Reg. 52. holinsh hist of Scotland in Fâ—equard pag. 112. to haue it obserued Baptizate vestros pueâ—â—◠〈◊〉 S. Denys the Areopagite affirmeth it was so vsed Pueri qui necdum possunt intelligere diuiâ—â— sacri hapti smatis participes fiant And shewâ—â—gâ— how others answeare and promise for them 〈◊〉 prâ— ipsiâ— abrenunâ—iant sanctaquâ— ineunt faedera 〈◊〉 iâ— an holy tradition sanctam traditionem 〈◊〉 S. Chrisostome and others testifie generally in the whole Catholik Church in all places Praediâ—â—t Ecclesia Catholica vbique diffusa debere parâ—â—â—â—â— Baptizari prepter originalâ— peccatum And they were Nouatian Pelagian such condemned Hâ—retiks which at any time called this holy tradiâ—â—on and custome into question So it was here â—â— Britayne which though it was Mother and Noble longe time to pelagius the Archeretike wâ—o among other his damned Errours denyed the Baptisme of Infants yet it so much detested among tâ—â— rest this his obsurd Inuention that it
preces verbi eius ab ipso profecti grâ—â—iâ— actae sunt alimoniam incarnati illius Iesu carnem â—â— sangiuem esse edocti sumus And besides tradition and the coÌ„mon custome doctrine of the Church he doth interprete the Euangelists before cited iâ— this manner that Christ so instituted and commaunded and this in his very next words Nâ— Apostoli in commentarijs à se scriptis quae Euangâ—â— vocantur ita tradiderunt praecepisse sibi Iesum â—â— enim panc accepto gratias egisset hoc facite in â—â— recordationem HOC EST CORPVS MEVM 〈◊〉 similiter accepto gratijs actis dixisse HIC â—â— SANGVIS MEVS And most plainely Panem Câ—â—stus Iustin dial cum Triph. post med in quaest agent propos quaest 44. conficiendum tradidit vt Corpus eum factum â—â— recordaremur And Dominica caro conscientiam â—â— rum qui ipsam edunt ab omni scelere expiat S. Iâ—â—naeus also by our old brittish manuscript be◠〈◊〉 Bishop by S. Clement in this first age Beaâ—â—â— Ireâ—aeum Episcopum Beatus Clemens ordinauit â—â—â—ueth that none but such Infidels or heretiks as denyed Christ to be the sonne of God and so not Irenaeus contra haees lib. 4. cap. 34. omnipotent did or could deny this transubstantiation or chaunge of breade and wine into his bodie and blood by his powerfull words in consecration Quomodo constabit eis eum panem in quo gratiae actae sâ—â—t Corpus esse Domini sui calicem sanguinis eius â—â— non ipsum fabricatoris mundi silium dicâ—nt id est verbum eius per quod lignum fructificat defluunt â—â—â—tes terra dat primum quidem foenum post deinde spiâ—am deinde plenum triticum in spica I haue cited S. Denys the Areopagite to this This holy faith euer in Britaine purpose before And shewed also for Britayne that it had and vsed the Masse of S. Marke as their old maniscript proueth where this doctrine and practise is recorded And S. Peter preaching here his Masse brought into these parts both by his and S. Paules Disciples as I haue proued with this vse and doctrine Britaine could not be ignorant thereof And I haue cited euen from Protestant Antiquaries that our first Christian Britans both worshipped and prayed vnto Christ present in this most holie sacrament when it was shewed vnto them or they receaued it at Masse And our Protestants of England of cheife note among them with greatest applause and approbation do deduce this Catholike doctrine and practise in the Church Protest of Engl. apud Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 32. Peâ—kâ—â—s probl pâ—g 15â— 154. of Christ from this first age and in this manner Wâ—e reade in Ignatius this phrase offere and Sacrificium immolare to offer and immolate Sacrifice and like phrases in Irenaeus Tertullian and Martialis who mentioneth also Altares The auntients when they speake of the supper haue many formes of speach which sheâ— a conuersion Ambrose vseth the name of conuersion â—â—d the name of mutation Cyprian saith it is chaunged 〈◊〉 in shape but in nature Origen saith that breade is made the bodie by prayer Gaudentius saith Christs bodie is made of bread and his blood of wyne Eusebius Emissenus saith that the Preist by secrete power doth chaunge the visible creatures into the substance of Christs bâ—die and blood and that the breade doth passe into the nature of our Lords bodie So they deduce it to lower times wherein they all confesse the doctrine of transubstantiation to haue beene generally taught and professed And with speciall warrant and allowance of King Iames as they themselues testifie they publikly iustifie that it was Religio Regis the Religion Casanbon respon ad Câ—â—dinal peron pag. 50. 51. D. Androwes Prot. Bish. of Ely Midleton Papiston p. 106. Copell def of hooker pag. 276. Feild of the Church pag. 150. Couell def pag. 87. Couell modest examinat pag. 105. of the King and Kingdome that it is Christs bodie the same obiect and thing which the Romane Church beleeueth others with publick allowance also write though breadâ— by nature bee but a prophane and coÌ„mon element yet by grace it pleaseth the Lord to make it his bodie The omnipotencie of Christ maketh it his bodie The primatiue Church thought the fructified and consecrated Elements to be the bodie of Christ To their persoâ—s Preists God imparted power ouer his misticall 〈◊〉 which is societie of soules and ouer that naturall whâ—â—â— is himselfe for the knitting of both in one a worke whicâ— antiquitie doth call the making of Christs body The power of the ministry by blessing visible Elements â—â— maketh the inuisible grace It giueth daily the holie ghoâ—â— It hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for tâ—â— life of the worlde and that blood which was powred â—â— to redeeme soules In their most warranted publick communion booke in the ministration of this saâ—â—â—â—ent after their manner they deliuer Christs institution thereof in such significant manner of transubstantiation or chaunge that they must needs thereby graunte and affirme it or deny him to haue spoken truely but to haue told an vntruth â— thing most blasphemous and vnpossible thus they sette it downe as Catholiks do at Masse Iesus Protest commun booke Tit. communion Christ who in the night he was betrayed tooke breade and when he had giuen thankes he breake it and gaue it to his disciples saying take eate this is â—y bodie which is giuen for you do this in remembrance of mee Likewise after supper he tooke the cuppe and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it to them saying drinke yee all of this this is my bloode of the new testament which is shedde for you for many for remissioÌ„ of sâ—â—s do this as oft as yee shall drinke it in remembrance of meâ— Here Christ omnipotent that cannot speake any vntruth expressely testifieth it was breade and wyne before and by his words his bodie which was giuen and blood shedd for vs. Therefore such transubstantiation and chaunge as Catholiks hold And this these Protestans confirme in their distribution of this Sacrament to communicants assuring euery communicant as Catholike Preists do and in the very same words that it iâ— the bodie of Christ which they giue to them and so of his blood in expresse termes which should be most true if they were true Preists as the others be And that no testimonie might be wanting to this Catholike truth by Protestants allowance they haue both published approued with greate Francisc Staucar in praefat ad Peâ—r Gallatin warrant the sentence and opinion of the old Rabbines before Christ of this mistery and thus confesse of them They are more playne and pregnant for Prot. Bafilien in editione eiusd Thom. Marton appeale pag. 396. 395. transubstantiation then are the sayeings of the transubstantiators themselues They make so directly for transubstantiation that the most Romish Doctours for the space of all
sed vnum licet à multis offeratur sit vnum Corpus Christi cum illo quod suscepit in vtero virginali non multa corpora nec nunc quidem est aliud magnum aliud minus aliud hodie aliud eras offerimus sed semper idipsum aequam magnitudinem habens proinde vnum est hoc sacrificium Christi non diuersa Nam si aliter esset quoniam multis in locis offertur multi essent Christi quòd obsit Vnus ergo vbique est hic plenus existens illic Plenum vnum corpus vbique habens Et sicut qui vbique offertur vnum corpus est non multa corpora it a etiam vnum sacrificium I haue beene enforced by this Article forging S. Augustines authoritie for the grounde thereof to discend thus â—owe to defend him and shew the feeble and false foundation of our Protestants in this poynt THE XXII CHAPTER The 30. Article intituled of both kindes examined and where it is contrary to the Romane Church condemned THE 30. and next Article being intituled of both Kindes consisteth of these words The cuppe of the Lord is not to be denyed to the lay people For both the partes of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinaunce and commaundement ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike This is all this Article and it is confuted before where I haue proued that both in and immediately after the Apostles time and by their order and direction this blessed Sacrament was both honorably preserued onely vnder the forme of bread and so often ministred vnto the primatiue Christians which in no case or respect might be done if Christ had ordeyned and commaunded otherwise and the contrary as this Protestant Article pretendeth And so the Apostles themselues and the Apostolike Church then the true Church of Christ without all question both by Catholiks and Protestants had erred in a thing of necessitie requisite according to Christes ordinance in so greate a Sacrament and so by these men and their diuinitie in this Article the true Church of Christ was not the true Church and he neuer had a true Church for in their Article of the Church before they define it to be a congregation of faithfull men in which the Prot. Artiâ—l 19 sup of 〈◊〉 oâ— the Church pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duâ—ly ministred in all thâ—se things that of necessitie are requisite to the same Therefore this Protestant Article assirming that both the partes of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinaunce and commaundement ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike is false in itselfe and contradictorie to their owne most allowed proceedings for not onely diuers of their priuate writers but the parlament lawe of all our Protestant Princes King Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth Statute of King Edw. 6. Titul Sacram in both Kindes Stat. in parliam 1. Elizabeth Iames 1. Charles 1. King Iames and King Charles their Rule and warrant for this Article doth confesse enact and decree that in the true primatiue Church this Sacrament was not allwayes ministred in both Kindes but some times in both some times in one onely Therefore by these men the true primatiue Church neuer did nor could adiudge or hold that the ministration of this Sacrament allwaies in both Kindes was Christs Ordinance and commaundement otherwise by ministring it often in one onely Kinde as this cheâ—fe Protestant parlament and their religion therein confesse it had acknowledged itselfe to haue erred from Christs ordinance and commaundement in a Sacrament and necessitie requisite and so by these Articles not to haue beene Christs true Church and he had by these men no true Church at all Againe These Protestants standing in this Article vpon the Ordinance and commaundement of Christ confesse that he instituted and ordeyned this Sacrament at his laste supper and what he commaunded concerning it he then commaunded it and they also confesse the three Euangelists S. Matthew S. Marke and S. Luke to be the Euangelicall Registers of that his holie ordination But all thus do plainely testifie that none but his twelue Apostles were then present Discumbebat Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. cum duodecim discipulis eius Venit cum duodecim Vnus ex duodecim discubuit duodecim Apostoli cum eo Et ait illis desiderio desideraui hoc Pascha manducare vobiscum And our Protestants before in their most allowed publick communion booke haue so deliuered saying of the Sacrament vnder the forme of bread Iesus gaue it to his Disciples saying take eate this is my bodie which is giuen for you And of the other parte he gaue it to them saying drinke you all of this for this is my blood of the new testament which is shedd for you And all these witnesses the Euangelists S. Paule 1. Corinth 11. Catholiks Protestants do freely acknowledge that Christ then pronounced and spake these words hoc facite in meam commemorationem do this in commemoration of me vnto them all Giuing them thereby power and commaunde to do what he had donâ— in that misterie which was as is proued before to transubstantiate and chaunge breade and wine into the blessed bodie and blood giuen and shedd for the sinnes of the world and this euen our Protestants haue before acknowledged confessing that supernaturall power to haue beene in Christes Apostles then present Preists after them for there is no other place in scripture the Rule of these men wherein such power was communicated vnto them or Christ a Preist after the Order of Melchisedech exercised the office or Act of that preishood So that none but they which were then consecrated Preists which euer offer this Sacrifice in both Kindes were present to receaue this charge of them both And this is directly told vs not onely by all Catholike writers but Protestants with the greatest allowance their Religion can giue the authoritie of the supreame of their Church by the greatest champion externall which euer it had the Archbishop of Spalato which with King Iames Marc. Anton. l. 2. de repub Christian c. 2. pag. 167. and his cheifest Protestants warrant thus writeth Ad hoc Sacerdotium promoti sunt Apostoli à Christo Domino in vltima caena quando eis dixit hoc facite in meam commemorationem The Apostles were promoted to preisthood by Christ our Lord in his last supper when he said to them do this in my commemoration And agayne Quod consecrantes panem orationes fundamus c. 4. p. 219. eoque fideles pascamus Christi Iussum facimus qui id iniunxit dicens hoc facite in meam commemorationem hoc ipsum quod me nunc vidistis facere vos facite circa panis vini benedictionem Where the Apostles and Preists receaued and receaue power and commaunde to consecrate bread and wine into the bodie and blood of Christ as he then did And we must needs so say
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
be true nor the liberty therein allowed lawfull but wantonly licentious and damnable THE XXV CHAPTER Tbe 33. 34. Articles examined an in whatsoeuer repugnant to the doctrine of the Church of Rome thus condemned THeir 33. next article intituled of excommunicate persons how they are to be auoided containeth nothing contrarie to the doctrine or practise of the Church of Rome as is manifest in these the verie words thereof That person which by open denuntiation of the Church is rightly cut of from the vnity of the Church and excommunicate ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithfull as an heathen and publican vntill he be openly reconciled by pennance and receaued into the Church by a Iudge that hath authority thereto Therefore I passe it ouer and come to the next 34. article intituled Of the traditions of the Church and followeth in these words It is not necessary that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one or vterly like for at all times they haue beene diuers chaunged according to the diuersity of contries times and mens manners So that nothing be ordained against Gods word 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 that others may feare to doe the like as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the authority of the magistrate and woundeth the consciences of the weake brethren Hitherto this article seemeth to haue litle or no opposition to the Church of Rome but it may be passed ouer with silence The rest of it immediatelie thus followeth Euery particular and nationall Church hath authority to ordaine chaunge and abolish ceremonies orrites of the Church ordained onely by mans authority So that all things be done to edifying This clause is euidentlie false and prophane in itselfe for making euery particular Church many thousands such being in the world to be supreame iudge sentencer not onely to ordaine chaūge abolish ceremonies and rites of the vniuersall Catholike Church but to haue ouerruling authority to decree and commaund what is fit or fittest for edification taketh away all possible hope of edification and bringeth most certaine destruction confusion and desolation by making so many thousands of Supreame Iudges in these doubts as there be particular Churches which is a thinge most foolish and irreligious to affirme and vnpossible to be acted Further it is directly opposite repugnant to their owne 19. and 20. articles before of the Church and authoritie thereof In the 19. article they teach that all particular Churches euen the cheifest haue erred not onely in their liuing manner of ceremonies but also in matters of faith Therefore by these Protestants wee may neither admit so many or any one such erring false Iudge in such things Neither by their doctrine may wee stand to the censure of any particular nationall Church but onely of the one Catholike militant Church of Christ which as it is euer by that article of our Creede I beleeue the holy Catholike Artic. 19. Church holy and vnspotted from errour so by these men in the same article it is thus assigned to be our onely true Iudge in these affaires The visible Churcb of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacramēts be dayly ministred according to Christs ordināce in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same And in their next article of the same one onely Church thus they decree in these words of the authority of the Church The Church hath power to decrecrites or ceremonies and authority in Controuersies of faith And their best writers haue published with their common and best allowance this sentence in this Question The primatiue Councels haue condemned Couell Mod. exam p. 65. them as heretikes onely for being stiffely obstinate in this kinde of denying the ceremonies of the Church They exemplifie thus in Aerius Aerius Feild l. 3. cap. 29 pag. 138. Couel exam pag. condemned the custome of the Church For this his rash and inconfiderate boldnesse in cōdemnig the vniuersall Church of Christ was iustly condemned The custome ceremonie and tradition which this heretike denied and was therefore by these men iustlie condemned was as they confesse naming the deade at the altare and offering the sacrifice of Eucharist for them This is but a ceremony by them because they contend it is not contained is scripture nor may be proued thereby as they likewise haue pretended for all other things which their Articles before haue reiected both in Sacraments and other doctrines and customes which I haue proued against them and doe leaue them as alterable ceremonies vpon that feeble and vaine pretence Vnder this pretence they haue taken away all our Missals or orders of holie Masse vsed in all Churches with their religious ceremonie from the Apostles time as I haue proued before So they haue done by all rituals and ceremonials about the ministring the Communion Booke and Booke of Consecrat of King Edu 6. Franc. Mason and the Prot. of their consecrat in Mat. Parker Prot. art 36 infra Stat. in parlamento an 2. Eduardi 6. holy Sacraments and brought in their places the childish and womanlie deuises of a named communion booke by yong King Eduard 6. and Queene Elizabeth and an other named and stiled by them The forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Preists and Deacons quite omitting all other orders euer vsed in all Churches from Christs time and these fashions neuer vsed before by their owne cōfession by anie Christian Britans Saxōs French or others in this Kingdome or all the world but to vse their owne words in these articles lately set fourth in the time of Eduard the sixt and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parlament the second yeare of the aforenamed King Edward He then being about eleuen yeares old a farre to yonge censurer Iudge and condemner of all Churches with their holie vniuersallie receaued ceremonies to bring in so straunge and childish an Innouation We are assured by the Apostolike men of this first age and others that euen from the Apostles there were manie particular ceremonies deliuered to be immutably vsed in all Churches Thus S. Clement and S. Dionisius the Areopagite Clem. Rom. Apost const lib. 8. cap. 29. Dion Areop Ecclesiastic Hierarc c. 2. with diuers others deliuer of hallowing oyle and water to heale diseases driue away deuils and and like effects settinge downe the verie manner how to sanctifie them Domine Deus Sabaoth Deus virtutum qui dedisti aquam ad bibendum oleum ad exhilarandum faciem in exultationem laetitiae ipse etiam nunc sanctifica per Christum hanc aquā oleum ex nomine eius qui obtulit tribue
demonstrate First then if the decree of this Article as they terme it were to be accepted and receaued for a iust and lawfull decree yet the first Protestant Bishops Preists and Deacons in Queene Elizabeth her time from which all that now bee in England or haue beene since then cannot be saide to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered by this verie Article it selfe For that supposed booke of King Edward the sixt being abrogated and taken away by Queene Maryes lawes and not afterward receaued by the Protestant lawes of Queene Elizabeth vntill in thes Articles in the yeare of Christ Booke of Articl an 1562. 1562. as their date is Queene Elizabeth beginning her Reigne on the 17. day of Nouember in the yeare 1558. all their first pretended Bishops Preists and Deacons must needs be vnrightly vnorderly and vnlawfully made though by that booke of King Eduard because there was no Protestant Right Order or lawe to make or admitte any into such places by that booke not approued or allowed by any Protestant Right Order or lawe all that time Againe the first Protestant consecration or admittance of any to bee a Bishop by that booke or order in Queene Elizabeth her Reigne Franc. Mason of consecrat Registr Matt. Parkeri Butler ep de consecrat ministr Suâ—cl ag D. Kell pag. 5. was on the 17. day of December in her second yeare as they pretend from their Register of Matthew Parker But their owne both priuate and publike Authorities proue that both Matthew Parker their first Protestant Archbishop and others were receaued and allowed for Archbishops and Bishops long before that time Franciâ— Franc. Godwin catal of Bishops in Durham 58. Cutberth Tunstoll Godwyn a Bishop among them saith Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterburie in the moneth of Iuly before about 6. Months before their first pretended consecration one the 17. of December Stow their historian then liuing and writing Stow Histor in Queene Elizab. an eius 1. testifieth that the same Matthew Parker Barlowe Scorie and Grindall were allowed and receaued for Bishops in the moneth of August the 9. day in publik solemnities The publik Iniunctions Iniunction Elizab. Regin â—n 1. Regin Iniunct 8. 28. 30. 51 53. of that Queene stiled Iniunctions giuen by the Qâ—eenes Maiestie Anno Domini 1559. the first of the Reigne of our Soueraigne lady Quâ—ene Elizaheth proue the same in diuers Iniunctions No man can say thes were onely Bishops Elect and not perfectly allowed or admitted for true Bishops For by the Statut. an 25 Henr. 8. an 1. Elizab. c. 1. statute of King Henry 8. an 25. reuiued by Queene Elizabeth in her first parlament anno 1. cap. 1. consecration must be within twenty dayes of election And their common consent in their greate Theater of great Brit. l. 9. cap. 24. col 20. Theater is that they were compleately allowed Bishops coÌ„secrated as they tearme that allowance many moneths before D. Parker was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury and of yorke D. Yong in steade of Heath who refused the oath and so of others Then went forth commissioners to suppresse those monasteryes restored by Queene Mary to cast out Images Hollinsh hist of Engl. an 1. Elizabeth Iniunct of Q. Elizab. Iniunct 23. sette vpp in Cburches So hath Hollinshed with others So in that Queenes pulike Iniunctions Thes commissions and commissioners being thus after those Protestant Bishops made or allowed went out so soone that as their histories confesse the religious howses were suppressed Protestant ministers were putte into westminster in place of monks all Church Images were pulled Stowe and howe 's histor in an 1. of Q. Elizab. downe and to speake in their owne words on the euen of S. Bartholomew the day and the morrow after were burned in Paules Church yarde Cheape and diuers other places of the citie of London all the Roodes and other Images of the Churches in some places the coapes vestiments altar cloathes bookes banners Sepulchres and rood lofts were burned The verie Iniunctions Iniunct 8. 30. 51. testifie that there were compleately receaued for Bishops diuers moneths before that 17. day of December both in the See of Conterburie yorke and in the other Diocesses with ample and full Episcopall power Therefore thes pretended Bishops could not possibly bee made but onely by a womanly presumed vayne and frustrate authoritie in such things Neither could any Register called Parkers Register be so termed except he had beene accepted and reputed for Archbishop before And all the first Protestant citers of this Register whether Matthew Parker himselfe as it is alleadged in his booke stiled Antiquitates Britannicae Antiquitat Brit. Hanouiae 1605. Butler ep de consec minist Sutcliffe contr Kell Godw catal of Bish. canterbur in Mat. Parker alijs Franc. MasoÌ„ booke of cons c. as Doctour Butler Doctour Sutclisse their Bishop Godwyn and Frauncys Mason do differ one from an other in citing thereof And whereas the printed Booke of Parkers Antiquitates Britannicae is the first that mentioneth any such pretended consecration of him and the rest and the others seeme to borrowe this from thence In the old manuscript of that booke which I haue seene and diligently examined there is not any mention or memorie at all of any such Register or consecration of either Matthew Parker or any one of those pretended Protestant Bishops as the obtruded Register speaketh of Neyther was there any one of the pretended consecratours of Matthew Parker from whome all the rest do clayme ordination a true and lawfull Bishop by Protestant proceedings Thes they name vnto vs william Barlowe Franc. Mason booke of consecrat pag. 127. Iohn Scory Miles Couerdale Iohn Hodgeskins by these Matthew Parker was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury the seuententh day of December in the yeare 1559. Two of thes 4. namely Couerdale and Hodgeskins were neuer allowed for Bishops in all Queene Elizabeth her time as the same pretended Register the printed Antiquitates Britannicae Godwyne Mason and others of them confesse confessing also that the other two were but Bishops elect Barlowe elect of Chichester Scory elect of Hereford But all men graunt both Catholiks and Protestants that men onely elect Bishops not consecrated or admitted cannot consecrate Bishops much lesse an Archbishop Metropolitan And Scory had beene adiudged before publickly to be no Bishop And Barlowe if he had beene a true Bishop neither would nor could in his owne Iudgement consecrate a Bishop For as thes men acknowledge both this Barlowe and Couerdale also held this horrible opinion against Episcopall Order The names of blasphemie against the Lord and hiâ— Barlowe and Couerdale apud Bal. l. Image of both Church Christ What els is Pope Patriarke Metropolitane primate Archbishop Diocesan and such like but very names of blasphemy Here is not one true consecratour Yet thes men in their pretended ordination of Bishops necessarily require to the admitting oâ— any such
Bishop especially an Archbishop botâ— the presence concurrence of a lawfull true Archbishop and others such Bishops as their owne pretended Prot. forme and manner of making Bishops Preists and minist Tiâ—ul consecrat of Bishops in praefat Rite and booke of consecrating Bishops doth thus plainely expresse Then the Archbishop and Bishops sent shall lay their hands vpon the head of the elected Bishop the Archbishop saying Take the holy ghost c. And it proueth further in these words It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and auncient Authours that from the Apostles time there haue beene thes orders of ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons Therefore to the intent thes Orders should be continued aâ—d reuerently vsed in the Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at this present Bishop Preist nor Deacon shall execute any of them except he be called tryed examined and admitted according to the forme hereafter following Which is that booke of King Edward the sixt receaued in this article and approued by their greatest warrants parlament Princes Supreamacie and publike practise among them And therefore howsoeuer either with by or without this booke forme and manner of King Edward their first Protestant pretended Archbishop Matthew Parker maker and allower of all such after as they freely confesse was made his making and admittance was frustrate inualid voide and of noe force by their owne censure and doome against themselues so of all others made by him no Bishop pretending or clayming that honour dignitie and office after by that vaine Idle and vnpossible Title to challendge to haue that or any other thing from him or them which neither had it for themselues or to giue to others And this I haue proued before from the Apostolike men of this age and from the Apostles themselues that a Bishop cannot bee consecrated but by true and vndoubted Bishops Episcopum mandamus Clem. const Apost l 3 c. 20. Anacl ep 2. Clem. const Apost l. 8. c. 33. ordinari à tribus Episcopis velad minus à duobus non licere autem ab vno vobis constitui And againe Episcopus à tribus vel duobus Episcopis ordinetur Si quis ab vno ordinetur Episcopo deponatur ipse qui eum ordinauit This is sette downe for an Apostolicall decree Now lette vs come to King Edwards booke so dignified in this article and particularily examine and disproue the validitie or sufficiency of that forme in euery point thereof And first whereas it maketh mention onely of Clem. const Apost l. 3. c. 11. l. 8. c. 21. 22. 28. ep 2. Ignat. ep ad Antioch ep ad Philadelphien ep ad Philippenses Anacl ep 2. Synod Rom. sub Syluestr c. 7. 11. Canis ep ad faelicem c. 6. Clem. const Apost l. 2. c. 61. Clem. Supr l. 8. const Apost c. 21. concil corth 4. c. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Bishops Preists and Deacons to haue beene in the Church from the Apostles time This holie time assureth vs of all other orders now vsed in the Catholike Church to haue beene also in those dayes in vse and practise Subdeacons Acolythists Exorcists Lectours and Ostiarij with their particular and seuerall offices duties consecration or admittance to those degrees and that no man might be a Bishop Preist or Deacon except he had first receaued those orders nifi prius fuisset lector deinde exorcista postea caperet onus Acolithi vt acciperet onus Subdiaconi deinde ad diaconatus honorem pertingeret By their consecration they were ordeined to assist and minister at the holie sacrifice of Masse a Subdeacon for the holie vessels calice paten cruetts Tribue ei spiritum sanctum vt vasa ad ministrandum tibi Domine Deus facta dignè attrectet An Acolithus to light candels and prepare and minister wine for the sacrifice of masse accipiat ceroserarum cum cereo vt sciat sâ— ad accendenda Ecclesiae luminaria mancipari accipiat vrceolum vacuum ad suggerendum vinum in Eucharistiam sanguinis Christi An exorcist receaued the booke of Exorcismes and power against deuils accipiat de manu Episcopo libellum in quo scripti sunt exorcismi dicente sibi Episcopo accipe commenda memoriae habeto potestatem imponendi manus super energumenos So of Lectour and Ostiarius All thes be wanting in this booke of King Edward and this Protestant Religion and all is wanting in it for which they were ordeined except deuils and possessed persons They may well want both them No true clergie man among Protestants of England and first no Deacon The English Prot. forme of making Bish. pr. and Deac Titul Deacons all Bishops Preists and Deacons also as they do For first their pretended booke of consecration giueth a Deacon onely authoritie to reade the ghospell in their Church for allthough their pretended Bishop layeth his hands one the heade of euerie such parson at his admittance to that office and sayeth vnto him Take thou authoritie to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed vnto thee Yet they presently interpret and limitte this office to be onely confined in reading the ghospell in thes words Take thou authoritie to reade the ghospell in the Church of God And such is their practise extending a Deacons office no further And they obstinatelie denie that he hath power or office to assist either Bishop or Preist in the holy Sacrifice of Christs blessed bodie and blood as that either Preist or Bishop may or can consecrate and offer the same We finde both the doctrine and practise of this first apostolike age to haue beene otherwise and the cheifest office of a Deacon as the very Greeke name it selfe still testifieth to be as Catholiks still vse it to minister vnto and assist thâ— Bishop or Preist in his holy Sacrifice So it is plainely witnessed in the old Masses and Miss S. Petri S. Iacobi S. Marci Clem. Const Apost l. 3. c. 20. l. 8. c 28. Missals ascribed to S. Peter S. Iames S. Marke and others S. Clement from the Apostles saith Diaconus ministret Episcopo Presbyteris oblatione ab Episcopo aut Presbytero facta ipse Diaconus dat populo non tanquam Sacerdos sed tanquam qui ministrat presbyteris And expresselie teacheth that it is the office and function of a Deacon thus to minister vnto Bishops and Preists this onelie or principally Diaconus L. 3. c. 20. sup ministret Episcopo Presbyteris id est agat Diaconum reliqua ne faciat And settinge downe the whole forme and Order of Masse sacrifice vsed and approued by the Apostles Bishops and Preists in his time euen from the beginning thereof vnto the end he bringeth in Deacons to performe their holie ministration and seruinge therein Praying to God to accept that Sacrifice Deaconus pronunciet Clem. supr l. 8. c. 19. Rogamus Deus Prodono oblato Domino
whole Christian worlde in that generally confessed puer and vnspotted time both by Catholiks and Protestants And these men confessing that Christ did not in any other place of scripture giue this sacrificing Preistly power vnto his Apostles the cheife founders of his Church and yet being acknowledged before to be our high Preist according to that Order of Melchisedech and both to offer the Sacrifice thereof and establish it for his perpetuall Preisthood and sacrifice it cannot be said by any but his Apostles were by him ordained sacrificing Preists at that time The words of the power hee then gaue them hoc facite do that which he in that preistly act and office did or had done being spoken by him which had both ample power and intention to giue and continue that preistly order at and in his place and time of Sacrifice and now no longer to continue with his disciples be as significant of that power as the words of consecrating true Preists by true and lawfull Bishops euer vsed in the Church of Christ Accipe potestatem offerre Sacrificium Deo Pont. Rom. in ordinat Presbyteri missasque celebrare tam pro viuis quà m pro defunctis Receaue power to offer vpp sacrifice to God celebrate Masse both for the liuing and deade For as I haue proued before both Christ and his Apostles so did and left that preistly power and practise to posteritie for euer to offer Sacrifice both for the liuing and deade And our Protestants themselues haue with publike allowance confessed it was the generall custome of the primatiue Church so to do and such as impugned ordenied it were iustly condemned for so doing And they haue with Regall Is Casaub resp ad Card. peron pag. 51. 52. Middleton papist omast pag. 51. 92. 113. 44. 137. 138. morton appeale l. 3. cap. 13. sect 1. pag. 394. cap. 13. authoritie and direction from King Iames published that it was the Religion of the King and the whole Protestant Church of England Haec est Regis haec est fides Ecclesiae Anglicanae that the fathers of the primatiue Church did acknowledge one sacrifice in Christian Religion that succeeded in place of all the sacrifices in the lawe of Moses And the King with his Protestants agreed with the Catholiks in their opinion de duplici sacrificio expiationis nempe commemorationis siue Religionis Concerning two Kindes of sacrifice the one of expiation for the world the other commemoratiue or of Religion And this Sacrifice is the bodie of Christ in the Eucharist as Catholiks hold Nobis vobiscum de obiecto conuenit De hoc est fide firma tenemus quod sit Praesentiam credimus praesentiam inquam credimus nec minus quà m vos veram Therefore to giue Preists power to offer this sacrifice there must needs be some consecratorie words or forme to bestowe it vpon them which if we recurre to scripture as thes men must do we can finde nothing there but those words of hoc facite in meam commemorationem spoken at the sacrifice time and place by Christ to those he then ordeined sacrificing Preists And this is most plainely confessed by thes our English Protestants with common and publike warrant both confessing that the order of the preisthood in the lawe of Christ was to offer sacrifice this sacrifice was the bodie and blood of Christ he made his Apostles such Preists at his last supper when he saide those words vnto them Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Marc. Anton. lib. 2. cap. 1. num 3. Do this is my commemoration Ordinis potestatem intelligo ad conficiendam Eucharistiam sacrificij in cruce per Iesum Christum peracti memoriam celebrandam ad quod Sacerdotium quoddam est necessarium Ad hoc Sacerdotium promoti sunt Apostoli à Christo Domino in vltima caena quando eis dixit Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Quando Christus Eucharistiae conficiendae Apostolis dabat potestatem dixit eis Hoc facite in meam commemorationem cap. 3. pag. 193. nimirum id quod me videtis nunc facere vos facite Hoc est sumite panem benedicite frangite porrigite similiter vinum consequenter Apostoli ex ipso facto Christi instructi certè diuina Christi institutione dabant Eucharistiam And they say that Christ in those words gaue power to his Apostles to consecrate or transubstantiate breade into Christs bodie and wine into his blood as he himselfe had done Accepto pane gratias egit fregit dedit cap. 4. pag. â—18 eis diâ—ens HOC EST CORPVS MEVM quod pro vobis datur Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Panis consecrationem in Corpus Christi vini in sanguiâ—em ipse coram Apostolis fecit eandem ipsi quoque vt facerent frangerent darent expressè mandauit Thus haue our Protestants published with their cheife authoritie Which I haue inuincibly proued before And the Apostles themselues best witnesses of their owne consecration to preisthood and how others are to be consecrated thereto so testifie and direct as S. Clement their disciple thus recordeth from their owne words Quare vos quoque Clem. const Apost l. 5. cap. 20. suscitato Domino offerte Sacrificium vestrum de quo vobis praecepit per nos dicens hoc facite in meam commemorationem The like testimonie is from them of themselues l. 8. const Apost cap. 5. and other Preists before offerendo Sacrificium mundum inâ—ruâ—ntum quod per Christum instituisti mysterium noui testamenti So haue others also before And to followe our Protestants Rule in expounding scriptures by comparing places and the new testament to preferre the Greeke Text S. Paule maketh it plaine vnto vs euen in our Protestants proceedings that those words of Christ to his Apostles Do this in commemoration of mee were spoken vnto them onely as Preists then consecrated For in S. Matthew and S. Marke they are not vsed Mat. 26. MaÌ„r 14. Luâ— 22. at all and in S. Luke they are onely at the deliuery of Christs bodie vnder the forme of bread hoc facite in meam commemorationem and not at the calice But S. Paule saith plainely that he had receaued from our Lord and so deliuered vnto others before he wrote it Ego enim accepi à Domino quod 1. Cor. 11. tradidi vobis and so writeth afterward that Christ said those words to this Apostles twice once at deliuering his bodie the other time at the calice yet it is euident before and our Protestants haue so graunted that lay people haue often communicated onely in one Kinde which had neuer beene lawfull if this commaunde and power in both had beene giuen to them therefore it must needs be a power and commaunde onely to Preists at their holie sacrifice who onely in the holie Masse haue euer and in all places both consecrated offered and there receaued in both Kindes
and no others so euer receaued at all times and places nor the Preists themselues as all writers Catholiks and Protestants confesse And this our Article Protestants themselues in their pretended booke and forme of consecration receaued in this Article Prot. forme and Manner of Making Bish. Preists and Deac in praef and other places do thus acknowledge It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and auncient Authours that from the Apostles time there hath beene thes Orders of Ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons which officeâ— were euermore had in such reuerent estimation that no man by his priuate authoritie might presume to execute any of them except he were first called tryed examined and knowne to haue such qualities as were requisite for the same and also by publike prayer with imposition of hands approued and admitted there vnto Where we finde it thus plainely and authoritatiuely with them confessed that Bishops Preists and Deacons were euer in the Church and truely and lawfully ordeined by such forme Order of consecration as was then vsed and thes Preists as they haue confessed in thes their Articles before in thes words vsed the sacrifices of Masses in which it commonly said Proâ— Artic. 31. supr was that the Preists did offer Christ for the quick the dead to haue remission of payne or gilt they are so farre from disallowing or disabling our Catholikly consecrating Massing Preists of the Roman Church whom they make Traytours in England to be truely and duely consecrated Preists that if any of them for feare or any other wordly respects will ioyne with rhem in their new Church seruice or profession he is allowed a minister with them without any further pretended order or admittance and they dignifie their first Catholike ordination so much that as they haue bestowed their greatest Church liuing vpon such so they deduce Francis Mason booke of Consecr Maâ— Parker Print Antiq. Britan. Sutcliff alij Pont. Rom. in ordinat Presbyteri and deriue their owne pretended ordination onely from such men Matthew Parker Iohn Scory and Miles Couerdale as they freely confesse And yet all our Catholike Pontificals or bookes of ordination do plainely proue testifie that our Preists being Deacons before are consecrated Preists by those words of the Bishop Accipe potestatem offerre sacrificium Take power to offer sacrifice to God and celebrate Masses both for the liuing and dead And immediately before he calleth such a parson ordinandum and quem ordinat Episcopus a man to be ordered and to whom the Bishop giueth preistly order and presently after those words nameth him or them that were thus ordered ordinati Sacerdotes Presbiteri ordinati Preists that be ordered And being thus fully ordered before any other ceremonie vsed by Protestants or not they celebrate the rest of the Masse euen consecrating the blessed bodie and blood of Christ with their consecratour Bishop and as consecrated Preists Presbiteri ordinati post Pontificem in terra genuflexi habeant libros coram se dicentes Suscipe Sancte Pater c. omnia aliâ— de missa prout dicit Pontifex qui tamen bene aduerâ—at quòd secretas morosè dicat aliqaantulum altâ— ita vt ordinati Sacerdotes possint secum omnia dicere praesertim verba consâ—crationis quae dici debenâ— eodem momento per ordinatos quo dicuntur per Pontificem And to putte all things out of question in this matter The scripture itselfe is euident witnesse that the Apostles themselues were ordered Preists by those words of Christ vnto them Do this in my commemoration equiualent as I haue proued to the forme now vsed in the Roman Church recited for all writers Catholiks and Protestants agree that all the Apostles S. Thomas and the rest were true and most properly lawfull Preists all our preisthood claimed and deduced from them and that they were all present at his last supper when he said the words do this vnto them Discubuit Luc. 22. Mâ—â— 26. Mâ—rc 14 duodecim Apostoli cum eo Discumbebat cum duodecim discipulis suis Dedit eis dicens HOC EST CORPVS MEVM quod pro vobis datur hoc facite in meam commemorationem But when he said those words to his Apostles receaue the holie ghost whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen and whose sinnes you reteyne they are reteyned From and by which thes our Protestants do clayme or pretend ordination S. Iohn the Euangelist then and there present doth witnes all were not there and namely S. Thomas was absent Thomas vnus ex duodecim non erat cum eis quando venit Iesus And so could not possibly be made Preist then with those words Yet all agree he was a Preist as perfectly and fully as any Apostle Agayne Iudas the Traitour was a Preist present at the consecration in the last supper of Christ and as S. Peter saith connumeratus erat in nobis Actor c. 1. sortitus est sortem ministerij huius Scriptum est in libro psalmorum Episcopatum eius accipiat alter Psal 68. De loco ministerij Apostolatus praeuaricatus est Iudas Which is more then our Protestants pretend for their pretended Preists or ministers Yet he was haÌ„ged deade before Christ spooke the other words and so could not possibly be eyther made Preist or be present then And S. Paule defining a Preist whether of the lawe of Moyses or Christ Hebr. 5. saith euery high Preist or Preist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnis Prontifex is taken forth of men hauing no such power ex hominibus assumptus to offer sacrifice for sinnes Vâ—offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke words and reading which our Prorestants followe are most proper for sacrifice and sacrificing Preists and so both Catholike our Protestant linguists and lexiconaries confesse and translate Masse and Masse Preist Sacrificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à sacrificio sacrificulus Thom. Thomas Scholae cantabrigien dictionar v. v. Sacrificium Sacrificulus alâ—are Morton Apolog. part 2. pag. 82. appeal l. 2. sect 1. cap. 6 pag. 162. sacrificus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Preist à Sacrificer à Masse Preist He setteth downe also the Sacrificing altar of Christians as thes our Protestants also translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altare altar and vnseparable correlatiue to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifice as they confesse and the word proueth And the Apostle doth so appropriate that altare to our Christians at holie Masse and the sacrifice of Christs bodie that it can be applied to nothing els saying none but Christians may eate of the sacrifice offered there vpon Habemus altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deserâ—iunt When neither Iew nor gentile is forbidden to beleeue in Christ our Protestants eating but called and exhorted vnto it by all meanes in holie scriptures And the same Apostle
in minde or admonished to styrre vp that gâ—ace which was in him before as they suppose in theâ— owne words Take the holy Ghost and remember 2. Timoth. 1. that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in thee by impositioâ— of hands for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare buâ— of power and loue and sobernes The very same whicâ— S. Paul absent wrote to S. Timothy longe after he â—ad consecrated him Preist Admâ—neo te vt resusciteâ— gratiaÌ„ Dei quae est in te per impoâ—â—tioneÌ„ manuum mearum non enim dedit nobis Deus spiritum timoris sed virtutâ—s dilectionis sobrâ—etatis So to him in aâ—other place Noli negligere gratiam 1. Timoth. 4. quae in te est quae â—ata est tibi per prophetiâ—m cum impositione manuum pesbyterij And it must needs haue this signification ad reference to grace giuen before by impositioâ— of hands in a precedent consecration for this act â—f imposition of hands being in fieri doing and nâ— acted cannot possibly giue grace in any opiniâ—n â—hough it were in lawfull and true imposition anâ— câ—nsecration vntill it be acted and finished because it is not an acted and perfect act nor grace vntill then And this act still continueth after those words vntill all these for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and loue and sobernes be pronounced And grace is supposed here to be in that party before any mention of imposition of hands And both the Greeke Latine and their owne English word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resuscites stirre vp the grace which is in the proue there is grace before if at all and not then giuen for none of those words in any language haue a giuing signification So it is in the whole sentence both in the Greeke and Latine Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I doe againe put thee in minde to styrre vp the guift of God which is in thee Thus the Greeke Adomoneo te vt resuscites gratiam Dei quae est in te I admonish â—e thee that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in â—hee Thus the Latine Here is no grace giuen at thâ—â— time bâ—t onely a putting in minde and admoâ—â—tion to styrre vp the grace which was beforâ— So in the words translated into English by ouâ— Protestants and heâ—e vsed remember that thou styâ—â— vp the grace of God which is in thee by imposition â—â— hands So theâ—â— words immediatly fâ—llowing for God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and loue and sobeâ—nes All speaking of â—race and power giuen before and not at that tiâ—â— And there is no scripture in any language nor adition no Ecclesiasticall writer no Pontificall or booke or Rites that euer appointed thes wâ—rds Take the holy ghost and those immediatly ioâ—ned in this Protestant forme of pretended conseâ—â—ation to be vnited and spoken together in such â—aâ—ner nor those from S. Paule to be vsed eitâ—â—r wiâ—h others or by themselues to be powerable to giue consecration and holie Orders to Bishop Preist or Deacon Neither possiblely can they coÌ„ferre any such grace or power being words neyther of giuing or receauing any thing at all from the speaker at that time The first words Take the holie ghost were not vsed of our Britans neyther are in the old Roman Order Yet our Protestans confesse they both had true Bishops and consecration and yet without them the ceremonie of the booke one the head of the elect And though the Roman Order now Pontif. Rom. in consecrat Electi in Episcopum vseth them yet it declareth that consecration is not so giuen nor a Bishop so consecrated but after them remayneth onely elect without that holie Order as before and so calleth him electus and consecrandus elect and to be consecrated but not consecrated Further thes Protestants haue told vs before both in their pretended booke of consecration and thes Articles that It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy scripture and ancient Authours that from the Apostles time there hath beene thes orders of ministers in Christs Church Bishops Preists and Deacons which officers were euermore had in reuerent estimation Men so euidently knowne to be Bishops Preists and Deacons and euermore had in such reuerent estimation must euermore be certayne that they are truely effectually admitted to those callings and dignities otherwise it would not be euident that there be and who be such men-it would be Prot. forme of Order in Preists Prot. Aâ—ticl Articul 19. vncertayne and doubtfull who is a Deacon a Preist or Bishop whether there is any true preaching ministring of Sacraments any Sacraments or Church at all For thes men allowe none to preach and minister Sacraments but such they define Articul the visible Church to be a congregatien of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs ordinance Sacraments be certayne sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good Will toward vs by which he doth worke inuisibly in vs. And yet making but two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord they thus declare and decree Those fyue commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Pennance Orders Matrimonie and Extreame Vnction are not to be compted for Sacraments of the ghospell for that thâ—y haue not any visible signe or ceremonie ordeyned of God Therefore this pretended Protestant forme and manner of consecration as also all their pretended Bishops Preists and Deacons are vaine and voide by their owne confession for in all thes they assigne laying one of hands a knowne and euident signe and ceremonie to be the certificate and assurance of such admittance and grace and power giuen as those Ecclesiasticall Orders require But if God did not ordeine this visible signe or ceremonie to such a purpose to make Episcopall other holie Orders a Sacrament which thes article and all their Religion denie no created or humane authoritie can giue such power and preeminence vnto it to be a signe or ceremonie ordeined of God a certaynâ— and sure witnesse and effectuall signe of grace Which their Article and Religion allowe onely to two Sacraments and in expresse terms vtterly denyeth to all Ecclesiasticall Orders either in Bishop Preist or Deacon Hereby falling into such desperate doubts and proceedings in this case that they are not onely condemned by priuate Catholike writers but publike censures sentences and consistories of the Catholike Church and all auncient and publikly receaued formes Pontificals and Orders of consecrating Bishops Preists and other Orders how old and generall soeuer from the Apostles time But by our owne temporall lawes and publike Iudgments as spirituall also both in in Catholike and Protestant times registred in their owne lawes Records in their owne courts and historians to haue neyther Bishop Preist Deacon or any other true Ecclesiasticall man among
them They write how Ridley made Preist by Catholike Order but Bishop by their new fashion when he was to be degraded by B. Brooke Bishop of Glocester delegate thereto in Q. Maryes time hee did onely then degrade him concerning preisthood being iudged to be no Bishop Foxe tom 2. pag. 1604. Mason l. 2. pag. 92 Record degrad Rid. as our Protestants and Records thereof testifie in thes his words to Ridley we must proceede according to our commission to degrading taking from you the dignitie of preisthood for we take you for no Bishop So it was also adiudged by the common lawes Brooke Abridg an 1576. tiâ—ul leases num 68. of the land in that time Bishops in the time of King Edward the sixt were not consecrated and therefore a lease for yeares made by such and confirmed by the deane and chapter shall not binde their Successours because such were neuer Bishops Of thes pretended Bishops which were thus by publike Iudgment in lawe disabled to do teÌ„porall offices for want of true ordination and power how much more were they vnable to performe any spirituall function belonging to that highest holie Order yet this is published for law euen in Q. Elizabeth her time longe after thes new Protestant Bishops were so allowed and still remaineth among their receaued and adiudged lawes And so generall and vniuersall a consent was of all in authoritie Pope Prince Prelates and whosoeuer that this new Protestant forme gaue no consecration that their owne Protestant applauded writers thus confesse it Touching Articles of Q. Mary to Bish. Boner Consecrat l. 5. cap. 12. foxe Act. mon. vol. 2. p. 1295. such parsons as were here to fore promoted to any Orders after the new sorte and fashion of Orders they were not ordered in verie deed This was the common and publike sentence of Pope Prince and Prelates in Queene Mary her time of the preteÌ„ded Bishops of King Edward the 6. when there was more pretence for them theÌ„ these diuers Catholikely ordained Bishops then liuing and some helping in their new ordering now and from Q. Elizabeth her time not one at all And it is contained in our old lawes Iudex secularis non potest Bracton fol. 401. degradare clericum magis quà m ad ordines promouere A secular Iudge can no more degrade a Preist or Clearke then he can promote him to orders And it was publikly adiudge in lawe That the parlament Temp. Henrici 7. fol. 27. 28. could not make the Kinge being a lay parson to haue spirituall Iurisdiction Then much lesse could it giue to King Edward the sixt to speake Protestants Stow an 1. Edw. 6. Hist words proclaimed King of England and also of Ireland the supreame heade immediately in earth vnder God being of the age of nyne yeares and to Queene Elizabeth a woman by Sexe disabled in such things both to haue spirituall Iurisdiction and supreame spirituall Iurisdiction and spirituall power Episcopall or Pontificall to conferre and giue both spirituall highest order and Iurisdiction to whom and by what meanes it pleased them contrary to all Christians in the world Catholiks Protestants and whosoeueâ— none out of England so proceeding in such affaires Aâ—d in the time of Queene Elizabeth both particular wrâ—â—â—rs records and her parlament publikely in the 8. yearâ— of her Reigne assure vs that their new Bishops making was by diuers both doubted of and denied to be lawfull The Protestant cheife Iustice of the common plees Lord dyer setteth downe that Bishop â—onner publikely pleaded they were no Bishops and namely Doctour Horne so admitted and it wâ—s adiuged by all the Protestant Iudges that Bishâ—â— Bonner might so pleade And the Protestants would neuer come to tryall with him therein And the next Parlament in her 8. yeare cleared him and all other Catholikes so in iâ—pugning those Bishops offering the oath of supremaâ—y vnto them in these words Be it exacted that no person or persons Statut. in parliament an 8. Elizab. cap. 1. be empeached or molested in body lands or good by occasion are meane of any certificate by any Archbishop or Bishop heretofore made in the first session of this parlament touching or concerning the refusall of the oathe set fourth by act of parlament in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth And that all tenders of such oath made by any Archbishop or Bishop aforesaid and all refusals of the same oath so entered by any Archbishop or Bishop shall be voyde and of noe effect or validity in the lawe And to helpe afterward what they could thus they enact diuers questions haue lately growne vpon the Statut. in parliam an 8. Eliz supr c. 1. making and consecrating of Archbishops and Bishops within this realme whether the same were and be duely done according to the lawe or not Therefore it is thought conuenient hereby partly to touch such authorities as doth allowc and approue the making of the same Archbishops and Bishops to be duely and orderly dâ—â—e according to the lawes of this Realme her hâ—â—â—nesse in her letters patents vnder the greate Sâ—â—â—e of England directed to any Archbishop Bisâ—â—p or others for the confirming inuesting and coâ—secrating of any parson elected to the office or digâ—â—â—y of an Archbishop or Bishop hath not onely vsâ—â— such words and sentences as King Henry and King Edward did in their letters patents diuers other general words and sentences whereby her highnesse by her suâ—râ—ame power and authority hath dispenced with all â—auses or doubts of any imperfection or diasbility thâ—t can or may in any wise be obiected against the saâ—e These be the onâ—ly authorities the statute doth or could bringe â—eing all carnall and humane not one diuine or â—cclesiasticall vtterly vnable to make a lawfull true Bishop or confirme any for such being bâ—t meere phantasies letters patents the greate Seale of England of a woman such words and sentences as King Henry the eight and King Eduard his child contrary to the vniuersall Church of Christ vsed A womans supreame power authority and dispensation in all causes doubts Imperfections or disabilities in any wise to be obiected and that not onely their pretended Archbishops and Bishops but others neither true nor pretended Archbishops or bishops did as their words be plaine by this most straunge and infirme feminine commission confirme inuest and consecrate Archbishops Bishops which as they haue confessed before with all authorities none but true lawfull Bishops in approued receaued forme and manner can doe And yet this parlament doth thus approue all such as were thus made whether by the Queenes letters patent and men no Bihops true or pretended and without King Edwards forme or any other remembred or by King Edwards forme and fashion to be lawfull Bishops in these words All Statut. an 8. Eliz. supr acts and things made or done by any person or persons in or about any elected to the office of any Archbishop or Bishop by vertue of
Marc. Protestant consent so proue and deriue it S. Denis Anton. l. 2. de Republ. Eccl. caâ— 2. is so plaine that they plainely thus confesse it Areopagitae Dionysio tributum opusculum vnctionem ponit expressè So they confesse of S. Anacletus made Preist by S. Peter the Apostle addit vnctionem capitis Anacletus quae est antiquissima The words which he vseth deducing his doctrine Anacl ep 2. and practise from the Apostles be these Bishops are to be made by Imposition of hands of Bishops with the ghospels which they are to preach and holie vnction by the example of the Apostles because all sanctification consisteth in the holie ghost whose inuisible power is mixed with holie Chrisme and by this Rite solemne Ordination is to be celebrated Where we finde by this greate Apostolike authoritie that the grace of this Sacrament and power Episcopall is giuen by this Rite And these Protestants as by this they must and Prot. supr in Marc. Anton. are enforced confesse so of the holie fathers following both in the Greeke and Latin Church that they were consecrated Bishops by holie vnction Gregor Nazianc orat 20. de laudib Basil orat 5. ad Basil part Sim. Metaph. in vit Crisost Petr. Chrisolog Ser. de S. Seuero Isidor l. 2. de offic Eccl. c. 25. S. Iuo Ser. de reb Eccl. Steph. Aduen Sacr. alt c. 9. So of S. Basile vnctione sacrâ adhibitâ est ordinatus So of S. Gregorie Naziancen me Pontificem vngis So were S. Iohn Chrisostome and S. Seuerus Of S. Augustine S. Gregorie with others I haue spoken before To which we may ioyne S. Iuo Stephanus Aduensis and other auntient writers and expositours of holie mysteries and all Orders of Consecration By this it is euident how certayne and vndoubted a thing it is That the consecration vsed in the Romane Church is most true holie and honourable both for Order and Iurisdiction euer as is demonstrated before both in this and other nations from the Apostolike Roman see and in the old Orders of consecration the Bishop to be consecrated protesteth obedience to the Popes of Rome And how the case standeth with the Protestants both of England and all others it is as lamentable to know their desolate condition THE XXVII CHAPTER The 37. article intituled of the ciuill Magistrates thus examined and whosoeuer against the Roman Church condemned THeir 37. and next Article is intituled of the ciuill Magistrates And thus followeth The Kings Maiestie hath the cheife power in this Realme of EnglaÌ„d and other his dominions vnto whome the cheife gouernment of all estates of this Realme whether they be Ecclesiasticall or ciuill in all causes doth appertaine and is not nor ought to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction The Bishop of Rome hath no IurisdictioÌ„ in this Realme of England The rest of this article containeth an excuse of ProtestaÌ„ts that they did not giue to their temporall Prince power to preach and minister Sacraments as some interpreted their opinion and other things not questioned betweene Catholiks and English Protestants but betweene these Protestants and some other new sectaries among themselues and be these The lawes of the Realme may punish Christian men with death for heynous and grieuous offences It is lawfull for Christian men at the commaundement of the Magistrate to weare weapons serue in the warrs These positions are graunted and allowed by all Catholiks The first part of this article giuing vnto the King a temporall Gouernour and Ruler cheife gouernment ouer all estates in all causes Ecclesiasticall or ciuill as also their statute and oath of Princes Supremacy in spirituall things fighteth with and contradicted it selfe for thus it addeth we giue not to our Prince the ministring either of Gods word or of the Sacraments the which the Iniunctions also sometime set fourth by Elizabeth our late Queene doe most plainely testifie Therefore seing Kings be not Teachers preachers Doctours Pastours and sheephards in the Church and fould of Christ to giue them some place therein members of it and not to be quite excluded from the name and number of Christians we must needs say they be of them which be taught preached vnto instructed sheepe and subiects fedde ruled and gouerned by them which haue authority and spirituall power in such things And these our Protestants haue accordingly this defined the Church before in these their articles The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached Protest art 19. sup and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs ordinance They to whome the word is preached and Sacraments be ministred and neither haue power to preach nor minister Sacraments which this Article confesseth of their Protestant Kings and temporall Rulers cannot possibly in the respect be cheife Gouernours of theÌ„ to whome God himselfe hath power and preeminence The holy Scriptures do in many places commaund obedience both to temporall spirituall Rulers but obedieÌ„ce in matters of Religion in feeding and ruling soules the flocke of Christ gouerning his Church and such spirituall emnencies is onely appropriated in theÌ„ to spirituall gouernours Qui benè praesunt Presbyteri duplici honore digni sunt Pascite qui in vobis est gregem 1. Tim. 5. 1. Petr. 5. Ioh. 21. Act. 20. Hebr. 13. Dei pasce agnos meos Pasce oues meas Attendite vobis vniuer so gregi in quo vos Spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei quam acquisiuit sanguine suo Mementote praepositorum vestrorum qui vobis locuti sunt verbuÌ„ Dei. Obedite praepositis vestris subiacete Ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Where we see neither king nor Prince if he will belonge to the Church of Christ haue his soule purchased with his blood a care had of it and accompt made for it can be free from this obedience much lesse can he clayme it for himselfe from them to whom it so infallibly belongeth by the highest authority The Apostolike men of this first age haue testified this at large before in the examination Ignat. epist and Anâ—ioch Ep. ad Smyrn Epist ad Philadelph Magnesian Trallian of the last precedent article S. Ignatius hath taught vs a Bishop is aboue all principality and power Episcopus omni Principatu potestate superior est No man is more honorable then the Bishop Nemo Episcopo honorabilior Preists and Deacons all the clergy together with the people and Souldiars and Princes and the Emperour also must obey the Bishop Cum populo militibus at que Principibus sed Caesare obediant Episcopo Be subiect to the Bishop euen as to our Lord for he watcheth for your soules and is to make accompt for them Therefore it is needfull that you doe nothing without the Bishop No man may doe any thing that belongeth to the Church without the Bishop Sine