Christianography, Chapter 3

Christianography · Chapter 3

p. 54CHAP. III.

THESE Chriſtians agree with us in the maine points of religion, they are all baptized in the name of the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghoſt, &c. And in the principall points of controverſie betweene the Roman Church, you ſhall ſee how they agree with us, and differ from them. In this Chapter I will ſet downe therefore.

p. 551 The principall differences betweene vsus & the Church of Rome.

2 How the Churches before named, agree with vsus in the cheife points in controverſie.

3 I find theſe Churches; not Hereticall, but Orthodoxall in the maine.

4 Of the agreement of the Proteſtants among themſelves.

5 Of the difference amongſt the Papiſts:

6 Of the agreement of the Ancient Roman Eaſt and South Church, with vsus in the points ſet downe, and alſo of Gregorie the great Biſhop of Rome, who ſent Auſten into England.

7 Of the Religion of the Antient Brittans, and of their differences from the now Roman Church.

8 Of the Pietie and Devotion of the Chriſtians before named.

1 The principall differences betweene the Romaniſts and us.

THE maine difference betweene the Church of Rome and us conſiſts, in certaine points, which they of Rome hold for important and neceſſary Articles of the Chriſtian faith, which we doe not beleive or receive for ſuch.

For the things which we beleeue are verities cleerely founded upon Scripture and ſummarily p. 56ſet downe in the Creed, and vnaminouſly received by all Orthodoxall Chriſtianes

This Creed; which the Antients thought compleat enough, ſeemeth to the Romaniſts defective, and therefore they have adioyned and added to the ſame, many new Articles yea, to thoſe twelue, which the Apoſtles ſet downe, for a ſufficient Summary of wholeſome doctrine.

The Articles of their New Creed and

Doctrines are:

Their Apocryphall Scriptures.

Their Dogmaticall Traditions, which they equall with the holy Scriptures.

Their Tranſubſtantiation.

Their Communion in one kinde.

Their Purgatorie.

Their Invocation of Saints.

Their Worſhip of Images.

Their Obedience to the Pope, without which no ſalvation.

Their Latine Service.

Their Trafique of Indulgences.

Theſe and other new doctrines are Canonized in their late meeting at Trent, and vponupon theſe and the like, is the conteſtation betweene the Romaniſts and vsus: theſe are obtruded by them, as vndoubted verities, and to be believed under the Popes curſe. Theſe are reiected by vsus as human inventions, ſome of them cunningly deviſed p. 57to advance their ambition & avarice, without any ſolid ground or countenance of Scripture, or Antiquitie. He that deſireth to ſee mere of the differences betweene the Romaniſts and us, let him reade Doct. Field of the Church.Doct. Field of the Church, Booke 3. cap. 7. pag. 83.

2 The Agreement of the Churches before named with us, in the chiefe Points in Controverſie following.

Of the Greeke Church.

AS the writings of the Greeke Fathers, for above five hundred yeares ſpace after Chriſt, give teſtimonie to our Religion in the maine Points thereof: So alſo the Churches at this day in thoſe parts doe hold with us, and we and they againſt the now Romiſh Church. As,

1 The Greekes deny the Popes Supremacie.

Cyrill Patriarch of Conſtantinople.) 1foreign. Cap. 10. pag. 28.Wee beleeve, that no mortall man can be Head of the Church, and that our Lord IESVS CHRIST is the alone Head.

p. 58Marke, 2foreign. Concilium Ptorens. pag. 721. Binius.Archbiſhop of Epheſus.) We account the Pope as one of the Pariarks, if he be Orthodox.

Nilus, 3Archbiſhop of Theſſalonica) The Greeke Church, though it never denied the Primacie of Order to the Pope of Rome, foreign, &c. Nilus de Primatu, pag. 101.yet their aſſumed predominancie of Authoritie they have alwayes reſiſted.

The Emperour Ioannes Paleologus) ſubmitted himſelfe to the Pope in the Councell of Florence, 41436. in hope of Aide againſt the Turke: Paulus Aemilius cited by Biſhop Iewell, Defence of the Apolog. pag. 411.for which he was ſo hated of his people, that being dead, they denied him Chriſtian buriall.

Jſodore Archbiſhop of Kiovia) returning from the ſayd Councell, 5becauſe he began,Hunc Moſcovitae obedientiam Romanam praedicantem ſpoliaverunt, & in necem extremam impulerunt. Mathias à Michou, de Sarmatia, lib. 2. cap. 1. for unities ſake, to move the people to ſubmit themſelves to the Pope, was depoſed from his Biſhopricke, and put to death.

2 They account the Pope and his Church Schiſmaticall.

The Patriarke of Conſtantinople doth yearely, upon the Sunday,In Praefaclene ante acta & ſcrepta Theelogorum Wirtembergenſium & Patriarchae Conſtantinopolitani, Dom. Hieremiae, An. Dom. 1576. 1called Dominica invocavit, ſolemnely p. 59excommunicate the Pope and his Clergie for Schiſmaticks.Summum antem Pontiſicem Chriſti Vicarium omneſque Latinos pre excemmunicatis babens. Elench. Alphab. omnium Hareſeum, lib. 7. pag. 202.

Prateolus) The Graecians account Chriſts Vicar, the Pope; and the Latines, excommunicate perſons.

3 Concerning Tranſubſtantiation.

Cyrill the Patriarch of Conſtantinople.) 1foreign Cap. 17. pag. 60.In the adminiſtration of the Euchariſt, we doe confeſſe a true and reall preſence of Chriſt; but ſuch a one, as Faith offereth us; not ſuch as deviſed Tranſubſtantiation teacheth: For we beleeve, the faithfull to cate Chriſts body in the Lords Supper; not ſenſibly champing it with their teeth, but partaking it by the ſence of the ſoule: for that is not the body of Chriſt, which offereth it ſelfe to our eyes in the Sacrament; but that which Faith ſpiritually apprehendeth, and offereth to us. Hence it enſueth, that if we beleeve, we cate and participate; if we beleeve not, we receive no profit by it.

p. 60Hierimi the Patriarch teacheth,foreign. Reſponſ. 1. pag. 101. 2a change of bread into the body of Chriſt, which he calleth foreign, that is a tranſmutation, which is not ſufficient to inferre a Tranſubſtantiation, becauſe it may ſignifie onelyonly a myſticall alteration, which the Patriarch in the ſame place plainely ſheweth, ſaying, the body and blood of Chriſt are truely myſteries, foreign. 1 Patriar. Reſponſ. cap. 10. pag. 86.not that theſe (ſaith he foreign,) are changed into humane fleſh, but wee into them: for the better things hauehave ever the preheminence.

Neither was the fleſh (ſaith he) of our Lord. which he carried about him given to his Apoſtles for meate, not his blood for drinke, neither now in the holy myſteries doth the Lords body deſcend frō heaven: this is blaſphemie.

Ganlterus.) The Greeks ſay,Malos, dum conſecratum panem accipiunt, non accipere corpus Ieſu Chriſti: hoc ipſum perpeino Calvini Ministri in ore habent. In Tabula Chronograph. pag. 604. de Photio, 19. 4that the wicked eating the conſecrated bread, doe not receive Chriſts body: This alſo the Calviniſts Miniſters, have alwayes in their mouthes.

p. 614 They celebrate the Euchariſt in both kinds.foreign. 1 Patriar. Reſponſ. de Abuſib. pag. 129.

Hieremie the Patriarch:) 1You ſay the holy Supper ought to be received in both kindes, and you ſay well, ſo alſo doe we, when we doe receive thoſe venerable Myſteries.

Cyrill the Patriarch.foreign. Cyrill cap: 17, pag 61.

As the Inſtitutor ſpeaketh of his body, ſo alſo of his blood, which Commandement ought not to be rent a ſunder, or mangled according to human Arbitrement, but the Inſtitution is to be kept intire as it is delivered to us.

Prateolus.) 3Item eſſe, neceſſario ſub vtraque ſpecîe panis ſcilicet et vini communis andum, adeo quidem, vt qui vna ſpecie tantum communicat, etiamſi laicus ſit, peccare dicatur. quod (ut aiunt) contra Chriſti praceptum agat, qui ſub vtraque ſpecie communicare praecipit. Prateol elench: Alphab: omni: Haereſ: lib: 7: pag. 202:The ſay of neceſſitie they muſt Communicate in both kindes, both of the bread and the wine, ſo that if any take it vnderunder one kinde, although a lay-man, he is ſaid to ſinne, becauſe they ſay, he doth againſt Chriſts Commandement: Who hath commanded to communicate under both kindes.

p. 625 They denie Purgatorie fire.

Cyrill, 1foreign. Cap. 18. pag. 66.Patriarch of Conſtantinople.) We beleeve the ſoules of the dead to be in bliſſe, or in damnation; according as every one hath done.

Nilus, 2foreign. Nilus. pag. 119. de Purgator. igne.Archbiſhop of Theſsalonica.) Wee have not received, by Tradition from our Teachers, that there is any fire of Purgatorie, nor any temporall puniſhment by fire; and we doe know, that the Eaſterne Church doth not beleeve it.

Alfonſus de Caſtro.) 3It is one of the moſt knowne errors of the Graecians and Armenians, Vnus ex notiſſimie erroribus Graecorum & Armenorum eſt, quo docent nullum eſſe Purgatorium locum, quo animae ab has luce migrantes purgentur, à ſordibus, quas in corpore contraxerant, antequam in aeterna Tabernacula recipi maereantur. Adverſ. Haereſ. lib. 12. pag. 188.that they teach, that there is no place for Purgatorie, where ſoules after this life are purged from their corruptions, which they have contracted in their bodies, before they deſerve to be received into the eternall Tabernacles.

Guido) ſarth,Quintus error Graecorum eſt quia dicunt Purgatorium non eſſe. De Haereſibus Graecorum. 4It is the fifth error of the Greekes, that they ſay there is no Purgatorie.

p. 63Gaulter.) That there is no Purgatorie, 5Purgatorium non eſſe, quod idem Calvinus, &c. De Photio, pag. 603.which Calvin affirmeth, &c.

6 They allow married Prieſts.foreign. Prim. Patri. Reſpon. p. 129.

Jerem. Patr.) 1Wee doe permit thoſe Prieſts that cannot containe, the uſe of Marriage, before they be conſecrated; for GOD hath commanded Marriage: And we are not ignorant, Marriage being forbidden to Prieſts, filthie things to be committed by them.

Pope Stephen the ſecond.) 2The Prieſts, Deacons,Diſtinctio 31. Aliter. and Subdeacons of the Eaſterne Church are married.foreign. Cyril, Reſp. ad inter. 4. p. 97.

7 Concerning Jmages.

Cyrill the Patriarch.) We doe not forbid Pictures, the Art is noble: 3We grant unto them that wil have them, the Pictures of Chriſt, and Saints; but their adoration, and worſhip, we deteſt, as forbidden by the holy Ghoſt, in holy Scripture; leſt we ſhould ignorantly adore Colours; Art, and the creature, in ſtead of our Creator and Maker.

p. 64Damaſcen.)foreign. Damaſcen. lib. 4. cap. 17 p. 343. Baſileae. 8They make no Image of God. Who can make an Image of God? who is inviſible, incorporeall, and incircumſcriptible, &c.

8 For the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture, they agree with us.

Damaſcen.)foreign. Ortho. fidei, lib. 4. cap. 18. 1The Wiſedome of Salomon, and others, are not numbred amongſt the Canonicall.

Cyrill, 2foreign. Reſponſ. 3. pag. 91.the Patriarch.) Wee beleeve the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture to be thoſe, which the Laodicean Synod hath ſet downe, and which the Catholicke Orthodox Church of Chriſt, being illuminated by the holy Ghoſt, hath confeſſed to this day; to wit, 22 Bookes of the Old Teſtament.

9 The ſufficiencie of holy Scripture.

Cyrill.)foreign. Cyril, p. 91. Reſp. 3. 1We call the holy Scriptures all the Canonicall bookes, which we receive as the rule of faith, and of our ſalvation, and ſo we do retaine them: and chiefly, p. 63becauſe being divinely inſpired, they ſet before vsus the doctrine which is ſufficient to inſtruct, to inlighten, and to make perfect him that commeth to the faith.

Againe,foreign. Cyrill cap: 2. pag 5. Lomb: lib: 1. Diſtinct, 11. v. Dicunt quod veritas in Evangelio fidem integram continet. foreign. Nilus de caufis diſſent. pag 2.1 foreign. de Ortho fide lib. 1 cap. 1. the Authority of the Scripture is aboue the authority of the Church; &c.

Men may erre, and be deceaved, but the holy Scripture cannot erre nor deceive, nor be deceived, but is alwayes infallible and certaine.

Lombard.

The Grecians beleive and ſay that the truth in the Goſpell conteineth intirely the faith, that is to ſay, the doctrine of Faith.

Nilus Archbiſhop of Theſſalonica) To accuſe the Scriptures is as great a fault as to accuſe God himſelfe. 3But God is void of all blame.

Damaſcen whatſoever is delivered unto us in the law and the prophets, 4by the Apoſtles & Evangeliſts, that we receive, acknowledge & reverence, and be ſides theſe we require nothing elſe.

p. 6610 They do not forbid the Laitie the reading of the Scriptures.foreign. Cyrill Reſpon. 1. pa. 81.

Cyrill the Patriarch) As the hearing of the holy Scriptures is forbidden to no Chriſtian man, So no man is to be kept from the Reading of it: For the word is neere in the mouth, and in their harts, Therefore manifeſt iniurie is offered to any chriſtian man, of what ranck or condition ſoeuer he be: who is deprived or kept from reading or hearing the holy Scriptures.

11 They Renounce workes of Supererogation and Merit workes.

Hierem: foreign.the Patriarch.) Affirmeth. That we muſt doe good workes, but put no confidence in them,foreign. Prim. Reſponſ. Patr. cap 6 pa. 71 we muſt not truſt nor beleeve in Them, Although we have fulfilled all things yet we are unprofitable ſervants, according to the words of our Saviour.

p. 67Cyrill the Patriarch:)foreign. Cyril cap. 13. We beleive a man to be Iuſtified by faith, not of workes.

They concurre in Aſſertion with the Proteſtants.Sir Fdwin Sands Relation of the religion in the Weſt. ſect. 53. That it is impoſſible for any creature to merit, as by way of right, the leaſt dramme of reward, at his Creators hands: But whatſoever reward is beſtowed vponupon the creature, floweth forth from the meere bountie, and gratiouſnes of the Creator, who as in goodnes alone, and meere grace did make him, ſo alſo in meere grace, doth advance him to that high happineſſe.

12 They allow not private Maſſe. Chytraeus,

No private Maſſes are celebrated amongſt the Greekes, Conſtat miſſas privatas abſque cō municantibus non ab eis celebrari ſolere: Chyt. de ſtatu eccleſ: pag 14without other Communicants, as their Liturgies and Faithfull Relations teſtifie.

Ioannes Hoff-meiſterus.) 2Res ipſa clamat tam in Graeca quam latina eccleſia Non ſolum Sacerdotē ſacrificātem: ſed et re-page missing The thing it ſelfe doth ſpeake, and cry alowd, both in the Greeke, and in the Latin Church that not onlypage missing p. 60ſacrificing Prieſt but the Prieſt and Deacons and the reſt of the people or at leaſt ſome part of the people did communicate together.Praesbyteres, Diaconos. Nec non et reliquam plebem aut ſaltem plebis aliquam partem communicaſſe. Ioannes Hoffmeiſterus apud Caſſan conſult. lib. de ſolita. miſſ. pag. 996.

Marcus Epheſinus ſaith that the prieſt in the Latin Church cateth all and drinketh all himſelfe,Feidl of the Chur. lib. 3 cap. pr. pa. 55. giving no part to any that are preſent, no not to the Deacon that aſſiſteth him, yet cryeth aloud take and eate: So ſaith he that they do many things contrary to the traditions received from the Fathers, contrary to the words of Chriſt & contrary to themſelves and their owne words in this myſtery.

13 They have prayer in a knowne tongue.Bella. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 16

Bellarmine) Confeſſeth prayer in a knowne tongue continued long in the Eaſt and Weſt Churches.

Nicholas) The Greekes do celebrate their.Celebrane miſſa nella lingua loro per poter eſſere inteſi dal commun pepolo. Nicolas lib. 4 cap. 36. Liturgie in their owne Language that it may be underſtood of the common people.

p. 6114 They uſe not prayer for ſoules to be delivered out of Purgatory.

Nicholas) The Greekes deny Purgatory and affirme that the prayers of the living profit the dead nothing.Negano il purgatorio affirmando che 1 prieghi digiuni et elemoſine de viventi nulla giovino all anime de deffuncti: idem ibidem.

Villamont) The Greekes admit not Purgatory.N'admettent le Purgatoire Villamont uoiag: lib. 2 cap. 21.

Prateolus) when they take away Purgatory They affirme alſo that prayers avayle not the dead.Cumque tollunt Purgatorium dicunt etiam defunctis nihil prodeſſe orationes Prateo pag. 203 lib. citato error. 15.

15 Of extreme unction.

Poſſevin) The Greekes reiect the ſacrament of extreame unction.Poſſevin de Moſcovia negano Greci che viſiapin dinna ontione di creſima fol 86. Villamont lib. 2. cap. 21 ils nient le ſacrament d'entreme onction.

Villamont) The Greekes know not the Sacrament of extreame unction.

16 Of elevating and carying about the Sacrament that it may be adored.Feſtum vero corporis Chriſti more Romanae eccleſiae non venerantur Moſcov. religio.

Gaugninus) The Grecians do not obſerue the feaſt of Corpus Chriſti And generally al the Chriſtians p. 70do accord againſt the latin Church;Cathol: tradit: queſt: 29 pag. 160 and do not keepe the Sacrament to imploy it to any other uſe, then our Saviour Chriſt hath inſtituted it, as to carry it in proceſſion or the like.

Sacranus) The Ruſſes and the Greekes do not elevate the Conſecrated bread to be worſhipped at the Alter.In altari poſitū nemoveueratur ne que elevatur: ſacran: elucid: errorum cap: 2: error 20.

18 Of Indulgences and Sale of Maſſes.

Hieremie the Patriarch) They that make gaine of the Sacrament do ill.foreign. Hier. Patr. Reſpon. 1. pag 130.

19 Of the Sacrifice in the Maſſe.

Neither is there in their Cannon any mention made of the ſacrifice of the body and blood of CHRIST for the Redemption of the living and dead.Nee ullam in eorum canone ſacrificii corporis et languinis Chriſti pro redemptione vivorum et mortuorum oblati mentionem fieri Chytrae: de ſtatu eccleſ: pag: 14.

And thus much of the agreement of The Greeke Church with the Proteſtants: This Cyrill before cited was firſt Patriarch of Alexandria (to whom Archbi: Spalata dedicated his booke) and now the is … atriarch of Conſtantinople: p. 71being Patriarch of Alex andria he wrot letters to the moſt Reverend father in God the late Archbiſhop of Canturbury, and ſent one Metrophanes to Oxford who is now returned into Aegipt.

The manner of Adminiſtration of the Sacraments, of Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, in the Greeke Church.

FOR the Adminiſtration of the Sacrament of Baptiſme:The adminiſtration of the Sacrament of Baptiſms The Preiſt having ſaid certaine prayers, taking the child in his armes, and putteth him three times into the water, ſaying, the ſervant of GOD N. N. is Baptized, In the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt: and ſo concludeth with certaine prayers as we doe.Euchariſt. Hierem: Patr. pag 103.

For the Adminiſtring of the Euchariſt or Lords ſupper, the Grekes have two Liturgies, one St. Baſil for ſome holidaies, the other St. Chryſoſtomes.

St. Baſil biginneth. O God our God who haſt ſent this heavenly bread, the food of all the world, St. Baſils Lieturgie. foreign ctc.our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; to be to us a Saviour, a Redeemer, and a benefactor bleſsing, and ſanctifying us, bleſſe this our offering and take it into thy Superceleſtiall Alter: Remember Lord (thou that art good, and loving to mankind) them that offer, and by whom they offer, and keepe us immaculate in the holy ſervice, of thy Divine Myſteries &c.

p. 64Many other prayers and thanks givings follow for Gods benefitts beſtowed vponupon the Church; from the begining of the world, and for the Redemption of man kinde by the Sonne of God, borne for vsus: ſuffering, dying, and raiſed againe: etc:

And then reciting the words of the Inſtitution:foreign. Jn the night in which he gaue himſelfe for the life of the world, taking bread in his holy and immaculate hands, giving thankes, and ſhewing to thee God and Father, bleſſing, ſanctifiyng, breaking. He gaue to his holy Diſciples and Apoſtles ſaying: Take yee, eate yee, This is my body which is broken for you: in remiſſion of ſinnes.

Likewiſe he tooke the Cup of the fruite of the vine mingling, giving thanks, bleſſing and ſanctifiyng

Hee gave to his holy Diſciples and Apoſtles ſaying: Drinke yee all of this, This is the blood of the New Teſtament, which is ſhed for you, and many, for the Remiſſion of ſinnes.

Do this in remembrance of me as oft as ye eat this bread or drinke this Cup confeſſe my death, and ſet forth my reſurrection &c.

Then the Prieſts pray that thoſe Antitypes may be Sanctified by God.foreign.

And that the Receivers may participate of the Sacrament, not to their condemnation. But that they may finde favour before God, in the company of all the holy Fathers, Prophets, Apoſtles, p. 73Mary the holy virgine, Iohn Baptiſt etc.

Then offering the Sacrifice of praiſe for the Catholicke Church, for them that offered Almes, for the Emperour, for all the people, for the Common wealth, for the Archbiſhop, for all Miniſters of the Church, for ſeaſonable weather, for the rooting out of Haereſies, and Schiſmes, and that they may all with one heart and one mouth, celebrate God the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghoſt Eternally.

This ſolemne prayer being ended, and the Letanies, and the Lords prayer premiſed, all Communicate.

And the remainder of the bread and offerings, being carried into the Veſtry.Cap: 21: de Inſtitutis Graecorum, foreign. The Deacon and people give thankes to God.

Chriſtopher Angelus) writeth, that at the Chauncell dore, the Preiſt delivereth the Evchariſt, the bread and the wine mingled together, ſaying: N. N. the ſervant of God receiveth, In the name of the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghoſt; Amen. And the people ſay every one, with an humble voyce, Lord, I doe not kiſſe thee as Iudas, but as the Theefe, I truſt thou wilt remember me in thy Kingdome.

There is no mention made in this Liturgie of Saint Baſil, of the offering of the body and blood of Chriſt by the Preiſt, nor of redeeming of the living, or dead, by this worke.

p. 74Or applying of this oblation for others that receive it not.

And the bread and wine after conſecration, are called Antitypes: and they pray, that God would ſend his holy Spirit vponupon the receivers, and to Sanctifie the bread: &c.

For the Liturgy of St. Chryſoſtome, although there is mention made of an oblation, yet not of a Propitiatorie, of the body and blood of CHSIST, but of an Evchariſticall Sacrifice, of praiſe, thanksgiving, or Almes.

Wee offer vntounto thee, this rationall and unbloudy worſhip, wee In vocate, ſupplicate, and offer unto thee, foreign:for the Patriarches, Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, for the virgine Mary, we offer to thee, this reaſonable ſervice for all the world, for the whole Church, for our Kings, and their Armies, as Tertullian ad Scapalum, ſaith, we ſacrifice for the health of our Emperour to our God, and his, in pure prayer.

Although their be ſome things in this Liturgie of Saint Chryſoſtomes, which I will not Iuſtifie to be his: which may be added ſince his death, yet in that I finde no Popiſh Tranſubſt antiation, nor private Maſſe.

The Sacraments are Adminiſtred in both kinds. No ſacrifice is offered in it, to deliver ſoules out of Purgatorie.

Married Prieſts adminiſter, and it is adminiſtred in the Greeke tongue.

p. 75The Mengrellians and the Circaſsians are of the Greeke communion, and of the Patriarch of Conſtantinoples obedience,Brerwoods enquiries Pag, 135. they live intirely by themſelves.

The Chriſtians.

Inhabiting the greateſt part of Aſia the leſſe, live mingled with Mahometans, and acknowledge not the Pope, but are Chriſtians of the Greekes communion, and alſo of the Patriarch of Conſtantinoples obedience.

Of the Georgians.

There Religion is the ſame, both in ſubſtance and ceremonies with the Graecians, yet in no ſort ſubiect to the Patriarch of Conſtantinople: but to their owne Metropolitan.

For their Liturgies.

The Georgians have for their vulgar ſpeech,utūtur Graeco idiomate in ſcripturis divinis et Graecorum conſuetudines in ſacramentis obſervant Vitriac: hiſtor orient: cap. 80. de Georgianis. a peculiar language of a middle temper, which well agreeth with the poſition of their country, betweene the Tartarian and the Armenians, as Geſner and Poſtel, have obſerved in their bookes of Languages: yet notwiſtanding they have their liturgies in the Gre…ke tongue: as Jacobus p. 76a Vitriaco, Geſner, Poſtel, Roccha, and divers other; have certainely recorded, cited by Mr. Brerwood.

The Moſcovites.

The Muſcovites affirme,Ioannes Faber: ad Ferdinandum Regem Romanorum cui erat a confeſſionibus in Theol: Muſcovit: p…g. 170. that they follow that faith which they had preached to them by St. Andrew the Apoſtle, & alſo thoſe things which were concluded of by 318 Biſhops in the firſt Nicene councell under Conſtantine the Great: and which were preached to them by Baſill the Great, and St. John Chryſoſtome, which things They beleeve to be ſo holy ſo firme, and ſincere: That it was never lawfull for any of them to depart from them in the leſt manner: as neither from the Goſpell of Chriſt

1 Supremacy.

Sacranus) They denie the Popes Supremacy,Dicunt dominum Papam haereticum eſſe cum ecclefix Romana, et anathematiſant ipſum, tempore cenae domini cum ſuo clero Sacr: cap, 2 error 3. in elucidar. error. affirming the Pope to be an heretick, and they do excomunicate him and his Clergy: p. 77They are ſubiect to their owne Patriarch of Moſco.

Prateolus) They deny the Roman Church to be head over all other Churches.Negant Romanam eccleſiam eſſe caput omnium aliarum eccleſiarum: Prateolus elench: haereſ: pag 228.

Guagninus) they condemne and curſe the Romans,Romanos damnant et execrantur tanquam primitivae eccleſiae deſertores et ſeptem ſanctarum ſynodorum praevaricatores Guagn: de: Relig. Moſco. pa. 231. as forſakers of the Primitive Church, and breakers of the ſeven generall Synods.

2 They Reiect Purgatory.

Sacranus) They reiect Purgatory and acknowledge only two Receptacles of ſoules, heaven,Aſſerunt Purgatorium non eſſe, ſoſū eſſe duo receptacula aminarum, caelum et infernum Sacran: lib citat error: 33. and hell.

Guagninus) The Greekes and the Ruſsians deny Purgatory.Purgatorium Graeci et Rutheni negant: Guagnin. pa. 232 lib. citat.

3 They deny the ſpirituall efficacy of extreame unction.

Sacranus, Dicunt ſacramentum extremae unctionis nullam adverſus peccatireatum medelam conferre poſ ſe Sacra. lib: citat err: 14.They ſay the Sacrament of extreame unction, doth conferre no helpe againſt the guilt of ſinne.

Poſſevine) They deny the Sacrament of extreame unction to the ſicke.Extremae unctionis ſacramentum oegrotantibus negant Poſſevin de rebus Moſoovit pag. 3.

4 They adminiſter the communion in both kindes.

The Prieſt mingling both the bread and wine together in the Chalice,Sacramentum ſacerdos cocleari ex calice in portiunculas minutas redactum, et vino commixtum communicantibus diſtribuit Caſſand: litur: cap. 15 eſi comunicano ſub utraque ſpeciè Bot: rel: univ. par: 3 lib. 1. diſtributeth it together with a ſpoone.

Boterus) They communicate under both kindes.

5 They allow married Preiſts.

Dreſſerus) The Ruſſe Prieſts have their wives,Sacerdotes Rutenici proprias uxores habent, et ſunt coniuges apud Neand pag. 559: and are married men

6 They have their ſervice in a knowne tongue.

And the Goſpell and Epiſtle is read in their Church in their own tongue,Sacra ſive miſſa ſlavonica lingua peragitur &c. Guagni. pag: 230 lib citat. and their communion in the Slavonian tongue, with ſome Greeke hymnes.

The Slavon is their vulgar tongue

p. 717 They deny Confirmation to be a Sacrament.

Sacranus,)Dicunt Confirmationis Sacramentum nullum eſſe. Sacran: loco citat. They ſay, that their is no Sacrament of Confirmation:

8 They abhorre the Jmages, and reiect moſt of the Saints of the Romiſh Church.

Guagninus,)Habent in Catalogo ſanctorum Romanos quoſdam pontifices quos inter Sanctos venerantur: Caeteros vero qui poſt eorum ſchiſma fuerunt: Execrantur et pro haereticis graviſſimis eos habent: Guagni: de relig. Moſcovit pa: 229: They hauehave in the Catalogue of Saints, certaine Roman Biſhops, which they reverence as Saints: but the others which were after their Schiſme they curſſe, and account them grevious Haereticks.

Sacranus, Sacran: loco citat: err: 6:They blaſpheme the Saints of the Roman Church.

Sacranus They abhorr the Images made by the Catholickes.Imagines operis & Artificii Catho licorum horrent Sacranus loco citat: err: 7

9 The wicked eate not Chriſts body in the ſacrament

Poſſevine They ſay that they which are defiled with ſome ſinnes,Dicum qui ſunt aliquibus pecatis inquinati corpus Chriſti Domini non recipere. Poſſev: de rebus Moſcovi …. doe not receive the Lords body in the Sacrament.

10 They refuſe to Communicate with the Roman Church.

p. 80Sacranus, Si caſu quis Catholicorum preſbyterorum in altaribus eorum celeb…verit mox velut execratū, violant & effringunt. Sacran. loco. citato err: 23.If by chance any Catholicke Prieſt ſhall celebrate vponupon one of their Altars, they violate it, and breake it as a thing curſſed:

This Church, except in exacting mariage of their Prieſts, differeth not in any materiall point from the Graecians.

The Ruſſe Liturgy or Church-ſervice, their manner of Adminiſtration of the Sacanmemts.

THEIR morning Service they call Zautrana, that is Mattms. It is done in this order: The Prieſt entreth into the Church with his Deacon following him. And when he commeth into the midle of the Church, he beginneth to ſay with a lowd voice, Blaſſlavey vladika that is, Bleſſe vsus heavenly Father, Bleſſe vsus heavenly Paſtor, (meaning of Chriſt) then he addeth, In the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt, one very God in Trinitie: and Aſpod: Pomeluy or Lord hauehave mercy vponupon vsus: repeating three times. This done, he goeth on towards the Chauncell or Sanctum ſanctorum, (as they vſe to call it) and ſo entreth into the Scharſ vey Dwere, or the heavenly dore: which no man may enter into, but the Prieſt only where ſtanding at the Altar or Table; (ſet neere to the p. 81vpper wall of the Chauncell) he ſaith the Lords prayer; and then againe, Aſpody Pomeluii, or Lord hauehave mercy one vsus, &c. pronounced 12 times. Then praiſed be the Trinitie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, for ever and ever, whereto the Deacons and people ſay, Amen. Next after, the Prieſt addeth the Pſalmes for that day, and beginneth with: O come let vsus worſhip, and fall downe before the Lord etc. Therewithall, himſelfe with Deacons, and people croſſing themſelves, bow downe three times; after this, he readeth the ten commandements, and Athanaſius Creed out of the Service Booke.

This being done,Boter: par: 3 lib: 1 pag: 81 They hauehave divers of the fathers tranſlated into their owne tongue: as Baſill, Chryſoſtome, Damaſcen, and Gregory the great, whoſe Home lies they do read on holy dayes to the people. the Deacon that ſtandeth without the heavenly doore, or Chancell, readeth An Homilie out of Baſil, Chryſoſtome, Damaſcen, or Gregorie, which they have tranſlated into their owne tongue, or the lives of ſome of their Saints: After all this, (which reacheth to an houre and an halfe, or two houres of length) he addeth certaine Collects, or prayers vponupon that, which he hath read, and ſo endeth his Service.

About 9 of the clock, they have another ſervice called, Obeidna or complim; if it be ſome high or Feſtivall day: Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, etc. and we praiſe thee O God, is ſung with a more ſolemne, and curious note.

p. 82Their Evening ſervice is called Vecherna where the Prieſt beginneth with Bl…ſlavoy Vladika: as he did in the morning, and with the Pſalmes appointed for the Ʋecherne, which being read, he ſingeth: Mi…ſ…ule doth magnifie the Lord, &c And thē the Prieſt, Deacon, & people, all with one voice, ſing Aſpody Pomeluy, or Lord have mercy upon us, thirtie times together: Whereunto the boyes, that are in the Church, anſwer all with one voice, as faſt as their lipps can go, Ʋerii, Ʋerii, Ʋerii, &c. Praiſe, Praiſe, Praiſe, &c. thirty times together Then is read by the Prieſt (and upon the holidayes ſung,) the firſt Pſalme, Bleſſed…s the man &c. and to the end of it, is added Alleluia, repeated ten times.

The next in order, is ſome part of the Goſpoll read by the Prieſt, which he endeth with Alleluia, repeated three times, ſo having ſaid a collect in remembrance of the Saint of that day, he endeth his evening Service.

All this while, the Prieſt ſtandeth at the Altar, or high table within the Chancell; whence be never moveth all ſervice time: The Deacon or Deacons, (which are many in their Chathedrall Churches, ſtand without the Chancell by the Scarſvey Dwere or heavenly doore.) The people ſtand together the whole ſervice time in the body of the church, & ſome in the church porch, for peiw or ſeat they have none within p. 83in their Churches: & it were to be wiſht, there were none in ours

The Prieſt ſtandeth ready in the Churchpoarch with a tub of water:The manner of the Ruſs Baptiſme. The words uſed by the prieſt when he dippeth the child, are the very ſame, that are preſcribed in the Goſpell and uſed by us, viz. In the name of the Father, Guagn. de relig: Moſcovit.and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt. As often as the Godfathers are asked, whether they do renounce the Divell, ſo often they ſpit upon the ground.

The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, And the manner of their communicating.The administration of the Lords Supper. Firſt they confeſſe themſelues of all their ſinnes to the Prieſt: Then come they to the Church, and are called up to the communion table, that ſtandeth like an Altar, a little removed from the upper end of the Church; here, firſt they are asked of the Prieſt, whither they be cleane or no, that is, whither they have never a ſinne behind, that they left unconfeſſed: If they anſwer no, They are taken to the table, where the prieſt beginneth with certaine uſuall prayers, The communicants ſtanding in the meane time, with their armes foulded one within an other, like penitentiaries or mourners; when theſe prayers are ended, the Prieſt taketh a ſpoon and fi…eth it full of Claret wine, Then he putteth into it a ſmall peece of Bread, and tempereth them both together: and ſo delivereth p. 84them both to the Communicants that ſtand in order, ſpeaking the uſuall words of the Sacrament, Eat this &c. Drinke this &c. both at one time, without any pauſe.

After that, he delivereth them againe, Bread by it ſelfe, then wine, carded together with a little warme water, to repreſent Bloud more rightly, and the water withall, that flowed out of Chriſts ſide.

Whiles this is in doing, the Communicants unfold their armes. And folding them againe; follow the Prieſt three times about the Communion table, and ſo returne to their places, againe having ſaid certaine other prayers, he diſmiſſeth the cōmunicants with this charg, to be ioyfull, and to cheere up themſelves for ſeven dayes next following: which being ended, he inioyneth them to faſt for it as long time after, which they uſe to obſerve with great devotion: eating, nothing elſe, but bread and ſalt, except a little Cabbage, and ſome other hearbs, or rootes, with water or quaſſe mead for their drinke.

The Rites which the Muſcovites uſe this day in their holy meetings ex comentariis Sigiſmundi Liberi apud Caſſandrum, liturg. Car 15 Pag. 32.

No Prieſt dare adminiſter the Sacrament of the Lords Supper,Nullus ſacerdos, …ut ſacra obire aut ba…tizare aut alio quovis fungi munere audet niſi Diacono praeſente. or Baptize, or do any other ſpirituall worke, except the Deacon be preſent.

p. 85In every Church they have but one Altar,In ſingulis templis unicum tant… Altare, et in dies ſingulos unum quoque ſacrum faciendum putant and in every day they adminiſter but once.

They adminiſter the Sacracrament in the vulgar tongue,Totum ſacrum, ſeu Miſſa, gentili aut vernaculâlinguâ, apud illos perag… ſolet. and in it is their liturgy.

They read the Epiſtle,Epiſtola praeterea, Evangelium pro tempore, quo magis a popul… percipiantur, extra chorum populo aſtanti, lata voce, recitantur. and the Goſpell without the Quire, (the people ſtanding round about them with a loud voice.)

They communicate in both kinds,Communicant ſub utrâque ſpecie miſcente vino panem, ſeu corpus ſanguine: mingling or putting the bread, and wine together.

The Prieſt taketh a part of the bread, and wine,Sumit ſacerdos cocleari, ex calice portiunculam, porrigitque communicanti: out of the cup with a ſpoone, and giveth it to the Communicants.

The Melchites.

Or Syrians deny the Pope of Romes ſupremacy,Villam lib: 2 cap: 22 les Syrio…s ſe vantent, eſtre les premiers chre ſtiens du monde, pour ſe que ſainct Pierro tint ſon ſiegè ſeptans en Antioche; au paravant que d'aller a Rome qui eſt cauſe que iamais les ſyrious n' ont voul… ſe foubs mettre a' l' Egliſe Romaine: and are under the Patriarch of Antioch, they ſay, they were the firſt Chriſtians in the world, and that Saint Peter was their Biſhop at Antioch, ſeven yeares before hee came to Rome, and therefore they will not ſubmitt themſelves p. 86unto the Biſhops of Rome as before.Idem ibidem quand ils cōmunient ceſt ſou. les deus eſpeces.

They receive the Euchariſt in both kindes.

They acknowledge the Soules of the iuſt to be in Paradice,ils croient que les iuſtes ſont en Parad's et les meſchans en enfer, idem ibidem. and the wicked to be in hell.

Their Preiſts have wives.Sacerdotes eorum utuntur uxoribus: Vitriac: hiſt. orient cap. 75. Patriarchi pieu ellegono e conſecra no Veſcovi e gl… Archiveſcovi a lor ſuaditte Boter Rel. par: 3 lib 2 cap de melchiti.

The Patriarch, 4is choſen by the Archbiſhops or Biſhops, 5that are under him.

They altogether obſerve the Cuſtomes,Conſuetudines autem et inſtitutiones Gracorum, in divinis officijs et in aliis ſpiritualibus, Syriani pemtus obſervant, vitriac: hiſto. orient: cap 75. and inſtitutions of the Greekes in divine offices, 6and in other ſpirituall ſervices.

They account the Latins excommunicate perſons.Omnes latino… excomunicates reputent Vitriac: hiſt orient cap. 75 Brerwood page 138.

All theſe Chriſtians before named, are of the ſame Communion; and in effect, of the ſame Religion with the Graecians.

And whereas the Greeke Church is Charged by the latine Church, with this error, that the holy Ghoſt proceedeth onelyonly, from the Father, and not from the Sonne.

The Greekes uſe to ſay;foreign. proceeding from the Father by the Sonne, ſo ſay the Patriarchs Ieremie and Cyrill, in their confeſſions.

And the Patriarch Joſeph, in the Councell of Florence, explaineth himſelfe in theſe words,

p. 87We ſay, that the holy Ghoſt, foreign. Iraeneus Rodoginus.proceedeth from the Father by the Sonne, eternally, and ſubſtantially, as from one beginning, and cauſe.

The Greekes d…e charge the Latins.

WITH whom, they will have no Communion, with theſe errours, and opinions amongſt others.

With their Image worſhip, forbidden by the Epheſin Councell.

With the Popes Supremacie, which he challengeth over all the Churches, contrary to the Decrees of Antient Councells; and eſpecially, to the fourth generall Councell of Calcedon, which attributeth Superioritie, to the See of Conſtantinople.

That they ſcarce reade the Sacred rules, and holy Scriptures; They ſay, that the Popes commandements, who for the time ſitteth in the See of Rome, are their Canons, and Lawes.

The Pope and his Prieſtly traine, will remit ſinnes, to a prefixed and determinated time, of Monthes, or yeeres. They ſport after the ſame manner, with by paſt offences, forgiving the ſinnes of dayes, Monthes, or yeeres. And yet they cannot tell by what authoritie, and vponupon what grounds, or by what Eccleſiaſticall Canon they doe this.

They ſhut up all Prieſts and Deacons, from mariage by their lawes, and they hold it an abominations, p. 88to receive the Sacrament, from a maried Prieſt. And yet their are many Churchmen amongſt them, who commit whoredōe, and all kinde of uncleaneneſſe, moſt ſecurely, without puniſhment.

When the Goſpell is reading, & their Maſſe is ſinging, all men who pleaſe, ſitt, and yet they are never blamed by their leaders; Laicks ſitt with Prieſts, and men of holy orders, and ſometime the ſame Laicks, carrie ſpurres vponupon their heeles, and alſo rods in their hands; yea, which is worſt, they ſuffer doggs to enter into the Church; and when the Prieſt is ſacrificing; and celebrating the hoaſt, which they hold to be life, giving bread; they ſuffer dogges ſitting at the Prieſts feete, to barke at all thoſe that come in, and to fawne upon the Prieſts and others, that ſtand by, at the time of Conſecration,

The too great and extraordinary exaction of the Popes legates, for when they brought Chriſme or Creme to Conſtantinople, they demaunded eighty pounds weight of gold for it, beſide other gifts &c. Thus farrethis author: Conſtantinople had communion ſome few yeres which the Biſhop of Rome, when the Latins had taken it by force, as alſo Hieruſalem.

You may ſee more of theſe ſet down, by Peter Stewart in Calecam, pag. 407 editione Ingolſtandienſi p. 891608 ex variis Graecorum monumentis.

The Armenians.

AMongſt the Saints, they reverence moſt,Inter ſanctos colunt plus Thaddaeum Apoſtolum, aſſerentes quod eos converter it, et fidem Chriſti docuerit. Mathias a michou: de Sarmatia Europea lib. 2 cap. 1. Thaddaeus the Apoſtle, affirming that he converted them, and taught them the faith of Chriſt.

1 Supremacy of the Pope.

They have a Primate of their owne,Proprium habent Primatem, quem Catholicum appellitant, et cui, velut ſummo Pontifici, per omnia obtemperant. Romanum ſiquidem Antiſtitem contemnunt, eum dicentes non eſſe caeteris ſuperiorem: Prateolus de haereſ: Armeniorum Liter. A. 67. pag: 63 Vitriac: cap: 79. whome they terme Catholick, and obey as their cheife Biſhop, and the Biſhop of Rome they do deſpiſe, and ſay, that he hath no ſuperiority over others.

2 Tranſubſtantiation.

Prateolus,)Negant illi verum Chriſti corpus, realiter in Sacramento Euchariſtiae, ſub panis, et ſanguinem ſub vini ſpeciebus, contineri. Prateol: loco citat, error. 12 They deny the true body of Chriſt, to be really in the ſacrament of the Euchariſt, conteined under the ſpecies of bread; and the blood under the forme of the wine.

They deny the true body of Chriſt &c. Ʋt ſupra.Negant illi verum Chriſticorpus realitur. ut ſupra: Thom: a Ieſu de converſ: omnium gentium lib: 7 part 1 cap: 17 pag 399.

p. 90They do not beleeve,Non credunt quod conſecratione facta: per verba Chriſti ſuper panem et vinum, ſit ſub ſpeciebus panis et vini, vere et realiter, verum corpus, et ſanguis Chriſti, ſed tantum in ſimilitudine, et ſigno. Guido, de error: Armen: 22. that conſecration being made by the words of Chriſt, over the bread and wine, the true body and blood of Chriſt, is truely and really, under the ſpecies of bread, and wine, but onelyonly in a ſimilitude and ſigne.

3 They mingle not Water with Wine.

Gau lterus,)In Eucharistia vino mero, ne… mi nima aquae ſtilla permixto, vtendum docebant Gaulter. lib. cit: de Armenis pag 549. They teach in the Euchariſt, meere wine is to be uſed, not mixed, with the leaſt drop of water.

Guido,)Dicunt enim quod aqua non eſt miſcenda vino in ſacramento Altaris, et ſi aquam ponant, dicunt nullum ſacramentum eſſe: Guido de Haer: Armen: 24. They ſay, that water is not to be mingled with Wine, in the ſacrament of the Altar, and if they put water, they ſay it is no Sacrament.

4 They reiect purgatory.

G…ulterus,)Purgatorium explodebant, explodit Calvinus; Gualter: loc citat. Aſſerunt praeterea, nullum eſſe purgatorium locum, in quo animae ab hac luce migrantes, purgentur a ſordibus, quas in corpore contraxerant antequam in a terna tabernacula recipi mereantur Prateol: loc: cotat. 21. They deny Purgatorie as Calvin doth.

Prateolus,) Moreover, they doe affirme, that their is no Purgatorie, or place, in which Soules departing from hence, are purged p. 91from the filth, they have received in their bodies; before they ſhall deſerve to be received, into the everlaſting Tabernacles.

5 They admit Married Prieſts.

Chytraeus) Married Prieſts,Nec ſacerdotes mariti ab adminiſtratione ſacri arcentur. Chytr: de ſtat: eccleſ. pag 23. are not put from their Miniſtry.

6 They diſtribute the Euchariſt in both kindes.

Chytraeus,)Omnibus integrum ſacramenlum diſtribuitur. Chytr. loc. citat. To every one the whole Sacrament is diſtributed,

7 Of Matrimonie.Negabant matrimonium eſſe ſacramentum. Gaulter: loc. citat.

Gaulterus) They deny Matrimonie, to be a Sacrament.

8 Prayers for the dead, are in vaine.

Gualterus) The Prayers are in vaine,Vanas eſſe preces, quae pro mortuis funduntur. Gaulter: loc. citat. haereſ. 26. that are made for the dead.

9 They worſhip not Images.

Baronius,)Venerabiles imagines non adorant ſed quod magis eſt, eorum univerſalis epiſcopus cum reliquis, eos q…i adorant, anathemate percutit; Baron. tom. 10 pag: 256. They adore not the venerable Images, but that which is more, their vniverſall Biſhop with others, doe Anathematize them, that doe adore them.

p. 92They have the ſervice in their owne tongue.

Chytraeus,) They uſe not in their ſervice, any other tongue, but their owne vulgar language.

10 They exerciſe their common divine ſervice,Mathias Michou de ſarmatia lib. 2 cap. 1 Armen: ſuo ritu guadent, … literis. Vitriac: cap: 79. in the Armenian tongue.

And they have their Bible in the Armenian tongue, which tranſlation, is ſaid to be St. Chryſoſtomes worke, after his baniſhment from Conſtantinople; hee then living with them.

For their Liturgies, Caſſander ſetteth downe three.

The Armenian Liturgie, out of the booke of the obſervations of Peter Bellonius. lib. 3. cap. 12 ſet downe by Caſſander; Liturg. Cap. 13 pag. 31

THe Armenian Prieſts are maried,Presbyteri Armeniorum ſunt coniugati, item ut Graecorum: et in celebrandâ miſſâ calice utuntur, Latinorum more, eiſdemque or namentis veſtiuntur, neque vero magno pano conſecrant Graecorum more, ſed ut Latini minutis oblatis ſeu hoſtiis. and in Celebrating the Sacrament, (which he calleth the Maſſe) they uſe a chalice, as the latines do, and are clad with the p. 93like ornaments, as they are: neither doe they conſecrate with a greate loafe, as the Greeks do, but as the latins, with litle Cakes, or hoaſts.

As many as ſtand neere the Prieſt, anſwere,Quotquot aſtāt ſâcerdoti, reſpondent cantando Armenice. ſinging in the Armenian tongue.

When the Armenian Prieſt readeth the Goſpell, they that aſſiſt,Cum presbyter Armenicus dicit Evangelium, aſſiſtentes in vicem ſe dextra ſiniſtraque deoſculantur kiſſe one another, both of the right, and left ſide.

The People have their ſervice in the Armenian tongue,O mnes aſſiſtentes linguam Arme nicam, qua utitur ſacerdos, intelligunt. which they underſtand, being their vulgar.

The forme of celebrating the myſteries of the Chriſtians, or Armenians that are in India, out of the booke of Odoardas Barboſa written in Italian; apud Caſſand. Liturg. Cap: 14 pag. 31.

The Armenians in India ſay maſſe at the Altar, as ours doe,Armenii qui ſunt in India, dicunt miſſam ad Altare quomodo noſtri cum cruce ante ſe. with a Croſſe before them.

There are three one in the middle,Sunt autem tres: unus in medio, et ad utrumque latus ſinguli. and one on each ſide.

Every one cometh to the foot of the Altar to receive,Vnuſquiſque vadit, vt partem accipiat, ad pedem altaris.

For the Element of Wine becauſe p. 94there is no wine in India they take raiſons,Pro ſacramento vini, eo quod in India reperiatur vinum, accipiuntuvas ſiccas, et imponunt aqua ut molliantur una nocte: et aie ſequente quo dicenda eſt miſſa, exprimunt: quo ſucco, utuntur loco vini. and put them into water to moyſten them, one night; and in the day following they preſſe them, and the iuyce thereof they uſe for wine.

Out of the Order of the celebrating the Sacraments, which the Armenians obſerved in the Citie of Leopolis, in Ruſcia, tranſlated out of the Armenian tongue, by Andrew Lubelczik, ſet downe by Caſſander Litur: Cap. 12, pag. 29.

In communicating the Prieſt ſaith.Fide credo in ſanctiſſimam Trinita tem &c. Fide manduco ſanctum, vivificans, et ſalvificans corpus tuum, Domine Ieſu Chriſte ſit mihi, ad abſolutionem peccatorum meorum. Fide bibo ſanctum impermixtum ſan guinem tuum peccata delentem, Domine Ieſu Chriſte in remiſſionem peccatorum meorum.

By faith, J doe beleeve, in the holy Trinitie, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt.

By faith, I do eate thy holy quickning, and ſaving body, O Lord Ieſus Chriſt, let it be to me, to the abſolution, and remiſsion of my ſinnes.

Drinking of the Cup.

By Faith, J drinke thy holy, and unmingled blood, blotting out my Jinnes, Lord Ieſus Chriſt, for remiſsion of my ſinnes.

In this Liturgie, the Euchariſt is adminiſtred in both kindes.

No private Maſſe is Celebrated, all muſt Communicate.

No Tranſubſtantiation acknowledged.

They receive by faith.

Married Prieſts adminiſter.

They celebrate divine ſervice, in their owne tongue.

p. 95And there is no ſacrifice, for delivery of ſoules out of Purgatory: But I do not take upon me, to iuſtifie all things in theſe Liturgies.

The Maronites, before their reconciliation.

Boterus,) They profeſſe obedience to their owne Patriarch,11Boter. Relat. par. 3 lib. 2 cap. de maronit. but have been ſubiect to the Patriarch of Antioch.

Patriarcha Maronitarum) Our Laicks,22Interrog. 3 apud Thomam a Ieſu lib. 7 part 2 cap. 5 pag 485 Laici noſtri ſub utraque ſpecie communicant. receive the Sacrament of the Euchariſt in both kindes.

Idem (In leavened bread,33Idem Ibidem in azymo his verbis benedixit, fregit, dedit que etc. with theſe words: He bleſſed, and brake, and gaue, to his Diſciples, ſaying, take, eate. Matth: 26.26.

Idem, They doe not reſerve the Sacrament.44Idem Ibidem non aſſervatur ſacra mentum Euchariſtiae.

Poſsevine,) Their Prieſts are married.55In apparatu ſacro, in maron.

Theſe Chriſtians, reconciled themſelues to the Roman Church, at what time, the Latins held the holy Land, But when thoſe parts were againe taken by Saladine. Theſe Maronites, forſooke the Roman Communion, untill of late, in the time of Gregorie the 13 and Clement the 8: They have acknowledged p. 96the Popes Iuriſdiction. But not all of them, as I heare ſince.

Hieruſalem.

THE Patriarch of Hieruſalem, keepeth Reſidence in Hieruſalem, in which there remaine, 10, or more Chriſtian Churches, as before.

It is reported, that Theophanes is now Patriarch of Hieruſalem, Thom: a Ieſu. Coſm. lib. 9 apud Cath. traditi. pag 10. The Liturgie of St. Iames. foreign. etc. foreignwho is a Greeke, and of their Communion.

The Patriarch of Hieruſalem, doth vſually excommunicate the Pope.

The Liturgie of Saint Iames, Biſhop of Hieruſalem.

Which beginneth, O Lord doe not deſpiſe me, defiled with the multitude of my iniquities, for behold, I come to this thy divine, and heavenly Myſterie, not as one worthy, but truſting in thy goodneſſe: J lift vp my voyce to thee, O Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner; I hauehave ſinned againſt heaven, and againſt thee, and am not worthy, to turne my eyes towards thy holy and Spirituall Table; in which thy onelyonly begotten Sonne, our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, is myſtically propoſed, for a Sacrifice for me, who am a ſinner, and polluted with all ſinne, &c.

As in this prayer, he calleth the Sacrament, p. 97A divine and Celeſtiall myſtery, a ſpirituall table, in which the Sonne of God, is myſtically ſet downe before them.

After, he craveth of God, to declare manifeſtly that which he ſetteth forth in ſignes,foreign. he perſwadeth the people, to lift up their hearts on high.

The Inſtitution of the ſupper is rehearſed ſincerely, to which the people anſwere, wee declare the death of the Lord, and confeſſe his reſurrection.

Afterwards, he prayeth that God would ſend his ſpirit on the gifts,foreign. that the bread may be made ſacramentally Chriſts holy body, And the Cup his precious blood, and that it may be to them that partake thereof, for the remiſſion of their ſinnes.

In this Liturgie,

1 I finde, no propitiatorie ſacrifice to be made by the Prieſt, but a myſticall.

2 The Sacrament to be adminiſtred in both kindes.

3 Nor private Maſſe, all muſt communicate.

4 A confeſſion againſt merit.

5 After the words of Conſecration, prayer is made, that God would by his holy ſpirit: ſanctifie the Bread and the Cup.

In this Liturgy, there are ſome things that cannot be S Iames his, but are inſerted ſince his time. As a prayer for Monkes, in Monaſteries. &c.

p. 98Iacobites.

THey for their Eccleſiaſticall Government are under their own Patriarch,11Boter. Relat. par. 3 lib. 2 cap. de Iacobitis. whoſe Patriarchall Church is in the Monaſterie of Saphron, his reſidence is at Caramite.

They admit not of Purgatory.22Purgatorium non admittunt Tho: a Ieſu lib. 7. par. 1. cap. 23. de converſione omnium gentium.

Nor pray for the dead.33Nec pro defunctis preces admittunt Thom: a Ieſu loc. citat.

They miniſter the Sacrament,44Mr. George Sands. of the Lords Supper in both kinds.

In vnleavened bread.55Salign. Iter. Hieroſ. Tom. 8. cap. 1. apud Brerwood.

Their Prieſts are married.66Sands loco citat.

They doe not beleeue aright,77Non firmiter ſentiunt de primatu Romanae eccleſiae: Thomas a Ieſu: loco citat. concerning the primacy of the Roman Church.

The Sacrament of extreame Vnction,88Sacramentum extremae vnctionis fere non agnoſcunt Tho a Ieſu lib. 7. par. 1. cap. 23. in a manner they doe not acknowledge.

For their error of Eutiches, beleeving one onelyonly nature to be in Chriſt, is long ſince aboliſhed, as appeareth, by the Confeſſion of the Iacobites of Meſopotamia, Aegipt, Aethiopia, Armenia.

p. 99The Iacobites inhabiting in Meſopotamia, Brerwood pa. 194.Babylon, Paleſtine, Syria, and Cyprus have their Liturgies in the Syria que language.

In which language, the new Teſtament hath beene printed at Vienna, the Copie being brought into Europe, by Moſes Mardenus a Iacobite.

It is thought,The Liturgie of the Iacobites. that the Liturgie called Anaphora Baſilii, tranſlated out of Syriaque into Latin by Maſius which is to be found in Bibliotheca veterum patrum in Latin, is the Liturgie of thoſe Iacobites.

Which beginneth, O eternall God who in the beginning created men, &c. afterwards, he left to vsus a memorie of his paſſion, theſe things which we ſet before you, &c.

As often as you doe this, ſet forth my death untill I come.

The people anſwer, Lord, wee remember thy death, &c. and let thy mercy be upon us all.

Prieſt: Make this bread, the glorious body of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, for expiation of our fa…, remiſſion of our ſinnes, and life everlaſting to them that take it.

The people, Amen.

The Prieſt: Make this Cup, the pretious bloud of our Lord God, &c. for expiation of ſinnes, &c. to them that receive it.

p. 100Chriſtians vnderunder the Patriarch of Muſall, falſely called Neſtorians.

FOr their Eccleſiaſticall Government,11Villam: voiag: lib. 2. cap. 23. leur chef et Primat qu'ils nomment Catholique et qu'ils reverent comme leur Pape: they are ſubiect to the Patriarch of Muſall. Their Primate whom they call Catholicke, they reverence as their Pope.

The Neſtorians, 22Les Neſtoriens appellant le Pape Eveſque reprouve Thom: a Ieſu Coſm: lib. 10. cap. 25. apud trad: Cath: pag. 18.call the Pope the reprobate Biſhop.

They celebrate the Euchariſt,33Euchariſtiam conficiebant Neſtoriani ex pane fermentate Gualt: lib. citat: pag. 377. with leavened bread.

They communicate in both kinds.44Euchariſtiam ſub utrdque ſpecie communicabant Gault: de Neſtor.

The Prieſt breaking the bread,55Mr. Sands lib: cit. layeth it in the palme of the Communicants hand, they ſipping of Cuppe which is held betweene his.

They mingle not water with wine,66Villam: loco citat: ne meſſent point leau a vec le vin. in the Euchariſt.

They allow their Prieſts,77Sacerdotes mortua prima vxare ſecundas & vlteriores faciunt nuptias: Tho: a leſ … lib. 7. pa. 1. cap. 2 pag. 354. 1.2. and 3. marriages, or oftner.

They have not the Images of the Crucifixe on their Croſſes.88Brerwood pag: 145

They kiſſe the Croſſe,99Mr. Sands. but pray not before it,

p. 101They doe not reverence Images.

They uſe the Caldean language or Syriacke tongue, 11in their Liturgies.Chaldea autem litera utuutur in divinis ſcripturis Vitriac: lib. cit. cap. 77.

For their ancient error, that there were two perſons in Chriſt, as two natures, they have lately reiected that error, as appeareth by their confeſſion, tranſlated out of the Syrian tongue by Maſius, Bibli: tom. 4. pag. 1049.extant in Bibliotheca veterum Patrum.

Indians of St. Thomas

THey call the Biſhop of Rome the Reprobate Biſhop.Thavet a Ieſu Coſmo: lib. 10. cap. 15. apud Trad. Cath: quaeſt: 2.

They receive the Sacrament of the Euchariſt, 2in both kinds.Lo pigliando ſub utraque ſpecie Bot. par. 3. lib. 2 cap: della vecchs chriſtia. del India. Ioſep: Ind: relat: novi orbis cap. 134. extremam unctionem non habent. Oſorius de rebus Emanuel lib. 3. apud Cathol. trad.

They have not extreame vnxion.

They admit of marriage of Prieſts.

Theſe have their Service in the Syriaque tongue, 5Brerwood enquir. pag. 194.their Liturgie is tranſlated out of Syriacke into Latin, and to be ſeene in Bibliatheca veterum patrum.

p. 102The Maſſe, which the antient Chriſtians of the Biſhoprick of Angamall. in the kingdome of Malabar in the Eaſt Indies uſe, being amended, & purged from the errors and Blaſphemies of the Neſtorians: by the illuſtruous & reverend Lord, the Lord Alexius Meneſius, Archbiſhop of Goa, primate of the Indies, in a ſynode in the Dioceſſe of Angamall, in the yere 1599. which beginneth;

Glory be to God on high Amen.

Glory be to God on high Amen.

The Cophti or Aegiptian Chriſtians.

THey are ſubject to the Patriarch of Alexandria, 11Mirae: lib. 1 cap: 11.They ſay the Pope may err in matters concerning faith.22Sereniſſimū Dominum noſtrum papam in ijs quae ſunt fidei opinautur poſſe errare Tho: a Ieſu de conver: omnium Gentium lib. 7 par. 1 cap: 5 pa. 360.

They miniſter the communion in both kindes to all.33Euchariſtiae ſacramentum omnibus ſub utraque ſpecie confertur. idem loco citat: pag: 361.

In unleavened bread.44Idque infermentato. Idem ibidē:

To ſicke perſons, they miniſter not the Sacrament of extreme unction.55Infirmis autem neque eleum ſanctū adminiſtratur etc. idē ibidē

They admit not Purgatorie,66Purgatorium nec pro defunctis preces admittunt: idem lib: 7 p: 1 cap: 23. nor pray for the dead.

They elevate not the Sacrament.77Tecla Abiſſin: apud Thevet, lib: 7 p: 1 cap: 13 pag: 383 Corpus dominicum et calicem nunquam elevant in miſſis.

They repute the Roman Church88Se nos latinos habere excommunicatos et haereticos proinde Latinorum praxim ac converſationem ad inſtar Iudaeorum fugiunt Tho: a Ieſ: lib. citat. lib. 7 pa. 1 cap. 5 pag. 360. p. 103hereticall, 9Thom: a Ieſu de conver: omni gent lib. 7 par. 1 cap. 6 Tertio conceſſu deo aſpirante circumciſionis lex primum fuit abrogata. 363. Boterus Rela. univer. par. 3 lib: 3 de comun conſenſo ſi annullo la legge della circomciſſione. Boter: loc. citat. lib. 3. de Chriſt. de Aegipt pag. in chriſte eſſere due nature. Tho: a Ieſu lib. 7 par. 1 Cap. 6 pag. 363. Qui cum idem Deus, idem ſit verus homo, et divinam habet a patre iam inde ab omni aeternitate, naturam humanam ſumpſit ex matre definitis temperum ſpaciis.and refuſe the Communion and converſation of the Latins, no leſſe then the Jewes.

For Circumciſion uſed by them; 10It is reported to be abrogated in the Synod at Caire Anno, 1583. And for the error of Eutiches, they wholy renounce it.

They acknowledge Chriſt to be true God and man.

The Cophti or Chriſtians of Aegipt, (although their vulgar be Arabique,) yet have their liturgie in the Sirtaque tongue, which is compoſed of the Hebrew, Calde, Arabique, and Greeke tongues, but for the Goſpell, after it is read in Syriaque: it is afterward read, in the Arabique, or vulgar language.

The liturgie which they uſe, is the liturgie of Severus ſometime Patriarch of Alexandria, tranſlated out of Syriaque into latin, by Guido Fabritius, to be ſeene in the 6 Tom: of Bibliotheca patrum.

For the order of Adminiſtration of Baptiſme, the Prieſt beginneth with this prayer.

O Almighty God, make us worthy, that we may come with purity, and holineſſe to thy divine and glorious myſteries of Adoption &c.

Afterwards, the Prieſtreadeth part of the 8 Chapter of the Acts, from the 20 verſe to the 39: p. 104verſe, beloved, the Angell of the Lord ſpake to Philip &c.

And of the third Chapter of the Goſpell after St. Iohn, from the beginning, to the 9 verſe; There was a man of the Phariſees, whoſe name was Nicodemus, &c.

And part of the 8 Chapter to the Hebrewes; and after ſome prayers, The Prieſt ſigneth, the partie baptized three times, with the ſigne of the Croſſe: ſuch a one N: is ſigned, in the name of the Father, Amen, in the name of the Sonne, Amen, and in the name of the holy Ghoſt, to life everlaſting.

Then followeth an Adiuration of the Divell, and a Renuntiation or renouncing of him.

Then when the party renounceth the Divell, foreignhis face is turned towards the weſt, and he, or his Godfathers ſay, I ſuch a one, N: that am haptiſed, I, do renounce the Divell, and all his workes, and all his Angells, all his ſtrength, and all his warfar, and all his feare, and all his pride, and all his worldly error: and every one that doth conſent to him, or follow him.

Then he turneth him to the Eaſt,foreign and ſaith, J ſuch a one, N: who am baptiſed, do conſent to thee Chriſt my God, and to all the doctrine that is revealed of thee from heaven, by the Prophets, and Apoſtles, and holy Fathers, I alſo confeſſe and beleeve, and am baptiſed, in thee, and in thy Father, and in thy holy ſpirit now &c.

p. 105Then the Prieſt ſaith the Nicen Creed.foreign &c. foreign

I beleeve in one God, the Father Almighty, &c.

And after many prayers and Croſſings, he putteth the partie baptiſed, into the water ſaying.

Such a one, N: is baptiſed in the name of the Father, Amen: And of the Sonne, Amen, foreignand of the holy Ghoſt to everlaſting life. And ſo endeth with prayers.

For the adminiſtration of the Euchariſt

The Prieſt beginneth with,foreign Glorie be to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the holy Ghoſt.

After ſome prayers.

Let us be made worthy ſacrificers of praiſe, that we may performe our Prieſthood to thee O Lord: every thought, word, & worke, being a ſweet ſavour (offring to thee peace offrings) that without ſpot, we may appeare in thy ſight all the dayes of our life.

They ſay in Breaking.

Thou art the Lambe of God, that takeſt away the ſinnes of the world, ſo he ſuffered, God the word in the fleſh, he was offrea and broken upon the Croſſe, and his ſoule was ſeparated from his body, although his divinitie was not ſeparated, neither from his ſoule, nor from his body, &c.

Amongſt other prayers he ſaith.

Make us worthy O Lord God, that with contrite hearts, and purged from all euili co … … p. 106thee O Lord our God, purely and holily, reaſonable and ſpirituall ſacrifices, in the faith of thy truth.

After other prayers he endeth.

The Bible was tranſlated into the Arabique tongue, by Iohn Archbiſhop of Sevill, Anno Dom: 717.

The Habbaſſin Chriſtians.

1 For their Eccleſiaſticall GovernmentZaga Zabo. 240.

THey are ſubiect to a Patriarch of their owne, whom they call Abunna; Non firmiter ſentiunt de primatu Romanae eccleſiae Tho. a Ieſu de conver: lib. 7. pa. 1 cap, 6 pag, 367.whoſe place is the ſeventh Seſſion in generall Councells, the next place after the Biſhop of Seleucia.

They do not well beleeve of the Primacy of the Biſhop of Rome.

2 The Euchariſt in both kindes.

Wee receive the Lords body, 11Aſſumimus corpus Domini, et id ſub utraque ſpecie confeſſio Zaga Zabo Epiſcopi Abaſſin: apud Damian: a Goes pag, 227 Boterus part, 3 lib. 3 de Chriſtian. del. Abaſſ.and that under both kindes.

As the Preiſt,22Sacramentum integrum, verum corpus, et verum ſanguinem Chriſti, tam clerica quam laici, in Templo accipiunt. Matthaeus Dreſſerus de ſtatu Eccleſiae et Religio: in Aethiopia apud Neand. pag. 535 ſo the Laicks receive the whole Sacrament of the true body, and true blood of Chriſt, in the Temple.

All receive the Euchariſt under both kindes.33Sub utraque ſpecie omnes Euchariſtiam ſumunt Godign, de Abaſſinorum rebus lib, 1 cap 35, pag, 218,

p. 1073 They ſell no Maſſes.

We receive no price or reward for Maſſe.11Pro Miſſa, nullum pretium, aut mercedem accipimus. Zaga Zaoo; pag 228.

They make no gaine in the Maſſe.22Queſtum in Miſſa, nullum plane faciunt. Dreſſerus apud Nean: pag 537.

4 They reſerve not the Sacrament nor elevate it.Sacramentum Evchariſtiae, non ſervatur apud nos in Templis, vt fit hic apud Evropaeos: Zaga Zabo. pag 227. apud Dami a Goes.

The Sacrament is not reſerved amongſt us in our Churches, as it is amongſt the Europeans.

5 They uſe not extreame unction for a ſacrament.

Moreover you muſt know,11Praeterea Sciendum apud nos, Chriſma, five extremam olei Vnctionem, pro Sacramento non haberi, nec in vſu eſſe. vt video hic ex Romanae Eccleſiae conſuetudine fieri, Zaga Zabo. 226. apud Dam: a Goes. that with us Chriſme or extreame unction, is not accounted a Sacrament, nor is in uſe at all.

As I ſee here, the cuſtome is in the Roman Church.33Non uſan darla chriſma ni extrema vnction. Franciſ: Alvares. fol: 27.

There is no uſe of Chriſme or extreame unction.

6 They allow maried Prieſts.

Mariage is no eſſe allowed to the Clergie then to the Laitie,11Coningium Clericis et Presbyteris non minus quam politicis, permiſſum eſt ſic tumen vt mortua vx…e prim…, ducere aliā non liceat ni… Pa riarch… dispenſante: concubinam ſi quis alat a ſacris arcetur. Dreſſerus apud Neandrum. pag 537. yet ſo, as that the firſt wiſe being dead they are not permitted to marie p. 108any more without diſpenſation from the Patriarch, if any keepe a Concubine, he is driven from his calling.

And both Laitie and Clergie poſſeſſe but one wife.Et tam Laici quam Clerici vnam tantum poſſident vxorem Zaga Zabo, apud Damia: a Goes. 215.

That the Prieſts may marrie, we have received from St. Paul, 3who had rather that the Clergie and Laitie,Et quod presbyteri apud nos vxores poſſideaut ex Apoſtolo accepimus: Qui mavult clericum et Laicum, nubere quam vri. Zaga Zabo, lib. cit: pag 215. ſhould marrie then to burne.

7

They beleeve the Soules of their Infants, dying without Baptiſme not to be damned.

They beleeve, the ſoules of their Infants departed before Baptiſme to be ſaved,Alvarez Hiſtor: Aethiopica. fol. 27. becauſe they are ſprung from faithfull parents.

8 They doe acknowledge the firſt 3 Councels.

They accept the three firſt generall Councells,Zaga Zabo. lib: citat: pag 236. The Nicen, the Conſtantinopolitane & the Epheſine.

9 Indulgences.

For remiſſion of ſoules the Patriarch p. 109graunts no Indulgences,Ad animarum remiſſionem Patriarcha dat nullas Indulgentias nullos dies indulgentiarum Patriarcha concedit. Zaga Zabo. pag 213. Indulgentias nulo las dat neque concedit. pag 240. nor gives any pardons at all.

10 Jnvocation of Saints.

As for the Saints, It is true, 1that they love and reverence them,Sanctos quidem amant et venerantur, ſed non invocant: Matri Chriſti Mariae Virgini honorem, magnum tribuunt, ſed neque adorant, neque opem eius implorant. Dreſſer. apud Neandrum. pag 536. Atias Major, pag 352. Aethiopia. but they do not call on them: They doe aſcribe great honour to the Virgin Marie the mother of Chriſt, 2but neither do they worſhip her, nor implore her helpe.

11 They have ſervice in their owne tongue.

For they reteine the Epiſtles and Goſpell, 5Nam et Epiſtolam, et Evangelium, et verba conſecrationis, ſine elevatione lingua pooulo nota retinent. Chytreus, pag 28.together with the words of Conſecration, without elevation: theſe I ſay they reteine in the vulgar tongue.

12 The Conferring of Biſhoprickes.

The Conferring of Biſhoprickes, 7Patriarcha ſive Abunna Nullum Epiſcopatum, aut Eccleſiae be …eficium in vllos confert id ſolum ad Precio…um Ioanne… ſpectat. Zaga Zabo, 240.and their Eccleſiaſticall benefices, 8(except the Patriarchſhip) belongeth to their Emperor.Field of the Church. lib: 3. pa. 73.

The Emperor hath ſupreame p. 110authoritie in all cauſes, as well Eccleſiaſtical as Civill: though the Patriarch alſo exerciſe a ſpirituall iuriſdiction.

13 Concerning Purgatorie.

Godignus the Ieſuit,)Godignus de Rebus Abaſſinorum, lib: 1. Cap: 28. pag 172. ex literis Petri Paes qui praeſit Ieſuit: in Aethiopia) Purgatoriū negant. They deny Purgatory.

14 They do not expreſſe the number of their ſinnes in Confeſsion.Abaſſinos, neque species, neque numerum peccatorum in confeſſione exprimere, ſed tantum generatim dicere, Habeſſen Habeſſen (hoc eſt) peccavi, peccavi. Godign: lib; 1. Cap: 35. pag 216.

They do not expreſſe in their Confeſſions neither the kindes, nor number of their ſinnes, but onelyonly generally ory out, Habeſſen Habeſſen, I have ſinned, I have ſinned.

15 Concerning Jmages.Mr. Sandes his iourneis. lib. 3. pag 171.

They hauehave pictures in their Churches, but no Carved Images, neither do they beſtow any undue reverence on them.Idem loco citat.

They have no crucifixes, but uſe the Croſſe as a badge of their profeſſion, their preiſts carrying croſſes in their hands.

16 Thomas a Ieſu.)

They have no oblations p. 111oblations for the dead, neither do they offer for the living.Nullas pro defunctis oblationes habent, nec ſacra faciunt pro vivis Tho, a Ieſu de converſ: omnium Gentium lib: 7 pa: 1 cap: 8 pag: 370. Praeterea traditiones ſanctas non admittunt, ſolumque verbo Dei ſcripto fidem dicunt ſe habere. Tho: a Ieſu lib: 7 cap: 8 pag, 369.

17

Moreover they doe not admit holy Traditions, but they ſay that they muſt onelyonly beleeve Gods word.

The Aethiopians, do beleive the holy Trinity,Zaga Zabo apud Damianum a Goes pag. 204 Credimus in nomen ſanctae Trinitatis, patrem filium, et ſpiritum ſanctum. that there are three perſons, and one God.

They have goodly Monaſteries, and Monks, but onelyonly of the order of St. Anthony; their Monks are not ſuffred to begg, but live on their labours.

They uſe the Ni en Creed.

In their Lent they taſt nothing till the ſunne be ſet, neither old men nor ſick,Godignus lib. 1 cap. 35. pag. 218. eate on their faſting time without offence, they begin their Lent ten daies before ours.

In their Churches,Idem lib. 1 cap. 2… pag. 133, 134. they do demeane themſelues moſt reverently, no man may walke, laugh or talke in their Churches, they ſuffer not doggs to come into their Churches, or Church-yards, they ſuffer no man to ſit in their Churches, the aged and weake, have onelyonly Crutches to eaſe them withall.

For their manner of Adminiſtration of the Sacrament of Baptiſme, they are Baptized,They Baptize in the Church-portch in the Church Porch; The Prieſt, after hee hath ſaid certeine prayers, putteth the partie to be p. 112baptiſed three times under water, ſaying, I doe Baptize thee in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and of the holy Choſt the Comforter.

Whē he renounceth the Devil, the preiſt turneth the face of the partie to be baptized to the Weſt, when the covenāt is made with God to the eaſt.

They do beleeve that the Sacrament of Baptiſme, waſheth away origenall ſin,Godign: de Abaſſin: rebus lib: 1 cap. 35 pag. 212. with which the ſoule is tainted: as ſoone as it is infuſed into the bodie in the Mothers wombe, yea, in the very moment of his firſt being.

Whereas the Aethiopians are charged with having many wives,Godign: lib. citat. cap. 36 pag. 225. it is a ſcandall, for no Nation puniſheth Adultery more ſeverely then they.

And whereas they are accuſed of rebaptizing themſelves yeerely:Scaliger de emendatione temporum lib. 8 pag. 683 True it is, they do veerely upon the day of our Lord IESVS CHRISTS Baptiſme, goe into the water and waſh themſelves, as the Moſcovites doe and other Chriſtians, and this they doe onelyonly in memoriall of our Lords Baptiſme.

And that they abſteine from blood,Scalig: loc: citat. and things ſtrangled: as this was forbidden by the Apoſtles Cannon. Acts 15. ſo it was the Cuſtome of the auntient Chriſtians in the primitive Church: read Cannon 53 of thoſe which are called the Apoſtles.

And they doe Circumciſe their Children, p. 113they uſe it not as a ſacrament but as a nationall cuſtome, and they Circumciſe both Males, and Females (which the Iewes did not, and they are not bound to it by law nor religion.

And that they Baptiſe their Children,Scaliger de emend: temp: lib. 8. not onelyonly with water, but alſo with fier; It is reported, that it is the cuſtome of the Aethiopians, not onelyonly of the Chriſtians, but alſo of the Mahometans, to burne their Children with a hot Iron in the temple veines, to ſtop diſtillations from falling into their eyes.

Some write that the firſt Aethiopian Emperors,Godignus lib. citat. cap. 35. pag. 213. that embraced the faith of Chriſt, invented this burning, that every Chriſtian man might beare about, ſome outward ſigne of his Chriſtianity.

Others write, that Iohn the Emperor, who was called the Saint, who lived in thoſe miſerable times of the Arrians, Idem pag. 214.appointed that after Baptiſme, the Aethiopian Children, ſhould receive three prickes in the face with an hot Iron, in ſigne that they profeſſed the faith of the holy Trinity.

The Aethiopian Liturgie ſet downe by Francis Alvares in the Portugall tongue and afterwards written in Italian, related by Caſſander in his Liturgies. cap. 1 pa. 28.This Alvares was chaplin to K. Iohn of Portugall, and was ſix yeere in Aethiopia. Caſſander Theologus Belga Imp. Ferdiu: 1 et Maximil: 2 … a conſiliis. Printed Pariſiis apud Abrahamum Pacard: MDCXVI.

THey make a great Cake, or a leſſe in their Churches,11In Eccleſiis faciunt libum magnum aut paruum, pro multitudine gentis, quia omnes communicant, et pro multitudine faciunt eraſſum dimidio digito, aut integro, aut etiam craſſiorem magno digito, infundunt vinum calici factum ex uvis preſſis magna quantitate, quia quot quot communicant de corpore, totidem …tiam communicant de ſanguine. according p. 114to the multitude of people: for all Communicate.

For the greateneſſe of it they make it halfe a finger, or a whole finger, or more thicke.

They power wine into the Cup, made of Grapes preſſed in great quantitie, as many as doe Communicate of the bodie, ſo many do Communicate of the blood.22Is qui miſſam dicturus eſt, incipit altâ voce, Alleluia Sacerdos facit benedictionem cuvs cruce parvâ, quam tenet in manu.

2 He that ſaith the ſervice, beginneth with a loud voice Alleluia, The Preiſt bleſſeth with a little Croſſe, which he holdeth in his hand.

333Canunt tam qui foris ſuut, quam qui intus.

They that are without, and within ſing.

4 The Epiſtle is read (the bleſſing being asked) likewiſe the Goſpell.44Legitur Epiſtola curſim petita prius benedictione Similiter Evangelium legitur.

555Sacerdos maiore digito facit in libo, quinque ſigna tanquam ſtigmata.

The Prieſt with his greateſt finger maketh five ſignes or prickes upon the Cake.

666Conſecrat in ſualinguae iiſdem verbis quibus et nos et non ſublevat.

He doth Conſecrate in the vulgar p. 115tongue in the ſame words that we doe: and doth not elevate it.

777Id ipſum quoque facit in calice et no… elevat.

The ſame he doth with the Cup, but not elevate it.

888Sacramentum panis in manibus acoipiens partitur per medium.

Taking the ſacrament of the bread in his hands, he divideth it in the midle.

999Ex ſummitate partis paululum detrahit, quam particulam pro ſe accipit.

Of the uppermoſt he taketh a little for himſelfe.

10 The diſh with the Sacrament,1010Lancem in̄ ſacramento porrigit ei qui evangelium legit. he delivereth to him that readeth the Goſpell.

11 The Cup with the Sacrament,1111Calicom cum ſacrumento porrigit ei, qui legit Epiſtolam. he delivereth to him that readeth the Epiſtle.

121212Qui continuo dant communionem ſacerdotibus, qui aſtant altari.

Then he giveth to the Prieſts that ſtand at the Altar.

13 The Deacon taking the Sacrament out of the diſh,1313Diaconus ſacramentū ex lance ſumens, manuquo dextra tenens, minutim diſtribuit. and holding it in his right hand doth diſtribute it in parts.

14 In the meane ſeaſon, the ſubdeacon delivereth the blood in a golden ſilver or wodden ſpoone,1414Interea Subdiaconui pauxillum de ſanguine cochleari aureo argenteo, vel ligneo ſumptum porigit illis, qui ſumpſerunt ſacramentum corporis. to them that have received the ſacrament of the body.

p. 11615 In the ſame manner,1515Eodem modo datur communio illis, qui ſtant ante primam cortinam, et aliis qui ſtant iuxta alteram cortinam. the communion is given to them that ſtand neere the other Cortin

16 Laſt of all,1616Poſtea fecularibus, qui ſtant inxta portam princi palem, tam viris, quam mulieribus. to the lay people, both men and women.

17 Whilſt the communion is adminiſtring,1717Dum datur communio, aut altud quippiam officii ſit amnes ſtant erecti. or any other ſervice is doing in the Church, all the people ſtand upright.

18 To the Communion all come,1818Ad communionem omnes veniunt ſublatis complicatiſque manibus. lifting up their hands and folding them together.

In theſe Liturgies before named, although ſome of them ſeeme to be corrupted, and expurged as they plainely confeſſe the expurging of the Jndian Liturgie, yet the Euchariſt is adminiſtred in both kinds.

There is no privat Maſſe.

There is mention made of a ſpirituall ſacrifice, I finde not Tranſubſtantiation in them.

There is no elevation of the Sacrament.

Maried Prieſts adminiſter.

And Mans merit is renounced in them as before &c.

And the like will alſo appeare in the other old antient Liturgies, attributed to St. Peter, St. Matthew, St. Ambroſe, St. Andrew, St. Dennis, St. Clement. &c. And for the Maſſe now uſed in the Roman Church, fathered upon St. Gregorie, although it hath beene purged, and purged againe, yet therein ſtill appeareth ſome footing of truth and Antiquitie.

p. 117As the bread and wine are called Dona, and Munera, And after Conſecration, they are called Creatures, per quem haec bona ſemper Creas, commaund thy Angells to carry up theſe to thy high Altar in heaven, whereas the Preiſt would have us beleeve, that after he hath gone over them, that they are no more Creatures, but the Creator that made all things.

One thing more I note by the way, that there is a Liturgie attributed to Saint Peter, ſet downe in Bibliotheca veterum Patrum, uſed in ſome part of Calahria. Now who can beleeve that the Church of Rome holding ſo much of Saint Peter, that under his name, ſhee exalteth her ſelfe over the whole world, would offer Saint Peter ſo much wrong, as to drive his Liturgie out of Rome, and ſuffer a few Preiſts to uſe it, inhabiting the Mountaines of Baſilica in Calabria.

Alſo, whereas the Romiſh writers call all theſe Liturgies Maſſes, as the Maſſe of Saint Baſill, the Maſſe of Saint Chryſoſtome, the Armenian Maſſe, the Aethiopian Maſſe, There is a difference betweene the Romiſh Maſſe, and their Liturgies, for the Church of Rome in their Maſſe, intendeth cheifely a Sacrifice, but theſe Churches a p. 118Communion; The Aethiopians call the Communion Codaſh and the bread Corban.

The Greekes call it the Liturgie, as the Liturgie of Saint Baſill, the Liturgie of Saint Chriſoſtome.

As theſe Liturgies before named, agree with us in many things, ſo alſo there are ſome things in them which I doe not Iuſtifie as before, and in viewing them, and comparing them with our ſervice booke, I have great cauſe to magnifie Gods great goodneſſe, and merciemercy to us, and this ſection, I will conclude with the words of the Reverend and holie Martir, Docter Rowland Tailor vntounto Biſhop Gardiner, and others. There was ſaith he,Eccleſiaſt: hiſt: 3. Volum. fol: 171. Printed, 1631. ſet forth by the moſt innocent King Edward for whom God be praiſed everlaſtingly, the whole Church ſervice, with the beſt advice of the learned men of the Realme, and authoriſed by the whole Parliament and received, and publiſhed gladly by the whole Realme, which Booke was never reformed but once, (ſaid my author in his time) and yet by that once reformation it was ſo fully perfected; according to the rules of our Chriſtian Religion in every behalfe, that no Chriſtian Conſcience, can be offended with any thing therein conteined.

p. 119I find that theſe Churches are not hereticall but Orthodox for the maine.

Wheras theſe Churches are charged by ſome, to be heretiques, you ſhall find divers good Authors to have written to the contrary.

As firſt for the Greeke Church, Azorius thinketh them to be no heretikes, and ſheweth a reaſon therefore,Azorius Inſtit: moral: lib: 8. cap. 20. queſt: 10. becauſe in thoſe articles wherein they are thought to erre, they differ verbally onelyonly, and not really from thoſe that are undoubtedly beleevers, and giveth inſtance in the queſtion touching the proceeding of the holy Ghoſt, wherein he thinketh they differ in the forme of words only.Lomb: lib: 1. div. 10. And the like ſaith Peter Lombard. The Craecians affirme, that the holy Ghoſt proceedeth frō the Father only, and not from the Son, yet they doe acknowledge, the Holy Ghoſt to be the Spirit of the Son, as well as of the Father, becauſe the Apoſtle ſaith, that he is the Spirit of the Sonne, and in the Goſpell, Gal. 4…Gal 4He is called the Spirit of Truth, and now ſeeing it is no other thing, Iohn 10.John 10to be the ſpirit of the Father, and the Sonne, then to be from the Father and the Sonne, they ſeeme to agree with us in iudgement, though they differ in words, as alſo Thomas a Ieſu writeth:Lib. 6 pag. 248. ſolis verbis differre. But for full ſatisfaction in this point, reade the Conference betweene the moſt Reverend father in God the Lo: Archbiſhop of Canterburie his grace, my honorable Patron, and Fiſher the Ieſuit bound with the Lo: Bp. of Elies booke againſt Fiſher.

p. 120Secondly, in queſtions touching the Pope his power, Priviledges and authoritie, the ſaid Azorius affirmeth, that the Greekes have no other opinion then Gerſon, and the learned men of Paris held, who were yet never accounted Heretiques, (nor Schiſmatikes either,) for they yeild a Primacie to the Pope, if he be Orthodox, but no Supremacie. They acknowledge him as Patriarch over his owne Iurisdiction, but they deny as the French doe, that his power is Supreme, or his iudgment is infallible, and and affirme, that he is ſubiect to a Councell. All which things were defined, in the Councell of Conſtance and Baſil, and the contrary poſitions condemned as Hereticall. Neither wants there at this day, many worthy divines, living in the Communion of the Roman Church, who ſtrongly adhere to the Councells before named, as the whole king dome and State of France admitted theſe, and reiect the Councells of Florence & Trent, who would no leſſe, with drawe themſelues, from the Communion of the Roman Church, if they were preſſed to acknowledge, the Popes power and authoritie is Supreame, that he cannot erre, and that he may depoſe Kings, and diſpoſe of their Kingdomes, as the Ieſuits, and other flatterers affirme, and defend, wherefore the Greekes are no Heriticks, as Azorius reſolveth. So that the Romaniſts, p. 121have done the Greekes infinite wrong, in condemning to hell ſo many millions of Chriſtian ſoules, redeemed with the precious bloud of his deereſt Son, for this point onelyonly.Andr: Fric: de Eccleſia: lib: 4 cap: 2. Andreas Fricius alſo ſaith that there are ſome who thinke that the Ruſſians, Armenians, and other Chriſtians of the Eaſt part perteine not to Chriſts Church, but ſeeing they uſe the ſame Sacraments which we do, ſeeing they profeſſe to fight under the banner of Chriſt Crucified, and reioyce in their ſufferings for his ſake, farr be it from us, ever to thinke that they ſhould be caſt out and reiected, from being fellow Citizens with the Saints, who have endured, the heate of the day ſo many ages, in the vineyard of the Lord; Nay rather I thinke, that there can be no perfection, nor union, of the holy Church without them. Many of theſe Chriſtians, live under the Turke, and Pagans, and ſuffer very much for Ieſus Chriſts ſake, which they might quit themſelves of, if they would renounce their religion, and alſo might enioy many immunities, and priviledge, which they are for their religion, only deprived of as before.

The lamentable Calamities, of theſe afflicted and diſtreſſed Churches, ſhould cauſe all true hearted Chriſtians, in true ſence and compaſſion of their miſeries, to make their prayers, and humble petitions to Almighty God, to caſt downe his pitifull eyes upon them: And farr p. 122be it from us to boleive, that all theſe Chriſtians are excluded heaven and plunged into hell for not ſubmitting themſelves onelyonly to the Biſhop of Rome.

Alſo, although the greateſt part of Chriſtians in Aſſyria, Perſia, Tartaria, and other Eaſterne Provinces, are called by the odious and hatefull name of Neſtorians, yet they hold nothing,Onuphr: in vit: Iulii. 3. hi: Neſtoriani, nomen potius Neſtorij haeretici, quam errores retinuiſſe mihi videntur: nam nihil plane quod ad illam ſectam referat comperio. Thom: a Ieſu couverſ: lib: 7. part: 1. cap. 3 et 4. ſavouring of the Neſtorian hereſie as Onuphrius writeth, and the ſame appeareth alſo by the confeſſion of Elias their Patriarch of Muſall ſent to Rome which was found Orthodox, and right, as Leonardus Biſhop of Sidon reporteth Alſo the A…menians are Iudged by many to be Eutichian heretickes, for that they received not the Councell of Calcedon, which they refuſed to ſubſcribe unto, upon a falſe ſuggeſtion and apprehēſion that in that Coūcell the hereſie of N…torius conde mned in the Councell of Epheſus was againe revived,Genebrard Cron: ad Annum. 1153. of this imputatiō Genebrard alſo cleereth them.

The Chriſtians of Aegypt, Aſſerunt duas in Chriſto naturas, eſſe vnitas, vnamque factam naturam perſonatam de duabus naturis, non perſonatis fine mixtione tamen et confuſione: apud Tho: a Ieſu. lib: citat: cap: 14.and Aethiopia, with the Jacobits of Syria, are thought alſo to be infected with the hereſio of Eutiches, whom they curſe for an hereticke, as Leonardus Biſhop of Sidon reporteth, for the confounding the two Natures of God and Man in Chriſt, but yet affirmed, that the two natures, are ſo vnited, that there is one perſonated nature, ariſing of the two p. 123natures not perſonated: without mixtion, or confuſion.

Likewiſe, Mr. Brerwood writeth,Brerw: Enquirie, pag 183. That the Chriſtians of the Eaſt, hauehave diſclaimed, and abandoned, thoſe Hereticall phantaſies, touching our Saviour, wherein by their miſleaders, they hauehave been auntiently plunged, doth manifeſtly appeare, firſt of the Iacobites, Secondly, of the Neſtorians, by their ſeverall Confeſſions, Tranſlated out of the Syrian tongue, by Maſius, extant in Bibliotheca veterum Patrum. Thirdly, of the Armenians, by their owne Confeſſion, tranſlated by Pretorius. Fourthly, of the Cophti, by their owne Confeſſion of faith, mentioned by Baronius, & alſo by Tho: a Ieſu, and of the Abaſſines, by the Relation of Zaba Zago.

Moreover the Romaniſts ſcandall theſe Churches, with falſe imputations, as Guido the Carmelite and Prateolus, impute unto the Graecians ſundry errours, which Lucinianus of Ciprus, Poſſevin: Bibliosk…, lib: 6. cap: 1.a Biſhop and a learned Dominican, and a worthy man, as Poſsevin accounteth him, ſheweth to be faſly aſcribed unto them.

1. As firſt, ſimple fornication to be no ſinne.

2. That they condemne ſecond Mariages, which he ſheweth to be untrue.

3. That they thinke, that the contract of mariage may be broaken, and the band diſſolved, at the pleaſure of the parties, whereas contrary he affirmeth, they allow no divorce, to p. 124permit a ſecōd mariage while both parties live.

4 They are ſaid to affirme, that the Sacrament conſecrated on Maunday Thurſday, is of more force, vertue, and efficacy, then conſecrated any other day, wherin he ſheweth that they are wronged, as in the other imputations.

5 They are charged to teach, that it is no ſin to lend upon uſury, and that it is not neceſſary to make reſtitution of things, uniuſtly taken away.

6 They are ſaid to thinke, that if a Prieſts wife die, he ceaſeth to be a Preiſt any longer, which is as meere a ſlander as the reſt were.

So that it is true that Thomas a Ieſu ſaith, that one of the principall things; that maketh the Graecians ſo averſe from the Latins, is, that they are wronged by them; by untrue reports, and uniuſt imputations.

And as they uſe them, ſo alſo us, and the reformed Churches, and many others whom they ſcandall, and accuſe of divers hereſies, and errors which we and they abhorre, and deteſt.

This point, I will conclude with Doctor Fields obſervations.

Firſt,Doct. Field of the Church. lib: 3. cap. 1. that by the mercifull goodneſſe of God, all theſe different ſorts of Chriſtians, though diſtracted and diſſevered, by reaſon of delivering certaine points of faith, miſtaking one another, or variety in opinion, touching things not Fundamentall; p. 125yet agree in one ſubſtance of faith, and are ſo farre forth orthodox, that they reta in a ſaving profeſſion of all divine verities, abſolutly neceſſary to ſalvation, and are all members of the true Catholicke Church of Chriſt.

The ſecond, that in the principall controverſies touching matters of Religion; betweene the Papiſts, and thoſe of the reformed Churches, they give teſtimonie of the truth, of that which we profeſſe. As Docter Field alſo hath collected 1 They all denie and impugne that ſupreame univerſalitie of Eccleſiaſticall Iuriſdiction, which the Biſhop of Rome claimeth. 2, They thinke him ſubiect to error, as other Biſhops are. 3. They deny that he hath any power, to diſpoſe of principalities & kingdomes, of the world, or to depoſe Kings. 4, they acknowledge all our righteouſneſſe to be imperfect, and that it is not ſafe to truſt thereunto, but to the meere mercy and goodneſſe of God. 5, They ad…nit not of the merit of Congruence, condignitie, nor works of Superrogation. 6, They teach not the doctrine of ſatisfactions, as the Romaniſts doe. 7, They beleeue not Purgatorie, and pray not to deliver men out of temporall puniſhments after this lfie. 8 They reiect the Romiſh doctrine, touching Indulgences and pardons 9 They beleeve not that there are ſeven Sacraments. 10. They omit many ceremonies p. 126which the Roman Church uſeth in Baptiſme, as ſpittle, &c. 11. They hauehave no private Maſſes. 12. They miniſter the Communion in both kindes to all communicants. 13 They beleeve not tranſubſtantiation, nor the now reall ſacrificing of Chriſt. They have their divine ſervice moſt of them in their owne tongue. 15. Their Preiſts are married, and although they permit thē not to marrie a ſecond wife, without diſpenſation, yet if any do, they do not avoid or diſſoluethe mariage. 16. They make no image of God. 17 They have no Maſſy Images, but pictures onelyonly. 18. They think that properly, God onelyonly is to be invocated, and howſoever they have a kinde of invocation of Saints, yet they thinke that God onelyonly heareth them, and not the Saints.

And thus much of the Vnity of theſe Churches with us.

4 The Vnitie of the Reformed Churches appeareth, by their ſeverall Confeſsions.

OF Auſpurge, Set downe in a booke, called the Harmonie of Confeſſiōs of the faith, of the Chriſlian & Reformed Churches. Printed, Cambridge 1586.which was firſt preſented in the Germaine tongue, at the Citie of Auſpurge, in the yeare 1530: to Charls the fift, being Emperor, by certaine moſt renowned Princes of Germanie, p. 127and other States of the ſacred Empire, whō they call Proteſtants.

Of Straugsborough, Conſtance, Meminga, Lindan, preſented to the ſaid Emperour.

Of Baſill, called alſo the Confeſſion of Millaine

Of the Helvetian Churches.

Of the Saxon, and Meiſſen Churches.

Of Wirtemberge, preſented by the Ambaſſadours of Chriſtopher Duke of Wirtemberge, and Tecca, Earle of Mountbelgard, preſented to the Councell of Trent, the 24 of the Month of Ianuary, Anno. 1552.

Of the French Confeſſion, which was in the yeare 1559. preſented to Francis the ſecond King of France.

Of the latter Confeſſion of the Helvetian Church, which was written by the Paſtors of Zurich, in the yeare 1566.

Of Belgia, which was publiſhed in French, in the name of all the Churches of Belgia, in the yeare 1566, and in the yeare, 1579. In a publique Synod, held at Belgia: it was repeated, confirmed, and turned into the Belgian tongue.

Of Bohemia, publiſhed in divers places, was alſo approved by common teſtimonie, of the Vniverſitie of Wirtemberg…, publiſhed in the yeere, 1532.

Of Scotland, ſubſcribed by King James of famous memorie, and the States thereof, to the p. 128glory of God, and good example of all men. At Edenborough, the 28 day of Ianuary 1581, and in the 14 yeere of his Maiefties Raigne.

Although, ſome private men led more by paſſion, and their owne ſelfe pleaſing conceipt, then by the ſacred rules of piety and truth, have laboured to ſow the tares of diſſention, in the vineyard of the Lord, and have made Crooked ſome branches, cleaving unto them, as Anabaptiſts, Browniſts, and others, yet the generall ſocieties, of theſe Orthodox Churches, in the publique confeſſions of their faith, do ſo agree, that there is a moſt ſacred har mony betweene them, in the more ſubſtantiall points of Chriſtian Religion neceſſary to ſalvation, as touching the Holy Scripture, the Sacred Trinitie, the perſon of the Sonner of God, God and man, The providence of God, Sinne, Freewill, the Law, the Goſpell, Iuſtification by Chriſt, faith in his name, Rogeneration, the Catholique Church and ſupreme head thereof, Chriſt, the Sacraments, their number, and uſe, the ſtate of Soules after death, the Reſurrection,Doctor Potters want… of charitie, pag. 93. Doct: Field of the Church pag, 819. and life eternall: They differ rather in Phraſes and formes of ſpeech, concerning Chriſts preſence in his holy Supper, & other things, then in ſubſtance of doctrine, and alſo in Ceremonies.

And to manifeſt,preface to Mr. Brerwoods enquiries. this their unity. The firſt Act in the Polonian Synods, of which they have p. 129had divers lately, as before, in which aſſembly, are Proteſtants embracing Bohemick, Auguſtan, and Helvetique confeſſions, The firſt Act is a religious confeſſion, of their unfeined conſent in the ſubſtantiall points of Chriſtian faith, neceſſary to Salvation, and alſo, that all diſputation ſhould be cut of concerning the manner of Chriſts preſence. All of them beleeving the preſence it ſelfe, and that the Euchariſticall elements are not naked and emptie ſignes; but doe truely exhibite to the faithfull receiver, that which they ſignifie and repreſent: And for as much as they all accord in the ſubſtantiall veritie of Chriſtian doctrine, they profeſſe themſelves to be content, to tollerate diverſities of ceremonies, according to the divers parctiſe of their particular Churches.

5 Of the differences and want of unitie in the Roman Church.

WHereas our Adverſaries boaſt much upon unitie, and thinke it to be the glorie of their Church, as Coſter writeth that the Catholickes in the world are under one Pope, whom they all obey, and conſtantly retaine one faith, they ſpeake one thing, they thinke one thing, and beleeve one and the ſame in all things, ſo that they diſagree not in the leaſt point of Religion Yet for all this their want of unitie will appeare, not onelyonly in the want of concord and love one to another, but alſo in their difference p. 130in opinions amongſt themſelves, and moreover, they in their new doctrines; differ from all the true Catholike Churches of the world, yea, even from holy Scriptures it ſelfe.

Their want of concord and unitie,Schiſmes. may appeare in their ſeverall ſchiſmes, of which there have been 26,In Chronolog: as Cardinall Bellarmin reporteth, in which there have beene 2 or 3 Popes at a time, of whom the ſtrongeſt in Battaile wore the triple crowne: what want of concord was in the Church of Rome, in thoſe times you may gueſſe; by the Cruell and bloody battailes, fought onelyonly betweene Pope Vrban the ſixt, and Pope Clement, in which many 1000 of Chriſtians were ſlaine, the French and others, held with Clement, and our Nation and others with Pope Vrban this ſciſme continued above 40 yere one reſiding in Rome and the other in Avignion.

This Ʋrban, Platin: in vita Vrban:after that he had tormented 5 of his Cardinalls, he cut of their heads, and caſt them into the River Tiber.

Alſo their want of concord,Bellum pontificium. and unitie, may be ſeene in the cruell and hatefull warr, betweene the Popes and the Emperors, called Bellum Pontificium; wherein the Popes not onelyonly thundred out their excommunications againſt the Emperors, but alſo abſolved their ſubiects from their oathes, made unto them: ſtirring them up againſt their Princes yea ſometime their owne Children, againſt their naturall Parents, as Henry and Conrade againſt their p. 131naturall Father, Henry the 4 who was taken againſt oath given, as he was going to a Dier, and impriſoned, where he miſerably ended his daies. And after his death, by the Popes command, he was ungtaved and kept above ground 5 yeares.

Their want of concord and Vnitie, may appeare,Crueltie of one Pope to another. Platin: in vit: horum Pontifie: by the crueltie of one Pope to another, as about the yeare 900. Pope Stephen the 6, abrogated all the decrees of his predeceſſor Pope Formoſus, and not contented with that; tooke his dead body out of his grave, and cut of two of his fingers. After him, ſucceeded Pope Romanus, who abrogated the decrees of Stephanus, Pope Theodore the 2, and Pope Iohn the 10, who all confirmed Pope Formoſus doings. But after them, ſucceeded Pope Sergius, who not onelyonly diſſanulled the former Popes Acts, but alſo againe, tooke up the body of the ſaid Pope Formoſus, & cut of his head, and caſt his body into the River Tiber.

Their want of Vnity alſo may appeare, by the bitter contentions betweene the Franciſcans and Dominicans, Differences betweene the Dominicans, &c.about the Virgin Mary, whether ſhe was conceived in ſinne or no As alſo by the qnarrells betweene the Dominicans, and Ieſuits about grace and freewill.

Their want of unitie may appeare,Different opinions. Biſh. Halls peace of Rome. in their different opinions: Doct: Hall now Lord Biſhop of Exeter in his booke called the peace of Rome, ſetteth down 300 contradictions, or differences of opinions, mainteined in the Popiſh Church ſet downe by Cardinal p. 132Bellarmine himſelfe, And alſo, 60 differences of opinion amongſt their doctors, in the point of confeſſion, onelyonly ſet downe by Navarr.

Doct:Doct: Willets 4 pillar of Papiſtrie Willet alſo ſetteth downe, the like, with one hundred contradictions in their canons, which are the very ſynewes, and marrow of Popery.

And their differences are not onelyonly amongſt private men,Differences Nationall. but Nationall, as the French, and Venetians, differ from other Popiſh Nations in opinion.

For the French,French decree 1611. beſides their pragmaticall ſanction, by a publique decree, Anno 1611. expelled the Ieſuits, except they approved theſe 4 Articles.

1 That the Pope hath no power to depoſe Kings.

2 That the Councell is aboue the Pope.

3 That the Clergy ought to be ſubiect to the civil Magiſtrat.

4 That conſeſsion, ought to be revealed, if it touch the Kings perſon.

Cardinall Bellarmines booke, of the Popes power in temporalls, was condemned in the Parliament of Paris, Ano 1610 and with Marianaes booke, de Rege et Regis inſtitutione, caſt into the fiar, by the hands of the hangman.

You may ſee alſo,Varia tamfaculta tis theologicae et curiae Pariſienſis, quam aliorum Theologorum et Iureconſultorum opuſcula decreta, et cenſurae, Item commoncſactiones et poſtulata Regioru… in Gallia the arreſt of the Parliament of Paris, againſt Cardinal Bellarmines booke, in a booke intituled, the workes, and decrees, and cenſures of the Theologicke faculty, of the Court of Paris, and of other divins & Lawyers, in which the cheife head of the Ieſuits faith is overthrowne, to wit, of the Popes power, over Kings, and Princes, and their p. 133ſubiects, and Principalities,Cognitorum quibus primarium Ie ſuiticae fides caput de Remani Pontificis ſuper omnes Reges et Principes, corumque ſub ditos Regna et principatus evertitur. and of the lawfull power of ſecular Magiſtrates, over perſons Eccleſiaſticall.

Amongſt others, there is a treatiſe in that booke, called Ius Regum, written by Mr. I: Bedaeus advocate of the Parliament of Paris, againſt Cardinall Bellarmine, and other leſuits; who do extoll the Pope, (as he ſaith) not onelyonly above all that is called God, in ſpiritualities, but alſo in Temporalities.

Moreover, the Kingdome of France doth acknowledge the Councell of Conſtance, aſſembled by Sigiſmond the Emperor, with a concurrent conſent of other Chriſtian Princes, decreeing a generall Synode, to be ſuperior to the pope, to be a true Councell, and ſo likewiſe the Councell of Baſill: And affirmeth, that the aſſembly of Trent, to be no lawfull Councell, and the Canons thereof to be eſteemed the Popes decrees, they being made by the Popes Creatures &c.

And for the Venetian difference, reade the full ſatisfactorie anſwere; to the late and unadviſed Bull, thundred by Pope Paul the fift, againſt the renowned ſtate of Ʋenice, by father Paul a Frier of the order of Servie.

Moreover, their want of Vnity, will appeare in the manifold difference, betweene Pope and Pope,Betweene Pope & Pope. Councell and Councell, contradicting one another.Greg: imagines adorare omnibus modis devita: lib: 9 ep: 2 Zeged: ſpecul pont pag, 36. For the Popes, Gregorie the 1. forbad Image worſhipers, Pius the 4 commands it by his bull, Gela…ius & Hillary taught againſt Tranſubſtantiation, Innocent the p. 1343 and Pius the 4 ſtood for it. Reade doctor Iames his Bellum papale, Bellum papale.of the difference between Pope Sixtus the 5. and Clement the 8, the one commanding one bible onelyonly to be uſed, the other another, and no other, under their curſes; In which treatiſe the author before named, ſetteth downe the manifold aditions, and contradictions, betweene the two Popes in their bibles, in which one of them muſt needs err; By which, the Roman Catholickes are involved, into a miſerable neceſſity, either to uſe no bible at all, or to under goe the Curſe of Pope Clement, if they uſe Sixtus bible, or of Sixtus, if they uſed Clements.

The like difference, appeareth in their Councells, wherof ſome forbid Image worſhip, as the councel of Toledo, Councels. Canon 2.others command it, as the 2 Councell of Nue The Calcedon Conncell condemned Eutiches; the Epheſine approved him, and ſo it may be ſaid of many others.

Moreover, their want of unitie will appeare, in that the Popes of Rome, as Lawgivers, ſet them down in St. Peters Chaire as they pretend, and made lawes and conſtitutions, contrary to Gods commandements, and Chriſts inſtitutions.

As Clement the 5 gathered a Councell at Vienna, 1311, in which it was ordeined, that the Emperor ſhould give his oath of Allegiance to the Pope,Roman. 13.1 1 Pet. 2, 13.1 Pet 2:13 contrary to the written word of God Let every ſoule be ſubiect to higher powers: And to the King, as ſupreme.

Alſo in the Councell at Conſtance, Anno 1414, the Pope and his Prelates, altered the Teſtamentall p. 135legacy of Chriſt himſelfe, in taking from the Laitie, the uſe of the Cup in the Sacrament, the holy Symboll of Chriſts bloud, which cauſed many true hearted Chriſtians to tremble, for that their Prelates durſt, ſet their mouthes againſt heaven, and correct the ordinance of Chriſt himſelfe, and in that rude manner, that although Chriſt did adminiſter to his diſciples, under the formes of bread and wine &c. Yet they commanded no Prieſt, to communicate to the people in both kindes, under the paine of excommunication.

And laſt of all, Paul the third, ſummoned a Councell at Mantua, after removed to Irent, wherein ſome few Biſhops aſſembled, being the Popes Creatures,Flaccus Illyricus in prote ſtatione adverſus concilium Tridentinum. of which holy fathers, ſome were titular, as Richard Pates Biſhop of Worceſter, and blind Sr. Robert Biſhop of Armagh; and alſo two of them were taken in Adultery, as Illyricus reporteth, the one ſtroken with a dart, the other taken in a trap by the husband,Bp. Iuell defence pag. 625. & hanged by the neck out of a window; theſe helped to make the new articles of faith before mentioned, and upon this Councell, the now Roman Church dependeth, Againſt this aſſembly,Bellarm. de effect; Sacrament. lib. 2 cap. 25. Francis the French King proteſted, and held it but for a private Conventicle, and divers other Chriſtian Nations, have diſavowed the ſame, Many of the Canons therein decreed, and eſtabliſhed for Articles of faith, are repugnant to the holy Scriptures, as for example they decreed.

p. 136That Images may be made to be worſhipped contrary to Deut. 27, 15. and to the very ſecond Commandement it ſelfe.

That prayers may be made to the Virgin Mary, and to the Saints departed, contrary to Math. 6.9. & contrary to the practiſe of the Patriarches, Prophets, and Apoſtles, and holy men in Scripture.

That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, is to be miniſtred, and received in one kinde, contrary to Chriſts inſtitution Mat. 26.27. 1 Cor 10.16.

They that deſire to ſee more particulars of the popiſh doctrines,Barnard pag. 18.19.20. contrary to holy Scriptures, let them read Mr. Barnards booke called Looke beyond Luther.Doct: Feild of the Church lib. 5 pag. 114. Frequentur accidit ut quae opinio paucis ab hinc annis uſu, non erat modo communi conſenſione recipiatur in Gallia et Germania nonulli ſcriptores tradide runt Crucem non eſſe colendam hono re et veneratione …atriae ſed alio infe viore cultu at in Hiſpania communi conſenſione doce tur Cruci cultum et honorem latriae deferendum Azori mora …inſtit. Tom 1. lib. 2 cap. 13.

And moreover, their opinions are different according to times, places, as Azorius the Ieſuit ſaith it fals out that that which was the Comon opinion a few yeares ſince, is not the opinion now, and that which is the common opinion of Papiſts in one place is not the opinion in another.

As for example, it is the comon opinion in Spaine and Italy that Latria, or divine honor is due to the Croſſe: which in France and Germany is not ſo but ſome inferror kinde of worſhip is due thereunto, And Navare the Ieſuit ſaith, that at Rome no man may ſay that the Councell is above the Pope, nor at Paris that the Pope is above the Councell, and thu s much of their want of unity, & difference, between the Romaniſts.

p. 137VI. The Agreement of the antient Roman, Eaſt, and South Churches, with us in theſe points following;Which ſent Auſten the Monke to us. and eſpecially of Gregorie Biſhop of Rome, who is pretended to be the founder of the Roman Religion amongſt us, who lived about the yeere 600. (which Tenets are condemned by the now Roman Church) which plainely ſheweth the Noveltie of the Doctrine of the now Romiſh Church, and the Antiquitie of ours.

1. The Popes Supremacie.

GRegory] I ſay confidently,The old Roman Church Ego autem ſidenter dice, quia quiſquis ſe univerſalem ſacerd… tem vocat, vel vocari deſiderat, in elatione ſua Antichriſtum pracurrit. lib. 6. Epiſt. 30. whoſoever calleth himſelfe, or deſires to bee called the univerſall Biſhop, is in the pride of his heart, the forerunner of Antichriſt.

None of my Predeceſſors, Biſhops of Rome, Nullus unquam deceſſorum meerum hoc tam profane vocabulo uti conceſſit. lib. 4. Epiſt. 36. Diſtinct. 99. Vniverſalis autem nee etiam Romanus Pontifex appelletur.ever conſented to uſe this ſo profane a name.

Pope Pelagius] Gregories Predeceſſor decreed that no Biſhop, no not the Biſhop of Rome himſelfe, ought to be called univerſall Biſhop.

p. 138Saint Chryſoſtom, The Eaſterne Church. Distinct. 40. C. multi ex Chryſoſ. Quicunque deſideraverit Primatum in terra, inveniet confuſionem in coelo, nec inter ſervos Chriſti computabitur, qui de primatu tractaverit. Chryſoſt. hom. 3. ad Popul Antiochen. foreign fol. 474. Savil.Patriarch of Conſtantinople] He that ſeeketh primacy in earth, in Heaven hee ſhall finde confuſion: and hee that doth but once intreate of primacie, is not worthy to bee numbred amongſt the ſervants of Chriſt.

Our Citie of Antioch is moſt deareſt to Chriſt above all others, and like as Peter did firſt preach among the Apoſtles, ſo among Cities, this had firſt of all the name of Chriſtians, as a certaine wonderfull Crowne.

Saint Auguſtine Biſhop of Hippo in Aphrick,]The South Church. Saint Auguſt. de Verb. Domini Ser. 13. Super me aedificabo te, non me ſuper te. Cyprian in ſententijs Concil. Carthag. ad Quirinū. On theſe words: thou art Peter, and on this rocke which thou haſt confeſſed, I will build my Church: I will build thee upon me, and not me upon thee.

None of us maketh himſelfe a Biſhop of Biſhops, neither was Peter ſo arrogant to take things ſo inſolently upon him, as to advance himſelfe as primate, and one, unto whom the reſt, as novices and punies, ſhould bee ſubject.The old Roman Church Greg. moral lib. 19 c. 13. art. 6. de qua re non inordinate agimus, ſi ex libris licet non canonicis, ſed tamen ad adificationem Eccl. editis, testimoniū proferamus. Eleazar namque, &c.

2. Canonicall Scripture.

Gregory] Wee doe not amiſſe, if wee bring forth a teſtimony out of the bookes not Canonicall, p. 139which though they are not Canonicall, yet are they ſet forth for the edification and inſtruction of the Church: for Eleazar, in Machabes the 6. &c.

Euſebius, Biſhop of Caeſarea,] The Maccabees are not received amongſt us for divine Scriptures.

Saint Hierom] The booke of Wiſedome,The Eaſterne Church. Sapientia quae vulgo Salomonis inſcribitur, & Ieſu filij Syrach liber, & Iudeth, & Tobias, & Haster non ſunt in Canone Hierom. Tom. 3. praef. in lib. Regū. of Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach, of Judeth, of Tobyas, and Haeſtor, are not in the Canon.

Athanaſius Biſhop of Alexandria]aaAthana. in Synopſi. The bookes of the old Teſtament are. 22. There are others that are not canonicall, as the Wiſedome of Salomon.

S^t. Auguſtine]bbDe mirabilibus ſacra Scripturae. lib. 2. cap. 34. not found in the Canonicall Scriptures, but in the booke of Maccabees.The South Church.

3. The ſufficiency of the Scriptures.

Gregory] Whatſoever ſerveth for edification and inſtruction,The old Roman Church. Greg. in Ezek. lib. 1. hom. 9. In hoc volumine, cunct… quae aedificant, omnia quae erudiunt, ſcriptacontinentur. is contained in the volume of the Scriptures.

Saint Chryſoſtom]aaIn opere imperfect. lib. 4. foreign Chryſost. in 2. Theſſal. hom. 3. He commandeth Chriſtian men that will bee aſſured of true faith, to reſort to nothing elſe but to the Scriptures. Againe hee ſaith, in holy Scripture all neceſſary things are plaine, Idem.The Eaſterne Church.

p. 140S^t.Que pertinent ad veram religionem quaerendam, & tenendam, divina ſcriptura non tacuit. Auguſt. Epiſt. 42. in ijs enim quae aperte in Scripura poſita ſunt; inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moreſque vivendi: de doctr. Chriſtiana. lib. 2. cap. 9. tom. 3. Auguſtine] All thoſe things that pertaine to the attaining and keeping of true Religion, the holy Scripture hath not concealed.

S^t. Auguſtine] In theſe things which are laid downe plainely in Scriptures, all thoſe things are found, which appertaine to faith, and direction of life.

4. Reading of the Scriptures.

Gregorie] The Scripture is an Epiſtle ſent from God to his Creature,The old Roman Church Gregor. lib. Epiſt. 40. ad Theod. medicum. Quid autem eſt ſcriptura ſacra, niſi quaedam Epistola omnipotentis Dei, &c. that is, to Prieſt and people; And if thou receive a letter from an earthly King, thou wilt never ſleepe, nor reſt till thou underſtand it: The King of Heaven, and God of men and Angels, hath ſent his letters to thee, for the good of thy ſoule, and yet thou neglecteſt the reading of them: I therefore pray thee ſtudie them, and daily meditate of the word of thy Creator, and learne the heart and minde of God in the words of God.

S^t. Chryſoſtom]The Eaſterne Church. aaEpistol. ad Coll. hom. 9.Heare you Lay people, get you Bibles, the Phyſicke of your ſoules.

S^t. Auguſtine]South Ch. bbSermo. 112 feria ſexta poſt dom. paſsionis. Lectio aſſidua purificat omnia.Daily reading purifieth all things.

5. Concerning Tranſubſtantiation.

Gregorie]The old Roman Church Greg. in 6. Pſal. paenitent. Quis expoenere queat quā tae fuerit miſerationis, ſacratiſſima pretioſi ſanguinis effuſione genus humanum redimere, & ſacroſanctum vivifici corporis, & ſanguinis ſui myſterium membris ſuis tribuere, cujus perceptione corpus ſuum, quod eſt Ecclefia, paſſcitur, & pouitur, abluitur, & ſanctificatur. Chriſt with the effuſion of his moſt p. 141precious blood redeemed mankind, and giveth unto his members the moſt holy myſteries of his quickning body and blood, by the participation whereof, his body, which is the Church, is nouriſhed with meate and drinke, and is waſhed and ſanctified.

S^t. Chryſoſtome] If any man taketh it fleſhly,The Eaſterne Church. In Iohan. homil. 46. it profiteth nothing.

Idem: aaIn opere imperfecto in Mat. pag. 810. Baſ. in quibus non eſt verum corpus Chriſti, ſed myſterium corporis Chriſticomiretur.In the holy veſſels the true body of Chriſt is not contained, but the myſterie of his body.

S^t. Auguſtine]The South Church. Cont. Adimant. cap. 12. Non enim Dominus dubitavit dicere, hoc est corpus meum, cum ſignum daret coporis ſui. Ad quid paras dentes & ventrem? crede, & manducaſti. ſuper Ioan. tract. 25. Tom. 9. Chriſt ſpake theſe words, This is my body, when hee gave the ſigne of his bodie.

Jdem: Why doſt thou provide thy teeth and thy belly? beleeve, and thou haſt eaten.

6. Private Maſſe.

Gregorie] Let not the Prieſt alone celebrate Maſſe;The old Roman Church In lib. Capitulari. cap. 7. apud Caſſand. liturg. cap. 33. pag. 83. ſac… dos miſſam ſolus neqnaquam celebret; quia ſicut illa celebrari non potest ſine ſalutatione ſacerdotis, & reſponſione nibilominus plebis, it a nimirum nequaquam ab une debet celebrari: eſſe enim debent, qui ei circumſtent, ques ille ſalutet, a quibus es reſpondeatur, &c. for as hee cannot performe it without the preſence of the Prieſt and people; ſo likewiſe it ought not to bee performed by one alone for their ought to bee preſent, ſome to p. 142whom hee ought to ſpeake, and who in like manner ought to anſwer him.

Chryſoſtome] Neither doe we receive more,The Eaſt: Church. 2. Theſſ. cap. 2. Homil. 4. De ſacrificio miſſae contra Muſcu…ū apnd Caſſand. lituro. cap. 35. pag. 86. O…im omnes tum ſacerdetes, tum …ici quicunque intererant ſacrificio miſſae, peracta oblatione cum ſacrifieante communicabant, &c. Definivit ſanctū concilium, ut nullus preſbyter praeſumat ſolus miſſam cantare. apud Caſſand. pag. 83.2 Thess 2 or you leſſe of the holy table, but taſt thereof equally together.

Cochleus] Antiently, all the Prieſts, and people did communicate together.

Concilium Nanetenſe] The holy Councell hath decreed, that no Prieſt ſhould preſume to celebrate alone.

7. Communion in both kindes.

Gregorie] You have learned what the blood of the Lambe is,The old Roman Church Tom. 2. Hom. 22. in Ewang. Quid namque ſit ſanguis Agni, non audiendo ſed bibendo didicistis, &c. Dial. lib. 4. cap. 58. Ejus ſanguis non jam in manns infidelium, ſed in or a fidelium funditur. De conſe. diſt. 2. c. Comperimus, quod diviſio unius, ejuſdemque mysterij ſine grandi ſacrilegio nequeat provenire. apud. Caſſand. pag. 1020. foreign not by hearing, but by drinking. Againe, the blood of Chriſt is not powred into the hands of unbeleevers, but into the mouthes of the faithfull people.

Pope Gelaſius] Decreed to communicate in both kindes, becauſe the diviſion of the one myſterie from the other, could not bee done without great Sacriledge.

p. 143Saint Chryſoſtome] In ſome caſes,2. Corinth. Ho…. 18. Tom. 3. Edit. Savilij. pag. 647. foreign there is no difference betweene Prieſt and people, as when they muſt enjoy the Reverend Myſteries. Againe, But one Body, & one Cup is given to all.

Caſſander] It is ſufficiently manifeſt,Conſult. de utra que ſpecie. pag. 1025. Eccle. orientalis in hunc uſ que diem, occidentalis verò, five Romana mille amplius annis continuis, non aliliter quam ſub dupliciſpecie in conventu Eccleſiae ſacramentum hoc Dominici corporis & ſanguinis administraſſe legitur, &c. that the univerſall Church to this day, and the Weſterne or Roman Church, for more then a thouſand yeeres, did exhibit the Sacrament in both kindes, to all the members of Chriſts Church.

8. Merit of Workes.

Gregorie] There are ſome which glorie that they are ſaved by their owne ſtrength,The old Roman Church In 28. Iob. lib. 18. cap. 25. ſunt nonnulli, qui ſalvos ſe ſuis viribus exultant, ſuiſ que pr…cedentibus meritis redemptos eſſe gloriantur, quorum aſſertio invenitur ſibimet ipſis contraria: quia dum & innoce… ſe aſſerunt, & redemptes, hoc ipſum in ſe redemptionis nomen evacnant. & brag that they are redeemed by their owne precedent merits, but herein they contradict themſelves, & whileſt that they affirme that they are innocent, and yet redeemed, they fruſtrate the name of Redemption in themſelves.

Chryſoſtom] Although we die a thouſand times,Chryſ. de Compunct. cordis lib. 2. foreign and if wee fulfill all the vertues of the minde, yet wee doe nothing worthie to thoſe things which we have received of God.

p. 144Saint Auguſtine] God Crowneth in us the gifts of his mercy.In Ioh. tract. 13. Tom. 9. Coro…at in nobis Deus dona miſericordiae ſuae. The old Roman Church Adorare imagines omnibus modis devita. lib. 9 epist. 9.

9. Worſhipping of Images.

Gregory] The Adoration of them avoid by all meanes.

The ancient Greeke Church long withſtood Images, which was a principall cauſe of the diviſion of the Empire, The Popes excommunicating, Leo, Conſtantine, and others of the Greeke Emperors, who were againſt Images; and the weakeneſſe of the Chriſtians divided, was a great cauſe of the Mahumetan conqueſts, and greatneſſe: To the Iewes and Mahumetans, the worſhip of images is abominable. And wheras the Turkes know much of Chriſt,Postel. Compend. Coſmograp. p. 76. as that hee was borne of the Virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Ghoſt, received by the Chriſtians, being the Chriſt promiſed in the Iewes Law, who is in heaven, in body & ſoule; and that he ſhall come to judge the quicke and the dead, with juſt judgement: yet the imageworſhip uſed by ſome Chriſtians, is ſo offenſive to them, that it may bee ſuppoſed to bee a hindrance of their converſion.The South Church. De morib. Eccle. lib. 1. cap. 34.

Auguſtine] I know certaine worſhippers of Tombes, whom the Church condemneth.

Thus as you have ſeene the agreement of the Moderne Churches beforenamed with us, as p. 145alſo of the old antient Roman, Eaſt & South Churches in the points before named, which doctrines then taught by Saint Gregory, Saint Au…e…, Saint Chryſoſtome and others, are not now owned by the Roman Church; but by them diſallowed and anathematized.

VII. The Religion of the Antient Britaines, and the differences from their now Roman Church.

THe Ancient writers teſtifie, that moſt of the points before named, were the Tenets of the Britains, both before and alſo after the comming of Auſten, for although the the Romaniſts pretend, that at the comming of Auſten, Chriſtianity was loſt amongſt us; yet Hiſtoriographers witneſſe the contrarie,Bed. Eccle. hiſter. lib. 2. cap. 2. as Beda teſtifieth, that at the comming of the ſaid Auſten, which was about the yeere 600. there were here 7. Biſhops, one Archbiſhop, and above 2000. Monkes of Bangor, and many learned men: And alſo the Queene was then a Chriſtian: and that Chriſtianitie was amongſt us before,Biſhop Iewell… Defen. pag. 11. Biſhop Iewell proveth out of Saint Chryſostome, who lived about the yeere 400. and Saint Hillarie, who lived about the yere 360. And Origen, who lived about the yeere 240. And Tertullian, who lived p. 146about the yeere 230.Haec epistola communiter habetur inter leges divi Edvardi. Antiq. Britan. pag. 5. in margine. And this will alſo appeare by the letter of Eleutherius Biſhop of Rome to our King Lucius then a Chriſtian: and as the inhabitants were Chriſtians as before, ſo the antient writers teſtifie, that they were them differing from the now Romiſh Religion in their new Articles.

For the ſufficiency of Scriptures,Tantum ea quae in Propheticis, Evā gelicis & Apostolicis literis diſcere poterant, obſervantes. Bed. lib. 3. hiſt. cap. 4. Omnes aut legendis Scripturis aut pſalmis diſcendis operam dare. Bed. Eccl. hiſt. lib. 3. cap. 5. Beda recordes the Succeſſors of Columkelle, that they obſerved onelyonly thoſe things which they could learne in the Propheticall, Evangelicall, and Apoſtolicall writings.

They had them alſo in their owne language, and Beda reporteth amongſt others of a tranſlation made by the appointment of King Adelſtan: The Clergie and Laitie were bound to read the holy Sciptures, and they accounted them their chiefe riches, according to that of Columbanus.

Sint tibi Divitiae divinae dogmata legis.

Beda alſo commendeth Altfrid the King for a moſt learned man in the Scriptures,Alfrit vir in ſcripturis doctiſſimus. lib. 4. cap. 26. and alſo their ſervice was in their owne language, as Biſhop Iewell proveth in his replie.Biſhop Iewell. pag. 142.

For the Doctrine of Sacrament of the Lords Supper, the ſame was taught then which wee teach now.Hom. in die ſanctae. paſcae. pag. 17.

As you may ſee in the Homilie of Elfrick approved p. 147by divers Biſhops in their Synods,This booke is ſubſcribed by the two Archbiſhops of Canterbury and of Yorke, and 13. other Biſhops. and appointed to be read upon Eaſterday, before the receiving of the Communion: who ſaith;

There is a great difference betwixt the bodie wherein Chriſt ſuffered, and the body which is hallowed houſell. The body truely that Chriſt ſuffered in, It was borne of the fleſh of Mary, with blood, with bone, with skin, and with ſinne wes, in humane limmes, with a reaſonable ſoule living. And his Ghoſtly bodie which wee call the houſell, is gathered of many cornes without blood and bone, without lymbe, without ſoule, and therefore there is nothing to be underſtood bodily, Beda in vita Cutberti. cap. 15. pag. 163. Vt mittas Presbyterum qui illam priuſquam moriatur viſitet, …ique Dominici corporis & ſanguinis Sacramenta miniſtret. Antoninus archi. Florent cronic. 2. par. pag. 623. Northmanni autem confeſſioni peccatorum vacantes mane Dominico corpore & ſanguine communicaverunt. Mat. Paris in Harald. Normani mane Dominici corporis & ſanguinis munimine ſaginati, &c. pag. 3.but it is ghoſtly (or ſpiritually to bee under ſtood.)

And this Doctrine alſo Scotus our Countryman did teach, for the Communion in both kindes: Beda alſo reporteth in the life of Cuthbert, that one Hildmar an officer of Egfrid King of Northumberland, intreated Cuthbert to ſend a Prieſt that might miniſter the Sacrament of the Lords body and blood unto his wife that then lay adying.

Antoninus Archbiſhop of Florence writeth that William the Conqueror and his whole Armie received the Communion in both kindes; And Mathew Paris ſaith the ſame, to wit the Normans the morning before they fought with Harald, ſtrengthened themſelves with the body and blood of Chriſt.

p. 148For the marriage of Prieſts, it was accounted as lawfull then as now.

Anſelme was the firſt that made a decree againſt Prieſts marriage in this Kingdome,Hon. Hunting. lib. 7. pag. 378. Anſelmus prohibuit uxores ſacerdotibus Anglorum ante non prohibitas. as Henry of Huntington reporteth: Anſelme, ſaith he, held a Synode in London, in which he forefended Prieſts to have wives, which they were not inhibited before to have, which was about the yeere 1104.

It ſeemeth that the Prieſts kept their wives after Anſelmes time by the Decree made by the Cardinall of Cremen in the yeere 1131. againſt Prieſts marriage; who having in a long oration commended Chaſtitie, and in a Synod in London made a Decree againſt the marriage of Prieſts, was himſelfe that night found in bed with a whore, as Mathew of Paris reporteth, to the no little ſhame of the Clergie. What Anſelme or the Cardinall did againſt Prieſts marriage, proceeded from the Pope Gregorie the ſeventh, who under the colour of Chaſtitie forbad marriage. His Bull is to be ſeene againſt Prieſts mariage, which the Germans and French reſiſted: what a holy man this Gregory was appeareth by the ſentences of the Councell of Wormes and Brixia, in which the ſaid Gregory was, depoſed for his perjurie, for necromancy, for beeing a Conjurer, and many other crimes.Ord… Baptizandi & viſitandi.

For Merit, reade a booke ſet foorth by Anſelme p. 149Archbiſhop of Canterbury to be uſed in his province, called the order of Baptizing and viſiting the ſicke, in which are theſe words; Doſt thou beleeve that none can bee ſaved by his owne merits, but by the merits of Chriſts paſsion (to which the ſicke partie was taught to make anſwer,) all this I beleeve: And the Prieſt concluded, Goe to therefore, as long as thy ſoule remaineth in thee, place thy whole confidence in his death onelyonly, &c.

And for the Supremacy, what did King Henry the eighth aſſume more then Biſhop Eleutherius gave to Lucius our King, and that the antient Kings of the Britans aſſumed to themſelves. Of theſe points and others, you may reade more in the moſt learned diſcourſe of the Religion antiently profeſſed by the Iriſh and Britiſh, written by the moſt reverend Father in God Iames Vſher Archbiſhop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland. And thus you may ſee how King Henry the eight, or King Edward brought in no new Religion amongſt us, but reſtored the old ancient Religion ſuppreſſed for ſome yeeres by the Church of Rome.

By this it manifeſtly appeareth, that moſt of the Doctrines before named, now taught and urged for Catholike in the Roman Church, were neither the Doctrines of the other Chriſtians in Europe, Aſia, and Africa, nor the antient Roman, Eaſterne, Southerne Churches, nor of p. 150Gregory the great, Biſhop of Rome, who ſent Auſten hither, nor of the antient Britaines our forefathers.

And whereas inquirie is made for the viſibilitie of our Church, or for any one profeſſing our Religion before Luther, heere you may ſee the whole true Catholike Church of God, upon the face of the Earth; of the which theſe Churches are members profeſſing the ſame faith with us.

For which common Vnion, we have greate cauſe to rejoyce,Hieremie. as the Greeke Patriarch having ſeene the Tenets of ſome of the reformed Churches, congratulateth with them after this manner: Wee give thankes to God, the Author of all grace; and wee rejoyce with many others, eſpecially in this, that in many things your Doctrine is agreeable to our Church. So let us thanke God for the holy harmony and agreement of theſe Churches with us in the point before mentioned, in controverſie betweene the Roman Church and us; and let us endeavour to keepe the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

p. 151VIII. Of the Devotion and pietie of theſe Churches.

BRochardus the Monke telleth us,Brochard Monac. that he found the Neſtorians, Jacobites, Maronites, and Georgians, and ſuch others, whom they judge to bee heretickes, to bee for the moſt part, honeſt and ſimple men, living ſincerely towards God and man, men of great abſtinency, attentively hearing the word of God.

And that the Armenians and Georgians have for their Prelats, men of the beſt converſation, going before them, aad teaching them, as by word, ſo alſo by example.Devotion. Godignus de Abaſſ. rebus p. 133. In oratione frequentanda non facile ſimiles reperiri cenſeo, omni namque diluculo cuncti corum toto corpore in pulverem ipſū proſtrati orationes ad Deum fundunt. Faber in Relig. Moſcovit. p. 180.

Theſe Chriſtians uſe great reverence in their Churches, no man is allowed to walke, talke, or ſitt in them; the old and weake may leane againſt the walls: Godignus reporteth that the Aethiopians doe allow the old & weake, crutches to ſuſtaine them withall as before; and Faber reports of the Ruſſes, that hee hath not ſeene of them the like, for their frequenting prayers and devotion in their prayers, which, lying proſtrate on the ground, they poure out unto God: p. 152They touch not the holy Scriptures, but with great reverence, and place the Bible in their houſes in the moſt honorable place.

The Greekes much blame the Latines for their unreverent ſitting in their Churches, and ſuffering Lay men with Bootes and Spurres to ſit by the Prieſts at time of Divine Service, and alſo for not keeping dogges out of their Churches, as before.

Of theſe Churches I may ſay, although wee thinke them not to be ſo learned as we are (they wanting the meanes that we have) yet they are more devout.

For their Faſts,Their Faſts. theſe Chriſtians taſt nothing at all till Sun ſett: The Aethiopians doe ſo macerate themſelves in their Lent-faſts (which they begin tenne dayes before ours) that their enemies commonly ſet upon them at the end of their Faſts, hoping then to finde them feeble and weake: in their Faſts, eſpecially upon good-friday, beſide their great abſtinence, they goe like mutes, not ſaluting one another, with their countenances dejected.

The Greekes alſo blame the Latines for drinking in their Faſts,Irineus R…d…ginus pag. 15. and that ſome of them are drunke before their faſts are ended, and that when their faſts are ended, generally they eate and fill their bellies plentifully.

For their obedience to Princes,Obedience to Princes. their Patriarches p. 153and Biſhops, although they are ſubject to many greivous preſſures, yet they ſubmitt themſelves to their Kings and Princes that God hath placed over them, according to that of Lactantius Religion is to bee defended, not by killing, but by dying; not by crueltie, but by patience; not by wickednes, but by faith, &c.

For their Chaſtitie, among the Ruſſes, adulterie is ſeverely puniſhed, and the Aethiopians puniſh all fornication and luſt, and none of the Patriarches of theſe Churches allow brothelhouſes or Stewes that I reade of.

Whereas the Pope of Rome, howſoever they pretend Chaſtity, yet they onelyonly of all Chriſtians Patriarches allow ſtewes, & brothelhouſes; where a father,Sixtus ponti…ex maximus Romae nobile admodunlupanar extruxi… Agrippa de van ta…e ſcientiarum cap. 64. Atque utrique ſexui aſſignavit Zeg. ſpec. ponti. pag. 79. Dici nequit qua… incredibili Chriſtianorum tum p… dore, tum etiam …orum qui vere tales ſunt, cordolio, ut Iudae filiae ſcortari non licea… Dei filiae liceat. his ſonne and his brother may commit uncleanneſſe with one whore; yea Sixtus the fourth built a famous Stewes in Rome for both Sexes. This wickednes is not unpuniſhed among the Iewes themſelves. Biſhop Eſpenſous reporteth to the great ſhame of (Roman) Chriſtians, of a Iew maide, who renounced her Religion, and turned (Romiſh) Chriſtians, that ſhe might freely exerciſe the art of Ribandie not permitted by herown Religion; his words are, It cannot bee ſpoken, but with incredible ſhame of Chriſtians, & with the great heart grieſe of them that are the like; that it is not lawfull for a daughter of Judah to commit fornication, but lawfull p. 154for the daughter of God: Imo Iſrae is filia meretricari non aliter ante poſſit, quam facta per Baptiſmū ſanctū Christi ſoror, & filia.yea the daughter of Jſrael may not otherwiſe play the whore, before ſhee bee made by holy baptiſme ſiſter and daughter of Chriſt, &c.

Moreover, he writeth that we cannot but be offended to ſee ſo many Stewes in one Citie; and that it may be almoſt ſaid of Rome Chriſtian as of Rome Ethnick, that the whole Citie is one ſtewes.

Againe, theſe Patriarches and Biſhops ſell no pardons to deliver ſoules out of Purgatorie, nor allow the ſale of any Sacrament, that I reade; wheras the Roman Church maketh infinite gaine of their Maſſes,Romana ſcorta in ſingulas hebdemadas juliū poudent Pontifici, Agrippa loco citat. Zeg, loco. Citat. Taxa Cancell. Apostolicae. Pariſiis. 1613. Pardons, and Diſpenſations; yea the Popes themſelves have a rent out of the brothell houſes, every whore paying weekely a Iulie to his holines, which rent is more ſome yeeres then 40000. Duckets. In the booke of taxes of the Apoſtolike Chancerie and ſacred penitentiaries, you may ſee the priſes and rates of all diſpenſations and abſolutions, as for murthers of all kindes, as of Clergie men, Lay men, of Father, Mother, Sonne, Brother, Siſter, Wife, &c. For impoiſoning, inchantment, witchcraft, ſacriledge, ſimony, &c. for fornication, adultery, inceſt, without any exceptiō or diſtinction, &c. Alſo for diſpenſations for oathes, vowes, and many things more, although there be many ſinnes raigning amongſt theſe p. 155Chriſtians and us; yet they are not allowed by them and us, and ſo they are not the ſinnes of the Churches, as fornication is one of the ſinnes of the Roman Church, as before.

To put an end to this: ſome of their ſinnes are not only perſonall, but Cathedrall, from whence they ſeeme to have a liberty of ſinning (to uſe their own diſtinctiō) their veniall ſins are eaſily done away with a ſhort ſhrift; & as for mortal ſins, a man may have for money a warrant dormant,Anton. ſum. par. 3 tit. 1. cap. 11. Crantzius. ſaxon. lib. 5. cap. 8. Quid enim hodie per diſpenſationem Apoſtolicam non obtinetur? Quinta cauſa diſſidij Graecorum credipotest ſpecies auſterioris vitae quaein eorum Hiere monachis, Metropolitis, Archiepiſcopis at que epiſcopis frequenter cernitur. Haec igitur auſterioris vitae ratio Latines contemnendi praebuit occaſionem, &c. Tho. a Ieſis. de converſ. p. 284. or diſpenſation to commit ſinnes againſt nature, as to marie his Aunt, his brothers wife, his neece, & his own daughter: for which Pope Martin the fift gave a diſpenſation, as Antonius reporteth: and what (ſaith Crantzius their own writer) cannot be gotten by diſpenſation?

To conclude, Thomas the Ieſuite confeſſeth, that the fift cauſe of difference betweene the Greekes and Latins, may bee thought to be the ſhew of a more auſtere life, which is often ſeene in their holy Monkes, Metropolites, Archbiſhops, and Biſhops: this their more auſtere life cauſeth the Greeks to contemne the Latins, &c. But the Greekes are to know that Chriſtian righteouſnes doth not conſiſt chiefly in macerating the body, but in Charity, Faith, & Hope, Humility, and Patience, and other vertues.

WHereas there is come to my hands a booke of Poſsevins the Ieſuit written againſt Chytraeus, in which he challengeth theſe p. 156Churches for agreeing with them; In praying for the Dead, invocating Saints, worſhipping Images, having of Monkes, &c.

I anſwer, that I finde theſe Churches in theſe things alſo to differ from the Papiſts.

1. As in praying for the dead, they pray not to deliver Soules out of Purgatorie, nor from any temporall puniſhment, as the Papiſts do, but for their generall reſurrectiō,Field of the Ch. pag. 59. publicke acquital, &c.

2. For their invocating of Saints, ſome doe it not at all,pag. 109. of this booke. as the Aethiopians, as before, but I will not juſtifie all theſe Churches in their invocations.

3. For Imageworſhip,Nullas habent ſanctorum imagines. Ioſephus Indus cap. 133. ſome have none at all, as the Indians, others have Pictures onelyonly, to which they give no undue reverence as the Aethiopians, yet will I not juſtifie ſome of them in this point.

4. For their Monks,Singuli pro ſui Monaſterij oeconemia ſuſtinenda laborant, alij vineas fodientes, &c. Bellon. obſer. lib. 1. cap. 35. they are not idle bellygods, or beggers, but live on their labour as before.

For other things mentioned, the Ieſuit hath a ſtreame of witneſſes againſt him.

And laſt of all, if theſe Churches agree with the Roman Church, why doe moſt of them excōmunicate the Pope and his clergie as before

And more eſpecially, to ſhew their diſagreement with the Aethiopian Church,Godign. de Abaſſ. rebus. pag. 225. the Biſhop of Sydonia gave new orders to Tecla Maria an Aethiopian Prieſt in the Chapell of the Cardinall of Saint Severin by the cōmandement of the Pope and advice of the Cardinals.