new named Peter Abbot of Cluniac wrote against him and imputeth these as errors unto him 1. Altars should be broken down 2. Sacrifices for the dead are foolishness and impieties 3. Priests and Monks should have wives rather then burn in filthiness and whoredom 4. Crosses should not be worshipped and should be removed as superstitious 5. Churches should not be so sumptuous but seeing they are not necessary should rather be cast down 6. God is but mocked with the songs that Monks and Priests do chant in the Churches 7. The forbidding of meats on certain days is but superstitious 8. We should believe onely the Canonical Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers have not the like Authority Albeit this Abbot did write bitterly against him and imputed other things unto him yet he sheweth not obscurely that wrong was done unto him and he saith Because it is not manifest unto me that he thinketh or preacheth so I will suspend my answer until I shall finde undoubted certainly I should not rashly assent unto that deceitful monster of report Ex lib. 1. Ep. 1 2. He began to preach about the year 1126. After him his disciple Henry a Monk continued preaching the same doctrine Guilerm an Abbot writing the life of Bernard lib. 3. cap 5. saith of this Henry He denied the grace of baptism unto infants he dispised the prayers and oblations for the dead the excommunications of Priests the pilgrimages of believers the sumptuous buildings of Churches the idleness of festival days the consectation of chrisme and oyl and all the Ordinances of the Church He sheweth there that the people sent for Bernard to come against him but he refused until Albericus Bishop of Ostia was sent Legate against him and he perswadeth Bernard to go with him unto Tolouse And then Bernard wrote his 240. Epistle unto Hildefonsus Count of S. Giles against this Henry and complaineth that by that mans preaching Churches were without people people without Priests Priests without reverence and Christians without Christ the Churches were accounted Synagogues Sacraments not holy things and holy days wanted solemnities men died in their sins without penance nor guarded with the holy communion He writeth against his life and calleth him an apostate because being a Monk he had returned to the lusts of the flesh as a dog to his vomit and a player at dice. It is certain as the proverb is Bernard saw not all things and howbeit he writ bitterly against him yet he commendeth him as a learned man and calleth him a wolf under a sheeps fleece he had then the shew of godliness yea and he was so reverenced that the people did follow him and though the man might be truly so blotted in his life yet we see that some errors were taxed by him and he was allowed and followed by the people for taxing these errors Debruis was burnt at Tolouse and Albericus carried Henry into Italy Their books were burnt that we can finde nothing of them but by the hands of their adversaries who may be thought to have dealt with them as the Heathens and Jews dealt with the Primitive Church that is bely them 17. Potho a Priest of Prumia wrote De statu domus Dei where are these passages Lib. 1. Liberty of will is lost and we are brought into captivity Lib. 2. With us is but one word to wit the word which was made flesh and one sacrifice which was once offered by the Mediator of the New Testament and doth make perfect for ever them who are sanctified Lib. 3. The holy Church is built on a rock and continueth in all adversities with immoveable certainty And after he hath largely rebuked the hypocrisie ambition and avarice of the Clergy he concludeth saying Seeing ambition reigneth in them how can they adorn the profession of Christ by word or works Catal. test ver lib. 14. 18. The poor men of Lions began a new Sect of Monkery as Bellarmin Of the Waldenses speaketh De Monach. cap. 4. and went to Rome to have their Religion confirmed by Pope Alexander III. but because it was mixed with sundry Heresies as he speaketh they were rejected and their Religion was condemned The History of these men is worthy of knowledge as many have written against them and others for them About the year 1150. was a rich Merchant at Lions of good reputation for wealth and prudence Peter Waldius or Waldensis so surnamed from Waldy a Village in the East borders of France afterwards called Vandra It happened on a day when the elder men of Lions were assembled that one fell down and died suddenly this spectacle gave occasion unto this Peter of thinking upon the frailty of this life and the vanity of mens cares for so brittle a thing wherefore he resolveth to be more mindeful of that eternal life First to this end he purchaseth a Bible which in those days was not forbidden yet very rare in the hands of either Laicks or Clergy and like the man desirous to buy the jewel he spent the rest of his days in seeking the water of life that which he learned he imparted it unto his family and catechised them His maner of instructing was so familiar and effectual that sundry of his neighbors were desirous to hear him he was no less willing to teach them and informed them not of private fantasies but expounded the holy Scriptures and translated some parts thereof into the French Language Ia. Thuan. ad Ann. 1550. The Priests were offended and like dogs who neither can eat hay nor suffer the oxen to eat they charged him to leave such work and put not his hand into their harvest unless he will bring worse upon himself The man cared more for conscience then their menaces and followed his course nor did the people abstain from his company Some made better progress with him then they had done before and became his colleagues in teaching others Wherefore John Arch-Bishop of Lions excommunicated him and all his followers and did confiscate all their goods So after five years they were scattered some seeking place of residence in one Countrey and some in another Wheresoever they went they purchased the praise of good conversation and by way of pity were called the poor men of Lions as indeed they were deprived of their goods and not professors of poverty as our adversaries speak of them They were also called Leonistae from the same City which by some is called Leon and they were called Insabbatati or Inzabbatati not because they kept not the holy days nor because they followed the Jewish Sabbath but from Zabata or Zabati which is an up-land shoe as Ia. Vsser de Eccles statu cap. 6. sheweth from Nic. Eimeric in par 2. direct Inquisit because upon their shoe they had a certain sign whereby they knew one another Afterwards other names were given unto them from the places of their abode as Tolosani Albigenses Caprarienses c. and from their Teachers they were
of your affairs he hath given unto our holy Mother his godly and acceptable confession and hath received the Doctrine of the true Faith from her wherein all men should agree who desire to be saved which also we will declare unto your charity Wherefore beloved Brethren and Sons if it be so as we believe and trust hasten the unity together with us for where can ye be more zealous against tempters then in the bosom of the true Church and under the shield of true salvation and where can ye better refresh your selves then where the fountain of the water of life is open All therefore who are thirsty come unto the waters come buy the wine of sober joy without money and receive milk from the teats of her comfort we trust then that in all things ye agree with us wherefore from henceforth with singular care and love we will provide unto you spiritual Pastors which shall have care of your souls and feed you with the word of truth and example of life and shall not afflict you Moreover concerning the Rites of the Church we will graciously yield unto you with the Apostle in these whatsoever have a good ground and a pure intention the granting of which may tend to your edification and shall not be contrary to the honor of this our holy and true Mother and her communion and obedience for verily we intend to dispense and deal with good will and discretion in the difference of Customs and Rites The Almighty God grant that we may hear as we have heard that many others have likewise received the spirit of true life to the increase and multiplying of the beloved Children of the true Mother and cause you together with us to rejoice in the house of the Church with the same Professions and Rites yea that we may praise him with heart and mouth for ever and ever Amen Given at Constantinople Ianuary 18. An. 1451. Rer. Bohem. autiqui Scriptor pag. 235. Edit Hannoviae An. 1602. 26. George Pogiobratz King of Bohemia was a good Warriour and did not fear the threats of the Pope and Emperour and he restored the ruined estate of the Kingdom Vratislavia and Silesia refused to obey him because he was an Heretick as Cochlaeus speaks Hist Huss lib. 12. But Pius the II. then intending Wars against the Turk did by all means perswade them to yeeld obedience and the King did require the Pope to keep the Compacts of Basil in favours of the Bohemians The Pope refused to grant so much Wherefore the King called the Estates together and protested before that he would live and die in that faith which they did profess and so did the Nobles An. 1462. Cochl ibid. Pope Paul gave that Kingdom unto Matthias King of Hungary and when he was busie against the Turks and had recovered several Towns and had entred into Thracia with good success Rodulph the Pope's Legate drew him back from the Turks to invade the Christians in Bohemia but God protected them against him although he had the aid of the Pope and the Vratislavians and some Cities did accept him yea God defended that Kingdom so that when George died An 1471. and the Pope had stiled Matthias King of Hungary and Bohemia the Estates of Bohemia would not accept him even howbeit he had married the daughter of George before the Wars but hated him for his unnatural usurpation and did chuse Ladislaus the son of Casimire King of Poland And the two sons of Pogiobratz prevailed in Wars against Matthias and the Emperour made them both Dukes This was so offensive unto Matthias that he proclaimed Wars against the Emperour but he was taken away by death Pet. Mexia 27. Stephen Brulifer a Doctor of Sorbone and a Franciscan taught in his lessons and maintained in disputes that neither the Pope nor Councel nor Church can make any Article or Statute to bind the conscience of a Christian that all their authority consists in the urging of obedience unto God's word in preaching it and administring the Sacraments which he hath instituted so that they bring nothing without his command he called justification by merits a Divellish doctrine since the Lamb of God was sacrificed and hath satisfied God's justice for us The Doctours of Sorbone would not suffer him amongst them But he went to Diether Bishop of Mentz which had been deposed for speaking against the avarice of Rome and was restored Fascic rer expet fol. 164. 28. John de Wesalia a Preacher of Worms was delated by the Thomists unto the same Diether he gathered his books and sent them unto the Universities of Colein and Heidleburg to be examined They convened this John before them at Mentz in February An. 1479. After they had viewed his books they found these Articles which they called errours 1. All men are saved freely by the meer grace of Christ through faith 2. We should beleeve the Word of God only and not the glosses of any man 3. God hath from all eternity written in a book all his Elect whosoever is not written there shall never be written in it and whosoever is written in it shall never be blotted out 4. Our Doctours do expound the Scriptures wickedly and falsly 5. Christ never appointed a Fasting nor Festival day neither forbad to eat any meat upon any day 6. When Peter did celebrate the Eucharist he said the Lord's Prayer and the consecration and then did communicate with others but now the Priest must stand an hour and more when he saith Mass 7. They are fools who go in Pilgrimage to Rome for they may find as much good elsewhere 8. The Word of God should be expounded by conferring one Text with another 9. Prelates have no authority to expound Scriptures by any peculiar right given unto one more than to another 10. Mens traditions as Fasts Feasts Pardons set Praiers Pilgrimages and such other things are to be rejected 11. Extream unction confirmation auricular confession and satisfaction are to be contemned They demanded of him several questions as Whether Christ was present bodily in the Sacrament or spiritually He answered Christ's body was there present and the substance of Bread and Wine remain also 2. What he thought of the Procession of the Holy Ghost Ans He beleeved not that he proceeds from the Father and the Son as from one principium because the Scripture speaks not so 3. What he thought of the Vicar of Christ Ans He beleeved not that Christ hath a Vicar for he said Behold I am with you unto the end of the World 4. What he thought of pardons Ans He had written a book wherein he had shewed that the Treasure of the Church cannot be distributed by Popes because it is written Revel 14. Their works follow them After these interrogatories and others of that sort three Doctors were appointed to deal with him privately He said unto them As ye deal with me if Christ were here you would condemn him as an Heretick but he
he had many bickerings with the monkes In one epistle he calleth the priests contemners of the Holy Scriptures in another he complaineth that Aristotle was more preached in pulpits then Christ In his answer unto the 8. questions of the Emperour Maximilian he hath these propositions If there be any salvation without Christ Christ is not the Saviour of all 2. Seing the Sacred Scripture is the work of God we must necessarily confesse it is in all respects perfect for the great God whose works are all perfect hath given unto his Scriptures such order as he pleased and without all doubt he inspired his pen men how they should write Adquaest 4. 3. The heavenly doctrine is not in the words but in the meaning of the Scriptures not in the pages of an hid oration but in the secret of mysticall inspiration ibid. 4. Neither hath the Church any authority without the Scripture nor is faith given unto the Scripture without the Church for as Augustin saith I had not believed the Scriptures if the authority of the Church had not moved me So John Gerson said I would not believe the Church if the Gospell did not move me the Church confirmeth the Scripture and is confirmed by the Scripture when the Church doubteth she hath recourse unto the advice of the Scriptures for the same Spirit of God hath founded the Church on the faith of Jesus Christ and he only hath inspired the Scriptures This is the three fold cord which is not easily broken when the Holy Scripture is by the Holy Spirit coupled with the authority of the Church so that the Scriptures commend the Church and the Church commendeth the Scripture 5. Some men think that the Holy Scripture is in many things confused and imperfect and yet if they would read it with due purity of mind they would find it very perfect solid At last he concludeth The authority of any Catholik Church not of any particular Church is great which only in the doubts concerning faith hath place to expound the Scriptures to wit out of the Scriptures themselves which are perfect as he said before unto whom speaking according to the Scriptures the neckes of all powers are subject c An. 1516. died the worthy Carmelite Baptista Mantuanus a Poet of such same that he is aequalized unto the antient Poets as Bostius writeth unto Burellus In many places he describeth the estate of Rome to wit he professeth his own affection toward that Church in Fast. lib. 12. saying Et licet his olim nugis juveniliter aures Praebuerim tamen ut melius cum tempore factum Judicium lis haec mihi perniciosa videri Caepit ex gravium cuneis abigenda virorum In his Eclog. 9. he describeth the City thus Mille lupi totidem vulpes in vallibus istis Lustra tenent quod dirum ac mirabile dictu est Ipse homines hujus tanta est violentia coeli Saepe lupi effigiem moresque assumere vidi Inque suum saevire gregem multâque madere Caede sui pecoris factum vicinia ridet Nec scelus exhorret nec talibus obviat ausis Saepe etiam miris apparent monstra figuris Quae tellus affecta malis influxibus edit Saepe canes tantam in rabiem vertuntur ut ipsos Vincant caede lupos qui tutela fuerunt Hostiles iâ—eunt animos ovilia mactant And in his first book Sylvarum after along catalogue of the impieties of Rome he saith Singula texentem convitia deseret aetas Tantum ac tale tuae est impietatis onus Romanis Pater est Mavors lupa Martia nutrix Haec hominum mores ingeniumque docent Vivere qui sanctè cupitis discedite Romae Omnia cùm liceant non licet esse pium And in Fast. libr. 2. he directeth his speech unto Pope Leo X. Sed tria praesertim restant curâ atque labore Digna tuo bellum est primum quae fessa laborat Italia pleni humano jam sangnine campi Est aliud Romana gravi maculata veneno Curia quae spargit terras contagia in omnes Postremum est oppressafides expósta rapinis Vndique in praedam populis subjecta cruentis A te haec subsidium magnis clamoribus orant Sancte Pater succurre Leo Respublica Christi Labitur agrotatque fides jam proxima morti 17. The University of Padua in their determination for the divorcement of Augustinus Furnarius a Noble man of Genua did hold that those things which appertain unto the law of God are not subject unto the power of the Romish Pope and that in these things the Pope is not the Vicar of Christ but only in such things that are committed unto the jurisdiction of men Corn. Agrippa in Apolog. § 2. 18. Cornelius Agrippa Count a Niettesheim Doctor utriusque Juris became afterwards counseller unto Charls V. Emperour Albeit he continue professing himself to be a member of the Romish Church and wrote despitefully of Martin Luther yet in sundry of his works he dissembleth not the estate of the Romish Church An. 1510. he had a declamation against diverse abuses of the Church and in defence of his declamation he wrote a book which he calleth De vanitate scientiarum artium in which his purpose is to shew that no where no not in the Pope nor in Scholastik Theology is there any Divine solidity but only in the word of God and in proof heer of as he taxeth the faults of all studies and Arts so he concealeth not the vices of priests monks Bishops Cardinals and Popes as elsewhere I have touched especially in cap. 54. he sheweth that the Doctours of Theology in Lovan do reckon among the canonized Saints Aristoteles who by killing himself had made himself a sacrifice unto the Devils and nevertheless they had caused to print a book de Salute Aristot and they had published another booke de Vita Morte Arist with a Theologicall glosse in the end of which they conclude as John the Baptist was the fore-runner of Christ in things concerning grace so Aristotle was the forerunner of Christ in other things c. In c. 60. he saith It is not the least part of Religion that consisteth in the pompe of ceremonies in cloaths in vessell candles bell organs concents odours sacrifices gestures pictures in the choise of meates fastes such other things that are in singular admiration adoration of the unlearned people who receive and take heed only to such things as are before their eyes But as it oft happeneth that those things which are ordained for remedy turne to harme so it comes to passe that by the multiplication of the lawes concerning these caeremonies Christians are now burdened with too many constitutions with moe that the Iewes of old and which is more to be lamented whereas those rites are neither good nor bad in themselves people trust more in them and observe them more praecisely than the commandements of God
devote mind because God is not ignorant who comes unto him as a King knoweth not till he be informed by his Courtiers Here it is to be observed that Ambrose speaks there against the Heathens who would have excused their idolatrie but his words serve no less against all praiers unto any meer creature Another great preparative to the invocation of Saints was made by sundrie solemnities which may be thought to have been done in no ill mind but with a bad success as the building of Churches and keeping of daies in remembrance of particular Saints whereupon followed the nomination of Mercates c. When such things began some Fathers did not perceive what inconveniences were following for some were bickering against the heresies concerning the Trinitie and person of Christ some against the Pelagians and some were not so zealous others did rejoice that the Heathens could be turned from gentilism and others foresaw the danger but saw the people so headstrong in their presumptions that they durst not freely rebuke the people for eschewing the offence of some good persons and of some who were turbulent as Augustine confesseth of himself in Ep. 119. ad Ianuar. Untill the daies of Gregorie no such thing was found in the Liturgies but only remembrance of the Saints names and men praied only unto God that he would give them grace to follow their examples and when the form of Gregorie began the invocation was not yet brought into the Liturgie in his works are found and very rarely proper to Saints but not any one to the Virgin Maria which we may think he would not have omitted if he had believed that she is a Savioress or a Mediatress But after him are few found who speak against the invocation of Saints in so far that an 755. in a Synod at Constantinople it was confirmed by authoritie of a Canon even by them who at the same time condemned the worship of images and yet the invocation that was allowed then was but a blot in respect of the impietie whereinto the Church of Rome did thereafter degenerate For they say not Pray for us if you have sence of our miseries but sometimes they direct their praiers unto the Saints that they help them in their miseries and grant their petitions as to the Virgin Marie they say Marie mother of grace mother of mercie defend us from the enemie and accept us in the hour of death Offic. beat Mariae pag. 54. which was allowed by Pope Pius the V. an 1571. and ib. fol. 226. in the hymn of the Apostles they say Ye unto whose commandment the health and sickness of all men is subject heal the sick in manners and restore vertue unto us Sometimes they pray unto God to hear them for the merits of the Saints as ib. fol. 38. Let the Lord grant us salvation and peace for the Virgin mothers sake and fol. 46. O Lord protect thy people who trust in the patrocinie of the Apostles Peter and Paul and of other thy Apostles preserve us continually we beseech thee O Lord let all thy Saints help us everie where that when we think on their mercies we may find their patrocinie And fol. 228. in Natal S. Martyris nec virginis nec martyris O most gracious God for her sake forgive us our sins and spare our iniquities hereafter we will find more such blasphemous praiers Thirdly in imitation of the old Heathens they divide the government of things below unto several Saints the Patron of Spain is Saint James of France Saint Dennis of Germanie Saint Martine of England Saint George Towns have their particular Patrons Rome hath Saint Peter Venice hath Saint Mark c. yea Janus hath given the keys of Heaven unto Peter Jupiter Pluvius hath given the Rain unto Genivieve instead of Aeolus Seamen call upon Saint Nicolas Ceres hath given over the Corns unto John and Paul Esculapius gives Medicine unto Saint Cosm Bacchus the Vines unto Saint Urban Mercurius the Oxen to Pelagius and a thousand more such toies they have And as if all this were not abhomination enough they give the same worship unto the Creatour and creature Bellarmine in the end of his Books saith Praise to God and to the Virgin Marie and in the end of the Book de cultu Sanctor Printed Lugduni an 1596. Praise to God and to the Virgin-mother Marie and also to God Jesus Christ the eternal Son of the eternal Father be praise and glorie where he preferreth the Virgin before Christ So doth Gregorie Valentia in the end of his Book de Missa and de Purgator Praise to God and to the blessed Virgin Marie and to Jesus Christ Viega is plain in his Comment on Revel 12. sect 2. num 31. saying She is set above the creatures and whosoever boweth his knee to Jesus doth also humble himself unto his mother and I think saith he the glorie of the Son with the Mother to be not so much common as the verie same These particulars are blasphemous without exception so that I have seen an Edition of Bellarmine where the above-named Doxologie is omitted And before him Lud. Vives in his Note on August de civ Dei lib. 8. cap. ult complaineth saying Many Christians do sin often in good things that they do worship he-Gods and Goddesses no otherwise than they do God nor see I in many what difference is betwixt their opinion concerning the Saints and what the Heathens thought of their Gods And Pol. Verg. de invent rer lib. 6. cap. 23. saith The multitude have more trust in images then they do in Christ but if they trust so unto images they will trust no less in Saints whose images they are These practices of the Romish Church are cleâ—â— unto all who are acquainted with their books or who behold their fopperies in their Churches So that Agrippa de vanit Scient cap. 57. after he hath related a great number of theirtricks he derideth their pretences as if Jupiter had imparted his power unto the lesser Gods and concludeth thus he is superstitious and ungodly who instead of miracles turneth prodigious lies as it were sporting fooleries into a Historie and gives them unto the simple people to be believed instead of Oracles and they are fools who believe such tales Hereby certainly he understandeth their Legenda aurea or the History of the Saints Lives and Miracles which are publickly read on the Feast-daies 6. In this Centurie the worshipping of Images came into question but The worship of Images first see what the more ancient Christians thought thereof Origenes contra Cels lib. 7. saith Christians and Jews when they hear the Law of God Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven-image nor not only refuse these Temples Altars and Images of Gods but indeed chuse rather to die And then speaking of the Images of the true God he saith Neither do we regard images for we frame no Image of God because he is invisible and incorporal Lactantius Instit lib.
as may fall amongst the Souldiers in their march that none of them durst take an Apple without the licence of the owner upon pain of death The people being bewitched with such fair inducements did submit unto him as their Prince Doctour and Law-giver He deceived some by words and compelled others with the sword unto subjection The Persians as is touched were easily brought to his obedience When they prevailed over Christians they dealt with them without mercy in Jerusalem they shewed more then beastly cruelty in a Church of Caesarea they massacred above 7000. Christians they made Cyprus once without one Christian about the year 700. they slue in Isuaria 150000. and kept 7000. captives At that time Homar their Prince excused all this cruelty with pretext that he did only pursue the worshippers of images for about that time images were frequent in Christian Churches and the Sarazens could not look on an image for religion We may say then Homar was the rod of God correcting the idolatry and will worship of Christians and the same images did give great advantage to this common enemy by dissention of Christians as followeth in the next Century About the same time arose two several Kingdoms of the Sarazens the first in Asia whereof the chief City was builded by the ruines of Babylon and was called Baldac or Baldacut an 630. after two years Mahumet was poisoned by Albunar one of his Disciples to the end he might have experience of his Prophecies for Mahumet had said that within three daies after his death he would rise again But when Albunar had waited 12. daies he found his body torn by dogs and gathered his bones or what was remaining and buried them in a Pitcher at Macha in Persia He delivered other Prophecies but his followers have not as yet found the truth of them Not many years after the erection of this Kingdom the Aegyptians were wearied of the Roman Empire and sent for the Sarazens unto their aid but it was to their greater woe For the Sarazens made a prey of them and erected another Kingdom in Affrick whose Seat was Alcair or Babylon in Aegypt In both Kingdomes the Supream Governour both in Policy and Religion was called Calipha and they ruled the Provinces by Presidents whom they called Sultans or Soldans who were also High-Priests CHAP. IV. Of BRITAIN 1. THe Papishes do brag that the Roman Church is the Mother of all The Roman Church is the Mother of all other Churches Churches and that all Countries who ever believed in Christ were first converted to her faith by such as were precisely sent or at least had their authority from the Pope who lived in the time in which they were converted This say they is so openly set down in the History of the first conversion of every Country as no Protestant were he never so impudent can without blushing deny it So speaketh Thomas Hill a Doctour of Doway in his 4. reason Of his Catholick Religion If the like lies were not frequent amongst them it may seem a wonder how men can be so impudent if they but read the Acts of the Apostles where we have a conversion of Nations without the mention of a Church at Rome And the like may be said if they had read the Recognitions of Clemens whom some call the first Bishop of Rome and some call him the second and some the third all these Books are concerning the conversion of Nations and yet in them is little or nothing of a Church in Rome till he came to the last book and neither is there one word of sending Teachers from Rome into other Nations so that many Nations were converted before any Christian Church was at Rome Other Nations can shew by whom the light of the Gospel came unto them But for Especially not of the old Britans nor Scots Britan say they it is clear That Gregory the I. sent Augustine who is called The Apostle of the English And was not the Christian faith in Britan before that time Read the second Apology of Athanasius and in the first page you shall find that in Constantius time some from Britan were at the great Councel in Sardeis and in the former chapter Sect. 8. we have heard the testimony of Jerom That from Jerusalem and from Britan the Gate of Heaven is equally patent and in other places he mentioneth them and 200. years before him Tertullian against the Jews sheweth That the places of Britan which were unaccessible unto the Romans were subject unto Christ And what places these were Baronius in Annal. ad an 186. Sect. 6. teacheth That it is certain that the Romans did possess the South part of Britan and Adrian caused a Wall to be made betwixt Cart-den and Dumbarton to be a partition between them and the Scots But saith Baronius the Britans who did possess what was on the North-side of the Wall did often pass over and provoke the Romans unto Battel In the time of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome Lucius King of South Britan was a Christian and Baronius cannot deny but long before that the Gospel of Christ had been brought into Britan as saith he Testatur Gilda sapiens And at the same time Donald King of Scotland was a Christian and in the daies of Dioclesian when the persecution was hot in the South part many Christians took their refuge into the North part where the King Crathilint received them and for safety sent many of them into the Isle of Man and there builded a Church unto them that they might serve God freely It is true the South part did change their Inhabitants for division falling amongst them the one party sent for the Saxons for their aid and these were Heathens and subdued all the country except that which is now called South and North Wales and that for their prophaneness and contempt of Religion as Gildas testifieth in a little book de excidio Britannico which is in Bibliotheca Patr. de la Bigne tom 5. About the year 600. Ethelbert had married Bertha Gregory the I. lib. 9. Epist 59. calleth her Aldiberga a Christian who brought with her Lethard a Preacher Beda hist lib. 1. cap. 25. calleth him a Bishop he preached in a Church at Canterbury called Saint Martin's that had been long time before When Augustine was sent by Gregory and came thither he stayed in the Isle of Tenet untill he knew the King's will Beda ibid. By means of Bertha licence was granted and he preached before the King After his conversion Augustine had intelligence of the Britans and sent unto them and craved a meeting with them three of them came unto him he did speak at first fairly and desired them to join with him in conversion of the Heathens They answered We have our own Bishops without their knowledge we may do nothing Then by authority and procurement of the King he inviteth them to a Synod at a place which from him was called Austin-oke or
shaved and made a Monk And Aventin in Annal. saith When Volarad a Bishop and Burchard Abbot of Saint Dionis at Paris were sent to understand the Pope's judgement his answer was I find in the sacred story of Divine Scriptures that the people fell away from their wretchless and lascivious King who despised the counsel of the wise men and created a sufficient man one of themselves King God himself allowing their doings all power and rule belong unto God Princes are his Ministers in their Kingdomes and rulers are chosen for the people that they should follow the will of God the chief ruler in all things and not to do what they list he is a true King that guideth the people committed to his charge according to the prescript and line of God's Law all that he hath as power glory riches honour and dignity he receiveth of the people the people create their King and the people may when the cause so requireth forsake their King It is lawfull therefore for the French and Germans to refuse this unkind Monster and to chuse one who may be able in War and Peace by his wisedom to protect and keep in safety their wives children parents goods and lives So Pope Zachary giveth his advice and pretendeth not any interest into the matter Then he writ unto Boniface Bishop of Mentz that he might anoint Pipin King of France and declare all his Subjects free from their Oath of Allegiance unto their lazy Soveraign And now the Reader may judge what Pipin did receive from Pope Zachary This was the work of many years and so ended An. 752. Here observe that Pipin was anointed but anointing The custom of anointing Kings is late or borrowed from the Iews of Kings was not in custom amongst Christians in the daies of Lactantius who in Institut lib. 4. cap. 7. speaking of Christ's name saith It was commanded unto the Jews to make an holy oil wherewith those were anointed who were called unto the Priesthood or Kingdom and now among the Romans the Robe of Purpure is the sign of their royal assumed power so unto them the anointing with oil gave the name and royal power And Augustine on Psal 45. saith It was the custom only of the Jewish Nation to anoint Kings and Priests whereby was taught that among none other but the Jewish people was the King and Priest of the world to be born Anastasius Patriarch of Constantinople did anoint Emperour Leo the I. and thereafter that came into custom to shew that the Emperour was a true Christian and free from heresie They want no colours for bringing into the Christian Church Jewish or Heathenish rites 5. John Damascen who was called Chrysoras for distinction from another Iohn Damascen of that name who lived about the year 300. had been amongst the Sarazens and for fear of death did make profession of Mahumetism but being escaped did write in defence of the Orthodox faith and began the first systeme of Divinity amongst the Greeks as afterwards Pe. Lombard among the Latines he was a maintainer of images but in many other things was an adversary to the present doctrine of Rome Lib. 1. de Orthod fide cap. 1. he saith All that is given unto us by the Law and Prophets Apostles and Evangelists we embrace acknowledge and reverence seeking no further God therefore being ignorant of nothing and providing whatsoever is profitable for us to know hath revealed it but he hath hid in silence those things whereof we could not indure the weight therefore let us love these things and abide in them neither should we pass beyond the bounds appointed by his eternal will not transgress the Divine Tradition any way Lib 3. Cap. 17. The Lord's flesh is inriched with Divine Efficacy because of the hypostatical union neither doth it fall or hath it exceeded its proper nature nor its natural properties And Cap. 18. he saith The communication of Omnipotency unto Christ-man or his Man-hood may be declared two waies First That this man Christ is almighty by communication of properties Next The proper works of God are given to the flesh as the instrument of the Deity And Lib. 4. Cap. 18. After he hath at length recommended the reading of the Scriptures he reckoneth the Books of the Old-Testament according to the Hebrew and then he saith The Wisedom of Solomon and of Jesus son of Sirach are pleasant and good but are not numbred among the Prophetical books nor were put into the Ark. And in Cap. 25. he commendeth Virginity and then he addeth this we say not derogating from marriage God forbid for we know that God blessed marriage by his presence and it is said Marriage is honourable amongst all men In Cap. 14. he saith By invocation and by working of the Holy Ghost the Bread and Wine and Water are supernaturally changed into the Body and Blood of Christ The Papishes make use of this testimony for their Transubstantiation but there is also a supernatural change of the Water in Baptism and yet no Transubstantiation neither do the Greeks believe it to this day but only a mystical change in regard of the use and effect 6. In the Epistles of Pope Zachary to Boniface it is evident that divers Many in Italy and Stain did oppose the Popes Bishops and Priests contemned the pretended Apostolical authority and his excommunications In the Epistle of Pope Adrian it appeareth that Leo Patriarch of Ravenna with-held many things from the See of Rome and that he despised the Judges whom the Pope sent thither and that he opened the Letters that were sent by some of his Diocy unto the Pope Also Regimbald and other Bishops of Lombardy did allow their Clergy to marry against the Decree of Rome Ex Epist Adrian ad Carol. When Maurice Bishop of Istria professed himself to be the faithfull servant of Saint Peter and required Pensions there unto him the people pulled out his eys and said their land was the Territory of Charls and not of the Pope Catal. test ver lib. 8. Paulin Bishop of Aquileia in his book against Felix and Eliphand Bishops of Uurgelita and Tâ—leâ—o commendeth the Holy Scriptures and condemneth all opinions whatsoever that cannot be proved out of them he saith The Church is built upon the Rock Christ and it may be shaken by Hereticks but cannot be drowned because it is strengthned by the right hand of Christ he saith Teachers and every Christian should fight against heretical opinions and refute them for a Souldier of Christ should not be basely afraid for the force of approaching Battel nor by straying seek the lurking holes of harmless escaping but being girded with the weapons of their own Warfare should couragiously pierce the hearts of their enemies with spiritual darts out of the Bow of the Scriptures 7. Aponius a French man then writ several books in Cant. lib. 1. he saith Aponius The Lord hath given his fiery word unto this World in the
nature with Christ who receive him and are renewed by his Spirit by whom he was conceived Away therefore with that superfluity whereby it is said and defined that there was is or shall be no man whose nature he hath not assumed 2. It is affirmed No man was is or shall be for whom Christ hath not suffered Of which question what other can we answer but that first we demand them who have defined this and admonish them to weigh vigilantly and faithfully lest perhaps by little considering what they should say they say and write such things against the faith and their own conscience for to omit those who are now or shall be till the end of the world among whom shall be the Antichrist certainly of that innumerable multitude of the wicked which have been from the beginning untill the coming of Christ and being dead in their wickedness are condemned in everlasting pains we think not that they who have written this do beleeve that Christ hath suffered for them which are dead in their wickedness and now condemned in everlasting judgment for if it be beleeved that he hath suffered for them why may it not also be beleeved that he hath suffered for the Divel and his Angels Therefore as it cannot be said that Christ Jesus hath suffered for those wicked and damned Angels so far be it that we should believe that he hath suffered for those wicked and damned men ...... But of those who as yet continue in their unbelief and wickedness shall perish if good men who have defined these things could demonstrate unto us by sure and clear testimonies from the authority of the Holy Scriptures what the Lord hath suffered for those we should also beleeve the same and if that they cannot let them not contend now for that which they read not let them be ashamed to determine what they cannot find to be decreed by any Councel of the holy Fathers or determination of Ecclesiastical doctrine or if they find any thing written by the ancient Doctours whereby occasion of such interpretation may be given yet saving the reverence due unto them let them rather contain themselves and submit unto Divine authority 3. They say All the unbeleevers are not redeemed by the mystery of Christ's blood so neither are the beleevers redeemed who have not faith which worketh by love Why should we speak of this question seeing it is manifest from what is said that no redemption in Christ is unto any unbeleevers and all beleevers who come truly unto faith and grace of regeneration receive their true redemption and true regeneration because they cannot be truly regenerate unless it be truly certain that they are redeemed from the power of the Divel and bondage of sin neither can they be truly redeemed unless they be cleansed in the laver of mercy and made free from the guilt of sin and from the power of the Prince of this world unless which is most absurd in this definition it be said that our Lord Jesus Christ hath suffered even for the wicked who perish in their sins and it be affirmed that every beleever is not truly redeemed by the mystery of His passion and renewed in his baptism Hincmar Bishop of Rhemes could not take this censure patiently but writ Epistles unto several Bishops in defence of his opinions That censure is oppugned by some and Remigius sent abroad his censures of them as Vsser in histor Gottescal cap. 8. hath at length John Scot did follow Hincmar and although in other things he had purchased a name yet because here he undertook a wrong and maintained by others cause Florus a Deacon of Lions and Prudentius Bishop of Tricassin did not spare him as is at large loc cit cap. 9. 10. 11. I will shortly shew their testimonies whereby summarily their doctrine may be known Florus saith Whereas he John saith that man sinning hath lost liberty but not the power and vigour of the liberty he saith not rightly for he hath not kept in part and lost in part the gift of liberty but as he hath lost the power and vigour of liberty so he hath lost liberty it self so that now he is not free unto good from which he hath fallen he continueth free unto evil because as of his free-will he forsook good so by free-will he cleaveth unto evil Man therefore after that damnation hath free-will whereby he may incline and doth incline unto evil through his will he hath free-will whereby it is possible that he may arise unto good but that he ariseth unto good it is not of his own vertue but of the compassionating grace of God for he who is heavily diseased may possibly receive health but that he may receive health he hath need of a medicament and he who is dead it may be said that possibly he may rise and live yet not by his own vertue but by the power of God so the free-will of man being wounded and dead may be healed but by the grace of God shewing mercy Again John saith If any cause precede will that is nature to think good or evil it is not nature where he speaks manifestly against truth for if no cause precede the will of man to think or do good whence is in man a good will that is a good affection to think or do any good for man hath not of himself a good will nor doth he any good but he hath it from him of whom the Apostle speaks unto beleevers It is God who worketh in us both to will and to do according to his good will He by his mercy preveneth the will of man as the Psalmist saith My God his mercy shall prevene me He inspires into man the grace of thinking well as the Apostle saith Not that we are able to think a good thought as of our selves but our sufficiency is from God Therefore He is the cause of good will in us He is the cause of good desires and of perfecting He is unto us the cause of mercy and grace by which we are able not only to do well and to perfect but also to think well And not only doth he these things in his elect in this life but also before the foundation of the world he hath predestinated them by his grace that they should be holy and blameless before him as the Apostle witnesseth Seeing therefore so great and such a cause which is the cause of all good things both in making and rewarding his creatures is unto us the best and eternal cause of good will prevening us by grace that we may will well and do well how saith this man that no cause precedes our will and works Or if any cause precede them that cause is not nature Seeing the Almighty God who is the cause of our good will is the highest and best nature .... But far be it to say that this highest and best cause precedes our will to think or do evil and nevertheless a
necessity that he could not be otherwise but that He in his Almighty and unchangeable Majesty as he knows all things ere they be did foreknow that the wicked were to be such of their own will Nor do we beleeve that any is condemned in His prejudice but according to the merit of their own iniquity nor that the wicked do perish because they could not be good but because they would not be good and through their own fault continue in the mass of perdition or original and actual sin Ca. 3. But concerning the Predestination of God it pleaseth and faithfully doth please according to the authority of the Apostle saying Hath not the Potter power over the clay to make of the same mass one vessel unto honour and another unto dis-honour We confidently confess the predestination of the elect unto life and predestination of the wicked unto death and in the election of them who are to be saved the mercy of God precedes the good merit but in the damnation of them who perish their wicked merit precedes the just judgment of God And in that predestination God hath only appointed what he was to do either in his gracious mercy or just judgment as the Scripture saith Which hath done what things were to be But in the wicked he foreknew their wickedness because it is of them and he did not predestinate it because it is not of him but because he knows all things which he did foreknow and because he is just he did predestinate the punishment that follows their merit for with him as Augustine saith is as well a fixed decree as a certain knowledge of every thing and hither belongs that saying of the Wise Man Judgments are prepared for the Scorners Prov. 19. Of this unchangeableness of the foreknowledge and predestination of God by which the future things are already done may that well be understood Eccles 3 I know whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever nothing can be put to it and nothing taken from it and God doth it that men should fear before him But that any are by the power of God predestinated unto evil as if they could not be otherwise We not only do not beleeve it but even if there be any which will beleeve such evil with all detestation as did the Arausicane Synod we say Anathema unto them Ca. 4. Item of the redemption of the blood of Christ because of so great an errour which hath begun in this point so that some as their writings declare define that it was shed even for the wicked which from the beginning unto the coming of Christ being dead in their wickedness are punished with everlasting damnation contrary to that of the Prophet O death I will be thy death and O grave I will be thy destruction it pleaseth us to hold and teach simply and faithfully according to Evangelical and Apostolical truth that this price was given for them of whom our Lord saith So must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever beleeves in him shall not perish but .... And the Apostle saith Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many And moreover the four Articles that were defined unadvisedly in the Synod of our brethren at Carisiac for their inutility are also errour contrary unto truth and likewise other things concluded foolishly in the 19 Syllogisms of John Scot and glorious with no secular literature although it be boasted otherwise in which rather the argument of the Divel then any argument of the faith is found we discharge them altogether from the hearing of Beleevers and by the authority of the Holy Ghost we inhibit them that those and such things be altogether shunned and we do judge that introducers of new things should be corrected lest they be smitten more severely Ca. 5. We believe that it should be held firmly that all the multitude of the faithfull is regenerated by the water and the Spirit and thereby truly incorporated into the Church and according to Apostolical doctrine are baptized into the death of Christ and washed in his blood because neither could be true regeneration in them unless there were also true redemption seeing in the Sacraments of the Church nothing is in vain and nothing in mockage but altogether all things are true and relieth upon its truth and sincerity And yet of that multitude of the faithfull and redeemed some are saved by eternal salvation because through the grace of God they continue faithfully in their redemption hearing in their hearts the voice of their Lord Matth. 10. 24 Who continueth unto the end shall be saved and others because they would not continue in the salvation of faith which before they had received and did chuse rather to make the grace of redemption in vain through their wicked doctrine and life then to keep it attain no way to the fullness of salvation and possession of eternal blessedness Seeing in both we have the doctrine of the godly Doctour Whosoever are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death and All which are baptized into Christ have put on Christ and Let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and being washed in the body with clean water let us hold fast the profession of our hope without change And again For them which sin willingly after the received knowledge of the truth there remains no other sacrifice for sin and He that despised the Law of Moses ..... Ca. 6. Item of grace by which the Beleevers are saved and without which never any reasonable creature hath lived blessedly and of free-will which is weakned by sin in the first man but by the grace of Jesus Christ is renewed and healed in his Beleevers We beleeve constantly and with full faith the same that the most holy Fathers have left to be kept according to the authority of the Holy Scriptures what the Arausican and African Synods have professed what the blessed High-Priests of the Apostolical See have held in the Catholick faith and presuming to decline no way into another side concerning nature and grace But we reject altogether the foolish questions and almost the fable of old women and Scot's pottage which the purity of faith cannot disgest and which have miserably and lamentably arisen in these most dangerous and grievous times unto a heap of our labours and breach of charity lest Christian minds be corrupted and fall from the simplicity and purity of faith which is in Jesus Christ So far they What they say here of Scot's pottage they understand that Treatise of Iohn Scot and have borrowed the phrase from Jerom's Prologue on Ierem. lib. 1. speaking of Celestius a Disciple of Pelagius a Briton and not a Scot. And from this word Baronius ad An. 855. § 1. writes that this Synod was convened against some vagring Scots of whom Gotteschalk was the prime man and thereby hath brought not only his Binius
all joyn together against a common enemy so it was in the combat of the Friers The Dominicans did lay the grounds of their opinion on Scripture and doctrine of the Fathers and of ancient School-men And the other party when they could not finde the least taste of Scripture for maintaing their cause they have their refuge unto miracles and consent of the multitude Against them F. Iohannes de Vdine à Dominican useth this dilemma S. Paul and the Fathers said he either did believe as ye do that the blessed Virgin was free from the common law of men or they did not believe if they did believe it and spoke not at any time but universally without any mention of this exception why follow not ye their example but if they did believe the contrary then your opinion smelleth of novelty But F. Ierom Lombardel a Franciscan did affirm That the Church now hath no less Authority then the Primitive and therefore if by consent of the ancient Church the Fathers without exception spoke so we should invite an universal consent unto this exception from the common condition which opinion sheweth it self at this time by the celebration of this festivity So far P. Soave 15. Peter Abbot of Cluniac was in great account with Pope Eugenius II. Bernard wrote many Epistles unto him In Epist 277. he calleth him a vessel for honor full of grace and truth and endued with many gifts In an Epistle unto Eugenius he saith Albeit your person be set over Nations and Kingdoms to pull up and destroy to kill and scatter yet seeing you are neither God nor are you Jeremiah unto whom this was said you may be deceived you may be deceived by them who seek not Jesus Christ but themselves and lest this be if there be any faithful Son he should shew unto his Father faithfully what things he knoweth and which may be unknown unto you and he should â—orewarn and forearm you lest they of whom it is said the poison of aspsis under their tongue be able to corrupt your sincerety by their poison Here he professeth unto the Pope himself that he may err and be deceived Adversus Iudae lib. 1. If as you say and as the Apostle teacheth all men are condemned and all die in Adam then as the same Apostle teacheth all are justified in Christ and all are quickened for it is true what he saith As by one man sin came on all to condemnation so by one righteousness came on all to justification of life God by his essential goodness having pity on lost man and willing to save him but unless justly neither willing nor able while he sought in his eternal counsel how he might shew pity on the wretched and save his own justice this especially he thought most convenient whereby justice might be saved and man be delivered and grace be enlarged and God be glorified so God sent his own Son unto the sons of men that putting on mans nature and healing mans vices he should take in the assumed flesh not sin but the punishment of sin even bodily death and so by his single and temporary death he should deliver from a two-fold and that everlasting death by which dispensation mercy sheweth mercy and no prejudice done to justice when for the everlasting punishment of man a temporal punishment of God-man is offered which certainly is of great weight even in the ballance of justice that for rightly ordering the sins of the world the transitory death of the Son of God is more weighty then the everlasting death of the sons of men This is our sacrifice this is the burnt-offering of the Gospel of the new people which was offered once on the Cross by the Son of God and of man even by God Lib. 2. cap. 4. As before the Law and under the Law you see that many are honored with the title of righteousness even without legal customs so know thou that after the Law not onely many but all are justified by the onely grace of Christ Contra Petrobrus lib. 1. ep 2. When he said Do this he addeth in remembrance of me therefore the remembrance of Christ is the cause of the Sacrament and therefore lest it be forgotten which especially should be in our heart remembrance is tied unto the heart by this suitable sign as an unsoluble cord by which strong tie the redeemed should always think on the price of redemption and being thankful unto the Redeemer by faith working by love he should shew himself no way ungrateful for so great grace And the matter is of such worth that the mindes of men should be stirred up not dully but duly to think on it to love and embrace it It was expedient and just that the remembrance of Christ's humanity and death should be preserved not onely in the ears by hearing but also unto the eyes by sight Therefore to the effect that men might not onely learn by words but even familiarly feel by deeds that they die continually while severed from Christ and that they cannot live perpetually unless they be conjoyned and united unto Christ after the similitude of bodily meat and drink they receive Christ's body and drink Christ's blood not given by another not received from another but from Christ himself which will be after this life their food i. e. eternal life and blessedness Ibid. I hear that you say The Church of God consisteth in the unity of believers gathered together and this is clear unto us all unto this Church hath God the Father by the intercession of his Son given the holy Ghost that he may abide with her for ever to comfort her in this life and to glorifie her in that to come unto all the Churches of Christ which by their number make up the body of the one and Catholike Church we do owe honor and love by the bond of charity Lib. 5. cap. 16. Seeing thou art under one shepheard Jesus Christ seeing thou dwellest in the same fold of the Churches seeing thou livest in the one faith and hope of eternal things as well thou white as black Monk why pratest thou foolishly of divers fleeces why contend ye for no cause or for so foolish a cause why for so childish occasion do ye rent the chief garment of charity take heed lest that name of innocence whereby ye are called sheep cause that you be not of the number of these whom the great Shepheard will set on his right hand Catal. test ver lib. 14. 16. Peter de Bruis a Priest of Tolous preached in sundry places against the Popes and the doctrine of Rome calling the Pope the Prince of Sodom and Rome he called Babylon the mother of whoredoms and confusion he preached against the bodily presence of Christ in the Sacrament against the sacrifices of the Mass he condemned the worship of Images prayers to Saints the single life of Priests pilgrimages multitude of holy days c. Phi. Mornae in Myster iniq The
would contentiously defend his error by and by it should by these Legates be deferred unto the audience of the other Sisters and if by Letters Canonically written that Sister could be reduced unto the harmony of wholesome doctrine it was well but if not a general Councel might be assembled 2. The Empire was translated from Rome to the East and then it was ordained by 150. Bishops assembling in this City when blessed Nectarius was ordained Bishop of this See after the condemnation of Maximus Ennius who was infected with the contagion of Apolinaris then it was ordained I say with consent of the most godly Emperor Theodosius the elder that as old Rome had obtained from the holy Fathers in former time the first place in Ecclesiastical causes so then new Rome for the honor of the Empire should have the Ecclesiastical precedency after her and should be called as the second Rome so be called and be the second See and should preside all the Churches of Asia Thracia and Pontus and treat of all Church-affairs and determine them by her own Authority And then such Legates Wardens of the Catholique faith as were sent to Alexandria and Antiochia were sent also into this Royal City and likewise from hence unto them for the same ministery that they all might teach the same and differ in no point of truth 3. When the Empire was divided the Bishops were also divided the decrees of the Roman high Priest that were established in their Councels without the Greeks let these Bishops which belong unto him look unto them As for these Councels which in these days they hold how should we imbrace their decrees which are written against our knowledge For if the Roman Bishop sitting in the high throne of his glory will thunder against us and as it were from above throw his commands and will judge of us and our Churches not with our counsel but at his own pleasure yea and will Lord it over us what brotherhood or what fatherhood can be in this who can patiently endure it for then we might be called the very slaves and not children of his Church And if this were necessary and so grievous a yoke were to be laid on our necks none other thing followeth but that the only Roman Church should have that priviledg which they hunt after and she shall make Laws unto all others and she her self be without Law and so be not a pious mother of children but an imperious Lady of slaves To what purpose then were the knowledge of the Scriptures the studies of learning the doctrine and discipline of teachers and the noble wits of the wise Greeks the onely authority of the Roman high Priest which as thou sayest is above all turneth all to nothing Let him be the onely Bishop the onely Teacher the onely Commander and let him onely as the onely Pastor answer unto God for all things that are concredited unto him onely But if he will not have fellow-laborers in the Lord's vineyard and if he be exalted in keeping his primacy let him glory in his primacy but not contemn his brethren whom the truth of Christ hath begotten in the womb of the Church not unto bondage but unto freedom For as the Apostle saith We must all stand before the throne of Christ that every one may receive as he hath done whether good or ill He saith All though he was an Apostle he excepteth not himself he excepteth no mortal He said All he excepteth not the Roman high Priest Nor is it found in any Creed that we should believe specially the Roman Church but rather we are taught every where to believe that there is one holy Catholique Church These things speak I of the Roman Church with your favor which I do reverence as you do but will not follow absolutely nor do I think that she should be followed in all particulars whose authority thou hast propounded unto us as so excellent that we must forsake our own customs and receive her form and change in Sacraments without examining by reason and without authority of Scriptures but we as blinde men should follow her leading us whither she willeth by her own spirit which how safe or honorable it is for us let both the Latin and Greek Sages judge 4. Thou sayest that the Lord said unto Peter alone and not unto all the Apostles Whose sins ye forgive and what thou shalt binde on earth But it is believed that the Lord said that not unto Peter onely but indifferently unto them all with Peter or to Peter with them all Nor did the holy Ghost come down on Peter onely at the Pentecost but the Lord sent him unto them all in a like gift and in a like measure as he had promised therefore we do so acknowledge the power to be given of the Lord and received by Peter that we think the Authority of the other Apostles should not be minced seeing certainly they all equally without any prejudice of another or usurpation as truly meek and lowly in heart did receive the same holy Ghost and by the same holy Ghost did receive the same power of binding and loosing nor can we think that the priviledge was given unto Peter onely which is common unto them all by the Lord's gift therefore we may not take from others which have the same power and ascribe unto one the Authority which is common to them all Let Peter as the twelfth Apostle be honored so that the other eleven be not excluded from the Apostleship which certainly they did receive by an equal and not different dispensation not from Peter but from the Lord himself even as Peter did 5. I grant there have been many heresies in Constantinople but there also were they extinguished as the heresie of Arrius in the days of Constantine the root of them all was Philosophia which was planted in Constantinople and which the learned have abused So heresies have been condemned in the Churches of Calcedon Constantinople Ephesus Antiochia and Alexandria and it was commanded that none should any more plead for these heresies But now in this City are no heresies As for Rome haply no heresies began there because they were not so witty and subtil nor were they such searchers of the Scriptures as some here and as the vain wisdom wherewith some among us were miscarried into heresies is to be condemned so the rudeness of the Romans is to be commended whereby they said neither this nor that of the faith but with an unlearned simplicity did hear others which seemeth to have come either through too much sloth in searching the faith or through slowness of judgement or that they were taken up with the multitude and weight of secular affairs Catal. test verit lib. 15. The Reader may judge of this reply unto these objections and by these particulars understand what the Greeks did judge of the particulars that are omitted It seemeth the Romans would wipe away that jeering blot in the last
Thief and Son of perdition nor is he the Head of the holy militant Church since he is not a member thereof 21. The grace of predestination is the bond wherewith the Church of Christ and every member thereof is united unto Christ the Head insolubly 22. A Pope or Prelate being wicked or praescitus is equivocally a Pastor and truly a Thief and Robber 23. A Pope should not be called most holy no not in respect of his Office for then a King may be called most holy yea an Hang-man may be called holy yea the Divel may be called holy for he is the Officer of God 24. If a Pope live contrary unto Christ although he be chosen lawfully according to the institution of men yet he entereth otherwise then by Christ even although he enter by election prescribed by God for Judas was lawfully chosen by Christ unto the Apostleship and yet he went the wrong way into the sheepfold 25. The condemnation of the forty five Articles of John Wickliff made by the Doctors is unreasonable and unjust and a feigned cause is alledged by them to wit none of them is Catholick 26. Whether one be chosen lawfully or unlawfully we should believe the works of the elected for in so far as he worketh unto the edification of the Church so far hath he authority from God 27. There is no appearance that there should be an head governing the Church in spiritual things who should always remain with the militant Church 28. Christ can rule his Church better without these monstrous heads to wit by his Apostles and true Disciples who are spread through the World 29. The Apostles and faithful Priests of the Lord did diligently rule the Church in things necessary unto salvation before the Office of a Pope was known and so might they until the day of judgement although there were not a Pope 30. None is a Civil Lord none is a Prelate none is a Bishop so long as he is in mortal sin These Articles were condemned partly as notoriously heretical and rejected by the holy Fathers partly as scandalous and offensive unto pious ears partly erroneous and partly as timerarious and seditious Then the condemnatory Sentence of John Huss was read The Deputies of the four Nations and the President the Cardinal of Ostia and the Emperor cried Placet Item This assertion any Tyrant may and should be killed meritoriously by any of his Subjects either by privy plots or glozing flattery notwithstanding any covenant or oath of fidelity and not waiting the sentence of any Judge This assertion was condemned as heretical scandalous and strewing a way unto perjuries lies falshood and treasons In Sess 16. July 11. Commissioners were sent into Arragon to deal with Benedict for renouncing his Title Item None may go from the Councel without licence granted by the Presidents of the four Nations under pain of deprivation In Sess 17. July 15. The Emperour undertook to go into Arragon to deal with Pope Benedict and excommunication was denounced against every hinderer of his journy Item Prayers and Processions should be made in Constance every Sunday for his happy success with pardon for a hundred daies to all such as should be present at the Processions and all Prelates should be present in their Pontificals granting also unto every Priest who should say a Mass for the same success another hundred daies indulgence and to every person saying devoutly a Pater noster and an Ave Maria for the Emperour's safety a pardon of forty daies after the wonted manner in the Church In Sess 18. August 17. Two Judges were deputed to hear causes and grievances that were to be presented unto the Councel untill the definitive Sentence exclusivè Item As great faith and obedience should be given unto the Acts of the Councel as to the Bulls Apostolical In Sess 19. September 23. Jerom of Prague who had been accused imprisoned and constrained to abjure read his recantation forsaking all those articles that were called the heresies of Wickliff and Huss and consenting unto the Roman Church and the present Councel especially in the Articles concerning the power of the Keys Sacraments Orders Offices Censures and Indulgences Reliques Liberty of the Church and all other things belonging unto Religion and he consented unto the condemnations and the Sentences pronounced against Wickliff and Huss Item Notwithstanding any Safe-conduct given or to be given by Emperours Kings or others inquisition may be made against an Heretick or any suspected of heresie and process may be made according to Law even although such a person would not have come without such a Safe-conduct This is indeed Nulla fides servanda haereticis In Sess 20. November 21. Frederick Duke of Austria was summoned under pain of excommunication and forfeiting of all his Lands that he held of the Pope or Emperour to render the Cities Castles and Lands that he had taken from George Bishop of Trent January 20. An. 1416. in a general Congregation appeared the Commissioners who had been sent unto Pope Benedict and they presented twelve Articles penned and consented unto at Narbon December 13. between the Emperour and King of Hungary and the Commissioners of the Councels on the one part and the Kings and Princes following Pope Benedict on the other part for union of the Church to wit That a new Process should be intended against Pope Benedict and in case of contumacy he should be Canonically deposed and a Pope should be chosen by the Councel whom they all should acknowledge as only and lawfull Pope In another general Congregation February 4. these Articles were approved and subscribed by the Fathers of the Councel and by the Embassadors and Proctors of the Kings of England Scotland Cyprus Navar Norway of the Dukes of Burgundy Britain Savoy Austria Holland Zealand c. and by the Proctors of Bishops Generals of Orders Priors c. In Sess 21. May 30. James Bishop of Lauda made a Sermon and Jerom of Prague stood up in a high seat and craving and having obtained audience he professed that he had wickedly consented unto the condemnation of Wickliff and Huss that he had lied in approving that Sentence and he revoketh now and for ever his consent thereunto affirming that he had never found any heresie or error in the books of Wickliff nor Huss although he had said so before c. Wherefore he was presently condemned and indured the fire constantly In Sess 22. October 15. The Ambassadors of Arragon were accepted into the Councel In Sess 23. November 5. Commission was given unto certain Deputies to go into Arragon and there to examine Witnesses in the cause of Pope Benedict who will not renounce In Sess 24. November 28. Citation was directed against Pope Benedict In Sess 25. December 14. The Church Glomucen in Bohemia was given in Commenda unto the Bishop Lutomisten for a certain space In Sess 26. December 24. The order of Ambassadors from Princes in this Councel shall not prejudice their
and the rather because he had observed how the Bb. were intending to have in their power the Collation of Benefices preventions advocation of pleas dispensations absolutions and such other things all which with a great part of the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction the Romane Court had drawn unto themselves to the prejudice of the Prelates Therefore he bendeth himself to divert Charles from that purpose and saith A councell will be prejudiciall unto his Emperial authority for there be two sorts of people infected with that Lutheran pest the commons and the Princes the Commons are bewitched with the allurements of their teachers but a Councell is not a mean to deliver them from these enchantments but it will rather open a doore unto them to attempt greater liberty and they will rather bow under authority when they are pressed with your decrees if they obtain liberty to search into the power of the Church they will by and by pry into your Secular power therefore it is easier to refuse their first demands then if you once yield unto them to resist their rushing afterwards with any reason As for the Princes they make no account of piety or Gods worship but gape for the Church-goods and absolute dominion that when they are quitt of the Pope they may next shake themselves free of your yoke possibly as yet they have not seen these mysteries but if they shall once smell of them they will assuredly aime at this marke It is true the Pope shall suffer great losse if Germany fall away but the losse of Austria shall be more and therefore while the greater part of the Princes are still at your devotion you must looke to it in time and no way suffer the edge of your authority to be blunted remedy must be speedily applied before the number of the rebells increase or they understand the advantages of their falling away and nothing is more contrary unto celerity than a Councell for it requires a long space of time in which no thing can be effectuated and many impediments must be removed arising from the manifold pretenses of men intending to retarde hinder or to make the Councell null and those are many I know they say The Popes have no liking of a Councell for fear of curtailing our power but that respect did never enter into my mind for I know that our authority is from Christ immediatly according to his promise The gates of hell shall not prevail against thee and I have learned by experience of former times that Papall authority was never minished by a Councell but rhe Fathers being obedient unto Christs word did acknowledge that we are absolute or tied no way Or if any Pope in humility or modesty or upon any other account have not used their just power they have been entreated by the Fathers to resume their place If you will read antient records you will find that when a Councell hath been called against hereticks or upon any other occasion the Popes have always increased in their power And if we would lay aside the promise of Christ which is the only foundation of our power and speak only of humane reason seing a Councell consists of Bishops the authority of the Pope is necessary unto them that under it as a buckler they may be safe from the iniuries of Princes people Yea and Kings and Princes which know the art of ruling are most Zealous of Apostolicall authority because they have no other way to suppresse Bishops And I know as certainly as if I were a prophet what shall be the issue of a Councell for they who cry for it if their opinions be condemned will devise some what against itsauthority and so your Cesarean power being weak in other Nations already shall turn to nothing in Germany but the Papall power though it faile in Germany shall increase in other places of the world You may believe mee the rather that you see I make no account of my own interest but only to see Germany restored unto the Church and due obedience rendred unto Caesar Nor can this be unless you go quickly into Germany and by your authority put the Bull of Pope Leo and the Edict of Worms into execution c. It became not the Frier Julius Medices this was his name ere he was Pope and farre lesse Pope Clement to use such reasons saith Pe. Soave but he meaneth such a heap of lies but they prevailed with Charles because he was aiming at a more absolute power than his grandfather or his great-grandfather could attain but especially he was so advised by his Chancellor Cardinall Mercurius Gattinara unto whom the Pope had made many large promises namely a red Cape unto one of his cousines at the next election And Clemens sent a Nuntio unto King Ferdinand with charge to deale earnestly with him that there be in the Diet no dispute nor determination in matters of religion nor any decree for calling a Councell and because he knew that Ferdinand was of greatest credite in Germany to have his favour he gives him power to lay a tribute upon the Church-men in Germany for advancing the warr against the Turke as also to apply unto this use whatsoever Silver or Gold there is on the ornaments of the churches Of the Diet at Ausburg it followes in C. 3. Sect. 27. When Clemens understood what was done there it vexed him that the Emperour had suffered the Confessions to be read publickly that he had determined any thing in matters of religion but more that the Prelates had given way and it grieved him most of all that the Emperour had promised a Councell and determined the time which belongeth to the Pope alone and so now the first place is given unto the Emperour and the Pope hath but the second place And hence he did conclude that seing so litle hope was appearing from Germany he must think on another remedy and seing what is done can not be undone he resolves to conceall that it is against his will but will rather commend it as done by his authority And so Decemb. 1. he writes unto Kings Princes that he thought to have extinguished the Lutheran heresy by the presence of Caesar in Germany but seing now he understands that they are rather hardned he had resolved by advice of the Cardinals to call a Councell as his predecessours had done in such cases and he exhorts them either to come personally or prepare their deputes when he shall determine of the time and place in Italy But saith Pe. Soave few were deceived with this fraud seing all men knew that such an inuitation to a Councell whereof neither time nor place was defined was but an affected imposture In prosperity and adversity this Machivilian sate 11. years when he was dead the Court had no small joy because of his avarice austerity and cruelty that he had exerced continually but especially in time of his sicknes so that he was odious unto many saith Pe.
place it seemes not expedient to be in Italy but in Germany where the controversy is for the most part Nor thought they it reasonable to oblidge themselves by oath to observe the decrees absolutely for that is contrary unto Christian liberty unless they knew what were to be the forme of the Councel who were Moderatour especially that the party defendent were not Mederator whether the Acts were to be determined by tradition or by the holy Scripture alone Ibid. In the next year Pope Clemens died but by the providence of God thus the liberty of religion was confirmed by the Pope as well as by the Emperour XXX An. 1533. George Duke of Saxony banished out of Lipsia 1533. all who would not go to Masse Luther hearing of this ordinance wrote unto the Protestants there exhorting them to suffer death rather than do against conscience and he called Duke George an Apostle of Satan George accuseth Luther before the Elector not only that he had reviled him but had stirred his subjects unto rebellion The Elector chargeth Luther to make his clear purgation or he must suffer Luther publishes a book declaring that he had exhorted the Lipsianes not to resist their Prince but rather to suffer which concerneth not rebellion Jo. Sleidan commen lib. 9. That year Erasmus publisheth a treatise De amabili Ecclesiae concordia but this Neutrall forme pleaseth neither Papists nor Protestants and the next year Luther accuseth him that he did but mock religion and turn it all into doubts sporting himself with ambiguous words whereas religion requireth plainness and cleareness Osiand Epit. cent 16. lib. 2. c. 26. XXX The Franciscan Friers were in danger at Orleans An. 1534. upon A craft of the Franciscanes in France this occasion The Praetor's wife by testament willed that she should be buried without pompe here husband desirous to satisfy here will hath a care to bury her beside her father and grandfather in the cloister without shew and he gave unto the Monks sixe crowns they expected much more and therefore they divisea way to make up their losse they accuse the defunct of Lutheranisme and cause a young Monke go upon the roof of the Church in the night time and make a noise an exorcist adjureth the wicked spirit to declare what he is whether he be that lately damned soul and for what sinne The Monk was informed what to answer and how They take witnesses The fraud was tryed the Friers were imprisoned and the young monk revealeth all The King hearing this voweth to throw down the Monastery but fearing that it might be matter of joy unto the Lutherans he dismisseth them In November of the same year in Paris and other places of France even within the Kings palace about one time of the night were papers set up against the Masse and other points of religion Inquiry was made many were apprehended and racked and burnt in the next year King Francis excuseth King France writes unto the Protestants in Germany him to the Protestants assembled at Smalcald that seing they intended the destruction of the Commonwealth said he the Germanes should not blame him more than he did blame them for suppressing the bowres or Manzerianes and he having a purpose to revenge himself on the Emperour craves by the same Ambassade that the Protestantes would make a league with him for reformation of religion So he pretendeth and entreates them to send some Divines namely Melanthon to dispute with the Masters of Sorbon he said He knew certainly that many superstitions were creept into the Church by insufficiency of priests and the Pope assumeth too much authority how beit by mans law he is the highest of all bb yet not by Gods word the traditions of the Church may be altered as time requires and therefore he is desirous to hear reasoning that things amisse may be amended He said also Pope Julius had excommunicated King Lewes XII John King of Navarre because they held that the Pope hath not power to call a Councel without consent of Christian Princes and he had raised Monarchs against them offring their Kingdoms as a prey In end he concludes suting a league without the Emperour They answer Without the Emperour they could and would do nothing In this assembly the former league was continued for ten years and into it were received all who were willing to professe the Augustan Confession So that they were 15. Princes and 30 Cities Cownt de Nassow was also admitted Henry VIII sent thither requiring that they would not admitt a Councell which would not abolish the abuses of former times or would confirme the Popes power They also required of him that he would receive the Augustan Confession but that he would not do That year Vergerius the Popes Legate had gone unto all the Princes The policies of Vergerius in Germany severally shewing them that the Pope had called the Councel to conveen at Mantua They all gave him one answere that they would advise in their meeting at Smalcald and there they told him they hope that Caesar will not depart from his promise and decree that the Councel should be in Germany nor can they understand what it meaneth that the Pope promiseth to provide for the safety of them which shall assemble when they look back into former times nor how in the Councell the way of treating can be rightly ordered where he who hath so oft condemned them will have the power in his hand Nor can it be rightly called a Councel where the Pope and his priests command all but where men of all conditions in the Church even Seculares also have a like power Vergerius had also been with Luther at Wittembergh and said The Church of Rome made great account of him and were sory for the want of such a man who might do good in the service of God and the Church which two are inseparable and the court was ready to vouchsave him all favour it was displeasant unto them that former Popes had used such bitterness against him Nor had he who professeth not Divinity a purpose to dispute controversies with him but to shew him the weight of humane reason how expedient it were unto him to be reconciled unto the Church he may consider that doctrine of his was not heard before those 18 years and hath brought forth innumerable sects where of each accurseth another whence many tumults and broils have arisen and therefore it can not bee from God but he was singularly blown up with selve-love who would endanger all the world rather than not to vent his own opinions seing he had continued without sting of conscience the space of 35 years in that faith wherein he was baptized he should still mantaine it He may remember how Aeneas Sylvius was once addicted unto his own opinions and hardly attained unto a silly chanonry in Trent but when he changed his opinions he became a Bishop and then a Cardinal and lastly was Pope and
the Scripture requires This was by and by reported to the Bishop in words varying a little that a Bishop must be a preacher or els he is a dumbe dog He is sent for and said The reporters are manifest liars The reporters are called and they affirm that he had said so and they profer to bring more witnesses He still saith They are lyaâ—â— More witnesses are brought and many come to heare Then said Seton My Lord you may consider what eares these asses have they can not discern betwixt Paul Esaie Zacharie and Malachie and Frier Alex. Seton I said indeed Paul saith A Bishop should be a teacher Esaâ—e saith shepherds not feeding their flocks are dumbeâ— oggs Zacharie saith they are idle pastours and I declared what those have said and my Lord if you be not offended at them you can not be offended at mee therefore I say again these men are manifest lyaâ—s which have reported that I called you or any other Bishop no Bishops but belly gods The Bishop was offended but durst not at that time proceed against him because he was learned bold and in favour with the King and his Confessour But he and his complices did judge it not expedient such a man to bee with the King and so they endeavoure to make him odious unto the King and call him an heretick The King did remember how in private confession the Frier had admonished him for his lusts of the flesh and loved noâ— such advice and said He knew more of that man than any of them and then subscribes their accusation and promiseth to follow their advice in punishing him and all of that sect Seton is informed of these things and fleeth to Berwick whence he wrote unto the King in this manner Most Gracious Soverain Lord under the Lord and King of all of whom only thy Highness and Majesty hath power and authority to exercize justice within thy realme under God who is King Lord of all realms and thy Seatons letter against the iniquity impiety usurpation of bb and his advice to the King Ma. and all mortall Kings are but servants unto that only immortall Prince Chr. Jesus .... It 's not unknown to thy gracious Highness how thy Mas. somtime servant Oratour and ever shall be to my lifes end is departed out of thy realme ..... but I believe the cause of my departing is unknown which only is Because the bb and churchmen of thy realme have heertofore had such authority over thy subjects that apparently they were rather King and thou the Subject which unjust regiment is of it self false and contrary to holy Scripture Thou art the King Master and they are thy subjects which is true and testified by the word of God And also because they will give no man of whatsoever degree whom they once call hereticks audience time nor place to speak and use defence which is against all lawe .... So that if I might have had audience and shewd my just defence .... I should never have fled .... albeit it had cost mee my life But because I believed that I could have no audience they are so great with thy Ma. I have departed not doubting but moved of God untill a better time that God illuminate thy Ma. even to give every man audience as thou shouldst mayst and art bound by the law of God who are accused to death And to certify thy Highness that these are not vain words here I offer me to come into thy realm again if thy Ma. will give mee audience and hear what I have for mee according to the word of God and cause any Bishop abbot frier or Secular which is most cunning some of them can not read their Matins who are made Judges of heresy to impugne mee by the law of God and if my part be found wrong thy Ma. being present and judge I refuse no pain .... and if I convince them by the law of God and that they have nothing to lay to my charge but the law of man and their own inuentions to uphold their own glory and pridefull life and dayly scourging thy poor subjects I refer myself unto thy Ma. as judge Whether he hath the victory that holds him at the law of God which can not fail nor be false or they that hold themselves at the law of man which is very oft plain contrary and therefore of necessity false for all thing contrary to verity which is Christ and his law is of necessity a ly And to witness that this comes of all my heart I shall remain at Berwick whil I shall have thy Mas. answer and shall without fail return having thy hand writing that I shall have audience and place to speak I desire no more whereof if I had been sure I should never have departed .... Pardon mee to say that which lieth to thy Mas. charge Thou art bound by the law of God albeit they ly and say It appertaines not to thy Ma. to intermedle with such matters to cause every man who in any case is accused of his life to have their just defense and their accusers produced according to their own law They do blinde thy Ma. eies that knowest nothing of thy law but if I prove not this out of their own law I offer mee to the death Thy Ma. therefore may learn by dayly experience seing they neither feare the King of heaven as their lives testifie neither Thee their natural Prince as their vsurped power in their actions shewes why thy Highness should be no longer blinded Thou mayst consider that they intend nothing else but only the upholding of their barded mules augmenting their insatiable avarice and continually overthrowing swallowing up thy poore subiects never preaching nor teaching out of the law of God as they should the ignorant people but contend who may be most high most rich and nearest thy Ma to put thy temporall Lords and Lieges out of thy Counsell favour who should bee and are most tender servants to thy Ma. in all time of need to the defense of Thee and thy Crown ...... Let thy Ma. take boldness and authority which thou hast of God and suffer not their cruell persecution to proceed without audience given to him who is accused ... and then no doubt thou shalt have thy subiects hearts and all that they can do in time of need tranquillity justice and policy and finally the kingdom of heaven May it please you to give a copy of this to the Clergy and keep the originall and thy Ma. shall have experience if I go against one word that I have spoken c. This Letter was delivered unto the King and it was read by many but no answer was returned and the man went into England and preached some years the gospell to the comfort of his hearers The histo of Reformat Others spoke also against the licenciousness of the Clergy that a new resolution was taken to burne moe A