The Emperour Henry the fourth assembled a Councell at Mantua for pacifiing the scisme of the Roman Church which arose betweene Alexander the second and Candalus who was called Honorius 2. They contended one against another with armoure violence shedding of blood and cursings For Alexander conueened them who were of his faction at Rome deliuered Honorius to the Deuill as an ambitious and bloodie man On the other part Honorius assembled his fauourers at Parma and cursed Alexander because hee bought the Popedome by money from the Romans and because hee accepted the Popedome without the foreknowledge and consent of the Emperour For pacifying of the outrage of these Roman vultures the Emperour appointed a Councell to be assembled at Mantua wherein Alexander was declared to be Pope Candalus had pardon and Gilbertus by whose Councell Candalus accepted the Popedome was made Archbishop of Rauenna 1. In this Councell it was ordained that no man should heare Masse sayd by a Priest who had a concubine 2. The sonnes of Priests may be accepted to Church orders prouiding the authoritie of the Pope be interponed to giue allowance thereto 3. He who is admitted to a Church-office willingly and wittingly by a Simoniake person shal be remoued from his Order 4. Monks destinat for monasterie shall not be admitted to offices in the Clergie 5. Members of the Clergie shall not accept Ecclesiasticall benefices from Laicke persons 6. No Ecclesiasticall office or benefice shall be sold for money but freelie giuen to them who are learned and godly 7. No person excommunicat shall haue power to excommunicate others POpe Alexander the second sent two Cardinals to Englād to pacifie the troubled estate of the Church there they conueened a Councell at Winchester wherein they deposed certaine Bishops Abbots from their offices and namely Stigandus Bishop of Canterburie Against whom these crimes were obiected First that he had possessed the chaire of Canterburie Robert Archbishop thereof being aliue Likewise that he possessed another Bishopricke with it as namely the Bishoppricke of Winchester and thirdly that he had receiued his pallium from Benedict the tenth a man vnlawfullie elected and reiected by fathers THe Emperour Henry the fourth was young when his father died and it was couenanted amongst the Princes and Bishops of Germanie that during the minoritie of the Emperour Henry the Princes and Bishops by course should attend vpon the young Emperour and should gouerne the estate of the country The Archbishop of Breme when hee had ended his course he gaue not place to others as it was couenanted but insinuated himselfe into the fauour of the yong king by giuing him Libertie to liue according to all the youthly conceits of his owne heart The rest of the Princes and Bishops were offended at this imperious carriage of the Archbishop of Breme and they assembled themselfes in Triburia which in our dayes is called Friburg In this Councell it was decreed that the Bishop of Breme shuld be declared to be an enemie to the countrey except he deliuered the king to be brought vp according to the couenant aforesaid IN the yeere of our Lord 1069. a Councell was assembled at Mentz vpon this occasion The Emperour Henry the fourth disliked his wife and delt secretly with the Bishop of Mentz for divorcement from her promising to bee addicted to his Councell and to interpose his authoritie to bring the people of Turingia vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Mentz and to compell them to pay tithes vnto him The Emperour Henry could not blame his wife of any fault Onely he caried no good liking toward her when the Coūcell was conueened at Mentz Petrus Damianus came Ambassador from the Pope and by many arguments disswaded the Emperour from the intended diuorcement It agreed not with human lawes not with the constitutions of the Church nor with the Emperours honour and it would raise a great scandal in the Church And it was the Emperours dutie to punish such faults in others but not to giue them example of sin in his owne person Finallie if the Emp. would not obey wholsome admonitiō he had power to vse the Censurs of the Church against him and to withhold him from the honour of his coronation The issue of the Councell was this the Emp. desisted from his purpose of diuorcement honoured his Lady with ornaments agreeing to her Princely estate but cohabited not louingly with her IN the yeere of the Lord 1974. Gregorie the seuenth otherwise called Hildebrand hauing alreadie prepared a way to execute Antichristian pride in Councels of Millan and Mantua before hee was authorised Pope Now in his Popedome hee beginneth to execute those vnhappie decrees of Millan and Mantua And hee commaundeth the Bishop of Mentz to separat the Priests of his bounds from their wifes or else to depose them from their offices The Bishop of Mentz willing to obey the Popes commandement assembled a Councel at Ersurd wherein he declared what cōmandement he had receiued On the other part married Priests said they had libertie to marry by the written word of God and in doing so they followed the example of the men of God and fathers of the Church Thirdly they confirmed by many reasons that it was lavefull to marrie speciallie for avoiding fornication and that it was an auncient custome in the Church that men of spirituall offices married wiues Finally with humble supplications and requests they entreated the Bishoppe of Mentz that hee would not separate them from the company of their louing wiues and deare beloved children But all these reasons and supplications mixed with teares prevailed nothing at the Bishops hand because hee said a necessity was laid vpon him to obey the Popes commandement The married Priests arose and departed out of the Councell and consulted amongst themselues what was meetest to be done Some of them thought it expedient to depart from the Councell and not to returne to it againe Others thought it better to returne to the Councell againe and to put hands on the Bishop and spoyle him of his life before hee could promulgate the prohibition of marriage which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of divels The Bishop being advertised of this conspiracy against his life resolued with faultering words to mitigate their wrath promising to write to the Pope to abstaine from imposing such hard conditions to married Priests so was their fury asswaged This tumult was scarce pacified when another greater arose The avaritious Bishop exacted tythes from the people of Turingia besides the covenant that had past betweene him and them at Gerstundun after great contentention and effusion of blood yet the Bishop overpassing the covenant claymed rigourously more then was covenanted The people of Turingia being inraged were purposed to haue revenged the iniuries which this avaritious Prelate had done vnto them with shedding of his blood and the fervent heate of their rage was so great that all the Bishops and members of the Clergie
are bold without consent of Bishops to place and to displace Pastours to distribute Ecclesiastical liuings according to their pleasure And to burthen Church-men with exactions and taxations whensoeuer they please This forme of doing is ordained to be punished with excommunication And he who receiueth a Church from a Laicke person without his owne Bishops authoritie is to be debarred from the communion and in case he perseuere obstinatly in his sin he is to be depriued of Ecclesiastical orders Also Laicke persons who transfer the right of tythes to other Laicke persons they who receiue thē and deliver them not to the Church shall want the honour of Christian buriall Church-men who haue accquired riches by Church-rents howsoever they die let their goods pertaine to the Church Moreover because some Bishops are found in some parts who permit them whom they call Decani for a summe of money to exercise Episcopall iurisdiction it is ordained that hee who so doth shall bee depriued from his office and that the Bishop shall haue no power to conferre any such office Let not the votes of a few persons in the Church hinder the ordination of them who are thought meet by the most part to be ordained to Eclesiasticall offices If a question arise concerning presentations of diverse persons to one Church or concerning the gift of patronage if the foresayd question bee not decided within the space of three moneths the Bishop shal place in the Church the man whom he thinketh to be most worthy Seeing that the Church as a provident mother should provide all things necessary for the soules and bodies of the people left the poore and indigent parents want the benefite of good education in learning It is appointed and ordayned that in every Cathedrall Church a worthy benefice shall be bestowed vpon a Schoole-master to the end the teacher receiving a competent reward for his travels a patent doore may be opened to the increase of learning Diuers Churches are so heauily over-loadned with tribute and taxations by Consuls Gouernours of townes and Rulers of Provinces that the estate of Bishops is worse then was the estate of the Idolatrous Priests of Egypt in the daies of Pharaoh for the Priests had an ordinarie of Pharaoh and they did eate their ordinary which Pharaoh gaue them wherefore they sold not their ground which Pharaoh gaue them But now all charge of civill affaires are layd vpon Gods Church Therefore it is ordayned vnder paine of cursing that Governours and Rulers of Provinces desist in time to come from such doing except the Prelates vpon consideration of the great necessitie of the countrey would voluntarily consent to support the necessitie of the Laiques Seeing that Pope Innocentius the second and Pope Eugenius the third our predecessors of good memorie condemned the spectacles on market-dayes and holy-dayes for ostentation of their valure and strength skirmishing one against another in sight of the people whereby it came to passe that some were slaine and their soules were in ieopardie These spectacles are also damned by vs and if any person be slaine in them let him want the honour of Christian buriall This containeth a commandement of superstitious observation of dayes Let no men presume to alter the ancient custome of exactions without the authority and consent of Princes Persons diseased with leprosie it is permitted to them to haue their owne Church and their owne Pastor They who furnish armour to the Saracens who fight against Christians or who take Christians prisoners who are busie in their lawfull callings or who spoyle them who haue made ship wracke let them be excommunicated Manifest vsurers shall be debarred from the communion and if they repent not they shall want the honor of Christian buriall and no man shall receiue their offering Iewes and Saracens shall not be permitted to haue Christian servants in their houses no not vnder pretence of education of their children Also the testimony of a Christian against a Iew shall be admitted and if any Iew through the mercy of God be converted to the Christian religion hee shall in no manner of way be secluded from his possessions In the last Canon after a smooth preface that Pope Leo said Ecclesiastical discipline is content with a Priestly iudgment but vseth not bloody revenges Alwayes Pope Alexander in this Councell thought it lawfull to borrow the power of secular Princes to persecute those whom he called Heretiques in Gasconie Tholuse and other parts These he calleth Cathari Patrini or Publicani but out of question they were Valdenses who being driven out of Lions Pope Alexander would grant them no corner in the world to rest in But meitated by his cruell edicts all Princes Nobles Lords Governours to pursue them with fire and sword and all kinde of hostility promising to them who so doth if they bee vnder Ecclesiasticall censure indulgence and relaxation of two yeeres of the compleat time of their penance and to those who doe zealously pursue them such security in their persons and goods as vseth to bee conferred to such persons as visite the holy graue and are taken vnder the protection of the Church Others of Aragon Navarre and other places whom also hee calleth Heretiques and who practised against Christians all kinde of mercilesse in humanity neither sparing sex nor age I cannot vnderstand of what kinde of Heretiques he meaneth for their heresie is not expressed CENTVRIE XIII ABout the yeere of our Lord 1215. Pope Innocentius the third gathered a generall Councell at Rome wherein the doctrine of Transubstantiation was ratified Also the Grecians were ordayned to turne to the obedience of the Church of Rome to the end there might be one shepheard and one sheepfold and that they should desist from detesting the Priests of the Latin Church whom the Grecians so abhorred that they would not say masse vpon the Altar which the Latin Priest had touched vntill it had beene cleansed and washed Also that they should not rebaptize such as were baptized by Latin Priestes and that all these things should be observed vnder paine of cursing And finally it was concluded that an army should bee sent vnto Syria for reliefe of the Christians there and the recouery of the holy Land and that processions supplications and fastings should be kept monethly for the more easie obtaining of it LIkewise in the yeere of our Lord 1273. Gregorius the tenth gathered a generall Councell at Lions where Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople was present who by the slaughter of Theodorus Luscaris sonne committed to his custody had vsurped the Empire This Michael I say being present at the Councell acknowledged the superiority of the Church of Rome wherevnto the other Grecians were so farre from condiscending that they abhorred the said Emperour and would not suffer his body to be buried amongst other Christians In this Councell also was concluded that
of the night In the seventh eighth and ninth Centuries the Romane Church resembling the Harlots of Heliopolis in Phoenitia who having liberty to prostitute themselues to the lust of strangers teach their children procreated by this libidinous copulation to depend only vpon them whom they know not vpon their fathers whom they know not disadvantageth her children with the voyce of God sounding in holy Scripture teaching that it is sufficient to beleeue as the Church of Rome the mother of al Churches beleeveth which in matters of faith cannot erre But wee must depend vpon the voyce of God our heavenly Father Who hath begotten vs by the incorruptible seed of his Word fed vs with the sincere milke of the same and anoynted vs with the balme of Gilead making glad his owne Citie even with the waters of his owne Sancturay The lowd sounding trumpets of vaine and idle words we leaue to the adversaries of the truth for that is their armour wherewith they fight against the Gospell of Iesus Christ. In the tenth eleventh and twelfth Centuries the tyranny of Antichrist was accompanied with a wonderfull growth of lyes falshood and ridiculous fables of which the absurdity of one striving with the absurditie of anotheâ— derogateth in the end credite from them all and as the souldiers of Cadmus who were bred of Dragons teeth kill one another Vincentius is not ashamed to write that they who regarded more their play game dancing then they did the reverend hearing of the masse were plagued with a continuance in dancing without intermission for the space of a twelue-moneth thereafter If penne could blush if hand could tremble if paper could bee ashamed such ridiculous fables had not beene written At this time learning was not to bee found in Pastors sincerity in Councels humility in Prelates and true religion in the multitude of people and Nations For in stead of these there was abundance of Liturgies Processions and Pilgrimages Masses superstitious vowes multiplication of vnprofitable ceremonies confidence in externall service as if it could saue ex opere operato Fastings tyed to dayes and moneths not vnlike to the fasts of the Donatists At this time the vines of Sodome and Gomorrah abounded with grapes of gall and bitter clusters At this time the key of the kingdome of God seemed almost lost the preaching of the kindome of Christ ceased for the most part The authority and preheminence of the Pope over Princes and all men in spirituall offices like the axes and hammers of the Assyrians cutting downe the carved worke of the house of the Lord sounded so lowd in all Churches that the sound of the Gospell could scarcely be heard And although at this time there were some Romane Bishops who spoke against the kingdome of the Divell yet their hearts were so filled by him with ambition avarice vncleannesse contempt of the lawfull authority of Princes superstition and horrible idolatry that hee led them head-long to hell as men may leade dogs though barking aloud whither they please In the thirteenth fourteenth fifteenth and sixteenth Centuries even to these our times there is nothing to bee expected but a discoverie of Antichrists hypocrisie a decay of his vsurped authority an abrogation of his tyrannous lawes and finally an vtter ruine and destruction of his kingdome notwithstanding of all the maintainers and vpholders of the same And surely it is a great encouragement to vs when we see false teachers dayly renuing their forces to fight against the truth as the Philistims did who fought against David in the valley of Rephaim after they had beene often discomfited by him The last period of their reluctation against the Lords annoynted was losse and hurt to themselues and dishonour to their gods whom they were forced to leaue behinde them which David tooke and burnt with fire calling the place Baalperatzim that is the rupture of Baal The adversaries of the Gospell in Christendom by renuing their forces againe are procuring a new name vnto their Idols They cannot bee content with the name of Baal-peor Baal-meon Baal-thamar Baal-chatsor Baal-gad but they will spread out their banners in the valley of Rephaim against the Lord longing for the last name Baal-peperatzim confusion to themselves That this hath beene the estate of the Church euer since the dayes of Christ vntill this present doth evidently appeare out of the ensuing History wherein besides the antiquity and visibility of this our Church your Ladiship may also as in a mirrour behold her wonderful constancie opposed to her enemies cruelty Let the Papists to cover the turpitude of their new found doctrine pretend antiquity as much as they will yet they will never bee able to proue it So did the Hagarens boldly vsurp the name of Saracens although they were only the brood that sprang from the wombe of Hagar the hand-maide of Sarah And the Priests boy in the dayes of Eli came to the Caldron while the flesh of the peace-offering was seething and thrust in his flesh-hooke all that the flesh-hooke brought vp the Priest tooke for himselfe which thing was done by violence the Priest having no right thereto The Roman Church in our dayes having borrowed the flesh-hooke of the Priests boy and violently arrogated vnto themselues the faithfull keeping of ancient Apostolique traditions when wee demand where the Charter containing their title and right wee see nothing but the flesh-hooke with these three teeth in their hand 1. The Church cannot erre 2. Wee are the true Church 3. Cursed be hee that saith in matters of faith our generall Councels can erre Madam accept vnder your Ladiships favourable protection these my travailes in weaknesse not vnlike the writer whose life it hath pleased the Lord to prolong these many yeeres by-past vnder many infirmities of a dayly decaying tabernacle containing a faithfull testimony of my humble endeavour to confirme the branches of your noble houshould in the true faith of Christ. Though there be many that forsake Christ and are as reprobate silver from whom the drosse cannot bee separated yet let the Noble house of Marre follow Christ. And as Helene Queen of Adiabani when she left her Countrey and came to dwell at Ierusalem filled the bellies of the poore with the corne of Egypt and the fruites of Cyprus for it was a yeere of vniversall famine and spared for no cost to doe good to the Saints who were at Ierusalem so I beseech the Lord to raise vp many honourable Ladies such as your Ladiship is to refresh the barren soules of ignorant people in this Land with examples of humilitie modestie godlinesse and all other vertues Now the mercies of the Lord Iesus The Author and finisher of our faith attend vpon my Lord your husband vpon your Ladiship and all your Noble house and The great Mediator of the covenant of God stablish all your hearts in the certainty of his vndoubted truth vnto the end and in
England by his brothers wife Whereupon the Emperour forsaking the marriage did couple himselfe with Ladie Isabell daughter to King Emmanuel of Portugall which marriage was done in the yeere of our Lord 1526. The King vpon this occasion casting many things in his minde beganne to consider the matter more deeply and finding that neither his conscience could be cleered in keeping his brothers wife nor yet the estate of the Realme firme by the succession of a daughter begotten in such a marriage he proposed the question to the chiefe Vniversities of all Christendome whose censures all agreed in one that the marriage was vnlawful Yet would not the King proceed to the divorcement without the Popes consent Who sent Campeius his Ambassadour with concurrance of the Cardinall of Yorke to be iudges in that cause The Cardinall of Yorke called Wolsey at the first was verily bent to haue the divorcemēt set forward but afterward finding that the Kings affection was bent towardes Ladie Anne Bulloigne to take her in marriage he changed his purpose sent advertisment to Pope Clement that in case King Henry the eight were divorced from Ladie Katherine then should another infected with Luthers doctrine succeede in her place to the great hurt of the Church of Rome For this cause the Pope calleth backe his Ambassadour Campeius before the Kings cause was decided Neuerthelesse the King proceeded in his purpose and was divorced from Ladie Katherine by meanes of Dr Cranmer This was the ground of that great hatred that fell out betweene the Pope and King Henry for on the one part the Pope cursed King Henry and the Realme of England for the divorcement The King on the other part abolished in his Realme the Bishop of Romes vnlawfull tyrannie with commandement that he should be called no more Pope in his Country but onely Bishop of Rome and that the King should be taken and reputed as supreame head of the Church of England haue full authoritie to reforme and redresse errours heresies and abuses in the same Now to returne againe to Germanie The Emperour was so busied with Warres all this time that he had no leisure to tarry in Germanie and although many assemblies were gathered to suppresse the doctrine of Luther he was onely present at two to wit at the first kept at Wormes the last kept at Auspurg For this cause it seemed good to the Emperour to declare his brother Ferdinand to be King of the Romanes and apparent successor to the Empire to the end he might with greater authoritie gouerne the affaires of the Empire in his absence He sent also letters to the Protestants commanding them to acknowledge him King Wherefore the Ambassadours of the Protestant Cities being gathered at Franckford concluded with the Princes that for their part they would not for this resist the Emperour for denying a title and a name only to his brother to make him more eager against their Religion But the Duke of Saxonie other Princes not agreeing thereto writ to the Emperour that because it was done against the manner and liberty of the Empire they could not allow it This seemeth to be the first ground of the warres that after followed For Ferdinand King of the Romanes expelled Vlrich of Wirtenberge from his Lordship and when no redresse could be had at the Emperours hands the Landgraue of Hesse with his cousin Vlrich gathered an Armie at Lawferme by Wirtenberg ouercame their enemies and put them to flight recouered the townes of Asperge Wrath Tubinge and Niphe and tooke prisoner Philip Prince Palatine and chiefe Captaine of Ferdinands armie Shortly after agreement was made on these conditions that Vlrich should haue againe his Lordship of Wirtenberg but so that he should hold it by the benefit of Ferdinand and the house of Austrich that if issue male did saile in the house of Wirtenberge that Lordship should returne to the heire of the Emperours house of Austrich that the Landgraue and Vlrich should come to Ferdinand and submit themselues to him The Emperour foreseeing that this diversitie of Religion that was in Germanie would in the end burst forth into some bitter fruit and great inconuenience aduised with himselfe by what means reconciliation might be made and all controversie might cease and in the end appointed a Councell at Wormes and communication of Religion and for this cause sent Granuellanus thither But the matter was so long delayed by the fautors of the Sea of Rome vntill Letters came from the Emperour againe to deferre the whole matter to the Councell of Ratisbone To which came all the Princes of the Empire except the Duke of Saxonie who came not himselfe but sent thither a noble ambassage together with Melanchthon and other Preachers Vnto the same Councell also came from the Pope Caspar Conterane a Cardinall In this disputation Fredericke the Palsgraue and Granuellane were appointed moderators Melanchthon Bucer and Pistorius Disputers for the Protestants Pflugius Eccius Gropper for the Papists Vnto these six was offered a booke conteining the definition of most Articles in Controversie which they were willed to ouer-looke and either to allow or disallow those things that they could agree vpon This booke was deliuered againe after a time to the Emperour in many points they could not agree in some they did The Protestants deliuered together with the booke their opinion concerning those controversies and their arguments to proue the same The Emperour deliuered the same to the Princes to be examined but they being most part Popish referred the whole matter to the Popes Ambassadour who exhorting the Bishops to honestie of life and suppressing of Luthers doctrine thought good it should be deferred to a generall Councell This convention which began in Aprill Anno 1541. was dissolued in the end of Iulie after that the Emperour had decreed that the communication begun and whole controversie of Religion should be deferred to a generall or Provinciall Councell of Germanie That the Protestants should teach no other points of Religion then such as were agreed vpon That Bishops should see amendment of life in their Diocesse That there should be a Provinciall Councell within a yeare and an halfe if they could not obtaine a generall Councell of the Pope That the Churches of Monasteries should not be pulled downe but reformed that the Church-goods should not be inverted that the decree of Ausbrough and all Proscriptions of the Protestants should be suspended all those conventions of estates disputations promises of generall or provinciall Councels to be kept in Germanie could not reconcile diuerse Religions but at length lurking hatred behoued to breake out into open hostilitie The first occasion whereof was offered by Henry Prince of Brunswick who by often invasion of Cities confederated with the Protestants in Germany moued the Duke of Saxonie and the Landgraue to make warre against him in name quarrell of all the Protestants confederated by the league of Smalcaldy
Constans highly offended against Martinus sent first Olympus the Exarche of Italie either to take Pope Martinus prisoner or els to kill him but his attempts were frustrate not without a miraculous worke of God as Platina recordeth And afterward he sent Theodorus Calliopas who vnder pretence of friendship came to salute the Pope and cast him in bonds and sent him to Constantinople where Constans the Emperour caused his tongue to be cut out and his right hand cut off and banished him to Chersonesus Ponti The chaire of Rome was vacant for the space of foureteene moneths because they had no certaintie of the time of the death of Pope Martinus Next vnto him Eugenius the first was chosen Pope and gouerned two yeeres and nine moneths He was the first that made an Ordinance that Bishops should haue prison-houses for correcting the enormitie and contumacie of the Clergie After him succeeded Vitalianus the first he continued foureteene yeeres and sixe moneths in the Popedome to the singing of Psalmes in the Church by vive voyce he added Organs Next after Vitalianus followed Adeodatus and ruled foure yeeres two moneths and fiue dayes of a Monke he was made Pope In his time there were terrible apparitions in Heauen a great Comete continuing for the space of three moneths terrible thunders the like whereof had not beene heard in any preceding time great abundance of raine fastning the Corne to the ground so that they grew againe and in some places of Italie came to maturitie and ripenesse Great incursions of Turkes and Saracens who spoyled the Isle of Sicilie In all these calamities sayth Platina Adeodatus multiplied supplications for preuenting the fore-signified wrath to come If repentance and abolishing of horrible Idolatrie which had now taken deepe roote had beene joyned with prayers the Lord might haue beene the more easily entreated Donus or Domnus his successor ruled fiue yeeres and ten dayes he reduced the Church of Rauenna after long reluctation to the obedience of the chaire of Rome It is to be noted that all the time they were not subiect to the Bishop of Rome they were called by the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so bent were they to vindicate all declining from their authoritie with opprobrious names of Heresies imposed to the decliners thereof Agatho successor to Donus ruled 2. yeeres 6. moneths and 15. dayes of whom Platina writeth that he cured a leprous man with a kisse as Pope Deus dedit had done before In his time Constantinus Pogonatus Emperour gathered the sixt generall Councell at Constantinople wherein the heresie of the Monothelites was condemned and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia for his obstinate perseuering in that errour was excommunicate and Theophanius sometime an Abbot was placed in his roome But this I remit vnto its owne place The epistle of Agatho written to the sixt generall Councell is full of Antichristian pride wherein he affirmeth that the chaire of Rome neuer erred and that it cannot erre that euery soule that is to be saued must professe the Romane traditions and all the constitutions of the Romane Church are to be receiued as if they had beene deliuered by the diuine voyce of Peter Likewise he damned the marriage of men in a spirituall calling he commendeth the Masse impudently alledging a writing of Chrysostome concerning the Masse whereas in all the writings of Chrysostome this word of the Masse is not to be found After Agatho succeeded Leo the second who continued onely ten moneths and seuenteene dayes He was the first author of the kissing of the Pax. To him succeeded Benedictus the second and ruled ten moneths and twelue dayes onely In his dayes Constantinus Pogonatus Emperour ordained that in time to come the consent of the Emperour and Exarche of Italie should not be expected but he whom the Clergie and people did elect should forth-with be counted the Vicar of Christ. In so doing the Emperour very vnaduisedly put an hurtfull weapon into the Popes hand whereby the estate of the Empire was encombered and hurt afterward Iohannes the fift his successor continued not aboue one yeere and nine dayes And Conon the first the successor of Iohn the fift ended his course after the issue of 11. moneths and 3. dayes After the death of Conon the election of the Pope was like to be decided by weapons rather than by Suffrages and Votes some fauoured Theodorus others promoued Paschalis and neither of the parties would yeeld to the other In the end the people thought expedient to reiect them both and to choose some third person to the Popedome So they elected Sergius the first and carried him vpon their shoulders to the Church of Laterane In his time Iustinian the second gathered a Councell at Constantinople to perfect and finish the worke which his father had begun Sergius refused to subscribe the Acts of the sixt generall Councell albeit his Ambassadour who was present at the Councell had subscribed them Of the consecrated Hoste he ordained one part to be put into the Chalice to represent the bodie of Christ which was risen from death another part to be eaten to represent the bodie of Christ walking vpon the earth the third part to be laid vpon the Altar vntill the ende of the Masse to represent the bodie of Christ lying in the Sepulchre He gouerned thirteene yeeres eight moneths and twentie-foure dayes Patriarches of Constantinople COncerning the Patriarches of Constantinople in this Century little mention is made of them because for the most part they kept not the right faith but were intangled with heresie After Cyriacus Thomas and Iohannes and Constantinus succeeded whose faith as vnspotted with any blame of heresie hath an honest testimony in Church rolles called Sacra diptytha Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus were miserably infected with the heresie of the Monothelites Pyrrhuâ— once recanted his heresie and was absolued from excommunication by Pope Theodorus but he returned incontinent againe as a dog to his vomite Pope Theodorus when he excommunicated him the second time vsed a new and insolent fórme of doing the like whereof was neuer heard at any time before for he infused some drops of the consecrated cup into inke and writ a sentence of cursing against Pyrrus Paulus also obtained at the hands of the Emperour Constans edicts to be affixed in diuers places whereby all men should be compelled to subscribe to the error of the Monothelites After them Petrus and Theodorus albeit they maintained not the fore-mentioned heresie with so high and proud attempts as others had done yet they were addicted vnto it Gregorius successor to Theodorus in the sixt generall Councell had defended the error of the Monothelites but when he was cleerly refuted by testimonies of Scripture by places cited out of the Fathers he yeelded and embraced the true faith Callyniâ—us ministred vnder the raign of Iustinian the second who demolished a Church neere approching to his pallace
Bishops Elders and Deacons is recommended with abstinence euen from matrimoniall societie so earlie began men to bee wiser then God But in the twelfth Canon of the third Councell of Carthage it may bee perceiued that this constitution as disagreeable from Gods word was not regarded because Bishops in Africa married and had sonnes and daughters and these are inhibite to marrie with Infidels and Heretikes in the Canons a fore-saide The making of Chrisme and consecrating of holie Virgins is ordained onely to belong to Bishops The Canons of this Councell for the most part tend to this to aduance the authoritie of their Bishops fore-smelling as appeares the vsurpation of preheminence in the Bishops beyond sea THe third Councell of Carthage was assembled in the yeere of the Lord 399. Aurelius Bishop of Carthage seemeth to haue bin Moderatour of the Councell Augustine Bishop of Hippo was present Many good constitutions were accorded vpon in this Councell as namely that the Sacramentes should not bee ministred to the dead That the sonnes and daughters of Bishops and others in spirituall offices should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans Heretikes or Schismatikes The men in spirituall offices should not be intangled with secular businesse according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. verse 4. That men of the Cleargy should practise no kind of vsury That no man shall be ordained Bishop Elder or Deacon before hee haue brought all persons of his owne familie to the profession of Christian Religion That Readers who are come to perfect yeeres shall either marrie or els professe continencie That in the ministration of the Sacrament or Sacrifice to wit Eucharistike nothing should bee offered except bread and wine mixed with water of the fruites of the Cornes and Grapes That the Bishop of Rome should bee called the Bishop of the first seate but not the high Priest nor the Prince of Priestes That nothing except holy Canonicke Scripture should be read in the Churches vnder the name of holy bookes ABout the yeere of our Lord 401. vnder the raigne of Honorius was assembled againe a great nationall Councell in Carthage of 214. Bishops Augustine Bishop of Hippo was also present at this Councell Manie Canons were set downe in this Councell almost equall with the number of conueened Bishops That persons married for reuerence of the blessing pronounced to the marriage should not companie together the first night after their marriage That the Bishop should haue his dwelling place neere vnto the Church his house-holde-stuffe should be vncostly his fare should be course and vndelicate and that hee should conquiese authoritie vnto himselfe by fidelitie and vprightnesse of an holy conuersation That a Bishop should not spend time in reading the bookes of Pagans the bookes of Heretikes if necessitie required he might reade That a Bishop entangle not himselfe deepely with houshold businesse to the end hee may attend vpon reading Prayer and Preaching That a Bishop admit no man vnto a spirituall office without aduice of the Clergie and consent of the people That a Bishop without aduice of his Cleargie pronounce no sentence els it shall haue no force except they confirme it That a Bishop sitting shall not suffer a presbyter to stand That an assembly of Heretikes conueened together shall not be called Concilium but Conciliabulum That hee who communicateth with an Heretike shall be excommunicate whether he be of the number of the Laikes or of the Cleargie That such as refuse to giue vnto the Church the oblations of defunct persons shall bee excommunicate as murtherers of the poore Heere marke what is meaned by Oblationes Defunctorum not soul-masses said for the defunct but the charitie which they haue in testamentall legacy to the poore That no woman shal presume to baptize CENTVRIE V. COncerning Councels gathered in the daies of Arcadius and Honorius by Epiphanius in Cyprus and Theophilus in Alexandria vnder pretence of damning the bookes of Origen and in Constantinople first and last by the malice of Eudoxia the Emperour Arcadius wife to the deposition of Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople I hope I haue not need to make a new declaration of things which are amply declared in the preceding history ABout the yeere of our Lord 419. a great number of Bishops were assembled in the Towne of Carthage whose names are particularly expressed in their Synodicke letters sent to Innocentius the first Bishop of Rome In this assemblie they damned the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius which hath been aboue rehearsed as hereticall The answer that Innocentius returned to the Councell is intermixed with words of swelling pride as if no Decree could be firme vntill it had allowance of the Romane chaire yet the fift Councell of Carthage had pronounced Anathema against the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius before they sent their letter to Innocentius Amongst the canons of this Councell the two last are to be remarked namely the fourteenth and fifteenth canon The one declareth that no Church was consecrated without the reliques of the Martyrs the other declareth that adoration of reliques at this time was the custome of Ethnickes supplication is appointed to be made to the Emperors that reliques which are found in Images groues or trees or such other places should bee abolished THe first Councell of Toledo in Spaine was assembled vnder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius The yeere of our Lord wherein this Councell was gathered is much contraverted therefore I overpasse it contenting my selfe with some notice of the time of the Emperour in whose time the Councell was gathered It seemeth to haue beene assembled for confirmation of the Nicene Councell and refutation of some errours The canons concerning prohibibition of marriage to some persons are foolish and the admitting of a man to the communion who wanteth a wife and contenteth himselfe with one concubine onely is foolisher so perilous a thing it is in a iot to depart from the certaine rule of the written Word of God MIlevitum is a towne of Numidia in it many Bishops were assembled vnder the raigne of Arcadius whose names are particularly expressed in the letter sent from the Councell to Innocentius Bishop of Rome which letter is inserted in the Epistles of Augustine together with the answer of Innocentius the first Two principall causes mooved them to assemble together First to finish the work they had begun in the fift Councell of Carthage in condemning the heresies of Pelagius and Coelestius by whom as yet many were deceiued and perverted from the true faith Augustine Bishop of Hippo was not onely present but also President The opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius concerning the power of mans nature not supported by the grace of God and free-will of man to doe good of it selfe is so solidly refuted and that by arguments taken out
widow who hath had concubines who is in a servile condition who is vnknowne Neophycus who is given to war-fare or an attender in Court who is vnlearned or hath not attained to the age of thirtie yeares who hath not proceeded to honour by ascending degrees who by ambition or bribes hath presumed to honour who hath been elected by his predecessor who hath not beene elected by the Clergie and people of his owne citie He who is approved shall be consecrated on the Lords day by all the comprovinciall Bishops at least by three of them Let Levites be of the age of 25. yeeres before their admission and Presbyters of 30. Let Bishops be vnreproveable according to the precept of the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. Let Bishops not onely haue the testimony of a Good conscience in the sight of God but also the testimony of an vnruproueable conversation amongst men Presbyters Levites whom infirmity of old age permits not to abide in their secret chambers yet let them haue witnesses of their honest conversation and remaining places Youth-hood is prone and bent to evill therefore let them that are young be all brought vp in one conclaue vnder the instruction and government of some well approved Senior But they who shall be found lascivious and incorrigible let them bee thrust into a Monastery to the end that stricter discipline may correct the proud minds of insolent youths Seeing that ignorance is the mother of all errours it becommeth Presbyters who haue vndertaken the office of teaching continually to meditate vpon holy Scripture according to the words of the Apostle Take heed to reading exhortation and doctrine 1 Tim. 4. for by meditation of holy Scripture and the Canons of the Church men are made able to instruct others in knowledge and in precepts of good manners Presbyters shal receiue from their owne Bishops an officiall booke to the end that through ignorance they doe nothing amisse neither in celebration of the Sacraments nor in their Letanies nor in their forme of comming to Councels When Presbyters and Deacons are admitted to their offices they must vow chastitie and binde themselues to their Bishops to lead a continent life and after such profession let them retaine the discipline of an holy life A Bishop Presbyter or Deacon who shall happen to be vniustly deposed if they bee found innocent by the tryall of the Synode let them be restored to their former dignities before the Altar by the hands of Bishops in this manner If hee bee a Bishop let him be restored to his Orarium with Staffe and Ring If hee be a Presbyter to his Orarium and Planeta If he be a Deacon to his orarium and Alba If he be a Sub-deacon to his Plate and Chalice and other orders let them receiue in their restitution that which was given vnto them in their ordination If any of the Clergy be found to haue cōsulted with diviners sorcerers let him be deposed from his dignity put into a Monastery to make cōtinual penance for his sacrilege Church-men who dwell in borders confining to a Nation that is vnder hostility with their owne countrey let them neither receiue from the enemies of the countrey nor direct any secret message vnto the enemies If any Church-man sit in iudgement or be iudge in a sentence of blood let him bee depriued of his dignity in the Church Let Bishoppes haue a care of such as are oppressed to reproove the mightie men who oppresse them and if the word of wholesome reproofe profite nothing let them complaine to the king to the ende that by regall authoritie impietie may be subdued Seeing auarice is the roote of all euill let Bishops so gouerne their dioceses that they spoyle thē not of their rightes but according to the determination of anteriour Councels let them haue the third part of Oblations Tithes Tributes Cornes the rest let it remaine vnto the Paroches free and vntouched That thing which one Bishop possesseth without interpellation for the space of thirtie yeeres let no man in that same Prouince be heard in an action of repetition But as concerning them who dwell in diuerse Prouinces the case standeth otherwise lest while Dioceses are defended the boundes of Prouinces be confounded A Church newly builded shall appertaine vnto that Bishop in whose diosie it is knowne that spiritual conuentions haue beene kept A Bishop shall visit yeerelie all the paroches of his diosie and in case he be hindered by infirmitie or by weightie businesse he shall appoint faithfull Presbyters and Deacons to take inspection of the fabricke of the Churches and of their rentes Whatsoeuer reward a Prelate promiseth to a man who vndertaketh any worke tending to the vtilitie of the Church let him faithfully performe his promise Seeing that a part of Church-rentes is bestowed vpon sustentation of strangers and of poore and indigent people if it shall happen at any time those persons or their children to be indigent who haue rendered any rent to the Church let them render a just deserued retribution to their bene-factors in sustaining them to whose beneuolence they are addoted The Deacons are decerned to be inferiour to Presbyters Let the Leuites be content to be cloathed with their Orarium onely vpon the left shoulder and not vpon their right shoulders and let it neither be beautified with colours nor with gold Platina in the life of Zosinus calleth it Linostima Let Clergie-men haue the vpper-most part of their heads bare and shauen and the lower-part rounded not following the example of the Readers of Gallicia who did shaue onelie a little of the vpper-most part of the haire of their head conforming themselues in so doing to the custome of some Heretikes which dishonour is to bee remoued from the Churches of Spaine No strange women shall cohabite with Church-men only their mother or sister or her daughter or fathers sister may dwell with them amongst which persons the bandes of nature permitteth not to suspect any sinne according to the constitutions of auncient Fathers Some of the Clergie who are not married are intangled with the forbidden lust of strange women let the Bishop separate them sell the women and redact the men infected with their lust for a space vnto penance If a man of the Clergy marrie a wife or a widow or a deuorced woman or an harlot without aduise of his Bishop let the Bishop separate them againe Clergie-men who haue cloathed themselues with armour voluntarilie and haue gone to warre fare let them be deposed from their office and bee thrust into a Monasterie there to remaine all the dayes of their life Church-men who are found spoyling the sepulchers of persons departed let them be deposed and be subject vnto three yeeres penance By the commandement of king Sisenandus Churchmen are exempted from all publike indictions and labours to the end
multitude of simple and ignorant Priestes that they thought it to bee the Oracle of God but in their next meeting Falthodus whom others call Ethelredus a learned man of Scotland so evidently by testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers prooved that marriage was a thing lawfull to men in spirituall offices that the answer which came from the Crucifix was counted the answer of the Divell whom Dunstanus served because Christ would speake nothing repugnant to his owne Word VNder the raigne of Nicephorus Phocas Emperor of Constantinople and when Polyeuchus was Patriarch the Emperour assembled a Councell at Constantinople The question disputed in the Councell was this Nicephorus having obtained the dominion of the East tooke to wife Theophania the relict of Romanus his predecessor This matter so displeased the Patriarch Polyeuchus that hee debarred the Emperour Nicephorus from holy things pretending these two causes First because the Emperour had celebrated the second marriage Secondly because Nicephorus had beene witnesse in Baptisme to the children of Theophania This question being discussed in the Councell in presence both of Prelats and Counsellers the Emperours marriage was allowed and the acts alledged by Polyeuchus was counted impious made by Capronimus and that they had no force to hinder the marriage The proud Patriarch when he was overthrowne by reason armed himselfe with obstinacie and stiffe neckednesse vntill Bardas the Emperours father came to him and affirmed by an oath that Nicephorus the Emperour was not witnesse in Baptisme to the children of Theophania Thus were the Patriarches of the East serious in observing the traditions of men but remisse and negligent in observing the ordinances of God And this is a sure testimony that defection from the faith had now prevayled both in the west and East IN the yeere of our Lord 992. in the ninth yeere of the Emperour Otto and in the fourth yeere of Hugo Capeto King of France a Councel was gathered at Rhemes against Arnulphus Bishop of Rhemes His hand-writing was produced wherein hee did binde himselfe to bee obedient to Hugo Capeto King of France and never to come in the contrary vnder paine of infamy and perpetuall malediction Notwithstanding he had countenanced Duke Charles who claimed the right of the kingdome as nearest heire thereto being the brother of Lotharius To Duke Charles Arnulphus had opened the ports of the towne of Rhemes and made him Commander of the citie Great disputation was in the Councell concerning Arnulphus His friends would haue had this cause remitted to the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome But many of the Bishops of France mightily opponed to the contrary The discourse is very prolix but the paines of reading is well recompenced with the fruitfulnesse of the disputation This Councell toke this end Arnulphus confessed his fault denuded himselfe of his Episcopall honour and Gilbertus who had beene instructor of Robert the Kings sonne was placed in his roome Likewise Arnulphus was sent to Orlience to be imprisoned there together with Siguinus Archbishop of Senon because hee consented not freely to the deposition of Arnulphus but thought that this matter was overswayed by the tyranny of Courtiers and vsurpers of the kingdome vnlawfully VVHen the deposition of Arnulphus was reported at Rome Iohn the thirteenth was mooued with great wrath and incontinent excommunicated all those Bishops of France who had consented to the deposition of Arnulphus In so doing Pope Iohn kept the accustomed order of the Romane Church to wit to pronounce a sentence before a lawfull cognition and tryall of the cause Also hee sent an Abbot called Leo furnished with the authority of the Romane chaire to appoint a new Councell at Rhemes Hugo King of France was somewhat terrified with the cursing of the Bishop of Rome and feared to oppose himselfe to so many bishops agreeing in one minde and therefore he suffered the councell to hold forward The conclusion of this Councell was that Arnulphus was restored to his former dignitie And left that either the Emperour Otto or Hugo Capeto should be offended Gilbertus was promoted to be Bishop of Ravenna CENTVRIE XI IN the yeere of our Lord 1026. and vnder the raigne of the Emp. Henry the second a Councell was assembled at Aken by the authority of the Emperour who seeing the wrath of God kindled against the word manifold tokens of the anger of God manifested in the Calamities hanging vpon the head of all people and nations he gathered this Councel By the authoritie whereof Priests were commanded to pacifie the wrath of God by frequent saying of masse the people by fasting abstinence Princes by distributing of almes to reconcile themselues to God The Doctrine of repetance and amendement of life was forgotten in this time of horrible ignorance and all religion was turned into outward exercises of fasting of distributing of almes and of saying of Masses Also new fasting daies were inioyned to be kept in most solemne manner to the honour of Iohn the Baptist S. Laurence so that by a multitude of human traditions daily increased the ordinance of God as Christ witnesseth was made null and of no effect IN the yeere of our Lord 1023. and in the 21. yeere of the raigne of the Emp. Henry 2. a Councell was assembled at Halignustat wherein Harido Bishop of Mentz was moderator great pains were taken to make a conformitie vnitie in obseruation of superstitious rites in Germanie such as statut times of fasting and abstinence from marriage at certaine times of the yeere and not casting of the corporall into the fire to quench the fire kindled in a towne which was the custome of foolish Priests at that time that no sword shuld be brought into the Church except the Kings sword and no meetings or confabulations should be in the Church or the poarch thereof and that women should not bee addicted to particular and select Masses such as the Masse of the Trinitie and Saint Michael but let them heare common Masses for the safetie of the quicke and the dead Also Lawes were made in this Councell concerning the reckoning of the degrees of consanguinitie and that no man should iourney to Rome for obtaining pardon for great sinnes before hee had first confessed himselfe to his owne Priest and fulfilled the penance prescribed by him with many other constitutions full of new invented superstition IN the yeere of our Lord 1030. and vnder the raigne of the Emperour Conrad the second a Councell was assembled at Triburia The Emperour was present at the Councell After some constitutions about fasting one arose and said that certaine Epistles were come from heauen concerning peace to be renued on earth he was commanded to write a coppie of these Epistles to be communicat to other Bishops to the ende that nations and people might obserue these new lawes following 1. That no man should weare armoure 2. That no man should seeke restitution of things
Protectors entered into the Monasterie of Cluniake Concerning his opinions I haue spoken of them in the head of Heretikes IN the yeere of our Lord 1160. The schisme that fell out betwixt two Popes striuing for the Popedome after the death of Adrian the fourth to wit Alexander the third and Victor the fourth gaue occasion to the Emperour Fredericke the first being at that time in Italie to appoint a Councel to be assembled at Papia For remouing of the scisme and for deciding the controversie by declaring to which of the contending Popes the Popedome should belong Both the Popes were warned to appeare before the Councell The Emperour was present the first day of the meeting of the Councell and declared to the Bishoppes that hee was not ignorant that to the Emperour belonged power to convocate Councels like as Constantinus Theodosius Iustinianus had done before him and of latter time Carolus Magnus and the Emperour Otto Notwithstanding since that matters pertaining to diuine worship ought to be iudged by Bishops hee remitted the iudgement of this present controuersie to the fathers met together in the assemblie And he so departed out of the Councell Pope Alexander the third refused to appeare before the Councel of Papia for hee would be iudged by no man Pope Victor the fourth appeared and was content that his cause should be examined and iudged by the Councell The Councell tooke this effect that Victor the fourth was declared to bee Pope Alexander the third on the other part beeing full of indignation cursed the Emp. and Pope Victor and their adherents and gathered a Councell of his fauourers at Clermount wherein hee openly deliuered to Sathan the Emp. Fredericke and Pope Victor and Count Palatine and all other principall fauourers of Victor so great patience was in Pope Alexander when his papall dignitie was called in question Hee mixed as it were Heauen and Eartth together not for zeale to the glorie of God but for zeale to keepe his papall preheminence For beside the Councell which he assembled at Clermont hee gathered another at Towrs Anno 1164. and was no lesse prodigall in his cursings then hee had beene before in the Councell of Clermont against the Emperour and his Competitor Victor yea and hee sent an Ambassadour to Ierusalem and Antiochia and to the Princes and Patriarchs of the East for propagation of his owne authoritie IN the yeere of our Lord 1180. and in the twentieth yeere of the gouernment of Pope Alexander the third a great assemblie was conveened at Rome by the Popes authoritie an hundreth and fourescore Bishops were assembled together in the Church called Constantiniana Their consultation was about the forme of election of the Pope in time to come And first it was appointed and ordained that in case the Colledge of Cardinals did not with vniforme consent agree who should be elected Pope if the two part of them did consent to the election of any person the dissenting of the third part should be no sufficient cause to reiect him who was elected Secondly it was ordained that all Ecclesiasticall dignities conferred by Octavianus and Guido who now are accounted schismatikes shall be null and of none effect And that no man be admitted to the office of a Bishop before hee be 30. yeeres old neither shall any man bee admitted to be a Deacon or Arch-deacon or to haue the gouernment of a parish before hee be twentie fiue yeeres of age That Bishops and Archbishops in their Visitations doe not overcharge the Church of their boūds with vnnecessary charges expenses speciallie the Churches that are poore If a Bishop admit any man to bee a Presbyter or Deacon without the title of a place that may affoorde vnto him things necessarie for the maintenance of his life let the Bishop himselfe sustaine him vntill he prouide a liuing for him except he be able of his owne patrimonie to sustaine himselfe That no man shall be excomunicat or suspended from his office before hee be lawfully warned to appeare and answere for himselfe except in such causes as deserue summar excommunication That no reward be taken for admitting men to spirituall offices and that no money be taken for blessing them that are married or for ministration of any other Sacrment For at this time marriage was counted a Sacrament of the Roman Church That no Ecclesiastical office be prōised to any man before it be vacāt by the decease of the possessor For it is an vnrighteous thing to put any man in expectation of another mans liuing whereby hee may wish his brothers death And when any place shall happen to be vacant let it be planted againe within six months or else hee who hath the right of plantation shall loose it at that time and the Chapitar or Metrapolitan Bishop shall haue power to prouide the vacant place That the Brethren called Templarij or hospitales shall not abuse the priuiledges granted by them to the Chaire of Rome by receiuing Churches out of the hands of Laicke people by admitting to the Sacraments in their Churches and to buriall persons excommunicated nor by admitting deposing Presbyters without the fore-knowledge of their Bishops and by occasion of their fraternities which they haue multiplied in many places they shall not weaken the authoritie of Bishops but they shal doe al things with aduice of their Bishops and they who shall be found to haue disobeyed this ordinance shall vndergoe the discipline their actions in the contrary shall be declared to be of none effect That Monkes shall not be receiued into a Monasterie for gaine and that they shall possesse no goods as properlie belonging onely to themselues Men admitted to holy orders let them either liue continently without the companie of women or otherwise let them be depriued of their offices and liuings Subdeacons and others in Law offices who are sustained in the Church let them not appeare as procurators and advocates before secular iudges except a matter belonging to himselfe or to the Church or to the poore be questioned Like as it is written no man that goeth to warre entangleth himselfe with worldlie businesse c. Let such men bee preferred to Ecclesiasticall dignities who will be actuallie resident with their people and vndertake the cure of their soules by doing the worke of the ministerie in their owne persons otherwise let them depriue them of the office and benefice conferred to Rome and hee who doth conferre them without these conditions let him lose the right of conferring offices and benefices Pluralitie of benefices is forbidden as a vice smelling of auarice and ambition and is perilous to the people whose soules are neglected by Pastours attentiue to the world heaping vp riches and not carefull to feed the flocke of God By this also many worthy men are ouer-seene whose trauels might bee worthily bestowed in feeding the flocke of God Moreouer some Laickes
and pestilence that there remained not of men women and children so many aliue as there were wont to be of ancient hoare-headed men walking vpon their streets the Lord was so highly displeased with the vnthankfull world that hee was determined to consume them who had consumed his people The good carriage of Christians at this time is worthie to be marked who were full of charitie and loue and visited the sicke and did all offices of humanity to those who were diseased or dead whereas the Pagans by the contrary forsooke their dearest friends left them comfortlesse and thrust out such as were halfe dead into the streets and left them there vnburied and to be eaten with dogs This is written in the letter of Dionysius inserted in the history of Eusebius So great difference is betweene Christians trained vp in the schoole of Christ and others who haue not beene fed with the sincere milke of the Word Christians in time of sicknesse were more dutifull to their enemies then others were vnto their friends If any man would defend worshipping of images to bee an ancient custome in the Church by the two brasen images which were set vp in Caesarea Philippi for a memoriall of the miracle that Christ wrought in curing of the woman who had a bloody issue this place of Eusebius will make nothing for him For these images were not made for adoration neither were they set vp in temples nor worshipping places but in the very street before the doore of the woman who had beene cured The places whereunto Christians were gathered together for divine service at this time are called in the mandate of the Emperour Gallienus Caemiteria In these places no man readeth that images were set vp Besides this these images were graven or molten by the hands of Pagans and not of Christians and this fact was done by imitation of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to the custome of the Gentiles hee saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the custome of her owne kindred but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is said Yet may wee take warning by this place to beware of the small beginnings of errour Images haue beene like vnto a base borne fellow who at the first can haue no credit to set his head into the Kings palace but afterward hee getteth accesse into the outer court and in the end his credit daily increasing by degrees he getteth favour to lie in the Kings bed-chamber even so in the first 300. yeere of our Lord images were not brought in into places of holy conventions afterward they were brought in into Churches but not worshipped as the Epistle of Gregorius the first written to Severus Bishop of Marsil cleerly testifieth But in the end adoration of images was in so frequent vse as if it had beene the principall point of the worship of God Claudius and Quintilius CLaudius after Gallienus raigned two yeeres And his brother Quintilius seuenteene dayes Hee is not reckoned by Eusebius in the roll of Emperours Aurelianus AFter Quintilius Aurelianus possessed the crowne sixe yeeres In the beginning of his raigne hee was not a great disturber of Christians Notwithstanding in continuance of time his nature somewhat inclinable to severitie was altered to plaine tyranny which tyranny first hee shewed beginning with the murther of his owne sisters sonne as witnesseth Eutropius After that hee proceedeth to moove the ninth persecution against Christians albeit the mercifull working of God did soone overthrowe all the wicked purposes of the Emperour For as the edict and proclamation should haue beene denounced for the persecuting of Christians the mighty hand of God from aboue did suddenly stop his purpose cleerly declaring to all men that there is no power to worke any violence against the servants of God vnlesse his permission doe suffer them and giue them leaue Here I see that D. Iohn Fox writer of the booke of Martyrs taketh leaue of Vincentius Martyrologie If others had done the like they had not heaped vp so many Martyrs in the dayes of Claudius Quintilius and Aurelian as they haue done For Eusebius had assuredly made mention of it if the number had beene so great as Vincentius recordeth Before the Emperours minde was altered and inclined to tyranny against Christians hee assisted with his authority the Bishops convened at Antiochia for the deposition and excommunication of the heretique Samosatenus and so the Emperours authority being interposed this proud Heretike was compelled to stoope and to giue place and with great ignominy was driven from the towne of Antiochia In his place Domnus was elected to be Bishop of Antiochia a man endued with good graces the sonne of Demetrian who immediatly before Samosatenus governed the Church of Antiochia And here againe it is to be marked that the Bishops at this time albeit it was a time of persecution yet did they not abhorre from marriage for Demetrianus Bishop of Antiochia was a married man and had children and Domnus his sonne so that the prohibition of mariage to men in spirituall offices is not an ancient doctrine Annius Tacitus and Florianus AFter Aurelian was slaine betweene Bizans and Heraclea the Imperiall chaire was vacant six moneths The Senate of Rome elected Annius Tacitus to be Emperour Hee continued but six moneths in his government Eusebius overpasseth his name with silence as likewise the name of his brother Florianus who aspired to the Imperiall dignity Aurelius Probus AVrelius Probus a gentle and peaceable Emperour raigned six yeeres three moneths Hee was envied by his Captaines and Souldiers because hee appointed them to plant vineyards and said there was no great need of souldiers where no enemy was to be feared He was slaine by his souldiers Carus Carinus Numerianus CArus with his two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus raigned after Probus All these three continued not aboue the space of three yeeres And Numerianus was slaine by his owne father in law called Aper Carus was slaine by thunder and Carinus was ouercome in battell and slaine by Dioclesian whom the Romane army had declared to be Emperour while Carinus was yet aliue Dioclesianus and Maximinianus LIke as Dioclesian overcame Carinus the sonne of Carus in battell even so likewise hee slew Aper the father in law of Numerianus with his owne hands Whether this was done for detestation of sinne or for desire of government it is vncertaine Alwayes some affirme that his concubine Druas had sayd vnto him that hee should kill a wilde Boare before hee should bee Emperour And after the killing of Aper which name by interpretation signifieth a wilde Boare hee became Emperour In the beginning of his raigne hee chused for his colleague Maximianus surnamed Hercules father to Maxentius And these two chused other two viz. Galerius and Constantius Chlorus the father of Constantine whom they called Caesars but the honourable title of Augustus Dioclesian
Michael Paphlago who married Zoe the daughter of Constantine the tenth raigned in the East eight yeeres Henry the third AFter Conrad the second his sonne Henry the third raigned 17. yeeres Hee married the daughter of Canutius the sonne of Sueno King of Denmarke who at that time raigned in England In his time great strife was among the Bishops of Rome contending for the Popedom Which sedition the Emperour suppressed by remooving all the three seditious Popes and appointing Clemens the 2. to bee Pope as shall be declared God willing in the Head of Councels In the East after the death of Calypha Prince of Egypt his sonne Dabir made a covenant of peace with Argyrophilus Emperour of the East and gaue liberty to Christians to build those Temples againe which Calypha had demolished Constantinus Mononiachus also furthered the building so that the worke was perfected anno 1048. Henry the fourth HEnry the fourth was a young childe of seven yeeres old when his father died and hee raigned 50 yeeres Hee was an Emperour valiant wise eloquent and fortunate in warfare Neverthelesse hee was miserably vexed with the divilish pride of Pope Gregorie th 7. by whom hee was twice excommunicate and his subiects in Germany were stirred vp by the Pope to rebell against him vnder the conduct of Rodolph Duke of Sueue But the God of heaven gaue victory to the the Emperour Henry and Rodolph was sore wounded in the last battell for his right arme was cut off and hee convicted in conscience of the treasonable attemps against the Emperour his Master and the breaking of his oath of allegance admonished the Bishops who had incited him to seditious insurrection to bee more obedient to their soveraigne Lord in time to come because God had punished him for his disloyalty in his right arme which was once lift vp to sweare the oath of allegance to his Master The seditious enterprises of Gregorius the 7. against the noble Emperonr Henry of purpose to throw out of his hands the power of investment of Bishops together with the wise resolution of the Emperour to represse the pride of this insolent Pope they are to be declared God willing heareafter in a more convenient time In this Emperours time William Duke of Normandy entered into England to whom Harold who at that time vsurped the government of the countrey gave an hard and sharpe encounter but Duke William prevailed slew Harold and governed the countrey At this time also was the estate of Christians in most lamentable manner afflicted by the Turkes and Saracens as shall bee declared hereafter at greater length God willing CENTVRIE XII Henry the fift IN this Century the Bishops of Rome who breathed for preheminence and longed for soveraignty attained to all their intended desires And albeit no age afforded more magnanimous couragious Emperours such as Henry the 4. Henry the 5. Lotharius the 2. Conrad the 3. Fredericke the 1. called Barbarossa yet the power of the wrath of God iustly punishing the defection of men from the true faith suffered the man of sinne and childe of perdition to be mounted vp to high preheminence and to treade vnder foot the power of the Emperour So that the Bishop of Rome was reverenced as a God in the world and all high powers stouped vnder his authority Henry the fift was incited by the Councell of Bishops to make cruell warre against his naturall father Henry the fourth And from a Councell assembled at Mentz the Bishops of Mentz Collen and Worms were sent to depriue Henry the fourth of all his Imperiall ornaments and to conferre them to his sonne The father through sorrow and partly through sicknesse departed this life after hee had raigned 50. yeeres as hath beene declared After the dayes of Henry the fourth his sonne Henry the fift raigned 20. yeeres Who came to Rome to bee crowned Emperour by Pope Paschalis the 2. The Pope would not consent to his coronation except hee first did giue over all right of election of the Pope and all right of investments of Bishops by staffe and ring The Emperour grieved with this proud carriage of the Pope layd hands vpon the Pope and his Cardinals and compelled them to perfect the worke of his coronation and to confirme his priviledges of right to elect Popes and to conferre investments to Bishops It is to be noted that Pope Paschalis when hee covenanted with the Emperour and confirmed the priviledges aforesaid tooke a consecrated Hostie and divided it in two parts and gaue one part of it to the Emperour and tooke the other part vnto himselfe vttering with his owne mouth this imprecation Let him be divided from the kingdome of Christ who shall presume to violate this covenant bound vp betweene you and mee Neverthelesse Pope Paschalis so soone as the Emperour returned vnto Germany hee revoked all that hee had done and cursed the Emperour and called the priviledge which hee had confirmed vnto the Emperour pravilegium and not privilegium The Emperour hearing what the Pope had done with expedition marched toward Rome with an army the Pope was forced to flie to Apulia The Emperour returned to Germany where he did find the Bishops for the most part seditiously affectionat to the Pope Therefore the Emperor wearied with multitude of businesses stirred vp against him by Bishops gaue over his priviledges aforesaid gaining some peace with giving over of rights At this time died Mathildis a noble Countesse in Italy and excessiuely addicted to the Romane Church In restamentall Legacy shee gave to the Church of Rome many townes and possessions lying betwixt the Apenning and the Sea and among the rest the towne of Ferrara The Romane Church braggeth of many donations such as the donation of Constantine of Aistulphus of Pipinus of Charles the Great of Ludovicus Pius of Otto and of Mathildis If these bounds appertained to the chaire of Rome by so many anterior donations How did these townes belong to Mathildis in hereditary possession so that she had power to bestow them on whom she pleased In Ierusalem after Godfrey succeeded Baldowin his brother the second King of Ierusalem and after him another Baldowin of Burgon Hee prospered for a time but in the end was taken prisoner by Balach King of Parthians and was redeemed by paying a great summe of money He left Fulto Earle of Aniow his successor the fourth King of Ierusalem Lotharius the second AFter the death of Henry the fift Lotharius Duke of Saxonie by the consent of the Electors was chosen Emperour and raigned thirteene yeeres In his time two men contended for the Popedome to wit Innâ—centius the 2. and one Peter a citizen of Rome and sonne to Peter Leo whom they called Anacletus whom Rogerius Count of Sicile did favour But the Emperour Lotharius came to Rome with an army and authorized Innocentius Rogerius fearing the power of the Emperour returned backe to Sicile Conradus the third AFter the death of
his rigour and through the intercession of the Bishop of Mentz and the Palsgraue granted peace to the Protestants so that they should ayde the Emperour against the Turks and on the other part the action of the Chamber-court should cease in all sutes of Religion against the Protestants About the same time that all this businesse was in Germanie for the Doctrine of Martin Luther Vlricus Zuinglius Preached the Word at Zurik detested the abuse of pardons of other corruptions then reigning in the Church but see great offence begun to rise and diverse stepped out on the contrary side to Preach and inveigh against him Vpon this the Magistrates and Senate of Zurik sent forth their commandement to all Priests Ministers within their Dominion to repaire to the Citie of Zurik against the 29. of Ianuarie next ensuing there euery one to speake freely and to be heard quietly touching those Controversies of Religion This disputation was appointed in the yeare of our Lord 1523. Zuinglius had contriued all his doctrine in a certaine ordâ—â— of places to the number of 77. Articles which he had published also abroad before to the end that they who were disposed might resort thither better prepared for disputation The Bishop of Constance sent thither Iohannes Faber Stapulensis his Vicegerent who in stead of disputation reasoned that this was no convenient place for disputation but rather the handling of Controversies in Religion belonged to a generall Councell which he said was alreadie appointed and nigh at hand Wherevpon the Senate of Zurik caused incontinent to be proclaimed through all their Dominions and Territories that the traditions of men should be displaced and abandoned and the Gospell of Christ purely taught out of the old and new Testament When the Gospell begun thus to flourish in Zurik the yeare next following Anno 1524. another assemblie of the Helvetians was convented at Lucerna where Decrees were made on the contrary part that no man should deride the Masse that no mention should be made of Luther or any new doctrine that Pictures and Images of Saints in euery place should be kept inviolate and finally that all the lawes and decrees set forth by the Bishop of Constance should be obserued After these things thus concluded at Lucerna the Cantones of Helvetia together direct their publique Letter to the Tygurines or men of Zurik complaining that they had receiued a new Doctrine which would be the seed of discord whereas before time all things were in quiet Wherevnto the Tigurines answered that at the first this Doctrine seemed strange to themselues but after they vnderstood it directed them onely to Christ as the pillar and onely rocke of their saluation they could no otherwise doe but with ardent affection receiue so wholesome and ioyfull message And like as faithfull Christians in former times after they had receiued the Gospell did not by and by fall out in debate with their neighbours So lâ—kewise they trusted God willing to keepe peace with all men Neuerthelesse the rest of the Cantons grew in hatred against the men of Zurike and for suppressing of the doctrine of Zuinglius appointed a disputation to be holden at Baden which was kept in the moneth of Iune Anno 1525. where were present amongst other Divines Iohannes Faber Eccius and Murnerus The Bishops also of Lucerna Basile Curiak and Lawsanna The conclusions there propounded were these 1. That the true body and blood of Christ is in the Sacrament 2. That the Masse is a Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead 3. That the blessed Virgin and other Saints are to be invocated as Mediators and Intercessors 4. That Images ought not to be abolished 5. That there is a Purgatorie Which Conclusions or assertions Eccius tooke vpon him soundly to defend Against him reasoned Oecolampadius Preacher at Basile with other moe Zuinglius at that time was not there present but by writing confuted the doctrine of Eccius declaring withall the causes of his absence which were for that he durst not for feare of his life commit himselfe to the hands of Lucernates Vrbani Suitij Vnternaldi and Tugiani his enemies and that he refused not to dispute but onely the place of disputation excusing moreouer that he was not permitted of the Senate to come Neverthelesse if they would assigne the place of disputation either at Zurik Berna or Sangallum thither he would not refuse to come The conclusion of this disputation was this that all should remaine in that Religion which hitherto they had kept and should follow the authoritie of the Councell neither should admit any other new Doctrine within their dominions In the yeare of our Lord 1527. the Senate and people of Berne whose power amongst all the Helvetians chiefely excelled considering how neither they could haue the acts of the disputation of Baden committed vnto them and that the variance about Religion still more and more increased assigned another disputation within their owne Cittie and sending forth writings thereof called vnto the same all the Bishops bordering about them as the Bishops of Constance Basile Sedune Lusanna determining also the whole disputation to be decided only by the authority of the old new Testament To all that would come thither they graunted safe conduct And to the end men might come thither better prepared before they proposed in publique writing ten conclusions in the said disputation to be defended by their Ministers by the Scriptures which Ministers were Franciscus Colbus and Bertholdus Hallerus The Theames or Conclusions were these 1. That the true Church whereof Christ is the head riseth out of Gods Word and persisteth in the same and heareth not the voyce of any other 2. That the same Church maketh no lawes without Gods Word 3. That traditions ordained in the name of the Church doe not binde but so farre forth as they be consonant to Gods Word 4. That Christ onely hath made satisfaction for the sins of the world and therefore if any man say there is another way of saluation or meane to put away sinne he denieth Christ. 5. That the body and blood of Christ cannot be receiued really and corporally by the testimonie of the Scripture 6. That the vse of the Masse wherein Christ is presented and offered vp to his heauenly Father for the quicke and the dead is against the Scripture and contumelious to the Sacrifice which Christ made for vs. 7. That Christ onely is to be invocated as the Mediatour and Advocate of Mankinde to God â—he Father 8. That there is no place to be found â—y the holy Scripture wherein soules are purged after this life and therefore all those prayers and ceremonies yeerely dirges and obiles which are bestowed on the dead also Lampes Tapers and such other things profit nothing at all 9. That to set vp any Picture or Image to be worshipped is repugnant to the holy Scripture and therefore if any such be
corrections This booke also was impugned both by Protestants and Papists Of the Protestants Caspar Aquila a preacher in Turingia impugned it as a booke replenished with false doctrine and on the other side Robertus Abrincensis Episcopus impugned it for giuing libertie to Priests to marrie and permitting the people to haue the Sacrament vnder both formes While this great stirre and trouble was in Germanie in England by the authoritie of a Parliament the vse of the Masse was altogether forbidden and a booke made of an vniforme order of common prayers and administration of the Sacraments in the English tongue Edmond Boner Bishop of London and Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for obstinate defending of the Roman doctrine were depriued of their Bishoprickes and cast in prison where they continued all the time of king Edwards raigne But to returne againe to the troubles of Germanie of all the Cities of the Protestants there was none that more constantly beared out the Emperours indignation as the Citie of Magdeburg For neither would they acknowledge the councell of Trident neither yet the Emperours booke of Interim but fortified their towne against Maurice Duke of Saxonie whom the Emperour made Captaine in that warre vntill at last an agreement was made vpon easie conditions When Maurice with his garrison entered into their Citie hee grieuously blamed their Preachers that both in their bookes and pictures they had done much to his reproach but yet he exhorted them to pray for the good successe of the Emperour and the generall councell of Trident. To whom they answered that they could not pray any otherwise for that Councell that was assembled to oppresse the truth but that God would soone disturbe it and breake it vp The end of the warre against the Citie of Magdeburg was the beginning of great warre and dangerous trouble against the Emperour For Maurice Duke of Saxonie perceiuing the Emp. would not stand to his promise consulteth with forraine Princes how hee might by force deliuer his wifes father the Lantgraue and when hee found that all things were in readinesse hee begun to muster his souldiers shortly after set forth a Proclamation to the states of the Empire in the which first hee lamenteth the discord of Religion secondly he rehearseth grieuouslie the imprisonment of the Lantgraue his wifes father signifying that hee was so kept against all truth and honour to the report of all Germanie Lastly he bewaileth the pittifull estate of all Germanie and oppression of their libertie protesting that the cause of this warre was to restore the old dignitie and freedome Albert Marques of Brandenburge maketh also his Proclamation and after a long rehearsall of the miseries of Germanie referreth the cause of all to the Churchmen and therefore signifieth this warre to bee chiefely against them William the Lantgraues sonne ioyned his power with Duke Maurice at Shuinforde The king of Fraunce also ioyned in this warre and led an armie vnto Germanie As they went forward they caused the Cities to submit themselues commaunded them to pay great summes of money and displaced such as the Emperour had set in authoritie and restored their old Senatours willing them to vse their priuiledges and liberties that the Emperour before had forbidden The report of this warre and the good successe of Maurice namely after the citie of Ausbrough was by him taken made the councell of Trident to breake vp and dissolue The Emperour on the other part set at libertie Fredericke the olde Duke of Saxonie as it were to signifie to Maurice that hee should claime againe the Dukedome of Saxonie and Electorship that he enioyed and thereby to put him in more feare Albert Marques of Brandenburge in this warre shewed great extremitie to diuers cities and noble personages against the mind of Maurice and the other confederates The King of Fraunce led forward his armie to Strawsburge and hearing that communication of peace was betwixt Maurice and the Emperour and that they were in good hope to haue their Princes deliuered hee to gratifie them was content to returne to Fraunce but was much displeased that Duke Maurice would enter in communication of peace without his knowledge In the end agreement passed betweene the Emperour and Duke Maurice vpon these conditions That the Lantgraue should be set at libertie That their Religion should be quiet vntill a certaine order were taken for the same in the next assemblie of of the Empire That Maurice and the Princes confederats should suffer their souldiers to serue king Ferdinand in Hungarie That the Protestants should bee admitted Iudges in the Chamber-court with diuerse such other like conditions The end of this warre was also the beginning of another cruell warre betwixt Duke Maurice and the Marquis of Brandenburg which fell out vpon this occasion The Marquis being reconciled to the Emperour and in great favour with him did many iniuries in Germany not onely to the Bishops whom hee ever deadly hated but also to diverse Princes and Cities yea and that vnder the name of religion Duke Maurice with certaine other went against him and met at the river of Visurg where Albert was overcome But Duke Maurice was so stricken with a gun that hee died within two dayes after Before this in Germanie were seene drops of blood vpon the trees and certaine other strange sights In England about this time fell out a great alteration in religion through the death of King Edward of whom the world was not worthy Lady Mary his sister succeeding to the kingdome Shee ioyned her selfe in mariage with Philip sonne to Charles the Emperour and restored not onely the Popes supremacie dissallowed by her father King Henrie the eight but also the masse and all superstitions of the Romane Church abrogated in the dayes of King Edward her brother Also shee caused the Realme of England in the high Court of Parliament to confesse their defection from the Catholike Church and to craue absolution having there in readinesse Cardinall Poole the Popes Ambassadour to absolue them What excessiue cruelty was vsed in her time no tongue can expresse The very name of Dioclâ—sian begunne to bee lesse abhorred when the name of Queene Mary came forth Her cruelty beginning at Iohn Hooper Bishop of Glocester Iohn Bradford Laurence Saunders Rowland Taylor Iohn Rogers Preachers proceeded shortly after to Ferrar Bishop of Saint Davids whose constant death amazed the people and confirmed their mindes in the true doctrine that they had learned of him This persecution raged in all parts of the Land but specially in Kent Essex and Norhfolke Some of those parts were chiefe maintainers of her authoritie and against the mind of the Nobilitie and Councell set forward her right to the Kingdome but this reward they receiued in the end at her hands The cruell martyrdome of Cranmer Bishop of Canterbury Ridley Bishop of London Latymer Bishop of Worcester Doctor Philpot and many others with the
Preaching of his owne death and bloodshed for the redemption of many Neither conquered he free men to make them slaues as other Conquerours had done but they who were slaues indeed to Sathan vnto them he gaue the libertie of the sonnes of God Now these twelue Apostles the more faithfully they laboured in the worke of their ministrie the worse were they entreated by the vnthankefull world according as Christ had foretold The most part of them were put to death the rest were not free of many painefull sufferings and rebukes which they willingly sustained for the name of Christ. Peter and Paul are supposed to haue beene martyred at Rome Andrew to haue beene crucified in Achaia Mathew beheaded in Ethiopia Iames the brother of Iohn was beheaded by Herod in Iudea Iames the sonne of Alpheus called Iustus was throwne downe headlong from the Pinacle of the Temple Simon of Canaan was crucified in the dayes of Traianus being an hundreth and twentie yeeres old when he suffered Martyrdome Bartholomew is said to haue beene martyred in Armenia and Simon Zelotes to haue beene crucified in Brittaine Iohn died at Ephesus Philip in Hierapolis Functius calleth the Towne Hierosopolis Iudas Lebbeus at Edessa Thomas in India and Matthias in Ethiopia Of Evangelists AS concerning the Evangelists they were fellow-labourers with the Apostles in the worke of Christ and were also partakers with them of Christs sufferings The Evangelist Marke died in Alexandria Luke in Bithynia others say in Constantinople Philip who first was a Deacon and afterward an Evangelist died in Cesarea Barnabas in the Isle of Cyprus Where Timothy and Titus did compleate their dayes it is not certainly knowne Chytraeus opinion about Timothy I haue alreadie declared Ierome supposeth that Titus died in Candie The successours of the Apostles and Evangelists are not to be reckoned as the successours of Emperours because he who next obtaineth the Emperiall Diadem and place of gouernment is counted the successour of the last Emperour but he who obtaineth a faithfull Pastors chaire and teacheth a doctrine contrarie to that which a faithfull Pastor hath taught is to be counted a grieuous Wolfe stepped vp into his roome And Nazianzenus calleth such a man an adversarie standing vp in the place of a faithfull Pastor darkenesse succeeding to light a tempest succeeding to calme weather and madnesse obteining place where right reason was wont to be And therefore those Bishops and Doctors following who keepe inviolably that forme of wholesome doctrine which they receiued from the Apostles these I say alone are to be counted true successours of the Apostles Bishops of Rome OF this number was Linus Bishop of Rome who after the martyrdom of Peter Paul governed that Church ten yeeres three moneths and twelue dayes Eusebius thinketh this is that same Linus of whom the Apostle Paul writeth in the last Chapter of his second Epistle to Timothy Eubulus Pudens Linus and Claudia salute thee After him succeeded Anacletus and gouerned nine yeeres three moneths and ten dayes and after him Clâ—mens ruled eleuen yeeres Eusebius also thinketh this is that Clemens of whom the Apostle Paul writeth to the Philippians Yea I beseech thee faithfull yoke-fellow helpe those women that laboured with me in the Gospell with Clement also and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the booke of life Ignatius Bishop of Antioch had his heart so inflamed with the loue of Christ that when his dissolution was neere approaching he said to the Romanes now doe I begin to be the Disciple of Christ I couet for nothing that can be seene with bodily eyes to the end that I may enioy Iesus Christ let the fire the crosse the beasts the breaking of bones convulsion of members and bruising of the whole bodie and the torments of the Deuill sease vpon me prouided I may be partaker of Iesus Christ. He was deuoured with beasts in the dayes of Traianus and so patiently indured death for the Name of Iesus that he allured the deuouring beasts to approach neere vnto his bodie that it being ground with the teeth of beasts he might be found as fine flowre in the house of his Father About the same time also flourished Papias Bishop of Hierapolis who was a man of great authoritie because of his neerenesse to the Apostles dayes yet leaning more to the report of the doctrine of the Apostles then to the certaintie of their owne writings he fell into the errour of the Chiliastes who imagined that Christ should raise the godly first and liue with them a thousand yeeres in this earth in all kinde of delicate pleasures CENTVRIE II. Bishops of Rome IN this second Centurie the Bishops of Rome for the most part proued faithfull and worthie seruants of Christ. A great number of them were baptized with the Baptisme of Christ and dranke of the cup that Christ dranke of and were drenched with their owne blood and they watered the Church of Rome with the streames of their blood as Egypt is watered and made fruitfull with the invndation of Nilus men of blessed remembrance Damasus writeth that from Saint Peter to Telesphorus all the Bishops of Rome were Martyrs Others added that vntill the dayes of Sylvester who liued in the time of the raigne of Constantine all the Bishops of Rome had the honour of martyrdome But in these hyperbolicke speeches neither hath the distinction betweene a Martyr and a Confessour beene rightly considered albeit well marked by Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 5. cap. 2. neither hath the history of the raigne of Antoninus Pius beene rightly pondered in whose dayes Hyginus and Pius liued and were not slaine for the testimony of Christ. Alwayes it is an envious minde that holdeth backe from worthie men their due prayse and commendation both in doing of good and patient suffering of euill for Christs sake In rehearsing the names of the Romane Bishops I thought meete to follow Ireneus and Eusebius rather then Platina In the first Centurie after the martyrdome of Peter and Paul Linus Anacletus and Clemens were teachers of the Romane Church In the second Centurie follow Evaristus Alexander 1. Xistus 1. Telesphorus Hyginus Pius 1. Anicetus Soter Eleutherius and Victor This Victor must needes be called the 13. Bishop of Rome if Eleutherius be the 12. according to the computation of Ireneus lib. 3. cap. 3. Onuphrius according to his owne custome giueth more credite to olde parchments that he hath found in the Vatican Bibliotheke then to any auncient Father He beginneth earely to distinguish Cletus from Anacletus that by taking libertie to thrust in one moe in the first Centurie he may haue the greater boldnesse to thrust out another of the feminine sexe in another Centurie For it grieueth him to the heart to heare this thing so vniversally affirmed and to see the penne of Platina blushing when he writeth of Iohannes the eight he
consciences of their Church-men but prohibition of marriage which I haue prooued to be a doctrine of deuils cannot be referred to so ancient a beginning The Romane church desirous to be masked with a shewe of antiquitie they haue attributed Canons to the Apostles which are not found in their writings Yet it is a shame to the forgers of these canons to be found the principall impugners and transgressers of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say A Bishop elder or deacon who vnder pretence of religion putteth away his owne wife if he cast her off let him be excommunicated and if hee perseuere in so doing let him be deposed How can this constitution of Stephanus agree with the Canons of the Apostles Heere I appeale to the consciences of honest and vpright men if they finde not that the lie is not onely repugnant vnto the veritie but also vnto it selfe The supposititious Canons of the Apostles and the supposititious constitutions of Stephanus cannot both consist I know what they answere viz. that the Canons of the Apostles speake of those Bishops Elders and Deacons who had wiues when they were admitted to ecclesiasticall offices these should not put away their wiues vnder pretence of religion but concerning others who were vnmarried in the time of their admission the 25. Canon declareth otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to vnmarried men who are promoted to the clergie we command that if they please they shall marrie but onely readers and singers to wit shall haue this priuiledge It is an vnsufferable thing to heare such leuitie and inconstancie imputed to the holy Apostles that they debarred no man from the office of a Bishop Elder or Deacon because he was a married man O but if any man enter vnmarried to be a Bishop Elder or Deacon then hee must not marrie If marriage had beene an vncleane thing it might haue debarred men from entering into holy offices but if it be a cleane thing it cannot exclude them after they haue entred The other decreet alledged out of Gratian dist 79. Oporrebat ut haec c. that by the constitution of Peter and his successors it was ordained that one of the Cardinall Elders or Deacons should be consecrated to be Bishop of Rome no other Such stiles of preheminence are vnknown to scripture and to the antiquitie of this time Xistus or Sixtus the 2. of that name and in number the 23. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Stephanus and gouerned 2. yeeres 10. months 23. dayes And Func Chron 11. yeeres such vncertaintie is in counting the yeeres of their administration The chaire of Rome through the vehemencie of persecution was vacant without a successour 1. yeere 11. months 15. dayes as Damasus granteth and Onuphrius the corrector of Platina cannot denie If the Bishop of Rome be the head of the Church then was the Church headlesse almost for the space of two yeeres To Xistus 2 succeeded Dionysius 24. Bishop of Rome and continued in his ministration 9. yeeres according to the computation of Eusebius Damasus assigneth vnto him 6. yeeres 2. months Marianus 6. yeeres and 5. months such certaintie is in the cheife and principall ground of the Romane faith concerning the succession of the Romane Bishops that scarse two writers doe agree in one minde concerning the time of their succession To Dionysius succeeded Felix 1. the 25. Bishop of Rome and gouerned 5. yeeres He liued in the dayes of Aurelian the 9. persecuter and obtained the honour of martyrdome In the three supposititious decretall epistles assigned to him the second epistle written to the Bishops of the Prouinces of France very sollicitously careth for Bishops that they be not accused by secular men but with so many caueats as in effect exempteth them from all accusation The language wherin the epistle is indited cannot agree with the ornat stile of the Latin tongue in this age he being a Romane borne as Platina writeth Post quam ipse ab â—s charitativè conventus fuerit Ad summos primates causa ejus canonicè defertur ConciliuÌ„ regulariter convocare debebunt c. The Galilean language manifested not more euidently that Peter was a man of Galile then the first of these 3. phrases manifesteth that the foresaid epistle was compiled in a time of great barbaritie Eutychianus the 26. Bishop of Rome followed after Felix 1. HeeÌ„ continued scarce ten months in his ministrie Caius the 27. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Eutychianus and continued 15. yeeres He liued in the dayes of the persecution of Dioclesian and lurked for a time in subterraneall places In the end he was found out by the persecuters and put to death and with his brother Gabinius and his brothers daughter Susanna suffered martyrdome Here it is to be marked that many martyrs died before the edict of horrible persecution was set forth in the 19. yeere of Dioclesians raigne For Marcellinus succeeded to Caius Anno 298. but the cruell edicts of persecution of Dioclesian were not set forth before the 308. yeere of our Lord. Whereby it appeareth euidently that many Christians were put to death before the edicts of horrible persecution were renued by the Emperour Dioclesian So hard was the outward estate of Christians that they were put to death vpon the warrant of the edicts of Valerian and Aurelian before the edicts of Dioclesian and Maximian came forth To Caius is attributed the constitution of ecclesiastical orders and degrees by which men must mount vp to the dignitie of a Bishop First he must be Ostiarius next Lector 3. Exorcista 4. Acoluthus 5. Subdiaconus 6. Diaconus 7. Presbyter and last of all Episcopus This order of ascending by degrees to the dignitie of a Bishop is confidently referred to the constitution of the Apostles but I say Beatus qui non credit that is happie is he who beleeueth it not Like as within scripture there is no lie so likewise without scripture there is no truth in matters of faith ordering of maners and appointing of ecclesiastical offices all that is necessarie is contained in the written Word of God But now to performe a part of that which I promised in the end of my treatise of Antiquitie and to let eueÌ„ry man see what vnlearned Asses they haue been who haue set foorth the fained decretall epistles of the fathers of this age In the epistle written by Caius to the Bishop Felix aboue-mentioned hee saith If any man of what dignitie so euer he be delate such persons viz. Bishops Elders Deacons for faultes that cannot bee proued let him vnderstand that by the authoritie of this constitution hee shall be counted infamous This constitution hath three parts First that no ecclesiasticall 1 person should be accused before a secular Iudge Secondly if any accusation be intended against Bishop Elder or Deacon it should be qualified by sufficient probation Thirdly if the accuser succumbe
therefore he was banished by the Emp. Valentinian the third and his goods were appointed to goe to the vse of the Church Bassus after his banishment desired to be receiued againe in fauour with Sixtus but his petition was reiected as if he had sinned against the holy Ghost Notwithstanding the flatterers of the chaire of Rome writeth that Sixtus buried Bassus his accuser with his owne hands which seemeth to be repugnant to his vnmerciful forme of dealing in his life-time After Sixtus Leo a deacon in Rome and absent out of the towne was chosen the bishop of Rome and ruled 21. yeeres 1. month 13. daies he stirred vp the Emperour Theodosius 2. to appoint a councell for suppressing the error of Eutyches wherein it was rather coÌ„firmed than suppressed by the craft of Dioscorus B of Alexandria whereof I shall speake hereafter God willing how Eutyches was coÌ„demned in the councel of Chalcedon vnder the raigne of Martianus His wisdome and eloquence in mitigating the surie of Attila hath beene handled in the preceding historie Amongst his constitutions none is more commendable then his constitution against ambitious men who presume continually to high places Hee ordained that they should be depriued both of the higher and the lower place of the lower place for their pride because they had proudly despised it of the higher because they had auaritiously suted it In discipline nothing is better than to beare downe those place mongers whereby it commeth to passe that prerogatiue of place is referred to prerogatiue of gift Hilarius followed and continued seuen yeeres three months ten dayes To whom succeeded Simplicius and continued fifteene yeeres one month and seuen dayes Foelix the third was the successor of Simplicius and continued eight yeers eleuen months and seuenteene dayes Hee gouerned the Church of Rome in the time of the Emperour Zeno and in the time when Odoacer and Theodoricus contended for the superioritie of Italie hee was nothing inferiour to his antecessors in zeale to aduance the Supremacie of the Romane Chayre for hee excommunicated Acatius Bishop of Constantinople because he craued not his aduise in receiuing Pâ—trus Moggus in fauour like as hee had craued his aduise at the first when he excommunicated him This Petrus Moggus was an Eutychian heretike and was iustly excommunicated by Acatius who vsed the aduise of Foelix Bishop of Rome in excoÌ„municating him But when Petrus Moggus testified his repentance by his supplicant bill containing the recantatioÌ„ of his error Acatius absolued him This grieued the proud stomacke of Foelix because his aduise was not craued in all things Therefore he excommunicated Acatius as is said Acatius little regarding the pride of the Romane Bishop gaue to Foelix an hard meeting for he both excommunicated Foelix and razed his name out of the roll of Bishops Ambition was the first great cancker-worme that consumed defaced the beautie of the Church of Rome Gelasius the successor of Foelix an Africane borne ruled foure yeeres eight months and seuenteene dayes The estate of Italie was so troubled by the incursions of barbarous people that the manners of the people were altogether dissolute for hee ministred in the last yeere of Theodoricus King of Italie therefore hee endeuoured to establish discipline in the Church hee claimed superioritie ouer all Churches more manifestly than any of his predecessors had done for he affirmed that the Church of Rome should iudge all Churches and should bee iudged by no Church and that the right of Appellation to the Bishop of Rome from all parts in the world was not a supposititious act of the Nicene Councell as the Councell of Carthage had determined but that it was authentike a Right giuen by them indeed to the Roman Church neither would h e be reconciled with the Orientall Bishops in any case except they would first allow the excommunication of Acatius and raze his name out of the roll of Bishops Platina writeth that hee did excommunicate the Emperour Anastatius a fauourer of the Eutychian heresie but this example once begun was practised in most prodigall maner by the Bishops of Rome against Emperours who maintained no heresie Patriarches of Constantinople IOhn Chrysostome succeeded to Nectarius in the dayes of Arcadius and Honorius hee had beene an helper to Flavianus Bishop of Antioch from whence hee was transported by the authoritie of the Emperour Arcadius and ordained Bishop of Constantinople sore against the hearts of the people of Antiochia In Oratory he had profited in the school of Libanius in Philosophie in the schoole of Andragathius beyond his fellowes His libertie in reproouing of sin both in Court and Clergie procured against him the hatred of Eudoxia the Empresse and hatred of the Clergie who could not suffer their corrupt maners to be reformed Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria was opposed to Chrysostome from the verie first time of his ordination for hee endeuoured to haue Isidorus a Monke brought vp in the wildernes of Schethis and afterward a Presbyter in Alexandria to bee seated in Constantinople but when his plotted course failed he became an enemie to Chrysostome and gladly embraced all occasions whereby he might procure his deposition how he was iustly deposed banished and iourneyed to death by the malice of Eudoxia and Theophilus it hath beene sufficiently declared in the preceding historie Other things God willing shall be handled in the description of the life of Theophilus Chrysostome gouerned the Church of Constantinople 7. yeeres After Chrysostome Arsatius the brother of Nectarius an aged man for he was fourescore yeere old sate in Constantinople scarce 2. yeeres Atticus the successor of Arsatius sate 21. yeeres He was admitted to this office in the time of the minoritie of Theodosius the second at what time Anthemius his counseller a man in wisdome inferiour to none who liued in his time gouerned the affaires of the Kingdome Atticus was not vnlearned he was godly and prudent he inserted the name of Chrysostome into the roll of Bishops and in the publike Liturgie made an honourable commemoration of his name and perswaded Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria to doe the like Socrates affirmeth that God by his ministrie wrought miraculous workes and that a Ievve sicke of the Palsie was baptized by him in the Name of Iesus and immediatly after Baptisme was healed of his disease In staying the progresse of superstition wherein people euen at this time were enclined hee carried himselfe prudently for some of the people of Constantinople resorted to the sepulcher of Sabbatius to pray and to doe some worship to the defunct but Attâ—â—us caused his body in the night season to be raised and to be buried in another place vnknowne to the foresaid superstitious people and so they left off their resorting to the sepulchre of Sabbatius Sisinnius after Atticus ministred 2. yeeres Nestorius followed him in office but his name
is to be reade in the catalogue of heretikes Next to Nestorâ—us was Maximianus who continued not aboue 2. yeeres and 5. months To whom succeeded Proclus and continued 12. yeeres Flaâ—ianus after Proclus gouerned that sea in the dayes of Theodosius the second a faithfull man in his calling but scarcely did he complete 2. yeeres in his Bishopricke Hee deposed and excommunicated Eutyches an Abbot in Constantinople the authour of a pernitious heresie Hee was cruellie troden vnder foot in the second councell of Ephesuâ— called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a councell of brigandrie Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria in that councell fauoured the opinion of Eâ—tyches and by tumultuary dealing so oppressed Flavianus that he procured his death They who attribute too much to the authoritie of Councels let them fasten their eyes vpon this councell and learne that possibly councels may erre and that Patriarches such as Dioscorus was may erre euen in matters of faith To Flaâ—ianus succeeded Anatolius and gouerned eight yeeres And after him Gennadius thirteene yeeres Acatius the successor of Gennadius gouerned seuenteene yeeres vnder the Emperour Zeâ—o Hee gaue a good proofe of his constancie in the true faith at that time when Basiliscus who draue Zeno from his Kingdome condemned the Councel of Chalcedon and compelled bishops to subscribe to the errour of Eutyches The great dissention that fell out bewixt him and the Roman Bishops for Petrus Moggus Bishop of Alexandria and Petrus Cnapheus Bishop of Antiochia it was not for coÌ„municating with them before they renounced their errour as some learned men doe affirme but for plaine emulation such as was of old betwixt Pompeius and Caesar the one could not abide a coÌ„panion the other could not abide a superior The Roman Church manifestly coÌ„tended for superiority the Church of Constantinople on the other part perceiuing what aduantage the Roman bishops tooke of this that their counsel was craued they left off the doing of it And this moued the proud stomacke of Gelasius after the death of Acatius to burst out in these arrogant words that the church of Rome had power to iudge of all other churches but no church had power to iudge of the church of Rome yea and Platina a late writer groundeth the supremacie of the B. of Rome vpoÌ„ this that Acatius B. of ConstaÌ„tinople wrote vnto him to damne the heretical opinion of Peâ—rus Moggus B. of Alexandria albeit the faith of Peter was grounded vpoÌ„ a sure rocke yet the supremacie of the Roman Bishops is grounded only vpon such sandie ground as Platina and other flatterers of the Romane chaire doe cast out in their writings After Acatius succeeded Phrauitas otherwise called Flauitas and continued scarse 4. months some thinke that God in wrath shortned his dayes because that by vnlawfull meanes hee attained to that dignitie to be Bishop of Constantinople The Synodicke letter of Petrus Moggus Bishop of Alexandria written to Flauitas and pondered by his successor Euphâ—mius wherein Petrus Moggus accurseth the councell of Chalcedon it will clearely prooue inconstancie in Petrus Moggus but not a fault in Acatius for many are like vnto dogs who returne vnto their vomite againe and this blame must rest in the bosome of fickle and vnconstant men and not in the bosome of honest men who are deceiued by them Euphemius succeeded to Flauitas and gouerned vnder the raigne of Zeno and Anastatius and would not complete the ceremonies of the inauguration of Anastatius vntill the time that by his oath and hand-writ hee promised to be a defender of the true faith and of the actes of the councell of Chalcedon The hand-writ Anastatius craued to be deliuered backe againe to him which when he could not obtaine Euphemius was compelled to flie for safetie of his life When he pondered the Synodicke letter of Petrus Moggus he abhorâ—ed his name inserted against the name of Fâ—â—lix B. of Rome into the catalogue of Bishops which was razed and cancelled by Acatius one of his predecessors Patriarchs of Alexandria THeophilus ministred in Alexandria in the dayes of Theodosius and of his sonnes Arcadius and Honorius a man both reproovable in his life and inconstant in his faith Hee sent Isidorus a Monke to Rome there to lurke secretly and to expect the event of the battell that was to bee sought betwixt Theodosius Maximus and to congratulate the victor When hee returned from Rome hee endevoured to promote him to the Bishopricke of Constantinople but Iohn Chrysostome was preferred before him After this hee cannot keepe friendship with Isidorus whom he intended once to haue preferred but vpon a light occasion cast him off and excommunicated him because hee would not deliver to him the mony left in testamental legacie to be distributed to the poore This money which Theophilus sister had left to the vse aforesayd Theophilus craved that it might be put in his hands to be imployed to building and repairing of Churches But Isidorus answered that the money put in his custodie should bee bestowed according to the will of the defunct And that it was a worke more acceptable to God to support the poore who are the living temples of God then to build olde and ruinous walles Therefore Theophilus hated and excommunicated Isidorus for this cause Isidorus left Alexandria and addressed himselfe to the wildernesse of Schethis where hee complained to Ammonius Dioscorus Eusebius and Enthymius called Long fâ—atres of the iniury that Theophilus had done vnto him who intreated Theophilus to receiue Isidorus in favour againe and to admit him to his communion but Theophilus gaue vnto them an evill reward for their travels for hee hated them and finding that there were diverse opinions amongst the Monkes of Nitria and Schethis hee put fuell to the fire to the end that diversity of affection might bee added to diversity of opinion a man in all his courses malicious and deceitfull Longifratres fled to Constantinople to complaine to the Emperour Arcadius of the malice of Theophilus and they were humanely and courteously received by Chrisostome but not admitted to the participation of the holy mysteries vntill their cause had beene first iudged To the rest of the Monkes who dwelt in Nitria and Schethis the malice of Theophilus was not vnknowne And fiue hundred of them especially such as were Anthropomorphite came from the wildernesse of Nitria with intention to haue slaine Theophilus but hee met them and with gentle and flattering words lenified their anger for he said vnto them Brethren I see your faces as the face of God They tooke his words in this sense as if hee had sayd that God was fashioned according to the likenesse of a mans body Therefore they desired him to abiure the doctrine of Origen which thing hee willingly did for he hated the bookes of Origen and so he escaped the danger The next practice of his malice was
Bishops Gregorius flattering Epistle written to Phocas after he had traiterously murthered his master Mauritius his wife and children will be a perpetuall blot to the name of Gregorius The constitution hee made concerning prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices hee was compelled in his owne time to abrogate againe because it was not onely the occasion of vncleannesse but also of secret murthers of innocent babes and whereas the Apostle Paul said It was better to marrie then to burne Gregorie was compelled to say It was better to marrie then to murder The sending of the Monkes Augustine Melito and Iohannes to Brittaine was not so much to reduce them to Christian religion which they had embraced in the dayes of Lucius King of the Brittaines and of Eleutherius Bishoppe of Rome as hath beene declared in the second Centurie the second chapter as to conquer them to the ceremonies and rites of the Romane service Gregorius was the first of whom wee reade that writeth of sacrifices to be offered for relieving of soules tormented in Purgatorie and hee leaneth vpon such ridiculous fables which hee heard of one Foelix Bishop of Centum-cellae as it is a shame to rehearse them but seeing they are not ashamed of lyes let the dung of their owne inventions be cast into their owne faces hee writeth that a Presbyter of Centum-cellae went to the bath-house to wash himselfe where hee found a man vncouth and vnknowne to him but very humble and seruiceable and after he had serued him sundry dayes the Presbyter to requite his kindnesse brought vnto him two consecrated hostes as a blessing and a reward for him who had served him so dutifully but the man with sadde countenance answered This bread is holy and I am not worthy to eate it I was sometime Master and Proprietare of this house but now for my sinnes I am appointed to this seruile occupation if thou would doe a benefit to me offer them to the Almightie God as a sacrifice for my sinnes and thinke that ye are heard of God when yee cannot finde me in this place any longer Surely Popish Purgatorie soule-Masses are first grounded vpon foolish fables and afterward confirmed by dreames of foolish Monkes Patriarches of Constantinople EVPHEMIVS before he would annoint Anastatius to be Emperour who came to that honour by Ariadne the wife of the Emperour Zeno whom he married he craued a confession of his faith with a promise sealed by his hand-write that he should make no novation in Religion during his time The Emperour craued his hand-write againe which seeing that Euphemius refused to render backe againe the Emperour procured his deposition and banished him and placed Macedonius in his roome To Euphemius succeeded Macedonius to whose custodie the hand-write aforesaid was committed by Euphemius which when he would not render the Emperour banished him also and commanded to slay him at Gangra the place of his banishment To Macedonius succeeded Timotheus an vnconstant man and iustly compared to the narrow sea that runneth betwixt Baeotia and Calchis which floweth and ebbeth seuen times in 24. houres so was this Bishop wauering minded and more bent to please men than to be approued of God In witnesse whereof I haue set downe one example The Abbot of the Monasterie called Studitum refused to be ordained by imposition of his hands for he said the hands of that man who hath damned the Councell of Chalcedon shall not be laid vpon me whereunto Timotheus answered whosoeuer accuseth or damneth the Councell of Chalcedone let him be accursed and when this was reported to the Emperour Anastatius to eschew his indignation he said the contrary whosoeuer accepteth the councell of Chalcedone and alloweth of it let him be accursed Iohn of Cappadocia is not worthy that his name should be inserted in this Catalogue a proud avaritious ambitious heretique who could neuer behaue himselfe dutifully neither in a ciuill nor in a spirituall calling He was first the Emperour Anastatius his Deputie and was deposed for aspiring to an higher place Next he became Patriarch of Constantinople and aspired to the dignitie of Oecumenicke vniuersall Bishop It is true that Iohannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsurped the title of preheminence therefore this Iohannes Cappadox was laid aside as an Eutychian heretique and the great invectiues against this vsurped authority are chiefly set against Iohannes Ieinnator But marke how Pelagius the second ere Gregorius trod vpon this pride with a proud mind as Diogenes did vpon the couering of Plato his bed he is not content to damme the decree of the Councell of Constantinople but also he affirmed that it was not lawfull to him to assemble a Councell without libertie first obtained from the Bishop of Rome which thing no man spake before him so Sathan wrought mightily in them both as he doth in the children of pride and disobedience After him succeeded Iohn called Scholasticus and continued not aboue one yeere Evagrius calleth him Iohannes Sirmiensis lib. 4. cap. 39. To Iohn succeeded Epiphanius in the dayes of Iustinian who blessed his armie which went to fight against the Vandales vnder the conduct of Belisarius he ministred sixteene yeeres as Chytreus writeth The name of Anthimus is worthy of the roll of obstinate heretiques He was Bishop of Trapezus but by the meanes of Theodora the Emperour Iustinians wife he was promoted to be Bishop of Constantinople Theodora was too busie in Church affaires and Sophia the wife of Iustinus the second was too busie in ciuill affaires The estate both of Church and Kingdome had beene in better plight if both of them had beene lesse busie Anthimus being deposed and banished for heresie succeeded Menas who kept the true faith and gouerned the Church of Constantinople sixteene yeeres Evagrius reckoneth Basilides in the roll of Bishops of Constantinople Anthimus to be Bishop of Alexandria To Menas succeeded Eutichius of whom occasion will be offered to speake in the fift generall Councell wherein he disputed iudiciously in the question Whether or no it was lawfull to excommunicate heretiques after their death His opinion concerning the bodies of the Saints after their Resurrection that they should be subtle like vnto the aire and winde and not solide and palpable was refuted by Gregorius the first who proued by the example of Christ his body after his Resurrection that the body of the Saints should not be like vnto the aire and the winde for Christ saith Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue After Eutichius followed Iohn called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ieiunator this name he obtained by the sobrietie and temperancie of his life Notwithstanding when his stomacke was emptie of meat his heart was full of pride and he followed the footsteps of Iohannes Cappadox and would be called vniversall Bishop against whom Gregorius the first
piece of drie timber budded and flourished yet was he an idiot and an vnlearned man Remaclus Bishop of the same Towne and borne in Burdeaux of France left his Episcopall office and went to the Wildernesse where hee led an Heremiticall life defending his insolent fact by the example of Moses Abraham Elias Heliseus and Christ himselfe who were all found to haue beene in the Wildernesse But if hee had beene a man of deepe vnderstanding hee might haue alledged more pertinently the example of Narcissus bishop of Ierusalem who in going to the Wildernesse forsooke his Episcopall office for a time than the example of Christ who went vnto the Wildernesse to enter into the holie office of Preaching after preparation of fasting praying and fighting with spirituall armour against the prince of Darknesse Notwithstanding hee is thought both in his life time and also after his death to haue wrought miracles In Austume a Towne of France called in Latine AugustodunuÌ„ Leodegarius is thought to haue retained his voice the benefite of distinct speaking after that his tongue was cut out and that manie miraculous works were wrought after his death if credite can bee giuen to Vincentius The miracles of Andoenus Bishop of Rowen who also writ a booke of the miraculous deliuerance of the soule of Dagobertus king of France and an infinite number of other lying miracles all confirming superstition of purpose I leaue them as fables superaboundant in the writings of Vincentius Concerning Isidorus Hispalensis occasion will be offered to speake of him in the sixt Councell of Toledo The vaine disputation concerning the diuersitie of the keeping of Easter day in Scotland and England betwixt Colmannus and Wuilfridus it is as vnnecessarie to be written as it was vnnecessary with heat and contention to haue beene disputed CENTVRIE VIII Popes of Rome AFter Pope Sergius succeeded Iohn the 6. and continued 3. yeeres and 3. months After him Pope Ioannes 7. continued 2. yeeres and 7. monthes hee liued in the dayes of Iustinian the 2. who sent Ambassadors vnto him for procuring an vnion betwixt the churches of the East and west because they differed in opinions concerning the Canons of the sixt generall Councell wherein prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices was dissallowed and the Patriarch of Constantinople was equalled in autoritie to the Patriarch of Rome These Ambassadors aforesaid returned from Pope Iohn the seuenth without any answere with proud carriage or as others thinke a cowardlie forme of dealing all writers doe reproue After him succeeded Sisinius who continued not about 20. dayes in his Popedome After Sisinius succeeded Constantine the first and gouerned 7. yeeres and 20. dayes his Popedome was vnder the raigne of Iustinian the second Philippicus and Anastasius The Emp. Iustinian supported him against Foelix Bishop of Ravenna who had refused to pay to the B. of Rome the summe of money imposed vnto him in time of his ordination so that Foelix was taken prisoner by the Emperours admirall and sent to Constantinople where his eyes were put out he was baÌ„ished to Pontus Against the Emp. Philippicus he contended as one hauing authoritie to raze the name of the Emp. out of charters as had bin already declared This is the Pope who was Iudge betwixt the B. of Ticinum and Millane who contended for superioritie and Constantine exemed the shop of Ticinum from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Millan but in such way as he should be subject to the Church of Rome The Emperour Iustinian the second sent for Pope Constantine who came to Constantinople and from thence went to Nicomedia where he met with the Emperour and the Emperour kissed his feete Marke the growing and daylie increasing pride of the Roman Antichrist After Constantine succeeded Gregorius the second and continued sixteene yeeres nine months and eleuen dayes Hee liued vnder the raigne of the Emperour Leo Isaurus whom he rashly excommunicated for abolishing of images Also he drew away from the obedience of the Emperour the countries of Hesperia Aemilia Liguria and other parts of Italie forbidding them to pay tribute to the Emperour expresse contrary to Christes commandement Matth. 22.21 where He saith Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars c. and this Christ spake concerning paying of tribute Gregorie the third gouerned ten yeeres eight monthes and twentie foure dayes and followed the foote steps of his predecessor both in aduancing the doctrine of worshipping of images and in with-drawing the people of Italie from the obedience of the Emperour More-ouer he gathered a Councell at Rome wherein the worshipping of images had allowance And the Emperour Leo was both excommunicated and likewise so farre as in him lay depriued of his Emperiall dignitie So early did the beast of Rome euen in ciuill matters vsurp autority ouer the Princes and Monarches of the world In his dayes the towne of Rome was besieged by Luitprand king of Lombardis But Carolus Martellus a noble prince in France beeing sollicited by letters of Gregorie to support the distressed estate of the Church of Rome hee perswaded Luitbrand to desist from molesting besieging the towne of Rome After Gregorie the third succeeded Zacharias the first coÌ„tinued ten yeeres foure months and foure dayes In antichristian pride hee surpassed all his predecessors distributing the Kingdomes of the world at his pleasure For he procured that Pipinus the sonne of Carolus Martellus who was but a subject and ruler of the kings house should bee anointed king of France and that Childericus the lawfull successour of the kingdome should haue his head shauen and be thrust into a Monasterie Likewise he procured that Carolomâ—nnus the elder brother of Pipinius should be a Monke of the Order of Saint Benedict in the Monasterie of Cassinates Rachis also king of Lombardes after hee had raigned 4. yeeres gaue ouer his kingly authority and entered to a Monasterie and exhorted his wife and children to do the like and so his brother Aistulphus obtained the kingdome Pipinus was anointed king of France by Bonifacius at the commaundement of Pope Zacharias anno 750. or as Platina reckoneth Anno 753. What recompence of reward Pipinus rendered to the chaire of Rome for this beneuoleÌ„ce or rather this manifest iniquitie of Zacharias it will be declared in the description of the life gouernememt and carriage of Stephanus the second if the Lord please After Zacharias succeeded Stephanus the second and ruled fiue yeeres and one month In his time Aistulphus King of Lombardes besieged Rome at two diuers times and Stephanus implored the aide and assistance of Pipinus King of France at both times At the first time Pipinus besieged Aistulphus in Papia the chiefe Citie of residence of the kinges of Lombardes and compelled him to restore to the chaire of Rome all the townes and lands which by violence hee had taken from them But at his second comming he not only
father Ludouicus Pius Hee augmented the liturgie of the Masse with the addition of Agnus Dei and ordained that the Hostia should be diuided in three parts To Sergius the second succeeded Leo the fourth and ruled 8. yeares 3. months He was a man of many trades a builder a warriour and a Bishop He compassed the Vatican with a wall and made it in the similitude of a Towne and builded bull-warkes in the passages of Tyber as it issued from the towne He was a warriour fought against the Saracenes against whom also he preuailed And finally at some time he was a Bishop and he gathered a Councell of 47. Bishops in the which Athanasius a Cardinall Presbyter was damned for negligence in the worke of his calling This is the first time in the which mention is made of a Cardinall in the Historie for the Decretall Epistles as I haue alreadie declared are but fabulous lying writings In this Popes dayes Edelwulphus King of England came to Rome for performance of a vowe that hee had made He was courteously accepted by Pope Leo for which cause hee ordained a tribute yeerely to be paide to the bishop of Rome to wit a pennie Sterling out of euery house in England that kindled fire It is well remarked by Philip Morney that Leo the fourth in a certaine Epistle written to the Bishops of Britannie derogateth credit to all the Decretall Epistles assigned to the bishops of Rome preceding the dayes of Pope Siricius except onely to the Decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So all the authorities that are alleadged by the Romane Church out of the Decretall Epistles for the space of 384 yeeres are of none effect by the confession of Pope Leo the fourth After Leo the fourth succeeded Pope Ioane the eight an English woman borne in the towne of Mentz She went to Athens cloathed with the apparell of a man accompanied with a Learned man and she profited in learning beyond her fellowes When shee came to Rome shee was regarded for her learning and was promoted to the dignitie of the Popedome and ruled two yeeres fiue months and foure dayes About the yeere of our Lord 854 being Pope she played the Harlot and by the prouidence of God this villanie of the Roman church which cannot erre was manifested to the whole world For in the time of a solemne Procession as she was going to the church of Laterā she trauelled in birth died and was buried without honour Onuphrius the Aduocate of all euill causes cannot ouer-passe this matter with silence but he bringeth an argument from the authority of Anastatius a writer of Chronologie to infringe the credit of this historie in this manner Anastatius saith hee liued about this time knew best who succeeded to Leo the fourth he maketh no mētion of Ioane the eight but of Benedictus the third as successor of Leo the fourth To this Philip Morney answereth That an argument taken from authoritie negatiuely hath no force Anastatius maketh no mention thereof ergo it was not done It followeth not for he bringeth in the testimonie of Ranulphus declaring the cause wherefore Anastatius omitted the name of the foeminine Pope to wit Propter deformitatem facti that is For the deformitie of the fact The nature of a short Compend permitteth me not to insist but let them who are desirous accurately to trie out the veritie of this matter reade that worthie Booke of Philip Morney called Misterium iniquitatis Then followed Benedictus the third and ruled two yeeres six months and nine dayes A man in honouring the Funeralles of the Clergie with his presence ready at all times and desirous likewise that the Funerall of the Bishop should bee honoured with the presence of the whole Clergie To Benedict the third succeeded Nicolas the first and gouerned seuen yeeres nine months and thirteene dayes He subdued the Bishop of Rauenna to his obediēce He suffered the Emperour Ludouicke the second to light from his horse to leade his bridle vntil he came to the Campo which was the space of a mile He permitted diuorcement betwixt married persons for Religions cause without consent of parties And that persons in spirituall offices should not be subject to the justice seates of ciuill Magistrates Hee ordained also that no man should receiue the holy Sacrament from a married Priest And that the Emperour should not be present at Ecclesiasticall Conuentions except when questions concerning Faith should bee intreated Likewise hee ordained That the seruice of God in all countries should be celebrated in Latine dispensing in the meane time with the Solauonians and the Polonians to haue the seruice of God in their owne Vulgar Language He added vnto the Liturgie of the Masse Gloria in Excelsis Hadrianus the second succeeded to Nicolas the first and ruled 5. yeeres nine months and twelue dayes He vsed Antichristian authoritie not onely against Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes but also against Carolus Caluus king of France whom hee commanded imperiously to present one Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum and nephewe to Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes to the ende that his cause might bee judged by the Apostolike seate The King tooke these letters in a very euill part and writ vnto the Pope That the Kings of France had euer beene Soueraigne Lordes in their owne countrie and not vice-gerentes vassales to Bishops and That hee would not permit any man who had beene damned in a lawfull Councell in his owne country to wit in the Councell of Acciniacum to make appellation to Rome In this Popes time the eight generall councell was assembled whereof I shal speake in its owne time God willing Ioannes the ninth succeeded to Adrianus the second and gouerned ten yeeres and two dayes This is he who for rewardes crowned Carolus Caluus to be Emperour and was cast into prison because hee was more affectionated to Ludouicus Balbus sonne to Carolus Caluus and king of France than to Carolus Crassus king of Germanie Neuerthelesse hee escaped out of prison and fled to Ludouicke king of France whom also hee crowned to be Emperour But Balbus after his coronation incontinent died and Pope Iohn the ninth must seeke new acquaintance because his olde friends were gone therfore he crowned Carolus Crassus to bee Emperour This was the first Pope who in time of his Popedome crowned three Emperours Martinus the second ruled one yeere and fiue months Hadrianus the third succeeded to Martinus the time of his gouernment was also short for he continued not aboue one yeere and two months yet neuerthelesse men who are busie may make much stirre in short time He perfected that worke which his predecessours had beene busied in bringing to passe many yeeres preceding namely That the Clergie and people of Rome should not attend vpon the allowance of the Emperour but they should freely choose whom they thought meetest to bee Pope Hee tooke
and Silvester the third was placed in his roome who continued not aboue fortie dayes in his Popedome for Benedict by force intruded himselfe againe into the Popedome and fearing to be expelled of new againe from his Papall dignitie hee made merchandise of it and solde it to Gregorie the sixt for a thousand and fiue hundreth pounds waight of Gold Many Historians such as Martianus Polemus Damianus and Platima doe report that after his death hee appeared in a monstrous similitude more like vnto a beast then a man to represent the effigie of his beastlie conversation The Emperour Henry the third entered into Italie gathered a Councell at Sutrium wherein all these three monsters were deposed and Suidigerius Bishop of Bamberg was made Pope whom they called Clemens the second After the Emperour Henry the third had placed Clemens the second in the Popedome hee returned to Germanie The seditious Romans returning to their wonted vomit poysoned him when hee had continued onely nine months in his Popedom because he was not elected by themselues but by the Emperour with aduise of the councel of Sutrium After Clemens the second succeeded Damasus the second continued not in the Popedome aboue 23. daies After the death of Damasus the second the Romanes sent Ambassadours to the Emperour Henry the third to send vnto them a worthy Pope The Emperour made choice of Brunâ— Bishop of Tullus who being on his iourney towarde Rome in his Pontificall garments the Abbot of Cluniake and Hildebrand a seditious Monke met him by the way and perswaded him to lay aside his Pontificall garments to enter into Rome with the habite of a priuat man lest hee should seeme to haue receiued the Popedome from the Emperour and not by the election of the people Clergie to whom rightly appertained the election of the Romane Bishop Bruno obeyed their councell and was the more gladlie accepted of the Romans who called him Leo the ninth he ruled fiue yeeres and assembled councels both in Rome and Vercellis against Borengarius as shall be declared God willing in the head of Councels Victor the second succeeded to Pope Leo gouerned two yeeres three months and fourteene dayes Hee was chosen Pope with the advice of the Emperour Henry whom they feared to irritate by presenting vnto him new occasions of wrath and anger After Victor succeeded Stephanus the ninth who died in the seuenth month of his Popedome To him succeeded Benedict the tenth who continued not aboue nine months in his Popedome He was compelled to denude himselfe of his Papaldignitie because he was elected without the consent of Hildebrand to whom the whole number of Cardinals Clergie had promised that no new Pope should be elected before he had returned to Rome for he had taken a iourney to Florence Nicolaus the second followed and ruled three yeeres sixe months and twentie six dayes This is the Pope who gathered a councell at Rome against Berengarius forced him to make recantation of his opinion of the Sacrament of the supper of the Lord as shal be declared God willing in its own place To this Pope Godfrid D. of Apulia and Calabria recoÌ„mended Bagallardus his son But the Pope fauored Robert Bagallardus his vncle the iust heire of the Dukedome couenanted with Robert surnamed Guiscard that hee should be authorised to be Duke of Apulia and Calabria providing he would bend vp al his forces to subdue the rebels of the Roman church which thing also Duke Robert seriously performed rendered to the chaire of Rome the townes of Beneventum and Troia which he had added to his dominions when he first eiected his brothers son from his inheritance Also the Pope honoured Robert by giuing vnto him a baner standard in token of confirmation of his Dukedom which authoritie belonged to the Emp. not vnto the Pope But now as Funchus writeth Fur furem Latro latronem iuvat that is one thiefe helpeth another one brigand supporteth another In the end Pope Nicholaus the secoÌ„d tasted of Brazates cup this Brazutus was the familiar friend of Hildebrand who within the space of 13. yeeres empoysoned 6. Popes to wit Clemens 2. DaÌ„asus 2. Leo 9. Victor 2. StephaÌ„us 9. Nicholaus 2. After Nicholaus succeeded Alexander the 2. whose name before his election to the Popedome had bin Anselmus B. of Luca he ruled 11. yeeres 6. months His competitor was Candalus B. of Parma whom the Lumbards assisted with all their might and procured to him the allowance of the Emp. This was the ground of cruell warres betwene Alexander the 2. and Candalus but the faction of Alexander preuailed The Emp. sent Otto Archbishop of Colen to pacifie th vprors and tumults of Italie At his first comming hee sharplie rebuked Pope Alexander because he had entered in the Popedome without the emperours consent But Hildebrand according to his forme inclinable to furie madnesse could not abide vntil Otto had made an end of speaking but he interupted him and answered that the election of the Bishop of Rome belonged not to the Emperour but to the clergie and people of Rome Otto on the other part bearing as it appeareth more with the Clergie of Rome then fauouring the Emperours cause condisóended that this question should be entreated in a lawfull assembly at Mantua In that councel Alexander was declared to bee Pope and Candalus had pardon granted to him In the end Pope Alexander finding that he was set vp in the Papal dignity to prepare a way to Hildebrands Popedome hee sayd vnto the people in the time of the solemnity of the masse that hee would not sit in the chaire of Rome except hee had licence of the Emperour The angry humor of Hildebrand a man borne for sedition was so overcast with furie that scarcely hee could abstaine from outrage and putting hands vnto Pope Alexander vntill the masse were ended The masse being finished he drew him by force into a chamber where hee bussed him before hee was devested of his pontificall garments because he sayd hee would seeke the Emperours favour Finally hee was cast into prison and bonds and vnder the miserable indurance of Hildebrands wrath hee finished his life To Pope Alexander the second succeeded Gregorie the seventh called Hildebrand before his Popedome who continued twelue yeeres and one moneth He was craftie and subtle in bringing to passe that thing which hee had imagined a long time before to wit in treading downe vnder the feâ—t of the Romane Bishop all civill authority In the Councell of Mantua by Hildebrands speciall advice it was decreed that no man should be admitted to a Prelacie Benefice or Eclesiasticall office by a secular person and that it should not be lawfull for Priests to marrie These grounds being layd by Hildebrands advice before hee came to the Popedome hee laboured with all his might to put them in execution when hee
conversant with secular men I am discontented and as it were dilacerate with a multitude of secular cares Hee was a stout defender of the authority of the Bishoppe of Rome in so much that he was content to forgoe the favour of his Prince and to bee banished for the excessiue loue hee caryed to the priviledges of the Romane Chaire After the death of Rufus Anselmus was received from banishment by King Henry But because hee would not admit and consecrate those Bishops who had received investment from the King but called them bastards and abortiue births whosoever received investment from secular men great contention arose betweene the King and the Prelat the issue whereof was this that the decision of the question was referred to the Bishoppe of Rome who gaue sentence in favour of Anselmus because Anselmus suffered trouble for maintaining of the Popes authoritie The King was irritate and exasperate with the Popes decree and spoyled Anselmus of all his dignities Who remained for the most part in Lions during the time of his second banishment But the King reduced him againe from banishment and was reconciled with him After his returning from his second banishment hee lived three yeeres and died in the yeerâ— of our Lord 1109. having continued Bishop of Canterburie thirteene yeeres In his bookes no errour is more intollerable then this that hee equalleth the Virgine Mary with Christ attributing to her all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge as the Apostle Paul atiributeth them to Christ our Saviour CENTVRIE XII Popes of Rome AFter Vrbanus the second followed Paschalis the second and ruled eighteene yeeres 6. moneths and 7. dayes Called before Reginerus a man brought vp in the Monasteries of Italy hee seemed to shun the high preheminencie of the Popedome but the acclamations of the people often repeating that Saint Peter had chosen good Reginerus to be Pope bowed his flexible minde and inclined it to the Popedome hee then putting on a purple garment and a Diadem vpon his head was brought vnto the Church of Lateran vpon a white pamphrey where a Scepter was put in his hand and a girdle tyed about him having seven Seales and seven Keyes hanging thereupon for a recognizance of his seven-fold power and seven-fold grace of God resting vpon him to wit of binding loosing shutting opening sealing resigning and iudging He excommunicated the noble Emperor Henry the fourth following the example of three of his predecessors to wit Gregorie the seventh Victor the third Vrbanus the second Hee stirred vp Henry the fift against his naturall father Henry the fourth and caused the body of the noble Eemperour Henry the fourth who died at Leodim to bee raised out of his sepulchre to be carryed to the towne of Spire and to want the honour of Christian buriall five yeeres O Antichristian pride O barbarous inhumanity O cruelty and rage ranscending the cruelty of Pagans who persecuted the Church of Christ for the space of three hundred yeeres In his time the Bishop of Florence taught that Antichrist was already borne and manifested to the world Vpon which occasion Paschalis assembled a Councell at Florence and with terrible threatnings put him to silence and damned his bookes Also hee assembled another Councell at Tretas a famous towne in Campanie in France where hee ratified the decrees of his Predecessors in condemning the mariage of Priests as the heresie of the Nicolaitans and receiving Ecclesiasticall rents from Lay persons as Simonie Of his revocation of the priviledge of investment of Bishops granted to the Emperour Henry the fift I haue spoken already in the historie of the life of the Emperour His Competitors were Albertus Theodoricus and Maginulphus whom hee easily subdued To him succeeded Gelasius the second and ruled one yeere and fiue dayes He was elected without consent of the Emp. Henry 5. which procured vnto him great griefe For Cincius a noble man of Rome of the family of Frangepanis invaded the Pope and Cardinals and trod the Pope vnder foot and cast him in prison and bonds but the citizens of Rome relieved him and threatned to destroy the familie of Frangepanis if they set not the Pope at liberty After this trouble another followed the Emperour sent an army to Rome and authorized another to be pope whom they called Gregorius the eight The Pope fled to Caieta the place of his nativity but when the army returned to Germany hee came to Rome where hee found his estate to be ieoperdous Therefore hee fled to France and dyed of a plurisie in the Abbey of Clumack After Gelasius succeeded Calixtus the second sometime Bishop of Vier and kinsman to the King of France he governed fiue yeeres ten moneths and thirteene dayes Hee compelled the Emperor Henry the fift to agree to his election albeit Mauritius Burdinus otherwise called Gregorie the eight whom the Emperour himselfe had authorized was yet aliue Also hee compelled the foresayd Emperour to ouergiue all right which hee claimed to investment of Bishops and election of Popes so much did the Roman Antichrist prevaile by the thunder bolts of his curses that hee compelled the Emperour by these means to stoupe vnder his feete Also he besiedged Sutrium a Towne of the Romans wherein Mauritius Burdinus his Competitor had his remaining Hee tooke the Towne and his Competitor hee carried Captiue to Rome setting him vpon a Camel with his face toward the hinder-parts thereof and in the end thrust him into a Monasterie He assembled a Councell at Rhemes wherein he renewed the ordinance against married Priests ordaining that not onely they should be spoyled of their liuings and offices but also that they should be debarred from the communion of Christian people Like as these verses doe testifie O bone Calixte nunc omnis clerus odit te Quondam presbyteri poterant vxoribus vti Hoc destruxisti postquam tu Papa fuisti Also hee held another Councell at Rome where it was statute and ordained that it should not be lawfull to the people to repudiat their Bishop or to choose another during his life-time grounding their ordinance vpon a place of Scripture a wife is bound to the law of her husband so long as her husband is aliue After hee is dead shee is loosed from the Law of her husband So learnedly did these Aecumenique Asses expound places of holy scripture After Calixtus succeeded Pope Honorius the second and ruled fiue yeeres and two months In his time Arnulphus an eloquent man a famous Preacher came to Rome whether out of the wildernesse or out of any other place wherein he had exercised a ministeriall office it is vncertaine alwayes it is thought of all men that he was sent of God hee sharpely rebuked the dissolute Loosnesse incontinencie auarice and pride of the clergie of Rome so that hee incenced their hearts against him speciallie for this that hee said it was no wonder that they sought his life for if
that then wee be readie to leaue all things for his sake as when hee requireth in vs after the like phrase the hatred of father and mother and of our owne liues hee biddeth vs not to dishonour our father or mother much lesse to hate them but that then when it is required we set all things behind the loue of Christ. Many other worthy workes hee compiled wherein albeit hee vttered nothing but what was truth yet notwithstanding hee was by the Antichrist and his rable condemned for an heretike exiled and his bookes burnt Of this number also was one Laurence an Englishman Master of Paris and Petrus Ioannis a Minorit who taught and maintained many things against the Pope prouing that hee was Antichrist and that the Synagogue of Rome was great Babylon whom because the Pope could not burne aliue after his death his bones were taken vp and burned Also Robertus Gallus is to be added to those before mentioned who being borne of a right noble parentage for devotions sake was made a Dominik Frier about the yeere of our Lord 1290. This man as appeareth by his writings had diuerse and sundrie visions al tending against the spirituallitie of Rome for hee called the Pope plainely an Idole who hauing eyes neither saw nor desired to see the abhominations of his people nor the excessiue enormitie of their voluptuousnesse but onely to heape vp treasures to himselfe And hauing a mouth did not speake himselfe but sayd I haue set good men ouer them which is sufficient to doe them good either by himselfe or others Hee notably describeth in one of his visions the curiositie and vanitie of the Scholastig Doctours who flourished in this age comparing them to a man who hauing good bread good wine hanging on both his sides was notwithstanding gnawing hungerly on a flint stone thereby signifiyng that they leauing the wholsome foode of their soules contained in the Scriptures busied themselues with subtile questions containing no edification in them nor comfort to the soule of man In this age also is reckoned Robert Gostred Bishoppe of Lincolne in England a man of great learning godlinesse and constancie who liued in the daies of Pope Innocentius the fourth and constantly resisted his vnlawfull request For this Pope had recommended vnto him a yong Italian boy to bee admitted to the first vacant prebendry of his diosie But Robert Gostred would not agree to the vngodlie desire of the Pope but did write backe an answere to him declaring that next after the sinne of Lucifer there is not nor can bee any kinde of sinne so repugnant and contrarie to the doctrine of the Apostles and holy Scripture and to our Soueraigue Christ himselfe more hatefull detestable and abhominable then to destroy and kill mens soules by defrauding them of the misterie of the Pastorall office which by the ministerie of the Pastorall cure ought to saue and quicken the same Which sinne by most euident places of Scripture such men are descerned and knowne to commit who being in the authoritie of that Pastoral dignity doe serue their owne carnall desires with the benefite of the milke and wool of the sheepe and flocke of Christ and doe not minister the same Pastorall office to the benefite and saluation of those their sheepe And whereas hee perceiued that the Bishop of Rome delt in all his requests imperiouslie rather commaunding nor requesting any thing to bee done hee answered in the end of this letter that the power which was giuen by God to any Bishop was to build the house of God and not to destroy it hereby blaming the Bishop of Rome as one who abused his authoritie to the destruction of the Church of God by placing young boyes in offices neither apt to teach nor wel acquainted with the maners and language of the people This ansâ—â—re being returned to the Pope hee was greatly moued with indignation and sware that except hee had beene restrained by his owne naturall clemencie hee would hurle him downe to such confusion as to make him afable a gazing stocke and a wonder to the world Not long after thus it pleased God to visit this reuerend father with sicknesse in the time whereof hee called to him a Frier of the preaching Order named Master Iohn Giles a man expert and cunning both in Physicke and Diuinitie partly to receiue from him some comfort to his body and partly to conferre with him in spirituall matters Thus vpon a certaine day the said Bishop conferring with the said Master Iohn and reciting to him the doings and proceedings of the Pope did grieuously rebuke his fellow brethren the Preaching Friers and the other Order also of the Minorites Because their Order being planted in wilfull pouertie of the Spirit to the intent they should more freely carpe and reproâ—e the vices of the mightie and not to flatter or to spare them but sharpely to rebuke and reprehend the same yet the said Friers contrarie to their profession did not boldly enough cry out and invey against the abuses of their superiours and men of power not did vncouer nor detect their faults and wickednesse And therefore the B. said I â—udge them to be no better than manifest heretickes And added moreouer demanding of Master Iohn what is heresie that hee would giue him the true definition of it Whereat when the Frier did stay and pause not remembering the solemne definition of that matter the Bishop therevpon inferreth giuing this definition in Latine by the true interpretation of the Greeke word Heresis gracè Latine electio est sententia humano sensu electa scripturae sacrae contraria palam docta pertinaciter desensa that is heresie is a sentence taken and chosen of mans owne braine contrarie to holy Scripture openly maintained and stâ—flie defended And this definition especiallie hee applied against the Romans who commit the charge of soules vnto their kinsfolkes being both in age vnworthie and in learning insufficient and so stiflie defend this their wicked opinion that if any dare presume to withstand the same hee is suspended and excommunicated and open warre proclaimed against him Therefore hee to whom the whole definition of an heretike doth agree hee is a verie heretike And euery Christian man ought to set himselfe against an heretike as farre as hee may yea and that person who can resist him and doth it not hee sinneth and seemeth to be a fauourer thereof according to the saying of Gregorie Hee lacketh not conscience of secret societie who ceaseth to resist open impietie and the Apostle writeth to the Romans saying not onely they who commit such things but also they that consent are worthie of death Therefore it may be concluded that aswell the Pope Vnlesse he cease from that vice as also the same Friers vnlesse they shew themselues more earnest and studious in repelling the same are both worthy of death that is perpetuall damnation Item sayth the Canon Decretall that vpon this
Popes excommunications are not to be feared and that hee who doth feare or flie them is excommunicate of God 9. That the auricular confession is not necessary 10. That hee had mooved the Citizens to vprore and sedition 11. That hee had neglected and contemned the Popes citation 12. That he had shamefully slandred and spoken against the Pope 13. That he had taken Christ to witnesse of his naughtinesse and heresie 14. That Italy must be cleansed through Gods scourg for the manifold wickednesse of the Princes and Clergie These and such like articles were layd to their charge and reade before them Then they demanded of the said Hierom and his companions whether they would recant and giue over their opinions Whereunto they answered that thorow Gods help they would stedfastly continue in the manifest truth and not depart from the same Then were they degraded one after another by the Bishop of Wasson and so delivered to the secular rulers of Florence with strict commandement to carry them forth and handle them as obstinate and stifnecked Heretiques Thus was that worthy witnesse of Christ with the other two aforesayd first hanged vp openly in the market place and afterward burnt to ashes and the ashes gathered vp and cast into the river of Arum the 24. day of May 1499. In this age likewise sprang vp many men of great erudition and learning as namely Laurentius Valla Picus Mirandulae Comes Angelus Politianus with many others whose names for learning are worthy rememberance The meane whereby learning so exceedingly increased in this age seemeth to bee the Art of printing found out in Germany by a certaine Gold smith named Iohn Faustus in Strausbrugh and Guttemberg his copartner as some write but whosoever was the inventer of it it is certaine that this faculty was given to the vse of man by the providence of almighty God at what time the Bishop of Rome with all the whole and full consent of all the Cardinals Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Lawyers Doctors Provosts Deanes Archdeanes assembled together in the Councell of Constance and had condemned poore Iohn Hus and Ierom of Prague to death for heresie and after subdued the Bohemians and in a manner the whole world to be vnder the supreme authority of the Romiâ—h Sea In the very time so dangerous and desperate where mans power could doe no more The blessed wisedome and omnipotent power of God began to worke for the Church not with sword and target to subdue his exalted adversary but with printing writing and reading to convince darknes by light error by truth ignorance by learning So that by this meanes of printing God hath heaped vpon the proud kingdome of Antichrist a double confusion For whereas hee could not abide to haue the enormity of Prelats liues to be condemned by Iohn Hus who neither denyed his Transubstantiation nor his Purgatory nor yet spake any thing against his Masse but onely exclaimed against his excessiue and pompous pride his vnchristian or rather antichristian abhomination of life Now of late dayes God hath found a way by this faculty of printing not onely to confound his life and conversation which before hee could not abide to be touched but also to cast downe the foundation of his standing that is to examine confute and detect his doctrine lawes and institutions in such sort that albeit his life were never so pure yet his doctrine standing as it doth no man is so blinde but may see the Pope to be Anti-Christ For by this Art Tongues are knowne knowledge groweth iudgement increaseth bookes are dispersed the Scripture is seene the Doctors are read the stories bee opened times compared truth decerned falshood detected and with the finger pointed at and all as I haue said God hath wrought by the benefit of printing CENTVRIE XVI Popes of Rome AFter Paulus the second succeeded Sixtus the fourth and ruled thirteen yeeres and foure dayes Hee changed the custome of keeping the Iubilie every 50. yeere and would haue it kept every 25. yeeres After him succeeded Innocentius the eight and ruled seven yeers ten months and twenty seven dayes After him Alexander the sixt ruled eleven yeeres and eight dayes Hee was a notable tyrant and a scourg of God to all Italy and in speciall to that corrupt Colledge of Cardinals which had chosen him to be Pope not for his good graces and vertues but for the heapes of gold which hee had distributed amongst them of whom some he banished others hee caused to be impoysoned and cruelly slaine In his time Charles the eight King of France clayming right to the Kingdome of Naples entred into Italy with a mighty army and without great resistance came to the towne of Rome and from thence to Naples Alphonsus King of Naples at this time finding himselfe to be hated of all men had denuded himselfe of the Kingdome and given it to his sonne Ferdinand and hee himselfe was fled into Sicilie Also his sonne Ferdinand not being able to resist the puissant army of King Charles was likewise compelled to flie to the little Island of Istria for safety of his life and the whole kingdome of Naples was in short time ouer-run and subdued to the King of France This victorious conquest so hastily atchieved made the name of Charles to be terrible to other Princes even to the Duke of Millan and Estate of Venice who had beene his confederate friends assisters in this warfare Notwithstanding fearing lest his increasing power should in time be the overthrow of their Estates they conspired with the Pope and the Emperour and the King of Spaine against him and as hee returned backe againe to France fought against him at Fornovo not farre distant from the towne of Parma The victory was vncertaine notwithstanding Ferdinand King of Naples was so encouraged with this encounter that hee recovered againe all his kingdome which hee had lost Likewise in this Popes time Lewis the twelfth who succeeded to Charles the eight came into Italy claiming right not onely to the kingdome of Naples but also to the Dukedome of Millan He had before bound vp a covenant with the Pope the King of Spaine and the Venetians vpon these conditions that having possessed himselfe first in the Dukedome of Millan hee should give Cremona a famous towne in the Dukedome of Millan to the Venetians and hee should assist Caesar Borgia Duke of Valentinois and sonne to Pope Alexander the sixt to eiect out of Romagna the Lords presently bearing sway in that Countrey to the end that all might come vnder the Soveraignty and commandement of this Duke of Valentinois only and finally that he should divide the Kingdome of Naples betwixt himselfe and Ferdinand King of Spaine Vpon these conditions was King Lewis assisted by the Pope the King of Spaine and the Estate of Venice and so with little adoe obtained the Dukedome of Millan and carryed away Lodovick Sforce Duke of
of the Pelagians They affirmed that men by nature were able to fulfill the whole lawe of God howbeit more easily and better if they were supported by the grace of God They denyed moreover that there was originall sinne and sayd the posterity of Adam were sinners by imitation of Adams sinne but had not received sinne by carnall propagation They said moreover that children had not need to be baptized for remission of sinnes and that godly fathers in Scripture when they confessed their sinnes they did it rather for example of humility then for necessity and guiltinesse of sin This pestilent heresie was spread abroad in many places but chiefly in the Isle of Brittaine because Pelagius being driven from Rome came to the Isle aforesaid and infected it with his error but by the diligent travels of Germanus Altisidorensis and Palladius sent from Coelestinus Bishop of Rome both England and Scotland were freed from that error Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople lived in the dayes of Theodosius the second Hee was an eloquent man but his head wanted braines when hee spake against the personall vnion of the divine and humane nature of Christ. He denyed that the Virgin Marie could bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Deipara that is the mother of God but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mother of Christ. Hee was condemned as an Heretique in the Councell of Ephesus and banished by the Emperour Theodosius to the wildernesse of Thebaida and was plagued by God with extraordinary iudgements as other Heretiques had beene before for his blasphemous tongue was consumed with wormes and rotted in his mouth and so hee ended his wretched life most miserablie Eutyches was an Abbot in Constantinople hee fell into an errour farre different from the heresie of Nestorius for Nestorius would not grant the personall vnion of two natures in Christ but Eutyches confounded the natures and would haue the humane nature so swallowed vp by the immensitie of the divine nature in Christ that there was nor two natures in Christ but one onely to wit the divine nature He was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon as will bee declared hereafter God willing This heresie much perturbed and troubled the Church in respect of the fautors and favourers thereof both in Policie and Church Chrysaphius a principall ruler in the Court of Theodosius the second Basiliscus and Anastatius Emperours were favourers of this heresie and of Bishops not a few such as Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria Timotheus Aelurus who entred into the chaire of Alexandria like vnto a Wolfe with sheading the blood of Proterius the true shepheard and Petrus Moggus Bishoppe of Alexandria and Petrus Gnapheus Bishoppe of Antiochia all these maintained the heresie of Eutiches a long time And now appeareth the fruit of humane wisedome who chose Patriarches to suppresse heresies and yet they are the principall maintainers of it Likewise a multitude of wicked men specially Monkes cryed out against the decrees of the Councell of Chalcedon which were assembled by the authority of the Emperor Martianus these were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they had no principall head vpon whom they depended all these countenanced the heresie of Eutiches whereby it became the more pernicious to the Church It is to be vnderstood that old heresies such as the heresie of the Manicheans and the heresie of the Donatists sprung vp of later time were in vigour and strength as yet whereby it came to passe that Augustine is compelled to write in his time against many Manicheans such as Faustus Fortunatus Felix Secundinus and against Donatists such as Gandentius Parmenianus Emeritus Ticonius so that it is evident that the Church in this Centurie and in the former was chiefly perturbed with the multitude and diversitie of heresies CENTVRIE VI. IN this and the next Centurie I finde that the error of Eutyches is like vnto a roote of bitternesse which budding out with new branches not seene before but fostered with the venomous sappe of the old roote that seemed to bee abolished did mightily perturbe the Church The error of the Monothelites was but a branch of the error of Eutyches of which hereafter In this Centurie a great number of people especially of Monkes favouring the heresie of Eutyches spake against the Councell of Chalcedon These were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they had no principall head vpon whom they depended and they were anterior to Anthimus or Anthimius Bishop of Constantinople and to Theodosius Bishop of Alexandria and Severus Bishop of Antiochia therefore they were not called Anthimians Theodosians or Severites but indeed they might haue beene called Eutychians but the vulgar name given vnto them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another branch which sprang vp from the root of Eutyches heresie was the errour of those who supposed that the flesh of Christ was voyd of all kinde of humane infirmitie expresly contradicting holy Scriptures which attributeth vnto the body of Christ hunger and wearinesse and other infirmities which hee voluntarily accepted for our sakes And where it is sayd that the Lord Iesus did eat and drink to this they answered that hee seemed to eaté and drinke as hee did after his resurrection but hee had no necessity of eating and drinking But the verity of his death stoppeth the mouth of all these Heretiques for Christ was content to taste of all our infirmities death it selfe not excepted that we might know hee will be a mercifull high Priest because hee hath tasted of our infirmities and can haue compassion on those who are in trouble In this opinion was the Emperour Iustinian in his old dayes whose vices did almost equall his vertues especially in comporting so much with Theodora the Empresse to the great advancement of the error of Eutyches and hinderance of the Gospell In this Centurie the defenders of the bookes of Origen were Theodorus Ascidas Bishop of Caesarea Cappadocia and the Monkes of Noâ—a Laura whom Eustochius Bishop of Ierusalem eiected out of their Monasteries as shall bee declared hereafter Finally there were some Heretiques who durst derogate perfection of knowledge to the sonne of God in his divine nature These were called Agnoitae whom I leaue as buried in the dust according to their name never worthy to haue beene knowne in the world CENTVRIE VII IN this age partly through the malice of Satan and partly through the power of the wrath of God punishing the contempt of his truth heresies did mightily abound for the heresie of Arrius began to reviue againe and many of the Kings of Lombardis were addicted vnto it in speciall Rhotaris the sonne of Arioaldus who appointed that in every towne of Lombardie there should be two Bishops having equall authority the one a Catholick Bishop the other an Arrian In England and Scotland the heresie of Pelagius was renewed as Beda testifieth The Monkes of Syria propagated the heresie
had renued the heresies of Sabellius and Samosatenus A disputation was instituted betwixt Basilius Bishop of Ancyra an Arrian Heretique and Photinus a Sabellian Heretique in which disputation Photinus was thought to be overcome and was damned by the Councell as an Heretique and banished by the Emperour In this Councell they set downe summes of Faith one in Greeke and two in Latine wherein albeit they abstained from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neverthelesse they gave great glorie to the Sonne of God But in the end they repented and by the Emperours authority would haue recalled backe againe the copies of the summes of Faith set forth at Sirmium but the mandates of the Emperour commanding in most rigorous forme to deliver backe againe the copies that were past abroad could not bring to passe that that thing which was once divulgated should be againe suppressed The weaknesse of Osius Bishop of Corduba kythed in this Councell hath been touched in the history of his life AFter that the Emperour Constans was slaine by Magnentius the whole Soveraignty both of the East and West was in the hands of Constantius alone The Arrians moved him to assemble a Councell at Millan partly for ratification of the sentence pronounced against Athanasius in Tyrus amd partly for the subversion of the Nicene Faith The Occidentall Bishops to the number of three hundreth at the Emperors commandement assembled at Millan But neither would they ratifie the deposition of Athanaesius nor yet alter the summe of faith And some of them with libertie and freedome accused the Emperour of vnrighteous dealing For this cause many worthie Bishops were banished such as Liberius Bishop of Rome Paulinus B. of Triere Dionysius B. of Alba Lucifer B. of Calaris in Sardinia Eusebius B. of Vercellis in Liguria If in this Councell Osius B. of Corduba was banished as Theâ—doretus recordeth it would appeare that the Councell of Millan preceded the Councell of Sirmium because that Osius immediatly after he was reduced from banishment was compelled to addresse to the Councell of Sirmium But I haue followed the order of Ecclesiasticall writers IN the yeere of our Lord 363. and in the two and twentith yeere of the raigne of Constantius the Arrians having a great vantage of the flexible minde of Constantius mooved him to appoint a place wherein a generall Councell should be gathered for confirmation of their Faith Whether this place was the towne of Nicomedia or Nice alwaies it was shaken with earth-quake and the God of heaven hindered the purposes of their mindes The next course was that two nationall Councels should be convened one at Ariminum in Italy as a meet place for for the Bishops of the West to convene at and another in Sâ—lâ—â—cia of Isauria as a meet place for assembling of the Orientall Bishops To the Councell of Ariminum more then foure hundred Bishops did resort In this nationall Councell compeared Vrsatius and Valens with Germanus Auxentius and Caius and Demophilus desiring that the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as words not found in Scripture and grounds of vnsupportable contention in the Church should bee cancelled and razed out of the summe of Faith and that the Sonne of God should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of like substance with his Father The Fathers convened at Ariâ—ninum altogether disliked this proposition of Vrsatius and Valens and adhered for the most part of them closely to the Nicene Faith and excluded from the fellowship of the Church Vrsatius and Valens with their complices aboue menâ—ioned as the letter of the Councell written to the Emperour cleerely beares With the letter the Councell sent twenty Ambassadors chosen and selected men who should giue further instruction to the Emperor concerning the matter of Faith But Vrsatius and Valens prevened the Ambassadours of the Councell and by sinistrous informations hindered them from accesse to the Emperour onely their letter was read whereunto the Emperour turned a differing answer bearing that for the present hee was busied with weighty affaires of the kingdome but when hee should finde any breathing time hee would hearken vnto them The Councell sent the second time to the Emperour desiring they might haue libertie before the winter season to returne to their owne flocks and herewithall they assured the Emperour that in the matter of Faith they would adhere to that which was comprehended in the former letter To this second message no answer was returned Therefore the Bishops wearied with long attendance returned every man to his owne flock the Emperor counted this dissolution of the Councell without warrant of his anthority to bee a contempt of his Soveraignty Therefore he gaue charge to Valens to publish the summe of the Arrian Faith read in Ariminum albeit it was both disapproued and reiected with power also to Vrsatius and Valens to eiect those bishops out of their places who would not subscribe to the Arrian Faith and to ordaine others in their roome Vrsatius and Valens being strengthned with the Emperours commandement not onely troubled the Churches of the West but also went to Nica a towne in Thracia where they gathered a number of Bishops of their owne faction and approved the summe of Faith read by Arrians in Ariminum being first translated into the Greeke language and this they called the Nicene Faith deceiving themselues with vaine hopes as if men had beene so senselesse as to be altogether deceived by the similitude of words Nica in Thracia and Nice in Bithinia Moreouer Athanasius was as yet aliue who could haue discovered both the blasphemie of the Arrians at Sirmium and the falshood of the Arrians at Nica for at Sirmium in the first Session of the Councell it was written by the Clerke of the Councell Presente Constantio sempiterno Magna Augusto Consulibus Eusebio Hypatio Loe saith Athanasius writing to his friends the Arrians will not call the Sonne of God everlasting but they say there was a time wherein hee was not but they call the Emperor Constantius being a mortall man everlasting Emperour SElucia is a towne of Isauria or Cilicia from whence Paul and Barnabas sayled to Cyprus Isauria lyeth betwixt Lycaonia and Cilicia and in an ample signification it comprehendeth Cilica In this towne convened 160. Bishops of the East in the moneth of December of that same yeere of our Lord wherein the Councell of Ariminum was assembled Leonas one of the Princes of the Emperours court and Lucius otherwise called Lauritius Captaine of the bands of souldiers in Isauria were appointed to attend the peace of the assembly and that all things should bee done decently and in order The Emperour gaue commandement that the matter of faith should bee first intreated but afterward hee gaue commandement that the liues of them who were to bee accused should first bee examined Whereupon arose contention in the assemblie some vrging the
of Christ. And the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture which are to be read in time of holy Conuocations of people are particularly reckoned out both of olde new Testament And in this Catalogue of canonicke bookes no mention is made of the bookes of the Machabees of Ecclesiasticus and other Apocreeph bookes VNder the raigne of the Emperours Valentinian and Valens and about the yeere of our Lord 370. With aduice of both the Emperours a Councell was gathered in Illyricum wherein the Nicene Faith had confirmation and allowance The Emperour Valens was not as yet infected with the poison of the Arrian heresie LAmpsacum is a towne situated about the narrow passages of Hellespontus The Macedoniā heretikes sought liberty from the Emp. Valens to meete in this towne who granted their petition the more willingly because he supposed that they had accorded in opinion with Acacius Eudoxius but they ratified the Coūcel set foorth at Seleucia damned the Councel holden at Constantinople by the Acacians The Emp. Valens being deceiued of his expectation commanded them to be banished and their Churches to be giuen to the fauourers of the opinion of Eudoxius This dash constrained the Macedonians to take a new course and to aggree with Laberius Bishop of Rome But these Camelions when they had changed many colours they could neuer be white that is sincere and vpright in Religion VNder the Emperour Valentinian in the West Damasus bishop of Rome gathered a Councel in Rome wherein he confirmed the Nicene Faith and damned Auxentius Bishop of Millan with Vrsatius Valens and Caius Likewise hee damned Apollinaris and his disciple Timotheus IN the yeere of our Lord 38.3 or as Bullinger reckoneth 385 in the third yeere of the raigne of Theodosius a Generall Councell was gathered at Constantinople consisting of 150. Bishops of whom 36. were entangled with the heresie of Macedonius who called the Holy Spirit a creature a minister seruant but not consubstantiall with the Father and the Son In this Councel the Macedoniā heretikes were louingly admonished to forsake their errour to embrace the true faith and that so much the more because they had once already sent messengers to Liberius and professed the true Faith But they continued obstinately in their errour departed from the Councell The heresie of Macedonius was dāned the Nicen faith confirmed with amplification of that part of the Symbole which concerned the holy Spirit in this manner I beleeue in the holy Spirit our Lord giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father with the Father and the Son is to be worshipped glorified They ordained Nectarius B. of Cōstantinople that Constātinople shuld haue the prerogatiue of honour next to Rome Great care was had of Prouinces that they should not of new againe be infected with Heresies For this cause the name of Patriarches in the Councell of Nice appropriated to a few in this Generall Councell is communicated to manie To Nectarius Megapolis and Thracia was allotted Pontus to Hellodius Cappadocia to Gregorius Nyssenus Meletina and Armenia to Otreius Amphilochius attended vpon Iconium and Lycaonia Optimus vpon Antiochia and Pisidia Timotheus vpon the Churches of Aegypt Laodicea was recommended to Pelagius Tarsus to Diodorus and Antiochia to Meletius who was present at the Councell and ended his life in Constantinople To other Bishops a care and sollicitude of their owne boundes was committed with this caueat that no man should inuade the bounds belonging to another but if necessitie so required Synods should be assembled and euery one being desired should mutuallie assist his neighbour THe great affaires of the Church the care of their brethren in the West compelled them to meete againe in Constantinople where they wrote a Synodicke letter to Damasus B. of Rome to Ambrose Britto Valeriāus Acholius Anemius Basilius to the rest of the Bishops cōueened at Rome Wherin they declare the māifold troubles they had sustained by heretikes now albeit in the mercie of God they were ejected out of the sheepe-folds yet like vnto rauening wolues they were lurking in woods seeking oportūity to deuour the sheepe of Christ. They excuse their absence because the infirmitie of their Churches newly recouered from the hands of heretikes could not permit many of their number to journey to Rome Alwayes they sent their beloued brethren Cyriacus Eusebius Priscianus to countenance the assembly at Rome In matters of Discipline they recommended vnto them the Canons of the Councell of Nice namely that Ecclesiasticall honours should be conferred to persons worthy that with the speciall aduice and consent of the Bishops of that same Prouince with assistance of their confining neighbours if neede required After this manner was Nectarius B. of Constantinople Flauianus B. of Antiochia Cyrillus B. of Ierusalem ordained Heere marke that the consent of the Bishop of Rome was not necessarie to the ordination of the Bishops of the East And the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome smelleth of Noueltie and not of Antiquitie This Synodicke letter sent from Constantinople would seeme to import that the Councell which Damasus gathered at Rome was assembled in the dayes of Theodosius or els that hee had gathered two assemblies in Rome at diuers times and yet for owne purpose GOdly Emperours and Kings such as Constantine Theodosius and Dauid were very carefull of the vnitie of the Church that it might be like vnto a compact Citie as Ierusalem was when the tower of Iebus was conquised then the people worshipped one God were obedient to one Law and subject onely to one Soueraigne Theodosius in the fifth yeere of his raigne caring for the peace of the Church conueened a great Nationáll Councell at Constantinople not onely of Homousians but also of Arrians Eunomians and Macedonians hoping that by mutuall conference possibly they might in end accord The good Emperour consulted with Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople Nectarius with Agelius a Bishop of the Novatians Agelius with Sisinius an eloquent man and a mightie Teacher and a Reader in his Church This man considering that by contentious disputations Schismes were increased but not quenched gaue this aduice to Nectarius that hee should counsell the Emperour to demande of Heretikes in what account they had the holy Fathers who preceeded their time The Heretikes at the first spake reuerently of the Fathers but when they were demaunded if in matters of Faith they would giue credit to the testimonie of the Fathers the Heretikes were diuided amongst themselues Therefore the Emperour rent in pieces the summes of the Arrian Eunomian and Macedonian faith and ordained the Homousian Faith onely to haue place THe second Councell of Carthage was assēbled vnder the raigne of Theodosius neere vnto the time of the Generall Councell holden in Constantinople In it first the summe of the Nicene Faith is confirmed The continencie of
of holy Scripture onely that it is to be wished that other Councels had followed the example of this Councell wherein Augustine was President The other cause of the meeting of this Councell was to constitute canons concerning Ecclesiasticall discipline specially that no man should make appellation from his owne Bishop to Bishops beyond Sea but in case his owne Bishop did him wrong then hee should appeale vnto an assembly of African Bishops but hee who would needes appeare to Bishoppes beyond Sea meaning chiefly of the Bishop of Rome let him be secluded from the communion of all African Bishops The cause of Apiarius and his Bishop Vrbanus Siccensis seemed already to bee wakened and the Fathers of this Councell fore-smelled that he was to appeale to the Bishop of Rome like as he did indeed to Zosymus the successor of Innocentius and therefore like wise men in due time they made this constitution Innocentius received the Councels letter from a brother named Iulius and approoved the condemnatory sentence pronunced against Pelagius and Coelestius but marke the words of Innocentius letter Frater Coepiscopus noster Iulius dilectionis vestraeliteras quas ex Milevitano cura fideâ— propensiore misistâ—s mihiâ—nopinanter suggessiâ— that is to say Our brother and fellowship Iulius brought vnto mee vnawares your brotherly letters which ye sent vnto me from the Councell MilevitanuÌ„ with a care very bent for the Faith The word inopinanter declareth that hee received their letter before hee knew that any such Councell was gathered for the Bishops of Rome as yet tooke not vpon them that authority to bee the onely appointers of generall and nationall Councels Pelagius after this Councell compeared before a Councell in Palestina and seemed to renounce his errors but hee spake deceitfully as Heretiques are accustomed to doe but hee set forth nothing in writing to destroy the errour hee had builded and to procure the safety of them whom hee had intangled with the snares of deceitfull errours as the Epistle of Aurelius Alipius Augustinus Evodius and Possidius written to Innocentius doth declare Obscure Covncels I haue not overpassed with silence and do minde God willing to keep the like order in time to come IN the yeere of our Lord 402. and vnder the raignes of Honorius and Theodosius the second a great nationall Councell was assembled in Carthage two hundred and seventeene bishops were present at this Councell and it continued for the space of six yeeres Aurelius Bishop of Carthage was Moderator Three Bishops of Rome to wit Zosymus Bonifacius the first and Coelestinus endevoured with all their might to perswade the African Bishops that they were vnder the soueraignty and iurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome but all in vaine as the issue of this Councell will proue The ground of the great controversie betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the sixt Councell of Carthage was Apiarius Presbyter Siccencis a wicked man and iustly excommunicate not onely by his owne Bishoppe Vrbanus but also by a Synode of other neere approaching Bishops Hee appealed to Zosymus Bishop of Rome a Citie of refuge to all villanous men as appeared by the insolent forme of his cariage toward his brethren in Africke for before hee had heard the causes wherefore they had excommunicated this wicked man Apiarius hee absolued him and admitted him to his communion Moreover vnderstanding that a Councell was to be convened in Carthage hee sent thither Ambassadours to plead the cause of Apiarius to procure the excommunication of Vrbanus and in case this succeeded not to desire that this question might be remitted to the determination of the Romane Bishop as vndoubted Iudge of appellations according to an act of the Councell of Nice The Fathers of the Councell of Carthage answered with great modesty that they knew no such act to haue beene made in the Councell of Nice Alwayes time is granted to the Bishop of Rome to prooue that such right belongeth to him by an act of the Councell of Nice Zosymus the first alleadger of this false act continued short time in office for hee ended his course within the space of one yeere and few moneths Bonifacius the successor of Zosymus seriously vrging the same prerogatiue to be iudges in all causes of appellation according to the act of the Councell of Nice When all the acts were read both in the Latine and Greeke exemplars and no such act was found the Ambassadors of Bonifacius returned to him with this answer that the principall Registers ought to bee searched which were to bee found in Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia and in the meane time no man should bee challenged for appealing to the Bishoppe of Rome vntill this question had an end by viewing of the authentique Registers Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria and Atticus Bishop of Constantinople sent to the Councell of Carthage the iust copies of the acts of the Councell of Nice but no such act was found as was alledged by Zosymus and Bonifacius and by this time Bonifacius also ended his life for hee sate not aboue three yeeres The Epistle sent from the sixt Councell of Carthage declaring that they found the act aforesayd alledged by the ambassadours of the Bishop of Rome to bee supposititious and false this Epistle I say was directed to Bonifacius but seeing hee had ended his life it came into the hands of Coelestinus the successor of Bonifacius who insisted by the same ambassadours who were employed before to wit Faustinus a Bishop and Philippus and Asellus two Presbyters to haue Apâ—arius received into fauour and the African Bishops to bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome but their travels were bestowed in vaine The last period of this controversie was this that Apâ—arius despairing of helpe from the Bishops of Rome confessed his faults and humbly submitted himselfe to the Councell of Carthage And the Ambassadours of Coelestinus returned with this answer that the Bishop of Rome had no authoritie over the Bishops of Africa but hee who thought himselfe to bee wronged let him complaine to a nationall Councell and if the nationall Councel also did him wrong then let him complaine to the generall Councell but no appellation to be made in time to come from Africa to the Bishop of Rome VNder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius and about the yeere of our Lord 433. The Donatists assembled themselues in a towne of Africa called Bagaia in frequent number for they are counted 310. who were present at this Councell The principall purpose of their meeting was for deposition of Maximianus Bishop of Bagara who fell from their societie and drew many others from their heresie him they deposed and accursed I haue made mention of this vnhappy Councell for two causes First to declare the vncessant diligence of Heretiques in advancing a doctrine of lies for it was a strange thing that for the deposition of one man so many should assemble themselues in one towne seldome were so many present
established and that by his authority all tumults of men disobedient to the Councell might be repressed Aboue all crauing of them or rather charging commanding them that they should decerne nothing repugnaÌ„tto the actes of the Councel of Nice The Ambassadours of Leo Bishop of Rome craued that Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria should not sit in the Councell as a iudge but that he should stand and answere to things that were to be obiected vnto him Which petition being granted Eusebius B. of Dorileum stood vp and accused him of three things First that he had beene an aduersarie to the true faith in absoluing Eutyches a notable heretike in the second Councell of Ephesus Secondly that he was a murderer of Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople a constant defender of the true faith and thirdly that hee had done himselfe wrong in deposing him without a cause and therewith hee desired his letter to be read The Councell not onely read his letter accusatorie but also read all the acts of the second Councell of Ephesus and heard the reports of Bishops who were present at the Councell of Brigandrie and consented against their hearts to the deposition of Flauianus because Dioscorus had bands of souldiers sent by Chrysaphius in the name of the Emperour Theodosus 2. to compell simple men to obey all his desires All this beeing considered together with his vnmanerly rudenesse who would not suffer the letter of Leo Bishop of Rome to be read in the Councell aforesaid and finally that hee had most vniustly and vnaduisedly excommunicated Leo Bishop of Rome The Councell of Chalcedon cited Dioscorus the ground of this controuersie but he appeared not therefore hee was condemned as an heretike together with Eutyches and Iuvenalis Bishops of Ierusalem and it was ordained that men should beleeue that the natures of Christ albeit they were vnited yet were they not confounded as Eutyches heretically had affirmed Likewise all the actes of the second Councell of Ephesus were abrogated rescinded except the deposition of Damâ—us Bishop of Antiochia and substitution of Maximus in his place Moreouer Theodoretus Bishop of Cyns and Ibas Bishop of Edessa who had beene vniustly deposed in the second Councell of Ephesus were both restored to their places after they had clearely damned the heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches In the cause of Bassianus and Stephanus who contended both for the Bishopricke of Ephesus it was ordained that both of them should be remooued from that dignitie as men who by vnlawfull meanes had aspired to ecclesiasticke offices and a third person should haue the office Finally it was appointed and ordained in this Councell that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople and his successours should haue the chiefe dignitie next vnto the chaire of Rome It is to be marked that Proterius Bishop of Alexandria to whom the place of old belonged albeit hee was present in the Councel yet he made none obstacle vnto this ordinance but the Ambassadours of Leo Bishop of Rome spake against it fearing left the increasing magnificence of such an Emperiall towne should in ende bring Constantinople to the preheminence of the first seat Supremacie was long agoe the apple of their eye and they could not abide that afarre off a diminution of this should be once pointed at Neuerthelesse this ordinance had allowance of the Councel notwithstanding of the contradiction of the Romane Ambassadours Incodice Romano saith learned Morneus all this action is left out In the sixt Session of this Councell the Emperour Martianus with Pulcheria the Empresse were both present and craued of the Councell that ordinances should be made for restraining the filthie lucre and ambition of Monks and Clergie who intangled themselues with secular businesse for desire of gaine and riches wherevpon followed this constitution that men who addicted themselues either to the Monastickelife or the Clergie men they should not be promoted to other dignities meaning mere ciuill offices because that that is a distraction of them from their calling CENTVRIE VI. THE schisme that fell out in the election of Symmachus was the cause of the gathering of the Councell of Rauenna Laurentius was his competitour In this Councell it was found that Symmachus was first ordained and that the most part both of Clergie and people adhered to him therefore hee was declared to bee Bishop of Rome and Laurentius was ordained Bishop of Nuceria The multiplied number of Councels in Symmachus time al conueened by the authoritie of Theodoricus king of Gothes who raigned in Italie Al this number of Councels I say was assembled for matter of litle importance except the fourth fifth Councell wherein a libel of accusations was giuen in against Symmachus but he compeared not before the Councell to answere yet was he absolued by the most part of the Councell being his own fauourers chiefly for this reason because they thought that the high Priest should be iudged by no man but his doings should be examined only before the TribuÌ„al of God Marke how this matter goeth the B. of Rome are lying vnder the feete of the Gothes neither haue they liberty to assemble themselues together except that licence be sought obtained froÌ„ Theodoricus king of Gothes NotwithstaÌ„ding supremacie that great Idol whereat they aimed continually runneth so high in their heads that the flatterers of the B. of Rome would absolue him as a man whose actions came not vnder the indicature of mortall men His accusers protested in write that if the successours of Peter should bee protested in writing that if the successors of Peter should be iudged by no man then with the rest of the priuiledges of their chaire they had also a priuiledge to sinne and to doe what they please THe Councels of Spaine called Ilerdense and Valentinum assembled in Valentia are very obscure Councels In the one eight Bishops were present in the other sixe Bishoppes Many new and needelesse-Canons were made in these assemblies and farther I see nothing In the first called Ilerdense a prohibition of marriage in time of Lent and three weekes before the festiuitie of Iohn the Baptist and betwixt the dayes of the Aduent of our Lord and the dayes called Epiphania In the other Councell it was appointed that in the ordinarie seruice the Gospell should be read after the Epistle partly in respect that all the people of God haue entresse to heare the wholesome precepts of their Sauiour and partly in respect that by such hearing some were found to be conuerted to the faith whereof it may be perceiued that the Gospell was read vnto the people in a known and intelligible language els it could not worke faith in the heartes of the hearers IN the 20. yeeere of the Emp. Anastatius a nationall Councell was assembled at Sidon of eightie Bishops by the procurement of Xenaeas B. of Hierapolis for vndoing the Councell of Chalcedon The Emperour had alreadie banished Euphemius and Macedonius Bishops of Constantinople
Fathers who had been present at this Councell and were pictured in the Temple of Sophia and that on the other part Pope Constantine the first not onely caused the same effigÃes to bee pictured in the porch of the Church of Saint Peter at Rome but also procured that the Emperours name should be razed out of charters and that his effigie should not bee ingraved in any kinde of coyned mettall Also it is cleere that Philippicus remooued Cyrus from his office and placed in his roome Iohn who fore-told him that he should be Emperour IN the yeere of our Lord 714. Pope Gregorie the second assembled a Councell in the which two Bishops of Brittaine to wit Sedulius and Fergustus were present It was ordained that masses should bee celebrated publiquely in Temples which custome was not in vse before In the second Tome of Councels this Synod is referred to Gregorie the third A great number of the Canons of this Councell doe concerne marriage That no man should take in marriage a woman who was a relict of a Presbvter or Deacon or a Nunne or his spirituall sister or his brothers wife or his neece or his mother in law or daughter in law or his neare cousens or a woman whom by these or ravishing hee hath led away And that no man should consult with Iuchanters and Sorcerers And that no man should violate the mandates of the Apostolicke Chaire no not in a matter of an haire GRegorie the third after he had received a mandate from the Emperour Leo concerning abolishing of Images hee assembled a great Councell at Rome of 903. Bishops in the which the Emperour Leo was excommunicated and deprived of his Imperiall dignity Here marke the tyranny and fiercenesse of Antichrist Who gaue such authority to a Roman Preacher to dismount the Monarches of the world from their royall thrones Yet Gregorie the third attempted such high matters because the Emperor Leo had disallowed the worshipping of Images Likewise by his instigation the whole countrey of Italy refused to pay tribute to the Emperour Now is the banner of Antichrist displayed against the Emperour and this is a fore-running token of the hatefull enmity which is to ensue betwixt the Popes and the Emperours which God willing shall bee declared in its owne time Likewise Anastatius Patriarch of Constantinople was condemned and excommunicated in this Councell To favour the Emperour and to dislike the worshipping of Images were two irremissable sinnes and meriting the great Anathems of the Bishop of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 742. and in time of the raigne of Charles the Great and vnder the Popedome of Zacharias the first Bonifaoius Archbishop of Mentz assembled a Councell of the Bishops Presbyters and Clergy of France for reformation of abuses in that countrey or rather as the truth is to bring the countrey of France as hee had already brought many parts of Germany to a conformity with the superstitious rites of the Romane Church It is to bee marked that this nationall Councel was assembled by the mandate of King Charles howsoeuer Bonifacius ordered the affaires of the Councell It was ordained that Synodes should be kept yeerly and that Clergie men should not put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two Bishops with their Presbyters Chaplens to prescribe penance to them who should happen to confesse their sinnes And that hunting and hauking and such idle pastimes should not be vsed by the Clergie That every Presbyter shall be ready to giue account of his ministery to his owne Bishop in time of Lent especially concerning his ministration of Baptisme the summe of his Catholicke Faith the forme of his prayers and the order of his saying of masses That no vncouth Bishop or Presbyter be admitted without the tryall and allowance of a Synode That Presbyters and Deacons be not cloathed as secular men with short cloakes but with the habit of men who are in spirituall offices And that no woman cohabite in the house with them That every Bishop haue a care within his owne bounds to abolish all heathenish superstitions IN the yeere of our Lord 755. and in the thirteenth yeere of the Empire of Constantinus Copronymus a general CouÌ„cell of 338. Bishops was assembled at Constantinople by the commandement of the Emperour In this Councell the worshipping of Images was damned and the placing of them in Oratories and Temples where the divine Maiesty is worshipped was forbidden as a custome borrowed from Pagans who had no hope of the resurrection and therefore solaced theÌ„selues with pictured similitudes of their friends as if they had beene bodily present with them Yea for three principall causes they damned the worshipping of Images First because the worshipping of them is repugnant vnto holy Scripture Secondly because the divine and humane nature being vnseparably vnited in Christ and the divine nature cannot be presented by an Image therefore it is not meete to represent his humane nature by an Image left we should seeme to separate the two natures in Christ. And thirdly because the writings of ancient Fathers doe vtterlie condemne the worshipping of Images such as Epiphanius Eusebius Gregorius Theologus Athanasius Amphilochius Chrysostomus and Theodorus Bishop of Ancyra It were a prolixt thing to make a rehearsall of the sentences of all the forenamed Fathers therefore for breuities cause I will heere onely make choise of one place which is this Eusebius Pamphili writing to Constantia the Empresse who was desirous that the image of Christ should be sent her hee returneth vnto hir this answere Because yee haue written vnto mee to send vnto you the Image of Christ I would gladly vnderstand what image of Christ yee are inquiring for whether it bee that true and vnchangeable nature bearing the character and ingrauen similitude of the person of the Father or if it bee the image of the shape of a seruant which Christ tooke vpon him for our sakes As concerning His diuine nature I hope yee are not sollicitous to seeke the image thereof beeing sufficientlie instructed that no man knoweth the Father except the Sonne and on the other part no man knoweth the Sonne except the Father But if yee desire the similitude of mans nature wherewith He clad Himselfe for our sakes vnderstand that the splender and shining brightnesse of his glorie cannot be represented with dead coloures and shaddowed pictures For euen his Disciples in the mountaine were not able to abide the brightnesse of His shining face Mat. Chap. 17. vers 1. Mark Chap. 9. vers 2. Luk. Chap. 9. vers 28. how much lesse are we now able to abide the celestiall splender of his glorified bodie In this Councell Germanus Bishop of Constantinople Georgius Cyprius and Damascene a Monke who were principall defenders of the worshipping of images were excommunicated In the Canons of this Councel which were 19. in number inuocation of Saints hath allowance in the 15. 17. Canon
purpose to the ende hee may abolishe his sinnes by Almes-deedes for that is all one as if a man should hyre God to grant vnto him a libertie to sinne 37. Seeing all Canons of Councels are to be diligently read in speciall such as appertaine vnto faith and reformation of manners should bee most frequently perused 38. Bookes called Libelli Poenitentiales are to abolished because the erroures of these Bookes are certaine howbeit the authors of them be vncertaine and they prepare pillowes to lay vnder the heads of them who are sleeping in sinne 39. In the solemnities of the Masse Prayers are to bee made for the soules of them who are departed as well as for them who are aliue 40. Presbyters who are degraded liue like seculare men neglecting repentance whereby they might procure restitution to their office let them be excommunicated 41. A Presbyter who transporteth himselfe from his owne place shall not be receiued in any other Church except hee prooue both with witnesses and letters sealed with lead containing the name of the Bishop and of the Citie which he liued in that he hath liued innocently in his own Church and had a just cause of transportation 42. Let no Church bee committed to a Presbyter without consent of the Bishop 43. In some places are found Scots-men who call themselues Bishops they ordaine Presbyters Deacons whose ordination we altogether disallowe 44. Presbyters must not drinke in Tavernes wander in Markets nor goe to visite Cities without aduise of their Bishop 45. Many both of the Clergie Laickes goâ— to holy places such as Rome Turon imagining that by the sight of these places their sins are remitted and not attending to the sentence of Ierome It is a more commendable thing to liue well in Hierusalem than to haue seene Hierusalem 46. In receiuing the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ great discretion is to be vsed Neither let the taking of it be long differred because Christ saith Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you Neither let vs come without due preparation because the Apostle saith He who eateth and driâ—keth vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation 47. The Sacrament of the body blood of Christ which in one day is accustomed to be receiued of all Christians let no man neglect to receiue it except some grieuous crime doe hinder him from receiuing of it 48. According to the precept of the Apostle Iames Weake persons should be annointed with oyle by the Elders which oyle is blessed by the Bishop these words inclosed in a parenthesis are added to the Text for he saith Is any man sicke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the Name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shal saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp And if he haue committed sin it shal be forgiuen him I am cap. 5. vers 14.15 Such a medicine as cureth both bodily spirituall maledies is not to be neglected 49. In the Councell of Laodicea it was forbidden that Masses should bee said and Oblations offered by Bishops or Presbyters in priuate houses This question also was disputed in this Councell 50. The authoritie of the Emperour is to be interponed for reuerent keeping of the Lords day 51. Because the Church is constituted of persons of diuerse conditions some are Noble others are ignoble some are seruants vassalles strangers c. It becommeth them who are in eminent rowmes to deale mercifully with their inferiours knowing that they are their brethren because God is one common Father to both and the Church is one common mother to both From the 52. Canon vnto the 66. are contained precepts of chaste and honest liuing prescribed to Prioresses and Nunnes which I ouer-passe as I haue done in the preceeding Councels 66. It is ordained that prayers and supplications shall be made for the Emperour and his children and for their well-fare both in soule and bodie 67. These things haue we touched shortly to be exhibited to our Soueraigne Lord the Emperour Hee who desireth a more ample declaration of all vertues to be followed and vices to be eschewed let him read the volume of the holy Scriptures of God IN the same yeere of our Lord wherein the preceding foure Councels were conueened by the mandate of the Emperour Charles the Great another Councell was conneened at Arles The Canons of this Councell were in number 25. 1. They set downe a Confession of their Faith 2. They ordaine That Prayers shall bee made for the Emperour and his children 3. They admonish Bishops and Pastors diligently to reade the bookes of holy Scripture To teach the Lords people in all truth and To administrate the Sacraments rightly 4. Laick people are admonished not to remooue their Presbyters from their Churches without consent of their Bishops 5. That Presbyters be not admitted for rewards 6. It is ordained That Bishops shall attend that euery person liue ordinately that is according to a prescribed rule The 7. and 8. Canons belong to the ordering of Monkes and Nunnes The 9. Canon pertaineth to the payment of Tythes and first fruits 10. It is ordained That Presbyters shall preach the word of God not only in Cities but also in euery Parochin 11. Incestuous copulations are to be vâ—terly abhorâ—ed 12. Peace is to bleeâ— kepâ— with all men according to the words of the Apostle Follow peace and sanctification without theâ— which no man shall see God Heb. cap. 12. vers 14 1â— Let Lords Iudges and the rest of the people be obedient to their Bishop let 〈…〉 judgâ—ment be vsed and no bribes receiued nor false testimonie be admitted 14. In time of Famine let euery man support the necessitie of his owne 15. Let all weightes and measures be equall and just 16. Let the Sabboth day be kept holy without Markets Iustice Courtes and seruile labour 17. Let euery Bishop visite his boundes once in the yeere if he finde the poore to be oppressed by the violence of the mightie then let the Bishop with wholesome admonitions exhort them to desist from such oppression and in case they will not desist from their violence then let the Bishop bring the cause to the eares of the Prince 18. Let Presbyters keepe the Chrisme and giue it to no man vnder pretence of Medicine 19. Parentes and Witnesses shall bring vp baptized children in the knowledge of God because God hath giuen them vnto Parents and Witnesses haue pawned their word for their faith 20. Ancient Churches shall not be depriued of Tythes nor of none other possession 21. That the constitution of ancient Fathers shal be kept concerning Buriall in Churches 22. Ciuill Iudgment-seates shall not bee in Churches 23. The goods belonging vnto the poore if they bee bought let it bee done openly in sight of the Nobles
and Iudges of the Citie 24. Let fugitiue Presbyters and Church-men bee inquired and sent backe againe vnto their Bishop 25. He who hath a benefice bestowed vpon him for helping the fabricke of Churches let him support the building of them 26. They who sinne publickely let them make their publicke repentance according to the Canons These things haue wee shortly touched to bee presented vnto our Lord the Emperour and to be corrected by his Highnesse wisedome IN the yeere of our Lord â—â—â— and in the third yeere of the raigne of Basilius Emperour of the East and vnder the raigne of Lewis the second Emperour of the Westâ— the Ambassadours of Pope Adrian the second came to Constantinople Basilius the Emperour gathered a Councell against Photius the Patriarch of Constantinople In this Councell great policie was vsed to haue all things framed to the contentment of Adrian Bishop of Rome Foâ— no man was admitted to the Councell except only they who had subscribed the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome aboue all other Bishops They who refused to subscribe the fore-saide supremacie were contemptuously rejectâ—d and not admitted to the Councell So did the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome proceede to further grouth by flattering of Basilius who slew his associate Michael as it was founded in the flatterie of Bonifacius the third who flattered that vile murtherer Phocas who slew his master Mauritius In this Councell Photius was deposed and excommunicated his bookes which he wrote against the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome were commanded to be burnt Photius was accused for this that he had accepted the office of a Bishop before hee he receiued other Ecclesiasticall orders Photius alleadgâ—d that this was no sufficient cause of deposition in respect that Ambrose Bishop of Millan Nectarius bishop of Constantinople and of late dayes Tarasius with consent of the Bishop of Rome of Laickes were made Bishops The Ambassadours of Pope Adrian the second answered that Ambrose was endewed with extraordinarie giftes Nectarius was called at an extraordinarie time to wit when heresie was so ouerspred that it was an harde thing to finde out a man who was not spotted with heresie and concerning the aduancement of Tarasius to be Bishop of Constantinople to whose admission Adrian the first gaue consent they answered That it was done for a speciall cause in regard hee was a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images This answer declareth that in case Photius also had beene a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images the Roman Bishop and his Ambassadours could haue dispensed with the want of Ecclesiasticall orders preceeding his admission to his Bishopricke as they did in the person of Tarasius In this Councel also the Ambassadoures of Adrian magnifying the authoritie of the Pope affirmed that the Bishop of Rome might judge of the actions of all other Bishops but no man might judge of him And albeit the Orientall Bishops in the sixt Generall Councell cursed Pope Honorius after his death yet it is to be marked say they that hee was accused of heresie And in this case onely it is lawfull for inferiours to resist their superiours and to disclaime their peruerse opinions In this point also they said That none of the Patriarches and Bishops proceeded against the defunct Bishop of Rome without the consent of the Roman Chaire going before them Now obserue good Reader with what fidelitie Onuphrius defendeth the name of Honorius the first as free of all suspition of heresie when as the Ambassadours of Adrian the second for verie shame durst not presume to doe it More-ouer the worshipping of Images in this Councell got a new allowance againe and it was commanded That the image of Christ should be holden in no lesse reuerence than the bookes of the Gospell The Bulgarians also were made subject to the Romane Bishop And Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople in regarde he was restored to his place againe by the meanes of the Bishop of Rome hee made no opposition to the contrarie Neuerthelesse this alteration continued but short time for the Bulgarians droue out of their bounds the Latine Priests and were serued with Greeke Priests againe Diuers Canons were constituted in this CouÌ„cell but so coincident with the Canons of other Councels that it is a superfluous thing to make a rehearsall of them In the subscription of the Actes of the Councel great controuersie fell out for the Grecians could not abide the name of Ludouicke Emp. of the Weâ— because they thought that the honourable name of an Emp. only belonged to their owne Soueraigne Lord who was Emp. of CoÌ„stantinople More ouer a number of them came to the Emp. Basilius and requested him that their subscriptions might be redeliuered vnto them againe wherein they had subscribed to the supremacie of the Romane Bishop or else the Church of Constantinople would be in perpetuall subiection to the chaire of Rome These subscriptions afore-sayd were restored againe but with great difficulty CAarolus Caluus convocated a Councell in France at Acciniacum consisting of ten Bishops The Bishops of Lions Vason and Trier were chiefe Presidents in the Councell Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes accused in this convention his owne nephew Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum as a man disobedient to his Metropolitan and a man who for private iniuries had excommunicated all the Presbyters of his Church debarring them from saying masse baptizing Infants absolving of Penitents and burying of the dead And Hincmarus Bishoppe of Rhemes proponed vnto the Councell 50. Canons which he desired to be read in the Synode and they allowed all the Canons written by the Bishop of Rhemes Also they condemned Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum of petulancy and compelled him to subscribe obedience to Charles his King and to his Metropolitan hee was also deprived of his office and his eyes were thrust out But Pope Iohn the ninth vnder the raigne of Carolus Crassus restored him to his office againe being the more affectioned vnto him because hee had appealed from his owne Bishop and from the decreet of a Synode in his owne countrey to be iudged by the chaire of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 899. and in the eight yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Arnulphus in the Towne of Triburium twenty and two Bishops of Germany were assembled who made many constitutions a great number whereof Caranza is compelled to over-passe with silence lest he should make a superfluous repetition of Canons mentioned before First it was concluded in this Councell that excommunicate persons if they repent not are to be subdued by the Emperour Canon 10. That a Bishop shall not bee deposed before his cause bee iudged by twelue Bishops and a Presbyter by sixe Bishoppes and a Deacon by three Bishops 11. A Church-man who committeth slaughter shall bee deposed albeit hee hath beene enforced vnto it 12. Baptisme shall not bee ministred except at Easter and Whitsunday without necessity require 13. Tythes are to be paid for