Court of Rome Secondly I will confute the writings and sayings thereof as erronious and lesse Catholike Thirdly I will declare out of most true grounds that the Court of Rome is wholly erronious and sick in the state of damnation c. And he handleth each of these in order At last after many complaints despairing that it would suffer reformation and much lesse that from it selfe any were to be expected The onely sonne of God saith Paul vouchsafe to reforme his Church himselfe And to shew that it was not his opinion alone he plainely saith in his Preface All men truely doe inwardly murmure but none crie out And the Doctors themselues that sat nere Boniface the ninth seeing this so manifest corruption partly could not dissemble it and partly were diuided in opinions concerning the remedie thereof Theodorick à Niem saith Many also skilfull in the Law Theodor. à Niem l. 2. c. 32. by reason of the continuation of Simonie in the Church of Rome in the time of the sayd Boniface would publiquely argue and hold That the Pope could not commit Symonie yea in benefices and goods Ecclesiasticall by interuention of gaine or couenant of money What will they not say as that harlot in the Apocalyps I sit as Queene neither can be a widow I cannot erre And what readier way is there vnto all mischiefe The Authour addeth Which seemed vnto me verie vniust seeing that at least it is vnciuile and against good manners if that which ought to be giuen gratis to persons worthie be gaunted for vile gaine of money to the vnworthie and that the Pope who is ouer all and from whom others ought to take example of life should be so defiled with such a crime not being able to punish another for that wherein himselfe offendeth for it is a shame for the Doctor that the fault should rebuke himselfe For this cause euen among the common sort the Popes authoritie is abased blamed and defamed namely in this saith he that dispensations which should bee done with great deliberation of his brethren he did them in his Chamber after the maner of Merchants being himselfe Bullator scriptor forsan numerator the maker of the Bulls the writer and teller of mony But he also addeth In his life time some Doctors in Diuinitie and others learned in the sciences grieuing that Symonie was so commonly and openly committed in the Court and that many Iurists and others obstinatly affirmed that it might be so done arguing to the contrarie determined conclusions which they reduced into volumes yet with great feare That the Pope in selling Ecclesiasticall benefices by bargaine made was a Simmoniack that is the successour of Simon Magus not of Simon Peter because he is not established for to sell them but to bestow them freely on persons worthie But in all Nations there arose vp some that passed further Vincent at Venice about the yeare 1400 An. 1400. a great Preacher and famous for holinesse who freely condemned all the Roman Hierarchie Prophetiae editae Parisijs in 8. ex varijs authoribus collectae ibi Epist S. V incentij affirming That religious persons that ought to be the way of lyfe vnto soules are throughout the world become vnto them the way of perdition That Priests fish for honours but not for maners That the bishops none excepted haue no care of the soules of their Diocesse That they sell the Sacraments for money yea he passeth so farre as to pronounce the Pope to be Antichrist himselfe In a certaine Epistle also printed at Paris entituled The Epistle of S. Vincent he saith That Antichrist is alreadie in the world whom he expected not to come from the Iewes or from auntient Babylon but alreadie beheld him raigning at Rome In Bohemia Mathius Parisiensis wrote a great volume de Antichristo where he proueth that he is come by this That fables and humane inuentions beare sway in the Church That images are worshipped Saints are adored in Christs stead euerie Citie and each person choseth out some one of them for to worship as their Sauiour whom by consequent they place in Christs seat That our Lord himselfe had fortold Loe here is Christ loe there That the Monkes themselues haue left him and haue sought vnto themselues other sauiours in whom they boast as Frauncis Dominick and others The word of God being neglected they bring in their Monkish rules That such like hypocrites raigning in the Church are those Locusts of which the Apocalyps speaketh Neither is it to be doubted but that Antichrist is come who hath seduced all the Vniuersities and all the Colledges of learned men so that they now teach nothing sound neither can they any more giue light to Christians by their doctrine But God hitherto as seed raised vp godly Doctors who inflamed with the spirit and zeale of Elias both refuted the errours of Antichrist and discouer him to the world And he inferteth in this Booke the opinions of many famous men nere to those times concerning this matter amongst whom he extolleth the Diuines of Paris who perceiuing the tares of the begging Friers to grow brought to light againe and published the booke of William de S. Amour Of the perils of the last times which before time Alexander the fourth had laboured to abolish These Doctors saith he in his Preface faithfull in Christ c. Whose multitude was then the health of the world acknowledging partly that most wicked Antichrist and his members and his â—â—â—re and parly prophesying for the time to come haue openly and nakedly reuealed these things for the holie Church and her gouernours to take heedof In England Iohn Puruey Disciple of Wickliff wrote many bookes in defence of his doctrine but among others a Commentarie vpon the Apocalyps the Title whereof was Ante centum annos There he openly saith Seuen yeares are passed since generally the Pope of Rome was published to be that great Antichrist by the Preachers of the Gospell namely from the yeare 1382. And behold how God worketh in our infirmities his owne glorie I neuer had written such like things against Antichrist and his if they had not imprisoned me for to make me hold my peace And then it was God infused his spirit into him so much the more that beeing deliuered he might speake so much the more boldly although by force of torments he had beene constrained by the Archbishop of Canterburie to abiure This booke was since set forth in Germanie in the yeare 1528 where he applieth that famous prophesie in the Apocalyps from point to point to the Church of Rome and out of the 10 and 11 chapters it is manifest that he wrot the same lying fettered with yrons in prison Lastly the Waldenses in this time euery where for the testimonie of the truth submitted themselues to the fire for in Saxonie and Pomerania in the yeare 1490 An. 1490. there were taken of them foure hundred and more and examined
is it that the Popedome hauing swallowed vp this poore Church at the word of the Lord in these later times should cast it out againe that so the Gospell might be preached more gloriously than before euen to your selues But now giue me leaue to aske thee againe In all this long space of time where was thy Church and of all loues answer me In those six hundred yeares next after Christ in the whole world was there any that was thy Church and that worshipped burnt incense adorned adored and inuocated Images Doubtlesse there was none such except thou seeke it among the Heathen with Simon Magus not Simon Peter In a whole thousand yeares was there any Church that called the Hoast Lord thought it a god adored it In a whole thousand two hundred yeares that shut it vp in a box carried it about appointed vnto it a proper feastiuall day set it out with pomp to be gazed vpon by the people as in a publike Theatre Againe in a whole thousand yeares after Christ was there any Church howsoeuer otherwise corrupted that placed Christ the sonne of God betweene the hands of a Priest yea created him that sold his sacrifice for money to be offered at all times yea euerie moment of time and in all places That abolished the auncient institution of Christ and Communion of the faithfull bringing into the place thereof their solitarie Masses for the liuing and the dead mumbled vp in a corner That depriued the people of the Cup of the Lord to feed them with the smoke of this pretended sacrifice And since I am entred into it to lay open these monstrous abuses to the view of the world Was there any Church that accused the Scriptures of insufficiencie or imperfection writing bookes to that purpose That forbad the reading of them as being daungerous and deadly vpon paine of grieuous punishment and that by a publike Decree Againe was there any Church in the whole world for six hundred yeares after Christ that beleeued the Pope of Rome to be the Vniuersall Bishop an earthlie Prince armed with both swords spirituall and temporall That for a thousand yeres out of Rome acknowledged him to be Pope and Emperour the Lord of the world the true Spouse of the Church That for twelue hundred yeares did affirme him to be aboue generall Councels the Catholike Church the Scriptures That did affirme or teach That he had power to dispose of the state of our soules by his Indulgences That he could shut Purgatorie open heauen canonize for a Saint or damne to hell at his pleasure whom it pleased him commaund the Angels abrogat the lawes of God and therefore a god and aboue God Adde if you will to make vp the matter What Church in those ages euer knew those multitudes of Monkes the foure Orders of begging Friers the scarlet Cardinals this Pontificall pompe his Ianizaries and Mamalukes and lastly his Iesuites who are as it were the rereward of the Popes armie And yet of these doth your Church now consist and they must be beleeued vpon paine of damnation Herein Bellarmine and Baronius spend their labours and he that abates but a haire of that they affirme let him bee accounted as a Heathen or Publican That man on the other side that beleeues all this especially all those poynts that concerne the Pope though he be otherwise an heretike a prophane person an Atheist yet he is a good Catholike and in the right way It is now then your part to proue this your Church out of the Fathers Councels Histories yea euen your owne for I refuse not any But perhaps thou wilt aske though against the rules of disputation By what apparent reason it appeares that your Church hath erred and how it should bee likely that it hath hitherto receiued Christ his enemie for Christ his Vicar and how and in what part that corruption thou speakest of hath crept in Hearken my friend let not this preposterous presumption deceiue thee the Angels in heauen haue erred our first parents in Paradice haue erred Iacob amongst so many visions of God Israel in the desart in the middest of so many myracles haue erred the Church the Spouse of God vnder the Iudges the Kings in the presence of the Arke in that holie land though reproued by the Prophets verie often in the time of the first Temple and as often vnder the second and that which is more puffed vp with the doctrine of the Law euen to the forsaking of Christ himselfe the crucifying of him with her owne hands and consequently in her owne saluation hath erred What then should hinder but that it may now likewise erre euen to the receiuing of Antichrist that man of sinne the sonne of perdition and the adoring of him since both the one and the other proceed from the same spirit of presumption not to erre both the one and the other foretold by the same mouth by the spirit of God in his word and therefore of like certaintie Doubtlesse the Church then hath erred erred by neglecting the word of God and shall erre as often as she shall forsake the sea-mans compasse without which all things are to it vncertaine the heauens the sea the earth In so much that being left to her own discourse her owne cogitations it is no maruell if she haue erred if she doe erre yea rather it were a wonder and more than a wonder if without that compasse she should hold her course but a moment of time and not bee split in peeces against some rocke or suffer shipwracke vpon some vnknowne shore But whereas thou desirest to know the moment of time when this accident happened vnderstand my friend that this Mysterie was wrought in the darke for Antichrist is compared to a theefe that digs through the wall in the dead time of the night At what watch therefore he began his worke it is your part to know and to tell vs that stand sentinell that haue so long time before beene forewarned by God himselfe by whose either negligence or treacherie he hath inuaded the Roman castle and therefore your Church But thou art perhaps sicke of a dropsie thy bellie is swolne as big as a tunne thy bloud turned into water and yet thou wilt not hearken to the Physitian change the course of thy life vntill he tell thee the verie instant time when thy liuer began to be distempered to bee inflamed to grow drie and to be hardened into a Schyrrus whereas thou shouldest haue beene the first that should haue knowne that if it might be because there is no man so neere vnto thee as thy selfe There is nothing more ridiculous than to thinke that another should know it before thy selfe especially considering it is one of those diseases according to Hypocrates that at the first is most hardly knowne most easily cured afterwards by tract of time the symptomes or accidents belonging thereunto encreasing it is easily knowne hardly cured But yet I will not refuse to
and I will quickly make my selfe a Christian And that in Tertullians time also the Pagans were wont causlesly to blame the prodigalitie of the Christians You accuse saith Tertullian Tertul. Apoleget 39. our poore suppers of prodigalitie as if that saying of Diogenes might well fit vs The Megarenses feast to day as if they should dye to morrow And what of all this for were those Caenulae those little banquets which Tertullian speaketh of and these profuse feasts mentioned in Marcellinus all one And for whom were those suppers which Tertullian speaketh of prouided for euen poore and indigent people not for Consuls and Gouernours as Baronius reporteth And is not this falsely to alledge Authors But let vs see what Hierosme himselfe saith concerning these times OPPOSITION Hieron ad Marcell viduam Hierosme maketh Paula and Eustochium to write vnto Marcella in these words Read say they the Apocalyps of Saint Iohn and marke what is there said of the woman clothed in scarlet of blasphemies written in her forhead of the seuen mountaines c. There no doubt is the holie Church there are the trophies of the Apostles and Martyrs there is the confession of Iesus Christ But there is also saith he ambition and tyrannie which keepe men backe from doing good And in another place Luxurie of the bellie and of the throat seeke to ouerthrow the power of the Crosse And to the end that no man may say that he spake this of the Citie not of the Church of Rome in his Preface to that booke of Dydimus of the Holie Ghost hee expoundeth himselfe When I liued saith he in Babylon an inhabitant of that purple Whore liuing after the lawes and customes of the citizens of Rome I had a determination to write somewhat of the Holie Ghost and to dedicate the treatise to the Bishop of that Diocesse And behold that seething pot which Ieremie saw looking out of the North after the rod of the Almond tree began to boyle and the Senat of the Pharisies to crie out together neither was there so meane ascribe of that whole faction of ignorance who did not eagrely conspire against me As soone therefore as I was returned to Ierusalem as out of banishment and after that cottage of Romulus and those Lupercall sports saw againe that Inne of Marie and the caue of our Lord and Sauiour c. In these words therefore what doth he call Babel but the Clergie it selfe of Rome That Senat growne alreadie Pharasaicall and a verie faction and league of ignorance And now tell me whether he goeth not farther in this testimonie than Marcellinus doth As for the preheminence of Bishops according to the greatnesse of the cities If there be question saith he to Euagrius Orbis maior est vrbe Hieron in Epist ad Euagr. of authoritie the world is greater than the citie so called they Rome why doest thou then enthrall the whole Church to a few men And whence commeth this presumption For wheresoeuer there is a Bishop whether at Rome or at Eugubium whether at Constantinople or at Rhegium marke how he confoundeth the greater cities with the lesser he is of the same dignitie and Priesthood Riches and pouertie make not one lesse or greater than another for they are all successors of the Apostles And so are these words inserted into the decree And speaking in another place of Bishops in generall Hieron in Epist ad Heliodo to 1 It is no easie matter saith he to stand in the place of Paul and to maintaine the dignitie of Peter that is to be a Bishop reckoning all Bishops to be successors of Paul and Peter Basil Epist 55. speaking in the same sence in which Saint Basil spake when he said That Ambrose was called to the Apostolicall gouernement when hee was made Bishop of Milan And doe you thinke that this holie Father Basil can passe ouer with silence the pride of Rome or if he happily let flie some words shall we therefore condemne him as a Pagan So it was that in those lamentable combustions of the East he thought to haue found some comfort in the West but he quickly found himselfe in an errour For if the anger of God saith he continue still vpon vs what comfort will the pride of the West affoord vs who neither doe know neither yet will haue the patience to be rightly informed of the truth of things as lately appeared in the case of Marcellus being euer prepossessed with vaine surmises and idle iealousies For my owne part I was once minded to haue written a priuat letter to their Captaine meaning Damasus not concerning any Church affaires Coryphaeo Basil Epist 10. but onely to let him vnderstand That they neither rightly vnderstood the state of our cause nor tooke the course to bee duely informed of it In briefe That they ought not to bruise a broken reed nor oppresse those who were alreadie humbled by affliction nor yet reckon their pompe for honour seeing that that verie sinne is ynough alone to set a man at enmitie with God And this he wrot to that great personage Eusebius Samosatenus who carried on with an incredible zeale ran from countrey to countrey seeking to repaire the decayes and ruines of the Church whilest Athanasius and Basil trauelled in the East opposing themselues against the Arrians and praying in aid from the Churches of the West and from Damasus himselfe who hand in bosome lightly regarded them conceiting out of hare-brained humor which proceeded from his pride that Basil himselfe was an heretike and therefore would not forsooth vouchsafe him an answer Whereupon Basil and his fellowes sent letters to the Bishops of the West by name to those of Italie and France It being impossible say they Basil Epist 70. that they should be ignorant of our miserable estate so well knowne throughout the world and yet they receiued no comfort from them And farther they requested them not Damasus to joyne with them for the procuring of a lawfull and free Synod After this they redoubled their letters Idem Epist 78. coniuring them to informe the Emperour of these troubles in the East from whom and not from Damasus they hoped for redresse And by a third dispatch sent by Dorotheus a Priest Basil reproacheth them for their want of charitie in not daining to visit and to comfort them in their afflictions offering if any imputation lay vpon him to cleere himselfe when and wheresoeuer they should appoint him At last in a fourth letter he breaketh forth into these tearmes We haue saith he venerable brethren set our eyes vpon you Basil Epist in Addition Ep. 1. but our hope hath proued vaine so that we may now sing I haue looked for one that would sorrow with me but no man came vnto me for one to comfort me but I found none for our afflictions are such as that they which dwell euen in the vtmost borders of the West should in duetie ere this haue
yeelded all due reuerence to the See Apostolike Onuphr in Fast an 382. And lastly Onuphrius obserueth That two yeares after he approued it in open Synod at Rome as an Oicumenicall or Generall Councell though neither the Pope in person nor anie for or from him assisted at it whereas that other at Rome where Damasus himselfe presided is scarcely accounted in the number of prouinciall Synods And now let the reader judge where this pretended Primacie of the Popes was in those dayes But now let vs see what newes with Baronius First he sayth That this Councell of Constantinople was called jointly by Theodosius and Damasus Bishops of Rome and who saith he can doubt hereof May it please him Baron vol. 4. an 381. art 20. it should seeme that Socrates and Sozomene doubted of it when they tell vs Socrat. l. 5. c. 10. Sozom. l. 7. c. 7. That the Emperour without delay laboured as much as in him was to assemble a Councell of all sorts So also as it seemeth did the Fathers themselues of that Councell who in their Synodall Epistle say in this manner Wee here assembled by his commaundement Epist Synod in to 1. Concil c. meaning the Emperour And in that other Epistle of theirs which they wrote the Summer following to Damasus Britto Ambrose and other Bishops of the West where they shew that they of the East were not called to the Synod of Rome it selfe which was at the same time readie to meet by letters from Damasus Theodor. l. 5. c. 8. 9. Socrat. l. 5. c. 10. Sozom l. 7. c. 12. but from the Emperour So likewise doe all the Church Histories which tell vs that the Emperour hauing heard the resolution of the Orthodox Fathers in the Synod of Rome much desired to assemble another of all sects hoping by that means to make them fall to some agreement not borrowing anie authoritie from Rome And to conclude the practise of all auncient times seemeth to doubt hereof seeing that in that verie yeare a Councell was called at Aquileia by the Emperor Gratian Concil Aquil. in ep ad Gratian. Valent. Theodos in 1. Vol Concil Theodor. l. 5. c. 9. Sozom. l. 7. c. 9. where Ambrose himselfe was present and the deputies of the Churches of France and Afrike as he affirmeth and seeing also that Damasus himselfe became an humble suiter to the Emperours Theodosius and Gratian to graunt a warrant for the calling of a Councell the yeare following at Rome being much offended that Flauianus had succeeded Paulinus in the Church of Antioch for how could he grant leaue to others who asked for himselfe And of this verie Councell it is that S. Hierosme speaketh in his Epistle to Eustochium When the imperiall letters sayth he had assembled at Rome the Bishops of the East and West Hieron ad Eustoch ep 27. she then saw verie admirable personages Bishops of Christ Paulinus Bishop of Antioch and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamis And now let Baronius tell me whether a man may not haue reason to doubt thereof Well sayth Baronius yet the best is To. 1. Concil that Damasus did at least confirme this Councell And we must see whether he did or no and how he confirmed it whether to authorise it or else to submit himselfe vnto it For the first we haue a Synodall Epistle directed to Theodosius with the Acts of that Synod annexed thereunto wherein as called together by his commaund they jointly yeelded him an account of what they had there enacted requesting him by his seale and sentence to confirme and ratifie their decrees Baronius telleth vs Baron to 4. an 381. art 38. that this they did onely in policie to engage Theodosius in the maintenance of their profession And what need seeing the world taketh notice that he was as zealous for religion as was the best of them And for Damasus that he approued indeed this Councell but that he did it likewise for a purpose which was to make the Greeke Church sure against the heresie of Macedonius and I would faine know where it is that he findeth it All a matter sayth Baronius but so it is that he did confirme it for Photius hath it in his booke of seuen Synods Surely this man did well and wisely not to quote the place for feare his jugling should be discouered The words of Photius are these And a little after saith he they vnderstood that Damasus also Bishop of Rome had confirmed them as being of the same opinion with them meaning with the Fathers of Constantinople And doth this proue that they required his authoritie to confirme their Acts or rather that he confirmed them onely by yeelding assent and submitting himselfe vnto them And yet such is his madnesse as to say that he confirmed it fraudulently and for a purpose onely not to auow the Canon there made for the place and dignitie of the Bishop and Church of Constantinople making his dreames and idle fancies to stand in ballance against the soliditie and weight of all Histories by vs alledged and going to persuade vs that by vertue of a Councell shortly after assembled at Rome Paulinus borne out by Damasus was restored to his See and Flauian who was there placed by the Councell of Constantinople dispossessed and all this without either argument or Author other than his owne fantasticall assertion Thirdly Baronius verie stiffely maintaineth Baron to 4. an 382. art 18. that notwithstanding this Canon of the Councell of Constantinople yet still causes of weight and importance were reserued to the See of Rome such as were Heresie and Schisme deposing of Bishops and the like and that these causes were brought to him by way of Appeale And surely for heresie and schisme we cannot denie that scarcely euer was there anie heretike or schismatike condemned by his owne Church which presently had not recourse to Rome and that manie of them haue beene fostered and supported there That the Popes themselues through an vsuall natiue greedinesse of drawing moulture to their mill and causes to their Consistorie were oftentimes deceiued herein But this we denie that these causes went to him by Appeale which is alwayes made from the sentence of an inferior judge to the finall decree of a superior and that not so much as the name of an Appeale much lesse the thing it selfe is to be found either in the Historie or in the Practise of the Church no not in this age which we now speake of though this pretended Monarchie at this time aduanced her selfe the most she could Bellarmine yet deriueth it from verie farre and from the time of Marcion the heretike who being excommunicated in Pontus came to Rome But this I aske whether Ireneus or Tertullian doth affirme that he came by way of Appeale or doth not Epiphanius say that they sent him backe againe with these tearmes Epiph. cont Marcion here 42. We may not receiue thee without the permission
haue or at any time heretofore haue had Baronius saith Baron an 472. art 3 4 5. That the good Emperour was ouertaken by the wiles and subtilties of Acatius and indeed it were hard if he should haue nothing to say But in vaine did Simplicius oppose against it whether before Leo or before Basiliscus and therefore Gelasius An. 493. which came after changed his stile and not alledging for himselfe either the Nicene Canon as Leo did or the ancient obseruation of the Church as others held himselfe fast to his Tues Petrus This goeth not saith he by any Synodall constitutions Gelas in Epist ad Dardanos but by the verie voyce of the Gospell Tues Petrus c. And why then did his predecessors especially Leo make their verie throats hoarse with crying out and alledging alwayes the Nicene Councell But Gelasius hereupon depriued Constantinople of the right of Patriarchship and hauing so done pronounced openly That the See of Rome might without a Synod of himselfe either absolue those whom a Synod had wrongfully condemned or condemne such as had deserued it and so setteth his See vp aboue all Councels Ib. And againe The Canon saith he hath so ordained that all Churches ought to appeale to this See and from this See to none because this See iudgeth of all Churches and no Church of it as being without spot or wrinkle and yet as much without spot or wrinckle as she was his verie next successor Anastasius see I pray you whither this pretended prerogatiue caried the Church was defamed for the heresie of Acatius which was oppugned by Gelasius and he was indeed a meere Acatian doe Baronius what he can to free him from this imputation Liber Pontificalis For the Pontificall booke in expresse tearmes saith That many Priests and others of the Clergie withdrew themselues from his communion for that without the priuitie or knowledge of the Bishops Priests and Clergie of the Catholike Church he had secretly entertained coÌ„munion with a certaine Deacon of Thessalonica called Photinus who was of communion with Acatius and because he sought meanes vnder hand to call home Acatius which yet he could not effect being preuented by God and stroken by his dreadfull judgement By these Maximes therefore of Gelasius it appeareth what a large step he had made into this tyrannie ouer the Church but yet he forbore to meddle with the ciuil gouernment and it seemeth he prophesied to vs as sometimes Caiphas did Gelasius de Anathematis vinculo when he gaue vs this rule following There were saith he before the comming of Christ some in figure appointed ouer temporall affaires who were both Kings and Priests as was Melchisedech which manner the diuell also imitated in some of his seruants as his custome is euer to attribute to himselfe those things which properly belong to diuine worship in that some of the Heathen Kings were also Priests But since the true Priest and King came into the world there hath not beene found an Emperour which hath taken vpon him the Title of a Priest nor yet a Priest which vsurped the regall dignitie c. But Christ remembring well mans frailtie for his elect sake hath distinguished these two authorities by seuerall offices properly appertaining to either of them so that the Christian Emperours haue need of the Priests for their soules health and the Priests of them for the course of worldlie matters so that the spirituall profession is seperated from the world and a souldier of Christ may not busie himselfe in the affaires of this world neither he who is busied in earthlie affaires may presume to gouerne in holie things to the end that the one supporting the other they might not rebell the one against the other I referre me now vnto the Reader whether Gelasius his successors haue kept themselues within those bounds which hee prescribed and whether they haue not fallen within the compasse of his condemnation as followers of the Pagans and guided by the instinct of the diuell Instinctu diabolico while they thus encroach vpon the temporall estate For what Bellarmine or what Baronius can reconcile those maximes and positions of Gregorie the seuenth called Hildebrand with these of Gelasius And for conclusion we may not forget that because Gelasius wrot once in approbation of certaine writings of Honoratus Bishop of Marseilles whom Gennadius reporteth onely to haue sent him his bookes Baronius inferreth That it belongeth properly to the Bishop of Rome to approue and censure bookes What a little wind will serue to fill the sayles of these mens pride and arrogancie Belike so many learned personages as wrot vnto Saint Augustine Hierosme and others for their approbation of their writings tooke them to be Popes and so did they take others when they Imparted their bookes vnto them which is so absurd and friuolous as nothing can be more And thus come we now to the yere of our Lord 500. 13. PROGRESSION What wicked and vnlawfull meanes men vsed about this time to aspire vnto the Popedome ABout the yeare 500 Italie was all wasted by the Northerne nations An. 500. who swarmed there in great numbers which had been ynough to haue suppressed their ambition had it not passed the bounds of all humanitie But it was such that euerie day it attempted something and for want of worke abroad would sometimes busie it selfe at home Insomuch that it grow an ordinarie matter to put in for the Popedome many yeares before the Pope was dead to get voyces before hand by word of mouth and sometime by deed indented and to procure them by presents and other meanes Synod Roma sub Symmach can 2. 3. as appeareth by the Synod which was held at Rome vnder Symmachus Whereof ensued commonly sedition murders and slaughters insomuch that it was necessarie for the Emperours euen such as they called and accounted barbarous to preuent the mischiefes which vsually ensued of their factious combinations Wherein those holie men would neuer haue beene so eagre a they were had they not needed something else more than they did the sheepe of Christ And yet if we may beleeue Gratian in the middest of all these villanies Symmachus had the face to say D. 40. C. non nos Ennod. in Apâ—log Symmach That Saint Peter had transmitted and passed ouer to his successors together with the inheritance of his innocencie a perpetuall gift of well deforming and what was granted him for the brightnesse and beautie of his deeds belongeth to them who are enlightened with the like holinesse of conuersation For who can doubt saith he but that he is holy whom we see now exalted to so high a degree of dignitie who if perhaps he want merits of his owne yet is he sure to be well furnished with the merits of him which went before him in that place for he either prouideth that none shall be preferred thither out such as are worthie or if any other happen
Church to that of Rome or rather to make them equall each to other For whereas the Countie Iustinian tearmeth the Bishop of Rome Arch Pontife which importeth no more as Baronius himselfe confesseth than Archbishop this argueth not any superioritie but onely a Primacie of this See Neither doe those words in the letters of Pompeius Archbishop of the Vniuersall Church make any thing at all for Baronius his cause as if the Popes had at that time beene taken for Vniuersall Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is in the Greeke onely of the Catholike Church a Title long before giuen as alreadie hath bin declared vnto Basil and to Athanasius and to sundrie other Bishops Because as Saint Cyprian saith the Church is but one of which euerie Bishop gouerneth his part or portion alone without a consorts and the Bishop of Rome had at that time a great part vnder him For I would know when Pope Agepete consecrated Mennas by the name of Vniuersall Bishop whether he purposed to make him Pope or no and Dorotheus Bishop of Thessalonica though inferiour in degree to the Patriarches yet calleth he the Bishop of Rome Father and fellow Minister and Companion in seruice Fourthly wee shall best judge of the cause by casting our eye vpon the effects It sell out therefore that one of Horâ—isda his Legats had been foulely outraged at Thessalonica Dorotheus which had euer much fauoured them before was accused as author of that outrage Whereupon Hormisda sent vnto his Legats That they should be instant with the Emperour that Dorotheus might be deposed and banished into some farre countrey or otherwise sent to Rome vnder sure and sufficient gard and withall that one Aristides who was supposed to haue had a finger in that businesse should not succeed him The Emperour his answer was That there was no reason why he should be sent to Rome to be heard there where they might easily acquit themselves for want of an accuser And so all his punishment was to be sent for a few dayes to Heraclea and then was he restored to his See againe How farre are these proceedings from that power which the Pope pretendeth And yet haue we no more of all this matter than we find in an Epistle of one of those Legats to Hormisda Here Baronius Baron vol. 7. an â—19 art 140. as his manner is crieth out Is it possible that Iustice vnder an Emperor who taketh his name from Iustice should be thus forestalled through money in the cause of the holie Father for that was the imputation which Iohn one of the Legats laied vpon the Emperour But if somewhat staieth Baronius his stomacke that the Emperour shortly after consulted the Pope vpon certaine points of faith And what of that for his place considered what more vsuall or what would he inferre thereupon Moreouer he pleaseth himselfe much in a certaine sentences taken out of a certaine letter which he wrot vnto Hormisda which sentence hee causeth to bee printed in great letters Ib. art 98. We beleeue and hold for Catholike that which was intimated to vs by your religious answer O how dangerous a thing it is to deale fairely with this kind of people And what shall we oppose this faire dealing against all those proceedings formerly by vs declared And yet he cutteth off this sentence with an c. whereas commonly he is no niggard in reciting whole Epistles and therefore we haue reason to suspect that something followeth which if it were knowne would maâ—e his cause especially considering that these Epistles are taken out of the Vatican and the greater part of them as yet remaine vnprinted Fiftly and lastly he maketh much of one Possessor a Bishop of Afrike who sent a certaine commentarie which he had composed vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul vnto Hormisda and complaineth that he could receiue no answer The reason was saith he Ib. an 52â— art 12 13 14. because hee well knew that the Catholike Church admitteth of no interpretation of holie Scriptures but onely such as were first approued by the Apostolike See And where I pray you can he shew vs that Saint Cyprian Hilarie Ambrose Augustine Ierome Chrysostome and others euer sent their bookes to him for his approbation or what should they haue done to haue gotten their bookes approued when Pope Marcellinus sacrificed vnto Idols and when Liberius became an Arrian and when many of the rest turned Heretikes To what purpose therefore serueth all this discourse of Baronius but onely to busie and to abuse mens thoughts with childish vanities 16. PROGRESSION That Iohn Bishop of Rome was sent embassador from Theodoric to the Emperour Iustine and what honour the Emperour there did vnto him An. 524. ABout the yeare 524 when Iustine the Emperour had depriued the Arrians of those Churches which they had in Constantinople Theodoric then king of Italie and a professed Arrian tooke offence thereat and sent Iohn Bishop of Rome his embassadour vnto him The Popes now vse to send kings in their errands assisted with certaine Senators to intreat him to restore them to their Churches if not to tell him That he purposed to serue the Catholikes throughout Italie with the same sauce Liber Pontif. in Iohan. 1. And the Pontificall booke saith That they entreated the Emperour with many salt teares and that in the end they obtained their request Which he repeateth two seuerall times howsoeuer Baronius would faine disguise the matter And Nicephorus reporteth That when Iohn Bishop of Rome was brought to an equall seat where Epiphanius Bishop of Constantinople was to sit side by side with him for he neuer contested with him for the precedencie he was not therewith content but required to bee placed vp aboue Epiphanius in a throne by himselfe which perhaps was granted vnto him in regard of his qualitie of embassadour And Marcellinus speaking hereof saith That dexter dextero Ecclesiae assedit solio â—eaning that Epiphanius gaue him the right hand which if we will credit Baronius in many places of his booke is the lesse honourable place But the Pontificall booke maketh sure worke and saith That the Emperour Iustine in honour vnto God prostrated himselfe before the Pope and adored him OPPOSITION Theodoric though an Arrian yet much commended for his great moderation whether it was because he could not endure this pride or whether he had beene informed that he had suffered himselfe to be led away by those extraordinarie honours which Iustine had done vnto him immediatly vpon his returne to Rauenna chipt him vp in prison where he continued to his dying day Which made the Popes for a while after not to carrie themselues so briâ—kly as before Yet persuaded they the common people Paul Diac. l. 25. that a certaine good man had seene the soule of Theodorie caried betweene this Iohn and Symmachus the chiefe Senator whose head he had taken off into the isle of Lipara by Sicilie there to be cast headlong into
to the Communion of the Church Which Church of Carthage the Popes had excommunicated long before for that those 227 Fathers of Afrike assembled in the sixt Councell of Carthage had decreed as hath beene alreadie declared That they had no need of their Legats à Latere nor yet of Appeales to Rome and that they were able ynough by the grace of God and by the assistance of his holie Spirit to decide their owne controuersies by themselues at home For saith he Aurelius Bishop of Carthage that was he which presided in the said sixt Councell of Carthage with his Collegues so many great personages as there were and among them Saint Augustine himselfe by the instigation of the diuell in the time of our predecessors Boniface and Caelestine began to exalt themselues against the Church of Rome But Eulalius now Bishop of Carthage seeing himselfe through the sin of Aurelius to stand separated from the communion of the Roman Church hath repented him therof intreating to be receiued to peace and communion with her And by a certaine writing signed by himselfe and his Collegues hath condemned by the Apostolike authoritie all and euery such books written by what spirit soeuer against the priuiledges of the Church of Rome This poore Eulalius brought to this extremitie by the eagre pursuit of these holie Fathers of Rome who would neuer let goe their hold but tooke their aduantage of the miserable estate which those poore Churches were in being spoyled by the Vandals and oppressed by the Arrians so that they were neuer after able to hold vp their head Bellarmine therefore Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. l. 2. c. 25. who would needs persuade vs that the variance betweene those Popes and these poore Africans was not such as the world taketh it to haue bin let him tell me seeing that by occasion of that variance Rome did excommunicat them whether they could esteeme it as a light occasion and if it were or if they so esteemed of it what conscience then to excommunicat them for it such multitudes of people so many worthie Bishops and Saint Augustine himselfe being all dead in state of excommunication which was thundered our against them in a time when they were alreadie vexed with the heresie of the Pelagians and oppressed with the schisme of the Donatists and wholly ouerrun with that inundation and deluge of the Hunnes and Vandals and other barbarous nations Baronius to saue themselues from this scandal of excommunicating Saint Augustine condemneth this Epistle as forged and consequently staineth the credit of him which compiled all their Councels his reason is onely this That it is directed to Eulalius Bishop of Alexandria whereas Timotheus was at that time Bishop of that See and not Eulalius But Harding one of his strongest pillars Harding de prima Papae sect 28. answereth for vs That it was directed to Eulalius at that time Bishop of Thessalonica Wherefore let them agree among themselues as they will it is ynough for vs that wee haue it from them though indeed to justifie this Epistle we may farther say That it is taken in among their owne Decrees and standeth for good in the late edition of Gregorie the thirteenth ca. Ad hoc 7. with these words This chapter is read word for word in the Epistles of Boniface to Eulalius then Bishop of Thessalonica which may serue for an answer to all these friuolous coniectures of Baronius Moreouer Baronius thinketh that he hath gotten a great catch in that the Emperor Iustine and after him Iustinian sent vnto the Pope a confession of their faith which was a custome vsed by the Emperours vpon their installation in the Empire and not onely to the Pope but also to sundrie other Bishops of the better sort to the end that they should publish to the people That they were of the Orthodox faith because there had beene many Arrian Nestorian and Eutychian Emperors elected who had caused no small trouble in the Church OPPOSITION But that the Emperors meaning was not thereby to acknowledge him as Vniuersall Bishop besides that they did the like to other Patriarches An. 533. appeareth moreouer in this that they speake alwayes with reference to the Councell of Chalcedon which we haue heretofore spoken of as it is euident both out of their confessions and also by the Nouell Constitution 131. But to come to the matter Nouell 131. no law could be a bridle strong ynough to hold in that head-strong and vnrulie ambition of the Popes We haue alreadie scene the lawes of Odoacer and of Theodoric and Athalaric who succeeded after Theodoric was faine to doe the like For when as vpon the death of Boniface there went an open and a violent canuasse throughout the citie wherein some were neither ashame nor afraid to offer the Senators themselues money for their voyces the Seâ—at tooke high displeasure at these proceedings and thereupon they passed a certaine Decree which wee read in Cassiodorus in these tearmes Whosoeuer for the obtaining of a Bishopricke Cassiod li. 9. Epist 15. shall either by himselfe or by any other person be found to haue promised any thing that contract shall be deemed and held as execrable He that shall be found to haue beene partaker in this wicked act shall haue no voyce in the election but shall be accounted a sacrilegious person and shall be forced by course of law to make restitution of it Moreouer the Senat complained of this great abuse to the king Athalaric and the Defendor of the Roman Church joined in petition with them to the king who ratified their Decree by an ordinance of his owne directed to Pope Iohn The Defendor saith he of the Roman Church came lately to vs weeping and shewed vnto vs that in the late election of a Bishop of Rome some men making their benefit of the necessitie of the time by an vngodlie practise had so surcharged the meanes of the poore by extorted promises that the verie vessels of the Church was by that occasion set to sale But the more cruell and vngodlie this act is the more religious and holie is our purpose to cut it off by due course of law And a little after hauing mentioned the aboue named decree he addeth For this cause all that which is contained in that decree we commaund to be obserued and kept to all effects and purposes against all persons which either by themselues or others shall haue anie part or portion in those execrable bargaines What a pitie was it that the Defendor of the Church should be constrained to lay open this filthie nakednesse of the Church vnto an Arrian Baron vol. 7. an 533. art 32. seq But Baronius to make the best of a bad cause sayth That he did it by the exhortation of Pope Iohn but the Reader may obserue that neither in the Historie neither yet in the ordinance it selfe there is anie such mention made The conclusion is as followeth Our will and
to arise concerning the Church of Rome the Church her selfe should be reuerently consulted thereupon That they should receiue her answere and doe accordingly without passing anie bold sentence or decree in preiudice of the soueraigne Pontifes of old Rome and this is the 21 Canon And further note that this is the first Generall Councell wherein the Popes Legats presided which they mention almost in euerie line so great need had this wretched Emperour to seeke their fauour And these you see were the meanes they vsed to set forward their authoritie in the East neither were those anie better which they vsed in the West namely in our Fraunce where besides the continuall jarres which they alwaies maintained in the race of Charlemaigne they euer cherished those Bishops who were most engaged in them namely the Archbishop of Bourges vpon the controuersie which he had with Hincmar and which was debated in the Synod at Troies in Champaine alluring him by the profer of a Pall and Actard though not yet prouided of anie Bishopricke to make them sure on his side against Hincmar the defendor of the Liberties of the French Churches whom himselfe in his letters commendeth for his sanctitie of life The renowme of thy sanctitie saith he is neuer without commendation and againe Persuade your selfe sayth he that we beare as great loue vnto you as if we had conferred together a thousand times c. and yet ceased not to persecute him with all extremitie and violence OPPOSITION But to returne to this falsely so called the eight Generall Councell notwithstanding that Basilius were verie desirous to oblige Adrian to him yet would he not forgoe his right in calling the Councell for in the Preface thereunto he vseth these words To. 4. part 11. editio Venet. apud Binnium part 2. to 3. pag. 886 892 900. The diuine bountie saith he hauing committed vnto vs the sterne of the vniuersall ship meaning thereby the Church we haue speciall care aboue all other things to breake the tempests of the Clergie Neither was this anie controuersed point betweene them for the Bishops themselues there assembled in the sixt Action say That the Emperour crowned of God hath called this holie Generall Councell And in the seuenth He hath vsed all diligence say they to summon thither the Legats of the other Patriarchaâ—s and hath so farre preuailed as to make it a Generall Councell And Pope Stephen himselfe in his letter to Basilius Wherein sayth he hath the Church of Rome offended Hath not she according to the auncient custome of the Synods of Constantinople Te imperante at thy commaund sent thither her Legats And thus much for the calling of it As for the manner of proceeding Anastasius telleth vs That the Bishops hauing committed that grosse fault in setting their hands vnaduisedly to the Articles came weeping to the Emperour and told him That by their subscription they had put the Church of Constantinople in subjection vnder the Church of Rome That all the Decrees of this Councell ought to be reuised that they would take out their bookes againe that otherwise it was impossible to recouer their lost libertie So that they got some part of their bookes againe notwithstanding the anger of Basilius who stood wholly for the Church of Rome But the mischiefe was that the Popes Legats forecasting this inconuenience had gotten into their hands the papers of the most principall among the Bishops wherein they vsed the helping hand of one Sypon the archminister and of Anastasius himselfe And hence it is that the Grecians no waies hold this Councell as Generall saying That all things therein were carried by oppression and violence Jouerius in vâ—litati de octa Synodo and therefore they call the Councell of Florence held fiue hundred yeares after the eight vniuersall Councell and that other a Prouinciall onely and called not vpon anie question of faith but onely to bring in the authoritie of the Pope for the deposing of Photius in fauour of the Emperour And our Aimonius speaking of this Councell according to the judgement no doubt which men had of it in Fraunce in those daies speaketh in this wise Hauing sayth he assembled a Councell which they that were at it called the eight vniuersall Councell they tooke away the schisme concerning the deposition of Ignatius and the election of Photius restoring Ignatius and pronouncing Anathema against his competitor In this Synod they decreed concerning the adoration of Images otherwise than the Orthodox Fathers had aunciently defined Aimoni. Monachus l. 4. c. 28. besides some thing which they there decreed in fauour of the Pope in regard that he had concurred with them in the adoration of Images some things also did they ordaine contrarie to the auncient Canons and some things contrarie to their owne Synod as he shall easily perceiue that will but take the paines to read this Councell yet was he a Monke that spake these words Baron vol. 10. an 869. art 59 62 63. And shall Baronius be admitted to say that this was one of those old doting Frenchmen which could not away with Images yet can none of all these things be found now in the Tomes of the Councels And Bartholmew Caranza a Iacobin sayth That he found the Latine copies of this Councell so false that he knew not which to chuse and that he could not find anie Greeke copie to correct them by so that the case thus standing they may put anie thing vpon vs. Baronius to proue vnto vs that this is one of the Generall Councels telleth vs That the Popes were wont at their election to take an oath for the obseruance of the Generall Councels amongst which this is reckoned the eight in order But who seeth not that they did so for their owne proper interest and yet can he not pardon the Cardinall Iulian who presided in the Councell of Florence as Legat to the Pope for that vpon the reasons vsed by Marc Bishop of Ephesus he consented to haue this Councell discarded I will free you saith he speaking to the Greeke Bishops of this feare there shall no one word of this Councell be recited c. And againe We care not for this Councell whereas saith Baronius to goe from this Councell were to cast away both sword and buckler of the Church of Rome In which Councell yet there were but 101 Bishops and all corrupted by Adrian and Basilius Now in stead of repressing the impietie of this Emperour they made good vse of it for to make it yet more euidently to appeare that they aimed at no other marke but onely at the greatnesse of the Clergie in the 14 Canon it is thus ordained That Bishops should not goe forth to meet Princes and that when they happened to meet with them they should not alight from their Mules or Horses That Princes and Emperors should hold them as fellowes and equall to themselues If anie Bishop shall liue base and meanely or rustically after
priuiledge of the Imperiall dignitie Krantzius l. 4. c. 10. Saxoniae And also Krantzius with this clause verie perfectly relateth vnto vs That this Councell ought to be inuiolably obserued vnder the paine of excommunication of the Vniuersall Church Insomuch that it was necessary to put again in force the law of Charls the Great to bridle the monstrous lasciuiousnesse of the Clergie Which law neuerthelesse as they obeied it vnwillingly so vpon euerie light occasion they were ready to abrogat it so impatient were they of all good discipline For so soone as the Emperour had dismist his forces they recall Iohn who assembled another Synod deposeth Leo cancelleth his Acts condemneth the Synod holden by him forbiddeth it to be called a Synod but Prostibulum fauens adultris A stewes in fauour of adulterers Sigebert and as many as Leo had Ordered hee degraded whom An. 963. to the end they might signifie to the world That they had receiued nothing from Leo hee commaunded them alwayes to haue this word in their mouthes My father had nothing Luitprand l. 6. c. 11. and gaue me nothing At the last vpon a certaine night as Pope Iohn lay with another mans wife without the citie of Rome he was so stroken of the diuell that within eight dayes following he died of the same wound And here the Author crieth out O eternall God Fascicul tempo how different are these from those of former time O the bottomelesse depth of the iudgements of God who can find them out Some say he was slaine by the husband of the said wife And then the Romans contrarie to their oath chose one Benet without the consent of Otho or his sonne Wherewith the Emperour being much offended besieged the citie and tooke it in despight of the Romans dispossest Benet not onely of his Popedome but degraded him of his Priestlie Orders after he had acknowledged his offence reestablished Leo the eigth By which occasion it so came to passe that Leo to render some gratuitie to the Emperour made a resignation for euer both to him and to his successors Emperours and Kings of Italie of all the donations granted to the Church of Rome whether by any manifest deed or any Imperiall Patent or in any other manner whatsoeuer by Charles the Great Pepin his father Aribert king of Lombards or Iustinian taking as it were to witnesse the books of the holy Euangelists many reliques the holy crosse the hose vnseamed coat of our Lord the bodie of holie Saint Peter with many profound oathes taken before him and his Cardinals and by the consent and authoritie of all the people of Rome as well the Clergie as the Laitie of all degrees and of euerie Prouince being present and confirming the same In this resignation are specified seuerally all the Prouinces Isles Cities Townes Castles which are recited in the donation of the Emperor Lewis without any exception and also many others which were not there named And all this saith he take and possesse for the vse of your Court and militarie affaires to make warre and to fight against the Painims and against the rebels of the Roman Empire Adding besides That if any will attempt to hinder the effect thereof let him know That by the law Iulia he incurreth the punishment of high treason and purchaseth to himselfe the displeasure of Saint Peter c. At the last after a solemne Fiat Fiat all Archbishops Bishops Cardinals Priests and Deacons and all the principall officers of the Court of Rome besides the Consuls Exconsuls Senators and others that might adde any strength to the authoritie of this Bull subscribed name by name All this besides what is found in diuers auncient libraries with that other before spoken of is wholly related by Theodore of Nyem the Popes Secretarie whatsoeuer Baronius cauilleth to the contrarie For whereas in this Charter there were nominated foure Bishops of Italie which in the Synod the yeare before were called by other names that is to say of Alba Preneste Tiburtina and Nerni is it any wonder if among so many Bishops that were at this Synod foure should die within the space of a yeare and in the middle of so many confusions change their place Fasciculus temporum in sexta aetate 964. Fasciculus temporum seemeth to haue seene both the one and the other who briefely like himselfe saith thus This Leo ordained That no Pope should be made without the consent of the Emperour in malice towards the Romans who by force thrust in their owne friends and kindred Also he resigned to Otho and his successors all the donations of the Church made by Iustinian Charles and others to the end he might defend Italie from all inuaders thereof This he addeth of his own opinion That holinesse was departed from the Popes and come to the Emperours in those times And these things reach to the yeare 964. Neither is it to be omitted That this Iohn the thirteenth aliàs the twelfth who hath held vs too long and whom Platina calleth Sceleratissimum hominem vel potius monstrum A most wicked man or rather a monster was according to the saying of Onuphre the first who changed his name and gaue example thereby to others to follow him whom I wish in many things and euen in the worst they had not too much imitated An. 966. Now according to this order Leo the eigth being dead in the yeare 966 the Romans sent Ason chiefe Secretarie and Martin Bishop of Sutrie to Otho into Germanie to consult vpon the election of a successor who presently dispatched away Ogier Bishop of Spire and Linson of Cremona to Rome in whose presence the people and Clergie nominated Iohn Bishop of Narnie the sonne of one Iohn a Bishop the which according to Platina was the foureteenth of this name according to Onuphrius the thirteenth But not without tumult of the Romans who impatiently bearing a strange yoke cast him into prison and enforced Otho to returne into Italie to reforme their disorder Supplimentum Reginon anno 967. Sigon l. 7. De regno Italiae Otho 3. in Diplomate Donationis quod Asisij Seruatur But he in fauour of this Iohn by him created and to get the greater good will in Italie gaue vnto him saith Reginon the citie and territorie of Rauenna and many other things taken away from the Bishops of Rome by Berengarius Sigonius addeth That he confirmed by a new Charter the old donation of Pepin Charls Lewis but without author For of this verie time we wil vse no other witnesse but himselfe for writing to the yeare 973 thus he saith Though Italie were possest by a King and he an Emperor and by the Pope yet there was not in both of them the same authoritie the Pope had Rome and Rauenna and the other territories rather by authoritie than Empire because the cities acknowledged the Pope as Prince of the Commonwealth the King as the chiefe Lord
Pope had not so many temporalties as the Church of Rome seemeth now to haue because that great Emperour Otho and his successors the second and third of that name enriched the Church of Rome and other Churches in Italie and Germanie with secular dominions And so it manifestly appeareth in those books that were drawne of the donations made vnto the Church by the Emperours and kings of Rome and are still kept in the Apostolike treasurie or chamber That from the pompe of these temporall dominions sprung the neglect of spirituall things tyrannie gathered strength and diuisions in one and the same Church encreased Against which Otho quickly prouided a remedie extinguishing the two schismes at Rome whereof the one part had seised vpon the Capitoll the other the castle S. Angelo which hauing besieged and taken he cut off the heads of the principall of those factions and in a Councell approuing the one of these competitors he tooke the other with him into Saxonie It was not then obiected vnto him That the Popes might not be iudged but by God himselfe But it were to be wished saith he that such an Emperour would arise in our times that in this Labyrinth would abolish the multiplicitie of bookes that are so increased by reason of the multitude of writers touching this poynt that an hundred Camels can hardly carrie them For it is manifest how much it standeth all Christians vpon that the Pope be a man of pure conuersation no simoniacall or bloudie person no adulterer dice-player drunkard hunter leacher or publike whoremaster he toucheth the Popes vlcers of those times for who knowing the Pope to be such a one can without remorse of conscience or the sinne of flatterie kisse his hands or his feet or with a good heart call him holie Father c. Neither is the Emperour or king of Romans bound to keepe his oath or fidelitie giuen to a wicked Pope or other Ecclesiasticall Prelat that is a notorious and incorrigible offender For where abuse succeedeth all power ceaseth and an oath must be no hand of iniquitie for otherwise it must follow that an oath binding no man can hinder such as are wicked and peruerse or admonish them to returne into the right way which is contrarie to all law and reason hurtfull to the Commonwealth Because not to withstand the course of the wicked when wee can is to encourage them in their sinne and that errour which is not resisted seemes to be approued Neither doth that which the Canonists affirme contradict it That the Pope except he wander from the faith may be deposed That no man can iudge the first and highest seat or take away that authoritie and power which he cannot giue From hence they would inferre that none but God can or may iudge the Pope because the Popedome excelleth all dignities being the Vicar of God and iudging the whole world Whereas these Maximes in a supposed Pope and in these times of schismes are not in force nor can with reason be so vnderstood in an vndoubted Pope scandalizing the Church because he cannot be truely and properly called the Vicar of Christ that keepeth not Christ his commaundements nor followeth his example to the great detriment of all Christendome and therefore is more truely and properly called a beast than a Pope For he that wandereth from reason is not to be accounted a man but an vnreasonable creature And the Pope being such a one seemes rather a tyran than the Minister of God and therefere for his demerit is contemned of all and remoued as vnworthie from so holie a gouernement because a wicked Priest is not sayd to be a Priest and a wicked Bishop is no Bishop This is proued true out of the Gospell where it is conditionally sayd vnto Peter If thou loue me feed my sheepe whereby it is inferred that he that loues not God that is to say a simonicall person an adulterer or otherwise a publique incorrigible offender deserues not to be neither is the true shepheard of the sheepe but a mercinarie or a Wolfe because hee exerciseth not the office of a good an true shepheard and therefore may and ought to be iudged by others Wherefore he sheweth in another place that the Cardinall of Liege hauing forsaken Gregorie the twelfth for his many treacheries thus defended his cause That we must rather obey God than man L. 3. cap. 34. For if saith he the Pope commaund those things or enforce that to be done that shall endaunger our soules or bring them to perdition it is manifest that he is not to be obeyed either by the Law of God or man as Augustine Ambrose Beda and others doe affirme yea rather by not obeying and for that cause to endure his censures and seuerities is meritorious At the last amongst so many confusions he thus concludeth Cap. 41. But are these things the preambles to the comming of Antechrist Truely according to the opinion of our Sauiour the Gospell hauing beene preached throughout the world the consummation shal come before which there shal be a diuision and a departure from the faith according to that of the Apostle 2. Thes 2. Nisi veniat primùm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except there come a departing first And therefore he sheweth how the Empire departed from Rome And as for faith it was no where to be found Whereupon he saith Tu portentorum locus es conformis eorum Cum Nilo portenta paris nutris Crocodilos Iam cum portentis reor exterminia sentis Si quid in his possem facerem steritescere Matrem c. Thou art the place where monsters great are bred And Nilus-like where Crocodiles are fed Now like monsters race thou art rarely seene Had I power barraine had thy mother beene Which two notes saith he are euident in the Priesthood and the kingdome Jdem l. 3. c. 41.43 And whether these be foretakens of the comming of Antichrist let thâ—se iudge and examine that vnderstand the sence and meaning of God himselfe He therefore as we haue sayd heretofore looked not for Antichrist out of old Babylon but out of the bowels of the Church of Rome For he that thought here of the suburbes of Antichrist held him not to be farre off from the citie Those poore people looked for him out of the window that was before stollen in at the posterne Moreouer he saith he was the authour of another treatise intituled Nemus Vnionis printed at Basill in the yeare 1566 where in six books he sees downe all the stratagems of the Popes of his time the titles are of the first Via the second Inuia the third Semita the fourth Inaquâ—sa the fift Colles reflexâ— the sixt Labyrinthus A worke worthie the reading and so much the rather because the principall acts of this schisme are there produced especially in the sixt he deliuereth his opinion touching the schisme betweene these two Popes Behold saith he that it appeareth by this Epistle that is to say
consent to the dissolution of the Councell of Basill And if any be moued at it that they are readie to aunswer actum est ne agas That hee hath that promise from the Chauncellour of Fraunce that they had heard that the kings Embassadours allured with certaine promotions made great shew that the king would consent to the dismission of the Councell but that they had resolued to resist him to his face And there we haue a Treatise concerning that matter written in the yeare 1434 by Iohn Patriarch of Antioch An. 1434. which he caused publiquely to be pronounced in the great hall of the Couent of Franciscan Friers in Basill That a generall Councell is aboue the Pope It beginneth Ad ostendendum Where out of the Fathers and by the Decrees he bringeth it to this In 3. vol. Concil in Append. Concil Basiliens ad ostendend That the Pope is the seruant of the Church to be chastised by it if he doe his duetie amisse and confuteth at large whatsoeuer is alledged to the contrarie Let the Reader see the booke it selfe in the Councels At the same time whilest the Popes boasted that the Greekes did acknowledge obedience vnto them are published two bookes of Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica against the Primacie of the bishop of Rome In the first booke he sheweth Nilus Archiepisc Thessalon de Primatu That the principall controuersies between the Greeke and Latin Church proceed from this that the Pope will not be judged by an vniuersal Councell but contrariwise as a master among his disciples will be Iudge in his owne cause whereas he ought to be ruled by the prescriptions of the Councel and contain himselfe within the Decrees of the Fathers That the bishop of Rome hath not the same power ouer other bishops as a bishop hath ouer his Diocesans but hath onely the prerogatiue of the first seat to be higher than other And here hee enlargeth himselfe to shew the commoditie and authortie of Councels In the second book he teacheh That the bishop of Rome hath not the right of Primacie from Christ nor yet from S. Peter nor from the Apostles but that the Fathers for some causes haue giuen vnto him the first seat That he is not the successour of S. Peter but inasmuch as he is a bishop by which reason also all other bishops are his successors That he is not an Apostle much lesse prince of the Apostles That in those things which pertain to the rules of faith they may haue often erred That he hath no right to alledge his Tu es Petrus because that promise respecteth the Church of Christ and not S. Peter and much lesse him whom they would haue to be his successours That though we yeeld him to be first in order yet he is not therfore to beare domination ouer others this Primacie not inferring an order aboue others but a co-ordination with others Moreouer he rejected these presumtions of the Bishop of Rome That he is the Iudge of all to be judged of none That he is not bishop of a certaine place but absolutely bishop That he alone by his owne right ought to assigne an vniuersal Councell and the like seeing that the Primacie or rather first Seat was granted to him onely propter vrbis principatum because Rome was the first or chiefest in order among cities We need not here repeat how openly and as they speake formally the greatest part of the kingdome of Bohemia opposed themselues earnestly desiring reformation of the Church according to the holie Scriptures exhibiting to this end a confession of their Faith to their King to the Emperour and to the Councell and preaching the same publikely in the Temples which by publike authoritie were then granted vnto them Also after faith was broken with Iohn Hus how stoutly they defended it by just and necessarie armes God from heauen fighting for the safegard of that poore people vtterly frustrating all the endeuours of the Emperour and of the Popes against them as we haue aboue shewed out of Aeneas Syluius for they haue continued without interruption vntill these our times But it is worth the adding That those Waldenses who some ages before had brought this light of the Gospell into Bohemia abode still in the mountaines of Languedoc and Prouence and in many places within the Alpes and there kept themselues safe from the persecution of Popes and Papists In Lombardie also as witnesseth Antonine vnder the name of Fratricelli were some knowne to the time of Eugenius But in England especially the seed of Wickliffe was largely propagated where without repeating any thing of Sir Iohn Oldeastle of whom wee haue before spoken we read of verie many to haue suffered martyrdome for the same doctrine William Taylour Priest and professor of Artes in the Vniuersitie of Oxford An. 1422. An. 1428. in the yeare 1422 and William White in the yeare 1428 Author of many Treatises vpon matters controuerted in that time was burned for thirtie articles which by word and writing he had defended He taught among other things That the Roman Church was that withered fig tree which the Lord had cursed for barrennesse of faith That the Monkes and Friers were the annoynted and shauen souldiers of infernall Lucifer That against these the Bridegroome when he shall come will shut the gate for that their lampes are out With the same mind also Alexander Fabritius in his Treatise intituled Destructorium vitiorum wrot many excellent things against the corruptions of the Romish Church against the antiquitie of which he opposed this saying of S. Cyprian If Christ alone saith he ought to bee heard we are not to attend what men before vs haue thought fit to bee done but what Christ first before all hath done If Christ had knowne that man might more easily get eternall life by the lawes of Iustinian than by the law of God he would haue taught them vs with his owne mouth and would haue let goe the law of God till another time which notwithstanding he hath taught with great diligence and wherein is contained all the doctrine requisit to saluation Againe He is a betrayer of the truth who openly speaketh a lye for the truth and he which doth not freely pronounce the truth the Pastors of the Church which refuse to pronounce the truth of the Gospell and by their euill examples slay such as be vnder them are traytors and most manifest Antichrists The Pastors and Prelats of the Church take great paines in these dayes for the obtaining of dignities one in the kings kitchin another in the Bishops Court another in seruice of his Lord but none in the Court of the Law of God Proud Priests and Prelats against the doctrine and example of Iesus Christ doe beare dominion as the kings of the Gentiles Being vniust they oppresse theirs with superfluous traditions vniust constitutions These moderne Priests doe whatsoeuer flesh and bloud reuealeth vnto them therefore are they cursed
caetera diuina in the Church of the holie Crosse of Hierusalem said to be found in the time of Innocent the eighth Can any man doubt but that hee hereby mocked the Crosse of Christ That man who in the yeare 1494 in his rage published with his owne mouth a pardon for thirtie thousand yeares to as many as would say a certaine prayer before the Image of Saint Anne the mother of the blessed Virgine Benedicta sit sancta Anna mater tua ex qua sine macula peccato processisti c. Where were now the Dominicans who preached a contrarie doctrine This is that man who diuided the world amongst the Princes gaue to Ferdinand of Aragon and to Isabel of Castile the West Indies discouered at that time by Colombus But by what right if not by that wherewith he bound himselfe before to the Prince of the world euen to him that said vnto Christ All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me OPPOSITION Now in the Historie of these three Popes described by their owne friends and followers wee haue a kind of hidden or rather publike Opposition against their tyrannie For is there not here a liuelie picture of Antichrist whose name onely as Painters vse to doe they haue concealed Alâ—eric de Rozate inâ— bene a Zenon â—â—ol 6. num 18. c. de Quadrieâ—â—â—i praescriptis leauing to vs not onely to diuine who he should bee but to pronounce this verie man to be the man of sinne euen Antichrist himselfe Let vs neuerthelesse see amongst other Authors of that age whether it will not more manifestly appeare Albericus de Rozate an excellent Lawyer defendeth as many had done before That the Empire depended not vpon the Pope That the Emperour needed not his confirmation That they who thought otherwise were guiltie of treason and their goods to bee confiscated That the Popes Jdem in verbo Romae according to the present state of their affaires haue sometimes exalted sometimes depressed the Empire to the end they may get vnto themselues a power both ouer temporall and spirituall And these are his verses Curia Romana non petit ouem sine lana Dante 's exaudit non dantibus ostia claudit The Courts of Rome without the wooll refuse the sheepe Giuers they heare against no giuers the doores they keepe As likewise that of the Donation of Constantine I haue heard of men of great credit that there was then heard a voyce from heauen saying To day is the poyson of Aspes sowed in the Church of God and they say that this is to be found in the auncient authentique writings and so doth the said M. Iohn of Paris report in his booke of the Papall and imperiall power C. 21. Hieronimus Paulus Catalanus a Canon of Barcelone and Doctor of both lawes Chamberlaine to Alexander the sixt in his booke of the practise of the Apostolike Chauncetie feares not to say That the Donation of Constantine was not de facto Read Laurentius Valla and Pope Pius in his Dialogue neither haue I read any thing of any such Donation in any approued writer especially those that haue written that age or the next vnto it For neither doth Eusebius who was a diligent writer and enquirer into Christian affaires make mention thereof c. nor Ierome nor Augustine nor Ambrose nor Basil nor Iohn Chrysostome Amian nor Beda nor Orosius And it is apparent that for aboue three hundred yeares after Constantine the Emperours had the gouernement of the citie by Dukes Presidents and Exarches vntill the time of Innocent the second as it plainely appeareth in the Histories and Chronicles To which purpose he alledgeth many places out of the Digests the Code and the new Constitution And in the life of Phocas the Emperor we read that Pope Boniface obtained the Panteon of him Which is that Church that is called Maria retunda If therefore you will know from whence the Church had her lands and reuenues see the Acts of Charles the Great of Pipin and of Pius in the sayd Dialogue and the collections newly gathered by Bartholmew Platina the Liberarie keeper in one great volume wherein he hath gathered all the instruments appertaining to the state of the Church as touching their temporalties especially the acquisition of their lands reuenewes and rights vnto them vpon the reuiew whereof I haue likewise bestowed some paines Of the sayd Donation and cure of the leprosie of Constantine read that which Remus the Bishop of Padua hath writ at large in his historie of the liues of the Popes Both the one and the other the Donation and the Cure grounded vpon one and the same vanitie Hieron Marius in Eusebio Captiuo Mancinellus was yet more bold who vpon a solemne day about the houre of procession mounting vpon a white horse according to the custome made an Oration at Rome before all the people against Alexander the sixt openly reprehending his abuses his scandalous life and foule abhominations and hauing ended his speech exemplified it before their eyes Alexander therefore caused him to be apprehended and commaunded both his hands to bee cut off which were no sooner healed but vpon another feastiuall day with the like boldnesse he spake againe But by the commaundement of Alexander his tongue was presently cut out Machiauellus Historiae Florentin l. 1. whereof he died Machiauel the Secretarie of Florence in his historie saith plainly That vntill the time of Theodoricus king of Lombardie the Pope had no temporall jurisdiction yea was hardly acknowledged to haue any superioritie in causes Ecclesiasticall aboue the Church of Rauenna but that power and authoritie that it hath it got afterwards by diuers guiles and subtilties sometime taking part with the Greekes sometimes with the Lombards vntill they had ouerthrowne both the one and the other But especially their greatest power they attained vnto by the wicked abuse of their excommunications indulgences and publication of the Crosse but yet so that at what time they thundered most in countries and kingdomes most remote they were in greatest contempt at Rome hauing much adoe to reside there notwithstanding they promised not to intermeddle with ciuile causes but Ecclesiasticall onely Hee likewise saith That they were the authors of all the warres in Italie after the time of Theodoricus king of the Gothes and in his owne time of all those troubles that were in Italie That the Cardinals were but simple Curats of the Parishes in Rome increasing afterwards by little and little in wealth and honour and pride and titles and habiliments as the Popedome and the contention for the Popedome increased And in the handling of this subiect he concludeth the first booke of his Florentine historie which it shall not bee amisse for the Reader to take a view of Guicciardine also the Standard-bearer of the Church of Rome writ the like discourse in the fourth booke of his histories but the place was carefully rased out but
it was afterwards printed by it selfe at Basil in 8o. in Italian Latine French The title of the booke is Francisci Guicciardini loci duo c. which it were not labour lost to read Baptista Mantuanus a Carmelite a man famous for his learning in those times in many places but especially in his ninth Eclogue freely describeth the state of the Church of Rome in his time which he saith was in such sort degenerated that the shepheards and their dogs were become rauening wolues and those whom they should feed and defend they deuoured But let that which he hath in his third booke of Calamities be to vs in stead of the rest Petrique domus pollûta fluente Marcescit luxu nulla hîc arcanareuelo Non ignota loquor licet vulgata referre Sic Vrbes populique ferunt sic fama per omnem Iam vetus Europam mores extirpat honestos Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis ara Cynaedis Seruit honor andae Divum Ganimedibus Aedes Quid miramur opes recidiuaque surgere tecta Thuris odorati globulos cinnama vendit Mollis Arabs Tirij vestes venalia nobis Templa Sacerdotes Altaria sacra Coronae Ignis Thura preces coelum est venale Deusque And Peters house defil'd pines with excesse I name not things vnknowne nor secrets I rehearse Things common let me speake all countries say the same Yea through all the parts of Europe it is the same That honestie from Rome is fled that holie place Serues jeasters buggerers the Altars doe disgrace The houses of the gods with Ganimedes are fild Why doe we admire their wealth the houses they build Arabia Frankincense and Cinamon sells The Tirians goodlie garments Rome all things else Temples and Priests Altars and Crownes they fell for pelfe Fire Frankincense prayers heauen and God himselfe And all this in Italie Neither were they silent in Germany for it is noted that about these times the prouerbes were verie common The neerer to Rome the worse Christian In the name of God begins all mischiefe for this was the beginning of their Bulls He that goes once to Rome sees the man of sinne he that goes twice knowes him hee that goes thrice brings him home with him that is to say being neere the man of sinne is made like him But among the learned many haue left behind them a good testimonie of their conscience Iohn of Vesalia a Doctor and Preacher at Wormes was accused before the Inquisitors for holding these propositions That Prelats haue no authoritie to ordaine new lawes in the Church but to persuade the faithfull to the obseruation of the Gospell That the best interpreters of the Scriptures expound one place by another because men obtaine not the spirit of Christ but by the spirit of Christ That the Doctors be they neuer so holy are not to be beleeued for themselues and the Glosse as little That the commaundements of the Church bind not to sinne That the elect are saued by the onely mercie of God That the Popes Indulgences are vaine and so are the Chrisme Lent difference of meats holie-dayes auricular confession pilgrimages to Rome c. But for as much as he impugned the opinions of Thomas the Frier-Preachers who were of the Inquisition were moued against him Diether also Archbishop of Meniz to auoyd that suspition of heresie the Pope had of him was enforced to yeeld vnto them in so much that without any respect of his yeares or his long sicknesse they proceeded against him whereby he was enforced to reuoke his opinions He that writ his examination which bare date the yeare 1479 saith and takes God to witnesse That he was compelled to that recantation that he made and the burning of his bookes Examen Magistrate Iohannis de Vesalia Moguntia 1479. M. Engeline of Brunswic a great Diuine and M. Iohn Keiserberg withstanding it both men learned and free addicted to neither part especially it seemed to M. Iohn Engeline that they had taken too precipitat a course with so great a personage yea he feared not to affirme that most of his articles yea the greatest part might verie well be defended There are many bookes of his extant and among the rest a Treatise of Indulgences where he peremptorily affirmeth That the supremacie of the Pope is a humane inuention That the Church militant may erre That all things necessarie to saluation are contained in the Scriptures There liued at the same time but somewhat younger Doctor Wesellus of Groning called The Light of the world who in a certaine Epistle of his saith That he did expect that the Inquisitors hauing condemned Vesalius would haue come vnto him hauing defended his opinion both at Paris and at Rome against diuers articles of the Church of Rome And he feareth not to say That many of the Court approued it though it differed not much from the opinion of the Waldenses as we may gather by his writings Iohan. Wesellus de subditis superioribus In his booke of Subiects and Superiors he affirmeth That the Pope can erre and that erring we ought to resist him That by his simonie and wicked gouernement he made it to appeare that he had no care either of God or the good of the Church That his commands bind no farther than they are agreeable to the word of God That his excommunications are no more to be feared than those of any other learned and godlie man for so did the Councell of Constance hearken rather to Iohn Gerson than Iohn the 24 and all good and godlie men to S. Bernard sometime than to Pope Eugenius the third Philip. Melancton in vita Rodolfi Agricolae His workes are to be read printed by pieces at Leipsic Antuerpe Basill Also in this countrie his familiar friend Rodolphus Agricola was verie famous a man worthily accounted one of the lights of this darke age who was of the same opinion And Iosquin of Groning then yong witnesseth That he had often seene them both send forth many a sigh and grone to thinke of the doctrine of the Church so much deformed Gocchius Pupperus a Priest and Curat of Malin in Brabant taught the same reformed doctrine almost in all the Articles especially in that of the free justification of a sinner by the bloud of Christ rejecting all the glosses of Sophisters and Schole men betaking himselfe wholly to the Scriptures and namely to that which S. Paule teacheth vs That those interpretations which they commonly alledge differ from the word of God and smel of the heresie of Pelagian That they haue turned Christianitie into Iudaisme and Pharisaisme His bookes are Printed in Germanie namely Of grace faith the dignitie of the holie Scriptures and others In the Vniuersitie of Tubingue Paulus Scriptoris a Doctour in Diuinitie expounding the fourth booke of the Master of sentences openly condemned transubstantiation as not being grounded vpon the holie Scriptures whom the Augustinians the Disciples of Iohn Stauffich Prouinciall followed with diuers
it so that as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast that is the glorie of this Empire renewed in him should be killed 2. Thess 2. v. 9.10.11 And this in the meane time saith Saint Paule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much by open force as by the effectuall working of Sathan c. and in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse or as Saint Iohn sayth Apoc. 13. v. 12.15 by the enchauntment and cup of that Harlot of that Roman Courtisan who hath so made drunke the Kings and Princes of the earth with her flatteries and enticements that they striue who shall most bee set on fire with her loue and ruinat each other to get highest into her fauour so drunken are the inhabitants of the earth with the wine of her fornication miserable people whose Princes for to win her fauour made them drinke downe all her inuentions abuses Indulgences Iubilies Croysados as they call them and other abhominations without number and without measure that being stricken with giddinesse they might lose the vse of their sences Now is also this Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surnamed The man of sinne not without mysterie not without a notable emphasis And truely in this Seat more than in any other State we may easily obserue verie many Neros Caligulas Heliogabales monsters of all kind vniustice of tyrannie of impietie prophane Necromancers Atheists and worse if may be and of which their owne Histories doe euerie where testifie For which cause it was beleeued by many That so great was the pestilent infection of this Chaire that with the contagion thereof it instantly infected whomsoeuer sat in it So that because impietie in so high a degree should bee ordinarie and vsuall it gaue occasion to Saint Paule to call him the man of sinne and to Saint Iohn to tearme him the Whore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by excellencie In which sence the Euangelists sometimes a prostituted woman a sinner because shee maketh a continuall trade of sinning But let vs yet enter a little further Antichrist is properly called The man of sinne not onely because hee daily practiseth sinne but because hee seeketh gaine by sinne because he soweth planteth produceth and multiplieth sinne by innumerable cunning practises In a word if we beleue him he abolisheth all sinnes of omission and commission bee they neuer so haynous and horrible Yea which is more for to get in greater store of money that which is with God no sinne that which is indifferent hee by his lawes and prohibitions maketh to be sinne and exaggerateth it farre aboue that which is truely sinne Which things are sufficiently proued by the bookes of the Taxes of the Apostolicall Chauncerie and sacred Penitentiaries which yet are sold at Rome printed at this verie time in Paris at the signe of the Golden Sunne in Saint Iaques street and these bookes are no lesse commonly vsed among his brokers than Kalenders with husbandmen or the booke of Customes and Entries among merchants In which bookes are sold and taxed at a deere rate dispensations and absolutions of all kinds of consanguinitie carnall spirituall in regard of degrees or for want of age for imperfection of members naturall or accidentall or according as they are more or lesse noble or profitable for irregularitie for vicious promotion or ministerie without promotion what kind of consecration by their owne rules may thereupon follow for bastardize for Bigamie for all manner of maimes or for murder of all kinds of a Clergie-man of a Lay-man of father mother sonne brother sister wife c. And these same much lesse taxed than of the least Priest Also for impoysonings enchauntments witchcraft sacriledge simonie and their kinds and braunches for lapsu carnis fornication adulterie incest without any exception or distinction which I abhorre for sodomie brutalitie so they particularly expresse them Of which most horrible and enormous crimes the absolution is rated at a lesser price than is any the least dispensation for the eating of flesh of butter milke or cheese on dayes forbidden by the Pope Neither are they ashamed to adde in these plaine words These kind of graces are not giuen to the poore because they are destitute of goods and meanes and therefore for them there is no comfort And it is to bee noted That in our time they censured by their Index Expurgatorius made by the commaundement of the Pope and of the Councell of Trent that famous man amongst them Claudius d' Espense because he had sayd Claud. Espensaeus in Epist ad Tit. c. 1. writing vpon the Epistle to Titus That it was a great opprobrie to the Church that those bookes came to the hands of men but much more that they were put in execution in which more impunitie and wickednesse might bee learned in a moment than in all the Summists together Let the Reader vouchsafe to see the place it selfe so he take heed it be not an edition corrupted by their falsifyings But let vs prosecute seeing the matter so requireth both the merchandise and the merchants They sell dispensations for oathes for commutation of vowes for Offices Breuiaries Prayers Psalters for appointed houres for to say them after an other manner than is vsed in their Diocesse or after the Romane fashion or also for to say them backwards What inuentions to get money Also for reducing Masses to the proportion of the fruits permission to say them both before day-light and twice in a day Dispensations also of meats for the person Familie Kindred Colledge Citie Diocesse or Prouince all taxed by proportion Leaue to carrie about the Corpus Domini which they call here to carrie God to play once twice thrice a yeare or oftner to change his name surname and signe Cui bono to passe from one Monasterie to an other to visite the holy Sepulcher to vse Trafficke with Infidels by carying vnto them Marchandize lawful and vnlawful for the Iewes to haue their Synagogues publike or priuat for the Christians to eat of a beast killed by a Saracen When in the meane time these good Bishops as we haue seene haue made no conscience to take a yearely pention from the Turke So that in things indifferent and in things wherein conscience ought to be vsed they make no difference but determine according to their own pleasure they are often more scripulous in friuolous matters than in matters of weight and farre more rigorous and stricter in the obseruation of their owne inuentions than of the Commaundements of God And how farre and wide how diuersly is Simonie extended and spread abroad amongst them is it not by them forcibly thrust vpon the whole world That heresie which they deriue from Simon Magus the prophane selling of all things which they will haue to be accounted holie how farre is it from S. Peter Indulgences for a certaine price generall or particular for buriall before the Altar in the Quire in the body of the Church on the left side or
thou dissemblest it These Iuglers in the meane time are nor ashamed to tell vs in bookes printed to that purpose That Antichrist is borne at Babylon with the teeth of a Cat with rowling eyes growen to his full stature in an instant made knowen by his miracles and presently marching towards vs with a huge armie What opinion haue these men either of your sottishnesse or their owne sufficiencie that they should thinke to blind you with these fooleries How long shall they with their brazen faces goe scotfree or you euen with the losse of your owne soules with your leaden minds Shall they alwaies lull you asleepe with these fables and will you neuer find a time to awaken neuer haue vnderstanding to discerne them Let me therefore speake vnto you O ye people why doe ye still make delaies Being so often deluded why doe ye not obey the voyce of God thundering from heauen Apoc. 18. v. 4. 9. Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And O ye kings so long made drunken why stand ye at a gaze not executing the counsell of the Almightie which cannot be made frustrat nay which in a manner is alreadie fulfilled why doe ye not rather make that beast desolat and naked Apoc. 17. v. 16. and eating her flesh burne her with fire In danger otherwise to lament before her to be partakers of hir punishment her ruine since you haue so long enioyed her pleasures and committed fornication with her But thou O my Sauiour in the middest of this cunctation or rather carelesse securitie awaken and rise vp and come downe and behold the sinnes of this spirituall Sodome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are now consummat and come to their ful height Tread the wine presse alone though none of the people none of the kings ioyne with thee Esay 63.3 Gird thy sword vnto thee euen thy two edged sword wherewith that man of sinne shal be slaine the spirit of thy mouth thy holie word And let the wicked at the last cry out standing a farre off for feare of her tormonts Alas alas the great citie Babylon Apoc. 18. v. 10. the mightie citie for in one houre is thy iudgement come Let the godlie sing together and let them repeat it againe and againe Halleluiah Saluation and glorie and honour Apoc. 19. v. 2. and power be to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his iudgements for he hath condemned the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the bloud of his seruants shed by her hand And let me O Lord sing with old Symion being wearie of this world full of yeres and thirsting after thee Luk. 2. v. 29.30 Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation The saluation and deliuerance of thy Church from the hands of her enemies the Lambe victorious and triumphant shortly celebrating the mariage of thine elect with the immaculat Lambe Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen ⧠To the Reader POpe Paule the fift caused himselfe to be pourtrayed in the first page of diuers Bookes dedicated vnto him printed at Rome and at Bolognia as hath beene sayd in the Preface The first words of the Latine inscription are PAVLO V. VICEDEO take the numerall letters and you shall find the number of the Beast Apocal. c. 13. v. 18. PAV 5. L 50. O V 5. V 5. I 1. C 100. ED 500. EO 5. 50. 5. 5. 1. 100. 500. 666. THE MYSTERIE OF INIQVITIE That is to say The Historie of the Papacie Declaring by what degrees it is now mounted to this heigth and what oppositions the better sort from time to time haue made against it THE PREFACE Of the person of Antichrist of the time when and of the place where he was to be reuealed THe Mysterie whose proceedings we here intend to set downe in writing is none other than that which was foretold by S. Paule in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians and the second chapter and more particularly by circumstances and signes described by S. Iohn in the thirteenth fourteenth seuenteenth and eighteenth chapters of his Reuelation which Mysterie time it selfe from age to age hath euer interpreted by euents till now at length all prophesies fulfilled we see it clearely reuealed in these our dayes 2. Thess cap. 2. S. Paule therefore telleth vs That that day of Christ meaning that glorious day of his last comming shall not come vnlesse there first come that Apostasie and notable reuolt that is vnlesse some great part of the Church first fall away from the pure and vndefiled seruice of Christ and vnlesse that man of sinne be first reuealed that sonne of perdition which shall be ringleader and chiefe director in this desperate reuolt lost in himselfe and cause of perdition vnto others and is therefore called by S. Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a Destroyer Apocal. 9. vers 11. And to the end that none should take offence when these things should come to passe he forewarneth vs of the greatnesse of this reuolt by representing it to our vnderstanding vnder the name of Babylon and of an Horrible confusion comparing him who was to haue the chiefe direction and commaund in this worke Apocal. 17. vers 3. to a woman sitting vpon a Beast of scarlet colour eminent and in euerie respect glorious and consequently admired of all those who should behold her Ibid. vers 8. saue onely those whose names are written in the booke of life insomuch that euen Kings those I meane whom she shall make drunke with the wine of her abhominations shall giue her their authoritie and power to helpe warre vpon the Saints and that Peoples and Nations shall serue her for a seat to sit vpon Ibid. vers 13. The waters sayth he on which she sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues So that that Apostasie and that man of sinne make both together a kind of Estate or Kingdome whereof the Apostasie is the Bodie euen the Papacie which hath long since degenerated from the true doctrine of Christ drenching the world with Idolatrie and Superstition and that Man of sinne is the Head euen the Pope or Romane Bishop in whose person all this power and authoritie is combined and in his name executed Apocal. ca. 13. vers 12. And for this cause maketh S. Paule mention of an Apostasie and of a man of sinne and S. Iohn of a second Beast and of a Whore By which second Beast which exerciseth the authoritie of the first what can be meant but the Romane Hierarchie which hath deriued vpon her selfe all the authoritie of that ancient Commonwealth making the earth to adore the first Beast in the second that is the old
August de ciuit Dei li. 20. c. 19. Baron Annal. to 1. an 45. art 17. 18. sit vpon the ruines of the Temple of Salomon or rather in the church for the Apostle would neuer call that the temple of the diuell which was Gods temple And therefore saith he some imagine that this Antichrist note well these words is a Prince with the whole bodie of those which belong vnto him and thinke it more proper to expresse it in Latine as it is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in templum non in templo meaning that he shall sit as if himselfe were The Temple of God and his verie Church it selfe Ireneus l. 5. c. 25 Tertullian cauersus Iudaeos contra Marcio lib. 3. Hieron in Caâ—a in Isai c. 47. Euseb li. 2. c. 25. Ambros in 2. Thess â— c. 2. August lib. â—8 de ciuit Dei c. â— Andâ— Casaâ— in Apocal. c. â— In Beda Oecumen Lyran. Thomas Caiet in 1. Pet. c. vlt. Bellarmin de Romano Pontis lib. 2. c. 2. Tertul. aduersus Iudaeos lib. 3. contra Marciâ— Hieron ad Algasiam quest 17. Aret Andre in Apocal. 〈…〉 Glossa Ordin ibid. Hieron ad Marcellam viduam Idem contra Iouinian lib. 1. Which jumps with that maxime of the Popes adherents That in his person the whole Church resideth and consisteth Wherefore it is now manifest that Antichrist shall haue his seat in the Church Christian Now let vs see whether in the Latine Church or no. Ireneus surely searching after the number of 666 which is the name of the beast in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though in so obscure a point he pronounce nothing definitiuely yet giueth he vs plainely to vnderstand that he thou gâ—â— it to be there For saith he It is verie likely for such is the name of the Empire which now swayeth in the world They call themselues Latines So likewise doe Tertâ—llian Ierome Ambrose Augustine Andrew B. of Caesarea Beda Oecumenius Lyranue Aquinas Caietan and others when by Babylon they vnderstand Rome as well in the first Epistle and last chapter of Saint Peter as in the Reuelations And Bellarmin himselfe is cleere in this opinion and Baronius affirmeth that by Babylon in the places before rehearsed cannot bee meant but Rome much more when by the whore clothed in scarlet which maketh drunke all the kings of the earth they vnderstand Rome as Tertullian Ierome Aretas Andrew of Caesareâ— the Ordinarie Glosse Bellarmin also and Baronius and others doe Nay wee say fâ—â—â— her that the Ancients vnderstand it of the Roman Church whose corruption they saw euen in those dayes to encrease so fast for to her applieth Saint Ierome those words of the Apocalyps Go out of her my people saith the Lord and be not partaker of her sinnes nor of her plagues flye out of Babylon and let euerie one saue his owne soule for she is fallen she is fallen and is made a receptacle for diuels an habitation of all vncleane spirits For surely saith he there is the holie Church there are the trophies and monuments of the Apostles and Martyrs and there is the confession of Christ But withall saith he there is ambition and oppression luxurie of the bellie and of the throat which goe to overthrow the preaching of the Crosse And therefore he summoneth all well disposed people to depart out of her though built vpon Christ the true rocke by the preaching of Saint Peter and though her Prophets which deceiued her cried out Peace peace the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord to lull them asleepe in their owne securitie And he seemeth farther to strike at her verie Hierarchie when as in his preface to the bookes of Didymus of the holie Ghost Idem in Prefati in lib. Dyd de Spir. sancto we find these words When I liued saith he in Babylon an inhabitant of that purple whore after the lawes of the Quirites or citizens of Rome I would haue written something of the holie Ghost and haue dedicated the treatise to the Bishop of that citie and behold that seething pot which was seene in the Prophet Ieremie looking out of the North beginneth alreadie to boyle and the Senat of Pharises cried out at me all at once neither was there so simple and meane a scribe of all that ignorant rabble which conspired not against me Wherefore I am now as it were out of captiuitie returned to Hierusalem and after that cottage of Romulus and those Lupercall sports come to visit againe the hosterie of the Virgine Marie and the sepulchre of our Sauiour c. Had this holie Father liued in the dayes of our fathers and seene what passed in these later ages what would he haue said And truely to vnderstand those passages of the Apocalips of Rome Painim as some would haue it and not of the Church of Rome were to make it of a mysterious prophesie as all acknowledge it to be a meere storie cold and friuolous or was it fitting that the Prophet with so maiesticall a preface speaking in the name of God and by his spirit should aduertise vs that the Roman Empire should persecute the Christians which had alreadie seene the bloud of his brother shed and so many thousand Christians slaughtered in all quarters of the Empire And againe where will a man find vs in Rome Painim those ten kings made drunke with his cup seeing there were in Rome no kings at all And therefore the Iesuites themselues haue beene forced to yeeld this point Ribera Apocalip c. 14. num 42. 57. Viega in 17. Apoc com 1. sect 3. This must saith Ribera bee vnderstood of Rome not onely such as she was vnder the Emperours but also such as she shall be in the later dayes And Viega saith That the name of Babylon must be referred to her and not only to that Rome which serued Idols before it receiued the faith of Christ but also to that Rome which shall be in the dayes of Antichrist By which words what can be meant but the Papacie and the Church of Rome Ca. Proposait extra de prabeÌ„d Gloss ib. Lib. â— cerem Pontis c. 1. But some man will say When was it seene that a Pope called himselfe God And I answer That neither are the Popes themselues ouer sparing in calling themselues Gods on earth and the Canonists are ouer prodigall of such titles and of far greater also if greater may bee whilest they make them to participate of the Deitie and with power to commaund both in heauen and hell as the sequell of this discourse will but too apparantly declare and it were but needlesse to repeat here what I haue long since sufficiently proued in my treatise of the Church cap. 9. But this is the point and this is that which God so often forewarned vs of That Antichrist should enter into the Temple and Church of God with false â—eyes In all deceitfulnesse of iniquitie saith Saint
the other and both alike And what credit ought in reason to be giuen to Sixtus in a cause so neerely concerning himselfe especially when in the next precedent Epistle he contenteth himselfe with the title of Archbishop Secondly he produceth a certaine place out of Tertullian in his booke of Chastitie Lib. de Pudicit c. 1. where he taxeth a certaine Edict of Victor by which he receiueth adulterers vnto penance and whereof he baffleth the inscription I heare talke saith Tertullian of an Edict and that a peremptorie one to Pontifex Maximus i. The high Pontife the Bishop of Bishops saith I remit sinnes to adulterers and whoremasters which come to penance True it is that after that attempt of his vpon all Asia any thing may seeme credible of that mans insolencie and pride But who seeth not that Tertullian frumpeth only and jeasteth at him as also he doth at that other decree of Pope Zepherin For where saith he shall this liberalitie of his be proposed if in the Church how so seeing she is a virgine But a little after in the same booke he driueth this naile a little closer If saith he because our Lord said to Saint Peter Vpon this stone I will build my Church and To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen thou doest therefore presume that the power of binding and loossing is deriued vpon thee what art thou that crossest the purpose and intention of our Sauiour who collated it onely vpon Saint Peters person And consequently not vpon you Victor nor vpon you Zepherin farther than you represent Peter not in shadow onely as Baronius would haue it but in truth and veritie But grant we that he did call himselfe Vniuersall Bishop might not euerie Bishop haue done the same in regard of his charge yes verily and many of them vpon better reason considering the worth and dignitie of their persons But would the Pope trow you suffer their successors now to ground any thing thereupon in prejudice of himselfe Saint Clement whom commonly they thrust vpon vs as next successor vnto Saint Peter had not be like well perused and vnderstood his euidences Clement Constitut lib. 6. c. 14. when in his Constitutions he spake in this manner Wee haue written to you this Catholike and vniuersall doctrine to confirme you you I say to whom the Vniuersall Bishopricke is committed Jgnatius in Epistola ad Philadelph And Ignatius speaking of a Bishop of Philadelphia of his time saith That he was called of God to vndertake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the ministerie of the common Church as Baronius himselfe rendreth it Nazianz. in laudem Cypriani And Nazianzene saith of Saint Cyprian That he presided not onely ouer the Church of Carthage and Africke but also ouer all the East all the West ouer all the North Idem in laudem Athanas and all the South And of Athanasius That he presided ouer the Church of Alexandria nay ouer the whole world But he expoundeth himselfe in both of the first he addeth wheresoeuer the admiration of his name came and of the other That he gouerned the Church of Alexandria in such sort that the Vniuersall Church was benefited by him And would God the Bishops of Rome had done the like we neuer would haue enuied them the like honourable title Euseb in vita Constantin lib. 5. c. 57. Also the Emperour Constantine himselfe writing to Eusebius vpon the refusall which he made of the Bishopricke of Antiochia when it was offered vnto him You are saith he a most happie man in this That you are thought worthie in the opinion of all to rule the Vniuersall Church taking this word in that sence which Saint Cyprian doth when he saith That there is but one Bishopricke of which euerie Bishop holdeth his part in solid Cyprian de vnitat Eccles Baron to 2. an 216. artic 9. 10. As for the title of High Priest or Pontife Baronius alledgeth no other proofe but onely the imitation of the old Iewish law where there was a High Priest and of Paganisme which had Pontificem Maximum i. a High Pontife and groundeth himselfe especially vpon this later He saith he which was most eminent in iudiciall authoritie aboue all the rest was onely Pontifex Maximus Soueraigne Pontife among the Pagans Whence Festus saith that it was he who was reputed Iudge in all matters diuine and humane And to this purpose alledgeth this Cardinall all that which is spoken in holie writ of the royall Priesthood of our Lord Iesus O how weake a foundation is this for so huge a building Why did he not rather ground himselfe vpon their Rex Sacrificulus who according to his owne author Festus seemeth to be the greatest among the Priests after him Dialis the Priest of Iupiter then Martialis of Mars afterwards Quirinalis the Priest of Romulus and last of all Pontifex Maximus the High Pontife all which you shall find in Festus in the word Ordo whence we learne by the way that this word Orders was anciently taken from the Heathen 2. PROGRESSION Pope Stephen attempteth to restore two Bishops of Spaine deposed by their Metropolitan ABout the yeare 250 Stephen Bishop of Rome made the like attempt against the Bishops of Spaine and Africke In Spaine Basilides Bishop of Asturia and Martialis Bishop of Merida in time of persecution sacrificed vnto Idols and were therefore deposed from their charges Whereupon they had secret recourse vnto the said Stephen hoping to be restored by his authoritie which hee attempted to effect and thereupon wrot to the Bishops which were in Spaine OPPOSITION But this matter rested not there for the Churches of Spaine gaue notice of this attempt vnto those of Africke and presently assembled themselues in Synod The Synodall Epistle is yet whole to bee read in Cyprian the summe and effect whereof is In editio Turneb Epist 35. Pamelij 68. That the law of God suffereth them not to readmit such persons to their charge in holie Church That where the ordinances of God are in question there ought to be no acceptance of persons no relaxation in fauour of any man That their running to Rome or to Stephen might not cause the ordination of Sabinus to be reuersed he being there placed by due course of law and the other remaining incapable of restitution That Basilides might deceiue Stephen by wrong information but God he could not That they ought to hold themselues to that which themselues and all Bishops throughout the world and Cornelius himselfe their Collegue had formerly decreed namely That such persons might well be receiued vnto penance but neuer to Priestly dignitie in the Church In the whole course of which Epistle they euer call Cornelius and Stephen Bishops of Rome their Collegues Not vnlike vnto this was that attempt of Cornelius not long before vpon the Bishops of Afrike in the case of certaine false Bishops which fled vnto him against the censures of
bee so muzled by these excommunications for first Cyprian in his Epistle to Pompeius Cypria in Epist ad Pomp. 74. Among other things saith he which our brother Stephen hath written vnto vs either insolently or vnfittingly or contrarie to himselfe hee hath also added this If any man come to vs for what heresie soeuer making no difference betweene heresie and heresie which yet the Councell of Nice afterward thought fit to make let him receiue imposition of hands in penance nay farther saith he his obduratnesse of heart and obstinacie is such as to presume to maintaine That by the baptisme of Marcion Valentin and Appelles children may be borne vnto God Thus he spake and this he maintained in heat of contention contrarie to what the Church afterward defined because these retained not the forme of baptisme But saith he a Bishop should not onely teach but also learne and he is the best teacher of others who is himselfe euerie day a learner As if he had said That Stephen should doe well to learne religion by conferring with his Collegues not to lay his authoritie vpon them vnder a pretence of custome which not grounded vpon truth saith he Cyprian Epist 71 is nought else but an aged errour Saint Peter saith he the first chosen of our Lord vpon whom also hee built his Church when Saint Paul disputed with him vpon the poynt of circumcision carried not himselfe in this manner neither boasted he that the Primacie was giuen vnto him hee told him not that he was an after commer and that foremost must take vp hinder most or disdained him for that he had beene a persecutor of the Church but submitted himselfe with all willingnesse to truth and reason giuing vs thereby an example of patience not to be selfe-willed in louing that which proceedeth from our selues but rather to account all that as our own which our brethren shal teach vs for our good saluation of our soules And vpon these and the like tearmes he euer holdeth him But Stephen staied not here for he had alreadie written to the Easterne Bishops Euseb l. 7. c. 4. who held opinion with Cyprian declaring vnto them That hee could no longer hold communion with them if they persisted in that opinion as appeareth by that Epistle which Dionysius Alexandrinus wrot vnto Xystus who succeeded vnto Stephen and yet more plainly by that which he wrot to Firmilianus Helenus and others to whom also Cyprian had alreadie dispatched Rogatian his Deacon And the Easterne Bishops vpon the intimation giuen them from Cyprian grew much offended with the insolencie and pride of Stephen and therefore in their answer vnto Cyprian We say they haue cause indeed to thanke him for that his inhumanitie hath giuen vs large testimonie of your faith and wisedome yet deserueth not Stephen any thankes for the good he hath done vnto vs no more than did Iudas for that by his treason he became an instrument of saluation vnto all the world But let this fact of Stephen passe least the remembrance of his pride and insolencie put vs farther in mind of his greater impietie And a little after comming to the fact it selfe Although say they in diuers Prouinces many things are diuersly obserued yet no man by occasion thereof euer departed from the vnitie of the Catholike Church which yet Stephen now presumeth to doe breaking that league of peace with vs which his predecessours so inuiolably obserued He markes not what a flaw he makes in this precious gemme of Christian veritie when he betrayeth and forsaketh vnitie And yet say they Stephen all this while vaunteth himselfe to haue Saint Peters chaire by succession And this no doubt was that which animated him to presume so farre vpon the Churches But made they any whit the more reckoning of his excommunications therefore or did they not rather tell him That thereby he had excommunicated himselfe Surely say they a man full of stomacke breedeth strifes and he that is angrie encreaseth sinnes How many quarels hast thou O Stephen set on foot throughout the Churches and how much sinne hast thou heaped vp vnto thy selfe in cutting thy selfe off from so many flockes For so hast thou done seeing he is a right scismatike which departeth voluntarily from the vnitie of the Church Cyprian Ep. 4. And thou whilest thou wentest about to seperat others from thee hast seperated thy selfe from all other Churches c. Walke saith the Apostle in your vocation in all humilitie of mind in meekenesse and patience supporting one another in loue endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the band of peace c. And hath not Stephen well obserued this precept thinke you when hee breakes off now with all the Churches of the East and anone with those of the South Or hath not he with great patience and meekenesse receiued their embassadours who vouchsafed not to admit them to ordinarie talke giuing order with great humilitie that no man should receiue them vnder his roofe and was so farre from giuing them the Pax that he forbad any man to affoord them lodging Can such a man be of one bodie or of one spirit who is scarcely of one soule in himselfe And see whither this grew in the end He is not say they ashamed to call Cyprian false Christ and false Apostle and a deceitfull workeman For finding his owne conscience surcharged with all these imputations he wisely began to obiect that to another which others might farre more iustly haue laid vpon himselfe Thus then wrot the Churches of the East vnto Saint Cyprian as much offended with the insolencie which Stephen had vsed vpon this occasion so that Pamelius had reason I confesse to say as he did That he would willingly haue left out this Epistle as Manutius had done before him but that Morelius i. Turnebus himselfe had printed it in his edition How farre is all this short of that mild and temperat humour of Saint Cyprian Cyprian Epist ad Inbaianum Edit Paris 70. in Edit Pamelij 73. We saith he will not fall at variance with our Collegues and fellow Bishops for the Heretikes sakes We maintaine in patience and meekenesse the loue of heart the honour of our societie the band of faith and Priestlie vnitie And for this cause at this present by the inspiration of God haue we written a treatise of the Benefits of Patience And at the same time for a lenitife of this sharpe humour he wrot another booke of Zeale and Enuie Such were the essayes of the Bishops of Rome euen in the heat of persecution and such were the wiles of Satan to serue his owne turne and to set forward his worke by their ambition and bad carriage of a good cause But Constantine comming shortly after to restore peace vnto the Churches and as it were to shed forth the sweet influence of his liberalitie and fauour vpon them these sparkes of ambition fostered by his bountie and no waies restrained by
as for any confirmation sought for at Syluesters hands there is no mention at all made therein And farther that Epistle which we haue in the first tome of the Councels besides that it is most foolishly written is not Synodical but written as it is expressed in the title by Hosius Bishop of Corduba Macarius of Constantinople Vitus and Vincentius Priests of Rome whereas the Synodals carried alwayes the title Of the Sacred Councell and withall the names of some of the most famous Bishops and to what purpose the name of Macarius Bishop of Constantinople which was at that time scarce built Neither doth it mend the matter that Baronius in stead of Constantinople readeth Ierusalem Baron an 325. art 171. for why then should Hosias subscribe before him contrary to the order established in the Councell or why before Victor and Vincentius Lieutenants at that time for the Bishop of Rome and lastly why was not Eustathius Bishop of Antioch first named As for the confirmation it selfe of Syluester Baronius acknowledgeth that whole Epistle to be forged and proueth the falsitie thereof by the date Neither is there any greater reckoning to be made of the testimonie of Pope Felix as being a witnesse in his owne cause and liuing one hundred and sixtie yeares after this Councell and either abused himselfe or abusing others with that said counterfeit Epistle Euseb lib. 4. de vita Constant c. 41. Now there were sundrie nationall Synods held shortly after vnder the same Constantine for the confirmation of that first Nicene Councell as that of Tyre in the yeare 334 at Ierusalem An. 335 at Constantinople An. 336 Baronius quarels vs concerning the issues of them and of their confirmation But what can he say for the calling and assembling of them or can he shew that either Syluester or Marcus complained that the Emperour had done them wrong as encroaching vpon their liberties and medling with that which appertained not vnto him 5. PROGRESSION 1 That Marcus Bishop of Rome called himselfe the Vniuersall Bishop 2 That Iulius Bishop of Rome offered to restore certaine Bishops deposed by their Metropolitans 3 Of the Canon of the Councell of Sardica by which Bishops wrongfully deposed might flie to Iulius Bishop of Rome An. 337. 1 ABout the yeare 337 we haue in the first booke of the Councels an Epistle of Marcus Bishop of Rome successor vnto Syluester written to Athanasius and to the other Bishops of Aegypt wherein notwithstanding what hath beene alreadie said he taketh vpon him the name and title of Vniuersall Bishop Surely we may well imagine that this Epistle is of the same stampe with the rest There he furnisheth his cause with all the arguments which hee can deuise The Church of Rome hath alwayes continued immaculat and vndefiled by the prouidence of God and assistance of Saint Peter euer so to endure And againe The Lord in the Gospell spake vnto the Prince of his Apostles saying I haue prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile Socrat. l. 2. c. 11. Edit Lat. Sozom. l. 3. c. 7. 2 After which time we find in Socrates and Sozomene that Iulius successor vnto Marcus tooke vpon him by absolute authoritie to restore sundrie Bishops of the Easterne Churches deposed for diuers causes by their Synods Because saith he the care of all the Churches belonged to him by reason of his See therefore he wrot to the Bishops of the East telling them that they had done verie ill to determine and conclude any thing against those Bishops without his priuitie Where it is to bee noted that these last words without his priuitie are added in the Latine translation there being none such to be found in the originall it selfe And farther saith he Iulius commaunded them to send some of their companions to appeare before him vpon a day appoynted Epist Marci in 1. tomo Concil to giue a reason and to iustifie their proceedings against them And if this Epistle be all one with that which we find in the first to me of the Councels with this title In the behalfe of Athanasius and concerning certaine excesses against the Church of Rome then would he farther persuade them therein that the Fathers of the Nicene Councell decreed That no Bishop might bee judged but by his See no Synod called but by his authoritie and thence proceedeth to sharpe reproofes and reproachfull speeches concluding at last That whosoeuer shall attempt any thing against this doctrine is irreuocably damned and for euer deposed from his charge And farther That whosoeuer shall be deposed without his authoritie he will maintaine him in his place and addeth this reason For that euer since the times of the Apostles and lately by the decree of the Nicene Councell as much the one as the other all greater causes haue euer beene reserued to the hearing and finall determining of his See An. 347. 3 So likewise in the yeare 347 in the Councell of Sardica at the motion of Hosius there was a decree which passed to this purpose That Bishops deposed by their Metropolitans if they found themselues aggrieued might craue and haue a new hearing of their cause before Iulius Bishop of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which his successors since that time from a particular case haue extended to all sorts of causes and from the person of Iulius to all succeeding Popes and we now come to examine what Oppositions were made against these attempts OPPOSITION First therefore as touching the Epistle of Marc Athanas in Orat. Vnum esse Christum col 104. Athanasius himselfe might well haue answered him as he sometime spake in a treatise of his Thou art Peter and vpon this stone will I build my Church This is a faithfull saying and varieth not The Church is a thing inuincible And if perhaps Marc would haue gone to restraine this answere to himselfe and to his See Athanasius might haue replyed that though indeed he defended him yet his successor Liberius did openly condemne him namely when he wrote vnto the Bishops of the East in this manner Epist Liberij ad Oriental apud Hilar. in fragment I cast off Athanasius from our Communion not daining so much as to receiue his letters I maintaine peace with you embracing the confession of the Syrmian Councell which is all one in effect as if he had in expresse words renounced the Councell of Nice Wherefore S. Hilarie who liued at that time cryed out Ibid. This is an Arrian trecherie Anathema to thee O Liberius and to all thy companions Athanas in epist ad solitar vitam agentes col 470. Hiero. in Catal. in Fortunatian Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. li. 4. c. 9. Anathema againe and againe vnto thee thou false hearted double dealing Liberius And this is that accursed and wretched testimonie which Athanasius also and Ierome giue of him And Bellarmine himselfe acknowledgeth as much by reason of certaine letters which he wrote to Constantius the Emperour and
to be preferred he maketh them worthie so soone as they are preferred Gregorie in our time tooke the paine to reuiew the Canon Law and taking especiall notice of this Canon is bold to equall it with the Apostolike Decrees And I feare that ere it be long a man may more truly say that this See hath this especiall prerogatiue and priuiledge That either it admitteth of none but knaues or maketh them such so soone as they are admitted But what will Symmachus say to Gratian who speaking of Anastasius the second D. 19. c. Anastasius his predecessor saith of him That he was strucken by the iudgement of God because he communicated with Photinus the Deacon a disciple of that master heretike Acatius Anastas Biblioth in Pontific which is auerred also by Anastasius Bibliothecarius in his life OPPOSITION An. 472. Odoacer therefore Captaine of the Rugians hauing made himselfe King of all Italie about the yeare 472 for preuention of tumults which might ensue if Simplicius should happen to die made a Law and published it by Basilius in the open Vatican and before the Bishops there assembled That in case Simplicius should happen to die for the auoidance of trouble and hurt both in Church and Citie none should be elected without his priuitie Baron vol. 6. an 476. art 1 2 3. Which Odoacer hath at least this commendation from Antiquitie That he was neuer offensiue or troublesome to the Catholike Church in matters belonging to Religion though himselfe were a professed Arrian Cassiodor in Chron. and farther is reported to haue beene of so good a temper that in thirteene yeares space which he held Italie vnder his commaund he neuer tooke vnto him either the title or the robe of the Emperour who all barbarian as he was shall yet one day rise in judgement against these mens insolencie and pride True it is that Sigonius reporteth that this law was made by the aduise of Simplicius himselfe Sigon de Occident Imperio l. 15. 16. Synod Roma 3. sub Symmacho an 498. but what author hath he for it For the third Synod of Rome which was held vnder Symmachus sayth no such thing but tearmeth it in precise tearmes The Law of Odoacer And there was good vse to be made of this Law about the yeare 498 at the election of a Bishop after the death of Anastasius the second For by reason that Anastasius the Emperour had filled the fists of a great part of the Clergie of Rome to this end that he might haue alwaies a Pope at his owne deuotion it came to passe that one part set vp and named Symmachus Theodor. Collectan l. 2. and the other Lawrence and each faction kept quarter apart vntill in the end some being wiser than some the matter was referred to Theodoric King of the Ostrogothes who at that time reigned in Italie and he preferred Symmachus who not long after in a Synod at Rome abrogated this verie law as Sigonius reporteth And we doubt not of the mans good will but yet we find that this Law stood in force vntill the time of Benedict the second whom the Emperour Constantine Pâ—goratus Synod Roma 3. sub Symmach about the yeare 68â— absolued from the obseruance of this Law as Onuphrius himselfe acknowledgeth But these matters stayed not here For foure yeares after this wound began to bleed afresh Lawrence was called home to Rome where the factions fairely â—â—ll to blowes whereat Theodoric tooke great offence and deposing them both he placed Peter Paul Diacon l. 15. Nicephor l. 16. c. 35. Bishop of Alâ—in in the roome Paulus Diaconus and Nicephorus speaking of this accident report That there were infinit spoiles and murders committed by either partie the greater part of the Priests manie Clerkes and a multitude of the Citizens were there slaine Sabell Eun. 8. l. 2. and the holie virgins themselues as Sabellicus writeth were not spared in those seditions Yet must all this passe for zeale towards the Church Ennod. in Epist ad Faustum insomuch that one Ennodius a Writer of that time maketh them all Martyrs who died in the cause of Symmachus Their bloud there shed sayth he enrolled them in the Register Booke of the Court of Heauen And Baronius is of the same opinion and for proofe he voucheth a saying of that great Denis Bishop of Alexandria but see his honestie for the case standeth thus Denis wrote to the schismatike Nouatus who would haue made him beleeue that he was taken by force and made Bishop whether he would or no whereupon Denis told him That it had beene better for him to haue suffered anie mischiefe Euseb Histor Eccles l. 6. c. 37. than to haue broken the vnitie of the Church and that it had beene as glorious a martyrdome vnto him as if he suffered for not offering vnto Idols True if rather than thou wouldest be made a Bishop in a Schisme thou wouldest suffer thy selfe to be killed But the case is altered if thou puttest thy selfe in danger or causest either thy selfe or others to be slaine not to auoid but to obtaine a Bishopricke And such was the case of those which died in Symmachus his quarrell And we must remember that the fourth Synod which was held at Rome vnder Symmachus Iornandes de Robus Gothicis Synod Roma 4. sub Symmacho where the greatest part of the Bishops of all Italie were assembled was called by Theodoric True it is that at the first the Bishops began to remonstrate to him That the calling of the Synod belonged to the Pope but Theodoric produced Symmachus his owne letters wherein he requested him to assigne the place and Symmachus himselfe in open Synod gaue him humbly thankes for so assigning it Here Baronius putteth on his brazen face Vol. 6. an 501. art 2. He knew well saith he that to assemble a Synod of Orthodox Bishops appertained not to him and therefore treading the steps of his predecessors he assembled it by the authoritie of Pope Symmachus and the verie Acts of the Councell testifie as much And then falleth he to his accustomed acclamations A memorable matter saith he that a Prince a Barbarian a Goth by nation a stranger an heretike and an Arrian do the schismatikes what they could by importuning him to the contrarie should yet yeeld such respect and reuerence to the See Apostolike But what if the whole proceedings and the Acts themselues of this Synod shew the contrarie It is therefore to be vnderstood that the yeare before Theodoric at the instance of the aduerse part had sent Peter Bishop of Altin to Rome in qualitie of a Visitor to informe himselfe of the crimes which were layed to Symmachus his charge And so it seemeth that Theodoric and Ennodius were not both of the same mind when Ennodius saith That the Pope is accountable to none but vnto Heauen Afterward Theodoric gaue order that this difference should be taken vp Ennod.
may lye open before vs. Well then saith Baronius by this it appeareth that he acknowledged his Presidencie Which poynt deserueth to be handled somewhat more at large And first we must see who called it Baronius runneth to his old shifts and saith That the Emperour decreed it to be called by the Pope Vigilius his aduise Ib. art 20 21 22 23 24. Euagr. li. 2. c. 37 being loath to speake plainely and to confesse that he called it and thereupon he citeth Euagrius where he saith That Vigilius consented by his letters to the Councell which he sent from Chalcedon whither he had withdrawne himselfe at that present but himselfe would not be at it And why then will he not as well beleeue him when he saith That Iustinian called the fift Councell or if Vigilius had called it while hee was present at the place why did he afterward refuse to be present at it The best is that the Histories make this matter cleere ynough Nicephorus saith Nicephor li. 17. ca. 27. That the Emperour Iustinian called the fifth generall Councell and summoned the Bishops out of all quarters And the Emperour himselfe vnto the Fathers of the Councell Wee haue saith he assembled you in this regall citie And the Fathers themselues We say they here assembled according to the commaundement of the deuout Iustinian And Baronius in that writing which he alledgeth vnto vs out of the Vatican teacheth vs That Vigilius did what lay in him to haue this Councell held in Sicilie as a more in different place for the Bishops of the East and West to meet in and yet he could not obtaine it As for the Presidencie it is euident that at the first Mennas Bishop of Constantinople presided in it and there gaue sentence against Anthymus and other Heretikes which sentence is yet to be seene in the bodie of the Councels And after Mennas his death Bellarmine cannot denie Synod Constant quin. vniuersa actio 4. Bellar. li. ◠de Concil ca. 19. but that Eutychius who succeeded him in the See succeeded likewise in the Presidencie and the whole course of the Acts shew as much But saith he Vigilius might haue presided if it had pleased him It should seeme by his leaue that Nicephorus was of another opinion when he saith When Eutychius was by the Emperour put in the roome of Mennas late deceased Vigilius though agreeing with him in poynts of doctrine yet refused to sit by him which was no doubt because he affected a higher seat and thereupon though he was at that time in the citie yet would he not stay at the Councell pretending that there was but a small number of the Westerne Bishops there whereas the true cause was because hee saw his predominant omnipotencie neglected Bellarmine replieth out of Zonaras Zonar to 3. pa. 55. 74. That Vigilius was chiefe of this Synod How chiefe if he were not there at all But that place of Zonaras answereth for it selfe There were saith hee 165 Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quorum princeps fuit saith the Latine translation that is of whom was chiefe Vigilius Pope of Rome and Eutychius and Apollinaris of Alexandria where we see that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred to all three as Heads of these three Patriarchall Churches So likewise he speaketh in another place of the sixt generall Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. of which were chiefe or Captaines and Leaders the Vicars of Agatho Pope of Rome George of Constantinople and Theophanes of Antioch where the translator rendreth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Principes fuere and so are they vsually tearmed as well the one as the other Explanatio Sanctor venerabil Conciliorum c. an 1553. There is a booke intitled The Explanation of the Holie Councels taken out of the kings Librarie this booke speaking of the Councell of Nice In that Councell saith he were Heads and Presidents Syluester Bishop of Rome Alexander of Alexandria and Macarius of Ierusalem And againe speaking of the second generall Councell The Presidents there were Damasus Bishop of Rome Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople Timothie of Alexandria Cyril of Ierusalem Miletius of Antioch all which were Patriarches But he addeth afterwards Great Gregorie the Diuine Gregorie of Nissa and Amphilochius of Iconium by reason of their great learning Zonar to 3. pa. 30. where Zonaras vseth a higher straine and saith That among all these Gregorie the Great and Gregorie of Nissa and the sacred Amphilochius in all encounters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. were chiefe and principall which word vsed in the singular number by the Author is by the Interpreter referred to all three as was also that other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referred to Vigilius Eutychius and Apollinaris And this same booke speaking of the Councell of Ephesus saith in like manner In this Councell presided Calestin Bishop of Rome Cyril of Alexandria Iuvenal of Ierusalem Memnon of Ephesus And so likewise of other generall Councels of Chalcedon Constantinople the second Nicene and the rest where the Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine Interpreter rendreth it Huic Concillo praefuerunt i. They were chiefe in this Councell naming alwayes the Pope for companie among the rest and that most commonly when himselfe was not there in person and sometimes no man for him as namely in the Councell which we now speake of Bellarmine yet vrgeth out of that Epistle which Baronius alledgeth That Eutychius Bishop of Constantinople writing to Vigilius saith vnto him We desire to treat and to confer of these poynts together Praesidente nobis vestra beatitudinè that is Vnder your blessed Presidencie But this is to grate too farre vpon the plaine speaking of these letters contrarie to all course of historie And it is not improbable which a learned man hath obserued that this place is corrupted Iuni. Controuers 4. pa. 186. and Praesidente written in stead of Residente that is While you are here abiding with vs as we find this word vsed vpon like occasion in many other Councels Concil Matisco 2. passim Residentibus Prisco Euantio Praetextato c. that is Assisting in the Councell For at the first sitting of this Synod Vigilius was in the citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if we should read Praesidente yet there is a large difference betweene Preseancie which importeth onely a prioritie of place and Presidencie which implieth a superioritie But more than this a great part of that action is spent only in requesting him to be present at the Synod and in the end they protest against him Concil Canstant 5. art 5. and openly reproach him That he is an offence and scandall both to the Emperour and also to the Churches as one which nought regarded the curse pronounced by our Sauiour against those who offend euen little ones Yet he stirred not onely he sent them word
may appeare out of the letters of Vitalian by which hee retracteth the sentence giuen in that Synod against him absolueth and as much as in him lay restoreth him to his See and for execution of this his sentence vsed his credit in the Emperours Court. So likewise at the gates of Rome it selfe the Archbishop of Rauenna would not acknowledge him where after the decease of Bonus Maurus being canonically elected and consecrated by his Suffragan Bishops refused both the Pall and the consecration at the Popes hands and himselfe also consecrated his owne Suffragans without him and when the Pope excommunicated him he excommunicated the Pope againe And in this state continued the Church of Rauenna vntill the time of Pope Domnus which was in the yeare 680 all the time of Pope Martin the first Eugenius the first Vitalian and Adeodate Whereupon they called her Hereticall and tearmed this her Heresie by the name of Autocephalia meaning thereby That she should be her owne Head And we be sure that had they knowne worse by her worse they would haue spoken of her And Anastasius saith plainely That it was for the Primacie Causa primatus As for the Pope himselfe he stood all this while obliged to aske and to receiue confirmation of the Emperour paying therefore a certaine summe of money Lib. Pontif. in Vitalian Domno in regard of such demaines as he held without which he could not be reputed as Bishop But the sixt generall Councell held about this time at Constantinople can best informe vs of the opinion which the Church then held concerning that constitution of Phocas made in fauour of the Pope and with what limitations they receiued it 25. PROGRESSION Pope Agatho his assertions concerning the Decrees of the See of Rome and of the infallibilitie of S. Peters chaire AGatho a Sicilian borne being made Pope pronounced openly D. 19. c. sic omnes 2. That all Decrees made by the See Apostolike ought to be receiued as if they had proceeded from S. Peters owne mouth And bearing himselfe as Head of all the Churches directed his letters To all Bishops Which Canon was taken by Iuo into his Decrete Iuo c. 4. pa. 122. and afterward canonized by Gratian and farther lately authorised by Gregorie in his last Edition notwithstanding that pretended reformation And not without cause Concil 6. vniuers Sess 4. Concil 6. vniuers Act. 18. in Exempla Iussio diuinae Dom. Constant c. if wee will be so mad as to beleeue that which he doubteth not to say in his Epistle to Constantine Barbatus That vnto that day the Church of Rome had neuer beene stained with any errour neither yet would be by reason of that promise heretofore made by our Sauiour vnto Saint Peter But easily may he fall into the foulest errour who is most confident that he cannot erre And the Emperour out of his honestie seemeth to applaud him saying in answer to his letters That hee admired all which he had said as the verie voyce of S. Peter But notwithstanding all this wee must now see what the sixt generall Councell which was holden vnder Constantine Barbatus said did and ordained of this matter OPPOSITION First then we must vnderstand that this sixt generall Councell assembled for the rooting out of the Heresie of the Monothelites Zonar to 3. in Const 4. C. Habeo librum Can. sexta Synod Dist 16. Lib. Pontif. in Agatho Concil vniuers 6. Action 18. Epist Leo. 2. ad Constant was assigned by the Emperour so speaketh Zonaras The Emperour saith he for the vnitie of the Churches assigned a Councell at Constantinople And Gratian in his booke of Decrees The Emperour saith he assembled it and it was held by his care and prouidence and hee assisted there in person And the Pontificall booke saith That Pope Agatho receiued the sacred commandement of the Princes Constantine Heraclius and Tiberius Emperors who requested and exhorted him to send his deputies to Constantinople And Pope Leo the second in his confirmation of the Acts of this Synod This Councell saith he lately assembled by the Emperours commaund in the royall citie c. And Agatho himselfe in his answer to the Emperours letter I offer saith he my readie obedience to what is commaunded to me by your sacred Patent which was to seeke out persons fit to be sent vnto the Synod which the Emperour had called Act. 2.4 among all the Bishops of his jurisdiction and others all which he there calleth by the name of his Fellow seruants Confamulos suos and that as he saith for the discharge of his duetie and seruice causing them to make all the hast they could to the Emperours feet as well from Rome which he tearmeth the seruile citie of the Emperour as of the places thereabout Speaking all along in that Epistle of the most religious commaunds of their clemencies and of the duetie which he owed vnto them And to conclude hee requesteth them to accept of such as he had sent vnto the Synod though small scholers and little skilled in the Scriptures not dissembling that if he had occasion to vse a man which was well seene in knowledge of Diuinitie so terrible was the desolation which the barbarous people had made among them he must bee faine to send as farre as England for one Flexo mentis poplite And a little after he falleth to such submission as to say That he intreated him vpon the knee of his heart Such was the stile of this Agatho in those dayes and such also was that of the Synod it selfe of Rome in their answer to the Emperours letter Moreouer the Synodall Epistle it selfe written to Pope Agatho alledged by Baronius declareth That their assemblie was caused by the religious ordinance of the Emperour endorsing it To Agatho Pope of the old Rome and within calling him onely The Bishop of the first See of the Vniuersall Church not Vniuersall Bishop or Bishop of the Vniuersall Church And now tell me how all this standeth with that pretended superioritie or rather Monarchie of the Church of Rome Secondly the Emperour sent vnto all the Patriarches and amongst the rest to him of Rome willing them and euerie of them to assemble the Bishops of his Apostolike See and jurisdiction in a Synod and to make choise of some of the fittest among them to deliuer in the Councell at Constantinople what was done and agreed vpon in euerie one of their Synods which also the Pope obserued to a haire sending thither some to represent his owne person and others in the name of the Synod of the Apostolike Roman See In which Synod we find none subscribed but onely the Bishops of Italie By all which it appereth that the Emperour called all the Patriarches indifferently as so many fellow Tutors of the Church against the Heresie then on foot though one of them tooke place before another This we may obserue out of the whole course of this Synod
loth to lose his money came thither in all hast and finding Sergius quietly in possession demaunded of him the money which was promised to him by Paschal Sergius to content him gaue him the Vessell and Crownes of gold which hung vp before S. Peters House and yet all was too little This fell out about the yeare 690. And so within foure yeares after their libertie of election restored to them fell out two schismes next kinne to commotions in the State and the souldiors began alreadie to haue a hand in the election of the Popes as the Praetorians had heretofore in the choice of the Emperours Anastas in Sergio And Anastasius farther reporteth That this Paschal one of the competitors was afterwards thrust into a Monasterie for worshipping of trees for lotteries and other enchantments which he vsed Also we may obserue that after the time of Leo the second the Popes were consecrated by three Bishops namely those of Ostia Port and Velitre as all other Bishops were whereas before he was only consecrated by him of Ostia but after all they grew impatient to see themselues so ordered by the sixt Generall Councell and Iustinian the second sonne to that Constantine of whom they had receiued so manie and so large fauours felt it to his cost OPPOSITION Sigon l. 2. an 692. This Iustinian therefore after the death of his father who had before his death associated him in the Empire following as Sigonius saith the steps of his father wrote presently to Pope Iohn the fift That he had found the holie bookes of the sixt Generall Councell digested and set in order by his father which eftsoones he presented to the Patriarchs Sacra Iustin ad Iohan. 5. in 2. To. Concil and to his Holinesse his Solicitor to the sacred Senat to the Metropolitans and Bishops to the chiefe officers both of his Court and Armie to be read before them and to be subscribed by them to the end that they might neuer hereafter be falsified or corrupted whereof he thought good to aduertise him assuring him that he purposed neuer to depart from them But this dispatch found Iohn dead Lib. Pontif. in Conone and Conon placed in his roome who receiued the letters and the Emperour shortly after vnderstanding of his election spared for no kind of gratulations which are not I warrant you forgotten in the Historie But this Conon happening to die shortly after his election hauing beene all the while sickly Sigon l. 2. de Reg. Jtal. Anastas in Conone and Sergius succeeding in his place Iustinian sent like letters vnto him requiring him to subscribe to this Councell so carefully compared with the Originals and alreadie subscribed by his Lieger Solicitors Sergius because there were some Acts there which pleased him not namely those which concerned the ordering of his See tooke occasion to say that some bodie had falsified the Acts and thereupon he disauowed his Solicitors Anastasius saith his Legats and refused to subscribe vnto them Anastas in Sergio Whereat Iustinian tooke such offence that he renounced the Church of Rome which vntill then he had euer maintained and sent to apprehend Iohn Bishop of Port and Boniface chiefe Counsellor of the See Moreouer Zacharie Protospatarius or as we say High Constable came himselfe to apprehend the Pope But Sergius had taken such order that all the souldierie of Rome was at his deuotion Anastas in Sergio so that Zacharie was faine to submit himselfe and to crie him mercie The pretence of his not subscribing was as Anastasius sayth because he would not consent to errors of nouelties Paul Diacon de gest Longobard l. 6. c. 11. or as Paulus Diaconus reporteth to a Synod of Error as if they had beene Monothelites But the Canons which are come vnto our hands haue no such smell about them but in expresse tearmes they pronounce Anathema against them neither indeed was there anie thing in them that troubled his conscience saue onely that they equalled the Bishop of Constantinople with himselfe And Anastasius seemeth to say as much when he sayth it was by reason of certaine articles there added contrarie to the Rites of the Church and therefore not contrarie to anie article of religion or point of doctrine but in the life of Iohn he speaketh plainely saying it was for certaine articles contrarie to the Romane Church for indeed the Emperor sent him an Orthodox confession of his faith withall And this came vnto the yeare 700. An. 700. Baronius seeketh to discredit and to annihilate the Canons of this Councell Baron vol. 8. an 692. art 1 2. Pseudosynodum but we haue sufficiently justified them elsewhere he calleth it a false and erronious Synod grieuing to see his Head bounded and limited by law and reason as if all the members should thereby fare the worse But let him thanke those Fathers for it and the Popes Legats themselues who were present at it But aboue all Tharasius Patriarch of Constantinople is he which offendeth him for that in the second Councell of Nice he sayth Syno Nice Act. 2. What ignorance is this of some which trouble themselues about these Canons It is a scandale to doubt whether they are of the sixt Generall Councell or no Know all men therefore that that Councell was first assembled vnder Constantine c. And afterwards the same Fathers assembled themselues vnder Iustinian his sonne and then made these Canons and that therefore no man should doubt thereof And is it ynough now to find some little error in the date thereby to reject all these Canons And Balsamon Bishop of Antioch pleaseth him as little Because sayth he that the fift and this sixt Synod had made no Canons this therefore came in supplement vnto them c. and is also reckoned as Generall For although the Westerne Bishops to wit Italians and Latines because they are there touched say it is no Councell and that the Popes Legats were not there c. yet I find looking ouer the old Nomocanon Balsamon in Nomocanone that Basill Bishop of Gortyna Metropolitan of Candie and another Bishop of Candie were there as Lieutenants of the whole Synod of the Church of Rome and not they onely but also the Bishops of Thessalonica Sardana Heraclea in Thrace and Corynth as speciall Legats from the Pope and were called Legats a facie who also had particular iurisdiction as appeareth by the second title of the fift booke Imperiall What spunge can wipe this out or who can thinke that this can be controlled by giuing Balsamon the lye or by saying that he was an heretike Can Gratian endure this injurie who hath canonized these Canons Or the second Councell of Nice Actio 2. 3. or the Popes Gregorie the second and Adrian who haue cited them for good proofe alledging the 83 Canon to justifie their vse of Images Or is it ynough for Baronius to say that these Popes kill the Greekes with their
in the presence of manie Bishops and had taken the murderers into his protection as belonging to the familie of S. Peter pronouncing those that were slaine guiltie of treason Aimoni. de familia S. Petri. and consequently their murder iustified So that Sigonius himselfe let fall this word That the embassadours of Lewis could not search out the veritie of this fact nor so much as begin to take knowledge of it This was about the yeare 823. But when Lotharius came the yeare following after the death of Pascal An. 823. Iusticias facere into Italie to see iustice done in those parts he found the cause of these mischiefes to proceed from the misdemeanors of the Popes and conniuencie of the Iudges by meanes whereof manie mens goods had beene confiscated all which he caused to be restored to the right owners Aimoni. lib. 4. c. 112. reuiuing withall an ancient custome of sending some certaine personages à Latere with speciall commission from the Emperour to doe iustice betweene man and man indifferently Author vitae Ludoui without respect of persons as often as the Emperour should thinke fit All which was done with the consent of the new Pope Eugenius say the Historians and to the contentment of Lewis when he vnderstood thereof Sigonius also produceth a certaine ordinance which he left behind him for the ordering and composing of matters within the Citie of Rome wherein is contained That none should intrude himselfe into the election of the Popes but such as are called thereunto by the Canons vnder paine of banishment which article tended to preuent all canuassing for the Popedome also therein was contained That all those who were to exercise anie place of judicature in Rome should first come into his presence that he might informe himselfe both of their number and of their names and put them in mind of their seuerall duties Item that the King himselfe or in his absence others in his roome should assist at the consecration of the Popes And so saith he was it for certaine yeres after obserued and last of all established by a new Constitution In the yeare 824 came there embassadors from Michael and Theophilus Emperours of Greece to Lewis and Lotharius to craue their aduise and the aduise of the French Church concerning the vse of Images and withall to entreat them to be a meanes to the Pope that he would graciously accept the embassage which they purposed to send vnto him vpon the same question whereupon there assembled a Nationall Councell of the French Bishops to giue their aduise jointly vnto the Emperors Synod Paris sub Ludoui Lothar an 824. where they openly declared vnto them as well the euill practises of Adrian in the carriage of the Councell as also the pestilent contagious error and abhominable superstition which vnder Images he had brought into the Church But aboue all they plainely shew that the position concerning the Popes not erring was no article of their learning or beleefe when they say That the Pope suffered himselfe to be carried downe the streame of this error partly by ignorance partly by wicked custome That it was pitie to see those who were placed in chiefe authoritie to direct others themselues to forsake the high way and to run astray into paths of error And in their Epistle to Eugenius they sticke not to write plainely That the matter of this miserable rent and distraction was a thing without which through faith hope and charitie the Church might be saued as well in this world as in the world to come And that the Empresse Irene and her sonne in the passing of that Edict concerning the adoration of Images were abused by a pestilent illusion of the diuell And the booke which thereupon they wrote to the Emperours Lewis and Lotharius is so well grounded both vpon the authoritie of the Scriptures and interpretations of the Fathers that it may easily appeare that the diuinitie of Italie was no way comparable to that of the French Clergie As for the Pope when the Emperors requested to heare some proofes for the adoration of Images out of the word of God he neuer put himselfe to the paine to giue them satisfaction but answered all in a word saying Simoneta c. 5. That they were arrogant fellowes that made such questions Adde we here one obseruation of the manner of speaking which that Synod so frequently vsed We say they hold the place of S. Peter to whom Christ said Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind c. All the Bishops then holding themselues as the Vicars of S. Peter saying farther of the simple Priests That they were the porters to whom were committed the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen And what can the Pope chalenge more In the yeare 827 vpon the death of Valentine was elected Gregorie the fourth Sigon lib. 4. de Reg. Jtal. with due obseruation of the Law which Lotharius had left behind him For the Lieutenant of the King happening at that present to be away Gregorie could not be consecrated vntill he was returned and had fully informed himselfe of the proceedings in that election And the Annalist sayth in expresse tearmes That his consecration was deferred till the Emperours pleasure was knowne thereupon Author vitae Ludouici An. 833. Certaine yeares after about the yeare 833 his children made a conspiracie against him This Gregorie to oblige Lotharius to himselfe tooke his part and came into Fraunce in shew to mediate a reconciliation betweene the father and the sonnes but indeed as Aimonius reporteth to set them farther out Aimoni. lib. 3. c. 14. and to giue countenance to a certaine Synod which the sonnes assembled at Compiene to depose their father This attempt as say the Authors of those times proceeding meerely from the working of the diuell Thega de gest Ludoui Chronichon Dionysian which wrought by his ministers in the hearts of the children against the Emperour The Bishops of Fraunce tooke part some with the father others with the sonnes on the sonnes side was chiefe Hebo Archbishop of Rheims a slaue by birth and a man of lewd conditions against whom the Historian cryeth out saying Miserable wretch how hast thou recompenced thy masters kindnesse Purpura vestiuit te pallio he made thee free for noble he could not clothing thee with the Pall and Scarlet and thou makest him to put on hairecloth How hast thou despised those precepts of the Apostle Be ye subiect to euerie higher power Feare God Honour the King Who persuaded thee hereunto but he who is onely King ouer the children of pride who said to his Creator All these things will I giue vnto thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me For the father stood principally Drogo or Dreux Bishop of Mets a great man in his time with manie others all which perceiued plainely that this Gregorie was a part taker in this conspiracie The Emperour said If he be come into Fraunce as
Greeke Author was not ignorant of this report though farre from such affections He describing the election of Popes as it was wont to be made in his dayes writeth in this manner After that the voices are gathered and the Pope declared they keepe him that is elected in the house meaning where the Election is made if the house be otherwise fit for such a purpose and then pronouncing him Pope they make him sit downe in a bottomelesse chaire to the end that some one appointed for this purpose may touch his priuities whereby it may appeare that he is a man For it is certaine that there was a woman made a Pope by error of her sex because it is the fashion of the Italians to weare their beards shauen and this woman being begot with child as she went in procession was deliuered in the middest of her deuotion in the sight of all the people And therefore to auoid the like inconuenience and to be sure of what they goe about one toucheth the priuities of the Pope and he that handleth them crieth out Mas nobis dominus est i. We haue a male creature to our Lord and Master and so goeth on with the other ceremonies obserued in that election Baronius in the meane time is well holpen vp to send vs to Remondus who sayth That all this was added by his interpreter Clauserus but without all authoritie or other proofe saue onely that Viginer who translated him into French hath indeed left it all out in fauour of the Popes But that they may not say that Laonicus onely of the Greekes reporteth it Barlaamus in dialog de principat Papae I can bring you another Barlaamus a Greeke writer in his Dialogue touching the Primacie of the Pope maketh mention also of a strumpet woman who was made a Pope yet Onuphrius followeth the chase and Baronius commeth to the rescue And first he objecteth That Nicholas the first which came shortly after this time would not writing to Michael the Emperour haue said so boldly as he doth Our predecessors of happie memorie Leo and Benedict who had had a fit occasion to run vpon him in tearmes if anie such matter had beene So likewise had Photius Archbishop of Constantinople and a mortall enemie to the Pope of Rome We say that what answere the Emperour made him we cannot tell for want of his Epistle and for ought we know he did not spare to tell the Pope of one that was betweene those his two predecessors And it is likely that he did for it appeareth by the replie which Pope Nicholas made vnto his answere that he had stung him seeing that he reproacheth the Emperour for beginning his letters with iniurious and opprobrious speeches against the mother of all other Churches and excuseth himselfe for not answering to manie points of his letter containing blasphemie against the holie See written saith he with the poyson of a Serpent rather than with inke and that therefore he chose rather wisely to contemne them c. And therefore we may thinke that in so long a letter or rather a volume such a matter as this could not be forgotten and who knoweth not that Nicholas whom it concerned to suppresse the memorie of this infamie and to raze it out of all Registers was no wayes bound in his answere to name it anie more Againe we say That Stephen the fourth might well haue written Our predecessors of happie memorie Stephen and Paule skipping ouer Constantine who yet reigned a whole yeare and vpward Baron vol. 10. an 868. art 39. because his Acts were all pronounced to be void and his name razed out of the Catalogue And Baronius himselfe teacheth vs That in the yeare 868 Adrian the second successor vnto Nicholas the first obtained of the Emperour Basilius successor vnto Michael that the booke of Photius might be sent to Rome in which that Epistle of Michael was contained and which was by a decree of the Synod publikely burned with all that which they had published against the See of Rome Baron to 10. an 854. art 9. to blot out the memorie thereof for euer Againe saith Baronius it may be that Marianus who first mentioned this shee-Pope had heard say of one Cyrillus a mignion of the Emperour Michael whom he would oftentimes make to play the Patriarch in scorne of holinesse and holie things insomuch that once he deceiued the old Empresse his mother and that what was done at Constantinople he reported as done at Rome that of a mignion he made a woman and of this play of a Patriarch a shee-Pope But how should this poore Monke make so manie metamorphoses Who could tell him what passed in Greece And seeing this mockerie of Michael was two hundred yeares before his time whence should he know it but by the Historie Was the memorie hereof so fresh after two hundred yeares If by the Historie had he had none other but that of Curopolates he might there haue found all these circumstances and consequently could not so haue mistaken the one for the other for Cyrillus maister Iohn for a male a female And whereas it is said Baron to 10. an 853. art 58. Leo. 9. epist 1. c. 23. That in the time of Marianus Leo the ninth in an Epistle which he wrote vnto Michael Patriarch of Constantinople reproacheth him for that contrarie to the Nicene Canons they elected Eunuchs to their See and that there was a report that they had also beene cousened with a woman to say nothing that the most part of these Epistles are forged what probabilitie that Marianus hearing speech of such a thing done at Constantinople in his time should report it as done at Rome so manie yeares before And where was either his wit or his honestie when he so precisely quoted the yeares moneths and dayes Or what meaned other men when they so particularly speake of her being with child her trauaile death and other circumstances Let Cassius his law take place and let vs aske Cui bono to what purpose to faine such a tale of a woman especially Monkes who wrote the Histories for the most part of their owne times and to whose trust and keeping the report of these things was committed seruants and creatures as themselues confesse of the Pope What should they get by this report Or rather what might they not feare for reporting it Could they hope that so prodigious a matter would euer be beleeued vpon their relation if the truth had not justified it selfe to all men So manie circumstances so cleare so precise some of which remaine vnto this day what fancie could inuent them Or what could make them credible saue onely the euidence of the truth What shall we say of the Imagerie of the Popes to be seene in manie of the greater Churches of Italie namely at Siena where she hath her place among the Popes where by a continued tradition euerie child can point at her and tell what she
herein than the rest That oath which he made Richard Prince of Capua to take Gregor 7. in Epist post 21. l. 1. l. 8. post Epist 10. is verie notable I Richard by the grace of God and Saint Peter Prince of Capua by what diuinitie doth he couple the creature and the Creator together from this houre and euer hereafter will be faithfull to the holie Church of Rome and to the Apostolike See and to thee a helper to hold obtaine and defend the royalties of Saint Peter and his possessions with a true faith against all men and I will giue my best assistance that thou maist securely and honourably hold the Popedome of Rome and the dominions of S. Peter These clauses according to his owne interpretation goe farre And I will neither seeke to inuade or obtaine thy principalities nor presume to rob or wast them without the leaue and licence of thee and thy successors that to the honor of S. Peter shall enter What other words could he vse to a captaine of theeues But to King Henrie when I shall be admonished by thee or thy successors I will sweare alleageance reseruing still my fidelitie to the holie Church of Rome These things fell out about the yeare 1073. And the same oath tooke Robert for Apulia and Calabria doing his homage Gregor l. 2. Epist 71. And if we may beleeue the Epistle of Gregorie the seuenth in the yeare 1073 there came to Rome in pilgrimage the sonne of Demetrius king of Russia whom he inuested into his kingdome in the name of S. Peter Vndoubtedly affirming that this his petition should be ratified and confirmed by the consent of his father if he should possesse his kingdome by the gift of the See of Rome Thus abusing as it appeareth by the stile the sottish deuotion of this young man In like manner in the yeare 1081 was the Earle Bernard besotted who gaue for the remission of his sinnes the earldome of Prouence As for the donation of the Countesse Mathilda we shall speake thereof in his due place But it is worthie the consideration from what ground it should arise that he writes to Philip K. of France daring to promise him remission of his sinnes if he would take part with him We will An. 1080. saith he and in the name of the Apostle we commaund that thou hinder not in any sort that election which the people and Clergie of the Church of Rheimes are to make whereby it may be thought lesse canonicall but if any man shall goe about by any endeuor whatsoeuer to hinder it thou shalt giue thy best helpe to withstand him Goe forward therefore that we may not be thought in vaine to haue spared the sinnes of thy youth and to haue expected thy amendment but especially endeuour to make S. Peter thy debtor that is Hildebrand who makes himselfe Peters successor in whose power is thy kingdome and thy soule who can bind and loosse thee in heauen and in earth by which thy diligence and execution of iustice thou maiest deserue his eternall grace and fauour Here I may aske who discernes not the voyce of the diuell tempting our Sauiour in the Gospell But the Aphorismes which they call the Popes Dictats published by him about the yeare 1076 lay him open to the view of euerie man That the Church of Rome hath no other foundation but from God Why then alledge they Peter That the Bishop of Rome onely is by right called Vniuersall and therefore he alone hath right according to S. Gregorie the Great to be either the forerunner of Antichrist or Antichrist himselfe That he alone may depose and restore Bishops what then shall we say of so many Bishops that in the Church for so many yeares and ages in so many countries haue beene lawfully by good and worthie lawes without any respect of him nay in despight of him placed and displaced That his Legat though otherwise inferiour in degree must take place aboue all other Bishops in Councels and may denounce the sentence of deposition against them The reuerend generall Councels therefore in which diuers Bishops haue beene Presidents and taken the vpper place and pronounced sentence in the presence of his Legats yea many times against them too whither are they now gone That the Pope may depose such as are absent And this saith Baronius is to cut off occasions and excuses from our aduersaries yea the Emperor himselfe who being absent he had excommunicated why then doe they so much wonder that he should vse the same law against him That we must not remaine in the same house with such as he hath excōmunicated What is this but like the Pagan high Priests to interdict fire and water Greg. l. 2. Epist 37. But how happie is it for Christendome that few beleeue it To conclude That it is lawfull for him onely according to the necessitie of the time to make new lawes to ordaine colonies of a religious house to make an Abbie and contrarily to diuide a rich Bishopricke and to vnite the poorer That he onely may vse the Imperiall ensignes That all Princes are to kisse the feet of the Pope onely That his name onely is to be recited in Churches That no generall Synod is to be called without his commaund That no booke may be accounted canonicall without his authoritie That all causes of greatest importance of what Church soeuer must be referred to him That he may absolue subiects of their allegeance towards their Prince That he can iudge of all men and no man can iudge of him And all this because the Church of Rome hath neuer erred nor as the Scripture witnesseth shall euer erre That the Pope of Rome if he be canonically ordained is vndoubtedly made holy by the merits of S. Peter That there is but one onely name in the world that is the Pope he had almost said that which the Apostle speaks of our Sauiour A name aboue euery name Phil. 2.9 Acts 12.4 the onely name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Now gentle Reader what doest thou expect but that ouer and aboue all this he should adde Because the Pope is Christ he is Antichrist himselfe But before we come to the chiefe Oppositions we are to note some particular things not to be contemned Leo the ninth saith the Abbot of Vrsperg being at Menze and the Archbishop himselfe celebrating Masse An. 1052. it fell out that a certaine Deacon called Hunibert read a lesson that made not for the Pope Leo being admonished hereof by one of his friends commaunded him twice or thrice to bee silent who neuerthelesse proceeded The lesson being ended he called him before him and presently degraded him Wherewith the Archbishop being offended and much moued protested That neither he nor any man else should end the seruice at that time except his Deacon were restored vnto him in the same state he was in before in so much that the Pope to satisfie
they are all sheepe That whom God hath made a ruler ouer things Celestiall he hath made him much more ouer things terrestrial and therefore the Pope had power ouer all Hereupon they alledge or rather abuse the examples of some Princes that haue beene censured by the Pastors of the Church Such as tooke part with Henrie on the other side replied that Chilperick was deposed by the common consent of the States of the Realme and not by the Pope that it is the office of a Pastor to feed not to kill to instruct not to destroy that the examples that were alledged by them were either false or impertinent That Henrie refused not to doe any thing nay had performed whatsoeuer belonged to his place That Gregorie on the other side carried himselfe as an actor not as a Iudge That God onely ruleth Kings and Kingdomes and those subiects that God hath giuen them no man can absolue of their oath allegiance This they confirmed by places of Scripture and the testimonies of the Fathers wherupon they conclude Gregorie to be Antechrist who taking vpon him the name of Christ did vtterly ouerthrow the Lawe of Christ and his doctrine But this is nothing among the rest they strongly maintained that the Catholike Church is not with him that destroyes the Church and that the title of Catholike belongs not to him or his followers who speake and hold against the holie Scriptures against the Gospell of the sonne of God But rather according to S. Iohn he and his societie are Antichrists qui Iesum soluunt betray Christ offer him violence whilest they violently wrest the Scriptures And it is well noted of a learned Historiographer of our time Vignier in Hist Ecclesiast that in this whole controuersie there is no mention made by the Gregorians either for the donation of Constantine or the renunciation of Lewis A manifest proofe vnto vs that there was no such thing as yet found out But there is none that better layeth open vnto vs the mysteries of the iniquitie of Hildebrand then Cardinall Benno the Roman Arch-priest As touching his Magick all writers display him to be skillfull in this art as likewise that truely diabolicall Oracle wherewith he deceiued Rodolph and was himselfe deceiued by the diuell for which qualitie also he was condemned in many Synods by innumerable Bishops of France Germanie Italie in the Councels of Wormes Pauia Brixen and Rome where in the sentence it selfe in verie significant words he is called a Magitian a Diuiner a Southsayer possessed with a Pithonicall spirit a Negromancer And if this had not beene apparent ynough they had spoken doubtlesse much more there wanting not matter to obiect against him But Benno who penetrated into the hidden secrets of Gregorie sets downe all circumstances That he had learnt Magick of Theophilact who was Pope Benedict the ninth of Laurence his companion and of Iohn the Archpriest of S. Iohn Port Latin afterwards Gregorie the sixt who by his commerse with diuels and the singing and flying of birds told of those things that were done in farre countries of the euent of warres and the death of Princes That he whilest they liued yea euen in the Popedome was the chiefe instrument and companion of all their wickednesse yea the heire of Gregorie the sixt not onely of his money but his perfidious treacherie That he enforced Pope Nicholas by fearing him with strange apprehensions of death and presenting before him horrible visions to make him Archdeacon That none of the Cardinals subscribed to his election all forsaking him but he was created by the open force of the souldiers That comming one day from Alba to Rome he had forgot a certaine booke of Negromancie without which he seldome or neuer went which he in his journey remembring at the entrance of Portlateran he hastily called vnto him two of his familiar friends and faithfull ministers of his wickednesse commanded them with all speed to fetch that booke vnto him and withall terribly threatned them not to presume to open the booke vpon the way but by how much the more they were prohibited by so much the more were they kindled with a curious desire to prie into the secrets of that book In their returne therefore vnclasping the booke and curiously reading the precepts of that Diabolicall art there appeared presently before them certaine of the diuels angels whose multitude and horror so frighted these young men that they were almost beside themselues Benno Cardin. in vita Hildeb c. And these are the verie words of Benno That it was a common thing with him to shake sparkles of fire out of his sleeue and with these and the like myracles to blind the eyes of the simple as if they were signes of sanctitie That he sent two Cardinals Alto and Cuno to S. Anastasia to performe a fast of three dayes euery one euery day to sing a Psalter and Masses to the end that God might shew a signe which of the two thought more truely of the bodie of our Lord the Church of Rome or Berengarius which neuerthelesse came not to passe That he consulted the Sacrament it selfe as it had beeene an Oracle against the Emperour and the Cardinals withstanding him cast it into the fire That he had layed a trap for the Emperour in the Church of S. Maries in Mount Auentine and obseruing the place wherein he commonly stood or kneeled he commaunded a great stone to be laid vpon the beames of the Church ouer his head that being let fall vpon his head whilest he was praying might dash out his braines But the stone with the weight thereof bare downe with it the instrument of this villanie who by the just judgement of God was bruised to peeces vpon the pauement and for as much as this succeeded not wel he suborned murderers to kill him In the meane time whilest he deposed the Emperour vnder a pretence of Simonie he had no sooner depriued those Bishops of whom he complained of their authoritie but he restored it to them againe thereby binding them vnto him and against the Emperour In honour of Pope Liberius who was an Arrian he ordained a Feast and committed many outrages besides against all law and equitie murders oppressions violences which it would be too long to relate For which cause saith he the bloud of the Church crieth out against him c. I could wish the Reader would read the booke But here we must answer to the obiections of Bellarmine who striues to affirme that this booke is not to be beleeued First because it is likely to be suborned by some Lutheran or other R. If he had said of some malicious person it might haue beene borne with but I referre it to the judgement of any Reader that can discerne the stile weigh the circumstances consider of the phrase and I thinke there is none to be found that will take it to be suborned Secondly some man perhaps faith he in
Gregorie the seuenth would take vpon him to describe vnto vs the Idea of a most wicked Pope R. Why then hath he marked eight or nine Popes with the same coale and as many Cardinals Neither is Benno the only author of these narrations since we haue produced before such and so many witnesses of the like things Thirdly this Benno saith he was a Cardinall created by the Antipope Clement the third and therefore no friend of Gregories and Onuphrius saith he placed him among the Cardinals of Clement R. How easie a matter it is to lye where there is no man to contradict But Benno who could not foresee Bellarmines fiction named himselfe among the Cardinals that were created before Hildebrand Leo saith he the Archpriest of the Cardinals and Benno and Hugobaldus and Iohn Onuphr de Pontisicibus maximis Alexand 2. Clement 3. and Peter Cardinals ordained before his time Natro Innocent and Leo consecrated by himselfe And Onuphrius himselfe among the present Cardinals promoted by Alexander the second the predecessor of Gregorie nameth Benno a German a Prelat Cardinall afterward the Archpriest of the Church of Rome This is that Benno no doubt who in the title of his booke is described by these names for he that by Onuphrius is placed vnder Clement hath no other but the title of a Priest And so the testimonie of Benno stands yet good In the meane time it is to be noted That this Magitiā that is this disciple or feudatarie of the diuels is the very same that thundered so loud that spit his fire and flame against the lawfull mariage of Ecclesiasticall persons and who for this verie matter filled both Church and common-wealth with fire and ruine which putteth vs in mind of that which the Apostle spake to Timothie That in the later times some shall depart from the faith 1. Tim. 4.5 c. 2.3 and shal giue heed to spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with a hot yron forbidding to marie c. And from hence he confesseth before that he raised this doctrine Adde hereunto That it was about the middle of these times that the disputation grew hot about the carnall presence of Christs bodie in the Sacrament vnder the Popes Victor and Nicholas the second Hildebrand being the brand that kindled it who made Berengarius subscribe vnto it That all the faithfull in the Sacrament doe really teare with their teeth the bodie of Christ which Thesis neuerthelesse in these dayes is with them accounted hereticall And to say the truth they really teare the bodie of Christ who by their ambition doe miserably teare in peeces the Church of Christ Baronius endeuoureth to defend Gregorie in all things Baron an 1073 art 16. yea following the other extreame he striues to make him a Saint He begins with his natiuitie He was saith he borne at Soane in Tuscane the sonne of a Carpenter And hereby he thinks he hath gotten much because saith he our Sauiour taking our flesh vpon him by reason of Ioseph his father was called the sonne of a Carpenter But which is more from his infancie he wrought myracles For being a child and playing at the feet of his father who was hewing of timber with the chips that flew from it before he knew letter in the booke he formed certaine characters that being joyned together expressed that Dauidicall Oracle Psal 72. Dominabitur à mari vsque mare Psal 72. His Dominion shall be from sea to sea which the princelie Prophet did once speake of our Lord and Sauiour What could he gather from hence but that this Gregorie as it was foretold should leape into Christs place inuade the throne of God himselfe From what spirit did this wicked blasphemie proceed and consequently what was this myracle but that of Pytho which the whole remainder of his life made good Secondly he cries out against Cardinall Benno calling him schismatike and a man in no sort to be beleeued c. But we haue shewed Bellarmine out of Onuphrius that he deceiues himselfe in this point neither can a Cardinall be called a schismatike when for so long a time together these Popes contended one against the other neither of them both approued by Baronius To conclude is Benno alone Doth not Sigebert a writer of these times so many other recited by Auentine so many Bishops assembled in generall Councels of Germanie France Italie speake the same An. 1074. Doe they not giue the same testimonie of his violences poysonings Negromancies Thirdly he endeuoureth to excuse the loue of Gregorie and Mathilda But how doth he it By contradicting all historie He thinkes he hath proued that this Mathilda maried to Azo Marquesse of Este which mariage Gregorie did vndoe is not the same that is here spoken of which wee will giue him leaue to dispute with his owne fellowes and friends But so long as he doth acknowledge that this Mathilda of whom we speake was first maried to Godfrey le Bossu Duke of Loraine that presently by the authoritie of Gregorie they made a diuorce with the great offence of her husband that this diuorce saith he was not for any cause of consanguinitie which he proueth not for any impotencie for he maried another and had children by her not for fornication for he might haue maried another Yet saith he this diuorce was lawfull because so great and so holie a Father did it by his authoritie permitted it Doth not he giue vs reason to beleeue what the historie told vs before And to say the truth with what face could this holy man familiarly conuerse with Mathilda farre from her husband from whom by his authoritie she was diuerted seduced taken How seemely a thing was it for her to follow him in euerie place to accompanie him for him to sit with her in Councell in Consistorie in Senat Did this become the modestie of a virgine if so he will haue her or if one that had beene maried the grauitie of a matron who ought to haue beene the more modest the more bashfull the more solitarie by how much the more subiect she was to calumnie by reason of her diuorce At the last when she was fortie fiue yeares of age according to Baronius after the death of Gregorie this virgine maried Welpho a young man the sonne of the Duke of Bauaria Will any man now vpon the faith of Baronius warrant her chastitie nay her virginitie or admit of his excuse That it was done for the good of the Church Baron an 1085 art 14. by the commaund of Vrban the second At the last it pleaseth him to couer all this turpitude with fables That the garments of Gregorie after his death wrought myracles as Pauls Semicinctia did in the Acts of the Apostles which selfesame power and vertue was in the apparell of Gregorie And to proue this true he alledgeth the Legend of S. Anselme Lucensis Yuo
writ vnto Richard Archbishop of Sens to consecrat him but Richard as we learne by the letter of Vrban himselfe refused to doe it vpon which his refusall Vrban himselfe was inforced to consecrat him commanding Richard to yeeld his helping hand to Yuo in the gouernement of the Church reseruing still his obedience to his Church Yuo Carmitens Epist 12.8 but Richard neuerthelesse would not obey him but writ saith Yuo sharpe letters and such as were derogatorie to the Maiestie of the Apostolike See Wherupon Yuo warneth him that the Scriptures pronounce him an heretike because he agreeth not with the Church of Rome I appeale vnto his owne conscience out of what peece of Scripture he proueth that But he likewise acknowledgeth ingeniously that by the hand of Vrban he had bin raised from the dunghill and therefore he held himselfe obliged in duetie to aduaunce his honour and commoditie and to that end tendes that salutation of his in a certaine congratulatorie Epistle Cum Petro pugnare cum Petro regnare To fight with Peter and to raigne with Peter that is as the Popes courtiers say to follow the Popes fortunes through what dangers so euer But here the Archbishop stayed not for he assembled at Estampes the Bishops his Suffragans namely of Paris Meaux and Troy to deliberat hereupon wherein he sheweth that this ordination was against the Maiestie royall which Yuo had greatly offended in receiuing it all of them concluding to restore Iefferay into his place and to depose Yuo whereupon he appealed to Rome to which appellation they refused to obey for which cause he complaineth to Vrban imployeth his helpe That he would be pleased to write to the Archbishop and his Suffragans in his behalfe that it was necessarie to send a Legat into France to prouide for these and the like matters But in the mean time whilest they vnited themselues together for the libertie of the French Church King Philip the first sent to the Pope for a dispensation to marie his concubine Bertrade and so withdrew his hand and commanded Yuo to be established in his Bishopricke Thus it oftentimes falleth out that the priuat vices of Princes doe greatly prejudice their publike dignities In these Epistles in the meane time it is worth the noting That Yuo doth not alwayes agree in doctrine with Vrban For whereas diuers Bishops had condemned the inuestitures of lay persons for heresie because by this means the great Prelats got vnto themselues the right and prerogatiue of lay founders and patrons An. 1099. Yuo neuerthelesse hauing gotten the Bishopricke and being out of their reach maintained against Hugh the Popes Legat the Primat of Lyons and others Yuo Carnutens Epist 235.238.239 That it was no heresie since there was nothing here that concerned faith which had nothing common with Orders This was Yuo who otherwise held with Vrban and did omit no occasion whereby he might serue him and did carefully aduertise him to assist Manasses with his authoritie for his confirmation in the Bishopricke of Rheimes Idem Epist 48. Because saith he it is necessarie that the Church of Rome should haue one in that See that should be a true and trustie seruant vnto him He armeth him likewise in such a sort with his counsels against those obstacles that may any way hinder the course of his Legats or Decrees in France that he feared not to say of himselfe I thinke of my selfe that there is no man on this side the mountaines that hath suffered greater wrongs endured more contumelies for the maintenance of your commaunds and that fidelitie that is due vnto you Yea Richard the Archbishop of Sens being dead and Daribert canonically nominated to his place Yuo being prohibited by Hugh Primat of Lyons and Legat to Vrban to consecrate him Bishop because he had not performed vnto him his due obedience Yuo deales sharpely with the Legat by letters giuing him to vnderstand That he would not obey him to the preiudice of the auncient Canons and the venerable authoritie of his forefathers he therefore bitterly reproueth him But Baronius who had hitherto approued him begins now to chide him because he had not spoken of inuestitures as was fitting Baron an 1099 art 8. That which remaineth saith he in this Epistle of Yuo is more harsh as speaking too abiectly of the auncient inuestitures yea of many things he speakes with contempt which if they were not corrected in other Epistles of the same Author would call into question that his glorious reputation which he hath gotten by defending the Apostolike See and the Catholike veritie So much doth reason and affection disagree euen in great personages An. 1093. In England Anselme by nation an Italian being chosen Archbishop of Canterburie by the consent of King William the second craues leaue of him to goe to Rome to receiue his Pall of Pope Vrban wherewith the King being greatly offended answered That no Archbishop or Bishop in his realme was subiect to the Court of Rome or to the Pope and that he had that libertie in his realme that the Emperour had in his Empire Anselme therefore was accused of high treason all the Bishops consenting thereunto except Gondoulfe Bishop of Rochester Vrban hereupon sent Gualter Bishop of Alba into England to bring him the Pall and to reconcile him to King William But Anselme being still desirous to goe to Rome King William answered him in plaine tearmes That if he would promise and bind himselfe by an oath vpon the booke neither to goe nor to appeale to Rome for any affaires whatsoeuer he should then well and peaceably enjoy his Bishopricke if not that it should be free for him to passe the seas but neuer to returne And this he spake in Common Councell He neuerthelesse went to Rome where by his counsell the Decree was renewed vnder paine of excommunication against the inuestiture of Layman Mathias Paris in Guilielmo 2. and so he continued at Lyons so long as William liued Let vs adde hereunto in these times the report of the Monke of Malmesburie touching the Romans The Romans sometimes Lords of the world Malmes l. 5. a people that goe in long gownes are now of all others the most ignorant An. 1097. selling iustice for gold and the Canons rule for siluer We must not forget that it was at this verie time that Pope Vrban granted to Roger Earle of Calabria and Sicilia those letters patents so much disputed by Baronius against the King of Spaine Baron an 1097 art 20. 21. sequent who now possesseth the kingdome both of the one and the other Sicile where in consideration of his good and loyall seruices done vnto the Church of Rome and against the Sarasens he made him the sonne of the vniuersall Church and by a speciall priuiledge he granteth vnto him and to his sonne Simon or any other his lawfull heire that they should neuer haue during their liues within their dominions
The offices themselues saith he of Ecclesiasticall dignitie haue passed into filthie gaine and into the businesse of darknesse neither seeke they in these the saluation of soules but the superfluitie of riches For this are they shorne for this they frequent Churches celebrate Masses sing Psalmes c. They impudently striue in these dayes for Bishopricks Archdeaconries Abbotships and other dignities that they might wast the reuenewes of Churches in such vayne and superfluous vses It remayneth that the man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition the Damon not of the day onely but of the mid-day who not onely transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light but exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped c. This shall be indeed an exceeding great assault but from this also the truth shall deliuer the Church of the Elect c. Poore Bernard stayed for him at the doore who had alreadie entred the house Baronius anno 1130. art 6. And thus much be spoken to Baronius who affirmeth that S. Bernard inueighed onely against schimaticall Popes Writing to Pope Eugenius nere vpon the yeare 1151 who had been his disciple and had not obeyed his admonitions Benard Epist 137. being entred into the Popedome Who will let me see before I die the Church as in the dayes of old when the Apostles did cast forth their nets not to take siluer or gold but to take soules O how I desire to see thee inherit thâ— voyce of him whose seat thou hast obtayned Thy money perish with thee In his bookes of consideration Ad Eugen. de consideratione lib. 1. what doth he omit for his amendment Tell me I pray thee saith he when art thou euer free vbi tuus where thine owne Euerie where is tumult euerie where the yoke of thy seruitude presseth thee replie not vnto me in the Apostles voyce who saith When I was free from all I made myselfe a seruant of all That is verie far from thee Was it in this seuritude that he serued men in the getting of filthie gaine Was it in this that from all parts of the world did flock vnto him the ambitious the couetous such as exercise Simonie sacrilegious persons whoremongers and incestuous and such other monsters of men that by his Apostolicke authoritie they might either obtaine or retaine Ecclesiasticall honours This man then hath made thee a seruant to whom Christ was life and death aduauntage that he might win many vnto Christ and not that he might encrease the gaines of his couetousnesse c. And truely euerie day the noyse of Lawes are heard in thy Palace but the Laws of Iustinian not of Christ c. Thou Pastour then and Bishop of soules with what mind dost thou suffer that to be euer silent before thee and these to bable I am deceiued if this peruersnesse moue not in thee some scruple Then for to bring him backe to the auntient bounds Lib. 2. he saith Thy high dignitie need not flatter thee thy care is the greater And if then we would thinke rightly of our selues we shall iudge that a ministerie is imposed vpon vs not a domination giuen Thinke thy selfe as some one of the Prophets Is not that enough for thee yea too much c. If thou be wise thou wilt be contented with the measure that God hath measured vnto thee For what is more is from that wicked one Learne by the example of the Prophet to wit Ieremie to be in authoritie not for to commaund but to doe as the time requireth Learne that hast need of a weeding hooke not a Scepter for to doe the worke of a Prophet c. It was sayd to the Apostles thy predecessors The haruest is great but the labourers are few Take to thee the paternall inheritance for if thou be a sonne thou art an heire That thou mayst proue thy selfe heire watch on this care and bee not ydle least it be sayd vnto thee Why standest thou here all day ydle much lesse to bee found loosse in delights 1. Peter 5.3 or wallowing in pompes The will of the Testator assigneth vnto thee none of these c. Dost thou thinke that he hath giuen thee domination heare him Not as though ye were Lords saith he in clero ouer Gods heritage but as made ensamples to the flocke And thinke not that he saith it onely in humilitie and not also it truth It is the Lords voyce in the Gospell The Kings of Nations rule and haue power of them c. But it shall not be so among you It is plaine that domination is forbidden the Apostles If thou wilt haue both thou shalt loose both Otherwise thinke that thou art not excepted from the number of them of whom God thus complayneth They haue raigned but not by me They haue beene Princes but I knew them not And this speech he extendeth verie long How farre different from the Diuinitie of Hildebrand who would vnite to his Mytre the temporall Monarchie of all the world For Appeales How long dost thou dissemble or not perceius the murmure of the whole earth Lib. 3. How long dost thou slumber How long doth thy consideration sleepe at this great abuse and confusion of Appeales How many haue we knowne to haue appealed that by the helpe thereof they might be suffered to continue the greater wickednesse Against all Law and right against all custome and order they are made There is no discretion had of place of time of the person nor of the cause And this matter he discourseth at large Lib. 4. shewing the inconueniences thereof and illustrateth it by many examples which it sufficeth vs only here by the way to point at There were Pastors afore thee who gaue themselues wholly to the feeding of their sheepe c. Their onely gaine pompe and pleasure to prepare and render them vp to God a perfect people Where is now I pray you this custome There is another vnlike vnto it come in place thereof affections are much changed and would to God it were not into worse Yet care anxietie emulation and ponsiuenesse doe continue but translated not changed I heare you witnes that you spare not your substance no more than before But the difference is in the diuerse imploying of it Great abuse few haue respect to the mouth of the Lawgiuer but all to the hands Yet not without cause they doe all the businesse of the Pope Can you shew me one of all that great Citie that hath receiued thee for Pope without money or without hope of hauing some for it And here let the Reader see that we be not tedious vnto him the description he maketh there of the Romans and especially of the Clergie in all kind of wickednesse far worse than others In the middest of all this saith he Thou Pastour marchest all layed with gold compassed about with so much varietie Thy sheepe what desire they These pastures if I durst so speake rather of Diuels than
away by the same meanes many filthie doctrines which the Semi-Pelagians Faustus Cassianus and others had brought in easily getting foundation of their doctrines out of the naturall pride of men But Saint Bernard being once dead the schole of Abayllard continued in the Schole-men who haue so followed his methode that he by right may be acenowledged their father It little wanted then but that the tares choked the good corne when with them little or no mention is made of justifying by faith the fortresse of saluation is thenceforth placed in dead workes as if Christian doctrine that most profound secret hidden before all time and reuealed in his time were nothing but a certaine morall discipline In the same time also Gratian compiled his Decrees not more fortunatly than Iustinian his Pandectes out of the Canons and auncient Decrees which hee in many places applieth to the abuses of the time and especially to the Roman ambition although he leaue vs therein many good footsteps by helpe of which the diligent searchers may find out the ancient doctrine practise of the Church Auentine an Author most studious of antiquitie teacheth vs Auent l. 6. that before Gratian the Canon law was farre otherwise For saith he as it is perfect and whole in our Libraries it containeth two parts the first the Acts of vniuersall Councells which are manifestly receiued the other of the Constitutions Epistles and Rescripts of Popes as euerie thing was done the causes assistants witnesses with the circiumstances of places and times Would to God he had not taken so much paines And in the meane time Pope Eugenius approueth it and commaundeth it to be read in all Vniuersities because without doubt he reduced the whole Church vnder the Popes yoke little remembring the good counsels that Saint Bernard gaue him in his bookes of Considerations The same methode hath Peter Lumbard this Gratians brother in his foure bookes of Sentences collected out of the places of auncient Fathers compiled into a certain order which he oftentimes maketh to serue by changing leauing out or adding some word to the corrupt diuinitie of his time so that from thenceforth onely Gratian is consulted with and onely Lumbard is read in scholes In these two consists all Christian law and diuinitie No man hence careth for seeking to the fountaine in the holie Scriptures of the old and new Testament in the monuments of the Fathers or Acts of auncient Councels to looke more neerely into the matter is counted heresie Auentine to this purpose saith Auent Annal. Baior l. 6. I haue learned and heard of my Masters Iacobus Faber and Clitouous more than a thousand times That this Lumbard had troubled the pure fountaine of Diuinitie with muddie questions and whole riuers of opinions which experience if we be not blind doth more than ynough teach vs. Which notwithstanding as well as himselfe are most famous among them of the Church of Rome 47. PROGRESSION Of the humilitie of the Emperour Frederick and the pride and insolencie of Pope Adrian the fourth The Pope stirreth vp the subiects of William King of Sicilia to rebell against him TO the Emperour Conrade succeeded in the yeare 1152 Frederick his nephew An. 1152. in the Empire of Germanie a Prince by the testimonie of all writers qualified with many vertues And in the yeare 1153 dieth Eugenius An. 1153. whom Anastasius succeedeth created as abouesaid by the Cardinals alone who continued but one yeare neuerthelesse peaceable at Lateron because he let the Romans doe what they listed Then behold Adrian the fourth an English man borne entreth into the Popedome who could not be consecrated at Lateran vnlesse first the people chased away Arnold who as we haue said preached at Rome against the superfluous pompe of Popes and withall would put downe the Senat which they had established Both which being refused him he waxeth angrie forsaketh the citie and with his Court retireth to Orvietto Frederick in the meane time setteth forward to be crowned in Italie who in his way inuested Anselme of Hauelburge with the Bishopricke of Rauenna then vacant by the death of Moses being chosen by the voyce of the Clergie and of the people and moreouer maketh him Exarch whence he tooke the title of Seruant of seruants Archbishop and Exarch of Rauenna Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 12. This set Adrian alreadie into an ague who neuerthelesse met him at Viterbe where Frederick stepping to him held his stirrop for him to light from his horse and conducted him into his tent There the Bishop of Bamberge speaking for the Emperour declared vnto him with much respect That all the Church was come from the end of the world for to bring him this Prince and that seeing prostrat at his feet he had rendred him due honour he besought him to doe what lay in him to set the Imperiall Crowne vpon his head Sigonius saith here that he paused a while seeming as it were to conceale from vs the insolencie of this Pope which we read in Helmold Helmold in Histor Sclauorum c. 81. an Author not to be suspected because he was rightly ashamed of it The answer then of Adrian was this Brother these are but words that thou tellest vs thou sayest thy Prince hath giuen due reuerence to Saint Peter but Saint Peter hath rather been thereby dishonored Instead of holding our right stirrop he hath held the left This being told againe by the Interpreter to the King he humbly answereth Tell him that it was not want of deuotion but of knowledge for I haue not much learned to hold stirrops and he is the first to my knowledge that euer I did that seruice vnto The Pope replied If he haue through ignorance neglected that which is most easie how thinke yee that he will acquit himselfe of that which is greater Then the King somewhat moued I would be better instructed saith he whence this custome hath taken footing from good will or of duetie if from good will the Pope hath no cause to complaine that I haue failed in a seruice which is but arbitrarie and not of right but if you say that of duetie from the first institution this reuerence is due to the Prince of Apostles what importeth it betweene the right and left stirrop so that humilitie be obserued and that the Prince prostrat himselfe at the Popes feet Helmold l. 1. c. 73. Thus saith the Historie was this point long and eagrely disputed and in the end they departed each from other sine osculo pacis without the kisse of peace Let the Reader note here the charitie of this Bishop to reiect an Emperour onely for hauing held the left stirrop for the right and an Emperour endued with such vertues as the Author faileth not to say That his wisedome and courage was greater than of all the inhabitants of the earth And he addeth The principall Lords which were as the pillars of the realme were afraid to returne without
Italie an enemie to the Church and those that tooke his part namely the Millanois and their adherents were excluded from the communion of the Church In the meane time Innocent died in the yeare 1216 and Otho in the yeare 1218 who as an argument of repentance left by testament the ensignes of the Empire to young Frederic Krantzius speaking of the causes of discord betweene Otho and Innocent although for the most part inclined towards the Popes Krantz l. â— c. 33. 34. saith That the Emperour demaunded through Italie the auntient rights of the Empire whereof long since some of them were transferred to the Church He also challenged that great inheritance of Mathilda a woman of great estate in Italie as appertaining vnto him by a double right for he seemed to be the heyre of his Aunt who descended from the Marquesses of Saxonie and also as falling to the Empire for want of heires And hereupon Innocent saith he exhorted the Princes Electors that forasmuch as he had cast off Otho first excommunicated and then deposed to chose vnto the Empire another Prince offering vnto them Frederic of the age of 20 yeares of whom although he had the administration of his Gardenship he couerted all to his owne profit for the Continuor of the holie warre saith Frederic being yet a child and a pupill Continuator belli sacri l. 3. c. 10. was depriued by Innocent his tutor of the inheritance of his Kingdome and beeing free was made tributorie without respect either of the prayers of Henrie his father or Constance his mother or his owne promise made vnto them Blond Decad. 2. l. 6. Blondus noteth two bold Decrees of this Pope the first so often as one Prince shall offend another that the correction shal belong to the Bishop of Rome The which was done vpon the difference betweene the Kings of Fraunce and England and is inserted into the Decretals The second That two striuing for the Empire hauing voyces alike Extra de election c. Venerabilem he whom the Pope alloweth shall be preferred which is there red and put in practise in fauour of Otho the fourth and ought to be receyued as lawfull by this meanes he was made the Arbitrator of the whole world But the Bookes especially written by himselfe doe testifie how much this mysterie did pricke him forward The Bishop of Rome saith he Innocentius 3. ser in festo Syluestri Papae vseth the Globe in signe of Empire the Globe is the signe of the Empire vseth the Mytre in signe of his Popedome But the Mytre he vseth alwayes and euerie where but the kingdome neyther euerie where nor alwayes because the Papall authoritie is both the first and the worthier and further spread than the imperial for among the people of God the Priesthood went before the kingdom when Aaron the first priest went before Saul the first king Jdem Serm. 1. in festo Gregorij Papae Noah also was before Nemroth when of him the Scripture saith That Babylon was the beginning of Nemroth but Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifice vpon it But speaking of the Priests and Kings he calleth the Priests Gods and the Kings Princes From the Gods he saith thou shalt not detract and the Prince of the people thou shalt not curse and when the Apostle spake of the King All humane creatures be yee subiect euen for Gods cause to your Kings as the most excellent or to you leaders as sent by him The Lord saith to Hieremie the Priest of the Priests of Anatoth I haue appointed thee ouer Nations and Kingdomes that thou maiest pull downe and destroy build and plant c. But to Peter especially he sayd Thou shalt be called Cephas that is to say head wherin the fulnesse of the senses consist Who did euer read such Diuinitie And yet behold there is worse When our Lord and Sauiour sayd vnto S. Peter Duc in altum Jdem in Serm. 2. de festo Sancti Petri. cast into the deepe this deepe Sea is Rome which obtayned and holdeth the prioritie and principalitie aboue all the world as if he sayd Goe to Rome and transport thy selfe with all thine to the Citie there cast thy nets abroad to take In another place The Church of Rome oweth not any reuerence to any person but the Pope who hath no superior but God But yet see here his companion and corriuall The Bishop of Rome saith he hath the Church of Rome his spouse and yet bringeth in other Churches subiect vnto him This is the first that I knew that hath gone so farre as to call himselfe the spouse of the Church arrogating to himselfe the true and incommunicable title of the Lord who is the true and onely spouse of the true Church and therefore the Church of Rome cannot be the true Church if the Pope be her spouse nor the Pope her spouse Bernard ad Eugen Epist 237. if the Church of Rome be the true spouse Let vs heare what S. Bernard saith writing to Pope Eugenius It remaines now that thou take care that the spouse of thy Lord who is committed to thee be made the better by thee If thou bee a friend of the spouse thou shalt not call his beloued My Princesse but Princesse challenging nothing to thy selfe in her vnlesse if occasion were to giue thy life for her If Christ haue sent thee thou must make account thou art sent to serue and not to be serued Can a man thinke that it is sufficiently excused by that poore distinction of Bellarmine Bellarmin de Romano Pontif l. 2. 31. of a principall or subalterne spouse I omit his comparison of the two lights which God hath placed in the firmament the Sunne and the Moone the Sunne hee compareth to the Pope the Moone to the Emperour for doubtlesse he that feareth not to violat the commaundements of Christ himselfe the King of kings wee may thinke he will little spare the Princes of the earth And truely vnder the pretence of this spirituall authoritie hee required at the same time the temporall homage of the kingdome of England for there being a controuersie betweene the Bishops Suffragans of the Archbishop of Canturburie and the Monkes touching the election of the Archbishop the Monkes pretending that they onely ought to chuse him and the Bishops saying they could not doe it without them Both of them comming to Rome Innocent persuaded the Procters of the Monkes to chuse Stephen Lanthon a Cardinall Priest his seruant and albeit they protested they could not doe it without the King and their Conuent being ouerborne with his threats of excommunication hee ouercame them and pronounced sentence for the Monkes against the Bishops giuing the Monkes likewise to vnderstand that he would excommunicat them if they obeyed not his Decree King Iohn who then raigned was much offended as well because Innocent had said Math. Paris in Johan p. 216. That it was
Epist 1. That which our embassadours haue reported vnto you beleeue it as a thing most true none otherwise than if S. Peter had by oath confirmed it Doth it not seeme vnto you that the sentence of deposition hurteth the Maiestie of the Empire For our conscience assureth vs of our integritie we haue God with vs whom we call to witnesse that we haue neuer had any other end than to bring Church-men to perseuere in the true faith such as it was in the Primitiue Church when they imitated the humilitie of Christ and life of the Apostles for then Clergie men were often woont to see the Angels to shine in myracles to heale the sicke raise the dead and subdue Princes not with enimies but with holinesse whereas they that liue in this age are giuen to the world and drunken with delights Deum humeris induunt they counterfeit God and choke our religion by the superfluitie of their riches To withdraw from them then these superfluous riches that hurt them and ouerwhelme them with so great damage is it to doe against charitie To the performance therefore of this worke together with vs we inuite all Princes for they which lay aside superfluous things doe serue God the better and yee ought to take order that God may be well serued And at length the Author a famous Lawyer in his time concludeth And these are perhaps the things for which in those times they thought Frederick to deserue the name of the enemie of the Church But yet Historians are not silent Math. Paris in Henrico 3. An. 1249. that he was impoysoned Mathew Paris Potionatus the Chronicle of Augsburg Veneno extinctus Killed by poyson and Sigonius himselfe others say stifled with a pillow cast on his mouth namely to hasten his time whereof Manfred his bastard sonne was suspected whom notwithstanding saith Sigonius Compilatio Chronolg apud Pistorium he left heyre with his other brethren for which cause many discharged him of it without doubt for to burthen therewith Pope Innocent which Cuspinian doth expresse in these tearmes Manfred saith he choked him with a pillow hauing beene corrupted whether by his enemie and who was a greater or by the Pope And thus are we brought to the yeare 1250. An. 1250. All this passed whilest S. Lewis made warre in the Holie Land who there lost the battell and fell prisoner into the hands of the Souldan neither do Historians dissemble who was the author of this ouerthrow The brethren saith Paris of the king of France entreated the Pope in the behalfe of the said king and of themselues that he would make peace with Frederick humbled and humbly offering satisfaction to the Church according to the honour he bare to the vniuersall Church The said brethren also of the king namely the Earles of Poitou and of Prouence layd to his charge That by his couetousnesse all this misfortune was happened for the Pope saith he had hindered the crossed souldiers corrupting them with money from going to the kings succour and had absolued from the vow of their peregrination them which before he had crossed for the Holie Land by the preaching Friers and Minorites Moreouer he had sold the crossed souldiers to Earle Richard and other great men as in times past the Iewes were woont to sell sheepe and doues in the Temple whom Christ in his wrath cast forth as it is in the Gospell This is the testimonie that historie giueth to this Innocent contrariwise of Frederick Auentine saith That he was without doubt the most potent Auent l. 7. and the most profitable Prince to the Commonweale of Christendome that had beene since Charlemaine and without contradiction the most wise Witnesse Nicholas Cusan Bishop of Brixen Cardinall of Rome a man euerie way most learned and Egidius Romanus Archbishop of Bourges in Gaule a famous Philosopher and Peripatetick who in the bookes that he wrot of the institution of a king to the Westerne Emperours of France exhorteth them to follow him for example The same Frederick caused all the bookes of Aristotle and many others both sacred and prophane all the treasure of Philosophie to be by most learned interpreters translated out of the Greeke and Arabian tongues in which he had taken pleasure from his youth He gaue great priuiledges yea the Burgesie of Rome to all the people of Prussia and of Sarmatia because they had forsaken the seruice of false gods for to embrace Christian pietie His power his strength his prudence his high courage his experience in militarie affaires his neerenesse for he made his abode in Italie contrarie to the custome of the auncient Emperours gouerned Germanie by his sonne and onely twice went out of Italie into Germanie was dreadfull and suspicious to the See of Rome Which Gregorie the ninth denied not but freely confessed And because the Empire flourished more than was to the liking of the Roman Cardinals placuit it was their pleasure not onely to bruise and breake it with discords but also to bring it into ashes and to cast downe Frederick from the highest step of humane things There remaineth summarily to quote what commodities these three Popes persecutors of Frederick haue brought vnto the Church in counterchange of so many discommoditie Innocent the third and Honorius the third approued the rules of Francis and Dominick Gregorie the ninth canonized them Chronic. Martini Platina in Innocentio 4. and Anthonie of Padua besides and Innocent the fourth not to seeme inferiour vnto them enregistreth in the same Calender Edmund of Canturburie Stanislaus of Cracouia and Peter of Verona And we haue seene what myracles they did by these Friers and from that time forth you shall hardly meet with any Pope that maketh not some Saints Let the Reader judge with what warrants these men can place others in the kingdome of heauen which by so horribly wicked actions make themselues vnworthie to liue vpon earth Johannes de Oppido Extra de Celebr Missarum C. sane cum olim Durandus in Rationa l. 41. Nauclerus Gener 42. vol. l. Math. Paris in Henrico 3. Sigon de regno Jtaliae l. 18. Extr. C. Propos de Concess praebend causa 25. q. 1. 16 glossa Plat. in Jnnocentio 4. Also Innocent the third ordayned Transubstantiation Honorius made the Hoste to bee on the knees adored and to bee carried to sicke persons with burning torches Gregorie the ninth that hee might not remayne behind ordayned the little bell which being rung warneth all men to adore it the Salue Regina also for to be sung in Churches and the Aue Maria when the bell tolleth Alexander the third Innocent the third Honorius the third Gregorie the ninth made many Decrees the most part to authorise the Church of Rome in her pretended fulnesse of power Innocent the third went so farre as he feared not say We can according to the fulnesse of power dispence of the law euen aboue the law which the Glosse
man most renowned both for sanctimonie and miracle Matheus auers that diuers excellent men were also of this opinion whom he had both seene and heard in Fraunce as the Abbot of Flaie of the Cistertian order Iames de Vitry Robert Curkham and others The same Author also makes mention of an Epistle written by Innocent from Lyons to the bishop of S. Albones in England wherein he intreated him nay and by authoritie Apostolicall commaunded him to inuest one Iohn de Canecaua his nephew and chaplaine in the Church of Wengrade ouer which hee was Patron but so that he might change the same for another whensoeuer the same Iohn or any procuror of his should desire it that of Wengrade being perpetually notwithstanding reserued to his donation non obstante the priuiledge indulgence graunted to the English That no benefices should be immediatly conferred vpon Italian Priests And this we thought good saith he to insert into this booke that the Readers may discerne with how many iniuries and oppressions the Court of Rome surchargeth vs miserable English but this was that the threatning saying of the Apostle might be fulfilled Except first a departure come the sonne of iniquitie shall not be reuealed Behold here the cause behold here the matter why hearts though not bodies fall away from our father the Pope who growes austere and rigorous like a stepfather and from our mother the Roman Church who persecuteth and vexeth like a stepmother And on this all men fix their eyes Let vs now come to France We see how Innocent excited and stirred vp the Croisado against Conrade the Emperour Fredericks sonne promising larger indulgences to them that would serue against him than to those that should goe into Palestina for remission of sinnes was not granted onely to euery one of the Croisado but further to their parents and kinsfolkes also yea and that euen at the same time saith Mathew when S. Lewis lay distressed for all necessarie things at Caesasarea the which he intimated to his mother brethren and faithfull subiects in a lamentable Epistle But when Madam Blanch heard of this who swayed the French gouernment beyond feminine force or abilitie she conuocated all the nobles of the kingdome to aduise seriously on this affaire and in this treatie much murmuring and anger occurred they alledging how our Lord the Pope excited a new and intestine warre which within the confines of Christendome raised Christians against Christians and preaching to this end to men ordained for Gods seruice for the augmentation of his dominion hee shewed himselfe carelesse and forgetfull of our Lord the King who sustained for the Christian faith so many discommodities and aduersities For now his foresaid sermon was divulged ouer all the French confines Blanch being therefore herewith much moued because this murmure grew not without iust cause she tooke into her hands the lands and possessions of all them of the Croisado she alledging They that serue the Pope let them liue on the Popes meanes and so be gone without returning any more All the Potentates in like manner bordering on France in whose countries this sermon had signed all to this warre did the like And thus the sermon grew inualidious and the signed were reuoked as also the Predicants and Minorites who had so highly aduanced this affaire were verie seuerely reprehended by the nobles they obiecting We build you churches and houses we educat entertaine apparell and feed you what benefit reape you from the Pope He disturbeth and exacteth of you he makes you his toll-takers and so you become odious euen to your owne benefactors To whom they replyed Meere obedience moues vs hereunto From that time forward the Pope blushing for shame listened to treaties of peace In the meane while vnder pretext of such great obedience to this warre S. Lewis his succours were cut off his armie defeated all Palestina exposed to spoyle and prey and himselfe was taken by the enemie whereupon he conceiued such an irradicable griefe and sorrow that for a certaine time after his libertie procured he would not be comforted The Friers Mendicants as hath formerly beene said were either chiefe ministers or in a great part authors of these calamities whereupon they grew so powerfull that the rest of the Clergie began to be afraid while by their confessions they diued into the peoples hearts beat the Popes eares with continuall flatteries and at length depriued all ordinarie ministers of place and function whom they tearmed Blind Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. and leaders of the blind which neuer studied in the Decretals nor had learned so much as to resolue one doubt not shaming to demaund of many Are you confest to whom if they answered Yea they would aske Of whom Why by my parish Priest And who is that ideot I thinke he neuer heard of Diuinitie Confesse hardily vnto vs to whom you both see and heare such authoritie is granted Wherefore many of the Nobles and their wiues contemning their proper Priests and Prelats were confessed by these Predicants And here againe courteous Reader obserue the forme and expresse Idea of these times The matter grew to such an head as the Pope himselfe perceiuing them transported so headlong to ambition was forced to suppresse it What means this brethren said he where is your humilitie your vow of pouertie And hereupon the Vniuersitie of Paris began first to stirre oppose but especially because with their subtilties and sophistries they had adulterated the true Christian doctrine teaching first That the diuine essence was neither beheld by angell nor glorified man Secondly That though the liuelie diuine essence be one and the selfesame in the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost yet as it comes within the reason and compasse of Forme it is one in the Father and the Sonne and not alike vnto these in the holie Ghost and yet Forme is the same thing with diuine Essence Thirdly That the holie Ghost as he is Loue and connexed doth not proceed from the Sonne but onely from the Father Fourthly That neither the glorified soule nor purified bodie shall be in the Imperiall heauen with the angels but in the watrie or Crystaline heauen which is aboue the firmament the which they also affirmed by the blessed Virgine Marie Fiftly That the euill angell was euill at the verie instant of his creation and how he neuer had been good Sixtly That there were many verities from eternitie which were not God Seuenthly That an angell at the same instant could be in diuers places and that euerie where if it so pleased Eightly That beginning present time creation and passion is neither Creator nor creature Ninthly That the euill angell neuer had the meanes to stand no nor yet Adam in his state of innocencie Tenthly That he who hath the best naturall gifts must of necessitie receiue most grace and glorie All which positions the Ecclesiasticall Prelats together with the Vniuersitie of Paris being assembled expresly condemned in these
contemners of ordinarie Pastors and their supplanters creepers into royall chambers and adulterators of confessions as they that roaming ouer vnknowne Prouinces administred a libertie and boldnesse of sinning All these complaints being heard the Pope commaunded that this new booke which they called The eternall Gospell should secretly and with as little scandall as could be to the Friers be burnt with some other inuentions which were said to proceed from Ioachims erronious braine This execution therefore was closely and priuily performed and with as little scandall as possible might be to the Friers through the speciall diligence of Cardinall Hugo and the Bishop of Messina both which were of the Predicant Order so as this tumult at that time ceased and slept The opinions of this Gospell were these That God the Father raigned vnder the Law and the Sonne vnder Grace but by the rising of the foure Orders Mendicants the holie Ghost began then to raigne and so should doe while the end of the world and that from this time forward they onely should be saued that beleeued in this new Gospell That Christs Gospell was not true perfect nor sufficient to saluation as also his Sacraments were of little esteeme but if this new one were compared with that it as farre exceeded it as the Sunne doth the Moone and so consequently that the Church which should be grounded on this new Gospell would in the same proportion excell the other precedent The authors notwithstanding of these inuentions which were to be extirpated the Pope did tollerat and support because any thing whatsoeuer seemes just and equall to them so it make for their prerogatiue and power and they were afraid especially least these their hucksters should grow out of grace with the people by whose tongues and talons so much good bootie and spoyle came vnto their hands Wherefore that same William of S. Amors one of wonderful estimation amongst good men both preached writ against them declaring in his sermons That he affected aboue all other crimes to be zealous in discouering of hypocrisie because this brought more damage and preiudice to true pietie than all the other besides as also in that the Church was now ouergrowne with the same sinne and no bodie for feare of the Pope and Prelats durst lay hand to the irradication of it Amongst others wee read at this day a booke of his intituled De periculis mundi seu nouissimorum temporum which begins thus Quia nos vacantes sacris Scripturis Matth. Paris in libro de Antichristo c. printed at Basil in the yeare 1555 and no wayes to be suspected of falsitie seeing Mathew Paris in a great volume that he writ against Antichrist comprehends the same wholly and entirely ascribing it to the Vniuersitie of Paris and this questionlesse because it was made and publisht by authoritie thereof especially in that hee alwayes speakes in the Plurall number In which booke he conuinceth them That they preached vnsent or at least without a Mission canonicall against and contrarie to the veritie of the sacred Scriptures and fraudulently concealing that which should most principally be deliuered That they crept into houses and insinuated into the peoples priuities by confessions Gulielmus de Sancto Amore lib. de periculis mundi edito Basileae An. 1555. whom by this means they bring vnder their power the easier to commaund and rule them And they call themselues Generall aiders and supporters of the Church preferring themselues before all men euen before the religious Orders themselues And to appeare the more holy they deuise new and superstitious traditions That they loued the highest places at inuitements the chiefest chaires in Synagogues reuerences and low bowings in the open market places and of men to be called Rabbies That they vaunted of the great good they did in the Church of God boasted of their owne and their followers myracles and chalenging the prayse of that they neuer performed That vnder pretext of humilitie they insinuated themselues into the Courts of Princes and affect to be reputed Courtiers That they smoothed the defects of men and arrogantly assumed a farre greater zeale than that of ordinarie Pastors That at first men entertaine them joyfully but at last they grow wearie of them the which happened quite contrary with the true Apostles That they asked with importunitie and receiued indifferently not to releeue necessities but to prosecute their delights and pleasures To conclude That they solicited and sued to obtaine letters commendatorie from great men And here the Reader may obserue the maners and carriage of these Neotericke Pharisies The same man deliuered in a certaine sermon Duo Conciones Gulielmi de Sancto Amore in Antilogia Basileae edita An. 1555. That Christ chose plaine and simple men to preach but Antichrist on the contrarie for the propagation of his falsities and errours made election of men of a double heart subtile and expert in worldlie policies and not onely Antichrist himselfe made choyce of such but also his members and champions No maruell therefore though they persecute the professors of the Christian faith to death seeing Iohn saith in his Apocalyps I saw a beast rise out of the sea that had seuen heads and seuen hornes this beast was intended by Antichrist and his followers And certaine yeares after Iohn de Poliaco Williams disciple and Laurence an English man defended these propositions publikely in Sorbon In a sermon of his he particularly admonished the Church Laurentius Anglicus in defensione Gulielmi de Sancto Amore Tractat. Cauendum esse à Pseudoprophetis Serm. 2. in die Philippi Jacobi Thomas Cantipratensis in Apibus mysticis That a great danger hung ouer her head by the Monkes That they were the seducers and ministers of Antichrist of Antichrist who was hard at their doores But when the Pope had suppressed the scandall of this new Gospell least it might haue prejudiced his affaires taking an occasion of reuenge against William of S. Omers and some other his like for the denunciation of these truthes whether by right or wrong he published and declared him for an heretike as also he complained of him to our Princes that had need of his helpe and fauour and caused him to be expelled out of the Vniuersitie which remained as it were desart and forsaken exciting in like manner Thomas Bonauentura and others to write against him so as all true Diuinitie yeelded to Sophistrie and Paul to Aristotle But so the Mendicants on the other side euen seazed on the Diuinitie Scholes and the Canonists on the Ciuilians chaire that so all points were decided by Gratian and Lombard and of the holie Scriptures there was not so much as any mention in scholes Out of their studies therefore from this time forward came bookes easie to be smelt by their verie titles as Summae Repertoria Quodlibeta Rosaria Legendae Specula in Sententias Decreta Ordines Monachorum Regulas Confessiones Tractatus de
and least of all ouer the Maiestie Imperiall and if he vsurpe the same they are bound by diuine lawes to resist him therein by word by deed by all meanes and all endeuours and not doing so they should be vniust and iniurious to God as on the contrarie they that fight for him and these false prerogatiues may be reputed to be the diuels champions That the Emperours confirmation belonged not to the Pope much lesse his election nay and this manner of his coronation by reason of many abuses growing from the same brings some danger to the Empire But so on the contrarie the Emperour being a Christian Prince by the consent of the Clergie and people may nominat a Pope and the partie being absent confirme him nominated If he be accused or obiected against he may reduce him into the true way and judge him by a Councell That Peter when he liued as he was a man might fall nay and erre neither was the Pope by any priuiledge exempted from error And whereas it was said to Peter Oraui pro te this may be extended likewise to the rest of the Apostles therfore he could be no surer of his faith constancie than the rest of the Bishops That only the Canon of the sacred Bible is the fountaine of truth in whose disesteeme wee must neither beleeue the Pope nor the Church That we ought not to beleeue the Popes and Cardinall onely about the sence and meaning of the Scriptures or any principall poynt of faith because verie often by their wicked interpretations and opinions they haue led miserable men to hell That the Christian Church is properly the generall bodie and number of the faithfull not the Pope or the Cardinals no not the Roman Church it selfe and the same is truely represented in a lawfull and general Councel of the Churches which was to be called by the Emperour with the consent of other Christian Princes and in times past was so perpetually called And surely my verie conscience vrgeth me to comprehend as briefly as I can what hee speakes of these things because neuer any man more plentifully displayed by what degrees and pretences the Popes haue attained to this height of tyrannie As also I would request the Reader not to thinke it tedious to read ouer the booke it selfe especially speaking of the Court of Rome Marsil Pataui part 2. c. 24. Those saith he which haue visited the Roman Court or to speake more significantly a Staple of traffickes more horrible than a denne of theeues Or they who haue not seene it may vnderstand by the report of a multitude of men worthie of credit that it is at this day become the verie receptacle of all bad and wicked practicioners both spirituall and temporall For what other thing is it than a concourse of Simoniacks What other than an harsh rude bawling of Barretters an Asylum for slaunderers and the trouble and vexation of honest men There the innocents iustice is hazarded or at least so long protracted if they be not able to compasse it by money and bribes that at last exhausted and toyld with innumerable disturbances they are enforced to let fall their miserable and tedious suites For there indeed humane lawes reecho and sound out but diuine precepts are are silent or seldome heard There are counsels and consultations of inuading Christian Princes by armed and violent power conquering and taking the same from them to whose custodie and iurisdiction they were lawfully committed but for purchasing of soules there is neither care nor counsell taken Whereunto we may annexe That there no order but perpetuall horror and confusion inhabites And as for my selfe that haue seene and beene present me thinkes I behold that fearefull statue which in the second of Daniel was represented to Nabuchadnezzar in a dreame hauing an head of gold armes and breast of siluer bellie and thighes of brasse yron legs and the feet one part yron and the rest of earth And so applying it in euerie part Brasen breasts and thighes saith he because of the shrill and large promises and the vocall though fallacious absolution from sinnes and penalties and the vniust and terrible maledictions and condemnations of such as but defend their owne libertie or obserue due fidelitie to their Soueraignes though through Gods protection all this rage and tumor is but vaine and innocuous And no maruell it is that the Index Romanus forbad all men the reading thereof Iohn de Iandun a Gantois maintained the same propositions who also was comprehended in the same sentence of condemnation a man of rare learning in those tempestuous dayes as may plainly be collected by his workes printed both at Venice and Florence Also Leopald of Bebemburg Doctor of the lawes and Bishop of Bamburg who handled the same argument namely That the Emperour had absolute power of gouerning the Empire presently after his election and the Popes coronation added nothing to him to whom he was neither vassall nor feudatarie He also conuicted Constantines donation to be a mere fable The title of the booke is De translatione Imperij printed at Paris anno 1540 but Michael of Cesenna Generall of the Franciscans spake much more broadly and confidently for he said expresly The Pope was Antichrist the Roman Church Babylon which was drunke with the bloud of the Saints And therefore Antoninus placeth him among the Fratricelli or poore Friers of Lyons who as formerly wee saw were the verie progenie of the Waldenses This man and his followers particularly auerred That Pope Iohn was an heretike and all the Popes and Prelats that should come after him Antonin parte 3. tit 21. c. 5. sect 1 And diuers saith Antoninus were burnt in sundrie parts of the world that stood firme in this opinion He also notes That long time after the Marquisat of Ancona Florence it selfe was full of them from whence being expelled they dispersed themselues ouer the countries of Greece as also that Lewis of Bauaria the Emperour was a supporter of these opinions and amongst others he makes mention of one Iohn Castiglio and Francis de Harcatara Franciscans Paulus Aemilius in Carolo Pulchro who were burnt Hereupon our Paulus Aemilius descends into these words Vnder king Charles the Faire there liued many admirable wits and most learned men This age flourished in learning Some of them were verie holie men and some contending ambitiously to excell others exceeding a meane grew to be wicked and impious Others there were of whose manners and intentions a doubtfull coniecture may bee made Good men grieued for the euils of the times and silently lamented And they who were called Fraterculi condemned both by deed and writing Ecclesiasticall wealth and opulencie and preached That riches the purple robe and domination were vnbeseeming and vnproper for religion c. But in the life of Philip de Valois we learne both out of him and other French writers That Pope Iohn what need soeuer he had of our
the glorie of Paradise But the Parisian faculties of Diuinitie condemne the Pope of intollerable errour and temeritie There are that referre such an other as you haue heard to Clement the fift Questionlesse all Authors exclaime of wonderfull Symonie in his time and vnusuall reseruations of Benefices throughout the whole Church some of which he reuoaked onely to auoyd publique scandall But gentle Reader while thou seest him here thus commaunding ouer Angels why doest thou not listen to the Apostles prediction in the second to the Thessalonians 2 where he speaks of the man of sinne bearing himselfe as God equall to God and extolling himselfe aboue all that is called God in so manie ages after succeeding to whom may it fitlyer be applied than to him OPPOSITION The oppositions declared throughout this whole Progresse against the Papall Tyrannie may seeme sufficient without adding any other because we see him to haue beene euer mightily oppugned by all the famous men of those ages as also by most commendable and vertuous Princes yet for the Readers better satisfaction we will not thinke it amisse to annexe some thing else The imperiall Decree publisht in the yeare 1338 against the acts of Iohn the two and twentieth as you heard was approued by Edward king of England who also was present at the digesting it For the flanckering and seconding of which the Emperour Lewis dimulged another Edict whose principall heads it will not be altogether impertinent here to insert Lewis the fourth Emperour and by Gods grace Caesar Augustus to all Christians health S. Peter and S. Paule the first Embassadours from the eternall Maiestie declared and foretold long time before seriously informing vs That after their times there should arise false Prophets audatious and subtile and that Priests should become lying messengers plainely deciphering their workes vnto vs In the Temple of God said they that is the Church they shall sit as gods and be exalted aboue all that is reuerenced or worshipped by any Nation as God That those things are most true which the true Prophets of God and the interpreters of his secrets did denuntiat by manifest experience it is confirmed and except we be dull and sencelesse wee cannot but perceiue and euen feele the same We cannot denie but that men now are too superstitious to oppose the abuses of the times though in hipocriticall fraudes delusions wherewith the ignorant vulgar are many times taken and ensnared they are most wittie and craftie brasen-faced to vphold customes and rights receiued and herein abusing the simple credulitie of sillie fooles whereof the number is infinit But it is my part to detect and refell such impostures and digressions to the end they may not affront Christian integritie and plainly mock deride diuine veritie Men gather not grapes from thorns and the Prophet of God receiues no bribes or rewards Christ commanded his messengers that whosoeuer amongst them sought to be highest should be lowest And the Kings of the earth beare domination and rule ouer people but you are the seruants of my flocke that is to say Shepheards you are not Lords Notwithstanding all these things are most true and euident yet Pharisies and pernitious Antichrists sustaine That an Emperour chosen by voyce and custome imperiall and by the suffrages of Princes cannot be Emperour except the high Priest who is Lord ouer all and possessor of both powers allow and confirme him And here he refuted this proposition as being flatly opposit both to the sacred Scriptures to the auntient Laws and Canons and to the customes of all ages further adding For these reasons well rightly and wisely I appeale from the enemie of the Christian Common-wealth to a future generall Councell of all Christendome to be held whereof he is but a member and no head for as S. Ierome sayes The church of the whole world is greater than that of the Citie c. Clement perseuering in this his rage and furie William Ockham incessantly defended Lewis right especially because through his plot and deuise Charles came to be nominated Emperour and in a booke which he publisht vpon this subject He taxed Clement with the note of an heretike calling him verie Antichrist an hater of Christian pouertie an enemie of the Common-wealth a mortall foe to the Germans a most Christian Nation and a follower of Clement the fift and Iohn the two and twentieth false Popes and most deuouring Wolues Charles also he accuseth of periurie treason parricide and of impietie towards his grandfather and nere kinseman in breaking the oath Auent l. 7. wherein he stood bound to Lodouick and perfidiously infringing the Lawes of Constans Franckfort and Longsteine promulged by the Dyets Edict and terming him a vile seruant to the Priests of Auignion of whom he bought the Diadem imperiall Leopald also Bishop of Bamberg and Ockhams Collegues doe no lesse in a Tractate entituled Vindex pacis Christianae wherein they affirme That the Pope except he had rather take vpon him Antichrists pride than emulate Christs and his Apostles pouertie was but a seruant to the meanest Christian much more to soueraigne and supreame power so farre from reason it was that to the singular preiudice of the Christian Commonwealth he should domineere and rule doe whatsoeuer he thinkes good and requiring not onely to be called but to be beleeued a god Indeed Conrade of Magdeberg laboured hard in the answer of these men but seuen yeares after Ockams death who dying anno 1347 and was honourably buried at Franckfort in the Franciscans Colledge together with other two of his companions Bona gratia de Bergamo and Michael de Cesena Some few yeares also before Vlric Hengherohr Lodouikes Chancellor and Secretarie to the Empire deceased who fearing the Auignion Antichristians reuenge so he tearmed them he gaue order in his last Wil and Testament to be buried without the Church least they should haue persecuted him in his verie bones But no man shewes vs more plainly than Florentine Petrarch what opinion all the renowmed men of those troublesome seasons held of the Pope and of the Court of Rome who was Archdeacon of Parma the verie light of that age and greater had beene if he could haue soothed and flattered the Popes of whom he might haue obtained any thing And so much the rather because he writ for the most part as one exempted from the heat and spleene of those present contentions and partialities I omit to set downe how liuely in his Poems he deciphers the Roman Court many times calling her the Babylonian Harlot the Schole of all errour the verie Forge of deceit and the Temple of heresie But here it may be sayd That Poets haue euer beene permitted to speake broadly Let mee request the Reader therefore but onely to read his Latine Epistles full of grauitie zeale and learning wherein he sincerely explaines his opinion In the eighth of those Epistles which are called Sine titulo where he describes the Court of Rome vnder
of Iuda is written with an yron penne with the point of a Diamant as if he should say it is indelible But all these things pretend not impossibilitie but onely difficultie because the peruerse are hardly corrected or reformed For in the third of Ionas it is sayd Who knowes whether he may be conuerted and acknowledge God It is therefore said in the 26 of Ieremie Doe not withdraw the word for it may be they will heare and euerie one may be conuerted from his euill way At last he concludes with a serious exhortation to repentance conuersion and amendment of life This is that Nicholaus Oremus who by Charles the fift his persuasion our king and surnamed the Wise turned the whole Bible into the French Tongue Many copies of the same are to be found at this day in the libraries of the noble families of this land but especially there is one in the kings librarie wherein Charles testifies by his owne hand writing That this Bible was translated by his commaundement And here we may fitly set downe That Charles the Sage was the Author of a booke written by Alanus Charterius his Secretarie whose title was Somnium Viridarij The Gardens Dreame printed at Paris aboue an hundred yeares since against the Papall tyrannie both spirituall and temporall That booke stifly maintaines and so consequently our king Charles That the Roman Church from Constantines dayes had obtained prioritie through a silent and voluntarie consent of the Churches not that it had any authoritie properly ouer them as also because there did reside in that place many famous men who out of their charitie were verie carefull to admonish brotherly the other faithfull and these men againe embraced their admonitions as the rules and precepts of learned men which seemed wonderfull beneficiall and profitable They also were subiect to their censures to preserue the vnitie of the faithfull and this their voluntarie obedience was in stead of a formall election though no wayes by any diuine or humane lawes they were no more tyed to the commaunds and institutions of the Roman Church or the Pope than the Pope himselfe was to him or his Churches And the reason hereof certainely was because they had not yet ouer them any supreme Christian Prince to comprehend and keepe them within order and vnitie the which is most plaine and perspicuous because we cannot gather out of any place of the holie Scriptures That by the commaundement of Christ of any one of the Apostles or of any primitiue Councell that the Churches or Bishops in generall were subiect to the Church or Bishop of Rome no not in those things that appertaine to rites Ecclesiasticall Which in no apparance Christ and his Apostles would haue omitted if it had concerned the saluation of the faithfull much lesse in that which concernes iura coactiua lawes of constraint not onely ouer Clerkes but ouer secular Princes themselues the which the Popes take vpon them against the expresse precepts and iniunctions of Christ and his Apostles And therefore the Church and Bishops of Rome obtained prioritie out of the commendable ends aboue mentioned from Constantine the first Christian Emperour which afterwards they persuaded the world but most falsly that they held ex iure diuino by law diuine further extending the same ouer all Kings and Princes as also that they are to gouerne during a vacancie in the seat Imperial Which the later Popes haue presumed to ratifie by many Decretalls by which out of a plenarie power they pretend to create or depose kings and they not obeying their Decree in this poynt are subiect to interdict and excommunication All which propositions are sharpely refuted in that booke the Pope being reduced to these tearmes That both he and the Church of Rome had no further authoritie ouer other Churches than what by the same Churches was voluntarily conferred vpon them Hereunto let vs annex That Edward the third king of England after he had oftentimes complained in vaine to the Popes of the exactions wherewith the Churches of England were continually pressed hee at length determined to free England from that jurisdiction which the Pope vsurped in England Wherefore in the yeare 1374 he ordained An. 1374. That the Bishops afterwards should be created by himselfe and so other inferiour Ministers by the Bishops and thereupon not long after it came to passe that the Pope lost the tenthes which before time he vsed without checke or controll to impose vpon the Clergie As also it was prohibited vnder grieuous paines That for the obtaining of any benefice in England no man should repaire to the Pope wheresoeuer he were and the Peter pence which were yearely payed to Rome were quite put downe The which when Gregorie the eleuenth vnderstood he was mightily vexed and exclaimed That this was nothing else but to diuide the Christian Church to annihilat Religion and to cut off all lawes both diuine and humane Wherefore he first dealt with Edward to reuoke this law but after this Popes death Polidorus l. 19. schisme arising in the Church saith Polidore there was no other of his successors that minded this matter till Martine the fift wrot letters of great vehemencie and persuasion to king Henrie the sixt but both the one and the other receiued a like answer which was That the Decree of a Councell or Parliament that is of England could not be abrogated without the authoritie of another Councell or Parliament which he would presently cause to be summoned the which notwithstanding was neuer performed At this verie time S. Bridget and Katherine of Sienna were celebrated for Saints both supposed to haue receiued diuine reuelations from aboue and therfore they were canonized both of them notwithstanding conceiuing verie well what manner of monster the Pope was And Bridget being borne in Scotland and maried in Suethen came to see Vrban the fift who was then at Montefiascone neere Rome supposing by her journey to haue gained great Indulgences And yet in her reuelations she calls the Pope a murderer of soules the disperser and deuourer of Christs sheepe more abhominable than the Iewes more despightfull than Iudas more vniust than Pylat worse than Lucifer and that his seat should sinke like a weightie stone the Apocalyps sayes like a mill-stone and that his assistants should burne in a sulphurous and inextinguishable fire Afterwards she reprehends the Bishops and other Priests that through their default the doctrine of Christ is cleane neglected and almost abolished the diuine wisedome and knowledge was by the Clergie conuerted into wicked and vaine sciences That they were leapers and dumbe men turning all Gods commaundements into one onely saying Da pecuniam giue money To conclude she affirmes that she saw the blessed Virgine speaking thus to her sonne Rome is a fertile and plentifull field when Christ made answer So indeed it is but of Cockle and Darnell But yet she said she was admonished in a vision to go to Rome rather to
of all the great men in the Land which then flourished eitheir in letters or armes obtaining so far by his diuine labour and zeale that truth from his mouth was harkened vnto by many embraced and receiued and happily preached for many yeares so as that light of the Gospell reuiued by his operations and endeauours no puff or whirle-wind could extinguish but rather it kindled vnto vs another fire all Europe ouer I forbeare to speake of the learning incomparable soliditie of his writings all which being duely wayed especially in so tenebrous an age amiddest so fearefull flashings and lightnings whereat the greatest Princes of the world stooped and trembled I thinke no man can justly make any doubt but that his spirit receiued illumination courage and confidence from aboue that God wrought in and by him and in the weakenesse of a wretched and abject man in respect of the world he intended the ruine of Sathans Empire of that same plenarie power so much boasted of and so long time affected by the Popes In so much as Luther seemes to haue spoken most worthily The bodies of the Saints rise againe when there is a resurrection of the Gospell of Iesus our Sauiour so as these pettie desperat Bishops are able to preuaile nothing at all against them with their Herods and Pylats All the Clergie out of doubt he wonderfully amazed and astonisht For Thomas Waldensis in his Epistle to Martine the fift spares not to tell how he wondered and admired at his irrefragible assertions at the perspicuous authorities and inconuincible reasons which he produced Thom. Waldens in Epist ad Martin 5. Thom. Walsingham in Rich. 2. Gulielm Caxtonius in Chron. Anno 1171 1372. alias fructus temporum And the Chronologers of those times seeme greatly to complaine that both king Edward and all his chiefe Counsellors gaue attentiue eare to him as also that the king was woon by him to enact by Parliament That the Bishops from thenceforth should be confirmed by their Metropolitans as in times past and not be tied vpon this occasion to goe personally to Rome But Waldensis mentions some particular men that in England entertayned his doctrine certaine Diuines and Masters of the Vniuersitie of Oxford Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the same Vniuersitie together with the two Proctors and many others whom he seuerally nominates In the Court the king himselfe and the Prince of Wales his son were his auditors Iohn Duke of Lancaster Lewis Clifford William Neuill Iohn Klenbow Richard Struny Thomas Latimer Iohn Montacute who defaced Images throughout all his jurisdiction Iohn of Salisburie who being at poynt of death rejected the Papisticall Sacrament with diuers others of the chiefest Nobilitie Besides Iohn of Northampton the Major of London and sundrie other notable Citizens and Burgesses who many times disturbed the Bishops assemblies and conuenticles which were called for the suppressing of Wickliff But so on the other side he wanted not many potent and mightie aduersaries among the Bishops Prelats Monkes but especially the Mendicants who after Edwards death obtained of Richard the second that Wickliff should be expelled England he therefore repairing into Bohemia brought a great light to the doctrine of the Waldenses when Iohn Hus being yet but a young man had diuers conferences with him about diuine matters But at length beeing recalled home againe from exile about the yeare 1387 the last of December An. 1387. he meekely in his Countrie yeelded vp his soule to God and was buried in the Church of Lutterworth within the Countie of Leicester not without a singular miracle shewed herein notwithstanding the implacable rage and furie of his aduersaries although in the yeare 1428 by Pope Martine the fifths order An. 1428. he was by the Prelats in England disinterred and burnt But God in his good time will re-demaund the bodies of his Saints of all the elements to whom he will then most gratiously communicat his hapinesse and glorie Amen Here we may also adjoyne the principall heads of Wicklifs doctrine as they are set downe by William Wydford his aduersarie who inuents many of them out of his owne braine the more to stir vp enuie against him but in a ward wee may boldly affirme that they are no other in substance then such as are receiued into the confessions of our Churches as may euidently bee seene in many treatises which are extant both in Latine and English Touching the Pope besides the points by vs premised he taught That in the Apostles time there were two only orders of Clerks those were Priests and Deacons for other degrees they proceeded from the pride of the Papacie That the Pope who counterfeitly professed himselfe to be the seruant of Gods seruants in the worke Euangelicall was of no place or degree but Sathans speciall Atturney and procurator that he might perpetually proiect and practise treason against Christ also that he was pointed at throughout all the Scriptures for Antichrist not his person simplie but the chaire and Papall dignitie from whence by meanes of the creeping in of all excesse and sensualitie confusion hath inuaded the Church how it was a most palpable heresie to beleeue that euerie militant Church in Europe depended on his See and authoritie That no man could ground out of the Scriptures how such a Vicar entred into the Church and therefore must needs haue come in otherwise by worldly courses and Sathans subtilties That Christ had neuer any meaning to constitute a Caesarian Pope one that should be both Pope and Emperour at an instant And therefore it belonged to Princes seriously to ioyne both their hearts and hands for the prohibiting of such a Sathan to beare rule in the church His principall Disciples in England grew verie famous both by edition of books and for Martyredome as Walter Bret Iohn Aston Iohn Ashwaly Nicholas Herford Iohn Puruer Richards Wits Iohn Oldcastle Peter Clarke William Taylor William With whose workes and labours Bale cites out of the auntient monuments the seed whereof brought forth afterwards the fruits into England which we both haue and daily see Thomas Walsingham specially notes Thomas Walsingham in Richarde 2. that when the Archbishop of Canterburie had sent Wicklifs condemnation to Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford to be diuulged he appointed them to preach that day whom he knew to be the most zealous followers of Wickliff in contempt saith he of the Archiepiscopall precept and among others he ordayned one Philip Rippinton a Chanon of Leycester to preach on Corpus Christi day who concluded his Sermon with these words For speculatiue doctrine saith he such as is the point of the Sacrament of the Altar I will set a barre on my lips while God hath otherwise instructed or illuminated the hearts of the Clergie The same Author sayth That in the yeare 1378 Pope Gregorie the eleuenth his Bull being presented and read at Oxford An. 1378. and seconded with expresse letters both to the
king the Archbishop and all other the chiefest and principallest Bishops wherein he vsed to them great reprehension for the slight care they had taken in the suppressing of Wicklifs doctrine Those of the Vniuersitie were long time in suspence Whether they should receiue the Popes Bull with honour or reiect it with reproach and at last verie small account was made of it 60. PROGRESSION The contention betweene the Romans and the Frenchmen about the election of the Pope Of the diuision in the Popedome betweene Vrban the sixt and Clement the seuenth Of the Practises of Vrban to aduance Charles Duras to the kingdome of Sicilia and of the treacheries towards Ioan Queene of Naples and Otho Duke of Brunswick her husband Of the Iubilie begun by the said Vrban but ended in the time of Boniface the ninth THe Church of Rome as we haue seene is marked in Histories with many schismes of which some of them lasted for many yeares And now we enter into the six and twentieth so quoted by their Authors and the longest of all the rest for it continued for fiftie yeares Pope against Pope the States of Europe and all the Churches of Christendome diuided or rather rent and torne asunder whiles they repeale the Acts one of another and condemne each others ordinances curse and excommunicat the one the other and openly pronounce the one the other to be Antichrist and that in bookes published and yet extant concerning that matter Whereby many euen in despight of their teeth open their eyes to know them for such as they are insomuch that many detesting openly their hypocrisie forsake their Synagogues and the others are made at least so much the more vnexcusable of their enormities In the yeare then 1378 Gregorie the eleuenth being deceased the Cardinalls enter into the Conclaue at Rome and the Romans requested that they would create Pope if not a Roman yet at least an Italian least if he were a Frenchman he should withdraw his seat to Auignion yea not content with prayers they make a tumult about S. Peters by the instigation as it was thought of Cardinall Vrsino who affected the Seat But the Frenchmen on the other side being desirous to haue the Seat with them left nothing vnattempted to the contrarie though wearie of the Lymosine Popes who for many yeares had transported the Myter ouer from one to another Notwithstanding in the end partly for feare and partly by bribing Bartholmew Archbishop of Barrie a Neapolitan is created Pope and called Vrban the sixt the Frenchmen in the meane time complaining that they had beene forced in their suffrages Theodor. à Nyem l. 1. de Schism inter Vrban 6. Clement 7. Platina in Vrban 6. Blondus Decad. 2. l. 10. And here some Authors note That Vrban had promised by oath to renounce the Popedome whensoeuer they should require it though the Cardinals signified by letters his election to the Christian Princes as lawfull and themselues adored him Three moneths then being past and the weather waxing verie hot for he had beene created in March the French Cardinalls for change of ayre request leaue of him to depart to Anagnia which Vrban granteth and they assigne their place of meeting at Fundi whither they come and to make their partie the stronger they entice thither three Italian Cardinalls with promise to each of them secretly to make him Pope if he came thither and then they chose for Pope the Cardinall of Genoua by the name of Clement the seuenth against Vrban the sixt It is obserued That when Vrban was requested not to returne into France these words chanced to escape from him That he would euer abide at Rome and that he rebuked the Bishops openly for that they resided in Court whereas they ought to be in their Diocesses which the Cardinall of Pampelone tooke verie grieuously against him Platina addeth That these Cardinals had pilled the former Popes after their death and feared to be called in question for it And let the Reader hence judge with what goodlie and lawfull reasons matters were gouerned in these Conclaues Each of them then laboured which could draw more Princes and States of Christendome to their obedience and to Vrban obeyed all the Italians and the Florentines themselues being absolued from the excommunication of his predecessor so that there onely wanted to him the Earle of Fundi Francis de Vico who held Viterbe and Ioan Queene of Naples whom he had lost onely by his peeuishnesse and of strangers the Germans Englishmen and Portugals To Clement obeyed the kings of France and Spaine And some there were which acknowledged neither the one nor the other whence they were called Newters Let vs come to Vrban in him was manifestly verified the prouerbe Theodor. à Nyem l. 1. c. 1. He which maketh a Pope knoweth not what he doth For Theodorie à Nyem his Secretarie who wrot this historie telleth vs That before his Popedome he was an humble and deuout man and withheld his hands from all bribes an enemie and persecuter of simonie and zealous of chastitie and iustice And out of that which followeth may easily be judged whether he were an hypocrite or whether the infection of the Seat did not change his habitude This good Queene of Naples had reioyced exceedingly at his promotion to the Popedome and for many dayes in Naples had caused bone-fires of ioy to be made to honour him and besides other things had sent vnto him in gift 40000 ducats part in gold and part in siluer for his first expences Otho also Duke of Brunswick her husband had held him verie deere before he was Pope and wonderfully reioyced of his Popedome but hee notwithstanding was the first that felt his pride for one day presenting drinke vnto him in his collation in presence of many Cardinalls he out of pride stayd a long time before he would take the cup out of the hand of so great a Prince kneeling before him tell one of the Cardinalls said vnto him Holie Father it is time to drinke And some such like actions helped forward the schisme not a little The Author addeth here of his master That this saying as then fayled not in him Asperius whilest misere cum surgit in altum None 's more proud than the wretch that 's high aduanced And also that Corde stat inflato pauper honore dato A poore man aduanced to honour L. 1. c. 8. hath his heart puft vp with pride But likewise verified that saying of the Wise man His heart shall be hard with euill in his later dayes Notwithstanding Otho before the schisme brake forth omitted nothing that he could to reconcile him with the Cardinalls yet receiueth no better vsage from him for hauing requested him to approue the mariage of his cousen the Marquesse of Montâ—errat with Marie heire of Sicilie whereunto all the Barons of the kingdome consented he flatly refused him hauing an intention by any meanes to make the kingdome of Sicilie
Iohn the three and twentieth for an expedition beyond the sea whereupon some Popes afterwards vnder other pretences would haue continued them but the cause of them ceasing they were to cease too neither could they be any longer tollerated especially at this time wherein Italie France Germanie and England were at peace and amitie one with the other And here they spent much time in the vnfolding of those exactions that were then in force Where they proue That neither the Pope nor the Church of Rome could by law impose any thing vpon Churches or Churchmen since he was not their Lord but Christ onely That these exactions are contrarie to the minds of their founders whose successors complaine vnto the king That the goods giuen to Churches are transferred to other vses yea to the vtter ouerthrow of Church and Commonwealth and all orders therein concluding in the end That the whole nation would neuer pay them vnder what pretence soeuer they were demaunded It were too tedious a thing here to repeat all their reasons the principall are these Annuities seeme to bind men to fall into heresie taking the word in the larger sence that is to say That it is lawfull to buy things spirituall or for spirituall to giue siluer or things temporall c. Item He that is so promoted seemeth to commit simonie and periurie Which they proue by that obligation that was required of Patriarches Archbishops Bishops c. You c. by the Apostolike permission and authoritie granted to you in that behalfe doe freely offer and promise of your own wills to giue for your common seruice to the Chamber of your most holie Father and Lord in Christ Pope Alexander and the holie and sacred Colledge of reuerend Fathers and Lords in Christ of the Church of Rome that is to say the Cardinals c. so many Florins of gold of the Chamber of good and lawfull weight c. with diuers other clauses verie strait which they were to sweare vpon the Euangelist and vnder paine of excommunication c. There flourished in these times the Cardinall Zabarella a famous Lawyer Zabarella de schismate circa annum 1406. who writ of schisme he feareth not to say That the defenders of the Pope had so corrupted the Canon law with their Glosses that there was nothing so vnlawfull which they thought not lawfull for them to doe in so much that they extolled him aboue God himselfe making him more than God From whence sprang infinit errors the Pope chalenging vnto himselfe a right ouer all inferior Churches and making small account of all inferiour Prelats in so much saith he that if God giue not his helping hand to the present state of the Catholike Church it is in danger of an vtter ouerthrow But at the next Councell it shall be necessarie to restraine this power and to confine it to that which is lawfull since it is a power subiect to that of the Church as it appeares in the fifteenth of the Acts wherein and not in him doth the fulnesse of power reside and in a generall Councell which representeth the Church In so much that the Church neither can nor euer could transferre that power in such sort to any one but that it euer remained wholly in her selfe not in the Pope whom she had euer power to depose And therefore it is vaine that they commonly boast of That he that is judged by the Church cannot be judged by men but by God alone It is in the power of the Emperor saith he to call Councels which plainely appeareth by the example of Constantine Iustinian Charles who did preside and were chiefe Iudges ouer them as it appeares by the first vniuersall Nicene Councell and others where when matters of faith were treated of the lay people were likewise present Neither is it lawfull for the Pope to hinder the calling of Councels by the intermission whereof the Church incurreth great danger whilest the Popes gouerne it after the manner of secular Princes not Ecclesiasticall Prelats And that which is more the Emperour if hee doubt thereof may demaund of the Pope a reason of his faith and if he be accused of any manifest crime proceed likewise against him by a course of law and to depose him he being the principall Aduocat and defender of the Catholike Church As touching the pretended fulnesse of power he saith That Saint Peter neuer had it but that he was one of the chiefe Apostles and ministers to whom in as much as he bare the person of the Church the keyes were deliuered For as well at Antioch as at Rome he tooke vpon him the administration of his part or portion no otherwise than the rest did And therefore the Pope commaunding nothing but what is just and lawfull is to be obeyed But whereas it is said that he is solutus legibus not subiect to lawes it is to be vnderstood of his owne lawes and not the law of God whereunto he is bound as well as others We must therefore beware least that honour be done vnto him whereby we may make him equall with God nay in any sort to adore him since S. Peter himselfe would neuer endure it but vtterly refused it Acts 10. And whereas it is commonly said That the Church cannot erre he saith it can no way be vnderstood of the Pope or of the Church of Rome but of the Church of Christ and the congregation of the faithfull And that euerie particular member of the Church is bound to be carefull for the preseruation of the Catholike faith And this he saith he hath presumed to write in this manifest danger of the Church moued onely with a zeale of God and his glorie and not any hope or expectation of reward In like manner writ our Clemangis Archdeacon of Bayeux in his booke Of the corrupt estate of the Church which was produced in the Councell of Constance where he setteth downe by what degrees the Church rose to her temporal height and her spirituall declination at one and the same time and by what subtilties the Pope got all to himselfe and fatted himselfe by staruing others Afterwards comming to particular corruptions Nicholaus Clemangis in lib. de corrupto Ecclesiae flatu They beare more patiently saith he the losse of ten thousand soules than of ten shillings what say I more patiently yea they beare the ruine and losse of soules without any motion of the mind whereof there is with them not onely no care but no thought at all whereas for their owne priuat domesticall losses they presently grow furious He saith likewise a little after The studie of Diuinitie and such as make profession thereof are made a mocke and ieasting stocke which is most monstrous to the Popes themselues who preferre their owne traditions farre before the commaundements of God Now that worthie and excellent function of preaching sometimes attributed to Pastors onely and proper vnto them is of that base account with them that they
thinke nothing more vnworthie or more vnbefitting their dignitie The Monkes are rauening Wolues in sheepes clothing diuels transformed into Angels of light Scribes Pharisies hypocrites painted sepulchres to whom hee applies that prophesie of Paul against false Prophets in the last times 2. Timoth. 3. and the like places The Monasteries of men and women are so many brothell houses their diuinitie meerely scholasticall and that properly which S. Paul would decipher in these words Jdem in Epist de Theolog. studio They dote about questions and strife of words c. Their fruits are like those of the lake of Sodome outwardly faire but inwardly smoke and ashes Ecclesiasticall persons are simoniacall no man hath Orders without argent no man put backe that brings money be he neuer so wicked To such an excesse are they growne in lasciuious wantonnesse that their people the better to defend their wiues chastitie will haue no Priests except they haue concubines The traditions of men euen the least are more esteemed than the lawes of God which whosoeuer shall omit or commit any thing against them shall bee grieuously punished The Legends of Saints are read in stead of Scriptures and consequently the Saints brought into the place of God But because all these corruptions diuers other the like are defended vnder the onely name of the Church he ouerthroweth this foundation Idem in Tractatu contra Simoniacos Notwithstanding saith he the authoritie of the Church militant be great because founded vpon a firme rocke c. yet we are not to attribute vnto it the titles of the Church triumphant That it cannot be deceiued That it cannot sinne for many times it deceiueth Idem contra noua Sanctorum festa and is deceiued I doe not say in matters of faith c. but of fact or manners or iudgement c. And writing to a scholer of Paris touching certaine ordinances of the Councell of Constance Truely saith he it seemeth not conuenient to me to proue the Acts of the Councell by the Councell Jdem ad Scolasticum Parisicus c. but if all the Acts of the Councell be definitions of faith when some produce many Decrees of the holie Fathers and Synods on the contrarie part see what a thing it is this schisme still hanging and in so great varietie of things and opinions and controuersies of learned men to ordaine so many articles of faith whereas it seemeth vnto me to be not onely conuenient but necessarie that those other constitutions or determinations which they affirme to be alledged by others in the contrarie part should be interpreted in behalfe of the truth and of faith and proued not to be contrarie to these least otherwise the Church might seeme to erre in matter of faith determining the contrarie And whereas you say That the Decrees of the Fathers are not woont to depend vpon reason Truely with your good leaue be it spoken if the question be of faith or matter in controuersie it is their manner to rest themselues vpon reasons especially drawne out of the Scriptures or the definitions of the holie Fathers from whose footsteps they depart not without great reason c. And as for that place of Saint Augustine which you alledge c. I should not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not compell me Truely it seemes strange at the first view that he should seeme to preferre the authoritie of the Church trauelling vpon the earth before the authoritie of the Gospell since in many things that may be deceiued this neuer and that the authoritie of the Church as touching the root and foundation thereof consists principally of the Gospell neither can the institution power edification thereof be drawne from any other so expresly and certainely as from the Gospell especially since Paul himselfe saith thereof If an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise let him be accursed otherwise that is a contrarie Gospell He therefore answereth That S. Augustine neuer thought any such thing but was to deale with the Maniches who had their Scriptures proper to themselues and receiued not ours As if he should say It is not out of mine owne particular iudgement that I receiue the Gospell for Canonicall Scripture but the authoritie of the Church which hath acknowledged it to be such That is to say of the Primitiue and Apostolike Church which hath appointed the Canon of the Scriptures some of those being yet liuing that writ them Apostles Euangelists Disciples of the Apostles who could giue testimonie to the truth of these Scriptures that this or that man was the Author of this or that booke being directed by the spirit of God which being inspired from aboue ought to be the rule of our faith and Church To be briefe saith he thou art not ignorant that both Christ our Law-maker and his Apostles preaching the law and faith vnto vs alledged many times their proofes out of the old Testament and the sayings of the Fathers and Prophets to confirme their owne than which we can propose vnto our selues no example more certaine for our imitation since his actions are a most infallible instruction of our manners and actions c. And therefore it is not their parts who hold the Councell by a certaine bolnesse and libertie to doe what pleaseth them to thinke with themselues Wee are the generall Councell let vs carrie our selues boldly we cannot erre They that were at the Councel of Pisa defined and caused it to be published That they by a new election at the instance of certaine ambitious men had taken away the schisme and restored the peace of the Church And yet who is so blind in the Church that by experience of things apparently seeth not how much this opinion deceiued both themselues the whole Church For saith he of what kind of men for the most part doe Councels consist doubtlesse of Lawyers Canonists rather than Diuines of temporal persons whose care is of the things of this world not spirituall How then canst thou hope for a reformation of the Church from them If then saith he they assemble themselues for the recouerie of the temporall peace of the Church there is no necessitie that we should presently beleeue that they are come together in the name of Christ First because they know not whether it be expedient for the health of the Church and that Christ hath determined by this meanes to heale this diuision For what else are temporall afflictions wherewith the Church is oppressed but bitter potions and medicines whereby temporal auarice pride and wantonnesse is beaten downe And who will say that they are assembled in the name of Christ who with this mind seeke the vnitie of the Church who neuerthelesse are so many that they can hardly be numbred These carcall sonnes of the Church doe not onely not care for spirituall things nor haue any feeling of them but persecute those that are according to the spirit as since the time of
and bound to the holie Scriptures Gerson de examine doctrinar consid 5. tom 1. Neither is it saith he in the power of the Pope or Councell to change traditions giuen by the Euangelists and Paul as some doe dote Yea we are to giue more credit in a case of doctrine to the assertion of a simple man learned in the Scriptures than the declaration of the Pope For it is manifest that we are rather to beleeue the Gospell than the Pope In so much that any such learned man being present at the Councell ought to oppose himselfe against him if hee shall perceiue the greater part against the Gospell either by malice or ignorancee to decline from the truth And touceing that place of Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospell but that the authoritie of the Church moueth mee thereunto He meaneth sayth he the Primitiue congregation of the faithfull who had seene and heard Christ and were witnesses vnto him Neither is it in the power of Pope or Bishop of a proposition not hereticall or not Catholike to make it hereticall or Catholike All which Theses destroy the tyrannie of the Pope and the Church of Rome with those inuentions likewise and vsurpations which vnder the cloke of his pretended authoritie they brought into the Church Let the Reader here note Vide Tractatū de Ecclesia That this was then the doctrine of the Vniuersitie of Paris yea the Sorbonists themselues We haue elsewhere quoted many places by which it may appeare how much they despaired of the reformation of the Church by reason of the malignitie of the Popes and Prelats Touching Indulgences he saith Iohan. Gerson in Tractat. de Indulgentijs Christ is the onely Pope that can grant those Indulgences for a thousand thousand dayes and yeares c. Againe Perhaps such enormous graunts haue beene inuented by wicked men who seeke their owne gaine And againe The graunt of Indulgences will hardly be taken away c. since it is most certaine that Purgatorie ends with the world Idem de absolutione sacramentali consequently the daies of their punishments Again Those institutions of Indulgences for twentie thousand yeares and the like to him that shall say fiue Pater nosters before such an Image c. are sottish and supersitious and contrarie to the truth c. At these fooleries all men in those dayes began to bend their browes But in this sermon intituled Of the ruines of the Church he manifestly proueth the fearefull judgement of God to be then at hand The signes which he setteth downe are these First 2. Thessalonians 2. The dissipation of the Roman Empire betwixt which and the persecutions of Antichrist following therein S. Hierome he setteth downe no distance of time And now saith he the state of the vniuersall Church is so doubtfull that it knoweth not on which side the See of Rome is except perhaps God should reueale it to some one or the iudgement of Salomon touching the diuiding of the infant into two parts giue vs to vnderstand who is the true mother Secondly Impudencie wherein as touching maners it is worse than the Synagogue when the ruine thereof approached for that permitted Pigeons to be sold in the Temple and this sells Spirituall charges for money that honoured God but with the lips onely this dishonours God both in word and deed taking no care at all to couer her owne shame Thirdly Inequalitie or rather Iniquitie the like whereof was neuer amongst the ministers of the Church the vnworthie being exalted the worthie trod vnder foot some set aboue Princes others more contemptible than the basest of the people And from hence arise schismes in the Church Fourthly The pride of the Prelats which purchaseth rather hatred than reuerence And from hence arise schismes in the Church Fiftly The tyrannie of those that beare rule who feed not the flocke but themselues they deuour the flesh and plucke off the skinne Sixtly The troubles of Princes and commotion of the people which we haue experience of in so many kingdomes and Prouinces Seuenthly The refusal of correction in the Principall of the Clergie who detest those that reprehend them hold the Scriptures for a fable and those that meditate thereupon for fantasticall persons Eightly Noueltie of opinions from whence arise heresies schismes are defended and being defended take root c. And this he applies to those that accommodat the Scriptures to their owne affections make them speake according to that loue or hatred hope of aduancement or reuenge wherewith they are carried And some of them vpon euerie light occasion call them heretikes whom they neuer knew to be tainted with heresie All which signes he rehearseth Gerson de signis ruinae Ecclesiae and compareth them with others of former times which being confirmed by the examples of his age and the threats of the auncient Prophets he applieth to the present state of the Church Of the same opinion were diuers others in diuers parts of the world In Germanie Theodoricus Vrias an Augustine in his worke of the consolation of the Church especially in his third book Theodor. Vrias in consolatione Ecclesiae lib. 3. Idem apud Paulum Langium in Chron. Citizensi where inueying against the wickednesse thereof the whoredome simonie ambition contempt of the word of God neglect of the saluation of mankind he pronounceth the Pope to be the forerunner of Antichrist Yea wee haue his verses recited by Paulus Langius in his Chronicle not vnworthie the reading in number eighteene whereof these are the first Papa stupor mundi cecidit secumque ruêre Coelica templa Dei membra simulque caput c. The Pope the worlds astonishment is dead With him are falne Gods house members and head c. Wherein he describeth how the Pope hath drawne the whole Church with himself into ruine supplying the place of Simon Magus not Simon Peter That the Churches vnder his gouernment were fairs of treacherie wherin the Sacraments and all holie things were put to open sale That the Church of Rome grew euerie day worse worse of a golden Church was become a siluer of a siluer an yron of an yron an earthly durtie Church in so much that nothing now remained but that it wold likewise turne into a stinking dung-hill And yet such a Church it was at that time when neuerthelesse it made a beautiful a glorious shew There was likewise another Theodor. Minorita in prophetia vna cum pluribus alijs rithmicis impressa one Theodoricus a Minorite Bishop of Croatia who foretold in a certaine prophesie written in verse That this See polluted with so much corruption should shortly come to naught and the Pope be vtterly ouerthrowne euen by those that had extolled him and that contrarily the Church and in her true pietie should recouer her pristinat beautie more than before Petrus Dresdensis likewise and Iacobus Misnensis the Disciples of the auncient Waldenses were for this
cause banished their countrey Theodor. Ã Nyem de schismate l. 3. who repaired to Iohn Hâ—s who as Aeneas Siluius saith gaue him great light in many principall poynts In Italie it selfe Nicholas Lucensis a Carmelite and Doctor of Diuinitie was not afraid out of the pulpet at Lucca in the presence of Gregorie the twelfth to preach against his and the Papall tyrannie whereupon he was cast into prison and hardly got out againe notwithstanding that fauour and helpe he had from the gouernour and from thence forward he was put to silence Besides infinit numbers of all estates and conditions whom euerie where with exquisit torments they put to death in France England and elsewhere some shut vp in barrels some hanged on gibbets some burnt whose memorie remaines in the bookes of their aduersaries themselues Thom. Waldens in Fasciculo Zizoniorum Baptista Panaetius in Chron. in sermon Thom. Walsing in Chron. Thom. Walsing an 1413. in Henr. 5. Waldensis Baptista Panetius Walsingham and others Amongst whom we must not forget Iohn Oldcastle a nobleman of England heire by right of his wife to the Lord Cobham A man saith Walsingham Regi propter probitatem charus acceptus in great fauour with king Henrie the fift for his honestie and likewise renowmed for his valour and great knowledge in feats of armes who in the yeare 1413 is in the historie called the Protector and defender of the Lollards for that name or title was giuen to all those who protested against the corruptions of the Church who sent into the Diocesses of London Rochester Hereford some to publish the truth of the Gospell without the leaue and license of the Ordinaries who were especially in their sermons to confute the doctrine of Transubstantiation the Sacrament of Penitence Perigrinations the worshipping of Images the Keyes vsurped by the Church of Rome For these speciall heads the Authour reciteth Hee therefore reporteth That Oldcastle being by the authoritie of the king committed to the Tower of London and being brought before the Archbishop of Canturburie hee tooke out of his bosome a copie of the confession of his Faith and deliuered it vnto him to read which the Archbishop hauing read said That it contained in it much good and Catholike matter but yet he must satisfie him touching other poynts that is to say the abouenamed but especially that that concerned the power of the Pope and Cardinals and the Roman Hierarchie which Oldcastle refused not to doe but ingeniously professed withall That the Pope was true Antichrist that is his head the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelats his members the Friers his tayle And as touching the other poynts Idem in Ypodigmate Neustriae an 1413. They are ordinances sayth he of the Church of Rome made against the Scriptures after that it grew rich and the poyson had dispersed it selfe therein and not before The place it selfe is worthie the reading that we may acknowledge the agreement of their doctrine with ours against which no man can cauill Wherefore the Archbishop pronounced Oldcastle an heretike and excommunicated him requiring the secular power for the putting of him to death But the king proceeding slowly and vnwillingly in this businesse he escaped out of prison to whom there gathered a great multitude to haue freed him from that danger who were almost all put to the sword and such amongst them as were taken prisoners as well Clergie as Lay vnder a pretence of heresie were put to death whose constancie appeares in these words That the greatest part of them nec quidem poenitere curabant tooke no care to repent If wee may credit Walsingham there were not then lesse than an hundred thousand who made publike profession of this doctrine Another Annalist in few words sayth Iohannes Capgrauius l. 2 de Nobilibus Henricis That Oldcastle was not afraid in the Parliament to say That England would neuer be at peace vntill the Popes power were banished beyond the seas And learned and eloquent as he was he caused many bookes to be scattered in the streets against the inuocation of Saints auricular confession the single life of Priests Transubstantiation and other abuses of the Church of Rome for which cause being led prisoner to London at the last he was burnt But there comes now vpon the stage euen with open faces Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage men by the testimonies of their aduersaries themselues renowmed for their learning and godlie conuersation who being called to publike charge in the Church did publikely preach against the abuses of the Church of Rome euen those that we in these dayes detest and abiure namely against the tyrannie of the Pope whom as their owne Iudges doe testifie they called Antichrist Aeneas Siluius in historia Bohemia c. 35. Aeneas Siluius himselfe who was afterwards Pope Pius the second sayth With the sound of their voyce the spirit of God assisting the word of God thundering in them the people were awakened out of their dead sleepe ran by flockes to this great light enuiting likewise their neighbours from diuers parts And whereas about that verie time Pope Iohn the foure and twentieth had granted a full remission of sinnes to all that would beare armes in defence of the Church of Rome against Ladislans king of Naples Certaine mecanicall persons saith Pius the second hearing this published with a lowd voyce Pope Iohn to be Antichrist bearing the crosse against Christians These good Fathers in the meane time assembled at the Councell of Constance for the reformation as they sayd of the Church as well in the head as in the members who should haue beene stirred vp thereunto by the sound of these Heraulds vnder a pretence of fidelitie as much as in them lay supprest and opprest them Being therefore called to the Councell vnder the trust of a safeconduct granted by the Emperour Sigismond who had called that Councell there to giue a reason of their doctrine they willingly came but presently they were cast into prison declared heretikes and in the end burnt aliue Iohn Hus first and Hierome about a yeare after Cap. 35. These Fathers leauing this Decree for an example and law to all posteritie Haereticis non seruandam fidem That we are not to keepe faith to Heretikes For such they accounted all those as we haue seene that withstood their opinions euen in matters meerely ciuile and that not without an apparent purpose to cut off all hope of a reformation of the Church by a free and lawfull Councell Siluius telleth vs That they were admonished not to thinke themselues more wise than the Church and that it would be easie for them to obtaine an honourable place in the Church if they would renounce their opinions In which meanes of conuerting we may easily note the stile of that auncient Doctor tempting our Sauiour in the desart Cap. 36. But they answer saith Pius That they teach the truth being the disciples of Christ directing themselues
Legats of the other Easterne Patriarches of the Archbishops and Prelats euerie one in his order And hence may the Reader discerne what the Patriarch might judge of the pride of the Latine Bishop But what may we say of Baronius who in diuers places contesteth That the left hand in Councels was euer the more honourable As touching the matter it selfe for the concluding of the controuersies of the Latine and Greeke Churches is made an instrument of a vnion Laetentur coeli wherein they agree on both sides That the holie Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne That the Sacrament may be indifferently made of leauened or vnleauened bread That the soules of the faithfull that haue not yet satisfied for their sinnes goe to Purgatorie That the Pope of Rome is Head of the vniuersall Christian Church All which articles the Greeke Emperor causeth to be approued by the most part of his hoping he should haue assistance against the Turkes But Michael Bishop of Ephesus with some others doth euer withstand the same reiecting especially the two later Which is more when Ioseph Archbishop of Constantinople was dead Eugenius would haue them proceed before him to the chusing of another promising against his disposition to ordaine him without money yea to giue them some if need were and to depose him that did obtaine with him the place of Patriarch which he would not doe if they deferred his election till they came into their countrey The Greekes perceiuing whereto he tended namely that he might enter possession of the supreme power in the Church by that meanes and that with their consent answer him with one accord That their Patriarch cannot bee by their laws chosen any where else than at Constantinople That it is their custom he should be chosen and consecrated in his owne Church That the Emperour who was not ignorant of these ceremonies would not suffer it to bee otherwise Which the Pope vnderstanding Concisium Florent Sess vltim though much against his mind with gracious words he let them depart Now they were no sooner returned into their countrey but they were reiected of their Churches in this especially that they had admitted the supreme authoritie of the Pope of Rome whose pride being more neerely looked into they at last refute it in their writings published notwithstanding that he had endeuoured to bind vnto him some of the best learned as Isidore Bishop of Russia and Bessarion Bishop of Nicea to whom he had giuen a Cardinalls hat which he chose rather to weare in Italie than in Greece And from that time forth were by the Popes neglected the affaires of Greece and abandoned to the furie of Infidels But it is in no wise here to be omitted That during the time that Eugenius held his Councell partly at Ferrara and partly at Florence hee published diuers writings against that Decree of Basil That a Councell is aboue the Pope in which he did not sticke to affirme That so farre was it off that he ought to obey generall Councels that then he most merited when he contemned the Decrees of the Councell and which is more he declareth this proposition to be hereticall The Councell is aboue the Pope although both then and euer since it was held and affirmed by all the Vniuersities of Christendome Whence it came that whilest the Roman Church sayd she is superior to all other Churches and the Roman Bishop to all other bishops by this decree of Eugenius should the Bishop of Rome be made superiour or of higher authoritie than the Vniuersall Church and consequently that pretended infallibilitie of the Church shold be deriued not now to the Romish Church but to one onely man which is the highest degree of Antichrist in the Church according to that of S. Augustine in his booke of the citie of God August de Ciuitate Dei l. 18. cap. 2. That Antichrist should not onely sit in Templo Dei in the Temple of God but as Saint Paule hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Templum into the Temple as if he himselfe were the Temple it selfe he alone the Church In the meane time let the Reader judge of that Infallabilitie of the Church represented in a Councel by these Councels which at one same time and in one same matter doe decree things directly contrarie As touching the affaires of the Bohemians for which particularly the Empeperour Sigismund had so instantly requested the Councell the most part of the Churches terrified with the perfidious treacherie vsed towards Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prague refused to send any one thither but the principall of the Nobilitie ouer-ruled the matter that some should appeare for to render a reason of the innouation in religion imputed vnto them So soone as they came thither they were receiued verie curteously by Cardinall Iulian the Legat who was not yet called backe Then in the Councell he maketh an Oration wherein he bringing in the Church of Rome speaking to them in his words and attributing to it selfe alone all that is spoken in holie Scripture concerning the Church the Spouse of Christ and presupposing that which is chiefely in question flattereth himselfe in this perpetual Elenche Sheweth that in her power are the keyes of the kingdome of heauen That she is without spot or wrinkle That whosoeuer departed from her was an Heathen and a Publican That the decrees of Councels are her decrees which are no lesse to be beleeued than the Gospels seeing they giue authoritie to the Scriptures To this the Bohemians in few words That they despised neither the Church nor Councels that they had beene condemned at Constance without being heard Oratio Iulian. Cardinal Legati in Append. Concilij Basiliens notwithstanding that they affirmed nothing but by the holie Scriptures and then they propound their Articles And on both sides were chosen such as shold enter into conference The disputation lasted fiftie dayes and after many spent on this side and on that it was thought best to leaue Theologicall questions and prouide for the Common wealth and to send some thither who hauing made search how matters stood might compound with them Here was the policie To permit the Communiō vnder both kinds to such as in other things would submit themselues to the Councell and proceeded with all rigour to the rest that embraced not the same condition These were the auntient Waldenses and their Disciples who requested that the Church might be reformed in most of the Articles which are conteined in their and our confessions who for this cause suffered much both by the warres that Sigismund made vpon them and by the diuision and back-sliding of their companions Yet doe we see their Churches outliue so many miseries vntill these times consist and continue most flourishing and largely propagated As touching the Fathers of the Councell of Basill they seeme to be somewhat ashamed of that Decreee of Constance concerning the Communion vnder both kinds And whereas they of
fulnesse of power But wilt thou know saith he what is that Tibi dabo in vertue of which thou mayst chalenge to thy selfe that thy soueraigne iurisdiction read in the Gospell what Sathan saith to Christ Tibi dabo I will giue thee all these kingdomes if thou wilt fall downe and worship me c. And as for doctrine he complaineth that it is all euerie where besprinkled with fables O wonderfull madnesse of men saith he which giue credit to these old wiues doting tales But how long is it since this was done before the comming of the Sauiour or since Nothing of these things is knowne He may be ashamed of their triflings and more than mimick lightnesse A Christian man which calleth himselfe the sonne of Truth and of Light would blush to vtter such things which are not onely not true but also nothing probable or likely c. Christian sinceritie hath no need to be maintained by falshood it is of it selfe sufficiently ynough defended by it owne truth and light without those fained and deluding fables most contumelious against God against Christ and against the holie Ghost c. But our fable-tellers bring in Idols speaking c. Neither can I be persuaded that these writers were any other than Infidels who did it in derision of Christians c. We discerne false money reiect it and call it in and shall we not discerne but retaine a false Authour Shall we mixe these fables with good bookes Shall wee defend them for good But we had need to set downe here the whole booke Nicholas Cusan by nation a German Doctor of Diuinitie and afterward a Cardinall the most learned of this age in his books De Concordantia Catholica consenteth to the Councell of Basil Aeneas Syluius l. 1. de Gestis Basiliensis Concilij Nichol. Cusanus de concord Catholic lib. 1. c. 11. Idem c. 14. 15. Ibid. cap. 15. 16. though Aeneas Syluius nameth him that Hercules of Eugenius and bewaileth That so noble a wit had turned aside to defend that schismatike In the first booke he defendeth and proueth these Positions That all the promises of Christ speaking to Peter I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of hell c. I haue prayed for thee c. are to be refered to the vniuersall Church and not particularly to S. Peter or his successour especially seeing many Popes haue beene schismatikes and heretikes That euerie Bishop hath his seat in the Church according to the priuiledge of the place which he holdeth and by that reason the Bishop of Rome obtaineth the same degree of Presidencie which Rome had in old time among the Gentiles and he addeth on an heape That the Apostles had chosen Peter for their head but whence doth that appeare That otherwise if they should hold place according to the holinesse of him that first sat there or according to the reuerence of the place it is not to be doubted but that Ierusalem ought to haue the Primacie where our chiefe Priest washed his Church with his owne bloud but that Ephesus the seat of S. Iohn should be preferred before Alexandria where S. Marke and so of the rest That it belongeth to the duetie of the Bishop of Rome to assemble a generall Councell of all the Churches of whom he is acknowledged which duetie if hee should slacke to performe the Emperor ought to supplie it in his stead least the Church should suffer damage In the second booke L. 2. c. 2. That this Councell dependeth not on the Head thereof but on the consent of all which sit there who ought to contribute what in them is to the making of the Decrees so that no prescription may take place to the contrarie Ibid. c. 8. Ibid. c. 12. seeing that the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome euen sitting President is not greater there than that of euerie Metrpoolitan in his Prouince That indeed Peter himselfe hath receiued in no wise greater authoritie from Christ than the rest of the Apostles neither was there any thing said vnto him that was not said equally to the others as well as to him for as much as they are no lesse Rockes than Peter so that that which is said Vpon this rock c. is to be referred to his Confession not to his Person therefore seeing the power of binding and loossing is the foundation of all diuine jurisdiction it is manifest that all Bishops and perhaps all Priests Idem l. 2. c. 13. as touching jurisdiction haue equall power He restraineth afterwards not as touching the execution quae sub certis positiuis terminis clauditur which is limited with certaine positiue bounds that is ordained by mans law but he addeth That the cause thereof ceasing all degrees also of maioritie and minoritie doe cease so that it returneth againe to naturall right to wit to that equalitie That an vniuersall Councell without all controuersie is aboue the Bishop of Rome whose power if in some places it be said to be of Christ yet in many other places it is held That his Primacie is from men and dependeth on the Canons Wherefore Idem ibid. c. 17. 18. 19. as he may be both judged and deposed by a Councel so he cannot abrogat change or contrarie the Canons of Councels For proofe whereof wee read Jbid. c. 20. 21. That the Popes legats haue spoken standing in vniuersal Councels their letters were woont to be examined And his Decretals are inferior to the Canons which if the Pope contradict hee is not heard All which positions he proueth verie largely both by the Decrees and by the writings of the Fathers themselues Jdem l. 3. c. 3. 4. In the third booke he euidently proueth by many arguments drawne from out of Ecclesiasticall antiquitie That it is false that Constantine either gaue the Empire of the West to the Pope or could giue it That it is nothing truer that Popes haue bestowed the Empire on Charlemaine or to any of his successours or translated it from the Greekes to the Germans as they pretend That it is most false that the Electors of the Empire were instituted by the Pope and in his name did proceed in their election he maintaineth to the contrarie That the Emperour doth so depend of God alone that he hath no need to bee confirmed by the Pope and that he can in no wise be deposed by the Pope That in his charge the Emperour is the minister and Vicar of Christ Idem ibid. c. 6. 7. appoynted by him supreme keeper and preseruer of the Faith by which reason also he himselfe ought to bee present in Councell and euerie Prince in his dominions may vse the same and like right That the Emperours at all times haue assembled vniuersall Councels Ibid. c. 8. 9. and haue defended their order as Kings and Princes haue vndertaken the care of Nationall and Prouinciall yet neuerthelesse the Emperour and the Pope concurring together this charging
than milke more splendent than precious stones or polished Saphires but now their face is blacker than a coale and they are not knowne to wit for good By this deformation and spot of the Court and of Clergie-men especially of the Prelats Ecclesiasticall censure seemeth to be weakened and obedience diminished Why is this but for the contemptible life and workes of Prelats because they seeke their owne and not what is Iesus Christs But the reformation and amendment hereof belongeth to the Pope who as head of the rest ought to performe it De Censi Rom. l. ◠Q. 7. Cum Pastoris 6. q. 1. ex merito 1. q. 1. Fertur ver Hinc igitur and diligently looke to it But he that would correct others ought first looke to himselfe and them that be about him Because the life of the Pastour is an example to others And if the head languish the rest of the members are infected and when the Pastor is wounded who will applie the medicine to cure the sheepe Whereupon when the Physitian is sicke it will be said vnto him Cure thy selfe c. And to this purpose he bringeth many Canons Of Indulgences So often as sayth hee the Pope went forth in publike on some feastiuall day was giuen a plenarie Indulgence against the custome of auncient Popes notwithstanding that by such vndiscreet and superfluous Indulgences the keyes of the Chruch are contemned and penitentiall satisfaction weakened De poenis remiss c. Cum ex eo § Ad haec Out of this consideration it followeth that about giuing of expectatiue graces greater consideration ought to be had and not thus giuen euerie where on all sides and indifferently because by so great a multitude and confusion for the most part benefices are granted to persons vnworthie great matter of contention ariseth thereby Againe By the euill example and scandall which they giue to Lay men they seeme that they are come to this that S. Bernard speaketh in his sermon vpon these words of the Gospell I am the good shepheard And because it is verie long let the Reader take the paines to see it in the booke it selfe wherein he discourseth of all the corruptions of the Roman Church in his time At Padoua taught Anthonie Rozel a famous professor of the Ciuile Law who in his booke of Monarchie affirmeth That the Pope is not Lord of the world That he hath no power ouer the Emperor no temporall sword neither any authoritie aboue other Bishops There is extant besides other Treatises of the same Author Of the power of the Emperor and of the Pope and of both the swords and of the authoritie of Councels printed at Venice in the yeare 1487. Neither feared also Roderick Sanchio a Spaniard Bishop of Zamora Roderic Zamorens in speculo vitae humanae excuso Argetorti apud Iohan Pris An. 1507. and Referendarie of Paul the second to say in his booke Of the Myrror of mans life That the Pope doth not applie himselfe to wisedome nor to laudible studies neither for the peace and quiet of Christian people but onely vnto earthlie things That the Prelats doe not neither can teach for that they are altogether vnlearned giuen to their bellie and to whoredome and yet bind on the backes of poore Christians diuers insupportable burdens of traditions which in the Primitiue Church either were not at all or were left to mens libertie In the Primitiue Church saith he the faithfull were not bound with the commandements censures and pains of so many Canons Decrees Neither were there then so many snares of laws constitutions of excommunications or censures from which the faithfull though neuer so careful fearful can by no means be safe or warrant themselues There was not so many fasts cōmanded nor vigils nor silences nor Diuine Seruice for day and night enioyned daily to be sayd Lastly there was not so many feasts to be kept nor so often confession and communication of the bodie of Christ nor so many obediences to be yeelded c. So that of the Prelats of the Church may be rightly sayd that of Christ Which bind vnsupportable burdens c. Whence saith he if any of the like things were obserued in the Primitiue Church it was onely voluntarie which as then was no sinne to transgresse because it was not then forbidden And yet notwithstanding this same wretch was not ashamed to flatter Paul the second in the same booke That the Pope is not onely ordained to humane principalitie but to diuine Jdem cap. 1. l. 2. neither to commaund onely ouer men but also ouer Angels not for to iudge the quicke onely but the dead not in earth alone but in heauen also not to rule ouer the faithfull onely but ouer Infidels Aduanced saith he to that verie same dignitie to that same iurisdiction and power and to the principalitie ouer the whole world So that hee blushed not to applie vnto him the places of tha Prophets and of the Psalmes which the holie Ghost hath onely spoke and meant of the onely Sonne of God and he most highly extolleth him aboue that stammering Moses and his brother Aaron both together So that truth and flatterie two contraties proceed out of one and the same mouth In Germanie Herman Ried wrot a booke wherein he represented the corrupt maners of the Clergie by a comparison of what they ought to bee Herman Ried de vita honestate Clericorum and what in his times they then were There are saith he many Clergie-men who follow not the counsell and sentences of the Fathers receiue not the holie Scripture but despise the canons of the holie Fathers These are They which hate and deride vnderstanding and Catholike men who weigh the grieuousnesse of the crimes of the Clergie and endeauour with watchfulnesse to crie out against their false dealing Yea they affirme them to be fantasticall men Hierome de norma viuendi c. 5. disturbers of the peace hauing corrupt and polluted consciences c. And so is verified of them that saying of S. Hierome There is not a crueller beast in the world than an euill Clergie-man or Priest for he suffereth not himselfe to be corrected neither will he euer heare the truth c. Such and the like are by their Prelats permitted publikely so to liue Prouided that they giue euerie yeare a certaine sum of money to their Officials Moreouer how many are there publikely tainted with Simonie insomuch that not being able to conceale their simonie to shift if off they expresse it with other tearmes persuade themselues that so the word simonie be not heard it wil not be perceiued It is say they an ordinance or statute of the Church Others more subtilly to shift it off doe say That the Pope doth it by his fulnesse of power who may in such things dispence admit and ordaine And that then it is simonie and sinne onely when the Pope did forbid it or ordaine
satisfie thee herein if I can Thou wouldest know when Antichrist inuaded this chayre which for a long time hee coueted and now possesseth It was necessarie that the Palladium le Garde corps of the Church should first be stollen before he could be receiued before that fatall horse could be admitted The word of God the Candlesticke of the holie Scriptures must first bee hid vnder a bushell before the theefe durst creepe in or make any assault vpon the Church which still continuing in force in vaine could that sinke of superstitions besiege it but we kept it farre off from our Troy our rampiers our territories much more from the porch the Temple the Sanctuarie of the Lord. That old Dragon vnder the colour of a not written word cunningly and closely brought in Traditions to betray the Church which the wisedome of the flesh their neere alliance better agreeing with carnall reason did willingly and with good countenance receiue equalled them with the Written word the sacred oracles made them sit cheeke by cheeke with them This law of equalitie being often attempted in the seuenth age and seuenth Idolatrous Synod it was established yea and by vertue thereof Traditions preferred before the Word opposed against it Then Simon rather vnder the name than shape of Simon began to appeare by diuers cunning deuices couering his treacherie persuading vs to receiue that dangerous engine that Troian horse that Epitome as it were of all the Painims impieties into the place of our Palladium the word of God Capis then and diuers others who were of a sounder iudgement fearing their subtilties and finding them cried out to haue it burnt The most famous Fathers of the Church throughout the world foretold threatened the euill to come resisted banded themselues against it But you vnaduised or rather ill aduised ita ferentibus fatis being necessarie that the Prophesies should be fulfilled in their due time Diuiditis muros moenia panditis vrbis Et licet Vtero sonitum quater arma dedêre Diuide your walls and make them plaine euen with the ground Though foure times the armor in his bellie did sound Nothing regarding either the aduertisements of the Apostles the counsell of the Fathers of the Church or the suspitions that it gaue of it selfe But Instantes operi immemores caecique furore Hoc monstram infoelix sacrata sistitis Arce Blind with furie the more is the pitie You place this monster within your citie From thence forward he put all to fire and sword in the citie ransacked the Church polluted the holie things left nothing vntouched with the infectious hands of his Harpies powred out of that fatall horse all manner of superstitious seruices in the Church calling this horse although a marke of the Greekes the Troian horse These superstitions Catholike Orthodoxall because consecrated and hallowed these are their owne words by the Popes though from their bginning they were Heathenish and Idolatrous Now in the middest of this fire this vniuersall confusion thy neighbours house being on fire nay thine owne nay thy beard being singed thou gapest stretchest thy selfe as if thou were halfe asleepe thou cauillest and disputest where it first tooke fire where it began and in the meane time thou burnest thy selfe Wise Antenor deuout Aeneas did not so but breaking through the Grecian troupes got themselues out of the citie with their fellowes gathered together what they could and to sea they goe and putting themselues into the first ships they met with hoyse vp sayles to seeke a new countrey and find it and there they settle being stil Troians whither soeuer they went in what place soeuer they rested carrying with them their houshold gods and the ensignes of their countrey Being still Christians professors of the Catholike faith carrying with them the word of God vntouched by the fire of the Greeks keeping the Sacraments of our Lord sound and pure The Grecians are no Troians though they hold the place and possesse it whatsoeuer title they alledge neither art thou that hast yeelded thy selfe forsaken thy countrey a true Christian since the enemie is where Troy was Antichrist where Christ was furious in the middest of the Temple as once Antiochus was sacrilegious euen betweene the Altars the sacrifices Doe you yet doubt my brethren heare what S. Iohn saith Apocal. 13. v. 5. 2. Thess 2. v. 4. And there was giuen vnto him a mouth that spake great things and blasphemies S. Paule likewise Hee doth sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Hearken now and behold Paul 5 your Pope at this day Lib. Benedicti de Benedictis Bononiae excusus Anno 16â—8 Jtem Thes Caraffae Neapoli excusae 1609. He is placed in the beginning of the books lately printed counterfeited as it were in a table euen to the life with this inscription PAVLO V. VICEDEO to Paule the 5 Gods Vicegerent The inuincible Monarch of the Christian Commonwealth and the most valiant Protector of the Pontificall power And in the same stile we read at Tolentine To Paul 3 The most great and excellent God on earth The scepters and diademes of Princes Kings and Emperours are his Trophes who stand about him beholding him with astonishment bowing downeward strooken with his lightning adoring him with this inscription ouer his head His countenance presageth an Empire The word of God soundeth on euery side but God knowes strangely wrested and applyed The nation and kingdome which will not serue him I will visit saith the Lord with the sword and with the famine and with the pestilence Ierem 27. That which was once foretold of Nabuchadnezzar the destroyer of the Church he like another Caiphas applyeth to himselfe and will haue it fulfilled in him the Alastor and vsurper of the Christian Church Againe He gaue him dominion and honor and a Kingdome and all the people shall serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall neuer be taken away and his Kingdome shall neuer be destroyed Dan. 7 With their faces towards the earth they shall licke the dust of thy feet Esay 49.23 That which was spoken of Christ onelie the eternall sonne of God gouerning his Church and to be applied to no man else is without blasphemy communicated to others These things were done by the commaund of the Superiors and printed at Bononia and at Naples And that not rashly or by the priuat endeuors and inconsiderat zeale of some priuat men but by a decree of the Popes Senat the matter solemnly deliberated and in Loco Maiorum in the presence of Paul himselfe in a famous assembly of Cardinals and a great concourse of people disputed and determined Here Reader thou beginnest to bend thy browes but they are not secrets that I vtter Rome knowes these things and these monsters are set out to the view of euery man And thou art a great stranger in thine owne Church if thou knowest them not a traytor to thy selfe if knowing them
which fled vnto them for protection And this is that which the Fathers call Typhum seculi in Ecclesiam Christi inducere Typho isto to bring in worldlie pride and arrogancie into the Church of Christ which they doubted not to speake vnto Boniface himselfe saying We beleeue that seeing thou sittest in the Romane Church we shall no longer be oppressed with this vaine pride calling him alwaies Domine frater For whereas they triumph in this word Sanctitati vestrae i. your Holinesse they must vnderstand that the Popes themselues vsed the same stile and gaue the same title to them and to all other Bishops as Zozimus writing to these verie Africans We are persuaded sayth he that your Holinesse hath beene informed touching the proofe and triall which we haue made of Caelestius his absolute and sound faith and so likewise to others Against this maine wall of truth and veritie Baronius opposeth the brittle glasse of his owne fancie seeking to darken this cleare light with the smoake of his vaine discourse howbeit like a bird in a net the more he striueth the more he is intangled and the reader may easily obserue that he spendeth himselfe in vaine talke and sophistrie And first it much offendeth his patience that we say that those three Popes produced the Canon of Sardica vnder the name of the Councell of Nice for if it were done by error where is their infallibilitie if of malice where is then their sanctitie But saith he it may be that the text was corrupted Baron vol. 5. an 419. art 70. sequ and this word Nicene put for Sardican and I am forced to beleeue that these acts are not reported truly and as they ought to be Tell me reader whosoeuer thou art will such a shift serue in a matter of this importance Idem ib. art 87. Secondly saith he what aduantage was there to be gotten in alledging the one for the other for was not the Sardican Councell as good as the Nicene or are they not both Generall Councels and we haue alreadie proued that the Sardican Synod was neuer reckoned among the Generall neither did Innocent euer plead for himselfe other than the Canon of Nice vnder colour of this glorious name to dazzle the eyes of men and to abuse the world Thirdly saith he what likelihood that the Africans would withstand these Appeales seeing they had beene vsed from all antiquitie the onely thing which they misliked was the forme What need of answere to this argument more than the bare recitall of the argument it selfe and who doubteth of their presumption and arrogancie Or who knoweth not that euill manners giue commonly occasion of good lawes that vsurpations cause orderings and that if injustice were not we should not need the knowledge of the lawes Thou tellest vs that Celestius a companion and an abettor of the heretike Pelagius was condemned in Afrike August contra duas Pelagij ep l. 2. c. 3. Epistola Zosim ad Aurel. Carthag episcop that he appealed from this sentence to Zozimus Bishop of Rome that he admitted of the appeale and that this was but the yeare before true and Baronius you may perceiue that this proceeded of that Papall humor to admit of all plaintifes suffering themselues with flatterie and faire words to be abused oft times by the most dangerous heretikes But say I pray you what followeth Is it not that the Africanes complained of these wrongs that Zozimus carried it not farre that he was regulated and ordered the next yere following Augustin epist 261. edit Plantin Yea but saith he Doe you not see so and so manie examples of these Appeales mentioned in S. Augustine and thereupon alledgeth his 261 Epistle all at large Annalist would be as he is Doth he not see that all these examples were before the law was made and that they were the proper occasion and cause of this Decree and doe men in Commonwealths matters ground themselues vpon abuses or rather vpon Lawes vpon that which de facto is done or rather vpon that which of right ought to be done The truth of the cause is this Anthonie Bishop of Foussall in Afrike being deposed by the Bishops of his owne Prouince got letters of commendation from the Primat of Nicomedia to Zozimus Bishop of Rome by meanes whereof he found accesse to Zozimus and after him to his successor Celestin who bad man as he was went about to restore him by force of armes Whereupon S. Augustine who was present at his condemnation wrote to Celestin in this manner We are threatened saith he with a Posse comitatus and force of armes to put the sentence of the Apostolike See in execution and so shall we poore Christians stand in greater feare of a Catholike Bishop than the heretikes themselues doe of a Catholike Emperour Let not these things so be I doe coniure thee by the blood of Christ and by the memorie of the Apostle S. Peter who warneth those which are set ouer the Christian assemblies not to dominiere with violence ouer their brethren What could this holie Bishop doe more to stay the course of his rage and madnesse but in that great Synod of Carthage he with a multitude of other worthie persons layed the axe to the verie root of his pretended soueraignetie by their sentence there pronounced against him Now tell me whereas Baronius in this cause of Antonie Bishop of Foussall crieth out O admirabilem Dei prouidentiam c. O the wonderfull prouidence of God Ib. art 76. in matters concerning the Catholike Church at that verie time when controuersie was betweene the Fathers of Afrike concerning the Canon of Nice God would haue it that a cause should fall out by occasion whereof Saint Augustine himselfe who was present at that Councell was euen compelled to record vnto posteritie so manie examples of those who had recourse and did appeale to the Church of Rome Tell me I say whether we haue not farre greater cause to prayse his goodnesse in that out of these enormities and abuses he was pleased to direct this Councell to set downe a rule and a certaine order by which the Churches of Afrike might from that time forward for euer be directed Baron vol. 5. an 419. art 92. Fourthly will you see saith he how much they attribute and yeeld to the Church of Rome When they went about to set downe a certaine Canon of the Bible they consulted Boniface thereupon requesting him to confirme it and what likelyhood that they would not vse the like submission in the rest of their Canons But the verie reading of that Canon is a refuting of this assertion Concil Carthag Can. 47. It seemeth good vnto vs say the Fathers in that Canon that nothing be read in the Churches but onely the holie Scriptures which are these Genesis Exodus Leuiticus c. Wherefore their resolution and decree was absolute without anie reseruation both that the Scriptures onely should
be read and also which bookes they are which ought to be accounted for Canonicall onely for correspondencies sake they adde farther in these words We will also that this be signified to our companion in Priesthood Bonifacius and others to the end that they may confirme it for so haue we receiued from the Fathers that these onely ought to be read in Churches Now if the Popes authoritie alone had beene necessarie to the validitie of this Canon what needed they to signifie it vnto others This therefore was nought else but a testimonie of their mutuall loue and charitie Baronius here stormeth because we say That by occasion of that forenamed Canon the whole Church of Afrike was cut off from the Communion of the Church of Rome because it thence followeth that S. Augustine and such a multitude of other holie Fathers died out of the Communion of the Church of Rome and excommunicated by the Pope and thereupon seeketh by all meanes to discredit that Epistle of Bonifacius the second which testifieth that they were not reunited till a full hundred yeares after I confesse that whereas it is there said Vnder the reigne of Iustin the mistake was easier of Iustin for Iustinian than that of Nicene for Sardican and the inconuenience thence arising is verie great for what then shall become of so manie Martyrs put to death during those hundred yeares vnder the persecution and tyrannie of the Vandales But they themselues must looke to that Sure I am that this is none of their greatest cares witnesse the poore Grecians in these dayes who haue now lyen groning vnder the yoke of the Turks so manie yeares And if this Epistle was not written by Bonifacius they may thanke themselues who haue inserted it in the bodie of the Councels Bellarm. de Bontif Rom. l. 2. c. 24. Let the reader now judge what reason Bellarmine had to say that those Fathers neuer intended to forbid their Bishops to appeale to Rome seeing they name Bishops in expresse tearmes and ordaine that all causes should be determined within the same Prouince Or what conscience when he saith that S. Augustine vnderstood that Councell otherwise in his 262 Epistle August ep 262. because he there saith that Caecilian needed not to care for the conspiracie of his aduersaries seeing himselfe ioyned in Communion with the Church of Rome and with all other countries whence the Gospell first came into Afrike where he would be alwayes readie to plead his cause if his aduersaries should seeke to alienate those Churches from him For what can he gather from thence but onely this that it was no hard matter for him to purge himselfe vnto those Churches in case he had been traduced for if he thence conclude That therefore he might appeale to Rome as much may be said and concluded of all other places But he was wise not to quote the place for there is nothing and he knew it well ynough which maketh for his purpose And farther here obserue that S. Augustine was present at this Councell as appeareth by his 207 Epistle Also we read An. 431. that about the yeare 431 the Generall Councell of Ephesus was assembled against Nestorius where we find not this pretended Primacie in anie sort acknowledged For as touching the calling thereof Socrat. l. 7. c. 3. the Bishops saith Socrates assembled themselues together out of all quarters vnto Ephesus by order from the Emperour And Euagrius and Nicephorus say Euagr. l. 1. c. 3. Nicephor l. 14. c. 34. that they were assembled by the letters of the Emperour directed to the Bishops of all places And the Synod it selfe in more than twentie seuerall places vseth these words By the will of the most religious Kings meaning Theodosius and Valentinian Acta Concil Ephesin in 1. to Concil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. to 2. cap. 17 18 19. passim Ib. pa. 99. 177. 201 202. Bellarm. l. 1. de Concil c. 19. Acta Concil Ephes c. 17. And the Acts all along speake in this and the like manner Whom your Maiesties commaunded to come to Ephesus c. and Their letters commanded vs so c. and By vertue of the Edict of the most religious Emperors c. And so likewise wrote Theodosius vnto Cyrill that he had appointed the Bishops to assemble at Ephesus out of all parts at Easter And Caelestin Bishop of Rome writing to Theodosius Wee yeeld saith he our presence in the Synod which you haue commaunded by those whom we haue sent As for the Presidencie in that Synod it is a matter questionlesse and not denied by our aduersaries That Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria presided onely they say that he was Vicegerent to Pope Caelestin hauing no other colour for their assertion but this That the Pope requested him to execute his sentence giuen in the Synod at Rome against Nestorius But the Synodall Epistle to the Emperour euidently sheweth that that was done long before this Counsell at Ephesus was called And the truth is that the Popes Legats there present were neuer called to preside which yet they should haue beene had they beene collegues with Cyrill but at a pinch a forgerie must helpe A certaine moderne Writer in his abridgement of the Councels sayth That in this Councell presided the blessed Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria Isidor Decret Paris impres an 1524. pa. 79. To. 1. Concil in Concil Ephes Colon. an 1551. Which sentence he tooke out of Isidore but he addeth of his owne head these words In the place of Pope Calestin which are not to be found in Isidore and Bellarmine himselfe is more than halfe ashamed of it Now let vs see what aduantages Baronius here taketh and first Nestor epist ad Caelestin ex Co. Anto. August apud Baron to 5. an 430. art 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist Cyrilli ad Calest in Act. Graec. pa. 141. Baron vol. 5. an 430. art 11. When Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople had broached his heresie against the vnion of two natures in Christ Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria tooke him to taske and then they went each of them to make his partie the strongest and to haue a Bishop of Rome on his side was thought no small aduantage therefore they both wrote vnto him Nestorius was the first Fraternas nobis inuicem debemus colloquutiones c. We owe saith he each to other brotherlie communications and Cyrill much after the same manner The auncient customes of the Church aduise and counsell vs to take instruction one of another c. And hence it is that Baronius concludeth That no matter of Faith could be questioned without the Bishop of Rome yet how manie heretikes haue we alreadie seene condemned sometimes without him and sometimes in despight of him Secondly Caelestin vpon this alarme giuen him by Cyrill called a Synod at Rome and from thence wrot a long Epistle to Nestorius willing him to hold fast the faith of the Church of Rome of