and scorn Religion VVherefore the Kings namely Ferdinand and Iâ—obella did ordain a strict Inquisition that the Monks should search and severely punish all Sarracens and Jewes all whom by one common name they called Maranites who profess Christianism and yet do scorn it When all those were out of the way the blood-thirsty Friers ceased not untill they obtained be the same power of Inquisition against the Believers of the Gospel whom they called Lutherans That censure proceeds in this manner If any man be accused of heresy as they call it by one witnes he is apprehended if he confess not he is tortured untill he confess who confesses and recants he is deprived of all his goods and must at all time wear a Sambieta that is a yellow garment with a red cross and some devils painted upon it and some are condemned to perpetual prison Who will not repent are burnt And if they be bold to profess and speak of their faith while they be in prison their tongues are cutt-out before they be brought forth In the year 1559. King Philip II. returning from Flanders was beaten with a fearfull storm all his ships were lost and he scarcely arrived on land when he said He was delivered from that danger to root Lutheranism out of his Kingdom He came to Hispalis September 24. and immediatly to take away all hope of immunity he causeth to burn Don John Pontius Comes Bailenius and John Consalua a Preacher with some Friers of the Monastry of S. Isidor Then he went to Pincia Pe. Soave in Hist conc Trid. Lib. 5. seemes to call it Vaglia-dolid there he caused burn 28 of the chief Nobility in his own sight and imprisoned Barthol Caranza archb of Toledo and many others of lower condition were burnt as may be seen Loc. cit and in Thuan. yea Charles Prince of Spain was imprisoned and as was reported was poisoned by the Inquisitors at his fathers command An. 1568 because he favoured them of the Low-Countreys aâ—d was suspect of Lutheranism Many Spainjards for love of the Gospel went into Germany Geneve and some into England especially all the Monks of S. Isiodore nigh unto Sivile This Inquisition was not only in Spain but in others of that Kings Dominions as followeth LI. Albert of Hardenberg writing the life of Wesselus saith The The Reformation in the Netherlands Lord Cornelius Honius the Emperours Counseller in the Court of Holland in Hague and some other learned men in the kingdom of God had found a book Of the Lords supper which seemes to condemn the gross and Capernaitish eating of the Lords body and to teach a spiritual which is also a true and real eating though only by faith They had found this book among the papers of Jacob Hoeckius a Deacon of Naeldwyk as also some other VVritings of Jo. VVesselus concerning purgatory and other purposes and because that book Of the Lords supper was found amongst those of VVesselus they took it to be his which I will not affirm nor deny for it is certain that he had written in the same manner of the Supper Nevertheless I have heard that that written book of Hoeckius was very old and that it had been delivered from hand to hand for the space of two hundred years and that they had kept it as a golden treasure as whereby they understood that the idolatry of worshipping the bread should be extinguisht But these treatises of Wesselus and other books of Hoek coming into the Cloister of Saint Agnes-hill where VVesselus had often resorted as we have heard had given light unto many especially unto Henry Rhodius the father of a Monastry at Urrecht who went to Luther in Wittembergh and shewed him the books of VVesselus and that book Of the Lords supper and entreated him in the name of others also that he would give his judgement of it but Luther fearing that the Lords Supper might be vilified would not approve it whereupon followed some difference between Luther and Carolstad Afterward Luther did writ unto Rhodius a Letter which is printed wich the works of VVesselus and there also is another Letter directed unto Oecolampad craving his judgement of that book Of the Lords Supper and that the books of Wesselus might be printed at Basile but Oecolampad being a modest and peaceable man would not give his judgement of it because he knew that Luther had not approved it but he sent Rhodius unto Zurik and Zuinglius approved it for before that time he was enclining that way and then began to maintain that doctrine yet having heard the judgement of sundry other learned men and after that Oecolampad began to speak more freely c. William Gnapheus Rector in Hague in an epistle dedicatory before his book writes thus The Archbishop remembreth well with what diligence I did teach the young scholars from my youth and how great persecution Satan by his souldiers hath raised up at the first so that I and the honorable Cornelius Honius above named without hearing of our cause in the year 1523. were imprisoned and there we lay together three months and then were confined within the Hague upon Baile for two years in which time the Honorable Honius departed this life But when I after those two years confinement was upon security set at liberty and my adversaries had seen a consolatory Letter which I at the request of some good men had written unto a poor grieved widow woman they caused me to be put in prison again and when the Sophisters of Lovan with their Commissioners had examined mee long enough upon that Letter they put mee into a cloister to suffer pennance for three months upon bread and bier because I had despised that Cloister-life for I had exhorted that widow that she should not be dejected because her son had forsaken his Coul seeing the kingdom of God consists not as Paul teaches Rom. 14 in cloaths or places whereupon the life of cloisterers is principally grounded but rather in constant faith in God and unfained love to our neighbour which faith and love her son might have after he hath gone away as well as when he had his gray Coul. When I was in that cloister saith he in the year 1525 how grievous were those times because of the grievous persecution in the Netherlands and the miserable blood-shedding of the boors in the Upper-land and then I enlarged my little book out of the holy Scriptures for my own consolation and the destruction of the Devils kingdom who had so persecuted mee for a consolatory Letter That this book was printed it was without my knowledge for I had not written it for that end nevertheless it hath done good unto many and brought them to the knowledge of some truth which I understand by that it hath been oft reprinted and one of the Printers hath been beheaded for it so hardly can Satan suffer the publishing of the truth and he hath persued mee untill I must leave my native
and Adoptive where they were not and on the contrary he produceth their testimonies where they do expressely deny that Christ is the Son of God by adoption and in this respect distinguish Christ's son-ship and the son-ship of the Elect. As for the testimonies of the Spanish Missal he toucheth them not as if that Missal were nothing Nevertheless hence we see that the Spanish Church at that time had a proper Missal and were not subject unto the Roman Church It is also worth the marking that whereas Elipant had alledged a testimony of the son of Sirach Alcwin lib. 1. saith When the testimonies of God's Prophets have failed unto thy perversness thou feignest a new Prophet speaking according to thy errour In Jesus the son of Sirach is that sentence which book blessed Jerom and Isidore do witness that without doubt it is reckoned amongst the Apocrypha that is dubious witness and it was not in the time of the Prophets but of the Priests when Ptolemeus Evergetes was King In lib. 2. neer the end he saith Holy Father raze raze quickly this opinion out of the Closet of thy heart lest the Lord who hath appointed thee to give Wheat unto his family find that written in the Table of thy heart and say unto thee I acknowledge not these Letters these words were not taught thee by the men to whom I said Go teach all Nations If we join these two testimonies we see that Alcwin did not acknowledge any book for Scripture nor any doctrine for truth which had not a warrant from the Prophets and Apostles In lib. 4. The original of these evils which begets the occasion of all impieties is this While the wisedom of the heavenly Teachers is weighed through the fault of miss-thinking men in their temerarious pride not according to the propriety of their meaning but is turned into other meanings after the will and pleasure of the reader and otherwise then the respect of truth carrieth and it is easie unto any who understandeth the Scripture rightly to find this by the Comments of all Hereticks that they are not afraid in their ungodly temerity and froward blindness to draw the most holy words of the Divine books into the similitude of their errour which kind of impiety and misery if thou Father Elipant hadst considered with a prudent mind and humble searching thou hadst never fallen from the unity of the Catholick peace into the pit of this errour In his book De virtut vitis which he writ at the intreaty of Wido a Count he exhorteth him to read the Scriptures diligently Ca. 5. saying The reading of the Holy Scriptures is the knowledge of divine blessedness for in them as in a glass a man may know himself what he is and whither he goeth Continual reading purifieth the soul breedeth fear of Hell and stirreth up the heart of the reader unto Heavenly joies He who desireth to be with God for ever should frequently read and pray for when we pray we speak with God and when we read God speaks with us The reading of the Holy Scriptures bringeth a twofold benefit because it instructeth the understanding and brinketh a man from the vanities of the World to the love of God Honest is the labour of reading and conduceth much to the purifying of the soul for as the body is nourished by fleshly meat so the inward man is nourished and fed by God's word as the Psalmist saith How sweet unto my tast are thy words O Lord even more then the honey and the honey-comb unto my mouth But he is blessed who reading the Holy Scriptures turneth the words into works Certainly all the Holy Scripture is written for our salvation to the end we may by them grow in the knowledge of the truth A blind man stumbleth oftner then he who seeth so he who knoweth not the Law of God sinneth through ignorance oftner then he who knoweth it Certainly this man would not have consented unto that Canon of the Councel of Trent which forbiddeth people to read the Scriptures But to the end that all should not be thought to be his which goeth under his name it is to be marked that in Par. II. is an Homily in festo omnium Sanctor which Quercitanus hath marked to be amongst the Sermons of Augustine but he had found it in a manuscript under the name of Albin but it can not be either Augustin's nor Albin's seeing that feast was afterwards appointed by Pope Gregory the IV. These books de Trinitate are written so clearly that Sixtus Senens in praefat Biblioth saith They were written by John Calvin and published in the name of Alcvine But Doctor James in The Corruption of the Fathers par 4. pag. 50. testifieth that antient copies thereof were in the Prince's Library at Saint James and they were Printed at Lions An. 1525. when Calvin had not begun to write Rich. Hoveden in The Continuation of Beda writeth That Charls the Great sent over into England the Acts of a Synod sent him from Constantinople for the adoration of images the which the Church of God utterly detesteth Against this adoration saith he Albinus writ an Epistle marvellously grounded on divine Scriptures and carried it with some Synodical Acts in name of the English Bishops and Princes unto the King of France 6. Ecbert King of the West-Saxons vanquished Merceland Kent Essex and Northumberland and then he commanded that land to be called Anglia and the inhabitants Angles or English men Tho. Cooper ad An. 796. CHAP. V. Of COUNCELS 1. FEw Councels were assembled in the beginning of this Century In France Carloman assembleth one which beginneth thus In the A Synod in France Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I Carloman Duke and Prince of France with the advice of the Servants of God and my Nobles in the fear of Christ have assembled An. 742. Febr. 19. the Bishops which are in my Kingdom with the Priests into a Councel and Synod these are Boniface Arch-Bishop of Mentz Burchard Bishop of Wirtzburg Reginfrid Guntharius and the rest of the Bishops with their Priests That they should give me counsel how the Law of God and religion of the Church many be restored Nota which in the daies of former Princes hath been shattered and fallen and how Christian people may attain the salvation of their souls and not perish being deceived by false Priests And by the advice of my Priests and Nobles We have ordained Bishops thorow Cities and set over them the Arch-Bishop Boniface who is the Legate of Saint Peter And we have ordained that Synods should be called every year that in Our presence the Decrees of Canons Rites and Laws of the Church may be restored and We restore unto the Churches the monies which hath been taken from them We have also discharged all the Servants of God from hunting and wandring in woods with Dogs and that they have no Hawks nor Falcons We have also Decrced according to the holy
began to profess that the Divinity of the Poets was true at last he was challenged and condemned by the Patriarch Peter But many in Italy Sardinia and in Spain followed the same impiety and were punished some with the sword and some with fire Rodolp Histo l. 2. c. 12. 3. Berno excellent in all learning was set over the Augianes anno 1008. he wrote many Books in Marc. Evang. sect 3. he saith In the holy Scriptures do hang the armor of our salvation Serm. de concor offic c. 5. Our weakness can do nothing without God as Lazarus could not rise by himself Serm. de ascend Dom. Christ is the head of the whole Church and all the elect are his members At that time lived Oecumenius and Olympiodorus two famous Greek writers Guthet Bishop of Prague was famous for learning and holiness and was put to death by the enemies of the faith Platin. in Benedict 8. and in Benedict 9. he saith Gerard a Venetian and Bishop of Hungary a good and learned man suffered martyrdom the Infidels tied him to the wheel of a Cart and let it run from the top of an high mountain so that he was all crushed yet he suffered it with joy 4. Fulbert Bishop of Charties or Carnatum was a learned man sundry Sermons and Treatises that are among the works of St. Augustine are said to be his He wrote an Epistle to Adeodatus wherein he first reproveth a gross opinion of some men who held that Baptism and the Eucharist were naked signs Then he proveth that these should not be considered as mere and outward signs but by faith according to the invisible vertue of mysteries The mystery of faith it is called saith he because it should be esteemed by faith and not by sight to be looked on as the spirit and minde and not as sight of body seeing onely by faith beholdeth the secret of this powerful mystery for what seemeth outwardly bread and wine now inwardly it is the body and blood of Christ we being encouraged by the authority of our true Master when we communicate of his body and blood we confess boldly that we are transfounded into his body and that he abideth in us Taste and see how savoury that meat is unless I be mistaken it tasteth like Angels food not that thou canst discern it with thy mouth but mayst taste it with thy inward affection open the mouth of faith enlarge the hope and the bowels of love and receive the bread of life even the food of the inward man from faith of the inward man proceedeth the tasting of the inward food while certainly by the infusion or preception of the gracious Eucharist Christ floweth into the bowels of the communicating soul when a godly soul receiveth into her chaste corners in that form wherewith she beholdeth him present with her under remembrance of the mystery and as the Spirit revealeth to wit as an infant lying in his mothers bosome or offered upon the alrar of the cross or lying in the grave or verily having trampled death under foot and rising again or carried high in glory above the heavens according to which forms Christ entreth into the acceptable habitation of the communicant and refresheth his soul with so many to speak so several blisses as are the ways that the eye of holy meditation can behold him neither let it seem a vain thing unto thee that we say that according to the beholding of a desirous soul Christ is found within the bowels of the communicant seeing thou art not ignorant that our fathers sojourned through the wilderness and were refreshed with Angels food to whom a fertile rain brought meat of one colour but of divers tastes and according to the appetite of every one it gave sundry delights of taste that whatsoever their appetit did covet the secret dispensation of the Giver did furnish the same to whom their gust gave what their eye could not see because it was one thing which was seen and another which was taken therefore wonder thou no more What Manna under the law did signifie by shadow the revealed verity of Christ's body layeth open in which body the divine Majesty condescendeth mercifully unto our weakness that with what sort of punishment mans body is punished he should taste the same in his body sensibly but God performeth this in the breast as he saith himself He who cometh of me shall live by me Now therefore the scruple or doubt is to be removed seeing he who is the Giver is a witness of the truth Then he illustrateth the same by comparison of a baptised man who albeit outwardly he be the same he was before yet inwardly he is another being made greater then himself by increase of invisible quantity that is of saving grace c. here is no word of substancial change of the elements the bread is still bread but we finde two other changes to wit the faithful are transfounded into the body of Christ and Christ is infounded into the habitation of a faithful soul yet so that Christ's body remaineth in the heavens and by the revelation of the Spirit faith beholdeth Christ present or lying in his mothers bosome and dying and rising and ascending and he entreth into the gracious habitation of a faithful communicant and refresheth him so many ways as is said Here also we see that the substance of bread remaineth as the substance of him who is baptised remaineth albeit inwardly he be another Biblioth part de le Bigne tom 3. 5. Berengarius Deacon of St. Maurice in Angiers was his disciple who hearing Math. Parisiensis calleth him Archiepisc Turonen a contrary error unto the former was broached in his days to wit that the bread of the Eucharist was the very body of Christ and the wine his blood substantially or properly Berengarius I say hearing this taught that the body of Christ is onely in the heavens and these elements are the Sacraments of his body and blood as followeth The occasion of this controversie at that time is written by Guitmund in his second book against Berengarius to wit when Lanfrank Abbot of Bec-heloin in Normandy was a boy in Italy it hapned that a priest as he saith saying Mass found very flesh upon the altar and very blood upon the chalice he burned to take them and immediately declared the matter unto the Bishop who assembling with moe Bishops ordained that that flesh and that chalice with the blood should be kept in that altar for ever as a most worshipful Relique From this deceiving Impostor many were moved to believe that the body and blood of Christ was present in the elements not onely sacramentally as the Fathers spake but substantially Berengarius wrote and preached against this Capernaitis error and therefore Adelman Bishop of Brixia wrote unto him In the beginning he saluteth him his holy and beloved Brother and condisciple under Fulbert Bishop of Carnatum Then he sheweth he heard it reported that Berengarius
Amelphis John or Gregory VI. Because Satan could not openly persecute Christ by Pagans he craftily intends to subvert the name of Christ by a false Monk under shew of Religion but albeit God permit such things to be done our sins so deserving yet the time of recompense is at hand Catal. test ver li. 13. Many other Books were written against this Hildebrand there is named one in the German tongue written by Waltram Bishop of Niembergh as is thought the Author bewails the miseries of the Church and lewdness of Clerks then he addes Hence the Catholique faith is defiled hence that unrighteousness hath waxed so that instead of truth false testimonies and for common faith perjuries do abound since Laws are silent giving place to wars that saying of Hoseah is fulfilled There is no truth nor knowledge of God nor mercy in the land cursing and lyes murther and stealing have overflowed Behold some Bishops have joyned unto the faction of Hildebrand accounting more of him then of all the Catholique Church so it comes to pass that while the enemy so weth in the Lord's field the tares of many scandals that now in Bishopricks are no Sacraments of Christ and his Church which should be the work of the Bishops of God but execrations which are the works of the Servants of Satan who as Cyprian writes seeing Idols forsaken and his Temples left by the multitude of Believers hath devised a new craft under the name of a Christian he deceives the unwise and by Heresies and Schisms he overthrows the faith c. In another place he saith Now it appears Satan is loosed out of the pit seeing as it is written he is come forth to deceive the Nations Ia. Vsser de Eccles statu c. 5. hath the same The above-named Waltram in another place lamenteth That then a new sort of Bishops swelling in pride because of the gifts of Believers drew all things unto themselves under cloke of Religion and they were painted walls and hypocrites 12. When Gregory and Victor the two heads of that pernicious faction More opposition against that faction were gone the Bishops of Germany and France considering the calamities of the Church by that unhappy Schism thought good to meet at Garstung for debating their strife no more with swords but with reasonings so the Bishops of both factions conveen in January There Conrad Bishop of Utrecht had a long Oration to this purpose We are assembled prudent Fathers to establish peace which our Saviour at his departure did leave the temerity violence and pestiferous errors of those who are not ashamed to dispise that heavenly gift I wish I could cut in sunder with the two-edged sword and confute with the testimonies of the two Testaments according to Christ's command Who despiseth an Oath breaks covenant and keeps not promise dispiseth him by whom he hath sworn he offends him whose name the other party hath believed As I live saith the Lord the Oath that he hath dispised and the Covenant that he hath transgressed shall I bring upon his pate Shall he who hath transgressed his Covenant escape You must consider not so much unto whom as by whom thou hast sworn and he is more faithful who did believe thee swearing by the name of God then thou art who hatchest mischief against thy enemy or rather now thy friend and that by reason of divine Majesty We finde it commanded concerning Tiberius and Nero who were not onely most cruel Tyrants but most vile Monsters Give to Caesar what is Caesars and fear God and honor the King and not onely be obedient unto Princes who bear not the sword in vain even though they be evil but supplicate the most high God for them that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life All power is of God and he who resists power resists the providence of God Therefore those are ambitious and presumptuous who dare with whorish faces misinterpret that saying of our Lord and God What ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven and what ye binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and force it to serve unto their own lust and indeavor to gull us as if we were children without all knowledge Our heavenly Teacher did open the hearts of his disciples to understand the Scriptures Moses the Prophets and the Psalms and he commanded them to preach in his name unto all the Nations repentance and forgiveness of sins and that they should be witnesses of those things Therefore Hildebrand was carried headlong into ambition when he usurped the power of the eternal God whose Messenger he should have been such are the times now such are the maners and such are the men The most high Majesty had provided but slenderly for the affairs of mortals if he had so intrusted the sword into the hand of any man Who could restrain the lust of men who could rule it truly the wisest is not sufficient for such a burthen We have not need that any should teach us in what maner Peter and his Colleagues did use their spiritual power or to speak more properly the dispensation and administration of God's stewardship for they were but stewards of the divine Oracles It is as clear as the light by the book which the Physitian Luke hath written of the Acts of Christ's Messengers the weapons of our warfare are spiritual and not iron nor robberies murthers killing of men nor perjuries and our helmet breast-plate girdle buckler and sword are peace love righteousness hope of salvation truth the word of God and faith These Divine Gifts our most Christian Emperor did often proffer most willingly unto Hildebrand but he refused to accept them c. The Papal party had chosen Gebhard Bishop of Salisburgh to speak in their name but when he heard this Oration he would not open his mouth to speak in the contrary Avent Annal. lib. 5. It was appointed at that time to assemble again in May at Mentz The Papal party did preveen the time and assembled at Quintelburgh now called Quedlinburgh in April there they wrested some words of Wezilo Bishop of Mentz and condemned him as an Arch-Heretique they called themselves the true Church and consented unto the election of Clemens III. The Synod at Mentz was very solemn there was the Emperor the Electors and many Dukes Peter Bishop of Portua and Legate of Clemens and many Bishops of France and Germany by common suffrage the faction of Hildebrand was condemned as contrary unto Christian piety and a Decree was published to this purpose All Christians should shun the company of those accursed persons whom we have named seeing they have made defection from us and not we from them they promised to be present at this Synod but they will not come they abuse Christian piety and leaving the sheep they run unto the enemies of the Republique they not onely exhort unto fire and sword but also are ring-leaders and Captains of the war What would
and to teach the people but let him teach these things that he hath learned from God and not of his own heart or the mindes of men but what the holy ghost teacheth Dist 9. cap. 6. As the truth of the old Books is to be examined by the Hebrew Books so the truth of the new craveth the rule of the Greek Language Dist 99. cap. 3. The Bishop of the first See should not be called the Prince of Priests nor the highest Priest or any such way but onely the Bishop of the first See but let not even the Bishop of Rome be called universal Dist 95. c. olim In old time he was a Bishop that was a Presbyter and ere that by instinct of the divel factions and schisms were in Religion and it was said among the people I am Apollo's and I am Cepha's the Churches were governed by the Common Counsel of the Presbyters so let Bishops know that by custom more then by truth of the Lord's dispensation they are greater then the Presbyters and that they should govern the Church in common Caus 1. qu. 1. c. Augustinus Take the word from the water and what is it but water the word is added unto the element and then it is a Sacrament whence is this vertue unto the water that it toucheth the body and washeth the heart the word doth it not because it is spoken but because it is believed for in the word it self the passing sound is one thing and the abiding vertue is another De Consecra Dist 2. c. Comperimus We have found that some when they have taken onely the portion of the holy body do abstain from the cup of the holy blood who without doubt because I know not by what superstition they are taught to be restrained should either take the whole Sacrament or be debarred from all because the division of one and the same Sacrament cannot be without great sacriledge Ca. prima quidem Till this world be finished the Lord is above and yet the truth of the Lord is also here with us for the body in which he arose must be in one place but his truth is diffused every where C. Hoc est The bread is after a maner called the body of Christ whereas indeed it is the Sacrament of his body and the offering which is by the hand of the Priest is called Christ's passion death and crucifying not in truth of the thing but in a signifying mystery Where the Gloss saith The bread i. e. the Sacrament which truly representeth the flesh of Christ is called his body but improperly that is it signifieth Ca. In Christo What do we then do we not offer every day yea but in remembrance of his death it is done in remembrance thereof what is done Ca. Quia corpus Because he was to remove his body from our eyes and carry it above the Stars it was needful that on the day of the Supper he should consecrate the Sacrament of his body and blood to the end it should be always reverenced in a mystery which was once offered in payment Many such passages are in these Decrees which differing from the doctrine of the Church of Rome now do prove that the Romish Church now is not such as it was then Pope Eugenius did approve all these Decrees and ordained that these should be read in Schools and Universities instead of all Canons and Decrees that so he might the more easily draw them all under one yoke 30. Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris at the same time followed the footsteps Some notes of Lombard's sentences of Gratian and gathered the sum of Divinity into four Books of sentences out of the writings of the Fathers but as I said of Gratians Decrees with adding mincing and changing of words and letters and suitably unto his time and these sentences were authorised as the Text in all Schools to the end none from thenceforth should search antiquity and truth any more from Fathers or Councels under no less danger then guiltiness of heresie Hear what Cor. Agrippa De vanit scient cap. 97. saith of this Scholastick Theology It is saith he of the kinde of Centaures a two-fold discipline blown up by the Sorbon of Paris with a sort of mixtion of Divine oracles and Philosophical reasonings written after a new form and far different from the ancient customs by questions and slie syllogisms without all ornament of language but otherwise full of judgement and understanding and profitable to convince hereticks It cometh to pass that the faculty of Scholastick Theology is not free from error and wickedness these cursed hypocrites and bold Sophists have brought in so many heresies which preach Christ not of good will as Paul saith but of contention so that there is more agreement among Philosophers then among these Divines who have extinguished ancient Divinity with opinions of men and new errors c. Here Barth Gravius a Printer at Lovane about the year 1565. giveth us some light In his Epistle before his Edition of these Sentences he telleth that he had a purpose to reduce all the testimonies unto the first fountains in sincerity but to his great admiration he was informed by the Masters there it could not be so because albeit in other Editions innumerable places were corrected yet many errors as yet were remaining and these not little ones and not a few things as in the Edition at Paris were changed not according to the truth of the old books but in conjecture yea and the old words were corrupted oft times through an immoderate desire of amending and in not a few places the worse was put for the better and saith he this may not be dissembled that the genuine reading of the Master in quoting the testimonies of the ancient writers is very oft changed into the truth of its original especially no old Copy witnessing that he had left it so written for the Master was not so solicitous to repeat all their places wholly but thought it sufficient to propound the matter briefly and leave out many lines in the middle and therefore it were not according to his minde to fill up what he hath omitted yea they have found by sure arguments that he had transcribed many things not from the very fountains but from Hugo Victorian and especially out of the Glossa Ordinaria where these passages are not found in a continued context as in their own Authors but maimedly and sometimes but in broken pieces as it were out of sundry Books and Chapters and mixed together as in a hotchpotch and so if any thing be corrupt in the Master it must not be reduced unto the first fountains but rather unto the Books of the Glossa because it was last taken thence And also he was sometimes deceived in reading it wrong possibly and lead into error in which case to amend him according to the square of his Author were most absurd and madness they said also that in quoting the Authors he
two Gentlemen for cutting his horse tail On the fifth day four Gentlemen did kill him in the year 1171. At Easter Pope Alexander canonized him as a Saint and would have excommunicated the King for his death but the King by his Ambassadors purged himself that he knew not of his death yet because he did carry grudge at him he was forced to renounce the investiture of Bishops and thereby his Kingdom became more slavish then before And the Pope in token of his victory to the shame of the King and credit of the Clergy did pretend some miracles as done by this Thomas after his death and commanded his feast to be kept throughout the Kingdom and the Cathedral which before was called Christ's Church was after that called St. Thomas Becket's and to the end the King might suffer this infamy the more patiently and also to make Ireland the more subject unto the See of Rome Pope Alexander confirmed again unto King Henry the Lordship of Ireland and ordained that the Bishops there should obey the Laws of England For in the year 1155. Murchard or as some call him Dermot mac Morrog King of Leinster being exiled by O. Roricy King of Midia sought aid from Henry II. he sent Richard Strongbow Earl of Penbrok who had married the onely Daughter of Murchard with a considerable Army into Ireland and within a short space he restored his father in law and conquered other Lands so that Henry was jealous of his power and commanded by open Proclamation him and all his Army to return under pain of forfeiture In obedience Richard gave into the King's hand all his purchase and his wifes inheritance and again received as his vassal Weisford Ossoria Carterlogia c. But in the year 1172 Henry went personally into Ireland and the most part submitted themselves unto him as unto their onely and lawful Soveraign whereas in former times that Nation was divided into four petty Kingdoms and several Dukedoms and one of them was chosen Monarch The same Henry did claim the Lands of Northumberland and from the Scots Malcolm the maiden and his Brother William at two several times went to London and did acknowledge the King for these Lands whereas in former times the Heir of the Crown did onely perform that ceremony But then Henry would have more that all the Bishops of Scotland should be under the yoke of the Arch-Bishop The Bishops of Scotland will not submit to the Primate of York of York as their Metropolitan At the first meeting at Norham the Scots put it off but with slender delays The next year Hugo Cardinal de S. Angelo sent into England was for Henry in this purpose and did cite the Bishops of Scotland to compear before him in Northampton they went thither and the Cardinal had a speech of humility and obedience all to perswade the Scotch Bishops to submit themselves unto the Primate of York who was a Prelate of great respect and whose credit in the Court of Rome might serve them to good use A yong Clerk stood up and spake in name of the others his speech is written diversly I shall shew it as I have copied it out of an old Register of Dunkel by the favor of Bishop Alexander Lindsay It is true English Nation thou mightest have been noble and more noble then some other Nations if thou hadst not craftily turned the power of thy Nobility and the strength of thy fearful might into the presumption of tyranny and thy knowledge of Liberal Science into the shifting Glosses of Sophistry but thou disposest not thy purposes as if thou wert lead with reason and being puft up with thy strong Armies and trusting in thy great wealth thou attemptest in thy wretched ambition and lust of domineering to bring under thy jurisdiction thy neghbor Provinces and Nations more noble I will not say in multitude or power but in linage and antiquity unto whom if thou wilt consider ancient records thou shouldest rather have been humbly obedient or at least laying aside thy rancor have reigned together in perpetual love and now with all wickedness of pride that thou shewest without any reason or law but in thy ambitious power thou seekest to oppress thy mother the Church of Scotland which from the beginning hath been Catholique and free and which brought thee when thou wast straying in the wilderness of heathenism into the safe-guard of the true faith and way unto life even unto Jesus Christ the Author of eternal rest she did wash thy Kings and Princes and people in the laver of holy Baptism she taught thee the commandments of God and instructed thee in moral duties she did accept many of thy Nobles and others of meaner rank when they were desirous to learn to read and gladly gave them dayly entertainment without price books also to read and instruction freely she did also appoint ordain and consecrate thy Bishops and Priests by the space of thirty years and above she maintained the primacy and pontifical dignity within thee on the North side of Thames as Beda witnesseth And now I pray what recompence renderest thou unto her that hath bestowed so many benefits on thee is it bondage or such as Judea rendered unto Christ evil for good it seemeth no other thing Thou unkinde vine how art thou turned into bitterness we looked for grapes and thou bringest forth wilde grapes for judgement and behold iniquity and crying If thou couldest do as thou wouldest thou wouldest draw thy mother the Church of Scotland whom thou shouldest honor with all reverence into the basest and most wretchedst bondage Fie for shame what is more base when thou wilt do no good to continue in doing wrong even the serpents will not do harm to their own albeit they cast forth to the hurt of others the vice of ingratitude hath not so much moderation an ungrateful man doth wrack and masacre himself and he dispiseth and minceth the benefits for which he should be thankful but multiplieth and enlargeth injuries It was a true saying of Seneca I see The more some do owe they hate the more a small debt maketh a grievous enemy What sayest thou David it is true They rendered me evil for good and hatred for my love It is a wretched thing saith Gregory to serve a Lord who cannot be appeased with whatsoever obeysance Therefore thou Church of England doest as becomes thee not thou thinkest to carry what thou cravest and to take what is not granted seek what is just if thou wilt have pleasure in what thou seekest And to the end I do not weary others with my words albeit I have no charge to speak for the liberty of the Church of Scotland and albeit all the Clergy of Scotland would think otherwise yet I dissent from subjecting her and I do appeal unto the Apostolical Lord unto whom immediately she is subject and if it were needful for me to die in the cause here I am ready to lay down my
21. unto the King and Peers of France he saith Lift up your eyes round about hearken with your ears ye sons of men and behold the general scandal of the world lament the division of Nations and the general decay of justice and wickedness proceedings from the Elders of Babylon who heretofore seemed to rule the world but now they turn judgement into bitterness and the fruits of righteousness into wormwood In Epist 31. unto all Prelates he saith A Pharisee anointed with the oyl of wickedness above his fellows the Roman high Priest of our time sitting in the chair of perverse doctrine endeavoreth to destroy what is warranted from above he intendeth to eclipse the rays of our Majesty and turning truth into a fable he sendeth his Letters into divers parts of the world full of lyes accusing the purity of our faith at his pleasure and not with reason He who is a Pope by name onely hath written that we are the Beast rising out of the Sea full of the names of blaspemy and we do aver that he is the Beast of which it is said Another red horse came out of the Sea and he who sitteth upon him taketh away peace from the earth for from the day of his promotion that father not of mercies but of discords a diligent procurer of desolation not of consolation hath turned all the world into scandals and to use his own word in the right sense he is the great Dragon who deceiveth all the world he is the Antichrist whose forerunner he calleth us he is another Balaam hired for a reward to curse us he is the Angel coming out of the bottomless pit having the vials full of bitterness c. By these few passages it may appear what good and learned men have thought of the Pope 13. In the first Book of Epistles written by the now named Petrus de Vineis Philip King of France his Letter to the Cardinals the 34. is in name of Philip King of France directed unto the Cardinals concerning the election of the Pope there he saith What provoketh them unto discord greediness of gold and ambition for they think not what is expedient but what they would have they make more account of their particular interest then the publique and wickedly prefer their gain unto honesty how then shall they rule others who cannot rule themselves who hurt their friends and do good to their enemies and in the end catch nothing unto themselves The Court of Rome was wont to be glorious in knowledge maners and vertue and were not provoked with the menaces of fortune because they thought they were safest under the protection of vertue then of chance but now it cannot be called Curia sed cura a Court but care they love a mark of money better then Mark 's Gospel a salmon better then Solomon they love honor and eschew a burthen they love to be advanced but neglect the profiting of their subjects in piety such cannot be called shepheards but rather impious wolves by whose perfidiousness the holy Mother the Church is trod under foot faith is undone hope is put away and love is pulled up by the roots 14. In the year 1253. was great contention between the Masters of Sorbon Contestation of the Sorbonists against the Minorites in Paris and the preaching Friers who were so increased in number and honor becoming the Confessors and Counsellors of Kings that they would not be subject unto the former Laws and Customs The School-men conveened and were content to want somewhat of their weekly portion to satisfie the Court of Rome from which the Friers had obtained their priviledges or as Mat. Parisien in Henri IV. speaketh their horns after the wasting of a great deal of money and much travel bestowed on both sides some Customs of the University were changed and a kinde of agreement was made In the next year the contention was hotter and the Friers would multiply their number in despite of the University and City the King and City would have preserved the Custom of the School but the Friers had more favor with the Pope because of their great service unto the Court and they carried the victory and the Pope ordained that they might teach Divinity without account of the former order concerning the number In time of this contention the Friers published a book with the title of The eternal Gospel whereof John de Parma an Italian Monk was said to be the Author The eternal Gospel On the other side four Masters of the University set forth another Of the danger of the last times one of the four was William de Sancto Amore and therefore the Friers called the favorers of that book Amoraei In this book the Masters say Now there be fifty five years since some have attempted to change the Gospel of Jesus Christ into another Gospel which they call the Gospel of the holy Ghost and when he cometh the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall be abolished as we are ready to prove by that accursed book Ia. Vsser in his book De Eccles succes cap. 9. ex Henr. Erphurd Chron. cap. 39. and Nic. Eimeric direct Inquisi par 2. qu. 9. sheweth some passages of that cursed Gospel 1. The eternal Gospel is better then the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all the Old and New Testaments 2. The Gospel of Christ is not the Gospel of the Kingdom and therefore it cannot edifie the Church 3. The New Testament is to be annulled as the Old was annulled 4. The New Testament shall continue in power but for six years next to come to wit until the year of incarnation 1260. 5. They who live after that year shall be in the estate of perfect men 6. Another Gospel shall succeed unto the Gospel of Christ and another Priesthood unto his Priesthood 7. None are simply fit to teach men in spiritual and eternal things but such who walk bare-foot c. Many other Articles are in that place now cited The people began to dispise the Friers refused to give them alms and called them hypocrites successors of Antichrist false prophets flatterers and wicked counsellors of Kings and Princes contemners and supplanters of their Ordinaries defilers of Royal beds abusers of confessions c. Mat. Paris ad An. 1256. where it is also written that both those parties sent their Commissioners unto the Court at Anagnia both the books were censured and Pope Alexander ordained that the book of the eternal Gospel should be burnt but privily and so far as might be without discredit of the Friers But the Pope was the more offended at the other book because it was written against the religious Friers therefore he published a Decree to this this purpose Some professing to have the knowledge of the Scriptures but straying from the way of the true sense have plotted wickedness and have uttered very great iniquity against the innocent and upright they have reviled their brethren and laid stumbling blocks before
are tied unto us you reform your Clergy and put away these abuses in their clothes shoes hair and conversation or if they will not obey that you command the fruits of their Benefices to be brought into our Exchequer and by consent of the Pope we will employ them unto honest uses When the Legate heard these words he went presently away Io. Naucler hath this but he sheweth not what the Bishop of Mentz did in obedience unto the charge nor how the Pope was taken with the answer but only he sheweth that the next year Pope Innocentius sent unto John de Salverd a Canon of Spira to gather the half of all the fruits of Benefices within that Diocy whether vacant or shall be vacant for two years unto the Pope's use This Charls did more good in Bohemia then in all the other parts of the Empire he erected a School of Liberal Sciences at Prague he built the new City and a glorious Palace and many Monasteries and he made the Bishop a free Arch-Bishop whereas before he was subject unto the Bishop of Mentz He and his Empress went to Rome to kiss Pope Urban's foot and returned within three months He died An. 1378. In Constantinople after Andronicus his Son Calo-Johannes did reign his Uncle and Tutor John Catacuzen did usurp the Government and they both were called Emperors and in the end Calo-John was sole Emperor This unhappy John sent for the Turks to come unto his aid Soliman then did possess all that in Asia had appertained unto the Empire and came over the Hellespont but could never be beaten back again he took Gâ—llipolis and other Cities on the coast and then Hadrianople Lazarus Despote of Servia or Mysia inferior and Mark Despote of Bulgaria and some other Princes went against him An. 1363. and were overthrown John came into Italy France and Germany for help against the Turks but when he could obtain none he returned and sought ways to fight under the Turks colours in Asia Laon. Chalcocon lib. 1. After that time Soliman became Lord of many Christians Lands in Europe and his Brother Amurathes conquered more and so that Empire decayed yearly 5. WENCESLAUS succeeding unto his Father is called wretchless and effeminate whether his minde was set on devotion or that he would not meddle with the two-headed Beast for then began the great Schism of the two Popes it is uncertain and the Civil wars which began in the time of Charls did then increase The Vicars which were appointed to govern the Imperial Towns in Italy became absolute and so did others in Germany usurp liberty The Electors seeing that he had no care of the Empire and that especially he favored John Huss conspired by instigation of Pope Boniface the IX to chuse another but they could not agree for two were chosen An. 1400. Robert Count Palatine and Jodok Marquess of Moravia Jodok died within six months and then Robert was sole Emperor Then Wenceslaus made no account and contenting himself with Bohemia lived yet twenty years Emmanuel the second Son of Calo-John by the aid of Bajazet succeeded unto his Father and paid him yearly 30000 crowns and did willingly quit Philadelphia Andronicus the elder Brother was glad to take pay of the Turk Laon. Chalcocon lib. 2. The Turks by these means and because of the dissensions in Italy and Germany especially of the Schism between the Anti-Popes had the more opportunity to subdue Bulgaria Walachia and carried great spoil out of Hungary Sigismund King of Hungary with the aid of Germans French and English about 100000 men fought against 300000 Turks and were overthrown An. 1397. Because Emmanuel would not follow Bajazet and had made a league with some Princes against him Bajazet went to besiege Constantinople and had taken it if the Lord had not raised up Tamerlan King of Massagetes in Tartary by the solicitation of some Turkish Dukes which were robbed by Bajazet Tamerlan was admired for his power and success he subdued Persia Media Assyria Armenia and all Asia between Tanais and Nilus Bajazet left the siege of Constantinople to fight him at Prusa where Bajazet was taken in the 25 year of his reign Tamerlan asked him What he would do if he had him in that case The Turk answered proudly I would put thee in an iron Cage ...... Tamerlan did so with him and carried him through Asia until he died The Sons of Bajazet had Civil wars a long time and killed one another So the Christians in Europe had rest from the Turks until Amurath the II. subdued Mustapha the fourth Son of Bajazet and recovered the former conquest He returned against the Greeks in the days of John the eldest Son of Emmanuel because he had aided Mustapha Laon. Chalcocon CHAP. III. Of divers Countries 1. IN this Century gross was the darkness both of ignorance and vitiousness In the grossest darkness was some sparks of light in the body of the Church the Preachers did not teach the knowledge of God but sought their own gain and the people could not but be ignorant nevertheless God raised some in all Estates to note and rebuke the corruptions of the time as followeth It was not a small furtherance that in the Councel at Vienna An. 1511. it was decreed that in all Academies there should be some expert in the Hebrew Chaldee and Arabick languages who should not only teach these languages but translate their books into Latin for the larger spreading of God's word and the more easie conversion of Infidels By the benefit of these languages the light of God's word began to shine more clearly and the Commentaries of Nic. de Lyra on the Bible was a good help although in many things complying with the times and some Greeks fleeing from the oppression of the Turks came into the West and taught the Greek tongue and translated some of the Fathers 2. A shew and hope of reforming the Church was made by Pope Clemens the V. in the Councel at Vienna It is clear therefore that the corruption was known by the people and a Reformation was wished Clemens gave order to Durand Auditor Rotae and Bishop Mimaten to set in order some Overtures of Reformation Articles of Reformation to be propounded in the Councel The Treatise is extant with this Title De concilio celebrando printed Lutetiae An. 1545. He beginneth at the Roman Clergy saying They have followed the way of Balaam who loved the hire of iniquity and was rebuked for his madness ...... which hath hapned also in these days seeing so foolish and unorderly things are done by Church-men who should be a light unto others they have offended the senses even of Pagans and Jews so that such as have no knowledge of Divine reason do abhor their madness and being wiser reprove their wicked ways He sheweth what might be the way of Reformation to wit in the holy Councel Kings and Bishops should conspire unto these things 1. Recourse must be made unto the
him silence and said Hereafter thou mayest answer unto them all together if thou wilt He said How can I answer unto all these at once I am not able to remember them all The Cardinal of Florence said We have heard thee enough Huss besought them to hear him lest others conceive amiss either of them or of him When they would not hear him he kneeling committed all the matter unto the Lord God and to Jesus Christ as he hoped at their hands to obtain all his desire Lastly It was imputed unto him that he had said There is a fourth Person of the Deity and a certain Doctor heard him speak it Huss craved the Doctor 's name A Bishop said That is not needful Then he said O miserable man that I am who am forced to hear such blasphemy and slander They said He hath appealed unto Christ which is heretical He said O Lord Jesus whose Word is here openly condemned I do again appeal unto thee who when thou wast evilly intreated of thine enemies didst appeal unto God thy Father committing thy cause unto the most just Judge that by thy example when we are opprest with manifest wrongs we should flie unto thee The definitive sentence was read declaring That by the Councel it was ordained for his heretical doctrine to degrade him publickly from his Priestly Order c. When the sentence was reading he did now and then interrupt them and so oft he was commanded to be silent when it was read of his obstinacy he cried I was never obstinate but was always desirous and now I desire to be taught by the holy Scriptures and am ready to imbrace the truth When his Books were condemned he said Why have ye condemned those Books since ye have not proved by one Article that they are contrary unto the Scriptures or Articles of Faith and what injury is that unto me to condemn my Books written in the Bohemian tongue which ye never saw Often times he looked up to Heaven and prayed When the sentence was ended he kneeling said Lord Jesus forgive my enemies by whom thou knowest I am falsely condemned and that they have used false witnesses and slander against me forgive them for thy great mercies sake Many of them laughed at this prayer Then seven Bishops who were appointed to see the execution put on him the Priestly vestures as they put on the Alba he spake of the white vesture wherewith Christ was clothed and mocked So in all the other things he comforted himself with the example of Jesus Christ When all the vestiments was put on a Bishop exhorted him to change his minde yet and provide for his welfare and honor He went to the top of the scaffold after the custom and being full of tears spake unto the people saying Those Lords and Bishops exhort me that I would profess here before you that I have erred which if it were to the infamy of any man they might happily perswade me but now I am in the sight of the Lord my God without whose ignominy and grudge of my conscience I can no way do what thy require of me with what countenance could I look up to Heaven with what face could I look on them whom I have taught of whom there is a great number if by my example it come to pass that the things which heretofore they have known to be most true should now be made dubious I will never do it nor give any such offence that I might seem to think more of this vile carcase which is condemned to die then of their salvation A Bishop said Behold how he continueth in his pernicious errors Then he was commanded to come down to the execution And a Bishop took the chalice from him saying O accursed Judas why hast thou forsaken the way of peace we take from thee the chalice of thy salvation John said I trust in God my Father and in my Lord Jesus Christ for whose sake I suffer these things that he will not take away his chalice of redemption but I have stedfast hope that I shall drink thereof to day in his Kingdom The other Bishops took away the other Priestly things and each of them accursed him He answered He willingly suffered their curses for the name of Christ At last those Bishops began to contend with what instrument his shaven crown should be un-priested with a razor or cizers John then turned unto the Emperor and said I marvel that when they are of a like cruel minde yet they cannot agree in the manner of their cruelty At last they cut off the skin with cizers and said Now the Church hath taken from thee all her ornaments and priviledges and nothing remaineth but that thou be delivered into the hands of the Magistrate Then they caused a crown to be made of paper almost a cubit deep upon it they painted three black divels with this title above them HAERESIARCHA When he saw it he said My Lord Jesus for my sake hath born a crown of thorns why then should not I bear this light crown be it never so ignominious truly I do it willingly When it was set upon his head a Bishop said Now we commit thy soul unto the Divel John lifting up his eys to Heaven said But I commend my soul into thy hands O Lord Jesus who hast redeemed me Then said the Bishops unto the Emperor This most sacred Synod of Constance leaveth unto the Civil Power this John Huss who hath no more to do in the Church of God The Emperor commanded the Duke of Bavier who was standing in his robes holding the golden Apple with the Cross in his hand to receive the Prisoner from the Bishops and deliver him unto the Sergeants When he was led to the place of execution he saw before the Church-dore his Books burning he smiling exhorted all men that they should not think that he died for any error or heresie but only for the hatred of his adversaries charging him with crimes most falsely All the City followed him in Arms. When he came to the place of execution he kneeled down and lifting up his eys to Heaven he prayed and said certain Psalms namely the 31 and 51 they who were near him heard him repeat oft the verse Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit The People said What he hath done before we know not but now he prayeth devoutly Some said It were good he had a Confessor A Priest sitting on a horse's back answered He may not be heard who is a condemned Heretick While he prayed and lifted up his eys to Heaven his paper hat fell off his head a Souldier took it up and said Put it on again that he may burn with his Masters the Divels When he arose from praying he said with a loud voice Lord Jesus assist me that with a patient and constant minde by thy most gracious help I may indure this ignominious death unto which I am condemned for preaching thy most holy
Christ that one and the same work of Indulgence shall have vertue sometimes for six years sometimes for seven sometimes for seven hundred sometimes for seven thousand and sometimes full and absolute Then answering unto that position The Church is ruled by the Spirit of God he saith It is true in so far as the Church is holy but not in these particulars whereof she is ignorant and in which she erreth as alas we lament that she erreth grievously as appears by the unsavoury salt the delated Husband-man and the unfaithfull Steward whom Bernard expoundeth to be Mercenaries in place of Shepheards yea and Wolves for hirelings and Devils for Wolves In his Book De subditis superioribus he averreth That the Pope may err and when he erreth he should be resisted Pius the II. did usurp all the Kingdoms of the earth and Sixtus the IV. dispensed with all maner of oaths in causes temporal not only that were already made but that shall be made which is nothing else but to give unto men licence to forswear themselves and deceive others Because the Pope and his Cardinals are contrary unto Christ they are the Antichrist John Ostendorp a Canon of St. Levin in Daventry went once to visit him and Wesselus said unto him O diligent youth thou shalt live until that time when the doctrine of these late Divines and contentious School-men shall be forsaken Wesselus died in the year 1490. and Ostendorp lived until the year 1520. Gerhard Gelderhavrius writeth that he heard his Master Ostendorp report this Prophesie Ja. Triglandius in his Church History against â—tenboga par 3. writeth of him that when Pope Sixtus the IV. was chosen Wesselus went to visit him because he had been his good friend in Paris The Pope bade him ask what he would and it should not be denied unto him He answered I wish that since now you are universal Pope you would demean your self in your office according to your name that in due time you may hear that approbation Come thou good and faithful Servant enter into thy Master's joy The Pope said Why seekest thou not somewhat for thy self He said I crave no more but an Hebrew and Greek Bible out of the Vatican The Pope answered That you shall have but fool thou mightest have sought a Bishoprick or some such thing Wesselus answered Because I have not need of so great things When he died some Friers burnt all his books and papers but he had given sundry books unto others which were collected and printed at Wittemberg in the year 1522. When Luther saw them he spake of the Prophet Elias who thought that he was left alone and yet the Lord had preserved seven thousand that had hot bowed the knee to Baal so said he hath God preserved many thousands from the Idolatry of the Pope And he wrote of him as followeth There is one Wesselus come forth whom they call Basilius a Friselander of Groning a man of wonderful understanding and of an excellent spirit who hath been taught of God as Isaiah hath prophesied of Christians for it cannot be thought or said that he hath learned such things from men as neither I have If I had read those books before mine enemies might have said Luther hath taken all this out of Wesselus we do so agree But by these my joy and courage increaseth and I doubt not but I have learned the truth since he and I do agree in so constant unity and almost in the same words although differing in place and time and occasions And I admire by what mishap it is come that so Christian works were not published by another 37. Among the lights of that time Rodulph Agricola may justly be reckoned he was born in Friseland Ph. Melanchthon writing his life saith Josquin Groningensis had reported unto him that when he was young he heard Vesselus and Agricola often lamenting in their Sermons the darkness of the Church the abuses of the Mass the single life of Priests and that they both taught that men are not justified by works but by faith as Paul oft teacheth and they condemned the multitude of traditions He died An. 1489. Buxtorf Ind. 38. Paul Scriptor teaching on Scotus in Tubing when he came to the fourth Book Dist 10. did speak against transubstantiation and said All things should be tried by the Word of God as a true touch-stone all Scholastical teaching shall shortly be abolished and the doctrine of the primitive Church shall be restored according to the holy Scriptures Conradine Pelicanus was his Auditor and testifieth that he heard him reprove many errors and abuses of the Roman Church therefore the Minorites caused him to be banished and as Rud. Gualter in his Epistle before his Homiles on Matthew testifieth he was put to death as many did suspect being not moved with uncertain conjectures He died at Keiserberg in the year 1499. 39. Nicolaus Rus a Batchelor of Divinity preached at Rome and wrote The Pope hath not such power as is commonly believed the Pope should not be heard when he strayeth from the Scripture his Indulgences are but fraud those only are true pardons which God giveth of his free grace in Christ Saints should not be adored and far less their bones they who are called the Spiritualty to wit the Roman Clergy have packed up all Religion in mens traditions and vain superstitions and they are careless of their office and are Ministers of Antichrist These things are written in his Threefold Cord where he expoundeth the Lord's Prayer the Creed and the ten Commandments which he wrote in the Saxon Languauge that the common people might understand he left Rome and abode there and had many Auditors The Pastors of the Waldenses in Bohemia came and visited him At last he was forced to flee into Liveland where he died 40. Jerome Savonorola a Dominican in Florence taught these Articles 1. Men are justified freely by faith 2. The Communion should be administred in both kindes 3. The Pope's Indulgences are frivolous 4. The keys were given unto the Church and not to Peter alone 5. The Pope hath not from Christ any primacy above other Bishops 6. The Pope followeth neither the life nor doctrine of Christ and therefore he is the Antichrist 7. He who feareth the Pope's excommunication is excommunicated of God 8. He preached against the vices of the Clergy Io. Fox in Act. Mon. Philip Cominaeus did confer with him and testifieth that he was a man of most upright life He foretold that God would raise up a King to punish the Tyrants of Italy and that God would shortly reform the Church therefore some did hâ—te him and some believed him namely the Senate of Florence was perswaded by his preaching to give way unto Charls the VIII King of France When the league was made in Italy against the French he foretold that Charls should return in safety of his person maugre all the power of his adversaries Charls returning from Naples sent for
doctrine and in the end he saith the Holy Scriptures of both Testaments are to be revised and corrected according to the antient Copies of the first Originals that they may be purged from the errours which have crept-in by the carelesness of Writers or default of times Solemn ceremonies concerning which some broils have been antiently are to be brought into some allouwable order and true histories are to be distinguished from Apocryphe fables c. Orat. Io. Pici in Concil Lateran ex Fascic rer expetend 12. Jacobus Faber Stapulensis had then renown for his learning and knowledge in all sciences especially in Divinity Aventinus had been his disciple and testifieth that he heard him and Clichtoveus say sixe hundred times that Lombard had troubled the most clear fountain of Divine philosophy with the durt of questions and pudlle of opinions He wrote Commentaries on the Psalmes Ecclesiastes on the four Evangels and the epistes of Paul His works began to be printed An. 1508 and as Jo. Sleidan writes he suffered many grievous persecutions by the Masters of Paris but the King by his missives from Spain exhorted them to spare him What was his belief in many articles now in controversy may be guessed by this that the Authors of the Belgick Jndex Expurgatorius have filled 18 pages with the catalogue of passages which they have ordained to be blotted out of his books as out of his Comm. on Mathew they blot out these words By faith in Christ only wee look for salvation The righteousness of works is a Pharisaicall doctrine Let none say Peter was that rocke And on Luke The grace ofsalvation is due not to works but of the goodnes of God only In very deed not priests but God doth cleanse yet they are witnesses All prayer and adoration belongs unto Him alone And on Iohn This faith can not bee without love He fell down and worshipped which is a duty to be done unto God only and the duty of him which confesseth that the Son of God is God All the Saints are nothing if the question be of true worship Yee believe in God believe also in mee Or els he is but an infidell albeit he think that he believes But the Authors of the Spanish Index have made a shorter cut they order to destroy all the Commentary on John because it can not be wel amended say they 13. William Budaeus was Secretary to Francis I King of France in his fifth book de Asse which was printed An. 1513. he describes the estate of the Church at that time saying The clergy are worse than the worst of the people in all kind of vice and wantonness prelats are ignorant and enemies of learning having no respect to the salvation of souls but rather thrusting them down to hell by their false teaching or wicked example He saw how they sought to abolish the Pragmatica Sanctio and therefore when he hath shewed that the riches of the present times are not comparable unto the former times he addeth except one sort of men who indeed should not have been excepted these are the priests whom now we behold to be the only rich men almost next unto Kings And when he had spoken a little satyrically of them he addeth Whence hast thou o France that liberty to be called most Christian if as by religion thou didst deserve that honourable name so by the same religion thou endevoirest not to retain it still O how would thy enemies clap their hands and rejoice who do envy thee this Palladium of thy happines Kingdom a gift sent unto thee from heaven which being taken away or fading from thee thou canst no more be happy Beware I pray thee that thou bee not to credulous unto these sonnes of the earth who building honorable estates like unto the Aloidae seeme to make warre against God climbe into the heavens to wrong them who are above for by consent of all men the cause of all these cometh from the head top of Christendom who unless he be well disposed all the inferiour members must draw the causes of disease from him We see likewise that godly men do wish that by providence the pillar of the Church may be amended or another be sett up more profitable Neither am I ignorant that the foundations of this house were layd by a cunning hand on a most firme rock which by no force can be pulled down c. Then he sheweth the abuses of the Church especially those that proceed from simony whereby the government of the Church is altogether diverse from the institution of Christ He compareth Christ his Apostles with the Pope and his court so that he is compelled to say The Bride hath renounced her Spouse Then he complaines that the discipline of the Church is corrupted by them who should have been the chief maintainers of it and who can believe that the men who have done these things can acknowledge the good true faith who knoweth not that the choice stones of the sanctuary have been castdoun long since and dispersed so that the Majesty of the Church being ruined now the Spouse of Christ forgetting her marriage-bond not only hath left her husband but shamelesly hath been wandring in the broad waies streets licenciously gone a whooring thorough Provinces who knoweth not that the sheapherds are become not only deserters but drivers away of their flockes What Have we not seen the most eminent of the praelats behaving themselves so preposterously so filthily that they who should have framed all the daunce to grauity comelynes have altogether abhorred the comelynes of order c. The Jesuits of the Spanish Jndex Expurg have ordained all such passages to be blotted out In his secound book De Translat Hellenism he saith O if we had but the relicqus and ashes of the old faith which now is almost buried From which faith God hath called some of his stewards faith full who being full of Divine courage of godly emulation of the Spirit of God have been a glory ornament of the Church But now and even of a long tyme the Church is a wasted house having no colour nor shew of that religion which Christ taught if we judge of the universality by the greatest part 14. Iacohus Almainus Doctour of Divinity in his book printed at Colen De potestate Pontificis against Thomas de vio aliàs Cardinal Cajetan the Legate of Leo X. writeth particularly of indulgences saying The power of binding loosing seemeth not to be extended unto them that are in purgatory seing wheresoever promises are made in the Scriptures or grace is promised it is alwayes said on earth as whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth c. and it is never spoken of these who are departed this lofe Thence it followeth saith he That the souls in purgatory can not be delivered from punishment by indulgences albeit they may be by prayers 15. John Tritemius was at this time Abbas Spanhemiensis
alive or other wayes put to death for the cause of religion John oecolampade in the year preceeding was retyred into a Monastery for feare of trouble but when he heard of the publick edict he set forth some Sermons and a book of Confession for which Glapio the Emperours Chapelan did threaten him mischief but he with consent of the Friers went away in safety Martin Bucer had been a Dominican 15 years at that time he left that Order and was Chaplaine unto Fredederik Prince Palatin and President of the Imperiall Councell the next year he was called to be Preacher at Landstall When Luther was lurking the Augustinians of Wittembergh put away the private Masse because it was an execrable abuse of the Lords supper and turned into a propitiatory sacrifice c. The Electour requires the judgement of the University then Justus Jonas Jo. Dolcius Andr. Carolstad Jerom Schurff Nic. Amsdorff and Phil. Melanchton approove the reasons of the Augustinians the Elector ratifieth their Act and not only dischargeth private Masses in the Cloister but in the open Church and then in the Church of the Castle Then and there also images were broken down auricular confession was forbidden both elements were delivered unto the people and Andr. Carolstad teaches that Civill courts should be ordered not by the law of man but of Moses he set forth a book of the lawfulness of Priests-mariage and against the vowes of Monks When Luther heard hereof though he did not approve all that was done and written yet he wrote unto Spalatinus August 15 Carolstad must have some liberty for he will not be content if any do oppose him Erasmus was offended that any Reformation was begun without the authority of a Generall Councell and he wrote unto Peter Barbire August 13. saying It can not be told how many and what kind of men did at the first love Luther when I had read a few pages of his books I did foresee the matter would turn to a broil I do so hate discord that even verity with sedition is unpleasant unto mee .... As I think many things are received in the Church which may be changed to the great good of Christian religion So nothing pleaseth me which is done tumultuously And in another dated August 23 he saith I wish it were true that Christiern King of Denmark said unto me while we were talking of such a purpose Gentle purges worke not but efficacious potions shake the whole body I see no good issue unless Christ himselfe turne the temerity of men into good c. Albert archb of Mentz began again to sell pardons in Hala of Saxony then Luther wrote unto him from his Pathmos Novemb. 25. threatning him that if he leave not that idol of pardons greater evils will be sent on him and if he dismisse not these which for eschuing fornication have marryed he will make known openly some things both of him and other bb which they desire to be buried in silence The Bishop returnes answer Decemb. 21. shewing that he had read his Letter with good lyking and afterwards he shall have no cause to complain of him and he will live as becomes a Christian Prince for which end he requires his prayers and of other good men seing that is the gift of God alone he can take admonitions in good part and wisheth well unto Luther for Christs cause The University of Paris sent forth their judgement against Luther's books and Ph. Melanchton opposeth it with this inscription of his book Against the famous Decree of the Parisians the apology of Melanchton for Luther Likewise Henry VIII King of England wrote against Luther in defense of the seven saeraments and the power of the Pope When Leo heard of it he sent unto him the title defender of the faith as Alexander VI. had given unto the King of Spain the title of Catholick King and I know not what other Pope did first call the King of France The most Christian King But saith Pe. Soave Luther was not dashed with authority but laying aside the due reverence of his person wrote against him with such bitterness of words as he had used against the puny Doctors and the medling of the King in this cause did not satisfy many in this controversy and as it hapneth in debates most do favour the weaker party and do much commend their weak endeavours Immediatly after the publishing of the Edict at Worms Hugh Bishop of Constance sendeth the Popes Bull and that Edict unto the town of Zurik and commandeth them to obey both the one and the other and he inveighes against Zuinglius and his followers Wherefore Zuinglius gives account unto the Senate and to the colledge of the Chanons of what he had taught and he writes unto the Bishop especially pressing that he forbeare not the priests with their concubines which wickedness saith he brings the clergy into contempt and is a very lewd example unto the people And he wrote unto the Swisers generally that they should remember a former licence which the Magistrats had granted unto the priests to have a concubine for saving the honesty of other mens wives which licence though ridiculous yet necessary for the time should be amended by turning fornication into lawfull marriage The Bishops command gave courage unto the black Friers to write against Zuinglius and he ceaseth not to defend his own doctrine he published 67. conclusions containing the summe of his doctrin and the abuses of the Clergy The Senate for removing such strife do appoint a convocation of all the Clergy within their jurisdiction against January 23. promising free liberty of reasoning unto both parties and by Letters invite the bb of Constance Curia and Basile either to come personally or to send their Commissioners There were assembled about 600. priests and as they called them Divines The Bishop of Constance sent in his name John Faber who afterward was Bishop of Vienna The Burgermaster beginneth saying It is not unknown what dissension hath arisen in the cause of religion therefore this assembly is called especially that if any can speak against these 67 conclusions of Zuinglius now made known unto them all he may now speak the same freely Faber shewes his Commission and alledgeth it was not a pertinent place nor time to decide things of that kind which appertain properly unto a Generall Councell and the Pope and Princes have agreed that one shall be called shortly Zuinglius said as Pe. Soave reports that is but a trick to deceive people with vaine hope and to keep them in grosse darknes it were better in the mean while to search some particulars that are sure and undoubted by the word of God and the received custom of the Church untill a more copious clearing of doubts come by a Councell When Faber was urged again and again to shew what he could speak against that doctrine of Zuinglius he said I will not deal with him by word but I will confute
his conclusions by writting Because neither Faber nor any other would object the Burg-master in the name of the Senate breakes up the assembly and they give Order that through their jurisdiction all traditions of men be layd aside and the gospell be taught sincerely according to the books of the old new Testament So saith Pe. Soave when neither the diligence of Doctours and bb nor the condemning Bulls of the Pope nor the rigid edict of the Emperour could prevaile any way against the doctrine of Luther but it rather took deeper root all men almost did judge a generall Councell to be the only remedy but the severall aimes of severall sorts as of the Princes people Romane Court and of the Pope cast them upon severall thoughts concerning the way of ordering and place of the Councell Pe. Soave writes of these aimes and purposes particularly The death of Pope Leo makes a pause heerin At that time Satan was busy sowing his tares by the first Anabaptists whose names let them perish The Anabaptists against them Luther was the first that did write from his Pathmos as he spoke They pretend to have revelations from the Spirit and conferences with God Melanchton was not a little troubled with them The epistle of Luther unto Melanchton is worth the reading wherein he saith I commend not thy timorousness and first seing they bear witnes of themselues they should not be heard for that but as John adviseth Try the Spirits Ye have the Counsell of Gamaliell to delay for as yet I heare of nothing either done or said by them which Satan can not do My advice is that you try whether they can proove their calling For God never hath sent any but being either called by men or declared by signes no not his own Sonne The Prophets formerly had their power according to the Law and propheticall Order as we now by men I would in no way accept of them if they assert their calling by a naked revelation seing God would not let Samuel speak but by the accessory authority of Heli. This is especially necessary unto the publick function of preaching And that yee may try their private Spirit you may enquire whether they know anguish of mind divine birth death and hell If you hear that they speak all things smooth pleasant devote as they call it and religious albeit they say they have been ravished into the third heaven approove them not because they want the signe of the Son of man which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only proover of Christians and sure searcher of Spirits Wouldst thou know the place and way of talking with God heare As a lion he hath broken all my bones and I was cast forth from his face and My soul was filled with sorowes and my life drew neer unto hell The Divine Majesty speakes not as they say immediatley so that a man may see him yea man shall not see him and live Nature can not endure the little starr of his speach and therefore he speakes by men because wee can not endure him speaking The Virgine was troubled when she heard the Angell so did Daniel and Jeremy complaine Correct me in judgement and be not a terrour unto me What more Is it possible that his Majesty can speak familiarly with the old man and not first kill and make him wither lest his wicked smells do stinck seing he is a consuming fire Even the dreams and visions of the Saints are terrible at least when they are known Try therefore and hear not a glorious Jesus unless thou know that he was crucified Ex tom 2. epist Lutheri fol. 41. XII In March 1522. Luther returneth into Wittembergh and by Luther returnes An. 1522. Letter he shewes unto the Elector the cause of his returning saying Your Highness knowes my cause or now be pleased to know that I have not the gospell from men but from heaven by Jesus Christ our Lord so that I truly may as here after I will call my self his servant and Evangelist Whereas I did offer my selfe unto congnisance of my cause and became subject unto the judgement of others I did it not that I had any doubt of my doctrine but in modesty that I might call others but when I see that too much modesty turns to the detriment of the gospell and Satan when I have scarcely given him ahandbreadth would take up all the field my conscience presseth me to take another course I hope I have satisfied your H. that I have yielded for a year for the Devil knowes well that I did it not for fear or distrust ..... Now I am come back to Wittembergh with a higher and stronger guarde than the Elector of Saxony can give me nor came it ever into my thought to seek defence from your H. yea I am confident your H. shall have better guarde and defense by me than you can give me and if I knew that your H. either would or could maintaine me I had not returned at all It is not any sword that can provide for or helpe this cause God only must rule and worke here without any industry or help of man therefore in this cause he who trusts most firmely in God shall defend himself and others most safely And seing I find your Ho. so weak in faith I can no way attribute so much unto your Ho. that I can think to be defended or delivered out of danger by you I shall preserve your Ho. soul body and estate free from all damnage and danger in this my cause whether your Ho. believe it or not Let your Ho. know also and doubt not that it is decreed otherwise in heaven then at Norinbergh concerning this business for we shall see that they who think they have devoured and destroyed the Gospell are not yet come to a Benedicito He is another and more potent Prince then Dude N. with whom we have to do He knowes me and I him pretty well If your Illustrious Ho. did believe you should see the wonderfulness and glory of God and seing you believe not you have seen none of those things Unto God be glory and praise for ever Then more particularly he saith I was called by the letters of the Church and people of Wittembergh now in my absence Satan hath fallen upon my flock the Anabaptists were there and some other troubles and hath stirred such troubles that require my presence necessarily and further I fear a great sedition in Germany which they will desire to remove or for a time delay by joint prayers Ard in another epistle unto Melanchton he saith Prepare me a lodging for the translation of the Bible presseth me to return unto you After his returning he preached every day and in his Sermons as Abr. Scultet expresseth his words he spoke against not what was done in reformation during his absence but the manner and the necessity of doing some things In his absence he by letters had exhorted them to
that they would not judge amisse of Carolstad for albeit he had not attained what he would yet in the substance of the matter he hath not erred much And albeit the Anabaptists knew what difference was between Zuinglius and Carolstad in this particulare yet they follow Carolstade and spread his books far and wide After the divulging of these books Zuinglius wrote unto Matt. Alber Pastor at Reutlinga saying Hitherto we have erred from the But or mark neither Leo Juda nor other brethren nor I do altogether disallow the judgement of Carolstad but many are offended at the obscurity of his words and his immoderat scoffs especially our Tigurines because he hath a little departed from the way wherein he should have walked And then he teaches that to eat the body of Christ is no other but to believe that Christs body was broken and died for us and he proves this from John VI. where it is written of Spirituall eating whereof the signe is in the sacrament 2. from the words of the institution where he expounds Is by Signifieth as the following words do evince Do this in remembrance of me 3. from the words of Luke This is the new Testament in my blood therefore it is not the very blood c. Likewise the Diuines at Strawsburg to wit Wolfgang Capito in October and Mart. Bucer with whom all the other Ministers did subscribe in December of the same yeare did by their published papers exhort all men to leave strife and think upon the right use of the holy Supper that is as Bucerspeakes we should eat the bread drink the wine and then come to that which is spirituall the remembrance of Christs death for we should so eat the bread and drink the wine that we remember how Christs body blood was once offered for us and so we eat his flesh and drink his blood spiritually Luther was vexed with the successe of Carolstad's doctrin and in wrath writes in the same December unto Amsdorf saying We have no other cause but to be humbled for Carolstad's venom spreades very wide and unto his opinion is joined Zuinglius of Zurik Leo Judaeus and many others affirming constantly that in the sacrament is only bread as in the market c. The next year this contest grew hoter betwixt Luther and Jo. Bugenhagius in Pomer on the one side and Zuinglius and Oecolampade on the other In a third piece which Zuinglius wrote in October answering to Bugenhagius he proves that his doctrin was not new as the other had called it but the very mind of Christ of the Apostles and the Fathers and that they have not expounded the tropes albeit they have spoken with tropes and he professeth he knew there is a trope in the words of the institution but he knew not in what word the trope is untill he had read an epistle of a Batavian teaching that the words of Christ The flesh profiteth nothing speak not of a carnall understanding because the text presseth another thing and who will say that The flesh profiteth he makes two wayes of salvation c. The same Abr. Schultet testifieth that when Carolstade saw the books of Zuinglius and Oecolampade he forsook his interpretation of the particle This. Afterwards more oile was added unto this flamme when Brentius heard of the Ubiquity which Faber Stapulensis had imagined I do not intend to handle controversies but of this purpose for clearing the history I add two passages one from Ab. Schultet Annal ad An. 1525 Oecolampad at Basile with his Collegues teaches the same with Zuinglius when it was reported that he was a Carolstadian his friends did entreat him to declare his mind concerning the Sacrament and the same year he publishes a book Of the genuine exposition of the Lord's words THIS IS MY BODY Therein he shewes that orall eating had its beginning from Pe. Lombard or Gratian or if it be more antient from Damascen the later that Lombard in condemning them of heresy who say that Christ useth the same phrase in these words This is my body as Paul had used in these The rock is Christ did condemne all the antient Teachers which were of the same judgement Then he answereth the objection What things are above our capacity men should not search iherefore we should not search into the sacrament And he proves that the sacraments are not of the sort of incomprehensible things seing in the Lords Supper is no miracle nor any thing exceeding mans capacity Thirdly he wipeth-off the calumnies of some preachers who clamorously said that the Gospell was denied and Christ's God head and all Christianity was overthrown by them who deny orall eating of Christs flesh and he affirmes that the Holy Ghost hath spoken in such a way lest any take occasion of errour and he would have some passages a little darkly to the end that some seeing shall not see and knowledge or revelation should be acknowledged to be a gift of Gods Mercy Then he comes to the point and proves the words This is my body to be spoken with the same trope as these of Paul Therock was Christ This is not a strange exposition nor is the phrase seldom used in the Scripture as nothing is more inconvenient than the exposition of the Synusiasts a trope certainly is in the words and many absurdities follow otherwise all the Fathers were for a trope in these words he confirmes the same and refutes the contrary by many reasons according to Scripture The Senate of Basile ask Erasmus his judgement of that book he answereth He had read it and in his judgement it is learnedly and well written and I would say sayd he very Christian if any thing can be called Christian which is contrary unto the decrees of the Church from whose judgement it is dangerous to decline The other passage that I add is in Osiander Cent. 16. Lib. 1. Cap. 36. where speaking of these three Carolstade Zuinglius and Oecolampade he saith The judgement of all these three Divines was the same to wit that Christs body is not given in the holy Supper with the bread and wine but are present above only in the highest heaven and no where els before the last day In after times saith he Caluin did seem to reject their expositions but indeed was of the same mind with them for in his agreement with the Divines of Zurik he writtes that the body of Christ is as far distant from us as the heaven is distant from the earth but deceitfully did Calvin teach the same impiety in other smoother words so that he blinded the eyes of many learned and good men and drew them into Zuinglianisme So far he I marke these two that the Reader may see how these do prevaricate or wrangle which have been for consubstantiation they will not understand any thing to be spoken against them and as if blew green and purple were all white because they are not all black so how beit