yeere of Tiberius The Senat of Rome refuseth to acknowledge the diuinitie of Christ. Pilat killeth himselfe Caius would be counted a god The Iewes abhorred the vpsetting of the image of Caius in their Temple The petition of Agrippa The bloodie letter of Caius written to Petronius his Deputie The hypocrisie of Agrippa Contention betweene the Iewes and Grecians who dwelt at Alexandria New Iupiter in worse case then old Iupiter The famine foretold by Agabus The Council of Jerusalem ANNO 48. Romaine deputies The ten persecuting Emperours wrestled against God The first persecution ANNO Chr. 65 The martyrdome of Peter Paul Romain Deputies Contention betweene Agrippa and the Iewes The martyrdom of Iames surnamed Iustus The ground of the warre betweene the Iewes and the Romanes Foreranning tâ—…kens of the destruction of Ierusalem The destruction of Ierusalem ANNO Chr. 71. The flood of Noe the ouerthrow of Sodome and destruction of Ierusalem types of the great iudgement to come The second persecution AN. Chr. 96. The banishment of the Apostle John Domitian afraide by rumors of the Kingdome of Christ. Apostles Euangelists The true successours of the Apostles Bishops of Rome Linus Ignatius Papias Heretiques Simon Magus Menander Ebion Cerinthus Nicolaitansâ—… A Treatise of antiquitie Antiquitie of veritie Antiquitie of errour Antiquitie of custome Where veritie is to be â—…ound The power of the veritie The reue rence that should be câ—…ried to the veritie The more the veritie is despised in the world the more ardently it should be loued Antiquitie is no honoar to errour Errour in religion an execrable thing Errour repugneth to itselfe Both ancient and late errours magnifie creatures With the diminution of the glory of the Creator The trueth is not to be judged by outward appearance Antiquitie of custome differeth from antiquitie of commandement How ancient truth may be discerned from ancient lies Foure counterfaite masks of antiquitie in Poperie Wicked men reade holy Scripture of intention to gainesay the trueth of God †Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confident speaking without a sure ground is not to be regarded What the word heresie doth signifie The grounâ—… of heresie Similitudeâ—… Pride accompanying ignorance The propagation of herâ—…sie Heresie strengthened by the arme of manalanerly The curse of God vpon Heretiques heresies and places of their meetings How Heretiques should be dealt with by the Pastours HAV the magistrate should deale with Heretiques Similitude How the people should deale with Heretiques The word foundation taken properly 〈◊〉 oâ—…ly to Christ. Take heede to the demonstrations of God and beware of Satans demonstrations The similttude of a stone frequently vsedin Scripture The seconâ—… comfort An wholsom admonition In what sense the doctrine of the Prophets c. is called the foundation â—…imilitude Faith is called afoundation The offices of Christ declare that he is a true foundation Christ is a liuing fâ—…undation Similitude The contempt of men cannot impaire the glory of Christ. Similitude We drawe nere to Christ by faith Of Emporours The thirde persecution ANNO Chr. 108 The martyrdome of Simon the son of Cleopas The letter of Plinie 2. written to Traian Gregorieâ—… prayed for the soule of Traian Barcochebas a false prophet seduced the nation of the lewes Adrianus his intention to builde a Church for the honour of Christ. The fourth persecution ANN. Ch. 168. The martyrdome of Polycarpus and Iustinus Slanderous speeches against Christians The Romain armie supported by the prayers of the Christians Contrarie lâ—…wes Bishops of Rome Martyre Mâ—…tyre Maâ—…tyre Martyre The rashnes of Victor Of other Doctours and Preachâ—… Agrippas Castor Hegesippus Melito Iustinus Martyr Polycarpus Ireneus Clemens Alexandrinus Of Heretiques Gnostici Valentinuâ—… Marcus Cerdon Marcion Tatianus Encratitae Montanus Cataphryges Aquila and Theodosion rathâ—…r Apostatstben Heretiques Sacred scripture cannot be sufficiently commended Similitude It is perillous to separat the booke of the worde from the booke of the workes Similitude The spirit the word are not to be separated The Word of God is to bee found in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles The Prophets and Apostlâ—…s added nothing to Moses Similitude Three inturies done to the Written Word by reueiencing of traditions False accusations of holy Scripture Vnsufficiencie Difficultie Perill Things necessarte are to be kept al-beit they be abused Similitude Why Heretiques doe hate the Scripture Similitude The care of Christians of olde to keepe the scripture from burning A remarkable speech of an old honorable Lady Scriptures belong to the sheepe of Christ as their proper treasure Reformation of religion made according to the Written word The cause wherfore the Apostles put in write the summe of their doctrin Be not deceiued with the generalitie of the word tradition Similitude The true meaning of the words of Paul 2. Thess. 2. 15. Constancie differeth froÌ„ wilfulnesse The testimome of Ireneus abused Papists will not binde themselues in all points to old traditions The value of tradition in the fâ—… age In the Second age In the last age The word therefore to be considered 2. Thess. 2. ver 15. Christ doth great honour to the Scriptures Defection in the visible Chuâ—…ch no new thing Differences betweene the ancient fathers and Papists of our time con cerningmeats and mariage The Council of Ancyra Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria a maried man The Council of Gangra The probibition of meats and mariage is an apostasie from the faub. Our seruice to God should be a reasonable seruice The Popish church speak lies in hypocrisie rather then old Heretiques What is meant by a consâ—…ence seared with an hote yron Forbidding and biddâ—…ng wordes of authoritie We ought to hearken vnto the voyce that commeth downe from heauen Similitude Great arrogancie in prohibition of meates Arrogancie mixed with foolishnesse Similitude Similitude The last age of the worlde more senslesse then the first Similitude Both blasphemie and hypocrisie in the matter of mariage and meats is condemned by the Apostle The Papistes more subtle â—…en the Manicheis were The grace of thanksgiuing witnesseth that we enjoy both the gift and the giuer We ougâ—…t 〈◊〉 be ruled by Gods word iâ—… all things both corporat spirisuali The conscience is subject to the yocke of God The cause wherefore the succession of Romam Bishops was magnified of old The succession of Dauid The succession of Aaron The succession of the Prophets The succession of the Apostles The alledged succession of the Romaine Church spotted with heresie schisme and idolatry The heresie of the Collyridians renued increased by the chaire of Rome Eugenius 4. B. of Rome a notable schismatick The chaire of Rome defiled with idolatrie Lkeerrours haue like grounds The Romain church like to the successours of Aaron What inconuenients follow if the promise made to the Aposâ—…les successors be absolute The Apostles had calling gâ—…es prerogatiues extraordinarie The fist persecution ANN. Ch. 205. Leonides the father of Origen Alexander fellow laboureâ—… with Naâ—…cislus Rhais a mar tyre hrunt before she
to be counted of according to the greatnes of the promises annexed to the succession as namely the succession of DAVID of whom God said His seede also will I make to endure for euer his throne as the dayes of heauen Psal. 89. 29 againe ver 35. 36. I haue sworne once by my holynesse that I will not faile Dauid saying his seede shal endure for euer and his throne shall be as the Sunne before me Here are ample promises to DAVID his succession confirmed by the Lordes oath by the Sun Moone as faithfull witnesses in heauen And that which was more then all the rest this succession of DAVID was a line leading to the great King Christ Iesus who should sit in the throne of his father DAVID of his kingdome there should be none end Luc. 1. for all these causes the succession of DAVID was greatly regarded Yet it is to be marked that all the promises othes testimonies honors did not carie with them a necessity that euery successour of DAVID should be in faith and religion like vnto DAVID but rather God foreseeing the contrarie faith If his ch◅ldren forsake my Law and walke not in my Judgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my ordinances then w◅ll I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitte with strokes ibid ver 30. 31. 32. I suppone that no succession euer had more glorious and ample promises then the succession of DAVID yet these promises inferred no necessitie that euery king sitting on the throne of DAVID should bee heire also of the religion and faith of DAVID as well as of his kingdome And therfore to inferre vpon this ground that ample promises are made to the Apostles their successours that euery one who succeedeth to the Apostolick chaire shall keepe the true faith of the Apostles it is but a foolish and impertinent conclusion If any man shall replie that this was a succession of ciuill gouernours but the question now contrauerted is anent succession of Bishops and men in a spirituall calling True it is that DAVIDS successors succeeded to a ciuill gouernment yet seeing this succession was ratified by the oath of God and led also to Christ who is soueraine Lorde both of soule and body whatsoeuer priuiledge of standing in a good estate can be alledged in any succession the patterne of it is to be found in the succession of DAVID But this priuiledge that the successors of DAVID cannot erre in the true faith is not found no not in the great succession of DAVID Now to come to ecclesiasticall succession The priesthood of AARON was institute by God Numb 17. ver 5. It was confirmed by the miracle of the budding rodde ibid. ver 23. The vsarpers of AARONS office without a calling were also miraculously destroyed by fire that came downe from heauen Numb 16. Others were debarred from it euen in the dayes of NEHEMIAH Nehem. 7. ver 64. This succession of AARON was personall the son succeeding to the father in the Priesthood except some mutilation of a member or impotencie did hinder or any such like cause After AARON ELEAZAR and his son PHINEAS ABISHVA PHINEAS son and BVKKI HVZZI ZERACHIA MERAIOTH AMARIA ACHITVB ZADOK AHIMAAZ 1. Chron. 6. ver 50. 51. 52. 53. Many others after them were Priests of the stock of AARON yet did not all keepe fast the faith and religion of AARON yea some Priestes of AARONS stocke were notable Idolaters men-pleasers such as VRIAH in the dayes of AHAZ king of Juda who set vp an altar at the kings commandement according to the similitude of the altar of Damascus and offered sacrifices thereon 2. Reg. 16. Anent the succession of the Prophets euen when one good man succeeded to another good man the historie of scripture clearely declareth that men pointed out by God himselfe successours to an office yet by this are they not made succ◅ssours to their giftes for ELIZEVS was pointed out by God as successor to ELIAS in his prophetical office 1. Reg. 19. ver 16. yet by this was he not successor to his gifts as ELIZEVS petition of a double measure of the spirit of ELIAS clearely declareth 2. Reg. 2 ver 9 If the gift did necessarly accompany the succession what needed ELIZEVS to be carefull of the gift seeing he was sure of the succession The holy Apostles of Christ haue had a successiō shal haue vnto the end of the world to whō belōgeth the promise of Christ Behold I am with you vnto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20 But who are to be called true successors of the Apostles we haue declared already in the 1. Centurie taking our groūd out of scripture Act. 20 29. And out of Nazian in laudem Athanasii that darknes succeeding to light is not counted the true successor of lignt for the dissimilitude that is betweene darknes light But heere the question ariseth whether or not al Churches keeping the holy Apostolicke doctrine are bound to shew in write their succession from the Apostles◅ as the Priestes of the stocke of AARON after the captiuitie produced in write their lineal descent from AARON Nehem. 7. To this Tertul answereth lib. de pres◅ript adversus baret that Churches truely keeping the Apostolicke doctrine albeit they could not shew in write their succession from the Apostles yet are they to be counted Apostolicke Churches propter consang uinitatem doctrinae that is for their consanguinitie of doctrine But to come neerer and to examine whether the Romaine church hath kept Apostolicke doctrine in their succession without all spot of heresie as they affirme or not And first the chaire of Rome was not free of the heresie of EVTYCHES as clearly appeareth by the sixt generall Councill which was the third of those Councils which were gathered at Constantinople in the 12. yeere of the empire of CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS Ann. 681. Buco◅ In this Councill MACARIVS Patriarch of Antiochia and STEPHANVS his disciple stood vp pertinaciously defended the error of EVTYCHES were excommunicate by the Councill yet they had defended their opinion by the Synodicke letter of HONORIVS sometime B. of Rome written to SERGIVS B. of Constantinople Wherein it was clearely knowne that HONORIVS was infected with the errour of EVTYCHES for the which cause HONORIVS B. of Rome after his death in the sixt generall Councill was also excommunicat as an Heretique Tom Concil hist. Magdeb. This is not vnknown to some writers who notwithstanding defend this opinion that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in maters of ◅aith ONVPHRIVS saith that the Acts of the sixt generall Councill containing a condemnatory sentence against HONORIVS Bishop of Rome were corrupted by the Grecians and that the Canons of this Councill as they are set foorth are supposititious and false Forsooth ONVPHRIVS is a worthy aduocate to pleade such a bad and reprobat cause The faith of the Romanists leaning vpon two
after many torments was in end laid vpon the altar whereupon they vsed to offer sacrifice to idols while there was yet some streÌ„gth in his hande they put franckincense into his right hande thinking that he would haue scattered the incense vpon the altar and sacrificed but he endured the torment patiently saying the words of the Psalme 145. Blessed be the Lord who teacheth mine hands to fight In end LICINIVS made warre against CONSTANTINE and being diuerse times ouercome both by sea and land he yeelded himselfe at length and was sent to Thessalia to liue a priuate life where he was slaine by the souldiers SO CONSTANTINE obtained the whole empire alone Here ende the ten persecutions CENT III. Cap. 2. TO VICTOR succeeded ZEPHYRINVS the 14. Bishop of Rome who liued in that charge 8. yeres 7. months 10. dayes Platin. EVSEBIVS attributeth vnto him 18. yeeres Euseb. lib 6 cap. 21. so vncertaine is the computation of the yeeres of the gouernement of the Bishops of Rome EVSEBIVS writeth nothing of his decretall epistles and these that are forged by late writers are foolish and ridiculous Consecration of the holy cuppe in a vessel of glasse alanerly A Bishop to bee accused before honest Iudges twelue in number whome the Bishop himselfe shall chuse if neede bee honest and vnspotted witnesses to bee heard in his cause no fewer then 72. conforme and aboue the number of these 70. disciples whome Christ adjoyned as fellow-labourers in preaching with his Apostles And finally that no definitiue sentence should bee pronounced against a Bishop vntill the time his cause were heard of the Patriarch of Rome This is but a mocking of the Church of God to attribut such swelling pride such vnaccustomed formes of judicatorie such defensiue armour fencing and gwarding vnrighteous men against just deserued punishment vnto the simplicitie of an ancient Church humbled vnder the crosse and sighing vnder the yocke of heauie and long-lasting afflictions These false and forged decretall epistles altogether vnknowne to the fathers who liued before the dayes of CONSTANTINE will procure one day a decreete and sentence of wrath against these who haue giuen out new inuented lies vnder the names of ancient and holy fathers The canons of the Apostles albeita booke falsly attributed to the Apostles doe agree better with scripture then the constitution of ZEPHYRINVS For the Scripture saith that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shall bee confirmed Matt. 18 ver 16. The Canons of the Apostles say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let not an Heretique be admitted to beare witnesse against a Bishoppe neither yet one witnesse alanerly albeit hee bee faithfull because that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shall be confirmed Canon Apost cap. 74. The writer of the Canons of the Apostles had some remembrance of the words of Scripture but the forger of the decretall epistles of ZEPHYRINVS is like vnto a ship-man who hath hoised vp his saile and auanced his ship so far into the sea that hee hath tint the sight of lande and townes as the Poet speaketh Provehimur Pelago terraeque vâ—…besque recedunt Surely this lying fellowe who euer hee hath bene that hath written this supposititious decretall epistle of ZEPHYRINVS hee hath hoised vp his saile and is so bent to lie that he hath tint both sight and remembrance of the words of holy scripture CALLISTVS the 15. Bishop of Rome continued in his charge 5. yeeres Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 6. cap. 21. PLATINA saith 6 yeeres 10. months 10. dayes The fable of Pope DAMASVS who affirmeth that CALLISTVS builed a Church to the honour of the virgine MARIE beyond Tyber is rejected by PLATINA himselfe because the historie of the time clearely prooueth that in the daies of SEVERVS and his sonnes the conuentions of the Christians could not haue bene in magnificke temples but rather in obscure chappels or subterraneall places so that the multiplied number of lies written of the Bishops of Rome who liued in this age and the decretall epistles falsly attributed vnto them plainely proue that the garment of antiquitie vnder the lap whereof Papistes would so faine lurke is altogether inlacking to them VRBANVS 1. was the 16. Bishoppe of Rome He continued in his office eight yeeres saith Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 22. PLATINA foure yeeres ten months twelue dayes Of his martyrdome EVS EBIVS maketh no mention Others who record his martyrdome are not certaine in what Emperours dayes hee was martyred Iproceede to his successour PONTIANVS the 17. B. of Rome He continued in his charge 9. yeeres 5. months 2. dayes Platin Euseb. saith 6. yeeres He was banished to the Isle Sardinia where he died Of the two decretall epistles ascribed vnto him the second is generall written to al men who feare and loue God the very first words of it prooue it to be false forged Pontianus sanctae uniuersalis Ecclesiae Episcopus c. that is PONTIANVS Bâ—…shop of the holy vniuersall Church to all them who feare loue God wisheth welfare Tom. 1. Concil Such magnificke stiles as these were not as yet in vse and when they crept in into the Church afterward they were giuen by persons who admired the vertues of some singulare and rare men such as CYPRIAN and ATHANASIVS and EVSEBIVS but no man did vsurpe such proud and arrogant titles of dignitie in his owne writings direct to other Christians and therefore the learned reject this epistle as composed by some late vnlearned and flattering fellowe After PONTIANVS succeeded ANTERVS the 18 B. of Rome to whome EVSEBIVS assigneth but one mouth of continuance in his ministrie lib. 6. cap. 29. DAMASVS assigneth to him 12. yeeres PLATINA 11. yeeres 1 month 12. dayes and this diuersitie of counting cannot be reconciled Next to ANTERVS succeeded FABIANVS the 19. Bishop of Rome vpon whose head a doue lighted when the people were coÌ„sulting anent the election of a Bishop therfore with full consent of the wholeCongregation he was declared to be theirBishop The people at this time were so far from beeing secluded froÌ„ giuing their consent to the electioÌ„ of him who should be ordained their Pastour that the consent of the people had the principall swey in the election of Pastours Func Chron Commentar He suffered martyrdome vnder the reigne of DECIVS the 7 great persecuter after hee had continued in his office 14. yeeres 11. months 11. dayes Platin de vit Many constitutions made by him are cited by GRATIANVS insert Tom 1. Concil One of them I cannot pâ—…sse by We constitute that vpon euery Lordes day the oblation of the altar shall be made by euery man and Woman both of bread and wine to the end that by these oblations they may be deliuerea from the heapes of their sinnes First marke in this constitution that the bread and wine which the people brought with them vpon the Lords day for
Canon containing a rehearsal of the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture it declareth the book to be supposititious wherein the 3. bookes of Maccabees are comprehended as bookes of the old Testament And againe among the bookes of the new Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note the preeminent dignitie it reckoneth the two epistles of CLEMENT and his precepts giuen to Bishops comprehended into 8. bookes which were not to be published to all men in respect they contained some secret mysteries Canon Apost cap. 84. Is then the epistles of CLEMENT the 8. bookes of his precepts written to Bishops the actes of the Apostles written by him Canonicke Scripture books of the new Testament equall to the writings of the Apostles yet dited for the most part as secret mysteries to Bâ—…shops to be concealed and hid from the people when as the Apostle PAVL by the contrarie writing to TIMOTHIE and TITVS writeth vnto them wholsome precepts to be communicat to the people And the Apostle IOHN writeth to the Angels of the seuen Churches of Asia nothing but wholesome precepts to be imparted and communicat to the 7. Churches Apoc. 2. 3. such a candle that shall be hid vnder a bushel and not set vpon a candlesticke to giue light vnto the houshold of God I dare not imagine that either the holy Apostles or yet CLEMENT one of the Apostles faithfull successours did euer light such a candle The allowance which these Canons of the Apostles got in the sixt generall Councill Anno 681. whereof GREGORIVS HOLOANDER the conuerter of them out of Greeke into Latin glorieth so much was vpon an occasion whereof the Romaine Church hath cause to blush and to be ashamed rather then to glorie much First because in that generall Councill HONORIVS 1. sometime Bishop of Rome was condemned of heresie Secondly because in that Council the Bishop of Constantinople was ordained to be in equall authoritie with the Bishop of Rome And thirdly because the constitutions of the Latin Church forbidding men who were in ecclesiasticall offices to marie these constitutions I say were vtterly disallowed and the 5. chapter of the Canons of the Apostles gote better allowance because in it it was statute and ordained that the Bishop Elder or Deacon who repudiateth his own wife vnder pretence of religion shall be excommunicat and if he continue so doing he should be deposed Now this generall Councill making in so many principall points against them and onely gracing the supposititious booke of the Canons of the Apostles of purpose to disgrace the constitutions of the Romaine Church if HOLOANDER had remembred what he had bene doing he had bene more sparing in alledging the authoritie therof The shortnes of the treatise wil not permit me to make plaine to the reader how the Council gathered by CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS and the fathers of that same Councill gathered againe by IVSTINIAVNS 2. to perfite the worke they had immediatly afore begun both constitute but one generall Councill Alwayes if any thing seeme to be made vp against vs by the alledgance of a testimonie out of the booke of the Canons of the Apostles remember in what time this testimonie is alledged namely in the 68 1 yeere of our Lord. If IVSTINVS MARTYR or IRENEVS or any ancient father neere vnto the Apostles dayes had cited a testimonie out of this supposititious booke it had bene more likly that the Apostles had giuen command to CLEMENT Bishop of Rome to write that booke As touching the third maske of antiquitie to wit the decretall epistles in the first Tome of Councils and the distinctions of GRATIAN falsly ascribed to the ancient Bishops of Rome I hope in the mercy of God to remember a few of them specially in the 3. Centurie but not to the honour of impudent and vnlearned fellowes who haue forged these decretall epistles as if the world in all ages could produce no broods of better spirits then the asses compositours of these decretall epistles As concerning the accurate speculations of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA who was neuer rauished vp vnto the third heauen as PAVL was neither sawe things that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is things that cannot be spoken and which are not possible for any man to vtter as PAVL did 2. Cor. 12. ver 4. I say of him onely two things First if he had beene so ancient a writer as Papistes speake and the disciple whom PAVL conuerted by his preaching in Mars street Acts 17 then ancient writers had made mention of him such as IVSTINVS IRENEVS and CYPRIAN and such others but of his writings no mention is made in the greatest antiquitie Secondly I say with that reuerent Doctour of our own nation Mr THOMAS SMETON that the books giuen out vnder the name of old DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA sunt prorsus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are altogether fecklesse impertinent frivolous books Of Heresie EPIPHANIVS Bishop of Cyprus when hee writeth against Heretiques he intituleth his booke Panarium that is a medicinable boxe or shrine whereinto are contained sauing medicaments against the venome oflying doctrine albeit heresie be a poysonable and hurtfull thing yet treatises of heresie haue bene compiled not to hurt any man but to giue warning to eschewe the pernicious snares of the deuil Like as learned men who haue written of the nature of herbes haue not onely written of such herbes as are meete for food and of such as haue a medicinable vertue to cure diseases but of those also that are venemous and poysonable to the end that men beeing warned of the perill that is in eating of them they may escape danger and be kept in safetie In all ages wicked men haue bene like vnto IVDAS when hee entred into the garden of Gethsemane where Christ was praying and sweating bloodie teares for the saluation of mankinde he stepped in into the garden only of purpose to betray his master so doe wicked men in our daies read the holy Scriptures diligently walking as it were in the middes of the garden of God but onely of intention to betray Christ Iesus and to gainsay his euerlasting trueth On the other side it becommeth vs well when we are driuen either by necessity or by some honest occasioÌ„ to be in places where Satan hath set vp his throne to be walking as it were through the garden that Satan hath planted then let vs mark diligently the abominatioÌ„s of the deuill the multitude of serpents and vipers that are lurking there and giue warning to poore soules who are intangled with error to leaue that habitation of Dragons to come forth out of that comfortlesse den to the end their soules may be refreshed with the delectable flowres of the garden of God I hope in the mercy of God so to speake of heresy as I shal moue no man to be an Heretique And as concerning the rayling words of the aduersaries of the truth who haue with opeÌ„ mouth proclaimed vnto the world that we are Heretiques
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is consubstantiall with the father yet they graunted that hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of like substance with the Father But AETIVS ACATIVS and EVNOMIVS another race of ARRIANS thought that the Sonne was neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his Father and for this cause they were called Anomoeâ—… The thirde faction of Aâ—…rianes were MACEDONIVS and his adherents who were inconstant and wauering minded in their opinions concerning the Sonne of God sometime leaning to the Homooâ—…sians sometime to Homoiousians and sometime to Anomoei according as any occasion of griefe was presented to them by any one partie they leapt to the opinion of another partie but these wandering starres and wauering fooles obstinately spake against the diuinitie of the holy Ghost This diuision amongst themselues was the first forerunning token of the decay of this heresie What desolation also came vpon Nicomedia the principall towne of Bithynia appointed by the Emperour CONSTANTIVS for the meeting of Arrian Bishoppes the historie doth record The Lorde shooke the towne of Nicomedia with an earthquake and disappointed the meeting of the Arrians Socrat. ecclef hist. lib. 2. cap. 39. THEODORETVS differeth from SOCRATES anâ—…nt the place appointed for the convention of Aâ—…rian Bishops alwayes he granteth that it was shaken with earthquake and ouerthrowne Theodoret. lib. 2 cap. 26. In the last roome let vs consider after what maner of way should Heretiques bee dealt with by Pastours magistrates and people As concerning the Pastour because he should be a man of knowledge and able to convict those that gainsay the trueth Tit. 1. the Pastour should conferre with the Heretique admonish him once or twise to returne to the soundnesse of faith Tit. 3. Wherin it is to be noted that the worde in the Greeke language betokening admonition is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word pointâ—…th out the end and purpose of the preachers trauailes rather then his painfull trauailes for the end should be to put a right minde into him or to bring him to his right wittes againe for an Heretique is a mad fellow indeede and out of his right wit as NAZIANZEN spake of Aâ—…OLLINARIS who denied that Christ had a soule as we haue but his diuine nature joyned with his body supplied the roome of his soule NAZIANZEN writeth of him that when he spake of the minde of Christ he was mad and by his minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is a very hard matter to reduce a mad man to his right wit againe therefore let a preacher take it to hart that to conuert a Heretique is a difficill worke for he is dealing with a man possessed with a strong deuill who cannot be cast out by Christs disciples except Christ himselfe put hand to the worke Mat. 17. This the Apostle writeth not to make Pastours to despaire and giue ouer the care of conquessing of Heretiques but to doe this worke circumspectly and warily with humilitie and reuerent feare crauing that our Lord and master Christ Iesus would kyth his strength in our weakenesse otherwise this turne can not be done Yet lest any faithfull preacher should be vtterly dismaide in regarde of thâ—… difficultie of the worke two things are to be considered first the Apostolicke commandement warning vs to admonish him once or twise which warning seing it is not giuen in vaine it should be obeyed Secondly God hath blessed the trauailes of some of his seruants by them some Heretiques haue bene reclaimed to the right faith as namely BERYLLVS Bishop in Bostra in Arabia who denied that Christ was existent before he tooke flesh of the virgine yet by the painfull trauailes of ORIGEN hee was conuerted to the true faith againe Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 6. cap. 33. And this is the cause wherfore I separat BERYLLVS from ARTEMON in the subsequent historie In like maner God blessed the trauailes of DIONYSIVS Bishop of Alexandria by whome in a place of Egypt called Arsenoâ—…is Coracione was conuerted who had bene before infected with the errour of NEPOS an Egyptian Bishop and father of the Chiliastes Euseb. eccl hist. lib 7. cap. 24. And therefore let not the faithful Pastours despaire because the worke is difficil but obey Gods commandement and commit the issue to God himselfe Concerning Magistrats like as they prescribe to all men their duties so in like maner God who is their onely superiour prescribes their dutie to them in all things and in this mater also for the Lord commanded the false prophet who allured the people to follow other gods to be slaine Deut. 13. ver 5. What rewarde then belongeth vnto Heretiques their successouts for it is all one to worshippe a false god and to worship the true God falsly and if the false prophets who entâ—…sed the people to worshippe a false god should die what other sentence can be giuen out by the magistrates against an hereticall teacher who entiseth people to worship the true God falsly but onely that he should be slaine Hee is worse then a murtherer who killeth a mans body for there may bee some valuation of the harme and skaith that a murtherer hath done but who can value and ponder the harme that an Heretique doeth who by false doctrine murthereth the soules of infinite numbers of people hee is worse then an infidell forasmuch as hee hath obtained a more abominable name then an infidell For an infidell as S. AVGVSTINE speaketh cannot be called desertor fidei oppugnator â—…ius that is a forsaker and impugner of the faith because hee neuer embraced it but an Heretike is a backslider from the faith which sometime he professed and an hatefull impugner of the same Finally he is more pernicious then a Schismatike who laboureth to cut the band of loue wherwith we are coupled with our brethren but an Heretike endeuoureth to cut the very throate of faith wherewith we are coupled with our God Also a schisme hath many times beene found without an heresie but an heresie was neuer founde without a Schisme Then this question may be conceiued in these tearmes What shall be done with a man who is worse then a murtherer worse then an infidell worse then CORE DATHAN and ABIRAM who by a pernicious schisme rent the vnitie of the holy people yea what shall be done with them who like vnto Foxes sucke out the blood of Christ out of the soules of the poore sheepe of Christ Now let God answere from his Sanctuarie Let such a false prophet be slaine Deut 13. True it is indeede that the doubtsome judgements of ancient and learned fathers haue made this question more debatable then otherwise it needed to haue beene For S. AVGVSTINE in the booke of his Epistles is found till haue altered his opinion anent the punishment of Heretiques twise or thrise In the Epistle written to DONATVS Deputie of Afâ—…ke he would haue Heretiques to bee dantoned but not to bee slaine writting
very calamitie hinging ouer their heades there is a secret voyce of God calling them to humiliation and repentance with fasting and abstinence from all lawfull pleasures when the Priest bloweth the trumpet in Sion and sanctifieth a fast vnto the Lord he layeth not the yocke of mens commandements vpon the consciences of men but the yocke of God's commandements For the Prophet bringeth in the Lord saying that he calleth them to mourning lamentation and to abstinence The Lord is our Soueraigne commander and Lawgiuer hauing power to bid to forbid at his blessed pleasure Vnder this yocke will we gladly stoupe but the yocke of bondage that men would lay vpon our consciences the Apostle PAVL expresly forbiddeth vs to admit but to stand to our libertie Galat. 5. ver 1. And so I conclude this treatise misliking disaprouing the loose raines of fleshly wantonnesse but wishing from my heart that the bit of the Lord may bee cast in our jawes to turne vs from the delite of earthly pleasures to the delite of that celestiall citie that hath a foundation and whose builder is God Amen Of Succession IT hath bene the custome of godly men in all ages who were descended from the loynes of godly fathers not to brag of their parentage but to be so much the more ashamed of sinne that the vnreproouable liues of their predecessors were a great testimony cóuicting them of some piece of defection Therefore the Prophet ISAIAH bringeth in the Lordes penitent people in humble maner acknowledging that they were not worthy that ABRAHAM and ISRAEL should once knowe them to be their posteritie but they entreat the Lord by a free forgiuenesse of sinnes to become their father Isa. 63. 16. But on the other part a wicked generation descended from godly parents could boast of their parentage ' and say to Christ himselfe ABRAHAM is our father Iohn 8. ver 39. and againe We are not borne of fornication wee haue one father which is God ibid. ver 41. Notwithstanding of all this confident bragging of their parents the Lorde Iesus who judgeth righteously saith to carnall Iewes Yee are of your father the deuill and the lusts of your father ye will doe He hath bene a murtherer from the beginning abode not in the trueth because there is no trueth in him When he speaketh a lie then speaketh hee of his owne for hee is a lyar and the father thereof Iohn 8. ver 44. This place of scripture will clearely prooue that God will nothing regard the vaine ostentation and vaunting speeches of men who brag of their descent from godly parents and their succession to godly preachers yet the dissimilitude of their faith and maners from the faith and maners of their predecessours declareth that they are the very children of the deuill In this age I find succession whereof the Romanes bragge so much to be in some reuerent regard For IRENEVS Bishop of Lions in France reasoning against VALENTINVS MARCION whose errours haue beene before declared to confute these Heretiques hee bringeth in the succession of the Romaine Bishops After PETER saith he were LINVS and ANACLETVS and CLEMENS and EVARISTVS and ALEXANDER and SIXTVS and TELESPHORVS and HYGINVS PIVS and ANICETVS and ELEVTHERIVS the twelfth from the Apostles Now saith IRENEVS these receiued the wholesome doctrine from the Apostles and deliuered it faithfully to others yea some of them also sealed it vp withtheir blood Yet none of them spake such things concerning God the father his sonne Christ Iesus as VALENTINVS MARCION and BASILIDES haue spoken Therefore he condemneth their doctrine to be false and hereticall Iren lib. 3. cap. 3. contra Valent. Now the followers of the Romaine church demand why we do not as reuerently esteeme of the succession of Romane Bishops now as IRENEVS did of old why do we not count them to be Heretiques who bring in a new doctrine not agreeing with the doctrine of the B. of Rome as IRENEVS counted VALENTINVS MARCION and BASILIDES Heretiques because they vttered a strange doctrine which the B. of Rome had not receiued from the handes of the Apostles To this I answere that we count reuerently of al the Bishops of Rome who kept faithfully that forme of wholesome doctrine which they receiued from the Apostles Yea and we count them Heretiques also who departe from that veritie which LINVS ANACLETVS CLEMENS and the rest receiued from the Apostles But the question standeth in this whether these holy fathers of whom JRENEVS maketh such reuerent record receiued from the mouthes of the Apostles preached to the world such heades of doctrine as are now sounded in the Romaine church that is inuocation of Saints worshipping of images pluralitie of mediators of intercession purgatorie and infinite other things As concerning the Apostles the summe of their doctrine is contained in their writings they taught not LINVS ANACLETVS CLEMENS otherwise then they taught the rest of the Romaines the Corinthtans Galatians Ephesians the inhabitants of Pontus Cappadocia Asia Bithynia 1 Pet. 1. And in all their writings there is no mention of inuocation of Saintes worshipping of images c. The cause wherefore godly father 's rejoyced in the succession of the Bishops of Rome was this because they were nearest to the danger of persecuting tyrants and kept the faith of Christ most inviolablie Many of them were martyres such as ALEXANDER SIXTVS TELESPHORVS and ANICETVS Others were Confessours who suffered prisonment pouertie and diuerse other rebukes albeit they were not put to death for the Name of Christ. And what marucll was it that these who loued Christe had their hearts inflamed with a loue of this holy succession whose commendation was puritie of wholesome doctrine receiued from the Apostles whose glory was sufferings and whose preeminence was examples of constant continuance in the true faith And like as the dayes of MOSES and IOSVA were happie dayes they had among them the Tabernacle of God and therewith also the Arke and propitiatorie which was the glorious ornament of the Tabernacle so were the dayes of these holy fathers happie dayes hauing personall succession from the Apostles and therewith succession of true doctrine the glorious ornament of personall succession As concerning the decretall Epistles falsly ascribed to them wee shall speake hereafter in the heade of supremacie Godwilling But when all these things are inlacking for which the succession of the Romaine Bishoppes was regarded in this Centurie and men erring in the true faith of a long time possessed the chaire of Rome what auaileth it to glorie of that olde commended succession when the glory of true doctrine patient suffering constant perseuerance in the Apostolicke doctrine is vtterly lost among them so that the succession whereof the Romaine Church now glorieth is not vnlike their transubstantiation wherein are accidents without a subject in their succession are persons of men succeeding one to another without puritie of doctrine In Scripture we finde succession
it that is vile and filthie as hee did vnto the Priests of the succession of AARON If any man wil obstinatly contend that the promise made to the Apostles and their successours was absolute and not conditionall consider the inconuenients that will follow Seeing this promise was not made to PETER onely but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their successours then as none of the Romaine Bishops can erre in religion because they are the successours of PETER as they alledge so in like maner the Bishops of Ierusalem Alexandria Antiochia Ephesus Philippi Thessalonica Corinth diuerse other places are all exeemed from errour because the Apostles and Euangelists preached and constitute Churches in all-these places they are successours to the Apostles in that same sense that the Bishops of Rome are successours to PETER And if none of all these can erre what priuiledge hath the church of Rome aboue all other Churches Or how can that be performed which was foretolde by the Apostle concerning apostasie that should fall out the reuelation of the man of sinne childe of perdition 2. Thess. 2 For all the successours of the Apostles beeing exeemed from error what place could be giuen to the Antichrist or what doore could haue bene opened to MAHOMET by whose delusions the Orientall Church hath bene so miserably abused But seeing the Apostles had some extraordinarie things such as calling gifts and prerogatiues They were called immediatly by Christ and were taught immediatly by his Spirit and mouth Gal. 1. They receiued from heauen the gift of tongues and languages to vtter this celestiall knowledge to all tongues nations Act. 2. They had power by imposition of hands to conferre to others the gift of the holy Spirit Act 8 With these extraordinarie giftes they had also extraordinarie prerogatiues that in teaching the doctrine receiued from Christ they should not erre Now these who cal themselues successors to the Apostles they dare not clame to the Apostles immediat calling nor yet to their extraordinarie gifts but that which of all the rest was most extraordinarie to the Apostles viz. to be exeemed from errour in teaching and writing that is so fast adhered vnto that it is one of the principal grounds of the Romaine faith in our dayes that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in faith and religion Yea so infortunate are the Bishoppes of Rome of late dayes that they would climme vp to the highest top and preeminence of Apostolicke dignitie to be exeemed from errour when as in things of lesse importance they cannot attaine as we speak to the Apostles garters This proud conceit of Apostolick succession with power of binding and loosing exemption from errour made some of the Bishops of Rome so high minded so vaine and ridiculous that learned fathers conueened together in Councils thought their pride more worthie to be receiued with scoffing wordes then with prolixe refutations Example whereof wee haue in a Councill gathered at Rome in the time of the Emperour OTTO the first about the yeere of our Lord 956. In which Councill IOHN 13. Others write Pope IOHN the 12. hee fled for feare of the Emperour OTTO Many grieuous accusations were giuen in against him such as incest murther saeriledge playing at dice and drinking to the deuill admitting of boyes to be Bishops for money with many other villanous things ouâ—…r and beside his perfidie in assisting BERENGARIVS and his sonne ALBERTVS against the Emperour OTTO contrarie to his promise and oath made before to the Emperour Libertie being granted to Pope IOHN to compeare without feare to answere to the accusations objected against him he beeing conuict in conscience would not compeare but he sent a short letter to the Council bearing that he was PETERS successor and had power of binding loosing by vertue of this power hee band them vnder paine of cursing that they should not proceede to his deposition To this proud letter the Councill gathered at Rome returned this answere that Christ gaue power of binding loosing to all his disciples as well as to PETER but one of them to wit IVDAS by abusing his power lost his power only he retained some power of binding to wit he had libertie to binde his owne necke to the gallous In which wordes they call him IVDAS and biddes this vile beast goe and hang himselfe if he lift Hist. Magdeb urg Cent. 10. cap. 9. PLATINA callâ—…th IOHN 13. homo sceleratissinus a most wicked man ONVPHRIVS the aduocate of all wicked causes blusheth and dare not stand at the barre to pleade the cause of IOHN 12. the predecessour of LEO the eight for both are one man he whom PLATINA calleth 13. and he whome ONVPHRIVS counteth 12. The Bishops of Rome might haue bene admonished by this one example if there were no mo not to be high minded not to cum to the supreame top of Apostolicke preeminence In a worde the Bishops of Rome of late yeeres are moâ—…e like to the successours of CAIAPHAS who would needes haue Christe to stand before his judgement seat judge of Christ his doctrine disciples Ioh. 18 ver 19. then they are like to the successours of PETER for I can see no inexcusable boldnes in CAIAPHAS damning Christs doctrine but I grope the like in the Romaine church that vsurpeth authoritie ouer the written word ouer Councils and consequently ouer Christ himselfe To conclude this treatise I will compare succession wherof the Romaine church braggeth so much to the way that lay betweene Samaria and Jerusalem this way led the people of Ephraim Manasse Jssachar Zabulon Nephthali and Aser to Jerusalem when they set their face Southward when they went vpward but the same way againe led them from Jerusalem when they turned their faces Northward when they went downward Euen so if a man set his face toward heauenly Ierusalem he shal finde a number of holy successors of the Apostles in puritie of doctrine honestie of conuersation patience in suffering that shall leade him to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem but againe it is as certaine if a man will set his face Northward to defection to backsliding and to preferre the traditions of men to the ordinances of God there shall not inlacke a number of guiders in the roll of personall successours as they call it to the Apostles who shall lead him from Jerusalem to Samaria from the mountaine of God to the valley of Benhinnon Therefore while we are in the way take heed what way our faces are set whether to Ierusalem or to Samaria and if they be set to Ierusalem let vs followe these sure guides who were true successours to the Apostles and they shall indeede leade vs to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem and to the glory which in heart and minde we waite for whereunto God lead vs for his Christs sake Amen CENTVRIE III. Chap. 1. Seuerus AFter PERTINAX and IVLIAN SEVERVS gouerned 17 yeeres 8. months
MAXIMINVS but they were both cut off by CAPELLIANVS Captaine of the Mauritanians Within a short time the senate of Rome chused MAXIMVS PVPIENVS and BALBINVS to be Emperours and to resist the tyrannie of MAXIMINVS But this election displeased the people of Rome therefore they were compelled to associat GORDIANVS a young man of 13. yeeres olde in conjunct authoritie with them This GORDIANVS was the nephew of him who was Procâ—…nfull in Africke and the souldiers made out of the way MAX. PVPIENVS and BALBINVS So GORDIANVS reigned himselfe alone without associats sixe yeeres Chron Func Philippus PHILIPPVS a man borne in Arabia and his son reigned fiue yeeres Chron Func Bucolc EVSEBIVS saith 7. yeeres He was the first Emperour who became a Christian and was baptized by FABIANVS B. of Rome Hee was content to stand among the number of the penitents who made confession of their sinnes for his life was reproouable in some things before his conuersion Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 34. especially in slaying of GORDIANVS an Emperour inclined to peace DECIVS one of the Captaines of his armie conspired against him and slewe him and his sonne and reigned in his stead Decius DECIVS and his sonne obteiued the empire 2. yeeres Chron. Func Whether for hatred of PHILIP his master whome hee had slaine or for detestation of Christians or for couetous desire of the treasures of PHILIP left in the custodie of FABIAN B. of Rome or for some other cause it is not certaine Alwayes he mooued a terrible persecution against the Christians The martyrs who suffered death in the time of this persecution were innumerable Some few of the principall martyres I shall rehearse ALEXANDER Bishop ' of Jerusalem died in prison at Casarea BABYLAS B. of Antiochia died likewise in prison FABIAN B. of Rome suffered martyrdome DIONYSIVS ALEXANDRINVS by a wonderfull prouidence of God escaped the handes of persecuting enemies CYPRIAN B. of Carthage was banished and reserued to the honour of martyrdome vntill the dayes of VALERIAN the eight persecuter ORIGEN who from his childhood was desirous of the honour of martyredome in this persecution of DECIVS he fainted and his heart was so oucrset with feare to haue his chaste body defiled with an vgly Ethiopian that he choosed rather to offer incense to the Idole then to be so filthily abused For this cause hee was excommunicate by the Church of Alexardria and for very shame fled to Judea where hee was not onely gladly receiued but also requested publickely to preach at Ierusalem Neuerthelesse in stead of teaching hee watred his face with teares when he reade these words of scripture To the wak d man sath God What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinancse that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy month Ps. 50. ver 16. These words so deepely wounded his heart with griefe that hee closed the booke and sate downe and wept all the congregation wept with him Hist Mag. Cent. 3. cap. 10. No pitie nor compassion was had neither of sexe or age In this persecution APOLLONIA a virgine of good yeeres after they had dashed her face with battons till all her teeth were stricken out of her jawes they burned her quicke at the port of Alexandria This is that holy martyre whose teeth the Romaine church in our dayes say that they haue them as holy monuments kept in the treasures of their reliques vntill this time But the tryall that was taken of late dayes by HENRIE the eight king of England seeking for the teeth of APOLLONIA as a remedy of the toothach clearly prooueth that many teeth are supponed to be the teeth of APOLLONIA that were neuer fastened in her jaw bones Chemnisius dereliquiis The death of QVINTA AMMONARION MERCVRIA DIONYSIA clearly declareth what pitie was had of the weakenesses of women IVLIANVS an olde and gowtie man burned with fire testifieth what regard was had to the gray haires of ancient men DIOSCORVS a yong man not exceeding 15. yeres of age albeit they were ashamed to condemne him to death yet he escaped not many painfull torments was a glorious Confessour with patient expectation awaiting vntill the Lord should call him to the honour of martyrdome NEMESION was accused in Alexandria as a companion of brigants and was punished with stripes and fire vnto the death with greater seueritie then any brigant albeit his innocencie was sufficiently knowne AMMON ZENON PTOLEMEVS INGENVVS THEOPHILVS warriours and knights standing by the tribunall seate beckened with their hands to a certaine weake Christian who for feare was readie to incline and fall that hee should continue constant and stepped to the bench and professed themselues to be Christians This dayly increasing courage of Christians who were emboldened by the multitude of sufferings astonished and terrified the Iudges Euseb lib. 6. cap. 41. ISCHYRION was slaine by his owne master The number of martyres in Alexandria and Egypt of whome DIONYSIVS in his epistle written to FABIVS Bishop of Antiochia maketh mention clearely testifieth that if the names of all those who suffered martyrdome in the townes of Rome Carthage Antiochia Ephesus and Babylon were particularly set down ouer and beside others who suffered in other townes of Asia Africke and Europe subject to the dominion of the Romaine Emperour it were not possible in the volume of a litle booke to comprehend them all For mine owne part I presume not to do it but I reuerence the painfull trauelles of learned men who haue dipped deepely into such a fruitfull subject specially the writer of the booke of martyres Onely I find somethings in this seuenth persecution which the principall purpose wherefore I haue collected this compend will not permit mee to passe ouer with silence Namely these first let no man thinke that the veritie is weake and hath neede to bee strengthened by a lie as NICEPHORVS is accustomed to doe The seuen martyres of Ephesus whose names were MAXIMIANVS MALCHVS MARTINIANVS DIONYSIVS IOANNES SERAPION and CONSTANTINVS were lurking in a caue the entrie where of DECIVS commanded to be closed with great heapes of stones to the end that the forenamed Christians might be killed with famine which came to passe indeede Yet famine could not sâ—…parate these holy Martyres from Christ. But NICEPHORVS the father of many other fables also saith that they fell on sleepe in which they continued till the time of THEODOSIVS that is from the 250 vntill the 379. yeere of our Lord and then they did awake out of their sleepe saith NICEPHORVS lib. 5. cap. 27. But he who will giue hastie credite to NICEPHORVS fables writing of the 7. martyres who lurked in a caue of mount Caelius and to EVAGRIVS description of BARSANVPHIVS an Egyptian monke who enclosed himselfe in a cottage beside Gaza for the space of 50. yeeres and vsed no kinde of bodily refreshment to sustaine his earthly tabernacle he may be easily led to all kinde of errour The second thing worthy to be marked is that
straight line that neither crooketh vpward nor downward euē so a goodChristian should neither be dashed with infamy trouble nor puft vp with honor prosperity The second step of this vnhappie supremacie was the appellations of Heretiques and men liuing inordinatly from the discipline of their own Bishops vnto the Bishops of Rome whome they receiued vnder their shadowe not so much for fauour to their vnhonest causes as for desire of supremacie aboue all other Churches For APIARIVS appealed to the B. of Rome EVTYCHES Abbot in Constantinople appealed frō his B. FLAVIANVS to LEO B. of Rome to whose excommunication albeit in end LEO agreed in the Council of Chalcedon yet it is certaine that the cause of the propagation of EVTYCHES error was the lingering of LEO B of Rome who did not incontinent separat this pestilent Heretique frō his cōmunion albeit FLAVIANVS B. of Constantinople had most justly excōmmunicat him Likewise BASILIDES and MARTIALIS Bishops of Asturica Emerita in Spaine who had sacrificed to idoles and defended their apostasie in writtē bookes after they were both excommunicate deposed by the Bishops of Spaine they had recourse to STEPHANVS B of Rome whose false apologies were so much the more fauourably heard that they sought refuge vnder his wings But CYPRIAN gathered a Council in Africke absolutely damned these Apostats Hist Magd. cent 3 Cypr. lib. 1. epist. 4. And albeit the African Councils laboured to remead this insolencie in time by ordaining these persons to be excōmunicate who should appeale frō their own Bishops to any other beyond sea yet it was hard to correct by reason or authority of Councils that errour which the Romaine Bishop beeing once admitted to be called primaesedis Episcopus did receiue and embrace Yea the filthie dash the Romaine Bishoppes gote in the sixt Councill of Carthage wherein the act of the Council of Nice alledged by them to proue the B. of Rome to be supreme Iudge of all appellations was found to be supposititious and false this filthie dash I say did not correct their effrorr-Ited impudencie And with that learned Moderne I. CALVIN I wonder what malice or ignorance moued GRATIANVS 2. quaest 4. c. placuit when he had mentioned the fore-said decrcet of the 6. Councill of Carthage that these persons who should happen to appeale to bishops beyond sea should be excommunicat he addeth this exception vnlesse they appeale to the chaire of Rome What shal be done saith he to those beasts who are so void of common sense that they except from the Law that thing alanerlie for whose cause the Law was made and constitute for it is euident that the foresaid constitution in damning those that made appellations to Bishops beyond sea was expreslie made to inhibit men of Africk from appealing to the B. of Rome Also the defection and beastlie cowardlinesse of some Bishops dwelling in places where the pride of the Roman Bishops had bene chieflie abandoned their defection I say from the footsteps and good decrees of their antecessours gaue encouragement to the Roman B. to set forward his vsurped supremacie as namely EVLALIVS B of Carthage dam ned the decrees of the Councils of Carthage and submitted himselfe to the chaire of Rome in the dayes of BONIFACIVS 2. promising to do all things according to his aduise and direction Of the which victorie BONIFACIVS 2. rejoyced and gloried and wrote to the Bishop of Alexandria that this promise of subjection which EVLALIVS made to the chaire of Rome should be divulgat and notified vnto other Churches But the argument taken from the authoritie and example of EVLALIVS is like vnto himselfe If he being weyed in a just ballance will be found foolish vnconstant timorous rash naughtie what can we say of the argument taken from his authoritie and example but the like Beside this from the 6. Councill of Carthage vntill the dayes of BONIFACIVS B. of Rome and EVLALIVS B. of Carthage interveened 100 yeeres All this time the godly and learned fathers that were in the sixt Councill of Carthage not AVGVSTINE himselfe except were vnder the sentence of CELESTINVS cursing and yet we hope in the mercie of GOD that AVRELIVS B. of Carthage AVGVSTINE B. of Hippo and the rest of the fathers whom he cursed are reigning with Christ in heauen notwithstanding of CELESTINVS foolish cursing EVLALIVS more foolish repentance This is wel noted by PHILIP MORNEY that Phoe nix of France Lib. myster iniquitatis The Roman Bishops hunting foral occasions of preferment were like to a wild halke in the morning hungrie and swiftly soaring in the aire if he cannot catch a Partridge he will make a Lauerock his prey euen so the Bishops of Rome taking their vantage by euery light occasion laboured to bring their brethren in subjection to their soueraignitie In witnesse whereof ACACIVS B. of Constantinople vsed the aduise and counsell of FELIX 3. B. of Rome in disauthorizing and excommunicating PETRVS MOGGVS a fauourer of the Eutychian heresie This thing ACACIVS did by no necessitie but of good will and as a brother seeking the aduise and support of another brother After this PETRVS MOGGVS being both disauthorized excommunicat he repented forsooke his errour and offered his supplicant bill to ACACIVS crauing relaxation from that fearful sentence of excommunication FELIX 3. on the other side because his aduise was not craued in the relaxation aswell as in the excommunication he cursed ACACIVS B. of Constantinople and GELASIVS 1. his successor did the like What meeting ACACIVS gaue to FELIX it is not needful to reherse it is sufficiently known he was not behind with him Here euery man may see that the Rom an bishops made vantage of these who soght their counsell as if it were necessarie that he who craueth our aduise in one thing should be bound to doe nothing without our aduise in any time to come Moreouer the hearts of the Roman bishops being excessiuely bent to preferment could not abstain from flattering of Emperours Princes thereby gaining vantage prefer ment but lossing the fauour of God and falling vnder that heauie sentence of the curse of God spoken by ISAIAH the Prophet Woe vnto them which speak good of euill and euill of good which put darkenesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for sowre Isa. 5. ver 20. It is not known to the world that BONIFACIVS 3. flattered PHOCAS emperour who by treason vnspeakable cruelty put out of the way MAVRITIVS him master his wife and children And for this cause he was aduanced to this honour to be called bishop of al bishops But marke well by whom by PHOCAS a tyrant a traitor a murtherer of his master MAVRITIVS Yet the chair of Rome should had lesse rebuke if this flatterie had begun at the person of BONIFACIVS 3. or yet ended in him but before him GREGORIVS 1. of whom the Roman Church braggeth so much
Thessalomca the Emp. was moued with excessiue anger so that 7000. innocent people were sâ—…in inuited to the spectacle of Playes called Ludi circenses in the Grieke laÌ„guage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this fault the good Em. was reproued by Ambrose Bish. of Millane confessed his fault in sight of the people with teares and made a lawe that the like coÌ„mandements anent the slaughter of people should not hâ—…ue hastie execution vntill the time that 30. dayes were ouerpassed to the ende that space might bee left either to mercie or to repentance In like maner he was angry out of meaâ—…ure against the people of Antiochia for ouerthrowing the brasen portrate of his beloued bedde-fellow Placilla The Emp. denuded their towne of the dignitie of a Metrapolitane Citie conferring this eminent honour to their neighbour towne Laodicea Moreouer he threatned to set the towne on fâ—…e and to redact it vnto the base estate of a Vil age But Flauiannus Bishop of Antiochia by his earnest trauailes with the Emperour mitigated his wrath for the people repented their foolish fact were sore afraide the good Emp. moued with pitie pardoned the fault of the towne of Antiochia His lenitie toward the Arrians whom he permitted to keepe conuentions in principall Cities was with great dexteritie wisedome reproued by Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium For hee came in vpon a time and did reuerence to the Emperour but not vnto Arcadius his sonne albeit alreadie associated to his Father in gouernament declared Augustus whereat Theodosius being offended Amphilochis very pertinentlie and in due season admonished the Emperour that the GOD ofHeauen also would be offended with them who tolerated the blasphemers of his onely begotten Sonne the LORD IESUS CHRIST Wherupon followed a lawe discharging the conuentions of Heretiques in principall Cities In all these infitmities it is remarkeable that the good Emperour 〈◊〉 gaue place to wholsome admonitions The excessiue raines hee was compeâ—…led to vndertake in Waâ—…re-fare hastened his death for hee contracted sicknesse soone after his returning from the battell faught against Eugâ—…nius and died in the 60 yeere of his age and in the 16. yeere of his reigne He left behind him his two sons Arcadius to gâ—…uerne the East and Honorius to gouerne the West CHAP. II. Of Pastors and Doctors AFTER Eusebius Miltiades gouerned the Romane Church 4. yeeres 7. moneths and 8. dayes as Platina writeth His ministration was in the dayes of the reigne of Constantine to whom the Emperour remitted the controuersie betwixt Cecilianus and the Donatistes to bee judged by him and his Collegues Rheticus Maternus and Marinus The Donatistes would not acquiesce to the determination of Miltiades and his Collegues The good Emperour appointed this cause of new againe to be judged in Aâ—…les by a number of Bishops of Spaine Italie and France because the Donatists would not acquiesce to the determination of Miltiades and his Collegues In the Councill of Aâ—…les Cecilianus was likewise absolued and the Donatistcs againe succumbed in their probation Notwitstanding they appealed to the Emp. Constantine and when the Emp. heard the cause of Cecilianus pleaded before himselfe the Donatists could not proue that either Cecilianus had beene admitted Bishop of Carthage by a man who was Proditor or yet that hee had admitted any other man culpable of the like fault to an Ecclesiasticall office If the Bishop of Rome had beene supreame Iudge in all Ecclesiasticall causes Constantine had done him wrong to appoint other Iudges to cognosce in this cause after the Bishop of Rome and his Collegues had giuen out their definitiue sentence His ordinance anent prohibition of fasting vpon the LORDS day was expedient at that time to bee a distinguishing note of true Christians from Manichean heretiques whose custome was vpon the LORDES day to fast The purple garment the palace of Lateran the superioritie of the towne of Rome and gouernament of the West which honours some alledge were conferred by Constantine to Miltiades and Silvester is a fable not worthie of refutation all these honours the Emperours of the West successours of Constantine possâ—…ssed and not the Bishop of Rome for the space of many hundreth yeeres To Miltiades succeeded Silvester and ministred 23. yeeres 10. monethes 11. dayes In his time was the Heretique Arrius excommunicated by Alexander without the fore-knowledge of the Bishop of Rome It was enough that after excommunication intimation was made to other bishops which duety the Bishop of Alexandria neglected not Learned men should be ashamed of fables to say that Constantine was baptized by Siluester for Siluester was dead before Constantine was baptized And Platina himselfe is compelled to grant that Marcus the successor of Siluester gouerned the Church of Rome in Constantines dayes And Eusebius testifieth that Constantine was baptized in Nicomedia immediately before his death Concerning the donation of Coâ—…stantine wherein he conferreth the dominion of the West to the Bish. of Rome it is like vnto a rotten egge which is cast out of the basket lest all the rest bee set at the lesse auaile No ancient writter maketh mention of any such thing Yea Constantine in his testamentall legacie allotted the Dominion of the West to two of his sonnes namely to Constantinus younger and to Constans How then had hee by an anteriour disposition resigned these Dominions to the Bishop of Rome If Papistes bee not better countenanced by Antiquitie in other thinges then in this point they haue no great cause to bragge of Antiquitie To Siluester succeeded Marcus and ministred 2. yeeres 8. monethes and 20. dayes After Marcus Iulius gouerned the Romane Church 15. yeeres Sozomenus attributes to Iulius 25. yeeres His ministration was in the dayes of the Emperour Constantius and his brethren Hee was a defender of the true Faith and a Citie of refuge to those who were persecuted by Arrians as namely to Athanasius Bisshop of Alexandria Paulus Bishop of Constantinople Asclepas Bishop of Gaza Marcellus Bishop of Aneyra and Lucius Bisshop of Adrianopolis All these were vnjustly deposed from their offices by the Arrians and had recourse to Iulius Hee was neither ashamed of the Gospell of CHRIST nor of his afflicted seruantes In the Councill of Sardica great honour was conferred vnto him to wit that men vnjustly condemned by Arrians shoulde haue refugâ—… to Iulius to whom they gaue power of newe againe to judge their cause This was an Act of the Councill of Sardica and not of the Nicene Councill as was confidently alledgâ—…d in the Councill of Carthage and a personall honour conferred to one man alone for respectiue causes but not extended to his successours as though all the Bishops of Rome at all times shoulde bee Iudges of appellation The Arrians were sore grieued for this that Iulius both in worde and deede and writ assisted Athanasius and his complices The chafing letters and mutuall expostulations that passed
to the calling of GOD was leauing Athanasius in his young yeeres and childish playes was counterfeiting diuine mysteries baptizing children yet after such due forme of interrogatories answeres preceeding Baptisme that Alexander then Bishdurst not presume to rebaptize those who apparently in childish simplicitie had beene made partakers of diuine grace Hee began no sooner to accept the weightie charge of the Church of Alexandria anno 333. but the Arrians began to fret and offend knowing how diligently he attended vpon Alexander his predecessor at the Councill of Nice and how vigilantly wisely hee had detected the lurking absurdities of the vilde 〈◊〉 of Arrius And they thought the preferment of Athanasius was the vtter vndoing of their opinion Therefore they coÌ„spired against him and by a multiplied number of false accusations preuailed somewhat against him euen in the dayes of the good Emper. Constantine But in the dayes of Constâ—…ntius and Iulian almost the whole world conspired against him so that except he had bene vp-holden by that grace that commeth from aboue it was not possible that hee coulde haue consisted and borne out such vnsupportable hatred Iustly did Nazianzene compare him in time of aduersitie to the Adamant and in time of prosperitie to the Magnet In time of aduersitie no trouble ouercame him in time of prosperitie hee allured the heartes of men more intractable then yron to embrace the trueth of GOD. Now seeing Athanasius liued sixe and fourtie yeeres gouernour of the Church of Alexandria his great troubles can not bee comprised in better order then by declaring shortly what troubles hee susteined first in Constantines dayes next vnder the reigne of Constantius thirdly vnder the reigne of Iulian and last to speake of his peaceable end vnder the reigne of the Emperour Valens albeit he was an Arrian Persecuter In the dayes of Constantine first he was accused by an effronted harlot whom the Arrians had suborned to beare false witnesse against him but Athan. guided the matter with wisedome suffered Timotheus a worthie presbyter to speake whom hee had brought in with him to the Councill but hee was silent himselfe The impudent woman pointing out Timotheus by the finger as if he had bene Athanasius with clamours voide of all womanly modestie affirmed that hee had abused her in whosedome so that all who were present were ashamed of her impudencie This was done in the Councill of Tyrus to the perpetuall shame of the Arrians who suborned an harlot to accuse the faithful seruaÌ„t of CHRIST without a cause Secondly they accused him for this that hee had cutted off the hand of Arsenius some time his owne seruant and for greatâ—…r euidence they produced in the Councill of Tyrus before the Iudges the hand of a man inclosed in a case which hande they affirmed that Athanasius had cut off from Arsenius This they spake the more confidently because they supponed that Arsenius remained still secretly kept in their owne custodie but by the prouidence of GOD hee escaped came to Tyrus and was presented before the Councill hauing both his handes perfect sounde and vnmutilated After this the Councill was full of confusion for the Arrians cried that ATHANASIUS by magicke artes deluded the sences of men and they were purposed by violence and force to lay handes vpon him and to teare him in pieces But he fled by a ship and came to Constantinople where the Emperour was as shall bee declared GOD willing in the fourth CHAPTER The rest of his accusations and howe they dealt against him moste vnjustly and falsely and gaue out a sentence of deposition against him in his absence I remit vnto the place foresaid Vnder the reigne of Constantius Athanasius was compelled to flie at two diuers times First while the Emp. Constans was yet aliue who procured a Councill to be gathered in Sardica wherein the cause of Athanasius was tried and he found innocent and was sent backe againe and reâ—…ored to his place For Constantius feared the minaâ—…ng letters of his brother Constans who threatned to lead an armie to the Fast and to possâ—…sse Athanasius in his place againe incase his brother linguered in doing of it After the death of Constans Sabinianus was sent to kill Athanasius but he escaped miraculously as hath beene declared Againe he was compelled first to flâ—…e and afterward to lurke in the dayes of Iulian He was restored againe by the good Emp. Iouinian and he continued in his ministration vntill the dayes of Valentinian and Valens And although Valens was a crue I persecuter yet hee absteined from persecuting of Athanasius for honour of his gray haires and for that he was reuerently regarded of all men Thus Athanasius full of dayes died in peace after he had gouerned the Church of Alexandria 46. yeeres To worthie Athanasius succeeded Peter whom the Emp. Valens caused to be imprisoned and Lucius an Arrian bishop to be seated in his roome Lucius was made bishop of Alexandria against all kind of Ecclesiasticall order neitheir did the people craue him nor the Cleargie of Alexandria approue him nor any Orthodox bishop giue him ordination Peter escaped out of prison and fled to Damasus bishop of Rome Lucius like vnto a rauenous wolfe not onely banished the Homousians out of Alâ—…xandria and Aegypt but also that which was more insolent and neuer attempted before he persecuted the Monkes who dwelt in solitarie places of the wildernesse and banished them who had â—…lready banished themselues from all the delicate pleasures of the world But marke To what place could men bee banished who inhabited the desert places of barren wildernâ—…sses Hee caused them especially Macarius Isidorus to be transported vnto an Isle whereinto no Christians were to be found but only Pagans and worshippers of deuilles When these prisoners of CHRIST approached neare vnto the Isle the deuill left his olde habitation to wit the mouth of the image from whence hee was accustomed to speake and hee posâ—…essed the Priests daughte who ranne vnto the shore and cried words not vnlike to those which were spoken to Paul and Silas in Philippâ—… by the maid who had the spirit of diuination and after this the deuill left her lying vpon the ground as though she had bene dead But the men of GOD by their supplications to GOD restored the young woman to health and deliuered her to her father The inhabitants of the Isle who saw the wonderfull works of GOD receiued the faith and were baptized in the Name of CHRIST LUCIUS was so dashed with the fame of this wonderfull worke and with the out-crying of the people against him that hee permitted the foresaid monkes to returne backe againe to their owne places Afrer Peter succeeded Timotheus for one cause worthie to bee blamed because he fauoured the usurpation of Maximus Cynicus who presumed without a lawfull calling to bee Bishop of Constantino And after him Theophilus succeeded whose
attempts against Chrysostome I remit to the next CENTURIE Bishops of Antiochia IN Antiochia after Tyrannus succeeded Vitalius about the time that the rage of the tenth Persecution began to bee asswaged therefore hee re-edified a Church in Antiochia which had beene demolished in time of the Peâ—…secution of Dioclesian and his successour Philogonius perfected the building To whom succeeded Eustatius who was present at the Councill of Nice was Moderator and Mouth to all the rest Eusebius sometime bishop of Berytus afterward bishop of Nicomedia and last of alâ—… bishop of Constantinople did insinuate himselfe in fauour with the Emperour Constantine and obtained from him libertie to goe to Hierusalem and to visite the Temples that Constantine had lately builded in Bethlehem Hierusalem vpon Mount Oliuct To him resorted a number of Arrian Bishops who had alâ—… secretly conspired against Eustatius and suborned a vilde woman to accuse him of whoredome The Arrians vpon the simple deposition of a woman suborned by themselues contrarie â—…al kind of order depâ—…sed Eustatius and perswaded the Empâ—…rour to banish him as a man conuict both of adulterie and of tyrannie But the LORD laide his correcting hand vpon the woman whom the Arrians had suborned so that she died sore tormented with a grieuous sickenesse and confessed that money was giuen vnto her to accuse Eustatius that she had sworn deceitfully because the child procreated with her was begotten by Eustatius a smith of that name but not by Eustatius bishop of Antiochia The Arrians in the dayes of Constantine had no great vpperhand except onely in the matter of Athanasius his banishment to Triere and in the deposition and banishment of Eustatius to Illyricum But in the dayes of Constantius they tooke boldenesse and planted Arrian bishops in all principall places so that in Antiochia after Eustatius Eulalius Euphronius Placitus Leontius Eudoxius all these were Arrian bishops and placed by them in Antiochia In end Meletius was ordained bishop of Antiochia a man of great giftes whom the Arrians transported our of Sebastia in Armenia and placed him in Antiochia supposing that by the meanes of his excellent learning many should be allured to their opinion But it fell out farre otherwise for Meletius professed the true faith Onely the reproueable forme of his entrie by receiuing ordination from Arrian bishops was the grounde of remedilesse schismes in the Church of Antiochia There had beene alreadie two factions in the towne to wit Arrians and Eustatians now the thirde faction is added of them who were called Meletiani with whom Eustatiani did not communicate but abhorred them as they did the Arrians This schisme indured after the death of Meletius for the space of fourescore and fiue yeeres Meletius was banished in the dayes of Constantius and Euzoius an Arrian bishop placed in his roome Hee was restored againe by Iulian onely for desire hee had to vndoe things done by Constantius and to bring his name to disgrace Likewise vnder the reigne of the Emperour Valens he was banished the seconde time Hee gouerned the Church of Antiochia fiue and twentie yeeres and died in Constantinople immediately after the second generall Councill and was caried to Antiochia to be buried there The ordination of Paulinus to bee Bishop of Antiochia Meletius beeing yet aliue was the foolish fact of Lucifer bishop of Calaris in the Isle of Sardinia He was restored from banishment in the dayes of Iulian. And tooke purpose accompanied with Eusebius bishop of Vercellis in Liguria who was likewise restored at that same time to visite the estate of their brethren Eusâ—…bius addressed himselfe to Alexandria and conferred with Athanasius But Lucifer went to Antiochia where hee found miserable distractions euen amongst those who professed one the selfe same Faith When exhortations to unitie could preuaile nothing but the dissention daily increased hee ordained Paulinus presbyter of Antiochia and the chiefe of those who were called Eustatiani to bee bishop of Antiochia This fact of Lucifer was like vnto fewell added vnto the fire and mightily augmented the schisme Theodoretus blameth him for so doing and Eusebius Vercellensis when hee came backe from Alexandria disliked also the fact of Lucifer Wherefore Lucifer woulde not communicate any longer with Eusebius These sorrowfull times of multiplied schismes alienated the heartes of a great number of people from the true CHURCH Meletius was restored from his seconde banishment in the dayes of the Emperour GRATIANUS Paulinus woulde vpon no condition communicate with him because hee had receiued ordination from the Arrians When Meletius had ended his life the people woulde not admit Paulinus to be their bishop because they said it was not meete that hee should bee his successour who dispised his fellowship and counsell in his life time To MELETIUS succeeded FLAVIANUS a worthie mâ—…n Paulinus albeit hee appointed Euagrius to bee his successor yet such formes manifestly repugnant to the approued order of the Church could take no place The bishops of Rome Damasus Siricius and Anastatius were great aduersaries to him and misinformed the good Emperour Theodosius against him but when hee compeared before the Emperour he spake before him both freely and wisely wordes that liked the Emperour well as they are reported by Theodoretus O Emperour if any man doe blame my Faith as peruerse or my life as vnworthie I am content to be judged by my very aduersaries but if the disputation onely boe anent principalitie and eusinent places I will not contende with any man but denude my selfe of all superioritie and comâ—…it the chaire of ANTIOCHIA to whome yee like best The Emperour admired his courage and wisedome and sent him backe againe to gouerne his owne flocke and was slow to heare friuolous accusations in time to come against Flarianus This was that worthie Bishop who associated 〈◊〉 Chrysostome to be his fellow-labourer in Antiochia and who mitigated the wrath of Theodosius conceiued agaâ—…nst the Citie of Antiochia for misusing the imagâ—… of his wife Placilla Bishops of Constantinople CONSTANTINOPLE was builded by Constantine anno 336. in a plaâ—…e where Asia and Europe neerely confines bâ—…eing separatâ—…d onely by a narrow firth called of old Boâ—…phorus Thracius The cause wherefore this Emperiall Citie was builded in this place was not to resigne the towne of Rome and the gouernament of the West to the bishop of Rome but as Sozomenus writes that Constantinople or new Rome might be as a soueraigne Lady to all those who in the East West North or South were obedient to the Romane Empire Learned men in our dayes are ashamed to mainetaine all the foolish fables of the Romane Church for they see clearely the cause of the building of this great Citie was to keepe firmely both the East and the West vnder the Souerainitie of Constantine and his successours Alexander bishop of Constantinople proued a worthie man in the dayes of the Emp.
Constantine The Arrians finding themselues to be vtterly rejected by Athanasius they addressed themselues to Constantinople vnder the conduct of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia and threatned Alexander that incase hee woulde not voluntarily receiue Arrius into the fellowship of the Church then they should bring him in authorized with the Emperours commande to the grieuance of his heart Alexander clothed himselfe with the armour of GOD and all the night long prayed in this sence LORD if Arrius be to be receiued to morrow into the communione of thy CHURCH then let thy seruant depart in peace and destroy not the just with the wicked but LORD if thou wilt spare thy CHURCH whereunto I am assured thou wilt be fauourable then LORD turne thine eyes toward the wordes of the Eusebians and giue not thine inheritance to a desolation and reproach and cut of Arrius lest while he entreth into the CHURCH his heresie also seeme to enter with him and so no difference seeme to bee betwixt Pietie and Jmpietie The day next following the prayer of Alexander Eusebius bisshop of Nicomedia with his retinue came with great confidence pompe to performe all which they had threatned they would doe But Arrius was compelled to goe to a secret place whereinto his bowels gusihed out and hee concluded his wretched life with ignominie and shame To Alexander succeeded Paulus His lot was to gouerne this Church vnder the reigne of an Arrian Emperour Constantius who rejected him and seated Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia in his place But this great parrone of the Arrian Heresie scarcely was placed in Constantinople when he ended his life The Homousians receiued againe Paulus to bee their bishop The Arrians choosed Macedonius This was the câ—…use of great debate in Constantinople and the people diuided in factions hatefully inuaded one another The Emperour hearing of the tumult sent Hermogenes the generall commander of his horsâ—…-men to remoue Paulus from Constantinople Hermogenes was very ready to execute the Emperours commandement but the people being affectioned toward their Pastor arose vp with popâ—…re tumult compassed the house of Hermogenes set it on 〈◊〉 slâ—…w himselfe and fastned a corde to his legges and trailed him along the streetes For this cause the Emper. Constantius willing to punish the authors of this tumult hastened to come to Constantinople The people went foorth to meete him and with reares confessed their fault and craued pardon The Emperour absteined from punishing them vnto the death but he cutted off the one halfe of the victuall which the liberalitie of his father had bestowed vpon Constantinople to bee payed yeerely out of the tributes of Aegypt He banished Paulus the second time and seated Macedoâ—…ius in Coâ—…stantinople not without effusion of blood Paulus was againe restored by the meanes of the Emp. Constans but after the death of Constans he was banishâ—…d to Cucusus a towne of Armenia where he was strangled by the bloody Arrians The Church of Constantinople was miserably troubled with Arrianisâ—…ne vnder the reignes of Constantius Valens The reignes of Graiianus and Theodosius was a breathing time to the professors of the true Faith At this time Nazianzenus a constant defender of the Faith was chosen Bishop of Constantinople who notwithstanding voluntarily left the great Citie in regarde the Bishops assembled in the second generall Councill gaue not a full and uniuersâ—…ll consent to his admission Yet gaue they all without hesitation their consent to Nectarius a man of noble birth of the countrey of Cilicia at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who had receiued no ecclesiastical preferment before that time This man I say they made Bishop of Constantinople with full consâ—…nt and allowance both of the Councill and people ouerpassing Nazianzenus so fraile are the cogitations of men euen in generall Councils that they are oft times more ruled with affection then reason Nectarius continued in that office vntill the third yeere of the reigne of Arcadius that is vntill the yeere of our LORD 401. In his time the confession of sinnes done in secrete to presbyter poenitentiarius was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople vpon this occasion as Socrates writeth A certaine noble woman was confessing in secret her sinnes to presbyter poenitentiarius and shee confessed adultery committed with one of the Church Deacons Eudaemon this was the name of the father confessor gaue counsell to Nectarius to abrogate this custome of auricular and secrete confession because the Church was like to bee slandered and euill spoken of by these meanes Socrates can scarse giue allowance to this fact of Nectarius in respect that by abrogation of this custome the vnfruitfull works of darknesse were lesse coargued and reproued But Socrates considered not that CHRIST when hee talked with the Samaritane woman at the Well sent away his disciples to buy bread to the ende the poore Samaritane sinner might more freely poure out her secrete sinnes in the bosome of CHRIST who knew all thinges that were done in secrete It is not my purpose to contend with Socrates he is writing an historie I am writing but a short Compend of an historie hee taketh libertie to declare his judgement concerning this fact of Nectarius in abrogating confession of secrete sinnes to pres byter poenitentiarius No man can blame mee to write my judgement concerning auricular confession It is in our dayes not like vnto the mantle where with Sem and Iapheth couered the nakednesse of their Father Noe but it is in very deed a lap of the mantle of the deuill couering the nakednesse of his children that is the horrible treasons that are plotted in secrete by the children of the deuill against Christian Magistrates Nowe is auriculare consession for greater causes to bee abrogated then of olde presbyter poenitentiarius was discharged by Nectarius Bishops of Hierusalem TO Thermon succeeded Macarius anno 318. about the 7. yeere of the reigne of Constantine In his time it is thought that Helena the mother of Constantine founde the Crosse of CHRIST but Ambrose writes that shee worshipped it not for that saith he had beene Gentilis error vanitas impioram that is an errour of Pagans and vanitie of vngodly people But now to lay aside the inexcusable fault of adoration of the tree wherevpon our LORD suffered What necessity had Helena to bee so serious to seeke out this tree and to commit it to the custodie of all posterities seeing that Ioseph of Arimathea who sought the body of IESUS at the hands of Pilate to the end he might burie it honourably yet sought he not the tree whereon CHRIST was crucified which with little adoe might haue bene obtained Secondly during the time that the Crosse was easie to bee found and eâ—…sie to haue bene discerned from other crosses How could the blessed virgine the mother of the LORD and holy Apostles haue committed such an ouersight in not keeping
ordained a Deacon by Meletius B. of Antiochia and a presbyter by Eusebius B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia The good cariage of Basilius toward Eusebius is worthie of remembrance albeit Eusebius conceiued indignation against him without a cause yet hee would not expostulate with his Bishop but he departed to a solitarie place in Pontus where he remained vntill the dayes of the Emperour Valens Then did the Arrian Heresie so mightily preuaile that necessitie compelled the Churches of Cappadocia to intreat Basilius to returne againe lest in his absence Arrianisme should get a full vpperhand Basilius returned not without the fore-knowledge good aduise of Nazianzenus his deare friend who counselled him to preueene Ensebius to ouercome him in courtesie humanity So was he reconciled to Euseb. after his death was ordained B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia whom GOD so blessed that the Arrians Eunomians who seemed to be excellently learned when they encountered with Nazianz. Basilius they were like vnto men altogether destitute of learning In the persecution of Valens hee was led to Antiochia and presented before the deputy of Valens who threatned him with banishmeÌ„t death but hee answered with inuincible courage so that the deputy was astonished at his answeres He was not afraid of banishment because the earth is the LORDS neither was hee afraid of death but wished to haue that honour that the bandes of his earthly tabernacle might bee loosed for the testimonie of CHRIST The Emp. sonne Galaces at this time was sick vnto the death the Empresse sent him word that she had suffered manie things in her dreame for the B. Basilius so he was dismissed and suffered to returne to Caesarea The prouident care of GOD ouer-ruling all humane cogitations kept before-hande some sponkes that were not quenched in the feruent heat of this Persecution The multiplied number of his letters sent to the Bisshops of the West whereof he receiued no comfortable answere gaue vnto Basilius just occasion to suspect affectation of supremacy in the West as his owne words do testify which I cite out of the Latine version as most intelligible Nihil nos fratres separat nisi animi proposito separationi causas robúrque demus unus est Dominus una Fides Spes eadem Sive caput universalis Ecclesiae vos ipsos esse reputatis non potest pedibus dicere caput non est mihi opus vobis c. That is There is nothing brethren that separates vs except the purpose of our owne mindes furnish both cause and strength to separation There is one GOD one Faith one Hope Or if yee suppose your selues to bee head of the uniuersall CHURCH yet the head cannot say vnto the feete I haue no neede of you Nyssa is a Citie of Mysia of olde called Pythopolis The brother germane to Basilius Magnus named Gregorius was Bishop of this towne In the second generall Council to him was committed the oâ—…er-sight of the Countrey of Cappadocia Albeit the volume of his bookes be not extant yet hee is renowned in the mouthes of the Lâ—…arned and the fragments of his writings declare that hee hath beene a man of Note and Marke Anent sinne he said that albeit the Serpentes that stinged vs were not slaughtered yet we haue sufficient consolation in this that we are cured from their venemous bits and stinges Anent pilgrimage to Hierusalem Mount Olivet and Bethlehem he said that a pilgrimage from carnall lusts to the righteousnesse of GOD is acceptable to the LORD but not a journeying from Cappadocia to Palestina and that GOD will giue a reward in the worlde to come onely to thinges done in this worlde by warrand of his owne Commandement Epiphanius was borne in a little Village of Palestina called Barsanduce in the fielde of Eleutheropolis Hee was brought vp amongst the Monkes of Palestina and Aegypt In ende hee was ordained bishop of Salamina the Metrapolâ—…tane towne of the Isle of Cyprus Hee refuted the Heresies preceeding his time in his booke called Panarium and set downe a summe of the true faith in his booke called Anchoratus He had a great regarde to the poore in so much that hee was called oeconomus pauperum And like as Cyprus was naturally situated in a place neere approaching to Asia the lesse and to Syria and to Aegypt and Pentapolis and not farre distant from Europe so it fell out that Christians who were disposed to support their indigent brethren they sent their collections to Epiphanius and hee distributed them to the poore With all these commendable vertues there was mixed a reproueable simplicitie in him hee was circumueened by Theophilus Bishop of Alexendria and tooke a dealing against Ihon Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople because he would not be suddaine in damning the bookes of Origen Also he taught in Constantinople with indeuour to alienate the heartes of the people from their owne Pastour and celebrated the communion ordained a deacon in ConstaÌ„tinople without the foreknowledge consent of Chrysostome contrary to Church order Chrysost. on the other part sent him aduertisement that incase he receiued any disgrace or harme in the fuery of populare commotions he should blame himselfe who by his owne inordinate doinges was procuring the same After this Epiphanius ceased from such doings and entered into a ship of purpose to returne backe againe to Cyprus but he died by the way It is reported of him that when hee entered into the ship hee said he left three great thinges behinde him to wit a great towne a great palace and great hypocrisie It were a matter of infinite labour and not agreeing with the nature of a COMPEND to write of all the worthie men of GOD in the Easterne partes who did fight a good Fight runne a good race and kept the faith Asclepas in Gaza Lucius in Adrianopolis Basiâ—…us presbyter in Ancyra a mightie aduersarie to the Arrians vnder the reigne of Constantius and to the Pagans vnder the reigne of Iulian in whose time he was martyred Philogonius bishop of Antiochia Hellanicus bishop of Tripolis and Spyridion who of a keeper of cattell became bishop of Trimythus Hermogenes bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia who was present at the Councill of Nice Iames bishop of Nisibis in Misopotamia in the dayes of Constantius by whose prayers the armie of Sapores king of Persia was miraculously disapointed Paulus bishop of Neocaesarea this towne is situated vpon the bankes of Euphrates and Paphnutius bishop in Thâ—…baida two notable Confessors who were both present at the Councill of Nice Eusebius Samosatenus to whom many of Basilius Epistles are directed and who refused to redeliuer vnto the Emperour Constantius the subscriptions of the Arrian Bishops who consented to the admission of Meletius to bee bishop of Antiochia which subscriptions were put in his custodie And albeit the messenger sent from the Emperour thrâ—…tned to cut off his right hand incase hee
great Citie of refuge to Heretiques was to addresse themselues to the B. of Rome and to leane vnder his shadow But Damasus who was bishop of Rome at this time would not admit these Heretiques to his presence Neither would Ambrose B. of Millane to whom they ad dressed next in any wise accept of them when al other meanes failed them last of al with buddes and bribes they sollicited the Emp. cubiculers were sent backe againe to enjoy their owne places Neuerthelesse GOD suffered not Priscillianus to escape punishmeÌ„t for he was conuict of sorcery was punished to the death after the death of Valentinian the seconde whether by Maximus an usurper of the Emperiall Soueranitie or by Theodosius I am not certaine Lucifer was bishop of Calaris in Sardinia He was present at the Councill of Millan and was banished by Constantius because hee would not consent to the deposition of Athanasius Hee was reduced from banishment by the Em. Iulian. He visited Antiochia a towne miferably distracted with Schismes and by ordaining Paulinus B. of Antiochia hee rather augmented then paired the scisme he perceiued that this his fact was disproued by Euseb. b. of Vercellis many others therefore he his followers did not coÌ„municate with such as disproued the ordination of Paulinus This seemes rather to be rekoned in the catalogue of schismes then of heresies Theod. disprouing Lucifer saith that he made faith to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a weapon of contentions but not a weapon of heresie These who supposed that after the Natiuitie of the LORD the Virgine Marie companied with her husband Ioseph and did beare childreÌ„ to him were called Antidicomarianitae In this opinion was Helvidius a man more curious then wise The opinion of the Fathers of the Church not repugnant to Scripture was this That like as no man did lie in the sepulchre wherein Christ was buried before him Euen so in the wombe wherein hee was conceiued no man was coÌ„ceiued after him so the Fathers tooke the wordes of the Apostolicke symbole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as iâ—… it had bene said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is born of Mary a perpetual Virgine In holy scriptures by the brethren of our LORD is meaned the kinsmen of the LORD according to the flesh to which exposition the consent of Ancient Neotericke writers for the most part aggreeth Augustine cites out of Philaster a sort of Heretiques called Metangismonitae whose heresie sounded to this That the SONNE is in the FATHER according to the similitude of a little vessell comprehended within the compasse of a greater vessell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke Language signifieth a vessell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the entering of one vessel within another which in our language caÌ„not be expressed by one word as it is in the Greeke From Seleucus and Hermias this heresie had the name where they dwelt or in what Emperours dayes this Heresie was propagated August maketh no mention their opinions were most abominable namely that the Masse whereof GOD created the elements was coeternall with him and that the Angels not GOD created the soules of men that CHRIST in his ascension vnclothed himselfe of the flesh of man and left it in the globe of the Sunne They receiued not baptisme by water They denied the resurrection of the dead supposing that by new generations one succeeding to another that is performed which in Scripture is written concerning the resurrection The rest of the Heresies of this age were all obscure and had few followers such as Proclianitae who denied that CHRIST was come in the flesh Patriciani who affirmed that the bodie of man was formed by the Deuil not by GOD Ascitae who carried about with them newe vessels to represent that they were vessels filled with the new wine of the Gospell Patalorynchitae foolish men who counted it religion to stop their breath with their fingers and to vtter no intelligible speach Aquarii who in stead of wine receiued water in the holy Sacrament The beginning of this errour seemes to haue beene in the dayes of Cyprian Coluthiani denied that any euill either of sinne or punishment came of GOD. Floriani who by the contrarie affirmed that GOD created creatures in an euill estate The 8. Heresies which Philaster commemorates without any name either taken from the Author or from the heresie it selfe Augustine scarcely will reacken them into the roll of Heresies CHAP. IIII. Of Councils COUNCILS may bee diuided in Generall Nationall or Prouinciall and particulare Councils Generall were called Oecomenik Councils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke language signifies the World because from all quarters of the World whereinto CHRIST was preached commissioners were sent to these Councils and they were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour Nationall or provinciall Councils were such as were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour in one nation with asfistance of other neere approaching nations for suppressing of Heresies desyding of questions pacifying of schismes and appointing Canons and constitutions for decent order to be keeped in the Church The third sort of Councils were particular Councils by Bullinger called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as the Councils of Gangra Neocaesaria many others gathered vsuallie by Patriarchs and Bishops in a corner of a countrie but for the like causes as nationall Councils were assembled Let no man expect a recital of particular Councils except at such times as some matter of great moment enforceth me to speake of them Ancyra is a towne of Galatia In this towne were assembled Bishops of diuerse prouinces about the yeere of our Lord 308. as is supposed The principal cause of their meeting was to constitute a forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to which they who either willingly or vnwillingly had sacrificed to idols in time of persecution should bee receiued into the bosome of the Church againe when they were found penitent There were many rankes of persons who had defiled themselues with Heathnicke Idolatrie such as Libellatici Thurificati Sacrificati Proditores The Council of Anâ—…yra tooke order chiefely with those who were called Thurificati and Sacrificati that is with them who either had casten vp incense vpon Idolatrous Altars or els had eaten of meates sacrificed to Idoles to whom it was injoyned to testifie the r repentance a long time before they were receiued to the communion of GODS people some one yeere some two yeeres others three or foure yeeres some fiue or sixe yeeres and aboue according to the heauinesse of their transgression In this Councill it was ordained that Deacons who in time of their ordination did protest that they had not the gift of continencie but were disposed to marry if they married they shoulde remaine in their Ministrie but they who in time
no mention of the fornication of Athanasius of the hande of Arsenius of the Table Cuppe and bookes aboue mentioned but they forged newe accusations against him whereunto the Emp. gaue too hastie credite and banished Athanasius to Triere Immediately after the Councill of Tyrus many bishops were assembled at Hierusalem for the dedication of the Temple which the Emp. Constantine had builded at the place of the LORDS sepulchre Anent the Councill of Antiochia wherein the Arrians deposed Eustatius and the Councill of Arles wherein Cecilianus was absolued from the accusation of the Donatists no further discourse is needefull then is conteined in the historie of the liues of these two Bishops Gangra is a towne of Paphlagonia In this towne were assembled certaine Fathers to the number of 16. about the yeere of our LORD 324. The occasion of their meeting was the Heretique Eustatius who admiring the Monasticke life or as others affirme fauouring the Heresie of Encratitae and the Manicheans he spake against Marriage against eating of fl◅sh he damned the publicke Congregations of GODS people in Temples and said a man could not be saued except he forsooke all his poss◅ssions and renounced the wo◅lde after the forme of monkish doing These opinions were damned in the Councill of Gangra The subscriptions of the Fathers of this Councill after their Canons are worthie to be remarked These things say they haue we subscribed not vituperating them who according to Scripture chooseth vnto themselues an holy purpose of a continent life but them onely who abuseth the purpose of their minde to pride extolling themselues against the simpler sort Yea and damne and cut off all those who contrary to Scripture and Eccl◅siasticall rules bring in new Commandements But we admire humble Virginity and wee approue continencie that is vndertaken with chastity and Religion And wee embrace the renounciation of seculare businesse with humilitie And we honour the chast band of Mariage And we despise not riches joined with righteousnesse and good workes And we commend a simple and cou◅se apparrell used for couering the body without Hypocrisie Likewise wee reject loos and dissolute g◅rments And we honour the houses of GOD and assemblies that are in them as holy and profitable Not debarring men from exercises of pietie in their owne priuate houses But places builded in the name of the LORD wee honour and Cong◅egations assembled in the same places for the common utilitie we approue And good workes which are done to poore brethren euen aboue mens habilitie according to the Ecclesiasticall traditions we blesse them And we wish all things to be celebrated in the Church according to holy Scriptures and the ordinances of the Apostles In the time of the reigne of Constantine in Eliberis a towne of Spaine were assembled 19. Bishops and of preaching Elders 36. The ende of their meeting was to reforme horrible abuses both in Religion and maners which in time of the tenne Persecutions had preuailed in Spaine And nowe in time of peace such enormities and festered maners co◅lde hard◅ly bee amended Manie Ecclesiasticall Canons were made in this Synode to the number of 81. Whereof wee shall rehearse but a fewe and such as clearely pointeth out the principall ende of their meeting They ordained that Heathnicke sacrificing Priests called of olde Flamines if they were content to absteine from sacrificing to Idoles and to learne the groundes of Christian R◅ligion after three yeeres repentance they shoulde bee admitted to baptisme Likewise they ordained that Christian Virgines shoulde not bee giuen in marriage to Pagans lest in the flou◅e of their youth they should bee entangled with spirituall whoredome In like maner that Bishops should receiue no rewarde from men that did not communicate with the Church They ordained that nothing that is worshipped shoulde be pictured on the wall And that in priuate houses no Idoles should be founde And incase the maisters of houses were afraide of the violence of their s◅ruantes at least they should keepe themselues pure and cleane which if they did not they shoulde bee counted strangers from the fellowship of the Church And that if any man happen to bee slaine in the action of breaking downe images his name shall not bee enrolled in the catalogue of Martyres because it is not written in the history of the Gospell that the Apostles used any such forme of reformation whereby they sig◅isie that by wholsome doctrine images should be castē out of the hearts of mē rather then broken with popular violence with the tumultuary attempts of priuate men Any judicious man may perceiue by these Canons both the time when and the cause wherefore this Council was assembled They who count the first Councill of Carthage to bee that Councill whereinto Cyprian with aduise of many other bishops of Numidia Lybia and other partes of Africke ordained men who were baptized by Heretiques to bee rebaptized againe they commit a great ouer-sight to recken the first Councill of Carthage to bee holden vnder the reigne of Constantine whereas it is certainely knowne that Cyprian was martyred in the dayes of Valeriane the eight persecuting Emperour But the first Councill of Carthage that was kept in CONSTANTINES dayes was that Councill whereinto the Donatistes condemned Caecil◅anus Bishop of Carthage whose innocencie afterwarde was tryed by manie Iudges In it there was no matter of great importance concluded and therefore I ouer-passe it with few wordes as an assemblie of li◅tle account All these Councils aboue mentioned were assembled in the dayes of CONSTANTINE the Great Now followeth Councils gathered in the dayes of his sonnes The cause pretended for the gathering of the Councill of A◅t ochi◅ in the dayes of Constantius the sonne of Constantine was the dedication of the Church of Antiochia which albeit C◅nstantine had builded yet fiue yeeres after his death and in the seuenteenth yeere after the foundation of this Temple was laide CONSTANTIUS his sonne finished and perfected the worke And vnder pretence of dedication of this Temple as saide is this assemblie of Antiochia was gathered ANNO 344. but indeede of purpose to supplant the true Faith To this Assemblie resorted manie Bishops to the number of 90. But Maximus Bishop of HIERUSALEM and ◅ulius Bish◅p of Rome neither came they to the Councill neither sent they any me◅enger in their name fearing as the trueth was that they were gathered for euill and ◅ot for good At this time Placitus the s◅ccessour of Euphronius gou◅rned Antiochia Now when they were met together many accus◅tions were heaped vp against Athanasius First that hee had accepted his place againe without aduise of other Bishops Secondlie because at the time of his r◅turning backe againe to ALEXANDRIA there fell out great commotion amongst the people and some were slaine others were contumeliouslie beaten and violently drawne before justice seates Mention also was made of the decrete of the Councill of Tyrus against
Athanasius It was an easie matter for the Arrians to imprint into the vlcerate mind of Constantius an hatred against Athanasius In this Councill they set downe diuers summes of Faith first secretly couâ—…ting the venome of their Heresiâ—… but afterward as it were repenting they manifested themselues more clearly in their owne colours After this Councill followed terrible earth-quakes in the East wherewith many townes were shaken especially the towne of Antiochia with continuall earthquakes was shaken for the space of a whole yeere The principall designe of the Councill was to eject Athanasius out of his chaire and to alter the summe of Faith set downe in the Nicenâ—… Councill as euidently appeared by sending of Syrianus to destroy Athanasius and to place Gregorius in his roome but Athanasius escaped the danger by the great prouidence of GOD and fled to Iulius Bishop of Rome and the Arrians displaced againe Gregorius and appointed Georgius a man of Cappadocia and moâ—…e fit for their purpose to bee bishop of Alexandria The fauour that Iulius bishop of Rome shewed to Athaâ—…asius b. of Alexandria Paulus b. of Constantinople Asclepas b. of Gazâ—… and Lucius b. of Adrionopolis was the cause mouing the Arriâ—… to haue so frequent meetings in Antiochia Very sharpe lâ—…tters passed betwixt Iulius and the Orientall bishops Iulius blamed them because they had both rashly and vnrighteously deposed the fore-named bishops They on the other part expostulated with Iulius because he had receiued to his fâ—…llowship men deposed by them whereas none of the East Church had admitted Novatus to their communion whom the bisâ—…op of Rome had excommunicated After the issue of three yeere another Councill was conueened in Antiochia about the yeere of our LORD 348. whereinto the Arrians set foorth a newe summe of their Faith in very ample and prolixe maner and different from all other formes sâ—…t downe before the copie whereof they sent to the bishops of Italie by Eudoxius b. of Germanicia Martyrius and Macedonius but the bishops of Italie woulde not receiue it contenting themselues with the summe of Faith set downe in the Nicenâ—… Councill In the yâ—…ere of our LORD 351. by the commandement of Constantius and his brother Constans a great Nationall Councill was gathered in Sardica a towne of Illyricum of olde Dâ—…cia Many Bishops of the West to the number of three hundreth resorted to this assemblie but from the East onely 76. They who came from the Easterne parts would not vouchsafe to bee present in the Councill except Protogenes b. of Saraica and Osius b. of Corduba had separated from their fellowship Paulus b. of Constantinople and Athanasius b. of Alexandria But the cause of their absenting themselues from the Councill indeed was this as Theodoretus prudently recordeth because the forgers of false accusations against the men of GOD whose cause was appointed to be judged in this Councill they durst not abide the trial of honest judges and men of vnsuspect credite The Councill finding that the Arrians conuicted in conscience durst not compeare to accuse Paulus and Athanasius whom notwithstanding they had deposed in the Councils of Tyrus and Antiochia proceed to the triall of their cause and findâ—…th all the accusations of the Arrians agâ—…inst Paulus Athanasius Asclepas and the rest to be but a masse of forged calumnies and lies Arsenius was found to bee aliue whom the Arrians alleadged Athanasius had slaine As concerning the ouer-throwing of the holy Table and breaking of the holy Cuppe by Macarius whome Athanasius had employed and therefore the blame was laide vpon him it was found to be a notable lie because when Macarius entered into the Church of Mareota where this fact was alledged to bee done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were present in the Church And such kinde of persons were not permitted to be present at the celebration of diâ—…ine mysteries Ishyras also who was the principall forger of all the fore-mentioned calumnies was found to haue bene tyed to the bedde by infirmitie at that time when Macarius was alledged to haue done these thinges And finally it was founde that â—…shyras had receiued a Bishopricke as the wages of iniquity from the Arrâ—…ans before he had bene admitted presbyter in any Churâ—…h Also the supplicant billes of Paulus Asclepas Marcellus c were read tryed and examined and they were all found honest vpright men and they were all recommended by the letters of the Councill of â—…ardica to their owne flockeâ—… On the other part the Bishops whom the Arrians had intruded in the places of the fore-mentioned brethren they deposed them and abhorred their memorie such as Gregorius in Alexandria Basilius in Ancyra and Quintianus in Gaza of whom they decearned that they were not worthy of the name of common Christians let be to be called bishops commanding all people to forsake their fellowship and neither to send letters to them nor to receiue letters from them The like sentence they pronounced against Theodorus of Hâ—…raclea Narcissus of Neronias Acacius of Caesarea Palestinae Stephanus of Antiochia Ursatius of Sigidun in Mysia Valens of Myrsain Pannomia Menophantus of Ephesus and Georgius of Laodicea principall patrons of the Arrian Heresie The Arrians on the other part assembled themselues in Philippopolis a towne of Thracia and there they damned of new againe Paulus and Athanasius Likewise they damned Iulius B. of Roâ—… Osius b. of Corduba Protogenes b of Sardica Maximinus b. of Trieâ—… and many others whom they cursed also because they had admitted to their fellowship those Bishops whom they had deposed Sozomenâ—…s is in that opinion that the Councill of Philippopolis preceeded the Councill of Sardica From 35. Prouinces did Bishops resort vnto the Councill of Sardica From this time forward there was added diuersitie of affection vnto diuersitie of opinion and these who dwâ—…lt in the East did not communicate with them who dwelt in the West Some Arrian Bishops dwelt in the West such as Auxentius b. of Millan and Ursatius Valens But by the vigilant trauels of the b. of Rome and other godly Bishops of the West it came to passe that these Sâ—…minaries of errours did not preuaile much in the Wâ—…sterne partes This is that Councill whereinto Iulius B. of Rome for his good carriage good deseruings was appointed to be Iudge of Appellations when the like case fell out that righteous men were oppressed with the vnrighteous deâ—…ling of Heretiques But remember that this is a constitution of the Councill of Sardica and not of the Nicene Councill And this was a priueledge both persona'l and temporall for extraordinary causes conferred to Iulius but not to bee extended to all his successors nor yet to continue at all times In the yeere of our LORD 356 and fiue yeeres after the Councill of Sardica by the commandement of the Emp. Constantius a Councill was gathered in Sirmium a towne of Illyria Bullinger calleth it a towne of
Pannoâ—…ia Photinus bâ—… of Sirmium had renewed the Heresies of Sabellius and Samosatenus A disputation was instituted bitwixt Basilius b. of Ancyra an Arrian Heretique and Photinus a Sabellian Heretique in which disputation Photinus was thought to be ouercome and was damned by the Councill as an Heretique and banished by the Emperour In this Councill they set downe summes of Faith one in Greeke and two in Latine whereinto albeit they absteined from the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuerthelesse they gaue great glorie to the Sonne of GOD. But in ende they repented and by the Emperours authoritie woulde haue recalled backe againe the coppies of the summes of Faith set foorth at Sirâ—…ium But the mandates of the Emperour commanding in moste rigorous forme to deliuer backe againe the coppies that were pasâ—… abroade coulde not bring to passe that that thing which was once diuâ—…lgated should be againe suppressed The weakenesse of Osius b. of Corduba kythed in this Councill hath beene touched in the historie of his life After that the Emperour Constans was slaine by Magnentius the whole Souereignitie both of the East and West was in the handes of Constantius alone The Arrians moued him to assemble a Councill at Millan partly for ratification of the sentence pronounced against Athanasius in Tyrus and partly for subuersion of the Nicene Faith The Occidentail Bishops to the number of 300. at the Emperours command assembled at Millan But neither woulde they ratifie the deposition of Athanasius nor yet alter the summe of Faith And some of them with libertie and freedome accused the Emperour of vnrâ—…ghteous dealing For this cause manie worthie Bishops were banished such as Liberius bishop of Rome Paulinus bisshop of Triere Dionysius biâ—…op of Alba Lucifer bishop of Calaâ—… in Sardinia Eusebius bishop of Vercollis in Liguria If in this Councill Osius bishop of Corduba was banished as Theodoretus recordeth it woulde appeare that the Councill of Millan preceeded the Councill of Sirmium because that Osius immediatelie after hee was reduced from banishment was compelled to addresse to the Councill of Sirmium But I haue followed the order of Ecclesiasticall Writers In the yeere of our LORD 363. and in the 22. yeere of the reigne of Constantiuâ—… the Arrians hauing a great vantage of the flexible minde of Constantius moued him to appoint a place wherein a generall Councill shoulde bee gathered for confirmation of their Faith Whether this place was the towne of Nicomedia or Nice alwayes it was shaken with earth-quake and the GOD of Heauen hindered the purposes of their mindes The next course was that two Nationall Councils should be conueened one at Ariminum in Italie as a meete place for the Bishops of the West to conueene into and another in Seleâ—… of Isauria as a meete place for assembling of the Orientall Bisshops To the Council of Ariminum more then 400. Bishops did resort In this Nationall Councill compeared Urâ—…atius and Valens with Germanus Auxentius and Caius and Demophilus desiring that the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wordes not found in Scripture and grounds of vnsupportable contention in the Church shoulde bee cancelled and rased out of the summe of Faith and that the Sonne of GOD should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of like substance with his Father The fathers conuecned at Ariminum altogether disliked this proposition of Ursatius and Valens and adhered for the most part of them closely to the Nicene Faith excluded from the fellowship of the Church Ursatius and Valens with their complices aboue mentioned as the letter of the Councill written to the Emperour clearelie beares With the letter the Council sent twenty Ambassadours chosen and selected men who shoulde giue further instruction to the Emperour anent the matter of Faith But Ursatius and Valens preueened the Ambassadours of the Councill and by sinistrous informations hindered them from accesse to the Emperour onely their letter was read whereunto the Emperour returned a differring answere bearing that for the present he was busied with weighty affaires of his kingdomâ—… but when he should find any braithing time hee should hearken vnto them The Councill sent the seconde time to the Emp. desiring they might haue liberty before the winter season to returne to their owne flockes And herewithall they assured the Emp. that in the matter of the Faith they woulde adhere to that which was comprehended in their former letter To this second message no answere was returned Therefore the Bishops wearied with long attendance returned cuery man to his owne flocke the Emp. counted this dissolution of the Councill without warrande of his authoritie to be a contempt of his Soueranitie Therefore hee gaue charge to Valens to publish the summe of of the Arrian Faith read in Ariminum albeit it was both disapproued and rejected with power also to Ursatius and Valens to â—…ject those bishops out of their places who would not subscribe to the Arrian Faith and to ordeine others in their rowmes Ursatius and Valens beeing strengthened with the Emp. commandement not onely troubled the Churches of the West but also went to Nica a towne in Thracia where they gathered a number of Bishops of their owne faction and approued the summe of Faith read by Arrians in Ariminum being first translated into the Grieke language and this they called the Niâ—…ene Faith deceauing themselues with vaine hopes as if men had beene so senselesse as to be altogether deceaued by the similitude of the wordes Nica in Thracia and Nice in Bithynia Morâ—…ouer Athanasius was as yet aliue who could haue discouered both the blasphemie of the Arrians at Sirmium and the falsehood of the Arrians at Nica for at Sirmium in the first Session of the Councill it was written by the Clarke of the Councill Presente Constantio sempâ—…rno Magno Augusto Consulibus Eusebio Hypatio Loe saith Athanasius writing to his friendes the Arrians will not call the Sonne of GOD euerlasting but they say there was a time whereinto he was not but they call the Emp. Constantius being a mortall man euerlasting Emperour Selencia is a towne of Isauria or Cilicia from whence Paul and Barnabas sailed to Cyprâ—…s Isauria lyeth betwixt Lycaonia and Cilicia and in an ample signification it comprehendeth Cilicia In this towne conucened 160. Bishops of the East in the moneth of December of that same yeere of our LORD whereinto the Councill of Ariminum was assembled Leonas one of the Princes of the Emp. couâ—…t and Lucius otherwise called Lauritius Captaine of the bandes of souldiours in Isauria were appâ—…inted to attend the peace of the assemblie and that all things should bee done decently and in order The Emperour gaue commandement that the matter of Faith shoulde bee first intreated but afterwarde hee gaue commandement that the liues of them who were to bee accused shoulde first bee examined Whereupon arose contention in
the assemblie some urging the matter of Faith to bee first entreated others crauing that the liues of such as were accused or deposed shoulde bee first examined and both parties grounded themselues vpon the warrande of the Emperours letters The principall ring-leaders of the one faction were Acacius bishop of Caesarea Palestinae Georgius bishop of Alexandria Uranius of Tyrus Eudoxius of Antiochia and their followers exceeded not the number of two and thirtie On the other side were Georgius bishop of Laodicea in Syria Sophronius of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia and Eleusius of Cyzicus and the greatest number of the Councill followed the opinion of these Bishops So it came to passe that the moste parte thought it expedient that the matter of Faith shoulde bee first entreated After this the Councill was of newe againe diuided into three factions Acacius and his complices thought meete that the forme of Faith shoulde bee altered The moste parte were in a contrarie opinion that the summe of the Nicene Faith shoulde bee kept onelie the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shoulde bee left out Silvanus bishop of Tarsus was in the thirde opinion that the summe of Faith compiled in ANTIOCHIA at the dedication of the Temple shoulde bee kept Pluralitie of voyces preuailed that the Sonne of GOD shoulde neither bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is like vnto his Father because in Scripture he is called the image of the inuisible GOD. And they consented to excommunicate all those who called the Sonee of GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnlike vnto the Father Nowe Acacius and his complices who were indeede Anomaei woulde haue seemed to accorde with the rest of the Councill But when it was demanded of them in what sense they counted the SONNE alike vnto the FATHER They answered that hee was like in will but not in substance After that much disputation and little aggreement had beene Leonas a secrete fauourer of Acacius dissolued the assemblie Neuerthelesse the Fathers of the Councill conueened to judge the cause of Cyrillus Bishop of HIERUSALEM whome the Acacians had deposed and warned the Acacians to bee preâ—…ent but they woulde not compeare Therefore the Councill proceeded to the deposition of Georgius bishop of Alexandria Acacius bisshop of Caesarea Uranius bishop of Tyrus Patrophylus bishop of Schythopolis and Eudoxius bishop of Antiochia in whose place they substituted Avianus a presbyter in Antiochia others call him Adrianus The Acacians laide handes on Avianus and deliuered him into the handes of Leonas and Lauritius and they banished him The Councill protested against Leonas Lauritius the Acacians that they had violated the Decrete of the Councill and without further delay they addresse to Constantinoplc to giue information to the Emperour But the Acacians preuented the rest and misinformed the Emperour accused the Councill and perswaded him to reject the summe of Faith aggreed vpon in Seleâ—…cia The wrath of the Emperour against the Fathers of the Councill of Seleucia made the rest to bee dispersed onely the Acacians remained still in Constantinople and they gathered together fiftie Bishops out of Bithynia and other neere adjacent places In this Synode they confirmed the summe of Faith read by Ursatius and Valens in Ariminum It is judiciously obserued by Socrates that after the Councill of Nice the Arrians in the multiplied conceites of their wauering mindes set foorth nine diuers summes of Faith to wit In the dedication of the Church of Antiochiâ—… two formes The thirde by those who adhered to Narcissus was exhibited to Constantine in FRANCE The fourth was sent by Eudoxius to Italie In Sirmium three formes were indited whereof one was read in Ariminum with noting the names of the Consuls in whose time it was written The eight was the summe of Faith set foorth in the Councill of Seleucia The ninth was the summe of Faith set downe in Constantinople with this addition that the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shoulde bee silenced when Preachers spake of GOD. Thus we see that there is no end of wandering when men haue once forsaken the narrow path of the â—…rueth of GOD. The Emperour Constantius and the rest of the Arrians were like vnto a troubled sca that cannot take rest yet another Councill must be gathered in Antiochia for abjuring both the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that in time to come no man shall call the Sonne of GOD consubstantiall with the Father nor yet of a different substance from the Father The Bishops conueened thought expedient before they intreated concerning the Faith that the chaire of Antiochia vacant at that time without a Bishop should first bee prouided Choise was made of Meletius some time bishop of Sâ—…bastia in Armâ—…nia He receaued ordination by Arrians who subscribed also to his admission and their hand-writs were deliuered into the custody of Eusebius Samosatenus But when Meletius disappointed the expectation of the Arrians they procured his banishment and that Euzious shoulde bee placed in his stead Likewise Eusebius Samosatenus for no minassings and threatnings of the Emp. would deliuer backe againe the subsâ—…riptions of the Arrians so that the Emp. both commended and admired the magnanimous courage of Eusebius This Councill was holden in the 25. yeere of the reigne of Constantius In it the Arrians coulde not perfect their intended purpose anent a new summe of faith which woulde haue made out the tenth forme of faith indited by them because Constantius got knowledge of the seditious attempts of Iulian and he lest the Councill to preueene the interprises of Julian but he fell sicke by the way and died at Cilicia Vnder the reigne of Iulian Iouinian some particulare Councils were assembled such as a Council in Alexandria gathered by Athanasius Eusebius Vercellensis for damning olde Heresies and confirming the Nicene Faith Another in Palestina for ordaining a bishop in Maiuma Another in Antiochia by the Acacians vnder the reigne of Iouinian These wandering starres accustomed to accommodate themselues to times places and persons to gaine sauour at the Emperours hands they subscribed the Nicene Faith But I set forward to the rest Laodicea is the Metrapolitane towne of Phâ—…ygia and one of the seuen Churches of Asia to whom the Apostle Ihon when he was banished in Pathmos for the worde of GOD did write his Epistles This description I haue premitted to distinguish Laodicea of Syria a citie neere approaching to Antiochiae and whereof frequent mention is made in the Ecclesiastical History from Laodicea of Asia In this towne Laodicea of Asia a Synode was gathered after the death of Iovinian about the yeere of our LORD 368. Nothing was determined in this Councill concerning matters of Faith but onely constitutions concerning Ecclesiasticall policie were made in number 59. In this assemblie the worshipping of
Apostate who permitted no Councils to be assembled in time of his gouernement are haters of free and lawfull conuocated assemblies And incase good men fortuned to bee assembled together by any occasion as it happened in the Councils of Millan and Ariminum in the dayes of the Emperour Constantius the indeuours of the Emperour sometimes to circumueene at other times to terrifie or to wearie the honest mindes of vpright men plainely testified that hee was afraide of the sentence definitiue of a lawfull Councill Therefore let vs thinke with our heart and say with our mouth that lawfull assemblies are necessary for the furtherance of the Kingdome of GOD. Concerning the authoritie of Councils which is the principall subject of this Treatise there are three diuerse opinions Some with excessiue praises aduance Councils and count them equall to holie Scripture namelie the foure first Generall Councils The Councill of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and they compare them vnto the foure Euangels and to the foure Riuers of Paradise Others doe vilipende Councils and striue against them for euerie light cause as the Arrians did against the Councill of Nice for that one worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not founde in Scripture The third opinion is of those who neither will vilipende Councils nor equall them to sacred Scripture because holie Scripture is absolutelie and without all contradiction to bee belâ—…eued but Councils may bee corâ—…ected one by another as namelie Nationall Councils by Generall Councils and anterior Generall Councils by posterior at such times as thinges that were hidden from the vnderstanding of men before are brought to a more manifest light and notorious knowledge And in this opinion is that holy Father AUGUSTINE in his bookes written against the Donatists Now they who were in the first opinion to wit that the first foure Generall Councils were equall vnto the writinges of the foure Euangelists euery one of them leaned vpon an vnsure and deceitfull ground and so it came to passe that they were both deceiued themselues and likewise they deceiued others For Gratianus was the bolder so to speake because Pope Gregorie had spoken the â—…ame before him Pope Gregorie spake so because hee had a resolution in his owne minde to bee obedient to the acts of the Councill of Nice O but after him there commeth in a succession of Popes who will not bee content to bee ruled with the Canons of the Councill of Nice albeit they spake as Gregorie spake yet they did not as Gregorie did for they usurped jurisdiction aboue all the rest of the Patriarches expresse contrarie to the Canons of the Councill of Nice wherein it is statuted and ordained that the Bishop of Alexandria shoulde attende vpon the Churches of Aegypt and the Bishop of Rome should attende vpon the towne of Rome and the suburbicarie Churches according to the custome obâ—…erued of old What is this els but a mocking of the world in word to â—…ay that the 4. first Generall Councils are like vnto the 4. Euangelists and in deed manifestly to transgresse the ordinances of the Councill of Nice Are not the Bishops of Rome in this case like vnto Theophilus B of Alexandria when a great number of Monks came from the Wildernesse of Nitria to Alexandria of purpose to slay him Theophilus met them and with pleasant wordes mitigated their wrath for hee sâ—…id vnto them Brethren I see your faces as the face of God This he said not because he had a good liking of them but rather to bee free of their danger So doeth Gelatius and other Bishops of Rome speake reuerentâ—…y of the Councill of Nice to the end that the sixt Canon foresaide which they haue so manifestly transgressed may bee ouer-passed with the more fauourable pardoning of the transgressours because they speake good of the Councill If this bee a good forme of dealing let the wise Readeâ—… judge The Hypocrites also will praise the Law-giuer to wit the eternal GOD but they wil not be obedient vnto his Lawe yea they will take his Holy Couenant in their mouthes yet they hate to bee reformed But the Romane Bisshops should doe well either to bragge lesse of the Nicene Councill or els to be more obedient vnto the acts thereof Moreouer if the 4. first General Councils be like vnto the 4. bookes of the Euangâ—…l then is it as great a sin to falsifie the acts of the Coun. of Nice as to falsifie the Gospel of IESUS CHRIST according to S. Maâ—…hew But so it is that the Bishops of Rome for desire of preheminence falsified the acts of the Councill of Nice alleadging an act of that Councill whereby the Bishops of Rome were ordained to bee Iudges of appellation whensoeuer anie man did appeale from his owne ordinarie Bishop then shoulde his cause bee judgâ—…d by the Bishop of Rome But when all the principall Registers were sighted by the Councill of Carthâ—…ge no such constitution was founde in the Canons of the Councill of Nice for it was but an act of the Councill of Sardica and that both temporall and personall as wee haue before declared Therefore the sixt Councill of Carthage ordained such persons to bee excommunicated as should at anie time hereafter appeale from their owne ordinarie Bishop to anie Bishop beyond sea meaning inspeciall of the Bishop of Rome because the question agitat in the late Councils of Carthage was concerning his authoritie The second opinion concerning the authority of Councils is the opinion of Heretiques who altogether vilipend the authorâ—…tie of good Councils albeit they haue weyed mens opinions in the just ballance of the holy Scripture onâ—…ly and haue rejected no doctrine but that onely which being weyed in that most perfect ballance is found light Concerning these men it is superfluous to speake much they are like vnto dogges whose friendship goeth by acquaintance and is not ordered by reason and therefore if a friend come to the house hee barketh at him because hee hath not seene him before but incase hee see a thiefe and prodigall waster of all the substance of his maisters house hee will not barke against him if so bee hee bee familiarlie acquainted with him euen so notable Heretiques they raile against the trueth of GOD euidently proued by Scriptuâ—…e and confirmed by authoritie of Councils onelie because they are well acquainted with the lye and they are strangers from the trueth of GOD. The third opinion is best of all the rest forasmuch as by it neither are Councils vilipended nor yet honoured out of measure but they are regarded in so farre as they speake that thing which GOD hath spoken in his sacred Scriptures before them No greater honour did the Councill of all Councils conuâ—…ened at Hierusalem desire wherein the Apostles were presâ—…nt who were taught in all trueth by the holy Spirit yet did they not prâ—…tende the warâ—…and of the Spirit without the warrand of the writtâ—…n
conuocate the Generall Councill of Lateran wherein Popish Transsubstantiation did get allowance the like whereof no Pope preceeding his time euer persumed to doe Now I demande of these who defende the Popish Religion and herewithall continually bragge of Antiquitie whether or no this bee an ancient custome that the Bishops of Rome should conuocate Generall Councils The Historie is so euident and cleare that hee who is not altogether effronted will grant that it was not an ancient custome that the Bishop of Rome shoulde conuocate Generall Councils and no Pope did it before Innocentius the thirde Gratianus according to his foolish and flattering forme of writing bringeth in the testimonie of Iulius the first affirming that no Councill is or shall bee firme and sure without the allowance of the chaire of Rome What shall wee then say of the Councill of Hâ—…erusalem holden by the Apostles before there was any Bishop of Rome to giue allowance vnto it Notwithstanding euen Pope Iulius himselfe when hee writeth to the Bishops gathered in the Councill of Antiochia hee blameth them with manie faultes yet hee chargeth them not with this that they had assembled themselues together without licence obtained from him but rather for this that they had not required him or his messengers to be present at their assembly Whereby it is euident that it was not an ancient custome that the Bishop of Rome shoulde conuocate all Generall and Nationall Councils With the like arrogancie the Bishops of Rome tooke vpon themselues to bee Moderators of Councils from thee yeere of our LORD 1215. vntill our dayes And this is another noueltie which the Romane Bishop coulde not bring in vntill hee had troden the Emperours authoritie vnder foote In the Councill of Nice Eustatius Bishop of Antiochia was Moderator In the second Generall Councill holden at Constantinople Gregorius Bishop of the great Towne at that time was President In the third Coun. conueened at Ephesus Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria was Moderator In the fourth conueened at Chalcedon in Bithinia Lucentius Pascasianus and Bonifacius messengers sent from Leo Bishop of Rome had the presidencie This is the first time whereinto the B. of Rome either in his owne person or by his Agent moderated any Generall Councill And at this time who can say that the Counc of Chalcedon was assembled by the commandement of Leo B. of Rome When as in the very frontespice of the Councill it is written Ex Decreto piissimorum fidelissimorum Imperatorum Valentiniani Martiani c. Moreouer it is euident by reading the Epistles of Leo that hee intraited for this fauour at the Emperours hand that the Generall Councill might haue beene conueened in Italie which hee needed not to haue done if by his owne authority he had power to conuocate Generall Councils It is well obserued by that worthy and learned writer of France Philip Morney that Baronius for excessiue desire hee hath to proue that Leo had power to assemble Generall Councils he changeth the Orthographie of the Latine language and in stead of Consilium Synodi Generalis indiximus hee citeth Concisilium Synodi Generalis injuximus It is true that Leo B. of Rome gaue aduice and counsell both to Theodosius and to Martianus to gather a Generall Councill but he had no power to appoint command that it should bee kept But this power belonged to the Emperour Baronius will not proue his purpose so easilie as by stealing in the letter C in place of the letter S. The fiâ—…t Generall Councill was assembled in Constantinople by the commandement of the Emperour Iustinian and not by the commandement of Vigilius B. of Rome neither was Vigilius Moderator in this Councill but Eutychius B. of Constantinople gouerned the Assemblie The sixt Generall Councill was assembled by the commandement of the Emperour Constantinus Pogonatus and was perfected by the commandement of Iustinianus the second his sonne Sergius Bishop of Rome did not appoint this Councill to be keeped neither woulde hee giue allowance to the determinations of this Councill because in it the constitutions of the Romane Church concerning prohibition of Marriage were disallowed Notwithstanding his Agent who was present in Constantinople and compeared in his name gaue consent and subscribed the Acts of the sixt Generall Councill but stolide saieth Platina that is foolishly writing with flattering stile pleasant things to the Bishops of Rome For dâ—…cision of the question concerning worshipping of Images 3. great Councils were gathered one by Constantinus Copronymus at Constantinople another by the Empresse Irene at Nice the third by the Emperour Carolus Magnus at Francfâ—…ra which of them soeuer shall bee founde the seuenrh Generall Council alwayes none of these three was gathered by the commandement of the Bishop of Rome neither was hee Moderator in anie of them The eight Generall Council was assembled by the commandement of Basilius Emperour of Constantinople but the Ambassadours of the Bishop of Rome Hadrian the seconde had the gouernament of the assemblie and they began early to manifest the portraict of their tyrannous gouernament No man was admitted to giue vote in the Generall Councill saue hee onely who woulde consâ—…nt and subscribe to the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome Adoration of Images did get full allowance in this Councill and this was a fore-running messenger of the tyrannie that followed heereafter from the 1215. yeere of our LORD vntill our time Now the Bishop of Rome conuocateth Generall Councils gouerneth them by himselfe or his substitute and maketh ordinances flatly repugnant to the written worde of GOD. No cause is so impious and vngodly that euer wanted an aduocate but this I repeat againe that hee is verie impudent who dare affirme that the Bishop of Rome of olde time did conuocate Generall Councils and was Moderator in them By conference with persons of the Romane Religion I vnderstand that they will not giue full credite to any Assemblie but to such a one as is lawfully conuocated holden and lawfully ended They count it lawfully conuocated when the Bishop of ROME by his Edict hath gathered it lawfully holden when the Bishop of ROME or els his substitute is Moderator of the Assemblie and lawfully ended when hee who is Moderator continueth in his office vntill the ende of the assemblie Such deepe instructions Papistes of our Nation haue receiued from their teachers and alas an ignorant person is soone shooueled out of the way but cursed bee hee that makeâ—…h the blinde to goe out of the way and all the people shall say So bee it Are not these Doctors of lyes ashamed at some times to commend the first foure Generall Councils with excessiue praises and againe to giue such instructions to their disciples as shall make the fiâ—…st foure Generall Councils to bee of no account because none of them was conuocated by the Edict of the Bishop of ROME but by the commandement of the Emperours CONSTANTINE THEODOSIUS VALENTINIAN and MARTIANUS
Moreouer in none of these foure was the Bishop of ROME or yet his substitute Moderator except onely in the Councill of CHALCEDON Who can giue credite to such teachers who in one word build and in another worde destroy that same thing which they haue builded The Apostle PAUL saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is For if I builde againe the thinges that I haue destroyed I make my selfe a trespasser And when they haue founde out newe distinctions by these distinctions the contradiction of their late Councils are the more inexcusable The Councill of BASIL gâ—…thered by EUGENIUS the fourth ANNO 1431. wherein it is decearned that the B. of ROME shall bee subject to the Generall Councill as a child to his mother And the Council of FLORENCE gathered by the selfe same Bis. ANNO 1439. wherein the contrarie is decearned yet were both these Coun. according to their owne description lawfully conuocated holden ended and yet are they flatte contrary one to another in a fundamentall point of Popish faith for it leaneth not vpoÌ„ scripture only but also vpon the authority of Generall Councils and of the B. of ROME Before I speake of the last head it is to bee considered that in gathering of Councils diuers respects haue beene had some times to the people some times to the Pastors and at some times also regard hath beene had to good men who haue bene vnjustly accused Regarde was had to the people when Councils were conueened in those selfe same places whereinto the pestilent venome of Hereticall doctrine was chiefely ouerspred For Novatus was damned at Rome Samosatenus at Amiochia Artemon in Bostra of Arabia Eustatius in Gangra of Paphlagonia and Arrius at the first in a particular Synode holden at Alexandria In aâ—…l these Councils regard was had to the people that heresie might die as the grasse-hoppers die to wit in the fieldes whereinto they haue beene bread and bee buried as the frogges of Aegypt were buried to wit in the riuer from whence they came when they ouer-couered the lande At other times great regarde was had to Pastours especially in assembling Generall Councils that the place of meeting might bee commodious whereinto the Preachers of Asia Europe and Lybia either by sea or lande might moste conueniently resort and without all question this was the cause wherefore all the Generall Councils preceeding the woefull Councill of Lateran were assembled either in Bithynia Ionia or Thracia places whereinto Europe and Asia doeth moste neerely confine and the Nauigation is moste easie to the Bishops of Aegypt Pentapolis Lybia and Mauritania Some times a regard was had to innocent men that they might resort to such places whereinto their cause might haue beene tried without partialitie as Sardica a towne of Illyrium was appointed for the triall of Paulus Athanasius Marcellus and Asclepas For it is no reason that honest men shoulde bee journeyed to places whereinto the force of armour is more to bee feared then the force of their aduersariâ—…s arguments The last head had beene vnnecessarie to bee entreated if that the ambition of the Bishops of the Romane Church had not compelled men to seeke out this question to the verie ground for who can doubt but Bishops Elders Deacons and wise and learned men hauing commission from their owne Churches should bee present at Councils and vote according to the word of GOD in such thinges as shall happen to be proponed in the Councill Neuerthelesse the ambition of Bishops fearing lest by pluralitie of votes matters shoulde frame otherwise then liked themselues best they began to make distinction betwixt consultatiue and definitiue votes minding thereby to appropriate vnto themselues onely definitiue votes and the rest of the Councill albeit Elders Deacons Doctors and learned men furnished with commission their vote shoulde onely bee consultatiue and shoulde not bee numbered amongst the votes whereupon the definitiue sentence shoulde arise This question was reasoned in the Generall Councill of Basil â—…ssembled ANNO 1431. And recourse was had to Scripture as the true ground whereby controuerted questions shoulde bee decided and there it was founde in the definitiue sentence of the Councill of Hierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is For it seemed good to the Holie GHOST and to vs. Now this demonstratiue worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sendeth vs to the preface and superscription prefixed to the Epistle wherein it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Apostles and the Elders and the Brethren vnto the Brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antiochia and in Syria and Cilicia sende grecting In these wordes it is manifest that the Elders and Brethren who came to HIERUSALEM furnished with commission gaue such votes whereupon the definitiue sentence of the Councill did arise But seeing that the Bishops of the Romane Church haue presumed to set themselues so farre forward as if they should bee the onely actors and doâ—…rs of matters entreated in Councils it were not amisse if reason can afforde so much euen to set them a soote abacke Now therefore I affirme that when any Councill either Generall or Nationall is conueened whereinto the question concerning the supremacie of the B. of Rome is disputed In such a Councill I say no Popish B. should haue vote neither definitiue nor consultatiue because he commeth not to the Counc as a free man to vote according to the light of his conscience but hee commeth as a bond-slaue to the Bish. of Rome anticipated and preoccupied in the very time of his admission to his Bishopricke and bounde by an oath to defende the supremacie of the Pope together with the ordinances of the late Generall Councils What to doe hath such a bonde-slaue to vote in a free Councill except hee bee first loosed from the bandes of his oath moste vnrighteouslie conceiued and maâ—…e so that it is not possible for them to vote as free men in anie Councill vntill that oath made to the Anti-christ and not to CHRIST bee abjured abrenounced and vtterlie vndone Nowe to conclude It were a wise course in all thinges that wee presume to doe at least to set such a patrone before our eyes which without all contradiction is perfect and let vs indeuour to approach so neere as possible is to the similitude of that patron to the ende that our doinges bee not altogether euill and reproueable And if the men of our age woulde set before their eyes the perfect patrone of the Holie and Blessed Councill of HIERUSALEM no doubt but the people of GOD shoulde receiue greater comfort of their meetinges then hitherto they haue receiued But let the LORD worke this in his owne time To whom bee praise for euer AMEN A TREATISE Of the Monasticke life THE originall of the Monasticke life is referred by some men to Helias by others to John Baptist some referre it to those who were in companie with the Apostles and had all things common Others referre it to
of Caesarea No man is so senslesse or ignorant but may perceiue that this lying miracle is brought in to the confirmation of the excellency of the monastick life The miracle of Thomas B of Apamea tendeth to the adoration of the tree of the Crosse. The miracle of the fire that came out of Barsaunphius shop at Gaza consumed the most part of them who were in companie with Eustochius B of Jerusalem is a notable lie and tendeth onely to confirme superstitition The miracle of the Image of the virgine MARIE detesting Anatolius an hypocrite an Idolater and a sorcerer and yet insinuating himselfe in familiar acquaintance with Gregorius B. of Antiochia in the dayes of the Emperour Tiberius any man may perceiue that this miracle is forged not so much for detestation of hypocrisie Idolatrie and sorcerie as for worshipping the Image of the Virgine with a deuote minde The miracle of Simeones who in his youth miraculously tamed a Pard and fastened his girdle about the necke thereof and brought it like a catte into the Monasterie and afterward liued vpon the toppes of pillars and mountaines sed with branches of trees 68. yeeres this fable whereunto it tendeth all men doe see And finally the golden Crosse sent by Cosroes to Sergiopolis tendeth not onely to the invocation of Saintes but also to put our trust and confidence in them as the last wordes of the Epistle of Cosroes and his wife Sira clearly proporteth No we let the iudicious Reader pardone mee in preâ—…ermitting many things written by others lest I should wearie them by filling their eares with fables and lyes CHAP. III. Of Heresies IN this and the next Centurie I finde that the error of Eutyches is like vnto a root of bitternesse which budding out with new branches not seene before but fostered with the venemous sappe of the old root that seemed to bee abolished did mightily perturbe the Church The errour of the Monothelites was but a branch of the errour of Eutyches but this belongeth to the seuenth Centurie In this Centurie a great number of people especially of Monkes fauouring the heresie of Eutyches spake against the Councill of Chalcedone these were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they had no principall heade vpon whom they depended and they were anteâ—…iour to Anthimus or Anthimius B. of Constantinople and to Theodosius B. of Alexandria and Severus B. of Antiochia therefore they were not called Anthimians Theodosians or Severues but indeede they might haue beene called Eutychians alwayes the vulgare name giuen vnto them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another branch which sprang vp from the root of Eutyches heresie was the errour of those who supponed that the flesh of CHRIST was voide of all kinde of humane infirmitie expresly contradicting holy Scriptures which attributeth to the body of CHRIST hunger and wearines and other infirmities which he voluntarily accepted for our sakes And where it is said that the LORD IESVS did eate and drinke To this they answered that hee seemed to eate and drinke as hee did after his â—…esurrection but hee had no necessitie of eating and drinking but the veritie of his death stoppeth the mouthes of these heretiques for CHRIST was content to taste of all our infirmities death it selfe not except that we might know he will be a mercifull high Priest because he hath tasted of our infirmities and can haue compassion of those who are in trouble In this opinion was the Emperour Iustinian in his olde dayes whose vices did almost equall his vertues especially in comporting so much with Theodora the Empresse to the great aduancement of the errour of Eutyches and hinderance of the Gospell In this Centurie the defenders of the bookes of Origenc such as Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea Cappadocia and the Monkes of Nova Laura whom Eustochius B. of Jerusalem eiected out of their monasteries were counted heretiques as wil be declared hereafter Godwilling in the head of Councills Finally there were some heretiques who durst derogate perfection of knowledge to the Sonne of GOD in his diuine Nature these were called Agnoitae whome I leaue as buried in the dust and according to their name neuer worthy to haue beene knowne in the world CHAP. IIII. Of Councills THE schisme that fell out in the election of Symmachus was the cause of the gathering of the Councill of Rauenna Laurentius was his competitour In this Councill it was found that Symmachus was first ordeined and that the most part both of Clergie and people adherâ—…d to him therefore he was declared to be bishop of Rome and Lanrentius was ordeined bishop of Nuceria The multiplied number of Councills in Symmachus time all conueened by the authoritie of Theodoricus King of Gothes who reigned in Italie All this number of Councills I say was assembled for matters of litle importance except the fourth and fifth Councill whereinto a lible of accusations was giuen in against Symmachus but he compeared not before the Councill to answere yet was hee absolued by the most part of the Councill beeing his owne fauourers chiefly for this reason because they thought that the high Pricst should be iudged by no man but his doings should bee examined onely before the Trihunall of GOD. Marke how this matter goeth the bishoppes of Rome are lying vnder the feet of the Gothes neither haue they libertie to assemble themselues together except that licence be sought and obteined from Theodoriâ—…us King of Gothes Not withstanding supremacie that great Idole whereat they aimed continually runneth so high in their heades that the flatterers of the bishop of Rome would absolue him as a man whose actions came not vnder the iudicature of mortall men His accusers protested in write that if the successours of PETER should bâ—…e iudged by no man then with the â—…est of the priui'edges of their chaire they had also a pâ—…iuiledge to sinne and to doe what they pleased The Councils of Spaine called Ilerdensc and Valâ—…ntinum assembled in Valentia are very obscure Councils In the one â—…ight bishoppes were present in the other sixe bishoppes Many new and superstitious Canons were made in these assemblies and farder I see nothing In the first called Ilerdense a prohibition of mariage in time of Lent and three weekes before the sestiuitie of Iohn the Bapâ—…st and betwixt the dayes of the Aduent of our LORD and the dayes called Epiphania In the other Councillit was appointed that in the ordinarie seruice the Gospell should be read after the Epistle partly in respect that all the people of GOD haue entresse to heare the wholesome precepts of their Sauiour and partly in respect that by such hearing some were found to bee conuerted to the faith where of it may bee perceiued that the Gospell was read vnto the people into a knowâ—…e and intelligible language els it could not worke faith in the heartes of the hearers In the twentieth yeere of the reigne of the
Emperour Anaslatius a nationall Councill was assembled at Sidon of eightie bishops by the procurement of Xenâ—…as B. of Hierapolis for vndoing the Councill of Chalcedone The Emperour had al eadie banished Euphemius and Macedonius bishops of Constantinople Yet he found that Flavianus B. of Antiochia and Helias bishop of Ierusalem altogether disliked and reprooued his proceedings neither could they admitte the lawe of oblinion called in the Greeke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Emperour would haue brought in to pacifie controuersies in the Church as ciuile controuersies at some times haue beene pacifiâ—…d for this cause the Emperour Aanastatius set himselfe directly against the trueth of GOD and gathered this Councill to vndoe the authoritie of the Councill of Chalcedone Flavianus Helias would not bee present at this vngodly Councill whereinto they damned the Councill of Chalcedone yet they abstained from damning Flavianus and Helias for a time Neuerthelesse by continuall accusations of these two bishops as if they had bene mockers of all the Emperours doings they procured their banishment as hath bene declared in the preceeding historie In the 22. yeere of the reigne of Anastaâ—…us and vnder the reigne of Clodoueus King of France conueened 32. bishops in the towne of Aurâ—…lia of purpose to settle some order in Ecclesiasticall discipline which through iniurie of time and irruption of barbarous people into the countrie of France had beene brought to great dissolution and misorder The Canons of this Councill are coincident for the most part with the Canons of all other Councils The two former Councils assembled in Spaine namely Ilerdense and Valentinum were vnder the reigne of Theodoricus Now these two Gerundense and Casaraugustanum are ceâ—…ebrated vnder the same King to wit Theodoâ—…us of the nation of the Gothes reigning in Spaine In Gerunda seuen bishops conueened made Ecclesiasticall constitutrons chiefly anent Baptisme that Catechumeni should bee baptized on Pasâ—…he day and at Pentecoste when most sâ—…lemne conuentions of people were gathered They who were vnder infâ—…mitie and sicknesse might bee baptized at any time and the infant which was likely to die mightlee baptized that same day where into it was borne In Caesaraugusta elenen bishoppes seeme to haue beene conueened They forbid fasting vpon the LORDS day for supersution or for respect of times or for perswasion It would appeare that this Councill had a desire to abolish the rites and customes of the Matichean heretiques who were accustâ—…med to fast vpon the Lords day In the dayes of Hormisda by the mandate of Theodoricus King of Gothes reigning in Italie a Councill was assembled at Rome vpon this occasion It was thought meet by the Emperour Anastatius Theodoricus King of Italie and many others that a Councill should be conueened at Heraclea for deciding controuersies in religion Many bishops resorted to Heraclea aboue the number of 200 but Anastatius suffered no Councill to be holden thereby incurring the great blame of inconstancie and carelessenesse in seeking out the trueth for this cause Theodoricus willed Hormisda bishop of Rome to gather a Councill at Rome whereinto the errour of Eutyches is damned of newe againe and ambassad ours are ordeined to bee sent to Anastatius the Emperour and to the bishop of Constantinople to diuert them if possible were from the errour of Eutyches but howe in humanely the ambassadours were intreated it hath beene declared in the description of the life of Hormisda Vnder the reigne of the Emperour Iustinus a Synode was gathered in Constantinople by Ioannes Cappadox Many grieuous accusations were giuen in against Severus B. of Antiochia such as sacrilegious spoyling of Temples vnder pretence of eschewing causes of Idolatrie he tooke away the golden doues that hung aboue the fontes and the altars and hâ—…e vttered many blasphemous speeches against the Councill of Chalcedone Ioannes Cappadox albeit hee was of a bad religion himselfe yet the authoritie of the Emperour and consent of the Councill procured that Severus should be damned of heresie whom the Emperour also banished and as some affirme punished him also by commanding that his blasphemous tongue should bee cut out In like maner the Monks of Apamea in a Council conueened in Syriasecunda accused Severus of bloody cruelty oppression in besieging of Monastries slaying the Monks spoyling their goods The like accusation was giuen in against Peter B. of Apamea which accusations beeing sufficiently proued by vnsuspect witnesses this Council damned Severus Petrus B. of Apamea In the fifth yeere of King Abnaricus was the second Councill of Toledo conueened partly for renuing the ancient constitutions of the Church and partly for making new constitutions belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline It was ordeined that children whome their parents had dedicated to the Church they should not be admitted to the office of a Subdeacon vntil they were 18. yeeres of age neither to the office of Deacon before they were 25. yeeres old and at the beginning of their admission to the office of a Subdeacon namely when tâ—…ey â—…re full 18. yeeres olde and not before that time they should bee presented before the Clergie and people to make an open declaration whether they were of purpose to leade a continent life or to marie and these who protested they had not the gift of continencie are tolerated by the first Canon of the second Councill of Toledo to marrie In the yeere of our LORD 551 and in the 24. yeere of the reigne of the Emperour Iustinian was a generall Councill assembled at Constantinople The principall causes of this meeting are expresly set downe by Evagrius lib. 4. cap. 38. First in reâ—…pect of the controuersie betwixt Eustochius B. of Ierusalem and Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea Cappadocia Eustochius cast out the Monkes of Nova Laura who obstinately defended the errours of Origen Theodorus Ascidas assisted them and saide that Eustochius B. of Ierusalem had dealt cruelly and inhumanely with his brethren to pacifie this controuersie was this Councill conueened Also great disputation was in the Church anent the bookes of Origen of Theodorus B. of Mopsuesta and some writings of Theodoritus B. of Cyrus and Ibas B. of Edessa this was the second cause of this great conuention to put an ende vnto these contentious disputations At this time MENAS was bishop of Constantinople but hee ended his life in the very time of the generall Councill The first question mooued in the Councill was this Whether or no men who were deade and had ended their course might lawfully bee cursed and excommunicated To this EVTYCHIVS a man before this time of no great account answered That 〈◊〉 as IOSIAS not onely punished Idolatrous Priestes who were aliue but also opened the graues of them who were dead to dishonour them after their death who had dishonoured GOD in their lifetime euen so the memorialls of men might be accursed after their death who had harmed Christes Church in
yeeee of our LORD 585. Vnder the reigne of Mauritius a Councill was assembled at Constantinople for trying of the cause of Gregorius B of Antiochia whom Asterius Deputie in the East had accused of incest but Gregorius was declared to bee innocent his accuser was scourged with roddes and was banished In this Councill the name of Oecumenick bishop was attributed to Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople The first Councill of Matiscon was assembled about the time of Pelagius 2 as the second Tome of Councills recordeth In it commandement was giuen that no man of the Clergie should cite another man hauing a spirituall office before a seculare iudge And that a bishop or Presbyter should not intangle himselfe with carnall lust after hee is promoted to so high dignitie but the woman who before was his wife nowe let her bee his sister and let the husband bee changed into a brother Marke how subtilly Sathan vnder pretence of lothing matrimoniall chastitie is bringing in all kinde of vncleannesse into the Church The second Councill of Matiscon was conueened in the 24. yere of the reigne of Gunthrannus king of France In it complaint was made that Baptisme was ministred vsually vpon â—…ry holy day insomuch that vpon Pasche day scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptisme This they ordeined to bee amended and that no man except vpon occasion of infirmitie presume to present his child to Baptisme but to attend vpon the festiuall dayes prescribed of olde that is Pasche and Whitsonday Also it was statute and ordeined that the Sacrament of the altar should be ministred before any communicant person had tasted of meat or drinke That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a citie of refuge be drawne backe againe by violence from the bosome of the Chuch or be harmed into that holy place That a bishop must not bee attached before a secular iudge That the houses of bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayers and singing of Psalmes and shall not bee defiled with the barking of dogges and muting of hankes That seculare men shall doe reucrence to those who are of the Clergie euen vnto the lowest degree of them in such sort that if the secular man doe meete any of the Clergie walking on foot he shall honour him by vncouering his head but if the seculare man be riding on horsebacke and the Clergie man on foote then the secular man shall light downe from his horse and shall doe reuerence to the Church man this age smelleth of Antichristian pride In the third Council at Matiscon there is nothing to be read but a contentious disputation betwixt two bishops Palladius Bertramus foolish questions scarse worthy to bee disputed in GraÌ„mer schooles Whether or no a woman may be called homo In the yeere of our Lord 595 in the 13. yeere of the reigne of the Emp. Mauritius Gregorius 1. bishop of Rome assembled a Council at Rome of 24. bishops 34. presbyters whereinto first of all he confirmed the first foure generall Councills He ordeined that at the celebration of the Masse there should be lesse singing more reading of Psalmes and Gospel because weake people transported with the delite of a sweet delicate voyce marked not how men of a lewd life drew neere vnto the Altar of GOD. He ordeined also that laicke boyes should not be cubiculars to the bishops of Rome but that Presbyters Deacons or Monks should be witnesses of the honestie of their secret conuersation And that the beare whereinto the body of the B. of Rome is brought forth to bee buried shall not bee oue spred with any coueâ—…ing aboue the beare That for ordination of men in spirituall offices no reward shall be craued For like as the bishop should not sell the imposition of his hands euen so the minister or notare should not sell his voyce and pen. If hee who is ordeined voluntarlly giueth any thing as a testimonie of his thankfulnesse this is not forbidden to be receiued Gregorius standing before the place where the body of S. PETER is buried pronounced many Anathems whereinto the rest of the assemblie with vniforme consent saide Amen Amongst the rest the Presbyter or Deacon who marrieth a wise is deliuered to the deuill and a man who marieth his owne spirâ—…tuall sister whome in our language we call his gossope hee is likewise deliuered to an euill Heard to bee kept Albeit Gregorius bee not counted the worst amongst the bishoppes of Rome yet when hee followeth not the certaine rule of the written worde of GOD hee is wandering in the mist as boldly as others did before him The Councills which I haue ouerpassed with silence such as Gradense Bracearense Lateranense Lugdunense Pictaviense Metense lest I should ouer charge a litle booke with an vnnecessarie burthen or trouble the reader with reading of superstitious rites damning of old heresies and of euery contentious disputation more duely belonging to ciuile iudges than to spirituall conuentions I reserre mine excuse in this to the wisdome of the iudicious Reader TREATISES BELONGING TO THE sixt CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of the worshipping of Images IN the first 300. yeere of our LORD Images were not admitted into places of adoration In the fourth fifth and sixt Centurie they are admitted into temples yet for the most part without opinion that they should be worshipped as the letter of Gregorius the first written to Serenus bishop of Marseill cleaâ—…ely declareth Nowe it is time to contend against Images when they are come in such credite that they are set vp in temples and places of adoration And first Godwilling I shall intreat of the wordes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what difference is betwuixt them and the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what differences are betwixt these three wordes lest Idolaters should bee left lurking vnder the sconses of words when they are denuded of all other ouerlapping couerings then will they lurke vnder the shadow of an ambiguous word as a Foxe straitly persued will lurke vnder the shadow of a fairne In the second roome I intend to speake of the Images of the Gentils In the third roome of the Images of the Iewes and last of all of the Images of them who beare the name of Christians First concerning the names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I affirme that the principall defenders of worshipping of Images of old put no difference betwixt these two wordes for Damascene comparing Images to musicke instruments he sayeth That like as the captiue Iewes had instruments of musicke to praise GOD so in like maner the Babylonians had instruments of musicke to praise their gods In like maner saith he the Pagans had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby they honoured their gods and Christians also haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby they doe honour to the
full of pride and he followed the footsteps of Joannes Cappadox and would bee called vniuersall bishoppe against whome Gregorius 1. contended mightily euen as Lactantius of olde contended against the Pagans impugning the error more mightily than solidly confirming the trueth It is supponed that he ministred 13. yeeres vnder the Emperour Mauritius To whom succeeded Cyriacus Patriarches of Alexandria AFTER Iohn called Tabennesiota succeeded another Iohn who kept the true faith and was banished by Anastatius because he would not damne the Councill of Chalcedone To John succeeded Theodosius an obstinate defender of the errour of Eutyches He was familiarly acquainted with Severus of Antiochia and Anthimus of Constantinople whereby the miserie of these dayes may bee easily espied whereinto three notable heretiques gouerned principall townes such as Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia He was so obstinate in his errour that he was rather content to be banished vnder the reigne of Iustinian than to renounce his errour After him succeeded Zoilus and after him Appollinarius who was present at the fift generall Councill To whome succeeded Eulogius and after him Petrus who ministred vnder the reigne of Mauritius Patriarches of Antiochia AFTER Palladius succeeded Flavianus who suffered great troubles for the true faith namely by the cruell persecution of the Emperour Anastatius and the calumnies of Xenaeas B. of Hierapoâ—…is a stranger indeed from the couenant of GOD as his name importeth for hee blamed Flavianus most vniustly of the heresie of Nestorius but when Flavianus both by worde and write had cleared himselfe of that calumnie the malice of Xenaeas ceased not for he brought with him to Antiochia a great number of Monkes to compell Flavianus to abiure the Councill of Chalcedone The towne supported their bishop against a raskall number of seditious and hereticall Monkes Notwithstanding the Emperour Anastatius infected with the heresie of Euâ—…yches counted Flavianus who was most vniustly persecuted to be the author of this tumult and banished him and placed Severus in his roome The Emperour Iustinus the elder displaced Severus and punished him and appointed Paulus to be bishop of Antiochia To Paulus succeeded Euphrasius who died in that feareful calamitie of the towne of Antiochia when it was shaken and ouerthrowne with earthquake as Evagrius witnesseth Euphraimius was a ciuile gouernour in the East parts who pitied the decayed estate of the towne of Antiochia furnished all necessarie things for the repairing of the towne of Antiochia for which cause the people was so affectioned to him that they would haue him to bee their bishop So Euphraimius becomes bishoppe of Antiochia or Theopolis for at this time it had both thâ—…se names Evagrius writeth that hee vndertooke the charge of the Apostolicke chaire in which wordes it is manifest that not onely the chaire of Rome but also the chaire of Antiochia was called the Apostolicke chaire The towne of Antiochia at this time was taken by Cosroes King of Persia set on fire and many of thâ—… people were cruelly slaine Euphraâ—…us their bishop at this time left the towne a perilous example except the people had beene in safetie and he onely persecuted yet he left behinde him so much as might redeeme all the Church goods AFTER Eâ—…phraimius followed Domnius And after him Anastatius He ministred vnder the Emperour Iustinian at what time the â—…mperour fell into the errour of them who saide that our LORD IESVS in his very conception adioyned vnto his diuine natâ—…e an immortal body which was subiect to no humane infiâ—…mities Anastatius opponed himselfe to the Emperours opinion the bishops followed Anastatius not the Emperour for this cause Iustinian was purposed to haue banished him but he escaped this trouble by the Emperours death Neuerthelesse hâ—…e was banished by Iustinus the younger for some alleadged cause of dilapidation of Church-gooods and Gregorius was placed in his roome Gregorius ministred in Antiochia 23. yeeres vnder Justinus 2. Tiberius and Mauritius hee was in great account with Mauritius to whome he foretolde that he would be promoted to the Imperiall dignitie And Mauritius imployed him in great and weightie businesse such as in pacifying the tumult of his armie which made insurrection against Germanus their captaine Also hee sent him ambassadour to Cosroes King of Persia who was astonied at the grace that was in his speaches Notwithstanding he was accused by Asterius a Deputie of the East of the filthie sinne of incest but he cleared his owne innocencie so euidently that his accuser was with ignominie scourged and banished Hee died of the gowtes infirmitie after his death Anasiatius whome Iustinus banished for dilapidation of Church-goods beeing yet aliue was restored to his owne place againe To whom succeeded Euphemius Patriarches of Jerusalem AFTER MARTYRIVS succeeded HELIAS a feruent defender of the true faith Neither would hee condescend to the banishment of EVPHEMIVS bishop of Constantinople nor to the admission of Severus to be bishop of Antiochia therefore the Emperour Anastatius banished him To him succeeded Iohn of whose politicke dealing in circumueening Anastatius the Emperours captaine I haue sufficiently declared in the preceeding historie To John succeeded Peter after him Macarius after Macarius Eustochius who impugned the bookes of Origen draue out of his bounds the Monks of Nova Laura defenders of the opinions of Origen Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia tooke this in an euill part The Emperour Iustinian caused a generall Councill to bee gathered at Constantinople whereinto not only the bookes of Origen were damned but also Theodorus himselfe the defender of them This displeased the Emperour Iustinian because hee loued Theodorus dearely therefore hee procured that Eustochius B. of Ierusalem should be remooued and Macarius restored againe After whome succeeded Ioannes Neamus and Isieius In this Centurie whereas I pretermit the names of other Pastors and Doctors in the Church I haue done it vpon this consideration I find in this Centurie that by the irruption of barbarous people such as the Gothes Uandales Hunnes Auares Schythians Lombards youth was hindred from studies many memorable bookes were burnt ancient languages were vtterly spoyled learning was greatly diminished flatterie of preuailing powers increased ambition in the West heresie in the East turned the estate of the Church vpside downe so that scarcely could men of good giftes and keeping integritie of faith be furnished vnto the principall Apostolick chaires Now after a maner the sunne is going downe the shadowes waxe great the darknes approacheth the Antichrist is at the doore worthy to bee welcomed with darknesse and decay of knowledge What shall I now write of other Pastors and Doctors shall I followe the foolish conceates of Historiographers in whose opinion the gift of miracles increased when the gift of knowledge decayed but the contraâ—…e is knowne by Scripture that the holy Apostles whome CHRIST induced
with extraordinarie giftes of working miraculous workes hee indued them the departure of Valerius he was B. of Hippo his vncessant trauels in teaching GODS people and in stopping the mouthes of Heretiques and gainsayers of the trueth of GOD specially Donatists Pelagians and Manichean Heretiques his learned writings doe testifie When hee had liued 76. yeeres he rested from his labours before the Vandales had taken the towne of Hippo which in time of Augustines sicknesse they had besieged In this Centurie flourished worthie preachers in France such as Eutherius B. of Lions Saluianus B. of Marseill who liued at that time when the nation of the Gothes oppressed France and many beganne to doubt of the prouidence of GOD in respect that wicked men had so great vpper-hand Salvianus in his godly and learned bookes doeth declare that it is a iust thing with GOD to punish men who knowes their dutie best with greatest punishments in respect that oft times they are most negligent doers of it Claudianus Mammertus B. of Vienne is praised by Sidonius with excessiue coÌ„mendations as if all the graces of Ierom Augustine Basilius Nazianzenus and many other fathers had beene in corporated into his person Hilarius first bishop of Arls and afterward as appeareth of Vienne opponed himselfe directly to Leo B. of Rome and would acknowledge no iurisdiction nor domination of the B. of Rome ouer the Churches of France for this cause Leo accused him as an vsurper of supremacie onely because hee would not stoupe vnder his feete but Hâ—…larius came to Rome nothing regarding the anathems and cursings of the Romane bishop and in his face affirmed that neither did CHRIST appoint Peter to bee hâ—…ad of the rest of the Apostles neither had the B. of Rome a soueraignitie ouer the Churches of France All the grandure of Leo his speaches who doth talke of those few words Tues Petrus super hac petra c. that is thou art PETER and vpon this rocke c. as if CHRIST had breathed vpon him and had bidden him receiue the holy Spirit so confidently did hee affirme that in these wordes was allotted a supremacie to the bishops of Rome the successors of PETER But this grandure I say of his proud conceats vaine interpretation of Scripture made not men of vnderstanding incontinently to stoup vndâ—…r the feet of a proud Prelat Vincentius Lirinensis a mighty impugner of herâ—…sies PROSPER AQVITANICVS SIDONIVS Bishop in some part of Ouerme MARTINVS TVRONENSIS is commended for the gift of many miraculous workes that were wrought by his hands He compared virginitie marriage and fornication to a medow a part where of was eaten by the pastoring of beastes another part was holled by the rudenes of wourting swine and the third part was vntouched but flourishing in the perfect growth of grasse neere to mowing time Fornication hee compared to the part of the medow that was holled and misfassioned with swine Mariage to that part of the medow that was pâ—…stored so that the herbes had their rootes but wanted the beautie of their flowres but virginitie is like vnto that part of the medow that is vntouched flourishing with roote blade flowre and all kinde of perfection In counting mariage good but virginitie better hee followeth the doctrine of the holy Apostle PAVL Reon gius B. of Rhemes by whom Clodoueus the first Christian king of France was baptized the whole countrie of France was purged from Paganisme and Arrianisme whereby it was miserably polluted by the Gothes and Vandales was a man of great account Concerning Aurelius and the bishops of Carthage Memnon and the bishops of Ephesus some occasion will bee offered to speake of them in the head of Councils neither will the nature of a Compend and breuitie whereunto I studie permit me to write of euery worthie man of whom I read in this Centurie CHAP III. Of Heretiques PELAGIVâ—… BRITO and his followers IVLIANVS and Coelestius maintained damnable heresies in the dayes of Arcadius and Honorius their pernicious heresies may be easily knowne by the learned writings of Augustine who directly impugneth the Pelagians by the Councils of Arausio in France Milevitanum in Numidia which damned the error of the Pelagians They affirmed that men by nature were able to fulfill the whole Law of GOD howbeit more easily better if they were supported by the grace of GOD. They denied Originall sinne and said the posteritie of ADAM were sinners by imitation of ADAMS sinne but had not receiued sinne by carnal propagation They said moreouer that children had not need to be baptized for remission of sinnes and that godly fathers in Scripture when they confessed their sinnes they did it rather for example of humilitie than for necessitie and guiltinesse of sinne This pestilent heresie was spread abroad in many places but chiefly in the Isle of Britaine because Pelagius being driuen from Rome came to the Isle foresaid and infected it with his errour but by the diligent trauelles of Germanus Altisidorensis and Palladius sent from Coelestinus B. of Rome both England and Scotland were freed from that errour Nestorius B. of Constantinople liued in the dayes of Theodosius 2. He was an eloquent man but his head lacked braines when he spake against the personall vnion of the divine and humane Nature in CHRIST He denied that the Virgine MARIE could becalled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Deipara that is the mother of GOD but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mother of CHRIST He was damned as an hereticke in the Councill of Ephesus and banished by the Emp. Theodosius to the wildernes of Thebaida was plagued by GOD with extraordinare iudgements as other heretiques had bene before for his blasphemous tongue was consumed with wormes rotted in his mouth and so he ended his wretched life most miserablie Eutyches was an abbot in Constantinople he fell into an errour farre different from the heresie of Nestorius for Nestorius would not grant the personall vnion of two natures in Christ but Eutyches confounded the natures and would haue the humane nature so swallowed vp by the immensitie of the diuine nature in CHRIST that there was not two natures in CHRIST but one alanerly to wit the diuine nature Hee was damned in the Council of Chalcedon as wil be decla ed hereafter Godwilling This heresie much perturbed and troubled the Church in respect of the fautors and fauourers thereof both in policie and Church Chrysapbius a principal ruler in the Court of Theodâ—…sius 2. Basiliscus and Anastatius Emperours were fauourers of this heresie and of bishops not a few such as Dâ—…scorus B of Alexandria Timotheus Aelurus who entered into the chaire of Alexandria like vnto a Wolfe with shedding the blood of Proterius the true shepheard and Petrus Moggus B. of Alexandria and Petrus Gnapheus B. of Antiochia all these maintained the heresie of Eutyches a long time And now appeareth the fruit
of humane wisdome who chused Patriarches to sâ—…ppresse heresies and yet they are the principal maintainers of it Like wise a multitude of wicked men specially Monks cried out against the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon which was assembled by the authoritie of the Emp. Martianus these were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they had no principall head vpon whom they depended all these countenanced the heresie of Eutyches whereby it became the more pernicious to the Church It is to be vnderstood that old heresies such as the heresie of the Manicheans and the heresie of the Donatists sprung vp of latter time were in vigour and strength as yet whereby it came to to passe that Augustine is compelled to write in his time against many Manicheans such as Faustus Fortunatus Felix Sâ—…cundinus against Donatists such as Gandentius Parmenianus Emeritus Ticonius so that it is euident that the Church in this Centurie in the former was chiefly perturbed with the multitude and diuersitie of heresies CHAP. IIII. Of Councils COncerning Councils gathered in the dayes of Arcadius and Honorius by Epiphanius in Cyprus and Theophilus in Alexandria vnder pretence of damning the bookes of Origen and in Constantinople first last by the malice of Eudoxia the Emperour Arcadius wife to procure the deposition of Iohn Chrysostome B. of Constantinople I hope I haue not need to make a new declaration of things which are amply declared in the preceeding historie About the yeere of our Lord 419. a great number of bishops were assembled in the towne of Câ—…thage whose names are particularly expressed in their Synodicke letter sent to Innocentins I B. of Rome In this assembly they damned the opinions of Pelagius Coelestius which hath bene aboue rehearled as hereticall The answere that Innocentius returned to the Councill is intermixed with words of swelling pride as if no decreet could bee firme vntill it had allowance of the Romane chaire yet the fift Councill of Carthage had pronounced Anathema against the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius before they sent their letter to Innocentius Amongst the canons of this Councill the two last are to bee remarked namely the 14. and 15. canon The one declareth that no Church was consecrated without the reliques of the Martyres the other declareth that adoration of reliques at this time was the custome of Ethnickes supplication is appointed to be made to the Emperours that reliques which are found in Images groues or trees or such other places should be abolished The first Councill of Toledo in Spaine was assembled vnder the reignes of Arcadius and Honorius the yeere of our LORD wherein this Councill was gathered is much contrauerted therefore I ouerpasse it contenting my selfe with some notice of the time of the Emperour in whose time the Councill was gathered It seemeth to haue bene assembled for confirmation of the Nicene Councill and refutation of some errours The canons anent prohibition of marriage to some persons are foolish and the admitting of a man to the communion who wanteth a wife and contenteth himselfe with one concubine allanerly is foolisher so perilous a thing it is in a iot to depart from the certaine rule of the written word of GOD. Mileuitum is a towne of Numidia in it many bishops were assembled vnder the reigne of Arcadius whose names are particularly expressed in the letter sent from the Councill to Innocentius B. of Rome which letter is insert in the Epistles of Augustine together with the answere of Innocentius I. Two principall causes mooued them to assemble together First to finish the worke they had begunne in the fift Councill of Carthage in condemning the heresies of Pelagius and Coelestius by whome as yet many were deceiued and peruerted from the true faith Augustine B. of Hippo was not onely present but also president The opinions of Pelagius and Coelcstius anent the power of mans nature not supported by the grace of GOD and the free will of man to doe good of it selfe is so solidly refuted and that by arguments taken out of holy Scripture alanerly that it is to bee wished that other Councils had followed the example of this Council whereinto Augustine was president The other cause of the meeting of this Councill was to constitute canons anent ecclesiasticall discipline specially that no man should make appellation from his owne bishop to bishops beyond sea but incace his own bishop did him wrong then he should appeale vnto an assembly of African bishops but he who wold needes appeale to bishops beyond sea meaning chiefly of the B. of Rome let him bee secluded from the coÌ„munion of all African bishops The cause of Apiarius his B. Vrbanus Siccensis seemeth already to be wakned the fathers of this Council foresmelled that he was to appeale to the B. of Rome like as hee did indeed to Zosymus the successor of Innocentius therefore likewise men in due time they made this constitution Innocentius receiued the Councils letter froÌ„ a brother named Iulius approued the condemnatorie sentence pronounced against Pelagius Coelestius but marke the words of Innocentius letter Frater Coëpiscopus noster Iulius dilectionis vestrae literas quas ex Milevitano cura fidei propensiore misistis mihi inopinanter suggessit that is to say Our brother and fellow bishop Iulius brought vnto mee vnawares your brotherly letters which yee sent vnto me from the Councill Mileuitanum with a care very bent for the faith The word inopinanter declareth that hee receiued their letter before hee knew that any such Councill was gathered for the bishops of Rome as yet tooke not vpon them that authoritie to be the only appointers of generall and nationall Councills Pâ—…lagius after this Councill compeared before a Councill in Palestina and seemed to renounce his errours but hee spake deceatfully as heretiques are accustomed to doe but he set foorth nothing in writ to destroy the errour hee had builded and to procure the safetie of them whome hee had intanâ—…led with the snares of deceatfull errours as the Epistle of Aurelius Alipius Augustinus Euodius and Posstdius written to Innocentius doth declare Obscure Councils I haue both ouerpassed with silence do mind God-willing to keepe the like order in time to come In the yeere of our LORD 420 and vnder the reignes of Honorius and Theodosius 2. a great nationall Councill was assembled in Carthage two hundreth and seuenteene bishops were present at this Councill and it continued for the space of sixe yeeres Aurelius bishop of Carthage was moderator Three bishops of Rome to wit Zâ—…symus Bonifaecius 1. Coelestinus endeuoured with all their might to perswade the Africane bishops that they were vnder the soueraignitie and iurisdiction of the bishops of Rome but all in vaine as the issue of this Councill will proue The ground of the great controuersie betwixt the bishops of Rome the 6 Councill of Carthage was Apiarius Presbyter
Siâ—…censis a wicked man and iustly excommunicate not onely by his owne bishop Vrbanus but also by a Synode of other neere approaching bishops Hee appealed to Zâ—…symus bishop of Rome a citie of refuge to all villanous men as appeared by the insolent forme of his cariage toward his brethren in Africke for before he had heard the causes wherefore they had excommunicated this wicked man Apiarius he absolued him and admitted him to his communion Moreouer vnderstanding that a Councill was to be conueened in Carthage he sent thither ambassadours to plead the cause of Apiarius to procure the excommunicatioÌ„ of Vrbanus incace this sucâ—…eeded not to desire that this question might be remitted to the determination of the Romane bishop as vndoubted iudge of appellations according to an act of the Councill of Nice The Fathers of the Councill of Carthage answered with great modestie that they remembred no such act to haue beene made in the Councill of Nice Alwayes time is granted to the B. of Rome to proue that such right belonged to him by an act of the Councill of Nice Zosymus the first alleadger of this false act continued short time in office for he ended his course within the space of one yeere and few months Bonifacius the successour of Zosymus serioysly vrging the same prerogatiue to be iudges in all causes of appellation according to the act of the Councill of Nice When all the actes were read both in the Latine Greâ—…ke exemplares no such act was found the ambasadours of Bonifacius returned to him with this answere that the principall registers beâ—…oued to be sighted which were to be found in Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia and in the meane time no man should be challenged for appealing to the bishoppe of Rome vntill this question had an end by sighting of the authenticke registers Cyrillus B of Alexandria and Atticus B. of Constantinople sent to the Councill of Carthage the iust copies of the actes of the Councill of Nice but no such act was found as was alleadged by Zosymus and Bonifacius and by this time Bonifacius also ended his life for hee ministred not aboue three yeeres The Epistle sent from the 6. Councill of Carthage declaring that they found the act foresaid alleadged by the ambassadours of the B. of Rome to be supposititio us and false this Epistle I say was directed to Bonifacius but seeing heehad ended his life it came in the hands of Coelestinus the successorof Bonifacius who insisted by the same ambassadours who were employed before to wit Faustinus a bishop and Philippus and Asellus two presbyters to haue Apiarius receiued in fauour and the Africane bishops to be subiect to the bishoppe of Rome but their trauelles were bestowed in vaine The last period of this controuersie was this that Apiarius despairing of helpe from the bishops of Rome confessed his faultes and humbly submitted himselfe to the Councill of Carthage And the Ambassadours of Coelestinus returned with this answere that the B. of Rome had none authoritie ouer the bishops of Africke but hee who thought himselfe to bee wronged let him complaine to a nationall Councill and if the nationall Councill also did him wrong then let him complaine to the generall Councill but none appellation to bee made in time to come from Africke to the bishops of Rome Vnder the reignes of Arcadius Honorius about the yeere of our LORD 400. The Donatists assembled theÌ„selues in a town of Africk called Bagaia in frequent nuÌ„bet for they are counted 310 who were present at this Council The principal purpose of their meeting was for deposition of Maximianus B. of Bagaia who fell from their societie and drew many others from their heresie him they deposed and accursed I haue made mention of this vnhappie Councill for two causes first to declare the vncessant diligence of heretiques in aduancing a doctrine of lies for it was a strange thing that for the deposition of one man so many should assemble themselues in one towne seldome were so many present at aecumenicke Councils as were at this conuention Secondly to declare the effronted peartnes of heretiques when they are met together all that they doe is ascribed to the holy Spirit for in their definitiue sentence against Maximianus they borrow the words of the holy Apostles Placuit Spiritui sancto qui in nobis est that is it hath pleased the holy Spirit who is in vs. Yet were they guided by Sathan and not by the holy Spirit in all the actions of this Councill In the 8. yeere of the reigne of Theodosius 2. was a generall Councill assembled in Ephesus against the heretique Nestorius bishop of Constantinople of whom Socrates writteth that the first ground of his heresie was the speaches of a Presbytâ—…r in his Church called Anastatius whome he had in reuerent accompt This Anastatius vpon a time teaching in the Church said let no man call the viâ—…gine MARIE the mother of GOD whereupon ensued great trouble in the Church for they wâ—…re assured of the diuinitie of CHRIST And Nestorius not willing that the man should be disesteemed whom he so much regarded he chopped oftin his Sermons vpon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not willing to giue vnto the blessed Virgine so great an honour When the Council of Ephesus was assembled coÌ„sisting of the number of 200. bishops aboue Cyrillus B. of Alexandria was appointed Moderator by the ordinance of the Emperours who coÌ„manded the Councill to be gathered Cyrillus began to embarke and to agitate the question ere Iohn Patriarch of Aâ—…tiochia and his companie could be present at the Councill At the first meeting Nestorius being present in the towne of Ephesus vtterly spoyled his cause and added to his former opinion borrowed from Anastatius that hee thought it an indignitie done to the onely begotten Sonne of GOD to speake of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were all reproachfull wordes to be spoken of the Sonne of GOD that is that hee was nourished vpon milke that hee was borne of a maide that hee was two moneths or three moneths olde all these words he counted to be reproachfull words to be spoken of the Sonne of GOD. The Fathers of the Councill were all highly offended at these words warned him to be personally present at the Councill but he refused to compeare vntill the time that John Patriarch of Antiochia should bâ—…e present at the Councill Cyrillus B. of Alexandria was a man prompt sordward in all causes both good and bad hee would not linger vntill the comming of â—…ohn Patriarch of Antiochia and his companie but foorthwith hee caused his bookes and writings to bee examined wherein it was clearely sound that hee saâ—…e the Son of the Virgine MARIE was not God but only that God was with him so hee denied the personal vnion of the diuine humane
Nature The Fathers of the Council vpon this ground damned Neslorius as an hereticque and Nestorius on the other part gathered the bishoppes of his owne faction and damned Cyrillus B. of Alexandria and Memnon B of Eâ—…hesus After this Iohn Patriarch of Antiochia came to Eâ—…hesus whose comming rather increased than diminished the schisme for hee was to angrie against the precipitation and hastines of Cyrillus that he would not adioyne himselfe to the Councill hereupon followed mutuall excommunications Iohn Patriarch of Antiochia excommunicated Cyrillus and Memnon and they on the other part excommunicated him and his retinue who came not to the Council yet in the mercie of GOD this schisme that fell out last amongst good men was cured they were reconciled the heretique Nestorius was banished to Oasis Before Theodosius 2. had ended his life Flavianus bishop of Constantinople had gathered a particulare Councill and damned Eutyches an abbot of Constantinople because he affirmed that in CHRIST after the vnton of the diuine and humane natures there was no longer two natures but one allanerly composed of both the natures This absurd Opinion Flavianus damned as hereticall Notwithstanding Chrysaphius the chiefe gouernour of the Emperours palace was a friend to Eutyches and a fauourer of his heresie And hee procured at the Empeâ—…cuts hands that Eutyches cause should be iudged in a more frequent assemblie to be gathered at Ephesus and wherein Dioscorus B. of Alexandria should be moderator In this assembly Dioseorus dealt imperiously like vnto an head-strong hereticâ—…e He called vpon Eutyches required a consession of his faith which when hee had giuen not expecting the votes of others who were present with clamour and outcrying he gaue allowance vnto it as if no more were requisit in a Councill except onely the suffrage and vote of the moderator Likewise hee suffered not the letters of Leo B. of Rome sent to the Councill to be read Thirdly he absolued Eutyches and 300. Monkes all intangled with this heresie whom Flavianus had iustly excommunicated last of all he excommunicated Flavianus caused him by the tumult of his factioners to be so rudely and vncourteously intreated that he was trode vnder soot and was so wounded that within three dayes after he ended his life for this cause this Councill was called a Councill of brigandrie The Councill of Berytus in Phoenicia whereinto the cause of Ibas B. of Edessa whom Dioscorus had deposed was wakned and he was iustified and absolued I purposely passe by because the controuersie against Ibas will be discussed in a greater assembly And the Councill called Agathense in France wherein albeit there be a great number of Constitutions yet nothing is more remarkable in it than this that they grant they had libertie to meete together by commandement of Alaricus King of Gothes who at that time had soueraignitie in that parte of France called Gallia Narbonensis where the Councill was gathered so that in all Countries Councils both generall and nationall were conueened by the authoritie of Princes In the yeere of our LORD 454 in the 3. yeere of the reigne of the Emp. Martianus a general Councill was assembled at Chalcedon a towne of Bythinia lying directly ouer against Constantinople Martianus the Emperour was in person present at the Councill and of Bishoppes and reuerend Fathers from all partes of the world sixe hundreth and thirtie The like whereof hapned not in any generall Councill preceeding this time The Patriarches were all present at this Councill either in proper person or by their ambassadours Anatoliâ—… B. of Constantinople Dioscorus B of Alexandria Maximus B. of Antiochia 〈◊〉 B. of Ierusalem and in stead of Leo B. of Rome his ambassadours Pascasianus a bishop Lucentius Bonâ—…facius and Basilius Presbyters with a Christian brother â—…ulianus Martianus entreated all the Fathers of the Councill to thinke that he gaue his presence to the convention not for ostentation of his power or vertue but only for desire that the true faith should be confirmed and established and that by his authority all tumults of men disobedient to the Councill might bâ—…e â—…epressed Aboue all crauing of them or rather charging and commanding them that they should decerne nothing repagnant to the actes of the Councill of Nice The ambassadours of Leo B. of Rome craued that Dioscorus B. of Alexandria should not sit in the Councill as a â—…udge but that he should stand and answere to things that were to be obâ—…ected vnto him Which petition beeing granted Eâ—…sebius B. of Dorileum stood vp and accused him of three things First that hee had beene an aduersarie to the true faith in absoluing Euâ—…yches a notable here ique in the second Councill of Ephesus Secondly that he was a murderer of Flavianus B. of Constantinople a constant defender of the true faith and thirdly that hee had done himselfe wrong in deposing him without a cause and herewith he desired his letter to be read The Councill not only read his letter accusatorie but also read all the acts of the 2. Councill of Ephesus heard the reports of bishops who were present at that Councill of Brigandrie and had consented against their hearts to the deposition of Flavianus because Dioscorus had bands of souldiers sent by Chrysaphius in name of the Emp. Theodosius 2. to compell simple men to obey all his desires All this beeing considered together with his vnmanerly rudenes who would not suffer the letter of Leo B. of Rome to be read in the Councill foresaid and finally that hee had most vniustly and vnaduisedly excommunicate Leo B. of Rome The Councill of Chalcâ—…on cited Dioscorus the ground of this controuersie but he compeared not therefore he was damned as an heretique together with Eutyches and Juvenalis B. of Jerusalem and it was ordained that men should beleeue that the natures of CHRIST albeit they were vnited yet were they not confounded as Eutyches heretically had affirmed Likewise all the actes of the second Councill of Ephesus were abrogated and rescinded except the doposition of Domnus B. of Antiochia and substitution of Maximus in his place Moreoâ—…er Thâ—…odoretus B. of Cyns and Ibas B. of Edessa who had bene vniustly deposed in the second Councill of Ephesus were both restored to their places after they had clearely damned the heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches In the cause of Bassianus and Stephanus who contended both for the bishopricke of Ephâ—…sus it was ordained that both of them should bee remooued from that dignitie as men who by vnlawfull meanes had aspired to ecclesiasticke offices and a third person should haue the office Finally it was statute and ordained in this Councill that Anatolius B. of Constantinople and his successours should haue the chiefe dignitie next vnto the chaire of Rome It is to bee marked that Protâ—…rius B. of Alexandria to whom the place of old belonged albeit he was present in the Councill yet hee made none obstacle vnto
fauoured Theodorus others promoued Paschalis and neither of the parties would yeeld to the other In end the people thought expedient to reject them both and to choose some third person to the Popedome So they elected Sergius the first and carried him vpon their shoulders to the Church of Laterane In his time Iustinian the second gathered a Councell at Constantinople to perfect and finish the worke which his father had begunne Sergius refused to subscribe the Acts of the sixt generall Councell albeit his Ambassadour who was present at the Councell had subscribed them Of the consecrated Hostie hee ordained one part to be put into the Chalice to represent the bodie of Christ which was risen from death another part to be eaten to represent the bodie of Christ walking vpon the earth the third part to bee laide vpon the Altar vntill the ende of the Masse to represent the bodie of Christ lying in the Sepulchre He gou◅rned thirteene yeeres eight monethes and 24. dayes COncerning the Patriarches of Constantinople in this Centurie little mention is made of them because for the most part they kept not the right Faith but were intangled with heresie After Cyriacus Thomas and Ioannes and constantinus succeeded whose faith as vnspotted with anie blame of heresie hath an honest testimonie in Church rolles called Sacra diptytha Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus were miserablie infected with the heresie of the Monothelites Pyrrhus once recanted his heresie and was absolued from excommunication by pope Theodorus but hee returned incontinent againe as a dog to his vomite Pope Theodorus whē he excōmunicated him the second time vsed a new insolent forme of doing the like wherof was neuer heard at any time before for he infused some drops of the consecrated cup into inke writ a sentence of cursing against Pyrrhus Paulus also obtained at the hands of the Em. Constans edicts to be affixed in diuerse places whereby all men should be compelled to subscribe the errour of the Monothelites After them Petrus Theodorus albeit they maintained not the fore-mentioned heresie with so high and proude attempts as others had done yet they were addicted vnto it Georgius successor to Thcodorus in the 6. generall Councell had defended the errour of the Monoth but when he was clearly refuted by testimonies of Scripture by places cited out of the Fathers he yeelded embraced the true faith Callyni◅us ministred vnder the reigne of Iustinian 2. who demolished a Church neare approching to his palace builded an house of presence wherein the people might cherish the Em. Callinycus was compelled to consecrate the house by prayer but in regard he was enforced against his heart to pray he made his prayer short in this maner Giorie be to God who patiently comporteth with vs both now for euer Am◅n For this cause Iustinian hated Callynichus whē he returned back again from his 10. yeeres banishment he caused the eyes of Callyn to be put out sēt him to Rome there to remain in banishmēt IN Alexandria before the Saracenes vnder the conduct of Mahomet conquered the countrey of Aegypt few of note marke were to be found in that chaire After Eulogius Ioannes scribo continued in office only 2. yeeres After him Ioannes Eleemosynarius is highly commended for his liberalitie toward the poore Cyrus his successour was an her◅tique following the errour of the Monothelues He payed tribute to the Saracenes but when the Em. Heraclius wearied of the payment of tribute then all the countrey of Aegypt was possessed by the Saracenes which incursion of the Mahumetans albeit it cutted not off the personall succession of the patriarches of Alexandria yet it obscureth the cleare notice of their succession vnto vs who are farre distant from them IN Antiochia Anastasius Sinaita is found to haue beene bishop of Antiochia in the dayes of the Emperour Phocas Hee obtained this name to bee called Sinaita because hee had macerated himselfe with long fasting and with hard exercises of an heremiticall life vpon mount Sina anno 610. hee was slaine in a seditious commotion stirred vp by the Iewes who dwelt at Antiochia who slewe manie other Christians but they vttered great crueltie joyned with vile inhumanitie against Anastasius in whose mouth they cast the verie excrements of his owne bodie as the MAGDEBVRG historie recordeth citing the testimonie of Nicephorus After him another of that same name called likewise Anastatius succeeded was B. of Antiochia he was a Syrian a man of a subtile spirit who circumuened the Em. Heraclius for at the Em. command he subscribed the decrees of the Councell of Chalcedon only simulately for desire of preferment but after he had subscribed that two natures personally vnited were to be acknowledged in Christ he demanded of the Em. what he thought of the will operation of Christ whether was two willes operations in Christ or one will and one operation only The Em. troubled with the nou◅lty of the question consulted with Sergius B. of Constantinople who returned this answere to the Em. that one will one operation was to be acknowledged in Christ. The Em. Heraclius being circumuened by false deceitfull teachers was ashamed to forsake that opinion which hee had once condiscended vnto So this heresie of the Monothelites tooke deepe roote in the East vntill the time that God punishing the contempt of his truth suffered the Saracenes with their blasphemous Mahometon doctrine to be vniuersally ouer-spred in the East To Anastatius succeeded Macarius a most obstinate defender of the heresie of the Monothelites for the which cause he was both excommunicated and deposed in the sixt generall Councell and Theophanius an Abbor in Sicile was made bishop of Antiochia After him are reckoned Petrus Thomas and Ioannes without anie further discourse except a bare commemoration of their names THE Church of Ierusalem in this age was pitifullie defaced as lying nearest to the incursions of strong enemies both Persians and Sa◅cenes Zacharias Bishop of Ierusalem was carried captiue by Cosroes king of Persia and remained a prisoner for the space of fourteene yeeres In ende he was restored to his former dignitie at that time when the Emperour Heraclius ouercame Cosroes in warre-fare and recouered the Crosse of Christ againe which the Persians had spoyled and taken out of Ierusalem This came to passe in the yeere of our Lord 624. To Zacharias succeeded Sophronius of a Monke He was made Patriarch of ◅erusalem Hee lacked not his owne commendation in the sixt generall Counce◅l as one who kept the true Faith inuiolablie Hee was present in Ierusalem when Haumar Prince of Saracenes entered into the Towne and Temple and he was a beholder of the last desolation of the Church in that Towne OF OTHER PASTORS AND DOCTORS IN this CENTVRIE there is great scarsitie of learned men yet that which was inlacking in l◅arning it must bee supplied one way or other Some were
politique others in the opinion of ignorant people were so deuote and holie that miracles were wrought by their handes and at their sepulchres namelie lying miracles aduancing the kingdome of the Antichrist The most remarkeable Bishops of Rauenna in this CENTVRIE were Theodorus Reparatus and Foelix all of contrarie dispositions so flat opposite one to another as possible could be Theodorus was teâ—…rible and couetous and when hee sawe that hee was despised by the people and Clergie being 〈◊〉 of reuenge hee betrayed the libertie of the Churâ—…h of Rauenna in the dayes of Pope Donus Reparatus being ignorant of that which â—…eodorus had done and finding tâ—…e Church of Rauenna subjected to the chaire of Rome for vâ—…rie heart griefe incontinent hee ended his life Foelâ—…x refused to paye vnto Pope Constantine the summe of money which he demanded as a testimonie of subjection For this cause Pope Constantâ—…e desired support from the Emperour Iustinian the second for subduing the Bish. of Rauenna Foelix on the other part hearing that the Emperours armie was approching to Rauenna for the cause aforesaid he instigated the people to fight for the liberty of their Church Both the armies faught with martiall courage In ende the Emperours armie preuailed the Towne of Rauenna was taken manie were slaine others were carried captiue to Constantinople the eyes of Foelix were put out the rest were banished to Bithynia What can bee found in this historie but pride on the one part ambiciouslie seeking superioritie and on the other part policie sometimes yeelding sometimes despairing and sometimes with bellicous hardinesse presuming to pleade a spirituall cause with weapons of a corporall warre-fare In this CENTVRIE manie miracles are attributed to persons whome the people counted to be deuote Ioannes Bishop of Bergomum in Lombardie was a man of so great reuerent account that Princes were wont by rising out of their Thrones to doe honour vnto him It happened vpon a time that hee reprooued Ivnipertvs king of LOMBARDIS freelie and sharpelie in time of a banquet IVNIPERTVS willing to bee reuenged of him prouided that hee should bee sent home vpon a strong fierce and loftie horse which was accustomed to cast the ryders and to teare and lacerate them But when the bishop of BERGOMVM was mounted vpon him hee left his fiercenesse and carried him peaceablie and calmelie vnto his owne house IOANNES AGNVS bishop of WTRECHT in whose hand a piece of drie timber budded and flourished yet was hee an idiote and an vnlearned man REMACLVS bishop of the same Towne and borne in Bourâ—… of FRANCE left his Episcopall office and went to the Wâ—…ldernesse where hee ledde an Heremiticall life defending his insolent fact by the example of MOSES ABRAHAM HELIAS HELISEVS and CHRIST himsâ—…lse who were all found to haue beene in the Wildernesse But if he had beene a man of deâ—…pe vnderstanding hee might haue alledged more pertinentlie the example of NARCISSVS bishop of IERVSALEM who in going to the Wildernesse foâ—… sooke his Episcopall office for a time than the example of CHRIST who went vnto the Wildernesse to enter into the holie office of Preaching after preparation of fasting praying and fighting with spirituall armour against the prince of Darknesse Notwithstanding hee is thought both in his life time and also after his leath to haue wrought miracles In AVSTVME a Towne of FRANCE called in Latine Augustodunum LEODEGARIVS is thought to haue reteined his voyce and the benefite of distinct speaking after that his tongue was cut out and that manie miraculous works were wrought after his death if credite can bee giuen to VINCENTIVS The miracles of ANDOENVS bishop of ROWEN who also writ a booke of the miraculous deliuerance of the soule of DAGOBERTVS King of FRANCE and an infinite number of other lying miracles all confirming superstition of purpose I leaue them as fables superaboundant in the writings of VINCENTIVS Concerning ISIDORVS HISPALENSIS occasion will bee offered to speake of him in the sixt Councell of Tolido The vaine disputation concerning the diuersitie of the keeping of EASTER daye in SCOTLAND and ENGLAND betwixt COLMANNVS and WVILFRIDVS it is as vnnecessary to be written as it was vnnecessary with heat and contention to haue bene disputed CHAP. III. OF HERESIES IN this age partlie through the malice of Sathan and partlie through the power of the wrath of GOD punishing the contempt of his trueth Heresies did mightilie abound for the heresie of Arrius beganne to reuiue againe and manie of the Kinges of Lombardis were addicted vnto it in speciall Rhotaris the sonne of Arioaldus who appointed that in euerie Towne of Lombardie there should be two Bishops hauing equall authoritie the one a Catholique bishop the other an Arrian In Scotland and England the heresie of Pelagius was renewed as Bedâ—… testifieth The Monkes of Syria propagated the heresie of Nestorius as Platina recordeth in the life of Donus the first The heresies of Seueritae Aphartodotitae Momphysitae Acephali Theopafcitae Iacobitae Armenii all were Eutychian heretiques differing one from another in some ceremonies in absurditie of speaches in authors whome they principally admired and followed in places where the heresie chiefelie increased in their carriage Likewise Staurolatrae were Eutychian heretiques but the worshipping of the Crosse was a note distinguishing them from other heretiques of their owne opinion Priscillianistae were heretiques who borrowed absurd opinions from Samosatenus and Photinus from Cerdon and Marcion and from the Manicheans but all these auncient erroures were sufficientlie refuted in auncient times The heresie of the Monothelites was a branch of the heresie of â—…tyches by a secretâ—… and craftie connoye insinuating it selfe in credite againe after it was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon The authors of this heresie were Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Patriarches of Constantinople and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Petrus bishop of Nicomedia with manie others They denied not directlie the two natures of CHRIST personallie vnited but onlie they affirmed that after the vnion of the two natures there was onlie one will and one opeâ—…tion in CHRIST Whereas the holie Scriptures attribute vnto CHRIST as Hee is man the action of sleeping and to CHRIST in respect of His diuine nature the action of compescing and calming the rage and stormie tempest of blowing windes and swelling Seas This heresie was damned in the sixt generall Councell as wee shall heare God willing in the owne place CHAP. IIII. OF COVNCELS IN the yeere of our LORD 607. and vnder the reigne of the Empâ—…rour Phocas a Councell was assembled at Rome of sâ—…uentie and two Bishops thirtie Presbyters and three Deâ—…cons In this Councell the priuiâ—…edge of supremacie giuen by Phocaâ—… to the Romane Church was published Likewise it was ordained vnder paine of cursing That during the life-time of a Bishop no man should talke of the election of another That no man by largition of money should purchase vnto himselfe
a spirituall office and That no man should consult concerning the election of another Bishop or Pope before three dayes were expired after the death of the detunct that the Bish. should be elected by 〈◊〉 Clergy people their election should be ratified by the Magistrate of the citie and the Pope by these wordes voluâ—…us jubâ—…mus that is Wee will and wee command otherwise the election shall bee voyde and of none effect Bonifacius the fourth gathered another Assembly in the eight that is in the last yeere of the reigre of Phocas wherein hee gaue power to Monkes to preach to minister the Sacramentes to heare confessions to bind and loose and asâ—…ociated them in equall authoritie with the Clergie Bracara or Braecara vulgarlie called Braga is a towne in â—…ortugall In the yeere of our Lord 610. and vnder the reigne of Gundemarus king of Gothes reigning at that time in the countrey of Spaine assembled some Bishops of Gallicia Lusitania and of the Prouince called Lucensis of olde It was ordained That euerie Bishop shoulde visit the Churches of his Diosie and see that Baptisme was duelie ministred and that Catechumeni twentie dayes before their baptisme shoulde resort to the purifications of Exotcismes and shoulde bee instructed in the knowledge of the Apostolicke Symbole and that the people shoulde bee exhorted to beware of Idolatrie Adulterie Murther Peâ—…jurie and all other deadlie sinnes That Bishops should not lift vp the third part of 〈◊〉 oblations of the people but that it should remaine in 〈◊〉 paroche Church for furnishing light and for repairing the fabrike of the Church and that the Bishop shoulde compell none of the Clergie to attende vpon him in seruile workes That bishops for ordination of the Clergie shoulde receiue no rewardes That neither a little balme nor yet the price thereof should bee exacted from the people for their baptisme in any time to come lest they should seeme with Simon Magus to sell the gift of God for money That bishops before the dedication of Churches shall see a charter containing a sufficient maintenance for them who shall serue in the Church and for a substantiall furniture of lightes thereunto A Church builded for gaine contribution of the people redounding to the vantage of the builder shall not bee consecrated Parents who are poore present their children to baptisme if they offer anie thing voluntarilie it shall bee accepted but they shall not bee compelled to pay anie thing neither shall a pledge bee required from them lest poore people fearing this with-holde their children from baptisme If anie of thâ—… Clergie bee accused of fornication let the accuser proue his accusation by 2. or 3. witnesses according to the precept of the Apostle cls let the accuser be excommunicate That Mâ—…trapolitane Bishops shall signifie to others of the Clergie the time of theobseruation of Easter or Pashe day and the Clergie after the reading of the Gospell shall in like manner intimaâ—…e the day vnto the people That whosoeuer tasteth meate or drinke before hee consecrate the oblation of the Altar shall bee deposed from his office In the yeere of our Lord 613. assembled in a Towne of France called Altissidorum otherwise Antissidorum vulgarlie Auxerre a number of Abbots and Presbyters with one bishop and three deacons In this Councell they damned sorcerie and the seeking of consultation at sorcerers in the first third fourth and fift Canons Whereby it appeareth that sorcerie hath bene in frequent vse in France Manie superstitious constitutions were set downe in this Synode concerning the number of Masses prohibition of tasting meate before Masse concerning buriall prohibition of baptisme before the festiuitie of Easter daye except vpon necessity and feare of approching death prohibition of Matrimoniall copulation with their own wiues to presbyters and deacons after their blessing and consecration with prohibition of marriage also to the widowes of the defunct presbyters deacons or sub-deacons this was a yoke of Antichristian subjection indeed Brother and sisters children are forbidden to marrie It is not lawfull for a presbyter to sit in judgement when any man is condemned to death It is not lawfull for a Clergy man to cite another of the Clergie before a secular Iudge It is not lawfull for a woman with a naked hand to touch the holie Eucharist It is not lawfull to take refreshment of meate with an excommunicate person If any of the Clergy receiue an excommunicate man without the knowledge of him who hath excommunicated him he shall receiue the like sentence that is he shall likewise be excommunicated It is not lawfull for a presbyter in banqueting time to sing or dance Manie Canons to the number of 45. were concluded in this Councell but I haue determined not to ouer-lade a little booke with commemoration of an heape of vnprofitable vnnecessarie and superstitious Canons In the yeere of our Lord 364. and in the 24. yeere of the reigne of the Emp. Heraclius a Councell was gathered in Hispalis a towne of Spaine vulgarly called Ciuill la grand It was gathered by Isidorus B. of Hispalis at the command of king Sisebutus who was both present and President in this Councell For two principall causes was this Synode conueened namelie for suppressing the heresie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches secondly for decision of questions which arose amongst bishops concerning the marches and boundes of their diocesis with some other Ecclesiasticall causes They had 13. Sessions or meetinges as is declared 2. Tom. Concill In the first action Theodulphus bishop of Malaca complained that by injurie of warres an ancient paroch Church was separated from his towne and possessed by others It was concluded that he should be repossessed again into his ancient priueledges that prescriptioÌ„ of time should haue no place if it were known that hostilitie and warre-fare had hurt a man in his rights In the second Session the controuersie betwixt Fulgentius bishop of Astigita and Honorius bishop of Corduba concerning the marches of their dioceses was debated and men were chosen to visite the boundes and to decide the controuersie In the third Session compeared Cambra bishop of Italica a Towne of the prouince of Spaine of olde called Baetica hee complained against one of his Clergie named Passandus that he being brought vp from his infancie in the Church of Italica yet had fled without anie just cause to Corduba It was ordained that whosoeuer fled from his owne Church vnto another should be sent backe againe and should be thrust into a Monasterie and should bee deuested of his honour for a time to the end that the sharpenesse of Discipline might correct the licencious libertie of vaging and wandering In the 4. Session it was complained that some were consecrated to be Leuites in the Church of Astigita who had maried widowes
out let complaint be made to the bishop to the Metropolitane or to the king of the countrey Founders of Churches during their life-time haue power to appoint men who shall attend vpon the fabricke of the Church or Monasterie which is builded that it decay not If any Church-man bestowe any part of Church-rent vnder the colour of prestation let the cause bee clearely contained in an euidence or else it shall be voyde Let the goods of the defunct administrator of the Church affaires be equally diuided betwixt his heires and the Church If a bishop build a Monasterie let him not bestow abcue the fiftie part of the rent of his prelacie in the charges of building and incase he build a paroche Church for honour of his buriall place let him not bestowe aboue the hundreth part of his rent for charges of building To the bishop belongeth the third part of rent of euery paroch Church in his diosie and whether he leaue that thirde part to the Church it selfe out of which it is vp-lifted or to anie other Church his gift shall stand firme without reuocation Let no man vnder pretence of propinquitie and because hee is heire intromet with the goods of the defunct bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Metropolitane and incase the Metropolitane depart this life let no intromission with his goods bee made without the fore-knowledge of his successor lest by fraude and deceit the Church be damnified If any man ministring in a Church-office alienate a part of Church rentes the supputation of time shall begin to bee reckoned from the houre of his death not from the time wherein the charter was subscribed and so after his death let the prescription run on The ninth Canon measureth the commoditie which a bishop shall receiue who hath taken paines to burie another bishop Children procreated by bishops presbyters deacons c. shall not only be depriued of the heritage sometime belonging to their parents but also they shall be mancipated to perpetuall seruice of those Churches whereinto their fathers serued Let the Reader marke that there is greater businesse in Councels to procure obedience to one antichristian precept cōcerning prohibition of marriage than to all the ten Commandementes of Gods holy law Let not a seruant be accepted to serue in the Ministerie of the Church before he be first set at libertie When seruants are set at libertie let the supputation of time beginne at the death of him who set them at libertie and not at the time when the charter was made Seruants set at libertie shall neither marrie a woman of the Romane nor of the Gothes blood and they shall be subject to the Church that set them at libertie and if necessitie compell them to sell landes let the land bee first offered for a competent price to one who ministreth in that Church from which their libertie did arise I◅wes who are baptized shall in time of solemne feastes attende vpon the bishop of the parts where their dwelling is to the ende that he may beare testimonie of the integritie of their faith If this commandement be transgressed the bishop shall ordaine the Iewe either to bee scourged or to be subject to such ◅bstinence as he thinketh most fit In ende thankes beeing rendered to God for their meeting and for the vnitie of their judgementes and supplications beeing made to God for the weale of the King Recesuvindus in soule and bodie the Councell was dissolued IN the eight yeere of the reigne of Recesuvindus king of Gothes assembled in Toledo 21. bishops They decerned concerning the Feastes of the Natiuitie of our Lord and of the Lordes mother at what times they should bee kept Punishmentes are appointed for men of the Clergie and Monkes who are not found loyall and duetifull to the King and the countrey That men vnmeete for spirituall offices should not bee intruded into the Church neither for propinquitie of blood nor for hope of lucre and gaine That widowes professing a religious order shall receiue an habite conuenient for that order And that women who depart again from their professed order shall be punished That parents shall not render their children to religious orders before they bee eighteene yeeres of age Finally Protamius bisshop of Bracara beeing conuict of adulterie was remoued from his office and Fructuosus was placed in his rowme IN the 7. yeere of the reigne of Bamba King of Gothes 19. bishops and 7. Abbots were assembled in Toledo by the Kinges commandement Quiricus bishop of Toledo beeing President In the beginning after a protestation of a decent order to be kept in their Assembly that no tumult nor contentious disputation nor indecent laughter should disturbe the comely modestie of their assembly They set downe a prolixe conf◅ssion of Faith and Canons belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline in the forme following 1. That bishops should be well acquainted with Scriptures and apt to teach 2. That Metropolitane bishops should ◅rie how the Pastors of their diosie increase in knowledge 3. That the forme of singing vsed in the Metropolitane Church shall be like wise vsed in other inferiour Churches 4. That persons who haue discorded shall not stand at the Altar vntill the time they bee reconciled againe 5. That Church-men shall not judge in actions of blood 6. That bishops shoulde not giue sentence before a sufficient triall of the cause 7. Bishops who commit adulterie or murther shall be deposed and excommunicated beside the punishment to bee inflicted by the secular Iudge 8. No rewarde shall bee taken for ministration of the Sacramentes 9. Bishops before their ordination shall giue their oath that they haue not acquired that dignitie by rewards either giuen or to be giuen 10. He who is to be preferred to any Ecclesiasticall office let him first sweare that he shall continue constantly in the true Catholicke faith and that he shall be obedient to Eccl siasticall Canons 11. Let no man refuse to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper when it is offered by him who hath a l◅wfull calling to ministrate it 12. Absolution should bee pronounced when perill of death impendeth albeit complete satisfaction be not made 13. The holy Sacrifice shall not bee ministred by persons possessed with deuils or transported with passions of madnesse 14. He who ministreth at the Altar shall haue others concurring with him to the end that if he be suddenly oppressed with any infirmitie the other as◅stant brother maye supply his place 15. Councels are ordained yeerely to be kept IF order of time be not precisely kept in commemoration of the Councels of Bracara and Toledo let no man ma◅uell some regard must be had to the memorie of the Reader and it is not meete that the Councels of Toledo being many in number and so frequently conueened one following vpon the necke of another except the 11. Councell conu◅ened 12. yeeres after the 10. should
be miserably disioyned if such things be not comported with by the fauourable Reader it will bee hard to abridge this head of Councels to the contentment of a learned Reader This Councell of Bracara by Caranza is called the first Councell of Bracara In it manie olde opinions of the Prisc◅llianistes and Manicheans concerning prohibition of Marriage meats are damned together with the heresies of Samosatenus Photinus Cerdon and Marcion Canons set foorth in this Councell are so coincident with the Canons of other Councels that there is no necessitie to make rehearsall of them In the 30. can of this Councell it is ordained That no poesie shall bee sung in the Church except the psalter of the olde Testament IN the 4. yeere of Bambas king of Gothes 8. bishops were assembled in Braga In the beginning of the Councell for confession of their faith they made a new rehearsall of the summe of the Nicene faith After this they set down 8. ordinances in manner following 1. That all superstitious opinions beeing rejected bread and wine mixed with water onelie should be offered in the Sacrifice and not the liquor of milke nor pure vnmixed wine nor bread dipped in wine H◅ere marke that the giuing of vnmixed wine to the people in the Sacrament or Sacrifice is called superstition such bitter fruites doe ensue vpon magnifying the traditions of men that Christes owne institution is called superstition 2. That vessels dedicated to God bee not abused and employed to seculare and humane vses 3. A Presbyter when hee saieth Masse let him bee clothed with his Orarium on both his shoulders and bee signated on his brest with the signe of the Crosse. 4. Let no person of the Clergie cohabite with women no not with their owne sisters without witnesses of their conuersation 5. Vpon Festiuall dayes reliques enclosed in an arke shall bee borne vpon the shoulders of the Leuites as the Arke of GOD in the olde Testament was accustomed to bee borne 1. Chron. 15. 15. and not about the necke of a bishop and incase the bishop will needes carry them himselfe then shall he walke on foote with the rest of the people not be carried in a coach by his deacons Here marke how mens traditions are equalled to the commandemēt of God 6. Presbyters Abbots and Leuites for the dignity of their calling shall not be punished with stripes by the bishop lest in dispersoning the principall members of his owne body hee bring himselfe into contempt of his subjectes 7. Let no honour bee solde for promise of rewards 8. Let gouernours of Churches haue a greater regarde to the weale of the Church than to their own particular affaires In end thanks is giuē to God to the king for their meeting they subscribe the fore-named ordinances Here marke that in the countrey of Spaine the king still keepeth in his owne hand power of conuocating Councels IN the yeere of our Lord 681. in the 12. yeere of the reigne of Constantinus Pogonatus a generall Councell was assembled at Constantinople by the authority of the Emperour and not by the commandement of Pope Donus nor Agatho his successor nor of Leo 2. the successour of Agatho as the Diuall letter of Constantine directed to Pope Donus and receiued and obeyed by Pope Agatho clearly testifies As for the number of bishops cōuened there is an infinite discrepance betwixt the authors who make rehearsal of their number the least number reckoned is 150. The question discussed in this Assemblie was about the willes and actions of Christ. Macarius patriarch of Antiochia Stephanus his disciple partinaciously defended the errour of the Monoth◅lites confirming also their opinion by the testimony of Honorius sometime bishop of Rome whose letters written to Sergius sometime bishop of Constantinople being read in the opē audience of the Councell made it clearly known that he also was infected with the errour of the Monothelites For this cause Honorius b. of Rome Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus bishops of Constantinople Cyrus b. of Alexandria and Macarius b. of Antiochia were all excommunicated likewise Polychronius a ridiculous Monke and his complices were excommunicated and with great shame and ignominy rejected from the fellowship of the Church For he offered to proue the opinion of the Monothelites to bee the trueth of God by writing the summe of that opinion in a paper and ouer-spreading it vpon a beere wherein a dead man was laide hee put the Councell in hope that hee shoulde raise the dead man to life againe but after triall hee was founde to bee a lying and a deceitfull fellowe and hee likewise was excommunicated This Councell made no Canons and Constitutions concerning Church discipline as other Councels had done before For this cause Iustinian the second the sonne of Pogonatus gathered these same Fathers who had bene in the preceeding Counc◅ll to perfect the worke which they had begun They made manie Constitutions but two in speciall which displeased the Romane Church First they annulled the doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning prohibition of Marriage to men in spirituall offices Secondly they ordained the Patriarch of Constantinople to bee in equall authoritie with the Pope of Rome These Constitutions and Canons Pope Sergius refused to subscribe albeit his ambassadoures in his name had subscribed them in Constantinople BAmbas King of Gothes resigned the title of his Royall authoritie to Euringius and he was content to bee shauen and enter into a Monasterie In the first yeere of the reigne of Euringius 33. bishops with some abbots 13. noble men of Court conuecned at Toledo The King amongst many other things protested that hee was content that whatsoeuer thing in his lawes seemed repagnant to reason it should be corrected by the prudent aduise of this Councell The Fathers of this Councell for confession of faith adhered vnto the Councell of Nice After this the hand-writinges and seales of Bambas and the nobles of his Court and the testimonie of I◅lianus Arch-bishop of Toledo are presented whereby it was knowne that Bambas had resigned his gouernement in fauour of Euringius willing them to choose him to bee his successour So it came to passe that Euringius was solemnly proclaimed to bee King and the people were assoyled from the oath of alleadgeance made to Bambas and were astricted to the obedience of King Euringius In this Councell it was forbidden that newe bishoprickes should be erected in villages and the bishop of Emerita begged pardon for this that he had ordained a bishop in a certaine village being comp◅lled so to doe by the cōmandement of King Bambas They who stand at the Altar and sacrificeth are commanded to eate of the sacrifice as often as they offer it The actes made in preceeding Councels against the Iewes were renewed and amplified in this Councell and thankes was giuen to God and the King for their meeting Other Councels of Toledo vnder the reignes of Euringius and Egita
and the holie Sacramentes were seldome ministred and with filthie addition of ceremonies inuented by the braine of man to Baptisme and a sacrilegious with-holding from the people the cuppe in ministring vnto them the holie Supper and so the fountaines of liuing water were stopped and cisternes were opened and the wholsome foode of GODS people was turned into ashes and in steade of preaching GODS Worde sincerelie all Church-seruice was turned into a dumbe guise of the Masse and in reading of prayers and passages of Scripture into an vnknowne language so the people for fault of good instruction withered as grasse when it is not refreshed with dewe and raine Yea and SALOMON saieth Where there is no vision the people decay PROV 29. 18. The thirde and moste venomous consequence of the Masse is procession and adoration for hosties consecrated in time of Masse although not broken and eaten they are counted CHRISTES bodie and carried about in procession and worshipped This was not the ancient custome of the Church for the sacrament consisting in the action and vse thereof so long as the blessing and the actions of breaking distributing and eating lasted the bread was counted holie and represented the bl◅ssed bodie of IESVS but after these holie actions were ended the rest of the bread that was not vsed in the Sacrament it was distributed to the poore but it was not kept in boxes to bee carried in procession and to bee adored and worshipped by ignorant people And of all thinges that are deficient in Poperie I haue of◅ times obserued that antiquitie whereof they principallie bragge is moste deficient and lacking in them The ground of Popish procession no doubt was the sending of the Sacraments to those who were sicke and absent by some necessitie But they reade not in IVSTINVS nor in any other ancient writer that people who met the deacon carrying the Eucharist to sicke persons fell downe vpon their knees and worshipped it This abominable idolatrie more vile than the idolatrie of the Gentiles was not of ancient time in vse in the Church Nowe the LORD who hath redeemed our soules from death and who hath called vs from darknesse vnto His marucilous loue establishe our soules in the trueth of GOD through CHRIST IESVS our LORD AMEN FINIS THE VIII CENTVRIE CHAP. I. OF EMPEROURS PHILIPPICVS AFTER IVSTINIAN the second was slaine PHILIPPICVS reigned two yeeres and nine monethes Great dissention fell out betwixt the Emperour Philippicus and Constantine Bishop of Rome for razing as appeareth the pictures of Fathers who were present at the sixt Generall Councell which beeing pictured in the Temple of Sophia were abolished by the commandement of Philippicus Constantine Bishop of Rome declared the Emperour an heretique and commanded that his name shoulde bee rased out of charters This was the first great direct and violent opposition that the Bishops of Rome attempted against noble Emperours Philippicus was taken and his eyes were put out by Anastasius otherwise called Artemius his Secretarie who reigned in his stead ARTEMIVS ARTEMIVS otherwise called Anastasius reigned one yeere and three monethes hee deposed Ihonne patriarch of Constantinople who kept not the true faith and placed Germanus in his steade Hee was taken by Theodosius and sent prisoner to Nice and from thence to Thessalonica where hee was compelled to renounce his Emperiall dignitie and to be cloathed with the habite of a Monke THEODOSIVS THEODOSIVS reigned scarce one yeere and when hee heard that Leo Isaurus gouernour in the East partes was saluted Emperour by the armie hee willinglie gaue ouer his Emperiall dignitie and liued a priuate and peaceable man LEO ISAVRVS LEO ISAVRVS reigned twentie foure yeeres great commotions were in his time both in Church and policie In Church-affaires hee was an hater of Images and burnt images made of wood other images hee melted and misfashioned against whome Gregorius the seconde puft vp with antichristian pride hee opponed himselfen ◅t only allowing worshipping of images but also forbidding to paye tribute to the Emperour Leo. The Emperour on the other part irritated with the proude attempts of Gregorius the second he vsed indirect meanes to cut him off but the enterprises of his deputies Marinus Paulus Eutychius and their followers succeeded vnprosperously Moreouer the Bishop of Rome sought support from the Lombardis who had beene at all times preceeding enemies to the chaire of Rome yet in Leo his dayes they were bounde with the bishop of Rome in a couenant of friendship for none other cause but this onely to shake off the yoke of the Emperours obedience And when the bishop of Rome sawe that the Emperour had great businesse in warres against the Saracens he thought it a sit occasion to drawe the dominion of Italic vnto his owne subjection and therefore with aduise of his Clergie hee both excommunicated the Emperour as a destroyer of the images of the Saincts and disauthorised him of his Emperiall soueranitie So early began the increasing grandour of the Antichrist to sende foorth the thuńder-boltes of cursinges against the annointed of the Lord. In this Emperours dayes the Saracenes passed ouer the Straites inuaded the kingdome of Spaine slewe Rodericus king of Gothes and his sonne and put an ende to the kingdome of the Gothes in Spaine after they had reigned 346. yeeres and being incited by Eudo Duke of Aquitania they marched towardes France but thorowe the valour of Carolus Martellus a man of noble birth in France they were so encountered that three hundreth thousand and threescore and ten thousand Saracenes were slaine and the countrey of France was made free of the feare of the Saracens CONSTANTINVS COPRONYMVS AFTER LEO his sonne CONSTANTINVS COPRONYMVS reigned 35. yeeres Chytreus reckoneth onlie 23. yeeres because hee hated the worshipping of images which errour had taken deepe roote in this age the writers of the historie of this time haue dipped their pennes in gall and worm-wood to blaspheme the honourable name of Constātinus but whatsoeuer Paulus Diaconus or zonaras haue written to his disgrace his name will bee in honourable account and regarde in the Church of CHRIST The Senate and the people of Constantinople addicted to the worshipping of images hated the Emperour and were glad of the false rumoured tithings of his death when hee went to fight against the Arabians they chose Artabasdus to bee Emperour in his steade But Constantine returned to Constantinople besieged the towne and recouered his owne kingdome againe Hee gathered a Generall Councell in Constantinople anno 755. wherein the worshipping of images was damned as shall bee declared God willing in its owne place In this Emperours dayes were warres betwixt the kings of Lombardis and the Bishops of Rome but the Romane Bishops begged the helpe of Carolus Martellus against Luitprand and the helpe of Pipinus against Aistulphus and the helpe of Carolus Magnus against Desiderius all kinges of Lombardis and so by continuall imploring the helpe of the Nobles Kinges of France the
argumentes whereby the seconde Councell of Nice endeuoured to approue the adoration of images are all refuted in the Councell of Frankford as I haue declared alreadie in a Treatise concerning worshipping of Images Concerning the argument taken from the authotitie of Epiphanius who in his booke called Panarium reckoneth not the worshippers of images in the roll of Heretiques it is answered by the Councell of FRANKFORD that incase Epiphanius had counted the haters of the worshippers of images Heretiques hee had likewise inferted their names in the catalogue of Heretiques but seeing hee hath not so done the Councell of Nice had no just cause to triumph so much in this friuolous argument which maketh more against them that it maketh for them More-ouer in the Councell of FRANKFORD the Epistle of Epiphanius written to Ihonne bishop of Hierusalem was read wherein hee disalloweth the verie inbringing of images into Churches and this Epistle was translated out of Grieke into the Latine language by Ierom. The Epistle is worthie to bee read Reade it in the Magdeburg Historie Cent. 8. Chap. 9. TREATISES Belonging to the VIII CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of Transsubstantiation SATHAN is a vigilant enemie setting himselfe in most opposite manner against euerie thing that is a comfort and refreshment vnto the sheepe-folde of God Now the principall comforts of the sheepe of God are the pastures wherein they feede and the waters wherewith they are refreshed Doubtlesse these two comforts are the preaching of the word and the ministration of the Lordes holy Sacraments If Sathan by any meanes can hinder the true preaching of the worde and the right ministration of the Sacramēts then his malice against Gods people is descried as the malice of the Philistimes of olde against Isaac and his cattell was manifested when they stopped with earth the foūtaines of water which Abraham had digged whereof the cattell of Isaac were accustomed to drink It cannot bee sufficiently expressed in words what malice Sathan hath born against the true preaching of the word of God the right ministration of the Sacraments The sixt persecution of Ethnick Emperoures was so directly set against the Preachers of Gods worde as the worlde might easily discerne that the intention of Maximinus was to vndoe the sheepe-folde of God for lacke of pastures and of refreshing waters For this cause let not our cogitations be rauished with admiration when we heare or reade that manie questions haue beene mooued concerning the holie Sacrament of the Lords Supper If there were not plenty of spirituall consolation to bee receiued by the right participation of this holy Sacrament Sathan had neuer busied himselfe so earnestly against it as if the throate of his kingdome were cut if this Sacrament be rightly ministred by the Preachers rightlie receiued by the people Let the Christian Reader remember that of olde vnder the tenne persecuting Emperoures the receiuing of the holy Sacrament of the Lordes Supper was called the banquet of Thyestes This proceeded from none other ground but from the malice of the Deuill hating the Lords holy banquet Secondly the Manichean heretiques so peruerted the Lords holy Sacrament that Augustine to whom their secret mysteries were not vnknowne was compelled to call their Communion Execramentum and not Sacramentum that is an execrable thing and not a Sacrament Thirdly the Donatists in ministring the Lords Sacraments were in an opinion That the Sacrament was onely effectuall when it was ministred by one of their owne number But seeing the malice of Sathan is an infinite thing and hath not a period wherein it endeth For defacing of the right vse of the holy Sacrament Sathan filled the heart of an hereticall Monke called Damascene with a lewde opinion to affirme That the bread in the holy Sacrament was transsubstantiate into the body of Christ and that the wine was transsubstantiate into His blood Which opinion I may justly call a Noueltie because it was neither in worde nor writ hearde before the seuen hundreth yeere of our Lord. But it is the custome of Papists to follow Nouelties and in the meane time to bragge of Antiquitie What abuses of the holy Sacrament followed after the seuen hundreth yeere of our Lord God willing shall bee declared in its owne time for the present thus much I say That vpon a time I saw the images of Cain and Abel pictured by an vnlearned painter with such habite as the Germanes are appareled with in our dayes These pictures made mee not to thinke that the Germane habite was in vse in the dayes of Cain and Abel but rather that the painter was a foolishe man destitute of vnderstanding Euen so when I reade the works of Damascene albeit I was at that time but young in yeeres yet I thought not that the opinion of Damascene was agreeable to Apostolicke doctrine but rather that Damascene was a foolishe and doating Monke and somewhat ambitious also desiring to be coūted the author of some new opinion which no man had maintained before him IN this TREATISE I shall first declare God willing what it is that they call Transsubstantiation secondly howe absurde an opinion it is and thirdly with what relùctation it was insinuated into the bosome of the Latine Church but euer vntill this daye was rejected of the Grieke Church Nowe Transsubstantiation as they saye is an euanishing of the substance of bread and wine after the wordes of consecration and a substitution of the bodie blood of Christ in place of the euanished substance of bread and wine the accidents of bread and wine alwayes remaining without inherence into anie subject Albeit the worde Transsubstantiation seemeth to import a change of one substance into another and the moste part of them define it to bee a chaunge of the substance of bread into the substance of Christes bodie yet some of them doe forsee a great inconueniencie if Transsubstantiation be defined to a chāge of the substance of bread into the substance of Christes bodie namely this that Christes bodie in heauen cladde with a most glorious and celestiall brightnesse and Christes bodie in earth ouershaddowed with the accidentes of bread and wine shall not bee counted one and the selfe same bodie in respect that the bodie of Christ that is in heauen was formed by the holy Spirit of the substance of the Virgine Marie and the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament woulde bee founde to bee made of the substance of bread This is the cause wherefore they who are more subtile than the rest abstaine from the grosse definition afore-saide Howsoeuer concerning the word Transsubstantiation I admonish the Reader that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an euanishing or disparition hath no affinitie with Damascenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a change of one thing vnto another thing that is better so that there is no good agreement amongst themselues concerning the signification of the word Transsubstantiation Concerning consecration of the elementes there are diuerse opinions The
bee the sonnes of God except they bee borne againe by both the Sacraments to wit by the lauacre of water in the word and the anointment of Chrisme True it is that Cyprian calleth the anointment of oyle after baptisme a Sacrament different from the dipping in water but his meaning is that the anointing with oyle is an element different from the element of water and Augustine long after Cyprian calleth the externall signe of the Sacrament a Sacrament and the thing represented by it res sacramenti Nowe what vantadge hath the Romane Church when they take holde of the wordes utroque Sacramento that is both the Sacraments and in the meane time they neither take heede to the sandie grounde whereupon Cyprian leaneth to wit the opinion of Tertullian neither yet take they heede in what sense Cyprian calleth anointing with oyle a Sacrament to wit because it is one of the elementes whereby our spirituall birth is represented The reuerence that was carried toward the ceremonies of signification in the law of Moses hath made a patent doore vnder the Gospell to receiue many legall ceremonies such as consecration by oyle the linnen Ephod the lightes shining all the night long and many other ceremonies which are the more easily embraced because in Poprie the substance of godlinesse is vtterly forsaken and vaine ceremonies are adhered vnto euen such as are ceassed because they had their performance in Christ. And like as it is a follie to take the huskes of the wine grapes after the liquor is pressed out of them and to cast them into the wine-presse againe Euen so it is a foolishe conceite to returne the ceremonies of signification which haue had their performance in Christ and are abolished to haue place againe in the Church of God Therefore let the Romane Church bragge of Antiquitie as much as they please in their Sacrament of Confirmation no antiquitie shall bee founde and that for three causes First because the anointing with oyle whereof the Fathers doe speake is not a different sacrament from baptisme but a ceremonie Preceeding and following Baptisme Secondly the oyle wherewith persons baptized were anointed was not mixed with Balsome And thirdly after baptisme anointing with oyle and imposition of hands followed immediately but in the Sacrament of Confirmation when it began to take place in the Church of God anointing with oyle mixed with Balsome followed not immediately vpō the necke of baptisme as a continuate action but it was ministred 12. or 15. yeere after baptisme so that it is a deluding of the world and a peruerting of those who are weak in vnderstanding to proue that the Sacrament of Confirmation is an auncient Sacrament in the Church because it was an auncient custome to anoint with oyle those who were baptized as if Baptisme and Confirmation were both one thing which they vtterly denie Let the judicious Reader vnderstand that the purpose of the Romane Church to aduaunce their Sacrament of Confirmation with impairing of the dignitie of Baptisme is but a new Popish inuention For the writers after the dayes of the Apostles the more auncient they are the more they magnifie the holy Sacrament of Baptisme by which saieth Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wee are enlightened wee receiue the adoption of children wee are made perfect wee are made immortall What affinitie hath the doctrine of the Romane Church with Antiquitie who counteth the Sacrament of Baptisme onelie a preparation to the Sacrament of Confirmation Whereas auncient Writers haue attributed to Baptisme receiued truelie and with singlenesse of heart such perfection as leadeth vs vnto immortallitie and eternall life Lindanus pineth himselfe much as a woman trauelling in birth to bring foorth her childe so doeth hee endeuour with all his might to prooue that CHRIST instituted the Sacrament of Confirmation and that the Chrisme shoulde bee renewed from yeere to yeere and that this custome hath beene continuallie in vse since the dayes of the Apostles not onelie in the Church of ROME but also in the Churches of ANTIOCHIA HIERVSALEM and EPHESVS This is a verie confident assertion if hee coulde make it good And for proofe of all this geare is brought foorth asupposititious letter of Fabian bishop of Rome The cause is weake that is founded vpon such sandie grounde as Decretall Epistles doe falselie attribute to a great number of the bishops of Rome The olde prouerbe hath place in Lindanus as much as in anie Writer Parturiunt Montes nascetur ridiculus Mus that is The Mountaines are trauailing in birth and aridiculous Mouse shall bee brought foorth Fabianus testimonie written in a Legende of lies that is in Decretall Epistles vnknown to Antiquitie is no sure ground to any man to leane his Faith vpon it Moreouer he fetcheth a compasse to draw this Sacrament of Confirmation out of Scripture one way or other and hee saith that Christ commaunded his Apostles who were already baptized to remain at Ierusalē vntill they were endewed with strēgth from aboue Act. 1 in the day of Penticost the H. Ghost descēded vpon them in the similitude of fiery clouen tongs Act. 2 again the disciples at Samaria who were already baptized yet by imposition of the handes of the Apostles they receiued the gift of the H. Spirit Act 8. 17 What can Lindanus inferre vpon these groundes Christ bestowed vpon Christians who were already baptized a more ample grace than they had at the beginning whē they were baptized Christ added a signe in time of Confirmation somtimes fiery tongues somtimes imposition of hands ergo Confirmation is a Sacrament of the new Testamēt it followeth not for God in ordinary sacraments like as he maketh promises appertaining to al the beleeuers euen so in like maner he sealeth vp these promises by signes appertaining to all the members of the Church of God but promises belonging to a small number sealed vp with signs cōferred vnto a few cānot bee the ground of a sacrament which is a seale of the couenant of God belonging to all true professors and beleeuers And when Lindanus hath troubled himselfe with much businesse in end he granteth that Chrisming is an vnwritten tradition and hath no authoritie in the written word of God citing the testimonie of Basilius Magnus to this effect God confirmeth and strengtheneth them who are baptized in his name to bring his owne worke begunne in them to a perfection but not to institute a newe SACRAMENT And like as the GENTILES of olde who worshipped the SVNNE they worshipped it not onely for the glory and splendor that was in it but also for the benefite that it did communicate vnto the earth by warming it and making it fruitfull Euen so wee doe magnifie God our Creator and maker not onely for his owne most excellent and incomprehensible glorie but also because he daylie refresheth our soules with his goodnesse strengtheneth our weaknesse with the power of his sauing grace
this daye Crassus for his negligence and euill gouernement was deposed from his authoritie and Arnulphus his nephewe was declared Emperour ARNVLPHVS AFter the death of Carolus Crassus great troubles ensued in Italie by the factions of Berengarius whome the Lombardes choosed to bee King of Italie on the one part and Guido Duke of Spoleto whome others choosed to reigne in Italie on the other part In the middest of these factions Arnulphus leadeth an armie out of Germanie Hee tooke the Towne of Bergamum and hanged Ambrose the Earle thereof vpon a Gibbet before the port of the Towne This seueritie terrified other Townes and made them to yeelde Hee addressed towardes Rome and was â—…rowned Emperour by Formosius whose enemies hee punished vnto the death From thence hee addressed to fight against Guido but hee fledde and escaped the Emperoures handes The wife of Guido hauing no puissance to resist the Emperoures forces shee hired some of the Emperoures seruantes who gaue vnto him a cuppe of poyson which brought vpon him a lethargie and three dayes sleeping continuallie After this hee arose sicke and left the siedge for hee was besieging the wife of Guido and hee died after hee had reigned twelue yeeres In the East gouerned Leo the sonne of Basilius in whose time the Saracenes conquered Taurominium a Towne in Sicill and the Isle of Lemnos CHAP. II. Of Popes Patriarches Pastors and Doctors AFTER LEO the third succeeded STEPHANVS the fourth and ruled seuen monethes He was not elected with consent allowance of the Emperour but only by the Clergie and people of Rome Here it is well marked by Functius that the Romane Church doeth obserue their owne lawes so inuiolably that the priuiledge granted to the Emperour by Pope Leo the thirde it is vndone againe euen in his first successors time to wit in Pope Stephanus the fourth his time In the thirde moneth of his Popedome he journeyed toward France for what cause it is not certaine but it appeareth he would trie the Emperours mind whether or no hee was grieued for this that hee had beene elected Pope without the consent and fore-knowledge of the Emperour When he returned againe finding that Ludouicus Pius the Emperour was not greatly grieued at the matter but accepted his excuse he began to make Commentaries vpon the Decrees of Hadrian the first and Leo the third to wit that they meaned not that the Emperour should be first acquainted with the election of the Pope but rather that after his election the Emp. should be acquainted with this businesse before the Pope were anointed By such false Glosses and Commentaries they were by degrees excluding the Emperour from all kinde of intromission with the election of the Pope After Stephaâ—…us the fourth succeeded Pascalis the first who was elected without consent of the Emperour He sent Ambassadours to excuse himselfe to the Emperour Ludouicus Pius because the Clergie and people had compelled him to accept the Popedome The Emperour Ludouicus Pius on the other part seeing how this matter went and that he was troubled with the vnconstancie ambition and obstinacie of the Romane Church hee gaue them libertie to choose their owne bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Emperour in time to come And Pascalis after hee had ruled seuen yeeres and seuenteene dayes hee ended his course Eugenius the seconde succeeded to Pascalis and ruled foure yeeres His popedome was in the time when Lotharius was appointed to gouerne Italie His commendations are these Great Learning great Eloquence with a mixture of great hypocrisie Valentinus the successour of Eugenius within the space of fourtie dayes after that hee was elected of a Deacon to bee Pope hee concluded his life To Valentinus succeeded Gregorius the fourth and ruled sixteene yeeres Ludouicke and his sonne Lotharius were Emperours at this time without whose consent hee woulde not accept his Popedome Gregorie would haue seemed to haue bene a mediator betwixt Ludouicke and his sonnes but hee is marked with a note of shame in the Magdeburg history as a man who encreassed discord rather than quenched it What hee did in the Conuention at Aken which was conueened by the authoritie of the Emperour it shall bee declared God willing in its owne place To Gregorie the fourth succeeded Sergius the second and ruled three yeeres Hee seemed to be the first Pope who changed the name giuen vnto him in Baptisme for he was called Osporci that is the mouth of the Sowe and for the turpitude of the name he called himselfe by the name of one of his antecessours Lotharius sent Ludouicke his eldest sonne accompanied with manie Noble persons to be crowned Emperour for Lotharius thought meete to enterinto a Monasterie and to lament for his by-past sinnes especially for grieuing the heart of his father Ludouicus Pius He augmented the liturgie of the Masse with the addition of Agnus Dei and ordained that the Hostia should be diuided in three parts To Sergius the seconde succeeded Leo the fourth and ruled eight yeeres three monethes Hee was a man of many crafts a builder a warriour and a Bishop Hee compassed the Vatican with a wall and made it in the similitude of a Towne and builded bull-warkes in the passages of Tyber as it issued from the Towne He was also a warriour and faught against the Saracenes against whom also hee preuailed And finally at some times hee was a Bishop and hee gathered a Councell of 47. Bishops in the which Athanasius a Cardinall Presbyter was damned for negligence in the worke of his calling This is the first time in the which mention is made of a Cardinall in the Historie for the Decretall Epistles as I haue alreadie declared are but fabulous and lying writinges In this Popes dayes Eáelwulphus King of ENGLAND came to Rome for performance of a vowe that hee had made Hee was courteously accepted by Pope Leo for which cause he ordained a tribute yeerely to be paide to the bishop of Rome to wit a pennie Sterling out of euery house in ENGLAND that kindled fire It is well remarked by Philip Morney that Leo thefourth in a certaine Epistle written to the Bishops of BRITANNIE derogateth credite to all the Decretall Epistles assigned to the bishops of Rome preceeding the dayes of Pope Siricius except onely to the Decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So all the authorities that are alleadged by the Romane Church out of the Decretall Epistles for the space of 384. yeeres are of none effect by the confession of Pope Leo the fourth After Leo the fourth succeeded Pope Ihonne the eight an ENGLISH woman borne in the Towne of Mentz She went to Athens cloathed with the apparell of a man accompanied with a Learned man and shee profited in learning beyonde her fellowes When shee came to Rome shee was regarded for her learning and was promoted to the dignitie of the Popedome and ruled two yeeres fiue monethes and
foure dayes About the yeere of our Lord 854. being Pope she played the Harlot and by the prouidence of God this viilanie of the Romane Church which cannot erre was manifested to the whole worlde For in the time of a solemne Procession as she was going to the Church of Latcraâ—… she trauelled in birth and died and was buried without honour Onuphrius the Aduocate of all euill causes cannot ouer-passe this matter with silence but hee bringeth an argument from the authoritie of Anastatius a writer of Chronologie to infringe the credite of this historie in this manner Anastatius saith hee liued about this time and knew best who succeeded to Leo the fourth and hee maketh no mention of Ioannes the eight but of Benedictus the thirde as successour of Leo the fourth To this Philip Morney answereth That an argument taken from authoritie negatiuely hath no force Anastatius maketh no mention thereof ergo it was not done It followeth not for hee bringeth in the restimonie of Ranulphus declaring the cause wherefore Anastatius omitted the name of the foeminine Pope to wit Propter deformitatem facti that is For the deformitie of the fact The nature of a short Compend permitteth me not to insist but let them who are desirous accurately to trie out the veritie of this matter reade that worthie Booke of Philip Morney called Mysterium iniquitatis Then followed Benedictus the third and ruled two yeeres six monethes and nine dayes A man in honouring the Funeralles of the Clergie with his presence readie at all times and desirous likewise that the Funerall of the Bishop shoulde bee honoured with the presence of the whole Clergie To Benedict the thirde succeeded Nicolaus the first and gouerned seuen yeeres nine monethes and thirteene dayes Hee subdued the Bishop of Rauenna to his obedience He suffered the Emperour Ludouicke the seconde to light from his horse and to leade his bridle vntill hee came to the Campe which was the space of a mile Hee permitted diuorcement betwixt married persons for Religions cause without consent of partie And that persons in spirituall offices shoulde not bee subject to the justice seates of ciuill Magistrates He ordained also that no man shouâ—…de receiue the holy Sacrament from a married Priest And that the Emperour should not be present at Ecclesiasticall Conuentions except when questions concerning Faith shoulde bee entraited Likewise hee ordamed That the seruice of GOD in all countreyes should bee celebrated in Latine dispensing in the meane time with the Sclauonians and the Polonians to haue the seruice of GOD in their owne Vulgare Language Hee added vnto the Liturgie of the MASSE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS Hadrianus the second succeeded to Nicolaus the first and ruled fiue yeeres nine monethes and twelue dayes He vsed Antichristian authoritie not onely against Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes but also against Carolus Caluus king of Fraunce whome hee commanded imperiously to present one Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum and nephewe to Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes to the ende that his cause might bee judged by the Apostolicke seate The King tooke these letters in a very euill part and writ vnto the Pope That the Kings of Fraunce had euer beene Soueraigne lordes in their owne countreye and not vice-gerentes and vassalles to Bishops and That hee woulde not permitte any man who had bene damned in a lawfull Councell in his owne countrey to wit in the Councell of Acciniacum to make appellation to Rome In this Popes time the eight generall Councell was assembled whereof I shall speake in its owne time GOD willing Ioannes the ninth succeeded to Adrianus the seconde and gouerned ten yeeres and two dayes This is hee who for rewardes crowned Carolus Caluus to bee Emperour and was casten into prison because hee was more affectionated to Ludouicus Balbus sonne to Carolus Caluus and king of Fraunce than to Carolus Crassus king of Germanie Neuerthelesse hee escaped out of prison and fledde to Ludouicke king of Fraunce whome also hee crowned to bee Emperour But Balbus after his coronation incontinent died and Pope Ihon the ninth must seeke newe acquaintance because his olde friendes were gone therefore hee crowned Carolus Crassus to bee Emperour This was the first Pope who in time of his Popedome crowned three Emperours Martinus the seconde rulâ—…d one yeere and fiue monethes Hadrianus the thirde succeeded to Martinus the time of his gouernement was also short for hee continued not aboue one yeere and two monethes yet neuerthelesse men who are busie may make much stirre in short time Hee perfected that worke which his predecessours had beene busied in bringing to passe many yeeres preceeding namely That the Clergie and people of Rome should not attend vpon the allowance of the Emperour but they shoulde freely choose whome they thought meetest to bee Pope Hee tooke the greater boldnesse to doe this because the Emperour Carolus was occupied in warre-fare The Nation of the Normandes were now so sauadge and mightie and molested Fraunce with an hudge Armie that the Emperour was compelled to transact with them in manner as is aboue rehearsed in the Historie of the life of Caralus Crassus Another constitution was made by Pope Hadrian to wit That after the death of Carolus Crassus who died without succession the Emperiall Title together with the gouernement of Italie shoulde belong to one of the Princes of Italie This was the grounde of vnsupportable debate and of factions in Italie euery man according to the greatnesse of his power contending to bee King and Emperour But chiefely Albertus Marques of TVSCIA Bâ—…rengarius Duke of FOROVILIVM and Guido Duke of SPOLETO This seditious plotte also perturbed the Ecclesiasticall estate For after this euery one of the Princes of ITALIE stroue with all their might to haue such a man seated in the Popedome as coulde best aduance his faction as will clearelie appeare in the election of Pope Formosus To Hadrian the thirde succeeded Stephanus the fifth and ruled sixe yeeres and eleuen dayes The lesse Holinesse Learning and Vertue that hee had the greater audacitie and boldnesse was founde in him for hee made a constitution whereof GRATIAN recordeth Distinct. 19. Cap. Enimvero Quicquid ECCLESIA ROMANA statâ—…ie quicquid ordirat perpetuo quidem irre-fragibiliter obseruandum est that is Whatsoeuer the ROMANE CHVRCH doeth statute and ordaine it 〈◊〉 perpetuallie and without all contradiction to bee obserued After STEPHANVS the fifth whome others doe call the sixth succeeded FORMOSVS and continued fiue yeeres and sixe monethes Hee obtained the Popedome not without strife For one SERGIVS a Deacon was his competitor supported with the TVSCVLAN faction Alwayes FORMOSVS preuailed It was supposed that hee was one of them who conspired against Pope IHONNE the ninth and cast him into bandes After this hee seared the authoritie of Pope IHONNE and fledde into FRAVNCE but Pope IHONNE denuded him of all Ecclesiasticall office and put vpon him the habite of a Laicke
person which indignitie done vnto him hee tooke it so grieuouslie that hee bounde himselfe by an oath That hee shoulde neuer see the Towne of ROME nor returne againe to his Bishopricke for hee was Episcopus PORTVENSIS But Pope MARTINVS absolued him from his oath and repossessed him into his Bishopricke againe and in ende hee was made Pope as saide is Neuerthelesse the faction of his competitor SERGIVS ceassed not to vexe and molest FORMOSVS so that hee sent secrete aduertisement vnto ARNVLPHVS the Nephewe of Carolus Crassus to come to ROME who came with an Armie and was crowned Emperour by Formosus as hath beene alreadie declared To Formosus succeeded Bonifacius the sixt who concluded his course after he had continued twentie and sixe dayes After Bonifacius the sixt succeeded Stephanus the sixt and ruled one yeere and three monethes Hee not onely annulled all the Decrees of his Predecessor Formosus but also caused his dead bodie to bee taken out of his graue and cutte off his three fingers wherewith hee was wont to consecrate persons admitted to spirituall offices and threwe them into Tyber and caused all them who had receiued ordination by Formosus to receiue newe ordination This fact of Stephanus the sixt is so full of vncouth and vnnaturall inhumanitie that Onuphrius denieth that any such thing was done whose impudencie Morneus discouereth by the testimonie of Luitprandus who liued at that same time and was a Deacon of the Church of Ticinum and maketh mention of this vile fact not without horrour and detestation thereof Baronius is not so impudent as Onuphrius and will not denie the fact but extenuateth the atrocitie and vilenesse thereof for hee saieth Non fuit error in side sed violenta tyrannis in facto that is to saye It was no errour in the faith but a violent tyrannie in the fact And like wise hee annulled the inauguration of the EMPEROVR ARNVLPHVS and annointed ALBERT or Lambert Marques of Tuscia who followed the Popes course to bee Emperour Nowe is the Popedome encreased to the measure of a full strength when they dare authorise and disauthorise place and displace Emperoures at their owne pleasure So that there remaineth nothing but to enter into grippes with the Emperour to throwe him downe to the grounde and to treade vpon the excellent honour of his Soueraignitie which in the next CENTVRIE will follow To Stephanus succeded Romanus and continued onely three monethes Hee abrogated the Decrees of Stephanus his predecessour Theodorus the successour of Romanus continued in his Popedome twentie dayes onely In this short time hee allowed the Decrees of Formosus Patriarches of Constantinople PAtriarches of Constantinople in this Centurie were changed according to the disposition of Emperoures fauouring or disliking the worshipping of Images Nicephorus was a defender of adoration of Images and was banished by the Emperour Leo. Theodotus againe Antonius and Syngelus who had beene Schoole-masters to the Emperour Theophilus were haters of Images But after the death of Theophilus Theodora his Wife aduaunced Methodius a superstitious man and an obstinate defender of adoration of Images and intercession of Sainctes Concerning Ignatius and Photius and the great troubles that arose about placing and displacing of them occasion will bee offered to speake of these thinges in the head of Councels Of other Pastors and Doctors IN this corrupt and backe-sliding age wherein the Romane Antichrist had so great vpper-hande the head of Councels will compell mee to make mention of the names of a number of Learned men At this time the name of Claudius Taurinensis putteth a great number of the rest out of my remembrance because hee was a faithfull witnesse vnto the trueth of God in a difficill time Hee was a man borne in Spaine and vnder the reigne of Ludouicus Pius hee was made Bishop of Thurin in P◅emont At his first entrie to his Bishopricke hee threwe the Images out of his Church affirming that the Sainctes who in their lifetime were not content to bee worshipped much lesse coulde they bee content to haue their pictures worshipped after their death In speciall hee condemned the worshipping of the Crosse. affirming that if it shoulde bee worshipped because Iesus died vpon it then the Shippe in the which Christ sailed the Asle whereupon Christ did ride into Hierusalem and infinite other thinges which Christ touched by the like reason behoued also to bee worshipped Concerning the Bishop of Rome he said that hee was not to bee counted an Apostolicke Bishop who sate in the Apostolicke Chaire but hee who fulfilled an Apostolicke office Hincmarus bishop of Rhemes liued vnder Carolus Magnus and continued in office almost vntill the reigne of the Em. Arnulph He had great strife with his nephew Hincmarus b. of Laudunum who refused to be vnder his Diosie and appealed from him vnto the b. of Rome Likewise in the cause of Rhotardus b. of Soission whom Hincmarus deposed and remoued from his office Nicolaus the first b. of Rome absolued him Hadrian 2. gaue him commandement to excommunicate C. Caluus k. of Fraunce his soueraigne lord but hee refused to performe such an vnlawfull commandement and writ vnto the Pope to be circumspect and not precipitate rashly his sentences of excommunication The question wherunto Hadr. 2. was so serious was about diuision of lāds betwixt C. Caluus his brother Lotharius C. Caluus denied that hee did vnjustly inuade any of his brothers landes but landes duely belonging vnto himselfe by paction and couenant And the Nobles of the countrey saide that it was a strange and an vnaccustomed thing that the Pope would take vpon him to be judge in a controuersie concerning the Titles and Rights of Kingdomes because hee coulde not bee both a Bishop and a King CHAP. III. Of Heretiques THEY who of olde were accustomed to condemne Heresies nowe they are become the chiefe Patrones and maintainers of adoration of Images a notable heresie whose pusillanimitie argueth the weaknesse of their cause for vnder the reigne of Ludouicus Pius Claudius Taurinensis wrote bookes against the adoration of Images and the Emperour by a publicke edict commanded them who were disposed to answere to his bookes to answere whilest Claudius was aliue But Ionas bishop of Orleans concealed and obscured his bookes during Claudius lifetime But after his death with impotencie of railing wordes rather than with power of solide arguments he endeuoureth to refute Claudius Taurinensis But I entrait the judicious Reader without partialitie to reade the bookes of Ionas bishop of Orliens the very stinking breath of the adversary of the trueth shall giue great allowance to the trueth of God Godescalcus a man of the Lowe Countreyes is reckoned in the number of Heretiques of this age about the yeere of our Lord 849. because hee spake of Predestination perilously to wit that these who were predestinated to life by the decree of Gods predestination were forced to doe well and those who were predestinated to
vpon the Church and in their bounds they found no man who did complaine Alwayes in that matter if any thing was done amisse they humbly submitte themselues to be corrected by their Soueraigne lord and king THE Councell of Chalons was the fourth Councell conuened in the yeere of our Lord 813. by the commandement of Charles the Great for the reformation of the Ecclesiasticall estate Manie of the Canons of this Councell are coincident with the Canons of the former therefore I shall bee the shorter in the commemoration thereof 1. That Bishops acquaint themselues diligently with reading the Bookes of holy Scripture and the Bookes of auncient Fathers together with the Pastorall booke of Gregorius 2. Let Bishops practise in their workes the knowledge which they haue attained vnto by reading 3. Let them also constitute schooles wherein learning maye bee encreassed and men brought vp in them maye bee like to the sault of the earth to season thecorrupt manners of the people and to stoppe the mouthes of heretiques according as it is saide to the commendation of the Church A thousande Targâ—… are hung vp in it euen all the Armour of the strong Cantiel cap. 4. vers 4. 4. Let Church men shew humilitie in worde deede countenance and habite 5. Let Priestes bee vnreprooueable adorned with good manners and not giuen to filthie lucre 6. The blame of filthy lucre where with many Church men were charged for this that they allured secular men to renounce the worlde and to bring their goods to the Church they endeuour with multiplied number of wordes to remoue 7. Bishops and Abbots who with deceitful speaches haue circumuened simple men and shauen their heads by such meanes doe possesse their goods in respect of their couetous desire of filthie lucre let them bee subject to Canonicall or Regulare repentance But let those simple men who haue laide downe their haire as men destitute of vnderstanding who cannot gouerne their owne affaires let them remaine in that estate which they haue once vndertaken but let the goods giuen by negligent parentes and receiued or rather reaued by auaritious Church men bee restored againe to their children and heires 8. If Church men lay vp prouision of Cornes in Victuall houses let it not bee to keepe them to a dearth but to support the poore in time of neede therewith 9. Hunting and halking and the insolencie of foolishe and filthie jests are to bee forsaken of Church men 10. Gluttonie drunkennesse is forbidden 11. The Bishop or Abbot must not resort to ciuill judicators to pleade their owne cause except it bee to support the poore and the oppressed Presbyters Deacons and Monkes hauing obtained licence from the Bishop maye compeare in Ciuill judgement seates accompanied with their Aduocate 12. Let not Presbyters Deacons or Monks bee fermers or labourers of the ground 13. It is reported of some brethren that they compell the persons who are to bee admitted in time of their ordination to sweare that they are worthie and that they shall doe nothing repugnant to the Canons and that they shall bee obedient to the Bishop who ordaineth them and to the Church in thewhich they are ordained which oath in regarde it is perilous wee all inhibite and discharge it 14. Bishops in visiting of their parishioners let them not be chargeable vnto them but rather comfortable by preaching the word and by correcting things that are disordered 15. It is reported that some Arch-deacons vse domination ouer the Presbyters and take tribute from them which smelleth rather of tyrannie than of due order For if the Bishop should not vse domination ouer the Clergy but by examplares to the flocke as the Apostle Peter writeth Much lesse shoulde these presume to doe any such like thing 16. Like as in dedication of Churches and for receiuing of orders no money is receiued euen so for buying of Baulme to make Chrisme the Presbyters keepers of Chrisme shall bestowe no money but Bishops of their owne rent shall furnish Baulme for the making of Chrisme and Lightes to the Church 17. It hath beene found in some places that Presbyters haue payed 12. or 14. pennies in yeerely tribute to the Bishop which custome wee haue ordained altogether to bee abolished 18. The receiuing of paunds from incestuous persons from men who pay not their Tythes and from negligent Presbyters is forbidden as a thing which openeth a doore to auarice but rather let Ecclesiasticall discipline strike vpon transgressours 19. Let people giue their Tythes to those Churches wherein their children are baptized and whereunto they resort all the yeere long to heare Church seruice 20. Let peace bee kept amongst all men but in speciall betwixt Bishops and Countes whereby cuery one of them maye mutually support another 21. Ciuill Iudges ought to judge righteously without exception of persons and without receiuing of rewardes and let their Officiars Vicars and Centenaries bee righteous men lest by their auarice and griedinesse the people bee grieued and impouerished And let the witnesses bee of vnsuspect credite for by false witnesses the Countreye is greatly damnified 22. The Abbots and Monkes in this part of the Countreye seeing they haue addicted themselues to the Order of Sainct BENEDICT let them endeuoure to conforme themselues vnto his institution and rules 23. The ordination of Presbyters Deacons and other inferioures is to bee made at a certaine prescribed time 24. Concerning Bishops Presbyters Deacons and Monkes who shall happen to bee slaine let the Emperour giue determination to whome the satisfaction of blood shall belong 25. In manie places the auncient custome of publicke repentance hath ceasted neither is the auncient custome of excommunication and reconciliation in vse Therefore the Emperour is to bee entraited that the auncient discipline maye bee restored againe and they who sinne publikely may be brought to publike repentance and euery man according as hee deserueth maye either be excommunicated or reconciled 26. It is reported that in some Churches there is contention strife for diuiding of Church rentes It is ordained therefore That no Masse shall bee saide in those Churches vntill they who are at variance be reconciled againe 27. Neither the Sacrament of Baptisme nor the Sacrament of Confirmation should bee reiterated 28. Concerning the decrees of affinitie and in what degree Marriage may bee bounde vp euery man is sent to the Canons of the Church to seeke resolution 29. Seeing that the man and the woman are counted in SCRIPTVRE as one fleshe their Parentage is to bee reckoned by like degrees in the matter of Marriage 30. The Marriage of seruantes is not to bee dissolued which is bounde vp with consent of both their masters euerie seruant remaining obedient to his owne master 31. It is rumoured that some women by negligence and others fraudulently doe present their owne children to the Sacrament of Confirmation to the ende they may bee separated from the companie of their husbandes Therefore wee statute and
ordaine that such woman as either negligently or fraudulently present their owne children to the Sacrament of Confirmation they shall be compelled to do pennance all the dayes of their life neither shall they in anie wise be separated from their husbandes 32. Let a sinner confesse vnto his Father Confessor all his sinnes which hee hath committed either in thought worde or deede because that hatred enuye and pride are such pestilentious bot◅hes of the soule and the more secretly that they are couched the more periculously they hurt 33. Sinnes shoulde not onely bee confessed to GOD according to the example of DAVID who saieth I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the LORD and thou for gauest the punishment of my sinne Psal. 32. vers 5. But also wee shoulde confesse our sinnes to our Father Confessor according to the precept of the Apostle Acknowledge your faultes one to another and pray one for another that yee may bee healed Iac. 5. 16. 34. In prescribing of pennance let fauour and hatred of any person bee laide aside and let the injunctions be giuen according to the rule of H. Scripture according to the canōs custome of the Church following the example of the physitions of the body who without exception of persons doe adhibit cuttings burnings vehemēt remedies to perilous diseases 35. Many in doing of pennance are not so desirous of remission of sinnes as of the accomplishment of the prescribed time of their humiliation and beeing forbidden to eate fleshe or drinke wine they haue the greater desire of other delicate meates and drinkes but spirituall abstinence which should bee in penitent persons excludeth all bodily delightes 36. Let no man sinne of purpose to the ende hee maye abolishe his sinnes by Almes deedes for that is all one as if a man should hy◅e God to grant vnto him a libertie to sinne 37. Seeing all Canons of Councels are to be diligently read in speciall such as appertaine vnto faith and reformation of manners shoulde bee moste frequently perused 38. Bookes called Libelli Poenitentiales are to bee abolished because the erroures of these bookes are certaine how beit the authors of them bee vncertaine and they prepare pillowes to laye vnder the heads of them who are slecping in sinne 39. In the solemnities of the Masse Prayers are to bee made for the soules of them who are departed as well as for them who are aliue 40. Presbyters who are degraded and liue like seculare neglecting repentance whereby they might procure restitution to their office let them bee excommunicated 41. A Presbyter who transporteth himselfe from his owne place shall not bee receiued in any other Church except hee prooue both with witnesses and letters sealed with lead and containing the name of the Bishop and of the Citie which hee liued in that hee hath liued innocently in his owne Church and had a just cause of transportation 42. Let no Church bee committed to a Presbyter without consent of the Bishop 43. In some places are founde Scots men who call themselues Bishops and they ordaine Presbyters and Deacons whose ordination wee altogether disallowe 44. Presbyters must not drinke in Tavernes wander in Markets nor goe to visite Cities without aduise of their Bishop 45. Many both of the Clergie and Laickes goe to holy places such as Rome and Turon imagining that by the sight of these places their sinnes are remitted and not attending to the sentence of Ierome It is a more commendable thing to liue well in Hierusalem than to haue seene Hierusalem 46. In receiuing the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ great discretion is to bee vsed Neither let the taking of it bee long differred because Christ saieth Except yee eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you Neither let vs come without due preparation because the Apostle saieth Hee who eateth and drinketh vnworthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnation 47. The Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ which in one daye is accustomed to bee receiued of all Christians let no man neglect to receiue it except some grieuous crime doe hinder him from receiuing of it 48. According to the precept of the Apostle Iames Weake persons shoulde bee annointed with oyle by the Elders which oyle is blessed by the Bishop these wordes inclosed in a parenthesi are added to the Text for hee saieth Is anie man siecke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the Name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp And if hee haue committed sinne it shall bee forgiuen him Iam. cap. 5. vers 14. 15. Such a medicine as cureth both bodily and spirituall maledies is not to bee neglected 49. In the Councell of Laodicea it was forbidden that Masses should bee saide and Oblations offered by Bisshops or Presbyters in priuate houses This questiō also was disputed in this Councell 50. The authoritie of the Emperour is to bee interponed for reuerent keeping of the Lordes daye 51. Because the Church is constituted of persons of dine se conditions some are Noble others are ignoble some are seruantes vassalles strangers c. It becommeth them who are in eminent rowmes to deale mercifully with their inferioures knowing that they are their brethren because God is one common Father to both and the Church is one common mother to both From the 52. Canon vnto the 66. are contained precepts of chaste and honest liuing prescribed to Prioresses and Nunnes which I ouer-passe as I haue done in the preceeding Councels 66. It is ordained that prayers and supplications shall bee made for the Emperour and his children and for their well-fare both in soule and bodie 67. These things haue wee touched shortly to bee exhibited to our Soueraigne lord the Emperour Hee who desireth a more ample declaration of all vertues to bee followed and vices to be eschewed l◅t him reade the volume of the holy Scriptures of God IN the same yeere of our LORDE wherein the preceeding foure Councels were conuened and by the mandate of the Emperour Charles the Great another Councell was conuened at Arles The Canons of this Councell were in number 26. 1. They sette downe a Confession of their Faith 2. They ordaine That Prayers shall bee made for the Emperour and his children 3. They admonish Bishops and Pastors diligently to reade the bookes of holy Scripture To teach the Lordes people in all trueth and To administrate the Sacramentes rightly 4. Laick people are admonished not to remooue their Presbyters from their Churches without consent of their Bishoppes 5. That Presbyters bee not admitted for rewardes 6. It is ordained That Bishops shall attende that euery person liue ordinately that is according to a prescribed rule The 7. 8. Canons belong to the ordering of Monkes and Nunnes The 9. Can. pertaineth to the
payment of Tythes and first fruits 10. It is ordained That Presbyters shall preach the worde of God not only in Cities but also in euery Parochin 11. Incestuous copulations are to bee vtterly abhorred 12. Peace is to bee kept with all men according to the wordes of the Apostle Follow peace and sanctification without the which no man shall see God Hebr. cap. 12. vers 14. 13. Let lordes Iudges and the rest of the people bee obedient to their Bishop and let no vnrighteous judgement bee vsed and no bribes receiued nor false testimonie bee admitted 14. In time of Famine let euery man support the necessitie of his owne 15. Let all weightes and measures bee equall and just 16. Let the Sabboth day bee kept holy without Markets Iustice Courtes and seruile labour 17. Let euery Bishop visite his boundes once in the yeere and if hee finde the poore to bee oppressed by the violence of the mightie then let the Bis. with wholsome admonitions exhort them to desist from such oppression incase they will not desist from their violence then let the Bishop bring the cause to the eares of the Prince 18. Let Presbyters keepe the Chrisme and giue it to no man vnder pretence of Medicine 19. Parentes and Witnesses shall bring vp baptized children in the knowledge of God because God hath giuē them vnto Parents and Witnesses haue paunded their worde for their saith 20. Ancient Churches shall not bee depriued of Tythes nor of none other possession 21. That the constitution of ancient Fathers shall bee kept concerning Buriall in Churches 22. Ciuill Iudgement seates shall not bee in Churches 23. The goods belonging vnto the poore if they bee bought let it bee done openly in sight of the Nobles and Iudges of the Citie 24. Let fugitiue Presbyters and Church men bee inquired and sent backe againe vnto their owne Bishop 25. He who hath a Benefice bestowed vpon him for helping the fabricke of Churches let him support the building of them 26. They who sinne publickely let them make their publicke repentance according to the Canons These thinges haue we shortly touched to bee presented vnto our lord the Emperour and to bee corrected by his Highnesse wisedome IN the yeere of our LORD 871. and in the third yeere of the reigne of Basilius Emperour of the East and vnder the reigne of Lewes the second Emperour of the West the Ambassadoures of Pope Adrian the second came to Constantinople Basilius the Emperour gathered a Councell against Photius the patriarch of Constantinople In this Councell great policie was vsed to haue all thinges framed to the contentment of Adrian bishop of Rome For no man was admitted to the Councell except onlie they who had subscribed the supremacie of the Bishoppe of Rome aboue all other Bishops They who refused to subscribe the fore-saide supremacie were contemptuously rejected and not admitted to the Councell So did the authoritie of the Bisshop of Rome proceede to further grouth by flattering of Basilius who slewe his associate Michael as it was founded in the flatterie of Bonifacius the thirde who flattered that vile murtherer Phocas who slewe his master Mauritius In this Councell Photius was deposed and excommunicated and his bookes which hee wrote against the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome were commanded to be burnt Photius was accused for this that hee had accepted the office of a Bishop before hee had receiued other Ecclesiasticall orders Photius alleadged that this was no sufficient cause of deposition in respect that Ambrose bishop of Millan Nectarius bishop of Constantinople and of late dayes Tarasius with consent of the bishop of Rome of Laickes they were made Bishops The Ambassadours of Pope Adrian the second answered that Ambrose was endewed with extraordinarie giftes Nectarius was called at an extraordinarie time to wit when heresie was so ouer-spred that it was an harde thing to finde out a man who was not spotted with heresie and concerning the aduancement of Tarasius to bee bishop of Constantinople to whose admission Adrian the first gaue consent they answered That it was done for a speciall cause in regarde hee was a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images This answere declareth that incase Photius also had beene a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images the Romane Bishop and his Ambassadoures coulde haue dispensed with the want of Ecclesiasticall orders preceeding his admission to his Bishopricke as they did in the person of Tarasius In this Councell also the Ambassadoures of Adrian magnifying the authoritie of the Pope affirmed that the bishop of Rome might judge of the actions of all other bishops but no man might judge of him And albeit the Orientall bishops in the sixt Generall Councell cursed Pope Honorius after his death yet it is to bee marked saye they that hee was accused of heresie And in this case onely it is lawfull for inferiours to resist their superioures and to disclaime their peruerse opinions In this point also they saide That none of the Patriarches and Bishops proceeded against the defunct bishop of Rome without the consent of the Romane Chaire going before them Now obserue good Reader with what fidelitie Onuphrius defendeth the name of Honorius the first as free of all suspition of heresie when as the Ambassadours of Adrian the second for verie shame durst not presume to doe it More-ouer the worshipping of Images in this Councell got a newe allowance againe and it was commaunded That the image of Christ shoulde bee holden in no lesse reuerence than the bookes of the Gospell The Bulgarians also were made subject to the Romane Bisshop And Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople in regarde he was restored to his place again by the meanes of the bishop of Rome hee made no opposition in the contrarie Neuerthelesse this alteration continued but short time for the Bulgarians droue out of their bounds the Latine Priests and were serued with Grieke Priests againe Diuerse Canons were constituted in this Councell but so coincident with the Canons of other Councels that it is a superfluous thing to make a rehearsall of them In the subscription of the Actes of the Councell great controuersie fell out for the Graecians could not abide the name of Ludouicke Emperour of the West because they thought that the honourable name of an Emperour only belonged to their owne Soueraigne lord who was Emperour of Constantinople More-ouer a number of them came to the Emperour Basilius and requested him that their subscriptions might bee redeliuered vnto them againe wherein they had subscribed to the supremacie of the Romane Bishop or else the Church of Constantinople would be in perpetuall subjection to the Chare of Rome These subscriptions afore-saide were restored againe but with great difficultie CArolus Caluus conuocated a Councell in Fraunce at A◅ciniacum consisting of ten Bishops The bishops of Lions Vason and Trier were chiefe Presidents in the Councel Hincmarus bisshop of Rhemes accused in this Conuention his owne Nephewe
Hincmarus bishop of Laudunum as a man disobedient to his Metropolitane and a man who for priuate injuries had excōmunicated all the Presbyters of his Church debarring them from saying of Masse baptizing of Inphantes absoluing of Penitents and burying of the dead And Hincmarus bishop of Rhemes proponed vnto the Councell 50. Canons which hee desired to bee read in the Synode and they allowed all the Canons written by the bishop of Rhemes Also they condemned Hincmarus bishop of Laudunum of petulancy and compelled him to subscribe obedience to Charles his King and to his Metropolitane hee was also depriued of his office and his eyes were thrust out But Pope Ihonne the ninth vnder the reigne of Carolus Crassus restored him to his office againe beeing the more affectioned vnto him because he had appealed from his owne bishop and from the decreet of a Synode in his owne countrey to be judged by the Chaire of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 899. and in the eight yeere of the reigne of the Emperour Arnulphus in the Towne of Triburium twentie and two Bishops of Germanie were assembled who made many constitutions a great number whereof Caranza is compelled to ouer-passe with silence lest he shoulde make a superfluous repetition of Canons mentioned before First it was concluded in this Councell That excommunicate persons if they repent not are to be subdued by the Emperour Canon 10. That a Bishop shall not be deposed before his cause be judged by twelue Bishops and a Presbyter by sixe Bishops and a Deacon by three Bishops 11. A Church man who committeth slaughter shall be deposed albeit he hath beene inforced vnto it 12. Baptisme shall not be ministred except at Easter Whitsonday without necessitie require 13. Tythes are to bee payed for the sustentation of the Ministerie the support of the poore and the fabricke of the Church 15. Let mens bodies bee buried in that Paroch vnto the which they payed their Tythes 16. No buriall place shall bee solde for money 17. Let Laicke people be buried in the Church yarde not in the Church but if they be buried alreadie let not their bodies bee remoued 18. The vesselles wherein holy mysteries are celebrated are Challices and Platters whereof Sainct Bonifacius a Bishop and Martyr being demanded If it was lawfull to celebrate the Sacrament in vesselles of wood He answered That of olde there were golden bishops and woodden vessels but nowe by the contrary saith he the Bishops are woodden bishops and the vesselles are vesselles of golde And Sepherinus ministred the Sacrament in vessels of glasse Neuerthelesse this Councell straitly inhibiteth the Sacrament to be consecrated in vesselles of wood 19. Let not wine without water bee offered in the holy Challice because both blood and water flowed out of the side of Christ. 20. Priestes are shauen to the end they may carrie vpon their heads a similitude of the crowne to wit of thornes wherewith the Lord was crowned who is their lot and portion 21. Let not Presbyters who are called before Iustice seates bee compelled to sweare but let them bee put in remembrance of their holy consecration in stead of an oath 22. The triall of persons defamed by the burning iron is ceassed but let no man giue out rashe judgement in se◅ret matters 27. They who haue vnder-taken a spirituall ofsice shoulde not goe to warre-fare nor accept vpon them ciuill offices according to the seuenth Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon 31. A thiefe or a robber who is slaine in the perpetration of his diabolicall fact let no man praye for his soule nor distribute almes for his reliefe 35. Let no justice Courtes bee holden on the Lordes daye neither on Festiuall nor Fasting dayes 39. A man who marrieth a woman of a strange countrey but not of a strange religion shall be compelled to cohabite with her 40. It shall not be lawfull for a man to marie a woman whome hee hath polluted in adulterie during her husbandes life-time 45. Hee who hath defiled two sisters let him bee subject to pennance all his dayes and remaine continent 46. A woman that hath committed adulterie and for feare of her husband who persueth her vnto the death shee fleeth vnto Bishops to seeke reliefe let them trauell seriouslie for the safetie of her life and if that can bee obtained let her be restored to her husband againe but if that cannot bee obtained let her not bee restored but her husband during his life time shall not marie another 54. A forme of externall repentance is prescribed to them who of precogitate malice and of purpose haue committed slaughter TREATISES Belonging to the IX CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of Extreame Unction THE Councell of TRENT entraiting of this subject of Extreame Unction setteth downe a glorious Preface before their Canons That Sathan that vigilant enemie who is readie at all occasions to take his aduantadge he is most readie in the last conflict to assault poore soules when naturall powers are weakened and the feare of approaching death doeth perturbe the cogitations of sinfull people then hee endeuoureth to brangle their faith and to bring them to a distrust of the mercies of GOD. But on the other part saye they Christ hath instituted the Sacrament of Extreame Unction as an armour to guarde vs at our last breath against the subtile inuasions of that deceitfull aduersarie This Preface importeth that all the weapons of our spirituall warrefare both defensiue and offensiue wherewith wee faught against spirituall wickednesse in our life-time are not sufficient to guarde vs in our last combate except wee bee annointed with oyle at our last departure Neuerthelesse the holie Scripture expresselie saieth I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee liue and whosoeuer liueth and belecueth in mee shall neuer die Ioann Chap. 11. verse 25. 26. In which wordes it may bee euidentlie perceiued that the word of GOD apprehended by faith can saue vs both in life and death The Romanistes in proouing Extreame Unction to bee a Sacrament of the Newe Testament in the which there is a signe instituted by GOD and to the signe there is added a promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes and consequentlie of eternall life They are like to the drunkardes of our Nation who when their stomacke is ouer-laden with too much drinke then they laye them downe to sleepe but incase by any occasion they be wakened before the drinke be digested and gone out of their heads they arise like madde men and make such a stirre and businesse that all men wishe that they were in their bedde againe Euen so the Romane Church hath beene so miscarried with the traditions of men with the writinges of auncient Fathers especiallie in poinctes of doctrine in the which they were weake and with the authoritie of Councels that they layed them downe and slept securelie as people who were perfectlie instructed in the way of GOD. But nowe they
Oleum and againe it shall bee saide thrise Aue sanctum Chrisma and the thirde time it shall bee saide thrise Aue sanctum Balsamum that is to saye Haile holie Oyle Haile holie Chrisme Haile holie Balsome No such commaundement is contained in the Scriptures of GOD. In like manner they saye it is onlie lawfull for a Priest to applie this Oyle as if in the dayes of the Apostle IAMES there had beene such sacrificing Priestes as are in our dayes Whereas by the contrarie Pope INNOCENTIVS the first who liued in the dayes of AVGVSTINE permitted not onelie Priestes but also common Christians to comfort themselues and their friendes by annointing them with oyle as SIGEBERTVS writeth in his Chronicles Also with this oyle made by the Bishop exercised consecrated and saluted as if it were a sensitiue and reasonable creature the organes of mens senses are to bee annointed such as the eyes the eares the nosthrils the lippes the handes the feete and the reines In this poinct their heartes are ouer-casten with darknesse and they erre mis-knowing the Scriptures and power of GOD For the grounde of corruption is in the heart and not in the senses and the verie heart of EVA was corrupted with infidelitie and pride before her eyes or hands or mouth did sinne GENES 3. No man can discourse rightlie of sinne nor of anie other thing except hee knowe the fountaine and well-spring thereof Concerning auncient Fathers they had no such custome to annoint with oyle the eyes eares and the rest of the organes of senses before mens departure from this life And whereas they bring foorth the testimonie of AVGVSTINE Lib. 2. De visitatione infirmorum reckoning Unction as one of the necessarie consolations to bee adhibited to them who are concluding their life This citation is an ouer-giuing of their cause and a secret confession that Extreame Unction is but the inuention of man for they cannot bee ignorant that those bookes De Visitatione Infirmorum were not written by AVGVSTINE bishop of HIPPO but by another after his death who sette them foorth vnder the name of AVGVSTINE AECVMENIVS writing vpon the aforesaide place of the Apostle IAMES is shorter in his Commentarie than the Apostle is in his precept or counsell which thing hee could not haue done if hee had thought that an holie Sacrament had beene recommended to the Church to remaine vnto the ende of the worlde for hee writeth onelie that the Apostles had this custome whilest CHRIST was conuersant with them in the earth to annoint sicke persons with oyle and to restore them to health Aecum in Epistol Iacob cap. 5. vers 14. The custome of the Romane Church approacheth somewhat nearer to the fashions of the Pagans and olde Heretiques called Gnostici than to the custome of the Apostles for the Pagans annointed with oyle the bodies of the dead as the Poete witnesseth in these wordes Corpusque lauant frigentis vnguunt Iren. Lib. 1. Cap. 18. And olde Heretiques annointed the head of the dead with oyle and water to procure redemption to their soules The Romane Church annointeth not the dead with oyle but they annoint them who are halfe dead in whome there is no hope of life and recouerie LINDANVS in all his writinges is like vnto an ASIATICKE Oratour fighting rather with the shaft than with the poinct of the Speare and when hee citeth a place of CHRYSOSTOME De Sacerdotio Libr. 3. to prooue Extreame Unction to bee an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church hee prooueth starke nothing yea the thing that is not in controuersie betwixt vs and the Papistes for CHRYSOSTOME affirmeth that men are more benefited by their teachers than by their parentes in respect their naturall parentes haue begotten their bodies but their pastors haue begotten their soules to GOD Yea and their naturall parentes haue not supported their bodilie infirmities so much as their pastors haue done for oft times by prayer and annointing them with oyle they haue procured health to their bodies as Sainct IAMES witnesseth which their naturall parentes were not able to procure In all this discourse there is not one worde which wee denye But this prooueth not Extreame Vnction to bee a Sacrament of the Newe TESTAMENT instituted by CHRIST to continue vnto the ende of the worlde This Popishe Sacrament LINDANVS in his Panoplia entraiteth of it in the last rowme as a secure hauen in the which hee will leaue them of his religion reposing and resting themselues And truelie when I consider the grounde whereupon Papistes woulde haue their disciples to leane and the hauen vnto the which they woulde haue them to arriue I am compelled to saye that their grounde is sandie grounde MAT. 7. and that their hauen is like vnto the hauen of NAVPLIVS and they are wisest who hath least confidence in such deceitfull refuges yea they are wise who with VLISSES and DIOMEDES can beware of the stonie rockes of EVBOIA and sette their course another waye Nowe the LORDE open vnto vs the bosome of His sweete Compassions which is the true Citie of our Refuge in the which our soules maye finde true securitie and rest AMEN A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Order THE ORDERS in the ROMANE Church are diuided into inferiour and superiour Orders The inferiour Orders are doore-keepers readers exorcistes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is followers whome by a newe inuented name they call Ceroferarii or Waxetaper-bearers The superiour Orders are sub-Deacons Deacons and Presbyters By inferiour Orders mens humilitie and obedience was tried and so by degrees they were promoted to superiour Orders But seeing in euerie one of these Orders the outwarde signes at their entrie are different and the thinges signified are different to wit diuerse graces of the holie Spirite increassing according as men by ascending degrees mounted vp to higher honoures what is the cause that all these seuen are counted one SACRAMENT and not rather seuen SACRAMENTES To all these Orders one thing was common to wit all were shauen in the vpper part of their heads to represent as Lindanus affirmeth Panopl Libr. 4 Cap. 77. that the glorie of Church-men is to weare a crowne of thornes and to bee partakers of the sufferinges of CHRIST And the Councell of Triburium in the 20. Canon thereof citeth the same cause of shauing the heads of Clergie men It is true that men and women of olde delighted in haire as a naturall ornament of their bodies and MARIE is commended for this that shee dryed the feete of CHRIST with the haire of her head IOAN CAP. 12. vers 3. And all the glorie of the worlde yea and the crownes of immortall glorie shoulde bee casten downe at the feete of CHRIST APOCAL. CAP. 4. vers 10. Neuerthelesse the fact of SAMSON is reprooueable who suffered his haire to bee cutte off and casten at the feete of DELILA IVDG CAP. 16. vers 19. And the shauing of the haire of men to bee casten at the feete of the Antichrist and to bee a
maine and principall grounds vpon the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome and vpon the authoritie of generall Councils ONVPHRIVS to vphold the one vndoeth the other and to cleare HONORIVS of all suspition of heresie he bringeth the generall Councill vnder a suspition of falsification Then let ONVPHRIVS either produce the true and vncorrupt acts of the sixt generall Councill which he will neuer be able to doe or else for all his fectlesse apologie HONORIVS name is spotted with the blame of heresie And of late dayes the Romaine chaire hath not onely renued but also doubled the heresie of the Collyridians damned in the dayes of EPIPHANIVS For the Collyridians gaue onely some piece of diuine honour to the blessed virgin the mother of our Lorde but the Romaine Bishops in suffering by their toleration conniuence or rather allowance the Psalter of our Lady as they call it to be printed diuulgat and vsed by Christian people wherein all the honour due to Christ not excepting the sitting at the right hand of the Father Psal. 110. is all attributed vnto the virgine MARIE In so doing I say they haue not onely renued but also doubled the heresie of the Collyridians In the Councill of Basil gathered Ann. 1431. EVGENIVS 4 then B. of Rome was deposed by the general Councill of Basil as a notable schismaticke and perturber of the peace of Christes Church Yet his name is in the roll of the succession of Romaine Bishops and all these who haue sitten in the chaire of Rome since the dayes of EVGENIVS 4. are successors to a perjured schismaticke justly deposed by the generall Councill of Basil with consent of the Emperour SIGISMVND Now let Romanists advise whether they will blame the generall Councill or the Bishop of Rome EVGENIVS 4. If they blame the general Councill then the generall Councill may erre euen in great fundamentall points of their owne faith for it leaneth vpon the authoritie of the B. of Rome Councils And if they wil blame EVGENIVS 4. as a schismaticke worthy of deposition then is their succession whereof they glorie so much vtterly cut off since the dayes of EVGENIVS the fourth As touching idolatrie I dare boldly set the Romaine chaire in higher degree then the idolarrous Jewes of old of whom IEREMIE speaketh that according to the number of their cities was the number of their gods Ier. 2. ver 28 Nowe there are not so many cities in Juda as there are Angels Apostles martyres and Saints in heauen to whom the Romaine chaire giueth the glory of Christ maketh them mediators of intercestion Therefore it is an impudent presumption to brag of Apostolicke succession when as by heresie schisme and idolatrie they haue so oft fallen and yet continue in falling away from the footsteps of the Apostles Now because commonly like errours haue like grounds let vs consider what was the ground of the error of the succession of AARON and thereby may easily be discerned the ground of the error of the alledged Apostolicke succession The posteritie of AARON beeing reprooued by IEREMIE the Prophet tooke the reproofe in a very euill part supponing that they were exeemed from errour in maters of religion because of the promises of God made to the tribe of LEVI therfore they say Come and let vs imagine some deuise against Jeremiah for the Lâ—…w shâ—…ll not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet Cone and let vâ—… smite him for his tongue and let vs not takâ—… heede to his words Ier. 18. ver 18. The promises made to the tribe of LEVI are contained Deut. 33 ver 8. 9 10. 11. And after the captiuitie of Babylon MALACHI making an ample declaration of the promises made to LEVI saith My couenant was with him of life peace Igaue him feare he feared me was afraid before my name The Lawe of trueth waâ—… in his mouth and there was none iniquitie found in his l ps he walked with me in peace and equitie did turne many away from iniquitie For the Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should secke the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Mal. 2. ver 5. 6. 7. Of this promise of God spoken by MOSES and long after amplified by the Prophet MALACHI many did collect that the successors of AARON LEVI could not erre in religion but how erroneous false this conclusion was the wordes of the Prophet MALACHI immediatly after following do declare But ye are gone out of the way ye haue caused many to fall by the Lawe ye haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of Hostes Mal. 2. ver 8. If we had no further to alledge but these two testimonies that IEREMIE MALACHI did reprooue the successors of LEVI AARON of great errours defection notwithstanding of the promises made to them their posteritie yet these two witnesses being Prophets of God doe aboundantly prooue that promises made to LEVI and AARON do not exeeme their succession from error in religion But marke another circumstance in the ground of this errour of AARONS succession which was this God made a promise conditionall which they supposing to be absolute tooke libertie to doe what they lifted The conditions are clearely set downe by the Prophet MALACHI cap. 2. If they feared God conuerted others from their wicked waies kept the key of knowledge then they should be counted the Ambassadours of the Lord of hostes but these conditions being broken they hauing gone out of the way hauing caused many to fall by the law hauing broken the couenant of LEVI they were so far from being counted the Ambassadours of God that God made them vile before al the people ver 9 Yea the Lord cursed them cast doung vpon their faces euen the doung of their solemne feastes made them like vnto it ibid. ver 3. This was the tragicall euent of AARONS successours who opened one of their eares to heare the promise of God but closed the other eare from hearing and marking the conditions that were required of them to whom the promise was made The Romaine Church not vnlike to the successors of AARON haue their eare opened to heare the promise of God made to the Apostles their successors in these words Behold I am with you vnto the end of the world Mat 28 ver 20. but they close their eares from hearing the condition required of the Apostles their successours contained in the same verse in these words teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I command you Although they teach a doctrine repugnant to Christs commandement yea and a doctrine of deuils as PAVL speaketh 1. Tim. 4. yet must they be counted the Apostles successors and that Christ is with them that they do not erre But God wil cast their doung in their faces and make them like to