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
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
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
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
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
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
of the Gospell clearely shineth and pointeth out vnto vs the way of ancient veritie the Lord will not spare them who haue hypocritically professed his veritie but in their heart they loue the deceit of errour and lies as the people in IEREMIAS dayes did This is the condemnation saith theEuangelist IOHN that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenesse rather then light Iohn 3. ver 19. Antiquitie of custome which we haue before described lacketh many things that areto bee found in antiquitie of veritie For it is not authorized by any Apostolicke coÌ„mandement wherupon 3. things do follow First there is no necessitie vrging vs to keep things that are not coÌ„manded by Apostolick precept in matters coÌ„cerning religioÌ„ Secondly where there is no necessity of doing there is no feare or terror of coÌ„science in leauing the same vndone Thirdly where it is gone out of custome or vse there is no necessity to reduce it again as the feasts called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostlesown time the 3. dippings in Baptisme after the Apostles time Of these ancient customes we may boldly say foure things 1. That the Apostles gaue no commandement to obserue them 2. that there is no necessitie to keepe obserue these customes 3. there was no just cause of feare to the conscience where these customes were pretermitted or neglected 4. experience declareth that since vse and custome which brought in these exercises hath also obliterat and worne them away the Church in our time hath taken no regard of renewing these ancient customes againe Now anent the examples which I haue alreadie brought foorth there are many who will make no contradiction but as touching other ancient customes obserued of old in the Church without any written commandement if those bee touched and the like be saide of them also more sturre and greater adoe will be made Yet if I proue by ancient writers that the observation of Pasche day and the obseruation of Lent were rites introduced in the Church without warrand of any Apostolicke commandement it will followe that there is neither necessitie in keeping nor leauing these things vnkeeped wherefore consider what SOCRATES saith in his ecclesiastical history lib. 5. cap. 22. Nusquam igitur Apostolus nec ipsa Evangelia jugum ser vitutis illis imponunt qui ad praedicationem accedunt sed Paschatis festum alios dies festos ipsi homines suis quique locis propter remissionem laborum memoriam salutiferae passionis sicuti voluerunt ex consuetudine quadam celebrârunt neque Servator hoc aut Apostoli nobis lege aliqua observandum esse mandârunt Neque poenam nobis aut supplicium Evangelia vel Apostoli sicut Iudaeis Lex Mosi comminantur sed historico tantùm modo ad reprehensionem Iudaeorum quòd homicidium diebus festis exercuerint quòd Christus tempore Azymorum passus sit conscriptum est in Evangeliis That is Therfore no where doth the Apostle or the Euangell lay vpon them the yoke of bondage who come to the preached worde but the feast of Pasche day other festiuall dayes men euery one in their owne places for intermission of labour for the remembrance of the salutiferous passion they kept as liked themselues best these said feastes by a certaine custome Neither did our Sauiour or his Apostles by any law command vs to doe this thing neither did the Apostles or Gospel threaten a punishment against vs to wit if we leaue these things vndone according as the Lawe of MOSES doth against the Iewes but the historie onely for reprehension of the Iewes in the Gospell setteth downe in write that the Iewes vpon festiuall dayes practised murther and that Christ suffered in the dayes of vnleauened bread Here all that I haue spoken is clearely declared concerning the obseruation of the feast of Pasche day 1. no precept or commandement proceeding from Christ his Apostles to keepe it 2. no threatning pronounced against theÌ„ who kept it not 3. that it was brought in into the Church by custome but not by coÌ„mandement 4. that when men endeuoure to authorize by coÌ„mandements such ancient customes then they bring a yoke bondage vpon the consciences of men The like more also is written in that same chapter by SOCRATES concerning the obseruation of Lent before the feast of Pasche day that it was obserued with such diuersitie of customes both in number of dayes and also in diuersitie of meates from which men abstained in Lent as easily declared that the Apostles interponed no commandement in such matters but left such customes free indifferent to the discretion of Christians In the head of antiquitie of customes because I like not to be contentious in my judgement two extremities would be eschewed I. that we should not equall ancient customes to ancient commandements for the causes aboue-written which caueat SOZOMEN an ecclesiasticall writer not obseruing did affirme all these who are not thrise dipped in water to haue departed this life without the sacrament of Baptisme Sozom lib. 6 cap. 26. In which opinion he equalled an ancient custome to an olde commandement And yet this same SOZOMEN who is so precise in obseruation of an ancient custome of 3. dippings in Baptisme is not so precise in another ancient custome of abstaining from eating of flesh in Lent but commendeth SPIRIDION who gaue vnto a wearie stranger in time of Lent swines flesh to eate eated himself of it also affirming that to the cleane al things were cleane Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 1 1. Tit. cap. 1. ver 15. Thus we seee howe SOZOMEN confuteth himselfe at sometimes remembring that ancient customes are not equall to ancient commandements as abstinence from flesh in Lent and in other things forgetting himselfe making the ancient custome of thrise dipping in Baptisme absolutly necessarie 2. anciâ—…nt customes not directly repugnant to the worde if they be kept free of commandement necessitie and feare as is aboue specified should not be so hatefully impugned as ancient errours are impugned but if abuses fall into them these abuses should be timously reprehended as the Apostle PAVL reprooueth the abuses of the feastes ofloue in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 11. But aboue all things beware that we rent not for matters of no great moment the vnitie of the Church of God as VICTOR Bishop of Rome was purposed to haue done if he had not bene timously stayed by the prudent aduise of IRENEVS Bishop of Lions Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Now to conclude this short treatise of antiquitie of custome if a wise man would send a tongue to it to speake for it selfe it would be so far from matching and equalling itselfe with the ancient commandements that it would speake modestly and humbly to them as ELIZABETH the mother of IOHN Baptist spake to the blessed virgine the mother of our Lord. Andwhence commeth this to me saith she that the mother of my Lord should come vnto
credited that God hath suffered the world to goe astray in such wayes so long time and so many yeeres What is this but as a wette sacke wherewith a naked man is couered as a learned Pastor said it is so farre from arming him against the cold that it encreaseth his shuddering and grwing euen so this excuse vtterly vndoeth their cause they say God would not haue suffered his visible Church to haue erred so many yeeres but the Apostle PAVL saith otherwise that the Spirit speak th euidently that in the latter times some shal depart frō the faith so that it is not a wonderfull thing to see apostasie fall out in the bowels of the visible Church and the golden calfe to be worshipped by carnal israclites Exod. 32. But it is a wonderful thing indeede to see sinceritie of doctrine and puritie of maners to continue long among the very watchmen of the Church so prone and bent is the world to defection that sometime the ordinarie watchmen cannot declare where Christ is whom the soule of the Church loueth Cant. 3. ver 3. Secondly consider that the doctrine of prohibition of meates and mariage is called a defection from the faith a doctrine of deuils When these odious stiles are applied to Gnostici T atiani Or Encratitae Montanistae and Manichai and others all this is heard patiently without sturre and excesse of choler and why because the ancient fathers examining all these opinions according to the rule of the word of God haue found thē heretical opinions But whē we come neerer to say that the prohibition of mariage in some persons and the prohibition of meates at some times is also a doctrine of deuils and a defection from the faith O then it is cast in as a wal of brasse that the anciēt fathers who damned all the forenamed heresies yet liked very well of supplications prayers to be made to God euery Fryday and consequently of abstinencie from delicat meats for the furtherance of prayers in remembrance of the Lords suffering Sozomen lib. 1. cap. 8. And like wise that Priests should bee chaste and continent Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 9. And to damne these opinions also is all on◅ as if we should damne all antiquitie and imagine that the trueth was euer buried since the Apostles dayes vntill our time To this I answere that the fathers are not to be balanced with the Papistes of our dayes in the opinion of meates and mariage for many causes first because the fathers of the first 300. yeeres made no lawes and constitutions to astrict the consciences of men in matters of meate and mariage as the Papists of late dayes haue done The Councill of Ancyra which is a towne in Galatia clearely manifesteth vnto vs what was the custom of the ancient Church in admitting men to ecclesiasticke offices namely this If a man in time of his ordination did protest that he had not the gift of continencie but that hee was purposed to marrie and after his ordination hee maried a wife hee remained still in his ministetie But so many as in time of imposition of handes did professe continencie abstinence from mariage if afterward they maried they were debarred from their ministrie Tom. 1. Concil Here euidently appeareth that in the primitiue Church there was no lawe made anent prohibition of mariage to men in spirituall offices In like maner we reade vnder DECIVS the seuinth persecuting tyrant of whome mention will be made in the third Centurie that DIONYSIVS B. of Alexandria was a maried man and had children and that by the great prouidence of God both hee and his children escaped the hands of the cruell enemie who was laid in wait for him to take him Yea and after the Nicene Councill the assembly gathered at Gangra a towne in Paphlagonia detested the opinion of EVSTATIVS who admiring the monasticke life as a conuersation angelicall began to damne mariage and to perswade maried women to separate from the companie of their husbands and to perswade the people not to receiue the holy sacraments from the handes of maried preachers But when the fathers conueened in the Councill of Gangra pondered the opinion of EVSTATIVS in a just balance they found it to be cursed and execrable not only in the question of mariage but also anent his doctrine in prohibition of meates for he thought that a religious man who eated flesh by so doing was cut off from the hope of better pleasures which God hath laid vp for saintes in heaucn But let vs heare a fewe of the Canons of the Councill of Gangra Tom. 1. Concil CANON 1. If any person vituperat mariage and will detest a faithfull woman because the sleepeth with her husband and counteth her to be culpable and that shee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Let him be accursed CANON 2. If any man condemne him who in faith and religion eateth flesh that is neither mixed with blood nor sacrificed to idoles as if by such participation of slesh hee wanted hope Let him be accursed CANON 4. If any man make difference and will not receiue the oblation from a preachers hand when he ministreth it because he hath a wife Let him be accursed CANON 10. If any person keeping virginitie for the Lords sake extoll himselfe aboue those that are maried Let him be accursed In all these constitutions of the councill of Gangr◅ there is no vsurpation of authoritie ouer the conscience in matters of mariage and meates Secondly because euen at that time when custome without a ratified lawe had brought in an vse in the Church of God that vnmaried men should be admitted vnto Bishoprickes and spirituall offices rather then others Yet when such continent men could not be had GRATIANVS himselfe witnesseth that a maried man was admitted by PELAGIVS I. Ann. 556. to be Bishop of Syracuse Distinct. 28. Thirdly the fathers of ancient time spake reuerently of mariage but the Papistes of late dayes haue called it a worke of the flesh and the errour of the Nicolaitanes These two doctrines of the prohibition of meates and mariage are called an apostasie from the faith and endited by the spirit of errour Here it may be objected that the Apostle PAVL himselfe who writeth this in another place saith that the Kingdome of God is neither meate nor drinke but righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Spirit Rom. 14. ver 17. How then is that thing to be counted an apostasie from the faith wherein no matter is touched that pertaineth to the Kingdome of God To this I answere that there is a great difference betweene abstinence from meates and prohibition of meates for these whose conscience is weake will abstaine from many meates and content themselues with hearbes Rom. 14 ver 2. as it were contenting themselues with the foode of the beastes rather then that their mouth should eat that thing that should perturbe their conscience but such men as take vpon them
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
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
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
of his Gospell and CYPRIAN a sorcerer to bee a worthy preacher and martyre this same gratious Lord I say in the multitude of his vnspeakable compassions drewe AVGVSTINE out of this filthie mire of abominable heresie and made him like vnto a bright starre sending foorth the beames of light to the comfort of Gods house The opinion of MANES anent the creation of the world and the creation of man the manifestation of Christ in our nature rather in shewe and appearance then in veritie and the horrible abomination of their vile Eucharist no man can be ignorant of these things who hath read but a litle of the bookes of AVGVSTINE written against the Manicheans In ende like as MANES exceeded all the rest of the Heretiques in madnesse of foolish opinions euen so the Lorde pointed him out among all the rest to be a a spectacle of his wrath and vengeance For the king of Persia hearing of the fame of MANES sent for him to cure his sonne who was deadly diseased but when he sawe that his sonne died in his hands he cast him into prison and was purposed to put him to death but hee escaped out of prison and fled to Mesopotamia Neuerthelesse the king of Persia vnderstanding in what place MANES did lurke sent men who pursued him tooke him and excoriated his body and stopped his skinne full of chaffe and set it vp before the entrie of a certaine citie of Mesopotamia Socrat. eccles hist. lib. 1. cap. 22. If any man bee desirous to haue greater knowledge of this remarkable Heretique both in respect of his life and death he may reade the fore mentioned chapter of the ecclesiasticall historie of SOCRATES and hee shall finde that the first man called MANICHEVS who renued the errour of two beginnings was a man of Scythia He had a disciple first called BVDDAS afterward TEREBYNTHVS who dwelt in Babylon This man TEREBYNTHVS was the composer of these bookes which MANES gaue out vnder his owne name MANES was but a slauish boy bought with money by a woman of Babylon in whose house TEREBYNTHVS had lodged and shee brought vp the boy at schoole his name was CVRBICVS when he was bought but when this woman died she left in legacie to CVRBICVS the money and bookes of TEREBYNTHVS and he went from Babylon to Persia changed his name and called himselfe MANES and set forth the bookes of TEREBYNTHVS as if they had beene composed by himselfe so that hee added vnto the rest of his villanies this fault also that he was from his very youth a dissembled and deceitfull fellow Reade the historie of Socrat lib. 1. cap. 22. After MANES sprang vp HIERAX who spake of the Father and the Sonne as of two lights different in substance He damned mariage denied the resurrection of the body excluded infants from the kingdome of God Epiph. contrahaeres Hist Magd. Marke in this Catalogue of the heresies of the first three hundreth yeres how many of the deuils trumpeters sounded the doctrine of the prohibition of mariage The Nicolaitans Gnostici Encratitae Montanistae Apostolici Origeniani called Turpes Manichei and Hieracitae Satan hateth mariage to the end that his kingdome might be aduanced by fornication and all kinde of vncleannesse CENT 3. A Treatise of Purgatorie and prayer for the dead IN this Centurie also the opinion of ORIGEN anent purgatory paines before a man can enter into the kingdome of heauen giueth me manifest occasion to speak of Purgatorie In the beginning of this treatise I protest that I detest the worshipping of reliques and the conceit of Purgatorie fire as two heades of doctrine borrowed from Ethnickes and Pagans The bones of THESEVS saith PLVTARCH being transported placed in the middle part of the towne of Athens they honoured his ashes as if hee himselfe had beene returned to the towne and gaue vnto him all these diuine honours calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he who diuerteth euill from them also they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a patron a helper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is who receiueth the supplications of the humble What was this else but to honour THESEVS with diuine honours And the excessiue honours attributed to the reliques of saints in the Popish church with confidence to be helped and better heard of God because they were prostrate before the reliques of saints what was it else but a counterfaiting of the superstition of the Pagans In like maner the opinion of Purgatorie is but an Ethnicke inuention PLATO seemeth to be the first authour of it except any man of greater reading can reduce it to a more ancient beginning for PLATO in his dialogue called Phedo vel de anima hath three opinions concerning the soules of men First hee thinketh that the soules of men who haue liued a very honest and vnreproouable life when they depart out of their bodies they goe to a place of vnspeakable happinesse Secondly he thinketh that the soules of men who haue continued into incorrigible wickednesse they goe to a place called Tartarus there to be punished with endlesse paines These two foresaide opinions PLATO by his trauelling to Egypt where the people of the Iewes had remained a long time might haue learned to wit that the soules of good men goe to heauen and the soules of euill men goe to hell But PLATO thought by Philosophie to mend the want that was in ancient Theologie and he deuised a third place whereinto soules should be both tried and purged and after suffering of paines should be set at libertie namely the soules of men who had heauily grieued their parents afterward repented or had committed filthie murthers and afterward repented these mens soules I say according to the opinion of PLATO behooued to goe through infernall floods specially through Acheron Câ—…ytus and Phlegeton to be tried purged in end to be set at libertie prouiding they had fully satisfied the persons whom they had offended These beginnings of PLATOES conceites had neuer hurt Christian religion if CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS and after him ORIGEN had not mingled prophane Philosophie with Theologie But when the question is riped vp to the very ground the defenders of Purgatorie fire worshipping of reliques haue cause to be ashamed as disciples of Pagans and not of the holy Apostles in these two points of doctrine The foolishnes of CLEMENS and ORIGEN hath beene very pernicious to the Church of God because they borrowed not from PLATO siluer and golde as the Iowes borrowed from the Egyptians by warrant of Gods commandement Exod. 11. but they borrowed chaffe and doung lies and fables which some time spreading sometime growing sometime altering the first similitude fashioned in the combes of PLATO in end became an article of Popish faith and was so straitly vrged that they who would not beleeue the fained fire of Purgatorie were burned as Heretiques with true flammes of tormenting fire AMBROSE and HILARIVS as foolishly
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
But the Arrian and Eutychian Heretiques found Emperours fauourably inclined to the maintenaÌ„ce of their errours such as Constantius and Valens protectours of the Arrian heresie and Anastatius and Heraclius fauourers of the Heresie of Euiyches This support they had of supreame powers strengthened the aâ—…me of Heretiques and made them able to persecute the true CHURCH of CHRIST Notwithstanding betwixt the tenne great Persecutions and the Arrian persâ—…cution a short breathing time was granted by GOD vnto his CHURCH who will not suffer the rodde of the wicked perpetually to lie vpon the righteous lest they put out their hand vnto iniquitie The dayes of the reigne of Constantine were the breathing dayes of the persecuted CHURCH Men banished for the cause of CHRIST by the Emperours edicts were returned from their banishment restored to their offices dignities and possessions which duely belonged vnto them The heritage and goods of such as had suffered death for the cause of CHRIST were alloted to their neerest kinsmen and incase none of these were founde aliue then their goods were ordained to appertaine vnto the CHURCH These beginnings of an admirable change of the estate of persecuted men wrought in the hearts of all people a wonderfull astonishment considering within themselues what could bee the euent of such suddaine and vnexpected alteration The care that Constantine had to disburthen persecuted Christians of that heauie yoke of persecution that pressed them downe so long was not onely extended to the bounds of the Romane Empire whereinto Constantine was soueraigne lorde and absolute Commander But he was carefull also to procure the peace of Christians who liued vnder Sapores King of Persia who vexed Christian people with sore grieuous persecution so that within his Dominions more then sixteene thousande were founde who had concluded their liues by martyrdome Amongst whom Simeon Bishop of Selentia Ustazares the kings eldest eunuch his nurs-father in time of his minoritie Pusices ruler of al the kings artificers Azades the kings beloued eunuch Acepcimas a Bishop in Persia all these were men of Note and Marke who suffered martyrdome vnder Sapores king of Persia. While the cogitations of Constantine were exercised with meditation by what meanes the distressed estate of Christians in Persia might be supported by the prouidence of GOD the Ambassadours of Sapores king of Persia came to the Emperour Constantine whose petitions when he had granted he sent them back againe to their lord and maister and he sent with them a letter of his owne intreating Sapores to be friendly to Christians in whose Religion nothing can be founde that can justly bee blamed His letter also bare the bad fortune of the Emperour Valerian the VIII persecuter of Christians and how miserably hee ended his life and on the other part what good successe the LORD had giuen vnto himselfe in all his battels because hee was a defender of Christians and a procurer of their peace What peace was procured to distressed Christians in Persia by this letter of Constantine the Historie beares not alwayes his indeuour was honest and Godly In Constantines dayes the Gospell was propagated in East India by Frumentius and Edesius the brother sonnes of Meropius a man of Tyrus This Historie is written at length by Râ—…ffinus Theodoretus Sozomenus and many others Likewise it was propagated in Iberia a country lying in the vttermost part of the Euxien sea eastward by the meanes of a captiue Christian woman by whose supplications first a childe deadly diseased recouered health and afterward the Queene of Iberia her selfe was relieued from a perilous and dangerous disease by her prayers made to CHRIST The King of Iberia sent Ambassadours to Constantine crauing of him that hee would send Preachers and Doctors to the countrey of Iberia who might instruct them in the true faith of CHRIST Which desire also Constantine performed with great gladnesse of heart Now to returne and to speake of the Dominions subject to the Romane Empire Constantine the sonne of Constantius Chlorus begun to reigne in the yeere of our LORD 310. and he reigned 31. yeeres he gaue commandement to reedifie the Temples of the Christians that were demolished in time of the persecution of Dioclesian This commandement was obeyed with expedition and many more large and ample Churches were builded meete for the conuentions of Christian people Likewise the Temples of Idoles were locked vp better they had beene demolished and equalled with the ground then had it beene a worke of greater difficultie to Iulian the Apostate to haue restoâ—…ed againe Heathen Idolatrie Many horrible abuses both in Religion and maners were reformed by the auzhoritie and commandement of the Emperour such as cubitus mensuralis called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Aegypt whereunto was attributed the vertue and cause of the inundation of Nilus by the Aegyptians therefore by the Emperours commandement this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was transported out of their TeÌ„ples In Rome the bloody spectacle of Gladiatores that is of Fencing men with swords killing one another in sight of the people was discharged In Heliopolis a town of Phoenitia the filthy maners of young women accustomed without controlment to prostitute themselues to the lust of straÌ„gers vntil they were maried this filthy custome I say by the commandement of the Emperour Constantine was interdicted and forbidden In Iudea the Altar builded vnder the Oake of Mambre where the Angels appeared to Abraham and whereupon the Pagans offered sacrifice in time of solemne Faires for bying and selling of Merchand waires in that place This Altar I say was commanded to bee demolished and a Temple to bee builded in the same place for exercise of diuine seruice The care this good Emperour had to quench the schisme that began in Alexandria shall bee declaâ—…ed in the owne time GOD willing In somethinges Constantine was not vnlike to King Salomon who finding his Kingdome to bee peaceably setled hee gaue himselfe to the building of the Temple of Palaces and of Townes which he fortified made strong Euen so Constantine finding that no enemie durst enterprise any longer to molest the peaceable estate of his setled Kingdome he builded magnificke Temples in Bethlehem the place of the LORDS Natiuitie vpon Mount Oliuet from whence CHRIST ascended to Heauen vpon Mount Caluarie where CHRISTS Sepulchre was Hee builded also a Citie in Bithinia and called it Helenopolis for honour of his Mother Helena and another in Palestina and called it Constantia by the name of his Sister Also he builded a glorious Temple into Antiochia which his sonne Constantius perfected and to the dedication of that Temple a great number of Bishops were assembled as shall bee declared hereafter if the LORD please And finally hee builded the great Citie of Constantinople in Thracia and called it nova Roma whereas before it was called Byzantium This towne was builded anno 336. In end the good
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
that precious treasure if so be in the keeping of it there be so great deuotion as the Romane Church now talks of Thirdly what is the cause that the Romane Church brags so much of antiquity when as the worshipping of the crosse one of the maine points of their Religion was vnknowne to the first 300. yeeres of our LORD now in the 4 Cent. the crosse is found but not worshipped yea and the adoration of it is detested abhorred as an error of Pagans To Macarius succeeded Maximus who had be ne his fellow-labourer as of old Alexander was to Narcissus Macarius gouerned the Church of Hierusalem in the peaceable dayes of Constantine but Maximus gouerned that same Church himselfe alone in the dayes of Constantius Hee was present at the Councill of Tyrus but Paphnutius a Bishop and confâ—…ssor in Thebaida pitied the simplicitie of Maximus whom the Arrians with deceitfull speeches had almost circumueened and he stepped to him and suffered him not to sit in the assembly of vngodly people wherâ—…upon followed a bande of indissoluble conjunction not onely with Paphnutius but also with Athanasius who was charged with many false accusations in that wicked Councill of Tyrus This warning made him circumspect and wise in time to come so that hee was noâ—… present at the Arriane Councill of Antiochia gathered vnder pretence of dedication of the Temple which Constantine began to build but his sonne Constantius perfected the building of it To Maximus succeeded Cyrillus a man greatly hated by the Arrians in so much that Acacius bishop of Casarea Palestine deposed him no doubt by some power granted to him by the Emp. Constantius with aduise of Arrian Bishops Notwithstanding Silvanus Bishop of Tarsus receiued him and hee taught in that Congâ—…egation with great liking and contentment of the people The strife of Acacius against him in the Councill of Seleucia I remit vnto the owne place In time of famine hee had a great regard to poore indigent people and sold the pretious vessel and garments of the Church for their support This was a ground of his accusation aftâ—…rward because a costly garment bestowed by the Emp. Constantine to the Church of Hierusalem Cyrillus sold it to a merchant in time of famine and againe the merchant sâ—…ld it vnto a lasciuious woman and such friuolous thiâ—…ges wâ—…re aggreaged by the Arrians who hated the men of GOD. Of other Pastors and Doctors in Asia Africa and Europe BESIDES the Patriarchs of principall places GOD raised vp in this CENTURIâ—… a great number of learned Preachers who were like vnto the Ibides of Aegypt a remedie prepared by GOD against the multiplied number of venemous and flying Serpents Euen so learned Fathers of whom I am to speake were instrumentes of GOD to vndoe the Heresies which abounded in this age aboue al other ages Did not Nazianzenus vndoe the Heresie of Apollinaris Basilius the Heresie of Eunomius Hilarius like vnto a sâ—…conde Deucalion saw the ouer-flowing speate of Arrianisme abated in FRANCE Ambrosius Epiphanius and Ierom set their hearts against all Heresies either in their time or preceâ—…ding their dayes It were an infinite labour to write of them all who in this age like vnto glistering starres with the shining light of celesticall doctrine illuminated the darknesse of the blind worlde but the names of some principall Teachers GOD willing I shall remember Eusebius Pamphili Bishop of Caesarea in Palestina liued vnder the Emp. Constantine with whom he was familiarly acquainted He was desired to supply the place of Eustatius bishop of Antiochia whose deposition the Arrians without all forme of order had procured most vnrighteously but he would not consent to accept that charge so that the chair of Antiochia vaked without a Bishop eâ—…ght yeeres Some expecting the restitution of Eustatius others feeding themselues vpon vaine hopes that Eusebius woulde accept that place The Emp. Constantine commended his modestie and counted him worthie to be bishop of the whole world Neuerthelesse hee was not altogether free of the Heresie of Arrius before the Nicene Councill and hee was remisse and slacke in the cause of Athanasius He was so familiarlie acquainted with Pamphilus who suffered martyrdome in Caesarea that hee clothed himselfe with his name and called himselfe Eusebius Pamphili Hee died about the time that Athanasius first returned from banishment by the meanes of Constantine the younâ—…er about the yeere of our LORD 342. Nazianzenus liued in the dayes of Constantius Iulian and Theodosius He was borne in a little towne of Cappadocia called Nazianzum from which he receiued his name Hee was trained vp in learning in Alexandria in Athens his familiarity with Basilius Magnus began in Athens and it was increased in the wildernesse hee preached in Sasima but because it was a place vnmeete for studies hee returned to Nazianzum and was a helper to his aged father After his fathers death he went to Constantinople where he founde the towne in a moste desolate condition in regard the Arrian Macedonian Heresies had so mightily preuailed that all the principall Churches wâ—…re occupied by them Nazianzenus only had liberty to preach in a little Church called Anastatia because the trueth of GOD which seemed to haue bene buried now by the preaching of Nazianzenus was reuiued againe In the second generall Councill gathered by Theodosius because some Bishops of Macedonia and Aegypt murmured against his admission he counterfeited the fact of Ionas and was content to bee cast out of his place to procure peace and concord amongst his brethren He benefited the CHURCH of CHRIST in the dayes of Iulian by writing bookes of Christian Poesie whereby the Christian Youth shoulde haue no harme by the interdiction of Iulian prohibiting the children of Christians to bee brought vp in the schooles of learning Hee detected the Heresie of Apollinaris and the abominations of Heathen idolatrie whereunto Iulian had sold himselfe more clearely then any other man had done A man worthie for excellencie of giftes to bee caâ—…led THEOLOGUS Basilius Magnus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia was so united in heart and mind with Nazianzenus that the pen of Socrates will net separate the treatises of their liues His father Basilius his mother Eumele his nuise that fostered him named Macrina all were Christians His father was martyred vnder the persecuting Emp. Maximus Hee left behind him fiue sonnes three of them were Bishops namely Basilius bishop of Caesarea Peter bish of Sebasta and Gregorius B. of Nyssa Hee was instructed in all kind of learning in Caesarea in Constantinople in Athens vnder Himerius and Proaeresius in Antiochia vnder Libanius At his second returning to Athens hee acquainted himselfe with Nazianzenus They spent too much time in searching out the deepenesse of humane learning and it repented Basilius that he had spent so much time in searching out thinges that are not necessary to eternall life Hee was
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
are reckoned amongst orders of Monkes yet was their emploiment more in desending Christians from the injurie of Infidels then in reading praying or any other spirituail exercises What became of these Templarii after they were dispersed throughout EUROPE and whether they were justly or vnjustly cut off all at one time by the ordinance of Clemens the fift in the Councill of Vienne I omit to speake but whether they had beene guiltie or innocent it was but small clemencie in Pope Clem. to giue out a sentence of death against so many before they were warned heard and sufficiently conuicted of faults laide vnto their charge The Orders of Carmelâ—…es who dwelt vpon Mount Carmell where Helias prayed and of Camaldinenses Ioannites the Order of white Monkes of the holy Trinitie of S. Clara of Penitentiers and scourgers of themselues of Crosse-bearers and Starrebearers of Minimes and of Bonehomes of Penitent sisters of Saccit of Bethlehemites of the seruantes of Marie of Georgians and many more This multiplication of Orders declareth that there was greater care amongst late Monkes to find out some dissimilitude of habite and ceremonies amongst themselues then to conforme themselues to the similitude of CHRIST The Orders of the Franciscans and Dominicans ouerspred the worlde about the 1200. yeere of our LORD Their number in short time was mightilie increased so that the Francisâ—…ans rejoyced that there were founde of their Order in diuers Nations two thousande one hundreth fourescore and sixe Monasteries And the Dominicans numbred foure thousande one hundreth and fourtie sixe Monasteries in EUROPE all professing their Order as Creccelius sometime an Augustine Monke reckoneth These were like vnto the Frogs of AEGYPT whose number made them to bee fearefull And like vnto the Grasse-hoppâ—…rs of AEGYPT which ate the residue that remained and escaped from the Haile These were like vnto Mothes in a garment like Myce in a barne like Caterpillers amongst corne and roust in mettals so offensiue vnto the world that the people groned for the oppression of begging Friers The Dominicans followed the rules of the Augustine Monks this is the cause wherefore Creccâ—…lius of whom we spake before reckoneth not the Dominicans as one of the principall stockes and rootes from which other Orders as branches did proceed Both these Orders of Franciscans and Dominicans had their allowance and confirmation from Innocentius the third who dreamed that the Church of Laterane was bowing and inclining to fall and that saint Francis and saint Dominicke set to their shoulders to vphold the decaying Church of Laterane What wonder is it that these Orders teach a doctrine of lyes dreames whose confirmation coulde not bee obtained vntill Pope Innocentius the third dreamed that these two did vphold the Church of Laterane In the Sermones of the begging Friers saint Francis is extolled with excessiue praises as if by long fasting earnest prayers and deepe meditations he had beene counted worthie to see Celestiall visions and to bee marked in handes feete and side with the markes of the sufferinges of CHRIST Notwithstanding of all these Hyperbolicke praises in the verie beginning of his deuotion hee beganne at theft and stole money from his father and gaue it to a Priest to helpe the reparation of the Church of saint Damian And for this cause his father tooke him and did beate him with manie stripes In so farre that they who doe pleade saint Francis cause deny not that hee tooke away his fathers money neither doe they deny that for this cause hee was chastised by his father but they call the foresaide chastilement persecution The Monkes and Friers of the Order of Saint DOMINICKE doe attribute vnto him both in his life-time and after his death the working of so manie and so great miracles as if it were their purpose not onely to preferre him vnto saint FRANCIS but also to equali him to CHRIST and to his Apostles Notwithstanding his greatest deuotion was in beating himselfe thrise â—…uerie night with an yron chaine partlie for his owne sinnes partlie for the sinnes of other men who were aliue and partlie for the sinnes of those who were in purgatorie This fact I saie was as foolish and derogatorie to the honour due to CHRIST and to the merites of his sufferinges as anie thing that was done by that notable foole saint FRANCIS The latest Orders such as the Iacobines and Capuscings are but branches of the Francisâ—…ane and Dominicane Orders and are famous as Erostratus was rather for euill then for good The lapuscings are fine Trumpetters to proclaime warre-fare against the Citie of GOD And the Iacobines are souldiours of Sathan to put hande to worke and to fight against the Heauen in not sparing the Anointed of GOD and him who was anointed with that Celestiall oile that came from aboue as they themselues and others of their Religion doe affirme Concerning the Iesuites who may more properlie bee called Layolites then Iesuites because they walke rather in the foote-steps of Layola the author of their sect then in the footesteps of IESUS who neuer taught any man to follow the way of Cain as they doe But Layola was a souldiour and delited in shedding of blood Of them I say I am in doubt whether to call them an Order or not for the old Aenigma is reuiued in them Vir non vir percussit non percussit lapide non lapide avem non avem super arbore non arbore Euen so the Layolites may be called an order and not an ordere because they will not be bound vnto a certaine habite as a distinguishing note separating them from other Orders lest by their habite they shoulde bee discouered and made knowne to Princes against whose estate they trafficke with most treasonable attemptes neither will they conteine themselues within their owne boundes as if they woulde counterfeit the Apostles but with a preposterous counterfeiting called by the Gracians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostles were the Ambassadours of CHRIST the Iesuites are the ambassadours of the antichrist the Apostles endeuoured to set vp the Throne of CHRIST by preaching the death of CHRIST the Iesuites endeuour to repaire the losse of the antichrist with the slaughter of Christian Princes O generation of Vipers the broode alreadie conceiued in their venomous breastes will bee their destruction as it is the destruction of the feminine Vipers but I leaue a description of their bloodie attemptes to others who haue better knowledge of the profundities of Sathan more clearely manifested in them then it was of olde in the tenne persecuting Emperours To all these fore-mentioned Orders one thing is common that they are all obliged bound by vowes of chastity pouerty obedience euery one to the atteÌ„dance of his owne order the Layolites haue added the vow of temperancie without which custody it is hard to keepe chastitie the vow of chastitie is good prouiding that Matrimonial chastity be included vnder the generality of the word
are iustified by faith onely The Apostle wisely considered that no man could liue spiritually except hee had a fellowshippe with GOD. Againe there is no fellowshippe that mortall and sinfull men can haue with GOD without remission of sinnes Neither is there any remission of sinnes without 〈◊〉 Mediatour and Aduocate And wee can take no holde of this Mediatour except onely by faith so that by faith wee liue and by faith we are made iust in the sight of GOD. Then this place of Scripture teacheth vs that it is faith onely that leadeth vs vnto CHRIST in whome wee finde righteousnesse and life but by a due and competent order to wit by stripping vs naked of all conceate of our owne strength and righteousnesse to the ende wee may haue the greater delite in the saluation that is offered to vs in CHRIST Faith is not like vnto a robber who strippeth a mannaked without any purpose to clothe him with a better garment But faith doth to vs as the father of the forlorue sonne did to him and as the Angell of GOD did to IEHOSVA the high Priest Both these were vnclothed of their beggerly rayments but onely of purpose to clothe them with better apparell so doth faith strippe vs naked of all vaine conceate of our owne righteousnesse to the ende it may leade vs to the wardrope of GOD there to bee cladde with the garment of the righteousnesse of CHRIST which is able to couer our nakednesse and to present vs holy blamelesse and vndefiled before his father Before I leaue the wordes of the Prophet HABACCVK let vs yet againe ponder the Emphaticke worde Behold for by seeing and hearing some good lessons may bee learned Beholde men who haue leaned vpon the staffe of GOD in our owne time how peaceably haue they concluded their dayes with SIMEON reioycing that they had scene the saluation of GOD. And on the other side men who haue leaned to their own righteousnesse albeit only in a part what agonie trouble of conscience haue they found in their last battell vntill they haue forsaken all confidence in their owne merits and leaned onely vnto the merites of the passion of our sweet LORD and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST The Papistes in our COVNTRIE for the most part haue beene like vnto the fishes called Amphbia which can liue both in the Sea and on the Land but when any man approaches neere to doe them harme they trust more to the sca than to the land euen so when the terrors of death beginnes to shake our countrey people then they leaue confidence in their owne merites and betake themselues vnto the deepe Ocean sea of the mercies of GOD in IESVS CHRIST In the second heade I promised to speake of the difference betwixt Iustification Sanctification betwixt the righteousnes of the Law and the Gospell Our Iustification is a free forgiuenes of our sinnes for CHRISTS sake and a free imputation of his righteousnesse to vs. Our Sanctification is an inherent holinesse begunne in vs by the operation of GODS Spirit to bee a testimonie that wee are in CHRIST The not obseruing of the difference betwixt these two hath beene and as yet is the ground of great errours True it is that these two gifts are freely bestowed vpon vs at one and the selfe-same time yet are they distinct in order of causes because Iustification is the ground from whence Sanctification as an effect doth flow And like as the starres called Pleiades or Vergiliae they doe arise and manifest themselues vnto the worlde all at one time yet are they distinct starres and Electra is not Alcinoe nor Alcinoe Celeno nor Celeno Mâ—…ia And the like may bee spoken of the other tâ—…ree whose apparition and disparition albeit it bee inseparable yet are they distinct starres Euen so Iustification and Sanctification are inseparably linked together yet are they two distinct giftes of GOD. I will vse yet another similitude for declaration of the same purpose If a sword be laide into the fire vntill the mettall thereof be firie coloured this sworde at one time hath two powers one to cut and another to burne yet is not cutting burning nor burning cutting but these two distinct powers are at one time inseparably in one subiect Euen so are wee at one and the selfe same time both iustified and sanctified yet are they still two different giftes of GOD. Nowe the doctrine of Iustification rightly taught is our cihefe incouragement to Sanctification and on the other parte the doctrine of Sanctification rightly taught giueth vnto vs the greatest assurance of our Iustification A man who is assured that his sinnes are freely forgiuen that hee is beloued of GOD in CHRIST yea and that hee hath put on CHRIST as the Apostle speaketh he may with courage and gladnesse addresse himselse to lead an holy life being fully perswaded that GOD will accept of his willing obedience albeit it can not be perfect in all points so long as wee dwell into this sinsull tabernacle And on the other side when the spirit of sanctification worketh in our members it is a token that we are incorporated into the stocke of CHRIST by true faith For like as the spirit of man quickneth no member that is cut off from his bodie euen so the spirit of CHRIST worketh not true sanctification in any person who is not made a member of Christes body by true iustifying faith For this cause the Romane Church blames vs vndeseruedly as though by teaching that we are iustified only by faith we had impaired the zeale of the people in doing of good workes To this I answere that more credite is to be giuen to the holy Apost PAVL who was taught in all trueth immediatly by Christ himselfe nor to the calumnies of the aduersaries of the doctrine of grace for the Apostle exhorting the Romanes to agodly conuersation he saith I beseech you brethren sor the mercies of God that yee offer vp your bodies an holy liuely and acceptable sacrifice to God and what mercies are those I pray you whereof the Apostle speaketh but the mercies whereof hee hath intreated in the former parte of that Epistle to wit GOD hath freely elected vs he hath freely instified vs he hath freely sanctified vs and hee shall freely in his appointed time glorifie vs. Nowe in regard of all these mercies let vs endeuoure to leade a holy conuersation as it becommeth them who are partakers of so great mercies This holy exhortation could not haue beene drawne from a more pithie more persuasiue and mouing ground Therefore wee will walke in the footsteps of the holy Apostles and continue still exhorting the people to leade an holy conuersation in regarde of the rich mercies of GOD in CHRIST who hath freely elected them to eternall life and freely iustified them by faith in CHRIST alanerly Whereas they obiect that experience it selfe testifieth that people are not nowe so bent and readie to doe good
like maner I say to Papistes that their naked assertions not confirmed by testimonies of holy Scripture are nothing to vs but wee may lay them aside with as great libertie as they are prodigall in allcadging them Wee will answere to such arguments as seeme to be countenanced with some appearance of Scripture Now they say that the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently vsed in Scripture importeth the merite of our good workes because GOD vouchsafeth vpon them a rewarde To this I answere that if Scripture be conserred with Scripture that same thing which in one place is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a reward in another place it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an heritage in these wordes Come yee blessed of my father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world When that thing which properly is an inheritance is called a reward it is spoken metaphorically in respect it is giuen in the end of the world as an hire is giuen to a feruant in the end of the day The second argument proouing the merite of mens works and consequently Iustification by workes in a part is this that some men in Scripture are called worthie as when it is saide to the Angell of the Church of Sardis Thou hast a few names yet in Sardis which haue not defiled their garments and they shall walke with me in white for they are worthie To this I answere the godly are called worthie not in themselues but in Christ who hath made them Kings and Priestes vnto GOD. In themselues they are called vnworthie as when it is said No man was found wortbie to open and to read the booke And in another place it is saide that the afflictions of this present time are not Wortlne of the glorie that it to be shewed vnto vs. Nowe it is knowne that patient suffering of euill for Christes sake is a degree of greater obedience than willing doing of good and if the suffering of the Sainctes be not worthie of the glory that is to be reueiled how much lesse can our doings bee worthie of that glorious inheritance The third argument is taken from the nature of a conditionall couenant bound vp betwixt two parties which doe import that condition should bee keeped but so it is that GOD hath couenanted with such as liue a godly life that they shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God therefore by vertue of this Couenant men who ieades a good life are worthie to dwel in heauen To this I answere that this couenant foresaid is either Legal or Euangelicall if it be Legall we cannot fulfill the condition thereof because the Law requireth a perfect obedience which we cannot attaine vnto If it bee an Euangelicall couenant the Mediator of the newe couenant IESVS Christ is present at the couenant making for whose sake I grant that GOD promiseth vnto vs a dwelling place in heauen and for his sake also he performeth his promise giueth vnto vs a resting place in his holy Mountaine and in all this haue we no cause to reioyce in our selues but in the mercies of our GOD. Concerning our satisfactions whereby the Romane Church saith That sinnes committed after baptisme should be pardoned This belongeth to another Treatise of Indulgences and satisfactions for the present I ouerpasse this point of mens merites with silence The Romane Church that Mistresse of errour hath not onely learned vs to leane vpon our owne merites but also to leane vpon the merites of other men such as holy Prophets Apostâ—…es and Martyres because some of them haue not onely fulfilled the Commandements of GOD but also haue done more than the Law of GOD commanded For example the Lawe of GOD forbiddeth to commit adulterie fornication and all kind of vncleannesse but many of the Apostles Prophets Martyres not only abstained from all kind of whordome but also from mariage such workes are called in the Romane Church workes of supererogation these doe come into the treasure of the Bishop of Rome as the Vicar of Christ and he is a dispensator of them to such as haue need O deepenesse of errours forged by Sathan repugnant vnto it selfe If abstinence from mariage bee a worke of supererogation then either must mariage euen in men hauing a spirituall calling bee counted a thing lawfull and agreable to GODS holy Law or else the abstinence from it cannot bee called a worke of supererogation I grant that some fathers counted abstinence from mariage a worke of Evangelicall perfection like as the selling of all their possessions and distributing them to the poore but it entred not in their hearts to call such workes of Evangelicall perfection workes of supererogation to bee sent to the treasure of the bishop of Rome that he might bee a dispensator of them to such as had neede But nowe suppone that any such workes had beene in the Sainctes of GOD howe can they bee imperted and communicated to others Can the oyle of the wise Virgines bee distributed to the foolish Virgines It cannot be because it cannot suffice them both Likewise when wee compeare before the iudge of the worlde wee must compeare clad with the innocencie of CHRIST and not with the merites of his Sainctes for the Apostle saith Put on the Lord Iesus but hee saith not Put on the merites of the Sainctes Moreouer wee must bee acceptable as the holy Prophets Apostles and Martyres were acceptable but so it is that they were acceptable to GOD onely in Christ as the Apostle saith If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust Here none exception is made of Prophets Apostles Martyres but all must be acceptable to GOD for Christs sake allanerly Finally the holymen of God when they die they rest from their labours and their workes follow them If the soules of the holy fathers doe goe to heauen to the bosome of ABRAHAM to the paradise of GOD howe can wee thinke that their workes doe goe to the treasure of the bishop of Rome except they would say that the soules of all the holy fathers are gone to the treasure of the bishop of Rome also and their works and merites following them are altogether lighted in his treasure But lest I should anticipate the treatise of Indulgences I referre all farder discourse vnto the owne place Intreating the Lord Iesus of his vnspeakable fauour to remooue the mistie cloud of ignorance from our soules that our heartes bee not transported from the loue of the Creator to the loue of the creatures but that we may seeke saluation in Christ in whom only it may be found to whom be praise for euer AMEN FINIS A SHORT COMPEND of the grouth of the ROMANE ANTICHRIST Comprised in the VII VIII and IX CENTURIES WHEREVNTO ARE ADDED TREATISES CLEARLY declaring the noueltie of POPISH RELIGION EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ANDRO HART ANNO 1616. TO THE
condemnation were forced by the decree of God to doe euill But I remit a further Treatise of this vnto the head of Councels Concerning olde extinguished Heresies such as the Manicheans Arrians and Donatists and such like who preassed to builde vp the wallesâ—… of Iericho which God had destroyed there is no necessitie to speake because these were vaine attâ—…ptes without anie successe CHAP. IIII. OF COUNCELS IN the yeere of our LORD 813. by the commandement of Carolus Magnus in the Towne of Mentz were conuened 30. Bishops 25. Abbots with a great number of Priestes Monkes Countes and Iudges about reformation of the dissolute maners of Ecclesiasticke Laicke persons After 3. dayes abstinence fasting joyned with Litanies publicke Prayers and imploring the helpe of God they diuided themselues into three companies In the first company were the Bishops with some Noters reading the history of the Euangell and the Epistles the Actes of the Apostles together with the Canons and workes of ancient Fathers and the Pastorall booke of Gregorie to the ende that by the Preceptes contained in these bookes the enormitie of mens liues might be corrected In the second companie were Abbots and Monkes reading the rules of S. Benedict for the reformation of the liues of Monkes In the thirde companie were lordes and Iudges pondering the causes of all men who came to complaine that wrong was done vnto them The 1. 2. and 3. Canons of this Councell entrait concerning Faith Hope and Chatitie 4. Concerning the Sacramentes to be ministred chiefely at Easter Whitsonday except necessitie and seare of death require preuening of these times 5. That vnitie and concord should bee kept in the Church because wee haue one common Father in heauen one Mother to wit the Church in earth one Faith one Baptisine and one Celestiall inheritance prepared for vs Yea and God is not the God of dissention but of peace according as it is said Blessed be the peace makers for they shall bee called the children of God The 6. and 7. Canons entrait of Orphanes and poore people whose weaknes is to bee supported but no man should take vantadge of their poore and desolate estate The 8. Can. recommendeth vnitie to be kept betwixt men in spirituall offices and ciuill Iudges a Canon indeede if it had beene obserued verie necessarie for the estate of this time The 9. and 10. Canon prescribeth to the Clergie Preceptes of a modest and sober life with abstinence from the delicate pleasures of the worlde and from Theatricall Spectacles from pompes and vnhonest banquets and to bee more readie to goe to the house of mourning to comfort them who are heauie hearted than to the house of banquetting Vsurie auarice ambition and taking of rewardes for the benefites of God such as vse to bee taken for medicinall cures is forbidden To beware of deceit and conjurations to flec hatred emulation backe-biting and enuying wandering eyes an vnbridled tongue a petulant and proude gesture are forbidden filthie wordes and workes are altogether abhorred chastitie is recommended the frequent visitations of the houses of Widowes and Virgines is prohibited due obedience is to bee giuen to Seniors to take heede to doctrine reading and spirituall songes as it becommeth men who haue addicted themselues vnto diuine seruice Precepts concerning the behauiour of Monkes and Nunnes and the fabricke of their dwelling places I ouer-passe with silence lest I shoulde ouercharge a short Compend with an heape of vnnecessarie thinges In the 32. Canon the difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is set downe 33. The great Litanie or Rogations to bee obserued three dayes by all Christians with fasting sackecloth ashes walking barefooted and all kinde of humble carriage 34. 35. and 36. Publicke Fastinges and keeping of Festiuall dayes is commanded 37. The Sabboth daye is to bee kept holy In it no Merchand Wares to be sold and no criminall cause to bee judged 38. and 39. Tythes are precisely to bee payed And men fleeing to Churches for safeguarde are not to bee violentlie drawne out of the place of their refuge 40. In Churches and the portches thereof let no secular judgements be exercised 41. Let no ancient Church be spoyled of tythes and possessions for the building of new Oratories 42. Concerning Church rentes bestowed for reparation and vpholding of Churches 43. and 43. That no Priest saye Masse himselfe alone for if hee haue no person present except himselfe howe can hee say Dominus vobiscum or sursum corda or such other passages Also frequent offering of the Sacrifice of the Masse and presenting of the Paxe is recommended to Christian people 45. That euery person bee acquainted with the Lordes Prayer and the Beliefe and they who can no otherwayes comprehend these thinges let them learne them in their owne vulgare language 46. Drunkennesse is detested and they who continue in this sinne without amendement are ordained to be excommunicated 47. God-fathers shall attende that their spirituall children bee brought vp in the true Faith 48. Filthie libidinous songes are not to bee sung about Churches 49. The cohabitation with women is forbidden to all the members of the Clergie 50. Let all Bishops Abbots and Church-men haue such Aduocates and Agentes in their affaires who are men that feare GOD and are haters of all vnrighteous dealing 51. Let not the dead bodies of the Saincts bee transported from place to place without the aduice of the Prince of the countrey or the Bishop and Synode 52. No dead bodie shall bee buried within the Church except the bodie of a Bishop or of an Abbot or of a worthie Presbyter or of a faithfull Laicke person 53. Incestuous persons are to bee searched out and separated from the fellowship of the Church except they bee penitent 54. 55. and 56. Marriage in the fourth degree of consanguinitie is forbidden and that no man shall marrie his spirituall daughter or sister neither the woman whose sonne or daughter hee hath ledde to the Sacrament of Confirmation and incase they bee founde to bee married they shall bee separated againe And no man shall take in marriage his wiues sister neither shall a woman marrie her husbandes brother IN the yeere of our LORD 813. a Councell was assembled at Rhemes by the commaundement of Charles the Great for it is to bee remarked that hee not onely assembled that famous Councell of FRANKFORD anno 794. in the which adoration of Images was condemned but also when hee was nowe aged and saw many abuses in the Church hee endeuoured by all meanes possible to procure reformation of the lewde manners of Church men Therefore hee appointed at one time to wit anno 813. fiue Nationall Councels to be conuened in diuerse places for reformation of the Clergie and people One was conuened at Mentz as hath bene declared Another at Rhemes the third at Towrs the fourth at Cabilone or Chalons and the fist at Arles In all these Councels no
other parts make seruice in his Church without letters of recommendation 14. Let a Pres byter leauing a lowe place and presuming to an higher incurre that same punishment which a Bishop deprehended in the like fault should incurre 15. A Presbyter who attaineth to a Church by giuing money for it let him be deposed 16. Let tythes bestowed vpon Churches by aduise of Bishops be faithfully distributed to the poore by the Presbyters 17. The families of Bishops shall bee instructed in the summe of the true faith In the knowledge of the retribution to be giuen to good men and the condemnation of vngodly people and of the resurrection and last judgement and by what kinde of workes eternall life may bee promerited and that the Homelies containing these instructions shall bee translated into Rusticke Latine language to the end that euery person may vnderstand them Marke in what estimation the Latine language hath bene at this time that instructions in Rusticke and Barbarous Latine are counted better than instructions in good French Language 18. It is the duetie of the Bishop to instruct his Presbyters concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme what it is that they should desire the people baptized to renounce namely they should renounce the deuill all his works his pomps Now the works of the Deuill are murther fornication adulterie drunkennesse and other such like faultes But the pompes of the Deuill are pride ostentation swelling conceites vaine glory lostinesse and such other faultes as spring vp from such groundes 19. Presbyters are precisely to bee admonished that when they say the Masse and doe communicate they doe not distribute the Lords bodie indiscretely to children and to all persons who happen to bee present who if they bee entangled with great sinnes they procure vnto themselues rather damnation than any remedie to their soules according to the saying of the Apostle Whosoeuer eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cuppe vnWorthilie hee shall bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of the LORD Let a man therefore trie himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cuppe By this let the judicious Reader marke that euen in the dayes of Carolus Magnus priuate Masses had no place but they who were duely prepared did communicate with the Priest 20. Presbyters shall not suffer the holy Chrisme to be touched by euery man 21. Presbyters shall not resort to Tavernes to eate or drinke 22. Bishops and presbyters shall prescribe to sinners who haue confessed their sines pennance discretly according to the weightinesse of their fault 23. Chanons who dwell in Cities let them eate in one Closter and sleepe vnder one roofe to the ende they may bee readie to celebrate their Canonicall houres From the 24. Can. vnto the 32. are contained Constitutions concerning Monkes and Nunnes which I ouer-passe with silence fearing to bee prolixt Can. 32. All men should studie to peace and concorde but especially Christians forsaking hatred discorde and enuie 33. Lordes and Iudges should bee obedient to the wholsome admonitions of their bishops and bishops on the other part should reuerentlie regarde them to the ende they may bee mutually supported euery one with the consolations of another 34. Lordes and Iudges are to bee admonished that they admitte not vile and naughtie persons to beare witnesse in their judicatories because there are manie who for a contemptible price are readie to make shipwracke of a good conscience 35. Let no man for his decreet receiue a rewarde for diuine Scripture in manie places for biddeth this as a thing that blindeth the eyes of the wise 36. Let euerie man bee carefull to support indigent persons of his owne familie and kinred for it is an impious and abominable thing in the sight of God that men abounding in riches should neglect their owne 37. Christians when they make supplications to God let them in humble manner bowe downe their knees following the example of the Martyr Steuen and of the Apostle Paul Except vpon the Lordes daye and other solemne dayes on the which the vniuersall Church keepeth a memoriall of the Lordes resurrection and at such times they are accustomed to stand and pray 38. Faithfull people must be admonished not to enter into the Church with tumult and dinne and in time of Prayer and celebration of the Masse not to be occupied in vaine confabulations and idle speaches but euen to abstaine from wicked cogitations 39. Let not the Consistories and Iudgement seates of secular Iudges bee in the Church or portches thereof in any time to come because the house of God shoulde bee an house of Prayer as our Lord Iesus Christ saieth 40. Let it bee forbidden that Merchandize be vsed vpon the Lordes daye or Iustice Courtes because all men should abstaine from seruile laboures to the ende this day may bee spent in praysing and thanking God from Morne till Euen 41. Incestuous persons parracides and murtherers are found who will not hearken to the wholsome admonitions of Church men but perseuere in their vitious conuersation who must bee reduced to order by the discipline of the secular power 42. Let the people bee admonished to abstaine from Magicall Artes which can bring no support and helpe to the infirmities of men and beastes but they are the deceitfull snares of the Deuill whereby hee deceiueth mankind 43. A frequent custome of swearing is forbidden wherein men vpon euery light occasion willing to purchase credite to that which they speake they take God to bee witnesse of the veritie of their speaches 44. Manie frie subjectes by the oppression of their Masters aro-redacted to extreame pouertie whose causes if our clement Soueraigne please to examine hee shall finde that they are vnjustlie redacted to extreame indigence 45. A false measure and a false ballance is an abomination vnto the Lord as Salomon recordeth The 46. Canon containeth a regrate that tythes were not duely payed to the Church notwithstanding that the Church had giuen in their complaint to the ciuill Magistrate whereby it came to passe that not onely Lightes in the Church and steependes to the Clergie beganne to inlacke but also the very Paroch Churches became ruinous 47. When generall Fastinges are appointed for any impendent calamitie let no man neglect the fellowship of the humbled Church for desire to fearce his bellie with delicate foode 48. Drunkennesse and surfetting are forbiddē as offensiue both to soule and and bodie and the ground of many other sinnes 49. Lords and Masters are to bee admonished not to deale cruelly and vnmercifully with their subjectes yea and not to seeke that which is due vnto themselues with excessiue rigour 50. Let Laicke people communicate at least thrise in the yeere vnlesse they bee impeded by some hainous sinnes committed by them 51. In the last Canon mention is made that they diligently examined the cause of them who complained to the Emperour that they were disherited by the donation of landes which their fathers and friends had bestowed
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