authoritie to forbid to eate meates that are created by God to the vse of men they vsurpe authoritie ouer the conscience of men binding where God hath loosed loosing where God hath bound and mixing heauen and earth through other as if men on earth should haue such absolute soueraignitie ouer the conscience euen as the God ofheauen hath This is called an apostasie from the faith not because all defection is finished in this but because all defection is grounded in this one point to set a mortal man in the chaire of God to attribut vnto him such absolut souerainitie ouer ourcoÌ„science as God had ouer the conscience of ADAM Gen. 3. as miserable experience hath clearely manifested in the Popedom Doth not the Apostle PAVL craue that the seruice that we offer to God should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a reasonable seruice Rom. 12. ver 1 But when we are led away either with the conceits of our owne hearts or yet when we cast off the yocke of God and stoupe downe the necke of our conscience vnder the lawes of mortall men in matters of religion what equitie of reason is kept in such doing to match and equall our selues or others to God Moreouer the A post PAVL foretelleth that these backsliders froÌ„ the faith should speake lies in hypocrisie hauing their conscience seared with an hot yron 1. Tim. 4 ver 2. These words cannot be properly applyed to the old Heretiques of whoÌ„ we haue spoken who ascribed the institution of matrimonie to Satan the creatioÌ„ procreatioÌ„ of mankindvnto the deuil because they spak not falshood in hypocrisy but in opeÌ„ blasphemy therfore they might haue bene easily discerned auoided yea in other heades of their doctrine concerning the natiuitie and death of Christ they were so blasphemous that in the worde putativé natus mamfestatus mortuus they were the very aduocats of the deuill lren lib 3. advérsus Valent. cap. 20. 39. But in the Popish church the lawes forbidding mariage to some men and meates at sometimes are so coloured with appearance of holynes that the forgers of such lawes in hypocrisie had neede to be pointed out by the finger of God in his worde to the ende that no maske nor visard put vpon vngodlinesse should peruert the vnderstanding of men But the more subtle hypocrisie that should be vsed the more vigilant and wakrife should the Lordes forewarned people be that they were not deceiued by lies spoken in hypocrisie Likewise the Apostle foretelleth that these deceiuers should haue their ' consuence seared or cut off with an hote yron In which wordes the Apostle alludeth to members of a body first feastered next senslesse and thirdly cut off with an hot yrone So are the conscience of those deceiuers fâ—…st cankered with errour next past feeling albeit wholesome admonitions be vsed for reclaiming them from errour last of all their conscience is a rotten thing and vtterly cut off Wherein it is to be marked that feeling of all senses is most necessarie a most vnseparable companion of the life begunne when the sensitiue life beginneth and ending when it endeth so that to be past feeling is all one as to be vtterly dead in body or conscience But let vs see to whom this can be justly applyed If we call to mind the obstinacie of the old Heretiques true it is that they were sensâ—…sse men of whom IRENEVS justly said that they counted themselues not ouercome by the power of the trueth so long as they adhered fast vnto their errour As if an impudent fellow who wrestleth and is ouerthrowne and is lying on his backe on the ground yet hee would denie that he is ouerthrowne because hee sticketh fast by the grip of his aduersaries garments Iren. lib. 5. adversus Valent. But apply this to the Papists of our dayes and we shall finde them tenfold more senslesse obstinat then the old Heretiques were for they haue found out meanes to harden their harts in error that when they are a thousand times conuicted by the clear shining light of the Gospell then the authoritie of their Church and opinion that it cannot erre doth locke them vp so fast in the bands of the deuill that all the trauell taken vpon them is spent in vaine they remaine senslesse hauing their conscience seared with the hote yron of Satan as the Apostle speaketh In particular the Apostle pointeth out two heades of doctrine that deceiuing teachers should maintaine to wit they should forbid mariage and they should command to abstaine from meates Marke these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is forbidding and commanding The word commanding is not in the Greeke text but EPIPHANIVS thinketh this ellipsis must be supplyed by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is commanding to abstaine from meates both these wordes are imperious and pointing out men in authoritie and practising their soueraignitie in all things wherinto the eminent power of a Soueraigne is manifested hee biddeth forbiddeth hee maketh lawes and constitutions the disobedience whereof bringeth the contraueeners vnder feare of great punishment euen so the deceiuers of whom the Apostle speaketh in matters of mariage meats should not be content to tell their opinion to allure by persuasiue reasons others to embrace their opinion but being mounted vp in high authoritie they should command to abstaine from meates and they should enterdite mariage to some persons with authoritie adding paines to the commandement that the contraueeners should be deposed from their office they should be counted Heretiques they should be condemned to hell beside all other ciuill punishments which magistrates addicted to their authoritie could inflict These wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is forbidding and bidding cannot be applyed to Gnostici Encratitae nor yet to the Manicheans of the next Centurie because they had no soueraignitie nor power to command Yea MANES himselfe was excoriat and put to death by the king of Persia as SOCRATES writeth lib. 1. cap. 22. and that for a light cause by reason hee could not cure his diseased sonne But the words of the Apostle clearely declareth that hee speaketh of men furnished with authoritie to bid abstaine from meates and to forbid mariage and this agreeth well with the Romaine Antichrist and his vsurped authoritie Notwithstanding of all these lawes made in the Romaine church and straite prohibition of mariage to the clergie we ought to follow the example of Christs disciples who after that they knew that celestiall voice that sounded from heauen in time of Christs Baptisme This is my welbeloued Sonne in whwÌ„ I am wel pleased heare him Mat. 3. They closed their eares and locked vp their hearts from hearkning to any voyce in the earth that spake the contrarie some said that he was ELI AS other said that hee was IEREMIAS or some of the olde Prophets but the disciples hearkning to the voyce that came downe from heauen said that he was
Papistes woulde make it to sâ—…eme probable that the Antichrist is one singulare man onelie is taken from the force of the prepositiue article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A childish argument indeede as who woulde saye that it were not lawfull to praye in anie chamber except in one onâ—…lie in respect of the prepositiue article set before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Enter into thy chamber The time of the continuance of the Antichristes persecution three yeeres and an halfe is borrowed from Augustine who supposeth that the horne which shall speake words against the moste High and who shall chaunge times and lawes as thinges giuen vnto his handes vntilla time and times and the diuiding of a time by this horne I saye Augustine supposeth the Antichrist to be presented how beit others more judiciously haue referred this prophesie to Antiochus Epiphanes who blasphemed God chaunged Sabboâ—…hs and Festiuall dayes yea and by his impious lawes presumed to abrogate the law of the Almightie God and immediatelie after such presumptuous attempts God shortened his dayes for within the space of three yeeres and some fewe dayes hee ended his life in moste miserable manner They haue no better grounde to affirme that the Antichrist shall be of the Tribe of Dan than this Because the Tribe of Dan is not reckoned amongst the rest of the Tribes Apocal. 7. yet this was not done to exclude this Tribe from the sauing marke of Christ but to giue place to the Tribe of Leui and not to exceede the number of twelue Tribes for Holie Scripture which commendeth the faith of Barak of the Tribe of Nephtali and Gideon of the Tribe of Manasse and Iphtah of the Tribe of Gad commendeth also the faith of Samson of the Tribe of Dan Hebr. cap. 2. vers 11. One thing I cannot passe by The inuenters of such fables that the Antichrist shoulde bee of the Tribe of Dan borne in Babylon c. in some thinges haue ouer-seene themselues miserablie namelie when they affirme that the Antichrist shall build the Temple of Hierusalem and shall sit there in the Temple of God and the nation of the Iewes shall adhere vnto him and immediatelie after this the ende of the worlde shall come and Christ shall destroye the Antichrist by the Spirit of his mouth Heere marke the great contradiction that is betwixt the prophesie of Paul concerning the conuersion of the Iewes before the seconde comming of Christ and the foolish opinion of Papistes Paul saieth that the Iewes shall bee conuerted to the true faith before the Great daye of the LORDES seconde appearance but Papistes saye that the Iewes shall bee adhering to the Antichrist when Christ shall come to judge the worlde and to destroye the Antichrist by the brightnesse of his comming These two opinions cannot both consist therefore let the fable inuented by men fall that place may bee giuen to the trueth of God who is blessed for euermore AMEN A TREATISE Of the Antichrist CONTROVERSIES in ciuill matters are not all of like moment therefore it was ordained by the counsell of Iethro that great matters shoulde be brought to Moses and that inferiour Magistrates should judge in small causes But in controuersies of religion all causes both great and small are to bee brought vnto the mouth of Christ our true Moses who will speake from his Sanctuarie vnto vs and giue vnto vs resolution of all our doubtes out of His blessed worde In this TREATISE especially let vs runne to the month of Christ speaking by his Apostle Paul and vttering a notable prephesie concerning the comming of the Antichrist in the wordes following Let no man deceiue you by anie meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that that man of sinne bee dâ—…sclosed euen the sonne of perdition Who is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that hee doeth sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God Remember yee not that when I was with you I tolde you these things And nowe yee knowe what with-holdeth that hee might bee reuealed in his time For the mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke onelie hee who nowe with-holdeth shall let tell hee bee taken out of the way And then shall the wicked man bee reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming Euen him whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders And in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might bee saued And therefore God shall sende to them strong delusion that they shall beleeuelies That all they might bee damned who beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse The occasion mouing the Apostle to embarke into this Prâ—…pheticall prediction concerning the comming of the Antichrist was this Because some in Thessalonica spake of the second comming of Christ that it was neare approaching and euen at hand The Apostle on the other part woulde assure the Thessalonians that before the comming of that Great day there should first be a defection from the true faith and that the Antichrist should be disclosed It is not the purpose of the Apostle to disswade anie man from remembring the terrour of that Great daye wherein the verie Elements shall melt and if so be what manner of men aught we to be in holy conuersation looking for and hastening vnto the comming of the day of our Lord yea and the obliuion of the second comming of Christ is the principall grounde of the securitie of the euill seruant But the Apostle ledde by the conduct of the Holy Spirite fore-seeing that two things were needfull to bee remembered to wit the seconde comming of the Lord Iesus and the preceeding comming of the Antichrist hee would haue them so to remember the one that they should not forget the other lest whilest wee runne fast to the marke without marking the perilles that are in the waye wee fall into the snares of the Deuil Our maister Christ when he corrected the foolish precipitation of the sonnes of Zebedeus who woulde haue sitten at the right and left hand of Christ in His kingdome before they had beene baptized with his baptisme and before they had drunken of the cuppe of the sufferings of Christ hee disswadeth them not from continuall fastning their eyes vpon the glorie of Christes Kingdome but rather so to looke vnto the marke that they ouer-leape not the waye leading to the marke God hath indâ—…edep epared a kingdome for vs but by many tribulations we must enter into that kingdome The apostasie whereof the apostle prophecieth is not a desection in manners onely but also a departing from the faith as
Siâ—…censis a wicked man and iustly excommunicate not onely by his owne bishop Vrbanus but also by a Synode of other neere approaching bishops Hee appealed to Zâ—…symus bishop of Rome a citie of refuge to all villanous men as appeared by the insolent forme of his cariage toward his brethren in Africke for before he had heard the causes wherefore they had excommunicated this wicked man Apiarius he absolued him and admitted him to his communion Moreouer vnderstanding that a Councill was to be conueened in Carthage he sent thither ambassadours to plead the cause of Apiarius to procure the excommunicatioÌ„ of Vrbanus incace this sucâ—…eeded not to desire that this question might be remitted to the determination of the Romane bishop as vndoubted iudge of appellations according to an act of the Councill of Nice The Fathers of the Councill of Carthage answered with great modestie that they remembred no such act to haue beene made in the Councill of Nice Alwayes time is granted to the B. of Rome to proue that such right belonged to him by an act of the Councill of Nice Zosymus the first alleadger of this false act continued short time in office for he ended his course within the space of one yeere and few months Bonifacius the successour of Zosymus serioysly vrging the same prerogatiue to be iudges in all causes of appellation according to the act of the Councill of Nice When all the actes were read both in the Latine Greâ—…ke exemplares no such act was found the ambasadours of Bonifacius returned to him with this answere that the principall registers beâ—…oued to be sighted which were to be found in Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia and in the meane time no man should be challenged for appealing to the bishoppe of Rome vntill this question had an end by sighting of the authenticke registers Cyrillus B of Alexandria and Atticus B. of Constantinople sent to the Councill of Carthage the iust copies of the actes of the Councill of Nice but no such act was found as was alleadged by Zosymus and Bonifacius and by this time Bonifacius also ended his life for hee ministred not aboue three yeeres The Epistle sent from the 6. Councill of Carthage declaring that they found the act foresaid alleadged by the ambassadours of the B. of Rome to be supposititio us and false this Epistle I say was directed to Bonifacius but seeing heehad ended his life it came in the hands of Coelestinus the successorof Bonifacius who insisted by the same ambassadours who were employed before to wit Faustinus a bishop and Philippus and Asellus two presbyters to haue Apiarius receiued in fauour and the Africane bishops to be subiect to the bishoppe of Rome but their trauelles were bestowed in vaine The last period of this controuersie was this that Apiarius despairing of helpe from the bishops of Rome confessed his faultes and humbly submitted himselfe to the Councill of Carthage And the Ambassadours of Coelestinus returned with this answere that the B. of Rome had none authoritie ouer the bishops of Africke but hee who thought himselfe to bee wronged let him complaine to a nationall Councill and if the nationall Councill also did him wrong then let him complaine to the generall Councill but none appellation to bee made in time to come from Africke to the bishops of Rome Vnder the reignes of Arcadius Honorius about the yeere of our LORD 400. The Donatists assembled theÌ„selues in a town of Africk called Bagaia in frequent nuÌ„bet for they are counted 310 who were present at this Council The principal purpose of their meeting was for deposition of Maximianus B. of Bagaia who fell from their societie and drew many others from their heresie him they deposed and accursed I haue made mention of this vnhappie Councill for two causes first to declare the vncessant diligence of heretiques in aduancing a doctrine of lies for it was a strange thing that for the deposition of one man so many should assemble themselues in one towne seldome were so many present at aecumenicke Councils as were at this conuention Secondly to declare the effronted peartnes of heretiques when they are met together all that they doe is ascribed to the holy Spirit for in their definitiue sentence against Maximianus they borrow the words of the holy Apostles Placuit Spiritui sancto qui in nobis est that is it hath pleased the holy Spirit who is in vs. Yet were they guided by Sathan and not by the holy Spirit in all the actions of this Councill In the 8. yeere of the reigne of Theodosius 2. was a generall Councill assembled in Ephesus against the heretique Nestorius bishop of Constantinople of whom Socrates writteth that the first ground of his heresie was the speaches of a Presbytâ—…r in his Church called Anastatius whome he had in reuerent accompt This Anastatius vpon a time teaching in the Church said let no man call the viâ—…gine MARIE the mother of GOD whereupon ensued great trouble in the Church for they wâ—…re assured of the diuinitie of CHRIST And Nestorius not willing that the man should be disesteemed whom he so much regarded he chopped oftin his Sermons vpon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not willing to giue vnto the blessed Virgine so great an honour When the Council of Ephesus was assembled coÌ„sisting of the number of 200. bishops aboue Cyrillus B. of Alexandria was appointed Moderator by the ordinance of the Emperours who coÌ„manded the Councill to be gathered Cyrillus began to embarke and to agitate the question ere Iohn Patriarch of Aâ—…tiochia and his companie could be present at the Councill At the first meeting Nestorius being present in the towne of Ephesus vtterly spoyled his cause and added to his former opinion borrowed from Anastatius that hee thought it an indignitie done to the onely begotten Sonne of GOD to speake of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were all reproachfull wordes to be spoken of the Sonne of GOD that is that hee was nourished vpon milke that hee was borne of a maide that hee was two moneths or three moneths olde all these words he counted to be reproachfull words to be spoken of the Sonne of GOD. The Fathers of the Councill were all highly offended at these words warned him to be personally present at the Councill but he refused to compeare vntill the time that John Patriarch of Antiochia should bâ—…e present at the Councill Cyrillus B. of Alexandria was a man prompt sordward in all causes both good and bad hee would not linger vntill the comming of â—…ohn Patriarch of Antiochia and his companie but foorthwith hee caused his bookes and writings to bee examined wherein it was clearely sound that hee saâ—…e the Son of the Virgine MARIE was not God but only that God was with him so hee denied the personal vnion of the diuine humane
is the true bread The doctrine of Transsubstantiation importeth also accidentes without a subject as hath beene touched in a part before in the definition of Transsubstantiation This is admirable that the Scholasticke Doctors who make Aristotle to be Master Caruer of this most holy banquet who haue acquainted themselues better with his Preceptes than with the heauenlie doctrine of the Apostles yet in this point they haue forgotten euen the doctrine of their Schoole-master Aristotle who saieth that accidentes can haue no subsistence but into a subject as if a man bee talking of blindnesse hee must also talke of eyes that are blinded and if hee talke of deafenesse hee must also talke of the eare and if hee talke of lamenesse hee must talke of some member of the bodie that is maimed and finallie if hee talke of a disease hee must also talke of some bodie either of man or beast that is diseased and this hee must doe either expressely or couertly because accidentes haue no subsistence without a subject There can bee nothing imagined more absurde more repugnant to reason than to talke of whitenessâ—… roundnesse and rednesse and in the meane time to saye there is nothing that is white round or redde The recourse which they haue to the Omnipotent power of God who is able to make accidents to subsist without a subject declareth that they neuer rightly considered the cause wherefore the Omnipotent power of GOD is mentioned in holie Scripture to wit to bee one of the strong pillars of our faith which faith commeth onely by hearing Then let this order bee kept First let GOD speake in His owne worde Secondlie let vs beleeue the worde of GOD by faith Thirdlie let the assured pillars of the Omnipotent power and infalâ—…ible trueth of GOD vpholde our faith as it did the faith of ABRAHAM But let vs not grounde vpon the Omnipotent power of GOD in matters whereof wee haue no assurance in His written worde as some of the wise men of PERSIA did who assured both themselues and others that incase they woulde distribute all their goods to the poore and throwe themselues headlonges from eminent places then their soules shoulde bee transported immediatelie to Heauen This madnesse fell out about the yeere of our LORDE and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST 759. What was this leaning of theirs to the Omnipotent power of GOD without assurance of his word but only the conceits of braine-sicke men And so let Papistes talke what they please In this purpose that God by his Omnipotent power can make accidentes to subsist without a subject I will conclude that the Omnipotent power of God is ordained to bee a confirmation to our faith and not to be a citie of refuge to foolish fables The doctrine of Transsubstantiation also importeth that the body of Christ at one time may bee in infinite places which repugneth vnto the nature of a true body which like as it is circumscribed and may be seene so likewise at one time it is onely in one place as Augustine writeth to Dardanus in these wordes Tolle spatia locorum corporibus nusquam â—…runt nec â—…runt that is to say Take from bodies the rowmes of places and they shall be no where and consequently they shall not bee at all And Theodoretus prooueth that the body of Christ is a true humane body albeit it be glorified euen in the latter daye when hee commeth to judge the quicke and the dead because it shall bee seene according as it is written Matth. 26 64. Yee shall see the sonne of man comming in the cloudes of heauen and like as it may be seene so likewise it is circumscribed and consequently it is in a place and is not turned into his diuine nature which is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it cannot be seene and it cannot bee circumscribed as the humane nature is It is well remarked by that learned Preacher Du Moulin that in the last edition of S. Augustines workes at Parise anno 1571. a notable place of the foresaid epistle of Augustine to Dardanus is vtterly left out by aduice of the Fathers correctors of the writings of the Auncientes namely this Destrai naturam humanam Christi si non detur ei certum spatium quo more aliarum rerum corporearum contineatur that is The humane nature of Christ is destroyed if a certaine place be not attributed vnto it wherein it is contained according to the custome of other corporall thinges What credite is to bee giuen vnto Popishe Doctors when they cite testimonies of auncient Fathers after they are deprehended to be deceitfull deprauers of their bookes Ancient Fathers a long â—…ime before the question of Transsubstantiation of the substance of the elementes in the holy Supper came in head they were reâ—…soning of the two natures in Christ to wit the diuine and humane nature and that the one nature was not turned into the other they could not find a fitter similitude than that which is borrowed from the Sacrament as I haue alreadie declared Alwayes they thinke that if any man shall imagine that by vertue of these wordes This is my body the substance of bread was chaunged into the substance of Christes body as many doe thinke euen vntill this day then in steade of one Transsubstantiation of the substance of bread into the substance of Christs body there should be two Transsubstantiations and the substance of Christs body should againe be turned into bread for like as Christ speaking of bread saith This is my body euen so Christ speaking of his body calleth it corne of wheat in these words Verily I say vnto you except wheat corne fall into the grounde and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth foorth much fruit If by vertue of the former wordes bread bee changed into the substance of Christes body then in like manner by vertue of these words for both are spoken out of one blessed mouth the body of Christ should be turned into the substance of corne of wheat I grant there is a difference betwixt a Sacrament and a metaphore yet in neither of them is there such vertue in the word is to change the substance of any thing IN the last head let vs consider with what strife and reluctation this erronious doctrine was intruced vpon the Church I holde the Monke Damascene to bee the first author thereof who perceiuing that his opinion was repugnant to the doctrine of ancient Fathers namely to the doctrine of Basilius Magnus who calleth the bread and the wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is figures of the body and blood of Christ. He forgeth a friuolous shift to excuse his contradiction to Basilius because saieth hee Basilius calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the wordes of the blessing but after the pronouncing of the wordes of the blessing they are no longer figures but the very body and
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
of Iudea bestowed by his predecessour CAIVS vpon HEROD AGRIPPA and added thereto all the dominions of HEROD ANTIPAS whom CAIVS had banished Ioseph antiq lib. 19. cap 4. This HEROD AGRIPPA when hee returned from ' Italie to Judea builded the walles of Ierusalem sparing for no cost so high and strong that if the worke had not beene hindered by the procurement of MARSVS gouernour of Syria hee had made them impregnable Hee was not so carefull to build the walles of the spirituall Jerusalem for he beheaded the holy Apostle S. IAMES the brother of IOHN and did cast PETER into prison whome the Lord miraculously deliuered Acts 12. This HEROD and the Iewes made hauocke of the glory of God and blood of his Saintes For hee gratified them by shedding the blood of the Apostles of Christ and againe they gratified him by giuing him the glorie that appertained to God alanerly For which cause he was stricken by the Angel of God and consumed with wormes Acts 12. In this Emperour CLAVDIVS dayes the famine foretolde by the Prophet AGABVS Acts II. afflicted the world One of the causes of this plague doubtlesse was the manifold abuses of the creatures of God in the middes of the aboundance of bread the contempt of the poore which faultes were so vniuersally ouerspread in the worlde that some of the Emperours themselues were not free of the foule spot of intemperancie as the scoffing speaches of the people did witnesse in stead of CLAVDIVS TIBERIVS NERO calling the Emperour CALDIVS BIBERIVS MERO Funct Chron. This is referred to the successour of AVGVSTVS In the yeere of our Lord 48. and in the sixt yeere of the reigne of CLAVDIVS as CHYTRAeVS reckoneth was gathered that famous Councill of Jerusalem described viuely by the Euangelist LVKE Acts 15. whereat were present the Apostles PETER and PAVL and IAMES and BARNABAS a reuerent man of God in whome Apostolike giftes were not inlacking with other worthie men IVDAS surnamed BARSABAS and SILAS notable Prophets and fellow-labourers of the Apostles likewise the Commissioners of Antiochia and Elders of Jerusalem with many others who were beleeuers What was concluded in this Councill I remit to the faithfull narration of the Euangelist LVKE Acts 15. Alwayes if votâ—…s bee pondered rather then numbred this is the Councill of Councils more worthie to be called O Ecomenicke then the Councils of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and Chalcedon In the Councill of Nice were worthy Bishops who came from all quarters of the world but in this Councill were holy Apostles who could not erre in matters of faith O Ecomenicke Bishops indeede and any one of the holy Apostles was illuminated with more aboundance of cleare light in things pertaining to the worship of God then all the 300. and 18. Bishops conveened at Nice in Bithynia Many Romaine Deputies were sent in the dayes of CLAVDIVS to keepe Syria and Iudea in subjection to the Romaines such as MARSVS LONGINVS CVSPIVS PHADVS TIBERIVS ALEXANDER CVMANVS and FELIX I leaue MARSVS and LONGINVS for desire to open vp in what Deputies time things mentioned in holy Scripture came to passe When CVSPIVS PHADVS was deputie there arose a deceitful man named THEVDAS to whom resorted a number of men about 400. who were slaine and all who followed him were scattered Acts 5. ver 36 IOSEPHVS writeth that PHADVS sent foorth a troupe of horsemen who suddenly charged the people that followed THEVDAS and slew them and tooke THEVDAS aliue and cutted off his head and brought it to Ierusalem Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 2 Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 11 After this man arose one IVDAS of Galile in the dayes of the tribute and drew away much people after him hee also perished and all that obeyed him were scattered Acts 5 37. If GAMALIEL in that narration keepe the order of time as these words After him would import of necessitie the words of the history of the Actes must be vnderstood of another THEVDAS then that man of whome IOSEPHVS writeth in the place aboue mentioned For IVDAS of Galite liued in the dayes of AVGVSTVS and when CYRENIVS was Deputie of Syria and Iudea Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap. 2. and likewise antiq lib. 20. cap. 3. But I am not certaine whether or no the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe absolutely import that IVDAS of Galile was posterior in time to THEVDAS When CVMANVS was Deputie who succeded to TIBERIVS ALEXANDER the insolencie of one Romaine souldier was the destruction of twenâ—… 〈◊〉 innocent people hee discouered the secret parts of his body vpon a solemne feast day neere vnto the Temple and in the sight of the Iewes they counted this a contempt done to God in the porch of his owne house CVMANVS drewe the Romaine souldiers to the Castle called Antonia verie neere the Temple and set them in order and the people of the Iewes fearing the inuasion of the souldiers fled and in the narrowe passages ouertro de one another and a great multitude of people were slaine Ioseph antiq lib. 20 cap. 4. After this the people of the Iewes came to Cesarea where CVMANVS was for the time and complained of a Romaine souldier who had casten a booke of holy Scripture into the fire whom CVMANVS beheaded and so pacified the Iewes Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 4. In end CVMANVS through his euill gouernement procured to himselfe the indignation of the Emperour CLAVDIVS he fauoured the wicked cause of the Samaritanes who had stopped the passages of the Galileans and slaine a great number of them They were accustomed yeerely to goe vp to Jerusalem to holy feastes and their way was through the townes and villages of the Samaritanes CVMANVS rather fauoured then punished this wicked fact of the Samaritanes therfore he was remoued from his place and FELIX was sent to be Deputie of Iudea Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 5. Whether CLAVDIVS was impoisoned by AGRIPPINA his wife to prepare an easie passage to NERO her sonne to be Emperour or not I leaue that to be read in authors who haue entreated the lifes of Emperours politickly It contenteth me to write of the estate of the Church in their time Nero. DOMITIVS NERO succeeded to CLAVDIVS hee reigned thirteene yeres and eight months Euseb. lib 3. cap. 5. His mother AGRIPPINA after the death of CNEVS DOMITIVS AENOBARBVS was joyned in mariage with the Emperour CLAVDIVS In the first fiue yeeres of his gouernement he abandoned the insolencie of his wicked disposition so that it was a prouerbe in the mouthes of men Neronis quinquennium in regard of his good cariage for the space of fiue yeeres But a fire long couered in end breaketh out into a mightie flame that no water can sloken it His crueltie against his mother his wife 's OCTAVIA and POPPEA his master SENECA the Poet LVCAN and the vile abuse of his body with persons of his neerest consanguinitie I remit to the reading of learned authors who haue written exactly the
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
Canon containing a rehearsal of the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture it declareth the book to be supposititious wherein the 3. bookes of Maccabees are comprehended as bookes of the old Testament And againe among the bookes of the new Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note the preeminent dignitie it reckoneth the two epistles of CLEMENT and his precepts giuen to Bishops comprehended into 8. bookes which were not to be published to all men in respect they contained some secret mysteries Canon Apost cap. 84. Is then the epistles of CLEMENT the 8. bookes of his precepts written to Bishops the actes of the Apostles written by him Canonicke Scripture books of the new Testament equall to the writings of the Apostles yet dited for the most part as secret mysteries to Bâ—…shops to be concealed and hid from the people when as the Apostle PAVL by the contrarie writing to TIMOTHIE and TITVS writeth vnto them wholsome precepts to be communicat to the people And the Apostle IOHN writeth to the Angels of the seuen Churches of Asia nothing but wholesome precepts to be imparted and communicat to the 7. Churches Apoc. 2. 3. such a candle that shall be hid vnder a bushel and not set vpon a candlesticke to giue light vnto the houshold of God I dare not imagine that either the holy Apostles or yet CLEMENT one of the Apostles faithfull successours did euer light such a candle The allowance which these Canons of the Apostles got in the sixt generall Councill Anno 681. whereof GREGORIVS HOLOANDER the conuerter of them out of Greeke into Latin glorieth so much was vpon an occasion whereof the Romaine Church hath cause to blush and to be ashamed rather then to glorie much First because in that generall Councill HONORIVS 1. sometime Bishop of Rome was condemned of heresie Secondly because in that Council the Bishop of Constantinople was ordained to be in equall authoritie with the Bishop of Rome And thirdly because the constitutions of the Latin Church forbidding men who were in ecclesiasticall offices to marie these constitutions I say were vtterly disallowed and the 5. chapter of the Canons of the Apostles gote better allowance because in it it was statute and ordained that the Bishop Elder or Deacon who repudiateth his own wife vnder pretence of religion shall be excommunicat and if he continue so doing he should be deposed Now this generall Councill making in so many principall points against them and onely gracing the supposititious booke of the Canons of the Apostles of purpose to disgrace the constitutions of the Romaine Church if HOLOANDER had remembred what he had bene doing he had bene more sparing in alledging the authoritie therof The shortnes of the treatise wil not permit me to make plaine to the reader how the Council gathered by CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS and the fathers of that same Councill gathered againe by IVSTINIAVNS 2. to perfite the worke they had immediatly afore begun both constitute but one generall Councill Alwayes if any thing seeme to be made vp against vs by the alledgance of a testimonie out of the booke of the Canons of the Apostles remember in what time this testimonie is alledged namely in the 68 1 yeere of our Lord. If IVSTINVS MARTYR or IRENEVS or any ancient father neere vnto the Apostles dayes had cited a testimonie out of this supposititious booke it had bene more likly that the Apostles had giuen command to CLEMENT Bishop of Rome to write that booke As touching the third maske of antiquitie to wit the decretall epistles in the first Tome of Councils and the distinctions of GRATIAN falsly ascribed to the ancient Bishops of Rome I hope in the mercy of God to remember a few of them specially in the 3. Centurie but not to the honour of impudent and vnlearned fellowes who haue forged these decretall epistles as if the world in all ages could produce no broods of better spirits then the asses compositours of these decretall epistles As concerning the accurate speculations of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA who was neuer rauished vp vnto the third heauen as PAVL was neither sawe things that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is things that cannot be spoken and which are not possible for any man to vtter as PAVL did 2. Cor. 12. ver 4. I say of him onely two things First if he had beene so ancient a writer as Papistes speake and the disciple whom PAVL conuerted by his preaching in Mars street Acts 17 then ancient writers had made mention of him such as IVSTINVS IRENEVS and CYPRIAN and such others but of his writings no mention is made in the greatest antiquitie Secondly I say with that reuerent Doctour of our own nation Mr THOMAS SMETON that the books giuen out vnder the name of old DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA sunt prorsus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are altogether fecklesse impertinent frivolous books Of Heresie EPIPHANIVS Bishop of Cyprus when hee writeth against Heretiques he intituleth his booke Panarium that is a medicinable boxe or shrine whereinto are contained sauing medicaments against the venome oflying doctrine albeit heresie be a poysonable and hurtfull thing yet treatises of heresie haue bene compiled not to hurt any man but to giue warning to eschewe the pernicious snares of the deuil Like as learned men who haue written of the nature of herbes haue not onely written of such herbes as are meete for food and of such as haue a medicinable vertue to cure diseases but of those also that are venemous and poysonable to the end that men beeing warned of the perill that is in eating of them they may escape danger and be kept in safetie In all ages wicked men haue bene like vnto IVDAS when hee entred into the garden of Gethsemane where Christ was praying and sweating bloodie teares for the saluation of mankinde he stepped in into the garden only of purpose to betray his master so doe wicked men in our daies read the holy Scriptures diligently walking as it were in the middes of the garden of God but onely of intention to betray Christ Iesus and to gainsay his euerlasting trueth On the other side it becommeth vs well when we are driuen either by necessity or by some honest occasioÌ„ to be in places where Satan hath set vp his throne to be walking as it were through the garden that Satan hath planted then let vs mark diligently the abominatioÌ„s of the deuill the multitude of serpents and vipers that are lurking there and giue warning to poore soules who are intangled with error to leaue that habitation of Dragons to come forth out of that comfortlesse den to the end their soules may be refreshed with the delectable flowres of the garden of God I hope in the mercy of God so to speake of heresy as I shal moue no man to be an Heretique And as concerning the rayling words of the aduersaries of the truth who haue with opeÌ„ mouth proclaimed vnto the world that we are Heretiques
I am the lesse moued with their speaches because it is the custome of lamed creeple men to be mounted vp on horsebacke an euil cause supporteth the own infirmitie by the loude trumpet of rayling wordes yet haue they not cleared to the world that wee maintaine obstinatly any point of doctrine repugnant vnto the articles of true faith and vnto the principall grounds of Christian religion preached by Christ and committed to write by the holy Apostles Let them be as prodigall in their curses as they please crying out against vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I answere with simplicitie of a humble mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a thing hanged vp in the Lordes Temple and dedicat to God Haue we not seene with our owne eyes deepe woundes made in the flesh of man that haue beene needled by skilfull Chirurgians and in end cured and healed and the skinne of man cutted in twaine by the sword vnited againe by the needle medicinable plasters That doctrine which endenoureth to needle the wounded world and to vnite it againe vnto that holy doctrine taught by the Apostles and Euangelistes and professed in the first hundreth yeere of our Lord shall we call it hereticall Shall we be so babish that wee cannot discerne the sword from the needle conjunction from separation healing from hurting welfare from woe If we knew Christ Iesus and the power of God working by his word we had not so rashly condemned the trueth of God The Iewes spake as confidently against Christ as euer the Councill of Trent hath spokeÌ„ against vs We hâ—…ue a law according to our lawe hee ought to de because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God Ioh. 19. ver 7 Vnder pretence of zealous keeping of the Law made against blasphemers Leuit 24. 15. they condemned the holy One of God as a blasphemer But his father by loosing the sorowes of death receiuing him into heauen placing him at his owne right hand annulled ipso facto that rash sentence giuen out in earth against the innocent Lamb of God Euen so the Lord in his owne appointed time by receiuing our soules into those celestiall mansions prepared for his owne Saintes shall vndoe the rash decreetes that are giuen out against vs in the earth In all ages this matter hath bene contrauerted and Heretiques haue obstinatly maintained their bad and reprobat opinions and as obstinatly refused the odious and vile name of Heretiques and this question in our dayes is like to a flame of fire which no aboundance of water can sloken The definition of an heresie we haue alreadie set downe in the 3 chap resteth nowe in this treatise to ponder the name it selfe to consider the ground of heresie the propagation and preuailing power of it at sometimes the greater and more preuailing power of the curse of God making heresie in end to wither as the figge tree did that was cursed by Christ And finally to declare what should be the cariage both of Pastours magistrats and people toward Heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of the Greeke language and very ample in signification for it signifieth a choosing Now it is certaine that it is no fault to a man to take a choise when God doth offer it vnto him as when it was offered to SALOMON to aske what hee liked best he choosed rather to craue wisdome then riches from God 1. Reg. 3. and when DAVID choosed rather to fall into the hands of God then of man 2. Sam. 24 ver 14. DAVID in choosing the pest rather then the sworde or famine tooke a choice which was offered vnto him by God And the pondering of the generalitie of the worde may declare that in things indifferent wherinto God hath granted vnto men a libertie free choice such as eating of flesh or abstinence from it marying or not marying a man may take his choice in these things at such times as he findeth it granted by God as well as DAVID and SALOMON and a man is not to be called an Heretique because he marieth because God hath giuen him libertie to marie or not to marie as a man listeth best prouiding alwayes he seeke counsell of God to dispose him in such indifferent things that way whereby he shall be most meete and able to glorifie God For true it is that the Euangelist writeth No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of God who is in the bosome of his Father he hath reueiled him Ioh. 1 which words plainly doe testifie that in matters of faith God hath not giuen vnto a man a free choice to embrace what opinion he pleaseth but God hath tied bound vs in matters of faith to the mouth of his deare Sonne to the ende we should thinke no other thing of God then Iesus Christ hath reueiled vnto vs. Now anent the ground of heresie I followe the opinion of AVGVSTINE in his booke of exposition of some places of the epistie to the Galathian wherein hee compareth Heretiques to the sonnes of KETVRA whome ABRAHAM maried after the death of SARA Gen. 25. These children were procreated of an old father and of a yong mother euen so Heretiques pretending antiquitie of Scripture but forging vnto them a new yong sense whereinto Scripture was not written they become defenders of a false opinion The words of S. AVGVSTINE are these Ex occasione antiquaeveritatâ—…s in novitio temporalique nati sunt mendacio that is through occasion of antiquitie of the trueth they are borne into the noveltie of a temporall lie so that AVGVSTINE his judgement soundeth to this that Heretiques pretend antiquitie of scripture for their father but they are more like to KETVRA then ABRAHAM following rather the noueltie of error then the antiquitie of veritie In this maner IRENEVS thinkèth that heresies do spring vp of a false vnderstanding of holy Scriptures vsing the comparison of men who breake the golden image of the king after it is molten againe fashion it according to the similitude of a Foxe now it can not be called the kings image any longer albeit it be composed of that selfe same golde whereof the kings image was made euen so when wordes of Scripture are drawen to a new false hereticall sense count that new sense heresie not Scripture Iren adversus Ualent lib. 1. cap. 1. Now these opinions of IRENEVS and AVGVSTINE concerning the originall ground of heresie do well agree with the word of Christ himselfe written in holy Scripture Are ye not therefore deceiued because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Marc 12. 24. The Sadduces knew wel eneugh the wordes of scripture but not the right sense and meaning of them And therfore it is great wisdome to mixe our reading with prayer to the ende that the Lorde who guided the
similitude In like maner to represent the plenitude of his wisdome the vnspeakable goodnesse and vnresistable power of Christ this similitude is brought in Hee is a stone cut out of a rocke without hands Dan. 2. ver 34. Here is his natiuitie represented His sufferings by the similitude of a carued stone Zach. 3. ver 9. His latter judgement by the similitude of a stone that falleth vpon a man and grindeth him to powder the fulnesse of wisdome and vnderstanding in Christ by a stone full of eyes Zach. 3. ver 9. His power by a stone smiting the feet of the great image and destroying all the glory of it And finally his vnspeakable goodnesse by the similitude of a corner stone and of a stone that is a sure foundation The second comfort contained in this description is this that Christ is a precious stone a corner stone a sure foundation Wherefore Christ is called an elect or tried stone we shall heare Godwilling hereafter in the description that the Apostle PETER maketh of this same stone Now Christ is not like vnto the stones of other buildings more different one from another in place then in nature for the stone in the foundation is but a senslesse stone as wel as the stone of the wall that is builded vpon it And it is possible that if the house building be casten downe that some of the stones that were in the wall be laide in the foundation and some againe that were in the foundation be laide in the wall whereupon ariseth this vicissitude that the stone sometime sustained nowe sustaineth and by the contrarie the stone now sustaining sometime was sustained But Christ Iesus is a precious stone sustaining vs at al times and neuer sustained by vs partaker of our nature but not of our sinnes in many things like but in infinit things vnlike vnto vs holy blamelesse vndefiled separat from sinners and made higher then the heauens Heb. 7. And in this also that he is a corner stone hee hath a prerogatiue aboue all other corner stones for other corner stones joyne wals together that are not far distant one from another such as the side-wall and the gauell of an house but Christ hath joyned Iewes and Gentiles together so infinitly separate one from another that none could vnite them but Christ alanerly For who could cast downe the partition wall and abolish the lawe of ceremonies which made infinite alienation of the mindes of the Iewes from the Gentiles but onely Christ Ephes. 2. 14 The Prophet vnto the two comforts addeth an wholesome admonition that hee who beleeueth in him shall no make haste this speach is borrowed from men that make haste to flie from their townes and holes for feare of the force and power of the preuailing enemie as the people of the tribe of ISSACHAR did when SAVL IONATHAN were slaine by the Philistims vpon the mountaines of Gilboa they left their townes for feare and the Philistims dwelt in them 〈◊〉 Sam. 31. But they who haue once betaken themselues to the holy mountaine of God and rocke of their saluation Christ Iesus they haue no neede to make haste and to flie because in him they finde assured protection and defence The people of the Iewes in the daies of ISAIAH sent down to Egypt and had confidence in the horses of PHARAOH but they fande the strength of PHARAOH to be their shame Isa. 30. ver 3 And the Iewes in the dayes of IEREMIE who would not leane vpon the suretieof Gods promises and tarie in Ierusalem but they would needes flie to Egypt in Egypt they died by the sword Ier. 43. ver 16. But hee who leaneth with constant faith to this sure foundation shall not make haste or as the Apostle PETER expoundeth it Hee shall not be ashamed 1. Pet. 2. ver 6. The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called a foundation as said is because it leadeth to Christ. Wherfore we haue to learne how firmly we ought to adhere vnto the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as a lanterne leading to Christ for this cause let no man mixe light with darknesse nor obscure the bright shining light of Apostolike doctrine with the traditions of men for this doctrine is like vnto pure gold Psal. 19. ver 10. And like as fine gold is marred with mixture because there is no other mettall in finenesse comparable vnto it euen so propheticall doctrine is vtterly spoyled when it is mixed with the traditions and doctrines of men For that is a mixing of drosse with golde and of rotten waters with pure and cleare waters After this vnhappie forme of dealing CAROLVS 5. Emperour presumed to mixe together the dregs of Poperie with the wholesome Apostolicke doctrine by the mercy of God professed in many nations as appeareth in the booke called Interim set forth at his commandement Anno 1548. which booke neither pleased the Romaine Church neither those of the true reformed religion but within the space of foure yeeres it wallowed and euanished as an abortiue birth Now it is to be remarked in this point what difference is betweene the persons of the Prophets and their doctrine The Prophets continued not long aliue Zach. 1. ver 5. but their doctrine continued because it was after a maner a foundation The like may be saide of the Apostles In like maner faith in some sense may be called a foundation Epist. Iud. ver 20. because it is the meane whereby wee are coupled to Iesus Christe Ioh. 3. ver 16. And the Apostle IVDE calleth it our most holy faith no doubt opponing faith to infidelitie for infidelitie vtterly polluteth the soule and maketh it prophaneHeb 3 ver 12. And in another place Let there be no fornicatour or prophane person like Esau who for one mease of meat sold his birthright Heb 12. 16 Thus wee see if infidelitie once take roote in the heart it will make it so prophane that the Couenant of God the land of Canaan the blessing yea and heauen it selfe will be set at light auaile But on the other parte when the heart is coupled by faith to Christ then is faith like vnto a whippe in Christs hande scourging out infinite abuses out of our soules Iohn 2. Now seeing that Christ is the onely true foundation by the determined counsell of God appointed to sustaine the weight of the whole house Let vs consider how meete a foundation Christe is in respect of all his offices for the Church is weake and Christ is an almightie King able to sauâ—… Isa 63. The Church militant is subject vnto sinne Christ is an high Priest whose sacrifice once offered hath a perpetuall vertue to saue those that beleeue seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Heb 7. ver 25. Finally the Church is naturally ignorant and Christ is the great Angel of the counsels of God who hath reueiled vnto vs all things needfull to be knowne Iohn 4. ver
25. Therfore on this sure rocke and holy mountaine let vs repose with assured confidence of faith Now I come to the wordes of the Apostle PETER a faithfull interpreter of the words of the Prophet ISAIAH Hâ—…e calleth Christ A liuing stone refused of men but chosen of God and precious 1. Pet. 2. ver 4. Hee is a liuing foundation not so much in respect of our naturall life where of also he is the author For in him We liue we mooue and we haue our beeing Acts 17. ver 28 as in respect of our spirituall life where of also he is the author and where of the Euangelist IOHN speaketh In him was life and the life was the light of the world Ioh. 1 ver 4 Christ is the authour of that life that consisteth in the true knowledge of God And this is life euerlasting that they know thee and whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ Ioh. 17. ver 3. What is the life of a man without the true knowledge of God reconciled to him in Christ but spirituall deadnes yea deadnesse more miserable then the deadnesse of dogges killed in their mothers belly miserable for this that they neuer sawe the light and more miserable because the light neuer saw them And these who haue not seene by the eyes of faith God reconciled to them in Christ they are double miserable neither haue they seene the true light neither hath the true light euer looked vpon them but in anger and wrath This liuing foundation saith the Apostle was disallowed of men but chosen of God and precious But I pray you wherefore did men disallow him Because hee appeared in the similitude of a servant because he was like vnto a root in a dry ground because he was a man ful of sorowes had experience of infirmities because hee was wounded for our transgressions broken for our iniquities and because of his chastisments and his stripes Ifa 53. So miserably is our corrupt nature disposed that not onely we erre anent persons despising them whome we ought to reuerence but in despising them for the selfe-same cause for the which they should most reuerently be regarded Christ is to be regarded of vs for many causes chiefly for this that hee humbled himselfe to the end he might exalt vs and hee was content to be wounded to the end we might be cured by his stripes Ifa 53. In the next wordes the A postle admonisheth vs that all the attempts of men against the souerainitie of Christ are foolish and vaine because he euer is and shall be the very elect and precious stone whereupon the house of God is builded The gainsayings of men against Christ are liâ—…e vnto the tempests of winde that are mooued in the aire whereby men and beastes and trees and ships are mightily troubled and shaken but the sunne moone and stars are so highly eleuate aboue the aire and the region of the winds that they cannot perturbe nor trouble those câ—…stiall creatures Euen so the contempt of men done against Christe cannot impaire one jote of his most excellent honour He is chosen of God and a precious and a worthie foundation albeit all the whole world should grind their teeth and speake in the contrarie To this foundation so viuely described both by the Prophet Isa. 28. and by the Apostle PETER 1. Pet. 2. wee are exhorted to draw neere to wit by faith For like as infidelitie separateth the heart from Christ euen so faith coupleth the heart to Christ. The Apostle saith Take heede lest at any time there bee in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe that departetâ—… from the liuing God Heb. 3. ver 12. An vnbeleeuing heart departeth further from the Lord then the East is distant from the West For the vnbeleeuing heart in doubting of the veritie of the promises of Christ would make Christ no Christ. If he who promiseth to saue vs do not saue vs then is hee no Sauiour indeede but in worde onely But the faithfull and beleeuing heart draweth neere to Christ toucheth the hemme of his garment draweth vertue out of him yea Hee that 〈◊〉 hath receiued the testimonie of God and sealed up that God is true Ioh. 3. ver 33. Of all hand-writes the hand write of the heart is the principall God deliteth to Write his couenant in our hearts Ier. 31 ver 33. Euen so in like maner God deliteth to haue his Couenant sealed and subscribed with our heart blood which no man can do but he that beleeueth in Christ. To conclude this shorte treatise after that the ground of the house of God is so clearely knowne by the very demonstration of the finger of God to them who will not beleeue that may justly be said which Christ spak to the vnbeleuing Iewes Doe not thinke that I will accuse you to my Father there is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome yee trust For had yee belecued Moses yee would haue beleeued meeâ—… for he Wrote of me Iohn 5. ver 45. 46. The like I say to the Papistes in our dayes they shall not want an accuser for the Apostle PETER shall be their accuser who sending vs from himselfe to Christ the elect and precious sure foundation of the Church conuicteth all those who adhering to the person of the seruant misregardeth the honor due to the Soueraigne Lord Master The Lord worke true faith in vs that we cleauing fast to Christ haue neuer need to be ashamed Amen CENTVRIE II Chap. 1. Traianus TRAIAN the adoptiue sonne of NERVA was the first stranger who obtained that honour to be king of the Romaines Hee reigned 19. yeeres 6. months Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 3. A man so exceeding wel beloued of the Senat people of Rome that after his dayes whensoeuer a new Emperour was elected they wished vnto him the good successe of AVGVSTVS and the vprightnesse of TRAIANVS Notwithstanding of this he was a cruell persecuter of Christians And this third persecution is justly counted greater then the two preceeding persecutions To other afflictions now is added contempt and shame It was no great dishonour to be hated of NERO and DOMITIAN wicked men and haters of righteousnesse but to bee hated and persecuted by TRAIAN a man counted a patterne of vpright dealing this was a great rebuke Notwithstanding Christians looked to Iesus the Author and finisher of their faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hande of the throne of God Heb. 12. ver 2. Many haue more patiently endured paine in their flesh then shame and contempt in the world but Christs true disciples must resolue to be a gazing stock to al the world to be countedthe off-scourings of the earth as the holy meÌ„ ofGod did in the daies of the Emperour TRAIAN These were citizens of heauen liuing in earthly tabernacles liuing vpoÌ„ the earth but not
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
conueene for exercise of diuine seruice this fauour I say seemeth to haue proceeded from the coun sell of MAMMEA his Christian mother rather then from the counseli of VLPIANVS that renowmed lawyer an hatefull aduersarie to Christians But MAMMEA his mother hearing the report of the learning of ORIGEN sent for him and by him was instructed in the groundes of Christian faith The learned doctour who wrote the booke of the martyrs very judiciously obserueth the iniquitie of this time whereinto no Christian Churches were erected when as yet notwithstanding of the fauour of the Emperour at some times no publicke house could quietly be obtained for the Christians so that by reason hereof may appeare the decretall epistle of Pope HYGINVS concerning the dedication of Churches is forged fained because the reigne of ALEXANDER is a long time posterior to the dayes of HYGINVS who liued vnder the reigne of ANTONINVS PIVS and in the reigne of ALEXANDER as yet there was great difficultie to obteine a place whereinto Christians might assemble together The just deserued punishment of TVRINVS whome the Emperour caused to bee fastened to a stake in the open market place and there to be killed with smoke the Herald standing by and crying to the people Smoke he sold and with smoke he is punished This punishment I say declareth that this Emperour counted flatterers worthy of great punishment ALEXANDER and his mother MAMMEA were both slaine by his owne souldiers Bucolc Index Chron. Maximinus AFter ALEXANDER SEVERVS MAXIMINVS was Emperour and reigned 3. yeeres Euseb lib 6 cap. 28. A man of base parentage of an huge stature promoted to honours by ALEXANDER who nounished a serpent in his owne bosome as the prouerbe speaketh when he aduanced MAXIMINVS an ingrate foster to great dignities and honours For by his meanes the armie killed ALEXANDER and his mother MAMMEA and saluted him and his sonne Emperours without aduise of the Romaine Senat a man hated of all good men beloued of euill men more grieuous to the citizens of Rome then to their enemies Bucolc Index Chron. who for hatred of the house of ALEXANDER as EVSEBIVS recordeth raised vp the sixt persecution against Christians specially against the teachers and leaders of the Church thinking the sooner to vanquish the rest if the Captaines and guiders of them were made out of the way Euseb. eccl hist. lib 6. cap. 28. ORIGEN at this time wrote a booke de martyrio and dedicated it to AMBROSIVS PROTECTETVS a preaching elder of the Church of Casarea because these two vnder this persecution had susteined great afflictions and constantly perseuered in the true faith Eusebilib 6. cap. 28. No persecution was more violent no persecution endured shorter time In no persecution are the names of suffering martyrs so obscured and couered with silence possibly because the booke of Origen de martyrio through injurie of time is not to be found therefore some learned men do referre the martyrdome of such as wee haue spoken of in the dayes of ALEXANDER to this time or to the persecution of DECIVS I will not dispute of such doubtsome things Three other things that are more necessarie to the edification of the Church I will touch First the malice of the deuill who hateth the welfare of the sheepfolde of Christ and laboureth either to spoyle it of true Pastours or to send in among the poore sheepe hyrelings and men not regarding the well of the flocke but their owne gaine or clse if they haue true pastours to mooue the flocke to be disobedient to faithfull and vigilant Pastors The flocke that can eschew all these three snares of the deuill and all these three wofull calamities so oft seasing vpon the poore sheepesolde they are in good estate Reade CHRYSOSTOME writing vpon the 13. chap Heb. ver 17. Another thing is worthie to be marked that in three great persecutions in the fift sixt and seuenth ORIGEN a man more renowmed in his lifetime then after his death God vouchsafed vpon him two great honours but not the third whereof he was most of all desirous He encouraged his father LEONIDES and his disciples PLVTARCHVS two SERENI HERON HERACLIDES patiently to fuffer martyrdome in the dayes of SEVERVS Next he wrote a booke de martyrio in the daies of MAXIMINVS the sixt persecuter whereby doubtlesse many were incouraged patienly to suffer euill for Christs sake What remaineth now but the third principal honour of martyrdom it selfe whereunto he had a bent desire in the daies of DECIVS the 7 perseter but then he fainted as shall be declared hereafter God-willing When we call to minde this weaknes of ORIGEN let all the cogitations of our heartes stoupe and thinke that wee are not meete for great things but if the Lorde call vs to suffer great things for his Names sake the Lorde perfite his strength in our infirmitie and weakenesse Thirdly let vs marke the great difference that is betweene the volume of the booke of holy canonicke sacred Scripture all other bookes whatsoeuer In Scripture the ouerpassing of maters of great importance and moment is not for ignorance misknowledge or doubting of those things that are ouerslidden but for mysterie and representation of things more necessarie to be knowne as namely when MOSES a most accurat writer of the life death genealogies of holy Patriarches yet hee ouerpasseth the description of the genealogie death beginning of the life MELCHISEDECK this was done of purpose to bring in MELCHISEDECK as a type and figure of the true king of peace Christ Icsus as the Apostle declareth Heb. 7. but among ecclesiasticall writers I finde a preterition of the names of these worthy Pastours who were martyred for the cause of Christ in the sixt persecution and this ouerpassing with silence so weightie a matter is a secret confession of ignorance in this part of the historie together with a doubting whether VRBANVS the first VALERIANVS TIBVRTIVS CECILIA and MARTINA suffered vnder ALEXANDER or vnder MAXIMINVS or vnder DECIVS Yea PLATINA writeth it was the opinion of some men that VRBANVS 1. was martyred in the persecution of DIOCLETIAN I haue insisted at greater length in this purpose to the end that euery man may giue vnto sacred scripture that reuerence that is due vnto it but other writings let vs reade them with judgement for assuredly there is palpable weakenes into them In ende this wicked persecuter MAXIMINVS and his sonne were slaine by his owne souldiers at the siege of Aquileia Func Chron. Gordianus THe tyrannie of MAXIMINVS enforced both the senate of Rome and likewife their oppressed confederates in Afâ—…icke to aduise by what meanes the distressed estate of the Commonwell might be supported And first GORDIANVS a man of noble birth in Rome and at that time PROCONSVL in Africke with his sonne bearing the name of GORDIANVS with his father these two were declared to bee Emperours to resist the tyrannie of
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
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
conscience a great number of them entrea◅e this argument In like maner the factes and wordes of ancient Fathers are miserably abused When Papistes reade in the Epistles of Augustine that the Emperour went vnto the tombe of the Apostle Peter sometime a fisher and laide aside his Emperiall Diademe and humbly bowed his knees and prayed at the sepulchre of P◅ter they clap their handes and shout for joy as if their cause were wonne But such transparent visardes will blind no mans eyes except onely the eyes of simple ignorant people and the eyes of those who are wilfully blinded because the praying at the sepulchre of Peter will not proue that the Emperour prayed vnto Peter but onely to GOD. And this custome was the more tolerable because Christians for the space of three hundreth yeeres were accustomed to heare GODS worde preached to receiue the Sacramentes yea and to pray in such places whereinto Martyres had glorified GOD by patient suffering of death for CHRISTES sake In all these actions they worshipped GOD whose worde they hearde preached in that place whose blessed Sacraments they receiued also in that place and they bowed their knees and prayed to GOD and not to the Martyres in that place yea and when the persecution ceased and Temples were builded there was a reuerent commemoration of the names of the Martyres without any inuocation and praying vnto them as Augustine expresly declareth Nowe let this grounde bee deepely setled and rooted in our heartes that GOD is the onely Fountaine and giuer of all good giftes who also knoweth all our miseries and is Omnipotent and can support them at such time as his Majestie knoweth to be expedient For the vision of GOD as saith the Prophet hath the owne appointed time and at the last it shall speake and not lie though it tarie Waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay And so much the more let vs with patient expectation awaite vpon the support that commeth from the throne of the grace of GOD because the LORD neuer commeth to vs with an emptie hande and neuer visiteth vs out of season as earthlie Phisitions doe oft times but euen when hee findeth vs lying in our graues and rotting in the stinke of a tab◅rnacle forsaken by the ghost who was wont to dwell into it then can hee raise vs out of graues as hee did LAZARUS This grounde beeing deepely fixed in our heartes I proceede to the n◅xt heade to declare that no man can approach neere to GOD without a MEDIATOR and that CHRIST is the onely MEDIATOR both of our Redemption and also of our Intercession and none other except hee onelie As concerning the first assertion that wee haue neede of a MEDIATOR there is no man so voide of vnderstanding who will denie it Like as in the fabricke of the worlde fire and water are elementes of so discrepant qualities that the Lord would not set them contiguouslie together lest the one should haue comsumed the other Therefore the Lord in his vnspeakeable wisedome hath set an element of a mid nature betwixt them to wit the Aire In the vppermoste parte of it not abhorring from the qualities of the fire and in the lower region of it conforming to the qualities of the water Euen so there can bee no fellowship betweene the holy God and sinnefull man without a Mediator And it was well said by Iosua Yee cannot serue the Lord for hee is an holy God he will not pardon your iniquitie nor your sins Therefore necessitie driueth vs in the Treatise of Inuocation to speake of the Mediator I will not paine my selfe to proue the thing that is not denied Papistes themselues grant two thinges First that Christ is the onely Mediator of our redemption Secondly that Christ is the onely Mediator of intercession betwixt God and vs. But herewithall they affirme that the Saints are mediators betwixt Christ vs. Of that which is fully grāted that Christ is the only Mediator of our redemption I infer according to the grounds of holy Scripture that Christ is also the onely Mediator of intercession For these two are vnseparably lincked together and he who hath the one honour hath both In the Epist. to the H◅brues it is said that Christ is the onely Mediator of our redemption and hereof it is inferred that hee is the onely Mediator of our intercession the wordes of the Apostle are these speaking of Christ But this man because hee indure◅h for euer hath an euerlasting Priesthood In these wordes Christ is set downe as the onely Mediator of our redemption Now marke that which followeth as a necessary consequence vpon the fore-mentioned grounde Wherefore hee is able also perfectly to saue them that come to GOD by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Heere Christ is pronounced to bee the onely Mediator of our intercession and this conclusion is gathered vpon this ground because hee hath saued vs by his euerlasting sacrifice which is as much as to say because hee is the Mediator of our redemption Againe holie Scripture will inuert this order and set intercession in the first place and vpon this ground that Christ is the only Mediator of our intercession will conclude that Christ is also the onlie Mediator of our redemption Marke the words of the holy Apostle My babes these thinges write I vnto you that yee sinne not and if any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father IESUS CHRIST the Iust and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the Whole Worlde In these wordes Christ is first called our Aduocate and hereof is inferred that hee is our propitiation which is all one as if hee had saide CHRIST is the onely Mediator of our redemption In the Law of Moses the high Priest was only but a type of the true Mediator of intercession yet while hee was presenting the blood of the sacrifice of propitiation into the most holy place all the people stood without and neither Priest nor people remained within the court where the Altar of brunt offering was vntill the high Priest came foorth out of the moste holy place Now seeing our Lord Iesus hath offered a sacrifice for our sins ◅nd hath caried the blood of the euer lasting Couenant vnto the moste holy place that is vnto Heauen and is actually performing the office of our great Aduocate and making intercession for vs let no man presume to step to the Alt◅r and to take vpon him to bee a Mediator of redemption or intercession our high Priest is doing that worke in his owne person tarie vntill hee come foorth out of the moste holy place and then there shall bee no more disputation anent Mediators of interc◅ssion Augustine vtterly excludeth Peter and Paul from this honour to bee counted Mediators of our intercession because like as they prayed for others euen so in like maner
Apostate who permitted no Councils to be assembled in time of his gouernement are haters of free and lawfull conuocated assemblies And incase good men fortuned to bee assembled together by any occasion as it happened in the Councils of Millan and Ariminum in the dayes of the Emperour Constantius the indeuours of the Emperour sometimes to circumueene at other times to terrifie or to wearie the honest mindes of vpright men plainely testified that hee was afraide of the sentence definitiue of a lawfull Councill Therefore let vs thinke with our heart and say with our mouth that lawfull assemblies are necessary for the furtherance of the Kingdome of GOD. Concerning the authoritie of Councils which is the principall subject of this Treatise there are three diuerse opinions Some with excessiue praises aduance Councils and count them equall to holie Scripture namelie the foure first Generall Councils The Councill of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and they compare them vnto the foure Euangels and to the foure Riuers of Paradise Others doe vilipende Councils and striue against them for euerie light cause as the Arrians did against the Councill of Nice for that one worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not founde in Scripture The third opinion is of those who neither will vilipende Councils nor equall them to sacred Scripture because holie Scripture is absolutelie and without all contradiction to bee belâ—…eued but Councils may bee corâ—…ected one by another as namelie Nationall Councils by Generall Councils and anterior Generall Councils by posterior at such times as thinges that were hidden from the vnderstanding of men before are brought to a more manifest light and notorious knowledge And in this opinion is that holy Father AUGUSTINE in his bookes written against the Donatists Now they who were in the first opinion to wit that the first foure Generall Councils were equall vnto the writinges of the foure Euangelists euery one of them leaned vpon an vnsure and deceitfull ground and so it came to passe that they were both deceiued themselues and likewise they deceiued others For Gratianus was the bolder so to speake because Pope Gregorie had spoken the â—…ame before him Pope Gregorie spake so because hee had a resolution in his owne minde to bee obedient to the acts of the Councill of Nice O but after him there commeth in a succession of Popes who will not bee content to bee ruled with the Canons of the Councill of Nice albeit they spake as Gregorie spake yet they did not as Gregorie did for they usurped jurisdiction aboue all the rest of the Patriarches expresse contrarie to the Canons of the Councill of Nice wherein it is statuted and ordained that the Bishop of Alexandria shoulde attende vpon the Churches of Aegypt and the Bishop of Rome should attende vpon the towne of Rome and the suburbicarie Churches according to the custome obâ—…erued of old What is this els but a mocking of the world in word to â—…ay that the 4. first Generall Councils are like vnto the 4. Euangelists and in deed manifestly to transgresse the ordinances of the Councill of Nice Are not the Bishops of Rome in this case like vnto Theophilus B of Alexandria when a great number of Monks came from the Wildernesse of Nitria to Alexandria of purpose to slay him Theophilus met them and with pleasant wordes mitigated their wrath for hee sâ—…id vnto them Brethren I see your faces as the face of God This he said not because he had a good liking of them but rather to bee free of their danger So doeth Gelatius and other Bishops of Rome speake reuerentâ—…y of the Councill of Nice to the end that the sixt Canon foresaide which they haue so manifestly transgressed may bee ouer-passed with the more fauourable pardoning of the transgressours because they speake good of the Councill If this bee a good forme of dealing let the wise Readeâ—… judge The Hypocrites also will praise the Law-giuer to wit the eternal GOD but they wil not be obedient vnto his Lawe yea they will take his Holy Couenant in their mouthes yet they hate to bee reformed But the Romane Bisshops should doe well either to bragge lesse of the Nicene Councill or els to be more obedient vnto the acts thereof Moreouer if the 4. first General Councils be like vnto the 4. bookes of the Euangâ—…l then is it as great a sin to falsifie the acts of the Coun. of Nice as to falsifie the Gospel of IESUS CHRIST according to S. Maâ—…hew But so it is that the Bishops of Rome for desire of preheminence falsified the acts of the Councill of Nice alleadging an act of that Councill whereby the Bishops of Rome were ordained to bee Iudges of appellation whensoeuer anie man did appeale from his owne ordinarie Bishop then shoulde his cause bee judgâ—…d by the Bishop of Rome But when all the principall Registers were sighted by the Councill of Carthâ—…ge no such constitution was founde in the Canons of the Councill of Nice for it was but an act of the Councill of Sardica and that both temporall and personall as wee haue before declared Therefore the sixt Councill of Carthage ordained such persons to bee excommunicated as should at anie time hereafter appeale from their owne ordinarie Bishop to anie Bishop beyond sea meaning inspeciall of the Bishop of Rome because the question agitat in the late Councils of Carthage was concerning his authoritie The second opinion concerning the authority of Councils is the opinion of Heretiques who altogether vilipend the authorâ—…tie of good Councils albeit they haue weyed mens opinions in the just ballance of the holy Scripture onâ—…ly and haue rejected no doctrine but that onely which being weyed in that most perfect ballance is found light Concerning these men it is superfluous to speake much they are like vnto dogges whose friendship goeth by acquaintance and is not ordered by reason and therefore if a friend come to the house hee barketh at him because hee hath not seene him before but incase hee see a thiefe and prodigall waster of all the substance of his maisters house hee will not barke against him if so bee hee bee familiarlie acquainted with him euen so notable Heretiques they raile against the trueth of GOD euidently proued by Scriptuâ—…e and confirmed by authoritie of Councils onelie because they are well acquainted with the lye and they are strangers from the trueth of GOD. The third opinion is best of all the rest forasmuch as by it neither are Councils vilipended nor yet honoured out of measure but they are regarded in so farre as they speake that thing which GOD hath spoken in his sacred Scriptures before them No greater honour did the Councill of all Councils conuâ—…ened at Hierusalem desire wherein the Apostles were presâ—…nt who were taught in all trueth by the holy Spirit yet did they not prâ—…tende the warâ—…and of the Spirit without the warrand of the writtâ—…n
made how Paul and Silas visiting the Churches where Paul and Barnabas had preached before they deliuered them the Decrees to keepe ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Hierusalem Heere mention is made of the Decrees of a most worthie Councill but heerewith remember two thinges First the Decrees of such a Councill whereinto many Apostles were present who were taught in all trueth by the Holie Spirit according to the prediction of CHRIST Secondly Paul and Silas were not now planting Churches in Asia the lesse but they were waâ—…ing and visiting the Churches already planted and no man denieth but the authoritie of good Councils is profitable to confirme men in the trueth of GOD. But it is the doctrine of the Holy Scripture of GOD that begetteth Faith in the soules of men Therefore let the Holy Scriptures of GOD haue the first and principall honour and no man will be offended that good Councils be regarded in their owne ranke In the next head let vs speake of the abuses of Councils they are manifold But the first and principall abuse of Councils I thinke to bee this when the very end wherefore they were wont to bee gathered is inuerted Of old Councils were gathered to suppresse Heresies and Schismes But when they are gathered to maintaine Hereticall doctrine or to strengthen the handes of Schismatiques directly or indirectly this is a great abuse of Councils Like as the Councill of Ariminum was assembled for confirmation of the Arrian Heresie the second Councill of Ephesus gaue allowance to the errour of Eutyches The Councils of Tyrus Millan indirectly in labouring to suppresse Athanasius were in verie deede supplanting the true Faith which Athanasius professed There is infinite difference betwixt Nimrod and Nehemiah and betwixt Babel and Hierusalem In the re-edifying of Hierusalem there was a purpose to glorifie GOD but in building Babell there was a farre contrarie intention Secondly Councils are abused when they take libertie to statute and ordaine any thing repugnant to the Holy Scriptures of GOD whether it be in forbidding to doe that thing which the Scripture licentiateth to bee done or in allowing thinges disallowed in Holy Scripture This abuse began very early euen in the famous Councill of Nice wherein they forbid men who are conuerted to Christian Religion and are baptized in the Name of CHRIST to returne againe to the warre-fare as if these two thinges were repugnant to be a warriour and a Christian Did not Dauid Iosaphat and Iosias fight the battels of the LORD and in so doing they made not defection from the Couenant of GOD. Was not Cornelius both a Centurion and a Christian And Iohn Baptist when hee was demanded of the Souldiours what they should doe did hee command them to forsake their calling and not rather to use it aright that is to doe violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and to bee content with their wages And was it lawfull to militate vnder the banner of Augustus and Tiberius And shall it be found vnlawfull to fight vnder the banner of Constantine a most Christian Emperour In my judgement this was too much libertie that the Councill of Nice tooke vnto themselues to disallowe anie calling that in Holy Scripture is not disallowed except onelie the abuse of it And of olde the Iewes made no Conscience to fight vnder the banner of Alexander the Great whome hee honoured also with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with equall honour and freedome of Burgeship with the Graecians in the principall towne of Aegypt called Alexandria builded by himselfe But this constitution of the Councill of Nice might bee excused because all thinges that are lawfull are not also expedient possibly they haue seene at that time great danger to Christian mens saluation in warre-fare vnknowne to vs and therefore they tooke boldnesse to forbid Christians to goe to warrefare But manie other Councils both Nationall and called by the Romane Church generall haue allowed thinges expressely forbiddâ—…n in the written word of GOD such as adoration of Images and the sapramacie of the Bishop of Rome not only ouer all Pastors but also a souereignitie in ciuill thinges ouer the Emperour and Princes of the earth which is an vnsufferable disorder to make the taile the head the head the taile In particular I speake of the Councils holden at Rome by Gregorius the seconde and Gregorius the thirde and Stephanus the thirde and the seconde Councill of Nice holden in the seuenth yeere of the Empresse Irene with the consent and procuration of Adrian Bishop of Rome ANNO 790. The vnhappie Generall Councill of Vienne assâ—…mbled by Clemens the fift ANNO 1311. whereinto it is statuted and ordained that the Emperour shall giue his oath of alleadgeance to the Pope to whom hee is no lesse inferiour then the Moone is infinitely inferiour vnto the splendor of the Sun Can any thing bee spoken more repugnant to the seconde precept of the first Table and the first precept of the seconde Table then the Decretes of the Councils foresaid Therefore let euerie Christian man thinke of Councils as they thinke of Riuers of water which are verie profitable so long as they hold themselues within the compasse of their owne accustomed bankes but if they swell and by vntimous inundation ouer-flowe their owne accustomed boundes then are they verie hurtfull to the neere adjacent fieldes Enen so Councils that take libertie to allowe any thing disallowed in Holie Scripture are very pernicius and hurtfull Thirdly Councils are miserably abused when they are blamed vnjustly and without a cause The Arrians moste vnjustly blamed the Councill of Nice for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because this word is not found in Scripture Neuerthelesse the matter it selfe expressed by this word is manifestly coÌ„tained in Scripture as namely when the Apostie Iohn saith There are three which bearâ—… recorde in Heauen the FATHER the WORD and the Holie GHOST and these three are one but the Arrians who blamed the Coun. most wrongfully said there was a time wherein the Sonne was not existant and that Deuilish opinion neither in word nor in matter is to bee found in Scripture Moreouer Councils are abused when as their authoritie is impared not with solide reasons taken out of the Scripâ—…ures of GOD but rather with the railing speaches of contentious men like as a number of Heretiques called Acephali with tumultuarie murmuring and crying out against the Councill of Chalcedon dispersed themselues heere and there and left not off their vngodly courses vntill a new Heresie of the Monothelites an vngracious budde of the rotten and cutted-downe stocke of the Heresie of Eutyches did arise But no man aught to contende against Councils with pride of a contentious minde but rather with humilitie of a modest minde search out whether their Ordinances bee agreeable to the booke of GOD or not Finally Councils are abused when they who are assembled together
not onely stained other his noble vertues but also purchased the hatred of the souldiers against him whereby it came to passe that they set vp Phocas to be Emperour in his steade Of this calamitie it is thought that Mauritius was foreseene in his dreame that he choosed rather to be punished in this world for his faults than in the world to come Alwayes hee was brought in bands to Phocas his wife and fiue children were cruelly slaine in his owne presence and finally bloodie Phocas slew himselfe of whome it is reported that when he saw his wife and children put to death he gaue glorie to GOD in his greatest calamitie and said Iust art thou O LORD and righteous in all thy Iudgements CHAP. II. Of Pastors and Doctors Patriarches of Rome TO GELASIVS succeeded ANASTATIVS 2. and gouerned 1. yeere 2. moneths 24 dayes Hee ministred in the dayes of the Emperour Anastatius he was hated of the Clergie because he admitted to his fâ—…owship Photinus a deacon whom Foelix and Gelasius had excommunicated as a friend to Acatius B. of Constantinople Platina writeth of him that he ended his life as Arrius did and that his bowels gushed out when he was doing his secret busines The very flatterers of the bishops of Rome are compelled to say that some of them were fauourers of heretiques and for that cause punished by God with extraordinare iudgements but I ground no thing vpon the words of Platina but so much as maketh against them whom he intendeth to flatter To Anastatius succeeded Symmachus in the dayes of the Emperour Anastatius and when Theodoricus King of Gothes reigned in Italie great sedition was amongst the people at his election the one part of the Clergie people choosing Symmachus the other Laurentius to be B. of Rome but with coÌ„mon consent a Synod was appointed at Ravenna there the electioÌ„ of Symmachus was ratified He coÌ„tinued in office 15. yeres 6. months 22 daies Hormisda the successour of Symmachus ministred 9 yeeres 18. dayes who by commandement of Theodoricus king of Gothes and reigning in Italie gathered a Councill at Rome and damned the errour of Eutyâ—…hes of new againe Likewise ambassadours were sent to the Emp. 〈◊〉 to Iohn B. of Constantinople to exhort them to forsake the wicked errour of Eutyches and to acknowledge two natures in CHRIST to wit the diuine humane nature but Anastatius answered with proud words Nosimperare volumus nobis imperari nolumus that is We will command but we will not be commanded Likewise the bishop of Constantinople puft vp in pride by the assistance of the Empâ—…rour despised the Councill of Hormisda Moreouer against the law of nations they dealt inhumanely with the ambassadours of Hormisda and thrust them into an old and lecking shippe with straite commandement that they should not arriue at any harberie in Graecia but keepe a direct course toward Italie Notwithstanding by the prouidence of GOD the snip arriued safely at the coastes of Italie The errour of the Mamcheans begannne againe to be ouerspred in Rome but Hormisda tooke their bookes burnt them in the porch of the Church called Constantiana Iohn 1. gouerned the Church of Rome in the dayes of Iustinus the elder to whome also he was sent ambassâ—…dour by Theodoricus to craue that the Arrian bishops whome he had banished out of his dominions might be restored to their places againe els the Catholicke bishops of Italie should expect all kinde of rigour at his hands The bishop Iohn with many reares perswaded the Emp. Iustinus to condescend vnto the petition of Theâ—…doricus Neuerthelesse when hee returned backe againe to Italie hee was cast in prison where hee ended his life after he gouerned the Church of Rome 2. yeeres 8. moneths Foelix 4. the succâ—…ssor of Iohn 1. continued in office 4. yeeres 2. moneths 13. dayes He excommunicated Athanasâ—…s Patriarch of Constantinople for heresie as Platina recordeth Hee ordained that Christians before their departure out of this life should be annointed with oyle This custome is now kept in the Romane Church and is called the Sacrament of extreme vnction To Foelix 4. succeeded Bonifacius 2 whom the Graecians called Agathon but both names soundeth to one and the selfe same thing The schisme that was among the people at his election ceased by the death of his competitor Diâ—…scorus he ministred 2 yeeres 2. dayes In his time Eulalius B. of Carthage submitted himselfe vnto the chaire of Rome whereupon Bonifacius took occasion of insolent insulting in so far that hee is not ashamed to writ of Aurelius B. of Carthage Augustine B. of Hippo of the rest of the fathers who were present at the 6. Councill of Carthage that through the instigation of the deuill they swelled in pride against the Roman Church agâ—…inst his predecessors Bonifacius 1 Coelestinus whom his predecessors most iustly had excommunicated but now saith he Eulalius hath confessed the fault of Aurelius of the Councill of Carthage submitted himselfe in humble maner to the chaire of Rome therfore he the Church of Carthage are receiued againe vnto the peace coÌ„munion of the Romane Church Marke here how they who would impaire a iot of that supremacie whereat the Church of Rome aimed were forthwith deliuered to the deuil how holy modest learned so euer they had bene a vaine timorous beastly body Eulalius is preferred to Aurelius B. of Carthage to Augustine B. of Hippo to a graue Councill of mo than 200 Fathers only for this that he submitted himself to the chair of Rome The time is now approaching whereinto it will be clearely manifested that supremacie was the very aple of their eye touch that once there is nothing but curses to bee thundred out of mount Tarpeius euen against Augustine himsâ—…lf against reuerent Councills Iohn 2. was successor to Bonifacius he ministred in the time of the Emperour Iustinian 2. yeeres 4. moneths he was called for his eloquance Mercurius or â—…ntius Iovis Agapetus the successor of Iohn 2. vnder the reigne of Iustinian had scarcely libertie to attend vpon his owne stocke for immediatly after hee was ordained B of Rome he was sent to the Emperour Iustinian by Theodatus King of the Gothes to pacifie his wrath for the Emperour intended to make warre against him for the cruell slaughter of AMALASVNTA his wife this was an vnhonest cause and an vnseemely message to the B. of Rome to vndertake It is affirmed by Historiographers that Iustinian secretly sollicited Agapetus to the errour of Eutyches and that Agapctus answered vnto him couragiously that hee supponed hee was sent to a most Christian Emperour but he found him to bee Dioclesian This libertie is thought to haue done good to Iustinian and that hee embraced the true faith more seriously than before and deposed Anthemius B. of Constantinople an Eutychian heretique and placed Menas a bishop
full of pride and he followed the footsteps of Joannes Cappadox and would bee called vniuersall bishoppe against whome Gregorius 1. contended mightily euen as Lactantius of olde contended against the Pagans impugning the error more mightily than solidly confirming the trueth It is supponed that he ministred 13. yeeres vnder the Emperour Mauritius To whom succeeded Cyriacus Patriarches of Alexandria AFTER Iohn called Tabennesiota succeeded another Iohn who kept the true faith and was banished by Anastatius because he would not damne the Councill of Chalcedone To John succeeded Theodosius an obstinate defender of the errour of Eutyches He was familiarly acquainted with Severus of Antiochia and Anthimus of Constantinople whereby the miserie of these dayes may bee easily espied whereinto three notable heretiques gouerned principall townes such as Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia He was so obstinate in his errour that he was rather content to be banished vnder the reigne of Iustinian than to renounce his errour After him succeeded Zoilus and after him Appollinarius who was present at the fift generall Councill To whome succeeded Eulogius and after him Petrus who ministred vnder the reigne of Mauritius Patriarches of Antiochia AFTER Palladius succeeded Flavianus who suffered great troubles for the true faith namely by the cruell persecution of the Emperour Anastatius and the calumnies of Xenaeas B. of Hierapoâ—…is a stranger indeed from the couenant of GOD as his name importeth for hee blamed Flavianus most vniustly of the heresie of Nestorius but when Flavianus both by worde and write had cleared himselfe of that calumnie the malice of Xenaeas ceased not for he brought with him to Antiochia a great number of Monkes to compell Flavianus to abiure the Councill of Chalcedone The towne supported their bishop against a raskall number of seditious and hereticall Monkes Notwithstanding the Emperour Anastatius infected with the heresie of Euâ—…yches counted Flavianus who was most vniustly persecuted to be the author of this tumult and banished him and placed Severus in his roome The Emperour Iustinus the elder displaced Severus and punished him and appointed Paulus to be bishop of Antiochia To Paulus succeeded Euphrasius who died in that feareful calamitie of the towne of Antiochia when it was shaken and ouerthrowne with earthquake as Evagrius witnesseth Euphraimius was a ciuile gouernour in the East parts who pitied the decayed estate of the towne of Antiochia furnished all necessarie things for the repairing of the towne of Antiochia for which cause the people was so affectioned to him that they would haue him to bee their bishop So Euphraimius becomes bishoppe of Antiochia or Theopolis for at this time it had both thâ—…se names Evagrius writeth that hee vndertooke the charge of the Apostolicke chaire in which wordes it is manifest that not onely the chaire of Rome but also the chaire of Antiochia was called the Apostolicke chaire The towne of Antiochia at this time was taken by Cosroes King of Persia set on fire and many of thâ—… people were cruelly slaine Euphraâ—…us their bishop at this time left the towne a perilous example except the people had beene in safetie and he onely persecuted yet he left behinde him so much as might redeeme all the Church goods AFTER Eâ—…phraimius followed Domnius And after him Anastatius He ministred vnder the Emperour Iustinian at what time the â—…mperour fell into the errour of them who saide that our LORD IESVS in his very conception adioyned vnto his diuine natâ—…e an immortal body which was subiect to no humane infiâ—…mities Anastatius opponed himselfe to the Emperours opinion the bishops followed Anastatius not the Emperour for this cause Iustinian was purposed to haue banished him but he escaped this trouble by the Emperours death Neuerthelesse hâ—…e was banished by Iustinus the younger for some alleadged cause of dilapidation of Church-gooods and Gregorius was placed in his roome Gregorius ministred in Antiochia 23. yeeres vnder Justinus 2. Tiberius and Mauritius hee was in great account with Mauritius to whome he foretolde that he would be promoted to the Imperiall dignitie And Mauritius imployed him in great and weightie businesse such as in pacifying the tumult of his armie which made insurrection against Germanus their captaine Also hee sent him ambassadour to Cosroes King of Persia who was astonied at the grace that was in his speaches Notwithstanding he was accused by Asterius a Deputie of the East of the filthie sinne of incest but he cleared his owne innocencie so euidently that his accuser was with ignominie scourged and banished Hee died of the gowtes infirmitie after his death Anasiatius whome Iustinus banished for dilapidation of Church-goods beeing yet aliue was restored to his owne place againe To whom succeeded Euphemius Patriarches of Jerusalem AFTER MARTYRIVS succeeded HELIAS a feruent defender of the true faith Neither would hee condescend to the banishment of EVPHEMIVS bishop of Constantinople nor to the admission of Severus to be bishop of Antiochia therefore the Emperour Anastatius banished him To him succeeded Iohn of whose politicke dealing in circumueening Anastatius the Emperours captaine I haue sufficiently declared in the preceeding historie To John succeeded Peter after him Macarius after Macarius Eustochius who impugned the bookes of Origen draue out of his bounds the Monks of Nova Laura defenders of the opinions of Origen Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia tooke this in an euill part The Emperour Iustinian caused a generall Councill to bee gathered at Constantinople whereinto not only the bookes of Origen were damned but also Theodorus himselfe the defender of them This displeased the Emperour Iustinian because hee loued Theodorus dearely therefore hee procured that Eustochius B. of Ierusalem should be remooued and Macarius restored againe After whome succeeded Ioannes Neamus and Isieius In this Centurie whereas I pretermit the names of other Pastors and Doctors in the Church I haue done it vpon this consideration I find in this Centurie that by the irruption of barbarous people such as the Gothes Uandales Hunnes Auares Schythians Lombards youth was hindred from studies many memorable bookes were burnt ancient languages were vtterly spoyled learning was greatly diminished flatterie of preuailing powers increased ambition in the West heresie in the East turned the estate of the Church vpside downe so that scarcely could men of good giftes and keeping integritie of faith be furnished vnto the principall Apostolick chaires Now after a maner the sunne is going downe the shadowes waxe great the darknes approacheth the Antichrist is at the doore worthy to bee welcomed with darknesse and decay of knowledge What shall I now write of other Pastors and Doctors shall I followe the foolish conceates of Historiographers in whose opinion the gift of miracles increased when the gift of knowledge decayed but the contraâ—…e is knowne by Scripture that the holy Apostles whome CHRIST induced
high Bishop and great Sheepheard of our soules only remaine with Christ who is only worthie of such high dignitie For like as many comforters came out of Hierusalem to comfort the two sisters Martha and Marie who lamented for the death of their brother Lazarus yet there was but onely one great comforter to wit Iesus Christ who could raise Lazarus out of the graue restore him to life again Euen so there are many bishops but there is only one great and vniuersall Bishop who can conferre eternall life to all that beleeue in him Let this royall garment bee laide vp in the Kinges wardrope and let none other man honour his owne bodie with it Let this oyle of consecration be kept in the Lords Sanctuary and let not the flesh of a stranger be annointed with it Let this inaccessible dignitie remaine as a fixed starre in heauen wherevnto no mortall man can reach his hand Let the death resurrection ascension and glorious sitting of Christ in heauen at the right hand of his Father budding foorth better fruite than the rodde of Aaron did testifie that this honour of the great Bishop of our soules belongeth only to Christ And finally Let him who onely is called the King of kinges the Lord of lordes the Prince of Prophets bee counted also the Bishop of all bishops who is worthie to be glorified for euer AMEN Vpon the necke of this Treatise if the next Treatise coÌ„cerning the Antichrist be subjoyned let no man maruell For in my opinion when the Popes hyrelinges cast themselues downe at his feete they testifie that they will bee subject vnto him as to the only Vicare of Christ vpon earth as to the Uniuersall bishop of the Church as to him that cannot erre in the Decrees of Doctrine concerning Faith and finallie as to whome onely it is lawfull as he listeth himselfe to determine of Religion and Christian Discipline So that these outwarde submissions of the bodie doe then appertaine to Idolatry when they are testimonies that the minde attributeth more vnto a creature than is meete But the miserie of all miseries is this that as it were by hereditarie succession euerie man who is seated in the chaire of Rome shall also haue right to gouerne the affaires of the whole Church how beit they bee not good common Christians let bee good Bishops and by the testimonie of their owne writers they be ambitious auaritious contentious and libidinous monsters Surelie before wee should conferre the glorie of CHRIST to such vile persons it were better that men should sacrifice their life for the honour of CHRIST For euen the LACEDEMONIANS when they were commanded to render their children answered to the MACEDONIANS Si grauiora morte imperatis mori volumus that is If yee commaunde thinges more grieuous than death wee will choose rather to die to wit than to obey such commaundementes And the verie Asse of Balaam is set downe vnto vs as an example of striuing against the vnlawfull commaundementes of vnlawfull prelates because the sword of the Angell of GOD is more terrible than the staffe of Balaam And albeit with Balaams Asse wee were thrise beaten with the staffe yet it is better to remember the by-past euilles which wee haue suffered than with the rich glutton to bee tormented not onelie with the sense of present paine but also with the remembrance of by-past pleasures which wee haue moste vnrighteously abused The Romane Church after the six hundreth yeere of our Lord had the wisedome of dogs who are wiser in senting than in barking for they knew that ambition was ambition and that verie fewe climbed vp to the papale dignitie by vertue but rather by procuration friendship bribes and other vnlawfull meanes but fewe durst barke against their doinges as dogges will not barke against men with whome they are familarly acquainted yea and men whome neceslitie of the extraordinary lewde conuersatioÌ„ of Pâ—…pes compelled at some times to barke Onuphrius the Aduocate of all cuill causes is ready with snurling words to reproue the reprehenders of them and by impudent deniall of the veritie of the historie to blind-folde the eyes of the simple and ignorant Reader Nowe is the way of righteousnesse made rough and difficill and the broad way is smoothe and easie and many walke therein But whensoeuer it pleaseth God to exercise the faith of his Saincts with difficill times it is not to mooue them to forsake a good course but rather to be well shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Indeede incase the course of vngodlinesse be made rough and difficill then the Lord hath set thorny hedges in our way to the ende that wee may repâ—…nt and returne to our owne husband againe from whom we haue wandered And happie is he who can discerne the way and the cause wherefore the Lord hath made it either rough or smoothe Now is the time come wherein Church-men are become like vnto carnall Iewes who loathed MANNA and the waters of the spirituall Rocke and the cloude of God and the holy Tabernacle yea and the flesh-pots of Aegypt are laide in ballance with all the treasures of the goodnesse of God bestowed vpon a carnall people Euen so Church-men at Rome after the sixe hundreth yeere of our Lord began to loathe the humilitie of Christ the patient suffering of the Apostles the riches of faith and other spirituall treasures which were the glorious ornamentes of the Primitiue Church whereunto are preferred the riches and honours of this world justly called by Nazianzenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Precious dungue IN the second head of this TREATISE it followeth to be declared that the bishops of Rome sought this dignitie of Papal supremacie vnhonestly and vsed it tyrannously and impiouslie after they had obtained it Concerning the seeking of it Philip Morney that Phoenix of FRANCE from whom I am not a shamed to borrow many things in this TREATISE hee prooueth by the testimonies of Paulus Diaconus Freculfus Regino Anastatius Hermannus Contractus Marianus Scotus Sabellicus Blondus Pomponius Laetus Platina Author compilationis Chronologicae and Otho Episcopus Frisingensis that Bonifacius the third begged at the handes of the Emperour Phocas that the Church of Rome should be called the head of all other Churches Hee who sought this supremacie was a flatterer hee at whose handes it was sought was a traitor a parricide and the vile excrement of all gouernours and the time wherein he sought it was at that time wherein the wordes of Gregorie the first vttered against Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bishop of Constantinople were in recent remembrance to wit That whosoeuer did vsurpe such a magnificke stile to be called Uniuersall Bishop hee was the fore-runner of the Antichrist But seeing the time was nowe come wherein the purpurate Harlot was to sit vpon the Citie of seuen Mountaines in her first entrie she laieth aside all shamefastnesse and modestie she wipeth her mouth
like obedience the Rom. Antich demandeth to all his lawes ordinanâ—…es euen to such as are repugnant to the law of God as namely to inuocation of Saincts worshipping of images c. therefore he is justly counted the principall aduersary of Christ. The Antichrist is said to exalt himselfe against all that is called God or is worshipped because he taketh vpon him to dispense against the law of GOD which argueth that he arrogateth vnto himselfe authoritie aboue the lawe-maker for no lawe as I haue declared alreadie can bee dispensed withall but either by the same authority by which it is made or by a greater Against Christes Kinglie Priestlie and Propheticall offices hee aduaunceth himselfe in abrogating the institution of Christ concerning the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament of the Supper vnder both formes of bread and wine In prohibition of marriâ—…ge and meates and in setting vp a newe propitiatorie sacrifice in the Church as it were protesting the insufficiencie of the sacrifice of Christ once offered Let vs in this point marke the degrees of the defection of the visible Church not vnlike vnto the decaying estate of a diseased man First his naturall sappe and moysture decayeth Secondly corrupt humours doe abound Thirdly his blood is inflamed perilous feuers seazing vpon his bodie doe threaten death Euen so in the Church when holy exercises of prayer and preaching are intermitted this is a biginning of euill Next when superstitions rites and ceremonies seruing to no profitable vse doe abound in the Church as vitious humours in the bodie then is the defection increased But when the visible Church admitteth another Law-giuer than Christ and stoupeth vnder the yoke of his obedience then is the defection from the faith come vnto a ripenesse and the Antichrist then siueth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God and if the Lord had not kept vnto himselfe a remnant by his gracious election the visible Church had beene like vnto Sodome and Gomorrha In the 5. verse hee saieth Remember yee not that when I was yet with you I tolde you these thinges This verse is not superfluously casten in to admonish the Thessalonians that the comming of the Antichrist was a matter of great moment and tending to the hurt of manie mens soules therefore it was needefull that timous premonition shoulde bee made vnto the Saincts to eschew the danger to come This is the Lordes customable dealing in matters graue weightie and serious to giue aduertisementes proportionallie agreeing with the nature of the thing fore-tolde But what shall wee speake of the lethargie and securitie of the worlde wee neuer read that men were so sluggishe and ouer-laide with so deepe securitie as when they were fore-warned of great thinges to come as if the loude sounde of the trumpet of God serued to none other vse but onelie to lull men into a heauie sleepe The deluge of waters the first comming of Christ the destruction of Hierusalem the comming of the Antichrist and the great tempest of the wrath of God that shall be reueiled at Christes second appearance all these things I say haue bene fore-tolde but the contempt of the warnings of God haue procured and will procure the heauie weight of Gods indignation Wee reade of Christes Disciples that when they sawe their master walking vpon the waters they supposed hee had beene a spirite or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a fantasie and delusion this they did onely at one time in fâ—…are and weaknesse but the wicked at all times and in the obstinacie of their vnbeleeuing heartes call both the promises and threatninges of GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is fantasies and delusions For this cause the Apostle both by worde and writ inculcateth this prophâ—…sie of the coÌ„ming of the Antichrist into the eares of the Thessalonians to the ende they should not lightlie regarde the fore-warnings of God as the sonnes-in-law of Lot did in Sodome Now follow the 6. and 7. verses with the beginning of the 8. verse And now yee know what with-holdeth that he might beercueiled in his owne time for the mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke onlie he who now with-holdeth shall let till he bee taken out of the way and then shall the wicked man be reueiled The naturall order requireth that in these wordes three things should bee entreated First howe the mysterie of iniquitie beganne to worke in Paules dayes Secondlie who is this that should bee a let and hinderance to the Antichrist And thirdlie when was it that hee was made out of the way so that he could hinder the Antichrist no longer The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke euen in the dayes of Paule because some Heretiques sprang vp at that time who denied the diuinitie of Christ such as Ebion and Cerinthus these appertained to the kingdome of the Antichrist because they were his fore-runners beginning with entising speaches to seduce men from the trueth of God And what was wanting in them except power and vncontrolled authoritie to bring to a full ripenesse the worke of defection alreadie begunne So Heresies and the doctrine of lies is the very first foundation of the kingdome of the Antichrist And like as an Eagle that buildeth her nest in the face of a steepie rocke the first sticke that shee carrieth to her nest belongeth to the masse thereof Euen so without all controuersie the Heretiques who prepared a way to the kingdome of the Antichrist they are members of the bodie of his kingdome If any man shall object that the chaire of Rome damned the olde Heresies of Ebion Cerynthus and of the Manichies and therefore such men cannot bee justlie reckoned to appertaine to his kingdome whome hee separated from his fellowship by detesting their opinions To this I answere That like as the golde and siluer the brasse and yron and likewise the claye of the great image which Nebuchadneser sawâ—… in his vision had no agreement one with another yet in this they agreede to constitute one stately image opposite vnto the little stone hewne out of the rocke without handes euen so heresies are repugnant one vnto another yet all belong vnto the kingdome of darknesse and to the throne of the Antichrist set vp against the glorious throne of the kingdome of Christ Yea and these Heretiques who impugned the true doctrine of the person of Christ they brake the yce as it were gaue example to others to impugne the doctrine of his office also In the second place by him that letteth Chrysostome vnderstandeth the Romane Empire which consisting into its owne integritie with vndiminished and vnbrangled authoritie the Romane Antichrist durst not attempt high things and thinges farre surmounting the modest carriage of subjects And heere by the way it is to bee marked that like as the Apostle by him who letteth and hindereth vnderstandeth not one particulare Emperour onely but an Empire wherein one Emperour succeedeth to another Euen so by him that is letted hee
Socrates also in his Ecclesiasticall Historie writeth of Eusebius Emisenus an Arrian Heretique vnder the reigne of Constantius who had the gift of working miracles And Platina writeth of miracles wrought at the sepulchre of Rhotaris king of Lombardis an Arrian prince Yea and the Apostle Paul saieth if I had all faith so that I could remooue mountaines and had not loue I were nothing Nowe what wisedome is it to count working of miracles one of the principall notes of the true Church of Christ. which is found also in the kingdome of the Antichrist and amongst Heretiques amongst them who in the sight of God are counted nothing if we taught a doctrine either in substaÌ„ce or forme different from the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles it were good reason that we should confirme it with new miracles But if wee teach no doctrine except the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles then is that ancient doctrine alreadie sufficientlie confirmed by ancient miracles wrought by Christ his Apostles Nowe let vs set forward to the purpose and let vs speake of the false miracles whereby the kingdome of the Antichrist was aduanced and that through the mightie operation of Sathan for like as Achab is saide to haue consented to the death of Naboth because the letters which procured his death were sealed with his ring Euen so Sathan liked well the aduancement of the Antichrist because he set himself to worke by many lying miracles to aduance the kingdome of the Antichrist Before the 600. yeere of our Lord when the way was preparing for the Uniuersall Bisshop was not the worshipping of the Crosse confirmed in Apamea by the fiâ—…e which shined about Thomas bishop there and burned him not The towne of Edessa was thought to bee saued by the picture of Christ dipped in water which picture was alledged to haue beene sent to King Agbarus The towne of Sergiopolis to haue beene sâ—…ued by the reliques of the martyr Sergius But after the 600. yeere of our Lord false miracles were so multiplied that it would be tedious to reade the shortest abridgement of them that could bee compiled The miracles wrought by the reliques of Sainct Oswald King of ENGLAND written by Beda The miracles wrought by the reliques of Iohn Baptist written by Sigebertus and of S. Sebastian written by Paulus Diaconus The miracles of the popes Deus dedit and pope Agatho written by Platina The miracles of S. Dionyse S. Maurice and S. Martine who miraculously deliuered the soule of Dagoberius King of France out of the handes of euill spirites written also by Platina The miracle of Immas a captiue and a prisoner in ENGLAND whome no bandes could binde because his brother beeing a Priest and supposing that Immas had beene slaine in the battell and that his soule had beene in purgatorie hee made prayers to GOD and saide Masse oft times for reliefe of his brothers soule the benefite whereof as Beda supposeth redounded to the weale of Immas soule and bodie O foolishe fable and yet thought worthie by master Brestow by a newe coÌ„memoration thereof to be kept in continuall remembrance To bee short the Legendes Portuses Festiuals Promptuaries Sermones and other bookes of the Romane Church which are all stuffed so full that nothing almoste is thought to bee sufficiently proued that is not confirmed by a number of false and friuolous miracles all these I saye clearely prooue in what account false miracles were and are in the kingdome of the Antichrist Euery man who is a judicious Reader may consider that I leaue this point not for lâ—…cke of aboundance of matter but for feare to offende the Reader with superfluitie of miracles vnworthie to bee rehearsed The thirde cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist is set downâ—… in the 10. verse in these wordes In all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perishe In which wordes the Apostle pointeth out vnto vs three thinges First that the marke and butte whereat the Antichrist shooteth is vnrighteous Secondly the meanes whereby hee endeuoureth to attaine vnto his intended purpose are deceitfull and thirdly that the deceitfulnesse of the Antichrist shall not hurt the elect of God but onely them that perish The principall butte and ende whereat they aimed continually was superioritie and preheminence aboue their brethren The deceitfull meanes whereby they attained to that preheminence were flatterie lies and fâ—…lse accusations of good men They flattered the Emperours Phocas and Basilius They falsified the actes of the Councell of Nice for excessiue desire to bee counted judges of appellations They accused the bishops of Rauenna moste falsely of the Heâ—…esie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not content with superioritie ouer their brethren they aimed continually at the honour due to Christ that is to bee law-giuers in the Church of God This was a matter of greater difficultie to bee brought to passe for albeit a man may climbe vp vnto the toppe of the highest mountaine in the worlde yet can hee not reach his hand aboue the Sunne and Moone and the glistering lightes of the firmament Euen so when all the Bishops in the worlde are casten vnder the feete of the Bishops of ROME howe dare they presume with sacrilegious boldenesse to make themselues companions to CHRIST and to bee Lawe-giuers in the Church By deceiueable meanes also this vnrighteousnesse behooued to bee brought to passe for a false opinion was setled in the heartes of the people That in matters of Faith the Bishop of ROME coulde not erre So ignorant people bewitched with vaine hopes without all due examination receiued all their ordinances howe repugnant soeuer they were to the ordinances of CHRIST The last cause wherefore the ANTICHRIST shall preuaile so mightilie is the power of the wrath of GOD justlie punishing the contempt of His trueth in the worlde The contempt of mercie deserueth punishment and the contempt of great mercie deserueth great punishment Nowe it is certaine that amongst all the rich treasures of the mercie of GOD CHRIST is the greatest with whome and for whose sake all other thinges are giuen as the Apostle PAVL speaketh in the eight Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes and the thirtie and two verse And seeing CHRIST is manifested to the worlde by the preaching of the Gospell the contempt thereof is an vtter rejecting of CHRIST And what wonder is it that GOD suffer them to bee deluded with errours who will not belecue the trueth of His worde The strong delusions or efficacie of errour as the GREEKS worde soundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather to bee referred to the ostentation of signes and wonders than to the power of the doctrine that shall bee vnder the ANTICHRIST for it is saide In the Gospell according to Sainct MATTHEW in the twentle and fourth Chapter and the twentie and fourth verse thereof There shall arise false christes and false prophets and shall shewe great signes and wonders so that if it
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
blood of Christ. It is hard to bee a prolocutor for an euill cause for it is like vnto a bulge in a wall which falleth and bruiseth him who woulde sustaine it which cannot sustaine it selfe It is certaine that the bread and wine are not types and figures of Christs body before the words of consecration for it is after the words of blessing that the elements receiue this great honour to be called Christs bodie and blood that is signes externall wherewith Christes bodie and blood is spiritually exhibited vnto vs. And therefore Sainct Ambrose calleth the bread before the wordes of consecration panis usitatus that is common bread but it is after the wordes of consecration that they receiue this honour to beare the names of things represented by them as Theodoreius in expresse words writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is â—…ee hath honoured the visible signes with the appellation of his bodie and blood not changing their nature but adding grace to nature Which place clearly prooueth that the elementes obtaine not that great honour to bee called Christes body or types of his blessed body vntill the time that by diuine grace they bee consecrated to that holy vse Mailrosius Scotus liued vnder the reigne of Charles the Great about the yeere of our Lord 800. and likewise RABANVS Bishop of Mentz these two had so acquainted themselues with the doctrine of Augustine that they could in no manner of way giue allowance to the doctrine of Transsubstantiation And about the yeere of our Lord 840. Carolus the second the sonne of Ludouicus Pius and brother to Lotharius and Ludouicus Germanicus he writ to Bertramus a Presbyter to haue his resolution concerning the mysterie of the Sacrament and after what manner of way the body and blood of Christ was present in the Sacrament To whome hee returned this answere That in the Sacrament of the holy Supper there were some thinges that were perceiued with bodily senses other thinges were taken holde of onelie by faith And the bread and the wine were to vs the body blood of Christ as MANNA and the waters of the spirituall rock were Christs body and blood to the people of the Iewes in the wildernesse This opinion aggreeth well with the doctrine of Paul that the Fathers in the wildernesse ate that same spirituall food which we eat which they could not doe by corporall manducation of Christs flesh because as yet the word was not made flesh So this opinion of Transsubstantiation did no sooner put out its head but assoone also contradiction was made vnto it About the yeere of our Lord 1020. Berengarius maintained the opinion of Augustine and other auncient Fathers hee was a presbyter of Angiers in Fraunce and denied the doctrine of Transsubstantiation and the Romane Bishops were coÌ„mooued with great indignation as appeareth by the number of Councels assembled against one poore man who durst presume to speake against the opinion once embraced by the Romane Church Leo the ninth gathered a Councel at Rome in the which he condemned the opinion of Berengarius and excommunicated him euen before he was warned to be present at the Councell and before hee was heard Hee assembled also another Councell in Vercellis about the yeere of our Lord 1051. in the which Borengarius was not present but Messengers who came to pleade his cause were imprisoned and casten into bands and the booke of Ioannes Scotus Mailrosius De Eucharistia was condemned By the way if any equitie had beene kept in these Councels looke by what reason they condemned Ioannes Scotus whose opinion Berengarius followed by the like reason they shoulde haue condemned Augustine Bishop of Hippo whose opinion Ioannes Mailrosius followed But the Romane Church cannot erre ' Another Councell was assembled by Pope Victor the successor of Leo the ninth in the which the Decree of the CouÌ„cell of Vercellis was allowed Yet all this coulde worke no contentment in their heâ—…rtes because the people of Angiers and Towrs in Fraunce liked the doctrine of Augustine Mailrosius and Berengarius about the Sacrament of the Supper Therefore another Councell was assembled at Rome by Pope Nicolaus the seconde anno 1058. in the which Berengarius yeelded to the opinion of the Pope and his Councell and his weaknesse strengthened the errour already receiued in the Romane Church mightily But the number of them who abhorred this newe found out doctrine was exceeding great therefore the Romane Church after the yeere of our Lord 1079 and after the dayes of pope Gregorie the seuenth put hand to worke And being now mightie strong they stirred vp Kings and Princes to persecute with fire and sword and all kind of hostilitie as heretiques all those that spake against worshipping of Images corporall presence and manducation of the body of Christ in the Sacrament of the holy Supper So it is manifest that this doctrine of Transsubstantiation was mightily contradicted vntill the dayes of pope Innocentius the third who in the Councell of Laterane anno 1215. gaue full allowance thereunto But when all this is done râ—…member that the vniuersall Catholicke Church dwelleth not in one countrey or city When the Romane Church was miserably infected with this miserable scabbe of pestilent errour what consent gaue the Churches of Asia and all the Grieke Churches They euer disâ—…ssented from this doctrine vntill this daye as appeareth by the last Sessions of the Councell of Florence anno 1439. Therefore let the Romane Church bragge of Antiquitie as they please the doctrine of Transsubstantiation shall neuer be found an ancient doctrine but a doctrine newe false absurd and borne out more by might of the preuailing authoritie of men than power of argumentes grounded vpon holy Scripture God teach them to returne to the ancient trueth from which they haue sliden To whom be praise and glory for euer Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Pennance IN this CENTVRIE it was a receiued custome to men to confesse their sinnes secretly to Presbyters and to receiue from them such forme of injunctions as they counted satisfactions for their faultes as appeareth clearly by the Councell gathered in Fraunce anno 742. in the which Bonifacius bishop of Mentz was Moderator In the first Canon of that Councell it was statuted and ordained That no man of the Clergie should put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two bishops with their presbyters and chaplens to prescribe pennance vnto them who should happen to confesse their sinnes By this it is euident that the custome of secret confession of sinnes to presbyter poenitentiarius which was excluded out of the Church in the dayes of Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople yet it returned againe and it was in vse in the VIII CENTVRIE Now in the inseription of this TREATISE I call it a SacrameÌ„t as the Romane church in our dayes call it not as though I were in the opinion that in this age the number of seuen Sacramentes
bee the sonnes of God except they bee borne againe by both the Sacraments to wit by the lauacre of water in the word and the anointment of Chrisme True it is that Cyprian calleth the anointment of oyle after baptisme a Sacrament different from the dipping in water but his meaning is that the anointing with oyle is an element different from the element of water and Augustine long after Cyprian calleth the externall signe of the Sacrament a Sacrament and the thing represented by it res sacramenti Nowe what vantadge hath the Romane Church when they take holde of the wordes utroque Sacramento that is both the Sacraments and in the meane time they neither take heede to the sandie grounde whereupon Cyprian leaneth to wit the opinion of Tertullian neither yet take they heede in what sense Cyprian calleth anointing with oyle a Sacrament to wit because it is one of the elementes whereby our spirituall birth is represented The reuerence that was carried toward the ceremonies of signification in the law of Moses hath made a patent doore vnder the Gospell to receiue many legall ceremonies such as consecration by oyle the linnen Ephod the lightes shining all the night long and many other ceremonies which are the more easily embraced because in Poprie the substance of godlinesse is vtterly forsaken and vaine ceremonies are adhered vnto euen such as are ceassed because they had their performance in Christ. And like as it is a follie to take the huskes of the wine grapes after the liquor is pressed out of them and to cast them into the wine-presse againe Euen so it is a foolishe conceite to returne the ceremonies of signification which haue had their performance in Christ and are abolished to haue place againe in the Church of God Therefore let the Romane Church bragge of Antiquitie as much as they please in their Sacrament of Confirmation no antiquitie shall bee founde and that for three causes First because the anointing with oyle whereof the Fathers doe speake is not a different sacrament from baptisme but a ceremonie Preceeding and following Baptisme Secondly the oyle wherewith persons baptized were anointed was not mixed with Balsome And thirdly after baptisme anointing with oyle and imposition of hands followed immediately but in the Sacrament of Confirmation when it began to take place in the Church of God anointing with oyle mixed with Balsome followed not immediately vpō the necke of baptisme as a continuate action but it was ministred 12. or 15. yeere after baptisme so that it is a deluding of the world and a peruerting of those who are weak in vnderstanding to proue that the Sacrament of Confirmation is an auncient Sacrament in the Church because it was an auncient custome to anoint with oyle those who were baptized as if Baptisme and Confirmation were both one thing which they vtterly denie Let the judicious Reader vnderstand that the purpose of the Romane Church to aduaunce their Sacrament of Confirmation with impairing of the dignitie of Baptisme is but a new Popish inuention For the writers after the dayes of the Apostles the more auncient they are the more they magnifie the holy Sacrament of Baptisme by which saieth Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wee are enlightened wee receiue the adoption of children wee are made perfect wee are made immortall What affinitie hath the doctrine of the Romane Church with Antiquitie who counteth the Sacrament of Baptisme onelie a preparation to the Sacrament of Confirmation Whereas auncient Writers haue attributed to Baptisme receiued truelie and with singlenesse of heart such perfection as leadeth vs vnto immortallitie and eternall life Lindanus pineth himselfe much as a woman trauelling in birth to bring foorth her childe so doeth hee endeuour with all his might to prooue that CHRIST instituted the Sacrament of Confirmation and that the Chrisme shoulde bee renewed from yeere to yeere and that this custome hath beene continuallie in vse since the dayes of the Apostles not onelie in the Church of ROME but also in the Churches of ANTIOCHIA HIERVSALEM and EPHESVS This is a verie confident assertion if hee coulde make it good And for proofe of all this geare is brought foorth asupposititious letter of Fabian bishop of Rome The cause is weake that is founded vpon such sandie grounde as Decretall Epistles doe falselie attribute to a great number of the bishops of Rome The olde prouerbe hath place in Lindanus as much as in anie Writer Parturiunt Montes nascetur ridiculus Mus that is The Mountaines are trauailing in birth and aridiculous Mouse shall bee brought foorth Fabianus testimonie written in a Legende of lies that is in Decretall Epistles vnknown to Antiquitie is no sure ground to any man to leane his Faith vpon it Moreouer he fetcheth a compasse to draw this Sacrament of Confirmation out of Scripture one way or other and hee saith that Christ commaunded his Apostles who were already baptized to remain at Ierusalē vntill they were endewed with strēgth from aboue Act. 1 in the day of Penticost the H. Ghost descēded vpon them in the similitude of fiery clouen tongs Act. 2 again the disciples at Samaria who were already baptized yet by imposition of the handes of the Apostles they receiued the gift of the H. Spirit Act 8. 17 What can Lindanus inferre vpon these groundes Christ bestowed vpon Christians who were already baptized a more ample grace than they had at the beginning whē they were baptized Christ added a signe in time of Confirmation somtimes fiery tongues somtimes imposition of hands ergo Confirmation is a Sacrament of the new Testamēt it followeth not for God in ordinary sacraments like as he maketh promises appertaining to al the beleeuers euen so in like maner he sealeth vp these promises by signes appertaining to all the members of the Church of God but promises belonging to a small number sealed vp with signs cōferred vnto a few cānot bee the ground of a sacrament which is a seale of the couenant of God belonging to all true professors and beleeuers And when Lindanus hath troubled himselfe with much businesse in end he granteth that Chrisming is an vnwritten tradition and hath no authoritie in the written word of God citing the testimonie of Basilius Magnus to this effect God confirmeth and strengtheneth them who are baptized in his name to bring his owne worke begunne in them to a perfection but not to institute a newe SACRAMENT And like as the GENTILES of olde who worshipped the SVNNE they worshipped it not onely for the glory and splendor that was in it but also for the benefite that it did communicate vnto the earth by warming it and making it fruitfull Euen so wee doe magnifie God our Creator and maker not onely for his owne most excellent and incomprehensible glorie but also because he daylie refresheth our soules with his goodnesse strengtheneth our weaknesse with the power of his sauing grace
payment of Tythes and first fruits 10. It is ordained That Presbyters shall preach the worde of God not only in Cities but also in euery Parochin 11. Incestuous copulations are to bee vtterly abhorred 12. Peace is to bee kept with all men according to the wordes of the Apostle Follow peace and sanctification without the which no man shall see God Hebr. cap. 12. vers 14. 13. Let lordes Iudges and the rest of the people bee obedient to their Bishop and let no vnrighteous judgement bee vsed and no bribes receiued nor false testimonie bee admitted 14. In time of Famine let euery man support the necessitie of his owne 15. Let all weightes and measures bee equall and just 16. Let the Sabboth day bee kept holy without Markets Iustice Courtes and seruile labour 17. Let euery Bishop visite his boundes once in the yeere and if hee finde the poore to bee oppressed by the violence of the mightie then let the Bis. with wholsome admonitions exhort them to desist from such oppression incase they will not desist from their violence then let the Bishop bring the cause to the eares of the Prince 18. Let Presbyters keepe the Chrisme and giue it to no man vnder pretence of Medicine 19. Parentes and Witnesses shall bring vp baptized children in the knowledge of God because God hath giuē them vnto Parents and Witnesses haue paunded their worde for their saith 20. Ancient Churches shall not bee depriued of Tythes nor of none other possession 21. That the constitution of ancient Fathers shall bee kept concerning Buriall in Churches 22. Ciuill Iudgement seates shall not bee in Churches 23. The goods belonging vnto the poore if they bee bought let it bee done openly in sight of the Nobles and Iudges of the Citie 24. Let fugitiue Presbyters and Church men bee inquired and sent backe againe vnto their owne Bishop 25. He who hath a Benefice bestowed vpon him for helping the fabricke of Churches let him support the building of them 26. They who sinne publickely let them make their publicke repentance according to the Canons These thinges haue we shortly touched to bee presented vnto our lord the Emperour and to bee corrected by his Highnesse wisedome IN the yeere of our LORD 871. and in the third yeere of the reigne of Basilius Emperour of the East and vnder the reigne of Lewes the second Emperour of the West the Ambassadoures of Pope Adrian the second came to Constantinople Basilius the Emperour gathered a Councell against Photius the patriarch of Constantinople In this Councell great policie was vsed to haue all thinges framed to the contentment of Adrian bishop of Rome For no man was admitted to the Councell except onlie they who had subscribed the supremacie of the Bishoppe of Rome aboue all other Bishops They who refused to subscribe the fore-saide supremacie were contemptuously rejected and not admitted to the Councell So did the authoritie of the Bisshop of Rome proceede to further grouth by flattering of Basilius who slewe his associate Michael as it was founded in the flatterie of Bonifacius the thirde who flattered that vile murtherer Phocas who slewe his master Mauritius In this Councell Photius was deposed and excommunicated and his bookes which hee wrote against the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome were commanded to be burnt Photius was accused for this that hee had accepted the office of a Bishop before hee had receiued other Ecclesiasticall orders Photius alleadged that this was no sufficient cause of deposition in respect that Ambrose bishop of Millan Nectarius bishop of Constantinople and of late dayes Tarasius with consent of the bishop of Rome of Laickes they were made Bishops The Ambassadours of Pope Adrian the second answered that Ambrose was endewed with extraordinarie giftes Nectarius was called at an extraordinarie time to wit when heresie was so ouer-spred that it was an harde thing to finde out a man who was not spotted with heresie and concerning the aduancement of Tarasius to bee bishop of Constantinople to whose admission Adrian the first gaue consent they answered That it was done for a speciall cause in regarde hee was a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images This answere declareth that incase Photius also had beene a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images the Romane Bishop and his Ambassadoures coulde haue dispensed with the want of Ecclesiasticall orders preceeding his admission to his Bishopricke as they did in the person of Tarasius In this Councell also the Ambassadoures of Adrian magnifying the authoritie of the Pope affirmed that the bishop of Rome might judge of the actions of all other bishops but no man might judge of him And albeit the Orientall bishops in the sixt Generall Councell cursed Pope Honorius after his death yet it is to bee marked saye they that hee was accused of heresie And in this case onely it is lawfull for inferiours to resist their superioures and to disclaime their peruerse opinions In this point also they saide That none of the Patriarches and Bishops proceeded against the defunct bishop of Rome without the consent of the Romane Chaire going before them Now obserue good Reader with what fidelitie Onuphrius defendeth the name of Honorius the first as free of all suspition of heresie when as the Ambassadours of Adrian the second for verie shame durst not presume to doe it More-ouer the worshipping of Images in this Councell got a newe allowance againe and it was commaunded That the image of Christ shoulde bee holden in no lesse reuerence than the bookes of the Gospell The Bulgarians also were made subject to the Romane Bisshop And Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople in regarde he was restored to his place again by the meanes of the bishop of Rome hee made no opposition in the contrarie Neuerthelesse this alteration continued but short time for the Bulgarians droue out of their bounds the Latine Priests and were serued with Grieke Priests againe Diuerse Canons were constituted in this Councell but so coincident with the Canons of other Councels that it is a superfluous thing to make a rehearsall of them In the subscription of the Actes of the Councell great controuersie fell out for the Graecians could not abide the name of Ludouicke Emperour of the West because they thought that the honourable name of an Emperour only belonged to their owne Soueraigne lord who was Emperour of Constantinople More-ouer a number of them came to the Emperour Basilius and requested him that their subscriptions might bee redeliuered vnto them againe wherein they had subscribed to the supremacie of the Romane Bishop or else the Church of Constantinople would be in perpetuall subjection to the Chare of Rome These subscriptions afore-saide were restored againe but with great difficultie CArolus Caluus conuocated a Councell in Fraunce at A◅ciniacum consisting of ten Bishops The bishops of Lions Vason and Trier were chiefe Presidents in the Councel Hincmarus bisshop of Rhemes accused in this Conuention his owne Nephewe
Constantine The Arrians finding themselues to be vtterly rejected by Athanasius they addressed themselues to Constantinople vnder the conduct of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia and threatned Alexander that incase hee woulde not voluntarily receiue Arrius into the fellowship of the Church then they should bring him in authorized with the Emperours commande to the grieuance of his heart Alexander clothed himselfe with the armour of GOD and all the night long prayed in this sence LORD if Arrius be to be receiued to morrow into the communione of thy CHURCH then let thy seruant depart in peace and destroy not the just with the wicked but LORD if thou wilt spare thy CHURCH whereunto I am assured thou wilt be fauourable then LORD turne thine eyes toward the wordes of the Eusebians and giue not thine inheritance to a desolation and reproach and cut of Arrius lest while he entreth into the CHURCH his heresie also seeme to enter with him and so no difference seeme to bee betwixt Pietie and Jmpietie The day next following the prayer of Alexander Eusebius bisshop of Nicomedia with his retinue came with great confidence pompe to performe all which they had threatned they would doe But Arrius was compelled to goe to a secret place whereinto his bowels gusihed out and hee concluded his wretched life with ignominie and shame To Alexander succeeded Paulus His lot was to gouerne this Church vnder the reigne of an Arrian Emperour Constantius who rejected him and seated Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia in his place But this great parrone of the Arrian Heresie scarcely was placed in Constantinople when he ended his life The Homousians receiued againe Paulus to bee their bishop The Arrians choosed Macedonius This was the câ—…use of great debate in Constantinople and the people diuided in factions hatefully inuaded one another The Emperour hearing of the tumult sent Hermogenes the generall commander of his horsâ—…-men to remoue Paulus from Constantinople Hermogenes was very ready to execute the Emperours commandement but the people being affectioned toward their Pastor arose vp with popâ—…re tumult compassed the house of Hermogenes set it on 〈◊〉 slâ—…w himselfe and fastned a corde to his legges and trailed him along the streetes For this cause the Emper. Constantius willing to punish the authors of this tumult hastened to come to Constantinople The people went foorth to meete him and with reares confessed their fault and craued pardon The Emperour absteined from punishing them vnto the death but he cutted off the one halfe of the victuall which the liberalitie of his father had bestowed vpon Constantinople to bee payed yeerely out of the tributes of Aegypt He banished Paulus the second time and seated Macedoâ—…ius in Coâ—…stantinople not without effusion of blood Paulus was againe restored by the meanes of the Emp. Constans but after the death of Constans he was banishâ—…d to Cucusus a towne of Armenia where he was strangled by the bloody Arrians The Church of Constantinople was miserably troubled with Arrianisâ—…ne vnder the reignes of Constantius Valens The reignes of Graiianus and Theodosius was a breathing time to the professors of the true Faith At this time Nazianzenus a constant defender of the Faith was chosen Bishop of Constantinople who notwithstanding voluntarily left the great Citie in regarde the Bishops assembled in the second generall Councill gaue not a full and uniuersâ—…ll consent to his admission Yet gaue they all without hesitation their consent to Nectarius a man of noble birth of the countrey of Cilicia at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who had receiued no ecclesiastical preferment before that time This man I say they made Bishop of Constantinople with full consâ—…nt and allowance both of the Councill and people ouerpassing Nazianzenus so fraile are the cogitations of men euen in generall Councils that they are oft times more ruled with affection then reason Nectarius continued in that office vntill the third yeere of the reigne of Arcadius that is vntill the yeere of our LORD 401. In his time the confession of sinnes done in secrete to presbyter poenitentiarius was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople vpon this occasion as Socrates writeth A certaine noble woman was confessing in secret her sinnes to presbyter poenitentiarius and shee confessed adultery committed with one of the Church Deacons Eudaemon this was the name of the father confessor gaue counsell to Nectarius to abrogate this custome of auricular and secrete confession because the Church was like to bee slandered and euill spoken of by these meanes Socrates can scarse giue allowance to this fact of Nectarius in respect that by abrogation of this custome the vnfruitfull works of darknesse were lesse coargued and reproued But Socrates considered not that CHRIST when hee talked with the Samaritane woman at the Well sent away his disciples to buy bread to the ende the poore Samaritane sinner might more freely poure out her secrete sinnes in the bosome of CHRIST who knew all thinges that were done in secrete It is not my purpose to contend with Socrates he is writing an historie I am writing but a short Compend of an historie hee taketh libertie to declare his judgement concerning this fact of Nectarius in abrogating confession of secrete sinnes to pres byter poenitentiarius No man can blame mee to write my judgement concerning auricular confession It is in our dayes not like vnto the mantle where with Sem and Iapheth couered the nakednesse of their Father Noe but it is in very deed a lap of the mantle of the deuill couering the nakednesse of his children that is the horrible treasons that are plotted in secrete by the children of the deuill against Christian Magistrates Nowe is auriculare consession for greater causes to bee abrogated then of olde presbyter poenitentiarius was discharged by Nectarius Bishops of Hierusalem TO Thermon succeeded Macarius anno 318. about the 7. yeere of the reigne of Constantine In his time it is thought that Helena the mother of Constantine founde the Crosse of CHRIST but Ambrose writes that shee worshipped it not for that saith he had beene Gentilis error vanitas impioram that is an errour of Pagans and vanitie of vngodly people But now to lay aside the inexcusable fault of adoration of the tree wherevpon our LORD suffered What necessity had Helena to bee so serious to seeke out this tree and to commit it to the custodie of all posterities seeing that Ioseph of Arimathea who sought the body of IESUS at the hands of Pilate to the end he might burie it honourably yet sought he not the tree whereon CHRIST was crucified which with little adoe might haue bene obtained Secondly during the time that the Crosse was easie to bee found and eâ—…sie to haue bene discerned from other crosses How could the blessed virgine the mother of the LORD and holy Apostles haue committed such an ouersight in not keeping
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