more lib. 2. de Imag. c. 9. That it is Concilium non confirmatum frequenter errâsse c. A Bishop Priest or Deacon in Office that hath committed Fornication was not to have Communion no not at death and divers others No Bishop was to receive any Gift from any one that did not Communicate It poseth the Papists themselves to expound Can. 34. Cereos per diem placuit iâ— Coemiterio nâ—n incendi Inquietandi enim Sanctorum spiritus non sunt Binnius will have it to be the Spirits of the living Saints that are not to be disquieted with trouble about Lights set up by day But I wish that be the meaning But the 36 Can. more troubleth them Placuit picturas in Ecclesia esse non debere nè quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur Can. 38. A Lay-man in case of necessity is enabled to Baptize Can. 39. Gentiles unbaptized may be made Christians at last by Imposition of hands Can. 65. If a Clergy-man's Wife play the Whore and he do not presently cast her out he must not be received to the Communion to the last Can. 73. If a Christian turn Accuser Delator and upon his accusation any one be banished or put to death he is not to be received to Communion no not at last Can. 75. Nor he that falsly accuseth a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon and cannot prove it Can. 79. He that playeth at Dice or Tables was to be kept from the Communion Many other Canons savour some of Piety and some of the Novatians Thirty six Presbyters sate with these Nineteen Bishops Pope Innocent approved these almost Novatian Canons and Binnius excuseth them p. 246. § 40. XIX Anno 306. A Council at Carthage of about 70 Bishops began the Schism of the Donatists contending who should have the Bishoprick of Carthage One party had chosen Caecilianus to succeed Mensurius The other party accusing him as being a Traditor and Ordained by Foelix a Traditor and had forbidden bringing food to the Martyrs in prison they ordained one Majorinus Bishop in his stead Caecilianus had the countenance of the Bishop of Rome and stood it out and kept the place Hereupon the Church being divided the division run through all Africk and Numidia while the accusing party renounced Communion with Caecilianus so that for many years after two hundred at least they did with plausible pretence claim the title of Catholicks though they were after called Donatists from Donatus a very good Bishop of Carthage heretofore whom they praised and not from Donatus à Casis nigris as some think Secundus Tigisitanus Primate of Numidia furthers the breach and the Ordination of Majorinus fixed it Thus the doleful Tragedy of the Donatists began by Bishops divided about a Carthageâ—Bishop â—Bishop § 41. XX. Anno 308. Another Council was held at Carthage where no less than 270 Donatist Bishops for moderation agreed to Communicate with penitent Traditors without rebaptizing them and so did for 40 years § 42. XXI Anno 313. The Schism continuing the Donatists cleaving to Majorinus appealed against Caecilianus to Constantine now Emperour He first appointeth three French Bishops to judge the Cause but after 19 Bishops called a Roman Council met at Rome to hear both Parties where Melchiades and the rest acquitted Caecilianus and condemned Donatus à Casis nigris a promoter of the Donatists Cause as guilty of Schism But the Donatists accusing Melchiades also as a Traditor the Schism was never the more ended A motion was made that both the Bishops should remove Caecilianus and Majorinus to end the Schisme But the Donatist Bishops were so very many in number that they thought they were to be called the Church and the Caecilianists the Schismaticks and therefore would not so agree Thus Bishops about Bishopricks set all the Country on a flame § 43. XXII Next Constantine would hear the Cause of these contending Bishops at a Council at Arles in France before 200 Bishops at least where Caecilianus was again acquitted and the Donatist Bishops cast by the witness of their Scribe Ingentius who being racked confessed that he was hired to give false witness in the Case Several good Canons were here made for Church-Order § 44. I have heard many Popish Persons liken the Separatists among us to the Donatists But so unlike them are they That 1. The said Separatists are against all Episcopacy but the Donatists were Bishops and contended for the highest Places of Prelacy 2. The Separatists are confessedly a Minor Part departing from the Major Part. But the Donatists were the Major Part of the Bishops casting out the Minor Part as Delinquents The Truth is in those times the Bishops being usually in contention and Church-Wars among themselves especially when Constantine had given them peace and prosperity the strife was Who should get the better and have their will 1. Sometime the strife was about Opinions who was in the right and to be called Orthodox and who was to be accounted the Heretick 2. The other part quarrel who should be the Bishop or who should have the highest places 3. And the next quarrel was whose side should carry it in setting up any Bishops or in judging and deposing them and who should have their Heads or Friends brought in And the way to get the better was 1. At the first by the majority of the peoples Votes in chusing Bishops and of the Bishops in deposing them 2. But after most went in chusing and deposing by the majority of the Bishops Votes in the greater Seats the peoples consent still required at least if a Council did interpose 3. And at last it went by the favour or displeasure of the Court either the Emperour or the Empress or some great Officers The African Bishops it seems were far the greatest number against Caecilian when 270 met at one Council and Mâ—lchiades Council at Rome had but 19 and that at Illiberis 19 and that at Ancyra 18 Bishops Therefore the Bishops thought that majority of number gave them right to the Title of Catholickâ— that those Dissenterâ— must be called Hereticks as was too usual And seeing they lived in the Country where many Councils under Agrippinus and Cyprian and Firmilian had voted that Hereticks were not of the Church and those that they had baptized were to be rebaptized they thought that they did but keep up this Tradition and so they said that they were all the Church of Africa and that the Cecilians were Hereticks and Separatists from the Church and that all that they baptized were to be rebaptized as was formerly held So that indeed the Donatists did but as the Papists and their worldly Clergy still have done who take the advantage of a Majority to call themselves the Church and Catholiks and to call the Dissenters Schismaticks and Hereticks save that they added Cyprian's rebaptizing And when it was for their advantage they communicated 40 years with Traditors but when the power of the Court and the Bish. of
Council § 45. Severus at Antioch maketh men curse the Council some Bishops repent and condemn Severus 45. The Emperor against all bloud for this Cause and the Monks in Palestine for it § 45 46. Helias Bishop of Jerusalem and the Monkes resist the Emperours Souldiers once and again § 46. Timothy Const. on both sides § 46. Rome under Theodorick their Schism or two Popes with blood three years § 47. Anastatius wearied with the Orthodox rebellions offereth to resign his Crown In remorse they desire his continuance § 48. Valentinian maketh a Law that Bishops except chosen by both Parties shall no more be Iudges in any Causes save of Faith and Religion Binius reproacheth this as being absurd that the Sheep judge the Shepheard ◠§ 49. Fully confuted The Pope excommunicateth Acacius Const. with a nunquam Anathematis vinculis exuendus § 58. Leo Rom. his Decree against the Maâ—ichees and all other that take the Bread without the Câ—p § 60. Gelasius The Popes Separatists condemn Euphemius and Acacius Gelasius saith any Bishop may excommunicate an Heretick Bishop though a Patriach his Catalogue of Apocrypha and canonizing Leo's Epistle § 62. The Pope excommunicateth the Greek Emperour and Patriarch of Constantinople but not King Theodorick the Arriâ—n at home § 64. Ordination resolved on against the Kings commands § 65. Council Agath decreeth that if a Bishop excommunicate any wrongfully another Bishop may receive him c. That if any Citizen on the dayes of great solemnity refuse to meet where the Bishop is he is three years denied Communion which sheweth that the Bishops Church was no greater than our Parishes Lay-murderers punished with denying them the Communion and Deacons put in Monasteries c. § 67. Council Apannens saith Hereticks Temples cannot be purged nor applied after to Holiness § 68. Council Sydon curse the Calcedon Council 69. Bishops having the third or fourth part of all Church profits sheweth how big their Diocess or Churches then were § 72. Council Gerund of seven Bishops ordered Litanies and that the Metropolitanes Liturgy be used in other Churches § 73. Justine the Emperour against Eutychians restoreth the names of Euphemius and Acacius against the Pope their Case opened § 75. Justine an Orthodox murderer Antioch cast down by an Earthquake the Bishop killed the rest burnt by the lightning § 76. Euphremius the Lieutenant relieving the People is chosen their Bishop The Bishops turn to the Council of Calcedon again under Justine § 77. c. Popes prosecute the dâ—ad Bishops of Constantinople § 79. Justine violent against Arrians Theodorick maketh Pope John go beg for them least Italy suffered as much He killeth Symmachus and Boetius imprisoneth John and maketh Felix Pope § 80. Clergy murderers suspended from the Sacrament c. § 81. Theodorick subjecteth the Clergy to Civil Iudicature Athalaricus freeth them again § 85. Justinian his Laws he is against the Eutychians and his Wife for them § 87 88. Thirty thousand kill'd by insurrection in Constantinople § 89. The miraculous speaking of Preachers when their Tongues were cut out by the Kings command § 90. King Theodorus a lover of Books giveth up Rome § 91. In Justinians time three Countries converted The Persians prevail A dreadful Plague § 92. Pope Boniface chosen by the Arrian Athalaricus § 96. Pope Hormisda denying that one of the Trinity was crucified Justinian sending to Pope John who said the contrary Binius excuse is Weapons must be changed with changed enemies Many Notes on the excellent disputation of Hypatius with the Eutychians caused by Justinian opening fully Cyrils weakness and that the difference was but verbal § 99. A Council at Constantinople under Menna called him Patriarcha Occumenicus and set Leo after the before cursed Bishops Macedonius the Orthodox Bishop put out the People that were Orthodox seperate § 103. Silverius made Pope by an Arrian P. Vigilius the Antipope imprisoneth and famisheth him § 105. The Schism between two Bishops and their Parties in Alexandria one for the corruptibility of Christs body called Corrupticolâ— the other for the incorruptibility called the Phantasiastae and the bloody fight between them § 107. Paulus Alexand Murder of a Deacon § 108. P. Vigilius denieth two natures § 109. P. Vigilius excommunicateth Menna and is dragg'd with a Rope till he repented 110. Justinian called a Heretick and damned by Evagrius § 111. CHAP. 7. Of the Controversie de tribus Capitulis the fifth General Council c. of the heresie of the Apthardocitae Justinians piety and heresie the Bishops appeal to Anastasius Antioch § 1 2. The conversion of the Justinian's punishing the Sodomitical Heresie of some Bishops § 3. The People dye rather than eat Flesh in Lent The Council at Orleance Decree that Qui omnibus praeponendus est ab omnibus eligatur Of Incest Too strict keeping the Lords-Day § 4. Concil Avernens Decree that men seek to be Bishops by Merits and not by Votes or Favour yet be chosen by all § 6. All Citizen Christians to be in the Bishops Meeting at Easter c. by Concil Aurelian § 7. And the Bishop to be Ordained in that Church which he must oversee Caesar's project to condemn the tria Capitula Theodor. Mopsuest Theodorite and Ibas Justinians endeavours § 9. An Orleance Council decree that King Clergy and Laity agree and none be made Bishop Populo invito or forced to consent and that the Bishop else be deposed The Bishop to relieve all the Poor § 12. Null the former living Its Emperours that call Councils saith Justinian § 13. The fifth Constant. Council to cure the doleful separations of the Bishops § 13. P. Vigilius difficulty dare not joyn with the Council Their slighting him only two or three Western Bishops at the four first Generals Councils § 15. Theod. Mops. accused Theodorite accused for saying that Mary begat not God in the nature of God but Man as united to the God-head that Christ was forsoken suffered hungred slept c. as Man and not as God § 17. Theodorites virulent Ep. against dead Cyril and the Theopathitae § 17. The tria Cap. condemned Vigilius's sober judgment of it § 18 19. Instead of healing this Council set all on fire and Justinian on persecution § 21. Vigilius changeth and condemneth again the tria Capitula § 22. Vigilius is by Binnius called homo perditus the buyer of anothers place a violent Invader a Wolfe a Thief a Robber not entring by the Dores a false Bishop and quasi Antichristus that the lawful Pastor yet living did add pernicious Heresie to his Schism Yet sanctissimus Papa as soon as he had murdered his Predecessor and had sole possession § 24. A Jerusalem Council received the Conc. Const. § 25. A Council at Aquileia condemn it and the Western Bishops are seperated near 100 years from the Cath. Church about the words of three dead men § 26. Justinian made Pelagius Pope two Bishops a Presbyter ordain him the Western Bishops
was not as the Papists say because Christ prayed for Peter that his Faith might not fail but because the Emperours of the West were Orthodox while those in the East were Arians And the Bishops much followed the Emperours Will. That this last was the Cause is notorious in the History That Christs foresaid promise was not the Cause is certain Because whatever promise Christ maketh he fulfilleth But he hath not kept all the Bishops of Rome from failing in their Faith Therefore he never promised so to do The minor is certain by History To pass by Marcellinus and Liberius and Honorius falls which were but like Peters all those wicked men whom Councils deposed as Infidels or Hereticks Simoniacks Murderers Adulterers one as a Devil Incarnate and all those that Baronius and Genebrard stigmatize as Apostatical and not Apostolical 50 together had not this promise fulfilled Nor Sixtus Quintus if Bellarmine judged truly that he was damned For it was not a dead faith but a saving faith which Christ promised Peter should not fail such a saith as had the promise of life He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Whoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life a faith that worketh by love Else Peter might have been a wicked man and damned notwithstanding this Prayer of Christ and Promise If the faith of Constantine senior junior Constans Valentinian Theodosius Honorius Gratian c. had failed the General Councils at Milan and Ariminum tell us how failing the Bishops faith was like to be when Ierome said that the whole world groaned to find it self turned Arian § 2. The blind zeal of Valens made him restless in Persecuting the Orthodox in the East At Antioch he vexed those that would not Communicate with Euzoius the allowed Arian Bishop At Cyzicum Eunomius was put in Eleusius place but his followers built them a separate Church without the Walls Socrat. lib. 4. c. 6 7. He Persecuted the Novatians and exiled Agelius their Bishop at Const. He banished Eustathius Antioch and Evagrius chosen by the Orthodox Bishop of Const. against Demophilus the Arian Fourscore Bishops â—ent to crave Justice of him were put to Sea in a Ship there set on fire and were both burnt and drowned together Socr. l. 4. c. 13. In all the East he deposed abused murdered many that would not for sake the Nicene Creed He set his Officers to suppress their Conventicles At Alexandria he imprisoned Peter that succeeded Athanasius and banished his Presbyters and set up Lucius an Arian Bishop He persecuted the Monks of the Wilderness of Egypt Nitria and Scitis and destroyed their Houses Banished Macarius of Egypt and Macarius of Alexandria their Leaders He persecuted Basil at Caesarea He went in person at Antioch to disturb and scatter the Conventicles of the Orthodox And when he had banished one of their Bishops Meletius enduring Paulinus the Presbyters kept the Meeting when he drove them away a Deacon kept it up At last Themistius a Philosopher made an Oration before him bidding him not marvel that the Christians had such differences for they were nothing to those of the Philosophers who were of three hundred different Opinions and that God would be honoured even under diversity of Opinions This somewhat asswaged him and shortly after in the 50th year of his age he was slain § 3. Gratian and Valentinian junior coming to the Empire Liberty of Conscience and Restoration was given to all Sects except the Eunomians Photinians and Manichees Socrat. l. 5. c. 2. He took Theodosius into the Empire with him And so the Orthodox Party got up again and the Arians after this went every where down save among the Goths § 4. LXXI Theodosius called a General Council at Constantinople where the chief things done were 1. the setting up of Gregory Nazianzene as Bishop 2. The condemning of the Macedonians 3. The giving of the second Patriarchate to Constantinople because it was the Imperial Seat putting under him the Diocesses of Pontuâ— Heraclea and Asia 4. The putting down of Nazianzene again and putting Nectarius in his stead 5. The setling Flavianus at Antioch § 5. Some would perswade us that it was two Councils and not one that did these things But the question is but de nomine In the beginning they dispatch'd part of their work and before they departed Meletius the Bishop of Antioch dying the Bishops returned to Council and more Egyptian Bishops came and did the rest § 6. The Case of Gregory Naz. was thus A Council at Antioch in the reign of Arianisme sent him with three more able speakers to go visit the Churches and draw them from Arianisme He came to Constantinople and an Arian being in possession he got into a little empty Church and there so long Preached till he had recovered much of the City from Arianisme Hereupon Peter Bishop of Alexandria signified by Letters that he would have him be Bishop of Constantinople against the Arian Bishop The Orthodox Party chose him One Maximus that of a Philosopher turned Christian and insinuated into Gregories familiarity by money first and threats after gets Peter of Alexander and the Egyptian Bishops to make him Bishop of Constant supposing Gregory not yet lawfully settled Meletius Antioch being at Const. Ordaineth Gregory Bishop The Council when Convened Confirm him and cast out Maximus that never had possession Theodosius owneth Gregory and putteth out the Arian Bishop and possesseth him of the Great Church The Antiochian Controversie falling in at the death of Meletius Gregory was against Flavian The Egyptian Bishops being for him set against Gregory and resolved to cast him out and choose another He seeing their resolution and offended at their furious carriage in the Council resigneth to the Emperour and departeth some make it as if his resignation was unconstrained but his own words shew that he did it but to prevent the deposition which they resolved on Else he durst not have deserted his Flock that lamented his departure In his place they chose Nectarius a Pretor that was no Christian in foro Ecclesiae as being not yet baptized and so was indeed uncapable and the choice null But the man was honest And Nicephorus saith that they put down his name in a Paper with others leaving it to the Emperour to chuse one of them and that he chose Nectarius § 7. The description of this Council and the good Bishops of his time by Gregory Naz. in his Poems and his Orations is very doleful How implacably factious and contentious they were how fierce and violent leaping and carrying themselves in the Council like mad-men He describeth the People as contentious but yet endued with the love of God though their zeal wanted knowledg Page 528. Orat. 32. The Courtiers he saith whether true to the Emperour he knew not but for the most part perfidious to God And the Bishops as sitting on adverse thrones and feeding adverse opposite Flocks drawn by them into factions like
Canon galleth the Pontificians If Presbyters Deacons or other inferiour Clergy shall in their Causes complain of the Bishops the neighbour Bishops shall hear them and end the business being used by the consent of their Bishops But if they see cause to appeal from them also let them appeal to none but to Africane Councils or to the Primates of their Provinces But if any will appeal to any places beyond the Seas let none in Africk receive them into Communion In this Council was Aurelius Alypiâ—s Augustinus Evodiâ—s and Possidonius and these very great with Pope Innocent one of the best and wisest Popes who excommunicated Theophilus Arcadius and the Empress c. for Chrysostomes cause Yet did this pass then without contradiction Can. 12. of this Council Liturgies were made necessary approved by Councils lest any Heresie should be vended § 56. Câ—lestine and Pelagius being condemned by the Africans especially upon the Accusations of Lazarus and Herotes Bishops said to be holy men Innocent joyned with the Africans but after his death Pope Zosimus having a fair Appeal of Caelestine c. to him absolveth them both and condemneth their Accusers He writeth an Epistle had the cause been good very honest against rash condemning innocent men telling them how greatly they were rejoyced at Rome to find them Orthodox and what false and bad men Lazarus and Herotes were It was Lazarus custome to accuse the Innocent as in many Councils he had done Saint Britius a Bishop of Tours that he got by Blood into the Bishops Seat and was the shadow of a Bishop while a Tyrant had the Image of Empire and then his Patron being slain voluntarily deposed himself The like he saith of Herotes and that neither of them would come personally to Rome but lay in Bed and sâ—nt false Letters of Accusation Therefore he admonisheth the Africans among whom was Augustine to believe such whisperers no more against the innocent But Binnius out of Prosper maketh the accusers holy men and the other wicked Bin. p. 607. § 57. Pelagius sent Zosimus a Confession of his Faith and therein condemning all the late Heresies professeth That he so holdeth free will as yet that we always need the help of God and that they erre who say with the Manichees that a man cannot avoid sin and they that say with Jovinian that a man cannot sin for both deny the freedome of the will But he holdeth that always a man can sin and can forbear sin so as be still holdeth the freedome of the will But subtile Augustine and the rest sent back many harder questions to put to Pelagius and Caelestine for their tryal upon which they after past for Hereticks § 58. CVI. Therefore 217 Bishops in a Council at Carthage having received Zosimus Letters decreed to stand to their former judgment and Innocents against Pelagius and Caelestine till they should confess certain points for Grace drawn up by Paulus Diaconus § 59. CVII Zosimus being dead Boniface and Eulalius strove for the Popedome Both were chosen The Emperour Honorius was sent to for both This Case being too hard for him he referreth it to a Council at Ravenna It proved too hard for them Therefore the Emperour commanded them both to remove from the City and another Bishop to officiate till it was decided by another Council But Eulalius disobeying the Emperours Command and coming into Rome at noon-day occasioned a tumult and the people were neer to fight it out Which the Emperour hearing expelled Eulalius and a Council obeying him confirmed Boniface § 60. Among the Decrees of Boniface one is That no Bishop shall be brought or set before any Iudge Civil or Military either for any Civil or criminal cause So that a Bishop had the priviledge of a bad Physician he might murder and not be hanged For any crime he was to answer but before Bishops who could but Excommunicate and Depose him But another Decree is better against Bishops that fall out and desire to hurt their Brethren But alas to how little effect § 61. CVIII Another Council at Carthage called the sixth and by some the fifth had the famous contention with three Popes Zosimus Boniface and Caelestine successively against Appeals to Rome and the Popes sending Legates into Africa to judge The Popes alledged the Council of Nice for it The African Bishops knew no such Canon They take time for Tryal and send to Constantinople and Alexandria to Atticus and Cyril for their true Copies of the Councils None of them have any such Canon The Fathers write to the Pope to take better heed what he affirmeth for the time to come and to forbear such pride and usurpation alledging that by the Canons all strifes were to be ended by their neighbour Bishops and Councils Here the Papists sweat about these answers and the event Some say as Harding that the Africans continued long some say almost 100 years in Schism And an Epistle under the name of Pope Boniface the second to Eulalius saith the same Others wiser as Binnius see that to lose Augustines authority and have him and all the African Bishops the best of the World against the Papal power would be to heavy a burden for them Therefore they say that the Africans were no Schismaticks that the Canon not found was in the Council of Sardica and that That went for the Council of Nice That the Africans did not deny the Popes power of judging them but only of sending Souldiers and doing it violently by force and such other shifts which the express words of the African Council and Letters plainly confute If any dispute it I appeal to the very words Either another Council or a second Session of the same is called the seventh at Carthage § 62. CIX All this while the Schism continued at Rome and Eulalius partly would not Communicate with the rest each side saying that theirs was the True Bishop and the other an Usurper and Schismatick But Theodosius was for Caelestine In his time another Carthage Council made up their Canons 105. Among which are 6. That no Bishop be called the chief Bishop 33. To deal gentlier with the Donatists 36. To send to them for peace 53. That Bishops latelier ordained may not dare to prefer themselves before those that were Ordained before them 68. For pacifying the Churches of Rome and Alexandria c. § 63. It fell out well for Austin against the Pelagians that by the means of Prosper and Hilary Pope Caelestine was wholly on Austins side and condemned the Pelagians And among his own Decrees one was Nullus invitis detur Episcopus Cleri plebis ordinis Comm. sensus ac desiderium requiratur Many Canons of those times shew that the Bishops Churches were no bigger than that All the Laity could meet to choose or accept the Bishop and have personal Communion § 64. CX An Eastern Council against the Massalians § 65. CXI Next cometh the Nestorian War Pope Caelestine provoked by
the election of the Clergy and the Lay-people Can. 11. Also as the ancient Canons have decreed let none be made Bishop to an unwilling People or without the Peoples consent nor let the People or the Clergy be inclined to consent by the oppression of persons in power which is not lawful to be spoken But if it be otherwise done let the Bishop be for ever deposed from his obtained honour of Pontificate who is ordained rather by force than lawful decree C. While one Bishop is living let not any other be there made Bishop unless perhaps in his place who is ejected for some capital Crime Can. 21. Though all Priests and others must be careful to relieve the Poor with necessaries yet especially every Bishop must from the Church-house as far as they can administer necessaries for food and rayment to such as are in weakness both in his Territories and his City c. Note I. Were those Bishopricks any bigger than our Parishes of Market-Towns with the Chappelleries where 1. All the Laity met to choose the Bishop 2. Where the Bishop could know and relieve all the Poor 3. And this from the domus Ecclesiae which was but one II. Our Nonconformists plead that according to these ancient Canons 1. Those Bishops are no Bishops who came not in by any choice or consent of the People or Clergy but by power are imposed on the most unwilling 2. That those Ministers that were never deposed for any Crime are not to be forsaken by their Flocks nor imposed persons thrust into their places accepted by the People while the first hath true right § 13. CLXXIII We come now to that which they will needs call the fifth General Council at Constantinople An. 553. of 165 Bishops In which let these particulars be noted 1. That Iustinian's Letters or Formulae were first read in which he expresly affirmeth that it was the Emperors that called the former General Councils and he that called this 2. That he lamenteth the divisions which former Councils had left unhealed saying The followers of Nestorius and Eutyches made so great trouble in the holy Churches of God that divisions and schisms were made in them and the Churches had no Communion with one another For no man that travelled from one City to another did presume to communicate nor any Clerk that went from one City to another to go into the Church Here was lamentable separation indeed 3. That Iustinian was made believe that these divisions would be healed if the tria Capitula of the Council of Calcedon were but condemned For the Eutychians did so much boast of Cyril being confident that they did but follow him and his first Ephesian Council that if he were vindicated he thought they would be satisfied 4. And he thought that the three Bishops were indeed so far to be condemned having disgraced Cyril and favored Nestorius and the other was Nestorius's Master 5. That the receiving and the cursing of the Council of Calcedon having hitherto been the great Contest among the Bishops some were loth now to cast so great a dishonour upon it and to give the Eutychians so much cause to boast supposing they would but be the more confirmed in their opposition § 14. Note also that Vigilius Bishop of Rome was then at Constantinople but came not to the Council nor sent any Legate to it But the Emperor tells the Council That when Vigilius Bishop of Rome came to that City the Emperor exactly opened to him all things about the tria Capitula and asked him what he thought of them and that Vigilius not once nor twice but often in writing and without writing anathematized the impious tria Capitula And that he had shewed that he was ever of the same judgment c. And they had made Iustinian believe that Ibas in his Epistle denieth God the Word to be made man and the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God § 15. The Emperor 's Writing being read at the next meeting the Council sent to Vigilius to sit with them but he still refused alledging That there were few of the Western Bishops there To which their answer is notable that The meeting of all the rest ought not to be delayed for the Western Bishops For in all the four General Councils there was never found a multitude of the Western Bishops but only two or three Bishops and a few Clerks But now you are here and many Italian Bishops are at hand and many of Africa Illyricum c. And if he would not meet them they must do it without him They urged him also with the Emperor's words that he being alone had oft in writing and without writing condemned the tria Capitula and the Emperor desired him but to do that with others which he had done by himself But yet Vigilius would not come Whether it was because he understood not Greek and so should be a contemned Cypher for he saith They all knew that he understood it not or whether it was to avoid the Censure that he had before incurred or both is not known For you must understand that Vigilius had suffered defamation at Rome already as a Revolter from the Calcedon Council for joining herein with the Emperor in the beginning and his chief interest lay at home § 16. Theodorus Mopsuestenus Writings are searched and though he is highly extolled by many good Authors yet many passages recited in the Council and after by Vigilius do shew either the error of his judgment or his unskilfulness in speaking for they are not justifiable But if every Papist voluminous Writer should be damned as a Heretick whose Writings have more and greater Errors than the Council gathered out of Theodore Mepsuostenus it would be a hard reward for their exceeding labours When such men as Tostatus Aquinas Scotus Ockam Durandus c. Bellarmine Baronius Suarez Vasquez Cajetane c. have spent their days in diligent labours how easie a matter is it for a proud idle Drone that doth nothing or worse to gather as many and as great Errors out of their Works as were in many then counted Hereticks But the approbation of God who pardoneth failings will be the comfort of such as improve their Talents when the slothful unprofitable Servant shall be condemned and quarrelling with the imperfections of the diligent will not save them It is evident that Theodore and Nestorius acknowledged Christ's Godhead and Manhood Soul and Body and the personal Union of them But they were none of them perfect in Logick and Metaphysicks nor so spake as that no man could blame their words § 17. Next the words of learned Theodorite are scanned and many very smart passages against Cyril are recited Many verbal Controversies are repeated Theodorite is accused for saying That Mary begat not God in the nature of God but Man as united to the Godhead That Christ was forsaken suffered hungered slept was ignorant of that day and hour c.
should sing so many Psalms and get thirty Masses to be said And a notable Priviledge is granted to all that will but seek liberty or shelter in the Church that both they and their Posterity shall be free unless they bring a debt undischargeable on themselves § 51. There is by Canisius published an Epitome of the old Canons except the Nicene as gathered by this Adrian and sent to Charles Mag. I will recite a few of them Ex Clem. c. 23. Let a Bishop or Presbyter or Deacon taken in Fornication Perjury or Theft be deposed but not excommunicate C. 28. That a Bishop who obtaineth a Church by the Secular Powers be deposed Can. Antioch 8. Countrey Presbyters may not give Canonical Epistles but the Chorepiscopi by which it is plain that the Chorepiscopi were not Presbyters but as Petavius on Epiphan Arrius hath well proved true Bishops C. 11. That condemned Clerks shall never be restored if they go to the Emperor Can. Laodic c. 33. That no one pray with Hereticks or Schismaticks which seemeth to oblige us to separate from the Roman Prelates who are grievous Schismaticks by imposing things unlawful on the Churches and silencing and persecuting those that obey not their sinful Laws Before the Can. Sardic he mentioneth the weakness of old Osius that said that they were both in the right who used the word of one substance and of the like substance Can. Sard. 2. That a Bishop that by Ambition changeth his Seat shall not have so much as Lay-communion no not at the end C. 14. C. 15. That no Bishop be above three weeks in another City nor above two weeks from his own Church which implieth that each Bishop had then his own particular Church Can. Afric c. 15. That there be no Re-baptizing Re-ordaining nor Translations of Bishops C. 17. That if a Bishop to be Ordained be Contradicted that is by any objected unfitness he shall not after be Ordained as purged only by three Bishops but by many C. 19. That Diocesses that wants Bishops receive none without the consent of the Bishop who hitherto held them so it was not proudly For if he overhold them that is hold them under himself alone when they need more Bishops affecting to sit over the People and despising his Fellow-Bishops he is not only to be driven from the retained Diocesses but also from his own Church so that no proud Bishops should have power to hinder the Churches from having as many Bishops as they need C. 60. That Bishops that are of later Ordination presume not to set or prefer themselves before those that were before them C. 94. If a Bishop six months after admonition of other Bishops neglect to make Catholicks of the People belonging to his Seat any other shall obtain them that shall deliver them from their Heresie that is Donatism or the like so that if one Bishop neglect the Souls of his People and another that is more able and faithful convert them they may be the Flock of him that converted them without removing their dwelling C. 105. That a Bishop shall not Excommunicate a man on a Confession made only to himself if he do other Bishops shall deny Communion to that Bishop § 52. Several German Councils are mentioned at Wormes Paderborne Daria in which by a new example Charles Mag. is confirmed to force the Saxons to profess themselves Christians and to take an Oath never to revolt who yet doing it by constraint were oft perjured and revolted till at last their Heathen Duke Witichind became a voluntary Christian himself § 53. There are 80 more Canons against Oppressors of the Clergy said to be collected by Adrian of which one is the old one That no Bishop judge the Cause of any Priest without the presence of his Clergy because the Bishop's Sentence shall be void if it be not confirmed by the presence of the Clergy Another That no Bishop ordain or judge in another's Parish else it shall be void For we judge that no one i◠bound by the sentence of any other Iudge but his own Who then is bound by the Pope or any Usurper who will Excommunicate those that are not of his Flock Another saith By a general Sanction we forbid Foreign judgments because it is unmeet that he should be judged by strangers who ought to have Iudges of the same Province and that are chosen by himself Another That no Bishop presume to judge or condemn any of the Clergy unless the accused Person have lawful Accusers present and have place for defending himself by answering to the Charge Another For Nullifying such Bishops judgments as are done without due Tryal by Tyrannical Power and not by Canonical Authority Another saith Constitutions that are contrary to the Canons and to the Decrees of the Bishops of Rome or to Good Manners are of no moment which nulleth even many of the Bishops of Rome also as against Good Manners Another notable Canon is Delatori aut lingua capuletur aut convicto Caput amputetur Delatores autem sunt qui ex invidia produnt alios That is Let a Delator's tongue be pull'd out or if Convict his Head cut off Delators are those that through envy betray others or envious Accusers Alas if our Delators Calumniators and Informers were thus used now what abundance would have suffered for wronging some one Man Another Canon is If a Man be often in quarrels and easie or forward to accuse let no Man receive his Accusation without great Examination What then will be thought of the usual Accusations of Clergy Calumniators that for Sects and worldly Interest can reproach others without shame or measure Another is That the danger of the Iudge is greater than the danger of him that is judged therefore all care must be taken to avoid unjust judgment and punishments Another is Let no Man receive the witness of a Lay-man against a Clergy-man And Door-keepers and Clerks and Readers were then Clergy-men Was not this a great priviledge to the Church § 54. CCXXXII We come now to the great General Council at Nice 2d called by the Papists the 7th that is the 7th which pleased them I have before noted that Irene the Widow of Leo now Ruled her Son Constantine being Titular Emperor a Child under her Government One Stauratius a Senator most swayed her or ruled her Taurasius the Patriarch joined with her for Images They call a Council at Constantinople A General Council and three Emperors Leo Const. Leo had lately condemned Images and taken them down The Pope and many Italians had resisted by force This violence made the Emperor use severity against the Resisters At Ravenna they killed Paulus the 14th Exarchate In Rome they took Peter a Duke and put out his eyes In Campania they beheaded Exhileratus the Duke and his Son Adrian who took the Emperor's part How the Emperor hereby lost Italy is before shewed But this Woman
the Divine Ministeries shewing his madness even on that which hath no sense such an one is truly sensless and shall be obnoxious to the Lex Talionis and his work shall fall upon his own head as being a transgressor of God's Law For the chief Apostle Peter commanded Feed the Flock of God overseeing it not by force but freely and voluntarily according to God not for filthy lucre sake but readily and chearfully not as having a dominion â—ver the Clergy but as being examples to the Flock The 15th Canon forbids one Man to have two Churches The 22d Canon forbids Canting and Minstrels and Ribald Songs at meat But the 7th savors of their Superstition forbidding any Temple to be Consecrated without Reliques and ordering Temples that have no Reliques to be put down § 78. In the Letter to Adrian Tharasius tells him that he had a year before attempted the like at Const. but was hindered a whole year by violent Men which further sheweth how far the opposition to Images had obtained when Irene began to set them up § 79. So much of the 2d Nicene Council in which by the power of one Woman and Stauratius a Senator that ruled her the judgment of the Universal Church if the Council or most of the Bishops in the Empire signifie it was suddenly changed from what it had been during the Reign of the three last Emperors and made that Church-use of Images which some thought sinful and no judicious Christian could judge necessary but indifferent and of use to some to be henceforth so necessary that the Denyers are sentenced for cursed Hereticks yea the Doubters cut off from Christ. § 80. CCXXXIII Binnius next addeth a Council at Forojulium An. 791. held by Paulinus Bishop of Aquileia in which is a Speech of his to the Bishops and an excellent Creed and 14 Canons written as by himself all in a far more understanding sober pious manner than is usual among the Patriarchs at General Councils The 13th Canon is an excellent Precept for the holy observation of the Lord's-day wholly in Holiness and in Hymns of Praise to the Holy Ghost that blessed it by his admirable Advent calling it God's Sabbath of delight beginning the 7th day evening not for the honour of the 7th day but of this Sabbath c. § 81. Yet rash and unskilful words set the Bishops into more divisions Faelix Urgelitanus and from him Elipandus Bishop of Toletum taught that Christ as the eternal Word was God's Natural Son but that as Man he was his Adopted Son Hence his Adversaries gathered that he was a Nestorian and held two Sons A Council An. 792. at Ratisbonne was called to condemn this Heresie Yea Ionas Bishop of Orleance saith That it infected Spain for a great part and he knew their Followers to be certain Antichrists by their faces and habits But wise Men think that the Controversie was not de re but de nomine And that if one Christ be said to be one Son of God in two natures by a twofold fundamentum of the Relation of a Son and that the foundation of the eternal Relation was the eternal Generation and the foundation of the temporal Relation in the Humanity was the temporal Generation and Union with the Deity yet this proveth not two Sons yea or if it had been said that two Generations being the fundamenta two Relations of Sonship result from them If this be unskilfully and illogically spoken it will not follow that the Speakers held two Persons or made any more division of Christs natures than their Adversaries did but only might think that a double filiation from a double fundamentum might be found in one Person Let this Opinion be wrong I see not how the Hereticators could make it a damnable Heresie But it 's pity that Faelix had not taken warning by the Churches long and sad experience to avoid such wordy occasions of Contention and not to set again on work either the Heretical or the Hereticating Evil Spirit § 82. Claudius Taurinensis a great and worthy Bishop at this time did set in against the Worship and Church-use of Images against whom Ionas Aurelianensis wrote whose Writings are in the Biblioth Patrum by Marg. de la Bigne Read them and judge as you see cause § 83. About the time of the Frankford Council came out a Book-against Images which is published as written by Carolus Magnus himself A great Controversie it is Who is the Author No small number say it was Charles his own indeed Others that it was written at his Will and Command But Binnius and some others deny it and say it was written by Serenus Massiliensis an Iconoclast and his Disciples How we shall know the Truth in such Cases I cannot tell But it is confessed that Spain and France were then much infected with the Doctrine which is against Church-Images It is certain that Pope Adrian saith that Carolus Mag. sent him such a Book by Engilbert an Abbot and his Epistle against it is extant § 84. CCXXXIV We come now to a great Council at Frankford called by Charles Mag. present and by Adrian And as late as it is all the Historians cannot tell us whether it was Universal or what they did Some say it was a General Council because Charles summon'd it as such and 300 Bishops were there Others say No it was but Provincial because none of the Bishops of the East were there a sufficient reason and the like may be brought to prove that there never was a General Council in the World so called from the whole World but only from the whole Empire That they dealt with the Case of Elipandus Bishop of Toletum and Faelix Urgel is agreed on but what they did about Images is not agreed on Ado Rhegino Aimonius Urspurg and many Historians say They condemned the Nicene Council that was for Images Even Baronius is of the same mind thinking the Liber Carolinus deceived them He proveth this to be the common judgment of Historians and ancient Writers Bellarmine his Brother is of the same judgment And is not their Concession more than twenty later Mens denial Yea Genebrard concurreth yet Binnius leaveth his Master Baronius and giveth his Reasons against them And he doth well prove that it could not be by ignorance and surprize that the Frankford Council should condemn the Nicene and he is loth to think that they were wilful Hereticks especially when they profess to follow Tradition But he knew that the 7th Constantin Council against Images profest to follow Tradition And if French Men will make us Hereticks for speaking English it is no wonder if we make them Hereticks for speaking French If Men will Hereticate others for Images or Ceremonies or Words others will measure the like to them This kind of Hereticating is circular and hath no end Suarez will have either the Historians to have erred or their Books to be corrupted with what
Anastasius Bibliothecarius who then lived and was employed at Constantinople in this matter to reconcile the contradiction saith that Ebbo was a true Bishop but Photius was not because he was a Lay-man before his consecration and therefore his ordinations are nullities This nullifying of ordinations maketh great disturbances in the Church The present Bishops of England require those that were heretofore ordained by Parochial Pastors to be re-ordained and on this and such other accounts about 2000 were silenced at one day Aug. 24. 1662. The silenced Nonconformists do some of them say that the Bishops have much less than Photius to shew for their authority to ordain He had learning he had the Emperors authority for him He had lawfull Bishops to ordain him He had a great Council or two to approve him and confirm him And though he was a lay-man before so is every one when he cometh to his first ordination And though he was made Bishop per saltum so was Nectarius Thalasius Ambrose c. And every Uncanonical irregularity nullifieth not the ordination It hath been ordinary for Deacons to be made Popes And is not that per saltum why doth not that interrupt and nullifie the Papaciâ— But say they on this account 1. Romes succession is long agoe interrupted There having been far greater incapacities in Simonists common Adulterers Perjured Rebels Hereticks Infidels as Councils have judged 2. And they say that so the English Prelates are no Bishops being chosen by the King and wanting that choice of the Clergy and people which the Canons have over and over again made necessary to the validity of ordinations are more null than those of Photius And therefore we owe them as such no obedience nor communion Thus our nullifyings and condemnings proceed till most men have degraded if not unchristened one another And he that is on the stronger side carrieth it till death or some other change confute his claim and then the other side gets up and condemneth him as he condemned them And thus hath the Church long suffered by damning Divines and domineering or censorious Judges § 54. By the restoring of Ignatius the Pope got to himself the reputation of some Supremacy and obliged a party to him which however it was not the greatest at the first would be greatest when Ignatius his supremacy had advanced it And with them he got the reputation of being just indeed Photius seeming to possess the seat of one that was injuriously deposed by the meer will of the Prince without sufficient cause § 55. Pope Hadrian 2. Epist. 4. ad Ignat. Const. directeth Ignatius to forgive many others but none of those that subscribed to Photius his great Council at Constantinople because they reproached the Pope of Rome where you may see 1. How dangerous it was then to be in a General Council when if they please not the strongest they are ruined And if they do it 's like enough the next age will damn them for it 2. How much more dangerous is it for a Council to be against the Pope than to be guilty of many other crimes and how unpardonable it is § 56. CCLXXXIII An. 868. Besides the Popes Roman Synod that damned Photius and his Book and Const Council there was a Council at Worms which repealed many old Canons of which the 14th is that if Bishops shall excommunicate any wrongfully or for light cause and not restore them the neighbour Bishops shall take such to their communion till the next Synod The 15. Canon is that because in Monasteries there are Thieves that cannot be found when the suspected purge themselves they shall receive the sacrament of Christ's body and blood thereby to shew that they are innocent But this Canon the Papists are ashamed of The 72. Canon alloweth Presbyters yea all Christians to anoint the sick because the Bishops hindered with other business cannot go to all the sick This intimateth that even then the Diocesses were not so great as ours that have one or many Counties else other reason would have been given why the Bishop could not visit all the sick than his hindering businesses Would the Bishop e. g. of Lincoln say I would visit all the sick in Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire Hunâ—ingtonshire Rutlandshire Hartfordshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire which are in my Diocess but that I am hindered by other business who would take this for the words of a sober man § 57. CCLXXXIV An. 869 was that Constantinopolitan Council which the Papists damning some otherâ— call the 4th and the 8th General Council ended An. 879. in which but 102 Bishops condemned Photius and setled Ignatius by the means of the Emperor Basilius and the Pope who had before restored him Here in Act. 2. The Bishops that had followed Photius took the old course and when they saw all turned cryed peccavimus and craved pardon and themselves called Photius such a villain as there had never been the like Bin. p. 882 They said they sinned through fear and so were forgiven Act. 3. Some Bishops that had turned who were ordained by Methodius were required to subscribe to a form proposed But they told them that the late times had so vexed men with heinous subscriptions that they had made a Covenant or Vow to make no more subscriptions but what they had done already and the profession of their faith like Nonconformists and desired to be received on such terms without their new subscription Act. 4. The Bishops of Photius's party ordained by him were examined And Act. 5. Photius himself who would not enter till constrained and then professed as in imitation of Christ to give them no answer to what they asked him and is in vain exhorted to repentance Act. 6. Many of the Photian Bishops repented and were pardoned Others pretended that they had subscribed and sworn to Photius where Zachar. Calcedon shewed that the Canons were above the Patriarchs Here Basilius the Emperor made a notable speech to exhort the Bishops to repentance offering himself to lay by his honour and to lie on the earth and let them tread on him confessing his sin and asking mercy Act. 7. Photius is again brought in and his staff that he leaned on taken from him and he denyed to defend himself and to repent but bid them repent The Bishops of Heraclea c. rejected the Legates and pronounced them anathematized that should anathematize Photius and appealed to the Canons Act. 8. They censured a Bishop that was against Images Act. 9. They examined some great men that had â—worn against Ignatius who confest they had sworn falsely for â—ear of the Princes but Leo would not damn or curse Photius because he thought the Orthodox were not to be cursed The 10th Act. Containeth the Canons which they made of which the Copies greatly differ § 58. The 3d. Canon saith that they ordain that the Image of Christ be worshiped with the same honour as the Gospels as teaching that by Colours which the Gospel
his kindred disregarding the honour of God and the Dignity of the Romane Seat which Errour saith he he so Traditioned or delivered down that it remaineth to this day This is Romane Tradition a Comet then appear'd Famine Pestelence Earthquakes which were thought to be for the Pride and rapacity of the Pope and his contempt of God and Man So Platina § 76. An Instance was given of a Bishop of the contrary Spirit Adelâ—ert Bishop of Prague in Bohemiaâ—ound â—ound the People so contrury to him and bad that he forsook them and Travelled first and then entred into a Monastery And when he had lived there five years the people desired him again and promised Obedience A Council at Rome desired his return vvhich with grief he did But they still proved incorrigble and he again forsook them and vvent to Preach to the Hungarians when he Bapzed the King Stephen and did much good Bin. p. 1071. § 77. CCCXX Arnulphus Arch-Bishop of Rhemes suspected of Treason for delivering up the City of Rhemes to Charles Called a Synod at Seulis to purge himself Excommunicating them that did it Anno 990. § 78. CCCXXI. Hugo Capet having now got the Crown of France and desirous to destroy all the Carolines line upon the aforesaid suspition got a Synod at Rhemes to cast out Arnulphus a Bastard of that Linâ— saying a Bastard must not be a Bishop One Bishop refused The rest for fear of that King consented and cast him out so constant were the French Bishops § 79. CCCXXII Six Bishops and Nine Presbyters and Four Deacons made a Council at Rome to Canonize Vdalric Bishop of Augusta Anno 993. upon the reports of his Holiness and Miracles Here let me at once tell the Reader that he hath no cause to think the most of these Canonizations wholly causeless But that while Pope and Patriarcks confounded all by wickedness and contentious pride God had many faithful Bishops and Presbyters that lived holily in quieter and privater kind of Life And the Popes that would not endure themselves to live a Godly life thought it their honour to have such in the Church that did and to magnify them when dead and past contradicting them Just like the Pharisees Mat. 23. that killed the living Servants of God and honoured the dead and built them Monuments saying If we had lived in those days we would not have killed them § 80. CCCXXIII A Synod was called at Moson to debate the Case between Arnulph and Gerbert substituted at Rhemes who so pleaded his cause that it was put off to another Synod Baron revileth some Writings ascribed to the former Synod at Rhemes saying they were this Gerberts as being Blasphemous against the Pope The Centuriators of Magdeb. mention them at large Did Rome then govern all the World § 81. CCCXXIV Another Council is called at Rhemes and Gerbert that wrote so Blasphemously against the Pope is deposed by the Popes means and Arnulphus restored which Gerbert observing flyeth to the Emperour to Germany seemeth to repent as Baron but surmizeth and gets higher to be Pope himself by the Emperours means as you shall hear anon § 2. Can any Man think that Popes that themselves came in by Tyranny and meer Force and lived in Wickedness could have so great a Zeal as is pretended to do Justice for all others unless for their own ends § 83. Iohn the 16th alias 17 is passed over by Binius Onuphrius saith that he Reigned four Months Platina saith he died the tenth Year and sixth Month and tenth Day a great difference § 84. Gregory the 5th is next made Pope saith Plat. by Otho 3d his Authority for Affinity But saith Plat. The Romans make Crescentius Consul with chief Power who presently made John Bishop of Placentine Pope who came to it by the consent of the Roman Clergy and People to whom the choice belonged though some leave him out Otho cometh to defend his own Pope Crescentius fortifieth City and Castle against him The People dare not resist but open the City Gates Crescentius and Pope John flyeth to the Castle and in hope of Pardon yields Crescentius is Killed by the People in his passage John hath first his Eyes put out and then his Life and Gregory the Eleventh Month is restored Binius saith that Johns Hands were cut off his Ears cut off and his Eyes pulled out and after set on an Ass holding the Tail in his Hand was carried about the Streets § 85. This Pope and Otho the 3d. agreed to settle the Election of the Emperour as now it is on the 7. Electors The cause of great Confusions and Calamities was that the Emperours did not dwell at Rome and so left Popes then to fight strive and sin that else would have lived submissively under them Constantine Carolus Mag. or Otho might have done much to prevent or cure all this The Papists would fain prove this the work of a Roman Synod to settle the Electors that they may prove that it is they that must make and unmake Emperours But they can shew us no such Council Onuphrius hath written a Treatise to prove that this was after done by Greg. 10th For which Binius reprehends him as believing Aventinus But this is a Controversy handled by so many that I shall refer the Reader to them and whether the seven Electors only or all the Feudatories chose Baronius and Binius maintain that all came from the Authority of the Pope that Greg. 5th Ordained the choice of the Emperour to be by all the Feudatories of the Empire that the Council at Lyons under Innocent 4th setled it upon Seven but not all the same that are now Electors and that the Princes after setled it on these same Seven they know not who nor when For the right understanding of many such matters I only mind the Reader of this one thing that as the contention of Princes and the superstitious fear of Anathematizing had made the Papal and Prelatical Power then very great in setting up and taking down Princes so it was usual for their Assemblies even those called Councils to be mixt of Men Secular and Clergy Kings and Princes and Lords being present with the Bishops as in our Parliaments and usually the greatest Princes ruled all Therefore to ascribe all to the Pope and Prelates that was done in such conventions and thence to gather their power to dispose of Empires and Kingdoms is meer deceit § 86. Platina next nameth Iohn 17th alias 18th but saith he was no true Pope its impossible to know who was but that he corrupted Crescentius with money and it cost them both their lives How he was mangled shamed and killed though a Bishop before you heard before § 87. Next an 999. cometh that French Bishop Gerbert before mentioned that wrote so blasphemously as they called it against the Pope as Aeneas Silvius after did till he saw some hope of being Pope himself by the Emperor's favour first made Arch-Bishop
Oath of obedience to Saint Peter and his Vicar which the King must take § 64. Ep. 4. He employeth his agents to engage the Norman Duke Robert to help him with an Army And Ep. 5. His Legate having deposed all the Bishops of Normandy that refused to come to his Synod he tells him that William King of England and Duke of Normandy though he was not so good as he should be was more useful and better to the Church than other Kings and therefore must not be offended and therefore bids him restore the Bishops and also to pardon some Soldiers excommunicated for not paying tythes because they must not lose the Soldiers Ep. 8. He writeth to the Duke of Venice by all means to avoid all excommunicate persons and their friendship and favour lest they came into the snares of the same damnation For Anaâ—hema's were the arms by which he subdued Emperors and was to do his work The like to others in other Epistles And Ep. 12. He brought one Count Bertran to swear him fidelity and to give him all his Countrey and honour as Earl of Provence and this for the pardon of his own and his Fathers sins § 65. Ep. 14. He congratulates to the Kings of the Visigoths their conversion to Christianity but tells them they must oft send to Rome for further instruction How frequently he made Arch-Bishops and Bishops travel to him out of other Kingdoms when his Legates wronged them many other Epistles shew Ep. 17. The Norman Duke Robert acquainteth the Pope with a Victory which he had got He returneth him this answer that he had but done his duty and now as it was Saint Peter that had given him this victory if he would not make him angry he must now be thankful to Saint Peter and remember what he owed him to help him against the Emperor Henry and all his other enemies § 66. Ep. 20. He writes to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury that he had shewed himself guilty of disobedience which is as Idolatry in that he had not travelled to Rome to visit the Pope when he commanded him and tells him that if he come not by All-Saints day next he shall be deposed for many weak men that could scarce rise out of their beds came from other much farther Countreys and he should lose Saint Peter ' s grace if he failed must they do so also from the Antipodes Ep. 22. He tells the Count of Angiers or Anjou that he should have obeyed the sentence of his Bishop though it was unjust And so every wicked Prelates power over Princes and all others shall be absolute He flattered our King William the Conqueror more than other Kings but ep 2. l. 11. He complaineth of his punishing a Bishop telling him that God taketh them as the apple of his eye and saith Touch not mine anointed and though they are naught and very unworthy they must be honoured and being called Gods men must not meddle with them Ep. 1. Append. Bin. p. 1278 he tells Lanfrank Arch-Bishop of Canterbury how far the Church was from purity in his days viz. that The Bishops and such as should be Pastors of Souls do with insatiable desire hunt after the Glory of the World and the pleasures of the flesh And do not only themselves confound all things that are holy and religious but by their example draw their Subjects to all wickedness And that to let them alone is unlawful and to resist them how difficult So much of the Epistles of Greg. 7th who seemeth to be much more against vice than his predecessors for many ages but more for tyrannical usurpation and rebellion than ever any that was before him And if the better sort of them be such what may be expected from them § 67. CCCLIII An. 1074. In a Council at Rome Priests were forbid marrying and all that were married commanded to put away their Wives The Arch-Bishop of Mentz trying to do the same in Germany the whole party of the Clergy saith Lambert an 1074 raged against it and called the Pope a downright Heretick that opposed Christs Law who forbad putting away Wives except for fornication saying all men cannot receive this saying and as driving men to fornication They went from the Synod and some were for casting cut the Archbishop of Mentz and putting him to death But he spake them fair But the Pope went on § 68. CCCLIV. In a Synod at Genesius the Popes Legate and Anselm Lucens excommunicated many that had been against Anselm whereupon the whole City was enraged and forsook Mathildis and joyned with the Emperor and expelled the Bishop one Peter a Canon leading them § 69. CCCLV. an 1075. a Council at Rome excommunicated five of the Emperors Family unless they travelled to Rome and made satisfaction It excommunicated Philip King of France unless he satisfied the Nuntii of the Pope It suspended the Arch-bishop of Breme the Bishop of Strasburg the Bishop of Spire the Bishop of Bamberge and in Lombardie the Bishop of Papia the Bishop of Turine the Bishop of Placentine and also Robert Duke of Apulia and Robert de Roritello c. § 70. an 1075. Was the foresaid Synod at Mentz where the Arch-Bishop seeking to bring the Clergy to obey the Pope in putting away their Wives was fain to put it off to save his life from the Clergies rage The English Councils I omit referring you to Spelman of which one deposed Wulstan they say injuriously c. § 71. CCCLVI. an 1076. A Council at Worms sentenced the Pope deposed Two Bishops awhile refused consent but at last yielded And they sent to the Pope that thenceforth all that he did as Pope was void § 72. CCCLVII Hereupon the Pope calls a Council at Rome which excommunicated all the German Bishops that deposed him and the Bishops of Lombardy as conspiring against St. Peter and many French Bishops And with them the Emperor Henry and deposed him quantum inse from all his dominions and absolved his Subjects from their oaths as aforesaid § 73. CCCLVIII The excommunicate Bishops had a Council at Papia where they retorted the Popes Anathema on himself and excommunicate him § 74 CCCLIX The Pope calls another Council at Rome where the arch-Arch-Bishops of Millan and Ravenna the Antipope are excommunicate and the Emperor's cause and party again condemned § 75. CCCLX Another Synod at Rome an 1078. decreed divers things for defence of the Clergies priviledges And it is observable that to that day the old Canons were in force for nulling all ordinations not made by the Common Consent of the Clerks and People Ordinationes quae interveniente pretio vel precibus vel obsequio alicujus personae ea intentione impenso vel quae non Communi consensu Cleri populi secundum Canonicas sanctiones fiunt ab his ad quos consecratio pertinet non comprobantur infirmas irritas esse dijudicamus quoniam qui taliter ordinantur non per ostium id est
And now Sir I am sorry that you are not content with meer Christianity and to be a Member of the Catholick Church and hold the Communion of Saints but that you must needs also be of a Sect and have some other Name And how shall I know that your Sect is better than another Were not the Papists Sectaries and Schismaticks damning most of Christs Body on Earth for not being subject to their Pope I should not be so much against them I find promises of Salvation in Scriptures to Believers that is Christians as such if such sincerely but none of the salvation of men as Papists Diocesans Grecians Nestorians Eutychians c. I would say also nor as Protestants did I not take the Religion called Protestant a Name which I am not fond of to be nothing but simple Christianity with opposition to Popery and other such corruption And now you know your own designs your tongue is your own and who can controul you whatever you will call us but I and such others call our selves MEER CHRISTIANS or CATHOLICK CHRISTIANS against all Sects and Sectarian names and haters both of true Heresie Schisme and proud unrighteous hereticating and Anathematizing Psal. 4. O ye sons of men how long will ye turn my glory into shame how long will ye love vanity and seek after lying But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal. 12. 1 2 3 4 5. Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth for the faithful fail from among the children of men They speak vanity every one with his Neighboâ—r c. See the rest I will add that if to be serious in the belief of the Christian Faith and the Life to come and in seeking it above this world and in constant endeavours to please God whoever be displeased by it is it that maketh a man a Puritan because he is not a formal Hypocrite then I would I were worthy of the Titles which your Pseudo Tilenus and his Brother give 〈◊〉 who say I am Purus Putus Puritanus and one qui totum Puritanismum totus spirat Alas I am nor so good and happy But Readers when this soâ— of men have described the Puritâ—ns as the most â—â—toverable Villains you that knew them not may concludâ— that they were men no more erroneous or worse than I how much better soever for Bishop Morley saith of me Ab uno disce omnes And of my Doctrine I â—ave left the world a full account and must shortly be accountable for it and my life to God whose pardon and grace through Christ I daily beg and trust to A Notice concerning Mr. Henry Dodwell MR. Dodwell having written a copious Discourse asserting that we have no right to salvation but by Gods Covenant validly sealed by the Sacrament and that the Sacrament is not valid unless delivered by one that hath Ordination by such a Bishop as hath his Ordination by another Bishop and so on by an uninterrupted succession from the Apostles with much more such Schismatical stuff which I fully confuted in my Books called The true and only terms of the Concord of all the Christian Churches and I aggravated his Schismatical condemnation of the Reformed Churches and most others as having no true Ministry Sacraments nor Covenant-title to salvation and as sinning against the Holy Ghost because he professeth himself a Protestant The said Mr. Dodwell saith that these words would perswade men that I take him for a Papist and expecteth that I therein right him Be it therefore known to all men that I never meant by that word to accuse Mr. Dodwell of being a Papist but to aggravate his abuse of Protestants and that I take my self bound to charge no man to be of a Religion which he denieth And what his Religion really is his Books may best inform him that would know THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. WHat Order and Government Christ and his Spirit settled in the Churches and what was the appointed work of Bishops That particular Churches that had every one a Bishop were associated for personal Communion of neighbours That none on earth for about two hundred years and none but Rome and Alexandria for longer time can be proved to be more numerous than our greater Parishes no nor half so big The Case even of Rome and Alexandria examined and the like proved even of them against the contrary arguments How the change was made and what change it is How Prelacy became the diseasing tumour of the Church Many Reasons against an ill use of the History of Councils and Prelates usurpations that no man thence dishonour Christ Christianity the Ministry or Church Chap. 2. Of Heresies What Errors are not damning and what are How the most Erroneous come to cry out against Errors Instanced in all wicked Men and in Papists Arrians Nestorius Dioscorus c. What horrid Work blind Zeal against Error hath made many instances even good Men as Hillary and Popes and Councils The History of all the Councils begun The first Councils about Easter contrary to each other The second being at Carthage erroneous and Tertullian Novatus and Novatian The Roman Presbiters govern the Church and call a Council having no Bishop and are said by Binius to have the care of the universal Church Cyprians Council condemneth a dead man Victor for making Faustinus a Presbiâ—iter Guardian of his Sons and so entangling him in worldly business The Council Iconieâ—se is said to erre and all those Oriental Bishops excommunicated by the Pope about Hereticks Baptism Many other Councils for rebaptizing with Cyprian's pleading Tradition Bishops of Bishops there censured Cyprian's Conversion A sad Hereticating Council at Cirta against Traditions The Concilium Eliber Novatiani And against Images in Churches c. approved by Pope Innocent The beginning of the Donatists Schism for a Bishop Constantines reproof of Alexander and Arius silencing their disputes Concil Laodic Silvesters strange Roman Council Chap. 3. The Council of Nice Constantine keepeth them in peace The strange Schism between Peter Alex. and Meletius Two Bishops and Churches in the same Cities The sad story of Alexanders troubling the Meletians and driving them to seek help of the Arrians and so to strengthen them Epiphanius good character of Constantius and Valens His notable Character of Audius and how the violence of dissolute Bishops forced him to separate and of Alexander and of Crescentius's strife and of some Confessours and Martyrs great faults Audius banished converteth the Gothes The Slander of Eustathius Antioch Notes of the Nicene decrees The ordination of scandalous uncapable men nullified by them Concil Rom. the people united at the making of Bishops and Priests Arius's Creed and restoration at a Council Jerusil Marcel Ancyr â—oudemned at Const. as denying Christs Godhead by the Arrians whom he was for the same cause against A Concil Antioch deposed Athanasius and made Canons for Conformity Anno 344 a fourth Creed reconciling at Antioch The General Council of Sardica
General Council there yet both approved by Popes § 83. The Council accuse Rome § 87. Rome's jurisdiction excluded § 87. Adders to the Creed filioque anathematized Pope Martin and Hadrian condemn Photius and enrage the Greek Emperour against them § 89 91. Bishops and Lords depose Carolus Crassus he is put to beg his bread § 92. The Pope above Emperours as Heaven above Earth Kings are Servants and not above the Clergie their Masters § 93. A King ruling ill decreed to be a Tyrant Bishops and Priests lying with their own Sisters restrained but no Bishop is to be accused by a Presbyter nor judged under seventy two Witnesses nor Priests under forty two c. He that would lye with his Sister before so many deserved blame Murderers of Priests denyed Flesh Wine Coaches c. § 96 97. Formosus perjured was the first Bishop that ever was made Pope § 99. CHAP. 11. The Progress of Councils till Leo the 9th especially in the West The Bishops depose Odo and set up Charles § 1. The Virgin Mary's Smock works wonders § 2. Bloud and confusion in Italy § 3. Bishops to be obeyed before Earls and Magistrates Clergy-men must not be put to swear No Presbyter to be depos'd but by six Bishops § 5. Two wicked Popes at once Stephen Iudgeth Dismembreth and drowneth dead Formosus and re-ordaineth those ordained by him § 7 8. The Bishops in Council approve it yet now Papists detest it § 9. When Popes are Infallible § 10. Popes undo what their Predecessors did § 12 13 14 15 17. Platina's description of a Malignant Pope § 14. Popes Crown for fear and uncrown and Crown others § 15. Bishops turn and return and cry Peccavimus Reordinations forbidden § 16. Bad Princes the cause of bad Bishops § 17. Wicked Christians on whom the Pope durst not use Discipline § 17. Schismes and violence on Popes § 18 19 20. Sergius made Pope the third time keeps it by Whores and Whoredom the most wicked of men saith Baron and Bin. § 22. Formosus again executed dead § 23. Questions to the Papists of their holyness and Succession § 24. Photius last deposition and the Murders of Emperours at Constant § 26. A Whore Ruleth at Rome § 21. She maketh her Fornicator Pope Baronius and Binnius hard put to it § 62. Earl Heribert's Son not five years old made Archbishop so Rhemes § 30. Ratified by Pope John lamented by Baron that by this Example other great men did the like Johns end by a Whore § 30. None to marry within the seventh degree as incest § 31. Sergius bastard-Son under age made Pope John by a Whore and destroyed after a Monster saith Binnius § 35. None to fast privately but by the Bishops consent § 36. The King of Denmark made Christian by Henry King of Germany § 39. St. Peter made the example for many Bishopricks to one Bishop § 40. Albericus ruleth and mangleth the Pope § 41. The Bishops judge the Infant before the perjured Monk to be Bishop of Rhemes § 43. The treasons and changes in France § 44. Tryphon illiterate finely cheated of his Patriarchate Const. § 46. Councils do and undo between the two Bishops of Rhemes § 48 49 50. John XII Lawful Pope wanted all things necessary to a Pope say Baronius and Binnius § 51. Notes hereon § 52. Pope John dismembreth his Cardinals § 53. He fled § 53. The Bishops depose him and make another by Otho's means § 54. The horrid charges against Pope John sworn § 53. Baronius and Binnius against his condemnation answered § 56. Two Popes and Churches § 57. Not yet known who was the true Pope § 59. John killed in Adultery § 60. Another Antipope perjuriously chosen § 61. A Martyr § 62 64. An interruption of the Succession by Baronius and Binnius account § 65. Otho saveth them The next imprisoned and strangled § 67. Boniface VII runs to Constantinople with the Church Treasure § 69. Two more Popes § 69 70 72. Boniface murders another Pope and gets in dyeth and is drag'd about the Streets § 74. John XV durst not dwell at Rome § 75. Huâ—o Capet turneth the Bishops § 78. Popes fighting John XVII blinded mangled disgraced kill'd § 84. Seven Electors of the Emperour settled § 85. Gerbert how made Pope § 87. The King of Hungary Converts the Transilvanians § 87. Good Kings § 90. Leutherius Archbishop of Seus against Transubstantiation § 91. Two Popes fighting The King of Hungary converted by the Emperour Henry § 95. The first burning of Hereticks Manichees § 97. Henry the Emperour leaveth his Wife a Virgin § 100. Benedict IX a deboist boy-Pope put out again § 103. Gets in again A third enters at once The Cerberus hired all out by dividing the Church-rents between them do resign but the hirer as pacificator is made Pope § 103. Six that had been Popes alive at once One honest Pope that could not read made a fellow Pope to do it § 104. Gregory VI. The illiterate reconciling Pope variously described put out with the other three and a Fifth chosen § 107. Benedict gets in the third time § 107. Another gets in by Poyson and dyeth the 23 day § 110. Baron answered § 111. The Monster Bened. 9. is he that condemned Berengarius § 112. Leo 9th of the Resurrection Renounceth the Title of Vniversal Patriarchs as of the bawd of Antichrist Peter not Vniversal Apostle Bishops equal varied by City priviledges save in Africa by seniority The Romish Church usurped by no Pastors § 205. Michael Patr. of Const. Rebaptizeth Papists saith they had no true Baptism or Sacrifice § 205. A Roman Council pardon simoniacal Bishops and Priests lest the Church be utterly destitute § 206. The Popes hold a Council in France against the King ' s will A Bishops horrid Crimes and a miracle there Still Clergie and People must chuse every Bishop 207. CHAP. 12. The continuation till the Council of Constance Councils against Berengarius § 2 c. Adulterous and Symoniacal Bishops A miracle § 4 9. Hildebrand a Sub-deacon presideth in Councils and deposeth Bishops and Excommunicateth § 9 10. Bishops by Excommunication rule K. Ferdinand § 12. Milan separated from Rome 200 years § 16. Another Schism § 17 18. Hildebrands new Foundation of Popes by Cardinals Election § 22. Notes hereon § 22. A Roman Council forbids hearing a Fornicator Priest § 23. Bloody fights between two Popes Five years schism § 25. P. Alexander giveth England to William the Conqueror § 27. Councils for each Pope § 28 29. Gods word affirmed violable § 30. Hildebrands War in Rome Italian Bishops against him His hard work Obedience to the Pope forbidden by a Council at Mentz He deposeth the Emperour for seeking to diminish the Majesty of the Church and absolveth his sworn Subjects An Antipope made that sate 21 years the 23d schism The Emperour barefoot in frost three days begs pardon and promiseth obedience He is again cursed by the Pope in Council as
month in lesser meetings and once a quarter in greater yet where there is danger of such degeneracy it is better to hold them but pro re natâ occasionally at various seasons and places § 65. The lesser Synods and correspondency of Pastors before there were Christian Magistrates were managed much more humbly and harmlesly than the great ones afterward Because that men and their interest and motives differed And even of later times there have been few Councils called General that have been managed so blamelesly or made so many profitable Canons as many Provincial or smaller Synods did Divers Toletane Councils and many others in Spain England and other Countries have laboured well to promote piety and peace As did the African Synods and many others of old And such as these have been serviceable to the Church And the Greater Councils though more turbulent have many of them done great good against Heresie and Vice especially the first at Nice And nothing in this Book is intended to cloud their worth and glory or to extenuate any good which they have done But I am thankful to God that gave his Church so many worthy Pastors and made so much use as he did of many Synods for the Churches purity and peace § 66. But the true reason of this Collection and why I have besides good products made so much mention of the errours and mischiefs that many Councils have been guilty of are these following 1. The carnal and aspiring part of the Clergy do very ordinarily under the equivocal names of Bishops confound the Primitive Episcopacy with the Diocesane tyranny before described And they make the ignorant believe that all that is said in Church-Writers for Episcopacy is said for their Diocesane Species And while they put down an hundred or a thousand Bishops and Churches of the Primitive Species they make men believe that it is they that are for the old Episcopacy and we that are against it and that it is we and not they that are against the Church while we are submissive to them as Arch-bishops if they would but leave Parishes to be Churches or Great Towns formerly called Cities at least and make the Discipline of all Churches but a possible practicable thing § 67. II. And to promote their ends as these men are for the largest Diocesses and turning a thousand Churches into one only so they are commonly for violent Administration ruling by constraint and either usurping the power of the sword themselves or perswading and urging the Magistrate to punish all that obey not their needless impositions and reproaching or threatning at least the Magistrates that will not be their Executioners And making themselves the Church snuffers or made without the Churches consent their Office is exercised in putting out the Lights sometimes hundreds of faithful Ministers being silenced by their means in a little time And they take the sword of Discipline or power of the Keys as the Church used it 300 years to be vain unless prisons or mulcts enforce it And to escape the Primitive poverty they overthrow the Primitive Church Form and Discipline and tell men All this is for the Churches honour and peace § 68. Yea all that like not their arrogances and grandure they render odious as Aerian Hereticks or Schismaticks provoking men to hate and revile them and Magistrates to destroy them as intolerable And by making their own numerous Canons and Inventions necessary to Ministry and Church-Communion they will leave no place for true unity and peace but tear the Churches in pieces by the racks and engines of their brains and wills § 69. III. Yea worse than all this there are some besides the French Papists who tell the world That the Vniversal Church on Earth is one visible political body having a visible Head or Supreme vicarious Government under Christ even a Collective Supreme that hath universal Legislative Iudicial and Executive power And they make this Summa Potestas Constitutive of the Church Vniversal and say that this is Christs body out of which none have his Spirit nor are Church-members and that there is no Vnity or Concord but in obeying this supreme visible power And that this is in General Councils and in the intervals in a College of Bishops Successors of the Apostles I know not who or where unless it be all the Bishops as scattered over the earth and that they rule per literas formatas as others say It is the Pope and Roman Clergy or Cardinals § 70. And when our Christianity Salvation Union and Communion yea our Lives Liberties and mutual forbearances and Love is laid upon this very form of Church-policy and Prelacy and Christ is supposed to have such a Church as is not in the World even constituted with a Visible Vicarious Collective Soveraign that must make Laws for the whole Christian World it 's time to do our best to save men from this deceit § 71. I must confess If I believed that the Whole Church had any Head or Soveraign under Christ I should rather take it to be the Pope than any one finding no other regardable Competitor He is uncapable of ruling at the Antipodes and all the Earth but a General Council is much more uncapable and so are the feigned College of Pastors or Bishops none knoweth who § 72. IV. And a blind zeal against errour called Heresie doth cry down the necessary Love and toleration of many tolerable Christians And some cry down with them and away with them that erre more themselves and by their measures would leave but few Christians endured by one another in the World Thus do they teach us to understand Solomon Eccl. 7. 16. Be not righteous and wise overmuch so much are these men for Vnity that they will leave no place for much Unity on earth As if none should be tolerated but men of one Stature Complexion c. § 73. Briefly they do as one that would set up a Family Government made up of many hundred or thousand families dissolved and turned into one and ruled supremely by a Council of the Heads of such enlarged Families and then tell us that this is not to alter the old Species of Families but to make them greater that were before too small Keep but the same name and a City is but a Family still And when they have done they would have none endured but cast out imprisoned or banished as seditious that are for any smaller Family than a City or any lesser School than an University And these City Governours must in one Convention rule all the Kingdom and in a greater all the World § 74. I shall therefore first tell you what errour must not be tolerated and then by an Epitome of Church-History Bishops and Councils and Popes shew the ignorant so much of the Matter of Fact as may tell them who have been the Cause of Church-corruptions Heresies Schisms and Sedition and how And whether such Diocesane Prelacy and grandure be the
happen on a Sunday Easter day is the Sunday after This is one of the things that about 2000 Ministers are silenced for not Declaring Assent Consent and Approbation of yea to the use of it and so to keep Easter at a wrong time But how Sylvester came to have power to say all and to banish men and Constantine sit by and say nothing I know not Dedit eis anathema damnavit eos extra urbes suas Cap. 3. He Decreed that no Presbyter shall accuse a Bishop no Deacon a Presbyter c. and no Layman any of them And that no Prelate shall be condemned but in 72 Testimonies nor the chief Prelate be judged of any one because it is written The Disciple is not above his Master And no Presbyter shall be condemned but in 44 Testimonies no Cardinal Deacon but in 36 c. And what may they not then do or be Cap. 5. He Decreed clarâ voce thaâ— no Presbyter should make Chrisme because Christ is so called of Chrisme The 12. Cap. is Nemo det poenitentiam nisi quadraginta annorum petenti Let no man give repentance or penance but to one that seeketh forty years Cap. 14. Let no man receive the witness of a Clergy-man against a Lay-man Cap. 15. For no man may examine a Clergy-man but in the Church Cap. 16. Let no Clerk Deacon or Presbyter for any Cause of his enter into any Court because Omnis Curia à Cruore dicitur every Court is so called from blood and is an offering to Images For if any Clergy-man enter into a Court let him take his Anathema never returning to his Mother the Church Cap. 17. Let no man put a sunning Clergy-man to death no Presbyter no Deacon no Bishop that is over a Clerk or Servitor of the Church may bring him to death But if the Clergy man's cause so require let him be three days deprived of honour that he may return to his Mother-Church Cap. 18. No Deacon may offer against a Priest a Charge of filthiness Cap. 20. No man shall judge of the Prime seat because all seats desire justice to be tempered of the first seat The Subscribers were 284 Bishops what did the other 57 45 Priests and 5 Deacons and the two following and Constantine and his Mother Helena O brave Pope and Clergy O patient Council that subscribed to one man and pretended to no judgment O humble Constantine that subscribed to all this and said nothing And a womans subscription perfecteth all And O credulous Reader that believeth this CHAP. III. The Council of Nice and some following it § 1. XXX WE come now to the first General Council General only as to the Roman World or Empire as the History and Subscriptions prove and not as to the Whole World as the Papists with notorious impudence affirm which I have elsewhere fully proved This Council was called as is probably gathered Anno 325 in the 20th year of Constantine though others assign other years That they were congregate about the Arian Heresie and the Eastern Controversie is commonly known As also what wisdom and diligence Constantine used to keep the Bishops in peace Who presently brought in their Libels of accusations against each other which he took and burnt without reading them earnestly exhorting them to peace and by his presence and prudent speech repressing their heats and contentions whereby the Synod was brought to a happy end as to both the controverted Causes And Eusebius Nicomed and Arius were brought to counterfeit repentance and consent to the Nicene Faith which Constantine perceiving being set upon the healing of the divided Bishops and Churches he commanded that Arius should as reformed be received to Communion which Athanasius refusing caused much calamity afterward § 2. Because the Case of the Meletians is brought in by this Council I think it useful for our warning in these times to recite the sum of their story out of Epiphanius p. 717 c. Haer. 63. Meletius saith he was a Bishop in Thâ—bais in Egypt of sincere Faith even to the death In Diocletians Persecution Peter Bishop of Alexandria and he were the chief of the Bishops that were laid in Prison as designed to Martyrdom while they were there long together with many fellow-prisoners many called to Tryal before them were put to death and many for fear subscribed to Idolatry or denyed Christ And when they had done professed repentance and craved peace of the Church As it had been in Novatus his Schismes so it fell out here Peter Bishop of Alexan. was for peace and pardon Meletius and most of the other suffering prisoners were against it and said If they may thus revolt to save themselves and be presently pardoned it will tempt others to revolt Peter seeing his opinion was rejected rashly took his Cloak and hang'd it like a Curtain over the midst of the prison-room and said Those that are for me come to me on this side and those that are for Meletius go on that side to him Whereupon far most of the Bishops Priests Monks and people that were in prison went to Meletius and but few to Peter A â—ouler Rupture than that of the English Fugitives at Frankford This unhappy word and hour began the misery among good men expecting death From that hour they keep all their meetings separate Shortly after Peter was Martyred and Meletius was judged to the Mines As he went thither through the Country he every where made new Bishops and gathered new Churches so that there were two in the several Cities Those old ones that followed Peter called their Meeting The Catholick Church The other called theirs The Martyrs Church But yet they held a Unity of Faith Even the sufferers that laboured in the Mines divided and did not pray together At last Meletius and the rest were restored unto peace and at Alexandria Alexander and he lived in familiarity and Meletius was he that detected Arius and brought him to Alexander to be tryed But when Meletius was dead Alexander grew impatient at the private separate Meetings of his followers and troubled them and vexed them and began to use violence against them and would not have them depart from his Church They refused still and this bred stirs and Tumults Alexander persecuting them and following them yet more sharply they sent some men eminent for piety and parts to the Emperours Court to Petition for Liberty for their private Meetings without impediment Of these Paphnutius and Iohn their Bishop and Callinitus Bishop of Pellusium were chief who when they came to Court being named Meletians the Courtiers rejected them and drove them away and they could not get access to the Emperour On this occasion being put to wait long at Constantinople and Nicomedia they fell into acquaintance with Euschius Bishop of Nicomedia the Head of the Arians who pretending repentance was become great with the Emperour who was all for the Clergies peace and concord To Eusebius they open all
so conditional subscriptions quieted their Consciences and when the Arians thought they had the Victory and had made the rest Conformists it proved otherwise for they did not in sence and with approbation subscribe But though the Filth of the Arian Heresie justifie all just care and endeavours to keep it out the multitudes of new Creeds then made by one and the other Party became such a snare and shame to the Church that Hilary among others greatly lamented it even in these sad expressions Post Nicenam Synodum nihil aliud quà m Fidem scribimus dum in Verbis pugna est dum de novitatibus quaestio est dum de ambiguis dum de authoribus querela est dum de studiis certamen est dum in consensu difficultas est dumque alter alteri Anathema esse coepit propè jam Nemo est Christi Proximi anni fides quid immutationis habet Primum decretum Homousion decernit taceri sequens rursùs Homousion decernit praedicit Tertium usiam simplicitèr à Patribus praesumptam per indulgentiam excusat Postremum quartumque non excusat sed condemnat Tandem eò processum est ut neque penes nos neque penes quenquam ante nos sanctum exinde aliquid atque inviolabile perseveret Annuas atque Menstruas de Deo Fides decernimus decretis poenitemus poenitentes defendimus defensos Anathematizamus aut in nostris aliena aut in alienis nostra damnamus mordentes invicem jam absumpti sumus ab invicem Is not this a doleful description of the Bishops so soon after their wonderful deliverance and exaltation The cause of all he tells us was partly forsaking the simple Form of Baptismal Faith as not sufficient and partly following Votes and worldly Powers Dum à quibus ea requiritur sua scribunt non quae Dei sunt praedicant orbem aeternum erroris redeuntis in se semper certaminis circumtulerunt Oportuerat humanae infirmitatis modestia omne cogitationis divinae sacramentum illis tantùm conscientiae suae finibus contineri quibus credidit Neque post confessam juratam in baptismo fidem in nomine Patris Filii Sp. sancti quicquam aliud vel ambigere vel innovare And speaking of mens perverting the sence he addeth Scribendae innovandae fidei exinde usus inolevit Qui postquam nova potius coepit condere quam accepta retinere nec vetera defendit nec innovata firmavit facta est Fides temporum potiùs qùam Evangeliorum dum secundùm annos scribitur secundùm confessionem baptismi non tenetur Periculosum admodùm nobis miserabile est tot nunc Fides existere quot voluntates tot nobis doctrinas esse quot mores tot causas blasphemiarum pullulare quot vitia sunt dum aut ita fides scribuntur ut volumus aut ita ut volumus intelliguntur Et cum secundùm unum Deum unum Dominum unum baptisma fides una sit excidimus ab eâ fide quae sola est dum plures siunt ad id coeperunt esse nè ulla sit referring to Nice Fides enim quaeritur quasi fides nulla sit Fides scribenda est quasi in corde non sit Regenerati per fidem nunc ad fidem docemur quasi regeneratio illa sine fide sit Christum post baptisma discimus quasi baptisma aliquid esse possit sine Christi fide Emendamus quasi in spiritum sanctum peccâsse sit venia Sed impietatis ipisus hinc vel praecipue causa perpetua est quod fidem Apostolicam septuplo proferentes ipsitamen fidem Evangelicam volumus confiteri dum impietates nostras nobis in populis multiloquis defendimus magniloquentiae vanitate aures simplicium verbis fallentibus illudimus dum evitamus de Domino Christo ea credere quae de se docuit credenda per speciosum pacis nomen in unitatem perfidiae subrepimus sub rejiciendis novitatibus rursum ipsi novis ad Deum vocibus rebellamus sub scripturarum vocabulo non scripta mentimur Tutissimum nobis est primam solam Evangelicam fidem confessam in baptismate intellectamque retinere ☜ nec demutare quod solum acceptum atque auditum habeo bene credere Non ut ea qua synodo Patrum nostrorum the Nicene continentur tanquam irreligiosè impiè scripta damnanda sint sed quia per temeritatem humanam usurpantur ad contradictionem quod ob hoc sub nomine novitatis Evangelium negaretur impericulose tanquam sub emendatione innovetur Quod emendatum est semper proficit dum omnis emendatio displicet emendationem omnem emendatio consequuta condemnet ac si jam quicquid illud est non emendatio aliqua sit emendationis sed coeperit esse condemnatio And as to the second Cause he saith Ac primum misereri licet nostrae â—tatis laborem praesentium temporum stultas opiniones congemiscere quibus patrocinari Deo humana creduntur ad tuendam Christi Ecclesiam ambitione saculari laboratur Oro vos Episcopi qui hoc vos esse creditis quibusnam suffragiis ad praedicandum Evangelium Apostoli usi sunt Quibus adjuti potestatibus Christum praedicaverunt gentesque ferè omnes ex idolis ad Deum transtulerunt Anne aliquam sibi assumebant è palatio dignitatem hymnum Deo in carcere inter catenas post flagella cantantes At nunc proh dolor divinam fidem suffragia terrena commendant inopsque virtutis sua Christus dum ambitio nomini suo conciliatur arguitur Add what he saith of the Causes of Errour Lib. 10. de Trin. initio Non est amiguum omnem humani eloquii sermonem contradictioni obnoxium semper fuisse quia dissentientibus voluntatum motibus dissentiens quoque fit sensus animorum Cum adversantium judiciorum affectione compugnans assertionibus his quibus offenditur contradicit Quamvis enim omne dictum veri ratione perfectum sit tamen dum aliud aliis aut videtur aut complacet patet veritatis sermo adversantium responsioni quia contra veritatem aut non intellectam aut offendentem vel stultae vel vitiosae volunâ—â—tis error obnitetur Immoderata enim est omnis susceptarum voluntatum pertinacia indeflexo 〈◊〉 adversandi studium persistit ubi non rationi voluntas subjicitur nee studium doctrinae impenditur sed his quae volumus rationem conquirimus his quae studemus doctrinam coaptamus Iamâ— nominis potius quam naturae erit doctrina quae fingitur jam non veri manebit ratio sed placiti Caetera ibi videat Lector But having been long in this Citation of Hilary I return to the History of what followed these Councils and Creeds aforesaid § 43. LVI In the mean time Constantius calleth a Council of 50 Bishops to Constantinople where Aetius was condemned and a ninth Creed since the
Nicene formed which excluded both the word substance and hypostasis or subsistence The Semi-Arians detesting this condemned and banished the Authors But another Form sent from Ariminum was preferred and imposed to be subscribed on all the Bishops of East and West § 44. LVII An. 360. Meletius Bishop of Antioch being put in by the Acacians proved Orthodox contrary to their expectation And being preaching for the Trinity his Archdeacon stopt his Mouth and he preached by his Fingers holding forth One and Three And for this was ejected contrary to some former Covenants Wherefore they were fain to call a Council at Antioch to justifie his ejection Here they made yet another Creedâ—â— the worst of all before it § 45. LVIII Constantius being dead Iulian the Apostate is made Emperour would not this end the Quarrel of Christian Bishops Athanastus returneth to Alexandria after the third 〈…〉 years hiding an 362. Gregory the Bishop being 〈…〉 by the Heathen and burnt to Ashes He calls 〈…〉 Here besides the receiving of those that unwillingly 〈◊〉 to the Arians divers new Controversies are judged 1. Eunemius Macedonius and the Semiarians denyed the Godhead of the Holy Ghost which was here asserted 2. Apollinaris thought that Christ took but a Body at his Incarnation his Divine Nature being instead of a Soul which was here condemned 3. The Orthodox Greek and Latines could not agree by what name to distinguish the Trinity The Greeks said there were three hypostases which the Latines rejected as signifying three substances Hierome himself could not away with the word Hypostasis The Latines used the word Person The Greeks rejected that as signifying no real distinction and are the Schoolmen for a real distinction yet For they thought Persona signified but the relation of one in Authority or Office And thus while as Ierome said Tota Grâ—corum prophanorum Schola discrimen inter hypostasin usiam ignorabat Ep. 57. and the sense of the word Person was not well determined the danger was so great of further dissention among the Orthodox Bishops themselves that as Greg. Naz. saith de laud. Athanas. The matter came to that pass that there was present danger that together with these syllables the ends of the World East and West should have been torn from each other and broken into parts But the Synod agreed that the Greek hypostasis and the Latine Persona should henceforth be taken as of the same signification But what that signification is it was not so easie to tell Yet saith Binnius Augustine de Trinit l. 5. c. 8 9. and the Latines afterwards were displeased with this reconciliation and Hierome himself who yet obtain'd of Damasus Ep. 57. that the conciliation being but of a Controversie de nomine might be admitted § 46. LIX An. 362. Iulian reigning several French Councils besides one then at Paris were employed in receiving the repentance of the Bishops that under Constantius had subscribed to the Arians § 47. LX. At Iulians death Athanasius calleth some Bishops to Alexandria betimes to send to the Emperour Iovianus their Confession to prevent the Arians and other Hereticks § 48. LXI A Council also was called at Antioch on this occasion The Semiarians petitioned Iovianus that the Acacians as Hereticks might be put out and they put in their places The Emperour gave them no other Answer but that he hated contention but would love and honour those that were for concord They feeling his pulse got Meletius to call a Council at Antioch where they seemed very sound and twenty seven Arian Bishops without any stop subscribed the Nicene Creed So basely did these Bishops follow the stronger side and saith Binnius of so great consequence with Bishops is the Emperours mind § 49. LXII An. 364. Valentinian being Emperour left the Bishops to meet when and where they would themselves And a Council was held at Lampsacus where the Semiarians condemned the Arians And though some call it Orthodox Busil and some good men being there Binnius saith that the Macedonians here vented their denyal of the Godhead of the Holy Ghost and that the Hereticks pretending to own the Nicene Faith were recieved by Liberius § 50. LXIII A Council in Sicily owned the Nicene Creed § 51. LXIV Some Bishops at Illyricum restored the Nicene Creed the Emperour being now for it And Valentinian and Valens wrote to the Asian Bishops to charge them to cease Persecuting any of Christs labourers § 52. LXV An. 365. At a Synod in Tyana Cappadoc Eustathius Sebast by Pope Liberius Letters was restored to his Bishoprick and after cursed the Homousion the Nicene Creed and denyed the Godhead of the Holy Ghost By their means Basil returned from his Wilderness to Caesarea whence he fled to avoid the enmity of Eusebius the Bishop who received him upon his professed resolution for Peace which he would buy at any rates § 53. LXVI The Emperour Valens unhappily taken in to Valentinian after the conquest of Procopius desired Baptisme and having an Arian Wife was baptized by Eudoxius Constant. an Arian Bishop who engaged him to promote the Arian Cause which he did with a blind religious zeal persecuting not only the Orthodox and Novatians but also the Semiarians and Macedonians And a Council of Bishops in Caria rejected Consubstantial and restored the Antiochian and Seleucian Creed as the best § 54. LXVII An. 366. Some Arian Bishops at Singedim in Mysia restored the Ariminum Creed of Like substance and solicited Geminius the Semiarian Bishop to consent but prevailed not § 55. LXVIII Two Councils were held at Rome by Damasus one to condemn Valens and Vrsatius old Arian Bishops Another to condemn Auxentius Bishop of Milan and Sisinius as a Schismatical Competitor with himself For when Damasus was chosen the people were divided and Damasus his Party being the more valiant Warriors they fought it out in the Church and left one day an hundred thirty seven dead Bodies behind them to shew that they had no Communion with them And because Sisinius and his Party still kept Conventicles he was banished and many with him and now again condemned § 56. LXIX Another Council at Rome he had to condemn Vitalis and the Apollinarians that took Christs Godhead to be instead of a Soul to his Body and the Millenaries § 57. LXX A Council was called at Antioch to end a Schism there being three Bishops two Orthodox Meletius and Paulinus and one Arian Euzoius They ended the Schism by agreeing that Meletius and Paulinus should both continue till one dyed and then the other alone should succeed him the Presbyters being sworn not to accept it while one of them lived But Meletius dying first Flavianus a Presbyter was said to break his Oath and was chosen in his stead while Paulinus an excellent person lived And so the Schism was continued CHAP. IV. The First General Council at Constantinople and some following § 1. THe reason why the West with Rome was freer from the Arian Heresie than the East
him Unjustly say even Binnius and Baronius who here repeat out of Sulpitius Martins once communicating with the Bishops there to save two Mens Lives and the Words of the Angel to him Meritò Martine compungeris Sed aliter exire nequîsti Repara virtutem resume Constantiam ne jam non periculum gloriae sed salutis incurras Itaque ab illo tempore satis cavit cum illâ Ithacianae partis communione misceri Caeterùm cum tardius quosdam ex ergumenis quam solebat gratiâ minore curaret subinde nobis cum lachrymis fatebatur se propter communionis illius malum cui se vel puncto temporis necessitate non spiritu miscuisset detrimentum virtutis sentire sexdecim pòst vixit annos nullam Synodum adiit c. Is it not strange that Papists blush not to recite such a History with approbation which expresseth a testimony from Heaven against far less than their Inquisition Flames Murders Canons de heraeticis comburendis exterminandis and Deposing Princes that will not execute them And which sheweth such a Divine justification for separation from the Bishops and Synods of such a way yea though of the same Religion with us and not so Corrupt as the Reformation found the Roman Papacy and Clergy § 20. LXXIX The two Bishops continuing at Antioch Evagrius succeeding Paulinus and Rome owning him and the East Flavianus a Council is called at Capua Flavian refuseth to come The Council had more wit than many others and Ordered that both Congregations Flavian's and Evagrius's being all good Christians should live in loving Communion O that others had been as wise in not believing those Prelates that perswaded the World that it is so pernicious a thing for two Churches and Bishops to be in one City as Peter and Paul are said to be at Rome And they referred the Case to Theophilus Alex. § 21. But this Council condemned a new Heresie Hereticating was in fashion viz. of one Bishop Bonosus denying Mary to have continued a Virgin to the death And they condemned Re-baptizing and Re-ordaining and the Translation of Bishops § 22. LXXX Next comes a Provincial Council or two at Arles which doth but repeat some former Canons § 23. LXXXI Next we have a strange thing a Heresie raised by one that was no Bishop But the best is it was but a very little Heresie Hierome is the describer of it who writing against the Author Iovinian a Milan Monk no doubt according to his sharpness makes the worst of it At the worst it containeth all these 1. That Virgins Widows and Marryed Women being all baptized or washed in Christ and not differing in any other works are of equal merits 2. That those that plenâ â—â—de with a full faith are born again in baptisme cannot be subverted by the Devil 3. There is no difference of merit between abstaining from meat and receiving it with thanksgiving 4. That there 's one Reward in Heaven for all that keep their baptismal vow Siricius catching Iovinian hid at Rome sends him to Milan where a Council Hereticateth him § 24. LXXXII It 's strange that Binnius vouchsafeth next to add out of Socrates l. 5. c. 20. when he Hereticateth him also a Council of the Novatians Socrates and Sozomen are called Novatians by the Papists because they rail not at them so valiantly as the Hereticators do And it may be they will call me one if I say that I better like this Councils Canon than burning men for such a Heresie They decree that as from the Apostles the different time of keeping Easter was not taken for sufficient cause for Christians to renounce Communion with each other so it should be esteemed still and it should be so far left indifferent that they live in love and Communion that are herein of different minds And I would say as lowd as I can speak If all the proud contentious ambitious hereticating part of the Bishops had been of this Christian mind O what sin what scandal and shame what cruelties confusions and miseries had the Christian world escaped But yet men will scorn to be so far Novatians in despight of Scripture reason humanity and experience whatever sin or misery follow As I said before in England the Convocation and Parliaments oversight hath determined of a false rule to know Easter-day and silenceth Ministers for not Assenting Consenting to it and approving the Use of it even the Use which consisteth in keeping Easter at a wrong time which makes us Hereticks § 25. LXXXIII An. 393. A great Council was called at Hippo where Austin yet a Presbyter was there Good men will do well Here was nothing but pious and honest for reformation of Discipline and Manners And most of the African Councils were the best in all the world Their Bishopricks were but like our Parishes and they strove not who should be greatest or domineer § 26. LXXXIV Next a Council at Constant. decideth a Crontroversie between two men striving for a Bishoprick Bin. p. 539. § 27. LXXXV Concilium Adrumetinum did we know not what § 28. LXXXVI An. 394. A Council of Donatists was held at Cavernae about a schism between two men set up for Bishops against each other § 29. LXXXVII At Bagai another Council was called by the Donatists for the same Cause where Primianus Carthag having 310. Bishops condemned Maximianus his Competitor absent Note here 1. How great a number the Donatists were and on what pretence as over-voting them they called others Hereticks and Schismaticks 2. How small Bishopricks then were the number tells us § 30. LXXXVIII A Synod was held at Taurinum in Savoy where a difference was decided between the Bishops of Arles and Vienne striving which should be greatest And he was judged to be the greatest whose seat was proved to be the Metropolitan And a case of Communicating with one Foelix a Partner of Ithacius and the bloody Bishops was debated § 31. LXXXIX Another Carthage Council called the second which Binnius saith was the last is placed next which decreed several Church Orders some of which shew that a Bishops Diocess had then but unum altare As when reconciliation of Penitents as well as Chrisme and Consecrating Virgins was to be done by the Bishop only except in great necessity And when Christians were multiplyed they that desired a Bishop in a place that had none before might have one And the prohibition erigendi aliud altare c. was repeated § 32. XC Another Carthage Council called the third hath many good Orders One is Can. 26. That the Bishop of the first Seat shall not be called the Chief Priest or Bishop or any such thing but only the Bishop of the first Seat To avoid all ambitious designs of superiority Whence Binnius elsewhere noteth that Carthage had not an Archbishop No doubt they had a sense of the sin and misery that came by the Patriarchall and other ambitious strifes § 33. XCI Another Carthage
Council hath the like Canons adding to this aforesaid as Gratian citeth it Vniversalis autem nec etiam Romanus Pontifex appelletur To which Binnius hath no better an answer than 1. That it is only swelling titles and not the superiour power that is forbidden 2. That the Africans had no power to make Laws for Rome But 1. Sure the Name is Lawful if the Power be Lawful 2. They that could make no Laws for Rome might declare their Judgment of Gods Laws and that Rome might make no Laws for them This Council also forbiddeth going beyond Sea with Appeals § 34 XCII The next Carthage Council hath 104 Canons for Discipline most very good Divers Canons lay so much on the Bishop as plainly shew each Bishop had but One Altar Can. 14. That the Bishops Cottage be not far from the Church Can. 15. That the Bishop have but vile or cheap houshold stuff and a poor table and diet and seek his authority or dignity by his faith and desert of life 16. The Bishop must not read the Gentiles Books 19. Nor contend for transitory things though provoked 20. Nor take on him the care of Family or common business but only be vacant to the Word and Prayer 23. The Bishop shall hear no Cause but in the presence of his Presbyters else it shall be void that is sentenced without them unless confirmed by their presence 28. The unjust condemnation of Bishops is void 30. And judgments against the absent 35. The Bishop to sit higher than the Presbyters at Church and their Meetings but at home know that they are his Colleagues 51. A Clerk how Learned soever in Gods Word must get his living by a trade 52. That is by a trade or husbandry without detriment to his Office 53. All Clerks that are able to work should learn both trades and Letters 55. The Bishop must not admit an accuser of the brethren to Communion Nor to enter into the Clergy though he amend Many against Clergy-men that are flatterers betrayers foul-tongued quarrellers at discord scurrilous of filthy jeasts that swear by creatures that sing at feasts of former scandal c. 83. The poor and the aged of the Church to be honoured before the rest 88. He that goeth to any Shows or Sâ—ghts on publick days instead of going to the Church-assembly let him be Excommunicate 98. A Lay-man must not teach when the Clergy are present unless they bid him 100. A woman must not baptize § 35. XCIII An. 398. Another Council was at Carthage of 73. Bishops for Discipline § 36. XCIV An. 399. Theophilus held a Synod at Alexandria against a dead man Origen The occasion Baronius and Binnius thus deliver Melania a Woman of greatest Nobility in Rome in Valens the Arians Pesecution hid five thousand Monks and a while susteined them and when they were banished with great zeal followed them to maintain them out of her substance or estate When they were restored from banishment she built for her self a Monastery at Ierusalem in which besides fifty Virgins that dwelt with her she entertained and maintained holy Foreign Bishops Monks and Virgins twenty seven years Whereby it happened that both she and Ruffinus were by Didymus Alexandrinus a man blind but of great learning and fame too great an admirer of Origen's works entangled as their accusers said in Origen's errours and received and divulged his Book called Periarchon After 25 years absence in Egypt and Palestine returning to Rome with great fame of Holiness and bringing with them a piece of the Cross they with fraud bring to Origen's Periarchon that is Translated and Corrected by Ruffinus Another Woman Marcella accuseth them of Origen's errours which they deny and geting Communicatory Letters from Pope Siricius forsake Rome where such Merits and Holiness would not procure an aged Lady a quiet habitation without being Hereticated because she highly valued Origen's Works which had divers errours and who hath not Hereupon Pamachius and Oceanus write to Hierome to publish Origen's Periarchon entire and detect his errours which he did shewing that Ruffinus had mended some and left others unmended This occasioned stirs against Hierome and a Council call'd at Alexandria an 399. where Origen is condemned Theophilus by his Legates expells Origen's followers out of Egypt and Palestine Being expelled they go to Chrysostome to Constantinople and complain of Theophilus as persecuting them that were innocent Catholicks and desired his help He undertaketh to reconcile them to Theophilus Epiphanius followeth them to Constantinople and requireth Chrysostome to Excommunicate them and Expel them Chrysostome durst not do it against people professing truth and piety without a Synod Whereupon Epiphanius irregularly accuseth Chrysostome and publickly inveyeth against him in his own Church of the process of which more anon § 37. For the better understanding of these matters I will insert somewhat of Theophilus and Chrysostome out of Socrates because he is a most credible Historian and saith they were things done in his own days Theophilus was noted for a Lordly Prelate Isidore Pelusiota saith more When Chrysostome was to be Ordained Bishop of Constantinople Theophilus refused to Ordain him because he would have preferred to it one Isidore a Presbyter of his own But Eutropius a Courtier having got Articles against Theophilus shewed them to him and bid him choose whether he would Ordain Chrysostome Bishop or stand at the Bar and answer those crimes Theophilus was so afraid at this that he presently Consecrated Chrysostome Socr. l. 6. c. 2. But presently after began busily to devise how he might work him mischief which he practised privately by Word and by his Letters into foreign Countries But was vexed that his malicious practices had not better success for he thought to bring in this Isidore cap. 5. § 38. One of the Articles against Theophilus was this When Theodosius was going to fight against Maximus the Tyrant Theophilus sent presents by this Isidore to the Emperour with two Letters charging him to give the presents and one of the Letters to him that should have the upper-hand Isidore got him to Rome to hearken after the Victory But his Reader that kept him company stole away his Letters Whereupon Isidore in a fright took his heels presently to Alexandria § 39. Another thing to be fore-known to this story is in Socrat. l. 6. c. 7. The schisme of the Anthropomorphites now rose from Egypt some of the more unlearned thought that God had a body and the shape of a man but Theophilus and the Judicious condemned them and inveighed against them proving that God had not a body The Religious of Egypt hearing this flocking in blind zeal to Alexandria condemned Theophilâ—â—s for a wicked man and sought to take away his life Theophilus very pensive devised how to save his life He came to them courteously and said When I fasten mine eyes on you methinks I see the face of God These words allayed the heat of the Monks who said If that
undivided The Eutychians thought How can that be called Vnity which maketh not one of two And no doubt the Natures are One But One what Not One Nature but One Person Yet to bring off Cyril it may be said that even the Natures are One in opposition to Division or Separation but not One in opposition to distinction He that had but distinguished these two clearly to them and explained the word Nature clearly had better ended all the Controversie than it was ended It 's plain that Cyril and the Eutychians allowed mental distinction though not that the Mind should suppose them divided And it 's certain that the Orthodox meant no more § 3. He that readeth but Philosophers Schoolmen and late Writers such as Fortun. Licetus de natura c. will see how little they are agreed about the meaning of the word Nature and how unable to procure agreement in the conception They that say it is principium motus Quietis are contradicoted as confounding divers Principia and as confounding Active Natures and Passive the Active only being Principium Motus and the Passive Principium quietis And on such accounts the Eutychians pleaded for One Nature because in Christ incarnate they supposed that the Divine Nature was the Principium primum motus and that all Christs actions were done by it and that the humane soul being moved by the Divinity was but Principium subordinatum which they thought was improperly called Principium As most Philosophers say that Forma generica is improperly called forma hominis because one thing hath but one form so they thought that one person had but one proper Principium motus § 4. Alas how few Bishops then could distinguish as Derodon doth and our common Metaphysicks between 1. Individuum 2. Prima substantia 3. Natura 4. Suppositum 5. Persona 6. and have distinguished a right essence and hypostasis or subsistence c. and defined all these Nature saith Derodon de suppos p. 5. is taken in nine senses But the sense was not here agreed on before they disputed of the matter Even about the Nature of Man it is disputed whether he consist not of many natures Whether every Element Earth Water Air Fire retain not its several Nature in the Body or whether the Soul be Mans only Nature and whether as intellectual and sensitive and vegetative or only in one of these And is it not pity that such questions should be raised about the person of Christ by self-conceited Bishops and made necessary to salvation and the world set on fire and divided by them Is this good usage of the Faith of Christ the Souls of Men and the Church of God § 5. But to the History At a Council of Constantinop under Flavianvs Eusebius Bishop of Dorileum accused Eutyches for affirming Heretically as aforesaid that after the Vnion Christ had but one Nature Eutiches is sent for He refuseth to come out of his Monastery After many Citations be still refusing they judge him to be brought by force He first delayeth Then craveth of the Emperour the presence of Magistrates that he be not calumniated by the Bishops He is condemned but recanteth not § 6. A meeting of Bishops at Tyre cleared Ibas Edess from the accusation of Nestorianisme made by four Excommunicate Priests two of them perjured and reconciled him to such Priests for Peace sake § 7. Another meeting of Bishops at Berythum cleared Ibas from a renewed accusation of Nestorianisme being said to have spoken evil of Cyril An Epistle of his to Maris a Bishop was accused which the Council at Calcedon after absolved and the next General Council condemned § 8. CXXIV Another Council is called at Constantinople by the means of some Courtiers in favour to Eutiches where upon the testimony of some Bishops that Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople condemned him himself before the Synod did it and that the Records were altered all was nullified that at the last Synod was done against him § 9. CXXV Theodosius calleth a second General Council at Ephesus an 449. and maketh Dioscorus Bishop of Alex. President Dioscorus forbad Ibas and Theodoret to be there as being Nestorians The Emperour himself was so much for peace and so deeply before engaged in Cyril's cause against Nestorius that he thought it levity to pull down all so soon again the Eutychians perswading him that they stuck to Cyril and the Ephesine and Nicene Council Dioscorus thinking the same that Eutiches and Cyril were of one mind and that it was Nestorianisme which they were against carried matters in this Synod as violently as Cyril had done in the former The Bishops perceiving the Emperours the Courtiers and Dioscorus mind could not resist the stronger side The Bishop of Rome was commanded by the Emperour to be present He sent his Legates with his Judgment in Writing of the Cause The Emperour for bad those to be Speakers that had before judged Eutyches The Roman Legates excepted that Dioscorus presided It seemeth the Eastern Empire and Church then believed not that the Popes precedency was jure divino Dioscorus declareth that the Council was not called to decide any matter of Faith but to judge of the proceedings of Flavianus against Eutyches The Acts of the Constant. Synod after the Emperours Letters being read Eutyches is absolved Domnus Patriarch of Antioch Iuvenal Patriarch of Ierusalem the Bishop of Ephesus and the rest subscribed the absolution which after they said they did for fear when another Emperour changed the Scene This being done the Acts of the former Ephes. Council were read and all Excommunicate that did not approve them So that this Council of Eutychians thought verily the former was of their mind Four Bishops Flavianus Eusebius Doryl Ibas Edes and Theodoret Cyri are condemned and deposed All the Bishops subscribed except the Popes Legates so that saith Bimius In hoc tam horrendo Episcoporum suffragio sola navilula Petri incolumis emergens salvatur p. 1017. Judge by this First Whether Councils may erre Secondly Whether they are the just Judges or Keepers of Tradition Thirdly Whether all the World always believed the Popes Infallibility or Governing power over them when all that Council voted contrary to him Flavianus here offering his appeal was beaten and abused and dyed of the hurt as was said in Concil Calced and by Liberatus But this was no quenching but a kindling of the fire of Episcopal Contentions Theodosius missed of his end § 10. CXXVI Leo at Rome in a Synod condemneth this Ephesian Council § 11. CXXVII Dioscorus in a Council at Alexandria Excommunicateth Leo. § 12. CXXVIII Theodosius the Emperour being dead Martian was against the Eutychians Anatolius at a Synod at Constantinople maketh an Orthodox Profession of his Faith like Leo's § 13. CXXIX And at Milan a Council owneth Leo's judgment § 14. CXXX Now cometh the great Council at Calcedon under the new Emperour Martian where all is changed for a time Yet Pulcheria who marryed him and
made him Emperour and whose power then was great was the same that before had been against Nestorius in her Brothers reign Never was it truer than in the Case of General Councils that the Multitude of Physicians exasperateth the Disease and killeth the Patient The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one nature after union the words one will and one opperation had never done half so much mischief in the Church if the erroneous had been confuted by neglect and Councils had not exasperated enraged and engaged them and set all the World on taking one side or another One skilfull healing man that could have explicated ambiguous terms and perswaded men to Love and Peace till they had understood themselves and one another had more befriended Truth Piety and the Church than all the Hereticating Councils did § 15. If what Socrates writeth of Theodosius junior be true as we know no reason to doubt God owned his Moderation by Miracles notwithstanding his favouring the Eutychians more than he did any ways of violence Socrates saith l. 7. c. 41 42. that Theodosius was the mildest man in the World for which cause God subdued his enemies to him without slaughter and bloodshed as his Victory over Iohn and the Barbarians shew Of which he saith First Their Captain Rugas was kill'd with a thunder-bolt Secondly A Plague killed the greatest part of his Soldiers Thirdly Fire from Heaven consumed many that remained And Proclus the Bishop being a man of great Peace and Moderation hurting and persecuting none was confirmed by these providences in his lenity being of the Emperours mind and perswading the Emperour to fetch home the bones of Chrysostome with honour wholly ended the Nonconformity and Separation of the Ioanites § 16. Before Theodosius dyed Leo Bishop of Rome set Placidia and Eudoxia to write to him against Dioscorus and for the cause of Flavianus Yea and Valentinian himself Theodosius wrote to Valentinian and the like to the Women That they departed not from the Faith and Tradition of their Fathers that at the Council of Ephesus second things were carried with much liberty and truth and the unworthy were removed and the worthy put into their places and it was the troublers of the Church that were deposed and Flavianus was the Prince of the Contentions and that now they lived in Concord and Peace § 17. The Council at Calcedon was called an 451. Dioscorus is accused for his Ephesine General Council and for his violence and defence of Eutiches and the death of Flavianus He alledgeth the Emperours Order to him Authoritatem Primatum tuae praebemus beatitudini If the Popes Universal Rule be essential to the Church then the pious and excellent Emperour Theodosius and the General Council that consented were none of them Christians that knew it but went against it Eos qui per additamentum aliquod aut imminutionem conati sunt dicere praeter quae sunt exposita de fide Catholica à sanctis Patribus qui in Nicaea post modum qui in Epheso congregati sunt nullam omnino fiduciam in sancto Synodo habere patimur sed sub vestro judicio esse volunus Here Binnius accuseth the good Emperour as giving that which he had not but by usurpation and this through ignorance of the Ecclesiastical Canons But were all the Bishops ignorant of it also Or was so good an Emperour bred up and cherished in ignorance of such a point pretended by the Papists to be necessary to the Being of a Church and to salvation The Bishops of Ierusalem and Seleucia also partook of the same power by the Emperour's Grant Dioscorus answered that All the Synod consented and subscibed as well as he and Juvenal Hieros and Thalassius Seleuc. The Bishops answered that they did it against their wills being under fear Condemnation and Banishment was threatned Souldiers were there with Clubs and Swords Therefore the Oriental Bishops cryed out to cast out Dioscorus Stephen Bishop of Ephesus who had been Dioscorus chief Agent there cryed out that fear constrained them The Lay-Judges and Senate asked who forced them Stephen said Elpidius and Eulogius and many Souldiers threatned him They asked Did Dioscorus use violence with you He said that he was not suffered to go out till he had subscribed Theodorus Bishop of Claudiopolis said that Dioscorus Iuvenal and the leading men led on them as simple ignorant men that knew not the Cause and frightned them with defaming them as Nestorian Hereticks Thus they cryed out that they were frightned The Egyptian Bishops answered that A Christian feareth no man and yet they were afraid before they ended A Catholick feareth no man we are instructed by flames If men were feared there would be no Martyrs Dioscorus noted what Bishops those were that said they subscribed to a blank Paper when it was about a matter of Faith But asked who made them by their several interlocutions to speak their consent Hereupon the Acts of the Ephes. Council were read among which were the words of Dioscorus Anathematizing any that should contradict or retract any thing held in the Nicene or the Ephesine Synods Adding how terrible and formidable it was If a man sin against God who shall intercede for him If the Holy Ghost sit in Council with the Fathers he that retracteth cashiereth the Grace of the Spirit The Synods answered We all say the same Let him be Anathema that retracteth these Bishops that curse themselves will easily curse others Let him be cast out that retracteth Dioscorus said No man ordereth things already ordered The holy Synod said These are the words of the Holy Ghost c. Theodorus denyed these words recorded Dioscorus said they may as well say they were not there § 18. Here also Eutyche's Confession at Ephesus was read in which he professeth to cleave to the former Ephesine Council and to the blessed Father Cyril that presided disclaiming all additions and alterations professing that he had himself Copies in a Book which Cyril himself sent him and is yet in his hands and that he standeth to the definition of that Council with that of Nice Eusebius Bishop of Doril. said He lyeth that Council hath no such Definition Dioscorus said There are four Books of it that all contain this Definition Do you accuse all the Synodical Books I have one and he hath one and he hath one Let them be brought forth Diogenes Bishop of Cyrilum said They deceitfully cleave to the Council of Nice The Question is of additions made against Heresies The Bishops of Egypt said None of us receive additions or diminutions Hold what is done at Nice This is the Emperour's Command The Eastern Bishops clamoured Iust so said Eutyches The Egyptian Bishops still cryed up the Nicene Faith alone without addition Dioscorus accused the Bishops for going from their words and said If Eutyches hold not the Doctrine of the Church he is worthy of punishment and fire ex ore tuo My regard is
Calamitous Divisions which these Prelates and their Councils made He said that Cyril writ against Nestorius that there was but one nature in Christ c. Haec omnia impietatis plena He tells how Cyril preposessed the Bishops before they met and made his hatred of Nestorius his Cause How he condemned Nestorius two days before Iohn of Antioch came How afterward they condemned and deposed one another How Nestorius was in hatred with the Great men of Constantinople which was his fall How Iohn and Cyril's Bishops or Councils would not Communicate with each other How they set Bishops against Bishops and People against People and a mans Enemies were those of his own household How the Pagans scorned the Christians hereupon For saith he no man durst travel from City to City or from Province to Province but each one persecuted his neighbour as his enemy For many not having the fear of God by occasion of Ecclesiastical zeal made haste to bring forth the hidden enmity of their hearts against others he instanceth in some Persecutors and sheweth how Paulus Emisseuus helpt to heal them § 29. In the eleventh Action two Bishops strive for the Bishoprick of Ephesus Bassianus and Stephen that had been Dioscorus Agent And in their Pleas each of them proved that the other intruded by violence into the place both he that first had it and he that thrust him out and took his Seat and one of them made his Clergy swear to be true to him and not forsake him And while the Bishops were for one of them the Judges past Sentence to cast out both and all consented § 30. But after all the crying up of Leo ' s Epistle this Synod set so light by Leo as that some say against his Legates Will they made a Canon 28. That every where following the Decrees of the Fathers and acknowledging the Canon which was lately read made by the 150 Bishops we also Decree the same and determine of the Priviledges of the holy Church of Constantinople new Rome For the Fathers did give or attribute rightly the Priviledges to the Throne of old Rome because that City ruled or had the Empire And moved by the same consideration the 150 Bishops Lovers of God gave or attributed equal Priviledges to the Throne of New Rome rightly judging that the City which is honoured with the Empire and the Senate and enjoyeth equal Priviledges with ancient Queen Rome should also in things Ecclesiastical be extolled and magnified being the second after it The Popes Legates hand Boniface is subscribed to all and Eusebius Doril thus subscribed Sponte subscripsi quoniam hane regulam sanctissimo Papae in Vrbe Roma ego relegi prescentibus Clericis Constantinopolitanis eamque suscepit And this Council was after over and over approved by the Roman Bishops § 31. It in is this Canon notorious 1. That the whole General Council and so the universal Church did then believe that the Popes or Roman Priviledges were granted by the Fathers that is by Councils and stood not by divine appointment 2. That the reason that the Fathers granted them was because it was the Imperial Seat Had they believed that the Apostles had instituted it they had never said that the Fathers did it for this reason and that Constantinople should be equal or next it for the same reason 3. The Church of Constantinople never claimed their Prerogative jure divino as succeeding any Apostle and yet jure Imperii claimed equal Priviledges By all which it is undeniable that the whole Church in that Council and especially the Greeks did ever hold Rome's Primacy to be a humane institution upon a humane mutable reason What the Papists can say against this I have fully answered against W. Iohnson in a Book called Which is the true Church § 32. The Question now is What concord did these late Councils procure to the Churches Ans. From that time most of the Christian World was distracted into Factions hereticating damning deposing aâ—d too many murdering one another One party cleaved to Dioscorus and were called by the other Eutychians These cryed up the Sufficiency of the Nicene Councils Faith as that which they were baptized into and would have no addition nor diminution and condemned the Calcedon Council and excommunicated and deposed those that would not Anathematize it Those that were against them they called Nestorians On the other party were those that had cleaved to Nestorius by name and had been persecuted for his Cause And these were a separate Body and cryed down the other as Eutychians Those called Orthodox or Catholicks cryed down Nestorians and Eutychians by name indeed defending the same Doctrine as Nestorius except as to the fitness of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the chief of Nestorius his first adherents perceiving that indeed they were of one judgment united with these against the Eutychians I have shewed that all of them seemed to make all this stir but about some Words which one party took in one sense and the other in another For these words the Bishops cast the Christian World into confusion destroyed Love and Unity under a pretence of keeping the Faith so that the Church was lamentably militant Bishops against Bishops in continual enimity and rage The Emperours at their wits end not knowing how to end the Ecclesiastical odious Wars And the Heathens hardened and deriding them all and their Religion § 33. When the Council was ended and Proterius made Bishop of Alexandria in Dioscorus stead the City was in so great discontent that the Emperour Martian was fain to send a Lay-man to mollifie them for they would not endure a Calcedonian Bishop They set more by Dioscorus than before so that Binnius incredibly saith they offered him Divine Honour § 34. It was not long till Martian dyed and then they let the World know that it was Emperours and not Popes or Councils that they regarded They thought then they might shew their minds and what they did Liberatus in Breviario Evagrius Nicephorus and others tells us at large But I will give it you in the words of the Egyptian Bishops which conformed to the Council Bin. p. 147. One Timothy Elurus of Dioscorus Party who had gathered separated Congregations before since the Council of Calcedon got some Bishops of his own Party to make him Archbishop The people soon shewed their minds though it deposed their Archbishop They set up Timothy and he presently made Ordinations of Bishops and Clerks c. while he thus went on a Captain Dionisius came to drive him out of the City The people rage the more against Proterius He gets into the Baptistry to avoid their rage a place reverenced even by the Barbarians and the fiercest Men But these furious people set on by their Bishop Timothy neither reverencing the Place the Worship nor the Time which was Easter nor the Office of Priesthood which is a Mediation between God and Man did strike the
under him as frighted many against their Judgements to Curse the Council and those that held two Natures as Hereticks Some Bishops stood out and refused some fled from their Churches for fear The Isaurian Bishops when they had yielded repented and when they had repented they Condemned Severus that drove them to subscribe Two stout Bishops Cosmas and Severianus sent a Sealed Paper to Severus and when he opened it he found it was a Condemnation under their Hands The Emperour had notice of it and he being angry that they presumed to Condemn their Patriarchs sent his Procurator to cast them out of their Bishopricks himself at last being against the Council The Procurator found the People so resolute and bent to Resistance in defence of their Bishops That he sent word to the Emperour that these two Bishops could not be cast out without bloud-shed The Emperour sent him word that he would not have a drop of bloud shed for the business for he did what he did for peace § 46. Helias Bishop of Ierusalem found all the other Churches in such Confusion the Bishops Condemning one another that he would Communicate with none of them save Euphemius of Constantinople before his Ejection Niceph. c. 32. The Monks were engaged for the Council by such a means as this One Theodosius a Monk or Abbot gathering a great assembly lowdly cryed out in the Pulpit to them If any man equal not the four Councils with the four Evangelists let him he Anathema This Voice of their Captain resolved the Monks and they thenceforth took it as a Law that the four Councils should be saoris libris accensenda added or joyned with the sacred Books And they wrote to the Emperour Certamen se de eis ad sanguinem usâ—â— subiturâ—s that they would make good the Conflict for them even to blood Thus Monks and Bishops then submitted to Princes These Monks went about to the Cities to engage them to take their side for the Councils The Emperour hearing of this wrote to the Bishop Helias to reform it He rejecteth the Emperours Letters and refuseth The Emperour sendeth Souldiers to Compâ—ll or restrain them The Orthodox Monks that were for the Council gathered by the Orthodox Bishops tumultuously cast the Emperours Souldiers out of the Church Niceph. c. 34. After this they had another Contention and there Anathematized those that adhered to Severus The Emperour more provoked by all this sent Olympius with a band of Souldiers to Conquer them Olympius came and cast out Bishop Helias and put in Iohn The Monks gather again and the Souldiers bieng gone they come to Iohn and make him engage himself to be against Severus and to stand for the Council though it were unto Blood He yielded to the Monks and ingaged himself to the Council and brake his Word made to Olympius The Emperor is angry with Olympius for doing his Work no better and puts him out and sendeth another Captain Anastatius who came and put the Bishop Iohn in Prison and Commanded him to despise the Council Iohn consulting with another Bishop craftily promised to obey him if he would but let him out of Prison two days before that it might not seem a forced act This being done the Bishop on the contrary in the Pulpit before the Captain and the People cryeth out If any man assent to Eutyches and Nestorius Contraries and Severus and Soterichus Caesariansis let him be Anathema If any follow not the Opinions of the four Vniversal Synods let him be Anathema The Captain seeing himself thus deluded fled from the Multitude and was glad to save himself the Emperour being offended more at this The Bishops write to him that at Jerusalem the Fountain of Doctrine they were not now to learn the truth and that they would defend the Traditions if need be even to blood Niceph. 16. c. 34. At Constantinople the Bishop Timothy would please both sides and pleased neither To some he spake for the Council to others he Cursed it Being to make an Abbot the Man refused his Election unless he consented to the Council of Calcedon Timothy presently Cursed those that received not the Council His Arch-deacon hearing him reproached him that like Euripus roled every way The Emperour hearing it rebuked him And Timothy washt away the Charge and presently Cursed every one that received the Council Niceph. l. 8. c. 35. § 47. But what did Rome all this while It were too long to recite their proper History They were for the Council and they had other kind of Conflicts The Goths held them in Wars and had conquered them and Theodorick reigned there as King and so they were broken off from the Empire Arians ruled them who yet if Salvian say true did after shame the Orthodox in point of Temperance Truth and Justice But besides their following greater Schisms this Schism also did reach to them Festus a Roman Senator was sent by Theodorick to the Emperour on an Embassie which having done he desired of the Emperour that Constantinople might keep the Festival days of Peter and Paul which they did not before as they did at Rome and he prevailed And he secretly assured the Emperour that Anastasius Bishop of Rome would receive the Honoticon to suspend the consenting to the Calcedon Council and would subscribe it When this Ambassadour came home the Pope was dead To make good his Word to the Emperour he got a party to choose Laurentius Pope who would receive the Honoticon The People chose Symmachus their Bishop And so there were two Popes settled and the sedition continued three years not without Slaughter Rapines and other Calamities Nicephor cap. 35. Theodorick an Arian more rightuous than the Popes would not deprive them of their liberty of choice but called a Synod to judge which was the rightful Bishop and upon their judgment confirmed Symmachus But Laurentius loth to lose the prey stirred up the People to Sedition and thereupon was quite degraded This was a beginning of Schisms at Rome § 48. The Emperour at Constantinople favouring the addition Qui crucifixus est pro nobis the People who disliked it seditiously cut off a Monks head and set it upon a pole inscribing An Enemy to the Trinity The Emperour overcome and wearied with their Confusions and Orthodox Murders and Rebellions called an Assembly and offered to resign his Empire desiring them to choose another This smote them with remorse and they desired him to reassume his Crown and promised to forbear Sedition But he dyed shortly after § 49. Anno 452. Valentinian the Roman Emperour attempted a great alteration with the Bishops by a Law recalling the Judicial Power of the Bishops in all Causes except those of Faith and Religion unless the parties contending voluntarily chose them for the Judges This Binnius and the other Papists take for a heinous injury to the Church In all mens judgment saith Binnius it is absurd that the Sheep should judge his Shepherd If to day
will say is 1. Let him that is without Error be the first in damning him 2. But it was just with God to leave him to be numbered with Hereticks who was so blindly zealous in executing the Sentences of Hereticating Prelates The Case of Nestorius and many others before § 3. In his time the Indian Auxumites turned to Christ and Iustinian joyfully sent them a Bishop And I take it for more dishonour to the Bishops than to him that Nicephorus saith c. 32. In Pontifices quos admodum de Sodomorum haeresi insanire compererat acerbe seu potius faede Justinianus animadvertit And it is noted ibid. that in a Famine he commanded Flesh to be sold in Lent but the People would dye rather than buy it and break their Customs § 4. CLXVI An. 540. A Council of 25 Bishops at Orleance made some Canons of Discipline The 3d Canon about Ordaining Bishops layeth down the old Rule Qui praeponendus est omnibus ab omnibus eligatur that is of the Clergy and People The Churches yet were no greater than that all the People could join in choosing the Bishop The 10th Canon dissolveth incestuous Marriages made after Baptism but not those made before as if the reason were not the same The 27th Canon finding some too Iewish in keeping the Lord's-day that would not use a Horse or Chariot to carry them nor would dress Meat or do any thing to the adorning of their Houses or themselves forbiddeth only grosser labours which hinder the holy duties of the day § 5. CLXVII The Canones Barcinonenses speak of the order of Liturgy that Clerks must cut their Beards but not shave their Beards and such like § 6. CLXVIII To pass the Concil Byzazenum as having nothing noted of it Anno 541. a Concil Arvernense decreed under King Theodebert one Canon which if practised had been worth many Kingdoms Ca. 2. That no one seek the sacred honour of a Bishop by Votes but by Merits nor seem to get a Divine Office rebus sed moribus and that he ascend to the top of that eminent dignity by the ELECTION of ALL and not by the FAVOR of a FEW That in choosing Priests there be the greatest Care because they should be irreprehensible who must rule in correcting others c. § 7. CLXIX An. 545. Another Council at Orleance under King Childebert among other Orders saith Can. 3. that the Synod forbiddeth the Citizens to celebrate Easter out of the City because they must keep the principal Festivities in the presence of the Bishop where the holy Assembly must be kept But if any have a necessity to go abroad let him ask leave of the Bishop This Canon and many other to the same purpose tell us that then the Infidels were still so many that a Bishop's City-Church could all meet in his presence in one place The 5th Canon decreeth that a Bishop shall be ordained in his own Church which he is to oversee which implieth that then ordinarily there was but one Episcopal Church And indeed it was long before the Countrey meetings were any other than Oratories or Chappels that had no Altars nor any but the Bishops Church Much ado many Councils made to keep Priests and Bishops from Wives and to restrain them from Fornication § 8. CLXX In a Synod at Constantinople An. 547. the business was debated de tribus Capitulis § 9. Here the occasion of this stir must be noted One Theodorus Bishop of Caesar. Cap. was an Eutychian but for his skill in business was great with the Emperor He thought if he could but cast any slur on the Calcedom Council it would justifie their Cause And the Emperor being speaking against the Eutychians or Acephali Theodorus told him that he might easily bring them all in if he would but condemn Theodorus Mopsuestenus and the Writings of Theodoret and the Epistle of Ibas against Cyril which the Council had received it would satisfie them This seemed to the Emperor a happy way of concord the Empress putting him on and so he set himself earnestly to effect it These three men had been accounted Nestorians and two of them had written smartly against Cyril as heretical and turbulent but yet renouncing Nestorius they were received and justified at Calcedon against their Accusers And if one may judge impartially by the Evidence that is left us they seem to have been far wiser and better men than the majority of the Bishops of those times But neither Learning Piety nor soundness in the Faith is any security in such times against Hereticaters that can but get the upper hand and major vote And Ignorance usually is most proud and loud most confident and furious and such can easilier make wise men pass for Hereticks than learn of them to be wise But the final judgment sets a strait When Iustinian was earnestly set upon this Project the Defenders of the Calcedon Council perceived themselves in a difficulty should they condemn these three men they would seem to condemn the Council about which there had been such a stir in the Empire And they should seem to justifie the Eutychians and to strengthen them And if Council were against Council it would dishonour Councils And if they should refuse the Condemnation they would seem to desert Cyril and the first Ephesian Council and perhaps might be called Nestorians but worst of all they should displease the Emperor and might occasion his favouring the Eutychians Therefore they took this prudent course to put off the business to a General Council and to delay till then the Emperors attempts But the Emperor did first publish his Edict in which after the Confession of his Faith and praise of the four Councils he addeth ten Curses Anathematisms according to the Custom and Religion of those times of which the three last are against the tria Capitula or the Councils seeming approbation of the three forenamed men The Bishops resisted a great while but at last were forced to submit § 10. CLXXI. To this purpose Vigilius Romanus had a meeting of about 30 Bishops where Vigilius yielding was called a Desertor as prevaricating to please the Emperor he got them to give in their reasons on both sides in writing and then gave all to the Emperor's party and persuaded the rest to silence and communion till a Council because it was not a Controversie about Faith but about Persons § 11. The Emperor's Party acted by Theodore Caesar got some Bishops to assemble at Mopsâ—est An. 550. to prepare a Condemnation of their former Bishop Theodore by saying that his name was not in their Book § 12. CLXXII King Childebert called another Council at Orleance where many old disciplinary Canons were repeated Among others Can. 9. That no Lay-man be made a Bishop without a years time to learn his Function You may conjecture what Scholars they were then Can. 10. That none get a Bishoprick by gifts or seeking but with the will of the King by
his Constitutum in defence of the tria Capitula by vertue whereof the Western Churches should be united and the contempt of the Calcedon Council should be avoided which the Impugners of the tria Capitula did fraudulently contrive and that the Universal Church should learn by this example that no man that dyed in the true Faith should be condemned when he is dead But did Vigilius stop here No saith Binnius But when after the end of his Council the Church received yet greater damage and the Emperor persecuted them that contradicted the Synod and it was feared that the whole East would be divided and separated from the Roman and Western Church unless the Bishop of Rome approved the fifth Synod then Pope Vigilius in a Cause which could bring no prejudice to the Orthodox Faith did well and justly change his former sentence and approved the Synodal Decree for condemning the tria Capitula and revoked and made void his Constitutum which he before published in defence of the tria Capitula The prudent and pious Pope that came to the Popedom by Bribery Tyranny and Murder of his Predecessor did in this prudently imitate St. Paul about Circumcision c. O what certainty and constancy is here in the Papal judgment For a Pope about one Cause to judge for it against it and for it again in so short a time And all this upon reason of Policy and State Did the same so often change and prove first true and then false and then true again But the Papists excuse is that it was de Personis non de Fide Answ. But 1. Is it lawful to take the same thing for true and false good and bad de Personis as our interest requireth 2. Why are the Persons condemned but on supposition that their Faith was condemnable 3. You confess that it was for the advantage of the Eutychian Faith and the depression of the Faith of the Calcedon Council that the tria Capitula were condemned Reader If all this will not tell thee how much need there is of a surer and more stable support of our Faith than Popes and Councils yea and better means of the Churches Unity and Concord I must take thee for unteachable what have such Councils done but set the Churches together by the ears § 23. Liberatus in his Breviary saith c. 3. 10. 24. that Theodore Mopsu his Works were approved by Proclus Iohan. Antioch the Emperor the Council of Calced c. But Binnius saith Nimis impudenter incautè Yet all acknowledge Liberatus a most credible Historian and lived in Iustinian's time He saith also that Nefandissimum haereticum Theodoretus Sozomenus laudarunt adeo ut hac de causá uterque magnam nominis sui jacturam passus fuerit c. But wise men are apt to think as hardly of such as can cry out Nefandissimum haereticum against all that speak as unskilfully as this man did as of charitable men that praise them for what is good while they disown their frailties and imperfections If it be as he saith many thought that â—heodoret assumed his own name from this Theodâ—re by reason of his high esteem of him it 's like he had some special worth though he hath many culpable expressions And Sozomen is an Historian of so deserved reputation that it seemeth to me no argument of Pope Gregory's Infallibility that he saith lib. 6. ep 95. Sozomenùm ejusque Historiam sedes Apostolica recipere recusat quoniam multa mentitur Theodorum Mopsuestiae nimium laudat atque ad diem obitus sui magnum Doctorem Ecclesiae fuisse perhibet I think the Author of Gregory's Dialogues did plura mentiri and yet that Gregory was Magnus Ecclesiae Doctor § 24. The Controversie whether Vigilius were the Author of the Epistle to Menna I pass by But methinks Binnius is very partial to justifie so much what he did after Silverius ' s death as beginning then to have right to his Papacy and to give him so differing a Character from Sanctissimus Papa before while he possessed the same Seat as these words of his express Cum omnium c. seeing that Villany or Crime of Vigilius did exceed the Crimes of all Schismaticks by which making a bargain with Hereticks and giving money by a Lay-man he by force expelled Silverius Bishop of the prime Seat and spoiled of his Priestly induments or attire banished him into an Island and there caused him to dye it should seem no wonder to any man if a desperate wretch homo perditus the buyer of another's Seat and a violent Invader a Wolf a Thief a Robber not entering by the true door a false or counterfeit Bishop and as it were Antichrist the lawful Pastor and Bishop being yet living did add most pernicious Heresie to his Schism Yet this man became the most holy Pope by the vertue of his place as soon as he had but murdered Silverius and was accepted in his stead and then it became impossible for him to err in the Faith § 25. CLXXIV Anno 553. A Council was called at Ierusalem by Iustinian's Command who sent to them the Acts of the Constantine Council de tribus Capitulis to be by them received the Bishops all received it readily save one Alexander Abysis who was therefore banished and coming to Constantinople say Baronius and Binnius was swallowed up and buried by an Earthquake If this was true no marvel if it confirmed the Emperor in his way But I doubt the obedient Bishops were too ready to receive such reports § 26. CLXXV The same year 553. the Western Bishops held a Council at Aquileia out of the Emperor's power where as Defenders of the Council of Calcedon they condemned the fifth Constantine Council aforesaid and so saith Binnius separated themselves from the Unity of the Catholick Church and so continued for near an Hundred years till the time of Pope Sergius who reduced them Were not these great Councils and Bishops great Healers of the Church that about condemning some written Sentences of three dead men thus raise a War among the Churches Were Hereticks or Hereticaters the great Dividers § 27. But here followeth a Case that raiseth a great doubt before us Whether the Pope alone or all his Western Bishops when they differ from him are the Church After the death of Vigilius the Secular Power procured Pelagius the Archdeacon to be made Pope the Western Bishops disclaiming Iustinian's Council and Pelagius obediently receiving it and the Popedom there could not be three Bishops got that would ordain him as the Canons required so that a Presbyter Ostiensis was fain to do it Besides the Question Which now was the Church here are other hard Questions to be solved Qu. 1. Whether Iustinian's Election of a Pope was valid And if so Whether other various Electors may do it as validly Qu. 2. Whether a Presbyter's Ordination of a Bishop or Pope was valid If so Whether Presbyters may not
ordain Presbyters Qu. 3. Whether this Pope was truly Head of the Catholick Church when his Bishops obeyed him not Qu. 4. Whether it was then believed at Rome itself and in the West that a General Council approved by the Pope was either infallible or necessarily to be obeyed Qu. 5. Whether it be true which W. Iohnson alias Terret often tells me That it is not possible that there can be any Schism in the Catholick Church because of the essentiality of its Union § 28. Note that this Pope Pelagius because his Bishops rejected him and the Council got Narses the General to compel them And then who can doubt but he was Pope and they his Subjects But Narses scrupled it lest he should be guilty of Persecution Iustinian's Pope Pelagius telleth him it is no sin and bids him not fear it for it 's no Persecution which compels not men to sin but all that separate from the Pope and assemble separatedly do sin and are damned Schismaticks therefore he desireth him to send the Bishops of Aquileia Milan and the rest that yield not Prisoners to Constantinople Narses obeyeth the Pope and Emperor the Bishops excommunicate Narses the Pope writeth to him that it is no news for erring Bishops to take themselves for the Catholick Church and to forbid others their Communion and counselleth him to go on and repress them And the Civil Sword and the Ecclesiastical were thus engaged in a Roman War one Bishop Sapandus of Ares in France the Pope got specially to stick to him whom therefore he commended to King Childebert c. § 29. CLXXVI A Council at Paris deposed Bishop Saphoracus for some great Crime § 30. While the Romans were resolving to subject themselves to the Goths again because the Pope made Narses their Persecutor Narses took it so ill that he went away from them but the Pope drew back and he shortly died Bellisarius also was ruined and Iustinian himself shortly dyed Binnius saith it is reported that he had no Learning and thinketh that his Civil Laws were Tribonian's and his Ecclesiastical Theodorus Caesariensis's And saith that the Church rejecteth his Laws of Usury Churches and Ecclesiastical Persons as arrogant Usurpations Qu. Whether the Roman Power was then understood by Princes or People § 31. CLXXVIII Another Synod at Paris repeated nine old Canons The 8th was No man may be ordained a Bishop against the will of the Citizens nor any but whom the election of the People and the Clerks shall seek with plenary will none shall be put in by the command of the Prince c. § 32. CLXXIX An. 563. in the time of Pope Iohn 3d. not he but Theodomire alias Ariamire King of the Sueves called a small Council at Braccara in Galicia where eight Bishops opened so much of the Priscillian Heresie as may tell us it was worthy to be detested not much unlike the Manichees and many old Canons they recited But I could have wished that they had not made a mans diet the note of his Heresie and a sufficient cause of his conviction and damnation The Priscillianists as these say would not eat flesh nor herbs boil'd with flesh This Council ordered that if any that abstained from flesh did not eat herbs boiled with flesh he should be taken for an Heretick This is not conformable to Paul's Rules or Spirit § 33. This Council ordered that none should be buried within the Church which Binnius well sets home And whereas Priscillian taught that in the Liturgy the Pax vobis Peace be unto you should be said only by the Bishop and Dominus vobiscum by the Priest the Council contradicted him 1. We see here what Trifles divided men 2. We see that yet the Churches usually were no bigger than met in one place with the Bishop or might do For it is supposed that every Church-Assembly had a Bishop present to say his part § 34. Thedomirus the Suevian King under whom this Council was held was the first of that race that turned Orthodox all the Sueves before him with the Goths having been Arrians § 35. CLXXX Anno 566. The contest about choice of Bishops grew sharp King Clotharius made one Emerius Bishop Santoniensis the Canons had before decreed that Kings should choose none but all the People and the Clerks and the Metropolitan ordain him The King's Bishop is deposed by a Concil Santoniense of which Leontius of Bourdeaux was chief They sent the King word of it by a Presbyter The King filled a Cart with Thorns and laid the Priest on them and sent him into Banishment and forced the Bishop to submit to his will § 36. That it may be known that neither Popes Councils nor consenting Bishops divided Diocesses and Parishes here Binnius giveth us at large first Constantine's divisions in Spain and next the fuller division of King Wamba Bin. p. 649 c. § 37. CLXXXI At Tours in France eight Bishops in a Provincial Council revived many Canons of the old matter to keep Bishops and Priests from Women Can. 13. The Bishop may keep his Wife as a Sister to govern his house But Can. 20. Priests that will keep Wives must have some Witnesses to lie in the same Chamber to see that they lie not with them And Can. 14. Episcopum Episcopam non habentem nulla sequatur turba mulierum c. Can. 21. They say Those that the Law commandeth to be put to death if they desire to hear the Preacher we will have to be convicted unto life that is not to dye For they are to be slain with the sword of the mouth and deprived of Communion if they will not observe the Decrees of the Seniors left them and do despise to hear their Pastor and will not be separate Some Sectaries among us are of the same mind against putting penitent Malefactors to death § 38. CLXXXII Anno 570. There was a Council at Lyons of Fourteen Bishops who recited six Canons to restrain the Vices of the Clergy Binnius out of Greg. Turon tells you the occasion was that one Salonius and Sagittarius as soon as they were made Bishops being then at their own will broke out into Slaughters Murders Adulteries and other wickedness And Victor Bishop of Tricas keeping his Birth-day they sent a Troop with Swords and Arrows who cut his Cloaths beat his Servants and carried away all his Provision leaving him with reproach The King Gunthram hearing of it called this Synod which found them guilty and deposed them They tell the King that they are unjustly cast out and get his leave to go to the Pope Iohn 3d. The Pope writeth to the King to have them as wronged men restored this was the Papal Justice and Reformation The King chideth but restoreth them but they grew never the better afterward but asking pardon of Bishop Victor he forgave them and for that was afterward excommunicate § 39. CLXXXIII An. 572. a Council was called under King Ariomire at Braccara
their Wives is expresly renounced and it is decreed that no Priest be required to separate from his Wife so be it they abstain at Fasts and necessary Seasons nor any Priest endured to put away his Wife on pretence of piety else he must be deposed § 51. Another is the 16th Canon that maketh Deacons like Overseers of the Poor § 52. The 22d is a hard Canon that Bishops and Priests ordained with money and not by examination and election be deposed and they that ordained them § 53. The 36th Canon displeaseth them also which confess the Church of Constantinople's Priviledges as equal with Rome § 54. The 38th Canon containeth one great cause of the old Confusions viz. That whatever alteration the Imperial Power makes on any City the Ecclesiastical Order also follow it Did God make this Law Are not as many Souls in a Town that 's no City as capable of being a Church as Citizens It is in the Princes power to make and unmake Cities May he accordingly make or unmake Churches What if a King will have but one City in his Kingdom must there be no more Churches or Bishops What if there be no Cities as in many American and Arabian Countries must there be no Churches What if the King will disfranchize most of the Cities and another will make every Market Town a City must Churches be altered accordingly If so O that our King would make us so many Cities as the work and the souls of Men need true Bishops that one might not have a thousand Parishes without any subordinate Bishop But if this hold the Emperor might have taken down Rome and set up Constantinople or any other at pleasure § 55. Can. 50. Forbad Clergy and Laity to play at Dice on pain of Deposition or Segregation And Can. 51. forbids going to Shews Jesters Stage-Plays Huntings The 55th Canon commands the Church of Rome to amend their Customs and not to fast on Sabbath-days Can. 62. Forbids Womens Publick Dancings and Mens and Womens together and their putting on Masquers or Players Apparel or Persons c. Can. 63. Commandeth the burning of false Histories of the Martyrs as tending to bringing Religion into reproach continual joyful Praises to God and holy Exercises and to use no Horse-Races c. The 67th Canon is against eating Blood Can. 72. Nullifieth Marriage with Hereticks Alas good Bishops did you think the Papists would have Hereticated you as Monothelites and nullified all Marriages with you by this Canon But two Hereticks Marriage is not null Can. 78. Commandeth all the illuminate baptized to learn the Belief and every Friday to say it to the Bishop and Presbyters How many Parishes or hundred Parishes had the Bishop then to hear Not so many as ours § 56. The 82 Canon offends the Papists forbidding the Picture of a Lamb to be made for Christ as the Lamb of God The 90th Canon is an old one Not to kneel on any Lord's-day and that this begin on the evening before P. 155. Binnius reproveth them for calling Cyprian Archbishop and he proveth that Africa then had no Archbishop or Primate § 57. CCXXII An. 693. was another Toletan Council called by King Egica Before it the King writeth a Sermon for them wherein he tells them That every Parish that have twelve Families must have their proper Governor But if less it must be part of anothers charge § 58. CCXXIII. An. 694. was another Toletan Council under the same King Egica One would wonder that the Legislative vertue of the Church should be continued to such fertility and multitude of Laws as must follow if in all Countries there be every year a Council How great must the Volumes of Laws be at last Binnius in his Notes on this Council tell us That though Paul would have the believing Husband or Wife stay with the Unbeliever in hope of Conversion yet many hundred years experience hath taught us the contrary that it tendeth rather to hurt than good and therefore now it must be otherwise and they must separate § 59. CCXXIV. Even to those days the number of Pagans and Infidels in most Countries was the greatest and the care of good men was to convert them And therefore we read still of so many baptized at age A Council at Utrecht decreed Willebrood or Willifrid and Suibert being Leaders that the best Preachers should be sent from the Neighbor Churches to convert the Heathens that was better work than striving who should be chief or raging about hard words § 60. CCXXV. A Synod at Aquileia An. 698. condemned the 5th General Council at Constantinople for condemning the tria Capitula of the Council of Calcedon O what Concord Councils caused § 61. Pope Sergius refusing to own the Council of Constant. at Trul. under Iustinian 2d the Emperor commanded that he should be brought Prisoner to Constantinople The Soldiers of Ravenna Sergius having paid them the 100 l. of Gold hearing of it rose up and rescued him and made the Emperor's Officer in fear beg for his life By such Obedience Rome kept up § 62. Tiberius the 2d deposed Iustinian the 2d and cut off his Nose and banished him Iustinian was restored and exposed Tiberius to scorn and killed him and banished Bishop Callinicus to Rome for unfaithfulness to his Prince Iohn the 6th was now Pope § 63. Iohn the 7th is made Pope another Council at Toletum under King Witiza I pass by he was a Greek CCXXVI He gather'd a Synod at Rome to debate Iustinian's Order for the receiving the Trull Concil And our English Willifrid accused by his King was here justified as a Son of that Church And a Synod in England received him when the King was dead § 64. Sisumius made Pope lived but 20 days and Constantine succeeded him who was sent for to Constantinople and honoured by Iustinian § 65. About this time An. 708. Spain was conquered by the Saracens Binnius saith Because King Witiza forsook the See of Rome By which we still see that Rome was forsaken even by the best Church such as Spain then was and was not the Ruler of the World § 66. Bardanes Philippicus by Rebellion deposed Iustinian and was made Emperor and within two years was so used himself by Anastasius his eyes put out and he banished § 67. CCXXVII The Emperor Philippicus and Iob. Constant. called General Council at Constantinople I may well call it General when Binnius saith There were innumerable Bishops which is not said of any other Council They all condemned the 6th General Council and their Opinion of two Wills and two Operations Where it is manifest 1. How great a part of the Church regarded not the Authority of Rome 2. Nor thought a General Council infallible when innumerable Bishops are against both 3. And how strong the Monothelite Party was 4. And alas how bad too many Bishops that can change as fast as Emperors will have them For saith Binnius after Baronius Thus at the
of the Apostolick Seat that the Kingdom was translated from Chilperic to Pepin the foresaid Historians do so expresly say that it 's a wonder with what front the innovating Hereticks dare call it in question Lastly It is here to be noted that it was by this same Pope Zachary that the nomination or postulation of Bishops for the vacant Churches in his Kingdom was granted to King Pepin Therefore if elsewhere you read that the Kings of France give Bishops to the Churches remember that it is not done by their own Right but by the Grant of the Apostolick Seat In vain therefore do the innovating Hereticks glory in this Argument who endeavor to subject the Church to Kings So far Binnius after Baronius § 12. From this Story and these words let the Reader think how to answer these Questions Quest. 1. Had not Kings need to take heed of making any one man too great if greatness and exercise of Government give him so much right to the Kingdom Qu. 2. Had not Kings need to look to their manners for their Crowns sake as well as their Souls if Lust Sensuality and Dulness forfeit their Kingdoms Qu. 3. Did not Wars and weakning of the Empire make a great change with Popes when they that were set up and banished at the Emperor's pleasure can now first depose the Emperor in the West for being against Images and Persecuting and then can translate the Crown of France Qu. 4. Was not an ambitious Pope a fit Tool for Pepin and his Confederates to work by to put a pious gloss on their Conspiracy Qu. 5. Did not the Pope rise thus by serving the turns of Conspirators and of Princes in their quarrels with one another Qu. 6. Are Subjects Judges when a King's Sins make him unworthy of the Crown Qu. 7. Yea is the Pope Judge and hath he power to depose Kings if he judge them such Sinners and unfit for Government Qu. 8. Is it a good Reason that a King is justly deposed because Good Men and Holy Bishops are the Desirers and Promoters of it Qu. 9. Would not this Reason have served Maximus against Gratian Was it not Cromwel's Plea If he had but had the Pope and People on his side you see how it would have gone Qu. 10. Is it the mark of an Innovating Heretick to say that the Church should be subject to Kings when Paul and Peter said it of all Christians so long ago Qu. 11. Is it a Note that Protestants love Rebellion because they are against Popes deposing Kings Or is there any heed to be taken of the words of impudent Revilers that dare speak before God and Man at this rate Is deposing Kings the Papists freedom from Rebellion and is our opposing it a character of Rebels Qu. 12. Is it any wonder that Bishop Burchardus desired it and that Bishop Boniface executed the Pope's command who had been translated from England by him to such dignity and had sworn Obedience and Service to him Qu. 13. Is it any wonder that the Pope made these Bishops Saints Qu. 14. I hope they were really godly Men But is it any wonder that some good Men at such a time as that did think it had been for the interest of Religion to have all Power in the Clergies hands especially being themselves Bishops that were to have so great a share How few Bishops are afraid of too much power or ever do refuse it Qu. 15. If the King of France had his Kingdom by the Pope's gift what wonder if he had the power of nominating Bishops also by his gift Qu. 16. Whether he that hath power to give hath not power to take away and be not Judge when the Cause is just Qu. 17. With what face do Papists at once make these claims and yet profess Loyalty to Kings Qu. 18. Whether it concern not Kings to understand on what terms they stand with the Pope and his Clergy that must not be subject to them but have power to depose them Qu. 19. If there be any Party among them that hath more Loyal Principles is it a sign of the concord of their Church that agreeth not in matter of so great moment Or a proof that the Pope is the infallible Judge of Controversies that will not determine so great a Point on which the Peace of Kingdoms doth depend § 13. About the same time they persuaded Rachis King of the Longobards Successor to Luitprand for the love of Religion to lay down his Crown and go into a Monastery so that Monasteries are places for the worst and the best some too bad to reign and some too good lest they should over-master the Clergy § 14. It may be you will think that this Pope Zachary and his sworn Vassal St. Boniface were some very profound Divines that could by their wisdom and piety thus master Kingdoms Doubtless they were zealous Adversaries to Heresies except their own and Successors of the Hereticating and Damning Fathers For Epist. 10. Bin. p. 206 207 208. Zachary writeth to Boniface to expel Virgilius from the Church and Priesthood for holding Antipodes viz. that Sun-shine and Moon-light and Men are under the Earth as well as here which we call over it The words are De perversa autem iniqua doctrina quae contra Dominum Animamsuam locutus est si clarificatum fuerit ita eum confiteri quod alius mundus alii homines sub terra sint seu Sol Luna hunc habito Concilio ab Ecclesia pelle Sacerdotii honore privatum That is But as to the perverse and unjust Doctrine which he hath spoken against the Lord and his own Soul if it be made clear that he so confesseth that under the Earth there is another world and other Men and Sun and Moon call a Council and depriving him of the honour of Priesthood drive him out of the Church That by another world is meant Antipodes or the other side of the Earth inhabited is doubtless § 15. Qu. 1. Did God make Popes to be the Governors of the Antipodes for so many hundred years before they knew that there was any Antipodes And when they excommunicated and silenced those that affirmed it Qu. 2. Were these Popes and Bishops Men of such wisdom as were fit to hereticate Dissenters as they did Qu. 3. Do we not see here what some Councils were and did in those times Qu. 4. Do we not see what Heresie signified at Rome and how little heed there was to be taken of their outcry against some Heresies Qu. 5. Whether was all the World or all the West bound to avoid Communion after with Virgilius Qu. 6. Do we not see here of what Infallibility the Pope is in judging of matters of Faith and how happy the World is to have such a Judge and of what credit his Heretications and Excommunications are Qu. 7. Do we not see how Religion hath been depraved and dishonoured by the Pope and his Clergy calling
have been to his People the Captain of safety and of peace when the Divine Piety had decreed to have mercy of his People by an unheard of and invisible manner and by preaching in our ages For these things therefore and in all these things which are before recited confessing himself guilty before the Priests or Bishops or all the People with tears and protesting that in all these things he sinned he desired publick Pennance that so he might satisfie the Church by repenting which he had scandalized by sinning and as he was a scandal by neglecting many things so he professed he would be an example by undergoing due Pennance And after this Confession he delivered to the Bishops the Paper of his Guilts and Confession for future memorial and they laid it on the Altar and then he put off his military Girdle and laid it on the Altar and stripping himself of his secular Habit he took the Habit of a Penitent put on him by the hands of the Bishops that after so great and such Pennance no Man after may return to a secular Militia These things thus done it pleased them that every Bishop should write in his own Papers how the matter was done and should strengthen it by his own subscription and offer it to Prince Lotharius thus strengthened in memory of the Fact To conclude it seemed good to us all that were present to put the sum of all the Papers and of so great a business into one Breviate and to roborate it by the subscription of us all with our hands as is hereafter demonstrated The Author of the Life of Ludovicus addeth ' Pullâque indutum veste adhibitá magnâ custodiâ sub tectum quoddam retrudunt Here you see the Tryal of the godly Emperor the Articles exhibited against him in the High Court of Episcopal Justice and the use of Penance and of laying on of the Bishops hands in investing him in the Garb of perpetual Penance What wonder if the Pope ascended to such power when ordinary Bishops in the best governed and instructed Countrey then in the world obtained such power even by the name and abuse of the POWER OF THE KEYS Saith Binnius Thaganus therefore justly for this cause declaimeth against Ebbo Bishop of Rhemes the Leader as impudicum crudelissimum Episcopum And what were they that would thus follow him § 140. CCXLIX But the next Council was forced to do better for usually the Bishops followed the stronger side in Theodorus Villa they caused Ebbo to depose himself from his Bishoprick and the rest excused themselves that they did it by necessity and fear and were all forgiven Bin. p. 575. And yet will the Bishops say that this Emperor was not humble and merciful § 141. CCL After his Restauration An. 836. Ludovicus caused a Council at Aquisgrane to renew the Laws for the Reformation of the Clergy and Abbots with the Instructions and Rules for Kings themselves at large laid down And here they determined that all Bishops hereafter that were Rebels and Traytors should be deposed and Lay-men anathematized But they sufficiently minded the Power and Dignity of the Bishops to be upheld § 142. There is a Treatise in Binnius p. 583. in which the Statutes of the Synods of Aquisgrane are opened and confirmed by Scripture § 143. CCLI An. 836. Binnius tells us that in the deposing of the Emperor Agobertus Bishop of Lyons and Bernard Bishop of Vienne having been Leaders with Ebbo at the Council at Theod. Villa fled and the Emperor and all his Sons save Lotharius being here present at a Council at Lyons they being summoned appeared not and Sentence was put off because they were absent § 144. An. 839. Pepin the Emperor's Son dying he passed by his disobedient Nephew Pepin and divided that Kingdom of Aquitain only between his Sons Lotharius and Charles whereupon his Son Ludovicus was offended and with them of Aquitain raised Rebellion again and by a Convention at Cabilone and after it reconciliation was made § 145. The Emperor Ludovicus Pius dying An. 840. aged 64 his Sons fell together in Wars for his Kingdoms Lotharius the eldest that had used his Father so trayterously and unnaturally sought too great a part for himself and came to a War with Ludovic and Charles who conquered him and put him to a shameful flight An. 841. in which Fight say Historians a greater slaughter was made of the French than was ever known in the memory of man This was the man that deposed his Father for the slaughter of the Subjects by his Wars against him The next year they fought again and he was again overcome § 146. CCLII It 's easie then to conjecture which way the next Council which was at Aquisgrane would go The conquering Princes made the Bishops their Counsellors when they had made Lotharius flie out of the Countrey what they should do with his Kingdom and saith Binnius they received the answer which Nithardus li. 1. describeth in these words ' The Bishops considering the deeds of Lotharius from the beginning how he had driven his Father out of his Kingdom how he had made the Christian People perjured by his Covetousness how oft he had frustrated the Oath he made to his Fathers and his Brethren how oft since his Fathers death he had attempted to disinherit his Brethren how many Murders Adulteries Burnings and all kind of heinous deeds the Universal Church suffered by his most wicked Covetousness And that he neither had any knowledge of governing the Commonwealth nor could men find any footsteps of goodness of will in governing For which causes deservedly and by the just judgment of God Almighty they said he fled first in Battel and then from his Kingdom Therefore all the Bishops unanimously agree and consent that for his wickedness God hath cast him out and hath delivered his Kingdom to his Brothers that are better than he But the Bishops did not give them this liberty till they openly asked them whether they would govern it as their ejected Brother did or according to the will of God They answered that as far as God should enable them they would govern themselves and theirs according to God's will By God's Authority say they we warn exhort and command that you undertake it and rule it according to the will of God So far Nithard § 147. You see here that it is no wonder that the Pope took upon him to set up and take down to make and unmake Kings when the subject Bishops did it by their greatest Sovereigns And you see here God's just judgment on a rebellious Son and the shameful mutability of a temporizing Clergy And how presumptuous Bishops have abused Religion the use of the Keys and the Name of God to the confusions and calamities of the world But Lotharius after this Deposition reigned § 148. All these times Images were cast out in the Eastern Empire even all the Reign of Leo the 5th and of Michael
not because he causeth not Cap. 3. About Christ's death they like not those that say he dyed for all that from the days of Adam till then had been damned but would have all take up with this simple Doctrine that God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Cap. 4. They conclude that all true Believers regenerate by water and the Spirit have their sins washed by the blood of Christ And they could not have true Regeneration if they had not true Redemption But of the multitude of the faithful and redeemed some are eternally saved because they persevere others are lost because they persevere not in the salvation of faith which they had received and so make void the grace of redemption Cap. 6. About Grace and infirmed Free-will restored and healed by Christ they exhort Men to stick to the Scriptures and the Councils of Africa and Orange and not to follow the Aniles penè Fabulas Scotorum I suppose they mean the Followers of Iohan. Scotus Erignenae who was murdered by his Scholars 833 whom Godescalcus followed lest they should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Remembring Christians that while they are vexed with the prevalency of the wicked in the world they should not vex the sad Congregations with such superfluous things Cap. 7. They advise that because Bishops were set over the Cities that were untryed and almost ignorant of Letters and unlike the Apostolick Prescript by which means the Ecclesiastical vigor is lost that they would petition the Prince that when a Bishop was wanting the Canonical Election by the Clergy and the People might be permitted because the King was used to thrust his Favorites on the People that Men of tryed knowledge and life and not illiterate Men blinded by covetousness might be set as Bishops over the Flocks § 10. CCLXIII An. 855. A Council was held at Papia in Italy by the Order of the Emperour Ludovicus for the Reformation of the corrupt Clergy where they ordered that the Clergy and People chuse the Bishops and yet that the Laity on pretence of their Electing Power trample not on the Arch-Presbyter and that great Mens Chappels empty not the Churches with other old Canons recited § 11. Lotharius that so mischievously sought for the Empire against his Father and Brethren grew weary of what he had and divided his 3d part which was the Empire of Italy with Burgundy and Lorrain into three parts and gave his Son Lewis the Empire in Italy and his Son Lotharius Lorrain and his Son Charles Burgundy and entered himself into a Monastery But Charles dying the other two Brethren divided his Dominion and Lyons Belanson and Vienna fell to Lotharius § 12. We come now to the Reign of Pope Ioane according to a great number of their own Historians but David Blondel hath recited the Testimonies of multitudes on both sides and after all impartially past his conjecture that the Story was not true whose judgment I reverence and think most probable Whether at that time there was a Iohn the 8th or none till him that some call Iohn the 9th after Adrian the 2d is uncertain § 13. Leo dying if there was no Iohn or Ioane between a Schism was made the People most chusing Benedict and the Agents of the Emperor with part of the People and Bishops chusing one Anastasius a Cardinal Presbyter that had been Excommunicate by a former Pope Anastasius thought his choice so sure that entering Leonina the Roman Suburbs he went into St. Peter's own Church and broke down and burnt the Images and with a Mattock cast down to the ground even the Image of Christ and the Virgin Mary They went on and imprisoned Benedict quem omnis Romana Plebs eligerat saith Anast. in Bin. p. 659. But while the great Men and Officers of the Emperor did their utmost to constrain the People to consent to Anastasius they could not prevail and so they were fain to yield to the multitude to end the Tumult and Confusion and Benedict had the place § 14. By this Story it appeareth 1. That this Anastasius was against Images and that was like enough to be part of the cause why he had five years left his Church in Rome before and refused to appear before Pope or Council 2. That when the Emperor and his Officers were so violent for his choice even after he had broken down the Images in St. Peter's Church it is apparent that the Party even about Rome and in the West which was against Images was not small though they made no stir § 15. This Pope Benedict was he that confirmed Hincmarus's Council which nullified Ebbo's Ordinations aforesaid as is to be seen in his first Epist. Bin. p. 662 c. § 16. An. 856. Charles Calvus by a Synods concurrence at Carissiac sent Orders against Church-Robbers very strict And 857 a Council at Mentz was held CCLXIV where Gunthar Bishop of Colen sent a Letter that A terrible Tempest arose in which the People for fear all ran into St. Peter's Church And the Church-beams cracking as they fell a praying to God for mercy suddenly a mishapen Thunderbolt like a fiery Dragon pierced and tâ—re the Church and at one stroke killed three men among all the multitude though those three stood in several places that is one Priest that stood at St. Peter's Altar one Deacon that stood at St. Denis's Altar and one Lay-man at St. Mary's Altar And six others were struck almost dead but recovered At Trevirs also were many Prodigies § 17. Pope Nicolas 1. is chosen by the Emperor Ludovicus consent and all the People He greatly advanceth the Roman Seat by his activity and much by doing justice to the People that were oppressed by Tyrannical Prelates He had a great conflict with Iohn Bishop of Ravenna who long despised him and denied him his subjection But the Emperor took the Pope's part and so poor Iohn was fain to submit and cry miseremini mei peto misereri mei Anast. in Bin. p. 667. and to take an Oath of subjection to the Pope § 18. The great Schism now rose at Constantinople whether Ignatius or Photius should be Patriarch Michael the Emperor deposing Ignatius by the counsel of his Uncle Bardas and putting in Photius The Pope kept up his power by interposing uncalled into all such matters He sent some Bishops as Legates to counsel them by a Synod to decide the difference When these Bishops came thither they consented to Photius against Ignatius The Pope said they were bribed and false to their trust and deposed them though he thought he chose the best he had of which more anon § 19. Yet we have not done with worldly Prelates King Lotharius was weary of his Wife and loved a Whore Waldrada He openeth his case to the Bishops They call a Council and approve of his Divorce and his
Marriage with Waldrada The two great Archbishops of Colen and Triers are the Leaders The Pope is against it and accuseth the Bishops of owning Adultery They appear at Rome and he condemneth them of Impudency while with some immodest words they undertake to justifie the thing of which more anon He chargeth the Bishops of heinous Villany and they despised him He condemneth the Concilium Metense in which the Adultery was allowed § 20. This Pope falls out with Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes justifying against him the cause of Rothaldus whom he had deposed He sends Messengers to the King of Bulgaria converted in his days whom the Emperor's Officers stop and abuse The Adversaries of Images were still strong at Constantinople Anast. Bin. p. 670 c. Epist. 2. He useth a notable Argument for Images viz. God is known only in the Image of his Works Why then may we not make Images of the Saints But why must Men be compelled to do it or else be Hereticks and why must they be worshipped Epist. 5. He is pitifully put to it to justifie the Election of Nectarius and Ambrose and yet to condemn that of Photius for being a Lay-man And Ep. 6 the same again in the instance also of Tarasius § 21. The 8th Epistle of this Pope Nicolas to the Emperor Michael doth shew that he had now shaken off the Imperial Power and therefore chargeth his Letters as full of Blasphemy Injury Madness c. partly for being so sawcy as to bid the Pope Send some to him which he saith was far from the godly Emperors Partly for blaming the deeds of the Prelates when he saith Their words must be regarded and their authority and not their deeds Partly for calling the Latine Tongue barbarous and Scythian in comparison of the Greek which he saith is to reproach God that made it Partly for saying that the Council that deposed Ignatius and set up Photius was of the same number of Bishops as the first Council of Nice where this high Pope's answer is worth the notice of our Papists Bin. p. 689. The small number hurteth not where Piety aboundeth Nor doth multitude profit where Impiety reigneth Yea by how much the more numerous is the Congregation of the malignant by so much the stronger are they to do mischief Nor must men glory in numbers when they fight not against the Rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness Glory not therefore in multitude because it is not the multitude but the cause that justifieth or damneth Fear not little Flocks c. This Doctrine was then fittest for the Pope in his Minority But the Letter is a Book pleading for the Roman Grandure and striving to bring the Emperor with others under his power § 22. In his Answer and Laws to the Bulgarians he difliketh their Severities against one that had pretended to be a Priest when he was not and had baptized many concluding that he had saved many and that they were not to be re-baptized Bin. p. 772. No not though he were no Christian that baptized them as after Consul Cap. 104. p. 782. To the Case Who are Patriarchs he saith properly they only that have succeeded Apostles which were only three Rome Alexandria and Antioch but improperly only Constantinople and Ierusalem But why then are not Ephesus Corinth Philippi c. Patriarchates And why had the rest of the Apostles no Successors Had they no Churches § 23. This Pope having Western security threatned Excommunication to the Emperor of the East unless he would depose Photius and restore Ignatius and threatned Lotharius for the cause of his rejected Wife and the Marriage of another as aforesaid and swaggered against Hincmarus Rhemensis for his deposing Rothaldus a Bishop and forced him to yield and condemned his Synod at Metz and would have proved that Pope Benedict had not confirmed it He and other Popes did make the Contentions of Bishops as well as of Princes a great means of their rising taking the part of him that appealed to Rome as injured and very oft of the truly injured By which means they had one Party still for them and all injured persons were ready to flie to them for help He Excommunicated the Bishops of Colen and Triers The poor Bishops that would fain be on the stronger side began now to be at a loss to know whether the Emperor or the Pope was the strongest They followed the Emperor and resisted the Pope a while The King and Hincmarus forbad Rothaldus going to Rome and imprisoned him But the Pope wearied them out by reason of the divisions of the Empire and Kingdom into so many hands of the French Line that being in continual suspicion of each other they needed the Pope's help Bin. p. 790. He ordereth Pennance instead of just death for one Cumarus that had murdered three of his own Sons viz. That for three years he pray at the Church-door and that for seven years he abstain from Wine three days in a week and for three years to go without shoes allowing him to eat Milk and Cheese but not Flesh and to enjoy his Possession but not have the Sacrament for seven years § 24. His Decretals begin That the Emperor's Iudgments and Laws are below the Canons and cannot dissolve them or prejudice them Tit. 4. 1. He saith All Patriarchal Dignity all Metropolitical Primacy all Bishops Chairs and the dignity of Churches of what Order soever were instituted by the Church of Rome But it 's he only did found it and erect it on the Rock of Faith now beginning who to St. Peter the Key-bearer of eternal life did commit the Rights both of the Terrene and the Celestial Empire Reader Had not the abuse of Humane Patriarchal Power and of Excommunications got up very high when this bold Pope made this Decree What! All Churches in the World made only by Rome Was not Ierusalem Antioch and many another made before it Did Christ say any thing of Rome Did not other Apostles build Churches by the same Apostolick Commission as Peter had Is not the Church built on the foundation of Prophets and Apostles Christ being the Head-corner Stone Did not others build the Church of Rome before Peter did it Did not Peter build other Churches before Rome Where and when did Christ give Peter the Imperial Power of Earth and Heaven did he not decide the Controversie who should be the chief or greatest with a prohibition of all Imperial Power With you it shall not be so § 25. But the next Dectee casteth Rome as low as this over-raised it If any one by Money or Humane-Favor or by Popular or Military Tumult be inthroned in the Apostolick Seats without the Concordant and Canonical Election of the Cardinals of that Church and then of the following Religious Clerks let him not be accounted a Pope or Apostolical but Apostatical By which Rome hath had so few Popes indeed and so many
into a Theatre of Contention and a Field of War § 65. Yet here is one thing further to be noted viz. the foresaid Contention that rose about the Bulgarians These two great Patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople were neither of them yet great enough or satisfied with their jurisdiction their desires being more boundless than Alexander's for the Empire nothing less than all the world will satisfie one of them at least Nicetas saith it was by Famine and a Treaty and kind words of the Emperor that the Bulgarians turned Christians Some Papists would give the honour to the Pope without proof and cannot tell us any thing how the Pope converted them But when they were converted they sent to Rome for some Instructors The 〈…〉 them two and they received them But they put the case themselves to the Council at Constantinople Whether they were to be under the Bishop of Rome or of Constantinople The matter held a great debate The Pope's Legates pleaded that they had already received Bishops from Rome c. The Greeks pleaded that their Countrey was part of the Empire and under the Bishop of Constantinople till they conquered it and that they found there Greek Churches and Bishops who were still there and the Conquest did not translate them from the Bishop of Constant. to Rome How the Controversie ended is hard to know Some say that the Council gave them to the Pope and some say otherwise But this is confessed that this Roman ambition so greatly displeased the new Emperor Basilius that it turned him after against the Pope and inclined him the more to restore Photius which he did when Ignatius was dead § 66. Here I would call the Reader to consider whether the Pope's Universal Government was in those days believed even by that Council which was supposed to be partial by the Emperor's inducement on the Pope's side What place else could there be for such a strife whether the Bulgarians were under the Government of the Bishop of Rome or Constantinople if all the World were under the Bishop of Rome They will say that it was only questioned whose Diocess or Patriarchate they were under But Rome never pretended that they were of that Diocess or Patriarchate as anciently divided But the question was Whose Government they were now fallen under And would any dispute whether e. g. Westminster were under the Government of the King or of the Lord Mayor of London when all the Kingdom is under the King This Controversie clearly sheweth that the Church then took the Pope to have but the first Seat and Voice in Councils but not to be the Governor beyond his circuit § 67. It is here also to be noted that Basil the Emperor's revolt from the Pope was so great that Hadrian is put to write sharply to him as accusing the Bishops of Rome and derogating from them admonishing him to repent but we find not that this changed his mind § 68. Yet one thing more is here to be observed In the life of Hadrian the 2d Bin. p. 882. we find that the Pope taking the advantage of Basil's present state and mind and the interest of Ignatius much depending on him sent a new Libel to be subscribed by all the Bishops before they should be permitted to sit in Council The Greek Bishops grudged at this and complained to the Emperor That the Church of Constantinople by these offered Libels was brought under the power of Rome by the doubtfulness of Subscriptions But though flebiliter conqueruntur they complain with tears the Emperor was angry with them and would have it and some Bishops non sine magno laboris periculo libellos quidem vix tandem recipiunt with much ado were brought to subscribe saying It was novum inauditum The refusers extra Synodum inglorii relicti sunt were shut out till they conformed Oh! that Inglorii was a cutting word § 69. The Emperor hiding his anger against the Pope's Legates for the Bulgarian Usurpation gave them great gifts and sent them home But at Sea they fell into the hands of the Sclavonians who stripped them of their Riches and the Subscriptions and Copy of the Council and kept them Prisoners and threatned their Lives But by the mediation of the Emperor and Pope they were delivered and had some of their Writings again § 70. CCLXXXV An. 879. Carolus Calvus King of France unjustly possessed the Kingdom of Lotharius which by inheritance fell to Ludovicus Ludovicus got the Pope to interpose who sent his Legates to Charles But the Bishops had not yet learned to obey Popes against Kings in power A Council of Bishops called at Metz give the Kingdom to Charles because he was the stronger This was called Concilium Praedatorium a Council of Robbers and Traytors And no wonder when Bishops must be the Givers of Kingdoms Was it not enough for the Pope to usurp such power to be over Kings and dispose of Crowns but ordinary Bishops must do the like § 71. CCLXXXVI Yet another Council against the Pope King Charles had authorized Northman a great man to receive some Goods that were taken to belong to the Church The Pope commandeth Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes and the rest of the Bishops of France to excommunicate Northman Hincmarus and the Bishops refuse to obey him only one Hincmarus Bishop of Laon Laudunum obeyeth him and publisheth the Excommunication A Council is called at Wermâ—ria where Hincmarus Rhem. and the Bishops the King consenting condemn Hincmarus Laudunensis for disobeying his Metropolitan in obeying the Pope He appeals to Rome They will not let him go He writeth Hiucmarus Rhem. writeth largely against him though his Nephew shewing how he broke the Canons how bad a man he was how he had neglected his own Charge left Children unbaptized and for private quarrels excommunicated his Flock and had silenced and suspended the Ministers under him tyranically c. Reader Was the Pope's power yet fully received when a Metropolitan was to be obeyed before him and men condemned for obeying him § 72. CCLXXXVII Yet more sorrow An. 870. a Council is called in Villa Aâ—tiniaco Attigny I will give you the Story in the very words of Binnius translated When Hincmarus Bishop of Laon for the cause in the foresaid Council expressed had got the Rescript of Pope Adrian on his behalf and had notified it to Hincmarus Rhemensis and to King Charles both of them in hatred to the Bishop of Laon decreed That this Synod called Latrocinalis should be called There presided in it Remigius Lugdunensis Ardovicus Vesontiensis Bertulsus Trevirensis with their subject Bishops Herein Hincmarus Rhemensis with King Charles was the accuser of his Nephew Hincmarus whom he had before consecrated Bishop of Laon. The Action brought against him was That he had by Counter-writings defended the rights of the Apostolick Seat which the Archbishop of Rhemes did endeavor to impugn and overthrow And that contrary to his Oath of
Magistrate or Earls but he and all his Company shall obey the Bishop and come to him Cap. 10. No Bishop shall be Deposed but by twelve Bishops no Presbyter but by six Bishops no Deacon but by three Cap. 21. In Controversies Lay-men must swear but Clergy-men must not be put to swear Cap. 22. There is allowed Tryal by fire Per ignem Candenti ferro Caute examinetur § 6. CCCIV. A Council at Nantes made more disciplinary Canons § 7. Who was next Pope is not agreed Platina and Onuphrius say that Boniface was rightly Chosen and Reigned but twenty six days saith Platina or fifteen saith Onuphrius others saith Platina say twelve years Baronius and Binius saith that he was no Pope and that he did but invade the Pope-dome and was homo nefarius a wicked man twice before this Degraded First from his Deaconship and next from his Presbyterate Damned in a Romane Synod under John the Ninth He addeth that both of them Boniface and Stephen got the place by Force Fear and Tyranny and so it was but one Intruder that thrust out another Intruder But how then is the Succession secured Why it 's added Yet Stephen is numbred with the Popes by the common Sentence or Opinion because to avoid the danger of Schisme though he was homo scelestissimus a most wicked man yet all the Clergy approved bim and the whole Catholik Church took him for Christs Vicar Peters Successor How prove you that why because Fulke Bishop of Rhemes owned him A Noble proof that all the Christian World did so § 8. Say Barronius and Binius he began his Pope-dome with that Sacriledg as to take the Corps of Formous out of his Grave and cloathing him in his Pontifical Robes he set him in a Chair and saith Platina there judged him as no Pope because he had been first a Bishop which indeed by the old Canons nullified his calling For Formosus was the first Pope that had been before a Bishop as is said unless the Emporour Basil truly charged Macrinus with the same Having Expostulated with the dead man why he being a Bishop would take the Pope-dome he cut off his three four Fingers with which he had Anointed and cast them into the River Tyber and commanded that all that he had Ordained should be Ordained again and so Conform to him And they wonder with what face of Reason Onuphrius rejecteth all this as a Fable when the Antient Monuments Synodal Acts and Historians testify it Do you wonder at this why it is because he was not willing it should be believed a Reason that is not strange to your selves § 4. CCCV Pope Stephen called a Council in which his usage of Pope Formosus was approved Bin. ex Baron p. 1047 so ready were the Bishops to follow the strongest side in such things as the Papists mention with abhorrence And say they this portentum attended the Synod That the Laterane Church the chief Seat of the Pope by the impulse of an evill Angel fell down quite from the Altar to the doors the Walls not being able to stand when the Chief Cardinal Door was shaken with the Earthquake of so great a Villany § 10. But here the Authors calling us Novatores as if such Popes were of glorious Antiquity are hard put to it to Vindicate against us the Popes infallibility And how do they do it Why 1st They say that all that Stephen did against Formosus a man stricken with Madness did it fulfilling the perswasion of his boyling Rage But in the lawful use of his Papal Authority he defined nothing against Faith or good manners For the Bishops that were for this Cause called to the Council and the Presbyters not unlike to Stephen himself did prosecute Formosus with the same hatred and therefore pronounced that Sentence against him which they fore knew would be pleasing to a man smitten with Fury so that we confess violent Tyranny but no Errour in Faith defined or approved by him Lawfully using his Papal Authority And yet it were no prejudice to the Papal Seat if we grant that a false Pope not lawfully Chosen but invading and obtruded did err in asserting Articles of Faith Thus the Author Ans. 1. But if you grant this is not your Succession interrupted 2. And was your Church a true Church when an Essential part was Null 3. Howver was it the Holy Church when an essential Part was such a Villain 4. Will not your Argument as well prove every Bishop Priest or man Infallible For no one of them all can define falsly against an Article of Faith as long as he lawfully useth his Power For it is no lawful use of power that so defineth and belieth God 5. But is all your foundation of Faith come to this It is then but saying when ever your Pope and Church Erreth that they did not use their Power lawfully And what relief is that to the deceived How shall we know when your Popes have used it lawfully and when not and so what is true among you and what false 6. And were your Roman Council of Bishops and Priests all as bad as this Villainous Pope and ready to please him in their Decrees And was this a Holy Church and like to be an Infallible Council And must the World follow them 7. And how then shall we know that it was not just so with many other former and following Councils and that it will not be so with you again O miserable shifts against plain Truth § 11. The same great Authors after Luitpraudus l. 1. c 9. say that Stephen an Invader of the Papal Seat by the faction of the Nâ—bles against Adelbert Prince of Etruria was thrust into prison An. 900. and after he had been Pope Six Years being strangled in the same Prison ended his Days by Gods Vengeance in an infamous Death Yet Platina saith that he died the first Year and third month of his Reign and Onuphrius saith he sate one year two moneths and ninteen days § 12. It 's strang that Luitpraudus saith that Stephen condemned the Corps of Formosus for being a Bishop before when Platina and Onuphrius say that he himself was Episcopus Anagninus when made Pope § 13. And Platina saith that This Controversie against Formosus was great and of ill Examples seeing that after this it was almost always kept as a Custome that following Popes did either Infring or wholly undoe the Acts of those that went before them And yet were they Infallible § 14. The next Pope was called Romanus whose Life Platina thus Describeth Romanus as soon as he was Pope presently Abrogateth and Condemneth the Decrees and Acts of Stephen For these Popes thought of nothing but to Extinguish the Name and Dignity of their Predecessors than which nothing can be worse or the part of a narrower mind For they that trust to such Acts as these having no Virtue themselves endeavor to rase out the
But Did that After-consent make him a true Bishop 2. If not Where is their Succession 3. Did God authorize the Clergy to consent to such a Man Where Prove it 4. If not Could their Consent make him a Bishop Is not all Power of God And Doth God give it contrary to his Word 5. Were not those Clergy-Men wicked themselves that would do so 6. Did those Doctors presume that their Readers were such Fools as not to know that Forma non recipitur nisi in materiam dispositam And that Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius An Illiterate Man cannot be a School-Master He that is no Christian cannot be a Bishop nor he that hath not the Qualifications essentially necessary All the World cannot make a Physician a Lawyer a Divine a true Pastor or Bishop of an Ideot an Infant or a Man that wanteth Essential Dispositions To say he wanted all requisite Qualifications and yet that he was a Bishop is a Contradiction Materia Disposita Forma being the Constitutive Causes What if they had made a Bishop of a Turk an Infidel a Corps c Had it not been a Nullity and prophane Mockery 7. What else signify all the Canons that nullify Ordinations for less Faults But the Image of a Bishop will make but the Image or Carkass of a Church § 52. But say they Cum Vniversa Ecclesia Catholica sciret minus malum esse caput quantum libet monstrosum proferre quam unum corpus in duo secari duobus capitibus informari eundem toto orbe terrarum tanquam verum legitimum Pontificem venerata fuit Answ. 1. What a shameless Dream do you impose on us under the Name of Totus orbis Terrarum What had the Ethiopians the Armenians yea or the Greek-Church to do with Pope Iohn Or What was it to them how he was called or what he was Did not the Patriark of Constantinople then write himself the Vniversal Patriark even Tryphon that they said could not write any thing else Where is your Proof of this Universal Concession Which way did the whole Catholick-Church or the Tenth or Hundredth Part of it signify their Consent 2. Who taught you to feign the State and Necessity of such a Church as must have another Universal Head besides Christ You know that it is the Being of such a Church or Head be he never so Good that we deny And you have never proved nor can prove it He only is the Universal Head who maketh Universal Laws and undertaketh Universal Teaching and is an Universal Judge and Protector none of which any Mortal man can perform The very Fiction of such a Head and Body is Monstrous and your Capital Error 3. How small a part of the Christian World was subject to the Pope at that time though within his reach he was almost at the Heighth of his Presumption 4. He that wanteth what is Essential to a true Bishop is no true Bishop But Pope Iohn the Twelfth wanted what what was Essential to a true Bishop Ergo He was none The Minor is proved He that wanteth the necessary Disposition of the Receptive Matter and is not Subjectum Capax wanteth that which is Essential to a true a Bishop For the Materia Disposita is an Essential Constitutive Cause a Subjectum Capax is Essential to a Relation But Iohn the Twelfth wanted the Necessary Disposition of the Matter ad Formam Recipiendam or was not Subjectum Caâ—ax Proved He that wanted capable Age and all other Things necessary to a lawful Pope was not Subjectum Capax but wanted the necessary Disposition Receptive But all these you say your selves Pope Iohn wanted Ergo c. 5. If then the Universal Church had so erred as to take him for a Bishop that was none that Error would not make him a Bishop no more than it would make a dead Man alive or an illiterate Man learned But this is the Roman-Catholick kind of Proof You say your selves That a Whore and a wicked Son of that Whore got Power enough to over-top the Citizens of Rome and the Clergy yet too like them and to thrust a wicked uncapable Fellow into the Chair When that is done it 's known all good Men dissent and abhor it But when he hath Possession they must know that he hath Possession And What can they do to help it What Power have the Ethiopians Armenians Syrians or other Nations of the Earth in choosing the Pope of Rome And if they have none in Choosing him What Power have they to examine the Choice and Depose him And if they have no Power Why or how should they signify their Consent or Dissent If they leave your own Matters to your selves What is that to the Consent of the Catholick-Church But some men think that big Words to the Ignorant may serve for Proof even of a Right to Govern at the Antipodes and all the World § 53. His Father Albericus being Governour of the City designed the Succession to his Son Octavian To which he added the Usurped-Papacy calling himself Iohn The first say Baronius and Binius that changed his Name though others say Sergius was the first Saith Platina From his Youth he was Contaminated with all odious Crimes and Filthiness When he had any time to spare from his Lusts it was not spent in Praying but in Hunting Two of the Cardinals moved with the Shame of such a Pope send Letters to Germany to Otho to intreat him to save Rome from Berengarius that Plundered all the Country and from Pope John the Twelfth or else Christianity was lost John having notice of this catcheth the Cardinals and cutteth of the Nose of one and a Hand of the other Otho cometh into Italy and took Berengarius and his Son Albertus and Banished them Yet Baronius and Binius out of Luitpraudus say That the Pope himself sent for Otho to Help him However that was the Pope received him as with Honor and Crowned him the Emperor of Germany the First and Hungary The Pope and all the Great Men of the City swore over the Body of St. Peter that they would never help Berengarius or Adelbert and the Emperor departed But the Pope quickly broke his Oath and joyned with Adelbert Which the Emperor hearing said He is a Child perhaps Reproof and Example may yet reclaim him He returned to Rome and Adelbert and the Pope fled The Citizens received the Emperor and promised him Fidelity and took an Oath that they would never Choose or Ordain a Pope without the Consent and Choice of the Emperor Otho aâ—d his Son Otho John fled into a Wood and lay there like the Wild-Beasts Saith Platina § 54. CCCXVI. Otho called a Council at Rome where the Bishops deposed Iohn and made Leo Pope By which we still see how obedient the Bishops were to the stronger Side or else that really even those near Rome did not consent to Iohn muchless the whole Catholick-Charch as Baronius immodestly affirmeth
Pagans Arch-Flamins were there were instituted Arch-Bishops to be over the Provinces where a Metropolis was Metropolitans or Arch-Bishops were placed and Bishops in lesser Cities where had been Flamins and Counts But in Africa they were diverâ—â—fyed only by the times of their ordination the Bishop of Carthage being the chief In his Epistle 5. he hath a good confession of faith where among other things he well saith That God predestinated only things good but soreknew both good and evil and that Grace so preventeth and followeth man that yet mans free will is not to be denied that the Soul is not part of God but created of nothing He anathematizeth every Heresie and every one that receiveth or venerateth any Scriptures but what are received by the Catholick Church c. In the 6th again he chides the Patriarchs of Constantinople for the title Vniversal saying that Peter himself was never called the Vniversal Apostle nor did any of his Successors take so prodigious a title For he is no friend to the bridegroom that would be loved in his stead but a Bawd of Antichrist c. His 8th Epistle is to the Greek Emperor to flatter him to help him with Henry against the Normans In which to prove the Romans succession he saith The holy Church and Apostolick Seat hath been too long usurped by Mercenaries that were no Pastors that sought their own and not the things of Christ. This Pope and Michael Patriarch of Constantinople were so unreconcilable that they continued mutual condemnations Michael is condemned with his Greeks 1. For rebaptizing the Papists 2. For saying that they had no true Sacrifice or Baptism 3. For holding Priests marriage for rejecting the Filioque c. Bin. p. 1116. § 114. CCCXXIX An. 1049. A Roman Council was fain upon pennance to pardon Simoniacal Bishops and Priests because the Cry was that else almost all the Churches would be destitute and the Church service omitted to the subversion of the Christian Religion and the desperation of all the faithful Where was the holy Church of Rome now and its Succession if the Canons for nullifying Simoniacal ordinations hold good § 115. CCCXXX The Pope resolved to go to France and Preside in a Council which he did at Rhemes But many Nobles and Bishops told the King that it was an usurpation and a Novelty and would enslave his Kingdom The King forbad him yet the Pope came whether the King would or not And the King went away about his military affairs and some Bishops with him and others stayed The Arch-Bishop of Rhemes and others were accused of heinous Crimes The Bishop of Laugres was charged with entring by Simoniacal heresies selling orders bearing Armes Murder Adultery Tyranny to his Clergy and Sodomy Many witnesses testified all this One Clergy-man witnessed that while he was yet a Lay-man this Bishop violently took his Wife from him and when he had committed adultery with her he made her a Nun. A Presbyter witnessed that this Bishop took him and delivered him to his followers who tormenting him by many torments which is more wicked did with sharp nails pierce his generals and by such violence forced him to give them ten pounds of denaries The Bishop hearing these accusations desired time and Council and going to the arch-Arch-Bishops of Besanzon and Lyons openeth his secrets to them and desireth them to plead his cause But the man involved in the guilt of such villanies who but the day before had been the accuser of a faulty Brother and seeing the mote in anothers eye had not seen the beam in his own but moved for the other mans damnation being himself deservedly to be condemned was not only unable to excuse himself from the objected crimes but also the tongue of his advocate the Arch-Bishop was by God so silenced that he was not able to speak a word for his defence For the Arch-Bishop of Besanzon where he prepared himself to plead for him and excuse his crimes suddenly found himself disabled in his voice by God And when the Arch-Bishop of Besanzon found himself so disabled by miracles he gave sings to the Arch-Bishop of Lyons to speak for this his Brother in his stead who rising up said that the accused Bishop doth confess that he sold Orders and that he extorted the money from the said Priest but that he did not do the tormenting actions mentioned by him other things he denyed but before the next day he fled from the Council And another Bishop of Nevers confessed that his Parents bought his Place and deposed himself and some other Bishops confessed Simoniacal entrance The Pope excommunicated many that fled from the Council He renewed some old neglected Canons as 1. That no man be promoted to Church-Government without the ELECTION of the CLERKS and the PEOPLE c. CHAP. 12. The continuation of the history of Councils and their Bishops till the Conucil at Constantinople § 1. CCCXXXI Under Leo 9. an 1049 a Synod at Mentz some accused Bishops were questioned and other little matters done § 2. CCCXXXII In a Council at 1050. Berengarius his Letters to Lanfrancus were read and he condemned in a blind age § 3. CCCXXXIII An. 1050. A Synod at Vercelli condemned Iohannes Scotus and Berengarius and some that defended them § 4. CCCXXXIV An. 1050. A Council at Coyaca contained the King Ferdinandus of Castile and his Queen Bishops and Nobles like our Parliaments and so were many Councils then It is said to be for restoring Christianity so low was it grown in the height of Popery and ignorance having several orders for reformation The 3d Title saith that wine water and the host in the eucharist signifie the Trinity The 5th saith that Priests must so eat at the feasts of the dead as to do some good for their souls c. § 5. CCCXXXV An. 1051. A Roman Council excommunicated Gregory Bishop of Vercelli for Adultery with a widow espowsed to his Uncle and for perjuries But he was after restored to his office on promise of satisfaction Also all the whores of Priests were decreed to be made servants at Laterane Pet. Damian et Bin. p. 1124. § 6. CCCXXXVI In another Roman Synod the Pope Canonized a Bishop Gerhard and decided a quarrel between two Bishops for extent of their Diocesses § 7. Victâ—r the 2d is next Pope an 1055. Leo Hostiensis saith that no man at Rome was found worthy Plat. saith that they feared offending the Emperor However the Romans sent to the Emperor to choose one for them and some say desired this might be the man § 8. CCCXXXVII Platina saith that in a Council at Florence he deposed many Bishops for Simony and Fornication § 9. CCCXXXVIII In a Council at Lyons Baronius after others saith a miracle was done viz. saith he The heresie of Simonie having seized on all Italy and Burgundie the Pope sent Hildebrand a sub-Deacon to call a Council where an Arch-Bishop accused of Simony bribed all
Church of Rome and for hindering his Legates from gathering a Council and refusing to come to Rome to answer it Epist. 32. He calls the King of France a ravening Wolf and unjust Tyrant Many great persons he forced to separate after Marriage because they were in the fourth degree of Consanguinity Epist. 51. He tells the King of Denmark that not far from Rome there was a Province possest by vile and sluggish Hereticks and desireth him to send his Son with an Army to conquer them What Province he meaneth I am not certain unless it was the Waldenses § 44. Reader we are greatly beholden to Binnius who hath recorded as Oracles 27 sentences called THE POPES DICTATES by which you may partly know what Popery is 1. That the Roman Church was founded only by our Lord. 2. That only the Bishop of Rome is rightly called Universal 3. That only the Pope can depose Bishops and reconcile them 4. That his Legates must preside in Councils though they be of inferior degree before all Bishops and may pass on them the sentence of deposition 5. That the Pope may depose those that are absent 6. That with those that are excommunicated by him among other things we may not dwell in the same house 7. That to him only it is lawful to make new Laws for the necessity of the time and to congregate new people of Canonical to make an Abbaty and contrarily to divide a rich Bishoprick and unite poor ones 8. That only he may use Imperial Ensigns or Escucheons 9. That all Princes must kiss the feet of the Pope only 10. That only his name may be recited in the Churches 11. That it is the one only name in the World 12. That it is lawful for him to depose Emperors 13. That it is lawful for him in case of necessity to remove Bishops from seat to seat 14. That he may ordain a Clerk from any Church whither he will 15. That one ordained by him may govern another Church and must not take a superior degree from another Bishop 16. That no Synod without his command may be called Universal 17. That no Chapter nor no Book may be accounted Canonical without his authority 18. That his sentence may be retracted by none and he alone may retract all mens 19. That he ought to be judged of no man 20. That no man must dare to condemn any one that appealeth to the Apostolick Seat 21. That the Greater causes of all Churches must be referred to him 22. That the Roman Church never erred nor as the Scripture witnesseth will ever err 23. That the Bishop of Rome if he be Canonically ordained is undoubtedly made Holy by the merits of St. Peter as St. Ennodius Bishop of Papia witnesseth and many holy Fathers confess as is contained in the Decrees of Pope Symmachus 24. That it is lawful for subjects to accuse by his Command and licence 25. That he may depose and reconcile Bishops without Synodal meetings 26. That he is not to be accounted a Catholick who agreeth not with the Roman Church 27. That he may absolve the Subjects of unjust men from fidelity These are put by Bin. among Gregory's Epistles p. 1196. as the Popes Dictates If I had not translated them from such an unquestioned Author that followeth Baronius some would have thought they had been but the forgeries of some Protestant accuser and that the Popes have no such tenents What one is here that is not false and how many of them are horridly arrogant The reading of them would tempt a doubting man to think that the Pope is the Eldest Son of the Prince of Pride exalting himself above all that is called God and arrogating Christ's prerogatives and therefore Antichrist If any would know what Popery is A great part of the description is here given you by their greatest Pope himself and by their chief Historians § 45. Much of his 4th Book of Epistles is to require Princes Prelates and People to forsake the Emperor and choose another and to excommunicate all that will communicate with him yet in his 11th Epist. he reciteth himself how lamentably with tears three dayes in the frost barefoot he begged for pardon and how the compassionate People thought the Pope hard-hearted and tyrannical for not yielding and that at last two Ladyes and an Abbot overcame him to absolve him § 46. Lib. 4. Epist. 28. He tells the Spaniards also that their Kingdom was St. Peter's property But why did he trouble himself to lay claim to particular Kingdoms Would not his claim to all the world serve turn for the particulars Lib. 5. Epist. 4. He clameth the Isle of Corsica § 47. That it may appear that the presumptuous usurpations of the Pope were not consented to by many Bishops he oft complaineth that many Bishops of France Italy and Germany were against him He abundantly chideth and threatneth several particular Bishops for resisting and disobeying him Lib. 6. Epist. 4. he writeth thus to the Bishop of Liege Having read the Letters of your Brotherhood we did not a little wonder that you wrote that which became you not in reverence of the Apostolick seat but that you did with biting invective reprehend me for absolving your Parishioner that lately came to us as if the Apostolick seat had not authority to bind and absolve whomsoever we will and wheresoever we will Know therefore that we are greatly moved against your temerity Indeed one of the tricks of the Papal ambition was to be the Asylum of all wicked fugitives that fled from Church justice in all Countries near them to shew favour to all condemned sinners that would but fly to Rome and appeal to them from the Justice of their Pastors yea and of their Princes too which made their friends to be rather many than good § 48. And the Church of Rome was not yet rich enough with all the Principalities it had got They still kept on the trade of enriching the Pope to save their souls Binnius p. 1233. honoureth us with a record among Gregory 7th Epistles viz. In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the 6th year of the Pontificate of Gregory 7th I Marro Son of Gisler dwelling in the Dukedom of Spoletane for the Redemption of my own and my Parents souls do give deliver and offer to St. Peter Prince of the Apostles and on his Altar all that belongeth to me of the Castle called Moricicla c. Did Christ think how easily Rich men might be saved by giving to the Pope in the name of St. Peter when he said It was harder for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven than for a Camel to go through a Needle 's Eye § 49. Lib. 7. Epist. 3. He saith They that are Latines do all of them except a very few praise the cause of Henry and defend it and charge me with too much obstinacy and impiety against him And if the Latines did so what did the
divide The Oriental Bishops at Philippolis strange charge against Athanasius Paulus Const. c. and their plea for peace The Donatists unjust justice The slander and fall of Bishop Euphratas Anno 355 a General Council at Milan where the Arrians prevail Hilary banished by the Semiarian Bishops as a separatist The Council of Sirmium curse Arius Photinians and condemn Athanasius pretending to reconcile Constantius labours union The General Council divided at Ariminum and Selcucia The Arians Orthodox and Reconcilers fall into more Sects Ten creeds sometimes one sometimes another liked or condemned The Bishops deposing and damning each other Of Meletius Antiochenus the dissention danger and reconciliatior about hypostasis persona at a Council of Alexandria Julian Jovian for peace Valentinian and Valens charge the Asian Bishops to giveover persecuting any of Christs Labourers Valens a zealous Arrian Persecutor Damasus bloody Election against Sisinnius The Schism at Antioch how ended Chap. 4 Why Rome was yet Orthodox § 1. Valens persecution § 2. Gratian and Valentinian Junior Theodosius The Council at Constance § 4. Greg. Nazianzens case § 5. His sad description of the Councils and madness of the Prelates of his time § 7. 8. The 〈…〉 Schism again Nectarius a Bishop and Paâ—riark before he was a baptized Christian. § 10. The Councils decrees § 11. The History of the Bishops that prosecuted the Priscillanists and St. Martins § 18. 19. A Council at Capua decreed that the two Bishops and Churches at Antioch live in love and peace § 20. Bishop Bonosus heresie denying Mary's perpetual virginity § 21. Jovinians heresie described § 23. A wise Novatian Council § 24. Carthage good Councils § 31. 32 33 34. The History of Melania and the Bishops persecution of the friends of Origene § 36. c. Theophilus Alex-story § 37. 38. 39. Chrysostomes History § 40. And the Joannites § 43. Those that believe the Astrologers and Mathematicians cursed at Tolet. § 47. The Melivitane Councils against Appeals to Rome and of Liturgies to be approved § 55. Pelagius and Celestius absolved by one Council and one Pope and condemned by others § 53. c. Pelagius Confession 57. Boniface and Eulalius schism at Rome § 59. P. Boniface's decree that no Bishop be brought or set before any Civil or Military Judge § 60. The sixth Council of Carthage that resisted the Popes § 61. P. Celestines decree that no Bishop be given to the unwilling Chap. 5. Atticus Const. peaceableness The pretty story of the people deposing Theodosius Bishop of Synada § 2. Cyrils violence the Monks assault of Orestes and the peoples cruel usage of Hypatia § 3. Alexand. Antioch and Atticus Const. by his Council are for restoring the Non-conformists Joannits Cyrils reason against it § 4. Whether Cyril repented § 5. Isidore Pelus words of him § 6. Proclus refused Bishop at Cyzicum by the people § 7. Nestorius chosen § 8. He is a persecuter of Hereticks His opinion § 9. The first Ephes Council § 10. They divide and condenmn and depose each other and fight and Nestorius Cyril and Menmon are desposed by the Emperours Command but the two last restored Whether Nestorius or Cyril was the Heretick The issue of that Council § 12. 13 14. Derodon prooves that Cyril was an Eutychian and Nestorius Orthodox § 18. 19. The truth § 20. The present Churches of the Nestorians That these Bishops set the world on fire about a word while they agreed in sense § 20. 21 c. The Emperour â—orceth the Bishops to Comminion and setteth Simeon Stilletes to pray down their horrid discord § 23. Bowing Eastward forbidden because the Manichees bowed to the Sun among them § 29. Leo's Roman Council of Bishops Priests and Lay-men Another against Hilary Arelatensis § 31. 32. Chap. 6. Of the Eutychians c. The true case of the Controversie § 2. Vnity taken by one sids for undivided and by the other for undistinguished and so the world set again on fire The Constantinople Council about Eutychius § 5. Another Constantinople Council contrarily cleareth him § 8. Ibas cleared at Council Beryt § 7. The second Ephesine Council under Dioscorus Eutyches justified there Flavianus Euseb. Dor. Ibas and Theodorite condemned and deposed All the Patriarks else and Bishops subscribe save the Popes Legates Flavianus hur and dieth § 9. Leo in a Roman Council condemneth this Eph. 2. § 10. Dioscorus in a Syned at Alexandr excommunicateth Leo § 11. Theodosius virtue and miraculous Victory § 15. His praise of the second Eph. Council § 16. Martians reign and the Council of Calcedon § 14. 17. Turnings mutual condemnings recantings and rigor there § 17. 18 19. The cry of the Egyptian Bishops § 24. The Abbots protestation to cleave only to the Nicene Creed as Pioscorus did to the Nicene Council and Eph. 1. and not to subscribe Leo's Epistle and to contemn excommunications § 25. Dioscorus not condemned for heresie saith Anatolius § 26. Theodorites usage by the Bishops § 27. The Canon equalling Const. and Rome § 30. The doleful issue of this Council § 31. The woful work at Alexandria The murder of Proterius § 33. 34. The bloody Tragedy against the Calcedon Council and Juvenal as betrayers of the Nicene Faith by the Monks at Jerusalem § 36. Eudocia and Pulcheria the Spring of all Leo is Emperour and for the Council of Calcedon He desposeth Timothy Aeluâ—us at Alexandria Peter Gnapheus usurpeth Martyrius Seat at Antioch Martyrius renounceth his rebellious clergy and people Gnapheus banished by Leo. Stephen that is for the Council is put in The boyes kill him with sharp Quills and cast him into the River § 37. Zeno Emperour Basiliscus usurping commandeth the Bishops to renounce the Council of Calcedon Three Patriarks and five Hundred Bishops subscribe against it before most were for it Basiliscus changing his mind commandeth that the Council be owned The Bishops obeyed this § 38. Zeno restored and being for the Council the Asian Bishops said they subscribed to Basilicus first Orders for fear and asked pardon Zeno by his Henoticon silenceth the controversie leaving it free to all to own or disown the Council The Bishops and people are still worse at Alexandria and Antioch c. Acacius Const. and Faelix Rom excommunicate each other § 39. Flavitas Const. cheateth the Emperour that would have God by an Angel choose the Bishop § 40. The Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch successively curse the Council And the Bishop of Rome and Const curse them for it § 41. Anastatius Emperour is for toleration Three parties of Bishops there condemning each other in East West and Lybia some strict for the Council some cursing it and some for the henoticon or peace He desposeth Euphemius Const. and would have deposed Macedonius that came â—ext but the people rose for him and forced the Emperour to submit § 43. Cruel bloodshed in Antioch of Monks and others § 44. Xenaias an unchristened man made Bishop forceth the Bishops to curse the
administring the Communion without his Licence and yet refusing to do it when he desired it Wherefore he bid him take heed lest he set the People in an uproar for if ought came amiss he had his remedy in his Hands Epiphanius hearing this went away in fear and took Ship for Cyprus The report goeth saith Socrates cap. 13. that as he went he said of Iohn I hope thou shalt never dye a Bishop And that Chrysostome answer'd him I hope thou shalt never come alive into thy Countrey And it so fell out For Epiphanius dyed at Sea by the way and Chysostome dyed deposed and banished § 42. The Empress Eudoxia was said to set Epiphanius on work Chrysostome being hot made a Sermon of the faults of Women which was interpreted to be against the Empress She irritated the Emperour against him and got Theophilus to call a Council against him at Quercus near Chalcedon and Constant. Thither came Sâ—verianus and many Bishops that Chrysostome had deposed and many that were his Enemies for his strictness but especially time-servers that knew the will of the Empress if not the Emperours When they summoned him to appear before them He answered that by the Canon there must be more Patriarchs and he appealed to a General Council yet not denying to answer any where if they would put out his Enemies from being his Judges and that in his own Patriarchate But they sentenced him deposed for not appearing The People were presently in an uproar and would not let him be taken out of the Church The Emperour commanded his banishment To avoid Tumult the third day he yielded himself to the Souldiers to be transported The people hereupon were all in an uproar and it pleased God that there was an Earthquake that night Whereupon the Emperour sent after him to intreat him to return When he came back he would not have officiated till his Cause was heard by equal Judges but the People constrained him to Pray and Preach which was after made the matter of his Accusation Theophilus was hated as the cause of all and Severianus as the second After this Theophilus turned his Accusation upon Heraclides Bishop of Ephesus put in by Chrysostome They condemned him unheard in his absence Chrysostome said that should not be The Alexandrians said It was just They went hereupon together by the Ears and some were wounded and some were killed and Theophilus glad to fly home to Alexandria but was hated by the People § 43. After this a Silver Image of the Empress was set up in the Street and Plays and Shows about it which Chrysostome perhaps too sharply reproached This provoked the Empress to call another Council which deposed Chrysostome for seizing upon his place before a Council restored him He ceased his Office The Emperor banished him His People in passion set the Church on Fire which burnt down the Senatours Court for which grievous sufferings befell them Upon this they forsook the Church and the new Bishop Arsacius an old useless man and gathered Conventicles by themselves and were long called Ioannites from his Name and taken for Schismaticks But they never returned till the Name and Bones of Chrysostome were restored to Honour § 44. The Novatians quarrelled with Chrysostome as too loose in his Doctrine and too strict in his Life because he said in a Sermon If you Sin an hundred times the Church Doors shall be open to you if you repent And Chrysostome angry with Sisinnius the Novatian Bishop told him There should not be two Bishops in one City and threatned to silence him from Preaching He told him that he would be beholden to him then for saving him his labour But Chrysostome answered him Nay if it be a labour go on § 45. XCV A Council in Africk to renew the Priviledges of Churches for Sanctuary that none that fled to them for any Crime should be taken out by force Justice was taken for Wickedness § 46. XCVI Two Councils met one at Const. to judg Antonius Bishop of Ephesus for Simony and many other Crimes Another at Ephesus to judg six Bishops for Simony § 47. XCVII About An. 400. A Council of 19 Bishops at Toletum repress the Priscillians and make divers Canons for Discipline as that a Clergy-Man shall have power over his offending Wife by force but not to put her to death that a man that hath no Wife but one Concubine shall not be kept from Communion though some think that this Concubine is truly a Wife but not according to Law but private Contract and more servile Many other better there be There is adjoyned a Regula fidei of many Bishops approved by Pope Leo in Bin. p. 563. To which are adjoyned Anathematisms against the Priscillians One of them is If any one say or believe that other Scriptures are to be had in Authority and Reverence besides those which the Catholick Church receiveth let him be Anathema Yet the Papists receive more Another is If any one think that Astrology or Mathematicks is to be believed or trusted let him be anathema There are in Bin. divers Fragments cited as of the Tolet. Councils One saith that Arch-Presbyters are under the Arch-Deacons and yet have Curam animarum over all the Presbyters Another determineth that there shall be but one Baptismal Church which is there called The Mother Church with its Chapels in the Limits assigned And another distinguisheth of Offerings made at the Parish Church and Offerings at the Altars which sheweth that then there were no Altars but where the Bishop was § 48. XCVIII Two Councils were held at Carthage about 401. The later about the Donatists § 49. XCIX An. 402. Was the Council Melevitan about certain Bishops quarrels and who should be the highest Bishop in Numidia § 50. C. An. 403. Was the Synod ad Quercum which deposed Chrysostoâ—◠§ 51. Câ— An. 403 404 c. There were seven Councils in Africk against the Donatists to procure Honorius to suppress them by the Sword not as a Heresie but because they rose up by Fire and Sword against the Catholicks and abused and killed many But when Attalus invaded Africk the Emperour proclaimed Liberty for them to quiet them which he after recalled Another Synod was held against them at Cyrta One at Toletum about Ordinations and one at Ptolemais to Excommunicate Andronicus an oppressing Governour § 52. CII The Donatist Bishops held a Council decreeing that when a sentence of banishment was passed on them they would not forsake their Church but rather voluntarily die as many did by their own hands For they took themselves to be the true Church and Bishops and the rest persecuting Schismaticks § 53. CIII The Concilium Diospolitanum of 14 Bishops in Palestine acquitted Pelagius upon his renouncing his Errours § 54. An. 416. A Council at Carthage of 67 Bishops condemned Pelagius and Câ—lestine whom the former had absolved § 55. CV A Council of 60 Bishops at Milevis condemn Pelagius The 22.