mean time information was brought from Venice and other places that Amurathes was gone to Constantinople with a Navy and the Emperour intreated the Pope to send two Ships to aid the Greeks The Pope refused unless they will consent unto the union After some days the Pope promised to send one into Venice to hire two Ships and the Emperour sent two Noble-men to hire more Ships but the Noble-men could never finde nor hear of the Pope's Servants there When the four moneths were past the Greeks crave a beginning of the Councel because the Pope delayed the Bishops of Ephesus and Heraclea despairing of any good success went to Venice intending home-wards but the Emperour sent and brought them again Then he hearing that others also had the same purpose did first motion that the Councel should be removed further from Venice for hindering their return neither after that would he impart his counsels unto the Bishops but he and the Patriarch when his sickness did permit consulted with the Pope October 6. began the first Session and the Greeks would have it first disputed Whether the word filioque was a late addition to clear this they produced the Books of the first seven oecumenial Councels The Latines alledged the seventh was for them and they produced an old Book where it was so written The Greeks said That Book should not be admitted since neither is it in any of their books neither had any of the Latine Doctours writing of that purpose ever made use of that Book The Latines alledged also the testimonies of some Latine Councels and Fathers The Greeks made no reckoning of these and said Since the General Councels had not that particle and had threatned a curse against all who added unto or changed the Creed the Latines should not have added it and therefore the Latines should now consent unto the blotting away of that addition The Latines replied It should first be considered whether it be true and so may justly be added The Greeks would not proceed untill that was first blotted away Three moneths was spent with this jangling and the Pope seeing that the Greeks would not yeild gave them not moneys according to condition and agreed with the Emperour to remove unto Florence The Greeks opposed the removing mightily especially the Patriarch being sick of a Quartan Ague But they must remove in the midst of January An. 1439. The cause of the removing was pretended to be for the Plague it was in the Town in the Summer and though many of the Latines died of it yet it infected no house of the Greeks but one and in the Winter was ceased When they began the Sessions the Emperour commanded the Greeks against their wills to proceed unto the second question both parties alledged testimonies of the Ancients and neither of them brought one Argument from Scripture and quarrelled against the pertinency or faithfulness in quotation The Pope and the Emperour resolved together to make a definitive sentence and for that effect to take another course to wit both parties should frame a draught and which of the two should please them both that should be subscribed The Greeks were unwilling and said unto the Emperour that they had experience how obstinate the Latines are and will not yeild in any thing and they cannot yeild to depart from what their Church had held in all ages The Latines brought their form of the Sentence unto the Emperour first and he called the Greeks unto his lodging and shewed them it They all refused it The Emperour required them to frame another and that did not please the Latines whose objections against the Greeks were 1. Seeing in the first words it is said Because we thought that the Latines hold that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son as from two principles ..... therefore we did abstain from the addition or exposition of the Creed and from communion with them and now when you finde contrary you should no more abstain from the addition or exposition We crave your Answer in this 2. You say that you have declared the Faith of the Latines we ask Whether you think this true and if you will accord in this 3. Declare your faith When you say The holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father we demand of you to answer Whether he proceedeth eternally from the Father alone and not also from the Son 4. You say The holy Ghost is properly of the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we crave that you would clear this Whether you think that proper is to be of the same substance onely or proper that is having his essence eternally from the Son himself even as from the Father c. These objections were delivered unto the Emperour and he told the Greeks that he had received such but he neither gave them nor read them unto his Greeks And whereas onely twenty four had consented unto that form which was delivered and twelve had refused it now some of these twelve craved leave to return home the Emperour threatned them sharply for craving it Then thinking upon ways of excluding these dissenters from voicing he said None should subscribe the Acts of this Synod but only such as had subscribed in former General Councels For this cause he caused to bring the Books and there findeth that none had subscribed but Bishops and Abbots and so he commanded silence unto others or rather he freed us from speaking saith my Authour to wit against conscience Then the Emperour called them unto voicing ten were for the proceeding from the Son and seventeen were dissenters Wherefore the Emperour and the Patriarch dealt with the dissenters apart partly by allurements partly by expostulations of ingratitude for former benefits and partly by menacings and the Patriarch objected against the Abbots that they had received their titles from the Emperour yet they were not a◠yet canonically ordained and the time being expired wherein they should have craved their confirmation their title is null On June 3. the Emperour called them together and propounded a form of union to be subscribed in these terms Seeing we have heard the testimonies both of the Eastern and Western holy Fathers and these say The holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son and those say From the Father by the Son and that By the Son is one with that From the Son and that From the Son is one with that By the Son yet we forsaking that particle From the Son say That the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father by the Son eternally and essentially as from the same principle and cause the particle By there signifying the efficient in the proceeding of the holy Ghost Thirteen subscribed this among whom were the Patriarch and the two Deputies of Alexandria The Emperour required the Courtiers to subscribe who all obeyed except his own Brother Lastly he confirmed it with this addition in the end that the Greeks were not tied to put the addition into their Creed nor to
bids the Turk expound those words Deruis said Whence have Christians those words we use them in the beginning of all our works and they are prefixed before every chapter of the Alcoran But what mean they said Georgieviz He answered We understand them no otherwise but according to the Letter Georgieviz They have another even a mystical signification they signify the three Persons of the Deity the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and they are borrowed from the Hebrew language Beshem El Abba u Ben veRuach elchutz that is In name of God the Father and the Son and the holy Ghost Deruis said How can God have a Son seeing both we and ye hold that God hath no spouse nor children Georgieviz We call God the Father because he is the first cause of all things creating conserving them he was evermore in the same essence wherein he is now and shall be for ever he is also the first Person of the Deity We believe also rhat He hath a Son whom Mahumet called Rachman or Mercy not begotten of a woman nor according to the lust of the flesh but begotten of the Essence or substance of the Father and He for taking away our sin took upon him the humane nature of the Virgin Mary he suffered and died for us and was buried and as the Prophets foretold he rose from the dead he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father he will come again and judge both quick and dead and then he will give the blessedness of immortality unto them who believe in him and everlasting punishment unto them that believe not and pointing unto the image of Christ crucified behold whether Mahumet hath justly called the Son of God Mercy seeing with outstretched arms he calleth upon us to accept of mercy saying Come unto mee all that are weary and laden with sin and I will refresh you And that thou mayst the better understand the Mystery of the Trinity behold the Sunne as that one Sunne hath beawty heat and splendor so there is one God even the Father who hath a Son and the Holy Ghost whom we call Ruah and God consists in those three Persons who all are of the same substance equally from all eternity without any Creator Then Derviscried Allah Allah that is o God ô God! neither I nor any of us did ever believe that yee think so well of God we thought that yee were lying in darknes but by thy words I understand that ye think very well of God except that yee contemn Mahomet the great Prophet of God Georgieviz said What have we to do with the toies of Mahomet who except baptisme and the mystery of the Trinity which he had learned from us Christians hath nothing true for example What a fable is that of two Angels Aroth and Maroth who as Mahomet saith were sent from heaven unto the earth to give lawes unto men and they commanded to abstain from wine and women neither did they shew the way to heaven but they transgressed the commandement of God and were deceived by a woman and they shew her the way to heaven and when God saw her in heaven he said unto the Angels standing about him Who is this come into heaven in such a forme When the Angels told him she was turned into a starr and the two Angels were tied with chains and cast into a ditch to be tormented for ever And what a fable is that of the beast El Barahil which carried Mahomet into heaven where Mahomet saith he saw the Angels with many heads c. When Dervis heard these words he was ashamed and would not answer Then he went into the Church and said What mean those images do ye not worship those Georgieviz answered Think not that we worship stocks or stones but we have those not to worship them but for representation of Christ and the holy Virgin and of other holy men we worship only the true God and we honour the Saints even as ye do your Kings and God hath said Blessed are they who dy in the Lord VVee also hae these images to praise God for his gifts bestowed on them and that we may learn and endeavour to follow their holiness charity and devotion In the mean while some dogs were in the Church and the Turk said Is it lawfull that dogs be in your Churches Georgieviz said This is the sloth of them who keep the doors Then Dervis aâ—ked VVat form of prayer do ye Christians use Georgieviz turned the Lords prayer into the Turkish language and gave it unto him Dervis commended it and took his leave Bar. Georgieviz in disputat cum Turca printed at Wittemb Anno 1560. XLVIII Howbeit there was no publick Reformation in Italy yet Sparks of the Gospel in Italy they were not only sensible of their bondage and darknes but the light of the Gospell did shine upon them and they partly for fear and partly through wilfulness did shut their eies against it I will shew some instances About the year 1530 Peter Martyr who was born at Vermile in Florence Governor of a Colledge at Napels by his study of the sacred Scriptures and knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek languages and through the illumination of the Holy Ghost did observe the errours and abuses in the Church thereupon hearing what business was in Germany he sought and gote Bucers Commentaries upon the Evangels and his Annotations on the Psalms and some books of Zuingsius by those as he afterwards confessed he profited much He dayly conferred with some others whom he knew to be desirous of Reformation to their mutuall edification towit Benedict Cusanus Anto. Flaminus and John Valdesius a noble Spaniard made a Knight by Charles V. who spent his life in Italy by his life and teaching gaining many unto Christ especially of the learned men and Nobility as the Noble Galleacius Caracciolus Marques of Vico and the Lady Isobella Manricha who was afterward banished for Christs cause c. So a Church being thus by Gods providence gathered at Naples Peter Martyr began to expound unto them the first Epistle to the Corinthians Not only the Fellows of the Colledge resorted unto him but some Bishops and Noble men When he came to the words in Ch. 3. Every mans works shall be made manifest ..... he interpreted them contrary to the received opinion This stirred up many enemies against him for it was thought commonly that these words imply a Purgatory but he shew'd out of the Fathers that these words can not be so understood But many knowing that if Purgatory were overthrown their gain by Masses indulgences c. would eftsoon cease Therefore they accused Martyr and prevailed so far that his Lecture was forbidden but he refused to obey the Sentence as unjust and trusting to the goodness of the cause he appealed to the Pope at Rome he overcame his adversaries by the assistance of some potent friends as Cardinals Gonzaga
from her and Apollinaris who said Christ is God and flesh only and never assumed a reasonable soul and Pelagius who said Christ is not the redeemer of infants because they are conceived without iniquity and born of their mother without sin and have no sin to be forgiven them and so Christ is not the Saviour of all the Elect and also other Hereticks who deny the Lord who bought them with the price of his blood because they preach him not as truth sheweth him but as they have feigned and therefore are become strangers from the Redeemer they do expect nothing certainly but the pit of perdition He writ three Books on the Song of Songs whereof the first is only in refutation of another book writen by Julian his Epistle to Celanen in Campania a Pelagian for a tast behold what he saith in the 1. page Julian teacheth that we by arbitrement of free-will may do good things what we will albeit by the help of God's grace we may perfect them the more easily as Travellers may walk on foot but with less turmoil without doubt if they ride on a horse He hath no mind of the Apostle's admonition saying Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do And which is more weighty he is an adversary to him who saith not Without me ye can do some little thing but saith he Without me ye can do nothing And he teacheth that those only can behold the hid mysteries of the Law whom instruction and piety hath made wise forgetting the grace of God which revealeth the hid things of Scripture even to the unlearned and Idiots as the Evangelist saith Then he opened unto them their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And the Evangelist witnesseth that they were unlearned when he saith They seeing the constancy of Peter and John and knowing that they were without letters and idiots did admire And he saith that holy and generous love ingraft in us from the very beginning of light by the gift of nature and unto our last old age leaning to the power of the mind may continue without any loss of its vigour Certainly he beleeveth not the Lord's word Without me ye can do nothing Nor what the Apostle saith In many things we all offend In these words Beda confuteth both the Pelagians and Semipelagians Of justification he saith on Luke 1 The wisedom of the just is not to presume of righteousness by the works of the law but to seek salvation by faith that although they being under the works of the law yet they should understand that they are saved by the grace of God through Christ for the just shall live by faith and Peter saith of the yoke of the law that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear it but we beleeve to be saby the grace of Christ even as they And on 1 Pet. 4. God is honoured by our works when all that we do well or according to his will we give it not all unto our merits but to his grace and on the other side what evil we do we depute it only unto our ignorance and wickedness Of the Church he saith on Cant. lib. 5. cap. 6. The Church is called Catholick because it is built through all the parts of the World in one peace and one fear of God and is filled with one and the same consort of the Spirit from which unity of the Spirit she is called a Dove and she is called perfect not because she only is filled with the people of the righteous but also is perfected by receiving all divine graces and vertues Here is no mention of restraining or subjecting the Church unto the Bishop of Rome And de Tabernac lib. 2. cap. 2. It was said unto Peter metaphorically Upon this Rock that is on our Saviour whom he had confessed will I build my Church And on Revel 21 when it is said Foundations in the plural number the teachers or graces are meaned when Foundation in the singular number he is meaned who is foundation of foundations Here is no Prerogative of Peter above the other Apostles Of Prayer on Prov. chap. 2. he saith We should invocate or pray unto none but God Of Christ's redemption on 1 John chap. 2. at these words And not for ours only he saith The Lord is a propitiation not for them only unto whom living then in the flesh John did write but also for all the Church which is dispersed in the breadth of the World even from the first elect unto the last who shall be born untill the end of the World This he writeth expressely against the Donatists but when he speaketh of the Church throughout the World he condemneth the restriction thereof unto Rome or any other particular place and when he limiteth the propitation unto the Elect he condemneth the opinion of the universality of Christ's death for the Reprobates And in the same place he saith Behold how John observeth that humility which he teacheth Certainly he was a just and great man who had drunk the secrets of mysteries from the Lord's breast and nevertheless he saith not Ye have me your Advocate with the Father but We have an Advocate and he said We have and not Ye have he would rather put himself in the number of sinners that he might have Christ to be his Advocate than put himself an Advocate for Christ and be found among the proud which shall be damned For all doth the Head make request of whom it is written Who is at the right hand of the Father and intercedeth for us The Lord intercedeth for us not by words but by miseration and he addeth The Just because the just Advocate will not plead unjust causes How shall not the just one defend us in judgement if now we acknowledge and accuse our selves unjust Why shall he not be just who now by tears is earnest saevit against his own unrighteousness Here he speaketh expressly of intercession and he acknowledgeth no intercessour in Heaven but the Head for all who mourn for their sins Of perseverance he saith on Col. 4. at the end where the Apostle saith I give thanks unto God being confident that he who hath begun the good work in you he will perfect it untill What else doth he promise but perseverance till the end through the mercy of God And when the Apostle Jude saith Unto him who is able to keep you without offence doth he very clearly shew that perseverance in good until the end is the gift of God In the first place Beda sheweth the certainty of perseverance as a thing promised and in the other he teacheth that it is not the work of man by himself alone even though the man be renewed but it is the gift of God And on Rom. 8. he saith We should stand the Calling whereby they are elected not who are elected because they shall beleeve but who are
still termed the Roman Empire and that Charls the Great was made Roman Emperour but because the Empire of Charls was after the 800. years I have deferred his Coronation unto this place The Romanists do boast that the Pope did give the Empire of the West unto King Charls and many not examining the truth but following the sway of Papal flatterers have written no less and therefore have called the transferring of the Empire an usurpation of Antichrist But the Pope had not as yet come to that height to pretend it and the right of Charls came another way for before he came to Rome An. 800. he had all France under his government together with Franconia and Austrasia he had taken a great part of Spain unto the River Iber from the Sarazens he had subdued Saxony Westphalia Datia Hungary Istria Dalmatia he had subdued all Italy except Magna Graecia and therefore he was intituled Charls by the Grace of God King of the Frenches Emperour of the Lombards and Patricius of the Romans So doth he name himself in his Epistle unto Alcwin which is in Biblioth de la Bigne tom 3. and Alcwin in his Epistle de Ratione septuages calleth him The Glorious Emperour Galliarum of France and Rector Defens or Ecclesiae Both these Epistles are in the second part of Alcwine's works I pass over what he did at his coming into the City because I have spoken of it in the former Century Platina in Leo the III. and Blond decad 3. lib. 10. say His Coronation was by the decree and prayers of the Roman people Sigebert in Chron. sheweth the time and cause saying The Romans who in heart were long before fallen from the Emperour of Constantinople taking the opportunity that a woman who had picked out the eys of her own son the Emperour had gotten the Dominion with one and general consent to proclaim King Charls for their Emperour and Crown him by the hand of the Pope Aene. Sylvius who was Pope Pius II. in his book De authoritate Rom. Imper. cap. 9. saith At last the Greek Princes neglecting Rome and leaving it to the spoil of the Barbarians and others the people of Rome who with their blood had purchased so great an Empire and with their valour had founded the Monarchy of the World saluted Charls King of the Germans for their Emperour not without the consent of the Bishop of Rome And Sigonius de regno Ital. lib. 4. saith that Charls had sought this Title in the daies of Adrian and then he brought an infinite multitude of people to see this spectacle Whereupon the same Authour accuseth the Writers which say that Charls knew not of this purpose Possibly the Senate and the Pope had agreed to accomplish their design on that day whereof Charls was either ignorant or unwilling but the purpose was his own desire So on Decemb. 25. An. 800. they crowned him by the hands of Pope Leo as the Emperour was wont to be crowned by the Bishop of Constantinope and the people cried thrice Carolo Augusto à Deo Coronato Magno Pacifico Imperatori Vita Victoria And the Pope anointed him and his son Pipin whom by a solemn decree he declared King of Italy Io. Naucler vol. 2. gener 27. The Pope knowing the dangers which had often befallen his Predecessours and himself did crave of the Emperour that he would be Protector of the Church of Rome and he gave publick faith If it be demanded then Who hath transferred the Empire from Greece to France Antonin Florent in Summ. Theol. par 3. tit 22. cap. 4. answereth for the general The authority of transferring the Imperial Seat is from the people of Rome As for this particular we see it clearly the King of France attained the Empire at that time partly by inheritance partly by the sword partly by dedition and the Title was given by the people and Bishop of Rome see Cent. 8. chap. 2. sect 12. neer the end and nothing was proper unto the Bishop but the Coronation and other Ceremonies which he did in name of the people after the custom at Constantinople As for Lands no History of credit saith that the Pope gave any unto the Emperour at any time as we may hear more hereafter in Cent. 12. chap. 1. § 3. and without doubt the Pope had a great stroke in this change and did act effectually amongst the Citizens for their own advancement but this change was not pretended to be by the power of the keys nor as yet was any of them the disposer of Empire or Kingdom At the same time also it was agreed that all the Head-men of the City as well Ecclesiastical as Secular should give their Oath of Fidelity unto the Emperour 2. That his Missus should dwel in the Palace of Saint Peter to decide Pleas amongst them unto whose entertainment was allotted a part of the former Emperour's Patrimony 3. If any man's cause was perverted by the ordinary Judges and that man did implore the aid of the Missus or Emperour's Commissioner for justice and the Missus did adjure the Princes of Rome saying By the faith ye ow unto my Lord the Emperour do this man Justice then none should dare to decline unto the right hand or left although the wrong were done by any of the Pope's kinsmen 4. That the mulcts which were exacted of any guilty person should be equally divided betwixt the Emperour's Missus and the Pope's Missus 5. If any goods fell under escheit they should appertain unto the Church without an express gift of the Emperour Continuato Eutrop. Catalo test ver lib. 8. And all this right was not sufficient unto King Charls nor did he injoy it without contradiction for Crantz in Saxon. lib. 2. cap. 8. saith The envy of this assumed name the Emperour of Constantinople not dissembling it did Charls overcome with much money and he did prevail against their contumacy by his magnanimity wherein he did excel the Greeks not a little and he sent many Embassadours unto them saith Baron ad An. 800. § 7. especially he sent unto Irene not only to treat for peace but sought her marriage that so he might confirm his Title She did admire the man's fortune and was willing saith Zonar But before his Embassadours came the second time into Constantinople the people when Irene was lying sick did Crown Nicephorus on the first day of Novemb. An. 802. and he compelled her to renounce the government and shut her into a Monastery Then saith Bergomas ad An. 796. he renewed the League that Irene had made before with him Sigonius saith They agreed on a League with expresse condition that Venice should be free betwixt the two Empires In the mean time Nicephorus was molested by the Sarazens and was forced to agree with them upon hard conditions and also was troubled by the Bulgarians over whom he had once great Victory but when he refused all conditions of peace they gathered
a Cardinal Deacon who when they came to Tibris did not find him for he was gone with Bow and Arrows into the fields neither could any man tell whither he was gone and when they could not find him they returned with these Letters unto the Synod when it was convened the third time By this citation they declare that Peter's Chair doth not preserve a Bishop from becoming a Judas nor from answering before a Synod for his fault Then said the Emperour We have expected his coming that before him we might complain of what he hath done unto us but since we know certainly that he will not come we earnestly desire that ye may know how perfidiously he hath dealt with us therefore we declare unto you Arch-Bishops Priests Deacons and all the Clergy as also unto the Counts Judges and all the people that the same Pope John being oppressed by Berengarius and Adelbert our Rebels he sent Messengers unto us in Saxony intreating that for the love of God we would come into Italy and deliver the Church of Saint Peter and himself out of their jaws And what we have done God aiding us I need not declare when he was delivered out of their hands by my means and restored unto his honour and was ingaged unto us by his oath and fidelity which he did promise upon the body of Saint Peter he caused the same Adelbert to come unto Rome defended him against me did raise seditions and in the presence of our Souldiers he was Captain of the War being arayed with Helmet Breast-plate c. Now let the Synod declare what they do discern in these things All did answer with one voice A strange wound must be cauterized if by his corrupt members he had done ill to himself only and not to all others he might in some way have been tolerated how many chast persons are become filthy by following him How many good persons are through his example become Reprobates Therefore we wish that by the power of your Imperial Majesty such a Monster which is not redeemed by any vertue from his vices may be removed from the holy Roman Church and another set in his place which may go before us in example of godly conversation .... Catal. test ver out of Luithpr lib. 6. cap. 11. Then as Io. Naucler vol. 2. generat 33. writes said Otho Ye Romans unto whom the election of your High-Priest belongeth set God before your eys chuse a worthy man and when he is chosen I will confirm him So with common consent or without any difference and deposed John was deposed and Leo was chosen An. 963. In another Session of the same Synod this is the sum of the oration of Leo It is not unknown that all these evils are entred into the Church through the ambition of Bishops The Emperors power is revived who respecting their own authority more than the peace of the Church have taken that priviledge from the Emperours which Pope Adrian acknowledged to appertain unto Charls the Great in governing the Church and the election of the Bishop of Rome wherefore the reformation of the Church requires that the Constitution of Pope Adrian be renewed Sigon After some disputation the same was renewed and the Decree is in Gratian. dist 63. cap. In Synodo these are the words From henceforth let no man of whatsoever dignity or religion have power to elect a Patricius or Bishop of the highest Apostolick Seat or to invest any Bishop without the consent of the Emperour which notwithstanding must be done without money and he himself must be a Patricius and King But if any be chosen by the Clergy and People let him not be consecrated unless he be approved and invested by the King If any man shall enterprize against this Apostolick authority we discern him subject to excommunication c. At this time Pope John made promise to distribute the treasure of Saint Peter unto them who would kill the Emperour The inconstant Romans were moved with this promise nor did they love the government of a German so they arose against the Emperour He was forewarned and put them to flight Thereafter the Romans dealt for peace they acknowledged the Emperour's clemency and do vow to abide loyal in time coming and for assurance the Emperour would have a 100 persons in pledge So Otho returns into Germany and within a short space Leo was expelled and Pope John was received at Rome Wherefore the Emperour went back and laied siege to Rome did through famine cause them to render When he was entred the City he restored Leo and for taking away the schism he calleth a meeting of the Clergy Benedict the V. who was chosen after John came in his Pontificals into the Synod and Benedict a Cardinal Arch-Deacon said unto him By what right couldst thou put upon thee the Papal Ornaments and Vesture so long as Pope Leo was alive Whom thou didst chuse canst thou deny that thou didst swear before the Emperour that thou without his authority or the authority of his son wouldest never chuse or vote to any Pope He answereth if I have done amiss I pray forgive me Then said Otho It is equitable O Fathers to forgive him seeing he confesseth his fault Benedict did cast himself down at the Emperour's feet and craved pardon Leo deprived him of the degree of Priesthood and the Emperour sent him into Germany with Adaldag Bishop of Hamburg where he died Sigon lib. 7. Now the Emperour made another face on Italy he created many Dukes who afterwards were the causes of many troubles and by their favour the Popes waxed stronger Now also Otho had conquered Pulia and Calabria and was called the Great he ordained his son to be his Successour and caused him to be Crowned Emperour conjunct with himself after the ancient custom of Emperours and then did return into Germany where he died An. 9â—4 Pet. Mexia Hist Romanus Emperour of Constantinople had two sons but Nicephorus a valiant Captain was chosen Emperour and not long after he was deprived and slain and then John Zimisces another Captain was made Emperour He expelled 300000 Roxellans out of Bulgaria and annexed that Province unto the Crown and for his victory he made triumph After six years through the treachery of his Subjects he was poisoned and left the sons of Romanus Basilius and Constantine of equal authority Zonar 5. OTHO the II had Wars with the Duke of Sclavonia then with Lotharius The Empire is weakned again King of â—rance for the Dukedom of Lorain and Austrich and had good success He married Theophania the sister of Basilius Emperour of Constantinople and with her the Emperour did renounce the Title of Sicily Pulia and Calabria Theod. Ã Nyen in Nemor tract 6. cap. 34. Nevertheless he seeing Otho pestered with so many troubles came into Italy to recover Pulia and Calabria which also he did In the second fight Otho suffered great loss and Basilius might have taken Rome
XIII the son of Albericus succeeded How old this father of fathers could be may be gathered by supputation of years when Hugh was expelled Albericus was but a boy and till this time were not passed 20 years neither was this Octavius or Pope John his fathers eldest son as Baronius hath marked and therefore he saith He who could not be a Deacon for age like a Stage-player acteth the Pope and nevertheless saith he consent made him Pope for it is a lesser evil to have a monstrous head then to be infamous with two heads And a little after he preferred this Pope above others which were chosen Canonically by the Clergy Let Platina tell what he was One saith he defiled from his infancy with all shame and filthiness given to hunting if he could spare any time from his luxury more then to prayer By the advice of the Senate he sent for Otho against Berengarius and when he was releeved he practised against his redeemer therefore as is before he was deposed and restored again by the Romans And immediately even in these same daies saith Platin. the most wicked man was judged to be strucken of God lest the Church had been wasted with a schism Some write saith he that this Monster was taken in the act of adultry and killed But he was intruded at that time by his father powerfully and delighting himself with another man's wife died suddenly without repentance Sigebert saith Sine viatico Fascic temp saith Behold O everliving God how unlike are they unto former Bishops O the depth of God's judgments who can search them out Let Bellarmin excuse him among the rest and pass him over in silence Platina saith he was worse then any Pope before him but he saith not and worse then any after him for worse Popes are coming Onuphrius on that place of Platina saith He first changed his name because he thought not his Christian name honourable enough but we have heard that others have done the like He sate 10 years 23. BENEDICT the V was chosen by the Romans although Leo the VIII who was advanced by the great Synod was yet alive wherefore Otho returned to Rome in wrath and restored Leo as is before 24. LEO the VIII sitting now peaceably did renounce in favour of the Emperour and his Successours all the Donations of Justinian of Charls the The Pope's resignation of former Donations Great of his son Lewis The words of the Bull in Crantz Saxon. lib. 4. cap. 10. are Leo Bishop the servant of God's servants unto Otto our spiritual son in Christ the Emperour Augustus and unto all his Successours Emperours and Kings of Italy Whatsoever the Lord Charls King of France and Lombardy and Patricius Romanus as also his father Pipin have given of the Royalty of this Kingdom of Italy unto blessed Peter the Apostle in the Church of Rome whether they were given by instruments by the Notary Etherius or whether they came by Oaths or Donations or any other way from Justinian Emperour or King Arithpert all these things we give and adjudge unto you Otto Emperour and to Alheida your wife and consort of the Empire and unto your consorts and successours of this Kingdom of Italy for ever being present the holy Evangelists and many Patronages of the Saints ....... that ye may have and possess all these things for ever for the uses of your Court the Military affairs and to fight against Pagans and Rebels of the Roman Empire and therefore by authority of this instrument we confirm and strengthen unto your posterity from generation to generation for ever and if any shall destroy this our authority and be found to violate it or do contrary unto it let him know that he shall fall under the wrath of blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles and our wrath and of all our Predecessours And moreover if he repent not of the evil let him be liable unto the Julian Law of Laese Majestatis c. After the solemn form fiat fiat this Bull was subscribed by all the Arch-Bishops Bishops Cardinals Priests and Deacons chief Officers of the Roman Church by the Consuls also Exconsuls Senatours and civil Lords and by all which by subscribing could give any confirmation The names fill up a page This Bull was kept at Florence for the use of the Emperour as Henry token a Canon of Magdeburg witnesseth in Catal. test ver lib. 11. Onuphrius proveth that this Leo was a lawfull Pope And whatsoever can be said against the Bull or Instrument Crantz li. cit cap. 11. saith It is more authentical and legal then that Decree of Constantine's Donation in longa Palea This Leo sate 2 years 25. JOHN the XIV was not chosen till Otho sent his Messengers unto the election as also this Pope did in other things reverence the Emperour and for this cause Peter Captain of the City two Consuls and the Elder men whom they call Decarchones and others rose against him they laid hands on him in the Lateran Church and kept him in Prison 11 moneths The Emperour made hast to Rome and put all the above-named persons in Prison till the cause was examined and then the Consuls were exiled into Germany the Elder men were hanged and Peter was given unto the pleasure of the Pope who caused him to be stript naked to shave his beard and hang him by the hair a whole day and set him upon an Ass with his hands under her tail then so to be led through the City in the mean time being scourged with rods and lastly banished out of the City After this manner did this Ghostly Father obey the Gospel Love your enemies saith Platina This Pope did first baptize Bells he called the great Bell in Lateran John He sate 7 years 26. BENEDICT the VI succeeded in place and miseries he was taken by Cintius Captain of the City and cast into the Prison of malefactors where he was strangled or as others say famished in the 18. moneth But I fear saith Platina that the reward of Benedict was according to his merits since none hath written that his death was revenged and Otho is accounted a very good man and a most ready defender of the Roman Church 27. DONUS the II sate one year without doing any thing worthy of record 28. BONIFACE the VII came to the Papacy by unlawfull means Platin When he saw that the Citizens conspired against him he hid himself and seeing no appearance of tranquility he stole all the Ornaments of Saint Peter's Church and fled into Constantinople Then 29. BENEDICT the VII was set up by the Romans Otho was offended that they had transgressed the Acts made in his fathers time he hastned to Rome and exerced severity against the rebellious Romans they in suffering deserved death did take unto themselves the name of Martyrs But Fasc temp maketh a distinction they were killed as some in the primitive Church were killed alike punishment but not alike cause Benedict
assured that this is the mind of Theophylact because for confirmation he adds The Lord said The bread that I will give you is my flesh and on these words in Ioh. 6. he saith Note well that the bread which is eaten by us in the Sacrament is not only some figuration of the Lord's flesh but the same flesh of the Lord for he said not The bread that I will give is a figure of my flesh but it is my flesh for by mysterious words it is transformed by mystical blessing and accession of the Holy Ghost into the Lord's flesh And at the words Vnless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man he addeth When we hear unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man ye shall not have life we must in taking the Divine mysteries or Sacrament hold undoubted faith and not ask what way for the natural man that is who follows human and natural thoughts is not capable of spiritual things which are above nature and so he understandeth not the spiritual eating of the Lord's flesh of which they who are not partakers are not partakers of eternal life because they have not received Iesus who is eternal life for it is not the flesh of a meer man but of God and is able to Deifie us to wit being united unto the God-head That flesh is also verily food because it indureth not for a little time nor can be corrupted as corruptible food but it is a help unto eternal life In these his words we see that he speaks not absolutely as he did seem to speak on Matthew but as he spoke on Mark The bread is not only some figuration and then he saith It is transformed by mystical blessing and accession of the Holy Ghost And then he saith In taking the Divine mysteries we must hold undoubted faith then they who have not faith undoubted cannot eat that mysterious Sacrament And we must not ask what way to wit as they do now whether the substance of the bread be turned into the substance of Christ's body or whether the substance of the bread is turned to nothing and Christ's body comes into the form of the bread or c. Theophylact is far from asserting any of these waies And when he saith That flesh is verily food because it indureth not for a little time nor can be corrupted he speaks not of the visible bread which experience teacheth to be corruptible but he speaks of the Lord's flesh which we receive by faith In a word then Theophylact speaks nothing of transubstantiation but rather against it and the Papists delude themselves and abuse his words A fourth thing they object out of Theophylact that he asserts the Primacy of Peter when he saith on Joh. 21 He who durst not ask concerning the Traitour but did commit the question unto another now the government of all is concredited unto him And on the margine Porsena addeth Praefectura omnium Petro tributa and it follows as if Christ were saying unto Peter Now I bring thee forth that thou mayest govern the world and follow me and on the margine Praeest Petrus orbi But to expound these words as if Peter were the only governour of the World and the government of the World were wholly concredited unto Peter alone is far contrary unto the words and mind of Theophylact as we have heard from him on Gal. 2. where he asserteth that Paul was equal unto him and on Matth. 16 where he asserteth that all the Apostles were of equal authority Peter therefore was a governour of the world but not the only governour for all the Apostles were as much governours as he in respect of power since the power was given unto them all with one and the same words as Theophylact asserts and whatsoever power they had yet they had no civil power because as we have heard from Theophylact on Rom. 13. all souls even Apostles must be subject unto the Civil Magistrate Neither do the words of Porsena insinuate so much as they would have for Praefectura and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a subordinate power and a little jurisdiction yea and for the most part a conjunct power as Praefectus urbis which at Rome were two conjunct and subordinate unto the power of the former So this is all the power which they can bring unto Peter from the words of Theophylact and we may see how in many particulars he differeth from the Tenets of the Romish Church and favoureth them not in the main things wherein they pretend to have his consent 4. Radulph a Benedictine of Flaviak in this Century writ 20 books on Leviticus and 14 books on the Epistles of Paul as witnesseth Gesner In the Preface on Levit. he saith Although it should move us not a little to beleeve that the world was contrary unto the faith and now is subject unto the faith and that the faith was declared by so many miracles and testified by the blood of so many Martyrs yet the singular ground of faith is in the Scriptures when it is clearly seen to be fulfilled in our daies which we know was prefigured and foretold so many years by the Sacraments of the Fathers and Oracles of the Prophets Here by the way note that not only Radulph but many others of the more ancient Fathers do use the word Sacrament for the rites of religion yea and for mysteries and very largely or homonymously Lib. 1. cap. 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ is our Altar because we lay our oblation on him for if we do any good thing we hope that by him it shall be accepted of the Father and therefore the Apostle Peter saith Offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ ..... The authority of the Holy Scripture doth furnish unto us matter of holy thoughts Ibid. Scarcely can any good work be perfected without admission of some sin it is therefore to be feared lest when the reward of perfect devotion is expected the punishment of our guiltiness be required of us Lib. 2. cap. 2. That Angel is none other but our greatest High-Priest of whom we speak to wit he was sent by the Father unto men and sent again from men unto the Father to plead the causes of men before the Father he being the Mediatour of God and men Ibid. cap. 4 Whatsoever man can do for himself were no way sufficient to obtain forgiveness unless the immaculate sacrifice of that Just one did commend the repentance of sinners Lib. 5. cap. 3 When ye do any good thing ascribe not the very affection of godliness unto you as if ye could do it of your self for it is God which worketh in us at his good pleasure both to will and to perfect ..... he who ascribeth grace unto himself must necessarily lose grace for which he was not thankfull Lib. 6. cap. 3. He dieth who discovereth his head because while he expects salvation another way then by the grace of Christ he doth
sin may be known here are the other in rime Pars quoque Papalis sic objicit Imperiali Sic dans regnare quòd Petro subjiciare Ius etenim nobis Christus utrumque dedit Spiritus corpus mihi sunt subjecta potenter Corpore terrena teneo coelestia mente Vnde tenendo solum solvo ligoque polum Aethera pandere coelica tangere Papa videtur Nam dare tollere nectere solvere cuncta meretur Cui dedit omne decus lex nova lexque vetus Annulus baculus quamvis terrena putentur Sunt de jure poliquae significare videntur Respice jura Dei mens tua cedat ei The Emperor was fain to yield and triumph was made at Rome when the peace was concluded fifty years after the discord began betwixt Henry IV. and Gregory VII Then Callistus assembled a Synod at Lataran for the support of Jerusalem and there was a Decree that none may dissent from the doctrine of the Church of Rome because as the Son came to do the Father's will so all Christians must do the will of their Mother the Roman Church Then Callistus besiedged Sutrio where Gregory abode and brought him unto Rome sitting on a Camel with his face backwards such was the discipline in those days Callistus sate five years and ten moneths 4. CELESTIN II. was chosen by the Cardinals but Leo Frangepanis by force set up Honorius II. who hearing that Celestin had renounced his election did also renounce and then was accepted by the Romans and he sate in peace two years for now the people stood in a we of the Pope's curses 5. INNOCENTIUS II. was chosen next but the above-named Leo with some Cardinals set up his own Son ANACLETUS II. for fear of him and his friends Innocentius fled into France and in a Council at Claremont he condemned Pope Anaclet and all his followers Bernard in epist 124. calleth Anaclet the Antichrist and in epist 126. he calleth him the chief of Schismaticks and there he witnesseth that others spoke so of Innocentius From France Innocentius goeth unto Lotharius the Emperor and promiseth to Crown him if he will aid him against his Competitor At this time Pope Anaclet giveth unto Roger Duke of Sicilie the Title of King for siding with him Lotharius and Innocentius come together into Rome as is above Anaclet lurketh until Lotharius returned and then he forceth his Anti-Pope to flee into Pisa Then Bernard wrote his 130. Epistle saying Pisa is assumed unto the place of Rome and is chosen from among all the Towns of the world to be the Supremacy of the Apostolique See Why then do they now charge us that we will not tie the Supremacy of the Church unto Rome seeing he also addeth nor happeneth this by chance or counsel of men but by heavenly providence and bountiful favour of God which loveth them that love him and hath said unto his Christ Dwell in Pisa and I will abundantly bless her I will dwell there because I have chosen her c. There a Council was called and the Pope of Pisa accurseth the Pope of Rome and sent again for the Emperor who came with a greater Army then before The first place he set upon was the Abbey of Cassino and commandeth Abbot Raynold to forsake Pope Anaclet and he would reconcile him unto Innocentius and maintain the priviledges of the Abbey as his Ancestors had done On the other side Innocentius commandeth the Abbot and all his Monks to come bare-foot before him Raynold chooseth the Emperor as his Patron therefore Innocentius became jealous of the Emperor who went The Pope yet once arraigned on to judge Raynold's cause and commandeth them both to compear by their Proctors before him and his Bishops assembled Gerard a Cardinal appeareth for the Pope and Peter a Deacon for Raynold Gerard objecteth One who is excommunicated by the head of the Church should not sit at the feet of the Churches Son Caesar answereth That excommunication is the question therefore he may sit till he be heard Gerard saith The universal Church hath ordained us and our predecessors Rulers of the world He alledgeth no power from Christ's Institution The Emperor replieth We received from the Apostolique See not the Empire but the token thereof Gerard saith But Monks should swear obedience unto us Peter replieth By the Imperial Laws we are not tied to such an oath Behold here the Pope at the Emperor 's Bence howbeit thereafter he gave Raynold unto the Pope's pleasure Among the Epistles of Bernard the 114. was written by this Innocentius against Peter Abaillard where he saith By the testimony of the Apostle as there is but one Lord so we know but one faith on which as an unmoveable foundation beside which none can lay another the certainty of the Catholique Church standeth unviolated hence blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles for his excellent confessing this faith did hear from our Lord and Savior Thou art said he Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church signifying by this rock the certainty of faith and the solidity of Catholique unity Martian a most Christian Emperor writing unto our most holy Predecessor Pope John against them who presume to profane holy mysteries saith Let no Clerk or Soldier or any of whatsoever condition attempt in publique to treat of the Christian faith for he wrongeth the judgement of the most reverend Synod who attempteth to canvase or dispute again the points that are once judged and rightly determined and the contemners of this Law shall be certainly punished as the sacrilegious Observe how a Bishop in those days expounded the word rock otherwise then the Jesuites do now but as the Reformed Church doth Secondly He acknowledgeth the Civil Magistrates power in Ecclesiasticis without mention of the Pope but expresly with relation unto a Synod This Pope did first ordain that the Pope should sit at Mass when others do kneel as if a religious gesture were too base for the Pope when he holdeth his Savior in his hand according to their doctrin He hoped to enjoy peace when after eight years Anacletus died but the Romans did reject him altogether alledging that Church-men should live by tithes and offerings and other Revenues do appertain to the Commonwealth In the mean time the Emperor was incumbred so in Germany the Romans set up their old policy and create new Governors to rule the City Innocentius will oppose but first in a Synod ordaineth that whosoever shall smite a Clergy-man shall be summarily excommunicated Gratia c. 17. q. 4. Siquis Then he excludeth the people à comitiis Pontificalibus from all the Pope's Councils Plati Onuphr but neither his menaces nor gifts could prevail When he saw the opposite forces wax strong he died in sorrow ann 1143. when betwixt prosperity and adversity he had sate thirteen years and seven moneths 6. CELESTIN III. was chosen first by the Cardinals onely they had the advantage that the people were in
consider most what thou art most to wit a man even as thou wast born And thou must consider not onely quid sed qualis natus what but what an one thou wast born take away therefore therefore in thy predication the cover of these leaves which hide the shame and heal not the wound blot away the false colour of fading honor and the glance of counterfeit glory that thou mayest nakedly consider thy self naked because thou camest naked out of thy mothers womb Wast thou born with a mitre or glancing with Jewels or shining with silks or crowned with feathers or burthened with metals if thou blow with thy meditation these things as a morning cloud thou wilt see thy self a naked man poor wretched miserable lamenting that thou art a man ashamed that thou art naked weeping that thou art born of a woman and therefore with guiltiness and therefore with fear and filled with miseries both of soul and body for what calamity wanteth he who is born in sin a frail body and barren soul A modest man will moderate his cares abstain from superfluities and not fail in things necessary a just man will not presume on things higher then himself but will say with that just man If I be just I will not lift up my head therefore in thy meditation walk warily that thou neither ascribe unto thee more then enough nor deny more then is just and thou ascribest unto thy self more then truth not onely by arrogating any good thou hast not but by ascribing what thou hast c. In lib. 3. he saith Thy fathers were ordained to overcome not some nations but the whole world for it was said unto them Go into all the world and they sold their coats and bought swords to wit zealous eloquence and a vehement spirit weapons powerful through God Whither went those famous Conquerors occumbebant non succumbebant these mighty warriors did die but never gave over they triumphed when they were dead Thou hast succeeded into their inheritance so thou art the heir and the world is thine inheritance but it is to be seriously considered how this inheritance concerneth thee and how it did concern them for I believe not every way yet in some way I think a dispensation is committed unto thee and possession is not given thee if thou wilt usurp this too he contradicteth thee who saith The earth is â—â—ine and the fulness thereof Thou art not he of whom the Prophet said All the earth shall be his possession This is Christ to whom the possession belongeth by right of creation merit of redemption and by gift of the Father What sayest thou wilt thou deny me power and forbid me to rule yea plainly as if he had not power who hath care Praesis ut prosis So govern that thou do good so govern as a faithful and wise servant whom the Lord hath set over his house Unto what to give them food in season that is to steward and not to command do this and thou being a man affect not to rule over men lest unrighteousness rule over thee I am afraid for no poison unto thee and no sword more then this desire of ruling certainly albeit thou think much of thy self yet if thou be not much deceived think that thou hast not received more then the great Apostles remember therefore that word I am debtor to the wise and to the unwise and if thou think that belongeth to thee remember also that the grievous name of a debtor agreeth to a servant rather then to a ruler therefore if thou acknowledge thy self a debtor to the wise and unwise thou must earnestly consider how both they who are not wise may be wise they who are wise become not unwise and how they who are become unwise may grow wise again But no kinde of foolishness is worse then infidelity therefore thou art a debtor to Infidels Jews Greeks and Gentiles therefore it should be thy work that Infidels may be brought unto the faith the converted be not turned away and who are turned away may return who are perverted may be made straight according to rectitude and the subverted may be recalled unto the truth the subverters may be convinced with unvincible reasons to the end that themselves may be amended if possible or if not they may not have power and authority to subvert others Albeit the Apostle excuse thee concerning the Jews seeing they have a term which cannot be prevented the fulness of the Gentiles must come in But what sayest thou of the Gentiles themselves yea what answerest thy consideration unto this question thinkest thou that the Fathers have set bounds unto the Gospel and suspended the word of faith while infidelity continueth by what reason think we hath the word which did run so swiftly come to a standing who did first hinder the running of salvation possibly some cause which we know not or necessity might hinder them but what reason have we to dissemble by what confidence or what conscience do we not so much as tender Christ unto them which have him not do we withhold the truth of God in unrighteousness But certainly the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in sometime do we expect that faith shall fall upon them who hath ever believed by chance how shall they believe without a Preacher I add concerning the pertinacy of the Greeks who are with us and not with us joyned in the faith and severed in peace albeit in the faith they do halt from the right paths And also of heresie which spreadeth quietly every where almost note among some doth rage openly for it devoureth quickly the babes of the Church every where and openly You ask Where is this Yours which visit the South so oft behold they know and can tell thee they go and return thorow the midst of them or pass by them but as yet we have not heard what good they do among them and possibly we had heard if they had not made more account of Spanish Gold then of mens souls It is thy duty to provide a remedy unto this malady but there is a foolishness which in these days hath almost made foolish even the wisdom of faith note How hath this poison envenomed almost all the Catholique Church for while even in her each one seek our own things it is come to pass that by mutual envying and contention we are taken up with hatred encouraged to injuries ready unto strises use cavillations unto guile carried to slanders break out into curses are oppressed by the mightier and do oppress the weaker How worthily and laudably might the meditation of thy heart be exercised against so pestilentious a kinde of foolishness which thou seest to possess the very body of Christ which is the multitude of believers Alas ambition the cross of the ambitious how doest thou vex all men and please all men nothing doth vex men more bitterly nothing disturbeth them with more turmoil and nevertheless nothing is
all joyn together against a common enemy so it was in the combat of the Friers The Dominicans did lay the grounds of their opinion on Scripture and doctrine of the Fathers and of ancient School-men And the other party when they could not finde the least taste of Scripture for maintaing their cause they have their refuge unto miracles and consent of the multitude Against them F. Iohannes de Vdine à Dominican useth this dilemma S. Paul and the Fathers said he either did believe as ye do that the blessed Virgin was free from the common law of men or they did not believe if they did believe it and spoke not at any time but universally without any mention of this exception why follow not ye their example but if they did believe the contrary then your opinion smelleth of novelty But F. Ierom Lombardel a Franciscan did affirm That the Church now hath no less Authority then the Primitive and therefore if by consent of the ancient Church the Fathers without exception spoke so we should invite an universal consent unto this exception from the common condition which opinion sheweth it self at this time by the celebration of this festivity So far P. Soave 15. Peter Abbot of Cluniac was in great account with Pope Eugenius II. Bernard wrote many Epistles unto him In Epist 277. he calleth him a vessel for honor full of grace and truth and endued with many gifts In an Epistle unto Eugenius he saith Albeit your person be set over Nations and Kingdoms to pull up and destroy to kill and scatter yet seeing you are neither God nor are you Jeremiah unto whom this was said you may be deceived you may be deceived by them who seek not Jesus Christ but themselves and lest this be if there be any faithful Son he should shew unto his Father faithfully what things he knoweth and which may be unknown unto you and he should â—orewarn and forearm you lest they of whom it is said the poison of aspsis under their tongue be able to corrupt your sincerety by their poison Here he professeth unto the Pope himself that he may err and be deceived Adversus Iudae lib. 1. If as you say and as the Apostle teacheth all men are condemned and all die in Adam then as the same Apostle teacheth all are justified in Christ and all are quickened for it is true what he saith As by one man sin came on all to condemnation so by one righteousness came on all to justification of life God by his essential goodness having pity on lost man and willing to save him but unless justly neither willing nor able while he sought in his eternal counsel how he might shew pity on the wretched and save his own justice this especially he thought most convenient whereby justice might be saved and man be delivered and grace be enlarged and God be glorified so God sent his own Son unto the sons of men that putting on mans nature and healing mans vices he should take in the assumed flesh not sin but the punishment of sin even bodily death and so by his single and temporary death he should deliver from a two-fold and that everlasting death by which dispensation mercy sheweth mercy and no prejudice done to justice when for the everlasting punishment of man a temporal punishment of God-man is offered which certainly is of great weight even in the ballance of justice that for rightly ordering the sins of the world the transitory death of the Son of God is more weighty then the everlasting death of the sons of men This is our sacrifice this is the burnt-offering of the Gospel of the new people which was offered once on the Cross by the Son of God and of man even by God Lib. 2. cap. 4. As before the Law and under the Law you see that many are honored with the title of righteousness even without legal customs so know thou that after the Law not onely many but all are justified by the onely grace of Christ Contra Petrobrus lib. 1. ep 2. When he said Do this he addeth in remembrance of me therefore the remembrance of Christ is the cause of the Sacrament and therefore lest it be forgotten which especially should be in our heart remembrance is tied unto the heart by this suitable sign as an unsoluble cord by which strong tie the redeemed should always think on the price of redemption and being thankful unto the Redeemer by faith working by love he should shew himself no way ungrateful for so great grace And the matter is of such worth that the mindes of men should be stirred up not dully but duly to think on it to love and embrace it It was expedient and just that the remembrance of Christ's humanity and death should be preserved not onely in the ears by hearing but also unto the eyes by sight Therefore to the effect that men might not onely learn by words but even familiarly feel by deeds that they die continually while severed from Christ and that they cannot live perpetually unless they be conjoyned and united unto Christ after the similitude of bodily meat and drink they receive Christ's body and drink Christ's blood not given by another not received from another but from Christ himself which will be after this life their food i. e. eternal life and blessedness Ibid. I hear that you say The Church of God consisteth in the unity of believers gathered together and this is clear unto us all unto this Church hath God the Father by the intercession of his Son given the holy Ghost that he may abide with her for ever to comfort her in this life and to glorifie her in that to come unto all the Churches of Christ which by their number make up the body of the one and Catholike Church we do owe honor and love by the bond of charity Lib. 5. cap. 16. Seeing thou art under one shepheard Jesus Christ seeing thou dwellest in the same fold of the Churches seeing thou livest in the one faith and hope of eternal things as well thou white as black Monk why pratest thou foolishly of divers fleeces why contend ye for no cause or for so foolish a cause why for so childish occasion do ye rent the chief garment of charity take heed lest that name of innocence whereby ye are called sheep cause that you be not of the number of these whom the great Shepheard will set on his right hand Catal. test ver lib. 14. 16. Peter de Bruis a Priest of Tolous preached in sundry places against the Popes and the doctrine of Rome calling the Pope the Prince of Sodom and Rome he called Babylon the mother of whoredoms and confusion he preached against the bodily presence of Christ in the Sacrament against the sacrifices of the Mass he condemned the worship of Images prayers to Saints the single life of Priests pilgrimages multitude of holy days c. Phi. Mornae in Myster iniq The
would contentiously defend his error by and by it should by these Legates be deferred unto the audience of the other Sisters and if by Letters Canonically written that Sister could be reduced unto the harmony of wholesome doctrine it was well but if not a general Councel might be assembled 2. The Empire was translated from Rome to the East and then it was ordained by 150. Bishops assembling in this City when blessed Nectarius was ordained Bishop of this See after the condemnation of Maximus Ennius who was infected with the contagion of Apolinaris then it was ordained I say with consent of the most godly Emperor Theodosius the elder that as old Rome had obtained from the holy Fathers in former time the first place in Ecclesiastical causes so then new Rome for the honor of the Empire should have the Ecclesiastical precedency after her and should be called as the second Rome so be called and be the second See and should preside all the Churches of Asia Thracia and Pontus and treat of all Church-affairs and determine them by her own Authority And then such Legates Wardens of the Catholique faith as were sent to Alexandria and Antiochia were sent also into this Royal City and likewise from hence unto them for the same ministery that they all might teach the same and differ in no point of truth 3. When the Empire was divided the Bishops were also divided the decrees of the Roman high Priest that were established in their Councels without the Greeks let these Bishops which belong unto him look unto them As for these Councels which in these days they hold how should we imbrace their decrees which are written against our knowledge For if the Roman Bishop sitting in the high throne of his glory will thunder against us and as it were from above throw his commands and will judge of us and our Churches not with our counsel but at his own pleasure yea and will Lord it over us what brotherhood or what fatherhood can be in this who can patiently endure it for then we might be called the very slaves and not children of his Church And if this were necessary and so grievous a yoke were to be laid on our necks none other thing followeth but that the only Roman Church should have that priviledg which they hunt after and she shall make Laws unto all others and she her self be without Law and so be not a pious mother of children but an imperious Lady of slaves To what purpose then were the knowledge of the Scriptures the studies of learning the doctrine and discipline of teachers and the noble wits of the wise Greeks the onely authority of the Roman high Priest which as thou sayest is above all turneth all to nothing Let him be the onely Bishop the onely Teacher the onely Commander and let him onely as the onely Pastor answer unto God for all things that are concredited unto him onely But if he will not have fellow-laborers in the Lord's vineyard and if he be exalted in keeping his primacy let him glory in his primacy but not contemn his brethren whom the truth of Christ hath begotten in the womb of the Church not unto bondage but unto freedom For as the Apostle saith We must all stand before the throne of Christ that every one may receive as he hath done whether good or ill He saith All though he was an Apostle he excepteth not himself he excepteth no mortal He said All he excepteth not the Roman high Priest Nor is it found in any Creed that we should believe specially the Roman Church but rather we are taught every where to believe that there is one holy Catholique Church These things speak I of the Roman Church with your favor which I do reverence as you do but will not follow absolutely nor do I think that she should be followed in all particulars whose authority thou hast propounded unto us as so excellent that we must forsake our own customs and receive her form and change in Sacraments without examining by reason and without authority of Scriptures but we as blinde men should follow her leading us whither she willeth by her own spirit which how safe or honorable it is for us let both the Latin and Greek Sages judge 4. Thou sayest that the Lord said unto Peter alone and not unto all the Apostles Whose sins ye forgive and what thou shalt binde on earth But it is believed that the Lord said that not unto Peter onely but indifferently unto them all with Peter or to Peter with them all Nor did the holy Ghost come down on Peter onely at the Pentecost but the Lord sent him unto them all in a like gift and in a like measure as he had promised therefore we do so acknowledge the power to be given of the Lord and received by Peter that we think the Authority of the other Apostles should not be minced seeing certainly they all equally without any prejudice of another or usurpation as truly meek and lowly in heart did receive the same holy Ghost and by the same holy Ghost did receive the same power of binding and loosing nor can we think that the priviledge was given unto Peter onely which is common unto them all by the Lord's gift therefore we may not take from others which have the same power and ascribe unto one the Authority which is common to them all Let Peter as the twelfth Apostle be honored so that the other eleven be not excluded from the Apostleship which certainly they did receive by an equal and not different dispensation not from Peter but from the Lord himself even as Peter did 5. I grant there have been many heresies in Constantinople but there also were they extinguished as the heresie of Arrius in the days of Constantine the root of them all was Philosophia which was planted in Constantinople and which the learned have abused So heresies have been condemned in the Churches of Calcedon Constantinople Ephesus Antiochia and Alexandria and it was commanded that none should any more plead for these heresies But now in this City are no heresies As for Rome haply no heresies began there because they were not so witty and subtil nor were they such searchers of the Scriptures as some here and as the vain wisdom wherewith some among us were miscarried into heresies is to be condemned so the rudeness of the Romans is to be commended whereby they said neither this nor that of the faith but with an unlearned simplicity did hear others which seemeth to have come either through too much sloth in searching the faith or through slowness of judgement or that they were taken up with the multitude and weight of secular affairs Catal. test verit lib. 15. The Reader may judge of this reply unto these objections and by these particulars understand what the Greeks did judge of the particulars that are omitted It seemeth the Romans would wipe away that jeering blot in the last
neck unto the sword nor do I think it expedient to advise any more with my Lords the Prelates nor if they will do otherwise do I consent unto them for it is more honest to deny quickly what is demanded unjustly then to drive off time by delays seeing he is the less deceived who is refused betimes When Gilbert had so made an end some English both Prelates and Nobles commend the yong Clerk that he had spoken so boldly for his Nation without flattering and not abashed at the gravity of such Authority but others because he spoke contrary unto their minde said A Scot is naturally violent and In naso Scoti piper But Roger Arch-Bishop of York which principally had moved this business to bring the Church of Scotland unto his See uttered a groan and then with a merry countenance laid his hand on Gilbert's head saying Ex tua phareta non exiit illae sagitta as if he had said When ye stand in a good cause do not forethink what ye shall say for in that hour it shall be given unto you This Gilbert was much respected at home after that And Pope Celestin put an end unto this debate for he sent his Bull unto King William granting that neither in Ecclesiastical nor Civil affairs the Nation should answer unto any forain Judge whatsoever except onely unto the Pope or his Legate specially constituted So far in that Register of Dunkel 5. The above named Henry II. was so admired thourgh the world for his Henry II. prudent and unfortunate prudence and prowess that Manuel Emperor of the Greeks Frederick Emperor of Germany the French King with many other famous Princes sent unto him as a School-Master of justice for determination of obscure doubts Alfonso King of Castile and Saucius King of Navar being at variance for some possessions did of their own accord submit themselves unto his judgement and he found an overture to both their good liking This is to be marked because the worshippers of Becket call him a vitious Prince In the year 1181. the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Master of the Templaries having no King and being distressed by Saladin did profer unto the same Henry the Kingdom of Jerusalem and brought unto him the keys of their Cities He refused because of his weighty affairs at home They were opprest by the Infidels and he had no more prosperity for his Son would have the Government as well as the Title of the Kingdom and the Father did the service of a Steward unto his Son yea and more disdainfully did the Son entreat his Father till he was taken away by death and his Brother Richard was also a grief unto his Father and so was the third Brother John The true cause of all his woes may be thought the oppression of some professors of truth for Pol. Virgil. in Hist Anglor lib. 13. testifieth that about the year 1160. thirty teachers came from Germany into England and taught the right use of Baptism of the Lord's Supper c. and were put to death It is true Virgil calleth them worshippers of Divels but we shall hear anon how all professors of truth were reviled and John of Sarisbuny at the same time wrote saying He who speaketh for the truth of faith or sincerity of maners according to the Law of God is called superstitious envious and which is capital an enemy of the King After four years others which were in contempt called Publicans and Waldenses taught in England that the Roman Church had left the faith of Christ and was become the whore of Babel the barren fig-tree no obedience should be given unto the Pope or his Bishops Monks were dead carion their vows frivolous their characters were the mark of the Beast Io. Bale Cent. 2. § 96. in Appen And in the year 1166. the same Henry drew some professors unto judgement at Oxford because they were said to dissent from the doctrine of the Roman Church he caused them to be burnt with an hot iron and banished them I. Fox in Act. Mon. 6. At that time were many married Priests in Britanny Ephleg left his Married Clerks Son Cedda to be his Successor in the Priesthood at Plinmouth Arnold Dunprust left his Son Robert likewise in the same County unto Robert did his Son succeed In Norfolk Wulkerel dimitted his Priest-hood at Dyssa unto his lawful Son William Hugh Howet in Sarisbury John in Exchester and Oliver in Nottingham all succeeded unto their Fathers Io. Bale Cent. 3. § 10. in Appen In Ireland fifteen Bishops of Lesmore succeeded lineally and hereditarily for the space of 200. years and of them eight Sons succeeded unto their fathers Bernard in Vita Malac. until the year 1121. when the Bishop Celsus having no Son did as by testament name Malachias Bishop of Connereth to be his Successor and his friends as heirs did resist for five years Malachias had correspondence with Bernard of Claraval and had two Monks sent from that Abbey to begin an Abbey of that Order in Ireland but they returned against the Bishops will wherefore Bernard wrote unto him his 317. Epistle exhorting that he would not leave off the purpose but rather be more vigilant in that new place and Land so unaccustomed with Monastical life and excusing the Monks that their returning was occasioned by the unto wardness of these brethren living in a Land without discipline and especially not accustomed to submit unto such counsels This Malchias did urge the single life of Priests in Ireland He went to Rome and became Legate but died in the way beside Bernard 7. John of Sarisbury Bishop of Carnotum was familiar with his Countrey-man Iohn Bishop of Sarisbury Pope Hadrian IV. when they were alone in a chamber at Benevento Hadrian asked him what the world thought and spake of him and of the Church After a little form of excuse he said I will tell what I hear spoken every where they say The Church of Rome which is the Mother of all Churches is become a step dame unto them and the Pope is called across and grief unto all men and intolerable for pride as the zeal of their Fathers had erected Churches so now they do decay and the Pope was glorious not onely in purple but in glancing gold the Cardinals and Bishops are called Scribes and Pharisees laying heavy burthens on mens shoulders which themselves will not touch with their finger their Palaces are glorious and the Churches of Christ are polluted by their hands they spoil the Nations as if they would scrape together the treasures of Croesus But the most High dealeth most wisely with them for they become often a prey unto others and I think so long as they stray out of the way they shall never want a scourge from God Then said the Pope What thinkest thou He answered There is danger on every side I fear the blame of flattering or lying if I alone do speak contrary unto the world and I
corporally present in Transubstantiation the Sacrament Whence it was questioned Whether the bread evacuateth or the substance of it be changed into Christ's body Lombard could not define the question and sheweth the different opinions of others Lib. 4. Dist 11. Innocentius setteth it as an Article of faith that the bread and wine are transubstantiated into Christ's body and blood cap. 1. In cap. 2. the doctrine of Joachim is condemned but not himself In cap. 3. all men are cursed who hold not the faith which is in cap. 1. and they are ordained to be punished by the Magistrate and if they be Laicks their goods shall be confiscated or if they be Clerks their goods should return to the Church where they had their Benefice He ordained that all Magistrates should swear at their admission to banish all who are discerned Hereticks by the Church which if they be slack to do they should be accursed and if after excommunication any shall continue a year the Metropolitan should give notice unto the Pope who shall absolve all the subjects from obedience and give his Land unto others who will expel the Hereticks Item He who is declared an Heretick should not be admitted unto the Sacrament nor unto Christian burial nor should alms nor oblations be received from such Item All Bishops should twice or at least once in the year visit all their Diocy where is any suspicion of heresie and cause three or more men of best account or if need require all of the bounds should be compelled to swear whether they know any Hereticks there or if there be any privy meetings or any persons different in maners from the common conversation of others Cap. 10. Because the food of God's word is necessary unto Christian people and Bishops are hindered by many occasions from teaching their people therefore they should employ sufficient men to preach and visit and they should provide necessaries unto such This was a safe-guard unto unqualified and non-resident Bishops Cap. 13. There should be no more religions or society of Monks because there are too many already if any will be a Monk let him go to one of those sorts that are approved and if any will found a new Monastery let him take one of the former rules Cap. 19. We will not let this pass without correction that some of the Clergy adorn the Churches with their own and other mens goods that they are more like to Laicks houses then to the Churches of God Ca. 21. All believers when they come to the Auricular confession years of discretion should confess all their sins unto his own Priest once a year and accomplish the pennance that shall be enjoyned and should communicate at least at Easter unless his own Priest think good that he should abstain Neither may a Priest reveal unto others what hath been confessed These private confessions were in use before but then made necessary as also here it appeareth that before were no confessaries but the Priests until afterwards the Monks obtained this priviledge Ca. 22. Because when one is sick and the Physician biddeth send for a Priest the patient often despaireth of health and so falleth into greater danger therefore the Physician shall at the first bid send for the Physician of the soul Ca. 29. Plurality of Benefices is forbidden unless the Pope think good to dispense with some persons who are to be honored Ca. 31. Because Patrons detain the Church-revenues so that in these Countreys scarcely is found any Parish-Priest that hath but the least knowledge of letters therefore we ordain that a sufficient portion be assigned unto the Parish-Priest who should serve not by a Vicar but personally c. Ca. 42. As we would not that Laicks usurp the power of Clerks so we will that Clerks usurp not the power of Laicks Ca. 46. Magistrates should not exact taxations from the Clergy unless the Clerks will willingly contribute when they see the necessity of common burthens and even then not without the advice of the Pope Ca. 50. The prohibition of marriage should not exceed the fourth degree of blood or alliance because there are but four humors in mans body or it consisteth of four elements This is a fair pretence but it was a remedy saith Po. Virg. de inven lib. 5. cap. 5. against the Decree of Pope Julius who had ordained that marriage should not be within the seventh degree by which severity it came to pass that men could not finde marriage within their City and this Decree is observed saith he but he might have added unless men will pay for a dispensation and so no degree hindereth marriage as I have touched elsewhere and experience sheweth Likewise Pope Celestin the III. gave a judicial sentence If a married person fall into heresie the other spouse may marry another But this Innocentius ordained contrarily that heresie should not be a cause of divorce Extra de divort c. Quanto The election of the Pope was restrained unto the Cardinals by Pope Celestin the II. and this Innocentius confirmed that Act and added that the holy Colledge of Cardinals should have jurisdiction in all places and have authority over all men and power of judging the causes of all Princes and of bringing them into their Kingdoms or depriving them Cumi Ventura in Thesor Politic. pag. 388. printed at Frankford An. 1610. Peter King of Arragon made his Realms of Arragon and Sardinia tributary unto the Chair of St. Peter for the salvation of his soul forsooth in the days of this Innocentius He sat eighteen years and seven moneths After his death he appeared unto Ludgardis when she saw him compassed with so great fire she asked Who he was He answered I am Innocentius She groaned and said How is it that our common father is so tormented He answered I am so tormented for three causes which most justly had condemned me unto eternal punishment if by the intercession of the most holy Mother of God I had not repented at the last gasp I have indeed escaped eternal death but until the day of judgement I am tormented with most cruel punishments and that I could come unto thee to seek thy prayers the Mother of mercy hath obtained it from her Son And having spoken so he vanished The Nun declared his necessity unto her sisters that they would help him and lamenting his case she afflicted her self wonderously Let the reader understand saith my Author that I am not ignorant of those three causes which Ludgardis told me but for reverence of so great an high Priest I will not report them Bellar. de gemitu col lib. 2. cap. 9. ex Suri in vita Ludgar 2. HONORIUS the III. confirmed the Order of Dominicks and gave them priviledge of preaching and hearing confessions albeit they had not cure of souls or parishes He confirmed also the Orders of Franciscans Augustinenses and Carmelites He ordained that every one should bow their knee at the lifting up of the
Rome Matth. Paris loc ci and he sent unto Sifrid Bishop of Mentz commanding him to publish the sentence of the Roman Consistory against Otho throughout all Germany and charge all the Cities that they do not acknowledge him Sifrid delayed no time But immediately Henry Count Palatine of Rhene the Duke of Brabant and other Princes and Barons levy an Army against Sifrid and forced him to leave his Bishoprick and hide himself in Thuringia where the Count did as yet cleave unto the Pope When Otho understood of this stir in Germany he did return quickly and notwithstanding the Pope's curse was received as Emperor and calleth a Diet at Norinberg An. 1212. about Whitsunday where he declareth the manifold fraud of Innocentius and how unjustly he had accursed him and then said Be of courage you Princes unto you belongeth the charge of this Kingdom and the administration thereof I say unto you belongeth every disposition of the Teutonick Kingdom and to provide for every thing therein it is in your power and not in the power of the Pope to create or forsake an Emperor it is your part to calm the troubles if any shall arise within the Empire therefore ye Princes and Nobles maintain your rights and shew your power for your Nation and Imperial Laws lest if ye do it not ye be deprived of Empire and patrimony c. By these and such other words they resolve to levy immediately an Army and first to invade Thuringia Io. Naucler gener 41. In the year 1214. Innocentius causeth Frederick to be elected which now had been well bred in literature and Otho thought to have hindered the election but the Princes some for envy of his puissance and some for affection to the former Emperor and some addicted unto the Pope fell from him therefore he retired into Saxony until he gathered a new Army he made some attempts but in vain and died An. 1220. 3. FREDERICK the II. left Germany in peace and went to be confirmed at Rome He gave unto Pope Honorius the County of Funda and other great gifts even a rod to break his own head and he confirmed the Act Whosoever continued a year under excommunication shall be guilty of proscription and shall not be absolved until he make satisfaction unto the Pope In recompence of these gratitudes and obeysance when two Counts in Tuscia Thomas and Richard did rebel against the Emperor the Pope maintained them and absolved them from their allegiance and because Frederick did expostulate Honorius the Pope thundereth a curse against him Some Bishops conspired with the rebels and the Emperor accused and pursued them for treason They run to Honorius He sent a Nuntio unto the Emperor and commandeth to restore the Bishops and dischargeth him that he meddle not with Church-men The Emperor could not endure such imperiousness and said How long will the Bishop of Rome abuse my patience when will his covetous heart be satisfied go tell him that I have as great prerogatives as my Father Henry and Frederick my Grand-father and that I will rather hazard my Crown then suffer him to empair my authority seeing every Prince in France Spain England c. hath the nomination of their own Prelates Pe. Mexia But Platina saith The cause of this excommunication was when his Mother died which held him within bounds he began to vex the Church Lands But it is certain by sundry Histories that his Mother died in the beginning of Innocentius In his time came John de Bregna King of Jerusalem into Italy for aid against the Turks he made reconciliation betwixt the Pope and Emperor and gave his onely Daughter Jole unto the Emperor then a widower with the Title King of Jerusalem for this cause the Kings of Sicily were called Kings of Jerusalem for a long space Then Frederick did intend to go into Asia yet because he delayed Pe. Mexia saith the truce which John had made with the Sultan for ten years was not yet expired the Pope did intend some great thing against him but was taken away by death When Gregory was installed Jole was brought to Rome to be married and when the Pope held out his right foot unto the Emperor to kiss it he scarcely touched his knee but would not bow unto the foot P. Mexia The Pope was not well pleased he dissembleth for a time but intendeth to revenge So after some moneths he chargeth the Emperor to go into Asia according to his vow but intendeth to deprive him of the Empire Frederick suspecteth it and delayeth the longer till he heard that the Christians in Asia were utterly distressed then he assembleth his Nobles at Cremona and causeth his Son Henry to be created Caesar and sent him to perswade the Princes to send aid unto his expedition An. 1226. At this time the Lombards had made a league with other Cities of Italy by suggestion of Pope as is believed saith Naucler Honorius against the Emperor which league continued many years to the great prejudice of the Empire and manifest hindering of the expedition An. 1227. Pope Gregory again chargeth the Emperor to go into Asia Frederick writeth unto his Son to conveen the Princes again and nameth the time when they should make their rendezvous at Brundusio The Emperor becometh sickly nevertheless he sailed with his Army into Creta and there being hindered by sickness he sent his Army forward and returned himself into Pulia Then the Pope excommunicateth him the Papalines say because he had murthered Jole and others speak of other pretexts but P. Mexia and Blondus say that Jole died after this curse Immediately Frederick sent to Rome offering to clear himself but his Ambassade was not admitted Therefore the Emperor sent Letters throughout the Empire and to other Princes shewing how wonderously he was excommunicated and how presumptuous and covetous the Church of Rome was become even the mother of all mischief Unto Otho Duke of Bavier he wrote thus The high Priests of Rome do now affect not onely dominion but God-head for they will have all men to fear them more then God and it is sure that there be many Antichrists among them neither hath Christian Religion any such adversary that man which is called the Pope abounding in wealth to the great prejudice of piety thinketh after the maner of Tyrants that he may do as he listeth and is answerable to none as if he were God what is proper unto God he vaunteth of himself that he cannot err he requireth both impudently and imperiously all men to believe that he cannot be guilty of a lye Avent Annal. lib. 7. And unto Henry the III. King of England he wrote The Church of Rome is become so avaricious that they are not content with the goods of the Church but they will have the inheritance of Emperors Kings and Princes and make them all tributaries as Henry hath experience and the Earl of Tolouse whom the Popes binde with excommunication till they bring them into
thus and another the contrary the people knew not what to believe And albeit the Popes did tolerate them so long as they stood for the triple Mitre yet hence we may understand one main cause why some Bishops and Princes did be wail the confusion in the Church and after that time wish and cry for a Reformation To this purpose hear how A contest betwixt the Bishops and the Friers â—e Soave in Hist Con. Triden lib. 2. reporteth the contest betwixt the Bishops and the Generals of the Friers On the one side the Bishops did complain that albeit Christ had commanded to teach the people his doctrine and that could be no other way but by publick teaching in the Church and to the end sufficient men might be provided to teach the people this charge did properly belong unto Bishops as the Apostles at first shewed the way and the holy Fathers did follow yet this charge of so great importance was taken from the Bishops that no footsteps thereof remain and that by giving of priviledges and this is the cause why all things become worse and worse because Christ's institution is changed The Universities had immunity that a Bishop cannot know what they are teaching the power of preaching is given unto the begging Friers so that they are free from the Laws of Bishops and will not let them see what they are doing and so Bishops are robbed of the chief part of their office And in the contrary they which at first were appointed onely to be wail the sins of men and which by express and severe threatnings were forbidden to teach or preach have now usurped or as a gift do possess that office as their peculiar onely in the mean time the flock wanteth a shepheard and hireling too for these vagring preachers which skip from one City to another cannot understand either the necessity of the people or the capacity of their mindes and far less the opportunities of teaching and edifying them so as a constant Pastor might who living continually with his flock hath more experience of their infirmities and necessities Moreover these preachers have not such an aim to edifie the people but to bring alms to their own advantage or of their Convent and to the end they may make their purchase the more liberally they look not to the salvation of souls but onely to their own advantage by flattering delighting and following the affections of men and the people learn instead of the doctrine of Christ nothing but news or certainly vanity The onely remedy of all these evils is that these priviledges and exemptions be discharged and the charge of teaching and preaching be restored unto Bishops and of chusing others to be their helpers in that work On the other side the Generals of the Friers said When Bishops and Curates had neglected their pastoral work so that in many ages neither preachings were heard in Churches nor teaching of Divinity in Schools at last God did raise up the Orders of begging Friers to repair the defect of that necessary office which they had not usurped but had obtained by the gift of the supream Pastor and seeing it belongeth unto him chiefly to feed the flock it is an injury to aver that whom he hath appointed to supply their defects who according to their office should have had care of the flock and had forsaken it and medled with the harvest of others but it is rather true that unless they had so done in love and charity there had been ere now no remembrance of Christ's name and therefore seeing for the space of three hundreds years and upwards they have waited upon this work to the manifest benefit of men and by just title of the Roman high Priests gifts and prescription of so long time this is their office the Bishops have no reason to move any controversie or pretend the custom of ancient time for recovering the office which they had forsaken for so many ages And what is objected of their enlarging the Monasteries or seeking their own gain it is a meer calumny seeing of the alms they did reap nothing but meat and clothes and what was over was employed to the service of God in saying Masses or in building and decoring Churches for the benefit of the people and therefore the offices which have been exercised by these Orders in the holy Churches and study of Divinity which scarcely can be found without the Cloisters of Monks they may justly claim as their own and should be continued with them seeing hardly can other sufficient men be had So far there If we compare these two discourses and consider how truly the first describeth the latter times and the other painteth forth the preceeding time we may understand the miseries of the Church and what need there was of Reformation 3. It is said before that Pope Innocentius the III. made a Law that the The beginning and rise of Cardinals election of the Pope should appertain unto the Cardinals onely whereby their grandure did wax mightily I will not say that this was a novation and a change of the election of the Bishop of Rome but now it is time to speak of their beginning and increase of their honor and that in the words of Romish Authors The Jesuit Azorius saith Some bring their conception from Gregory the I. and some from Silvester the I. and some from Marcellus Bellarm. de Cleri lib. 1. cap. 16. alledgeth that there is mention of Cardinals in a Councel at Rome in the days of Pope Silvester the I. but then as Spalatin de Repu Eccles lib. 4. cap. 5. § 11. hath observed ex Grego Regist Epist Cardinalis was no other but fixed and ordinary and it was opposed to vagrant and titular Bishops and Priests whereas now saith he for the most part or rather all Cardinals are but titulars and none of them hath an ordinary or setled charge Ibid. § 32. Bellarm. loc cit saith also The office of Cardinals consisteth in three particulars 1. Is the office of a Bishop or Priest or Deacon 2. The election of the Pope 3. It is to assist the Pope always In all these saith he they have their original from the days of the Apostles but he proveth not well When Pol. Virg. searcheth the invention of things he passeth not by the invention of Cardinals in li. 4. ca. 9. Pope Marcellus saith he from among the twenty five Parishes that were then at Rome appointed fifteen of them to be Cardinal or as they call them improperly Mother-Churches and the rest were but Chappels or Oratories for the use of baptism and burial and this is the very beginning of the Order of Cardinals and long after to be a Cardinal was no other thing but to have the care of souls That which followeth is commanded to be blotted out by the Index expurgatorius Printed at Antwerp An. 1561. pag. 70. But afterwards when Pope Boniface the III. obtained from the Emperor
Law of God unto the Gospel and to Councels that have been approved by the inspiration of the holy Ghost and unto good human Laws whatsoever is found to have been attempted by men in government of the world contrary unto these let it be amended and reformed and therefore away with all abuses customs dispensations priviledges and exemptions that are contrary unto them 2. Let the Popes conform themselves their works and words unto divine and human Laws and give unto their inferiors an example of things that should be done or if they will shift from those Laws and domineer rather then provide for their Subjects their honor is puft up with pride and what was ordained for concord is turned to dammage 3. It cannot be denied but the Roman Church in many things hath strayed from the primitive institution and from the minde of the holy Fathers Councels and Decrees even so far that the first institution is forgotten but they should prefer the truth of the holy Scriptures unto all custom how ancient soever it may seem to be 4. The Pope should not suffer causes to be lightly brought from other Provinces unto his Court now all order is confounded the Pope giveth Benefices before they be vacant and the proverb is to be feared as too true He who coveteth all loseth all Here he inveigheth at the promotion of strangers who are blinde leaders of the blinde when they know not the language of their flock And against Simony which reigneth said he in the Court as if it were no sin Against the plurality of Benefices and pensions wherewith Bishopricks are burthened to pay unto Cardinals Benefices are bestowed on the Pope's Nephews and Friends St. Gregory would not be called universal Bishop nor suffer that name to be given unto any other and the ancient Popes were wont to prefer the names of other Bishops unto their own this he sheweth by instances and concludeth the point thus Every cause should be decided in its Province 6. It seemeth profitable that in the Councel marriage be granted unto Priests 7. Monks should be compelled to work with their hands as anciently ...... they should not be permitted to meddle with the office of Priests ...... and far less should Friers be permitted to go a begging 8. It is necessary to repress the abuse of images the selling of indulgences and pennances and the impertinent discourses of Monks in their Sermons for they leave the Scriptures and preach the inventions of men He often repeateth There is no hope of reforming the Church unless Rome begin with her good example and here in the ninth place he reckoneth their corruptions for the universality of the Church is offended and infected with the example of the Roman Church and the leaders of the people as Isaiah saith cause the name of God to be blaspemed and as Augustine saith nothing is more hurtful unto the Church then the Clarks who are worse then Laicks He sheweth the rapines of the Legates and other servants of the Court the exactions for indulgences for priviledges and dispensations from whence floweth the neglect or contempt of Religion and all these are through the luxury and pride of Popes and Prelates whose pride is greater then of all Kings and Princes Here he taxeth the negligence and ignorance of the most part of them and seemeth to despair of them in these words Alas that saying of Isaiah seemeth now to be too true of the Church It shall be an habitation for dragons and a Court for ostriches ..... O that it were not true of our Clergy which he saith This people draw near unto me with their mouth but their heart is far from me He hath many such passages in the three parts of that Treatise but no fruit followed so wholesome admonitions Mornay in Myster 3. Arnold de Villanova a French man or Catalanus as some say wrote Tbe doubts and fears of a King many books In Colloquâ—o Frider. Arnol. he hath a remarkable History Frederick King of Sicily a religious Prince said unto him He had a purpose to do some remarkable service to the honor of our Savior but two impediments were in his way fear and doubt he feared to be dispised as a fantastical fool by the world both of Clarks and Laicks who are all careful of earthly things but none of them savor of heaven and he doubted whether the Gospel be mans invention or brought from heaven three things did move him to doubt so 1. He certainly knew by hearing and seeing that Bishops and Clarks make a shew of Religion through custom but they had no devotion they are earnest in vain-glory and lusts but they feed no souls unto salvation 2. Monks and Regulars professing Apostolical simplicity and poverty do astonish men with their lewdness they are so estranged from the way of God that in comparison of them not only the Secular Clarks but even the Laicks are justified their wickedness is so vile that no Estate can endure them they profess humility poverty and perfection of vertues but no measure of vertue may be found in them for humility they are presumptuously proud creeping into Kings Courts Councels and Commissions they intrude themselves into secular affairs and if they be refused or rebuked they become furious with viperous bitings they attend feasts and endeavor by any means to enrich themselves they are false ungrateful deceitful and affected liars in hatred pertinacious in preaching pestiferous disobedient to superiors and do openly avow uncleanness The third cause of his doubt was Whereas in former times the Bishops of the Apostolical See sent their Legates unto the Nations to know of their increase or decrease in Religion now no such thing is heard of but their business is for worldly things Arnold are answered answered His purpose is pious and he should not leave it off his fear is a suggestion of Satan hating the glory of God and the salvation of souls and he should vanquish such fear by consideration of God's love and the example of Christ suffering the revilings of men ..... As for his doubts he might be sure that the Scriptures are the Word of God Jesus Christ is the promised Saviour and the same God who created the world which is clear not only by the Articles of faith but even by irresistable demonstration His reasons are such as should rather confirm his faith for the first two are null because Christ who is the foundation of the Church hath foretold the defection and corruption of preachers both by voice and Canonical Scriptures and by revelation unto persons of both sexes which the Popes with great devotion keep among the Archives of the Apostolical See and I have seen and handled them in the holy City And against the third motive it may suffice what God had done in his time and what he is about to do shortly to wit he had warned the See of Apostacy under Boniface the VIII and under Benedict for a certain
be offended to be deprived of that title Alexander gave the title of The Catholick King unto Ferdinand Ibid. lib. 5. Then Alexander being delivered from the fear of Charls began to enrich his kinsmen by all manner of ways saith Onuph If at any time he was not taken up with publick affairs he gave himself unto all maner of pleasures being altogether given unto women he had four Sons and two Daughters above all women he loved Vannocia whom he kept almost as a wife Idem Other Popes did not avow their children but he openly honored them It is offensive to godly ears to hear and vile to repeat the incest of his family which Onuphrius toucheth Guicciardin hath at large lib. 1 3. and Iulian. Pontan tumul lib. 2. hath summarily in his Daughters Epitaph Hoc jacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine sed re Thais Alexandri filia nupta nurus He kept the seventh Jubile An. 1500. and by his Bulls sent pardons unto all men who could not go to Rome or were careless to go saith Onuph but Pol. Virgil. saith He proclaimed to keep the Jubile not at Rome only but in all Provinces both for his own gain and ease of all Christians that who would might buy plenary Indulgences as if they were in Rome Of this Jubile Sannazarius saith Pollicitus coelum Romanus astra Sacerdos Per scelera coedes ad Styga pandit iter He professed a great expedition against the Turks and that he would go personally as General Gasper a Spaniard was sent into England who within few moneths amassed vast sums of money which the Pope received but forgot the expedition Fr. Mason in Antiq. Brit. lib. 4. c. 13. he made many Cardinals for money Onuph he killed every rich Priest at Court and some Cardinals that their riches might be brought into his treasury he had uttered his cruelty against more for hope of their inheritance if he who was born for the ruine of Italy had not been the cause of his own death by error of his Cup-bearer for when he had invited some rich Senators and prepared a poisoned bottle of wine for them the Cup-bearer gave the wine to the Pope and his Son Caesar Borgias the young man fell into a sharp feaver yet escaped but the old Pope could not overcome the poison Idem He sate 11. years and died An. 1503. Onuphrius who can commend the worst Popes saith He had vertues with his vices deep judgement singular memory and eloquence that was hurtfull to many none could propound a thing more craftily defend it more sharply or bring to pass more readily what he once attempted These gifts he defiled with monstrous vices and with falshood more than Punike horrible cruelty unmeasurable avarice infinite lust c. This gives credit unto his Epitaph made by Ia. Sannazarius Fortasse nescis cujus hic tumulus siet Asta viator ni piget Titulum quem Alexandri vides haud illius Magni est sed hujus qui modò Libidinosa sanguinis captus siti Tot civitates inclytas Tot regna vertit duces leto dedit Natos ut impleret suos Humanajura nec minùs Coelestia Ipsosque sustulit Deos. Vt scilicet liceret heu scelus Patri Natae sinum permingere I nunc Nerones vel Caligulas nomina Turpes vel Heliogabulos Hoc sat viator reliqua non sinit pudor Tu suspicare ambula Who hearing or reading these things written not by adversaries of his See but by Popish writers will not think That the Pope is the man of sin CHAP. II. Of EMPEROURS 1. ROBERT Count Palatine of Rhine was Emperour An. 1400. with universal consent but not with such reverence as his Ancestours because of the alienations granted by Charls the IV. and the late contempt of Wenceslaus Robert was prudent and calmed all the jars within the Empire When he had brought Germany into tranquillity he went to be crowned in Italy and to protect Florence against the potent warriour John Galeacius Duke of Millain as the Florentines had invited him with large promises but they fled in the day of battel so his expedition was unprofitable and dishonourable Neither could he be moved to stay in Italy although the Gibelines and the Pope made larger promises unto him When he returned he was no less troubled with the factions of the Anti-Popes and schism in the Church He indeavoured to assemble a Councel but the Anti-Popes would not consent He died An. 1410. 2. SIGISMUND King of Hungary and brother of Wenceslaus as yet alive for his valour in fighting against the Turks was judged worthiest of the Empire Both the Popes did seek his favour and pretending the authority of confirmation sent and confirmed his election Platin. He spared no travel to remove the schism and went personally unto both the Popes and seeing no other remedy he went unto the Kings of France Spain and England for assembling the Councel at Constance It was once appointed to be held An. 1412. but it was delaied because Ladislaus King of Naples standing up for Gregory the XII had taken Rome and kept it as Lord thereof he died the same year and the Romans returned to the obedience of Pope John Then the Councel was proclaimed every where to begin at Constance Novemb. 1. An. 1414. We will speak of it by it self The Bohemians were offended for burning their Preachers John Huss and Jerom of Prague and they feared not to assemble in the fields to the number of 30000. and communicated in both kinds upon three hundred Tables erected for that use then they rushed into several Churches and Monasteries and broke down the Images Io. Cochl Hist lib. 4. Their King Wenceslaus died An. 1420. without children Then wars waxed in Bohemia for Sigismund as nearest heir sent Governours to rule it untill he returned from the Wars against the Turk in Hungary there he was unfortunate In the mean time arose John Trosnovius commonly called Zisca or Cisca that is one-eyed a man of good Parentage and brought up in the King's Court and a couragious Souldier the Hussits chose him to be their Captain their Army was reckoned to consist of 40000. they possessed the Fortresses of Prague and were Masters of other Cities and Castles every where they broke down Images in the Churches Aene. Sylvius Hist Bohem. Cap. 38. At that time one coming from Picardy perswaded many Bohemians both men and women to walk naked and besides other fond errours they defiled themselves with promiscuous lusts and called themselves Adamites Cisca abhorred them and although they proffered to join with him yet he scattered them and killed some of them Io. Naucler Before the Governours were arrived from the Emperour Cisca was grown so strong that they were glad to seek peace Pope Martin thought to affright them with his curse but the Hussits did not fear his thunder When the wars of Hungary ceased the Emperour intended to march into Bohemia if he had gone thither suddenly it seems
Indulgence unto all who would aid him in his Wars John Huss writ against the impiety of these pardons and the people being so informed spoke also against them and called the Pope the Antichrist who durst proclaim Wars and take the Cross on his shoulders against the Christians The Magistrates imprisoned some for such speeches but the people joined and forced the Magistrates to let the prisoners go except three that were privily beheaded in prison when the people saw the blood running out at the dores came and took away their bodies and buried them honourably and cried These are Saints which have given their bodies for the testimony of God They buried them in the Church of Bethleem as the Relicks of Martyrs saith Aene. Sylvius in Histor Bohem. cap. 35. The other party being more wealthy and therefore fearing the Pope were instant against him and prevailed with the King that John Huss was banished the Town The people cried out against the Prelates and Priests as the Authors of the banishment accusing them of simony adultry pride c. not sparing to lay open their vices and eagerly craving a Reformation of the Clergy The King being moved with that out-crying required greater exactions of such Clarks as were delated and known to be prophane Then the other party took occasion to complain of all sparing none whom they knew to be the enemies of John Huss So many Clarks were brought into great distress others into fear and the most part were glad to fall in at least not to fall out with the purer sort and John Huss had liberty to return unto his Church at Bethleem the people received comfort the King great gain and the Priests fell into the net which they had prepared for others But John Huss was the more accused before the Pope who directed his Bull unto the King to suppress John Huss and his doctrine Briefly for his cause amongst others was the Councel gathered at Constance to which he was summoned by the Pope and got a Safe-conduct from the Emperour that he should only answer unto such things whereof he was blamed and undoubtedly he should return into his own Country in safety He resolved to appear and affixed Letters on the dores of Cathedral Churches Parish Churches Abbeys and Cloisters signifying that he was going to the General Councel to give an account of his faith and if any man had suspicion of his doctrine he craved that they would declare it before the Bishop of Prague or if they pleased before the Councel Then An. 1414. August 30. all the Barons of Bohemia were assembled at the Abbey of St. James in Prague the Bishop being present There John Huss presented a Supplication craving this favour that if the Bishop of Nazareth Inquisitor of Heresie within that Diocy had any suspicion of his doctrine he would declare it there and he protested that he was willing to suffer correction if he deserved it Or if the Bishop had no accusation against him that they would give him a testimonial by which he being as it were armed might go the more confidently unto Constance The Bishop professed openly that he knew no offence in him and only advised him to purge himself of the Excommunication This was put in form of an Act and sent unto the Emperour with John Huss It hapned that August 27. Conrad the Arch-Bishop held a Synod with his Prelates where a Proctor appeared in the name of John Huss requiring that since John Huss was ready to give an account of his faith they or any of them who would accuse him of obstinacy should write in their names and according to the Law both of God and Man prepare themselves to suffer the like punishment if they could not prove it legally against him as he was ready to answer with God's help before the Arch-Bishop and his Prelates or in the insuing Councel Answer was made by Ulric Suab Marshal to the Arch Bishop that his Master was busied with the affairs of the King and therefore the Proctor should wait a little in some place without Court This he did but got no other answer and therefore he made protestation of his proffer and craved instrument upon the refusal from a Notary there present The History of John Huss fol. 4. October 15. John Huss took his journey being accompanied by two Noble-men John Lord de Chlum and M. Wencelat de Duba and thâ—ir followers Wheresoever he came he notified his coming by Letters affixed on most patent places craving that whosoever could impute any errour or obstinacy unto him they would prepare themselves to the Councel where he was willing to satisfie every one In all his journey he was friendly received even by Curats and Priests so that he writ in an Epistle that he had found no enemies in any place but in Bohemia And if his coming into any City was known the streets were full of people desirous to see him namely at Nuremberg the Curats came unto him and conferred with him He said He was desirous to shew his mind openly and to keep nothing secret So after dinner he talked with them untill night before some Senatours and many Citizens they all held him in singular reverence except one Doctour and one Curat who checked all that he spake although they gave no reason Stanislaus de Xnoyma a Bohemian was going to Constance to be one of his accusers by the way he died of a Feaver November 3. John Huss came to Constance and lodged with an honest Matron named Faith On the morrow the two Noble men shewed unto the Pope that they had brought John Huss and intreated that he might remain without molestation according to his Safe-conduct The Pope answered Although John Huss had killed his Brother no hurt should be done unto him during his abode there November 29. two Bishops and the Burgh-Master were sent for him to come before the Pope and his Cardinals to render some knowledge of his doctirne as he had craved and they were ready to hear He answered He was desirous to shew his doctrine not in private but publickly before the Councel and yet he would obey this demand So committing himself unto the Lord Jesus and protesting that he would rather die for the glory of God and prosession of the truth that he had learned out of the holy Scriptures then deny any part thereof he came unto the Pope's Court. There first he was questioned generally of the errors that were spread of him He answered Reverend Fathers understand that my minde is to die rather then to be found culpable of one error for this cause am I come willingly unto this Councel to shew my self ready to suffer correction if any can prove me to be in any error The Cardinals replied Thou speakest modestly and so left him with the Lord de Chlum under a guard of armed men Then they sent a subtle Monk under shew of rudeness and simplicity to intrap him by questions but the other
him silence and said Hereafter thou mayest answer unto them all together if thou wilt He said How can I answer unto all these at once I am not able to remember them all The Cardinal of Florence said We have heard thee enough Huss besought them to hear him lest others conceive amiss either of them or of him When they would not hear him he kneeling committed all the matter unto the Lord God and to Jesus Christ as he hoped at their hands to obtain all his desire Lastly It was imputed unto him that he had said There is a fourth Person of the Deity and a certain Doctor heard him speak it Huss craved the Doctor 's name A Bishop said That is not needful Then he said O miserable man that I am who am forced to hear such blasphemy and slander They said He hath appealed unto Christ which is heretical He said O Lord Jesus whose Word is here openly condemned I do again appeal unto thee who when thou wast evilly intreated of thine enemies didst appeal unto God thy Father committing thy cause unto the most just Judge that by thy example when we are opprest with manifest wrongs we should flie unto thee The definitive sentence was read declaring That by the Councel it was ordained for his heretical doctrine to degrade him publickly from his Priestly Order c. When the sentence was reading he did now and then interrupt them and so oft he was commanded to be silent when it was read of his obstinacy he cried I was never obstinate but was always desirous and now I desire to be taught by the holy Scriptures and am ready to imbrace the truth When his Books were condemned he said Why have ye condemned those Books since ye have not proved by one Article that they are contrary unto the Scriptures or Articles of Faith and what injury is that unto me to condemn my Books written in the Bohemian tongue which ye never saw Often times he looked up to Heaven and prayed When the sentence was ended he kneeling said Lord Jesus forgive my enemies by whom thou knowest I am falsely condemned and that they have used false witnesses and slander against me forgive them for thy great mercies sake Many of them laughed at this prayer Then seven Bishops who were appointed to see the execution put on him the Priestly vestures as they put on the Alba he spake of the white vesture wherewith Christ was clothed and mocked So in all the other things he comforted himself with the example of Jesus Christ When all the vestiments was put on a Bishop exhorted him to change his minde yet and provide for his welfare and honor He went to the top of the scaffold after the custom and being full of tears spake unto the people saying Those Lords and Bishops exhort me that I would profess here before you that I have erred which if it were to the infamy of any man they might happily perswade me but now I am in the sight of the Lord my God without whose ignominy and grudge of my conscience I can no way do what thy require of me with what countenance could I look up to Heaven with what face could I look on them whom I have taught of whom there is a great number if by my example it come to pass that the things which heretofore they have known to be most true should now be made dubious I will never do it nor give any such offence that I might seem to think more of this vile carcase which is condemned to die then of their salvation A Bishop said Behold how he continueth in his pernicious errors Then he was commanded to come down to the execution And a Bishop took the chalice from him saying O accursed Judas why hast thou forsaken the way of peace we take from thee the chalice of thy salvation John said I trust in God my Father and in my Lord Jesus Christ for whose sake I suffer these things that he will not take away his chalice of redemption but I have stedfast hope that I shall drink thereof to day in his Kingdom The other Bishops took away the other Priestly things and each of them accursed him He answered He willingly suffered their curses for the name of Christ At last those Bishops began to contend with what instrument his shaven crown should be un-priested with a razor or cizers John then turned unto the Emperor and said I marvel that when they are of a like cruel minde yet they cannot agree in the manner of their cruelty At last they cut off the skin with cizers and said Now the Church hath taken from thee all her ornaments and priviledges and nothing remaineth but that thou be delivered into the hands of the Magistrate Then they caused a crown to be made of paper almost a cubit deep upon it they painted three black divels with this title above them HAERESIARCHA When he saw it he said My Lord Jesus for my sake hath born a crown of thorns why then should not I bear this light crown be it never so ignominious truly I do it willingly When it was set upon his head a Bishop said Now we commit thy soul unto the Divel John lifting up his eys to Heaven said But I commend my soul into thy hands O Lord Jesus who hast redeemed me Then said the Bishops unto the Emperor This most sacred Synod of Constance leaveth unto the Civil Power this John Huss who hath no more to do in the Church of God The Emperor commanded the Duke of Bavier who was standing in his robes holding the golden Apple with the Cross in his hand to receive the Prisoner from the Bishops and deliver him unto the Sergeants When he was led to the place of execution he saw before the Church-dore his Books burning he smiling exhorted all men that they should not think that he died for any error or heresie but only for the hatred of his adversaries charging him with crimes most falsely All the City followed him in Arms. When he came to the place of execution he kneeled down and lifting up his eys to Heaven he prayed and said certain Psalms namely the 31 and 51 they who were near him heard him repeat oft the verse Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit The People said What he hath done before we know not but now he prayeth devoutly Some said It were good he had a Confessor A Priest sitting on a horse's back answered He may not be heard who is a condemned Heretick While he prayed and lifted up his eys to Heaven his paper hat fell off his head a Souldier took it up and said Put it on again that he may burn with his Masters the Divels When he arose from praying he said with a loud voice Lord Jesus assist me that with a patient and constant minde by thy most gracious help I may indure this ignominious death unto which I am condemned for preaching thy most holy
Brethren and did conferre in the doctrin of faith of them he writes unto Nicol. Hausman to 2. epist pag. 167. saying Pighardi judge so of the sacrament that Christ is not bodily under the bread as some say they have seen blood and the babe there ..... but spritually or sacramentally that is he that receives the bread visibly verily receives naturally the blood of him which is at the right hand of the Father but receives it invisibly I can not blame them more for this And that they do not worship the bread they say it is for the same cause that he is not there visibly as we speak of seeing but invisibly and he is at the right hand of the Fathet Here is the Bohemians their judgement and Luthers approbation thereof Then Ab. Schultet in Annal. ad Ann. 1524. shewes that when Andrew Carolstad was still at Wittembergh he was scandalised at some words of Luther who said Christ is in the bread of the Supper tantus quantus in cruce pependisset so bigg as he did hang up on the cross and that this was an occasion of alienation of their minds We have seen other causes of their schisme On August 22. Luther preached at Jena against the fanaticall spirits of Anabaptists pretending revelations and at that time he said Of the same Spirit are the breakers of images and Sacramentaries Carolstad was present and took these words as spoken against him because he had noted and challenged Luther upon these former words After Sermon they meet in an Inn and in end Luther provoketh Carolstad to writ concerning that question of the Supper and so began that Sacramentary strife Luther hath written of that Conference at Jena one way Scultetus saith falsly and Martin Rheinhard preacher at Jena at that time hath writen of it another way Within two dayes Luther went to Orlamund where Carolstad was preacher at that time but he would not speak with Carolstad yet some of his hearers disputed with Luther and did maintain that what they had done in breaking down images was warranted by the word of God so that Luther went away being almost ashamed Not long after by the means of Luther and at command of John Frederik Duke of Saxony Carolstad was exiled out of Thuringia and so was Rheinhard who had written the Conferences at Jena and Orlamund Carolstad wrot Letters unto Orlamund these were read in a publick meeting and all the people did weep at the reading of them the subscription of the two Letters was this Andrew bodeynstein neither heard nor convicted yet exiled by Luther Bodenstein was his fathers sirname When Luther heares of this subscription he writes to Amsdorfius saying you see how I which should have been a Martyr am come so far to make martyres you can scarcely believe how largely this doctrine of Carolstad concerning the Sacrament hath spread Carolstad went to Basile and there he converseth with the Anabaptists only and set forth sixe little books concerning the Lords Supper Upon which occasion Erasmus wrote unto Henry Stromer 4 id Decembr saying Carolstad hath been here and scarcely did visite Oecolampade he hath set forth sixe little books the printers were imprisoned on the third day after at the command of the Magistrate especially because as I heare he teaches that in the sacrament the very body of Christ is not None can endure this for the vulgare sort are offended that God is taken from them as if God were in no place unless he be under that signe and the learned are moved by the words of holy Scripture and decrees of the Church This business will breed a huge tragedy when we have too many tragedies So far he The sum of Carolstad's doctrin concerning the Supper is The body of Christ neither is nor can bee eaten with the mouth but there is a celebration of the remembrance of his body broken for us and of his blood shed for us So he acknowledges a figurative speach in the words of institution and the word This he expoundes not of the bread but of the body as if the meaning must bee Take eat this bread in remembrance of mee for here is the body that was given for you He addeth there must be a trope necessarily lest we be forced to maintaine that the bread was crucified for us and that the Scripture commandeth us to eat his flesh which is false and that flesh profiteth which is also false and that his body is given and broken for us in the use of the Supper which is also false In the book which he called Of the un-Christian abuse of the bread and cup of the Lord he pleadeth against their errour which bid men seek remission of sin in the sacrament and he asserts that the Sacrament should be often celebrat to declare the Lords death and the annunciation of his death to flow from the remembrance of Christ and this remembrance to flow from the discerning of his broken body and shed blood and that the body is discerned and not the bread or the sacrament when we distinguish his body and blood from other bodies and bloods and that we then discern the body and blood of Christ when we consider that his body was broken for us and his blood was shed for us they who consider not these things are guilty of the body of the Lord even as the wicked men which killed him because such do eat of the bread of the Lord and drink of his cup Therefore a man should examin himself to wit whether he thinkes rightly upon the death of Christ and whether he be such as Christ would have him to bee He denieth also that the sacrament can be called an earnest or pledge of redemption by Christ because what is proper unto Christ and his Spirit should not be attributed unto the bread and wine and the Scripture saith not that consciences are quieted by the bread and wine but rather the Apostle commandeth that a man should first examin himself and then eat of that bread which examination were superfluous if one were made more sure of the remission of his sin by the Supper The Senate of Zurik were offended at the newness of this doctrine and therefore had forbidden the selling of these books But both Zuinglius and Oecolampade had spoken of a trope in the words of institution long before they knew how to make it cleare and thereupon Zuinglius in a Sermon exhorts the Magistrat to let the books pass and be read that so the victory of truth may be the more ingenuous and he said Carolstad was lyke unto a souldier which hath arms and a good mind to fight but hath not skill of arms and puts his helmet on his shoulder and takes his brestplate as a buckler in his hand .... so Carolstad is sensible of the truth but because he knowes not throughly the proper nature of tropes hee disposeth and places the words not in a right ordet Likewise Oecomlapade wrote unto severall friends
Councel for a long time and many things are to be reformed both in the clergy and laity the Emperour will deal with the high Bishop that a Councel shal be summoned within a half year and begin within a year after Unto this decree the Duke and his collegues after consultation reply by his Lawier Pontan They do not acknowledge that their Confession was refuted by testimonies of the Scriptures as they would have demonstrated if a copy of that which is called a refutation had been given them and so far as they could remember by their hearing of it read they have written a reply which if the Emperour will be pleased to read he shall finde that their religion is sure and unmovable And where as they are commanded to print nothing nor change any more they will do nothing whereof they may be justly accused As for Anabaptists and such as despise the sacrament of the altar none such have place within their jurisdiction And because the decree containes sundry things of weight they crave copies of it that at the time they may give the more advised answer They do present the Apology but Caesar would not accept it and the next day he threateneth them sharply if they do not obey the decree So these Princes went away leaving their Deputies behind them and having craved and obtained leave When they began to treat in the Diet concerning the warrs these Deputies do in name of their Principals promise to contribute their aid against the Turks if peace shall be granted unto religion About the first of October a sharper decree was read against the Cities which had given-in the other Confession Finally a third decree concerning religion was read to this sense Caesar ordaineth that they shall not be tolerated which teach of the Lords Supper otherwise than hath been received heretofore Let nothing be changed in private or publick Masse Let children be confirmed with oil and the sick be anointed with consecrate oil Images statues should not be removed and where they have been taken away they shall be set up again Their opinion which deny the free-will of man may not be received for it is beastly and contumelious against God Let nothing be taught which doth any way empaire the authority of the Magistrate That opinion of justification by faith only shall not be received Keep the sacraments in their place number as before Keep still all the cetemonies of the Church all the rites the manner of buriall and such others Priesthoods Vacant shall be bestowed on qualified persons the priests and Church-men that are married shall be deprived of their Benefices which shall be bestowed on others and if any will put away his wife and crave absolution at the will of the Pope the bb may restore such and all others shall have no refuge but be exiled or suffer other deserved punishment Let the life of priests be honest their cloaths comely and eschue all offense ..... Briefly in the matters of faith and worship of God let nothing be changed whoever doth contrarily shall underly the danger of body life and goods Jo. Sleida Lib. 7. These decrees were grievous unto many namely Melanthon gave himself to weeping being pensive not so much as he professed for himself for he knew what he believed as for the posterity When Luther understood this he conforts Luther's Consolatory unto Melanthon him by Letters That seing it is not the cause of man but of God all the burden should be cast on him why then doest thou said he afflict and torment thyself feing God hath given his Son for us why do we tremble or feare why do we sigh is Satan stronger then God will he who hath given so great a benefite forsake us in lighter matters why should we fear the world which Christ hath ouercome if we defend an ill cause why do we not change if the cause be just and pious why do we not trust to Gods promise certainly Satan can take no more from us but our life but Christ reigneth for ever under whose protection Verity consists he will not faile to be with us untill the end If he be not with us I beseech where shall he be found if we be not of his Church do yee think that the Bishop of Rome our adversaries are of it we are sinners indeed many waies but Christ is not a liar whose cause we have in hand Let Kings and Nations â—reat foame as they please he that sits in heaven shall laugh them to scorn God had maintained his cause hithertils without our Counsell and so he will do unto the end ..... As for any agreement it is vain to look for it for neither can we deprive the Bishop of Rome nor can the true doctrine be in security while Popery shall endure If they condemn our doctrin why seek we an uniformity if they allow it why maintain they their old errours But they condemne it openly where fore it is but dissimulation falsehood whatsoever they go about In that you will have the Lords Supper communicated wholly and give no place to them which hold in indifferent you do well for ..... They cry that we condemn all the Church but we shew how the Church was violently oppressed by tyranny and therefore is to be excused as the Synagogue was to be excused when under the captivity of Babylon they keeped not the law of Moses seing they were prohibited by force Ibid. XXVIII When the Protestants understood that the Pope had written The prostants writ to forrein Kings 1531. against them unto severall Kings they in Febr. 1531. assemble at Smalcald and send their Letters unto the same Kings shewing that it was an old complaint of good men that they were traduced by their enemies as Nic. Clemangis in France Jo. Colet in England c and where as now they are traduced by their enemies and they declare what was done at Ausburg they are guilty of none of these crimes that are layd unto their charge as they doubt not to cleare themselves if there were a free general Councel and especially it is grievous unto them that they are said to condemn Magistracy and lawes ..... and they entreat them that they would not believe such calumnies and to entreat Caesar that for the good of the Church he would call a godly and free Councel in Germany where such controversies may be lawfully debated and defined rather than put them to fire and sword The King of France returnes them answer thanking them for emparting such a business rejoicing that they did purge themselves of the objected crimes and allowing their demand of a Councel as necessary for the good not of Germany only but of the whole Church To the same purpose writes the King of England and addeth that he earnestly wishes there were a councel and that he will interceed with Caesar for peace At that time many Protestants were summoned to appear before the Chamber of
place it seemes not expedient to be in Italy but in Germany where the controversy is for the most part Nor thought they it reasonable to oblidge themselves by oath to observe the decrees absolutely for that is contrary unto Christian liberty unless they knew what were to be the forme of the Councel who were Moderatour especially that the party defendent were not Mederator whether the Acts were to be determined by tradition or by the holy Scripture alone Ibid. In the next year Pope Clemens died but by the providence of God thus the liberty of religion was confirmed by the Pope as well as by the Emperour XXX An. 1533. George Duke of Saxony banished out of Lipsia 1533. all who would not go to Masse Luther hearing of this ordinance wrote unto the Protestants there exhorting them to suffer death rather than do against conscience and he called Duke George an Apostle of Satan George accuseth Luther before the Elector not only that he had reviled him but had stirred his subjects unto rebellion The Elector chargeth Luther to make his clear purgation or he must suffer Luther publishes a book declaring that he had exhorted the Lipsianes not to resist their Prince but rather to suffer which concerneth not rebellion Jo. Sleidan commen lib. 9. That year Erasmus publisheth a treatise De amabili Ecclesiae concordia but this Neutrall forme pleaseth neither Papists nor Protestants and the next year Luther accuseth him that he did but mock religion and turn it all into doubts sporting himself with ambiguous words whereas religion requireth plainness and cleareness Osiand Epit. cent 16. lib. 2. c. 26. XXX The Franciscan Friers were in danger at Orleans An. 1534. upon A craft of the Franciscanes in France this occasion The Praetor's wife by testament willed that she should be buried without pompe here husband desirous to satisfy here will hath a care to bury her beside her father and grandfather in the cloister without shew and he gave unto the Monks sixe crowns they expected much more and therefore they divisea way to make up their losse they accuse the defunct of Lutheranisme and cause a young Monke go upon the roof of the Church in the night time and make a noise an exorcist adjureth the wicked spirit to declare what he is whether he be that lately damned soul and for what sinne The Monk was informed what to answer and how They take witnesses The fraud was tryed the Friers were imprisoned and the young monk revealeth all The King hearing this voweth to throw down the Monastery but fearing that it might be matter of joy unto the Lutherans he dismisseth them In November of the same year in Paris and other places of France even within the Kings palace about one time of the night were papers set up against the Masse and other points of religion Inquiry was made many were apprehended and racked and burnt in the next year King Francis excuseth King France writes unto the Protestants in Germany him to the Protestants assembled at Smalcald that seing they intended the destruction of the Commonwealth said he the Germanes should not blame him more than he did blame them for suppressing the bowres or Manzerianes and he having a purpose to revenge himself on the Emperour craves by the same Ambassade that the Protestantes would make a league with him for reformation of religion So he pretendeth and entreates them to send some Divines namely Melanthon to dispute with the Masters of Sorbon he said He knew certainly that many superstitions were creept into the Church by insufficiency of priests and the Pope assumeth too much authority how beit by mans law he is the highest of all bb yet not by Gods word the traditions of the Church may be altered as time requires and therefore he is desirous to hear reasoning that things amisse may be amended He said also Pope Julius had excommunicated King Lewes XII John King of Navarre because they held that the Pope hath not power to call a Councel without consent of Christian Princes and he had raised Monarchs against them offring their Kingdoms as a prey In end he concludes suting a league without the Emperour They answer Without the Emperour they could and would do nothing In this assembly the former league was continued for ten years and into it were received all who were willing to professe the Augustan Confession So that they were 15. Princes and 30 Cities Cownt de Nassow was also admitted Henry VIII sent thither requiring that they would not admitt a Councell which would not abolish the abuses of former times or would confirme the Popes power They also required of him that he would receive the Augustan Confession but that he would not do That year Vergerius the Popes Legate had gone unto all the Princes The policies of Vergerius in Germany severally shewing them that the Pope had called the Councel to conveen at Mantua They all gave him one answere that they would advise in their meeting at Smalcald and there they told him they hope that Caesar will not depart from his promise and decree that the Councel should be in Germany nor can they understand what it meaneth that the Pope promiseth to provide for the safety of them which shall assemble when they look back into former times nor how in the Councell the way of treating can be rightly ordered where he who hath so oft condemned them will have the power in his hand Nor can it be rightly called a Councel where the Pope and his priests command all but where men of all conditions in the Church even Seculares also have a like power Vergerius had also been with Luther at Wittembergh and said The Church of Rome made great account of him and were sory for the want of such a man who might do good in the service of God and the Church which two are inseparable and the court was ready to vouchsave him all favour it was displeasant unto them that former Popes had used such bitterness against him Nor had he who professeth not Divinity a purpose to dispute controversies with him but to shew him the weight of humane reason how expedient it were unto him to be reconciled unto the Church he may consider that doctrine of his was not heard before those 18 years and hath brought forth innumerable sects where of each accurseth another whence many tumults and broils have arisen and therefore it can not bee from God but he was singularly blown up with selve-love who would endanger all the world rather than not to vent his own opinions seing he had continued without sting of conscience the space of 35 years in that faith wherein he was baptized he should still mantaine it He may remember how Aeneas Sylvius was once addicted unto his own opinions and hardly attained unto a silly chanonry in Trent but when he changed his opinions he became a Bishop and then a Cardinal and lastly was Pope and
baptisme pennance and sacrament of the altar little or nothing differing from the Church of Rome 3. he declareth that the cause of our justification is the only mercy of the Father promised freely unto us for his son Christs sake and for the merit of his passion yet good works are necessary with inward contrition charity and other spirituall graces and good motions that is when wee have received remission of our sins or are justified we must give obedience unto God in observing his Law 4. he commandeth pastors to teach their people that images should not be worshipped and are but representers of vertue and good example and therefore no incence knieling nor offering should be done unto them 5. Saints are to be praised or Christ is to be praised in them for their graces and good example that they have left unto us but wee obtain all grace by the only Mediation of Jesus Christ and of none other 6. concerning ceremonies as holy vestures holy water bearing candles on Candlemes-day and some such others he admits them to be good so far as they put men in remembrance of spirituall things but so that they contain in them no power to remit or take a way sin c. There he addeth other iniunctions specially he causethto translate the Bible and commandeth all priests to have a Latine and English Bible lying open in their parish-churches that whosoever pleaseth may read them Then diverse images were demolished An. 1538 especially the most notable stocks of idolatry at Walsingham Worchester ... which had devices to role their â—ies and to stirre other parts of their body and many other false juglings wherewith simple people had been deceived all which was then made known and destroyed Jo. Foxe in Acts. In the same year followeth the ruine of all religious as they had been called houses by advice of the same L-Cromwell Lord of the privy seale So that all friers Nuns and sects of religion were rooted out of England to the number of 645. Abbeys priories and Nuneries and by Act of Parliament their lands did return to the heirs of the first Donours All that time Steeven Gardener Bishop of Winchester so dealt with the king by representing unto him the grudge of his subjects for rejecting the pope and for his dealing toward his wifes he had then married Anna Sister to the Duke of Cleve An. 1539. and for these his late doings that he persuadeth him for taking away suspicion of heresy to consent unto the burning of John Lambert yea Gardener prevaileth so that the king hearkned no more unto L. Cromwell but contrariwise he beheaded him and Walter L. Hungerford July 28 An. 1540. Tho. Cooper He made an Act discharging the Translation of the Bible made by W. Tindall and restraining the authorized Translation with many limitations An. 34. Henr. VIII It came then to passe that the estate of Religion seemed more and more to decay and popish injunctions were authorized establishing Transubstantiation vowes of chastity private Masses and auricular confession and forbidding communion in both kinds and marriage of priests wherefore some said Henry had forsaken the Pope but not popery and he annulled not those former Statutes Such was the craft of the venemous serpent But God raiseth up some good instruments for Thomas Cranmer archb of Canterburry resists Gardener and the Counsel of England was divided some were for the old Religion and some for the Reformed and Statutes of both sorts were in force So in one day at Smith field An. 1541. Gardener with his faction for refusing his articles caused burn three godly men Do. Robert Barnes Tho. Garret Will Jerom priests and Tho Cranmer with his side caused hang drawe and quarter other three Ed. Powell Ric. Fetherston Tho. Abell for denying the kings Supremacy and maintaining the Bishop of Rome's authority Jo. Foxe in Acts. A stranger beholding these said Good God how can men live here on the one side Papists are hanged and on the other anti-papists are burnt The people were brought marvelously into doubt of Religion All the number of them which suffered in England for maintaining Papacy which was called Treason wer 24 persons but of the other sort many were burnt and so many were imprisoned the same year that room could not be found in the prisons of London and many were kept in other houses by intercession of the L. Chanceller Audley many of them were given to the custody of Noble men where they were used favourably In that year Henry was divorced from his fourth wife by Sentence of his Clergy which did hate her for Lutheranisme as they spoke yet with her own consent and within a month he married Catherin Howard a brothers daughter of the house of Norfolk the next year she was accused of adultery with Tho. Culpeper and beheaded in the Tower with Jane Lady Rocheford as accessory unto her deeds After that Henry began to misse his good Counseller L. Cromwell and to perceive the scope of Gardener he wrote unto Archbisbop Cranmer to reforme pilgrimages and idolatry and he permits to eat flesh in Lent pretending a civill respect and the benâ—fite of the people But bloodie Gardener â—easeth not from persecution and burnt in one fire Ro. Testwood Ja. Filmer Jo. Marbeck and Antonie pierson at Winchester An. 1543 and great numbers at Calice amongst whom was the abovenamed Alex. Seton The Commissioners of this bloody Inquisition were restrained by the Lords of parliament An. 1545 that no inditements should be received against any person but by the oaths of 12. men at least of honesty credite and free of malice Item that no person should be put in ward before his enditement were heard judged except at the Kings speciall command Item An. 35. Henr. VIII c. 16. it was enacted that the king should have full authority to appoint 16. of the clergy and 16 of the Temporalty to peruse and examine the canons constitutions and ordinances Provincial and Synodal and according to their discretions with his Royall consent to setle and establish an order of Ecclesiasticall lawes to be observed in time coming in all spirituall courts As these Acts did in some measure shew the mind of the King so Gardener ceaseth not yea he spareth not the godly Lady the Kings sixth wife and sent to apprehend her but by her wisedom and submission unto the King she was saved out of the butchers handes In a word Henry was much led by his Counsellers he died in January 1547. When he saw death approaching he nameth his son Edward to be his heire and failing him he appointeth the Crown unto Mary and failing her unto Elisabeth he appointeth 16. Counsellours as Governours of his son amongst whom were Th. Cranmer and Gardener but afterward he caused to blott out Gardeners name because said he he would trouble all the rest he is of so turbulent a spirit The chieff of these Counsellers was Edward Seymer Earle of Herford uncle to king
for he makes convocation of the people to hear praier and Sermon almost dayly and whatever your Ma. or others think of it we think it no treason The Queen Hold your peace let him answer for himself Knox I began to reason with the Secretary whom I take to be a better Logician than your Ma. is that all convocation is not unlawfull and now my Lord Ruthuen hath given the instance which if your Ma. will deny I shall make myself ready to prove The Queen I will say nothing against your Religion nor conveening to your Sermons but what authority have you to convocate my subjects when you will without my commandement Knox I have no pleasure to decline from my former purpose but to satisfy your two questions Madam I answer that at my will I never conveened four persons in Scotland but at the Order that the Brethren had appointed I have given diverse advertisements and great multituds have assembled thereupon And if your Ma. complaines that this was done without your Ma. command So hath all that God hath blessed within this realm from the beginning of this action and therefore I must be convinced by a just law that I have done against the duty of Gods Messinger in writing this Letter before that I be either sory or repent for the doing of it as my Lord Secretary would persuade mee for what I have done it is at the commandement of the Generall Church within this realm and therefore I think I have done no wrong The Queen you shall not escape so is it not treason my Lords to accuse a Prince of cruelty I think Acts of Parliament may be found against such whifperers Many do grant that this is true Knox But wherein can I be accused The Queen Read this part of your Letter This fearfull summons is directed against them to make no doubt a preparation upon a few that a door may be opened to execute cruelty upon a greater multitude What say you to that Knox is it lawfull Madam to answer for myself or shall I be condemned before I be heard The Queen Say what you can I think you have enough a do Knox I will first desire of your Ma. and of this honourable audience Whither your Ma. Knoweth not that the obstinate Papists are deadly enemies to all that professe the Evangell of Jesus Christ and that they most earnestly desire the extirpation of them all and of the true doctrine which is taught within this realme The Queen held her peace but all the Lords with common voice said God forbid that either the life of the faithfull or the staying of the doctrine stood in the power of the Papists for experience hath taught us what cruelty is in their hearts Knox I proceed then seing I perceive that all will grant that it were a barbarous cruelty to destroy such a multitude as professe the Evangell of Jesus Christ within this realm which they have attempted to do by force once or twice as things done of late dayes do testify whereof they being by Gods providence disapointed have invented more crafty dangerous practises to wit to make the Prince paâ—ty under colour of law and so what they could not do by open force they shall perform by crafty deceit for who thinks my Lords that the insatiable cruelty of the Papistes within this realm I meane shall end in the murthering of these two now unjustly summoned and more unjustly to be accused I think no man of judgement can so esteem but rather the direct contrary that is by this few number they intend to prepare a way to their bloody enterprise against all and therefore Madam cast up when you list the Acts of your Parliaments I have offended nothing against them for in my Letter I accuse not your Majesty nor yet your nature of cruelty but I affirm yet again thas the pestilent Papists which have enflammed your Ma. without cause against these poor men are the sones of the devill and therefore must obey the desires of their father who hath been a murtherer from the beginning Onesaid you forget yourself you are not in the pulpit Knox I am in the place where I am commanded in my conscience to speak the truth and the truth I speak impugne it who so listeth And heer unto I add Madam that honest meek gentle natures in appearance may be by wicked corrupt counselers changed altered to the direct contrary exempls wee have of Nero whom in the beginning of his empire we find having naturall shame but after his flatterers had incouraged him in all impiety alledging that nothing was either unhonest or unlawfull in his person who was Emperour above others when he had drunk of this cup I say to what enormites he fell the histories bear witnes And now Madam to speak plain Papists have your ears patent all times assure your Ma. they are dangerous counselers and that your Mother did find The Queen Well you speak fair heer before my Lords but the last time I spake with you Secretly you caused mee to weep many tears And so was a rehearsing of what was spoken in the Cabinet when John Erskin was present After the Secretary had conferred with the Queen he said Mr. Knox you may return to your house for this night Knox I thank God and the Queen's Majesty and Madam I pray God to purge your heart from Papistry and to preserve you from the Counsell of flatterers for howsoever they seem pleasant to your ears and corrupt affections for the time experience hath taught into what perplexity they have brought famous Princes The Queen reteereth to her cabinet John Knox went home The Counsell voteth uniformly that they could find no offense The Queen is brought again and commandeth to vote over again All did refuse to vote over again The next day a new assault was made on J. Knox to confesse an offence and put himself in the Queen's will with this assurance that his greatest punishment should be but to go within the castle of Edinburgh and immediatly he shall return to his house He said God forbid that by my confession I condemn these Noble men who in their conscience and in displeasure of their Queen have absolved mee and further I am assured ye will not in earnest desire mee to confesse an offense unless thereby ye would desire mee to cease from preaching for how can I exhort others to peace if I confesse myself an authour of sedition Histo of Reformation Lib. 4. On December 25. the sixth Nationall Assembly conveenes The VI. National Assembly in Edinburgh where were many Noble men the Superintendents c. John Willock Superintendent of the West is â—hosen Moderator The petitions of the Ministers and Commissioners were despised by some Counselers with these words As Ministers will not follow our counsell so will we suffer Ministers to labour for themselves and see what speed they come The Noble men said if the Queen will not
suffrages 6. concerning the general Reformation 7. and the communion of both kinds When the Pope and Princes saw that they could not compass their particular designes by this Councel each one began to search other means And first the Pope sent Cardinal Moron unto Ispruc with propositions that the Emperour would not go unto Trent and consent to transfer the Synod unto Bolonia c. And he promised concurrence in effectuating his designes But Ferdinand trusting to obtain his desites in the Councel in respect of his vicinity and partly hoping to prevail with other Princes would not consent and yet refused not absolutly Charles King of France sent one Ambassador to Spain another to Trent a third to Germany and fourth unto the Pope to make proposition of removing the Councel unto Constance or Worms or some other place of Germany because respect must be had unto the Germans England Scotland and a part of France and other Nations who will never accept that of Trent The Legates permitted many Prelats to depart especially them who were for residence and all the Frenches went away excep one or two Benedictines who lived for the time in the Monastry of Trent Charles Cardinal of Lorrain shew unto Ferdinand and his Son King of the Romans that seing the Princes and Prelats had different designes it is impossible the Synod can satisfy all their desires in matters of the Chalice use of the vulgare language marriage of priests and such propounded by his Majesty and the French King the King of Spain nor the Princes of Italy will never consent in the Reformation every Nâ—tâ— one would reform others and himself be untouched and each would have the glory of Reformation and continue in the abuses laying the blame upon the Pope alone Therefore seing the Synod can do no good it is necessary to dissolve it the best way they can Thus the Princes layd aside all hope and they resolve not to oppose the dissolution yet so that they will not make a suddain retrait The Cardinal of Lorrain was the chief Actor in all that followes The Pope hearing how so many Princes and Bishops hearkened unto his words envited him to come unto Acceleration to an end Rome and made liberal promises unto him After the 19 day of May all doctrines were slipped-over lightly with little or no resistance except that the Venetians strove for and obtained a correction of a decree that was framed against the lawfulness of marriage after divorce because their Republick hath the Isles of Cyprus Candy Corfu Zante and Cephalonia where the inhabitants are Greeks and from all antiquity have put away their wife 's for fornication and taken another wife neither were ever condemned for this cause by any Synod Some difficulty was for reformation for the Ambassadors urge the Reformation of the clergy because their corruptions had been the fountain of all the heresies The Vltramontans imputed all the corruptions unto the Roman Court The Courtiers willing to satisfy the Pope and do no prejudice to themselves did consult how to divert that purpose and to this end they propound the Reformation of Princes The Orators give notice of this unto the Princes and in the Synod they say The Fathers were assembled at first for extirpation of heresies and Reformation of the clergy and not for any Secular cause The Legats reply The Reformation of the Church in all her members appertaines unto the Synod And they advertise the Pope Then the Pope hastened to finish more then ever before and of this he wrote unto his Nuâ—tij in Germany Spain and France and spake of it unto the Ambassadors lying at Rome With the Oratours of the Italians he used this conceit he said he would think him more obliged unto them in this particular then if they had aided him with Arms in a great necessity Then he instructeth the Legats that they should aim at the finishing of the Synod and grant whatsoever is necessary thereunto yet admitting so few things prejudicial as is possible all which he referres unto their prudence They did so gaining prelats by private colloquies satisfying Orators with promises according to their several interests and making shew to please all parties by plausible and ambiguous canons These were amassed privatly and the prelats being preoccupied were propounded publickly for consent only But the most prudent did sufficiently understand that there was no purpose to remove nor moderate the former abuses some smal errors of the remote Churches were noted only so that it was verified They strain out gnats and remove not beams Some shewes were made of reforming some greater abuses but with reservation of the Pop's interest Before the Cardinal of Lorrain returned from Rome De Ferriers the French Ambassador according to his instructions protested against their proceeding in Reformation of Princes and so did the Spaniard But Ferdinand was fully persuaded by his Son to give way of finishing the Synod because there is no hope of any quietnes unto Germany by it and it hindereth other courses that may be had at home The Pope was glad of his consent but those protestations vexed him untill the Car. of Lorrain said De Ferriers had done so not by new instruction from the King Charles but an older from the King of Navar and he undertook to procure the Kings consent Then the Pope sent this Cardinall with order to finish albeit with distast of the Spaniard for he knew how to appease him As for Reformation of princes in patronages presentations power over the clergy and subiects .... They should not descend to any particulare but renew the antient canons without anathematism If any difficulty shall arise in other particulars reserve that unto him and he will provide â—ufficiently When he was gone the pope sent a form of finishing the Councel to wit All things that were defined under Paul and Julius should be confirmed and it should be declared that all those were done in this one Councel and in all thing the authority of the Apostolical See should be preserved confirmation of the decrees should be demanded of the pope All the Fathers should subscribe and after them the Ambassadors and leaving in the power of the Legats and the Car. of Lorrain to ad diminish or change according to opportunity All those were done so but this information was kept secret untill the Councel was dismissed XV. In Session 24. November 11. the decrees were read of marriage Precipitation of the decrees and of Reformation Because some opposition was made some canons of marriage were omitted and some of Reformation as if these had been precipited it was appointed to correct them in the congregation and the next Session was appointed to December 9. with power of anticipation November 14. Lorrain in a privat conference with the Legats and some Bishop of every Nation propounded the ending of the Councel they all excep the Spaniards upon the above-named motives do consent Then the matter of
obedience were to confesse himself a vassall This treaty continued a year and in end it was concluded that the Pope shall confirm the election without saying that obedience was demanded or not demanded promised or not promised Ibid. He lamented when he considered the renting of the Church with so many different opinions nevertheless he maintained peace and no way hindered the gospell and he maintained a Protestant Minister Phauserus in his Court for a space he was oft at Masse nor did abrogate papistry He said once to William Bishop Olovincensis There is no greater sin than to domineer over mens consciences At another time he said Who take on them to command mens consciences they climbe into the castle of heaven In the beginning of his reigne he refused to pay unto Solyman the acknowledgement which his father had covenanted to pay for the peaceable possession of his part of Hungary and in the year 1566. he had his first Diet at Ausburgh where he sought subsidy against the Turk The Protestants sought a confirmation of the peace in the cause of Religion and then it was established not only by universal consent but confirmed also by oath that the Catholicks should not trouble the Protestants in the exercise of their Religion nor in the possession of their goods moveable nor vnmoveable and that the Protestants should permit the like liberty unto the Papists within their dominions Under pain of Outlawry to the transgressors on both sides As also it should be free unto any person to turn from the one Religion unto the other if they do hold their lands of the Emperour immediatly but if any Archb. or other Prelat will embrace the Reformed Religion he should renounce his Benefice with all its revenues to be conferred on a Papist excepting those goods or Monasteries which belonged not unto them that are immediatly subject unto the Emperour and have been possessed by the Reformed since the year 1552 so that no plea of law should have any power against them c. This agreement is word for word in Geo. Schonbor Politic. Lib. 4. c. 6. After this Diet Maximilian inuaded Transsylvania and took Wesperin and Dodis Wherefore Solyman came with a hudge army to aid John Vaivoda Prince of Transsylvania and took some towns from the Emperour In the mean time Solyman dieth but his Captain Mahumet a Bassa conceiled his death untill Selim was created successor unto his father then they took mo towns that Maximilian sought peace and obtained it upon harder conditions than before The same year 1567. William à Grumbach a Noble man but a vassall of the Bishop of Wirtzburg took armes with the aid of the Marques of Brandeburg against his superior wherefore the Bishop outlawed him and brought him to poverty yet he found favour with John-Frederik Duke of Saxony and some others he with some horsemen inuades Writzburg and supriseth it ere the Bishop raised an army the surprisers were gone hither and thither They began another plot the Emperour sent Augustus Elector of Saxony against them he prevailed John-Frederik was sent prisoner into lower Austria Grumbach and his Chancelorr Duke Bruck were quartered Baron Baumgartner and some others were beheaded and the castle of Grimmenstain was made levell with the ground Such was the end of proud rebells Maximilian lived the rest of his dayes in peace An. 1470. the Turks wanne Nicosia a chief town of Cyprus and Famaugusta or Salamys after a years seege and contrary to the conditions of rendring Bragadin Governour of the town was excoriat quick at command of the Bassa Mustapha and others were most cruelly murdered So all Cyprus was taken from Crhistians Then the Venetians who had possessed it 200 years made a league with the Pope and King of Spain John Duke of Austria a sone of Charles V. was Generall of the Navy the battell was fought in the firth of Corinth alià s Golfo de Lepanto 25000. Turks were slain 4000. captive and almost all their Navy with rich spoile came into the handes of Christans 14000. captive Christians were delivered An. 1575. Maximilian sought by many meanes to have been chosen King of Poland and when Steven Prince of Transsylvania was preferred he was never seen to be jovaill again He caused his son Rodulph be chosen King of the Romanes in a Diet at Ratisbon and died in time of the Diet in Octob. 1576. Pet. Mexia II RODULPH II. immediatly after his coronation sent to Rome and sought not only confirmation but to be declared the eldest sonne of the Church He held his first Diet at Ausburg An 1582 where was no talk of Religion but only he urged the Gregorian Calendare and sought aid against the Turks He took armes against Gebhard Bishop of Colein because he forsook the Pope as followes An. 1584. Rodolph and Amurath III. Emperour of Turks made truce for 93 years but the same year in October 10000 Turks inuade the landes of Carniola they burnt and wasted sundry towns and villages and carried away Christians of both sexes in eaptivity within two dayes a company of Christians meet them in Croatia they deliver the Christians and routed the Turks Osiand In the year 1592. Amurath thought to have made conquest of all Hungary and entred into Croatia then followed continuall wars untill the year 1606 victory enclining now to the one hand and then to the other Rodulph had a league with the Duke of Muscove and received supplied both of men and money against Amurath Rodulph reigned 36. years CHAP. IIJ. Of Diverse COVNTRIES J. BY the preambulatory pieces before Ge. Cassanders consultation Consultatio Cassandri it is cleare 1. from the testimony of Ja. Thuan that the Emperour Ferdiâ—and was not satisfied with the Councel of Trent and though too late he perceived that he was deceived by Cardinal Moron wherefore he took another course to compose the controversies in Religion when he could not find remedy abroad he would do his best at home So with the advice of his son Maximilian he sent for George Cassander living then in Duisburg to shew some way of conciliating the controversies of the Augustan Confession His Letters were dated May 22. 1564. 2. The Emperours purpose was that if by the advice of prudent men he could effectuat no more yet he might have a setled form of Religion in Hungary Bohem and his other hereditary Dominions Cassander was not able to make travell because he was goutish But after another Letter from the Emperour and from King Ferdinand he wrot his Consultation for that effect before he sent it Ferdinand was gone and it was delivered unto Maximilian None hath written against the Consultatio it seemes Papists would not write against it because he holdeth that the Roman Church is a true Church albeit corrupt and it is a schism to depart from it The Reformed writ not against it because he maintaines the most and main articles of their doctrine The book is scarce to be had but in a big volume with
and also Quod qui facit contra conscientiam Divinis in rebus aedificat ad gehennam ...... Beare with me Madam I beseech you if I chuse rather to offend your earthly Majesty then to offend the heavenly Majesty of God ...... I will draw to an end most B. Grindals petitions humbly praying that you will consider these short petitions I. that you would referr all these ecclesiasticall matters unto the Bishops and Divines of the Church of your realm according to the exemple of all Christian Emperours and Princes of all ages for indeed they are to be judged as an Antient writes in Ecclesia seu Synodo non in Palatio When your Majesty hath questions of the laws of your realm you do not decide them in your Court or palace but send them to your Judges to be determined ......... Ambrose to Theodosius used these words Si de causâ—s pecuniariis Comites tuos consulis quanto magis in causa Religionis Sacerdotes Domini aequum est consulas ...... My second petition is that when you deal in matters of faith and religion or matters that touch the Church of Christ which is the Spouse bought with so dear a price you would not pronounce so resolutely and peremptorily quasi ex authoritatâ— as you may do in civil and external matters but alwayes remember that in Gods cause the will of God and not the will of any creature is to take place It is the Antichristian voice Sic volo sic jubeo sâ—et pro ratione voluntas In Gods matters all Princes ought to bow their Scepters to the Son of God and to ask counsell at his mouth what they ought to do David exhorts all Kings and rulers to serve God with fear and trembling Remember Madam that you are a mortal creature look not only as was said to Theodosius upon the people and princely array wherewith you are apparelled but consider also what it is that is covered there with .......... Must you not one day appear ante terrendum tribunal Crucifixi ut recipias ibi prout gesseris in corpore sive bonum sive malum And although you are a mighty Prince yet remember ...... As the Psalmist saith 76. Terribilis est is qui aufert Spiritum principum terribilis super omnes Reges terrae Wherefore I beseech you Madam in visceribus Christi when you deal in these religious causes set the Majesty of God before your eies laying aside all earthly Majesty determin with yourself to obey his voice and with all humility say unto him Non mea sed tua voluntas fiat God hath blessed you with great felicity now many years beware you do not impute it to your deserts or policy but give God the glory ...... Take heed you never think of declining from God lest it be verified of you which is written of Joash Cum corroboratus esset elevatum est cor ejus in interitum suum neglexit Deum He concludes trusting better of her and praying for her What could be written saith Fuller with more spirit and less animosity More humility and less dejection I see a lambe in his own can be a Lion in God and his Churches cause Say not that Orbitas senectus only encouraged Grindall in this his writing whose necessary boldness did arise partly from his confidence in the goodness of the cause for which partly from the gratiousnes of the Queen to whom he made his adress But alas all in vain Leicester had so filled her eares with complaints against him there was no room to receive this petition But to return to the former purpose we see from this Letter that the form of Exercise was allowed by ten Bishops and the history shewes that the Ministers who used that exercise were not conformists unto the rites But NB. VVhit gift's severity iâ— opposed some Bishops of that age were so zealous of their authority and jealous of the prophecyings that diligent Ministers must needs conform or then the flocks shall want teaching and the Queen must bear the blam of all More of these trouble followers here I add that â— Whitgift succeeding to Grindal was the first Reformed Bishop that was Counselor of State and most vehement in pressing conformity yet not without many checks and lets For not only did the Counsell sent Letters unto that Archbishop willing him to relent of his severity but as the same author writes in the Parliament Aâ— 1587. the House of Commons presented unto the House of Lords a petition complaining that many parishes were destitute of preachers and craving amongst other things that no oath nor subscription might be tendered to any at their enterance into the Ministery but such as is expressly prescribed by the statutes of the realm excep the oath against corrupt entring That they may not be troubled for omission of some rites or portions prescribed in the book of Common prayer That such as had been suspended or deprived for no other offence but only for not subscribing might be restored and that the Bishops would forbear their excommunication exofficio mero of godly and learned preachers not detected for open offence of life or apparent error in doctrine c. And the Lords rancountred the Bishops so hardly especially against plurality of Benefices that matters flying so high the Archbishop conceived it the safest way to apply himself by petition unto the Queen in this manner The wofull and distressed estate whereinto we are like to fall forceth us with grief of heart in most humble manner to crave your Majesties soveraign protection For the pretence being made of the maintenance and increase of learned ministry when it is throughly weighed decrieth learning spoileth their livings takes away the set form of prayer in the Church and it is the means to bring in confusion and barbarisme How dangerous innovations are in a setled Estate whosoever hath judgement perceiveth Set dangers apart yet such great inconveniences may ensue as will make an estate lamentable and miserable Our nighbours miseries may make us fearfull but that we know who ruleth the same All the Churches in Europe can not compare with England in the number of learned Ministers These benefits of your Majesties most sacred and carefull government with hearty joy we feel and humbly acknowledge senseless are they that repine at it The respect hereof made the Prophet to say Dij estis All the faithfull and discreet clergy say O Deacertè Nothing is impossible with God Requests without grounded reasons are lightly to be rejected We therefore not as Directors but as humble Remembrancers beseech your Highness favourable beholding of our estate present and what it will be in time to come if the Bill against pluralities should take any place c. With this petition was annexed a catalogue of pretended inconveniences So that in effect no thing was enacted in relation to this matter but at the dissolution of the Parliament the Bishops were more â—evere then