words If it be lawful to celebrate for a penny it were far better and precious to celebrate without pennies this they say thinking that simony is committed in these exactions Oh how great a wickedness and madness to exact forty fifty or sixty florens for the absolution of a City and relaxation of a Church-yard I am silent of other things simple and secular people do abhor all these things 28. Jagielo Duke of Lituania was married to Heduigis Queen of Poland The conversion of Lituania An. 1386. with condition that he should embrace the Christian faith and annex that Dukedom to the Crown of Poland he and his three Brothers Borissus Suidrigielo and Vidold were baptized at Cracow Febr. 14. The next year he called a general convention of all the people of Lituania at Vilna in the beginning of Lent and took with him the Bishop of Gesna and some Priests There he propoundeth unto them the forsaking of their Idolatry and the embracing the Christian Religion he allured them with exhortations and promises but the Priests being ignorant of the language could teach them nothing at all The barbarous people were loath to leave the customs of their Ancestors but when they saw that at commandment of the King the fire in the Temple of Vilna to be extinguished and the Altar broken and the Serpents which they had worshipped to be killed and dead and their holy groves destroyed without the hurt of any man the people wondered and said How is it that our gods do not revenge themselves on these wicked Christians if any of us had done the like we had perished by the wrath of the gods Then were they willing to follow the Religion of their Prince and because it had been wearisome to baptize them all this honor was given to some of the Nobles to baptize them severally and the vulgar sort were set in companies and the Priests cast water upon them and gave unto every company a name saying I baptize ye in the name c. and so in one day 30000 barbarous people were baptized Ale Guaguin in Rer. Polon To. 1. 29. Nicolaus de Lyra a Jew by birth and then a converted Christian wrote Annotations on all the Bible which were in great account among the School-men but in many Articles of faith he differeth from the Papists now as appeareth clearly by these passages When Jerome had written in Prologin lib. Tobiae The book of Tobiah which the Jews following the catalogue of divine Scriptures have reckoned among those which they call Hagiographa de Lyra saith He should rather have said among the Apocrypha or he taketh the Hagiographa largely And in his Postilla he saith When I have written as God hath helped upon all the Canonical books of the holy Scriptures ..... trusting in his help I intend to write of the other books which are not of the Canon to wit the book of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Judith Tobias and the books of Maccabees ...... We must know that the books of the sacred Scriptures which are called Canonical are of such authority that whatever is written there it is held true without controversie and consequential also what is manifestly concluded thereupon for as in the writings of Philosophers truth is known by reducing unto the first principles that are known in themselves so in the Scriptures of Catholick Doctors truth is known in so far as things to be believed can be reduced unto the Canonical writings of the sacred Scripture which we have by revelation from God who cannot lye therfore the knowledg of these writings is necessary unto the Church for which cause of the exposition of them it may be said what is written Eccles 24. All these are the book of life that is all the books that are expounded in the preceding work are contained in the book of life that is in the books of truth revealed by God who is life for as divine predestination is called the book of life so this Scripture revealed by God is called the book of life both because it is from him which is life essentially as is said and it leadeth unto the blessed life And next it is to be considered that the books which are not of the Canon are received to be read by the Church for information of manners but their authority is not such that they are thought sufficient to prove things in controversie as Jerome teacheth in the Prologue on Judith c. On Deut. 17. at the words Thou shalt not decline he saith Here an Hebrew Glossa saith If he say unto thee The right hand is the left hand or the left is the right thou must receive such a sentence But this is manifestly false since the sentence of no man of whatsoever authority is to be received if it be manifestly false or erroneous and this is clear by what is said in the text They shall judge unto thee the truth of judgement and they shall teach thee according to his law Hence it is clear that if they speak false or decline from God's Law manifestly they should not be heard On Psal 124. or rather 125. on these words Like mount Sion he saith because as mount Sion is unmoveable so they who trust in the Lord are not moved from the stability of faith therefore it followeth shall not be moved for ever to wit who dwell in the spiritual Jerusalem by faith formed by love And the cause of this stability followeth The mountains are about it that is the Angels are deputed to keep the Church and the Lord is round about his people as he saith in Matth. ult Behold I am with you unto the end of the world On Daniel at the last words he saith The last two Chapters to wit of Susanna and the History of Bell and Dragon are not of the Canon therefore now I leave them and intend to take in hand the other books which are Canonical On Matth. 1. at the words Iudah begot Phares he rehearseth an opinion of Jerome which he confuteth and he addeth a general reason saying The sayings of Saints are not of such authority but we may think the contrary in those things which are not determined by the sacred Scripture therefore Augustine in Epist ad Vincent saith of the writings of the Saints This sort of writings is to be distinguished from the Canonical Scriptures and testimonies are not brought from them so that we may not think the contrary On chap. 10. at the words He gave them power over unclean spirits he saith If it be asked Why Preachers do not such miracles now Gregory answereth Because when the Catholick faith is sufficiently proved by the miracles of Christ and his Apostles it is needless to reiterate such proof any more And a little after Ye have received freely to wit grace which God hath bestowed on you whether grace making acceptable or grace which is freely given Give it freely even as ye have received for for spiritual acts as for administration
whereas before it was only by practice He sate 3 years 10. NICOLAUS the I surnamed the great was chosen by the Romans The Emperour will be acknowledged in the election of the Pope Before he was chosen the Emperour Lewis knowing how expedient it was for him to preserve the right of his Ancestours in the election made hast to Rome but the Romans purposely prevened him with the election Nicolaus thought to debar the Emperor from the consecration but he could not hinder that He had a mouth that spoke great things by his decree he equalleth The Pope speaks some great things Papal decrees unto the holy Scriptures he ordained that no secular Prince nor Emperour should be present in the Synods unless it were in matter of faith Gratian. dist cap. Vbinam to wit Princes should put to death them which are condemned of heresie He ordained that all publick prayers should be in Latine as Pope Vitalian had ordained before but was not obeyed that no Laick should judge a Church-man that the Pope should be judged of none because Constantine the great called the Bishop of Rome a God Grat. dist 96. cap. Salis. At this time Michael Bardas put away his wife and married her daughter for this cause Ignatius the Patriarch denied him the Communion Bardas assembleth a Synod and causeth Ignatius to be deposed and setteth up Photius Here ariseth a sedition some favouring the good cause and others swaying with authority In the end Nicolaus was intreated to take away the schism The Pope was well pleased and sent his Legates Rodoal Bishop of Portuen and Zachary Bishop of Ananien giving them a Commission to restore Ignatius if he would promise to restore the worship of Images Zonaras saith Bardas perswadeth the Legates to approve what he had done When they return Nicolaus excommunicateth them and deposeth them as transgressours of his commands Ph. Morn in Myster p. 177. At that time Nicolaus writ the Epistle which is in the 3. tome and some truths contrary to his successours of Councels and contains swelling presumption in some points contrary to ancient histories yet in other points contrary to the doctrine of his successours There he saith none of the Eastern Emperours had acknowledged the authority of the Bishops of Rome This he saith expressly but in an upbraiding manner as if the Emperours had omitted their duty Speaking of Ignatius he saith the Judges should not be suspected this he confirms by reason and by many examples and from Pope Gelasius he saith Should the same persons be enemies Judges and witnesses even earthly matters should not be committed to such judgement Doth he not then maintain the lawfull excuses of John Husse and Martine Luther who for the same causes were unwilling to be judged by the Popes their enemies Then Nicolaus alledgeth that Pope Celestin was President in the general Councel at Ephesus but the words of that Councel shew that Cyril Bishop of Alexandria was President And to prove that they should not have judged the Patriarch he brings the example of David who would not smite his Master Saul but he observes not that Saul was King and therefore neither should his successours have kicked against their Soveraign Emperours He addeth a little number hindreth not where truth abounds neither avails multitude where ungodliness reigneth nor should any man boast of a multitude c. What is more contradictory to the doctrine of the Romish Church in following ages which holds multitude to be an infallible note of the true Church After a little he commendeth the worship of Images and will have all Councels to be estimate by the approbation of the Pope Whereas the Bishops of Rome were wont to term the Emperour our Lord and Defender this is the first that calls the Emperour his son and his successours sometimes will not honour him with the title of their servant He said Before the coming of Christ some were typically both Priests and Kings but when the type is come to the true King and High-Priest in one person the Emperour should no more take to him the right of the Priesthood nor hath the High-Priest taken unto him the name of the Emperour because the one Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus hath so discerned the offices of both powers their dignities and actions being distinguished that both Emperours have need of High-Priests in spiritual things and the High-Priests have need of the Imperial laws for temporal things and so spiritual actions may be free from carnal oppressions and therefore the souldier of God should not be intangled with worldly affairs neither should he rule divine things who is wrapped in worldly matters and so both powers may be helped Gratian hath registred these words dist 96. cap. Cùm ad verum He speaks so to exclude the Emperour from judging Ecclesiastical causes but neither he nor Gratian did foresee how the same words would condemn the succeeding Popes who have usurped both Swords and two Robes nor how Bellarmin de Ro. Pont. lib. 5. cap. 3. gathereth out of these words that the Dominion of the World belongeth not to the Pope and reasoneth thus Seeing whatsoever the Pope hath he hath it from Christ as Pope Nicolaus saith then the Pope may take all power from the Emperours and Kings or he may not take it if he may take it then he is greater then Christ if he may not take it then he hath not Princely power Again cap. 8. he saith Christ for conserving humility would distinguish these two offices and gave only the Priesthood to Peter and left the Empire to Tiberius According to this consequence it may be justly inferred the Pope now doth contrary to the tenet of the ancient Bishops and is the Antichrist exalting himself contrary to Christ's order above all that is called God This Nicolaus did ordain that no man should receive the Sacrament from any Priest who had a concubine or wife He sate 7 years 9 months his See after him was vacant 8 years 7 months Platin. Who was head of the Church on earth at that time Or was it headless 10. HADRIAN the II the son of a Bishop Talarus was chosen in a tumult of the people without consent of the Emperour wherefore his Legates were not a little offended yet were appeased by the Romans alledging that the multitude could not be ruled and they intreated the Legates that they would confirm the good man which the clergy and people had named Platin The Legates yeeld although they clearly perceive that the clergy and people would usurp all the authority of the election and perhaps saith he that the liberty of the Church-men may increase At that time Basilius slue The Pope by flattery climbeth up in higher account at Constantinople the Eastern Emperour as is said and when he came to the Sacrament Photius the Patriarch rejects him as unworthy of Communion who with his own hand had slain his Soveraign Basilius dissembling his
had made the death of Christ unprofitable unto themselves which certainly is horrible to be spoken and very lamentable seeing that death brought salvation unto many This was the mind of Basilius also and nevertheless we find in the Gospel That he might give his life a ransom for many to be expounded for all Cap. 10. Can never with these sacrifices which were offered year by year ..... If they being once offered had been available they should no more have been offered but when the oblation was made year by year and often it is clear that they were too weak for bringing salvation unto them who were desirous of it and therefore after the first offering followed another and again and again another for amongst Drugs that are called most valid and efficacious which being but once applied or drunken doth heal and cure but what must be often changed and applied hath the less vertue of healing and doth no good unto the sick But one may ask Do we not offer without blood Yea indeed but then we remember the death of Christ and we have but one oblation and not many seeing He is offered but once for we offer him continually or rather we remember his oblation even as if at this time He were sacrificed wherefore it is certain that we have but one sacrifice and the Law had many although as it is said before it was offered the oftner that it might be the more profitable unto many which nevertheless is far otherwise But our sacrifice as I have said is but one and once offered and continueth whole both in this life and that to come and it is more perfect for it is but one blood and once poured forth and one body although it was offered for many and it is not many as it is but one sacrifice which is offered for we do offer that continually as if it were present So far from Theophylact. But here some may object that Theophylact agreeth not with the Reformed Church in Theophâ—lact is vindicated many particulars It is true and therefore I say often we must make separation of the dross from the pure gold but his difference is supposed to be greater then it is Porsena in his Epistle unto the Reader before the Gospels saith Theophylact follows Chrysostom concerning free-will and faith and some other things and therefore in expounding some places he is somewhat more violent which I say that herein you should use discretion which knowest thy self to be addicted unto the Canonical Scriptures only and not to scar thee from reading of him as some are wont when any passage displeaseth they throw the book away So say I in reading of any book written by man we who are addicted to the holy Scriptures only must use discretion But it seemeth Porsena speaks not this unto Papists because they are not addicted to the holy Canonical Scriptures only and he saith that Theophylact is more violent in expounding some places where certainly Porsena understands that he crosseth the Tenets of the Romish Church But this may be more clear by particulars 1. Porsena hath often marked the margine with liberum arbitrium as if Theophylact did in point of free will there assert the Romish errour concerning free-will and I know that others do alledge his testimony against the doctrine of the Reformed Church howbeit he speak nothing against us nor for them as is clear by inspection of particular places On Luk. 15. fol. 103. on the margine is Liberum arbitrium and in the line is The substance of man is rational whereupon followeth free-will for all rational creatures have a free-will and the Lord hath given them reason that they may use it freely c. It is clear that Theophylact speaks there of the nature of man absolutely or without any relation to any particular condition of man before the fall or after the fall and he speaketh against the Stoicks and Manicheans which did hold that the actions of men were carried by fate or pressing necessity and therefore it follows there If God would have us to be compelled he had not made us rational and of a free-will On Ioh. 6. at the words Will ye also go away he saith The Lord saith not Go ye away for this had been to repel them but he asketh will ye go away whereby he makes it free whether they will follow him or not and he sheweth that he will not have them to follow him in fear On these words also hath Porsena fixed Liberum arbitrium As also on Mat. 16. at the words If any will follow me he saith to the same purpose The Lord saith If any will to shew free-will and not coacted vertue These and many more places are clearly spoken against the necessity of fate or coaction which now is not controverted But if you ask By what power is an unregenerated man converted he hath said it already on 2 Cor. 4. and Eph. 1 and 2. Or if you ask By what power doth a regenerate man continue in the faith and practise of godliness Theophylact teacheth that on Phil. 2. at the words For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do Whereas he had said with fear and trembling now he saith that they need not fear for I have not spoken so that ye should despair but be the more wary for if ye take heed and be diligent God will make all perfect for it is he which makes you prompt to such a good will that we will good things and also bringeth such promptitudes of our mind unto an end for God worketh in us both the will that is he inableth you that ye desire good things and he will augment this good will and kindle it that it may be the more fervent ..... the Apostle takes not away free-will but willeth that we should alwaies give thanks unto God and committed all unto him Mark saith Theophylact but this manner of speaking he saith in you who work your salvation with fear and trembling for in such men which are willingly led unto good God worketh all things According to good will that is that it may be fullfilled in you what is acceptable unto God ..... for God will inable us to live rightly although it were no other cause but only this because so he willeth 2. It is objected that Theophylact and election by foreseen faith or works saith that election was made upon the fore-sight of faith and good works as on Eph. 1. it is When he saith He hath chosen he pointeth forth both the mercy of God and their vertue to wit whom God had separated as who were to be good I answer In these words Theophylact toucheth not the moving cause of election but only teacheth that God had chosen none but such as were to be good and godly and this he insists oft upon against them which held that faith or profession of faith is sufficient to salvation although men do not
Virgin foretold of tribulation and schism is come to pass but what she spoke of good Pastors and Reformation is not as yet He was Bishop of Florence in time of the Councel at Constance 17. Pope Gregory the XI by his Bull commanded John Arch-Bishop of Prague to persecute Militzius a Bohemian because he had said Antichrist now reigneth and he had private congregations among whom were some harlots whom he had converted and of whom he said These are to be preferred unto all the religious Nuns Jacob Misnes a writer about the year 1410. testifieth that Militzius said He was moved by the Spirit to search the Scriptures concerning the coming of Antichrist as also to preach at Rome that the Pope is the Antichrist and that the Church is laid desolate by negligence of Pastors she aboundeth in temporal riches and is void of spiritual Also that many now seem to deny Christ because though they know the truth they dare not profess it for fear of men Fox in Act. 18. Henry de Jota or Heuta taught at Vienna in Austria about the year 1380. All men without grace do but sin when they do their best works because the person must be accepted before his works be accepted God and not a Priest forgiveth sin and the Priest doth but declare out of God's word whom God doth binde or loose As Jerome had taught It is better to confess unto a learned Priest although he hath no jurisdiction then to an unlearned Priest having it reservation of cases unto the Pope or his Bishops is not of God's Law but from men since all Priests have a like power of the keys all God's counsels are commandments 19. John Munziger Rector of Ulme about the year 1384. taught The bread of the Eucharist is not God nor should be worshipped as God The Monks contended against him and the matter was referred to the University of Prague there his propositions were approved and nevertheless the bread must be worshipped said they for the concomitancy of the Deity 20. Gerhard Ritter wrote a book about the year 1350. which he called Lachrymae Ecclesiae about the year 1384. Alvarus Pelagius wrote another Planctus Ecclesiae Ubertin Bishop of Chema wrote Onus Ecclesiae The matter of them all is to mourn for the corruptions and abominations of Popes Cardinals Bishops Canons Priests and Monks c. Ubertin in cap. 19. saith A Reformation shall never be but in a general free and godly Councel he saith There is great need of Reformation but I fear this age is not worthy of a lawful Councel In cap. 22. Some Monasteries are more like to Stews of Venice then houses of God Catal. test ver lib. 18. 21. About that time an Epistle was divulged in Germany under the name of Wenceslaus where the Emperor exhorteth Church-men to set themselves at liberty from the thraldom of the Pope saying By the Princes of the Priests the Church is prophaned the Priesthood is defiled all order is confounded all Religion is corrupted all things belonging to laws manners faith or discipline is undone and confounded even that although our Savior suffered many things by men of the Synagogue yet now he suffereth more by our Princes of Priests There is also a vision of an holy man concerning the A vision of the Church estate of the Church He saw a woman with Princely apparel and thought that she was the blessed Virgin but she said I am not she whom thou thinkest me to be but the figure of her for whom thou groanest so oft and prayest to wit the Church whose sorrow is marvelous and her malady flowing from the head through all the members even to the feet and that thou mayest condole the more with me behold the causes of my grief then laying off the Crown she bowed her head unto him and he saw the upper part of her head cut after the manner of a cross into four parts and worms crawling out of her brains and wounds full of matter then she said Behold by those things in my head thou mayest understand the maladies in my other members and having spoken so she vanished In this Epistle is honorable mention of Marsilius de Padua and John de Janduno Morn in Myster 22. John Peter of Ferraria a famous Lawyer of Papia about the year 1397. is usually called Practicus Papiensis as he wrote Practica utriusque Iuris there he saith It is fond to say and abominable to hear The Pope is superior to Caesar The Pope can by no Law have temporal dominion nor possess Cities and Provinces what he hath he hath it by violence The temporal sword should be taken from him or Christendom shall never be at peace By foolishness of Princes are they become the drudges of Priests Whom the Pope absolveth from their oath he maketh them perjured The Clergy have their consciences in their hoods and laying them aside no more conscience appeareth Let some good Emperor arise against them who long since for the cause of devotion and now by avarice have undone all the world and brought to naught the estate of the Empire and of all Laicks John Andreae who was called Speculator Monarcha juris was wont to say Rome was first founded by robbers and now is returned to the same estate All these and more passages are razed out by Index Expurgat pag. 43. of Plantin's Edition 23. In time of Boniface the IX was published a dialogue of Peter and Paul with the title Aureum speculum In the preface the Author saith All the Roman Court from the sole of the foot to the top of the head is manifestly blinded with errors and with the poison of those errors she hath made drunk all the parts of the world almost Then he divideth his matter into three heads saying 1. I will describe the most grievous errors of the Roman Court 2. I will confute her erroneous and uncatholick writings and sayings 3. That all the Court of Rome is in danger of damnation And these I will declare by most true grounds so he prosecureth them severally And after many lamentations as despairing of Reformation Paul saith Only the Son of God I wish would reform his Church And lest it be thought that this was his judgement only he said in the preface All men do groan privately but none dare speak it forth Nor can this manifold corruption be concealed in the Court for when some said The Pope cannot be guilty of simony even in bestowing of Benefices for money his Secretary Theodor a Niem said It seemeth unto me to be very unjust certainly it is uncivil and against good manners to sell for money unto unworthy persons that which should be given freely unto the worthy onely and that the Pope who is above others and from whom others should have a rule of their doings is guilty of such a crime certainly he cannot punish others for that fault whereof himself is guilty And he saith Many good Masters in Divinity
not do it by another writing I protest unto heeâ— Christian reader my very great grief that those epistles are not blotted out of that works as also in that too large preface which also without my knowledge is prefixed unto that work I allow not whatsoever things may seem to maintain strife or unjust explication or commendation of the sacrament or may seem to advance any man with the disparagement or imputation of others but of this at another time only I would now purge myself from that edition But whereas I have alledged the writings of M. Luther Zuinglius Oecolampad and mine own concerning the presence of the Lord in the holy Supper godly reader doubt not but I have done so to advance the true doctrine of the sacraments and the agreement of the Churches and not for the pleasuring or contemning of any man or of a mind to offend any or to commend any without cause or desert I know by the Lords grace that Luther thinks well of this mystery as of all things whereof true knowledge is necessary unto Religion Therefore seing in the former editions of my Enarrations I have spoken against the natural either union of the body of Christ with the bread or its circumscriptive inclâ—sing in the bread as also of the comforting of consciences by the only outward receiving of the sacrament and against such other fictions as if they had followed upon the words of Luther which he had used when he was speaking of the sacraments it is my part both for Luthers cause who hath deserved well of the Church and for the Church of God and for Christ himself to testify unto the world that I acknowledge him to be free from such devices not only in his judgement but in his words lest any one upon occasion of my writing which may seem to fight with Luthers writings shall think that either Luâ—hâ—â— maintaines any presence of the Lord in the Supper unworthy of the Lord or that I maintain no presence The judgement of Zuinglius and Oecolampad so far as I could understand it therefore have I mentioned that those who reverence these mens works now knowing that these did not maintain naked seals in the Supper without Christ may the more willingly receive the truth of the sacrament if they have missed it and cleave faster unto it if they continued in it and such who make no account of those mens writings should no way reject the gifts of God which were bestowed on those in no small measure specially on Oecolampaâ— as his elaboured works shew abundantly .... God remove all contention from his people and all proposterous affectation and contempt of men and give us grace to embrace his trueth truly and to pâ—omote it happily Amen So far Bucer This was written in the year 1536 what may be gathered out of it I leave unto the judicious reader as also how it agreeth with the practise and doctrine of Luther and them who have followed him after that year CAP. IV. Of BRITANNE 1. William tindall is reckoned among the Englishes to have been next VV. Tindal an English mastyre unto John wickliff for knowledge of the faith and innocency of life he instructed the people in true faith toward Christ as his books yet extant do shew clearly and none did reveale Antichrist more plainly John Fisher Bishop of Rochester did provoke King Henry VIII against him and called him a rebell and contemner of the Kings lawes Therefore he wrote a book with this title The obedience of a Christian man and how Christian rulers ought to governe wherein also if thou marke diligently thou shalt find eyes to perceive the crafty conveyance of all jugglers In his epistle to the reader he saith The word of God is ever hated of the world neither was ever without persecution as thou mayst see in all the histories of the Bible both of the New and Old Testament neither can be no more than the sun can be without his light And forsomuch as contrarily thou art sure that the Popish doctrin what it is Popes doctrin is not of God which as thou seest is so agreeable unto the world and is so received of the world or rather which receives the world and the pleasures of the world and seekes nothing but the possessions of the world and autority in the world and persecutes the word of God and with all wilies drives the people of God from it and with false sophisticall reasons makes them afrayd of it yea curâ—eth them excommunicates them and brings them in belief that they be damned if they look on it and that it is but doctrin to deceive men and move the blind powers of the world to slay with fire water and sword all that cleave unto it Fol. 6. God promised to David a kingdom and immediatly stirred up King Saul against him to persecute and hunt him as men do hares with grehounds and to feret him out of every hole and that for the space of many years to tame and meeken him to kill his lusts and make him feel other mens diseases to make him mercifull and to make him understand that he was made King to minister and serve his brethren and that he should not think that his subjects were made to serve unto his lusts that it were lawfull for him to take away from them life goods at his pleasure O that our Kings were so nurtured now a dayes which our holy bb teach in a far other manner saying your grace shall take his pleasure take what pleasure yee lust spare nothing wee shall dispence with you wee have power wee are Gods vicares and let us alone with the realme wee shall take pains for you your Grace shall but defend the faith only Fol. 13. he saith unto the Curates Wherefore were the holy dayes appointed but that the people should come and learne are yee not abominable Schoolmasters in that ye take so great wages if ye will not teach if yee would teach how can ye do it so well and with so great profit as when the lay people have the Scripture before them in their mother tongue for then they should see by order of the text whether thou juglest or not .... but alas the Curates themselves for the most part wote no more what the new or old testament meaneth than the Turks do neither know they any more than The Bible was unknowen to Curats that they read at masse matens eevensong which yet they understand not nor care they but even to mumble up so much every day as the pye popingay speak they wote not what to fill their bellies If they will not let the lay man have the word of God in his mothers tongue yet let the priests have it which for the most part of them understand no Latine at all .... A thousand things forbid ye which Christ made free and dispence with them again for money neither is there any
horning to cease from all proceeding against him to excommunication 8. Blasphemous railing against the Ministers in pulpite since his suspension and oft before And in summamanifest contempt of the ordinance of the Church and stirring up a fearfull schism betwixt some of the Nobility and the Church All which being tryed partly by his own confession partly by the process in the Gen. assembly last in Edinburgh and by the process declared by the Eldership of Sterlin and partly by testification of good and godly brethren was found all to have fallen in his person and him to be culpable thereof for the which hainous and unworthy crimes the Assembly voteth and concludes the said Robert not only unworthy to serve in the Office of the Ministry but to be deprived thereof perpetually the sentence of excommunication to strick upon him unless he prevent the same by repentance The Lord of requests craves that the pronouncing of the said sentence may be delayd untill the King be advertised The Assembly continues their answer till after noon In Sess 9. a letter being written in name of the Ass unto the K. was read and thought good to be delivered unto the Lord of requests whereof here is the tenor Please your Maj. Wee have received your Gr s most loving letter directed unto us by your Gr s Commissioner Mark Ker Mr of requests and are compelled to burst out with most humble thanks unto our good God who of his mercy hath given us â—o godly a King carefull and wel-willing that God be glorified and his Church within your M. realm maintained as plainly appeares by the articles by your G. propounded whereunto with all diligence we began to make answer but in such shortness of time and such strait whereunto we were brought by certain Letters raised at the instance of Mr Robert mongomery wee are altogether stayd in that many other godly actions for upon the. 27. day of this instant the Assembly being occupied in godly and modest reasoning of weighty matters he caused an officer of armes to enter irreverently and under pain of horning commanded the wholl Church from all proceeding against him for whatsoever cause or enormity committed in his wicked attempts A thing that was never heard nor seen since the world began whereof we must lament unto yout Gr. and having no other refuge under God most humbly crave that by these extraordinary charges directed against the word of God and Lawes of your Gr s Countrey we be not constrained either to betray the cause of God by bearing-with and winking at horrible crimes manifest to all men in the person of the said Mr Ro. or to be reput and accounted disobedient to your Majesty in whose service wee have been are and shall be ready to spend our blood lifes Beseeching your Gr. wee may find this grace and favor in your Ma s sight to keep our conscience clean before God and reserve ourselves unto him who hath given us the charge of his inheritance This most reasonably request wee doubt not but to obtain at your Majesty our particular reasons being heard and considered which wee mind by Gods grace more largely to expound by certain brethren directed unto your Majesty and with a full answer unto the foresaid articles In the mean time wee beseech your Ma. not to give eare to the sinistrous report and wrangous information of men who by such dealings go about to draw your Ma. heart from your true faithfull subjects and by this unhappy schism to overthrow the Church of God within your Gr s country and for their own particular gain banish Christ and his word which God of his infinite mercy forbid and preserve your Gr. body and soull for ever From Santandrews Aprile 27. 1580. When this Letter was directed The assembly after voting concerning the sentence to be pronounced against Robert mongomery deprives him from all function of the Ministry in the Church of God during the will of the Assembly and more decerned the sentencce of excommunication to be pronounced in face of the assembly by the voice and mouth of the Moderator present against him to the effect that his proud flesh being casten into the hands of Sathan he may be winne again if it be possible unto God and the said Sentence to be intimated by every particular Minister at his own particular church in his first Sermon to be made by them after their returning The pronunciation of the said Sentence being stayd untill moonday at nyne hours because of the compearance of the said Rob. who hath Ro. Mongomery renounces his appellatioÌ„ renounced the appellation interponed by his procurator in his name and by himselfe that day before noon from the sentence of the Church and craves conference to be granted unto him of the most godly and learned brethren this the Church granteth untill moonday at nyne a clock upon condition he remain and wait upon the doctrin and conference of the brethren and make no novation or new charge against the Church He promiseth to attend upon the doctrin and conference of the Brethren the morne all day and he shall neither use nor purchase any new charge in tbe mean time if the Church use none against him And moreover the Assembly ordaines prajers to be made tomorrow after the sermon by him who shall occupy the place for the time In Sess 12. to the end the brethren may know what And submitts to the Assem fruit hath followed upon the Conference with R. Mongomery he is demanded to declare in the presence of God the simple truth of the accusations that were layd to his charge After prayer that God would be mercifull to him he confesseth as followes 1. He confesses the command given to him by the Reader at Sterlin to desist from his Office 2. He grantes that he had baptized children gotten in fornication but he took caution of the parents that they should satisfy the Church but this was not in presence of the Elders or Session 3. He remembereth not that ever he preached the circumcision of women 4. He made promise to the presbytery of Sterlin to wait on his charge of the Ministery there which he hath broken 5 He confesses that on March 20. the presbytery of Sterlin told him of the suspension bâ—t he was not certain of it because hee had not heard the process of it 6. He declares that howbeit he knew not the raising of many Letters against the brethren yet he keeped the ordinaâ—y diets thereof 7. He grantes the usurpation of David Weems flock wherein he confesses he had heavily offended 8. He confesses he had heavily offended against God and his Church by procuring and raising Letters against the Gen. assembly and in accepting the Bishoprick of Glasgow without advice of the Assembly and in proceeding by this form of doing which he hath used for the which he submits himself unto the will of the brethren and is willing to abide their
the person of an High-Priest but plaiest the Tyrant under the Coat of a Shepheard we find thee to be a Wolf thou art called a Father but falsely and thou shewest thy self a Judas by thy deeds when thou callest thy self the servant of servants thou contendest to be Lord of Lords and according to the discipline of Christ our Saviour thou art the lowest of all the Servants of God's Church but in ambition thou runnest headlong whatsoever pleaseth thee is lawfull and thou art become a drone to Christians What remains but to call him the Antichrist whom the Romanists call the third Elias They conclude For these causes we with our brethren and collegues will neither stand at thy command nor acknowledge thy voice neither do we fear thy Bulls and Thunders c. Of his Primacy they say The Holy Ghost is the Authour of all Churches how far soever they be separated thorow the World the City of our God whose Citizens we are belongeth to the four airths or corners of Heaven it is larger then the City which the holy Prophets have called Babylon because she makes her god-head equal unto the Heaven and braggeth that she is eternal as if she were God having all wisdom and glorieth that she neither erreth nor can erre Ph. Morn in Myster pag. 175. Where also is another Epistle written unto the same Pope drawn out of the French Annals it concludeth thus We will in no way receive thy wicked sentence which is far from the zeal of uprightness unjust unreasonable and contrary to the Canonical laws yea with all the Synod of our brethren we despise and contemn it as unlawfull accursed and fondly pronounced and truly we will not communicate with thee who art a favourer and pertaker with accursed persons and despisers of holy religion we are content with the communion of the whole Church and society of brethren above whom thou exaltest thy self whom thou despisest and from whom thou separatest thy self by thy swelling pride Now we who have experience of thy craft and deceit and also know thy disdain and swelling dominion we yeeld nothing nothing at all unto thee nor thy pride whereby thou indeavourest to overwhelm us all at the pleasure of our enemies whom thou favourest and thou shalt know that we are not thy Clarks as thou vauntest of thy self but if thy pride would suffer thee thou shouldest acknowledge us thy brethren and fellow Bishops Hence it appeareth that they begun by experience to smell out where the Antichrist or the man of pride was 15. When the controversie was between Charls the Bald and the two A lamentation for the Church in her pretended head and remedy petitioned from Kings Kings of Germany for the division of Lorain or as Ph. Morn speaks for marches Luithpert Bishop of Mentz was so respected for his gifts of prudence and holiness that the Kings did refer the deciding of the controversie unto him When the Pope did begin to usurp more and more upon the Bishops of Germany Luithpert writ unto King Lewis thus The present cause permits me not to be silent any longer which if I forsake I cannot be excusable before our Lord Jesus Christ unto whom it appertains and I should be conyict of my promise made unto your Majesty if I sitting in the watch wherein I am set do see danger coming on you and with idle and unfaithfull silence I dissemble and becoming sloathfull I will seem an hireling rather than a Shepheard of the Church the Pastoral care of which unworthy I have taken upon me The dignity of the Church is grievously shaken and defaced in the Seat of Saint Peter even so that by a hid persecution the like hath not been heard not by Infidels or them who know not the Lord but by them ô how to be bewailed who should be guides and governours of the Church they indeavour to advance the doctrine of man above the word of God and the malady of the head if it be not prevented by timely and wholesom medicine must needs spread through the members Ye know the danger of God's people which is fearfully approaching neither can ye be ignorant that the Pastours at which the elements do tremble who should provide for the safety of the weak have left the path-way and themselves run into perdition and they open a ditch to so many as follow them Wherefore I exhort your wisdom who lovest truth and righteousness that according to the wisdom given unto you from above ye would deal with them which know the truth and love righteousness what way the scandals of dissension may be removed which the sower of Tares by his craft ceaseth not to spread and that peace and long wished for unity may be restored unto the Church and the help of watchfulness may be had in time lest foolish negligence give way unto the wounds for all the body of the Church is not yet wounded although the head be smitten with sores and several members seem to be diseased and therefore the infirm must be helped if they will accept of cure by those which are known to be whole and sound or they must be cutt off according to the command of our Physician lest the whole body perish Wherefore it seemeth unto me both necessary and expedient that the religious Prince Charls your brother be in time requested unto this purpose that as well he as the Priests of his Kingdom may meet with you and your Bishops and may be partners of the same work with you that when ye shall by the help of God return peaceably from your intended journy with one consent and common indeavour by the grace of God ye may restore peace and concord unto the Catholick and Apostolical Church according to orthodox doctrine Ph. Morn in Myster pag. 162. Observe here the estate of the Church at that time and that when the head is diseased the body cannot be readily cured but by common authority of Princes and Synods 16. Hincmar of whom I have made mention in Pope Nicolaus was many years Arch-Bishop of Rhemes upon several occasions he did solicit and flatter the Popes and at other times did practice and write against them as is to be seen in Baron Annal. tom 9. and the Cardinal doth accordingly allow The power of Provincial Bishops and disallow him In one of his Epistles he professeth that he had received a Palle from Pope Leo the IV not as a badge of subjection and he avoweth plainly that in doubtfull causes the Provincial Bishops should ask counsel from the Arch-Bishop neither should a Bishop go unto the Pope untill he advertize and confer with the Arch-Bishop neither needeth the Arch-Bishop await for judgment from the See of Rome so far as he hath certain decrees of Canons Laws and Councels And he did forbid his Nephew Hincmar to obey the Pope's citation when he summoned him to Rome In an Epistle to Pope Hadrian the II he quoteth a testimony of Pope Leo
nature with Christ who receive him and are renewed by his Spirit by whom he was conceived Away therefore with that superfluity whereby it is said and defined that there was is or shall be no man whose nature he hath not assumed 2. It is affirmed No man was is or shall be for whom Christ hath not suffered Of which question what other can we answer but that first we demand them who have defined this and admonish them to weigh vigilantly and faithfully lest perhaps by little considering what they should say they say and write such things against the faith and their own conscience for to omit those who are now or shall be till the end of the world among whom shall be the Antichrist certainly of that innumerable multitude of the wicked which have been from the beginning untill the coming of Christ and being dead in their wickedness are condemned in everlasting pains we think not that they who have written this do beleeve that Christ hath suffered for them which are dead in their wickedness and now condemned in everlasting judgment for if it be beleeved that he hath suffered for them why may it not also be beleeved that he hath suffered for the Divel and his Angels Therefore as it cannot be said that Christ Jesus hath suffered for those wicked and damned Angels so far be it that we should believe that he hath suffered for those wicked and damned men ...... But of those who as yet continue in their unbelief and wickedness shall perish if good men who have defined these things could demonstrate unto us by sure and clear testimonies from the authority of the Holy Scriptures what the Lord hath suffered for those we should also beleeve the same and if that they cannot let them not contend now for that which they read not let them be ashamed to determine what they cannot find to be decreed by any Councel of the holy Fathers or determination of Ecclesiastical doctrine or if they find any thing written by the ancient Doctours whereby occasion of such interpretation may be given yet saving the reverence due unto them let them rather contain themselves and submit unto Divine authority 3. They say All the unbeleevers are not redeemed by the mystery of Christ's blood so neither are the beleevers redeemed who have not faith which worketh by love Why should we speak of this question seeing it is manifest from what is said that no redemption in Christ is unto any unbeleevers and all beleevers who come truly unto faith and grace of regeneration receive their true redemption and true regeneration because they cannot be truly regenerate unless it be truly certain that they are redeemed from the power of the Divel and bondage of sin neither can they be truly redeemed unless they be cleansed in the laver of mercy and made free from the guilt of sin and from the power of the Prince of this world unless which is most absurd in this definition it be said that our Lord Jesus Christ hath suffered even for the wicked who perish in their sins and it be affirmed that every beleever is not truly redeemed by the mystery of His passion and renewed in his baptism Hincmar Bishop of Rhemes could not take this censure patiently but writ Epistles unto several Bishops in defence of his opinions That censure is oppugned by some and Remigius sent abroad his censures of them as Vsser in histor Gottescal cap. 8. hath at length John Scot did follow Hincmar and although in other things he had purchased a name yet because here he undertook a wrong and maintained by others cause Florus a Deacon of Lions and Prudentius Bishop of Tricassin did not spare him as is at large loc cit cap. 9. 10. 11. I will shortly shew their testimonies whereby summarily their doctrine may be known Florus saith Whereas he John saith that man sinning hath lost liberty but not the power and vigour of the liberty he saith not rightly for he hath not kept in part and lost in part the gift of liberty but as he hath lost the power and vigour of liberty so he hath lost liberty it self so that now he is not free unto good from which he hath fallen he continueth free unto evil because as of his free-will he forsook good so by free-will he cleaveth unto evil Man therefore after that damnation hath free-will whereby he may incline and doth incline unto evil through his will he hath free-will whereby it is possible that he may arise unto good but that he ariseth unto good it is not of his own vertue but of the compassionating grace of God for he who is heavily diseased may possibly receive health but that he may receive health he hath need of a medicament and he who is dead it may be said that possibly he may rise and live yet not by his own vertue but by the power of God so the free-will of man being wounded and dead may be healed but by the grace of God shewing mercy Again John saith If any cause precede will that is nature to think good or evil it is not nature where he speaks manifestly against truth for if no cause precede the will of man to think or do good whence is in man a good will that is a good affection to think or do any good for man hath not of himself a good will nor doth he any good but he hath it from him of whom the Apostle speaks unto beleevers It is God who worketh in us both to will and to do according to his good will He by his mercy preveneth the will of man as the Psalmist saith My God his mercy shall prevene me He inspires into man the grace of thinking well as the Apostle saith Not that we are able to think a good thought as of our selves but our sufficiency is from God Therefore He is the cause of good will in us He is the cause of good desires and of perfecting He is unto us the cause of mercy and grace by which we are able not only to do well and to perfect but also to think well And not only doth he these things in his elect in this life but also before the foundation of the world he hath predestinated them by his grace that they should be holy and blameless before him as the Apostle witnesseth Seeing therefore so great and such a cause which is the cause of all good things both in making and rewarding his creatures is unto us the best and eternal cause of good will prevening us by grace that we may will well and do well how saith this man that no cause precedes our will and works Or if any cause precede them that cause is not nature Seeing the Almighty God who is the cause of our good will is the highest and best nature .... But far be it to say that this highest and best cause precedes our will to think or do evil and nevertheless a
Evangelists say For many and one For you because the Disciples are amongst the many but none saith For all And lest I be judged to search thus rashly holy Jerom expounding that Text The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his soul a ransom for many saith When he took the form of a servant that he might shed his blood for the World and said not he would give his soul a ransom for all but for many that is for them which were to beleeve in him In this exposition according to the Catholick faith he teaches that only Beleevers are understood ....... Who dare contradict so clear lights confirming their doctrine by Evangelical sense but which are not ashamed to appear without light And that I may speak with leave and reverence of so great a man John Bishop of Constantinople Chrysostom not seeing this sense flowing from the fountain of the Gospel when he expounds that of the Apostle That by the grace of God he should tast death for all men not for Beleevers only said he but for all the World and truly he died for all men But what if all men beleeve not He hath done his part But when he thought thus he hath not confirmed it by a Divine testimony And if any hath shewed or shall shew unto your Excellency that one Faustus hath written far otherwise of the things credit ye not him who erreth c. 21. At the same time was also question of the presence of Christ's body in the Sacrament Charls the Bald gave in command unto Bertram a Priest at Corbey to search and write what was the doctrine of the Fathers and ancient Church in this article Trithemius saith Bertram was singularly learned of an excellent eloquence and utterance pregnant in judgment and no less famous for holiness of life and writ many excellent Treatises whereof few have come to our hands In obedience unto his Soveraign he did compile a Treatise De Corpore Sanguine Domini which is all inserted in Catal. test ver lib. 10 and was lately translated into our language and Printed at Aberdeen so that who pleaseth to read it may easily find it Only the estate of the question I set down here with an argument or two and his conclusion your high Excellency desireth to understand Whether that Body and Blood of Christ which is received by the mouth of Beleevers in the Church be taken in a mystery or according to literal verity that is whether it contain some secret thing which is only manifest to the ey of faith or without the vail of any mystery if the eys of the body behold that outwardly which the soul and mind do behold inwardly Unto this he adjoineth another Whether it be the same body which was born of the Virgin Mary and which suffered and died Concerning the first he shews that the word literal verity signifieth a demonstration of a thing in its proper and manifest signification as when it is said Christ died And that in a figure is when a thing is signified in an over-hallowing vail or trope as when Christ saith I am the Vine such speeches say one thing and signifie another saith he His first reason is If the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood be celebrated without any figure it is not properly called a mystery wherein is no secret thing nothing removed from our corporal senses But that Bread which by consecration of the Priest is made the body of Christ shews one thing to the outward senses of men and crieth another thing inwardly to the souls of Beleevers outwardly the bread is the self-same that it was before for we see the same shape and colour and the same tast is perceived but inwardly a far more excellent different and precious thing is signified and exhibited because it is heavenly and divine that is the body of Christ is shewed unto us yet not seen with fleshly eys but is seen taken and eaten by the looking of a beleeving soul The wine also which by consecration is made the Sacrament of Christ's Blood representeth one thing outwardly and contains another thing inwardly for what see we outwardly but the substance of wine tast it and it is wine smell it and it savoureth wine look on it and you see the colour of wine But if it be considered inwardly in the mind it tasts not as wine but as the blood of Christ unto the beleeving soul and it is acknowledged such when it is seen and so it is approved when it is smelled These to be such it is manifest because none can deny but that bread and wine is only figuratively the body and blood of Christ for as is clearly seen and known no flesh is in that bread nor can any drop of blood be pointed forth in that wine whereas nevertheless after consecration they are not called bread or wine but the body and blood of Christ After thirty other arguments proving a figure in these words This is my body he comes to the other question and hath this argument The flesh of Christ which was crucified did shew no more outwardly then it was in it self because it was the flesh of a very man to wit a true body under the form of a true body But we must consider in that bread not only the body of Christ but the bodies of all Beleevers are also represented in it for which cause it is made of many grains of wheat because the body of the Church is made up of many beleevers of the word of Christ for this cause as in the mystical bread the body of Christ is understood so also in the same mystery the members of the Church are represented to be one in Christ and as not corporally but spiritually that bread is called the body of the Church or beleeving people after the same manner also it must be understood to be the body of Christ not corporally but ........ Also the things which are alike are comprehended under the same definition But concerning the true body of Christ it is said He is very God and very Man who in the latter time of the World was born of the Virgin and these things cannot be said of the body of Christ which is consecrated in a mystery in the Church therefore according to a certain manner only is it to be the body of Christ and that manner is by a figure and in resemblance that so the truth of the thing it self may be the more sensibly understood In the prayers also which are said after the mystery of the body and blood of Christ and wherein the people answer Amen the Priest uttereth these words We beseech thee O Lord which are partakers of the pledges of eternal life that what we touch in resemblance in this Sacrament we may receive it in the manifest participation of the thing it self Now we know that a pledge or resemblance is of another thing resembled that is they are not to
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
it not of his own and so it is But what necessity required or what reason was there that seeing the mercy of God could by his onely word have delivered man yet the Son should assume flesh for our redemption and suffer so much even the ignominious death of the Cross We answer The necessity was on our part even the hard necessity of them who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death And the reason was the good pleasure of him who did it Who can deny that the Almighty had other ways to redeem justifie and deliver but this cannot priviledge the efficacy of this way which he hath chosen and possibly this is better by which we in this land of oblivion and of our fall are admonished the more powerfully and livelily of so many and so great grievances of our Redeemer and albeit we cannot fathom the mystery of God's counsel yet we may feel the effect of the work and perceive the fruit of the benefit It is a true saying and worthy of all acceptation that when we were yet sinners we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son And he concludeth all his railings and invectives against God so that he saith All that God did appear in the flesh for was our instruction by word and example and all that he suffered and died for was the demonstration and commendation of his love toward us But what availeth his teaching us if he hath not restored us or are we not taught in vain if the body of sin be not first destroyed in us that we should not be the servants of sin If all that Christ hath been profitable unto us was the shewing a good example it followeth also that we must say All the harm that Adam hath done unto us was the onely shewing of sin seeing the plaster must be according to the quality of the wound for as in Adam all do die so in Christ shall all be made alive therefore as the one is so is the other Or if we will rest in the Christian faith and not in the Pelagian Heresie and confess that the sin of man was propogated by generation and not by example we must also confess that by Christ righteousness is restored not by example but by generation and life by righteousness that by one sin came upon all men to condemnation so by the obedience of one righteousness came on all men unto justification of life And if it were so that the purpose and cause of the incarnation as he saith was onely the enlightening of the world with the light of knowledge and the kindling of love by whom is our redemption and deliverance God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ in whom is our life salvation and resurrection And indeed I look upon three things chiefly in the work of our salvation the example of humility when God made himself of no reputation the measure of his love extending to the death even of the Cross and the mystery of redemption whereby he destroyed death which he suffered but the first two without this last are as if ye would paint in the air truly the example of humility is great and very useful and the example of love is worthy of all acceptation but they have no foundation and therefore no standing if there be not redemption I would with all my indeavor follow the example of Christ and I desire to imbrace with the mutual arms of love him who hath loved me and given himself for me but I must also eat the Paschal Lamb for unless I eat his flesh and drink his blood I shall not have life in me There be also many other Articles in his books and no less evil c. As every one may understand that upon these grounds follow the points of original sin of free-will of justification c. Pope Innocentius II. did condemn in a Councel of Cardinals at Rome this Abailard and all these his perverse Articles and commanded perpetual silence unto him as an Heretick and ordained all who followed his errors to be excommunicated as is in his Epistle which is among the Epistles of Bernard the CXCIV 28. When Calo. Johannes was Emperor of the Greeks was a Synod at Adispute between the Latins and Greeks Constantinople where Anselm Bishop of Havelbergens did dispute for the primacy of the Roman Pope and alledged these reasons 1. The Synod of Nice saith Let all men know and no Catholique should be ignorant that the Roman Church is not preferred by decrees of Synods but hath obtained the primacy by the Evangelical voice of our Lord and Savior when he said unto Peter the blessed Apostle Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it and I will give thee the keys 2. Peter and Paul suffered martyrdom at Rome 3. The first See of the Church is Rome the second is Alexandria and the third is Antiochia which three are founded by Peter 4. Onely the Roman Church hath continued in all ages without heresies whereas all other Churches have been defiled with heresies 5. Christ said I have prayed for thee Peter that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted confirm thy brethren 6. The Church of Constantinople hath been obnoxious unto many heresies that have begun there or brought thither there was Arrius Macedonius Eutyches Eunomius Eudoxius therefore all Churches should acknowledge the Roman as their mother Nechites a Greek answereth The Roman Church was the first among the three Sisters but the Bishop of Rome was never called the first of Priests nor the first Bishop but the Bishop of the first See and he did first receive from Phocas to be called the head of all Churches Moreover these three Sisters were united together by some conditions that neither the Bishop of Rome nor of Alexandria nor of Antiochia might teach any things in their Churches which was different from the faith of the others and so they all should preach one and the same for this end it was ordained that two Legates well learned and sound in the faith or doctrine should be sent from the Church of Rome the one to abide at Alexandria and the other at Antiochia who should diligently observe whether they did continue preaching the analogy of faith and likewise two should be sent from Alexandria one to Rome and the other to Antiochia and two from Antiochia the one to Rome and the other to Alexandria and so they might aid one another if any need were and whatsoever was taught in any of these Churches should be confirmed by the Authority and testimony of the others but if any thing were contrary to the faith and disagreeing from the truth and communion of these Churches the Legates of the others should by brotherly charity and humble admonition correct that or if they could not correct it and one as temerarious and presumptuous
by his bastard Son Manfred with a pillow Crantz in Saxo. lib. 8. cap 18. The writers testifie that he was endued with excellent gifts albeit the Pope pursued him as an enemy of the Church And they say when they consider the life of Christ and his command to forgive seventy times in a day with the practises of the Popes against the Emperor they are perswaded to think with Aeneas Sylvius that there hath not been a greater calamity in the Church or Commonwealth these many years whereof the Bishops of Rome have not been the Authors and they call this Frederick another Charls the Great He could talk in Arabick Greek Latin French and Dutch languages On his Tomb it was written thus Si probitas sensus virtutes gratia census Nobilitas orti possent obsistere morti Non foret extinctus Fredericus qui jacet intus Jo. Bale saith he may not in this cause believe Blondus Platina Stella or Sabellicus for they report nothing but what was written by the flatterers of the Popes that if it had been possible they might provoke all the world against him but who desireth to know the truth let them read the sixth Book of the Epistles of Petrus de Vineis Haec Marius saith he 4. In the Greek Empire was a great alteration about that time the History The Greek Empire is changed thereof I will set down together for the more clearness Isaacius the Emperor had redeemed his Brother Alexius from the Scythians and advanced him to so great authority that all the affairs of the Empire were at the command of Alexius Here Nicetas Choniat in Annal. lamenteth the condition of that people saying Truth and holiness had failed and because of manifold iniquity love was become cold so that the people left whole Cities and went in colonies into the Lands of the Babarians where they might live more securely for a sober kinde of life was banished by frequent tyrannies and the most part of the Emperors were robbers neither thinking nor doing any thing moderately O glorious Empire of the Romans saith he and majesty which all Nations did admire and adore what Tyrants hast thou endured with what injuries hast thou been afflicted how many have burnt in love of thee what men hast thou embraced and prostituted thy self unto what sort of men hast thou honored with a diadem and purple shoes c. By the way observe here that the Greeks do always call themselves Romans and they called all the western people Latins When the Empire was in this condition Alexius usurpeth the Crown he pulleth out his Brother's eyes and shutteth him in prison An. 1190. Alexius Son of Isaacius fleeth unto Philip Duke of Suevia afterwads Emperor who had married his Sister Irene and he sendeth him at last unto the Pope for help to be restored There this Alexius conformeth himself unto Rome and he promiseth saith Nicetas to change the institutions of the ancient Romans into the corrupt Religion of the Latins The Pope recommendeth him unto certain Princes which then were assembling at Venice to go into Syria to wit Baldwin Earl of Flanders and his Brother Henry Boniface Marquess of Monferrate Lewes Prince of Savoy and others more The Venetians also had an old quarrel against the Greeks and were glad of this occasion Likewise the yong man did swear unto them that he would give them what they did demand even which were impossible oceans of money saith Nicetas Though the Emperor Alexius understood of this preparation he made nothing for resistance So the Latins arrived at Jadara and then came to Epidamnum and they call yong Alexius Emperor to the end the people may the more willingly accept them then they came to Constantinople Theodorus Lascaris Son in law of Alexius made some resistance but Alexius fled and the Italians enter the Town and after nine years imprisonment Isaacius is set upon his throne and his Son Alexius with him Within few days the chief of the Italians sat with them as being saviors of the Commonwealth then the Soldiers plundered the Town sparing neither private houses nor Churches nor the Flemins nor the Pisanes nor the Venetians dwelling there The old Alexius had been deceived by a false response that the East and West should be conjoyned in his time and now the Monks execrable men and hated of God saith Nicet made him believe that God would restore him sight and give him the Monarchy of the world thus he had no other thought but to eat and drink with these Monks And the yong man kept company with the Latins was for the most part in their ships playing at dice carowsing c. From July 18. till January 25. the people were so grievously oppressed that they began to talk of choosing another Emperor the wiser sort said It was not time to attempt the like but the people were so impatient of their oppression that there must needs be another Emperor and they name Nicolaus Canabus who was very unwilling But Ducas Alexius called the proud taketh him prisoner killeth yong Alexius imprisoneth the old man and taketh the Scepter the people were contented He beginneth to treat with the Venetians and other Latins their demands were so high that the Greeks could not or would not assent wherefore they possess themselves of the Town put Ducas to flight and do more harm then the Saracens did at their entering into Jerusalem saith Nicet Then they made fifteen Electors and choose Baldwin Emperor and Thomas a Venetian to be Patriarch who was sent to Rome to get all these things confirmed by the Pope and he reporteth Imperial badges to Baldwin in whose Successors that Empire continued sixty years At that time Creta and Euboea or Nigrepont was given unto the Venetians Boniface was made King of Macedonia and other rewards were given to others All the Greek Empire was subject unto Baldwin except Bithynia Cappadocia and Hadrianople and in them several Greeks had the dominion especially Lascaris about Hadrianople and kept the title of Emperor of Constantinople The Bulgarians invade Thracia and took Baldwin captive and sent him in fetters into Mysia His Brother Henry succeedeth and gave his onely Daughter unto Peter Earl of Altisiodore which succeeded in the Empire at that time when Otho the V. was deposed he was confirmed by Pope Honorius shortly after his election So soon as he returned from Rome he entered in wars with Lascaris and they conclude a peace then he was entrapped in Constantinople and died in prison in the third year of his reign His wife Jole causeth his Son Robert to be received Emperor He fell in love with a yong damsel betrothed unto a Burgonian Knight who had done good service in that Empire and by consent of her mother brought her to his palace The Knight dissembleth for a time and then made an horrible revenge to wit he gathereth his friends and a number of Greeks haters of Robert and cometh by night into the Palace he
was well furnished and began to flie and they deligbted to behold her but afterwards she seeing that all the birds honored her became proud and struck them with her break she plucked the feathers off some and the skin from others and was hurtful unto them every where Wherefore the birds sate again in Councel and advised what was best to be done with that unkindly bird the peacock said Seeing she is so haughty for my painted feathers I will take them from her again the falcon said I will have mine again The sentence pleased them all and they pulled every one their own feathers Then the presumptuous bird seeing that they had dealt so with her humbled her self before them confessing their gift and that when she came naked into the world they had clad her and so might justly take their own again in an humble maner she craveth pardon and promised to amend all that was done amiss that they should have no cause to complain The gentle birds seeing her humbled and pitying her help her again with this admonition We will gladly behold thee flying among us if thou fulfil thy office in humility which is the chiefest ornament but assuredly if at any time thou shalt extol thy self in pride we will reduce thee into thy first estate Ye Cardinals and Prelates are this bird the Emperor and other Princes have bestowed on you their goods and ye abuse them in your pride but the time is coming when they will take their goods from you and ye shall be ashamed and confess your misdeeds The Author of Catal. test ver lib. 18. addeth Time hath declared a part of this let Prelates take heed to the rest 15. Matthias a Bohemian abode a long time in Paris and was called Parisiensis about the year 1360. he wrote a large Treatise of Antichrist there he proveth that the Pope is the Antichrist He inveigheth against the Clergy for negligence in their callings and calleth them the locusts mentioned in the Revelation he complaineth that every City and almost each man had his proper Saint or Savior besides Christ the images and reliques that are set up in Churches to be worshipped he calleth the invention of Antichrist he saith The worship of God is not tied to persons places nor times he rebuketh the Cloisterers for contemning the Lay men and calling themselves the only religious he refuteth the merit of works and calleth them the cause of salvation sine qua non In the end he prophesied that God will once again send godly Preachers who in the zeal of Elias will openly disclose Antichrist unto the eyes of all the world Catal. text ibid. 15. Nicolaus Orem a Doctor of Divinity had a Sermon before Pope Clements the V. in time of Christ's Nativity P. Morn in Myster hath the heads of it and it is full in Catal. test ver lib. 18. His text was in Isaiah 56. My salvation is near ...... When he had shewed that the words are meant Signs of a Reformation is coming of Christ's coming in the flesh he speaketh of his coming to judgement when he will punish the corruptions of the Church unto which he applieth the text of Ezek. 16. In what day thou wast born I saw thee ...... Then he saith Although it belongeth not unto us to know the times yet by certain signs some things may be guessed of which I take the first from 2 Thes 2. Vnless there come a departing the man of sin shall not be revealed St. Jerome in the last question of the Inquisitions of Januarius expoundeth this text of the Roman Empire between which and the persecution by Antichrist he putteth no distance and now what is the estate of the Empire in respect of its ancient majesty judge ye The second sign That the Church shall be worse in manners then the Synagogue of the Jews Christ rebuked the Jews because they suffered doves to be sold in the Temple and they honored God with their lips only ...... consider ye if it be worse to sell the Sacraments and Benefices ....... here are some honoring God with their lips and yet dumb dogs ...... Pastors are ignorant of true knowledge ...... The third sign may be taken from that inequality One is hungry and another is drunk ..... the Priests are greater then the Princes and some are baser then the most abject commons ...... The fourth sign is the pride of Prelates ...... The fifth sign is the tyranny of Governors the property of a Tyrant is to seek not the good of his subjects but his own interest such are our Pastors of whom it is true as it is written in Ezek. 24. and Mic. 3. Ye hate good ...... The sixth sign is the promotion of unworthy men and the contempt of good men .... The seventh sign is the tribulation of worldly States and commotion of Nations which is seen in many places ...... The eighth sign is the refusing of correction if it be true of the Princes of the Church which is written Ierem. 7. They will not hearken and have made their faces as an adamant .... So if ye consider those signs ye may judge whether the present times be secure and if it be true what God saith in my text My righteousness is near to be revealed Then he answereth some objections saying Some are very confident and they say The Prelates are the Church whom God will keep for ever according to that Behold I am with you unto the end of the world But that is to be understood in respect of the faith which shall continue for ever so that when charity shall wax cold faith shall abide in a few in the midst of calamities as Christ hath foretold And if any think that they are free from tribulation because they are of the Church the Lord hath preveened such when he said Ierem. 7. Trust not in lying words saying The temple of the Lord ...... which shall not avail you ...... Lastly He concludeth with a serious exhortation to repentance This Nicolaus at the direction of Charls the Wise translated the Bible into the French tongue 16. Catharine of Sena lived about the year 1376. Antonin hath her prophesies in his Hist par 3. She said An utter confusion of the Church and a Reformation is a coming When it was told her The Perusines have rebelled against the Pope she said Begin not your mourning yet what ye see is but milk and honey in respect of things following ....... the Laity do this now but the Clergy will do more for they give an universal scandal unto all the Church it shall not be heresie but accounted as heresie that shall divide the Church When the Schism began after Pope Gregory the XI Raymund who wrote the Legend said unto her Now is thy prophecy fulfilled She answered As I told then It was but milk and honey so now I say What ye see is but childrens play in respect of what shall be Antonin addeth What this holy
and also in other Sciences do lament that simony is so frequent and manifest in the Court and many Jurists do dispute in the contrary and have written although with fear sundry Treatises That the Pope by selling Church-Benefices is a Simoniack a Successor of Simon Magus and not of Peter 24. About that time was written another book De aetatibus Ecclesiae therein Aparallel of times the Author sheweth what had been the estate of the Church in former ages namely that Bishops were not ambitious of superiority or earthly authority the Bishop of Rome had not supremacy above other Bishops the name Papae was common to other Bishops by divers steps the Pope hath usurped this tyranny he calleth himself the Servant of Servants and striveth to be Lord of all Lords he taketh Divine honor and praise and he maketh or suffereth men to be Idolaters Catal. test ver lib. 18. 25. In the end of that Century or beginning of the next lived Nilus The cause of the Schism between the Greeks and Latines Arch-Bishop of Thessalonica who wrote two books of the causes of the Schism between the Greek and the Latine Churches In Lib. 1. he saith The cause is not the sublimity of doctrine surpassing mens capacities and far less is it any word of holy Scripture as if it did not declare what concerneth this controversie for to accuse the Scripture is all one as if man would accuse God ..... What then is the cause of the difference the question is not confirmed by a Decree of an Oecunomical Synod and the Romans would be Masters and make all others their disciples ...... It is very absurd that whereas the Fathers had no precedents yet by themselves rhey saw the right we having their examples cannot discern it and indeed the ignorance of those at the first contention might be pardoned ...... but when so many ages have passed and the way of peace is not as yet known who can think but it is the fault of them who will not have peace But they say The Pope is the Prince of Priests and the Father who hath power to call universal Synods and by himself or without others may discern in Church-affairs But Julius was Pope and Damasus and Leo and Agatho and none of these ever said so but conveening with their Brethren by the assistance of the good Spirit they established Acts and peace in the Church And if this was the only way and it is not now observed who can doubt but the cause of the variance standeth herein and certainly the blame lieth not upon our side And if the power of discerning belong unto the Pope it were superfluous to call Assembliet but it is not so for we know that Agatho Celestin and others had their particular Synods for deciding questions and nevertheless they referred those unto the universal Synod and craved the confirmation of the truth by common decree which had been needless if when the Pope had discerned all others must assent unto him Now if this question were concerning a private man it might seem needless to call all the world unto an Assembly but seeing the chief heads of the world are at variance it is absurd to determine the cause without the consent of the world since the Fathers by their writings and example have shewed the way But if they will still object unto us the primacy of the Pope we say that in so doing he overthroweth his primacy but by holding the ancient way he doth what becometh a good man and maintaineth his place for he may consider what should be the â—ssue if the controversie were decided after common suffrage and what hath hapned unto the Latines arrogating unto themselves the power of prescribing Laws for in that way the Church might be free from all tumults and live in peace since none could readily contradict that which was established by common sentence for though some in former times have been so mad yet they were but few and vanished soon But when the peace of the Church is disturbed he loseth what he might have for he is deprived of the primacy of the four Patriarchs neither is there any peace Many have thought upon remedies there have been many conferences and Ambassays but the malady continueth and shall continue so long as the Latines hold their tenets The Pope say they hath power in Ecclesiastical affairs So say I let him not be contrary unto the Decrees of the Fathers they established things by universal Councel and each had need of anothers aid being conscious of humane frailty let the Pope therefore follow their statutes and discern not any point before it be debated by others or if he hath his power not from the Fathers but from the Apostles let him hearken unto the Apostle who said I have not used my power lest I lay a stumbling-block unto the Gospel of Christ and in another place The power which the Lord hath given us to edification and not to destruction And therefore if he hath any power let him not use it but for advancing the Gospel to the end that in following Paul's example he may shew himself an Apostolical man bet now none can be ignorant whether he useth it for edification or destruction ...... And that president of the twelve Apostles St. Peter was rebuked by Paul and when he was rebuked he was silent and although he might have said more reasonably then the Pope What I the President have done should be a law unto others yet he said not so but accepted the admonition and contradicted not what Paul had said ..... And when Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem for that question of the circumcision Peter usurped not primacy nor said he It belongeth unto me to discern in such things but the Apostles and Elders were assembled neither did Peter debar the Apostles usurping power nor did the Apostles exclude the Elders that were at Jerusalem for they had learned from Christ to usurp no primacy Peter indeed began to speak and after him St. James and all the rest of the Apostles and Elders even Peter himself consented unto the words of James so did these blessed men love Christ and so studious were they of peace and truth in the Church and the Apostles seeking truth this way have given us a law in such cases but seeing ye take a contrary course can ye blame any but your selves for this variance This is a touch of more whence we see that the Romans wanted not admonition 26. With the book of this Nilus is usually printed another of Barlaam a Greek Monk to the same purpose In cap. 16. he recapitulateth all the particulars that he had handled saying I have shewed that each one of the Apostles were immediately appointed by our Lord Christ to be a Pastor and Teacher of the whole earth 2. That blessed Clemens was created by Peter not Bishop of the whole world but of Rome especially and properly and that the Roman See
enemy of the most Christian Nation c. Morn in Myster pag. 451 465. In Dialog par 2. tract 1. lib. 3. cap. 16. he saith The books of Judith Tobias and the Maccabees Ecclesiasticus and the book of Wisdom are not for confirmation of any matter of faith the Church readeth these two Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom for edification of the people in manners but not for confirmation of points of faith Ibid. par 1. lib. 5. cap. 25. he saith A general Councel is a part of the universal Church but is not the Church universal therefore it is vain to say that a general Councel cannot er against the faith And cap. 28. If a general Councel shaller yet some Catholicks shall remain which either privately or publickly as shall be expedient shall be bold to defend the Orthodox faith ..... for God is able of stones that is of the unlearned Laicks despised poor ones and distressed Catholicks to raise up children of Abraham And lib. 6. cap. 84. Councels are not called general because they are called by the Pope ..... if Princes and Lay-men will they may be present in the general Councel and deal of matters treated therein In Prolog compend error he saith Alas the time of which the blessed Apostle prophesied when men will not suffer wholesome doctrine ..... this prophesie is altogether fulfilled in our days for behold many pervert the holy Scriptures deny the sayings of the holy Fathers reject the Canon of the Church molest persecute and bring into bondage and without mercy torment and afflict even unto death them that defend the truth so that we may rightly say of our times which Daniel long since pronounced Iniquity hath gone from Babylon from the Elders and Iudges which seemed to govern and rule the people for many that should be pillars in the Church of God and defend the truth of God even unto blood cast themselves headlong into the pit of Heresies In the same Prologue he submitteth his writings unto the censure and correction of the Church but he addeth of the Catholick Church and not of the malignant Church 8. Brigida or Brigitta was descended of the blood royal of Scotland Ph. Morn in Myster pa. 480. another then she which was in the days of S. Patrick about the year 520. she was married unto the King of Sweden a most devout woman saith Platin. and canonized as a Saint and Prophetess Being perswaded by the Friers with the same of Rome she went thither in the days of Pope Urban the V. hoping to finde great comfort there but in her revelations she calleth the Pope a murtherer of souls a destroyer of Christ's flock more abominable then the Jews more odious then Judas more unjust then Pilate worse then Lucifer She saith His seat is to be drowned like an heavy stone and his assessors were to burn in fire and brimstone unquenchable She rebuked the Bishops and Priests that through their default the doctrine of Christ was not preached yea it was abolished and they had changed all the commandments of God into two words Give money In the end she saith she heard the Virgin saying to her Son Rome is a fertile Land and Christ answered It is so but of tares she saith also that her coming to Rome was to cast away rather then confirm the opinion that she had conceived of it These revelations have been often printed 9. Thomas Bradwardin was a Fellow in Merton Colledge of Oxford and afterwards Chancellor of London and commonly called The profound Doctor about the year 1330. he had many disputes with the School-men against the errors of Pelagius and reduced all his Lessons into three Books which he entituled De causa Dei He beginneth thus I have been solicited earnestly by the petitions of great and many men that what I had spoken only by voice in disputes concerning the cause of God against Pelagius and concerning the power of causes I would tie it unto durable writ but here are two things as the lovers of God do provoke and encourage me into the cause of God so the friends of Pelagius being far more in number do hinder and terrifie me for which I speak not without inward sorrow of heart as of old eight hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal were against the one Prophet of God and innumerable people did cleave unto them so it is now in this cause How many O Lord fight now with Pelagius for free will against thy free grace and against Paul the spiritual Soldier of grace how many do to day despise free grace and proudly think that free will is sufficient to salvation or if they do use the word of grace they do but perfunctoriously feign it to be necessary but they boast that they deserve by the power of free-will to be what they are salvation seemeth unto them to be not a free gift but a bought good because O God Almighty these wilde men presuming of the power of their free will refuse the aid of thy working in their workings and say with those Depart thou from us Moreover Lord how many advance the liberty of their own will and will not serve thee or if they confess with their lips that thou workest with them yet with these thy proud and hateful subjects they will not have thee to reign over them yea and prouder then Lucifer they are not content to be equal with thee King of Kings but most impudently they would reign above thee for they fear not to say that their own will goeth first in action as the Lady and thou followest as the Servant ...... O Lord my God I cannot think it without sighs how many and great Judges endeavor carefully to absolve and reconcile the Pelagian errors that were condemned in ancient times and banished out of the bounds of all the Church how many presumptuous advocates plead for them how many damnable proctors they procure on their side how many not having two arguments of any art do turn to killing arguments and at least to advance the cause of Pelagius attempt to cast down thy cause with their cries horrors reproaches vice laughter and gesture how many and how innumerable people favor them for almost all the world goeth after Pelagius arise Lord judge thine own cause Then he sheweth how he was comforted in a vision or dream that by the grace of God he should prevail against Pelagius And a little after he addeth With how many martyrdoms with The beginning and progress of Pelagianisin how many wounds did the holy Fathers cut down the wood of the Pelagian heresies and how many venomous branches do still spring and wax out of these old roots As it was so it is yet for first when their Arch-Heretick Lucifer would not be under and with God Michael threw him down then arose Cain thinking that a sinner is not justified of God freely by grace given freely but by his antecedent merit when he in the just judgement of God was
and in this confidence I will never be ashamed for the oil of mercy is not kept without the vessell of assurance this is the confidence of man to mistrust himself and rely upon God to trust in our own works is not faith but unbelieff sins are remitted by the mercy of God and we should believe that sin can not be forgiven but by him against whom we have sinned and who can not sin and by whom only all sins are pardoned In the end when unto his lingring sicknes was added an hot fever he held the crosse in his armes saying Abide in mee ô sweet Saviour that I may abide in thee He took the sacrament in both kindes and repeating the same words he rendred his most glorious soul unto God who gave it So Ja. Thuan. hist Lib 21. and Pe Soave hist conc Tri. lib. 5. saith After his death Constantius Pontius was committed to prison for suspicion of heresy who was Confessor of Charles the Emperour in time of his solitariness and in whose armes he died This Pontius died in prison and Philip caused one to burn him in effigie and used such cruelty against his dead body that many were amazed and looked for no mercy from him who had been so merciless to that man whose infamy was not without the aspersion of his dear father II. FERDINAND II. assembled the Electours at Frankford and shewed the renuntiation of Charles this was accepted and he was received by them He sent for confirmation of the Romane Court Ere the Ambassadour was heard the Cardinals object The Imperiall seat can not vaike but by death or deprivation or eiuration and the last two belong unto the Pope only for as the Pope only can depose so eieration can be made before him only as for anything that had passed in Germany it was done by hereticks which have lost their power and therefore Ferdinand should purge himself in judgement and do pennance and send his Proctour with full power to renounce all that was done and he should submitt all unto the pleasure of the Pope only When the Ambassadour craved to be heard the Pope said Charles could not renounce but in his presence only nor can Ferdinand accept without his consent therefore he must satisfie within three months for such things as the Cardinals have to lay unto his charge So his Ambassadour was not heard Grisman advertiseth the Emperour who willed him to shew that if he were not admitted within three dayes he should make protestation that seing he had waited so long and could not be heard to the dishonour of his Master he will return that the Emperour may advise with the Electours what shall be most expedient unto the Imperial dignity Briefly Ferdinand could not be confirmed at Rome untill Pope Pius 4. Thuan. hist Lib. 21. An. 1559. Ferdinand held a Diete at Ausburgh where the Oratours of sundry Nations vere present and the Protestants did present their grievances to wit that albeit peace of religion was concluded confirmed by subscriptions seales yet the judges of the Chamber had enacted strict lawes in mixt causes against them and seing controversies do depend on religion they should be suspended conforme to the Articles of peace nor would the Popish Princes and Magistrates suffer their subjects freely to professe the Augustan Confession nor suffer them to sell their lands as the Articles do permitt that they may dwell in other territories but they imprisoned them or sent them away empty The other party wanted not replies The Emperour appoints another meeting when his Deputies shall hear both parties more fully The Protestants were content if a like number of Judges were chosen of both parties At that time they petitioned that liberty might be granted unto bb and clergy but it was not granted Ferdinand was addicted to Popery yet was not an enemy to Protestants Ere he was Emperour he was continually for warrs but afterwards he was desirous of peace He caused his son Maximilian to be chosen King of the Romanes An. 1561. and died An. 1564. CHAP III. Of diverse COVNTRIES IN the year 1516. Pope Leo X. under pretext to collect money for wars The occasion of the Reformation against the Turk sent indulgences through all Christendom granting pardon of sins both for guilt and punnishment unto all which would give money and extending this grace unto the dead if any would buy for them for his will was that for whomsoever the disbursment was made albeit they were in purgatory they should be free from their pain granting also liberty to eat eggs and milk on fast daies and to choose a Confessour unto themselves c. He began to distribute this harvest ere it was well sown giving unto certain persons the benefit to be reaped out of certain Provinces and reserving what pleased him for his own treasury Especially he gave the gain of Saxony and other parts of Germany about the seacost unto his Sister Magdalen and her husband Francis Cibo the base son of Pope Innocent VIII for recompense as he pretended of the charges the house of Cibo had sustained in the daies of Alexander VI. who was an enemy to the house of Medices and had chased Leo and others of that family out of Rome Magdalen living then at Genua agrieth with the B. Angelus Arembold and he proclaimed to give that power of selling these indulgences in Germany unto any which would ingage to bring up most money even so sordidly that none of credit would contract with him yet he wanted not merchants Pe. Soave in Hist. Conc. Trident. and he went into Denmark and Sweden Among these merchants was John Tecelius a Dominican who was once condemned by the Emperour Maximilian for adultery to bedrowned in the River at Ispruck but by intercession of Duke Frederik had escaped At this time returning into Germany he began to teach how great power he had from the Pope that albeit a man had defiled the Virgin Mary and had got her with childe he had power to forgive that sin for money and he had power to forgive not only sinnes already committed but whatsoever in one shall committ afterwards Shortly comes forth a little book under the name of Albert Bishop of Mentz commanding the pardoners to set forth these indulgences most diligently Joann Sleidan Commentar Libr. 13. It was the custom of Saxony that the Augustinians were imployed in the selling of Indulgences but Tecelius would rather employ the Dominicanes and they spent prodigally in taverns what others did spare from their necessaries to buy the pardons So the luxury of the pardon-mongers and the preaching of the Dominicans were scandalous to very many of all estates and the Augustinians took it ill that they were deprived of their priviledge Pe. Soave Iby II. MARTIN LVTHER was borne in Islebia a town of Mansfield The beginning of Martin Luther An. 1483. in the 22 year of his age he had finished his course of Philosophy in Erford
your Ma. that all affection set aside you declare yourself so upright in this case that ye may give evident demonstration to all your subjects that the fear of God joyned with the love of common tranquillity hath the principall seat in your Majestics heart This further Madam in conscience we speak that as your Ma. in Gods name doth crave of us obedience which to render in all things lawfull we are most willing So in the same name do we the wholl professors of Christs Evangell within this your Mas. realm crave of you and of your Counsell sharp punishment of this crime And for performance thereof that without delay the principal actors of this hainous crime and the persuaders of this publick villany may be called before the Chief Justice of this realm to suffer an assise and to be punished according to the lawes of the same and your Majesties answer most humbly we beseech This supplication was presented by sundry Gentle-men Some Courtiers ask Who dare avowe this The Lord Lindsay answered A thousand Gentlemen within Edinburgh Others advise the Queen to give a gentle answer till the Convention were dissolved And so the Queen said Her uncle is a stranger and hath a young company with him but she shall put such order unto him and all others that heereafter they shall have no occasion to complain The Histor. of the Reformat libr. 4. Two assemblies An. 1562. XV. In Juny 1562. The assembly gives order to draw up a Supplication unto the Queen for abolishing the Masse and other superstitious rites of the Roman Religion for inflicting punishment against blasphemy contempt of the word profanation of the sacraments the violation of the sabbath adultery fornication and such other vices that are condemned by Gods word and the lawes of the countrey have not taken notice of And it was petitioned that the actions of divorcement should either be remitted to the judgement of the Church or trusted to men of good knowledge and conversation And that Papists be excluded from places in Counsell and Session The draught of this Supplication was judged by the Courtiers to be tarte in some expressions and they took upon them to write another containing the same things but in a more acceptable phrase It was presented by the Superintendents of Lothian and Fife and when the Queen had read some of it she said Here are many faire words I can not tell what the hearts are And so for our painted oratory we were termed flatterers and dissemblers but we received no other answer Ibid. Spotswood saith Her answer was that she would do nothing in prejudice of the Religion she professed and hoped before a year were expired to have the Masse and Catholick profession restored through the whole Kingdom And thus she parted from them in choler In this assembly was appointed an Order of Visitation for regulating the Superintendents to wit for examination of Ministers lives and doctrine then of the elders And some were appointed to visite the Churches in the Shires where were no Superintendents as George Hay to Visite Carrick and Cunningham John Knox to visite Kile and Galloway c. Alexander Gordon Bishop of Galloway did professe the Reformed Religion and in this assembly petitioneth the Superintendency of Galloway It was denied unto him At that time the Abbot of Corsrainell sought disputation with John Knox it continued three daies at Maiboll the Abbot made choise of the matter to prove the sacrifice of the Masse especially from Melchisedek's offering as he alledged bread and wine unto God The Papists looked for a revolt in Religion and they would have had some occasion to brag of their disputation According to the appointment of the preceeding assembly the next conveenes at Edinburgh December 25. John Knox made the prayer for assistance of Gods Spirit In the 2. and 3. Sessions Superintendents and then Ministers were removed and censured severally Complaints were made that Churches want Ministers Ministers had not stipends wicked men were permitted to be Schoolmasters idolatry was erected in sundry parts of the Nation For redress of this last some said A new Supplication should be presented unto the Queen Others said What answer was given to the former One in name of the Queen said It is well knowen what troubles have occurred since the last Assembly The Queen visiting the North was troubled by the Gordons and the Earle was killed at Coriechy and therefore it is no wonder though the Queen hath not answered but before the Parliament in May they doubt not but such order shall be taken as they all shall have occasion of contentement This satisfied the assembly for that time The Lord Controller required the Commissioners of Burghs to declare by word or writ what course they would take for entertaiment of their Ministers Decemb. 29. inhibition is made to all serving in the Ministry which have entred being slaunderous before in doctrine and have not satisfied the Church and which have not been presented by the people unto the Superintendent and he after tryall had not appointed them unto their charge And this Act to have strength aswell against them that are called Bishops as others pretending to any Ministry within the Church Decemb. 30. the assembly gives power to every Superintendent within his own bounds in their Synodall assembly and with consent of the greater part of Ministers and elders to transport Ministers from one Church to another and ordaines the Minister so decerned to obey And ordaines the Superintendents to hold their Synods twice in the year to wit in Aprile and October Commission is given to the Superintendents of Anguise Lothian Glascow and Fife with Da. forrest to travell with the Lords of Secret Counsell concerning the causes that should come in judgement of the Church and what order of execution shall be taken therein Ordaines the communion to be ministred four times in the year within burghes and twice yearly in the Landward Also that uniformity shall bee kept in the ministration of the Sacraments and solemnisation of marriage and burialls according to the book of Geneva By this book is meaned that book called The common order which was conform to the English Church in Geneve and was usually printed before the Psalmes in Meeter Likewise a slaunder was raised upon Paul Meffan Minister at Jedburgh commission was given to John Knox and certain Elders of Edinburgh to go into that town and try the slaunder and report the truth unto the Session of the Church of Edinburgh to whom with the assistance of the Superintendent of Lothian commission is given to decern therein His woman-servant had brought forth a child and would not tell who was the father of it but said She was forced in an eevening and knew not by whom The Matter could hardly be tryed but at last the womans brother was brought to examination and Paul seeing that though before he had alwayes denied the fact yet then fled so taking the crime upon him
no less respect Here was mentioned the example of Luther who having to do with the German Friers and Doctors of Rome did submit himself unto the Pope and when Leo took the words as real and did against the mans mind Luther was more invective against the Pope then he was before against the pardon-mongers Neither could the Legats and the Italian Prelats accord with the Imperialist and Spanish Bishops in the articles of Reformation the one party striving to recover their antient liberty and to crub the Roman Cardinals and the other being zealous of the prerogatives of the Court The Pope is advertised of all these and by advice of Deubts at Rome the Super-Synod framed the articles of doctrine and judged it hard to deny all the articles of reformation or to grant them all at last he directed the Legats to yeeld in some and to cause so many as they could to be delayd unto the next Session In the mean while he consulteth what may ensue upon such difficulties both from the Prelats and Divines he feareth worse a coming he knew the Emperour had temporized with him and now when he prevailes in Germany he will by all meanes use the Councel for subduing Italy and Rome The nearest remedy thinks the Pope is to secure himself against the Synod But how to dissolve it is not seasonable so many things being as yet not spoken of To suspend it will require some weighty cause and were to little purpose for they would immediatly remove that cause To transfer it into another place where himself had absolute power seemes fittest He could not judge Rome a fit place because the Germans would talk of it Bolonia seemes fittest because it is nigh the Alpes and in a fertile soil Then for the manner he will not be named in it but let the Legats do it by authority of their former Bull of the date Febr. 22. 1545 in so doing the blame might be imputed unto them and yet he uphold them or if by any emergent occasion he shall change his mind he may do it without dishonour This he directeth a cousin of Car. De Monte unto the Legats with Letters of credit At the first the Legats were amazed not knowing what shew to pretend but then they talk of the intemperatnes of the aire as appeares said they by the infirmity of some Prelats and the â—estimony of Fracastorius Physicion of the Synod and the Pop's pensionary So the Session VII was held on March 3. An. 1547. VII The next day in a General congregation they begin to talk of removing the Councel The Imperialists said There is not so epidemik a The Councel is removed disease as was pretended Nevertheless the Legats will have it voiced and by degrees prevailed to leap into Bolonia A Session was held March 13 a decree was read for removing and to keep the ninth Session at Bolonia Aprile 21. Thirty and five Bishops and three Generals did assent Card. Pacceco and 17 Bishops were for the negative The Imperial Ambassadour required that these remove not untill his Ma. were informed and gave order Those Newes were offensive unto the Emperour taking it as a contempt of him and judging that a weapon was wrested from him by managing of which he had the fairer opportunity to have brought all Germany into obedience He wrote unto the Fathers at Trent commending their constancy and requiring that they remove not Those consult Whether they should do any Synodal Act but all did judge it would turn to a schism Letters were sent mutually between them at Trent and them at Bolonia and both vsed the name of the Synod The Pope sent more Prelats unto Bolonia where in many congregations nothing was handled but how their removing might be defended The Emperour directeth his Letters unto Bolonia and unto Rome representing some inconvenients of removing the Synod and profering some advantages if it be set on foot at Treat again The Bolonians answer They can do nothing without order from the Head of the Church The Pope answered He had already committed his full power unto the Councel The Ambassadors called those answers ascoffing of their Master and according to their Order they made Protestation that the Translation is unlawfull and that all things are void which have followed or shall follow thereupon seing the authority of those few can not give lawes unto all Chistendom and because the Pope and those Fathers are deficient the Emperour will not fail to provide for the Church as it becomes unto him by antient lawes and consent both of holy Fathers and of the whole world Nevertheless the Councel was not restored untill Car. De Monte became P. Julius February 2. in the year 1551. The Emperour sent to congratulate his coronation and to reduce the Synod This P. is now put to his thoughts on the one side he considereth that he was not only called the chief Agent of Transsering it but he had also hitherto mantained it and the same motives of Pope Paul were as yet pressing to wit the designes of the Emperour and of the Prelats aiming at their own interests to the preiudice of the Papal See On the other hand if he called not the Councel again it were scandalous to the world and beget a bad conceit Consultation about the restoring of it of him in the beginning of his Papacy it would provoke the Emperour to vse National Councels yea and forces against him As for the dissuading reasons he thought It could not be called levity in him because before he was a Servant and obedient unto his Lord but now he is Lord and the present dangers must be shunned So he calleth a Congregation of the Cardinals especially the Imperialists that they may fall upon that advice where unto he was inclining They judge it fittest to restore the Councel because before the election in the Conclave he had sworn to do it and again at his coronation besides other reasons He obiecteth principaly the danger of the Papal authority Some answered God who had founded the Roman Church and avanced it above others will dissipate all contrary counsel Some in simplicity think so and others knew not what to say Car. Crescentius said Greatest exploits are difficult because of some causes unknown or lightly accounted of for the present there is more fear that the Princes and world will depart de facto than in the Synod by disputs or decrees there is danger both wayes but the most honourable and least dangeroâ—s must be chosen The appearing dangers in the Synod may be preveened by holding the Fathers upon other purposes many especially the Italians may be persuaded with hope Princes may be counterpoised differences may be fomented and a wise man will find remedies upon emergent occasions This opinion was embraced and Nuntij were dispatched into Germany and France to represent the ingenuous applause of the Pope unto their common desire Vnto the Emperour it was propounded that in
indulgences purgatory images and Reformation of Monasteries was quickly dispatched with out debating or dispute but only by suffrages The Index the Missall Ritual Breviary and Agends were reserved unto the Pope and the Session by anticipation was held December 3. and 4. When the decrees from the beginning untill this time were read a Secretary going in the midst asked Whether the Fathers were pleased to make an end of the Synod and Whether the Presidents in name of the Councel should crave confirmation of the decrees from the Pope They answered not one by one but all together placet Then the prime Legate gave unto every one there present and who hadâ— assisted in the Councel a plenary indulgence then blessing the Councel he dismissed the Fathers Car. Lorrain as if he had been a deacon roaring and the Fathers answering wished eternal felicity unto the PP Paul and Julius all happiness unto Pius 4 eternal memory unto Charles 5. Emperour and long life unto Ferdinand and all Princes and protectors of the Councel then they gave thanks unto the Legats and Cardinals they wished long life and safe return unto the Bishops they commended the faith of this Synod as the faith of Saint Peter they denounced anathema against all hereticks without particular mention of any and they commanded the Fathers to subscribe the decrees XVI The Legats return to Rome before Christmes There was a Consultation at Rome dispute about the confirmation of the decrees The Pope would have subscribed simply but some Courtiers said It hath been decreed against plurality of Benefices and against No-residence of prelats and if they for confirmation of the decrees shall henceforth practize contrarily the people who are not capable of expressed exceptions and reservations will be ready to calumniat For this reason some who had bought their places and feared the losse of them demanded restitution Some advised to confirm the decrees of faith presently and to proceed in maturity with the others for some of them deserve consideration in respect of their confusion and the impossibility of some that have need of dispensation It is better to moderate them in time then first to strengthen them by confirmation and afterwards to moderate them Car. Amulius said Those fourty years by past the world was crying for a general Councel as the only and soverain remedy of the present maladies of Christendom but if so soon as it is ended question be made of moderating correcting or leaving it in suspense without confirmation it will be a manifestation that necessary provision hath not been found at Trent and then other means will be sought by National Synods or other wayes but if the decrees be approved as a perfect Reformation and giving as far execution as is possible many will believe that nothing is wanting and nothing is more necessary then to spread a fame of the Councel that it hath prescribed a perfect Reformation not suffering it to be known that any Cardinal doubteth but that it hath performed all for which it was called By so doing the humours of men will be quieted by degrees and his Holiness may provide for his Ministers by dispensations for his Apostolical authority is reserved in the decrees and in time things will insensibly the world not observing it return to their own posture yea and if this course be not taken the world which alwayes makes the worst interpretation will nullify all the decrees if there be any alteration or the confirmation be delayd yea they will say The Legates approve this oration but it was opposed by all the Offices of Court almost representing their own losses and that it will turn to the diminution of his Holiness revenues Hugo Boncompagne Bishop of Vesta afterwards a Cardinal said He could not but marvel at their vain fears seeing greater authority can not be given unto these decrees then unto former Councels and Decretals and nevertheless the Pope may dispence with them and a law consists not in words but in the sense neither in that which the vulgares and Grammarians give unto it but which custom and authority do confirm Lawes have not power but what is given them by him who governeth and hath the charge to execute them he may give them a more ample or stricter sense yea and contrary unto that which they do import and to withstand the temerity of Doctors who the more ignorant they are of government presume the more to interpret lawes whereby authority is confounded therefore all men should be forbidden to write upon the decrees And if his Holiness would ordain that Judges in all their doubts should resort unto the Apostolical See â—one shall be able to make use of the Councel in prejudice of the Court And as there is a Congregation that with good fruit is set over the Inquisition so his Holiness may appoint another for expounding the decrees of this Councel unto whom all doubts may be referred from all parts of the world This being done said he he foresawe that by the decrees of the Councel the authority of the Apostolical See the prerogatives and liberties of the Roman Church will not only not be diminished but enlarged if they know how to make use of those means All were persuaded with those reasons and this Overture was followed January 26. An. 1564. a decree was enacted conform to this oration in all points to wit confirmation monition inhibition and reservation and the Acts of the Councel were published with a Bull containg this decree XVII Behold now how those decrees were accepted by others How the Decrees were accepty others It was said every where One party had taken notice of the cause and another had pronounced the Sentence seing the decrees had not authority from the Synod but from the confirmation of the Pope who in his decree saith that he had seen the decree of craving his confirmation and speakes not of his seeing any other decree but it is more reasonable that the decrees should have their authority from such who had examined and voiced unto them then from him who had not seen them Vnto this it was replied It was not necessary the Pope should read them seeing nothing was concluded at Trent but what he had defined before More particularly the King of Spain dissembled not that the Councel did not please him and he called the Bishops and clergy together to consider what was to be done with the decrees and at command of the King and his Counsell Synods were that year and Presidents were sent to every one of them and these did propound what decrees seemed good unto the King This was offensive unto the Pope but he dissembled for a time In France many particulares were obiected by the Parliament against the Car. of Lorrain as permitting them to pass in prejudice of that kingdom namely those words The Pope hath the care of the whole Church by which he had forsaken a main Fort for which both the King and
other his works I therefore subjoyn a taste of it and because some poison is in it I add a litle antidot which may be usefull unto some In his preface unto the Emperour he shewes his Rule of judging the evangelical and Apostolical Scripture which being Divine and a most sure rule the antients had used in judging of controversies after the departure of the Apostles and because in such contentions ariseth controversy about the interpretation and sense of some passages of the Scriptures it is necessary to have recourse unto the Universall consent of Writers chiefly of those who lived in the time of the Emperour Constantin untill the time of Leo I. or of Gregory yet so that it is not necessary to produce the testimonies of them all nor of the most part which were an infinite work but it is sufficient to bring one or two by whom the judgement of the whol Church may be known and with this caution that every testimony of those Fathers may not be rashly received seing in many places they speak according to their privat judgement and wherein even the most learned and best maintainers of the Apostolical and Catholick doctrine have not agreed with the safe unity of faith but only such things as belong unto the confirmation of the Apostolical and Catholick tradition and have the weight of irrefragable and undoubted testimony wherein they declare constantly the publick and common faith of the whole Church His method is conform unto the Articles of the Augustan Confession His principal scope seemes to be contained in the seventh Article de vera Ecclesia where he holdes that the true Church is always manifest and though the present Roman Church hath departed from the primitive not a little in integrity of manners and discipline yea and in sincerity of doctrine yet she standes on the same foundation and professeth communion with the antient Church and therefore is one and the same albeit different in many particulares Neither should we separate from her as Christ did not separat from the Jewish Church albeit corrupt neither did the Prophets nor Apostles violate the union but only spake against her and came out of her but by dissenting from the errors neither did Cyprian and some others violat the union with the Roman Church how beit they did complain of the envy of the Roman clergy and the pride of the Pope This may be called his privat judgement as he spake of others in his preface and not the constant faith of the whole Church that the Church should be manifest always was not the judgement of Eliah 1. King 19. 14. nor of John who prophecied of the woman fleeing into the wilderness Revel 12 and it is without all doubt in the general that in the dayes of the Antichrist the Church shall not be manifest 2. he grantes that the Roman Church hath departed not a litle in manners and doctrine but how far she hath departed may be in some measure known by the history 3. his advice that we should not have departed from her is a main question but certainly his reason is not sufficient for though our Saviour made not separation from the Jewish Church yet he foretold that when these labourers of the vine-yard shall have killed the heir the vineyard shal be taken from them and not a stone of their temple should be left upon another Where was their Church then if they had no place for their Religion As for the Pophets and Apostles distinguish the times before the time was come which God had appointed they had no reason to depart but when the appointed time was come then they departed and for this very point Steeven was Martyred Act. 6. 14. The same distinction serveth for the Roman Church Cyprian and Paulin had no reason to violat the vnion when she had not departed from the true faith but when she became the whoore and all nations had drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication then was the time to obey the commande Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Gods people was with her and in her and they must not only protest against their adulterous mother but come out from her Then for reconciliation of the Church he seemes to despair that ever they will accept of his Overture to wit that those who have given the cause of distraction that is saith he the governors of the Church would remit some what of their too much rigor and yeeld a little for the peace of the Church and following the wishes and admonitions of many good people would reform the manifest abuses according to the rule of Divine Scripture and of the antient Church from which they have departed And next that those who eschuing those vices have fallen into the other extremity would confess their faults and return into the right way In other Articles that differ from the Popish Church he puts often a blame upon the Reformed if not for their Tenet yet for their practise For example of justification he saith What is said in the fourth article that men can not be justified before God by their own strength merits or works but are justified freely by faith it was evermore allowed by the Church and untill this day it is approved by all the writers of the Church So that I wonder why the Apology saith that they are condemned in this article as if it were taught that men obtain remission of sins for their own merits and not freely for Christ's sake Afterwards he cites the testimony of Bernard saying I consider three things whereupon all my hope stands the love of adoption the truth of the promise and the power of performing And saith he the Doctors of this age say not that they teach doubting whereby men should doubt of Gods mercy and mistrust but such fear of God whereby a diligence of living well and of keeping the received grace may be stirred up and increased in us as the Apostle saith Work forth your salvation with fear and trembling And they call this sear chast and filial which perfect love casts not forth but retaines and cherishes Which fear hath always adjoyned confidence and hope of Gods fatherly good-pleasure And seing those things are taught tooday in the Catholick Church the Protestants do not rightly in accusing the present Church that she bidds and teaches to doubt of Gods favor and of eternal life and put this blasphemous doctrin as they speak among the chief causes for which they should depart from her Of free will he saith on the 18. Artick The sum of this controversy which had been formerly and now is consists in this What the will of man can do to attain righteousness by which we are justified before God is not to be asscribed unto the power of free-will corrupted by sin but unto the singular grace of God which we have not by nature wherein we were
Jesuites Seminary-priests trafficquing Papists against the Kâ—Ma Religion presently professed within the realm is and shall be a just cause to inferr the pain crime of treason both against the Jesuits Masse-priests trafficquing Papists and receipters of them providing how soon the Iesuites and priests satisfy the Prince and the Church the foresaid penalty shall no way strick against the receipters Item an Act ratifying the Act made in February 1587. infavors of Ministers their stipends rents Item an act forbid-bidding markets on the sabbath allowing to chuse a week day for them Item who give not Confession of faith shall not enjoy the benefite of any act of Parliament Likewise an act was made against erection of Church-lands and tyths into Temporall Lordships with exception of all that were before erected Here Bishop Spotswood affirmes that the King was unwilling either to abrogate the acts of the year 1584. or to grant the ratification of the present disciplin but Bothwels business and the many discontentments within the realm moved him to give way lest he be troubâ—ed with their outcry But this is clearly contrary unto the Ks own promise made in the Ass year 1590. And in a few pages before he objectes against the disciplin a division that hapned in the presbytery of Santandrewes for planting the Chuâ—ch of Luchars and upon this occasion that presbytery was divided in two whereof the one went to Couper He had objected this long before against Epistol Philadelph and it was answered in Vindiciae Pag. 25. that the question was for the gifts or abilities of the two persons and not for any bribe that either of the parties looked upon but the Bishops were not wont to try the Spirits of men in that manner but principally looked upon their friendship or money as for the division of the presbytery into two it is said there two others causes moved them they were many in number and so the turnes of their Exercise coming seldom some were thought to be negligent another cause was that many pretended excuse of their absence because of the distance of place and difficulty of the way At first there were but two Presbyteries in Fife to wit Santandr Dunfermlin any man who knowes the boundes will easily grant these reasons as the like causes made division of Presbyteries in Anguse and other places But moreover can all inconvenients be eschued in any sort of Government either political or ecclesiasticall then was a difference among them but it was soon remedied Here I borrow of The Historicall Narration in the title Of the third course of Visitors sect 18. where on the margine it is sayd Presbyteriall Government is proved to be better than Episcopall Presbytery is better than Episcopacy and in the Section it is sayd Seing Pastors are equall in power by Gods ordinance the Government can not be lawfull which bringeth Superiority of one above others Whereas this parity in power is charged with anarchy confusion it is an unjust imputation proceeding from ignorance or malice for notwithstanding this parity among Pastors considered severally there is a subordination of the eldership of particular churches unto a presbytery and of presbyteries unto Provinciall Synods and of Synods unto the Nationall Assembly Again every Pastor is subject to the joynt fellowship of Pastors in the presbytery Synods and Assemblies Thirdly there is a priority of order in that one is Moderator or president in every meeting or Assembly It is not then loose or single but compact parity and ordered This comely order preserves that parity which Christ hath allowed to be among Pastors considered with respect of one to another severally and is more convenient for the Church of God than the superiority of a diocesian Bishop It can not be denied that many eies see better than one either in trying Ministers or finding hereticks or devising remedies for evils or examining delinquents Next put the case the sight of one may be sharper than of many yet many having equal power are not so equally nor easily corrupted to pervert disciplin judgement as one judging and ruling by his sole power or with power by his negative voice to frâ—strate the voices of many One who is a stranger and not a kindely Pastor may be more easily enduced to wink at hereticks to admit or tolerate vitious Ministers or to â—uffer atheism or Popery to waxe than a number of Pastors watching over their own flocks Again the zeal of one stirreth up the coldness of another and his zeal is tempered by the mildness of a third the contempt of the world in one beareth down the covetousness of a worldling the graces and gifts of God in sundry persons like sundry ingredients in one salve meet together and temper one another It is expedient say prudent Politicianes that in Assemblies there be some like Cato Claudius or the like to correct with their severity the gentle voices of others Thirdly will not the kindly Pastors be more vigilant or carefull of the wee l of their own flocks than an idol sheepherd set over many with a generall oversight Fourthly is there not greater liberty and consequently sinceerer Government where men may utter their mindes freely in propounding reasoning and voting when all are of equall power than when one hath power to present others to Benefices preferr transferr and on the other side to depresse vexe and persecute 5. Is it not more convenient for the ease of Gods people that causes be pleaded offenses be tryed and offenders censured where the offenses is committed without charges to parties witnesses and with expedition than to trouble the subjects with journeying unto the Bishop and to wait upon his leisure for tryall and determination 6. Is not the Government more Presbytery is more effectuall iâ— en Episcopacy against hereâ—y sâ—â—sm convenient for the Church where no man is exeemed from censure than where Prelates rule without controlement either of Presbytery or Synod from whose censure they are exeemed or of Nationall assembly which are not but when it pleaseth them and then overruled by them It is oft alledged that parity is subject to schism and breeding of heresies I answer That may be true where parity is not qualified and ordered with the subordination above mentioned or if every man be suffered to live as him listeth but when it is ordered as said is experience in our own Church is a sufficient evidence of the most powerfull mean to suppresse schism and heresy and that was the reason that K. James alledged unto an English Divine admiring why our Church was never troubled with heresy for said he if it spring up in a parish there is an eldership to take notice of it and suppresse it if it bee too strong for them the Presbytery is ready to crush it if the Presbytery can not provide against the obstinat in the Synod he shall finde moe witty heads if he be not convinced there the Generall
a strong Fort set up against the freedom of the Gospell and to give thanks unto God for unity of Spirit among themselves Immediatly after the dissolving the Threasurer Provest of Edinburgh crave conference with Robert Bruce Robert Rollock James Nicolson James Melvin They say the King notwithstanding the Interloquiture intendeth not extremity against that Minister but for maintaining peace with the Church he would pardon him if they would bring him unto his Majesty and cause him declare the truth in all the points libelled After deliberation they answer If it were but one mans particular that were in question or danger his Majesties offer were thankfully to be accepted But it is the liberty of the Gospell which was grievously wounded in the discipline thereof by the proclamation on Saturday last and now in the preaching of the word by usurping the judicatory thereof If the King had taken that mans life or of moe he could not have wounded the hearts of the brethren more deeply nor done such injury unto Christ they can no way be content unless these things be retreated and amended but must oppose such proceedings with extream hazerd of their lifes The Messingers taking up the weight of the matter were much moved and returned unto the King with their answer The next day a gentle man of the kings Chamber came timously to one of the brethren and craved the bent of the doctrine might be stayd that day not doubting but his Maj. will satisfy them It was answered The edge of the doctrin can not be blunted without evident appearance of amendement of wrongs yet he and another went unto the king and these returning reported the kings mind and offers to declare his meaning concerning the proclamations and the Interloquiture The brethren reioice not a litle they set down his offers in writ amending some points they write the grounds articles of agreement that the k. might see whither they were according to his meaning The brether which were directed unto him found him well content wâ—th the articles he said he wold abolish the two Acts which were proclamed and not suffer them to be booked and of his own accord he offered to write unto the Presbyteries and satisfy them concerning the Interloquiture if they shall give him a band of dutifulness in their doctrin on the other part As for Da. Black let him come and declare his conscience concerning the libell before David Lindsay James Nicolson Thomas Buchanan and thereafter he shal be content to do what they shall judge meet In the afternoon they returning found the King changed he directeth David Lindsay to crave of David Black that he compear before the Counsell and there confesse an offense done to the Queen at least and so receive pardon David Black refuseth to confesse for in so doing he shall acknowledge the Counsell to be Judges of his Sermons and approve their proceedings to be lawfull when they had summoned him and admitted ignorant and partially affected persons lying under the censures of the Church at his procurement to be witnesses albeit he hath ample testimonialls of Provest Bailives Counsell Church-â—ession of the Rector the Dean of faculty Principalls of the Colledges Regents and other members of the University his dayly auditors all which were produced for him but if it would please his Maj. to remit him unto his ordinary Iudge the Ecclesiasticall Senate he will depone the truth willingly in every point and underly their censure and ordinance if found guilty The King went to Counsell David Black not compearing the deposition of the witnesses is read the points of the libell are declared to be proved and the punishment is referred unto the King The Acts of proclamation and whole process is registred The doctrine in Sermon soundeth frâ—ely in the old manner The king craves conference again with the same Ministers After much reasoning they return unto Articles and grounds of agreement then was produced a form of declaration concerning the proclamation another of the charge and a Missive unto the Presb of Edinb concerning the Interloquiture When these btethren had caused diverse things to be amended they received them to be coÌ„muicated unto the commissioners and others waiting upon their returning The formes and declarations being considered were not found sufficient to repair the injuries done but rather ratified the same Other formes and declarations were devised and a Missive unto the Presbytery as also an Act of their dutifull obedience Sundry conferences past betwixt the king and Counsell and the three Ministers above named but without success for on wednesday December â— these three Ministers reported unto a frequent meeting of their brethren come from sundry Provinces and joyning with the Commissioners that the king in presence of the Counsell refused to accept that form of Letter written by them to be sent unto the Presbyteries beâ—ause it imported albeit indirectly an annulling of the Interloquiture 2. He refused the Act of dutifull obedience as not sufficient because it contained not a simple Band of not speaking against the King and his Counsell but limited with certain conditions which would ever come again into question and turn to the controversie of the Judicatory Note this 3. The formes of declaration that was penned by the brethren was refused because they imported a plain retracting of the proclamations and an acknowledgement of an offense 4. The King will no way pass from the interloquiture nor suspend the execution of it untill a Generall assembly but seing the punishment is in his will he will declare it unto the brether in private which was transportation or suspension for a space They answered They could not agree for the reasons above named In end the K craves to be resolved of certain speaches uttered by him to wit The treachery of his he art was disclosed all Kings are the Devils children and he required that David shall chuse seven or eicht of 20. or 25. of his auditors whose names shall be given him that by their deposition the cause may be resolved and in the mean time he shall desist from preaching They answered They had no commission for that but to crave the acceptation of the formes propounded and they will report the answers December 9. their report was heard the brethren perceive that nothing is done and in the mean time the enemies do attain their will therefore they think it not expedient to use any more commoning but by some brethren to let his Majesty know how they had humbly sought redresse of wrongs done to Christ in his kingdom lately by that charge proclamations interloquiture and process against one of their most faithfull brethren how they have been most willing to have condescended to any conditions of peace till the wounds which Christs Kingdom had received might be throughly cured to the intent his forces and the Churche's authority might be set against the common enemies but seeing they are disappointed they are free of what shall ensue and
is most properly a Pastor he that hath not received imposition of hands and hath received from Christ pastorall gifts and a call from a flock obeyth the call in feeding that flock conscienciously Or he that hath received imposition of hands and hath the charge of 100 or 200 flocks and they never seek him nor see him but he waites upon other affaires not belonging to a pastorall charge I grant in the Court of Rome and in the judgement of Satan a ceremony is better then substance But the question is Which of the two is the truest Pastor in the ballance of the Sanctuary Can any consciencious man think as the Court of Rome judgeth Another motive may be thought that since that Writer was guilty of perjury for many times had he subscribed that Confession abjuring Hierarchy and yet took a Prelacy one after another he could not speak nor write a good word of that disciplin into which he had sworn so oft nor of the maintainers of it but with some spight as appeares throgh all his booke which he calleth The History of the Church of Scotland but may rather be called The calumnies and railings against the Church of Scotland whereof he was an enemy and by which he was justly and solemly excommunicated in the year 1638. What is in that book of the faith doctrine or piety of the Church Many of these calumnies in this posthum book he had written before in a Reply ad Epist Philadelphi and it was told him in the Vindiciae that he had written against his conscience It is said Pag. 50. Why should one believe a man who makes not conscience of his words And Pag. 56. Whatsoever may have the shew of a reproach this ingrateson scrapeth together to spue it out against his Mother the Church In which words envy which appeares throughout vented it self wholly for what can be said or forged in a Narration more wickedly than to be silent in that which is good and to proclame what is evill or which may make a shew of evill And Pag. 67. Should not a Bishop whe though he were a Papist yet should at least have the shaddow of gravity be ashamed to fain like a brawling wife what all men know to be false And because in that pamphlet he had written as he doeth oft in this later book that the King applied himself contrary to his mind unto the will of the Ministers it was told him Pag. 59. What can be spoken more vilely and unworthily against the Royall honor then that he applied his will unto the wicked endeavours of his subjects and loosed the raines unto the boldnesse and crimes of wicked men But this is the imprudence by the just judgement of God of flatterers that when they wold most earnestly catch they do most offend So that in a word whosoever regardeth the honorable memory of K. James VI. or the credite of the Church of Scotland will not believe that book of lies and calumnies I return unto that Assembly I. The first three Sessions were taken up with the election of a Moderator and Clerk and one ordinance that Acts of every Assembly should be formed by certain brethren and be publickly read before the dissolving of the Assembly and be in-booked II. The 4. and 5. Sessions have some particulare references III. In Sess 6. The Commissioners that were appointed to deall with the excommunicat Earles report their diligence severally and that they submitt themselves unto the Church in all the prescribed articles The Assembly ordaines the same Commissioners to see the performance of their promises in all the articles so far as possibly can be performed for the time and after performance to absolve them from â—he Sentence of excommunication and to receive them into the bosom of the Church IV. In Sess 7. Notes in form of declaration of certain of the Acts of the G. Ass holden at Perth in Febr. last for explaining his Ms and the Assemblie's meaning for the satisfaction of them which were not acquainted therewith and which are ordained to be registred in the Acts of this present assemb 1. Concerning the lawfulness of the said Ass holden at Perth it 's declared that one of the reasons moving the brethren to acknowledge the lawfulnes of that Ass is found to have been that the Commissioners of the Church had accorded with his Maj. therein as is expressely set down in his Maj. Letters 2. The reason moving the Ass to grant the more willingly to the second article concerning the reproving his Maj. lawes was that his Maj s earnest constant affection to the religion and obedience to the word was evidently known unto the said Ass and that it was his Ms declared will intention alwayes to frame his lawes wholl Government according to the same for this cause the Ass agreeth to the said article 3. Concerning the article ordaining no mans name to be expressed in pulpit excepting notorious crimes c. the point of notoriety is further defined If the crime be so manifest and known to the world ut nulla tergiversatione celari possit 4. Concerning the Article ordaining that no convention of Pastors bee without his Ma. consent c. His Ma s consent is declared to be extended to all and whatsoever form of G. Ass or speciall permitted authorized by his law and as they have warrant in the word of God As being the most authentick form of consent that any King can give 5. Concerning the article of providing Pastors to Burghs It is declared that the reason thereof was is that his Majesty was content and promised that where the Gen. assembly findeth it necessaâ—y to place any person or persons in any of the saids townes his Majesty and the flock shall either give their consent thereunto or a sufficient reason of the refusall To be propounded either unto the wholl Assembly or to a competent number of the commissioners thereof as his Majesty shall think expedient V. Answers to the rest of his Maj s questions as they were propounded by his Majesty and his Commissioners in the present assembly 1. Concerning the propositions craving that before the conclusion of any weighty matters â—oncerning the estate of his Hieness or of his subjects his Ma s advice approbation be craved thereunto that the same being approved by his Ma. may have the better execution and if need require be authorized by law the assembly craves most humbly that his Ma. either by himselfe or his Commissioners in matters concerning his estate or the wholl estate of his subjects and others of great weight importance that have not been treared before would give his advice and approbation thereunto before any conclusion of the same And for the better obedience to be given to the like statutes in all time coming that his Majesty would ratify the same either by Act of Parliament or Secret Counsell as shall be thought needfull The which his Majesty promiseth to
that those may be reponed into their own places when it shall please his Majesty and the Assembly The King and Assembly consent V. It is ordained that in every Assembly hereafter those that shall be appointed Commissioners by the Assembly shall give account of their commission in the beginning of the subsequent assembly before other things be heard and their proceedings to be allowed or dis-allowed as the assembly shall judge of them VI. Commission is given to twenty four Ministers together with the Ministers of the kings House or any nyne of them to plant churches in burghes with power to transplant any Minister within the realm into the said burghes now vaking namely Edinburgh wherein they shall take the advice of the Presbytry there With power to judge of any offenses if it shall happen that his Majesty be offended by any of the Ministry and to take order there-in And also power to present the grievances and petitions of this assembly unto his Majesty and Counsell or Generall Convention of Estates or Parliament if any shall happen to bee c. VII Certain Visitors were designed to visit all the Shirifdoms particularly named unto them with power to try the Ministers in their qualification doctrin and conversation and whether they have wrong'd their Benefices To depose such as deserve deposition To plant Ministers where none as yet have been planted and to this effect to deal with the Tacks-men of every parishon for provision unto a Minister for the church And to report their diligence c. The next Assembly is appointed to be at Santandrews the last tuysday of July 1602. The Historicall Narration addeth Iames Melvin Minister at Kilrinny being detained by sicknes sent unto this assembly a Missive advising them to insist with his Ma. to yeeld unto the agreement of the Brethren at Bruntelan in March for repossessing the Ministers of Edinburgh and charging them as they will answer unto God to endeavour a redress of that wrong done unto the Church of Christ by Act of the Secret Counsell whereby the Ministers of Edinburgh were discharged to preach at any time in any part of the realm he adviseth to consider whether the proceedings of the Commissioners have been conform unto the conclnsions of the preceeding assembly or els it is not possible to hold out corruption And to lament the restraint of the freedom of Assemblies which now are made to depend upon licences Letters and proclamations whereas the Barons and the Burghs enioy thir severall meetings freely In end he layth down his part of the Commission at their feet as the Pioner doth his burden For it grieved him continually and now brought him into the danger of death Albeit he was not acquainted with their secrets yet it grieved him to sit somtimes among them even albeit â—e consented not unto their Sentences The King took this Letter out of the Moderator's hand and suffered it not to be read John Davidson sent another Letter to this purpose Should James John seek to sit the one at the right hand and the other at the left when Christ is going to Jerusalem to suffer death Is it time for Baruch to seek great things for himself whent the Lord is about to destroy what he hath planted and threatens his people with fearfull captivity is it time for us now when so many of our worthy Brethren are shamefully thrust out of their callings without all order of just proceeding against them boni malis demutantur and Papists Jesuits and atheists dayly flocking home are suffered countenanced and advanced to great roumâ— in the realm is it time for us of the Ministry to be inveigled and blindfolded with pretence of preferment of some small number of our brethren and that not to stand so much in the election of the Church as at the pleasure of the Court to have vote in Parliament to ride in foot mantles and to have the titls of Prelacies and so to make preparative in ourselves unto that Hierarchy as they call it which the Papists hope to enjoy with speed what is it but honorari intra palatium ad servitutem shall we brethren sliep still with Samson on Dalilah's lap till they cry The Philistins be upon thee he wrot more in this purpose and in the end he wished that they would not determin any thing de presenti concerning the new planting of Edinburgh in prejudice of their brethren not as yet displaced by any order for any promise de futuro as punishment of Papists seing those two can not stand together If reason find no place he exhorts them to remember that Melins optabilius est egregium bellum pace impia à Deo distrahente Bishop Spotswood addeth that he scoffing at the Kings doings said But Boniton is executed an infamous thief in the highest degree What is that to the cause of Religion whereof no question was moved is there no Papists nor favourer of Papists in Scotland but Boniton But the King is sound in religion what can the Papists do Being sound the danger were the less but there is nothing either in Church or king according to our Calling c. The king said There was treason in this Letter and for it the writer was committed to the castle of Edinburgh in the same month and afterward was confined to his parishon enduring his life In the Narration it is said also The Assembly began with little contentment to either party but the King to won the people because of the jealousy many had conceived for the fact at Perth in August protested with the tear in his ey that he would be serious for the Church and the liberty of the Gospell And for more satisfaction it was approved by Court and many of the Ministry which before was not only neglected but mocked at to wit to ripe up the causes of defection in all Estates from the purity and zeal in the practise of the true Religion and to advise upon the remedies So in this they had a tast of the wonted assemblies But there was small security in the chief directores and others of that side for neither were the chief causes layd open nor a right course taken for remedy The distraction among Ministers the cause and remedies thereof was not touched The King was so serious against the three Ministers of Edinburgh that for his satisfaction it was concluded they should be transported The generall Commission was renewed and almost all the same persons were authorized so that the plotters were not changed nor censured but others were put off and put in as they thought expedient About the end of the Assembly the King holding up his hand vowed to execute justice faithfully and to discredit all who shall attempt any thing against religion In the provinciall synod of Fife conveened at Kingorn in September they agreed upon some grievances to be presented unto the next Nationall Assembly to wit 1. That notwithstanding the Acts of Parliament
49 largely p. 26. l. 30 Pagnin as afterwards Arias Montanus p. 27. l. 1 thought l. 3. of that p. 45. l. penult time the p. 47. l. 20 were p. 50 l. 3 to cut l. 4 them l. 6 hacksters p. 53. l. 38 Duke Maurice should p. 55. l. penult sin one p. 58. l. 34 faras p. 69. l. 30 taught without p. 71. l. 25 taught p. 71. l. ult dele to p. 89. l. 28 that his p. 90. l. 38 fellow had taught p. 91 l. 11 April l. 18 by the 93. l. 1 that the Unity of the Spirit l. 42 them 102. l. 33 were l ult Munzerians 106. l. 7 margine 108. l. 23 Empire l. 34 Henry in 110. l. 24 is deâ—ayed l. 33 on it 112. l. 49 Councel 115. l. 1 alterâ—ations 116. l. 35 feat 122. l. 41 had spoken 126. l. 48 Censure 130. l. 22 false 134. l. 36 neighbour 140. l. 17 Amboise l. ult Sanmartâ—ns 141. l. 22 dele had 149. l. ult dele done 156. l. ult with 162. l. ult himself 164 l. 15. strengthen 165. l. 3 thee 166. l. 14 whiles 182. l. 7 Dalkeith l. 32 crafty l 36 hunter William Anders 183. l. 13 God l 50 Cardinal 186. l. 38 yet the Popish party did so 192. l. 4 unjustly 194 l 43 adversaries 200. l 2 dele be l. 19 Traitors 204. l. 9 told the Regent 212. l. 42 not only 217 l. 1 February 228. l. ult ye are not 230. l. 35 toleration 234. l. penult many 235. l. 28 hurt the 236. l. 30 my 237. l. 5 witness l. 19 three 243. l. 14 follow 244. l 8 with 245 l 14 congregations 248. l 18 accurse 249. l 9 original 255. l. 4 induce 258. l. 50 Article 12. 259. l. 8 Article 13. 261. l. 10 Christendom 264. l. 38 consultation was at 265. l 3 as 273. l. 43 three daies 277. l. 28 will say add The Pope and his Cardinals cannot admit any Reformation 278. l. 4 containing 286. l. 1. supply 296. l. 16 we may 297. l. 29 under 298. l. penult body 302. l. 33 pieces 305. l. 47 ubiquity l 50 Brentius 306. l. 45 dele â— l. 51 truly 318 l. 48 then l. ult by 320 l. 18 any for 322. l. 24 through the World 327. l. 38 Anno 1576. 328. l. 28 fame 332. l. 3 conceived 339. l. 43 if he 346. l. 1 another wom 347. l. 26 dele by to l. ult subscribes 348. l. 39 blindness 351. l. 41 take 353 l. penult Queens second 357. l. 14 Ministers l. 36 him 359. l. 10 assembly l 35 changed l. 36 will hear 360. l. 36 Church 374. l. 31 Bishop said he 375. l. 39 himself 377. in the margine exhortations l 36 whereof 380. l. 21 Soveraign 384. l. 25 discharge 389. l. 11 Councel 391. l. 2 about 395. l. 1 the well 397. l. 27 Presbyteries 398 l. 9 and repair 400. l. 24 whether any 401. l. 1 to be no 405. l. penult any three 409 l. 45 affairs 410. l. 35 Schools l. 42 cognosced 412. l. 21 Civilly l. 31 then it 415 l. 36 manses 419. l. 11 equally divided bet l. 36 as from 421. l. 17 suspended 422. l. 17 reasonable 427. l 4 profesâ—ed On the margine at line 14. add The 43. Assembly 430. l. 15 to that effect 439. l 44 inferiours 444. l. 6 causes l. 42 times 454. l. 43 put into exec 455 l. 48 ruine 456. l. 6 Bishop 458. l. penult for slander read scandal 461. l. 8 desirest 466. l. 34 faults l 36 the World 473. l. 6 Go and 483. l. 15 and means 492. l. 3 gifts of 493. l. 20 government l. 31 then Lordly l. 32 as dele I 492. l. 4 they l. 14 welfare 499. l. 30 unnatural 500. l. 29 for his 501. l. 1 unto l. 28 and aid 502. in the margine l. 3 as I have l. 29 dependers 503. l. 15 simply l. 26 dele was in l. 32 in his 509. l. ult dele be 510. l. 16. 1596. 517. l ult dele was to 518. in margine for next read twixt 519. l. 6 rather 521. l. 21 warrant from Ch. 522. l. 8 hours l. 40 assisted 526. l. 38 charge 24. of 528. l. â—e were sent 530. l. 21. 1597. l. 39 had been
good works as is clear by the words following for when the Text saith That we may be holy and without blame before him he addeth Lest it come into ones mind that God hath chosen whom he willeth to be saved and thereupon one be slack and think it is not any more needfull to study unto vertue that one may attain life seeing they are already chosen according to the pleasure of God and there is no more hope unto others unto this he saith God hath chosen us that we should be holy and without blame that is that we should live in that holiness which God hath given unto us who have been washed in baptism therefore let us continue and keep a godly life Whence it is clear that he judgeth the moving cause to be the only will of God and thereupon follows that scruple which he removeth and this may be cleared from his words on v. 2. ch 2. 10. 3. Porsena marketh in the margine and Transubstantiation at the words of institution in Matth. 26 Panis qui sanctificatur in altario corpus caro Domini est non figura and the words in the line are When he saith This is my body he sheweth that the bread which is sanctified on the Altar is the same body of Christ and not an answering figure for he said not This is a figure but This is my body for by unspeakable operation it is transformed although it seem unto us to be bread because we are infirm and do abhor to eat raw flesh especially the flesh of man and therefore it appears bread and is flesh And on Mar. 14 When he had blessed that is had given thanks he broke the bread which also we do adjoining prayer This is my body this I say which ye take for the bread is not a figure only and some exemplar of the Lord's body but the body of Christ is converted into it For the Lord said The bread that I will give you is my flesh he said not it is the figure of my flesh but it is my flesh And again Unless ye eat the flesh of the son of man But you will say How is not the flesh seen O man that is because of our infirmity for because bread and wine are of such things wherewith we are accustomed we abhor them not but if we saw blood and flesh set before us we could not indure them but would abhor them therefore the mercifull God condescending unto our weakness keeps still the forms of bread and wine but transelementateth them into the vertue of flesh and blood These be his words without any fault in the translation Now behold the vanity of man's mind when it is fond on a thing Ixion as the fable is would so fain have had Iuno that he thought he had her in his imbracement when he had but the wind or cloud So the Romanists think they have here their transubstantiation when they have but words far different from what they do fancy In these testimonies they lay hold on two passages First The bread which is sanctified is the same body of Christ and not an answering figure I would they could conjoin the words on Mark It is not a figure only and some exemplar of the Lord's body Where the Authour denieth not simply or absolutely that the bread is a figure and exemplar of Christ's body but saith he It is not a figure only or it is not only a figure and some exemplar therefore according to his mind It is a figure and some exemplar but more then a bare figure and a special kind of exemplar Against whom is this said I have read it imputed unto some that the bread is a meer sign of Christ's body but I never read any who hath so affirmed except Socinians or Anabaptists So then in these words Theophylact speaks according to the mind of the Reformed Church But he saith It is the same body of Christ And so saith Christ himself This is my body and so say we Therefore the question is in what sence the bread is his body Next they say It is by transubstantiation of the bread into the body of Christ Here first mark that the former passage proveth it not 2. Where saith Theophylact so they say in these words By unspeakable operation it is transformed although it seem to be bread I answer In so great a matter the words ought to be considered attentively What is transformation it is two-fold if we speak properly external and internal External is when the outward form of a thing is changed into another but this is not in the Sacrament which keeps still the forms of bread and wine as it is said expressly in the words on Mark. Internal transformation is when not only the outward form is changed but the inward nature and essence of a thing is changed into another which was before as when Lot's wife was turned into a Pillar of salt or Moses's rod into a Serpent But Theophylact saith It appears bread and is flesh Wherefore he meaneth not a proper transformation but an improper kind and so saith the Reformed Churches The Romanists say he saith The bread is transformed into the body of Christ Where saith he so not on Matthew for his words are But the body of Christ is turned or converted into it It is one thing the bread is transformed into the body of Christ and another thing Christ's body is converted into the bread and therefore he saith God transelementeth the bread into the vertue of flesh So neither on Matthew nor Mark either first or last doth Theophylact assert a transformation or transubstantiation of the bread into the body of Christ but in the first place he speaks of a converting of Christ's body into the bread and in the other he speaks of a transelementation of the bread into the vertue of flesh and the Papists do hold neither one nor the other As yet I speak not of the truth of the matter nor of the meaning of the Authour but shew how the Papists delude themselves with his words As for his meaning in this matter unless his words be contrary one to another the first words must be expounded by the latter that is when he saith The body of Christ is converted into the bread he meaneth God keeps still the forms of the bread and wine both outward and inward but transelementates them into the vertue of Christ's flesh and blood that is from bare and earthly things he translates them into another rank for this is the proper signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set in another file or rank of things even of spiritual things even of sealing and conveying unto us the vertue of Christ's body and blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly is to remove a souldier from one file into another and then the souldier changeth not his nature but his place and use and so it is with the elements of the Sacrament And we may be the more
fear laese-Majesty lest it seem that I deserve the gibbet as opening my mouth against the heaven nevertheless because Wido Cardinal of St. Potentiana beareth witness with the people I dare not altogether contradict them for he saith There is a root of duplicity in the Roman Church and I do ingenuously profess I never saw more honest Clergy-men then in the Church of Rome but seeing you press and command me and it is not lawful to lye unto the holy Ghost I profess ye are not altogether to be followed in your works for he who dissenteth from the truth is a Schismatick and Heretick but of the mercies of God there be some who will not follow all our works but I fear lest while you continue asking these things as you are pleased you hear from your foolish friend things that will not please you Why is it Father that you search other mens lives and search not your own all men rejoyce with you you are called the father and Lord of all men and all the oyl for sinners is poured on your head If you be a Father why cravest thou gifts from thy children or if thou be a Lord why causest thou not the Romans to stand in awe of thee and having brideled their presumption bringest them not again into the faith But thou wilt preserve the City unto the Church by thy gifts did Pope Sylvester so conquer it thou art a Father in the by-ways and not in the right ways it is to be conserved by such means as it was purchased c. The Pope told him the fable of the members grumbling against the womb and the same said he would befal unto Christendom if they should not resort unto Rome their head And then the Pope smiling at the mans boldness did require him that how oft he heard any thing spoken amiss of him he would presently advertise him Without doubt this Bishop had more things in his minde which he uttered not P. Morn in Myst ex Io. Sarisbu in Policrat lib. 6. cap. 24. In the same work lib. 6. cap. 16. he saith The Roman Legates do so rage as if Satan were come forth from the face of the Lord to oppress the Church oft do they harm and herein they are like the divel that they are called good when they do not evil with them judgement is nothing but a publick reward they do account gain to be godliness they do justifie the wicked for gifts and vex the afflicted souls they adorn their tables with silver and gold and rejoyce in the worst things seeing they eat the sins of the people they are clothed with them and in them do they riot many ways whereas true worshippers should adore the Father in the Spirit if any do dissent from them he is judged a Schismatick or Heretick O that Christ would manifest himself and openly shew the way wherein men should walk Lib. 7. cap. 10. We should be servants unto the Scriptures and not domineer over them unless one will think himself worthy to rule over Angels Cap. 17. One cometh into the Church trusting in the multitude of his riches and followeth Simon nor findeth he any that saith thy money perish with thee Another feareth to come unto Peter with his gifts yet privily Jupiter slideth in a shower of gold into Danae's bosome and the incestuous wooer entereth so into the bosome of the Church The Author of Catal. test ver lib. 14. sheweth ex Petro Paris Cantor in Abbreviat Verbo how this John did oppose the Pope and the Cardinals when they would enjoyn some new Rites and said ye should be so far from enjoyning new Rites that ye should rather take away some ancient ones albeit they were profitable for Christians are much burthened with the multitude of these useful traditions ye should rather endeavor that the word of Christ may be kept for now it may be objected unto us that the commandments of God are made of no effect in respect of mens traditions 8. Edmond Rich Arch-Bishop of Canterbury about the year 1181. was The cause of the ruine of the Church wont to say By gifts that are given on the one side and taken on the other Christianity is already corrupted and it will fail ere they be aware unless they be so wise as to cure themselves from this pest By these gifts some do understand not so much what was given by Intrants as what the Popes and Bishops gave to stop the mouths of such as spoke against their vices and errors to divert their reproofs Catal. test ver 9. Petrus Blesensis once Chancelor of Canterbury and then Bishop of Rotomagum for his learning and honesty of life was in great favor with Princes and Prelates saith Trithem He did very sharply rebuke the manners of the Clergy especially that they did abuse the power of the keys to satisfie their avarice In Epistle 25. unto a friend who was an official of a Bishop he saith Because I love thee affectionately in the bowels of Christ Jesus I have decreed to exhort thee with wholesome admonitions to come timely out of Ur of the Chaldees and from the midst of Babylon and forsake the ministry of that damnable stewardship I know covetousness hath subverted thy heart in so far as thou art become an official unto a Bishop I think officials have their name not from the nown officium but from the verb officio all the business of the official is in lieu of the Bishop to strip and excoriate the silly sheep which are concredited unto him these are the Bishops blood-suckers spuing out other folks blood after they have drunk it the riches which the wicked hath gathered he shall spue it out and God shall draw it out of his belly these are as a spunge in the hand of a strainer what he hath gathered by oppressing the poor goeth unto the Bishop's pleasures but to the official's torment as the bees gather honey not for themselves but for others so ye gather riches not for your selves but for others these are the privy doors by which the servants of Bell do thievishly carry away the sacrifices which the King had laid on the table so the Bishop taketh away other mens goods with long hands and layeth the blame of the crime and infamy on the official they have their eye on the reward but look not to the fatherless and widow what is done under pretence of counterfeit Religion and justice availeth not unto life nor edifieth unto salvation Saul did spare the fattest of Amaleks flocks as if he would sacrifice unto God and he did provoke God unto wrath I could the more patiently endure that damnable office if thou wert not eminent in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures these causes and judgements wherein thou hast entangled thy self imprudently I will not say impudently are fitter for a secular man a learned and ecclesiastical man should not meddle with secular affairs I wish that thou wouldest forsake these noisome
things of the world that the Prince of this world may not finde any thing that is his in thee c. He did oft call the Clergy Syria Edom the calves of Bethel Idols of Egypt Priests of Baal c. In his other Epistles he saith If thou hadst once tasted the sweetness of wisdom i. e. of the holy Scripture thou wouldest loath all other things in comparison for this giveth abundantly the incomparable treasures of pleasure and the grace of all gifts And again It is necessary to read the Scriptures for that is the table of the tabernacle that is the food by which we breath and live Certainly Christ did use the onely testimony of the word against all the tentations of Satan in the wilderness if therefore an host should come against you guard your self with the buckler of a good conscience and with the sword of the Spirit Again The exhortation of man without the grace of God is but as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal he onely can give a mouth and wisdom which saith Without me you can do nothing Lord take thou away my stony heart and give a new humble contrite and a heart of flesh In the last of his Epistles he reckoneth the Books of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Esdras III. and IV. Judeth Tobias Maccabees among the Apocrypha Catol test ver lib. 14. 10. Richard de St. Victor a Scot was held for a learned and good man about the year 1140. He wrote much On Cant. c. 2. The reading and meditation of the Scriptures do strengthen the minde and weaken the enemy so long as they keep this in minde and do it they are hereby most expert to encounter with the enemy De statu hom inter cap. 12. How justly is frâ—ewill said to be dead seeing by it self it is never moved unto any good for what good can it do of it self seeing it cannot say Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost and indeed it is often moved unto good but never accept by the holy Ghost De sacrif Abrah Mariae If the grace and protection of God be withheld man is thrown down at every suggestion of the enemy and into whatsoever evil and being once thrown down he can never rise by his own power A man can bring forth no bud of good work of himself without working grace and when he hath begun to work he can no way continue without its cooperation Par. 2. in explanat aliquot locor Apost The Law teacheth onely what we should do and addeth not how we may obey and therefore it can justifie none the Gospel teacheth what should be done how it may be done and how that which is not done may be supplied In Apocaly lib. 3. Onely that prayer is acceptable in heaven which the Son offereth unto the Father Catol test ver lib 15. He was the first which taught that the Virgin Mary was born without original sin Io. Maior in gest Scot. lib. 3. cap. 12. 11. Malcolm IV. King of Scots did command Roger Arch-Bishop of The Pope's Legate is forbidden to come into Scotland York and Roman Legate to depart out of the Realm and said It was not reason that the Land should be oppressed by ungodly men bearing glorious names He. Boet. Hist lib. 13. Again in the year 1188. Pope Clement sent another and he had not better success for all did refuse him except John Bishop of St. Andrews and therefore he was banished and he had refuge unto the Pope who by and by sent unto Henry King of England and gave unto him the right of the Crown of Scotland Io. Bale Cent. 3. § 26. in Appen 12. It is recorded that one Fulco came and said unto the English King King Richard's three daughters Richard with great boldness O King thou hast three very bad daughters take good heed unto them and provide unto them good husbands lest by inconvenient bestowing of them thou run not into damage onely but utter perdition unto thy self The King said Thou art mad foolish hypocrite I have no daughter Fulco replieth I do not lye O mighty King for you have three daughters continually in your Court and wholly possess your person and such whores are they that the like hath not been heard I mean mischievous pride greedy covetousness and filthy letchery therefore I say again beware of them and out of hand provide marriages for them The King then took his words in good part by and by calling his Nobles declared unto them them the words of Fulco whose counsel said he I intend to follow not doubting of your consents my Lords thereunto wherefore here before you all I give my eldest daughter swelling pride to wife unto the proud Templars my greedy daughter avarice unto the Cistertian Monks and filthy luxury unto the riotous Prelates of the Church so severally agreeing with all their natures that the like match is not to be found unto them This was about the year 1198. saith I. Fox in Act. 13. Here it shall not be amiss to remember the example of Simon Thurvey Simon Thurvey an English man of Cornwal for a warning to temerarious Students He was a subtil Logician and expert in all Liberal Sciences he left his own Countrey and was a Doctor in Paris many years and trusting to his Philosophy he vaunted that he knew all Christ's Law and by force of disputation he could disprove it all on a suddain he became forgetful of all learning and could not say the Lord's Prayer nor knew the a b c. Mat. Paris reporteth that when he was writing his History Nicola epi. Danelm told him this and had seen this Simon learning to read from his own bastard son as if he had been a childe of six years onely 14. King William went into England to congratulate the safe arrival of Richard from Judea in the year 1199. at that time Harald Earl of Orknay and Caitnes took the Bishop of the Countrey prisoner because he had stopped some suit he had demanded of the King and bereft him of his eyes and tongue William at his returning would revenge this inhumanity and Harald would defend himself by force but his forces were scattered and he was apprehended it was done unto him by the hangman as he had unto the Bishop and then strangled all his male-children were gelded and many of his friends as accessories were fined in money Buchan lib. 7. When this was reported unto Pope Innocentius III. he sent his Legate John Cardinal de monte Celio with a sword richly set with precious stones a purple hat in form of a diadem and a Bull of large priviledges exempting the Church of Scotland from all censures except onely of the Pope or Legate sent by the Conclave the Bull was dated in the year 1209. H. Boeth Hist lib. 13. cap. 8. THE FOURTH AGE Of the CHURCH OR The History of the Church lurking and of Anti-Christ reigning containing the space of 300. years from the year