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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40122	The arraignment of popery being a short collection, taken out of the chronicles, and other books, of the state of the church in the primitive times : also, the state of the Papists, and how long it was before the universal pope and mass was set up, and the time of bringing in all their rudiments and traditions, beads and images, purgatory, tythes and inquisitions : also, a relation of their cruelties they acted after the Pope got up, being worse then the heathen and Turk, New Rome having proved like Old : also, what the people of England worshipped before they were Christians : with several other things, which may be profitable for people to read over, where all that fear God may see, read, try, and give judgment by the spirit of truth : to which is added, The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church / by G.F. and E.H.	Fox, George, 1624-1691.; Hookes, Ellis, d. 1681.	1667 (1667)	Wing F1750A; ESTC R15884	93,976	138

Gospel-Book and kiss it saying So help me God and this Holy Doom And I said to them Sirs ye speak here full generally and largely What if a Prelate commandeth his Subject to do an unlawful thing should he obey thereto The Arch-Bishop said That a Subject ought not to suppose that a Prelate will bid him do an unlawful thing Thorpe said But to our Purpose And I related that a Master of Divinity had said That it was not lawful either to give or take any charge upon a Book for every Book is nothing else but divers Creatures of which it is made Therefore to swear upon a Book is to swear by Creatures and this swearing is ever unlawful This sentence witnesseth Chrysostome plainly blaming them greatly that bring forth a Book to swear upon charging Clerks that in no wise they constrain any body to swear whether they think a man swear true or false And the Arch-Bishop and his Clerks scorned me and blamed me greatly for this saying and threatned me with great punishment except I left this opinion of not swearing And then I said this is not my opinion only but it is the opinion of Christ and St. James and of Chrysostome and of other Saints And the Clerk said to me Wilt thou submit thee here meekly to the Ordinance of holy Church and lay thy hand upon the Book touching the Holy Gospel of God And I said have I not told you here how that I heard a Master of Divinity fay that in such a Case it is all one to touch a Book and to swear by a Book And the Arch-Bishop said There is no Master of Divinity in England so great but if he hold this opinion before me I shall punish him as I shall do thee except thou swear And I said Was not Chrysostome an E●●e●tive Doctor The A●ca-bishop ●a●d Yea. And I said If Chrysostome proveth him ●orthy of great blame that bringeth forth a Book to swear upon it must needs sollow that he is more too blame that sweareth upon that Book The Clesk said Lay thine hand upon the Book touching the Holy Gospel of God Here the ignorance of the Papists may be cen who be ieved the Le●ter was the Gospel And these ●lind Protestants and Frofessors in our age still hold the ame I said I understand that the Holy Gospel of God may not be touched with mans hand The Clerk said I said not truth c. I said By Authority of Saint Hierome the reading of the Letter is not the Gospel but the belief that men have in the Word of God that is the Gospel that we believe and that is the virtue of Gods Word and David saith Through the Word of God the Heavens were formed In the year 4●7 King Hunder●ck in the time of the ten Persecutions put an Oath to the Christians and they refused it but some amongst them being simple men was willing to take it and the King said unto them which would have taken the Oath Because that you contrary to the Rule of the Gospel which saith Snear not at all would have sworn the Kings will is that you shall never see your Churches more but shall be banished into the Wilderness and never perform any Ministerial Office more and there you shall till the ground and the King sa●d to them that refused the Oath You shall be immediately sent away to the Isle of Cross to hew timber for Ships E seb p. 80. The Christians that were put to cruel tortures by the Papists in the Valley of Piedmont about the year 1655 of which a particular Relation is herein following one of the Articles against these Christians was that they could not swear at all Pontius of the age of fifteen years was cruelly tormented and martyred by the Heathen in the primitive times because he could not swear And many now in these dayes suffer much for the like cause The false Christians would have people swear like the He●then CHAP. XVII Concerning the Title of Doctors and concerning their Habits A Bout three hundred years ago then the Name and Title of Doctor began to be conferred solemnly It was an Article of John Wickliffs condemned at Constance that Graduations and Doctorships in Universities and Colledges as they were in use then did conduce nothing to the Church The Genevians in their Annotations upon Rev. 9. ver 3. where the Locusts came out of the smoak say they were and are false Teachers Hereticks and worldly-subtile Prelates with Monks Fryars Cardinals Patriarchs Arch-Bishops Doctors Batchellors and Masters Didoclavius in his Book called Altare Damascenum p. 891 saith that Hoods Tippets and square Caps were introduced by Antichrist to promote his splendor Philpot chose rather to be secluded the Convocation of the Clergy then to wear a Hood and Tippet Stat. Arad Oxon. Tit. 14. Parag. 1. The words of the Statutes are in English thus It is ordered that all Heads of Colledges all Fellows and Scholars wear black or sad-coloured Clothes and all that are initiated into holy Orders as it becomes those of the Clergy to do There were of old a certain sort of people among the Jews called Chemarims or Black-coats as it may be read in Hosea the 5th But our Translators have rendred them Priests instead of Chemarims which Priests were smutted by the Heathens black Sacrifices CHAP. XVIII Concerning the Heathen Idolaters naming their Dayes and Months THE old Pagan Saxons in their Idolatry were the first that brought in the Names of the Dayes which those called Christians have retained to this day for they adored Idols and unto them offered Sacrisices and worshipped the Planets See Vestigans Antiquities and Cambdens Brit. As touching the Idols which these Saxons adored they were divers and though they had many yet seven among the rest they especially appropriated unto the seven dayes of the week That day which is the first day of the week they worshipped the Idol of the Sun which was placed in a Temple and there acrificed unto and to the special adoration of which Idol they gave the Name of Sunday The second day of the week they dedicated to the Idol of the Moon and from whence these called Christians retain the Name of Monday instead of Moonday The next was the the Idol of the Planets was the Idol of Tuisco who was the first and chiefest man of Name among the Germans unto whom the Name of Tuesday was especially Dedicated The next was the Idol Woden whom the Saxons honoured for their God of Battel And after this Idol these called Christians do yet call the fourth day of the week Wednesday instead of Woddensday The next was the Idol Thor from whence the Name Thursday is retained instead of the fifth day of the week The next Idol was the Goddess Friga to which Idol they dedicated the sixth day of the Week and called it Friday which is retained to this day The last day was the Idol Seater from whence is called the seventh day Saturday

And as these called Christians have sollowed the Heathens Examples in naming their Days so they followed them in naming their Months for the Heathen they called Mars the God of Battel and from thence they calleed the first Month March. And Venus they called the Goddess of Love and Beauty and from thence they called they called the second Month April And Maja a Heathen Goddess called Flora Flora and Cloris were called the Goddesses of Flowers unto Maja the Heathen Idolaters use to sacrifice from thence was the third Month called May. And upon the first day of the same Month they used to keep Floralia Feasts to the two Goddesses of Flowers viz. Flora and Cloris and Flora was a Strumpet in Rome that used on the first day of that Month to set up a May-pole before her door to entice her Lovers From whence came May-poles and May-day to be since observed by these called Christians And Juno whom the Heathen called the Goddess of Kingdoms and Wealth from this Juno the fourth Month was called June And Julius Caesar a Roman Emperor in honour to him was the fifth Month called July And in honour to Augustus Caesar an Emperor was the sixth Month called August And four of the other Months are called after the Latin Names as September for the seventh Month October for the eighth November for the ninth December for the tenth And one J●nus a King of Italy was for his wisdom pictured with two faces whom they honoured as God and from this Name J●●●● was the eleventh Month called January And Saturnus Pluto Februs were called the Gods of Hell wh●● the Heathen said had the Rule of evil Spirits there and from 〈◊〉 Februs was the the twelfth Month called February And by all there Idolatrous Names do these called Christians call their D●ys to this any which is contrary to the Scriptures the Prophets and the Apostles The Saxons also had a Goddess whom they sacrificed to m●●●● Month of April called E●ster Hence they called April E●●●● Month and hence in process of time came Easter Page 135. Ca●●● 〈◊〉 Brit. CHAP. XIX Concerning Burying-places IN the year 1198 Gaudentius de Mor See Justin Part 1. Ch. 26. proves that they did of old bury privately their dead in their Grounds which custom was taken away by Pope Innocent the third who decreed that none should be buryed in unconsecrated places and then after people began to desire to be buryed within the Church out of a Superstitious respect to the Saint whose Name that Church did bear and because their Kindred and Relations did pray for them there besides they hoped to be benefited by the merits of the Martyrs And it may be read in Austin de cura pro Mortuis chap. 5. That the believing Mother did desire that the body of her believing Son might be buryed in the Church of the Martyrs for so much as she did believe that his soul did reap benefit through the Merits of the said Martyrs And about this time the Clergy began to appropriate to themselves the prerogative of taking money to let people be buryed in Churches and is at this day used in England It was one of the Articles of the W●ldenses That the use of Church-yards is supersluous and invented only for lucres sake and that it was no matter in what ground any one was laid or buryed Bish Vsher de Succes Eccles Chr. c. 6. CHAP. XX. Concerning Ministers VVHen Christ bid them go into all Nations he bid them wait at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high and they was not to go to be seven years at Colledges as they are now like an Apprentice but some of them were Tradesmen as Moses was a keeper of Sheep and Jacob was a keeper of Sheep and David was a keeper of Sheep and Elisha a Plough-man and Amos a Herdsman and Peter and John Fisher-men and unlearned men and Paul a Tent-maker And the Teachers of the Waldenses were said to be Weavers and Coblers of which when they were told of it they replied they were not ashamed of their Priests because they laboured with their hands according to the Example of the Apostles CHAP. XXI Concerning Marriage with the King IT was the Romans that first brought up marrying with a Ring it being their practice and custom that the man should give in token of good-will a Ring unto the woman Alex. Gen. Lib. 2. Antique Romani p. 72. And before they would bsgin the Ceremonies of their Contract the man procured a Southsayer and the woman another to cast their Fortune and the token or sign that these Southsayers accounted most fortunate was a Crow And this practice of ma●rying with a Ring do these called Christians retain to this day amongst many other of the Heathen Idolatrous practices And this practice is contrary to the practice of the holy men of God in the Scriptures for Boaz took Ruth to Wife before the Elder of the people and said Ye are witnesses this day that I take Ruth to Wife and the people said We are witnesses this day and the Lord m●ke the woman in thy house like the house of Rachel c. and tha● thou mayest do worthily in Ephr●ta and be famous in Bethlem And of the stock of Boaz came Christ Ruth 4. And Isaiah was to take Witnesses and write in a R●ll when he went to the Prophetess So here you may see was no Southsayers nor Rings used CHAP. XXII Concerning Churches and Vniversities so called AND the Names that the Papists gave the Steeplehouses are still used by Protestants they called their Churches Cathedral Churches and Kings Chappel and Queens Chappel And Pope Faelix the third he decreed that Churches should be dedicated to the Saints and so they came to be called one Christs Church and another they called Saint Peters Church and another Saint Pauls Church and another they called Saint Jame's Church and another Saint George's Church and Saint Bennets Church c. And them called Protestants calls them so still And the Protestants still call the Colledges by the same Names the Papists gave them who first set them up The Papists called them Christ Church Colledg Emanuel Colledg Trinity Colledg Corpus Christi Colledg that is the Body of Christ Colledg Jesus Colledg Brazen nose Colledg Magdalen Colledg All-Souls Colledg Saint Johns Colledg The two Universities as they are called were founded by Popish Saxon Kings and other Kings Bishops and other men and women Tindal who was a Martyr said concerning Universities that whosoever ordained Universities be it Alexander at Halis Saint Thomas or any other he was a Starr that fell from Heaven to Earth for there are brought in said he moral virtues for Faith and Opinions for Truth and said they were a confused Cloud Tindal in his Book of the Revelation of Antichrist CHAP. XXIII How the Bishops and Clergy heretofore have been the cause of cruel Laws against those that differed from them whom they called Hereticks

THE Arraignment OF POPERY BEING A Short COLLECTION taken o●● of the CHRONICLES and other Books of the State of the CHURCH in the Primitive Times Also The State of the Papists and how long It wa● before the Universal POPE and MASS was set up and t●● time of bringing in all their Rudiments and Traditions Beac●●●● and Images Purgatory Tythes and Inquisitions Also A Relation of their Cruelties they acted after the Pope got up being worse then the Heathen and Turk New Rome having proved like Old Also What the People of England worshipped before they were Christians With several other things which may be profitable for people to read over wherein they may see the Worship of the Beast and Whore where all that fear God may see read try and give judgment by the Spirit of Truth ●o which is added The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the CHVRCH By G. F. and E. H. LONDON Printed in the Year 1667. The Contents Rulers makes Ministers and none must preach ex●●●● have a Licence from them Chap. 24. Pag●● Concerning the Priests turning as the Rulers turned to 〈◊〉 Power that came up rather then they would lose their ●●●fices and how they petitioned several Parliaments and F●●lers that they might have their Tythes paid them and that they would suppress the People called Quakers Ch. 2● Pag. 73. A Relation of some of the Cruelties insticted on the Christians by the Heathen Chap. 26. Pag. 81. An Abstract of the Bloody Massacre in Ireland by the Instigation of the Jesuits Priests and Fryars c. in the year 1642. Chap. 27. Pag. 84. In the History of the Churches of Piedmont collected and compiled by Samuel Morland in the year 1658. Chap. 27. Pag. 96. List of some of the Accusations for which the aforesaid people suffered in the Valleys of Piedmont by the Papists Chap. 28. Pag. 99. Te Doctrines of Christ and Antichrist distinguished Chap. 29. Pag. 103. A Discourse betwixt a Quaker and a Papist Ch. 30. P. 106. THE ARRAIGNMENT OF POPERY CHAP. I. The State of the Church in the Primitive Times and tho Time when the Apostacy from the Truth began Also a Relation of those few that were raised up from time to time to testisie against the Idolatry brought in and set up in every Age since the Apostles dayes From the Year Sixty four to the Year One Hundred and Fifty CHristianity was first brought into England in the Year 64 by Joseph of Aramathea and twelve Disciples sent by the Apostle Philip so that Christianity came into England long before the Universal Pope was Euseb lib. 3. John for preaching the Gospel was banished by Domitian into the Isle of Pathmos about the Year 97 and after the death of the aforesaid Domitian was released again under Peru●● the Emperor and came to Ephesus Anno 100 where he continued until the time of Trajan and lived until he was ninety nine y●●● of age Between the Years One hundred and One hundred and fifty Ignatius in the Persecution of Trajan the Emperor was for the Christian Faith delivered to wild Beasts to be devoured Euseb lib. 3. chap 35 36. It is written of him That as he passed through Asia being under the most strict Custody of his Guarders he strengthned and confirmed the people every where as he went and admonished them especially and before other things to beware and shun Heresies and vain Superstitions newly risen up and that they should cleave only to the Apostles Doctrine Ex Hierom in Calassanct Eccles The Church at Jerusalem in or about One hundred and ten years after Christ writeth That until that time she was as an uncorrupt Virgin there was no false Doctrine sown there From the Years One hundred and fifty to Two hundred Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna resisted Annasetus Bishop of Rome ●nd withstood divers Ceremonies then beginning to be set on foot Iraneus Bishop of Lyons in France wrote in the name of his Brethren in France unto Victor Bishop of Rome reproving him for offering to excommunicate the Churches of Asia who withstood his Traditions touching the time of the Celebration of Easter he was reprehended of divers Bishops but sharply of Iraeneus About this time there was six Synods held in Asia touching the Celebration of Easter where the Bishop of Rome had no more Authority then the other Bishops and when he challenged Authority Iraeneus reproved him From the Year two hundred to the Year two hundred and fifty Polycrates Bishop of Antioch was a married Bishop he together with divers other Bishops of Asia withstood Victor Bishop of Rome and opposed certain Constitutions by him urged about observation of Dayes Meats Drinks and Vestures Euseb lib. 5. chap. 26. From the Year Two hundred and fifty to Three hundred Fabian Chanimon of Nilus and Fructuosus of Tarracona were married Bishops Asclepiades a Bishop of Antiochia of whom Alexander Bi●●● Jerusalem being the Prisoner of Christ in Caesaria wro●● the people in Antiochia That it was a comfort unto him 〈◊〉 made his imprisonment the more easie that he heard of the 〈◊〉 constancy of Asclepiades Euseb lib. 6. chap. 11. Note in th●● the true Bishops were no Persecutors but persecuted Narcissus Bishop of Jerusalem was a great Enemy to Super on Euseb lib. 5. cap. 6. From the Year Three hundred to Three hundred and fifty Silvester Bishop of Rome Three hundred and fourteen years 〈◊〉 Christ when Constantine offered him a Golden Scepter he ref●● it as a thing not fit for a Priests Function Sabel Euseb Chron And you may see there was a great difference between this Bishop and Popes when they got up And do you think that a Protestant Bishop Priest would refuse to take a Golden Scepter if it were offered him The same Bishop also ordained in the year following That ●●ry Priest should be the Husband of one Wife according to th●● postles Doctrine This was before the Popes Laws were made ag●●● Marrying The Councils of Ancyra Nice Tyrus Gangra in which condemned the Heresie of Eustatius speaking against Marri●● and eating of flesh c. Eliberis Carthage where the Bisho● Rome was stoutly withstood Antioch and Sardica were all su●●ed at the Commandment of the Emperors not of the Pope 〈◊〉 Concil Basilius Magnus Bishop of Caesaria in Cappadocia in his ●●●tings he complaineth of the pride of the Western Churches and ●●●demneth their seeking of Supremacy Basil Transmarin Epist 〈◊〉 and Epist 10. ad Eusamos Gregorius Nazianzenus testified against the pride of Pre●●● seeking Supremacy over others Zozam lib. 7. cap. 5. Gregorius Nyssenus was a married Bishop Niceph. Chalist I●●● cap. 19. Eusebius Caesariensis wrote against the Bishop of Romes ●●●●cy Lib. 2. de vit Const 3 37. He wrote against Images Lib 3. de presp Evang. And 〈◊〉 against Popish Injunctions of Fasting Lib. 5. Eccles Hist cap. 23. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria whose Name was famous in the Church wrote much against Traditions Epist de Synod Nicen. Decr.

ERasmus testified that for above Four hundred years after C●●●● the Bishops did not seek the help of the Emperors again●● 〈◊〉 Hereticks and when they did seek it against the insufferable wickedness of the Donatists it did not please the good people that they should then seek the help of the Civil Powers for they then judged that it became not the Bishops to use any other Weapons or to have any other help then the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God although the evil was incurable yet would they have excluded it by Excommunication which is said to be the greatest Judgment or Punishment that then the Church had The Histories also sheweth how that some of the Clergy have said That the Princes ought to kiss the Son and to use their power for to preserve and defend Religion against all their Enemies though their Lands should therefore be spoiled In the year 553 Pelagius Bishop of Rome instituted first of all That Hereticks and Apostates should be forced by external compulsion And Clement the fifr made Laws that Hereticks should be burned Gerandus Naviomagns sheweth how that the Laws for putting Hereticks to death came not by the free-will of the Emperors but through the earnest importuning of blood-thirsty Bishops whose constant recourse was a burden to the Emperors so that finally they obtained what they desired but when the Clergy could not preva●l with one Emperor they excluded him out of Italy and excommunicated him and brought him in suspension and freed the Subjects from the Oath and stirred them up against the Power And thus have the Clergy handled when they could not have their wills And it might be plentifully manifested how that it hath been blood-thirsty Bishops with others of the Clergy that have provoked Kings and Potentates of the Earth to cruelty and who have counselled them to make bloody Laws like the Bishop Nestorius who in his Sermon spake unto the Emperor and said Oh Emperor give me a Land cleansed of Herticks and I will give thee Heaven help me against ●he Hereticks and I will help thee O subdue the Persians thy Enemies In the years 1538 and 1546 In like manner the Inquisitors and Clergy stirred up the Emperor the Kings of Spain and France to terrible persecution laying it upon their consciences to quit themselves severely against Hereticks if they would escape the Lords rep●o●● In the year 1545 Pope Paul the third counselled and entreated the Emperor Charles and King Ferdinandus to compel the Protestants to forsake their error CHAP. XXIV How since the Apostacy from the Truth the Pope Kings and Rulers makes Ministers and none must preach except they have a Licence from them IN the days of King Henry the Fourth it was agreed upon by the King and the Bishops with other Lords that no man within this Realm or other of the Kings Majesties Dominions presume to take upon him to preach privily or otherwise without special Licence of the Ordinary of the same place Statute Ex Officio R●g Hen. 4. And in the dayes of the same King Henry the Fourth Constitutions were made by Tho Arundel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others That no person being authorized to preach shall take upon him to preach in English to the Clergy and Laity except he first present himself and be examined of the Ordinary of the place For first the King he nominated who should be Bishop of such a Diocess and then being presented to the Pope he was to approve of him and being approved he was consecrated by the Arch-Bishop in England But when King Henry the Eighth cast off the Pope then it was enacted by King and Parliament that no Bishop should be commended to the Pope but that the King should both nominate them and approve of them to be sufficient Ministers In the year 1547 in Edward the Sixth's time Injunctions were set forth That none should preach except sufficiently Licensed In the Reign of King James Injunctions were made That none should preach except they were lawfully Licensed thereunto by the King or the Bishop Fox Acts and Mon. Vol 2. And likewise in the dayes of Queen Mary none was to preach but such as should be licensed or allowed by her Authority or by the Arch Bishop c. or by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridg● Anno 1. Mary 1 Pat C. 1. In the year 1559 Injunctions were likewise made in the first year of Queen Elizabeth that none should appear to preach not be admitted thereto but such as should be Licensed thereto by the Queen or the Arch Bishops or Bishops And thus she followed the Papists who were the first that set up this O●der In the year 1644 the Parliament made an Ordinance to give power to the Presbyter-Assembly of Divines for the Ordination of Ministers according to the Directory for Ordination and they gave the Ass●mbly of Divines Rules for Examination of them they ordained He that was to be ordained was to bring a testimony that he had sworn and taken the Covenant of the three Kingdoms and how long he had been in the University and what Degrees he had taken and whether he was twenty f●ur years old c. Note This was up●olding Popery still notwithstanding there was a pretence of Reformation And an Ordinance was made by Oliver Cromwel and his Council for Approbation of publick Preachers and for this end Commisioners were appointed and were authorized to judg of the Ability and Fitness of any man before he was admitted to any publick place to preach O. C. 1653 Can. 39. and Can. 57. CHAP. XXV Concerning the Priests turning as the Rulers turned to every Power that came up rather then they would lose their Benefices and how they petitioned several Parliaments and Rulers That they might have their Tythes paid them and that they would suppress the People called QVAKERS IN the year 1531 Pope Julius being angry with the King of France sent King Henry the Eighth the Cap of Maintenance and the Sword and gave him the title of Christianssimo that is The most Christian King And because King Henry wrote a Book against Luther the Pope ●ave him the title of Defender of the Faith In the year 1531 being the twenty second year of Henry the Eighth Tyndal did translate the New-Testament into English for reading of which many were sharply punished and the reading of it was forbidden by the Chancellor of England and the Papist-Bishops then in power caused all the Books to be brought into Pauls-yeard and there to be burned and the said Tyndal was shortly after burned beyond Sea for translating the same In the same year one Camphjus being sent Legate from the Pope in to England was at first in great request with King Henry the Eighth and had many honours conferred on him and great Benefices but the King taking dislike of the Popes proceedings with him concerning a Divorce the said Legate brought from the Pope to Divorce the King from his Wife who was the

and against Invocation of Saints Epist ad Adelph against their Seven Sacraments against Images and against the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome and many other things Orat. 2. Contr. Arian Epist ad●e it F●om the Year Three hundred and fifty to Four hundred In the Year Three hudred fifty one Liberius Bishop of Rome was banished by Constantius the A●rian Emperor In the Year Three hundred fifty four the same Liberius made a Law That no Priest should forsake his Cure for any Persecution or Trouble though Death should ensue This was before there was a Pope but since they will change any way for to save their Benefices as their practises have manifested turning from Popery to Protestantism and after to Popery again Flavius against whom Damatius Syricius and Anastatius Bishops of Rome were mighty Opposites who mis-informed the Emperor Theodosius against him before whom when Flavius appeared he said O Emperor if the Disputation be only concerning Principality and Eminent Places I will not contend with any man but deny my self of all Superiority and commit the Charge of Antioch to whom ye like best Theod. Lib. 5. Chap. 23. Cyrillius was an Enemy to the Pomp of the Clergy and had more regard to feed the poor and to preach the word then to the outward garnishing the Churches Zozomen Lib. 5. Chap. 25. Nictarius Bishop of Constantinople in his time Auricular Confession was abrogated in Constantinople upon occasion of Adultery committed between a Penitentiary and a Woman confessing her sins to him Socrat. Lib. 5. Chap. 19. Letotius Bishop of Meletina in Armenia was a great Opposer of Monkish Profession whose Society he called a Den of Thieves Theod. lib. 14. cap. 11. Gregory the first restored Marriages again to the Priests which before had been denied and when they would have made him Universal Bishop he denyed the Title alledging it was a proud Name From the Year Four hundred to the Year Four hundred and fifty● Accatius was Bishop of Constantinople Seventeen Years in 〈◊〉 time the Roman Church contended for Superiority This Accat●●● resisted the same and little regarding the pride of the Roman B●●shop excommunicated Foelix and razed his Name out of th● Roll of Bishops Histor Magd. Cent. 5. chap. 10. Note at this time there was no universal Pope at Rome for the Bishop of Rome was excommunicated Hillarius Bishop of Arles opposed Leo Bishop of Rome and denied Superiority over other Churches and went to Rome and withstood the Bishop of Rome to his face Leo. ad Gal. Episc Epist 77 89. From the Year Four hundred to the Year Four hundred and fifty John called Tabenesiota Bishop of Alexandria he kept the true Faith and was bamshed by Anastatius because he would not damn the Council of Chalsedon Magd. Cent. 6. From the Year six hundred about which time the Pope got up to the Year Six hundred and fifty Mellitus Brockmaile and about Eleven hundred men more were miserably slain because they withstood the proceedings of Austine the Monk who from the Pope was sent over into England ●iticus 20. Martyrology page 107. Serenus Bishop of Marce●les in France opposed the bringing in of Images and brake down all the Images where he had power Alphons 2. Imag. The whole Gre●k Church complained of Phocas when first he gave the Supremacy to Boniface Plat. Bonifac. 3. Gregory a Bishop concested against the Supremacy of the Pope taxing the desire thereof as a Character of Antichrist Greg. Epist 32 34 38 39. About the Year Eight hundred Albertus Ballus a Bishop in France was excommunicated by Pope Zachery because he held divers things contrary to the Romish Superstitions Hist Magd. Cent. 8. cap. 10. Lotha ius Emperor of Germany about this time reduced the Pope to the obedience of the Empire and sent some of his Clergy to dispute with the Pope who confuted him And here the Papists are proved lyars who say the Pope is Infallible Anaestus vit Pont. in Se●g 2. The Waldenses so called from one Waldens a man of great substance in the City of Lyons in France who about the Year One thousand one hundred and sixty taking occasion by the sudden death of one with whom he was walking began with a careful study to reform his life and to this end studied the Scriptures diligently and taught amongst people the Word and some thousands in a short space joyned with him who were dispersed abroad into divers parts of the world These Waldenses were miserably persecuted by the Pope and his Faction See the History of the Waldenses Raymond Earl of Tholouse for taking part with them was wrongfully vexed and dis-inherited by the Pope Mat. Paris The Religion of the WALDENSES They held That the Pope is not greater then another Bishop and that there was no Purgatory That it was in vain to pray for the dead That the Masses for the dead are the Inventions of the coverous Priests That Images hallowing of Water and other Creatures are superstitions They contemned the Masse and all that appertained to it They misliked the distinction of Days and Meats they defended the reading of the Scripture by the Laity Naur vel 2. pag. 900. Evarardus Invanensis a Bishop in Germany spake thus of the Pope about the Year One thousand two hundred in an Assembly of Bishops at Regensburg He under the colour of Religion layeth the foundation of the Kingdom of Antichrist These Priests of Babylon will reign alone they can endure no equal They will never rest until they have trampled all things under their feet He sitteth in the Temple of God and is exalted above all that is worshipped in whose fore-head is written the Name of Blasphemy I am a God and cannot erre CHAP. II. A Brief Relation how the ancient Christians were no Persecutors in the beginning but sussered by the Heathen for the first Three hundred years after Christ The First Persecution NEro was said to be the first Tyrannical Emperor that persecuted the Christians it was called the First Persecution because it was under the Emperors Power and it begun in the Year Sixty six after Christ and at that time was chiesly within the City of Rome In the latter end of his Reign Paul was put to death for the Testimony of the Faith of Christ in the year Sixty nine Act. Mon. The Second Persecution In the year Ninety three did the Second Persecution begin under the Emperor Domitianus under whom several Christians were put to death and about the same time was the Apostle John banished into the Isle of Pathmos where he wrote his Revelation In those dayes the Christians were so little esteemed that the people called them Coblers Weavers Combers of Wool illiterate and exceeding Rustick and Clownish yea such as knew no good fashions Origen lib. 30. ad Cels The Third Persecution In the Year One hundred and two did the Third Persecution begin under the Emperor Trajanus who though he was called 〈◊〉 good Emperor did nevertheless

persecute the Christians out of his mility to the gods in which persecution several Bishops were put to death And at that time the Bishop of Antioch testified That sufferings made them like unto Christ who had suffered for them himself preparing a way through suffering unto eternal life About the same time did a Governor write unto the Emperor in the Christians behalf whereupon the Emperor wrote That they should seek no more of them but those they had in prison should they put to death The Fourth Persceution In the Year One hundred sixty four was the Fourth Persecution of the Christians which arose under the Emperors Ma●cus Auretius and Lucius Verus in which Polycarpus Bishop of Smy na was put to death who had been a Disciple of John and had been many years in the service of the Lord as he himself acknowledge About the same time was Julianus put to death at Rome in whose time the Christians were accused to have a fleshly conversation one with another which he marked to be lyes by their willingness to dye and thereby he coming to be converted became an Eminent Teacher of the Christians Baron Anno 164. numb 2. Enseb l.b. 4 cap. 6. At Lyons in France there did go forth a Proclamation That the Christians might not dwell in their houses nor that they must not converse in the streets nor shew their faces which being impossible for them to perform their sufferings became exceeding great and in the mean time some of the slaves gave out that the Christians lived in filthy lasciviousness among themselves In this persecution there was one Lucius put to death for reproving the Judg for putting the Christians to crueller deaths then any Transgressor The Fifth Persecution In the Year Two hundred and one did the Fifth persecution begin under the Emperor Severus which was thus in part occasioned to wit When the Emperor had a Warr and had gotten the Victory the Christians kept themselves still and quiet without making tokens of joy with I ires or May-poles or other Triumphs according to the manner of the Heathen Whereupon they accused the Christians our of envy as if they despised and hated the Emperor and the rather because the Christians would not swear by his Fortune Tertul. pag. 30.127 In those dayes it was the manner among the Christians not to go to any Comedies or Stage-playes for they understood that if they did forsake the Devil and all his works with the world that then they must forsake Comedies and Stage-Playes Moreover the Christians said We renounce your Shews as we condemn their divers Originals by the knowledg we have that they are effects of Superstition and Idolatry The Sixth Persecution In the Year Two hundred thirty seven did the Sixth Persecution under the Emperor Maximinus arise who partly out of envy to his Kinsman Alexander who had been favourable to the Christians did persecute the Christians in which Persecution there were many put to death for the Heathen in those dayes were so spightful against the Christians that when there was an Earthquale or a Storm or the like they laid the blame upon the Christians saving Their gods were angry because their honour went to nothing through the Christians This Emperor did not Reign very long therefore did this persecution cease the sooner The Seventh Persecution In the Year Two hundred fifty three did the Seventh Persecution arise under the Emperor D cius who with excessive Cruelty did persecute the Christians In this Persecution several of the Bishops were put to death and such as were the chief among the Christians did theytorture with many torments and plundered the Christians houses and that which the Plunderers did not esteem they burn'd In this Persecution many suffered Martyrdom some being burned some beheaded women as well as men some whipt to death and some Soldiers fo encouraging these Martyrs in their sufferings were put to death In this terrible Persecution several departed from the Faith for fear of the Torments yet after wards came to be restored again The Sufferings of the Christians were great under this Emperor but his days were also shortned for he had not reigned Two years but was caught in a Quag-mire where he met with a check or reproof for his Cruelty Note a particular account of the terrible T●rments is mentioned towards the end of this book The Eighth Persecution In the year Two hundred fifty nine did the Eighth Persecution arise under the Emperor Valerianus who put forth a Proclamation against the Christians wherein he forbad their Meeting and when this Proclamation or Order was not observed then did there follow a great Persecution of the Christians in which there was very many put to death and some were banished and the Christians converted some of the Heathen in the places to which they were banished But the Emperor under whom the Christians thus suffered did not go unpunished for his cruelty for he was taken Prisoner by the King of Persia who made use of him for a Foot-stool when he got upon his Horse The Ninth Persecution In the Year Two hundred seveaty three did the Ninth Persecution arise under the Emperor Aurelianus but this Persecution was not so great as the other because he was cut off by death soon after he had determined the same yet in this Persecution was Foelix Bishop of Rome put to death with several others The Tenth Persecution In the Year Three hundred and two begun the Tenth Persecution which was so great that it exceeded all that had been before it not only in Cruelty but in Continuance for it contiued Twelve years Eusebius who lived at that time writes of it at large in his Ecclesiastical History saying It was occasioned through the freedom of the Christians who were come into great Reputotion and were put in Places of Office to Rule in Countries and Cities but through their prosperity and voluptuousness brotherly love came to decrease and haughtiness and pride got up and instead of Worshipping of God an insolent Authority begun to get up in the Church of the Christians And at that time the Emperor Dioclesian gave forth a Proclamation wherein he commanded that all the Christian Churches should be pull'd down and the Holy Scriptures burned and that the Christians should be turned out of their places with other such like things After that there came another Order That they should cause the chief of the Church to offer unto Idols or else such as resisted were to be put to death and some were constrained to offer This Persecution begun as a little spark but it spread over the whole Church and the Persecution was so hot and great that the Persecutors themselves were troubled if not wearied In Syria there was so many of the Christians in hold that rheir Prisons were filled with them and with joy they went unbound to their death Eusebius writes how that many of the Christians had their Ears cut off and their Noses slit and others