marriage which the Church of England still obserueth Concil Laodice cap. 25. Bellar. De Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 31. §. Alterum imped §. Ratio hujus Concil Trident. session 24. ca. 10 1 From Aduent to the Epiphany 2 From Septuagesima vntill a weeke after Easter 3 From the dayes of Rogation vntill a weeke after Whitsontide But the late Councell of Trent hath onely continued the first entire cut the second shorter by 16 dayes beginning with Lent and ending a weeke after Easter and the third it hath quite cut off Concil Trident. sess 24. canon 3. 2 The degrees prohibiting marriage both enlarged and abridged For the Councell of Trent hath this Canon If any man say that the degrees onely expressed in Leuiticus of consanguinity and affinity doe hinder the contracting of Matrimony and dissolue it being contracted and that the Church hath not power to dispense in some of them or constitute that more degrees may hinder and dissolue let him be Anathema Here is a change of Gods law loosing where God hath bound binding where God hath loosed And they accursed that grant not this power to the Roman Church Bellarmine de Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 29. initio And here is a change of the Churches custome also For Bellarmine addeth Recte Catholica Ecclesia conjugia prohibuit olim vsque ad septimum postea vero vsque ad quartium gradum consanguinitatis affinitatis The Catholicke Church in former time rightly forbad marriage to the seuenth degree and afterwards to the fourth degree of consanguinity and affinity Concil Trid. sess 21. cap. 3. canon 1 2 3. 3 And yet the Church of Rome is bolder euen to change Christs owne Ordinance and Institution of the Blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood denying the Cup to the people and accursing them that hold it necessary for the Laity although the whole Church vsed it aboue a thousand yeeres together And yet they hold themselues to be one and the same Catholicke Church that so long vsed it In their opinion therfore the abrogating or changing of traditions or ceremonies howsoeuer they declaime against Protestants for such matters cuts not men off from being of the same Church that vsed them Antiquus Indeed ceremonies are inuentions of men and therefore alterable by the wisedome of the Church as times place and occasions require And the Church may ordaine new ceremonies also as Bellarmine teacheth lib. 2. de effectu Sacramentorum cap 31 § tertia propositio c. Antiquissimus I let passe much superstitious and sacrilegious doctrine which Bellarmine there vttereth attributing almost as much to Ceremonies inuented by men as to the Sacraments ordained by Christ And I accept what is granted that being invented by men they are alterable by men and not being of the substance of Religion the vsing or disusing of them makes no alteration or difference in Religion Saint Augustine discoursing of the diuersity of ceremonies and customes in seuerall Churches and Countries tels a story of his mother Monica Aug. epist 118. who comming to Milan and finding that they fasted not vpon Saturdayes as in her countrey they did was much disquieted in her mind as at diuersity of Religion and knew not what to doe but she was resolued by Saint Ambrose Bishop of that City that such things made no difference of Religion When I come to Rome saith he I fast on the Saturday when I am at Milan I fast not So you to what Church soeuer you come Ejus morem serua si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Obserue the custome of that Church if you will not be offensiue to others nor others to you Here obserue Rome and Milan two great Cities in one Countrey both in Jtaly yet had seuerall customes and ceremonies which to some weake consciences through ignorance might be offensiue yet were they all of one Religion in substance and for rites or ceremonies at that time Milan was no more bound to obey Rome then Rome to obey Milan §. 5. As your Rhemists insinuate Annot. vpon Rom. 11. ver 4. But now if a man be not in all points though neuer so small nay in all traditions rites and ceremonies conformable to the ancient Church or to the Church of Rome late before Luthers dayes you count him not of the same Religion One of your idle Pamphleters idle for the matter he brings but too to busie in lying and rayling one W. G. ashamed belike to adde his full name professor in Diuinity writes a Booke points and repoints it Permissu superiorum 1619. entituled A Discouery of shifts c. His principall matter is to shew that before Luthers time No man was euer of the Protestants Religion His reason because all men held one point or other at least tradition rite or ceremony different from the Protestants which he labours to shew by running thorow a great number of Instances not considering that by the same reason it might be as well prooved that neuer any man vntill the late Councell of Trent was of the Papists Religion For he asketh thus First was Dionysius Areopagita a Protestant and answereth No for he maintained traditions spake of Altars places sanctified rasuâ—e of Priests burning of incense at the Altar c. Answer To omit that many doubt and some censure the bookes imputed to him to be counterfeits as Casetan Valla Erasmus Possevin and Bellarmine see Censura librorum Roberti Coc. pag. I aske againe was Dionysius Areopagita a Papist No for he hath many things of the Eucharist which condemne Priuate Masses Communion vnder one kinde onely and Transubstantiation See Câ—talogus testium veritatis lib. 1. Secondly Was Papias scholler to Saint Iohn Evangelist a Protestant No saith W. G. for hee defended Traditions and Peters primacy and Romish Episcopality How then was he a Papist No say we for hee taught such traditions as Papists condemne as namely the errour of the Chibiasts or Millenaries and said it was a Tradition deliuered from the Apostles Baronius anno 118. n. 5. c. n. 2. Thirdly was Ignatius a Protestant No for he approued traditions limbus patrum merits and the reall presence Not so But was he then a Papist no for Protestants cite him against Transubstantiation and Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masses and the Popes supremacy Catalogus testium lib. 2. appendice pag 2087. Bellarmine reâ—ects the Greeke copies of his workes being against the Papists Fourthly was Tertullian a Protestant no for hee hold the Montanists heresie Was he a Papist then no for the same reason also he writes sharpely against the Popes budding supremacy and against Transubstantiation and for the sufficiency of Scriptures to confute heretickes See Catal. test lib. 3. Fiftly was Saint Cyprian a Protestant no saith he for he was a Montanist also was he then a Papist no for Papists condemne Montanists as well as Protestants also he equals all the Apostles with
conuersion and for the better gouernment of the Church Bishops were by the Apostles placed in the Cities with power of iurisdiction to gouerne and of Ordination to institute Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery towne as was Timothy in Ephesus Titus in Crete If any difficulty arose either in doctrine or gouernment too great to be ordered by these Bishops the wise policy of the Church ordained it should be referred to the determination of higher Bishops called Archbishops that is chiefe Bishops Metropolis in the Greeke tongue signifies a Mother City by some fatherly authority ouer the other Bishops and Clergy or being Bishops of the chiefest or Mother Cities within the Nation whereof they were called Metropolitans And ouer these Archbishops or Metropolitans in seuerall Lands or Nations some one was made the Primate for better vnity and commodity of gouernment and calling together and guiding of National Councels vpon occasions It was thought conuenient also for the better keeping of all Christian Nations in the vnity of Faith Holinesse and peace to appoint yet a higher degree of Patriarchs in some of the most eminent Cities of the world who might haue some ouersight authority ouer all the Primats Archbishops and other Clergy of all the Nations which were vnder their Patriarchall Iurisdiction Of these Patriarchs we read in the Counsell of Nice and before that in the whole Christian world there were but three B. Carlton The Bishop of Rome for the West parts of Antioch for the East and of Alexandria for the South D. Field ib. li. 3. chap. 1 Concil Nicon cant 6. The Bishop of Rome had these fiue principal Nations within his Patriarchship Italy Spaine France Germany and Brittany The other had their Patriarchships bounded also by the Councell of Nice Afterwards when the Emperours had translated the seat of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople whereupon that City was called new Rome and that City was grown very great Noble and Magnificent it was thought fit there to erect a fourth Patriarch the Patriarch of Constantinople And lastly for the honour of Ierusalem where our Sauiour liued and dyed and from whence Christian Religion was propagated into all parts of the world the Bishop of Ierusalem was made a fifth Patriarch and their dominions were assigned vnto them D. Field ib. Bellar. praefat in 16. de pontif Rom Concil Constantinop sub Theodosio seniore can 1. Socrat. lib. 5 cap. 8. Concil Chalcedon can 23. Eliensis Responsio ad Apologiam Bellarmini pag. 170 171. §. 4. Amongst these the Bishop of Rome had the first place of dignity and in the second generall Counsell holden at Constantinople anno 383. the Bishop of Constantinople obtained the second degree of honour among the Patriarchs next vnto the Bishop of Rome and before the other of Alexandria and Antioch And in the great Counsell of Chalcedon anno 454. it was decreed that Rome and Constantinople should haue all Rights Priuiledges and Prerogatiues equall because as Rome was before Sedes regia the seat of the Empire so now was Constantinople this was the reason then alleadged But not long after the magnificence of Constantinople encreasing and with it the haughtinesse of her Bishop he challenged to be superiour to the Bishop of Rome and encroached vpon the right of all other as greater and more honourable then all the rest and to be the chiefe Bishop of the whole world because his City was then the chiefe City of the world See before lib. 1. cap. 4. §. 4. About this was the contention betwixt Gregory the first of Rome and Iohn Bishop of Constantinople whereof I haue spoken before But Iohn carried away the title and honour for ten yeeres during his life by fauor of the Emperour Mauricious and Cyriacus his successor for eleuen yeeres more Phocas is thus described by Zonaras who calls him pessimus tyrannus postis humani generis saith he was worthily slaughtered by Heraclius who cut off his wicked hands and fee and then his genitals by peecemeale Paulus Diacouus in Phoca The same writeth Bibliothearius in Bonifacio 3. Platina in Bonifacio 3. and Sabellicus 8 6. thoâ—gh Bellarmine lay that Boniface sued not for that title in Apologia pro Torto Baronius anno 606. nu 2. But when Phocas the Emperour succeeded a wild drunken bloody adulterous tyrant who like another Zimry hath slâ—yne his Master Mauricius Boniface the third Bishop of Rome who had been Chancelour to Phocas obtained of him by earnest suite to haue that title and honour of Primacy transferred from Constantinople to Rome And thus saith Paulus Diaconus at the entreaty of Boniface Phocas appointed the seat of the Roman Church to be the head of all Churches or as Baronius deliuers it onely the Roman Bishop should be called vniuersall Bishop and not the Bishop of Constantinople But the contention betwixt the two Patriarchall seas ended not thus for they of Constantinople vpon euery occasion stirred againe vntill at length difference growing betwixt the two Churches the Greek the Latine about the proceeding of the holy Ghost either pronounced other to be Heretiks and Schismaticks In the yeere 869 aboue 400. B. Vsher De Ecclesiarum successione c. 2. §. 28 yeeres after the two Patriarchs were equalled at Chalcedon in a Councell at Constantinople wherin Image-worship was established the two Patriarchs were made friends and it was agreed that the one should be stiled Vniuersall Patriarch Onuphrius in Platinam in vita Bonifaci 3. Gâ—nebrard l. 4. Chronograph Vniuersalis Patriarcha Vniuersalis Papa and the other Vniuersall Pope and so the word Pope which before that time had beene common to all Bishops became then the proper title of the Bishop of Rome Hereby we may obserue 1. That this Primacy or Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome was of no such Antiquity as is pretended 2. That in those times it was not thought either by the Emperours or by the Councels to haue beene giuen to the Bishops of Rome or established vpon any at all by the diuine Scriptures as now the Popes do claime but left at the discretion of Princes and Wise-men to giue it to whom they would and to order or alter it as occasion serued and the respect or dignity of Cities and times required For neither were their arguments that then claimed it drawne from the Scriptures but from ciuill reasons of State and Policy neither was it vpon any other reasons setled and the controuersie proceeded not from any institution of the Omnipotent God but from the ambition of Impotent men 3. The author that setled it vpon the Roman Bishop was Phocas one of the Diuels eldest sonnes a murderer of his master a drunken adulterous tyrant a scourge and plague to mankinde §. 5. 4. Obserue the Romish Bishops ambition in those times swaruing from the most honored humility of a number of their first Ancesters holy men and Martyrs to whom the ancient Fathers
hath beene so that no such errours and heresies haue come into it §. 6. Antiquissimus Yes euen in S. Pauls time Abuses began in the Roman Church as well as in the Corinthian Galatian and others Whereof S. Paul giues another Caueat chap. 16. verse 17 18. I beseech you Brethren saith he Marke them which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyde them For they which are such serue not our Lord Iesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceiue the hearts of the simple And verse 19 though he praise them yet he addeth But J would haue you wise vnto that which is good and simple or harmelesse concerning euill and he prayeth God to establish them verse 25. Antiquus All this yet prooues not that euer any such errours preuailed in the Church of Rome to the defacing or corrupting the soundnesse thereof §. 7. Antiquissimus But the Ancient Fathers and the Histories of the Church doe proue it Hieronymus contra Luciferianos Basil epist 69. As namely in the Arrian heresie whereby the Church of Rome together with the rest of the world was maruellously both defaced and corrupted that both in the members and in the head Whereof S. Jerom wrote that the whole world groned and wondered that it was become Arrian And S. Basil that men abandoned the houses of Prayer which then were made schooles of Impiety and were faine to pray to the Lord in Desarts And S. Hilary admonished in many words that the Church at that time was not to be sought Jn tectis exteriori pompa sed potius in carceribus speluncis in Houses or Temples and outward pompe but rather in Prisons and Caues Bellar De Pont. Rom. lib. 4. câ—p 9. initio Bellarm. in that Booke reckons 40. Popes accused of errours and heresies whom he labours to excuse but confesseth most of them guilty in one degree or other And when Liberius Bishop of Rome himselfe was drawne to subscribe to the Arrian heresie yeelded to the condemnation of Athanasius and communicated with Valens and Vrsarius whom he knew to be Hereticks As Bellarmine confesseth Antiquus This was a heauy time and a heauy thing it is to heare it yet in good time the Church of Rome recouered §. 8. Antiquissimus But the Scripture mentioneth another defection of Rome which will neuer be recouered For your Roman Doctors cannot auoyd it but Babylon in the 17 and 18 of the Reuelation signifieth Rome chap. 17.9 The seuen heads are seuen mountaines on which the woman sitteth and verse 18. The woman which thou sawest is the great City which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth These two properties of the City situate vpon seuen hils and also raigning ouer the Kings of the earth doe manifestly describe the City of Rome and none other as it was in S. Johns time when the Reuelation was giuen Your owne Iesuite Ribera Doctor of Diuinity and Professor in the Vniuersity of Salmantica in his Commentaries vpon the Apocalyps chap. 14. verse 8 Num. 25. sequentib shewes plainely that Babylon can signifie nothing else but the City of Rome he cites many testimonies of the Fathers for it Hee cites also Sixtus Senensis and Bellarmine to bee of the same opinion and many other late Writers and concludes with these words Vt alios hujus aetatis scriptores omittam hoc dicam Ambrosius qui prius negaverat tandem in cap. 17. veritate conuictus Babylonem Romam significare confessus est Huic conveniunt aptissime omnia quae de Babylone dicuntur in hoc libro Apocalypscos and this he shewes at large in many particulars The like hath Viegas another Iesuite Viega in Apoc. 17. com 1. sect 4. pag. 772. Rhemist annot on Apoc. 17.9 scoffe at vs. so Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 3. cap. 2. Parsons 3. conuersions part 2. cap. 5. v. Bishop Reformed Cath. Doctor also of Diuinity and Reader in two Vniuersities of Portugall Conimbrica and Ebora And your Rhemish though they scoffe at the Protestants for interpreting Babylon to be Rome in Reuel 17.5 yet presently after they are forced themselues to confesse that Babylon signifies the City of Rome but they shift all from the Pope to the persecuting Emperours and apply the propheticall discourse to the times of S. Iohn the Writer principally as a type of the place wheresoeuer it be where Antichrist shall sit towards the end of the world But Ribera and Viegas proue plainly that S. Johns description agreeth to Rome towards the end of the world when Rome shall be the feat of Antichrist and shall be finally fully and irrecouerably destroyed according to the plaine words of Reuel 18. verse 2 8 21 c. Ribera pag. 454. saith Roma nisi pristinam illam impietatem of Idolatry and persecutions vnder the Emperours novis sceleribus immanibus peccatis aequatura esset maneret vsque ad finem seculi extremum Etenim non propter priora tantum peccata cam conflagraturam esse magno incendio vt ante diximus sed etiam propter illa quae extremis illis temporibus commissura est ex huius Apocalypsis verbis adeo perspicuè cognoscimus vt ne stultissimus-quidem negare possit Rome saith Ribera should doubtlesse continue to the end of the world if it did not match the old Impiety of the Emperours with new impieties and grieuous sinnes For we plainly learne that it shall be destroyed with that great consuming fire not for the former sins onely as we said before but for those sinnes which it shall commit in the last times yea wee learne it so plainly out of the words of this Reuelation that surely the veriest foole cannot deny it §. 9. Antiquus Indeed these learned Roman Doctors are plaine and powerfull in prouing this Mysticall Babylon described in the Reuelation can signifie no place but Rome and that it must be the seat of Antichrist towards the later end of the world But the same Doctors say also that Antichrist and the Pope are two diuerse things yea contrary one to the other as also that the Church of Rome and City of Rome are diuerse things and further that Antichrist is not yet come neither shall he come vntill three yeares and a halfe before the last day Reuel 11.3 12.6 14. 13.5 as they gather out of the prophesie of Daniel and the Reuelation by the 1260 dayes which make 42 moneths and a time times and halfe a time Hieronym in Daniel 9. Antiquissimus S. Ierom vnderstood those prophesies of the destruction of Ierusalem to which they maruellously agree and to the raigne of Antichrist it is very vnlikely they should agree * See B. Downam de Antichristo part 2. ad Demonstrat 13 §. 5. c. K. Iames his Praemonition pag. 60. seqq But your men haue reason to keepe off this deadly blow from themselues and their head Note their shifts
first they would by no meanes suffer Babylon to signifie Rome but the text is so punctuall and plaine pointing out a City a City built on seuen hils a City that bare rule ouer the Kings of the earth that at last they grant it can be no other but Rome But see a second shift not Christian Rome but Heathen Rome vnto the persecuting Emperours long since gone Now when they are driuen from this also because the Text descrbes Rome as it must be nere the end of the world note their third shift It must be Rome onely three yeares and an halfe before the last day §. 10. Well howsoeuer yet you see it granted by you own men Rome must be the seat of Antichrist Who if hee be not come already from which Controuersie I will now spare you yet you cannot imagine but there must be preparations for his comming and entertainment I will not say with your owne S. Gregory Greg. lib. 4. epist 38. Rex superbiae prope est quod dici nefas est Sacerdotum ei est praeparatus exercitus The King of pride is at hand and an army of Priests is prepared for him Be it what it will there must be corruption both of life and doctrine to make way for his entertainment as your Ribera said before there must be new impieties and grieuous sins of Rome matching the old of the Emperours that must fore-runne the plagues of Antichrist and Romes destruction Take heed they haue not farre proceeded already I haue demonstrated vnto you already first that any particular Church may in time gather corruption erre yea and fall away Secondly that the Church of Rome is not excepted nor priuiledged from that calamity but contrarily thirdly that many threatnings warnings and prophesies therof are found in the Scriptures and fourthly further that Rome must bee the seat of Antichrist and fiftly that towards the end of the world which cannot be farre off and lastly that there must bee many corruptions and impieties that shall deserue and make preparation for his comming All which ought to abate your high conceit of the present Church of Rome and worke in you a more reuerend esteeme of our Church which hath reformed the abuses which we found in the Church of Rome CHAP. 3. Of the time when corruptions came into the Roman Church 1 A designation of the time when the corruptions first came into the Church required 2 often and often aswered 3 many crept in secretly and insensibly 4 as themselues acknowledge 5 best knowne by their difference from their first pure doctrine 6. The Romans cannot find the beginnings of our doctrines on this side the Scriptures 7 We can and doe many of theirs 8 No Church in the world held the now Romish doctrines but onely the Romish Church it selfe in these later times §. 1. Antiquus SInce you impute so many errours and abuses to the Church of Rome which you pretend to haue reformed Tell me when those corruptions came into that Church which you confesse was once and a long time the true sincere and famous Church of God For no such foule matters so grosse and intollerable can enter into such a famous Church without being noted in Histories Bellar. de notis ecclesiae lib. 4. cap. 5. and opposed by godly learned men Shew me therefore when these corruptions came in and changed the Roman faith in what Age vnder what Pope by what men and meanes and with what relâ—ctation or opposition of the godly learned For if no such time can be shewed I shall neuer beleeue there were any such thing §. 2. Antiquissimus This is another point of your ench ntment indeed Your Masters politikely stand vpon generals to discredit our reformation which in particulars they cannot disproue Among which generals this is as it seemes their great Goliah brought into the field so oft to terrifie all our troops at once To omit your forraigne Iesuites a Bellar. De Euchar lib. 3. cap. 8 Bellarmine b Costerus epist ad Apolog. Costerus c Greg. de Valent lib. 6. cap. 12. Gregorius de Valentia c. your English are enow The Author of The briefe discourse of Faith which is answered by D. Iohn White and Mr. Anthony Wootton bringeth it in in his 50 Section as d Camp ratione 7. Campian their great Champion had done before him which being foyled by our men in their answeres yet is brought in againe by A. D. his Reply in his 57 Chapter and foyled againe by D. White Defence pag. 519 c. Lately brought in againe by a Iesuite in Ireland in his Challenge and ouerthrowne by D. Vsher B. of Meath in the beginning of his Answer D. Kellison Suruay lib. 2. c. p. 163. 1. And still is brought in againe and againe without measure or end as if it had neuer been answered before And most lately by M. Fisher the Iesuite at least foure seuerall times in his little booke written to our late Gracious King James of famous memory which B. Francis White hath fully answered in euery of the places e D. White pag. 116. 131 143. 255 c. Out of all whose answers and Doctor Fauours Booke entituled Antiquity triumphing ouer Nouelty f D. Favour pag. cap. 17. and many others I will giue you some short satisfaction wishing you at your leasure to reade the Authors themselues at large §. 3. Your argument presupposeth that errours and abuses came into the Church full strong and at once See also D. Field Church lib. 3. cap. B. Morton Appeal lib. 4. cap. 16. So that their very entrance must needes be apparant visible obseruable and therefore strongly opposed by learned and good men and described in Histories whereas indeed the most of them crept in secretly insensibly and were not observed of a long time Saint Paul calleth the great desertion and Apostacy The Mystery of Iniquity g 2 Thes 2.7 Which the ordinary glosse thereupon saith is Iniquitas Sed mystica id est pietatis nomine palliata an iniquity indeed but mysticall that is cloaked vnder the name of piety A mystery worketh not openly but secretly not at once but by little and little and then getteth greatest aduantage when it is least obserued and suspected It is first a Mystery and creepeth in secretly before it be a History obserued and described In Common-wealthes it is ordinary for things of obscure and vnsensible beginnings to worke sensible and notorious changes in the end so that the wisest shall not so easily finde out the first entrance as the simplest may see and feele the grosse and dangerous euents in the end As Plutarch obserueth in the life of Caesar and in the life of Coriolanus he tels how the corruption of the people by bribes and banquetting entred into the old Roman Common-wealth This Pestilence saith he crept in by little and little and did secretly win ground stil continuing a long
the Roman Church as you pretend how chance they were suffered to continue and grow and neuer spoken or written against nor reformation sought for till Luthers time but that glorious Church enioyed perpetuall vnity peace and quietnesse till he disturbed it yea and all Historians Fathers Councels learned men and Princes ceased nor continually to praise and glorifie the vnity sanctity and excellency of that Church as Mr. Campian alleadgeth in most of his reasons Antiquissimus See B. White against Fisher pag 107 108 109. You are very much deceiued with your vainly boasting Champion there was in euery Age much speaking and writing against the abuses of that Church both by the whole Easterne or Greeke Church which long agone forsooke the vnity of the Roman Church being neither able to reforme the corruptions thereof nor to endure them and by many Fathers of the Westerne Church that did oppose them and Historians that detected and detested them and many thousands in these Westerne parts that would not liue vnder the obedience of the Pope and his Clergie nor admit their Doctrines Besides many other learned men also liuing in the Community of the Church of Rome which yet wrote against many abuses thereof wishing and desiring reformation Antiquus If this be so I haue been wonderfully abused being made beleeue the iust contrary Antiquissimus Then I perceiue it is necessary to handle this point thorowly both to satisfie you with sufficiency and to cloy them with superfluity who told you that nothing could be brought against them CHAP. 4. Corruptions in the Church of Rome seene written against and reformation wished for them An historicall Narration 1 of the first age of the Church golden but 2 afterwards peeped vp some seedes of corruption misliked of many in the East South and West Churches 3 A foule matter of three Popes alledging a counterfet Canon of Nice for their Iurisdiction which the whole Church of Africa withstood 4 Gregory the Great wrote sharpely against the Titles which now the Popes vse 5 B.B. of the East France Germany and Britany opposed the Pope about Images Councels against Councels 6 Many thought Antichrist now borne Constantines Donation and the decretall Epistles now first seene 7 A deluge of wickednesse in the ninth and tenth Ages as Bellarmine Baronius Genebrard c. record 8 After a thousand yeares greater inundations of euils Siluester 2. Benedict 9. a childe of ten yeares old then Cardinals arose 9 The Sultan subdueth many Christian Countries in the East the Clergy most wicked in the West Letters from Hell to them Anti-Popes and Anti-Caesars Rebellion made piety Hildibrands Dictates foundations of a new earthly Church Kingdome 10 The Testimony of Onuphrius that Gregory 7 was the first raiser of the Popes Princedome Many Historians speake of his diuellishnesse 11 Campians Historians reiected by his owne fellowes 12 Graue Diuines against Romish corruptions Bernard Sarisburiensis Grosthead Occam Cesenas Clemangis Gerson Caremacensis Valla c 13 These and many others wrote against the corruptions of Doctrine Schoolemens philosophicall Diuinity Doctrine framed to maintaine wealth and greatnesse 14 Particular Doctrines wherein learned men differed from the Popes faction 15 Oxford alone afforded many learned men opposing Romish corruptions 16 Reformation was sought for and promised by the Pope but could not be obtained §. 1. TO shew how corruptions crept into the Church of Rome were seene and written against as they were discouered from time to time I must become altogether historicall and not Write mine owne words but other mens and as the times be many and matters various so will my Narration be long although I will endeuour all possible breuity that may not hinder perspicuity And first I will gâ—ue you as it were a Table of what our leaâ—ned and laborious Bishop Vsher hath written compendiously also out of many braue Authors to this point but in this Table I will insert other briefe memorials remarkeable out of other Authors Perer in Apoc. c. 6. disp 6. See B. Vsher de ecclesiarum successione statu cap. 1. v. Casabon Proleg Hegâ—sippus apud Euseb lib. 3. hist cap. 32. vel in alijs editionibus cap. 29. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 16. Lactant. lib. 5. institutionum cap. 2. Euseb hist lib. 8. cap. 1. Hieronym in vita Malchi Cyril Hierosol cateches 15. Man tuan in vita Blasij lib. 2. The first hundred yeares of the Church was a golden Age saith your Pererius but when the Apostles and they that heard them were gone errours and abuses began to take root through Heretikes Philosophers and Diuines giuen ouer to too much daintinesse and ambition and degenerating by the corruptions which peace and plenty bred amongst them as Hegesippus relateth and as Lactantius Eusebius S. Jerom Cyrill and your Mantuan complaine So that Gregorius Magnus about 600 yeares after Christ compared the Church to a decayed and putrifying ship and A gebardus Bishop of Lyons after him saith If the ship of the Church waxed rotteÌ„ then alas alas what doth it now §. 2. It is recorded that euen some good Bishops of Rome Euseb lib. 5. cap. 23. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 21. holy men and Martyrs liuing in the second hundred yeares after our Sauiour out of a desire to aduance their Sea went somewhat too farre to impose ceremonies vpon other Churches as Anicetus for the celebration of Easter who yet was quickly quieted by the good counsell of Polycarp who made a iourney to Rome to that end and was greatly honoured by Anicetus Euseb ibid. B. Morton Appeal lib. 4. c. 7. Not long after Victor grew somewhat too violent about the same matter and excommunicated the Easterne Churches for their difference from the Westerne in the celebration of Easter but he was sharply reproued by Polycrates See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 4. §. 19 20 21. c. Bishop of Ephesus and the other Bishops of the East and also by Jrenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France and the other Bishops there whereby it may appeare that the B. of Rome began euen then to vsurpe or challenge a Iurisdiction which neither the Bishops of the East or West did acknowledge They all honoured the Bishops of Rome as Bishops of the chiefe City the seat of the Empire and for their holinesse and vertue and gaue them great and honourable Titles but yet not greater then we gaue to holy Bishops Saint Basil writes to S. Ambrose saying Basil epist 55. that he holds the sterne of that great and famous Ship the Church of God and that God had placed him in the primary and chiefe seat of the Apostles Inter epistola Cypriani See more in B. Caâ—lton ibid. §. 22. Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. pag. 12. pag. 22. in alijs editionibus epist 55. See Cyprians epistles Bellar. de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 7. S. Ierom writing to S. Augustine in some Epistles stiles him Papa a Title now appropriate to the Bishop of Rome and and the
more then three times so much as the taxe for Incest with a mans Mother 4 Consider Bellar. de Iustif lib. 2. cap. 1. in fine if they winke not at our doctrine in their owne men as Pighius the Diuines of Colen Durandus and hundreds of others as long as they professe subiection to the pope in such Catholickes our opinions are not heresie but in vs the same opinions are persecuted with fire and sword 5 Consider Histor concil Trent lib. 3. pag. 293. how kindly they offer to tolerate things otherwise very odious vnto them if men will professe subiection to the pope as anno 1548. Paul the third sent the Bishops of Verona and Ferentino his Nuncij into Germany then almost lost from him with faculties to grant vnto all persons Kings Princes Ecclesiasticall and Regular that would returne to his obedience absolution from all censures dispensations for irregularities or objuration penance oathes perjuries and to restore them to honour fame and dignity and to license them to partake the Cup in the Communion to eat flesh in Lent and Fasting dayes with many other immunities so farre as might be done in time and place without scandall c. So Pius the fourth Annals Eliz. Engl. pag. 63. Latin pag. 49. anno 1560. offered to Queene Elizabeth to allow our whole booke of Common Prayer if she would receiue it as from him and by his authority 6 Consider whether this was not the maine cause of the popes quarrell and thunder against the German Emperours and our English Kings John and Henry the 8. who held all the doctrinall points of the Romish Religion and onely impaired the popes highnesse greatnesse or reuenues In Henry 8 time Hist conc Trid. lib. 1. pag. 70. the Court of Rome maintained that it could not be said There was no change of Religion in England the first and principall article being changed which is the supremacy of the pope and that seditions would arise as well for this onely as for all the rest which the euent shewed to bee true For though the King continued the Religion of the pope so fully by commands and punishments that pope Paul 3 commended him highly to the Emperour Ibid pag. 89 90. ibid. pag. 87. as an illustrious example to bee imitated in that course yet for abrogating the popes supremacy and reuenues in England he thundred a Bull against him denouncing him depriued of his kâ—ngdome and his adherents of whatsoeuer they possessed and commanding his subiects to deny him obedience and strangers to haue any commerce with that kingdome and all to take armes against and to persecute both himselfe and his followers granting them their estates and goods for their prey and their persons for their slaues It is not therefore the points of true ancient Catholike Christian Doctrine that you so much contend for to make good gracious Christians inheritors of heauenly felicity but it is your wealth and greatnesse or the setting vp and maintaining of your Visible Monarchy of the Church as you Doctor Sanders calls it whereof Christ and his Apostles spake neuer a word and whereof the Primitiue Church neuer dreamed This if our Religion would allow Pius 4. Hist conc Trid. lib. 8. pag. 745. you would allow of our Religion The rather-politicke-then-pious pope saide once since he could not regaine the Protestants it was necessary to keepe those in obedience which hee had Bellar. de eccles militant lib. 3. c. 2. §. nostra autem sententia See Triplici nodo pag. 41 42. Printed 1609. to make the diuision strong and the parties irreconciliable Conformable whereunto now their Doctrine is that such as submit not to the popes supremacy doe renounce Christianity For the Church saith Bellarmine is the company of them that liue in subiection to the pope professing the same faith with him though they haue no inward vertues but be indeed Atheists Hypocrites or Heretickes And in his Epistle to Blackwell the Arch-priest in England anno 1607. he cals the popes supremacy one of the principall heads of the Faith and foundation of the Catholicke Religion and saith They that disturbe or diminish that primacy seeke to cut off the very head of the Faith and to dissolue the state of the whole body and of all the members §. 4. This primacy is practised in the popes challenged gouernment ouer the Church of the whole world For a Turrecremata lib. 2. c. 27. Aug. Triumph q. 19. art 1. as Matrimony is contracted betwixt a prelate and his particular Church by his election and consecration so betwixt the pope and the Vniuersall Church Thus if the pope be the generall bridegroome sponsus and Rome the generall bride sponsa then they two are the common parents of all Christians so that none is to be accounted a Christian that hath not the pope for his father and that Church for his mother Capist fol. 31. â— So saith Capistranus fol. 56 a. A manifest errour for 1 none of the Churches of the New Testament Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi Colossus Thessaly Smirna Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea c. nor 2 other Primitiue Churches following for many hundred yeares were any way dependant vpon Rome or her Bishop but were built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets in generall Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and by that meanes Eph. 2.20 were no more strangers and forrainers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 2.19 20. They did not acknowledge Rome their mother but their sister not the roote but a particular branch of the Church such a one as equally with the rest did partake of the root and fatnesse of the Oliue tree Rom. 11.17 Rom. 11.18 20 21 22. And to the Roman Church was written directly this propheticall Caueat Boast not against the branches but if thou boast thou bearest not the root but the roote thee Bee not high minded but feare for if God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest he also spare not thee if thou continue not in his goodnesse thou shalt also be cut off This shewes 1 that Rome is but a branch not the root of the vniuersall Church 2 that it may be cut off and yet other Churches stand and flourish being vnited to the common root and therefore are independant vpon the Church of Rome Baronius an 45. n. 18. Bellar. de Rom. pont lib. 2. c. 2. lib. 3. cap. 13. And it is plaine that the mysticall Babylon ' mother of Abominations drunken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs Reuel 17.5 6 is the very City of Rome built vpon seuen mountaines verse 9. and raigning ouer the Kings of the earth Ribera in Apoc. 14. n. 27. seq Viegas in Apoc. 27. comment 1. sec 3. Suarez lib. 5. c. 7. n. 11. Of this point see the glorious Panegyrick Oration of Innotencius 3. calling himselfe the Spouse of the
8. pag. 815. And with other Lawes Constitutions Councels and Ordinances he playeth fast and loose as he list Take for example that which is written in the end of the history of the Councell of Trent When much debating had beene betweene the Pope and the Cardinals whether his Holinesse should confirme the Councell or no because through the importunity of Princes and some learned Diuines many Decrees had passed for reformat on of diuers things whereby the dignity and profits of the Papacy and Court of Rome would bee much impaired at last Cardinall Amulius told the pope Since he could not possibly auoyd the calling and celebrating of the Councell so much desired by the clamour of the world he must now either quickly confirme it to satisfie the world or else Princes and States would vse other meanes by nationall Councells or by another generall Councell to satisfie themselues But now by confirming all and giuing as much quicke execution as was possible the pope might stay and quiet the humour of the world for the present and afterwards by vnsensible and vnresistable degrees by his dispensations he might bring all to the same estate wherein it was before without seeming to violate the decrees of the Councell and this policy tooke effect and so both frustrate the good reformation entended by the Decrees and also gulled the world and all the Princes and Prelates paines and turned all to the profit of the Pope his Court and Cardinalls Whereby it plainly appeares The popes faction aymeth not at the good of the Church or Christian Common-wealthes but onely at their owne wealth and greatnesse and hereby appeares also the great power and iniquity of the Popes dispensations Antiquus Whatsoeuer they aime at I am resolued that many of these things cannot be of God they are certainly the faults of men and abuses practised vnder colour of Religion I cannot I will not defend them But I doe much wonder how not being of God they should be so generally receiued beleeued to be of God and so long continued and not rather long since driuen out of the world by Princes and People Antiquissimus Sir if ye knew and considered the policies and power which haue been vsed to bring them in and maintaine them your wonder would cease Antiquus I pray you make me acquainted with them Antiquissimus Some of the principall and most obuious I will but my wit cannot sound the bottomlesse depth of the Mystery of Iniquity Antiquus A taste thereof shall content me CHAP. 6. Of policies to maintaine the Popes Princedome and Wealth 1 Depriuing men of the light of the Scriptures And 2 of their ordinary preachings and setting vp ambulatery Monkes and Pryars to preach without controule of Church Ministers and Officers 3 Schoolemens too much subtilty and Philosophy darkning and corrupting Diuinity 4 Iesuites their originall noted their Seminaries their Emissions faculties insinuations and imploiments 5 Cardinals 6 Prouision for men and women of all sorts by Monasteries c. 7 Auricular confession 8 Other policies to gather wealth 9 Purgatory a rich thing 10 So are Indulgences or Pardons 11 Jubilies 12 Corruptions of doctrine touching merits and Justification c. 13 Things hallowed by the Pope 14 Extraordinary exactions §. 1. THe Popes principall meanes to make the people his owne were 1 to keepe the Diuine Scriptures from them by which else they might discerne his vniustifiable policies Psal 119.105 and 19.7 8. For Gods Word is the light and lanthorne of Christians which S. Paul would haue to dwell plentifully among them Col. 3.16 and S. Peter would haue Babes in Christ to desire the sincere milke of the Word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 which is able to make them wise in the points of faith 2 Tim. 3.15 and perfectly furnished vnto all good workes verse 17. Chrysost serm 2. de Lazaro S. Chrysostome as doe many other Fathers also exhorts all people Lay-men especially Tradesmen Carpenters c. to get them Bibles more carefully then any other tooles of their occupation and the more they dealt in the world and met with temptations il examples and occasions of sinne so much more carefully to reade the Scriptures for direction and armour against them Christ himselfe commandeth Search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 and saith Matth. 22.29 Doe ye not erre not knowing the Scriptures So that herein They are Anti-Pauls and Peters Anti-chrysostomes and Anti-Christs that teach and practise the contrary Matth. 5 15. hiding the light of Gods Word vnder their Latin bushels from the vnlatined people in Gods house yea and from the Latined too vnder great penalties except they be licenced Surely as this is a meanes to obscure the truth and lead men as Captiues blind-fold whether they list * 2 Tim. 2.26 so it is a signe they loue not the truth but are euill men and hate the light lest their deeds should be reproued Ioh. 3.20 §. 2. But it was not sufficient to take from men the true light except there be added also a false light to misguide them for mens mindes being naturally desirous of knowledge and giuen to deuotion must haue that hunger satisfied and quieted either by truth or appearance Their second policy was therefore 2 To put downe the ordinary Pastors and Preachers or to take a course that they are discouraged disabled grow vnlearned and vnfit to preach and set vp others For Saint Paul appointed Bishops to ordaine Presbyters * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.5 in euery City and Towne to wit such as dwell among the people might best know the wants sinnes capacities of their owne people See Tit. 5 6 7 c. 1 Tim 3.2 c. and 5.22 Acts 20.17 18. and apply their teaching the best way to informe reforme and winne them and such as being fixed in their places might best be called to account by the Bishop either for life or doctrine This was Gods excellent meanes to preserue sound doctrine and sincere holy liues of Ministers But when the Popes ambition and couetousnesse grew so great that they were not content with Christs heauenly Kingdome but would super-adde vnto it an earthly kingdome and make of Christs militant Church and Church triumphant vpon earth a visible Church Monarchy as Doctor Sanders entitles it ouer-topping all other Kingdomes of ciuill Princes Kings and Emperours and draw out of all Countries the Wealth and Treasure of the world to maintaine it Then the Ministers and Preachers of Christs ordaining would not serue their turne but would rather oppose And therefore it was the popes best policy to disgrace and disable them and to finde out and set vp others fitter for their purpose to preach in all places of the world by the authority and priuiledge of the Popes onely and wholly exempted from the Bishops iurisdictions and from all controule of other Ministers or Officers whatsoeuer So that these new Preachers meerely depending vpon the pope and maintained by
among other writers of Bohemian matters Hannov. anno 1602. see there pag 222. 223. and by Grets Iesuita Ingolstad anno 1603. see there Rainer contra haeret c. 4. pag. 54. And his testimony is often cited by Protestants as Morney Mysterium iniquitatis pag 731. aedit Salmuriâ—n 8. 1612. Vsher grav quaest c. 6. §. 11. Archb. Abbot contra Hill Reason 1. §. 29 c. Rainerius saith That of all Sects which either are or haue beene none hath beene more pernicious to the Church he meaneth of Rome then that of the Leonists For three causes marke them well first for the long continuance for some say it hath continued from the time of Sylvester he sate anno Christi 314. others say from the time of the Apostles Secondly for the generality for there is almost no countrey into which this Sect hath not entred Thirdly that whereas all other haue wrought a horrour through their outragious blasphemies against God this of the Leonists hath a great shew of piety because that before men they liue iustly and of God they beleeue all things well and all the Articles which are contained in the Creed onely they blaspheme and hate the Roman Church wherein the multitude is prone to hearken vnto them Note you the antiquity and the generality in all Nations arguing a visibility sutable to the Church Now heare your Poplinerius b Genebrard Chronol lib. 4. an 1581. pag. 782. edit Paris 1600. whom Genebrard calls an vpright and right learned man and one who hath written all things purely and simply according to the truth of the History not for fauour of the cause Hee c Palinerius hist Franc. lib. 1. edit an 1581. fol. 7. b. saith The Roman Church was neuer more sharpely oppugned then by the Waldenses and their successors in Aquitania and the Regions adioyning c. For these saith he against the wils of all Christian Princes about the yeere 1100 and in the succeeding times spread abroad their doctrine little differing from that which at this day the Protestants embrace not onely through all France but almost through all the Countries of Europe also For the French Spanish English Scots Italians Germans Bohemians Saxons Polonians Lithuanians and other Nations haue obstinately defended it to this day Gretserus the Iesuite saith d Gretserus prolegom in script edit contra Wald. cap. 2. The Waldenses multiplied so that vix aliqua regio ab hac peste immunis intacta mansit adeo se diffuderat vt cum plurimorum exitio in varias provincias infuderat c. Scarse any Region remained free and vntouched of it so greatly it spred it selfe into all Prouinces The Albigenses errour so increased saith Cesarius e Caesarius Heisterbach hist lib. 6. cap. 21. that in a short time it infected Vsque ad mille ciuitates a thousand Cities and if it had not been repressed by the sword I thinke saith he it would haue corrupted all Europe This also your Iesuite f Parsons three conuersions part 2. cap. 10. §. 28. Robert Parsons acknowledgeth and saith they had an army of 70000. men to fight for them Obserue here their multitude and obserue how it was repressed not by soul-convicting disputation but by body-killing-persecution We reade indeed of some disputations and conferences with them wherein the Popes learned Doctors and Bishops sought to conuince and winne them but all without fruit a Altissiodorensis Chronloog an 1207. Vsher cap. 10 §. 20 20. Diuers Abbots of the Cistercian order by appointment of the Pope and one Bishop Episcopus Oximensis with their assistants to the number of 30 went by two or three together thorow their Cities Villages and Townes preaching for three moneths space but saith the Author Paucâ—s revecant they converted but few b Ibid. At other times the like preachers assayed to perswade them but profited little or nothing c Bertrand de gest Tholossanor fol. 46 col 4. One among all other disputations is most famous * Montreal apud montem Regalem in the Diocesse of Carcasson betwixt Fulco B. of Tolous Didacus B. of Exon. Saint Dominicke Peter de Castro nouo and Ranulphus on the one side and Pontanus Iordanus Arnoldus Aurisanus Arnoldus Ottonus Philebertus Castrensis and Benedictus Thermus Pastors of the Albigenses on the other side d Iacobus de Riberia in collectaneu de vrbe Tâ—lcsa before foure Moderators or Arbiters two of them Noble men Bernardus de villa noua and Bernardus Arrensis and two Plebeians Raimundus Godius and Arnoldus Riberia The herosies or questions were these That the Church of Rome is not the holy Church nor Spouse of Christ but a Church defiled with the doctrine of the Deuill and is that Babylon which Saint John describes in the Reuelation the Mother of fornications and abhominations made drunke with the blood of the Saints and that those things are not approued of God which are approued of the Church of Rome And that the Masse was not ordained by Christ nor his Apostles but is an inuention of men This disputation held them many dayes without fruit sauing that diuers histories giue the victory to the Albigenses e Histor Albig booke 1. cap. 2. See Vsher ib. §. 22. And it is certaine that f Chronolog Altisiod an 1208. fol. 103. b Albigenses saepiùs attentati nullatenus gladio verbi Dei poterant expugnari Odo B. of Paris finally informed the Pope that The Albigenses being often set vpon could by no meanes be conquered by the sword of Gods Word and therefore it was fit to beat them downe by warres g Hilagarus hist of Foix pag. 126. And some say It was the Popes policy to entertaine them with conference and disputations that in the mean season he might prepare great Armies to root out them and their Religion These oft and great trauailes in preaching conferring disputing needed not to men invisible obscure of small numbers or contemptible §. 3. much lesse needed those great Armies which were gathered to put them downe if they were few and obscure a Vsher ib. cap. 8. § 31 32 37. Pope Alexander 3. had cursed them anno 1163. persecuted them with warre 1170. and with Inquisition 1176. And after this spoyled a great number of them anno 1181 exercitu militum peditumque infinite with an Army in number of horse and foot infinite saith Nangiacus b Gulielmus Nangiacus chron M S. and yet saith the Monke c Altissiodorens chrono an 1181. Altissiodorensis they recouered returned to their former opinions and multiplied d Antonin hist part 3. tit 23. cap. 1. prope mitium which Innocent 3 seeing and foreseeing the great danger of the Popes downefall by their spreading doctrine thought best to arme both heauen and earth against them Authorizing the e Fryers original about 12 hundred yeerâ— after Christ new-sprung Friers Dominicans and Franciscans to preach in all places whether the
Bishops and ordinary Pastora would or no and to vphold the Popes falling kingdome and withall to execute a most cruell Inquisition against hereticks for by that odious name were all good Christians branded that would not be subiect to the popes tyranny and Romish corruptions But all this being insufficient f Rigordus histor anni 1208. pag. 207. he published his Croysadoes promising pardon of all sinnes and the ioyes of heauen to all that would take the signe of the crosse vpon their Coates or Armour and become souldiers against the Waldenses and continue in the warre for forty dayes together after they came or that happened to dye in their way comming thither A very politicke and a thrifty course he promised paradise and eternall life very liberally to his crossed souldiers but bestowed not one crosse of siluer to maintaine them But withall they that were once crossed thus for the holy warres in what land soeuer were no longer the Kings subiects but the popes neither might they be arrested sued or troubled for any debts or actions but must be suffered freely to goe about to prepare themselues and all men must thinke it a holy and meritorious deed to furnish and ayde them with whatsoeuer they needed and account them the vndoubted citizens of heauen whether they liued or dyed Thus the politicke pope turned the Croysadoes and Armies ordained to goe against Christs enemies the Sarazens or Turkes now to goe against the popes own enemies Christians the best seruants of Christ g Gretserus Prolegom in scripta edita contra Waldens cap. 6. Vsh ib. cap. 9. §. 4 5. The Catholicks saith your Iesuite Gretser which tooke the badge of the crosse vpon them to warre and roote out the hereticks Albigenses or Waldenses were promised to enioy the same Indulgence and be guarded with the same holy priuiledge which was granted to them that warred against the Turke for defence of the holy Land And further the better to gather numbers of souldiers in euery place h Vmbert Burgund Serm. part 2. serm 64. the pope vsed the helpe of Preachers to stirre vp the people And the Preachers taking this or some such like text Psal 94.16 Who will rise vp for me against the euill doere or who will stand vp for me against the workers of Iniquity would commonly conclude their Sermons with this exhortation Behold deare Brethren you see the malice of the Heretickes you see how much hurt they doe in the world and you see againe how carefully and by all holy meanes the Church doth labour to recall and recouer them but with such men she cannot preuaile no they defend themselues with the secular power And therefore our holy mother the Church sore against her will and with great sorrow is compelled to call together a Christian army against them Whosoeuer therefore hath any zeale of Religion whosoeuer is touched with the honour of God whosoeuer desireth to be a partaker of that great Jndulgence let him take vpon him the signe of the crosse and ioyne himselfe to the army of our Lord crucified By these meanes the pope drew out of all parts an innumerable company of Souldiers in the yeere 1209. conducted by many Bishops Earles and Barons c. The King of France himselfe saith Guilielmus Armoricanus sent fifteene thousand at his owne charge giuing example to others This great Army in short time tooke one great strong populous City * Vrbem Biturensem and put to the sword threescore thousand among whom were many of their owne Catholickes i Caesarius Heisterbachensis histor lib. 5. cap. 21. Let our English Catholicks consider what they are to looke for in like cases of our enemies preuailing For Arnoldus the Cistercian Abbot being the Popes Legate in this great Warre commanded the Captaines and souldiers saying Cedite eos novit enim Dominus qui sunt ejus Kill them all Catholicks or Hereticks for the Lord knoweth who are his Then the Army marched on to Carcasson a City both of it selfe strong and well manned not likely without strong siege effusion of much blood and great losse of time to be taken with this great Army and therefore the Leaders were glad to gaine it by composition suffering a woâ—ld of people of the Albigenses religion thence to depart so they would leaue the City vnweakned and vndefaced which City thus gotten §. 4. they made the head City of the warre which they foresaw would be very long the number strength and resolution of the Albigenses being very great k Vsher cap. 10. §. 26. This City tnerefore they fortified and furnished with all manner of store for all future euents and made Simon of Montfort a Noble man highly descended and allied to the Kings of England and of France gouernour of the City and generall of the whole Army and Lord of all the Land already conquered or to bee conquered by these warres The cunning Legat to get the great Earle of Beziers into his hands perswaded him with faire promises and safe conduct to come to a parley l Vsh ib. Hist Albig booke 1. cap. 6 7. and when he had him in his power contrary to promise tooke him prisoner saying that faith is not to be kept with Hereticks He dyed shortly after in prison suspected by poyson and Simon Montfort succeeded him in his Lands and in a monethes space tooke an hundred Castles with much slaughter of the Albigenses and their fauourers But this course of victories had interchanges of losses For the Gentlemen of the Vicounty of Beziers by secret instructions of the King of Aragon tooke such aduantages that Simon was faine to send to all the Prelates of Europe for new supplies affirming hee had lost aboue forty Townes and Castles since the last departure of the Pilgrimes Then Simon taking the Castle of Beron neere vnto Montreal caused the eyes of aboue an hundred Albigenses to be put out and their noses cut off leauing onely one with one eye to conduct the rest to Cabaret §. 7. See ib. and the Authors there alledged The new pilgrimes or crossed souldiers arriuing the next yeere 1210 Simon taketh Minerbe a strong Castle situate vpon the Frontiers of Spaine where 140. some say 180 men and women chose rather to bee burned on earth then in hell for changing their Religion Among many other hee tooke also the Castle of Thermes and Remond lord of the place and Countrey spoyling all with fire euen the lord also his wife sister daughter and other Nobles for their constancy in their old faith m Vsher ibid. §. 9 seq Caesarius hist lib. 5. cap. 21. The next yeere also 1211. §. 6. another great Army arriued which tooke many Cities and Castles hanging and burning many of the Albigenses and besieged Lavallis a towne strongly fortified and defended during which siege others of the Religion tooke Montem gaudij and flue great numbers of the Pontificians But after along siege Lauallis
was taken the souldiers slaine foure hundred Albigenses burnt the rest hanged and the like executions were done in many other Cities and Castles But the City Tolous though besieged could not then be taken Remond Earle of Tolous was a great man neere in blood to the King of France in the 2. degree he had married Joane once Queene of Sicilia sister to Iohn King of England by whom he had a son called also Remond who was the last Earle of Tolous and after the decease of Joane he married Elenor sister of Peter K. of Araegon He was strong therfore in bloud affinity and confederacy and n Armoricanus philippidâ—â— lib. 8. one saith he had as many Cities Castles and Townes as the yeere hath daies He had many great prouinces vnder him Bertrandus o Bertrand de gestâ—s Tulosar fol. 32. col 4. reckons them thus Tenebat Cemes Tolosanus comitatum Tolosae comitatum de Sancto Egidio Prouinciam Delphinatum comitatum venaissimi Ruthenensem patriam Cadurcensem Albigensem Tolosae circumvicinas Iudiciarias linguam Occitanam lata dominia intra vltra Rhodanum Aquitaniam But because he was a great defender of the Albigenses and was one of their Religion himselfe The pope proscribed him and exposed him to extirpation and ruine and to be a prey to Simon Montfort with his pilgrimes p So saiâ—h â—â—m Marian â—â—â—ch hâ—span lib. 1. cap. 2. The Earle therefore gathering an Army of an hundred thousand was very likely to haue vtterly ouerthrowen Simon had not the vnexpected death of the King of Aragon intercepted by ambush quite discouraged and dissolued the Albigenses Army so that they could not be stayed by their Captaines from running away q Vsher ibid. §. 34. seq Some write that the Albigenses lost 15000 fighting men some say 17000 others say 32000 r Hist Albig lib. 1. cap. 11. By this meanes Simon now able to take the City of Tolous sendeth for the King of France his sonne to come and haue the honour of taking the City who came accordingly tooke it and dismantled it beating downe the towres thereof §. 7. Yet this great mifortune cast not downe the Albigenses but their courage and power was still so great that new Croisadoes and Jndulgences were sent abroad to gather new crossed souldiers against them anno 1213 by whose aide Simon wonne many other Castles and townes And now in a Councell of many Bishops was Simon declared Lord of all the Countries and Dominionâ— gotten by this holy warre and possession shortly after giuen vnto him by Lewis eldest sonne of the King of France and confirmed also by the pope in the Councell of Lateran anno 1215. §. 8. Yet for all this while Simon made a iorney to Paris to the King and stayed there about honourable Ceremonies and making marriages for his children Remond was returned to Tolous and ioyning with many Aragonians that were come to reuenge the death of their King tooke the City and many other Castles anno 1217. Vpon the newes whereof Simon returned and for recouering of the City besieged it but was most strangely and suddenly slaine with a stone which a woman threw out of an Engin. Whereupon the siege brake vp that town remained and many other townes and Castles returned vnder the obedience of old Remond Earle of Tolous Againe anno 1219. The King of France sent his sonne now the second time taking vpon him the signe of the crosse with a great Army against the Albigenses who slew of them 5000 and besieged Tolous againe but in vaine The Albigenses also retouer many Castles Againe anno 1221 King Philip of France sent 10000 footmen and 200 horsemen against them still without fruit of their labours In the yeere 1223. by the popes appointment Vsh d cap. 10. §. 46. was a Councell held at Paris by the popes Legate two Archbishops and 20 other Bishops against the Albigenses and King Philip of France at his death appointed 20000 pounds or as some write 100000 pound to be bestowed in winning the Albigenses lands saith Å¿ Rigord pag. 225. Rigordus For now the Albigenses had recouered the strong City head of the warre Carcasson and many other Castles which their enemies had wonne and held 14 yeeres t Math. Paris hist an 1223. pag. 306. And were now growne so powerfull in Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia that among many others they drew some Bishops to their partie But on the other side Remond the Earle of Tolous § 9. submitted himselfe â—nto the pope vpon his oath that he would endeuour to root out the Albigenses the pope restored him Yet when he came before the Legat in a great Councell of French Bishops and there claimed restitution of his lands according to the popes grant Simons sonne came also and claimed the same lands as wonne by his father and assured by the pope and also by the King of France hereupon the Legat demurred Vsher ib §. 51. seq Math. Paris hist pag. 319. seq and vnderhand procured the King of France Lewis to to gather a great Army of crossed souldiers to winne from the Albigenses the Citie of Avignion a place of theirs of great strength and thought to be invincible The King mak ng peace with the King of England by mediation of the pope raiseth a great army anno 1225 of 50000 horse and innumerable foot and marcheth towards Avignioâ— then being in the power of the Earle of Tolous and being denyed entrance besiegeth it The warlike Earle defended it brauely Hee had very prouidently before the kings comming withdrawen all kind of prouision out of the Countrey round about into the City to furnish them within and disfurnish them without and now by often sallies hee mightily afflicted them killing at one time 2000 at another 3000 being helped by the breaking of a bridge and the pestilence daily wasted great numbers So that the King though he had sworne neuer to depart till he had taken the City went aside to an Abbey not farre distant to auoyd the pestilence where he dyed shortly after as some write out of his wits The Legat the more easily to winne the City kept secret the Kings death and despairing to preuaile by force attempted to doe it by fraud He cunningly perswaded the City to send vnto him 12 of their Citizens to conferre about some good conditions giuing them his oath for their safe returne but when the gates were opened to receiue them so returning his Army rushed in and tooke the gate and finally the City contrary to his oath giuen For the Pope or himselfe by the popes authority could easily enough dispense with such oathes Thus the city of Avignion which could not be taken in three monthes siege and assault by the power of the King of France Math. Paris hist an 1228. 〈◊〉 237. was easily taken by the fraud and periury of his Holinesse holy Legat. §. 10. In the
Councels Emperors yeelded much honour and reuerence as to men sitting at the principall sterne of the Ship of Christs Church to direct and guide it and men right worthy of their place as appeareth by innumerable testimonies in Histories and Fathers both Greeke and Latine Irenaeus Tertullian Optatus Ierom Ambrose Basil Chrysostome Augustine c. Thus saith your learned and moderate Cassander and now mark what he immediately addeth Georgiâ— Cassandri Censulâ—atio artic 7. §. De Pontifice Romano Neque vnquam credo c. Neither doe I thinke that euer any controuersie would haue beene amongst vs of this point if the Popes had not abused this authority to a certaine shew of Domination and stretched it beyond the bounds prescribed by Christ the Church through their ambition and couetousnesse But this abuse of that Bishops power which first his flatterers stretched out beyond measure gaue occasion to men to thinke ill of the power it selfe which that Bishop had obtained by the vniuersall consent of the whole Church yea it gaue occasion to men wholly to forsake it which yet I thinke hee might recouer saith Cassander if hee would reduce it within the limits prescribed by Christ and the ancient Church and vse it according to Christs Gospell and the tradition of his ancestors onely to the edification of the Church Therefore at the first Luther thought and wrote modestly enough of the power of the Pope though afterwards being offended and enraged at the most absurd writing of some of his flatterers he inueighed more bitterly against it c. And in the next page before this Cassander saith Non negarim c. I cannot deny but many men were compelled at first by a godly care sharpely to reproue some manifest abuses and the principall cause of this calamity and distraction of the Church is to be imputed to them that being puffed vp with a vaine pride of Ecclesiasticall power did proudly and disdainfully contemne and reiect those that iustly and modestly admonished them Wherefore I thinke there is no firme peace of the Church to be hoped for except it take beginning from them who gaue the first cause of the distraction that is that those that sit at the sterne of Ecclesiasticall gouernment remit something of their too much rigor and yeeld something to the peace of the Church and harkening to the earnest enertaties and admonitions of many godly men correct manifest abuses according to the rule of holy Scriptures and the ancient Church from which they haue swarued Thus writes your Cassander D. Field Of the Church book 5. cap. 50. §. These are all Our D. Field saith much like to Cassander that if the Bishop of Rome would disclaim his claime of vniuersall Iurisdiction of infallible Iudgement and power to dispose at his pleasure the kingdomes of the world and would content himselfe with that all Antiquity gaue him which is to be in order and honour the first among Bishops we would easily grant him to bee in such sort President of generall Counsels as to sit and speake first in such meetings but to bee an absolute Commander we cannot yeeld vnto him Thus writes D. Field Idem Appendix to the fifth booke pag. 78. and more fully in another place If the Pope would onely clayme to be a Bishop in his Precinct a Metropolitan in a Prouince a Patriarch of the West and of Patriarchs the first and most honourable to whom the rest are to resort in cases of greatest moment as to the head and chiefe of their company to whom it especially pertaineth to haue an eye to the preseruation of the Church in the vnity of Faith and Religion and the acts and exercises of the same and with the assistance and concurrence of the other by all due courses to effect that which pertaineth thereunto without claiming absolute and vncontroulable power infallibility of Iudgement and right to dispose the Kingdomes of the world and to intermeddle in the administration of the temporalities of particular Churches and the immediate swaying of the iurisdiction thereof Luther in libro contra PapatuÌ„ Luther himselfe professeth he would neuer open his mouth against him King Iames in his Praemonition to all Christian Monarchs § Of Bishops pag. 46 Our late most learned and iudicious King Iames of happy memory writes the like Patriarchs I know were in the Primitiue Church and I likewise reuerence that institution for Order-sake and amongst them was a contention for the first place And for my selfe if that were yet the question I would with all my heart giue my consent that the Bishop of Rome should haue the first seat I being a Westerne King would goe with the Patriarch of the West And for his temporall Principality ouer the Signory of Rome I doe not quarrell it neither let him in God his name be primus Episcopus inter omnes Episcopos and Princeps Episcoporum so it be no otherwise but as Peter was Princeps Apostolorum But as I well allow of the Hierarchy of the Church for distinction of orders for so I vnderstand it so I vtterly deny that there is an earthly Monarch thereof whose word must bee a Law and who cannot erre in his sentence Thus ye see if the Bishop of Rome enioy not the honours and priuiledges which the ancient Church gaue vnto his predecessors the fault is not in vs but in him who vnworthily abusing his power to vntollerable tyranny hath worthily lost it Iude vers 6. Mat. 24.45 as the Angels not content with their first estate and the euill seruant that instead of well guiding his Masters house intrusted to him misused and beat his fellow seruants and therfore was cut off and had his portion with hypocrites §. 6. Antiquus I am ioyfull that such iudicious moderate Princes as King Iames and such great learned men as Cassander Luther D. Field c. yeeld so much honor to the Pope but I doubt the greatest part of Protestants doe not so yet all that they are content to yeeld comes farre short of that which the Scriptures and Fathers doe attribute to Saint Peter and his successors Antiquissimus Scriptures and Fathers neuer yeeld more For the Scriptures will you stand to the examination and iudgement of the most famous Iesuite Bellarmine Antiq. That most Reuerend Learned Iudicious and laborious Reader of controuersies at Rome Bellarmine the most eminent man in the most eminent City of the world handling all points so exactly and excellently that he was therfore made an honourable Cardinall of Rome and his bookes printed with the priuiledges of the vnerring Pope the Emperour and the State of Venice c. he I say shall ouer-rule my iudgement in all points Antiquis Yet take heed your implicit faith doe not deceiue you when it is vnfolded Bellar. praesatio ante libros de Romano Pontifice But in this cause you need seeke no further then to see what hee saith for first This
infallibility of iudgement for teaching and gouerning the Church should be giuen to any one ranke of men it is very vnlikely the Popes should be the men Is it reasonable to thinke that children in yeeres and vnderstanding or men of corrupt and filthy liues monsters of men such as many of your Popes were should be Gods chiefe infallible gouernours of his Church Benedict the 9. was made Pope at 12. or 10. yeeres old as Baronius confesseth a Baronius anno and ruled that Church 20. yeeres A likely Sheephards boy in Saint Peters place to feed his sheepe the flocks they say of all Christendome by doctrine and example more likely to be a plague to the flocke as God threatning a plague to the Common wealth b Esay 3.4 said Children should reigne ouer them Aristotle iudged a Youth not a fit hearer of Morall Philosophy and yet must this childe bee thought a fit teacher of heauenly doctrine yea to be the Vniuersall Oracle of the world that hath neither possibility to erre himselfe nor misleade others Such a vertue hath the Popes Chayre to infuse learning and all habilities into a Schoole-boy that knowes not his Grammar to serue the Roman turn well enough to interpret the Scriptures assoyle all questions resolue all doubts sit at the sterue and guide the shippe of the Church call Councels and iudge of all their decrees ratifie some nullifie others as one of farre greater iudgement than all the learned of the world yea to determine all causes depose Kings command Angels open and shut both heauen and hell and doe euery thing as well as Saint Peter himselfe How thinke you is it reason for any man to thinke so Antiq. Many defects may bee supplied by learned Cardinals graue and wise Counsellors Antiquis A miserable head that hath his wit to seeke in another mans brains but you c Greg Val. Anlys fidei l. 8. c. 10. §. Ex quo This were to giue infallibility not to the Pope but to the Pope with his Cardinals place not infallibility in the Counsellors but onely in the Pope himselfe his faylings are not to be amended by theirs but theirs by him and indeed if he be infallible they are superfluous and so are all Councels and learned men See another Pope somewhat elder but a great deale worse Iohn 12. d Banonius anno 955. He was made Pope at 18. yeeres of age the Romish Church thought it a lesse euill to endure one head though monstrous Monstruosum quantum libet caput ferre saith Baronius d Banonius anno 955. than to be infamed with two heads and one body to be cut in two Vpon Saint Dunstans comming to him to receiue his Pall to bee Archbishop of Canterbury at last Baronius addes Vidisti extrema duo Episcopum sanctissimum pontificem vero moribus perditissimum Thou hast seene two extreme contraries A most holy Bishop Dunstan and a most wicked liuing Pope Iohn the twelfth e Baron anno 963 n. 17. Baronius saith this Iohn was accused of many most notorious crimes of adultery with Rainerius his widdow and with Stephana â—is Fathers concubine and the widdow Anna and with his or her neece and that he made the holy pallace a stewes and brothell house that hee put out the eyes of his ghostly Father Bened who died vpon it that hee cut off the stones of Iohn the Cardinall subdeacon and so killed him that he dranke to the loue of the Diuell in wine that in playing at dice he would inuocate the ayde of Iupiter Venus and other heathen gods that the whole Councell of the Bishops of Italy wrote vnto him that he was accused of murder periury sacriledge yea and incest with his own kindred and his two sisters c. they required him to come and answere for himselfe promising him to doe nothing but according to the Canons He wrote againe thus ridiculously and childishly Ionnes episcopus seruus seruorum Dei omnibus episcopis Nos audiuimus dicere quod vos vultis alium papam facere si haec feceritis excommunico vos de Deo omnipotenti vt non habeatis licentiam vllum ordinare missam celebrare f Platina in Ioan. 13. Platina in his life reckoning him Iohn 13. cals him sceleratissimum hominem vel monstrum potius a most wicked man or rather a monster and againe Virum omnium qui vnquam ante se in pontificatu fere perniciosissimum sceleratissimum A man of all that euer were before him in the Popedome the most pernicious and wicked When this Iohn fled the Emperor Otho made Leo Pope in his roome but assoone as the Emperour was gone Iohn by the helpe of his kindred and clients put downe Leo and reygned againe shortly after committing adultery with another mans wife he was thrust thorow and slayne or as g Baron anno 964. n. 17. Baronius thinkes he was in his adultery strucken in the Temples by the diuels and so dyed Was this a man likely to be the infallible mouth and organ of the holy Ghost If Baronius and Platina be not witnesses sufficient reade â—he same story in your owne h Sigonius l. 7. de regno Italioe Sigonius the Popes hyred reader in one of his Vniuersities who writes it somewhat fully following Luitprandus Martinus Polanus Tritâ—mius Platina Krantzius all your owne Catholike Historians I omit a number of wicked Popes fellowes and equals to these for I should both weary and stinke you out if I should rake long in the dunghill of these Popes liues whereof there were fifty in one plumpe as your owne i Genebrard l. 4. Chronologiae seâ—ulo 10 anno 90 pag. 546. Genebrard writeth rather Apostaticall than Apostolicall in the space of an 150. yeeres I will onely shew you a briefe of the story of a few Popes in a short time and their strange Vnity Infallibility and Holinesse k These things yee may reade in Platina Luit prandus and Bellarmine also lib. 4. de Rom. pont cap. 12. §. vigesimus septimus and in Baronius anno 897. Who onely differeth in attributing to Stephanus that which others doe to Sergius Formosus a Cardinall and Bishop was cursed deposed and degraded by Pope Iohn the 8 whom Platina reckons Iohn the ninth who driuing him out of Rome caused him to sweare neuer to returne either to the City or to his Bishopricke But Iohn being dead his successor Martin 2 absolued Formosus from his oath and restored him to his former dignity Not long after the same Formosus obtained the Popedome wherein hee liued fiue yeeres After him succeeded Bonifacius 6 liuing Pope but twenty six dayes then Stephanus 6. Who abrogated Formosus his decrees disanulled his acts in a Councell tooke vp his body dispoyled it of the pontificall habite as vniustly made Pope after periury cut off two of his fingers wherewith hee had consecrated cast them into Tyber and buried him in lay-mens garments This Steuen reygned
Canonicall Scriptures Decret c. in Canonicis dist 19. § V. Thus Erasmus argueth Annot. in 1 Cor. 7. B. Mort Appeal l. 2. c. 20. sect 5. l 3. c. 15. §. 4. Consider lastly what need had there beene of any Councels to what end was so much labour and cost bestowed to what purpose to trouble so many Vniuersities to call together so many learned Diuines to turne ouer so many bookes to beate their heads in the finding out of the truth in discussing of hard questions and satisfying of doubts if all this might be so quickly easily and sweetly done by the onely iudgement and determination of the Pope CHAP. 8. Of the good which the Popes Supremacy might doe to the Church § 1. That is vrged but 2. answered that policies agreeable to Gods word and the Primitiue Church onely are sufficient and blessed by God § 3. But this policy might be set vp by any sect § 4. It is vnprofitable and vntollerable 5. shewed by examples of Hildebrand 6. The voiages against the Turke proued profitable to the Pope not to Christian Princes 7. as appeared by the Story of Gregory 9. and Frederik 2. Emperour and 8. many other most wicked Popes § 9. The Emperour Phocas erred much in gouernment in making the Pope so great so farre from him For Popes shortly after proued Masters of mis-rule eiecting the Emperors out of Italy § 10. Their turbulent proceeding to dethrone Princes § 11. Their troubles wrought in England in King Henry 1. his time by Anselme In King Henry 2. time by Becket In King Iohns reygne by Pope Innocent § 12. In these latter times of Queene Elizabeth by the Bull of Pius Quintus and the erecting of Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes Schooles of Traytors The reasons briefly touched 1. Of the Rebellion in the North 2. Of Ormonds brethren 3. and 4. Of other petty conspiracies 5. Stukely 6. Sanders 7. Someruile 8. Motiues to the Ladies of Honour 9. Of Throgmorton 10. Mendoza 11. Creighton the Iesuite 12. Parry 13. Percy 14. Sauage 15. Balard with his complices 16. Aubespineus 17. Stanley and Yorke 18. The Spanish Armado 19. Lopez 20. Squire 21. Tyrone And in the time of King Iames 22. Watson Clarke and others 23. The Powder treason Some obseruations out of these § 13. A good Christian abhorreth these treasons and reiecteth the doctrine that teacheth them § 14. And thereby is by reason forced to renounce to be an absolute Papist and to thinke the doctrines grounded onely vpon the Popes authority without Scripture to be vnnecessary and consequently to acknowledge that it is not necessary to be a Roman-Catholike The conclusion with a briefe recapitulation of the whole precedent conference §. 1. Antiquus ALthough the supreme gouernment of the Church by the Pope and the infallibility of his iudgement could not bee proued by diuine proofes yet is the good thereof so great for the preseruation of peace and vnity and much other happinesse both in the Church and Common-wealth that euen in good reason and policy the very shadowes of proofes should be admitted as sufficient to establish it And if such power and infallible iudgement may be giuen to any it is most fit it be giuen to him that hath from all Antiquity beene accounted the principall Patriarch and the high Bishop of the principall City of the world Antiquissimus Indeed Antiquus now I thinke you hit the nayle on the head for the Popes Supremacy and infallibility hath no other ground but meere humane policy shadowed by the Scripture cunningly wrested deuised by their learned Politicians for their owne wealth and greatnesse and taught by their Agents as most necessary for peace vnity and much other good a Bellar de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. § quarta proposit o. Probabile est pâ—eque credi potest pontificem vt pontificem errare non posse c. Bellarmine seemes to confesse thus much when he saith It is probable may piously be thought that the Pope as Pope cannot erre nor as a particular person be an heretike Had hee had better arguments is it probable hee would haue come in with Probabile est piéque credi potest But your b Costerus Enchir pag. 123. Si nullum caput visibile in ecclesia a Christo constitutum foret vehementer optari ab omnibus oporteret Costerus the Iesuite is a little more plaine If there were no visible head saith he appointed by Christ in the Church yet such an one ought to be wished for of all men and your D. c Alablaster Motiue 6. Alablaster yet more plainely Where saith he there is not an infallible authority which doth iudge and decide controuersies by remouing all occasions of doubt and reply and vnto which absolute obedience is tied there must needs be variety of iudgements and opinions which cannot be tyed in one knot And therefore the Protestants haue done very vnwisely to disgrace and reiect this profitable policy of the Church the fountaine of vnity Mr Alablaster cals it policy §. 2. But alas Deare friend In Gods businesse I looke onely for Truth and Sincerity which God may blesse and prosper not for shadowes and policy without them which God doth ordinarily infatuate and confound Happy had it beene for the Angels if they had continued in the excellency of their first estate but when they stroue to be higher their policy failed them they fell lower and of Angels became diuels Gods ordinance for d Ephes 4. vers 12 13 15. gathering of his Saints e vers 14. preseruing true and vncorrupt doctrine and f vers 16. effectuall perfecting of the Church in euery part was saith Saint Paul g vers 11. He gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Teachers If one visible Head had beene necessary to these purposes heere was the place he should be spoken of wherein since hee is not mentioned doubtlesse Saint Paul knew no such ordinance of God See the like Catalogue of Church-Officers in 1 Cor. 12.28 29. c. this one visible head is neuer mentioned nor heere nor in any other place of Scripture but left out as supernumerarius and superfluous And we finde whilst Gods ordinance was obserued the Church did wonderfully prosper when it was shouldered out out by humane policies all things grew worse and went to wracke It was an euident worke of Gods Spirit h B. Vsher Sermon at Wansted pag. 20. that the first planters of Religion and their successors spreading themselues through the whole world layd the foundations of the â—ame Faith euery where in great vnity and vniformity and yet were kept only by the Vnity of the Spirit in that bond of peace without setting vp any one man on earth ouer them all to keepe peace and vnity The true bond which contained the Doctors and Fathers of the Primitiue Church in the vnity of Faith and wrought the conuersion of Nations continueth in our Church also
would giue to any of that rif-raffe rank that would vndertake this expedition into the holy Land a free and full pardon of all his sinnes besides a degree of glory aboue the vulgar in the celestiall paradise This our deepe sighted King obserues And if the Emperour or Kings went in person the Pope had the cunning to make vse of their absence to which purpose let me tell you one story among many other of your Popes doings out of Cuspiniaâ— a man of your own religion whose larger relation I will contract as briefly as I can §. 7. The Emperour Fredericke the second was valiant learned liberall magnificall and gaue great gifts and lands to the Church to procure the Popes fauour yet he found that the Pope receiued his enemies publike rebels and fostered them flying vnto him wherewith he was much offended yea the Pope to wit Gregory the ninth excommunicated and anathematized him for no other cause but that he went not yet to Ierusalem to fight against Gods enemies as he had promised and for which he had taken the Crosse vpon him Which iourney the Emperour answered was onely deferred till he had setled the Imperiall businesse and should find a fit time and that he was prouiding all things necessary for that iourney Meane season the Pope mightily vexed him and wrought much euill to the Empire and when the Emperour called an assembly of Princes at Rauenna they of Verena and Millan intercepted the Princes way and preyed vpon them that had taken the Croisado for the holy Land robbing them of their prouision and that by the Popes commandement who had procured the voyage and written to all Christian Princes to make it and thrust the Emperour and all men into it Yet the Emperour went forwards and while he was absent from his Countrey in this holy voyage labouring to defend by his sword Christs sheepe from the Wolfe the Pope himselfe did sheare slay and deuoure them While Fredericke tooke Ierusalem Nazareth Ioppe and other Townes from the Babylonian Sultan and made ten yeeres peace with him reedified the holy City and diuerse others and was crowned King there with great ioy vpon Easter day and wrote to the Pope of his happy successe that all Christendome might reioyce That proud vicar of Christ in his absence had with a great army entred Apulia taken it and made it subiect to himselfe forbidden them that had taken the Crosse to passe the seas and draue them out of Apulia and Lombardy and did many monstrous things vnworthy a Pope or Bishop And now receiuing the Emperors letters contemned them cast them away and spread a rumor that the Emperor was dead that he might the better thereby draw some Cities of Apulia to yeeld to him which hitherto kept their faith to the Emperour And when the Almainâ— and French and other Souldiers returned hee caused them most cruelly to bee slayne lest they should tell the truth When the Emperour knew this falshood hee returnes with a great army into Apulia driues out the Popes army and easily recouers his lands The Pope making league with the Lombards and Tuscians curseth the Emperour againe because hee had made that peace with the Turke for the gentle Vicar of Christ could finde no other cause Yet the valiant Emperour enduring all for Christs sake though hee had also intercepted the Popes Nuncios with letters to the Turke desiring him not to restore the holy land to Caesar as by â—umors bee heard he would seemed not to take knowledge of any wrongs but desired absolution from the Pope if in any thing he had offended and though he imployed many Princes and Bishops in that businesse yet could he obtaine nothing that yeere yet at last after much entreaty and chiefly by the mediation of Leopold Duke of Austria who died presently after the Emperour was absolued and feasted by the Pope and the Italian writers say he payed an hundred and twenty thousand ounces of gold for his absolution A deare price for one turning of the keyes which the Pope had of Christ for nothing A deare purchase of vnsure fauour the Popes excommunications stand in blood cruelty ambition his absolutions in couetousnesse Shortly after vpon some small stirres and also because the Pope doubted the Emperour passing into Germany would find out all his deuices hee strikes the Emperour againe with Anathema Who finding himselfe so mocked by the Pope grew enraged ioyned with the Popes enemies entred and subdued many Cities in Italy many in Vmbria many in Etruria quieted the Lombards rebels recouered Verona burned two Townes of Mantua threatning to besiege the City it selfe tooke Vincentia by force and roasted it with fire forraged the territories of Padua and spoyled almost all Lombardy afflicting Millan with many slaughters conquered Viterbium Fauentia Perusium Crâ—mona and did much other harme for which the Pope excommunicates him againe and then were first heard in the world the names of the Guelfes and Gibelines mighty factions the Gibelines fauouring the Emperour the Guelfes the Pope from which factions many euils followed for many ages Now when the greatest part of the Cities of Italy and almost all the Romans claue to the Emperour the Pope ordayned supplications to God for ayd and caused the heads of the Apostles to be carried about to procure helpe from heauen and to encourage the people and made an Oration to them in the pallace of Saint Peter and signed them with the Crosse as if they should fight against Infidels and so brought them out against Fredericke who ledde a great army before the walles of the City The Emperour seeing Christians come crossed against him who had vsed to fight for the Crosse of Christ against Infidels moued with indignation commanded the heads of them that were so crossed whom hee tooke with great slaughter to bee cut into foure parts And at last leauing the City he tooke Beneuentum and thence leading his army to the Picentes wasted the Aesculans fields then he euery where seized on the Templars goods and did other much hurt Then Pope Gregory 9. for very griefe departing this life Celelestine succeeded and sate only 18. dayes and the Popes sea remained voyd one and twenty moneths for that the Cardinalls could not come safely to the City for election of a new Pope Then Fredericke spoyled Fauentia oppressed first with famine depriued Bononia of the Vniuersity and translated it to Padua and besieged Parma Meane season Innocent III. was made Pope who formerly had beene a friend to Fredericke but now placed in the Papall dignity became his deadly enemy as Gregory had beene before Hee calling a Councell at Lions caused Fredericke to bee cited and making an Oration cited him himselfe and cursed him with Anathema and faigned many things as spoken by him against Christ which the Emperour plainely confuted as meere fictions in an Epistle yet extant to all the Prelats There this Pope againe depriues the Emperour of his dignity absolues the Princes from their
of ioyning with the Emperour and Easterne Christians against the Saracens directly tooke occasion to disable them against the Saracens and to encrease the scandall for his owne priuate ends to the great ruine of the Empire and hurt to all Christendome Now he saw the Empire decayed in the West and by the Saracens sore shaken in the East and encombred also with a ciuill warre and the greatest part of Italy seized vpon by the Lombards the Exarchate of Rauenna and the Dutchy of Rome onely left to the Emperour and those but weakely guarded now he thought was the time for him to play his prizes he gripes the occasion cals a Councell declares the Emperour heretike for defacing holy Images forbids his Rescripts or Coyne to be receiued or to goe currant in Rome and his Statue or Armes to stand in the Temple The tumult groweth to height promoted principally by the Pope and the Exarch of Rauenna loseth his life But this tumult at last being appeased and Rome for ought the Pope could doe remaining firme to the Emperour about twelue yeeres after Palmerius ebrâ— anno 726. when the Emperour Leo Isauricus began sharpely to prosecute Image-worshippers Pope Gregory the second seeing him haue his hands full elsewhere and Rome weakely guarded with men and munition found meanes by helpe of the Lombards to make the people rebell and so the Pope quickly became master thereof And saith Nauclerus Such authority then had the Popes decrees that first the Rauennates Naucler 2. gen 25. B. â—arâ—ton iurisdiction c. 6. §. 7. after that the Venetians did rayse an open rebellion against the Emperour and this rebellion proceeded so farre that euery City and Towne put downe the Emperours Exarches and created proper Magistrates to themselues whom they called Dukes and thus as at a great shipwracke euery man catches a piece so euery City made her owne Duke and the Pope was carefull that his part should not be the least Not long after this Ado Viennensis in Chronico Trithemius Annals when the Cities of Italy began to prey one vpon another the stronger vpon the weaker and the Pope and the Lombards being the strongest of all who had agreed in conspiring against the Emperour now fell out about diuiding of the spoyle the Pope hauing made vse of the Lombards to oppresse the Emperour vseth still the same Art to call in Pepin the Constable of France into Italy to suppresse the Lombards and settle the Pope in that which both had gotten from the Emperour Anno 742. which was done And shortly after the States and Peeres of France by the counsell of Zachary the Pope put downe King Childerike as a man too weake to gouerne and made Pepin King of France Thus the power which the BB. of Rome had receiued of the Emperor and other Christian Kings they now turned against them as the Iuy that is supported and riseth aloft by the Oake in the end decayes and spoyles the Oake it selfe This was a great steppe to the Popes Supremacy but yet it was not come to the height Emperours were not yet deposed by Popes not cut downe but some of their branches cut and pruned off B. Carlton ib. cap. 6. §. 13. And Charles the sonne of Pepin who still further subdued the Lombards enioyed the power by the Popes kinde grant which ancient Emperours held before him to chuse Popes and inuest Archbishops and Bishops in all the prouinces of his gouernment Sanders l. â— de clauib Dauid But of this strange purchase of Rome by the Popes from the Emperours D. Sanders writes that it is to be accounted one of the greatest wonders of the world that the Roman Bishops without any power or armies haue remoued the Roman Emperours from the Tower of the Empire and made themselues Lords of the Pallaces of Caesars and turned the whole City into their owne power Indeed it is a wonder that men pretending holinesse peace comfort and blessings to the world should vse such wicked detestable rebellious treasonous courses to depriue their Soueraignes of their Rights Cities Lands and Honours by such audacious fraud and damnable policies §. 10. Of Gregory 7. that first attempted absolutely to depose Kings I haue spoken before It seemes he tooke heart at the successe of his Predecessors to goe beyond them seeing Leo Iconomachus as they called him the warriour against Images cast downe and Childerike of France cast downe and K. Pepin set in his place From these and such like facts other Popes and especially Gregory 7. deriued a Ius a right and from these workes of darknesse tooke light making them the rules of their vnruly gouernment and therefore after this the world could neuer take rest for the Popes Then the Kings set vp in place of the deposed must needs bee firme to the Pope and so must others that hoped by the Popes authority to enlarge their dominions and encroach vpon others and they againe must be honoured by the Pope and one mutually support another how bad soeuer the liues either of Popes or Princes were and thus the best minded quiet and best were beaten downe and one Tyrant strengthened another Sir Iohn Hayward reckons vp a number of Popes Sr. Iohn Hayâ— Supremacy p. 56. seq that raised other Princes or Subiects against their own Emperours or Soueraignes Iohn the 3. raised Berengar and Adalbar against Otho the Great Iohn 18. raysed Crescentius against Otho 3. Benedict 9. stirred Peter K. of Hungary against Henry the blacke Gregory 7. Rodulph against Henry 4. Gelasius 12. raised many against Henry 5. Innocent 2. set Roger the Norman against Lothaire 12. The same Innocent raised Guelphus of Bauier against Conrade 3. Hadrian 4. raised Millan and the other Lombards against Frederike Barbarossa Alexander 3. stirred the Dukes of Saxony and Austria to disquiet Almaine Innocent 3. thrust Otho D. of Saxony into bloody warre against Philip brother to Henry 6. Pope Honorius 3. raysed the Lombards against Frederike 2. Clemens 5. opposed Robert King of Sicilie against Henry 7. Iohn 22. opposed Frederike of Austrich and Lewes of Baâ—ier to fight for the Empire Clemens 6. opposed Charls 4. King of Bohemia against the said Lewes Eugenius 4. raised tragedies against Sigismond specially to impeach the Councell of Basil Paul 2. raised stirres against Fredericke 3. to chase him out of Italy When eight Emperours had beene scorched with excommunications of the Popes and their dominions set on fire and potent enemies enflamed against them and many of them consumed the rest afterwards grew coole and were content with what holy water the Popes vouchsafed to sprinckle vpon them those eight were Frederik 1. Frederik 2. Philip Conrade Otho the fourth Lewes of Bauaria Henry 4 and Henry 5. §. 11. Antiq. I am glad yet that these troubles reached not to our English Kings Antiquis If you thinke they did not you are much deceiued Reade our histories and enforme your selfe better you shall finde
he had power to ruine the Lombards his sworne enemies and to bring them to extreame confusion yet for the feare of God settled in his heart he neuer had any such intent And he writeth to Mauritius the Emperour that although a certaine Law which the Emperour commaded to be proclaimed was in his iudgement vniust Greg. lib 2. Indict 11. ep 61. cited also by King Iames. Apol. pag. 24. yet he as a dutifull subiect and vnworthy seruant of his godlinesse had caused it to be sent into diuers parts of his dominions paying to both parties what he ought to wit obedience to the Emperour and speaking what hee thought for God Espencaeus in Tit. digress 10. aedit Paris 1568. Whereupon B. Espenceus saith Gregorius primus idem magnus lib. 2. epist 64. Gregory the first called also the Great ingenuously acknowledged that God had granted the Emperours a dom nion ouer Priests This Gregory I and his predecessors were plaine contrary to Gregory VII and his successors Bozius makes it one of the signes of the Church of God that it yeelded so many Martyrs Bozius de signis Eccles tomâ— 1. lib. 7. cap. 5. §. 5. suffering patiently vnder cruell Emperors and Princes seuen and twenty Roman Bishops for their onely cleauing to the doctrine and honour of Christ Greg Tolossan 1. V. Doctor lib. 26. de Repub. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 10. And Gregorius Tolossanus Doctor of the Lawes saith That for 300 yeares after Christs Passion though Christians suffered most cruell torments and death yet wee neuer read they rebelled against their Princes nor moued against the Commonwealth though they had number and power sufficient But by that argument they shewed that they and their Religion were to be preferred before all other because their pâ—â—us doctrine taught theâ— to obey Magistrates Whiles therefore the Church continued such a schoole of good life among Christians and of faithfull loyalty true subiectâ—on to Princes Rom. 13.5 whom they obeyed not onely for feare of punishment but especially because they were bounâ— in conscience and so taught by their holy Relig on B. King Sermon at Yorke on the Queens day 1595. Religion was â—he ioy glory and happinesse of the world It was the glorâ— of Princes and Emperors to maintaine it and it was the glory of the Chuâ—ch to maintaine them Constantius the father of Constantine the Great made more reckoning he said of those that professed Christianity then oâ— gâ—eat treasures Jouianus after Julian refused to be Emperour albeit elected and sought to the Emp re except he might gouerne Christâ—ans Great Constantine and Charles the Great had their surnames of greatnesse not so much for authority Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 5. 6. 24. as for godlinesse Saint Auâ—ustine saith Emperours were not therefore happy because they raigned long or left sonnes to raigne after them or tamed enemies or quieted rebelling subiects c. but because they ruled iustly remembred they were men when men almost made them Goâ—s vsed their power to promote Gods honour loued feared worshipped God loued that kingdome best wherein they feared not to haue partakers slâ—wly reuenged easily pardoned punâ—shed for necessity to preserue the Commonwealth not to serue their priuate hatred pardoned not to impunity of euill but for hope of amendment and if compelled to deale more sharply recompenced it with mercy lenity and larges of benefits â—f their luâ—ury was so much the more restrained as it might bee more free if they had rather rule their euill lusts then any Nations and all these not for desire of vaine glory but for the loue of heauenly felicity Such a happy Emperour was Great Constantine Ibid. cap. 25 26. Constantine was celebrated in the old Marbles with these titles Vrbis liberator quietis fundator reipubilicae instautator publicae libertatis auctor restitutor vrbis Romae atque orbis Magnus maximus invictus And in the lawes Qui veneranda Christianorum fide Romanum munivit imperium Divus Diuae memoriae Divinae memoriae c. Camden Britannia in Yorkshire describing Yorke City II. Of the euils of false or corrupted Religion Esay 1.21 Rome Reuel 17.9 18. becante Babylon v 5 2 4. 6. Nauel generat 39 H Mulius Chron. German lib 18. Vsher De eccl succes c. 7. §. 17. whom the Lord blessed also with all other happinesse and such an one was Theodosius who desired rather to be a member of the Church then a King ouer Peoples Then was the world happy when the Church bred and trayned vp the best people and subiects in the world and Emperours Kings and Princes were the nuâ—sing Fathers of the Church and so the one vpheld the other and the one was happy in the other But alas for griefe that euer so excellent a blessing should be corrupted and turned to a curse and scourge to mankinde that Ierusalem the whilome faithfull City should become an Harlot And Rome the Imperiall City whose faith was spoken of through the whole world Rom. 1.8 should be turned into Babylon the seat of Antichrist and inebriate the Kings and Inhabiters of the earth with the wine of her fornications her selfe becomming drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus that Emperours and Princes should shut the Cardinals out of their Churches and Cities and write to the Pope their reason because they found them nor Predicatores sed Predatores Non pacis corroboratores sed Pecuniae raptores non orbis Reparatores sed auri Insatiabiles corrasores denique superbiae detestabilem bestiam vsque ad sedem Petri reptasse So wrote the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa to the Pope to wit your Cardinals come not to preach vnto vs but to pray vpon vs not to strengthen our peace but to ransacke our purses not to repaire the decayed world but vnsatiably to rauine after gold Finally we see the detestable beast of Pride hath crept euen into Saint Peters seat The Hierarchy of Rome is here charged with vnsatiable couetousnesse the roote of all euill 1 Tim. 6.10 and Ambâ—tion or Pride the cause of the fall of Angels in heauen and men in Paradise froÌ„ which two euils proceeded many mischiefes corruptioÌ„s into the Church Sabellicus obserueth that the feare and reuerence of Potent Princes Sabellicus Ennead 9. lib. 1. Genebrard Chronol lib 4. in 10. saculi initio Baron tomo 10. anno 900. §. 1. Matth. 8.24 25 kept the Popes of Rome a long time in some good moderation but when they were out of feare of such Princes they rushed into all impudency and wickednesse And Genebrard speaking of the tenth Age saith Then was the world exhausted both of learned men and potent Princes and good popes and confesseth that in 150 yeares there were about 50 popes vtterly swaruing from the vertue of their predecessors and were rather Apotactici Apostaticive quam Apostolici debosht Apostataes rather then Apostolâ—cke Bellarmine and Baronius complaine of the ninth and tenth Ages wherein powerfull and sordid Whores ruled at Rome
Purgatory Indulgence the doctrine of transubstantiation Communion of the Laity in one species priuate Masses and such like yet all this cannot proue yours to bee the true Church nor the Roman to bee false because yet you are defectiue in this That the Church being one onely true entire body of Iesus Christ you are seperate from it and will not be vnder the gouernment of that visible-hood which Christ hath appointed ouer it to wit the Bishop of Rome the successor of Saint Peter to whom is giuen the highest iurisdiction and gouernment of the whole Church vpon earth and the infallibility of iudgement to guide it right and keepe it from error so that they that are not vnder his gouernment and guidance are out of the Church in which saluation is to be found and no where else Neither can the things now vsed which were not vsed in the Primitiue Church any way nullifie or disgrace the Church since in the wisedome of him that is infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost for the guidance of the Church they are iudged profitable in these times which were not so necessary in former ages All inferiour and priuate spirits must submit to the iudgement of that Head whom Christ hath constituted ouer his Church and doth assist with his spirit that hee shall not erre That Saint Peter was made Prince and Head of the Apostles by our Sauiour Christ the Proofes are plaine in the Scriptures and Fathers Mat. 16.16 In the 16. of Saint Matthew when Saint Peter had confessed Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut to bind and loose In the 21 of S. Iohn Christ saith to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Since thou louest mee more then these the rest of the Apostles Feed my Sheepe Be thou the generall Pastor ouer my whole flocke euen ouer the rest of the Apostles In the 22. of Saint Luke Christ saith I will pray for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Conformable to these Scriptures the Fathers doe ordinarily giue vnto Saint Peter the Primacy of the Apostles call him the Mouth the Chiefe the Top the Highest the Prince the President of the Apostles the head and foundation of the Church all which laid together and well considered doe proue such a prerogariue in Saint Peter that the Church taught and guided by him and his Successors shall neuer erre in matters of Faith and good life but bee infallibly lead into all truth that bringeth to holinesse and happinesse And this is not promised to Saint Peters person or for his life onely but to all his Successors when Christ promiseth to bee with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. in the last words Whereupon these things will follow 1 That the Church of Rome See the Relation of the Religion in the West parts pag. 15. now gouerned by S. Peters Successors is vndoubtedly the true Church of God deliuering and practising the true meanes of saluation and hath the prerogatiue to keepe men from erring in matters of Faith and from falling from God hath the keyes of heauen in custody to admit in by indulgence such as shall be saued and shut out by excommunication such as shall bee condemned so that in it there is a happy facility and without it an vtter impossibility of saluation 2 And consequently It is of the necessity to saluation that all particular Churches and all men be subiect to the Bishop thereof Christs Vicar and the visible head of the Catholike Church vpon earth and whosoeuer or what Nation or people soeuer are not subiect to him in spirituall things are no part of the Catholike Church of Christ §. 3. Antiquis Were all this true and substantiall it were able to charme all the world to be of your Church and to make the Pope absolute Lord of all And you do politikely to keep this point for your last refuge and final ground of all controuersies betwixt vs for if you can euict this you need no more If your Popes bee Saint Peters successors in all those things which you ascribe vnto Saint Peter and thereby haue full iurisdiction ouer the whole Christian world and cannot erre all is yours Stapleton principio doctr lib 6. cap. 2. Sanders Rocke of the Church Bristow Motiue 47. c. See Bellarm. letter to Blackwell there is an end of all controuersie and disputation And therefore your Chieftaines haue great reason to fortifie this piece with all the art and artillery their wit learning and power can afford them thereby to cut off all particular controuersies wherein they finde we are too strong for them This Gorgons head alone is able to affright the simple that they shall not beleeue their owne eyes or see your palpable corruptions or beleeue that any thing can be amisse with you be it neuer so foule and and manifest But alas deare friend I shall shew you plainely that all this is but an Imaginary Castle built in the Ayre without ground or foundation and that all your men stretch the Scriptures and the sayings of the Fathers farre beyond their meaning B. Iewel B. Bilson B. Morton B White D. Rainolds D. Field c. To answere their bookes and arguments punctually would aske too great time and be a needlesse labour because our Learned men haue done it sufficiently and often already But for your satisfaction I will shew you first what dignity the ancient Church hath yeelded to the Bishop of Rome Secondly that the Supremacy now claymed cannot be proued to bee giuen to Saint Peter either by the Scriptures or thirdly by the Fathers but coÌ„trary that both the Scriptures and Fathers are against it Fourthly that the true primacy and Prerogatiues of Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles were personall and did not descend to his successors §. 3. 1. For the first Aeneas Syluius who was afterterwards made Pope Aeneas Syluius epist 288. Ante conciliuÌ„ Nicenâ—â— qu sque sibi viuebat paruus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam and called Pius Secundus saith plainly that before the Councell of Nice 327. yeeres after Christ little respect was had to the Church of Rome yet was Rome the chiefe City of the world by reason of the Antiquity Magnificence Dominion and the residence of the Emperours there at that time The Apostles vsed to plant Churches in the chiefest Cities from whence the Gospell might best be propagated into the Countries adioyning Cities therefore were first Christians the people dwelling in Country Pagis Villis in Pages and Villages being not conuerted See D. Field Church book 5. epist to the Reader cap. 27. 30 31. were called Pagans or Infidels But for their