belong but by sheep are meant the electe Matt. 25.32.33 as appeareth by that which is said Math. 25. The Church then is nothing else but the sheepefold or congregation of the elect Fourthlie the auncient writers haue so declared it and set it out For behold how Saint Augustine hath spoken thereof August in psal 122. All faithfull Christians saith he are the Church And Chrysostome The Church saith hee consisteth not in Walles but in the multitude of faithfull people Homel 20. de expuls ipsius Lib. 7. de stroma Clemens Alexādrinus saith also I cal the church not the place or the temple but the congregation of the elect This Church is called Catholike or vniuersall for three reasons First in consideration of the place for it is not tied to one certaine place as citie prouince or kingdome but is dispersed and scatered abroad throughout all the worlde euen as Iesus Christ hath said that he hath receiued all power both in heauen and in earth and as the seconde psalme sheweth that all nations and all the endes and coastes of the earth Math. 28.18 are by the Father appoynted to his sonne for his inheritaunce and therefore also did Iesus Christe sende foorth his disciples through out all the worlde to preache the Gospell and to minister the sacramentes Wherefore Donatus erred Psal 2.8 Matt. 28.19 when he went about to tie the Church to a certain corner of Affrica onely The Romish Catholikes also doe at this day abuse themselues when they indeuour to tie it to Rome alone For though it were so that the Church of Rome were a true Churche wherof we wil speak in a whole plaine chapter afterwards yet it could not be but a particular Church at no hand the vniuersal church wherof we speak They also are likewise deceiued who thinke to chase and banish this Church out of the world For seeing that it is vniuersall it shall neuer want place but it shall alwayes be gathered together receiued in some quarter or corner of the earth Secondlie it is called Catholike in consideration of the persons for it receiueth and containeth al the faithful of what estate sex or condition soeuer they be as S. Paul sheweth when he saith That there is neither Iewe nor Greeke Galat. 3.28 Colos 3.11 bonde nor free man nor Woman but that all are one in Christ Iesus And in the Apocalipse this Church is described and set out in this behalfe as a certayne Citie hauing twelue Gates Reuelat. 21.13 three on the East side three on the North side three on the South side and three on the West side And therefore the Iewes are deceyued whē they suppose that the Church ought to bee restrayned to the onlie fleshly race and linage of Abraham Thirdlie in consideration of the time for it shal indure and continue in the world not as some doe imagine a hundred or two hundred yeares a thousand or two thousand yeares onelie but euen as long as the worlde it selfe shall last as we will declare more at large when we shall speak of the perpetuitie or continuance of the Church Furthermore we hold that this Church is one euen as it is sayde Cantic 6.8 Iohn 10.16 2. Cor. 11.2 Reuel 21.9 1. Cor. 12.12 that there is but one onely Doue perfecte and the onely Daughter of her Mother one sheepefolde one spouse of Christe one bodie And indeede this vnitie or onenesse of the Church doeth not consist in a common and bodilie dwelling together nor in certayne outwarde ceremonies but in a certayne verie spirituall vnitie and in an assured consent of doctrine and faith For amongest all those which truely beleue in Christ there is one bodie and one spirite one hope one Lorde one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and in all and through all and therevppon it is that Saint Paul saith of the whole church Ephe. 4.4.5 Gal. 3.28 That we are all one in Iesus Christ All the particular churches then which consent in true doctrine ought to be holden esteemed for one onely Church seeing that the Church is but one Wherevpon Saint Cyprian saide There is no more but one onely Church which is spreade abroade or stretched out farre and wide as there are manie beames in the Sunne De simplicit praelat and yet the light thereof but one and in a tree there are manie branches or bowes and yet but one bodie which is stayed vpon his owne roote and from one onely fountaine runne manie riuers which no whitt at all hinder or let that the vnitie or onenesse shoulde not abide in the fountaine Now herevpon it followeth that al Scismatikes which by factions sectes partakinges do breake the vnitie of the Church doe sinne greeuously 1. Cor. 1.13.3.3 as also S. Paul declareth the same writing vnto the Corinthians We say also that this church is inuisible and that there is none but God alone who knoweth the same therefore Iesus Christ saith Iohn 10.14 That he knoweth his sheepe and that he knoweth them whome he hath chosen And Saint Paul Iohn 13.18 The Lorde saith he knoweth those which are his And as concer-cerning our selues we beleue it as we protest confesse 2. Tim. 2.19 in the christian articles of our beleefe when that by outward signes we cannot point it forth or marke it out For albeit we do not many times see behold the same yet it ceasseth not for all that to be as it was declared vnto Elijah when hee cōplayned that he was alone making profession of the name of God 1. Kings 19 10.18 Rom. 11.3.4 No no saith the Lorde vnto him I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thousande men which haue not bowed the knee to Baal But let vs marke that wee speake of the bodye of the church generally and not of the members thereof particularly For there is no doubt but that wee may by signes and outwarde testimonies profitably iudge of election euen as men iudge the tree by the good fruite and yet this must be vnderstoode singularly and specially when the questiō concerneth our selues For according to the testimony of S. Peter 2. Peter 1.10 We make our calling election firme sure through good workes Moreouer this church containeth also many persons which are not yet called vnto the visible church euen as our Sauiour Iesus Christ sheweth in S. Iohn Ioh. 10.60 when he saith Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this folde them also muste I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall bee one sheepefolde and one sheepehearde And hereof wee haue an example in Saint Paul for when hee persecuted the Church it seemed verilie that hee did not appertaine to the Churche being not yet called to be a sheepe of the visible sheepfolde of Christe Notwithstanding the Lorde saith vnto Ananias Goe thy way to him Actes 9
is that when in old time they were to set out an armie or to doe some exploite by souldiers they had in the Campe certaine speciall tentes to say masse in which tentes were couered ouer with goates skines Nowe a Goate in latine is called Capra or Capella that is to say according to the portuise of the Priestes which are at this day Chappel Wherefore because these tentes were couered with goates skinnes they were named Chappelles and the Priestes which had the keeping of them and who did therein singe their masses were called Chaplaines Behold verilie two reasons to shewe from whence this name Chaplaine is taken which reasons are verie high and full of great speculation or insight conteining verie great mysteries and such as are maruellously deepe but we leaue them to be meditate or looked into diligently to the priestes which are the Popes Chaplaines to the ende that they shoulde aduise take counsell to see whether they can bee willing that their reuerende name should be fet and drawen from the base beginnings Curates Curates haue an other fountaine In olde time according to the order established by Iesus Christ the pastors were ordeined and placed distinctly and without confusion in seuerall Churches For to the ende that euerie pastor might knowe his owne charge and be able to yeelde a better account of his flocke and that one should not any whit at all incroch vpon or intermeddle with others also to the ende that the flocke sheepe might know where they might seeke for and finde their owne pastors they deuided the people into certaine circuites and countries or rather parishes indeede whereof some were committed to the charge of certaine pastors othersome to the charge of certaine other pastors From thence came the name Curate although some would haue it deriued from Cura that is to say from the care that the pastors ought to haue ouer their flocks which were giuen committed vnto thē in charge And the abuse comming on growing vp more and more they called the benefice or renewe that was assigned thē to maintaine themselues vpon for the doing of their office by the name of cure And from thence it commeth that when any one goeth about to get such a benefice they diligently enquire of the value thereof and that whereof they seeme to haue the greatest regarde is to know how much the cure is worth As concerning Bishoppes and Elders Bishops and Elders or according to Papistes Priestes or as they call them priestes we haue before shewed and seene that these two names signifie one and the selfe same office or charge Hierom. ad Euagrium And Saint Ierome in his Epistle to Euagrius witnesseth that in the time of the Apostles there was no distinction or difference betwene these two degrees but afterwardes whiles schismes were in the Churche one was chosen from among the Elders and placed in the highest roome and called Bishoppe because hee differed from the Elders onely for the executing of order Now by these words wee may easily know and gather that this difference beganne in the Church about that time and in that the office of a Bishoppe is helde and accounted for a more high or more excellent office thā the office of Elder or as they terme them priestes it was not don by the institution ordināce of God but rather by mans authoritie and that for the maintenāce as they suppose of order and discipline Archbishop or Metrapolitanes The names of Archbishoppes and Metropolitanes which were taken for one and the same estate were vnknowne to the Apostles and to the olde auncient Churches but marke howe they were brought in Princes hauing put certaine degrees betweene their Cities and townes and making a difference betwene some of thē in respecte of dignities priuiledges they called those which they woulde establish aboue the reste Metropolites as if you woulde say Concil Calcedon Canc. 12. Mother cities as wee may gather out of manie histories and namely expressely out of the Councel of Calcedonia where it is saide that they ought not to account any townes or Cities for Metropolites but onely vnto those to whom Kinges and Princes haue shewed giuen this honour by their Edictes and statutes Nowe as princes lifted vp their Metropolitane cities to beare rule ouer others vnder their obedience so the Bishops placed in those cities vsurped iurisdiction and authoritie ouer others they being fauoured by their princes and magistrates who easily accorded and consented to this that their Bishops should be placed in authoritie aboue others For this cause the Bishops of those places Conc. Nice can 6. Conc. Calc can 8. were named in the Councel of Nice Metropolitanes and their seats were called in the Councel of Calcedon the first seats You see then what was the fountaine beginning of Archbishops or Metropolitanes who at the beginning were lifted vp to such a degree for a good end purpose in outward shew for they were so placed and established as it were Ecclesiastical presidents and rulers in their prouinces to the end they might guide gouerne the affaires of the Churches and direct and cal Synods in good order and without cōfusion when there was neede therof yet none among them had any authoritie one ouer an other Conc. Nice can 6. Conc. Anti. can 13. For that effect and purpose the Councels ordained that al Metropolitans should haue like power and equall authoritie Conc. Sardi can 19. Conc. Constantinopolita can 2. euerie one in his owne prouince that the Bishop of Rome who was also Metropolitane had at Rome in the Churches which were vnder his charge Whereby it appeareth that the Bishop of Rome was not then Pope and vniuersall Bishop ouer all Churches but that he had his charge limited and bounded hauing no more authoritie and iurisdiction ouer other Metropolitanes than the other had ouer him Cardinals Touching Cardinals I knowe not what we may speake of certaintie bicause there is not so much as one onely authour who liued or writ while the church was in some puritie that maketh any mention therof at all Yet we cannot be deceiued in speaking of that which we find touching it We read in Nauclerus Nauclerus that in the time of Pontianus Bishop of Rome who was about the yeare of Christ 235. there was at Rome 36. Priestes Cardinals that is to say principall and chiefe among the rest Volateran lib. 22. Antropolo For as Volateranus saith in his Antropologie the name Cardinal was in olde time taken to signifie as much as principall and was saith he giuen to the Priestes as they call them and Deacons of the Church of Rome bicause that as the Bishop of Rome was helde and taken for the principall chiefe of Bishops bicause he was in the principal citie of the Empire so the Priestes as they call them and Deacons of that citie were helde and
or assemblie 2 Sometimes it is put for the assemblie of citizens and burgesses of a towne in which meeting they intreate of the common and ordinarie affaires of the common wealth and so doth Saint Luke vse it Act. 19.32.39 Actes 19.32.39 3 It is also taken for the place whether the assemblie is called together as Iudeth 6. Iudeth 6.16 verse 16. And they called together all auncients of the citie and all their youth ranne together to the Church or assemblie that is to say to the place of the congregation or assemblie 4 Also for the Senate or consistorie of the Church that is to say for the Pastors and Elders of the Church who are indeed the conductours and guiders thereof Matt. 19.17 as when Iesus Christ saith Tell the Churche Chrysostom Hom. 62. vpon Matth. that is to say euen as Chrysostome also expoundeth it the Pastours leaders and gouernours of the Churche according wherevnto we see that Saint Iohn making mention of the consistorie of the Iewes in which it was sometimes determined to thrust out of the Synagogue euerie one that would confesse Iesus Christ Ioh. 9.22 he saith generally that the Iewes made this decree although it was indeede the Consistorie onely 5 But in the question or matter of Christian religion it is taken for the companie and assemblie of faithfull people which make profession of the true pure religion of God Of this Church speaketh S. Paul when he saith to the Pastors thereof Take heede to your selues Act. 20.28 and to all the flocke whereof the holie Ghost hath made you Bishops or ouerseers to feede the Church of GOD which he hath purchased with his owne bloud But here we must obserue certaine distinctions for euen in this signification the Church is commonly distinguished into three sortes First it is called triumphant or else militant The Church triumphant is the companie of blessed spirites who hauing gotten victorie through Iesus Christ against their enimies the diuell the world the flesh sinne death and hell triumph at this present on high in heauen praising God and celebrating the glorie of his name with all ioyfulnesse We haue a goodly description of the Church in the Reuelation Reu. 7.9.10 Cap. 7.9.10 The Church militant is the assemblie of all the faithful people who as yet on earth fight vnder the banner or standard of Iesus Christ their head against the foresaide enimies whose armours or weapons are set out by S. Paule in the Ephesians Ephes 6.13.14 c. chap. 6. For it is not the Lords will that so long as we are to walke here belowe we should be without afflictions but he will haue vs to be continually in the battell and alwayes troubled and tormented through the malice of men yea so much the more by how much we shall earnestly indeuour to serue him in all godlinesse and holinesse Act. 14.22 this matter also being alreadie concluded that by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God Wherevnto do appertaine also Ioh. 15.20.16.2 2. Tim. 3.12 the sentences of Iesus Christ and S. Paul Ioh. 15.20 Ioh. 16.2 2. Tim. 3.12 But hereafter we will speake more largely of the afflictions of the Church The second distinction is that the Church is called either Catholike that is to say vniuersall or generall being dispersed thoroughout the world and comprehending vniuersally all the faithfull and elect people of God or else particular which is a part of the vniuersall for we vse to call them particular Churches or congregations which are limited within a certaine number and inclosed in certaine places being as it is said before partes and members of the vniuersall such in former time were the Churches of Corinthus Rome Ephesus such are at this day the Churches of Fraunce Germanie England Switzerland and other places of all which together consisteth the vniuersal which notwithstāding is but one as anon we shal see The third distinction is that the Church is sometimes said to be inuisible and sometimes visible The inuisible Church is streitly and narrowly considered and is the verie same which before we called Catholike or vniuersall comprehending only the faithfull and elect in which number they also are to be accounted that be already dead The visible Church is considered more largely and comprehendeth al them which are called by the preaching of the Gospel to be of Christes flocke August in Psal 64. S. Augustine vseth this distinction in his writings For writing vpon the 64. Psalm he saith that the Church which is signified by Ierusalem tooke beginning from Abell and Babylon from Caine and yet notwithstanding in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes chap. 16. August li. 1. cont Donatist cap. 1.6 taking the Church in a more generall signification he saith that the same which begate ingendered and brought foorth Abell Enoch Noah Abraham and the Prophetes did also begette ingender and bring foorth Caine Ismael Dathan and others such like But we must more narrowly and deepely search this matter declare what it is which doth properly belong to the Church as well Catholike and invisible as to other which I saide was visible But first of the Catholike and inuisible Church CHAP. II. Of the Catholike and inuisible Church which indeede is but one albeit it haue many particular partes and members BY that which hath bene said before it is an easie matter to gather and make a good and certaine definition of the Church Wherefore first we say that the Catholike and inuisible Churche is the companie of all faithfull people scattred throughout the whole world whom God hath chosen to euerlasting life With this definition agreeth that which may be gathered out of that which Saint Paule saith to the Corinthians to wit that the Churche is the companie of all those 1. Cor. 1.2 that being sanctified through Iesus Christe and called to be Saintes doe call vpon the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe in euerie place The Church then is not an house of wood or of stone builded by mans hande but the congregation commonaltie and fellowship of all those which followe the trueth of faith Which matter also we may confirme by these reasons following Gal. 1.13 Act. 9.14 First S. Paul confesseth That he persecuted the Church of God Ananias saith that he had authoritie from the high Priestes to bind all those that called vppon the name of the Lorde that is to say Christians Here we see that Saint Paul calleth those the Church whome Ananias nameth Christians or such as did call vpon the name of the Lord. Ephe. 1.23 1. Cor. 12.27 Secondarilie the Church is called the bodie of Christe and the companie of faithfull people is also called the bodie of Christ wherevpon it followeth that the Church is no other thing but the companie of the faithfull Ioh. 10.16 Thirdlie Iesus Christ him selfe calleth the Church a sheepefolde wherevnto sheepe appertein and
was accused of many crimes by the Romanes he was driuen away and in his place was ordained the Bishop of Sabina called Siluester the third who likewise was deposed and put downe bicause he was an idiot ignorant and vnprofitable and the saide Benedict recouered the seate againe from whence through couetousnesse he put him self downe and ordained in his place Iohn the Archdeacon of Saint Iohn port Latin who was named Gregorie the sixt to whom he solde the Popeship for verie much money paid downeright Iohannes Maior Mare Historiarum Nauclerus Platina as witnesseth Iohannes Maior The sea of histories Nauclerus Platina the same Gregorie being Pope was iudged as well by the Cleargie as by the people to be a murtherer and a symoniakal person What was Siluester the second Platina saith that being a Frier he gaue him selfe to the diuel vpon condition that he would aide and helpe him to obtaine that which he desired and so by that meanes he came to be Pope What was Eugenius the fourth He by the definitiue sentence of the Councel of Basil was condemned for a schismatike rebell and stubborne person and so deposed and one Aimus Duke of Sauoie substituted in his place in the yeare 1439. the 16. of Nouemb. Notwithstāding he being supported vpholden by the fauour of certaine princes abode in the possession of his Popedome and Aimus his election passed into smoake and was of no force or value But without passing to any other exāples for this can not be done but in long time may we now affirme first that in all the time of these Popes there hath not bene some interruption or breach of personall succession in the seate of Rome verily we must confesse it vnlesse a man would say that heretikes and notorious schismatikes were the heads of the Church Secondly that the Bishops Priests which haue succeeded these reuerend Popes others which were created and established by thē haue had a good and lawful succession Let vs now come to the vocation or calling wherevpon the succession it selfe dependeth We affirme that our calling is without comparison more certaine more lawful then is that of the Bishops Priests of the Romish Church For the better proofe whereof let vs mark what things are requisite to a right and lawfull calling First right and authoritie to chuse appertaineth to the Pastors and that not to one alone but to diuers lawfully assembled at which election notwithstanding one ought to beare rule to guide and gouerne the action and to auoyde all confusion and disorder 1. Tim. 5.22 Titus 1.5 and so must these places 1. Timoth. 5.22 and Titus 1.5 of necessitie be vnderstoode Secondly the election ought not to be made without the plaine and expresse cōsent of the people Act. 14.23 as S. Luke sheweth the same by example Act. 14.23 and as heretofore the Church hath ordained it euen from Leo his time Leo. epist 87 90. Nicol. Dist 23. Can. In nomine Yea Nicolas the second hath written that it is a manner and fashion which is meete necessarie needfull to keepe in the election and choice of the Bishops of Rome Cyprian lib. 3. epist 3. Yea Saint Cyprian writing to Anthonie rehearseth that Cornelius was after such sort and manner ordained Bishop of Rome For as concerning that which the decree of the Councel of Laodicea ordaineth Concil Laodic Can. 13. Dist 63 can Non est permittendum that the election and choice of the Pastours should not be made by the people that must be vnderstood of the people alone to the end that the election should not be made confusedly and without good order Thirdly those that are to be chosen should be wel and duely examined touching both maners and doctrine according to the rule which S. Paul hath giuen therefore 1. Tim. 3.1.2 Tit. 1.5.6.7 c. writing to Timothie Titus For the bishop ought to be of very good life and holy conuersation so that the very strangers them selues such as are without may not iustly haue any thing to reproch or vpbraid him selfe withal also he must not be a yong scholler but able sufficient in doctrine knowledge to teach such as are apt to learne to convince yea stop the mouthes of such as shall speake against the truth Cyprian lib. 1. Epist 4. Herevnto accordeth that which Cyprian saith we must faithfully keepe saith he diligently hold that which hath ben left vnto vs by diuine apostolical tradition that we may keepe it also amongst ourselues yea that in a maner throughout al prouinces touching the vocation calling of Bishops to wit that all the Bishops of the prouince nearest vnto the place where the election is to be made do meet together that they chose the Bishop in the presence of the people which doth fully know the life and cōuersation of euery one And that also agreeth herevnto which is spoken by Saint Augustine in a certaine Dialogue betweene him and Orosius Q. Orosij Dial. Quaest 65. Wherein Orosius demaundeth How may we knowe them which are sent from God and Saint Augustine aunswereth knowe that he is sent from God which hath not beene chosen by commendation or flatterie of some small number of men and desireth not to beare rule and giueth not any monie to atchieue or get the bishopp like dignitie and honour but which is praysed and commēded by his holy life and good manners and also by the workes or deeds belonging to a pastor and by the approbation and allowaunce of all the people Wee reade also Concil Laodic Can. 12. that it was ordeyned in the Councell of Laodicea that none shoulde be chosen Bishops but they whiche had a long time beene knowen to bee of a good life of holy conuersation and who had also bene well proved tried in the worde of GOD and in good workes And in the first Councel of Paris Concil Parisi Can. 8. is was decreed that no bishoppe be ordeined against the will of the Citizens of the citie but onely hee which shall bee chosen by the full will and consente of the people and of the cleargie and not by the commaundement of any prince nor by any other condition against the wil of the Bishops of the prouince Hee that shall bee otherwise ordeined and that shall come to this honour by the authoritie of the kinge or prince let him be driuen out and deposed by all the rest Conc. quintum Anicl Can. 10. In the fifth Councell of Orleans Let not any man pretend to bee a Bishop neither by buying purchasing or rewardes but let the election be made according to the kinges will the cleargies the peoples and the bishops of the prouince There is almost an infinite number of like Canons in the Councels which if we woulde put downe here wee shoulde be ouertedious and long Nowe after right examination lawfull election or choise
some of them they pleasing thē selues and being desirous to continue in their former dissolution and leudnes Here to alledge that for the making of and extraordinarie vocation certaine and approued some miracles are necessarie or else some certaine plaine and manifest places of scripture is to no purpose at all or they say as much as if they saide nothing For as concerning places of scripture we are not destitute thereof Iesus Christ speaking in the Gospell to the Priestes who did not well and rightly execute their office in their charges demaundeth of them When the Lord of the vineyard shal come Matth. 21.40.41 what will he doe to these wicked husbandmen Vnto whome they aunswere condemning them selues He will cruelly destroy these wicked men and will let out his vineyard vnto other husbandmen which shall deliuer him the fruites in their seasons Now this was indeed iustly and faithfully accomplished For the Lorde tooke away his vineyard that is to say the gouernement of his Church from the Priestes Scribes and Elders of the people who did not yeld him the fruits which did belong vnto him and committed the same vnto other husbandmen that is to his Apostles and their successors which haue yelded him fruites in their seasons And euen in like manner hath the Lorde done in the Popedome beholding euill workmen in his vineyard that is to say wicked naughtie Pastors in his Church which did not at any hand their duetie and office he hath not destroyed his Church but hath chaunged the state and condition thereof taking away her blind guides and giuing vnto her others which see clearely It is also written in the Apocalipse The holy citie shall they tread vnder foote two and fortie monethes Reu. 11.2.3 but I will giue power vnto my two witnesses and they shall prophecie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes In which place S. Iohn foretelleth the generall corruption of the Church which shall come to passe in the last times yet so that withall he giueth vs to vnderstand that God will not suffer his seruice to continue so corrupted and bastardly but that he wil reforme it and bring it to her former perfection and soundnesse and that for this purpose he will raise and stirre vp witnesses of his owne to prophecie and speake against so greeuous a corruption And howe shall this be done by vsing an extraordinarie manner Luk. 9.49 We may also verie well applie to this purpose the example of him who cast out diuels in the name of Iesus Christ For the Apostles would haue hindred him bicause he did not followe Iesus Christ as they did But Iesus Christe saith vnto them Take heede that ye forbid him not or hinder him for saith he he that is not against vs is with vs. It is verie true indeede that such an extraordinarie vocation ought not to be lightly approued but it is also as true that it ought not as lightly be condemned But we haue a certaine and manifest testimonie of this extraordinarie vocation in Phillip Act. 6.5 8.5 For he being onely ordained a Deacon at Ierusalem was afterwardes extraordinarily called by God to preach Iesus Christ Beside the first restorers of the Church of our age or time who were extraordinarily called are not to be reproued or blamed for rashnesse For as in a citie besieged by the enimie or assaulted with fire when they which were ordinarily called for the safegarde defence thereof and to giue order in the daunger of fire should be them selues the first enimies and putters to of fire if it fall out that certaine citizens hauing other charges or offices in the citie or else if they were but priuate and particular persons would come and set vp them selues and imploy them selues in running to the breach and fire to the end that they might preserue the citie so farre off is it that they deserue or ought to be reprehended as traitors and vnfaithful persons that on the other side for a fact so courteous gentle yea so profitable to the countrie they were greatly to be praised as verie good citizens and true friendes preseruers of the countrie so when the ordinarie saueguardes or keepers of Gods owne house haue declared them selues to be enimies thereof and putters too of fire to ouerthrowe and marre all they that are afterwardes aduaunced and set forwardes them selues to resist them and to maintain the right and estate of the saide house yea although they haue had no manner of ordinarie vocation but in their owne consciences haue onely felt them selues extraordinarily called for to execute such an office or charge so farre off is it that either they may or ought to be blamed that contrariwise they deserue honour great praise And yet this is here to be noted that albeit al are not enioyned or commanded to preach as wel as all are commanded to oppose or set them selues against false prophets yet by consequent it followeth verie wel that if any do aduaunce or set forward them selues to oppose or set them selues against false prophets they haue done nothing against their vocation or calling Add also that euen those which in the beginning were extraordinarily called hauing faithfully acquitted and behaued them selues in their charges in preaching the truth and being receiued and allowed of the people that vocatiō of theirs which before was extraordinarie hath ceased yea must cease and afterwards is become ordinarie And as concerning miracles we will shortly aunswere thereto Let the Romish Catholikes shewe what miracles Isaiah Amos Obadiah Nahum Zechariah and many other Prophets did whom God did extraordinarily stirre vp where they which had the order and gouernement in their owne handes abused the same Next let them consider Matt. 12.39 that it appertaineth to an euil adulterous generation to demaund seeke signes as Iesus Christ saith Thirdly that miracles may seduce and deceiue For we read that false prophets seducers Deut. 13.1 c. Matt. 24.24 and deceiuers haue sometimes done them thereby to deceiue men and to make approued their false doctrines 2. Thes 2.9 and to increase and strengthen their superstitions and idolatries And therefore we ought not by miracles to iudge of the vocation and doctrine but rather on the other side by the vocation and doctrine we ought to iudge of miracles and signes The other thing which we aunswere touching the vocation and calling of our first ministers is that we may verie well stop the mouthes of the Romishe Catholikes if we would alledge that those ministers them selues for the most part had in respect of them selues an ordinarie vocation being indeede called in their time by the Pope and by him established and set in their charges and therefore by consequent had authoritie and right to goe vp into the pulpit and to teach in the Church as Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius Bucer and before them Wicklef and Iohn Hus. Also that in England Sweden and Denmarke the right
the aduauncement groweth proceeding of his kingdome he did somewhat estraunge himselfe from vs insomuch that beeing alreadie almost wonne by some coūsellers he moued persecution against vs great bruit or noise was thereof him amongst vs. Notwithstanding euen then when hee was readie to persecute vs and had as it were subscribed to the decree which they were to publish against vs a certain vengeaunce and wrath sent from God sodeinly ouertooke him which caused this pernicious and hurtfull crueltie to cease The tenth persecution was vnder Dioclesian and Maximianus Hercules Dioclesian was established Emperour about the yeare of our Lorde 288. and associating vnto him Maximianus in the gouernment of the Empire hee reigned twentie yeares Pomponius Laetus in the abridgement of the Romane stories reciteth That Dioclesian forgetting that he was a man and naming him selfe the brother of the Sun and the Moone as though there had beene in him some diuine or heauenlie Maiestie made an edict and lawe by which hee commaunded that they should worshippe him as God and that all without difference of what rase and condition soeuer they were shoulde kisse his feete and for this ende hee had shooes stuffed and beset with golde and precious stones The selfesame Pomponius saieth also That Maximianus was openly cruel raging terrible to beholde without faith or trustinesse Nowe this persecution which they moued against the Christians lasted tenne yeares and was the greatest and cruellest of all Vincentius in specul lib. 12. Cap. 2. Vincentius in his Glasse speaketh of a whole legion of Christians called the legion of Thebes in Egypt which was all cut in peeces because they would not sacrifice to Idolles as the Emperour had commaunded Vincen. in specul lib. 12. Cap. 136 He saieth also that at Trieres which is a Citie situated by the Riuer Mosella one Rictionarius exercised so great crueltie that the Riuers were redde with the blood of the Christians that were slaine and besides that hee sent Postes vp and downe hither and thither with decrees and expresse commissiōs to this end that in whatsoeuer place any Christian was founde they should presently put him to death Sabellie Sabellicus reciteth That in the Citie of Alexandria Peter the Bishoppe of the said place was beheaded besides more than three hundred other Henrie of Erforde Henric. Erford maketh mention of Gereon Bishop of Colen who as hee saieth was also beheaded with three hundred and eighteene companions Otto of Phrysingia reheatseth Otto Phrysing lib. 3. Cap. 41. that Mauricius a conductour or Capitaine of a christian legiō was slain with him 1666. persons of his owne people that Victor was put to deth in the citie of Troy which is nowe called Panthus with 366. of his companions or fellowes Chroni Martin The Chronicle of Martin the booke which is intituled Fasiculus temporū Fasicul tempor doe witnesse that so many Christians as were in England were all put to death Euseb lib. 8. ca. 3. Eusebius saieth That by the Edictes of these Emperours commaundement was giuen that the Temples shoulde be rased and pulled downe to the grounde the holie scriptures burned and all Christians perseuering in their religion made infamous and depriued of all their liberties and of all their offices and dignities Also that all Prelates Bishoppes and Pastors shoulde bee in euerie place straightly imprisoned and afterwardes with all crueltie constrained and inforced to sacrifice to Idolles otherwise that they should be put to to death Euseb lib. 8. Cap. 11. Hee sayeth also that the Emperour hauing sent certaine commaundements to a certaine Citie of Phrigia the commaundementes tending to this ende that the inhabitauntes shoulde offer sacrifices to the Gods and shoulde worshippe their Images they not minding to obeye beeing all Christians yea euen the Magistrate the Treasurer and the Capitaine the Citie was besieged and all it with all the people therein were burned together Nicephorus writeth Nicepho lib. 7. Cap. 6. That in one Citie at once there were burned in one temple on Christes birth day twentie thousande persons by the commaundement of Maximianus To bee short the persecution was in euerie place so cruell and so sharpe that the christian fayth was almost extinguished and put out as wel in the East by Dioclesian as in the the West by Maximianus And as concerning the fashions and manner of tormentes they were sundrie and diuers yea and verie straunge Euseb lib. 8 Cap. 3.6.7.8.9 They did beate the Christians with roddes they racked them they murthered them they burned them they threw them by thousandes into the depthe of the sea they cast them to wylde Beastes as Leopardes Beares Lyons Bullockes and Bulles prouoked agaynst them by fires and sharpe prickes or goades they hanged them on Gibbettes they put them to death on Crosses they tied them to postes with their heads downwarde they lifted them vpon forkes vpon the which they kepte them aliue vntill famine and hunger caused them to dye they spoiled them all naked and they tyed them by one of their feete and lifted them vp into the ayre which was a cruell and vilainous spectacle specially in the women so cruelly handled they tied them to braunches and to trees and they made men bowe downe the strongest boughes to drawe and teare in sunder the members of the poore faythfull people who were tied thereto they beheaded them they choaked them with smoake which proceeded from a litle fire they cut of their handes their eares and other members they roasted them vpon the coales not to the ende to make them dye sodeinlie or quicklie but to torment them more longe they pricked them vnder their nailes at their fingers endes and toes with Reedes other sharpe instrumentes they powred vpō them boiling lead they fleied them all aliue and afterwardes cast vpon them Vinagre and Salt Sabellic Eunead 7. Cap. 8. and so killed them most cruellie In summe there were so many Martyres so many deathes so many sortes of punishmentes in this generall persecution and these so cruell vilainous and horrible that there is no tongue which can suffice to rehearse the same But aboue all this is to be noted that this persecutiō as Eusebius reciteth came thorowe the iust iudgement of God Euseb lib. 8. Cap. 1. because that the Christians abusing the libertie which God had giuen them to serue him withall became slow sluggish full of hypocrisie and false shewes and dissembling seditious contentious persons pursuing one an other for small iniuries that thorow deadly hatred The Bishops and Pastors inflamed with enuie hatred and yll will puffed vp with ambition and pride hauing also reiected the rule of godlines charitie lifted vp them selues one against an other prouoking and outragiously threatening one an other insomuch that they seemed rather to holde and possesse the seate of tyrantes than of Prelates an example certeinly which ought verie well to teach vs to walke in
and of Peroe the sonne of the foresaid Herode the great by his fourth wife named Marthaca who by violence tooke Herodias from his brother Philippe and caused Iohn Baptist to be beheaded Mat. 14.3 c. Luk. 13.31.32 Luk. 23.11 Iosephus lib. 18. Cap. 9. de Antiquitate Iudaeor Euseb lib. 2. Cap. 4. prepared and laide his Ambushmentes in waite for the Sonne of GOD him selfe and when Pilate sent Christ to him hee mocked him and sent him backe againe with great ignominie and reproch after what manner died hee The Historiographers recite and recorde that hee obeying the motions and prouocations of his shamelesse harlot Herodias and hauing beene condemned by the Emperour Caius Caligula to bee perpetually baninished did miserably finishe his life at Lions amongst the Frenchmen beeing quite and cleane spoyled of all his goods and glorie As concerning Pilate Pilate This wicked and cursed man suffering him selfe to bee wonne by the Iewes yea euen so far that hee condemned Iesus Christ against his owne conscience and hauing exercised and practised diuers cruelties and outrages against the Iewes them selues shewing him selfe alwayes prepared and readie to execute the ordinaunces and commaundementes of the Emperour whatsoeuer wickednesse was therein Supplimen Chro. Eutrop. lib. 7. Cap. 7. Euseb lib. 2. Cap. 7. at the last as it is conteined in the histories in the one and fortieth yeare of our Sauiour Christ hee was sent into exile by Caligula to Lions where the vengeance of God being fallen on him hee was locked vp closed in with such terrible griefes that beating striking him selfe with his owne handes and thinking to finish and end his euils in pricking forward and hasting his owne death he killed him selfe Behold hitherto the horrible example of Gods vengeance vpon these tyrantes and persecutours of the Church For it must in deed needes bee that they which had prouoked God and men against them should so cursedly and wickedly finishe their dayes God they prouoked principally in this that they had warred and fought against his word and men in this that they left not of any crueltie or barbarousnesse which they exercised not against them But as wee haue heeretofore more particularly described the cruell persecutions assaied and executed by the Emperours against the Church generally so we must here speake of their wicked and cursed endes Nero. Wherefore now to begin with Nero Eutropius in his eight booke Eutrop. lib. 8. speaketh thus of his ende A decree was made by the Senate that Nero should be ledde naked openly before all the people and that a forke should be put on his necke that he should bee beaten with roddes vntill that death followed thereof and that afterwardes he should be cast downe from the toppe of a rocke After this manner being forsaken of all he fledde out of the Palace and about midnight went out of the Citie accompanied onely with Pharon and Epaphroditus Neophytus and Spore his Eunuche and being about foure mile of from the Citie he thrust him selfe cleane thorow with one stroke of a sword and because his hand trembled shooke his Eunuch helped him to thrust forward the sword before which time he not finding any man that wold strike him he beganne and tooke vpon him to crie Is it so that I haue neither friende nor enemy I haue liued vilainously but yet I die more vilainously Beholde then what wages and hier this cruel Emperour receiued for his greeuous wickednesses and accursed offences Domitian receiued also the reward and Domitian recompence of his cruelties For hee was slaine in his own Palace by the hands of his owne seruauntes and houshold people his owne wife Domitia beeing consenting thereto and the Senate of Rome decreed and ordeined that his bodie shoulde bee carried and brought to the earth by the buriers after a vile manner and without honour and that all the Images of his person should be beaten downe and cast to the ground Therefore the said Senate also disanulled all his ordinaunces and decrees and called backe all other men which by his authoritie and commaundement were exiled and banished Traian Dion Traian as Dion saieth did no more escape the vengeaunce of God than the rest For first hauing had all his members withdrawne all his bodie without feeling and his senses dulled and stopped vp as it were so that hee conceiued an opinion that hee had beene poysoned moreouer being become full of the dropsie and verie much puffed vp and swollen at the last he dyed verie porely in Selmion a Citie of Sicilia Marcus Antonius Verus Marcus Aurelius otherwise called Marcus Aurelius hauing persecuted the Church at the length died feeling the wrath of God vpon him after this maner Being in the warre of Pannonia The Diall of Princes Cap. 40. which at this day is called Hongarie and keeing besieged a famous Citie in that countrie called Vendebonna and going vpon a certaine night rounde about his Campe to visite his bands and hundreds sodeinlie there fell vpon one of his armes a palsie insomuche that from that time forwarde hee coulde not either put on his garmentes or drawe his sword neither yet beare a speare After this an other sicknesse came vpon him called a Lethargie wherwith he was wonderfully tormēted and troubled Thus being sicke in his Tent he caused a cruell battell and a harde assault to be giuen against that people and the Hungarians insomuch that there was great bloudshead committed on the one side and on the other The Emperour hearing of the euill order amongst his souldiers namely that fiue of his Capitaines were dead and that none of them all coulde there bee founde a certeine heauinesse ceased and possessed his heart insomuch that all thought that vpon a sodeine and as it were in the turning of a hande hee had lost his life and so he continued two dayes and three nightes without hauing a will or minde to behold the light of the firmament or to speake to any man in the world so that his heat was verie great his rest verie litle he had continuall sighinges and groninges a great thirst small appetite to eate no sleepe and aboue all hee had his visage altogether wrinckled his lippes altogether blacke his eyes hollowe and suncke into his head and his tongue swollen without being able to spitte And so a litle while afterwardes not knowing to whom he might commit and commend his soule but as it were one altogether lost and cast away speaking these wordes vnto Commodus his sonne Remembring me of this that I haue come into life I haue nowe no more delight or pleasure to liue But as I knowe not whither death carrieth vs so I feare refuse death it selfe What should I do seeing that the Goddes tell mee not what I shall doe Immediately he roled and turned his eyes and lost his feeling and hauing been in this paine and agonie by the space of more than a quarter of
taken for Cardinals that is to say for principall and chiefe among other Priestes and Deacons Wherevpon he addeth some examples There is a certaine epistle saith he of Gregorie the first to them of Peloponezus who demaunded a Priest to minister the sacraments vnto them wherein he saith we send vnto you our beloued sonne A priest Cardinal Also there is amongst the auncient Charters in the Church of Aretinum a donation or gift of a certaine Romane Senator named Zenobius which was made vnto the saide Church in the time of Damasus the high Bishop wherein there is contained this subscription And I Io. S. R. E. Deacon Cardinall doe on the behalfe of the high Bishoppe Damasus approue and confirme c. And of these Priestes or Deacōs Cardinals Marcellus Bishop of Rome ordained fifteene to baptise children Petr. de Nat. lib. 2. cap. 83 Polydor. lib. 4. cap. 9. and to burie the dead about the yere of Christ 301. If the Cardinals of these dayes would take their beginning from these let them marke then what is their charge and calling without taking that vpon thē which belongeth not vnto them But we knowe what great differēce there is betwene their estate these bicause at this day we may in euerie place behold it to be an estate or calling of honor not of office charge as it was then Beside when was it that they were so lifted vp and by whom A thousand yeares and more were spent before that the Church was burdened with such Cardinals as we haue at this day hauing benefices without exercising or executing offices It is affirmed that Pope Innocentius the fourth of that name about the yeare of Christ 1244. did so exalt their estate and calling that he commaunded by Edict that from that time foreward they should goe on horsebacke and should weare a red cap or hat a scarlet robe for a signe and witnesse that they ought to be always readie and prepared to suffer and shead their bloud for the defence of Christian religion And Paule the second about the yeare 1470. hath ratified the same Edict and in some point augmented and inlarged it But some will set vp him selfe and say that these Priestes and Deacons of Rome which were called Cardinals obtained that name bicause at that time they were such as the Cardinals at this present are that is to say hauing authoritie and iurisdiction ouer all other Bishops and Priestes I aunswere that the case goeth not so For we find this that the Priests and Deacons of Rome were in times past much lesse and inferior to the Bishops in steede whereof at this day they goe before them in honour and dignitie And that so it is we read that whē the Bishop of Rome sent two Embassadors or Legates to the Councel of Carthage whereof one was a Priest of the Church of Rome he was set the last of all Also that in the Councel which S. Gregorie held the Priestes of the Church of Rome were set last and made their subscription apart by them selues and the Deacons had not so much credite as to subscribe Touching the foure Patriarches Patriarches we haue spoken thereof in the beginning of the 7. Chapter Nowe we must vnderstand that the names of Patriarch and Metropolitane wer in time heretofore takē for one charge or office as appeareth by this Socrates lib. 5. cap. 8. that Socrates the historiographer speaketh of the Coūcel of Constantinople wherein mention is made of Metropolitanes These Patriarches then or Metropolitanes being lifted vp in degree of honour aboue all the rest of the Bishops in processe of time thrust on foreward with ambition haue so incroched one of them vpon an other that at the last they haue brought all the Patriarches euen to the number of foure as we haue named and described them in the aforesaid seuenth Chapter And this hath principally come to passe bicause that either for the antiquitie of the Churches or for the renoune of the cities and excellencie also of the Bishops men haue reuerenced and honoured Rome Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch aboue all other cities and by consequent the Bishops of those places as those that were the principall or chiefe The Pope Nowe these foure Patriarches haue yet in such sort so robbed one an other that the Patriarch of Rome and he of Constantinople haue quite and cleane taken away the roome and place of the other two And as touching the two of Rome and Constantinople we knowe what iarre and contention there hath bene betwixt them which is not as yet well compounded or ended In the time of Gregorie the firste of that name about the yeare sixe hundred and two there was great controuersie and stirre for the primacie of the Church For Iohn Bishoppe of Constantinople was declared and published in a ful and solemne Synode of the Grecians vniuersall Patriarch and the Emperour Mauritius commaunded Gregorie to obey the said Patriarch of Constantinople But Gregorie would not indure or suffer this presumption that any Bishop should be an vniuersall Bishop ouer all the rest and in his Epistles he yealdeth reasons thereof First he saith Greg. lib. 6. epist 76. If he fall that is called the vniuersall Bishoppe the whole Church falleth from her estate Secondly None of my predecessors hath euer desired to haue or vse this prophane worde For if there be one Patriarch that is called vniuersall the name of Patriarch shall be taken from all the rest To consent to this execrable and accursed name is no other thing but to betraye the faith and to destroy Christianitie Thirdly Greg. lib. 7. epist 196. I speake freely and boldly that who so euer calleth him selfe vniuersall Bishoppe or desireth to be called by that name the same is in his pride the forerunner of Antichrist bicause that by his pride he preferreth him selfe before all This controuersie being betweene these two Patriarches of Rome and of Constantinople it fell out and was agreed that the Patriarch of Constantinople was appointed head of the Churches of the East and the Patriarch of Rome head of the Churches of the West and this latter was afterward so established and lifted vp by Phocas about the yeare 604. as we haue declared in the seuenth Chapter that he was created Pope and vniuersall Bishoppe of all Churches And as touching the name Pope it hath bene heretofore generally attributed and giuen to all Bishops as may be proued by these testimonies Aurelius Bishop of Carthage is called by this name Pope in the beginning of the Councel holden at the saide Carthage of which Councel he was President In the hundreth fiftie and one Chapter of the same Councel Innocentius Bishop of Alexandria is called Pope Saint Cyprian in certaine Epistles which he writ to the same Bishop calleth him Pope The Elders and Deacons of Rome Cyprian li. 2 Epist 7. called Cyprian Pope in their Epistles Saint Ierome oftentimes calleth Augustine Pope in